Return to Transcripts main page

Early Start with Rahel Solomon

President Trump Makes Unprecedented Second State Visit to UK; Kirk Shooting Suspect Makes First Court Appearance; New York State Judge Dismisses Terrorism Charges Against Luigi Mangione; Israeli Military Says Gaza City Offensive Will Take "Months"; Chilean Mother Reunites With Twin Daughters After 45 Years Through DNA Search. Aired 4-4:30a ET

Aired September 17, 2025 - 04:00   ET

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

[04:00:00]

KAITLAN COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: Manara's was ousted less than a month into her job, only 29 days onto the job. And in prepared testimony, we are told that she will tell senators on Capitol Hill that RFK Jr. required that CDC policies be cleared by political staff, adding, quote, I was fired for holding the line on scientific integrity. I had refused to commit to approving vaccine recommendations without evidence, fire career officials without cause or resign.

Thanks so much for joining us. The news continues here on CNN.

BRIAN ABEL, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Good morning and welcome to our viewers joining us from the United States and all around the world. Thank you for being with us. I'm Brian Abel. Rahel Solomon is off. It's Wednesday, September 17, 5:00 a.m. here in Washington, D.C. 4:00 a.m. actually. Straight ahead on Early Start.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Touching down in the U.K., President Donald Trump is back. Prime Minister Keir Starmer hand delivered a personal invitation from King Charles III.

SEN. CORY BOOKER (D-NJ): You claim that you have a suspect in a serious assassination. Whoops. Then you don't have a suspect.

KASH PATEL, FBI DIRECTOR: I'm not in the weeds on the everyday movements of inmates. What I am doing is protecting this country.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He was the golden boy of the silver screen.

ROBERT REDFORD, ACTOR: Cory, I can't kiss you anymore. My lips are numb.

First thing I learned was don't take yourself too seriously.

(END VIDEO CLIP) ABEL: The U.S. President and first lady are in London right now for an unprecedented second state visit. The Trumps have been staying at the official residence of the U.S. ambassador to the UK. Before taking off, Donald Trump was asked about his hopes for the trip.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, U.S. PRESIDENT: My relationship is very good with the U.K. and Charles, as you know, who's now king is my friend. And it's the first time this has ever happened where somebody was honored twice. So it's a great honor. And this one's at Windsor. They've never used Windsor Castle for this before. They use Buckingham Palace. And I don't want to say one's better than the other, but they say Windsor Castle is the ultimate right.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ABEL: But this here was not on his wish list for Windsor Castle. Activists projecting images of Donald Trump and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein onto the walls of the castle on Tuesday. The photos showing a timeline of their relationship. The stunt was shut down fairly quickly by police who did arrest four people and removed equipment from a nearby hotel room.

And here's a look at what President Trump will be up to in the United Kingdom, meeting with the royals, a wreath laying at tomb of Queen Elizabeth and talks with the British prime minister. The U.S. First Lady Melania Trump also has appearances scheduled with the queen and the Princess of Wales. And CNN's Max Foster has a closer look At President Trump's itinerary.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MAX FOSTER, CNN ANCHOR (voice-over): Touching down in the UK. President Donald Trump is back. An unprecedented second state visit for the UK's most important ally countries. It comes after Prime Minister Keir Starmer hand delivered a personal invitation from King Charles III during his meeting with Trump at the White House earlier this year.

Trump described Charles as a beautiful and wonderful man, echoing sentiments he expressed for the late Queen Elizabeth and Prince William, who he met in Paris last October.

Eyebrows were raised during his last state visit whilst inspecting the guard of honor. He walked in front of the Queen, though the palace says this wasn't a breach of protocol. And at the state banquet, he placed his hand on the late monarch's back after his toast. Another breach of royal etiquette, though the palace insisting not a breach in protocol, but it did make headlines.

Trump has also spoken highly of the British Prime Minister, Keir Starmer. But a series of scandals in the British government have has weakened his position and strengthened key rival Nigel Farage of reform, who's famously close to Trump. Not everyone is a fan of Trump here. With pageantry comes protest.

