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Trump Calls Putin Absolutely Crazy After Major Attack on Ukraine; American Charged With Plot to Attack U.S. Embassy Office in Israel; Crypto Investor Charged With Kidnapping, Torturing Man for Weeks. Aired 7-7:30a ET

Aired May 26, 2025 - 07:00   ET

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

[07:00:00]

SARA SIDNER, CNN ANCHOR: Breaking overnight, Ukraine says Russia has launched its largest series of attacks since the war began. Peace talks be damned, Putin is going all out. President Trump finally unleashing harsh criticism directly at Vladimir Putin, saying the Russian leader has gone, quote, absolutely crazy. The Kremlin responding saying Trump is in, quote, emotional overload.

ERICA HILL, CNN ANCHOR: Tariff whiplash. President Trump hitting pause just two days after threatening a 50 percent tariff on imports from the European Union, the, quote, very nice call he had with the E.U.'s leader and the new/old deadline. He's now set for a deal.

Plus, a shocking arrest, a crypto investor charged with kidnapping and torturing a man for weeks inside an upscale Manhattan townhouse all to get the man's Bitcoin password. How the victim finally made his daring escape.

I'm Erica Hill with Sara Sidner. John Berman and Kate Bolduan are off today. This is CNN News Central.

SIDNER: We are following developments between the U.S., Russia, and Ukraine after President Trump called Russian President Vladimir Putin, quote, absolutely crazy for his latest actions in the war on Ukraine. That comment coming after Moscow has launched three straight nights of drone strikes, the largest aerial assault so far of the three-year war. At least 12 people have been killed.

Trump posting that Putin is needlessly killing a lot of people, and warning that if he tries to conquer all of Ukraine, it will lead to Russia's downfall. The Kremlin firing back this morning accusing Trump of, quote, emotional overload.

But Trump also had some criticism for Ukrainian president after Volodymyr Zelenskyy accused the U.S. of silence following this weekend's attacks. Trump said that, quote, everything's out of Zelenskyy mouth causes problems. I don't like it, and it better stop, he said.

CNN's Kevin Liptak joins me now from the White House. We are seeing a major shift in tone from President Trump when it comes to Putin, but a very similar tone when it comes to Zelenskyy. Tell us more about what you're learning.

KEVIN LIPTAK, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE REPORTER: Yes, and these comments a about Putin, I think, are very significant for a president who more often than not is offering a conciliatory message towards the Russian president. These comments really stood out, and I think the timing here is quite notable. You know, it was only one week ago that President Trump and President Putin spoke on the telephone. Afterwards, the president essentially taking Putin at his word, that he's still interested in a peace agreement despite Putin maintaining all of these maximalist demands to end the war. Now, the president adopting quite a harsh tone towards the leader in Moscow. Listen to what the president said.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, U.S. PRESIDENT: I'm not happy with what Putin's doing. He's killing a lot of people. And I don't know what the hell happened to Putin. I've known him a long time, always gotten along with him, but he's sending rockets into cities and killing people, and I don't like it at all, okay? We're in the middle of talking and he's shooting rockets into Kyiv and other cities. I don't like it at all.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LIPTAK: Now this notion that Putin has changed somehow, that the man that Trump is dealing with today is not the same man he was dealing with in his first term, is something that European leaders have been warning Trump about really for months, but for so long he hadn't necessarily been internalizing that point of view.

Now, I think the question is how Trump moves forward. You know, there is not a lot of evidence that Putin really cares what Trump or any other world leader thinks or is saying about him. The question is all about action. Does, for example, the president apply new sanctions on Russia? He said yesterday that, absolutely, he was willing to do that, but he has also been saying for months that this is on the table, but so far he's stopped short of putting any new measures onto Moscow.

There's also a question of what's left to sanction in Russia that could potentially have any effect on this war. There's also a question of whether President Trump will send new military assistance to Ukraine. You know, he has not approved any new military assistance packages to Ukraine since taking office.

[07:05:05]

He hasn't spent the roughly $4 billion that remains of what Congress has authorized. Based on his comments yesterday about Zelenskyy, it's not clear that he's willing to go that route. Or this third option, which I think is perhaps more likely based on what the president's saying, does he continue to try and absolve himself of any responsibility for trying to end this conflict?

He did suggest after that phone call with Putin that it would be up to Putin and Zelenskyy to come up with any solution, and he said last night that this is a war that is Zelenskyy, Putin's, and Biden's war, not Trump's, and that he was only helping to put out the big and ugly fires. Sara?

SIDNER: Kevin Liptak, with a mouthful, a lot going on there, thank you so much. Erica?

HILL: Well, with this new wave of deadly Russian strikes combined with the comments from President Trump and the Kremlin this morning, could this mean that any hope of a ceasefire is now even further away?

CNN's Nic Robertson joining us now. So, Nic, the comments from President Zelenskyy talking about the silence on the part of the U.S. encouraging Putin, some of the most direct remarks that he has made, not sitting perhaps well, what does this do to any potential talks?

