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Isa Soares Tonight
Four Killed In Latest U.S. Strike On Alleged Drug Vessel Near Venezuela; Judge To Decide the Fate Of Disgraced Music Mogul Sean "Diddy" Combs Today; Trump Sets Sunday Deadline For Hamas; Sr. Hamas Official: Response To Trump Peace Plan Coming Soon; U.K. Stunned After Deadly Terrorist Attack Outside Synagogue; U.S. Lawmakers Remain At Impasse On Day Three Of Shutdown; Sarah Mullally Appointed First Female Archbishop Of Canterbury; Huge Protest In Barcelona And Across Italy In Support Of Gaza, Global Aid Flotilla. Aired 2-3p ET
Aired October 03, 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]
ISA SOARES, HOST, ISA SOARES TONIGHT: A very warm welcome to the show everyone, I'm Isa Soares. Tonight, escalating tensions in the Caribbean.
The U.S. say it's carried out a new strike in the waters off Venezuela. More on that breaking news just ahead. Then, the sentencing is underway for
disgraced music mogul Sean "Diddy" Combs. We are live outside the courtroom.
Plus, U.S. President Donald Trump issued a fresh warning and a deadline to Hamas agree to the peace deal by Sunday or face all hell. We'll have that,
and of course, much more ahead this hour. We do begin tonight, though, with a move that will likely inflame already escalating tensions between
Washington and Caracas.
For the fourth time this month, the U.S. has carried out a military strike on a boat it claims was carrying illegal drugs in the Caribbean sea. The
U.S. Defense Secretary made the announcement on social media. Pete Hegseth said the attack took place in international waters off Venezuela's coast,
and that for, quote, "narco terrorists were killed".
He also vowed the strikes will continue until the attacks on the American people are over -- without describing what attacks he's been referring to.
You're looking at some footage that was presented with that. Well, in recent weeks, the U.S. has killed at least 17 people on boats. The Trump
administration claims were carrying drug traffickers.
The administration may be now trying to seek legal justification for those strikes. In a letter to Congress obtained by CNN, the President claimed the
U.S. is in armed conflict with drug cartels, which the administration has designated as terrorist organizations. And here's what the White House
Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said in the last hour.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KAROLINE LEAVITT, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: And each of these cases, Michael, the vessels have been assessed by the U.S. Intelligence community
to be affiliated with designated terrorist organizations engaged at the time in trafficking illicit drugs to our country. The President has been
very clear dating back to the campaign trail, that he is always going to do what's in the best interest of the American homeland.
And he also promised the American people he was going to drug -- end the drug epidemic that has taken far too many American lives. And you're seeing
those actions play out almost every single day here.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SOARES: Let's get more on this breaking news story, our Kristen Holmes is at the White House, and CNN contributor Stefano Pozzebon joins me now from
Bogota. Kristen, let me go to you, President Trump defending the strike on social media. Give us a bit of sense more of what he has said, and more
importantly, what evidence has been provided that this was, in fact, cartels carrying illegal drugs?
KRISTEN HOLMES, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, right now, we don't have any of that evidence that these are cartels that are bringing
illegal drugs. President Trump confirmed and praised Hegseth for the strike, he said, that aboard that ship were above or the boat were anywhere
from 25,000 to 50,000 pounds of drugs or -- excuse me, they could kill that many people with the pounds of drugs that were on that boat.
But as you noted, the legal justification here seems to be the fact that the President has now said that the U.S. is at this armed conflict with
these designated terror groups, and we don't know exactly who they are. And one of the things Hegseth notably did not mention was, which terrorist
organization the boat was allegedly affiliated with.
And said -- he just said, basically, a version of what we heard from the Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt saying, our Intelligence without a doubt
confirmed that this vessel was trafficking narcotics and the people on board were narco terrorists, and they were operating on a known narco
trafficking transit route.
He also alleged that this boat was transporting substantial amounts of narcotics, that's what we also heard from President Trump, headed to
America to poison our people. There are still a lot of details that the American people want to know, but also that Congress wants to know about
the legality of these strikes.
And one thing to note is the fact that the President is saying that we are at this, quote-unquote, "armed conflict", does give an indication that
these are not going to be one-off strikes to protect the United States, but this is going to be more of an ongoing pattern of actions taken by the
United States.
[14:05:00]
SOARES: Let's go to Stefano in Colombia. And I'm just looking, Stefano, at -- on social media, because I see President Gustavo Petro has had some
strong words directed, of course, at the United States. And this coming, of course, as President Nicolas Maduro says he's preparing a state of
emergency if the U.S. attacks. Give us the very latest from the region.
STEFANO POZZEBON, CNN CONTRIBUTOR: Yes, Isa, well, Maduro passed this law earlier this week, calling for a state of emergency to be declared
automatically in the case of a U.S. strike on Venezuelan soil or Venezuelan territorial waters. I think that in the tweet announcing this strike, Pete
Hegseth made it very clear that the strike occurred on international waters.
