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The Situation Room

Interview With Dallas, Texas, Mayor Eric Johnson; Trump Meets With Turkish President; ICE Shooting Investigation. Aired 11-11:30a ET

Aired September 25, 2025 - 11:00   ET

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

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WOLF BLITZER, CNN HOST: Happening now: stepped-up security. ICE facilities across the country are now tightening security after the FBI said the shooting at an ICE facility in Dallas, Texas, was a targeted attack. And, as authorities are now searching for a motive, the finger-pointing has already begun.

Welcome to our viewers here in the United States and around the world. I'm Wolf Blitzer. Pamela Brown has the day off, and you're in THE SITUATION ROOM.

ANNOUNCER: This is CNN breaking news.

BLITZER: And we begin with the breaking news.

The FBI director, Kash Patel is now sharing brand-new details about the bureau's investigation into yesterday's shooting outside an ICE detention facility in Dallas.

CNN's Priscilla Alvarez covers immigration extensively for all of us. She's joining us here in THE SITUATION ROOM.

Priscilla, what's the new information?

PRISCILLA ALVAREZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Wolf, this is a post on X that was posted again just moments ago by the FBI director. He lays out four specific things that they have found connected to the suspected shooter in this event.

So let me go through some of these. According to the FBI director, the suspected shooter downloaded a document titled -- and I quote here -- "Dallas County Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Management," that containing a list of DHS facilities.

The director also says that this shooter conducted multiple searches of ballistics and -- quote -- "The Charlie Kirk shot video" within late September, goes on to say that in August he searched apps that tracked the presence of ICE agents. And then also the director references a handwritten note that was recovered that read -- quote -- "Hopefully, this will give ICE agents real terror to think, is there a sniper with rounds on that roof?"

Now, this is all according to the FBI director. Up until this point, the only thing that they had offered was the ballistics, one of which had a blue marker "Anti-ICE." So the administration is casting this as a targeted attack against Immigration and Customs Enforcement because this shooting occurred at that facility in Dallas.

In fact, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem had this to say to CNN last night.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

KRISTI NOEM, U.S. HOMELAND SECURITY SECRETARY: The indication and the evidence that has been revealed to the public so far indicates that it is someone who is very much against our ICE officers and the work that they were doing.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ALVAREZ: Now, in that same interview, the homeland security secretary said that they -- that the suspected shooter did not target anyone, that he just indiscriminately shot.

And to remind viewers, three detainees were shot, one of whom is dead, two of which are critically injured. So this is more detail from the FBI director as to what they are learning, though there are so many questions here, and the FBI director says that they will provide further updates when they are available.

Of course, there has been heightened political rhetoric, and there's still so many questions here as to how this unfolded, because again, as the suspected shooter was shooting at this facility, it was detainees who were shot.

Now, it bears repeating that this is an ICE facility that holds a few dozen detainees at any given time, because they are there for a temporary period, a period in which they are processed and then they are transferred to another detention center. In fact, Wolf, there were immigration attorneys who were showing up with clients to do their routine ICE check-ins.

This is a facility that does multiple things. The latest that I have been told is that this is a facility that they have transferred all of the detainees out of for now and that anyone that had check-ins at that facility, those have all been pushed to Monday. So, this certainly still appears to be on lockdown as they try to gather as many details as they can in this investigation.

BLITZER: So we don't know if this shooter was actually targeting the detainees who were shot or ICE officials?

ALVAREZ: We don't know because of the way they describe the way in which the suspected shooter shot at this building, but the administration is pointing to this evidence citing on the ramped-up attacks on ICE to make the case that is what this was.

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But there are still questions that we are asking to get the full picture of what transpired.

BLITZER: I know you're working the story for us, Priscilla, as you always do. Thank you very, very much.

Also new this morning, U.S. jobless claims have hit their lowest level since July. There were about 218,000 claims last week. That's a 6 percent drop from the week before. It's a sign layoffs are not escalating even as the U.S. labor market gets weaker.

The Commerce Department now says the U.S. economy has grown faster than expected with 3.8 percent in the second quarter. That's from April to June. The department says new data on consumer spending prompted them to reverse the numbers up from 3.3 percent that was initially reported.

