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The Brief with Jim Sciutto
CNN International: Two Israel Embassy Staffers Killed in D.C.; Israel Preparing Possible Strike on Iran's Nuclear Facilities; Trump Admin. Bars Harvard from Enrolling Foreign Students; Kid Cudi Testifies at Sean "Diddy" Combs Trial; Private Jet Crashes in San Diego; U.S. Defense Dept. Accepts Qatar's Plane Gift; Trump's Holds Crypto Dinner; OpenAI's Hardware Push. Aired 6-7p ET
Aired May 22, 2025 - 18:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[18:00:00]
JIM SCIUTTO, CNN ANCHOR: Hello and welcome to our viewers joining us from all around the world. I'm Jim Sciutto in Washington. And you're watching
"The Brief."
Just to add this hour, the suspect accused of shooting two Israeli embassy workers here in Washington last night has now been charged with murder. I
spoke with the U.S. ambassador to Israel about their killing, as well as ongoing nuclear talks with Iran and the war in Gaza. The Trump
administration bars Harvard from enrolling any international students. And the rapper, Kid Cudi, tells jurors in the trial of Sean Combs about his
encounters with the music mogul.
We do begin here in the U.S. Capitol with the killing of those two young Israeli embassy staffers. The suspected gunman saying he, quote, "did it
for Gaza" right before police arrived, this according to people who witnessed it tonight, that suspect has now been charged with murder. Yaron
Lischinsky and Sarah Milgrim were fatally shot outside the Capitol Jewish Museum last night. The two were planning to get engaged.
The suspect is 31-year-old Elias Rodriguez. He appeared in court just a short while ago. He now faces multiple federal charges which carry the
possibility if convicted of the death penalty.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JEANINE PIRRO, INTERIM U.S. ATTORNEY FOR THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA: This is a horrific crime, and these crimes are not going to be tolerated by me and
by this office. A young couple at the beginning of their life's journey about to be engaged in another country, had their bodies removed in the
cold of the night in a foreign city in a body bag. We are not going to tolerate that anymore.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SCIUTTO: Data from the Anti-Defamation League shows. There has been a surge in anti-Semitic incidents since the October 7th terrorist attack on
Israel by Hamas back in 2023, and the Israeli military actions that have since followed.
In a moment, we're going to have reaction from the U.S. ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabee, in my in-depth interview with him. Joining us now is
Whitney Wild. She's in Chicago where police say the suspect is from. And I wonder what we're learning today about the suspect.
WHITNEY WILD, CNN LAW ENFORCEMENT CORRESPONDENT: Well, we're learning how hard it is, you know, for neighbors who knew him to understand the man they
thought they knew, and how he could possibly be accused of such a horrific crime.
This neighborhood is in the north side of Chicago, Jim. This is Albany Park. This is a dense residential neighborhood. It is ethnically diverse
and it has been rocked by these allegations against their neighbor.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
WILD (voice-over): As FBI agents in tactical gear appeared to search an address associated with the man accused of shooting two people outside the
Capitol Jewish Museum in Washington, the people who live in this north side Chicago neighborhood are trying to make sense of the tragedy.
JOHN FRY, NEIGHBORHOOD OF SUSPECTED SHOOTER: It shocked me. I heard that the shooter was from Chicago. But to have it be my next-door neighbor.
WILD (voice-over): From Chicago to Washington, law enforcement has been working around the clock to learn as much as they can about 31-year-old
Elias Rodriguez, the man police, say, shot and killed Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Milgrim, staff members at the Israeli embassy.
PAM BONDI, U.S. ATTORNEY GENERAL: The hate has got to stop, and it has to stop now. This person will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law
officials say.
WILD (voice-over): Lischinsky and Milgrim were dating the, quote, "cutest love story" that ended far too soon.
BONDI: What we saw last night was disgusting. I saw a young man's body being taken away who was about to get engaged. He had an entire life in
front of him, and that was taken away.
WILD (voice-over): Eyewitnesses told CNN Rodriguez first pretended to be a bystander after the shooting. When police arrived, Rodriguez turned himself
in shouting free Palestine, a moment, caught on video obtained by CNN.
ELIAS RODRIGUEZ, SUSPECT: Free, free Palestine.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He said, I did this for Palestine. He started yelling free, free Palestine, intifada revolution. There's only one solution.
WILD (voice-over): Shortly after the shooting, a lengthy letter authorities are investigating as potentially authored by the suspected
gunman was posted to social media. The letter advocated for violent retaliation over the war in Gaza, called Israel's actions in Gaza genocide
and expressed fury over the quote, "atrocities committed by these Israelis against Palestine." The letter referenced armed action as a valid form of
protest, calling it the only sane thing to do.
