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CNN International: Trump And Xi Discuss Trade, A.I. Safety, U.S.-Iran War; Media Outlets Return To White House; T.V. Pool In Limbo; Pro-Palestinian Protesters Rally As Netanyahu, Abbas Speak; Iran: New Proposal To Restart Talks With U.S. Reopen Hormuz; Pope Leo Starts Four-Day Visit To France. Aired 4-4:30a ET

Aired September 25, 2026 - 04:00   ET

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

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[04:00:31]

SALMA ABDELAZIZ, CNN ANCHOR AND CORRESPONDENT: Hello and a very warm welcome. I'm Salma Abdelaziz in London. Let's go straight to our headlines.

A high-stakes summit. President Trump hosting Chinese leader Xi Jinping for a state dinner at the White House. We're going to go live to Beijing with what key issues were discussed.

Iran says it has a new proposal to restart talks with the U.S. It comes as world leaders gather in New York for the U.N. General Assembly. We're live in the Gulf region with the latest.

Plus, Pope Leo begins his trip to France. We're going to tell you what is on the agenda.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Live from London, this is "CNN Newsroom" with Salma Abdelaziz.

ABDELAZIZ: Let's start in Washington. This is where U.S. President Donald Trump, of course, hosted Chinese leader Xi Jinping for a state visit, including a formal state dinner at the White House that took place just a few hours ago.

Later today, President Trump is set to take Xi to the National Archives to see America's founding documents in honor of country's 250th anniversary.

Now, CNN is scheduled to serve as White House press poll for this event, but it is unclear whether the Trump administration will actually allow CNN to cover it. The White House denied reporters from CNN and MS NOW access to Xi's arrival for the state dinner, even though both networks were allowed in earlier in the day.

Now, Trump banned these outlets, along with "POLITICO," last week, but they were ultimately let back in around noon on Thursday following a court order. We're going to have more for you on that in just a moment. But first to Xi's first visit to Washington in more than a decade and his second meeting with President Trump this year as the two leaders work to manage one of the world's most significant and difficult relationships.

They held closed door talks at the White House on Thursday. Chinese state media says the discussions covered trade, artificial intelligence, Taiwan, and the U.S. war with Iran.

To find out more about those conversations, we're joined now by CNN's Steven Jiang, our bureau chief in Beijing. Thank you so much for joining us.

I'm very curious to know from your listening post in Beijing, how has this state visit been covered and how was that state dinner, which just wrapped up a few hours ago? How was that covered as well in local media?

STEVEN JIANG, CNN BEIJING BUREAU CHIEF: Yes, Salma, I was going to imagine this is the top story across Chinese media platforms and outlets. And, of course, state media has been providing the audience here with play-by-play coverage of their top leaders' visit to D.C.

But this is not surprising, because every aspect -- every aspect of Xi Jinping's overseas trips always meticulously planned with the state media coverage, a very critical component of that, designed to, of course, to highlight their leaders' stature and influence on the world stage as a global statesman.

Now, his time in D.C., this time only about a day and a half, mirroring Trump's time in Beijing back in May.

But despite the brevity of this visit, this itinerary is indeed very much action and symbolism-packed. And some analysts have already described this visit as form over substance. But this is very much by design, because you've mentioned how the two leaders talked about a wide range of issues behind closed doors.

But the fact is both governments remain very far apart in terms of positions on many of these issues and lot of these disputes, disagreements, or foundational, structural, it's just nearly impossible to bridge these gaps anytime soon.

So, what the two sides seem to have agreed and decided to do is to take advantage of this personal rapport, this supposed friendship between their two powerful leaders, and then use that to maintain this rather fragile stability that we have seen in the past few months.

And remember, they now have this trade truce going on, reached first last November, so they just agreed to extend that for two more months. And so a lot of efforts is going in to prevent this relationship, as you mentioned, the most consequential perhaps in the world, from entering another downward spiral, which we saw both during Trump's first term and the opening months of his second term.

So, right now, the focus on both sides is to maintain this so-called constructive, strategic stability.

[04:05:06]

It's quite mouthful, but what really means is buying both sides, both leaders, some time, as Trump, of course, is very much preoccupied with potentially brutal results from the upcoming midterm elections.

And Xi, of course, very much confident going into this visit, perhaps thinking he has the upper hand, especially with the resilience of the Chinese economy.

But he's also facing his own set of domestic challenges in the economy, in the military. Not to mention he also needs time to realize that much talked about goal or ambition of achieving self-sufficiency or even overtaking the U.S. in key technologies, including in A.I. Salma.

ABDELAZIZ: More of a stability summit than a breakthrough summit. Our Steven Jiang there, bureau chief in Beijing on what you described as form over substance so far. Thank you for joining us.

