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Erin Burnett Outfront
Trump Bails Out Ally With $20B Amid U.S. Shutdown; Dozens Of Airports Refuse To Play DHS Video Blaming Dems For Shutdown; Nearly Every News Outlet, Including Fox News, Rejects Pentagon Pledge; New Details About Secret Ghislaine Maxwell Meeting At Prison Camp. Aired 7-8p ET
Aired October 14, 2025 - 19:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[19:00:28]
ERIN BURNETT, CNN HOST: OUTFRONT next:
Trump's $20 billion bailout for his friend, the president of Argentina. America's farmers though are paying a steep price. Why this lifeline for another country?
Plus, more airports saying no to Kristi Noem, refusing to air her video blaming airport delays on Democrats. The executive who oversees one of the airports that's pushing back is OUTFRONT tonight.
And top secret meeting. Why did prison officials lock down the entire facility so that Jeffrey Epstein's convicted accomplice, Ghislaine Maxwell, could have a meeting in the chapel? And who was it with?
Well, guess what? We're talking to someone who's talking to a lot of people inside that prison.
Let's go OUTFRONT.
And good evening. I'm Erin Burnett.
OUTFRONT tonight, bailout, Trump giving the man he says is his biggest fan, Argentina's Javier Milei $20 billion.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REPORTER: How is this Argentina rescue package America First? And is this rescue package meant to help President Milei's party in the coming election?
DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: No, it's helped. It's really meant to help a good financial philosophy.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BURNETT: Well, sort of a vague answer.
Trump did not give a lot of details, and he did not mention, of course, the personal aspect to this. Trump has said Milei is his biggest fan, and Milei's office says that Trump called him his, quote, "favorite president" after Trump was reelected. In fact, Milei was one of only a few world leaders on stage with Trump for his inauguration.
Milei, in fact, was the one who gave Elon Musk that infamous chainsaw. Remember, though, chainsaw? That was Milei there. Maybe at the time no one realized it. Former rock star giving Musk that chainsaw, which symbolized Musk slashing the government.
And Milei does support some of Trump's most core beliefs, slashing government spending is one of those things. He has also slammed what Milei calls the, quote, mental virus of woke ideology. Well, that is music to Trump's ears.
And all of that together has paid off now to the tune of $20 billion, which is a great return on investment for Milei. But what about the United States? Because it is a very basic and a very simple question. Yet here is how Trump describes how an American bailout of Argentina in the middle of a government shutdown, no less, serves America's national interests.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: I mean, we don't have to do it. It's not going to make a big difference for our country.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BURNETT: Well, now, to say it's not going to make a going to make a big difference for our country, $20 billion, right? When they were going for DOGE looking for $100,000 here and there, that really just doesn't add up. That's very important to point out. And $20 billion is a lot of money in that context.
So, explaining why it is important to America is key, especially because of this government shutdown, but also because this bailout will make a big difference for American farmers. Just look at this image of a message that Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent received in a group that came from the Trump Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins.
Bessent was at the U.N., so someone sees this on his phone, you know, maybe he's got his readers in a super big font so they're able to photograph it and it reads, "Just a heads up. I'm getting more intel, but this is highly unfortunate. We bailed out Argentina yesterday, and in return, the Argentines removed their export tariffs on grains, reduced their price and sold a bunch of soybeans to China at a time when we would normally be selling to China. Soy prices dropping further because of it. This gives China more leverage on us."
So, wait, that is from one cabinet secretary to another and a private message saying that the Argentine bailout that Trump did of Argentina is helping China?
Well, that lays out a big problem, which is that Trump's agriculture secretary, when you look at this says Trump -- well, bailed out Argentina and then Argentina sold a whole lot of soybeans to China -- by the way, soybeans that China is not buying from America, that it would ordinarily be buying from American farmers. And there is precedent for deep concern here. Trump helped Argentina
secure a $50 billion bailout back in 2018. After that, inflation in Argentina surged more than 50 percent, unemployment spiked. The whole thing crashed down.
Back in 2018, if you went to -- wanted to get 1 peso, now it's going to be 1,350 pesos to get a dollar. Back then it was 25 pesos for a dollar, 25 pesos for a dollar. Now, almost 1,400. That is a crisis of epic proportions after a $50 billion bailout.
But now, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent is busy touting the deal.
[19:05:01]
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SCOTT BESSENT, TREASURY SECRETARY: They went from one of the richest countries in the world to a ton of debt, and I think that with the bridge, the U.S. is giving them and the strong policies that Argentina can be great again.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BURNETT: He wants Argentina to be great again. And yeah, you know, we don't want to mock that because it is true at its core that American greatness depends on the strength of its allies. That is what the entire business of the world is, and that is what globalism is about. But it is only right to demand answers on why Argentina, when other American allies are given the cold shoulder.
Kristen Holmes is OUTFRONT live outside the White House.
