Return to Transcripts main page
Erin Burnett Outfront
Protests Break Out Over Skyrocketing Fuel Prices From Iran War; Trump's Handpicked Board Shuts Down The Kennedy Center Indefinitely; Karl Rove Votes Dem? Aired 7-8p ET
Aired September 15, 2026 - 19:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[19:00:26]
ERIN BURNETT, CNN HOST: OUTFRONT next:
The breaking news, fire and fury. Protests breaking out around the world because of Trump's war with Iran, the surging energy and food prices that have come as a result, as a Republican moves to impeach Pete Hegseth over the war.
Plus, quote, "It was effing crazy". Trump lashing out during call with his handpicked Kennedy Center board. The board now shutting down the center indefinitely. Kerry Kennedy is OUTFRONT.
Plus, is Karl Rove about to vote for a Democrat for the first time in more than 30 years?
Let's go OUTFRONT.
(MUSIC)
BURNETT: And good evening. I'm Erin Burnett.
OUTFRONT tonight, the breaking news, global outrage. Mass protests now breaking out around the world over skyrocketing oil prices and food prices caused by Trump's war with Iran. Protesters burning tires is from Syria, all the way to Guatemala. In Portugal, roads at a standstill as drivers lay on their horns. In the Philippines and in Sudan, people are dealing with blackouts, long lines at gas stations. Some pumps have run dry, a sign of what could happen as this spreads around the world because the situation is getting worse.
The United States still does not have control of the Strait of Hormuz, and Iranian-backed militants now control the vital Bab Al-Mandeb Strait. the gateway to the Red Sea. The Saudis have closed down the most significant oil pipeline across the country after it was repeatedly attacked.
And in the United States, it's added up. The war has already cost consumers over $100 billion in higher gas and diesel prices, something that Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent did not want to discuss today.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REP. ALYANNA PRESSLEY (D-MA): Since the war started, gas prices are up 52 percent. Yes or no? Are you aware of that?
SCOTT BESSENT, TREASURY SECRETARY: Gas prices are up --
PRESSLEY: Gas prices are up 52 percent since the war started. Are you aware of this issue? Yes or no?
BESSENT: From what to what? I think that's not a good number.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BURNETT: Well, the pain of rising prices for gas, oil, diesel, motor oil, and soon heat is a daily hit to Americans. It's a daily part of conversation. And it comes in addition to the cost to taxpayers of borrowing money, because that's what it is now, for a massive war.
The Iran war has cost nearly $40 billion in just the first months of the war. That number's according to the Congressional Budget Office. And it only accounts for the cost to the end of July, right? So, March, April, May, June, July, just the first five months, not the past two even.
And it does not include the damage to U.S. bases and hundreds of U.S. buildings across the region. It also does not include the slow and incredibly costly process of replacing Americans' expensive munitions. That includes almost all of the missile defenses in the region, munitions that, according to the CBO, will take at least five years to replace.
And despite this being the 200th day of the war with Iran, the Trump administration does not want to use the "W" word.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TODD BLANCHE, ATTORNEY GENERAL: You called it a war. I disagree with that characterization.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BURNETT: Well, that was Todd Blanche, the United States Attorney General, acting as Trump's personal spokesperson. But you know what? Hearing that may feel jarring, right, after what I just laid out. But it is far from the first time that we have heard Trump and his team say this isn't a war.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: We're in a -- I call it a skirmish because that's what it is.
J.D. VANCE, VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I don't -- I wouldn't call it a war.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BURNETT: Well, let's see, what, $40 billion in direct costs for a skirmish, $100 billion in energy costs at the pump, American bases which dominated the Middle East, inoperable, according to the former CIA director, inoperable? If that isn't a war, and a war not going the way you want it to, then what is?
And tonight, Republican Thomas Massie is introducing articles of impeachment against Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth over the Iran war.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REP. THOMAS MASSIE (R-KY): Secretary of Defense Peter Hegseth by such conduct has demonstrated that he will remain a threat to civilians, the lawful conduct of United States military operations, the integrity and credibility of the United States Armed Forces, and the Constitution.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BURNETT: So what is the Secretary of Defense doing when faced with an impeachment threat, formal articles of impeachment from a member of his own party? So, what is the Secretary of Defense doing when faced with an impeachment threat, formal articles of impeachment from a member of his own party?
Well, according to the Wall Street Journal tonight, Hegseth's Pentagon is focused on finding troops who embody the secretary's specific brand of masculinity to serve as the backdrop for his next speech.
