All posts tagged "cnn"

CNN anchor shuts down GOP lawmaker over health care: 'It has been 15 years!'

A CNN anchor on Monday shut down a Republican lawmaker who was trying to drop a common GOP talking point over health care.

Brianna Keilar interjected Rep. Mike Haridopolos (R-FL) during a live broadcast.

"Unfortunately, as you know, Brianna, during the budget debate in July, the Democrats actually used what's called the Byrd Rule in the Senate to take those provisions out. We put them back in. We hope that the Democrats will support our effort to actually reduce premiums so that we can all benefit, not just Obamacare beneficiaries, but all Americans, who are being hit hard by the failure of Obamacare," Haridopolos said.

That's when Keilar stopped him.

"I think anyone who has had to deal with health costs will tell you there are problems. It's been 15 years, though, since Obamacare passed. That's a lot of time to try to address the cost of health care, isn't it?"

Haridopolos then backpedaled.

"I couldn't agree with you more," he said. "Every time we try to push together some different ideas, like we did again this week in the congress, with republicans pushing an idea that actually reduce costs and give more people options as opposed to just Obamacare. As I mentioned, I hope that people look back at July. We passed a measure that would actually reduce Obamacare by 11%. The democrats actually fought it, which is shocking to me because they like us. They said..."

Keilar interjected again, pointed to her question again, and pressed the Republican lawmaker on how the GOP is in power but hasn't changed health care policy in the U.S.

"Let me stop you there... We're talking about addressing health care costs. Right. And I certainly hear your concern with Obamacare," she added. "But if we're talking about addressing health care costs, those have been a problem prior to the passage of Obamacare. They've continued to be a problem after the passage of Obamacare. And I hear what you're saying about this past summer, but it has been 15 years! So when you're talking about trying to address only now these issues of costs, why let these subsidies expire? If you don't have a solution and your party has had a decade and a half to try to come up with one?"

'So Trump's wrong?' CNN anchor drops truth bomb on Republican during fiery interview

CNN anchor Brianna Keilar called out a Republican for using President Donald Trump's talking points during a fiery interview Thursday.

Keilar was interviewing Rep. Warren Davidson (R-OH) about the ongoing questions surrounding lethal strikes on alleged drug boats in the Caribbean Sea, just off the coast of Venezuela, and whether Congress was readying for an escalated offense against the country. That's when the conversation got heated.

"He has said no less than 17 times in recent months that land strikes could be coming soon," Keilar said, referring to Trump signaling that the United States could advance attacks on land.

"Yeah, well, I'm just telling you, the briefings we've got, we aren't currently engaged in hostilities directly against Venezuela," Davidson responded. "The boats are not flagged. Venezuelan boats. And what people are calling a blockade is really more of — is targeting sanctioned oil ships. It's not like we're blocking all shipments going in and out of Venezuela."

Keilar pressed Davidson further.

"What — you mean by people, do you mean Trump? Because he called it a blockade," Keilar asked.

"The language is blockade. But the reality is what's going on isn't closure of everything going in and out of the country. It's a targeted enforcement action," Davidson said.

Keilar pushed back with a sharp question.

"The language of the president is blockade. So he's wrong?" Keilar asked.

"It's not a blockade. A blockade would be that there's no flow of goods in and out of Venezuela. So those are distinctions," Davidson added. "And what we're doing is enforcing current law. The administration is clearly not in violation of the War Powers Resolution, currently. And it's also clear, though, as I said in my statement, that if we did engage directly, let's say we deploy Marines on the ground in Venezuela that does cross the war powers and the United States."

Davidson said that the Constitution is clear about how war works and that he's talked to Secretary of State Marco Rubio about it.

"But you said, and I want to focus on war powers, because I know it's something that you're so concerned about," Keilar pushed back. "You said you have high confidence they will seek congressional authority on this. Do you have total confidence because the Trump administration is actually seeking a separate legal opinion to DOJ to provide a justification for launching strikes against land targets in Venezuela? This is what we reported last month. According to a U.S. official. Without getting congressional authorization, though, no decisions have been made yet to move forward with an attack. They were looking for how to do this legally without Congress okaying it."

Davidson admitted that Trump is frustrated with Congress and with their response to the strikes.

"The reality is the Trump administration has provided the briefings. It has communicated. And that's why I have the confidence that I have. Is it certainty? No. And the reality is that President Trump would like to do far more in Venezuela. And I think, look, every president gets frustrated dealing with a legislature. But that's the Constitution," Davidson said.

