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The Situation Room

FBI Says, Recovered DNA Evidence Matches Suspect in Kirk Killing; Rubio Affirms U.S. Support for Israel After Netanyahu Meeting; Gov. Kathy Hochul (D-NY) Endorses Zohran Mamdani in Race for New York City Mayor. Aired 10-10:30a ET

Aired September 16, 2025 - 10:00   ET

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

DONALD TRUMP, U.S. PRESIDENT: Patriots that love our country, what she did to them by indicting them and destroying them, she should be put in jail.

[10:00:10]

She's a criminal. Fani Willis is a criminal judge.

REPORTER: Will you apply more pressure to E.U. and NATO countries not to purchase Russian oil?

TRUMP: I do, but here's the problem. You know the problem. They're purchasing Russian oil. I don't want them purchasing Russian oil, and they've got to stop immediately. Not fair to us. They're purchasing. Russian oil and we have to, you know, do things.

Now, the nice part, we don't, it doesn't cost us anything anymore. You know that. They are buying everything from us, unlike Biden who gave away $350 billion, we actually make money. But I don't want to make money. You know what I want? I want that war to stopped, because last week, 7,018 people got killed. Thank you.

REPORTER: (INAUDIBLE) You announced 70 Patriots in Ukraine two months ago.

TRUMP: Where are you from?

REPORTER: Ukraine?

TRUMP: Yes.

REPORTER: Will they come and do you know when there will come, the Patriots?

TRUMP: What will come?

REPORTER: The Patriots. You announced 70 Patriots to Ukraine two months.

TRUMP: Look, let me just tell you. I love Ukraine. I love the people of Ukraine. That's why I asked. I thought that was a little Ukrainian accent. But the country's in serious trouble. It should have never happened. It's the war that should have never happened. The country's in very serious trouble, but I'm going to get it stopped.

I've done seven countries, have stopped seven wars in the last eight months. I'm going to -- I thought that would've been the easiest because I know Putin, but it's not. There's this tremendous hatred Zelenskyy and -- tremendous hatred between Zelenskyy and Putin, but we're going to get it stopped.

WOLD BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: We want to welcome our viewers here in the United States and around the world. I'm Wolf Blitzer with Pamela Brown. We're in The Situation Room.

And you've been listening to President Trump speak as he's leaving the White House for his trip to the United Kingdom. There you see him walking over to Marine One right now.

I want to bring in CNN Senior White House Reporter Kevin Liptak, who's been watching and listening very closely to all of this. He addressed quite a lot of topics in this Q&A. Pamela, first of all, to you, what stood out to you?

PAMELA BROWN, CNN ANCHOR: Well, I'd like to bring Kevin in at the White House to talk about that because, you know, Kevin he did talk about a range of issues. He talked about sending the National Guard in not only to Memphis, but also talking about Chicago once again. That's been an ongoing theme. And he also talked about the war, the Ukraine war with Russia, and talked about how it was harder than he thought because he knows Putin but that he thinks it will end. That is also a reoccurring theme that we've heard from President Trump, Kevin.

KEVIN LIPTAK, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE REPORTER: Yes, absolutely. And I asked the president now a month on from his meeting with Vladimir Putin that took place in Alaska whether he had accomplished what he hoped to accomplish out of that. And he said that he did. But he acknowledged that in order to get Vladimir Putin and the Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, into the same room, that he would have to be there as well, and so not offering a great deal of optimism that he'll be successful in bringing that war to an end anytime soon.

He was also asked about this other conflict that has been a constant frustration of his, which is the war in Gaza, of course, today, Israel beginning its ground invasion into Gaza City. The president professed not to know much about that at all, instead turning the subject to this issue of Hamas, using hostages as human shields, and the president said there would be held to pay if that continues.

And then there were all of these questions about the fallout from the assassination of Charlie Kirk. I asked the president whether he wanted the federal government to bring charges in that case. He said that they may or they may not, but he obviously affirmed that the state would be bringing their own charges there.

He was asked about his confidence in the FBI director, Kash Patel, who is obviously on Capitol Hill testifying today. You've heard rumblings in some corners, even among the president's allies, that perhaps Patel may not be best equipped to lead the FBI, but the president voicing utmost confidence, pointing out that it only took him two days to find the suspect in this killing.

