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Erin Burnett Outfront
Trump Insists He Can Fire Fed Governor As She Fights Back; Illinois Governor On Trump's Threats: "You Can't Do Whatever You Want"; Trump Says Putin Isn't Solely To Blame For Ukraine War; U.S. Open Heightens Security In The Wake Of NYC Mass Shooting. Aired 7-8p ET
Aired August 26, 2025 - 19:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[19:00:24]
ERIN BURNETT, CNN HOST: OUTFRONT next:
Trump intensifies his fight with the Federal Reserve. But tonight, the Fed governor he's trying to fire is fighting back, saying Trump has no right to remove her. Is she right?
Plus, quote, "We're not backing down". The message tonight from one governor vowing to block Trump if he tries to send National Guard troops to his state.
And an OUTFRONT exclusive, police on high alert as some of the biggest sports stars are right now competing here in New York. Tonight, we're going to show you exactly what the city is worried about, what they're doing after last month's deadly mass shooting.
Let's go OUTFRONT.
And good evening. I'm Erin Burnett.
OUTFRONT tonight, Trump escalating his war with the Fed, this time directing his ire at Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook. Cook is someone he claims to have fired during a late-night post on social media.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: She seems to have had an infraction, and she can't have an infraction, especially that infraction, because she's in charge of, if you think about it, mortgages. And we need people that are 100 percent above board, and it doesn't seem like she was.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BURNETT: Interesting that Trump actually used words like "seems" in this case and what he's talking about are accusations, his own accusations that Cook committed mortgage fraud by claiming two residences as her primary residence, getting mortgages for them in a very short period of time. Now, Cook, who voted not to lower interest rates in direct conflict with Trump's desires, has not been charged with any wrongdoing yet, and she is not acting as if she's scared at all. In fact, she is fighting back.
In a statement to CNN, Cook writes, "President Trump purported to fire me for cause when no cause exists under the law and he has no authority to do so. I will not resign. I will continue to carry out my duties to help the American economy, as I have been doing since 2022."
Now, we don't know. Trump hasn't put any evidence out there. And he says that that don't worry, none of this is personal. But yet, he is not waiting or presenting the full set of facts before firing Cook.
And there are two very big reasons to care about this. First of all is just this most basic one the Federal Reserve of the United States is an independent institution at the core of why America's economy is the greatest in the world. And the first thing you see on their website, under the FAQ is, the Federal Reserve, like many other central banks, is an independent government agency, but also one that is ultimately accountable to the public and the Congress, right?
So, they don't even talk about the president. It's not even clear if Trump has the power to fire Cook. Now, according to the law, members of the Fed can only be removed from their jobs for cause or some kind of wrongdoing.
Again, Trump has accused Cook, but no evidence has been put out yet. No formal charges leveled. And Cook says she's not backing down and that she's going to explain this. We're waiting for that, too.
But then the other question comes, which is the why, right? Not just what he's doing and whether he's allowed to do it, but why is he doing it in the first place? Well, as I just mentioned, Cook has voted to keep interest rates where they are, which Trump has made clear he sees as an act of defiance and Cook -- remember how she said since 2022, she's been doing her job, so she hasn't been a Fed governor very long. In fact, these terms are 14 years. She isn't going anywhere for a long time unless Trump can find a way to off her. Her term is not set to expire until 2038.
So, her replacement, if Trump fires her, would be someone that Trump picks and that person, right, who would have his world view on interest rates and the economy and all of those other things that he cares deeply about, things like DEI maybe, would be in place for a long time.
So, the stakes are high, in terms of getting the law right and making sure that politics doesn't drive the outcome. This shouldn't be a case of fire first and ask questions later. If Trump has the goods, he should put them all out there immediately, file a lawsuit against Cook and sure, she shouldn't be a Fed governor if this is all true, but that he doesn't do this kind of looks like he may be hunting for ways to get rid of people who won't do his bidding on interest rates.
At least it raises that boogeyman, because he has made it very clear he is willing to do just that with Fed Chair Jerome Powell.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) TRUMP: I got a bad recommendation when I went with Jerome too late, you know? He's too late. He's truly incompetent. He's a stiff. He's a knucklehead. He's either evil or stupid.
The Fed rate is way too high. This guy is an incompetent guy, and he's also obviously a Trump hater.
He's an average mentally person, low IQ for what he does.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BURNETT: Okay. So just you know, it's clear there, right? Trump wants what he wants from the Fed. He wants rates to do the opposite of what Powell was doing, isn't attacks on Powell were clearly personal.
