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One World with Zain Asher
Trump Addresses Reporters as He Walks into U.N. Headquarters; World Leaders Attend Unga Amid Wars in Middle East, Ukraine; Trump Says He Thinks There Will Be an Iran Deal After Midterms; Mamdani Doubles Down on Criticism of Israeli Pm Netanyahu; Grand Jury Declines to Bring Charges in Nolan Wells' Death; Venezuelan Delivery Driver Shot, Wounded by ICE. Agent. Aired 11a-12p ET
Aired September 22, 2026 - 11:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[11:00:00]
BIANNA GOLODRYGA, CNN HOST, ONE WORLD: Hello, everyone. Live from New York, I'm Bianna Golodryga. Zain is off today. You are watching "One World". And
happening now, U.S. President Donald Trump is addressing the U.N. General Assembly in a speech that centers on America's power in the world.
We are not showing live pictures of the speech because the White House has barred CNN from the presidential press pool. And the major TV networks have
suspended their pool coverage in a show of solidarity. We are, however, monitoring his speech and will bring you any newsworthy moments as they
happen.
Now, earlier, Trump addressed the press as he walked into the U.N. building in New York. Here, CNN's Kaitlan Collins question to the president.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KAITLAN COLLINS, CNN CHIEF WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Mr. President, two thirds of Americans don't think the U.S. is winning the war with Iran. When
will it?
DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: So, it's an honor to be here. I'm surprised that CNN is here covering me --
COLLINS: The United Nations allowed us in, sir.
TRUMP: You should not be here covering me. You said you weren't going to cover me. You shouldn't be covering --
COLLINS: Two thirds of Americans don't think that the U.S. is winning the war with Iran. When will it end?
TRUMP: -- We're making a lot of progress. Our country is doing really, really well. Thank you very much.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Mr. President --
COLLINS: American --
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GOLODRYGA: The Brazilian President, who spoke first, as per tradition, had a stark warning for the United Nations. He said the U.N. is failing one of
its most important missions to free the world from war.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LUIZ INACIO LULA DA SILVA, BRAZILIAN PRESIDENT: The U.N. is failing in one of its most important missions to rid humanity of the scourge of war. Its
credibility has never been lower. Its ability to protect the most vulnerable, those who have no army or arsenals, has never been so weak.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GOLODRYGA: CNN's Jim Sciutto joins us now from the U.N. Jim, we've been monitoring the president's comments as it relates to the war in Iran. He
described Iran as a weak country. Calls on all the nations to economically isolate Iran. And what was interesting is that he put a timestamp on
determining when he would end this war, whether it be through continued fighting or negotiation after the midterm elections. What stood out to you?
JIM SCIUTTO, CNN CHIEF U.S. SECURITY ANALYST: Well, it was this offer or threat, I suppose, that he has made repeatedly since virtually the start of
the war, right? And that is that Iran, if it makes a deal with the U.S. if it ends its nuclear program, that it will be a prosperous country, a great
country, he said.
And if they don't, he will annihilate Iran. His word, and it's a threat, of course, that he's made before. He did after presenting that choice. He said
he had a choice to make between those two options. That he believes that negotiations will work, will get to an agreement, will end the war.
And to that point, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said earlier this morning that the U.S. is at least open to the possibility of making contact with
Iranian officials who were in New York as well for the UNGA, including the Iranian President Pezeshkian and the Foreign Minister Araghchi.
But as Rubio said no current confirmed plans to have those meetings. We should note that the president has used that same carrot and stick for
months now. Again, saying, come to the table, we can negotiate these big issues. Otherwise, I will destroy you, annihilate you.
And to date, that pressure, that military pressure, that threat has not only not brought about substantive negotiations, it has certainly not
brought an agreement on those very difficult issues, including the future of an Iranian nuclear program. So, it's an offer, at least, and I suppose
in the spirit of the U.N., an offer to talk and to make peace is something, and it's a value.
The trouble is, it's an offer that's been made before, and the combination of diplomacy and pressure has not brought us really any closer to ending
this war.
GOLODRYGA: And we still have yet to figure out who is ultimately the deciding factor here in Iran as it relates to their decision as to what
happens next.
SCIUTTO: Yeah.
GOLODRYGA: Jim, the president will be meeting with Gulf nation heads this today as well. But just talk about what he said because I didn't catch much
about the war in Ukraine, other than the mounting death toll.
