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Inside Politics

FBI Investigating Shooting As "Act Of Targeted Violence"; Police: Shooting at Dallas ICE Facility Leaves 1 Dead, 2 Hospitalized; Cruz: "Your Political Opponents Are Not Nazis"; Kimmel Defends Free Speech In Emotional Return To Late Night; Trump Threatens To Sue ABC After Kimmel Returns To Late Night; Kimmel Returns But Not On Sinclair Or Nexstar Stations; No Progress On Shutdown Talks With A Week To Go. Aired 12-12:30p ET

Aired September 24, 2025 - 12:00   ET

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

[12:00:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

DANA BASH, CNN CHIEF POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: Today on "Inside Politics," we have breaking news. A shooter opens fire at an ICE facility in Dallas. Standby for new reporting on what the FBI calls an act of targeted violence.

Plus, is free speech thriving or barely surviving President Trump? He says he's not done on the Jimmy Kimmel front. We'll tell you about a new threat he's issuing against ABC.

And I'll speak to a lawmaker with the power to help strike a deal to keep the U.S. Federal government open, which is now potentially going to shut down in less than one week. You don't want to miss my exclusive interview with Senate Majority Leader, John Thune, this hour.

I'm Dana Bash. Let's go behind the headlines and "Inside Politics."

ANNOUNCER: This is CNN breaking news.

BASH: We start with that breaking news. At least one person is dead, two others are wounded after shots rang out at an ICE facility in Dallas. Here's what a top FBI official revealed about the investigation just moments ago.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOE ROTHROCK, FBI SPECIAL AGENT IN CHARGE: Investigating this incident as an act of targeted violence. What I can also share with you is that early evidence that we've seen from rounds that were found near the suspected shooter contain messages that are anti-ICE in nature.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BASH: I want to get right to CNN's Ed Lavandera who is on the scene. Ed, we learned other new information from the FBI. ED LAVANDERA, CNN SENIOR U.S. NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yeah. We have, information coming from the FBI Director, Kash Patel, who moments ago after the press conference here in Dallas, ended -- put out, images of the shells that were recovered from the scene where the shooter's body was found. And on that, shell, it said anti-ICE. And, the FBI Director saying that there is an initial review that shows that this was an a anti-immigration authority attack.

What investigators and officials here have been very reluctant to point out so far is who the victims are. Our indication is that none of the victims in today's shooting were ICE agents or law enforcement agents who were there at this ICE facility in Dallas.

Presumably, we've heard from a couple of sources who say that one of the victims who died was -- is a detainee, as well as another victim. Three victims in all. Two injured, one has been killed. And then the shooter found dead from an -- nearby from where, the shooting took place.

We've heard from authorities who say, that the shooting took place from an elevated position. And then I can kind of give you a sense of where we are. This ICE facility -- processing facility is in a small building just along the service road of Interstate 35 here on the West Side Of Dallas.

And in the buildings behind it there are a number of, like, law firms, other commercial property that can theoretically have a vantage point looking into the area where these detainees are brought in on vans into that facility.

But we're still trying to get official confirmation of how this attack on unfolded. We're getting a better picture of it. But still a lot of unanswered questions as to what was behind this, and what was the -- beyond what we've just heard in a very brief statement from authorities on what the motivation was in this shooting.

And, authorities very reluctant to say who the shooter was and who the victims might be. So we're going to still try to dig away at that as best we can. Dana?

BASH: All right, Ed. Thank you so much for that reporting. Appreciate it. Here with me is CNN's Jeff Zeleny and Priscilla Alvarez as well. Priscilla, you have been working your sources. You've been all over this story. What else are you hearing?

PRISCILLA ALVAREZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, my sources tell me that at least two of those who were shot were detainees at this facility. As you heard there from Ed, the authorities were not providing a lot of information as to who it was who was injured and dead, only going so far as to say that no ICE agents were killed or injured.

But there were, multiple populations that would be at this facility. In addition to ICE employees, you have detainees who are there and also civilians, people who are visiting detainees, including attorneys. In fact, I just got off the phone moments ago with an immigration attorney who told me that she arrived there around 7:00 AM today where she was expected to meet with a client for a routine check-in. That's a type of thing that happens at these facilities. Her client hadn't arrived yet.

