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Trump Blames Dems in "60 Minutes" Interview; Trump Admin Faces 12PM ET Deadline on SNAP Emergency Funds Order; Candidates in Key Races Make Final Push Ahead of Election Day. Aired 10:30-11a ET

Aired November 03, 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]

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: -- shutdown?

DONALD TRUMP, U.S. PRESIDENT: It's going to get solved, yes. Oh, it's going to get solved.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: How?

TRUMP: We'll get it solved. Eventually, they're going to have to vote.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PAMELA BROWN, CNN ANCHOR: So, that was the president's first interview with CBS, since he sued the network over what he called the deceptive doctoring of an October 2024 interview with Kamala Harris.

WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: Let's go live right now to CNN's Chief Media Analyst Brian Stelter. Brian, thanks so much for joining us. CBS News aired about a third of that interview on TV. They posted the rest online. What stood out to you the most?

BRIAN STELTER, CNN CHIEF MEDIA ANALYST: Well, number one, the lack of answers on some key subjects. Trump rarely agrees to an in-depth interview like this, and maybe we're all seeing why. Trump had little to say when Norah O'Donnell brought up people living paycheck to paycheck and struggling with rising costs. He suggested people should blame his predecessor, Joe Biden, and he made generic pledges about fixing health care and lowering the price of gas.

But he did have a very clear answer when O'Donnell brought up the public shock about recent videos of ICE raids in cities like Chicago. Here's what Trump said.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: Well, I think they haven't gone far enough because we've been held back by the judges, by the liberal judges that were put in by Biden and by Obama.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You're OK with those tactics? TRUMP: Yes, because you have to get the people out.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

STELTER: The president suggesting that ICE officials should go even further in those raids. A really striking comment given what we've seen from the new CNN polling about Trump's overall disapproval and about many Americans' discomfort with those immigration enforcement tactics. Wolf, Pamela.

BROWN: And of course, Brian, this sit-down comes with CBS one year after the president filed that lawsuit against 60 Minutes over its pre-election interview with Kamala Harris. I know you reported on that extensively. During the interview, he praised the new leadership of Paramount and CBS News. Let's listen to that.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: 60 Minutes paid me a lot of money, and you don't have to put this on because I don't want to embarrass you, and I'm sure you're not. You have a great -- I think you have a great new leader, frankly, because the young woman that's leading your whole enterprise is a great -- from what I know, I don't know her, but I hear she's a great person.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BROWN: So, between the lawsuit, public attacks, and threats against CBS station licenses, the president's tone towards the network seems to have definitely taken a turn here, Brian.

STELTER: Yes, very much so. It is clear Trump is making it explicit. He wants these media owners, CEOs, and leaders to be on his side, in his corner, in his camp. He punishes those who are perceived to not be on his side, and he rewards and flatters those he perceives to be his friends and allies.

In that clip, he references Bari Weiss, the new editor-in-chief of CBS News, although not by name, he referred to her being a great individual. Weiss arrived just a few weeks ago, actually after this interview had already been booked by CBS, but there's been a lot of intrigue about Weiss and new Paramount CEO David Ellison and whether they are taking steps to ingratiate themselves with the administration.

Ellison donated to Biden last year, but he did show up at UFC matches earlier this year, schmoozing with Trump's aides, and he also agreed to hire an ombudsman at CBS. So, there's been a lot of intrigue about whether Paramount is trying to shift in some ways or soften to appease the Trump administration. Ellison is currently trying to buy CNN's parent company, Warner Bros. Discovery, to create an even bigger media empire. And so far, Warner's board has rebuffed Ellison's offers.

It is telling that so many reviewers and commenters about the 60 Minutes episode noticed the editing last night because it was the editing of the Harris interview that President Trump objected to this time last year. Let me show you what Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer wrote on X overnight. He said, hmm, maybe I should go ahead and file an FCC complaint about the editing of this interview. I'll use the exact same language Trump lodged against Harris.

At the end of the day, this interview on 60 Minutes was edited for time, just like any network would normally do. And I would argue Trump actually benefited from the edits because it cleaned up some of his meandering comments and his false claims. Pam, Wolf.

BLITZER: All right. Brian Stelter, giving us excellent analysis as usual. Thank you very, very much.

BROWN: Thanks so much, Brian. Just ahead here in the Situation Room, confusion and uncertainty. Food stamp benefits for November did not go out when they were supposed to, leaving many families in a lurch. Coming up, I'll speak to a SNAP recipient.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[10:35:00]

BROWN: All right. The Trump administration has less than 90 minutes to respond to a federal court order requiring it to tap into these emergency funds to make at least partial payments to SNAP recipients by Wednesday. Food banks across the country are warning of a coming crisis as concern grows over when this month's food aid payments will be made.

Chantille Manuel is one of the 42 million Americans who use SNAP to feed their families. She joins us now. Chantille, first of all, how are you doing right now?

CHANTILLE MANUEL, SNAP BENEFITS RECIPIENT: Well, I'm pretty stressed out and I have to decide whether to put gas in my car or buy something to eat today.

