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Trump Plans To Clean Up Chicago; Mushroom Murderer Who Killed Three Guests Finally Sentenced In Court; "Downton Abbey" Marks An Epic Finale With A Movie, Show's Memorabilia Up for Auction. Aired 3-4a ET

Aired September 08, 2025 - 03:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

[03:00:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ROSEMARY CHURCH, CNN ANCHOR: Hello and welcome to our viewers joining us from all around the world and everyone streaming us on CNN Max. I'm Rosemary Church. Just ahead.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, U.S. PRESIDENT: We're not going to war. We're going to clean up our city.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: Donald Trump walks back comments about waging war on Chicago saying he'll announce plans to clean up the city in the coming days.

The President also hinting at potential new punishments for Russia following the biggest attack on Ukraine so far.

An Australian woman convicted of killing three people with toxic mushrooms learns her fate in court.

And later, a beloved British period drama is hitting the big screen for its final chapter.

UNKNOWN (voice-over): Live from Atlanta, this is "CNN Newsroom" with Rosemary Church.

CHURCH: Good to have you with us.

Donald Trump says he'll make a decision in the next couple of days about deploying troops and ICE agents to Chicago. The U.S. President has repeatedly slammed Chicago over policies limiting cooperation with federal immigration enforcement. On Sunday, Mr. Trump claimed that Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker is not addressing crime in the city.

Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: Chicago is a very dangerous place and we have a governor that doesn't care about crime. I guess we could solve Chicago very quickly, but we're going to make a decision as to where we go over the next day or two.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: Chicago isn't the only Democratic-led city facing action from the federal government. The Trump administration over the weekend launched a new federal immigration enforcement program in Boston aimed at arresting undocumented migrants.

CNN's Leigh Waldman has the latest.

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LEIGH WALDMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The federal immigration crackdown happening in Massachusetts comes just a few weeks after the Trump administration started hinting at a major operation taking place in Boston.

A DHS spokesperson telling CNN on Sunday, ICE launched Patriot 2.0 to target the worst of the worst criminal illegal aliens living in the state of Massachusetts following the success of Operation Patriot in May. Operation Patriot resulted in nearly 1500 arrests throughout all of Massachusetts.

Now, Boston's Mayor Michelle Wu issuing her own statement following this action happening in Boston Sunday saying "For months, ICE has refused to provide any information about their activities in Boston and refuses to issue warrants while we hear reports of ICE agents taking parents as they are dropping off their kids at school, this does not make our community safer." She also added that the Boston police and local resources will not be assisting in these federal operations.

Meanwhile, the Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey is saying that there are not a criminal arrest happening, that these arrests are targeting everyday people. Take a listen.

GOV. MAURA HEALEY (D-MA): We've seen construction workers, nannies, landscapers, you know, health care aides. These are the people who are being taken in huge numbers, taken away from their families. And it is not the kind of effort that Donald Trump said it was about.

But again, this is about show, it's about a show of force, it's about political theater.

WALDMAN: All of this is coming in the middle of Boston's mayoral race. Voters are heading to the primary polls on Tuesday. It's also important to keep in mind that this increased ICE enforcement happening in Boston comes just a few days after Wu, the city and the police department was sued by the Department of Justice.

In New York, Leigh Waldman, CNN.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CHURCH: In the coming hours, South Korea's foreign minister will head to the U.S. as the two countries deal with the fallout of last week's massive immigration raid in Georgia. The U.S. and South Korea have struck a deal to send roughly 300 workers home after they were detained by federal agents. The workers were among 475 people detained on Thursday during a large-scale raid at a plant jointly operated by South Korea-based companies Hyundai and L.G. Energy Solution.

Mike Valerio joins me now live from Seoul with more. Good to see you again, Mike. What is the latest on this and what's been the reaction in South Korea?

[03:05:02]

MIKE VALERIO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I would say, Rosemary, the reaction, there's a lot of unease. There's a lot of dismay that is sort of being the undercurrent of these conversations that you're hearing all the time, be it in Seoul or Busan if you're in a different city outside of the capital region. But what we're leading with here in terms of where the story is headed next is certainly what you were talking about a couple seconds ago.

