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Poll Reveals More Americans Blame Trump and Republicans for Shutdown; Hegseth Announces Highest Male Standards on Military Fitness Tests; Judge Blocks Release of Graphic Photos From Idaho Murders Case; Walmart to Remove Some Artificial Ingredients in Store Brands. Aired 1:30-2p ET

Aired October 02, 2025 - 13:30   ET

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

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[13:30:51]

BRIANNA KEILAR, CNN CO-ANCHOR OF "CNN NEWS CENTRAL": Who's getting blamed for the government shutdown? A New Washington Post poll shows nearly half of respondents blame President Trump and Republicans. And when it comes to what's at the core of the impasse between Republicans and Democrats, seven in 10 Americans side with Democrats and saying, Obamacare subsidies should be extended. We're joined now by Republican Congressman Rich McCormick of Georgia.

Congressman, thank you so much for being with us. It's a really interesting poll because it shows a lot more people are blaming the president and Congressional Republicans than Democrats. Yes, there are a lot of people who aren't really sure what to think at this point, but how are you seeing this?

REP. RICH MCCORMICK, (R-GA) ARMED SERVICES COMMITTEE, FOREIGN AFFAIRS COMMITTEE: Well, first of all, I have seen polls all over the place. It depends on how you poll. Literally, last night, I was listening to another liberal media station that had flipped upside down and the guy who was being interviewed said, no, that's just the way we phrased it in the polling. Polling is not very accurate because the pollsters generally get out of it what they want. Depending on how you phrase the question is, you'll get exactly the question you're looking for -- the answer that you're looking for. So I don't trust those polls.

In my district, which is in the area that I live in, very much a tossup, most people understand that this CR is the compromise. This is the same CR that we voted for back in December that a hundred percent of the Democrats voted for. When you talk about the Big, Beautiful Bill and the modifications were made to Medicaid, my question is for those Americans out there, I know you got a ton of viewers out there who are paying exorbitant amount of money for their health insurance premiums.

Since the Affordable Care Act, you guys have witnessed about a 90 percent increase in your premiums. It's the second biggest leading cost to businesses. It's probably the biggest cost that you have to your family both privately and also in the federal government, which is about 33 percent of our federal budget. Meanwhile, four of the top- 10 Fortune-500 companies in America are making 230 percent more profit since that same Affordable Care Act was installed. And this is basically going to stuff the pockets of those industry people. This is not for good sake. This is not to keep people who are hurting on Medicaid. That's not being taken away from anybody.

What we're doing is making sure that the wrong people, the fraudulent people, the people who can get jobs, the people who are capable, the people who would benefit themselves by being out in society doing volunteer work, getting trained for a job, doing part-time job or working, are doing what they're supposed to do. Those are all good for America, good for our homes, and good for our children. That should not be controversial. And I despise the fact that Democrats are using this as a divisive point.

KEILAR: Well, there is a debate over that, but let's talk about the Democratic demand here, which is this Obamacare enhanced subsidy extension that they want. Because you saw the poll number on that and I hear you, you're just kind of like dismissing polls as if none of them mean you know anything. But that's a Washington Post poll, and you might be dismissing it at your peril. So if we take a look at that and we take a look at Georgia, which obviously is of interest to you, among the 1.4 million ACA enrollees in Georgia who get these enhanced premium tax credits that are so popular with people, as we just showed, 500,000 Georgians could lose their insurance if tax credits expire. That's according to the Kaiser Family Foundation. They're pretty good with their numbers.

You are talking about how expensive health insurance is. You see how much that matters to Americans. This is a real concern and you're certainly aware of that.

MCCORMICK: Yeah, and you know it's funny. We have the most expensive healthcare system in the world. It's not even close. Anybody who's been overseas and been to an emergency room knows that it is hundreds of dollars compared to thousands of dollars here.

KEILAR: Address the subsidy, please. Can you address -- can you address the subsidy extension?

MCCORMICK: But no, this is -- I'm going to address that, but you got to -- you got to allow me to address this. I'm a physician.

KEILAR: I know.

MCCORMICK: I'm a healthcare -- or on the doctor's caucus, but if you don't allow me to explain this, I can't educate the public and we can't transform this conversation to a healthy topic rather than a partisan topic. So you have to let me explain if you want me to educate the people on what's at stake here.

[13:35:00]

If we're going to affirm -- reform our healthcare system, which we must, because right now it's unaffordable. We spend $5 trillion on healthcare per year, biggest cost to the government, biggest cost to families, second biggest cost to businesses. And if we don't fix it, you're offering -- you're saying, oh, Americans love it if the government just takes over and spends more. Well, Americans also love it until we can't pay the debt anymore. And we're almost there, guys. When you start losing jobs, when you start seeing the government shut down repeatedly --

KEILAR: So, how are you fixing it?

