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Two Israeli Embassy Staffers Killed; Jonathan Greenblatt is Interviewed about the DC Shooting; Plane Crashes in San Diego Neighborhood; House Passes Sweeping Bill; Rep. Becca Balint (D-VT) is Interviewed about the Budget Bill. Aired 9-9:30a ET

Aired May 22, 2025 - 09:00   ET

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

[09:00:00]

REP. JACK BERGMAN (R-MI): We are honoring those who perished in Vietnam.

And being one of those vets, I mean, I have a couple of walls here, panels of this wall that I are very personal to me.

You know, in one case, a young man, a Marine Corporal Barry Mott, who I grew up with and we played baseball together. We knew each other since we were six. And another friend who I went to college with, Joel Sandberg, who was a Navy OV-10 pilot. We went to college together and kind of hung out.

So this is personal for me, and I know the others out here. But the message is we, as a country, still have a little room in some cases to thank some of those Vietnam veterans for what they did, because we didn't welcome them back when they came back.

And as we hear, especially in Congress and especially on Veterans Affairs, seek to provide better mental health services and root out some of the root causes of continuing mental health issues among veterans, especially those advances are going to help all Americans and people around the world when we can get better therapies and better therapists using new methods for veterans mental health.

And let's face it, Vietnam created a little bit of a mental health problem because of just the rejection, not only on the part of the veterans, but on the part of some of the people who suffered because of their losses as well.

KATE BOLDUAN, CNN ANCHOR: It is always a good moment to say thank you. Thank you for your service, Congressman. Thanks for coming on.

I will, if you allow me. The congressman also had the best line of the day when I asked him how the weather was for this event. He says it is perfect Marine Corps amphibious training weather. You've got to love a Marine. Thank you so much, sir. I really appreciate it.

A new hour of CNN NEWS CENTRAL starts now.

SARA SIDNER, CNN ANCHOR: Breaking news out of Washington, D.C., this morning. They were about to be engaged. New details on the young couple who worked for the Israeli embassy, suddenly gunned down outside the Capital Jewish Museum. Police say the suspect told them he did it for Gaza. We are live at the scene with the very latest.

Also breaking this morning, President Trump just weighed in after House Republicans passed his massive tax and spending cut plan. Now the Senate will take its turn. What's in the bill and what it means for you.

And an about face at the Department of Justice under the Trump administration's leadership. The DOJ now backing off police reform. What it could mean for cities nationwide, including the department whose officer killed George Floyd.

I'm Sara Sidner, with Kate Bolduan and John Berman. This is CNN NEWS CENTRAL.

JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: Now, the breaking news this morning, in Washington, D.C., a suspect is in custody after a horrifying shooting that killed two Israeli embassy staff members right outside the Capital Jewish Museum. Police say the gunman shouted "free, free Palestine" as he was led away. You can see it right here on this eyewitness video.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: (INAUDIBLE) outside.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Hey! No, hey! Hey! Hey!

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No, no, no.

(INAUDIBLE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Free, free Palestine.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (INAUDIBLE).

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Free, free Palestine.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (INAUDIBLE).

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BERMAN: Chilling. Police have identified the suspect as a 30-year-old man from Chicago. In the moments after the fatal shots were fired, witnesses say he went into the museum and several there thought he might have been a witness himself. They say he was offered comfort and water, but after several minutes inside, he actually confessed to police, they say, and said he did it for Gaza.

The Israeli ambassador to the U.S. says the two staffers killed were a young couple who were about to be engaged. He says they were attending an event at the museum right before they were shot.

Let's get the very latest now from Alex Marquardt, who's at the scene. Alex, what are you learning this morning?

ALEX MARQUARDT, CNN CHIEF NATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: Well, John, just a stunning act of violence in downtown Washington. I'm surrounded by official buildings. That red brick behind -- red brick building behind me is the Capital Jewish Museum. Incidentally, it's right across the street from the Washington field office.

We are learning a lot more about the suspect, 30-year-old Elias Rodriguez from Chicago, as well as the victims, Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Milgram, both of whom, as you say, were staffers at the Israeli embassy. They were attending an event hosted by the American Jewish Committee. It was an interfaith event with young Jewish professionals, young diplomats. They were talking about humanitarian aid, including aid for Gaza.

And as this event broke up around 9:00 p.m., Rodriguez, according to law enforcement, had been pacing outside. He approached four people, including the couple, as they left the event.

[09:05:04]

He pulled out a handgun. He shot and killed them.

He then went inside. He did not continue his killing spree. Instead, he appeared to some to be perhaps fleeing the violence, perhaps a witness. People were trying to -- to settle him. He appeared disturbed. And he called for the police to come. And as the security and police arrived, he did confess to carrying out this shooting for Gaza, he said. And then as he was detained, as you saw in that video, he shouted, "free, free Palestine."

