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The Lead with Jake Tapper

Trump Lauds Success of Summit With China's Xi; Military Families Blast Trump's Arch Observation Deck; Intensifying Storm Pushes Closer to Northeast; Trump Faces Pressure To Push Xi On Detained Pastors; CNN's Bill Weir Explores The Story Behind Farm Aid. Aired 6-7p ET

Aired September 25, 2026 - 18:00   ET

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

JAKE TAPPER, CNN HOST: Welcome to The Lead. I'm Jake Tapper.

This hour, after a summit full of pomp and praise, Chinese Leader Xi Jinping's trip to Washington is over. President Trump said it was a, quote, friendship, strength, and success meeting. He says the two plan to meet again in China and Florida later this year.

[18:00:03]

But does the president have any concrete accomplishments that he can point to for the American people after three days of rolling out the red carpet for a communist dictator?

Plus, cities along the northeast already feeling the effects of a powerful storm tonight, and it's only expected to get worse overnight. More than 40 million people will feel the impacts of this nor'easter, from dangerous winds to coastal flooding. We're going to check in with our teams in the storm's path as conditions worsen.

And military families who were already alarmed by President Trump's proposed arch are now fuming over the project's new addition, an observation deck that would theoretically overlook Arlington National Cemetery and the people burying or visiting their loved ones. How the White House is defending these developments, that's ahead.

The Lead tonight, Chinese leader Xi Jinping is currently en route back to China after a three-day summit heavy on symbolism and showmanship, and frankly, as far as we know as of now, light on any major policy breakthroughs. President Trump posted just after Xi left saying their meeting was, quote, one of friendship, strength, and success.

Yesterday, Trump continued his, shall we say, unorthodox grand tour. He showed the communist dictator his gilded presidential walk of fame and laughed with President Xi as he showed him a photograph of an autopen where a photograph of former President Joe Biden should have been.

Former Trump White House Communications Director Alyssa Farah Griffin called that moment gross and un-American. Former Trump Deputy Press Secretary Sarah Matthews said Trump was, quote, humiliating the United States, unquote. President Trump invited the communist leader and his team to be the, quote, first people to see the White House ballroom construction site after the state dinner, one he says will have a secret bunker. This morning, Trump said this at the National Archives, just feet away from America's founding document.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, U.S. PRESIDENT: We're just comparing. Ours goes 250 years, which is great, and we're proud of it, but theirs goes 6,000 years. So, there's a little difference between 6,000 and 250, but we're very proud of our 250.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

TAPPER: What's in Xi Jinping's Bill of Rights, I wonder? We did not get much in the way of policy. Trump told reporters that American farmers were going to be, quote, very happy about what they discussed, but he didn't offer any details. When asked if the two leaders discussed the war in Iran, Trump simply responded, quote, we did.

Joining us now, CNN National Security Correspondent Kylie Atwood here in studio, and Alayna Treene at the White House.

Alayna, we were finally able to see the president again today. How do your White House sources feel this visit went, as so many Americans, including some Republicans, criticized all the fanfare bestowed on this communist leader?

ALAYNA TREENE, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Jake. Look, they were determined to make this meeting, this s- state visit really, as successful as possible. That's why you saw so much of this pageantry. I mean, when was the last time, Jake, do you remember a U.S. president going all the way to Joint Base Andrews to welcome a foreign leader, let alone a Chinese president, and literally rolling out the red carpet. And so it was a lot of pageantry, and you're right, there was not really any deliverables as far as we know.

But one thing that was different about this state visit was the lack of really wall-to-wall press coverage that is typical with these type of events, and that's partly because of the ban, the press ban on CNN, MS NOW, and Politico.

And I do want to share with you, this was something that my colleagues and I, Adam Cancryn and Kristen Holmes, have all been working our sources to see what the reaction was like. One, I was told by a Trump adviser that that ban came at a very inopportune time because for most of this three-day visit, not including today, you did not have that T.V. pool coverage and a camera on the president tracking all of his movements.

And this is something they had carefully planned for. They wanted this. And not only the Trump administration and this White House, but also the Chinese. I was told that the Chinese embassy actually called up some networks ahead of this visit to ask what the coverage plan would look like. So, that's one part of this, I think, that didn't really go to plan.

But from the other parts, they did expect there to be a lot of this pageantry, and I had been told as well that the president wanted this to kind of echo what he saw the Chinese give him when the president visited Beijing back in May. But, again, not really any deliverables so far that we know, and not exactly the coverage that they were anticipating.

TAPPER: Well, I guess maybe we shouldn't have been banned.

Kylie, what are we learning about the discussion on Iran?

