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Suspect Joked His "Doppelganger" Carried Out Kirk Shooting; Parents Avoiding Schools Amid Stepped Up ICE Raids; President & First Lady Heading To U.K. For Official Trip This Week; Puerto Rico's Economy Booming After Bad Bunny Boost. Aired 2-3p ET

Aired September 14, 2025 - 14:00   ET

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

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[14:00:38]

FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN HOST: Hello everyone.

Thank you so much for joining me this Sunday. I'm Fredricka Whitfield.

Today we're getting the clearest glimpse yet of the demeanor of the alleged killer of conservative activist Charlie Kirk in the hours after the shooting.

"The New York Times" reports 22-year-old Tyler Robinson joked in a Discord group chat that his, quote, "Doppelganger" committed the crime after the FBI released surveillance photos of the suspect.

Robinson's messages offered no additional clues on a possible motive, but Utah's Governor Spencer Cox, speaking on CNN this morning, said it appears the suspect was at odds with conservative ideology.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DANA BASH, CNN HOST: You told "The Wall Street Journal" that it is, quote, "very clear to us and to the investigators that this was a person who was deeply indoctrinated with leftist ideology". Can you elaborate on that and be more specific?

GOV. SPENCER COX (R-UT): Well, sure. So that information comes from the people around him, from his family members and friends. That's how we got that information.

Again, there's so much more that we're learning and so much more that we will learn.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: As calls to tone down the country's political rhetoric continue to grow after Kirk's death, President Trump is doing the opposite.

In a phone interview with NBC News, Trump says he wants the nation to heal, but also says, quote, "We're dealing with a radical left group of lunatics and they don't play fair. And they never did," end quote. CNN's Danny Freeman is in St. George, Utah where the suspect was

living. Danny, what more are you learning?

DANNY FREEMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well Fred, make no mistake, there's still a lot of questions that we have about 22-year-old Tyler Robinson, the main suspect in the killing of Charlie Kirk. But we did get a lot more potential answers and information about him this morning.

The two big revelations that we heard from Governor Cox on CNN this morning with Dana Bash really focused on a potential note left behind by Robinson. And also the subject of Robinson's roommate.

I'm going to start with the roommate here. Per Governor Cox, Robinson was roommates with a romantic partner who was a male transitioning to a female.

I want you to take a listen to what Governor Cox told CNN's Dana Bash about this specific subject.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BASH: Some outlets are reporting that the suspect lived with a transgender partner. Is that accurate? And are investigators looking at this part of his life as a possible motivation?

COX: Yes, definitely. And yes, I can confirm that. I know that has been reported and that the FBI has confirmed that as well, that the roommate was a romantic partner, a male transitioning to female.

I can say that he has been very cooperative. This partner has been incredibly cooperative, had no idea that this was happening, and is working with investigators right now.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FREEMAN: Now, also note, Fred, when CNN directly pressed the governor if this was directly related to the potential motive here, the governor said it's easy to draw conclusions, but noted that he was declining really, to speculate on a motive at this time.

Though, as you noted, Fred, earlier, the governor did say that Robinson was part of a conservative family here in southwest Utah. But in recent years, according to family members, he had started to drift more to the left.

The other thing, Fred, that I'll note is the other revelation that we learned this morning was the apparent confirmation of a potential note left behind.

So we had heard from the social and gaming platform Discord that Robinson's roommate and a friend actually discussed on that platform the contents of a note that the suspect had left elsewhere.

Well, the governor appeared to confirm the existence of such note, but made sure to emphasize that this investigation is still ongoing into, again, any more written or left behind clues as to what may have led to this shooting and killing earlier this week.

Now, note Fred, that Robinson is still, at this point, not talking to authorities. So the governor and others are really pointing ahead to this coming Tuesday to learn more information.

[14:04:48]

FREEMAN: That's when we're expecting to see formal charges be announced here in the state of Utah. That's also when we're expecting to see Robinson make his first court appearance.

So again, all eyes right now on Tuesday. But a lot of new information about Robinson coming out over this morning in the past 24 hours, Fred.

WHITFIELD: All right. Danny Freeman, thank you so much.

