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Isa Soares Tonight

Trump Accuses Obama Of Treason And Insists The Former President Is Guilty Of Crimes; Western Nations Condemn Israeli Drip Feeding Of Aid; Singer Ozzy Osbourne Dies At Age 76; Speaker Johnson To Begin House Recess Early; Host Stephen Colbert Addresses Cancellation; Afghans Suffer In Wake Of U.S. Aid Cuts. Aired 2-3p ET

Aired July 22, 2025 - 14:00   ET

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

[14:00:00]

CHRISTINA MACFARLANE, HOST, ISA SOARES TONIGHT: Hello and welcome, I'm Christina Macfarlane in for ISA SOARES TONIGHT. It's time -- it's time to

go after people. Those words spoken by the President of the United States openly threatening his political rivals from the sanctity of the Oval

Office.

During a meeting with his Philippine counterpart earlier, Donald Trump accused former President Barack Obama, a Democrat of treason and said he

should be targeted by the Justice Department. It comes days after the Trump administration released a report alleging that Obama and his aides

manufactured Intelligence regarding Russian attempts to interfere with the 2016 election.

Mr. Trump also took aim at other rivals, including Adam Schiff, who held a key role in his first impeachment trial. But most of his fury was directed

at his predecessor.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: This is like proof, irrefutable proof that Obama was seditious. That Obama led -- was trying to

lead a coup. And it was with Hillary Clinton, with all these other people. But Obama headed it up. And you know, I get a kick when I hear everyone

talks about people I never even heard of.

It was this one -- no, it was Obama. He headed it up, and it says so right in the papers. Got everything. Got everything. This is the biggest scandal

in the history of our country.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MACFARLANE: Well, we should note that special counsel Robert Mueller concluded that Russia did make significant efforts to interfere with the

2016 election, but found no evidence that the Trump campaign coordinated with the Kremlin. Well, the President's diatribe came in response to a

question about Jeffrey Epstein, the accused sex trafficker who died in prison.

CNN's Kevin Liptak is on duty for us at the White House this hour. And Kevin, look, even by Donald Trump's standards, this was a pretty bombastic

press conference just a few hours ago. As we said, they're accusing President Obama of treason, threatening to, quote, "to go after people".

And all of this coming during a question that was put to President Trump about Jeffrey Epstein. Just walk us through it.

KEVIN LIPTAK, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE REPORTER: Yes, and I think it's clear that President Trump, one, seemingly wants to move on from the Jeffrey

Epstein matter. That was true well before today. But using this sort of allegations against the Obama administration and against Obama himself, did

appear as an attempt to sort of shift the topic in real time.

You know, he didn't even really explain as he was moving from the Epstein matter to this matter, what he was doing, he sort of just launched right

into it. And he does appear to be using as his evidence those documents that were released last week by the director of National Intelligence Tulsi

Gabbard related to the 2017 assessment about Russia's attempts to influence the -- that year's election.

We should say that a lot of those documents twisted what actually happened. The report that came out in January 2017 found that Russia attempted to

influence the election through both influence campaigns like social media, like leaking some hacked e-mails, but also attempting to hack voting

systems.

They found that they attempted to influence it, but they didn't necessarily find that they were successful in changing any votes. What Tulsi Gabbard

and what President Obama seemed to be -- or President Trump seemed to be claiming is that, Obama and some of his officials tried to tweak that

assessment to accuse President Trump and accuse Russia of sort of electing Trump when he came into office.

You know, this has always been something at the back of President Trump's mind as an attempt to undercut his legitimacy. It really clouded the first

two years of his first term in office. He has called it the Russia hoax, and now he seems more intent than ever in trying to pin the blame directly

on Obama.

And in fact, even before today, he was using quite striking imagery to make his point. On Sunday, he put out on social media an A.I.-generated video of

Obama being arrested inside the Oval Office by FBI agents, and then sitting in a prison in an orange jumpsuit.

[14:05:00]

So, really quite remarkable imagery, remarkable words from the President. But I think very important to note as well that in all of the documents

that Gabbard released, there's no evidence that Obama has committed treason. There's no evidence that he was trying to lead a coup. In fact,

most of the documents that she released occurred after the 2016 election.

So, there's no evidence that Obama was trying to prevent Trump from coming into office. And so, a lot of information, a lot of misinformation thrown

out in the Oval Office, but clearly, I think an attempt by the President to just move on from that Jeffrey Epstein matter.

