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Pennsylvania Man Pleads Guilty In Arson Attack At Governor's Mansion; Former Kenyan Prime Minister Raila Odinga Dead At 80; NATO Defense Ministers Meeting In Brussels Today. Aired 5:30-6a ET

Aired October 15, 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]

BRIAN ABEL, CNN ANCHOR: In a Pennsylvania courtroom the suspect in the April assassination attempt on Gov. Josh Shapiro has pleaded guilty to attempted murder, arson, and other charges.

Take a look at new video evidence that prosecutors shared of the moment Cody Balmer tossed a makeshift Molotov cocktail inside the governor's mansion. It was one of several Molotovs that were used.

After Balmer was sentenced the governor talked about the attack that occurred as he and his family slept.

CNN's Danny Freeman brings us Gov. Shapiro's reaction.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DANNY FREEMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (via Webex by Cisco): The attack at Gov. Josh Shapiro's home unfolded in a matter of minutes. New surveillance video played in court Tuesday showing the arsonist, Cody Balmer, setting the governor's mansion on fire and smashing a window at Shapiro's residence before climbing in. You can then see Balmer throwing makeshift Molotov cocktails in the dining room where just hours earlier the governor celebrated the Jewish holiday of Passover with family and friends.

GOV. JOSH SHAPIRO, (D) PENNSYLVANIA: It's especially hard to know that he tried to burn our family to death while we slept.

FREEMAN (voiceover): The frightening video also shows Balmer stalking through the residence repeatedly kicking doors to try and get deeper into the home -- this sledgehammer in his hand.

SHAPIRO: I know those videos are chilling. They've been haunting me for months. I've been trying to unsee them for the least six months.

FREEMAN (voiceover): Today Balmer pleaded guilty to all charges, including attempted murder of Shapiro, aggravated arson, and 22 counts of arson for each of the 22 people who were in the residence at the time of the attack, including Shapiro's children.

The district attorney said Balmer cited "the military actions of the state of Israel in Gaza" as a motivation for the attack on the Jewish governor. But Balmer later told the Associated Press "He can be Jewish, Muslim, or a purple people eater for all I care, as long as he leaves me and mine alone."

SHAPIRO: I want you to know we are not deterred in our desire to serve others, in part because of our faith and how strongly we lean on it, and in part because of the examples that others have set for us.

FREEMAN (voiceover): In an exclusive interview with "CNN TONIGHT" the governor argued America cannot become numb to political violence.

SHAPIRO: Not even as a governor but just as a dad the notion that doing the job that I love so much, right -- serving my fellow Pennsylvanians -- that that would put my kids' lives at risk, that would put my wife's life at risk let alone my own -- that's a hard thing to work through.

FREEMAN: Governor Shapiro said it's been particularly difficult to have this conversation and try to explain what happened to his children, but he said that's been a work in progress.

Meanwhile, Balmer's attorney said that Balmer has taken full responsibility for this crime. He's been sentenced to 25 to 50 years behind bars in a Pennsylvania state correctional facility. The governor said that this is a sign of real accountability for unacceptable political violence.

Danny Freeman, CNN, Philadelphia.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ABEL: Danny, thank you.

One of Kenya's most prominent political leaders has passed away. We are live in Nairobi with details on the death of Raila Odinga just ahead.

(COMMERCIAL)

[05:37:48]

ABEL: Welcome back to EARLY START. It's time for your business breakout.

Trading gets underway in just a few hours on Wall Street and U.S. futures are all in positive territory ahead of the opening bell. Dow futures are up about a third of a percent, S&P futures about half a percent higher, and Nasdaq futures are up around three-quarters of a percent.

Let's check now on some of today's other business headlines.

Jerome Powell says the Federal Reserve is doing a difficult balancing act trying to tame inflation while boosting the job market. The Fed chair says there is no risk-free path going forward and the outlook for employment and inflation hasn't changed much since September's rate cut. The fact that official economic data is not being released during the government shutdown is making the Fed's job more difficult. American car buyers are facing record-breaking prices at the dealership. Kelley Blue Book reports the price for new car prices topped $50,000 last month for the first time ever. Tariffs have driven up prices somewhat, but Kelley says the hike is mainly fueled by sales of luxury cars and expensive electric vehicles.

Major Chinese airlines are pushing back against the Trump administration's plan to keep them from flying over Russia on flights to and from the U.S., saying the move would extend flight times by up to three hours on some of their most important flights. The Department of Transportation proposed the ban last week saying the Chinese airlines reduced flying time disadvantages American carriers since Russia has barred U.S. airlines from using its airspace.

