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The Story Is with Elex Michaelson
Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor Released 'Under Investigation' After Arrest; Trump Orders Release of Government Documents Related to Extraterrestrial Life; Trump Says Decision on Iran Action Within 15 Days; Sanders Rallies Support for a California 'Billionaire Tax'; Rep. Sara Jacobs Weighs in on Current Political Stories; China Turning to A.I. for Policing, Propaganda, Surveillance. Aired 12-1a ET
Aired February 20, 2026 - 00:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
LAURA COATES, CNN ANCHOR: Just put it out there. I don't know. I don't know. But I think the creative -- the creative thought thinks so (ph).
[00:00:06]
ELEX MICHAELSON, CNN ANCHOR: John -- could you imagine, if -- if out of this whole build-up, it actually is John Lithgow that we've been looking for this entire time?
COATES: I would have had my money on John Malkovich. But I mean, Lithgow? Sure, let's do it.
MICHAELSON: Jane Curtin was a part of "Third Rock from the Sun" and "Coneheads," so there you go. Maybe it all goes back to her.
COATES: Six degrees of separation. Have a great show, Elex.
MICHAELSON: Thanks, Laura. Have a great night. THE STORY IS starts right now.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MAX FOSTER, CNN ROYAL CORRESPONDENT: The police turned up without notice on the king's estate at Andrew's House.
MICHAELSON (voice-over): THE STORY IS former prince arrested. What's next for Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor?
THE STORY IS Iran on edge. We're live in Tehran. The reaction of possible military action from the U.S.
THE STORY IS wealth tax. I go one-on-one with Senator Bernie Sanders.
SEN. BERNIE SANDERS (I-VT): If California can do it, it'll be a message to the world.
MICHAELSON: And THE STORY IS age of disclosure. President Trump says he's going to do what filmmaker Dan Farah has been asking for: release government records about potential aliens. Dan joins us live, exclusively. (END VIDEOTAPE)
ANNOUNCER: Live from Los Angeles, THE STORY IS with Elex Michaelson
MICHAELSON: Welcome to THE STORY IS. I'm Elex Michaelson, and the top story is ex-Prince Andrew's extraordinary fall from grace and the biggest crisis to hit the British monarchy since the death of Princess Diana.
Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, as he's now known, was seen slouched down in the back of a Range Rover after his release from police custody.
The king's brother was arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office. Mountbatten-Windsor has not been charged but remains under investigation.
British authorities did not reveal the reason for the arrest, but previously said that they were reviewing claims that he shared sensitive information with Jeffrey Epstein while serving as a trade envoy.
He stepped down from that role in 2011 after coming under fire for his association with the late convicted pedophile.
The king released a brief statement but has remained tight-lipped about the arrest. President Trump, not so much.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP, U.S. PRESIDENT: I think it's a shame. I think it's very sad. I think it's so bad for the royal family. It's very, very sad to me. It's a very sad thing. When I see that, it's a very sad thing to see it and to see what's going on with his brother, who's obviously coming to our country very soon; and he's a fantastic man. King.
So, I think it's a very sad thing.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: So, you can be (ph) --
TRUMP: I think it's really interesting, because nobody used to speak about Epstein when he was alive, but now they speak. But I'm the one that can talk about it, because I've been totally exonerated. I did nothing.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MICHAELSON: Now, it has been centuries since a senior member of the royal family has been arrested. CNN's royal correspondent Max Foster picks up the story from there -- Max.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
FOSTER (voice-over): Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor arrested after new revelations in the Epstein files, in an extraordinary development, without precedent in modern history.
British police took the former prince into custody on Thursday morning on suspicion of misconduct in public office.
Cameras capturing him leaving a U.K. police station late on Thursday, released under investigation. Having said earlier this month that they were assessing claims that Andrew had shared sensitive information with the late Jeffrey Epstein while serving as the U.K.'s trade envoy.
They've not said exactly what led them to this arrest, which comes after the latest tranche of emails released by the U.S. Justice Department, appeared to show that Andrew was sending confidential material to Epstein.
ANDREW MOUNTBATTEN-WINDSOR, FORMER U.K. TRADE REPRESENTATIVE: Great pleasure. You know our ambassador.
FOSTER (voice-over): Sparking renewed scrutiny of the already disgraced royal. He's previously denied any wrongdoing and hasn't commented publicly on these more recent misconduct allegations.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Your Majesty, how are you feeling after your brother's arrest?
