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U.S.-Israel War with Iran; U.K. Sanctions Israeli Goods from West Bank Settlements; Nepalese Prime Minister Vows No Letup in Rescue Efforts; Canada's Retaliatory Tariffs on U.S. Goods Now in Effect; New York Mayor Announces Release of 9/11 Records on Ground Zero Air Quality and Related Illnesses; Investigation Underway after Deadly Amazon Cargo Plane Crash; Egyptian TV Presenter among 12 Sentenced to Death on Drug Charges; Trump Marks 25th Anniversary of 9/11 Attacks. Aired 10-11a ET
Aired September 08, 2026 - 10:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
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UNIDENTIFIED MALE (voice-over): Live from CNN Abu Dhabi, this is CONNECT THE WORLD.
ELENI GIOKOS, CNN ANCHOR AND CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Welcome to the second hour of the show from our Middle East programming headquarters. I'm
Eleni Giokos in Abu Dhabi, where the time is just after 6:00 in the evening.
Yemen's Iran-backed Houthis say they have attacked Saudi oil facilities with dozens of missiles as well as drones and they promise more to come.
The U.K. announces sanctions targeting Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank, marking a major shift in relations with Israel.
And New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani announces the release of documents showing the air near Ground Zero after 9/11 was not safe, despite what
officials repeatedly said at the time.
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GIOKOS: U.S. President Donald Trump is hosting first responders and officials from the New York Fire Department to commemorate this week's 25th
anniversary of the September 11th attacks. The president is expected to speak later on. We'll bring you that when it happens.
But first, I want to bring you up to speed on a significant development in this region. Dozens of people are wounded in Saudi Arabia after a wave of
attacks from Iran-backed Houthi rebels. Satellite images show smoke rising from Saudi oil facilities in the southwest of the country.
The Houthis say what was that they were doing was targeting Saudi military officials, say civilian and economic sites were also hit. And the kingdom
is vowing to retaliate, according to one source familiar with the situation.
Last hour, I asked Nic Robertson if the signals new cycle of reciprocal strikes and what it means for an already defunct ceasefire.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN SENIOR DIPLOMATIC EDITOR: The ceasefire, as you say, that held for four years. It's in a very fragile and precarious place and
it looks, for all intents and purposes, as if it's realistically falling apart.
The Houthis would blame it on the Saudis for enforcing air traffic restrictions over their northern part of Yemen, blocking the return from
the funeral of the supreme leader in Iran of a Houthi delegation to the capital Sanaa, which the Houthis control, the Saudis bombed the runway.
They believe that there were senior Iranian officials, complex communications equipment that the Houthis would use in the war on board
that aircraft. That the Houthis would point to was the trigger point or seemed to be the trigger point where they returned to threats and
hostilities.
But where we are in terms of what actually happened over the past 24 hours here, the Houthis are saying this is a retaliation strike. They're
retaliating for something. We don't know what they're retaliating for. They don't say specifically what they're retaliating for. We're not aware that
Saudi has been involved in air strikes against Houthi positions.
However, I think we can be very carefully and significantly informed by what's happened in Yemen over the weekend. In very simple terms, the
Houthis went on the offensive at the beginning of the weekend. They were then beaten back quite significantly in most cases by the Yemeni government
forces.
That seems to have been backed by air strikes, which were attributed to the Yemeni air force. But I think we know what the Houthis are clearly
signaling here is that they don't believe that this was the Yemenis striking back at them.
They believe that the Saudis were involved in striking them and this is their retaliation. So I think yes, a retaliatory cycle. Realistically,
potentially yes: if both sides don't stop, then that four-year pause is, it's dead.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
GIOKOS: Right now, even as this region sinks deeper into conflict, the Trump administration is looking ahead at new postwar strategies. Several
sources tell CNN U.S. intelligence and military officials are quietly discussing possibly scaling back personnel and facilities in the Middle
East after the Iran war ends.
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Zachary Cohen brought us this reporting and he now joins us from Washington.
Zach, really good to have you with us. Look, the military, as we say, quietly discussing cutting back presence in the Middle East. That would be
a huge shift that has been entrenched for the last 25 years.
So what have you learned?
ZACHARY COHEN, CNN NATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: Yes, it would be a huge shift. And it's also reminiscent, though, of past plans to pivot away
from the Middle East that really were in the works under successive U.S. presidents but ultimately never really came fully to fruition.
And obviously, this is notable that these informal, quiet conversations are happening in corners of the Pentagon and the U.S. intelligence community as
the U.S.' war with Iran continues on and really shows no sign of ending imminently.
And so U.S. officials, both military and intelligence, are essentially trying to walk and chew gum at the same time here, in part having these
discussions, we're told, in order to try to anticipate what might be acceptable to president Donald Trump if and when the war with Iran
ultimately ends.
And it's interesting, too; multiple sources describing how the war with Iran actually laid bare several vulnerabilities to U.S. installations
across the Middle East that were known to U.S. officials prior to the start of the conflict but really were never acted on with any urgency.
