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Rep. Stephen Lynch (D-MA) is Interviewed about Trump Jr.'s Investments; Incendiary Device Thrown at FBI Headquarters in New York; New Polls on Trump's Popularity; Spain Edges Argentina in World Cup. Aired 9:30-10a ET

Aired July 20, 2026 - 09:30   ET

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

[09:30:00]

CURT DEVINE, CNN SENIOR INVESTIGATIVE PRODUCER: Like this have invested in some of these same companies. But government watchdogs still say this trend raises questions because taxpayer dollars are boosting companies that the firm has invested in.

I asked Donald Trump Jr.'s spokesman, about all this, and he sent a statement saying, "Don does not interface with the federal government as part of his role with any company that he invests in or advises."

We also got a statement from an attorney for 1789 Capital. He said the firm has done nothing "with respect to these private companies, other than making the same smart investments as other well-respected funds and investors."

And the White House spokeswoman there said "there are no conflicts of interest."

BIANNA GOLODRYGA, CNN ANCHOR: All right, Curt Devine, you'll continue to follow this story for us. Thank you so much.

Hohn.

JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: All right, with us now is Congressman Stephen Lynch, a Democrat from Massachusetts, who is on the House Oversight Committee.

And, Congressman, I hope you just heard that report there about this investment firm now that has links to Donald Trump Jr., 1789 Capital. What questions does it raise for you? The White House says there are no conflicts of interest.

REP. STEPHEN LYNCH (D-MA): Look, John, thanks for having me.

There's a broad spectrum of, you know, financial dealings that we will want to look at if the Democrats do retake the House, especially on the Oversight Committee. You know, going back to the president's dealings with Changpeng Zhao from Binance. You know, he pardoned this convicted CEO and then immediately got $2 billion in investment on his stablecoin. There's just a whole drumbeat of financial transactions going back and forth between the president, his family, and other governments. So, there's so much to look at. It will require -- and this is just one more example, 1789, but there's a lot to look at here. We'll be very busy if we take back the House on the -- on the Oversight Committee.

BERMAN: How could Donald Trump Jr., or should Donald Trump Jr., separate himself from the administration? We heard him say out loud, he was at that conference saying, you know, we're able to do well because I understand so well what's going on in this administration because we helped put it together. But he also said he's on the outside.

LYNCH: Right. Well, you know, there's a -- there's a history here, right? The Republicans, back when President Biden was in that, there was this deal between Hunter Biden and Burisma I think was the name of the company. And they thought there was a $10 million contract. We're talking about billions, tens of billions of dollars between, you know, the Trump boys and -- three of them, and also, you know, these various companies. So -- and dealing directly on matters where the government is involved, directly involved. So, it's deeply troubling, especially because even though the Republicans were keenly interested in looking at those dealings with Hunter Biden, there's complete radio silence on these matters dealing with the president, including, you know, including the, you know, Russell Vought over at -- Vought over at CFPB. He's supposed to be in charge of protecting consumers and yet investors lost $3.8 billion on Trump's, you know, USD1, his, you know, his crypto coin.

BERMAN: Yes. James Comer, who's the chair of the Oversight Committee, was very, very concerned about Biden family dealings and Hunter Biden. I was going to ask you, what have you heard from Chairman Comer about questions he might have about the Trump sons and these businesses?

LYNCH: Zero. They're avoiding this completely. There's no interest. You know, we had -- we had Russell Vought before us last week in committee. There was nothing but congratulations from the Republican side in terms of the job he was doing, even though, you know, we've had these massive transactions and tremendous benefit to the president. And, you know, it's involved a pardon. And then -- and then a huge investment from that CEO, Zhao's company Binance. It's really troubling.

And then we've seen the same thing with the UAE. They've made a massive investment, and all of a sudden they qualify for these highly specific and powerful chips, Silicon chips, that they were previously not qualified to receive. And so, it looks like there are a lot of quid pro quos between the White House and those who would invest with the president's companies.

[09:35:04]

BERMAN: So, we learned this morning the identities of two service members killed over the weekend. There may have been as many as four who were killed this weekend. We're still waiting to identify remains. These are the first U.S. killed in action since March in the war with Iran. Where is this going?

LYNCH: We're not sure. You know, the service members who were killed in Jordan, Jordan's a long-time partner of ours. King Abdullah has been at the forefront of our efforts to, you know, have a presence in the -- in the Middle East. You know, we've got -- we've got boots on the ground there, obviously, in Jordan, in Amman. So, it looks like this is expanding exponentially.

We saw some incoming at Bahrain where the Fifth Fleet is located. We've seen, obviously, attacks into Kuwait at some of their core infrastructure, desalination plants, things like that. So, even though the president said this was over some months ago, it's very much alive and it's an expanding conflict. So, I'm deeply troubled. I think the president should come back and talk to Congress, Democrats and Republicans, about where we are going. What's the purpose here because he seemed to have -- he seems to have lost his way.