MCCORMICK: When you start having this future generation burdened by debt --

KEILAR: But how are you addressing -- sir, how are you addressing it for the people who are going to see their premiums increase at the New Year?

MCCORMICK: That's exactly my point. We need to revise the way we do healthcare altogether. We cannot continue down the road --

KEILAR: Can you do it by January?

MCCORMICK: -- with government's limitation when insurance companies -- you're not letting me finish the -- you're not letting me finish the explanation. When you have insurance companies making 230 percent more profit with one-third of all claims denied, that's the kind of fraudulent stuff that needs to be corrected. And that will pay for itself. You'll keep the premiums down when you address the waste, fraud and abuse that's in the system, not by just increasing the subsidies for governments on inefficiencies and fraudulent claims. That's not the answer and that's what the Democrats are suggesting.

KEILAR: I don't think that many people would argue that they think the healthcare system works as they would like for it to work. But at this point, you have 500,000 people in your state who are looking at maybe losing their insurance because these premiums are going up at the New Year. And the remedy that you're talking about is not going to fix that.

But I do want to talk to you about something that your fellow veteran and your fellow colleague on the House Armed Services Committee, Jason Crow said, because he said that this is a different kind of a shutdown the Democrats are pushing here. And I mean, you know, we've seen different shutdowns over the year, over the years, and voters normally don't like that. But he said that this one's different because the American healthcare system is at stake. And he also said it's different because this administration is taking unprecedented actions. I want to get your perspective on what he said. Here's part of it.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. JASON CROW, (D-CO) HOUSE ARMED SERVICES COMMITTEE: I am not going to vote for Donald Trump to fund Donald Trump politicizing and weaponizing the Department of Justice to go after his political enemies. I'm not going to fund him to send active duty military troops into cities and "declare war against cities" because he doesn't like them. I'm not going to fund his political purges of the Department of Defense.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KEILAR: What's your reaction to that?

MCCORMICK: Well, Jason, my workout buddy in the gym. I will say his pull-ups need a lot of form work and he is in army, but I forgive him on that too. But Jason's a good dude, but I think he's misrepresenting what's at stake here. When you lose elections, as Obama said, there are consequences. We have so much fraudulent spending right now. We have so much wasteful spending right now. We have a bloated government we can't pay for. We're in 30 percent deficit spending per year. We have crime in cities that's unaddressed.

Look, I don't address -- I don't agree with everything the president does. But quite frankly, when problems aren't addressed, somebody has to address it. This is where leadership comes in. The Democrats basically say, we want status quo, even though they lost the election, they lost the House, they lost the Senate, they lost the presidency on the things they were running for. And now, they want to pretend that those things were the right thing for the American people. They lost for a reason. They continue to cling to the wrong ideas.

KEILAR: You brought up pull-ups which is actually a segue into a question I wanted to ask you about. As I mentioned, you're on House Armed Services and listening to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth at Quantico, big focus on these PT tests. And one thing that I've heard repeatedly from many sources in the national security and military spheres is that the vision of the military that he's outlining ignores that the wars of the present and the future are drones, cyber, A.I., and that he may be focusing too much on a vision of wars of the past. You're also on the Cyber Subcommittee of House Armed Services. What do you think?

MCCORMICK: I'm also on a tactical air and land. I was a Marine for 16 years and was a Navy ER doc for another four years, also in the NATO Parliamentary Assembly. Nobody thinks about the future of warfare as much as I do. I'm telling you, I've literally met with 20 Marine Corps generals of the past, former commandants. We talk about the future all the time. But when you talk about the warrior ethos, when you talk about what creates a lethal fighting force, somebody who increases the kill chain, when you talk about the future of any service, it starts with the idea that we're going to be fit enough to get to the area. We're going to have maneuver warfare, whether it's through drones or kicking in a door. When you talk about Special Forces, we're never going to be replacing the human unit.

[13:40:00]

And quite frankly, when you talk about fitness, fitness is good for everybody, quite frankly. And if you're in the military, you wear the uniform for a reason, you represent something. When I look at you, I remember when Krulak was Commandant back in the '90s and he said, even if you pass the fitness standard, if you don't look good in a uniform, you're still in remedial. Why? Because you represent me. You represent the Marine Corps. You are part of the nostalgia that people buy into. You're part of the recruiting tool for our services. It's good for you to look good and it's good for you to feel good, and fitness is a big part of that.

KEILAR: Sure. And I mean, and you were famously in a Marine recruiting ad, to be clear, a very famous one. But are you worried that you could be losing out on very smart people because this is a different kind of war? Are you worried you could be losing out on very smart people?