So, we understand that this should not automatically mean that Venezuela is now under attack or in a state of emergency. However, just yesterday,
Maduro had once again called for a mobilization of the military and the reserves, the militia, in order to be prepared should anything happen.
There is clearly the feeling that Caracas is in high tension these days because of these ongoing escalation. And one element that brings to mind
with the tweet from the Colombian President, President Petro, is these thoughts. Venezuela is a land that was built on migration. It's very easy
if you travel there to meet people from other countries, nationals from other countries, perhaps not in the state, in the region of Sucre, where
some of these strikes have occurred.
But definitely, for example, in the region of Aragua where we know that Tren de Aragua is originally from, this is one of the largest mega band
gangs that, in theory, the U.S. administration is targeting. I'm really concerned that, Isa, that in the near future, especially if these policies
of destroying drug trafficking boats or alleged drug trafficking boats continues, we might soon hear that people from other countries, nationals,
perhaps from Colombia, from Ecuador, or let alone even European citizens or European passport holders could be -- could be involved.
So far, we know that the United States has claimed to have killed 21 people out of these boats that are indeed leaving from Venezuela. We don't know
the nationalities of those 21 people. So, of course, yet another element in discussing whether these attacks comply with international rights, which
apparently, at least, for now, it seems like they are not.
So, very high tension in Caracas and the potential for escalation and even further tension across the region, especially if other nations --
SOARES: Yes --
POZZEBON: Are involved. Isa?
SOARES: Indeed, let me bring in Kristen on that. And Kristen, you were talking about not just, you know, the fact that the Intelligence that they
say that Intelligence that hadn't provided that, but also the questions of legality, which is exactly what Stefano was talking about. Let me just put
the tweet from President Petro of Colombia, and I'm translating here.
There were no narco terrorists in those boats. The narcos, he says, live in the United States, Europe and Dubai. In that boat, in that vessel, a young
Caribbean people launching missiles when they can be intercepted as Colombia does, produces -- it breaks, he says the universal legal principle
of proportionality, therefore it is murder. The relatives of these young people must join together.
And I suppose those are some of the questions we're going to start hearing internationally. The questions of the legality and way this is being done.
Are those questions being asked?
HOLMES: I mean, we have asked about the legality in what we've been pointed to as these letters that we've seen. This is not the first letter that
we've seen the White House send to Congress trying to justify these strikes, although this was the first one that they referred to as being
inside of an armed conflict. That's clearly where we are right now.
I mean, I will point out one thing that has really raised a lot of eyebrows internationally is the fact that the majority of the drugs coming into the
United States are not coming from Venezuela. Just to be clear. If you look at the actual statistics, many of them coming up through Mexico, but
Venezuela is not one of the largest transporters of drugs.
However, of course, this seems to be who we are targeting at this time. There is a belief within the White House that there's not going to be an
escalation on the Venezuelan side, but of course, anyone can be pushed to a specific limit. Those are questions, and I hadn't seen that tweet
specifically from the Colombian President that we will be asking the White House, particularly now that you have a claim of who is on those boats
outside of what the White House is saying, what the Pentagon is saying that these were narco terrorists.
You have someone distinctly saying that they were not. And just one quick thing to note, you know, one of the things CNN had reported is that all of
these boats were headed towards the U.S, but in one case, at least one case, we know that CNN reported that, that boat had actually turned back
around. And it was still a subject to a strike there and the people aboard were killed. So still, a lot of questions about how this is playing out.
[14:10:00]
SOARES: I know you'll continue to ask the press for those -- for those answers. Kristen, Stefano, thank you very much to you both. Let's stay on
this breaking news story that we're bringing you. I want to bring in Christopher Sabatini; he's a Senior Fellow for Latin America at Chatham
House. Chris, great to have you on the show.
Let me get really your reaction to this latest strike from United States. You heard what the President had to say, putting out on social media, let
me just get the lines that a boatload of enough drugs to kill 25 to 50,000 people were stopped early this morning from entering American territory.
So, your initial reaction here, Christopher.
CHRISTOPHER SABATINI, SENIOR FELLOW FOR LATIN AMERICA, CHATHAM HOUSE: There are so many things to untangle from this. First of all, imagine a boat of
that size as we see in the video they posted it, it's not carrying that many drugs, but also the idea of narco terrorism is sort of a new concept.
It's been given -- it is intended to give license to the U.S. to take out whoever they want in international waters, as if this were some sort of
conflict mission.
And as you mentioned, Isa, this is not a consensus decision, not even in terms of the U.S. Congress across the aisle, Republicans and Democrats, as
well as international jurists. The idea that you can designate one particular group arbitrarily as being narco terrorists, and then take them
out without any due process, without seizing the drugs, without even proving those allegations is deeply problematic in terms of international
law.
