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U.S. Signs Major Oil Deal With Venezuela; Suspect in Charlie Kirk's Killing Pleads Not Guilty After Judge Rules Case Can Go to Trial; House Censures GOP Rep. Chuck Edwards Over Harassment Claims; Tiger Woods Agrees to Lesser Charge in March DUI Arrest; Haitian-born Ohio Student Dies in Apparent Suicide After Losing Immigration Status. Aired 1:30-2p ET

Aired September 02, 2026 - 13:30   ET

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

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[13:30:25]

BORIS SANCHEZ, CNN CO-ANCHOR OF "CNN NEWS CENTRAL": We want to take a closer look at how the Breaking News in Venezuela can directly affect your gas prices. The Trump administration Of course signing a major oil deal with Venezuela, giving the U.S. access to 65 billion barrels worth of oil. President Trump says it could lead to lower gas prices, experts though say that is not likely to happen quickly. Gas prices jumped to $4 a gallon when the war with Iran started six months ago, they've stayed near that number since.

Today, AAA pegs the national average at $4.12 a gallon, that's just as millions of Americans are preparing to hit the road for Labor Day, GasBuddy says it could be the most expensive Labor Day at the pump on record. Joining us now is Patrick De Haan. He's Head of Petroleum Analysis at GasBuddy.

Patrick, thanks so much for being with us. How do you see these six months now of higher prices factoring into Americans' end of summer plans?

PATRICK DE HAAN, HEAD OF PETROLEUM ANALYSIS, GASBUDDY: Yeah, Boris, it's getting rather expensive and just in time for millions of Americans to walk out the door and hit the road for Labor Day, gas prices are going back up. In fact, the national average now at about $4.11, continues to tick higher and that's going to cost Americans today about $350 million more every day over the course of this Labor Day holiday.

So over the course of the summer now, we're talking about nearly $60 billion in gasoline expenses more in terms of what we saw compared to last year, so it's certainly adding up. And unfortunately now, while many motors fill up with gasoline. Diesel getting a lot of the attention as well with prices for diesel, just $0.10 a gallon away from a new all-time record. So the fuel expenses are certainly adding up and maybe not much relief yet coming in sight.

SANCHEZ: Well, about that relief, this U.S. partnership for Venezuelan oil, obviously a long-term project, has there been any indication that somehow it'll help ease prices in the near term?

DE HAAN: I really wish I had better news there, Boris, and a lot of that news is while we have plenty of oil right now, or at least that's not the market's focus, it's refining. That is the challenge. That's probably why the president had refiners into the White House.

New data out from the government today showed refineries operating in nearly 98 percent of their capacity, in fact in the Midwest, operating over 100 percent. The chase is on right now and it's about turning that oil into gasoline and a lot of that has to do with Ukraine's drone attacks on many of Russia's largest refineries. That being severely impactful, that's leading to a big disconnect between the price of oil and the price of gasoline and diesel fuel.

SANCHEZ: Important to remember that with energy prices, it's all connected, right? About the Venezuelan oil deal, it's not just the quantity of oil, the president has made the case that it could help refill emergency oil reserves, but it's also the quality of the oil. It's -- Venezuelan oil is known for being thick and sludgy, and it could potentially damage the strategic petroleum reserve, right?

DE HAAN: We're talking about some qualities of oil in Venezuela that are extremely heavy. But just like going into an auto parts store, Venezuelan oil is a variety of weights. A lot of it very heavy, may have more contaminants and more sulfur, so it would need processing before it's added to the strategic reserve. But it could be utilized or at least some blends of Venezuelan oil could be utilized. But again, a lot of that potentially years away.

It's a big deal. It would be a big game-changer, but it's going to take years to get that oil from Venezuela's soil out to the global market.

SANCHEZ: The Treasury Secretary, Scott Bessent said that the Strait of Hormuz, the focus of the conflict between the U.S. and Iran right now where a fifth of the world's energy goes through, in two years, he says it's going to become a worthless piece of water. How are commercial shipping companies thinking about that two-year timeline?