And, Kristen, this isn't just about propping up Argentina's economy, right? It's supporting someone. Also, in the case of Javier Milei, someone who has had Trump's back.
KRISTEN HOLMES, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Yeah, Erin, that's right. And President Trump made that very clear today. I mean, he essentially said over and over again that this $20 billion lifeline to Argentina was all contingent on Milei winning his midterm election, that the money goes away if Milei goes away. He at one point we even heard the secretary of treasury, Scott Bessent, saying that the predicate for this money was these specific policies that were tied to Milei.
So, this isn't just about the economy and propping up parts of the economy, as though president Trump is saying it's also about propping up ideas and support from someone like Milei, who has had President Trump's back on a number of occasions.
Now, it's interesting you talk about the soybeans in China, President Trump was distinctly asked, directly asked about that, and asked specifically if China was trying to drive a wedge between Argentina and the United States. And he said yes. He thought it was natural to try and drive a wedge. He didn't think Argentina should do business, but maybe a little bit of trade. But then he said he really didn't think they should do business when it came to military equipment or anything, regarding the military, which is unrelated to these soybeans and to these American farmers.
And it was really unclear what exactly he was talking about. So, we've asked for more answers on that. If there was some kind of deal that Argentina is now doing with the United States when it comes to that, but really no reference again ever clearly stating why this was, quote/unquote, America First, as you heard that reporter ask, and instead linking this directly to Milei's ideology.
BURNETT: Yeah. And obviously requiring no leap of analysis to do so, doing it directly himself, as you point out. Kristen, thank you very much.
And I want to begin our coverage now with the Democratic Congressman Ro Khanna.
Congressman, I got to ask you about this because $20 billion happening in the middle of a shutdown, obviously without congressional involvement is something. But Trump just posted in the past few seconds while Kristen was speaking this on social media, Javier Milei has my complete and total endorsement. He will not let you down. All caps make Argentina great again.
So, what do you think is happening here? What is make Argentina great again?
REP. RO KHANNA (D-CA): Well, I wish he was focused on making America strong. He's had failed economic policies. First, he creates a trade disaster with China, where our farmers aren't being able to sell soybeans. I was just in China two weeks ago, and he's created a situation where now China is buying soybeans from Argentina, and then we're giving them $20 billion instead of to our farmers or to American citizens who are struggling with higher grocery prices. We're giving them money to Argentina that's had failed economic policies.
I mean, Milei has had austerity politics, cutting government spending, firing people, and we're bailing him out instead of helping the American people. And this is why the president's numbers on the economy are in the tank.
BURNETT: Congressman, why do you think Trump is doing this, then?
KHANNA: Well, look, he has a clear view of governance, which is he helps his friends and he punishes his enemies. It's sort of the Carl Schmitt philosophy of politics, and there's nothing more to it.
But he sold the American people on lowering prices on day one. He sold the American people that he's a business guy, that he's going to get the economy moving, and he's done nothing for Americas farmers. Grocery prices are up.
You know what I would do with that? $20 billion? I would give that money to the American people who have had 26 percent increase in coffee tariffs and coffee prices because of the irrational tariffs on coffees. Don Bacon and I have a bill to repeal the coffee tariffs. He's made food prices go up. He's hurting America's farmers. And then
he's giving the money away to Argentina, where adding insult to injury by then taking the business away from American farmers and selling it to China.
BURNETT: You know, I also wonder about it coming in the middle of a shutdown, because you're talking to us from Capitol Hill, but the House is not in session. The House is not in session because the speaker will not bring it into session. And obviously, when it comes into session, he has to swear in the newest member the Democratic soon to be Congressman Adelita Grijalva from Arizona.
[19:10:06]
And that would mean a vote on the Epstein files. And then out come the Epstein files if this goes the way that everyone anticipates it will, which is passing easily.
So, what's happening here? Congress isn't in session. You got a congresswoman not able to be seated. President signing bailout packages of other countries. Does congress have any role in running this ship?
KHANNA: Well, it's disgraceful. We've been out since September 23rd. We should have been voting today on paying the military, the troops.
By the way, the president found money for that. That's $8 billion. Just to put this in context, this is three pay periods for Americas troops, the $20 billion bailout. And the only reason that we're not voting on anything in Congress is because Speaker Johnson doesn't want to swear in Adelita Grijalva, because she would be the 218 signature on Thomas Massie and my discharge petition to force a vote on the Epstein files that has bipartisan support. Marjorie Taylor Greene, Nancy Mace, Lauren Boebert, and would get probably 270 to 280 votes.
And what's offensive to me is not just that he's delaying that vote, but that he has shut down Congress. And we're not voting on anything, including the pay of military troops, because he's so afraid of these Epstein files coming out.
So, it is dysfunctional, but the American people are seeing it. And I think that what they're really upset about is the economy, because a lot of people held their nose. They voted for Donald Trump. They didn't like everything about him. But they said, this guy is going to bring down our prices. He understands the economy.