There's never been any sort of proof that these are, in fact, any coordinate, even if they were carrying drugs, that these were sort of narco
terrorists, whatever that means. We don't really even have a definition, is quite frankly, absurd. So, you know, the U.S. is entering this territory
where 21 people have been killed without due process, with a dubious justification under international law.
But also, if you look at the boats, again, this is not the drugs that are killing Americans. The drugs that are killing Americans come from fentanyl,
largely from Mexico and Chinese precursor drugs. This is a larger mission that is driven by, first of all, Trump's domestic agenda to blame Venezuela
for crime, and, as it did with the Tren de Aragua in Colorado. But also to really rattle the cage and hopefully on their perspective, provoke regime
change in --
SOARES: Yes --
SABATINI: Venezuela --
SOARES: Yes, let me go to that point, and look, the -- Kristen made that point as well, but according to the United Nations Office on Drugs and
Crime, Venezuela, as you stated out, is not a cocaine-producing country. As we all know, cocaine is concentrated -- Colombia, Peru and Bolivia and the
majority of the Colombia's cocaine, of course, is trafficked along the Pacific Coast, not the Caribbean. Though --
SABATINI: Yes --
SOARES: This is coming, of course, from the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime. Then, which begs the question, this is about regime change, you
say, and you write in your op-ed this week, presumably fueling them are rumors that the Venezuelan military is on the brink of turning on Mr.
Maduro, a perennial story among the country's opposition.
It is a perennial story. We've been here so many times, and nothing has changed. Has anything -- does this suggest that there's anything changing
domestically to suggest that Maduro -- those around Maduro are crumbling?
SABATINI: No, not at all. I mean, it may be true. This may happen now. The truth is the opposition. The Venezuelan opposition has been claiming this
literally for decades. And the most recent example, particularly under Donald Trump in his first administration, was the effort to create this
fictional government of the then President of the National Assembly, Juan Guaido is the supposed legitimate President of Venezuela.
And there are series of marches and demonstrations and efforts to recognize him, all under the hope the military would swing behind the then fictional
government, which was dissolved in 2022 to promote regime change. We have no evidence this is happening. It may happen, but the truth is now, they
simply shifted the initiatives and the narrative.
This has gone from being a question of democratic legitimacy to one of now narco terrorists who are threatening the United States. And it comes with a
real threat of force. And it's not just the boats they're taking out, the 21 people who may just be innocent civilians or may just be fishermen
carrying perhaps a boatload of drugs, but they're not cartel members.
What we're facing now is the real prospect of strikes inside Venezuela. There are more than 6,000 U.S. soldiers posted off the coast of Venezuela
right now. We've got more than eight boats, a nuclear submarine, all those boats have guided nuclear missiles, F-35s off the coast of Puerto Rico.
This goes beyond just picking off 21 people, which is all they really picked off. This goes to trying to basically strike fear in the hearts of
those around Maduro, to say they may be next, and to take them out, and then the pressure will be taken off.
[14:15:00]
This is about --
SOARES: Strike --
SABATINI: Regime change. It's not about --
SOARES: The strike --
SABATINI: Narco terrorists.
SOARES: Yes, spot on. I mean, this strike fear, you say. But doesn't this potentially have the opposite -- create the opposite effect? You know,
you've seen people rallying around Maduro. There's many of course, within Venezuela who would --
SABATINI: Yes --
SOARES: Like to see Maduro dislodged. Let's be completely honest with everyone here, but doesn't this --
SABATINI: Yes --
SOARES: Also offer support to Maduro?
SABATINI: So, it's a good question. So, the first is that clearly, the idea is to try to rally the opposition, but it is, I mean, it's creating a rally
around the flag effect. And if you look at public opinion polls in Venezuela, most Venezuelans are not in favor of U.S. military action. And
in the United States, more than 50 percent of American citizens say they are not in favor of U.S. military action.
What's happening right now is the hope that they can basically scare the inner circle enough they don't actually have to engage in these -- as Trump
is saying, these kinetic strikes within Venezuela. But even if they do, the real risk is that will have the opposite effect and not produce what is
intended, which is meaningful regime change, which will require far more than just taking out the top level.
Because indeed, if, as the Trump administration's claim, this is a -- you know, government that is ruled by narco terrorists, just taking out the top
is not going to actually change the dynamics. This is still, if they say so, and I think there's an element of truth to the fact that it's a
criminal regime, will remain a criminal regime.
SOARES: Yes, that we shall see. Do you think -- very briefly here, Chris, do you think that the U.S. will go as far as boots on the ground, will
attack Venezuela? Do you think they'll go that far?
