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Early Start with Rahel Solomon
Abbas To Address U.N. Via Video Message In Coming Hours; 6.3 Million Viewers Tune In To Return Of "JIMMY KIMMEL LIVE!"; At Least One Detainee Killed In ICE Facility Shooting. Aired 5:30-6a ET
Aired September 25, 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]
PAULA HANCOCKS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Now what we heard from the State Department at the time was they said that the P.A. was taking steps that contributed to the breakdown of talks and Hamas' refusal to release its hostages, something the P.A. has sharply rejected.
It will be a significant speech though from the Palestinian Authority president, especially given the sheer number of countries that have in recent days and weeks formally recognized the states of Palestine. And then, of course, in a day's time on Friday, we will be hearing from the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as well.
So a key couple of days when it comes to the U.N. General Assembly -- Danny.
DANNY FREEMAN, CNN ANCHOR: Yeah, a key couple of days, indeed. High states here in New York for the Middle East.
CNN's Paula Hancocks, thank you so much -- appreciate you.
Police say drones are now gone from Denmark's Aalborg Airport, which was forced to temporarily stop its operations yesterday. Now this was the second time this week that a Danish airport was forced to close because of drones in the area. Police are still investigating reports of drone sightings near at least three other airfields yesterday and today.
And just a little while ago an object emanating light was seen flying away from Aalborg Airport. It's not clear though what that object was.
Now this is all happening after similar sightings closed airports in Oslo and Copenhagen earlier this week. The Danish prime minister noted similar suspected Russian drone incursions and airspace violations in Europe. Moscow denies any involvement.
All right. Coming up in just a moment, Jimmy Kimmel pulls in record viewership in his first show back after being suspended by ABC. We'll tell you just how many people watched his return despite some stations refusing to even air the show. Plus, how President Trump is making some changes to the White House decor to disparage his predecessor. Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL)
[05:36:30]
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
Clip from Apple TV+ "THE SAVANT."
(END VIDEO CLIP)
FREEMAN: All right, that right there is a trailer for Apple's -- Apple TV's new series "THE SAVANT." It was slated to be released on Friday, but the company has put it on pause in the wake of the Charlie Kirk shooting.
Lead actress Jessica Chastain posted on Instagram though to say that she and Apple were "not aligned on the decision." Chastain's character in "THE SAVANT" is an investigator who infiltrates online hate groups to try to stop acts of domestic terrorism. She called the show relevant and said it was "about the heroes who work every day to stop violence before it happens."
And Jimmy Kimmel's return to late-night television has set a new record for the show. ABC says about 6.3 million viewers tuned in to watch his first show back after the network pulled him off the air last week. His first monologue back made pointed remarks about government threats to free speech and Kimmel continued his critique of President Trump on Wednesday.
Take a look at some of the highlights.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JIMMY KIMMEL, HOST, "JIMMY KIMMEL LIVE!": The mad red hatter wrote "I can't believe ABC fake news gave Jimmy Kimmel his job back." You can't believe they gave me my job back. I can't believe we gave you your job back.
This was his big closer. "Let Jimmy Kimmel rot in his bad ratings." And he does know bad ratings. He has some of the worst ratings any president has ever had.
There are still a lot of people who think I should be pulled off the air for making fun of Donald Trump, so I want to explain. I talk about Trump more than anything because he's a bully. Donald Trump is an old- fashioned '80's movie style bully -- taking your lunch money.
Trump will not release the Epstein files, but we will doing a thorough and complete investigation into who stopped is escalator.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
FREEMAN: CNN's Elizabeth Wagmeister breaks down the numbers on Kimmel's comeback.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) ELIZABETH WAGMEISTER, CNN ENTERTAINMENT CORRESPONDENT: The ratings are in and "JIMMY KIMMEL LIVE!" drew a massive audience for his return show after this show had been taken off the air following a highly- publicized controversy.
According to information provided by ABC, an average of 6.3 million viewers tuned in live to watch "JIMMY KIMMEL LIVE!" on Tuesday night. Now to put this into context this is more than three times the average viewing audience that the show usually receives, which is well under two million viewers typically who tune in per night to watch Jimmy Kimmel's late-night show.
Now this is even more significant because with station groups Nexstar and Sinclair refusing to air the show, that means that around 20 percent of the country was not able to watch the show on their local TV stations live.
Now it wasn't just on TV. The show has been the most talked about topic in Hollywood and in D.C. and the numbers online prove it. "JIMMY KIMMEL LIVE!" monologue on Tuesday night became his most viewed monologue on YouTube with more than 15 million viewers and counting. That surpasses his previously held record on YouTube, which was over 14 million.
[05:40:00]
Now, going back to Nexstar and Sinclair. The station groups are still preempting "JIMMY KIMMEL LIVE!" but Nexstar did provide a statement to CNN saying that they are in ongoing conversations. They said that they are "...continuing to evaluate the status of 'JIMMY KIMMEL LIVE!' on our ABC-affiliated local television stations, and the show will be preempted while we do so."