Also happening now, President Trump is about to greet the Turkish President Erdogan over at the White House for key talks ranging from trade to the wars in Ukraine and Gaza. Trump hinted last week that the U.S. government's ban on sales of advanced fighter jets to Turkey, a NATO ally, could soon be lifted, writing on social media -- and I'm quoting Trump now -- "We are working on many trade and military deals with the president and a continuation of the F-35 talks, which we expect to conclude positively" -- close quote.

Let's go live right now to CNN White House reporter Alayna Treene.

Alayna, what are you learning about the Turkish president's visit?

ALAYNA TREENE, CNN WHITE HOUSE REPORTER: Well, it is significant that he is coming to the White House, Wolf. This is actually Erdogan's first visit to the White House since 2019.

And I'd remind you, we have heard the president refer to his relationship with the Turkish president as something that is -- quote -- "a very good relationship" stemming from his time working with Erdogan back during his first term.

And that's despite knowing, of course, that the U.S.-Turkey relationship has long been very complicated. But the talks come, as you mentioned, as the president is suggesting that he may be open to lifting the government's pause on sales of advanced fighter jets to Turkey. This is something we know that Erdogan has been pushing for.

Now, just a quick reminder on why this is such a big deal today. During the president's first term, the United States had kicked out Turkey, a NATO ally, from its flagship F-35 fighter jet program. That was after Turkey had begun purchasing an air defense system from Russia.

Essentially, there was concerns that they could be sharing data on the F-35s with Russia. But as you just read from the president's statement last week, he seems to be now shifting toward a potential lift on that hold. Now, I do want you to as well listen to what we have heard from

Secretary of State Marco Rubio as it relates to the relationship with Turkey more broadly.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MARCO RUBIO, U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE: All these other countries, including Turkey, by the way, are begging us to be involved. They want us to be involved. Look, these people go out and say what they want to say, but, at the end of the day, when they want something done, they come -- they want to come to the White House.

President Erdogan is coming to the White House this week to meet with the president.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

TREENE: So what you heard from Rubio there, Wolf, it kind of echoes what we have also heard from the president, that he plans to have wide-ranging talks as it comes to the military and diplomacy with Turkey.

We are expected to see President Erdogan arrive shortly and hopefully they're going to have a bilateral meeting and a lunch. Hopefully, like usual, when foreign leaders come to visit the White House, that bilateral meeting in the Oval Office will open for a bit so that reporters have a chance to ask some questions.

BLITZER: We will see what they say in response to those questions.

Alayna, thank you very much. We will have live coverage of that coming up.

Also new this morning, the estate of the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein has turned over a third trove of materials to the House Oversight Committee. The documents include largely unredacted copies of phone message logs, a spreadsheet of handwritten messages, ledgers reflecting cash transactions, and more, this as free speech advocates are expressing concern after the National Park Service removed from the National Mall a statue depicting President Trump and Epstein holding hands.

The statue titled Best Friends Forever had a permit and was expected for only a day before its removal. An organizer from the group that placed it tells CNN the Park Service is using a dispute over the height of the provocative statue to dismantle it.

That organizer identifying himself only as Patrick, out of fear of reprisal, says the statue's removal is a -- quote -- "great example of where we're headed in this country when it comes to freedom of speech" -- end quote.

Still ahead, I will speak with the mayor of Dallas, Texas, as investigators are trying to figure out the motivation behind yesterday's deadly ICE facility shooting.

Stay with us. You're in THE SITUATION ROOM.

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BLITZER: New this morning, an alarming security breach in Denmark.

Authorities there are now investigating the presence of unidentified drones in the country's airspace, forcing an airport to close. It's the second incident of this type in just a week. This time, the drones spent several hours near an airport that's also an active military base before going away. Danish police tells you and then they don't know who's behind the incidents, but they're looking into several theories.

And this comes as Europe is grappling with a rise in cyberattacks and suspected airspace violations by Russia.