[11:05:00]
SCIUTTO: Yeah. Well, the president as he often says, that he believes he can end this war and that there will be progress in negotiations there as
well. But much like the Iran war, there have been lots of offers to talk. But in particular, the nation that started the Ukraine war, Russia, has not
shown substantive interest in peace negotiations.
When I speak to European officials and Ukrainian officials, they simply don't believe Russia is serious. At least not today. Russia -- and we
should note, Russia is actually expanding the war on Ukraine, and it's expanding a hybrid war against Europe, which is of great concern to the
European leaders I'm speaking with here.
So, you know, here's a president who, to his credit, wants to bring these wars to an end, both in Ukraine and in Iran, the war that he started in
February, but has not been able, via that combination of pressure and offers of diplomacy to bring either really closer to an end.
And as he meets with Gulf leaders, as he meets with European leaders, one can say that they are doubting U.S. leadership on these issues, and perhaps
even doubting the U.S. power and influence, and the president's power and influence to bring about those outcomes that he says he's committed to,
that's a test.
Again, they are certainly not begrudging his diplomacy, but do they have confidence in that diplomacy? I haven't heard it or seen that.
GOLODRYGA: Yeah, a war that the president had campaigned on ending as soon as he took office.
SCIUTTO: Yeah.
GOLODRYGA: Here now into its fifth year, the president will be meeting with President Zelenskyy in a short time as well. Jim Sciutto, you'll be
covering it all for us. Thank you. Let's take a closer look at President Trump's speech with CNN Global Affairs Commentator Sabrina Singh.
She's a Former Deputy Pentagon Press Secretary. Sabrina, good to see you. So, having heard Trump's speech, did you get a sense from him in terms of
specifics on how he plans to end this war, other than perhaps this happens after the midterms?
SABRINA SINGH, CNN GLOBAL AFFAIRS COMMENTATOR: Well, I think that was the biggest takeaway from what he's saying is that he's looking to prolong the
timeline because he knows that this war and even a CNN poll out today shows how much Americans disapprove of his handling of this war.
He knows this is a political issue and its political baggage for Republicans heading into the midterm elections.
So, by him saying, you know, we're going to resolve this war post midterms. I mean it's just prolonging this war even more a war that he said would be
over with in four to six weeks. And I think this administration in particular right now, if a bombing campaign were to restart.
And we'd go back into a full-scale war, not just in Iran but potentially also with the Houthis in Yemen, that's going to drive up oil and diesel
prices yet again, not just here in the United States and all around the world. And so politically, that's a calculation that this administration is
making to say, OK, we need to try and stabilize prices and at least get through these some these 40 something days ahead of us until after the
midterm elections.
GOLODRYGA: What did you make of his perceived argument that he does not speak for the Republican Party necessarily in terms of concerns about the
impact of the midterm elections and how Republicans fare. He says that he is president. He's not on the ballot right now.
And he has another 2.5 years as sort of a message to Iran that what happens in the midterms isn't necessarily going to have a say in how I choose to
end this war. Though it is interesting then that he picks the midterm elections as his sort of timetable for when he will do it. So, on the one
hand he's saying I don't care. On the other hand, why choose that date?
SINGH: Well, we're certainly used to mix messaging from this president. Just a few weeks ago at the Republican midterm convention, he was saying
from the podium, pretend I'm on the ballot. So, I think he's trying to divorce the issue of the war being about politics and also about himself.
And it's very hard to do when you have someone like Donald Trump who consistently mixes the messages all the time. Here are the facts, he is the
president of the United States. This is his Republican Party. It is his MAGA base, which is on the ballot right now. Some of these Republicans
running in key swing districts are candidates that Donald Trump himself has endorsed and is funding right now.
And so, you can't really separate Donald Trump from these candidates that are running in very competitive seats. And then also with this war
lingering over the top of the midterms, I think Donald Trump is getting more and more frustrated that he cannot bring this war to a conclusion.
[11:10:00]
I mean, you'll remember in when this war first started on February 28th. He was very clear this was going to be a short war, four to six weeks. We are
months and months into this war, and it does seem to be that this is a quagmire. How are we going to extract ourselves from this war, when Iran
retains and maintains capabilities to threaten the Strait of Hormuz.
And have activated their proxy group with the Houthis to also potentially close off a critical waterway to Saudi exports in the Red Sea and another
shipping as well, and having served in the Biden Administration, and we were conducting strikes against the Houthis almost on a regular basis right
after October 7th happened.
