Tonight on 360 with the shutdown heading into next week, and the president posting bizarre meme videos, new reporting on concerns within the president's orbit about how it's all going politically. Also tonight, Sean Tiddicomps pleads from Mercy at his sentencing today as a federal judge, passes sentence on him, details from someone who was in the room, what had happened. Later, all we're learning about what Hamas did and did not agree to on the hostages it holds, and what role a presidential deadline played. Good evening to you.
Thanks so much for joining. I'm Jim Schudo, sitting in for Anderson. First up tonight, seeing as learning, there are quiet concerns around the president that the politics of the government shutdown may prove more complicated than they initially hoped, specifically that there is little certainty within the president's orbit over how his efforts to ramp up pressure on Democrats will play with the broader public. Said one Trump advisor quote, I'm supposed to say this is killing the Democrats, but I don't think it helps either side, to be honest with you.
That's it. If the president himself has any second thoughts, he's not showing it publicly. Instead, he is continuing to gloat over the thousands of federal job cuts his budget director, Russ Vot, is preparing to unleash. This time, in the form of an AI-generated video and blue Oysterkolt Ripow, Roth, he posted overnight.
We're trying, Vot as the Grim Reaper. I mean, to be clear, these are real people who would lose their jobs, and this concerns the potential mass layoffs, not just temporary furloughs of American men and women, with bill to pay groceries to buy kids to send to school, something the White House has also said. It takes seriously, which prompted this question from a reporter today. You just said this is an unenviable choice, but this is an unfortunate consequence.
But the president has described this as an unprecedented opportunity to lay off additional workers. He's posted a video likening Russ Vot to the Grim Reaper. So which is this? Is this an opportunity to fire more workers or an unfortunate consequence?
Look, the president likes to have a little fun every now and then, and I think both things can be true at the same time. Actually not, whatever you might make of that, there is no arguing this, with Republicans again today unable to peel off more democratic votes to pass temporary funding for the government and House Speaker Johnson keeping lawmakers away. All of next week, this shutdown could go on for quite longer, a lot of ground to cover tonight, first for joined by New York Times Chief White House correspondent and CNN political analyst Maggie Haberman. Maggie, let's be fair, it's rich for the White House to claim some great regret or pain over firing.
So maybe just a few months ago, they had Elon Musk on stage with a chainsaw bragging about cutting federal jobs with doge. I just wonder, do you hear from inside the White House concern that the politics of this could be damaging for them? There is concern about that, Jim. They don't quite know yet how it's going to play.
Democrats do be clear also don't know how this is going to play. And again, I use this word play about a situation that involves people's jobs and people's livelihoods. This is not a game. And when the president of the United States is posting memes about Russ Vod as the Grim Reaper, I don't know how many people see it right now beyond people like us, people who are zeroed in on his social media feed.
But if this shutdown continues to go on, then it could end up becoming problematic for the president. And again, to your question, his aides are not certain where this goes. Some of his aides had believed and hoped, for whatever reason, this was going to have reached some kind of a turning point by today that obviously has not happened. This is now going to head into at least another several days.
The House is not supposed to be back for another week and a half. So we'll say. Hearing, Caroline, that there's a both things could be true, that's actually wrong. I mean, either the president supports mass firings or he doesn't.
Is it clear to you that he has given Russ free rein to do so? I mean, is that a fate of complete, that these mass firings are coming? Nothing has ever fated complete with President Trump. And you and I both seen that over and over again.
Certainly he has used Russ vote in a way that we have seen him use other aides, Jim, over the course of the last eight years or however many years we're talking about now his presidency is two presidencies combined. Sometimes he would use Peter Nabarro to try to impel people to do certain things that he wanted them to do. I think at the moment he is using Russ vote that way, but Russ vote has a lot of plans on what he wants to do with this government. In fact, some of those plans were unpopular enough during the campaign anyway that the Trump campaign tried downplaying it.
