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Erin Burnett Outfront
House Oversight Expecting More Epstein Docs As White House Calls It A "Hoax"; JPMorgan CEO On Revised Jobs Data: "Economy Is Weakening"; Trump Tries To Distance Himself From Netanyahu After Qatar Attack; Russia Launches New Attack Hours After Air Strike Killed 24. Aired 7-8p ET
Aired September 09, 2025 - 19:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[19:00:23]
ERIN BURNETT, CNN HOST: OUTFRONT next:
The breaking news, more Epstein documents as Trump calls the crude birthday letter to Epstein with his signature a, quote, dead issue. Tonight, an Epstein survivor who voted for Trump responds.
Plus, more breaking news. The CEO of Americas biggest bank says the economy is weakening, and a new report shows U.S. jobs growth much weaker than thought. Einstein and Ives OUTFRONT on Trump's economy.
And Maryland Governor Wes Moore, like you've never heard him before, with a warning tonight for President Trump.
Let's go OUTFRONT.
And good evening. I'm Erin Burnett.
OUTFRONT tonight, breaking news, more Epstein documents about to be released. The Epstein estate right now as I speak, preparing to hand over more information to the House Oversight Committee. And I'm going to speak with the top Democrat on that committee in just a moment about what they're expecting and when.
It comes as the White House press secretary is still calling all of this a hoax.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KAROLINE LEAVITT, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: And why are the Democrats all of a sudden caring about this? It's because they are desperately trying to concoct a hoax to smear the president of the United States.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BURNETT: Epstein's crimes, as we say, every time this story happens, is and were not a hoax. They were disgusting and warrant full investigation. And anyone who knew about them was aware of them or participated in them should be held to account. But don't take our word for it. Listen to the victims.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MARINA LACERDA, JEFFREY EPSTEIN SURVIVOR: We are tired of looking at the news and seeing Jeffrey Epstein's name and saying that this is a hoax. We are tired of it.
HALEY ROBSON, JEFFREY EPSTEIN SURVIVOR: Mr. President, Donald J. Trump. I am a registered Republican. Not that that matters, because this is not political. However, I cordially invite you to the Capitol to meet me in person so you can understand this is not a hoax. We are real human beings. This is real trauma.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BURNETT: Haley Robson, you just heard right there, will be my guest. She is coming up in just a few moments. The White House did not stop there in trying to make this a mere political fight, and trying to make this about Democrats versus Republicans.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LEAVITT: They could have cared about those victims four years ago when Joe Biden was in office. They could have pushed for transparency then.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BURNETT: Now that is true. But somebody was pushing then for transparency, right? Somebody who is not pushing for it now, somebody who is blocking it now. And that somebody is Republicans, specifically Republicans who are very close to Trump.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP, JR., SON OF PRESIDENT TRUMP: How is it that my father could be convicted of 34 crimes, but no one on Epstein's list has even been brought to light?
J.D. VANCE, VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Seriously, we need to release the Epstein list. That is an important thing.
KASH PATEL, FBI DIRECTOR: Put on your big boy pants and let us know who the pedophiles are.
DAN BONGINO, FBI DEPUTY DIRECTOR: What the hell are they hiding with Jeffrey Epstein?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BURNETT: Those voices now, so many of them, so quiet, are suddenly on the other side of this. Still tonight, no one has been brought to light as Don Jr. rightly demanded.
So why is the White House now trying to block that same transparency that Trump's closest allies once fought so hard for? Well, is it perhaps because it now hits too close to home?
I mean, sure, there's Trump's signature on the letter and Jeffrey Epstein's book, tip of the iceberg. Perhaps Trump's name on an oversize check featured in a photo showing Epstein joking about selling Trump a, quote, fully depreciated woman.
Now, the White House says neither of those signatures are Trump's. And of course, Trump hasn't been accused of wrongdoing in relation to Epstein's crimes. But despite years of calls for transparency from Trump's allies and an ongoing lack of transparency from the White House, Republicans are changing their tune. No longer calling for that same transparency and instead jumping on board with the easy bandwagon of, quote/unquote, Democratic hoax.
But not all Republicans and one Republican who has stood up for what is right here has his theory as to what's going on.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REP. THOMAS MASSIE (R-KY): I don't think my colleagues are happy about covering up for pedophiles, but that's what's happening. And it's so sick and twisted. The reason they're doing it is because they're terrified of President Trump's political machine.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BURNETT: Okay, he said it. And that is the reality. And it is clear that Trump wants to move on, right? Today, when he was asked about the signature and the birthday book, he responded, quote, "I don't comment on something that's a dead issue. It's a dead issue."
I think he thinks that if he says that enough times, it will suddenly become true.
