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Two Israeli Embassy Staffers Fatally Shot Near Jewish Museum In D.C.; House Passes President Trump's Sweeping Tax And Spending Bill; Kohberger's Legal Team Asks To Delay Murder Trial. Aired 7:30-8a ET

Aired May 22, 2025 - 07:30   ET

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


[07:30:00]

KATE BOLDUAN, CNN ANCHOR: Yeah.

MATT EGAN, CNN REPORTER: We think about mortgages and car loans.

That could also lead to slower economic growth. Every billion dollars you spend on interest is a billion less you want to -- you can spend on priorities like education and innovation.

And there's also the risk that in a future health emergency, a recession, or war, Congress has less firepower to respond to a crisis, right?

So we're also seeing some signs in the market that they're getting concerned, right? The 30-year treasury rate is the highest level since 2023.

And look at this. This shows what the market did yesterday. And what's interesting is there was this steep drop in the middle of the day, and it wasn't triggered by a scary headline about the Middle East or a confusing Truth Social post. This was a weak bond auction, right? There was less demand for treasuries and that led to concerns on Wall Street. We saw the Dow drop almost two percent, around 800 points.

So look, Kate, I think there's some warning signs that are flashing. It's not really clear though that message is getting through to Washington.

BOLDUAN: Yeah. And what we saw this morning is one step in a process and we'll see what the Senate sends back.

EGAN: Yeah.

BOLDUAN: This is the beginning of the end of this one. We'll see.

Thank you so much, Matt.

EGAN: Thanks, Kate.

BOLDUAN: John.

JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: All right, the breaking news. Two Israeli Embassy staffers gunned down outside a Jewish museum in Washington. We're just getting a new firsthand account from an eyewitness.

(COMMERCIAL)

[07:35:35]

SARA SIDNER, CNN ANCHOR: Breaking news this morning -- shock and horror in our nation's capital after two Israeli Embassy staffers were shot and killed outside the Capital Jewish Museum. Police say the suspect shouted, "Free, Free Palestine," and you can see it on video as well, as he was taken into custody. Police have identified him as a 30-year-old from Chicago.

Video obtained by CNN appears to show him being padded down there by law enforcement. Police say he was pacing back and forth outside of the museum before he opened fire. According to people on the scene he ran into the museum after the shooting and a lot of folks there just assumed he had been a bystander who was afraid, and they offered him comfort. But minutes later witnesses say he confessed to the shooting, saying he did it for Gaza.

And this morning we're learning more about the victims, Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Milgrim. They were a young couple about to be engaged, according to the Israeli ambassador to the United States.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

YECHIEL LEITER, ISRAELI AMBASSADOR TO THE U.S.: The couple that was gunned down tonight in the name of free Palestine was a young couple about to be engaged. The young man purchased a ring this week with the intention of proposing to his girlfriend next week in Jerusalem.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SIDNER: Joining me now is Jonathan Epstein. He witnessed this shooting. Thank you so much for being here. I'm sorry you had to go through that trauma of seeing all of this.

Can you give us some sense of where you were standing when all of this happened?

JONATHAN EPSTEIN, WITNESSED DEADLY SHOOTING NEAR CAPITAL JEWISH MUSEUM: Yeah, thank you for having me.

So the event had just wrapped up. A couple of us were touring the galleries upstairs and out of nowhere we hear a series of loud bangs. Just boom, boom, boom, one after the other. And my friend was like, "Were those gunshots?" And I was like, "No, no, no. That was just construction. We're fine."

Then we went downstairs to the main lobby where the event was held. A man rushed in and said he had dislocated his shoulder. Said there were, indeed, gunshots.

Security at the event ushered us quickly back into a safe location behind the main room and we were there for a few minutes. And we were like, "OK, was the shooting about?" And we just though it was a random shooting. We're in a rough area of D.C. Lots of gang violence. I thought it had nothing to do with the event at first.

And a couple of minutes passed, and I hear a man yell "Free Palestine." And I thought he was a random protester -- he was protesting an event for the sake of it. I had no idea he was the shooter.

I walk out. I see him yelling again. I see security who are now there run, grab him, and take him outside -- and he's still yelling.

