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Trump: 'We're Making a Fortune' from High Oil Prices; Mixing Faith and Politics? Talarico Debates Voters; Trump Administration Probes Rep. Omar's Citizenship Status. Aired 6-6:30a ET

Aired October 15, 2026 - 06:00   ET

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

[06:00:10]

AUDIE CORNISH, CNN ANCHOR: So, today in the group chat, we're talking about the president saying that the U.S. is actually making a fortune off of oil and gas prices that shatter a Biden-era record. So, what message is that supposed to send those struggling with gas at the pump?

Plus, James Talarico forced to answer for his, quote, "God is non- binary" remarks at CNN town halls. Can he brand his liberal Christianity in Texas?

And the Trump administration investigates Ilhan Omar for immigration fraud. Could the congresswoman be stripped of her citizenship?

In the meantime, online, Joe Rogan lets loose on Iran, Trump, and broken promises.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOE ROGAN, PODCASTER: One of the things that we were voting for when we voted for Trump is no more wars.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Wars.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CORNISH: Good morning, everybody. I'm Audie Cornish, and here's where we start: with the president's latest message to voters in the final weeks before the midterm vote.

A FOX News poll shows Trump is hitting new lows with voters. Twenty- two percent, at this point, approve of how he's handling inflation. And it's just 29 percent when it comes to the economy.

Now, this all comes as high energy prices are driving up inflation. Gas prices shattered a grim Biden-era record. Gas has been over $4 a gallon for 166 days this year. Under the Biden administration, that ran about 158 days.

Now, this is the president's message to voters about all this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) DONALD TRUMP, U.S. PRESIDENT: Our country is making more money than

it's ever made because of the fact that oil is so high.

Now they're going to say, isn't it terrible? He talked about the fact that he doesn't care about the little person, they call them. I care more about the little person than I care about the big person. I care about the little person like crazy.

But the fact is, because of the price of oil, Texas and Oklahoma and North Dakota and all these places, were making a fortune.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CORNISH: Today, in the group chat, Alex Thompson, CNN political analyst and national political correspondent at Axios; Doug Heye, Republican strategist and former RNC communications director; and Yasmin Radjy, executive director of Swing Left.

OK, so my messaging guy, I want to start with you.

DOUG HEYE, REPUBLICAN STRATEGIST: Thanks.

CORNISH: Because we heard a couple things. The red fuel, we're going to adjust. We're going to ask Russia to get to let it sell its diesel. He's done a bunch of things. So, he's finally acknowledging there is a problem.

HEYE: Yes.

CORNISH: The final message heading into the weeks is, actually, you're benefiting from this. And red states, Republicans, you're benefiting from this.

HEYE: Yes. I'm reminded of the State of the Union address where he started with saying we've never been richer or hotter. And the problem is voters aren't feeling that.

And we know that from every poll that we've seen on the economy, which is supposed to be his strong suit.

CORNISH: Yes.

HEYE: He's the dealmaker. He's the businessman.

CORNISH: And it remains a top issue. While you're talking, I'm just going to show the polling among registered voters. Cost of living is far away the thing they care about the most.

HEYE: And he never messages us in any way that helps any Republican on the ballot. And it's why, as he's campaigning in red states, I think the best thing that could happen for Ashley Hinson, Michael Whatley, Ken Paxton, anyone else is to have Donald Trump just stay at home and make as little news as possible. Guess what's not happening?

CORNISH: OK. In the meantime, consumer prices, the one-year change. I just want to show a couple of these things, because this is -- is what is going to hit people. Their rent, right; their clothing. We've talked about gas so much and then power and electricity.

And then I think the final blow, food; seeing the increases there, because it means even if your wages have gone up, you're struggling.

Does the White House think that they can say the big numbers are good? Some industries are doing great. A.I. is helping everyone, and that is going to kind of convince people.

ALEX THOMPSON, CNN POLITICAL ANALYST: Well, it doesn't matter what people in the White House thinks. It matters what Donald Trump thinks, because he is the -- ultimately, the communications director for the White House.

CORNISH: Oh, really? You think that there's not like a guiding, like people being like, Sir, maybe you should also --

THOMPSON: Well, I mean, one of the criticisms from Republicans this cycle is that there are a lack of those voices in the inner circle in this White House, in contrast to the first one, where you did have, you know, a lot of infighting, but you also had, you know, more voices.

