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Erin Burnett Outfront

Comey Speaks Out About Trump In Never-Before-Seen CNN Interview; Protests In Multiple Cities, Videos Capture Aggressive ICE Incidents; Trump Doubles Down, Warns Pregnant Women Against Using Tylenol. Aired 7-8p ET

Aired September 26, 2025 - 19:00   ET

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

[19:00:23]

ERIN BURNETT, CNN HOST: OUTFRONT next:

The breaking news, Trump threatening more prosecutions. And tonight, the president telling Microsoft to fire another political enemy, as James Comey talks to CNN about how Trump, quote, can't get over him.

And Kerry Kennedy, RFK Jr.'s sister on OUTFRONT on the claims that Tylenol is connected to autism and her warnings about the administration that her brother serves and attacks on free speech.

And a woman pushed to the ground by an ICE officer. A disturbing video that has gone viral. The DHS is actually saying that that crossed a line.

Let's go OUTFRONT.

And good evening. I'm Erin Burnett on this Friday.

An OUTFRONT tonight, we begin with the breaking news of never before seen video of James Comey speaking about Trump. The newly indicted former director of the FBI, first time a criminally charged FBI director in American history, speaking to before his indictment.

And, you know, we hadn't seen this before. We found this video. What did he have to say? Well, he actually talked about what he thought about President Trump.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JAMES COMEY, FORMER FBI DIRECTOR: Yeah, I'm still considered a villain in MAGA world. I hope I said that correctly, although I've offended enough people in MAGA world, that doesn't matter at this point.

I'm not sure exactly why that is. I often joke I'm the relationship that Trump can't get over, wakes up in the middle of the night thinking about me and how I'm living my best life. I think it has some combination of I really have had a happy, productive life since then and that I spoke out about him. And that despite their absolute best efforts, they're never able -- never able to get me.

(END VIDEO CLIP) BURNETT: Well, obviously, as I said, that was before the indictment. So whether they were never able to get him -- of course, they were able to get him indicted. It will remain to be seen where that goes if to trial, if to court. What happens?

Comey has been charged by this DOJ with giving false statements and obstruction of a congressional proceeding. He could face up to five years in prison if convicted of those charges.

Now, we found out more information about how this broke down. As you know, there were three charges put forth. They only succeeded on two of them to get an indictment. And on those two charges, 14 of 23 grand jurors voted to prosecute Comey.

So, you know, when they say you can indict a ham sandwich, that's actually almost split down the middle. So, it's important to note that.

Comey, though, is right about something, whether he's living his best life now in the past 24 hours, who knows? But Trump does think a lot about Comey. In fact, we just looked at what Trump said today in the moments that he came out and spoke and how many times he talked about Comey.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Comey. Comey. Comey. Comey. Comey. I would say the Democrats are better than Comey.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BURNETT: And it's not just Comey, though. Now, of course, he's been indicted. The president says tonight that he has not done. He's not done going after his enemies yet just yet. Comey indicted just 24 hours ago. But before we even hit that 24-hour line, Trump said this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: There will be others. Look, it was -- that's my opinion. They weaponized the justice department like nobody in history. What they've done is terrible. And so I would -- I hope, frankly, I hope there are others because you can't let this happen to a country.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BURNETT: The "they" he's talking about in terms of weaponizing the Department of Justice, of course, in that case is Democrats. And we are waiting to find out when Comey will be arraigned. That is expected anytime over the next two weeks. We don't know exactly when.

Which leaves the big question tonight of who is next, because we could see another indictment at any moment, literally tonight, right, as I said, it was 24 hours and ten minutes ago that we got the Comey one. We have sources now telling us that an attorney in the Justice Department is pushing to charge Trump's former adviser turned critic, John Bolton, by today, 7:03 Eastern right now. The Trump administration claims that it found classified documents after a search of Bolton's office and home in August. Bolton's attorney has responded that the records kept were typical of a longtime government employee and said that, quote, nothing inappropriate was stored or kept by Ambassador Bolton.

However, Trump has made very clear what he thinks of Bolton.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: And I'm not a fan of John Bolton. I thought he was a sleazebag, a lowlife.

That idiot John Bolton, who was so stupid.

He was a maniac.

He wants to always kill people.

He's a criminal. And I believe, frankly, he should go to jail for that.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BURNETT: Well, and we're awaiting the indictment any moment.

And Bolton is not alone to be on Trump's list. Trump has made no secret of the fact that he wants many others that he sees as rivals or enemies charged. Some are already under investigation. Here are just some of the names from Trump himself.

[19:05:02]

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: I think Adam Schiff is one of the lowest of the low. I would love to see him brought to justice.

