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Early Start with Rahel Solomon

Trump In U.K. For State Visit; Kirk Shooting Suspect Makes First Court Appearance; Israel's Ground Offensive To Occupy Gaza City Underway. Aired 5-5:30a ET

Aired September 17, 2025 - 05:00   ET

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

[05:00:36]

BRIAN ABEL, CNN ANCHOR: 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 is Wednesday, September 17th, 5:00 a.m. here in Washington, D.C. now.

And straight ahead on EARLY START.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MAX FOSTER, CNN ANCHOR: 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.

ANDERSON COOPER, CNN HOST: He was the golden boy of the silver screen.

ROBERT REDFORD, ACTOR: Corey, 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: So much to get to this morning. It is 5:00 a.m. here, but it's 10 a.m. in London. That's where the U.S. president has begun an unprecedented second state visit. He and the first lady will be meeting with the royals later today, as well as the British prime minister.

Those talks are expected to coincide with anti-Trump demonstrations like those that we saw on Tuesday, shortly after Donald Trump landed. You're seeing it here. Activists projecting a real onto the walls of Windsor Castle that showed him Donald Trump with convicted pedophile Jeffrey Epstein.

Police quickly arrested four people and killed those projections, which featured images of the two men smiling and the now infamous letter given to Epstein for his 50th birthday. Before leaving the states, Donald Trump was asked about his hopes for the trip.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: My relationship is very good with the U.K. and Charles, as you know, who is 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 was at Windsor. They've never used Windsor Castle for this before. They used Buckingham palace, and I don't want to say one is better than the other, but they say Windsor Castle is the ultimate, right?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ABEL: Ahead of President Trump's visit, London's mayor, writing in "The Guardian" newspaper that the Trump administration has, quote, perhaps done the most to fan the flames of divisive far right politics around the world in recent years.

CNN's Nic Robertson is covering all of this for us live from London.

And, Nic, this isn't the first time that the president has seen protests while being in London.

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR: Yeah, and it's not the first time its been criticized by the London mayor, Sadiq Khan, either. And it's a message, I think, not just to President Trump, but also to British, the British prime minister, Keir Starmer.

And Keir Starmer is facing a backlash on a number of areas from members of his own party. He just recently had to fire his or his deputy prime minister rather resigned before being fired for over tax payment issues. And he also had to fire his ambassador to the United States. Peter Mandelson so, he's been under a lot of political heat. Sadiq Khan's comments, while aimed precisely at President Trump, will be a warning, in a way, to the prime minister that he is straying, if you will, from some of the values of the labor party.

But the timing of this the meeting of President Trump's visit, of course, has been set in place for some time. But the timing for a number of reasons, difficult for this prime minister.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ROBERTSON (voice-over): Days before Donald Trump's unprecedented second state visit, one of the U.K.'s biggest anti-immigrant rallies ever, right wing and populist, an estimated 150,000 people attended, according to police.

They listened to Elon Musk, among others, rail against the British government.

ELON MUSK, TESLA CEO: You either fight back or you die.

ROBERTSON: Not the messaging the U.K.'s beleaguered prime minister, Keir Starmer, would hope for. At his meet with the U.S. president. seven weeks ago, Trump spiky about immigration.

TRUMP: This is a magnificent part of the world and you cannot ruin it. You cannot let people come in here illegally.

[05:05:01]

KEIR STARMER, BRITISH PRIME MINISTER: Thank you very much for.

ROBERTSON: That meet went relatively well, but a lot has changed for Starmer since.

His deputy, Angela Rayner, quits over tax irregularities nearly two weeks ago.

ANGELA RAYNER, FORMER DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER: So help me God.

ROBERTSON: And last week, Starmer was dragged into the Epstein scandal, firing his ambassador to Washington, Peter Mandelson, over his praise for the convicted sex offender.

Starmer's judgment questioned on both counts. His biggest political rival, Trump friend, right wing populist Nigel Farage -- joyous.

NIGEL FARAGE, REFORM UK PARTY LEADER: I think there is every chance now of a general election happening in 2027 and we must be ready for that moment.

ROBERTSON: Small solaces for Starmer. Farage's Reform UK Party is nowhere near ready and Trump unlikely to want Epstein mentioned.

But the guild is coming off, Starmer less the winner type. Trump likes appearing more like a leader on borrowed time. His Labour Party reportedly plotting a replacement, although not until next year.

Meantime, Farage building Republican support at a congressional hearing two weeks ago, trash talking the perceived lack of freedom of speech in the U.K.

FARAGE: And you would be doing us and yourselves and all freedom loving people a favor. If your politicians and your businesses said to the British government, you've simply got this wrong.

ROBERTSON: Starmer knows while Trump is starstruck by the U.K. monarchy, his White House is ill disposed to the government.

J.D. VANCE, VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: In Britain and across Europe, free speech, I fear, is in retreat. If you're running in fear of your own voters, there is nothing America can do for you.

