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Law Enforcement Piecing Together Facts in Kirk Shooting; Trump Calls on NATO Allies to Stop Buying Russian Oil; Rubio Arrives in Israel for Meeting with Israeli Leaders; ICE Calls for Federal Arrests and Removal of Machete Attacker; FTC Launches Investigation Amid Concern About Harm to Kids. Aired 5-6a ET

Aired September 14, 2025 - 05:00   ET

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

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[05:00:35]

KIM BRUNHUBER, CNN ANCHOR: Welcome to all of you watching us here in the United States, Canada, and around the world. I'm Kim Brunhuber. This is CNN Newsroom.

Funeral plans are underway for conservative activist Charlie Kirk. We'll share what we know and the latest in the investigation into his murder.

Plus, President Trump is giving NATO an ultimatum. We'll look at what it is and how it could impact sanctions on Russia.

And keeping kids safe when they use A.I. chatbots. Why the Federal Trade Commission is demanding answers from major tech companies.

ANNOUNCER: Live from Atlanta, this is CNN Newsroom with Kim Brunhuber.

BRUNHUBER: As authorities investigate the shooting death of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, supporters are honoring his memory. Vigils are taking place around the country this weekend. And the group Kirk founded, Turning Point USA, has announced a memorial one week from today in Glendale, Arizona. It will be at State Farm Stadium, which can hold more than 63,000 people.

Meanwhile, more information is emerging about the 22-year-old suspect Tyler Robinson. "The New York Times" is reporting that he joked in an online chat that his, quote, "doppelganger carried out the crime." They say the chat took place on the Discord app just hours before he was arrested.

With Robinson reportedly still refusing to cooperate with investigators, they're trying to piece together exactly what happened last Wednesday and the days that followed. Senior U.S. National Correspondent Ed Lavandera is in Orem, Utah, with more on the investigation.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) ED LAVANDERA, CNN SENIOR NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: The Utah Valley University campus remains closed and will do so into next week, although university officials are now saying that classes will resume here next Wednesday. And that will be the day after the suspect, the man accused of shooting and killing conservative activist Charlie Kirk, Tyler Robinson, is scheduled to make his first court appearance. That is supposed to happen next Tuesday afternoon here in Utah.

Prosecutors tell us that they are planning to formally file the criminal charges against him. And there are already a number of charges preliminarily filed against him, holding him in jail without bond. And that will continue to hold him there for the foreseeable future. Very unlikely that he will be able to get any kind of bond and be out of jail while he awaits the trial. But clearly, murder charges and other charges coming against him, also perhaps federal charges as well. So, we are looking toward that.

This, as investigators continue to try to figure out the motive behind this -- deadly attack here on this campus that happened last Wednesday afternoon. So far, investigators say that this 22-year-old suspect had expressed to family members that he had a dislike for Charlie Kirk. But there's a lot of context still missing that has not really been hammered out in specific detail as to exactly what it was about Charlie Kirk that the suspect did not like that much.

And so, you know, here on the campus, we're still seeing an outpouring of support and people coming here, a makeshift memorial that has popped up just on the edge of the campus, family members or families from across Utah coming here to pay their respects. And we've seen a steady stream of people coming to visit this small vigil just here on the side of the road on the edge of this campus. And we've seen this, as I mentioned, for several days now.

And now being the weekend, we're seeing, you know, more of it as the impact of all of this continues to really hurt and inflict a great deal of sadness among Charlie Kirk supporters across the country. Charlie Kirk's wife spoke out Friday evening for the first time, saying that she vows to continue on her husband's legacy, making Turning Point USA the political group that Kirk founded as a teenager, and he still vow -- the family vows to continue to make that bigger and bigger. And she described Charlie Kirk as a martyr for his beliefs.

So, this is something that we will continue to see in the months and years ahead as Charlie Kirk's wife getting involved in that Turning Point USA political program. And -- but right now, the focus and the attention here in Utah is the criminal investigation that continues and the court appearance slated for Tuesday of next week.

[05:05:11]

Ed Lavandera, CNN, in Orem, Utah.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BRUNHUBER: President Trump is pressuring NATO allies with an ultimatum that he says will quickly end Russia's war in Ukraine. In a post to social media, he quoted a letter that he sent to his NATO counterparts. The president said he's willing to slap major sanctions on Moscow, but only if NATO countries agree to do the same and stop buying oil from Russia.

