arthel: this is a fox news alert. the new york times reporting white house don mcgahn has been cooperating extensively with the second counsel. he voluntarily participated 30 hours of interviews for giving investigators an inside look at the firing of james comey and other issues related to potential obstruction of justice. hello everyone, i am arthel neville. welcome to a brand-new hour and set a "americas news headquarters". eric: hello everyone, i'm eric shawn. we have not independently confirmed this report with the former attorney for president trump is pushing back on it.

telling fox that he served as a very strong witness for the present. ellison barber is live near new jersey where the president is spending the weekend. reporter: a source familiar with the investigation confirms to fox news that don mcgahn did speak with robert miller's team at length on three different occasions. reached out to donald trump current outside legal counsel. so far we've not heard back from them. but john dowd, the former top outside legal counsel told fox news as you said, quote - don mcgahn was a very strong witness for the present. over a dozen sources told "the new york times" that he is cooperating extensively with robert mueller 's team. there were three interviews of the times says don mcgahn described the president's most intimate moments with his lawyers. they say among those moments were donald trump comments and actions with the firing of then fbi director, james comey.

his corporation supposedly began at what the president's first legal team wanted. they reportedly thought that full collaboration would help bring the probe to a quick end. that according to the times struck don mcgahn and his lawyers is odd. they do that mr. trump would want don mcgahn to openly speak with the special counsel. and don mcgahn and his lawyer reportedly concerned that donald trump might be setting mr. don mcgahn up for setting the blame for any actions. they say they decided to incorporate as much as possible. here's how one democrat sees it. >> he doesn't trust people he should trust. it is more of the chaos and the instability we are seeing at 1600 pennsylvania. i would have to think his golf game was terrible. reporter: john dowd call allegations of apprehensions

about his corporation with robert mueller 's team fiction. eric: the time to saying it was self-preservation according to the paper. meanwhile, what does the white house special counsel say on this if anything? reporter: just received a statement from the white house. sarah sanders told fox news that when it comes to the working relationship between don mcgahn and the president quote - the president and don mcgahn have a great relationship. he preaches all the hard work he has done. particularly his help and expertise with judges and supreme court. and anything else related to the investigation she referred to outside legal counsel and the attorney for don mcgahn pbs special counsel no surprise they declined to comment. a source may with the investigation told us they do not see anything in the report from the times that is troubling in terms of an impact on the mueller investigation but they say it is unclear how the president will read the article. the source, also pointing out that it was known in the past that don mcgahn was cooperating with special counsel. there is nothing suggesting the

level of cooperation. eric: some statements saying that the president actually also told don mcgahn to cooperate in the investigation. we have to keep that in mind. thank you, arthel? arthel: the president firing off fresh criticism of the former cia director, john brennan. days after revoking his security clearance. this is the president warned that current doj official, bruce ohr, could be next in line. fox news national security correspondent, and for griffin is live from washington with more. given the backlash after the president revoked former cia director, brennan 's security clearance to think that the present will stop there? >> no, they are very clear signs a president is prepared to strip the security clearances of eight more top former intelligence officials. and one current justice department employee for their role in the russia probe.

as well as the criticism of the president in recent months. an interview less than the former cia director, john brennan, one about a wag the dog type of situation in which the president provoked the national security crisis to distract unfavorable headlines. >> the fact that he is using security clearance of a former cia director as a pawn in his public relations strategy, i think is just so reflective of somebody who quite frankly, i do not want to use this term may be but he is drunk on power. he really is.and i think he is abusing the powers of the office. >> among those now and the president's sites, the former head of the fbi, james comey, former dni, klapper and sally yates, and they warned that michael flynn could be a target of influence after lying about the fbi about discussions for the white house has already drafted orders from the president. for more security clearance is to be revoked.