ALAYNA TREENE, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, President Trump said that he did talk to President Xi about Iran, and we heard from the U.S. ambassador to China earlier this morning on CNBC saying that it's totally unacceptable for China to be providing any support directly or indirectly to Iran while this war is ongoing. And he said that President Trump made that very clear in the meetings yesterday with President Xi.

The question here, however, is what is the United States actually going to do about it, if anything, right?

[18:05:00]

We know that earlier this year when President Trump visited China, there were discussions also about the Iran war. It was ongoing at the time. After that visit, President Trump said that President Xi had assured him that China wouldn't provide any military support to Iran.

But what our reporting is, is that even though there may not be direct military support, there are satellite imagery that is going to Iran from China right now, which is hugely effective in making it be able to further threaten the Strait of Hormuz and carry out these precision type strikes that we have seen throughout the region. And also there's dual-use technology that's going to Iran, and that's allowing them to continue building up their military capabilities. So, the question is the follow through here.

And I do think it's worth noting that during the Biden administration I traveled to China with then-Secretary of State Antony Blinken, he threatened the Chinese not to continue providing support to Russia for the war in Ukraine. And then just days later, the Biden administration rolled out 300 sanctions on entities that were providing military technological support to Russia, and a dozen of those entities were Chinese entities.

So, they followed through on their threats. It's unclear if President Trump is in a position where he really wants to do that or not.

TAPPER: Doesn't -- at least based on what we just saw, it doesn't seem like he wants to.

Kylie Atwood and Alayna Treen, thanks to both of you.

TAPPER: And joining us now is Indiana Republican Congressman Marlin Stutzman. Congressman, thanks so much for taking the time out of your busy day to talk to us.

Your fellow House Republican South Dakota Congressman Dusty Johnson told us on the show yesterday that he agreed with Senator Wicker, the chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, who said that if he had been asked, he would suggest to -- he would have suggested to the president that he shouldn't roll out the red carpet for President Xi.

I know you disagree. How do you respond to people who say the president -- no president should give a communist dictator responsible for a genocide, according to the State Department, this full lavish welcome?

REP. MARLIN STUTZMAN (R-IN): Yes. Well, Jake, first of all, great to be with you. You know, there are definitely obvious differences with China, and we are -- we know that. We know that there's work to do. But I do believe that at this point in time, you know, China is coming to the table, and the fact that President Trump, who -- you know, he knows hospitality. He knows how to treat people, you know, to a great experience -- respect to the president of China, I think that he's going to get further along with negotiations than if he was, you know, telling him, hey, show up at my back door and, you know, we're going to have dinner together.

I think by showing this type of respect to the second-largest economy in the world, the second-largest military in the world, while we are frenemies, I think that there's a very good reason to show respect. But at the same time, with China, we know that we distrust but we verify.

TAPPER: So, President Obama did a similar thing, had a state dinner for President Xi. Here's what then private citizen Trump said about Obama's hosting President Xi back in 2015. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He's getting a big dinner free at the White House, addressing the U.N. If you were president, would you throw him a big dinner?

TRUMP: I would not be throwing him a dinner. We've had this conversation. I'd get him a McDonald's hamburger and I'd say, we got to get down to work.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

TAPPER: So, I guess the question is, he changed his position, which is fine. People change their positions when they get elected president. But what was accomplished? What was achieved with all this lavish rolling out of the red carpet?

STUTZMAN: Yes. I think what it shows is that you have the two greatest countries in the world. The United States is by far the greater country. But there's a lot of respect, especially considering the fact that President Trump has been strong on tariffs, he's been strong on military operations related to Iran. I think by bringing in Xi Jinping to the White House and treating him the way that he did, he said, look, I'm going to, you know, respect you, but I'm going to get what I want.

And, you know, from what it sounds like, the president, President Trump, is, you know, in a very strong position on several of the topics that they talked about, whether it's trade and A.I. I know that, you know, the red lines were around Taiwan, but President Trump again puts -- he's a strong negotiator, he's a strong diplomat, and I think he realizes by treating Xi Jinping this way, he may get down the road a lot further.

TAPPER: But isn't China, or at least Chinese technology, helping the Iranians when it comes to the war with Iran and when it comes to targeting U.S. service members in the Middle East?

STUTZMAN: Well, there have been some reports that that's possible and President Trump has been very strong in saying, you know, that anybody who's helping Iran is going to face consequences. And so if there is strong evidence of that, if there's -- if we find out that's what's happening, I think there will be consequences.

[18:10:03]

But, again, you know, President Trump is -- he understands, you know, what it takes to get people to the table to talk. You know, look at what happened with Greenland. The fact that he got what he really wanted out of Greenland, and that's to defend the United States of America, and without giving up anything for that matter.