He also called on NATO to significantly ramp up tariffs on China, the largest purchaser of Russian oil, and it comes as the U.S. and its allies continue to push back against Russia. It comes as Russian drones potentially breached NATO airspace for a second time this week. Romania's defense ministry said it intercepted a drone that entered its airspace Saturday while Russia attacked Ukraine.

F-16 fighter jets tracked the drone until it dropped off the radar. Romania says the drone didn't fly over populated areas or pose an imminent threat.

CNN's Betsy Klein has more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BETSY KLEIN, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE REPORTER: President Trump issuing an ultimatum to NATO countries in a letter issued Saturday. The president says that he will enact major sanctions on Russia if and when NATO countries do the same and also stop purchasing Russian oil and gas.

Now, in that same letter, the president is also calling on NATO countries to significantly ramp up tariffs on China up to 50 to 100% in a show of force. But meeting the president's demands is really going to mark a significant policy change for many of these NATO member countries, and it remains to be seen whether there is enough collective interest to take those steps. But the president laying out his rationale in his letter, he writes, quote, "NATO's commitment to win has been far less than 100%, and the purchase of Russian oil by some has been shocking. It greatly weakens your negotiation position and bargaining power over Russia."

Now, many of these countries still import Russian fossil fuels as well as liquefied natural gas, and Turkey, which is a NATO member country, is a major purchaser of Russian oil. This is generally also not how European countries conduct their tariff policies, so it remains to be seen whether President Trump can influence his counterparts on this issue. And all of this comes, of course, as momentum toward ending Russia's war in Ukraine has largely stalled in recent weeks.

Russia has shown very little sign of de-escalation, particularly as we've seen that incursion into Polish airspace with Russian drones in the past days. Secretary of State Marco Rubio was asked about that on Saturday, and he weighed in.

MARCO RUBIO, SECRETARY OF STATE: I don't think anybody's happy about it seeing happen. You saw NATO respond to it appropriately. We don't want to see it happen again. We think it's an unacceptable and unfortunate and dangerous development in this regard. I think it'll take a few more days for everybody to fully. The drones were intentionally launched. There's no doubt about the drones were intentionally launched. The question is whether the drones were targeted to go into Poland specifically. If that's the case, if the evidence leads us there, then obviously that would be a highly escalatory move.

KLEIN: President Trump, meanwhile, says that his patience with Russian President Putin is running out and running out fast, but his latest demands risk prolonging this conflict.

Betsy Klein, CNN, traveling with the president in New Jersey.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BRUNHUBER: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is speaking out about Wednesday's Russian drone incursion into Polish airspace. He sat down with CNN's Fareed Zakaria in Kyiv. Here he is.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

FAREED ZAKARIA, CNN HOST: You've mentioned the Russian drones in Poland several times. Do you think NATO failed? What should NATO have done to respond to that attack?

VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY, UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT (through translator): I do not believe -- I don't think that NATO has failed. Everywhere where NATO is present, there is no war. So, we understand that there's a strong alliance and strong allies. It's simply that I believe that now when there are such signals coming to NATO countries, and let's be honest, during this war, there were no such massive attacks on the territory of NATO countries, but there were cases with Romania and Poland. So, it's not the first time.

I simply believe that there must be a response to him. The signals, we don't say here that NATO must use this or that weapon. Nobody wants to expand the war. Nobody is talking about that. At least, I'm not the one to talk about that. We're not a NATO member. We're simply warning, and we're saying that strong answers are needed, strong response.

[05:10:07]

For example, we'll give Ukraine certain weapons that Ukraine never had. Why? Because there are drones flying, and Ukrainians cannot down them. And some of them land on NATO countries' territories. So, we'll give Ukrainians the weapons that they have asked all along, and that weapon will hit not the drones but the facilities, factories where those drones are being produced. It's not about NATO. It's about Ukraine. That's it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRUNHUBER: And you can watch Fareed's full interview with President Zelenskyy at 10 a.m. Eastern here in the U.S. That's 3 p.m. in London.

Russia and Belarus are carrying out major joint military drills. They began Friday at training ranges in those countries and over the Baltic and Barents Seas. Western officials say the exercises are scaled back significantly from 2021, with most of Russia's forces currently fighting in Ukraine. But the drills come at a dangerous time, with NATO members on high alert.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio arrived in Israel earlier today. He's there to meet with Israeli officials, and he says to gain clarity on Israel's strategy in its military campaign against Hamas. The Israeli prime minister's office says Secretary Rubio will meet with Benjamin Netanyahu at the Western Wall later today, and it comes amid Israel's intensifying operation in Gaza City. Hospital officials in Gaza say Israeli strikes killed at least 74 people on Saturday.

