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Erin Burnett Outfront
Shooting Suspect Charged With Attempting To Assassinate Trump; Trump: Fire Kimmel; Vance's Iran Question. Aired 7-8p ET
Aired April 27, 2026 - 19:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[19:00:30]
ERIN BURNETT, CNN HOST: OUTFRONT next:
Breaking news, attempted assassination of the president. That is the charge the suspect at the White House Correspondents' Dinner is facing tonight, as our KFILE has new reporting on the thousands, thousands of social media posts that appear to be from the suspect.
We've got brand new reporting from KFILE here at the top of the hour.
Plus, Trump and the first lady calling Jimmy Kimmel to be fired again. The late-night host is about to tape his show for tonight. So, does the show go on? We have some new breaking details here this hour at 7:00 Eastern.
Also breaking, J.D. Vance questioning the Defense Department's depiction of the war in Iran and whether the U.S. is running low on weapons. This is according to new reporting in "The Atlantic".
Let's go OUTFRONT.
(MUSIC)
BURNETT: And good Monday morning -- Monday evening. I'm Erin Burnett.
OUTFRONT tonight, breaking news, charged with attempting to assassinate Donald Trump, the suspect who attempted to storm the White House correspondents dinner, making his first court appearance today, prosecutors announced they are charging him with trying to assassinate President Trump, in addition to two other charges discharging a firearm and a violent crime and transportation of a firearm and ammo over state lines.
Cole Allen, dressed in a bright blue jumpsuit, showing little emotion as he answered the judge's questions. Mostly yes and no. You can see from the courtroom sketch artist today he did appear calm, we understand. As the judge told him, he faced up to life in prison if convicted, and he is expected to face even more charges in the future, according to the Justice Department tonight.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TODD BLANCHE, ACTING ATTORNEY GENERAL: What is clear from the complaint and from what we have so far, is he was targeting President Trump. He described that in his manifesto. He was targeting administration officials.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BURNETT: And the Justice Department releasing these images showing the weapons that they say Cole was carrying, a shotgun, a .38 caliber pistol and a number of knives.
Now, investigators believe that Cole fired at least once is what theyre saying at this point. And you can see the chaos that ensued as Trump and roughly 2,500 people heard that gunfire. And there had been, you know, obviously, the pandemonium and somewhat for some panic spread, not knowing what was happening.
Vice President J.D. Vance quickly was ushered out of the room, while those in attendance were diving under tables. And as the investigation continues, a political fight is exploding over the shooting.
The White House blaming Democrats.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KAROLINE LEAVITT, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: The left wing cult of hatred against the president and all of those who support him and work for him, has gotten multiple people hurt and killed.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BURNETT: Among those that Karoline Leavitt called out by name included the House Minority Leader, Hakeem Jeffries, who responded this way.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REP. HAKEEM JEFFRIES (D-NY), MINORITY LEADER: And this so-called White House press secretary wants to lecture America and lecture us about civility. Get lost. Clean up your own house before you have anything to say to us.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BURNETT: And as for Trump, he is now demanding ABC fire late night host Jimmy Kimmel, accusing him of inciting violence after Kimmel said this two nights before the White House Correspondents' Dinner in one of his skits.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JIMMY KIMMEL, LATE NIGHT TV HOST: And of course, our first lady, Melania, is here. Look at -- so beautiful. Mrs. Trump, you have a glow like an expectant widow.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BURNETT: The president writing, quote, "This is something far beyond the pale. Jimmy Kimmel should be immediately fired by Disney and ABC."
Trump's comment, following a rare statement from the first lady who posted, "People like Kimmel shouldn't have the opportunity to enter our homes each evening to spread hate. A coward, Kimmel hides behind ABC because he knows the network will keep running cover to protect him. Enough is enough. It is time for ABC to take a stand. How many times will ABC's leadership enable Kimmel's atrocious behavior at the expense of our community?"
Now, a brand new CEO in Disney, right? So, this is not Bob Iger's decision. There's a new boss in town. And so far, no response. As we said, we understand Kimmel is taping his show now for tonight. So, we'll see how this one plays out.
Paula Reid begins our coverage OUTFRONT, though, with the breaking news live outside that courthouse in Washington.
And Paula, what's the latest you're learning?
PAULA REID, CNN CHIEF LEGAL AFFAIRS CORRESPONDENT: Well, Erin, earlier today in this federal courthouse right behind me, the judge finally unsealed these charges. We've been waiting to see and revealed that right now, the government is focusing its case on the threat against the president.
[19:05:00]
Now, we know from his letters that he also was looking to target other administration officials. But this charge of assassination, attempting, this comes with a potential of life in prison if convicted.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JEANINE PIRRO, U.S. ATTORNEY, WASHINGTON, D.C.: Cole Allen's journey of accountability in the criminal justice system starts today.
REID (voice-over): The man accused of trying to assassinate President Donald Trump at the White House Correspondents' Dinner appeared in court for the first time today.