FOSTER (voice-over): King Charles didn't answer reporters' questions about his brother's arrest but said in a statement that he learned with the deepest concern of the news and reiterated his wholehearted support and cooperation with the authorities.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: That's a good choice. That's a good choice.
MOUNTBATTEN-WINDSOR: I haven't done badly, have I?
FOSTER (voice-over): Andrew became trade envoy in 2001. That position saw him travel the world, carrying a duty of confidentiality.
He stepped down a decade later after coming under fire over his association with Epstein. Questions over his friendship have haunted him ever since.
That's in part because of Epstein's conviction in 2008, when the financier pleaded guilty to state prostitution charges involving an underage minor and served time in jail.
And yet, the senior royal stayed in contact with Epstein, even after claiming in a BBC interview to have cut ties with the convicted pedophile in late 2010, during a trip to New York.
[00:05:09]
MOUNTBATTEN-WINDSOR: Now, I went there with the sole purpose of saying to him that, because he had been convicted, it was inappropriate for us to be seen together.
FOSTER (voice-over): Emails released since then call that timeline into question, and Andrew's been dogged by a years'-long crescendo of Epstein related scandals and allegations.
Late last year, the 66-year-old was stripped of all his royal titles and kicked out of his residence and essentially banished from the monarchy.
The same police force had arrested Andrew on Thursday on suspicion of misconduct in public office, is also looking to allegations that a woman was trafficked to the U.K. by Jeffrey Epstein to have a sexual encounter with Andrew.
That investigation is ongoing.
FOSTER: It's interesting that the police, when they started this investigation, didn't invite Andrew into a police station for questioning. Instead, they took a convoy of cars onto the king's estate and confronted Andrew at his home.
The reason that's interesting, because doing it that way would allow the police to immediately start searching Andrew's residence and look for evidence in there.
Later on, when Andrew was released from questioning, he -- he wasn't released from the entire process of questioning. It was just a break, effectively. They can call him back in.
So, the assumption would be that the police are using the information they learned from the interview, using information they use from any evidence in his House, to call Andrew back in later on for further questioning.
He hasn't been charged at this point, but this crisis is not over for Andrew. And it's also a crisis that the -- the monarchy has to manage. Because if there's any suggestion that they knew more than they say they knew, then it starts infecting the wider monarchy, as well -- Elex.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
MICHAELSON: Max Foster, thank you so much, reporting from London.
Meanwhile, some survivors of Epstein's abuse are speaking out about the arrest of the disgraced former prince.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DANIELLE BENSKY, JEFFREY EPSTEIN SURVIVOR: I think it's a small victory at this point. You know, I think that we have hope now as survivors. And even though it feels like this might not be the charge that we wanted to see, it still feels like a win, because it's really demonstrating a misuse of power.
So, just to see that on display really means quite a lot to survivors.
And I think it's hard to think about this day without Virginia Giuffre. She's just been so incredibly instrumental to this fight. And I always say -- I use the analogy that she really dug this tunnel with her bare hands that we now have paved and get to walk through and help push the boulder through.
So, I think that it's incredibly vindicating for her. But we really do want to see just a little bit more pressure on just those sex trafficking charges and making sure that they're really being linked to the Epstein and Maxwell case.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MICHAELSON: A large banner of President Trump is sparking controversy after it was hung outside the Justice Department headquarters in Washington, D.C. It features the slogan "Make America Safe Again."
The banner is a departure from previous administrations that tried to distance the DOJ from politics and emphasized its independence.
President Trump has been accused of using the Justice Department to target his political enemies. The DOJ says its investigations are not political.
Similar banners have been seen elsewhere in D.C. at other departments and agencies.
Big news here. President Trump says he is going to direct U.S. government agencies to release government records related to potential extraterrestrial life and UFOs.
His comments come days after former President Barack Obama appeared to confirm the existence of aliens in a podcast interview with our friend Brian Tyler Cohen, saying quote, "They are real, but I haven't seen them."
Mr. Obama later clarified that he was talking about the statistical likelihood of life existing on other planets.
President Trump says he doesn't know if aliens are real or not, but that it's a, quote, "extremely interesting and important matter."
This announcement, just a few months after the documentary "Age of Disclosure" debuted at No. 1 on Amazon Prime.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The American people are ready to receive the truth.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Humanity is not the only intelligence in the universe.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Humanity is not the only intelligent species.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We are absolutely not alone.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Non-human intelligence exists.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: UAPs are real. They're here, and they're not human.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MICHAELSON: "The Age of Disclosure" became Amazon Prime Video's top- grossing documentary when it was released back in November of 2025. [00:10:05]
Dan Farah spoke to individuals at the top levels of the U.S. government and says that he found evidence that could alter the way we think about the universe and our place in it.