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What more at this point can one say about the proportion of mangled and burned and exploded human beings whom were children? The letter said. We
who let this happen will never deserve the Palestinians' forgiveness In the aftermath of the shooting, Rodriguez's neighbor shared this message.
FRY: I learned during the Vietnam War you don't stop war with guns and bombs, you stop wars by going to your neighbors, talking to your neighbors.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WILD (on camera): Jim law enforcement says that he arrived in Washington, D.C. a day before the attack, saying that he had flown in from Chicago for
a work conference. He is the exact type of profile that law enforcement worries about so much, Jim, because according to the FBI, he -- there was
nothing in criminal records. There was nothing obvious that would have warranted concern enough to stop this crime before it happened, Jim, it's
these lone wolf attacks, these people who fly under the radar that law enforcement always worries about, Jim.
SCIUTTO: No question. Often radicalized online. Whitney Wild there in Chicago, thanks so much. Well, the U.S. ambassador to Israel is speaking
out against rising antisemitism in this country and says that the rhetoric leads to actions like we saw last night. I spoke with Mike Huckabee in a
wide-ranging conversation, which also touched on Iran's nuclear ambitions, Israel's possible planning to attack Iran and the ongoing humanitarian
crisis in Gaza. I began by asking him whether Israelis today could be unsafe in the U.S.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MIKE HUCKABEE, U.S. AMBASSADOR TO ISRAEL: They shouldn't be, but the level of antisemitism that we've seen that is grown like a contagious disease, I
certainly would feel that way if I were Jewish. And I think it's an incredible absolute disgrace to the United States of America that a level
of antisemitism has arisen in major campuses on city streets throughout the country. And it's time that all of us, stand up with our Jewish friends and
say, no more. This has got to stop. Because the rhetoric leads to the kind of actions that we saw last night, and it's demoralizing. It certainly has
had been a gut punch here in Israel among the Israeli population, and well, it should because it is indicative of a world that's lost its mind.
SCIUTTO: Does this indicate to you as well that there needs to be more security at events such as this? Is that a sad but necessary step to be
taken?
HUCKABEE: Jim, until we have more morality in our culture where people respect each other and respect people that disagree with them, then yes, we
are going to have to put more security. The ideal would be that we have more civilized people living in the world, sharing the world with others,
recognizing that violence like this, especially attacking a young couple who are completely innocent, who have done nothing to anyone except try to
bring peace, both of them working on peace initiatives for all things. And yet, they're gunned down in cold blood by somebody screaming free Palestine
who probably hasn't a clue what he's even screaming.
I'm sure he is never been to the region. I'm sure he has no idea what he's screaming for. And if he's supporting Hamas, he's supporting a murderous
group of savages who mutilated and massacred over 1,200 Jewish people on October the 7th of' 23.
SCIUTTO: I want to, if I can go onto another topic. CNN reported earlier this week that U.S. intelligence is -- indicates that Israel is making
preparations for a potential strike on Iranian nuclear facilities. Are Israeli officials communicating to you, to the U.S. their planning and
preparations?
HUCKABEE: We certainly are aware of what the Israelis are at least preparing for, but it's not that they have made a firm decision. I think
they recognize that they face an existential threat from Iran. They faced it for 46 years. And now, that the Iranians have pushed toward getting a
nuclear weapon, they don't seem to be willing to dismantle it, which is what the president has demanded they do, get rid of nuclear enrichment.
They're not doing this for bringing energy and energy supplies to their people, they're doing this for weaponization.
And they've said for 46 years that, first, it's death to Israel, then it's death to America. Israel's the appetizer. We're the entree. And if
Americans think that this is not about us, then they're living under a rock somewhere, not understanding that all of this time, the Iranians have never
ceased to say that their ultimate target is America.
[18:10:00]
SCIUTTO: I do want to get to the status of U.S.-Iran, nuclear negotiations. Before I do, as relates to potential military action by
Israel against Iran, do you believe that Israel might decide to strike Iran over any potential U.S. objections?
HUCKABEE: I can't imagine that the U.S. would object to a sovereign nation defending itself against what they perceive to be a legitimate existential
threat to their very lives. And really, let's remember, 700,000 Americans live in Israel. That's more than live in any foreign country other than
Mexico. So, in this tiny land, you have 700,000 Americans who are living right here in Israel. Every other day we all have to rush to shelters.
Today, at noon here in Israel, the entire embassy had to clear out, go to the shelters. A Houthi missile was fired from a medium-range and headed
toward us. So, we waited. And thank goodness the Arrow Defense system was able to intercept it and keep it from having catastrophic damage on people
and property.