Utah's Republican Governor Spencer Cox, continues to be in the national spotlight in the aftermath of the shooting of Charlie Kirk. He has taken a lead role updating Americans on the investigation. And he's using this pivotal moment to push for unity, civility and accountability.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

COX: If we're waiting for a president or a governor to get us off of -- out of this dark chapter, then it will never happen.

We can't -- I don't understand this, again giving our agency up. Waking up every day and saying, well, what did the president say today? That's going to determine how I react. Or what does governor say today?

That makes no sense to me. Every one of us has to look in the mirror and decide, are we going to try to make it better, or are we going to make it worse?

And I just, I pray that God will help us find him again and find our souls and find each other again.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: I'm joined now by Douglas Brinkley. He's a presidential historian. Douglas, always great to see you.

(CROSSTALKING)

DOUGLAS BRINKLEY, CNN PRESIDENTIAL HISTORIAN: Great to see you.

WHITFIELD: So I mean, to the point of what the governor is saying, America is still trying to assess what happened and what now. But historically, does America usually take its cues from elected leadership after something like this. Or are they leaning toward those more internal instincts that the governor is speaking of and urging?

BRINKLEY: Well, there's a lot of political violence in American history. I mean, we just look at the civil war and Abraham Lincoln won, the Confederates and the Union put down their guns. But Lincoln gets shot and killed in Ford's theater, right as his body is being returned to Springfield, Illinois.

We can do a march through all of the political violence in American history, but we're all numb right now.

And I agree with Utah's governor. He's doing a wonderful job of kind of handholding and guiding our country through this particular crisis.

But I think we got to return to what Barack Obama used to say. There is no Red or Blue America. We're all in this together.

And I feel that works better at a local level. I see it in communities. I see it at Utah Valley, with the way the students are pulling together.

There's so many good news stories going on, but there's no doubt there's an uptick in political violence. You can feel it in the air. And the question now is how do we stop it?

The one thing that will inflame it, though, is hatred rhetoric or pitting Americans against Americans.

WHITFIELD: Is there a way in which you would characterize, I guess, the political and cultural climate in America right now, then.

BRINKLEY: If you go back in history, I mean, I suppose, you know, you look at Chicago, the Haymarket affair and all the labor battles, you know, it was one after the other. Anarchy was in the air. People like, you know, Emma Goldman, and you know, and Mother Jones with the coal workers and our country was in that kind of dispute. This is -- that was labor business.

We are now in a culture war. What's at the heart of all this is Charlie Kirk on transgender and somebody, ostensibly the murderer having -- being very upset about transgender issues. All of these things that we're playing out in a political season to score points or fundraise on.

And the media culpability of putting extremist voices on the air, and we're losing the center. And if we lose the center -- center left, center right -- which has held through most of the Cold war. You know, from 1945 to the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, Americans had a common foe -- the Soviet Union and China. And we're all in it together.

That's how we got to the moon. It was Democrats and Republicans. It was paying, you know, 4 percent of our taxes to NASA to beat the Russians to the moon.

We don't have that governing principle. We don't know what we're doing. So we're turning inward and on each other. And we're using particularly social media as a form, which is the new town hall, which means whenever you're in an irritable mood or pick up something idiotic or feel like you want to blow off some steam, you can type in a couple of lines and boom, you're affecting somebody else.

I'm most concerned of young people, kids in high school and kids up in their early 20s because they're getting these things and it's the wild west for them. They think, you know, that they can believe on some site they're living off of.

WHITFIELD: And given what you described, then, you know, whatever we want to call this moment, it is a moment.

So what is this moment, this place that we are in as a nation asking upon this president?

[14:09:49]

WHITFIELD: I mean, what is it asking this president to do, to say, to promise or enact?

BRINKLEYH: You know, in my view, President Trump likes to divide the country. He's a "divide and conquer" kind of politician. They happen in world history. It doesn't seem to me to be what we need right now.

I'm hoping at the big memorial service in Arizona, there'll be proper security. People will say things about why they loved Charlie Kirk. There'll be music. There'll be healing going on.

You know, Gerald Ford's memoir was called "A Time to Heal". After Watergate, Vietnam protests, bombings, you know, and he was -- there were two attempts at Ford's life, almost happened. We need a time to heal.

