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Trump Faces GOP Rift, Epstein Vote, And Rising Venezuela Tensions; Trump To Meet Saudi Crown Prince; Chicago Democrat Accused Of "Anointing an Heir"; Immigration Enforcement Surges In Charlotte; Trump Pulls Support For Rep. Greene; Hollywood Meets The Pope. Aired 5-6p ET

Aired November 16, 2025 - 17:00   ET

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

[17:00:00]

JESSICA DEAN, CNN CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: You're in the "CNN Newsroom." Hi, everyone. I'm Jessica Dean here in New York. And tonight, President Donald Trump, one hour from now, headed back to Washington where he's facing several growing problems.

First, a public and ugly fallout with a longtime Republican ally, Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene. The reason? Well, Greene says it's because she wants the Justice Department files on the late convicted sex trafficker, Jeffrey Epstein, to be released. A House vote to release those files could come as early as Tuesday, and at least one lawmaker is predicting essentially an open revolt as GOP members break with the president.

Additionally, sources tell CNN Trump is weighing whether to launch a military operation in Venezuela. Earlier today, the USS Gerald Ford, the world's biggest aircraft carrier, arrived in the Caribbean Sea, joining other U.S. forces there in a show of force. We're also just learning about a new U.S. military strike on another alleged drug boat, this time in the Eastern Pacific.

Let's bring in Stefano Pozzebon who's in Venezuela, also Betsy Klein who's been traveling with the president in South Florida. Betsy, let's start first with you. What is the latest today on this strike that we now know about and the president's thinking when it comes to Venezuela?

BETSY KLEIN, CNN SENIOR REPORTER: Right, Jessica, President Trump is set to depart Florida moments from now and there is a full plate of conflicts waiting for him when he returns to Washington.

First, we are seeing cracks within his MAGA base. Some of the president's supporters are encouraging him to focus on affordability issues and the economy. And that is directly at odds with the president's own words. Earlier this week, he told Laura Ingraham -- quote -- "We have the greatest economy in history." And we saw that voters believe that just isn't true. As they hit the polls earlier this month, they said that the economy was the number one issue animating them, and Democrats overwhelmingly won in those key races.

And one of the most high-profile MAGA supporters who's raising alarm bells about the economy is Georgia Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene. She has been encouraging the president to spend less time focused on conflicts and relationships abroad and more time on the economy here at home. But Greene is also one of four key House Republicans who is pushing for a vote to release the Justice Department's Epstein files.

Congressman Thomas Massie of Kentucky, also a Republican who has been driving this effort, suggested earlier today that more than 100 House Republicans could break with the president and vote in favor of releasing those documents. That could happen as soon as this week.

Trump, of course, has sought to discredit those efforts as a hoax, and he also took the extraordinary step of disavowing Greene and rescinding his endorsement of her.

We were going to be tracking the fallout of what has really been a dramatic political breakup and really raising more questions about the future of MAGA in a post-Trump era.

Then on Venezuela, the president weighing next steps as the U.S. has amassed significant resources in the region. The president has been briefed on a number of potential steps he could take, including the possibility of airstrikes on military or government facilities, as well as drug trafficking routes. But the White House has also briefed the president on the possibility of a more direct attempt to oust the country's president, Nicolas Maduro.

We've also learned, as they continue to escalate, that there has been a new strike on what they described as a drug trafficking vessel, this time in the eastern Pacific Ocean. This would mark the 21st known strike, bringing the death toll now up by three -- now to 83 people.

And officially, the Trump administration says that all of this is about, uh, taking out illegal drug trafficking. Of course, regime change could be a side effect of that. It offers the president the potential to claim credit for ousting Maduro, getting rid of a strongman and installing potentially an elected leader. But this also carries an enormous amount of risk. President Trump weighing all of this as he prepares to make his way back to Washington in the coming moments, Jessica.