I would also say, you know, some of this is reflective of the way that Trump digests the economy. And by that, I mean, you know, watching CNBC and FOX Business and looking at the stock market, and --

[06:05:03]

CORNISH: And those folks are happy.

THOMPSON: Well, if you look at --

CORNISH: In a lot of ways. I just want to show: "A.I. Feeds Banks' Earnings." Someone's getting something out of A.I. right?

THOMPSON: Right. Well, and look at like Chevron stock, ExxonMobil stock, other oil stocks, like, they are doing well. So, you can see why he's -- you know, he's saying it's about Texas and oil fields.

But you know, the way he digests the economy very much. And part of the reason why, you know, I think he has backed some of these A.I. companies, because A.I. is driving the stock market.

So, this is a particular -- you know, I would also say, to Doug's point, you know, Trump has never been an "I feel your pain" sort of politician. You know, he's always about trying to project golden age. Things are -- things are hot.

CORNISH: Yes. Now, he just said he cares about the little guy. Here's what else he's saying in -- on Wednesday, Arizona. Very fast, quippy. I think he's very good at sort of distilling some of his message. Here it is.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: Vote for more money in your pockets. Bigger paychecks for your families, lower taxes, less crime, a booming Arizona economy like you have right now, but more so. And no amnesty for illegal aliens. All you have to do is vote Republican, and you're going to have all of that and more.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CORNISH: So, is there a version of that for Democrats, or is it mostly just not what Trump is doing?

YASMIN RADJY, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, SWING LEFT: I mean, I think he took the "more money in your pocket" line from Abdul El-Sayed. So, I think Democrats are leading on this message across the battleground.

But I think, you know, the polling is really clear. You outlined it. Over 70 percent of independents are upset with Trump's handling of the economy. And we've got to win over those independents to win the big Democratic majorities that we need.

I think every Democrat has gotten the message that they need to talk about affordability. What's been really interesting, as we go out in every battleground district in the country and talk to voters, is the top two issues that are tied are affordability and a feeling like the system is broken. And I think what --

CORNISH: The economic system or just everything?

RADJY: The political system.

CORNISH: He just -- he gesticulates. I mean, there's a lot of things that people are disappointed with.

RADJY: Yes, but a feeling like nobody cares about them.

CORNISH: Yes.

RADJY: Like, nobody gives a damn about them in their community. And that comes up in lockstep with the economy in a way that, you know, when we're talking to voters, they are not wondering. I wonder who I should blame. They are very clearly blaming the Iran War, Donald Trump.

They are connecting the dots in a way that, to me, is sort of an indicator of just how much we're going to be able to pull folks in --

CORNISH: Yes.

RADJY: -- in red districts (ph).

CORNISH: Yes. We've got an example of connecting the dots, I think, that's really interesting.

Coming up, we're going to talk about the price of beef. It's a prime issue this midterm season. One Republican is actually facing a backlash after suggesting that voters just, you know, pick another protein. Plus, mixing faith and politics. Could James Talarico win over the

religious South as he clears up his, quote, "God is non-binary" comments?

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP))

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Thank you. It's a pleasure to meet you.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[06:11:53]

CORNISH: So, we're just weeks out from the midterms, and Texas Senate candidate James Talarico is still answering for comments he made five years ago.

Appearing in a joint town hall hosted by CNN and Jubilee, he was again pressed on his mixing of religion and politics. His now infamous "God is binary" remarks have been at the center of attack ads against him. Last night he looked to clear some things up.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JAMES TALARICO (D), TEXAS SENATE CANDIDATE: The first comment about -- about God not being defined by gender, when I said that, I was being provocative. and I want to admit that and come clean about that.

But I think what I was saying is actually not controversial theologically, the idea that we can't define God using human categories.

Yes, I was doing it maybe in an annoying way. I can admit that.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I think we have to be careful using modern cultural terms --

TALARICO: Sure.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: -- when talking about God.

TALARICO: Sure. I think that is very fair criticism.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CORNISH: Group chat is back. I wanted to talk about this, because if I took random sentences out of every sermon I've heard in the last 20 years on Sunday, they also would sound crazy.

Like, this is part of the whole system of sermons, and parables, and talking, and parsing out things about God, in fact, in modern language. That is kind of the -- the vibe.

