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Trump Administration to Link Tylenol Use During Pregnancy to Autism; NYT: DOJ Ending Probe of Homan for Accepting $50,000 in FBI Sting; Interview with Rep. Mike Quigley (D-IL): Trump Calls for Prosecutions of Comey, Schiff and Letitia James; Shooting at New Hampshire Club Leaves 1 Dead, 6 Injured. Aired 8-8:30a ET

Aired September 22, 2025 - 08:00   ET

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

[08:00:00]

KATE BOLDUAN, CNN ANCHOR: Today, the Trump administration set to link the use of Tylenol to the risk of autism, how medical researchers are reacting to this pending announcement.

And $50,000 stashed inside a takeout bag. President Donald Trump's borders are recorded -- is recorded accepting that money, so why was the investigation then dropped?

Plus, the new price tag on the American dream, more than $5 million.

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

JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: All right, today, an announcement with huge implications for millions of American families in that all new parents will be watching so closely. The president is teasing what he's calling a major announcement on autism. He said, quote, I think we found an answer.

It's not totally clear what that means, but he is expected to link autism in children to Tylenol use during pregnancy. Now, the incidence of autism, at least the recording of it, is on the rise in the United States. According to the CDC, about one in every 31 children was diagnosed with autism by age eight in 2022. That's up from one in 36 in 2020.

Just some of the numbers there, you can see, that have parents so focused on this. Let's get to CNN medical correspondent, Meg Tirrell, with all the nuance here, which is what's so important.

Good morning, Meg.

MEG TIRRELL, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, John. Good morning. I mean, this is a question, this idea of Tylenol use during pregnancy and autism that's been studied for more than a decade. And experts say the data and the studies really are mixed about this. So what we are expecting to potentially hear today is a link from the Trump administration saying that there could be a link between pregnancy and use of Tylenol during pregnancy and autism. They may warn against using Tylenol during pregnancy, except for cases

maybe of a high fever. And we are also expecting potentially to hear them talk about a potential treatment for kids with autism called Leucovorin.

But starting with the Tylenol question, this is incredibly widely used even among pregnant women. One study showed more than half of pregnant women worldwide have reported using Tylenol. So just a lot of people are using this. And so there are concerns that the announcement today could strike unnecessary fears in families.

There had been one study that just came out in August that looked at 46 previous studies of Tylenol use during pregnancy. And what they found is that their analysis, quote, demonstrated evidence consistent with an association between exposure to acetaminophen during pregnancy and offspring with neurodevelopmental disorders, including autism spectrum disorder and ADHD, though observational limitations preclude definitive causation.

Or you've heard the phrase, John, correlation does not equal causation. Just because two things might be linked doesn't mean one thing necessarily caused the other. And that is where the jury really is still out on this.

Kenvue, we should say, the maker of Tylenol, has put out a statement on this as well, saying that quote, Independent sound science clearly shows that taking acetaminophen does not cause autism. We strongly disagree with any suggestion otherwise and are deeply concerned with the health risk this poses for our expecting mothers.

Doctors point out it's important to treat fever during pregnancy, pain as well, and there aren't a lot of other good options beyond acetaminophen -- John.

BERMAN: And obviously the language that they use and how they explain themselves will be so important today. And I know experts like you, Meg, will be watching that very closely.

What about the other side of it? You mentioned a word, this possible treatment for autism that they may discuss. What about that?

TIRRELL: Yes, there's a drug called Leucovorin, which is approved already for using in things like chemotherapy to offset the side effects of chemotherapy for cancer treatment. This is an old generic drug. There have been small studies that have suggested perhaps it might have a benefit for some children with autism.

But experts caution way more study is needed before you say it's safe and effective perhaps for all children with autism. So we'll be watching that closely as well -- John.