The Foreign Minister of South Korea, Cho Hyun, leaving on this urgent trip to Washington, D.C., while reporting at CNN, says he's going to leave this part of the country around 7:40 p.m. local time, going to D.C. And why that's important is because this government is intent on making sure that something like this does not happen again.

And we want to put an emphasis on that because when we look at what the imagery was just under two weeks ago, we had President Lee Jae- myung of South Korea meeting with Donald Trump in the Oval Office. The two of them were talking about all of the partnerships that South Korean industry could engage with in the United States to help make American manufacturing, industry, shipbuilding is part of the conversation, great again. So from the point of view of people in Seoul, they need to resolve this issue as quickly as possible.

When we were reporting over the weekend, there was certainly a feeling of astonishment that for visa violations, people were telling us that they couldn't understand why ICE could not go to employers or go to subcontractors and say, you know what, we think that there's a problem with this portion of this person's visa, and then they would take care of it. A lot of people we've had conversations with, be it in the public eye or from the political sphere, do not understand why such a heavy-handed approach of no warning of people led away with chains around their waist in handcuffs had to happen.

President Trump, for his part, writing on Truth a couple hours ago that he wants international investment, of course, to keep coming into the United States. He just wants people to be there legally. And certainly, I think a huge segment of South Korean society would agree with the need to enforce immigration law, it's just how this was carried out.

So as we look to the next few hours and days when these 300-plus South Korean citizens are coming back to South Korea on a charter flight, we're really going to be acutely interested to hear what were their experiences, what are they telling their families, and how can the government here make sure this does not happen again. CHURCH: All right, our thanks to Mike Valerio bringing us that live

update. I appreciate it.

VALERIO: Thanks, Rosemary.

CHURCH: President Trump says he will speak with Russia's Vladimir Putin very soon. It comes as the President grows more and more frustrated with the lack of progress toward peace in Ukraine. He's now signaling that the U.S. is ready to move to the second phase of sanctions against Russia as Moscow's war rages on.

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REPORTER: When do you plan to speak to the President next?

TRUMP: Over the next couple of days.

Look, we're going to get it done. The Russia-Ukraine situation, we're going to get it done. I have confidence we're going to get it done.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: Russia launched its largest aerial assault of the war early on Sunday. It deployed more than 800 drones striking a government building in Kyiv for the first time. President Trump's Ukraine envoy said the massive attack is not a sign that Russia wants to end the war.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is urging his allies to take action against Moscow.

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VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY, UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT (through translator): Clearly, Russia is trying to inflict pain on Ukraine with even more brazen attacks. This is a clear sign that Putin is testing the world, whether they will accept or tolerate this.

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CHURCH: CNN's Alayna Treene has more from the White House.

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ALAYNA TREENE, CNN WHITE HOUSE REPORTER: President Donald Trump spoke with reporters Sunday evening and said that he plans to speak to Russian President Vladimir Putin in the coming days. He said he plans to call him very soon and added that he has confidence he would be able to get the war settled between Russia and Ukraine, but added that he's still very disappointed with the pace and progress of negotiations. Listen.

TRUMP: It's such a horrible waste of humanity. So no, I am not thrilled with what's happening there. I will tell you, I think it's going to get settled. So I settled seven wars. This I would have said would have been maybe the easiest one to settle

of all. But with war, you never know what you're getting. But we're going to get it, I believe we're going to get it settled.

But I am not happy with them, I'm not happy with anything having to do with that war. It's just such a waste of great humanity.

[03:10:02]

TREENE: Now, those comments there mirror what I've been told in my conversations with people here at the White House and throughout the Trump administration, that Trump has grown increasingly frustrated with how Putin has been handling this. You heard that he said in those remarks there that he thought this might be one of the easiest wars that he could try to settle, and it's proving to be the hardest.

And that's in part because he had been hoping, particularly at the beginning of his second term, that he would be able to sit down with Putin or at least get him on the phone and be able to find a way to resolve the war. Clearly, that has not happened.

Now, those comments also follow what the president told reporters earlier Sunday, that he's planning to move forward with a new phase of sanctions on Russia. I would remind you that we've actually heard this threat from the president in the past, over the past several months, really. But each time he's pushed that back.

