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Trump Administration Downplays Impact of Canada Tariff Fight; Mamdani's Favorable Rating in New York City; One-on-One with "The Pitt" Star Tal Anderson. Aired 9:30-10a ET

Aired August 25, 2026 - 09:030   ET

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

[09:30:00]

KATE BOLDUAN, CNN ANCHOR: This morning, President Trump's new move on Canada, name-calling or rather name-changing, maybe. On social media this morning, saying that he is considering trying to rename Lake Ontario to be Lake America, as tensions between the two nations are rising over the broken down trade talks. Which the reporting suggests fell apart over auto and steel tariffs. Monday, Trump kicked his tariff threat up a notch around all of this, now threatening to raise U.S. tariffs on all cars, trucks and automotive parts from Canada to 50 percent.

So what now and what's the real impact? Joining me right now is Candice Laing, President and CEO of the Canada Chamber of Commerce. Thank you so much for coming in.

First, your reaction to what the President is focused on this morning, threatening that he's going to try to rename Lake Ontario because of this trade fight.

CANDACE LAING, PRESIDENT AND CEO, CANADA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE: Well, good morning, Kate. Good to see you. I think as we saw in the last day of talks last week, things unwind and fall apart.

We all braced for impact, knowing that things were very likely to get hot and heated quite quickly. I think coming back to the fact that, you know, this isn't about a person and their emotional reaction, but in fact, about a policy, a trade policy that for months, for 18 months, we have been frustrated with the fact that the determination to backslide on previous commitments to our trade agreement is really at the core of this. And really turning away from the benefits, the value created from having integrated our economies and our supply chains.

And now seeing the escalation that's already in effect as of Saturday with the 338 tariffs really hitting our businesses on both sides of the border and ultimately American consumers.

BOLDUAN: You say it's really hitting people on both -- businesses on both sides of the borders. You've called it a self-defeating saga, but the U.S. trade rep, Jamieson Greer, declared yesterday that this trade war will have no impact whatsoever on the United States. Let me play this. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JAMIESON GREER, U.S. TRADE REPRESENTATIVE: I think the market knows that at the end of the day, this is 5 percent of imports from Canada. It's 0.06 percent of our overall consumption in this economy. So there's no possible way it can really affect U.S. well-being, right?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BOLDUAN: What's your reaction to that position?

LAING: Actually, I've been listening to, you know, the macroeconomic impacts of these 338 tariffs, and I just come back to the real conversations that are happening between businesses on both sides of the border right now and how that's going to affect consumers. So what I mean by that is right now, today even, we have Canadian businesses, we have this massive list of goods, hundreds of goods now moving into the U.S. that have this 50 percent tariff on it. So we have Canadian businesses asking their U.S. customers, there's a 50 percent tax on your order. What do you want to do?

And it's interesting because these tariffs, these 338s, aren't on a, you know, top big key sector like we saw with the 232s. There are hundreds and hundreds of goods from parts and appliances, protein powders, salt, sugar, seeds, perfumes, candles, art, the list goes on, textiles. So what the ambassador says I don't think will resonate with the consumers and businesses making those decisions or cancelling orders or unable to pivot in their supply chains and experiencing those inventory disruptions or just a complete halt to their businesses and incomes at the moment.

BOLDUAN: So are you hearing from your members that prices are going to be going up, that it is hurting businesses in the United States when they are going to be moving product over?

[09:35:00]

Are you hearing that already, which would be in conflict with what we're hearing from Jamieson Greer?

LAING: Absolutely, and you can talk about the macro economic. You know limit of this move the 338 tariffs -- tariffs all day long. But as I said that these tariffs that won't resonate with the smaller and medium-sized businesses they actually. And that's what they were designed for more of that local acute turmoil. And this this will play out. And so we have today, it's harder to see.

Because even in our data, we're surveying more intently and making sure we're getting those localized impacts, because that is the fact of the matter. The impacts will be more specific and more widely varied just given the design of these of these tariffs. So the codes and all the complexities of these hundreds of goods they apply to, it's harder to see an aggregate that will take us some time to put together.

But that doesn't mean it's not felt and that doesn't mean it's like every tariff makes things more expensive for consumers at the end of the day.

BOLDUAN: Very interesting. Candace, thank you very much for your time. I really appreciate it. Thanks for coming in -- Sara.

SARA SIDNER, CNN ANCHOR: All right, ahead, L.A., famous for its gridlock on the roads, but you may have a new choice to sly past it. Just in time for the Olympics, a look at one of L.A.'s first air taxis takes you right downtown.