BROWN: What is that like for you when you wake up in the morning and realize that, those are the choices you're making?

MANUEL: I mean, I just feel like no matter how hard I'm trying to come up in the world, it just doesn't matter. I just keep getting held down. I just need a little leg up. And, you know, I'm five years in recovery, and I've gone to school. I've done all these things, and I'm trying to work, and I'm trying to open a business, and I just need a little more help, and I can't get it. And so, if I'm going through this, I can only imagine those families that can't work, the families that have all these children that are going hungry right now.

BROWN: Yes. And you were telling me in the break before this that you had just gotten back on SNAP benefits about a month ago.

[10:40:00]

Tell us how much your normal monthly SNAP benefit is and how much do you have to go until the next payment comes through, hopefully soon. MANUEL: It's like $2.92 a month, and that's gone already. Last month I didn't get the full amount because it wasn't for the whole month. But, I mean, that goes really, really quickly, you know. And with my situation, it's hard to just plan out meals real well. So, I do the best I can, but it definitely runs out before I get more, you know.

BROWN: And tell us more about the adjustments you're making right now as a result.

MANUEL: Well, I'm just trying my best to be very wise with my money. I am a good steward of my money, and thankfully I don't have to eat that much, right? I just need enough to be sufficient, and I guess it doesn't matter if it tastes good. I just need it to be healthy. So, I'm just trying to make sure I make wise choices.

BROWN: And you were also telling me that right now you don't have a home. You've just been going from place to place. You're trying to start your own business. Tell us about how that is adding to this burden of what you're going through right now.

MANUEL: Yes. So, I can't like just make a grocery list out because I don't know if I'm going to be here or there, right? And I have to put all my focus on trying to get this business going. I have an amazing community of people that have been helping me to get where I'm at. And so, I'm grateful to have this business getting open, but it takes time to get the customers in.

I'm trying to get a website built and things like that so I can get the advertisement. I know that I've already got a great start in my business, but when I do, I know that I'm going to have such a huge passion for helping others to get out of the situations like I'm in.

BROWN: Yes. And on that note, what is your message to lawmakers in Washington if they're listening to this?

MANUEL: If this was going to affect them the way that it affects me, they wouldn't make the choices they're making.

BROWN: All right. Chantille Manuel, we'll leave it there. Please keep us updated on your situation. We're going to stay in touch with you, OK? Best of luck to you.

MANUEL: All right. Thank you.

BROWN: Thank you.

BLITZER: These personal stories are so important to get the message out. How painful all of this is, it's really sad what's going on.

BROWN: And it's important for other Americans who aren't on SNAP benefits to understand what this means.

BLITZER: SNAP benefits, food stamps. Better --

BROWN: Food stamps, right, to understand what it means for people like Chantille. We've been trying every day to highlight these important stories because these are the Americans who are caught in the crosshairs of this government shutdown.

BLITZER: Heartbreaking. Also coming up, back on the trail, the former president of the United States, Barack Obama, is out rallying voters for Democratic candidates. Will his message resonate?

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[10:45:00]

BLITZER: Happening now, candidates in key races across the East Coast are making their last pitches to voters just ahead of Election Day tomorrow. The Democratic candidates in New Jersey and Virginia, the governor's races, are seeking to topple their Republican opponents in the first off-year tests of President Trump's second term. Former President Obama hit the trail to help over the weekend. Listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BARACK OBAMA, FORMER U.S. PRESIDENT: Every day, this White House offers up a fresh batch of lawlessness and carelessness and mean- spiritedness and just plain old craziness. We need leaders who will tell the truth and who will take responsibility and tackle hard problems and bring people together instead of tearing them apart.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLITZER: And joining us now to discuss this and more, the former Obama White House Chief of Staff, Rahm Emmanuel. He's also a CNN senior political and global affairs commentator. Rahm, thanks so much for joining us. How important do you think President Obama's voice in these two gubernatorial races in Virginia and New Jersey is right now?

RAHM EMMANUEL, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL AND GLOBAL AFFAIRS COMMENTATOR, FORMER OBAMA WHITE HOUSE CHIEF OF STAFF AND FORMER U.S. AMBASSADOR TO JAPAN: It's important. I mean, obviously, you're down to the final 48 hours. Energizing people to turn out in an off-year election is always important. And I think that's going to be a measure that's going to be important to how you interpret what's going to happen in 2026.

BLITZER: CNN is reporting, Rahm, and I think this is interesting, that President Obama actually called the Democratic nominee in that important New York City mayoral race, Zohran Mamdani, over the weekend. He did not endorse Mamdani, but he called his campaign, quote, "impressive" and offered to be a, quote, "sounding board" for the Democratic Socialists. What do you think of that?

EMMANUEL: Well, you know, having met with Mamdani myself, this is an important election. I think what's interesting when you look at both New Jersey message, Virginia message, and Mamdani's message in the New York City mayoral race, all three of them are talking about affordability. All three of them are talking about the cost of living because people are stressed out. And I think it's important to note that.