And part of that, I'm told from White House officials, is because he's worried that inflicting economic pain on Russia could end up blowing up these negotiations. But all of this comes, as we've seen, Russia continue their relentless bombing campaign on Ukraine, something we've heard from other officials today on Sunday, including Keith Kellogg, his special envoy for Ukraine, that it shows that Russia has no signs of stopping this war or wanting to find a peace deal at the end of this.

All to say, we're waiting to see whether the president actually gets on the phone with Putin in the coming days. He also mentioned he might see some European leaders coming to the White House to further discuss this. Stay tuned for all of that.

Alayna Treene, CNN, the White House.

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CHURCH: An Australian judge has handed down his sentence in a case that gripped the world's attention. Full details ahead on Aaron Patterson's punishment for killing three people with mushrooms.

Plus, police in New Zealand believe they've shot and killed a fugitive father who's been on the run with his children for years. The latest on the armed confrontation after the break.

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CHURCH: Two Israeli officials say the U.S. has put forward new ceasefire principles in a renewed effort to bring an end to the war in Gaza. One Israeli official says the principles call for Hamas to release all hostages being held in Gaza on day one of a ceasefire and for Israel to halt its assault on Gaza City.

If accepted, President Trump would ensure a ceasefire holds as long as negotiations continue. Mr. Trump had this to say about the prospect of a deal.

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TRUMP: I think we're going to have a deal on Gaza very soon, it's a hell of a problem. Again, it's a problem we want to solve for the Middle East, for Israel, for everybody. But it's a problem we're going to get done.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: The renewed push for a deal comes as Israeli strikes hit several sites in Gaza City on Sunday. Health officials say at least 41 people were killed.

And CNN's Nada Bashir joins me now live from London. So Nada, President Trump, we just heard, says he's going to have a deal on Gaza very soon after the U.S. put forward this new ceasefire plan for the immediate release of all the hostages. What more are you learning about this?

NADA BASHIR, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well look, Rosemary, we're certainly hearing that tone of optimism from the U.S. President. That is not the first time we've heard such optimism around the prospects of securing a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas and in previous instances without any substantial results.

But certainly some optimism there with regards to this new set of principles which have been laid out according to two Israeli officials familiar with these ongoing discussions and negotiations. These principles differ somewhat to the previous ceasefire proposal we had seen put on the table by mediators from Qatar and from Egypt, namely in the phased out process that we had previously seen being laid out for the release of hostages held captive by Hamas in Gaza. These principles, according to these Israeli officials, call for the immediate release of all Israeli hostages held captive in Gaza on the first day of that ceasefire as well as an immediate freeze to the Israeli military's assault on Gaza City.

Now it's during this freeze and this cessation in hostilities that, according to these principles that have been laid out in this new proposal, that both sides would be able to negotiate a comprehensive end to the war in Gaza. And of course what we've also heard from these officials is that President Trump has assured that he would ensure that there would be no breakdown of this ceasefire proposal as long as negotiations are going. Now this is certainly an optimistic outlook on what could be a

ceasefire between Israel and Hamas. We've certainly seen some optimism in the past. We have heard from Hamas officials saying that they have received these principles, this proposal currently on the table, that they are eager to get back to the negotiating table to not only bring an end to the war in Gaza but also to release the hostages.

But of course what we've also been hearing from Hamas officials is that they remain steadfast with previous goals in terms of ensuring that there are no Israeli troops present in parts of Gaza. There is a full withdrawal eventually as part of this ceasefire agreement and a complete end to the war.

Now on the Israeli side we have also heard from the Israeli Prime Minister's office saying that the Israeli Prime Minister and government are taking these principles very seriously, that this proposal is being considered seriously by the Israeli Prime Minister and that has certainly been welcomed by the family members and representatives of those hostages held captive in Gaza.

But what we've seen in previous instances with regards to ceasefire proposals on the deal is an insistence by the Israeli Prime Minister to remain steadfast to those war goals put forward by the Israeli government, including the complete demilitarization of Gaza and Hamas and its destruction as an organization.

[03:19:58]

So whether we see any movement on that front of course remains to be seen. Again these are being put forward as principles at this stage, not a fully thought through ceasefire proposal right now. Rosemary.

CHURCH: Nada Bashir in London, many thanks for that live report. I appreciate it.