arthel: before you go, explain to us why the president is focusing on bruce ohr. he's a relatively unknown figure in the justice department. >> that's right. bruce ohr is a justice department prosecutor in the organized crime division. newly leaked tax reportedly show he's in touch with christopher steele, the former british guy who compiled an unverified dossier that included allegations that russia had dirt on president trump including a sex tape. bruce ohr 's wife, nelly worked for fusion gps who was hired by the clinton campaign to investigate any ties that donald trump had to russia. bruce ohr was demoted by rod rosenstein early on in the robert mueller probe after it was revealed he had not revealed the relationship. >> i think bruce ohr is a disgrace. i suspect i will be taking away very quickly. i think that bruce ohr is a disgrace with his wife, nelly. for him to be in the justice department and to be doing what he did, that is a disgrace. arthel: removing his security clearance would effectively and

the career of bruce ohr at the justice apartment. he is slated to testify behind closed doors on capitol hill on august 28. arthel: jennifer griffin, thank you. eric: an iraq war veteran sentenced to life in prison. a judge giving santiago five consecutive life terms. one for each of the victims that were killed. santiago open fire at a baggage area the fort lauderdale how he would international airport in january of last year. he was diagnosed with a mental disorder. the judge ruled he was fit to stand trial. arthel: and pouring in from the world the first black african secretary-general, they say he passed away in switzerland this morning. shortly after falling ill. he served as un chief for almost a decade. the director general of the un european headquarters in geneva

calling the death quote - an enormous loss for the world. >> this is a major legacy, it was a history and the effect it had on the globe. on all of us and everybody who came into contact with him. every decision he did, every decision he made, every judgment that he made and it infused our organization to a very large extent. arthel: his home country of ghana has declared a week of national mourning in his honor. >> back home police have arrested a father who murdered his pregnant wife and their two young daughters. court documents, what they are revealing to how he may have tried to buy time. and the president revoking security clearance of brennan. we will have controversy and

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if anything i'm giving him a better voice. many people do not know knew who he is now he is a bigger voice and it's okay with me because i like taking on voices like that. arthel: the present assisting is not trying to silence former cia director, john brennan by revoking security clearance. an op-ed in bloomberg is agreeing with the present saying in part, president trump is a man who approaches politics like professional wrestling. happy to play the villain if it energizes his base and for donald trump, brennan is a perfect adversary. during we have daniel -- let's get to these questions. these were raised by the presidents actions. is this all a distraction? it is this retaliation for

outspoken critics of the president and the intelligence community if yes to either come what is the potential fallout? >> of a thing as a distraction. i take president trump at face value. i think he wants this fight. he was to elevate brennan and he was to have this fight. you have to step back and understand the context in which it is done. it is not just one day the president woke up and decided to revoke john brennan 's security clearance. he is making a case for a long time that there is a deep state of political and intelligence officials in washington and working for the federal government who have worked for the federal government who want to unseat him. coming from that it comes the mueller investigation, all of these other problems for president trump. anything finally, president trump is trying to put a face on that. or perhaps if he revokes more security clearance, several on that i think he wants to say, this is what i'm talking about when i say the deep state and

john brennan for him is the first character to emerge as an opposition.arthel: has the president provided enough evidence behind his claims? >> not really. he hasn't sort of laid out the case for it besides saint john brennan you know, is a fool. i think in the wall street journal, an interview he did this past week i think you said, rush investigation, the russia witchhunt in his words was on his mind. arthel: is that okay with you? >> with me personally? not personally but as a reporter, is this okay for you? >> i think it makes sense in the context of what he's doing. i think it is a logical extension of making the argument. by the way, i think more norms be broken washington as a result as well. we're going to see an uptick in pardons and all of these people you know from people who are affiliated with or caught up in this mueller investigation. i think we are going to see more things to further the argument that this is a witchhunt. that they are out to get him

and it's politicized. arthel: enter bolster his own claims without necessarily much more beyond that. other than the president saying they're out to get me. which could be true in some cases but let's move on per the president has also been threatening to revoke security clearance from nine other current and former intelligence officials. meanwhile as you will know, more than 100 intel officials banding together, speaking out against the presidents actions and in that number, take a look. a statement from 60 former cia official saying in part quote - the country will be weakened if there is a political litmus test applied before seasoned experts are allowed to share their views. adding, we all agree that the presidents actions regarding john brennan and the threat of other action against former officials have nothing to do with who should and should not hold security clearances and everything to do with an