This horrific killing now being investigated by both the D.C. metropolitan police, as well as the FBI, specifically the Joint Terrorism Task Force. They are questioning him. According to the deputy FBI director, this was an act of targeted violence. Of course, it is being widely condemned today, both here in Washington and all around the world, John.

BERMAN: Yes, and there are a lot of concerns for safety at Jewish institutions all around the world this morning.

Alex Marquardt, thank you for your reporting on this.

Kate.

BOLDUAN: And joining us right now is the CEO and national director of the Anti-Defamation League, Jonathan Greenblatt. Jonathan, thank you for being here.

I mean, what do you do with this? It is just horrific.

JONATHAN GREENBLATT, CEO AND NATIONAL DIRECTOR, ANTI-DEFAMATION LEAGUE: Look, first of all, I think all of our hearts break for the young couple who was killed for everyone in the Washington, D.C. community. I mean, think about it. These people, their only offense was going to a, the Jewish museum. They were killed because they attended a Jewish event.

I mean, I got to say, Kate, in many ways this was inevitable. I mean, think about the data. We've talked about it before. ADL systematically tracks anti-Semitic incidents. We have seen a historic rise, five out of the last six years we've reached record numbers. And, look, six weeks ago, a man firebombed, the governor's mansion in Harrisburg and tried to kill Josh Shapiro and his family. And that was six weeks ago. Six months ago, the FBI detained a man with explosives in his car in Gainesville, Florida. He was going to head down to the APAC office to murder people. I mean, look, this happened just a few blocks from the U.S. Capitol. I mean, this is terrifying and it's just got to stop.

BOLDUAN: I mean, what does it -- you talk about the record number of incidents and you put out this report, it's the highest number of anti-Semitic incidents that you guys have seen since in, what is it, the 46 years that ADL has even been tracking anti-Semitic incidents, but are they also becoming more violent? I mean, two people are dead this morning.

GREENBLATT: That's a great point. So, yes, they are becoming more violent. We've seen a rise in harassment and vandalism, but it's the violence that it almost seems inevitable, Kate. Like, look, I'm angry today. I'm angry because we have been saying this. You know, when people scream lies, or protesters about the Jewish people or the Jewish state accuse us of being Zionists and committing genocide, these lies have consequences, and repeating them and normalizing them. Those who tell us that anti-Zionism is a legitimate political ideology, it's not. Those who say that chanting Intifada revolution is legitimate, it's not.

And so when you call for violence, we shouldn't be surprised when violence actually ensues. And now we've lost two beautiful young people as a result. And it's a tragedy for the whole country.

BOLDUAN: There is a question if there was any security failure, if this person was on anyone's radar. That I don't think is yet to know unless you've heard anything. But what do you think? I mean, have you heard anything?

GREENBLATT: Well, look, the ADL Center on Extremism monitors extremist groups, like the Party of Socialism and Liberation, or PSL that this man was associated with. He was associated with another, an that is an anti-capitalist, anti-western and anti-Zionist group, which regularly employs anti-Semitic rhetoric. So, we know PSL.

And, look, there are extremists on all sides. The fringes seem to be incredibly empowered today. But all of us need to call it out. I'm thinking about The New York Times doing a gauzy profile a few weeks ago of this gamer, Hasan Piker, who regularly employs awful genocidal rhetoric against Jewish people and the Jewish state. Like extremists should not be empowered. People who spout prejudice should not be platformed. This is a moment where we need to look ourselves in the mirror and say, we've got to stop this because the consequences are deadly.

[09:10:02] BOLDUAN: Yes. Because reality is security is already heightened at Jewish institutions, synagogues all over the place.

GREENBLATT: Sure.

BOLDUAN: If you go into a synagogue --

GREENBLATT: Kate --

BOLDUAN: You are going through a magnetometer and you're walking past police, which we always thank them for the time.

GREENBLATT: Yes.

BOLDUAN: How more, how much more secure are all these Jewish institutions going to have to get?

GREENBLATT: But think about that. Last year we had more than 1,700 incidents at Jewish institutions, Kate, more than 1,700. Every Jewish institution has metal detectors, bulletproof glass, like police presence. It's not normal. We shouldn't normalize it. We've got to do something before it gets even worse.

BOLDUAN: It's horrible today because two people are dead.

Jonathan, thank you for your time. Thanks for coming on this morning.

GREENBLATT: Thank you.

BOLDUAN: Sara.

SIDNER: All right, we have some breaking news. We're learning a small plane has crashed into a San Diego neighborhood, making, and I'm quoting here, "direct hits to multiple homes." You are looking at live at the scene there.