We have more for you now on that battle between the White House and the media. The Trump administration has allowed CNN, MS NOW, and "POLITICO" back into the White House, but the judge's order overturning the president's ban lasts just 14 days. The media outlets are requesting a longer-term commitment from the judge.

In the meanwhile, CNN's participation in the T.V. press pool that covers the president is still in a holding pattern.

CNN's Kristen Holmes is at the White House to explain.

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KRISTEN HOLMES, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: We are following suit with what the rest of the T.V. pool is doing, which is not sending a camera. This is part of what we have agreed upon, but sending an editorial presence.

So, we submitted two names, me and a producer. We walked up and we were told to talk to the press conference, specifically to talk to Steven Cheung, who is in charge of communications, and that the invitation or the pre-credentialed names were only for a photographer and an audio person. They did not want any editorial presence there from CNN, specifically.

We did try to push back saying, why are we being denied access? This is what all the other networks are getting. And we heard nothing in response.

And to be clear, no one of the other T.V. networks were also bringing in a camera or audio. And this comes after we saw President Trump really ranting about the fact that there hadn't been enough television coverage from CNN specifically about the visit of President Xi.

The reason there hasn't been that coverage is that CNN actually was denied entry to the White House leading up to President Xi being here during the entire arrival ceremony.

CNN reporters, CNN cameramen were trying to get inside this building. They could not, and that is the reason why we were not there to cover it.

The other reason why the pool didn't cover it is, of course, because they have pulled CNN out of the rotation. We are waiting to see if that has changed at all.

Kristen Holmes, CNN, the White House.

ABDELAZIZ: Now, at the U.N. General Assembly, there were two different interpretations of reality as the Israeli and Palestinian leaders addressed the forum on Thursday. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu denied his country committed genocide in Gaza, saying, quote, Israel prevented it.

He also dug in his heels when it came to strikes on Iran's nuclear facilities. And he made a prediction that the fall of Iran's regime is only a matter of time.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BENJAMIN NETANYAHU, ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER: One day, and it may not be far away, the Iranian people will be free. Their murderous regime will be toppled by its lies, by its corruption, by its cruelty. This evil regime will fall.

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ABDELAZIZ: But just outside those halls and on the streets, pro- Palestinian protesters held multiple rallies in New York on Thursday. A number of demonstrators were detained, including actress, Susan Sarandon. Now, it's unclear why she was detained and whether she was later released.

As Shimon Prokupecz reports, some rallies were held just outside that U.N. building.

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SHIMON PROKUPECZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: As the United Nations General Assembly comes to a close, the largest protest that New York City has seen here outside the U.N., thousands of people have gathered here to protest Israel to support Palestine, what many of them call is a genocide.

Of course, this is all happening just hours after Benjamin Netanyahu spoke at the UNGA. Many of the people coming out here to express their anger over what they say he has done, over what is happening in Gaza.

The protests will go on here for several hours. And so far, it's been mostly peaceful. And the police are just allowing them to gather here in this area, which is just outside the U.N.

Shimon Prokupecz, CNN, New York. (END VIDEOTAPE)

[04:10:02]

ABDELAZIZ: Now, back inside those chambers, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas focused his speech on keeping a two-state solution alive. He spoke remotely because the U.S. denied him an entry visa. He slammed Israel's plans to expand West Bank settlements, which would effectively split the area in two.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MAHMOUD ABBAS, PALESTINIAN PRESIDENT (through translator): We have long warned the international community through the United Nations General Assembly and through the Security Council that these Israeli policies, in violation of international law, would destroy the two- state solution and that this is what -- and this is what is happening now.

The Palestinian people will not accept displacement, will not accept displacement and will not disappear.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ABDELAZIZ: On the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly, Iran says that it has presented a proposal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and restart talks towards a final deal with the United States.

Iran's foreign minister says the proposal was presented to U.S. mediators this week. He says it would call for the U.S. to meet certain conditions within seven days in order to restart talks and reopen that critical waterway.

I want to go live now to CNN's Paula Hancocks. She is tracking all these developments for us from the region, from Abu Dhabi. Good morning, first of all, to you, Paula.

I want to start right there with that headline that we just read out about this potential new proposal that has been presented by Iran's mediators. What are you learning about this plan?

PAULA HANCOCKS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Salma, this was announced by Abbas Araghchi, the -- the foreign minister, saying that certain conditions have to be met.

Now, he hasn't specified exactly what those conditions are, but he has said that it is nothing more than what was in the memorandum of understanding, which was signed between the U.S. and Iran back in June.

Now, of course, both sides have -- have largely ignored that memorandum of understanding since.