SCIUTTO: I can relay that was there during the Iranian missile strike in October. But just for clarity, should I take that as an endorsement by the
U.S. of potential Israeli military action against Iran?
HUCKABEE: I think the president is the one who will make any particular decisions about our role, our position on it. I'm simply saying it as the
ambassador who lives here, that the U.S. has always been respectful that any sovereign nation, including Israel, has a right to defend itself and
protect itself. And the president is the one who said that Israel -- that rather Iran can never have a nuclear weapon. They can't have enrichment,
they can't have reactors and centrifuges, and all the things that go toward a weaponization. That's the president's words, not mine. And I have come to
find, President Trump usually means what he says and he says what he means.
SCIUTTO: As you know, there is another round of a U.S.-Iran nuclear talks planned in the coming days. Do you believe a deal is still possible given e
even the public pronouncements from, for instance, the Iranian supreme leader saying he does not believe a deal is likely?
HUCKABEE: We can always hope for it. We would always like to believe that after 46 years, the Iranian regime is going to say, maybe we'd be better
off acting like civilized human beings and not threatening Israel and America with death. Let's hope that happens.
But, Jim, I mean, we've looked at this for a long time. We listened to what the Supreme leader says. He certainly isn't offering conciliatory words
this week. If anything, he's offering more threats more abstinence, more sense of belligerence toward the reasonable request and demand that he give
up aspirations to be a nuclear power.
SCIUTTO: The -- just to be clear, is the U.S. position that Iran can have no nuclear -- no uranium enrichment whatsoever under any potential
agreements? Therefore, no civilian program? Because as you know, Iranian -- many Iranian officials have called that a red line.
HUCKABEE: Well, I think when the Iranians claim that they really just want a civil program you have to keep from laughing because that's really not a
necessity for them. It's not a need. And if they needed uranium for that purpose, most countries would simply purchase it on the marketplace and
bring it in a way that would not be threatening and that would not be capable of being enriched to a point of a weapon.
So, I just don't know that anyone should believe when they say that their real purpose is peaceful, their real purpose is just a benign view of
having nuclear capacity for the soul's sake of providing better electricity to their people. It's hard to believe that that's really their purpose.
SCIUTTO: I want to ask now about Israeli military operations inside Gaza. Axios reported earlier this week that President Trump himself wants Israel
to wrap it up as it relates to those operations, and is growing impatient. Is that your view as well that the -- that Israel should limit these
operations?
HUCKABEE: I think everybody wants the war to end, but they don't want it to end with Hamas claiming a victory. Here's what the president has made
very clear, he has said repeatedly, Hamas has no future in Gaza. They're not going to govern Gaza. They're not going to be able to stay in Gaza. It
doesn't get much clearer than that.
So, when he says he wants the war to end, you have to also remember that when the war ends, Hamas is no longer a part of it. First, get all the
hostages home, not some of them, all of them. But the reason they're not home now for almost 600 days is not the Israelis, nor is it the Americans,
it's Hamas. They're the ones who have held these people for all this time and tortured them and brutalized them and abused them, and kept them in
these hideous tunnels.
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It's Hamas that's causing this war to drag on and on. And I think the President is expressing his frustration, but people shouldn't read into it
that he's upset with Israel. They should read into it that he's upset with Hamas because they're the murderous savages that massacred and mutilated
these innocent people on October 7th.
SCIUTTO: No one would question the condemnation of Hamas. But as you know, there are Israeli officials. There was a letter signed by hundreds of
Israeli military and intelligence veterans who question the reasons and the wisdom of continuing military operations in part be because they say it's
not going to get the hostages home alive. What do you say to that criticism?
HUCKABEE: They have elections in Israel. They elect their leadership. The leadership makes the decisions. But they also have a free country with free
speech. People are free to criticize the government. Try that in some of the countries like Iran, try it in nations led by dictators.
So, sure, there's differences of opinion within Israel about how to prosecute the war, but what I note is that Israel is a country where people
can express that difference, but they did elect a government. They're the ones in power with the responsibility. They tried ceasefires, not once, but
several times, and it did not move the needle.
So, at this point people can come up with their own conclusions as to how the war should end, but I would like to think that everyone agrees that
when the war ends, there is no Hamas in Gaza. They're gone. They're defeated. They do not get to claim a victory. That would be like Churchill
at the end of World War II when people were tired and many people that died saying, you know, this war has gone on too long. Let's just call it a draw.
Leave some Nazis in power in Germany. Let them continue to live there, and maybe they'll be different in the future.