DE HAAN: Well, you know when it comes to petroleum, there can be routes around the Strait of Hormuz to some degree. But the Strait is still going to be vital for anything that's not liquid. Petroleum very much can be rerouted, whether it's the Saudis routing oil through the Suez Canal or pipelines being built that can cut across the Strait. But you know, for a lot of other commercial purposes, the Strait of Hormuz is still going to be extremely vital.

SANCHEZ: Patrick De Haan, we'll leave the conversation there. Thanks so much for your time.

DE HAAN: Thanks, Boris.

SANCHEZ: Of course. Brianna?

BRIANNA KEILAR, CNN CO-ANCHOR OF "CNN NEWS CENTRAL": Now to some of the other headlines that we're watching this hour. [13:35:00]

The man accused of killing conservative activist Charlie Kirk will stand trial. A Utah judge ruled there's enough evidence to proceed against Tyler Robinson on all seven counts, including aggravated murder. The prosecution says video, clothing, and DNA evidence link Robinson to the shooting and that they will seek the death penalty if he's convicted.

Robinson's attorney entered not guilty pleas on his behalf. Kirk's family was in court for the ruling and called it an important step toward justice.

Plus, the House took the rare step of punishing one of its members, Republican Congressman Chuck Edwards, with a censure over allegations of inappropriate behavior toward two female staffers. Edwards had already been forced to abandon his reelection bid under intense pressure from Republican leaders. The Congressman's alleged conduct toward women was detailed in a report by the House Ethics Committee, which found substantial evidence to suggest he violated the chamber's prohibition on sexual harassment.

Edwards maintains that he did not act inappropriately and derided the ethics investigation as akin to a Russian show trial. Of note, the House vote was 413-2.

And new video shows a semi-truck crashing over an overpass barrier in Cincinnati and then dangling over the interstate. The driver failing to navigate a turn right beforehand, sending that truck slamming into the barrier. The Ohio Department of Transportation said two people were injured, but they are expected to be OK.

And still ahead, Tiger Woods reaches an agreement after being accused of driving under the influence during a rollover crash in Florida. Up next, the punishment he was just handed in court.

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[13:41:26]

KEILAR: Golf legend Tiger Woods has reached an agreement with prosecutors on his Florida DUI arrest last spring, pleading no contest to a lesser charge. Woods failed a field sobriety test last March after he was involved in a rollover crash. We saw the aftermath on video. He initially pleaded not guilty to misdemeanor, DUI charges and refusal to submit to testing.

But this morning, after prosecutors said there was a "deterioration of proof" and an "erosion of evidence," Woods agreed to a reduced charge of willful reckless driving. His license will be suspended for five years and he has to pay $1,500 in fines. The judge telling Woods that if he drives, he will immediately go back to jail.

Today's hearing marked the latest in a series of vehicle crashes and setbacks for the 15-time major champion as he's tried to rebound following years of injuries. So what does this mean for Woods' legendary career and legacy going forward? Let's talk about it with Gary Williams, who is the Host and Executive Producer of "5 Clubs" on the Golf Channel.

Gary, thanks for being with us. What's your reaction to what we saw in the courtroom today?

GARY WILLIAMS, HOST & EXECUTIVE PRODUCER, GOLF CHANNEL'S "5 CLUBS": Well, my reaction is, is that this chapter, this legal chapter for Tiger is now behind him. As you just mentioned, he's got to abide by the language of this ruling, which means he can't drive a motorized vehicle for five years. But I think most importantly for him, it allows him, in addition to what he's doing with his life, hopefully day to day, in terms of truly living a life of recovery after going and seeking treatment after this incident. That to me is the most important thing.

I'm not certainly a legal expert, but I didn't expect him, I don't think anybody did, to do any additional jail time. But I think for him, the peace of mind knowing that this is what it is and that he can move forward and continue the physical rehab from the countless ailments, injuries, surgeries that he's had over the past decade and a half. And what is his place in the game going forward and how much of that, Brianna, is going to include him actually playing competitive golf?

