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Congress Set To Return With Jam-Packed Agenda This Week; Judge Blocks Trump Administration From Deporting Guatemalan Children; China To Host Massive Military Parade; Pope Leo Responds To The Minneapolis School Shooting; California Democrats Launch Redistricting Campaign. Aired 6-7p ET

Aired August 31, 2025 - 18:00   ET

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

[18:00:00]

JESSICA DEAN, CNN HOST: You're in the "CNN Newsroom." I'm Jessica Dean here in New York.

Lawmakers on Capitol Hill getting ready to head back to the office after August recess. They rushed out of town amidst the Jeffrey Epstein saga, going home to their districts to talk to voters after President Trump's signature tax bill passed. And when they come back, Congress will have to deal with funding the government immediately. The funding deadline coming up in about 30 days.

We could also see Congress decide whether to take action against Russia with sanctions, and how they might address some of Trump's latest firings. One issue likely to boil up again, whether to make the Epstein files public.

Let's bring in CNN correspondent Julia Benbrook, who's joining us from Washington now.

Julia, when lawmakers left for August recess, there was so much heat over the lack of transparency on the Epstein investigation. In fact, House Speaker Mike Johnson let them out early to avoid having to deal with some of this. So what happens now that they're coming back?

JULIA BENBROOK, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, this was a topic that really dominated the conversation here in Washington as the lawmakers prepared to go home to their districts for August recess. And now, as they are coming back, some of them are pushing to make sure that this remains an area of focus.

Taking a step back to look at some of the details that led to this controversy. In February, we saw Attorney General Pam Bondi hyped up soon to be released documents related to Jeffrey Epstein. She even suggested she had a so-called client list sitting on her desk. But months later, the Department of Justice and the FBI released a memo saying that it had not found a so-called client list incriminating associates of Jeffrey Epstein and that it would not be releasing more information.

That led to repeated calls for more transparency. Some of those coming from Capitol Hill. And shortly before they left for this break, a House Oversight Subcommittee voted in a bipartisan vote, I might add, to subpoena the Department of Justice for more files related to this investigation. And some of the Democrats on the committee so far, as they've started to receive these files, have criticized what they've received so far, saying that not a lot of new records have yet been sent over.

But we will see some movement on Tuesday as House Oversight Committee chairman James Comer has confirmed that members of this group, both Democrats and Republicans, will be meeting with some of the victims, the survivors of Epstein's abuse and some of their family members as well.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. JAMES COMER (R-KY): As there are victims that are involved here, and we want to protect their futures and their reputations and their families. So we're going to have a good conversation to see how best then to turn around and present this information to the American people and hopefully put this issue to rest.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BENBROOK: And then in a separate effort on Wednesday, we will see a press conference. This is led by Representative Ro Khanna, a Democrat from California, and Representative Thomas Massie, a Republican from Kentucky. That press conference is going to feature some of the victims, some of them speaking, telling their stories publicly for the first time.

And this comes as those two lawmakers are trying to force a vote on a piece of legislation that would call for a broad release of the Epstein files, and they could do this by getting enough signatures on a discharge petition. They need 218 signatures to do that. They say that they're confident that all Democrats are going to sign on to that, and then they just need a handful of Republicans.

DEAN: All right, Julia Benbrook, with the latest from Washington. Thank you.

Turning now to our other top story. A federal judge is blocking the Trump administration from deporting Guatemalan children. The children are in federal government's custody -- in the federal government's custody and the government claims the children's parents are pushing for their return. Lawyers for the children say that is false and that they would be at risk if they're deported. A judge says the Justice Department has until Friday to provide evidence.

Let's bring in CNN White House reporter Betsy Klein, who's done some reporting on this with our colleagues.

Tell us about this latest ruling and what the Trump administration plans to do here -- Betsy.