And now, they're seeing him giving bailouts to failed economic policy in Argentina.
BURNETT: All right. Thank you very much, Congressman Khanna. I appreciate your time, as always. Appreciate it.
KHANNA: Thank you.
BURNETT: Max Rose and S.E. Cupp are here with me now.
S.E., so you hear what Congressman Khanna is saying about Grijalva. The minute she's sworn in, the Epstein files come out.
S.E. CUPP, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Right.
BURNETT: This is one of the more bizarre turns that that pretty much everybody who knows everything, if they're honest, is saying it is what it looks like.
CUPP: Yeah.
BURNETT: They don't want the Epstein files.
CUPP: Yeah.
BURNETT: Maybe a year or so ago, you'd say something like that would go in the land of conspiracy theories that would shut down Congress over the Epstein files.
CUPP: Right.
BURNETT: But this seems to be accepted fact.
CUPP: The math is real good on this. Okay? They need 218 votes. They have 217. They're waiting on one more, right? There's no conspiracy here. This is what -- this is what's happening.
And Mike Johnson has said everything under the sun as to why he has not sworn her in yet. I wrote them all down because I can't remember them on my own. Because it's --
BURNETT: Is it Scott Bessent size labyrinth? Take a picture --
CUPP: He said he'd swear her in as soon as she wants. Then it was as soon as she wanted and refused to. Then he said it was as soon as the House was back in session. Then it was as soon as Democrats voted to end the shutdown. Then it was just a scheduling matter.
He was asked on NewsNation why not swear her in pro forma like the house did for two other Republican members? And he said, well, that was different. They had had their families and friends fly in for the event.
So, then he was asked, okay, what if she has her family and friends fly in for the event? And then tomorrow, guess what they got? They're on a plane. And then he goes, well, this is a distraction.
So, I mean, this is so silly and people aren't stupid. And the problem for Mike Johnson is it's not just Democrats wanting the Epstein files released. It's MAGA wanting the Epstein files released. So they're getting real frustrated.
BURNETT: The Epstein files are bipartisan.
MAX ROSE (D), FORMER U.S. CONGRESSMAN: Sure.
CUPP: Yeah.
ROSE: Sure, at a moment --
BURNETT: As they should be. By the way, we're talking about holding people accountable for pedophilia.
ROSE: Yeah, I didn't know when this became a partisan issue. And this is at a moment where bipartisanship is extraordinarily rare.
But I think there's also something going on here. Donald Trump has made it so clear that he doesn't -- he wants to move past the Epstein files.
BURNETT: Right.
ROSE: Boebert standing up to him. Marjorie Taylor Greene, and so -- Massie. Massie, we're kind of used to standing up to him now, but the others, not so much. They're seeing cracks in the coalition, cracks in the support, because the base that Donald Trump so needs to win the midterms, they're upset.
Affordability still a crisis. They're not taking care of veterans. They're bailing out Argentina. When people are suffering here at home, they're pissed. And they will always -- the Boeberts and Greenes of the world will always put their own political fortunes ahead of Donald Trump's. Thats why they're voting for this.
BURNETT: Marjorie Taylor Greene has been something to watch on this particular issue, taking on -- calling out directly the leaders in her own party why Congress is out of session on wanting the Epstein files. Livid about the shutdown.
She said to "The Washington Post" that she's getting angry texts from Johnson now about all of this. And so, here's what she said: Whereas President Trump has a strong, dominant style, he's not weak at all. A lot of men here in the House are weak. There's a lot of weak Republican men, and they're more afraid of strong Republican women. So they always try to marginalize the strong Republican women that actually want to do something and actually want to achieve.
[19:15:01]
CUPP: Listen, she's half right, okay? And I'm something of a historian when it comes to the great emasculation of the Republican Party. Okay?
She is right. The men in the Republican Party are weak. They're not weak up against women. They're weak up against Trump.
They have always been afraid to stand up to Trump. She is right. They've been weak since the beginning. They've been weak since Mike Pence, the world's biggest budget deficit hawk, decided to not care about the budget and the deficit anymore because Trump told him not to.
I mean, you could go through strong guy, a principled guy after principled guy who completely abandoned principles to carry Trump's water. She's right about that. I don't get the woman part, except she wants it to be about her. But
she is correct. This is a very weak party of Republican men who cannot do their jobs.
BURNETT: And maybe that comment comes down to the Epstein files, right? Where the Republicans who are standing up and going along with that discharge petition, other than Massie, of course. But, I mean, you have Boebert, you have Mace, you have Marjorie Taylor Greene, right? It is the Republican women.
And there's probably a lot of men sitting there going, what the -- did I do on this? I'm on the wrong side. But, you know, you've got Chuck Grassley of Iowa. He's mad about the soybeans, right. And that's a specific hit to be angry.
You've got Alex Jones now not elected. But in MAGA influencer land, angry about Trump's -- the Trump administration's failure on legal issues.
