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CNN Headlines: Trump Campaign Blitz Continues; Trump Doubles Down On Controversial Vivek Ramaswamy Ad In Ohio Gov. Race; Supreme Court Lets New Hampshire Restrict Student IDs At Polls; Severe Storms Ravage Southwest. Aired 5-5:30a ET
Aired October 23, 2026 - 05:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[05:00:29]
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DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: So, I told them, leave it up and look upstairs and say, thank you God very much. I appreciate it.
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BRAD SMITH, CNN ANCHOR: President Trump defends Ohio gubernatorial candidate Vivek Ramaswamy's controversial ad against his opponent. But the calls against the ad are growing.
And we're learning more about Christa Pike's botched execution in Tennessee. What may have gone wrong with the I.V. site?
And take a look at this -- major damage left across parts of Arizona. Storms brought damaging winds and golf ball sized hail. These storms came during the state's first tornado watch in 16 years. We have more from Arizona.
Good morning, everyone. I'm Brad Smith. This is CNN HEADLINE EXPRESS. Glad that you're with us this morning.
Let's get started.
With the midterms now just 11 days away, new data shows more than 20 million Americans have already early voted, and turnout is key in these midterm elections. Last night, President Donald Trump took his appeal to supporters in Iowa.
Republican Ashley Hinson is running for senate there, and she left the president out of her remarks entirely, instead slamming her rival and urging voters to keep Iowa, Iowa.
As for Trump, he reminded his supporters again to pretend he is on the ballot and once more flirted with a third run in 2028.
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TRUMP: I don't know who's going to be your next president, and I think the law said I'm not 100 percent sure, but I think the law says that I'm not allowed to run again. I studied that phrase forever. Unfortunately, it's quite concise. There's not a lot of wiggle room.
The one thing is different they cheated us on the second one because we won it three times. So I think I have the right to run again. I think I have the right to run again. There's a cheater.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SMITH: We should note, there is no evidence that the 2020 election was stolen, and the law is clear that the president is limited to two terms in the White House.
Now, before the rally even started, Ashley Hinson condemned that incendiary campaign ad in the Ohio governors race, joining a chorus of other leaders in the Republican Party who want it axed. But President Trump is not buying the argument.
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TRUMP: It's like a big story about he must take that ad down immediately. He must know the mother is calling the daughter a terrible person and a liar. Everybody should be so lucky. Why would you shield somebody from that? Why would why would we do that?
So I told him, leave it up and look upstairs and say, thank you, God very much. I appreciate it so, but that's a hot story today. They want him to take down an ad. I only wish I could have had an ad like that against somebody, but as it turned out, we didn't need it.
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SMITH: This was just the latest stop on Trump's campaign blitz and his next stop this afternoon in Fort Myers, Florida.
All right, let's take you now to California. That's where the Trump administration is asking a federal appeals court to step in and pull thousands of ballots from the state's voter rolls, even though early voting is well underway. The Justice Department is appealing its case against California before a judge can even hold a hearing next week on its request for an emergency order.
At the center of the fight is the administrations claim that roughly 20,000 people on the rolls may not be U.S. citizens. The DOJ says those ballots should be separated while the issue is reviewed. California election officials say the claims landed after voting was already underway, and they've raised questions about the reliable data -- the reliability of that data behind them.
Legal experts have called the lawsuit a long shot, but the Justice Department argues that the situation is urgent.
Here's Attorney General Todd Blanche.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) TODD BLANCHE, ATTORNEY GENERAL: It is not DOJ's intention to -- and it's never our intention to improperly interfere with elections or the state confirmation process or certification process. But, you know, to say that there's no circumstances that we would ever do that. Of course, I'm not going to say that, but am I planning my days around the election to be somewhere to not certify? Of course not. No, not at all.
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SMITH: Meanwhile, a federal judge is putting the brakes on Homeland Security's efforts to investigate possible non-citizen voters in several states, including California. The judge says the government is relying on data that's, quote, "admittedly flawed and incomplete".
All right. If you're a college student voting in New Hampshire, a student ID may no longer be enough to get a ballot.
[05:05:01]
The Supreme Court is letting the state enforce new limits on the use of student IDs in voting, putting a hold on a lower court ruling that sided with a voting rights group. That group argued that student IDs should still be allowed as one piece of evidence when people are trying to prove their identity. But the high court said that courts should be careful about changing rules so close to Election Day.
All right. We are tracking some new details in the botched execution of Tennessee death row inmate Christa Pike. According to a court document from her attorney, execution team members failed multiple times to establish working I.V. lines into Pike's arm to administer the lethal dose of drugs. They also warned that some of her veins may have ruptured or blown, which would affect how she received the toxin.