BROWN: All right. Kevin Liptak from the White House for us, thanks so much. Wolf?

BLITZER: And there's more breaking news unfolding right now. Israel's military has just begun a ground operation into Gaza City after owing to take control of that area. Palestinian rescuers are now looking for people trapped under the rubble. Israel says there are up to 3,000 Hamas militants in the city. CNN cannot verify those figures.

[10:05:00]

As that offensive is getting underway right now, a United Nations commission is accusing Israel of committing genocide, their word, genocide in Gaza, a charge that Israel is categorically rejecting.

Let's go live right now to CNN Jerusalem Correspondent Jeremy Diamond. Jeremy, as Israel said, how long expects this ground operation in Gaza City could take?

JEREMY DIAMOND, CNN JERUSALEM CORRESPONDENT: Well, well, if it has not, but what it has made clear is that this is not one of those offensives that it has carried out in the past. This is not something where you're going to see Israeli troops go into Gaza City and then go out soon thereafter. Instead, the Israeli government has made clear that its intention is to conquer all of Gaza City and then occupy it for an undetermined, indefinite period of time.

Now, the Israeli military says that this invasion has now begun with a force of some 20,000 troops, two divisions of Israeli ground forces and tanks engaged in this fight against what it says is a Hamas stronghold in Gaza City.

Now, we cannot yet independently verify that Israeli tanks and troops have actually begun to make their way into the city center. So far, we've seen no evidence of that. But what we have seen in recent days, Wolf, are the preparations that the Israeli military has been making to carry out this invasion of Gaza City, bombardments intensifying over the course of the last several nights with just -- with 38 people killed just last night alone in Gaza City.

The footage from the aftermath of some of these strikes, we've seen rescue workers pulling the young and the old from destroyed buildings. We've seen children being brought into emergency rooms in Gaza City. Some of them bloodied and injured, others entirely lifeless with their parents then left to mourn over their bodies in the hospital's courtyard.

In addition to that, Wolf, we have already seen the movement of some 350,000 Palestinians who have fled Gaza City, but hundreds of thousands more are still inside of Gaza City. Some of them simply don't have the means to leave, even as the Israeli military has issued one evacuation order after the next.

And what's remarkable is that the Israeli military is now saying that it is seeking to displace this population of about 1 million people in Gaza City in order to defeat a Hamas force of just 2,000 to 3,000 fighters, according to an Israeli military official.

And amid all of this here in Israel, Wolf, there are also fears for the lives of the 20 remaining living hostages being held in Gaza, several of whom are believed to be held in Gaza City. We have seen their families taking to the streets in Israel today in order to demand that this operation be stopped and that Israel instead turn to the negotiating table. Their biggest fear, of course, is that this Israeli offensive could also endanger the lives of their loved ones. Wolf?

BLITZER: And, Jeremy, what more can you tell us about this latest U.N. commission accusing Israel of genocide in Gaza?

DIAMOND: Well, Wolf, this is the first time that we have seen a U.N. commission, in this case, an independent commission of inquiry directed by the United Nations Human Rights Council, reach this conclusion that Israel has committed genocide in Gaza. They base this on the facts on the ground in terms of the bombardment that we have seen, the mass forced displacement of the population, attacks on healthcare facilities, but they also say that they're tying it to what they describe as genocidal statements by senior Israeli officials who have talked about wiping out the population of Gaza, who have talked about describing Palestinians as human animals, in one instance.

Now, the Israeli government, for its part, entirely rejects this conclusion of genocide that has been reached now by this U.N. commission of inquiry. But it is worth noting that we are seeing a growing chorus of voices reaching this very same conclusion over the course of just the last few months. We have seen two Israeli human rights organizations reached this conclusion, the Association of Genocide Scholars also reaching that same conclusion, but, once again, Israel continuing to push back, insisting that there is no evidence and that they are fighting Hamas in the Gaza Strip. Wolf?

BLITZER: All right. Jeremy Diamond in Jerusalem, thank you very, very much. Pamela?

BROWN: And, Wolf, we're following, more breaking news. A judge has just dismissed two terror-related charges against Luigi Mangione, the 27-year-old accused of killing the former CEO of UnitedHealthcare.