I wanted to play what he said to Tucker the other day. Here he is.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ALEX JONES, RADIO HOST: Todd Blanche, dye in the wool top Democrat. He lost all the cases for Trump criminally. And from what I've heard, Bondi's not bad. She's just lazy. Bongino's emotional and a big baby. You know, Patel is compromised, and it's just so sad.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BURNETT: I mean, I don't know what he would say about Lindsey Halligan. He didn't get there. That's torching -- torching Trump's DOJ.
Blanche was the one, by the way, who went down and had the special one on one with Ghislaine Maxwell.
ROSE: Sure.
BURNETT: Right.
Deputy attorney general. What does that mean?
ROSE: You know, this is the base that Donald Trump created and the midterms are not too far away. And midterm elections are always about base mobilization. That's why the Democrats are favored in the midterms, because their base is really energized right now.
And when you see the core of Donald Trump's base turning on him, it tells you everything you need to know about whose side the momentum is on right now. So, Donald Trump is saying they're winning the shutdown. These things are happening while they're losing.
BURNETT: Do they add up? I mean, Joe Rogan saying you can't have a heart and be okay with what we're seeing on immigration?
CUPP: Yeah.
BURNETT: Tucker Carlson talking about the First Amendment and fascism you had. Right. All of these are different issues, right? Alex Jones -- they're all different. Historically, when they get Epstein, there's been a lot of anger.
CUPP: Yeah.
BURNETT: Historically, something happens and eventually everybody comes running back in livid about all of it. She's livid about the Qatari air force facility.
CUPP: Exactly right.
BURNETT: Do they come running back?
CUPP: Just a few months ago, all these same people were really mad at the Iran strikes. This isn't what we voted for. Then they got really mad at the Elon Musk feud.
BURNETT: Yes.
CUPP: Get these guys back together. They always come home. Why? There's nowhere else for them to go. It's not like anyone's going to talk about Laura Loomer and Tucker Carlson and Marjorie Taylor Greene voting for Democrats suddenly, right?
They're always going to return home. So, these people, these MAGA influencers are calling out Trump for their subscribers, for the grift, for the money they have to do that. Are they going anywhere else? I don't think so.
And I wouldn't put too much stock in the, you know, the dissolution of the MAGA base come midterms. There's still -- there's still, I think, in a much better position than Democrats are.
ROSE: Donald Trump has always struggled when he's not on the ballot. And that was when he's --
CUPP: Yes, because he doesn't care.
ROSE: Right. That was when these folks were behind him. This is such a horrific sign for the Republicans in the midterms.
BURNETT: Well, he's endorsed Javier Milei on his upcoming ballot. So glad to know where he stands on Argentina.
ROSE: Twenty billion dollars to Argentina, it could have been used to address the affordability crisis.
BURNETT: I also think it's so fascinating how he said it's nothing. And sure, in some sense it's nothing. But in a world where you have a shutdown and $8 billion just had to be found to pay Americas troops, to say 20 billion is nothing is --
CUPP: Crazy. BURNETT: -- tone deaf.
ROSE: The Democrats should be weaponizing it.
CUPP: Yeah.
BURNETT: Thank you both.
And next, breaking news, airports across the country taking a stand, refusing to play this particular video from the Trump administration.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KRISTI NOEM, DHS SECRETARY: Democrats in Congress refuse to fund the federal government.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BURNETT: The executive of an airport who is also refusing to play the video is OUTFRONT and new breaking details about the John Bolton investigation and what prosecutors are looking at tonight. Charges do appear imminent for Bolton, yet another enemy of Trump.
And silver, guess what? Even hotter than gold, hitting its first record since the 1980s. But what does silver have to do with the Wizard of Oz?
[19:20:00]
Harry Enten tells us something we don't know.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BURNETT: Breaking news, more airports are revolting against Kristi Noem, the Department of Homeland Security secretary, of course. Dallas-Fort Worth, the largest airport in Texas, telling "Axios" it will not play a video of the homeland security secretary, a video which blames Democrats for the government shutdown.
Now, Dallas-Fort Worth is just the latest in a growing list. Look at that list. Across the country, dozens of airports across America, including some of the biggest. When you look at Hartsfield in Atlanta, JFK in New York, saying they will not play this video that DHS wants shown and they want it shown at security lines right where you are stuck, waiting and forced to watch it when there are so many delays because of weather, and let's be honest, because of the shutdown, which has caused all sorts of staffing shortages.
[19:25:12]
Here's a clip of the video.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
NOEM: It is TSA's top priority to make sure that you have the most pleasant and efficient airport experience as possible while we keep you safe. However, Democrats in Congress refuse to fund the federal government, and because of this, many of our operations are impacted.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BURNETT: OUTFRONT now, Ken Jenkins, he is the executive of Westchester County Airport, which is just outside New York City, Westchester County. That county owns the Westchester airport, which is not playing Noem's video.
