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Early Start with Rahel Solomon

Hong Kong And Mainland Brace For Super Typhoon Ragasa; Trump Links Tylenol With Autism Despite Evidence It's Safe; White House Official: U.S. TikTok Algorithm To Be Overseen By Oracle. Aired 5:30- 6a ET

Aired September 23, 2025 - 05:30   ET

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

[05:30:00]

HANAKO MONTGOMERY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Now the Hong Kong Observatory, which is the city government's main weather forecaster, has warned that storm surges of up to four meters could batter the city in the coming hours as this typhoon gets closer and closer to the city.

Now I just want to take you across this piece of land here to show you how the city government is preparing for this storm. You see right over there some red tape taped up against the bay there, and that is to prevent residents from getting too close to the sea and potentially putting themselves in a life-threatening position.

Now we're also seeing these metal flood barrier systems. Now these are temporary barrier systems that are meant to prevent flooding in low- lying areas such as this one.

Now this specific area, Polo, I do have to mention, was severely, severely impacted back in 2018 when another massive typhoon hit the city. It hit Hong Kong and caused billions and billions of Hong Kong dollars in damage.

Now also, I do want you to take a look right here at this residential building where you see windows are being taped up with white masking tape. Now residents do that in Hong Kong during massive typhoons and massive storms like this one in the hopes that windows won't be shattered and won't litter homes and apartments.

Now the city government has also ordered people to stay hunkered down, to stay indoors, and just weather out the storm, and we've really seen people take that advice to heart. We've seen supermarket shelves completely empty as people buy up stocks, buy up supplies to stay inside. Schools have also been closed for a couple of days and businesses have also been ordered to stay shut. Now hundreds of flights have also been grounded. There are no flights really entering or leaving Hong Kong.

And we are expecting again the city to see massive, massive storm surges and potentially very dangerous winds in the coming hours as the typhoon does continue to approach the city.

Now also, Polo, I do want to mention here that Hong Kong is very well- equipped to deal with massive natural disasters like this one. But because of the human-caused climate change these storms are getting a lot more intense and potentially a lot more extreme, and the city government fears potentially more life-threatening -- Polo.

POLO SANDOVAL, CNN ANCHOR: Yeah, things there can change very quickly.

Hanako Montgomery showing us around the streets of Hong Kong as that storm closes in. Thank you. Do be safe.

Well, the main airports in the Danish and Norwegian capitals -- they are back up and running. This hours after unidentified drone sightings forced flight cancellations and delays. Officials closed the airspace over Copenhagen Airport for several hours on Monday night. This after spotting two to three large, unidentified drones. And early Tuesday morning the airspace over Osla International Airport -- that was also closed due to another drone sighting.

Danish police say that the drones were controlled by "a capable operator." They say one theory that they're looking into is that the drones could have been controlled by a nearby ship.

Well, the U.S. president stunning medical experts this morning after he linked autism with a common painkiller. Still ahead, CNN's chief medical correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta lays out the studies that contradict the president's claims.

(COMMERCIAL)

[05:37:50]

SANDOVAL: Welcome back to EARLY START.

This morning medical experts -- they are criticizing the president's announcement that links the use of acetaminophen while pregnant with autism.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, (R) PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Effective immediately, the FDA will be notifying physicians that the use of aceta -- well, let's see how we say that --

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Acetaminophen.

TRUMP: Acetaminophen -- is that OK --

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.

TRUMP: -- which is basically commonly known as Tylenol.

I'm making these statements from me. I'm not making them from these doctors because they talk about different results, different studies. I talk about a lot of common sense.

(END VIDEO CLIP) SANDOVAL: The thing is he made these claims despite decades of evidence that painkiller -- the acetaminophen is safe. In fact, Tylenol considered the only safe over-the-counter option for pregnant women.

Chief medical correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta explains the science behind it.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN CHIEF MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: While understandable if people are confused by what they heard coming out of the White House regarding Tylenol and autism, this is something, first of all, that is not new. There have been a lot of studies looking into this over the last couple of decades, many of which we've reported on. There has never been a cause and effect relationship established between Tylenol or acetaminophen, which is the active ingredient, and autism, just to make that clear.

In fact, if you look at the specific language from the FDA that came out after that press conference, even there they're not suggesting that people stop taking Tylenol, especially for fevers during pregnancy, because I think that's probably the most important point.

Keep in mind when something is very ubiquitous, very common, you can associate it with just about anything. That's the paradox of ubiquity. As one of the researchers said, "In hot weather months, ice cream use goes up and violent crime goes up." Are those things cause and effect? No, but they might be considered associated.

In fact, if you look at Tylenol use over the last couple of decades for pregnant women its usage has come down a bit even as autism rates have gone up, something to keep in mind. Yet there have been these signals of concerns about the potential associations between Tylenol and autism.

[05:40:12]

And that's why a particularly big study was done. It came out of Sweden. It was over 25 years. They looked at two million children. About 10 percent of the moms had taken Tylenol during pregnancy. They had babies and they had siblings as well in which they had not taken Tylenol during pregnancy. And the bottom line is when they put all of that data together, they did not find any link between Tylenol and autism. That's why you do those sorts of big studies.