He's made no secret that he wants Fed Chair Jerome Powell gone. He even zeroed in when he was trying to find cause to fire him on the renovation of the Federal Reserve headquarters as a reason to fire him. And since all of those insults and threats, Powell has indeed shifted, making clear in a seismic statement that a possible interest rate cut is coming in the near future.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JEROME POWELL, FEDERAL RESERVE CHAIRMAN: The baseline outlook and the shifting balance of risks may warrant adjusting our policy stance.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BURNETT: I use the word seismic just to make it clear. In economic speak, that is a seismic shift. That's an interest rate cut coming. And that is what Trump has been calling for. Now, no ones ever going to know if Powell made that decision because he thought it was the right thing to do, or because he's been under pressure. No one's ever going to know. And that is a problem when it comes to the independence of the Federal Reserve.
Jeff Zeleny is OUTFRONT live outside the White House.
And, Jeff, Trump didn't just talk about firing Cook today. He went even further. Right? I mean, he talked about his plans for her replacement, right. This whole issue that he's going to get until 2038 with this replacement, if he succeeds at what he's trying to do. What are you learning?
JEFF ZELENY, CNN CHIEF NATIONAL AFFAIRS CORRESPONDENT: Erin, it was all out pretty much in the open during a three hour and 17 minute cabinet session today, and that was just the public portion where cameras were in the room and the president talked about a variety of other things, but his language was much more careful about Lisa Cook specifically, but not necessarily about his vision for the Federal Reserve. Listen to what he said in the cabinet room.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: We just put a very good man in that in one position, we might switch him to the other. It's a longer term and pick somebody else. But we're very happy with the person we have in there and we'll have a majority very shortly, so that will be great. Once we have a majority and housing is going to swing and it's going to be great.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ZELENY: Once we have a majority. So, the president is looking for a majority of his people, if you will, on the central bank. And he was talking there about Stephen Miran, who's a top economic advisor here. He is already going to be appointed for a seat that has been vacated. But he said maybe well switch them around a little bit because this term, if Lisa Cook ends up leaving, it goes till 2038. That is a long time. These are 14-year terms, as you said.
So, it is clear that the objective of the president is to exert his authority over the Fed, there's no doubt, but also to have a majority.
The question here over the coming weeks, when Congress comes back, what will they say about this? Because the independence of the Central Bank is very critical here, but it may be more complicated to nominate someone because one Republican senator could block all of this.
So, the question here is Lisa Cook is saying she's not going anywhere. Is the president going to try and appoint someone in the end, in the interim here? Theres no question the Supreme Court will ultimately decide all this questions -- Erin.
BURNETT: All right. Jeff Zeleny, thank you very much.
So, I want to go to Ty Cobb, former Trump White House lawyer.
So, Ty, Cook says she is going to challenge this in court. She's not backing down. We haven't yet heard her side of this. Right. What Trump says is that, you know, she checked the box on two different properties over a period of two weeks, claiming both of them as a primary residence. That's mortgage fraud. She oversees mortgages. She shouldn't be in the position.
If it were that simple, obviously, she shouldn't be in the position, but she says she's going to challenge it. She says that she can -- is going to explain this. What do you see happening legally here?
TY COBB, FORMER TRUMP WHITE HOUSE LAWYER: You know, I think that she likely prevails at some point. I think the as you presciently highlighted in your opening, you know, the word "seems" doesn't seem like for cause, which is what that law requires. Trump can't just look at her conduct and be the, you know, jury, judge and executioner. I think that there's more processes required.
And I think cause historically, under the law is associated with some sort of, malfeasance or corruption in association with that job, not necessarily parking tickets or, you know, multiple mortgages.
BURNETT: Okay. Just I just to emphasize, though, as you mentioned, his use of the word seems it stood out to me as well, because Trump is not somebody. I mean, let's just take when he talks about Jerome Powell, he's a stiff, he's a knucklehead, he's evil or stupid, he's low IQ.
Okay. When he has something to say about somebody, he says it. So when he comes out about Lisa Cook, he says, we need people that are 100 percent above board. And it doesn't seem like she was. It's actually unusually, unusually careful of him -- by him.
COBB: I agree with you. I agree with 100 percent. It's very -- it's very clearly caveated.
BURNETT: So, let me play an exchange Trump had with a reporter about the issue today. You know, he was asked about, you know, you know, essentially, where's the goods? Where's the goods, right?
[19:10:00]
So, here's the question.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REPORTER: Is your administration weaponizing government --
TRUMP: No.
REPORTER: -- by digging into the mortgage records of officials you don't like?
TRUMP: No, they're public.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BURENTT: Now, Ty, some parts of mortgages are public, how much you pay, a lot of it is public. You know, whether click primary residence may not be in this case. I haven't seen that. But, you know, the reporter mentioning people you don't like.