We need a president that will take advantage this week and say let's heal the nation, not demonize left-wingers and right-wingers or crazy -- you know, we need a president that represents all of us, not a faction of us.

WHITFIELD: Yes, it's evident the nation is hurting; healing indeed should be the next step.

Douglas Brinkley, thank you so much.

BRINKLEY: Thank you, Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: Still ahead, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio is in Israel to meet with Prime Minister Netanyahu as Israel escalates strikes on Gaza City. Details on what they're expected to discuss.

Plus, immigration raids are disrupting daily life in Los Angeles schools. How a superintendent who was once undocumented himself is fighting back.

And a Bad Bunny boom. The major impact that the superstar's performances are having in Puerto Rico as his blockbuster residency wraps up today.

[14:11:38]

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WHITFIELD: For the third day in a row, Israel has targeted high-rise buildings in Gaza City with airstrikes. This residential tower (INAUDIBLE) damage right there, but not destroyed in today's attack. The Israeli military warned residents to leave the area before the strike. Another residential building was demolished when it was struck.

The IDF says that that building was being used by Hamas to observe troop movements. Gaza hospital officials say more than 70 Palestinians were killed in Israeli strikes across Gaza this weekend alone.

And happening right now, CNN is learning that Israel's Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, will discuss his potential plans to annex parts of the West Bank when he meets with Secretary of State Marco Rubio. That's according to Israeli sources.

Earlier today, Rubio made a stop at the western wall in Jerusalem's old city with Netanyahu and U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee. The visit comes just days after Israel targeted Hamas leaders with a deadly strike inside Qatar.

CNN's senior White House reporter, Betsy Klein is with us now. Betsy, when can we expect a formal meeting between Rubio and Netanyahu and a readout from that.

BETSY KLEIN, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE REPORTER: That's right.

Today's appearance at the very holy site of the Western Wall in the old city of Jerusalem was really more of a photo opportunity. but all eyes on Monday, this very high stakes meeting between Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Now, according to three Israeli sources, Netanyahu is expected to press Rubio for specifics on where the Trump administration draws the line on Israeli annexation of the West Bank.

This is something that Netanyahu has been considering and weighing the size and scope of a potential annexation. So Rubio, here representing the U.S. view on this matter and really walking a very challenging diplomatic tightrope.

The United Arab Emirates, which has become a key U.S. ally under the Trump administration, has warned that annexation would result in the jeopardization of the Abraham Accords. And that, of course, is the president's signature 2020 foreign policy achievement. So, so much at stake here.

And all of this comes as there has been some significant strain in the relationship between the U.S. and Israel following that decision earlier this week by Israel to target Hamas leaders in a strike inside Doha, Qatar.

Privately, we have heard from Trump advisers that they are frustrated and angry about this attack and concerned that they weren't able to warn Qatari officials ahead of time or weigh in on this attack. But the president saying publicly he is, quote, "not thrilled about this".

While Rubio, meanwhile, is saying that the U.S. And Israel relationship remains strong. Listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MARCO RUBIO, U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE: He didn't Like the Way it went down. But that said, that's not going to shake -- our relationship with Israel is going to remain strong.

And sometimes, you know, things happen or come up in those relationships that perhaps you're not 100 percent aligned with or what have you, but it's not going to change the nature of our relationship with the Israelis.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KLEIN: Now, Rubio and Netanyahu are also expected to discuss Netanyahu's plans to expand his operation into Gaza.

[14:19:49]

KLEIN: Of course, ending this conflict had been a major priority for President Trump. But a resolution so far has proven intractable, Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: All right. Betsy Klein, thanks so much.

All right. Coming up, Charlie Kirk forged a new generation of young conservatives in this country. So following his assassination, where does his movement go from here?

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MADISON CAMPBELL, YOUNG CONSERVATIVE: The next person who starts to take his place is going to be much more far right. Because in order to do that, you have to almost be willing to die for your opinion.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

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[14:24:48]

WHITFIELD: A week from today, a memorial service for conservative activist Charlie Kirk is set to be held at Arizona State Farm Stadium. Kirk's organization, Turning Point U.S.A., made the announcement on social media, inviting the public to celebrate his life and legacy.

