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Cause of Nepal Floods; IFRC Tommaso Della Longa is Interviewed about Nepal; Numbers on Trump Amid Tariffs; Former Canadian Official Chrystia Freeland is Interviewed about Tariffs; Tate Brothers Expected in Court; Trump Administration on TikTok. Aired 8:30-9a ET

Aired August 27, 2026 - 08:30   ET

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

[08:30:00]

JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: Along the riverbed, up here as well.

Then I want you to take a look at what happened after the water came in, OK? Again, just take a look at that area up there. That was after -- before, after. Whatever was there is simply just gone.

Now the village one more down river there. This is Betravati (ph). Take a look at this right here. Again, we'll push in. Look at this area right here, right? Then after the disaster struck, that area just simply washed away. Whatever was there, gone.

And then one village further downstream, that's Ratamati (ph) in here. Again, just the areas we want to focus on. I think you want to look at this area roughly right here. And also along these areas in here. The disaster strikes. That wall of water comes down and whatever was there just completely gone. That is the power of this disaster.

Each one of these towns, several thousand people live. No telling, Sara, how many visitors may have been there at the time. These are the places that rescue crews at this moment are racing to get to.

But there you get a sense of what changed like in an instant the moment that water came crashing down.

SARA SIDNER, CNN ANCHOR: It is utterly terrifying, the images coming out, and then getting, John, for you to show us the before and after, it really shows you the scale from a bird's eye view. And it is devastating. Thank you so much for explaining that.

We are also learning a lot more this morning about the root cause of that deadly disaster in Nepal.

CNN's chief climate correspondent Bill Weir is joining me now as we look once again at these images of that water just cascading down and just taking over everything, as water does. But this is filled with mud and debris. Is this another real time warning to us about the effect of climate change?

BILL WEIR, CNN CHIEF CLIMATE CORRESPONDENT: Sara, that's the most eerie part of this, should be the most alarming part of this. This is only going to keep happening as the Himalayas melt, along with the rest of the planet, under a blanket of fossil fuel pollution. There is a pristine Swiss village right now in the Alps of 1,500 people that is right under a looming rockslide because the glacier is melting so fast.

Take it through this. Just the forensics of this. Scientists are trying to figure out exactly where all that water came from. But as John was just pointing out, the theory right now is that yesterday morning local time, a giant piece of glacier sheared off and then went half a mile, more than a half a mile down into the, you know, steep canyon below, triggering that rockslide, which likely then created an instant dam and an instant lake that could fill up in half an hour and then top that, bringing that wall of water down. Those landscapes have been up there, are so severe, some of the most in the world, but these are, again, some of the fastest warming places in the world.

There's actually a term for -- called GLOF, glacial lake outburst flood. When I saw the first images, I thought immediately, that must be a GLOF. But if you look at satellite pictures, there was no permanent lake upstream of where this disaster happened. So, all that water was formed, that wall of water, it came together with the rockslide, with the ice coming down. And here we are.

And now you think about search and rescue in these valleys. All the roads are gone. So, every life saved might need -- might need a helicopter. And that is one of, I think, 50,000 or 60,000 glaciers in the Himalaya. That is the -- not only just the water tank of Asia, all that snowmelt goes down the Ganges and feeds literally billions of people. But now you have these instant disasters and you think, well, you know, at least I'm safe from hurricanes and sea level rise if I live high in the mountains. But this is the reality, because the water -- the water cycle (ph) everywhere are being violently disrupted by climate change.

SIDNER: I mean it looked like a tsunami and an avalanche all at the same time. And some people just, there was just no chance for so many people because it happened so quickly.

Bill Weir, thank you for breaking that down for us. And a disturbing warning that this -- more of the same is likely on the horizon in the coming years.

Thank you so much. Appreciate it.

John.

BERMAN: All right, with us now, Tommaso Della Longa. He is the -- with the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent.

We appreciate you being with us.

You've got teams now on the scene racing to get there. What are you hearing from them?

TOMMASO DELLA LONGA, MEDIA SPOKESPERSON AND MANAGER, INTERNATIONAL FEDERATION OF RED CROSS AND RED CRESCENT: Yes, thanks a lot, John, for having me today.

Well, what the teams are telling us is the situation is literally catastrophic. Damage to the infrastructure, of course, is not really helping the emergency response.