Dan Farah joins me live now for his first interview after this big news from President Trump.
Thanks for being here exclusively. What is your reaction to President Trump releasing these files?
DAN FARAH, FILMMAKER: I think it's amazing. I couldn't -- couldn't be prouder for the impact this film has had.
When we made it, myself and everyone who participated in it hoped that it would set the stage for a sitting president to tell the world, we're not alone in the universe and begin the disclosure process. And here we are, just three months after the film came out.
So, couldn't -- couldn't be more pleased. This is a -- I think this is a historic turning point in human history. And, you know, this moment has been built up to by a lot of efforts in the shadows to bring about disclosure.
People like Marco Rubio, Senator Mike Rounds, Senator Gillibrand. People like Jay Stratton, who is the director of the UAP Task Force. These people have worked relentlessly to bring about disclosure. And -- and here we are.
MICHAELSON: And all of them are featured in your film.
FARAH: Yes.
MICHAELSON: This idea of you trying to get this message to President Trump to do this is something you publicly campaigned for in the media. You went on Joe Rogan, the biggest podcast, to talk about it. You went on FOX News Channel. You came here to THE STORY IS. This is what you said to us in December.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
FARAH: I would not be surprised if it's in the relatively near future that we see a sitting president step to the microphone and tell the world we're not alone in the universe. This film certainly sets the stage for that.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MICHAELSON: And so here we are now. I mean, it seems like President Trump was listening to you.
FARAH: Yes, it seems -- it seems he was listening. And there were a lot of people helping behind the scenes to get to this moment, pushing for the president to step up and reveal the truth and begin a disclosure process. And that's what's happening now. You know, when I was making the film I realized really early on
disclosure is not going to be a single moment. It's going to be a process, and there'll be all these milestones in that process.
The release of the film was a milestone. Today is a major milestone. There'll be more milestones.
And it feels like the conversation around this is changing. You talk about in the film, this idea of stigma and how, for so long, whenever this was talked about on a place like this, it would be mocked.
But now, we're talking about this in a very serious way. Your film is very serious. What was the big revelation from your film that you -- that you saw, for people that didn't get a chance to watch it?
FARAH: For those that haven't seen the film yet, I interviewed 34 very high-level military, government and intelligence officials. And collectively, they revealed that there's been an 80-year cover up of the existence of non-human intelligent life.
And on top of that, elements of the U.S. government that have been covering this up have been involved in a high-stakes secret cold war race with adversarial nations to reverse engineer this technology of non-human origin. The stakes couldn't be higher.
So, everyone I interviewed felt like it was time for the public to learn the base facts and become aware of the situation, even if a lot of it has to remain classified for national security reasons. The base facts that we're not alone in the universe, the base facts that we are in a technology race to reverse-engineer technology of non-human origin, this is information that the world deserves to know.
MICHAELSON: Of course, when you think about some of the, like, "Superman" films, this idea is that we're hiding this from people because people aren't ready for this.
Do you think the American public, do you think the world -- because this is not just an American issue -- is ready for that potential information to be confirmed by the government?
FARAH: I do. And I think look, today it was confirmed. I mean President Trump's statement he made says he's given a presidential order to declassify records the U.S. government has about extraterrestrials, about you know, non-human intelligent life, about UAP.
That information exists, and a process will now start to declassify it.
I do think the American public can handle it. I think humanity can handle the truth. I think we deserve to know the truth.
MICHAELSON: Dan Farah, thank you so much.
If you haven't seen it, I encourage everybody to check out "Age of Disclosure." It is fantastic, and it's probably a very good thing to watch right now with this news coming soon. It's on Amazon Prime. Dan, thank you so much for being here.
FARAH: Thanks for having me.
MICHAELSON: Big news here, as well. The first meeting of President Trump's Board of Peace saw some lofty pledges for the future of Gaza, but there are still many questions about next steps.
President Trump said that nine nations have pledged more than $7 billion in aid but didn't say how or when that money would be spent.
He also said the U.S. would contribute $10 billion and that he would lead the Board of Peace indefinitely. Top officials laid out their vision for Gaza's future.
[00:15:01]
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MARCO RUBIO, U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE: We have to get this right. There is no Plan B for Gaza. Plan B is going back to war. No one here wants that.
Plan A, the only path forward, is one that rebuilds Gaza in a way of enduring and sustainable peace, where everyone can live there side by side with one another and never worry again about returning to conflict, to war, to human suffering, and to destruction.