BETSY KLEIN, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Jessica, in recent days, the Trump administration had identified hundreds of Guatemalan children for repatriation. And a really remarkable scene unfolding, according to a federal judge, as many of those children were woken up in the middle of the night and told they would be put on planes that were expected to return to Guatemala.

Now, these are unaccompanied minors. These are children who have arrived in the United States without a parent or legal guardian. They are placed into Department of Health and Human Services' care and then U.S. officials work with them to find a U.S. based family member to stay with while their immigration process plays out. What's unprecedented here is that these children were expected to be repatriated before that process had been completed, and advocates for these children say that many of them do not want to go back to Guatemala, that they're afraid because they are victims of abuse or neglect.

The government, meanwhile, the Trump administration saying that many of them have been requested by their parents or legal guardians to go back to Guatemala.

[18:05:06]

So a clear disconnect there and a federal judge stepping in, issuing a temporary restraining order to stop those flights from taking off, giving this a little bit more time to play out as she set a Friday deadline for the Department of Justice to provide more information -- Jessica.

DEAN: And Betsy, also, in the meantime, we've learned new details about the administration's plans for immigration enforcement. This surge in Chicago that's set to begin in a matter of days. What more can you tell us about that?

KLEIN: That's right. The Trump administration is expected to make an enhanced immigration enforcement operation in Chicago in the coming days. Preparations are underway to surge federal agents and other resources. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem saying that more resources are coming to Chicago. This is expected to be larger in scale than existing immigration enforcement operations in Chicago after president Trump took office for a second time.

It's expected to mirror what we saw in Los Angeles over this summer. And in a sign of that, the National Guard is being positioned to potentially step in to help if peacekeeping operations are needed. Secretary Noem said that the National Guard deployment is up to the president, but Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker says he has not yet heard from the Trump administration ahead of this planned operation. He says that these actions could inflame passions on the ground.

DEAN: All right, Betsy Klein at the White House tonight. Thank you so much for that.

And we are joined now by CNN political commentator and Democratic strategist Maria Cardona and Republican strategist Katie Frost.

It's great to see both of you. Thanks for being here with me on a Sunday evening. Katie, let's pick off -- let's pick up there where Betsy just left off

talking about Chicago. It is bracing for this immigration crackdown and what kind of form that might take. State and local officials have come out against this. Trump has said he feels like this is something he needs to do. He's described -- you know, obviously this is a cornerstone of his policy.

Do you think that the president risks appearing heavy handed with this move, or is this something you think the American people are good with?

KATIE FROST, REPUBLICAN STRATEGIST: Well, I believe it's great to be with you again, Jessica. Look, the American people clearly voted for stronger immigration policies and enforcement is a key component of that. We can't say that you have to abide by the law to come here but then when people have broken the law to come to this country there are no ramifications.

Don't forget, it's an incredibly strong deterrent when people see these operations playing out. And they're contemplating potentially coming here illegally. They go, actually, I'm not going to get in the middle of that. I'm not going to risk having that happen to me. I'll go through the proper channels and the correct process. So President Trump has a mandate, to have strong immigration enforcement. That is one of the main things that got him elected. And now we're seeing it's playing out. I believe ultimately the American people are on his side.

DEAN: And Maria, immigration was one of his -- one of his top issues. And he was very clear about what he wanted to do. Do you think he does have a mandate for this?

MARIA CARDONA, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Absolutely not. Not for the cruelty that he is imposing upon the American people. And what I mean by that, Jessica, is that, yes, he ran on immigration and he ran on, quote, "deporting the most violent, the most dangerous criminals that were here illegally."

Guess what? That's not what he's doing. They are kidnaping people off the streets, Jessica. I have seen it for myself, as I talk to you from the occupied capital of the United States of America, Washington, D.C. I, as you know, do a lot of work in the Latino community. And I have seen families torn apart because their loved ones are being kidnaped. People who have been here for decades, contributing trillions of dollars to our economy, starting businesses, raising families, have absolutely no criminal record whatsoever.

