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Trump Unveils New White House Project as U.S. Debt Tops $40 Trillion; 1 Dead, 2 Injured After State Police Helicopter and Small Plane Collide; Prince Harry and Meghan to Move Back to the U.K.; Transportation Secretary's Reality Show Debuts After Months-Long Delay. Aired 8-8:30a ET

Aired August 20, 2026 - 08:00   ET

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

[08:00:00]

CLARE DUFFY, CNN TECH REPORTER: ... about the family's decision to participate in this project. And I asked her whether she would agree to allow the AI likeness of Val Kilmer to be used in future films by other filmmakers. She said this is sort of a unique case because New Mexico, this film were very important to her father.

Take a look at what she said about that.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MERCEDES KILMER, VAL KILMER'S DAUGHTER: And it's so specific and it's a story that he really wanted to tell. I feel very confident and my brother as well, speaking for both of us, we were so close to their dad. And I feel very confident in our ability to steward his legacy and stuff, but not to make choices for him necessarily.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

DUFFY: So really interesting, I think decision making around where the line of consent is, they feel like because he agreed to participate in this project, they were OK with it, but not future projects that he didn't agree to participate. John, do you think that you could tell that that was AI if you were watching this for the first time?

JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: Yes.

DUFFY: Yes.

BERMAN: I mean, actually, yes. But that's my opinion. I'm sure it will only get more advanced and better and easier to see.

DUFFY: It's going to be so fascinating to see the full film.

BERMAN: Yes, no doubt about that. And as you noted, he did, I guess, agree to be part of this film before this version of it, a whole film starring him that he enacted may be a different story together. Clare Duffy, thank you very much.

DUFFY: Thank you.

BERMAN: A brand new hour of CNN NEWS CENTRAL starts right now.

KATE BOLDUAN, CNN ANCHOR: This morning, a grim milestone. What to do about the national debt? Yes.

Now a record $40 trillion. And what it really means for you, your family and why it could be pushing much monthly bills even higher.

A royal surprise. Prince Harry and Meghan moving back to the UK after six years away and one very public rift with the royal family. New details on that big move.

And two patrol cars struck by another car on the side of -- oh, my God -- on the side of a rainy interstate. How that trooper and deputy are doing this morning.

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

SARA SIDNER, CNN ANCHOR: Take a look at that number there at the top of the screen. $40 trillion. That's what it looks like.

And that is now the national debt, a staggering milestone that's still growing as we speak. If we were all to pay this back right now, that would mean more than $100,000 per person in America. It impacts how much you pay for a mortgage, for example, or a car loan or credit cards.

And while the debt is soaring, President Trump is spending on renovating the White House. Very proud of it. He spent part of his day showing off the new driveway and helipad that he's putting in.

Back in 2016, when the debt was less than half as big as it is now, candidate Trump sounded very concerned and confident that he could fix this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I'm the king of debt. I'm great with that. Nobody knows that better than me.

I've made a fortune by using debt. And if things don't work out, I renegotiate the debt tree. We have $19 trillion in debt.

It's going to be very soon 21 trillion, not billion, $21 trillion in debt. And I will tell you, we are sitting on a time bomb.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SIDNER: Well, the time bomb is now at $40 trillion, and it is ticking even louder. The Trump administration plans to spend at least 900 million dollars on White House construction projects, according to The Washington Post. CNN's Betsy Klein is live this morning at the White House.

I am curious how this messaging lines up with Americans right now struggling with everyday things like groceries and gas. BETSY KLEIN, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE REPORTER: Well, Sara, there was a really interesting PolitiFact analysis recently that found in the year 2026, President Trump has talked about his construction projects more than any other topic except the war with Iran. And that just shows that this is what he cares about. The president has been thinking about his legacy.

He views these construction projects here at the White House and across Washington as the foundation of his legacy. So yesterday he assembled reporters for this impromptu tour of some of those projects, and he unveiled a new one, which is replacing the asphalt on the White House driveway with a brand new granite. He also explained why we saw workers disassembling the construction on his helipad earlier this month.

