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The Source with Kaitlan Collins
King Charles Strips Andrew Of His Title Over Epstein Scandal; Mamdani Brushes Off Schumer's Lack Of Endorsement; NYT: Former Trump Golf Club Worker Mistakenly Deported. Aired 9-10p ET
Aired October 30, 2025 - 21:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[21:00:00]
ANDERSON COOPER, CNN HOST, ANDERSON COOPER 360: --tonight, at 09:15 p.m., in just about 17 minutes, I'm starting a brand-new weekly show. It's a companion show to the podcast. It's called "All There Is Live." I'll be talking with podcast listeners, special guests, viewers, on screen, and through our live comment section, about grief and loss.
And to watch, you can go to -- and participate, you can go to CNN.com/AllThereIs. You can go there right now. The show starts in about 15 minutes. I hope to see you there.
The news continues right here on CNN. "THE SOURCE WITH KAITLAN COLLINS" starts now. I'll also see you, tomorrow
KAITLAN COLLINS, CNN CHIEF WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT, CNN HOST, THE SOURCE WITH KAITLAN COLLINS: Tonight, it's an extraordinary punishment for the former Prince, now known just as Andrew. Virginia Giuffre's family here to respond to this breaking news, this evening.
I'm Kaitlan Collins. And this is THE SOURCE.
Today, an ordinary American girl from an ordinary American family, brought down a British prince with her truth and extraordinary courage. Those were the words of the family of Jeffrey Epstein's most prominent accuser, Virginia Roberts Giuffre.
That was in reaction to the shocking news today that Prince Andrew is being stripped of his royal title. Now, instead of Prince Andrew, he will simply be known as Andrew Mountbatten Windsor. In addition to losing his other most prominent title, the Duke of York, earlier this month, Andrew is also being evicted from the sprawling mansion, where he has long lived on the royal dime. All of it encapsulating a major fall from grace because of his ties to Epstein.
Tragically, Virginia Giuffre didn't live to see this day. She died by suicide, earlier this year. But her pursuit of justice has lived on.
And her family will join me on what this moment means for them, soon.
In her just released memoir, Virginia Giuffre details the claims that she made that Andrew sexually assaulted her when she was a teenager.
He long denied those claims, and offered this defense in 2019, in a disastrous interview with the BBC. And what you're about to hear from him is in response to a question about Giuffre's claims, that they danced at a nightclub and that he was, quote, Sweating all over me.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ANDREW MOUNTBATTEN WINDSOR, FORMER DUKE OF YORK: There's a slight problem with -- with -- with the sweating, because I have a peculiar medical condition, which is that I don't sweat, or I didn't sweat at the time, and that was -- was it -- yes, I didn't sweat at the time because I had suffered what I would describe as an overdose of adrenaline in the Falklands War when I was shot at, and I simply -- it was -- it was -- it was almost impossible for me to sweat.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COLLINS: You can see why it was disastrous.
Years after that interview, the public frustration, though, over Jeffrey Epstein, and a lack of accountability has not gone away. It was actually on full display, just a few weeks ago, when I was in the United Kingdom for President Trump's state visit. This is what protesters were projecting on to the side of Windsor Castle, images of Trump and Epstein together.
The King himself, just heckled over this last week.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: How long have you known about Andrew and Epstein?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Shut up.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Have you asked the police to cover up for Andrew?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Go away (inaudible). Shut up.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Have you asked the police to cover up for Andrew?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COLLINS: While Andrew, as he's now known, faces his comeuppance, not a single powerful man in Epstein's once-wide circle of friends has faced justice, here in the United States.
In the House of Representatives, a bipartisan move to force a vote on the release of the U.S. government's files on Epstein has been blocked for more than a month, with Speaker Johnson keeping the place shut down.
President Trump, whose own friendship with Epstein reemerged after his administration's failure to produce the Epstein bombshells they promised, has repeatedly denied any knowledge of the allegations.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: No, I don't know Prince Andrew. But it's a -- it's a tough story. It's a very tough story. I don't know him. No.
I don't know the situation with Prince Andrew. Just don't know. Not aware of it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COLLINS: My lead sources tonight are:
CNN Royal Correspondent, Max Foster, joining us from outside Buckingham Palace.
And CNN Senior Legal Analyst, Elie Honig, here with me in New York.
And Max, I just think as this news came down, one big question has been, what your sources are saying tonight about what is an unprecedented moment for the Royal Family?
MAX FOSTER, CNN ROYAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, you played the Prince Andrew interview there, one of the many lapses of judgment that the King saw in his whole handling of this affair, away from all the accusations made against him.
[21:05:00]
That interview was riddled with inconsistencies. He's been exposed. Virginia Giuffre's story feels more honest. So, he's seen as the bad guy, and there's this eruption of sentiment here in the U.K., that the King just hadn't done enough.
