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Former FBI Director James Comey Indicted on Two Charges; Senior Hamas Official Defends October 7 Attacks on Israel; Sarkozy Sentenced to 5 Years in Campaign Financing Case; Schwarzenegger Opposes Redistricting in California; Amazon to Pay $2.5 Billion for Prime Subscription Practices. Aired 12-1a ET
Aired September 26, 2025 - 00:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
OMAR JIMENEZ, CNN ANCHOR/CORRESPONDENT: -- the fate for other universities that don't have the resources, or the prestige, or the power that Harvard does. I'm excited for people to see it and to see your -- your great insight, as part of it, too.
[00:00:11]
Professor Steven Levitsky, thank you for taking the time then, and thanks for taking the time tonight.
STEVEN LEVITSKY, PROFESSOR OF GOVERNMENT, HARVARD UNIVERSITY: Thanks. Have a good night.
JIMENEZ: And be sure to tune in. An all-new episode of "THE WHOLE STORY WITH ANDERSON COOPER: THE UNITED STATES VERSUS HARVARD," airs Sunday at 10 p.m. Eastern and Pacific, only on CNN. You will see me in that.
And you've seen me tonight. Thank you all for watching. "ANDERSON COOPER 360," up next.
POLO SANDOVAL, CNN ANCHOR: Hi, I'm Polo Sandoval, live in New York. Wherever you may be watching from, welcome to CNN NEWSROOM. We have a lot to get to.
Let's have a trial. Former FBI chief James Comey says that he is innocent after being indicted by a federal grand jury on Friday and Thursday.
Plus, the first former French president sentenced to time behind bars. Why Nicolas Sarkozy says that he'll be sleeping in prison with his head held high.
Then, Donald Trump says a deal for Gaza is pretty close. But a senior Hamas official tells CNN that the U.S. is looking at the conflict through the glasses of Israel.
ANNOUNCER: Live from New York, this is CNN NEWSROOM with Polo Sandoval.
SANDOVAL: And we begin with breaking news at this hour. A historic and extraordinary escalation in U.S. President Donald Trump's efforts to prosecute his perceived enemies.
Former FBI Director James Comey has been indicted by a federal grand jury on two criminal charges: giving false statements and obstruction of a congressional proceeding.
At this hour, reaction is, on the indictment, coming in from all corners of the political spectrum. House minority leader, Democratic Congressman Hakeem Jeffries, writing, quote, "Donald Trump and his sycophants in the Department of Justice are completely and totally out of control and have viciously weaponized the criminal justice system against their perceived adversaries."
And Comey posting his own response in a video statement on his Instagram account.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JAMES COMEY, FORMER FBI DIRECTOR: My family and I have known for years that there are costs to standing up to Donald Trump. My heart is broken for the Department of Justice, but I have great confidence in the federal judicial system, and I'm innocent. So, let's have a trial.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SANDOVAL: Comey expected to be arraigned on October 9th.
We begin our breaking news coverage with CNN's Evan Perez in Washington.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
EVAN PEREZ, CNN SENIOR U.S. JUSTICE CORRESPONDENT: A federal grand jury indicted former FBI Director James Comey on two felony counts of making a false statement to Congress and obstructing a congressional proceeding.
PEREZ (voice-over): The historic indictment marks an escalation in President Donald Trump's push to use the Justice Department to prosecute his political enemies.
The grand jury in Alexandria, Virginia, approved the two felony counts after newly-installed U.S. Attorney Lindsey Halligan made the presentation herself.
The grand jury rejected a third count for a separate alleged false statement.
Now, it's unusual for U.S. attorneys to present cases to the grand jury themselves. Usually, career lawyers in the office do this.
PEREZ: But we know that prosecutors in the office had raised concerns about the strength of this case.
Comey is a longtime --
PEREZ (voice-over): -- adversary of the president and is now the first senior government official to face federal charges in one of Trump's largest grievances, which is the investigation surrounding the 2016 presidential election.
Just last weekend, the president posted on social media, urging Pam Bondi, the attorney general, to take action against Comey and other political enemies.
