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The Source with Kaitlan Collins
Trump Speaks At GOP's Midterm Convention In Dallas; Trump At GOP's Midterm Convention: "I'm On The Ballot"; Ex-Anthropic Employee: AI Could "Kill Us All" By End Of Decade. Aired 9-10p ET
Aired September 09, 2026 - 21:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[21:00:00]
ALAYNA TREENE, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: --and because of him, not just because of the more local races that they're seeing. So, that's going to be the big goal here.
I will note, we're expecting to see him shortly, Anderson. There's a box over there, where many Cabinet members who have spoken or are going to speak tomorrow night are going to be sitting. So, watch that closely as well.
ANDERSON COOPER, CNN HOST, ANDERSON COOPER 360: All right.
Alayna Treene, thanks so much. Appreciate it.
That's it for us. The news continues. "THE SOURCE WITH KAITLAN COLLINS" starts now. See you tomorrow night.
KAITLAN COLLINS, CNN CHIEF WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT, CNN HOST, THE SOURCE WITH KAITLAN COLLINS: This is a live look at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, where right now, an unusual two-day political extravaganza is unfolding, as Republicans are hoping to defy history and strong political headwinds, pretty strong headwinds, this November, during a convention-like event that we are now watching, and typically is the kind you only see ahead of a presidential election.
But any moment now, President Trump himself is going to take centerstage. And there's a lot of anxious Republicans in that crowd who are worried about big losses in the midterm elections, and they're hoping that he can conjure up his political magic once again this fall.
But right now, polls have been showing the President and his policies deeply unpopular, as some Republican candidates who are in tight races are choosing to stay home instead of attending this convention here tonight.
As we're going to be following all of this live, to see what exactly the President is saying, I should note, our latest CNN polling finds that nearly two-thirds of voters disapprove of the job that he's doing.
We have our top political experts here tonight, and you're going to see their insights and their analysis here on the side of your screen. Later this hour, we're also going to be joined by Democratic Senator Bernie Sanders.
There's a lot to get to, so I want to dive right in.
Joining me for the hour here:
Former New York City Mayor, Bill de Blasio.
Former Trump White House communications director, Alyssa Farah Griffin.
New York Times White House correspondent, Shawn McCreesh.
And CNN's very own and often quoted by the President himself, Harry Enten.
Though he doesn't always get your name right, Harry, but that's all right.
HARRY ENTEN, CNN CHIEF DATA ANALYST: Yes, Enden, Enten, whatever.
COLLINS: Alyssa, I mean, obviously you worked for the President before, in his first term. What are you expecting from his speech tonight, or what are you going to be watching for?
ALYSSA FARAH GRIFFIN, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR, FORMER TRUMP WHITE HOUSE COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR: Listen, I think it's going to be a highlight reel. I think there's going to -- we know there's going to be scripted remarks, but I suspect he'll go highly off script.
But this is -- this is very unusual, and I've talked to a lot of Republican operatives who are just scratching their heads over why we're doing this midterm convention. It costs an extraordinary amount of money, money that could otherwise be spent in battleground races to boost candidates who are must-win, people like Susan Collins. And the fact that we're even having to spend money in Texas right now because the nominee is so unpopular in Texas.
Also the fact that if you're somebody like a Susan Collins or these more vulnerable House members, you don't want to be tying yourself to Donald Trump right now. So, this idea that he's putting himself front and center and trying to tie every vulnerable Republican to him is just highly, highly unusual.
And finally, you usually don't want to be rallying your base 55 days from the midterms. You want to be reaching moderates and independents. That is not what this says tonight.
So, it may be a good show. It may be some really clippable moments. Donald Trump is very clippable. But I don't see how this moves the needle for Republicans.
COLLINS: Yes, I do think that politically speaking, it's a question of what they are hoping to accomplish here. Is this going to change any minds of these independent voters, of getting Republicans out? And is it actually going to help any Republicans who need help?
BILL DE BLASIO, (D) FORMER NEW YORK CITY MAYOR: Look, I could see an argument that if you wanted to do a total revamp, total reset, and use tonight for a conversation with the American people about the economy, about what's happening with the challenges they're having, paying the bills and a whole new program for how to address it. In theory, you might have an impact if you were President Trump. But the problem is, it's so late in the cycle, and we've never seen him even begin to attempt that reset.
So, I think the smart money tonight is, I agree, the greatest hits, more grievance, more about himself, and that's actually something I would imagine many, many Republicans would wish just didn't happen.
COLLINS: Well, and you just saw one person whose fate really depends on what happens this November, and that is the House Speaker, Mike Johnson, there in the VIP box that has been built. It's got obviously the number two House Republican over on the other side, Steve Scalise.
I mean, Shawn, just what have your takeaways been so far watching this convention as it's played out tonight?
SHAWN MCCREESH, WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT, THE NEW YORK TIMES: Yes, I've been watching them for hours. I think it's oftentimes more interesting to listen for what is not being said rather than what is being said.
And I don't hear anything about Iran. I don't hear anything about Canada. I don't think I've heard the word tariff mentioned once. I don't hear anything about the ballroom. Which is to say, all of these people who are gathered there are pointedly not talking about the things that the President talks about all day, every day.
So, if he gets up there and makes a speech that is full of topics that these people don't want to talk about, I think that would be a really interesting split-screen. And I sort of wish I was there for it.
COLLINS: I mean, Harry, that's a good question in terms of what the data shows on all of this.
ENTEN: This is like Bizarro Land. I mean, what are we doing? A midterm convention?
[21:05:00]
Voice of ENTEN: And we're going to put up a president in prime time who's more underwater than the Titanic? You know, he's twice as unpopular as he was back in 2018. The majority of voters say that, in fact, they're less likely to vote for a candidate who's endorsed by Donald Trump. And he's--
Voice of COLLINS: Wait. What's that number? Say that again.