And when she got there, it was completely blocked off by police. She was told there was a shooter on scene, and she told me her initial reaction was just terrified, not only for herself, but for her clients. She has one client who is at the facility. She hasn't heard from that client yet. The other, she said, gratefully had not yet arrived for this check-in.

[12:05:00]

But that leads me to some context on the facility we're talking about here. This is a place where immigrants are taken to be processed. There are about three or four holding rooms that are there. About a couple of dozen people there any given time. And they are processed. They'll be transferred to a detention center. So this is sort of a pit stop before they are taken to that detention center and then eventually, potentially, removed.

So this was a place where there would be immigration attorneys meeting with their clients there. There would be family who could be visiting the detainees there. But, again, we don't yet know the motivation for this attack. Of course, the FBI director is saying that there is an ideological motivation given what has been on -- written on the shell casings that said anti-ICE.

And over the course of the morning, Homeland Security officials repeatedly talked about the ramped up attacks and threats against ICE personnel and facilities. In fact, this particular facility was the target of a bomb threat in late August. So this has been something that they have been contending with.

But even so, there are also detainees who were at risk here and that I'm being told at least two of whom were shot that we still are trying to gather more details about the entire incident.

BASH: And senator Ted Cruz, was at this press conference. He, of course, is the senator from Texas where this happened. Listen to what he said.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. TED CRUZ (R-TX): This needs to stop. Violence is wrong. Politically motivated violence is wrong. To every politician who is using rhetoric, demonizing ICE, and demonizing CBP, stop. To every politician demanding that ICE agents be doxxed and calling for people to go after their families, stop.

This has very real consequences. Look, in America, we disagree. That's fine. That's the democratic process. But your political opponents are not Nazis.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BASH: Jeff?

JEFF ZELENY, CNN CHIEF NATIONAL AFFAIRS CORRESPONDENT: Look. Very strong words there from senator Cruz. He is right about the fact that the violence has really hit this epic proportion that seems to be happening all the time.

If we put a list together, it is just -- the frequency in which events are occurring is really almost mind blowing. However, to Priscilla's point, we do not know the motivation in the early hours right after this. We know that the FBI Director said that there were anti-ICE messages on a shell casing. We will just have to see what the motivation is. It does not seem, clear.

To your point earlier, it was not the ICE agents who were, wounded. It seemed to be the detainees. But look, one thing we do know that violence, political or not, is at an epic proportion here. Guns are a common, a Lincoln indicator, and it seems to show no real end in sight, very sadly.

BASH: Yeah. I mean, it doesn't take a data scientist to see the rise in rhetoric and the rise in political violence, and it's just terrible.

Thank you so much to both of you, especially Priscilla, for bringing us that important reporting. We're going to keep monitoring the breaking news and bring you any other updates we get as we learn them.

But first, President Trump has a question. Just how much money can he get from ABC for bringing Jimmy Kimmel back? That is a question he posed in public.

Plus, you don't want to miss my exclusive interview with Senate Majority Leader John Thune, what he said about the President, Jimmy Kimmel, and the potential for a government shutdown in less than a week.

Stay with us.

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[12:10:00]

BASH: Jimmy Kimmel is again live six days after ABC suspended his show indefinitely. Late Night Host returned with an impassioned defense of free speech against government pressure.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JIMMY KIMMEL, HOST, "JIMMY KIMMEL LIVE": Look, I never imagined I would be in a situation like this. I barely paid attention in school. But one thing I did learn from Lenny Bruce and George Carlin and Howard Stern is that a government threat to silence a comedian the President doesn't like is anti-American. That's anti-American.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BASH: He also tearfully addressed those offended by his comments on Charlie Kirk's death, saying it was never his intention to make light of the murder of Kirk. And he closed by uplifting Erica Kirk's powerful moment on day when she forgave her husband's killer.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

KIMMEL: There it was. That's it, a selfless act of grace, forgiveness from a grieving widow. It touched me deeply. And I hope it touches many. And if there's anything we should take from this tragedy to carry forward, I hope it can be that. Not this.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BASH: Let's dig in with my panel. What a moment we're in. I mean, it's really remarkable. And it might not be over, Nia, because the President, he posted this just before Kimmel's show aired last night.

He said, "Why would they want someone back who doesn't so poorly, who's not funny, who puts the network in jeopardy by playing 99 percent positive Democratic garbage? He is yet another arm of the DNC. To the best of my knowledge that would be a major illegal campaign contribution." And this is key here. "I think we're going to test ABC out on this. Let's see how we do. Last time I went after them, they gave me $16 million. This one sounds even more lucrative."

