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Police Still Searching Ex-Prince Andrew's Former Home; Alicia Arden and Gloria Allred are Interviewed about Ex-Prince Andrew's Arrest; Sen. Chris Coons (D-DE) is Interviewed about Iran. Aired 9- 9:30a ET

Aired February 20, 2026 - 09:00   ET

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

[09:00:00]

SARA SIDNER, CNN ANCHOR: Died. The 53-year-old announced just last April that he had ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig's Disease. There was a huge outpouring of support for Dane. He is remembered by generations of fans because you may remember he also had roles in "Saved by the Bell," "Charmed," and "Euphoria." His publicist said Dane spent his final days surrounded by close friends, his wife and their two daughters.

All right, Team USA celebrating two huge wins on the ice. For the first time in decades, an American woman has won individual figure skating gold. It was 20-year-old Alysa Liu who claimed gold just two years after taking a break from the sport. And the momentum didn't stop there. Team USA women's hockey team beat Canada two to one in overtime to claim the gold over their long-time rival.

And a Nevada woman is helping to honor veterans who dropped out of school to serve their country. Charm McElree has spent 16 years with Operation Recognition, helping veterans from World War II, Korea and Vietnam get their diplomas from the same high schools they would have graduated from if they hadn't been sent to war.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CHARM MCELREE, HELPING VETERANS GET THEIR HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMAS: I think it gives closure and dignity to the veterans. And I didn't realize how much it meant to them. But the more I do and the more I give them, it really makes me feel good.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SIDNER: What a wonderful person. What a great American.

A new hour of CNN NEWS CENTRAL starts right now.

All right, this morning, what is next for disgraced former Prince Andrew? He's out of police custody but far clear of legal troubles after his arrest, as authorities are searching one of his former homes for a second day.

Also, dangerous wildfires ripping across the plains. Hundreds of thousands of acres are burned. Over a million people are under a fire watch. Where it's headed next.

Plus, Chalamet and McConaughey. A dynamic duo, and dare we say, our CNN colleagues participating in a fascinating town hall.

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

KATE BOLDUAN, CNN ANCHOR: So, what comes next? That's one of many big questions now coming out of the U.K. this morning after the extraordinary arrest of former Prince Andrew. The younger brother of King Charles is the first senior British royal to be arrested in nearly 400 years. But today he remains under investigation by British police on suspicion of misconduct in public office. No charges have been filed up to this point. Police have not clarified what led to the arrest. But Andrew did serve as Britain's trade envoy for a decade starting in 2001. And the latest batch of Jeffrey Epstein documents released by the U.S. Justice Department showed the extent to which Andrew was in contact with Epstein during that time.

CNN's Max Foster is outside Buckingham Palace with the very latest.

Max, what are you learning today and what are you hearing now?

MAX FOSTER, CNN ANCHOR AND ROYAL CORRESPONDENT: So, Andrew back in Norfolk. That home has been searched. And the police are currently searching his former home in Windsor. He's between homes actually at the moment. So, they're going through everything that they find there.

I think what's interesting here is this is a search obviously through his digital background, looking for any emails that may help their investigation. And if they find something, they can call Andrew back in, re-arrest him effectively and question him about that.

Very interesting hearing all the survivors speaking on CNN in the last 24 hours because what they're looking for is accountability, of course. And this is the first real case of accountability they see in relation to Epstein. But they're also looking for validation. They want people to believe their story. And now we are starting to -- we may, out of this investigation for the first time see one of the males in Epstein's circle actually having to reveal his side of communications with Epstein. And perhaps that will give some validation to the survivors.

This investigation is not about sexual misconduct. It's like -- it is about misconduct in public office. But what they want to know is what is on those computers of all the men in Epstein's circle. And it may reveal more evidence that they need to investigate.

BOLDUAN: Absolutely. It's a wild moment, Max, especially seeing -- I mean just your -- your reaction to that image that is now splashed over all of the U.K. tabloids, this will be an enduring image of this extraordinary moment of Andrew being arrested.