The Houthis have an incredibly dense magazine and capabilities that we were just still not able to get at during our administration. And so, if the
Houthis do close that critical waterway within the Red Sea. You can bet you're going to see oil prices, diesel prices, everything going up,
affecting the global economy, and of course, that affects the political environment here at home in the U.S.
GOLODRYGA: Yeah, the Bab al-Mandab Strait, another potential choke point there to be concerned about. The administration had left open a possible
meeting with Iran's President Pezeshkian. Excuse me. After today's speech from the president, did you see an opening for serious negotiations there
between the two sides?
SINGH: Well, they both seem pretty far apart in where they are, and I think this administration understands that it's really the hardliners, the IRGC,
that is calling the shots within Iran. Diplomacy is a good thing, a potential meeting. I don't think they want to close the door to that.
I think that's probably a good step. But whether that meeting takes place and how can either side work towards some type of agreement. I mean, even
getting to that MOU and to that ceasefire. I mean, I think it lasted, you know, less than two weeks. It's going to be very, very difficult when both
sides are so far apart.
And the IRGC is the really the ones not only calling the shots, but they are seeing themselves consolidate power within the Middle East by being
able to control the Strait of Hormuz and also using their proxy group to potentially close the Red Sea and the Bab al Mandab.
So, I think it remains to be seen. But I do think what gives me a little bit of hope here is Iran's economy is stretched very thin. I mean inflation
right now is 300, 400 percent on items such as cooking oil. And so, Iran's economy is hurting, and I think some of those moderates within the country
want to get back to the negotiating table, but will they have the sign up from the supreme leader and the IRGC that I just don't know at this time.
GOLODRYGA: Yeah, there have been increased reports of divisions internally within the country, in terms of leadership and where to take this war next.
The president, prior to speaking before the U.N. General Assembly, posted on Truth Social that America quote, has more munitions than we could
possibly ever think of using, and then called suggestions of those shortages, those who were making those claims, as per numerous reports,
quote, cowards and traitors.
This, as the White House has barred, as you know, three news outlets, including CNN, from suspending or from the White House, and thus we've had
other networks in solidarity suspend their pool coverage. You've handled sensitive military operations and dealt with the press as well for a number
of years.
Just talk about the impact that this has on getting valuable information to the American public.
SINGH: Well, I think there's two things here that you that you bring up. I mean, one just quickly on the stock piles. You know, even though the
president wants to say that the U.S. military has exactly what it needs, I mean, there was an inspector general's report put out by the Department of
Defense just last week, transmitted to Congress, that admitted that this war has taken a toll on our stockpiles.
And I think that's part of the calculation on two things, on one, not wanting to start a full-scale war with Iran because we cannot defend our
own bases within the region. And two, not wanting to join Saudi with strikes against the Houthis because again, that is going to get not only at
our interceptors and our further our drawdown on our stockpiles.
But it's going to widen the war and potentially again bring targeting back to U.S. bases in the Middle East. But to your point on just the press
access, I think what the Pentagon has done, what the White House has done with CNN, MS NOW and Politico, I mean, this is a true restriction and
strangling of the free press.
[11:15:00]
And the press is there to report to the American public how this government is spending their money and putting their men and women in uniform at risk.
And you know, there were plenty of times when I was at the Pentagon that I you know took issue with or disagreed with reporting, but never in my mind
would I have ever taken steps to expel someone from the building because the press provide such a tremendous public service to the American public
when it comes to transparency and accountability.
And I think ultimately what you'll see is a real backfire in here. I mean, just look at the Pentagon press corps. Yes, they're still able to do their
jobs by not being in the building, but I mean, it's really, really difficult. And so, I think this is a really sad moment for our country.
And particularly with what we're seeing with CNN and MS NOW and Politico not being able to pool the president's remarks today, you know that's a
detriment to him and for the American public.
GOLODRYGA: Sabrina Singh we will have to leave it there. As Sabrina noted, support and as we heard from Kaitlan Collins question to the president,
support for the president's war in Iran keeps going down. That is according to a new CNN poll, which shows most Americans don't think that the U.S. is
winning and that Trump isn't doing enough to end it.
According to the poll, 71 percent of the respondents disapprove of President Trump's handling of foreign affairs. 29 percent are behind it.
That's a new low in CNN polling across both his terms as president. Now, much of that decline comes among Republicans since most Democrats have
steadily been against the war.
And you can see from our polling since March that support is steadily falling. Right now, just about a quarter of respondents support this war.
That is down from 28 percent in July, and back in March, a third backed the war. Disapproval numbers have grown since March.