And so, unpredictability sometimes is also a very powerful tool. And while, you know, people try to predict what President Trump's going to do it just doesn't happen. And when he surprises you and shows you -- you know, has a nice meal for you, a dinner, and rolls out the red carpet, all of a sudden, you know, things may change.

But in the long run, you know, we know what China wants, we know what the United States wants. It's better for us to work together. We're their largest consumer of goods, and I know that you know, China is very aware of that and they want to be sure that they have a relationship with the United States that continues that that trade relationship.

TAPPER: All right. Congressman Stutzman of Indiana, thank you so much for your time today, sir.

STUTZMAN: Thank you, Jake, great to be with you.

And we're following the breaking news from the U.S. Supreme Court, where the justices have just ruled on which map Missouri will be using in the midterm elections. This is the third time the courts have had to get involved, as Republicans wanted to use a gerrymandered version that eliminated a Democratic-leaning House seat. Those breaking details in just moments.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[18:15:00] TAPPER: We have some breaking news for you in our Law and Justice Lead here on a Friday evening, a loss for Republicans and for President Trump. The U.S. Supreme Court rejected their effort in Missouri to redraw the state's Congressional map. This was actually the third attempt by Republicans in that state to gain an extra House seat and eliminate a Democratic-leaning seat.

The court's decision was an unsigned decision, so we don't know which justices were with the majority, but the court did note, quote, ballots using the 2022 map have been printed and mailed. Absentee voting has already begun, as has military and overseas voting. At this late date, ordering reversion to the 2025 map in the midst of an ongoing election would usher in electoral chaos, unquote.

And speaking of military ballots in our National Lead, President Trump's latest proposed addition to his arch is an open air observation deck, and that is not sitting well with veterans and Gold Star families. At issue, the bird's eye view that the arch will provide of Arlington National Cemetery, where their loved ones are buried.

CNN's Sunlen Serfaty has been speaking with some of the military families. Sunlen, tell me what they're telling you.

SUNLEN SERFATY, CNN WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT: Well, many of them, Jake, are extremely outraged. They feel like this is intrusive to them on their worst days when they are laying their loved ones to rest. There are between 24 and 27 funerals every weekday at Arlington, so this is something that is constantly going on. And they feel that the proposal that's part of the president's arch to add an observation deck on the fifth floor of the arch, it would be 166 feet in the air, giving people a 360-degree bird's eye view of these funerals is incredibly inappropriate.

I spoke to many of them, and they say that it gives people an intimate view of them and their families as they're burying them, and that doesn't sit well with them. One man who's a veteran himself, he has participated in only, over 50 funerals, helping people and helping coordinate these funerals that are very highly choreographed.

Every detail, of course, very precise to honor the fallen, and here's his response to potentially tourists having a view of that.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

FRANK STOLBA, VETERAN: The observation deck is rubbing people the wrong way, I believe, because you're up there to see the cemetery, and what's actually going on the ground are people are being buried. So, it's a moment where you don't want to have lots of people watching you. When a family is grieving and they're being handed a flag, they'd rather be the only one there.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SERFATY: And I heard that from so many veterans. I spoke with one woman who herself is also a veteran. She buried her father-in-law there only last year, and she says the feeling of if other people were watching, people, strangers that they didn't know, are watching as they laid him to rest, just turns her stomach. Here's what she had to say.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

LAURIE LAPLANTE, GOLD STAR FAMILY MEMBER: They go overboard to make it very personal for every family. So, I think that just knowing that anybody that you don't know or isn't part of the family is watching it kind of takes away from that, definitely. I can't think of any other place that would be more inappropriate to have an observation deck than looking out over a cemetery.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SERFATY: Now, I did pose these criticisms, Jake, to the White House, and said these are concerns coming from veterans who have buried and potentially many who will bury their loved ones at the cemetery. And they pushed back without answering my specific questions about whether there be any protocol change to funerals going forward.

A White House spokesperson said that they believe that the arch will, quote, enhance the visitor experience at Arlington National Cemetery for veterans, families of the fallen, and all Americans alike. And, notably, they did not answer my specific questions about what would happen potentially if funerals are going on this many time a day. You have timed tickets to the hour, people going up there.

We do know, according to documents that we obtained, that they are making certain protocol changes in the meantime while the arch is being constructed talking about potentially pausing construction on the arch while funerals are happening playing with the lighting, especially at night and early morning hours, avoiding high noise during the services.

But they don't have an answer to how this will impact if the arch, if and when the arch is built to permanent potential protocol changes at Arlington.

TAPPER: Yes. I'm trying to imagine participating in a funeral and there are tourists looking at you from a rise above you -- I mean, behind you. okay.