Security has been ramped up and police are on high alert as disruptions are planned up and down the country, but particularly in Windsor and London. A reminder of the infamous Trump balloon that soared across Parliament Square as thousands protested against his visitors in 2019. But some do see his visit as a cause for excitement.

ANNE DALEY, WINDSOR RESIDENT: This is his second state visit. You know, it's spectacular. It's a shame, really, they're not having a carriage ride through Windsor because everybody loved Mr. Macron in the carriage, you know, so the security is very tight. I've been searched.

[04:05:00]

FOSTER (voice-over0: This state visit will be even bigger than his last. 1,300 members of the military marking out in honor of the president, unprecedented in modern times. This visit's fanfare will also be extended to Melania Trump, who set to join Queen Camilla for whistle stop tour around Windsor Castle if Camilla has recovered from her recent illness.

Followed by a scouting event with Princess Kate on Thursday, cultivating the close ties between the two nations. As Trump's visit mixes pageantry with politics and protests, it remains to be seen whether this visit will cement the relationship or revive memories of the past. Max Foster, CNN, Windsor, England.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ABEL: And let's go to CNN's Nic Robertson live for us in London now. And Nic, Max just laid out some of the past protests with the balloon and signs and other things. We're seeing those projections now. What do you make of the tactic and does it have any impact at all on the visit? And then also, what will you be keeping an eye out for moving forward?

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR: Yes, look, clearly the crowd is trying to rile President Trump in any way they can. You know, if they wanted to be effective, they would have shot or more effective, they would have put those projections on Winfield House, where he's staying here. They wouldn't get close to it. If he were inside Windsor Castle, he wouldn't see it.

But there will be noise on the streets here in London today, anti- Trump noise. There is a large protest plan. Let's see how large it is. But the police are putting 1,600 police officers on the streets ready for it. There's a very heavy security presence, but Trump's not going to interact with that crowd. But they will undoubtedly touch on the Epstein theme.

I think the other sort of standout piece of, you know, anti-Trump activity, if you will, comes from the Lord Mayor of London, who's no friend of President Trump. And President Trump has made their mutual animus very clear in the past as well. Sadiq Khan, the London mayor, saying that President Trump has done

more perhaps than anyone else to really stir and make, you know, make divisive politics leaning towards the right around the world. So there's certainly going to be noise around it, but President Trump won't be directly exposed to it. He's going to have to go look for it on social media or elsewhere to pick up on it.

ABEL: We certainly know that he is frequently on social media. So we will see if there's any true social post in response to those protests. Meanwhile, a Visit with the UK's Prime Minister is on tap for President Trump what will be on their plates? What are the objectives there?

ROBERTSON: Yes, look, when we think of that image of Keir Starmer handing over the letter from the -- from King Charles to President Trump earlier on in the year and now President Trump is here, that was all about getting a favorable trading relationship with the United States is all about politics. It's -- it works both for Starmer and for Trump. And what we understand is there will be some high tech deals signed, particularly with companies, AI data farms, things like that.

The White House is talking about tens of billions of dollars worth of contracts being signed. Microsoft is talking about heavy investment here. So to Alphabet, parent company of Google Data Farm there, also civil nuclear power cooperation, you know, partly how to generate clean, cheaper power to feed these data farms.

Look, there will be details about these deals that will be contested, you know, the sort of data laws that will cover the data that would be in these data farms. That also is going to get talked about. But the takeaways here for Keir Starmer would be able to talk about multibillion dollar, multibillion pound deals, jobs that is bringing into the UK.

Starmer also wants to see tariffs come down on aluminum and steel. That doesn't look like it's going to happen. He wants tariffs to come down on Scottish salmon, on whiskey as well. No clear indication that's going to happen. And they will have differences over Gaza and over the Russia-Ukraine war, but those will be, I think if they can, these will not be the topics that get talked about publicly. Let's see what happens at the press conference, how many questions they take.