And in the wake of Kirk's death, CNN's Elle Reeve spoke to some young conservatives about what they think comes next.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEAN MCCROSSEN, YOUNG CONSERVATIVE: I think people are going to become a lot more radical. I think that goes without saying. Whether that's a good thing or a bad thing, you could determine but people are -- people are upset.

CAMPBELL: The next person who starts to take his place is going to be much more far right. Because in order to do that, you have to almost be willing to die for your opinions.

I think that. Is, in a way, beautiful. It's very -- you know, it's a martyrdom, right, which is beautiful to die for your beliefs.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: I want to discuss more now with conservative activist Jon Fleischman. He's also the former chairman of the California chapter of Young Americans for Freedom.

Jon, so glad you could be with us. So, are you in agreement with what we just heard?

JON FLEISCHMAN, CONSERVATIVE ACTIVIST: Well, I think that, you know, Charlie would tell all of those people that we fight a war of words and ideals and activism. I think that it's a bit much to think that people's reaction to what happened to Charlie is going to be radicalism and violence because that's exactly what Charlie called for people not to do.

He was often fond of saying that we exchange words and ideas with each other to prevent those other kinds of more extreme forms of communication.

So I don't think you're going to see a form of radicalism rising out of what happened to Charlie. But what I am noticing is that lots of people across the spectrum, from more moderate, center right conservatives all the way to very conservative folks, have all been touched by what happened to Charlie.

And so I do think you're going to see a lot of people getting more engaged, getting more involved, trying to champion those things that Charlie stood for -- traditional American values in the face of a very aggressive, radical, but not, you know, not violent progressive movement in America.

WHITFIELD: So do you feel that -- you just painted the picture -- there's a variety of conservative voices and people. Do you believe that over time there will be a coming together of a collective feeling about where this movement is going.

FLEISCHMAN: Well, I think that's already happening. Over the weekend, I talked to many of my friends, none of whom knew Charlie Kirk personally like I did. But many of them really weren't followers or following Charlie Kirk, but have all been kind of inspired.

I think what's happened is kind of galvanizing people to the realization that if we can't even talk about our ideas anymore, then what's normal is no longer normal, and radicals are going to run the system.

And so I think you're going to see an engagement of more people all over the spectrum saying, we're going to be proud to talk about our ideas, and we're going to do it for Charlie. We're going to fight for Charlie with our words, with our ideas, and with our activism.

And I think that's going to be a great legacy for Charlie. It's what he would have wanted. He would -- he would in no way want anybody doing anything that would be violent or extreme.

And I think he would appreciate the call that most people are making for none of that being acceptable.

We all condemn what happened. This was obviously a very sick individual, who I don't even think represents really the progressive movement.

There's no legitimate movement that calls for any assassinations or violence. And Charlie's movement was all about peaceful discourse and convincing people that he was right and they were wrong.

And that's what he did every day, whether it was on a college campus or speaking at a conference.

WHITFIELD: So Jon, immediately after the assassination, you posted on social media that you felt sad because you were also afraid that people will now become apprehensive.

You say, "I'm now saddened that there will be a generation of people that may hesitate to speak out because they are afraid. Not afraid to speak of their faith and their values, but afraid of the consequences of doing so." Do you still feel that way?

FLEISCHMAN: Well, of course, I mean, it's a -- it's a chilling effect. I think back to my days as a youth activist and I spoke on campuses. I don't know if I was quite as articulate as Charlie, but I did my share of speaking and there were hecklers and people booing that disagreed with you.

But you know what? It was ok if people wanted to have a verbal discourse. But, you know, now it's kind of like, ok, I'm being asked to talk about Charlie on CNN, who's going to be watching me right now? And do I need to be afraid that they're going to try to track down me or my family? And if that's not going through anybody's mind?

And by the way, I don't care whether you're somebody who's more of a conservative like I am or more of a liberal.

[14:29:47]

FLEISCHMAN: Of course, there's a chilling of free speech if people feel like your words may be met with violence and possibly a bullet that would end your life.

So I do think that one of the ways that we push past this is for everybody to get engaged in a peaceful manner and show that these radicals cannot suppress free speech and discourse in America.

[14:30:09] Like I said, that's the last thing Charlie would want.

WHITFIELD: Jon Fleischman, is it your plan to be at the memorial service next Sunday in Arizona.