BLANCHE: Today, the Department of Justice filed three federal charges in United States district court against Cole Thomas Allen.
REID (voice-over): The 31-year-old alleged gunman was formally charged with one count of attempting to assassinate the president, one count of discharging a firearm during a violent crime, and one count of transportation of a firearm and ammunition in interstate commerce.
PIRRO: There will be additional charges as this investigation continues to unfold.
REID: Allen appeared in court in bright blue prison scrubs and was expressionless as he answered a series of standard questions from a judge. He has requested a public defender be assigned to his case. Investigators have learned Allen is from Torrance, California, works as a part time teacher and video game developer and graduated from Caltech with a degree in mechanical engineering. Today, he also told the judge he has a master's degree in computer science. Officials say Allen made a reservation at the Washington Hilton on
April 6th. He reportedly left Los Angeles by train on April 21st, arriving in Chicago, and then went on to D.C. on April 24th, the day before the correspondents' dinner.
Around the time authorities say Allen stormed the security checkpoint, he allegedly sent an email to his family detailing his plan.
BLANCHE: He was targeting President Trump. He described that in his manifesto he was targeting administration officials. He described that. But as far as us understanding additional motivation, that's for the FBI and law enforcement.
REID (voice-over): The acting attorney general, the highest ranking law enforcement official in the country, praised the swift response Saturday.
BLANCHE: We also should recognize what did not happen. Law enforcement did not fail. They did exactly what they are trained to do.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
REID: On the night of the shooting, the U.S. attorney said Allen would be charged with shooting a law enforcement officer that was not included in today's charges. Officials say they're still investigating if Allen hit the officer or if it was crossfire.
Allen will be back in federal court here on Thursday for a detention hearing -- Erin.
BURNETT: All right. Paula, thank you very much, as I said, live outside that courthouse in Washington.
Everyone's here with me together to talk about this. So, Joey, the note to the family that the suspect sent right before he went to commit this horrible crime. The note actually never mentioned Trump's name. But the first charge that we obviously saw, and that was picked up in the headline, right, that the first charge was attempt to assassinate the president of the United States.
So, you know, obviously that's -- that's going to catch people right there. There are now additional charges, but, do you -- do you see that charge in the information that we have thus far?
JOEY JACKSON, CNN LEGAL ANALYST: So, there's going to be an issue. And the issue relates to let's talk some legality. It's called substantial step. When you make an attempt that means you failed. And so, the issue becomes did the attempt that you engaged in, did it go beyond mere preparation?
Now prosecutors will say, well, of course it did. Theres nothing to be spoken about here. There were guns that he had. He traveled right from California and he went to Chicago. And then he came to D.C. and he checked himself in a hotel with those weapons.
He obviously went to the actual event. He breached a perimeter. He shot at a federal agent. And so, prosecutors will say, well, that's way beyond a substantial step. In fact, it goes to the commission of the offense itself.
BURNETT: Yeah.
JACKSON: However, defense attorneys will say, well, what do you mean he didn't get close to the president? And in fact, there were hundreds of agents that distanced him from them. And then it gets a little more complicated because something called factual impossibility is not a defense, right? The fact that you couldn't carry it out doesn't mean you didn't take steps beyond preparation.
And then the other issue is going to be to the extent that he didn't proceed after he was under control to try to do it even more, does that mean that he abandoned it?
So, beyond the words, Erin, that you noted in terms of what was written, they're going to argue his defense attorneys that that charge should not apply and it will be up to a jury. It's a jury question.
The jury will be given an instruction as to what substantial step means. Is it beyond preparation, ladies and gentlemen, and expected defense to attack, attack, attack the issue that it could not have happened, didn't happen, and was way too early on to have happened?
BURNETT: So, Casey, when you look at what we know about this, we're learning more and more, you know, and you see this note he sent to his family. He doesn't mention Trump by name, but he does appear to refer to the president as a, quote, "pedophile, rapist and traitor." Okay?
CASEY JORDAN, CRIMINOLOGIST, BEHAVIORAL ANALYST: So, what does the note tell you about this person?
BURNETT: Well, there's the kind of housekeeping stuff, the very linear. Here's the plan. I came here. Security sucks. I do not plan to make other people suffer.
These are the people I want. These are not my targets. I got no beef with the with the press, you know, very just linear. Like the engineer that he is.
And we are not surprised to see that mentality, but that ending, you know, pedophile, rapist, traitor and his constant mention of suffering of others really makes me think that some bad things have happened to this man, that he would be looking for someone to or something to scapegoat his personal issues onto. It could be anything, but it happened to land on this administration. But we see this with these kinds of shooters all the time.
They have a personal crisis going on in their life. They're looking for a scapegoat. They might begrudge collectors, but they land on something. Could it be women? Could it be African Americans? Could it be the IRS? This one happened to be the president.
BURNETT: And so, okay, so, Andrew Kaczynski, KFILE, you have new reporting on the suspect of things you found just combing through his social media. So were talking about this note, but you found a whole lot more, in fact, thousands of things more. Like what?