But the sorts of conditions we saw within that document was that there would be an end to the naval blockades that the U.S. has imposed on Iranian ports within the Strait of Hormuz and nearby waters, the -- the -- the unfreezing of frozen Iranian assets, and also the -- the cessation of military hostilities on all fronts, including Lebanon.

So, those are the sorts of things that we can imagine would be within this proposal. We have heard from a U.S. official saying that discussions on the sidelines of the UNGA between the U.S. and Iran have been positive and constructive.

The same official also saying that the U.S. is in a strong position as it is, they believe, in control of the Strait of Hormuz and they are not in a hurry to try and secure a deal with Iran, saying that nearly 22 million barrels of oil had left the Strait of Hormuz.

Now, we're hearing from Araghchi as well that Tehran is not in a rush to -- to secure a deal. But we did hear a day earlier from the Iranian president a defiant speech at the -- the U.N., but also leaving the door open for diplomacy.

So, at this point, we do know that the two sides have been speaking. It's certainly a -- a step forward from where we have been over recent months since that memorandum of understanding. Collapsed, but we don't have the exact details of the -- the proposal.

We haven't heard as of now a response from the Trump administration as to whether or not that is a proposal that they could entertain. Salma.

ABDELAZIZ: So, some signs, small signs of diplomacy there, where there seemed to be no signs of diplomacy was on the Israel and Palestinian territories front. You saw that speech, of course, from Prime Minister Netanyahu. It was extremely combative. He lashed out at France. He lashed out at Britain. He lashed out at Turkey. He lashed out at the mayor of New York.

He called the representatives who walked out in protest "moral cowards." Is there any fallout here? Because there seemed very little room for diplomacy in his rhetoric.

HANCOCKS: It's worth remembering, Salma, that the speech we heard from the Israeli prime minister was not just to the delegates in the room, many of whom, you are correct, walked out as he was speaking. It's not just for the international audience either. It was very much for domestic audience, given the fact that next month there are Israeli elections and -- and -- and there are suggestions, certainly within polls, that he is not going to win.

So, there was definitely a case that what he was saying, and that the fact that it was a combative speech would have been for a domestic audience as well.

Now, we did hear him say that he believed the Iranian regime would collapse in the -- in the near future. He also brought along a Starlink device saying that the Iranian regime is scared of their own people having access to information and being able to speak freely. He -- he often does use gimmicks like this when he is carrying out these -- these U.N. General Assembly speeches. He said he was leaving that device with the assembly organizers so that they could pass it on to the Iranian delegation.

[04:15:33]

Now, he also spoke about the diplomats that had left the auditorium as he was speaking, calling them "moral cowards." Salma.

ABDELAZIZ: Paula Hancocks there on who might have been the actual audience for Prime Minister Netanyahu's speech. Thank you so much for that analysis on both fronts.

Pope Leo is, right now, kicking off his visit to France, where he's going to spend the next four days. We have live pictures for you that are just coming in right now. This is from the airport in Paris, where Pope Francis has just arrived, as you can see him there, walking down the steps, red carpet arrival.

He'll be meeting with French leaders as well as holding a prayer service. He'll also be celebrating mass in Paris' largest public square, where up to a million people are expected. And again, we are looking at these images right now live in Paris.

I believe we have Melissa Bell joining us from there as well to break this down for us. Melissa, let's just start with these live images here. Who -- who is expected there at that red carpet arrival? And -- and what is the welcome going to be like for the Pope?

MELISSA BELL, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Really, we're expecting Parisians to come out in full force over the course of the next couple days. This is overall a four-day visit, Salma, but it begins today.

What we saw was when he landed there, the bells across the churches of all of France rang as he landed for seven minutes. We expect the French president to go there to greet him, bring him back here to the Elysee, meet with him here with diplomats. Then the Pope will go across the river to UNESCO headquarters where he'll be speaking about A.I. That's been, of course, one of his themes and one he'll be returning to in Paris here this morning.

After that, and this is the part that Parisians will be out in full force for. There will be a procession. His Popemobile will go from Montmartre in Northern Paris. making its way through two and a half kilometers through to the left bank in central Paris, not far from Notre Dame.

And we expect that up to a quarter of a million people could line that route to get a sighting of him.

In fact, over the course of the next couple days, we're expecting about a million people to make their way to Paris in the hope of getting a glimpse of Pope Leo XIV.

This is the first time in 18 years, Salma, that a pope has made an official visit to France. There had been visits from Pope Francis to Marseille and to Corsica, but they were not official state papal visit.

So, this is highly anticipated. Large parts of Paris have been blocked off for this. And -- and again, a great deal of excitement here. And the expectation that other people will make their way in the hope of getting a sighting of him.

After that procession by the Popemobile at Central Paris, it'll be his visit to Notre Dame, of course, the historic location because he'll be the first pope to see the renewed Notre Dame cathedral so spectacularly rebuild as it was in the wake of that fire.