MACFARLANE: Yes, it certainly seems that way. Kevin, thank you for now. I want to turn to Larry Sabato, who is the director of the University of

Virginia's Center for Politics. He's also the author of a brand new book titled "Campaign of Chaos: Trump, Biden, Harris and the 2024 Election",

which will be released this week.

So, Larry, as we were hearing there from Kevin, and I think we can assume that there certainly was a bit of Jeffrey Epstein at play here as a

distraction tactic in this moment, as we've seen multiple times this week. But it's also concerning now that this appeared to be a renewed push and a

clear attempt to go after the Democrats who went after him. What did you make of it?

LARRY SABATO, DIRECTOR, UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA'S CENTER FOR POLITICS: Classic Trump revolting, but classic Trump. I want to read you just one

sentence from Trump's second inaugural address. Never again will the immense power of the state be weaponized to persecute political opponents.

So much for that pledge.

There is zero evidence that Obama or Biden or Hillary Clinton or really anybody else that he targeted was guilty of treason. Treason, by the way

would be January 6th, 2021, when Trump's troops, encouraged by Trump, tried to take over the capitol and stop the counting of the electoral vote. That

was treason.

MACFARLANE: And given what Kevin was just outlining to us there about the actions of Tulsi Gabbard, the actions of the National Intelligence

community, how concerned are you that we're seeing the politicized -- the politicization of that community now, and what sort of -- if that's true,

what sort of dangerous path would that be leading us down?

SABATO: I think it's already happened. Every day with Trump, we take a step or 2 or 3 on the road to authoritarianism, and people who are not paying

close attention may not realize it's happening every single day. And that's why it's very important to do what I've seen CNN do domestically and

internationally today, which is to hold Trump account -- to account for his words, his outrageous, unsupported words.

He's encouraging the trend toward authoritarianism. He's challenging every major institution in American life, from universities to law firms,

obviously, to his political opponents. And most of the time, he's winning, thanks to controlling Congress almost completely and having the Supreme

Court at his back.

MACFARLANE: Do you also feel that at this point of his presidency, that Donald Trump is perhaps becoming increasingly Nixonian in his willingness

to engage in conspiracy theories to settle old scores? And what would that spell?

SABATO: Nixon is a choir boy compared to Donald Trump. And I lived through all the Nixon years and Watergate and everything else. Nixon wouldn't have

dreamed of doing most of the things that Trump has done, even in his first term, but certainly in his second term. This is deeply disturbing. It ought

to disturb anybody who supports a democratic republic, and all we can do is speak against it and make people face up to the fact that the American

republic, in many ways is endangered.

MACFARLANE: I just want to get your final thoughts on the political jeopardy of this moment for Donald Trump. He is very driven to obscure and

to divert from this ongoing saga. How much of a threat do you think this is posing right now to his administration?

SABATO: It's posing some threat only because his base, the MAGA base, Make America Great base has been so completely in his thrall, cult-like, really.

This is the first time they've been split over an issue. But I've also noticed if you look at the entrails of many of these surveys, you'll find

that they're still with Trump 95 percent of the time.

[14:10:00]

And that is 30 percent, 35 percent occasionally, 40 percent of the American public, Presidents can still do outrageous things if they have 40 percent

support. It's only when they get down into the 20s like Jimmy Carter did, like Richard Nixon did, that their administrations are threatened.

MACFARLANE: All right, Larry Sabato, always great to have your perspective on the show, appreciate it. Thank you.

SABATO: Thank you, Christina.

MACFARLANE: Now, we are heading towards terrifying death tolls. A Gaza hospital chief telling that to CNN as 15 people die of starvation in the

enclave in the past 24 hours, four of them children. Even the people trying to help are now in need themselves.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JULIETTE TOUMA, DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS, UNRWA: Caretakers, including colleagues in Gaza are also in need of care now. Doctors, nurses,

journalists, humanitarians among them, UNRWA staff are hungry. Many are now fainting due to hunger and exhaustion while performing their duties,

reporting atrocities or alleviating some of the suffering.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MACFARLANE: Well, the situation is now so dire, French press agency "AFP" is trying to evacuate its remaining freelance staff. This comes as a union

warns that journalists in Gaza are starving as hunger turns deadly in the shattered enclave. Pressure is mounting on Israel to let more aid in. And

the European Union's top diplomat is telling Israel's Foreign Minister that his country must stop killing desperate people seeking assistance.