Erin Patterson, the woman convicted of murdering three people with a meal that included death cap mushrooms, has been sentenced to life in prison. She served a beef wellington made with deadly mixture to four people, including the parents, aunt and uncle of her estranged husband. He had been invited to the meal but pulled out the day before.

His parents and his aunt died from the poisoning. The sole survivor, his uncle Ian Wilkinson, spoke after the sentencing.

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IAN WILKINSON, SURVIVED ATTEMPTED MURDER: We're grateful for their skills that brought this truth to light. And I'm also very grateful for the kindness and compassion they showed us, me and my family, throughout the long process that has brought us to this day.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: Sentencing was broadcast from the Victoria Supreme Court in Melbourne. Because of the intense public interest, the judge said the crime was clearly premeditated.

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JUDGE CHRISTOPHER BEALE, VICTORIA SUPREME COURT: Not only did you cut short three lives and cause lasting damage to Ian Wilkinson's health, thereby devastating the extended Patterson and Wilkinson families, you inflicted untold suffering on your own children, whom you robbed of their beloved grandparents. Patterson will be ineligible for parole for at least 33 years.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: And earlier I spoke with Nine reporter, Amber Johnston, who's been following the story from Melbourne. And I asked her, what's been the reaction across Australia to the sentencing of Erin Patterson?

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AMBER JOHSNTON, NINE NEWS REPORTER: I've never really seen anything quite like this in all my years as being a journalist and a court reporter. This case has really been quite extraordinary from start to finish. And I think that's the case for so many different reasons.

Firstly, it's just the heinous nature of this crime. The fact that this woman used beef wellingtons laced with death cap mushrooms to deliberately murder her in-laws. So that's her children's grandparents and her estranged husband's parents.

She deliberately set out to murder them, it's almost Shakespearean in a way and I think that's drawn a whole lot of attention towards the case.

Even today, before the sentencing, there was a long line of about 60 members of the public who are waiting here at the front of court to get one of the very few seats inside. And I don't think there are many cases here where we would ever see scenes like that.

But it's also just who Erin Patterson is as a person, she's become quite the enigma throughout all of this, she's maintained her innocence, she's never given any sort of confession. We've learned that she really is quite an intelligent woman, but there's still so much about her that remains a secret. And I think that has just drawn so much fascination towards this case.

CHURCH: And Amber, Patterson has until midnight October 6th to launch an appeal against her sentence or conviction. How likely is it that she will do just that?

JOHNSTON: That is the million dollar question.

And speaking to a number of different experts today, I've been getting mixed reactions, I guess. There are some people who have said it is an absolute no-brainer that Erinn Patterson will launch an appeal, that's because she is a woman who comes from a whole lot of money and really she has nothing to lose. She's staring down the barrel of at least 33 years behind bars and she has an incredibly good defense barrister, one of the best defense barristers in the country so why would she not give an appeal a go?

But on the other hand, the judge in this case, Justice Christopher Beale, he was so meticulous and so careful in how he ran this trial. He made sure every T was crossed and every I was dotted, and he left no stone unturned. So there was a lot of commentary about this case being appeal proof.

But as you just mentioned, Erin Patterson has 28 days from today to formally lodge that appeal. So whether that's something she does or not, we would just have to wait and see.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: Well, police in New Zealand say they have found two missing children after the man believed to be their father died in a shootout with officers. Officials presume the man to be Tom Phillips, although a formal identification has not yet taken place.

Phillips and his three children vanished in December of 2021. Those children are now thought to be ages 9, 10 and 12. Police say one child was found with the deceased man.

And CNN's Marc Stewart joins us now live from Beijing. Good to see you, Marc. So what is the latest on this story?

[03:25:00]

MARC STEWART, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Nice to see you, Rosemary. The focus has been on the children. As you mentioned, one was found earlier today. The other two just about two hours ago in an area which is being described by an official in New Zealand as a remote campsite with very dense brush.

They say that the children are well, they are uninjured, but they are going through medical checks. They had been reported missing since 2021. And a big concern was in this region of New Zealand, the temperatures were going to get very low at night, there would be very cold temperatures and so there was a sense of urgency to find them.