So, you know, look, saying that the president likes to have fun when you were talking about the context of people losing their jobs. They go back to something you said at the start of this segment, which is that few months ago when it was Elon Musk, you know, on stage with the chainsaw, you know, you were really talking about firing people, Trump's advisers were worried about how voters were going to see that. They worried about how some of Trump's own voters who work in the federal government would see that. I don't know how any of that helps them.
But again, I don't think people are that tuned into this yet. They will be if this goes on for a while. In the midst of this, the US Treasurer confirmed today that a portrait of President Trump may be featured on his own coin, a commemorative $1 coin in honor of America's 250th birthday, notable the fight-fight slogan from the attempted assassination attempt. We should know there is a US law that does not allow a sitting president on a coin.
What are you hearing about? Is this a serious plan? It is definitely a plan that at least as floated for liminarily is going to make President Trump very happy. I thought it was notable that the Treasury officials said that this was just a draft, and we will see what things end up looking like.
So this may be the plan that exists right now to please him. On the other hand, we've also seen this administration go ahead and forge plans that don't comply with rules and regulations, at many points this year. True that. Maggie Haberman, good Friday to you.
Thanks so much for joining. Thanks, Jim. Turning next to South Dakota Republican Congressman Dusty Johnson. Congressman, thanks so much for taking time this Friday night.
Thanks for having me. First, if I can, House Speaker has sent you all home for next week. Is that a good idea? Does that show urgency on the part of Republicans to negotiate a deal to end the shutdown?
I love Mike Johnson. I am low to ever criticize him publicly. But I would admit a different play call. I'm going to be in Washington, DC next week.
No, admittedly, the House has passed. We have voted to keep government open. The ball is clearly in the Senate's court. But I'm going to be in DC.
I'm going to try to be helpful any way I can. I don't think they're going to let me put Rand Paul in a headlock to try to get him to yes. But however I could be helpful, I'll hold it. If that happens, please let us know what will be there for it.
We mentioned earlier that CNN has reporting tonight. That some members of the president's own orbit are raising concerns that the shutdown strategy might not work for the president or Republicans. There was a story earlier today in the Wall Street Journal as well. Concerns about the political ramifications for Republicans.
Do you share those concerns? Two things. First off, I know this is what we politicalists do. We talk about who's going to win a shutdown.
Let me be clear. No one wins a shutdown. Everyone loses. They are always stupid.
And this is probably the dumbest shutdown ever. And that being said, I don't share those concerns. I talked yesterday to two high ranking members of the White House. Talk to some pretty high ranking people today too.
They're generally pretty honest with me. And I'm not getting the sense that there's all that much concern. I think we know from history that the party that shuts down the government trying to get a big policy concession has always had to fold their hand and kind of meekly back out of the room. I don't know why this would be any different.
I think Chuck Schumer has bitten off a lot more than he can chew. Devil's Advocate here though, because the issue that Democrats are holding the line on is health care, specifically as you know Medicaid funding and ACA or Obamacare subsidies. When you look at the polling on this, and we have a poll from the Kaiser Family Foundation that shows this, these are issues that large majorities of both Republicans and Democrats. You see 78 to 22 support extending.
Does that, when you see numbers like that, that's not a close call, right? Does that indicate to you that, hey, you know, maybe we as Republicans should extend these subsidies? Well, listen, I don't know everything and I don't know everything about your poll. I would say this.
I've done 30 media interviews in the last week. I probably talked to 30 of my Democratic colleagues. I probably talked about thousands of South Dakotans. And when I say to them, which is the truth, Republicans are absolutely willing to negotiate on all these big policy issues.
We just want the negotiations to happen when government is open, every single head nods. And in fact, I've had some Democratic colleagues in the House tell me that, well, yeah, okay, that makes a lot of sense. I think that's why you have already seen three Democratic senators vote Republicans. And I'm promising you on a stack of Bibles, they will not be the last.
