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Erin Burnett Outfront

Pirro Leaves White House As Trump Weighs Firing Her Over Pool Case; Trump Calls GOP Rep. Max Miller Facing Abuse Allegations "A Very Good Person"; Trump Gives Iran "A Last Chance" Before It Faces "Decapitation"; Hours Away: Fiery, High-Stakes Dem Primary Tests Progressive Surge. Aired 7-8p ET

Aired August 03, 2026 - 19:00   ET

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

[19:00:19]

BRIANNA KEILAR, CNN HOST: OUTFRONT next:

OUTFRONT next, breaking news. Jeanine Pirro just leaving the White House as President Trump weighs whether to fire her over the reflecting tool case. Pirro dropping the vandalism case against the former Olympian. His lawyer is OUTFRONT.

Plus, GOP Congressman Max Miller is defiant despite allegations of domestic abuse from his ex-wife. Is he going to cost Republicans a seat? One of the nation's top election forecasters is my guest.

And actor Tom Selleck, also known as "Magnum, P.I." He's also a vet and a friend of Ronald Reagan. What does he think about the current president?

Let's go OUTFRONT.

(MUSIC)

KEILAR: Good evening, I'm Brianna Keilar, in for Erin Burnett.

OUTFRONT tonight, breaking news, Trump's embattled prosecutor Jeanine Pirro just leaving the White House, wheeling a cart with a big box and a big briefcase. You see her there in the red jacket after both she and Interior Secretary Doug Burgum were seen entering the White House late this afternoon.

This is CNN reports that Trump is considering firing the former Fox News host from her post as U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia. Sources telling CNN that Trump is, quote, "furious" at Pirro after she admitted in a court filing that the problems with the Lincoln Memorial reflecting pool renovation were the result of a, quote, botched installation and not vandalism.

Pirro and Burgum each blaming the other for the case falling apart and Trump clearly making his feelings known.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Jeanine Pirro made a mistake. It was vandalism. Frankly, I think she choked. She choked. I don't know what the hell happened.

I was disappointed with Janine Pirro, really disappointed with Janine Pirro. She -- she folded like an umbrella.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KEILAR: Keep in mind, Pirro is a longtime Trump ally, and before today, Trump had nothing but praise for the former Fox host.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: Jeanine Pirro's going to be amazing.

Somebody I've known for a long time, and she's an incredible person and incredible woman.

Our friend, Justice Jeanine.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KEILAR: Pirro drawing Trump's anger after she dropped charges against a three-time Olympian who the administration claimed damaged the reflecting pool. The administration said David Hearn cut the lining of the pool, which Trump had so proudly renovated. I'll speak to Hearn's attorney in a moment.

And we're also learning tonight that Pierro is dropping charges against three other people in connection with alleged vandalism of the reflecting pool. As Pierro is now admitting in court documents, quote, "The Department of Interior provided less than fulsome information at the outset of this case. However, the information subsequently demanded strongly suggests that rushed and botched installation by AIC, the primary contractor, led to the damage to the lining of the reflecting pool."

Meaning the administration lied to prosecutors. Hearn didn't damage the lining. The contractors did a bad job, something that contradicts what Trump has been arguing for more than a month now.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: We caught some people vandalizing our beautiful reflecting pool.

They tried to destroy it. They cut it up with a box knife and tried to destroy it. And it's in great shape now. They're terrible. They're vandals.

These people went in and cut it up, and they got caught.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KEILAR: The court documents from Trump's own prosecutor say otherwise.

Kristen Holmes is live at the White House. Kristen, what's the latest that you're learning, I should say, about why Piro was at the White House and how angry is the president tonight?

KRISTEN HOLMES, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, the president has been completely furious at Pirro. I mean, this is incredibly embarrassing for him. The entire episode around the reflecting pool has been an embarrassment to him and landing on this idea that it was vandalism and not a botched job after President Trump had talked about this reflecting pool and all the, you know, quote/unquote, "amazing" work that was being done on it. They landed on vandalism to kind of get out of the embarrassment.

But instead, what you saw here was this filing that really laid out that there was no vandalism, but instead it was hasty and botched. And I want to read you one line here and this really goes to show you the complete picture here of how Pirro and the Department of Interior have been blaming each other from this filing. It says, "Had DOI, Interior, been forthcoming with the information clearly in its possession, the government would not have sought a grand jury indictment."

Now, White House sources are being very tight-lipped as to what actually happened in this meeting, what she was doing at the White House.