DEAN: All right. And Betsy, we'll get back to you. Please stand by. There will be more news to come. Thank you so much, Betsy Klein in Florida. As tensions in the region intensify, people in Venezuela are on edge, bracing for the worst there.

[17:05:03]

CNN contributor Stefano Pozzebon is joining us now from there. Stefano, what are you seeing and hearing on the ground there in Caracas?

STEFANO POZZEBON, CNN CONTRIBUTOR: Well, this Sunday passed peacefully, Jessica. It's 6 p.m. here. We are an hour ahead of -- of Miami and the East Coast. And if you forget about the storm that is just behind my back, well, it was a peaceful Sunday yesterday. On Saturday, we did see the president, Nicolas Maduro, on television for hours, together with a senior member of the Venezuelan government, taking part in rallies and ceremonies where hundreds of Venezuelans were asked to take an oath to defend the country. Those were not massive -- massive crowds. We hadn't seen the type of crowds that this government was capable of pulling maybe just a few years ago. However, I think they show that the government is taking these threats coming down from Washington very, very seriously and is bracing for a potential impact.

Maduro in particular had issues with those military drills in the islands of Trinidad and Tobago starting today. This is what he said at a rally here in Caracas just yesterday.

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NICOLAS MADURO, PRESIDENT OF VENEZUELA (Through translator): The government of Trinidad and Tobago has announced again some irresponsible drills, lending their waters in front of the coast of the Sucre State for military drills that they pretend to be threatening for a republic like Venezuela that doesn't allow itself to be threatened by anyone.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

POZZEBON: Now, Trinidad and Tobago, that small archipelago of a nation, is really close to the Venezuelan coast. In some places, Jessica, we're talking about less than 10 miles. I was there in 2017, for example, investigating migrant routes from Venezuela into Trinidad and you could see the coast of Venezuela from Trinidad itself. So that's why I think that those military drills have raised such -- have raised this suspicion from the Maduro government. I think the government here is taking it very, very seriously, and they're preparing as urgently as possible.

Regular Venezuelans, not so much. Not because they are not aware or they do not care about these potential strikes, it's just that in a country with the highest inflation rate in the world and with dramatic and chronically economic issue for millions, the vast, vast majority of these populations still live below the poverty line, well, the urgency is more felt on what to put at the dinner table rather than on how to prepare for a military attack from the United States.

So, you really have a feeling of a nation on the edge, perhaps, but not really capable of coming up with the provisions that they would like for the vast majority of these countries, I would say, Jessica.

DEAN: All right. Stefano, thank you so much for that. Please stand by. We'll check back in with you in the coming hours. President Trump, meantime, getting ready to roll out the red carpet for Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. The two will meet at the White House Tuesday to discuss a number of issues, including the Saudis potentially signing the Abraham Accords. That would establish diplomatic ties between Saudi Arabia and Israel.

The meeting also marks the first time the Crown Prince has visited the White House since the 2018 murder of U.S.-based journalist Jamal Khashoggi, a killing the CIA believes the Crown Prince likely ordered, though he has denied any involvement.

CNN international correspondent Salma Abdelaziz is following the story. Salma, what more can we expect this week?

SALMA ABDELAZIZ, CNN REPORTER: There will be almost no signs of a rupture on Tuesday, I imagine. So, just put your head ready for all the trappings of a state visit, really. There's going to be a huge welcome ceremony with military bands. There's going to be a bilateral meeting, of course, in the Oval Office and a black tie dinner with some of America's most powerful executives. President Trump will absolutely be pulling all the stops to impress his guest of honor, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

So, what's on the agenda? What's on the table? As you said, right at the top is President Trump's ambition to reach a political settlement in the Middle East. He believes a cornerstone of that is the Abraham Accords. He's going to push the Crown Prince to normalize ties with Israel, something that had been derailed, of course, because of the conflict after October 7th.