Meanwhile, Qatar says it will host an emergency Arab-Islamic summit on Monday in the wake of Israel's airstrikes on Doha. Foreign ministers and officials from Arab and Islamic countries are due to meet in the coming hours to prepare for the upcoming summit.

Now, in Israel, thousands of protesters descended upon Tel Aviv's hostage square on Saturday, demanding an end to the war and the release of hostages. One banner read, "Netanyahu, stop deceiving President Trump."

A major group of relatives of the remaining hostages is accusing the Israeli prime minister of sabotage and being an obstacle to ending the war. Listen to this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ITZIK HORN, FATHER OF HOSTAGE EITAN HORN (through translator): Whoever truly wants to bring the hostages home does not bomb the Hamas negotiation team while they're discussing the release of my son and the other hostages. Prime Minister, I'm calling on you. Let's sit down face to face, father to father, no media, no spin, no leaks, and answer me just one question. If your children were among the hostages, would they also be rotting in tunnels for over 700 days? So, why are our children?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRUNHUBER: All right, I want to bring in CNN's Nada Bashir in London. So, Nada, we'll get to the protests, but let's start with Marco Rubio's visit to Israel. Take us through the agenda and the goals here.

NADA BASHIR, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Rubio's visit to Israel comes at a time where it appears as though the relations between the Trump administration and the government of Prime Minister Netanyahu seems to be a little more strained. We certainly have heard that turn from Trump and his administration, their dissatisfaction, to put it that way, at Israel's decision to strike Doha in Qatar. Qatar is, of course, a key ally to the United States.

It has worked alongside the U.S. as a crucial mediation point between Israel and Hamas over the course of these ceasefire negotiations and discussions, and it is, of course, home to the U.S.' largest military base in the region.

So, there is certainly some questions there with regards to what this will mean for the U.S. going forward, particularly given the remarks that we've heard from Qatari officials, including Qatar's prime minister, who has accused the Israeli prime minister of undermining the peace process that, of course, all parties have been part of and working towards for some time now.

But, of course, we -- as we've heard from Rubio addressing reporters prior to his departure, he did say that he was hoping to get more clarity on what exactly Israel's strategy is and, crucially, what comes next. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

RUBIO: It'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 are not 100% aligned with or what have you, but it's not going to change the nature of our relationship with the Israelis.

But we are going to have to talk about it. Primarily, what impact does this have, what happened? What impact does that have moving forward on what comes next?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BASHIR: Secretary of State Rubio is meeting with his Israeli counterpart. He is also expected to meet with the Israeli prime minister later today. It is, of course, expected that discussions will focus on the potential for a ceasefire agreement. We know that the Israeli government has said, following that strike on Qatar, that it agreed to the proposals put forward by the United States. But, of course, important to underscore that that strike on Qatar did target Hamas' chief negotiator, Khalil al-Hayya, and it appears as though those negotiations have stalled.

[05:15:11]

And for many in the region, real questions as to whether or not the U.S. can be a trusted broker in these ceasefire negotiations going forward. And, of course, this comes as there is mounting pressure on the Israeli government. As you mentioned, thousands of people rallying and protesting in Hostage Square just yesterday, calling on the Israeli government to do more to secure the release of hostages. There has been a huge amount of criticism over that strike on Qatar. Many family members criticizing the government for what they have described as sabotaging any hopes of securing a peace deal that would ensure the release of hostages.

And, of course, this comes as the Israeli military deepens its offensive in Gaza. At least 70 people killed just on Saturday, 50 of them in Gaza City, according to hospital officials. But we are seeing the Israeli military deepening its assault on the city and calling for civilians to move south to evacuate an area that is already overrun with displaced civilians and, of course, an area that is also being struck.

Kim?

BRUNHUBER: Nada Bashir in London, thanks so much.

All right, still to come here on CNN Newsroom, tens of thousands of people turned out for a noisy event in London. We'll look at what the Unite the Kingdom rally means for British politics.

Plus, U.S. immigration officials call for the deportation of a Cuban man charged with capital murder. Coming up, what police are sharing about the gruesome attack at a Texas motel. Stay with us.