So, Ken, obviously, as I said, you're the executive at Westchester County. So, the airport is under your purview in that capacity. Why did you make the decision to not play that video in Westchester Airport?
KEN JENKINS (D), WESTCHESTER COUNTY, NY EXECUTIVE: Well, we reviewed the request from homeland security, and it was just unacceptable, inappropriate for a senior member of the federal government to be talking that way about security. We would not have that happen. It was unacceptable and not proper for us to do.
BURNETT: Okay. Now others have reached that conclusion. I showed the map right coast to coast, right? The major airports have done this. Smaller airports have done it.
Some -- but airport spokespeople have talked about it. They've said -- pointed to the Hatch Act, which says that you can't as a federal employee, make political statements and that that's their issue with the video.
But you are the executive of all of Westchester County, right? You're not a spokesperson for the Westchester airport.
JENKINS: Nope.
BURNETT: You're putting your face on this, and you and you just said, right, you're not going to play it because it's inappropriate.
JENKINS: It's inappropriate.
BURNETT: And you're being very clear. Given what's happening in Washington, are you worried about retribution?
JENKINS: Well, no, we're not worried about retribution, quite frankly. Again, there should be no retribution about this at all. We should not have. We should -- nonpartisan.
This is about airport security. It's about making sure that people are safe and secure. And my number one job as Westchester County executive is making sure everyone has a safe and secure experience going through everywhere.
We played Secretary Noem's PSAs before. There's one playing right now about real ID, which is what they asked us to replace that with, with a partisan attack on government. That's not the way that we should be doing that. We should be working together to make sure that every passenger, again, with all --
BURNETT: Well, it's fact-based about what is real ID and what you need to know, whatever you play Kristi Noem.
JENKINS: Exactly.
BURNETT: It's not about Kristi Noem. It's about what's being said, right? Okay.
So, there are questions about how much legal authority DHS will have to force airports to play it, right? There, obviously, being given pretty much an overwhelming "see you later, no" across the country. But if they say this is a mandate, you have to show it.
Are you legally within your rights not to show it? Have you even, you know, gotten legal counsel on this?
JENKINS: Well, our county attorney, John Nonna, has taken a look at this. And again, it was a request from Homeland Security to replace a real ID video with this particular one.
And again, the partisan attacks. That is not how we should be operating. We should really be working together to make sure that we're going to have the best experience and a challenging environment.
We have TSA officers not getting paid. We should be trying to do everything to help support them through this process.
BURNETT: How serious are the issues right now with air travel because of the shutdown, especially at the current time? We don't know of any high level negotiations going on. There doesn't seem to be any end in sight.
JENKINS: Well, it is a significant issue. And again, further down the road it goes, the more impact it has for us, whether it's about food security, whether it's about the cruelty of things that are happening. The truth is, again, that should not be Homeland Security's issue.
Right now, we should be making sure that the government is not utilizing its particular bully pulpit to try to suggest that one party or another is responsible for the things that are going on in the political world.
So again, it was inappropriate, unacceptable. And that's why we're not playing it. And I don't know that we can be forced to play that. I mean, we'll just pull out the plugs if we have to do that.
But I don't think that's necessary. Again, we took a stand and again, we're not worried about retribution because the traveling public needs to understand they're safe and the people doing their jobs at TSA and helping to support them.
BURNETT: Ken Jenkins, thank you very much. Executive for Westchester County. Appreciate your time.
And next, nearly every media outlet, including Fox News, refusing to sign on to Pete Hegseth's new reporting rules. So, what happens now?
Plus, a top secret meeting. Why did prison officials reportedly lock down the entire facility so Jeffrey Epsteins convicted accomplice, Ghislaine Maxwell, could have a meeting in the chapel? We have new details tonight from inside that prison.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[19:34:22]
BURNETT: Breaking news, Pentagon reporters from almost every single American media outlet, including Fox, about to hand over their press passes, all in protest over Secretary Pete Hegseth's new restrictions, which would prevent reporters from doing their jobs, which is to seek tips and information from U.S. officials. Even Hegseth's former employer Fox News calls the ultimatum an unprecedented threat.
President Trump, though, endorses Hegseth's decision, giving this warning for the White House Press Corps.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: We could move them. You're lucky I'm president because we could move them very easily across the street. They used to be there.
[19:35:00]
They would have more room. We have a beautiful, nice space. You could sit all by yourselves and have fun. Instead, you walk around the White House talking to anybody that can breathe.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BURNETT: Brian Stelter is OUTFRONT.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BRIAN STELTER, CNN CHIEF MEDIA ANALYST (voice-over): Sites like this --
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Good afternoon, everybody.
STELTER (voice-over): -- are almost never seen at the Pentagon anymore.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's team has stopped holding regular Pentagon briefings, and they've started posting video on social media instead.
KINGSLEY WILSON, PENTAGON PRESS SECRETARY: I'm Pentagon Press Secretary Kingsley Wilson, and welcome to the DOW's weekly situation report.