Sunlen Serfaty, thanks so much.

As she is rumored to be eyeing a higher office, Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is hitting the campaign trail trying to boost voter turnout across New York State. CNN caught up with her at an event this week, and that's next.

[18:20:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

TAPPER: In our Politics Lead, Democratic Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York City is kicking off an upstate New York tour with fresh speculation about her possible political plans. Ocasio- Cortez is currently seeking a fifth term in the House of Representatives, but as CNN's Gloria Pasmina reports, the New York Congresswoman is keeping her options open as she determines whether to run for the Senate or even for president in 2028.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

REP. ALEXANDRIA OCASIO-CORTEZ (D-NY): Hey, everyone. How are we doing?

GLORIA PAZMINO, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): 400 miles from her home district in the Bronx in Queens, New York Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is testing political waters.

OCASIO-CORTEZ: I think Buffalo is one of the most exciting places in New York State in terms of the rejuvenation of voter mobilization and input.

PAZMINO: The four-term Congresswoman is on a tour of upstate New York.

[18:25:03]

First stop, Buffalo, meeting with Mayor Sean Ryan and hosting a training event with organizers, targeting voters who missed the last two federal elections and risk forfeiting their votes.

OCASIO-CORTEZ: Low-income residents get purged from the polls. Working-class people of all backgrounds can get purged from the polls. And what we want to do is flip that script.

PAZMINO: It's part of a statewide effort to increase turnout. So far, Ocasio-Cortez has donated $300,000 to boost Democrats in her home state, with money earmarked for voter organizing and Spanish language outreach.

Here in the City of Good Neighbors, supporters hope she's laying the groundwork for a potential run for U.S. Senate.

OCASIO-CORTEZ: I'm leaving all my options open.

PAZMINO: Or maybe even the White House.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I think it's great. I love her.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: If you can motivate people and get them to believe in something, you can go a long way.

PAZMINO: So, you'd support her either for Senate or for president if she goes for it?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Oh, yes.

PAZMINO: Republicans hope to attract moderate Democrats who worry AOC's Democratic Socialist of America brand of politics is too far left.

MICHAEL KRACKER, CHAIRMAN, ERIE COUNTY REPUBLICAN COMMITTEE: AOC and Zohran Mamdani are the ideological leaders of today's Democratic Party, and I think that puts them out of step with a lot of moderate old school Democrats, and that's where I think there's opportunities for the Republican Party to say, we welcome your voices.

PAZMINO: For now, she says she's focused on voter turnout and her own re-election.

Congresswoman, it sounds like you're running for something. Are you running for president?

OCASIO-CORTEZ: I am running for re-election.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

PAZMINO (on camera): Well, Jake, the tour will continue over the weekend. Ocasio-Cortez is expected to stop in Ithaca, where she's hosting a Student Versus Billionaires town hall hosted by Cornell University student groups. She's expected to stop in Syracuse. And she's also planning on campaigning alongside a more moderate Democrat, New York Governor Kathy Hochul, while she continues her swing upstate. Jake?

TAPPER: Fascinating stuff from Gloria Pasmino on the campaign trail. Thank you so much.

A nor'easter storm is set to impact more than 40 million Americans as we head into the weekend. We're going to go live to the New Jersey coast down the shore for a look at the conditions next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[18:30:00]

TAPPER: Weather tops our National Lead now. Some 40 million people up and down the East Coast of the United States are in for problems this weekend because of some stormy weather, an unusual autumn nor'easter, which has already damaged roads along the North Carolina coastline.

The high tides and predicted heavy rain and winds will cause flooding, damage, and power outages all the way up to New England. Today, New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherrill declared a state of emergency for counties along her state's coastline.

CNN's Danny Freeman is down the shore in Jersey. Danny, are people there taking this seriously?

DANNY FREEMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: You know Jake, people absolutely are taking it seriously, especially after, as you noted the governor here in New Jersey, Governor Sherrill, issued that state of emergency for the coastal counties. But the interesting thing, Jake, is that so far conditions are a little bit odd because it has not started raining here.

But I will tell you, the waves here at Atlantic City, they're very, very intense. They're very strong. The winds keep picking up periodically. And, again, the concern is, as you noted, intense flooding and severe winds that will cause damage.

Now, Jake, we had an opportunity to actually go into the emergency operations center here in Atlantic City to see how they're preparing for the storm, as this water comes in right here. You can see the tide's coming in already. And it was interesting. They have a whole team there, Jake, who have been watching the storm as it has been developing, and they are newly concerned that high tide tomorrow morning actually be -- may be the more concerning moment when it comes to flooding.