[08:35:02]

If there is any good news in front of such a large-scale disaster, is that Nepal is a Cross volunteer, a part of their own community. So, with some limited capacity, we're already in those areas and immediately working -- supported the search and rescue operation has started distributing some essential items.

So, of course, this is not enough. We are working with the (INAUDIBLE) of the Nepali Red Cross from Kathmandu to mobilize resources. It's already happening since yesterday. But again, bridges are not anymore. Their roads are not anymore. Their communication is really poor. So, it's even very complicated to reach some of those areas. And on top of everything, sadly, we will have a clearer picture when the water starts receding and we already expect something -- I mean things that we don't want -- we didn't want to see.

BERMAN: Yes. I mean, are there areas at this point you're not able to reach?

LONGA: Well, the reality here is that the only way to reach areas is some of these areas is through helicopters. And, of course, this is not enough to bring the number of teams needed or the number of relief items needed. So, still, we need to hope that we'll get more access in the hours to come when the water starts receding, and then when together, with local authorities, the army, the police and so on, will be able to bring more aid in.

BERMAN: What's the biggest need right now? Or is it simply just time. You need some of these areas to dry out, or you need transportation to open up.

LONGA: Well, I think it's a combination of both. Of course, we are looking at the, this first emergency window where the search and rescue operation is really critical. We know by experience that the more you go out (ph), the more it's difficult to find the people alive. And then you need to bring essential items. We're looking at emergency shelters. We're talking about thousands. We estimate that at least 10,000 families who don't have any more at home. And then we're looking at something that can be counterintuitive (ph) when you see a lot of water, which is lack of drinkable water, of safe water, for water sanitation to drink, but also for health reasons.

So, it's something that we are really looking in -- we mobilized immediately yesterday more than a million U.S. dollars from our emergency fund. Today we launched -- just launched the (INAUDIBLE) emergency appeal for almost 31 million U.S. dollar to support, of course, the emergency response. But it's also very important to highlight that it's not only a matter of days here. We're talking about entire communities wiped out together with their own livelihoods. BERMAN: Yes, again, it's not a matter of days, it is minutes and hours

in some cases for some of these people with so much infrastructure to sort.

Tommaso Della Longa, we appreciate you being with us. Thank you for the work that you are doing.

All right, shifting gears now. The president's trade war with Canada. Of course, Canada announced retaliatory tariffs on the United States that go into effect in just a few days. How is this playing? How is this playing with voters here and the United States and elsewhere?

With us now, CNN chief data analyst Harry Enten is here.

HARRY ENTEN, CNN CHIEF DATA ANALYST: I was -- oh, thank you. Thank you.

BERMAN: So --

ENTEN: You're not just an anchor, you're a tailor as well.

BERMAN: I do a lot.

ENTEN: There you go.

BERMAN: I do a lot here.

So, talk to me, relatively speaking, how do Americans vote -- how do American voters feel about the tariffs right now and how has that changed?

ENTEN: Yes, I would just say that President Trump is losing on tariffs. He is losing on tariffs. The cost for him is great declines in popularity when it comes to tariffs. Just look at this turnaround, Johnny B.

OK, voters on Trump and tariffs. Look at this. Versus Kamala Harris. He was trusted more by 22 points over Kamala Harris. Very much in the green. Very much in the positive territory. Look at this drop now. His net approval rating down through the floor. The Saint Lawrence River. Thirty points underwater. What is that, Johnny B.? That is a 52 point switcheroo. With independents he's 60 points underwater when it comes to tariff. John has the arms out like this because it's just one of these shifts that we have seen throughout the -- President Trump's second term, whereby the reality did not meet the perceptions or the hopes beforehand. Americans hate the tariffs and they are taking their anger out on President Trump.

BERMAN: Sixty points under water on tariffs?

ENTEN: Sixty points underwater on tariffs. Yes, I checked --

BERMAN: With independents?

ENTEN: I double, triple, quadruple checked that. That is right. He is 60 points underwater on tariffs. BERMAN: OK. How -- with independents.

ENTEN: With independents.

BERMAN: When we talk specifically about this situation with Canada, how about that?

ENTEN: Yes. If you think the American people don't like the tariffs overall, what about with Canada? It's the same story. It's the same story. They hate him. I mean just take a look here.

OK, net support, new tariffs on Canada. Overall the net support, look at that, 33 points underwater. Again the story with independents, the exact same thing, independents hate him even more than the general electorate. Forty-four points underwater when it comes to the net support. So, they don't like the tariffs overall.