TONY BLAIR, BOARD OF PEACE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEMBER: Gaza, not as it was, but as it should be, including its governance. Effective public institutions serving the people, a business environment where enterprise flourishes, an education system educating the young for tolerance and achievement, and a tech-enabled society making the most of the digital revolution.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MICHAELSON: There are questions about how these goals will play out. The humanitarian situation remains dire. Still, some Palestinians are expressing hope.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): We hope that the reconstruction happens quickly and that the money that has been allocated truly goes to the right place and isn't mismanaged in any way.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MICHAELSON: Perhaps the biggest issue is the disarmament of Hamas. Israel's prime minister says that the U.S. agreed that Hamas must disarm and Gaza must be demilitarized before reconstruction can begin.
Meanwhile, President Trump is facing perhaps one of the most important decisions of his second term. And that is what actions, if any, to take against Iran over its nuclear program. The president is extending his own timeline for making a decision on
Iran, saying it will be another 10 to 15 days.
Any possible attack could range from limited strikes to larger operations, potentially over weeks, targeting Iran's leaders and regime change.
Now, all this comes as President Trump has ordered the largest military buildup in the Middle East in 22 years. Sources tell CNN the U.S. could be ready to strike Iran as early as this weekend. Officials do not expect strikes to happen that soon.
Meanwhile, Iran and Russia conducted joint military drills in the Gulf of Oman and Northern Indian Ocean on Thursday. President Trump giving another warning to Iran on Thursday.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: They cannot continue to threaten the stability of the entire region, and they must make a deal. Or, if that doesn't happen, I maybe -- can understand. If it doesn't happen, it doesn't happen. But bad things will happen if it doesn't.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MICHAELSON: For more on this, let's bring in Abas Aslani. He is an Iranian journalist and senior research fellow at the Center for Middle East Strategic Studies. He joins me live this hour from Tehran.
Welcome to THE STORY IS. Thanks for being with us.
ABAS ASLANI, SENIOR RESEARCH FELLOW, CENTER FOR MIDDLE EAST STRATEGIC STUDIES: Good to be with you, Elex.
MICHAELSON: So, we've talked so much about Iran. Very rarely do we get to talk to people in Iran live. So, what's it like on the ground right now? And how -- how is the reaction to what's happening?
ASLANI: Well, Elex, you know, we are seeing different developments taking place in parallel. One is the diplomatic track, you know, occurring between Iran and the United States. Some people are paying attention to that.
But in the meantime, we are also hearing, you know, threatening rhetoric from the U.S. side, increasing political economic sanctions or the significant military buildup in the region. And this has created a heavy canopy of uncertainty surrounding these developments, that in what direction that developments will be moving toward.
And this, you know, brings the situation to the, you know ambiguity whereby it makes it a bit difficult to predict what how things will unfold in the coming days or weeks.
And let's not forget that the spectra of past negotiations back in 2025 also is casting a heavy shadow over the negotiating table, which has made the situation a bit more complex and complicated. MICHAELSON: Do you feel like the Iranian government is going to find
some sort of middle ground to reach a deal with the U.S.? What would that potentially look like?
ASLANI: The Iranian delegation, when they returned from Geneva, the recent talks with the United States, they started working on the draft of a potential agreement that takes, I mean, which is supposed to be exchanged with the United States in the coming days.
But the point is that if you want to somehow expedite the process, you need to be working on that more.
But the American delegation, they are, you know, treating the talks like in Geneva like a diplomatic drive-through. They are coming just for a few hours, not spending that much time.
[00:20:07]
So, you know, treating that like a side hustle will not be working for negotiators. They need to spend -- to be spending more time.
And true diplomacy is the marriage of intention and attention. So, Iran is ready and willing to engage in that process, to stay longer, even for days to negotiate that.
And this could not be a fast food-like, you know, process to be, you know, hammered out in a very short and few hours. Because the technicalities need work. And this can be the case also, if they spend more time.
Iran is also stressing the time.
MICHAELSON: Yes.
ASLANI: It is not a logistical preference, but a security necessity for the, you know, the track.
Because the time gap between the negotiation rounds, Elex, is a oxygen for the arsonist to set the process on fire. There are saboteurs and spoilers who do not like to see this happening.
So, that's quickly as this happens, that will be the interest of Iran, as well as the United States. And this is why I am stressing that time factor is very important.