Our Polo Sandoval is joining us now with some more details.

What do we know about just how many homes, for example, have been hit as this plane came crashing down into a neighborhood?

POLO SANDOVAL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Sara, likely over a dozen according to fire officials.

Let me get you straight to the information. The preliminary information that's been shared by authorities there in San Diego where it's just past 6:00 a.m. at this hour.

Authorities there confirming a small, what's being described as a private plane crashed in the Murphy Canyon neighborhood in San Diego. On a map you'll find it just northeast of downtown San Diego. That crash affecting as many as 15 homes according to San

Diego authorities, including assistant Fire Chief Dan Eddy, who calls this, as you mentioned, a direct hit to multiple homes. The assistant chief there saying that their main priority right now, their main goal as we look at these live pictures, is to go home to home, make sure there isn't anybody inside that could potentially require rescue, anybody potentially injured.

A lot of unknowns still here, Sara, including the type of airplane involved here, how many people were aboard that aircraft and, of course, how many people on the ground were affected.

And then, of course, a cause. Now, there's an early -- very early indication that weather may have been at least a contributing factor here, with the assistant chief saying that it was extremely foggy this morning there where that incident happened. So, it will be interesting to see what this investigation finds down the road here as we try to learn more a little bit. But again, those conditions described as extremely foggy this morning as we look at these pictures taken just moments ago where, again, authorities in San Diego confirming a small, private plane crashed into Murphy Canyon neighborhood this morning. That crash affecting as many as 15 homes. Still no word on any injuries and certainly no word on what may have actually led to this -- to this incident here, Sara.

SIDNER: But you did mention that it was really, really foggy this morning. I think the -- the quote here from one of the authorities said you could barely see in front of you. That could possibly be a factor. And that they were really near the Montgomery-Gibbs Executive Airport, trying to potentially, perhaps, land, and ended up crashing into all these homes. I know there was a frantic search to make sure or to see if there are any injuries, any deaths, and if there's anyone inside those homes that needs help.

Polo Sandoval, I know that you will stay on this. But again, the breaking news, a small plane has crashed into a San Diego neighborhood, hitting at least a dozen homes. We'll have more on that coming up.

OK, also new this morning, President Trump's chiming in on House Republicans passing what he calls his big, beautiful bill. Why Dems are calling it the big, ugly bill, as the bill now goes to the Senate.

Jealousy, rage and an exploding vehicle. Now testimony -- new testimony happening in the criminal sex trafficking trial of Sean Combs today as a famous rapper is set to take the stand today.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[09:18:00]

BOLDUAN: More breaking news coming in.

President Trump and his first reaction to House Republicans passing his sweeping spending and tax cuts bill. The president, in his first remarks, urged the Senate to do the same and also saying this, writing, "the one, big, beautiful bill has passed the House," and says "this is arguably the most significant piece of legislation that will ever be signed in the history of our country." That is his view of it. Democrats say that it is significant for all the wrong reasons.

The vote this morning happened after weeks of negotiations and internal battles within Republicans' hours of late night and early morning concessions to win over key holdouts. The final vote, 215 to 214. Two Republicans voted nay.

CNN's Lauren Fox has been covering it all from Capitol Hill. She's back with us once again.

And, Lauren, what are you hearing since the vote this morning?

LAUREN FOX, CNN CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, I mean, all eyes now are going to move to the United States Senate because they have specific changes that they are going to want to make in this bill.

Meanwhile, Speaker Johnson urging them that this was such a delicately crafted piece of legislation that the balance between the moderates and the conservatives was so delicate that they should be very cautious about any changes that they may make in the days and weeks ahead.

The speaker also saying that he still hopes that they can get this all finished up by the 4th of July. That's obviously yet another ambitious deadline coming from the speaker of the House.

But here was the speaker when he was asked about the road ahead in the Senate specifically. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. MIKE JOHNSON (R-LA): All the senators, every one of them, have promised me they're not going to change anything in our bill (INAUDIBLE).

No. No, I -- I had -- I was -- I was honored to -- to be at the Senate Republican luncheon on Tuesday. And, you know, I -- I encourage them to remember that we have a very delicate equilibrium that we reached on here. A lot of work went into this to -- to find exactly the right balance. And you all saw how perilous that was over the last week as it developed. And I encouraged our Senate colleagues to -- to think of this as a one team effort.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

[09:20:06]

FOX: Now, of course, there are still a lot of questions on what changes could come to this bill in the United States Senate. It's also not clear exactly how quickly they're going to move. They don't take their direction from the House speaker. They have their own majority leader, John Thune, who is going to be contending with these issues.