This is not the first time that there's been specific details alleged by this administration on mortgages against people who they happen to not like. So you've got -- you've got Cook, Letitia James, Adam Schiff. also, they have made allegations specifically on mortgage fraud.
What do you think of that? I mean, what -- why do you think that is? Where is it coming from, this specificity on mortgages?
COBB: So, I think based on my time as prosecutor, the way you would analyze this is, you know, what is the pattern? The pattern is, A, it's anybody he doesn't like anybody who's defied him.
And the mortgage vehicle is, you know, it's a little amateurish, I think, but it's sort of what's your initial -- what's your private investigator might suggest if you really wanted to dig into somebody. So -- and it's not hard to get underneath some of those documents you know, for a -- particularly for an experienced investigator. So, it's -- I think it's readily accessible. It's there. And I'm sure that they've pored over almost everybody, with whom they have a gripe. BURNETT: Right. And so, they've come out with these. I mean, that's
why I wanted to point out, Adam Schiff, Letitia James, Lisa Cook, what do they all have in common when it comes to Trump that he's made mortgage fraud allegations? I mean, his firing of Cook, Ty, comes also after the raid on John Bolton's house and office, right, who formerly worked as Trump adviser and now obviously is a quite loud critic.
And then Trump threatened to investigate -- to reopen the investigation into Chris Christie over a 13-year-old political scandal, right, that's been investigated. Case closed. And he did that. He talked about that right after Christie went on ABC with George Stephanopoulos and criticized Trump. So, it -- is this basically just all connected and all about going after rivals?
COBB: I think this is all about his narcissism and how fundamental it guides everything he does. Any person who defies him is viewed not as a, you know, intellectual adversary, but as a as a vicious opponent. Anything that he can do to wreak vengeance, you know, obviously makes him very happy, just like expanding his power makes him very happy.
I think this is -- I think this is something that Americans need to look at seriously. Because this cannot be, you know, what people in the country voted for in terms of honor or virtue and the rule of law.
BURNETT: And, Ty, just before you go, I mean, this has got to be something you think about yourself. You worked with him, you criticize him when you see fit, and you do so graciously and with fact.
But this has got to be something you think about and anybody thinks about now when they come out, isn't it?
COBB: I guess so. I mean, I was a federal prosecutor for a long time. I've seen some sort of, you know, real potential for retribution. I'm not -- I'm not, you know, anxious about it. On the other hand, it is disarming and a little stunning that you actually have to stop and think about it. You know, it's -- and I think that there are many people who for good reasons, have decided not to stick their neck out, but I wish -- you know, I wish that more of them would.
BURNETT: All right. Well, Ty, we appreciate that you do. And that you always speak -- say how you see it, and I appreciate you. Thank you very much.
COBB: Thank you. Erin. Nice to be with you.
BURNETT: All right. You, too.
And now, Jim Bianco, longtime Fed watcher, president of Bianco Research Investment Analysis Firm.
So, Jim, Cook says she's going to continue to carry out her duties. So just as all of this goes on, right. And you're talking about the Fed, which is, you know, the most important independent economic institution in the world, right? And it's -- got a job. Job is interest rates, interest rate decision comes again in September. Can she continue to carry out her duties as all this is going on, or
is that now all in question because of this entire, you know, blood in the water?
JIM BIANCO, ECONOMIC ANALYST, BIANCO RESEARCH PRESIDENT: It's definitely in question. And the Federal Reserve came out this afternoon and said that they will abide by the law. If the law says that, you know, there's an injunction and that she can continue, she will continue. If the law says that President Trump has the right to fire her for cause, then she's done, and it's going to be just whatever the courts say at this point. It seems the Fed will do what they tell them.
BURNETT: What about this concerns you the most, Jim?
[19:15:00]
BIANCO: You know, the independence of the Fed, you saw today with the stock market going to an all-time high, bond yields were pretty quiet. It was kind of what you would have expected the week before Labor Day.
The markets aren't bothered by this now. And they probably won't be bothered by this over the next couple of months. The Fed, as you pointed out earlier, is leaning towards cutting interest rates, which is what Trump wants at the September meeting. Before all of this, whether or not Lisa Cook votes is not going to change that.
But as you get into next year and as you get into the, you know further on is the Fed's independence going to come at risk? And that is something that the markets have always given the Fed a lot of leeway, that you are an independent organization. They've had issues over there over many years, and the markets have always said they're independent. I'm not worried about them.
They're saying that today. But as we keep doing this, you know, all these unforced errors, you know, use the U.S. Open term pile up, you run the risk that that can change. And that is what the real risk, I think is probably not for at least the next several months.
BURNETT: I sort of like a slow like a lobster going into boiling water. We'll see what the outcome is.
Jim, thank you so much. I appreciate seeing you.
BIANCO: Sure.