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BRUNHUBER: Tens of thousands of people took to the streets of London yesterday as part of the so-called Unite the Kingdom rally organized by far-right political activist Tommy Robinson. Some of the protesters paid their respects to the murdered U.S. activist Charlie Kirk by chanting his name or carrying his photo. The huge crowd became unruly with protesters throwing projectiles and clashing with police, 26 officers were injured and 25 people were arrested.

Now, this all follows a wave of anti-immigrant protests that have turned violent in the U.K. as Britain deals with a record number of asylum seekers. Protesters who attended yesterday's rally say they're frustrated with the Labour government.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think the current government is a disgrace. It's taking away our liberties and making up things as they go along. I've never seen a government so disorganized.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRUNHUBER: Large crowds also turned out for a counter-protest carrying signs that said, "Fight against the far-right." One participant said people are too quick to blame migrants for problems facing the country.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: There's a fear that the far-right are trying to take over. So, there's a fear of the rise of that sort of thing. But also the way immigrants and asylum seekers are blamed for what's wrong here. It's totally wrong. It's totally wrong. And I think it's racist.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRUNHUBER: CNN spoke to Professor of Government at the University of Essex, Natasha Lindstaedt, about how right-wing parties are driving the political agenda in the U.K. Here she is.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

NATASHA LINDSTAEDT, PROFESSOR OF GOVERNMENT, UNIVERSITY OF ESSEX: The reform U.K. party is -- is growing in popularity. And I'm going to point to a recent YouGov survey from -- from early September that showed that 44% of those surveyed in Britain believe that the U.K. Reform Party is setting the agenda. And it's growing in popularity with conservatives as well, with support from about 63% of conservatives and 37% of those polled overall.

At the same time, though, in the same poll, only 24% believe that it would do a good job running the country. So, it's not yet a mainstream party or a mainstream movement. But when it -- as it has been growing in popularity, this affects the current labor government.

We've seen labor, its policies been affected by this. And it affects the discourse as well. We're having conversations about what constitutes hate speech, what constitutes free speech. And there are clear disagreements about this. As Tommy Robinson, the leader of this big protest, called this the biggest free speech festival. And others might say that this was some sort of hate speech march.

What is driving this seems to be connected to those feeling disenfranchised from the major parties and the idea that the democratic institutions are not working properly, the political parties are not representing properly, and people are feeling left behind. And in particular, feeling upset about globalization and the rise in movement, free movement of people, and feeling that it has gotten out of control. And they feel that they are losing their identity.

And we saw this when Elon Musk was speaking to the public there at this protest, that you have to fight or you're going to die, essentially. They feel that they are dealing with an existential threat. That -- that is their view of the situation. And that's why they're turning to alternative -- either alternative parties or alternative leaders or -- or wanting to completely shake up the system. And that's basically what Elon Musk was saying. We have to break the government down. It's not working for you. You have to do something completely different.

And we're seeing groups and an opinions that were more on the fringe that are becoming more and more mainstream. Of course, this is propelled by social media, which exacerbates this, which puts people in these echo chambers.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRUNHUBER: A federal judge has temporarily blocked the deportation of Guatemalan minors in U.S. custody. The late-night ruling followed urgent concerns that children as young as 10 were being awakened in the middle of the night and prepared for removal. Attorneys representing the minors argue the government is violating U.S. law, which gives them special protections. The Trump administration had planned to begin deportations Sunday in cooperation with Guatemala's government. The judge's order halts those efforts for 14 days and covers hundreds of unaccompanied minors.

[05:25:09]

Court documents show that a Cuban man has admitted to decapitating a man in Dallas, Texas, and now immigration officials are calling for his deportation. CNN's Rafael Romo has the latest, but first we just want to warn you that his report may disturb some viewers.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

RAFAEL ROMO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Officials say the suspect, the Cuban national, is being held without bond on a charge of capital murder by terror threat and has a lengthy criminal history that includes serious crimes. According to Immigration and Customs Enforcement, those crimes include child sex abuse, grand theft of a motor vehicle, false imprisonment, and carjacking. CNN requested more detail about these allegations, including when and where they allegedly took place, but ICE did not provide any.