So initially, there was this agreement that Andrew wouldn't use his titles. That just wasn't enough. Going to extraordinary measures now for the King to go to the Lord Chancellor in the U.K., and saying, We have to formally, officially take all these titles away, including the Prince title, which was his birthright. And this is never in the history of the monarchy, happened like this before. From any of the records we can find. It's an extraordinary punishment for his younger brother.
He still gets a house. He's going to be moved to a smaller house on the private Sandringham estate. The King will pay his income. So, some people already suggesting that still speaks to a cover-up, if you like.
His ex-wife, Sarah Ferguson, who lived with him at Royal Lodge in Windsor, she'll have to make her own arrangements, we're told. I'm told, that there is concerns about the welfare of the couple. So that's been taken into account as well.
But an extraordinary move, never before seen in history. You can't really underestimate what Charles has done here, but I think there's still going to be calls that he just hasn't done enough.
COLLINS: I mean, and for someone who's covered the Royal Family as extensively as you have. I mean, to hear that from you.
I think the other question I had was, is he still in the line of succession when it comes to the throne?
FOSTER: Yes, so I asked that question tonight to sources, and they say he is. They're aware of it, and they -- I think there's going to be conversations about that, tomorrow, because politicians in Westminster have really been speaking up about all of this. How can he keep that one privilege? And would anyone ever want to see him on the throne? So, I think they're going to have to address that.
It's very complicated, constitutionally. We don't have a written constitution. And the monarchy is built into all of our common law. You have to go through all of the different laws to try to resolve this. So that's hugely complicated.
But initially, the Palace said he couldn't lose his Duke title. It had to go to an Act of Parliament. But actually, they've realized through conversation over the last week that they could do that. So, they've managed to do that, and they had going to have to -- they're going all the way.
But there's genuine panic here, I have to say, Kaitlan, that the Royal brand, it is a brand, ultimately, it could go into some sort of terminal decline if they hadn't dealt with this. So, it's really down to the sun rising tomorrow and seeing how the public reacts to this. Do they feel enough is being done?
And I do think it just speaks to the massive Epstein story, privileged men abusing their positions, and the institutions covering up. So, any sense of that is just going to plague the Palace. If they don't -- if the public don't accept what Charles has done, it's still going to be a problem.
COLLINS: Yes.
Well, and Elie on that point. I mean, to see accountability for who is now known as Andrew, not Prince Andrew, it just makes you think of what's happening here in the United States.
ELIE HONIG, CNN SENIOR LEGAL ANALYST, FORMER ASSISTANT U.S. ATTORNEY, SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF NY: Yes.
COLLINS: And what that accountability has looked like here. Obviously, Ghislaine Maxwell is in prison right now, but she was moved to a cushier prison. And the people -- other people around Jeffrey Epstein, which is the chief complaint of President Trump supporters here.
HONIG: Yes, accountability has been in precious, short supply, here in the United States. As you say, there's only been two people ever even brought into criminal court. Yet prosecutors have made clear, this was a conspiracy. This was an ongoing criminal operation that had a lot of people involved.
Jeffrey Epstein, of course, got his absurd softball deal back in Florida, 2007, 2008, served a few months. He was in and out of prison. He got away with that one. He then gets charged federally in 2019, but dies before he has to face justice. Ghislaine Maxwell, as you said, she gets tried, convicted. However, she's already been moved to a minimum-security prison. And remember, the President will not rule out a pardon for her.
And I think the question that a lot of people are going to have both for the Justice Department, and now that some of the documents are sort of making the way to Congress, to members of both parties in Congress, is, Will you tell us? Will we find out what other third parties, what other people, perhaps, like Andrew, was alleged to have done, were involved in this? Are we ever going to really know? And is there going to be meaningful accountability beyond Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell?
COLLINS: Well and for Prince Andrew -- or Andrew, as he's now known? I mean, it's like, you're not even used to saying it at this point.
HONIG: Yes.
COLLINS: This is only a few hours old.
What does -- is there any chance of him facing any accountability here in the U.S.? I mean, he's denied all of these accusations, but torturously so, as you watched from that interview.
HONIG: Yes, so let's sort of separate into criminal and civil.
I think the reality is, it is now too late for anyone else to be charged criminally, here in the United States. Most of this conduct goes back to the early 2000. The statute of limitations, the amount of time, the window has run out, and I think we can fairly blame prosecutors for that.
[21:10:00]
But civilly, lawsuits, some states have passed laws extending that window and allowing people to still be sued. Now, Andrew was sued here in the United States. He reached a settlement with the family of Virginia Giuffre, as you're about to interview. So, there could still be civil lawsuits. And again, not just against Andrew. But if other names come out, there's still the possibility of lawsuits.