He said that he was unhappy with the slope. He also signed a piece of that new helipad that is going to be put into the seal there. He talked about replacing paint on the White House facade, new grass.

He also justified his White House ballroom project, which he is now describing as a White House ballroom slash military bunker complex.

[08:05:00]

Now, it all underscores the president's personal investment in these projects, as well as his very fine attention to these meticulous details that some have suggested are below his pay grade, things like the placement of stanchions as well as potholes. Just take a look here.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: One of the things we're doing, and this was always asphalt, which is very basic, not appropriate for a great house, a great place like the White House, which is to be now, again, one of the most beautiful buildings anywhere in the world.

The other thing we could do, if you notice, we took it up and redid some -- one aspect because we had a lot of slope on it, and I felt it was too much slope. It's a slope for the rain, but I felt it was too much slope.

If you're grass, you're very happy, and this grass will look so beautiful.

One thing I know how to do is build.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KLEIN: Now, while the president was giving that tour, the U.S. hitting that bleak milestone of a $40 trillion national debt that is going to have economic consequences for the American people, the president's war also about to hit its six-month mark next week. The president has halted talks with Iran until they signal that they are serious about reaching a deal. At the same time, that gas prices are about $4.10 per gallon. The cost of living is going up. All of this says Americans are really skeptical about the purpose of these projects. Fifty-eight percent of Americans telling CNN in a recent poll that they are dissatisfied or angry about the president's focus on these types of projects -- Sara.

SIDNER: Betsy Klein, great reporting from you this morning. Thank you so much. Appreciate it -- John.

BERMAN: All right, breaking overnight, a pilot is dead, two state troopers injured after a small plane collided with a police helicopter in Pennsylvania. The collision happened at a small airport just feet off the ground. The state troopers were initially trapped inside the helicopter.

Governor Josh Shapiro spoke at the hospital.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GOV. JOSH SHAPIRO, (D) PENNSYLVANIA: Tonight could have been much worse. Tonight could have been much more tragic for our state police family. Thank God that it wasn't.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BERMAN: All right, let's get right to CNN's Pete Muntean for the latest on this. Pete, what are you learning?

PETE MUNTEAN, CNN AVIATION CORRESPONDENT: Well, we're likely to hear from the National Transportation Safety Board today, and there's a lot for them to dig into here, John. Even though the Pennsylvania State Police maintains its pilots were not at fault here, the latest from the state police commissioner is this collision happened just a few feet above the runway. At the scene, you can see the tail boom of this Bell 407 helicopter sheared off completely, not much visible at the scene of the other aircraft, a Cessna 150.

Flight tracking data appears to show the Cessna was coming into land as the helicopter was just setting down. State police say the Cessna hit the helicopter from behind. This crash took place at the airport in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, and flight tracking data shows the helicopter left a state police hangar west of Harrisburg about 20 minutes before the crash.

The helicopter then made what's called a straight-in approach to the runway in Carlisle, a practice that's historically been shown to create the risk of a midair collision. No control tower at the airport. It's not busy enough.

That also means there's no early air traffic control audio, so it's unclear right now if the pilots of either aircraft were announcing their positions over the radio. That's the standard practice. One, there is no tower at an airport.

I want you to listen now to the Pennsylvania State Police commissioner and how he described this crash.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) LT. COL. GEORGE BIVENS, ACTING COMMISSIONER, PENNSYLVANIA STATE POLICE: The pilots would not have been able to even see that airplane approaching them. It hit the rear tail rotor and went into the main rotor of the helicopter, resulting in a very violent crash. Both pilots were initially, from the helicopter, were initially trapped inside the helicopter.

The corporal was in a position to push out a window and assist the trooper.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MUNTEAN: Of course, investigators will want to know if the aircraft were transmitting and receiving, that's key, anti-collision data called ADSB. FAA rules do not require it at the Carlisle Airport, and the NTSB has been pushing Congress to mandate ADSB in more U.S. airspace ever since last year's midair collision near Reagan National Airport that killed 67 people -- John.

