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GOP Centrists Back Democratic Push to Extend ACA Subsidies; Trump to Give Address as New Poll Shows Low Approval on Economy; Democrats Grill FCC Chair Over Jimmy Kimmel Controversy. Aired 3:30-4p ET

Aired December 17, 2025 - 15:30   ET

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

[15:30:00]

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REP. ERIC BURLISON (R-MO): To me, they're stabbing the rest of the party in the back. We took a bold stand, and I think the president is absolutely right. Like throwing money at insurance companies doesn't solve the problem.

This is, to me, a betrayal to the rest of us Republicans.

MANU RAJU, CNN CHIEF CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Is the Speaker on the step with your constituents on this issue?

REP. BRIAN FITZPATRICK (R-PA): On this issue, yes, because we did what was in the interest of my bosses back home.

RAJU: How would you characterize the Speaker's handling of the issue of ACA subsidies?

REP. NICK LALOTA (R-NY): He needs to do better. He needs to allow for a vote that both addresses the short- and long-term issues of Obamacare.

SEN. LISA MURKOWSKI (R-AK): When people feel that they have counted on or waited for their Congress to act on an issue that they feel is a huge priority, and they see no action, there's consequence to that.

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RAJU (on camera): And the three Republicans who sided on to this effort are from Pennsylvania, they represent swing districts, another from New York, another swing district, which shows you the challenge that they are facing. They are hearing from their constituents worried about blowback as they head into the midterm election season next year, which is why they want to vote. The Speaker can decide when to bring this to the floor, but recess is scheduled by the end of this week, which means if he does not bring it to the floor this week, it will come up in January after those subsidies expire.

BORIS SANCHEZ, CNN HOST: Manu, you also spoke with Lisa Murkowski, the Senator there. What are the chances the Senate actually takes up this bill if it passes? RAJU: You know, that is a totally different process, you know, Boris. There is no real mechanism to force a vote the way that there is in the United States House. There are some ways to use leverage if you're in the minority party.

So it is unclear if it would ever get a vote in the United States Senate to extend those subsidies for three years. Remember, the Democrats did get a vote on the same bill as a result of the government shutdown that ended. It was their negotiating to get a vote on the floor of the United States Senate to extend those subsidies.

That failed in the United States Senate just a couple of weeks ago. So bring -- so it is uncertain, though, whether anything will change the majority leader of the Senate, John Thune, told reporters earlier today he does not believe momentum in the House means momentum in the Senate.

BRIANNA KEILAR, CNN HOST: Yes, interesting. Manu, thank you for that.

Coming up, President Trump announcing a primetime speech from the White House tonight. He's expected to tease policy actions coming in the new year. And we'll discuss next.

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KEILAR: When President Trump gives his White House speech during primetime tonight, sources say he will address the issue that he has repeatedly called a hoax, the affordability crisis.

New polls showing rising prices are causing some real hits to the president's approval numbers. The NPR Marist poll found recently just 36 percent of adults like the job that he's doing when it comes to the economy.

SANCHEZ: That is the lowest rating any president has received in the six years this poll has asked that question. And it just released CNN Poll of Polls finds President Trump's overall job approval hanging at 39 percent.

Let's get some perspective from veteran pollster and communication strategist Frank Luntz. Frank, great to see you, as always. The president set to address the nation tonight.

Does he change that perception?

FRANK LUNTZ, POLLSTER AND COMMUNICATIONS STRATEGIST: He has to. Now, no one's making a decision about 2026 or what happens now over Christmas in 2025. But I watched Joe Biden in '21 and '22 in the holiday season completely dismiss inflation concerns. And we know that it damaged him for the rest of his administration.

Trump understood -- President Trump understands that and understands that he has to change the perception. But it's hard to do when food prices are as high as they are. Health care prices are as high as they are, and they're having this fight right now in Congress over whether or not to continue the subsidies.

Nobody cares about the details. They care about the overall cost. And if Americans believe that affordability is a crisis, then it is a crisis.

KEILAR: How do you see you're like the messaging guru on this kind of stuff and what people want to hear? How do you see his messaging around it? What he is calling a hoax with the White House is saying he's actually calling a hoax versus what he isn't.

I mean, the truth is he is diminishing this cost issue that Americans are really feeling. But at the same time, they're kind of making semantic issues over his messaging at the White House.

LUNTZ: In the end, it's do you have more money at the end of the day? And the truth is, it's not about wages. It's about costs.

Even if your wages go up, if you can't afford that car, if you can't afford that health insurance, you say that inflation is a real problem. First, I'm impressed that they're finally calling it affordability because that's what it is. It's not inflation.

Second is that he does recognize it, which is why he's doing this speech. And third, he says he does have the ability to communicate, to change and communicate a message that says, I hear you, I get it. And in specific response to your question, that's the key, the empathy, the understanding.