But the real push here will be to highlight how much the countries are mutually investing in each other and benefiting job wise, industry wise, particularly the high tech sector. That's where they're going to direct their narrative.

ABEL: All right, Nic Robertson live for us in London. We'll check back with you in just about an hour from now. Nic, thank you.

[04:10:05]

The 22-year-old accused of killing conservative political activist Charlie Kirk, appearing for the first time in court by video link to hear the charges against him, Tyler Robinson showed no emotion Tuesday as the judge read the seven charges which include aggravated murder and obstruction of justice.

Earlier, the Utah county attorney held a news conference to announce the formal charges and reveal that he will seek the death penalty. Prosecutors outlined new evidence in charging documents, including texts from the day of the shooting and details of engravings found on bullet casings.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JEFF GRAY, UTAH COUNTY ATTORNEY: The fired cartridge was etched notices bulge OWO. What's this? The second cartridge that was again not spent. The last three were not spent, were not fired. The second. Hey, fascist. Catch with arrow symbols. The third cartridge. Oh, Bella, chow, Bella, chow, Bella chow, chow. The fourth cartridge, if you read this, you are gay. LMAO.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ABEL: And CNN's Danny Freeman has been following all of these developments for us from Utah.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You have the right to have the charges read that you stand charged of.

DANNY FREEMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The man accused of murdering conservative activist Charlie Kirk facing a judge in his first court appearance since the horrific killing. 22-year-old Tyler Robinson, seen in custody with wearing a suicide prevention vest, saying only his name as the judge announced seven charges including aggravated murder with an enhancement for targeting Kirk for his political expression.

GRAY: I am filing a notice of intent to seek the death penalty. I do not take this decision lightly.

FREEMAN (voice-over): The appearance following a staggering amount of new and tragic details revealed by Utah county prosecutors. Court documents laid out a series of text messages after the shooting between Robinson and his roommate, Robinson's romantic partner who was transitioning from male to female.

GRAY: On September 10, 2025, the roommate received a text message from Robinson which said, drop what you're doing. Look under my keyboard. The roommate looked under the keyboard and found a note that stated, quote, I had the opportunity to take out Charlie Kirk and I'm going to take it.

FREEMAN (voice-over): The roommate texted Robinson, shocked. But what? You're joking, right? The roommate added later. You weren't the one who did it, right? I am, replied Robinson. I'm sorry. Robinson said he was planning to retrieve the hunting rifle he used from a drop point and explained he was trying to get away from the crime scene before the roommate asked this question. Why? The roommate asked, why did I do it? Replied Robinson. Yeah, the

roommate wrote back. I had enough of his hatred, wrote Robinson. Some hate can't be negotiated out.

GRAY: DNA consistent with Robinson was found on the rifle's trigger. After shooting Mr. Kirk, Robinson hid the gun, discarded the clothing he wore when he fired the rifle and told his roommate to delete incriminating text messages and not talk to police. Roommate, how long have you been planning this? Robinson, a bit over a week, I believe.

FREEMAN (voice-over): Eventually, after acknowledging what he called memes written on bullet casings recovered from the scene, Robinson told his roommate to delete the messages and not speak to the media. I'm going to turn myself in willingly, Robinson wrote to his roommate. One of my neighbors here is a deputy for the sheriff. You are all I worry about, love, he said. I'm much more worried about you, his roommate replied.

Robinson told his roommate he'd hoped to keep the shooting a secret till he died of old age.

FREEMAN: Now, on Tuesday, the judge said that Robinson must have an attorney appointed to him in time for the next scheduled hearing. That hearing has been scheduled for September 29th. Danny Freeman, CNN, Provo, Utah.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ABEL: A New York judge has dismissed two terror related murder charges against the man accused of killing former UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson. Luigi Mangione still could go to prison for up to 25 years if he's convicted of second degree murder.

He also still faces federal charges in Thompson's death. The judge on Tuesday found the terrorism charges, quote, legally insufficient and said it didn't hold up to New York's definition of terrorism under law. Mangione is expected to be back in court at the beginning of December.