PEREZ: Trump celebrated the indictment on his social media platform, saying, "Justice in America. One of the worst human beings in this country has ever been -- this country has ever been exposed to is James Comey, the corrupt head of the FBI."
Comey could face up to five years in prison if he's convicted, the Justice Department says. Both charges relate to his September 30, 2020, testimony to the Senate Judiciary Committee.
Comey testified that he did not authorize someone at the FBI to be an anonymous source for news sources, according to the Justice Department.
Now, according to the indictment, that statement was false.
Comey responded to the indictment in an Instagram video, saying, let's have a trial. Keep the faith.
PEREZ: And Attorney General Bondi said in a post on X, "No one is above the law. Today's indictment reflects the Justice Department's commitment to holding those who abuse positions of power accountable for misleading the American people."
Evan Perez, CNN, Washington.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SANDOVAL: The Israeli prime minister is back in the U.S., as he's expected to address the United Nations in the coming hours, but it remains to be seen exactly what kind of reception Benjamin Netanyahu will get, as already a number of countries have lined up at the General Assembly this countries, they have lined up at the General Assembly this year to recognize Palestinian statehood.
[00:05:16]
Donald Trump says that he already spoke with the prime minister after meeting this week with Arab leaders. The U.S. president signaled that some kind of deal in Gaza is pretty close.
Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas says that Hamas will not have to play a role in governing a Palestinian state. He addressed the U.N. remotely after the White House denied visas for Palestinian diplomats to enter the U.S. for the gathering.
Hamas is rejecting the comments by Abbas, the group calling them an infringement on the inherent rights of the Palestinian people to choose who governs them. A senior Hamas official is defending the October 7th attacks on
Israel, saying that they created, quote, "a golden moment for the Palestinian cause."
CNN's Jeremy Diamond pressed that leader and asked if Hamas is willing to lay down its arms.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JEREMY DIAMOND, CNN JERUSALEM CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Nearly two years after Hamas attacked Israel on October 7th, Gaza has paid a massive price, the devastation rivaled only by the suffering of its people.
Israel has killed more than 65,000 Palestinians, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry. Hundreds of thousands are displaced and homeless, and Israeli attacks are only intensifying.
DIAMOND: Do you accept any responsibility for triggering so much death and destruction?
GHAZI HAMAD, SENIOR HAMAS OFFICIAL: The history did not began [SIC] -- begin on October 7th. We spent 78 years under the occupation, under the humiliation, under oppression, under repression, under killing, under displacement.
Now, why a world focus on October 7th?
DIAMOND (voice-over): Ghazi Hamad is a senior Hamas official, sitting for his first U.S. TV interview in months.
DIAMOND: But before October 7th, Israel had never unleashed this level of death and destruction on Gaza before. How can you look at me with a straight face and tell me that you accept no responsibility whatsoever for what has happened in the two years since?
HAMAD: What -- what --- what was the -- what was the option is left for the Palestinians to do? The first time the Palestinians have shown sacrifice in the -- in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
DIAMOND: What gives you the right to decide that Palestinian women and children should be sacrificed on the altar of your resistance?
HAMAD: No. All the time we are sacrificing. We are fighting.
DIAMOND: But I'm asking you about the civilian deaths in Gaza and what gives you the right to decide it's a price worth paying? That child can die. It's OK, because it's -- it's in order to fulfill our resistance.
HAMAD: As Hamas, we are fighting for the interests of the people. We don't want our people to be killed.
Don't put the problem on the shoulder of Hamas. No, I think that --
DIAMOND: Again, sir, when I speak with Israeli officials, I press them about what they are doing in Gaza.
(CROSSTALK)
DIAMOND: When I'm speaking with Hamas officials, I press them for your responsibility.
DIAMOND (voice-over): But some Palestinians have had enough.
"Our message to Hamas is stop gambling with us," this man says. "You are disconnected from reality, especially since the Hamas leadership is outside of Gaza."
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I want to send a message to Hamas. We talk to people, talk by people, stop the (EXPLETIVE DELETED) war. We are dying here.
DIAMOND (voice-over): But Hamad doesn't seem interested in hearing those voices.
