Return to Transcripts main page
One World with Zain Asher
Trump Addresses World Leaders at U.N. General Assembly; Trump: Recognizing Palestinian State would Reward Hamas; Disney: "Jimmy Kimmel Live!' Returns to Air Tonight; Trump Addresses World Leaders at U.N.; CNN Goes Inside Goma after Trump's DRC-Rwanda Peace Deal; Hurricane Gabrielle Explodes into a Category 4. Aired 11a-12p ET
Aired September 23, 2025 - 11:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[11:00:00]
But also in the past, Brazil, can you believe this unfairly tariffed our nation, but now, because of our tariffs, we are hitting them back, and
we're hitting them back very hard. As president, I will always defend our national sovereignty and the rights of American citizens. So, I'm very
sorry to say this that Brazil is doing poorly and will continue to do poorly.
They can only do well when they're working with us, without us, they will fail just as others have failed. It's true. Next year, the United States
will celebrate the 250th anniversary of our glorious independence, a testament to enduring power in American freedom and spirit. We will also be
proudly hosting the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
And shortly thereafter, the 2028 Olympics. It's going to be very exciting. I hope you all come. I hope that countless people from all over the globe
will take part of these great -- these will be great celebrations of liberty and human achievement. And that together, we all can rejoice in the
miracles of history that began in July 4, 1776, when we founded the light to all nations.
And it's something really that an amazing thing came out of that date. It's called the United States of America. In honor of this momentous
anniversary, I hope that all countries who find inspiration in our example will join us in renewing our commitment values, and those values, really
that we hold so dear together.
Let us defend free speech and free expression. Let us protect religious liberty, including for the most persecuted religion on the planet today,
it's called Christianity. And let us safeguard our sovereignty and cherish qualities that have made each of our nation so special, incredible and
extraordinary.
In closing, I just want to repeat that immigration and the high cost of so called green renewable energy is destroying a large part of the free world
and a large part of our planet. Countries that cherish freedom are fading fast because of their policies on these two subjects.
You need strong borders and traditional energy sources if you are going to be great again, whether you have come from north or south, east or west,
near or far, every leader in this beautiful hall today represents a rich culture, a noble history and a proud heritage that makes each nation
majestic and unique, unlike anything else in human history or any other place on the face of the earth.
From London to Lima, from Rome to Athens, from Paris to Seoul, from Cairo to Tokyo and Amsterdam to right here in New York City, we stand on the
shoulders of the leaders and legends, generals and giants, heroes and Titans, who won and built our beloved nations, all of our nations, with
their own courage, strength, spirit and skill.
Our ancestors climbed to mountains, conquered oceans, crossed deserts and trekked over wide open plains. They charged into thunderous battles,
plunged into grave dangers, and they were soldiers and farmers and workers and warriors and explorers and patriots. They built towns into cities,
tribes into kingdoms, ideas into industries and small islands into mighty empires, you're a part of all of that.
They were champions for their people who never gave up and who never ever gave in. Their values defined our national identities. Their visions forged
our magnificent destiny. Everybody in this room is a part of it in your own way. Each of us inherits the deeds and the myths, the triumphs, the
legacies of our own heroes and founders who so bravely showed us the way.
Our ancestors gave everything for homelands that they defended with pride, with sweat, with blood, with life and with death. Now the righteous task of
protecting the nations that they built belongs to each and every one of us. So together, let us uphold our sacred duty to our people and to our
citizens.
Let us protect their borders, ensure their safety, preserve their cultures, treasure and traditions, and fight, fight, fight for their precious dreams
and their cherished freedoms and in friendship and really a beautiful vision.
[11:05:00]
Let us all work together to build a bright, beautiful planet. A planet that we all share, a planet of peace, in a world that is richer, better and more
beautiful than ever before, that can happen. It will happen. It will happen, and I hope it can happen. And start right now, right at this
moment, we'll turn it around.
We're going to make our countries better, safer, more beautiful. We're going to take care of our people. Thank you very much. It's been an honor.
God bless the nations of the world. Thank you very much. Bye.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: On behalf of the assembly, I wish to thank --
ZAIN ASHER, CNN HOST, ONE WORLD: All right. You've just been listening to President Donald Trump address the 80th United Nations General Assembly. He
spoke for about an hour. It started off with somewhat of a light hearted moment where the president essentially made fun of the U.N. because the
teleprompter wasn't working.
