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Combs Defense Ends Cross-examination Of Cassie Ventura; Trump Warns He'll Give Countries Two Or Three Weeks To Reach A New Trade Deal Before Applying Higher Tariffs; Trump Wraps Mideast Tour As UAE Pledges New Investments In U.S.; Pope Offers Vatican As A Venue For Russia-Ukraine Talks; Pope Leo XIV Addresses Immigration In Speech Before World Diplomats; Trump Accuses Ex-FBI Director Comey Of Calling For Assassination; Sheriff Says 11 Inmates, Including Murder Suspects, Escape New Orleans Jail. Aired 2-2:30p ET

Aired May 16, 2025 - 14:00   ET

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


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[14:02:00]

BRIANNA KEILAR, CNN CO-ANCHOR OF "CNN NEWS CENTRAL": Critical testimony is Cassie Ventura, the ex-girlfriend of Sean "Diddy" Combs testifies for a fourth straight day, prosecutors asking her questions after the defense team's cross-examination wrapped up. The fate of the case could hinge on her testimony.

BORIS SANCHEZ, CNN CO-ANCHOR OF "CNN NEWS CENTRAL": And James Comey under fire, the former FBI Director taking down an Instagram post after Republicans claim it was a veiled threat against President Donald Trump. And a veteran air traffic controller for Newark speaks out about the problems facing the airport in a new interview. He describes the job as "like playing 3D chess at 250 miles an hour." We're following these major developing stories and many more all coming in right here to "CNN News Central."

KEILAR: Hello, I'm Brianna Keilar, alongside Boris Sanchez, here in Washington and we begin with breaking news this hour in Sean "Diddy" Combs' racketeering and sex trafficking trial. Moments ago, the defense ended its cross-examination of Combs' ex-girlfriend Cassie Ventura. And moments before she retook the stand, the prosecution and defense said they had slimmed down what they had left to do as far as questioning her.

SANCHEZ: Prosecutors have said that Ventura, who is about eight-and-a- half months pregnant, could soon go into labor. Let's bring in attorney Renato Stabile to talk about this further. Renato, thanks for being with us. I wonder what you make of how the cross-examination went for the defense.

RENATO STABILE, ATTORNEY: Look, I think it went about as well as it could have gone. They did what they needed to do in terms of confronting her with her text messages that undermine her claim that she was being coerced. But remember, the prosecution is going to clean a lot of that up right now on their redirect. They're going to go back over some of those text messages. They're not going to go through all of it. Remember, they said they're only going to spend about an hour and everybody wants her to get off the stand by the end of today. But they're going to give her an opportunity now to explain why it is that at the same time that she's having these text exchanges that some are loving, and some of the things she did in terms of setting up these encounters, she was nevertheless being coerced.

KEILAR: How hard is that for a jury to be convinced of the idea that there -- because there are some times where she may seem like a willing participant and then there are times where she has clearly said that she doesn't want to do it. How does a jury receive that sort of changing over time?

STABILE: Look, I think the problem here really for the jury and for the defense is that, regardless, now look, the defense is going to say she wasn't coerced, but there's still been a lot of really ugly testimony. I mean, testimony about beatings and abuse and threats and all kinds of crazy things. And you would have to believe that the jury can separate those horrific things out and accept that despite all of that, he technically is not a sex trafficker, which is what he's on trial for.

[14:05:00]

That is extremely difficult for the jury, for any human being to do. So, I think that's really the problem here for P. Diddy, is jurors being able to separate those two things, even though legally, technically, the defense is going to try and make the point that it doesn't satisfy the elements of sex trafficking, but extremely tough.

SANCHEZ: Yeah, I mean, given some of the lurid details, you wonder how a jury is going to receive that sort of information. I do want to get your thoughts on how you think the prosecution is going to approach redirect. They're saying that it's going to last about an hour. What do you think will come of it?

STABILE: Yeah, look, it's going to be very quick. They're only going to hit the high points where they think the defense maybe scored some points. I think they've done -- she's done quite a lot of damage here. There's no -- it's pretty clear why they called her as their one of their early witnesses because the damage that's been inflicted, regardless of whether or not they make out the elements of the charge, but just the overall testimony of what they heard about him, just is going to hang over the rest of this trial.