COLLINS: Yes, and she has obviously said there are other names--
HONIG: Yes.
COLLINS: --in her works.
Elie Honig, great to have you.
Max Foster, thanks for that reporting as well, outside Buckingham Palace.
And also, joining me here tonight, the brother and sister-in-law of Virginia Giuffre, Sky and Amanda Roberts.
And thank you two for coming back here on obviously a really big day, in terms of what this means. You just heard Max saying it's essentially unprecedented.
And Sky, I wonder for you, what does it mean to you that he will no longer be known as Prince Andrew?
SKY ROBERTS, VIRGINIA GIUFFRE'S BROTHER: I can tell you, it's been a really joyous and happy and sad. And a sad day, because she should be here. She should be having this interview with you, Kaitlan.
But it's, you know, it's definitely some vindication for Virginia. I think that she had been fighting for this for a long time. She always said, Only one of us is telling the truth, and I know that's me. And I think this is a big sense of vindication for her, from not just the general public, but from the King himself, to say, I stand by survivors.
And, we're really proud of her. We're so proud of what she was able to achieve. And this is a huge moment for her, not necessarily just for me, but for survivor -- like for survivors out there, it's an acknowledgement to say, We believe you, we see you, OK? And for me, I love you. We love you. And so, we're here. And I'm just -- this is a very vindicating moment for us. And I'm just -- I wish she was here to share this with us.
COLLINS: Yes, I was thinking about that today, when this -- when this came down, Amanda, just in terms of, for so long, she had to deal with his denials. I mean, that interview that he did, that was just a train wreck, essentially, trying to deny what she -- you know, her very specific recollections of what he did to her.
And I just wonder what she would have thought, to know that one day he would be stripped of his title that protected him, obviously, and insulated him for so long.
AMANDA ROBERTS, VIRGINIA GIUFFRE'S SISTER-IN-LAW: Virginia would be so joyous, but so cheeky at the same time. I don't know if I could tell you on live air what she would say to that response truly, because she was just -- it was about acknowledgement for her, always.
And I think this last stroke of the pen, that memoir, even though she's not here with us, she left an everlasting proof and vindication. And I think she would be so proud, and I think she would turn to her children and say, I did it, I got the bad guy.
COLLINS: And just to think about her having that moment is, I'm sure, really incredibly difficult for the two of you.
And, Sky, looking at this, do you think her book, and the release of it, and the stories she told in that book, of her experiences, do you think that is what led to this moment tonight?
S. ROBERTS: I think it had a large influence. I think it was hard to deny. Because when you read that book, it's so -- like, it takes the salacious details out and just goes right into the raw stuff, where people, it hits you, hits you right in the heart.
And you just cannot ignore the fact that these men did just absolutely atrocious things to her. Not just Prince Andrew. Mind you, it wasn't just one time. She mentioned more than one time. She mentioned three times in which her and Prince Andrew had interactions, we'll call it that.
And so, yes, just, I think this is a huge moment for her to tell the world that, I was telling the truth the whole time. I wanted you to know, because the truth is, this is a predator's playbook. These people are monsters, and we need to bring them to justice. And that's what we're doing here now. I think this is a start to it, but it's not the end of it. We have more to do.
The King needs to do a bit more. He has -- he has done enough. He's definitely set kind of a precedent to the rest of the world. President Trump needs to put his big boy pants on and follow suit.
[21:15:00]
However, I think that the second part to it is that we need some type of investigation. Why is he still walking around? Why would the Prince even be funding any sort of, I don't know, property for him? It doesn't -- that doesn't make any sense. So, I think at this point we need an investigation. And these men, including Prince Andrew, if found guilty, should be put behind bars. Period.
COLLINS: Well, and part of that Buckingham Palace statement today said that these censures, they said, are deemed necessary, notwithstanding the fact that he continues to deny the allegations against him. And they said, Their Majesties wish to make clear that their thoughts and utmost sympathies have been, and will remain with, the victims and survivors of any and all forms of abuse.
I mean, Amanda, the last time we spoke, you told me that you thought Virginia deserved more than an apology from Andrew. I mean, when you hear that statement, do you think that the Royal Family gets a sense and is taking what she said seriously now?
A. ROBERTS: I think they've been put in a position, where they can't ignore it anymore. And I will commend them, because this is the very first time, from anyone, during these allegations, that there was any form of an acknowledgement that there are survivors involved, which means there was abuse that was incurred. And so, that is very important.
The acknowledgement is the very first step, because I don't think anyone can look at this case anymore, and say that they are liars. There is no way. They have proven themselves over and over and over again. And so, it is a good step. It's a good acknowledgement.