MCCORMICK: If you ask my sons --

KEILAR: Well, let me -- let me ask, finish the question. Are you worried that you could be losing out --

MCCORMICK: Sure, sure.

KEILAR: -- on very smart people when instead there's a focus on people who are going to look really good in a recruiting ad. No offense to you.

(LAUGH)

MCCORMICK: No offense taken. I don't mind looking good. When it comes to recruiting and retention, fitness should be considered part of the bonus. You actually get paid to stay fit. You are given time allotted to stay fit. It's not bad for you, it's good for you. Why would I lament --

(CROSSTALK)

KEILAR: I'm not -- I just want to be clear.

MCCORMICK: -- that people who are smart are going to stay fit. That's a good thing.

KEILAR: I'm talking about people not -- I'm not talking about people not hitting the mark, right? I'm talking about sort of the vision of what is being painted, right? Just to be clear about that. I'm not talking about a bunch of people who are like loafers who can't do that. I just want to be clear. Congressman Rich McCormick, thank you so much for being with us.

MCCORMICK: No, I get it, nor am I. I'm --

KEILAR: No, go on.

MCCORMICK: Be your best mentally, physically, and spiritually. Go get it.

KEILAR: Yeah, we can all take that.

MCCORMICK: I think that's the model right now. We just have to be our best.

KEILAR: Yeah, that means a lot of different things. Congressman, thank you so much. Really appreciate it.

And next, Walmart says that it's making some big changes to its food and beverage store brands. What it could mean, not just for Walmart, but for groceries at other stores too?

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[13:46:25]

BORIS SANCHEZ, CNN CO-ANCHOR OF "CNN NEWS CENTRAL": Now to some of the other headlines we're watching this hour. Officials say there are no signs of life in what's left of a collapsed school in Indonesia. At least five people were killed and 59 remain missing. Hundreds of students were in the building when it collapsed on Monday. An investigation into the cause of the collapse has been launched.

Also, a judge blocking the release of graphic crime scene photos taken by investigators after Bryan Kohberger killed four University of Idaho students in 2022. In the ruling, the judge says that the dissemination of incredibly disturbing photos where the victim's families might inadvertently see them is an unwarranted invasion of privacy. The judge also has said that the public does have an interest in seeing investigation records. So other photos, videos, and documents may be released. You may recall Kohberger was sentenced to life without parole for the murders in July.

And Walmart says it is going to stop using some dyes and 30 other artificial ingredients in its store brands, including its great value label. Food experts say that because of Walmart's sheer size, other companies are likely to follow its lead leading to widespread changes in America's food supply. Walmart's change takes effect in 2027 and comes after a year's long crackdown on additives in food and beverages. Major food companies, including Kraft Heinz, General Mills, and PepsiCo, have also promised to remove artificial dyes by 2027. Brianna?

KEILAR: On this week's Home Front, the impact of the shutdown on military families. While medical care and critical veteran services will continue, other programs could face some disruption and many members of the military are expected to stay on the job without pay. It's a hardship that puts more pressure on families that may already be stressed and living paycheck to paycheck. Let's discuss this now, where families can find resources with Jessica Manfre. She's a licensed clinical social worker, a U.S. Coast Guard spouse, and a Senior Case Advisor for Coast Guard Mutual Assistance.

Jessica, thank you so much for being with us. And first off, just so our viewers are aware, because military pay gets talked about a lot. Paychecks, that went out yesterday, were not affected. When are we going to start seeing pay affected if the shutdown continues?

JESSICA MANFRE, U.S. COAST GUARD SPOUSE, LICENSED CLINICAL SOCIAL WORKER, SENIOR CASE ADVISOR, COAST GUARD MUTUAL ASSISTANCE: Thank you for having me, Brianna. The October 15th paycheck, should this shutdown not be resolved, we will miss it. It will not just be Coast Guard families impacted, but all of DOW families as well.

KEILAR: And unfortunately, especially you because you are Coast Guard, you've been to this rodeo before, what starts happening when that paycheck is missed? MANFRE: A lot happens. I think we've learned a lot of lessons from the last one, which was 35 days in 2019. People panic, people worry about paying bills. For our families in particular, we tend to live in high-cost areas. We're not near big bases, so we're not in housing. So there's rent to be paid, there's mortgages to be paid. You can't avoid the bills, right? So there's definitely the feeling of what do we do next, right? And I want to encourage people to start preparing now. Like, let's hope that it doesn't come to that, but start saving your money. Start visiting the food pantries, putting money away and know what your resources are.

KEILAR: And how nervous are military families and what are you telling them about the resources?