The damage inflicted by Iranian missile and drone attacks, even just during the first few weeks of this conflict, really fueling a renewed sense of
urgency to reevaluate the U.S. military and intelligence footprint in the region.
There's two sides to this issue. One is the cost billions of dollars worth of damage inflicted on U.S. installations in places like Bahrain, Qatar,
the UAE, Saudi Arabia, as well as other regional partners that house U.S. forces and assets on a permanent basis.
And the other issue here is what Iran has demonstrated about its ability to identify U.S. strategic installations across the region and really leverage
that as an asymmetric capability to respond and retaliate against American and Israeli combat operations.
And so all of those things taken together are prompting this simultaneous effort to reevaluate the U.S. footprint in the Middle East, one that has
been substantial and significant since the 9/11 terrorist attacks.
And that is we saw U.S. forces surge in numbers over 250,000 in the height of the Iraq war. We've also seen a pretty consistent presence of about
50,000 U.S. forces in the region in recent years. But -- and that's the number that remain there as of now while this conflict with Iran continues.
GIOKOS: Zachary Cohen, thank you so much for that update.
I want to discuss this further. We've got Aniseh Bassiri Tabrizi with us. She's an associate fellow with the Chatham House's Middle East and North
Africa Programme.
And it's great to have you with us. I mean, we're hearing Zachary there talking about how there's conversation about trying to bring down the
United States presence across the Middle East.
Do you think that would be an ultimate miscalculation?
I mean, given the experience they've had with Iran, the vulnerabilities that have emerged, what do you make of that potential decision?
ANISEH BASSIRI TABRIZI, ASSOCIATE FELLOW, MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA PROGRAMME, CHATHAM HOUSE: Well, I think we are far still from that
decision to actually be implemented. We are talking about that actually being the case when the war ends.
And we know that we are not close to that happening anytime soon. I think it's interesting that these conversations are happening and Iran is
definitely watching this conversation, because it's one of the demands that Iran has made for these regional presence in the U.S. to be withdrawn.
And I think this is ultimately going to be beneficial for Iran. But I think some of the regional countries will be also having some doubts about
whether this is the right decision or not.
Obviously, we know that some of them are discussing how they can better have a plan for the future, given that, even with the relationship with the
United States, they really didn't manage to avoid being the target of Iran.
But is the withdrawal of the U.S. from the region actually going to be the solution?
I think there is a split, obviously, in regional countries on whether that is the case or not.
GIOKOS: Exactly. And there's been a big question around, you know, the U.S. security umbrella, so to speak. I want to talk about what happened
with Saudi Arabia, the Houthis directly targeting Saudi facilities; 73 people that have been injured.
And it brings into question the other alliance that was signed in Mecca between Turkiye, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia. We don't see those rushing to
help Saudi Arabia.
What do you make of that dynamic in terms of Saudi's potential retaliation about backing the -- backing of other countries to Saudi in responding to
the Houthis?
TABRIZI: Well, we know that, for that pact, it's early days, right?
I think it's significant, even the fact that we arrived to the announcement of that pact.
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But we know that for that to be implemented, especially a response to an attack, it's going to take time because it needs to be enshrined. It needs
to have trust built between the parties that are part of the pact. And that was signed only recently.
But I think down the line, this is what we are looking at, potentially regional integration that will avoid these interferences. And this
aggression pact from being -- happening again, because otherwise there is no security guarantee from the United States, there is no external player
that can come into the picture.
So the only solution is for regional countries to actually come together and find an agreement to avoid this escalation in the future.
GIOKOS: I also want you to take a listen to what the UAE's advisor said, Anwar Gargash. Take a listen, because it really takes sort of, you know,
what's happening in the Strait of Hormuz in terms of that being a flashpoint. Listen in.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ANWAR GARGASH, DIPLOMATIC ADVISER TO UAE PRESIDENT (through translator): Our energy exports will not be held hostage nor will our trade and economic
activity. It cannot become acceptable for oil tankers and commercial vessels to be routinely threatened by mines, drones or missiles.
Collectively, we all pay a heavy price for the disruption of shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, with consequences affecting the global
economy and eroding international law.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GIOKOS: The global economy, we see what's happening on oil prices. We know how countries that have been reliant on goods moving through the Strait of
Hormuz, because storylines on a lot of the imports, I mean, countries here in the Gulf should not be held hostage. That is a very key message.
But you also have this new strategy of a ship for a ship, a tanker for a tanker. You've got renewed retaliation, Iran strikes, the U.S. is going to
be striking back.
How do you see this playing out in the long term?
There's a real big concern that this is the new normal.
TABRIZI: Yes. And this is one of the points that emerged also at the conference in which Gargash was speaking at. That -- what needs to be
avoided is for this not to be the new normal.
And I think the key here is for dialogue to be resumed and for the Gulf country to understand how they can have some functional relationship with
Iran, which doesn't mean normalization, doesn't mean going back to what was before the war.