FOSTER: Yes. I mean, when we're talking about a downfall over a series of years, which will continue, it really illustrates that, doesn't it, trying to duck from the cameras and looking absolutely on his knees. [09:05:03]

So, an extraordinary image, you're right.

I have to say, there's other investigations going on we should probably talk about, Kate, as well. Multiple investigations across the U.K. One of the other interesting ones is an inquiry by the metropolitan police into Andrew's private protection officers. They have to log everything that they do. So, there's going to be an inquiry into that as well. Did Andrew go to Epstein's island? What did the personal protection officers actually see there? I spoke to a former metropolitan police officer yesterday, actually, who said, you know, there's a real alarm really in that community because they may be accused of turning a blind eye.

BOLDUAN: Max, thanks so much for jumping on. Really appreciate your reporting on this always and your insight.

Sara.

SIDNER: All right, thank you, Kate. With me now is Alicia Arden. She is an Epstein survivor. And Gloria Allred, an attorney for her and several survivors of Jeffrey Epstein's abuse.

Alicia, to you.

You have said that this evidence shows no one is above the law in the U.K. What do you make of what has happened in the U.S.?

ALICIA ARDEN, EPSTEIN ABUSE SURVIVOR: Well, it's very good news what's happening in the U.S. and the president -- I really am so happy that we, the survivors and myself, we pushed for the president and Congress to release the Epstein files, which is what led to Andrew's arrest yesterday. And I'm very happy for and proud of myself and really the survivors and happy for everyone that they're seeing what's happening. And that's what led to Andrew's arrest, the release and the pushing of Congress and the president to release the files.

And I stuck by it. So did the survivors. And I'm very happy for them. And that's what is continuing to go on in the U.S. and the U.K. And it just really shows that no one is above the law in the U.K. or in the U.S. And if you are in the Epstein files, then you will be held accountable and arrested.

SIDNER: Alicia, do you believe that this kind of accountability that you're seeing in the U.K. and in other countries is possible here that you will see a result, some kind of justice here in the United States by those powerful men who took advantage of girls doing things, like raping and, you know, sexually assaulting them?

ARDEN: Yes. And that's a good point because no one has been arrested here in the U.S. yet that was connected with the files or in the files. And I have been reading some people in the -- in the paper, they're losing their jobs. They are on the verge of being arrested, I hope. No one directly has been arrested yet here in the U.S., only the U.K. So, yes, I would like to see some more activity of high-profile men

that are in the files. They need to be arrested, like Andrew was yesterday in the U.K. So, it needs to take place in the U.S., yes. You're 100 percent right. Yes.

SIDNER: I want to let you -- I want to let you and Gloria listen to what President Trump said today about -- or yesterday about the arrest of former Prince Andrew. Here's how he responded to the arrest.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I think it's a shame. I think it's very sad. I think it's so bad for the royal family. It's a very, very sad -- to me, it's a very sad thing.

It's really interesting because nobody used to speak about Epstein when he was alive, but now they speak. But I'm the one that can talk about it because I've been totally exonerated.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SIDNER: As a survivor, he said he thinks it's a shame after learning of Andrew's arrest. How did you -- what did you hear there? How did you interpret that?

ARDEN: Well, I think it's a shame that the president is saying that because, I mean, Andrew was allegedly, you know, hurting young girls, or victims, and he's in the files. And so, I, you know, I wish that Virginia Giuffre was alive. I met her. She would be so happy and relieved as to what is taking place with Andrew being arrested yesterday in the U.K. She would be so happy and so relieved. And I really am unhappy that he -- that he said that because I think Andrew is the first one that is -- it's good news that he was arrested yesterday.

[09:10:08]

And more to come of pedophiles that are potentially already released in the files and they need to be arrested here in the -- in the U.K. So, I don't know why he would be shocked at that. It's really frightening to me. I mean I have goosebumps. It's frightening.

SIDNER: I'm sorry that you have to feel scared again that just, after all these years and all the work that you have done. I do want to just mention that, in this case, Andrew is being investigated for something other than sexual assault, but he is being investigated for the work that he was doing as a trade attache. But it -- but it is something that is being investigated and there has been an arrest.