attempt to stifle free speech. yours is heading? >> you know when president obama will do something that was very different and he would break the norm, republicans were outraged. then they will come to office and do something similar. you talk about executive privilege or will not let executive orders. an executive use of power. i think we're going to see the same thing. democrats are going to be outraged. intelligence officials will be outraged. arthel: so you say what president obama did using executive orders and what donald trump is doing right now. >> no, they are not similar him saying that the reaction will be similar. when the democrats retake power which eventually they will, they will look to former top officials and they will say this guy, this guy and this guy was bad and we will revoke his security clearance. and there will be a politicized consequence to this. i foresee happening. i don't think it is the

presidents concern. the president is not really concerned about what happens five or 10 years. arthel: what is he concerned about? >> you concern over his own legal jeopardy and about the mueller investigation targeting him and he is trying to protect himself. arthel: as the presidents supporters, they are steadfast on board with him. does this provide any shade or doubt or in terms if he is working this diligently, this hard to get rid of the russia investigation, if there's nothing there. >> it is confusing, right? to make both arguments. to say there's nothing there and to say there's a witchhunt. but you could of course, both competing thoughts. you can have that there is nothing there but since they are out to get me they might get me. and by the way, the new york times the president trump's own counsel cooperating extensively as a report over 30 hours in interviews with special counsel. arthel: we understand at the urging of the president.

>> at the urging of the president. but we also understand that his own counsel, don began his cooperator because his -- don mcgahn. arthel: but what are they worried about? >> you have to ask them but you are right. it is hard to imagine both being true. that there is nothing going on and they are very worried. perhaps, you know -- there are people who like alan dershowitz that suggest, if you investigate anybody you can find a committed some sort of crime. jaywalking or something. but i agree. i think it is probably more going on here than meets the eye. arthel: i smiled but this is very serious. daniel halper, we watch this is a continues to unfold. thank you for being with us. >> thank you. eric: the pentagon prepared to send a navy hospital ship off

the coast of columbia. to help the threat of an influx of venezuelan refugees. now more than a million people have fled venezuela and the regime in recent months. trying to escape poverty, starvation and crackdown by the government. the defense secretary, james mattis, causing a humanitarian mission. >> this is very clear, very clear problem and it is a very specific effort to try to help our neighbors who are doing their best i think it helps the refugees. >> the defense secretary says details are still being worked out to dispatch the navy ship to columbia. to get this going. arthel: crews are gaining ground against some of the worst wildfires burning in california. but how long will dry and hot weather conditions pose a challenge? let's turn to meteorologist, adam klotz in our weather center with answers.

tell us. adam: they need help but there may be rain. cooler temperatures would help. but again today we are looking at numbers across portions of california where some of the worst fires are in the triple digits paid 100 in sacramento, a lot of areas in the region paid 102 currently, it stays warm as we go into sunday again, 103 degrees. it has been a very hot summer and some of these portions of northern california. that will be continuing unfortunately in the next couple of days. the wind has backed down a little bit. we took the elevated fire danger, that is what the pink areas are. we are usually seeing a much larger area. there is still fire danger out there but notice the gray areas. those are air-quality alerts. between extreme heat and now the additional particles in the air, they are air-quality alerts stretching from portions of california up into oregon, washington. it will be something that folks that are elderly or will you need to pay attention to the next couple of days. the thing that would help all this obviously is rain. this the last 24 hours. while there has been a little more brain activity and some of

the inter-western states, the exact coastline just continues to be bone dry. unfortunately, an extended forecast it will be. this is the next seven days across the west. you continue to see some rainfall inland but along the coast were some of the worst fires are, it stays dry the entire time. at least in the extended forecast in the immediate future. the east coast has not been the same. it has been nothing but rain. it seems like every couple of days more showers moving through this area spirit spots getting 2 to 4 inches every single time it rains. there is more rain up and down the east coast today. even middle antic. this would look like. these are spotty at times heavy downpours. they are pop up showers across the entire region. it clears up to the overnight hours. the other place we are paying attention as the middle of the country. this line of storms or he will be advancing through the overnight hours across the plains. this is a ready produced severe thunderstorms. this is when the folks in the area are getting into north texas a little further to the

