Return to Transcripts main page

The Situation Room

House Oversight Committee to Review Alex Acosta Over Epstein Deal; Trump and Pritzker Clash Over Possible National Guard Deployment; New GLP-1 Weight Loss Pill. Aired 10:30-11a ET

Aired August 26, 2025 - 10:30   ET

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

[10:30:00]

PAMELA BROWN, CNN ANCHOR: All right. Let's get back to one of our top stories this morning. The Republican-led House Oversight Committee is deepening its Jeffrey Epstein investigation. The committee announced that it will interview Alex Acosta, that's Trump's former labor secretary during his first administration. Acosta was also the U.S. attorney who oversaw Epstein's 2008 plea deal, something that he came under controversy for with critics saying it was too lenient for the scale of Epstein's crimes.

Areva Martin is with us now. She's an attorney and legal affairs commentator. So, how significant is it, Areva, that the committee is now interviewing Alex Acosta.

AREVA MARTIN, CIVIL RIGHTS ATTORNEY AND ATTORNEY AND LEGAL AFFAIRS COMMENTATOR: Well, you know, Pamela, this is risky for Republicans. They have been clamoring for transparency, but at the same time, they're also very concerned about any blowback to President Trump. We know there are already reports of his relationship and entanglement with Jeffrey Epstein. So, now interviewing this former U.S. attorney who has already come under fire for not being more strict or not being harsher when it comes to Epstein could in fact backfire.

And this is all at the same time that the House Oversight Committee is receiving documents from the Justice Department, again, exposing Donald Trump to potential blowback depending on what is in those files and records.

[10:35:00]

And Epstein's estate has also been subpoenaed here for these new documents, including that so-called birthday boOK. that's a collection of letters from high-profile figures gifted to Epstein on his 50th birthday, reportedly among them, Donald Trump, though the president has denied writing a letter for that book and he's now suing the Wall Street Journal for defamation. But with these new documents, what do you expect the committee could learn that they don't already know?

MARTIN: Well, the big question, Pamela, is who was involved with Epstein? We've heard a lot leading up to the presidential election about the so-called client list, a list that was going to reveal the names of potentially high-profile individuals who were a part of the criminal enterprise that Epstein ran. But then we had the U.S. attorney come out and say, there is no client list. So, the big question or the elephant in the middle of the room is still, is there a client list? Is there some way to determine who was involved with Epstein? Maybe there isn't a formal list, but there may be e-mails. There may be other records and documents that provide names to the Congressional Oversight Committee.

But important to note, Pamela, already, Democrats on that committee are saying that the records they've received so far are redundant. Don't reveal any new information. I think one. Congressional Democrats said only 3 percent of the information reveals anything that hasn't already been disclosed to the public.

BROWN: So, then, do you think that this new subpoena for these documents and Alex Acosta and so forth will remedy that?

MARTIN: I think it's a first, an important necessary step, but I don't think this is the end of the story. One question is still looming about what information is going to be redacted. Are they cherry-picking the information that is being provided to this Congressional Oversight Committee? What information will be revealed to the public? We know Democrats, again, continue to push for full transparency and full disclosure of these records. And today, Democrats are saying that's not what is happening. So, there, there's a lack of confidence in the information that is being revealed to date.

BROWN: I'm wondering, as you look at the Ghislaine Maxwell transcript, what you thought about that and whether you think Todd Blanche, the deputy attorney general, conducted that interview in a way that would be consistent with interviewing other people in other cases with, you know, convicted of an egregious crime like that?

MARTIN: Absolutely not. I think we have to call it out for what it is. It was a performative interview. After this two days of interviewing she somehow gets transferred to a minimum security prison, a prison that ordinarily would not house someone convicted of the sexual crimes that she was convicted of. She repeatedly talks about Donald Trump not engaging in what she calls inappropriate behavior. But her definition of inappropriate is not one that we should put a lot of stock in.