Let me ask you this though. Imagine yourself wearing a Democratic lawmaker's shoes, knowing that between 2011 and 2017, Republicans in the House and Senate initiated 70 attempts, in fact, more than 70 attempts to repeal, modify or weaken the Affordable Care Act. So when they hear from Republicans like yourself saying, just pass this clean CR and will negotiate on ACA subsidies afterwards. Would you trust a party that tried to kill the plan before?
But now it's saying, hey, actually we'll talk about it just justice. Jim, nobody is asking for any trust and you know that. Leader Schumer is not giving up any of his leverage. If we keep the government open and do the negotiations on November 21st, the worst case scenario is he is in the same spot that he's in today.
You can run the simulation 10,000 times. And again, the worst case, he's holding the same hand of cards he's holding today. There are lots of other scenarios where he's doing well. There are plenty of Republicans that publicly are saying they're willing to consider targeted ACA COVID era subsidies for working class Americans.
Now, as a Chuck Schumer wants to shut the whole damn thing down for families making 700% of poverty while we're $2 trillion in debt, he can try to go sell that. But I promise you, he is not going to get Republicans to get him everything he wants on a six week CR. Well, Congressman, we appreciate taking the time this evening and appreciate you staying in Washington as well. Absolutely.
Thanks much. Coming up next, let's go to the other side of the aisle, Massachusetts Democratic Congressman Jake Auchinclaw. So Congressman, you hear Dusty Johnson there saying, listen, you know, we are willing to negotiate just, you know, pass this clean CR. You want to take that opportunity?
Good evening. Thanks for having me on. This is an odd thing to say because I know we're having a debate here, but Dusty's actually one of my favorite members of Congress. And boy, this country would be better off if he was leading the Republican Party.
But more is the pity he's not. There's only one man who runs, controls, dominates the Republican Party, and that's Donald Trump. And Donald Trump for the last nine months has used the middle class as a punching bag. He has levied the biggest tax hike in American history with his tariffs.
He has gouged their health care with the biggest cut to Medicaid in American history. He's made a mockery of their respect for the rule of law with his corruption. And now he's turning around and asking the middle class to fund his government that he's going to continue to use as his personal patrimony. And he's refusing to give anything back to these hardworking Americans.
And we're saying no, because the middle class hasn't had a voice. They haven't had a lobby or a super pack in Donald Trump's ear, but they should have the Democratic Party. Let me ask you this, because one criticism you'll hear from some Republicans is that these subsidies were expanded during the midst of the COVID pandemic, made bigger than they were prior. Initially, they were only the last five years, right?
And that's partly, you know, budget, magic here, right? You don't want to say 10 years because it adds to the deficit more when you pass the bill. So is that an area where you might be willing to negotiate, saying, well, they don't have to be as high as they were in the midst of a pandemic? Absolutely.
And actually, before the shutdown, I led several other members of Congress in a letter to House leadership explaining some of the areas that we would want to negotiate with Republicans on. It was reversing some of the worst Medicaid cuts that are going to raise the cost of long-term and elder care for the middle class. It was a vote in Congress on the tariffs. Not asking for my side to win the vote.
We just want to literally have a vote so the American people can see where we stand on this inflationary agenda and some basic measures to stem the corruption of this administration. All of those three issues have super majority support from Americans. None of them are outside the bounds of discourse. And we should absolutely press the president to make it on.
Do you share, so as you heard me say earlier to Dusty Johnson, there's some reporting from inside the White House that the White House is concerned that the politics might not work out so well for them. Are you concerned, just as a member of the Democratic Party, that the longer this drags out that it might end up hurting both of you? I mean, you guys got to win back the ground, right? I mean, you're the ones who have to win the midterms if you want to gain back some ground in this town.
For the last decade, the Democratic Party has spent too much time telling Americans who we are against. We need to start telling them what we are for. And this fight is an opportunity to explain to the American public that we are for lowering the cost of health care. We are for crusading against corruption, regardless of which side it may incur on.