The U.N. says more than a thousand hungry Palestinians have been fatally shot since late May, and this, as they tried to collect food. Israel is

reacting to an urgent appeal for its government to get more humanitarian supplies into Gaza. A statement from 25 western countries says, quote, "we

condemn the drip-feeding of aid and the inhumane killing of civilians, including children seeking to meet their most basic needs of water and

food.

Israel says the claim is, quote, "disconnected from reality". Well, Norway is among the countries which signed that statement. And the Norwegian

Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide joins me now. Thank you so much for your time. This declaration that we had yesterday is very candid and expansive,

25 signatories.

But I have to say after 21 months of war, 49,000 Palestinians killed by Israel, we have seen, as we've just been saying, a grim, almost daily

slaughter of Palestinians that aid distribution points for two months, the number of which passed a 1,000 yesterday. Why, sir, have we not seen a

letter like this already?

ESPEN BARTH EIDE, FOREIGN MINISTER, NORWAY: Christina, that's a good question. Some of us have been saying this for quite a while, but I have to

say, I'm happy that we were able to gather this very broad group of 20-plus European countries, plus Canada, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, but

including European countries like France and U.K., Italy and all the Nordic and Baltic, to mention a few.

Very candidly, as you say, saying that this war has to stop, and we demand the immediate improvement of the humanitarian situation. The model, which

is known as the so-called Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, does not work. It also set up in blatant violations of all established humanitarian

principles. And we need the U.N. and the professional experienced humanitarian agency to be back, able to deliver aid, but also the war to

stop. So it --

MACFARLANE: Yes --

EIDE: Was about time that this was said, but I'm glad that it has been said by such a wide group of countries.

MACFARLANE: Yes, it's definitely a positive move, but a letter is one thing, action, of course, is another. And I think what many people want to

see, Israel have responded to your letter saying it is, as I say, disconnected from reality. I think like we can assume that they will not be

heeding your calls. So, what further action will you or can you take to force the Israeli government to lift restrictions and, you know, get that

flow of aid coming back into Gaza?

EIDE: Well, I mean, the wide group that is speaking up on this includes countries as so far has been much more careful in how they have been

dealing with the situation in Gaza and how they've been talking to Israel. I think that is important in itself. We also say clearly in the letter that

further action might be taken.

Next week, there is an important meeting in New York at the U.N. headquarters on moving forward towards the Palestinian state.

[14:15:00]

And some countries have actually already starting to take certain action and sanctions. For instance, we together with Canada, U.K., Australia and

New Zealand have imposed sanctions on some of the most radical, far-right radical ministers in the government. We are blocking trade with occupied --

with the settlements in occupied territories.

Norway, for one, is not exporting arms to Israel. So, you know, there are all these measures, but we need also to appeal to the Israeli population,

to the Israeli government that they, as all states on the planet, have certain obligations according to international law, international

humanitarian law and international human rights law, which are clearly violated in the case of Gaza.

We also want the hostages out, and we believe that the only safe way to give the remaining hostages out is to come to a ceasefire, come to an

agreement, because the two short periods where there was a ceasefire, we also saw release of hostages and also a temporary end of the violence.

MACFARLANE: I mean, it's entirely possible that this pressure may have -- make some in-roads, but the elephant in the room here is that the United

States were not signatories on this statement. And it is, of course, their opinion that matters the most to Israel. How much realistically do you

think can be achieved without the U.S. backing?

EIDE: Right, well, I do think -- you are right, and I do think it's important that we all also work with our friends in the -- in the American

administration on this. There's no doubt about it. There is a certain discrepancy in how most Europeans and Canada, Australia and so on sees

this, and what is seen in the U.S., but I think that if you look at this group, it includes some of the very closest allies of the United States.

This is really now the sort of average western opinion, if you -- if you do not include the U.S., and that is a change. As I said, some of us, Spain,

Ireland, Slovenia, Norway and others have been saying this for quite a while. But this broad group sends a strong message with the wording and

being together on this.

And I do hope that the meeting that we will have next week, which is not about principally punishing Israel, but about raising the prospect of how

to move forward to not on a political solution to the war, but a political solution to the whole debacle. You know, you need to -- we need to get out

of this endless cycle of violence.

And this is also an initiative which I think is very important to move forward after 21 years of bloodshed.

MACFARLANE: Can I --

EIDE: Twenty one months of bloodshed.