KEILAR: Yeah, because he did briefly compete this March at the TGL finals, right? He had more than a year away before that from competitive golf. There was even some speculation before this particular crash about a return to the Masters. Do you see his golf career kind of being re-established? What do you think?

WILLIAMS: I think re-established is a fair term. Look, he wants to play golf. He doesn't just do it expertly, he loves doing it. And so the pursuit, going all the way back to his teenage years of getting lost and trying to get better every day, I think still certainly exists inside him. And you referenced TGL, that is something that he has got a financial interest in. He's one of the founders of TGL, which is an indoor simulated golf experience. It's a made-for-TV experience. It's not competitive golf.

He doesn't have to walk. He doesn't have to do all the things that are required to go out there and compete over the course of five hours for four competitive days.

KEILAR: Just put into context, sort of, as we look at this through, I mean, we saw in some of the video and in the police report, the medications he was on, they were redacted. He has suffered a lot from his injuries here in recent years. His golf career has taken such a toll on his body. How do you see that as part of his story?

[13:45:00]

WILLIAMS: It's a big part of it. The genius with which he played golf will be the most important part. But in terms of real life, this is the most important chapter of his life. His willingness to look at recovery day to day is just that, that it's day to day and that it is going to be at times there is circuitous route, which I think there's evidence that this has existed for some time.

If you go all the way back to 2009 Thanksgiving, when he had what was the first legal experience that he had, and then subsequently since then, he had the Memorial Day incident of 2017. He had the car accident in 2021, and then you pile up all those injuries as a result of the way that he played golf.

I think that if he can go about being pain free without trying to numb the pain with the chemicals that he's put in his body, I hope that he feels that that can be rewarding and that it is not -- look, I lead a life of recovery myself that that can give you peace of mind. But like I said, this is not linear. What he has to do every day can't be looked upon as a burden or an obligation. It's part of his way of life. It has to be.

KEILAR: Gary, thank you so much. Great to speak with you about this. We really appreciate your perspective.

WILLIAMS: Brianna, thank you.

KEILAR: Still ahead, the family of a Haitian migrant who was going to college in Ohio says he committed suicide after losing his immigration status and being forced to wear an ankle monitor. The Republican governor of the state, Mike DeWine's called the incident a horrible, horrible tragedy. We'll have details about it next.

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[13:51:41]

SANCHEZ: We're tracking outrage in Springfield, Ohio, after the death of a 20-year-old Haitian man who police say stepped into oncoming traffic on Monday morning. Pierre Damas Bell was a first-year student at Wright State University and had been wearing an ICE-mandated ankle monitor.

He posted about it on Instagram, saying, quote, "I didn't come here to commit a crime or hurt anyone, yet now I'm walking through the streets of the United States with a GPS monitor on my leg, carrying a feeling of shame and humiliation that I never imagined I would experience."

Local pastor, Carl Ruby read a statement from Bell's father during a press conference yesterday.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CARL RUBY, SENIOR PASTOR, CENTRAL CHRISTIAN CHURCH: After my son was outfitted with the ankle monitor, he felt like he was treated like an animal. He took two trips to Cincinnati and Westerville to plead the officers to remove the bracelet since he's a soccer player and he felt embarrassed and humiliated when he's among his classmates at the university. He's student of Wright State.

He was bullied with a lot of people telling him he's a criminal. Last Friday, August 28, 2026, he told me, dad, I felt humiliated since they gave uniforms to all of my classmates that JROTC. Their uniforms -- everyone got uniforms except for me because of the bracelet. This morning, he left the house before 8 a.m. He called me at 8:03 a.m. on a video call.

And he said, dad, I'm not feeling OK. I'm thinking right because I have been -- because of the bullies. And I told him, come, come home so that we can talk. I had my youngest to take to school. So I took him to school. Around 11 o'clock, police showed up at my door to report that my son had thrown himself under a truck.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SANCHEZ: A vigil is set for tonight at 6 p.m. in Springfield to honor Bell. Meantime, CNN reached out to Immigration and Customs Enforcement for a statement. They say, quote, "ICE does not comment on the cause of death while that investigation is pending. And we will not speculate about unverified claims regarding other individuals. No one is required to stay in the United States illegally and wear a monitor. Legal aliens have a lawful voluntary option. They can self-deport through the CBP Home app.