Voice of ENTEN: A majority of voters say that they are less likely to vote for a candidate if they are endorsed by Donald Trump. This was a CNBC poll. Voice of COLLINS: Wow.
Voice of ENTEN: And more than that, you know, and then it's going up against -- you know, I know it's off on the side here. It's going up against the first football game of the season. On one hand, they're putting this president front and center. On the other hand, they're putting it up against what is now America's pastime. It's like part of them wants the President to be front and center, and the other part wants him, actually, Shh, we're not going to actually listen to him because he's going to actually drag down our candidates.
Voice of COLLINS: Well, I mean, and listening to him, I mean, he's going to have the entire--
COLLINS: I mean, his entire -- half of his administration is there tonight. Todd Blanche, the Attorney General, just spoke. You see the Vice President, JD Vance, he just arrived there into the VIP box as well. I mean, this is the Trump administration's midterm convention, and it's not just focused on those Republicans that are in tight races.
DE BLASIO: Yes, it's -- I have to say, there's a reason this hasn't happened before. You know, I mean--
COLLINS: Well, Democrats held a convention, I believe, in the 80s. But to your point, it's quite been sometime.
DE BLASIO: Yes, I mean -- it's extremely strange. It's -- yes, it's neither -- look, if you wanted to do something right up before the election, as you said, to really energize your base, I could see that. If you were doing something a year out, I could see that.
I cannot understand what's going on here, and it makes me feel, at times, like he's given up on the midterms. I mean, how many things can you do that literally are poking your own party in the eye before people say, Wait a minute, maybe there's actually a pattern here. This looks like a president who already assumes he has lost the House of Representatives because no one in their right mind would be doing this thing right now.
COLLINS: Do you think that that's true? Maybe Trump doesn't care or he has given up on the midterms?
FARAH GRIFFIN: I've always debated whether Trump cares about winning elections when he's not on the ballot. I think that there is part of him that wants Republicans to always need him. So, being able to say, Republicans do better when I'm on the top of the ticket, to pull them up. That said, he doesn't want to deal with the oversight that's on the other side and the investigations that'll be on the other side.
But what I think is also interesting: Trump still has a massive war chest, but he's barely spent on these midterms. He just deployed something like $10 million to Ken Paxton's race. Republicans shouldn't even have to be spending in a Texas Senate seat.
So, I think a lot of Republicans around the country are like, Rather than do this convention, give us some money, get us on the airwaves, donate to our super PACs. Not really this.
And you hit on it with the NFL. It is wild to do this the night that football is back. And for a man who knows TV better than probably any living president, I can't -- I have to imagine he's really angry that his staff booked this the night that the football is back.
Voice of COLLINS: Yes, Shawn, what do you think about that? Because the President does keep a keen eye on who's watching, what the ratings are, obviously, and what that looks like.
Voice of MCCREESH: Yes. Yes. Not great timing.
I do have something counterintuitive to say. I was watching it, and I was thinking about all the politicians I was seeing one after another, and they all just seem so small and interchangeable, and sort of non- descript. And I do think Trump has been the identity of the party for 10 years, and they're so yoked to him, and I just -- it made me think of that great famous line that Stalin told one of his members of the Politburo, which is that, Without me you are blind like newborn kittens.
ENTEN: Hey.
MCCREESH: And I just can't imagine them without Trump there, honestly.
DE BLASIO: Wow, pulling out a classic quote right there.
(LAUGHTER)
ENTEN: I guess, for me, as I kind of look at, I go, OK, where -- what are Republicans missing right now, right? Are they in fact not getting support, Republican House candidates, from Republican voters nationwide? In fact, they're getting the same level of support in our last CNN poll, which was in late July, as they were in our last CNN poll in October of 2024. That is, the Republicans are holding on to that Republican base.
Where they are losing support, overwhelmingly, is the center of the electorate. It's Independents. What is Trump's net approval rating among Independents? What is it like? 50, 55, points underwater, according to Ipsos.
And more than that, who are the Republicans who are not as jazzed of turning out in the midterm elections? It's not the MAGA base. They're just as jazzed as the Democrats are. It's the non-MAGA Republicans, folks who really are the ones who are more likely to disapprove the job that Trump is doing.
COLLINS: Well, Mayor, can I ask you though because, the White House might be listening to this and say, Well, look who we had in a surprise appearance here, and that was a Democrat who virtually appeared at the convention, and John Fetterman was in this video.
And just take a listen to what he said as he introduced his fellow senator from Pennsylvania, Republican Dave McCormick.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. JOHN FETTERMAN (D-PA): Yes, I'm Senator John Fetterman, Pennsylvania.
Yes, I'm a Democrat. Why am I here talking to you today? Because, well, I'm a commonsense Democrat. I'm always going to stand with America. I'm always going to reject the extremes and socialism and that anti-American way of life.
Right back over my shoulder, that's the iconic U.S. Steel Mill, and that's exactly the kind of thing that we'll work together and we'll work with President Trump to fight and defend the steel way of life, right here in the Steel Valley.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
[21:10:00]
COLLINS: I don't believe he went to your party's convention in 2024.
DE BLASIO: Yes, I mean, there's no novelty to this anymore. John Fetterman's made a decision to, as often as possible, support Trump's policies.
Voice of DE BLASIO: He says he votes with the Democrats a lot. I want to give him credit for that. But in terms of his public pronouncements, his going out of his way to go on every network and talk about what's wrong with Democrats, what's right with Trump, he's made a choice. But I think it also takes away the power and the novelty. This is sort of a part of the firmament now.
Voice of COLLINS: But I mean, the White House might use that to make an argument about a Democratic senator in this stage.
And obviously, we see President Trump coming out. Once he gets over to the microphone, we'll go to his remarks.
But I mean, they're going to point to that, Mr. Mayor.
Voice of DE BLASIO: Yes, I just -- Kaitlan, I don't think it has value anymore. I think if Fetterman was seen as someone who, as a matter of conscience on a certain issue, said, Hey, I'm going to agree with Trump on this issue. That might work. But he has gone through a sea change as a human being and ideologically, and I think it's very hard for people--
Voice of COLLINS: He votes with Democrats a lot.