Everyone who would hear something like that would say that's the dumbest, most ridiculous thing ever. I would say that it is equally dumb and
ridiculous to assume that you can leave Hamas in Gaza, and that the outcome will be anything other than another October 7th.
SCIUTTO: I want to talk now before we go, about the condition of civilians inside Gaza. Many Gazans now showing evidence of starvation. We spoke to
the leader of the aid group, Anera, who has found signs of starvation through their testing and some 40 percent of the people there. I wonder is
the degree of suffering of civilians in Gaza, is that acceptable to you? Is that acceptable to the U.S.?
HUCKABEE: Oh, absolutely not. It's not acceptable to anybody. I'll tell you who all else is not acceptable to, it's not acceptable to the Israelis,
and they've been blamed for all of this. But I go back to the fact that people are starving because Hamas has held their people as well as our
hostages. They've held them in this incredible hold for all of this time.
And there are food trucks that have been moving into Gaza over the past several days by the hundreds. Everyone wants to see humanitarian aid.
There's a standup of a massive organization called the Gaza Humanitarian Fund, and in addition to that, there are other longtime providers. The
tragedy is you have organizations like the U.N. that says, we're not going to participate because we don't like the method through which the food is
going in.
Jim, I find that disgusting. If you really care about feeding people, why do you care what kind of truck takes it in there? And the point is that the
GHF is taking it in without the IDF controlling it or distributing it. They provide obviously the necessary security on the perimeters of the war zone.
But these are humanitarian efforts and everyone ought to get behind it, governments, individuals, NGOs, and the U.N.
SCIUTTO: Part of the U.N. criticism has been, as I understand it, that it forces displacement inside there, the plan as put out there by this
alternative aid proposal. I suppose the question is, do the facts of the situation and the fact that there was a long delay with no aid trucks going
in indicate to you that Israel, at least, shares responsibility for the humanitarian situation in Gaza right now, given that the Israeli prime
minister has said Israel wants to control security there.
HUCKABEE: They have to control security there. That's not an option. If they don't, then they're going to be seeing more of their own people
massacred and more tortured toward the hostages. What I think is missing in this discussion is that Israel put an enormous level of food in place in
the early part of March before they shut down the supplies going in.
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And then, people need to remember the reason they shut down the food going in is because Hamas was stealing it. And when they stole it, then they sold
it on the black market. They took the profits, they built more bullets and bombs, and they killed more people.
So, one of the prerequisites that President Trump has put in place, which to me is the only right way, is to say, the manner of distribution has to
be the most effective so that the food gets to hungry people, but it does not get into the hands of Hamas that will steal it and then exploit it for
their own purposes.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SCIUTTO: My interview there with U.S. ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabee. Straight ahead, the latest round of Trump versus Harvard. They're fighting
now over Harvard's ability to admit international students here. Why this battle could now be decided in the courts.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SCIUTTO: The Trump administration has now barred Harvard University from enrolling any international students. It has thousands of them there now.
With the latest escalation between Harvard and the White House, the Trump administration has already cut billions of dollars in grants to the
university. The Department of Homeland Security is telling for the students already enrolled at Harvard to transfer or lose their legal status. Harvard
has condemned the move as unlawful. At the same time, a federal judge in California has just blocked the White House from ending the legal status of
international students, likely setting up yet another court showdown.
Joining me now is Richard Painter. He is a law professor and former White House ethics lawyer. Richard, good to have you as always.
RICHARD PAINTER, CORPORATE LAW PROFESSOR, UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA: Thank you for having me on the show.
SCIUTTO: So, first, can you help me understand whether this federal ruling in California would block the Trump administration's move against Harvard,
or would that have to be a separate legal challenge?
PAINTER: It might in the long run. Harvard certainly will go to court, yet again, to defend its rights against the Trump administration. It is quite
clear that Harvard is being singled out by the Trump administration because Harvard won't agree to demands from the Trump administration that have
nothing to do with their international students. So, we'll see where this goes.
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But clearly, the Trump administration not only is singling out Harvard, but going well beyond what they are permitted to do under existing statutes
with respect to the visa immigration status of foreign students in the United States.
We have dozens, if not hundreds of great universities. Harvard is one of them, but they're by no means the best. They're all great universities, but
very dependent upon international students coming to the United States, sharing their knowledge with American researchers and American students.
And to simply cut off the access American universities to foreign students would be a great tragedy for higher education in the United States.
SCIUTTO: Listen, Harvard has 9,970 people in its international academic population. Let me ask you this, if you were talking to an international
student currently enrolled at Harvard or planning to enroll or sign up and show up in the fall, what would you recommend they do?