[19:05:10]
Commanders are now reportedly being asked to nominate troops who meet Hegseth's waist to height requirements and also exhibit, quote/unquote, "impeccable grooming standards". If selected, they'll get to attend Hegseth's state of the force address later this month, perhaps after they've had their testosterone checked.
Kristen Holmes is OUTFRONT live outside the White House.
Kristen, in the face of all of this, Trump's support for Hegseth, at least publicly, has not waned.
KRISTEN HOLMES, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: And privately, we're hearing the same. President Trump backs Pete Hegseth. This fight, this war that, as you noted, is now roughly $40 billion. It is lasting weeks, months longer than President Trump had originally told the American public that it would.
We have burned through as much as 2/3 of the missile defense aerials that we have in this country. And yet, President Trump still stands by Pete Hegseth, the Secretary of Defense, who by all of our reporting, he was one of the biggest cheerleaders and has been one of the biggest cheerleaders for this war overall.
And that is not even to mention the fact that we have seen him burn through a secretary of Army, a secretary of Navy, and countless military officials. But one thing I will note is that Hegseth does seem to have understood in a better way that even other cabinet members do not, that in this White House in particular, proximity equals power.
I'll remind you, Hegseth was one of the only top officials that was on that secret plane that President Trump took out of Turkey. We see him here at the White House all the time. That's unprecedented. That is not something you see every single cycle with different presidents, that their secretary of defense is here standing outside the White House in the West Wing on a daily basis.
And we know from President Trump that they speak regularly on the phone. So again, something that he has figured out. And I want to tell you one thing, this speech, this kind of force speech that Hegseth has given. Yes, it's being billed as a speech for the military, but there are a lot of Republicans who believe Hegseth believes that he could run for president in 2028.
BURNETT: Which is a whole new level to all of this. Kristen, thank you so much.
OUTFRONT now, Democratic Congressman Ro Khanna and Congressman, I appreciate your time. So just on the face of it, we know these impeachment articles for Hegseth. They're out there. Do you believe a vote to impeach Hegseth has a chance?
REP. RO KHANNA (D-CA): Yes, I do. Remember, it's Thomas Massie putting this out and Thomas Massie and I partnered before successfully in getting the Epstein files release. And when it comes to Pete Hegseth, there are at least 20 Republicans who have concerns. He is in an illegal, unconstitutional war in Iran, which has increased food and gas prices. He has fired qualified generals, many African Americans and women, and it has hurt the morale of the military.
And he presided over extrajudicial killings in the Caribbean. And the concerns on these have been raised by senior Republicans like Mike Turner, and others on the Armed Services Committee.
BURNETT: Yes, and I know obviously there's been concern about how he's chosen to spend his time when he talks about, you know, warrior ethos or testosterone tests, things like that. But you talk of at least 20 Republicans, you know, have you talked to any of them today? What's -- what's the reaction among them besides Mr. Massie, who you think may vote to impeach?
KHANNA: I've spoken to Thomas today and he thinks he can get few other Republicans. I have not spoken to other Republicans on Thomas's specific bill today, but I have spoken on the Armed Services Committee, which I sit on to many Republicans like Don Bacon, like Mike Turner, who have concerns.
And look, I don't think this is going to happen before the midterm elections. It's too much for some of these Republicans to defy the president right before the midterms. But there's going to be what I call a retirement caucus, a number of Republicans who are not coming back in January of 2027. And I do think some of them would consider voting for this, and some of them will consider voting for Massie and my Epstein Transparency 2.0 Act. which allows state attorney generals to prosecute. BURNETT: Right, right, and of course, I know many of those other files that you're still fighting for release.
You know, you've been highly critical of Israel and U.S. support for the country as it is played out and in that context, I want to ask you at this "Washington Post" reporting today. I know you've seen it, Congressman.
But the reporting is that the Trump administration is preparing a multi-billion dollar sale of massive 2,000-pound bombs to Israel. And according to "The Post," the package, which is just shy of $3 billion, would be, quote, "purchased with U.S. taxpayer dollars".
[19:10:05]
So let me just say that again, purchased with U.S. taxpayer dollars, $2.8 billion of bombs for Israel.
Now, the delivery of these weapons could be years away, but did you know anything about this? Is there anything you can do about it?
KHANNA: That's outrageous. The American people are tired of our money going to Israel instead of jobs here, instead of housing here, instead of childcare here. They resent the fact that Netanyahu started this war in Iran that Trump then got us into. and that it's increased food and gas prices.