north, scottsdale pay attention to the next couple of hours. arthel: oh boy! the weather is certainly a mixed bag. people under severe watches and warnings. adam klotz, think you so much. eric: the president refusing to say whether or not he would pardon his former campaign chairman, paul manafort. you know he is awaiting a verdict and his financial fraud trial. coming up, our legal panel will be here and with the jury is considering before this. plus a father on television days go pleading for the safe return to his family. now he is the suspected murder. the new details coming to light. feel the clarity of non-drowsy

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that's auto and home insurance for the modern world. esurance. an allstate company. click or call. eric: jury deliberations in the paul manafort financial fraud trial set to resume again on monday morning. this is the judge in the case reveals he has received threats over it. the jurors meanwhile has spent two days in deliberations over the 18 counts of bank fraud and tax evasion that he is facing her defenses is a good sign that the verdict did not come in yet. what are they considering? let's bring our legal panel. a criminal defense attorney and former prosecutor, ashley merchant, enteral criminal defense and civil rights attorney. welcome to you both. jonah, let me start with you. >> thank you. eric: several accusations, what you think is the most damaging?

>> the most damaging? this is a very complex case. i think the problem for the jurors going to be coming to a consensus on all 18 counts. let's do the ath. you have 12 strangers who have two deliberate and 18 counts. these are complex counts. i told him it jaywalking. in order for them to either come to an acquittal across the board or conviction across the board, 216 decision need to be made on the same page, i do not think it is likely. it is not impossible but i do not think it's likely. >> ashley, it takes a while to wrap their brain around it. even activity for the definition of reasonable doubt. the jury is probably just -- >> right! i am sure they are just starting. this is not the longer time for a complex case like this. you've jurors after the through every piece of evidence. every single witness and determine whether or not they will believe the witness and what the witness actually

proves. if the government actually proved all of the counts then like jonna spilbor said it's a lot to decide on. they have to be unanimous be to have all but unanimously either guilty or not. a lot of times we see him do bargaining where some are guilty on some counts and feel he's not on other counts. and they're trying to bargain back there. and a lot of dynamics that go in the room. it is not that longer time for them to be deliberating on a case like this. eric: especially as jonna spilbor pointed out, it's really a paper trail. the prosecutor in a closing statement told the jurors this coming so when you follow the trail of the money it is littered with lies. the start of the case of the documents that mr. manafort filed, the tax returns, and he prosecuted a crime family and even had alleged hit on him. here is a guy that comes from mafia trials, now he apply that to what is a financial fraud trial. with all of the paperwork and

is it just laid out in the paperwork? and they would just follow the paperwork to see if it's true or not? >> experts cannot follow this. it is really heavy stuff! you think 12 common citizens want to wrap their minds around at number one you have a problem, number two, the prosecution is trying to pull the wool over everybody's eyes. because a star witness is not the document, the star witness was the liar, rick gates, that they put up on the stand, what a sweetheart deal with and because he is not only a liar but he is admitted liar to commit other crimes and he is going to walk out of this scot-free. eric: but that always happens! you always make deals. >> all the time! >> deals are,, lies are not. eric: he would say that in this case, they do not say they always get choirboys. he was telling the truth about manafort. he had to raise his right hand. >> a lot of people can raise

their right hand and stuff just comes out of their mouth. rick gates is covering his own butt. and robert mueller 's team wanted manafort in a bad way. it is a perfect combination for them. as the defense pointed out, if you the star witness is lying, you do not to believe a word coming out of his mouth or anything else that stems from those words. eric: ashleigh, do you think is a credible witness? >> i doubt that he is a credible witness but all they can do something to corroborate what he says. a lot of times the government has witnesses like this. have mr. gates testify, yes, he was getting a deal. but unfortunately every day, jurors believe witnesses like that because all they have to do is proved some things he was saying are corroborated by other evidence. and they have other evidence that corroborates his statement. i think the jury will believe him at least on some of the counts and quite frankly, i just don't think the journey will like manafort. i just do not think they will like or feel bad for a man that the government has shown was doing all these fraudulent