Trump's plot to 'turn CNN full MAGA' fails following Paramount deal collapse

A chance for Donald Trump to turn CNN "full MAGA" has failed following the breakdown in talks between Paramount and Warner Bros.

Paramount had been looking to merge with Warner Bros., though the studio has instead opted for a merger with Netflix, Newsweek reported. Paramount CEO David Ellison had suggested the Paramount/Warner Bros. merger had the backing of Trump, with Jared Kushner having backed the proposed $108 billion takeover bid. This has since been rejected, Warner Bros. has confirmed.

Their statement reads, "Following a careful evaluation of Paramount's recently launched tender offer, the Board concluded that the offer's value is inadequate, with significant risks and costs imposed on our shareholders."

"This offer once again fails to address key concerns that we have consistently communicated to Paramount throughout our extensive engagement and review of their six previous proposals."

"We are confident that our merger with Netflix represents superior, more certain value for our shareholders and we look forward to delivering on the compelling benefits of our combination."

An end to the possible merger between Paramount and Warner Bros. also puts an end to Trump's desire to make CNN, which is part of Warner Bros., a "full MAGA" channel. Paramount CEO David Ellison has reportedly told insiders he would influence CNN into making changes that would benefit the Trump administration.

The Wall Street Journal claimed Ellison has "offered assurances to administration officials" that CNN would receive sweeping changes should Paramount win the bidding war for Warner Bros. Discovery. Ellison made it clear what he wants from the takeover and took a shot at Netflix.

He said, "I’m incredibly grateful for the relationship that I have with the president, and I also believe he believes in competition. And when you fundamentally look at the marketplace, allowing the number one streaming service to combine with the number three streaming service is anti-competitive."

"We want to build a scaled, new service that is basically, fundamentally in the trust business, that is in the truth business, and that speaks to the 70 percent of Americans that are in the middle, and we believe that by doing so, that is for us, kind of doing well while doing good."

'Release the tapes!' CNN analyst calls White House's bluff after Susie Wiles debacle

A CNN analyst called the White House's bluff after President Donald Trump's Chief of Staff Susie Wiles's explosive Vanity Fair interview dropped Tuesday in an article Wiles complained was a "hit piece."

Kate Bedingfield, former Biden White House communications director, suggested that Wiles could have made a strategic move, and the White House could simply release the recordings if there were any questions about the context.

"What's so interesting to me is that Susie Wiles has this really sterling reputation as somebody who has Trump's confidence and who runs the White House with an iron fist," Bedingfield said. "And in many ways, it felt to me like this interview was sort of an emperor has no clothes moment, where, moment after moment, significant Trump decision after significant Trump decision. She says in the interview, 'You know, I was overruled.' Or, 'You know, I don't really know,' or 'people that are smarter than me are going to make this decision.'"

Bedingfield suggested that Wiles could be considering her political future.

"It was very interesting to me to watch somebody who has a public reputation, you know, as such a stalwart of the White House, sort of try to distance herself from some of the key decisions," she added. "So I actually wondered if there was a strategic effort there to distance herself. And if we're going to see perhaps a Susie Wiles departure. I mean, these are the kinds of interviews that you do when you're trying to establish your kind of capstone legacy."

Trump indicated Tuesday that he stands by Wiles and admitted that he has "an alcoholic's personality."

Wiles conducted 11 interviews with the writer, Christopher Whipple, over the course of a year — not just one conversation, Bedingfield added.

"You know, you kind of hear her saying it was taken out of context, although I would say if they feel there was context omitted, they should release the tapes. Let's hear, let's hear, let's hear the footage of the whole thing," Bedingfield said.

White House melts down at CNN — for reporting on White House meltdown

The White House had a meltdown on Tuesday after CNN reported on its reaction to President Donald Trump's Chief of Staff Susie Wiles' bombshell Vanity Fair interview.

White House insiders were reportedly managing a clean-up operation over the information Wiles revealed about the reality inside Trump world when a Trump insider texted CNN anchor Dana Bash, who was live on air, telling her to correct a chyron that said "White House aides reeling over Susie Wiles interview."

CNN analyst David Chalian and Bash were discussing how the interview had rocked Washington, D.C..

"There are sort of earthquakes in politics and then there are moments like this. And it is because Susie Wiles is so restrained, so strategic, so well respected and what this is, is Susie Wiles unfiltered, on politics, on personality and on real-time policy decisions," Bash said. "And I would add, so loyal, and I'm not sure this changes here."

Chalian said CNN's phones were exploding early Tuesday.