But something that allows them to compartmentalize their tensions and avoid that they are targeted again, should escalation resume. And I think we are
there, discussing what that kind of functional relationship looks like.
I think what they realize, the Gulf countries, most of them at least, is that Iran is nowhere to go. It's staying in the region. There are going to
be neighbors and I think they have to coexist in some manner.
And obviously, they're not going to resolve all the issues. They're not going to be a peaceful neighbor but they need to avoid some escalation that
looks like February, March or even the current tit-for-tat that you're mentioning, because that is not sustainable in the long run economically,
for sure.
This is not applicable and in line with the model that most of the countries are trying to implement.
GIOKOS: When I think back to when this war started at the end of February, beginning of March, it was a timeline of, you know, four weeks, six weeks.
It kept on moving, kept on shifting.
The one thing we looked at the calendar was, you know, what happens with the midterms, that that would be a hard out for president Trump. And it
seems that no side is willing to sort of, you know, buckle under the pressure. And both sides are feeling pressure, more so now Iran, with these
sanctions.
What is your sense of who's able to endure the most pain with these important timelines in place?
TABRIZI: I think one thing is the pain and I think both sides are demonstrated that they want to maintain their position, as you said. And
one thing is the patience. There are two different things.
I think the key question will be who is going to, despite the pain, maintain the status quo and maintain their posture. And Iran is looking
like unlikely to change its posture despite the economic pressure, despite how much the sanctions, the blockade is hurting and will be hurting, in the
coming months, the Iranian economy.
So then there will be an assessment, I think, in the U.S. about what to do next, especially after the midterms, after the Israeli election.
And the question will be if the economic pressure doesn't work, does that mean that we are going back to the kinetic action similar to February or
March?
Or are we looking at the resumption of negotiations and a deal which, he is, in the end, similar to the MOU, which was signed back in June?
GIOKOS: All right. And it's great to have you with us. I really appreciate your insights. Thanks so much for joining us in studio. Good to have you.
All right. Britain unveiled sanctions today on goods coming from Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank. The decision marks what the British
foreign secretary calls a comprehensive reset of U.K.-Israeli relations.
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Here's more from Ed Miliband.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ED MILIBAND, U.K. FOREIGN SECRETARY: The British government agrees that there is ethnic cleansing of Palestinians in areas of the West Bank --
perpetrated by settler terrorists.
And all too often the Israeli government has turned a blind eye to this and worse, members of it have made statements and taken actions to support the
forced displacement of Palestinians.
Now Madame Deputy Speaker, I recognize the gravity of saying this but the truth is, it is the least the people who face such suffering deserve. And
it should be the prelude to justice.
Now for a long time, the British government has rightly said settlements are illegal.
But we have remained silent on the question of the legality of the occupation as a whole, which in 2024 the International Court of Justice
concluded was unlawful.
Today I announce that the official view of the British Government is that the occupation is unlawful.
Because of Israel's entrenchment of its control, its intention to extend permanent sovereignty and its expansionist agenda via illegal settlements.
Madame Deputy Speaker, our position is not just an overdue statement of reality.
The government believes the unlawfulness of the occupation should be reflected in the economic relationships we choose to have with the occupied
territories.
I do not believe that the British people want us supporting the occupation by accepting products from settlements in our shops and supermarkets.
So I can announce today that we will introduce an import ban on goods from illegal settlements in the occupied territories.
To do so, we will introduce a new comprehensive sanctions regime working with my Right Honorable Friend the Business Secretary, with appropriate
religious exemptions.
And as part of this regime, we will go further.
We will take action against specific companies and individuals who provide services such as construction, infrastructure, financing or real estate for
settlement expansion.
So to those who finance or facilitate illegal settlements, let me say this, you will face the full force of U.K. sanctions.
Settlements are illegal. They should not be promoted in our country.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GIOKOS: Well, the sanctions come as Israel pushes to advance the internationally condemned E1 settlement project. Critics say it divides the
West Bank into north and south, making an unbroken Palestinian state virtually impossible. Oren Liebermann is following developments from Ramat
Gan in Israel.
Oren, good to have you with us. I mean, we heard Ed Miliband there, very, very clear in saying sanctions against these illegal settlements.
But how are they going to be implemented?
How significant is this moment?
OREN LIEBERMANN, CNN JERUSALEM BUREAU CHIEF AND CORRESPONDENT: There are two perspectives from which to look at this decision. One is the practical
effect.
How much trade does this really impact?
And the second is the symbolic. It is in fact the practical side of this that isn't that great. There's about $8 billion U.S. in trade between the
U.K. and Israel, according to the U.K.'s government.
But only a tiny fraction of that relates to settlements from the occupied West Bank, Israeli settlements, that is. So the part that will be
sanctioned here, the actual dollar figure isn't all that great.
It is the symbolic part of it, the reset in the relationship and what this could bring in the future that is the far greater concern here, certainly
from Israel's perspective, because it's not just the U.K. that was part of this statement.
