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James Marsh is Interviewed About Epstein Emails; Stefany Shaheen is Interviewed About Health Care; Battle Over Future of Online Shopping. Aired 9:30-10a ET

Aired November 13, 2025 - 09:30   ET

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

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[09:31:09]

JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: All right, the breaking news this morning, growing pressure to release, not just some, but all the so-called Jeffrey Epstein files. The House will vote on that next week after a trove of some 20,000 pages of documents were made public yesterday. Among them, Epstein's private emails that specifically mention Donald Trump's name multiple times, including one in which Epstein writes about one of his alleged victims, whose name has been redacted here, spending hours with Trump at Epstein's home. One of Epstein's survivors gave her reaction to those emails on CNN.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DANIELLE BENSKY, JEFFREY Epstein SURVIVOR: I think the emails really speak for themselves. You know, you read it and you have a very visceral reaction to them.

And I think survivors have been very clear and consistent about our messaging, that anyone who performs harm or anybody that does -- that has done any wrongdoing or has harmed people should face accountability.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BERMAN: With us now is James Marsh, an attorney who represents some of Epstein's victims.

Counselor, great to see you this morning.

JAMES MARSH, ATTORNEY REPRESENTING VICTIMS OF JEFFREY EPSTEIN: Good morning.

BERMAN: And I do think one of the questions that always should be asked first, when we're talking about Jeffrey Epstein, and often is not, is what do his survivors think? What do they think this morning now that this latest release, this newest release of some 20,000 pages, has come out?

MARSH: I think what's important to realize about the trove of emails that were released yesterday was, these are not the files that everyone's been talking about. These are the private communications between Jeffrey Epstein and dozens of people, many of them very powerful, very well-known individuals from -- from the estate. So, these are not the FBI files.

And I think one comment in the emails really sort of highlights what the victims and survivors have been experiencing for 30 years, which is the comment that President Trump knew about the girls, right, knew about the girls. And what my clients have been experiencing, and Maria Farmer is among them, for 30 years, is this, you know, lack of concern about the girls. Many, many people knew what Jeffrey Epstein was doing, and no one did anything about it. And I think that is a repeat really, and really highlights the kind of trauma that they've been experiencing for 30 years.

BERMAN: Let me read you the specific email that you're talking about. This one was from 2019, where Jeffrey Epstein wrote, quote, "of course Trump knew about the girls as he asked Ghislaine to stop."

Now, we're not exactly sure what the context here is, but we have reported, and the president has claimed, that Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell were hiring or taking away staffers from Mar-a-Lago. I don't know if that's specifically what this refers to, taking the so-called girls away, that that Donald Trump knew. But what questions specifically does that raise for you?

MARSH: I think the primary question that that raises, and I think it's a perfect example, there's been some really good reporting on this by CNN, an analytical piece from yesterday on the context of these emails and the ramifications of these various documents.

You know, I think the important thing to remember is, like I said, many people knew, and the president himself has indicated, that he knew something was going on about the girls, whether they were being hired away or Epstein was stealing employees or whatever it was. But it -- but it's possible that this is the narrative that could help the president because the president's already been public about this. Yes, he knew about this. He didn't approve of it. And he kicked Jeffrey Epstein out.

[09:35:00]

But you have to remember that these are the emails in Jeffrey Epstein's files. We do not know what is in the government files. And I think as we look as this unfold, we have to remember, you know, why are they then so afraid of what's in the government files if this, in some ways, supports the presidents and many other people's narrative.

BERMAN: So, speaking to that question, what do your clients think about that when they see the efforts to which the White House is going not to have -- not to have the House even vote on releasing the full files, meetings in this Situation Room. How does that leave them feeling?

MARSH: That leaves them feeling betrayed. And it's a form of institutional betrayal that we see, whether we're dealing with the Catholic church, the Boy Scouts of America. Anytime where there's widespread sexual abuse of children, we have this institutional betrayal. We have this inability or unwillingness by institutions to do anything to protect the most vulnerable.

In this case, obviously, we don't expect Jeffrey Epstein to do anything to keep his victims safe or secure. And this is his commentary about what others are seeing. We need to see what's in the actual files from the government, the FBI, the people that were in charge of preventing this kind of activity to actually find out who knew what, when, who was aware of it and who didn't do anything.

And like I said at the beginning of the segment, this is exactly what our clients have been experiencing for 30 years. This is no surprise to them. This is nothing new. They were involved with these individuals who are seemingly very preoccupied with this trafficking network that Jeffrey Epstein was operating.

So, we need to find out what the people in charge knew, aka the FBI, the federal government, all of the agencies that have investigated Epstein. And again, my clients are not satisfied with these, you know, half answers. This just supports their narrative.