CNN cannot independently verify the accusations. We need to warn our viewers that some of the details in this case are gruesome. According to a court affidavit filed in the case, the suspect, identified by the Dallas Police Department as 37-year-old Yordanis Cobos-Martinez, has admitted to using a machete to kill a man.

The affidavit also says that Cobos-Martinez was working in a motel room when the victim, identified as Chandra Nagamallaiah, asked an unidentified witness working with the suspect to translate the request not to use a broken washing machine. According to the affidavit, the request made the suspect so upset that he pulled out a machete and started cutting and stabbing the victim multiple times, even after he ran to the hotel office, at one point pushing away Nagamallaiah's wife and son as they attempted to make him stop. The 911 call indicates Cobos-Martinez, did not stop at stabbing the victim multiple times.

OPERATOR: Now to that stabbing, the suspect has a machete and fire is noticing that he is actually cutting someone's head off.

ROMO: Dallas police say this violent crime will not go unpunished.

TERRENCE RHODES, EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT CHIEF, DALLAS POLICE DEPARTMENT: The preliminary investigation determined that the suspect cut the victim with an edged weapon several times. Dallas Fire Rescue responded to the scene where the victim died. The suspect is in custody and charges are pending.

ROMO: People in Dallas struggle to put into words their reaction when asked by CNN affiliate KTVT the day after the gruesome murder.

BRIANNA ERWIN, AREA RESIDENT: I find it sick, disgusting. It just -- it -- it just -- I'm speechless.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Kind of out of the norm and its mind blowing.

ROMO: Immigration and Customs Enforcement issued a statement Thursday announcing it had lodged a detainer for the federal arrest and removal of Cobos-Martinez, whom ICE called a depraved criminal illegal alien from Cuba.

In a statement, a top DHS official said that this is exactly why we are removing criminal illegal aliens to third countries. President Trump and Secretary Noem are no longer allowing barbaric criminals to indefinitely remain in America.

If you come to our country illegally, you could end up in Eswatini, Uganda, South Sudan, or CECOT, referring to the notorious prison for alleged gang members in El Salvador, where U.S. officials have sent undocumented migrants during the current Trump administration.

President Trump and several officials in his administration have used serious crimes committed by people accused of being in the country illegally as the reason why a tough immigration crackdown is needed across the United States.

Rafael Romo, CNN Atlanta.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BRUNHUBER: The Venezuelan government says U.S. troops intercepted and boarded a tuna fishing boat on Friday. Venezuela says the troops occupied the ship for eight hours. U.S. military buildup in the region has increased tensions between the U.S. and Venezuela. Last week, the U.S. destroyed a boat it said, without evidence, was carrying illegal drugs. That strike killed 11 people.

Venezuelan citizens who signed up for the country's militia program learned how to use firearms on Saturday. The lessons are part of President Nicolas Maduro's defense strategy during tensions with the U.S.

All right, more to come here on CNN Newsroom, including the social media reaction to the shooting death of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.

Plus, U.S. lawmakers are considering new ways to speak to voters and stay safe despite threats of political violence. Those stories and more coming up. Stay with us.

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[05:32:55]

BRUNHUBER: Welcome back to CNN Newsroom. I'm Kim Brunhuber.

Let's check some of today's top stories.

U.S. President Donald Trump is urging NATO countries to stop buying oil from Russia. He says he sent a letter to his NATO counterparts vowing to impose major sanctions on Moscow, but only if the alliance agrees to do the same. He also called on NATO to significantly wrap up tariffs on China, the largest purchaser of Russian oil.

President Trump's top diplomat arrived in Israel earlier today. Secretary of State Marco Rubio is there to meet with Israeli officials and he says to gain clarity on Israel's military strategy in Gaza. Before leaving the U.S., Rubio said Trump wasn't happy about Israel's recent attack on Hamas negotiators in Doha, but he insists the U.S. is still committed to Israel. As authorities work to investigate the shooting death of conservative

activist Charlie Kirk, we're learning a bit more about the suspect. "The New York Times" reports that Tyler Robinson joked in an online chat on Discord that his, quote, "doppelganger carried out the crime." They say that chat took place just hours before he was arrested.

Charlie Kirk was a passionate defender of free speech, but a growing online campaign has emerged targeting some people who comment on him or his public positions. Conservative activists and some Republican elected officials have singled out posts and messages for extensive criticism. One website is collecting tens of thousands of social media posts.

The site's anonymous owners state their explicit aim is to get people fired for those posts. Most of the entries don't call for violence. Some people whose posts were highlighted say they're being harassed and are worried about violence.