activities in order to live this lavish, extravagant lifestyle. eric: let's talk about that. he had $65 million allegedly in foreign bank accounts. they had the $15,000 ostrich coat. was that what it was? he spent all this morning on clothing over five years. $2 million on home entertainment. i mean how big of a screen t.v.? >> that is what -- eric: the jury you see this coat and you see $2 million for home entertainment. what does that do as a juror and is it fair to look at manafort and think of that? >> that is what will happen. these jurors are common people. the other was trying to balance their checkbook at the end of the week, and of their month and pay their mortgage. and they are thinking that this guy is defrauding the

government and the banks and not paying taxes. these people are thinking, i pay taxes, i work. they will be angry at him and they will take it out and they will not going to give him the benefit of the doubt. eric: john gotti was acquitted. and his attorneys made that case. you may not like him but he is to focus on the evidence. >> i think the judge was correct early on when he said listen, it is not a crime to be rich. and i honestly think manafort being prosecuted is not just for what he did before he is. just like martha stewart was 14 years ago. eric: searcy, you really believe that? if they had joe blow with $65 million allegedly in a foreign bank account that may have the government says, leaves of dollars of false income taxes and tax evasion and all of that. you don't think they would go after him?>> i also believe -- manafort is only being prosecuted because of his ties to donald trump. look at the world we live in. no one looked at him crosslegged before that.eric: interesting. we'll see what happens. thank you. >> thank you. arthel: court documents revealing disturbing new

details in the murders of a colorado mother and her two daughters. the bodies of the two little girls were submerged in crude oil. four days before they were discovered. police have arrested the father. as a suspect. jeff paul is live in los angeles with more. jeff, how is the community responding? reporter: the killings happening in a very rural suburban about 30 miles north of denver in a town of 8500 people. the family was known by many in the area who are understandably at a loss for words right now. details of what police say happened, they're hitting the core of the community. hundreds of those very folks showed up for a very emotional candlelight vigil. crowds gathered outside of the family's home. the scene where investors believe the husband and father, christopher watts killed his family. they are trying to make sense of the unthinkable. >> he is a monster who let us

comfort him. and so obstinately no remorse for what he's done. >> it is on comprehendible to me. anyone is community. it is just it doesn't happen. and it did right here. reporter: the day after they went missing, christopher watts gave an interview where he pleaded for his family's safe return. saying all he wanted was for them to come running through the door. he was then arrested the following day where police say he confessed to the killings. arthel: what is next for the investigation? reporter: christopher watts will be formally charged on monday. after that he will likely face a judge on tuesday. the big unknown right now is how and why. police are still investigating what led to the deaths. they also have not really any information surrounding a possible motive. we also the lawyer for the

suspect requested that dna swabs be taken from the necks of the little girls and the hands and nails of the mother. arthel: jeff paul, thank you. eric: firefighters discovered a body that was inside of a burning car at disney world. crews responded to the scene in orlando, florida early this morning. they found the car near a miniature golf course. they reportedly found the body after putting out the fire. authorities have not yet released the identity of the person. arthel: despite the plunge in its currency and inflation, iranian government claims the economy is going to be okay. what is it relying on is the question to offset u.s. sanctions. plus, and alarming to report about china's military developments. while the pentagon is raising concerns. (vo) when bandits stole the lockbox from the wells fargo stagecoach,