More breaking news we're following right now. The FBI director, Kash Patel, is sharing brand-new details about the bureau's investigation into yesterday's shooting outside an ICE facility in Dallas. Minutes ago, Kash Patel announced that the shooter downloaded an online document with a list of Department of Homeland Security facilities.

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He searched online about ballistics and the Charlie Kirk shooting. He also searched for apps that tracked ICE agents. Kash Patel says there was a handwritten note, among other things saying: "Hopefully, this will give ICE agents real terror to think, is there a sniper with rounds on that roof?"

According to the FBI, the gunman was perched on a nearby rooftop and fired indiscriminately at the building and the vehicles on the property. One person who was in ICE custody is dead. Two other detainees are in critical condition right now.

Joining us now is Eric Johnson, the mayor of Dallas.

Mayor, thanks a lot for joining us. First of all, our condolences. This is all new information we're getting from the FBI director, Kash Patel, saying it shows a high degree of planning. First of all, what's your reaction?

ERIC JOHNSON (R), MAYOR OF DALLAS, TEXAS: Well, first of all, thanks for having me on, Wolf.

It's really sad. I want to stay out of the way of the FBI's investigation and not comment too much on what they're discovering, but I will tell you that it's a very troubling, I think, the trend that we're seeing of increasing political violence in this country.

And yesterday's political violence hit close to home for us here in Dallas. And we're concerned. We're concerned about just the division that seems to be leading to some folks taking these very, very unfortunate and violent steps to try to bring about policy changes. It's just wrong and it's scary. It's very scary.

BLITZER: It certainly is.

How unsettling, Mayor, do you find this level of planning that apparently went into this?

JOHNSON: Well, again, like, it's new information. And so we're still processing it, but it shows that people are paying attention to these violent acts. And there's a certain amount of copycatism going on out there.

This is not something to be trifled with. This is not something to be taken lightly. The vilification of ICE and law enforcement generally that's been going on led primarily by folks on the left, in my humble opinion, has created a situation where things like this are going to continue to happen if we don't do something.

We have to decry the vilification of law enforcement and the idea that violence can ever be a tool to bring about policy change. I just think we have to draw a very, very bright line and just say it's never OK to avail yourself of violence to try to bring about policy change.

And so we have got some work to do, serious work to do in this country, because lives are at stake.

BLITZER: Kash Patel, the FBI director, released a picture of a bullet recovered from the scene inscribed with the words "Anti-ICE," but investigators are still probing what the motive was for this attack.

So why do you think President Trump already is blaming what he calls radical left Democrats? Do you think he should stop doing that?

JOHNSON: I can't speak for the president, but I think I think this much is clear.

There is a growing trend amongst -- particularly I think data is showing amongst younger folks in this country to availing themselves of violence as a means to bring about policy change. It's just something that I think should be off the table. I think most folks, most -- there was a time when we actually just didn't believe that this was something that should be ever on the table to try to make a policymaker change their mind about a decision.

But increasing numbers of young people today in this country -- and I think it's being stoked in a lot of ways by some of this rhetoric around law enforcement and ICE being the enemy, ICE being the Gestapo, ICE being a criminal organization of some sort. That's creating a real problem. And I think we have to really face this head on.

And I think the president is sensitive to that. I think he's concerned about that. But I can't speak to how he's how he's characterizing the evidence that's being released by the FBI right now. And I want to make sure I steer clear of that investigation as well.

But I am deeply concerned about the growth of political violence in this country. And I think we have to deal with it. BLITZER: And we all are deeply concerned.

As you know, Mayor, the deputy White House chief of staff, Stephen Miller, has long vilified Democrats, including the whole party, basically. Listen to what he said just a month ago. Listen to this. We will get your reaction.

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STEPHEN MILLER, WHITE HOUSE DEPUTY CHIEF OF STAFF: The Democrat Party does not fight for, care about or represent American citizens. It is an entity devoted exclusively to the defense of hardened criminals, gangbangers, and illegal alien killers and terrorists.

The Democrat Party is not a political party. It is a domestic extremist organization.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLITZER: He says the Democratic Party is a domestic extremist organization, not a political party.

