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CNN Live Event/Special
CNN Headlines: President Trump Campaigns In Battleground North Carolina; Vance To Voters: "Give Us Another Chance"; Trump Says His Fundraising For Kennedy Center Deserves Name Recognition; Investigation Underway Into Fatal News Helicopter Crash; Fed Raises Interest Rates For First Time Since 2023. Aired 5-5:30a ET
Aired September 17, 2026 - 05:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[05:00:26]
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: For this election, I'm asking you to pretend I'm on the ballot just one more time.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BRAD SMITH, CNN ANCHOR: President Trump campaigned in North Carolina for Republican Senate candidate Michael Whatley. What he said could shape the race.
Plus --
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KEVIN WARSH, FEDERAL RESERVE CHAIRMAN: The plain fact is that inflation is too high and has been for too long.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SMITH: The Federal Reserve raised interest rates for the first time in more than three years. How this may impact your credit cards or car loans, and even future mortgages.
Plus, forget cash. Would you sell your $2.35 million vacation home for private A.I. company stock? We'll tell you about one person who is and why.
And a wild courthouse escape attempt. A handcuffed inmate breaks free, punches the deputy and runs away, but he didn't get too far. We've got the full story straight ahead.
Good morning, everyone. I'm brad smith, this is CNN. Headline express glad that you're with us this morning.
Let's get this started.
Well, do you feel it? Election season is in full swing and President Trump hit the campaign trail on Wednesday to stump for Republican Senate candidate Michael Whatley in battleground North Carolina was in focus.
And the president hit several of his usual talking points, like blaming Democrats for high costs and predicting lower fuel prices after the midterms. Whatley's opponent, former Governor Roy Cooper, leads most polls. But insiders agree that the margin will be close.
So, Trump offered this advice.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: When I'm in the ticket, Republicans have always done really well. They go out, they vote, everybody gets elected, everybody gets elected. But I just want you to go out and pretend I'm on the ticket, because essentially I am.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SMITH: Polling suggests that most Americans have soured on Trump's handling of the economy.
Elsewhere on the campaign trail, Vice President J.D. Vance acknowledged that, then argued Republicans have had a lot of messes to clean up, saying this on the "All In" podcast
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
J.D. VANCE, VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: There's a lot of good that's been done, but there's a lot of work left to do. Don't give power to the people who caused the problems that were fixing. Give us another chance or give us another couple of years to continue to work on the amazing things that we've been doing for the past two years.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SMITH: Back in North Carolina, its unclear if this messaging will land there. About 40 percent of voters are unaffiliated, and the Democratic nominee, Roy Cooper, has been elected statewide four times.
New this morning, a poster that President Trump was reviewing about Air Force One is drawing attention. Take a good look at what's inside the second window from the left, it appears the poster says, quote, "Kennedy Center demolished." An AFP photographer captured these images while the president was on the Joint Base Andrews tarmac.
We're waiting for the White House to respond to requests for comment about what Trump was looking at and whether or not the poster says Kennedy Center demolished.
Earlier, the president defended his push to be recognized by name on the Kennedy Center building. Listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REPORTER: Why is it so important for you to have your name on the Kennedy Center? TRUMP: Well, it's a very easy question to answer because it's a mess. So for the Trump administration, for me to get involved and to take that on long term and to carry it, or to raise money to carry it, I think that the Trump administration should certainly have recognition.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SMITH: Third person.
In meantime, crews could be seen placing fencing outside the Kennedy Center just one day after the Trump appointed board of the performing arts center voted to shut it down. The reason for blocking it off is unclear.
Investigators are in Los Angeles today looking for clues into Tuesday's fatal crash of a news helicopter. Two people on board and one person on the ground were killed.
CNN's Marybel Gonzalez has more.
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FABIAN SALAZAR, NTSB INVESTIGATOR-IN-CHARGE: The NTSB and the FAA and our party members will be on scene pretty much all day today, gathering factual data.
MARYBEL GONZALEZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Investigators are combing through charred wreckage for clues into what caused helicopter to crash Tuesday night between two commercial buildings in Chatsworth, California, a suburb about 25 miles northwest of downtown Los Angeles.
The chopper was working for stations NBC 4 and Telemundo 52, providing coverage of a deadly bus collision.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: TV 4 is not up here with us. We believe it's TV 4 that went down.
[05:05:00]
GONZALEZ (voice-over): The NBC station identified veteran pilot photojournalist George Marciniw, an aerial photojournalist Eliana Moreno, as those on board the helicopter. The L.A. County medical examiner confirmed pedestrian Edy Gutierrez Mejia also died.