And we are for funding public safety by refunding the cops grants that this administration has cut. And we can keep on going down the line. But whenever you have an opportunity to explain your agenda to the American people, I think you have to capitalize on it. Final question.
You've heard a great deal of criticism from many of your Democratic colleagues to this country. And I'm the American public and they're sick of it. Congressman Ockencloss, we appreciate you joining us this Friday night. Good evening.
Coming up next, what it was like inside the courtroom is Sean Diddy Combs was sentenced and what two courthouse veterans make of the sentence he got. Later, Hamas appears to accept at least the principle of releasing the hostages it still holds. The real question, though, what about in practice? I'm CNN tech reporter Claire Duffy.
This week on the podcast in terms of service, the idea of writing in a car with no driver can feel daunting. And this technology raises questions about safety and the future of transportation. That's why you're Nicole Gable, head of business development and strategic partnerships at WeMo. We've always been about safety, no distracted driving, no drunk driving.
We Mo follows the rules of the road. Listen to CNN's terms of service wherever you get your podcasts. I'm Dr. Sanjay Gupta, host of the Chasing Life Podcast.
Over half of adults over 65 are living with multiple chronic diseases. Many of them are on four or five different medications. They're living alone. Sometimes the screen is the only voice they hear all day.
So it's understandable to me, but I also am concerned because what this does is it crowds out opportunity for real life connection, for exercise, for time and nature. I'm going to be talking with board certified psychiatrist Dr. Sue Varma. She's going to help us understand what is driving this, what to look for, if you're starting to worry about someone else's screen usage in your own life.
60% of the time the phone usage is positive when it has to do with photo sharing, video sharing, and keeping in contact with people. Listen to Chasing Life, streaming now wherever you get your podcasts. Tonight, the sentencing on sex crime-related offenses of Sean Diddy Combs once one of the most influential hip hop and business moguls of his era. He would become with the revelation of this video of him kicking then girlfriend Cassie Ventura and the lurid details surrounding it.
One of the most notorious and late today in a Manhattan federal courthouse, Sean Combs became a convicted and sentenced fellow. Today Combs himself appealed for mercy from the judge on two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution. Charges related to sexual encounters, so-called freak-offs between his girlfriends and others. His lawyers claimed he'd been punished already.
The judge disagreed sentencing Combs to four years and two months in a moment attorneys who have been on both sides of sentencing hearing like this one many times over their careers. First though, Senes Karis Kanell who was in the court as this unfolded. The family of disgraced music mogul Sean Diddy Combs leading court. After judge Arun Supermanian handed down hard time telling Combs his sentence needed to be substantial as the musician irreparably harmed two women.
Combs spoke in his own defense for the first time, apologizing to his victims directly and taking full responsibility for his prostitution-related convictions. There are no excuses. I can't change the past but I can change the future. I beg your honor for mercy.
Combs pleaded. This came after hours of testimonials in court trying to convince the judge Combs is a changed man, a marked shift in strategy from the defense who had repeatedly argued his innocence. You will change the world. Combs saw as his team shut a documentary-style video highlighting his charity work in her spurs with family moment.
Huddled together supporting each other at the podium several of his children teared up, advocating for their father insisting he's been rehabilitated. His son Justin called Combs his superhero. His daughter told the court he's working on becoming a better man and a more present father. Others became emotional focusing on Combs contributions to the black community while underscoring his own traumas and battles with drug addiction.
The judge ultimately recognized these contributions and struggles, calling them iconic and impressive. But said a history of good works can't wash away the record in this case. Prosecutor Christi Slavik was not moved by the day's speeches arguing Combs' respect for the law is just lip service, calling Combs a master puppeteer of his own image. After his summer trial where the jury heard about freakoffs and hotel nights, Combs was cleared of the more serious charges against him, including sex trafficking and racketeering conspiracy.