CNN's Kara Scannell is right outside that courthouse in New York and joins us now. So, Kara, what more are you learning about why the judge dismissed these charges?

KARA SCANNELL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Pam, as soon as the judge took the bench, he announced his ruling and he said he was dismissing these two terrorism charges relating to the murder of UnitedHealthcare's CEO, saying that they were legally insufficient. He wrote in a written opinion that there was no indication in the statute that murder committed for an ideological reason, in this case, greed and inequality in the healthcare system, fits within the definition of terror without establishing necessary elements of intent to intimidate or coerce the civilian population.

[10:10:13] So, the judge tossing those two charges in a win for Mangione, though he is still facing murder in the second-degree as well as some other related charges. So, he will be facing those charges still as this will move forward when Mangione -- the judge made that decision, our producer, Carolyn Sung, was outside and she heard supporters erupt into applause and cheers. There're still a number of supporters around here. About two dozen of them made it into the courtroom today. Mangione was again walked in and heavily armed, surrounded by the court officers. He was shackled, as he usually is. And today, he was wearing a beige prison jumpsuit. He was not changed into street clothes, which was notable. He did not appear to have any expression on his face throughout the hearing, which was fairly brief.

Now, the judge also said that he was not granting the defense motion on double jeopardy. They were hoping to get the entire case thrown out because he is facing federal charges. The judge saying that there is still plenty of time for a two-month trial to take place here on state charges, whether it's going to be lengthy, often what could span for years of motions and trial practice before this case gets to a federal trial because the Justice Department is seeking the death penalty in that case.

So, a partial victory here from Mangione, you know, we could -- we did not see any expression from him, but the next time he will be back in this courthouse will be on December 1st. Pam?

BROWN: All right. Kara Scannell, thanks so much. Wolf?

BLITZER: Also happening today, the Utah man accused of killing conservative activist Charlie Kirk is due to make his first court appearance today. Utah's governor says Tyler Robinson has not been cooperating with investigators, but The Washington Post is reporting that he may have already confessed online.

BROWN: All right. Let's go live now to CNN Correspondent Danny Freeman. He's in Provo, Utah, where Robinson will make his court appearance. Danny, how will today unfold?

DANNY FREEMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Pamela, Wolf, we're expecting to see Robinson make his first court appearance later on this afternoon at around 5:00 P.M. Eastern Time, a little earlier than that. At around 2:00 P.M. Eastern Time, we're expecting to hear from prosecutors, and they're promising to release more information on this case, which is pretty remarkable since we actually have learned quite a lot about the main suspect here, again, 22-year-old Tyler Robinson, over the past 24 hours.

And I want to talk about that really stunning Washington Post report that you had mentioned at the top where, apparently, Robinson is said to have made a confession over the social and gaming app, Discord. Now, this took place just hours before Robinson would ultimately turn himself in and then become arrested. And, again, according to The Washington Post, in one of these group chats, Robinson said, quote, hey guys, I have bad news for you all. It was me at UVU yesterday. I'm sorry for all of this. Now, this particularly remarkable report also comes on the heels of a New York Times report that really takes us into Robinson's mindset during the manhunt itself, The New York Times reporting that Robinson actually joked at one point about a doppelganger trying to get him into trouble.

Now, this context was -- this came at the moment that law enforcement officials had released photos of the suspect to the public. Somebody got on one of these Discord chats and asked Robinson, hey, where are you at? Asking essentially, is this you? And then that's what Robinson responded with a joke.

Now, Wolf, Pamela, I want you to hear how the FBI director, Kash Patel, framed also a new revelation about text messages on appearance on a television program last night.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

KASH PATEL, FBI DIRECTOR: But I will say what was found in terms of information, a text message exchange where he, the suspect, specifically stated that he had the opportunity to take out Charlie Kirk and he was going to do that. And when he was asked why, he said some hatred cannot be negotiated with.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FREEMAN: So, again, a tremendous amount of new information that we're learning, but, again, we are expecting more information from Utah officials later on today. Again, that first court appearance for Robinson expected at 5:00 P.M. Eastern. Wolf, Pamela?

BLITZER: All right. Danny Freeman in Provo, Utah reporting all of this for us, thank you very, very much. Pamela?