She is a convicted felon. She was also charged with perjury, although that claim wasn't fully litigated, but her credibility is clearly suspect. And any comment she makes exonerating President Trump we have to imagine is motivated by her desire to receive a pardon or some kind of leniency with respect to her own criminal case that is still ongoing, that she has appeals that are on record.

So, I don't think we learned very much from her. I don't think it was very informative and an effort by this White House to further distract the public from getting the real information about Jeffrey Epstein and potential ties, if any, to this president.

BROWN: All right. Areva Martin, thanks so much. And just ahead right here in the Situation Room, we're going to speak to a Democratic alderman from Chicago on how concerned he is about President Trump's threats to expand his crime crackdown using the National Guard and his city.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[10:40:00]

BROWN: Well, new this morning, city officials across the country are reacting to President Trump's new executive order, tasking his defense secretary with creating specialized units in the National Guard that will be trained and equipped to deal with public order issues. And as National Guard troops patrol Washington, D.C., the president is considering deploying troops to other cities like Chicago.

Joining us now is Michael Rodriguez. He's a Democratic alderman in Chicago. Thank you for joining us. So, how are you and other elected officials preparing for this possibility that the president may send National Guard troops into your city?

MICHAEL RODRIGUEZ, CHICAGO ALDERMAN: Well, Trump's plan is unwelcomed here in the City of Chicago. It's un-American and it's counterproductive. The fact is, violent crime in the City of Chicago is down. Over 20 percent on every major category, 33 percent in homicides, 49 percent in vehicular hijackings. The fact is that this plan is not welcome in the City of Chicago, and we will condemn this plan. I have a plan with Alderwoman Gutierrez of the 14th order of the City of Chicago to submit a resolution condemning this un-American Act.

BROWN: What would that do, condemning it, I mean, in terms of preventing this from happening?

RODRIGUEZ: LoOK. we don't want tanks rolling down our streets. I am the alder person of the second magnificent mile, or better known as the magnificent two miles, 26th Street, where our economy is thriving due to immigrant and a number of folks who've been in our community for so many years. How will people feel sending their kids to school, going to church, opening their shops with a military presence on our streets? That will not create more public safety in our city, it'll hinder our efforts.

[10:45:00]

We've done well in the City of Chicago. That's because our economy's doing well. We're paying working class people more. Our first responders got a raise over the last couple of years. Our restaurant workers are doing better. The fact is we've have one of the more progressive paid time off policies in the country, that has led to safer Chicago. And we need to double down on those efforts. Investing in our schools, investing in prevention programs. That's what we need. We do not need a militarization of our streets.

BROWN: Well, you and other Democrats have pointed out that violent crime is down in the city compared to previous years, but there are some of those in Chicago who are still worried about crime and support the military coming in. Watch what one lifelong Chicago resident told my colleague, Whitney Wild.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The residents deserve more. They deserve to be feel safe. The crime should not take over the city. The crime should not make residents feel like they can't live everyday life.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BROWN: So, what do you say to her and others in Chicago who feel the same way?

RODRIGUEZ: Crime could be down 30 percent or more, but that doesn't mean our job is done. The fact is we are going to continue to work in things that are shown to be effective at bringing down crime in our city. We have a resilient city, great people that are doing the hard work of making the city greater every day. But we don't need a Trump president who's trying to distract from his real issues with a terrible economy, Epstein files, et cetera.

The fact is eggs are more expensive. Gas is not cheaper. What was promised hasn't happened. So, this is a distraction and our community will not benefit from this distraction. We need to focus on real solutions. The governor yesterday with the mayor and a number of elected officials, including myself, were present to show our community that we are going to stand up to this bully.

I understand this woman and her issues, I have two family members die violently to gang and drug violence when I was a mere child. But I have a master's degree from the University of Chicago in community development. I ran the medical examiner's office. I've run violence prevention programs in my city. I know what works. This ain't it, President Trump.

BROWN: Chicago Alderman Michael Rodriguez, thank you.