Key evidence in the trial and in Combs sentencing was this surveillance video from 2016 first revealed by CNN, which shows Combs in a hotel hallway violently dragging and kicking then girlfriend Cassie Ventura across the floor. The victim spoke at the sentencing, but Ventura submitted a letter to the court, warning that Combs has quote, no interest in changing or becoming better. I am so scared that if he walks free, his first actions will be switched retribution towards me and others who spoke up about his abuse at trial, she wrote, it's not clear yet where Combs will serve a sentence, but he is expected to appeal the decision. Jim I spoke with one of Combs' attorneys after the judge handed down the sentencing and Brian Steele told me that he thought the sentence was un-American and it was wrong of the judge to consider any of the conduct that Combs was acquitted of.
Now the judge did have a message for the victims, he said to Ventura and Combs' former girlfriend who testified under the student named Jane, we hear you, he said they were strong for speaking truth to power and he told them that even if you are a victim once, it doesn't mean you always have to be a victim. He said he was proud of them. Now to Combs, he said he might be in a dark place now, but he said Combs there is light at the end of the tunnel and this 50 month sentence, Combs has already served 12 months of those, so he has about another three years in prison. Jim.
Karis Canel outside the courthouse, thanks so much. Joining me now, former federal prosecutor Elise Adamson and criminal defense attorney Arthur Idalic. Good to have you both on. Elise first to you, to the defense's critique there.
Part of their critique is based on the fact that the judge mentioned things such as coercion, which were included in charges that he was acquitted of. So what is the judge's legal leeway here to consider things other than were in the charges he was convicted of? Yeah, I think that's an important question, Jim, because the judge did mention this course of conduct. It did take into consideration things like the video we just saw and some of other conduct of Combs, but what's important here and the judge made clear is that he was not considering that conduct with respect to the applicable guideline range.
That's that calculation about where Combs could be sentenced based on the offense, which is the Man Act, other characteristics like his criminal history, but it's relevant conduct in determining where in that sentencing range he was going to exercise his discretion and ultimately sentence Combs. So there's a very important distinction. I understand the defense's argument and they have to make it. They have to bring it up on appeal, but it wasn't that the judge was considering acquitted conduct.
He was considering relevant conduct to decide whether or not that human being is safe returning into the community. Right. Okay. So Arthur, to that point, the sentencing range five to seven years ends up being four years in two months.
In your view, something of a win, perhaps with the defense? I think it was a big win for the defense. I practice in that courthouse all the time against that prosecutor's office in front of those judges. Technically, he could have gotten 20 years in jail.
The prosecutor asked for 11 years, which the judge said that was ridiculous. The defense attorneys asked for time served. The judge said that's ridiculous. But the Department of Probation, that's supposed to be the neutral party that looks at other charges like this in other cases with other defendants, they came down with about seven years and the judge undercut them, which is in and of itself is that's a win.
Also when you start off with a client who's facing basically life in prison and now he'll probably be in a halfway house within two years. That's a win. Yeah. In prison for that time, at least the judge reacted to that video presentation, which was pretty glitzy and tried to focus on his contribution to society through the years, which by the way, you can do here.
There's nothing wrong with that. But I wonder, was it too glitzy to some degree? Was it so smooth as to not match, particularly when you look at the video in the Cassie Ventura video? Yeah.
First of all, I mean, I, in my years as a prosecutor, never saw any professionally produced video played at sentencing and that's because most defendants can't afford a professional videographer, right? I do think the juxtaposition was stark between that video and the Cassie Ventura hotel video. What I think carried more weight was the words of Combs' own children who were begging for mercy, who were explaining to the court who their father was. So I don't think the video carried the day, but I do think the Combs' children and other people who knew about Combs' commitment to the community was very persuasive.
His children said, I mean, it's in the courtroom, that they've never seen him undergo such a change as this before. Arthur, you've defended a lot of clients in court. Have you ever seen anything like that? I will tell you, I think if there's any winners here, in my opinion, it's the judge.