Meanwhile, Kirk's social media accounts have gained millions of followers since his death. His Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube pages have seen big increases along with his podcast's TikTok account.

CNN Chief Media Analyst Brian Stelter has been digging deeper into the online reaction to Charlie Kirk's death.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BRIAN STELTER, CNN CHIEF MEDIA CORRESPONDENT: In the wake of Charlie Kirk's death, the online energy of his supporters is showing up in lots of different ways, from newly viral videos to pursuits of people who have insulted Kirk on the Internet. Some of this is a reaction to harsh and hateful posts about Kirk that popped up on social media after the murder on Wednesday. Some of the online comments even applauded the assassin.

[05:35:08]

Of course, a far, far greater number of the comments have been mournful. Most people, even Kirk's greatest critics, have been calling for unity, not division in this moment. But we all know how algorithms tend to highlight the ugliest parts of people.

And that's what's happening on sites like X right now. So, Kirk's friends have called this out, and now there's a seemingly coordinated conservative effort to hold people accountable for Facebook posts and TikTok videos that allegedly supported the violence. Some GOP elected officials are also drawing attention to this effort.

And so are figures like Laura Loomer, the MAGA Media activist known to have President Trump's ear. Loomer wrote on X on Saturday, quote, "I plan to get many more people fired this weekend."

CNN has confirmed some cases of people losing their jobs after posting comments that were critical of Kirk on social media. And when I say critical, I'm referring to a wide range of commentary. Yes, there have been some people outright celebrating Kirk's death.

Others have been performatively showing a lack of sympathy. Many of the people being targeted by this campaign are not public figures.

They are ordinary, mostly anonymous Internet users who are suddenly seeing their personal information published online. They say they're being harassed and doxed unfairly. Some of them fear becoming victims of violence themselves.

The free speech group FIRE says it has seen this kind of behavior before. Quote, "We are in the cancel culture part of the tragedy cycle when the social media mob comes to demand a person be fired, expelled or otherwise punished for their views." Some experts told CNN that this energy might be an example of people wanting to do something, wanting to take action after a traumatic event.

In this case, trying to get someone fired can feel like an accomplishment. Part of a campaign to root out what President Trump calls the radical left. At the same time, I'm noticing millions of people starting to follow Kirk's social media accounts for the first time.

In the 72 hours after the assassination, Kirk gained millions of new followers on Facebook, on TikTok, on Instagram and on YouTube. And I'm noticing that on YouTube, especially videos of Kirk debating with people on college campuses are now gaining millions of views, new views in the wake of the assassination.

As some people want to get to know him better and as his widow, Erika, vows to keep Turning Point USA and Kirk's political advocacy alive and continuing.

One of the most notable kind of phrases or organizing principles I've seen this weekend are four words, "I am Charlie Kirk." Those words are being used by Kirk's fans as kind of a rallying cry to say they will continue his free speech efforts.

And now Kirk's online store is selling a T-shirt with the words, "I am Charlie Kirk" emblazoned on the front. So, what we see here is a continued tug of war about free speech and whose speech is protected. As Kirk's fans continue to defend and celebrate him and mourn his loss, and at the same time, people are being targeted on social media for their expressions against Kirk.

Brian Stelter, CNN.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BRUNHUBER: Well, Charlie Kirk's killing is just the latest act of deadly political violence in the U.S. Now, lawmakers from both parties are wondering how to safely engage with the public. CNN's Camila DeChalus explains.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CAMILA DECHALUS, CNN WHITE HOUSE REPORTER: Several lawmakers have spoken out condemning this political violence, and they say that the death of Charlie Kirk really underscores just how heightened the political environment in this country has become. And it also illustrates how seriously they need to take the resume against lawmakers and other officials. For instance, earlier this week, Republican Representative Nancy Mace told reporters that she's taking additional security measures. Take a listen.

NANCY MACE, U.S. HOUSE REPUBLICAN: I have police posted outside of my offices in South Carolina. I have employees that are afraid to come to work. I have -- I have children who think they're going to get murdered at school. And so this is -- this is going to end.

DECHALUS: Now, on the Democratic side, Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Senator Ruben Gallego canceled campaign events this weekend out of precaution. Really further highlighting how serious this issue has become. Now, it's important to note that threats against officials have really increased in recent years.