Don't tell someone that it's happy days are here again and it's 1929. Nobody will believe it. In the end, you have to acknowledge what they're seeing, what they're feeling, and then lean into it.

SANCHEZ: How do you message the disagreement we're watching unfold on Capitol Hill when it comes to health care and these expiring Obamacare subsidies, these Republicans in swing districts defecting from the vision of the president and the Speaker of the House?

LUNTZ: Because in the end, you talk about the bureaucracy and that it doesn't deliver. In the end, you talk about the disappointment that people have when their doctor and their hospital aren't covered. The key for the Republicans is to deliver the affordability that people need, the choice and control that people want, delivered by the doctors and hospitals that people trust.

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And there has been concern that the healthcare system doesn't work. If you start that way, then voters will allow you the right to make the changes to deliver the affordability that people need. But if you don't empathize, if you don't acknowledge that this is happening, you will fail. And the issue for Republicans is that they don't want to make this a political issue.

They want to keep focused on the substance, not the style. And over the fight that's happened the last 24 hours, it's all politics. KEILAR: You've seen this bombshell Vanity Fair piece featuring many interviews with White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles. And one of the things she said that was sort of interesting was she wants to see the president kind of pivot towards talking about domestic economic issues. Less about Saudi Arabia is probably called for.

But at the same time, the president's got the U.S. very much embroiled in this targeting of the boats in the Caribbean, Venezuela. You know, is there going to be some kind of land incursion? A U.S. military action in Venezuela. How does he need to address that?

LUNTZ: So she talks -- she gave a very candid approach, which is something that's needed in politics right now. Just tell the truth. And they are -- they're using it against him, trying to use her words to beat upon the administration.

This is my advice to those who hold the administration accountable. This is my advice to Americans right now. See the entire picture.

There's things that she said that a chief of staff doesn't say. Well, good for her. But do the whole picture.

She also talked about the successes that he's had, that his ability to make things happen that people said was impossible. Do the entire picture. It is of an administration that has done far better than anyone expected.

But there are some areas that she would like to change.

SANCHEZ: What do you make of the chief of staff? One who avoids the limelight for the most part, doing this interview with Vanity Fair.

LUNTZ: We don't know whether she was -- and I could see her doing this because she's a different chief of staff. She's direct. What she says, I trust. I believe her.

And maybe they released it earlier than they said. Maybe there was a deal that we don't know about. But in the end, we have to look at the whole picture.

KEILAR: Or maybe they just got something they weren't expecting. That happens frequently where I think, you know, people think they're going to get some kind of glowing story and maybe they're going to get the unvarnished truth. Right.

LUNTZ: Which is what we need right now. At the end of the year, I want us to reflect on what a year it's been, because I don't think it's been a great year. I think it's very problematic.

I think we're so divided and so angry. And the stuff that we say online and offline is horrific. And just maybe this will help the conversation a little bit as we head into Christmas and New Year's, that we will just accept our differences and embrace them.

I'd much rather be at a party where people disagree with me. I just don't want them to do it in a way that's vicious and inhumane. We're losing our civility.

We're losing our decency. And she communicates in a very straightforward way. And I appreciate that as a communicator.

SANCHEZ: Frank Luntz, always great to get your perspective. If there's Mountain Dew and Cheesy Poofs, it's a good party. That's for sure.

LUNTZ: I never expected to hear that on CNN. Thank you for shaking me up.

SANCHEZ: Yes, divisive party. People that agree with you, as long as there's Mountain Dew and Cheesy Poofs, it's a good party. OK.

Thanks so much, Frank.

LUNTZ: Thank you.

SANCHEZ: Still plenty more news to come on CNN NEWS CENTRAL.

The FCC chairman on Capitol Hill facing tough questions about his pressure campaign against Jimmy Kimmel and President Trump's threats against media outlets. Stay with us.

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SANCHEZ: The FCC chairman appearing before Congress for the first time today after pressuring ABC to pull late night host Jimmy Kimmel from TV. You'll recall Brendan Carr said ABC could deal with Kimmel, quote, the easy way or the hard way in the wake of Kimmel's comments following the murder of conservative activist Charlie Kirk. During the Senate Commerce Committee hearing, Carr faced criticism even from Republican Senator Ted Cruz.

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SEN. TED CRUZ (R-TX): Jimmy Kimmel is angry, overtly partisan, and profoundly unfunny. But what government cannot do is force private entities to take actions that the government cannot take directly. Government officials threatening adverse consequences for disfavored content is an unconstitutional coercion that chills protected speech.

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SANCHEZ: Joining us now is actor Brad Garrett. You might recognize him as Ray Romano's brother, Robert Barone on Everybody Loves Raymond. Sir, thank you so much for being with us.

BRAD GARRETT, ACTOR, EVERYBODY LOVES RAYMOND: Hey, Boris.

SANCHEZ: Hey. Just wondering what you made of the testimony from Brendan Carr and his leadership at the FCC.