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR: Look, I think the reality is that the potential talks were talks. They weren't a reality and a real immediate path to a meaningful ceasefire. President Putin has been offered that. In fact, President Trump has told him over more than the past two months that he wants him to agree to an unconditional ceasefire the same way that Ukraine has. And Putin has punted dad, has kicked the can down the road. But what we've witnessed this weekend is a very, very clear message coming from the Kremlin.

You have the Kremlin spokesman today not just a accusing President Trump of emotional overload but stating very, very clearly that President Putin makes decisions that are in Russia's national security interest and what that meant was on Friday, despite the fact that there was underway three days of the biggest prisoner exchange so far, which incidentally, Friday, President Trump hinted that this may be the path to something much bigger, hinting that the path to peace may be open.

What does President Putin do on Friday evening? A 250 missile and drone salvo into Ukraine, killing 13 people, then doubles down on that Saturday until Sunday, 367 missiles and drones. That's the biggest number ever since the war began. And then last night, after President Trump has spoken and criticizing Putin, calling going crazy, Putin then launches two 355 drones into Ukraine, which is the biggest drone attack so far since the war.

So, the message is very, very clear, and dare one say even consistent coming from the Kremlin. That is they're not engaging on the narrative for peace, not in a meaningful way, that they're kicking around the edges of it, and in the meantime kicking Ukraine. And if there's anywhere where there are emotions, they're very raw in Ukraine, particularly with the people who've fallen victim over this weekend. One woman who's sort of standing in the rubble of the remains of her property said, I wish President Trump was here to see this. So, it's not just President Zelenskyy hoping that President Trump really gets a clear ride view of what's happening in Ukraine. It's the Ukrainian citizens as well.

And, yes, they do want us help and there will be a hope that perhaps President Trump's comments now about Putin mark a significant cha change. I'm not sure if anyone's holding their breath in Ukraine, though.

HILL: Yes, that's a good point. Nic, I appreciate it, as always. Thank you.

New overnight, President Trump intensifying his fight with Harvard, calling out for a list of all foreign students at the school, as the students themselves wonder whether they'll be able to return in the fall, including one of our next guests.

Plus, what we're learning about the American man who was arrested after allegedly plotting to attack the U.S. Embassy in Israel.

And new details in the arrest of a cryptocurrency investor who police say kidnapped and tortured a man in his New York City apartment for weeks, all of this an apparent scheme to steal the victim's Bitcoin password.

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[07:10:00]

SIDNER: Breaking overnight, an American man is in custody in New York and facing federal charges after allegedly plotting to firebomb a branch office of the U.S. embassy in Israel. Israeli police say they found Molotov cocktails in his backpack. The 28-year-old was arrested at JFK Airport in New York after being deported from Israel, according to the DOJ.

This as we are learning dozens in Gaza have been killed in an overnight strike on a school. Most of the dead are believed to be women and children. Israel claims it was targeting a Hamas commander.

And this morning the head of a new aid distribution program for Gaza backed by the United States and Israel has resigned, saying it was not possible to implement the plan while also adhering to the humanitarian principles of humanity, neutrality, impartiality, and independence.

CNN's Nada Bashir has the very latest forest. What can you tell us about the situation in Gaza right now?

NADA BASHIR, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Sara, as we continue to see the expansion of Israel's air and ground fruition across the Gaza Strip and the continued warnings for civilians to evacuate so-called safe zone, we are seeing yet more deadly airstrikes.

As you mentioned, just overnight after midnight local time in Gaza, a school in Central Gaza was struck.

[07:15:01]

This is a school that was known to have been sheltering civilians, as are many of the remaining schools across the Gaza Strip. And health authorities in Gaza say at least 20 people were killed. And we have seen distressing video emerging showing the building, parts of it turned to rubble. Other parts engulfed in flames overnight, as emergency workers tried to battle the fires and rescue any survivors.

Of course, at least 20 are said to have been killed. Many of the dead and wounded were taken to the al-Ahli Baptist Hospital, where doctors say, while they were able to identify 20 victims, others were brought in pieces, in plastic bags and that they were unable to identify those victims. And, of course, many more are said to have been wounded.

And, of course, this all comes along the backdrop of deepening hunger crisis. While Israel has said that it will allow a basic amount of food aid into the Gaza Strip, we are still seeing limitations in the amount of food and humanitarian supplies actually getting into Gaza.

Koga (ph), the Israeli agency which oversees the shipment of aid into the Gaza Strip, says 107 trucks were able to pass the Kerem Shalom crossing into Gaza on Sunday. But that is a fraction of the 500 to 600 trucks, which the U.N. humanitarian agency says is needed on a normal situation within the Gaza Strip, let alone now where so many are facing, of course, the risk of acute malnutrition. In fact, the vast majority of Gaza's civilian population, more than 2 million people are set to be at risk of famine.