But I am hoping that they have no choice but to go further. I think the people have put so much pressure on them that they have no choice, and I think we need to see the same things here. We need to back our government in a corner, where their hands are tied to this, and they have to come forward and do the right thing.
COLLINS: Well, I mean, on that front. We heard from Thomas Massie today. He's been pushing that discharge petition, on Capitol Hill, to release the Epstein files. And he called this a victory for victims. But he said, However, it appears that rich and powerful men in the United States have immunities and privileges exceeding those of Royalty in Britain. Speaker Johnson is avoiding a vote on releasing Epstein files by keeping the House in recess. It's not a hoax.
I wonder, Sky, what you make of that, that comment there. And I assume you probably agree with Thomas Massie.
S. ROBERTS: I mean, I do. I think it's never been a hoax. I mean, you could hear Haley Robson on the Capitol steps, saying, President Trump, I'll meet you at your doorstep, and I'll speak to you. This is not a hoax. We are real people.
And yes, I mean, this is -- this is vindication here in so many ways, but it's not enough. I just want to make it clear that, like, this is the right step. And yes, the U.K. is showing us the way. I think the problem here is that the United States holds the key to this like magical box of like mystery that they're trying to hold secret, and we have to find a way to unlock that, and they have that key.
And we have to put pressure on the FBI. I can tell you, OK, I can tell you that my sister handed over her own documents to the FBI. They have them in possession. In the book, she will state to you that she saw the very cameras that Epstein was using to blackmail so many of these men, these horrific men, these -- I won't even name them, these horrific men that sexually abused so many of these women, girls at the time.
It's time for us to blackmail them. It's time for us to use the reverse psychology here, and have our FBI, our very own justice system, people that are supposed to defend us, Kaitlan, unlock that little box, show us the documents. We don't need to know the victims' names. But we need to know the people that were involved inside of those documents. We need to say, You know what? Enough is enough.
And Prince Andrew -- and the King, the King is setting the precedent. He's setting the way. This is the pathway. The last little part of it is put them behind bars. Period.
COLLINS: Sky and Amanda Roberts, I really appreciate you joining me tonight, on behalf of your sister. Thank you for your time as always.
A. ROBERTS: Thank you so much.
S. ROBERTS: Thank you, Kaitlan.
COLLINS: And of course, we'll continue to follow what the ramifications of what happened in the U.K. today are, and what they mean for what's happening in Washington.
Also in Washington, we've been tracking this story every single day here on the show. The shutdown is still in effect. And there's a new warning coming tonight from the White House about Thanksgiving travel, as this is still dragging on.
[21:20:00] Also, later tonight, we have the attorney for a man who worked at one of Donald Trump's golf clubs for more than a decade, only to be mistakenly deported to Mexico. What's happening to him now?
But first here, five days until New Yorkers elect a new mayor. What the leading candidate had to say just a couple of moments ago about his own party.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COLLINS: At the White House today, the Vice President and the Secretary of Transportation issued a blunt warning about holiday travel right around the corner.
[21:25:00]
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JD VANCE (R), U.S. VICE PRESIDENT: If any moderate Democrat, or any Democrat, period, from the United States Senate, wants to come over, they're welcome to walk into these doors in an hour. I'm happy to talk to them about how to end the government shutdown.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COLLINS: Airports across the country have been seeing thousands of flight delays every single day, as air traffic controllers and TSA workers are either calling out or being forced to work without pay. You might remember, back in 2019, during that shutdown, it was the long lines at airports that eventually brought that shutdown to an end.
Tonight, though, the House remains in recess, the Senate actually just left Washington today for the weekend, with no measurable progress that we have been able to see or ascertain, when it comes to a deal to reopen the government. By the time they get back on Monday, we will be one day shy of matching the longest shutdown ever.
I want to turn now to the Democratic senator from New Jersey, Andy Kim.
And Senator, thank you for being here.
Because I talked about these flights and these airports. Newark Airport, in your state, a massive airport, has averaged about 25 percent of flights being delayed every single day, this week. Should your constituents, should everyone else, who's using and flying through Newark, be prepared for that number to get even worse?
SEN. ANDY KIM (D-NJ): Well, what we know is that we need to take action, right now, to be able to solve these problems.
And look, we've been having these problems in Newark, all year. We've been having a lot of problems, as we've seen continued cuts to the FAA, from this administration, with the support staff and others that are dealing with flight safety. But yes, right now, we are seeing increased problems, and that's why we should be having negotiations right now. I'm here in Washington, D.C., I'm down the street from the Capitol. We should have stayed in session. We should not have recessed.
And now, we're at a time when the House of Representatives has been out of session for 40 days. Over 40 days. I keep telling people in New Jersey, What would happen to you if you didn't show up to your job for 40 days?