The president's immigration numbers are in the toilet. They are under (INAUDIBLE) not what the American people voted for. They did not vote to have a police state enforced upon them. And so I think Republicans and Donald Trump are playing with political fire here as they go into the midterm elections with these horrific images of children crying for their mothers and their fathers and their grandmothers and their grandfathers who are being literally ripped from their arms without having committed any single crime, without having any kind of criminal record here in the United States. So they are going to continue with this, it seems, because he has

betrayed the American people on this issue. But I believe and there already has been massive political pushback and fallout for Republicans. And I think there will continue to be.

DEAN: Katie, what about this reporting that Betsy had about the Guatemalan children, ages 10 to 17, that the Trump administration has been trying to fly back to their countries?

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I mean, these are -- these are children. They are under the age of 18, 10 to 17 years old. Do you think that's appropriate?

FROST: Well, you look at what Betsy's reporting was, is that the Trump administration says the families and legal guardians are requesting the children be returned to Guatemala. And the judge saying, well, let's give it some time to figure out what is actually happening here.

One of the horrible things we saw happening under the Biden administration was unprecedented numbers of unaccompanied minors. And when these children arrive in our country, we do not know where they came from, where their families are, and how best to make sure they are put into a safe, secure environment.

I remember the Elian Gonzalez story when I was a little girl. I remember that. The idea of a child coming to this country alone and then being with family, but then that was the Clinton administration that said, no, we're going to send him back to Cuba. They forcibly removed him from his family. As opposed to here, they're saying family members are requesting them. We have not been able to identify family members for them to be within the United States.

So now the judge is saying we need more time to look through this, but absolutely, these children need to be with the right people, with their parents and guardians, and make sure they're in a safe place, whether that's in Guatemala or the United States.

DEAN: Yes. To your point, just to be clear, I think that's what the judge wants to sort out is exactly who are they -- you know, they say that some -- some of their attorneys say, actually, we don't, they aren't being requested to be sent back. The Trump administration said they are by the parents. So they're trying to sort that out in court.

CARDONA: Exactly.

DEAN: But, Maria, what are your thoughts on this?

CARDONA: With all due respect, I worked on the Elian Gonzalez case, and it has absolutely nothing to do with what's going on here.

So, Katie, you got to go back and look at the facts on that.

What's going on here is a Trump administration again being very heavy handed, imposing cruelty, imposing whatever the hell they want against what is law. And that's why you see the courts halting what this president is doing, because he is not a king. He was voted president of the United States, not crowned king. And so the judge does want what is best for these children. He is going to -- the judge is going to make sure that from the advocates' standpoint, from their lawyer's standpoint, even from the family standpoint, who many times send these kids over here because over there they are either in danger or there is no way that they can give them a better future.

And, you know, this used to be a country that welcomed people and families who were looking for a better future, who were looking to come here and give their best to this country. But under this president and under the Trump administration and Republicans, they have absolutely forgotten what this country was founded on, the values that this country was founded on. And that's why you are seeing this president has a 37 percent low -- record low approval rating right now.

That is why Democrats are winning in the generic ballot. That is why Joni Ernst is deciding not to run for reelection because she sees the shellacking that is coming from Democrats in the coming midterm elections because of everything that the Trump administration is doing that has been a betrayal of the American people.

DEAN: Katie, I feel like you want to say something. You were shaking your head there.

FROST: Trying to tie Senator Ernst's retirement to this, I'm sorry, Maria, I'm going to have to respectfully disagree with you on that. Now, I remember when we were talking back last -- know last November, remember when that poll came out? Oh, Kamala Harris is going to win Iowa by eight points. What happened? President Trump won Iowa by double digits. The highest margin of victory in the state of Iowa for presidential candidate since 1972.

Senator Ernst is not looking at this because she thinks she's going to be shellacked by the Democrats. Senator Ernst was actually receiving pressure from --

CARDONA: Then why is she retiring?