The crooked attorney general of New York. She's a real, real beauty. Letitia James.

Jack Smith, he is a terrorist.

Stories that I read keep talking about Soros and so, you know, I guess he'd be a likely candidate.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BURNETT: And a candidate. Of course, he means for investigation.

There will be others. That is something that is very clear.

And Evan Perez is OUTFRONT in Washington beginning our coverage on this Friday.

So, Evan, what is the latest that you're learning tonight about Comey case?

EVAN PEREZ, CNN SENIOR JUSTICE CORRESPONDENT: Well, Erin, we know that according to the indictment, James Comey had -- is accused of authorizing a person that is only identified as person three in the indictment and one of the things we know from looking at -- from talking to sources and from looking at some of the public documents, including inspector general's report, is that there is a friend of Comey's whose name is Dan Richman. He's a law professor who has been talked to by the FBI for this current investigation, who we're told is the person who is identified as only as person three.

And the accusation here, according to the indictment, is that James Comey authorized Richman to leak information to reporters for various news stories -- news stories. Now, those news stories appear to mostly have to do with the Hillary Clinton investigation. You know, the president is very obsessed with Comey and his role in the Russia investigation. He calls it a Russia hoax. So there's a great irony that appears -- that it appears a lot of this case actually centers on alleged leaks to news organizations about the Hillary Clinton email investigation in 2016.

So, we are still obviously waiting to see what the government will say more about this investigation. As you pointed out, there are other investigations waiting in the wings, including the one on John Bolton. That is a case that we're told is still in the works. There's still FBI agents going over some of the documents that were seized as part of that search.

And some of the national security lawyers at the Justice Department view this to be a very strong case. But there's pressure, as you pointed out, from officials at the Justice Department, to try to bring that indictment sooner because they believe that it needs to be brought sooner to placate the president. The -- it appears at this hour that the lawyers who are working on that case are still being given a little bit more time to make that case.

Again, that could come at any time -- Erin.

BURNETT: Evan, thank you very much. I was just jotting down your words that the pressure on some of the Justice Department to bring that case sooner to placate the president.

All right. Thanks to evan.

And OUTFRONT now, the Democratic governor of Hawaii, Josh Green, here in new here in New York with me. Also here, Margaret Hoover, the host of PBS's "Firing Line". And Ryan Goodman, of course, our OUTFRONT legal experts.

So, Governor Green, let me start with you. You know, when President Trump says he thinks there will be others and we know who some of those others are going to be, and most likely will be. So, I mean, is there any end in sight in this?

GOV. JOSH GREEN (D-HI): Well, three years, I mean, it's probably one of the ends that could be in sight, but it's in the distant sight. It's disconcerting.

You know, democracy comes under fire when this kind of thing happens. I would implore the president to move on from old grudges and rivalries personally, and I'm going to defer to the legal experts here who I have so much respect for. But it causes a chilling effect over democracy, when you have the potential for prosecution of your rivals, when you have the potential to disrupt any part of government, which we're seeing, we saw disruption of the Department of Health and healthcare and the CDC is in disarray.

And now the Department of Justice appears to be in disarray because there are a lot of people that don't want any part of this, including people, I'm sure, who are Republicans who just are saying, enough's enough.

BURNETT: I mean, and that's the thing, you're sitting here as a sitting governor. What is the effect of someone like Comey being indicted as he was on the heels of the Jimmy Kimmel situation? I mean, these things all play together.

What does this do to criticism, to opposition to Trump, right? I mean, some of this is more insidious than people actually saying, okay, I'm not going to say something.

GREEN: Yes.

BURNETT: They almost stop -- stop thinking it stop. Even, you know, starting down the line.

GREEN: Well, I hate to conflate a tragedy with all of this, but there's so much fear in the air. When we had the tragic incident where a gentleman was assassinated, when there were also attacks on the president, when politics become so personal, when Americans are looking over their shoulders because ICE might be behind them, when they're looking forward and not knowing whether they get care for their kids, because governments interfering or intervening -- it really makes it very difficult for us as governors to go back to our people and say things are going to be okay.

One of the jobs of a governor or many elected officials is to care for your community. It's a lot harder when this kind of threat is in the air. And I think really there, you know, there should be an acknowledgment that the best part of America is that we don't try to jail our rivals, that we don't try to go after people, that we have a grievance with.

[19:10:09]

There are other problems we should be focused on, and that's what we governors want.

BURNETT: All right. So, Ryan, when you look at the case, you heard Evan's reporting, and I'm not talking about the part about that they're rushing to do Bolton because to placate the president within the Comey case itself. Person number three, as Evan was talking about, that that person from his reporting could be a longtime friend and Columbia law school professor, a friend of Comey's, Daniel Richman, who would have been a special government employee at the time.