Let's bring in CNN's Alayna Treene to break down these new poll numbers. So, Alayna, the president may have tried to ignore Kaitlan's question on
this issue, but it is clear that Americans do not believe the president in terms of how he has laid out the reason to go to war and the price that
Americans have had to pay, most specifically at the pump and at grocery stores.
ALAYNA TREENE, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: That's right, Bianna. And look, I think you know we should know this war has never been popular among
Americans. The polls have shown from the start that many didn't understand, as you put it, why the U.S. was going to war with Iran, how it could affect
them.
But now we are nearly seven months into this conflict, and the support for this, or really lack thereof, is far more glaring with these poll numbers.
You mentioned them, but I do want to break down the two biggest ones that really stood out to me in this new CNN poll, the question on, is the United
States winning the war with Iran? Only 36 percent of Americans say yes, compared to 64 percent who say no. And what's really interesting when you
look into the data around this is that a major part of that decline is among Republican voters, specifically.
If you look at Republicans, back in March, 73 percent would say then in a CNN poll that the U.S. was winning the war with Iran. Go to July, only 66
percent at that point said yes, they approve with how the president is handling that situation. And then now, of course, you see the number at 60
percent.
So, a steady decline in Republican support over how they view the president's handling of this war. And then the other question is, you know,
how is Trump handling foreign affairs? Only 29 percent of Americans approve of how he is handling that, compared to 71 percent who disapprove.
So, really, not good numbers for the president here at a moment when, of course, he is here in New York City for the U.N. General Assembly, and a
big part of that speech you just heard him give was addressing this conflict with Iran. The president really trying to paint himself, Bianna,
as a leader who has made peace.
That was a direct quote that the president said. He said, really, kind of almost an appointed critique of other world leaders in the room, Bianna. He
said a lot of these leaders talk about peace. They speak of it. I'm the one who brings it. But of course, we also heard him say he doesn't know how he
wants to handle this moving forward.
He said he has a big decision to make ahead of him on how to try and end this. He said he could try and annihilate Iran after the midterms, or he
can try to meet with them, and I can tell you from the conversations I've been having. I spoke with 1 U.S. official who said the president does want
to meet with Iranians on the sideline of this U.N. General Assembly, but unclear if that's actually going to happen.
GOLODRYGA: Yeah, and only one real specific detail the president laid out, and that is timing, saying that he will make up his mind on the path he
chooses to take to end this war after the midterm elections, even though he then followed up by saying they have no consequence on his decision making.
[11:20:00]
Alayna Treene, thank you so much. All right, still ahead on "One World", Israel's Prime Minister Netanyahu responds to criticism from New York's
Mayor Zohran Mamdani. We'll explain why the feud is seeing a sudden escalation, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy plans to reunite
with his American counterpart, President Trump, today.
Details ahead on Kyiv's new drone proposal.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
GOLODRYGA: In less than 48 hours, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will touch down in New York. One person who will not be greeting him with a
warm welcome is New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani. The two leaders' ongoing feud has escalated in recent days.
Speaking with CNN's Christiane Amanpour, Mamdani pointed to the International Criminal Court's arrest warrant for Netanyahu. The mayor says
no one should be above international law.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ZOHRAN MAMDANI, NEW YORK MAYOR: I have been clear about the way that that I see the world, and I always owe New Yorkers that honesty. And when it comes
to Benjamin Netanyahu, I have described him as I believe him to be a war criminal and an architect of a horrific genocide of the Palestinian people.
And I've also been honest with New Yorkers that New York City does not have the authority to carry out the ICC's warrant, which, as you said, has been
issued for Prime Minister Netanyahu, and that I do believe that that is something that should be honored, because what we want to see, and we've
been talking about this today, is a faith in our politics, a faith in accountability.
You know, I recently met the Mayor of The Hague here at U20, and the key thing he kept emphasizing to all of us was the importance of the rule of
law, and if the International Criminal Court deems someone worthy of an arrest because of a violation of those laws, then who are we to say that
anyone should be above that? And I think very clearly that everyone should be held accountable to it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GOLODRYGA: You can see Christiane Amanpour's full interview with New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani that is coming up at 01:00 p.m. Eastern, 06:00 p.m. in
London. At the very moment Israel's actions in Gaza and the West Bank are under scrutiny at the U.N., its defense minister has issued a sweeping
warning, citing an unspecified plot to kidnap additional Israeli citizens.