I want you to take a listen to one of their emergency operations folks had to say.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MICHAEL FAMULARO, ATLANTIC CITY DEPUTY EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT COORDINATOR: It's very concerning. It's just going to be more water in the streets. I mean, we're still not calling for any evacuations because we think the houses -- if you're in your house, you're going to be safe. The problems are there will be water on the streets.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FREEMAN: So, Jake, you heard that official right there saying very, very clearly there will be flooding here in Atlantic City, especially in some of those low-lying areas, some of those areas that are most prone to flooding.

But he and so many other officials across New Jersey, especially on the coastline, keep emphasizing that doesn't mean that you have to be in danger, as long as people do not drive through floodwater, as long as they stay in their home and keep monitoring all of the local government sources that are going to be pushing through information all throughout the evening. That's how you end up keeping safe even as the storm moves through.

Last thing, Jake high tide tonight is going to be at 8:00 P.M., so we're going to be keeping an eye on that. And, again, tomorrow at 8:00 A.M., that's when high tides are going to be concerning for this area as well, Jake, when it comes to flooding.

TAPPER: CNN's Danny Freeman in A.C., New Jersey, thanks so much.

Let's turn to our Politics Lead. Midterm Election Day is just 39 days away. CNN's KFile has some new reporting about former Congressman Mike Rogers, the Republican candidate running for Senate in Michigan. Rogers, who once praised the Iran war, is now campaigning against the pain it has caused.

In the weeks and months after the war began on February 28th, Rogers spoke strongly in favor of Trump's decision in various interviews on conservative talk radio. Here are just a few examples.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What do you make of the war that we're in? MIKE ROGERS (R), MICHIGAN SENATE CANDIDATE: Well, it's probably long overdue.

They are absolutely a toothless wonder now. This is the best opportunity for peace in the Middle East, I think, I've ever seen in my lifetime.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

TAPPER: CNN's KFile found that in March through July, Rogers consistently defended, promoted the war, and argued the U.S. should continue its effort against Iran. Then with just six weeks before he faces his Democratic opponent in the Senate race in Michigan, Abdul El-Sayed, Rogers released this new ad.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ROGERS: Michigan families are struggling with the price of everyday life. Groceries cost too much. We have to bring prices down. The war with Iran needs to end, and end quickly.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

TAPPER: The panel joins us now.

[18:35:00]

Matt Whitlock, earlier this week Rogers said, quote, we've been pretty patient on the timeline. I think the best option now is to wind it down. He was a very strong supporter of the war.

MATT WHITLOCK, REPUBLICAN STRATEGIST: I don't necessarily think these views are inconsistent. I think he spent an entire career fighting and killing terrorists, and he was very supportive of getting in there because Iran's been the world's worst state sponsor of terror historically, and I think he was supportive of that. But also, circumstances over time have shifted, and he believes, like President Trump, that we need to wrap this up as quickly as possible.

Again, I don't think that's necessarily inconsistent, but I also think if people are worried about prices, you look at Abdul El-Sayed, who wants to ban gas-powered cars, and I think that's going to raise costs quite a bit. He wants to ban your private health insurance and double your taxes to pay for it.

So, I do think that there's a lot going on there, and I think Rogers is not necessarily being inconsistent. He's reacting to the circumstances on the ground.

MARIA CARDONA, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: So, what you're saying is that he was for it before he was against it, right?

TAPPER: That's a throwback. For the kids out there, that's a reference to John Kerry in 2004. You got to stop dating us like that, Maria.

CARDONA: I'm sorry. I was little. You were too. TAPPER: I was not little. Anyway, keep going.

CARDONA: Circumstances have changed, you're right, but the change in those circumstances is that Rogers is now in a really tough race, and he thinks he's going to lose if he doesn't come out and say, I am against this horrific war in Iran. That's the circumstances that have changed.

And what I think voters are seeing, both with Mike Rogers -- well, not both, because there's many, Mike Rogers, Congresswoman Elvira Salazar in Florida, and so many other Republicans who are now saying, oh my God, I'm going to lose my race if I don't finally come out and stand up to Donald Trump's --

TAPPER: A bunch in Iowa.

CARDONA: -- horrific policies. Exactly, it's not credible.

WHITLOCK: But I think the thing that's shifted the most in that time is the fact that we wiped out the ayatollah and his leadership team and the regime, and that's what Rogers has been consistent on. That's the biggest thing that's shifted there, and so now that's opened the door to start winding this down and deliver some stability in the region. Meanwhile, Abdul El-Sayed can't even condemn the IRGC.

TAPPER: Well, let's get to that, because speaking of the --

WHITLOCK: I didn't want to jump ahead of you.