HAMAD: I know. I have -- I have seen -- I have seen --
DIAMOND: This -- this -- excuse me. This is not it. There's more.
HAMAD: I have seen this. Yes, yes.
DIAMOND: Sir, there is more.
HAMAD: Yes. I know people are suffering. There are some people blame Hamas.
DIAMOND: Why will you not listen to the voices of Palestinian people in Gaza?
HAMAD: Look, look, I know. This is -- But look, this is not the whole story.
DIAMOND: These people who want -- who want Hamas to surrender, lay down its weapons and leave the Gaza Strip.
HAMAD: No, no. I think -- No, no.
DIAMOND: What do you say to them?
HAMAD: No one asked Hama to surrender. We will never surrender. These people under abnormal circumstances. We put them under target and killing and massacre. What do you expect for people to -- to say?
DIAMOND (voice-over): Hamad is eager to tout what he calls the, quote, "benefits of October 7th," in which Hamas killed nearly 1,200 people and kidnapped more than 250 others. He says it led to growing international support for the Palestinian cause.
HAMAD: What -- what -- what is the benefit of October 7th now? Now, won the award (ph) now. If you look to the General Assembly yesterday, when about 194 people opened their eyes and looked to the atrocity, to brutality of Israel. And all of them, they condemned Israel. We waited for this moment for 77 years. I think this is a golden
moment for the world to change the history. I think that now the world is changed. The history is changed now.
DIAMOND: In your view, 65,000 deaths is worth it in order to achieve what you've achieved?
HAMAD: Look -- look, I know the price is so high. But I must ask you again, what is the -- what is --
DIAMOND: Was it worth it?
HAMAD: What is -- what is -- what is the -- the option left to the Palestinian. You know what? We waited for a peaceful process, for a peaceful means, since 19 -- 1993, since Oslo agreement till now.
[00:10:09]
DIAMOND (voice-over): The prospects for peace seem as far away as ever two weeks after Israel tried to kill Hamad and other senior Hamas officials, not far from where we sat down.
HAMAD: I think it is miracle, because the rockets are very close to us. We are under target, and it was a brutal attack on us.
So, I think it was long and very strong message to us and even to Qatari that we are not interested in negotiation. We want to kill. We want to destroy. We want to assassinate. This is our own policy to handle the whole situation. Everything now is frozen.
DIAMOND (voice-over): Hamas's demands have also not shifted.
HAMAD: We insisted to go to the comprehensive deal to return all the hostages, either alive or dead. And we -- we said frankly, we can return them in 24 hours. But they refused.
DIAMOND: Well, they have conditions for ending the war. They want Hamas to be out of power, and they want Hamas to disarm. Are you willing to abandon power in Gaza and lay down your weapons?
HAMAD: Hamas is part of the -- of the Palestinian fabric. You cannot execute Hamas. But as I said again and again, regarding the ruling of Gaza, we are ready to be out of the ruling of Gaza. We have no problem with this.
The arm of Hamas is a legitimate and legal weapons, which use all the time against occupation. It is not a terrorist weapon.
DIAMOND: How does this war end? Because over the course of our conversation, I've seen very little that suggests any willingness on your part to compromise.
HAMAD: I think it is easy. I think Mr. Trump and -- and the world could ask the Netanyahu in order to stop the war, to stop the genocide in Gaza.
DIAMOND: Do you have any confidence that he will do that?
HAMAD: I don't know, I think we tested him many times, but I think it is not easy to trust Mr. Trump or to trust the American administration. All the time, they put the glasses of Israel. They adopt the Israeli position.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SANDOVAL: That was CNN's Jeremy Diamond with that report.
Still on the way here on CNN NEWSROOM, former French President Nicolas Sarkozy will soon be heading to prison. And this after being convicted in a plot to finance his campaign with illegal money from Libya.
Still ahead, why he faces one of the strongest provisions that could be handed down by a French court.
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SANDOVAL: Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy will be spending five years in prison after a Paris court found him guilty of criminal association tied to campaign financing.