[11:25:00]
Israel Katz, the defense minister threatened to destroy what remains of Gaza city and evict its inhabitants. Katz said quote, if even one Israeli
soldier or civilian is kidnapped, the entire city of Gaza, with its houses and terror towers, will be evacuated southward of its million residents.
He goes on to say that Gaza City will quote, be dealt with in the same way that Rafah and Beit Hanoun and 70 percent of Gaza's territory were dealt
with, until his return. Turning back to the U.N. General Assembly, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is making headlines with a
potential new deal.
Zelenskyy says that a new drone agreement is ready to be signed in this moment, part of Kyiv's larger effort to strengthen its defense capabilities
as the war with Russia grinds on. U.S. President Donald Trump is expected to meet with Zelenskyy on the sidelines of this week's assembly.
Before those talks can get underway, Russia and Ukraine are trading back and forth strikes on oil refineries. Ukrainian officials say Russian
strikes have killed four more people. The latest attack happening overnight in the country's industrial heartland. Meantime, Ukraine's military says
that it struck a Russian oil refinery in the City of Ufa.
The UNGA is a prime spot for meetings on the sidelines of the main event. Let's discuss with Clare Sebastian live from London. And Clare, the Trump
Administration has been quite public about casting blame on the rise in energy prices, not only on the war in the Middle East but the war in
Ukraine, on Ukraine specifically targeting Russian energy facilities in drone strikes.
I would imagine this topic will come up in these conversations as well. Just tell us how President Zelenskyy is responding, and news that we have
now on this new drone deal that he'd like to introduce.
CLARE SEBASTIAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yeah, so on the issue of diesel prices, I think it's very likely this will come up. This is something that has
clearly been on President Trump's mind over the last week. It was about a week ago that he came out and explicitly blamed President Zelenskyy for the
rise in diesel prices, saying that he had to stop attacks on Russian refineries.
He then announced that the two sides had agreed to stop attacks on each other's energy infrastructure. That clearly was premature. It hasn't
happened because we've seen not one but two strikes by Ukraine on Russian oil refineries in the last 24 hours. Now he did sort of shift his tone in a
post on Truth Social in the last 24 hours, where he said that Russia has lost control of its diesel industry, seeming to suggest that perhaps his
view is more neutral than simply placing the blame on Ukraine.
We don't know, things could change again, of course. But perhaps Ukraine sees an opening. But I think at this point, Ukraine is looking to
capitalize on the momentum that they've seen from the United States. This effort to restart peace talks. The U.S. envoys were in Ukraine.
All of that, the Lindsey Graham sanctions bill has just passed. President Trump spoke about this just now in his U.N. address, saying the law gives
him extraordinary tariff policies if he chooses to use them. That was highly symbolic for Ukraine that the U.S. might be ready to put pressure on
Russia.
Although, of course nothing happens until President Trump decides. So, I think, look, for Ukraine, this is about trying to convince Trump that they
will stop these attacks on Russian oil refineries if Russia stops attacking Ukraine, and to convince him that the way forward is to put more pressure
on Russia, including through things like this sanctions bill, Bianna.
GOLODRYGA: All right, Clare Sebastian in London for us. Thank you. Still ahead on "One World", a Mississippi grand jury weighs in on the death of
18-year-old Nolan Wells after months of speculation and unanswered questions.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[11:30:00]
GOLODRYGA: All right, welcome back to "One World". I'm Bianna Golodryga, New York. Here are some headlines we're watching today. President Trump is
now addressing the world leaders. Actually, he just finished addressing world leaders gathered at the U.N. General Assembly.
It comes amid two raging wars and sinking poll numbers here in the U.S. Earlier, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that the president is open to
potentially meeting with the Iranian delegation while they are in New York. Federal judge appointed by Donald Trump has ordered the Justice Department
to respond today to a lawsuit challenging the president's unconstitutional media ban, and he scheduled a hearing on the matter tomorrow.
CNN, MS NOW, and Politico sued the Trump Administration on Monday after the networks were suspended from the White House. Canadian Prime Minister Mark
Carney says he is pushing for new laws to combat hate following Sunday's shooting outside of a synagogue in Ontario.
Authorities say a 29-year-old man with a shotgun exchanged fire with police as worshippers gathered nearby to observe Yom Kippur. One officer was
seriously wounded in the shooting. A U.S. grand jury has declined to bring criminal charges in the death of 18-year-old Nolan Wells.
The teenager was found dead after a Fourth of July trip off Mississippi's coast. The panel says an exhaustive review found no evidence of criminal or
racially motivated wrongdoing and found his death consistent with drowning. The announcement comes after months of speculation about the circumstances
surrounding Wells' death.