BERMAN: Again, one of the things you hear in some circles is there's no smoking gun in these 20,000 pages. Is that even the right question, whether there's a smoking gun?

MARSH: No. Yes, it's not the right question because, like I said, these -- this is what my clients experienced in their lived experience with Jeffrey Epstein, right? A lot of talk. A lot of, you know, these people are preoccupied with people in power, with, you know, who knew what? When did they know it? It's like a giant game for these people.

And this is exactly what our clients experience. They were pawns in Jeffrey Epstein's, you know, network of very powerful people who were using them as basically playthings, to be lent out, rented out, part of the entertainment. And this is part of what makes the Jeffrey Epstein conspiracy so, I think, resonate with so many people. It's the fact that this was normalized by these individuals. This was joked about. This was, you know, commented on. And there's no respect for the victims. And I think that really goes to what they've experienced. Why didn't anyone help me? Why didn't anyone stop this from happening? Why didn't anyone listen to my report, as Maria Farmer said, in 1996 and investigate what was happening? That's the government files. That's what we need to know. And our clients, my clients, the American people, are not going to stop until we get disclosure about that piece.

BERMAN: James Marsh, thanks so much for being with us this morning.

All right, how artificial intelligence will help you buy things you didn't even know you wanted.

And from a big voice to the big screen. Adele, she's going to be in a movie.

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[09:43:09] BERMAN: All right, this morning, the government shutdown is over, but enhanced subsidies for Obamacare are still set to expire before the end of the year. Democrats had hoped the shutdown deal would include an extension of those subsidies. It did not. They may get a vote in the Senate, but no guarantee it will pass.

With us now is Stefany Shaheen, who is running for Congress in New Hampshire. She's also the daughter of the Democratic senator from New Hampshire, Jeanne Shaheen, who backed the shutdown deal.

Thank you very much for being with us.

Obviously, you knew this was going to be a question and issue. What did you think when Senator Shaheen was part of this deal to end the shutdown?

STEFANY SHAHEEN (D), NEW Hampshire CONGRESSIONAL CANDIDATE: Well, good morning, John. Thank you so much for having me today.

And, you know, ultimately, I got into this race for Congress because improving health care has been the cause of my life. It became that when my eldest daughter was diagnosed with type one diabetes shortly after her eighth birthday. And so, for me, making sure the American people have access to health care is the reason I'm in this campaign. It is the fight of my life. And when Speaker Johnson refuses to guarantee a vote to extend the Affordable Care Act tax credits, I knew I couldn't support the deal.

BERMAN: Again, parents don't have to agree with their children. Children don't have to agree with their parents. But how did you specifically feel about your mother, but also the senior senator from your state, being part of this deal?

SHAHEEN: Look, you know, she did what she believes is right, and I'm doing what I believe is right. Ultimately, we need to turn this anger into action. We need to insist that Speaker Johnson bring a vote to the floor. You know, in New Hampshire, if these tax credits don't get extended, an average family of four is going to see their premiums go up $7,000. That is just not acceptable. It's not sustainable. And we need to demand that the Republicans address this issue in the next six weeks before these premiums go up.

[09:45:06]

BERMAN: I don't know what discussions you may have had behind the scenes, but this is what Senator Shaheen told our Kate Bolduan about why she was pushing for an end to the shutdown.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. JEANNE SHAHEEN (D-NH): All those people who opposed this agreement, staying in a shutdown mode was not getting us anywhere. And they need to train their fire on the people who are responsible. That's President Donald Trump. It's Speaker Johnson. And it's the Republicans who have blocked every attempt to get health care. We need to be working together. That's what I intend to do. (END VIDEO CLIP)

BERMAN: So, do you feel that the shutdown was getting anywhere? And if there is no deal by the end of January, would you support Democrats trying to push for a new shutdown?

SHAHEEN: Look, I'm going to be focused in the next six weeks on demanding that Speaker Johnson bring a vote to the floor to extend the Affordable Care Act tax credits. That has to happen. It has to happen before these premiums go up in January. We can't afford to wait until the end of January. We have a fight ahead of us. This fight isn't over. It's why I got into this race. And we have to demand a vote. We have to turn this anger into action and we have to get a vote.

BERMAN: It's interesting. We just had elections last week in Virginia and in New Jersey, where, obviously, affordability was a big issue. Health care also a big issue.

You're running in New Hampshire, which may be a little less purplish than it used to be, but still not fully blue. It's kind of a bluer shade of purple. What have you been hearing from constituents on issues including affordability?

SHAHEEN: Sure. Well, I mean, I think that's part of the major challenge people are facing here. And New Hampshire is still very much a purple state. This is a very purple district I'm seeking to represent. It's one of the swingiest districts in the country. It's a seat we have to win in order to control a majority in the House in 2026, which is why I'm in the race. And I'm in the race to fight for the issues of affordability and cost of living.