Sarkozy was found guilty in a plot to finance his campaign with money from Libya in exchange for diplomatic favors for the Libyan government under then-leader Moammar Gadhafi.
Well, in a surprise move, the court ruled that he will be incarcerated even if he appeals the verdict. Sarkozy is scheduled to learn the date of his incarceration on October 13.
Let's get some analysis on this now. I want to bring in CNN's European affairs commentator, Dominic Thomas, for more. Dominic, welcome to the program.
DOMINIC THOMAS, CNN EUROPEAN AFFAIRS COMMENTATOR: Great. Thank you so much for having me on.
SANDOVAL: It's our pleasure. I'm wondering if you were surprised when the judge ordered that he be incarcerated, even if he has plans to appeal?
THOMAS: At this stage, I think, given the fact that there's a -- there was a prior conviction that had to do with information peddling and so on, for which he was forced to wear a ankle bracelet for == for three months and escaped actual hard time in prison.
I think that this time around, were he to have been found guilty, I think that was on the books. And that there was a real commitment to follow the letter of the law and to set an example here, and a deterrent for such behavior in French politics, on which this has become an issue that has received increasing visibility over the past ten years or so. SANDOVAL: Yes. And as you were speaking, we were playing some footage
from court on Thursday. And I can't help but notice, as he walks out, he's greeting some of the security personnel, and in turn, some of the security personnel, even almost appears to salute the former leader.
From your perspective, just how influential a figure do you think Sarkozy will be after this conviction? Not just in the world of right- wing politics, but also in and around France?
THOMAS: Yes, well, I think that there are a couple of things that have really changed in the last few years around these questions.
First of all, we don't know the extent to which this has been a problem historically. But what we do know is that these questions are being investigated, in a very serious and meticulous manner.
We can also refer to the leader of the National Rally, Marine Le Pen, that was found guilty of embezzlement and so on. And there are other instances that we could refer to.
I think what has changed is the way in which those found guilty are responding in the public space by politicizing the question. And we know that the playbook for this, in many ways, was developed by President Trump, who spent most of his time out of office during the Biden administration talking about presidential immunity and so on. And this has the effect of distracting from the very serious questions at stake.
And so, Nicolas Sarkozy, although he left office in 2012, has been an absolutely incontrovertible figure in French politics, particularly on the right and the far right; somebody that politicians consult with, that continues to have an important shadow over the party.
Unlike Marine Le Pen, he's not running for the presidency in 2027. But no matter what comes out of this, it's hard to think of this as just simply harming his reputation, rather than bringing him to the spotlight and giving oxygen to the argument that this is really about political revenge. And so on. And instrumentalization of this, than about the issues at stake.
[00:20:04]
And that's the strategy that he is clearly embracing here.
SANDOVAL: And you don't have to be an attorney to really appreciate the way that this case was prosecuted, which I found just absolutely interesting here.
After all, the court could not determine that Libyan money actually financed his presidential campaign. But that's, as you know, not needed to convict on allegations of a corrupt scheme.
So, I'm wondering, considering that and the way this all played out in court, how are people in France talking about this?
THOMAS: Yes. Well, I think that it's the depth and the amount of sort of effort that went into this, means that it obviously is confusing beyond those in the inner legal circles that can understand the particularities of it.
I think what people do understand is that this is a corrupt political environment, and that the judiciary is aiming to restore confidence in the legal apparatus at a time when these increasingly visible trials of politicians convicted of embezzlement and criminal association, conspiracy, and so on and so forth, are leading to increasing political disaffection.
And this undermines the democratic system. And so, there are these two forces at work here, I think, that reflect the divisiveness of the political landscape. But the determination of the legal apparatus to say that they are there as the guarantors and protectors of the general public and of the political space.
And I think in this particular case, a five-year sentence for a former president is an extraordinarily courageous but also legally defendable conclusion to this particular trial.
Now, what the outcome will be in terms of the actual time that he will spend in prison; what the circumstances will be; whether he will have a chance to serve some of this at home once again, wearing an ankle bracelet, we will have to see. But the fact that he will most likely go to prison is an extraordinary development.