BURNETT: And next, Trump claims he doesn't want to be a dictator. Yet, of course, even in the case of what we were just talking about, he is pushing the limits of power to new extremes.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: So, the line is that I'm a dictator, but I stop crime.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BURNETT: Plus, the three-hour love fest and that is exactly what it was. Trump's cabinet took sycophancy to a whole new level.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEAN DUFFY, TRANSPORTATION SECRETARY: It's pretty great to celebrate Labor Day with the builder who loves labor.
BROOKE ROLLINS, SECRETARY OF AGRICULTURE: Thank you for saving college football.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BURNETT: And less than 24 hours after threatening Putin, Trump once again taking Putin's side in his war in Ukraine.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[19:21:27]
BURNETT: Breaking news, Pritzker fighting back. The Democratic governor of Illinois telling President Trump, quote, no, Donald, you can't do whatever you want. Pritzker responding to the comments today by Trump, where Trump ramped up threats to send the National Guard to Chicago, saying that he can do whatever he wants as president.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: I would have much more respect for Pritzker if he'd call me up and say, I have a problem. Can you help me fix it? I would be so happy to do it. I don't love -- not that I don't have the right to do anything I want to do. I'm the president of the United States. If I think our country is in danger and it is in danger in these cities, I can do it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BURNETT: OUTFRONT now, the mayor of the first city Trump deployed the National Guard to this year, we were on the ground there, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass.
Mayor, I appreciate your time. I know you've spoken to the mayor of Chicago.
So, when Trump says I have the right to do anything I want to do, I am the president of the United States. Is the National Guard about to go to Chicago? Is there anything Chicago can do about it?
MAYOR KAREN BASS (D), LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Well, let me just tell you that that's very frightening for the head of our country to say. I mean, everybody in the United States is supposed to follow the rule of law, regardless of who you are. So, saying he could do whatever he wants to do.
You know, in Los Angeles, we were able to secure a temporary restraining order. So, the National Guard or ICE or Customs and Border Patrol are not supposed to be roaming our streets, snatching Latinos or chasing Latinos around the city, but they're continuing to do this, so it will see whether or not he sends the troops to Chicago.
I know in speaking to Mayor Johnson, they feel they have that situation. They're under control. They have not asked for help. I think the way the president could be far more helpful is continuing to provide the grant funding so that our communities can address violence prevention and stop crime from happening in the first place.
BURNETT: I know much of that funding obviously cut off as part of DOGE and other government cuts. I mean, mayor, one of Chicago's former police superintendents today. You know, you talk about how the president could be helpful. And, you know, he said, oh, I'd be thrilled to help Governor Pritzker if he would just call.
So, this former police superintendent of Chicago said, okay, he has serious reservations about the National Guard being sent to Chicago. He's not saying this is a great idea. He's worried about it. But he does believe there's a way for police in the guard to work together, given the situation. Here's how he put it.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GARRY MCCARTHY, FORMER CHICAGO POLICE SUPERINTENDENT: I would not look a gift horse in the mouth if I were the superintendent today. I would find a way to reach out and say, okay, fine, I'll take resources, but let's work out what you're going to do versus what we're going to do, and let's do it together. I think the deployment of National Guard in a city like Chicago could help with the smash and grabs on Michigan avenue and places like that.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BURNETT: Mayor Bass, could he be right?
BASS: Well, you know, I don't -- certainly don't know what his circumstances are, but it is my understanding that the National Guard has absolutely no training in those types of activities in terms of crime control, crime suppression, crowd control. That's not what they're trained to do. So I don't understand how they could be of help to him. But then, I don't know his city.
BURNETT: Right. Well, and of course, he, as you point out, the National Guard also. Well, I suppose if they work together. But in L.A., it was very clear, right? They couldn't leave the federal building, right? They were literally hugging the side of it that -- because of the restrictions on what they were even able to do.
Mayor, I'm sure you were aware. Or maybe you're not, because you've got a lot to do in your daily work. There was a three-hour cabinet meeting, and during the cabinet meeting today, the president brought you up several times. He personally attacked you.
He criticized actually you and the governor of California, Gavin Newsom. I'll just play one of the clips because I'm sure, like I said, you have other things to do during the day. You may not have heard them all. Here's one of them.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: I think they're incompetent, okay, to be honest with you. I think they just don't know how to go about it. It is so badly run by Newscum and by Mayor Bass. Mayor Bass, she was in Africa during the fire. She knew the fire was starting to rage and she decided to take a trip to Africa.
These people are just -- they're just bad, you know, you talk about make America great again. They could never make America great again.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BURNETT: So, what's your response to that?