[19:05:01]
But why is it suddenly dead when we don't have any of the information that Trump's allies were calling for? Who were the people who were partaking in Epstein's actions? Who were the men who were also engaging in pedophilia? Who are they, as Trump's own FBI deputy director said just two years ago?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BONGINO: Why do they want to make this Jeffrey Epstein story go away so bad?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BURNETT: Why? I mean, literally why it shouldn't be hard to just say, put it all out there. It doesn't add up.
And Manu Raju is OUTFRONT on Capitol Hill tonight.
Manu, we heard what Massie had to say and he is doing it at the threat of political annihilation, right? But he is doing it because he has said and he has made clear it is a moral issue of moral clarity, of right and wrong. But most Republicans on the Hill are not doing what he is doing. How are they explaining that?
MANU RAJU, CNN CHIEF CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yeah, they -- look, they're content with the investigation that is still going on in the House Oversight Committee that did produce the document dump from the Epstein estate just yesterday, did get some documents also from the Justice Department, though a lot of those documents were already public. And when it comes to the revelations that we learned last night, that is part of this document dumping was that birthday letter from 2003 that had Donald Trump's name on it, that Donald Trump is now denying, and the White House contends was made up and is a fake document of sorts.
Most of those Republicans are shrugging it off. They simply are taking Trump at his word. And they indicated to me they don't plan to investigate that any further.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REP. JAMES COMER (RKY): I'm pretty sure the document was 22 years ago, 22 years ago was, I believe, when that was allegedly sent. So, I don't think the oversight committee is going to invest in looking up something 22 years ago. We're going to look --
RAJU: So you're just going to take the president at his word that he --
COMER: Well, what is it? What does it have to do with -- with anything? I mean, at the end of the day, again, this investigation is about providing justice for the victims.
RAJU: Why are you just taking the president at his word that he didn't write this letter?
REP. JIM JORDAN (R-OH): I believe the president.
REPORTER: Do you think the Trump birthday note to Epstein is real?
REP. MIKE JOHNSON (R-LA), SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE: I don't. They say it's not.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
RAJU: But ultimately, Thomas Massie may get what he wants, which is a vote on his bill to compel the release of all documents -- Epstein documents, because we expect there to be two additional votes, Democratic signatures, to force this vote on the floor of the House, which is what he needs. A majority of House members to sign on.
Those two additional members are expected to win special elections to fill seats that have been vacated by Democrats by the end of the month, potentially, we could see this on the floor of the House. But still, Erin, that would have to pass the Senate and also get signed into law by Donald Trump to carry the force of law. BURNETT: Right, right. And of course, we know where that would go. But
obviously, a significant victory for Congressman Massie and Congressman Khanna, who if they can get those House signatures, that is something if not pyrrhic.
All right. Thank you very much, Manu.
And I want to go now to the top Democrat on the House Oversight Committee, Congressman Robert Garcia.
You know, you've been working with Chairman Comer, and there have been times you and I have talked about that partnership, and you've said you've trusted him on subpoenas, and you guys have worked together. I want to get to that in a moment. I want to just find out now, we're 24 hours after all these documents that you got. I know you're going to get more, but in the big dump that you had overnight, have you learned anything more, Congressman, that answers who was involved with Epstein?
REP. ROBERT GARCIA (D-CA): Well, I think the single most important thing in finding is that its clear that Donald Trump's assertion that somehow this birthday note was a mystery or some sort of fabrication or lie that's been proven to be untrue. I mean, the president essentially has been lying to the American public about the existence of this note.
Clearly, he drew and wrote the note. Clearly, Republicans all across Congress today are boldfaced lying to the American people. The president should fess up and admit that he wrote the note.
It's also quite a disturbing note. This idea that they had some type of special secret between the two of them, the drawing itself very concerning.
And on top of that, we now see this book that was compiled by Ghislaine Maxwell. Of all of these drawings, of which many are incredibly disturbing, of Jeffrey Epstein interacting with young girls, children in some of these drawings.
This is someone, by the way, that said Donald Trump was his best friend for over 10 to 15 years. So why the current president of the United States was so close to a serial predator and sex trafficker, I think is an important question. And which is why we need to get all of the Epstein files released to the committee and to the public.
BURNETT: Have you seen any evidence of Trump's involvement or knowledge beyond the drawing?
[19:10:01]
I mean, I know we know he's been on the Epstein plane. They were friends. We do know all of those things.
But I mean, in the documents that you have.
GARCIA: Well, remember, we barely have any documents. I mean, the only reason we have the Epstein estate documents and a tiny sliver of the actual Epstein documents is because Democrats on the Oversight Committee have forced subpoenas and votes that Republicans didn't want to take. And so, to answer your question, we need to actually get access to the full Epstein documents, which we have subpoenaed from the DOJ, that they're refusing right now to send over.
They are under authority, legal authority by the Congress to get us those documents. The first batch of documents that we got from the DOJ, which happened a couple of weeks ago, we know that 97 percent of those documents were already publicly available information.