[04:15:05]

Officials say more than 100 Palestinians were killed across Gaza on the first day of Israel's ground operation to capture Gaza City. We'll bring you the latest developments.

Plus, a Chilean mother and her twin daughters separated for more than four decades. They hope their long awaited reunion will result and more like it.

And later, NFL legend Tom Brady announces he is coming out of retirement for one event next year. Details on what's getting him to take the field one more time. Still to come.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[04:20:06] ABEL: Just in the main suspect in the disappearance of British toddler Madeleine McCann in 2007 was released from a German prison a short while ago after finishing his sentence in an unrelated case. Christian Bruckner had been serving seven years stemming from his 2019 conviction for the rape of an American woman in the same part of Portugal where McCann went missing.

German prosecutors said in 2020 he was being investigated on suspicion of murder in connection with McCann's disappearance. His lawyer denies any connection with the McCann case. Police have since carried out more searches in Portugal. Bruckner has not been charged in the case.

Israel's ground offensive to occupy Gaza City is now in its second day. The city is home to nearly half of the enclave's entire population, and Israel's military says it expects the offensive there to take several months to complete the first actual timeline the IDF has given for its plan.

The Israeli prime minister is facing mounting criticism abroad and at home. But Benjamin Netanyahu will be meeting the U.S. President at the White House later this month, his fourth visit since the beginning of Donald Trump's second term.

Meanwhile, in Jerusalem, protesters are calling for an end to the war and the release of all hostages. The families fear the new incursion will put their loved ones in danger and prevent a deal to bring them home. CNN's Jeremy Diamond has the details. A warning some of the images that you are about to see are graphic.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JEREMY DIAMOND, CNN JERUSALEM CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The invasion of Gaza City has begun, at least according to the Israeli military. Israel says its ground forces are moving toward the heart of the city with some 20,000 troops committed to conquering and occupying it.

But as smoke rises over its skyline, CNN has yet to independently confirm that ground forces have pushed into the city center from above. The Israeli military did deliver a terrifying night of bombardment, sending rescue crews into bombed out buildings.

Outside Al Shifa Hospital, one child after the next is hurried into the emergency. All are bloodied and covered in soot. Through tears and obvious signs of shock, doctors and nurses work to treat and comfort these young victims.

There is no comforting those in the hospital's courtyard, where relatives arrive to discover their loved ones are among the 82 killed overnight. My daughter, check her. My daughter, she's killed. This mother cries out in disbelief. Someone check her.

As the military escalates its assault, it says some 350,000 people have fled Gaza City. Israel wants to displace all of the city's population of about 1 million people, drawing accusations of ethnic cleansing. Israel says it is trying to move civilians out of harm's way as it

takes on a Hamas force of just 2 to 3,000 fighters, according to an Israeli military official. But not everyone has the means or the ability to leave, including this pregnant woman.

I don't want anything. All I want is to go south to escape death, she says. We're all injured and ill. It's difficult for us to move. For the first time, an independent United Nations Commission concluding in a 72 page report that Israel is committing genocide against Palestinians in Gaza, a conclusion Israel categorically rejects.

CHRIS SIDOTI, U.N. HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION MEMBER (through translator): This is no minor matter. The extremity of what is happening is such that we could come to no other reasonable inference than genocidal purpose.

DIAMOND (voice-over): The global outcry blunted by diplomatic cover from the United States, which is now backing Israel's invasion of Gaza City and casting doubt on prospects of a negotiated ceasefire.

MARCO RUBIO, U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE: Well, as you saw, the Israelis have begun to take operations there. So we think we have a very short window of time in which a deal could happen.

DIAMOND (voice-over): That rapidly closing window, driving hostage families into the streets, fearing their loved ones will be caught in this latest Israeli assault. Their government doesn't seem to be listening. Jeremy Diamond, CNN, Jerusalem.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ABEL: President Trump says the U.S. military has now taken out three boats from Venezuela accused of transporting drugs in the Caribbean. He claims the first strike on September 2 killed 11 people with ties to the gain Trend de Aragua. He announced a second strike on Monday, saying it killed three alleged narcoterrorists.