SABATINI: There are some who are clamoring for that. I don't think it will go that far. I mean, you've got the -- you actually have amphibious vessels
that are off the coast of Venezuela. You have Marines that are trained in that. I don't think it will go that far. I think they're still hoping for
just take out a few targets within Venezuela, rattle the inner circle, and that, that will produce the regime change they want. But the question is
the endpoint of this is unclear, and how far they're going to go is unclear, and that's very dangerous.
SOARES: Yes, we shall see how the -- how this strategy plays out. Christopher Sabatini, always great to see you, Chris. Thank you.
SABATINI: Good to see you.
SOARES: And still to come tonight, we'll go live to a Manhattan courthouse where the world will soon learn the fate of disgraced music mogul Sean
"Diddy" Combs. The high stakes sentencing, of course, is next. Plus, the new era of Taylor Swift is beginning. We'll have reaction to her album,
Life of a Girl -- Showgirl -- pardon me.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[14:20:00]
SOARES: Well, we are tracking the high stakes sentencing of disgraced music mogul Sean "Diddy" Combs. Back in July, Combs was convicted of two counts
of transportation to engage in prostitution. He was acquitted of more serious sex trafficking and racketeering conspiracy charges. Prosecutors
are seeking a sentence of more than 11 years, while the defense argues for no more than 14 months.
At the 11th hour, Combs, his legal team released a montage of clips showing his charity work, and as you can see there, his family. CNN's chief legal
analyst Laura Coates is outside the courthouse. Laura, good to see you. This is clearly, as we can see from behind you, the cameras, the interest,
a high stakes sentencing, and it really all rests in the judge's hands, right? What will he be looking at here in trying to reach decision?
LAURA COATES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Isa, my friend, you're so right about the global interest. And of course, all eyes are focusing on the judge here in
this matter. No longer a jury of his peers, they've already rendered their verdict, they found him guilty of the lesser of the offenses,
transportation for the purpose of engaging in prostitution, each carrying a maximum of ten years in prison.
Very different from the Rico conspiracy, a racketeering charge, and sex trafficking cases that could have given him life in prison. But there is a
huge disparity at issue here. The defense is asking for 14 months in jail, now, given what he's already served, waiting for his sentence and the trial
that would get him out by the end of this year, the prosecution wants 11 years.
A huge disparity, and you've got to factor in what the sentence report has actually told the judge is inappropriate sentence between 5 and 7 years.
That's a huge spectrum here. Now, why you would shift from one end to the other, it's all about violence. This is important to understand here.
Although he was acquitted of the more serious charges and one involving fraud, force or violence as a component of the charge, the prosecution is
saying, your honor, even though he was acquitted of those, look at the manner in which he performed these crimes that got him convicted in the
long run.
Use that violence against him in the sentencing. The defense is saying, if he was acquitted, that is all the marbles. Right now, we're waiting to
figure out what the judge will do. But he's hearing a lot, Isa. He has heard from not only defense counsel, multiple members of the defense team.
He's heard from his children, who were all huddled together, his adult children who were leaning on one another for support as they intermittently
sobbed throughout, remembering their father, and of course, they say his evolution as a changed man.
They're remembering and hearing from the letter that Sean "Diddy" Combs wrote where he described himself as broken and humbled by this entire
process and deserving of a second chance. But you also have to balance against what else the judge is considering, guilty verdicts by a jury who
heard the evidence and the victim-impact statements by the star witness, Cassie Ventura.
His love interest for over a decade who took to the stand, Isa, and described just the most abhorrent assault at the hands of Sean "Diddy"
Combs, including the video that we saw around the world in that hotel, where she talks about how she's in fear of her life, her parents also
writing a letter, saying the amount of time the prosecution is asking for, about 11 years, about the same amount of time their daughter, beloved as
she is, endured violence at the hands of Sean "Diddy" Combs. Right now, we're wondering what the judge will decide.
SOARES: Yes, that's incredibly powerful, Laura. I know you'll stay across it all for us. Good to see you, my friend. Laura Coates there. Thank you.
Well, let's stay in the United States because a new era is here for Taylor Swift and her fans.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
(CHEERS)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SOARES: Do you think they're excited? Well, fans around the world eagerly lined up, stayed up late or got up early for the first chance to hear the
pop star's newest album, "Life of a Showgirl". Swift announced the album's release during her appearance on Jason and Travis Kelce's "New Heights"
podcast, if you remember.
Swift thanking the podcast for her new fiance Travis Kelce. Fans are already speculating which songs are about him -- we'll wait, no more the
song life of Ophelia, references Kelce's public pitch for a date -- for a date.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
(TAYLOR SWIFT MUSIC PLAYING)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
[14:25:00]
SOARES: Wow, OK. Our CNN's Anna Cooban joins us now from a Taylor Swift fan event in London. Anna, how are fans reacting? Give us a sense of the mood
there.
