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Public Opinion on National Guard into Cities; Graciela Guzman is Interviewed about Troops to Chicago; Millions Could Lose WIC Assistance; Blizzard Traps Hikers on Everest; Caleb Ragland is Interviewed about a Bailout for Farmers; Swift's Film Dominates Weekend. Aired 8:30-9a ET

Aired October 06, 2025 - 08:30   ET

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

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[08:30:33]

SARA SIDNER, CNN ANCHOR: All right, this morning, new police body camera video showing the tense moments as police confronted that gunman who had just attacked the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in Michigan. Officers can be heard shouting as they approach the suspect, and then gunfire goes off.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: South end of the building. South end of the building.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: (INAUDIBLE) shots south end of the building.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I've got your back back here, man. Yes, stay there.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Get on the ground! Get on the ground!

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Shoot him!

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (INAUDIBLE).

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: South end of the building. South end of the building.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SIDNER: Police say they ordered the man, as you could hear there, to drop his weapon and get on the ground before you heard those several rounds going off. Investigators say the shooter, an Iraq War veteran, rammed his truck into the church, opened fire on worshipers, and then, as you saw, set the building on fire. Four people were killed, several others hurt. The gunman was killed in that shootout.

All right, in just hours, negotiators representing Hamas, Israel and the U.S. are set to begin critical talks in Cairo, Egypt. They will begin working towards finalizing a deal, a peace deal, which is based on President Trump's 20-point ceasefire plan. It comes at a really pivotal moment with the second anniversary of the

October 7th attack on Israel coming tomorrow, and the war very much continuing to rage daily. More than 100 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza since Trump told Israel to immediately stop the bombing on Friday, according to hospital authorities there in Gaza.

The president, in a message to CNN's Jake Tapper, warning Hamas that they will face, quote, complete obliteration if they do not cede power.

John.

JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: All right, overnight, a federal judge blocked President Trump's deployment of National Guard troops to Portland. The president is losing in court on this, but is he losing in the court of public opinion?

CNN chief data analyst Harry Enten, who just made a lap around the entire studio.

HARRY ENTEN, CNN CHIEF DATA ANALYST: I don't know what that was. I guess they're thinking I need more exercise.

BERMAN: You showed up here at the wall the exact right moment.

What's public opinion saying right now about the use of National Guard troops, the deployment into cities?

ENTEN: Yes, it's a political loser, John. It's a political loser. Donald Trump may think it's a political winner, but it's a political loser. A post-Trump deploying in a U.S. cities active duty U.S. military, 61 percent. The National Guard in particular, 58 percent. When you get three in five Americans agreeing on anything, you know if that is on the opposition side, it's a political loser. And among independents who are, of course, that key bloc in the middle of the United States' political electorate, we're talking about two-thirds of independents there and about who opposed the deployment of either active-duty U.S. military or National Guard into U.S. cities, John.

BERMAN: What are the questions that people are asking, or what are the issues they see with these deployments?

ENTEN: OK, look, I think it's that they don't buy Donald Trump's case for why these troops must go into the U.S. cities. So, "The New York Times" essentially gave you a two-pronged little answer here, right? Trump may use the National Guard to intimidate rivals, or big city crime will spiral out of control if the troops don't go into cities. What you see here is the majority that takes the case is that Trump may use the National Guard to intimidate political rivals at 51 percent. Just 42 percent of Americans agree with the Donald Trump stance that, in fact, big city crime will spiral out of control if the National Guard doesn't go into U.S. cities. So, essentially what we're seeing here is, Donald Trump's making a case, the Democratic opposition is making another case, and the Democratic opposition's case is winning here. And that is a big reason why. What you see is, you get about three in five Americans saying they don't want troops going into U.S. cities.

BERMAN: You have another really interesting way at looking at this, that President Trump seems uniquely focused on Portland, on Memphis, on these cities and crime there. What do voters think he should be focused on?

ENTEN: OK. So, if you saw the opening slide on this segment, right, what -- has Trump taken his eye off the ball? The American people believe, yes, John Berman, Donald Trump has taken his eye off the ball. There is too much focus on putting troops into U.S. cities, 52 percent, the majority of Americans agree that the Trump admin is focusing too much on that. Where do they want him to go? They want him to focus on lowering prices, 75 percent say there's too little focus on lowering prices. This is the reason that Donald Trump was put into office, was to lower prices. And at this particular point, three in four Americans say there is too little focus. Donald Trump is focusing on the wrong things, and they don't like the way he's going about it.