Pastor Ruby has been speaking to the Bell family and he joins us now. Pastor, thanks so much for being with us. How is the Bell family doing? What do they want people to know about their son, Pierre?

RUBY: Well, they're obviously devastated, as any family would be. And they want people to know that Pierre loved America. He wanted to become a doctor here. He was taking ROTC classes.

[13:55:00]

He did everything legally until the president ended TPS and took away his legal status. He was an honors student, came to Ohio in 2023, moved to Springfield in 2024 so that he could play soccer, was loved by his soccer teammates, worked at Texas Roadhouse. All who worked with him loved him.

And this is just an unspeakable and unnecessary tragedy.

SANCHEZ: What does this mean for the Springfield community, given what the Haitian folks there have confronted over the last few years?

RUBY: The Springfield community has been in turmoil ever since J.D. Vance and the president made false accusations about them eating pets. So ever since then, it's been hard to live in Springfield because of the negative attention that has been brought upon us.

And since TPS ended, there's just been an increasing level of terror among Haitian families. I was walking one man into his ICE appointment a couple of weeks ago and he leaned over and he said, my brother was just kidnapped by gangs in Haiti. And I said, how is he? And they said -- and he said, they burned him alive.

Those are not unusual stories. I hear those stories over and over again. So they are absolutely terrified of going back to Haiti.

SANCHEZ: So I want to ask you -- (CROSSTALK)

SANCHEZ: I want to ask you about the Instagram posts that Pierre made soon before apparently walking into traffic, saying that he didn't come to this country to commit a crime or hurt anyone. And yet he's carrying a feeling of shame and humiliation that he never imagined he would experience. There is the image that he posted along with it.

What went through your mind when you read that, when you saw that?

RUBY: Anger. It's totally unnecessary. Haitian people are showing up for their appointments faithfully. And the ankle shackling program is designed to dehumanize people. I've watched people walk out of their ICE appointments and just collapse. I watched one 70-year-old woman come out and start begging people to help her get it off her leg. Her leg eventually became infected.

She went back to ICE with doctor's orders to remove it, and they just put it on her other ankle. So there is symbolism to ankle shackles. And it's not only hurting our Haitian community, our entire African- American community is struggling with it.

SANCHEZ: So what's your response to ICE saying that people in the United States, here illegally in their eyes, can self-deport?

(LAUGH)

RUBY: Who would self-deport to a place where sexual violence is endemic with girls as young as 10-years-old? The gangs recently killed 50 people in one city. They're burning people alive. I have another friend whose friend was beheaded, and the decapitated body was left in his front yard. I guess what I would say to people like that is, would you go there?

SANCHEZ: along with this --

(CROSSTALK)

RUBY: And our own State Department says it's one of the most dangerous places in the world, and don't go there.

SANCHEZ: Yeah. Along with Pierre's family, you've put out a call for lawmakers to press the administration to change course, to see what you've described, that Haiti is a very rough place and that the folks who've gotten Temporary Protected Status deserve to have it extended. Have you heard anything back from lawmakers, members of the administration, anything at all?

RUBY: I've heard from Governor DeWine several times, and I ask our other elected officials. I ask Senator Jon Husted, Senator Bernie Moreno, our Congressman in this area, our Congressman Mike Turner, who has been helpful to us, and also Jim Jordan. I ask each one of them to come out with a statement saying that this practice has to stop.

It's not good for Springfield, it's not good for Ohio, and it very certainly wasn't good for Pierre. SANCHEZ: Pastor Carl Ruby, we have to leave the conversation there. We do appreciate you sharing part of Pierre's story.

RUBY: (Inaudible).

SANCHEZ: Yeah, please.

RUBY: I just want to say that the mother of the truck driver called to express her sympathy to the family, and he is a victim too.

SANCHEZ: Well, thank you so much for joining us. We appreciate you bringing us the family's message.

RUBY: Yep, thank you.

SANCHEZ: Of course. If you --