Happening today as well, in a separate case, a hearing is scheduled to set an initial trial date for Tyler Robinson. He is the man charged in the shooting death of Charlie Kirk on a Utah University campus last year. The defense is seeking a 2029 trial, but prosecutors want the case to begin in January 2028. Both sides expect the trial to stretch on for months. Robinson has pleaded not guilty and prosecutors plan to seek the death penalty if he's convicted of aggravated murder.
We'll continue to track any updates there for you. We've got lots more to come on CNN HEADLINE EXPRESS including this:
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REP. HAKEEM JEFFRIES (D-NY), MINORITY LEADER: Donald Trump needed to fire this guy a year or so ago, and I first called for that.
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SMITH: House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries vowing to vote to impeach Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth when that could happen ahead in this new interview with CNN.
And one of President Trump's top former advisers, now reportedly under investigation by his Justice Department. What sources are telling CNN.
Plus, new developments in the Lindsay Clancy legal saga, why her attorneys will not be questioning that lone holdout juror. We've got that straight ahead on CNN HEADLINE EXPRESS.
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[05:11:30]
SMITH: The Justice Department is investigating Republican operative Corey Lewandowski over allegations of contract misconduct at the Department of Homeland Security, where he worked as a de facto chief of staff to former Secretary Kristi Noem. That's according to multiple sources.
CNN's Evan Perez has the rest of the story.
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EVAN PEREZ, CNN SENIOR JUSTICE CORRESPONDENT: This is an investigation that is now being done after receiving a referral from the Homeland Security Department -- the Homeland Security Department's inspector general. Now, they've been looking at contracting at the Homeland Security Department for the last few months, going back to the tenure of Kristi Noem, who was a secretary, and Corey Lewandowski, who was essentially her chief of staff.
Back during the time that Noem was leading the department, Lewandowski was put out a very prominent place. He was, for example, a person who suggested firings, putting people on administrative leave. She had ordered that any contracts at DHS above $100,000 had to come to her office for approval. She said at the time that it was as a way to cut back on waste, fraud and abuse.
But there have been allegations over the last few months, guys, that Corey Lewandowski was making requests of people who were seeking contracts, that they pay kickbacks. Again, those are allegations that surfaced first in "The Wall Street Journal" -- "Wall Street Journal a few months ago. And we know the homeland security investigation. I.G. has been investigating those -- those claims
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SMITH: Evan Perez, thank you.
Lewandowski's attorney telling CNN, quote, "Mr. Lewandowski has not been contacted by the Justice Department regarding any investigation, and he denies any wrongdoing when he was proudly serving his country in a voluntary capacity."
Well, House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries says Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is in deep trouble with an impeachment vote expected after the midterms. Republican Congressman Thomas Massie introduced the resolution over Hegseth's handling of the war with Iran, but the house left town for its pre-election recess without taking a vote.
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JEFFRIES: Donald Trump needed to fire this guy a year or so ago, and I first called for that.
MANU RAJU, CNN CHIEF CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: So you think the votes will be there to impeach him?
JEFFRIES: I think there's a reason why Republicans raced out of town to avoid holding that impeachment vote, because they know Pete Hegseth has been a failure.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SMITH: Jeffries and other Democrats signaled that they'll back the resolution, which could give the measure enough votes to pass the House. But it's expected to fail in the Republican-led Senate.
The New York City Council voted to ban horse drawn carriages starting in June 2028. Animal welfare groups have pushed for a ban for years, and that push gained momentum after an 18 year old tourist died over the summer when a horse bolted and he was thrown from a carriage. And now drivers who depend on those rides for a living, they face an uncertain future.
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UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: And it's a tragedy for everybody in this business. It's a tragedy for the horses. It's a tragedy for the city of New York. But that being said, we are not done yet.
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SMITH: The bill requires the city to develop a transition plan for those workers by April, but their union has said that it will file a legal challenge.
Still to come on CNN HEADLINE EXPRESS, we've got this.
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UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The lights went out, the power went out and started hailing really bad. And we heard this big boom.
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[05:15:06]
SMITH: Parts of the southwest picking up the pieces this morning after a round of rough storms that even spawned one states first tornado watch in 16 years. We've got the latest straight ahead.
And holiday hiring spree. The major retailer planning to hire 300,000 seasonal workers, a little later on CNN HEADLINE EXPRESS.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK) SMITH: Subtropical storm Josephine is tapering off in the Atlantic, but moisture from the Pacific has been fueling significant storms in the southwest this week.
[05:20:01]
CNN's John Lawrence has more.
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UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The lights went out, the power went out and started having really bad. And we heard this big boom.
JOHN LAWRENCE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Parts of Arizona punished after terrible tempests tore through this week.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We're sitting in a blackout and about ready to cry.