But in response, the expectation is that Saudi Arabia is also going to want to see a pathway to Palestinian statehood that puts a question mark over the Gaza ceasefire, something also that President Trump will be pushing for Saudi Arabia's assistance and help on. He needs these Middle Eastern powers to step in if that ceasefire is to remain in place.

The second issue on the table is going to be money, money, money. Now, President Trump had his first state visit of his second term to Saudi Arabia. And just before that visit, Saudi Arabia pledged $600 billion in investment in the United States. So, there's going to be an expectation that they're going to break down what those numbers mean.

Now, we do expect that there will be some paperwork signed, specifically a defense cooperation agreement. Now, that's going to fall short of President Trump's larger ambition again of the Abraham Accords.

[17:10:02]

So, it'll be about what the pathway forward is with those relationships between the U.S. and Saudi Arabia when it comes to those normalization agreements. But again, no signs of a rupture are expected on Tuesday, just a red carpet rollout for someone President Trump sees as a close friend and ally.

DEAN: All right. Salma, thank you so much for that. Straight ahead here, we're going to talk with the Democratic congresswoman who's at the center of a fight within her own party. Plus, how Republican Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene describes her new role as an adversary of President Trump's and her current place in the GOP. And Border Patrol is reporting dozens of arrests just one day after deploying federal immigration agents into Charlotte. You're in the "CNN Newsroom." (COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[17:15:00]

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DEAN: While Republicans wrestle with the public's spat between President Trump and Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene, Democrats have their own ugly fight that has lawmakers picking sides on Capitol Hill. It started with the retirement of Illinois Representative Chuy Garcia who was accused of basically gaming the system to choose his successor.

Let's bring in CNN chief Washington correspondent and host of the lead, Jake Tapper, who's joining us now. And Jake, you're going to help viewers understand what this fight is all about.

JAKE TAPPER, CNN CHIEF WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT: That's right, Jessica. So, listen, on election day, Democratic Congressman Chuy Garcia of Illinois announced his retirement, and he did so after the deadline to file to run for his congressional seat. But his chief of staff had been tipped off ahead of time. So just hours before the deadline, she filed the paperwork to run, so she will be the only Democrat running in the primary in an overwhelmingly Democratic district. Essentially, Congressman Garcia fixed it so his chief of staff would be his successor, depriving other candidates of an opportunity to run and depriving voters in his district of any real choice.

Last Wednesday, Democratic Congresswoman Marie Gluesenkamp Perez from Washington State took to the floor of the House to offer a resolution condemning Congressman Garcia's machinations. She said it was undemocratic, and all of this has ignited a firestorm of Democratic criticism.

So, here with us right now in an exclusive interview is Congresswoman Marie Gluesenkamp Perez. Congresswoman, thank you for joining us. You accused Congressman Garcia of -- quote -- "undermining the process of a free and fair election" -- unquote. It is -- it is very rare for a Democrat to so publicly call out a member of their own party. Why did you feel the need to speak up?

REP. MARIE GLUESENKAMP PEREZ (D-WA): Because I believe election subversion is wrong no matter who's doing it. And I think that right now, we're seeing a profound, very loud call from Americans for transparency and accountability. And it is part and parcel of that, that you don't just turn a blind eye to wrongdoing or unethical behavior when it's, you know, politically convenient, that you do it consistently.

And, you know, I, um, did this on the first day that we were back after Representative Garcia had done this. And I just think it's really important that we are consistent. And whether it's politically convenient or not, it's not fun to call out a member of your own party, but I think it's important that we're consistent and answering. And, you know we're loyal to the soil, we're loyal to our constituents and say like election subversion is always wrong. That's not how we run things in this country and that's not the party that I want to be a part of.

TAPPER: Did Democrats tried to talk you out of doing this? What was the reaction of your fellow Democrats in the House?