Civil Rights Attorney Ben Crump, who is representing the Wells' family, said the State of Mississippi is attempting to close the chapter on Nolan
Wells' death without getting to the truth. This grand jury result leaves us with more questions than answers. Nolan's family will not rest until we
know what happened to him, and neither will we.
CNN's Ryan Young joins us now from Georgia with the very latest. So clearly, this was not the news that the family Ryan had been hoping to hear
from this grand jury. Now that they've declined to bring charges, how is the family planning on moving forward to find out what they believe
happened to their son? All right. We are having --
RYAN YOUNG, CNN SENIOR U.S. NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: -- They'll be explaining how they plan to move forward in the next.
GOLODRYGA: I'm sorry. We were having technical issues from --
YOUNG: Can you hear me now?
GOLODRYGA: Yeah, I hear you now. Go ahead. Sorry, Ryan.
YOUNG: OK, no problem. So, know, you're fine. We're here in Atlanta, and the reason why we're here in Atlanta is because this is where Ben Crump
will have a news conference in the next half hour or so, explaining how the family and his team plan to move forward.
There's still a lot of questions about this case, and we're not sure if we'll ever get a chance to ask the DA some of those follow-up questions.
It's been 80 days since Nolan Wells went missing, and so many questions have come up, not only from the internet but from the family in terms of
just what happened to him in those last few minutes before he died.
Questions that may not be answered. We do know now that nobody's going to be charged in this case because the grand jury decided to move forward. But
take a listen to what the DA said last night when she decided to post this message to YouTube about this case.
[11:35:00]
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ANGEL MYERS MCILRATH, DISTRICT ATTORNEY AT JACKSON COUNTY, MISSISSIPPI: The narrative that three white boys and a black boy went to an island and only
three white friends returned spread like wildfire. This was false. There is absolutely no evidence to support the allegations that Nolan's
disappearance and death were racially motivated.
The family, the Crump team, and anyone close to Nolan knew that his disappearance and death were not the result of racial hate or violence. Yet
the flames of that narrative, set against the backdrop of Mississippi's terrible history, were fanned by both people who knew the truth and those
who didn't.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
YOUNG: Yeah. So, a lot of questions about this moving forward, Bianna. Look, we went to the funeral for Nolan Wells. It was a funeral where a lot
of people from across the community came, black, white, Asian, were all there in attendance. This was a kid who was really loved in that community.
So, a lot of people want answers. On the other side of this, the three friends who were on that boat with him that day, felt like they were being
accused for doing something to his friends. We've actually reached out to their attorneys, and they've been telling us they are glad that this is
finally moving forward and that the cloud is going to be taken off of them.
But for this family, they really want to know the answers about what happened to Nolan Wells in those last few minutes before he died. But this
grand jury believes that where he was found, how he died, was consistent with someone who drowned. But there'll still be so many questions, and
hopefully, in the next half hour or so, we'll figure out how Ben Crump and his team plan to move forward in the coming days.
GOLODRYGA: Family just trying to get some closure. Sadly, what they want most, their son home alive, is not possible now. They are just trying to do
justice in the wake of his death. Thank you so much, Ryan Young. And still ahead on "One World", taken to a detention center with a bullet lodged in
his back.
The latest details in the shooting of a Venezuelan man targeted by U.S. immigration officers.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
GOLODRYGA: New information about the Venezuelan delivery driver shot and wounded by an immigration and customs enforcement agent in Texas. An
attorney representing the 28-year-old man says that he was moved from a hospital to a detention facility with a bullet still in his back. CNN's Ed
Lavandera has the latest.
[11:40:00]
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
KATE LINCOLN-GOLDFINCH, PEREZ FAMILY ATTORNEY: The name was Wilber on the telephone.
ED LAVANDERA, CNN SENIOR U.S. NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): A dramatic phone call in the middle of a news conference with activists
protesting the I.C.E. officer shooting of a Venezuelan food delivery driver Sunday in Austin. Wilber Garces Perez called from the South Texas detention
facility where he's being held in immigration custody and took questions from journalists. A legal aid translated his words.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I am not doing well due to the gunshot wound, and I have not received the medical attention that I require.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: -- Oh my god.
LAVANDERA (voice-over): This video has sparked a wave of anger across the City of Austin. The images capture an I.C.E. officer shooting and wounding
Garces Perez from Venezuela, who was working as a DoorDash driver. The video shows 28-year-old Garces Perez with a gunshot wound in his back.