FLEISCHMAN: You know what? I live in California, very far away, and I have the rather mundane things going on in my life, like a daughter who's in dance and stuff like that. So I'll be focused on -- on being with my family, but my heart will be with Charlie and his family and his widow and his children.

And you know what? I think I'll probably be able to watch it on television, as will most Americans that are interested. Certainly, the millions of followers that Charlie had on social media.

WHITFIELD: Jon Fleischman, thanks so much for taking the time to be with us. Appreciate it.

FLEISCHMAN: Thank you very much.

WHITFIELD: Coming up, the second largest public school district in the country, taking on ICE. How one superintendent is working to protect students against immigration raids at his schools.

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[14:35:35]

WHITFIELD: Welcome back.

Despite lingering concerns over the Trump administration immigration crackdown, yesterday, people in southern California celebrated Mexican Independence Day with its iconic El Grito Festival. While today in Chicago, costumed performers and riders on horseback marked the day with a parade through Lower West Side neighborhoods.

And while a lot of families are celebrating Mexican Independence Day, others are doing so quietly at home. In fact, stepped up immigration raids also has a lot of parents fearing to take their children to school. The uneasiness intensified last month after a special needs teen was pulled from a car and handcuffed by ICE agents.

And now, the superintendent of Los Angeles unified school district is leading efforts to keep ICE away from his campuses.

CNN's Julia Vargas jones is joining me now from that high school.

Julia, you sat down with the superintendent and what was said?

JULIA VARGAS JONES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, he told me, Fred, that that 15-year-old was in the car with his mother while his sister was registering -- registering in the high school behind me here.

And that was one of two incidents that took place in the Los Angeles area just days before school -- the school year began. Both of those cases, the superintendent said, were Latino kids. He said that those detentions are just adding to the climate of fear in the nation's second largest and most diverse school district.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JONES (voice-over): Los Angeles, a recent target of aggressive immigration enforcement actions --

DEMONSTRATOR: Hey! Ho, ho!

JONES: After protests and a weeks-long legal battle, the Supreme Court allowed so-called roving patrols to continue in the city, just as L.A. kids went back to school.

Los Angeles unified superintendent has drawn a line in the sand. Schools, he says, should be off limits to ICE, and he is asking for an expansion of protections.

ALBERTO M. CARVALHO, SUPERINTENDENT, LOS ANGELES UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT: Can we not establish zones of exclusion, two blocks away from any school across the country, where one hour before the start of the school day, one hour after the school day is over, that no action would take place within those two blocks?

JONES: You asked, how would a first, second, third, fourth or sixth grader pose any type of risk to the national security of our nation that would require homeland security to deploy its agents to two elementary schools? Have you gotten an answer?

CARVALHO: Not yet, but I will ask the question again. Our children are not a threat. Our children are a promise. They've always been, immigrant or not.

JONES: You've said recently that you would be a hypocrite if you did not defend students that are now going through what you went through as an undocumented teenager. You said that you would put your job on the line if necessary for that.

I'm curious as to where that line is right now.

CARVALHO: Why I feel I have both a professional but also a moral responsibility to stand in defense of those who today are experiencing the same journey I lived through over four decades ago. Agents have come into our community. They've tried to have access to our kids in elementary schools. And we've done what I believe is right.

JONES: Are you concerned that at some point that will mean that you have crossed a line with federal agents, that you would be obstructing federal operations like we've seen other officials in Los Angeles be accused of?

CARVALHO: So, we are informed by our own legal entities in terms of everything we do. We do not think that we are crossing the line. We are enforcing the law.

Do I have institutional concerns? I do, I'm concerned that somehow our protective policies and practices may invite a challenge that may compromise or threaten the federal funding we get from Washington, D.C. Funding like Title One that supports kids in poverty, or IDA, which supports students with disabilities.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Back up, back up, you're in my way.

JONES: As the Trump administration ramps up raids in other cities, Carvalho has a message for his counterparts.

CARVALHO: Know the law. Know your legal rights. Ensure that your institution is prepared to protect your kids and your workforce.