And Kenya's former Prime Minister Raila Odinga has died at age 80. He held the office from 2008 to 2013. Odinga's work as a pro-democracy activist led to important political reforms, including multiparty democracy and a new constitution.

CNN's Larry Madowo is live in Nairobi for us for more on Odinga's life and legacy -- Larry.

[05:40:00]

LARRY MADOWO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Brian, Kenya is in mourning, Africa is in mourning at the death of a towering statesman -- one of the most recognizable African political figures of his generation, and that is no mean feat considering he was never the president of Kenya. He contested five times for the presidency and lost five times, sometimes in controversial circumstances.

And he is a man who was both loved and feared. Many Kenyan presidents ran against him only to turn around and do a deal with him because his word could plunge the country into chaos or end it in one day.

And right now, that man, Raila Odinga, dead at 80. And people are on the streets all around the country from here in the capital of Nairobi into other parts of the country mourning this man who helped usher Kenya into multiparty democracy in 1991 and once again bring a progressive constitution in 2010.

His legacy will be a long list of the ways that he's supported democracy not just here in Kenya but across the continent. And that's why you see this outpouring of grief in the country and being eulogized by global leaders from Narendra Modi to the African Union chairperson, all taking about his democratic credentials and his support for the self-determination of the African people.

That is why so many Kenyans are right now in mourning thinking about everything he contributed to the country and what he leaves behind, and the future of the political scene in the country that he was such a key part of.

He ran again in 2022 against President William Ruto. He lost that election and then came around and did a deal that supported President Ruto's coalition and has some of his own supporters in the presidential -- in the -- in the cabinet right now. And that's why this is such an important towering figure of African politics, Brian.

ABEL: Larry Madowo in Nairobi for us. Larry, thank you.

NATO defense ministers are gathered in Brussels to discuss the Russia- Ukraine conflict. What the U.S. defense secretary is saying about sending Kyiv more weapons. That's next.

(COMMERCIAL)

[05:46:18]

ABEL: Welcome back. I'm Brian Abel. Here are some stories we are watching today.

The U.S. government has now been shut down for 15 days and lawmakers warn it may go even longer. Republicans and Democrats remain at a stalemate, which means they may leave Capitol Hill early this week ensuring the shutdown would extend into next week.

President Trump is backing Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's new restrictions on press access to the Pentagon. Beat reporters are being told to sign a pledge not to obtain or use any unauthorized material even if the information is unclassified. Almost every news outlet has refused so far, opting instead to surrender their press credentials in protest.

And Donald Trump said in a social media phase two of the ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas is now beginning, but the U.S. president also said the job is not done while calling for all deceased hostages in Gaza to be released by Hamas. An Israeli source says negotiations on next stages in the ceasefire deal are still ongoing in Egypt.

NATO defense ministers are gathered for a meeting in Brussels today. U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is there. And the NATO secretary- general says the supply of weapons to Ukraine is on the top of the agenda.

This comes as the White House prepares to host Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Friday. Donald Trump says he already knows that Tomahawk missiles will be discussed by the Ukrainian president. Mr. Trump has recently floated the idea of sending those missiles to Kyiv should Russian President Vladimir Putin refuse to end the war. The missiles would allow Ukraine to strike deep inside Russia.

CNN's Clare Sebastian is following all of these developments from London, including that U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is weighing in on the potential for those Tomahawk missiles -- Clare.

CLARE SEBASTIAN, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yeah, good morning, Brian.

We've seen Pete Hegseth, along with other NATO defense -- defense ministers arriving in Brussels this morning. I will say the atmosphere going into this did reveal a sense of hope, a sense of unity, especially if you contrast to the last time these ministers met back in February when, if you'll remember, President Trump spoke for 90 minutes on the phone to Putin while they were in the middle of this meeting. And it was really sort of pushing that softer diplomacy at that point.

And now we have a very different backdrop. We have a much greater frustration from Trump towards Putin. We have the NATO pledge, which came out in June, to spend five percent of GDP on defense, which the U.S. hopes will level the playing field. Will allow it to spend less on NATO, essentially critical for this America First policy of the Trump administration.

And, of course, we have the momentum that both Zelenskyy and the ministers coming into this have talked about from that Gaza ceasefire. That there is now momentum behind Trump's global peace efforts and this could translate into progress for Ukraine.

So look, I think if at least part of the deliverable of a summit like this is the optics of unity, then we did get a sense of that.