BERMAN: All right, Pete Muntean, sharing your reporting on this. Thanks so much for being with us -- Kate.

BOLDUAN: Let me take it, sir.

BERMAN: Please.

BOLDUAN: Stay right here.

BERMAN: Please.

BOLDUAN: Stay right here. If you've watched this show ever, you know how much John loves talking about.

BERMAN: Let's talk more about the Royals.

BOLDUAN: Let's do it.

BERMAN: They're not even royal anymore. I can't remember. I can't remember.

BOLDUAN: Royal-ish.

BERMAN: Royal-ish.

BOLDUAN: Prince Harry is moving his family back home six years after making a big break from that life. The big question now, why?

A reality show starring the Transportation Secretary of the United States finally premiering after months of delay.

Why each episode kicks off with a disclaimer now?

And news on the huge trial against Meta. A former employee turned whistleblower is testifying that Mark Zuckerberg lied about his concerns of the social media -- of safety concerns of the social media platform and the impact it could be having on children. [08:10:00]

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BOLDUAN: So after nearly six years in the U.S., the Duke and Duchess of Sussex are heading back to England. The British newspaper The Telegraph reports that Harry and Meghan are moving their family now to a private home outside London. The reporting suggests that King Charles' father is making clear there is no return, despite this move, to royal duties for the couple.

CNN's Max Foster is outside Buckingham Palace for us this morning. Max, what is this going to look like?

[08:15:00]

MAX FOSTER, CNN ANCHOR AND ROYAL CORRESPONDENT: Interesting question. I just had it confirmed that the children, Archie and Lilibet, will be enrolled into schools here. So this is a relocation.

I also understand they'll be keeping their house in California, but they'll be here during term time. Term starts in September. And that's, you know, so we're effectively talking in the next few days they could potentially be moving here to the U.K. A complete surprise to everyone here, including the King, because he was only informed on Sunday. This was not a conversation with the King. This was the King being informed that the whole family would be moving over. As you say, they'll have a private residence, not a royal residence.

And it's not clear where that will be. They will need a lot of support because, you know, it's a family that needs security. Harry had previously said that he doesn't feel safe bringing his family to the U.K. The government wouldn't pay for his security. We understand that is still the case. So he's going to need a lot of resources to apply that security. And he won't be having the armed support that the police would offer.

So wait to see how that plays out. But it's a complete change in strategy for them. We don't know why they're doing it, whether they want the English schooling, whether things weren't going their way in California in the way they'd expected.

I spoke to someone close to the couple. The only thing they would suggest to me was that they very much enjoyed their trip as a family to the U.K. last month in July where they did meet the King and Queen. So the decision was clearly made after that.

But the planning, obviously, Kate, has been, you know, it would have needed a lot more planning than just the last few days because they've enrolled their kids in school.

BOLDUAN: That's kind of what I was thinking. I mean, if the kids are going to be in school, they have, one would suggest, that means they have, you know, a home. I'm, I guess, somewhat surprised, you tell me if I should be, that this was kept so quiet.

FOSTER: It's amazing that it's kept so quiet. Even the schools haven't leaked it. So pretty incredible.

They are very private, Harry and Meghan, even though lots of people talk about how they are publicity seeking. When it comes to their private affairs, they are very secretive. I think a big question really for the royal family now is how they move forward with this because Harry and Meghan recently have been holding these engagements.

They've been traveling to different countries, and they very much look like royal tours. So when they come to the U.K., I'd expect them to carry on in that pseudo-royal role, but they won't be part of the monarchy. How much will the palace coordinate with them?

Because you don't want a situation where there are clashing events between the Sussexes and the Cambridges. If the Sussexes become more popular and there's this are you Cambridge, are you Sussex vibe, it could be very damaging for the monarchy. So they're going to have to really think about how they're going to involve the Sussexes in this.