FROST: Well, if you let me finish, I'll tell you why. She was receiving pressure from within her own party. Big prominent conservative talk show host in Iowa, Steve Deace, a friend of mine, he went out and publicly called her a colossal disappointment. There was a move to primary her from the right. So why would she want to fight a war on two fronts when she's already served a long time in the Senate? It's a good time to retire.

She's not retiring, though, because she's worried about the Democrats giving her shellacking? I'm sorry, I have to respectfully disagree with that idea. A double-digit win for President Trump just two years ago. Really?

DEAN: Go ahead, Maria.

CARDONA: You can go ahead and tell yourself that, Katie, if that makes you sleep at night. But let's look at the Senate, at the state Senate seat that was just won by a Democrat. It was a seat that Donald Trump won by 10 points. I'm sorry. The writing is on the wall. And Joni Ernst did not like it.

DEAN: All right.

FROST: Special elections, Maria. I've run a lot of those myself as a campaign manager. They are incredibly low turnout. They're not going to have national attention like this story will. The turnout for the Republicans will be high. The Democrats were motivated to break the supermajority. That's why they got their vote out for a very low turnout special election. They were able to pick up a seat. Congratulations. Good job.

[18:15:03]

But don't, I would not in any way bet on that being a foretelling of what's going to happen next year.

DEAN: Do you think, Maria --

(CROSSTALK)

DEAN: Go ahead.

CARDONA: We're winning on the generic ballot right now. So if you need to tell yourself that to sleep at night, that's OK.

DEAN: All right. Maria Cardona and Katie Frost, a spicy conversation on this Saturday evening. Thank you to both of you. I really do appreciate it.

CARDONA: Thanks, Jessica.

FROST: Thank you.

DEAN: Coming up, a major gathering of world leaders in China. Leaders like Putin and Xi seeking to transform the current world order and shift power away from the U.S. We'll break it down.

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DEAN: On Wednesday, China is hosting a major military parade in its capital city. That parade is meant to mark the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II, while serving as a major show of force of China's military, displaying its aircraft, tanks and missiles.

And joining us now, CNN military analyst and retired Air Force Colonel Cedric Leighton.

Colonel, great to have you here with us. It is going to be quite a spectacle in Beijing this week. It's going to, you know, catch the attention of probably the world and President Donald Trump. There's also the idea of not just showing military might, but also trying to draw attention to this World War II narrative. What do you read into this event?

COL. CEDRIC LEIGHTON, CNN MILITARY ANALYST: Yes, Jessica, it's great to be with you. There are several aspects to this. You know, clearly the Chinese are going to try to show their military might, showcase the kinds of weapons that they've built, such as the J-20 fighter, which is something that they borrowed in large part, you know, from us using their cyberattacks to go after our defense contractors. So a lot of what they're going to be showing are basically weapons systems that are either copies or near copies of Western equipment.

But it's still formidable. The equipment that they use, the military muscle that they're going to show, is definitely going to be noticeable. And it's going to be interesting because the celebration is, of course, as you mentioned, about the end of World War II. But the fact is that the Chinese Communist Party actually played a very minor role in liberating China from the Japanese. That was actually done by the Kuomintang or the Nationalist Party.

And the Chinese communists are, of course, taking credit for it. But they were the ones who were sitting on the sidelines and used that to their advantage to gain power at that time.

DEAN: Mm-hmm. And Xi is going to be joined by a number of leaders. But including Russian President Vladimir Putin and for the first time North Korea's Kim Jong-un will be taking part in this. This is thought to be his first appearance with a group of world leaders like this.

What message does that send?

LEIGHTON: So this is basically the formation of a bloc of countries that is now coming out more into the open, where the Chinese, the Russians, the North Koreans, and possibly India are joining together, in essence, in a -- in a bloc to compete with the West. This bloc is going to try to, in essence, take out U.S. hegemony, with what they perceive to be U.S. hegemony. They're going to try to create a system where instead of a unipolar world, it's going to be a multipolar world. And that's what they want to do.