MACFARLANE: Can I just put one last thing to you because in that response from Israel to your statement yesterday, Israel's Foreign Ministry said

that the statement failed to focus the pressure on Hamas and fails to recognize Hamas' role and the responsibility for the situation. They said,

quote, "Hamas is the sole party responsible for the continuation of the war and the suffering on both sides." Look, this is a justification from

Israel. We hear time and time again on CNN. What is your view of that justification?

EIDE: First, let me point out that we very clearly say that the hostages should be released unconditionally. That has been our position, and I think

that of all the other countries in this letter from the beginning, we want Hamas to release them. But it's simply not true that Hamas is the -- sole

responsible.

They, of course, have a tremendous responsibility from -- for what happened on the 7th of October. But the response from Israel has clearly been

excessive beyond the -- what is necessary for self-protection. And in doing so, they violated so many principles that we are basically seeing key

principles of humanity being made a mockery of in what's happening now.

And I -- as a friend of Israel and a friend of the Israeli people, I think it's very sad that the government of Israel always comes back to this

argument that if you criticize Israel, you are in favor of Hamas. We are definitely not. We want to have a legitimate Palestinian government. We

want to build a solution where Israelis and Palestinians can live together in peace beside each other in a state of their own.

And that has been Norway's and so many other countries desire for such a long time. And this crisis is so deep. And since we tend to say that in

every crisis, there's an opportunity, my hope is that with such a deep crisis, we also have a great opportunity now to refocus, get out of this

endless cycle of violence, and move forward to a political solution that can actually work. And that requires a steady, strong diplomatic efforts,

but also clear and candid, which when necessary from all of us concerned.

[14:20:00]

MACFARLANE: Well, we will follow with interest that meeting you say you have scheduled next week. But for now, Foreign Minister, we really

appreciate you joining us here on the show. Thank you.

EIDE: Thank you, Christina.

MACFARLANE: All right, we're turning to Syria now where an American citizen from Oklahoma has been identified as one of the eight men killed in an

execution style attack last week. Hosam Saraya, a Syrian-American was identified by a friend and U.S. relative after a video of his killing was

circulated on social media. Seven other men from Hosam's family were also shot.

Southern Syria has seen days of brutal sectarian violence, which human rights groups have said has left more than 500 people dead. The Syrian

government says the clashes have now been halted and a ceasefire agreement reached between the government, Druze groups and Bedouin tribes.

Ben Wedeman brings us this report now, which shows parts of the video of Hosam Saraya's killing. And please note, some of the content in Ben's

report is disturbing.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (SPEAKING IN FOREIGN LANGUAGE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (SPEAKING IN FOREIGN LANGUAGE)

BEN WEDEMAN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Shouting allahu akbar! God is great! The unidentified gunman appeared triumphant,

marching through the streets of the southern Syrian city of Sweida with prisoners, men from the Druze minority, all members of the same family.

"We wanted to offer you safety, but you refused to leave", someone shouts out a view. Relatives of the captives told CNN they had fought back against

the gunmen when their home was surrounded, but surrendered after one of them was wounded. The person who shot the phone video passes by a bullet

parked car, a dead man lies across the front seats.

Another clip shows the captives on their knees. "Dogs", someone shouts. And then a hail of machine gun fire for 15 seconds. All eight captives were

killed. Among the dead, Hosam Saraya, a 35-year-old U.S. citizen who had studied in Oklahoma before returning to Syria. The U.S. State Department

confirmed Monday an American citizen had died in Sweida, providing no further details.

But added it was greatly concerned when any U.S. citizen is harmed overseas, wherever they are, and called for accountability in all cases

where U.S. citizens are harmed abroad. The execution in Sweida is just a small snapshot of the madness that has since the 13th of July engulfed this

part of southern Syria, where various Druze militia, which seek limited autonomy from Damascus, have battled Bedouin tribesmen loosely aligned with

the central government.

The fighting has left hundreds dead civilians as well as fighters, and has forced more than 90,000 people to flee their homes. Tuesday, human rights

watch issued a report claiming all sides, Bedouin and Druze fighters as well as government forces have committed abuses. A Ministry of Interior

spokesman tells CNN, such acts are absolutely unacceptable to us and those who committed them will face justice.

U.S., Turkish and Arab diplomats pushed through a shaky ceasefire, but not before Israel entered the fray, bombing targets in Sweida and Damascus in

defense, it claimed, of the Druze. While the fighting raged, hundreds of Druze from the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights and Israel proper crossed

into Syria in support of the community in Sweida.