[08:35:00]

And this, my friends, will tell the entire story if it holds a year from now, going into the midterm elections, if the Republicans lose control of the House, dare (ph) lose control of the Senate, it will be because they believe that Donald Trump has lost focus. He is not keeping his eye on the ball, and they believe he is not focusing enough on lowering prices.

BERMAN: Interesting numbers coming out on prices and inflation and the economy this week. We'll have much more to talk about.

ENTEN: I think we will have much more this week, Mr. Berman.

BERMAN: Harry Enten, thank you very much for that.

ENTEN: Thank you, my friend.

BERMAN: Sara.

SIDNER: All right, thank you, gentlemen.

President Donald Trump is once again saying he'll send, as you just heard, hundreds of National Guard troops to protect ICE. Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker calling it, quote, "an invasion," and urging Americans to speak up and stop the madness.

With me now, Democratic state senator from Illinois, Graciela Guzman.

Thank you so much for being here.

What is your biggest worry when it comes to troops coming into your state? Trump even looking at trying to sort of go around what a judge has already ordered on Portland to send National Guard troops from other states, like Texas, into your state.

GRACIELA GUZMAN (D), ILLINOIS STATE SENATE: Good morning, Sara. Look, you know, I think when -- when you ask what I'm scared about,

the fact of the matter is, is that we've already seen what is coming through the actions of ICE in my district and communities across the state of Illinois. What we're seeing is an authoritarian playbook where the Trump administration has continued moving full steam ahead with an unconstitutional invasion, military control of our cities. What that looks like in districts like mine is, folks are being shot indiscriminately. We have tear gas being deployed within a block of a school, near an emergency room. It is absolute chaos that is being caused and ultimately undermines public safety and our ability to be able to continue providing services for our constituents. And that's only going to continue to be exacerbated by possible actions of the National Guard here in Chicago and in Illinois.

SIDNER: I want to let DHS Secretary Kristi Noem, in her own words, give the reason for why ICE and troops, she believes, should be sent into Chicago. She was speaking to Fox and addressing Chicago's mayor in an interview this weekend. Here's what she said.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

KRISTI NOEM, DHS SECRETARY: This is a war zone. His city is a war zone, and he's lying so that criminals can go in there and destroy people's lives. Where we have gone, we've made it much more free. People are much safer.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SIDNER: What do you think of her words there, that Chicago is a war zone, and they have made it safer and more free?

GUZMAN: Well, first, I'll cite that in Illinois and Chicago, we were actually seeing a decrease in crime and violence with deep thanks to the investments that we have made in public safety and violence prevention, right. That what I do know is that the war zone, again, is being created by the Trump administration's ICE. Tear gas being deployed at folks, folks being stopped based on the color of their skin, the language that they speak. Older people in my area being temporarily detained for asking a constitutional right, right, and affirming their right. They are creating the havoc. They are creating the war zone.

And what I will say is, my constituents do not feel safe. I was in my office on Friday getting call after call after call from folks that are seeing things occur outside their window, right? So, what I do know is, the war zone is being created by the Trump administration. Our communities are not better, not safer. And, in fact, I would argue, we're seeing unprecedented spending for unpopular mass deportation at the expense of things that do keep us safe. Things like putting health care in the lives of millions of Americans and millions of Illinoisans. So, they are choosing a route to continue to push war- based tactics here rather than actually researching and supporting our communities.

SIDNER: I do want to talk to you about what happened at a building, an apartment building, on the south side of Chicago. The governor saying that he's ordered an investigation into how these 200 ICE agents stormed this south side building, yanking dozens of people, including American children, out of their beds. What have you learned about what happened during that September 30th raid?

GUZMAN: I think we're still learning a lot of the details of what happened that night. And I think that, in part, is really problematic, thinking about the time of day that they chose. It was literally the middle of the night that we're pulling babies, families, moms into vehicles and carting them away, that we are disrupting people as they're getting ready to go to work and to school. But that is because they know that what they are doing is truly insidious and heinous.

And so, our community, in the south shore, is still reckoning with what has occurred, as you can imagine. It does nothing to help restore, again, our sense of peace, of safety, of community. And so, I'm grateful that there's an investigation underway because those people deserve justice.