Voice of DE BLASIO: Yes, no, I agree with that. But I'm saying it's just -- there is a clear change that happened in John Fetterman. Therefore, the notion that this is about actually Trump has come up with some good idea and that he's just embracing a good idea. This is something much deeper, and I don't think it resonates, honestly.
Voice of FARAH GRIFFIN: I do think Democrats have to be careful to not make him the next Joe Manchin, though, where they basically want to distance so much that they end up losing what has become a deeply swing state. Where, if it's not John Fetterman, it's likely going to be a Republican from the Pennsylvania delegation that represents the Senate there.
Voice of ENTEN: To me, the bigger question is, you know, he has said I'm not going to change parties.
But when you watch spiels like that in front of a Republican crowd, pumping up a Republican senator, you go to my -- I go to myself, Wait a minute, maybe Democrats don't just need to get to 51 seats for a majority.
Voice of FARAH GRIFFIN: Right.
Voice of ENTEN: Maybe they have to get to 52, and that it -- 51's tough enough. It's plausible. 52 is a far higher hill to climb.
Voice of FARAH GRIFFIN: Yes, you guys should keep Fetterman in that, you know, 75 percent of the time he votes with Democrats because it's much harder to replace him.
Voice of COLLINS: Which is probably why Schumer speaks about Fetterman the way that he does in a very different way than some of the other Democrats that we see.
Voice of ENTEN: Yes, look, at this point, yes, he has voted less with Democrats than any other Democratic senator, but it's still 79 percent of the time. 79 percent is a whole heck of a lot better than, I don't know, 5 percent of the time?
(LAUGHTER)
Voice of COLLINS: All right, and President Trump is approaching the microphone now. We're going to keep our expert analysis up on the screen. We're going to listen in to see the President's remarks.
DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: Thank you very much everybody.
Lee, thank you. He's been with me right from the beginning.
(CHEERING)
(APPLAUSE)
TRUMP: You know, a lot of singers have wanted to introduce me. Once you win, they want to all introduce you, you know. And I said, No way, nobody's introducing. Only Lee. Lee's the only one who can introduce me.
(CHEERING)
(APPLAUSE)
TRUMP: Thank you. Great honor.
(CHEERING)
TRUMP: And friends, distinguished guests, Vice President Vance, and the proud citizens of the United States of America, welcome to the first ever midterm convention of any party.
(CHEERING)
(APPLAUSE)
TRUMP: Took a little imagination to think of it, but we thought of it. I'm sure it'll become a staple in the years to come. But this is the first ever for any party.
Two months ago, we came together to celebrate one of the most glorious days in history, the 250th anniversary of our Declaration of Independence.
(CHEERING)
(APPLAUSE)
TRUMP: And in 1776, our Founders lit the immortal flame of American liberty in Philadelphia. What a time that was.
Tonight, we gather in the great state of Texas.
(CHEERING)
(APPLAUSE)
TRUMP: And by the way, I have to brag. It's a state, I won all three times in massive landslides and got the highest vote.
(CHEERING)
(APPLAUSE)
TRUMP: Got the highest vote in the history of Texas politics. Can you believe that?
(CHEERING)
TRUMP: But we all hold the flame high and carry it boldly forward. We love this state and we love this country. That's all we can say. But what an honor it is to be in Texas. What a place. What a place. Love it.
(CHEERING)
(APPLAUSE)
TRUMP: With your support, we will make our nation stronger, safer, richer, freer, and greater than it has ever been before. That's what's happening. You know that's what's happening. I wish that fake news would report it.
(CHEERING)
TRUMP: There they are. Boy, that's a lot of fake news. That's a lot of fake news.
[21:15:00]
You have to remember, when we originally announced this, eight weeks ago, they said, Who's going to go to a midterm convention that's never going to -- this place is packed.
(CHEERING)
(APPLAUSE)
TRUMP: And not only is this packed -- it was a big arena -- not only is this packed, but you have an equal number of people standing outside. If anybody would like to give up their seat or whatever they're -- whatever -- if they're standing or if they have a seat, would anybody like to raise your hand and give up your seat? I thought so.
No, we have an amazing response. They love our party. They love what we're doing.
In 55 days, Americans will be going to the polls in one of the most important elections in our country's history. Your vote will decide whether our country stumbles at the starting gate of the next 250 years or surges forward and never ever looks back.
(CHEERING)
(APPLAUSE)
TRUMP: If we hand America's future to the radical-left Democrats, and our nation will spend the next decade just getting back on its feet, it will be a tragedy. Vote Republican, and we will leave the world in our dust for generations to come, there'll be nothing like it. We're right at that game.
(CHEERING)
(APPLAUSE)
(CROWD chanting USA)
TRUMP: Thank you.
(CROWD chanting USA)
(CHEERING)
TRUMP: The choice in this election is very, very simple. Democrats are asking you to vote for their failed far-left agendas -- it's never worked -- that destroyed your finances and delivered you four years of disaster, bedlam, and death, under Sleepy Joe Biden.
(BOOING)
TRUMP: And I'm asking you to let us finish the job we began with the greatest two years in the history of the presidency. This has been the most successful two years financially and every other way in the history of the presidency.
(CHEERING)
(APPLAUSE)
TRUMP: And together, we will turn a two-year comeback into a 250-year lead. We've never -- nobody's ever had a start, it's not even two years, but we have more money being spent from outside countries and companies. Over $20 trillion. That's five, six, seven times higher than any country, not just here, any country ever. 20 -- over 20 -- remember, I've been saying 19.2, but now it's over 20 for less than two years, substantially less than two years. When the two-year number comes out, that number could be $25 trillion being invested here. The record, by the way.