He read from his notes that he had printed out, but then halfway through, the teleprompter did start working again. But he also really attacked the
U.N. heavily during the first few minutes of his speech, saying that during his first term he had worked heavily and very hard to keep the world safe,
to make it peaceful, and that the U.N. did not assist in that at all.
He talked about the war in Gaza, saying that a ceasefire needs to be had as soon as possible, that there does need to be an end to the war in Gaza, but
he did blame Hamas for the ongoing atrocities, and of course, saying that they cannot be rewarded for October 7th. He talked about the issue of
Palestinian statehood, saying that you have all these European countries who are moving to recognize a Palestinian state, and that only rewards
Hamas.
And then he did also talk about the war in Ukraine, saying that he thought that the war in Ukraine would be an easy one to end because of his
relationship with Vladimir Putin. But again, he sorts of poked fun of Vladimir Putin saying that this war should have been over in a week or so,
and here we are still three years later.
I want to go straight now to Nic Robertson joining us live now from London. So Nic, just give us some more context as to what the president said, some
of the highlights in terms of what he hits on, especially as it pertains to the war in Gaza.
He talked about the need for a ceasefire, but then did say that the idea that you had so many countries moving to recognize a Palestinian state was
a mistake, because that only does reward Hamas, essentially echoing what Netanyahu has been saying as well.
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR: Yeah, it was sort of surprising to me that, given that the speech lasted, as you say, almost an
hour. I got it on my clock here at about 56 minutes, and each speaker was given 15 minutes to speak. I don't know if President Trump got a special
dispensation, but I think we can estimate that it's going to be longer than anyone else will be speaking at the U.N. General Assembly.
I was surprised he didn't go into more detail on Gaza, and perhaps that is because he will be having a more detailed meeting with Arab leaders a bit
later. Perhaps doesn't want to box himself in, but he was very clear on his position, and certainly not backing away in his support for Israel at the
moment and putting his position very clearly, as you said, that he stands against the recognition of the Palestinian state.
That's the majority position in the room he was speaking. But I don't think the president was worried that his speech didn't perhaps fall in line with
what the majority in the room were feeling. This was a speech where the president started off speaking about, you know, America first, laying out
how great America is at the moment.
How well he has done it, chastising the U.N. for his international works, as he said, of bringing seven wars to conclusion that there was no phone
call, no thanks, no help from the U.N. But when we had heard just before Antonio Guterres, we had heard just before, Annalena Baerbock, talking
about the need for money, the need for support for the U.N. the need for green energy, the need to be aware of climate change and all these things.
President Trump stood there and spoke in completely the opposite direction. Climate change a hoax. Green Energy is only more expensive. It's a hoax,
talking about, you know, things we've heard him speak about before immigration, picking on the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, accusing him, or
implicitly accusing him of wanting Sharia law in the UK.
At least, that's how it sounded, as if he was putting connecting those two thoughts. It's not a thing here in London. It's not a thing here in the UK.
So, there were real moments there where we heard pure Donald Trump's thoughts. And clearly, even though the prompter was back on, he was
speaking off the cuff.
[11:10:00]
We sort of heard him get back on to the prompter at the end, with some really eloquent language and pushing forward, inviting everyone to come to
the United States for various events next year. Not least, you know, 200 years after American independence, speaking about that, and even offering
to sell countries around the world.
You know, energy supplies for the United States, of which he says the United States has a lot. So, it was really the projection of his vision of
America, how well he is doing, his vision and projection of what he thinks the world's priorities should be, and an offering to sell the United States
goods to the world.
It was in many ways, a salesman speech. Not sure how many people were buying, but it was interesting. You're right at the beginning people did
laugh about his jokes. Wait till I get my hands on the teleprompter operator. And if you go back 2018, sorry, just land the point. If you go
back to 2018 when he bragged about how well he was doing, that audience laughed at him.
Well, he doubled down this time about how well he was doing at home, overseas. And he even got laughs that were laughs at his jokes, rather than
they were laughing with him and not at him.
ASHER: Yeah, we saw a quintessential Donald Trump. I mean, he obviously the light hearted moment at the beginning where he made follow the teleprompter
not working, but then he went into the more serious stuff and began to attack the very body where he was actually addressing typical Trump style.