MICHAELSON: Yes, it is. Abas Aslani joining us from Tehran, where it is now 8 in the morning on Friday. Good morning to you. Thanks for being with us. Hope you have a good day.
ASLANI: Thank you for having me on, Elex.
MICHAELSON: Coming up, U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders says billionaires should pay their fair share. Now he's bringing that message here to California. And Governor Newsom is not too happy about it.
You'll hear my interview with him and his response to the governor, next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[00:26:20]
MICHAELSON: U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont is rallying support for a proposed wealth tax that he hopes will be a national model. But his idea is splitting some of the Democratic Party's top leadership.
I sat down with him last night right here in Southern California.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SANDERS: The ball is in California's court.
MICHAELSON (voice-over): Senator Bernie Sanders is asking California voters to support the so-called billionaire tax, a one-time 5 percent tax on all Californians with over $1 billion in wealth. That's around 250 people.
SANDERS: But do you know what the most significant addiction crisis in America is today? It is the greed of the billionaire class.
MICHAELSON (voice-over): California Governor Gavin Newsom is opposed and explained why in January.
GOV. GAVIN NEWSOM (D-CA): It's a badly drafted effort. It's already had an outsized impact on this state.
MICHAELSON: Governor Newsom says that this is potentially damaging bad economics. It's going to drive billionaires out, which is actually going to hurt revenue in this state long term. What do you say to that?
SANDERS: What I say is, never before in the history of this country -- never before -- have we had so much income and wealth inequality.
Today in America, the top 1 percent owns more wealth than the bottom 93 percent. You have one man who doesn't live in California, but he owns property in California, Mr. Musk, who owns more wealth than the bottom 53 percent of American households.
And while the billionaire class is doing phenomenally well -- since Trump has been president, they can't keep track of all the money that they are making. We have 60 percent of our people living paycheck to paycheck, struggling to feed their families, struggling to pay for health care.
And it's part of this so-called Trump Big, Beautiful Bill, which gave $1 trillion in tax breaks to the top 1 percent. Some 15 million Americans, including millions here in California, were thrown off the health care that they have. Some of them will die if they don't get health care. That's what happens when you can't get to a doctor when you're sick.
So, the issue comes down to whether or not we ask the wealthiest people in this country, many of them living right here in California, to start paying their fair share of taxes so that 3 million people in this state can get health care. And I think the answer is pretty obvious yes. That's what we've got to do.
MICHAELSON: But we've already seen Larry Page, Peter Thiel, David Sacks, Larry Ellison start to move out of this state.
SANDERS: Oh, isn't that something? Oh.
MICHAELSON: But the -- but the argument -- the argument --
SANDERS: No, here's what the argument is.
MICHAELSON: Yes.
SANDERS: The argument is it is outrageous. What they are saying to the people of California is it doesn't matter to us. We're billionaires, and we're getting richer and richer. And if children die, because they can't get to a doctor, tough luck. We have the power, California, and we are going to punish you.
Now, they lie a lot these guys. When Mamdani was running for mayor in New York City, you may recall everybody. All the rich guys were going to leave. It didn't happen.
Now, whether they do or not, I don't know. Who knows? But the idea that they are saying that it's OK for children to die, people not get the health care they need, and they're going to punish the people of California, that is outrageous.
And by the way, that is why I will be introducing a national wealth tax. Where are they going to run then? Maybe they'll run to Saudi Arabia.
MICHAELSON: Yes.
SANDERS: I suspect that's where they'll go. But, you know, you got to -- at some point you've got to stand up to these guys.
MICHAELSON: Because that's the Newsom argument that we should do it nationally. But if we do it just here --
SANDERS: I understand. Somebody's got to start.
MICHAELSON: -- to hurt California's revenue.
[00:30:06]
SANDERS: I'm going to introduce the legislation. It ain't going to pass right away.
[00:30:08]
And if California can do it, this will be a message, by the way, not only to America; it will be a message to the world. Because this oligarchy is taking over countries all over the world. So, this is a big deal.
MICHAELSON: And I know that your message recently to the oligarchy is "Go to Hell." Is what you said.
SANDERS: Well, I'm tired of their greed. And I think the American people are tired of their greed.
Bottom line, who thinks -- you think out there it's appropriate to have $1 trillion in tax breaks to the 1 percent, throw 15 million people off their health insurance? Nobody believes that. That's just the wealth and power doing what they do.
MICHAELSON: But this issue is, is splitting the Democratic Party. We see Governor Newsom and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez just in Munich recently, sort of different visions of where the party can go from here.