"This electrified everyone because it was so unexpected and I don't think, and I think we have no reporting to indicate that she went into these interviews in any way to try and be anything but strategic and loyal to the president that she serves and serves with such a grip on power and flow of information inside this second Trump term," Chalian said.

"What is astounding, as you said, is the unfiltered nature of it. The other thing that I would note in her pushback, Dana, nowhere does Susie Wiles say she didn't say these things..."

Wiles has called the story "a hit piece" and said her words were taken out of context. But Chalian argued it revealed even more about the current state of the Republican party and MAGA movement.

"Policy point after policy point, she pulls back the curtain and gives the reader a real sense of what is going on inside the chief of staff's thinking on those things," Chalian said.

Bash then added that Trump insiders were texting her during the broadcast.

"What they are doing is circling the wagons and sort of cleaning this up in defense of Susie Wiles," Chalian said.

Inside the White House, people see her as "a straight shooter" and "solid," Bash added.

Bash pointed to an "intriguing" topic, including the Epstein files and the new Trump followers — not the MAGA base — that Wiles described.

"This is so telling, David, because this is all about where the GOP is right now and Susie Wiles is already there, looking ahead. How do we get from what is the Trump party right now, beyond that, and keep those people in the fold for when he is no longer on the ballot."

Chalian described how Wiles is considering the future.

"We've seen the fraying of the coalition that got him to where he is in a second term, and that is precisely the folks that Susie Wiles is talking about here, about the larger Republican project, about how to keep that coalition together for beyond Donald Trump's tenure," he added.

This what happens when an insane president takes over the private sector

What’s really at stake in the fight between Netflix and Paramount for Warner Bros Discovery?

Let me make it clear I’m against Netflix acquiring Warner Bros Discovery. That would concentrate corporate power in ways that harm consumers and distort American politics.

But Paramount’s acquisition of Warner Bros would be just as bad, if not worse.

What’s at stake in all of this is Trump’s — or any president’s — power over the private sector of the American economy.

The back story here is that Warner Bros Discovery owns CNN, and Trump loathes CNN. He frequently complains that its coverage of him has been too negative. He’s termed those running CNN “corrupt and incompetent” and has told top aides he wants new ownership of CNN, along with changes in CNN programming and personnel.

Last week, Trump declared he would involve himself in any proposed sale of Warner Bros, and on Wednesday he said it was “imperative” that the transaction result in the sale of CNN and replacement of its leadership.

Another part of the back story involves Larry Ellison — one of the richest people in America and the largest individual shareholder of Paramount, whose son runs it, and whose operation on Monday launched an unfriendly tender offer for Warner Bros Discovery, to counter Netflix’s friendly offer.

Ellison is an ally of Trump. He has assured Trump and his top aides that if Paramount gains control of Warner Bros and CNN, it will get rid of CNN personnel whom Trump apparently detests, including Erin Burnett and Brianna Keilar. (Paramount already owns CBS.)

Paramount is portraying itself as the best bid for Warner Bros Discovery because it will have an easier time “getting regulatory approval” of the deal than will Netflix — even though Paramount is relying on financial backing from three Middle East sovereign-wealth funds (along with Jared Kushner).

Who in their right mind would give Middle East wealth funds any leverage over CBS and CNN? Answer: Trump, whose family business is already deeply dependent on financing from the Middle East.

Trump trusts the Ellisons because they pushed Paramount to settle Trump’s frivolous $16 million lawsuit against CBS and cancel Stephen Colbert — much to Trump’s delight.

Trump loyalist flak Brendan Carr, the chairman of the Federal Communications Commission, then promptly approved the $8 billion merger of Paramount with Skydance Media.

Trump’s alliance with Larry Ellison goes back to 2020, when Ellison hosted a fundraiser for Trump at his home. According to court records, after the 2020 election, Ellison participated in a phone call to discuss how Trump’s defeat could be contested. In June 2025, he and his firm, Oracle, were co-sponsors of Trump’s military parade in Washington.

Now in charge of Paramount and its CBS division, Larry’s son, David Ellison, has gutted DEI policies at CBS, put right-wing hack Kenneth R. Weinstein into a new “ombudsman” role there, and made anti-“woke” opinion journalist Bari Weiss editor-in-chief of CBS News, despite her lack of experience in either broadcasting or newsrooms.

The FCC’s Carr has already effectively blessed the Paramount deal. What other “regulatory approval” might be needed? Theoretically, the Federal Trade Commission could object on antitrust grounds. But, as Trump did at the FCC, he planted loyalists at the FTC to do his bidding. (Pam Bondi has asserted that she and the Justice Department’s antitrust division will oversee the merger.)