PAINTER: Well, if they're allowed to enroll at Harvard, if this could be sorted out over the summer, they certainly should go, if Harvard is their
school of choice. There are many great universities in the United States. The problem is that the Trump administration is making it more and more
difficult for foreign students to study in the United States. And this, in the long run, is going to be to the detriment of our American universities.
We need to sort out a lot of problems in American higher education, antisemitism, massive amounts of spending and waste, and there are issues
we need to address, but these are not problems that are the fault of foreign students who are coming here to study. A lot of the campus chaos
has been generated by Americans, American citizens, faculty members, Americans, not foreign students. And taking this out on students from other
countries, in the long run, is going to undermine the United States diplomatically around the world and undermine our higher education system.
SCIUTTO: And we should know that Harvard released two reports last month on anti-Israel bios, as well as another on anti-Muslim and anti-Arab and
anti-Palestinian bios. Richard Painter, law professor at the University of Minnesota, thanks so much.
PAINTER: Thank you for having me.
SCIUTTO: Coming up, Diddy on trial. The rapper, Kid Cudi, takes the stand, making some explosive allegations.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[18:30:00]
SCIUTTO: Welcome back to "The Brief." I'm Jim Sciutto. And here are more international headlines we're watching today.
The man suspected of killing two Israeli embassy staff members in Washington has appeared in court and is now charged with murder. 31-year-
old Elias Rodriguez did not enter a plea. Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Milgrim were fatally shot outside the Capitol Jewish Museum last night.
The White House's so-called Make America Healthy Again Commission, MAHA, instead of MAGA, delivered its first report to President Trump today. That
commission headed by Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. says, poor diet, environmental toxins, and pharmaceuticals are contributing to a rise
in chronic illnesses. His report says children are most at risk. It's calling on new studies -- calling for new studies on childhood vaccines as
well.
North Korea's newest warship severely damaged during its launch ceremony. Based on this satellite image, the destroyer appears to have capsized,
laying on its side there. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un who witnessed that incident called the failure, quote, "a criminal act." State media
report, he is vowing to punish those responsible.
Rapper Kid Cudi testified today in the racketeering and sex trafficking trial of Sean Diddy Combs. The musician briefly dated Combs' ex, Cassie
Ventura. Kid Cudi telling the court he believed Combs was behind the break- in at his home and that around that time his Porsche was set on fire. He says he later confronted Combs about the car, but he denied responsibility.
Combs has pleaded not guilty to the charges against him charge.
Joining me now is CNN legal analyst and former U.S. attorney Michael Moore. Michael, good to have you.
MICHAEL MOORE, CNN LEGAL ANALYST, FORMER U.S. ATTORNEY AND PARTNER, MOORE HALL: Good to be with you.
SCIUTTO: So, first, in cross-examination, the defense seemed to cast reasonable doubt on Combs' involvement with that break-in and the car fire.
I wonder, what legal weight does his testimony carry if there's no direct evidence of Combs' involvement?
MOORE: Yes. Well, I am glad to be with you. I think you have to remember that trials are like a marathon. They're not a sprint. And so, we really
are going to have sort of pieces of evidence coming before the jury, and ultimately, they will make a decision about credibility. Who's telling the
truth, who's not, who's stretching the truth, who's not.
And so, the defense did make a few dings maybe, you know, for instance, they were able to point out that there's no direct proof that the car was
firebombed by Mr. Combs. But at the same time, it's a pretty compelling tale that sort of fits into the narrative.
And again, it maybe it fits into the -- this part of the marathon to this leg of the race and ties up some of the evidence that they've heard both
from Ms. Ventura and other witnesses, is they've described sort of his aggravation and his temper and his outburst, and then sort of the things he
would say or do. There's some pretty good compelling evidence about him being in, you know, Mr. Cudi's home at the time, and that's, that's
telling.
And then, obviously, at one point later, there's a -- you know, a story, a recitation of an encounter where Mr. Combs apparently apologizes for
various things. And so, this will be compelling. And it's important because the prosecution has to put together this part of the RICO case. I mean,
they've got to actually show that there were some unlawful acts that were done in furtherance of the RICO charges.
And so, these things, whether it's a firebombing, a break in, you know, they go to that tale about unlawful conduct to further the activity that
that Mr. Combs was involved in, at least according to the indictment.
SCIUTTO: Understood. Now, Combs, as was recounted, apologized to Kid Cudi in 2015. Does that have any legal implications or could it even be
considered an admission of guilt?
MOORE: Well, I mean, that's ultimately going to be up to the jury as to how they take it. You know, whether or not they think, at some point, does
-- you know, do somebody who hadn't done anything wrong, just say they're sorry. And they'll -- they're told, and the jury is told, you don't have to
check your common sense at the door, you're allowed to consider and use your common sense, your life experience, and you decide, you know, whether
or not what the evidence means, and is that some type of evidence, in fact, through testimony that, in fact, there was something to apologize for.