RODRIGUEZ: Thank you.

BROWN: And coming up, a popular weight loss drug could soon be available in pill form. The new CNN reporting is next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[10:50:00]

BROWN: Today is National Dog Day and we are celebrating our four- legged friends. CNN Chief Data Analyst Harry Enten is here for the dog days of summer. Harry, I'm a huge dog lover.

HARRY ENTEN, CNN CHIEF DATA ANALYST: Same.

BROWN: I know you are. A lot of people are, it turns out according to the data.

ENTEN: Yes, a lot of people are. You can see me here with the Chuckster. You can see me here if my child, Cody (ph). I think we both kind of look very adorable here.

BROWN: You do.

ENTEN: But we are not alone, Pam Brown. We are not alone in terms of the percentage who like dogs. I think this sort of gives the game away. Favorable view of dogs, get this, 90 percent, 90 percent. And who do we have there? We have Eric Sherling's lovely dog, Daisy, right over there.

But loOK. dogs are so popular. They actually beat Abraham Lincoln. They beat our 16th president Abe Lincoln, good old Abe has an 83 percent favorable and George Washington, a founding father of this country, just 78 percent. Now, those are really high, but dogs even beat a founding father. And of course, arguably our greatest president, Abraham Lincoln, with a 90 percent favorable rating.

BROWN: Wow.

ENTEN: Again, Daisy, adorable.

BROWN: There's an old saying here in Washington, if you want a friend, get a dog.

ENTEN: There you go.

BROWN: So, not surprising there. I have a dog at home, Bingo. He's a black lab and we love him. So, he was born on Christmas Day. Here's a picture. Look at that face. I mean, don't you just love him? But everyone loves their dog and thinks their dog is the cutest dog in the world. So, I'm partial. But you know, loving a dog and having one, two different things. How many Americans actually have a dog at home?

ENTEN: Yes, it's going up like a rocket. What are we talking about here? All right. The percentage of Americans who have a pet dog in 1947, it was 32 percent. You jump ahead to 1987, a little bit before I was born, 38 percent. Now, look at this, a record high. 46 percent of Americans have dogs. It's never been higher in this country. And of course, we have Annie who just looks so adorable over here. Annie, who is Lee Walman, are, of course, dear friend here at CNN over there. I love the glasses. Maybe I could do a glasses thing and maybe be part of that picture.

BROWN: Glasses are awesome.

ENTEN: Cool dogs.

BROWN: That's amazing. All right. So, which country has the most dogs overall?

ENTEN: OK. So, we see this 46 percent. So, it might not be surprising you. The country with the most dogs is America. 90 million dogs in America. That's a pretty gosh darn large number. But of course, we love dogs so much, whether they be Bella the shih tzu, whether they be, of course, our dear friend Izzy Povich's (ph) dog, Oscar, over here, or whether they of course be Ellie, our wonderful friend Karen Branzo's (ph) dog over there.

I just love dogs. And 90 million of them, I wish there were 180 million of them, and I wish I could keep them all in my house. It'd make me so happy.

BROWN: They're actually really good for your health, it turns out, even just petting a dog helps, right? I think we could all use that in this day and age.

ENTEN: Nice and calm, right?

BROWN: Is there a breed that's more popular?

ENTEN: Yes. I would just tell you that the --

BROWN: The lab?

ENTEN: No, the lab is actually number two. The French Bulldog. The French Bulldog is number one. The Frenchie is number one.

BROWN: Those are pretty darn cute.

ENTEN: Yes, I know. Let's see if I can spell it out. I think I got it. The Frenchie is number one. The lab is now number two. But you know what? All dogs in my heart are number one.

BROWN: I agree. Harry Enten, thanks so much.

ENTEN: Thank you.

[10:55:00]

BROWN: Happy National Dog Day, everyone. Coming up, sky surfing above San Francisco. The story behind this wild stunt right after the break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[11:00:00]