They want this aid to end and it's a sign that the government is so out of touch with the will of the people. Sixty, 70 percent in the polls do not want this aid to Israel and you have to wonder what is the money in politics and why are we making decisions that are not in our in our national interest.
BURNETT: Well, when you ask a question like that, I want to ask you about what's going on with Russia or at least one specific Russian oligarch in the Trump family. Attorney General Todd Blanche was asked today about the reporting about that Russian billionaire who spent hundreds of thousands of dollars to pay for Donald Trump Jr.'s wedding, that incredible reporting in ProPublica.
And this billionaire has such close ties to Putin that he just got this special medal, and he came to the wedding fresh off a trip from Putin. He left Putin and Xi Jinping on a China visit they were on together to go to Donald Trump Jr.'s wedding that he had paid hundreds of thousands of dollars for.
The story is stunning and staggering. And here's what Blanche said about it today.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BLANCHE: The president doesn't know who this person is. I think other members of the family don't know who this person is.
(END VIDEO CLIP) BURNETT: Well, Don Jr. and his wife called the Russian a dear friend. Jared Kushner was there, who's in a room with Putin negotiating a deal, and he's in the room with this guy. There are only 50 people there for this whole -- this weekend.
So, what happens here? Do they think this just goes away? Are they right?
KHANNA: Well, it's outrageous, and it gets to this question of American sovereignty. The American people are angry and frustrated that we don't think we are calling the shots. Is it Putin's billionaires who are influencing our policy that isn't standing up for Ukraine? Is it Netanyahu and his minions who are influencing our policy on the Middle East?
Is it tech billionaires who are influencing our policy on A.I.? What happened to ordinary town halls and the American people calling the shots? And I think it's increasingly clear that Trump is beholden to powerful interests that do not have the American people's interests at heart.
BURNETT: Well, when it comes to AI, he's listening to, while some in that industry who say there's nothing to see here, he's dismissed A.I. fears as a hoax. That's what he said just the past couple of days, right, on his way back from Ireland.
You've called for a new regulatory agency for A.I. And, you know, obviously we've heard whether it's from 10 percent to 70 percent chance of the extinction of humanity because of A.I. in a period of months to a few years, right? I mean, the prognostications out there are pretty terrifying. Obviously, getting an agency together would take quite a bit of time.
So, what can you do?
KHANNA: Well, first, we have to understand the severity of the problem. I represent Silicon Valley. You have these techies going around calling about their P (doom) numbers, the probability of human extinction. And they all have one, two percent, one percent, 10 percent.
And so, we need strict criminal sanctions on people who knowingly produce models that could cause catastrophic harm. We need strict liability. Those laws could be enforced today.
And then I want to break some news. I'm calling a hearing next week on Wednesday with leading computer scientists leading A.I. scholars on what we need to do with China to come to some international norms and agreements.
And the hearing is going to be one day before Trump meets Xi Jinping. Jeffrey Hinton, one of the founders of A.I., will participate. We in Congress are going to take actual action to see what we can do to move towards some international agreement.
Leo, he had encouraged us in our delegation to bring world leaders together to address this problem.
BURNETT: All right, Congressman Connor, I appreciate your time and thank you very much.
KHANNA: Appreciate you.
BURNETT: And next, Pennsylvania's governor pointing the finger at HHS Secretary RFK, Jr. after reporting a fourth measles related death in Pennsylvania, accusing Kennedy of playing games with the public's health. Kennedy sister Kerry Kennedy is our guest.
Plus, Trump's attorney general defending the president's efforts to limit mail-in voting. Is he trying to find a workaround after being shut down by the Supreme Court?
And more musical acts quitting Grammy winner Ed Sheeran's tour after rapper Macklemore was removed in the wake of his, quote, " free Palestine remarks".
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[19:19:26]
BURNETT: Breaking news, the Kennedy Center shut down indefinitely. Trump's handpicked board voting to immediately close the art center. The Trump allies on the board saying it's facing bankruptcy within weeks unless Trump's name is added to the center. They claim that that is what would turn all the fundraising around.
So, on that note, it is important to just put a fact out there, which is that Kennedy Center did not have problems fundraising before Trump got involved. According to "The Washington Post", and I quote from their reporting today, the center's own financial projections showed ticket revenue and fundraising had plummeted after the name change to the Trump Kennedy Center, putting it on track to fall nearly $100 million short of its revenue target.
[19:20:04]
This takeover of the Kennedy Center is so important to Trump that he called into the board's meeting today, and one source told CNN that Trump was screaming and yelling, attacking the judge, who today rejected the board's latest proposal to add Trump's name to the building. By the way, it's still covered with tarp tonight.