But they continue to say, "We are engaged in productive conversations (sic) with executives at the Walt Disney Company, with a focus on ensuring the program reflects and respects the diverse interests of the communities we serve."
Back to you.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
FREEMAN: All right. Thanks, Elizabeth.
Meanwhile, Donald Trump wasted no time issuing a new threat as Kimmel returned to air. The president suggested his administration might investigate ABC for making what he called "illegal campaign contributions to the Democratic Party by allowing Kimmel back on air."
CNN's newest anchor Elex Michaelson sat down with former California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and former British Prime Minister Tony Blair to talk about the growing political division in the U.S.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ELEX MICHAELSON, CNN ANCHOR: We had the situation with Jimmy Kimmel -- the sort of lack of trust -- this fighting back and forth between both sides. We saw President Trump say that he hates his enemies, which is the total opposite of everything that you've always been about.
How do you process this moment and this concept of hating one's enemies.
ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER, FORMER CALIFORNIA GOVERNOR, THE SCHWARZENEGGER CLIMATE INITIATIVE: Look, I think the way I do, and I find it very, very comforting that I'm a human being and created this way by the influence that other people had on me to be very inclusive. And when I see someone that disagrees with me not to go and look at them suspiciously or look at then like the enemy but try to figure out and learn something from that person why do they feel that way.
I think that we are not enough listening to one another. We are just shouting at one another. God gave us two ears and only one mouth so we should listen twice as much than we talk. That's the bottom line. We are wasting our time if we talk about and analyze Donald Trump here.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
FREEMAN: Meanwhile, the Trump White House took a swipe at the Biden administration during the unveiling of a new "Presidential Walk of Fame."
The walkway features photos of past presidents outside of the West Wing. But the image selected for one former president stood out. Instead of former U.S. President Joe Biden's portrait the current administration -- you see right there -- has displayed a photo of an autopen. In June, President Trump ordered an investigation into Biden's autopen use.
A spokesperson for Biden declined to comment on this new display.
All right. Still to come we have more on that deadly shooting at an ICE facility in Texas. Officials looking for answers while trying to keep political tensions from escalating. Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL)
[05:47:30]
FREEMAN: Welcome back. I'm Danny Freeman. Here are some of the top stories we're watching today.
First, the Palestinian Authority president will address the U.N. General Assembly via video message in the coming hours. The remarks from Mahmoud Abbas will come just days after a number of Western countries formally recognize a Palestinian state despite objections from Israel. The Trump administration refused to grant Abbas a visa to travel to New York for the U.N. meeting.
And federal prosecutors have until Tuesday to indict former FBI director James Comey. According to sources familiar with the investigation prosecutors are preparing to charge Comey with perjury in connection with his testimony about Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential election.
And former Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris heads to my hometown, Philadelphia, this Thursday. It will be the second stop in a 15-city tour to promote her new book. "107 Days" details her whirlwind campaign last year after Joe Biden dropped out of the presidential race. Harris has yet to reveal whether she would try another run for the White House.
All right, we have more now on one of our top stories this hour. Investigators are still trying to figure out what caused a man to open fire at an immigration facility in Texas back on Wednesday. Officials say the evidence points to possible political motives.
CNN's Ivan Rodriguez has details.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
IVAN RODRIGUEZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Right behind me is the ICE facility where the deadly shooting to place earlier this morning. The Department of Homeland Security says that a sniper from a nearby rooftop began shooting indiscriminately at this ICE building, as well as a van that was in a sally port. That's where the victims were shot.
TODD LYONS, ACTING DIRECTOR, U.S. IMMIGRATION AND CUSTOMERS ENFORCEMENT: There were shots fired at our Dallas field office. Right now, preliminary information is a possible sniper.
RODRIGUEZ (voiceover): Several agencies are investigating a deadly shooting at an Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility in Dallas. Officials say at least two of the victims are detainees and no law enforcement officers were injured.
JOE ROTHROCK, FBI SPECIAL AGENT IN CHARGE: I can confirm at this time that the FBI is investigating this incident as an act of targeted violence.
RODRIGUEZ (voiceover): This is at least the third shooting to target a Texas ICE facility this year. The field office in Dallas has held more than 8,000 temporarily detained persons over the first six months of President Donald Trump's administration, according to data obtained by the Deportation Data Project.
FBI Director Kash Patel shared on image on social media of what authorities say are bullets connected to the shooting.
[05:50:00]
ROTHROCK: Early evidence that we've seen from rounds that were found near the suspected shooter contain messages that are anti-ICE in nature.
RODRIGUEZ (voiceover): The acting field director for ICE Dallas called for an end to extreme political rhetoric.
JOSHUA JOHNSON, ACTING FIELD OFFICE DIRECTOR FOR ICE DALLAS: It's just got to stop. It's dangerous and people are losing their lives. RODRIGUEZ (voiceover): While Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson asked for calm
and patience as the investigation continues.
MAYOR ERIC JOHNSON, DALLAS TEXAS: There are still a lot of unanswered questions. And I want to encourage all of you to exercise a little bit of restraint and allow them to do their job.