Gloria, how did you -- how did you hear what the president said? And when you see that what's happening in the U.K. and that there is an arrest of the brother of the king, but we haven't seen anything like that here, what do you make of it all?

GLORIA ALLRED, ATTORNEY FOR MULTIPLE EPSTEIN SURVIVORS: Well, I think that the U.K. is doing what they should be doing here, but are not doing here. And the president said it's a shame for the royal family. I think it's a shame that the Department of Justice in the United States has not released all of the Epstein files, as is required by the Epstein Files Transparency Act. It's a shame that the names were -- of the survivors were unredacted so that those who were jane doe for so many years had their names exposed or photos exposed, and they were, in many cases, then suffered from attacks on the internet because of the fact that they were victims but they're -- they were not believed. And they were so courageous. I think it's a shame that the Department of Justice, the deputy attorney general, Todd Blanche, announced before he dumped the files on the public, the millions of files that were released, that no one was going to be prosecuted. So, in other words, the kind of, I've made up my mind, don't confuse me with the facts type of attitude is something that is really disappointing and not something that any prior deputy attorney generals have ever done.

So, I think what we have to do is say, we're happy about the fact that there are some consequences, like arrest and shame for the former Prince Andrew. But again, the root issue is child sexual abuse, child sexual trafficking and adult females who suffered from sex-ploitation and we want to see some accountability for that if as and when there is proof beyond a reasonable doubt that can be presented in a court of law.

Les Wexner was deposed yesterday in Congress. But Congress has never contacted Alicia Arden. And, in fact, she was the first one to file a police report about Jeffrey Epstein, alleging he represented Victoria's Secret, and then he sexually assaulted her. And was he ever asked by the Santa Monica Police Department? Is he really a representative of Victoria's Secret? Do you know what he's doing out there interviewing models and then touching them and groping them and engaging in inappropriate conduct? Why didn't they investigate more? What answers did they receive? Did Congress even look into that? Because that could have protected other women.

So, there's still more to come. We need accountability in the United States. We need it civilly if it's appropriate to have it criminally as well. But right now the only person who's been convicted after trial in the United States on this whole scandal and devastating matter for victims is Ms. Maxwell, and she is a British citizen. No powerful men have even been arrested to date.

SIDNER: I know you've been through a lot.

ARDEN: And I always said if my police report would have been --

SIDNER: Go ahead, Alicia.

ARDEN: If my police report would have been looked at more, I potentially could have saved the girls from what they went through because I had no idea of being in the room with him, thinking I was going to get in Victoria's Secret's showing my portfolio to potentially get in Victoria's Secret, I never thought it would lead to what it has led to. All of this. With young girls. I never ever thought that this would happen.

ALLRED: And that was 1997.

ARDEN: Yes.

SIDNER: It was really early on.

ALLRED: How many young women, how many children could have been protected if they listened to Alicia?

SIDNER: Alicia, thank you for your courage. And I am sorry that the system has completely failed you and the other victims.

Gloria, thank you for being here and bringing her on with you.

John.

JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: All right, maybe the most unique way to pore through the Epstein files.

[09:15:03]

One site that lets you do it like you're looking at it right through Jeffrey Epstein's own email account.

And the largest U.S. military buildup in the Middle East in decades, prepared to strike Iran as soon as this weekend. Not much explanation for the White House on the why or the end game.

And a special CNN "Variety" town hall event. Timothee Chalamet and Matthew McConaughey, a lot of "a's," taking -- talking craft, career and the threat of A.I.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BOLDUAN: So, President Trump has now announced a new deadline, if you will, for Iran to either agree to a nuclear deal or face possible military action. Sources have told CNN that the U.S. is prepared to strike as soon as this weekend, U.S. military, but now here is the president aboard Air Force One.

[09:20:06]

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Well, we'll either make a deal or we're going to get a deal one way or the other.