[19:05:04]

I have one source telling me she thinks they think it's very likely that this person loses -- that Pirro loses their job. I have another source telling me they think Pirro would hold on to their job, but it's highly unlikely she wants to keep that job, implying that she would want to quit after all of this back and forth.

Now, it was clear that the White House wanted the messaging out, and we heard from President Trump himself that Pierro was on thin ice, that there was consideration of her being fired. But as of now, my White House sources are pointing to earlier statements by President Trump but not confirming what actually happened behind closed doors.

KEILAR: All right, Kristen Holmes, live for us at the White House -- thank you.

OUTFRONT now, David Hearn's attorney, Steve Levin.

Steve, the charges have been dropped, but the president is claiming that Pirro is wrong. Are you concerned that new charges could be filed against your client?

STEVE LEVIN, ATTORNEY FOR EX-OLYMPIAN TARGETED BY DOJ OVER REFLECTING POOL: Good evening, Brianna. Thank you for having me.

Absolutely we're concerned. The fact is, charges were filed initially when there was no case. And so, notwithstanding the admissions that the U.S. attorney made in her filing, what's to prevent them from refiling charges that hold no water? So that's why we intend to ask the court to dismiss this case with prejudice, meaning the government would not be able to refile charges.

KEILAR: Yeah, so they can't get a second bite of the apple would be your hope there.

Trump claimed again today that there is actually evidence that the reflecting pool was vandalized. Let's listen to that.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: We have photographs or tapes like moving cameras, right? We have them where people are on the side cutting it with a box knife. The tape isn't a great tape in the sense that you -- it's a little hard to say who it exactly was, but it was people cutting this very expensive material, waterproofing material.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KEILAR: Now, Trump has pointed to a video that shows a few people putting their hands in the water in broad daylight. You see it here, right near Park Service employees. Is Hearn in this video?

LEVIN: No. David Hearn is Not in that video. We've seen the evidence. We've seen the lack of evidence, as has the U.S. attorney. And that's what prompted her finally to acknowledge she had no case.

KEILAR: Do you believe his description of the video matches the video?

LEVIN: Well, I can't get into his thoughts and words but --

KEILAR: What he's telling us there about the fox cutters they're being cutting. Do you -- is that what you see in the video?

LEVIN: No. We have seen the evidence, and the evidence and the concession by the United States attorney is that you cannot attribute the damage to the reflecting pool to any vandalism whatsoever.

KEILAR: Did prosecutors present any evidence that you saw against your client at all?

LEVIN: Well, in fact, we filed a motion for information from the grand jury, because I think, like a lot of Your viewers, we were wondering how on earth were they able to obtain a grand jury indictment from this case.

And we looked at the testimony, and one of the government's own witnesses acknowledged there was no damage caused by Mr. Hearn.

KEILAR: Is your client going to seek accountability from the government for bringing these charges against him?

LEVIN: Well, first for Davey Hearn, he wants to make sure the court rules on the motion to dismiss and get this criminal matter behind him. Beyond that, as he has said, all options are on the table.

KEILAR: You've said that he deserves an apology after the charges were dropped. Has he received anything of the sort?

LEVIN: He has he does deserve an apology, and then some. He has yet to receive an apology from the U.S. attorney. KEILAR: Steve Levin, thank you so much for being with us. We really appreciate it.

LEVIN: Thank you, Brianna.

KEILAR: And OUTFRONT now, Jamal Simmons and Gretchen Carlson.

And, Gretchen, you knew Jeanine Pirro. You worked with her at Fox News. Do you think that Trump will fire her over this?

GRETCHEN CARLSON, FORMER FOX NEWS HOST: I do, actually, because this was a complete embarrassment to Trump and it follows the same pattern of -- for example, Todd Blanche signing off on those papers saying that the slush fund is dead, but Trump still saying that it's alive. Same thing with this. Pirro saying that there is no case here and Trump talking all day today about the fact that there's still all this evidence and you just heard from the lawyer fearing that they might actually bring additional charges against his client.

But I think that Trump was blindsided by this.

[19:10:01]

This is his legacy like these monuments to himself are the legacies and the idea that somehow those are now going to be tarnished in a way in which he did not plan is something that just makes him irate and so you just saw her walking out of the White House after a meeting with the boxes. Maybe she quit before you could fire her, but I would not be surprised at all if she's gone.

KEILAR: And, Jamal, at the time of the indictment, though, Pirro could not have been more clear from what she was saying. She was saying this was vandalism. Let's listen to what she said.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JEANINE PIRRO, U.S. ATTORNEY FOR THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA: This was a deliberate act to damage the reflecting pool. The National Park Service employees observed Hearn actually forcefully and violently pulling up and removing the bottom liner with both hands.