And take a listen to the U.S. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth going into this meeting.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PETE HEGSETH, U.S. DEFENSE SECRETARY: You get peace when you are strong. Not when you use strong words or wag your finger. You get it when you have strong and real capabilities that adversaries respect. And I believe that's what NATO is doing. I believe that's what the PURL initiative is. So our expectation today is that more countries donate even more. That they purchase even more to provide for Ukraine to bring that conflict to a peaceful conclusion.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

[05:50:00]

SEBASTIAN: So look, I think it's certainly positive language there but here's the challenge, right? For all intents and purposes the U.S. is no longer funding Ukraine militarily. Last year it provided roughly half the military support to Ukraine and this year next to zero. And we're also data that came out from over the summer that shows that European military support for Ukraine has dropped down sharply. So there's a real sense of urgency. There's a real sense that European countries have to catch up.

The PURL initiative that he talked about is the system whereby European and Canada -- European and non-U.S. NATO allies essentially buy U.S. weapons to send to Ukraine. So Hegseth is urging those countries to step up and do more. We expect that we could perhaps hear about another package from Nordic and Baltic countries today.

But the challenge is huge, and I think that's why you are hearing as well going into this meeting strong support from some of these ministers for the U.S. to send Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine. That that would be a very strong signal of support and that the U.S. could be willing now to get tough on Russia -- Brian.

ABEL: All right, Clare Sebastian for us in London. Clare, thank you.

President Trump is also expressing his frustration with Spain over its NATO spending. He's threatening to penalize Madrid with tariffs unless it meets the five percent of GDP defense spending target.

Joining me now for more on this live from Madrid is Pau Mosquera. And Pau, how is the government there responding to this?

PAU MOSQUERA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well Brian, from the Spanish government' side they are downplaying the tension, and they consider that those were just some informal remarks.

In fact, yesterday when I reached out to the government for a comment on this, they emphasized that Spain and the United States maintain a very good relationship -- a cordial one. And that was demonstrated, they say, in Monday in Sharm El-Sheikh when Trump and Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez shook their hands.

Even the prime minister himself defended yesterday in a radio interview in Cadena SER that Spain has never kept any distance from the United States even though their political differences that they maintain nowadays. But nevertheless, the tension is still there.

You may recall, Brian, how last week President Trump even suggested expelling Spain from NATO for not increasing the spending in security and defense. And again, from the Spanish government they defended that they are a full-fledged member and committed to NATO, and that they are committed to their capacity targets just as much as the United States.

So basically, Brian, why is Spain so reluctant to increasing the spending in defense? Well, it's important to say that over this year the government has mobilized $12.1 billion to meet for the first time the two percent GDP target that was set in 2014. But now getting to the fifth percent, that would be quite a challenge for the country. And that's why Sanchez, in NATO's last summit in June, declined to get to this target. And he actually stressed that by doing so that would compromise social and environmental spending in the country, Brian.

ABEL: Pau Mosquera for us in Madrid. Pau, thank you.

A $325 million investment pays off big time for the Los Angeles Dodgers. Highlights from the Major League Baseball Playoffs -- that's just ahead on EARLY START.

(COMMERCIAL)

[05:57:50]

ABEL: Tributes are pouring in for R&B legend D'Angelo who has died at the age of 51. The four-time Grammy Award-winning singer helped define the 1990s neo-soul movement, best known for his hit "How Does It Feel."

The family of D'Angelo, whose real name is Michael Eugene Archer, said in a statement that he died Tuesday after a courageous battle with cancer. They added, "We are eternally grateful for the legacy of extraordinarily moving music he leaves behind."

And transgender rights activist Miss Major Griffin-Gracy has died. She was 78. According to a post on her Instagram page, Griffin-Gracy died at home in Arkansas on Monday surrounded by loved ones.

Miss Major, as she was known, championed transgender rights, advocating for Black transwomen and gender nonconforming people, and protested in the historic Stonewall Uprising that galvanized the LGBTQ+ civil rights movement.

Topping today's sports news, former NFL center Nick Mangold needs a kidney donor. The retired New York Jet says he's been fighting chronic kidney disease for nearly 20 years now and is undergoing dialysis. Mangold says it's not an easy message to share but he doesn't have any family members who can donate a kidney, so he's asking if any fans with type O blood would be willing to help. The 41-year-old All-Pro played 11 NFL seasons with the Jets.

And now to baseball where the National League Championship Series heads to Los Angeles with the Dodgers up two games to none. The Milwaukee Brewers got off to what appeared to be a hot start with a home run on the first pitch of the game. But the Dodgers' Yoshinobu Yamamato gave up only two hits the rest of the game. The Dodgers crushed two home runs, including this shot here to deep center from third baseman Max Muncy. The final score, Dodgers 5, Brewers 1.

Thank you for joining us here on EARLY START. I'm Brian Abel in Washington, D.C. "CNN THIS MORNING WITH AUDIE CORNISH" starts right now.