Nic Robertson, live for us there. Thank you so much. All right. President Trump calls the momentum for a two-state solution as a quote reward for
Hamas. This as a wave of countries recognized Palestinian statehood. The U.N. Security Council will meet on Gaza in about two hours from now.
This comes a day after France joined the UK, Canada, Australia and other nations in formally recognizing the State of Palestine. That's more than
150 nations, the overwhelming majorities of the U.N.'s 193 member states. The symbolic milestone does not change the grim reality on the ground in
Gaza, where Israel is pushing deeper into Gaza City.
Tanks are moving into multiple neighborhoods in the densely populated enclave, and drones and attack helicopters are hovering in the skies above.
Residents are reporting heavy shelling and explosions. Let's take a closer look at the historic shift towards Palestinian statehood and the situation
in Gaza. Fawaz Gerges joins us live now.
He's a Professor of International Relations at the London School of Economics. He's also an author, among his books, "The Great Betrayal, The
Struggle for Freedom and Democracy in the Middle East". Fawaz, before I begin, did you manage to watch Donald Trump's delivery there at the U.N.
Yes, OK, of course you did.
FAWAZ GERGES, PROFESSOR OF INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS AT THE LONDON SCHOOL OF ECONOMICS: I did --
ASHER: OK. So just in terms of what he said about Palestinian statehood, I mean, he said essentially what we expected him to say that, yes, of course,
and he's echoed this in the past, that the war in Gaza needs to come to an end, but he didn't blame Israel for any of that.
He focused the blame squarely on Hamas in all of this, and also talked about the fact that any kind of recognition of Palestinian statehood is
only a reward for Hamas. What do you make of what the president said there?
GERGES: Well, I mean, he repeated his position, which is really an Israeli talking points, blaming Hamas for the continuation of war in Gaza, even
though Hamas has made it very clear. It's willing to release all the hostages in return for the end of the war.
It was Benjamin Netanyahu, according to the families of the hostages, who have made it very clear that Benjamin Netanyahu is the greatest obstacle to
the release of the Israeli hostages. It was Benjamin Netanyahu attacked Qatar, the leading mediator for the return of the hostages, and trying to
kill the entire team of Hamas, political leaders with whom he really was negotiating.
It is Benjamin Netanyahu does not really want to end the war, not Hamas, even though Hamas should return the hostage, should not have taken the
hostage in the first place. And secondly, Donald Trump had nothing to say about Israel's escalation of the war in Gaza City.
You have 600 between 600 and 700,000 Palestinians who are being battered as you and I talk. Literally, Gaza is burning, according to the Israeli
Defense Minister. Starvation in Gaza and famine in Gaza was confirmed by independent commission of the United Nations.
[11:15:00]
And yet he says, you know the entire more than 150 states, he said, this is a reward for Hamas. In fact, the reverse is true. This is not a reward for
Hamas. In fact, this is a ray of hope for the Palestinian people that the world hears their cries and their aspiration for self-determination.
Here is my question to your audience, what is the alternative to a Palestinian state? The alternative to a Palestinian state is a Forever War.
Israel will be engaged in a permanent war, not only against the Palestinians, but against its neighborhood. Yet the president did not
really say a word about Palestinian self-determination, Israeli military occupation.
And a final point on this question, the reason why most of the closest allies of the United States, the closest allies Canada, Australia, the
United Kingdom, France, Norway, Belgium, Spain, recognize a Palestinian state because they lost confidence in President Trump's role as a
peacemaker.
They realized that Donald Trump fully sided with Benjamin Netanyahu and has given Benjamin Netanyahu a green light to escalate the war and quote,
unquote, finish the mission in Gaza. So, all in all, the speech really was not about gas. The speech was, it was an angry speech.
He bashed the United Nations, he bashed the world, and it's all about vintage Donald Trump. I am the greatest. I have brought the golden age to
America. I have made America the hottest country, and, of course, his traditional grievances against immigration and, of course, against
alternative energy.
So, all in all, really, there was nothing of any consequence in what President Trump says about either the war in Gaza or about the famine and
the starvation that the Palestinian people have been suffering for the past almost two years.
ASHER: Yeah, I mean, he mentioned loosely that the war in Gaza needs to end, that the war needs to stop. But obviously he didn't get into detail
about the suffering, the ongoing suffering, of the Palestinian people, especially as the IDF moves into Gaza City, and the humanitarian crisis
that is worsening on the ground there, but it just in terms of where things go from here.