What would you say are the most important lessons that the party can learn from you and your runs when it comes to attracting working people? Because that has been an issue that they need to do going forward.
SANDERS: I mean, I think the most recent -- we have some really, I think, very positive recent examples of that.
In New York City when Mamdani began his campaign for mayor, he was at 1 percent in the polls. You know what he did? He got 90,000 grassroots people, volunteers to start knocking on doors. He won the election.
More recently, a dear friend of mine, Analilia Mejia, won a special election in New Jersey. Again, starting at no place; put together a grassroots organization.
So, what the Democratic Party has got to do is make a decision: Do you stand with the billionaire class, or do you stand with the working class?
Working people are hurting. Sixty percent of our people living paycheck to paycheck. We're the only major country on earth not to provide health care to all people as a human right, et cetera, et cetera.
So, that's what this is about here in California. Do the oligarchs and the billionaires gain more and more power, or do working class people get a break?
MICHAELSON: I mean, do you see that as a potential split of -- as the party thinks about that?
SANDERS: That is what the division is. That's exactly what the division is. So, it's not a potential. It is what exists.
I think we are united. You know, the -- the establishment Democrats and progressives are united in the need to defeat Trumpism. He is the most dangerous president in the modern history of this country.
But in terms of how we -- how the Democrats go forward as a party, there is a deep division.
MICHAELSON: President Obama recently spoke to my friend Brian Tyler Cohen, and he said --
BARACK OBAMA, FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: There is a element of at some point, you age out.
MICHAELSON: You age out of the system, talking about politicians. Do you agree with that?
SANDERS: No. I mean, I think it's -- it's not a question of aging out. The question is, what do you believe in? It's not how old you are. It's what you are fighting for.
And to my mind, at a time when so few have so much wealth and power, and so many people are hurting, now is the time to stand with the working class.
And I'm very proud that all over this country, not just in New York City, not just in New Jersey, all over this country, we're seeing great candidates standing up and saying, you know what? I stand with the working class. I'm from the working class.
Let's win this thing. Thank you all very much.
MICHAELSON (voice-over): As for this fight in California, Sanders hopes events like this make a big difference for organizing.
MICHAELSON: Activists hoping to tax the billionaires have until April to get 900,000 California signatures and get the billionaire tax on the November ballot.
DATOSHA WILLIAMS, SEIU-UHW: When we get this on the ballot in November, vote yes.
MICHAELSON: Datosha Williams is a member of SEIU-UHW union, representing thousands of nurses, hospital, and homecare workers. They are largely funding this ballot measure.
WILLIAMS: I respect Governor Newsom. He has been a longtime champion of healthcare workers and working families. But on this but on this one, I feel like he's on the wrong side.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
MICHAELSON: Our thanks to Bernie Sanders. More with him next hour.
President Trump is set to give his State of the Union address on Tuesday. The Democrats have announced who will give the party's response. We'll talk about that and more with U.S. Congresswoman Sara Jacobs. She joins me live. You see her standing by there. We'll also talk Iran, homeland security, and more. Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[00:38:58] MICHAELSON: Well, welcome back to THE STORY IS. I'm Elex Michaelson. Let's take a look at today's top stories.
Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor remains under investigation after being released from police custody. The former prince arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office. He has not yet been formally charged.
He spent a decade as a U.K. trade envoy. Recently released emails may have shown evidence that he sent confidential information to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger is set to give the Democratic Party's response to President Trump's State of the Union on Tuesday.
This comes as Democrats try to make their case to voters ahead of November's midterm elections. Spanberger has a reputation as a pragmatic, moderate Democrat. She's expected to touch on health care and affordability during her speech.
California Senator Alex Padilla will deliver the Democrats' response in Spanish.
President Donald Trump says he will make a decision on possible military action against Iran within the next 10 to 15 days. President Trump is trying to pressure Tehran to agree to a new nuclear deal after he pulled the U.S. out of the previous deal during his first term.
[00:40:05]
Sources say the U.S. could be ready to strike Iran as early as this weekend, though officials do not expect strikes to happen that soon.
Let's talk about that and more with Democratic Congresswoman Sara Jacobs. She represents San Diego County in the U.S. House of Representatives.
Of course, San Diego, America's finest city, as they like to say there.
Sara Jacobs, welcome to THE STORY IS for the first time.
REP. SARA JACOBS (D-CA): Thank you.
MICHAELSON: You are on the Foreign Affairs Committee and the Armed Services Committee. So, this Iran thing is right in your wheelhouse. What do you want to see happen there?