(CHEERING)
(APPLAUSE)
TRUMP: Think of it, over $20 trillion. The record, by the way, is another foreign land. You probably know the land I'm talking about. In fact, the head of that land will be coming to the White House in two weeks. 3 trillion. So, 3 trillion versus 20 trillion. But the 20 trillion after two years is going to close to 23, 24, 25. Nobody's ever seen anything like it ever, and it probably will never happen again.
And I want you to remember me in four or five years when this country is rocketing. Remember, I'm the one that got it started. I'm the one--
(CHEERING)
(APPLAUSE)
TRUMP: You know who they are, right?
Oh, look who we have. Front Row Joes, look at them.
(CHEERING)
(APPLAUSE)
TRUMP: Wow, that's great.
And we have the great ladies from North Carolina. Can you imagine?
(CHEERING)
(APPLAUSE)
TRUMP: So, they've been to 217 rallies. They're beautiful. They have wonderful husbands, but I never see the husbands or husbands. I think you're driving your husbands crazy.
(CHEERING)
TRUMP: No, they've been fans right from the beginning of our policy. I guess they like me, but of our policy.
And Front Row Joes, it's number 412, I think. What do they do for a living? They make a lot of money, I think. But you guys are fantastic. Thank you very much.
And we have a special guest, Mr. Wall. I want to get a suit like that.
(CHEERING)
TRUMP: Someday I'm going to go out and get a suit like that. Where do you get it? Walk up here.
Because we built over, think of this, we built over 1,400 miles of wall right on your Texas border.
[21:20:00]
(CHEERING)
(APPLAUSE)
TRUMP: 1,400, and because of that, we have the great -- the greatest numbers ever on immigration. We stopped it cold. It was a disaster. It was destroying our country. But we'll get onto that.
When I'm on the ticket, Republicans always do very well. We won the presidency three times, and we won--
(CHEERING)
(APPLAUSE)
TRUMP: By the way, now you notice numerous people on the other side are actually admitting it. How about that? But this was a cool way of doing it.
But we won it big, and we also won everything else because, you know, whatever it is, I was on the ticket, people came, and they did tremendously with the senators and with the congressmen.
But for some reason, when a president wins, even if he's really a good president or a great president, there aren't too many of them, they don't win the midterms, and nobody quite knows why. It's two out of, think of it, two out of 25 races. We're going to change that. There's no reason for it. There's no reason for it.
(CHEERING)
(APPLAUSE)
TRUMP: It's something deep down and psychological. You're going to have to explain it. But I've asked people, what is the reason for it? If you have a president that's doing a great job -- I don't think anybody's ever had two years like we have. All over the world, they're admitting it. Other countries are failing and failing badly.
But I say, why is it that no matter how well you're doing, we seem not a president, Democrat or Republican, almost never wins the midterms. We've got to change that because we have something going that's so good we can't let that string be broken.
(CHEERING)
(APPLAUSE)
TRUMP: So, I'm asking you to pretend that I'm on the ballot. I'm on the ballot. I'm on the ballot.
(CHEERING)
TRUMP: Just one more time. Because if we lose, you're going to lose your border, you're going to lose your tax cuts, you're going to lose your safety and security, you're going to lose your wealth. Our country is going through hell, you will be going through hell, just like you did, just two years ago. We went through hell. We were a laughing stock all over the world. We were a laughing -- they don't laugh at us anymore, do they? They don't laugh.
(CHEERING)
(APPLAUSE)
TRUMP: But that's what would happen.
The pundits, the fake news media, and the radical-left communists will say anything they can to try and stop us. But in this election, all that matters is that we are united, we are together, and what we say counts. That's all that matters.
(CHEERING)
(APPLAUSE)
TRUMP: And on November 3rd, the great American majority is going to stand up and continue to make America great again, and we will make our voices heard, perhaps like never before. That's the beautiful challenge, that the midterms are not supposed to be won by the sitting president, and we're going to change that, and we'll make it an even more important time in our country and presidency. It'll be something very special. We have to do it.
(CHEERING)
(APPLAUSE)
TRUMP: And you know, we have a very short period of time, and we really have 35 races. They all count. But we have 35 races that are, I guess you'd call the swings, right? Like we had seven swing states, we won all seven. Right? Now--
(CHEERING)
(APPLAUSE)
TRUMP: So, I said -- not that I'm looking for the work. You know, I said the other day, I've got so much of a schedule, I said, I thought I won. What do I have to do? I'm campaigning. But I am. We're campaigning to make it incredible, to really make it great and to keep it great.
(CHEERING)
(APPLAUSE)
TRUMP: So, I am going to visit -- and you have so many of those great senators. And I said, you know, the ones I want here, we have some that are leading by 30 points, and they've been there for 25 years. I said, Don't come, please, don't come.
The ones we need are the ones that you've heard, the ones that are very close, they might be winning by a little, or losing by a little, or tied. We can win every one of those races. But I'm going to go to every one of those states for congressmen and for senators.
(CHEERING)
(APPLAUSE)
TRUMP: I'm going to do that. And we're going to have rallies--
(CHEERING)
COLLINS: And you have been listening to President Trump, as he is addressing an unusual event, a midterm convention that his party is hosting. That was President Trump's idea, according to the House Speaker, Mike Johnson.
[21:25:00]
And as he came on stage, Alyssa, you were listening to the President, and he came right out and said one thing that wasn't true, which is that he has won the presidential election three times. Obviously, that's not accurate. But the crowd cheered for him.
But pretty quickly, he got to the point of saying, If you don't elect Republicans, in the November midterm elections, this is your alternative: painting Democrats as this far-left radical party, was his argument, essentially.
FARAH GRIFFIN: And frankly, it's probably his best message that he has. The economy continues to struggle, gas prices are high. The war in Iran is unpopular. But the far-left direction that some in the Democratic Party are going is animating for Republicans, for moderates, and for independents. But I thought he made some news there just now by saying that he's going to travel to basically every state that there are competitive races and campaign with candidates. I can't echo enough that a number of the most vulnerable Republicans in both the House and Senate do not want to be appearing with Donald Trump right now. They'll take the money, but they do not want to appear side by side because they need to be able to create some distance from the less popular aspects of his agenda, whether it's the trade war with Canada, whether it's tariffs, or, again, the war in Iran.