SANDOVAL: And historic, as well. We'll be watching this very closely along with you. Dominic Thomas, thank you so much for your expertise and for letting us get some of your analysis.
THOMAS: Thank you so much.
SANDOVAL: Of course.
Well, former California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger telling voters to reject the state's redistricting plan.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER, FORMER CALIFORNIA GOVERNOR: This is a battle between the Democrats and the Republicans: who should have more power? I'm for the power of the people.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SANDOVAL: It's on the way here on CNN NEWSROOM. More of CNN's exclusive interview with the former California governor.
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SANDOVAL: Former California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. He is weighing in on that state's efforts to redraw congressional districts. He says despite Texas redrawing their districts to favor Republicans, he says, quote, "Two wrongs don't make a right." CNN's news anchor Elex Michaelson spoke with Schwarzenegger, as well
as former U.K. Prime Minister Tony Blair. He joins us live here from New York with more.
First and foremost, Elex, welcome to CNN. It's great to have you. And a fascinating conversation that you tackled; a wide array of topics. Tell us a little bit more about the former governor's opposition to redistricting in California.
ELEX MICHAELSON, CNN ANCHOR: Well, first, Polo, thank you. Good to be with you and good to be here in New York.
The reason that we're here in New York, Governor Schwarzenegger and Tony Blair getting together to do a joint event to mark climate week here in New York when the U.N. General Assembly comes to New York.
We've got some video of this event. This is bringing together Schwarzenegger's institute and Blair's institute to talk about climate issues.
But while talking with him, I also talked about the issue of gerrymandering. The governor went viral when he posted on Twitter an image of a T-shirt where he says -- Look at this here. It says, "'F' the politicians. Terminate gerrymandering."
So, Texas Republicans have changed their congressional maps to help Republicans. So, California Democrats now want voters to approve a change in that state's congressional maps to help Democrats. It's something Schwarzenegger thinks is a bad idea.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MICHAELSON: What's your view in terms of what should happen nationwide when it comes to redistricting?
SCHWARZENEGGER: Well, first of all, in California, it's a big mistake to go and do a dismantle and to basically kind of get rid of the independent redistricting commission, under the auspices of we've got to have more power than the Republicans. And we've got to fight Trump because, yes, they are fixing elections in Texas.
But that does not mean that California should fix the elections because of that. Two wrongs don't make a right. It's that simple.
And whenever the politicians say that we're only doing this temporarily with the redistricting commission, with the independent one, there's no such thing with politicians and temporarily.
[00:25:00]
Have you ever seen a tax that stopped? When they say this is just temporary, it is permanent.
I'm for the power of the people, not the parties. And therefore, I say vote no on Proposition 50. MICHAELSON: Because when I talk to Governor Newsom about this and
about your conversation with him about this, he told me that he said to you, if we are not successful in this, that there will be no more independent redistricting. The whole thing is over.
He has no faith in President Trump in order to do fair elections if Republicans have all control. And he says that it is temporary. You just -- you don't buy what Governor Newsom is saying?
SCHWARZENEGGER: Of course not. Look, I've sat there in Sacramento. I've listened to the politicians for seven years. They are not interested in giving any power to the people.
The only interest that they have is to take power away from the people and grab it themselves.
So, this gives them a great opportunity by saying, oh, we have to fight Trump, let's go and get rid of our democratic principles. Imagine to fight for democracy and to get rid of your democratic principles. It doesn't make any sense.
And plus, we have so many homeless people in California, and there they cannot do anything about it. But they're spending $200 million on a special election? I would rather give this money to the homeless people that really need it, rather than to the politicians.
Let's give the money to the people rather than the politicians. This is what this is all about. That's why I'm against Proposition 50. That's why I always will say nothing against Newsom. We don't have a fight over this at all.
MICHAELSON: Yes. Because you guys met. What was that like? It was a wonderful meeting. He told me what he felt. I told him, I said, I totally get it. Because this is what you need to do to be the leader of the party. I totally get it.
But I'm not a party person, I said. I'm a people's person.
