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CNN This Morning
Luigi Mangione Could Plead Guilty To Federal Charges; Trump- Picked Board Puts His Name Back On Kennedy Center; Gen-Z Versus Boomers: Young Voters Oust Older Lawmakers. Aired 6-6:30a ET
Aired August 14, 2026 - 06:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BRAD SMITH, CNN ANCHOR: -- says Ruby McNally.
[06:00:00]
She took her jump for her 80th and 90th birthdays, but this one was the big one-o-o. Six family members and friends took the lead with her, including some of her grandchildren, who called the experience pretty special.
Excellent stuff there. Happy birthday.
That does it for CNN's "HEADLINE EXPRESS". I'm Brad Smith.
CNN THIS MORNING WITH AUDIE CORNISH starts right now.
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AUDIE CORNISH, CNN ANCHOR: Today in the group chat, we're talking about Luigi Mangione and whether or not he could plead guilty when he stands in court just a few hours from now. So, what kind of deal would bring justice in the court of public opinion?
Plus, Gen Z voters revolt. They want younger candidates, but will it deliver real generational change in the midterms?
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DAVID HOGG, CO-FOUNDER, LEADERS WE DESERVE: Young people and voters of all ages are done with the status quo.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CORNISH: J.D. Vance says Republicans should blame themselves if socialists win in November. Is the vice president a little socialist, curious?
And the University of Michigan skips letter grades in the name of mental health. So, is this basically a participation trophy?
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UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We are coddling these kids and setting them up for failure. (END VIDEO CLIP)
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CORNISH: So, good morning, everybody. I'm Audie Cornish.
And we're going to start with this court case, this possible plea deal for Luigi Mangione, so he could -- could plead guilty later this morning to federal criminal charges linked to the killing of the UnitedHealthcare CEO, Brian Thompson.
Now, Mangione faces both federal and state charges. And this latest twist comes just a few weeks before his state trial is set to begin. So, outside the courtroom, expect to see those "Free Luigi" movement, signs and people in full effect.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SAM BEARD, SPOKESPERSON, DECEMBER 4TH LEGAL COMMITTEE: If Luigi thinks that this is best, I think we should support him.
JOE DEROSA, COMEDIAN: Does it take away from the people that we're rah-rahing him for him to now go, oh, I was just crazy. Sorry.
JOE ROGAN, PODCASTER: No, I don't think it does.
DEROSA: Do you know what I mean?
ROGAN: I don't think it does.
DEROSA: No.
ROGAN: Just trying to not go to jail. And a lot of those people think he shouldn't go to jail. The problem that a lot of young people are having right now, and a lot of people that agree with, you know, what Luigi did, and they celebrated it, is because everyone knows that the system is rigged and no one is doing anything to change it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CORNISH: So today in the group chat, we're bringing in Noel King, co- host and editorial director for "The Today Explained" podcast; Elliot Williams, CNN legal analyst and former federal prosecutor; and Mike Warren, politics editor at "The Dispatch".
Thank you, guys, for being here.
I think that cut of the podcast kind of sums up the vibe around this case, where you're expecting condemnation of a murder, but you hear something more nuanced, let's say, and it's not sure what's driving that.
Let's start with the idea of a possible plea. Why is this such a big deal for him to plead guilty between these two cases?
ELLIOT WILLIAMS, CNN LEGAL ANALYST: Only because they're two different jurisdictions. It's the state of New York, the federal and the federal government in New York. Now, the Constitution has a prohibition on what's called double jeopardy. The idea that you can't be tried for the same thing back-to-back in two different courts. I can't try you for murder here today, convict you, and then try you again tomorrow.
Now, New York's double jeopardy laws actually broader than the Constitution. And New York's double jeopardy law, says that one can't even be prosecuted for two events that come from the same transaction of events, right?
CORNISH: Is this what happened to Paul Manafort, who was working with the Trump campaign?
WILLIAMS: No, I'm not. I'm not certain. But it's the same idea, though. So, here, it would be if he's charged with stalking in one state, but homicide in another potentially New York's double jeopardy bar -- law would bar being prosecuted for both. So, the question is if he pleads guilty right now, what does that do to New York state prosecution? And I assure you, the state and federal prosecutors have been on the phone with each other back and forth over these weeks to make sure that every jurisdiction, at least, has their say in how long he goes to jail for and what happens to him.
CORNISH: The other thing that surprised me concerns of jury nullification because of his support. And I want you to take a listen to, I think one of the supporters
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BEARD: Luigi might be the one in shackles. It's in a sense, the for- profit health insurers that are the ones on trial, right? Like one would be hard pressed to find a more universally hated industry in America than that. And I think because of this, the feds know that they're probably not going to be able to find 12 jurors to vote guilty on this thing.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WILLIAMS: Can I? I'm sorry, Audie, can I just --
CORNISH: Yeah, yeah.