KEILAR: And, how -- I wonder, as we're looking ahead here, we're going to ultimately be hearing from one of her former friends. How do you think this is going to go?

STABILE: Yeah, I think they're going to call one of her former friends to corroborate a lot of what she said. I mean, I think it's corroborated in the videos, it's corroborated in the text messages. But I think the former friend is going to corroborate that she didn't want to do these things, maybe that she confided in her as to her state of mind that she felt she was being forced into these things. So, they'll probably have some contemporaneous evidence of what she was going through while these things were happening, despite what is in the text messages.

KEILAR: All right. Renato, thank you so much for your insight. Renato Stabile, we appreciate it.

And today, a new ultimatum, just before President Trump departed the Middle East where he secured new investment deals, he gave this new warning to countries who have yet to reach new trade agreements with the U.S.

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DONALD TRUMP, (R) PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: We have at the same time 150 countries that want to make a deal, but you're not able to see that many countries. So a certain point over the next two to three weeks, I think Scott and Howard will be sending letters out, essentially telling people -- it would be very fair. But we'll be telling people what they'll be paying to do business in the United States. It's not possible to meet the number of people that want to see us.

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SANCHEZ: Let's go live to the White House and CNN's Kristen Holmes. Kristen, the president seems to be admitting that negotiations are taking longer than expected. You have to wonder why he would set this timetable and then admit that they're just not going to have enough time to meet with everybody.

KRISTEN HOLMES, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Yeah, it's a little bit confusing here because he is saying that if you don't make a deal with us in X amount of time, a few weeks, then tariffs are going to go up. He said that Howard Lutnick and Scott Bessent will be sending letters. We know that the two of them, the Treasury Secretary and the Secretary of Commerce, have really been the ones negotiating these deals.

They've essentially split up this country list, but he says that you have to come to the table to make a deal, but then also says it's been almost impossible to make all these deals because it's moving so much slower and his own representatives can't meet with every single country. So, unclear how that's going to square. I mean, we have 90 days from April 9th originally, right? That is when you stopped these massive "reciprocal tariffs" after the Liberation Day.

And whether or not this means that if you come to the table with something, there's some kind of extension or what, I mean, they're clearly here trying to get through at least some of these, or have these conversations, and they're not where they want them to be. So, these two things don't completely align because, again, they're saying they can't meet with everybody, but they're saying come to the table and make a negotiation. But we'll see how this plays out. Obviously, in the long run, this is going to probably spark a lot of fear among Wall Street, among various companies and American consumers, as everyone is concerned that increase in tariffs means instability in the economy.

KEILAR: And what were the biggest highlights from the President's trip to the Middle East, Kristen?

HOLMES: Well, Brianna, before we get to what the actual highlights are, I think you should look at the picture, the big picture here of what he got out of this trip because it's exactly what he wanted. He wanted the pomp and circumstance. He wanted the red carpet rolled out. He wanted, basically, to look like he was negotiating all of these deals for all of this money and he got what he wanted out of this trip in those terms.

Now, in terms of the actual tangibles, we have $600 billion in U.S. investments from Saudi Arabia. We also know they announced the $96 billion planned on a Boeing purchase from Qatar. There's also this whole conversation around the plane for Air Force One, that would be filling in for Air Force One, possibly going to the Trump Library, that would be from Qatar. And then of course, the big news, which was the lifting of sanctions in Syria and the fact that he met with the head of Syria.

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Those were all big points in this trip. But overall, this was his first major trip and he really wanted to show that he was out on the world stage with these diplomatic talks and wheeling and dealing, and he got what he wanted out of this.

SANCHEZ: Kristen Holmes, live for us at the White House, thank you so much. So, after today's peace talks between Russia and Ukrainian officials ended with no major breakthrough, Ukraine's defense minister told reporters that the next critical step that needs to happen is a meeting between the presidents of both countries.

KEILAR: Vladimir Putin and Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who did not attend today's negotiations in Turkey. But Zelenskyy and other European leaders did hold a phone call with President Trump who has said he plans to talk to Putin as soon as possible. And today, the Pope offered to host face-to-face discussions between Ukraine and Russia at the Vatican. CNN Vatican Correspondent Christopher Lamb is in Rome with more on this. Christopher, you just spoke to a Russian official about this offer. What can you tell us?

