Return to Transcripts main page

CNN News Central

Psychologist Says Clancy Couldn't Understand Right From Wrong; Trump Says U.S. Reached Trade Deal With Canada to Avert 50 Percent Tariff; Trump Halts Talks With Iran, Signaling a New Approach in War; UAE Suspends All Business With Iran Until Further Notice; Trump to Travel to South Carolina to Rally for Sen. Graham After Rocky Debate; Oversight Chair Threatens Epstein Associate With Contempt. Aired 1:30- 2p ET

Aired August 19, 2026 - 13:30   ET

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

[13:30:00]

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DR. PAUL ZEIZEI, CLINICAL AND FORENSIC PSYCHOLOGIST: It is a stool softener for her child.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And that's something that was prescribed by the doctor. Right?

ZEIZEI: Yes.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Does that make sense that if somebody is in a state where they're having these symptoms, that they're able to remember that the doctor wanted the child to have Pedia-Lax and she tells her husband to get Pedia-Lax?

ZEIZEI: Yes. It does not interfere with that type of everyday living.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

JEAN CASAREZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: So on the day where everything happened, she went to the doctor with her daughter, she realized she had to get a laxative, she made a snowman with her kids. And so what this witness is saying, and this is going to be tough for the jury because the psychosis that is going on inside of you, the voices telling you you've got to kill your children, there's no outward manifestation.

It appears as though you're very normal. Now on cross-examination by the prosecution, they went through the records of the hospital she's in now on all the pivotal dates up to the current day. What would have been Cora's sixth birthday, would have been Dawson's fourth birthday, what would have been Clancy's second birthday, the day she killed her children, and all the notes said no behavioral issues.

She was playing dominoes, she was going to the coffee club, she was doing this, they're trying to show she didn't care about the kids and what happened on those days and the birthdays that were lost. That she is a murderer of the children. BORIS SANCHEZ, CNN CO-ANCHOR OF "CNN NEWS CENTRAL": Wow. A case that has captured national attention. We'll see what happens next. Jean Casarez, thank you so much for that report.

Up next, President Trump pauses his 50 percent tariff on Canada at the last minute, just hours before it was set to take effect. He says both sides have reached a trade deal. His Canadian counterpart doesn't sound as certain. We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[13:35:38]

ERICA HILL, CNN CO-ANCHOR OF "CNN NEWS CENTRAL": A new twist in President Trump's trade war with our northern neighbor, Canada. The president now says the two sides have reached a deal after days of talks. And of course, after he paused that 50 percent tariff on billions of dollars worth of Canadian goods that was set to take effect today.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, (R) PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: They called yesterday and they gave us the points that we had to have. Very fair deal for both. The tariffs will be non-existent for our farmers. Our farmers were paying tremendous tariffs into Canada. And those tariffs are going to be totally eviscerated, down to zero.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Is the U.S. going to lower tariffs on Canadian automobiles?

TRUMP: We're doing certain things. We've got to give something. And we're doing certain things. They were paying a high number. We're reducing it a little bit. Basically, we have no tariffs going into Canada anymore. Canada was charging us tremendous tariffs.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HILL: Canadian Prime Minister, Mark Carney confirming the tariff delay but saying, quote, "substantial progress has been made, although there is important work still to be done."

Joining us to discuss, Chrystia Freeland, former Deputy Prime Minister of Canada. It's good to have you with us. So, I think it's also important to know you were a negotiator on the USMCA which replaced, of course, NAFTA during President Trump's first term.

So, the fact that we hear the president announcing a deal a short time ago, Carney says there's still work to be done. Based on your experience, what's the real story here?

CHRYSTIA FREELAND, FORMER CANADIAN DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER: Well, I think the two sides are getting closer. I think one of the things that is always the case in trade agreements and is especially the case when dealing with the Trump administration is it's not over until it's over. So, there won't be a deal until it is actually announced. I think it's also important to recognize that this, what we're talking about, is a very temporary measure. And really what we're talking about is U.S. tariffs that have been imposed on Canada in violation of the trade agreement that Canada and the United States have in place right now and that Donald Trump himself negotiated.

HILL: All important points. So, as we wait to see how this actually shakes out, I do think it's a perfect time to bring up some of the points that you made in an op-ed you wrote in The New York Times last month. You called out President Trump's tariff threat, saying none of this was ever about, in your view, correcting financial imbalances, not even about the Rust Belt economy.

You stated, and I'm quoting this here, "Mr. Trump's tariff offensive has a clear purpose, to demonstrate who is dominant and who must submit." Given that, who do you think is dominant in this latest deal- making between the U.S. and Canada?

FREELAND: Look, I think it's important not to judge the deal until the deal is done and announced. But what we're seeing now, which to me is really just sad, is that President Trump is pushing Canada to make concessions that go beyond and are in violation of our agreed trade deal.

And so you have to ask yourself, what is a deal with the United States worth? I mean, Canada, under this president, negotiated a deal. It was a deal that was ratified by Republicans and Democrats. I think it's one of the only things that Nancy Pelosi and Donald Trump both agreed on. And even that hasn't been enough.