ROBERTSON: Starmer counting on splashy trade talk announcements to jolly Trump and critics along, Monday announcing a so-called golden age of nuclear cooperation with major new power plant deals to turbocharge the special relationship.

STARMER: Yes. So, this is a letter from his majesty, the king.

ROBERTSON: Yet despite his many domestic failings, Starmer seems to play Trump meets just right. Praise at home for surviving the encounters, even bringing home the bacon.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ROBERTSON (on camera): Yeah, and it looks like he might bring home more of that bacon this time as well. High tech deals in the offing. Tens of billions of dollars worth, Microsoft, Alphabet, parent company of Google, to name but two. But there will be things Starmer wants that appear to be out of reach at the moment. Reduction in tariffs on aluminum and steel whiskey, Scottish salmon those don't seem to be in the offering at the moment and undoubtedly conversations about Ukraine and Gaza, where the two Starmer and Trump don't see eye to eye, may not go particularly well.

But the headlines, I think, coming out of this are really going to be focused on these big tech investments. Boom, if you will, for Starmer, lots of jobs. That's what is going to be really pleased to get out of this.

ABEL: Yeah, so many story lines to follow. Nick. We talk about the trade. We talk about Ukraine, Russia and all of the European countries trying to find some solution there. Is there anything in particular that you are looking to that would showcase some success coming out of these talks?

ROBERTSON: Look what the Europeans really want at the moment and count in the U.K. and there as well alongside the E.U. is to see President Trump really come to the side of Ukraine, unambiguously dial back his rhetoric about Ukraine. Ukraine's, you know, false, if you will, in the conflict and really double down pressure on Russia, economic pressure. You know, President Trump's lines and he said this just before leaving. He wants to see the E.U. cut back its energy supplies from Russia.

There have been years where the E.U. has spent more buying in oil and gas from Russia than it has spent in supporting Ukraine with weapons. That said, the E.U. has dialed back extensively and I think if the British prime minister can kind of give the perspective from Europe and, and have president Trump understand that it is not just an easy flick of a switch to dial back those energy purchases from Russia, the U.K., which, by the way, has done very significantly. It's not an easy thing to do.

If he can, if Starmer can win you know, President Trump's ear on that a little bit and push the U.S. president towards -- towards more sanctions, secondary sanctions, tougher enforcement of interdicting Russia's shadow fleet that moves its oil around the world.

[05:10:18]

Those things, those will be successes on a really big key issue for the U.K., which is Ukraine.

ABEL: All right. Nic Robertson for us in London -- Nic, as always, thank you.

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 charges, which include aggravated murder and obstruction of justice.

CNN's Ed Lavandera has more details from Orem, Utah.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ED LAVANDERA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: As prosecutors formally filed the criminal charges against 22-year-old Tyler Robinson for the shooting death of Charlie Kirk here in Utah. They also released new details that we have not heard before in the investigation.

Details uncovered since the shooting took place here on Wednesday of last week, and that includes a series of text messages between Robinson and his roommate, who officials and authorities here in Utah say was involved in a romantic relationship with his -- with his roommate.

JEFF GRAY, UTAH COUNTY ATTORNEY: "You weren't the one who did it, right?" Robinson, "I am, I am." Roommate, "Why?" Robinson, "Why did I do it?" Roommate, "Yeah." Robinson, "I had enough of his hatred. Some hate can't be negotiated out."

LAVANDERA: We also learned that it was Tyler Robinson's mother who also noticed him first. From the pictures that authorities here were releasing him. Released of him at the at the campus and started the conversation with his, her husband. And it was the parents that convinced through another family friend who was a retired sheriff's deputy, convinced the 22-year-old man to turn himself in to authorities.

It really paints a picture of just all of the compelling text message evidence that we have seen officials be able to accumulate in the last several days. One of those messages also was a note left under the keyboard in their apartment. Robinson texted his roommate to say that he needed to go immediately, drop everything and go look under his keyboard, and that was the note that included the words that he had a chance to take out. Charlie Kirk, and he was going to do this.

So, they have, in several different forms, prosecutors have a confession to this crime by Tyler Robinson. Although prosecutors say it will be up to the judge whether or not to dismiss these details in this evidence in a later date. The suspect, Robinson, did make a brief court appearance. He was declared indigent, would get a court appointed attorney to help him through the case here. But prosecutors still maintain that they are going to continue seeking the death penalty in this case.

Ed Lavandera, CNN, Orem, 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 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 Yorks definition of terrorism under law. Mangione is expected back in court at the beginning of December. Officials say more than 100 Palestinians killed across Gaza on the first day of Israel's ground operation to capture Gaza City.

We will bring you the latest developments.

Plus, President Trump's latest efforts to rewrite history by erasing the horrors of slavery from the national memory.

And NFL legend Tom Brady announces he's coming out of retirement for one event next year. Details on why he will be taking the field again. That's ahead.