The documents we got yesterday from the Epstein estate, we worked through subpoena just directly with the Epstein estate. Those documents contain a lot of new information, which were, of course, right now reviewing. Now, later this week, we have a team going to New York to also meet with the Epstein estate to review additional financial records. But we need all the Epstein documents now to be able to answer all the questions that we have.
BURNETT: All right. Which gets me back to your relationship with Chairman Comer, because there was a time, as I said, when you and I would speak and you would say, all right, I'm giving -- I'm being patient. Weve agreed to do these subpoenas. He's going to issue them, and it was a productive relationship is, I guess, how I would describe your description of it.
You are the top Democrat on the committee, right? He is the chairman. He has now come out today and said some personally insulting and degrading things about you. And I want to give you a chance to respond to them.
So let me play them so everyone can hear them.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
COMER: Garcia -- he's been on the job for about two weeks. He's proven to me to be a real big drama queen because this is all about providing transparency to the American people and justice for the victims. It's not about scoring political points. So hopefully, he'll mature up.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BURNETT: Says you should mature up and you're a real big drama queen.
What's your response, congressman?
GARCIA: Well, clearly, he's saying that because I'm gay. Clearly that is a homophobic comment on his part that that's really up to him.
Look, look, what Chairman Comer doesn't like -- by the way, I've been on this job for, as you probably know, just a little over a month. And so I'm new to the role to this role. And what he doesn't like is that there's somebody that's being aggressive, that is pushing back every single day, that's calling out every single lie, and its actually matching the same energy and fire that Donald Trump and Republicans have been bringing to this country. We are no longer going to stand by and play by these rules that
Republicans set out, that somehow they're going to steamroll over every investigation. No, we're going to fight like hell to get truth and justice for these victims.
And so what James Comer doesn't like is that someone is actually now taking him on and actually calling out the truth. We are not going to give up on this investigation. We're not going to roll over. And anytime James Comer wants to work to actually get to the truth, were here to do that.
But every time he wants to lie or lie on behalf of Donald Trump, we are going to take that on every single day. And we're just getting started.
BURNETT: All right. Congressman Garcia, I appreciate your time and thank you.
GARCIA: Thank you.
BURNETT: All right. And next, Haley Robson, she is one of the Epstein survivors who spoke out on Capitol Hill, along with other Epstein survivors pushing for the release of all the Epstein files. You saw her in our preamble, speaking so passionately in front of Capitol Hill just last week.
And, Haley, I appreciate your time. And, you know, shouldn't get into how anybody voted. But in a world where this is an issue that should be apolitical and nonpartisan, I will just note for people, because you've been open about this, that you're a registered Republican and you voted for President Trump. So, in that context, right, you're not coming with some political point of view against him, right? You're coming as a survivor of Jeffrey Epstein.
And I want to give you a chance, Haley, to just explain how you feel when Trump today gets asked about Epstein birthday book, and he calls it a, quote, dead issue multiple times.
ROBSON: A dead issue to who? First of all, your first mistake was assuming that you knew your voters. That was your first mistake.
Your second mistake is now standing double down on what you said about it being a hoax. You know, I'm not coming with hostility. I'm not angry. I'm exhausted. I'm tired. I am disgusted.
I am not even coming from a place of anger. I'm just coming from a place of how can we move on when the leader of the free world keeps calling this a hoax, when indeed it is not a hoax?
And then it's just kind of this feeling of like you're throwing everything at the wall to let it stick. And now, it's -- you're an FBI informant, and now, you're not an FBI informant.
[19:15:01]
It's back to being a hoax. It's very confusing. And you know, it's appalling. I'm appalled. It
gets worse and worse every day.
BURNETT: It is shocking. I mean, and I guess, I know you're exhausted and reliving these things is not what you want to do, but you're choosing to do it to make sure that we get to the truth and we get to justice.
So, people understand, the president understands if he hears you, Haley, you were 16 years old. When you explain how a classmate recruited you, you said basically, oh, there's an old guy who wants a massage, a rich guy, 200 bucks. You give a massage, you get 200 bucks.
And Epstein, then you say abused you, gave you an ultimatum that you had to bring a girl to him every day. And you spoke at the Capitol about how you ended up in that situation. A 16-year-old girl where you felt you didn't have a choice because of his wealth and his power and who you were as a 16-year-old girl.
So what? What is your reaction to all of -- all of this?
ROBSON: Well, first, let's address the -- he -- he hears me. The president is hearing me. I think that communication is key when it's followed with comprehension. So I'm not sure that he's comprehending what I am trying to communicate to him.
Obviously, you know, being a 16-year-old girl, not knowing how to navigate a situation, the one that I was put in, it's, you know, my younger self has become the woman that I needed in that moment. And I think for any 16-year-old, for any child to try to navigate that on their own is -- you're going to have failures, you're going to have mistakes.
There's no way any woman, let alone a 16-year-old child, is going to understand what's happening in that moment.
BURNETT: Yeah.