It was Canada, Denmark, France and many others who have signaled either an openness to their own ban on settlement products being exported to those
countries or broader support for a European ban on settlement products.
And that's where the impact could be felt in the medium term. The long term much greater in Israel. It is a definitive statement here by the U.K.
government that not only are Jewish settlements in the West Bank illegal but that the occupation itself is illegal and that is a significant
statement as you pointed there, pointed out there.
We heard it from foreign secretary Ed Miliband. And the idea that there are more countries that might follow this, that is of greater concern. We have
seen the head of state, Israel's president, Isaac Herzog, saying that he condemned this decision.
And what's needed here is dialogue. He said it was election interference, although it's unclear how other Israeli politicians, including in the
opposition, have also come out condemning this.
And we're expecting to hear from Israel's foreign minister, Gideon Saar, who had said there would be retaliation if the U.K. went ahead with this
decision. But it's unclear in what form that would look like, whether that's recalling diplomats or summoning diplomats or if it's a greater step
than that.
There's also the question here of the possibility of a U.S. measure against the U.K. For this, the U.S. ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabee, suggested
that might happen both at the national level and at the state level.
And that potentially at least could have a far greater impact on the U.K. than whatever potential measures Israel would consider in terms of trade or
an alteration to the trade relationship.
[10:20:07]
GIOKOS: All right. Oren Liebermann, thank you so much.
And still to come, we're following the desperate search for survivors nearly two weeks after devastating floods and landslides swept through
Nepal and China. We'll be right back.
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GIOKOS: Nepal's prime minister is vowing there will be no letup in rescue efforts as teams focus their search on three hydropower project tunnels
where dozens of workers may still be trapped.
Authorities believe workers could be inside tunnels sealed off by mud and debris after floods and landslides swept through the area nearly two weeks
ago. Nearly 1,400 people have been killed in the disaster and more than 1,400 remain missing across Nepal and China.
I want to bring in Sara Netzer in Kathmandu. She's the Asia regional director for the U.N.'s Office for Project Services.
Sara, great to have you with us. I mean, you have more than 20 years of experience in humanitarian response efforts. And we're following the rescue
attempts here inside those tunnels. I want to ask you about your experience on the ground and your take on just the rescue efforts that are still
ongoing.
SARA NETZER, DIRECTOR, ASIA PACIFIC REGION, UNOPS: Thank you very much. I was actually here during the earthquake in 2015. And the destruction that
I've seen in the last 24 hours is mind-blowing. It looks like a total apocalypse.
Five to eight meters rubble; the force of the water and the mud knocked houses 100-150 meters. But I think what's still so tragic and traumatic is,
two weeks on, you still have the signboards of the missing families, waiting to have any word from family members that that they've lost touch
with.
GIOKOS: Yes. And the death toll is rising. The number of people that are missing has also risen. And we're seeing the news out of these hydropower
plant tunnels and just see the devastation, I mean, just entire, massive industrial buildings being wiped out.
And the government is saying they're still on a rescue mission. They're not going to let up just yet. So give us an idea of just how hard it's been on
the ground, in terms of those missions.
NETZER: Definitely. You mentioned it. I mean, we saw -- we were in a community today that had about 400 homes, about 1,200 people. Everything is
destroyed. There's nothing left. There's no electricity poles, there's no water. The road just stops. There's a road going into the into the village,
the town. And it's just gone.
And everything around it is gone. And what you see in the rubble are the remnants of people's lives. I saw stuffed animals, eyeglasses, money,
people's lives in the mud.
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And there's not anything for them to come back to.
GIOKOS: Yes. I mean, it's really harrowing to see some of these images.
Sara, how many people -- do you have an idea of how many people are still cut off from receiving aid?
NETZER: I -- what I can tell you is our teams on the ground have been trying to go deeper and deeper into the affected areas. And trips that
would have taken, you know, a few hours are taking all day, where they're actually having to dig with shovels to try to get into these communities.
So we're very hopeful that the access will improve. The Nepal government and others are using helicopters to reach some of these places. Our fellow
U.N. agencies as well are using drones. So I'm hopeful that each day we will be able to reach more and more of the communities that have been
affected.
GIOKOS: Yes. You mentioned that some communities don't have access to water, don't have access to electricity.
You know, how tough is it to actually make contact with some of these areas that have been cut off?
NETZER: It can be quite, quite difficult. We've been working with fellow U.N. agencies to ensure that we're delivering water purification into many
of these communities and also looking at solar water pumping.
As you may know, after disaster on a scale like this, one of the things that we really worry about, about the spread of waterborne diseases and
trying to ensure that everyone has access to clean drinking water.
GIOKOS: What -- in terms of the resources that you need, do you have what you need?
What more is required?
Has the international community assisted and stepped in?
NETZER: I think always, always we would say that we need more. As I was saying, the scale of devastation is immense. And one of the things that
we'll really need to be thinking about is how we build back after a situation like this.
But the river has completely changed its course. So homes that that used to be in safe areas may not be now and the vice versa may be true. But we're
also dealing with extremely traumatized communities.