This is getting to the point of just absolute absurdity, in terms of why it is that we can't just have the negotiations, right now, to be able to end this.
COLLINS: On the airports, though. There was a food bank set up in Terminal C for 1,300 TSA workers there at Newark.
What do you say to a TSA employee, who is going to work, and showing up for their job, and has to go to a food bank to get food for themselves, for their families? What do you say to them tonight?
KIM: Well, I've talked with a lot of them, and I start by saying, Look, I'm sorry that they're going through this.
I was a federal civil servant, and I had to work through a previous shutdown, and I remember not getting paid, even though I was showing up to work every single day. This is the collateral damage that they are seeing.
And then, when I talk to them, they say, Please, understand that this problem for us didn't just start on October 1st. This problem has been going on since January 20th, that they have been attacked and demonized by this administration. That they have raised their hand to be able to serve our country, they believe it's an honorable thing to do. Yet, they are constantly being pressured to be able to justify their existence, and demonized by this administration. So look, they're going through a lot of challenges.
But they know that even when the government is back up and running, that their jobs are not safe, that their work is being -- is not being valued, and that this administration is going to likely fire many more public servants even when the government's open.
COLLINS: Yes, but do you think, I'm sorry, is enough for--
KIM: Oh, definitely not.
COLLINS: --for an air traffic controller?
KIM: No, look, I mean, there are lots of challenges that are facing -- and air traffic controllers, and others that are serving in the government, they deserve better, especially at a time when, again, members of Congress, the President, are getting paid, right now. I decided to forego my pay because, again, I know what it's like to be in their shoes. I was there before. So, yes, they should be appalled by what's happening. We've been trying to push forward legislation that would pay our workers to be able to address these issues, including SNAP. I support a Republican senator, Senator Hawley's proposal to be able to extend funding when it comes to SNAP.
But the reason why that didn't go onto the floor of the Senate is because, as we talk about this in bipartisan way, we say, even if it passes, where would it go? It is empty on the House of Representatives, literally, no one there. And so, even if we pass legislation, and we come up with a deal, there is no one at the House of Representatives to even take it up.
COLLINS: Yes. Well and--
KIM: And so that's the problem that we're in. They're not even showing up to do their job.
COLLINS: And what this is all over -- a fight over is the health care -- Obamacare subsidies that your party wants extended, and says, basically, the shutdown is worth it to have this fight over the subsidies.
And the President posted on Truth Social, just a couple moments ago. I don't know if you saw this. He just got back from his trip to Asia. And he said, quote, As I have said for years, OBAMACARE IS A DISASTER. Rates are going through the roof for really bad healthcare. Do something Democrats.
As a Democrat, what's your response to the President's post?
[21:30:00]
KIM: Well, my response is that I'm glad he's waking up to the problems. I wish it had happened on January 20th. I wish he put the kind of energy into this, as he did the tax cuts for billionaires. Because they keep saying, Oh, we can delay these negotiations about the ACA until after Thanksgiving, which is what they were trying to do with this -- with the CR that they pushed forward.
But look, first of all, we are seeing open enrollment starting in 24 hours. I have heard from people, back in New Jersey, that people are telling me thousands of dollars increase. Right now, the average in New Jersey is going to be a 174 percent increase in costs when it comes to the Affordable Care Act. So people are having huge problems. And the fact that the President is only tuning in now to understand this?
The other thing that wasn't going to expire till the end of the year were those tax cuts for the billionaires, that they were tripping over themselves, earlier this year, to be able to solve the problem. Where is that urgency? Where is that urgency when it comes to working families, when it comes to their health care?
COLLINS: Do you think Senate Democrats are still united, on keeping the government shut down, not voting yes on that CR, from what you've heard from your colleagues? KIM: Yes, I mean, look, we want to solve this problem. We want to address health care, and meaningfully try to address this. And we've said, we are ready for negotiations, and we have had some talks in the Senate, and that is something we should be continuing through this weekend.
We should not have adjourned. We should be continuing on this fight, especially when so many are on the cusp of going hungry, of the health care now as open enrollment starts in just two days.
COLLINS: Yes.
KIM: These families are making these decisions, right now. And when they see that the Capitol is absent? When the President hasn't been in the Oval Office for a week? The question is, Well, what is happening here to solve this?
And that is what I hope the American people see, this abdication in the leadership, especially by Speaker Johnson. I mean, no one has worked harder to stand in the way of American people getting relief when it comes to health care than Speaker Johnson. Shame on him for putting his own job, and his own job security, ahead of the needs of 40 million people, when it comes to SNAP, in the face of 20-some million people when it comes to health care.
COLLINS: Yes.
KIM: Shame on him.
COLLINS: And obviously, he would dispute that. He says that they've done their jobs. It's time for the Senate to do theirs.