They want to create a system where they can actually control the narrative from their side. They are going to try to thwart western efforts to gain influence or to maintain influence, and they're going to do it not only in Asia but also in Europe as well.

DEAN: And in the meantime, the Trump administration has dismantled USAID, shuttered Voice of America. These are agencies that for decades really served as America's soft diplomacy in the world, going all over the globe. Last month, the State Department laid off more than a thousand employees, including experts on the South China Sea, chemical weapons, other career diplomats. And so, with this void that still exists across the globe, is this a void China is now looking to fill?

LEIGHTON: Yes, absolutely. What the Chinese are doing with several initiatives, including their Silk Road initiative and, you know, their work with BRICS nations, all of that is going to basically come together in their view, and they're going to try to use their version of soft power, coupled with economic power, in order to gain much more leverage. And the fact that our experts, for example, in the South China Sea, have been let go, our experts at the Voice of America and similar organizations like Radio Free Asia, they're all basically using that as an effort to not only win the war diplomatically, but also win the propaganda war.

And that's a major change from the way the world has been ordered before. In essence, the U.S. is ceding its influence in a lot of these areas around the world. And it's not just Asia, but we're also looking at Africa and Latin America and countries like that. So the Chinese are trying to exert influence all over these areas. And our failure to continue to use soft power in these areas is going to make it a lot more difficult if we ever have to use hard power to combat countries like China and Russia.

DEAN: All right. Colonel Cedric Leighton, always good to see you. Thanks for your time.

LEIGHTON: You bet, Jessica. Anytime.

DEAN: Thank you.

The first American Pope now weighing in on what is a very American problem. Pope Leo's new plea for U.S. lawmakers after last week's shooting at Annunciation Catholic School that killed two schoolchildren in Minneapolis.

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(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

DEAN: Pope Leo is calling for an end to what he called the pandemic of arms following his Sunday Angelus prayer in Saint Peter Square today. This was his first public comment on gun control since becoming head of the Catholic Church. The Pope also offered prayers to the victims of the shooting at Annunciation Catholic School in Minneapolis.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

POPE LEO XIV, CATHOLIC CHURCH LEADER: We include in our prayers the countless children killed and injured every day around the world. Let us plead God to stop the pandemic of arms, large and small, which infects our world.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

[18:30:06]

DEAN: CNN Vatican correspondent Christopher Lamb has more now.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CHRISTOPHER LAMB, CNN VATICAN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Pope Leo XIV making a strong appeal to end the proliferation of arms that he sees across the world today and speaking after the tragic shooting at a Catholic school in Minnesota. Leo XIV, the first American Pope in the church's history, speaking in English on Sunday as he condemned the pandemic of arms, both large and small. Leo XIV, making his first public remarks about the question of gun control since his election on the 8th of May this year.

Of course, Leo able to speak in English as his mother tongue and therefore his words having a greater resonance as he spoke out about this pandemic of arms, which he sees. Leo, when he initially responded to the school shooting, sent a telegram which offered his condolences to the victims but didn't get into the question of gun control. Today, he entered into that territory, albeit diplomatically.

He called for prayers once again for the victims and for all children who are caught up in violence, who are being injured and killed, he said, every day, Now, Leo XIV, in keeping with his predecessor, Pope Francis, who condemned the arms trade, Leo has done that repeatedly, Pope Francis also called or warned about the widespread use of guns by civilians, which he said could become a habit.

Leo didn't quite go as far as Francis today, but making his views very clear about the widespread proliferation of arms, both large and small, and which he sees as injuring and damaging the lives of children. Killing children in so many places today, and particularly following that tragic school shooting in Minnesota.

Christopher Lamb, CNN, London.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

DEAN: Christopher, thank you.