STELTER (voice-over): Hegseth seems to want reporters to toe the same line and repeat the same talking points.
This year, his press office has expelled many news outlets from longtime Pentagon workspaces and barred reporters from many parts of the building without an escort. And now, they're going even further. PETE HEGSETH, DEFENSE SECRETARY: We're trying to make sure national
security is respected, and we're proud of the policy.
STELTER (voice-over): What Hegseth calls common sense press advocates call an unprecedented attack. Hegseth is championing new rules for press passes that, quote, appear to violate the First Amendment, according to the association for Pentagon reporters.
WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: This is about as packed a news conference as I've ever seen here at the Pentagon.
STELTER (voice-over): Those reporters have been working from inside the U.S. military headquarters for decades.
BARBARA STARR, FORMER CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: The Pentagon also made it very clear earlier today what their exact goal was, making absolutely no bones about it. It is to get the current regime out of power.
STELTER (voice-over): Asking questions on behalf of the public.
REPORTER: Do you commit to making that review public?
STELTER (voice-over): And holding officials accountable.
LLOYD AUSTIN, FORMER DEFENSE SECRETARY: I want to be crystal clear. We did not handle this right.
STELTER (voice-over): But Hegseth, bedeviled by leaks, is trying to stop reporters from talking to sources.
HEGSETH: Time and time again, classified information is leaked or peddled for political purposes to try to make the president look bad.
STELTER (voice-over): Media lawyers say the new rules for accessing the pentagon would criminalize journalism. So today, in a rare show of solidarity, the country's five biggest TV networks said no. CNN, ABC, NBC, CBS, even Fox News all saying, quote, "The policy is without precedent and threatens core journalistic protections." Dozens of other outlets also refusing to sign the papers, which means they'll lose access.
This week, Hegseth waving goodbye with these emojis on social media. But as the networks all said today, quote, "We will continue to cover the U.S. military as each of our organizations has done for many decades, upholding the principles of a free and independent press."
(END VIDEOTAPE)
STELTER: The backdrop here is obvious the president and his deputies, like Hegseth, they want to promote propaganda and punish real reporting. But the work will continue. Dozens of journalists declining to sign this letter today. But they will continue to cover the Pentagon and cover the military from outside the Pentagon's walls. You know, earlier today, Erin, the U.S. military had yet another
strike on a boat alleged to be trafficking drugs off the coast of Venezuela. The U.S. military keeps releasing these unclassified videos showing off the bombing, showing off the explosions. But we never hear about the people that were actually on board.
So, what did "The New York Times" do the other week? Traveled to Venezuela, tried to interview people on the ground. That's the kind of real reporting that were going to need to see more of, even as Hegseth pushes reporters out of the Pentagon.
BURNETT: All right. Brian, thank you very much.
And obviously, extremely significant in light of all of these developments.
Also breaking tonight, we are learning that the DOJ's investigation into John Bolton includes diary-like notes that Bolton was making to himself in an AOL email account. Sources say that these were real time summaries of what he was experiencing as Trump's national security advisor.
Now prosecutors are working, we understand, to finalize an indictment against Bolton for allegedly mishandling classified information. Unlike the recent indictments of James Comey and Letitia James, we're told, career prosecutors are on board with this case, which does make it obviously night and day from those.
OUTFRONT now, Democratic Senator Richard Blumenthal, a member of the Armed Services and Judiciary Committees.
Senator, I appreciate your time.
On this John Bolton indictment, is there any doubt in your mind that it is imminent, given the reporting that career prosecutors do appear to be on board with it?
SEN. RICHARD BLUMENTHAL (D-CT): I'll believe it when I see it, and I will give credit to whatever the charges are when I have a chance to see what the evidence is. But the two most recent indictments against Comey and James certainly indicate to me that Donald Trump and his avenger, the attorney general, Pam Bondi, are weaponizing the Department of Justice, using it for vanity and vengeance, not law and facts.
And that's why I've proposed a sweeping reform giving defendants' rights if they are acquitted against the officials that have maliciously or selectively charged them, and also reforms in the grand jury, more transparency, a set of really major reforms that will stop these political prosecutions.
[19:40:00]
BURNETT: So, special counsel Jack Smith spoke out for the first time, actually, since ending his investigations of President Trump. So, it was significant that that he's -- you know, he's been very much
under the radar. But he spoke out, and I wanted to play for you, Senator, what he said about the Trump DOJ bringing these cases against people that Trump has made very clear, he sees as enemies.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JACK SMITH, FORMER SPECIAL COUNSEL: If there's rules in the department about how to bring a case, follow those rules. You can't say, I want this outcome. Let me throw the rules out.
That's why, frankly, you see all these conflicts between the career apolitical prosecutors I worked with because they're being asked to do things that they think are wrong. And when they're told, no, you got to get this outcome no matter what, that is so contrary to how we were all raised as prosecutors.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BURNETT: I mean, Trump is now calling for you to be investigated over allegations that you lied about your military service during Vietnam. He posted, and I quote, "Justice should be sought."