This has been a saga that has been playing out in New Zealand now for several years. The latest though unfolding overnight when there was a report of a break-in at a farm store in the overnight hours. An ATV was spotted, there was a chase.

Local police put down spike strips to stop that ATV. Once that happened, a man believed to be Thomas Phillips shot an officer at close range with a high-powered rifle. Shortly after that, another officer arrived and shot back, hitting Phillips.

At the time, according to an official, the focus is on certainly that officer, but also Mr. Phillips' family saying it's an outcome that nobody wanted.

This is a case though that has gripped this region of the country for years. Any development made big headlines. So this is a conclusion that many people in New Zealand and the

surrounding area are going to pay attention to. Again, the focus on the three children, again, ages believed to be 9, 10, and 12.

Rosemary, we did hear from the children's mother speaking to one of our CNN affiliates on Monday morning, RNZ. She said at the time she was deeply relieved that this ordeal has come to an end. Many more questions still need to be answered.

Hopefully, we'll get a better timeline, Rosemary, in the hours ahead.

CHURCH: Indeed. Mark Stewart, joining us live from Beijing with that update on that story. I appreciate it.

CHURCH: Russia may soon face new sanctions from the U.S. as President Trump prepares to speak with Vladimir Putin in the days ahead. The latest on efforts to end the war in Ukraine, when we return.

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[03:30:00]

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CHURCH: Welcome back to "CNN Newsroom." I'm Rosemary Church. I want to check today's top stories for you.

Donald Trump says he will make a decision in the next couple of days about deploying troops and ICE agents to Chicago. This comes as a new immigration enforcement operation is underway in Massachusetts with raids occurring in Boston. So far, each of the cities Trump has targeted as large Democratic voter populations.

Two Israeli officials say the U.S. has put forward new ceasefire principles in a renewed effort to bring an end to the war in Gaza. One official says the principles call for Hamas to release all hostages on day one of the ceasefire and for Israel to halt its assault on Gaza City. Hamas has confirmed it received the proposal, the Israeli Prime Minister's office says it's being seriously considered.

President Trump is now signaling that he's ready to slap more sanctions on Russia as it ramps up attacks on Ukraine. He says he will speak with Russian President Vladimir Putin very soon. It comes after Moscow launched its largest aerial assault of the war early Sunday.

William Taylor is the former U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine. He's now a distinguished fellow with the Atlantic Council, and he joins us now from Kyiv. I appreciate you being with us.

WILLIAM TAYLOR, FORMER U.S. AMBASSADOR TO UKRAINE: Good to be here, Rosemary.

CHURCH: So, Ambassador, I do want to start with the fact that you are in Kyiv where that massive Russian strike hit just hours ago. What has been the reaction there? What's the aftermath? TAYLOR: Well, so they did hit, they used the largest attack of drones

-- largest number of drones in this war, Rosemary. But also, I think significant is they hit the Cabinet Ministers building, they hit the Prime Minister's office. This is new, and this was undoubtedly intentional that the Russians have done this.

And I have to believe that at the very highest level of Russian government, they approved an attack on the Prime Minister of Ukraine's office.

So this is a new troubling development, I think, that just reinforces what we've known. That is, Putin is not serious about ending this war.

CHURCH: Yes, very significant indeed. And Ambassador, President Donald Trump says he's not happy with anything regarding the war in Ukraine and indicated that he'll talk to Russia's President Putin in the next couple of days, hinting at the possibility of applying more sanctions. What is all this signal to you in terms of what Trump might do next?

TAYLOR: Okay, that has to happen. President Trump has the ability to put pressure on President Putin to cease this war, to stop the killing, which is what President Trump has talked about over and over, stop the killing.

He's got the influence, he's got the ability to put pressure on Putin to come to the table and have a discussion, enter into negotiations for a ceasefire, for an armistice, call it an armistice. This can happen, but it needs to happen. That's the only way to convince Putin that he can't win.

I mean, his only strategy is to wait us out, to wait the Ukrainians out, and to wait the Europeans out. The Ukrainians will never give in, Rosemary, as you well know. And the Americans are signaling strong support, the Europeans have been very strong.

So that's what needs to happen. President Trump needs to put pressure on Putin this time right now.