GLUESENKAMP PEREZ: You know, one of the disturbing things is that like immediately after the news broke about how Chuy had basically chosen his successor, I saw a lot of members congratulating him on how clever and slick it was. And I think that galvanized me more to say that this is not something to be proud of or to emulate or copy, that we have to think critically about, um, like what -- what use is it to win an election at all costs, even your own integrity, if you are in that process destroying Americans' confidence in government? That's the thing. Like it's not a prize that's worth winning if you destroy the thing in the process.

TAPPER: One of the arguments from Democrats seems to be that Democrats need to be focused on the Epstein files and on high prices and on Trump's tariffs, and what you're doing is distracting from that. How do you respond to that argument?

GLUESENKAMP PEREZ: Yeah, I think that it's, um -- I -- I understand that Democrats want a unified message, but I also know that where I'm from, um, when you see things like this, like, you know, it's not just about having affordable stuff or holding another team accountable, it's -- it's that we want leadership, we want a team that calls a spade a spade. And, you know, there are so many debatable things in politics today, but this seems really clear cut to me and my community that this is not acceptable.

And I've seen the way that, you know, D.C. will turn you into a frog and it will boil you alive if you do not make consistent and, you know, deliberate steps to -- to stop that.

[17:19:55]

And so, I'm in my second term here, I didn't have elected office before this, I'm not a lawyer, but I know that when I see somebody subverting an election and choosing their successor, that's not what democracy is about and that's not why I was sent to Congress.

TAPPER: Yeah. Look, I mean, without question, what Congressman Garcia did stinks and the voters got screwed without, you know, taking a position on what kind of a politician he is or his successor will be. I mean, just you are right on the facts. But there is just such reluctance of Democrats to criticize Democrats and Republicans to criticize Republicans.

How much, if at all, were you influenced by what happened with President Biden last year and the fact that the DNC kept, uh, him away from any challenges? During the primary process, there were no debates, there were efforts to keep other people off the ballots. And then, of course, after he dropped out, after the pressure, uh, following the debate, there was -- there was no contest at all to make Vice President Harris the nominee. Uh, would did that play a role in this at all?

GLUESENKAMP PEREZ: Yeah. I think there's one school of thought that's pretty strong in D.C., that it's like the threat to democracy is so real that we have to make choices for people. And Americans aren't smart enough to choose their own representatives. And I think that lack of confidence in voters, uh, it is toxic and it's not true. Like there are patriots, there are so many people who could hold these jobs and -- and who would do well at them. Um, but it can be so inward looking and just oriented around what you don't like.

And look, like I like Chuy. I think he's like a nice guy. And -- and it's even more important that when it's someone like -- it can't just be the people that you don't like that you're willing to call out. You have to be willing to do it within your own family as well. Um, and I believe that that kind of transparency and faith in voters is what will turn things around. That is how you walk away from authoritarianism, not by picking up the playbook but by saying no, like this is a strong country still. And when we, um -- you know, when we trust -- when we trust American citizens to make a good choice, like we get a better outcome than if these choices are made for them.

TAPPER: The attacks on you have been very tough and personal. One of your colleagues, Congresswoman Delia Ramirez, um, criticized you for her -- in her words, uh -- quote -- "going after a strong progressive Latino leader." For people who don't know, you also are Latina, Congresswoman Gluesenkamp Perez. And -- but there seem to be an insinuation there that you're going after him because he was Latino and because he is progressive. What was your reaction to that?

GLUESENKAMP PEREZ: Identity politics do not justify election subversion. Nothing justifies that. If you say that it's wrong, have to say that it's wrong consistently, no matter who's doing it. This is not about -- this -- this cannot be like a, uh, inter-party fight. Like that's not what this is about. You know, it's -- it is about confidence of whether we are going to choose to respect voters, whether we're going to operate with morality.

And, you know, some people have said like, you're a legislator, for God's sake, why don't you write a law? Well, A, like election law states. B, I can't think of every unethical thing and make it illegal. Like men's hearts are ungovernable. And the line between good and evil runs light down the middle of every man's heart. So, it's not just about legislating morality. That's a fool's errand. It's about a willingness to say, especially for the people that I love, especially in my own team, that like we have to have a standard that is unchanging.