But I want to hear from other people who maybe aren't sitting through sermons. THOMPSON: I mean, as someone that sat through so many sermons growing

-- growing up, and I don't mean that facetiously.

CORNISH: Yes, yes, yes.

THOMPSON: It's true. I will say what's interesting, lots of crazy things are said from the pulpit.

CORNISH: Yes.

THOMPSON: But also, a lot of people that are in the pulpit don't necessarily run for public office and aren't also filmed saying those things.

And Ken Paxton has made this the center of and, and like, the national Republican super PACs have made this the center of their attacks on Talarico.

If you go to Texas right now, you cannot go to any sports bar without seeing ads with that quote about --

CORNISH: About it, yes.

THOMPSON: -- "God is not -- non-binary," "There are six genders."

CORNISH: With an A.I. image of him scrawling in a Bible. Yes, yes.

THOMPSON: I mean, that was one of the web ads, as well.

But most of the ads just feature the film of --

CORNISH: Quotes.

THOMPSON: Yes, film saying it. And the reason for that is because Talarico's, you know, main electability argument, when he got in this race is that he could reach those religious voters in Texas.

CORNISH: Yes. I, a seminarian --

THOMPSON: Yes.

CORNISH: -- can have this conversation.

I want to talk about that, because we've talked on this show about the number of people who are faith leaders who are running on the Democratic side; and whether or not that is a shift for the party.

Are we seeing what happens now that those folks are stepping forward? On the liberal side of things, that they're still vulnerable?

RADJY: I mean, I think Ken Paxton is the -- it's the least -- he's the least popular Republican running this cycle. And James Talarico, it's no accident he's such a great communicator. Right?

I think he, Raphael Warnock, two women running in Iowa. We've got clergy and seminarians running all across the country; and Kansas, as well.

I think people want to hear from people who can connect their values.

CORNISH: Yes, but is the left ready to have a conversation with the right, which -- with the religious right and its ability to talk in public spaces, to be the bedrock of its party. They are much more skilled at having this conversation in a general election space.

[00:15:14]

RADJY: I don't think that's true. I think that we've got -- faith has been a part of Democratic politics forever. We've had -- you know, the black church was at this cornerstone of progressive organizing and continues to be.

I think it's a -- it is a misnomer to say that Democrats don't integrate faith into how we talk about things.

And if we want to look at a party that is out of step with religious people, the Republican Party is. I mean, Donald Trump is the opposite of everything that any person of faith claims to be.

CORNISH: Yes. We have heard something like that before.

I will note that Trump's approval rating has dropped among some religious groups over time, specifically. They are a key part of his coalition.

I want to play a sample of James Talarico on Wednesday, talking about the issue of abortion.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TALARICO: We're both Christians, and -- and the Bible is silent on the issue of abortion. It means you and I both have to look at -- at different scriptures to try to come to a conclusion.

But what I think we can do is, actually, come together on reducing the number of unplanned pregnancies and the number of abortions.

Because if we treat this issue as a public health problem and not a culture war problem, then we can actually make progress together.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CORNISH: Here's an example of how a town hall attendee, how they came away with feeling after this, watching Talarico.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JODI HUNT, FARMER AND PROFESSOR: I was surprised at how centrist he was on many of the issues, and I think that has brought me to a deeper understanding. It's caused some things for me to think, well, let me rethink that.

PAUL WULLER, COLLEGE STUDENT: So, I think in politics, it's really difficult to find someone who you perfectly align with. I haven't ever met someone who I 100 percent politically agree with.

And I think in terms like this, like I -- I believe Talarico is going to do the most good. So, I do think he has my vote.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CORNISH: So, you see, that woman asked the question. And I wonder if that exact conversation, in that exact way, is what maybe some Republicans are worried about.

If there are more Talarico that show up, and they figure out how to talk to people and change their minds, does it change the conversation about what it means to be a Christian in politics?

HEYE: I think their biggest concern is Ken Paxton and -- and the damage that he's caused himself on the campaign trail. The Republicans aren't having that conversation that you're talking about, but one --

CORNISH: But should they? We've had pastors this week raise the issue, saying we haven't seen outreach from the right. They must think we're going to turn out. And you've got pastors in Texas saying, where is everybody? Why aren't you trying to get us?