I mean, remember when his name had to be removed by midnight and then I guess they did it, but it's unclear, like nobody's wanted to let him have to see that his name's not there now, so the Tarp has just stayed up. It's a rather bizarre thing.
Another source says that Trump clashed with Democratic Congresswoman Joyce Beatty. She has a holdover that Trump has not been able to replace on the Kennedy Center board, even though he's put hand-picked people from Fox News anchors to others on that board. Beatty's term wasn't up, so she's still there. The source says that the altercation was, quote, "effing crazy". OUTFRONT now, Kerry Kennedy, daughter of Robert F. Kennedy and RFK
Jr.'s sister.
So, Kerry, can we just start with the Kennedy Center here? What's your reaction to the board voting to shut down the Kennedy Center altogether?
KERRY KENNEDY, PRESIDENT, ROBERT & ETHEL KENNEDY HUMAN RIGHTS CENTER: Well, this is a tragedy. You know, the American people love the Kennedy Center. They love the arts. They understand what's going on. They see the corruption of this.
There is not a financial issue here. President Trump has said they have $250 million ready to hand over tomorrow. He's just withholding it because he wants his name on the building.
So, this is like so many other things that Trump has touched. It's a bankruptcy because he adds his name to it.
BURNETT: So, Trump is obviously very focused on this. He posted about it multiple times today. One of the times Kerry, he said the renovation and reconstruction cannot begin until such time as the D.C. Circuit rules on the board's approved name. Of course, referring to the Trump Kennedy Center and then he continued carry to say he is the, quote, "only one" who can save the center because quote I have the ability to raise the money and the ability to construct that few others have.
What do you say to that?
KENNEDY: Well, I think honestly, there's a war in Iran that's costing us billions of billions and billions of dollars, $40 billion so far, and that's just through July as you just reported. We have skyrocketing gas prices. We have people who have to choose between going to the doctor or paying their rent. We have real pain in our country.
President Trump, please focus on what's important. Leave the Kennedy Center alone. Allow us to move forward with this great Art Center. This monument to a slain president and leave it alone. focus on your job.
BURNETT: So the board says it's facing certain fiscal collapse within weeks, right? And they're saying that's unless Trump's name is added because his name, they say, is what would get the money back in. Do you think that's a false choice? And I mean, do you? Would you rather -- yeah, go ahead.
KENNEDY: According to the To the Trump White House, they have $250 million already raised just to open up the checkbook and send the money. I don't see what the issue is here.
BURNETT: So, would you rather it stay closed or reopens with Trump's name on it? I mean, I guess as a matter of how long you can keep it closed. KENNEDY: I mean, to me that's a false choice. That is not the choice here, that's something he's making up in his own head. The courts that -- the courts have to be complied with. The court said you can't put your name on it.
Then, all of a sudden, it's bankrupt, but all of a sudden, if his name is on it, it's got $256 million in the bank. So, this is not an issue of bankruptcy. This is hostage-taking by the president of the United States.
BURNETT: As that tarp stays up because his name had to come off it and I guess he doesn't want to see that it's off. I mean, again, that tarp, as I said, is deeply unsettling for a lot of reasons.
I want to ask you, Kerry, if I may, about one other thing. The clash between your brother, the HHS secretary, RFK Jr., and the Democratic governor, Josh Shapiro of Pennsylvania, right?
Shapiro says your brother shoulder some of the blame. California is -- I'm sorry, Pennsylvania is reporting a fourth measles related death, which All in we're in the midst of the worst outbreak in measles in the United States in over 30 years and vaccination rates have declined, right? That is why we are seeing this.
Shapiro has posted, and I'll read it, Kerry. This serious situation continues to be made worse by RFK Jr. playing games with public health and safety. It's long past time for Secretary Kennedy to stop stoking vaccine skepticism and misinformation, to which your brother, Secretary Kennedy, responds, quote, "I have repeatedly stated that MMR vaccination is the most effective way to prevent measles infection."
Is he right? Do you think his messaging has contributed to this?
KENNEDY: Yeah, I think absolutely his messaging on vaccine skepticism has 100 percent contributed to people not taking their vaccines. Let me be clear, take your vaccine. Protect your children from measles, from mumps, from all sorts of different diseases.
There's no reason to be sick. Just take your vaccine. That's number one.
Number two, we have to stop this vaccine skepticism because it's not science-based and because people are dying as a result, our children are dying. Don't let our children die because of something that's not true. Take your vaccines.