And let's bring in CNN religion contributor and Roman Catholic priest, Father Edward Beck.

Father, thank you for joining us this evening. We really appreciate it. I first just want to get your thoughts on what we heard from Pope Leo today.

FR. EDWARD BECK, CNN RELIGION CONTRIBUTOR: Well, you know, some were complaining, Jessica, that he didn't weigh in on gun control in his initial statements to family, which were really a message of consolation. But now, today at the Angelus, he did weigh in, and he said this proliferation of arms large and small has to end that. That There's no logic to weapons.

And so I think it's important that an American Pope, when this is a distinctly American issue, I mean not distinctly so much as though the proliferation here is more than anywhere else in the world of mass shootings. And I think it's important for an American Pope, the first American Pope in history, to weigh in on this issue because it has plagued the United States now for decades.

DEAN: And what does Pope Leo's message today kind of show us or expose about how he's approaching his new role?

BECK: Well, I think remember, Jessica, he is the Pope of the world. He began by speaking about Ukraine, that arms and guns are not only a problem here. However, he is definitely cognizant of the fact that, say, from. 2020 to 2022, we had 109 classified mass shootings here in the United States. The next country to come close in second was France, with only six, 109 to six. The Pope knows this. And so it's definitely an issue that's on his heart and mind. He is an American, after all. Except he always has to keep in mind that he is the Pope of the world church.

And so while he addressed Minnesota directly, I think he has to keep it in the context of arms internationally and the fact that the proliferation is simply wrong and needs to end.

DEAN: It is so interesting hearing you describe it that way. We are reminded that he is our first American Pope that we've had, and what that brings with it, and he has obviously been a citizen of the world for much of his adult life, but is from America and had a very American upbringing and experience. And to your point, does have to balance that and that knowledge and what he brings to this job with also speaking for all the Catholics around the globe.

BECK: I think you're right. And remember, he was educated theologically also here in the United States. We were in the same seminary at the same time. He was ahead of me. We were there very short time together, but we had the same training.

And with regards peace and justice, these were predominant issues when we went through the seminary in the 1980s, and they are still predominant issues. So we can't just miss what he has been formed in the culture. He has been formed him in what he has seen and that he carries that with him. So while, again, he's not going to specify necessarily all the time the United States. We know he speaks to his brother daily. He's involved in the politics of the United States. He keeps up on it.

And so this issue, I think, is very close to his heart. And I think he's saddened as any American would be about what happened in Minnesota.

DEAN: Yes. And it's just, it's a moment again to really pause and not be numb to it that these were children at school, at a Catholic school, the first school day of the year, praying at a little service before their school started, when they were killed. And to your point, he is in a unique position to speak about that.

BECK: He is. And to think that it happened in this context of prayer. When you see the sanctuary of that violated by this violence and by this shooter, I mean it's the most heinous thing you can think of, because every time those children who survived walk into a church again, that's going to be their memory, that this is not a place of sanctuary and peace and solace, which a church is supposed to be.

But this is a place where they experienced terrible violence and killing of their classmates. I mean, they'll carry that the rest of their lives. And I think the Pope, again, is grieving for this, as we all are, that children or even adults, anyone should have to endure that kind of tragedy.

DEAN: Yes. All right. And perhaps we will hear more from him at his mass tonight.

Father Edward Beck, thank you so much. We really appreciate it.

BECK: Thank you.

DEAN: Coming up, a different a different kind of campaign in California. Rather than trying to get voters behind a candidate, Democrats are pushing people to approve their plan to potentially gain more seats in Congress and counter what Republicans have done in Texas.

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[18:41:47]

DEAN: Just in to CNN, former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani was injured in a car accident last night, but we're told he is recovering. Giuliani's head of security saying the former mayor's vehicle was struck from behind at a high speed adding that he was transported to a nearby trauma center, where he was diagnosed with a fractured vertebrae, among other injuries. State police say Giuliani was one of three people taken to the hospital by ambulance with non-life threatening injuries.