He was then handcuffed after being pulled out of his car. His lawyer says I.C.E. took Garces Perez into custody from the hospital with the bullet
still in his body just hours after the shooting.
LINCOLN-GOLDFINCH: He's struggling.
LAVANDERA (voice-over): Kate Lincoln-Goldfinch is an immigration attorney representing Garces Perez's family.
LINCOLN-GOLDFINCH: When he was discharged from the hospital at 4o'clock yesterday, he had a bullet lodged in his back, and they told him they
wouldn't remove the bullet. They sent him to I.C.E. with the bullet in his back without pain medication, and he slept overnight in a processing center
without a bed.
LAVANDERA (voice-over): She said she spoke with the Venezuelan immigrant by phone Monday morning, she says Garces Perez told her an unmarked black
truck rammed his vehicle twice. A source familiar with the incident tells CNN, I.C.E. officers were conducting targeted immigration enforcement
operations Sunday based on license plate checks.
The source added agents had a brief exchange with Garces Perez, who federal authorities say is in the U.S. illegally and had been ordered to be
deported before he fled the scene in his car. The shooting took place shortly afterwards. Video of the scene shows two apparent bullet holes in
the rear passenger window of the Venezuelan man's car and damage to the passenger door.
Garces Perez's attorney says he remains in I.C.E. custody and has been interrogated by the agency.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: An SUV rode next to him and tried to hit him. He thought it was like an aggressive driver. Turns out it was not. He asked
the I.C.E. officer if he could please at least pull over so that they could detain him. They said no, and they sideswiped him.
Basically, he did a U-turn to try and find a spot to park so that he could go with them, and they basically ran into him and then shot him.
LAVANDERA (voice-over): Protests erupted within hours of the Austin shooting.
LAVANDERA: There's lots of people that are hurt. There is pain in their heart, there is pain whenever they leave their home, knowing that they
won't come back.
REP. GREG CASAR (D-TX): We will all be safer when I.C.E. gets the hell out of Austin, Texas.
LAVANDERA: For the family of Wilber Garces, there is mounting concern about his physical condition. His lawyer tells CNN that members of Joaquin
Castro's staff, the congressman from San Antonio met with the 28-year-old Venezuelan immigrant earlier today.
And that he told them that he is in extreme pain and losing movement on the left side of his body. The lawyer is concerned that he is facing paralysis,
and we understand that it's possible he is going to be moved from that detention facility to a hospital. Ed Lavandera, CNN, Austin, Texas.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
GOLODRYGA: I'll be right back with more.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[11:45:00]
GOLODRYGA: The U.S. President just wrapped up his first address to world leaders since starting his war with Iran. And he said he had a big decision
to make on that matter that will likely happen after the midterm elections. And while we don't show live pictures of Donald Trump's speech to the U.N.
General Assembly, we did monitor it.
The president opened up his address, portraying himself as a leader who has made peace while others only spoke of it. He went on to say, while others
have ignored threats, he has confronted them using Iran as an example. Elina Valtonen is the Finnish Foreign Minister, and she joins me now at the
United Nations.
Madam Foreign Minister, thank you so much for taking the time.
ELINA VALTONEN, FINNISH FOREIGN MINISTER: Thank you.
GOLODRYGA: President Stubb has built a close relationship, as we all know, with President Trump. Finnish leaders have decades of experience. At the
same time, with President Putin, having heard today's speech from President Trump. And specifically, as it relates to the war in Ukraine, what do you
think that he still needs to understand about the threat that President Putin poses not only on Ukraine but on NATO and Europe as a whole?
VALTONEN: We fully support President Trump's initiative to put an end to the senseless killing that is going on in Russia's brutal war of aggression
against Ukraine, at the same time everybody understands, and including President Trump, that it's not easy to put an end to a war where Putin, the
Leader of Russia, essentially wants to subjugate another sovereign country.
So essentially, the Finnish position in this matter has been clear all along. We should be supporting the victim of this war, which is Ukraine.
The Ukrainian people, who finally have grasped the chance to really endorse freedom for their own country to become a proper, transparent democracy,
get rid of corruption, and implement the rule of law.
So, we should be supporting them not only in their defense but also in their path towards memberships in the European Union and in NATO.
GOLODRYGA: We know President Trump will be meeting with President Zelenskyy on the sidelines in just a short matter of time. It's been reported that
President Zelenskyy will be presenting a new proposal on drone partnership between the two countries. This, as there have been reports suggesting,
Russia has now perhaps even outpaced Ukraine as of late in its drone capabilities.