AHMED AL-SHARAA, PRESIDENT, SYRIA: (SPEAKING IN FOREIGN LANGUAGE)

WEDEMAN: Last week, interim Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa said in a televised address, "we are all partners in this land and we will not allow

any group to distort this beautiful image that expresses Syria and its diversity." A diversity, now more precarious than ever before. Ben Wedeman,

CNN, Rome.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

MACFARLANE: All right, still to come tonight, the woman who knows Jeffrey Epstein's darkest secrets. Why the Department of Justice now wants to talk

to Ghislaine Maxwell. Plus, "Late Show" host Stephen Colbert returns to screens after his show is canceled. We'll bring you his message to

President Trump. That's next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[14:25:00]

MACFARLANE: Some breaking and sad news from the world of music. Singer Ozzy Osbourne has died. The 76-year-old recently performed his final concert

with his former band Black Sabbath. In recent years, Ozzy suffered a number of health setbacks, including a Parkinson's disease diagnosis and numerous

surgeries.

The British Heavy Metal icon was known for his off-stage antics almost as much as his music. He leaves behind his wife and manager, Sharon, and their

five children. Our Stephanie Elam looks back on his eccentric and at times controversial career.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

STEPHANIE ELAM, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): He was called the Prince of Darkness. And for half a century, British musician Ozzy Osbourne rocked

heavy metal fans worldwide. As front man for Black Sabbath, Osbourne's charisma and wildness on and off the stage.

OZZY OSBOURNE, LATE MUSICIAN: Had I known it was a real battle, I would never have bitten into it.

ELAM: Transcended music and made him a cultural phenomenon.

GEORGE WALKER BUSH, FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Ozzy Osbourne. Born in Birmingham, England, in 1948, John Ozzy Osbourne left school at 15

and found inspiration after hearing The Beatles on the radio.

OSBOURNE: I can remember the first time I heard "She Loves You", that changed my life because I thought, that's what I want to do.

ELAM: Osbourne became lead vocalist of the band that would become Black Sabbath in 1968, and pioneered a daring genre-defining new sound. The heavy

guitar and riff-based albums "Black Sabbath" and "Paranoid" captivated audiences in 1970. As Black Sabbath's fame exploded, so did Osbourne's

hell-raising behavior.

He was fired from Black Sabbath for drug and alcohol abuse in 1979. Those same issues broke up Osbourne's first marriage and followed him for

decades.

LARRY KING, LATE FORMER TELEVISION HOST: Have you been tempted to go back to the drug usage?

OSBOURNE: All the time. I mean, when you're a drug addict, you don't stop being a drug addict because you stop taking them.

ELAM: But Sharon Arden; the daughter of Black Sabbath's manager, helped get him back on his feet and encouraged him to go solo.

(OSBOURNE SINGING)

ELAM: Osbourne's debut single, "Crazy Train", got the singer back on the rails. Ozzy and Sharon married in 1982, and Sharon managed his career for

the rest of his life. Their love was on full display to an entirely new audience in the 2002 "MTV" reality series "The Osbournes", Ozzy's dry, at

times unintelligible humor and relatable parenting challenges endeared him to millions.

And the fly on the wall look at the Osbournes' expletive-laden daily life shot the family to fame. After years of speculation about his health,

Osbourne revealed his Parkinson's disease diagnosis in an interview with "Good Morning America" in 2020. But Osbourne was committed to making more

music, and three years later, he won two Grammys for his album "Patient Number Nine", bringing his Grammy total to five. Osbourne reunited with his

band mates over the years.

(MUSIC PLAYING)

[14:30:41]

ELAM: To record their last album, "13" and for Black Sabbath's final the end concert tour in 2016. Osbourne made over 20 albums and is among the

elite group inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame twice. From prince of darkness to Reality TV Show Dad, Ozzy Osbourne was a man, a myth, and a

legend.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

MACFARLANE: And we return now to a story we mentioned at the top of the show, Washington's obsession with the Epstein files. It now appears this

whole thing has essentially shut down Congress. House Speaker Mike Johnson adjourned Congress a day earlier than planned, hoping that by sending his

Republican colleagues' home, he can quiet the growing calls from within his own party the release of more information about Jeffrey Epstein.

And it comes just hours after the House Rules Committee adjourned rather than face a potentially embarrassing vote on Epstein. Without a functioning

Rules Committee, no new legislation can be voted on in the House.