Now, obviously, Evan laying out the irony that this all could have been related to the Hillary Clinton email situation as opposed to Russia-gate, but does it affect your view of the actual validity of the case itself?

RYAN GOODMAN, FORMER SPECIAL COUNSEL AT DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE: So I still think this is a very weak case based on what we know for a couple of reasons. First, there was already an FBI investigation of Mr. Richman and Comey --

BURNETT: Right.

GOODMAN: -- with respect to their relationship of giving information to the media. And it concludes in basically November 2020, it's under the first Trump administration. They decide there's no case. They actually tell the Biden administration you should close the case.

And in that case, Mr. Richman testifies to the FBI and says Comey did not even ask me to speak to the media, and they determined not to even charge him with a false statement. So, it means like he was clean.

BURNETT: Right.

GOODMAN: That's one part of it. The second is this is all predicated on the exchange that Comey had with Senator Cruz. Senator Cruz asked a very poorly worded question that for the last 24 hours, a lot of America has thought it was all about McCabe, but instead what the government is charging for is about Mr. Richman.

And what Comey can say is, I heard McCabe. He gave me a convoluted question, and then he landed on asking me about McCabe, and I answered him on McCabe. That's what I was talking about.

BURNETT: That's what everybody hearing the soundbite thinks it's about. I mean, you know, passing the kind of regular person test. That's what you would think.

I mean, Margaret, you know, to the point of where we are right now, two regular voices on Fox News, Kimberley Strassel, who has done a lot of reporting, and Andy McCarthy have both been very critical of the Comey case. And it's worth highlighting what they had to say. I know it stood out to you.

Let me play for everyone in case you didn't see it.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

KIM STRASSEL, FOX NEWS CONTRIBUTOR: Well, I think a lot of Americans would love to see some sort of accountability for Jim Comey for many, many reasons, for many, many sins. I'm not sure this particular charge is the way to go about it, in part because I'm not sure it's actually going to stick in the end.

ANDY MCCARTHY, FORMER ASSISTANT U.S. ATTORNEY: I don't think there's a case. I think this judge should throw the case out. But I'm afraid that he won't throw the case out because everyone will say he's a Biden judge and the fix is in. So it's probably -- I mean, even though I wouldn't want to go through it myself, it's probably better if there's a trial and the jury acquits him. But this case should be thrown out.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BURNETT: So just to be clear, Strassel is part of "The Wall Street Journal" editorial board, right? I mean, she obviously has very impressive pedigree.

McCarthy is a former SDNY prosecutor who wrote an entire book criticizing the Russia investigation.

MARGARET HOOVER, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Correct.

BURNETT: Right? So he's got the gravitas, and he has a POV that -- on that particular issue that is supportive of Trump. So how significant is it that they're out saying this?

HOOVER: This is meaningful in the world of normal Republicans, those normal Republicans, I mean, are not deeply MAGA people, but they like Donald Trump. Remember the entire Republican Party solidified around Donald Trump this time around.

BURNETT: Right, right.

HOOVER: I mean, he won fair and square. He won every single swing state. And so, they turn to Fox News and they see key figures like the leading Trump defender on "The Wall Street Journal" editorial page, Kim Strassel, and Andy McCarthy in the pages of "National Review" and who has been a not just a defender. I mean, he, as you said, went after the Russia hoax, as he called it.

But from a legalistic perspective, it's meaningful that they say there's really just not a good case here. And so, the reason we shouldn't be litigating that is because people are going to be disappointed. And so what is shocking and startling for me as a Republican that does not relate to this iteration of the Republican Party is that they're not -- they've completely glossed over the fact that one person, the president of the United States, has directed his Department of Justice to act at his own behest, for his own political restitution and retribution. They've glossed over that.

BURNETT: Right. No, those are not the reason --

(CROSSTALK)

HOOVER: And they've completely undermined the case by saying people are going to be disappointed that this is going to be thrown out, because it's a weak case.

And so, on the one hand, it's significant. They're preparing Republicans that this may not turn out the way all the partisanship hopes. And yet it's really disappointing that they're missing what is the major story, completely glossing over it and pretending like it's completely okay for one individual, the president of the United States, to pick a private citizen and put the entire force of the -- what is supposed to be a blind and unbiased justice system in this country against them?

BURNETT: Right, right. Which is what -- all right, Trump just posted. And I just want to just -- moments ago posted about Comey. We were just playing, you know, how much he talked about Comey today. So, he posted a moment ago, Ryan.