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economy is not at a dead end. despite an economic standoff with billions with the united states. the vice president saying they have plenty of human and natural resources to rely on. the sanction imposed this month are now targeting iranian metals and cars. the president has said a new round will hit iranian oil in november. it just so happens oil accounts for 1/5 of the iranian economy. arthel: then there is china. the pentagon warning in a report by china it is likely training for bombing strikes. against the u.s. targets while developing its nuclear capabilities. journeys now we have retired u.s. naval captain, chuck nash. this is a serious matter. your bottom line assessment. >> the bottom line assessment is we had put this all into historical context.that is the china and human history has been the world permanent military and economic power the

longer than it has not been in modern times. what they're trying to do is reassert the primacy in that hemisphere and they are out to show the united states that by proof of capability and shows of will and determination, that they are going to become that preeminent power. and it is up to united states to figure out how we want to do with that but their course is set, they were playing a long game and they are out to in the words of the chinese military philosopher -- to make their position unassailable. arthel: they have definitely been playing a long game. your say no china is indeed a threat. you're saying that, what way is it most threatening to the u.s.? >> i do not think is a military threat because china is a rational actor. it is a diplomatic threat. here is what i mean. if the chinese, they viewed

taiwan as a rogue promise. and the chinese rose in her history they've only really been weak when they were divided. the people's liberation army that had been and the air force had been running all of these exercises recently, that was a force predominantly use to keep china together. it was to suppress internal divisions. now what they're doing is looking at taiwan and saying that republic unless we get it back, that rogue -- unless we get back we are not truly whole. as long as we are not whole we are vulnerable. it is a very serious issue for them. arthel: if i may, having said we just said, hearing that how does china see the u.s. view of taiwan? >> i think what they are viewing is the need to get taiwan back and they see the

united states with a military and diplomatic agreement to help protect taiwan. we sold them since tell -- 2010, military hardware, that is a pretty $1.6 billion sale of technology. and build a hardware. and the 2019 national defense authorization act has a whole section and it that talks about bolstering the defenses. so here is the diplomatic tension that this sets up. if taiwan were to fall under chinese pressure, to rejoin china or if china were to militarily force them to do so, if united states did nothing, united states were in a diplomatic model, is null and void. i mean there will be hell to

pay. arthel: well, that happened in russia with crimea. nothing was done. what is the united states play here?where is this heading in the long term? >> the chinese realize we have defensive agreements with taiwan. we did not have defense agreements with the ukraine. what we did though have a something that was thrown under the bus. that is the united states, russia and the uk guaranteed ukraine their political sovereignty if they were to give up their nuclear weapons. which they did. then the russians took crimea which was part of ukraine at the time. at the time part of ukraine and that, really through the agreement under the bus. with taiwan, were that to happen, that would not be a leak in the dam it would be the dam collapsing. arthel: so, if the dam collapses, then perhaps there would be some sort of military action in which the united states would get in on taiwan's

side. then you would have russia who would back china. >> possibly who would back canopy maybe the russians would just sit out a major confrontation is not take any stars. i do not think they will go directly to war with the united states under the spirit again, they're playing a long game. they have waited out administration after demonstration p keep working the edges and the margins and this seems to get what they want. what happened recently, when i see recently, within the last five years. they were playing a very quiet game. they were building at the capability. taken the military which was this massive manpower intensive thing. instead, investing money in new technology. refocusing the military.now this is broken out and it is unavoidable. you cannot help but see what they're doing. and they are building that unassailable region. to try and get in there

militarily with the extremely difficult. arthel: but they have done it quietly, covertly, we also knew that they were doing it. they have not been stopped. >> they have not been stopped and i think part of it is, there was a general, chinese general who, in talking about the war between china and the united states said, are you really willing to sacrifice los angeles for taipei? i bet most in the nest is cannot find taiwan on a map that in no taipei is the capital of taiwan. when you start looking at these things come with the chinese are doing i hate to sound like this is -- i think it is part of the spirit they are demonstrating capability, showing that they have a military capability that is building and building. they been working cyber. we know they have been stealing

our defense secrets and commercial technology secrets. we know that they are pushing cyber. not just hacking. all of these things are coming to fruition and the question is, united states, we are serious about this. are you, los angeles, taipei? arthel: wow! i have to leave it there. captain nash, thank you. i'm sure we will talk about this again and again. thank you, sir. >> you bet, arthel. eric: and there is nafta. remember that? when negotiations have started to the u.s. getting very close to a deal we are told with at least one of the neighbors. what it could mean, coming up. +1 of the nations top universities offering free tuition for every one of its medical students. coming up, what's behind the decision. one meal or snack a day with glucerna made with carbsteady to help minimize blood sugar spikes you can really feel it. glucerna. everyday progress.