ANDREW KACZYNSKI, CNN KFILE SENIOR EDITOR: Well, that's right, we reviewed 4,700 posts from two social media accounts that appear to belong to the suspect, and they include comments that compared the President Trump to Adolf Hitler, encouraged others to critical of his presidency to purchase guns.
Now, a Justice Department official confirmed to CNN that this X account CForce3000, belonged to Allen. And then there's another account that appeared to belong to Allen on the website Bluesky, with biographical details that matched his life.
Now, both of these accounts have been taken down, but we reviewed information from them on the Internet archives wayback machine. Those posts show a very clear shift over time. Early on, he was using his Twitter account mostly to post about the video game Super Smash Brothers. He was promoting his own content.
But then 2024, this changes and he's sharing a lot of political content that's very, very critical of Donald Trump. Now, Allen appears to have started posting on Bluesky in February 2025. That's just a few weeks into Trump's second term. The account frequently criticized Trump administration policies and lamented that more powerful figures weren't taking action against the president.
He wrote in one post, "Everyone knows that Trump is an effing awful person in multiple dimensions, and no one has done shit." Some of the other posts and reposts advocated for gun possession and purchases. One post, he said, "Best time to buy a gun was days ago" in December 2025. Then he added, "The second pass time is today."
The last -- last month, he posted that Trump was a traitor. The post also echoed arguments that he made in the message that he allegedly sent to family members before the attack that laid out a plan to target Trump administration officials and expressed anger at that -- at their actions. Now, in the message that he allegedly sent to family members, he signed off with the nickname Cold Force. That's similar to both of these accounts.
BURNETT: What was the name of the video game again? Smash Brothers?
KACZYNSKI: Super --you've never heard of this super smash brothers? How old are your kids?
BURNETT: No.
I'm like, do you think that I would know Super Smash -- I'm just being honest. Got to be self-aware. I wouldn't know Super Smash Brothers.
Okay. Juliette though, he goes from posting on that and being in that world. Okay, posting about that to the shift that Andrew is talking about and all of a sudden talking about Trump and guns, and what does that say to you? That very specific shift that Andrew just outlined?
JULIETTE KAYYEM, FORMER ASSISTANT SECRETARY, DHS: And relatively recently. So, you're -- you're talking about someone who's shifting from being a gamer to being a political radical and absorbing this politics and this hate online. Maybe less than two years ago.
And to do that, and then also to a plan, not just any attack, but an assassination attempt on the president with multiple steps to get there is a very short timeline. And that's sort of what scares law enforcement right now is we tend to think about -- well, he was a lone wolf and he was just in his room playing games or whatever. But that's just not true anymore.
These guys and often single men, there's lots of other issues going on. The isolation are absorbing this hate online. They are identifying with the left or the right. Sometimes it's not even clear. In this instance he hates Trump, but he loves guns.
How do you put those two things together? And then and then plans his attack. So that's sort of the challenge right now is the interruption moment, the moment of interrupting this generally will come from the family.
The family gets the manifesto. He's already trying to get into the room. We don't know what the family was trying to do beforehand. But there's some reporting that they're saying he did change over the last couple of months.
BURNETT: Yeah, and, Casey, that's what's interesting. The change that might have happened also.
Okay. One of the things that Andrew said when he when he after the shift from gamer to political, you know, being in radical -- political radical.
[19:15:02]
He said, everyone already knows Trump is an effing awful person in multiple dimensions. No one has done shit.
Okay. If those -- and then he compared Trump to Hitler. Those kinds of comments online are a dime a dozen. Okay, how millions? How do. Does anyone find this person? And I know you're talking about maybe the family had raised some questions.
This is crucial. This always ends up being the case. But, you know, is there anything in this profile that would red flag it to you beforehand?
JORDAN: No. And I -- I mean, there might have been an era 20 years ago where this was unusual, but this is becoming post pandemic incredibly common. So common. I mean, you've got 30-year-olds.
I mean, this is a guy with a, let's see, bachelors in mechanical engineering from Caltech, a master's in computer science. I mean, he is genius level, but he's still living at home, self-employed as a game designer. Doing amazing charitable work with these kids, tutoring them for college prep. But by all accounts, somebody with his credentials should be making a ton of money and working for a major corporation. Why? What's going on? What's his isolation? We've done a lot of
research on the so-called lost boy generation. These men, from teenage to early 30s, still living at home, still unable to launch.
And the rabbit holing that started, which is what I think happened in 2024. He's, you know, nearing 30. He has no career and he's looking for purpose.
The rabbit hole sucked him in. It happened to be Trump. Think of him as a pill in a roulette wheel. We don't know where he's going to land, but it happened to be, I think, the Epstein files and that --
BURNETT: And that was --
JORDAN: -- evolved to this.
BURNETT: And this is what's incredible when you think about what's out there. I mean, the president, United States tweets about wiping civilizations off the map. Okay? You can't judge by social media what someone's capable of doing anymore.