BURNETT: Yeah, it's amazing. I have so many people now just with questions, whether it's about the flu vaccine or the shingles vaccine or just so many vaccines that has come into the ether and there are real fears.
Thank you very much. I appreciate it, Kerry.
And next, Trump's FBI director grilled on lowering the bar for applicants who -- are we living in a simulation? Because what I'm about to read here is to lower the bar for applicants who engaged in bestiality.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KASH PATEL, FBI DIRECTOR: It automatically disqualified any individual who participated on either side of it. Obviously, we are never going to hire the criminals --
SEN. JOHN KENNEDY (R-LA): The side of what? The bestiality?
PATEL: Yes.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BURNETT: Has Washington lost its mind? I mean, are we already in a simulation? I cannot believe that is real.
Plus, is Karl Rove, a man who is at one time one of the most powerful Republicans in the United States, about to do something that he has not done in 30 years. Vote for a Democrat.
Jamal Simmons, S.E. Cupp, are next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[19:31:35]
BURNETT: Tonight, President Trump lashing out at the Supreme Court for rejecting his bid to limit mail-in voting for these midterm elections, a ruling where at least one Justice Trump handpicked Brett Kavanaugh ruled against him.
Trump in an extremely long and bitter post, even by his standards, because he was scrolling across. He went through the decision, posting in part, "The Supreme Court is bullied and cajoled by the radical left into making decisions that have set America back at least 100 years. These are not the people I interviewed to serve on the United States Supreme Court. They are merely a shell of their original selves. It is a court that will go down as having rendered some of the most destructive, hurtful, and damaging decisions in our country's history.
Jamal Simmons, S.E. Cupp were OUTFRONT.
So, wow, that's -- that's an indictment of Kavanaugh and Coney Barrett.
S.E. CUPP, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: The same court that overturned Roe V Wade.
BURNETT: Yeah, his -- his, you know, his handpicked justices. But I guess now there's some of the worst -- worst people on the planet, most destructive, hurtful, damaging decisions in American history.
JAMAL SIMMONS, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Until the next time.
BURNETT: Yeah, until there's one that goes in his. Yeah, I mean, what -- CUPP: He's always surprised when his handpicked people behave
independently, which is what they're supposed to do.
And I think it's worth pointing out we should celebrate when the court does its job and gives a ruling -- you may not like it. You may like it -- that is clearly independent of the president because he made his wishes very well known.
BURNETT: Yep.
CUPP: There are some checks and balances still in place. It's good news, but no surprise that he's melting down over it. He really does expect them to do his bidding.
He thought of those appointments as transactional.
SIMMONS: Right.
CUPP: They're not. These people are there for life, and they know they're going to outlive his term, and they know they have an important job to do.
BURNETT: Well, and they see anything like this that you're only as good as whatever you just did.
CUPP: Your last ruling, yeah.
BURNETT: Whatever, right? So certainly, don't leave your dignity, you know, in the other room, right? Keep it with you because that's what you got.
I mean, Jamal, hours after Trump posts this, Todd Blanche, his attorney general, defends Trump's efforts to limit mail-in voting, defended the whole thing, right? And then to your point about what's coming next, said that there's more to come. Vowed. Here he is.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BLANCHE: There should be nothing surprising about what we're trying to do when it comes to mail-in voting, which is we want to make sure that there is safe voting and that there is integrity, free and fair elections, and that there is one person placing one vote and that that person's eligible to vote.
President Trump's efforts to make sure that we have free and fair elections are not going to stop just in November or after or thereafter. So, I expect you're going to see that work continue.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BURNETT: Donald Trump doesn't believe in the boundaries of his office, right? He doesn't believe in them when it comes to how he comments on Supreme Court cases. He doesn't believe in them when it comes to the powers that Congress has versus his or the Federal Reserve, which he tried to take over the Federal Reserve. That would have been a disaster if we lost an independent bank, central bank. So, he doesn't believe in this. And he's a maximalist, so at every
intersection, he's trying to go as far as he possibly can, because even if you brush him back 25 percent, 50 percent, he's still 50 percent ahead of where he was when he started. And that is the challenge that we're going to have, because going into 2028, I think Donald Trump knows he's going to try to do everything he can to help whoever the Republican nominee is going to be in '28, whether it's him or someone else.
BURNETT: Well, that would be a change from what he's been doing for some of the -- I don't know.
[19:35:07]
I'm being a bit tongue in cheek.
SIMMONS: Yeah.