BROWN: And happening right now on Capitol Hill, FBI Director Kash Patel is appearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee to face questions about the turmoil inside the nation's top law enforcement agency. That focus will include missteps in the Charlie Kirk murder investigation, such as Patel sending out a tweet that said a person was in custody who was then later released hours before investigators even knew of Tyler Robinson.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PATEL: Could I have worded it a little better in the heat of the moment? Sure. But do I regret putting it out? Absolutely not. I was telling the world what the FBI was doing, as we were doing, and I'm continuing to do that. And I challenge anyone out there to find a director that has been more transparent and more willing to work the media on high-profile cases, or any case the FBI's handling than we have been under my leadership (ph).

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BROWN: All right. Let's go live to CNN Senior Justice Correspondent Evan Perez on Capitol Hill. So, Evan, you have some new reporting about the growing scrutiny that Patel is facing. What are you learning?

EVAN PEREZ, CNN SENIOR JUSTICE CORRESPONDENT: Well, Pamela, you're hearing some of the fiery exchanges in this hearing already. We heard from Senator Durbin who told Patel, shut up and let the professionals do their job. Of course, he's pushing back strongly. You heard a little bit of that there because he is saying that part of what he's doing, part of the reason why he's on social media, part of why he has been on television in the last 24 hours, revealing very extraordinary new details about this ongoing investigation on a case that federal prosecutors absolutely want to bring charges in, which you and I know from covering the Justice Department for many years, we know how unusual that is, and he says this is part of an effort to be more transparent.

And then, of course, he's also pushing back on some of his management of the FBI, which has come -- he's come under fire for. He says that people who have been fired are people who essentially have not served the needs of the FBI. And he also declined to talk about people who have been asked to do polygraph, take polygraphs. There's a number of people who have left the FBI or who have been fired, forced out, said that they were required to sit for polygraphs, in which they were asked whether they had said anything critical of Kash Patel.

Of course, this hearing is going on for several more hours. Republicans on this panel are largely backing him, but largely trying to let him say what the FBI is doing under his watch. He's taking credit, of course, for a lot of their accomplishments and a lot of their achievements. But, of course, inside the FBI, there's a lot of concern that the FBI director is a lot more concerned, a lot more focused on his social media presence, the way how people perceive him on social media, than actually trying to manage this very large and very important organization. Pamela, this hearing is expected to go on for a few more hours.

BROWN: All right. Thanks, Evan.

And let's actually dip into this hearing right now. We just saw Senator Whitehouse questioning Patel. Let's listen in.

PATEL: I can speak to the time period since I got there. Background investigations have been ongoing across the board at the FBI.

SEN. SHELDON WHITEHOUSE: Why was the pause, do you know?

PATEL: I was not there.

WHITEHOUSE: It wasn't explained to you when you got there? Oh, by the way, boss, they've had a multi -- an eight-day pause on background investigations? Do you think that would be something that would be explained to you at some point?

PATEL: Again, I leave it to the men and women at HRD division to run background investigations. I do not interfere with them.

WHITEHOUSE: I get that, but what I don't get is whether you were told about that pause and why would you not be told about that pause.

PATEL: I don't recall that, sir.

WHITEHOUSE: All right. The allegation also relates that part of the employee review of senior staff was whether or not they voted for Kamala Harris in the 2024 election. Since when is who you voted for a proper question for agents to be asked?

PATEL: I don't know what allegation you're referring to, Senator. If it's from an ongoing matter in litigation, I can't discuss that. But what I can discuss is I can only speak to the FBI's background investigations. There are other background investigations conducted across the government. I can only speak to mine.

WHITEHOUSE: So, just to clarify, I'm not talking about the FBI full field background investigations. I'm talking about internal employee reviews for promotion, for termination, for job actions, the various kinds. And my question to you is, is it now the policy of the FBI to ask agents who they voted for and since when is who agents voted for a proper question for the FBI to ask?

PATEL: Taking those in reverse order, it's not a proper question and it's improper to allege that I'm doing that. And also at the FBI specifically, under my leadership, we do not ask who you voted for.

And just one correction for the record, if I may, Senator, it's security division that runs background investigations, not HRD.

WHITEHOUSE: Okay. I'll accept that correction.