JACKSON: Yeah, that's what's scary about this, without question. And then tomorrow, to Casey's point, the guy's a genius. He's got a master's right in this computer stuff. He should be making all this money. He has no criminal offenses to speak of. So how do you deal with something like this?
But I think ultimately, Erin, what you're going to see is there's going to be even an elevation of these charges. I know they've talked about that, but the fact that they didn't even charge the issue of assault on a federal agent, when you have a bullet to the chest or attempted murder of the federal agent or anything else, there's way more. They'll go into the grand jury, they'll put all of this stuff in, and I think a grand jury.
BURNETT: And, Juliette, third possible assassination attempt against Trump. Are you surprised at how close the suspects are getting?
KAYYEM: No. I mean, each incident is different. Someone said something about should Trump -- a reporter asked me, well, so should Trump stop going to events? I said, look at the three different assassination attempts. One, is at an outdoor public political campaign. The second is at his golf course, and the third is at a private invite hotel. They're so different.
So, I know the White House wants to claim, well, everything has to be done in this ballroom. That's -- I mean, honestly, that's just not a -- that's not rational. It's not -- it's not his party to give what I think.
So, if your goal in securing the White House correspondents dinner is no one penetrates that ballroom. This was a success. I know we want to blame everyone, but this was a success, right? The question is, is the --
BURNETT: Yeah, did not get in the ballroom. KAYYEM: Did not get in the ballroom, didn't even get close.
So, the question or the what you're hearing people saying, well, the outer perimeter should have been bigger and bigger and bigger at some stage, even at a nuclear facility, you are going to run out of an ability to make something hard. And there's going to be a road leading up to the nuclear facility or the air, you know, the air over it.
You can't in a society like ours, you're constantly balancing those choices. So, when I look at this, yes, there are things to learn. Was the response time fast enough? Why are we having it in a hotel like that? Where -- but those are questions to be answered.
But in terms of the safety going on, Secret Service has one goal. They satisfied it. And we should remember that.
BURNETT: All right. Well, thank you all very much. And next, conspiracy theories about the shooting are now flooding social media. More and more people suggesting it was staged with no proof.
Plus, Trump raising his new ballroom right after the attempted shooting at the White House correspondents dinner. And he has not stopped talking about it since.
Anthony Scaramucci is next. And a key U.S. ally, saying Trump is being humiliated by Iran. Who and why now?
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[19:23:59]
BURNETT: Breaking news, the White House slamming the many conspiracy theories which have gone viral about the correspondents' dinner shooting.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KAROLINE LEAVITT, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: Hopefully, people will believe the truth rather than the lies and conspiracies that so often do go crazy on social media.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BURNETT: Despite that plea, though, conspiracy theories have taken on lives of their own, some going so far as to suggest that the event itself was staged.
Donie O'Sullivan is OUTFRONT.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
KEITH OLBERMAN, COMMENTATOR: Just because Trump and his filth have lied to you about everything every day for 11 years, that's no reason for you to get cynical and think that was staged.
DONIE O'SULLIVAN, CNN SENIOR REPORTER (voice-over): As soon as gunshots were heard at the White House Correspondents' Dinner on Saturday night, conspiracy theories started spreading online. Posts like this one, with no evidence claiming it was staged.
A Fox News clip of the White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt also went viral.
LEAVITT: It'll be funny. It'll be entertaining. There will be some shots fired tonight in the room, so everyone should tune in. It's going to be really great.
[19:25:04]
I'm looking forward to hearing it.
O'SULLIVAN (voice-over): This was to be President Trump's first time addressing the correspondents' dinner. Traditionally at the event, presidents poke fun at themselves and at the press. These jokes and jabs are clearly what Leavitt was referring to when she said shots fired.
DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I didn't want to say this, but this is why we have to have all of the attributes of what we're planning at the White House. We need the ballroom. That's why Secret Service, that's why the military are demanding it.
O'SULLIVAN (voice-over): This statement from Trump, along with a bunch of posts online, had some people speculating that the whole thing had been a set up to justify the building of Trump's controversial ballroom on the White House complex. There is zero evidence to support this.
TIM DILLON, PODCASTER: Just admit you staged it in Butler.
O'SULLIVAN (voice-over): Saturday's attack came on the heels of renewed skepticism among some former Trump supporters about the Trump assassination attempt in Butler, Pennsylvania.
KRISTEN HOLMES, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: I have obtained a copy of this so-called manifesto, it says administration officials are targets prioritized from highest ranking to lowest.
O'SULLIVAN (voice-over): Marjorie Taylor Greene took to social media Sunday, writing, "I want to know why the Trump admin released Cole Allen's manifesto immediately, but they still keep a tight lid on Thomas Crooks."
The FBI, under both Biden and Trump, has repeatedly said Crooks has acted alone and has released information about Crooks, including his online search history.
On Monday, Press Secretary Leavitt was asked about the widespread misinformation.
