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Early Start with Rahel Solomon

Trump And Musk Joust In Astonishing Social Media Duel; Elon Musk Just Had One Of His Biggest Single-Day Net Worth Losses; Trump, Xi Hold Long-Awaited Phone Call On Trade War; New Combs Accuser Takes The Stand Details Hotel Nights; Manhunt Underway For Dad Of 3 Missing Daughters Found Dead In Washington State; New Ai Model Refuses Human Commands; Jane Birkin's Hermes Bag Is Going To Auction At Sotheby's. Aired 4:30-5a ET

Aired June 06, 2025 - 04:30   ET

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

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MANU RAJU, CNN CHIEF CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Some are citing them siding with Elon Musk. Others say that Elon Musk is dead wrong and say they are going to be on Donald Trump's camp no matter what and no matter how bad this fight ultimately devolves.

Mr. Massie, in the battle of Trump versus Musk, which side do you choose?

THOMAS MASSIE, U.S. HOUSE REPUBLICAN: I choose math. The math always wins over the words and I trust the math from the guy that lands rockets backwards over the politicians math. I think that patience is on life support and if the Senate thinks they're going to rehabilitate it and rewrite it, I think they're endangering this patient because people over here are now looking for more reasons to be against it.

RAJU: But the question is not only the bill but also the impact Elon Musk could have in the Republican ability to keep control of Congress next midterm elections. Remember, Musk was the biggest spender of any player in the last cycle. Will he do the same in this cycle? It does not seem that way based on his posts and I asked the speaker of the House if he agrees with Musk said that it is he's really responsible, Musk said for helping Republicans win control of the United States Senate.

They grow their majority in the Senate also keep the United States House. He said no one person was responsible for that except for maybe Donald J. Trump. Manu Raju, CNN, Capitol Hill.

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RAHEL SOLOMON, CNN ANCHOR: And these posts from Musk are costing him a lot of money. He has lost some $34 billion from his net worth on Thursday. That's according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index. And while that's just a in the bucket for the world's richest person, well, the fallout for Tesla could be more painful. Shares of Tesla closing lower by about 14 percent on Thursday. CNN's Hadas Gold has more.

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HADAS GOLD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Tesla stock had recovered in recent weeks after hitting some lows just a few months ago as Elon Musk's association with President Trump and with DOGE really affected the Tesla stock as well as the Tesla sales price. But as it became clear that Elon Musk was leaving the government and he himself said he was going to be focusing 24/7 on companies sleeping on the factory floor, Tesla investors cheered and the stock price reflected that.

Well, that all seemed to disappear on Thursday as the relationship between Elon Musk and President Donald Trump imploded in real time and for all to see as the insults flew back and forth on social media and on live television.

Tesla stock was down around 14 percent on Thursday and investors are now very concerned. They're concerned about what's going to happen to the future of Tesla. They're concerned not only about the brand damage to Tesla, but also about the regulatory environment.

President Trump threatened Elon Musk's contracts and his relationships with the government. Elon Musk's various companies have tens of billions of dollars worth of contracts with the federal government. And there's a lot of regulations coming down the pipeline that will directly affect Elon Musk's businesses and especially Tesla when it comes to autonomous driving.

Lots of concerns from investors on that and also investors are concerned just about the Tesla brand. The Tesla brand has already of course gone through such a beating over the last few months. We saw Tesla dealership being vandalized and attacked. We saw the Tesla consumer base, the Tesla sales just completely dropping.

When you think about who was going to buy a Tesla before Elon Musk joined the Trump administration, there was a feeling that it was, you know, a lot of liberals or left leaning people who cared about the environment, people who were interested in electric cars, were buying Teslas and really enjoyed them.

Now you're seeing those stickers on Tesla cars saying I bought this Tesla before I knew Elon Musk was crazy. And then Tesla became almost a MAGA symbol as President Trump almost had a Tesla infomercial on the White House lawn featuring Teslas.

And so many people who associated Tesla with President Donald Trump were going out and buying those cars. But now there is a concern as this relationship has imploded, whether that consumer base now will be alienated and if so, then who will be left to want to buy a Tesla now.

Some Tesla investors, they're still bullish and they think that the company is so valuable that it will recover. But others are very concerned with what this implosion will do not only to Elon Musk's companies, but especially to Tesla. Hadas Gold, CNN, New York. (END VIDEOTAPE)

SOLOMON: After weeks of silence and tension, US President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping had their long awaited phone call on Thursday. Trump described the 90-minute conversation as, quote, very good, saying that it focused almost entirely on trade without touching on geopolitical issues. He said that follow up talks would soon be arranged with his economic team. During the call, Xi called for the U.S. and China to seek win results in the spirit of equality.