[18:35:00]
So, you know, again, these are pieces of the puzzle you're never going to find with one witness eat the entire picture. But the prosecution has so
far, I think, done a good job of sort of laying out their pieces. The defense has scored some points from time to time. you know, frankly, but,
you know, this is a long process and it's going to be a long trial. And we've certainly heard of conduct, which I think, you know, most folks would
find reprehensible on the part of Mr. Combs, and the jury will consider that whether or not that meets the burden and the high standard that's
necessary for criminal conduct in the RICO charges.
SCIUTTO: Yes, defense lawyers keep saying, it seems, listen, he may not be a good guy, he doesn't necessarily prove the charges. I suppose that's
going to be their defense. Michael Moore, thanks so much.
MOORE: Glad to be with you, Jim.
SCIUTTO: Well, a deadly plane crash forced evacuations in Southern California earlier today. A business jet slammed into a neighborhood in San
Diego, killing at least two people on board. San Diego's a big Navy and Marine Corps town, and the jet crashed in the military housing there. The
crash spread jet fuel and debris across several blocks, lighting several homes and cars on fire. Stephanie Elam has the latest.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We ran outside and saw just sparks flying up.
STEPHANIE ELAM, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): A Cessna citation business jet crashing into a military housing neighborhood, roughly six miles north
of downtown San Diego in the early morning fog.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We got multiple explosions over here. We're doing evacuation. We got multiple houses on fire.
WILD (voice-over): The crash setting at least 10 homes on fire and burning cars throughout the neighborhood.
First responders arrived on scene just minutes later, rushing to put out the flames and searched the homes.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We're going to probably have several hundred people evacuated.
WILD (voice-over): At least two people on the plane died, and authorities say they are still making identifications and investigating how many people
were on board.
ASSISTANT CHIEF DAN EDDY, SAN DIEGO FIRE-RESCUE DEPARTMENT: We're looking at it as rostered on the plane with six individuals. So, we're confirming
that right now with the FAA and NTSB as they're getting on scene right now.
WILD (voice-over): Jet fuel spilled across multiple blocks in one of the largest military housing units in the world, according to Navy officials.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Front yards are completely saturated with fuel. Use extreme caution doing evacs.
WILD (voice-over): The jet was heading toward the small Montgomery Gibbs executive airport in San Diego just before it crashed. Visibility,
according to weather data, was at about a half a mile at the time of the accident.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: If you look at the plane -- the path that it took behind me here, you can see that its trajectory came through this
direction, it took out the front of that house and it ended up here to the right behind me.
WILD (voice-over): The pilot checking into air traffic control, radioed in at three miles away.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Montgomery Traffic, citation triple six Delta Sierra, threes final, 28.
WILD (voice-over): The transmission giving no indication of any issue with the landing. No emergency was reported before the crash.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SCIUTTO: Stephanie Elam there. Coming up, President Trump is holding a dinner tonight for the top investors in his own meme coin. Why critics call
it a huge conflict of interest for the U.S. president.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[18:40:00]
SCIUTTO: Welcome back to "The Brief." U.S. stocks finished Thursday's session mostly flat. Tech stocks did gain treasury yields fell somewhat. No
immediate negative reaction to the passage of President Trump's massive tax and spending package in the House. The Congressional Budget office says
that bill could add almost $4 trillion to the U.S. deficit over the next decade. Republican Senator Mike Rounds told our Manu Raju the economic
benefits would outweigh the costs.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. MIKE ROUNDS (R-SD): We take the CBO estimate with a grain of salt because what they're not allowed to do is to recognize the dynamic income
increases from a growing economy. We know that if we don't pass the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, average American homeowner pays $2,400 more in taxes
next year.
MANU RAJU, CNN CHIEF CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: But that anything --
ROUNDS: No, no. Wait. Let me finish. $2,400 more and up for a family. Now, if that's the way that you're going to fix the deficit is by taxing the
American people by $2,400 more per family, we're going to have problems.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SCIUTTO: The Senate is expected to make big changes to the bill when it begins its own work on the legislation. Other story we're following,
concerns President Trump is using his public office for private gain continue to mount this week. The Defense Department announced Wednesday
that it is formerly accepted Qatari's gift of a luxury jet for use as the new Air Force One. Republicans and Democrats alike say the gift raises
numerous ethical and national security problems, but it's coming.