I've heard from far too many people about the effects of the increases, both in terms of tariffs, you know, 97 percent of New Hampshire business is small business. They're being hammered by these tariffs. Families are struggling to afford food and rent and housing is a real struggle here. So, we can't, on top of those issues, be also having to absorb premiums that are going to make health insurance out of reach.

And let's just be clear about what that means. That means that people are going to go without health care. That means they're going to end up in emergency rooms. That means they're not going to be able to see doctors when they need them. And I know what that fear feels like, because when my daughter was diagnosed with type one diabetes, we didn't have the Affordable Care Act and she could have been denied coverage because she had a diagnosis. And I know what it feels like to worry about whether you're going to be able to get the care your doctors need. We have to prevent this from happening, and we have to demand again that the Republicans will bring a vote forward. And that's what I'm focused on for the next six weeks.

BERMAN: Stefany Shaheen, coming to us from the great city of Portsmouth, New Hampshire. Thanks so much.

Sara. SARA SIDNER, CNN ANCHOR: All right, still ahead, unionized Starbucks

workers turning the red cup holiday season into a red cup rebellion. Why they are going on strike.

And a tech showdown taking shape over how you shop online. Google, Amazon, OpenAI racing to build the next generation of A.I. shopping assistants.

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[09:53:00]

SIDNER: All right, on our radar this morning, civil rights leader Jesse Jackson has been hospitalized. The 84-year-old is under observation at Chicago hospital for progressive supranuclear palsy, it's also known as PSP, a rare neurological disorder. Jackson has been managing the condition for more than a decade now after first being diagnosed with Parkinson's disease. We wish him well.

And a nationwide labor strike threatening to disrupt Starbucks' popular red cup day. The annual promotion typically draws long lines and huge demands for the free, collectible and reusable holiday cups. Starbucks workers' union members are demanding a finalized contract agreement, and the union says workers in at least 25 cities are going to be off the job today.

Hollywood is saying hello to singer Adele. The British artist is reportedly making her acting debut in the film adaptation of the Anne Rice novel "Cry to Heaven". It's set in 18th century Italy and the world of opera. The report says the movie is going to be released next fall.

John Berman.

BERMAN: Does she get to sing in the part?

SIDNER: I mean, I would be upset if she wasn't singing in this.

BERMAN: That would be weird casting if not, right?

SIDNER: It would be strange.

BERMAN: All right, so, new this morning, a new era in online shopping is coming, and it involves artificial intelligence. Major tech companies racing to create tools like A.I. shopping assistants, which we may need even if we don't know we need them.

CNN tech editor Lisa Eadicicco is with us now with all the new details.

What are you learning?

LISA EADICICCO, TECH EDITOR, CNN BUSINESS: So, what we're seeing here is that an increasing number of tech companies and retailers are launching more A.I. shopping tools. And the goal with these tools right now is really to just kind of help with recommendations and the browsing side of things. But I think this is working towards a world, and maybe they're doing some of the shopping for us.

And I'll give you an example. This morning, Google just announced a new feature that can actually have Google call local stores on your behalf to see if an item is in stock, and then it will then send you a message with information about whether they have the product, what's the -- what the price is, if there's any promotions, things like that.

[09:55:07]

And so, this is just one example. There are a lot of companies that are doing this now. And OpenAI actually also just got into the online shopping game a couple of months ago. They announced the ability to buy things in ChatGPT. They have a partnership with Walmart, Etsy, PayPal, which is huge. So, there's a lot happening in the space right now.

BERMAN: Is this going to be the type of thing where, like, my computer buys things that I don't even know I need or want, telling me that this is what you secretly want. We can tell because we're spying on you.

EADICICCO: So that's like -- I wouldn't use the word spying. But, yes, the idea is based on your browsing.

BERMAN: I would use the word spying.

EADICICCO: Based on your browsing history and your habits. I mean Amazon is doing this kind of thing. They, of course, have an A.I. tool that will make recommendations based on the products you're looking at. And if you're looking at a number of different products, it will try to help you pick the best one. So, there's definitely more of that happening.

BERMAN: And why A.I., more than just search history here, why is A.I. so central?

EADICICCO: So, I think the big thing that's happening here is that this is actually about more than just online shopping. This is kind of about the future of the web. Because shopping is one of the critical things that people do online. So, if OpenAI has a bigger part of that, then they can own more of that experience.

BERMAN: All right, Lisa Eadicicco, I'm not going to call it spying. You convince me otherwise. Thanks so much for being with us.

EADICICCO: Thank you.

SIDNER: Thank you for being here. And thank you for joining us. This is CNN NEWS CENTRAL. "THE SITUATION ROOM," up next.

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