Meanwhile, the Department of Justice says it wants to talk to one of Epstein's closest confidants, Ghislaine Maxwell. They want to question her

about who else may have committed crimes connected to Epstein's sex trafficking. Maxwell is currently serving 20 years in federal prison for

her role in all of this.

Let's go now to Capitol Hill and CNN Senior Reporter Annie Grayer. Annie, Donald Trump said in the -- that press conference a short while ago that he

didn't know that the Justice Department were going to be meeting with Maxwell. But it, to him, it, quote, "sounds appropriate." The big question

is, though, why would they be doing this now? What are you hearing?

ANNIE GRAYER, CNN SENIOR REPORT: Well, this is an effort that's not just in the Department of Justice, the House of Representatives is also looking to

subpoena Maxwell for a deposition. The House Oversight Committee, I'm told from sources, is going to be subpoenaing her for a deposition quite soon,

and this is because there is growing pressure in the Republican Party. They're hearing from their constituents, and members want to get to the

bottom of this. They want all the evidence out there. They want there to be a vote on releasing all of the Epstein files.

In fact, there are now 11 Republicans in the House who have called for the release of the Epstein files. But House Speaker Mike Johnson and his

leadership team are trying to take down the temperature here. They want to give the Trump administration time to lead this investigation. That was the

message House Speaker Mike Johnson gave to his Republican colleagues this morning. Take a listen to how Johnson frames his argument.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. MIKE JOHNSON (R-LA), U.S. HOUSE SPEAKER: You have to allow the legislation to ripen and you also have to allow the administration the

space to do what it is doing. The president has said clearly and he has now ordered his DOJ to do what it is we've all needed DOJ to do for years now,

and that is to get everything released. So, they're in the process of that. There's no purpose for Congress to push an administration to do something

that they're already doing.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GRAYER: So, that may be what Speaker Mike Johnson wants to happen, but a lot of his members are growing restless and looking for ways to push this

issue forward. It's in part why the House has essentially grounded to a halt here where there can be no new bills brought to the floor. Speaker

Johnson is sending members home a day early. They're going to be back in their districts for five weeks, not returning until after Labor Day in

September. So, this is an issue that is not going anywhere and continues to divide Republicans on Capitol Hill.

MACFARLANE: Yes, it doesn't seem that the move to push Congress back is going to do anything to quell this. Annie Grayer, appreciate your reporting

for now. Thank you.

Now, "The Late Show" host Stephen Colbert was back on Air Monday for the first time since he revealed his show has been canceled by CBS. Here's how

he addressed the program's axing.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

STEPHEN COLBERT, HOST, "THE LATE SHOW": But they made one mistake, they left me alive. I can finally speak unvarnished truth to power and say what

I really think about Donald Trump starting right now.

I don't care for him. Doesn't seem to have like the skillset. He doesn't have the skillset to be president. You know, just not a good fit. That's

all.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MACFARLANE: Outside the show's studio, there were demonstrations in support of Colbert. CBS says the cancellation was purely financial, but fans are

skeptical. CBS's parent company Paramount needs approval from the Trump administration for its pending merger with Skydance Media.

Other late-night hosts are also speaking out, including Colbert's longtime friend Jon Stewart.

[14:35:00]

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JON STEWART, HOST, "THE DAILY SHOW": I understand the fear that you and your advertisers have with $8 billion at stake, but understand this, truly,

the shows that you now seek to cancel, sensor in control, are not insignificant portion of that $8 billion value came from those -- shows?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MACFARLANE: Oh, the last episode of "The Late Show" is slated to air in May, 2026. You can cancel "The Late Show," but you can't cancel Colbert.

We'll be right back after this short break. Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

MACFARLANE: Returning to our breaking news now, the sad news that singer Ozzy Osbourne has died. The 76-year-old recently performed his final

concert with his former band, Black Sabbath. Ozzy had suffered a number of health problems in recent years, including a Parkinson's disease diagnosis

and multiple surgeries.

I want to bring in CN Stephanie Elam, whose obit we just played a few minutes ago. Stephanie, this -- as we were saying that his death has come

tragically after just a few weeks after, I believe, he had reunited with his band for a big farewell concert.

ELAM: Yes, that was just at the beginning of July, Christina. So, this is happening very quickly. Think about during that concert, it's also when his

daughter Kelly got engaged. So, he was there to witness that. This is a man who has had his health challenges throughout his life. He spoke very openly

about his drug addiction, his alcohol addiction, emphysema from all of the smoking, all of that playing a part in his health throughout the many years

that he'd been on the stage.