LAWRENCE (voice-over): The storms came during the Grand Canyon State's first tornado watch in 16 years, where golf ball sized hail fell on Phoenix Wednesday, leaving smashed windshields and dented vehicles.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Look around. There they go. Everywhere you look, you find one all up there. All in the front. Like somebody had a cloth over a ball peen hammer and just said, pop, pop.
LAWRENCE (voice-over): Among the other areas hit especially hard, Heber-Overgaard.
CHIEF JASON PAYNE, HEBER-OVERGAARD FIRE DISTRICT: We had a lot of power lines down, so most of power was down to Overgaard and we had a lot of propane tanks that were trees had hit. So we had to mitigate that.
LAWRENCE (voice-over): Cities in neighboring states were also affected, including the ironically named Hurricane Utah, which experienced major flooding. The mayor there issued a proclamation of local emergency. Forecasters say more harsh weather could be coming to the Southwest over the next few days.
ALLISON CHINCHAR, CNN METEOROLOGIST: This is where that long line of showers is going to be, and it is expected to bring some pretty heavy rain to a few locations, especially in eastern New Mexico, areas of western Texas, as well as the panhandle of Oklahoma.
LAWRENCE (voice-over): I'm John Lawrence, reporting.
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SMITH: Thank you, John.
And for all of your weather needs from any location, you can download the CNN weather app at CNN.com/CNNWeather. Ukraine's access to a critical satellite service has not been fully
restored. That is according to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who spoke with CNN's Christiane Amanpour on Thursday, asking him this.
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CHRISTIANE AMANPOUR, CNN CHIEF INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR: Who do you think did it?
VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY, UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT: I don't know. It can be. I mean, technically it can do, I think SpaceX. But the decision comes by themselves or from some institutions. I don't know. It does -- it's not clear for me. But technically, it can do it -- only one company.
AMANPOUR: Is it up to speed? I don't understand is it up to is it back up to speed or not?
ZELENSKYY: No, we had enough speed to destroy Iranian Shahed 400 or 500 kilometers per hour. It's -- yeah, it's more than 300 miles. Now, we had maximum 100 miles.
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SMITH: His account contradicts President Trump, who said that Elon Musk had restored the service. Trump declined to comment on a "Wall Street Journal" report that he personally asked Musk to lift the restrictions. Starshield is a military grade version of Musk's Starlink satellite network. Ukraine says the slowdown has affected its military operations. Musk previously claimed that Starshield speed was controlled by the U.S. military.
A major figure in the Make America Healthy Again movement has stepped down from the Trump administration. Calley Means resigned from the role as a senior Trump health official Thursday. Sources say that he was frustrated with the government's lack of progress tackling chronic disease. Means is credited with introducing HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to the president.
CNN's Erin Burnett spoke to the secretary's cousin, Kerry Kennedy, about the departure.
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ERIN BURNETT, CNN ANCHOR: Kerry, I just in light of this news here on MAHA with Calley Means, who obviously was so significant in introducing your brother to the president. This is a big loss for your brother, right, to lose Calley Means. You know what? What do you think about this? Is this the beginning of the end of MAHA and the idealism that went with it?
KERRY KENNEDY, SISTER OF ROBERT F. KENNEDY, JR.: You know, I'm not close enough to MAHA to know that, but I think this administration, the Trump leadership, was never, ever going to be in lockstep with MAHA because it's not his agenda. I think MAHA is really interested in healthy foods and healthy environment. And he's been the worst president on the environment for the last 50 years. So I think this is kind of what happens when you get in bed with your enemy.
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SMITH: Sister, not the cousin, as we had said a moment ago.
Former White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt says that she's offering President Trump advice on choosing his next press secretary. That follows Katie Zacharia's dismissal after just five days on the job. Leavitt tells Fox News she's keeping her advice private, but says Trump needs someone tough, smart and familiar with his policies. She declined to say whether he made a mistake in choosing Zacharia.
[05:25:00]
We are tracking new developments in the case against Lindsay Clancy. She's the Massachusetts mother charged with murder in the death of her three young children. A judge has denied a request by Clancy's attorneys to question the lone juror, whose holdout vote resulted in a mistrial. The judge also denied a request to search the man's cell phone records. Several jurors spoke out after the trial, saying that the man claimed he had reasonable doubt but would not vote for not guilty by reason of insanity. The holdout juror has denied that characterization. And Clancy's next hearing is set for November 2nd.
We're updating the mornings top stories straight ahead on CNN HEADLINE EXPRESS as we're learning more about the botched execution of the Tennessee death row inmate who survived two doses of a lethal injection, what new court documents just revealed coming up.
And the moment a powerful 7.0 magnitude earthquake sent people running from buildings. A little later on, on CNN HEADLINE EXPRESS.
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