BASS: Well, other than that, it's nonsense. I mean, we know that the president is not kind when it comes to the truth. So, nothing he said is actually accurate. I didn't know he had referenced me in the cabinet meeting. I know that he has an ongoing feud with the governor.
But, you know, again, he calls everyone incompetent. He's called all of the mayors from the cities that he's targeted as incompetent. So, it does leave you wondering how he makes those judgments. But clearly, they're not based in facts.
BURNETT: So, he also today brought up and, you know, we began this conversation, right, mayor, with the comment where he said, I have the right to do anything I want to do. I'm president of the United States.
And more than once today in that same cabinet meeting, mayor, he brought up criticisms that his actions are those of a dictator. He actually brought it up. Here he is.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: So, the line is that I'm a dictator. But I stop crime. So, a lot of people say, you know, if that's the case, I'd rather have a dictator, but I'm not a dictator. I just know how to stop crime. Most people say if you call him a dictator, if he stops crime, he can be -- he can be whatever he wants. I'm not a dictator, by the way, but he can be whatever he wants.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BURNETT: The crime, obviously, he's talking about, you know, the National Guard in the streets of Los Angeles, Chicago, Washington, D.C. what do you make of him bringing up the word dictator on his own? And by the way, I just played one of them, Mayor Bass. He did it more than once.
BASS: You know, one of the things that I'm concerned about, this deployment of troops around the country, is that it's almost like he's trying to get the American public to kind of accept this, for it to be normalized and then to talk so lightly about a dictator. Maybe he wants the U.S. public to see a dictator who uses the military inappropriately. And I would argue, unconstitutionally and illegally as a norm. One thing we do know is that he has changed cultural norms in terms of
the truth. So, a president can say anything at all, can lie multiple times in the same five-minute conversation. And we have accepted that to a certain extent. Maybe he now wants to -- us to accept the military in our streets and that entertain the idea that maybe a dictator is not such a bad idea. He did say he wants to cancel mail-in voting.
And, you know, there's a lot of concern around the country as to what is going to happen in the midterm elections. It's critically important that we not normalize his behavior on any level using the word dictatorship lightly. And the inappropriate, unconstitutional, illegal use of the armed forces.
BURNETT: Mayor Bass, I appreciate your time and thank you so much.
BASS: Thank you.
BURNETT: And next, what is behind Trump's 180? A topic actually that mattered during the election. He used to slam. He slammed Taylor Swift's looks, now suddenly has a change of heart after her engagement.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: I think that she's a terrific person, so I wish them a lot of luck.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BURNETT: Plus, an OUTFRONT exclusive tonight, we're going to take you inside the search for the possible lone wolf who could be planning to target New York's biggest sporting event. It's now underway.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[19:33:48]
BURNETT: OK, tonight, it was three hours and 17 minutes. That was how long Trump hosted his cabinet in front of the cameras today. It's a long time. In fact, is the longest. It's at the record for the longest presidential cabinet meeting that he has ever had. And Trump spent much of that time basking in praise from his deputies.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
J.D. VANCE, VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: It's an honor to do this job under the president's leadership.
STEVE WITKOFF, U.S. SPECIAL ENVOY: You are the single finest candidate since the Nobel Peace -- this Nobel award was ever talked about.
PETE HEGSETH, DEFENSE SECRETARY: Thank you for your leadership, for your boldness, for your clarity, for common sense.
TULSI GABBARD, DNI: This is just such a great opportunity, really, to recognize your leadership.
DUFFY: It's pretty great to celebrate Labor Day with the builder who loves labor.
SCOTT BESSENT, TREASURY SECRETARY: You have saved this country by making it the best place in the world to do business again.
LORI CHAVEZ-DEREMER, LABOR SECRETARY: You are really the transformational president of the American worker, along with the American flag and President Roosevelt.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BURNETT: Apparently even saved college football.
OUTFRONT now, David Axelrod, former senior adviser to President Obama, and Gretchen Carlson, co-founder of Lift Our Voices.
David, you've had a lot of experience with cabinet meetings. What do you make of three hours and 17 minutes in front of the cameras? And, I mean, every time there's one of these, we're able to put that butted bite together.
[19:35:05]
But they top themselves every time there's one of these, right? This is new heights of sycophancy.
DAVID AXELROD, CNN CHIEF POLITICAL ANALYST: I think they must spend the interim between cabinet meetings thinking about how they could become even more obsequious as they compete with each other for the president's favor. Look, this wasn't a cabinet meeting. This was a reality show called who can kiss the boss's butt? I mean, and they just go around the room competing.
No -- no -- no cab -- no one who's ever served any president would describe what we saw today as a cabinet meeting. It was a -- it was a, you know, casting call for the most obsequious member of the cabinet. And, you know, normally, if you have a cabinet meeting, you have the press in there for a brief photo spray, maybe some questions are shouted and then they're quickly ushered out. And then real business happens.