And, of course, as you mentioned along the backdrop of this as well, we've seen the resignation of U.S. military veteran Jake Wood, who is set to be heading up the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, that U.S. and Israel-backed foundation set to oversee the mechanism to allow aid in. As you mentioned, he cited concerns over impartiality and humanitarian values.

SIDNER: Yes. I mean, there's so much going on, a lot of heartbreak still in Gaza after all this time, and concerns about nutritional -- the nutrition there where we're hearing doctors talk about starvation.

I do want to ask you about what has happened with this American citizen who has been charged in this plot to throw Molotov cocktails at the U.S. embassy in Israel. What more do we know about this person?

BASHIR: Well, we are getting information from the Department of Justice in the U.S. As you mentioned, Sara, Joseph Neumeyer, the 28- year-old dual American-German national, was detained and arrested at JFK Airport in New York on Sunday after being deported from Israel back to the United States. He has been arrested after allegedly plotting to target a branch of the U.S. embassy in Tel Aviv with Molotov cocktails.

Now, according to the Department of Justice, he arrived at this branch of the U.S. embassy in Tel Aviv on May 19th. He allegedly spat at a guard outside the embassy office building. And while guards attempted to detain him there, he managed to escape and left behind a backpack. And it is in this backpack that Garza (ph) setter found three Molotov cocktails. Authorities also said they searched his social media and found that he had claimed that he would attempt to burn down the embassy building.

So, he was detained there in Israel. He has been deported back to the United States. And if charged and convicted, he could face a maximum of 20 years in prison. Sara?

SIDNER: All right. Nada Bashir, thank you so much for your reporting on all of that this morning. Ahead, police say that a man, this man here, a cryptocurrency investor, kidnapped and tortured a man inside his New York City apartment for weeks. Why? Authorities say it was to try and steal his Bitcoin. The new details we're learning this morning.

And brand new CNN reporting this morning, federal workers say their lives have been thrown into, quote, absolute utter chaos after being fired in the massive DOGE cuts. We'll have more on that ahead.

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[07:20:00]

HILL: There is new information this morning the alleged kidnapping of a man who police say was beaten and held against his will for weeks in a Manhattan townhouse, all of this in a plot to steal his Bitcoin password. 37-year-old cryptocurrency investor John Woeltz is now facing several charges, including kidnapping and assault. Authorities say he tortured the 28-year-old victim until the man agreed to reveal his Bitcoin password.

CNN's Gloria Pazmino joining me now. This is just wild to try to wrap your head around this story. So, he held, allegedly held this man for weeks, torturing him?

GLORIA PAZMINO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, the details, Erica, are just truly bizarre and disturbing. Not only was this man held in this apartment for several weeks and apparently the story is that he was lured here to New York City from Italy. This 28-year-old victim is from Italy, arrived in New York, early in May, and was kept inside this apartment by this suspect, John Woe;tz, 37 years old, all of this over an alleged plot to get this victim's Bitcoin password.

Now, John Woeltz, we are told, is a cryptocurrency investor. And what's not clear to us just yet is the relationship between these two men. We do not know yet how they were known to each other, if they were business partners, if they had a personal relationship. But we do know that, for several weeks, the victim, who has not yet been identified, was kept inside this Manhattan apartment. At one point, he was shocked. He was tied up with chicken wire. He was held at gunpoint. He was forced to use drugs and he was threatened. They told him that they were going to kill his family if he did not give up his password.

Now, there was a brief window of time last Friday where the victim thought that he was about to be killed.

[07:25:06]

He agreed to give up his password and that gave him an opening to run out of the apartment, as the suspect was looking into the computer where the password was stored, he ran out of the apartment, he flagged down a traffic cop, and that's how he was finally able to get away. He went to Bellevue Hospital. He's in stable condition, and as I said, he has not yet been identified. But shortly after this incident, Erica, some of the evidence that police found inside apartment has been overwhelming. They found an electric saw, the chicken wire, the taser weapons, and they also found Polaroid photos showing the victim in these torture positions, one of the photos showing him with the gun to his head.

So, he has not entered a plea yet. He's being held without bail and he is expected back in court next week.

HILL: It's just all the details, especially what they found, right, the Polaroids, everything else that was in there. This was all over, as you mentioned, Bitcoin. They wanted the password. How much money are we talking about? Do we know?

PAZMINO: We don't know yet. But one thing that's interesting, Erica, is that we have seen some sort of similar incidents around Bitcoin and cryptocurrency investors. We saw the kidnapping attempt in Paris a few weeks ago. None of these are related, but we are seeing some attempts at -- attempts of violence and attacking people who are involved with cryptocurrency.

HILL: Such a wild story. Gloria, thank you.

President Trump ramping up his attacks on Harvard, now demanding a list of all the school's international students, and also promising to, quote, find out whether or not they're okay. We're going to speak with one of Harvard's international students who's now wondering whether he'll even be allowed to return to campus next semester.

Plus, a flight from Tokyo to Houston diverted to Seattle. Why one passenger had to be restrained mid-flight and another was removed after the plane landed.

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