The "L.A. Times" is reporting millions of dollars in ads supporting and opposing California's special election. Redistricting plans are expected to start airing Tuesday. The paper reviewed television airtime purchases for its reporting that redistricting effort, led by Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom is looking to change the congressional map to swing districts in the state from red to blue. The move, aimed at countering the new congressional maps from Texas, which could give Republicans five additional seats in Congress, where their majority is very thin.

CNN correspondent Julia Vargas Jones joining us now.

Julia, what is the state -- what's the state of that push to convince voters to get on board with the plan?

JULIA VARGAS JONES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Jessica, that race is very much underway here in California. One mega donor, Charles Munger, Jr., just contributed $10 million to one of the PACs that is opposing this redistricting effort sending mailers to thousands of people across California.

Now, we went to the California 48th Congressional District. That is one of the biggest reaches for Democrats in a district that has been very much red but that could flip if this ballot measure goes through.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JONES (voice-over): In California's race to counter Texas, San Diego County is a big prize.

Where are we? GARVIN WALSH, BOARD MEMBER, SAN DIEGO COUNTY REPUBLICANS: We're in

Escondido, which you might call it the capital of North County San Diego. And this is Friday night. It's a regular routine during the summer. The town will be filled with antique cars, and it brings out people who wish they had one.

JONES (voice-over): This southern slice of the state stands to be most affected if voters approve an extraordinary mid-decade drive to redraw district lines that could add up to five Democratic seats in Congress. Local Republicans like Garvin Walsh call it a power grab.

WALSH: It's not a question of fairness towards Republicans. It's a question of, you know, principle and playing by the rules, and they're not doing that.

JONES (voice-over): Earlier in August, the initiative passed a California legislature, a tit-for-tat redistricting push to offset expected Republican gains in Texas. Republican Assembly Member Carl DeMaio is vowing to take the fight to the polls.

CARL DEMAIO (R), CALIFORNIA STATE ASSEMBLY MEMBER: A lot of what our campaign will be focusing on is getting the truth to voters, making sure that they understand that these lines were drawn by the politicians. These lines are not about fairness.

JONES (voice-over): California's 48th District is a Republican stronghold stretching from just east of Orange County all the way down to the Mexican border. The newly proposed lines would take out some of the reddest parts of San Diego County and add in liberal-leaning Palm Springs voters, which could give Democrats an edge in the midterms.

Much like in Texas, support for redistricting here in California is split along partisan lines.

[18:45:03]

These people here are fully in favor of Governor Gavin Newsom's efforts to redistrict California. They're saying they don't care this is a political move. It's along the lines of their belief system.

JAMES CASSIDY, ESCONDIDO RESIDENT: I voted for the independent districting, but we have to fight fire with fire.

DEBBIE, DEMOCRATIC VOTER FROM ESCONDIDO: This is simply to counteract what's going on and try to make sure that Trump does not wield control over Congress.

JONES (voice-over): At the forefront of this fight is Democrat Ammar Campa-Najjar.

CROWD: Yes, we can.

JONES (voice-over): Twice he's run in this part of the state and lost. The last time was in 2020 against longtime Republican Congressman Darrell Issa. But Campa-Najjar is hoping the new borders will help push him across the finish line in 2026. AMMAR CAMPA-NAJJAR (D), CONGRESSIONAL CANDIDATE: Are you guys ready to

turn out on November 4th for the ballot measure?

CROWD: Yes, sir.

CAMPA-NAJJAR: We have to win this ballot initiative. Once we get into office, we could raise the bar and hopefully fight for a national independent commission like we have here. But if we're the only ones doing it, we're at a disadvantage.

JONES (voice-over): Back on the main drag, these cars are parked right at the current district's border. New maps would fold all of these blocks into the new 48th.