This past week, the Supreme Court heard arguments about whether Trump had a right to fire an FTC commissioner (the FTC, like the FCC, is supposed to be an “independent” regulatory agency).

Chief Justice John Roberts — who believes that the framers of the Constitution intended a “unitary” executive rather than one whose authority might be shared with independent regulatory agencies established by Congress — suggested during the oral argument that Trump’s removal power should be the norm.

But if Trump’s maneuvers over Warner Bros Discovery has any lessons for the future, the independence of regulatory agencies may be more important than ever before. Otherwise, a wannabe tyrant sitting in the Oval Office can interfere in any business transaction he wishes, to enlarge his own power and stifle criticism.

Robert Reich is a professor of public policy at Berkeley and former secretary of labor. His writings can be found at https://robertreich.substack.com/.
Robert Reich's new memoir, Coming Up Short, can be found wherever you buy books. You can also support local bookstores nationally by ordering the book at bookshop.org

'Quite the moment': CNN shocked as FBI official exposed for offering 'zero details'

CNN's Pamela Brown highlighted a moment from a Homeland Security Committee hearing where the panel's top Democrat laid into an FBI official for his inability to provide details about the group he identified as the nation's top violent domestic security threat.

FBI official Michael Glasheen told the committee the law enforcement agency agrees with President Donald Trump that the left-wing group posed the greatest national security threat to the U.S., but he was unable to substantiate that claim when Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-MS) pressed him for details.

"I'll ask one question, sir: I just want you to tell us if you said antifa is the number one domestic terrorist organization operating in the United States," Thompson said. "I just need to know where they are. How many people? I don't want a name, I don't want anything like that. Just how many people have you identified with the FBI that antifa is made of?"

Glasheen told the congressman the investigations remained active and described them as "very fluid," and Thompson pounced.

"You wouldn't come to this committee and say something you can't prove," Thompson said. "I know, you wouldn't do that. But you did."

Brown was stunned by the exchange, which she summed up as "quite the moment there," and she invited former FBI deputy director Andrew McCabe to comment.

"You can't come to the worldwide threats hearing and claim that something is the biggest threat in the United States, the biggest security threat that we face, and then provide zero details or facts about it," McCabe said. "Now, of course, we can't expect the FBI to talk about specific cases or identify individuals under under investigation. That's sensitive information, but very typically the director or the representative should be able to say 'This is what we think about them, here's how we know about them, here's how big we think they are, here's the regions of the country we think they're located in.'"

"The fact is, as any follower of and student of antifa can tell you, those things are just those facts are just not there for antifa," he added. "Antifa is not has never been a structured formal organization with an identified leader or even an identified directive. They are a loose collection of people who exhibit the same sort of anti-establishment views and, you know, violent activity among protests."

- YouTube youtu.be

'Are you listening?' Heated clash on CNN as Republican tries to deny hearing outrage

A heated CNN anchor gave fierce pushback on Tuesday afternoon to a Republican lawmaker who tried to deny hearing pleas from farmers who said they're struggling to make ends meet.

CNN's Brianna Keilar got in a fiery back-and-forth with Rep. Mark Alford (R-MO) after she asked him during a live broadcast about what farmers are saying. Alford claimed that the Trump administration was working to give them more relief when the conversation got heated.

"We are giving the farmers their safety nets through 80% of the farm bill that was passed through the 'One Big, Beautiful Bill,'" Alford said. "Those safety nets are there an increase in reference prices. We are helping the American farmers, Donald J. Trump knows the importance of feeding America and the world, and we're gonna get it done."

Keilar didn't hold back in response.

"But that's not what farmers are telling you, right? I know that you've heard from them," she shot back. "They say they're hurting from tariffs. I know you had a town hall this summer, KMIZ reported about one farmer telling you it's not just that China was retaliating, they're not buying soybeans, even though that's back now, but tariffs actually drove up prices of fertilizer and other farm goods. So, I mean, of this idea of loans, but when you're paying more for goods that you paid a certain price for before, and your margins are pretty slim. Do you think the administration is understanding this? Do you think they're getting that message?"

Alford attempted to blame former President Joe Biden for farmers' current woes.

"They do, and they understand as I do, that it was Joe Biden that drove up the price of fertilizer and fuel with his war," he said.

"Well, no, that's not what this farmer told you. So what do you say to him?" Keilar said, pushing back again.

"Well, that's what I'm telling you. I'm telling you right now," Alford said.