You were elected to your first term as a Democrat, but now you're a Republican. Is the deputy White House chief of staff wrong to call your former party a domestic extremist organization?

JOHNSON: Here's how I would describe the situation with the two parties.

I think there's one party, the Republican Party, that has consistently -- and, in fact, I can't think of a time when the Republican Party has not stood for law and order and has not supported law enforcement. And I think the Democrat Party, which I was a member of for a very long time and switched a couple of years ago basically over this issue, the Democrat Party has decided that, in an effort to gain greater support from certain activist groups -- in 2020, it was Black Lives Matter.

Most recently, it's been some of the pro-immigration groups in the country -- that they are going to try to paint law enforcement, our local police as a threat to the safety of our residents and our citizens in this country, as much of a threat as actual violent criminals.

And same with ICE. They have tried to now paint ICE as an organization that is as much of a threat to Americans as violent criminals. And that is not consistent with being a party of law and order and us being a nation of laws. And I left the party over it.

I support the police. People in my city support the police, and I think ICE is enforcing the laws of this country. That's what they're doing. And I don't think that they should be vilified for it.

BLITZER: Mayor, let me just press you. Let me just press you. Is the Democratic Party a domestic extremist organization, as the deputy White House chief of staff says?

JOHNSON: I don't know if there's a defined -- if those words have a definition, whatever he said.

I will tell you this. It's a political party that does not support, to the extent that it should, law and order, and particularly our immigration laws, and has not been very supportive of the police. And I lived through it during the defund the police movement, and I left the party over it.

The Democrat Party for sure seems to feel more sympathy toward people who are perpetuating crimes than the victim of crimes. So I don't know about the language that Mr. Miller used, but I will tell you that's been my experience with the Democrat Party. That's why I left.

BLITZER: But I still am not hearing you answer the question. Is the Democratic Party an extremist organization, as Stephen Miller, the deputy White House chief of staff, insists?

JOHNSON: I think their views on law enforcement, to the extent that they are defining ICE as a criminal organization or the problem, is an extreme view. I think that's an extreme view, yes, if that answers your question, Wolf.

I think that to characterize an agency of the federal government that's enforcing the laws of the United States and helping to keep our country's border secure as being defined as a criminal organization or the enemy of the people that needs to be resisted and sanctioning in many ways the kinds of things that we were seeing happening in the country, including yesterday, then I think that's an extreme view.

So, again, those aren't my words, so I don't want to adopt that exact language as my own, but I think extreme is an appropriate description of that position.

BLITZER: I know you have said, Mayor, that it's hard to explain to your three young children what is going on in our country right now. Could you elaborate on that for us?

JOHNSON: Yes, thanks for that question, because that's the thing that weighs most heavily on my mind about this entire situation that we find ourselves in as a country.

I'm turning 50 years old next month. And in my entire life, I have never been more concerned about the future of the country and it existing as a country. I feel like we are so divided right now and we are having such a difficult time talking to one another about -- disagreement has always been present and it's healthy.

But, again, I just think that when you have taken the position that in order to bring about a policy change that you want to see that violence should be on the table as a tool, I think that's when you're in very, very dangerous territory. Obviously, I wasn't around when the U.S. Civil War happened, but as a history person, as a person who loves history and has studied it, this is starting to feel very uncomfortable. [11:25:03]

I mean, when we see increasing numbers of young people who support and endorse Hamas or who will sign off on the killing of a health care executive because they don't agree with our health care policy in this country, these are things that should be unsettling to all of us, because it's putting on the table something that should not be on the table, which is using violence or physical intimidation to bring about policy change.

And I just think we have to have an honest conversation about that. And data is showing that there's a generational shift where that's become increasingly supported by young people, the use of violence to bring about change.

BLITZER: Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson, you make very important points. Thanks very much for joining us.

JOHNSON: Thanks for having me, Wolf.

BLITZER: All right, this note: We're waiting for Turkey's President Erdogan to arrive at the White House just ahead of a planned meeting and news conference with President Trump. Trump says they're working on military and trade deals right now that could be worth, he says, billions.

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