WALSH: They're making it more difficult, but I don't think we're going to give up.

(END VIDEO TAPE)

DEAN: And, Julia, even though Democrats outnumber Republicans in California, they still face an uphill battle in getting people to the polls. How are they going to handle that?

JONES (on-camera): Well, it's been, Jessica, all about nationalizing this conversation. Gavin Newsom, the governor of California, has pitched this as a referendum on Donald Trump. The question is, will that be enough to galvanize people to actually participate? You know, if this referendum goes through, this ballot measure, I should say, goes through, it will affect not just these five districts that Democrats hope will give them an edge and then those five more seats in Congress, it will affect districts all over, all the way from the Mexican border to the border with Oregon.

So there could still be some resistance, even from Democrats and independents who say, look, we have something good going in California. We have the gold standard, let's say, of districts here. Let's not throw all that away just to get back at Donald Trump.

DEAN: All right. Julia Vargas Jones, with the latest reporting out of California. Thank you so much for that.

President Trump is not attending, but his presence will still loom large as the leaders of India, Russia, China and more come together for a major summit. How Trump's foreign policies are giving China new opportunities to expand its power.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[18:52:10]

DEAN: President Trump's use of tariffs as a core principle of his economic policy has created a great deal of uncertainty for the U.S. and world economy. He claims tariffs will make the country richer than it ever has been before, and argues tariffs would have prevented the Great Depression. But what does history say about the effect of these kinds of economic policies? In his latest documentary special, Fareed Zakaria looks back at

America's past experience with tariffs. And here's a preview.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

FAREED ZAKARIA, CNN HOST, "FAREED ZAKARIA GPS": April 2nd, 2025, America's so-called liberation day. As President Trump. Unveiled new tariffs on countries spanning the globe.

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Jobs and factories will come roaring back into our country.

ZAKARIA: He wanted to return America to its glory days.

TRUMP: We're going to produce the cars and ships, chips, airplanes that we need right here in America.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We make steel. We make steel and talk steel.

ZAKARIA: Trump was tapping into a powerful nostalgia for an economy that used to make things. And for the bountiful middle class manufacturing jobs that came with it.

TRUMP: This will be indeed the golden age of America.

ZAKARIA: A century ago, America had a longing for another lost era. It led to massive tariffs designed to help one industry.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Depression, fear and failure stalk the nation.

ZAKARIA: Which then damaged the entire economy. This is the story of the Smoot-Hawley Tariff Act, a law that carries dire warnings for America today.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

DEAN: Be sure to tune in, "BIG, BEAUTIFUL TARIFFS, A FAREED ZAKARIA SPECIAL," airs tomorrow night at 8:00 Eastern only on CNN.

CNN is mourning the loss of one of our own tonight. Former anchor and correspondent Charles Bierbauer has died. Bierbauer joined CNN in 1981, covering the Pentagon after an established career as a foreign correspondent. He served as CNN's senior White House correspondent and senior Washington correspondent.

And here he is in 2011, reporting on the delay of the execution of the Oklahoma City bomber, Timothy McVeigh.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CHARLES BIERBAUER, FORMER CNN ANCHOR AND CORRESPONDENT: We have not had a federal execution since 1963. Yes, there are lots of executions that have taken place across this country, but those are all taking place under state laws, where indeed most of your crimes that deserve the death penalty, which are essentially murder crimes, take place not under federal law. We have not had any even reprieve of this sort in decades.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

DEAN: He retired from CNN in 2001, later becoming the dean of the University of South Carolina's journalism program. Charles Bierbauer was 83 years old.

[18:55:02]

We'll be right back.

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DEAN: You're in the CNN NEWSROOM. I'm Jessica Dean here in New York.

Global leaders are gathering in China right now. And in the next few hours, we will hear from Chinese leader Xi Jinping as he seeks to establish China as the dominant world power.

Also in China, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.