TAPPER: Speaking of the ayatollah, Maria, Dr. Abdul El-Sayed found himself in a somewhat tense situation earlier this week at the University of Michigan. He had a town hall with students, put on by More Perfect University. An attendee described how his own family members had suffered at the hands of the IRGC, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. He then asked El-Sayed to condemn them, because El-Sayed had been recorded earlier in the campaign saying he didn't want to praise the death of the ayatollah because there were people in Michigan who supported the ayatollah.

So, here's just part of the exchange.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I wanted to ask if you stand unequivocally against the IRGC, against the Islamic Republic of Iran that has killed 50,000 protesters, Abdul.

ABDUL EL-SAYED (D), MICHIGAN SENATE CANDIDATE: One can disagree with the governance of a foreign country. One can stand in solidarity with freedom and democracy movements. But my worry is one -- when one decides that we are going to go in and take out the leadership of a foreign government.

But I will always stand for and with democratic movements, always. But I also don't believe that we were in the right to go to war to topple the government of Iran. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Abdul, you still haven't said it though. They're dying, the IRGC. Do you stand with us?

EL-SAYED: And I will always stand, like I told you, I will always stand with movements for freedom and democracy.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

TAPPER: Maria, why not just say, I condemn the IRGC? I mean, they've killed tens of thousands of their own people.

CARDONA: Yes, I completely agree. He should have, and that certainly was a tense moment. Because I also agree with him that you can -- two things can be true at the same time, right? He can stand with this student and everyone who has suffered at the hands of that horrific regime, and also say that he thinks it was a mistake to go to war because there's absolutely no plan to get out of Iran. And, frankly, killing that regime, or killing that regime, whatever that meant, has not really changed anything in Iran for all those people who are suffering at the hands of the original regime anyway.

In fact, everything that we've heard, this current regime is harder and even more hard line than the one before.

TAPPER: Well, there -- but there's an answer.

CARDONA: Right?

TAPPER: There's an --

CARDONA: I agree.

TAPPER: So, I mean --

WHITLOCK: You should coach him. That was very good. That was very good.

TAPPER: We didn't run the whole thing because the whole exchange is several minutes long, but, I mean, this kid, this brave --

CARDONA: It was horrific, right?

TAPPER: This brave kid, Michigan Persian, sure talked about how his own family, people had been killed.

WHITLOCK: That's right.

TAPPER: People had -- you know.

WHITLOCK: And he's not a partisan. I think that's what was so notable about that. He was speaking on behalf of his family, who's been hunted down.

And I thought, again, it was really interesting through all that kind of word salad answer, Abdul could never condemn terrorists, whether it was the IRGC, whether it was the ayatollah. He kept pivoting back to criticism of America, and that might be justified.

CARDONA: Wait, that's not fair.

WHITLOCK: But he couldn't ever criticize. I think that's the fairest thing of this.

CARDONA: No, I don't think that's --

WHITLOCK: The takeaway from the entire segment is Abdul can't condemn terrorists.

CARDONA: That's not -- no, I don't think that's true at all. He talked about how he absolutely supports movements towards democracy.

[18:40:02]

That's what he talked about.

WHITLOCK: But he wasn't, according to that statement. He wasn't supporting them because he couldn't condemn the ayatollah.

CARDONA: But I think at the end of the day, and I agree with you, Jake, he should have unequivocally condemned the Ayatollah because then it gives Republicans, right, the opening to go against him in what is a race that is absolutely laser-focused on the issues of the economy, on the issues of families, you know, can't make ends meet.

And the Iran war, at the end of the day, the three-fourths of the American people blame Trump for that war, and they connect it with the fact that they can't make ends meet, and that's hurting Rogers. And so I see why the Republicans are using this, because they're desperate.

TAPPER: Although we see right now -- we only have 40 seconds left, but we see right now the polls, it's anybody's race in Michigan.

CARDONA: I agree.

TAPPER: It's a jump ball.

WHITLOCK: It is.

TAPPER: I mean, so any mistake, any suggestion that you're not able to express compassion for that people or that you're exploiting --

CARDONA: Yes, any sliver can make a difference.

WHITLOCK: 100 percent.

TAPPER: Yes.

WHITLOCK: And I do think anything that Mike Rogers can do to shift the conversation to Abdul's actual ideas on the economy helps him, because Abdul wants to double taxes to make healthcare worse for people, and his plans are exactly what made Kamala Harris lose in 2024. His Medicare for all plan is exactly what made Kamala Harris lose.

TAPPER: Last word.

CARDONA: I don't think that's credible because I don't think that's -- if that was so credible, then he would be losing, and he's not losing.

TAPPER: It's a jump ball.

CARDONA: He's focused on the economy, Jake.