He's a relatively new judge. He has an unbelievable background, clerked on the Supreme Court of the United States of America. He handled the trial very well and even today he showed empathy and compassion for the victims. He said, we heard you and I'm taking the trauma you went through into consideration, but at the end he also spoke to the defendant and he said, you know, you'll get through this.
You and your family will get through this. There is light at the end of the tunnel. I've spoken to the defense team. They said that during the course of the trial he handled himself in a very fair way and in the Southern District of New York where the judge is known to be a little tough, he really comes out in my opinion as being the star here.
Yeah, I mean, you also see how much power judges have in the courtroom. We do have a statement from Cassie Ventura's attorney saying the following, well, nothing can undo the trauma caused by Combs. The Senate's imposed today recognize that the impact of the serious offenses he committed has been sure it will continue healing knowing that a bravery and fortitude have been an inspiration to so many. I wonder, at least, how do you think the victims of this and there were many alleged victims of his behavior?
How do you think they see this? Yeah, I think similar to Cassie that they have been heard, that they've been seen and quite frankly that they have been believed when Combs was acquitted of the top counts. The prevailing view was it was going to be chilling effect on victims. I think now seeing that Combs is actually facing real time, that might be more of an incentive for other victims to come forward when similar things happen to them.
And that's the thing, right? Because this gives no joy to anybody to have to air those traumatic experiences in public in a courtroom. Arthur, final thought. Well, I also think, and Lisa, correct me, I also think she got $30 million.
And that's a significant settlement. I mean, there are personal injury cases where people lose their legs and they don't walk the rest of their life and they don't get recovered $30 million. So I'm not being a wise guy, but that's got to help in the healing process so that you can run through that in any way you need. Who was on the other side of that decision?
Is someone with the wealth of Diddy Combs as well? Elise, Adamson, Arthur, and Ella, thanks so much. Thank you. Next to Massa's response to the president's Gaza deadline, we're going to lay out what they have and have not yet agreed to.
There are differences. Plus, another US strike, a deadly one, on a boat off the coast of Venezuela. Hamas has announced it is willing to release all hostages held in Gaza under the framework laid out in President Trump's ceasefire proposal. However, it added that it was ready to enter negotiations to, quote, discuss the details.
This comes after President Trump set a deadline this morning for Hamas to respond by Sunday, or quote, all hell will break out against Hamas. Following the response from Hamas to his peace proposal, the president posted on social media, quote, Israel must immediately stop the bombing of Gaza so that we can get the hostages out safely and quickly. Late tonight, he posted this video. This is a big day.
We'll see how it all turns out. We have to get the final word down and concrete. Very importantly, I look forward to having the hostages come home to their parents. See you in Jerusalem correspondent Jeremy Diamond joins us now.
And this news just came in to CNN. That is Israel saying it is preparing to, quote, immediately implement the first phase of Trump's plan for hostages release. What does that mean exactly? Are we going to see some concrete moves in the coming hours?
You know, Jim, we are watching this kind of live diplomacy via statement that's been happening over the course of the last several hours. It began with that Hamas statement. Then you had this Trump post on truth social. And now this statement from the Israeli Prime Minister's office, which I want to read to you in full in light of Hamas's response, Israel is preparing to, quote, immediately implement the first phase of Trump's plan for the immediate release of all hostages.
We will continue to work in full cooperation with the president and his team to end the war in accordance with the principles set forth by Israel that are consistent with President Trump's vision. And so the message here is that Israel is preparing to move forward with the first phase of this plan to end the war in Gaza. And that is the immediate release of all 48 hostages, 20 of whom are believed to still be alive. What this statement does not reference, however, is the demand from President Trump, first of its kind, for Israel to, quote, immediately stop the bombing in Gaza in order for that hostage release to go forward.
And so that will be the question now. Is Israel prepared to cease fire in order to allow for that hostage release to go forward? And is Hamas willing to release these hostages before the other details of this deal are actually all ironed out? These are just questions that we simply do not have the answer to at this stage.