ROBSON: And so, it's devastating going through that. You know, when you're 16 and having to live with that abuse and then coming out publicly after 17 years of being silenced and trying to get people to understand and not just the president, not just the administration, not just the politicians, but trying to get people in the country to understand not only what we were put through but the people that were up against the system that were up against. Obviously, there's been a failure on both sides.
BURNETT: So, you know, President Trump, you know, the note - the note signed with his name in Epstein's birthday book says we have certain things in common, Jeffrey. May every day be another wonderful secret. And we don't know what that means. I mean, it's disgusting and crude, but we don't know what it means.
But Republican Congressman Tom Massie, who is out there pounding the table, Haley, as you know, to get answers and to get to the truth in a bipartisan way, he is speaking out about his Republican colleagues who are not going along with him. There are a few, all women who are. But there are the vast majority of them are not. And here's what he is saying as to why.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MASSIE: I don't think my colleagues are happy about covering up for pedophiles, but that's what's happening. And it's so sick and twisted. The reason they're doing it is because they're terrified of President Trump's political machine.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BURNETT: Do you think that's what it is, Haley? You've had a chance to speak to some of them in person. Is that what it is they're afraid of Trump?
ROBSON: Well, again, let's be clear. I spoke in front of Thomas Massie, Marjorie Taylor Greene and Ro Khanna. Those were the three representatives, including the female Democratic caucus. Not too many Republicans I've personally spoken to on this subject.
Kudos to the women in the Republican Party for having more courage to stand up for what's right. I think this is exactly why we're in the place were in society is you've got the bad guys and you've got the good guys, and the bad guys are silencing the good guys, which makes it impossible for the good men to stand up in situations like these to defend the women.
And they are, too, being silenced, if indeed this is all in accordance to Trump making the remark of, you know, if you're in this administration as a Republican and you go against the administration, you're now creating a hostile environment for the administration. I can understand the fear you know, I can understand why they're being silenced, but you're hurting the survivors. You're hurting us. And I feel like it's been enough of that.
BURNETT: It has been enough of that. And of course, those others who knew or participated are still not being held to account. Justice is not being brought.
[19:20:00]
Haley, I appreciate your choosing again to continue speaking out. Thank you.
ROBSON: You're welcome. Thank you for having me.
BURNETT: All right.
And we have more breaking news. The biggest U.S. jobs revision ever. And the top banker in the United States is sounding the alarm. Einstein and Ives next.
Plus, breaking news. Qatar fighting back tonight after Bibi Netanyahu launched a deadly attack on its sovereign soil. And Trump tonight trying to now distance himself from Netanyahu after it was revealed that the White House knew about this in advance.
And Oliver North secretly marrying his document-shredding secretary 40 years after the Iran Contra scandal.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
FAWN HALL, NORTH'S SECRETARY: For the nearly four years that I worked for Lieutenant Colonel North, my hours were long and arduous, but I found my job to be most fulfilling.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[19:25:03]
BURNETT: Breaking news, the CEO of America's biggest bank says the U.S. economy is weakening after a jaw-dropping jobs report showing that the U.S. added nearly a million fewer jobs than initially estimated in the 11 months between April of last year and March of this year. So, if that holds, it would be the largest downward revision ever.
JPMorgan CEO Jamie Dimon is sounding the alarm.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JAMIE DIMON, JPMORGAN CEO: I think the economy is weakening. You know, whether that is on the way to recession or just weakening I don't know.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BURNETT: OUTFRONT now, Peter Tuchman and Dan Ives, Einstein and Ives, of course.
So, Dan, you know, you heard Jamie Dimon. And he said, look, facts are facts. Economy is weakening. Whether or not that's the way to recession or not. That's the question mark.
Where are the signs pointing, Dan? And obviously, Jamie Dimon to come out and say that he's not saying that based on the jobs revisions, okay? He also has a pretty darn good view of the economy just in his day to day job.
DAN IVES, GLOBAL HEAD OF TECHNOLOGY RESEARCH, WEDBUSH SECURITIES: Look, I'd say, first of all, when Jamie Dimon talks, every word that comes out is strategic. So, that's essentially him, that's a little shot across the bow. You could say maybe at administration, more I'd say at the Fed. I mean that's basically more and more pressure Powell next week going to have to cut.
And you look where the economy is. We're not in a recession, but it's softening. The job numbers speak to that. And you know that's a worrying sign.
And that's why when Jamie Dimon talks, everyone listens. Those are words that are not going to fall on silent ears.
BURNETT: And, Peter, all right. So, on the floor today of the New York Stock Exchange, stocks go up. Now, stocks can go up when things are bad. When stocks think they're going to get bailed out by the Fed, which is what they think.
PETER TUCHMAN, TRADER AT THE NEW YORK STOCK EXCHANGE: Yeah. Look, you know, we've been waiting for this cut for a while. And there was a lot of pressure by --
BURNETT: By the way, this cut we're all referring to, we're talking about interest rates.