TAPPER: Jump ball in Michigan. Thanks to both of you. I appreciate it.

CARDONA: Thanks, Jake.

TAPPER: Feisty discussion.

When Chinese leader Xi Jinping was in D.C. this week, the Human Rights Foundation made a direct appeal, asking for a number of imprisoned people to be released. The son of two of those imprisoned in China will join me live to react next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[18:45:35]

TAPPER: In our world lead, this week, the Human Rights Foundation appealed directly to Chinese Leader Xi Jinping, plastering D.C. with ads directly urging him to release prisoners who have been put in jail by the Chinese Communist Party for peaceful acts that we enjoy in this country all the time, like teaching or writing or worshiping the god of our choice.

One of those people is Chinese Pastor Gao Quanfu. He was jailed in May 2025 by the Chinese Communist Party, accused of undermining law enforcement by refusing to register his Christian house church called the Light of Zion Church. His wife, Pang Yu, was arrested a few weeks after he was accused of being his accomplice, according to the family.

Joining us now is their son, Gao Pu.

Gao, first of all, as I said to you before, I'm so sorry that you're going through this. It's horrible. Your father is one of eight pastors from Zion Church in prison in China. Now, President Trump was able to talk to President Xi and get Pastor Ezra Jin, the founder of Zion Church, released in July.

Do you know if President Trump brought up your parents to President Xi during this visit?

GAO PU, PARENTS IMPRISONED IN CHINA: I do not know, but I sincerely hope so.

TAPPER: And what would you want President Trump to know?

PU: My parents are 70 years old. You know, they've been in that condition for over a year, 16 months now. You know, they need my care and they need his support, you know, for Christians around the world.

TAPPER: As you said, they're 70. You said in another interview your father was beaten. You're worried about your mom's mental state.

PU: Yes.

TAPPER: What is it like inside Chinese Communist Party prisons in China? Obviously, especially for older people?

PU: I can't even imagine, you know, it's until this day, it's still very difficult for me to say those words out loud. My 70-year-old father was beaten by other cellmates, it's just difficult to imagine. And my mother's mental state, you know, her main strength comes from my voice and my father's voice. So, she's very innocent and very pure- hearted.

You know, being in that environment for such a long time without hearing our voices, I wonder, what does that do to a person's innocence at that age range?

TAPPER: Are you able to call or are you able to visit?

PU: No, no, no. Family members have been able to contact them directly.

TAPPER: Leading up to your father's arrest last year, were there any signs that the Chinese Communist Party had him on their radar?

PU: Yes. Yeah. It's so he's had a target on his back for many years. He became very influential in the late '90s and early 2000s. He was this quiet leader and mentor figure for many young Christians in China. You know, over the years, there's big, small, uh, intimidation and harassment. You know, police came to our house to talk to my parents.

By 2023, our church was shut down by the local police. And by 2025, May, he was taken.

TAPPER: What does the Chinese Communist Party for people who aren't familiar with this issue, what do they have against religion?

PU: I think it's just control. You know, we refuse to register with the government, which means that we do not want to give over a hand over the right to decide who the pastor is going to be, how the tithes are going to be used, and who gets baptized. So, these are really, you know, sacred principles of the church, body of Christ.

TAPPER: And do you think also it's the fact that your father had followers, he was influential and they don't want somebody other than CCP leaders having any influence.

PU: Yes, yes, yes, definitely. So, so the influence was definitely a, you know, a big part of it. And then he was not the only one, like you said, you know, his longtime friend, 20-year-old friend, 20-year-long friend, Pastor Jin was one of them. And then there are many others, including we still have my parents and three other pastors from our church is still being detained, and also eight others from Zion Church.

TAPPER: Just for worshiping people that, you know, the faith you want to follow.

PU: Yeah.

TAPPER: Good luck. Keep in touch. Stay with us. We'll keep telling his story until he gets out and she gets out.

PU: Thank you, sir.

TAPPER: Thank you so much, Gao Pu.

This weekend, CNN is teaming up with the star-studded music festival Farm Aid, benefiting American farmers.

[18:50:00]

Up next, we're going to take a look at the festival's history and the offhand comment from Bob Dylan that sparked a movement

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

TAPPER: And our pop culture lead, CNN is once again teaming up with Farm Aid to bring the annual music festival to audiences all across every CNN platform. The festival has raised millions for American farmers following the farm crisis of the 1980s.

CNN's Bill Weir breaks down for us now the history of Farm Aid, and explains how an offhand comment from Bob Dylan helped launch a movement.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BILL WEIR, CNN CHIEF CLIMATE CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): It was 1985, and compassion was cool.

[18:55:00]

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I just like to bring a few things to your attention.