[03:35:04]

CHURCH: And as we've been discussing, this, of course, comes after Russia struck the Ukrainian government building in Kyiv Sunday in what was its largest aerial assault on the country. So how is it possible to end this war when Putin's attacks on Ukraine are clearly escalating, and while Putin shows no sign of wanting peace?

TAYLOR: He shows no sign of wanting peace because we have not put pressure on him. We have not put the kind of pressure, military pressure, as well, in particular now, on economic pressure, the sanctions. That's what needs to happen to be able to push him to come to the table and negotiate with the recognition that he cannot win, that's the right necessary step, is to put that pressure on. President Trump, to his credit, did put sanctions, secondary tariffs, on India for buying Russian oil and that panicked.

That's really spooked President Putin, that's why he wanted that meeting in the first place, in Anchorage, in Alaska. So that has the ability, that kind of pressure has the ability to bring Putin to the table. But that has to happen, President Trump needs to play that card.

CHURCH: But let's look at that, because when President Trump says he'll move to Category 2 sanctions on Russia, what does that mean, exactly? And how likely is it that he will do that this time? Because after many threats of severe consequences, we've seen these deadlines come and go, and these threats of severe consequences come and go. So is that a concern for you, to wonder whether he'll actually do this?

TAYLOR: It is a concern. It's a concern for all the Ukraines that I've talked to this week and last week.

They are, they're eager. They're eager for this war to end, Rosemary, as you would imagine. I mean, it's 1293 days today that they've been fighting, just in this big war, in this big war since 2022.

So they are tired, they want it to end, but they want it to end in a way that is just and lasting. They don't want it to come back and they're not willing to capitulate. This is what President Putin needs to understand, he can't wait them out.

So your first part of your question is to go to what kind of sanctions can work. Trump has shown that he can put sanctions on nations that buy Russian oil. He's done it on India, he could do it to others.

There are many Russian, there are several big Russian banks, Rosemary, that are not yet sanctioned. Amazing as that sounds. So that can happen.

There's a big fleet, a shadow fleet of ships that move Russian oil around the world. That can be cranked down as well. There's a lot that can be done and should be done now.

CHURCH: All right, we'll see what happens. William Taylor, joining us live from Kyiv. Many thanks and take good care.

TAYLOR: Thank you, Rosemary.

CHURCH: Well, Donald Trump has been getting major pushback from critics, from immigration enforcement, to tariffs, to the Epstein files. How are these things affecting his approval rating? Our Harry Enten runs the numbers to see how voters feel about Trump's presidency.

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HARRY ENTEN, CNN CHIEF DATA ANALYST: Hey there. We're now a week back from Labor Day. The summer has ended.

We have now entered the autumn season. But when it comes to Americans' views of Donald Trump, we ain't changing seasons. We're in the same place we've pretty much been for most of this year.

What are we talking about? Well, on Sunday, we got two new polls from CBS News and NBC News.

And look at Trump's net approval rating overall, he's underwater. What are we talking about? Twelve points underwater in the CBS News poll, but for a different network, how about NBC News? He's 14 points underwater there, telling the exact same story, telling the story that we've seen throughout much of Trump's presidency, and that is he is underwater.

Indeed, I went back over time and looked, okay, a negative net approval rating for Trump. This is my aggregate of polls. How long has it been?

Well, it's been every single day this year since March 12th. My goodness gracious. Days in a row, we're talking about 180 days in a row.

That is nearly, get this, half a year in which Donald Trump has been underwater every single day. My goodness gracious.

Now, why is it that Donald Trump has been underwater for so long? When was the last time he was positive for a full month? You'd have to go back to February of 2025, and much has changed since that point.

What are we talking about? How about Trump's net approval rating? We'll look at those age 18 to 29, and Hispanics as well. In February, among those age 18 to 29, he was at plus two points.

Look at where he is now, minus 30 points. Holy Toledo. That is a movement of 32 points in the wrong direction, the direction you don't want to be going if you're Donald Trump.

How about Hispanics? Look at this. He was six points underwater back in February. Now he is 34 points underwater.

That's a 28-point move. That is quite terrible.

Now, I will also point out that it's not just the overall approval ratings in which we're seeing Donald Trump's struggling.

[03:40:00]

It's not just among key groups in the electorate, groups that Donald Trump did significantly better with in 2024 than the normal Republican. It's issues.