I mean, obviously you have a lot of European countries moving to recognize a Palestinian state, largely a symbolic gesture. It's obviously not going
to change much on the ground, but as long as you have the U.S. President not willing to hold Israel accountable and only holding Hamas accountable.
As long as there is no movement on that front, what can change for ordinary Palestinians? So, I think many of us will agree continue to suffer
needlessly through all of this.
GERGES: Well, I mean, of course, what we have seen in the past few weeks, the recognition of a Palestinian state by most of the Western powers, by
most, with the exception of Germany and Italy and the United States and few Baltic States, is really historical. It's a landmark. It tells you that the
world is standing up.
It tells you that the world realizes that Benjamin Netanyahu is running the clock, trying to create a fair complaint in the occupied Palestinian
territories and basically destroy the prospects of the principle of a two- state solution. So, this is really is as much about Israel and the United States as it is about Israel itself.
But sadly, and tragically important as it is, the decision by the Western nations and more than 150 states will not really basically alleviate the
suffering of Palestinians, either in Gaza or in the West Bank itself. Benjamin Netanyahu and his government, they listened to one man, one
person, and that's Donald Trump.
Donald Trump is the only person in the world who could really bring this war to an end if he really wants a Nobel Prize, if you're really serious
about this ending the war in Gaza is his really ticket to winning the Nobel Prize, Peace Prize, but the reality is, Benjamin Netanyahu has made it very
clear.
He has a green light from President Trump, and President Trump wants to turn Gaza into the Riviera of the Middle East. He's also given horrible
ideas to Benjamin Netanyahu and his extremist coalition. What's happening in Gaza now is really extremely, extremely serious and dangerous.
What Benjamin Netanyahu and his coalition are trying to do, the famine, the starvation, the escalation of the war, is really ethnic cleansing of Gaza,
and they're trying to resettle Gaza.
[11:20:00]
And just last week for your audience, to remind your audience an independent commission, international commission, if the United Nations
confirm that Israel cared a genocide in Gaza. So, what Netanyahu and his government are trying to do by ethnic cleansing the Palestinians from Gaza
by building as many settlements as possible in the West Bank and East Jerusalem.
They're trying to bury the very idea of a Palestinian state, as one minister in the Benjamin Netanyahu has made it very clear. And Donald Trump
seems to have given the green light for Benjamin Netanyahu to finish the mission in Gaza. And probably to annex most of the West Bank in the next
few days under the pretax that the European nations, the Western nations, recognize the State of Palestine.
ASHER: Right. Fawaz Gerges live for us there. Thank you so much for your thoughts. Right, still to come here on "One World", Jimmy Kimmel returns to
late night television, but only on some stations. Will have details after the break.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ASHER: All right, in about 12 hours from now, late night host Jimmy Kimmel will be back on TV. He's expected to address being taken off the air. ABC
temporarily suspended his show last week after threats from an FCC Trump appointed Brendan Carr.
All of it triggered by Kimmel's comments on Right-wing Activist Charlie Kirk's death that ignited a free speech debate, prompting protests against
ABC and parent company Disney, as well as Civil Liberties Union letters signed by Hollywood A-listers. Kimmel's fans welcomed the reversal,
including his competition.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
STEPHEN COLBERT, HOST OF "THE LATE SHOW": Well, just a few hours before we tape this broadcast, we got word that our long national late nightmare is
over, because Disney announced that "Jimmy Kimmel Live" will return to air on ABC tomorrow, Tuesday night. Once more, I am the only martyr in late
night.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ASHER: Joining us live now is CNN Media Analyst and Media Reporter for "AXIOS", Sara Fischer. So, let's talk about the timing of this, because it
was a really sort of quick suspension for Jimmy Kimmel. How much of this comes down to dollars? I mean, the money that Disney was losing, especially
when you had ordinary consumers canceling their subscriptions.
[11:25:00]
SARA FISCHER, CNN MEDIA ANALYST: You know, it's interesting. They did face some shortages. In terms of their stock went down. There were threats to
cancel subscriptions. But I don't think that's ultimately what made Disney move. I think what made Disney move was the groundswell of Republicans that
came out against Chairman Carr saying that it's not right for a government official, the FCC Chair, to pressure local broadcasters to cancel or to
preempt a program.