I had no idea it was the shooter. We got pretty close. I was 10 feet away from him and I looked him in the eyes. And then I stepped back, and I spoke to a woman who said that yeah, he had entered five minutes prior and he looked pretty shaken -- like, he was visibly shaking. And she approached him and said, "Are you OK? Like, what happened? Do you need water?" And he said nothing.

And then police came a few minutes later and he began shouting. He whipped out a keffiyeh -- actually, a Jordanian keffiyeh, ironically -- and then was cuffed.

SIDNER: Wow. I have so many questions for you. So you said you're hearing these noises and you think it's nothing. You think it might be construction. You realize at some point that this is actually gunfire.

And you said you saw someone being brought in. Was that him -- the person who you saw brought in who said he had a dislocated shoulder or was that someone else?

EPSTEIN: No. The first guy was -- he had seen the shooting. Someone who heard the shooting and he just ran.

SIDNER: Wow.

EPSTEIN: And it was raining quite heavily in D.C. yesterday. He just must have run and fallen on the pavement and hit his shoulder.

SIDNER: So as you are in there -- I mean, how are you today as you consider what has happened? The FBI calling this clearly a targeted shooting targeted at Jews. We don't know if it was definitely targeted at the two people who worked in the Israeli Embassy. How are you going forward today?

EPSTEIN: I'm just thinking about them. I'm thinking about Sarah and Yaron and just -- I saw them at the event 20 minutes before it happened, and just thinking about them and their family.

SIDNER: As you -- as you go forward -- as you go forward with what you have seen can you give us any sense -- because you said you looked the shooter in the eyes. Can you give us any sense of what you saw in him as he was sort of getting help and people were tending to him as if he, too, was a victim of seeing this?

[07:40:00]

EPSTEIN: Yeah. Well, to be clear, I like heard out that part because we were in a secure room when he initially walked in. I just saw him screaming and then being handcuffed.

But what I saw in his eyes -- I mean, I went to Columbia for grad school, and I saw the same thing in his eyes as I saw in the eyes of all the protesters at Columbia. Nothing different between him and them.

SIDNER: But they did not create this horrific shooting. They did not, you know, sort of --

EPSTEIN: Hmm.

SIDNER: They didn't shoot --

EPSTEIN: They gave permission. They gave a permission, and they've called for this. They have called for intifada revolution, which is the same thing he yelled last night.

SIDNER: Do you worry that there will be a conflation though of the two? Those people who are speaking their mind who really care about what is happening in Gaza and those people who are like this person who did this horrific shooting who intend to do harm.

EPSTEIN: A conflation? I mean, they are calling for intifada. At Columbia University they call for intifada constantly. Not -- they're not quiet, they're loud, they're loud. You can hear it. They make recordings of themselves. So what's the difference?

SIDNER: Are you afraid?

EPSTEIN: Yes. We're all afraid.

SIDNER: What will you do about that?

EPSTEIN: Everyone should be afraid.

SIDNER: What are you doing to try to make yourself feel safer?

EPSTEIN: Well, you just go on and live your life. I'm a New Yorker. I remember 9/11. You can't let them make you be afraid. You have to go on and you have to live your life. And hopefully, your government does things to protect you. Last night our government failed us.

SIDNER: Jonathan Epstein, I know that they are going forward with this. There is expected to be charges in this case. We will see what happens. But I know you'll be watching, and we'll talk to you again as this goes forward. Thank you so much, and I'm sorry that you had to witness what you did -- Kate.

EPSTEIN: Thank you.

BOLDUAN: Today prosecutors in the federal sex trafficking trial of Sean "Diddy" Combs say that they plan to call several witnesses, including rapper Kid Cudi. He's expected to testify about his brief relationship with Cassie Ventura. Ventura has said in her testimony and a civil lawsuit that Sean Combs became enraged when he found out that they were dating and threatened to blow up Kid Cudi's car. Soon after, the vehicle exploded in his driveway.

But first up this morning Combs former assistant is expected to return to the stand after testifying among other things what he had done for Combs. He also picked up drugs for the former mogul.