TUCHMAN: Interest rates, that's right.
BURNETT: Yeah.
TUCHMAN: And September 17th is the day everybody is waiting for. But there's been a lot of pressure by Trump on Fed Chairman Powell to cut rates for a while. And he held his ground because he did not feel that the economic data that we had was enough for him to make that -- to make the change. And you know, and last Fed meeting in August, even it was that Wednesday and everybody was anticipating he was going to say something or at least give some guidance about the September cut, potentially. And he did not give us anything.
Two days later was the beginning of when we started to see unemployment ticked up from 4.1 to 4.2, GDP went up, which set the stage for him to be able to pivot, which he did in Jackson Hole in a big way. All of the economic data that's come out over the last three weeks has been substantial in a way of --
BURNETT: Why all these downward revisions, though? And I'm not going to get -- I'm not getting political about it. You know, Trump says all the downward revisions are proof they're against him. Okay. All that's a bunch of bunk.
But why is it that the economy -- yeah. So, Dan, why -- why is -- why is nobody did -- nobody see this?
IVES: Well, first of all, I think -- I think Einstein, you know, I think he nailed it. I mean, when you, when you had the dissenters that Peter and I have talked about a lot, when those two dissenters, it was clear that that was the start of saying this is going to happen. Now, look, the job, you know, the job data is now starting to reflect much more softening.
And it just obviously pressure. You'll see Powell 25 cut next week. But it shows Fed's behind here. So and that's what Peter and I have talked about that the center started. And that's what the data is showing.
TUCHMAN: Well, let's talk for a second. Because we had -- there was one report that we got -- we were looking for 147,000 jobs. We ended up with 47,000 when we were looking for 72,000. These are jobs created that came in less than expected, 72,000. We came with 22,000. So, this -- it should be no surprise that that the numbers were as bad
as they were. I don't -- the revision thing seems odd to me. Why -- why do we -- why are we revising numbers that should have been there in the first place?
BURNETT: Yes.
TUCHMAN: But all the economic data is showing us day after day since the last Fed meeting, that what he's doing? Cutting it in September is the right thing.
Now, the question is, you asked me originally, why did the market go up and the eyes of all of this, it's where bad news is good news because that cut is like right now pouring gasoline on the fire, that they feel that the market is they want. I think the fact that the numbers were so bad today showed that we may get actually a 50 basis point cut and not just 25, and that's why the market went to record highs.
IVES: Tuchman, the dove.
BURNETT: Yeah, yeah.
IVES: Tuchman.
BURNETT: Tuchman, the dove.
TUCHMAN: Dissent between you and me there, my friend.
BURNETT: All right. Thank you both.
And next, more breaking news. Russia moments ago, launching a new drone attack on Ukraine's capital hours after another massive attack by Putin killed 24 people. Nick Paton Walsh with the latest.
And Trump touting his Washington crime crackdown and early numbers do show crime down in D.C. Maryland Governor Wes Moore joins me. Will he credit Trump?
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[19:34:07]
BURNETT: Breaking news this hour. Trump now trying to distance himself from Bibi Netanyahu strike against Hamas in Qatar after a U.S. official told CNN that Trump was only informed of the strike shortly before it began by the chairman of the joint chiefs of staff.
Trump now saying, quote, "This was a s a decision made by Prime Minister Netanyahu. It was not a decision made by me."
While trying to distance himself, perhaps after the incredible onslaught of worldwide condemnation of Netanyahu and Israel -- European, Arab nations, the U.N., it seems across the board.
The strike involved ten fighter jets. It happened in a sovereign country, right, a sovereign country. Qatar. It's a real place.
Qatar also happens to be the center, the middle of talks to try to end the war in Gaza.
And Becky Anderson is there. She is OUTFRONT in Doha, capital of Qatar, of course.
So, Becky, I mean, just how big are the fears tonight?
[19:35:01]
You have a strike like this in the middle of the day. Just Israel strikes Qatar as they're trying to negotiate a ceasefire. I mean, it is stunning. And yet here we are. This is reality.
Is there concern that this could lead to something bigger, a bigger war?
BECKY ANDERSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR: Yeah. I mean, shock and anger I think would be the way to describe not just how people and the leadership here in Qatar feel this evening, but people in the leadership around this part of the world, the Arab Gulf nations and wider.
Look, we've heard language like this shameful, treacherous, a criminal act that threatens to further undermine the stability and security of this entire region. The Qatar prime minister talking about Israel tonight as a rogue nation, a bully, describing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as a narcissistic, frankly, warning this region and beyond that, there is a clear message here and around the world about just who this region is dealing with at this point.
You're absolutely right to say that Qatar is a lead negotiator in trying to mediate the ceasefire and hostage talks. Just 24 hours ago, the prime minister, the chief negotiator, if you will, was here with the senior Hamas delegation hosted here by Qatar at the request of the United States to try and find a solution, to try and get a deal on a new U.S. initiative to get the hostages released and find an end to this conflict in Gaza.