[12:15:00]

The $16 million referring to a suit that was settled before it got to court against ABC News and George Stephanopoulos.

NIA-MALIKA HENDERSON, POLITICAL & POLICY COLUMNIST: That's right. Listen. And we know that this is a President who loves lawsuits. He has had some success as he reminds us over and over with ABC, and with CBS too. We know that his FCC Chair has talked about this idea of this equal time doctrine, and should it apply to a show like "The View."

And so this is something that it's shocking. That we're in a moment where the President of The United States is concerned about what a late night comedian is saying, but he is so thin skinned. Right? And he wants to make the culture, cheer for him and reflect what he wants to say and what MAGA wants them to say. So we are here.

And while this is a good moment for free speech, Jimmy Kimmel coming back in the way that he did, I think this is going to be an ongoing story because of who the President is and because of who he surrounded himself with.

BASH: Yeah. I mean, that's such a important point, Nia, about the culture because that is one of the many huge things that we have seen change between Trump 1.0 and Trump 2.0 that he is very aggressively, not dragging his culture out into the public, but I would say a lot of people who support him are much more emboldened to be part of the more traditional cultural discourse. PHIL MATTINGLY; ANCHOR & CHIEF DOMESTIC CORRESPONDENT: There has been a dramatic swing in the pendulum from how things were, the environment, I think, on a day to day basis inside culture in the United States from the first term to now.

And I think that's critical to understanding this moment, the authority that the President is attempting to utilize right now and his ability to not just secure a $16 million settlement in something that I don't think any broadcast network would have even considered 10 years ago, but also why that emboldens him to keep pushing for more.

And I think we've seen it over the course of the last eight months, the Administration, the President, his top advisers, their willingness to challenge kind of general parameters or restraints that most people would never even consider, they hadn't even considered maybe aspirationally in the first term. They're not they're not only willing to challenge them. They're willing to push over the line repeatedly and see how far they can go.

And I think it's an informative moment for businesses, who are also facing a very different environment right now.

BASH: Businesses, law firms, across the board.

MATTINGLY: Yes. And trying to figure out from a business perspective is it worth a fight here? In the first term, the answer was always yes, without fail. They knew they had support and public support. This time, it has been a very different moment. And I think that camel's nose under the tent from those initial settlements is now being born out.

BASH: Or whether or not this is -- these media companies pushing the camel's nose back outside the tent. And that is a big question about Bob Iger, whether or not, no, he didn't stand up the first time, whether or not he is this time, and the pressure that he was under.

Yes. Most of the pressure came from, people on the coasts, but it wasn't just people who are, maybe more liberal leaning in Hollywood. It's also some of the most conservative Americans who say this is about free speech. But the question again is what really happened? Listen to our friend Scott Galloway and Cara Swisher on their podcast.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SCOTT GALLOWAY, HOST, PIVOT WITH KARA SWISHER AND SCOTT GALLOWAY: Because what happened here was they started getting actors probably called and said, I'm not going to work with Disney. They saw thousands of screenshots being sent to them saying, OK, I'm canceling Hulu. This was about money.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BASH: Jeff.

ZELENY: Well, look. I mean, that sort of lays bare what was happening in the run up to Jimmy Kimmel returning, so many cancellations of Disney plus and Hulu. So, what I'm watching for next is what does Brendan Carr at the FCC do? What does -- what happens next with "The View," to your point?

And, yesterday, Jimmy Kimmel was on last night, but he was not shown in pretty broad swaths of America.

BASH: Wasn't Shown here in Washington.

ZELENY: Every place there is a Sinclair or Nexstar station. We will see if the other station groups, what side they sort of take going forward. But going forward, I mean, to hear Ted Cruz, Rand Paul, pretty lonely Republican voices out there. If this continues, if this goes deeper, the White House clearly wants to take this deeper.

President Trump wants to make this a fight. It animates his base. There's no doubt about it. It provides a bit of a distraction, some from other challenges he's facing, which are many, many.

But to me, what does the FCC do from here? The idea of a station licenses being discussed, it hasn't been discussed since the Nixon era. Will that continue, or is this sort of a one and done and, the White House kind of moves on?

[12:20:00]

I think that President Trump likes this fight that he's in, and he has a very friendly FCC and an FCC commissioner.