I was at the reflecting pool yesterday. There not only is a vandalism that is reflected in today's indictment, but there is a cutting of the liner of the pool at the base of the pool for several yards across the pool, and someone was intent on doing incredible damage to the pool.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KEILAR: That is a 180 from what's in this court filing. Did she do this to herself? What should the consequence be here?

JAMAL SIMMONS, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Yeah, well, what's clear is when the president of the United States is directing the Justice Department, they are not moving with great -- great insight or spending a lot of time getting their facts straight before they go before the court but it's amazing I think when you actually do get the facts what it seems like is Jeanine Pirro decided she wasn't going to make an assertion in front of the court knowing that it wasn't going to be true and perhaps lose a case or get herself in even more trouble.

I think this is just more evidence for the rest of us, not just so much about Donald Trump but what kind of a justice system do we want do we want one that's going to be directed by the president of the United States to go after his political enemies, to tell fibs and stories just to prove his own political points? Or do we want when it's going to be fair to the facts and fair to regular everyday Americans who are just minding their business, sticking their hands in the water at a public park?

KEILAR: Yeah, we saw a lot of people doing that until they were very much under the impression they should not. Gretchen, Trump said today that Pirro choked because the judge was really vicious. He said she folded like an umbrella.

What's the effect of the president's input on a legal process that he's really supposed to stay out of?

CARLSON: Well, we've seen him do it 100 million times before, and that's why he's so mad about this.

By the way, I don't think that Pero has been scared of any judge before. She was a judge, in fact, herself. She's always been incredibly outspoken and defending this president. So, I think he's just -- you know, he got his nose bent out of shape with this whole situation of her changing her mind at the last minute.

To me and to Jamal's point, it does signal that maybe there is a scintilla of justice still inside Jeanine Pirro, that she decided she was going to do the right thing. Look, she could be disbarred over this, putting this kind of evidence out there and having there not be any kind of a case there. So, who knows what's going to happen, but I wouldn't be surprised at all if she's gone.

KEILAR: Yeah, there could be consequences, which is a very good point.

Jamal, amid the Iran war that has no immediate foreseeable end, amid these economic woes that are impacting Americans across the country. Trump just took a victory lap online. He posted a video of what he says is the winning shot in the championship at his golf course in Bedminster, New Jersey.

And he said, "Thank you very much to all those who participated. I won with a score of 70". To the uninitiated in golf, that's an incredible score. "And am so honored in that, unlike the rest of the field, I'm given very little time to practice because I'm focused on many other things. It's called talent and I have it and they don't.'

Jamal, critics have, we have to mention time and again, taken issue with the integrity of his scoring. I think questions will be raised about this one. But my question on this is really, is this the time? What about the timing? Is this when he should be championing his golf championship? I'm trying to compose myself because it's a little embarrassing to have the leader of the country spending his time doing this. For average Americans, we see that personal savings are going down, we see that credit card delinquencies are going up, gas is back up over $4 a gallon, and here they have the president of the United States spending his time talking about what's happening in a golf tournament that he may or may not have won because we don't know, because sometimes the president doesn't tell the truth about things that are perfectly legitimate things to talk about.

We just don't know how the American public is going to look at this and say this president doesn't tell the truth about things that are perfectly legitimate things to talk about. We just don't know how the American public is going to look at this and say this president is focused on our concerns, our agenda.

[19:15:02]

And instead, this guy seems to be focused on his own golf game.

KEILAR: It's a good chip shot. That is the fact check on that. We can say that.

Jamal, Gretchen, thank you so much to both of you. We do appreciate it.

OUTFRONT next, Republican Congressman Max Miller refusing to resign over domestic abuse allegations. This is he's quickly running out of time to drop out and Democrats see an opening.

Plus, Trump threatening Iran with, quote, "decapitation", warning that now is the last chance to sign a deal.

And Marjorie Taylor Greene declares the movement has begun after meeting with Tucker Carlson and Thomas Massie. Republican Congressman Don Bacon is OUTFRONT and he weighs in next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[19:20:06]

KEILAR: Breaking news, President Trump sticking up for embattled GOP Congressman Max Miller, who is facing allegations of domestic abuse.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: I know Max. He's a good person. I mean, I always thought he was a very good person. And I'm going to let the families figure that out. But it's accusations, and I'm going to let them figure that out.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KEILAR: Max Miller has vowed to stay in the race in Ohio's 7th Congressional District despite allegations from his wife his ex-wife, I should say, Emily Moreno, which include allegedly holding a gun to her and on another occasion allegedly throwing her against a wall during a custody exchange. Miller denies the allegations, but Republicans worry Miller will squander a once-safe GOP seat.