BERMAN: Again, like I said, there are so many parents that care so deeply about this. They absolutely do want answers, but they also want responsible answers. Meg Tirrell, thank you so much for all of this -- Sara. SARA SIDNER, CNN ANCHOR: All right, this morning, there is new scrutiny on President Trump's border czar, Tom Homan. Multiple reports indicate Homan was recorded accepting a bag with $50,000 in cash from FBI agents posing as business executives in an undercover sting operation.

But the Justice Department closed the case under President Trump. FBI Director Kash Patel and Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche said in a statement that the investigation, which began during the Biden administration, found, quote, no credible evidence of any criminal wrongdoing.

Joining me now is CNN senior legal analyst Elie Honig.

[08:05:00]

All right, I want to go back to you and the prosecutor's chair.

ELIE HONIG, CNN SENIOR LEGAL ANALYST: Yes.

SIDNER: So there's this allegation that there's a recording of Homan taking a bag of cash from agents posing as business executives before he becomes the border czar. And in this exchange, authorities allegedly say, look, we were waiting to follow through on this, seeing if he would actually give these government contracts that were being asked about to the people who gave him the $50,000. So when does a bribe become a bribe and why is this case closed?

HONIG: So first of all, free legal advice for everybody. Do not accept $50,000 in a bag just as a general rule. Now, my prosecutorial antenna are definitely up at this scenario, but it's also important to understand the bribery laws can be confusing and at times confounding.

So one of the potential issues here is it's not necessarily a crime for a person to take a bribe, a benefit on the promise of if I get into office, I will do something for you. There's some very confounding law. I don't like it, but that exists out there that says you have to wait until the person gets an office.

The other complication is the exchange in a bribe is some benefit cash for an official act. And the Supreme Court just in 2017 said that an official act cannot just be setting people up with access, getting people meetings, getting people in the door. It has to be something specific like casting a vote in a certain direction.

And so you need to -- and by the way, if you don't like that decision, it was unanimous. So Ruth Bader Ginsburg agreed with Clarence Thomas in that one. So I don't like it, but it has nothing to do with partisanship.

So those are some of the nuances that we need to know details of and that prosecutors would be doing a deep dive on.

SIDNER: Speaking of nuances, are there other things here that you think from the perspective of a prosecutor --

HONIG: Yes.

SIDNER: -- need to be looked at, need to be uncovered?

HONIG: So I've seen some speculation there could be a conspiracy charge here, but important to understand for a conspiracy charge, you need two bad guys. One of them, you cannot have an agreement between, let's say, a bad guy and an FBI undercover agent because that's not a meeting of the minds. A conspiracy means we agree to commit a crime. But if one of the parties is an FBI agent, there's not really an agreement here.

However, I would also be looking at did Tom Homan disclose this money if he went through some sort of background check before becoming a border czar? Did he disclose this relationship?

And did he report it as taxable income? I mean, he got it in 2024, 50 grand in cash. Presumably his taxes would have been due in April of 25, like the rest of us, unless he got an extension.

Did he report that income? I'd be looking at that, too.

SIDNER: The DOJ has made their statements. What do you think about these other avenues? I mean, it seems that this case really is closed.

HONIG: Yes, I think --

SIDNER: Who's going to look into it?

HONIG: Congress has some work to do here. And I think we've seen some Democratic members of Congress expressing interest in this. There will be moments when Pam Bondi or Todd Blanche or maybe Tom Homan will be testifying in front of Congress. They'll be asked questions.

Remember, there is a videotape of this, according to the recording -- according to the reporting. So will that videotape come out? Will we be able to see it? And how will this impact Tom Homan's future?

It's not good for him, but it's not necessarily a crime. There's still more that we need to know.

SIDNER: All right, thank you, Elie Honig, always giving us the nuance of law.

HONIG: Great to see you, Sara. Welcome back.

SIDNER: Sometimes it's confusing. I really appreciate it. Thank you -- Kate.

BOLDUAN: A wedding interrupted by a deadly shooting. What we know now about the man that police say entered a country club restaurant and opened fire. He'll be arraigned today.