Although the Nepali people are very resilient, we have children who are waiting each day to see if their parents come to one of these reception
centers to take them home. And we know, sadly, for many of these children, their parents may not come.
And I think, how do we even begin to handle the magnitude of that loss and that trauma for a generation in these communities?
GIOKOS: Yes. Sara. I mean, honestly, just so devastating. And the long- term impact, as you say, is definitely going to be quite harrowing to think about. So thank you so much for your insights and good luck on the ground.
All right. You're watching CONNECT THE WORLD. We'll be right back after this short break. Stay with CNN.
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GIOKOS (voice-over): Welcome back. I'm Eleni Giokos in Abu Dhabi and you're watching CONNECT THE WORLD. These are your headlines.
A source tells CNN that Saudi Arabia is planning to retaliate after Houthi rebels launched missiles and drones at several Saudi cities. The Iran-
backed militants blamed the Saudis for the escalation but did not give specifics. Saudi Arabia said more than 70 people were wounded, including
dozens of civilians.
Britain's foreign secretary announced sanctions today on goods coming from Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank. Ed Miliband says the British
government has deemed the settlements illegal. He says France, Canada and other countries will also sanction goods from the West Bank.
Canada's new counter-tariffs on many American products have now taken effect. It's striking back against U.S. tariffs with $20 billion in
retaliatory levies of its own on American goods.
Duties range from 15 percent and 25 percent to 50 percent on more than 700 American goods, escalating the trade dispute between Washington and Ottawa.
And now U.S. president Donald Trump is threatening to ban sales of Canadian-made Bombardier jets in America. CNN's Paula Newton has more.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
PAULA NEWTON, CNN ANCHOR AND CORRESPONDENT: This war may just escalate even in the next few hours. Jamieson Greer, the U.S. trade representative,
told CBC News in Canada that they are looking at retaliation as early as today.
And it sends a startling signal not just to Canada and the United States that have had one of the most intricate and close trading relationships for
decades now.
But it is a signal to the rest of the world that the Trump administration will continue on with tariffs, no matter what the Supreme Court says and
will continue to impose them with force.
I want to turn, though, to what the president was saying about those Bombardier jets. And if we look at his Truth Social post and he basically
said that look, there is no more selling Bombardier in the United States. He claims that Canada was using the United States as a piggy bank.
But what's interesting here is that Americans and Canadians are now reckoning with the fact that he is trying to blow up supply chains.
Jamieson Greer himself, the U.S. trade representative saying this could go beyond tariffs. This could actually go to banning products.
Eleni, I want you to hear though from Bombardier itself, which points out the obvious. They say the American aerospace industry is a clear winner on
trade and exports. Bombardier is a strong contributor to the sector, creating tens of thousands of jobs across the United States.
That is a statement from Bombardier to CNN. And look, Eleni, it is unclear what kind of political mileage the president would get out of this anyway.
The counter tariffs that Canada put in place will hit red states significantly. And politicians from even inside those states are saying,
look, this is doing harm to the American people and clearly doing harm politically as we get into those midterms.
Eleni, I want to note that Mark Carney just released another statement right now on social media, calling it forward guidance.
And what he's really doing, Eleni, is really trying to prepare the Canadian electorate and the Canadian voters and Canadian consumers for what might be
a very long and painful trade war with the United States, Canada isn't expecting anything else at this point.
And make no mistake, as defiant as Canada has been, this will hurt consumers there, Eleni.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
GIOKOS: New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani has just announced the city is releasing a trove of documents showing that city officials knew the air
quality was unsafe following the September 11th terrorist attacks in 2001.
At the time, officials assured New Yorkers the air near the fallen towers was safe to breathe. Yet the documents suggest that officials expressed
concern over the air quality before urging the public to return.
Since October 2001, thousands have fallen sick due to 9/11 related illnesses. I want you to take a listen to what Mamdani said earlier.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MAYOR ZOHRAN MAMDANI (D-NY), NYC: Now close to 25 years later, more people have died from 9/11 related illnesses than were killed on the day itself.
It would be one thing if government had stood alongside survivors and provided them with everything they needed at every step of the way. And
yet, we know that could not be further from what actually happened.
People got sick because the leaders they trusted lied and told them they were safe to breathe in toxic air. And then when they began to contend with
the symptoms of the illnesses that followed.
[10:35:00]
The government that had not hesitated to send them into harm's way was nowhere to be found.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GIOKOS: U.S. President Donald Trump is hosting an event in Washington, D.C., this hour to mark the 25th anniversary of those 9/11 attacks. First
responders as well as fire officials are there with representatives from the Tunnel to Towers Foundation. These are live images from D.C. right now.
Look, it's about displaying more than a six-meter-long steel beam that was recovered from the South Tower of the World Trade Center. Those
commemorations are currently ongoing in D.C.
I want to bring in Larry Sabato, the director of the Center for Politics at the University of Virginia and the coauthor of "Campaign of Chaos: Trump,
Biden, Harris, and the 2024 American Election."