BERMAN: Congressman Stephen Lynch, from Massachusetts, appreciate you being with us this morning. Thank you.

We're getting some breaking news just in. A person is in custody after throwing what appears to have been a makeshift bomb at New York's FBI headquarters. We're getting new details just in on this. So, stand by for that.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[09:41:24]

BERMAN: All right, we are getting some breaking news just in. A person apparently in custody after throwing what appears to be a makeshift incendiary device at New York's FBI headquarters. This is -- this is way downtown.

Let's get to Gloria Pazmino, who's got the latest on this.

Gloria, what have you learned here?

GLORIA PAZMINO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's right, John, we learned that there was a shelter in place order that went into effect down at 26 Federal Plaza after this incident was reported outside this building. As you said, this is in lower Manhattan in front of 26 Federal Plaza.

We have some brand-new images. You see the smoke going off there. We are hearing from sources who are telling my colleague Brynn Gingras and Josh Campbell that this appears to have been a mix of some sort of incendiary, liquid and potentially fireworks. You see the smoke going off there. One person has been taken into custody. We have no reports of injuries so far.

You mentioned this is in lower Manhattan, happening right in front of 26 Federal Plaza, which is home to offices of ICE, immigration court, the federal building. The federal courts are all in the vicinity. So, this is a very tight, secure area of lower Manhattan. Something going off like this would certainly set off alarms.

For now, it looks like no one has been injured. The person who set off this smoke and the fireworks has been taken into custody. And we're waiting to learn more about exactly what happened. But I can tell you that there was a shelter in place order that went

into effect for those who were inside 26 Federal Plaza while they got the situation outside of the building under control.

GOLODRYGA: And, Gloria, just give us a sense of what the situation looks like outside of the building now. Thankfully, nobody was injured. Are they now scouring and searching for potential other devices nearby?

PAZMINO: Yes. Police and federal officials who are responding to the incident will be going around the area to make sure that there are no other potential devices that were placed in the area. As I said, this is a really a secure, important area of lower Manhattan. All of the federal courts are there. The criminal court is nearby. Immigration court is inside this building. ICE headquarters for New York. And FBI headquarters, as you said in the beginning.

So, right now, it will be all about securing the area. You see law enforcement officers there rushing in to move those barricades. And you see them taking the person -- taking the person into custody and making sure that the inside of the building is secure.

BERMAN: All right. Yes, I am seeing that now, the person being taken into custody. It kicked up a significant amount of smoke and dust right around the area, but you could see the officers running around there. They didn't look particularly concerned for their own safety or the safety of others in a wider area there. They felt like they contained it. At least it looked like they felt like they contained it fairly quickly.

Gloria Pazmino, thank you for that update. Please keep us posted as you learn more.

We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[09:48:53]

BERMAN: All right, this morning, fresh new polling on the president's popularity, but not as far as the president is concerned, fresh like a daisy.

With us now, CNN chief data analyst Harry Enten.

This doesn't smell good.

HARRY ENTEN, CNN CHIEF DATA ANALYST: No, the cake is getting baked. And what's being baked ain't daisies, I'll tell you that much.

I mean, just take a look here. OK, Trump's net approval rating. You know, a lot of stuff has happened over the last few months. Has any of that really lifted Trump from record lows for these given pollsters or second record lows? Not really.

I mean just take a look here. "The Washington Post," his all-time low was just minus 25 points back in April in terms of his net approval rating. His approval minus disapproval. Now it's the second worst. Tied for the second worst of all time at minus 24 points. CNBC was at its second lowest level at minus 18 points. And now he's at the record low for him in CNBC, minus 19 points.

When you put it together, what essentially is going on is, there are a lot of events in the world, but this cake, as we get closer and closer to the midterm elections, is starting to look at least a little bit baked here.

BERMAN: All right, I mean, I suppose you could say if you're a Republican, the good news, it's not getting worse, but you actually need it to be getting better.

[09:50:01]

ENTEN: Correct. These are -- these are -- these are horrible numbers, Johnny B.

BERMAN: So, put it in historical perspective.

ENTEN: Yes, just how horrible are these numbers? I mean, it's the worst this century for a president at this point in his second term when you look at an average of the CNBC and "Washington Post" polls. I mean we're talking about, right here, the average of CNBC and "Washington Post," minus 22 points. Barack Obama was underwater, but not anywhere near this level. He was at minus eight. And George W. Bush, in the middle of the Iraq War, when that was going south, he was at minus 20 points.

So, at this point, Donald John Trump is, in fact, holding the record for the lowest net approval rating for a president in a second term at this point in the second term of any president in the 21st century.

BERMAN: And if you think that's bad --

ENTEN: And if you think this is bad, what is driving this number? It's independents, baby. It's independents.