CHRISTOPHER LAMB, CNN VATICAN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Brianna, that's right. I've just spoken to a Russian official, who says that the offer may be considered, that they are aware of what the Vatican is proposing, and that it's good to know that this offer remains on the table under Pope Leo XIV. Of course, Vatican has long tried to play the role of peacemaker between Russia, and Ukraine.

Essentially, what Cardinal Parolin is saying is the Vatican could be seen as neutral territory for discussions to take place. Of course, you may remember that, before the funeral of Pope Francis got underway, there was that extraordinary moment when President Trump and President Zelenskyy met in St. Peter's Basilica for talks. So, the Vatican is keen to try and play a role. Pope Leo XIV, on Wednesday, speaking to Eastern Church leaders, said that the Holy See is ready to bring enemies face-to-face for talks. But of course, it has been difficult for the Vatican in this attempt to be mediator to engage Russia. Of course, President Zelenskyy has been willing to talk to the Vatican. He has already spoken to Pope Leo. He welcomes the Holy See's offer to mediate, but it's Russia who need to come to the table. The Russian official I spoke to saying under consideration, but they need to see further details. It's unclear if the Vatican can pull this one off. But certainly, Pope Leo, the first American Pope, seeking to be a bridge builder and a peacemaker in the early days of his pontificate. Brianna?

SANCHEZ: Yeah, he addressed world diplomats for the first time also talking about immigration. What exactly did he say, Christopher?

LAMB: Well, Boris, Pope Leo emphasizing that everyone has dignity, he was saying to -- and governments need to recognize that. And everyone has dignity regardless of whether they're migrants or whoever they are, whichever country they're living in. And he said that he is someone who is the children of migrants, but is also someone who immigrated. Of course, he lived in Peru for many years. So, really emphasizing the importance of the dignity of migrants and of every person. So, a subtle but clear message from Pope Leo today.

SANCHEZ: Christopher Lamb, live for us in Rome. Thank you so much. Still to come, the Department of Homeland Security says it is investigating former FBI Director, James Comey for an alleged threat against President Trump. We're going to show you the social media post that sparked some concern. Plus, an undocumented immigrant has been reunited with his family, but his 19-year-old daughter remains in ICE custody despite being arrested by mistake. We're going to travel to that Georgia town being divided by this controversial immigration case.

KEILAR: And then later, a veteran Newark air traffic controller goes public about the blackouts and staffing shortages that are plaguing his facility. Hear his chilling message. These stories and much more coming up on "CNN News Central."

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[14:18:50]

SANCHEZ: Former FBI Director, James Comey is now under investigation for a recently deleted Instagram posts that President Trump says was a call for assassination. It shows seashells placed in the form of 8647. 86 is a term that a lot of folks associate with removing or getting rid of someone and 47 could be seen as referring to Trump as the 47th president. Now, Comey took down the post saying that he "didn't realize some associate those numbers with violence." The president told this to Fox News.

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TRUMP: He knew exactly what that meant. A child knows what that meant. If you're the FBI Director and you don't know what that meant, that meant assassination, and it says it loud and clear. And he's calling for the assassination of the president. (END VIDEO CLIP)

SANCHEZ: Trump supporters are furious. One Republican calling for "consequences" for Comey. Secretary Kristi Noem said, Homeland Security, which includes the Secret Service, is investigating "this threat" and will respond appropriately.

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And the President's Director of National Intelligence, Tulsi Gabbard, had this to say.

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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Do you believe Comey should be in jail?

TULSI GABBARD, UNITED STATES DIRECTOR OF NATIONAL INTELLIGENCE: I do. Any other person with the position of influence that he has, people who take very seriously what a guy of his stature, his experience, and what the propaganda media has built him up to be.

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SANCHEZ: During his first term, President Trump fired James Comey. He, of course, led the FBI during the 2016 campaign and the start of the Trump-Russia probe. Brianna?

KEILAR: And joining us now is CNN Law Enforcement Analyst, Jonathan Wackrow. He's a former Secret Service Agent. Jonathan, first off, your reaction to what Comey posted here, should he have known better?