Members of the cabinet share reports on things that are going on in their agencies that they think the president and the rest of the cabinet should know. I mean, that is normal. This is nuts.
BURNETT: I mean, Gretchen, here's the thing. Three hours and 17 minutes was so long that Fox News dumped out.
GRETCHEN CARLSON, JOURNALIST: Oh, wow. The best headline --
BURNETT: They did not take it all in full.
CARLSON: You know, the best headline I saw, though, was it was longer than "The Godfather". That one just got me. Because, you know, I guess it was.
But the idea that Fox dropped out, I think is very, very interesting because it was also Fox yesterday or today that pointed out that meeting between Governor Wes Moore and Trump, where Trump said that the governor had said to him, you are my favorite president ever. Well, who was the entity that actually showed that meeting? Fox News to show that Trump was not telling the truth?
Now you have them dumping out of this meeting today. Now, remember, Trump is suing Rupert Murdoch, and "The Wall Street Journal" has not been favorable to Trump so far in the second term. And what I have been saying for quite some time is the biggest shoe that would be dropping is whether or not Fox News would start to not be so pro- Trump. Let's see.
BURNETT: I mean, it's fascinating and it is -- it is amazing, right? Because he came out and said about Wes Moore, right, that Wes Moore said, I'm the best president ever.
CARLSON: He said it again today.
BURNETT: And Wes is like -- I did not. That is a lie. And then Fox News was the one who proved it was a lie. They had the tapes.
I mean, it is pretty amazing. I mean, so David let me play how Trump summed up the cabinet meeting. Okay. Again, because as you point out, usually the press comes in for just a few minutes and they're ushered out quickly. Real business occurs.
Obviously, that didn't happen. It was three hours and 17 minutes on camera. Here's how Trump described it.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: I think now we've done enough. These people are very busy. I want to just thank -- this is the greatest. This has never been done before. First of all, a cabinet meeting was sacred.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BURNETT: I guess now it's not sacred. I would say it was sacred. This has never been done before. I don't want to say that was a point of self-awareness.
AXELROD: Sacred to the profane there, but. Yeah.
BURNETT: So, what should a cabinet meeting normally be? I mean, you know, if this is what it isn't, what should it be?
AXELROD: Well, that's what I said before. I mean, it should be a place where the president actually hears from cabinet members, and other cabinet members get to hear things that are essential to their agencies. And the president gets to ask questions. I mean, it is, you know, there's a lot of preparation, usually for cabinet meetings.
This -- this in some ways, this feels like a therapy session for the president, you know, to boost his considerable, voracious appetite for praise and, you know, accolades and -- but in no way was this a cabinet meeting. I mean, it was the opposite of say -- a lot -- that is a sacred room to people who've worked there, because so much history has been made there. But like so much of the White House has been defiled.
BURNETT: I mean, Gretchen, do you think that they have any idea how ridiculous they sound? Even if they think he's great. I'm sure they do think he's great. Many of them, they believe that. But there's no way that they that a normal person would believe that having to say things like that is normal.
CARLSON: Well, look, we're at the point now where I think this is a microcosm of the macrocosm, right? This is the cabinet doing what Trump requires for anyone in his orbit. Right. To stay in good favor with him. The macrocosm is all the members of Congress on the Republican side who also are doing the same thing.
BURNETT: Yeah.
CARLSON: Right? Apparently, talking behind closed doors that they don't necessarily feel that fawning about him all the time. But this is what we're seeing now. And to David's point earlier, I think that they probably are spending a lot of time coming up with what they're going to say to make him feel good before they actually give their report.
BURNETT: And as you point out, the way they spend their time, you know, Trump had picked on Taylor Swift, David, before we go before that she was no longer hot, he said.
[19:40:05]
And whether he meant that physically or metaphorically about her music, he was unclear. But he said he was -- he was done with her, didn't like her, and that was because she endorsed Kamala Harris, right? The infamous cat lady comment. But today, he came out totally different tone after she got engaged. Here's what he said.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: I think he's a great player. I think he's a great guy, and I think that she's a terrific person. So I wish them a lot of luck.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BURNETT: You know, and again, David, he had said she was no longer hot. And after she endorsed Harris, he said she'll pay a price for it in the marketplace. So, what, is he now since the winds have changed?
AXELROD: I think, by the way, he said something he continued this in May. He had something to say that that that was when he said she, you know, after, you know, I said I hated her. She became less hot.
But look, I think this underscores what I said before, the tremendous therapeutic value of spending an hour having people around you tell you that you're the greatest thing since who knows what. You know, I think he's just -- he was imbued with a great spirit after everybody got a turn to praise him. And so, he had -- he committed a moment of grace.