But keep in mind that that 20 point proposal from President Trump called for the hostages to be released within 72 hours of both parties reaching an agreement here. We just don't know at this stage whether that clock has actually begun ticking. Yeah, I imagine there's a great deal of anticipation from hostage families who've been waiting for so long. Jeremy Diamond, thanks so much for joining me now.
Seeing global affairs analyst Brett McGurk, Brett, of course, help lead negotiations for two cease fires and hostage releases in Gaza, including those earlier this year. Listen, we've been at points before in these negotiations where they fell apart. These seem to be more serious. What is your read?
Are we on the brink of something good here? Jim, I'm so hesitant to say we could be on the brink of a breakthrough. I've been through this before. I've been with the hostage families.
Obviously all the people in Gaza want this war to end. So I don't want to make a prediction. However, I've been talking to people involved in this process. And I do feel that we are now in the endgame of this war.
I think the pieces are really coming together. And Hamas is putting under tremendous pressure by Turkey, by Qatar, by Pakistan, by everybody saying enough. And President Trump is putting real pressure on the Israelis. And so you have this.
You have the stars aligning now. I think we'll see a lot of diplomacy over the next 72 hours to get in place that ceasefire or the hostage exchange. What the Hamas statement said today leaves a lot to interpretation. But it does say we accept the formula for the prisoner hostage exchange.
Having done these negotiations, that's a big deal. The Trump-20-point plan said all hostages, all of them, living and remains for 250 life sentences serving Palestinian prisoners. That's a lot. And 1700 Gaza prisoners who have been captured over the course of the war, mostly fighters.
That's the formula. And the Donald's full military kit is a D.R. And Israel is not going to accept that. But here's what's changed.
I give real credit to the president and to his team and to see Wickov and Jared have been working this. There's now a consensus among Arab and Muslim-majority countries that Hamas' days in Gaza are over, that they have to disarm, and there has to be an interim security and political structure. Hamas will resist that, but they don't have any maneuvering room. And Iran is no longer a powerful player.
They don't have Hezbollah. They are isolated and weakened. So again, I go back to where I started. This is going to be tough.
There's still a lot to do. But I think the stars are aligning. I think we're in the endgame. And I'm very hopeful.
I don't want to predict because I know families and they edge of their sea, of course. And I've been let down before in these things that we will see Hos try to get the last piece. Bottom line, this is the endgame of the war. Let's end this war.
Everybody got behind it. You got to put pressure on Hamas. Everybody who has influence over them. A lot of countries do.
And you got to keep pressure on the Israelis. Speaking of pressure on the Israelis, was the Israeli attack on Qatar, this strike against Hamas officials there? Was that a breaking point to some degree between Israel and Israel and Israel? You know, instead of the time, it was a first of a tactical failure.
It didn't end up a strategic blunder because I think the White House was surprised, which was pretty shocking. And it united the GCC states, including the UN-Barrain to a relationship with Israel behind Qatar and said, you know, this really crosses the line, an overt military attack into an Arab capital in the Gulf. And an urban area. But as we see the last two weeks, and now, these have galvanized this incredible burst of diplomacy in a constructive direction.
I thought the burst of diplomacy from France and the UK, recognizing Palestinian state without any conditions being set, not talking about Hos to the Israelis. That was a mistake. This deal, this really ends the war. You got to see, sorry, get the hostages out.
And most importantly, set the conditions in Gaza for future, for the people of Gaza and peace. That's a long way off. But it's all in that plan, that 20-point plan. And it's not just the US plan.
It's now endorsed by Arab-Muslim states. And Arab-Muslim states, American allies. So everybody got behind it. This is the plan.
It's going to be the only plan. And let's get this war finished. Well, Hos to the Israelis, the anticipation, I imagine. But also the people of Gaza who would want to see peace.
Rep McGurk, thanks so much. Thank you. One other quick note. Defense Secretary Hegseth today said the military this morning hit another small boat.