And, you know, there's so much, um -- so many of the party fights are like, oh, well, like Democrats are just going after Epstein because, you know, they want to hurt the president. Well, prove that that's not true. Say that we have a standard that's unchanging, that we are going to operate with integrity and with transparency in every case that we're presented with, not just when it's politically convenient, but always.

And that's what I'm hoping to do. I'm hoping to be able to have a debate here about the merits of the case, the facts of the argument, and say that we have to walk away from a partisan fight, certainly an inner party fight, and say there's a difference between right and wrong here.

And like I don't think I'm better than anyone. Like I -- I'm not here to put myself, like that is not true, but I also have an obligation to represent the values of my community. And, you know, a loyalty to the soil doesn't just mean that I care about timber and sea lions. That means that I care about calling a spade a spade.

TAPPER: Congresswoman Marie Gluesenkamp Perez, thank you so much for your time today. We appreciate it. Jessica?

GLUESENKAMP PEREZ: Thank you.

[17:25:00]

DEAN: All right. Jake, thank you so much for that. We really, really appreciate it. Jake, the parties tend to circle the wagons and protect their own, as you were getting at in that -- in that interview. How unusual is it to see a lawmaker like that holding another one accountable from the same party?

TAPPER: It is sadly incredibly rare, um, because, look, what Congressman Garcia did, and we should note his explanation about why he did what he did from his office, he does not talk about why he did what he did. He talks about how he made a deeply personal decision based on his health, his wife's worsening condition, and his responsibility to his grandchildren. He's raising after the death of his daughter. "He followed every rule and every filing requirement laid out by the State of Illinois" -- unquote. And -- and obviously, his reasons for retiring are perfectly respectable and understandable. But how he's retiring is the issue here, and that statement doesn't address it.

And look, we're in a situation now, and let's step aside, step back from this particular situation, we're in a world now where very few Republicans on Capitol Hill are willing to criticize President Trump for anything. We were in a world last year where very few Democrats on Capitol Hill were willing to point out the obvious about President Biden even after the debate. And it's hard to make the argument as journalists that that makes the world a better place or a safer place. It just makes it so people are increasingly living in their own realities and their own information or misinformation silos.

DEAN: Yeah, it's very easy to do that these days. And look, the Democrats' sense of unity has certainly been tested by how this shutdown ended. What does it mean for the House minority leader, Hakeem Jeffries, as he's trying to keep everybody in line and they move forward?

TAPPER: My impression is that House Democratic leaders are not behind Congresswoman Marie Gluesenkamp Perez, that they want to talk about other topics. They want to talk about, for example, that provision in the government shutdown, the government funding bill that allows those Republican senators whose phone lines were investigated like, you know, during the January 6 investigation, it allows them to sue the Justice Department for $500,000 each. That's what Democrats want to talk about, and they don't want to talk about what Congressman Garcia did.

So, I don't know if this is a blip or if this is going to be indicative of something bigger and uglier. And I guess we'll see how many other Democrats are willing to stand with Congresswoman Gluesenkamp Perez and acknowledge the obvious that what Congressman Garcia did, while I'm sure perfectly legal, was entirely unethical and deprived his voters of an actual choice in the next election.

DEAN: Yeah, that will be really interesting to see, if they do indeed do that. Jake Tapper, always good to see you. Thanks.

TAPPER: Thanks, Jess.

DEAN: We have breaking news tonight. Famed civil rights activist Reverend Jesse Jackson is now on a form of life support. A source close to Jackson's family telling CNN tonight the life support is stabilizing his blood pressure. He was admitted to a Chicago hospital just a few days ago after being diagnosed with a neurological condition similar to Parkinson's disease. The 84-year-old is a protege of Reverend Martin -- Dr. --Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr.