And the congressman only has a week to get out of the race before his party can no longer replace him on the ballot. So far, Miller is not giving an inch.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. MAX MILLER (R-OH): No criminal charge has ever been filed against me. My former wife is engaging in a pattern of reporting incredible, serious and destructive allegations with absolutely no evidence. I'm not getting out of this race and I'm winning in November.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KEILAR: Manu Raju is OUTFRONT.

And, Manu, the clock's ticking here. If Miller gets out by the end of the day tomorrow, there will be a special election. But if he holds on past August 10th, Republicans will have no way to replace him. What's the latest thinking from his campaign?

MANU RAJU, CNN CHIEF CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yeah, there's actually a lot of concern in GOP circles that he will do what he said that he's going to do right there, which is to stay in this race to try to fight it out and to try to win reelection. Remember back in 2024 when Max Miller ran, this was a state that the district that Donald Trump carried by about 11 points in 2024. Max Miller got 51 percent of the vote. He did win in a comfortable margin, but it was the vote on the opposition side was put between a Democratic candidate and an independent candidate.

Max Miller is head-to-head with a Democrat in a very difficult election environment facing all these very serious allegations. That's causing a lot of angst within the ranks that he could give away a once safe seat. And that's why allies of President Trump, our colleagues are told they have phoned the president, urged him to get involved and tried to encourage him to get Max Miller out of the race.

But you heard the comment from the president right there. essentially is trying to stay out of this altogether and offering a word of praise for Max Miller, something that a lot of Republicans simply don't want to hear because, Brianna, they are worried in this environment, this seat can flip from red to blue.

KEILAR: It's really interesting.

And adding to the pressure here is that Miller's ex-father-in-law is actually Republican Senator Bernie Moreno of Ohio, and he's speaking out. He posted in part, "As he has admitted privately, Max Miller needs serious psychological help, he is a danger to my daughter, and I hold my breath every minute he has custody of my granddaughter. If there are any basic standards of character required to hold elected office, Max Miller fails them. He should not serve in the House of Representatives.

I know your team just caught up with Senator Moreno. What is he saying now?

RAJU: Yeah, he really didn't want to speak much about this really at all. I tried to ask him a question about it because he walked into the Senate floor. He walked out there and he walked off the floor.

Later, one of my colleagues did catch up with him and she asked Moreno about his decision to put out the statement yesterday and not earlier given this situation has been going on for quite some time and he took exception to that question. He said, you know, I hope you have never have to go through a situation like this and you wouldn't ask that kind of effing question and then he didn't. and answer further questions about this.

Now we are told that his daughter had urged him to not put out a statement earlier, just given the sensitivity of the situation. Given the fact that they have it, that Miller and Emily Moreno have a child together and that was part of the thinking about why he did not speak out earlier, but that was one of the questions as well as to hear Bernie Moreno himself talk about this situation, but obviously a very complicated one for the senator and his ex-son-in-law who says he is running for reelection.

KEILAR: Yeah.

RAJU: Brianna?

KEILAR: Manu, thank you so much to you and the team for the great reporting.

OUTFRONT now, Dave Wasserman, senior editor and elections analyst at "The Cook Political Report".

Dave, great to have you to take us through some of this. Talk to us about how vulnerable Republicans are to losing this seat if Miller does as he's vowing and stays in the race for Ohio's seventh.

DAVE WASSERMAN, SENIOR EDITOR AND ELECTIONS ANALYST, THE COOK POLITICAL REPORT: Brianna, sometimes problems for Republicans come in threes. And it's not just Max Miller in Ohio 7th, it's Chuck Edwards in North Carolina's 11th District.

[19:25:01]

It is Cory Mills in in Florida's seventh District all three of them either face allegations of sexual harassment or assault.

And in Edwards's case was recommended by the House Ethics Committee for censure Mills in Florida has faced calls to resign and now Republicans are extremely nervous about Max Miller. There's a credible Democratic candidate in a former suburban councilman and ironworker named Brian Poindexter. He is a progressive Democrat who ordinarily wouldn't be the perfect fit for this kind of Republican leaning district.