You see it there in the Caribbean. The fourth so far, just off the coast of Venezuela. Secretary Hegseth called it a narco-trafficking vessel. That's a word we've heard a lot often.
And called the four people killed on board, narco-terrorists. Another word we've heard a lot. A change of pace. Swifties rejoicing at the release of The Life of a Show Girl.
Taylor Swift's 12th album, but not, as you'll see without controversy. Taylor Swift's 12th studio album, The Life of a Show Girl, debuted at midnight last night. And with the hours, it broke a Spotify streaming record. For more, here's CN's Jason Carroll.
A small sample from a song called Opalite. It's one of 12 new tracks on Taylor Swift's just release album titled The Life of a Show Girl. And it already has her fans wanting to hear more. Favorite song on the album so far?
Opalite. It's Taylor Swift! Hi! The album is out and I have such uncomplicated feelings of joy about it.
The pop star is all about the art of reinvention. And she has reset the stage once again with her latest album. Two, one! Unlike her last album, a two-hour poetic anthology about Heartbreak, The Life of a Show Girl is more concise and upbeat at times tackling issues with fame and the music industry.
And the music industry. There's a track that incorporates music from the George Michael hit. Father figure. At 35, Swifties say their pop idol is taking a more sensual tone this time around.
It's reflected not only on her album art, but in the lyrics. This version of Swift is just fine with dedicated fans who have grown up with her over the years. The same way I was crying to the outside when I was a left out 12 year old kid. I'm like crying to eldest daughter last night.
It just goes across my whole life. Twelve tracks on her 12th studio album. Fans across the country waited in line to be among the first to bite at midnight. Others showed up to late night listening parties.
The album is a coda to her biggest year yet. She finished her record-shattering eras tour. She announced in an Instagram post that she owns her masters. And of course, she's now engaged to NFL star Travis Kelsey.
I used to have this dark fear that if I ever were truly happy and free being myself and nurtured by a relationship, what happens if the writing just dries up. And it turns out that's not the case at all and we were just catching lightning in a bottle with this record. It's not just music, it's also a movie of it. Fans on Friday flock to theaters to see Taylor Swift, the official release party of a showgirl to celebrate the new album.
I really haven't felt this specific joy since the eras tour. It's a roll out designed to make the life of a showgirl not just an album, but a spectacle. This is often the case. Music can be open to interpretation and some fans are already speculating that there's a particular song on this album that takes aim at another pop star, Charlie XCX.
Well, what we can tell you for sure is that Swift is working with some of the very same producers that she worked with in the past. Some of these producers who helped her make some of her biggest hits and fans are already saying that this new album is another big hit. Jim? Yeah, my daughter's one of them.
Jason Carroll, thanks so much. Coming up, the Trump Epstein statue has now returned to the national mall here in Washington. We're going to explain how. One last story to end tonight, the Donald Trump, Jeffrey Epstein's statue, has returned to the national mall.
It was originally installed early last week called Best Friends Forever featuring the president and the late convicted sex offender holding hands. Despite a permit issued by the National Park Service, it was torn down a day after it made its debut. An interior department spokesperson said it was out of compliance with its permit. Well, it's now back.
A new permit was issued on Tuesday, notably just before we got them shut down. Before we go, a reminder, be sure to tune in to watch my show, The Brief, Guiding Global Audiences through the Fast-Pace news cycle with Insight Analysis and Hearty Interviews, The Brief airs weekdays, 6 p.m. Eastern on CNN International and Streaming on X. The news continues, the source of Kate Collins starts now.
From the descendants of history makers involved in the Louisiana Purchase to the Lewis and Clark Expedition, discover the untold stories of American expansion in the CNN original series this land, premiering June 7 on CNN. Hey, I'm Anderson Cooper. On my podcast, all there is, we explore grief and loss in all its complexities. As Ken Burns said on an earlier podcast, the half-life of grief is endless.
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