Still ahead, CNN's new reporting on what's happening on the ground in Charlotte. That's the latest democratically-led city to draw the focus of federal immigration agents. We'll take you there when we come back.

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[17:30:00]

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DEAN: Federal agents have made their way to North Carolina, detaining dozens of people in Charlotte in that area as part of President Trump's immigration crackdown. This video shows agents struggling with a teenager who the owner of a supermarket identified as one of his employees. Other footage captured an agent chasing someone in the parking lot, before you see that agent falling. Other footage captured an agent, uh, additionally, uh, running around that parking lot as well. Federal agents entering the city has drawn mixed reaction from locals and residents as well as state lawmakers.

CNN's Rafael Romo is joining us now. Rafael, you've been looking into this. How is the city reacting?

RAFAEL ROMO, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, there's a lot of people who are nervous, a lot of people who are upset. And, as you mentioned before, we're getting images of arrests that happened throughout the city and hearing many people complaining about tactics by federal agents. There was no prior announcement by the federal government about any plans to send immigration agents to Charlotte, North Carolina, as we see these images that come to us. It happened in Pineville, about 50 miles south of Charlotte. We're also seeing an arrest there. And Jessica, in the last hour, we got these images in the place that I mentioned before, in Pineville, but we're seeing these images elsewhere. Word on the move came from Mecklenburg County Sheriff Garry McFadden's office who told CNN in a statement on Thursday that two federal officials had told them enforcement personnel would arrive as early as this weekend in North Carolina's largest city. And then the operation started, including one encounter with Border Patrol agents caught on a cell phone camera by a man while he was driving.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNKNOWN: (SPEAKING IN FOREIGN LANGUAGE).

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROMO: That's the voice of Willy Aceituno asking an agent why he broke his pickup truck's window.

[17:35:03]

The Honduran-born man who says he is a U.S. citizen later told CNN affiliate WCNC that he was getting breakfast before going to work when he was stopped twice by Border Patrol agents.

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WILLY ACEITUNO, DETAINED BY FEDERAL AGENT: He broke open door and too hard to take out to me out, you know. And second, I go to the ground like this.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROMO: In statement to CNN, CBP said that Aceituno acted increasingly erratic, escalated the situation, and refused to comply with lawful commands by officers. Border Patrol agents have been spotted around Charlotte over the weekend, stopping people suspected of being in the country illegally and making arrests while traveling in vans and SUVs, and covering, many of them, their faces, as this video obtained by CNN shows.

In a post on X, top Border Patrol official Gregory Bovino said agents arrested 81 people in Charlotte on Saturday during a search of immigration enforcement. The Department of Homeland Security has dubbed operation "Charlotte's Web." The arrests, Bovino said, took place during a span of about five hours, adding that those arrested had -- quote -- "significant criminal and immigration history and are off the streets."

The agents' presence in Charlotte has already prompted residents to take to the streets with the goal of sending two messages, telling federal agents they're not welcome in their city and supporting immigrants.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JENNIFER ROBERTS, CHARLOTTE PROTESTER: I'm here to tell our immigrant community that I stand with them along with thousands and thousands of others who know that they have been contributing to our community, to our culture, to our education, to our business community.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROMO: And, finally, Jessica, the Trump administration has defended unprecedented federal enforcement operations in cities like Los Angeles and Chicago as necessary for fighting crime and enforcing immigration laws. According to AH Datalytics, homicides, rapes, robberies, and motor vehicle thefts fell by more than 20% in Charlotte this year compared with the same period -- time period in 2024, Jessica.

DEAN: Still a lot of violence in those videos. Rafael Romo, thank you so much. New York Jets cornerback Kris Boyd is recovering tonight after being shot outside a New York City restaurant early this morning, according to a law enforcement source who also says Boyd was shot in the stomach. He was already not playing due to an injury and is reportedly now in critical condition. The shooting is said to have happened after an argument at the restaurant. The shooter is not in custody, but we'll bring you any updates as we get them.