And I was listening to your show earlier. You had people complaining about affordability and prices. And you had Democratic candidates on saying, we're going to be campaigning against tariffs because they raise prices for regular Americans. So, you know, to me, this is a really unfortunate moment because America is hurting its allies and it's also hurting American consumers.

HILL: You asked what a deal is worth, right? Basically, I mean, I'm paraphrasing here, right? But can the U.S. be trusted to follow through on a deal that it makes? There's also the question of you in that same op-ed, you urged Canada to fight back.

So what does that actually look like in this moment? How much leverage do you think Canada has to push back, to fight back?

FREELAND: Well, first of all, that is a great point about how much is a deal worth.

[13:40:00]

And in a way, we almost need a different word than deal. What we're talking about right now that's being discussed isn't really a deal. It's something that Donald Trump could rip up at any moment, and he's shown his willingness to do that. That's a real problem.

I think the challenge for Canadians right now is they're really angry and they feel really betrayed by the United States -- by the president of the United States. And, you know, Canadians, like all of us know a lot of Americans and all of us feel like Americans are our friends, our neighbors, our partners. And so this feels very personal. I do think that limits the negotiating room of the Canadian team.

And I would urge Americans to really think about what kind of a relationship do you want with other countries in the world? And to kind of look beyond the brinksmanship of today, because I think long- term what the United States is doing with Canada and all of its traditional allies is eroding the friendship, eroding the partnership. And there are going to come moments when the United States wants to have friends in the world. I'm worried that those friends just won't be there. And I think that weakens all of the world's democracies.

HILL: Chrystia Freeland, we appreciate your perspective this afternoon. Thank you.

FREELAND: Thanks a lot, Erica.

HILL: I had here the sister of the late Senator Lindsey Graham booed during a primary debate. We will play that moment for you. You will hear for yourself her answer that caused that reaction. Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[13:46:08]

HILL: After hitting pause on talks with Iran, sources say President Trump is now trying out a new strategy, shifting away from crushing military strikes to strangling Iran economically instead. A short time ago, Trump attempted to put an upbeat spin on the stalemate as he claimed oil was moving through the Strait of Hormuz.

Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: We have possession, complete control of the Strait. I mean, outside of nuisance value, and there is nuisance value when they shoot a drone every once in a while. Right now, I think the situation is so good.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HILL: The situation is so good, the president says. CNN's Jeremy Diamond joining us now. So, Jeremy, in terms of allies in the region there, do they share that same view as the president?

JEREMY DIAMOND, CNN JERUSALEM CORRESPONDENT: No, certainly not. I mean, nobody in the region really believes that the situation in the Strait of Hormuz is so good right now. In particular, you look at the United Arab Emirates, a key U.S. ally in the region, that has now also cut off all trade with Iran after Iran fired two ballistic missiles in its direction, according to the UAE's defense ministry.

And this is what we've been witnessing, is not only Iran's continued ability to carry out attacks on shipping and U.S. allies in the region that has contributed to slowing shipping to a halt, but in addition to that, you know, the numbers that we are seeing of ships crossing through the Strait of Hormuz is now in the single digits, far below the 120 or so ships per day that used to cross the Strait of Hormuz before the war with Iran began.

Now, there is one important caveat to all of this, which is that the U.S. does appear to be gaining some ground in terms of allowing traffic to go through the Strait of Hormuz once again. That's because 80-plus percent of ships that have been going through the Strait, of the very small number that are, they are going through the Omani route, which is the route, you know, the southernmost route of the Strait of Hormuz, not the route that Iran wants ships to be taking.

It's the one where Iran has threatened to attack ships that go through that area. But it appears increasingly that the United States is gaining ground through some of its military efforts there to try and get traffic to resume through that Strait. But it is still far from ideal conditions in the Strait of Hormuz, and it is reflected in the fact that we are seeing oil prices at now over $90 a barrel or hovering around there.

And for now, there is no real concrete diplomacy in sight to actually resolve this stalemate. We have heard the Iranians once again reiterating today that the Strait of Hormuz, from their perspective, will remain closed until the United States meets the conditions that Iran has set out for that Strait to be reopened.

So I think it's quite clear at this stage that neither Iran nor the United States have total control of the Strait, but the situation just remains so volatile and uncertain that the kind of shipping that we used to see through the Strait of Hormuz has certainly not returned and is showing no indication of returning to those pre-war levels anytime soon.

HILL: Yeah, absolutely. Jeremy, really appreciate the update. Thank you. Boris?

SANCHEZ: Major fallout today after Republican Senator Darline Graham struggled to answer a question about national security during last night's debate against her primary runoff opponent, Congressman Ralph Norman. This is the question the moderator asked Senator Graham. Quote, "Are Taiwan and the South China Sea national security issues for the United States? And if so, why?"

This was her response.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. DARLINE GRAHAM, (R-SC): I'm just going to be honest here. I'm not on national security. I'm not that informed on national security, so -- but I do support the military. I'm not a polished politician up here.