[19:15:01]

"I'd like to thank Kash Patel and the outstanding members of the FBI for their brilliant work on the recent indictment of the worst FBI director in the history of our country, James 'Dirty Cop' Comey. The level of enthusiasm by the FBI was incredible."

I want to note, apparently there were no career prosecutors in the room yesterday. There were only the two political appointees just to put a put an emphasis on that, but only caused by the fact that they knew Comey for what he is and was a total all caps slimeball.

Do words like this when they're trying to get this case thrown out for saying, you know, it's about personal bias. It's just all politics. Do things like that matter?

GOODMAN: Very much so. I would assume that Comey's defense is happy to see that text because one of the first motions that they will likely file is that this is selective and vindictive prosecution --

BURNETT: Right.

GOODMAN: -- to prove that, they would have to show that the prosecutor has an animus towards the defendant, that it's usually extraordinarily hard to prove that the prosecutor has an animus towards the defendant. Here we have the president acting as prosecutor in chief. It really is his case. He wanted this brought, and he keeps repeating his grievance. He keeps repeating it in the form of animus towards the defendant.

This is a judge that will make that determination, not a jury, as to whether it is vindictive prosecution. And I think this is very strong evidence for Mr. Comey.

BURNETT: Yeah. If he keeps posting that.

Governor, last night when all this was happening, the Democratic Congressman Eric Swalwell was on. He's on House Judiciary.

And he actually was talking right after Comey was indicted. He was putting it in the framework of midterm elections and saying that, you know, David Frum, former Bush's former speechwriter, had said that this was part of Trump's plan to basically make it harder for Democrats to win the midterms. Okay? And I wanted to play what Eric Swalwell said because he speaks to Democratic governors. Here he is.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) REP. ERIC SWALWELL (D-CA): I'm frustrated, frankly, that more Democratic governors are not stepping up and maxing out democracy in their own states because our midterm elections are very decentralized. They're state by state.

So Democratic governors really need to step up, Erin, because we can lose everything. If we don't win the midterms in November of next year, we will not have a free and fair election in 2028. I promise you.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BURNETT: So, as you -- obviously, governor of Hawaii, when you look across the country, do you share that concern.

GREEN: Somewhat. I -- you know, Hawaii is a bit left of left in most cases.

BURNETT: Yeah.

GREEN: So, if we were to redistrict, it would be going from 38 percent to 36 percent for somebody. So that's not a thing.

BURNETT: Right.

GREEN: But I do think that people do have to step into the fray right now. And that's what you're seeing from Gavin, right?

Gavin felt as much as he didn't want to go down the road of redistricting, the actual taking of elections was too big a deal. I would humbly ask the president to tell everyone to stand down. Of course, that is the standard that we should all live up to. Stand down. Let the people choose their elected officials.

But governors try to get along. But we can't just cede elections. Democracy is at stake, and I'm not going to try to demonize anyone except to say, I think there are millions and millions of Americans who are going to be freaked out by prosecuting our enemies, by taking away our rights to make health care decisions.

All of those things, I believe are going to be a much bigger deal in the midterm elections than people think, because the people I talked to are shocked by how far this has gone and where does it end? You know, where does it all end? And the president is in his second term. He could work toward legacy instead of this kind of moment with Mr. Comey. It would be better.

And he needs his advisers to circle him and give him much better advice, because this is not America. And I appreciate what Eric is saying. The congress people, of course, have their careers on the line. The governors look at things a little bit differently.

BURNETT: Yeah.

All right. Well, thank you all very much. I appreciate it. And next, more DOJ prosecutors about to weigh in. Our next guest is an

18-year veteran of the Justice Department who resigned earlier this year, says it's all but guaranteed.

Plus, we have more breaking news this hour. Outrage over a video of an ICE officer shoving a woman to the ground in front of her children. Our guest is Kerry Kennedy, a lawyer who has fought for migrants deported by the Trump administration. Also happens to be the sister of the Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. She does have some things to say about Tylenol and autism.

And Trump now pressuring private companies to fire his political enemies. This is out just tonight, now looking for -- well, if a big private company has hired someone who worked in a prior administration, fire them. He's got a name and a company. And tonight, it's Microsoft. We'll tell you who it is.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[19:24:06]

BURNETT: Breaking news. Trump's deputy attorney general trying to spin Trump's call to go after political enemies.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOHN ROBERTS, FOX NEWS ANCHOR: That appears to be a lot of pressure from the president to go after Comey, Letitia James and Adam Schiff. What do you think of that?

TODD BLANCHE, DEPUTY ATTORNEY GENERAL: I don't take that as pressure. I take that as a president who is working every day for the American people and every day to make sure that were doing our jobs.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BURNETT: All right. The Truth Social post that they were talking about specifically, right, that the John Roberts asked about was the one where Trump mentioned Comey, Schiff and James by name. And Trump wrote in part, "We can't delay any longer. It's killing our reputation and credibility. They impeached me twice and indicted me. Justice must be served now, all in caps."