[10:50:00] Now, all three have a different way of addressing it, but the core issue is the fact that people and families across New Jersey, Virginia, and New York City have their backs against the wall. And I think the president reached out, obviously, to say, look, as you go and make this decision, this is a big leap from state senator. I'm here if you want to talk. I think that's a very helpful thing. The same thing I said to him when we met for about an hour and a half, about a couple months ago.

BLITZER: What should we read into the fact that neither President Biden nor Vice President Harris have played any sort of prominent role in campaigning in the Virginia, New Jersey, or New York City races? What should we read into that, if anything?

EMMANUEL: Well, I think the campaign's made a decision, and if they look and listen to voters, both in polling, focus groups, et cetera, basically Democrats want to put a box and tie it, put everything that happened in 2024 behind them. They're looking forward, and these elections are about what's going forward and what it's going to take to win, not only here. And I think when you win, winning begets winning. That's going to be the message.

And I think that if you look at not having either former President Biden or the Vice President Kamala Harris the nominee, it's more of a reflection of what the voters are saying, which is look forward, not backwards.

BLITZER: Does it worry you at all, Rahm, that the Democratic Party seemingly has to fall back on a president that left office nearly a decade ago, we're talking about President Obama, to try to energize voters right now?

EMMANUEL: No, that doesn't worry me. It makes sense. I mean, President Obama is extremely popular, and that's a good thing to energize Democrats. You know, what's going to be important in an election is not just who wins, Wolf, but going into 2026, are Democrats more energized than Republicans for the election? Are independents breaking more for Democrats, or is it 50-50?

And I think if you can get an energized turnout, you're going to get not only two wins here, but a lot of candidates who are thinking about Congress are going to jump into the deep end of the pool because they're going to see that the wind is in the backs of the Democrats. And President Obama has a strong pull on the emotional cord of Democratic and independent voters.

BLITZER: Yes. He gave a very strong speech over the weekend, to be sure. What will the takeaway be, Rahm, from tomorrow's elections for the Democratic Party if their candidates in those critical governor's races in Virginia and New Jersey, Abigail Spanberger and Mikie Sherrill, win? What about if they lose?

EMMANUEL: Well, first of all, let's just say this. The candidate, as I've said before, the messenger is the message. Both of them come out of the national security background. Both of them have a profile and a biography that brings voters to looking at Democrats, who usually put them on mute and say, not a chance. And I think that's going to be an important message. Talking about affordability, don't get lost on the cultural landscape, is also going to be important.

And then third, how in these two states do independents break? That is going to be -- meaning break between Democrat and Republican nominee, that will be a telling sign going into 2026. And in New Jersey, Mikie Sherrill has a slightly higher or steeper incline because you have to go back to the 60s to find where one party consecutively wins afterwards.

BLITZER: All right. Rahm Emmanuel, thanks as usual for joining us.

EMMANUEL: Thanks. Thanks, Wolf.

BLITZER: All right. Pamela.

BROWN: All right. Coming up after the break, have you seen Wolf Blitzer's latest post, wearing the Bill socks? He is a very happy man this morning after his Bills, the big beautiful Bills, as he calls it, took down the Chiefs. More ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[10:55:00]

BLITZER: It is a wonderful morning. My Buffalo Bills took down the Kansas City Chiefs yesterday, and I think my full bills outfit take a look at it. It gave my team good luck going into this critical matchup. I was even rocking these incredible socks that were given to me by a friend. Pamela, what'd you think?

BROWN: I think they were good luck charm.

BLITZER: Should I keep wearing this?

BROWN: I think you should. And the big question for Coy Wire now is, Coy, do you have a pair of socks that rivals Wolf's?

COY WIRE, CNN SPORTS ANCHOR: Well, you know, as a former Bills player, I thought about posting and showing up Wolf with my Bills underwear, but then I decided I like my job too much. So, here we are.

BROWN: Smart.

WIRE: Listen, we are talking about the two favorites to win the AFC. It went down to the wire again, but this time Bill's quarterback Josh Allen, or as Wolf likes to say, the big beautiful Bill, reminded everyone why he's the league MVP. 88.5 percent completion rate, new franchise record, a touchdown pass of Dalton St. Kincaid and then he ran for two scores. Allen now has 79 career rushing touchdowns. He passed Cam Newton for most ever by a QV, and he moved to 26 all time for any player. He the great Earl Campbell.

Now, Mahomes had a one Hail Mary chance at the end to potentially tie it, but the bills batted her down. Mahomes held to the lowest. Completion percentage of his career, just 44.1 percent. The Bills win. 28 21 Wolf's socks went flying off his feet. Here's Josh wearing a hat designed by seven-year-old Carson, a young hospital patient after the big win.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOSH ALLEN, BUFFALO BILLS QUARTERBACK: They're the pinnacle of what you want your franchise to be. They've been that for the last eight years.

[11:00:00]