ANNA COOBAN, CNN REPORTER: Fans are very excited, Isa. We are here in London's Leicester Square, its cinematic hub. We are about to watch the
world premiere of "Life of a Showgirl", and this is, you know, behind the scenes footage of a music video called "The Fate of Ophelia", one of the
tracks from the album lyric videos.
And this album is different. It's not like the heartbreak album from last year. It is really focusing on Taylor Swift's romance with Travis Kelce.
But I'm going to defer to some real life Swifties, I think they're in a better place to talk about this. So, can you tell me how important is
Taylor Swift to you?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: She's so important, like we love her.
COOBAN: So what about her music, just inspires you, makes you -- you know.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I think just because we've been a fan for like such a long time, like we've been listening to her since we were like children.
And now we're like -- all in our 20s.
UNIDENTIFIEED FEMALE: We're all friends because of her as well, so, I feel like that -- it's like nice to do stuff like this together, because our
friendship is because of her. So --
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes --
COOBAN: So, and obviously, her last album was a heartbreak album. What does this one -- you've listened to it today, right?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes --
COOBAN: What do you make of the sort of the new theme?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I think it just shows like the complete different era of her life that she's in now. It's just a complete change from the
"Tortured Poets". It's so good.
COOBAN: There's also a bit of controversy. There's an album called -- actually romantic, that's been sort of rumored to be about Charli XCX, the
British artist. It's a bit of a diss track. What do you make of that? Let's go over to Dan.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm a big fan of both of them, and I was a bit speechless when I heard it. But I guess if Charli can be brat, then so can
Taylor.
COOBAN: I think -- I think that's a good note to end on. Thank you so much for that. And so, as you can see, everyone is so excited here, Isa, it
really is Taylor Swift's record-breaking Eras Tour, has just morphed until now, maybe a record-breaking movie.
SOARES: Yes, I love the energy from the Swifties. Anna, thank you very much indeed. Well, the album release isn't the only big reveal, of course, for
Swift this weekend. There is a movie as Anna was saying, music videos and several late-night TV appearances. Joining us now to break down all the
Swift news is Jodi Innerfield; she is the "AP" Taylor Swift's podcast host.
Jodi, great to have you on the show. I'm not sure whether you could hear some of those Swifties, but you know, they seem pleased with the new --
with the new album, how good is it? How does it compare to others?
JODI INNERFIELD, AP TAYLOR SWIFT PODCAST HOST: It is phenomenal. I think that this album, "The Life of a Showgirl" is really an amazing hybrid
between "1989" and "Reputation" with the "Pop" and "Max Martin and Shellback", but then it also has the lyrical mastery and storytelling of
"Folklore" and "Evermore". So, there's really something for everyone in this Swifties universe.
What -- no matter which album previously was your favorite, this one really naturally blends her pop mastery, her lyricism, but also she's bringing
kind of old world and new world together. There's a lot of colloquial language. She name-drops "Vibes" and "Girl Boss" on this album, but does
that in the same album where she's also referencing Hamlet and Ophelia. So, there really is something for everybody on this album.
SOARES: And as many people will know, her previous album, Jodi, have been about heartache, quest for love. Does this new album shed some light on her
current state of mind, her current relationship with Travis Kelce, of course.
INNERFIELD: Well, we've heard it from Taylor Swift directly that this album is really emblematic of her life today, which is energetic and fun, and
it's why it's all produced with Max Martin and Shellback for that pop energy. But I think what's really interesting about this album are the
lyrics. The lyrics in this album really do blend a lot of that love that we're seeing.
That was very clear on her "New Heights" podcast, but also the whole motive of this album, "The Life of a Showgirl", she said it herself, it's not
just about what goes on, on stage. It's really what's about what's happening behind the scenes, backstage in her life. And that's really what
we see in this album. There's a lot of juxtaposition of what you thought a song would be about, or what she might sing about.
It's really not about that. The dichotomy really exists between the expectation and the reality, and so, we're really seeing that come to life
here. You do have love songs. She's clearly very in love. There's a lot of romance and whimsy throughout the album, but there's also a lot of
different emotions, heartbreak and fear and loss.
And I think that's where, you know, no matter where you are, whatever your previous favorite album was, the "Reputation" --
SOARES: Yes --
INNERFIELD: Fans will have a lot of fun with canceled "Father Figure" is another great storytelling one on the album that I'm really excited about.
SOARES: Are fans then -- the question is, Jodi, are fans willing to stay in love with her now that she is in love? Is this sustainable?
INNERFIELD: Absolutely. I think what I heard from some of the previous people we heard on the ground is that the beauty of Taylor Swift is her
lyrics capture these stories and these emotional moments in all of our lives, and all of us have really grown up with her. One of my co-hosts,
Monty, talked about how the song Wish List really talked evoked her moment in her life now that she is married and has kids, and that's really what
that song is about. It's you think you want the high career growth and all of these fancy things, but at the end of the day, she wants a backyard with
a basketball hoop in the driveway.