One thing again that came out was this idea that if a woman has a fever during pregnancy how big a problem is that in and of itself? That gets back to this association problem. Why was the woman taking Tylenol in the first place? Was it to treat a fever? Did that fever get caused by an infection? Could the infection or the fever be really what's driving a potential association with autism?

Again, these are complicated studies. That's why you have to do them.

Not treating a fever during pregnancy is a problem. It can be associated with birth defects. It can be associated with early labor. It can be associated with a miscarriage and neurodevelopmental problems in and of itself.

So the guidance has long been to women who have fevers during pregnancy or need to take something for pain, take the smallest dose for the shortest amount of time. And I don't think that guidance is likely to change based on what we heard.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SANDOVAL: Our thanks to Sanjay Gupta.

That is the science. That is -- those are the facts. But yet, the president continues to brush off the experts and actually delivered this blunt message.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: There's nothing much to say. Don't take Tylenol if you're pregnant, and don't give Tylenol to your child when he's born or she's born. Don't give it. Just don't give it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SANDOVAL: And that warning from President Trump -- it runs counter to decades of evidence and it's putting doctors really in a tricky position right now.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DR. VERONICA GILLISPIE-BELL, BOARD CERTIFIED OB/GYN: And I know that patients are going to be scared now. They're not going to know what advice to go after or what to follow. I think even for physicians it puts us in a very -- a very difficult predicament. For me and for my patients I will continue to recommend Tylenol. As has been said, the times that we're recommending Tylenol are usually for fever, for pain -- and we don't have a safe alternative, especially for fever.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SANDOVAL: And you also see some pushback and concerns coming from at least one member of the Republican Party.

You see this message from Sen. Bill Cassidy who is a doctor himself. And he asked for evidence backing the administration's claim. In this post Cassidy writes, "The concern is that women will be left with no options to manage pain in pregnancy. We must be compassionate to this problem."

Again, a Republican lawmaker there with a message directly to the White House.

Well, the Trump administration says the tech company Oracle will oversee TikTok operations in the U.S. once a new group of investors is finalized. Officials say that TikTok's parent company will actually be given a copy of the app's algorithm to its new U.S. team to work with, which is also going to be kept by Oracle.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

KAROLINE LEAVITT, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: All U.S. user data will be stored on servers operated by Oracle in the United States, protected from surveillance or interference by foreign adversaries. And the algorithm -- I know this is a question many of you have had -- will be secured, trained -- retrained and operated in the United States outside of ByteDance's control.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SANDOVAL: CNN's Clare Duffy breaks down the plan for TikTok.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CLARE DUFFY, CNN TECH REPORTER: What happens to the TikTok algorithm had been one of the major outstanding questions surrounding this deal because the TikTok algorithm is one of the major reasons the app is so popular. But it had also been at the root of some of these concerns that the app poses a national security risk with U.S. officials worrying that the Chinese government could force parent company ByteDance to manipulate the algorithm and influence Americans.

So if this deal goes through, ByteDance will provide a copy of the algorithm to this new majority American-owned joint venture in the United States. That group will review the algorithm. They'll retrain it on American user data and then the tech company Oracle will continually monitor how the algorithm is serving up content to American users.

Now, the White House says he list of investors who are participating in this TikTok deal has not yet been finalized but we do expect that Oracle will be involved along with private equity firm Silver Lake. And President Trump said over the weekend that tech CEO Michael Dell and both Lachlan and Rupert Murdoch may also be involved. Now as source tells CNN that it's actually Fox Corp., rather than the Murdochs individually, who are likely to invest in the company.

[05:45:00]

But stepping back a bit I do think that, of course, U.S. users will be happy to hear that their access to the app has been preserved. But I think it's going to be interesting to watch the reaction to this idea that this new ownership group, which is going to include at least some Trump allies, is going to be controlling what they see on the app. That is something I'll be watching closely as this deal moves forward.

Back to you.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SANDOVAL: Still ahead here on EARLY START, Disney reverses its decision to keep late-night host Jimmy Kimmel off the air. What will he say when he returns to the airwaves tonight?

(COMMERCIAL)

[05:50:00]

SANDOVAL: Welcome back. I'm Polo Sandoval in Atlanta. And here are some of the stories that we're watching today.

"JIMMY KIMMEL LIVE!" will return to air tonight. Disney and ABC pulled the late-night comedy show after Kimmel addressed the death of political activist Charlie Kirk, but they reversed that decision after debates on free speech and protests at Disney offices. Some stations choosing to preempt the show still.

President Trump will be among the first speakers today at the U.N. General Assembly. He will be meeting with the Ukrainian president as well as Arab and Muslim leaders. The wars in Gaza and Ukraine -- they're expected to be on the table for discussion.