REPORTER: But with a military strike, it is to wipe out their nuclear program?

TRUMP: I'm going to talk to you about that. But we're either going to get a deal or it's going to be unfortunate for them.

REPORTER: And you said today ten more days. Have you given them a deadline firm to make a deal?

TRUMP: Well, I would think that would be enough time, ten, 15 days, pretty much maximum.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BOLDUAN: Also, here's new reporting on -- there is new reporting on the range of options that he's considering. The president's considering, according to sources, that it could go from targeted strikes on nuclear or missile sites, to a sustained operation that could last for weeks, to toppling Iran's regime. That is if he decides to order a military operation.

So, where are we? Joining me right now is Democratic Senator Chris Coons of Delaware. He sits on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

Senator, thank you for being here.

With that statement from the president aboard Air Force One, do you expect a U.S. military strike on Iran in 15 days?

SEN. CHRIS COONS (D-DE): Kate, it's tough to tell because there's no plan and there's no briefing to Congress from the Trump administration.

I'll remind you that our president has the power as commander in chief to defend the United States from a surprise attack or an unexpected attack, but the Constitution gives Congress the power to declare war and to authorize military strikes.

I dressed down Secretary of State Marco Rubio, when he last appeared in front of the Foreign Relations Committee, for lying to us about regime change being the real goal in the military action against Maduro, for carrying out strike after strike in the Caribbean against alleged drug running boats, and then suddenly carrying out a military action to remove Maduro and bring him to the United States, which they'd been planning and rehearsing for months.

So, too here, we've had precious little briefing or engagement from the Trump administration. We know what you know, and your viewers know, which is that two aircraft carriers, thousands of sailors and troops, Marines, destroyers and refueling vehicles have been pre- positioned into the Middle East. So, I do expect Trump, once again, to use military force. I'm concerned, Kate, that he's learning the wrong lesson from missile strikes on several countries -- I think it was seven countries last year -- that you can do this without cost, without blowback and without attacks.

We have thousands of American troops throughout the Middle East, and Iran has made it clear, if we strike them, they intend to strike us. And although, thank God, there were no American casualties in Venezuela, I am concerned about the very real risks to our service members and to regional stability if he tries more missile strikes as a way of moving negotiations forward.

BOLDUAN: Yes. So, one thing about this is the why now and what is actually the end goal. David Sanger is -- over at "The New York Times," has a very good analysis today that gets into this. How Trump is saying a lot, but has failed so far to make the case, as you would expect him to, not only just behind closed doors to Congress, but to the American people on why he is thinking of targeting Iran now. Here's just some of his reporting. "Though Mr. Trump is largely fixated on the nuclear weapons program, at various moments he and his aides have cited a range of other rationales for military action, protecting the protesters that Iranian forces killed by the thousands last month, wiping out the arsenal of missiles that Iran can use to strike Israel, and ending Tehran's support for Hamas and Hezbollah."

Add to that, Trump has also time -- at times toyed with the idea that the best end state here is regime change or maybe not. I mean, do you understand the rationale and the real goal here?

COONS: Not at all. So, Kate, let's be clear, the Iranian regime is an awful, terrible terrorist regime that has supported regional proxies that have carried out terrorist acts, that has threatened the United States and Israel for decades. So, please don't misunderstand me. I'm no friend or ally of the Iranian regime. None of us should be.

But the war that was begun in Iraq lasted 20 years, not 20 weeks, and cost trillions of dollars and thousands of American lives. And the lack of a clear plan and a clear case to the American people about this potential war in Iran should also give us real pause. Trump ran for president on a few simple things. He was going to lower people's cost of living, make America healthy again, release the Epstein files, and no new foreign wars. And so far he's failed on all of them, and he seems to be intent on dragging us into another risky engagement without a clear rationale or a clear scope and plan, and without approval from Congress.

[09:25:00]

BOLDUAN: A new wrinkle here is that the British prime minister has reportedly told Trump that he cannot use British airfield facilities at Diego Garcia, that base in the Indian Ocean, to conduct any operations against Iran. What's your reaction to that?