Plus, President Trump's new order for the attorney general of the United States when it comes to his political opponents. We're watching now to see what Pam Bondi does next.

And a suspected DUI driver stopping mid-pursuit to perform a burnout. Why? Police say he told them he wanted to, quote, impress the girls.

[08:10:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BERMAN: So, this morning, what some are calling a direct call for prosecution, others are calling it unprecedented. In a post directed to the attorney general, the president said he read 30 statements and posts claiming there is all talk, no action against former FBI Director James Comey, California Senator Adam Schiff, and New York Attorney General Letitia James.

And then he said, we can't delay any longer. It's killing our reputation and credibility. They impeached me twice and indicted me five times over nothing. Justice must be served now.

With us, Congressman Mike Quigley, a Democrat from Illinois. Congressman, nice to see you this morning. When you read that post, what do you take it as?

REP. MIKE QUIGLEY (D-IL), APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE: Yes, look, I take it as a threat. It's 90 years since Sinclair Lewis wrote the book, It Can't Happen Here, which reminds us that a democratically elected president can move us toward tyranny using the tools of democracy. In this case, the Department of Justice.

I was a criminal defense attorney for a long time. The core tenet in the rule of law is that prosecutions should be impartial without any hint of politicalization. This is politicalization at its core point.

BERMAN: So what happens next? I mean, he has said in this post he wants the attorney general to move quickly to prosecute these people. He also says she's safe in her job and she's doing a great job.

But what do you think happens now? What happens if she does prosecute?

QUIGLEY: Yes, look, people have to stand up. I think the only people that the president is going to listen to are my Republican colleagues. I would like to think Republican prosecutors and former prosecutors would stand up.

[08:15:00]

I would like to think that my colleagues on the other side of the aisle would put the rule of law over politics and argue the president can't do this. It's not novel.

Obviously, he did this in the first term, asking the Justice Department to violate the law because he wanted to overturn a lawful election. He asked them to prosecute his political enemies, Obama and Hillary Clinton, and to go easy on people like Roger Stone and others. So, look, this isn't anything new. People have to stand up.

Will the Attorney General follow this and basically make up the facts? Even if a grand jury wouldn't accept this, it's hard to believe that they wouldn't, the people who were prosecuted would have extraordinary cost upon them.

BERMAN: You do not have votes in Washington this week, and by the time you do next week, the government could be shut down. What do you think -- what would you like to see Democratic leadership do here in terms of negotiating with the president?

QUIGLEY: Look, it's difficult now. First, the president stakes out a far right position, and I'll typically compromise comes in the middle. So what they're asking us to do is move way out to one extreme to be with the president.

The second thing is, fool me once, right? We've passed spending bills before with this president, and he violated those laws as if they didn't matter, usurping our Article I power of the purse abilities. So why would we trust them now?

And in the Senate, it takes 60 votes to pass a spending bill, but only 50 to take it all away through rescission. So if I'm a Democratic leader, what I would ask them to do is to say, you got to change Senate rules, and you have to build in guarantees that if we do come to a compromise and keep the government functioning, we're not worried that the next week or the next month, the president just changes all of that.

BERMAN: Woke up to the news that Canada and Australia, other countries joining France and the United Kingdom in recognizing a Palestinian state. Now, there are some countries doing this with certain conditions, others not. But a number now, an overwhelming number of nations in the United Nations, which is meeting this week, now do recognize a Palestinian state.

It's symbolic given that the United States is a permanent member of the Security Council and has a veto there. But what conditions, I mean, how do you feel? When would you feel like it's time for the United States to join these other countries?

QUIGLEY: No, I've already asked for an independent recognition of a Palestinian state. And here's why. There's a historic moment here, an opportunity, right?

The Arab League has said that for the first time they renounced what Hamas did on October 7th. They asked them to put their arms down. They've called for an independent force there to control the situation.