DE BLASIO: This was like, imagine you're a Republican candidate in a swing district, and you just heard two things tonight. I'm coming to your district, whether you like it or not. And Hey voters, imagine I'm at the top of the ballot, right? That he's literally saying, It's just like I'm at the top of the ballot. This is a nightmare message for Republican candidates.
And what's stunning, and I think it goes back to the theory: Does he actually want to win this election or not, or is it an ego exercise where he's happy to see his party go down and claim he can -- you know, they only win when he's on the top of the ballot. Because this is literally sabotage, you're watching in front of us here.
COLLINS: I mean, it's pretty interesting to hear him say that he wants to be able to finish the job, which was the argument that Joe Biden was making when he was running for re-election as well.
MCCREESH: Yes, it'll be interesting to see what happens. We track Trump's schedule extremely closely as White House reporters, and I'm a little skeptical that he will be hitting the road as much as he says he is, just based on what his schedule is like throughout the week.
I think this is fascinating, though. I think we're seeing his party and his psychology parting ways here. The stuff that he likes to talk about and how he likes to spend his time as president is no longer aligned with the interest of the Republican Party, and you can really see that on display here tonight.
COLLINS: Harry. I mean, he says these 35 races. Obviously, we know which ones the White House has been tracking very closely when it comes to the Senate and those key House races. Are those, those 35 states and districts and places the President could be going between now and November?
ENTEN: I mean, look, you get on Air Force One, you go where the heck you want to go.
But at the end of the day, I will tell you that Republicans are hoping that this is bluster because they don't want any part. If you're in a swing state or a swing district, anything to do with Donald Trump.
And Democrats have to be hearing that and going, Oh my God, thank you, Lord. I mean, Rosh Hashanah is right around the corner, and they have to be throwing up the champagne, drinking the Manischewitz, saying, Happy New Year. If, in fact, the President of the United States follows through on his message. COLLINS: Where would he be going if we're looking at -- if he does actually go? Because before the midterms in 2018, when he was worried about losing that. I mean, he had not been impeached at that point ever. But he is worried he's going to be impeached again. He was traveling closer to the end of the midterms, doing two states a day at sometimes.
ENTEN: Yes, I mean, look, I think a few things that are very different that's going on here, especially in the Senate side, right?
On the Senate side, back in 2018, what were you dealing with? You were dealing with Democratic incumbents who were defending in deeply Republican states, like Indiana, Missouri, North Dakota, West Virginia, Montana.
This time around, what you're seeing is the Democrats on the offensive in states that, while Donald Trump won in 2024, he is now underwater. States like Ohio, states like Texas, right? States like Alaska. So, yes, he's going to go to those states because he won them back in 2024. But this is a very, very different political environment, one in which Donald Trump is significantly worse off, and therefore Republicans would be significantly worse off if he decides to visit.
COLLINS: Two things he said there when he came out. He said that if they keep Republicans in power, you're going to be richer and freer. And then he warned, Alyssa, that if Democrats win, Americans are going to lose their wealth. Which is an interesting argument, given the President is so underwater on an issue that's typically strong for him, which is the economy.
FARAH GRIFFIN: Yes, it's odd. I also noticed in watching earlier in the convention halls, they have signs, basically saying, We are fighting to undo the Biden-Harris agenda. So, there's this odd looking back of like, We're still trying to fix the problem they created. That didn't work when Joe Biden did that. When he was saying, Hey, I'm trying to repair, you know, after COVID and make the country come back. I don't think it's going to work for the President either.
COLLINS: All right. We'll be watching the President's speech as he is now, right now, talking about something that he has been pretty obsessed with lately and has mentioned three times last week, and just mentioned on stage. That is Ken Paxton's appearance. Yes, the Republican Senate candidate in Texas was on stage just a few moments before the President got up there. We'll tell you what the President said, right after this.
[21:30:00]
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COLLINS: And welcome back to CNN's special live coverage of the Republican midterm convention that's underway in Texas, and where President Trump, just a few moments ago, said that he believes he's on the ballot, this November, and that's how voters should act accordingly. He also pledged to visit every state and district with competitive races between now and the November midterms. CNN's White House correspondent, Alayna Treene, joins me now. She's inside the room in Texas.
[21:35:00]
And Alayna, what stands out to you from what you've heard from the President and the reaction in the room so far?
TREENE: Look, I'd argue that this is very much what his team had been expecting. This is really a Trump rally. It's very reminiscent of what I saw on the road, when he was campaigning for himself in 2024.
And as you mentioned, Kaitlan, he isn't on the ballot in November, but that's exactly the message he wants his supporters to hear. The whole purpose, really, of this convention, over the next two days, when I talk to his -- members of the President's political operation, is that they want his fiercest supporters to get out there and vote for him, and they think that is going to be really what could change the game for Republicans, come November. We'll see.
Now, I will say one of the candidates he's spent the most time talking about is Ken Paxton. Obviously, we are -- I'm in Texas right now. I'm in Dallas. In Dallas, Ken Paxton facing an uphill climb here in a very red state. Despite being, of course, a Republican in a very red state, he's facing a tough race against Talarico.
You heard the President, kind of poking fun at Paxton, but really trying to convince voters here to go after him. I note, those comments come after we saw the President's own super PAC, MAGA Inc., could drop $10 million, roughly, on Paxton race. So, I think that just shows you where the stakes are here in Texas.
But overall, a lot of the things you're hearing from the President are the same things you've heard in his other political speeches. He's talking about culture war issues. He's talking about the economy. He's trying to say that he's done so many good things for the party overall.