LEAVITT: It's very important to us that we get the truth and the facts about this case, in any case, out there as quickly as possible to dispel some of that crazy nonsense that you do see running rampant online.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
O'SULLIVAN: And, Erin, we pretty much see this today, unfortunately, with pretty much every major breaking news story where as journalists and law enforcement and different authorities -- authorities are trying to gather facts about a situation, you have these lies going viral online. People baselessly speculating. Sometimes those people with very big platforms of 100,000 or even millions of followers. And that's exactly, of course, what we saw on Saturday night.
BURNETT: All right, Donnie, thank you.
And former Trump White House communications director Anthony Scaramucci is OUTFRONT with me now.
I mean, Anthony, it is obviously these conspiracy theories, they run rampant. And that's the world that we live in now. And whatever side people are on, they can jump on board with the conspiracy theories that feed it. Interesting that in this case, though, you have people on the left talking about it, but they're merging with people on the far right who are questioning butler.
ANTHONY SCARAMUCCI, FORMER TRUMP WHITE HOUSE COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR: We have a horseshoe going on. They meet each other on opposite sides of the spectrum. Listen, I'm not in the conspiracy camp. I also think it would be an insult to law enforcement and Secret Service, including the Secret Service man that was injured.
BURNETT: Yeah.
SCARAMUCCI: But we have to recognize that the president does traffic in these conspiracy theories themselves. And so there's a little bit of don't do as I do or say as I do. But, you know, and I know that were in a rage society, a rage economy. And those conspiracy theories, they get eyeballs and they get traffic, those people's websites.
BURNETT: And the ballroom, okay. The ballroom, when people, you know, the conspiracy theory saying its about the ballroom, that's obviously a conspiracy theory. But Trump, obviously, when he came out and did that press conference, the first thing he talked about was, was the ballroom. And in fact, he's done multiple interviews in the past, what, 48 hours? And he has said this
(BEGI VIDEO CLP)
TRUMP: We need the ballroom. That's why Secret Service, that's why the military are demanding it.
We're building a big, beautiful, very, very secure ballroom in every way.
You can have a ballroom that's the top-of-the-line security.
I'm building a safe ballroom. This has all sorts of security equipment at levels that you could never have in a regular ballroom. (END VIDEO CLIP)
BURNETT: Pro-MAGA accounts were very quick to also support the ballroom.
SCARAMUCCI: Well, I think they have like a little bit of a coordinated communique with them because they all came out roughly within minutes of each other supporting the ballroom. But when I see a speech like that with his tux on, I'm just letting all these guys know that they're mocking for him. They're trying to out man each other with their looks and stuff.
He could call a tuxedo only cabinet meeting this guy, you know, be careful. He could end up in a tuxedo at all times with Donald Trump.
So. But listen, you know, the ballroom, I'm not in the ballroom camp where it shouldn't get built. I just think the size of the ballroom is ridiculous. You can't have that ballroom bigger than the actual square footage of the White House. I think that's unfortunate.
But that's also the president telling you something. I am leaving monuments to myself before I leave, because I know you guys aren't going to make any monuments for me. And so that's what that's all about.
BURNETT: Right. There's, of course, the Trump, the tribe -- Arc Trump.
SCARAMUCCI: Two hundred fifty feet, Erin.
BURNETT: Yeah. Yep. The largest, I guess that would have been built. Now, President Trump and the first lady are going after Jimmy Kimmel, right? Jimmy Kimmel had made a joke a couple of days ago.
[19:30:03]
And one of his bits and mocking -- at a mock White House correspondents dinner, mocking how he thought Melania was hoping that Trump would die, I guess was the point of the joke. Let me play it.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JIMMY KIMMEL, COMEDIAN: Our first lady, Melania, is here. Look at -- so beautiful. Mrs. Trump, you have a glow like an expectant widow.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BURNETT: Now, that was a couple days before she posted today that his hateful and violent rhetoric is intended to divide our country. His monologue about my family isn't comedy. His words are corrosive and deepens the political sickness within ABC. Enough is enough. It's time for ABC to take a stand.
Trump has then come out also and said jimmy Kimmel needs to be fired.
Now, obviously the context here. Kimmel was suspended for a joke a few months ago. SCARAMUCCI: Right. And --
BURNETT: There's new leadership at ABC, so we don't know what they're going to choose to do. But do you think that this the context of this particular joke could be what does it?
SCARAMUCCI: Well, well, again, I don't understand the president on this because he could just lean into these jokes and relax about them. The brittleness, I think, is more about controlling corporate media. And so, ABC News would be making a big mistake if they fired him over something like that.
Also, when the president is tweeting out that he's going to end civilizations and then he's upset about a joke that's being made by a known late night comedian who is writing jokes. I mean, he should relax a little bit about that as well. So, if they fire him over this, they're going to get another wave of boycotts like they got last time. It would be bad economics for them, but it would also be bad practice for them in terms of not standing up to the White House once in a while.