Look, all time worst at this point in a second term, net approval rating among independents, Donald John Trump, this segment has been about baking, he takes the cake at minus 45 points among independents. Even worse than Richard Milhous Nixon, who was about to leave office because of Watergate, who had previously held the record at minus 37 points, and the aforementioned George W. Bush at minus 31 points. Donald John Trump, the worst ever rating, net approval rating, with independents at this point in a second term.

BERMAN: We reported this morning that gas prices back up over $4 a gallon. That probably won't help. What are the prediction markets saying about gas prices?

ENTEN: Yes, they're going to climb ever higher. OK, what are we talking about here? Chance that gas prices hit $4.10 a gallon, at least above that level. It was 14 percent on July 13th. Now an 84 percent chance. If you thought Donald Trump's numbers were bad, they may get worse when folks, of course, are seeing how much it costs to fill up their tank of gas.

BERMAN: The sentiment change there is notable to be sure.

ENTEN: Oh, it is very notable.

BERMAN: Harry Enten, thank you very much.

ENTEN: Thank you, my friend.

BERMAN: We got a lot of news this morning. We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[09:55:38]

GOLODRYGA: All right, a single goal, the winning goal, as you just said, John, in extra time made all the difference to give Spain their second World Cup title over defending champions Messi and Argentina.

Joining us now, two-time Olympic gold medalist and former goalkeeper for the U.S. women's national team, Briana Scurry. She's also the author of the book "My Greatest Save." Also with us, Leander Schaerlaeckens, soccer columnist for "The Guardian" and author -- oh, a lot of authors here on the show today -- author of the book "The Long Game."

I was lucky enough to have gone to the game yesterday. It was --

BERMAN: You were on the scene. You were our person on the scene.

GOLODRYGA: Exactly. It was phenomenal. Just great to be there. My team didn't win, but the right team did win, Briana, the team that played best throughout this tournament and actually was dominating throughout the game yesterday.

BRIANA SCURRY, FORMER USWNT GOALKEEPER: Yes.

GOLODRYGA: It is shocking that Spain didn't score more goals. Thank goodness they -- that Argentina had the goalie that they had. But it was -- it was all Spain all the way.

SCURRY: Absolutely. I mean, Martinez had the game of his life. He had 11 saves, which is a World Cup record. And as you may know, if you're making that many saves as a goalkeeper, that means your house is on fire. And so, he held that -- he held that water hose as best as he could to keep his team in there. They went down a man as well. I mean, Argentina was up against it. Spain had their -- had their tails up all the way. The entire time they were firing at him.

And as you said, the best team won with a fantastic effort by Williams to head the ball back into bounds for the goal. So, it was a wonderful game and hats off to Martinez.

BERMAN: The goal was absolutely fantastic.

GOLODRYGA: Yes. BERMAN: The kind of 110 minutes prior to it, not so much, Leander. I do think -- I do think -- I mean, thank goodness we had all the energy of what was one of the best World Cups I can remember up until this point because the actual final game in a vacuum, up until kind of extra time, was a little bit meh.

LEANDER SCHAERLAECKENS, SOCCER COLUMNIST, "GUARDIAN U.S.": It really was. I mean it was pretty apparent right from the start that Spain was the much, much better team. They have that sort of methodical, mechanical quality to them. They press incredibly well. So, Argentina really couldn't even get out of its own half when it even got the ball, which was a rarity throughout the game. It really, the entire time, felt like a matter of when, not if Spain would get its breakthrough. And the great achievement by Argentina in this game is keeping it as close as they did.

As Briana mentioned, I mean, Martinez had a great game in goal, just as he did in the 2022 World Cup final when Argentina won, largely on account of his heroics in goal when they finally prevailed on penalties. But there was only so long that they could hold out.

And you could kind of tell what kind of game it was just by how little Leo Messi touched the ball. I mean he was really a non-factor for most of the game because his whole thing is, you know, having possession and being able to run at goal. And you need the ball to be able to do that.

GOLODRYGA: And yet -- and yet, because it is Messi, Briana, there were two moments in the tail end of this game where Messi's magic could have worked. We could have seen this game go to penalties. And yet that didn't happen. If this is, in fact, his swan song, just talk about his role throughout this World Cup and the legacy, the legacy that this man leaves.

SCURRY: I mean, Messi is -- his nickname is "a little magician," and everybody knows why. I mean he can make an amazing effort out of something that seems like it's not even happening.

That game yesterday, for example, as much as Spain had that ball and as much as they knocked on the door, Martinez kept him out and in the game long enough for Messi to actually have an opportunity to maybe tie it up. And I know those Argentinian fans were on the edge of their seat that last five minutes because Argentina has shown that they can come from behind multiple times at the very end of a game. But his legacy is cemented in my opinion. I mean he was trying to do the double, which is almost unheard of. So, in my opinion, he essentially passed the torch to Yamal (ph) in Spain.

But he has a lot to show for what he's done.

[10:00:00]

I mean his teammates love him. He has come into this game. He has completely changed it. He has a temperament that I absolutely love. I mean, the man is not shaken. And at the end