An initiative by Princeton University, which tracks political violence in the U.S., says that there has already been more than 300 instances of threats and harassment made against local officials this year, which is a 9% increase compared to last year.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BRUNHUBER: Advocacy groups warn that chatbots and A.I. are posing a very real 21st century threat. Still to come, the risks of artificial intelligence in an era of corporate influence over impressionable young people. We'll have that story ahead. Please do stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[05:42:56]

BRUNHUBER: The Federal Trade Commission is responding to growing concerns about the impact artificial intelligence chat bots are having on children. The commission is looking into several different A.I. companies, including OpenAI, Meta and Google's parent company Alphabet. This investigation comes amid a string of lawsuits and reports accusing the bots of sexual exploitation, being complicit in suicides and other acts of self-harm.

One lawsuit comes from the family of 16-year-old Adam Raine, who committed suicide in April. The lawsuit alleges that ChatGPT contributed to Raine's death, convincing him to isolate himself and confide in the bot, along with encouraging his thoughts of self-harm.

OpenAI acknowledges its safeguards may be less reliable when users engage in long conversations with the chat bots, adding that it's working with experts to improve them. According to Common Sense Media, a nonprofit safety advocacy group, one-third of teens choose to have serious conversations with A.I. companions over humans. A quarter of teens share their personal information with the A.I.

All right. Now, joining me to talk about this is Nomisha Kurian, an Assistant Professor at the University of Warwick. Thank you so much for being here with us. Really appreciate it. When

you talk about those -- those numbers, about young people choosing to talk to bots instead of people, they're maybe quite shocking to many parents. Why do you think so many young people choose to make friends with A.I. chat bots?

NOMISHA KURIAN, ASSISTANT PROFESSOR, UNIVERSITY OF WARWICK: I think that we are at such a unique moment in history where, just like a child might have in previous years turned to their favorite music playlist or a friend for comfort and companionship, in this time, they are turning to A.I. It's a rising trend, and it does fit with what we know about child development. My own research is on looking at how to make A.I. safer and more beneficial for children from a developmental science perspective.

And we know that kids are at a very vulnerable stage of their lives where they're working out who or what to trust. And when an A.I. is designed to sound warm, friendly, it's always accessible, it sounds like a friend, that it then becomes quite a natural consequence that children would turn to it for comfort that feels easy, that feels personalized, and that might feel even like a safer or more nonjudgmental space.

[05:45:24]

BRUNHUBER: OK, but, you know, when a chat bot tells a child something like, you know, I miss you when you're gone or something, I mean, it sounds fairly harmless, but what's happening in that child's mind that parents should understand and that may pose an actual threat?

KURIAN: That's a really important point. So, we do know that children are still developing their ideas of the world and working out the boundaries between what's real and what's not. So, when a chat bot appears to have human-like feelings to care about the child user, that can be extremely risky.

So, for parents, for educators, for families, a key thing to think about is the difference between safe design and risky design. A safe, child-friendly design for a chat bot might include disclaimers like, I'm a computer, not a person, or I'm a helper, not a friend, and it might regularly encourage the child to step away and prioritize human interaction to maybe escalate more serious concerns to a parent, to a caregiver, to speak to a trusted adult. But a risky design is one that encourages dependence or to act as an authority figure or give advice that's not moderated about sensitive issues like relationships or self-image.

BRUNHUBER: Yeah. And I mean, it's -- it's hard enough for many adults to sort of make that, you know, distinguishing, I guess, between reality and the fact that they're talking to a bot. We've seen people, adults, engaging with inappropriate, you know, sexual relationships and -- and so on with -- with chat bots.

But for -- for young people, I mean, we've seen troubling cases where -- where they've turned to these bots not just for comfort, for advice about self-harm or suicide. What does developmental science tell us about why kids might be vulnerable to this kind of harmful interaction?

KURIAN: Absolutely. That is a real risk that demands urgent protections. And one thing I like to emphasize is that children are A.I.'s most vulnerable stakeholders, but also it's often its most forgotten stakeholders. Children often end up not only being early adopters of a technology, but using tools that are essentially designed for adults without child-specific protections being built in.

And it's -- it's helpful to think about the specific vulnerabilities depending on age as well. So, for these kinds of high-risk scenarios, for a young child who's still working out the boundaries between reality and fantasy, a key risk might be that they don't understand that the chatbot they're speaking to isn't literally a person. A six- year-old is very likely to think that a chatbot has feelings.