CARLSON: Yeah. But, David, David, this so much like Trump.
ALEXLROD: It shouldn't be unusual.
CARLSON: It's so much like Trump, though, because one day he's saying that we should have a free press, and the next day he's saying that the FCC should take away the licenses for ABC and CBS, right? And so tomorrow, he won't like Taylor Swift again.
AXELROD: You know, for him, a free press is a press that's free to watch, three hours of this kind of spectacle and report it to people. So, you know, he's unique.
BURNETT: Maybe he'll take -- want to take away the Fox broadcast license because they didn't broadcast at all.
All right. Thank you both very much. I appreciate it.
And next, Trump now suggesting that it is Zelenskyy who may not want peace as much as Putin wants peace. Well, an investigative journalist who's on Putin's wanted list is next.
And this OUTFRONT exclusive tonight, from drones to an expansive surveillance system. We're going to take you inside the massive operation to keep the U.S. open safe after threats.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We have to be perfect 100 percent of the time. They can be lucky once.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[19:47:02]
BURNETT: Tonight, blaming Ukraine. President Trump tonight seeming to criticize Ukraine for defending itself after Russia launched a war on Ukrainian territory.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: I'm sure that Ukraine thought they were going to win is going to be, you know, we're going to win. You're going to beat somebody that's 15 times your size, but you don't go into a war that's 15 times your size.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BURNETT: That's sort of amazing. They didn't go into a war. The war came to them. What were they supposed to do? Is they saying, just let Russia have the country?
Trump then also suggested that Putin is more interested in peace than Volodymyr Zelenskyy at times.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: I think that in many ways he's there. Sometimes he'll be there and Zelenskyy won't be there. Zelenskyy is not exactly innocent either.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BURNETT: OUTFRONT now, Christo Grozev, investigative journalist who's been placed on Russia's wanted list for his incredible work, including on the poisoning of Alexei Navalny, the opposition leader who has now died in Russian penal colony.
So, Christo, when Trump comes out and says, you don't go into a war that's 15 times your size, when, of course, the war came into to Ukraine and Putin attacked with the intent of taking the country over.
When Trump says that today, how do you think Putin hears those words?
CHRISTO GROZEV, INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALIST: Well, first of all, let's ignore for a moment the morality of the statement, because you're essentially taking the side of the enemy and not of the ally in this particular negotiation. This, of course, has already become the headline of at least one state run newspaper for tomorrow. Trump said that Zelenskyy is less interested in peace than Putin. So again, ignoring the propaganda value that this is being gifted to Putin.
As of today, there's also a very important prejudice that this such a statement gives to the future negotiations. If we ever come to actual negotiations between Russia and Ukraine, because the starting point there for the Russian side will be well as acknowledged by the United States, we have made concessions. We're willing to make concessions. Not true in fact.
And the other side is not willing to make concessions because they're not interested in peace. They're interested in prolonging the war. So essentially, this is opposite world, and it prejudices the negotiations in terms of how Putin perceives this. I think it's important to know that Putin, from the beginning of the engagement, the flirtation with President Trump, has played a game of hot and cold.
There's no other way to explain this. I mean, there the smiles and hugs with Ambassador Witkoff and followed by almost on the same day by attacks on Kyiv and on hospitals in Ukraine. That hot and cold is not unintentional. It's something that the Russian intelligence services have advised. President Putin would work by creating cognitive dissonance, by creating a sort of uncertainty on the other side, what's happening.
And this is exactly how this is being reported today to Putin. Our strategy has worked. Our strategy of hot and cold results in President Trump being hot one day and cold the other, towards Ukraine, towards its allies.
[19:50:02]
BURNETT: Right. Well, and of course, that that's true but I think it's fascinating what you actually started off with there, Christo, when you said that Trump saying Zelenskyy doesn't want peace is actually already on the front page of the one state run newspapers in Moscow tomorrow. We'll see where else it surfaces. But that -- but that alone, I think such a crucial detail that you just shared.
So, Trump was also asked about the Russian foreign ministers claim. Lavrov's claim that Putin will never sign a peace deal with Ukraine because he doesn't view Zelenskyy as a legitimate leader. Right. So they've been saying that basically, well, were not going to sit down with him because he's not legitimate. So therefore sorry. No, no, no meeting, no deal. Here's how Trump responded to the question.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: Doesn't matter what they say. Everybody's posturing. It's all bullshit, okay?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BURNETT: On the one hand, okay, sure. Everybody's posturing, on the other, Christo, here we are. Trump said he'd solve the war on day one. Then there weren't sanctions, and there was this, this unprecedented historic summit. And still now, nothing has happened. So, is everybody posturing at this point?