And he directed the whole thing at Pam, as in Pam Bondi. So that was why John Roberts asked the question the way he did accurately.

[19:25:04]

OUTFRONT now, Stacey Young. She left the Department of Justice in January, just a few days into the Trump administration after 18 years as a career litigator.

So, Stacey, you have a perspective on this that few do who are speaking out. And I know you're talking now to a lot of people who are still inside the DOJ. What are they telling you about what it is like to work there right now? STACEY YOUNG, FORMER DOJ ATTORNEY, RESIGNED IN JANUARY: It's very

difficult and it's becoming more difficult every day. Like everybody who's concerned about the rule of law, they are alarmed at the fact that the president is now using the department as a weapon in his retribution campaign.

And the president is also running roughshod over the institutional guardrails that have existed for over 40 years. So, there's a lot of worry inside the department. And certainly, people just don't know where this is going.

BURNETT: So, a few minutes after Comey was indicted, not long after his son in law, Troy Edwards Jr. is his name, that's Comey son-in-law resigned and he resigned from a senior position as a national security prosecutor, a senior one at the Department of Justice in the Eastern District of Virginia. Do you think that we are going to see more people resigning in light of what is happening right now with Comey and obviously likely very soon with Bolton and others?

YOUNG: I'm afraid we are going to see more people resign. DOJ career prosecutors understand that they cannot violate the oath they took to the Constitution, that they cannot violate the law, that they cannot violate their ethical duties. And in many cases, they have been asked to do so. And it's becoming clearer every day that they will continue to be asked.

So, I do think that we will continue to see people resign their jobs and leave the department if they are basically asked to violate the rules or get fired.

BURNETT: And of course, the thing is then, Stacey, they get replaced. So, in that context I want to talk about Erik Siebert anyone watching who doesn't know his name. He actually was brought in by the Trump administration earlier this year. Right. He was a Trump appointee. He was the running the Eastern District of Virginia.

And then he resigned under pressure last week. So let's just put it that way. Resigned under pressure. People can read between the lines.

That pressure centered around the New York Attorney General Letitia James. The Trump administration had launched an investigation into her for alleged mortgage fraud, and Siebert had come to the conclusion from the reporting that he did not think there was enough evidence to charge her with anything. The reporting is that that was unacceptable for the president.

So, what does an impact does something like this have, right?

Erik Siebert was put in by -- actually put in by Trump, right? But he had a career in DOJ. He says I don't have the goods. And then, quote/unquote, resigns under pressure. What does that have in terms of an impact on other prosecutors inside the DOJ, across the country right now?

YOUNG: It sends a crystal clear message to prosecutors that regardless of whether the evidence is there, if they don't follow the president's orders, they will be kicked out. There are -- there's an absolute bar to opening a prosecution unless you have evidence sufficient to convict. And that conviction can be upheld on appeal.

If you can't make the case, you can't bring the case before the court. And if the president is saying you have to pursue my enemies or you're fired, that, I think, is what we're going to see, and we're going to see more and more people resign because of it.

BURNETT: Quickly, before we go, Lindsey Halligan replaced Erik Siebert. She's never prosecuted a case before. You know, obviously, the president put her in there.

How does her tenure play out, do you think?

YOUNG: It's very clear she wasn't chosen because of her experience or her legal acumen. I expect that she will continue following the president's orders. And I think her win rate will be much lower than the career prosecutors who surround her.

BURNETT: Interestingly said.

All right. Thank you so much. I appreciate your time, Stacey.

And next, Trump doubling down on telling pregnant women and children to not take Tylenol after he and his HHS secretary, Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., connected Tylenol use to autism. Kerry Kennedy, RFK Jr.'s sister, is here.

And Trump railing on Microsoft tonight, launching a post telling the company to fire one of their employees, a person by name. We're going to tell you who and why the president is going for her personally after this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[19:33:59]

BURNETT: Breaking news tonight. Protests across the country over violent ICE incidents caught on camera. Protesters in Iowa City denouncing ICE after officers tackled and arrested a grocery store employee. The man was screaming, "help me" in Spanish.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

(CROSSTALK)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I can videotape. I'm a combat vet. I'm a combat vet. Are you a -- then where's the cop?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BURNETT: It's all disturbing. And that video came after ICE took the rare step of relieving an officer of his duties. After he violently shoved a woman to the ground. That incident was caught on camera.

We're going to play it for you. It is a disturbing video. If you haven't seen it. I just want to warn you about that.