[10:20:00]

And in the event that we cannot locate your grand jury transcript, just expect a question for the record that will give you the chance to either provide that transcript again, if it had been previously provided, or to make the statement that Grand Jury Rule 6E allows you, to the best of your recollection, truthfully, about what it is that you told that grand jury. Do you understand that?

PATEL: If I wanted the transcript released, and we'll get it to you, sir. Thank you very much. Thank you, chairman.

SEN. CHUCK GRASSLEY (R-IA): I think I want to take an opportunity when we hear about your political weaponization to remind my Democratic colleagues that what's happened the last decade, federal law enforcement, intelligence community, even when Trump was president, has thrown everything at him. They've even gone after his associates and Republican Party organizations, one investigation after another, one prosecution after another. I use examples, you've heard me already say today, crossfire, hurricane and Arctic frost. These were all built on defecting foundations of political bias.

And then we released the Clinton index and the Durham index to -- and the FBI's failures to investigate. So, I've been acquainted with this because I've been trying to get to the bottom of it, and we had to get a new FBI director to get all this information. Senator Cornyn?

SEN. JOHN CORNYN (R-TX): Director Patel, welcome. Thank you for your willingness to serve in this very challenging position.

How many people work for the FBI today?

BLITZER: All right. We're going to continue to monitor this hearing. Republican Senator John Cornyn of Texas is starting his questioning of Kash Patel, the FBI director.

We'll stay on top of this. We'll continue to bring you live coverage. We'll monitor all these major developments that are unfolding right now. We'll take a quick break. We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[10:25:00]

BLITZER: Breaking news, Robert Redford has died at the age of 89. The Hollywood icon was known for his roles on camera in Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, and All the President's Men, also for directing Ordinary People and A River Runs Through It. Redford created the Sundance Institute to support independent film and theater. He was also a very dedicated environmentalist.

His publicist said Redford died at his home in Utah surrounded by those he loved.

CNN's Sara Sidner has more on Redford's life and legacy.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SARA SIDNER, CNN ANCHOR (voice over): Hollywood legend and leading man Robert Redford had many roles in front of the camera as well as behind it. He was a true filmmaker and will always be remembered for many iconic films.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And she denies even knowing about the conversation taking --

SIDNER: All the President's Men --

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Look, I don't know when I'll be back.

SIDNER: -- and The Way We Were. 1969's Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid was his first blockbuster film starring alongside Paul Newman.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Hands up.

SIDNER: They also co-starred in The Sting, for which he was nominated for best actor in 1974. Redford was cast as the romantic leading man in films like The Great Gatsby and Out of Africa, a label that followed him throughout his life, even as he became older.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, I didn't see myself the way others saw me. So, I was kind of feeling trapped because I couldn't go outside the box of leading man or good-looking leading man. It was very flattering, but it was feeling restrictive. So, it took many years to break loose of that.

SIDNER: Redford won a best director Oscar in 1981 for Ordinary People. He directed A River Runs Through It, Quiz Show and many other films.

A native Californian, he was born in Santa Monica in 1936. As Los Angeles grew, so did Redford's love for protecting the environment.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I grew up respecting nature because what happened to Los Angeles. It was a city as a child during the end of the Second World War that I loved, and it was a beautiful city and the air was clean. And then what happened after the war was suddenly there were skyscrapers and there was pollution. It felt like the city that I loved as a child was taken away from me. So, I moved away from that in sadness.

SIDNER: Redford moved to New York City to pursue an acting career on Broadway in the late 1950s. His big breakout role there was in Neil Simon's Barefoot in the Park, a role he would later reprise on the big screen with co-star Jane Fonda.

But after several years on Broadway, Redford left the glitz and glamour behind, and in 1961 moved to Utah where he bought two acres of land for just $500 and built a cabin for his family.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I discovered how important nature was in my life, and I wanted to be where nature was extreme and where I thought it could be maybe everlasting.

SIDNER: An avid environmentalist, he bought more land over the years in Park City, Utah, and turned it into the Sundance Institute in 1981, a nonprofit dedicated to independent filmmakers. And four years later started the Sundance Film Festival to showcase their work.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Once the press came, then fashion came. And when fashion came, the paparazzi came. So, these are kind of like tears that formed outside of what we were doing.

[10:30:03]

And that's fine. That's their business, but it's not who we are.