All three of those seats I mentioned voted for Donald Trump by between 11 and 12 points in 2024, and they wouldn't be vulnerable for Republicans in a normal year. But these are not normal circumstances, and this is not a normal year. President Trump's approval rating in all three seats is underwater, and these scandals could not only widen Democrats' path for the House majority, but push them higher into perhaps more than 225 or 230 seats.

KEILAR: And "Cook Political Report" identifies 66 competitive House races, including Ohio 7th, Miller's District. Who are some of the other Republicans who are in danger here?

WASSERMAN: There are enough Republicans who are already in the toss up column on the front lines of Republicans defense who are vulnerable and enough to get Democrats the House majority. We have 14 Republican held seats in that category. Democrats only need to flip on net three seats to win the majority.

And the biggest clusters of vulnerable Republicans are in states that did not gerrymander their boundaries in advance of this cycle, and those would be in Michigan where Tom Barrett is up for reelection. Iowa's first and second district and third districts where Marionette Miller Meeks and Zach Nunn are running for reelection.

In Pennsylvania where you've got three Republican incumbents in the toss-up column Scott Perry, Rob Bresnahan, Ryan Mackenzie.

Jen Kiggans in Virginia's second district. That's a swing seat where for Democratic Congresswoman Elaine Lauria is running.

So, Democrats have an increasingly wide path to the House majority. It's a question of how high this wave goes.

KEILAR: Yeah. Dave, thank you so much. Really appreciate it, David Wasserman.

OUTFRONT next, Trump saying that he wants to hit Iran harder than any attack since World War II.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: I want to give him every last chance before decapitation.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KEILAR: Is Iran even taking the threat seriously, though?

And breaking news, large fires burning across 15 states, 14 people unaccounted for in just one state. We're on the ground.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[19:32:23]

KEILAR: Breaking news, President Trump threatening Iran with, quote, "decapitation". But when asked why he thinks he will succeed this time after backing away once again from massive strikes on Iran in favor of negotiations, Trump did not strike a note of confidence.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

I don't know. I think we're going to maybe get something, but I want to give them every last chance before decapitation. Very tough to do what we have planned, still planned. We'll see what happens.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KEILAR: OUTFRONT now, Republican Congressman Don Bacon, who is on the Armed Services Committee.

Congressman, thank you so much for being with us this evening.

REP. DON BACON (R-NE): Thank you.

KEILAR: And you hear the president there, decapitation he's threatening, strikes that he has planned being bigger than anything since World War II. Is that a real possibility?

BACON: I would recommend that he speak softly and carry a big stick. Iran has targeted Americans for 47 years. They killed 1,000 Americans or so. I served in Iraq where 608 Americans were killed by Iranian militias. I lost a friend at Khobar Towers.

This has been long overdue, but the way the president's fought this, it comes in hard and soft, hard and soft. I think we're better off just keeping maximum pressure on and saying less, and waiting for the Iranians to come forward, say, okay, we're done. We want a piece.

But the president makes these big threats, and then he walks it back, and he just goes back and forth. I think he would be much more effective, keep maximum pressure on and say little. That's what I would encourage him to do.

KEILAR: I wonder what you think the impact of how he's handled it has been, because this is now at least the fifth time that Trump has called off strikes on Iran in favor of what he calls promising negotiations?

I mean, do you think that Iran believes him? How do you think Iran interprets that threat and the backing off?

BACON: I think early on, and then it's been sort of reinforced, I think the Iranians see that the president wants a piece more than they do, that he hit them hard for a month. little over a month. And then he said, OK, let's make a deal.

When they heard that let's make a deal, I believe the Iranians, and I studied them most of my life when I was in the Air Force. I mean, I've been facing off and deployed facing these guys multiple times. I think they hear this and they think he wants a piece. He's worried about gas prices. He's worried about the elections.

So, they think they can abuse them or they can out-negotiate them and drag them along.

[19:35:00] And that's -- I think he would be so much better off if he hit them hard in Tehran in the middle -- right in the power centers and go after the leadership, the party centers, the areas that help that regime maintain its power and hit those areas hard, repeatedly, continuously, until they say, okay, you know what? America is serious, and if we don't stop this now, we're going to lose our power.

We got to get them in that position where they lose hope that they can beat this president. And right now, I believe they think they can drag them along. And Teddy Roosevelt had it right, speak softly and carry a big stick.

KEILAR: I want to ask you about your colleague, Congressman Max Miller, who is under pressure to resign after his ex-wife accused him of domestic abuse. He has denied the accusations. No charges were filed against him. But his ex-wife's father, of course, is Republican Senator Bernie Moreno, who says Miller should not be serving in Congress.

Do you think that Miller should resign?