WILLIAMS: That is so wrong and so wrong. Whether it's just forget the moral questions embedded in that. The fact is, 97 or 98 percent of federal cases end up pleading out in some way, it is incredibly common to plead out a federal case, because, number one, they take a long time. Number two, they are costly. Number three, whether you're a prosecutor or the defense, you might lose and can actually secure yourself a more positive outcome by pleading guilty.
[06:05:06]
This idea that prosecutors don't think they can win. So therefore they're pleading, that is simply not the case. CORNISH: Well, I want to talk about that because all the armchair
legal experts out on the Internet -- yes, you are going to have a beef. I want to talk about the sort of Rogan clip at the top and also the sentiment of this young man, which is that that says, this guy is a proxy for some other conversation that's being had in the political culture. And this is what the olds don't understand about that.
That's my interpretation. He didn't say that. Do you know what I mean?
MIKE WARREN, POLITICS EDITOR, THE DISPATCH: I think that's a correct interpretation of what they're saying. I guess consider me a part of the olds who don't understand that. Yeah. Thank you. Yeah.
CORNISH: It's the tie. And being for "The Dispatch".
WARREN: I know, I know, there's a lot going against me here.
Look. But, I mean, I think the fact that he that this man, this young man doesn't quite understand how juries and plea deals work is a good indication that maybe this movement doesn't quite understand how all this works. And this idea that --
CORNISH: Let me stop you there. I was reading this article in "The Wall Street Journal". It was about A.I., and it says the A.I. backlash has tech executives fearing for their lives. This feels a little bit more like there's a world of people who think they're in an eat the rich dialogue.
WARREN: Yes.
CORNISH: Not a legal dialogue.
WARREN: Yes. But I -- and I would say that that they are a very small and a very vocal and a very online group of people and are sort of detached from the reality, which is if you look at the actual case itself, the guy was murdered in cold blood.
NOEL KING, CO-HOST & EDITORIAL DIRECTOR, "TODAY, EXPLAINED" PODCAST: So that's the thing. It does just take one Luigi Mangione. I mean, that's the truth. It is a small group of highly online young people yelling about health insurance. And I do understand where they're coming from, but it just takes one kid with a gun.
WARREN: Right.
KING: And unfortunately, that's where we are in American history.
WILLIAMS: I would say two things can be true. Show of hands at this panel, who has had frustrations with their health care and the administration of it. We all have. And that's okay. I guess the jump that the young man there seemed to be making, which is that, like you said, eat the rich. And therefore, this is the necessary outcome to some extent. This is the necessary outcome of what happens when there's income inequality. Those are just incompatible. You're not entitled to kill people simply because you disagree with how their businesses are or whatever else. WARREN: It's just clear to me that those radical reactions to this
don't do the people who -- the people's causes any good. They don't help to say reform the health insurance.
CORNISH: Well, stick around because we're going to be talking about more in this vein when it comes to the political parties, what are young people trying to tell us about the economy they are living in and their frustrations, and how do they express them?
Also coming up this morning, we are going to be talking about a very important story. The poor conditions on the USS Lincoln.
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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I don't expect for aircraft carriers to be the holiday inn or anything like that. We're talking about basic standards of habitability.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CORNISH: And it's reportedly sparking low morale and mental health concerns. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth so far brushing it off.
Plus, Trump's handpicked Kennedy Center board votes to put his name back on the building. You'll never guess how.
And kids used to stay outside until the street lights came on, like Mike Warren. But now, is it a crime to let them play out there alone?
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[16:13:01]
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DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Since 1978, the Kennedy Center honors have been among the most prestigious awards in the performing arts. I wanted one, I was never able to get one -- this year. It's true, actually.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CORNISH: President Trump's name is going back on the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. Now, this is despite a federal judge's order to remove it. Now, the presidents hand-picked board just voted for a second time to close the center for a two-year renovation. And while that's happening, they're adding an inscription below the Kennedy Center sign that reads, quote, "restored and renovated by President Donald J. Trump".
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MAGGIE HABERMAN, CNN POLITICAL ANALYST: I do believe that he thinks that he is a, you know, capital G, great man of history. And that's what he's focused on. And I think he believes that he has suffered greatly -- I mean, he's not even making any pretense otherwise. And that this is some kind of a reparations period for him.
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CORNISH: The group chat is back. I wanted to talk about this because a judge was like, this is a monument. It's a monument with Kennedy's name on it. Therefore, you can't just show up with your own hammer and chisel and like, add some things, right?