BURNETT: But, S.E., to this front, something is reportedly going to happen in November. That has not happened in 32 years -- 32 years, you say. Well, that is that Karl Rove, former senior advisor to George W. Bush, Fox News contributor for so many years, extremely respected long-term Republican, says he is going to support the Democratic candidate for railroad commissioner in Texas.
It's a really important job in Texas, and it matters. To oppose, in Roe's own words, bigot, bigot, he's calling. Bo French, okay?
Bo French is the guy, Republican, who's running for this, who posted a photo of non-white students watching the Texas Longhorns, you know, that incredible game that everyone watched that last-minute comeback. And it said, you know, I heard the UT graduation looked like this this year. I didn't believe it. The problem is far worse than anyone imagined, showing a bunch of brown people.
Did you ever think you'd hear Karl Rove say, that guy's a bigot. I'm voting for a Democrat for the first time in 32 years.
CUPP: No, and you know, a couple things. Donald Trump has been on the scene for 10 years saying stuff like this and worse, right, about Brown and Black people, Brown and Black cities, shithole countries, right? I mean, we've known this has been what Donald Trump has been pushing, but apparently, the Texas Railroad Commissioner candidate was the bridge too far for Karl Rove. That's really unserious.
I appreciate him calling out the obvious bigotry there saying himself as a Texan, I'm not going to vote for this guy. But that's really unserious to support Donald Trump and the Republican Party, which traffics in this garbage all the time. But this is where he draws the line.
But I will just say the GOP of today is not Karl Rove's Republican Party anymore.
BURNETT: Yeah.
CUPP: It's not mine. It's not Mitt Romney's. It's not John McCain's.
And I kind of -- I kind of feel for Karl Rove. He's coming up against this thing where, you know, if you don't go all in on Trump and embrace all of it, you end up getting pushed out.
And I think he's been trying to remain a relevant, important, influential voice inside the Republican Party. He just isn't anymore. That's not a knock on him. I think he's really smart, and I often agree with him, though not always.
But he's just not an important person inside this Republican Party anymore.
BURNETT: So, Jamal, you know, to the point of it when I said, are we living in a simulation? There was a crazy moment on Capitol Hill today. And it was crazy. So, when you think about all the really serious, important things going on, but also the ways that some of Trump's. handpicked people back themselves into corners that just become increasingly bizarre. Enter Kash Patel, changing the rules of the FBI to no longer automatically disqualify, have bestiality be a disqualifying thing to be an FBI agent, okay?
I don't even know why we're having this conversation, but we're having it, and he's defending it. Here he is on Capitol Hill today.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KENNEDY: Tell me what it said before.
PATEL: It automatically disqualified any individual who participated on either side of it. Obviously, we are never going to hire the criminal --
KENNEDY: The side of what? The bestiality?
PATEL: Yes.
KENNEDY: So you disqualified the animal?
PATEL: Well, I don't think -- we have great canines, but we're not going to disqualify.
KENNEDY: I understand. I'm trying to understand why you did this. You changed the qualifications and mentioned bestiality.
If Joe -- if Joe participated in bestiality, not as the animal, but as the human, don't you think he ought to be qualified, disqualified?
PATEL: If he voluntarily did it, sure, but if he was trafficked into it --
KENNEDY: Okay. How do you involuntarily do it?
PATEL: In a lot of these cases, when human traffickers, who are some of the worst individuals on planet Earth, they don't just traffic you for prostitution, they traffic you for degrading acts of all kind, and they force you into that type of conduct.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BURNETT: Kennedy, a Republican --
SIMMONS: Yeah.
BURNETT: With his face and his hands there.
CUPP: I'm so glad this is your question.
(LAUGHTER)
SIMMONS: Yeah, right, exactly.
So, first of all, ew. This is a really tough topic, but is that tough in this way? People should be above reproach if they're FBI agents and that's like a very simple standard I don't understand why we are --
BURNETT: Why is he put himself in this corner? That's what I don't understand. Why?
SIMMONS: Yeah. I don't understand what that is But clearly, these are not all of the best people which is what Donald Trump promised us 10 years ago that he would bring to government service.
I think this is one of these cases where if common sense makes the most sense and there's no reason why we're doing this I think also for these Republicans who now see Donald Trump at 35 percent, 37 percent, it's easy for people like Kennedy now to try to find something like this. That's an obvious thing to attack the administration on.
[19:40:01]
This is like a signal, right, that I am going to -- I'm not going to go along with everything that Trump does on something that really probably affects--.
BURNETT: It would be nice if they would stand up on a Russian oligarch next to Putin playing for Donald Trump Jr's wedding. There's a lot of other obvious things that it would be good for people to speak out on.