BACON: Well, if the allegations are true, he should resign. The problem is if they're not true, he should not resign either. I commanded 5 times in the Air Force. I've been in these situations. So, you got to have some kind of substantiation or some kind of evidence.

But if you can draw some -- get some proof or substantiate the charges, then, you know, Congressman Miller should be held accountable. The problem is I've seen situations where the allegations are not true and I'll get -- I could speak for my own upbringing.

I had a mom and dad who loved their kids. They didn't like each other and I had a situation where I saw firsthand where one parent made false allegations against another parent. I saw it in my own home and they weren't true.

And so, I think -- we've got to have some kind of substantiation to move out on. But if they are, then Congressman Miller should be held accountable.

KEILAR: And I also want to ask you about a former colleague of yours, Republican Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene. She shared a photo of herself with Tucker Carlson, with outgoing Republican Congressman Thomas Massie, and your former colleague Joe Kent, who or almost colleague. He didn't get into the House. I got to be clear about that. He resigned as director of the National Counterterrorism Center over the Iran War and said that Trump's wars are a betrayal of America first.

And she added that, quote, "The movement has begun."

So, this is notably a group of Israel skeptics, critics. I think their critics would use stronger words to describe them. How seriously do you take this so-called movement as she's describing it?

BACON: They're the DSA or the AOC part of the Republican Party. You're right, they're anti-Israel, which I think is wrong. They're also very pro-Russian, anti-Ukrainian. They're part of the isolationist wing of our party.

And we had something like this in the 1850s. We call them the Know Nothing Party. I think they're the 21st Century remnants of the Know Nothing Party. They represent about 10 percent of our party or so. And they're not -- they're not dominant. They should not be dominant, and they have an outsized voice on social media.

But I think we're seeing more and more folks that came from those corners saying hey, this isn't right. For example, Laura Loomer of recent has said you know what? I was wrong on Russia and I should have supported Ukraine all once.

We're starting to see a bit of this isolationist movement fragment and I think that's a good thing.

I come from the Ronald Reagan wing of the party peace through strength. We stand by our democratic allies who have elections like Israel, like Ukraine. We stand up to bullies and we believe in peace through strength. And that's the 90 percent of our party, I believe.

Now, we've got to consolidate this Reagan Republican backs. I think we fall a bit victim to populism, a little bit with President Trump for that matter. But I'd love to bring us back to a more traditional Republican viewpoint.

But to your question, this group represents a small remnant of the Republican Party, and they are very similar in ideology on Israel and Russia with the core DSA people that we see on the Democrat side right now. We truly have a horseshoe theory and effect that the extremes have come together in our politics.

KEILAR: Congressman Don Bacon, we appreciate you being with us. Thanks so much.

BACON: Thank you.

KEILAR: OUTFRONT next, down to the wire in Michigan, a bitter Democratic fight that could ultimately determine control of the U.S. Senate.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ABDUL EL-SAYED (D), MICHIGAN SENATE CANDIDATE: They're saying that you're not open-minded enough, you're not big-hearted enough to elect somebody named Abdul.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KEILAR: And Tom Selleck from "Magnum, P.I." to Friends, he's a TV icon with a serious message for America.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

[19:40:09] TOM SELLECK, ACTOR: Ronald Reagan said, freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KEILAR: Tonight, Democrats facing their most contentious test yet, the state of Michigan holding the most closely watched primary in the country, one that is crucial to Democrats taking back the Senate.

[19:45:09]

Jeff Zeleny is OUTFRONT.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CROWD: Abdul, Abdul!

JEFF ZELENY, CNN CHIEF NATIONAL AFFAIRS CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): It's Michigan's moment. and a Democratic battle like no other. Congresswoman Haley Stevens and the full weight of the party establishment --

CROWD: Haley, Haley!

ZELENY (voice-over): -- trying to stop Abdul El-Sayed and a rising progressive movement.

EL-SAYED: You got money out of?

CROWD: Politics!

EL-SAYED: Money in your?

CROWD: Pockets.

ZELENY (voice-over): As their Senate primary on Tuesday has become a fight for the direction of the Democratic Party.

REP. HALEY STEVENS (D), MICHIGAN SENATE CANDIDATE: I love bringing a little bit of that grit and a little bit of that Michigan way. And maybe just a little bit of that, stick it to them.

El-SAYED: Michigan right now is the center of the political universe because our people need and deserve healthcare. Our people need and deserve a fair pay for a fair day's labor.