Gloria Pazmino is OUTFRONT reporting from the courthouse where that specific incident happened.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

GLORIA PAZMINO, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): After video surfaced of an ICE officer pushing Ecuadorian immigrant Monica Moreta-Galarza to the floor in New York City's ICE offices, outrage growing in New York tonight.

[19:35:02]

ZOHRAN MAMDANI, NYC MAYORAL CANDIDATE: The wife of a detained man begging an ICE agent to free her husband. When he ignored her, she pleaded to be taken to and behind her stood two young children. And after taunting her with a response of "adios, adios" suddenly, that agent threw her to the ground. The kids began to cry, traumatized by the sight of their mother being assaulted in a government building.

PAZMINO: According to New York Congressman Dan Goldman, Moreta-Galarza and her family have opened asylum claims and are in the U.S. legally. His office also said she was rushed to the hospital for possible head trauma after the incident.

Speaking to reporters after the incident, Moreta-Galarza said over in Ecuador, they beat us there, too. I didn't think I'd come here to the United States and at the same thing would happen to me.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Look this way, walk this way.

PAZMINO: The officer whose name has not been released, has been spotted frequently in the halls of the immigration center.

BRAD LANDER, NYC COMPTROLLER: That officer to me looked drunk on the -- the violence of it.

PAZMINO: DHS says that they are conducting a full investigation, and that the officer involved has been relieved of his duties. The officers' conduct in this video is unacceptable. And beneath the men and women of ICE, our ICE law enforcement are held to the highest professional standards. And this officer is being relieved of duties as we conduct a full investigation.

In response, New York City Mayor Eric Adams saying that he is pleased that the incident is being further looked into.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

PAZMINO (on camera): Now, Erin, here at 26 Federal Plaza, it's important to highlight that incidents like the one that we see play out on that video are happening almost on a daily basis. Behind me is the immigration court, where so many of these incidents have been taking place for the last several months. And we should highlight that the migrants who are arriving here at court are doing so because they're trying to navigate the immigration process, something that they are legally required to do if they have any hope of getting their status resolved.

We learned that the family that was in this video was given another court date to return to. So presumably to continue pursuing their legal case. And it was shortly after that that the father of that family was taken into custody by the officer. We've also learned tonight that Congressman Dan Goldman, who represents this area and whose office is across the street and where the family took shelter in after this incident yesterday, he is referring this officer for possible criminal prosecution by the U.S. attorney's office -- Erin.

BURNETT: Gloria, thank you very much at that ICE facility in Manhattan.

I want to go now to Kerry Kennedy, human rights activist and lawyer who has represented migrants deported by the Trump administration, also is the sister of the HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., which is relevant to something else which just happened a few moments ago, Kerry.

But I want to first start to with that video. You know, we people know some have seen experienced it themselves with what's happening across this country. But that video has gone viral because it's very disturbing. And it -- what is your reaction to what you saw in that particular video, given the context of what Gloria said that specific officer has been seen regularly around that ICE office?

KERRY KENNEDY, HUMAN RIGHTS ACTIVIST, LAWYER AND SISTER OF RFK JR.: Yeah. I mean, this is the inevitable outcome of this administration's directives to ICE that you should wear masks, that violence is okay, that people can be picked up and pulled by the hair and tossed to the ground. It's terrifying.

But this is just the first step. This woman and her husband, if they are put into detention, can be expected to be taken 1,000 miles away to rural Louisiana. And I was just there a few weeks ago. Some of our cases are of women being raped. Detainees like she is being raped.

A woman who was told by her doctor that she likely has colon cancer and needs to be checked, was picked up by ICE the next day and has been there for five and a half months, begging to see a doctor to see if she has colon cancer and unable to do so.

We have a case of a child who was coerced by the ICE agents into signing papers that he was an adult, so that he could be deported to his country of origin much more quickly. We also have a dozen cases of people from Cameroon who applied for political asylum.

[19:40:01]

The asylum was -- let me just finish. The asylum was denied and they sent the people back to Cameroon along with their political asylum.

Applications were sent to the government. I mean, you just cannot imagine the comfort level with cruelty that is going on by our government. And this has got to stop. BURNETT: And when you talk about the repercussions, obviously sending

those applications right then anyone in the country would know and we don't know what the retribution could be for that.

I wanted to also ask you, Kerry, about something that just happened a few moments ago before you and I were getting ready to speak, and I know you haven't seen it yet, but President Trump has posted again about health issues specifically vaccines and Tylenol and autism. I'll put up the post and just read it here.