Kaplan also said that he set up hotel rooms for Combs' so-called "freak offs" and then cleaned the rooms to help protect Combs' image.

Joining us right now is Alyse Adamson. She's a former federal prosecutor who has been watching this case very closely. Thanks for being here.

Let's start with the assistant, which will be back on the stand today. Yesterday he testified, as I just mentioned, he helped set up and clean up hotel rooms for Combs and also talked about buying drugs for Combs a couple of times.

What are prosecutors, do you think, trying to establish with this testimony?

ALYSE ADAMSON, FORMER FEDERAL PROSECUTOR (via Webex by Cisco): Yeah, thank you -- thanks, Kate.

This is really central to the government's case. Prior to this testimony myself and other legal observers have been asking where's the RICO because Combs has to have been running his organizations as corrupt enterprises. And you need to have other people besides Combs involved in this.

And now we have a stronger link to a corrupt enterprise in that an employee of Combs wasn't just setting up the rooms -- because before we had testimony, they were putting baby oil ad Astroglide in these rooms -- but now we have a link to drugs.

So now we have something that is very clearly illegal activity being carried out by the direction of Combs and being done by an employee of one of his companies. Very, very key. And so now it is clear that the prosecution is digging in and attempting to establish the fundamental elements of this RICO charge.

BOLDUAN: Interesting.

Then we have Kid Cudi, the rapper who had a brief relationship with Cassie Ventura -- expected potentially to be called to the stand today. Last week we had heard from Cassie that Combs -- and the way she described it was irate when he learned about that she was dating the rapper. She broke up -- they broke up after Combs threatened both of them over it.

What will you be looking for in his testimony?

ADAMSON: Yeah, Kid Cudi's testimony is really key for three reasons. It offers corroboration of Cassie Ventura's account, as you just mentioned, which is also very important because the jury needs to credit what she said. It also directly supports the RICO account. This arson of his car -- his car blowing up by a Molotov cocktail is one of the racketeering activities being charged in the indictment under that RICO count. And finally, it helps demonstrate the coercion -- the coercion aspect and element of the trafficking charge.

[07:45:05]

Like you just said, this is all happening because Combs is upset Cassie is asserting some independence and agency in her life. She is now seeing Cudi instead of him.

Prosecutors need to establish that Cassie was participating in these "freak offs" against her will. This is so critical Kate to show what happens when somebody crosses Combs. Their car blows up. So prosecutors need to draw all of that out in a very compelling way.

BOLDUAN: Very interesting. It will be very interesting testimony today to see how that goes.

It's great to see you. Thank you so much for coming in -- Sara.

SIDNER: All right. Thank you, Kate.

Breaking this morning, House Republicans just passed President Trump's massive tax and spending bill. After marathon meetings, Speaker Mike Johnson was able to unite nearly every Republican in his chamber behind this bill.

Here with now, CNN senior political commentator David Urban, and Democratic strategist Matt Bennett. This, as Donald Trump calls is, big, beautiful bill has been passed through the House.

Matt, Democrats have been calling it one big, ugly bill but it has now been passed. So how should Democrats respond to this because Republicans have just done their jobs?

MATT BENNETT, EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS AND CO- FOUNDER, THIRD WAY, DEMOCRATIC STRATEGIST, FORMER WHITE HOUSE DEPUTY ASSISTANT, CLINTON ADMINISTRATION: Well, they have in the House. It's not law yet. They've got to get through the Senate. And it's almost certain to change in the Senate and then it's got to come back to the House, and they've got to run the gamut again between the right- wingers and the so-called moderates in the House Republican Caucus. So they're not done but the likelihood is that they'll pass it.

I think it's important to keep in mind what this bill is and isn't. This bill is brutal for people who are at the lower end of the income scale --absolutely brutal. Millions will lose their health care coverage. Millions will lose help with food aid. Millions will lose all kinds of things. The people who benefit are at the top of the income scale.

That isn't great politics. And I think as we've seen in the past when these big party line bills pass on both sides -- the Inflation Reduction Act for Democrats, the Affordable Care Act back in the day from Democrats, and then Trump's tax cuts last time -- they get hurt in midterm elections because voters don't love party line bills like this. SIDNER: I do want to ask you, David, the bill is projected to add $3.8 trillion to the national debt. The markets have been a little wonky over this. But this is a time when Republicans are celebrating.