And I think it's worth remembering that for this region, that conflict in Gaza is sort of the through line to any peace and security going forward. And the prime minister of Qatar tonight saying president -- Prime Minister Netanyahu talks about turning a page or rewriting the Middle East. Well, is he tonight giving a sign that he wants to sort of rewrite the way the Gulf Arab nations also live and work?
Real shock, as I say here, but also around this region where if you think about who Qatar is, this is a key U.S. ally. And if what happened today can happen here, I'm hearing sources telling me there is concern that this could happen elsewhere. And that is a real worry tonight -- Erin.
BURNETT: It's absolutely stunning to think about that. You think about for Abu Dhabi or Dubai or the Emirates or Saudi, to even think that the conversations are happening right now. Hugely destabilizing. Becky, thank you very much, live in Doha tonight.
And also breaking tonight, Russia just launching a drone attack on Ukraine's capital, which air defense units in Kyiv are trying to repel hours after an aerial bomb attack by Putin killed at least 24 people in Ukraine, leaving 19 more injured.
One of the deadliest attacks since the war began over three years ago. And if you think we've been saying this almost daily, we have, because he has been amping up the attacks big time.
Nick Paton Walsh is OUTFRONT tonight, and I want to warn you that some of the footage in his piece is difficult to see.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
NICK PATON WALSH, CNN CHIEF INTERNATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): It's a short and ghastly to watch but tells you all you need to know. More than 20 bodies, their civilian clothes ripped away, pensioners gathered to collect the monthly payouts that kept them alive in war torn Donetsk. Likely a 250-pound aerial bomb did this to a gathering under the trees in Yarovaya.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I would like at least to take him home, at least to bury him.
WALSH: There are two moments here we can show you that bring the callousness home. This Ukrainian post service fan, distinctively civilian, even from a drone high above. And these two children's yellow slides. A highly visible warning not to strike.
Ukraine's Zelenskyy clear yet again what this means.
"It is terrible. There is not enough strong reaction from global actors," he said. "This is exactly what Putin perceives as permission to continue the war."
The dust had barely settled from the weekends record assault. The Ukrainian prime minister, with the remarkable task Monday of showing Western diplomats around the ruins of the key government offices her team, frequent hit by a Russian cruise missile, intercepted.
President Trump has said a lot since the record attack on Sunday.
REPORTER: Are you ready to move to the second phase of sanctions against Russia --
TRUMP: Yeah --
REPORTER: -- or punishing Putin? How was your call?
WALSH: But also that he'd speak to Putin soon.
[19:40:00]
And European leaders could visit yesterday or Tuesday. None of this has happened yet.
Drones dictating the front lines here. Ukrainians hunted by them. Russia is advancing and looks set for another key push in the east.
Ukraine, short on people and the ferocity of support it seeks. This bus hit on a key road to the east by a Russian drone, a sign another main highway is lost. Space for free Ukraine shrinking.
Nick Paton Walsh, CNN, London.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BURNETT: And next, Trump's crime crackdown in Washington claims a 60 percent drop in murders. Governor Wes Moore joins me with a warning for Trump.
Plus, Oliver North marrying his Iran-Contra secretary, Fawn Hall. Can you imagine this, in secret, for decades after the scandal? You can't make it up. It's happening though, and Harry Enten is here to tell us something we don't know.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[19:45:13]
BURNETT: Breaking news, President Trump moments ago, making a public show of going out to dinner in the nation's capital. Why? Well, he went out with Vice President Vance and other cabinet members to an upscale steak and seafood restaurant. And he did this big performance to show how safe Washington is, that it is safe enough to do this because of his crime crackdown. The restaurant he went to, two blocks from the White House.
And the reality is, early numbers do show crime going down in Washington. Since the start of Trump's takeover, homicides in Washington are down more than 60 percent. Car thefts, down 35. Robbery, down nearly 20. Overall violent crime reports down about 10. Tourism and restaurant foot traffic also down.
OUTFRONT now, the Democratic governor of Maryland, Wes Moore, obviously bordering on D.C. He has just announced today he is running for reelection for governor of Maryland. His name also frequently mentioned as a possible presidential candidate.
So, Governor, I appreciate your time tonight.
I mean, you just heard these numbers. They are pretty incredible. They are dramatic. Do you give Trump credit for these crime statistics in D.C.
GOV. WES MOORE (D-MD): I mean, those are really impressive numbers. They also very closely mirror the numbers that we've seen in Baltimore during that same period of time. And the thing that we know is that, you know, for a place like Maryland, where I've come in and said that public safety is my number one priority, and we made historic investments in local law enforcement, historic investments in in technologies and predictive analytics, historic investments in community groups that the president of the United States has now been spending well over $1 million a day to ask citizen soldiers, members of the National Guard, to come and do municipal policing in areas and in spaces that they are not trained for.