Let me give you a taste of, Kate, of what a few people out and about had to say about this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm not especially happy about it because they trashed the whole country numerous times, betrayed their family, betrayed his king, his father, went out to America, now they're bored and now they want to come back.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: But maybe he's just truly British at the end of the day and he just misses home.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I hope they have a good time when they come back, and the press leaves them alone.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FOSTER: The press aren't leaving them alone, I have to say, Kate, before I go. These are the headlines of the papers. Interestingly, this was a Sun exclusive, so someone leaked this story to the Sun, which is a British tabloid, one of the tabloids that the couple had a huge problem with whilst they were here.

But maybe there's some rapprochement there, too.

BOLDUAN: Hope springs eternal on all fronts, I guess we can say at this moment. Let's see what happens, Max. It's great to see you, though.

Thank you so much -- Sara.

SIDNER: All right. Thank you so much, Kate.

Borrowers on edge. Why you should care about a sharp sell-off in the bond market, what that means to your economy.

And an officer's dashcam capturing a terrifying moment when a driver loses control of his vehicle. We'll bring you this and what happened next.

[08:20:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

SIDNER: Reality TV personality turned Trump administration official, going back to his reality roots while in office. After months of delay and strong criticism, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy's YouTube reality show is debuting. The Great American Road Trip follows Duffy and his family as they travel across the country to celebrate America's 250th birthday.

But the timing of it, when Americans continue to struggle with high gas prices as well as the sponsorship of the series, has drawn some criticism, particularly by Democrats. CNN's chief media analyst Brian Stelter joining us with more. Are these things popular?

BRIAN STELTER, CNN CHIEF MEDIA ANALYST: Are these things popular? Sara, I can't say yes. That would be unfair to the reality of the situation.

If you look on YouTube, the six episode series is online now on YouTube. The view counts are very low. But I don't know if the goal was to get a big successful show on YouTube for this family.

There might have been other goals in mind, and we can talk about a few of those. There was criticism, as you said, for months from Democratic lawmakers like Patty Murray. She wrote earlier this month to the Department of Transportation saying, hey, it's the middle of August.

What's the deal? Some Americans have already ended their road trips. Kids are going back to school.

Where is this Great American Road Show show? What's the deal? Well, the Department of Transportation has addressed that this week, saying, as we said, America's 250th birthday is a year-long celebration.

[08:25:00]

They say it's not too late for the show to premiere. But it is a very unusual show, very unusual circumstances. You have the same production company that produced MTV's Real World that Sean Duffy starred on decades ago, getting back with Duffy to produce this show.

And it is very simply produced, which is why the low view counts on YouTube stand out to me. It is a very -- it feels a lot like real professional reality TV. That's exactly what it is.

It was produced over a period of months all across the country. The Duffy's say they were shooting for a day or two at a time, traveling to various places all across America. And there's some really beautiful parts of this show.

But here's the main reason why it's been criticized. The corporate funders, the corporate donors, bankrolled this series. So it did not come from taxpayer pots of money. The Department of Transportation did not pay for it directly. But lots of companies that lobby the Department of Transportation and lobby Congress donated hundreds of thousands, in some cases millions of dollars to this project. And you'll see on YouTube there is a disclaimer that appears before every episode that says the production costs were accepted as a gift by the Department, so no taxpayer dollars were sent.

But the idea that it was privately funded, that's what created a lot of the kerfuffle in recent months. And it gets to a broader theme I think we've seen throughout the Trump administration of cabinet secretaries and Trump allies not just taking a job like transportation secretary, but then wanting to be seen performing the job, wanting to be seen in the role. So you have RFK launching a podcast talking about health issues.

You have Sean Duffy taping a road rules type reality show traveling the country as transportation secretary. You have Pete Hegsteth doing pushups and all those sorts of things on X. So you have all these examples of Trump officials doing the job but wanting to perform the job on social media.

And this reality show is the latest example.

SIDNER: We will see how people respond to it all. Brian Stelter, good reporting from you. Thanks for being here early this morning -- John.

BERMAN: Yes, well the Secretary of Energy may be pumping gas because look at oil prices right now. Up more than 3 percent this morning. That's quite a bit.

These numbers going up, up and up. A lot of this has to do with some of the president's new statements about Iran.

And then a woman reunites with an off-duty officer who saved her life when she was trapped during a flash flood.

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