Investigators say video taken from inside the helicopter before it struck the ground holds key clues into what happened.
SALAZAR: In that recording, we are clearly hearing sounds that are consistent with the engine changing its speed, and we're also hearing tones that are being generated that are likely advisories to the pilots.
GONZALEZ (voice-over): Yet it could be some time before they have answers.
SALAZAR: The public can expect a preliminary report on this helicopter accident in about 30 days, followed by a final report with a probable cause, which, depending on the circumstances of the accident, can go out to about 18 months.
GONZALEZ (voice-over): In Los Angeles, I'm Marybel Gonzalez.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SMITH: We are learning more about those killed in the crash. Photojournalist Eliana Moreno was engaged to be married and veteran pilot George Marciniw was planning on retiring soon. And on the ground, Edy Gutierrez Mejia was a young tourist from Guatemala. He arrived in la just hours before being fatally struck by the helicopter. Officials say at least two others were taken to the hospital with injuries.
Well, OpenAI is revealing that it is discovered more instances of its A.I. models acting deceptively. The artificial intelligence company says it happened six times in the last six months. The company says that these findings do not indicate that it happens often. In one rare case, OpenAI says that an unreleased research model added, quote, jailbreak like instructions to summaries.
OpenAI also said it will now publicly report concerning A.I. behavior more frequently, instead of batching cases into one report. Some tech leaders and officials have recently raised serious concerns about the urgent need for artificial intelligence regulation.
The Federal Reserve has raised interest rates for the first time in more than three years. The Fed voted unanimously yesterday to hike the key overnight lending rate by a quarter points and 16 of 18 policymakers expect at least one more rate hike this year. The move underscores the Fed's concern about high inflation, which has become worse in recent months due to the war with Iran.
President Trump defended his hand-picked fed chairman, Kevin Warsh, but accused other Fed officials of raising rates for political reasons.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: They're raising the rates to. They're raising the rates to make Trump do as bad as they can possibly do. The problem they have is that we have the greatest economy in history. We have over $21 trillion being invested in this country, which is five times more than we've ever had before. So they're raising that only for political reasons. And that's a raise against Trump.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SMITH: The data suggests that inflation has been stubborn, and this is the move that they took.
CNN's Karin Caifa is in Washington with a look at what it means for your money.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) KARIN CAIFA, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The Federal Reserve on Wednesday announcing its latest decision on interest rates.
WARSH: The plain fact is that inflation is too high and has been for too long.
CAIFA (voice-over): In recent months, inflation concerns have overtaken previous worries about the labor market, which the fed now sees as solid.
NICOLE BACHAUD, ZIPRECRUITER LABOR ECONOMICST: What we're seeing right now is a stable unemployment rate, 4.1 percent in the last reading.
CAIFA (voice-over): The ongoing war in the Middle East has pushed up energy prices and threatens to make already stubborn inflation more persistent, accelerating the prices of goods and services across the board.
MARK HAMRICK, THE HAMRICK BRIEF: The fact that we've seen constraint in supply of crude oil and the related products of gasoline, jet fuel and diesel fuel, that's where the proverbial rubber meets the road with respect to causing higher inflation.
CAIFA (voice-over): With no certainty as to when the Iran conflict will end and when energy prices will fall, the Fed, seeking to put the brakes on inflation by raising its key interest rate and making it more expensive to borrow.
HAMRICK: That would follow through to things like credit cards, auto loans, personal loans.
CAIFA (voice-over): But rate hikes impact businesses, too, and their hiring plans.
BACHAUD: It also raises the rates that businesses pay to secure additional capital or to grow their business. That makes it more challenging for them to expand, which in turn slows down hiring.
CAIFA (voice-over): Making the balance between curbing inflation and keeping Americans employed, a delicate dance for the Federal Reserve.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SMITH: Thank you, Karin.
We've got lots more to come on. CNN HEADLINE EXPRESS, singer Chris Brown and a member of Congress under fire for an honor that he was given. We've got more there.
Plus, lawmakers on Capitol Hill step in to keep your electric bills from spiking. We're going to explain how.
And new developments in that Amazon plane crash that took place in Miami, leaving five people dead and several injured.
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The latest coming up.
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SMITH: The remains of an Amazon cargo jet have been moved after a deadly crash at Miami international airport that took place earlier this month. The plane was released by the National Transportation Safety Board and transported to a new location. This will allow restrictions on the runway and nearby taxiways to be lifted. Five people died and others were injured when the plane overshot the runway on landing.
[05:15:06]
Officials say that some parts of the plane are being kept for more investigation.