Still ahead, why Republican Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene says she's gone from being one of President Trump's most loyal supporters to the latest target of insults and threats from him against her.

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[17:40:00]

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DEAN: Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene is speaking out today about her very public falling out with President Trump, a turn of events she claims is -- quote -- "all coming down to the Epstein files." The Georgia Republican appeared in an exclusive interview with CNN this morning saying she does not understand why the president is fighting against those files being released.

Let's bring in CNN correspondent Julia Benbrook. Uh, Julia, again, she appeared this morning with our colleague, Dana Bash. What more did she tell Dana about this political falling out?

JULIA BENBROOK, CNN CORRESPONDENT: She spoke to what she believes is at the heart of this. President Donald Trump is no doubt feuding with Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene. And this comes after weeks of questions from Greene about some actions that Trump has taken. One of those was she criticized the focus that he has put in on foreign policy, saying that he is not spending enough time promoting his domestic agenda here at home. She also said that she has broken with him on the release of the Department of Justice files related to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. She has supported that effort on Capitol Hill.

And this is something that Trump, of course, has pushed back against multiple times recently. He has called those who have supported the effort both soft and foolish. He has also said that it was a hoax. And so, Greene says she believes that it is that issue at the heart of their fallout. Take a listen.

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REP. MARJORIE TAYLOR GREENE (R-GA): Unfortunately, it has all come down to the Epstein files, and that is shocking. And, you know, I -- I stand with these women, I stand with rape victims, I stand with children who are in terrible sex abuse situations, and I stand with survivors of trafficking and those that are trapped in sex trafficking.

And I will not apologize for that. I believe the country deserves transparency in these files. And I -- I don't believe that -- that rich, powerful people should be protected if they have -- if they have done anything wrong. And -- and so, I'm standing with the women, and I will continue to do my small part to get the files released.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BENBROOK: Greene was one of a handful of Republican House members who signed on to a discharge petition to force a vote for the release of the Department of Justice files related to Epstein. We do now expect that vote to take place sometime next week.

[17:45:00]

DEAN: And yeah, I did want to ask you about that, Julia, because we now look ahead to next week and the House appears poised to do that. What more do we know about that upcoming vote?

BENBROOK: Yeah. So, this effort was led by a bipartisan pair of lawmakers, Representative Ro Khanna, a Democrat from California, and Representative Thomas Massie, a Republican from Kentucky. And like I mentioned, only a handful of Republicans signed on to their petition that is forcing this vote, but they believe that there will be a significant number of more Republicans that will join in and support when it goes for a full House floor vote. In fact, Massie has set a goal of getting a veto-proof majority. That would be two-thirds or 290 members if everyone is in attendance.

DEAN: All right. Julia Benbrook with the latest reporting, thanks so much for that. And Speaker Mike Johnson says that House vote -- that the House will vote on those releases of the Epstein files, and then, in his words, move it on. But the Epstein files have captured the public's interest as well as politicians' interest. And to break down the data on all of this, we bring in CNN chief data analyst Harry Enten to run the numbers. Hi, Harry.

HARRY ENTEN, CNN CHIEF DATA ANALYST: Hey there, Jessica. Happy Sunday to you. Look, America's and Americans' interest in the Jeffrey Epstein files and the saga, it's sky high. What are we talking about here? Well, let's take a look at Google searches for Jeffrey Epstein. We're talking up nearly 1,400% versus a week ago. We are talking about the highest three-day level for Jeffrey Epstein searches throughout this entire year, even more so than what we saw back in July, of course, when the DOJ released its memo, when Speaker Mike Johnson refused to hold a House vote on releasing the Epstein files.