HEYE: Because it's a very difficult thing, if you're advocating for Ken Paxton in Texas, given everything that he's done that just runs afoul of any church teachings. And by the way --

THOMPSON: His wife divorced him on biblical grounds.

HEYE: Yes.

CORNISH: She has come out, though, and -- publicly to be, like --

RADJY: Without naming him.

(CROSSTALK)

THOMPSON: Said she's voted for --

HEYE: Without -- without using his name.

CORNISH: All right, I'm trying.

HEYE: I'd say two other things. One, I would invite everybody. If you want to hear commonsense talk from a pulpit, come to Saint Joseph's Catholic Church on Capitol Hill --

CORNISH: OK, shout-out to you.

HEYE: -- where you hear that every week. But -- but also, Talarico said something --

CORNISH: Are you hearing comments, like what? Like are other churches not doing common sense? Like --

HEYE: I can only speak to the one I go to, obviously.

CORNISH: OK, sure.

HEYE: Talarico also said something I think is a problem on the right and the left. What did he -- why did he say that? He said it to be provocative.

The more people that we have doing that on the right and on the left, on every podcast and --

CORNISH: Yes.

HEYE: -- and talk radio and so forth, they create their own problems, which create broader problems for us. We need less people saying things to be provocative.

CORNISH: Yes. As we say in Massachusetts, I think the horse has left the barn on that one. Like we're going to talk about Joe Rogan later, but --

HEY: When I wear my Yankees hat in Boston, I am being provocative. I'll say that.

CORNISH: Yes, exactly. Exactly.

After the break, we're going to talk about somebody who Doug would probably think is provocative, Joe Rogan. He says that Trump broke a campaign promise with a giant quagmire in Iran. Will the president lose part of his base over it?

Plus, the Trump administration investigates Congresswoman Ilhan Omar for immigration fraud. Could they actually take her citizenship?

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[06:23:24]

CORNISH: So, right now, it's looking like the Trump administration is trying to build a case against Congresswoman Ilhan Omar to, essentially, strip her citizenship and maybe even deport her. That's according to "The Wall Street Journal."

Now, the investigation is focused on how she obtained her citizenship after arriving in the U.S. from Somalia decades ago. They want to know if Omar or her now-deceased father lied about her age when she obtained citizenship in 2000, claiming she was a minor.

Authorities have issued more than a dozen subpoenas, some to her relatives.

Now, her Washington, D.C., home was searched by federal agents on Monday. This is three weeks before the midterms. Omar's cell phone, notebooks, personal computers, and passport were reportedly seized.

Joining me now to discuss is Paulina Vera, the director of the George Washington University Law Immigration Clinic. So, from what we know right now, when they talk about whether or not

she lied if she was a minor, why would that be significant?

PAULINA VERA, DIRECTOR, GEORGE WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY LAW IMMIGRATION CLINIC: Sure. Because typically, in denaturalization cases, whether on the civil side of the criminal side --

CORNISH: Denaturalization.

VERA: Correct. Right. So, she's a naturalized citizen, right, of the United States. And it seems that the -- the federal government right now is trying to build a case, right, to strip her of her citizenship.

And whether that's via civil process or a criminal process, fraud can play a role in that process to strip someone of their citizenship. So --

CORNISH: So, when I went through this process as a kid, my parents became citizens. They were taking the classes; they were doing the thing.

And then because I was, you know, whatever the minor age is, I have a nice certificate with my little kid picture on it.

VERA: Correct.

CORNISH: Are they going to -- I don't understand taking her cell phone from now to figure out whether or not -- how old she was at the time.

[06:25:05]

VERA: Right. Because again, they're -- I think the federal government is trying to figure out, you know, if there was some fraud committed, either maybe on the part of her father or herself.

Obviously, we don't know exactly what evidence they have, because that still has not been released. But that could potentially play a role.

But I will say, whether it's via a civil process or a criminal process, the burdens for both are very high.

So, the government is going to have to really build their case and bring a lot of evidence before a federal district court to even get to that level.

CORNISH: How common are these cases?

VERA: They're not very common. So, between 2000 or -- sorry, between 1990 and 2007, so, over a course of 27 years, there was only about 11 cases per year. So, 305 total.

The first Trump administration, they did actually try again, right, to these efforts to denaturalize more individuals. And so, that number did skyrocket. And by, like, 600 percent.