What does Ukraine need to walk away from this meeting with, knowing is it that the United States still supports it, or is it more specific the air
defense systems that President Zelenskyy has long called for?
VALTONEN: I heard. the United States and the U.S. citizens support Ukraine full heartedly. Indeed, this war is about the freedom to choose for the
Ukrainian people, and the Ukrainian people have chosen freedom. Now, as the leader of the free world, the United States has a critical role to play in
this.
And certainly, now that Russia is increasingly bombing Ukrainian citizens in their homes. It would be a critical time to help Ukraine in their air
defense, which unfortunately is lacking against the more powerful weapons, especially the jet drones that Russia is making use of.
Also, the ballistic missiles it is increasingly targeting Ukrainian cities with.
[11:50:00]
So, we need the U.S. for that, but also for negotiating or for mediating a settlement to this war, and what would be critical at this moment is that
we started with a ceasefire, even a partial ceasefire. What comes to the grain exports of Ukraine, that Ukraine could, fund itself, but also provide
grain to the world, which is essential, especially in the global south.
And at the same time, we should push for a deal by which Russia ends its bombarding of Ukrainian energy infrastructure now that winter again is
approaching.
GOLODRYGA: This comes as there's increased concern that President Putin has set his sights beyond just Ukraine and to really test the parameters of
NATO's alliance. Perhaps some hybrid attacks that Russia has been conducting for years now, but ones that could be intensified going forward.
Latvia's President has warned that Russia could escalate attacks short of an invasion. How should NATO respond to increased sabotage and cyber-
attacks from Moscow? Is Finland prepared for an increase in these attacks?
VALTONEN: Finland has taken its defense always extremely seriously because for us it is an existential matter. We share a very long border with
Russia, and now that Finland and Sweden have become members in NATO. NATO certainly has also become stronger in countering all types of threats that
Russia is posing against all of us.
Now we should take all of these attacks extremely seriously, Russia has declared that it's essentially at war against the free world. So now is the
time for us to ramp up our defenses. And I should say also that for this endeavor we definitely need Ukraine. I think NATO needs Ukraine as a member
more than Ukraine needs NATO.
Also, what comes to the capabilities, the drones, for instance, where Ukraine now has superior technology, and also, they have a battle-hardened
army, one of the strongest, if not the strongest, in Europe, and we would all benefit from having Ukraine on board.
GOLODRYGA: Yeah. In military practices thus far, with some of their European counterparts, it seems that Ukraine has far surpassed other
countries, given the innovation that they've made in these past five years on the battlefield and in drone technology.
Specifically, Finland, we should note, has budgeted about 2.5 percent of GDP for defense this year. But we know that for voters, yes, defense is a
big issue, but so is the economy and energy prices. How do you keep voters in Finland, especially with winter months approaching on board with
increased defense spending and support for Ukraine when they're worried about their own pocketbooks and bottom line?
VALTONEN: Well, first of all, in Finland, each and every citizen understands what this war is all about, and also Finland has unfortunately
had to defend itself also in the past against Soviet or Russian aggression. So, we know very much what is at stake here. Finland is now, for the eighth
year in a row, the happiest country in the world, and unfortunately, on the other side of our eastern border, the world looks extremely different.
So, we need to be keeping Russia at bay. We need all of NATO for this, and we need to have each and every NATO member state raise its defense spending
to the 5 percent as agreed last summer. So yes, Finland is spending 2.5 percent now, and we'll be increasing that to 3.5 percent, and also, we are
spending 2.4 percent actually on so to say these critical enablers of defense spending.
Also, for countering against hybrid threats that that we talked about that Russia is posing now increasingly against all of us. And in Finland, well,
yes, this is understood, but also at the same time, we have made policy choices which allow us, for instance, to be completely independent from
Russian energy.
We have one of the lowest energy prices, electricity prices, I should say, in all of Europe, and it's critically important that all of Europe divests
from Russian energy and keeps on investing in clean energy, also nuclear, which Finland has also substantial investments in.
[11:55:00]
So that we can keep enabling our economic growth, and at the same time be independent from -- such as Russia, Iran, North Korea, or even China.
GOLODRYGA: Finnish Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen, thank you for taking the time. Really appreciate it.
VALTONEN: Thank you so much.
GOLODRYGA: Do stay with CNN. I'll have more "One World" after the break.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
END