JACOBS: Well, look, first of all, I think the idea that we're even in this position where we're talking about military strikes to try and compel Iran into a worse deal than the deal that Donald Trump pulled us out of, is ridiculous. And there's no congressional authorization.
Not to mention that, you know, whatever he does -- is it regime change or is it something else? -- like there's no day after plan. And frankly, we tried regime change in Iran before. It didn't go very well.
MICHAELSON: So, what do you want to see happen?
JACOBS: Yes. What I would like to see is diplomacy. And what I would like to see is a real effort to try and use the diplomatic track to get to a solution without all of this fear-mongering and all of the money being spent sending, like, so much of U.S. military to the region.
MICHAELSON: Critics would say look, Iran, their leadership, bad dudes. Look at the way they just handled the protesters, literally murdering people in the streets; that this regime has had years of problems.
And so, why should we trust them when, clearly, they've lied to us so many times in the past?
JACOBS: Well, I'm not saying we should trust them, but let's also be clear. There are a lot of bad people who run countries all over the world, right?
I'm the ranking member on the subcommittee on Africa. There are a lot of bad dudes who run countries.
MICHAELSON: Yes.
JACOBS: We should not be in the business of militarily taking them out. That is not the right solution.
MICHAELSON: Is there any appetite in Congress to actually push back on some of this in terms of congressional authorization? And are there any Republicans willing to go on that issue with you?
JACOBS: Well, I think there is, right? In the House, we have the Khanna-Massie Bill on war powers, saying that the -- the president does not have authorization to -- to use military action against Iran, that I think will be coming up for a vote this next week when we're back. The Senate has a similar one with Rand Paul and Tim Kaine.
So, I -- you know, I know a lot of my Republican colleagues privately tell me they know it's not a good idea. And I'm hopeful that, when the vote comes, they will vote that way.
MICHAELSON: Meanwhile, right now, there is a partial government shutdown happening. And yet, Congress is out of session. Is there any actual conversation going on between the two sides to try to bring funding to the Department of Homeland Security?
JACOBS: The honest answer is no. President Trump has refused to meet with Democratic leaders.
Our Democratic leaders have sent an offer. The White House sent back a counteroffer that was, frankly, paltry and did not have any of the protections that we're looking for.
And like, let's be clear: we're not looking for that much. We're looking for, like, no masks; judicial warrants. You know, kind of basic things, frankly; things I don't actually think are enough. But -- but these are the basic things we're looking for, and they won't even agree to that.
MICHAELSON: Is there a compromise that you would agree to? What would you be willing to give on?
JACOBS: Look, I think that these are commonsense things we're asking for. We're asking for judicial warrants. That's literally in the Constitution.
MICHAELSON: But there are a lot of folks, though, that say, if you have to do a judicial warrant to do every one of these arrests, it would basically stop ICE's ability to do its job. And -- and that Democrats in the past supported this way of going about things.
JACOBS: I mean, it's literally in the Constitution that there is -- you have to have a warrant. There's no, like, unlawful search and seizure. And so --
MICHAELSON: You're saying a warrant to go into somebody's house?
JACOBS: Correct.
MICHAELSON: Right.
JACOBS: A warrant to go into someone's house. Like, there needs to be some reason why you're pulling people over, not just saying, like, you look like you might be from another country. Lots of these folks are actually here legally.
And like he said, he was going after criminals. If you look at San Diego County, the majority of the people that they've arrested in San Diego County have no criminal record.
They are literally going after our neighbors, our friends, our workforce. They're going after people as they're going to get their green card interviews. Like, these are people who are literally trying to do it the right way, and they're still picking them up, and detaining them, and deporting them.
MICHAELSON: So, it doesn't seem like there's going to be a deal before Tuesday. The State of the Union is Tuesday night. Some Democrats are choosing not to attend. Are you going to go?
JACOBS: I don't plan on attending, no.
MICHAELSON: Why is that? I mean, and isn't that kind of disrespectful to the institution of the presidency and the institution of Congress?
JACOBS: I mean, I think what's disrespectful to the institution of Congress is the fact that the -- this president and this administration do not abide by congressionally-passed laws and statutes; completely have zero care for or respect for the rule of law. Literally are, like, going against court orders. That's what's disrespectful.
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I'm not going to sit there and listen to Donald Trump lie and try and say the economy is doing well when everyone I know in San Diego can barely get by.
I'm not going to sit there and listen to him say they're going after criminals when we know the majority of people they're going after have no criminal record, and they're killing U.S. citizens without any accountability.