By comparison, right, in the Biden administration, it was about 16 cases per year and so --

CORNISH: Sixteen cases.

VERA: Sixteen.

CORNISH: OK. Let me play for you. This is Ilhan Omar's husband, getting papped on Wednesday. Here's what he had to say when he was asked about it.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TIM MYNETT, HUSBAND OF REP. ILHAN OMAR: My wife came here when she was 12 years old, as a child war refugee. No concerns.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CORNISH: Meanwhile, on the side of the White House, here is J.D. Vance.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

J.D. VANCE, U.S. VICE PRESIDENT: I did not have advance notice that her home was being raided. Look, I never -- we try to run our Department of Justice in a fair and honest way. We try to let the law follow the facts, rather than creating facts just to prosecute people we don't like.

And because of that, I think the president and I largely try to stay out of Department of Justice investigations and other prosecutions.

Now, I do know that there are some serious allegations against Ilhan Omar. We're going to look into those. And again, if there's a real case there, we're going to follow the facts. If there's not a real case there, then we won't.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CORNISH: Is that how simple it is?

VERA: No. So, historically, right, when we -- I was saying, right, this is very rare, historically, to bring these kinds of cases.

But we're talking people who lied about their involvement as being prison guards in Nazi concentration camps. So, war criminals, right? We've talked about --

CORNISH: So, that's what it's been used in the past?

VERA: Correct.

CORNISH: Yes.

VERA: We're talking about people who have lied about serious criminal history, as well. Perhaps people that entered into a fraudulent marriage. Right? So, they were not actually eligible for their green card, and therefore, did not have the correct legal basis to become a U.S. citizen.

And so, again --

CORNISH: Not how old were you in 19 dot, dot, dot?

VERA: Correct. And even the Supreme Court has said, right, small like inconsistencies or omissions should not be the standard. Because that would kind of open the floodgates, right, for prosecutors to be able to just denaturalize folks left and right.

And given the sanctity of citizenship in the United States, right, we want to give new citizens this kind of safety; that they're not going to, then, revisit their case later to try to strip them of their citizenship.

CORNISH: Talk about the idea of stripping citizenship. President Trump. Ilhan Omar said that the president would love to eliminate one of the most effective progressive voices in Congress. There's no basis for this.

But immigration courts are not regular courts, right? Like, they're under the executive branch. You're dealing kind of with a different system in a lot of ways.

Once they -- if they were able to strip her of her citizenship, does that mean it opens the door wider to do it to other people?

VERA: Potentially. So, first, I just want to be very clear: to take someone's citizenship, we're actually not in the immigration court setting.

CORNISH: Oh.

VERA: We are in federal district court.

CORNISH: Interesting.

VERA: So, we are in the independent judiciary.

CORNISH: Nice.

VERA: So, USCIS or ICE will refer cases to the Department of Justice. And then they decide, right, are they going to prosecute that in federal district court?

So that is intentional, right? That -- that again, and given with the high burdens, it makes the process a little bit more difficult.

CORNISH: Because it's not to be taken lightly.

VERA: Correct. And then, once a person is denaturalized, they return to the immigration status that they had prior. So, perhaps a green card, right?

At that point in time, if there's grounds to try to move to take the green card away from the individual, then the proper forum would be before an immigration judge under the executive branch. And only an immigration judge, per the law, can actually take your green card away.

CORNISH: Yes. So, to the point of people who are saying, look, they wouldn't have been able to do this unless a court --

VERA: Right.

CORNISH: -- looked at it, there must be something there. They have a point, in that this is going to be in federal court.

VERA: Correct.

CORNISH: This is going to be looked at in this, like, kind of objective setting.

VERA: Correct. That's absolutely correct. And again, right, the warrants, obviously, were signed off by a judge.

But just because there's an investigation doesn't mean it will actually lead to her being stripped of her naturalization in this country. She does still have a process before -- you know, due process. She has her day in court, if it even gets to that point. But so far --

CORNISH: But she has it all just before the midterms, meaning she has it all while she's --

VERA: Right.

CORNISH: -- campaigning.

VERA: But so far, charges haven't even been brought, right? So, we don't even know what --

CORNISH: Sorry, what?

VERA: Yes, exactly. We're just in the investigation phase. Charges have actually not been brought. Again, a lot of this is very speculative. And we're working -

[06:30:00]