It's issues, baby. And what are we talking about here? How about Trump's net approval rating on crime, immigration, foreign policy, the economy, trade? It's red.

And this ain't Republican red, this is negative red. Minus two points on crime, minus three points on immigration.

Key core issues for Donald Trump that he really is traditionally strong in, but he's underwater on both. Foreign policy, minus 12 points. The economy, which of course was a big reason why Donald Trump won in 2024, he's 14 points underwater. And then of course the issue of trade, which of course comes down to

tariffs, which of course have been such a big part of his second term. Look at this, he's 17 points underwater.

If there's one saving grace though for Donald Trump, what is it? His support among the Republican base is as strong as ever.

Look at this, Republicans who approve of Trump in February, it was 90 percent according to CBS News. Look at where we are now. 91 percent. If anything, it's a little bit higher.

And as long as Republicans are behind Donald Trump, he's probably not going to hear a lot of negativity from the people he traditionally listens to, that Republican base. And therefore I'm not expecting Trump to change much of anything, despite the fact that with the overall electorate, he's as negative as basically he's ever been.

Back to you.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CHURCH: As tensions flare between the U.S. and Venezuela, President Nicolas Maduro is urging Venezuelans to enlist in the country's militia. CNN's Stefano Pozzebon has more on the civilian group dedicated to protecting Venezuela.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

STEFANO POZZEBON, CNN CONTRIBUTOR (voice-over): On a regular day, Hector Carrillo is a pastry chef, working early shifts to bake cookies and cakes for his community in a slum outside Caracas.

But when duty calls, Carrillo is a reservist and a member of the Bolivarian militia, a civilian force tied to Venezuela's military, ready to defend the nation.

As sources tell CNN, the White House is considering strikes on Venezuelan territory, allegedly to hit narco-traffickers. Carrillo warns any U.S. intervention against Venezuela would be catastrophic.

POZZEBON (translated): Do you have message for President Trump?

POZZEBON (voice-over): I've been almost 30 years in the army, and I still feel prepared to defend the fatherland. I would tell him, do not think about it because it will be bad. It will be the American empire.

In recent days, President Nicolas Maduro has called for a special mobilization of the militia.

Our mobilization will be permanent and never stop. The armed forces will deliver the plans for people to sign up, Maduro told the nation.

Claiming as many as 8 million Venezuelans signed up, experts dispute these numbers, or how effective this corp would be in real combat.

HECTOR CARILLO, BOLIVARIAN MILITIA (translated): (expletive) watch out, I can pick you up.

POZZEBON: While militiamen like Hector are unlikely to deter any intervention plan from President Trump, they definitely send a message to everyone in the community. The government is on every street.

POZZEBON (voice-over): Today, Carrillo's job is to provide security at this government fair, where citizens get access to basic services like subsidized medicines or medical consultations, while the militia patrols the street.

Top prize at the spinning wheel? Supercilita, a superwoman modeled on Maduro's wife, Silvia Flores.

POZZEBON: Seems like I didn't win.

POZZEBON (voice-over): At the heart of the fair is the food stall, with Maduro looking on.

POZZEBON: One of the tasks of the militia is to oversee the logistics of the government handouts, which are crucial for vast parts of the Venezuelan population, as the minimum wage here is still less than a dollar a month.

POZZEBON (voice-over): Used to living under an authoritarian government, most Venezuelans seem unmoved by the prospect of U.S. strikes. Even Maduro now strikes a more cautious tone.

NICOLAS MADURO, VENEZUELAN PRESIDENT (through translator): Please don't let yourself be deceived for one more fratricidal war in South America and in the Caribbean.

POZZEBON (voice-over): The White House says more actions are coming against the Venezuelan leader, while here his supporters close ranks, prepared for what is next.

Stefano Pozzebon, CNN, Petare, Venezuela.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CHURCH: A final farewell to Giorgio Armani is underway. Mourners are gathering as the legendary designer is prepared to be laid to rest. We'll have the latest from Italy ahead of his private funeral.

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[03:45:00]

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CHURCH: Italy is bidding a final farewell to fashion giant Giorgio Armani. A horse carrying the late Italian designer left the Armani Theater on Sunday, where his body had been lying in state over the weekend.