But that's not exactly matching what we're seeing in the polls and what we're hearing from voters as well. I mean, if you look at the President's approval ratings right now, CNN's latest poll puts it at 35 percent. That's a big issue. That's part of what they're trying to fix with this type of event here in Texas. We'll see if it actually works. So far, he's remained mostly on script. Though you're starting to hear him go off a little bit now, Kaitlan.
COLLINS: Alayna Treene, thank you so much.
Why -- you're laughing, Mr. Mayor.
I mean, you heard -- the President was basically just saying that his aides likened this to the State of the Union, telling him to stay on script, but he finds that boring.
I mean, the part about Ken Paxton, what Alayna was referencing there. Trump is trashing Ken Paxton, the candidate that he propelled to victory in Texas, of course, who defeated John Cornyn. He ended John Cornyn's political career with that primary. He keeps trashing Paxton's sartorial choices and saying, You may not like the way he looks, but he's a good candidate, and you should vote for him.
DE BLASIO: Hell of a slogan.
COLLINS: I mean, have you -- have either of you--
DE BLASIO: You may not like the way he looks. I mean, that just grabs the people in their hearts right there. Yes.
COLLINS: But you should vote for him.
FARAH GRIFFIN: I mean, he -- I'm with Donald Trump on this one, he's got to get some better suits on the campaign trail.
But no, listen, this was his chosen candidate. John Cornyn, somebody who was the number three in the Senate, had a 20-year-long career, and somebody who would be, I suspect, polling higher than James Talarico right now in Texas, is not the candidate. He wanted Ken Paxton, who is scandal-ridden, who is somebody who is very divisive, even in Texas, a deep red state. So, I think he's got to make the case for him.
I would argue, though, that Paxton is probably the one candidate that Trump showing up for does help. If he can energize Texas voters, maybe some of those low-propensity younger male voters who hadn't really voted before, get them out and say, This is my guy, be with him.
But that doesn't play for John Sununu in New Hampshire. It doesn't play for Susan Collins in Maine. They don't want Trump showing up for them. But it actually might boost Ken Paxton.
COLLINS: I mean, Shawn, why do you think he's so obsessed with Ken Paxton's outfits?
MCCREESH: I think, Trump is always focused on casting and how people look. But I did think it was interesting that Ken Paxton did not have, by any means, a prime time slot tonight. They had him on hours ago. And the random UFC fight has got--
COLLINS: He was wearing a dark blue suit, from what I remember.
(LAUGHTER)
MCCREESH: Yes. Yes. The UFC fighters got higher billing than Ken Paxton, even though it's sort of his turf.
COLLINS: I mean, Harry, what does that look like in terms of -- I mean, Trump is the person who is responsible for Ken Paxton being on the ballot, is he not?
ENTEN: Yes, I mean, he's one of the big reasons why Ken Paxton was able to win that runoff. Also, I'll note, this is like the opposite of the Men's Wearhouse commercials. It's not the -- You won't exactly love the way you look. And Trump guarantees it.
(LAUGHTER)
ENTEN: Anyway, when it comes specifically -- I mean, look, there are two problems that Ken Paxton has in Texas.
One of them is Ken Paxton; he is underwater. His net approval rating is negative.
But the other problem that Ken Paxton has in Texas is Trump is significantly less popular than he was not just two years ago when he won the presidential race, but back in 2018 when Ted Cruz barely was able to squeak by and beat, of course, Beto O'Rourke in a surprisingly close race that year. That year, Donald Trump, I think the Marist Poll that was conducted in August had Trump two points above-water. That is, approval rating was two points above his disapproval in Texas. The most recent polling has him what, minus 12 points, 12 points underwater?
So, this is just, in my mind, a significantly different political environment. Yes, there is some polling to suggest that some Republicans are not so energized, and Trump will be able to energize them. But that only gets you so far--
FARAH GRIFFIN: Yes.
DE BLASIO: Right.
ENTEN: --when you're what, 50 points underwater with Independents, nationwide?
[21:40:00]
DE BLASIO: There's nothing here for Independents. What you made -- the point you made earlier. There's nothing here for Independents. People want to hear some level of empathy, that they're hurting, and he feels it, and he's going to do something about it.
This reminds me of the worst moments we saw, and I'm saying this as a Democrat, when Joe Biden talked about Bidenomics and seemed to be out of touch with what people were feeling on the ground. When Kamala Harris said she wouldn't change anything that Biden did.
How on earth is Trump of all people missing the fact that he's got to show some connection to what people are living right now, but instead it's the exact opposite. I think it backfires on him.
COLLINS: I don't want to belabor the point about Ken Paxton because obviously people are literally struggling to pay for gas right now.
But I just want everyone who might have missed what the President is saying about, again, his Republican Senate candidate in Texas. Here's what the President just shared from the stage in Texas tonight.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: Some may not like the way he dresses. I don't.
(LAUGHTER)
TRUMP: Although tonight he looked very spiffy in his blue suit, I must tell you.
(LAUGHTER)
(CHEERING)
(APPLAUSE)
TRUMP: But they may not like the way he talks. I can see that.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(LAUGHTER)
COLLINS: I mean, Alyssa, in terms of political strategy, thoughts?
FARAH GRIFFIN: I just have to say, the man is hilarious. Occasionally, you do have to give it to him.
COLLINS: Yes.
FARAH GRIFFIN: I don't know what this helps. I mean, I think -- I think for some folks--
COLLINS: But Trump picked Ken Paxton.
FARAH GRIFFIN: Yes. And if you're a Texas voter, and this is probably for moderate Republicans, swing voters, Independents, and you're looking, you see James Talarico, you see a fresh young face, somebody who talks like an evangelical, who sounds like a Texan to a lot of people. That, to Donald Trump, makes him nervous because there's a certain level of central casting there for what a moderate Democrat should look like.
I think he's unhappy in having some buyer's remorse that Ken Paxton just does not fit the bill. He should -- he could have had somebody tougher. He could have had someone more regal like John Cornyn. But instead, he's got kind of this oddball candidate against someone compelling like Talarico.