Obviously, we'll see how this plays out.
KIM: Yes, no, he says that as they've been out for 40 days. So, I think the American people see what that stands for.
COLLINS: Senator Andy Kim, thank you for your time tonight. Thanks for joining us here.
KIM: Thanks for having me.
COLLINS: Up next. It is one of the biggest races in the country, here in New York City, everyone's watching it. The Democratic nominee, though, still has not gotten the endorsement of the top Democrat in the Senate, and in his home state. Why not? And what Zohran Mamdani just told Anderson Cooper about that.
[21:35:00]
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COLLINS: Tonight, with only five days remaining in the New York City's mayor's race, more than 398,000 New Yorkers have already voted. That stands out, because it's more than double the entire early voting period, back in 2021. The voters who'd already cast their ballots, though, have done so with no idea who one of their state's top elected officials is supporting.
The Senate Minority Leader, Chuck Schumer, still has not endorsed the Democratic nominee in this race, Zohran Mamdani, even leaving some of his fellow Democrats wondering why.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REP. ILHAN OMAR (D-MN): It makes no sense. We are -- we, as Democrats, have always believed that in an election we support our party's nominee. Schumer has pressured other Democrats to do just that, and he should be following his own advice.
SEN. CHRIS VAN HOLLEN (D-MD): I was pleased to see that Hakeem Jeffries has endorsed him. I'm pleased to see Governor Hochul has endorsed him. I hope all senior, leading Democratic officials, especially in New York, will do so.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COLLINS: Schumer hasn't said if he's already voted or who he plans to vote for.
But in a new interview tonight, with CNN, Mamdani said he's not worried about it.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
COOPER: Do you believe national Democrats are afraid of you, and Schumer has not endorsed you?
ZOHRAN MAMDANI, (D) NYC MAYORAL CANDIDATE: I believe that national Democrats are holding the line, right now, to actually call the question on the Trump administration, which ran a presidential campaign on the premise of cheaper groceries, and is now using the power that they won, to make it even harder to afford those groceries.
And to hear someone try and pin this on me, when what we've actually seen is that Americans just want their health care. They just want to be able to afford their groceries, their day-to-day lives. It shows how out of touch the Republican Party is.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COLLINS: Joining me tonight, former Obama administration official, the one and only, Van Jones.
Van, that answer was kind of classic Mamdani.
VAN JONES, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR, FORMER OBAMA ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: Yes.
COLLINS: Where Anderson was asking him about Schumer not endorsing him, and he instead turned it back to--
JONES: Yes.
COLLINS: --Republicans and the shutdown in Washington.
JONES: Yes.
COLLINS: Savvy, but--
JONES: Very skilled politician for a--
COLLINS: But what does that say to you that -- yes--
JONES: --for a 30-year-old.
COLLINS: --that Schumer has not endorsed him?
JONES: Well, I think that for people in the Jewish community who are very close to Israel, this is a very, very tough pill to swallow, and I think that you can see that in Chuck Schumer's reluctance.
[21:40:00]
I think that it basically comes down to some of the things that Mamdani has said, have left a lot of Jewish New Yorkers very alarmed. And he's tried to fix some of it. I think you got to give him some credit. He has tried to fix some of it. But he still hasn't completely denounced the Globalize the intifada, that kind of stuff.
And so you've got a section of Jewish voters in New York who are comfortable with Mamdani, who are putting out ads and being supportive. But you have another section that's very alarmed. And I think Schumer's kind of caught in that dynamic.
COLLINS: So does it say something to you that despite the fact that he's had conversations with Chuck Schumer, he hasn't been able to get there yet.
JONES: Well, I don't -- listen, I haven't talked to Chuck about it. And I don't know Mamdani.
What I would say is that next week is going to be a real emotional moment in New York City. I think Mamdani will win, and I think that for a lot of younger voters, and certainly for a lot of people in the Muslim community, it's going to feel like a moment of vindication, because the issues that he's running on, this idea of this town being completely unaffordable, were not being spoken to by Democratic Party establishment.
And I've talked to a lot of younger voters. And from their point of view, they live in these tiny little apartments. They can't afford it. If they have a kid, they got to move out of the city. There's a lot of things that have been going wrong, and the Democratic Party establishment was not speaking to their issues.
So, they're willing to forgive a lot from Mamdani. They're willing to forgive the socialist label. They're willing to forgive some of his positions on Israel, forgive a lot, or applaud for some of it, because their pain was not acknowledged. And so, I think those people are going to feel a moment of relief.
I think for a lot of people, though, that socialist tag is a big red flag, and I think that the -- his positions on Israel are another big red flag, and they're going to be quite upset, I think, next week.