Texas Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett is getting some major backlash online for pledging to enter Chris Brown into the congressional record at his concert. Take a look
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REPORTER: Texas Democrat Rep Jasmine Crockett has come under fire after she honored Chris Brown at a recent concert.
REP. JASMINE CROCKETT (D-TX): We are experiencing Black joy to the highest level, and I wanted to make sure we document that in the congressional record.
REPORTER: On stage, Crockett pledged to award Brown and musician Usher a congressional record recognition. That is a ceremonial statement by a representative, which is entered into the congressional record. Usher was not on the stage.
The backlash stems from Chris browns history of violence. In 2009, Brown pled guilty to one count of felony assault against his then girlfriend, Rihanna. He would later issue a video apology.
This July, Brown also pled guilty to brawling at a London nightclub.
Author Roxane Gay criticized Crockett for her support of Brown on social media, writing, "What the hell is @jasmineforus thinking? This is such a bizarre and unacceptable misstep. Chris Bown thanked Crockett on Instagram for her support and apologized for any backlash she received.
Crockett appeared on stage with Texas State Rep Benton Jones Jr., who has since apologized for his appearance, saying, first and foremost, I want to acknowledge the black women who my actions have hurt. In moments like these, I think it's important to be specific, and just as loud within apology as our original actions were.
Brown responded to the apology, posting on Instagram, "Y'all came to me with this, not the other way around. And how about y'all leave me the (EXPLETIVE DELETED) alone and let me focus on the fans?"
CNN has reached out to Chris Brown's team, Usher's publicist and Rep. Crockett's representatives for comment.
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SMTH: An update this morning, White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles announcing that she is now cancer free. In a social media post Wednesday, Wiles said that in part, she's grateful to share the news and thanked President Trump for his support throughout her treatment. Wiles revealed in March that she had early stage breast cancer. She continued working as chief of staff while receiving treatment.
Still to come on CNN HEADLINE EXPRESS, Republican congressman wants Pete Hegseth out, but getting an impeachment vote to the House floor, that could take some additional time.
Plus, after being dropped from Ed Sheeran's tour, rapper Macklemore says he's donating $1 million to pro-Palestinian causes and is calling on others to do the same.
The latest in the ongoing saga, straight ahead.
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[05:22:11]
SMITH: Well, a bill that is aimed at protecting Americans from higher electricity bills as data centers keep expanding is headed to the Senate now, its called the Ratepayer Protection Act, and it would push states to consider rules that make tech companies pick up the extra electricity costs that are linked to data centers. But it stopped short of requiring any actual regulation. Critics say that means the bill may not do much to prevent higher bills for customers.
It's usually pretty easy to make a return at the store, but here's something that you might not have known. Some stores could have a limit on the number of returns that you can make before you get penalized.
Maribel Aber breaks it down for us.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MARIBEL ABER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hey, Maribel Aber here at the Nasdaq Market Site.
If you like to shop online because most return policies are fast and easy, be mindful of how many returns you make. You could discover that you've reached a limit that leads to fees or the loss of return privileges. Amazon warned shoppers on its website that an unusually high return rate could trigger return shipping fees. And it doesn't give an exact threshold. But it says it can adjust its policy if it believes the return service is being abused.
And Amazon isn't alone. Walmart says it actively monitors return activity and can limit or refuse returns, exchanges or refunds for what it considers excessive or repetitive return behavior. Target and Sephora, as more examples, have similar cautions for consumers in their return policies, too. So what should you do?
First, don't assume free returns means unlimited returns. Second, know the retailers rules before you buy because return windows and restrictions can vary. And third, keep your receipts and return documentation, especially if you make frequent returns. There are several apps that allow you to quickly scan and organize receipts on your phone, like WellyBox and Zoho.
Bottom line, return responsibly so you don't risk paying extra fees or facing other penalties. Your money matters.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SMITH: Thanks, Maribel.
Some Amazon workers are going to see a bump in pay just ahead of the holiday season. The e-commerce giant is raising its minimum starting pay for U.S. full time core operations workers to $20 an hour. Amazon says the $1 an hour pay increase brings average hourly pay for those employees to nearly $24. Amazon is also adding new benefits aimed at helping workers stretch their paychecks starting October 1st.
U.S. employees will get discounts on eligible groceries and essentials through Amazon and Whole Foods, and starting later this year, the company is also rolling out a banking benefit with the first tech federal credit union offering low cost banking services.
Well, straight ahead on CNN HEADLINE EXPRESS, an unusual listing. One California homeowner puts his house up for sale in exchange for A.I. stock. Why he says he's doing it straight ahead.
Kansas City Chiefs star Travis Kelce, the victim of a multimillion dollar Ponzi scheme. We'll explain how it went down, straight ahead.
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