RODRIGUEZ: The shooter has been identified as a 29-year-old man and Dallas resident. We know that two of the detainees remain in serious condition and now one of them is a Mexican national, according to the Mexican government.
In Dallas, Texas I'm Ivan Rodriguez.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
FREEMAN: Ivan, thank you for that report.
To this now. Authorities are increasing security at an ICE processing center in Southern California in response to Wednesday's shooting in Dallas. The San Bernardino County Sheriff's Office says there's no current threat to the area but increasing patrols is a precaution.
The sheriff's office isn't actually assigned to the area where the facility is, but they have contracts with the city. And ICE doesn't own the processing center either, but contracts with a third-party group that owns it.
And to this now. YouTube says it plans to reinstate some accounts that it previously banned for violating rules against repeatedly posting what it said was misinformation about COVID-19 and the 2020 election.
An attorney for YouTube's parent company Alphabet sent a letter about the new policy to their Republican House Judiciary Committee, which said, in part, "As online platforms, including Alphabet, grappled with this decisions, the administration's officials, including President Biden, created a political atmosphere that sought to influence the actions of platforms based on their concerns regarding misinformation. It is unacceptable and wrong when any government, including the Biden administration, attempts to dictate how the company moderates content."
Facebook's parent company Meta and Elon Musk's X have made similar moves to relax content and moderation guidelines.
All right, you've got to take a look at this right now. Police have detained several suspects after a brazen -- I mean, this video is wild -- a brazen smash-and-grab robbery at a jewelry store in San Ramon, California. Security camera video you see shows about 20 masked people entering Heller Jewelers and smashing glass display cases on Monday afternoon. Police believe they stole and estimated $1 million worth of jewelry.
Officials say several of the suspects were armed and at least one of them fired a round through the front entrance of the store. Incredibly, no injuries were reported. The jewelry store is expected to reopen on Saturday.
One guy had a pickaxe there. That is crazy.
All right, to this now. Passengers on the New York City subway might soon recognize, let's say, a familiar voice at some stations. Take a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CARDI B, RAPPER: Hey, New York. It's Cardi B. I'm here at the MTA recording some PSAs you'll be hearing in the subway stations.
Start walking here. Steps are for stepping, no sitting. Move it, bucko!
(END VIDEO CLIP)
The New York-born rapper Cardi B there you see delivering public service announcements with her own special flair. I love it. The etiquette and safety messages will play at subway stations throughout the city's five boroughs. That's good. That gets your blood pumping when you're on the subway. I love it.
All right. Coming up in just a moment we're going to tell you about the skateboard that legendary skater Tony Hawk used in an epic 1999 trick. It's been sold at auction. How much the board and other gear brought in. That and more right after the break.
(COMMERCIAL)
[05:58:08]
FREEMAN: All right, this is awesome. The skateboard that Tony Hawk used in a landmark trick known as the "900" has sold for more than a million dollars at auction. Some of Hawk's other gear also went for high prices. A pair of black and orange sneakers fetched $64,000. Hawk's helmet sold for more than $115,000 and his knee pads took over $57,000. Those all sound pretty sweaty.
Hawk was at Julien's Auctions to bring the hammer down on the sale. Take a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TONY HAWK, SKATEBOARDING LEGEND: I've never been really sentimental about my gear. And, like, I basically threw away all my trophies through the years. And so to have this remain was actually a surprise. But yeah, I mean, it represents that era of skating to me. Obviously, that event -- the '99 X Games. So I'm usually proud of it but I feel like it was -- it was time to let it go. I hope that skateboarding somehow resonated in their life and that this means something to them in that respect.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
FREEMAN: So Hawk was the first skater to land a 2 1/2-revoluation aerial at the '99 X Games in San Francisco. He says proceeds from the sale will support his nonprofit skatepark project that helps build public skateparks in underserved areas. I love it.
And to this now. The biggest gorilla at London Zoo is back with his family after undergoing a medical procedure. Good news there.
The zoo says its silverback got a CT scan for stomach problems. The 21-year-old Western Lowland gorilla was given anesthesia for the scan. Now, once knocked out, six staff members lifted him onto a gurney and took him to a mobile unit that had been brought on site.
Now, the good news, vets say there's no obvious cause for concern. Love that.
[06:00:00]
All right. And finally this morning, she's the nun who gained national fame for her love of college basketball. Now Loyola University of Chicago says Sister Jean Delores Schmidt is stepping down as chaplain to the men's basketball team. After cheering from the sidelines for decades, Loyola says it's now too much for the 106-year-old to be physically present.
Sister Jean became one of the most recognized fans in sports as she cheered on the Ramblers' run to the men's Final Four in 2018. More recently she published a memoir called "Wake Up With Purpose: What I've Learned in My First 100 Years."
All right, congrats to Sister Jean.
Thanks so much for joining us here on EARLY START. I'm Danny Freeman in New York. "CNN THIS MORNING" starts right now.