I do like this vibe of like, brought to you by Trump, like just anything to get the name off the name there. Yeah.
WARREN: Executive producer.
CORNISH: Executive produced by Trump. His other projects, paving over the Rose Garden, demolishing East Wing for the ballroom, changing the color of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool. I don't think that one was on purpose. I'm sorry. We have that on the list. Arch across from Arlington National Cemetery and a sculptural garden along the Potomac River.
What is he up to with this -- bringing his visage to the capital city?
KING: Okay, so I'm doing math in my head here, he is in office for two years and five months more. Do I have that right?
CORNISH: Okay.
KING: I think this is an end run. I think it is. Let me see how much I can get done in the next two years. In five months to change Washington, D.C. in my image, who knows what will stick. I think a lot about the debate over the Kennedy Center. Its been going on now for one year and seven months. I think we can keep it going throughout the four-year term.
[06:15:04]
But surely the judge is going to weigh in again, right? Won't the judge have feelings about this?
CORNISH: It's just going to be down to the studs. Okay.
WARREN: A judge has to sign off on it.
CORNISH: Yeah, exactly. So here is TikTok. Needless to say, the Internet is rolling its collective eyes. Here's some examples.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: But the trick this time is it's no longer going to be called the Trump and Kennedy Center. It's now going to be called the John F. Kennedy Center for Performing Arts, renovated by the amazing, wonderful Donald Trump. Well, okay, it's not going to say amazing, wonderful, but it's going to say renovated and saved by Donald because they're claiming that the whole thing would have fallen into the ground if Trump hadn't saved it. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We have sailors on the Abraham Lincoln basically
you having food rations, some jumping off overboard, no deodorant, this and that, and everyone seems to worry about placing Mr. Trump's name on the Kennedy Center.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CORNISH: That part.
WARREN: Yeah. I mean, look, it can be a little silly to have these discussions about, oh, this other thing that he's doing in the nation's capital. It's a bit of a vanity project, but I do think it speaks to people's sense that he's focused on the things that he cares about, not necessarily the things that they care about.
And you just look, I mean, the polling is as bad, if not worse than his worst moments in the first term. And I think you can point to all these things that may or may not be in his control. The sort of continued inflation and all these sorts of things. And you just see the other things that he's focused on. I think people see it.
You can hear when you talk to people, talk to candidates who are running for Senate and House out there. They hear it from voters as well.
I just think this is a strategic mistake. If the president cares about keeping Congress. I think he does.
CORNISH: On her book tour, Haberman was also saying that when she was interviewing him, he was singularly preoccupied with his renovation projects, to the detriment of other ideas. Meaning, is there anything else on the horizon to help people with their economic lives? I don't think there is. There is the SAVE Act, but does this White House have any other program at the ready?
WILLIAMS: It's hard to say. You know, just when we talk about the Kennedy Center, though, it cannot be said enough. It's not a theater. It is a memorial to a slain president.
That is how Congress dedicated it. It was opened as a memorial to John F. Kennedy and --
CORNISH: To a slain president.
WILLIAMS: To a slain president. We would not put a -- if a president renovated the Lincoln Memorial, we would not make it the George W. Bush and Abraham Lincoln --
CORNISH: Brought to you by --
WILLLIAMS: Right, no. And I just -- I mean, yes, the president is free to put his stamp on Washington, build a ballroom, whatever else. But when we start talking about tinkering with memorials, there's another level of problematic. And I think people are getting caught up in, well, it's the theater. It's just an opera, whatever else. CORNISH: That's actually what all these things have in common, right?
One by one. Hey, maybe you don't miss the Rose Garden. Maybe you don't care about the reflecting pool. It makes it easy for these stories to slip through because it's considered small bore for us to be talking about it instead of saying, hey, when it comes to the people's property that we the voters, it is our property. This massive bulldozing -- figurative bulldozing of all these different things actually adds up to something, not just the money, which is turning out to be sizable.
WILLIAMS: Yeah.
WARREN: And, you know, and I think you can look at this with his obsession, as Maggie has written in her book about the arch as well, that he wants to install on the other side of the Memorial Bridge. I think these sorts of things are viewed by the American people as this is our, you know, this is all our sort of shared national capital and our shared property.
CORNISH: And kind of we don't do that here.
KING: Yeah.
WARREN: A little bit.
WILLIAMS: Well, the other thing is that we've also taken for granted that the Kennedy Center was in need of repair. Like the president has just repeatedly said it was falling apart. It was run down. Therefore, he had to renovate it.
Well, since he started, that is when the Kennedy Center has suffered the most and that its lost its staff has stopped its programing. It doesn't function anymore, that it was working just fine before. And anyone who actually lives in the community had been there and seen that it was a beautiful place. The, you know, the country came together around it, but merely because the president has told audiences that haven't seen it, this falling apart now, I guess it's falling apart.