ZELENY (voice-over): For the first time, a year of insurgent Democratic wins in deep blue districts will be tested in a statewide marquee battleground. To win a Senate majority, Democrats must hold Michigan and flip four Republican-held seats.

SEN. GARY PETERS (D-MI): Let's be clear, folks. We will not take back the Senate if we lose Michigan.

ZELENY (voice-over): In the final hours of a bruising contest here, November electability is stoking August anxiety.

Reverend Charles Williams II believes Stevens is the strongest choice for a fall campaign, where Democrats have no room for error.

REV. DR. CHARLES WILLIAMS II, SENIOR PASTOR, HISTORIC KING SOLOMON BAPTIST CHURCH: She's the only one in the race that's actually been elected. She worked in the executive branch, and of course, she has been a legislator. There's nobody else in the race at this time that has that cachet.

ZELENY: How much of this is about convincing people that you can win in November?

EL-SAYED: The question of, can I win in November is a question that voters alone can answer. So, you know, electability is a thing that's best defined after the fact. So if and when I get elected, then you'll know I'm electable.

ZELENY (voice-over): El-Sayed, a doctor and former public health official whose parents immigrated to the U.S. from Egypt, was born and raised in Michigan. He confronts questions of electability head on.

EL-SAYED: It's not about me. You know who they're really talking about? I'm talking about you. They're saying that you're not open- minded enough, you're not big-hearted enough to elect somebody named Abdul.

ZELENY (voice-over): Stevens was elected to Congress in a 2018 Democratic wave, winning a Republican-held seat in the Detroit suburbs.

She's backed by more than $60 million in outside spending on TV ads, including from a pro-Israel group in a race that's been partially defined by the Democratic Party's split on U.S. support for Israel.

STEVENS: There is a reason why Republicans are already spending thousands and thousands of dollars meddling in this primary, trying to maybe get their preferred candidate. Look, when it comes to Michigan, I run through anyone and anything to stand up for us.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ZELENY: Congressman made those comments just a few minutes ago at a campaign rally here again, accusing Republicans of meddling in this campaign. She says that she is the most electable candidate in November.

But, Brianna, that, of course, is an open question and certainly, I mean, in the eye of the beholder. There is energy and momentum behind this, a progressive movement. But again, this is the first statewide test of that here. She has the establishment behind her, but for all of the outside supporters, of course, Bernie Sanders and AOC are on the El-Sayed campaign. Senator Schumer has been supporting her.

Today, it was all about Michigan. Both of these candidates trying to make a nationalized race, a local one to turn out the Michigan vote -- Brianna.

KEILAR: All right. We'll be watching it. Jeff Zeleny live in Michigan, thank you.

OUTFRONT next, breaking news. Part of the U.S. facing the worst fire season in more than 30 years. Fires are raging in 15 states, with residents running for their lives tonight.

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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: So --

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We were on the deck, and it got faster and faster.

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KEILAR: Breaking news, massive wildfires burning across 15 states. Nearly half of the large fires right now in Oregon and Washington state.

You are looking now at Spokane, Washington. Fires there growing to more than 8,000 acres. 14 people are unaccounted for, and officials are describing it as a war zone. We should note nationally, the wildfires have burned over a million acres, more than the average for this point in the year. with the most active fire months still ahead of us.

Let's go straight to Julia Vargas Jones, who is in Spokane, Washington.

Julia, just terrifying conditions that we're hearing people describe there right now. Firefighters are still battling 17 active wildfires overall. What more can you tell us?

JULIA VARGAS JONES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, of those 17 fires, Brianna, three of them are in this county, Spokane County. You can tell from the weather, the look of the sky behind me, there's still a thick cloud of smoke basically around us just in this area, 8,000 acres have burned. We are at zero percent containment. More than 10,000 structures authorities say are at risk of burning from these wildfires, 700 of them already destroyed.

We got access to one of the hardest hit areas earlier today, Brianna, and we were able to speak with one family, a couple as they were coming in to walk through what was left of their home. Take a listen.

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KERRY ZIMMER, LOST HOME TO FIRE: When you close your eyes and think about the house, you think about the garden, you think about all the family and friends that have been here and the great times. [19:55:02]

But luckily, Jim took photos of every single room before we left, so we can see that and really remember everything.

I know, I know. Sorry. I'm sorry.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

JONES: Just so hard to watch that, Brianna.

And like them, thousands of people 65,000 as you mentioned, had to evacuate their homes and in similar situations in limbo, not knowing if their homes are part of those 700 that were burned already. Now the National Guard here in Washington saying urging people to please be patient as it will take weeks for them to just open up those areas back to folks to go look, take a look at what's left of their homes.