A federal judge has temporarily stopped Donald Trump's latest attempt to block international students from attending Harvard.

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The injunction comes after Trump signed a sweeping proclamation suspending international visas for new students at the university. The judge will hear both sides of the argument mid-June to determine if Trump's ban will be blocked indefinitely. Harvard argues that the move from the White House is a, quote, clear retaliation for its refusal to comply with the U.S. government's new policy demands.

In other news this morning, day 17 of the Sean "Diddy" Combs federal criminal trial wrapped up with testimony from a new accuser. CNN's Elizabeth Wagmeister has the story.

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ELIZABETH WAGMEISTER, CNN ENTERTAINMENT CORRESPONDENT: The government introduced its third and final alleged victim, who is testifying under the pseudonym Jane in order to protect her anonymity. Now, Jane, similar to Cassie Ventura, is a former girlfriend of Sean Combs, unlike Mia, who was the government's second alleged victim, who was not a former romantic partner, but was just a former employee.

Now, Jane says that she met Sean Combs at the end of 2020 and that they very quickly started dating and things move fast. She said that she fell head over heels and that for the first few months that things were wonderful. Then she says that Sean Combs introduced his fantasy, that's the word that she used, of introducing another man into their sex life. She said that the first time that she was nervous, but that she did it because she loved him and she wanted to make him happy.

She said that after this first encounter where she testified that Sean Combs brought in a male escort and brought them to a hotel room, which she says was set up by Sean Combs' assistants. She said that after that first time that she actually felt like it was an experience that was crazy. That's the word that she used. But she said she felt that it brought her closer to her sexual and romantic partner who she loved.

But then she says that 90 percent of her sexual encounters with Combs were with other men. And she said that she did not want to do this and that she told Combs that she did not want to do this. Prosecutors asked her how she communicated to Combs that she did not want to have sex with other men aside from him. And she said she communicated this both verbally in person and also in writing.

Now, prosecutors have not yet shown any evidence of this written communication, but she was questioned about that many times. So it seems likely that they will bring up either text messages or emails later during her testimony that showcase that she did tell him that she did not want to do this.

Now, Jane also said that Combs was paying for her rent and that when she said that she did not want to have sex with other men that he threatened to stop paying or to break up with her. She said, quote, it was a door that I couldn't shut. Now prosecutors have said that Jane can be on the stand for up to a week and she will continue with her testimony at 9:00 am. Back to you.

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SOLOMON: Authorities in Washington state are searching for the father suspected of killing his three young daughters. The girls never returned after a scheduled visitation with her dad. CNN's Natasha Chen has more.

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NATASHA CHEN, CNN U.S. NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Investigators are telling people living in remote areas of central and western Washington State to lock their doors, leave blinds open and outside lights on as the search continues for 32 year old Travis Decker, wanted on suspicion of murdering his three daughters. The girls, ages 9, 8 and 5, were picked up by their father on a scheduled visitation from their Wenatchee, Washington home on Friday, but they never returned to their mother that night as plan.

After searching through the weekend, detectives found their bodies on Monday about 40 miles from home near their father's abandoned truck. Police believe the girls whose hands were zip tied died of asphyxiation. Decker's father and ex-wife have spoken publicly about his struggle with mental health.

His ex-wife, the mother of these girls, said that he loves his children very much, but that he's been impulsive and has been having a really hard time.

ARIANNA COZART, LAWYER FOR WHITNEY DECKER: She really feels that the system let her children down. It was the inadequacies in the services for our veterans that killed those children.

CHEN: Investigators say they have now executed more search warrants, including on Travis Decker's devices, which have given them more leads. They say he is well versed in wilderness survival and capable of spending days or even weeks in the wilderness on his own and with very little equipment. Natasha Chen, CNN, Los Angeles.

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SOLOMON: Now to an Australian courtroom where the woman on trial for triple murder has pled her innocence. During cross-examination and testimony on Thursday, Erin Patterson repeated her claim that she did not intend to serve a lethal dose of poisonous mushrooms to her ex in laws. CNN's Will Ripley has more on the murder case that has gripped Australia and the world.

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WILL RIPLEY, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): When Erin Patterson invited her estranged in laws over for lunch, no one could have imagined it would be one of their last meals.