[14:30:23]
And so, I think Taylor Swift fans -- Taylor knows that her fans are smart. We love the lyrics. She's mentioned in her promo tours that we love lyrics
and we really want to unpack them. And that's really why our podcast exists because we think that we knew we had this hypothesis that other fans also
wanted to hear more about the lyrics and the lyric -- the literary references and how she's using lyrics to tell these stories that what makes
Taylor's music amazing isn't who she wrote a song about, it's who it means to us when we hear those songs. And that's the beauty of Taylor Swift. And
I think that's going to continue with this album for all of her fans.
SOARES: Jody, I really appreciate you taking the time to speak to us. Thanks, Jody.
INNERFIELD: Thank you so much.
SOARES: And on that positive note, we're going to take a short break. We'll see you on the other side.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SOARES: Welcome back everyone. This just in to CNN. A senior Hamas official tells CNN the group is planning to respond to U.S. President Donald Trump's
Gaza peace proposal soon. And the news comes, of course, after a Trump ultimatum that we told you, of course, in the last hour. He's warning the
militant group must accept his deal by Sunday evening, Eastern time, or face what he calls all hell. The news coming in from a senior Hamas
official telling CNN they're planning to respond to the peace proposal soon.
[14:35:11]
In a post on social media, Mr. Trump says they're bringing up for you, "If this last chance agreement is not reached, all hell like no one has ever
seen before will break out against Hamas." So far, there's been no definitive word, of course, no answer from Hamas, but they are saying they
will answer soon. Mr. Trump has been waiting since Monday, if you remember, for the Hamas response to his peace plan. It was unveiled alongside Israeli
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House. Mr. Netanyahu has publicly backed the plan, but his cabinet hasn't voted on it yet.
Our Jeremy Diamond has the very latest for you from Tel Aviv.
JEREMY DIAMOND, CNN INTERNATIONAL JERUSALEM CORRESPONDENT: President Trump has just given Hamas a new ultimatum, telling them that they have until
6:00 pm.. Eastern time on Sunday to reach an agreement with Israel for a ceasefire that would lead to an end of the war in Gaza. This comes just
days after President Trump gave Hamas three to four days to respond to his new 20-point plan to end the war in Gaza.
And now he has basically upped the ante, changing it from three to four days for a response to an agreement must be reached by 6:00 p.m. Eastern
time on Sunday. That would be around 1:00 a.m. on Monday morning here in Israel or in Doha, Qatar, where we know that Hamas's chief negotiators are
located. And this adds a ton more pressure to an already pressure-filled situation to try and get Hamas to agree to the terms of this 20-point plan.
Previously, we had been told that there would likely be negotiations off of this 20-point plan. This was the understanding of many of the Arab
countries involved in this including the key mediators Qatar and Egypt. A source involved with the U.S. plan also told me that they the United States
understood that there would be negotiations here although they specified that they would not allow for protracted drawn-out negotiations. Well,
President Trump has just come into the equation and basically short- circuited that process altogether, giving a very, very short timeline for Hamas to not only respond to this plan but for any kind of negotiations
that would need to happen back and forth in the wake of that to actually reach a successful conclusion.
Our understanding is that Hamas is likely to respond with requesting some changes. It's unlikely to be a kind of straight yes or no answer to this
20-point plan, which would likely mean that you would need some time for negotiations. But once again, it seems that President Trump is short-
circuiting that process.
We also see that in this Truth Social post, President Trump is making quite clear what the alternative would be here, saying that if Hamas rejects this
proposal then "all hell will break out against Hamas." The President has previously said that if Hamas rejects this proposal he would give basically
a blank check to Israel to continue and perhaps even intensify its military operations inside of the Gaza Strip where we know, of course, that many of
those who are bearing the consequences of those military actions are indeed Palestinian civilians.
In this post, the President says that he is asking all innocent Palestinians to immediately leave this area of quote potentially great
future death for safer parts of Gaza. Of course, what we have found out over the course of two years of war is that no part of Gaza is truly safe.
Jeremy Diamond, CNN, Tel Aviv.
SOARES: And turning now to the synagogue attack in Manchester in England. Police there are saying that one of two people killed in Thursday's assault
was likely hit by police gunfire. And a third individual who was injured was also wounded by police gunfire. Officials say the officers were aiming
at the suspect but apparently hit two people huddled behind a door in the synagogue. The British Prime Minister was in Manchester today where he
praised law enforcement for their quick response. But a Jewish charity says the community is feeling increasingly targeted, as we hear from CNN's Nic
Robertson.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
KEIR STARMER, PRIME MINISTER, U.K.: You have to deal with things on the ground as they --
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR (voice-over): Prime Minister Keir Starmer in Manchester Friday after Thursday's deadly
synagogue attack promising better protection by police just as police announcing they had accidentally killed one of the congregation sheltering
behind the synagogue's doors, hit by a bullet fired at the attacker.