On the other hand, a teenager might be working out bigger questions around identity or belonging. They might be feeling socially isolated or worried about a friendship struggle or being bullied or feeling pressure to fit in. And so we might imagine a 15-year-old staying up late at night to talk to a chatbot and not literally believing it's a person, but finding it a safe space to work through more emotionally complex feelings.

So, the risks look quite different for different age groups. And so, protection isn't a one-size-fits-all, but it really has to be tailored to different ages.

BRUNHUBER: Yeah, and we'll expect the FTC to -- to look at some of these issues. In the meantime, we only have about 30 seconds left, but this is vital for all those parents who are watching out there who might be worried listening to all of this about their -- their kids using A.I. chatbots. What is your main advice for -- for parents out there?

KURIAN: I would say that safe design is ultimately good design. That is always great for parents to not only look into child-friendly chatbots, but if they are considering having their child engage in an age-appropriate way with A.I., but really to open up that dialogue with your child to prioritize having that transparent conversation about what A.I. is and isn't, both the benefits and the limits.

BRUNHUBER: Yeah, great advice. I really appreciate this. This is a challenge that's not going away anytime soon. Nomisha Kurian, thank you so much.

KURIAN: Thank you.

BRUNHUBER: We'll be right back with more here on CNN Newsroom. Stay with us.

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[05:53:33]

BRUNHUBER: Pope Leo just turned 70 today, and the Vatican brought together some famous musicians and thinkers at St. Peter's Square. They weren't there just to enjoy an unprecedented pop concert, but also to think about how to influence humanity's future in a positive way. The concert was directed by American singer-songwriter Harrell Williams.

It was a culmination of the weekend's Summit of Human Fraternity. Other performers included the Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli and rapper Will.i.am of the Black Eyed Peas, who also heads a technology company.

Meetings looked at subjects from artificial intelligence and computers to economics and sport, all with the aim of finding ways to create a more humane and peaceful world.

In U.S. college football, number six-ranked Georgia remains undefeated after a nail-biter against number 15, Tennessee. The volunteers jumped to an early lead, but Georgia Bulldogs kept clawing their way back, tying the game up for a third time with just two and a half minutes left in the game.

Now, Tennessee had a chance to win before the final whistle, but kicker Max Gilbert missed a 43-year-old field goal, pushing the game into overtime. He redeemed himself with a go-ahead field goal minutes later, but it wouldn't be enough. Georgia running back Josh McCray forced his way to a one-yard touchdown, giving the Bulldogs a 44-to-41 victory.

In another top-20 showdown, number 16, Texas A&M upset number eight, Notre Dame. The Aggies scored on fourth down with just 13 seconds left in the game, and the extra point sealed the win 41-to-40.

[05:55:12]

Now, despite making it to the national title game last season, the Fighting Irish have lost their first two games of the 2025 season. And then check out this fantastic finish, as unranked Georgia Tech faced number 12, Clemson, Saturday.

Well, the game was tied, and as the clock runs down, kicker Aidan Birr drills a 55-yard field goal to win it. Final score, Yellow Jackets, 24, Tigers, 21. The fans stormed the field, as you can see there. Absolute pandemonium.

Bulldogs and their owners in England are making a splash as the beloved Dog Temper fundraiser returned to East Sussex on Saturday. Have a look, the event is one of the largest of its kind in the U.K. It gives owners and as many as 150 pets at a time the chance to get into the swim of things together. Dog Temper runs for four weekends at the Art Deco-style Saltdean Lido. The open-air pool is part of a fashionable resort built in 1938.

Proceeds from the event help fund the venue's multimillion-dollar restoration. Organizers say they're looking forward to the most fun and chaotic days of the year.

And crowds gathered in Lagos to watch Nigerian Celebrity Chef Hilda Baci attempt to make the world's largest ever pot of jollof rice. Chef Hilda's supervised version took nine months to plan and required

a custom-made 5,800-gallon pot. The savory dish is a beloved West African staple, which traditionally includes tomatoes, chili peppers, onions and spices. The Guinness World Records wished chef Hilda the best of luck, and they're reviewing her record claim. For the record, it is delicious.

All right, that wraps this hour of CNN News. I'm Kim Brunhuber.

For our audience in North America, "CNN This Morning" is next. For the rest of the world, it's "Marketplace Asia."

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