WEIR (voice-over): Images of African famine were enough to inspire Band Aid.

(SINGING)

WEIR (voice-over): And USA for Africa --

(SINGING)

WEIR (voice-over): And a bi-continental mega-concert.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Please welcome America to Live Aid Day.

WEIR (voice-over): And when Bob Dylan took the Philadelphia stage around 10:30, flanked by a couple of Rolling Stones, he would spark yet another charity benefit.

BOB DYLAN, MUSICIAN: I hope that some of the money.

WEIR (voice-over): With a simple shout out for the folks who grow the food that ends famine.

DYLAN: Is it safe to pay the mortgages on some of the farms and the farmers here owe to the banks.

WEIR (voice-over): Watching on his tour bus that night was a former cotton and corn picker named Willie Nelson, who said it hit him like a ton of bricks because in '85, crop prices were crashing and the heartland was setting new records for farm foreclosures and suicides.

JOHN COUGAR MELLENCAMP, MUSICIAN: Because the simple man, we end up paying all those bills and thrills that kill us here in America.

WEIR (voice-over): So, Willie deputized fellow voices of blue collar conscience. John Cougar Mellencamp and Neil Young.

(SINGING)

WEIR (voice-over): He got the governor of Illinois to help secure the football stadium in Champaign.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is the site for Farm Aid, a concert for America.

WEIR (voice-over): And just ten weeks after Dylan's offhand comment at Live Aid.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Bob Dylan.

WEIR (voice-over): A parade of Hall of Famers showed up to spread some love for rural America.

(SINGING)

WEIR (voice-over): And together, they raised the modern equivalent of over $20 million that day.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I believe the small family farmer to be the backbone of our country. They need our help.

WEIR (voice-over): The following decades would bring millions more. And country music by the bushel.

(SINGING)

WEIR (voice-over): But Farm Aid was always inclusive enough for both patriots.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Crosby, Stills and Nash --

WEIR (voice-over): And protest bands.

(SINGING)

WEIR (voice-over): A tent big enough for everyone from George Jones to Rick James.

(SINGING)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: To your left hand is that old wrinkled face of (EXPLETIVE DELETED) Ronald Reagan. Now take your right hand and smack the (EXPLETIVE DELETED) out of him.

WEIR: The politics of agriculture even more contentious today with immigration raids and trade wars and an overheating climate. When it seems like the rains either never come or they bring too much water at once.

JOHN BOYD, JR., FOUNDER, NATIONAL BLACK FARMERS ASSOCIATION: You know, I'm out here picking corn, you know, $5 a bushel and paying nearly $7 a gallon for -- for diesel fuel.

WEIR (voice-over): The price of diesel and fertilizer rocketing thanks to yet another faraway war. And with the import of cheap beef from Argentina, it's not hard to find political anger in farm country.

BOB WHITE, FARMER, WICHITA, KANSAS: We're probably to break point here pretty quick. That means people being closed down, people giving up.

(SINGING)

WEIR (voice-over): Dave Matthews, a climate activist, leader in eco conscious touring, joined the Farm Aid board in 2001.

And Margo Price brings the POV of a woman reared on a foreclosed farm.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: If you don't know what a factory farm is, let me give you a picture -- 50,000 hogs stuck in buildings on a 35-acre farm.

WEIR (voice-over): But over 40 years later, Farm Aid's founding fathers remain focused on the families trying to build healthy, sustainable food chains and the massive forces they are up against.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You can't put all of that in one place without destroying nature and the natural forces that keep us here. I thought as long as there's one family farmer out there who wants to stay on the land, we'll be here.

(SINGING)

(END VIDEOTAPE)

TAPPER: Thanks to Bill Weir for that report.

Don't miss Farm Aid. That's live tomorrow night at 7:00 p.m. Eastern, right here on CNN or on the streaming end -- or streaming on the CNN all access app.

Coming up Sunday on "STATE OF THE UNION", I will talk with Republican Senator Thom Tillis of North Carolina, as well as Democratic Governor Andy Beshear of Kentucky. That's Sunday at 9:00 a.m. and noon Eastern, only on CNN.

Next Wednesday, CNN is going to host a debate in the California race for governor. I'm going to moderate alongside CNN's Dana Bash. Again, that is Wednesday at 6:00 p.m. Pacific, 9:00 p.m. Eastern.

You can follow me on Facebook, Instagram, and on TikTok @jaketapper. You can follow the show on X and Instagram @TheLeadCNN. If you ever miss an episode of THE LEAD, you can watch the show on the CNN app.

I throw it now to my friend Erin Burnett and her show, "ERIN BURNETT OUTFRONT" starts right now.