How do you see this going forward, David?

DAVID URBAN, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL COMMENTATOR, REPUBLICAN STRATEGIST, FORMER TRUMP CAMPAIGN ADVISER: Yeah, Sara. Listen, I'm not surprised that Matt and I don't see it the same. This is -- delivers huge tax relief for so many Americans.

It raises the SALT cap for so many people who live in states they couldn't deduct their state and local income taxes. That gets raised. No tax on tips. No tax on overtime. Social Security gets lowered.

Most Americans are going to receive a $5,000 tax break. If you're making between $30,000 and $80,000, I don't think that's the top of the income bracket. Those folks are getting a 15 percent break in their taxes.

So there are tons and tons of things in here that are great for Americans. Again, not many Americans in the top one percent bracket working on tips or overtime. Those tax -- no tax on that anymore.

The gig economy -- so PayPal -- you know, things that you're getting paid -- the $600 requirement to report to the IRS, which was required in the Biden administration has now been eliminated. It's not to penalize those people who are working in the gig economy.

Those aren't people at the top of the socioeconomic spectrum. Those are people at the lower end who are going to benefit greatly from this big, beautiful bill.

I will say this. Congratulations to the Republican Congress and the House. Congratulations to President Trump for getting this done. This is no mean feat and it shows that the tactic of getting one big, beautiful bill done was the right way to go versus several.

But Matt's right. The Senate is going to have a say in this. It's going to come back and they're going to have to negotiate probably towards the end of the summer to get something done.

SIDNER: All right. Let's move on to this.

I was just speaking with someone who witnessed this horrific shooting in Washington, D.C. Trump has commented on this terrible targeted shooting at Jewish people.

Before all this, the Trump administration was arresting some students who were critical of Israel to deport them. Do you expect, David, to see an even harsher crackdown after this from the Trump administration, David?

URBAN: Yeah. You know, Sara, listen. I saw Secretary Rubio's testimony the other day before both the House and the Senate when he said listen, if you are here on a student visa, if you are here -- if you are -- have the privilege of having a student visa, we are not going to let you stir up trouble on college campuses and other places and incite violence against Jewish students and Jews in general.

If you're calling for global intifada and you're here on a visa, I'd pack your bags because you're going to be going home.

SIDNER: One of the issues, of course, here that the courts pointed out with some of the specific cases is that they're seeing this as a problem with -- impinging on freedom of speech. And so one of those students was not deported.

[07:50:10]

Matt, how do you see this playing out as you heard David there saying there's -- he believes there will be a bigger crackdown?

BENNETT: I think David's probably right. The Trump administration uses all excuses it possibly can to deport as many people as it possibly can, whether they are innocent of crime or not.

And I -- look, there is no question, obviously, this is a horrific, despicable act of violence which cannot ever be countenance by anyone for any reason. There is no but after murder is bad. However, if the Trump administration uses this to go after other people who are simply exercising their First Amendment rights, that's also bad. We have to be able to balance those things in a free country.

SIDNER: Yeah. The courts have stopped that at Columbia.

URBAN: Yeah, but the balance -- yeah, the balance is -- the balance is the tricky part, right Matt? I mean, that's the tough part. Where do you -- you know, how much free speech do you give people when they're on college campuses calling for global intifada and "Free, free Palestine" has become a chant, or "From the river to the sea." I mean, those may be words, but you can't walk into a crowded movie theater and yell "fire" either.

There's limits on free speech in this country and there are limits and rights of Jewish students on campuses and Jews all across America to feel safe in their homes, in their synagogues, and museums, right? We've got to address this head-on and very aggressively. So I suspect that folks who are inciting violence with this will be deported, and rightfully so.

SIDNER: All right. The courts will certainly be involved in this as they have been.

David Urban, Matt Bennett, thank you both so much for this great conversation -- John.

BERMAN: So this morning could an episode of "DATELINE" upend a murder trial? Why lawyers for the man accused of murdering four Idaho college students are now saying the trial must be delayed.