[14:40:03]

But don't fail to maintain a dialogue because I do believe that it is at the table of conversation, respectful way that you actually craft policies of protection for our kids.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

JONES (on camera): And, Fred, in a statement earlier this week, the Department of Homeland Security did not address Los Angeles schools directly, but they did say that, quote, the ICE is not raiding campuses or arresting children, and that instead, the DHS's directive to allow ICE to go into schools would only be used in extremely rare cases, and with supervisor approval -- Fred.

WHITFIELD: All right. Julia Vargas jones, thanks so much.

All right. To Chicago now, where an ICE officer was released from the hospital after a Friday traffic stop that quickly turned deadly. The Department of Homeland Security says an undocumented immigrant was fatally shot by the unnamed officer after resisting arrest and dragging the agent with his vehicle.

A spokesperson with the agency says that the agent suffered a severe back injuries, lacerations to his hand and knee. The consulate general of Mexico in Chicago identified the driver as a 38-year-old Mexican national who worked as a cook. President Trump and first lady headed to the U.K. for an official visit. What this means for relations with England.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[14:46:06]

WHITFIELD: This week, President Trump and First Lady Melania Trump will head to the U.K. for an official visit. This was the moment back in February when British Prime Minister Keir Starmer extended the invitation at the White House.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

KEIR STARMER, BRITISH PRIME MINISTER: This is a letter from his majesty, the king. It's an invitation for a second state visit. This is really special. This has never happened before. This is unprecedented.

(END VIDEO CLIP) WHITFIELD: The president also made an official visit back in 2019, during his first term in office. This week, Prince Charles will host the president and first lady at Windsor Castle, about an hour outside of London.

With us now, Natasha Linstaedt. She's a professor of government at the University of Essex.

Good to see you. So, this is unique because as we heard from Keir Starmer, he says it's very special. I mean, how unique and special is this and how timely is it as well for the U.S. president and first lady to be in the U.K. on the king's invitation? Do you see this as potentially pacifying or even comforting European allies who are quite concerned about their relationship with America?

NATASHA LINDSTAEDT, PROFESSOR OF GOVERNMENT, UNIVERSITY OF ESSEX: So this is definitely unprecedented because there's never been a U.S. president that has been able to enjoy. A second state dinner. There have been, of course, other presidential visits that have taken place. But Trump now has a second state dinner.

So that in itself is quite unique. And the U.K. is trying to reach out for reach out to Trump because they know he enjoyed the 2019 visit so much that it really made him feel special. And they rolled out the red carpet and all the pomp and circumstance. And that's something that he really just loves. And this stems somewhat from his childhood that his mother, who was born in Scotland, really enjoyed watching the royal family. So he's very, very taken by them.

And so, for the U.K., they feel that it's vital to their special relationship. For them, they're worried that Trump could levy more, more tariffs, that the trading relationship could be affected if they don't maintain strong ties between the U.S. and the U.K. And more broadly speaking, you also have, President Macron of France, who's also trying to maintain a strong relationship with the U.S., knowing how vital that relationship is to both the economic relationship, but also to international security.

So, there's a lot that's going into it on the European side. And from Trump's standpoint, this is really more of a personal vanity project.

WHITFIELD: And among those international security kind of issues is also Ukraine. So do you think -- I mean, you just laid it out, you know, some of the potential or maybe even overt, you know, objectives that, you know, that the king or the U.K. may have in trying to extend this beautiful invitation, have the pomp, the ceremonial moments for the Trumps. Trump may not see it that way, but do you think and just looking at the schedule here, there's also going to be, you know, in addition to the meetings and a royal salute, there's going to be the wreath laying at the tomb of Queen Elizabeth.

I mean, how potentially influential can this visit be to try to influence Trump on trade tariffs or, you know, international security issues that are of a variation of things?

LINDSTAEDT: But it's definitely a packed schedule, and there's so much that is involved in such a short period of time, it's hard to know how much actual policy can be discussed, but this is really more about maintaining good feelings, good relationship. And extending sort of a branch out to Trump to make him feel that they think that he is special and that is what other world leaders have learned to do, that you have to flatter Trump quite a bit.

[14:50:04]

You have to say the right things. Though I do think that Starmer and Macron have laid down what their red lines are when they need to, and have pushed and pressured Trump when they feel it is vital, such as on issues, regarding Ukraine or more general security issues. But we've seen world leaders feel that they have to put a great effort into making Trump feel as if he is important.