I mean, in the context of all of these investigations and, you know, Trump has said criminal investigations into people like Soros and other Democratic fundraisers, right? A lot of -- a lot of possible criminal investigations. Have you seen any signs that they're investigating you?
BLUMENTHAL: None. And there is no basis for an investigation.
The reason for Donald Trump lashing out at me is very simply, he doesn't want to answer questions about how he is prosecuting political enemies or personal adversaries, or dropping prosecutions against one of the top staffers in the Department of Homeland security who accepted a bag of cash or ending grants to local police for law enforcement purposes.
And I am doing my job as a member of the United States Senate Judiciary Committee in asking tough questions about the targeting of adversaries or enemies based on personal or political reasons, which is totally contrary to the ethos, tradition, and the rules of the department of justice.
That's one of the reasons why my reform package would actually codify those rules, put them in the statutes so that the Department of Justice is insulated against this kind of very improper and unprecedented political influence.
BURNETT: Senator Blumenthal, thank you very much. I appreciate your time tonight.
BLUMENTHAL: Thank you.
BURNETT: And next, from top secret meetings to blowouts, wait until you hear the special treatment that Jeffrey Epstein's former accomplice, Ghislaine Maxwell, is getting in prison. And you may just say, did I really just say blowouts? I did.
Plus, silver hitting a new high. What's fueling the surge? And what does silver have to do with the Wizard of Oz? Harry Enten is here to tell us something we don't know.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[19:47:07]
BURNETT: Tonight, new details about a top secret meeting involving Jeffrey Epstein's accomplice and former girlfriend, Ghislaine Maxwell, inside her minimum security prison in Texas. That meeting, which was held at the prison chapel and led to a facility wide lockdown, was first reported by "The Wall Street Journal".
But our next guest, federal prison consultant Sam Mangel, has clients inside the Texas prison alongside Maxwell. He's got some new information to share with us tonight about that meeting, along with a lot more details about what's happening to Maxwell inside there.
Remember, Maxwell was moved to this prison after two meetings with Trump's DOJ, right? Had all those meetings. And then suddenly, without precedent, without warning, suddenly was moved here, raising serious questions about why a convicted child sex offender would be housed there.
By the way, it's in a residential community. There's no bars. It's just not where you put a sex offender.
OUTFRONT now, Sam Mangel.
And, Sam, you know, obviously, you've got multiple clients inside this facility. And I know you speak to them and to those close with them regularly. What are you hearing about that unusual meeting?
SAM MANGEL, FEDERAL PRISON CONSULTANT: I've represented a number of clients who are very high profile, some of who had visitors that traveled with their own security detail. At no point have they ever had a visit, whether a legal visit or a traditional visit, where there was a camp-wide lockdown, where they actually stopped all workers from going outside of the units, while a visit was occurring.
Plus, I also understand that when the visitors came, they were brought through a back entrance so that there was no visibility whatsoever between the dorms, where the women live and the actual visiting area.
BURNETT: So you're saying in all of your experience, you've never heard of anything like this, but you're also describing details here of a complete facility-wide lockdown. That no one was even allowed to leave their dorm room, right? No one was even -- whatever job they may have had on campus or anything that they would have been doing, I mean, just a complete lockdown?
MANGEL: One hundred percent lockdown. Anybody that has a job, if you're in food services, if an orderly maintenance, it was a complete facility-wide lockdown while she had that visit and the best analogy I'm being given by my clients or the families of clients because clients themselves are a bit skittish to speak directly to, to me or anyone --
BURNETT: I understand.
MANGEL: -- because phone calls and emails are subject to being monitored is they're treating Maxwell more like she's the guest at a hotel, as opposed to the other people. Inmates at a federal prison.
BURNETT: More like a guest of the hotel. I mean, you know, "The Wall Street Journal" talked about, you know, they had this anecdote, it reads she got her hair done, a cut just above the shoulder, a dark mahogany dye job and a blowout at the facilities prisoner run salon where inmates can earn credit towards cosmetology certificates.
[19:50:05]
She began visiting the cafeteria where she received vegetarian meals. What? What are you hearing about -- that certainly comports with what you just described, right, more as a guest of a hotel. But what other things are you learning about?
MANGEL: At this point, what I'm being told is that she is absolutely being segregated, whether it's for showers, for rec time, people are staying away from her, both voluntarily as an inmate. But the staff themselves are really walking on tip toes when they're dealing with her.
It's a very unusual treatment. And something, again, that I've never seen, even representing some extremely high-profile people.
BURNETT: And so, what do your clients think is going on here, especially in light of that meeting, which I mean is truly astounding, right? The whole place shut down. No one could leave their room to see who came in. They come in in secret, in the back, go in the chapel.
What do they understand or think is going on?