BURNETT: So in the interview with "60 Minutes", Trump was asked about the moment in the video on that night, you know, when sort of is rushing out where some say it looked like he fell while being evacuated by Secret Service. Now Trump came out and talked about it. He insisted that he did not fall in this image. Here he is.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
INTERVIEWER: At one point, you were down. What was happening?
TRUMP: Well, what happened is it was a little bit me. I wanted to see what was happening and I wasn't making it that easy for him.
INTERVIEWER: That moment where it looks like you go sort of down with the service, you were telling them to wait.
TRUMP: No, what happened is then I started walking with him. I turned, I started walking and said, please go down. Please go down on the floor. So, I went down and first lady went down also.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BURNETT: Now, what's your reaction to that?
SCARAMUCCI: Well, I mean, first of all, that's a very stressful situation for the Secret Service and the president.
BURNETT: Yes.
SCARAMUCCI: So, I want to be very respectful there. But you look like he fell and he would win fans if he just said, hey, I fell. But he spent his whole life doubling, tripling down on things like that, not showing any weakness, never apologizing. I mean, he's lost a lot of friends in his life by saying ridiculous things to them about their wives, all kinds of stuff. Never apologizes and it's a sign of weakness, in my opinion, when you cant admit that, hey, on the way out of there, I tripped. What is the big deal?
BURNETT: Right --
SCARAMUCCI: Moreover, moreover, big shout out to -- yeah. Or what is the big deal? If anything, that level of vulnerability would endear him to a lot of people. And so, this double and tripling down thing, which looks disingenuous, I actually think it hurts him, but that's him.
You know, he'll -- he can go after your wife. He'll never apologize about it. He'll say things about people just, you know, he knows they're outrageous. He won't -- he won't apologize about it.
So, this is something that's worked for him for 40 or 50 years. You're not going to change him. He's about to turn 80 on June 14th. He's not -- he's not changing, Erin.
BURNETT: No, no.
SCARAMUCCI: You have to accept him for who he is, right?
BURNETT: Right. And that's -- you're right. His birthday is coming up.
All right, Anthony, thank you. It is always good to see you.
SCARAMUCCI: I'm not turning 80.
BURNETT: In person.
SCARAMUCCI: Are you turning 80?
BURNETT: Not quite yet. I hope I will get there if we will.
SCARAMUCCI: But I might -- but I might fall when I'm 80. And I'll let you know when I do. And I'll say, hey, I fell.
BURNETT: Yeah.
All right. Next, war of words. White House press secretary is wasting no time finger pointing.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LEAVITT: This political violence stems from a systemic demonization of him and his supporters by commentators. Yes, by elected members of the Democrat Party.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BURNETT: Let's take a look at this. This is a mega yacht. It is valued at half a billion dollars, linked to a Russian billionaire. And wow, it actually sailed with no issue through the Strait of Hormuz. If that isn't just a sign of the most bizarre moment that we are living through as a top Iranian official is meeting with Putin today.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK) [19:38:49]
BURNETT: Tonight, so much for the unity Trump called for in the hours after the attempted shooting at the White House Correspondents' Dinner. His press secretary tonight accusing Democrats of inspiring violence against President Trump.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LEAVITT: The left wing cult of hatred against the president and all of those who support him and work for him, has gotten multiple people hurt and killed.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BURNETT: A visibly angry Hakeem Jeffries lashing out in response.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REP. HAKEEM JEFFRIES (D-NY): The so-called White House press secretary, who's a disgrace. She's a stone cold liar, had the nerve to stand up there and read talking points, being critical of statements all taken out of context that Democrats have made and didn't have a word to say about anything that MAGA extremists have said or done, including providing aid and comfort to violent insurrectionists here at this Capitol on January 6th, who brutally beat police officers.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BURNETT: OUTFRONT now, former Democratic Congressman Patrick Murphy and S.E. Cupp, CNN political commentator.
Okay, thanks to both.
Patrick, you heard how she referred to it, a left-wing cult of hatred against the president.
[19:40:05]
PATRICK MURPHY (D), FORMER U.S. CONGRESSMAN: Yeah. Listen, there's no doubt this guy was a domestic terrorist who tried to kill the president and was obviously -- shot the Secret Service agent. But this is a time to come together. I mean, there were good stories of people like Congressman Jared Moskowitz and Steve Scalise, who, as you know, was shot, you know, years ago almost died. And so those positive stories, I get it, they're overshadowed now by folks who are trying to divide us again and again.
And I have to be honest with you. This is why people hate Washington, D.C. It's why people hate Congress. It's because they fight with each other. Even in moments like this, where a Secret Service agent almost died.
BURNETT: You know, S.E., Trump, you know, with all of the talk about rhetoric, right? Trump has frequently referred to Democrats as the enemy from within. Of course, among other things, here he is. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: I think a president should not have learning disabilities. Okay.
Are you stupid? Are you a stupid person?
She's a very low IQ person.
We don't need a low IQ individual.