All right. Thank you both very much.
And next, Pope Leo's longtime friend and the man who wrote the foreword to his new book out today is our guest. Why he says Pope Leo has chosen A.I. as his top priority long before all these A.I. guys were quitting and saying the world was going to end.
And is the Pope actually going to the Notre Dame Villanova basketball game that's coming to Rome?
Plus, almost all of Ed Sheeran's opening acts have quit the Grammy winners' tour after Macklemore was booted following his free Palestine remarks. And Sheeran is now speaking out.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[19:45:00]
BURNETT: Tonight, amid the dire warnings and global freakout about A.I., there's one constant voice speaking out, leading the way on how the world could think about artificial intelligence, Pope Leo making it a top priority of his papacy.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
POPE LEO XVI, CATHOLIC CHURCH: Artificial intelligence already touches many areas of our lives and affects decisions that shape human coexistence. It is also dramatically changing how war is waged. Artificial intelligence needs to be disarmed.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BURNETT: Pope Leo XIV has a new book that just came out today. It's called "Freedom Under Grace: Reflections on the Spiritual Tradition that Formed Me." And it's a collection of his writings, his homilies from 2001 to 2013. At that time, he was overseeing the Order of Saint Augustine in Rome, which is so central to his papacy.
The man who has that job now is Father Joe Farrell. He's been close friends with Pope Leo for more than 20 years.
And Father Farrell, thank you so much for being with us tonight. So, you wrote the foreword to the new book and I know you celebrate its release with him just yesterday. So, the two of you were together. We've got photos of that.
And the book does -- what it provides is a sense of who he -- where he's coming from, right? It's his own words, it's his homilies, it's his letters, it's his addresses. It's the core issues that he cares about now, but it's his history with them. Social justice, education, the division that we all are experiencing in this world, poverty.
And they're all from his time as head of the Augustinian order. Why is that time so crucial, right? When you talk about Saint Augustine and you talk about the Augustinians, why is that so crucial to who he is as a leader?
FATHER JOSEPH FARRELL, OSA, PRIOR GENERAL OF THE ORDER OF SAINT AUGUSTINE: Yeah, we are able to see kind of snippets of what Robert Prevost was thinking, what was going on in the world starting 25 years ago. As you mentioned, I wrote the foreword to this book highlighting themes of especially unity, which has been a theme that the prior general is called first and foremost to promote unity among us as brothers and sisters.
We continue to do that. as Augustinians, and he continues to show the world the importance of being one community. His papal coat of arms has that motto, In the one, we are one. And he recognizes that it takes work to build that unity.
Another theme that was really important throughout this book and throughout his messages that he would send is that we can get sometimes wrapped up into a very active rhythm, responding to very good things, helping in very good ways. And at times we may neglect a really important part about who we are as Augustinians, but I think as humans, and that's that sense of interiority, of making the time to connect with what's going on inside of myself.
We joke as Augustinians sometimes that you had mentioned earlier about AI, and everyone keeps hearing AI, A.I. with artificial intelligence. We as Augustinians are saying, perhaps we can introduce A.I. not as artificial intelligence, but as Augustinian interiority. because that is a critical part about who we are.
And Pope Leo has continued to demonstrate that to us, at least by not kind of hiding the fact that on Tuesdays, he takes a day off. A day off from the normal rhythm of, it can be chaotic for the Holy Father, some of these daily rhythms, but at least on Tuesdays, take that day off, that Sabbath, to pay attention to what's going on inside that interiority.
And with that, a third theme, if you let me just share with you that sense of renewal, that we don't always have to be the same person that we were 25 years ago, right? And that we're called to constant renew who we are, renewal for the better.
BURNETT: He has made A.I. the center, right? But his encyclical was about A.I. And you know, this, as you and I are speaking, Father Farrell, fear of A.I. is at a fever pitch, right? I mean, some of the headlines, A.I. could possibly end humanity. A.I. could could kill all humans in the next decade.
And I know that Pope Leo is again, this was the focus of his encyclical. How much does he talk to you, Father Farrell, about A.I.? And how much do you think it consumes him? Even does he talk to you, Father Ferrell, about AI? And how much do you think it consumes him, even in the dark of night when he wakes up?
[19:50:02]
FARRELL: What I could share with you is what we know from the encyclical even that, you know, with artificial intelligence, it can seem like it's out of control beyond any one person's control. And at the same time, we realize that artificial intelligence is helping us in many ways, and we cannot ignore that. And yet every person needs to take that sense of being responsible.