And she has autism and an auditory processing disorder. And now she's nominated for an Emmy. My conversation with breakout star from HBO's The Pit, Tal Anderson.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TAL ANDERSON, EMMY NOMINATED ACTRESS: I was just stunned and I, you know, it's crazy. I'm shocked, but also very grateful for this recognition. And I'm still trying to process it because it's crazy.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

[09:40:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: All right, you are hearing a lot of Republicans criticize Democrats attacking the Democratic Socialists, the so-called Democratic Socialists or the self-proclaimed Democratic Socialists. Republicans clearly think they have an advantage here. But there is one Democratic Socialist who's doing pretty well.

This man right behind me. With us now, Chief Data Analyst Harry Enten. We talk about New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, which maybe started this Democratic Socialist wave here. What do New Yorkers think about him?

HARRY ENTEN, CNN CHIEF DATA ANALYST: They like the guy. They like the guy. And it's not just that they like the guy. They like the guy a lot more than they did a year ago.

I mean, take a look here. Mamdani's favorable rating in New York City. You go a year ago, 44 percent.

Look where it was at the beginning of his term. It was 68 percent. You might think, OK, you know, that's a sugar high as he's coming to office.

But look now, it's 69 percent. There has been no drop. He is still on the honeymoon period.

This is an extremely long honeymoon period. Americans wish they could have honeymoon periods for this long. But Mamdani is still very popular in this city as he is implementing his agenda.

BERMAN: And it's not just in New York City when you're talking about Democrats, at least.

ENTEN: No, you know, you talk about Democrats and you talk about Zohran Mamdani and, you know, those Democratic voters nationwide, they like the guy. They like the guy.

Look at this. OK, net favorability rating among Dems nationally. Look who's at the top of the list.

It's Zohran Mamdani, plus 54 points. Better than AOC at plus 47. Better than Hakeem Jeffries at plus 27.

Chuck Schumer has real popularity problems, even among Democrats. He was only at plus 10. But among Democrats, Zohran Mamdani is arguably the most popular modern day politician who's actually currently in elected office, beating all these folks.

If you're a Republican, you'd be much better off going after Chuck Schumer or even Hakeem Jeffries than going after Zohran Mamdani, who still is very, very popular, at least with the Democratic base.

BERMAN: With the Democrats, what about overall? How does he fit in there?

ENTEN: OK, that's a great question, Johnny B. You know, all this whole thing, Republicans, we want to run against Zohran Mamdani. We're going to show those pictures in New York.

We're going to talk about Democratic Socialism and Zohran Mamdani. But look at this. Net favorability rating among likely voters.

Yes, Zohran Mamdani isn't doing too hot to trot at minus five points, but he's more popular than the Vice President, J.D. Vance, at minus 15 points, or the president of the United States at minus 16 points. The bottom line is this. Zohran Mamdani is more popular than the politicians that are front and center for the Republicans, considerably more popular than Donald Trump, who I think is actually going to be the one that most voters are going to be basing their vote upon.

Not the mayor of New York, but if they were, that's much better for Democrats than it would be for Republicans, at least in terms of basing your vote on the president of the United States.

BERMAN: And there is one metric of popularity. I have to say, it may matter more to President Donald J. Trump than a lot of people.

You know, how popular? What impact? What's one way to measure what impact Zohran Mamdani has?

ENTEN: Yes, how about Times person of the year? How about Times person of the year? You know, Donald Trump has won that before.

But take a look here, Mamdani's chance to be in 2026 Times person of the year. We're going to do that right up there.

Times person of the year in 2026. Look, he's leading the pack. He is leading the pack at this point.

That is what's so unbelievable. His chance to win something that we know Donald Trump's like to win might be the ultimate pain point for the president of the United States.

BERMAN: All right, we will see, Harry Enten, thank you very much. A lot of news this morning. We'll be right back.

[09:45:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BOLDUAN: A village in southern France has left now to pick up the pieces today after this, a rare tornado ripping through. At least 41 people were hurt from this, 15 of them taken to the hospital for help. A grocery store owner says that it developed so quickly they did not have time to prepare.

Let's now take you to space and you are looking at, this is a live feed from NASA of the International Space Station where two astronauts have just begun a six and a half hour spacewalk. It's a team effort between an American astronaut and a French astronaut and what they are working to do is to complete an important installation of a high-speed communications antenna. We'll be watching that for hours to come.