He's a stiff. He's a knucklehead. He's either evil or stupid.
Adam Schiff is one of the lowest forms of scum I've ever dealt with.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BURNETT: So, S.E., does Leavitt have a leg to stand on when she's pointing the finger at Democrats?
S.E. CUPP, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: I think it's patently absurd to be told by Trump and Fox and MAGA wagging a righteous finger that we should not have conversations now about gun control, about Trump's own divisive rhetoric, about MAGA's own divisive rhetoric, about MAGA's dangerous lies and conspiracy theories that have led to actual violence. We're only supposed to apparently have a conversation about the supposedly violent left and Trump derangement syndrome. That's the only reason apparently, there's been this uptick in political violence.
And that's insane. That doesn't make any sense. No one wants this violence. No one should justify this political violence.
And in the four hours that I was live on the air covering this White House Correspondents' Dinner shooting and a room full of all my friends and colleagues, including at Fox and including in the administration, I said that over and over again. No one should want political violence.
But I also said that said that after Butler. But I also said that after Paul Pelosi. I said that after the insurrection and the murder of two Minnesota Democrats and the plot against Gretchen Whitmer and the attack on Josh Shapiro. It is not just ben from the left.
And there is a violence problem in this country, includes and encompasses a lot of things. There are elements on the left that participate in that, but so does Trump. So does the right. And if anyone wants to have an honest conversation about it, we have to talk about all of it.
BURNETT: We do have to talk about all of it. And of course, it is important that one of the categories that you list there is the sitting president of the United States, the most powerful person in the world. Okay. It's just -- you're right. These are realities.
So, Patrick, you know, after the shooting, Trump, you know, praised the press. He said there was unity at the dinner. There was a moment of that. Then he did the interview with "60 Minutes". And there was this exchange.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
INTERVIEWER: I am no longer willing to permit a pedophile, rapist and traitor to coat my hands with his crimes. What's your reaction?
TRUMP: Well, I was waiting for you to read that because I knew you would. Because you're -- you're -- you're horrible people. Horrible people. Yeah, he did write that.
I'm not a rapist. I didn't rape anybody.
INTERVIEWER: Oh. You think -- you think he was referring to you?
TRUMP: Excuse me. I'm not a pedophile. You read that crap from some sick person.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BURNETT: Now, that was from the note that the attacker wrote, right? That was his motive. So, of course, any responsible journalist would have read from the note. Just basic journalism 101. But the response, of course, is significant.
MURPHY: It is. And, you know, it's some are saying it's a Columbo moment that Nora pulled off there. But -- and I think that's why so many Americans on the far left, far right and in the middle are like, why are these people who are involved in cahoots with Jeffrey Epstein not being held accountable? Why are they, you know, basically running free when they knew what was going on, when young girls, innocent girls were just being abused and just raped? And it just -- it's horrible and sickening.
BURNETT: You know, this came up in our prior conversation. But S.E., I'm curious what you think, you know, and you can't take out the context of the deplorable way that so many people conduct themselves online now. Okay. However, I'm just curious as to whether how much of this do you think does go to Jeffrey Epstein and the way it's been handled?
[19:45:08]
CUPP: You know, I'm reluctant to answer that, Erin, and not to be coy, because obviously that -- that is a cloud looming over our politics right now. But nothing justifies it. And giving any of this credence, like a lot of people are mad about health care and insurance that did not justify the murder of the UnitedHealth CEO.
I don't want to put stock in the words, the motives of lunatics, of deranged people who feel righteous because there's a political attachment to some kind of cause in their minds, whether it's Epstein or health care, whatever you're mad about, violence is not the answer.
So, whatever this guy is talking about, it can be -- it could be real, we could be very mad about Epstein. I just don't want to give it that kind of imprimatur, that its important enough and righteous enough that we should engage in political violence.
MURPHY: Can I just say I agree with her 100 percent. And that's why now of all time, we need leaders of character, like a president, like members of Congress, to bring us together and stop the divisiveness. It's enough.
BURNETT: Yeah. All right. Thank you both very much.
And we have breaking news, new details from our Brian Stelter about what's likely taking place right now at "Jimmy Kimmel Live" as President Trump and the first lady have demanded ABC fire the late night host tonight.
Plus, "The Atlantic" reporting that Vice President J.D. Vance is raising concerns with Trump about American missile stockpiles. Seth Jones, he's been the source tracking how many missiles the U.S. has. What he's seeing, next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[19:50:55]
BURNETT: Breaking news, Vice President J.D. Vance reportedly raising concerns with Trump directly about U.S. missile stockpiles, as the war with Iran drags on. "The Atlantic" reporting tonight, and I quote, in closed door meetings, J.D. Vance has repeatedly questioned the Defense Department's depiction of the war in Iran and whether the Pentagon has understated what appears to be the drastic depletion of U.S. missile stockpiles.
OUTFRONT now, Seth Jones, president of the defense and security department at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.