[13:50:00]

National security is not my thing, not my area of expertise, but I do support the military.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SANCHEZ: CNN Chief National Affairs Correspondent, Jeff Zeleny joins us now. Jeff, Graham's opponents are seizing on this moment.

JEFF ZELENY, CNN CHIEF NATIONAL AFFAIRS CORRESPONDENT: I mean, they are not surprisingly, Boris. I mean, saying national security is not my thing. I mean, it would be cringe inducing for any Senate candidate to say that she's applying for a job to be the United States Senator, but also just so different from her brother obviously.

SANCHEZ: Yeah.

ZELENY: I mean, Senator Lindsey Graham has been to Taiwan many, many, many times. Foreign policy was the hallmark of his candidacy, but she clearly was struggling there and really feeding into the impressions that she's not prepared for this position. But look at some of the responses.

She's running also against -- if she wins this runoff next week against the Democratic nominee, and she had this to say in a message on social media. She said that Darline Graham is asking for six years as South Carolina Senator during wartime, yet has the gall to tell voters now national security isn't my thing. South Carolina deserves better." That's from Dr. Annie Andrews, who's the Democratic candidate, who obviously has an uphill battle.

But Ralph Norman is the Republican congressman who is running against her in this runoff. And he was on stage with her. He says this. If we're going to talk about the affordability crisis in our state, we should start by knowing that South Carolina has 5.5 million people.

What he's referring to is another moment during the debate where Darline Graham said this about South Carolina.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GRAHAM: There's 50 million people in South Carolina. Half of them live paycheck to paycheck.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ZELENY: So there obviously are not 50 million people in South Carolina. There's about 5.5 people or so. So clearly, this is going to feed into just the idea that she's not ready for this position.

But the question is, will it matter? And that is very much an open one. The president is flying down to Myrtle Beach on Friday. He'll be rallying his support. He has endorsed her.

SANCHEZ: Yeah.

GRAHAM: He's been a little bit lukewarm on it, saying he did it out of the memory of her brother, the late Senator Lindsey Graham here. But what I think will be interesting to see on Friday when he goes to Myrtle Beach, if he tries to make a joke of this and says, you know, of course, you know what the national security imperatives are, or if they skip it altogether.

But Nikki Haley also is weighing in, the former governor of South Carolina supporting Ralph Norman. She said you can't inherit national security knowledge. So clearly an unforced error by Darline Graham.

SANCHEZ: Probably a moment she wishes she could take back right now.

ZELENY: There's no doubt.

SANCHEZ: Yeah. Jeff Zeleny, thank you so much for that reporting.

Still ahead, a dramatic rescue caught on bodycam. How and where police found a babysitter and the two kids she's accused of kidnapping.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[13:57:24]

SANCHEZ: An update now on a scary story out of Georgia. Newly released body camera video shows Atlanta police cutting into a trailer and discovering two young children and the woman accused of abducting them.

The four-year-old and 11-month-old sisters had been missing for nearly two days. Officials say 42-year-old Lakesha Brown was taken into custody and charged with kidnapping on Monday. The children's mom told police that Brown was babysitting her kids but was not home when she got back from dinner.

Police say Brown was charged with kidnapping a four-day-old baby in Alabama in 2021. Also had an outstanding warrant related to that case. Erica?

HILL: Here's some of the other headlines we're also watching. This hour, the Chair of the House Oversight Committee threatening longtime Jeffrey Epstein Associate, Leon Black, with contempt of Congress. So you may recall the committee interviewed Black in June. He refused to answer questions about NDAs between him and other women tied to Epstein resulting in two subpoenas.

Oversight Chair, James Comer says the billionaire has refused to fully comply. Black's attorney says he has turned over one document and is accusing the panel of a witch hunt.

A player once considered to be a rising star in tennis now provisionally suspended from competition after testing positive for cocaine. Former Wimbledon finalist, Nick Kyrgios underwent the drug test during a recent event in Spain. The 31 Australian who at one point was ranked as high as 13th in the world, but perhaps gained even more notoriety for his on-court behavior, has also been sidelined by injuries.

In a lengthy statement on Instagram, Kyrgios apologized to friends and family, took responsibility for what he calls a huge mistake. A dramatic body cam video showing the moment U.S. Marshals start falling. Watch this video after the second story deck, look at that that they were on, collapsed beneath their feet. So the task force was there to serve an arrest warrant on a convicted sex offender. This happened last month in Missouri. The Marshal Service says the officers were hurt but did manage to avoid any grievous injuries.

A spokesperson for the agency says everyone is doing well, although some do have a longer road to recovery than others.

A new hour of "CNN News Central" starts right now.

SANCHEZ: We saw another big win for Democratic Socialists after Florida backs Angie Nixon over Alexander Vindman in the primary race for Senate. We'll talk about how this shapes the race for November.

And cracking the code, Moderna says that early results show its mRNA vaccine used in combination with a cancer drug are stopping melanoma, keeping it from returning and from spreading to other parts of the body. What this could mean for the future of fighting all cancers.

And what we know about the space activity that forced a U.S. Air Force plane to turn right around. We're following these major developing --