But he's saying, pregnant women -- that's the only part not in caps. Don't use Tylenol unless absolutely necessary. Don't give Tylenol to your young children for virtually any reason. Then he continues to say, break up the MMR shot into three shots. Don't get a hepatitis B until you're 12. Chickenpox. All these things about vaccines, laying all of this out.

But beginning with "don't take Tylenol is absolutely necessary". And don't give it to your young child for any reason.

I just want to be clear to anybody watching this does not align with the FDA's advice. All right? Even with all of the pressure going on the government, it does not align. And that, by the way, does approve Tylenol use for fevers in women who are pregnant.

I know you have some great frustrations with your brother's tenure at HHS. You have called on him to resign. Is this all even worse than you feared?

KENNEDY: Well, I think let's just talk about this -- this post right now. Would I read from the academy of the of OBGYNs, the largest organization of ob-gyns in this country. The Academy of Pediatrics, the World Health Organization, all called this dangerous advice.

BURNETT: Yeah.

KENNEDY: And said there's absolutely no science behind it. That's one problem.

The second problem is that this is blaming, once again, blaming women. For what? For autism. As though it's their fault because they weren't tough enough during pregnancy. And we have got to get away from blaming. And what we really need to do is fund NIH and fund Harvard and Brown and Penn and Stanford so that they can do the real research and find out why. What causes autism, what really causes autism, and get the science before the American people.

BURNETT: So, in the situation with Jimmy Kimmel, we talk about free speech. Sinclair, Nexstar now reinstating, making it clear they don't -- they don't like it. They would like an ombudsman. They would like a variety of things, but they are reinstating him. And that's going to happen tonight.

You are honoring one of Trump's other late night targets, Stephen Colbert. Who is obviously ending his tenure as a late night host after the RFK human rights organization that you right now are leading, Kerry. Why is this so important to you?

KENNEDY: It's named after my father, not my brother.

BURNETT: Right, right, right. Yes. And we'll be -- RFK, your father?

KENNEDY: Yes.

BURNETT: Why is this so important to you right now?

KENNEDY: Well, you know, I've been working on human rights issues for 45 years. And all around the world, the first targets of autocrats are free speech. It's those who speak up and speak out.

So, Jimmy Kimmel, Colbert, Stephen Colbert, "60 Minutes", CNN -- all of these, "The Wall Street Journal", "The New York Times", all of these have been targeted by the Trump administration. They're trying to intimidate the press. They're trying to intimidate all of us so that we don't say what we know to be true. And that's the most dangerous thing that can happen in a country.

BURNETT: Kerry, thank you very much. I appreciate your time. It's always good to see you.

KENNEDY: Great to be with you. Thank you.

BURNETT: And next, we have breaking news. Trump is calling on Microsoft just moments ago to fire a very specific employee that he doesn't like. So, what's Microsoft going to do? President says he's still got a lot of leverage. He says Microsoft's got a lot of government contracts. Couldn't be more clear than that.

Trump's own former White House lawyer is next.

A NATO drawing a red line, vowing to take down Russian jets if Moscow crosses into its skies again. Finland's president, whose nation borders Russia, telling me what he believes Putin is planning.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[19:49:10]

BURNETT: Breaking news, Trump calling on Microsoft to terminate an employee he doesn't like, railing on social media against Lisa Monaco, who served as deputy attorney general in the Biden administration. She now works as president of global affairs at Microsoft. Trump's post says she's a menace to U.S. national security, especially given the major contracts that Microsoft has with the United States government. He went on to talk about her, quote, many wrongful acts and concluded, it is my opinion that Microsoft should immediately terminate the employment of Lisa Monaco.

You know, obviously no evidence or anything provided in this.

Former Trump White House lawyer Ty Cobb joins me now.

So, Ty, this seems pretty clear. They he wants them to get rid of her and also talks about the major contracts that Microsoft has with the U.S. government, not -- not very veiled here, is it?

TY COBB, FORMER TRUMP WHITE HOUSE LAWYER: No, it's not.

[19:50:00]

And it's interesting that this came out of the blue. You know, there are reports now that Trump has fired Maya Song as the number two, who had been the number two person in the Eastern District of Virginia and who wrote the declination memo with regard to the Comey case. Maya Song was one of Lisa Monaco's aides under the -- within the Biden administration. And that may have -- that may have prompted his attention to her out of the blue today to take this ridiculous attack.

And again, I mean, clearly, he's full of himself and thinks he can take out any of his enemies, given the authoritarian instincts that he has.

BURNETT: Ty, what happens, though, if you're Microsoft? And other companies are looking at this? Okay, it's Microsoft, it's big and it's giant. But he's saying, especially given the major contracts that Microsoft has with the U.S. government, that essentially he is going to direct them to be, you know, contracts to be stripped away and affect the company's bottom line. And, you know, putting the CEO in a position of -- well, to have fiduciary responsibilities to a shareholder, do I have to do what the president says and fire this person?