Larry, good to have you with us. I mean, we're seeing some of these live images coming through from Washington, D.C. This is a 25th anniversary. It
is a major milestone after a traumatic experience.
How significant is this moment for Trump in terms of his broader message about America?
LARRY SABATO, DIRECTOR, CENTER FOR POLITICS, UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA: Presidents, traditionally, in the last 25 years, certainly the first one
but the 24 that had succeeded, have made a point of memorializing the nearly 3,000 Americans who were killed on that terrible day.
And the additional Americans who died of illnesses generated by the collapse of the Twin Towers in New York, he decided this year he would not
go to New York, apparently, because he was not allowed to speak.
No one has ever spoken. No politician has ever spoken at these events there about the families and the victims and the opportunity for those families
to speak about their loved ones and ring the bell and so on. It's become a tradition on September 11th.
But I don't think Trump liked that particularly. He's not spoken before. I don't know why. So he has to show that he is very concerned about this.
He'll be at the Pentagon on Friday, the actual date of September 11th. And he's doing this now, to memorialize the New York victims and others.
So it's for him. He's having a convention, a party convention in Dallas tomorrow and Thursday, squeezed between the memorials. So I'm sure they're
concerned about the image to some degree.
GIOKOS: Yes. You know, we were watching these live images. President Trump is not on stage just yet. We're waiting for that.
But what is interesting is this Tower to -- Tunnel to Towers event. It's part of that Steel across America campaign. There is a massive steel beam
that was recovered from the South Tower of the World Trade Center. It's at the White House. Just explain what the White House is trying to communicate
around this beam.
SABATO: Well, there are lots of suggestions that it has tariff implications or other implications related to domestic policy. But mainly,
people need to remember that anything substantial that was left over from the Twin Towers has become a kind of relic. And these relics circulate
throughout the United States and not just on September 11th.
They give opportunity to people connected to September 11th, including the family members of the victims, to say their piece. And so I think this is
something that Americans have become used to.
And it's one reason why 9/11 remains such a vivid memory. It's not just a flashbulb moment. It's a flashbulb 25 years, a quarter century. I think
we'll see that continue for a long time to come.
GIOKOS: Yes, it changed the whole world. Frankly, it was such a moment and a traumatic one as well. And, you know, when I was listening to Zohran
Mamdani, this New York City mayor, releasing documents showing that the air quality around the towers was actually not safe.
And he was saying that more people died from 9/11 related diseases than people that actually died during the attacks, I mean, it's really a
sobering reality that has just been exposed.
What are your thoughts?
SABATO: Well, my thoughts are that that, while I think Trump has the record for misleading and lying about what government is doing, it's a good
reminder that government lies frequently, especially when they think they might be held accountable for something.
The suggestion back in 2001 by the New York City administration, at that time headed by mayor Giuliani and others.
[10:40:00]
Connected to the then administration of George W. Bush, suggested that the results of the Twin Tower collapse would not be long lasting and that,
while people should avoid the epicenter of the collapse, that there wouldn't be longterm effects.
Well, that was never very credible but it's difficult to combat what the government is saying if you have no counter facts. Well, now, after all
these years, we find out much more about what actually happened and the continuing damage to many human beings who were there.
And I suspect there are many more who have been damaged. Their lungs have been damaged. Other parts of their bodies suffered on account of this. We
don't know it yet or they may have died. And it was attributed to other circumstances.
GIOKOS: Larry, there are also reports that president Trump's advisers have discussed possibly taking federal control of the national September 11th
memorial, as well as a museum.
What's the argument for that?
SABATO: Well, the argument is that Donald Trump likes to control absolutely everything and they like to communicate their own messages. I've
been there. I don't remember every specific thing that's carved into stone.
But perhaps there are phrases or sentences that suggest diversity and inclusion, equity and inclusion and DEI. As you know, in the Trump
administration is out, out, out. Or it could be something else that may suggest an idea that the Trump administration does not like.
I'm sure that the local people will fight that very hard. They should control what's on that monument and the victims and their families
obviously should have a great say in whatever is on that stone.
GIOKOS: Larry Sabato, thank you so much for joining us today. It's an important week. We appreciate it. We appreciate it very much.
All right. We're going to be right back with much more news right here on CONNECT THE WORLD. Stay with CNN.
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GIOKOS: We're learning more about the deadly Amazon cargo plane crash in Miami. The chair of the National Transportation Safety Board says all five
people who died were inside vehicles hit by the plane.
The Boeing 767 was landing on Sunday when it overran the runway, slammed into two vehicles and burst into flames. CNN's Pete Muntean has more for us
from Miami.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
PETE MUNTEAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Today we may get a bit of a better readout of what is on the cockpit voice recorder and the flight data
recorder, which were sent on a 7:22 pm flight back to the NTSB's recorders lab in Washington, D.C., for early analysis.