COLLINS: Well, and it's a red flag that Republicans have taken and run with. I mean, they are acting like he already won, essentially.
And House Speaker Mike Johnson was blaming him for the Democrats' shut down strategy. Actually yesterday, we asked Hakeem Jeffries about that. He dismissed it.
But listen to what Speaker Johnson has been saying, basically every day, in his daily press conferences.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REP. MIKE JOHNSON (R-LA): By endorsing Mamdani, Hakeem Jeffries has endorsed and co-owned his positions, his past statements, his Marxist playbook, and everything else that that guy espouses. And so too does every single House Democrat who will be inviting their leader, Jeffries, to their campaigns, and to their districts next year.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COLLINS: I mean, I imagine we're going to hear that non-stop.
JONES: Yes.
COLLINS: Addition to the reporting tonight that Elise Stefanik is preparing to launch a bid for New York governor. What do you make of that?
JONES: Well, look, I mean, that's why you saw this big reluctance on the part of mainstream Democrats to give him that support, even though voters in New York picked him over Cuomo.
Outside of this city, this is a very tough wait for a lot of mainstream Republicans -- mainstream Democrats, to carry. If you're in a swing district, if you're in a purple district, the last thing you want is a picture of yourself with side-by-side split-screen with somebody who's being called a socialist.
COLLINS: Can we talk about Andrew Cuomo and his campaign, and--
JONES: What campaign?
COLLINS: --and what are the final--
JONES: Is there a campaign?
COLLINS: Ouch.
JONES: I'm sorry. Go ahead. What were you saying?
COLLINS: Wow. Van, you're being really real tonight. Not that you aren't usually--
JONES: I'm just saying like I -- here's what I am observing.
COLLINS: Well, can I play this ad? Because I want you--
JONES: Yes, sure, go ahead.
COLLINS: I want what -- I want your thoughts on this, one of the final ads from the Cuomo campaign that has just come out.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I can conclude he would be the least qualified mayor to ever come into office.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's true. Try it with your own ChatGPT at home, kids.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Oh my God.
You're going to destroy the Big Apple.
Oh, no.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm just a shill. I'm just a shill. I'm going to destroy the Big Apple.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Oh, God. Please don't hate me.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
JONES: I'm sorry. Was something happening?
COLLINS: So, no comment?
JONES: My point. That doesn't work.
COLLINS: You don't think that's moving any voters in last minutes (ph).
JONES: It doesn't -- it doesn't work. And I -- listen, I -- a huge admirer of Andrew Cuomo in earlier stages and phases. If you want to run a campaign in this town, now, you can't go with endorsements. You can't go with crappy ads. You got to sit down, listen to people.
And people in this town are hurting, and they can't afford stuff. They -- some of these kids have $250,000 student loans. They need to know that this guy is with them.
And he had the opportunity, Andrew Cuomo. I know this guy. He has not run the kind of campaign that is going to stop this steamroller of 90,000 volunteers who are out here, from their point of view, fighting for economic life.
If the Democratic Party can't put up better establishment, mainstream can't put up better candidates, we're going to have these outcomes. And I'm not going to sit here and lie about it.
COLLINS: Van Jones, as always. I meant it when I said, One and only.
JONES: Thank you.
[21:45:00]
COLLINS: Of course, you can join Van, myself, all of us here at CNN, because next Tuesday, we are going to have live results, here on CNN, from all of these critical races that are happening across the country. Election Night coverage on CNN will start at 05:00 p.m. Eastern, and also streaming on the CNN app, so no reason to miss it.
Up next here, though. That story I mentioned at the top of the show. The Trump administration has been obviously trying to go out in full force with its immigration enforcement, across the country. But The New York Times says one person who was mistakenly deported is a former Trump golf club -- golf club employee. And I'm going to speak to his attorney, right after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[21:50:00]
COLLINS: As President Trump's immigration crackdown has intensified across the nation. ICE agents are moving so quickly, that one immigrant who used to work at his New York golf club, for actually more than a decade, failed to get a hearing before a judge, and was mistakenly deported to Mexico.
The New York Times has this report out tonight that Alejandro Juarez was detained in New York City, last month, after he showed up for a routine check-in at an ICE facility.
Documents show that ICE intended to fly him to a detention center in Arizona, but he was placed on a plane that instead landed in Texas. And there, along with dozens of other Mexican detainees, he was unshackled, handed a bag with his belongings, and made to walk the bridge into Mexico.
Before he crossed, The Times reports, that he even tried to tell federal agents he never got a chance to contest his deportation before an immigration judge, but it was a plea that the ICE agents dismissed.
When we reached out to the Department of Homeland Security about this story, a spokesperson did acknowledge the mistake, saying, in part, a Mexican national was removed to Mexico early because he was put on the incorrect transport.