Firearms officers had surrounded the alleged attacker who was wearing a hoax bomb as he tried to break in through the synagogue's front door. They
shouted at him to stop, then shot him.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He's got a bomb.
[14:40:07]
ROBERTSON (voice-over): Josh, a local journalist, lives opposite the synagogue, witness the police response.
JOSH, LOCAL JOURNALIST: On one hand, I want to thank the police. They came extremely, extremely, extremely fast. But there must be lessons to be
learned.
ROBERTSON: In this community, Jews live side by side with Christians, with Muslims. It's middle-class, quietly aspirational. But all of that has hit a
speed bump now.
ROBERTSON (voice-over): Fault lines quietly ignored now seem like chasms.
JOSH: Keir Starmer said straight out, we need to put more security in the synagogue. I'm saying straight out to Keir. Keir, no, we don't need more
security. What we need is dialogue. What we need is projects for interfaith that people know about each other's faith.
ROBERTSON (voice-over): At a rain-drenched vigil, a sea of multi-faith sorrow first soothed by the attacked synagogue's rabbi remembering the two
men killed, 53-year-old Adrian Daulby and Melvin Cravitz 66 years old.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: My friends, my community members Adrian and Melvin died as Jews for being Jews. And so, I beg all of the Jewish community here to
please strengthen not your but the opposite, but strengthen your lives as Jews. The only way to defeat darkness, the only way to defeat unholiness is
with goodness.
ROBERTSON (voice-over): But the somber mood shifting to anger as the deputy prime minister took the mic.
DAVID LAMMY, DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER, U.K.: That is why we stand in defiance of those terrorists who seek to divide us, who want to pit neighbor against
neighbor, to weaken the bonds that bind us together as one nation, one people, one United Kingdom.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Please let the Deputy Prime Minister speak. Please.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Every Saturday --
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Please.
LAMMY: We cannot, we must not let them divide us.
ROBERTSON (voice-over): If rain alone could wash away the anger and heartache, Manchester would be on the road to recovery. Instead, the pain
is slowly soaking in, seeping into places no one wants it to go.
Nic Robertson, CNN, Manchester.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SOARES: And we'll be back on the other side.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[14:45:30]
SOARES: Welcome back, everyone. It's day three if you're counting of the U.S. government shutdown. A deadlocked Congress unable to reach a funding
deal. The stalemate will likely stretch into next week as Senate Democrats are expected to block a Republican-backed short-term funding bill again
today. And it is fueling increasing uncertainty about the U.S. economy. Hundreds of thousands of federal employees have already been furloughed.
But the White House is also warning, and we've been telling you this just in the last 24 hours, of mass firings which had come as early as today.
The shutdown has also resulted in a government data blackout including the critical monthly jobs report that was supposed of course to be released
today but is now delayed.
Richard Quest is here with me now. Let's talk through the implications. Good to see you, Richard.
RICHARD QUEST, CNN BUSINESS EDITOR-AT-LARGE: Thank you.
SOARES: I was looking at the Dow today. I think at one point it was up almost 600 points. Markets don't -- they don't really move to this, right?
QUEST: I cannot understand why the market is on such a frolic of its own other than the usual perverse reason that if the government shut down, they
can't be doing any damage, that Trump is going to make the government smaller, therefore that could arguably cost less money.
But the jobs number and the inflation, we are in the equivalent of driving down the road now sort of not quite sure because we can't really see where
we're going.
SOARES: Yes.
QUEST: It's as if all the instruments -- you see, private economists know roughly where we should be. They know from other data, but they don't know
the exact number for inflation or for jobs. And so, there's a lot of guessing going on at the moment. It's not disastrous now, but at a time
when the economy was very knife-edged on things like interest rate cuts for the future, jobs versus inflation, this is most unwelcome.
SOARES: And you know, we've heard the warning and the threats. Both sides clearly blame -- the blame game.
QUEST: Yes.
SOARES: But the question of cuts here in terms of workers, how critical is that? Because he -- Trump has been saying we're going to go after Democrats
projects in blue states. We're talking significant number of workers allegedly, right?
QUEST: Right. So, you've got two things. You've got the projects.
SOARES: Yes.
QUEST: And this is just straightforward miserable retribution, revenge. I'm going to cancel that bridge. I'm going to cancel that. I'm going to do
that. But then you've got the layoffs and the firings. Now, that will be with agencies. Agencies according to the administration that the Democrats
love. So, social agencies. And he's just going to go in there and fire thousands.
SOARES: Yes.
QUEST: Thousands upon thousands of people. He says it'll make the government more efficient. He says --
SOARES: Is that even legal? Is that even legal?