[08:40:00]

They don't like the idea of new tariffs on Canada, even more so. And independents, again, you've got to get the center of the electorate if you want to win an election. And the independents, this has again been the story throughout Trump's second term, they hate it even more than the general electorate does.

BERMAN: So, a trade war like this has two sides, right?

ENTEN: Yes.

BERMAN: The president of the United States isn't doing well with popularity on this issue in the United States. How is the leader north of us doing?

ENTEN: Yes, OK. So, when it comes to the political costs, who is seeing declines in their popularity? Who is seeing their popularity go up? Well, Mark Carney, the prime minister of Canada, came in in 2025. And you look at his overall net popularity versus Trump's net popularity.

Take a look here, net approval of leaders in their countries. Mark Carney, look at that, he is winning. Mark Carney is winning. Two thumbs up. That's what Canadian folks are giving Mark Carney. Donald Trump's net approval rating. Look at this, 21 points underwater overall. And, of course, there has not been a single poll in which President Trump has had a net positive approval rating overall since just before Liberation Day back in 2025 when, of course, there were all those tariffs that went into effect that the Supreme Court went adios, amigos, goodbye, see you later. So, all of this, a great political cost for President Trump. He is losing. Mark Carney, on the other hand, north of the border, is winning, which makes it a little bit unlike hockey, however.

BERMAN: Yes, in that one case. Iin that one case.

ENTEN: In that one -- in that one case. We're going to take that. America still rules. BERMAN: I will say this, the Canadians know this. When they sit down, if and when they sit down at the negotiating table again, they know. They know.

ENTEN: Yes. They know that President Trump is playing from a weak hand and Mark Carney is playing from a strong hand. And that is why they have walked away from the table.

BERMAN: Harry Enten, thank you very much.

ENTEN: Thank you, my friend.

BERMAN: Sara.

SIDNER: All right. Thank you, gentlemen.

Joining me now to discuss more about the U.S.-Canada trade war is Chrystia Freeland. She's a former deputy prime minister and minister of finance of Canada. She is also the author of the upcoming book "Unreliable Boyfriend: An Insider's View of Dealing with a Chaotic Superpower, Plutocrats and Other Complicated People."

Wonder who you're talking about there?

All right, let's start with this.

Look, Ontario -- this is sort of the nitty gritty of what is happening. Ontario's premier, Doug Ford, said that his province could raise the price of electricity exported to the United States, or stop sending power, period, if the trade dispute gets worse. Can he do that unilaterally?

CHRYSTIA FREELAND, FORMER DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER AND MINISTER OF FINANCE OF CANADA: That would only happen as part of a united team Canada measure. But, Sara, here is what is so perverse about what the U.S. is doing to itself. Even without Canada doing anything, the U.S. tariffs are already a tariff on electricity.

One of the things that the president has put tariffs on, 50 percent tariffs, is Canadian aluminum. And aluminum is basically electricity in solid form. The tariffs on Canadian aluminum amount to more than five Hoover Dams, more than 450 data centers. And that's not any kind of retaliation Canada is imposing on you. That is a tax you are imposing on yourself.

I think American people are smart. I think they recognize this. And I think that is why you see those numbers that Harry was just talking about.

I just really hope that the American people, American members of Congress, senators, especially Republicans, will say to the president, cut this out because he is hurting both of our countries and he's wrecking a really important relationship.

SIDNER: Can you understand why President Trump is going after, not only a neighbor, but a long-time close ally, perhaps closest ally with the United States? Why is this trade war happening now in your mind?

FREELAND: You know, Sara, at some level it is profoundly puzzling. And what makes it even more absurd is Canada and the United States, our trade is governed by a deal that Donald Trump himself negotiated. The USMCA was Trump's deal.

I know because I was Canada's foreign minister and I led the trade effort for Canada. It was tough. There were lots of fights. Actually, the U.S. imposed tariffs on us in the middle of all that. But we got to a deal which Donald Trump himself said was the best deal ever. Nancy Pelosi loved it, too. So, there's nothing fundamentally wrong with the relationship.

I am not inside Donald Trump's head. Thank goodness. But what it looks like to me is, this is not about trade.

[08:45:02]

This is about dominance. And this is about trying to turn Canada from a partner and an ally into a vassal. It's trying to turn Canada into the Venezuela of the north. Canadians get that. And that's why Canadians are going to stand by our prime minister. We're not going to give up our sovereignty. We want to be America's friend. We want to be your ally. But were not going to be your servant.