And, Seth, look, "The Atlantic" article mentions your extensive reporting. Okay? That is the core of this. We've been putting these numbers up for a week when you came out with all of this exclusive analysis on the depletion in tomahawks and long range missiles of all of it and -- and what it means for future wars, right? You put it in the context there.
What is the latest you're seeing the reality?
SETH JONES, PRESIDENT, DEFENSE & SECURITY DEPARTMENT, CENTER FOR STRATEGIC & INTERNATIONAL STUDIES: Well, Erin, the reality is concerning. The U.S. has requirements for its war plans called O-Plans for China and other countries, Russia, North Korea. The reality is that the U.S. stockpiles for a number of offensive weapons, munitions like tomahawks and JASSMs are in some cases, 50 percent of capacity right now.
And on the -- on the defensive side, that the stockpiles for Patriot interceptors and THAAD, only eight THAADs in the U.S. Army, are also extremely low right now, low enough that it would be hard to fight a protracted war against China in the Indo-Pacific. And if you can't fight a protracted war, hard to deter it in the first place.
BURNETT: I mean, the numbers are stunning. And now, 'The Atlantic" is reporting that J.D. Vance, you know, perhaps because of all of this, that you have you have put out there, is questioning the accuracy of the info that he's getting from the Pentagon and from defense secretary. They write, and I quote him, Vance trying, the adviser suggested, to avoid making this personal or to create divisions in Trump's war cabinet. Some of Vance's confidants, however, believe that Hegseth's portrayal has been so positive as to be misleading.
You know, look, it's still a very significant statement because Hegseth has been so loud and proud about what he has put out there, which is essentially just been every day how many targets we've hit, and that anybody who questions the pentagon at all is somehow anti- American.
JONES: Yeah. And I think the reality here is that you can't make up the number of munitions and what's left of the U.S. stockpile. Look, I suspect -- I know senior U.S. general and flag officers are well aware of the depletion that has come from Iran. But what has been said by some senior U.S. defense officials on the civilian side is not an accurate reflection of what those stockpiles are. And I think that's what J.D. Vance is probably getting at right now.
BURNETT: Well, it's important that he is, because it's important that Americans know the truth. And I don't think anybody likes to think that they're being lied to about something so, so crucial to national security. I want to show you the image that I showed in a tease to a commercial here, which is of this giant mega yacht. And it is a mega yacht. It's worth about half a billion dollars.
And with all that we hear about the Strait of Hormuz and being closed in the blockade, this thing sails through the Strait of Hormuz. It is linked to a sanctioned Russian oligarch believed to have been docked in Dubai, 466 feet long. It's one of the biggest in the world, one and a half football fields, two helipads, 20 cabins, pool, hot tub, all of this.
And with everything going on, mines in the Strait of Hormuz, a possible food crisis striking the world soon, this thing just cruises right on through.
JONES: Yeah, I would love to have -- to have the transcript of the U.S.-Russian discussions about letting this through. It's worth noting, by the way, the U.S. has potentially three aircraft carriers and carrier strike groups in the region. So a lot of ways to stop everything from coming through. This isn't carrying oil to Iran, but it is. It does look like it's a nod to the Russians.
BURNETT: Yeah. I mean, it's a sanctioned -- it's a sanctioned oligarch. And of all the things that that should be going through the Hormuz.
JONES: That should not be.
BURNETT: Right. All right. Well, Seth, thank you very much. It is always good to see
you.
[19:55:01]
And next, breaking news, our Brian Stelter with some new details breaking now about Jimmy Kimmel's show tonight after President Trump and the first lady called on ABC to fire the late-night host.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BURNETT: Tonight, new details about the "Jimmy Kimmel Live" show as Trump calls again for him to be fired. Our Brian Stelter reporting that Oz Pearlman, the mentalist who was on stage with Trump when the gunshots rang out at the dinner, was expected to be Kimmel's guest tonight. Now we are learning of a shift that Pearlman pulled out and will be replaced by podcaster and former Obama speechwriter Jon Lovett.
Now, this all comes in the context, of course, of what Trump and the first lady urged Disney to do today, and ABC, asking them to immediately fire Kimmel after he made this joke on Thursday, pretending to perform a roast of the president days before the dinner.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KIMMEL: And of course, our first lady, Melania is here. Look at, so beautiful. Mrs. Trump, you have a glow like an expectant widow.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BURNETT: Trump's call for Kimmel's firing comes after a rare public statement from the first lady, who did demand Kimmel's ouster today. Now, of course, this is a major moment for the new Disney CEO, Josh D'Amaro. He just took over for longtime CEO Bob Iger six weeks ago. And remember, Iger had to oversee the entire fiasco over Kimmel the last time around with Trump.
Brian Stelter is reporting that Kimmel is set to tape his show at 9:00 p.m. Eastern tonight, and we'll see if he responds to all of this.
And in the meantime, thanks so much to all of you for being with us. We'll see you back here tomorrow.
"AC360" with Anderson begins right now.