[10:45:06]
That new video is also very telling. That angle we have never seen before. It was actually taken here on Northwest 67th Avenue and it shows one of the
pilots jumping free from the plane to safety out of the front left cabin door, the right side of the airplane on fire at the time.
The NTSB did get a good look at the scene yesterday. They toured it for the first time. A crew of about 30 investigators are here on the scene.
They have not yet interviewed the pilots but the NTSB did get a good look of this scene, including the white Econoline van.
Seven people on board that van that was on the interior perimeter road inside the airport fence hit broadside by that Boeing 767 going about 130
miles per hour, according to preliminary flight tracking data. And I want you to listen to NTSB chair Jennifer Homendy as I asked her how to describe
this scene.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JENNIFER HOMENDY, NTSB CHAIR: I would describe it in one word of devastating, utter devastation. I mean, you can see on the paved surface
tire marks that continues through the grass. There's debris everywhere.
The Econoline van is torn apart.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MUNTEAN: That van operated by Professional Ocean Service Corporation. That is a cleaning company here on Miami International Airport. We have reached
out to that company.
We have not heard back yet. By the way, the cockpit voice recorder and the flight data recorder will be very telling. We have only heard the air
traffic control audio, which is essentially one side of the conversation here, indicating that there was no real problem with the airplane leading
up to this crash.
But the voice recorder will tell some key details here. Did the pilots realize that they were coming in too high and too fast?
What was the interplay between them?
And did they try to abort this landing that clearly went terribly wrong?
(END VIDEOTAPE)
GIOKOS: I want to get you up to speed on some of the stories that are on our radar right now.
The Eiffel Tower is open to the public again. The Paris monument closed yesterday as employees went on strike, claiming that female colleagues were
told to stay out of sight during a visit from a religious group. The Paris mayor says an investigation has been launched into the claims.
Prince Harry and Meghan are said to be surprised by a letter from King Charles, reaffirming they are no longer working royals. It comes after the
Duke and Duchess of Sussex moved back to the U.K. with their children earlier this month.
The latest says the couple should continue to be treated as private citizens, with no change to their current status.
Prince Harry's nephew, Prince George, is starting his first day of school at Eton. The 13-year old is boarding full time, following in the footsteps
of his father, Prince William, and his uncle, both of whom attended the prestigious school not far from London. George is second in line to the
British throne.
This is CONNECT THE WORLD. Up next, a popular TV presenter sentenced to death on drug charges in Egypt. That story coming up.
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GIOKOS: Right. Just in to CNN.
[10:50:00]
The Kremlin says Russian president Vladimir Putin and U.S. president Donald Trump spoke on the phone about last week's trip to Russia and Ukraine by
two U.S. envoys. An aide to Putin says the call lasted around an hour and was in a mutually respectful manner.
Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner met with Putin in Moscow on Saturday as part of a diplomatic push to end the war in Ukraine.
Moving on now and a popular Egyptian TV presenter is among 12 people sentenced to death for their alleged role in a drug trafficking network,
according to Egypt's state media.
Sara Khalifa hosts an entertainment show and runs her own beauty clinic. The group are accused of forming an organized criminal gang said to be
involved in importing substances used to make drugs for the purpose of trafficking. Nada Bashir has more for us.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
NADA BASHIR, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Death by hanging. That is the sentence facing Egyptian TV presenter, Sara Khalifa, along with 11 others over their
alleged role in a drug trafficking network, according to state media.
The TV host is a well-known entertainment and social media figure in Egypt with some 2.5 million followers on Instagram.
She's best known for presenting the Egyptian crime show, "Mission Impossible," as well as managing her own cosmetic surgery clinic. Now the
39-year-old is among 12 defendants accused of forming an organized criminal gang said to be involved in importing substances used to manufacture drugs
with the intent of then selling them.
Prosecutors say 750 kilograms of synthetic narcotics and other raw materials were seized from the property where the defendants allegedly
stored and made the drugs. State media also reports the gang has also been sentenced for the possession of firearms without a license.
In video circulating on social media, Khalifa is heard weeping during her sentencing, pleading for mercy and humanity --
GIOKOS: All right, I want to take you to Washington, D.C., where president Donald Trump is hosting members of New York City and Washington, D.C., Fire
Departments in the 25th-year anniversary of the September 11th attacks.
TRUMP: Thank you very much. Its a great honor. Frank has been something very special. You know, he's very persistent. When he wants something, he
gets it. And I figured I shouldn't wait. I should just approve it all immediately because its much easier that way.
But he's done some job. And I want to thank you all for being here in the heart of our nation's capital, which is right now one of the safest cities
anywhere in the country. It was one of the most unsafe cities in the country just almost two years ago.
We've cleaned it up in a lot of ways, including crime but we've also cleaned it physically. It looks so beautiful now. We did 81 monuments,
statues and fountains, all, they're back in shape. Some of them haven't worked in 45 years.
But the nation's capital, it marks 25 years since a day that was etched forever into the memories of Americans. On 9/11, nearly 3,000 precious
souls were stolen from us, killed by evil terrorists at the World Trade Center, the Pentagon and on Flight 93.