And a leading job search site is now under fire as a new lawsuit claims the artificial intelligence they use to screen applicants is discriminating based on age.

(COMMERCIAL)

[07:55:30]

BERMAN: All right. This morning a highly anticipated murder trial may have hit a snag just weeks before jury selection. The legal team for the man accused of killing four Idaho college students in 2022 just filed a motion to delay the trial. They cited a recent "DATELINE" special and an upcoming book, saying they could taint the jury pool.

Let's get to CNN's Jean Casarez following every twist and turn here. Explain what's going on.

JEAN CASAREZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, this is the first time that we are hearing the defense speak out on the NBC special two weeks ago that was two hours long. There's a gag order so they can't talk, but they can sure talk in a legal filing, and talk they do.

They, first of all, head-on talk about video surveillance, phone records, documents that were shown that are not public, saying much of that will not come into this trial because it's not reliable. They talk about the motivation that they were saying in this special of a sexual motivation to commit the crimes. That's completely unfounded.

But what they're really saying is to have this come out so close to jury selection in a death penalty trial where there is a constitutional level for him to be able to have a fair trial, that it's really heightened. And they're blaming the prosecution and law enforcement. That is where they say the leak was.

I want you to listen to some of this from their filing.

They say, "A continuance is necessary to fully investigate the leaks and mitigate the prejudicial effects of such inflammatory pre- publicity occurring so close to the current trial date. The source of the leak is most likely someone currently or formerly associated with law enforcement or the prosecution team. And if that is the case, it raises urgent and serious questions about the objectivity, judgment and credibility of the individuals tasked with investigating and presenting the state's evidence -- particularly those who may be called as witnesses."

They also say there is a book coming out from James Patterson two weeks before the jury selection begins, and the book is being touted now as unmatched access to the investigation and talking to law enforcement of things that have never been revealed.

So let's see where this goes because the judge has an investigation going on with the leak and mentioned in his order jury selection. So difficult now to get a fair and impartial jury. He'll take note of this. But a lot of arrangements have been made.

BERMAN: What will we next hear from the judge on this?

CASAREZ: I think that the prosecution may reply to this, and then the judge will either have a hearing or by written motion and an order determine what will happen to this trial.

BERMAN: All right, Jean Casarez. We know you are all over this. Let us know when you hear more. Thank you very much -- Kate.

BOLDUAN: Some of the headlines we're watching this morning.

CNN has obtained video of the confrontation between a Milwaukee judge and federal agents. We're showing it to you here. Judge Hannah Dugan was arrested last month, accused of helping a man who is in the country illegally evade immigration agents who were trying to detain him. The video is part of the evidence being used in the case against Judge Dugan. And in it you can see that she's -- that she is directing the agents to actually speak to the chief judge.

Prosecutors allege that she interfered with their investigation allowing the man in question to leave her courtroom through a side door. He was eventually arrested.

She pleaded not guilty to the charges that include obstruction.

Happening today a key immigration hearing will be happening for Mahmoud Khalil, the pro-Palestinian activist and Columbia University graduate detained since March. The hearing could determine whether he stays in the United States or not. Khalil, who is being held in Louisiana, has not yet been charged with anything but the Trump administration accuses him of posing a national security threat because of alleged ties to terrorist groups. His attorneys deny this and today they will renew their push to end deportation proceedings against him.

And the longtime owner and CEO of the Indianapolis Colts, Jim Irsay, has died. The team announced his death saying that he passed away peacefully in his sleep on Wednesday. The Colts also said that his passion for the team, generosity, and "love for his family" were unsurpassed. No cause of death was given.

The Colts made two Super Bowl appearances, including their win over the Chicago Bears in Super Bowl XLI Under Irsay's tenure with the team.

Jim Isray was 65 years old -- Sara.

SIDNER: All right. Tech firm Workday facing a collective action lawsuit. The plaintiffs claim that its AI-powered hiring tool discriminates against people over 40 years old. The company is denying those claims.

CNN's Clare Duffy joining us now. Workday is used by over 10,000 organizations across the entire world.