I think that change in attitude is really what got Disney to feel comfortable with going against the grain. What made Disney, I think,
skeptical at first with Kimmel, was that a bunch of local affiliates, Nexstar, Sinclair, these are companies that want to eventually do deals
that need regulatory approval.
They yanked the program. And Disney, I think, felt as though the whole entire sort of Republican Conservative Party was going against them. They
didn't want that. In the days, since you had Rand Paul, you had Senator Ted Cruz, you had a bunch of conservative media personalities saying, hey, we
don't agree with what happened here.
I think that's what ultimately empowered Disney to bring him back, as well as the fact that they actually had a few days to go over what a response
would be with Kimmel. You know, Kimmel wanted to come out and address the situation right away. I think Disney thought it would be too soon.
Now that the dust has settled, the memorial service is over, I think they feel more comfortable.
ASHER: And what's interesting, and I think you hinted at this, is that he's not going to necessarily be appearing on all ABC stations. There's going to
be quite a bit that are essentially boycotting and using the opportunity to show news program, news programming instead.
And then one other question I had for you, if I could fold them into one question, is this idea that how much of a short-term ratings boost do you
think Jimmy Kimmel is going to see when he returns?
FISCHER: Oh, have a huge boost, because people will be tuning in to see what he has to say in response, it will go viral. It will be all over
social media we've seen with these types of things. It doesn't typically last. He'll go back to having sort of his regularly scheduled program and
ratings rather soon.
To your point about local affiliates not taking the program. How it works in the United States is you have national broadcast companies like an ABC
or an NBC or CBS. They provide programming that local broadcasters can syndicate. Those local broadcasters, if you think about the big ones the
United States, they're Nexstar, they're Sinclair, Tegna, Gray, a few others.
They can decide whether or not they want to carry the program that they pay for that they license from the big broadcasters. The two broadcasters,
Nexstar and Sinclair, that have decided they are not going to show Jimmy Kimmel's return tonight. It's important to note, both of them are trying to
get big deals approved with the FCC.
Nexstar announced a landmark $6.2 billion merger with Tegna a few weeks ago. And Sinclair has said that it's trying to actually divest its local
broadcast stations. So, you can see why they feel pressure to continue to follow the lead of Chairman Carr, to get their deals done during this
environment.
And I think that's where a lot of folks are concerned, that government sort of pressure here for political purposes is intervening with free market
capitalism.
ASHER: Right, Sara Fischer live for us thank you. Right, up next, we'll have much more on Donald Trump's fiery address to world leaders at the U.N.
Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[11:30:00]
ASHER: All right. Welcome back to "One World". I'm Zain Asher New York. Here are some international headlines we are watching today. U.S. President
Donald Trump just wrapped up his speech at the U.N. General Assembly. He began by criticizing the United Nations and its role in the world, and
criticized the global body for what he calls uncontrolled migration.
Trump also touted his foreign policy achievements and claimed credit for ending seven wars since his term began. Israeli forces are pushing deeper
towards the more populated areas of Gaza City, a day after dozens of world leaders gathered in the United Nations to embrace a Palestinian state.
The landmark diplomatic shift comes nearly two years into Israel's war with Hamas. U.N. Security Council will meet in less than a couple of hours to
talk about Gaza. Also, the U.N. General Assembly, Trump is set to sit down with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Trump spoke about Russia's war on Ukraine during his address and dress down European nations for continuing to buy Russian oil and gas. He declared he
wouldn't move on punishing Moscow further until they stopped buying. And late-night host Jimmy Kimmel returns to TV screens tonight after being off
the air for nearly a week.
Parent company Disney for the show following his comments after the death of Right-wing Activist Charlie Kirk and pressure from a Trump appointee on
the FCC, the agency that grants broadcast licenses. It sparked a national debate on free speech. Right, returning now to our top story, Donald Trump
his address to the United Nations.
In his speech, the President said that a recognition of a Palestinian state would be a reward for Hamas and warned that countries are being ruined by
open borders. Trump also repeated his assertion that he ended multiple wars while strongly criticizing the U.N. over its peace efforts.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: No president or prime minister, and for that matter, no other country has ever done
anything close to that, and I did it in just seven months. It's never happened before. There's never been anything like that.