SIDNER: Graciela Guzman, I do want to get your response to what ICE had said.

[08:40:02]

That -- they said, look, we were able to detain and arrest 37 people who were undocumented immigrants. That is a lot of people. And is that a good justification for how they went about this raid?

GUZMAN: There is no justification for how they are acting in this community. Again, they are converting districts like mine, districts where we have hard working parents, students, children that want to have opportunity into a fearful place where folks can't trust our government, they can't trust the good that we're doing, all to justify, again, an authoritarian agenda. That means that folks that have my skin color, that speak Spanish, that speak other languages are being, you know, held hostage to an administration just for that authoritarian will.

So, no, I don't think that the -- the means justify the end. And it's why we're going to continue ensuring that in states like ours that we continue to lean into ensuring that our folks understand their constitutional rights, that we resource rapid response, which is our community led efforts, to ensure that our communities feel safe. And at the state perspective, we're going to continue doing what we're doing, which is understanding that policy has a role to play in how we keep our community safe and resourced.

SIDNER: All right, State senator from Illinois, Graciela Guzman, thank you so much for coming on this morning. Appreciate it.

John.

BERMAN: All right, new this morning, millions of people who rely on food stamps and family aid through federal programs could be at risk of losing assistance in the government shutdown. According to the National WIC Association, that's the assistance for women, infants and children, if Congress does not bring an end to the shutdown, WIC could run out of money in the next two weeks.

Let's get right to CNN's Rene Marsh.

Rene, you've been covering this laser focused on WIC over the last few days. Where do things stand?

RENE MARSH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, John, good morning.

When we talk about this program, this is nearly 7 million pregnant women, new mothers, infants and young children who depend on this federal food assistance program known as WIC, that essentially helps them buy items like infant formula, baby food, eggs, bread, fruits and vegetables. So, WIC also provides breastfeeding and nutrition support.

This is such a critical program for low income, pregnant and postpartum women, especially at this time when inflation has really pushed up grocery prices.

Now the USDA, which is the agency that gives federal funding to states for the program, tells CNN that "nutrition programs will operate based on state choice and the length of the shutdown. The agency added that if Democrats do not fund the government, WIC will run out of funding and states will have to make a choice."

Now, it's worth noting, during previous shutdowns, states have stepped in to keep the program afloat. But this time it really could be different. Many of these states are in a tight financial pinch themselves, and participation in this program has actually increased because, again, grocery prices have gone up.

The shutdown is particularly challenging this time around because it is coming at the start of the fiscal year. So, states haven't yet received any of their grant money. And so, what we're seeing is, as the clock ticks on the availability of these federal funds for this program, millions of families who rely on it, they are now trying to do their best to prepare. They are stretching the food that they have now for as long as they can, and hoping that this shutdown ends soon, John.

BERMAN: Really difficult timing for a lot of people.

Rene Marsh, thanks so much for covering this for us.

Sara.

SIDNER: All right, right now, rescuers are desperately trying to reach hundreds of hikers trapped by a blizzard on Mount Everest. Heavy snowfall buried tents and reduced visibility at a campsite full of hikers trying to reach the world's tallest peak. This is happening on the Tibet side of the mountain.

And our CNN's Will Ripley joining us now with the very latest details.

This is terrifying because at those heights things can get really, really, really complicated. Do we know how many people are still stranded and if they've been able to find anyone yet? WILL RIPLEY, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Hey, Sara.

As of the last update, about 200 people are still stuck on the mountain. There were reports at one point up to 1,000 people were trapped because this blizzard could not have hit at a worse time. It was China's national day holiday. It's also the month of October, which usually brings clear skies and stable weather to Mount Everest. But instead, these hikers found themselves trapped in the middle of heavy snow, rain, thunder and lightning all at once. So, just imagine, you're at a high elevation and you're essentially trapped because so much snow fell that the trails were completely blocked. They actually had to dispatch a small army of locals, along with the people that normally work on the mountain and assist tourists and trekkers this time of year. They had to dig by hand a path, and then they had to basically go up and escort group by group to get them down and out of this area. It's known as the Kama Valley. So, they are facing these freezing winds, this very deep snow, zero visibility.

[08:45:01]

It's very dangerous for the rescuers. It's dangerous for the trekkers. So, they've been making it down very slowly. That's why they haven't been able to get everybody off just yet.