MICHAELSON: Are you going to be campaigning any more? What's your role? Are you going to be doing interviews, going around the state, doing rallies? What's your role in this campaign?
SCHWARZENEGGER: No, I have no plan. All I wanted to do, really, is to come out and to say to the people, hold it. Before you go and vote, you should know this is a scam and vote no on Proposition 50.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
MICHAELSON: So, potentially hundreds of millions of dollars could be spent on this fight over Prop 50 with right now. Governor Newsom largely being the face of yes in ads, and former Governor Schwarzenegger largely being the face of no.
So, as you mentioned, Polo, we talked about a lot of different topics. I'll be back with you next hour. Well hear from Tony Blair on the war in Gaza. Remember, he recently met with President Trump on that. And we'll hear from former governor Schwarzenegger about the wedding
of his son, Patrick, who a lot of people got to know on "The White Lotus." He just got married. Schwarzenegger was there, walking him down the aisle. We'll talk about that in our next hour.
SANDOVAL: Father of the groom. Perhaps one of his most important roles for the former governor.
Again, Elex Michaelson, it's so great to have you. And do stay tuned. A lot more of Michael [SIC] in the weeks and months ahead. And do not miss his debut later this fall. We'll see you in the next hour.
Well, still ahead here on CNN NEWSROOM, Amazon accused of tricking its customers, and now it's on the hook for billions of dollars. What does this mean for you? Some of the prime Amazon Prime subscribers. We'll explain.
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[00:37:45]
SANDOVAL: U.S. officials have ordered federal agencies to defend themselves against an advanced group of hackers. The Cybersecurity And Infrastructure Security Agency issued an emergency directive on Thursday.
They say hackers have been exploiting previously unknown flaws in Cisco-made software, and have already breached at least one agency.
Private experts, they believe that the hackers are based in China and likely state-backed. Civilian agencies have until the end of Friday to update their software and report any compromises.
The U.S. Federal Trade Commission says that Amazon has agreed to a $2.5 billion settlement. This after being accused of tricking consumers into subscribing to the company's Prime membership. The settlement is coming just a few days into the trial between the e- commerce powerhouse and the U.S. government.
Here's CNN's Clare Duffy to explain.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CLARE DUFFY, CNN TECH CORRESPONDENT: Thirty-five million Amazon customers will be getting refunds for their Prime subscription as part of this settlement.
DUFFY (voice-over): Now, this all dates back to a lawsuit that was filed by the FTC under the Biden administration back in 2023, accusing Amazon, essentially, of tricking customers into signing up for Prime subscriptions and then making it hard for them to cancel those subscriptions.
DUFFY: This settlement totals two and a half billion dollars. That is $1 billion worth of civil penalties, and then a billion and a half in these customer refunds. DUFFY (voice-over): Amazon, as part of this settlement, did not admit
any wrongdoing, but the company will have to make a number of changes, including having to remove a "No, I don't want free shipping" button from the customer checkout process.
It will also have to include clear and conspicuous disclosures about the terms of Prime subscriptions during the customer enrollment process.
And then it's going to have to make it easier for customers to cancel their Prime subscriptions.
This is the largest civil penalty in a case involving an FTC rules disclosure.
DUFFY: But for Amazon, this penalty, this fine of $2.5 billion, amounts to just about 5.6 percent of the Prime revenue that the company brought in last year.
So, this is a significant number. But for Amazon, at the end of the day, sort of a drop in the bucket. The company shares down just about a point and a half on Thursday in the wake of this news.
Back to you.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
[00:40:00]
SANDOVAL: Our thanks to Clare Duffy for that report.
Now to Rio de Janeiro, where a prison there hosting its 19th annual beauty contest. The ten inmates who got to compete were selected based on their good behavior.
They competed in a fashion show featuring colorful denim outfits that they happen to design themselves.
Thais Suarez Machado (ph) won the crown. She was presented with a sash and also then posed for some photos. The contest was organized to encourage self-esteem among women behind bars.
I want to thank you for watching CNN NEWSROOM. I'm Polo Sandoval in New York. I'll be right back with you with much more news in about 20 minutes. For now, though, its WORLD SPORT
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