But the reality is, what the National Guard has been doing has been things like raking mulch and picking up trash and painting fences. And so, while the numbers that we have seen in Washington, D.C., they are impressive and they are important, we also know that it's very closely mirrored to what Baltimore has had during that same period of time.
And when you look at the past two and a half years over this period of time --
BURNETT: Without the National Guard.
MOORE: -- in the state of Maryland. Well, that's the National Guard. But that's why it's also important to remember that we need the right tools for the right mission. And what we are seeing from the president of the United States is not a crime fighting strategy. It is a performative strategy.
And that's why we have to be serious about things like making sure were making sure people are safe and secure in their own neighborhoods. But there has to be a measure of serious and soberness that were approaching to it, not what we're seeing from the president of the United States.
BURNETT: Well, you talk about the Baltimore crime statistics. You say they mirror Washington without that federal intervention. But Trump has a warning, right? He says he's going to pick and he's going to choose the cities that he's going to go into next.
Here's what he just said today, Governor.
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
TRUMP: We're going to make our city safe one way or the other. And at a certain point, well just say, I'm sorry. We're going in. We're going to get it fixed. I said I would, and we'll be picking out some cities. Some cities want us to go in.
(END AUDIO CLIP)
BURNETT: And he has repeatedly threatened Baltimore, right? Largest city in Maryland. Do you -- is it going to happen?
MOORE: No. And I want to be very clear to the president, we do not need the National Guard in our cities. We need a serious approach to crime fighting. And that is not that.
And I also have been very clear that we would welcome federal support. And I've laid out the type of federal supports that would be -- that would be useful. During the president's proposed budget, he proposed cutting funding for FBI and ATF bureaus within the state of Maryland. That actually would be helpful if we could have more FBI and ATF supports to get these illegal guns out of our neighborhoods and on our streets.
That Congress could actually work to make -- to address the issue of ghost guns and getting these ghost guns out of our neighborhoods. That actually would be helpful.
The president of the United States could not cut the $30 million that he's just cut from violence prevention programs in the state of Maryland. That actually would be helpful.
But sending in the national guard to do municipal policing -- municipal policing for something not trained for is something that is deeply theatrical and frankly, beneath the office that he holds.
BURNETT: So you are running for reelection now as governor of Maryland. And obviously, if you win governor, that will mean having to work more with President Trump. And as you just referenced there, right, you have called Trump's threats completely performative to use your words. You've talked about him being petty and partisan when it comes to your state and when it comes to you -- well, he has had plenty to say lately.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: Governor Moore, has anyone heard of him? He's another hopeful for president.
[19:50:00]
I don't think so.
Every time I see him on television, he's knocking the hell out of me. So -- but that's all right. That's called politics.
But, Governor Moore has got a -- he's doing a bad job.
Governor Moore wanted me to go and walk through Baltimore with him, and I said, you know, I'm -- I think I'm a brave guy, but there's no reason to be stupid. They have crime that's at levels that nobody's ever seen before in Baltimore.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BURNETT: So at this point, Governor Moore, would you say you would work with him if reelected, that you could work with him, or do you now, more go a Gavin Newsom route, right, where he's doing the all caps, thank you for your attention to this matter method on Twitter when it comes to Trump?
MOORE: Well, I have said to the people of my state that I will work with anyone, but I will bow down to no one. That is not how I operate. That, you know, my background is not in politics. My background is as a soldier, and that's exactly what I am.
And I'm going to make sure I fight for the people of my state. And while the president seems to be interested in fighting with Marylanders, I am interested in fighting for Marylanders. I'm interested in making sure that we can actually do things like
jumpstarting our economy, which we have done over the past two and a half years, where we have added over 100,000 new jobs in Maryland in two years, which is more than my predecessor out in an eight, that we're interested in making sure were having some of the fastest drops in violent crime anywhere in the country, and actually, we're taking a fiscally disciplined approach where we turned a deficit into a surplus and gave the middle class a tax cut. That's serious governing.
So I understand the president seems to be, you know, waking up at two in the morning and tweeting about me and speaking about me from the Oval Office and denigrating the people of my state. But the thing that I would say to the president is this, if you're interested in actually learning what good governance is, if you're interested in actually seeing what's happening to drive historic crime rates to lows, if you're interested in seeing what it takes to actually bring unemployment from 43rd in the country to one of the lowest unemployment rates in the country, you should come spend time and watch how we govern and watch why we are going back to the people of our state. And I'm excited to ask them for another four years.
BURNETT: So, there's been a lot of talk about you running for president. Of course. Right? You're talking about four more years as governor, but a lot of talk about 2028 and president, because you visited South Carolina. Youve been to other key states, Governor. Pennsylvania, Nevada on the list.
Now, your next term for governor would end after the presidential election, if you win. And Joseph Dietrich, I don't know if you heard the name today, but he's a political science professor at Towson University in Baltimore.