[09:50:00]

We're also getting a first look at an air taxi that could be put into use for the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles. Take a look at that. The company behind the aircraft says it allows you to get across the city in just 10 to 20 minutes compared to the 90 minutes or longer by car.

The battery-powered air taxi, it lifts up, it goes, you know, lifts up, goes straight ahead -- lifts straight up rather, hovers and moves all without a runway, moves along without a runway. So clearly useful, especially when you're talking about LA traffic. The FAA, though, still needs to approve the aircraft -- Sara.

SIDNER: They have a disease or flaw that needs to be fixed. They cannot succeed in school or career. So just some of the common misconceptions about people on the autism spectrum and no one disproves those notions more than our next guest, actress Tal Anderson.

You'll know her from her role as Becca King, the sister of Dr. Mel King on HBO series, "The Pitt".

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

TAL ANDERSON, EMMY-NOMINATED ACTRESS, "THE PITT": Mel's going to be super worried when you tell her.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You are going to be just fine. But as far as telling your sister what's going on with you, that is your decision, not mine. ANDERSON: So you're not going to tell Mel?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I can't, not unless you, my patient, tell me to.

ANDERSON: Do you know when Mel's going to be done with her important meeting?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Hopefully soon.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Dr. Langdon, I need you by control room two.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Becca, I got to go. I will be --

ANDERSON: Don't say in a few minutes unless you actually mean it in a few minutes.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I would never.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SIDNER: Tal Anderson is with us now cracking herself up and us up. This summer, her portrayal earned her an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series. Thank you for being here.

I want to read you something from your co-star, Noah Wyle, who told Deadline in July after he learned that you were getting an Emmy nomination. He said, "Tal represents our show beautifully. Yes, as well as representing herself and people who are neurodivergent. I love listening to her be interviewed because she's so honest and articulate and has a way of framing the experience from her point of view that is totally singular. I was overjoyed to see that she was nominated because her work is fantastic. It really is beautiful."

How did you react when you heard you're nominated for an Emmy?

ANDERSON: Oh, my gosh. You know, I was at my house with my friends and family. We made a little watch party out of it.

And then when we saw the nominations, everyone cheered. And I was just stunned. And, you know, it's crazy.

I'm shocked, but also very grateful for this recognition. And I'm still trying to process it because it's crazy. Yes, it's an honor to be nominated.

It's just I'm so grateful for this recognition. This show is such an amazing show. And I'm very, very grateful.

SIDNER: So you have autism. You have an auditory processing disorder. But you play a character who also has autism.

Her name is Becca King on the show.

ANDERSON: Yes.

SIDNER: What does this character mean to you? ANDERSON: Oh, my gosh. This character means a lot to me because as a kid, I never saw a character on a show that made me feel seen or heard. And playing the role of Becca, it's just such an amazing -- she's really amazing and very oh, my gosh. She's so -- she's very loyal to her sister. And she's very -- she's very independent.

She knows what she wants. You know, Becca's story took a very, very big turn this season. And it was very fun to do.

You know, bodily autonomy is something that that's been a struggle for all disabled people. And it's been -- it's something we've been battling since forever. So shining a light on that through Becca's storyline has been really great.

Plus, that's the kind of story "The Pitt" tells. We tell on "The Pitt", you know, stories that people can relate to, and people can see themselves in.

SIDNER: For a lot of people watching who might want to get into the business, do you have any advice for people on the spectrum who are interested in working in television and film or on the stage?

[09:55:00]

ANDERSON: So if this is your -- my advice is if this is your passion and if this is something you want to do, start doing it. You know, start taking classes at school or local theater and just keep working on it.

Keep getting good at it. It will develop naturally if you are committed to it.

SIDNER: It is really incredible if you take a moment to realize that not only have you done this, but you're now nominated for an Emmy.

ANDERSON: It is amazing. It's so crazy.

SIDNER: I see you wanted to cheer for yourself.

ANDERSON: Yes, whoa!

SIDNER: I love that. We should cheer for ourselves more.

ANDERSON: Yes, absolutely.

SIDNER: Your work is excellent. And thank you for taking the time with me today.

ANDERSON: Thank you so much for having me.

SIDNER: She was so upbeat as you would be when you are nominated for an Emmy, but she has some serious, serious words for people to live by.

BERMAN: She's so good in that show. And I'd say we all cheered when our music was nominated. Thank you all for joining us. This has been CNN NEWS CENTRAL. "THE SITUATION ROOM" up next.

SIDNER: She is transcendent. It is the biggest upset in sports history. That was a win that was just so emotional.