GROZEV: Well, again, in this particular case, I have to totally agree with what Lavrov said, in his, full speech, there was not the one that was played on television. He's actually speaking from the heart in this particular case, there's almost no scenario in which President Putin will agree to sit down in a negotiation with President Zelenskyy as equals.
This is contrary to everything that President Putin has been telling his own domestic audience since the start of the war. Zelenskyy is a puppet of the West. Zelenskyy is an illegitimate president. There haven't been elections in Ukraine since the war started, which obviously is banned by the Ukrainian constitution. But, that's the talking point.
And therefore, there's only one scenario in which I can see Putin agreeing to sit down with Zelenskyy. It's only -- it's only -- if there's a pre-agreed complete surrender by the -- by Ukraine, which can be only enforced essentially by total lack of support by the United States in the negotiations or by Zelenskyy being pressured into accepting a defeat. Only that situation, President Putin can agree to be seen as the scolding, big brother who's essentially in an edifying way, telling the illegitimate Zelenskyy, you brought this upon yourself.
There's no situation in which you can sit down and negotiate. And that is why we're not seeing any progress. Thats why we're not going to see progress, because the promise of such a negotiation made by President Trump is totally unrealistic.
BURNETT: All right. Christo, thank you so much. I always appreciate your time. Thank you.
And next, we have that OUTFRONT exclusive. We're going to take you inside the massive police operation to keep the U.S. open safe.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[19:56:48]
BURNETT: Tonight, tens of thousands of tennis fans gathering in New York City to see the sports' biggest stars competing in the U.S. Open. And the NYPD, though, is on high alert. Right now, security at its highest nearly a month after the city's deadliest mass shooting in 25 years.
Jason Carroll is OUTFRONT with this exclusive report.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JASON CARROLL, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The U.S. Open already seeing a record number of visitors. Organizers are expecting more than 1 million spectators, and while scores of fans are focused on the action on the courts, Rebecca Weiner, the NYPD's top official for intelligence and counterterrorism and one of her deputy chiefs, James Kehoe, are keeping a watchful eye everywhere else.
REBECCA WEINER, NYPD DEPUTY COMMISSIONER FOR INTELLIGENCE & COUNTERTERRORISM: This is something that we train for, that we do year over year and involve a tremendous number of resources.
JAMES KEHOE, NYPD DEPUTY CHIEF OF COUNTERTERRORISM: You're always looking for that possible lone wolf.
CARROLL: While a security plan has been in place for months, this year, more resources added following the mass shooting on Park Avenue in Midtown Manhattan last month. The culprit, a lone gunman who killed four people.
The shooting, it really sort of reawakened New Yorkers to just how easy it could be for a lone wolf to come in and do so much damage.
KEHOE: Yeah, well, you know, we have to be perfect 100 percent of the time. They -- they can be lucky once.
WEINER: As you're approaching the venue, you are encountering multiple levels and layers of security. You see our heavy weapons teams, our bomb squad, our canines, the checks of vehicles, magnetometers.
No matter what singular event has happened, somewhere, there are plenty of others that give us lessons each year for how we want to increase and improve our security footprint.
CARROLL: That footprint altered following the tragic incident on New Year's Day in New Orleans, where a man in a pickup truck drove into a crowd, killing 14 people and hurting dozens.
WEINER: I've seen a lot of vehicle ramming incidents around the world. In Europe, unfortunate reminder of what happened in New Orleans on New Year's Day. A good reminder for us to reinforce perimeters around special events with cement blocks, with blocker trucks, with sand trucks. So, we're always tweaking based on what we're seeing.
KEHOE: I think the attendance, so yesterday's attendance was about 35,000 to 40,000.
CARROLL: Security officials say there are no new specific threats to the U.S. Open and point out working in tandem with federal officials such as the FBI, is key to efforts in securing an area larger than Central Park.
Some policymakers have been raised some concerns about FBI resources being diverted to ICE or in other areas. Do you have any concerns about that?
WEINER: No. We are firmly embedded with FBI and other partners all day, every day. We say, don't be nervous. Come out. Come enjoy. Our job is to do the protection so people can do the enjoyment.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
CARROLL: So as visitors head out to out there to the stadium, there are a lot of things that they should know. First and foremost, you are going to see this -- this higher presence of security officials there on the ground. But there are a list of noes -- no backpacks, no large bags, no suitcases. Yes, some people do bring suitcases out there because it's so close to the airport. You bring your suitcase.
BURNETT: Right, yeah.
CARROLL: You go to a match or whatever things. So, none of that as well. But the U.S. Open does have a full list of the dos and don'ts on their website. You should take a look if you're going to be going out there.
BURNETT: All right. Jason, thank you very much.
And thanks so much to all of you.
Anderson starts now.