COBB: Yeah, exactly. Well, I mean, extortion is the way of this administration. I mean, whether it's going after intel, whether its shaking them down for 10 percent, whether it's shaking down law firms, universities, whether it's Todd Blanche, you know, trying to get favorable testimony from Ghislaine Maxwell and put her in a prison where nobody with a -- you know, type of offenses that serious offenses that she was convicted of has ever been before to treat her kindly.

That's -- this is what is going on here. This is a very transactional operation. And, you know, he will exact whatever revenge he can get with regard to Lisa Monaco out of Microsoft.

BURNETT: So you mentioned Maya Song. And just in the context of that, I want to ask you about the person now running the eastern district of Virginia who brought the charges against Comey, against the advice of the career prosecutors inside. And we understand that when it was actually presented to the jury, as you and I talked about last night, the grand jury Lindsey Halligan was in there along with another political appointee, and that their career prosecutors were not present, at least as far as our Evan Perez is reporting.

So, Lindsey Halligan has been on the job now for days as U.S. attorney. She had not prosecuted a case -- has not, right, this -- this -- this will be her first. What do you make of Lindsey Halligan at this point?

COBB: Well, I think this is, you know, ridiculous. I think any former, prosecutor, experienced prosecutor, I mean, I indicted over 300 cases, probably in my time as a federal prosecutor. And I was as nervous the 300th time I walked in in front of a grand jury as I was the first time, because there's so many things you can do that will screw up the case before a grand jury and somebody with four days on the job probably a third of the way through the Department of Justice prosecution manual to go in and try to navigate that, particularly when the grand jury rejects the first count in the indictment, which would have necessitated some very sophisticated lawyering.

You know, from any prosecutor, I'm sure that -- you know, we'll see more about that and more about what happened in the grand jury as this case matures. And I'm sure Comey's lawyers will be digging for that transcript immediately.

BURNETT: Very, very quick final word, Ty. The fact that it was 14 out of 23 that even approved the first two counts is that show weakness, too.

COBB: Well, I think I think you have to take that, you know, at 30,000 feet, it meets the probable cause standard.

BURNETT: Yeah.

COBB: But yes, it's very weak. And the standard, you know, is not going to be 14 out of 23. If this ever gets to trial, it's going to be 12 out of 12. So that suggests that the government has a very, very tough road to hoe.

BURNETT: Yeah. All right. Ty, thank you very much. I appreciate it, on a Friday.

And next, NATO warning it will shoot down Russian planes if Putin violates its airspace. We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[19:58:06]

BURNETT: Tonight, a major warning to Putin. European officials warning the kremlin that NATO is ready to shoot down Russian planes if Putin further violates their airspace as drone and jet sightings over Eastern Europe suspected of coming from Russia, all of them are increasing.

This new video of an object flying away from an airport in Denmark is just in to CNN. Drones also in Norway, three jets in Estonia, drones in Poland and Romanian airspace, and now the U.S. scrambling aircraft interception -- intercept Russian jets and bombers near Alaska.

I spoke about the sightings with Finland's President Alexander Stubb, whose country is a member of NATO, in fact has an 830-mile long border with Russia. President Stubb also happens to be somebody Trump listens to. They bonded over their love of golf, leading "The Wall Street Journal" to write the headline: How Finland's golf loving president got Trump to hear him out on Russia.

Well, I asked President Stubb what he thinks Putin is trying to do with the drone attacks over NATO. Here's what he told me.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PRESIDENT ALEXANDER STUBB, FINLAND: Well, I think Putin's goal is to conduct two types of warfare. One is kinetic and conventional with Ukraine. And the other one is hybrid. And that's with us in the West.

And in hybrid warfare situation, you keep on testing in different ways. If you remember, Christmas Day last year, they had some undersea cables that were cut in the Baltic Sea.

BURNETT: Yeah.

STUBB: We set up NATO, Baltic Sentry, quote/unquote, operation to deter that. And now they're doing the same thing in the air with drones and different ways.

What we need to do in these kinds of situations is two things. One, we stay calm. That's the Finnish way of doing things.

BURNETT: Yeah.

STUBB: And second, we make sure that we attribute when necessary and build up defenses so that it doesn't happen again. But the key here is not to overreact. And I think that's the most important.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BURNETT: Well, that was President Alexander Stubb of Finland. And that was actually part of a really fascinating conversation about a lot of things with Putin and Trump. And you can watch the entire interview on X. Go to @OutFrontCNN to see President Stubb.

And thanks so much for joining us on this Friday.

"AC360" starts now.