"But that's not what this farmer told you, and he's the farmer who's telling you... excuse me. This farmer you heard him. He said this to you," she said.

"Yes, we need to look at fertilizer prices. Fuel has come down and will continue to come down thanks to Donald Trump," Alford said.

But Keilar still wasn't satisfied with Alford's response and pressed further.

"Are you listening to your constituents? Because he was very clear about why his prices were going up," she said.

"Brianna, I did 15 stops on a town hall tour, one of the few Congress members on the Republican side and the Democrat side to actually do that. Yes ma'am. I listened," he said. "I took 256 questions and sat there and listened. Listened to insults, listened to yelling, listened to name-calling, and answered when they wanted to be respectful. I remember that farmer. I understand his concern, but the large number of farmers in Missouri believe in Donald J. Trump and that he's going to get things done. We are doing that with beef prices."

Trump launches 'cynical plot' to turn CNN 'full MAGA': report

A "cynical plot" to turn CNN into a MAGA-friendly channel could be underway as Donald Trump hears out bids from Netflix and Paramount.

Paramount CEO David Ellison has reportedly told insiders he would influence CNN into making changes that would benefit the Trump administration. The Wall Street Journal claims Ellison has "offered assurances to administration officials" that CNN would receive sweeping changes should Paramount win the bidding war for Warner Bros. Discovery.

Netflix has also bid on Warner Bros., but Ellison has played up to Trump's apparent desire to have CNN changed. The president told people close to him that he wanted new ownership of CNN and changes to its programming, which Ellison appears to have assured he can do.

But the plot to make CNN "full MAGA" relies on Jared Kushner too, who has backed a $108billion takeover bid from Paramount for Warner Bros. Discovery. Ellison made it clear what he wants from the takeover and took a shot at Netflix.

Ellison was asked about what the president may make of his possible CNN takeover. The 42-year-old Paramount Skydance CEO replied, "We’ve had great conversations with the president about this, but I don’t want to speak for him in any way, shape, or form."

Trump has made his thoughts on CNN very clear over the course of his two presidential terms. Most recently, Trump posted a furious tirade against the news channel and Caitlin Collins.

He wrote, "Caitlin Collins of Fake News CNN, always Stupid and Nasty, asked me why the new Ballroom was costing more money than originally thought one year ago. FAKE NEWS CNN, and the guy who runs the whole corrupt operation that owns it, is one of the worst in the business. Their ratings are so low that they’re not even counted or relevant anymore. MAGA!!!"

'Striking': CNN's Kaitlan Collins floored by Pete Hegseth's 'telling' boat killing remark

CNN anchor and chief White House correspondent Kaitlan Collins was taken aback Tuesday by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's "telling" remark on his boat strikes during a cabinet meeting with President Donald Trump.

"I think what was most striking to me is what Jim [Sciutto] was just referencing there, which was the comment by Secretary Hegseth when he was directly asked if he was aware that there were survivors after that first initial strike happened during this boat strike that happened on Sept. 2, the one that has generated so much controversy here in Washington and even has Republicans on Capitol Hill now demanding answers about how this went down," Collins said.

"And I thought what was really telling there was he was asked about a comment that Secretary Hegseth had made in the aftermath of this strike," she added.

"Remember, at that time, the administration had released about 30 seconds of a video that the president had posted of this strike. That is something that did not show the second subsequent strike that happened there," she said.

"And Secretary Hegseth was asked, given he said at the time that he watched this strike happen live from obviously his situation [room] at the Pentagon. If he had seen that second strike actually take place. And I want you to listen to what the Secretary had to say about the timeline here, because I think this is critical information and is also something that we have not heard yet from the Defense Department," Collins added.

Hegseth had criticized the press asking him questions during the cabinet meeting, and also revealed something unknown — that he wasn't present when the second strike was ordered.

"So I said 'I'm going to be the one to make the call' after getting all the information and making sure it's the right strike," Hegseth said. "That was Sept. 2.... I watched that first strike live. As you can imagine, at the Department of War, we've got a lot of things to do, so I didn't stick around for the hour and two hours, whatever, where all the sensitive site exploitation digitally occurs. So I moved on to my meeting."

He also said that he did not see any survivors during the second strike, and put the "onus back on Admiral Bradley," she added.

"I did not personally see survivors, but I stand... because the thing was on fire. It was exploded. Fire and smoke. You can't see anything, you've got digital... This is called the fog of war. This is what you in the press don't understand," Hegseth said, criticizing the reporters and press.

Collins said this new information could prompt more questions from Congress.