CORNISH: We'll see. Well see where it goes.
After the break, we're going to talk about this. The whole thing about older candidates maybe being pushed out this primary season. We're finding out whether young voters are finally changing the status quo in D.C.
And then I want to say good morning to our viewers in Cincinnati, just waking up.
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[06:24:00]
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LUKE BRONIN (D), CONGRESSIONAL CANDIDATE: I respect people who've served in Congress for decades. But at a certain point, it's just time to let some new voices in.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CORNISH: Okay. Candidates inspiring generational change may be resonating with voters this election season. That was the case, at least in Connecticut's primary, where 78-year-old Congressman John Larson was defeated by 47-year-old Luke Bronin. And we saw that across several Democratic primaries, there we're older generation, older voices that we're ousted.
And we want to know whether this going to have some momentum carrying into November. So, we're bringing in Santiago Mayer. He's the executive director of Voters of Tomorrow. They're actually the nation's largest Gen Z-led voter engagement organization. And I hear you're at a summit right now.
SANTIAGO MAYER, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, VOTERS OF TOMORROW: I am. Thank you so much for having me. Yeah. We are in North Carolina. We're hosting a gathering with hundreds of progressive young leaders to talk about how we're mobilizing ahead of the elections in November and making sure that every young person is ready to go vote and make their voices heard.
[06:25:01]
CORNISH: I want to talk to you about the debate within the party, and this is, of course, the third oldest congress in history. We just want to show the viewers so they have a sense of things.
Whether you're looking at, I think, Chuck Grassley, 92, Mitch McConnell, 84, but also Democrats. Dick Durbin, 81, Ed Markey, 80.
When I look in the House of Representatives, though, I see names like Nancy Pelosi and Jim Clyburn. They're two of the most effective lawmakers of their generation, if not more. Is it just about age, or are there certain qualities here that are creating the problem?
MAYER: Yeah, for sure. I always think about this thinking, not about the age of the person, but about the age of their ideas. And I think what we see with someone like Speaker Pelosi, she recognized that it was time for a new generation to come into Congress. And she gracefully passed the baton. And we're so thankful for her bringing in that new generation of leadership.
I think getting new ideas, getting this big progressive policy requires having not just the experience of being empowered, but also a vision for how a new generation can lead. And that's why we are seeing across the country this energy for new leadership and why we're seeing all of these primaries where age has become an issue, because not only do we need young leaders, but we need new ideas.
And I think, for example, you mentioned Massachusetts. That's what we're seeing. And Markey might be an older candidate. His ideas are significantly younger because he has brought young people into his team, into his race. And I think we need more of that across the country. CORNISH: One of the criticisms is that the way your generation is
going about this process is actually destructive to the infrastructure of getting Democratic voters out. Right? And big moments, and that the digital impressions and the world of activism online does not translate to a lasting infrastructure that can be deployed later on, that this is a little bit, you know, exciting.
But if you aren't actually building something long term, it's a problem.
MAYER: Hey, listen, that's what voters says because we're building the infrastructure to make sure that we're winning races, not just this November, but really for decades to come. And we are bringing young people to make sure that they are not only making their voices heard right now, but learning how to use their voice for the future.
We are a youth-led organization. We're trying to develop that next generation of leadership, and we have incredible partners, our folks, that run for something are electing candidates all over the place.
CORNISH: But I think people are talking about the spending. They're talking about the sort of kicking the Democratic Party in the teeth, you know, kind of complaining about the DNC really beating up on the machinery itself as the part of the agenda. And how is that helpful?
MAYER: I mean, listen, I think that we need to make sure that we're holding the establishment accountable. And I think that does not mean holding every single politician accountable because of their age, but that means holding people accountable because of the age of their ideas, like I said. I think when you see someone like Nancy Pelosi, for example, again, she gracefully passed the baton. She understood it was time to move on and to allow a new generation of leadership to come in. And I think that we need more of that. We need our leaders to recognize that it is time for new ideas, for new leadership.
CORNISH: Okay. Santiago Mayer, at your youth voter summit, thank you so much. Appreciate your time. Thank you.
MAYER: Thank you so much for having me.
CORNISH: And straight ahead on CNN THIS MORNING, J.D. Vance has a message for the GOP when it comes to socialism.
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J.D. VANCE, VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Don't blame young people for being sympathetic to socialism. We've got to blame ourselves.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CORNISH: So we're going to talk about whether demonizing the movement is the right approach.
And then Michigan is dropping grades for freshmen. Let's talk about whether or not that's coddling them or helping them. (COMMERCIAL BREAK)