And more than that, the top associated search topic with Jeffrey Epstein at this particular point, you guessed it, it's Trump, it's Donald Trump. Now, of course, as I mentioned, this is not just something that is impacting Donald Trump, it is impacting House Republicans as well, given that Speaker Mike Johnson did not want to hold a House vote to release the Epstein files till, of course, that discharge petition is going to force him most likely to do so.

And we can see it right here. Look at this. Disapprove of no House vote to release the Epstein files, the American people are not with Speaker Mike Johnson. They want -- they want a release -- they want a vote to release those Epstein files. Take a look here. Disapprove of no House vote to release the Epstein files, 72% of Americans disapproved of the idea, disapproved of Mike Johnson's position not to hold the House vote. That includes 86% of Democrats, 73% of Republicans, and get this, even 53% of Republicans.

You rarely get a majority of Republicans and Democrats to agree on anything, but on this particular issue, they do in fact agree, Jessica Dean, they disagree. They agree to disagree with Speaker Mike Johnson, the Republican Speaker of the House of Representatives.

Now, this comes at a point at which both House Republicans and Donald Trump are at their politically most vulnerable of 2025. What are we talking about? Well, let's take a look here, the political environment in percentage points, the generic congressional ballot that, of course, matches up Democrats versus Republicans. Look at this. You can see the Democrats ahead on the generic ballot by five points. That is their largest lead of 2025. It comes at the same time in which Donald Trump is at his most vulnerable. Look at this. His net approval rating, 14 points below water. He has never been in a worse position during his second term.

So, again, this Epstein saga, this likely forced vote on the Epstein files in the House of Representatives could not come at a worse time for either House Republicans or Donald Trump as they are both at their lowest point in which they have been throughout the course of 2025. Of course, we'll just have to wait and see what happens. But at this particular point, it has not been good news for either Donald Trump or House Republicans. Back to you, Jessica.

DEAN: All right. Harry Enten, thanks so much for that. And still to come, why Pope Leo, a well-known Chicago Bulls fan, gladly accepted a New York Knicks jersey at the Vatican today. You're in the "CNN Newsroom."

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DEAN: It was a star-studded occasion at the Vatican when Pope Leo met with some of biggest names in Hollywood. Actors Cate Blanchett, Viggo Mortensen, and Director Spike Lee among the Hollywood stars meeting the pontiff. The Vatican saying the Pope hopes to deepen dialogue with the world of cinema. CNN's Christopher Lamb has more on this.

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CHRISTOPHER LAMB, CNN VATICAN CORRESPONDENT: Well, the Vatican played host to a star-studded gathering as Pope Leo addressed figures from the world of film and cinema. Leo emphasizing the importance of filmmaking, saying that cinema can be a workshop of hope, saying the church esteems the work of moviemakers. And he greeted individually each of those present for this meeting. The stars meeting with Leo included Cate Blanchett, Spike Lee, Adam Scott, each of them meeting with the Pope and Spike Lee presenting Leo with a New York Knicks jersey.

Now, Leo, as the first American pope, understands perhaps more than his predecessors the power of Hollywood to shape the culture. And before the meeting, Leo released his four favorite movies.

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Amongst them, "Ordinary People," "It's a Wonderful Life," "The Sound of Music," and "Life is Beautiful." All of these movies, one Vatican official saying that they showed the importance of remaining kind in an unkind world. world. Now, of course, Leo's meeting coming at a time when the church is needing to reach new audiences. A recent Gallup poll showing a decline in religiosity in the U.S. Leo clearly conscious of that. Now, of course, the stars from across the world came to the Vatican to meet with Leo. They were keen to meet him. But it also seemed that Leo might have been a little bit starstruck as he met those leading figures from Hollywood.

Christopher Lamb, CNN, London.

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DEAN: All right. Christopher, thank you. The U.S. Military's biggest aircraft carrier now in the Caribbean Sea as the Pentagon continues its show of force in that region. We are live from Venezuela as the buildup raises questions about President Trump's plans for that country when we come back.

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