Very honored to have done it. It's too bad that I had to do these things instead of the United Nations doing them. And sadly, in all cases, the
United Nations did not even try to help in any of them. I ended seven wars, dealt with the leaders of each and every one of these countries, and never
even received a phone call from the United Nations offering to help in finalizing the deal.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ASHER: Right. Let's bring in CNN's Jim Sciutto, joining us live now from the U.N. So, Jim the cameras sort of showed Volodymyr Zelenskyy watching
Donald Trump's speech intently, especially when he talked about how he thought that ending the war with Ukraine was going to be a quick one.
It was going to be a breeze. But then, of course, despite his relationship with Vladimir Putin, it was obviously much more complicated than that. He
also poked fun of Vladimir Putin, saying, listen, you know, you guys should have really ended this war in a week or so.
It should have taken you days to take over Ukraine. But, of course, here we are three years later. Just give us your take on what Zelenskyy would have
made of the speech.
JIM SCIUTTO, CNN CHIEF U.S. SECURITY ANALYST: Yeah. Well, President Trump didn't say anything new, right? I mean, he criticized Putin saying the war
doesn't make you look good. Doesn't make Russia look good. But he again repeated his condition for applying these new economic penalties that Trump
himself has raised for months now, you know, often pushing back his own deadline of a week or two weeks.
[11:35:00]
Now saying that what has to happen first is that Europe has to stop buying Russian oil. Now, listen, that's an understandable demand, but to be clear,
it is three countries in Europe, all of which the leaders of which have good relationships with Trump, Hungary, Slovakia and Turkey.
That are the leaders in buying Russian oil, Trump presumably could apply pressure on them to stop doing so, but remember, that's a new condition in
recent weeks, because Trump himself had vowed severe consequences for Russia if it didn't agree to a ceasefire, he showed himself willing to
impose severe consequences on Ukraine quite some time ago, suspending, for instance, U.S. intelligence cooperation.
He has yet shown no willingness to do so. So, from the Ukrainian leader's perspective, he didn't hear anything bad from the president regarding the
war, but, but he certainly didn't hear any new promises. I do think that over time, at least in his public statements, Trump's patience seems to be
running thin with the Russian leader, but in terms of his urgency in imposing new pressure, we just haven't seen that happen yet.
ASHER: All right. Jim Sciutto, live for us there. Thank you. Donald Trump also used his U.N. speech to criticize global climate efforts and derived
what he called the quote, green energy scam.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: It's the greatest con job ever perpetrated on the world in my opinion. Climate change, no matter what happens you're involved in that no
more global warming, no more global cooling, all of these predictions made by the United Nations and many others, often for bad reasons. We're all.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ASHER: Right, let's bring in Joe Romm, Senior Research Fellow at the Penn Center for Science Sustainability and Media. He's also the Former Acting
Assistant Secretary of Energy. Joe, thank you so much for being with us. So, Donald Trump called climate change the greatest con job ever.
And obviously he talks about green energy initiatives being a scam, not just a scam, but described them as extremely harmful, costly, damaging and
failing. What did you make of what the president said there?
JOE ROMM, SENIOR RESEARCH FELLOW AT PCSSM: Well, you know, these statements are completely untrue. First of all, there's few things more rock solid
than the fact that human emissions, greenhouse gasses, carbon dioxide from burning fossil fuels, acts like a heat trapping blanket and warms up the
planet.
And in fact, just last week, the National Academy of Sciences, the body that was set up by Abraham Lincoln to adjudicate and advise the country on
scientific matters said it is beyond scientific dispute that climate change caused by humans harms public health. So, you know, that's just as close
to, you know, a fact as we have in the world.
You know, as for clean energy, it is the cheapest form of energy, solar and wind. Solar power has come down by a factor of 10 in just the past decade,
and a factor of 100 over the last, you know, just this century. So, it is now the cheapest and everywhere in the world. Solar and wind are the
fastest growing forms of energy.
ASHER: How much does the president's comments, his dismissive comments, when it comes to climate change? How much is that weaken momentum to
provide climate finance or support to vulnerable countries?
ROMM: Well, I think that it certainly damages our reputation in the world, because the rest of the world, you know, accepts and believes and
understands science and by the way, just looks out the window, right? The last 10 years have been the 10 hottest years on record, right?
I think we've all seen the extreme weather from floods around the country, around the world, the L.A. fires, these brutal heat waves, you know, the
droughts, the floods. So, you know, when the president says something that is complete, the opposite of not only scientific reality, but everyone's
lived experience.