WHITFIELD: And First Lady Melania Trump will also be the centerpiece of a few different things, including with Queen Camilla and even Princess Kate. I mean, they have quite the schedule to everything from, you know, unique doll kind of display to a scout -- you know, scouting event that Princess Kate is, is part of is their importance here that is meant to appeal to a variety of generations as well?

LINDSTAEDT: So, I mean, that's a good question. I'm not sure what that -- what the implications of this visit is between Queen Camilla and First Lady Melania. Other than it is about a showing united force that they are -- a united front I should say that there is a warm relationship between both couples and that Queen Camilla is putting a great effort into this relationship with Melania. Also, Princess Kate.

So, you know, there's a lot of effort putting into the whole thing. I mean, almost every detail down to the wording. Everything has been carefully considered.

WHITFIELD: That's right.

All right, Professor Natasha Lindstaedt, thank you so much for giving us a preview of what is going to be a very fascinating visit.

LINDSTAEDT: Thanks for having me.

WHITFIELD: Still ahead, superstar Bad Bunny's residency in Puerto Rico is coming to an end. The massive boost it's had on the island's economy, next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[14:56:35]

WHITFIELD: All right. All good things must come to an end. That's what they say.

I mean, today is the final show of global superstar Bad Bunny's two- month residency in San Juan, catapulting the Puerto Rican economy to the tune of an estimated $200 million, something the U.S. territory desperately needed after the devastating effects of Hurricane Maria and the COVID pandemic. The rapper intentionally skipped the continental U.S. for his upcoming

tour, prompting fans to travel to Puerto Rico to catch the show.

CNN correspondent Isabel Rosales is lucky enough to have a ticket and be there in old San Juan.

Isabel, why didn't you tell me? I would have accompanied been part of the crew. I carry a light box, something. It must have been an amazing show. And it's going to be an amazing show tonight.

ISABEL ROSALES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It is a dream assignment. I can't even complain.

Fred, I got you next time. We'll come to Puerto Rico together.

WHITFIELD: Me? Yes, right, I'm there.

ROSALES: I'll tell you. Puerto Rico.

It's a promise. Puerto Rico has never seen, Fred. the level of commercial success that has brought on by this Bad Bunny residency. There are tourists coming from all over the world are taking their pictures, like the album named "Debi Tirar Mas Fotos". I should have taken more pictures.

And they're also spending thousands of dollars on local restaurants, local hotels, even bad bunny themed tours. Fred, they want to know who the man is behind the celebrity. They want to visit his hometown, visit his church, and even the grocery store where he was. But a humble bagger before he became a international star -- Fred.

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UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I'm here at Puerto Rico.

ROSALES (voice-over): Bad Bunny mania has taken over the island of enchantment. The rapper, who has previously been critical of ICE operations, said in an interview with "i-D Magazine" he didn't include the U.S. in his concert tour because of fear that ICE would raid the concert venues.

In a normally slow time for tourism on the island, the Puerto Rican superstar's 30 concert residency is sold out.

Has Puerto Rico ever seen something of this scale?

JORGE PEREZ, COLISEO DE PUERTO RICO JOSE MIGUEL AGRELOT: Never in the 20-year history of Coliseo itself, or in the entertainment history of Puerto Rico, nothing of this magnitude, not even close.

ROSALES: Tourism agency discovered Puerto Rico estimates the island will earn at least $196 million from the residency. Do you think that this stimulus will last beyond his residency at all? Or is this temporary?

PEREZ: I think it's one of the most valuable lessons that -- that will come out of the residency.

ROSALES: Even the merch around this residency has gone viral. The rapper's version of Labubu, featuring the albums toad mascot and Sapo Concho, sold out.

Working from a corner of his grandparents' living room in Ponce, the graphic designer Sebastian Muniz Morales is stunned by the hype. Do you ever go, "Hey, that shirt you're wearing, I designed that"?

SEBASTIAN MUNIZ MORALES, GRAPHIC ARTIST: When I feel like very confident to do it, I do it, but I get a little shy telling people that I was the one who created it.

ROSALES: Bad Bunny's music has long reflected the struggles of life on the island.

MORALES: You see the La Residencia, but once you go out, you see the different problems we fight for.

There are many things.