MICHAELSON: Although we'll see. We'll see what happens in terms of the killing of the citizens. And we'll see on that front.
But in terms of the Epstein files, the news of the day is what's happening with the former Prince Andrew now being arrested. What do you make of the compare and contrast, in the way that the British government and the United States government are handling the Epstein files?
JACOBS: Look, I'm glad that other countries are trying to pursue real accountability for the horrendous crimes in the Epstein files.
And I -- I hope that our country can do the same. And I know that, when Democrats are in power, we're going to.
Because as far as I'm concerned, regardless of who you are -- if you're a prince, if you're a president -- you should be held accountable if you did and participated in these horrific things that we are reading about.
And not to mention Donald Trump is mentioned 38,000 times just in the redacted version of the files. Right? Jamie Raskin alleges that, in the unredacted versions, it's over a million. I haven't had a chance to go read them yet myself.
But like, we need to be holding everyone accountable for what they did to enable this man to -- to sex-traffic children. That's what we're talking about.
MICHAELSON: Right. And -- and there's not a lot of conversation about them.
We should point out Donald Trump has not been charged with a crime yet, and there's no evidence that we've seen so far of criminal wrongdoing. But we have not seen all the evidence yet, because so much of it is redacted.
JACOBS: Despite, again, a congressional law saying that they have to release it back to their -- you know.
MICHAELSON: Yes. Sara Jacobs, thank you for coming in. Great to see you in person. And thanks for being here on THE STORY IS. Hope it's the first of many conversations.
JACOBS: Thanks for having me. MICHAELSON: Coming up, what sounds like a science-fiction movie is
becoming a reality in China. We'll take you to a deep dive into what's called authoritarian A.I. Yes, this is a thing. Will Ripley reports from there, next.
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MICHAELSON: China is reportedly using artificial intelligence and millions of surveillance cameras to monitor its citizens. We're talking about three cameras for every seven people.
CNN's Will Ripley gives us a chilling look inside China's expanding A.I. surveillance state.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE
WILL RIPLEY, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Kung fu meets artificial intelligence. Humanoid robots powered by advanced A.I., performing live on China's biggest stage.
On Chinese social media, this A.I.-generated video.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You roll up here dressed like a damn robot.
RIPLEY (voice-over): Robot dogs and soldiers, liberating a backward, impoverished United States.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That rifle's mine.
RIPLEY (voice-over): Seizing guns, commandeering churches.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They came here for the worst.
RIPLEY (voice-over): A dystopian vision of a future America under Chinese control, powered by drones and A.I. tech, made in China, some of it already in use.
These are robotic traffic police, operating right now on streets in China, using cameras and artificial intelligence to manage traffic in real time.
U.S. experts refer to it as authoritarian A.I.: tech designed to watch people, maintain control, and in some cases, step in automatically without a human having to make the call.
This report from ASPI says China is using A.I. to turbocharge surveillance of its 1.4 billion people, with as many as 600 million cameras, roughly three cameras for every seven people. Many are now A.I.-enabled, tracking faces, movements, and behavioral patterns.
The report says Chinese authorities use algorithms to predict people's actions: forecasting protests, flagging what authorities call abnormal behavior, even claiming to monitor the emotional state of prison inmates to stop dissent before it ever happens. China's foreign ministry in Beijing tells CNN, ASPI is "anti-China"
and long known for "fabricating numerous lies and false information."
China's biggest tech firms are key to making this work, the report says. ByteDance censors politically sensitive content on Douyin, the Chinese TikTok.
Tencent assigns risk scores to users based on online behavior. Baidu sells A.I. moderation tools used in criminal investigations.
CNN reached out to all three companies. So far, no response.
A.I.-powered weapons are also being deployed in China's military. The kind of technology Beijing imagines could play a future role in attacking Taiwan, a scenario illustrated in this A.I.-generated propaganda video from the People's Liberation Army.
China's military is also developing drones that swarm the way animals hunt, copying insects, hawks, even apex predators.
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A.I.-controlled weapons could someday coordinate, adapt, and keep attacking without waiting for human commands.
RIPLEY: China argues the U.S. is doing this, too, pointing to a Georgetown University report. ICE has built huge A.I.-driven surveillance systems capable of pulling data on most American adults in the name of national security.
The big question: are we heading toward a future where life-and-death decisions are made by algorithms and not people?
Will Ripley, CNN, Taipei.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
RIPLEY (voice-over): Our thanks to Will. What a story.
In our next hour, celebrating the life of Eric Dane.
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