[04:25:04]

But he gave reporters no details Tuesday on the apparent third strike. CNN has reached out to the White House as well as the Venezuelan government for comment.

Brazil's former president Jair Bolsonaro is being treated in hospital after feeling unwell on Tuesday, according to his family. They say the 70 year old was vomiting, had low blood pressure and a severe bout of hiccups. It comes less than a week after the far right leader was convicted of plotting a coup to overturn the results of Brazil's 2022 election.

Bolsonaro was sentenced to more than 27 years in prison. He has denied wrongdoing. A family in Chile is celebrating a joyful reunion after being caught up in a decades long national nightmare.

Chilean officials are seeking justice for families like theirs who were ripped apart in the 70s and 80s when thousands of babies were stolen from their mothers and sold into adoption in other countries. CNN's Rafael Romo reports.

(BEGIN VIEEOTAPE)

RAFAEL ROMO, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): There were no words needed for this hug that had to wait over 45 years. It is the cry of a mother who for decades feared her twin daughters were lost forever.

Their story begins in 1979 when Chile was under the dictatorship of General Augusto Pinochet and a young single 18-year-old mother gave birth to twin girls.

Maria Veronica Soto says after a routine doctor's visit, a government clinic took her then 8 month old babies from her, accusing her of not feeding them properly. Soto says the birth certificate was altered to say that no parent had shown up to register the babies.

According to Chilean officials, from 1973 to 1990, during the dictatorship, thousands of babies were stolen from their biological mothers and sold into adoption mainly to foreign couples from the United States and Europe. In Chile, they're known as the children of silence.

Maria Veronica Soto says she never lost hope of reuniting with her daughters. That's why praying for a match in 2020, she sent a genetic sample to a DNA bank in the United States designed to help connect children with their lost biological parents.

MARIA VERONICA SOTO, BIOLOGICAL MOTHER (through translator): And I said in this little envelope goes all my hopes of finding my girls. And so it was.

ROMO (voice-over): It took five years, but finally across the Atlantic, one of the twins children decided to take a DNA test In Italy, the country where they were raised. The son of one of the twins sent her mother's DNA cent temple to the bank and it was confirmed as a match that led to a long distance phone call in this emotional reunion.

ROMO: In June, for the first time in the country's history, a Chilean judge announced he was prosecuting individuals alleged to have stolen babies in the South American nation. The judge charged and issued arrest warrants for five people who he said should remain in pretrial detention for criminal association, child abduction and willful misconduct.

ROMO (voice-over): No investigation can ever do justice to the decades this mother spent apart from her twin daughters.

SOTO (through translator): God heard me so many times I asked the moon and the stars about my daughters. And they too asked, where's mom?

ROMO (voice-over): Soto and her twins say both families were deceived, their family in Chile and their adoptive parents in Italy, who didn't know the girls had been taken away from their biological mother.

MARIA BEATRICE MEREAU CHESSA, BIOLOGICAL DAUGHTER (through translator): So many emotions and very happy because we finally found our mother. And now we will enjoy these moments, which are few, but it is really worth it because we found her again and we want to be with her, with the family, all the brothers, all the uncles, all the cousins, everybody.

ROMO (voice-over): Even though she spent nearly half a century apart from her twin daughters, Soto considers herself blessed. There are many mothers, she said, who have yet to find their long lost children and others who died waiting for a reunion like hers that never materialized. Rafael Romo, CNN.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ABEL: Extreme heat across Europe caused more than 24,000 deaths in recent months, according to a new study. Experts cite climate change as a major factor, causing nearly 70 percent of those deaths. CNN meteorologist Chris Warren walks us through the details.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CHRIS WARREN, CNN METEOROLOGIST: The study, conducted by Imperial College London and London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, focused on heat deaths across more than 800 European cities, representing about 30 percent of Europe's population.

[04:30:00]

It estimated about 24,000 heat deaths. And they found that climate change was responsible for an overwhelming majority.