MANFRE: I'm in all the groups, not just the Coast Guard ones. Everybody is very, very nervous. We're already -- military spouses in general, we face 24 percent unemployment. So, we've already got that.

[13:50:00]

In terms of resources, if you are banking with a military bank, most of the banks are working with you. They will advance that paycheck. It is based on credit, but I've been told they're being lenient with those requirements. However, all of the relief societies will stand ready to assist. In 2019 Coast Guard Mutual Assistance, we gave $8.4 million to our families.

KEILAR: The military always -- and military families, they always end up being kind of a pawn in this game, right? I mean, Congress continues to get paid. What is your message to lawmakers here in Washington, to the administration, about what they need to know about military families right now?

MANFRE: Military families, when it comes to our benefits and whether we serve, we do that apolitically. My husband serves the president, whoever it is, it doesn't matter if there's a R or an L next to their name -- or D next to the name, excuse me. I would hope that they would come together, look at what's at stake. It's not just military pay, it's things like WIC, which our young families do rely on. Our veterans benefits are being impacted. My husband will be retiring next year. Is this something that I'm going to have to face regardless of whether he's in or out? There's just a lot of uncertainty. I hope that they can rally together. We can see some leadership and they can put priorities in place, which would be military families for sure.

KEILAR: All right. Jessica Manfre, it's great to have you and get the perspective of what military families are facing and what they're thinking. Thank you so much.

MANFRE: Thank you for having me.

KEILAR: And in our three o'clock hour, we'll be discussing the shutdown's impact on veterans with the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, Doug Collins.

And next, royal interviews are rare, but Prince William's latest appearance really unheard of. The future king is getting drunk with Eugene Levy, and giving the actor behind the scenes access to his home, his castle and his life. We're live in London right after this.

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[13:56:57]

SANCHEZ: It is Prince William as we've never seen him before, jokingly getting drunk with Canadian actor Eugene Levy and taking viewers behind the scenes at Windsor Castle as he takes over tour duties.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

EUGENE LEVY, CANADIAN ACTOR AND COMEDIAN: Highness, best to see you.

(LAUGH)

WILLIAM, PRINCE OF WALES: We provide this service for everyone. We do personalized tours everywhere.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SANCHEZ: CNN Royal Correspondent Max Foster joins us now. Max, it's rare to see Prince William or any royal this way. Why do you think he chose this platform? And what all did he reveal?

MAX FOSTER, CNN ROYAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, I have to say the scooter sort of sets the tone, because you see Levy in the castle waiting for William to arrive. I don't know what he was expecting. And then you see William sort of hurtling through the archway on his scooter. So that was interesting. I think, what William was trying to do here was show what life was like behind castle walls, this mystical family. And he talks about change. He wants to open it up, show that they do have many of the same stresses as you and I.

And he does open up in this remarkably candid way about the fun parts of royal life, but also about the much more serious parts of royal life, particularly about last year being the worst year of his life. And he was talking there specifically about the Duchess' or the Princess' rather cancer diagnosis coming in the same year as the father's diagnosis. And he said he doesn't get overwhelmed by history. He gets overwhelmed by family stress.

He wasn't talking there about Harry, it was specifically about his immediate family. But it was so wide ranging. He was also talking about the queen and the castle was her favorite house, the late Queen Elizabeth.

SANCHEZ: And Max, did he mention his relationship?

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

LEVY: Miss your grandmother?

WILLIAM: I do actually. Yeah, I do miss my grandmother and my grandfather. Yeah, it's been quite a bit of change. So, you do sort of -- you think about them not being here anymore.

LEVY: Yes.

WILLIAM: And particularly being at Windsor, for me, Windsor is her. So she loved it here. She spent most of her time here. Showing you around today is very much the case, I'm trying to make sure I'm doing it the way she'd want you to see it. She had her horses here as well, as you can imagine, it was a big deal for her. So that's why she loved it here.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FOSTER: Yeah, it was fascinating. And trying to work out how this interview came about, it was remarkable. He hasn't done a long one as wide ranging as this for years. As I understand it, Levy, as part of his series, he goes to a country and he looks for a local hosts. He aimed incredibly high. Just so happened that Prince William watches films like "American Pie," so he knew who he was. And I think it's just -- I think the interview sort of blew up as they were doing it. They just had a great chemistry. It's fascinating.

SANCHEZ: Yeah. And Max, quickly, did he mention his relationship with his brother?

FOSTER: He didn't. There is a point where he talks about how family stress has been the really hard part of his existence, if you like, his job, his life. But I was told that was specifically about the immediate family and particularly about his wife and the cancer diagnosis. He does mention Harry when he talks about memories, but no comment really around that. I think they're just so careful about not --