QUEST: Yes. Well, that's one of the -- well, it'll be challenged in the courts.
SOARES: Right.
QUEST: But most people serve at the pleasure of the president in many cases and they -- of course, it's going to be challenged. But as we've learned
from this Supreme Court, they are taking a very expansive view on executive unitary authority. I think -- I don't know what he's going to do in terms
of just how bad it's going to be. But what is true is that everything the Democrats said about Project 2025 is absolutely true.
SOARES: Do you think the Republicans are calling the Democrats bluff? Do you think that they will go ahead with this?
QUEST: Well, yes, absolutely.
SOARES: You think they will?
QUEST: Well, it's not Republicans. This is the administration.
SOARES: Yes, correct. Correct.
QUEST: Do I think the administration will do it? Yes. Yes.
SOARES: OK. And so, if this drags on, they don't reach any sort of consensus beyond the 35 days that we saw in the first administration, what
is the potential economic impact here?
QUEST: Serious because what will happen is we won't have data. There'll be an economic slowdown. The several million people who have worked for the
federal government will stop spending. In a weakening economy, it will get even weaker.
SOARES: Richard Quest, thank you very much. Richard will be back in what, an hour? An hour and 10 minutes or so. Thank you very much, Richard.
And still to come tonight, for the first time in its nearly 1,400-year history, the Church of England appoints a woman at Archbishop of
Canterbury. We'll bring you that story next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[14:52:03]
SOARES: Welcome back, everyone. Here in the U.K., Sarah Mullally has been appointed the new Archbishop of Canterbury, becoming the first woman to
hold the top clerical spot in the Church of England. She becomes the spiritual leader of 85 million Anglicans worldwide. Our Vatican
Correspondent Christopher Lamb has more on the story for you.
CHRISTOPHER LAMB, CNN VATICAN CORRESPONDENT: Well, the appointment of the first female Archbishop of Canterbury breaks a glass ceiling in the Church
of England. Bishop Sarah Mullally is the first woman to be the Archbishop of Canterbury in the 1,400-year history of the role.
Now, as Archbishop, she will lead the Church of England and be the spiritual leader of the worldwide Anglican Communion of 85 million members,
which includes the Episcopal Church in the United States. Bishop Sarah Mullally is known as an able administrator, a conciliator, someone who can
bring different groups together in the church. Before ordination, she had a senior position in the NHS. She was the former Chief Nursing Officer in
England in Britain's healthcare system. And then she went on to be ordained in the Church of England and serve in various parishes and most recently
was leading the Diocese of London.
She, of course, takes over the Church of England leadership at a time when the church is facing heavy scrutiny and criticism for its handling of
sexual abuse. Archbishop Justin Welby, her predecessor, resigned last year after criticism of his handling of an abuse case.
Bishop Sarah Mullaly today said that she would be listening to survivors and that it was right that everyone in the church, regardless of their
position, has a light shone on how they have dealt with these abuse cases.
Archbishop-designate Sarah Mullally will take over in her post next year. The appointment of course of a -- of the first woman Archbishop of
Canterbury has ramifications not just in the Church of England but more broadly say in the Catholic Church where women are barred from ordination
but where there's debate about the role of women.
Bishop Sarah today pledged to be a shepherd to those everyone in the church regardless of their tradition. Of course, there are those who don't accept
female ordination in the Church of England. She pledged to be a leader for everyone in her opening remarks at Canterbury Cathedral, the first female
Archbishop of Canterbury, Bishop Sarah Mullally, a historic moment for the Church of England.
Christopher Lamb, CNN, London.
SOARES: And let me show you some images coming to us straight from Barcelona. Bring those up. Huge scenes are being told after a day of huge,
largely peaceful protests that we have. Let me see if we can hear. Do we have sound on these?
[14:55:11]
And this is, what, it's almost 9:00 p.m. there in Barcelona. Thousands of Spaniards furious over Israel's interception of the aid flotilla to Gaza.
Of course, we have seen protests not just in Spain, but we've also seen protests across Italy. An estimated 200,000 Italians were protesting across
Italy as well. We've seen protests from Rome to stumble to Athens to Buenos Aeres.
At the heart of it, of course, is the fact that Israeli forces have intercepted in the last 24 hours an international flotilla carrying
activists seeking to break Israel's blockade of the Palestinian territory. The global summit flotilla was carrying they said a symbolic amount of
humanitarian aid, but they were intercepted. Of course, protest now across Barcelona as a result. On Wednesday, the Israeli military, of course,
intercepting it. We'll wait to find out what comes out of that.
That does it for us for this hour. Thank you very much for your company. It has been a very busy day. Do stay right here though with "WHAT WE KNOW."
Max Foster is up next. Have a wonderful weekend. I'll see you on Monday.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
END