This is on Everest's eastern flank, as you mentioned, in Tibet. It's very remote, very hard to reach. No roads. No quick exits. It's not like the north face of Everett, which is also in Tibet, where China actually built a paved road about ten years ago. People can actually drive on a tour bus and get almost to base camp on the road. So, people on the north face were not as hard -- hard hit, you would say, as those who were on the eastern flank of Mount Everest.

But the good news is, at this hour, and as of the latest update, everybody has been accounted for. Many people are now safe, getting warmed up, getting medical treatment, if they need it. Probably getting a warm bowl of soup, Sara, which will feel like a blessing from heaven after being stuck out in the cold at that altitude for as long as they were, hours or even days in some cases.

SIDNER: Yes, a little butter tea would go a long way in this scenario, and there is nothing more terrifying about this because along these -- these paths up -- and Everest, you know this well, having lived in the region as I did, there are dead bodies. There are people who did not make it to remind you of just how dangerous it is. So, it is good to hear that at this point everyone's alive, it's just a matter of trying to figure out how to get them down.

Will Ripley, it is always good to see you there in Taipei, Taiwan.

All right, still ahead, President Trump considering a $10 billion bailout for American farmers to save them from the tariffs he levied.

And Taylor Swift, this should come as no shock, topping the charts, the box office and releasing her new music video overnight. It is all the rage. We'll talk a little bit more about "The Life of a Showgirl."

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[08:50:37]

BERMAN: This morning, President Trump is reportedly considering a $10 billion bailout for American farmers. The reason he needs to bail them out at all, partially his own trade war, surging costs, immigration- related labor shortages, plummeting commodity prices. New numbers from the Department of Agriculture show that farm production expenses are estimated to increase by $12 billion from last year. Farm bankruptcies have reached their highest level since 2021.

With us now is Caleb Ragland. He is the president of the American Soybean Association.

Mr. Ragland, thanks so much for being with us.

You know, I was just at the Farm Aid concert in Minnesota, and I was hearing so much about what soybean farmers are facing right now. Just describe the situation and how hard it is to sell your product.

CALEB RAGLAND, PRESIDENT, AMERICAN SOYBEAN ASSOCIATION: Well, it's a -- it's a perfect storm of high cost and low commodity prices. And we're already in a difficult farm economy. And then the trade war started, and that's taken things from bad to worse. And now our biggest export customer, China, has not purchased any soybeans from this year's crop. And that equates to about 25 percent of the whole American soybean crop this year. And we desperately need that market. And, unfortunately, we're in a standoff right now.

BERMAN: So, just to reiterate that, China's not buying any soybeans at all, and they make up at least a quarter of your market?

RAGLAND: Yes. If you see a soybean field, every fourth row of soybeans would go to China in recent years. And a few years ago, before the first trade war, one out of three rows went to China. So, they are a huge customer. They purchase more soybeans than all other export customers combined in recent years. So, they're vital to our survival and success as soybean farmers. And we desperately need that market.

BERMAN: So, what --

RAGLAND: China consumes 61 percent of all soybeans consumed worldwide.

BERMAN: So what happens to your crop if they don't buy it?

RAGLAND: Well, right -- right now we're looking at a situation with sales being low and sale price being low. And we are price takers as soybean farmers growing a commodity. And unfortunately, we have a cost that we cannot control. And on the flip side, we are price takers, and we receive what the market offers. And prices are far below cost of production currently. And it's a very bad situation.

And the result is going to be, we're going to have many farms that go out of business and are no longer able to continue raising soybeans and other crops. BERMAN: What is your reaction to the news that the administration, the

Trump administration, is considering a bailout of about $10 billion, maybe even more?

RAGLAND: Well, farmers are not in business trying to stay -- waiting around for the next government bailout or disaster relief or whatever you want to call it. Unfortunately, the situation that things are in, it's probably needed in order for many farms to survive. But government bailouts never make farms profitable. They don't make us whole. They don't make us thrive.

What we need is strong markets. And we need the government to remove barriers that take markets away and reduce competition and give us opportunities where we can thrive and have strong markets and actually make a profit from the market, having a level playing field.

When the American farmer has a level playing field and is able to compete and be fair with its competitors, we're going to win. We do a great job at producing. We produce the world's safest and most abundant and most consistent food supply that's out there. And we just need the opportunity to do what we do best, and that's produce the food, fiber and fuel for the world.

BERMAN: And you do a great job at that.