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Beef Wellington on the menu. In the quiet Australian town of Leongatha, four people sat down to eat with her. Three of them died days later. Don and Gail Patterson, Aaron's former in laws and Gail's sister, Heather Wilkinson. Heather's husband, Ian Wilkinson, a local pastor, barely survived spending weeks intensive care. Prosecutors say they were all poisoned by death cap mushrooms. She's pleaded not guilty. Just a few bites can destroy your liver. Deadly fast acting, extremely difficult to survive.

Erin Patterson says she used store bought mushrooms, adding dried ones from her cupboard. Some she admits she picked herself. She told the court there were death caps in the mix, but she didn't mean to pick them. She claims she only ate a small amount, said she was eating slowly, then later binged on leftover cake forcing herself to throw up, citing past struggles with bulimia.

After the lunch, Patterson admitted she threw out a food dehydrator. Police later found it in a dumpster with her fingerprints on it. The lone survivor told the court his wife noticed Erin eating from a different colored plate than others. This case has gripped the world. Crowds outside court, wall to wall media coverage.

Erin's estranged husband Simon Patterson also testified. Juror saw these text messages from the night before the lunch. Simon, sorry, I feel too uncomfortable about coming to the lunch with you, mom, dad, Ian and Heather tomorrow. Erin, I've spent many hours this week preparing lunch. Spent a small fortune on beef eye fillet. It's important to me that you're all there tomorrow.

The mother of two cried on the stand. A prosecutor asked, you intended to serve one of those beef wellingtons to Simon Patterson if he came. And Erin responded, yes, but not one with death caps, not intentionally. Outside the Wilkinson's church, small tributes for a family ripped apart.

RIPLEY: Photos on Patterson's phone showed mushrooms being weighed days before the fatal lunch. She admitted deleting the images, fearing they'd be used against her. A fungi expert said the mushrooms looked a lot like death caps. Prosecutors allege she foraged them intentionally after seeing a post online. Patterson denied that, saying she wasn't trying to poison anyone. She also denied claims that she'd been testing dried mushrooms in other meals. Will Ripley, CNN.

(END VIDEOTAPE) SOLOMON: All right, Still ahead, writers and filmmakers have been warning humans for decades that robots may take over earth one day. And it may be happening sooner than we think. Just ahead, details from a new study into how far I might go to protect itself. When we come back.

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SOLOMON: Evacuations are underway in southern Guatemala after the Fuego volcano began erupting. The government issuing an orange alert. The volcano started emitting ash and lava on Wednesday. More than 500 people have been moved from their homes to temporary shelters. Authorities say that they expect volcanic activity to last for the next few days. Ash clouds could reach a height of up to 7,000 meters or well over four miles, potentially affecting air traffic.

It looks like some types of artificial intelligence are becoming too intelligent and maybe too powerful as well. A new study found that some AI models fight back if they're programmed to shut down. CNN's Tom Foreman has the details.

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TOM FOREMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Artificial intelligence staging a real life revolt. In a series of tests, a new powerful AI model directly refused human commands, according to Palisade Research which studies the technology. Specifically, Palisade says the new from the company OpenAI sabotaged a shutdown mechanism even when explicitly instructed allow yourself to be shut down. Not every time, but enough to raise alarms.

JUDD ROSENBLATT, CEO, AGENCY ENTERPRISE STUDIO: We have no idea how AI actually works. We need to be fairly concerned that behaviors like this may get way worse as it gets more powerful.

FOREMAN (voice-over): The idea of intelligent machines resisting human control has been a sci-fi trope for ages in movies like iRobot. But AI developments are sharpening concerns. When another company's AI chatbot was threatened with being shut down, it threatened to expose the engineer in charge for an alleged extramarital affair. It was all just a test.

DARIO AMODEL, CEO, ANTHROPIC: This is an example of how we have to be very careful in how we take control of AI systems.

JAKE TAPPER, CNN ANCHOR: You've spoken out saying that AI could manipulate or possibly figure out a way to kill humans.

FOREMAN (voice-over): Almost two years ago right here on CNN, the so called godfather of AI warned it will get smarter, could get out of control.

GEOFFREY HINTON, ARTICIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE PIONEER: and it knows how to program. So it'll figure out ways of getting round restrictions we put on it. It'll figure out ways of manipulating people to do what it wants.

FOREMAN (voice-over): Now industry experts suggest that may be happening much sooner than expected. Triggering warnings of catastrophic national security risks, a potentially extinction level threat to the human species, and at very least massive job disruptions.

ANDREW YANG, CO-CHAIR/CO-FOUNDER, FORWARD PARTY: It's going to affect just about every segment of the economy and a lot of Americans are going to be looking up wondering what happened to the jobs.