All of these years later, we gather on another Tuesday morning in September to reaffirm the sacred vow we made a quarter-of-a-century ago. We will
never forget. We say it and we mean it. We will never forget those we lost and we will never forget the immortal heroes of September 11, 2001.
And I will tell you, we're right now fighting because we have a certain nation that wanted a nuclear weapon. They were very close to getting it and
now they have no chance at getting it. They will never have a nuclear weapon. Iran will not have a nuclear weapon.
(CHEERING)
TRUMP: And they have been punished greatly, as you know. We have we have really taken it to them. I want to compliment our military. The job they do
is unbelievable. The blockade has been so powerful, so effective.
(CHEERING)
TRUMP: Nobody thought it could go so well. I want to just thank our military.
I want to also thank the man who I just said hello, introduced me, is a special guy, he really is, who's done so much to help the families of 9/11
first responders and great veterans and that's Frank Siller. He really is. He's a fantastic man and he's a great friend.
(CHEERING)
Now we all know the story of his wonderful brother, Stephen.
[10:55:00]
And we know it well, how brave he was going into the Center, probably knowing that it was coming down. He didn't care. It was an amazing act of
bravery.
I also want to recognize Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick, who lost his brother and 658 employees. He was the head of Cantor Fitzgerald, one of the
most successful firms on Wall Street. They were the top three floors of the World Trade Center. It's an amazing story.
Howard was always there at 6:00 in the morning, always, without fail, because, in that business, you get there nice and early, the financial
business. He was one of the biggest anywhere in the world at finance. Cantor Fitzgerald was one of the hottest firms and for years he'd be there
at 6:00 in the morning.
But he had a child and his wife would always be screaming at him, you never have taken our child to school. You have got to take -- someday, you have
got to take -- and this went on for years. After four years, he said, all right, I will take him to school. I'm going to bring him to school myself.
He wasn't so happy about it.
He brought that beautiful boy, who's now a grown person, brought up to school and he arrived at the school at 8:30 and he was on the West Side
Highway at 8:45 and he watched that whole thing. This was the first time in years that he wasn't there early in the morning.
So you could say he owes a lot to his son and he owes a lot to his wife. But he brought his son to school and, because of that, he got to see it
from the West Side Highway. He saw the planes go into the towers and he said, oh, my God, my people, my people.
And he's done an amazing job. He's rebuilt Cantor Fitzgerald and he's given much of the profit to some of the families or the families of the people
who perished. They all died, 658 employees. Started the firm all over again.
So Howard's here someplace, I think, Howard. It's -- where are you, Howard?
You deserve to stand up, Howard.
(APPLAUSE)
TRUMP: He's got some faults but overall he's excellent.
(LAUGHTER)
TRUMP: He's a great guy. No, he went through a lot, didn't he?
Had to build -- who could do that?
And now the firm is bigger, stronger, better than it was even at the beginning. The job he did. He's secretary of commerce. He's been fantastic.
Thanks as well to Attorney General Todd Blanche, who's doing a phenomenal job, wherever you may be. Hi, Todd. And Secretary of Veterans Affairs Doug
Collins, 92 percent approval. You have a 92 percent approval rating, Doug. Stand up, you two guys.
(APPLAUSE)
TRUMP: I want to make sure that Todd gets a 95 percent approval, maybe 100. How about 100 percent?
Secretary of Homeland Security Markwayne Mullin, who's really taken over and done a job that's been great. Thank you very much, Markwayne. One of
our real superstars, EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin. He gets it approved and he gets it approved fast.
(APPLAUSE)
TRUMP: They like you, Lee. Done great, an MVP. The OMB director, Russ Vought, who is watching the costs and he's watching them better than
anybody knows. He knows -- he knows more about that than anybody, along with Representatives Mike Lawler, they call Mr. SALT, Mike Lawler.
Stand up, Mike. Dan Meuser. And we have other congressmen and senators. I just want to
thank you all for being here. Too many to mention but thank you. These two guys have been very special.
In the course of history, there are a few moments that divide time into really what came before. When you look at what took place that day, nobody
will ever even think of such a thing being able to happen again. And we're going to do everything in our power to make sure it doesn't. That was a day
like no other.
September 11 was one of those moments in time where you always -- everybody knows exactly where they were. I know exactly where I was. I was watching
and looking and it was a beautiful, beautiful morning and I looked out and then all of a sudden I saw an alert on television.
I looked out my window and I saw things that I never want to see again. We're never going to see them again. But in just over 100 minutes, 175,000
tons of steel and concrete were reduced to ruin and 3,000 lives were extinguished, immediately extinguished.
The world we knew and the nation that we loved have -- had changed. I said it to myself. And I looked and I said, wow, the world has changed forever.
So many things have changed because of that day.
Yet this battered piece of steel here today on the Ellipse is a reminder that America is blessed with a strength no fire can consume, no evil can
conquer and --
END