My source tonight is Alejandro Juarez's attorney, Anibal Romero.
And it's great to have you here.
Because, one, I know, he crossed the bridge and then called you. And I can't even imagine what he had to say. ANIBAL ROMERO, ATTORNEY AND FOUNDER, THE ROMERO FIRM, ATTORNEY FOR ALEJANDRO JUAREZ: Yes. I mean, look, I've been doing this for 20 years now, and it really is one of the craziest cases I've worked on.
One minute, I'm here waiting for a hearing following week.
And then I get a call from him, and he says, I'm in Mexico.
Mexico? We have a hearing in front of a judge.
And I went in front of the immigration judge. The judge had no idea what was happening. DHS had no idea what was happening. Obviously, we got an adjournment. They came back. They apologized. They sent me an email, We're sorry. We made a mistake. We will try to bring him back.
He's still in Mexico right now.
And it's sad and it's sloppy. And I feel that the problem we're having here is that because we're getting -- because DHS is getting orders to try to arrest 3,000 people, this is what's going to happen. We're going to start getting sloppy.
It's not about Alejandro. It's -- I understand people are going to say he's illegal, he's undocumented. No, this is about protecting legal permanent residents, American citizens. That's why we have a process, right? We have to go in front of an immigration court, and prove that he's not an American citizen before you send him to Mexico.
COLLINS: Do you believe it's malicious or careless?
ROMERO: I think it's careless. I mean, right now, I'm working with Department of Homeland Security. And credit to them, this is the first time I've heard that they've acknowledged it's a mistake. They're trying to bring him back.
It's very rare for them to say, We made a mistake.
COLLINS: Yes.
ROMERO: They normally just say, Too bad, he's undocumented.
But I think really what's happening is DHS is struggling, because they're getting orders from Stephen Miller to try to arrest 3,000 people. And DHS has limited resources. People make mistakes, and I think that's why this needs to stop. It's becoming chaos.
COLLINS: And in part of the DHS statement tonight, they talked about the fact that he was arrested in 2022, after he was found to have been drinking -- or to be driving while intoxicated. He was charged with a misdemeanor and sentenced to three years' probation.
Do you think that they will use that as a reason not to either bring him back to the United States, or to start those deportation proceedings when he's back here?
ROMERO: It's a complete violation of due process, when someone is picked up off the street and sent to a foreign country.
In a few months, we're going to have hundreds of thousands of foreigners here celebrating the FIFA World Cup. You think they're going to feel safe when the government can just pick you up and send you to a different country without even knowing what country you're actually from?
His arrest is relevant. But first, you have to decide whether he's an American citizen or a legal permanent resident. That's why we go in front of an immigration court. You can't just send someone to another country without a hearing. It just -- that's -- no, you can't do that.
COLLINS: Well, and a few aspects of his story stood out to me. One, he obviously worked at President Trump's golf club in Westchester for over a decade. He was one of several people who was fired in 2019 when Trump was in office the last time, because he was undocumented.
He was working multiple jobs now, I know. And his son is a Marine. I wonder how his son feels about what's happening to his dad.
ROMERO: I mean, it's tough. You know, he's serving our -- his son is serving our country. Alejandro, as soon as he comes back to the United States, his son, because he's a U.S. Marine, and he's about to turn 21, can actually petition his dad to become a legal permanent resident. So, Alejandro, once he comes back, will have a path to a citizen -- will have path to citizenship. But right now, he's stuck in Mexico.
Again, it's a sad story. I hope they can sort of figure this out quickly. And I'm really concerned about how sloppy the government is becoming.
COLLINS: Anibal Romero, please keep us updated on what's happening with this case.
ROMERO: Thank you.
COLLINS: We'll follow it closely.
And we'll be right back, after this.
[21:55:00]
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COLLINS: Sources tell us that President Trump's call, last night, for the Pentagon to resume nuclear weapons testing caught even some of his own advisers by surprise.
This happened just before he met, late last night, with the Chinese President, Xi Jinping, when Trump said that these tests should be done on an equal basis, as he put it, with China and Russia. Even though neither China nor Russia has conducted a nuclear test in decades.
The U.S. actually last conducted one, back in 1992, and has been on a voluntary moratorium ever since. Of course, there's a lot of unanswered questions about when or if this testing is actually going to go forward, though the President made very clear, this is what he meant.
Here's what the Vice President JD Vance had to say about it today.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
VANCE: It's an important part of American national security to make sure that this nuclear arsenal we have actually functions properly, and that's part of a testing regime. To be clear, we know that it does work properly, but you got to keep on top of it over time.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
[22:00:00]
COLLINS: Many experts have argued that if the United States does resume nuclear testing, as Trump has said, it could signal to other nations that they can do the same.
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