But Johnson made clear this morning that he has been working hand in glove with the majority leader in the Senate, saying even that John Thune actually put in a call with him to a member on the fence last night to convince them in the 11th hour to vote for the president's agenda on the House floor. His point, that they are working closely together. That they will continue working closely together. And there's no daylight between them. We'll see if that continues.

Kate. BOLDUAN: Yes, Lauren, thank you so much.

Sara.

SIDNER: All right, joining us now is Democratic Congresswoman Becca Balint of Vermont.

Thank you so much for being here.

Look, Republicans have a very clear message this morning with the passage of this bill that now goes to the Senate. Their message is, we can get things done. So, what is the Democrats' message to voters as 2026 is right around the corner?

REP. BECCA BALINT (D-VT): Look, this bill made steep cuts to food assistance programs, to Medicaid. And we also learned, in the last 48 hours, that because of the increase in the deficit, which is huge, that it also puts at risk Medicare. I have a hard time believing that senators are going to fall in line, especially when you have Senator Josh Hawley saying in recent days, we should not be cutting Medicaid.

For me, this is a moral line. It makes no sense, in this time of incredible struggle in this country, when families are having such a hard time making ends meet, to go after food assistance and Medicaid. It will also impact rural hospitals. And I know senators care deeply about that. It's not just in Vermont, it's in every rural district across the state. I'm hearing that from my health care providers, this would be disastrous for them.

So, the speaker can say whatever he would like, but I have a hard time believing that senators are not going to take an axe to this bill.

SIDNER: There -- there was an estimated 8 million recipients who could lose Medicare coverage if this particular bill goes through. The Republicans keep saying, oh, it's only the people who can work, and it's only to get them to work. It is not going to affect anyone else.

How do you see it in the reading of this bill?

BALINT: Well, that's just not true. We know it's not true. We've -- we've seen the scores. The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office has laid it out for us. It's absolutely not true that it's only the people, they say, who -- who aren't working.

And let's be clear, it's not just the cuts directly to Medicaid. It is also the fact that they are not continuing the provisions that would allow people who got insurance because of Obamacare to continue that insurance. Millions and millions of people are at risk of losing their health care. And we know that is not popular with Americans.

SIDNER: Donald Trump is calling it a big, beautiful bill. I know Democrats are calling it a big, ugly bill. Is there anything in this bill that you can get behind? Perhaps the extremely popular item to eliminate taxes on overtime pay?

BALINT: Look, the -- the -- the no tax on tips provision was already passed in the Senate as a standalone bill. And so I actually think it's the wrong question to ask whether, is there anything in there that I could agree with. This was not a compromise bill. This was a Republican bill from beginning to end. It was shoved through the House in the middle of the night. I was up last night making a floor speech at three in the morning, and our budget committee met in the middle of the night on Sunday night. It was pushed through. It was not a compromise bill. And for me, there's a moral line here. You do not cut food assistance and Medicaid and risk Medicare to deliver tax relief to people who don't need it. Tax relief for the wealthiest among us.

SIDNER: The argument is that it extends the 2017 tax relief, which did, you know, help some families. I mean, what do you say to people who say, well, I mean, I don't want my taxes to increase.

BALINT: So, let's talk about that. What if we were to come together and pass a tax bill that was directed at the working people of this country and the middle class people of this country, and allow the billionaires to do just fine the way they are without giving them an additional handout? It is not true to say that this is giving a lot of money to the poorest among us. This would amount to $1 a day in tax relief. And if you make under $20,000, you're going to see, in the combination of your wages and your benefits being cut, this is going to be a loss to you and your family.

SIDNER: Congresswoman Becca Balint, thank you so much. I know your passion is out there. This bill heading to the Senate. And then it has to come back to the House, where it has to be wrangled again.

[09:25:01]

BALINT: Sure does.

SIDNER: We will see what happens. That is the process, and I know you know it very well. And we'll probably have you back talking about it back then. Thank you so much. Appreciate it.

BALINT: Thanks for having me on.

SIDNER: All right, John.

BERMAN: All right, jealousy, rage and allegations of arson. New twists in the criminal trial of Sean Combs as a well-known rapper expected to take the stand this morning.

Plus, breaking news, a plane crashed into a neighborhood, setting multiple homes and cars on fire. A rescue operation now underway. We're getting new details just in.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BERMAN: All right, just moments ago, rapper Kid Cudi arrived at the courthouse, expected to take the stand today in the federal sex trafficking trial of Sean Combs.

So, in her testimony in a civil lawsuit, Cassie Ventura said that Combs became enraged when he found out she was dating Kid Cudi back in 2011 and threatened to blow up his car.

[09:30:09]

Soon after, the