JONATHAN WACKROW, FORMER SECRET SERVICE AGENT: Well, good afternoon, Brianna. Now, listen, this post to me is both disappointing and alarming at the same time. Disappointing because the director should have known better. He carries the institutional weight of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. His public commentary should reflect that standard. But it's alarming, given the fact that President Trump was recently the victim of targeted political violence, having survived two assassination attempts within the last year, so to answer your question, my biggest concern right now is that this image could be misinterpreted as an implied endorsement of violence. And we're seeing that more and more.

And I -- but I don't think that Comey intended that, but that could be the consequence. And in today's environment, images such as this are now tools that really reinforce ideologies that can lead to justifying violence. And finally, to me, this post is a symbol. It's very symbolic. And really in today's hyperpolarized environment, these symbols are being weaponized.

KEILAR: Does this merit a Secret Service investigation? What is typically the threshold? And what do you think about how that part of this is being handled?

WACKROW: Well, I think the answer is going to be in two parts. First, let's just quickly look at, it is a federal crime to threaten the President. And under the structure that the courts have determined, a true threat is something that is defined as a serious of expression of the intent to commit an act, commit harm, and that threat must be specific and credible and it can't be leaning towards political satire. At the surface level, this image and the associated words that he put with it really don't meet that court standard.

So, is it protected speech? Most likely, yes. Protected by the First Amendment and it's most likely political satire. But, does it warrant an investigation? My answer is yes, it does. And the reason being is because the way that this image could be interpreted today. We're really living, unfortunately, since the assassination of the United Healthcare CEO. We're really living in this culture of assassination. And the way that people are interpreting these memes and images online are dangerous. So to me, this is less about the legality of the post and more about the leadership that Comey should have conveyed.

KEILAR: Yeah. I mean, you have the president and his allies seizing on this, as saying that this is Comey calling for Trump's assassination. But to your point about his intent, he said he thought it was a political statement. He ended up pulling this down, and he doesn't endorse any connotation of violence. I mean, that may be true when it came to his intent, his personal intent. But, what are you worried about when it comes to someone who maybe does not -- has a different point of view when it comes to restraint? Looking at what he is saying, what is your -- the worst-case scenario here?

WACKROW: Well, I think we have to look back at where we are today. And again, I go back to Luigi Mangione and sort of this groundswell of support that he had for engaging in murder, right? We're living in an ecosystem where violence is currently treated as acceptable political response, and that is unacceptable. So to me, the way that this message, this post could be interpreted by others, again, I don't believe that the intent by Director Comey was to -- a call to arms.

But the way it is interpreted by individuals, again, he has a very broad social media reach and some of those people may take this as an acceptable act to create -- engage in violent -- violence against, not necessarily the president, but maybe something that's symbolic of the President, like a member of his family. So these, in this moment in time, these types of actions are very, very dangerous.

KEILAR: Just really quick, Jonathan, Tulsi Gabbard says that Comey should be jailed for the post. Would that be unusual?

WACKROW: Well, jailed for what? I think you have to look at the way that the law is written. Again, it is a federal crime to threaten the president of the United States, but there are conditions for that, right?

[14:25:00]

And I -- at the surface level, I don't think that the legal structure is there, but I will defer to our CNN legal analyst for greater insight into that. But at as an investigator, I don't think it meets the threshold set by the court. KEILAR: Jonathan, great to get your perspective on this. Jonathan Wackrow, we appreciate you. And we do have some breaking news now out of Louisiana where the New Orleans Sheriff says 11 inmates have escaped from the Orleans Justice Center, first discovered they were missing during a routine headcount at 8:30 a.m. this morning, and now authorities are scrambling to find them. Records show the inmates face an array of charges, some of them murder. The Sheriff's office is now urging the public to be on high alert for these missing inmates who are considered armed and dangerous, and we'll continue to follow that story and get you more information.

Coming up, new video purportedly shows the moment that radar screens went dark for air traffic controllers who were handling flights at the Newark Airport. We're going to play that for you. But first, a controversial immigration arrest, not only dividing a family, but also their rural Georgia town. We'll have the story ahead.

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