COONS: So, Kate, I was in Munich for the security conference this past week before I went into Odessa in Ukraine, and I met with and heard from a wide range of our European allies, including the United Kingdom's national security adviser, among many others, and the American four star general who commands our forces in Europe. Keir Starmer, the British prime minister, who you just cited, has denied us access to Diego Garcia for bombing Iran. Has made it clear, as have several other vital allies, that Trump's threats to seize Greenland, to impose huge tariffs on our key NATO allies, to force Denmark into giving up Greenland has shattered their trust in us and has undermined NATO.

It was one of the stupidest and most irresponsible things any American president has done in decades, because everything we could gain from more investment in arctic security, we could have secured without these threats. Trump has undermined the confidence of our core allies, and it's starting to have security consequences.

BOLDUAN: Can I -- COONS: Where we should be engaged is in supporting President Zelenskyy and the brave fighters of Ukraine, who this Tuesday will have been fighting Putin's brutal war of aggression for four years. Our NATO allies have stepped up, Kate, and they're spending almost all of the money to support Ukraine. They've dramatically increased their investment in our collective security. NATO should be the strongest it's ever been. Trump should be taking some credit for that. Instead, his actions are undermining NATO. And in one of the first trips into Odessa since the war began, the senators I traveled with, Senator Shaheen and Blumenthal and Whitehouse, we saw the real impact on civilians, the military and the Ukrainian people of the daily constant barrage of Iranian drones, of North Korean attacks, of Chinese support. Our adversaries are pulling together to support Russia and their brutal war.

Russia has absorbed more than a million casualties, Kate. And if we would simply double down, impose sanctions on Russia, restrain our adversaries and support our allies, Trump and the United States could actually achieve a positive path forward, maybe even peace and a just peace in Ukraine. But instead, Trump is bent on adventures in other countries and in undermining the confidence of our core allies and the Ukrainian people in our reliability as America.

BOLDUAN: It really all is wrapped up and impacts the next. It really all is wrapped up together. We were just showing some pictures that your office had put out of your visit to Odessa and to Ukraine, where you just returned from with the congressional delegation of -- that answered my question on that.

It's good to see you, Senator. Thank you for coming in.

Sara.

SIDNER: All right, thank you, Kate.

CNN exclusive reporting that there is now a significant pivot inside the Trump administration's immigration crackdown playbook. Our Priscilla Alvarez reporting that the administration is shelving the highly visible, militarized-style immigration sweeps like we saw in Minneapolis, in favor of a more targeted approach, during the chaotic and deadly actions of ICE and Border Patrol in Minneapolis where two Americans were killed. The agents also shot and injured an immigrant man. The agents claimed under oath that they were attacked by a shovel and broom, and that is why they shot him. Well, now those agents are being investigated for lying after the ICE director says there's testimony that they gave does not appear to match the video that ICE reviewed.

I asked Border Czar Tom Homan about it last hour.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TOM HOMAN, BORDER CZAR: They're being investigated and they may be charged with a crime if the evidence shows that they lied under oath and made up this whole -- the whole incident. They'll be held accountable. I know the U.S. attorney. I talked to us attorney. And they're all over this.

SIDNER: You think they should be fired and charged with a crime if indeed they lied under oath?

HOMAN: If they committed a crime, then they need to be held accountable.

SIDNER: So, then I have to ask you, in November 2025, a federal judge found that U.S. Border Patrol Chief Greg Bovino, quote, "admitted that he lied during a deposition about being hit in the head with a rock before deploying tear gas at protesters in the Chicago area." Should Greg Bovino be fired or charged for lying under oath?

HOME: Look, if a judge declared he lied under oath, he needs to be investigated. And that's up to CBP.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SIDNER: So, when I asked him about his border agents shooting and killing Alex Pretti and the lies that were told about him brandishing a gun, Homan said, if people violate the law, if people violated the policy, again, they need to be held accountable, including Greg Bovino.

[09:30:07]

All right, remember Trump's plan to build an