You know, I think it just undermines our credibility. The rest of the world continues along, understanding that clean energy is going to be one of the
biggest jobs creating manufacturing sectors in the world, and that's why countries like China are rapidly, you know, seizing the leadership.
And unfortunately, you know, we're going back backwards. And one of the tragic results is that when you stop doing the cheapest form of
electricity, you see Americans rising electricity rates as a result of the policies of this administration, and I think people are very frustrated
with these rising electricity rates.
ASHER: You know obviously, the president, by addressing the UNGA is addressing the world. It's an international body.
[11:40:00]
ROMM: Yeah.
ASHER: But when it comes to the perception about climate change in the United States at least 50 percent roughly around 50 percent of the country
believes what the president is saying here. So how does that impact when you have at least half the country who are with you saying, yes, climate
change is a hoax.
It is a con job. Green Energy is a scam. What impact does that have on public trust in science?
ROMM: Well, there's no question, it undermines it, you know, the president makes, he -- you know, things have become so politicized that basic
scientific facts, like, you know, greenhouse gasses act like a greenhouse and warm up the planet, right? This has been known for literally centuries.
You know, it is really beyond dispute. So, when the president disputes that, yeah, it does undermine faith in science, and ultimately that is to
everyone's detriment, because science, and you know, scientific technology is what has made this country great, right? We are the leaders in all forms
of technology.
And you know, when you cut funding for science, and you actually cause scientists to flee for to other countries. And, of course, the top
engineers who would like to work on the most important industry of the present and the future, which is clean energy, right? They just go to other
countries. It's just undermining the economic and health of all Americans.
ASHER: Right. Joe Romm, thank you so much appreciate it. We'll right back with more after the short break.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ASHER: Right in his U.N. address last hour, U.S. President Donald Trump, once again claimed to have settled the conflict between Rwanda and the
Democratic Republic of Congo. Washington hosted the foreign ministers of both nations back in June to sign a peace deal and aim to end decades of
conflicts following the 1994 Rwandan Genocide, which killed an estimated 6 million people.
The peace deal came in the wake of a power shift at the start of 2025, when a rebel group known as M23 allegedly backed by Rwanda, took control of two
major cities in Eastern DRC. Despite the signing, many armed groups are still fighting, as CNN Larry Madowo explains in this exclusive report from
rebel held Goma, but first a warning. The following story contains disturbing images.
[11:45:00]
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
LARRY MADOWO, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): In the Democratic Republic of Congo a militia -- its new army on graduation day. These men are said to be
former Congolese army soldiers who lay down their arms during fierce battles for the DRC's largest eastern cities of Goma and Bukavu. The man
watching over them is Corneille Nangaa, the leader of the Congo River Alliance, which includes the M23 rebel group, allegedly backed by Rwanda.
The White House brokered a peace deal between the DRC and Rwanda in June, and these rebels are still fighting. Rather than peace, this former
election chief says he plans to take his soldiers to the capital, Kinshasa, to overthrow DRC President Felix Tshisekedi.
CORNEILLE NANGAA, AFC-M23 POLITICAL LEADER: Our aim is to go to Kinshasa. We are going to go with our Congolese people. We are Congolese. We don't
benefit anything from Rwanda, and we don't need it.
MADOWO (voice-over): CNN traveled to Goma in Eastern DRC to interview the M23 leader amid fresh accusations of severe human rights abuses and war
crimes leveled against all sides, but especially at M23.
VOLKER TURK, U.N. HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR HUMAN RIGHTS: My team confirmed that the M23 committed widespread torture and other mistreatment, including
sexual violence against detainees.
NANGAA: These are the liars. Fake reports. There's no truth in that.
MADOWO: You don't agree with Human Rights Watch and the U.N. --
NANGAA: I don't agree. I reject all those reports, because they are propaganda from Kinshasa, and they are being paid for that.
MADOWO (voice-over): The Eastern DRC, which shares a border with Rwanda, has been mired in conflict for more than 30 years, since the Rwandan
genocide. It is one of the most complex and protracted crises in the world, stemming from colonial era border disputes, ethnic tensions, and fought
over its large deposits of minerals that are crucial to 21st century technology.
M23 has grabbed territory where the world's largest reserves of Colton are located, critical to the production of electronics, from cell phones to
electric vehicles. The Rwandan government denies backing M23 though U.N. experts and much of the international community believe Rwanda supports the
rebels.