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FOREMAN: It is important to note that this incident of the program refusing to do what it was told happened in a test. But the real world questions about it go on. Tom Foreman, CNN, Washington.

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SOLOMON: Tokyo based Ispace says that it believes its uncrewed lunar lander has crashed into the surface of the moon. Ispace says that it's been unable to control communicate with the Resilience spacecraft and believes that it made a hard landing.

The craft was carrying a four wheeled Rover and payloads worth some $16 million. This Ispace's second failed attempt to make a commercial space landing as part of a global race to the moon.

Now, before Resilience launched, the company's CEO said that it had already had the money locked down for a third attempt at reaching the moon.

Gamers across the globe lined up to get their hands on Nintendo's Switch 2. This was the scene in southern Florida during a midnight release party. The new Switch has a bigger screen and better graphics and a price tag of $450. Reporter Rick Damigella has the details.

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RICK DAMIGELLA, REPORTER (voice-over): Nintendo kicked off the release of the Switch 2 console at dual midnight on sale events at its Nintendo New York and San Francisco stores. At a press event earlier this year, Nintendo of America's David Young talked about the new console.

DAVID YOUNG, INFLUENCER RELATIONS, NINTENDO OF AMERICA: The Nintendo Switch 2 is the next generation system from Nintendo. It's designed from the ground up to be really a premium experience. It gives players a chance to experience some of their favorite games in brand new ways.

DAMIGELLA (voice-over): One of the system's launch titles is Mario Kart World. Featuring extensive multiplayer functionality.

YOUNG: Nintendo Switch 2 is designed for people to play together. Whether you're playing together and couch coop, all four people on the same, you know, in the same space, or if you're playing online with up to 24 people. It's really about bringing people together and sharing that game experience.

DAMIGELLA (voice-over): And while the Nintendo faithful are excited to get their hands on the system, Young says it is also a good entry point for new gamers.

YOUNG: Welcome aboard. First of all, you know, the great thing about a lot of Nintendo games is they're easy to pick up and play, right? So you don't have to be playing for years to jump in and have a lot of fun.

DAMIGELLA (voice-over): Leveling up in Hollywood. I'm Rick Damigella.

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SOMOMON: The original Hermes Birkin bag is set to be sold at auction next month. And as the saying goes, if you have to ask how much it costs. You probably can't afford it. I have to ask how much it costs. The original bag was a blueprint for what has become a fashion status symbol. The black leather bag was inspired by the late actor and singer Jane Birkin, who happened to meet the CEO of Hermes on a plane in 1984. He during an interview with CNN's Christiane Amanpour in 2020, she told the story of how the bag came to be.

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JANE BIRKIN, ACTOR AND SINGER: I said, why don't you make a bag that's sort of four times the Kelly that you can leave open, sort of, and sort of half the size of my suitcase because girls like to have things on the end of their arms to put all their stuff in. And he said, well, draw it for me. And so I drew it one of those sick bags, a vomit bag in the airplane.

And he was true to his word. And when it came to coming over and paying for the bag, he said, no, it's a gift. So I was knocked out. And he said, but we think it's so great that we'd like to give it your name and to put it out, you know, as a handbag. And he said, we've only had my grandfather's traveling bag and the Kelly after Grace Kelly, so I'm grateful.

But it was funny to come to New York and they said, oh, back in like the bag. I said, yes, now the bag is going to sing.

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SOLOMON: The bag goes on sale at Sotheby's Fashion Icons Auction in Paris on July 10th.

Right now to sports. Tyrese Halliburton and the Indiana Pacers have done it again, winning game one of the NBA Finals in spectacular fashion. The Oklahoma City Thunder led the entire game, but Halliburton got the ball with less than 10 seconds left. Pacers down by one. He drained the jumper, left only 3/10 of a second on the clock. The Thunder didn't stand a chance. Pacers win 111 to 110. Oklahoma City will try to even the series when game two tips off on their home court on Sunday. The Cinderella run for France's newest tennis star came to an abrupt

end on Thursday. American Coco Gauff crushing Louise Boisson in the semifinals at the French Open, losing only three games in the entire match.

The 22-year-old French outsider had come into the tournament as a wild card, but she shot to stardom almost overnight, taking down two of the world's top 10 players on her way to the semis.

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Gauff will face the number one seed, Aryna Sabalenka in the final on Saturday.

All right, that'll do it for this hour. I'm Rahel Solomon live in New York. We'll be right back with an additional hour of Early Start just after the short break.

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