There will never be long-term peace without a two-state solution. It will never be a perfect time to do that. But we have to end the humanitarian crisis that's taking place there and create a situation where peace is possible.

Sure, it's built on conditions, but Israel is going in the exact opposite condition. They have an absolute right to defend themselves, but the manner in which they do that does matter.

BERMAN: Congressman Mike Quigley from Illinois, thanks so much for being with us this morning. Appreciate it -- Sara. SIDNER: All right, this morning, an emotional tribute and conflicting visions for the way forward after the murder of Charlie Kirk. A football stadium in Arizona filled with thousands mourning the death of the conservative activist. Kirk's widow, Erika, in a tearful moment, said she forgives her husband's killer.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ERIKA KIRK, WIDOW OF CHARLIE KIRK: On the cross, our savior said, father, forgive them for they not know what they do.

That man, God help me, I forgive him.

(APPLAUSE)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SIDNER: Most speakers focused on Kirk's faith and his push to engage with those he did not agree with. President Trump made a notable split from Kirk's professed beliefs, lashing out at his political enemies and saying he, quote, hates them. The president called Kirk's death an assault on our most sacred liberties and said the bullet that killed him was also, quote, aimed at all of us.

All right, just ahead, could Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez be eyeing a bid for the Senate or even the White House? Harry Enten runs the numbers with a look at her chances.

[08:20:00]

And is the American dream achievable for most Americans? A look at how prices are changing the calculation on everything from homes to cars, vacations, to children. Those stories ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BERMAN: This morning, police in Nashua, New Hampshire, have charged a man with murder following a deadly shooting at a country club. Investigators say one person was killed, several others injured when a gunman opened fire during a wedding reception that was happening in the next room. CNN's Leigh Waldman has the latest.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

LEIGH WALDMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: A 23-year-old is under arrest after a fatal shooting here at the Sky Meadow Country Club in Nashua, New Hampshire, overnight on Saturday. Hunter Nadeau is being charged right now with reckless second-degree murder.

Two people were hurt in that shooting. One man, 59-year-old Robert DeCesare, was killed.

[08:25:00]

We spoke with DeCesare's mother, who tells us that he was having dinner at the restaurant at the club with his wife and daughter when this gunman came through the door, shot an employee, shot a guest of the restaurant, and turned toward DeCesare's family. His wife and daughter turned to run, get out of the way of danger. That's when DeCesare lunged at the gunmen trying to stop the shooting, trying to stop the killing. That's when he, unfortunately, lost his life.

His mother is telling us that his daughter is getting married in a matter of weeks. She's heartbroken that her father won't be there to walk her down the aisle. Other witnesses telling us that after the shooting in the restaurant, Nadeau made his way into a wedding reception that was happening.

The bridal party on the floor, waiting to have a dance, and they had to run and flee, taking cover, trying to get out of the way of danger. Take a listen to what the wedding DJ had to say.

MICHAEL HOMEWOOD, WEDDING DJ WITNESSED SHOOTING: A gentleman who was in the restaurant apparently used a chair to hit him over the head. Everyone else said that they saw he came in bleeding. I did not see the blood. I just saw this guy who I knew must have been the guy.

It was kind of surreal. Just, you know, one of those things where it's the lottery you don't want to win in America when, you know, you're there when something like that happens, you know.

WALDMAN: Authorities telling us that Nadeau is a former employee of the club itself. He made several comments while this shooting was happening, including save the children, free Palestine. But at this point, authorities believe that this was not a hate-based crime.

Instead, he was making these remarks to try and incite chaos. They expect additional charges to be filed. He'll be in court on Monday.

In Nashua, New Hampshire, Leigh Waldman, CNN.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BERMAN: All right, the most powerful storm of the year so far just made landfall. Where it is headed next?

And the weighted vests that could determine the outcome of the next election and the women who are wearing them.

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