If I become responsible for the way that I'm using artificial intelligence, take on that personal responsibility, and that goes all the way along the line to the person who is developing artificial intelligence. If that person can sense that personal responsibility and ethical responsibility in the development, in the execution, then it becomes less kind of a doomsday machine, but more something that can help us as humanity.
BURNETT: So Pope Leo is Americans now, is a big White Sox fan. He's from Chicago and they put him up on the scoreboard a lot. Fans wear Pope hats. So last night they won. And you know, I know White Sox fans, that's
exciting. Okay, they won and they posted on X in honor of his 71st birthday, right, that that win was for him.
Does he -- does he still follow his beloved team closely?
FARRELL: He does, yes. He enjoys being a fan of the White Sox. He's made that very clear. He's also been very clear in saying he grew up in a house that was divided. There were Cub fans in his family, too, his own mother. And so, kind of he learned how in that family system to live in peace even with people that you don't necessarily agree with everything that they say or that they value.
And it was something that he now brings to the papacy. You know, it seems like a very simple thing. Are you a Cubs fan or a White Sox fan? But it can teach some life lessons too.
BURNETT: Yeah, but you know, it's funny when you say that, the life lessons that we can learn from something like that, that we can apply that now when the stakes are so high.
You and the Pope both went to Villanova. Are the two of you going to be together at the men's basketball game against Notre Dame? And people are going to say, wait a minute, Erin, the Pope's coming to America. Nope, doesn't need to come to America. They're going to be playing in Rome for the college basketball season kickoff in November.
Do you think you'll able to be there with him?
FARRELL: It's a very good question. I can commit that I will be there, yes. We spoke a little bit yesterday about that game. The president of Villanova was here and we spoke a little bit with Pope Leo. Also, you know, wishing a happy birthday and talked about the game.
He has not yet been able to commit to being present for the game. There actually are two games the women are playing and the men are playing both teams. And so, it's kind of like a doubleheader. We certainly are all hopeful for that. There are thousands of people that will be coming over.
And we hope to be able to see the pope at that game. There is already being planned the day before the game, an opportunity to have a papal audience to be able to hear maybe a couple of words from him. He'll have to be very careful about revealing which team he's rooting for. But we're all pretty sure that Villanova has a special place in his heart.
BURNETT: Yeah, yeah, I think we might know the answer to that one.
All right. Well, Father Farrell, I so much appreciate your time. Thank you very much for taking the time to be with us and I hope people will get the new book to give us that really gives us a sense of who this pope is and where he came from. Thank you.
FARRELL: That would be wonderful. Thanks, Erin. BURNETT: And next, Ed Sheeran revealing who is behind Macklemore being removed from his tour following the rapper's "Free Palestine" comments.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[19:58:24]
BURNETT: Tonight, Grammy Award-winning singer Ed Sheeran speaking out, saying, quote, "I am not complicit in removing rapper Macklemore" as his opener after the rapper said this on tour.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MACKLEMORE, RAPPER: I wanted to stand up here on stages and stadiums across America and say two words that are very near and dear to my heart -- Free Palestine.
(CHEERING)
BURNETT: Those remarks came just before Macklemore performed his 2024 song, "Hind's Hall", which suggests Israel is committing genocide in Gaza. Sheeran says, "Macklemore coming off tour was the promoter's decision, it was not mine." Well, that is a reference to billionaire Robert Kraft, owner of the New England Patriots in Gillette Stadium.
Macklemore claims, quote, "Ed told me that Robert Kraft called him. Kraft had rallied some of the other stadium owners and collectively they gave him an ultimatum. If Macklemore stays on the tour, you will not be allowed to play in our venues."
Mr. Kraft does not dispute this. His response? And I quote, "Based on Macklemore's recent actions, material shared from the stage during Ed Sheeran shows in New Jersey and a broader history of anti-Semitic rhetoric and imagery that we believe has been deeply offensive and hurtful to the Jewish community, we determined that his participation in the September 25th and 26th concerts at Gillette Stadium will cross that line.
This decision is not about diminishing the suffering of innocent Palestinians or denying anyone the right to advocate on their behalf. Their pain and loss are real, but that advocacy should not come at the expense of the Jewish community or obscure the responsibility of Hamas."
Well, the outcome now is that at least four other opening acts have now quit Sheeran's tour in solidarity with Macklemore. Obviously more to come when we see how all this plays out in the next few days before those performances next week.
Thanks so much for joining us tonight.
"AC360" with Anderson begins now.