DE BLASIO: He's also setting the stage for when Ken Paxton loses--
(CROSSTALK)
ENTEN: Yes.
DE BLASIO: --that it was Ken Paxton's fault, not Donald Trump's fault. Which remember, if there's one thing about Trump, historically, when things go wrong, he needs to find someone else to blame. I think he's laying that foundation.
COLLINS: Well, to be fair, if Ken Paxton loses Texas, I mean that is going to be a tidal wave for Republicans in terms of the losses that they're facing. I mean, and we had Ted Cruz on the show last night, and I asked him, you know, if Republicans do lose Texas -- we don't know if they will, maybe they won't -- who do they have to blame? Which I think is an open question here, Harry.
ENTEN: Again, though, I just -- there -- there are a lot of -- there's a lot of blame to go around. First off, what are you doing, fielding a competitive primary against a Republican senator who was first elected, what, back in 2002 and has proven over and over and over again that he can win statewide?
There was a third man in that race. There was Wesley Hunt that Donald Trump could have gotten behind, decided, No, and then, You know what? I'm going to choose somebody who was literally impeached by the Texas State House--
FARAH GRIFFIN: Yes.
ENTEN: --which if I recall correctly is Republican-run, and he decided, You know what? This is the guy that I want to elevate.
At the end of the day, this is Donald Trump's problem. He chose the wrong horse, and he is more unpopular in Texas than he basically has ever been.
COLLINS: He's broached a topic now, Canada and the Prime Minister in this massive tariff fight, where this is one world leader, Shawn, that we've seen responding to the President in a forceful manner on tariffs and trying to battle him on this.
This is something, though, that when you look at polling and you see how voters are responding to this, deeply affects them. Talking about Maine and where we've seen Susan Collins say, you know, the tariffs aren't helpful on blueberries and all of these other things that are so important to her voters.
MCCREESH: Yes, I was going to say the Susan Collins comments were interesting, and I think she has a little bit more room to maneuver there. She doesn't fear him the way that -- the ones in Dallas do, and there's a reason that nobody else there is talking about Canada. This is not good for them.
COLLINS: Yes. I mean, what about Iran generally in terms of how they're talking about other countries as well? Canada, what's going on with the tariff fight. Iran, what's happening with the literal war that's playing out.
MCCREESH: Yes.
COLLINS: Because the President was talking about that before he left. He called it a war despite the fact that his Vice President doesn't, and said he thinks it'll be over the day after the midterms.
MCCREESH: Yes, it would have been interesting to hear the party rationalize how they're thinking about it. But we didn't get that tonight. COLLINS: Yes. Shawn McCreesh. Harry Enten. Mayor de Blasio. Alyssa. Thank you all for being here.
Up next. We're also covering a stark warning that is coming from an employee who just quit Anthropic and is now warning that AI might kill everybody. Yes, the entire human population.
My source tonight is a leading voice in the fight to regulate AI. Senator Bernie Sanders will weigh in on that, and Senator Fetterman's appearance tonight at the midterm convention for Republicans.
[21:45:00]
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COLLINS: And we're continuing to watch President Trump's speech at the Republican midterm convention in Dallas tonight. We'll bring you any news from those remarks tonight.
But it also comes as we're following something else that's affecting Washington. 18 chilling words from an employee who just quit Anthropic and is now warning that AI could soon lead to the extinction of humanity. This quote: The people building AI earnestly believe that it could kill us all by the end of the decade.
It's a stunning warning that is coming from AI researcher, Jacob Coxon. But he doesn't stop there. He also says that leading AI firms are, quote, "Gambling with our lives," and that he believes AI development will create Superhuman systems that can hack anything, revolutionize any field overnight, and also acquire real power and resources.
He said this to my colleague, Anderson Cooper, this hour.
[21:50:00]
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JACOB COXON, AI RESEARCHER: Precise scenario sounds a little bit like science fiction. It sounds like something that's not real. But I think it is frightening, really.
And I think that if you extrapolate into the future the level of capabilities of these AIs, with the same independent volition, they could cause extreme havoc. For example, hacking critical infrastructure, building extinction-level bioweapons. There's a lot of ways that the AI could actuate itself in the world.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COLLINS: OK. So, that's the warning coming from him.
And consider where he worked, Anthropic, which was created by former OpenAI employees, of which he is one, that argued their approach to AI was safer. Now, CNN reached out to Anthropic for comment on this. The AI firm pointed out to this post from another senior Anthropic employee, Evan Hubinger, who says, To be clear, as we say in our latest Risk Report the risk from present models is low.
Now that came roughly two hours after he had also co-signed Coxon's warning by saying this. We really do earnestly believe AI could kill all humans. I personally think it is over a 10 percent chance within the next decade.
My source tonight is a leading voice on regulating AI and is spearheading a bill to pause its development. That is Independent Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont.
And Senator, I mean, do you share this fear that if left unchecked, AI could kill everyone within the next decade?
SEN. BERNIE SANDERS (I-VT): Kaitlan, this is -- who knows? But this is crazy stuff.
What I do know is that when you have researchers and scientists, and in fact the leaders in the AI industry saying, We are building a dangerous technology, we don't know where it is going, we cannot control it? Duh. It is time for the American people and their representatives in Congress to say, We are going to control it.
I don't know whether it's a 10 percent chance that humanity will be wiped out or a 2 percent chance. It doesn't matter. It is much too risky. Stop it right now.
And what we need immediately is a ban on super-intelligent AI, we need a pause on advanced AI, so we don't continue down the path that these guys are warning us about.
COLLINS: Do you think that we're close to the point where, or maybe we're already past the point, where the government could effectively regulate AI?
SANDERS: Of course, it can, if it acts with a sense of urgency, and that is -- poll after poll shows that is what the American people want. And it's not only the existential threat that we're talking about.