KEILAR: All right. Julia, thank you so much. Live for us there in Spokane.

Also tonight, the iconic actor Tom Selleck. He played one of television's most beloved detectives on "Magnum, P.I.", Monica's boyfriend on "Friends", and the highly principled police commissioner and patriarch on "Blue Bloods".

The military veteran, in a rare interview with CNN, opens up about politics and the state of America. What he says, and more importantly, what he doesn't say, may surprise you. Elex Michelson is OUTFRONT.

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ELEX MICHALSON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: What do you think is the state of our country right now?

TOM SELLECK, ACTOR: You're in the state of flux.

MICHAELSON (voice-over): Actor Tom Selleck is known for iconic roles on "Magnum, P.I."

SELLECK: Our NYPD family.

MICHAELSON (voice-over): Blue Bloods.

SELLECK: Hi, Phoebe. Nice to meet you.

MICHAELSON (voice-over): "Friends".

SELLECK: I just told her --

MICHAELSON (voice-over): "Three Men and A Baby", and more.

He's also a military veteran that's been passionate about politics for decades, including a close relationship with America's 40th president.

SELLECK: Ronald Reagan said freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction.

MICHAELSON (voice-over): We joined Selleck for a tour of Reagan's presidential library in Simi Valley, now showcasing a special exhibit on America's 250th birthday, filled with artifacts from the American Revolution, including a copy of the Declaration of Independence.

SELLECK: Signing your name to that document was, in essence, in failure, a death point.

MICHAELSON (voice-over): Tom recently narrated a documentary for Hillsdale College called "Revolutionary America".

SELLECK: And what kind of a people would risk everything for their principles?

MICHAELSON (voice-over): They screened it in front of a massive crowd at the Reagan Library under the nose of Reagan's Air Force One.

SELLECK: Well, my favorite president is President Reagan.

MICHAELSON (voice-over): Selleck, one of many actors close with the Reagans, once actors themselves.

SELLECK: I think they walked their talk.

MICHAELSON (voice-over): The Reagans once invited Selleck to an evening of dinner and dancing with Princess Diana at the White House.

SELLECK: She was having the time of her life.

MICHAELSON (voice-over): Actor John Travolta started dancing with the married royal.

SELLECK: This woman comes over a British woman and she says, this is terrible. Mr. Travolta is dancing the second dance with the princess. We don't want to start any rumors you must cut in.

And, you know, John Travolta, people were in a circle clapping, and they were rocking out. And I said, I'm not cutting in.

MICHAELSON (voice-over): Eventually, Selleck danced with both Diana and his friend, Nancy.

MICHAELSON: Because you loved her.

SELLECK: Yeah.

MICHAELSON (voice-over): Selleck doesn't have the same personal relationship with the current Republican president, Donald Trump.

MICHAELSON: How do you feel about him and what he's doing?

SELLECK: We certainly a mixed bag. I stay out of the current political world. Why pissed off half the country when you're in the business of entertaining people?

MICHAELSON (voice-over): Selleck's signature role may be Thomas Magnum on the '80s TV show "Magnum, P.I."

After he filmed the pilot for that show, iconic filmmakers Steven Spielberg and George Lucas offered him the role of Indiana Jones before casting Harrison Ford.

SELLECK: They hand me the script and tell me, this is your part.

MICHAELSON (voice-over): CBS, who hadn't yet officially bought Magnum, would not let him do it.

SELLECK: They thought if I did the picture, I'd find a way to get out of my contract, which I never would have done. So, it was -- it was OK. Magnum wasn't the worst thing.

Behind those trees, put it down, I'll jump.

MICHAELSON (voice-over): Magnum lasted for eight seasons, earning Selleck an Emmy.

For 14 seasons, Selleck played NYPD commissioner coincidentally named Reagan on CBS's "Blue Bloods".

MICHAELSON (voice-over): At age 81, Selleck isn't ready to retire from acting anytime soon.

MICHAELSON: What's next for you career-wise?

SELLECK: I have no idea, but that's always the way.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

MICHAELSON: We're looking forward to his next project. "Revolutionary America", that film that he narrated, is available to stream right now for free on YouTube.

We'll have more with Selleck tonight on "THE STORY IS" at midnight Eastern, 9:00 p.m. Pacific, including a look at what he thinks his legacy is in movies -- Brianna.

KEILAR: We'll be looking for that. What a treat, Elex. Thank you so much for that, Elex Michaelson.

And thank you for joining us.

"AC360" starts now.