On the subject of bailouts, there's also the possibility being floated that the U.S. would bail out Argentina to the tune of $20 billion. Why does that matter to soybean farmers?

[08:55:04]

RAGLAND: Well, the ironic thing in the Argentina situation is that the $20 billion that's been proposed would be used to halt export taxes on products leaving their country. Ironically, the products that would leave would be soybeans and soybean oil. And basically, they would use our taxpayer dollars in order to create a level playing field to export their soybeans and provide further competition with U.S. soybeans to the Chinese market. And this gives an example of what happens when the playing field is level. It gives an example of what would happen if we didn't have our retaliatory tariffs in place to the tune of 20 percent with China.

So, I think it shows an example of what happens when the market can work freely. And I personally don't want to see us giving taxpayer dollars to aid a competitor and further compete with American soybean farmers. But this shows what happens when the market is free to work and when the playing field is level, that that's what would happen if we reduced the tariffs here at home. So, gives us a sneak peek of what the result would be if we use the same policy here at home.

BERMAN: Caleb Ragland, American Soybean Association. Listen, thank you for your time this morning. You guys have a tough job. You do it really, really well. Thank you.

Sara.

SIDNER: All right, thank you, John.

This morning, police in the U.K. are investigating a suspected hate crime after a mosque was set on fire. It happened Saturday. Doorbell Ring video captured the moment two people in masks set that fire. Two people were still inside, by the way, when this happened, but they were able to escape without injury. Police say the arson caused major damage to that mosque.

All right, former NFL quarterback, and current Fox Sports analyst, Mark Sanchez is trying to recover from being stabbed in Minneapolis, but he is the one facing misdemeanor charges in an attack. Police say an altercation started over a parking dispute. A 69-year-old driver said Sanchez climbed into his truck, ignored warnings to get out and then shoved him into a wall. The man then pepper sprayed and stabbed 38-year-old Sanchez. He said he felt threatened by him. Sanchez, right now in stable condition. The charges against him include battery and public intoxication.

All right, this is a beautiful thing to look at. The world's largest -- I made John look, by the way, when I said that. It's not a picture of John, but it's something very close. It is what is happening in Mexico. This big balloon festival. Tens of thousands of spectators in Albuquerque to watch hundreds of massive air balloons lift up into the skies and float away. The event's been going on for 50 years. You're making me laugh. Stop it, John Berman.

BERMAN: Well, I don't know why you said it looks like me, other than bloated, right? I mean, what are you saying there?

SIDNER: No. I said it's not a big picture of you because I said, oh, it's beautiful. Did you get the reference that you're a beautiful man?

BERMAN: I was up -- I was up late last night. I'm a little puffy. A little puffy this morning under the eyes. I get it. I get it, OK.

This morning, music, movies, you name it for Taylor Swift. She put out a film with the release of her new album. And that film, the official "Release Party of a Showgirl," it was number one at the box office with $33 million between the U.S. and Canada. So, she did music, movies, and now I think she's going to take over TV also.

Let's get to CNN's Lisa Respers France for the latest on that.

Good morning.

LISA RESPERS FRANCE, CNN ENTERTAINMENT REPORTER: Good morning, John.

Yes, she's going to be on Jimmy Fallon tonight. And Taylor's basically been everywhere promoting this album. She started mostly in the U.K., which made sense because she was in Europe when she was recording this album while on the Eras Tour. She would pop over to Sweden and, you know, just write and record, as one does when one is on a major tour. And she's really saving the record industry right now. I mean, and film. She's number one film, as you noted. When it came to records, I mean, she's breaking all types of records. Spotify said that "The Fate of Ophelia" was the most streamed single first day that they've ever had. She's even selling vinyl. She's sold over a million, you know, when it came to vinyl. So, who's -- and who's buying vinyl in the streaming age, John?

So, people are super-duper excited. And she released "The Fate of Ophelia" video. It's now live for people to watch. And it's very exciting. You can catch all the little easter eggs she has in there, including somebody tossing her a football, which feels very adorable.

And it's really interesting because all of this success is also happening in the backdrop of some people being very critical of the album. Some people don't love the lyrics. And she's actually been explaining her thought process behind the lyrics, including talking about the song that's believed to be a bit of a diss track.

[09:00:01]

But my favorite thing was her explaining what her mother thinks the song would "Wood" is about. Let's take a listen.