Armani died Thursday at the age of 91, after a five-decade career that turned his name into a global fashion empire and symbol of elegance. His private funeral will be held today in a village near Milan.

And CNN's Barbie Latza Nadeau joins us now live from Rome. Good morning to you, Barbie. So, what more can you tell us about the final farewell to Italian fashion designer Giorgio Armani, and of course, plans for his private funeral?

BARBIE LATZA NADEAU, CNN REPORTER: Yes, you know, good morning, Rosemary. So much sort of sadness and respect for this man.

Around 16,000 people paid their respects while he was lying in state in this theater, Armani Theater, in Milan over the weekend, surrounded by 300 lanterns. You know, really very elegant affair that he's no doubt had a hand in designing. And this morning, his body is being taken to this tiny village near Piacenza, where he grew up.

Now, he grew up really during, right after the war, during a time that was very difficult. And he spoke often about how hard it was. His story is truly a rags-to-riches story.

He really was able to climb to such global fame and became such an elegant face of Italian fashion. Now, we know that the funeral is private. The Armani company spokespeople have not given any indication about any of the details.

But it's very likely that he will be buried in the family chapel next to his parents and one of his brothers who's buried there. We've heard some reports that he's possibly going to be cremated. His urn will be there.

The funeral, we understand, will be attended by just about 20 people, close family members. And it will be a very private and solemn affair.

[03:50:03]

And then, of course, everyone wonders what's going to happen next, the line of succession. He was the only shareholder in the Armani company. He designed the last collection that will be presented yet here in September, Rosemary.

CHURCH: Barbie Latza Nadeau, many thanks for that report. I appreciate it.

"Downton Abbey" is taking its final bow. 15 years after it began, the beloved period drama is returning for one last film. We'll take you inside the grand finale, that's next.

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CHURCH: "Downton Abbey" is taking its final bow. The beloved British period drama is hitting the big screen for one last chapter. And thanks to Bonham's auction house, fans of the show can snag their own piece of Downton history for a good cause.

CNN's Lynda Kinkade takes a look at the grand finale.

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LYNDA KINKADE, CNN ANCHOR (voice-over): It's a fond farewell to Downton Abbey, the period drama about the lives, loves and losses of the aristocratic Crawley family and their servants.

HUGH BONNEVILLE, DOWNTON ABBEY: I think those who followed the show will find it a very moving and I think appropriate way to wind up all the stories.

KINKADE (voice-over): It's been nearly 15 years since our introduction to the characters.

Now, the beloved franchise created by Julian Fellowes is taking a bow after six seasons as a television series, followed by three films with "Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale" serving as the last installment.

JOANNE FROGGATT, DOWNTON ABBEY: It is the end of a chapter, the end of an era. And, you know, all good things must come to an end. And it's what a rise, I mean, what a ride it's been.

KINKADE (voice-over): But for fans who aren't ready to let the series go, Bonham's Auction House in London is running an exhibition and sale of some of the show's most famous memorabilia, like the famous bell wall, part of the show's opening credits, which Bonham's had expected to sell for up to $10,000, already with a bid of more than double that.

Also featured is Lady Mary's wedding dress and other memorable looks, which one member of the cast says were both historic and glamorous to wear.

PENELOPE WILTON, DOWNTON ABBEY: All this beading is probably the original, and then they put a new back on it.

KINKADE (voice-over): Likely one of the most expensive items up for auction is the Grantham family car, a 1925 Sunbeam that's expected to fetch for around $34,000 to $47,000.

CHARLIE THOMAS, BONHAM'S U.K. GROUP DIRECTOR: So you have your chauffeur at the front, so Branson will be in the front and Lord and Lady Grantham will be sitting here in the back. It really feels like I'm traveling first class.

KINKADE (voice-over): The proceeds of the auction will go to a children's charity. The movie opens in theaters September 12th, for one last glimpse of life at "Downton Abbey."

Lynda Kinkade, CNN.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CHURCH: Looking forward to it. Thanks for your company, I'm Rosemary Church. Have yourselves a wonderful day.

"Amanpour" is next, then stay tuned for "Early Start" with Brian Abel coming up at 5 a.m. in New York, 10 a.m. in London. Enjoy.

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