SIDNER: Wow. Chrystia Freeland, thank you so much for joining us and your comments on a very difficult relationship that has been made more difficult with this, with this second wave of tariffs being put on Canada, and then the retaliation from Canada to the U.S. Appreciate your time this morning.

John.

BERMAN: All right, a Delta Airlines pilot had to divert his flight and make an emergency landing because he said he needed to go to the hospital.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DELTA PILOT: This is the captain. I'm the one that's ill. I'm going to taxi the jet to the gate, and then I need to go to the hospital.

ATC: Roger. Delta 437, you can plan to exit at Yankee two. That will give you the quickest route to the gate.

DELTA PILOT: Yankee two, copy.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BERMAN: The flight was heading from Los Angeles to Boston, diverted to Detroit. The flight did land safely and a new crew was brought on board before the flight did go to Boston. As for the pilot, his condition is unknown this morning.

A 22-year-old college student was shot and killed by police in Pennsylvania after he went to the wrong house. His family is now demanding answers. They say he had had a few drinks and thought he was at his friend's home when he tried to enter. He then realized he was at the wrong place. He called his friends to pick him up. Police say they responded after reports of a possible break-in attempt at the home. But the moments leading up to the exact shooting are still unclear. His family says he was unarmed.

Sara.

SIDNER: All right, thank you so much, John.

Ahead, a man ignites a makeshift flamethrower as deputies try to serve him an eviction notice. What happened next in this case?

Also, push-ups and expletive-filled music. Trump's cabinet facing some backlash over what they're putting out on TikTok regularly.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[08:51:48]

BERMAN: All right, we're standing by this morning for the Tate brothers to arrive in a Miami courtroom. A judge could decide whether they will stay in the United States or get shipped back to the United Kingdom. Andrew and Tristan, pillars of the online so-called manosphere, face dozens of sex crime charges in the United Kingdom, including rape and sex trafficking charges involving several victims. They were arrested last month in Miami. Since then, they've been in a federal detention center complaining of poor prison conditions.

CNN's Carolina Peguero is in Miami with the very latest.

Talk to us about what we will see today.

CAROLINA PEGUERO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning.

Today could be a very decisive day for the future of the Tate brothers. And now, yes, they do remain in federal custody. They've been in solitary confinement just behind me here for more than a month since they were arrested back in July by U.S. marshals.

Now, the brothers will be in the courtroom in person, where they will face the judge, as well as that U.K.'s extradition request. They face a total of 59 charges, alleged rape, sexual and physical assault, as well as human trafficking. And they and their lawyers deny all wrongdoing.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOSEPH MCBRIDE, LAWYER FOR THE TATE BROTHERS: Innocent men don't give in. Innocent men don't run from the law. They run to the law. They lean into the process. The idea that Andrew and Tristan Tate are somehow dangerous is ridiculous.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PEGUERO: Now, these accusations are from seven alleged victims. Now, on the other hand, the lawyers say that they have been facing poor conditions in this federal prison where they remain while we are on the weight of what a judge will decide today if they will have a bond or if they will be extradited to the U.K.

BERMAN: All right, great to have you there watching this develop throughout the day.

Carolina Peguero, thank you so much for that report.

Sara.

SIDNER: All right, on our radar for you, Tim Curry, the actor who turned eccentric outsiders into icons has died at 80 years old. Curry passed away Tuesday at his Los Angeles home. He rose to fame as Dr. Frank-N-Furter in the 1975 "The Rocky Horror Picture Show."

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TIM CURRY, ACTOR: How'd you do? I see you've met my faithful handyman.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SIDNER: You can never forget that character, later playing Pennywise in "It," and Wadsworth in "Clue."

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TIM CURRY, ACTOR: Who killed him and where and with what?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There's no need to shout.

CURRY: I'm not shouting. All right, I am. I'm shouting, I'm shouting, I'm shouting.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SIDNER: He was also the hotel concierge in "Home Alone Two."

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MACAULAY CULKIN, ACTOR: Is my transportation here?

TIM CURRY, ACTOR: Out in front, sir. A limousine and a pizza.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SIDNER: He played so many memorable characters. Curry's decades long career earned him an Emmy and a Grammy, and Tony nomination.

[08:55:04]

No cause of death has yet been released. He's battled health issues since a major stroke, though, in 2012. Tim Curry died at 80 years old.