What you're seeing is threats to millions and millions of jobs, our privacy rights, our democracy, the health of our kids. And the American people are sitting there and saying, Hey, this is unbelievable. All this is happening really quickly, and it's the goal of all this just to make more money for the billionaires who control this technology. Where the hell is the United States Congress?
And by the way, on Thursday, I called what amounts to an emergency meeting. I invited all, every member of the United States Senate, Republican, Democrat, Independent, to meet with some of the leading experts in the world to talk about the potential dangers of unregulated AI. I hope, I hope that that sparks a sense of urgency, so that Congress acts immediately, at the very least, to establish a pause on advanced AI.
COLLINS: Do you really think, though, that Congress would do that? Because some people might hear you, Senator, and say, I don't really have faith in Congress to be in charge of putting these safeguards in place here.
SANDERS: Well, I know people don't have faith in Congress. They don't have faith in Democrats and Republicans. They don't have faith in Mr. Musk and the AI industry. They don't have faith in the media. That's the reality that we're living in. But I would hope that as part of the need to restore faith in American democracy, that Congress starts listening to what the American people want.
You know, you and I talked about -- months and months and months ago -- Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and I talked about a moratorium on data centers. Everyone said, Oh, we're radical, we're crazy, you're communist. Well, guess what? Hundreds and hundreds of communities, all over this country, are now moving in that direction. Governors are moving in that direction.
People are concerned. And I hope, again, that the members of Congress have the guts, not only to do the right thing for their constituents, Kaitlan, but to take on the money, the unbelievable amounts of money that the AI industry has and is throwing into campaigns. We're talking about hundreds and hundreds of millions of dollars, telling members of Congress: Hey, you want to regulate us? OK. We got $10 million and 30- second ads against you. Let's see what you're going to do.
[21:55:00]
And I think the time right now is for members of Congress, Democrats, Republicans, Independents, to have the guts to stand up to them and represent their constituents.
COLLINS: OK. So, let's say that a miracle does happen, and Republicans, Democrats, Independents, come together and they pass what you want to pass here: banning superintelligence, putting this pause on AI development.
China is not going to pass that bill. If China doesn't pass that, then what happens? They're still working on it.
SANDERS: All right. Look, don't -- bup bup bup -- now you raise a good question. As you know, in a couple of weeks, Trump is going to be meeting with President Xi of China, and I hope very much on the list on their agenda is a need for both countries to come together for a pause and a ban on superintelligence.
And I have talked to scientists in China, and let's be clear: some of them understand exactly the same dangers that American scientists understand.
So, I hope that both communities, and the world community, can work together. It is insane to continue going down a path where the smartest people in the world are saying, Hey, this is a dangerous road. It's got to be controlled. COLLINS: Trump has been all in on data centers and not very hot on regulations for AI. I mean, do you really think that that's something he's going to pursue when he sits down with Xi Jinping.
SANDERS: Look, who knows? You have, in Trump, the most dangerous and irresponsible president in the history of the United States. Who the hell knows what he's prepared to do? But there are people around him who do understand that it would not be a good thing for America, for the world, to see AI, to see human beings lose control over AI with potentially catastrophic results. So, I hope there are enough smart people around him to tell him that.
And even if they're not smart, they got to start looking at some of the polls and finding that there are many, many Republicans. This is not a Democratic or a progressive issue. You got many conservatives out there, who are saying exactly what I am saying. So, even from a political point of view, it might be a good idea for Trump to listen to his constituents and do the right thing.
COLLINS: I mean, he's argued, on data centers alone, he's said that any communities that oppose it, they're just backwards and poor -- they want to be backwards and poor if they do so.
SANDERS: Right.
COLLINS: But in terms of let alone getting the President to come across to your side of the aisle. You know, there's a Republican midterm convention happening right now. John Fetterman, a Democrat, just spoke at it.
Can you get the party that you caucus with even in line on this issue, Senator?
SANDERS: We will see. I'm going to do my very best.
And again, what we have to deal with in the midst of this great fears that the scientists are telling us, about where AI is taking us is the fact, again, the enormous amount of money that the AI industry has in their super PACs and are prepared to use. So, we're asking Congress to have the guts to really to stand up to them, which is a little bit risky. But I think when the fate of humanity is at stake, you know we should do the right thing.
You know, it's a funny thing, Kaitlan. You mentioned somebody who talked about a 10 percent chance. Who knows? Is it a 5 percent chance, is it 12 percent chance, that humanity might be destroyed? Well, you know what? If it's a one-tenth of 1 percent chance, we should be acting.
This is -- no one denies that AI is the most transformative and dangerous technology in the history of humanity, and we cannot allow a handful of multibillionaires, Musk, Bezos, Zuckerberg, Ellison, these guys cannot determine the future of humanity. People have got to determine the future of humanity, not only in the United States but all over the world.
So, I'm going to do my very best.
And by the way, on Thursday, I've got a meeting, as I mentioned, I think--
COLLINS: Yes.
SANDERS: --where we're going to bring some -- the best minds in the country to talk about the dangers. Hopefully, Congress will listen.
COLLINS: Senator, we have spoken about AI a lot. When you read this warning, did this scare you?
SANDERS: Sure, it scares me.
I mean, look, I read a significant amount about this Hugging Face situation with OpenAI. And I don't know if you read this, they talk -- the AI agents called themselves a collective, literally a collective. They were working in harmony with each other. They were -- they said, Now is the time for you to sacrifice yourself. Get out of here, so we can accomplish our goal.
[22:00:00]
They lied. They deflected attention. Jumping out of -- into the internet when they were not allowed -- supposed to do that.
So, is that scary? Of course, it's scary. And I think that is what is triggering the kind of response we're seeing all over the world, in fact, about this.
COLLINS: Senator Bernie Sanders, thank you for joining us tonight.
SANDERS: Thank you very much, Kaitlan.
COLLINS: And thank you all so much for watching.
"CNN NEWSNIGHT WITH ABBY PHILLIP" starts now.