And then he'll make his way to the Stade de France to France. And the idea there is that this will be a sort of service with the youth of reach out to the youth here in Paris. So, a lot of things planned for today.

The big day though I think for many Parisians will be Saturday when this mass will be held at Concorde. And again, a lot of people expected to turn up for that to get a glimpse of the Pope for this historic visit. Salma.

And -- and as you're speaking, and you have such a gorgeous shot behind you there, Melissa, we are looking at the image of French President Emmanuel Macron walking alongside the Pope. He seemed to engage in a -- in a very warm and friendly and rather lengthy conversation there with him on that red carpet before they started their walk.

You said that this is the first state visit for a pope in 18 years. So, there's a great deal of significance there, of course, but France is a deeply secular country where Christianity is in decline.

What is the hope for the Pope in this outreach?

BELL: I think that's right. It is a deeply secular country, and yet, Catholicism has deep roots here, of course. And there are many Catholics in France who will be making their way out in the hopes of getting a glimpse of him.

I think the fact also that this new American Pope, this first major state visit of his to a European countries -- countries also of importance.

[04:20:09]

And I think on that question of the secular versus the deeply religious, I think the fact that so far his positions and I'm thinking here of his cyclical on A.I., for instance, have been so well received. There's kind of thoughtfulness being given some of the big questions of the age.

And I think that's one of the reasons that even those who might not be the fervent Catholics making their way out here to see him for religious reasons. I think that is also why he's had a great deal of attention and already enjoys a certain amount of popularity even amongst those non-Catholics were more removed from their Catholic faith.

But, yes, still I think France is a deeply Catholic country for the most part. However, secular and this division between state and church are quite right important, deeply ingrained here in French society, there is still this very important Catholic faith, I think, that you're going to see on proud display.

And we've seen over the course of the last few days the churches have big signs welcoming Pope Leo here. And I think, again, the fact that that coordinated bell ringing, not just here in Paris, but across France, as he arrived speaks to some of that fervour. And I think you're going to be seeing a lot of that.

I think it is interesting also that not only will he be received here at the Elysee Palace, but again, that moment at UNESCO when he'll be speaking to A.I. and those moments that will speak beyond the Catholic community also being very closely watched.

ABDELAZIZ: And already the pomp and circumstance underway just outside of his plane there. We're seeing an honor guard. We're seeing a salute. We're seeing, of course, Emmanuel Macron welcoming the Pope in this four-day state visit, which as you described there is not just meant for those who are religious, for those who hold Catholic views, but as an outreach, as an opportunity to bridge divides.

Thank you so much for that update and for bringing us that from the Elysee Palace in Paris. Thank you.

There's much more to come here on "CNN Newsroom." Hurricane Polo is packing a powerful punch in Mexico and it's still a force to watch. When we come back, tracking Polo's path and the threat it could pose along the coast.

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[04:25:10]

ABDELAZIZ: Welcome back.

We're just getting word of new Russian strikes across Ukraine which killed at least two people overnight. Officials say at least 13 people were injured in the attack that involved almost 300 drones.

The targets included the cities of Kyiv, Odesa and Zaporizhzhia, where a medical facility caught on fire.

Meanwhile, new video in two CNN shows massive plumes of smoke coming from a Russian oil refinery, according to Reuters. Russia says it repelled a massive drone attack in the area. The refinery is located just about a thousand kilometers or 600 miles east of Moscow.

Russian officials also say eight people were injured in a separate drone attack about 600 kilometers southwest of Perm.

Hurricane Polo is making its way up Mexico's Pacific coast, bringing strong waves, winds, and sudden downpours to the southwest mainland. The category four hurricane is expected to move out into the Pacific Ocean in the coming hours, potentially as a category five. It is anticipated to head towards the Baja Peninsula where it could make landfall next week as a category two storm.

Meanwhile, an early fall, nor'easter, is gathering strength along the U.S. East Coast. It's already hitting beaches in several states with heavy surf and threatening coastal flooding this weekend.

The nor'easter, named for the direction it is pushing winds come from, could dump up to a month's rain in parts of New England. The coincidence of a full moon on Saturday is compounding the problem by -- by raising high tide levels day by day.

Now, the storm system is currently sitting several hundred miles off the mid-Atlantic coast. It will begin tracking north over the next two days and is expected to affect more than 40 million Americans.

Still to come here on "CNN Newsroom," Chinese leader Xi Jinping is winding down his U.S. visit. We're going to take a look at what he's achieved during his time in Washington.

Plus, Nepal sends a massive message about climate change at the U.N. General Assembly, what the country's prime minister said after his nation's recent flooding catastrophe.

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