He told "The Washington Post", and I quote him to some voters, "It sort of sounds like he's talking out of both sides of his mouth. You're going to South Carolina to kiss the ring of the most prominent Black politician in the country, but at the same time, you're not looking for national prominence? Something about that doesn't jell. He needs something that makes that jell."
Can you give him that something, Governor?
MOORE: Well, there's something that makes a jell is, I think, the people of our state have seen how we are laser-focused on the results for them. You know, I say it's easy for me to rule something out that I never ruled in. You know, I'm -- this is business approach --
(CROSSTALK)
BURNETT: As in running for president?
MOORE: -- ran for.
As in running for president. I'm not running for president. I'm excited about running for reelection.
And, you know, I'm literally a person who was raised by an immigrant, single mom who had handcuffs on my wrist when I was 11 years old, who's now serving as the 63rd governor of my state and the first Black governor in the history of the state of Maryland.
I am -- I am living the dream right now, and our state is doing well. And I'm excited to go back in front of the people of my state. If people want to learn more, they should go to wesmoore.com and learn more about our journey and learn more about our mission. Because I'm convinced that this is going to be a time when Maryland truly leaves no one behind, and shows a national example of what it looks like to actually have a government that is of the people and by the people, and truly for the people.
BURNETT: Governor Wes Moore, thank you very much. I appreciate your time tonight.
MOORE: I appreciate you, Erin. Thank you.
BURNETT: And next, a secret wedding. Oliver North and the secretary who helped him shred Iran-Contra secrets, tie the knot 40 years later.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[19:57:18]
BURNETT: Tonight, okay, this is an amazing story. I'm sorry.
Oliver North, 81 years old, is getting married to Fawn Hall. Can you believe this? His glamorous, document-shredding secretary Fawn Hall. She is now 65 and they are marrying in secret 40 years after these images -- this is amazing -- after their infamous roles in the Iran- Contra scandal.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
OLIVER NORTH, RET. MARINE CORPS LIEUTENANT COLONEL: Some media reports have suggested that I was guilty of espionage for the way I handled U.S. intelligence.
FAWN HALL, FORMER SECRETARY TO OLIVER NORTH: I started pulling the documents from my boots and then pulled them from my back.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BURNETT: North was then a Marine Corps lieutenant colonel on Ronald Reagan's National Security Council, accused of running illegal weapons sales to Iran, and Fawn admitted to shredding documents and sneaking them out of the White House.
North was convicted in 1989 on three felony charges.
Harry Enten is OUTFRONT to tell us something we don't know.
Harry, you know, a lot of people lately, they say, I can't believe that this is a real world we're living in. And you know what? Of all the stories they wouldn't expect to put in that category, this is one of them. And here we are. All right. CNN's got a copy of the marriage license. So, Oliver
North's wife of 56 years, Betsy, at the trial, she did pass away a little bit over -- a little bit less than a year ago. I'm sorry.
But now here we are with this marriage. Can you put the Iran-Contra in perspective for us? I mean, how big was that moment?
HARRY ENTEN, CNN CHIEF DATA ANALYST: I mean, it was just absolutely tremendous. We're talking about 55 million people who were tuning in to see Oliver North's testimony. That's actually larger than the number of people who tuned into the "Friends" finale when it was just 53 million folks.
Let me just add, I'm a true believer in love. First, Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift, and now this happening -- what a year for love.
BURNETT: I mean, it's incredible. Okay, how has history judged Oliver North.
ENTEN: Yeah, okay. So, take a look at Oliver North's net favorable rating, Americans opinions over time. You know, pre-testimony back in '87. He was well underwater. Look at that at minus 31 points.
Look at that post testimony though a lot of people like that testimony, plus 44. But then by 1996 after his failed Senate run in Virginia, back down he goes at minus 18 points.
So, history not so kind. The long arc anyway.
BURNETT: Fifty-five million people to watch something like that. What a -- what a world. What a different world we live in.
All right, so tell me something else I don't know.
ENTEN: Okay, I'll tell you something else that you don't know. Fawn Hall, talk about her relationships in the past. She dated Rob Lowe. I bet you didn't know that.
I'll tell you something you don't know, Erin Burnett. She dated Rob Lowe.
BURNETT: I did not know she dated Rob Lowe.
ENTEN: You did not know that.
BURNETT: No.
ENTEN: And she married Danny Sugarman, who, of course, was the manager of the Doors. My goodness gracious.
So, she has married folks from Hollywood. Now she's marrying somebody from Washington, D.C. and of course, our fine Ronald Reagan administration as well.
So -- but as I said, all that goes around comes around once again. And now she is back with Ollie North. BURNETT: All right. That's amazing.
ENTEN: That's it.
BURNETT: I'm sorry. It's the story.
Harry, thank you very much.
ENTEN: Thank you.
BURNETT: Thanks so much to all of you.
Anderson starts now.