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[05:18:45]

ABEL: 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 Israels military says it expects the offensive to take several months to complete. The first actual timeline the IDF has given for its incursion plan, the Israeli prime minister is facing mounting criticism abroad and at home over his plans, 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 the hostages. The families fear the new incursion will put their loved ones in danger and prevent a deal to bring them home.

CNN's Paula Hancocks joins us live from Abu Dhabi with the very latest on this incursion and this new timeline -- Paula.

PAULA HANCOCKS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Brian. Yes, it's the first indication, really, that we've had from the Israeli military as to how long they anticipate this offensive. In their words, to last.

So, the IDF has said that they believe it will take several months to be able to take over the whole of Gaza City.

[05:20:03] And we've also heard from the spokesperson that it will take additional months to completely secure the city. They say they have to destroy tunnel infrastructure as well.

Now, we have been hearing all of this from the Israeli side, worth pointing out that that journalists working with CNN on the ground say that they haven't seen evidence of a ground incursion in the center of Gaza City at this point. But we have certainly seen many more Palestinian civilians, civilians trying to flee from the city.

As of Monday, there was some 320,000 that had left, according to the Israeli side as of Tuesday. They thought that was 350,000, but there could be up to 1 million Palestinian civilians within Gaza City itself.

So, the expectation and the assumption is that there are many people still inside this area that Israel says it is carrying out this this operation against. Now in order to take over the whole of the city. Israel saying that this, they believe, is the main stronghold for Hamas.

Now, we have heard desperate messages from people who are leaving the city. Talking of the fear, talking of the desperation that they fear. And we're hearing similar words from the United Nations, from the NGOs on the ground. We heard from the U.N. secretary, excuse me, the human rights chief, Volker Turk, who said that it is absolutely clear this carnage must stop. We are hearing countries around the world, we heard from Canada, from France, from Spain's king making a rare comment on this, calling for Israel to stop this attempt to take over Gaza City, given the impact it will have on civilians in this area.

Israel, though, is determined to go ahead. We have heard the Israeli prime minister say that it is an intense operation that will go ahead, go ahead. And we understand from a military official on the Israeli side that they believe there's between 2,000 to 3,000 Hamas militants in Gaza City, that they may encounter. Now, that's a fraction, obviously, of the up to 1 million people in Gaza City just a couple of weeks ago.

And there doesn't appear to be any mechanism to prevent or to ensure that those Hamas militants do not assimilate into the community and then head south with the rest of the population. Now, for those that are moving, we know that they've been told to go to al-Mawasi, which Israel describes as a humanitarian zone, but it is an area which NGOs and the U.N. have warned is very overcrowded and does not have the humanitarian infrastructure to support this amount of people -- Brian.

ABEL: All right. Paula Hancocks for us in Abu Dhabi -- Paula, thank you.

President Trump says the U.S. military has now taken out three boats from Venezuela, accused of transporting drugs in the Caribbean. He claims a first strike on September 2nd killed 11 people with ties to the gang Tren de Aragua. He announced a second strike on Monday, saying it killed three alleged narco terrorists. But he gave reporters no details Tuesday on this apparent third strike. CNN has reached out to the White House, as well as the Venezuelan

government, for comment.

Still ahead, President Trump is putting pressure on Ukraine's president to make a deal with Russia to end the war. How Donald Trump says he might get involved. That's next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ABEL: Russia and its ally Belarus have ramped up massive military drills that they conducted right on NATO's doorstep.

State media showed Russian President Vladimir Putin listening to briefings from defense officials and observing the drills in western Russia. Putin and Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko have been showing off their latest military hardware in the war games over the past five days, Belarus had also invited a delegation of U.S. military officers to observe.

Meanwhile, U.S. President Donald Trump is again saying Ukraine's president will, quote, have to make a deal to end Russia's war on the country, suggesting Volodymyr Zelenskyy was a holdup in striking a peace agreement. Russia, however, has maintained its massive demands to end the war, and Trump again says he may have to get personally involved in mediation talks.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: The hatred between Zelenskyy and Putin is unfathomable. I think I'm going to have to do all the talking. They hate each other.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ABEL: CNN's Clare Sebastian joins me now from London with more on this.

And, Clare, it seems like we have been in this exact same spot before.

CLARE SEBASTIAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yeah. And I think this is unnerving, certainly for Ukraine, Brian, because what we see here with the president, President Trump, is that there is some slippage in his rhetoric back to what seems to be the default position of pressuring Ukraine and not Russia.

And I think, look, as a result, we've seen from Zelenskyy, who has kept his tone very level, very grateful towards President Trump. Of course, since that February, Oval Office spat and as a result has seen the relationship improve. His rhetoric seems to have also toughened in the past week or so.

He said in an interview with Sky News over the weekend, that there really should be a clear position from the U.S. towards Russia. He said the U.S. is strong enough to go it alone on sanctions, though he agrees that Europe should cut back its purchases of Russian oil. And he said that the Alaska summit essentially brought only positives for President Putin. And I think on the issue that that clip from Trump alluded to, that

direct talks would have to.