[14:40:00]

Think about it. He left school at 15 to go off and pursue music and becoming the lead singer of Black Sabbath. He was married before, had three

children. Before he met Sharon who was the daughter of the promoter four Black Sabbath. They married and had three more children. And that's when we

got to see this other side of Ozzy Osbourne, something that many people could relate to, just the normal dealings of having teenage kids and

raising them and seeing what their family was like. It was like the sort of the beginning of those shows of looking into people's lives and really

seeing what it looks like from the inside.

So, he's kind of a dynamic character in the sense that he had this super huge music career, getting inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

twice. But then, at the same time, having this family life that seemed very stable and very reassuring for the vast majority of his life as well. And I

think that's part of the reason why people were so fascinated with Ozzy Osbourne, because of the life that he was able to live.

He had so many different chapters in his life. And his one long -- his one life that, you know, many could argue was not long enough. But you see all

that he was able to get into in that time, and it was fascinating to so many people to watch.

MACFARLANE: Yes. I mean, I've been aware of his presence in the British music industry and the TV industry for as long as I can remember. The fact

that he's 76 though, he was very young really to pass away. And I think his wife Sharon as well was -- or became almost as well-known as he did when

they both were on the hit MTV series, "The Osbournes." But that really showed as well, Stephanie, just what a family man he was.

ELAM: Truly. And we do actually have a statement that has been put out here that I can tell you from the family. They're saying, it is with more

sadness than mere words can convey that we have to report that our beloved Ozzy Osbourne has passed away this morning. He was with his family and

surrounded by love. We ask everyone to respect our family privacy at this time.

So, you can only imagine. I mean, you saw how close they were. We saw that evolve as the kids grew up. But still, through it all, through all of the

dynamics, all of the challenges, Ozzy and Sharon stood tall and they remained together. And that's something you just do not see a lot of in

Hollywood and the music industry. And the fact that they even withstood having that look into their private lives with that MTV show also says a

lot. It just doesn't happen a lot.

MACFARLANE: Yes, it's certainly a sad day for the music industry and beyond this. Stephanie, for now, we appreciate it. Thank you. And we will be right

back after this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[14:45:00]

MACFARLANE: Returning now to Afghanistan where aid cuts are hitting home. The Trump administration dismantled USAID earlier this year, canceling $1.7

billion in contract for the Taliban run country, of which 500 million had yet to be dispersed. Other countries such as Germany, France, and the U.K.

to name a few have also reduced aid. President Trump recently said no one in Afghanistan has died due to aid cuts.

CNN's Isobel Yeung traveled there to investigate. And a warning, some of the images you're about to see are disturbing.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ISOBEL YEUNG, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): We're in the Taliban's Afghanistan, a nation now dealing with huge foreign aid cuts.

YEUNG: The clinic we're actually heading towards was, until just a few months ago, funded by the U.S. government. Now, the Trump administration

has pulled the funding, a lot of people in this area are left with not even basic healthcare facilities.

YEUNG (voice-over): The U.N. estimates that an Afghan woman dies every two hours from pregnancy or childbirth. This clinic has now closed.

YEUNG: So, this is where women were giving birth?

SAMIRA SAYED RAHMAN, ADVOCACY DIRECTOR, SAVE THE CHILDREN AFGHANISTAN: Yes. You know, this is the only clinic in this area, and now it's gone.

YEUNG: Afghanistan has one of the highest maternal mortality rates in the world, right? What happens to these women now that the delivery room is

gone?

RAHMAN: It means that these communities don't have access. It means that women are going to be giving birth at home, meaning more and more children

are going to die during childbirth.

YEUNG: We were just talking to the community leaders who were telling us that seven people have died since this clinic closed. And just a couple

days ago, a woman died in childbirth because there was nowhere for her to give birth.

YEUNG (voice-over): When we followed up, the woman's neighbors and family told us that if the clinic had still been open and she'd had the support of

a midwife she would've survived. Across Afghanistan, over 400 clinics of closed because of U.S. aid cuts. Millions of people were reliant on these

clinics for healthcare. Now, their only option is to travel hours, sometimes days to public hospitals like this where there's an influx of new

patients.

The U.S. was funding doctors, nurses, and essential drugs here, but now that's also gone.

YEUNG: Salam. How are you?

DR. ANIDULLAH SAMIM, NANGARHAR REGIONAL HOSPITAL: This has the capacity for just one baby. And we have under ours three babies here.

YEUNG: Yes, it's crowded.