There's also growing outrage over a private dinner the president is hosting at his own Trump National Golf Club tonight for the biggest investors in
his own personal meme coin. According to a crypto intelligence firm, investors spent an estimated $148 million on the Trump coin to secure their
seats to that dinner and get an audience with the president. The White House defended the dinner, arguing President Trump acts only in the best
interest of the American people.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KARLINE LEAVITT, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: The president has been asked about this. He has addressed this. I have also stated previously from this
podium that the president is abiding by all conflict-of-interest laws that are applicable to the president. And I think everybody, the American public
believe it's absurd for anyone to insinuate that this president is profiting off of the presidency.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SCIUTTO: Well, the Watchdog group Accountable.US calls the dinner, quote, "President Trump's most corrupt self-enrichment crypto scheme to date."
Tony Carrk is the executive director for Accountable.US and he joins me now. Thanks for coming.
TONY CARRK, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, ACCOUNTABLE.US: Thank you for having me.
SCIUTTO: Let's talk about the facts here. She says, from the White House podium, the president doesn't profit from this when in fact he owns 80
percent of Trump meme coins. He makes money when people buy it because it facilitates liquidity. He makes money off the tokens because he takes fees
off the trading and he plans to start his own trading platform, which he will make his own trading fees off. Is that not profiting from this coin?
CARRK: I think that you've answered your own question there. Clearly, that this is money that is going to his businesses, to his family, and to him
personally. Yes.
SCIUTTO: So, is that against the law?
CARRK: Well, I think outside of legality and illegality, we don't know who is actually giving this money to the president. The administration has been
asked repeatedly if they were going to disclose the people that are going to be at this dinner. They, thus far, I believe, have not given that
information. And I think this goes to a general perspective of the administration of where they're putting a for sale sign for access to the
president, and what does that mean for a democracy, and what does that mean for who the administration's looking out for?
[18:45:00]
Are they looking out for the best interest of the American people or are they looking -- is the president looking out for his bottom line?
SCIUTTO: We do know who one of the investors going tonight is, Chinese- born Crypto King, who we should note until very recently was facing civil fraud charges in the U.S. Was worried about even entering the country.
That's at least the periods of a conflict, is it not?
CARRK: Well, I think there's a couple of things to add to that. First, this person was -- had given about $75 million to the Trump crypto
business, World Liberty Financial, prior to this, prior to the inauguration. And what we saw -- what you're talking about, the
investigation that the Securities and Exchange Commission was looking into, Mr. Sun, like that investigation is now paused and possibly will be
dropped. Now, that's unclear.
So, there is obviously some benefit to having access to the president and making sure that, you know, your interests are being put before him. And I
guess the question is like, not everybody has $75 million to be able to talk to the president. So, who's actually -- who's the president looking
out for here?
SCIUTTO: Crypto, of course, it's anonymous by design. So, it at least provides the opportunity for people, whether in this country, from outside
the country to send money, in effect, the president's way without anyone -- at least any public knowledge of it.
CARRK: That's absolutely true. And there's a couple things that are concerning here is like, one, the American public doesn't know. The second
thing is, you know, from our research, what we've been finding is, you know, about 20 of the top 25 holders are using platforms that are not
available to U.S. citizens is, suggesting that there's a lot of foreign or -- you know, foreign influence or foreign government, it's unclear. But we
do know that there are -- like some foreign interests that are going to be at this dinner and the American people just don't know, who or what those
are.
SCIUTTO: So many questions. Tony Carrk, we appreciate you helping us dive into them.
CARRK: Thank you so much.
SCIUTTO: Coming up, concerns over the rapid development in artificial intelligence. Are tech companies, such as OpenAI building, tools that could
be too powerful for good old humans like ourselves to control? And are we ready for the A.I. revolution across the board? We're going to discuss that
more coming up.
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SCIUTTO: New details about OpenAI's upcoming device that CEO Sam Altman describes as, quote, "The coolest piece of technology the world will have
ever seen." He reportedly told his staff the A.I. companion device will be pocket size and screen free, that he plans to release it by late next year,
this according to the Wall Street Journal.
[18:50:00]
Altman announced a major acquisition deal on Wednesday with former Apple design chief Jony Ive's startup. Keach Hagey is a reporter at the Wall
Street Journal. She's also the author of "The Optimist: Sam Altman, OpenAI, and the Race to Invent the Future." Keach, nice to talk to you again.
KEACH HAGEY, REPORTER, WALL STREET JOURNAL AND AUTHOR, "THE OPTIMIST": Good to be here.
SCIUTTO: So, when I hear device, A.I. and Jony Ive, of course, who's created so many sleek Apple devices. I'm starting to think of, and I
mentioned to you this to you last time we talked, like a vision of the movie "Her," with something you put in your ear and A.I. answers all your
questions. I mean, is that what we're kind of talking about here?