GARRETT: Well, I think the question is, did Brendan do it hard or easy? I'm not sure what's going on. I'm just hoping we're not back to black and white movies only.

But I'll tell you what I think this is all about, the hearings with the FCC. We have a malignant narcissist sitting in the White House. And if people don't do his bidding all through the government, you know, it's going to be hell to pay.

I love how Jimmy Kimmel is doubling down in his monologues and how Stephen Colbert are still doing what they do best -- Jon Stewart. This is an important time for all artists to stand up.

[15:50:00]

And we're used to doing things hard because it's a difficult industry. So I'm excited that Jimmy's going strong and that ABC extended his contract. All the things that should be happening, you know.

SANCHEZ: Yes. I want to get your thoughts on something that Disney Entertainment co-chair Dana Walden told Bloomberg recently. She was asked about the Kimmel suspension.

Let's listen.

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UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Let's talk about Kimmel. What happened and what were the conversations between you and Bob and Jimmy?

DANA WALDEN, CO-CHAIRMAN, DISNEY ENTERTAINMENT: We were thinking about only one thing as we made that decision very close to a show going back up on that Wednesday. And that was the situation was extremely heated.

We wanted to take the temperature down. We didn't think that was going to be possible that night.

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SANCHEZ: What do you think of that reasoning?

GARRETT: I think when you are facing an autocracy in your government, I think people are navigating waters they've really never been in. Dana Walden is incredibly smart. She knows what she's doing.

She took a beat and they ended up doing the right thing, keeping Kimmel on the air and not censoring him. I just think it's a very different, scary time for our Constitution, for our democracy. And I think everybody's trying to figure it out.

But Jimmy won and that's what counts.

SANCHEZ: You also signed on to a letter from Jane Fonda's Committee for the First Amendment, something that was initially created in the McCarthy era. You talk about this being an unprecedented time. How does this compare in your eyes to the McCarthy era when artists were blacklisted based on their associations or even just allegations of associations? GARRETT: I think it's as scary as the McCarthy times. I mean, what's the difference? The difference is you have McCarthy running the White House.

And, you know, Trump's got a paper-thin ego. And, you know, I think we know a lot about bullies. At the end of the day, deep down, they're not that brave and they're anything but courageous.

And I'm excited to be part of what Jane Fonda is using this committee to move forward and just make sure that our First Amendment rights are protected. And I think the only ones that can really do that right now are the artists. I think we have to stand up so everybody can have their rights and then their freedom of speech.

So it's sad that we all have to get together and think of this in 2025. But it's definitely important.

SANCHEZ: Before we go, Brad, I wanted to give you a moment to reflect on the passing of Rob Reiner, someone you called a creative genius and a patriot.

GARRETT: Yes. It's horrific. I mean, I don't, you know, I'm not going to say anything that hasn't been said.

I think, if anything, this country, for the first time in a long time, has to focus on what we do with people that have mental illness that need help, not want help, but need help. We need to protect the public. We need to protect some of these people from themselves.

We need to protect the families. And we need facilities where they can get the help while we are protected and they're protected from themselves. It is a disaster what has happened.

I didn't know the Reiners, but I was a huge fan of his work. I know how philanthropic he was and how he cared about human beings. And I stand with him.

And hopefully his message could be resonated, not only love of family and helping those that do have addiction, but also the warnings of where we may be headed politically.

SANCHEZ: Brad Garrett, we have to leave the conversation there. We appreciate you joining us and sharing your point of view.

GARRETT: Why? What happened? Am I being censored?

SANCHEZ: We only have like four minutes and we got a commercial break we got to take, Brad. We got to go.

But thank you for joining us.

GARRETT: Thanks for having me.

SANCHEZ: Stay with CNN. We'll be right back.

[15:55:00] (COMMERCIAL BREAK)

SANCHEZ: Let's go to some remarks taken moments ago of President Trump returning from Dover Air Force Base to Joint Base Andrews, answering questions from reporters.

I believe he was asked about Susie Wiles following her Vanity Fair interview. Let's listen.

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Energy rights. They took all of our oil from not that long ago and we want it back, but they took it. They illegally took it.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: (INAUDIBLE)

TRUMP: Again, Dan did a great job. I think he wants to go back to his show.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: (INAUDIBLE)

TRUMP: Yes.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: (INAUDIBLE)

[16:00:00]

TRUMP: They're getting land, oil rights, whatever we had. They took it away because we had a president that maybe wasn't watching, but they're not going to do that. And we want it back.

They took our oil rights. We had a lot of oil there. As you know, they threw our companies out, and we want it back.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: (INAUDIBLE)

TRUMP: Well, I think the message this evening is we inherited a mess.

SANCHEZ: We're going to continue listening closely to President Trump and bring you the latest as we get it from Joint Base Andrews. For now, let's turn it over to "THE ARENA" with Kasie Hunt. Thanks for joining us.

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