MANGEL: So understand that when you're in prison, there's a lot of gossip and scuttlebutt. So naturally, when you have a meeting like that, the natural inclination is okay. She's meeting to get a pardon. She's meeting someone so high up that requires so much privacy and secrecy that it has to be something to do surrounding clemency or pardon.
Whether that's true or not, I have no idea. But that would be the natural feeling throughout the institution.
BURNETT: Yeah. And certainly, I mean, it raises a lot of questions. The fact that she's even there to begin with, right, is in that line of thought.
Sam, I really appreciate and thank you so much for sharing all of this with us.
MANGEL: Thank you, Erin. BURNETT: And next, what do silver, which is hitting record highs and
the Wizard of Oz have in common? Harry Enten is next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[19:56:37]
BURNETT: Tonight, silver stealing the spotlight from gold today, hitting a new record, soaring above $53 an ounce for the first time ever. Maybe it's because gold got so outrageously expensive per ounce, but silver is up 75 percent this year, I mean, that is incredible, right? One hundred percent is doubling and that surpasses its previous peak back in 1980. And obviously inflation was pretty terrible around that time.
Harry Enten is here to tell us something we don't know.
So, Harry, silver surging. We're at 45 years ago --
HARRY ENTEN, CNN CHIEF DATA ANALYST: Yeah.
BURNETT: -- to go back to where this was. How does it compare to gold?
ENTEN: Yeah, it is outlasting gold. And more than that, what I think is so important to note is not only is it outlasting gold, it is doing so much better than the U.S. dollar is doing.
And I think that's what's so important to keep in mind here. One of the things to keep in mind of one of the reasons why silver is surging is because the U.S. dollar. Look at that. Its down on the year compared to other currencies down 9 percent.
And of course, the reason, one of the big reasons --
BURNETT: Really, by the way, relatively horrific.
ENTEN: Yes. It's terrible. It's terrible. And so, people want to go in and want to own something that's actually hard. You know, it's a gauge. It's a -- it's a guard against hyperinflation.
And so, the fact that the dollar is doing so bad, oftentimes when gold rises, silver rises as well. We saw that, you know, with the 19 -- late 1970s rise in both. And we're seeing it right now here today.
BURNETT: And so, I mean, is that really what's behind the surge? I mean, I guess in a sense, right. The real, real concern about whether the U.S. dollar is worth what it used to be frankly, id say widespread belief that it isn't worth what it used to be.
And also, that gold is now so expensive per ounce. Does that play a role?
ENTEN: Yeah, of course, it plays a role. And oftentimes, you know, people, the wealthier folks and banks will go into gold. And then the common folk will go into silver, right? During times where there's fears of hyperinflation.
But that's not all that's going on here, right. So, what's also going on is silver is a very important conductor of electricity. And there's a large belief that silver will play a very important role in all these data centers that are going up to basically fuel the A.I. surge, right?
So what I looked at was how much is silver up compared to when ChatGPT truly became public. And what you see is look at the rise in silver. It is absolutely tremendous.
BURNETT: Wow.
ENTEN: Look at that up 138 percent.
BURNETT: Almost tripling.
ENTEN: Yes, since of course, ChatGPT had its public launch in late November of 2022. So yes, it is a gauge. A guard against hyperinflation, but it is also something looking towards the future as A.I. begins to take off.
BURNETT: And that which is crucial. All right, we know the ruby red slippers from "The Wizard of Oz". In the "Wicked" movie, though the shoes are silver nod to the original.
Tell us something that we don't know.
ENTEN: Okay, I will tell you something that you don't know. The reason why some people believe that the shoes were silver in the original book, as well as in "Wicked", is because the idea was that, in fact, it was a hidden meaning, essentially. Of course, what we're seeing in the late 18th, the late 1800s, the late 19th century, was that we were going to go over to a gold standard.
And the idea essentially was Frank Baum was saying, you know what? I don't want to go over to a gold standard. What I want is actually silver to be part of the standard in which we have in the United States as well. And I think you have some ruby red slippers over there?
BURNETT: I was a big fan of Dorothy. By the way, I love Gregory Maguire's book too, "Wicked", but a big fan of Dorothy. And my mother, so much so, she always gave me red shoes. So, I have these special little red shoes that were given to me by mother. They're ornaments.
ENTEN: I love those.
BURNETT: Yes, these are my special ruby red slippers.
ENTEN: I like those.
BURNETT: And did you notice that on the bottom of these? Hold on. Let me put the camera -- gold.
ENTEN: There -- there's gold. There's nothing like gold. BURNETT: Real gold, Harry. Real Gold.
ENTEN: Real gold. Real gold.
There's nothing like gold. And there's no place like home.
BURNETT: Yeah, there is no place like home, which, in fact, is where it is time for Harry and I to head.
ENTEN: Goodbye.
BURNETT: But not for Anderson. Thanks so much for joining us.
Anderson is up now.