HAGEY: Well, Sam Altman has long been obsessed with the movie "Her," and I think famously tweeted it when they released their audio product not that
long ago, somewhat controversially. But Sam Altman's also been obsessed for a long time with Steve Jobs and Apple. So, we're really seeing him team up
with one of the long-time collaborators with Steve Jobs, Jony Ive, to create something that might pull us all away from our screens and our
iPhones.
SCIUTTO: Yes. I mean, let's just hope they don't try to steal Scarlett Johansen's voice as they do that if they do. Anyway, that's another story.
But let's talk about A.I. Big picture. I mean, the questions that are, you know, hanging over not just a device like this, but just Sam Altman's
running of the company, as you get to in great detail in your book, are, what are the guardrails, who are the actual regulators? We've invested one
company and the one person at the top of the company with enormous freedom.
HAGEY: Yes. That's been the controversy at the heart of the fight that led to him being ousted from the company for five days not that long ago. And
it's a question that still hangs over the company. It has a very strange governance structure. It is a nonprofit organization that controls a for-
profit. It is getting bigger and bigger and is clearly on its way to becoming one of the big tech companies out there on the landscape. We're
now seeing that it's trying to do devices, it's trying to build infrastructure. It has these LLMs and that that are powering all this A.I.
that is surrounding us.
And we've seen how Sam Altman has changed his tune from saying, please regulate me to, maybe we don't need that much regulation.
SCIUTTO: Yes. Trust us, in effect. It strikes me when they, obviously, if you're selling products, you want to make money, right? Not so nonprofit
anymore. But it strikes me that this idea that this is a device without a screen. That the idea here might be an attempt to change the interaction,
like the iPhone was such a -- you know, to create this smartphone with a screen that like, you know, accesses all the information in the world was
such a big leap, right, for the way we live our lives. This seems to be at least trying to make a different leap where you stop looking and touching
and just speak it.
HAGEY: That's the hope. It's still a very closely guarded secret, but what we know is that it's going to be something that might sit on a desk, be in
a room, and try to totally rethink the way that people interact with computers. We've seen Sam Altman complain that, you know, ChatGPT is really
cool, but you still have to open up a laptop or look down at your phone to use it, and he wants to take it beyond that.
SCIUTTO: Yes. It sounds a little like Alexa, one might say. I wonder --
HAGEY: It did occur to me, actually, yes.
SCIUTTO: It doesn't it? It doesn't it? So, Sam Altman, I've seen him speak and I know you've had far more interactions than me. He's a very convincing
speaker, right? I mean, he describes A.I. in enormously positive terms about curing cancer and so on, and allowing still people to live their
lives and work, et cetera. What surprised you most writing a book about him?
HAGEY: I was surprised by the role that science fiction played in this whole story. Sam Alman is an amazing storyteller. So, maybe it's not
surprising that he's able to harness the power of these really powerful stories about technology. But every major funder and player in the story
was inspired by science fiction. And I don't think it would've happened had those, sort of, fictional narrative not been there behind the whole story.
SCIUTTO: Yes. It's amazing how -- I mean, that's almost a common thread in a lot of big tech disruptors, et cetera, that they're kind of inspired by
science fiction. Keach Hagey, we really appreciate you coming on. The book is "The Optimist: Sam Altman, OpenAI, and The Race to Invent the Future."
Well, it was only a matter of time, China has now unveiled, speaking of, well, robots and advanced technology and things, a pair of boxing robots.
They were shown in action here at a demonstration at a school ahead of the world's first robot boxing tournament this weekend. I guess they have
tournaments for that.
[18:55:00]
But robots, as you could see, could punch sidekick even get up after falling over. Unitree Robotics, which is the company behind this kind of
scary devices, says human controllers make the robots move, but two new control modes will be revealed on Sunday. Could that be artificial
intelligence? We'll have to wait and see.
In today's Good Brief, if you remember this tune, and I definitely do then prepare to feel pretty old.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
(MUSIC PLAYING)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SCIUTTO: I was pretty good at that game. One of the world's best known video games is celebrating its 45th birthday today. First released in Japan
as Puck Man. The incredibly addictive game soon became a massive hit worldwide. And do you know that each of the four colored ghosts had their
own personality? Perhaps an early example of artificial intelligence?
The official Pac-Man website reminds us they were called, Blinky, Pinky, Inky, and Clyde. I knew that actually. Smart and long lasting. Pac-Man and
the ghosts, we salute you.
Thanks so much for your company today. I'm Jim Sciutto in Washington. You've been watching "The Brief."
Please do stay with CNN.
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