M23 first sees Goma in 2012 and this January took it again. This time, the rebels say they will not withdraw so easily.
MADOWO: Would you accept a peace deal that requires you to withdraw from these areas you currently control?
NANGAA: When we address the root causes of the crisis, then we drop everything, and everything is done.
MADOWO: President Trump said that they are getting minerals as part of this deal.
NANGAA: Tshisekedi doesn't have any mining sites.
MADOWO: So, President Tshisekedi has no minerals to give.
NANGAA: He doesn't have it. He's a crook.
MADOWO: Are you suggesting that President Tshisekedi is manipulating President Trump with minerals?
NANGAA: This is what he's trying to do.
MADOWO: Will it succeed?
NANGAA: I don't know.
MADOWO (voice-over): Goma International Airport has been closed since M23 took over. They accused Congolese troops of leaving behind mines and booby
traps.
MADOWO: One of M23's biggest trophies is this Russian manufactured fighter jet, which they say they took over as a Congolese army fled this city that
fighter jet is used to fly these rocket heads, and you see, some of them have been used. Some are still active, all abandoned as the city was
getting liberated, according to the M23.
MADOWO (voice-over): Caught in the crossfires of power struggles and violence are vulnerable women and children, 25-year-old Muhawenimana
Rachel, along with her four young children, are some of the thousands that have been sent over recent months from the DRC to Rwanda.
MUHAWENIMANA RACHEL, DISPLACED PERSON: I'm happy to be back home, even though I'm coming back to a place I don't even know because I was born in
Congo.
MADOWO: The M23 tell us they are family members of Rwandan rebels who operate in the Eastern DRC and who try to overthrow the government of
Rwanda. They're being repatriated, but Human Rights groups say some of this repatriation is not voluntary, they have to leave.
MADOWO (voice-over): On the streets of Goma, life has largely returned to normal since January's fighting. At this busy market, people declined to
speak on camera for fear of being targeted. 28 million people, nearly a quarter of the population in DRC, required urgent food assistance as of
mid-2025 according to the World Food Program.
It told CNN, the escalation of violence following the M23 takeover of Goma and Bukavu has quote, severely disrupted humanitarian operations.
[11:50:00]
Children have returned to class for the start of a new school year. But life remains difficult, with teachers earning just $100 a month. The sound
of gunfire may have come in Goma, but lasting peace still seems a long way off. M23 are so far not even party to the White House agreement.
NANGAA: The root causes of the conflict are not discussed in Washington.
MADOWO: Will you recognize any peace deal signed at the White House?
NANGAA: I don't recognize the Tshisekedi regime. So, whatever he signed, I'm not concerned. He is illegitimate. He cannot represent DRC. So,
whatever they sign over there. In so far as we are not part of it. We don't care. I don't recognize it.
MADOWO (voice-over): M23 consider themselves revolutionaries, not rebels, and it seems even U.S. negotiated peace agreements won't stop them. Larry
Madowo, CNN, Goma.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ASHER: Democratic Republic of Congo categorically rejects baseless accusations that Congolese troops left behind mines and booby traps at Goma
International Airport. The government spokesperson said in a statement to CNN, they also said the peace agreement signed in Washington under the
accompaniment of President Donald Trump, does not contain a sell off of Congolese minerals for peace.
All right, still ahead, the strongest storm on earth this year is heading towards Southern China, after slamming the Philippines. We have the latest
on where it's headed.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ASHER: All right, Typhoon Ragasa is weakening as it heads towards Hong Kong. Ragasa is the strongest storm of the year so far, at its peak
equivalent to a Category 5 hurricane. It's still packing 230, kilometer per hour winds. The sheer size of the system churning its way through the South
China Sea was captured from space by Japanese astronaut Kimiya Yui aboard the International Space Station.
As China prepares for what has been the largest storm on the planet. There are several storms in the tropics we are also tracking. Hurricane Gabrielle
is now a Category 4 storm with winds up to 225 kilometers per hour, moving east of Bermuda, damaging winds should stay offshore, but the island could
see rain and large swells.
[11:55:00]
Gabrielle is predicted to move east and head towards Portugal and France by the weekend. Meantime, two more potential tropical systems could form this
week. One is nearing the Caribbean, and the other is further East. Right, I'm Zain Asher in New York. Thank you so much for joining me.
Coming up is the second hour of "One World" with my colleague, Christina Macfarlane. Stay with CNN.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
END