DR. SAMIM: Yes. Yes. Crowded. Yes.

YEUNG: Is this normal?

DR. SAMIM: Normal? Not normal. When they cut the aid here, our mortality rate, about 3 or 4 percent.

YEUNG: So, 3 to 4 percent more --

DR. SAMIM: Rise --

YEUNG: -- babies are dying since the U.S. --

DR. SAMIM: Yes, yes.

YEUNG: Wow.

YEUNG (voice-over): Malnutrition has soared here. 9.5 million people are severely food insecure. Several NGOs previously funded by the U.S. are now

turning away many people in desperate need of food.

Mohamed Omar (ph) has severe malnutrition and meningitis. The family are poor, and were only recently able to bring him the long distance to this

hospital.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): When did he become like this?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (through translator): Early in the morning.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): You said it was diarrhea at first and then it got worse.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (through translator): Yes, it started with diarrhea.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): Since when has he not been able to eat?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (through translator): It has been a long time since he could eat on his own.

YEUNG: Hi. I'm so sorry for what you're going through. Can I ask what your name is?

NAZOGUL (through translator): My name is Nazogul. He's my grandson.

YEUNG: How old is he?

NAZOGUL (through translator): He just turned one.

YEUNG: What is his situation? What is the doctor said?

NAZOGUL (through translator): Doctors say that a microbe has infected his brain. He's unconscious now. You can see that the child's condition is very

bad.

YEUNG (voice-over): In the middle of speaking, we looked over and realized the child had stopped breathing.

YEUNG: Is he breathing?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Sorry.

YEUNG: Is he breathing?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He needs to go.

YEUNG: He needs to go. So, I move. Move, move.

[14:50:00]

He died?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.

YEUNG: Oh, my God.

YEUNG (voice-over): Mohamed's (ph) mother returns to the room and the most devastating news.

This is just one family of so many thousands of families that are having to live through this, and it's utterly heart wrenchingly devastating.

YEUNG (voice-over): It's impossible to definitively blame one single factor for Mohamed's (ph) death. He was suffering from a range of serious

illnesses. But aid cuts have dealt a devastating blow here.

Counseling aid to Afghanistan has long been a goal for Congressman Tim Burchett.

REP. TIM BURCHETT (R-TN): 5 billion in cash.

YEUNG (voice-over): Claiming $5 billion U.S. taxpayer dollars have gone directly to the ruling Taliban, a designated terrorist group. But the U.S.

government's own watchdog says it's more like 11 million. The vast majority of money goes to those it's intended for.

YEUNG: Are you intentionally misleading the American public when it comes to inflating these figures so that you can get what you want?

BURCHETT: No, ma'am. I'm not. As a matter of fact, $11 million is still a whole lot of money to the average American. If it's one penny going to the

Taliban, they'll hate us for free.

YEUNG: What would you say to -- I mean, there are millions of Afghans who are going to be affected by this.

BURCHETT: I would say, you're going to have to make it on your own.

YEUNG: Hundreds of clinics across the country have now closed down. I literally watched a baby die from malnutrition. What would you say to these

families who are living through desperate circumstances devastated by the results of your actions?

BURCHETT: I think it's horrific, but it's not due to my actions, ma'am. We don't have any more money. We're borrowing that money. And again --

YEUNG: But it is due to your actions. I mean, you have been advocating for this for the last couple of years.

BURCHETT: These are people -- no, ma'am. No ma'am. It's not our response. We have Americans in the same position. We have Americans that are having

trouble with childbirth. We have Americans going hungry. And you want us to borrow money and send it overseas?

YEUNG (voice-over): With the U.S. turning away, the fate of Afghans is now left in the hands of their own government, the Taliban, who say they're

capable of running the country without foreign aid. They denied our requests for an interview.

But it's the country's most vulnerable, women and children who stand to lose the most, now facing an isolated future without the support of those

who once came to their aid.

Isobel Yeung, CNN, Afghanistan.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

MACFARLANE: The U.S. State Department did not respond to CNN's request for comment. We'll be right back after this short break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[14:55:00]

MACFARLANE: Let's recap our breaking news now. Ozzy Osbourne, a founding father of the British heavy metal, the front man for Black Sabbath and a

reality TV luminary has died. He was age 76. Osbourne struggled with Parkinson's disease four years.

A sad note to end it on. But thank you so much for watching tonight's stay with CNN. I'll be back with "What We Know" after this quick break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[15:00:00]

END