HENDERSON: That's right. And listen, it is a test of sort of where the culture is. Where is the money? Is it on the right? Is it on the left? And here, it was sort of, you know, ABC, at first, was saying, well, there's the sort of the money and the pressure and culture is moving to the right, and then there was this backlash. Some of it was from Hollywood, and some of it was from people like, Ted Cruz.

And so this is a real moment. I mean, this is a President who came into office and sees the reigns of the Kennedy Center. Right? He's messing with what is at the Blacksonian. Right? What is on the walls, and the exhibits at the at the Blacksonian?

So, in some ways, this is a dream for conservatives. They have felt that sort of mainstream culture was too liberal for all these years, and now they've got somebody who, has felt the same way and wants the culture to reflect him and reflect kindly on him.

BASH: Yeah. I mean, that's sort of where I was going and I was saying to Phil is, this has been a long desire for conservatives. One that frankly, I don't think that they ever thought that they would be able to change much, and they are changing it in a big way.

Everybody stand by. Up next, Congress is running out of time to avert a shutdown. Are the two sides even talking? Spoiler alert, I'll tell you. The answer is no. My exclusive interview with the top Senate Republican on that and more next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK) [12:25:00]

BASH: In just six days, the U.S. government will shut down if leaders here in Washington can't reach a deal to continue to fund it. Just before air, I spoke with the Republican in control of the U.S. Senate, John Thune of South Dakota.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BASH: Senate Majority Leader John Thune, thank you so much for joining me. I appreciate it. We have a lot to get to, but I do want to start with the breaking news we're following out of Texas. Multiple people were injured in a shooting at a Dallas ICE facility there this morning. The shooter is dead. There is a lot we do not know at this hour, including most importantly the motive. But are you worried about this as yet another instance of political violence?

SEN. JOHN THUNE (R-SD): I am. I think everybody ought to be, Dana. That, you know, obviously, this is the latest example. And you're right, we don't have all the details and all the facts, and we have to wait to get those to draw any conclusions. But, clearly, another example of tragic loss of life.

And that is something that, as we've observed lately in multiple circumstances, every American ought to be concerned about and every American, no matter what your political views are, ought to be trying to prevent. And to keep our discourse civil and, discuss these issues in a way that's respectful but doesn't resort to political violence.

BASH: All right. Well, let's talk about some of these issues, including a very pressing one here in Washington. If the Senate does not pass a bill to fund the government in six days, the government will shut down.

President Trump canceled a planned meeting with Democratic leaders, and CNN is reporting that he made that decision after speaking with you and House Speaker Mike Johnson. Did you encourage the President to cancel his meeting with Democrats?

THUNE: Well, I think the President -- I can't speak for the President. President draws his own conclusions. But what I'm suggesting -- I think the President came to the conclusion that it wouldn't be a productive meeting.

The Democrats' requests are completely unhinged and unreasonable and unserious. And, if they want to have a serious conversation, I think that, you know, I'm sure the President will be welcome or would be happy to do that.

But at least right now what they're asking for to keep the government open for seven weeks is over a trillion dollars in new spending and, all kinds of policy riders that never go on continuing resolutions. Continuing resolution is something that when the Democrats had the majority and Joe Biden was in the White House, they passed 13 times, and Republicans worked with him to deliver the votes. Those are clean, spending continuing resolutions to fund the government for a foreseeable time in order to allow something else to happen. In this case, we're trying to do this to allow the normal appropriations process to get underway so that we can pass bills the old fashioned way, which is through the Appropriations Committee on the floor in the Senate where every Senator has an opportunity to make their voices heard.

So this is a short term extension of existing funding, current funding. The Democrats are trying to hijack it to get a trillion dollars in new spending, and I don't think that's a very good deal for the American taxpayer and, appears at least at this point, the President's come to the same conclusion.

BASH: I want to get to one of the specifics in what the Democrats want in a second. But I understand the President is going to make his own decision. But I just want to confirm, you did urge the President not to have this meeting?

THUNE: I spoke with the President, and I offer as I often do, my opinions. But I don't -- I generally don't share those publicly. And as I said before, the President comes to his own conclusions, as he spoke, I think, with Speaker Johnson as well. We have at the desk in the Senate right now, Dana, a bill to fund the government passed by the House, ready to be signed in law by the President.

We could take it up today and pass it. It's that straightforward. And in the past, that's always the way this has worked.

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