All right, also on our radar, an Oklahoma man is accused of igniting a makeshift flamethrower as he was being served an eviction notice. This is what deputies with the Oklahoma County Sheriff's Office were met with when they went through the door there. Officials said at first the man would not let them inside. So, as you saw, they kicked the door in. The suspect allegedly sprayed aerosol but then lit that on fire. Deputies also said they found what appeared to be an improvised explosive device inside the apartment as well. They had to evacuate that entire building during all this.

All right, it's official, Prince Harry and Meghan back in the U.S. six years after leaving the country and stepping back from royal life. The couple, along with their two children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, arrived yesterday. A spokesperson for the Sussexes told CNN that both children are already enrolled in British schools for the upcoming term next month. Harry and Meghan are returning to the U.K. as private citizens. They will not be resuming any kind of official duties on behalf of King Charles III.

John.

BERMAN: All right, this morning, the Trump administration is on TikTok. Now, for years, Republicans sounded the alarm on the security risks surrounding the app. New posts are coming directly from the White House, seeming to target young voters. The campaign is drawing some criticism.

CNN's Brian Todd has been on his phone for days watching each and every one of the videos.

Give us your view, Brian.

BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, I've just got PTSD from it, John. You know, the Trump administration rolled out this TikTok campaign a little over a month ago, and it's kind of run the gamut from clever and creative videos, to cringe worthy posts, to some controversial videos.

Now, one that's drawn controversy was put out by the Department of Veterans Affairs. You see it there. And the star of that video is V.A. Secretary Doug Collins. The video titled "Sec V.A. Reporting for Duty," shows Collins doing pushups with V.A. employees, practicing his golf swing and other things. It is controversial because it's really all about Doug Collins and because of the lyrics. It has bawdy, sexually suggestive lyrics and some curse words.

Now, we're not allowed to play it for you because of copyright laws and the language, but here are some of the lyrics in the video from the song "Salt Shaker" by the Ying Yang Twins. Quote, "roll that a round and round like a mother f-ing wheel. Shake that s. This ain't no mother f-ing drill." Sounds so hip coming from a middle-aged white guy.

This video, according to three sources inside the V.A. who spoke to CNN, has caused some consternation within the agency. One high level V.A. source told us, quote, "we're embarrassed by this."

Douglas Massey, a longtime V.A. employee and head of the local branch of the union, which represents hundreds of thousands of V.A. workers, sent Doug Collins an email denouncing this video. Massey and another V.A. source told us, these new V.A. TikTok videos have gotten away from previous V.A. social media outreach, where the V.A. would give veterans guidance on how to get care for things like mental health and suicide prevention. And now they say these posts focus really more on promoting Doug Collins.

Now, Massey also personally criticized Collins. Collins is a former Air Force chaplain and civilian pastor. In his email to Collins, Massey said, quote, "frankly, as a conservative Southern Baptist pastor, I was surprised that an official V.A. video was paired with a song containing explicit sexual content."

The V.A. responded in an email to CNN. Press Secretary Quinn Slaven, saying, quote, "the post simply shows Secretary Collins performing two of the most important aspects of his job, listening to the concerns of veterans and V.A. employees. What's more, V.A.'s use of TikTok and other emerging forms of media has helped the department recruit more than 225,000 new V.A. health care enrollees in 2026 alone." And Slaven also denies that the V.A. has scaled back its social media outreach on suicide prevention and mental health.

But the V.A. not the only agency that uses some bawdy language in a TikTok video. One video put out by the Treasury Department features rapper Nicki Minaj, who is a big Trump supporter, bopping back-to-back with Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent. That's a look at the video right there.

Now, the rapper in this -- in this video sings part of her song "Beez in the Trap. Quote, "Bitches say s and they ain't sayin' nothin. A hundred mother f-ers can't tell me nothin." I know I'm doing a pathetic job channeling Nicki Minaj.

These videos clearly target younger generations who frequent TikTok. One video shows HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. with lightning coming out of his eyes. Another TikTok from the Small Business Administration -- there you see the RFK video. Another TikTok from the Small Business Administration features Jimothy, who's a raccoon with a spinal condition, who's gone viral on social media promoting the idea of shopping locally.

So, John, they are taking a swing at some of these videos.

[09:00:01]

Some of them are pretty creative, but some of them, as I mentioned, are kind of cringe worthy.

BERMAN: Brian Todd, you're a national treasure. That's all I can say.