And a prominent Egyptian activist is free following a presidential pardon. That's according to Egyptian state media. The 42-year-old dual Egyptian-British citizen Alaa Abd El-Fattah is seen here in some of these -- some of these images reuniting with his family members. The activist was most recently sentenced in 2021 for charges that human rights organizations insist were politically motivated.

All right, let's take you now back to our top story. A source now telling us that Jimmy Kimmel will directly address the controversy surrounding his show's temporary suspension during his first show that's scheduled for tonight -- his first show back, I should say.

Sherrell Hubbard with more on the fight to get back on the air.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SHERRELL HUBBARD, CNN CONTRIBUTOR (voiceover): The show, which was abruptly and indefinitely taken off the air last Wednesday, is returning. ABC pulled the show after criticism and threats by the FCC over Kimmel's monologue where he suggested Charlie Kirk's killer was affiliated with the "Make American Great Again" movement.

JIMMY KIMMEL, HOST, ABC "JIMMY KIMMEL LIVE!": We hit some new lows over the weekend with the MAGA gang desperately trying to characterize this kid who murdered Charlie Kirk as anything other than one of them.

TRUMP: First of all, he said a terrible thing about Charlie, but he also suffers from the fact that he's got no talent, and he's got no ratings.

HUBBARD (voiceover): Federal Communications Commission chair Brendan Carr and networks of affiliate stations had threatened ABC over the remarks.

BRADLEY WHITFORD, ACTOR: This isn't even a partisan issue. Free speech is the counterweight; it is the check on government control. That is why censorship is the authoritarian's dream. Those are Brendan Carr's words. HUBBARD (voiceover): Kimmel's suspension sparked national outrage with many subscribers to ABC's parent company Disney canceling their Disney Plus subscriptions, and protests from New York to L.A.

SHANNON CORBEIL, ACTRESS AND U.S. AIR FORCE VETERAN: It is our enduring duty as Americans to uphold our right to free speech not just for Jimmy Kimmel and the hundreds of people who work for him, but for the preservation of our Constitution.

HUBBARD (voiceover): On Monday, a spokesperson for Disney said they suspended the show to cool tension over Kimmel's comments.

I'm Sherrell Hubbard reporting.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SANDOVAL: Remember, Disney owns ABC. A spokesperson for that company further explained in a statement that they felt some of Kimmel's comments were poorly timed and insensitive. But after thoughtful conversations with Kimmel they reached the decision to bring the show back.

One of the country's biggest owners of local TV stations, Sinclair -- it said that its ABC affiliates will choose to preempt the show beginning Tuesday night. Sinclair said that it will air news programming in that time slot instead.

Well, he's more than just the science guy. Bill Nye, the beloved educator, author, and television host -- he received Hollywood's most coveted honor on Monday -- you see him here -- his very own star on the iconic Walk of Fame.

Here's what Nye actually had to say on the current state of scientific endeavor in the United States.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BILL NYE, HOLLYWOOD WALK OF FAME HONOREE: Our democracy is proving to be quite fragile. Basic scientific research and public health policies and protections are at risk. The Chinese National Space Administration will almost certainly beat the U.S. back to the moon. But if we keep in mind that what goes on here in the U.S. and what goes on here in Hollywood affects everyone everywhere. We can work together to inspire people everywhere and influence the course of history.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SANDOVAL: What a career for Nye. You know, he actually started off as a Boeing engineer, but he eventually quit that job. And this hit '90s show "BILL NYE THE SCIENCE GUY" won a total of 19 Emmys, and now with that star -- well-deserved.

NFL fans got quite the show in Baltimore on Monday. We will be bringing you the highlights from a high-scoring shootout between the Lions and the Ravens after the break.

(COMMERCIAL)

[05:59:10]

SANDOVAL: Welcome back to EARLY START.

If you were watching "MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL" you know it did not disappoint with the Detroit Lions battling it out against the Baltimore Ravens last night. Both teams trading touchdowns early on, closing out the first half. They were tied at 14.

But the Ravens coming out firing to start the second half. Quarterback Lamar Jackson finding Mark Andrews -- you see them there in the end zone -- with what you could describe as pinpoint and perfect accuracy.

The Lions' defense -- they would clamp down on Jackson. And the Ravens piling up seven sacks and forcing a costly fumble in the fourth quarter. Detroit running back David Montgomery going down to ice the game with a 31-yard touchdown. You see here more accuracy that eventually got the Lions the win 38-30 against the Ravens.

[06:00:00]

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

(Jason Kelce joins the Marching Ravens For Pre-Game Concert).

NFL ANNOUNCER: His wind back. That's a -- that's a chin strap. It's not a nose strap. How is he breathing?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SANDOVAL: That hat is hanging on for dear life. Despite the loss, Ravens fans -- they couldn't help but smile when graced by former Eagles center turned celebrity podcaster Jason Kelce. Here he is. Ahead of the game he suited up with the marching band uniform and played the team's fight song, as well as the Monday night countdown theme song on sax.

And with that we want to thank you so much for joining us here on EARLY START from the entire team and I. Stick around. I'm Polo Sandoval in Atlanta. We send you now to "CNN THIS MORNING."