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progress in the us-mexico trade standoff. mexico's economic minister says that the two sides could reach a bilateral agreement next week. the countries have spent one year working to renegotiate issues dealing with nafta and the two have yet to bring in canada which is one third member state of the decades old

packed. eric: new york university announced in the current and future medical students will receive full tuition scholarships. the school says the goal is to for the shortage of doctors and lower paying fields of medicine. bryan llenas in the newsroom with more. i am six or $700,000 year and salary. they're avoiding primary care physician jobs as well as plate attrition jobs that are really important. on the top of all of that we are looking at they made the surprise announcement during the white coat ceremony. am i to take a listen. if you look at the video you see that this is what they

found out about this. this is the first year students and parent families. they were sitting there when they were told that they were given this free tuition. it is covering about 400 students. and again, if it were me i would do a back flip and the iop they're keeping themselves tame. this is 93, first-year students receive a dispute about 350 others will also be receiving free tuition. eric: that is just amazing. i would be doing backflips! meanwhile the cost a lot of money to go to medical school who is a paying for it? >> right, we're talking $600 million is the price tag. the person who they have already actually raised $450 million and a big chunk of that has come from none other than ken langone, the cofounder of home depot. his givens 100 some million dollars. by the way cost 55,000 a year to go to nyu. last year the average student

graduated hundred and $84,000 in debt. this is a big help! on top of that, the bad thing about this is that they still have to pay for room and board which is $27,000. that is nothing compared to what it would have been. eric: increases the number of general practitioners around the country, that is a very good thing. thank you. arthel: a celebration about a hula hoop. the near times reporting the white house counsel, don mcgahn is speaking extensively to special counsel, robert mueller. a live report of what the discussions may entail coming up at the top of the hour. stay with us. belly fat: the chili pepper sweat-out. not cool. freezing away fat cells with coolsculpting? now that's cool! coolsculpting safely freezes and removes fat cells with little or no downtime. and no surgery. results and patient experience may vary.

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eric: begin a new hour with fox news alert. new tonight from washington, that the white house counsel has been reportedly cooperating extensively say they with special counsel robert mueller. the new york times reporting that he has voluntarily participated in 30 hours of interviews, giving investigators an inside look at the firing of james comey and other issues related to potential obstruction of justice. this after the president's first legal team began to cooperate with mueller's investigators, and we are told the president did too. hello everyone. i'm eric shawn. this is a brand new hour of america's news headquarters. arthel: i'm arthel neville. a former attorney for president trump is pushing back, telling

fox news that mcgahn served as a very strong witness for the president. ellison barber is live near bedminster, new jersey where the president is spending the weekend. what are you hearing? >> well, arthel, fox news has not independently confirmed all the details in this report from the new york times, but a source familiar with the investigation tells fox news that mcgahn did speak to the special counsel on three different occasions, and that he spoke with them extensively. the new york times is reporting that those three different interviews amounted to more than 30 hours over a dozen sources have told the new york times that mcgahn is cooperating extensively with mueller's team and has given a quote a clear view of the president's most intimate moments with his lawyer. among other things he has talked about trump's actions during the firing of then fbi director comey. his cooperation supposedly began because it is what the president's first legal team wanted thinking the full collaboration would lead to the

probe quickly wrapping up. the idea that mr. trump would mcgahn to openly speak to the special counsel struck them as odd. the pair became concerned that trump might be setting mr mr. mcgahn up to take the blame for any illegal acts of obstruction. instead of letting that happen, they came up with their own plan to cooperate as much as possible. the claims that there was apprehension about mcgahn's cooperation with mueller. john dowd told fox news that it never happened and that to his knowledge, there was quote no basis for such apprehensions. simply arthel he called those claims, those allegations fiction. arthel: before you go, what more is the white house saying? >> well, the white house referred us to outside legal counsel for the president and mr. mcgahn's attorney when it comes to any specific questions related to the investigation, but they did provide us with a statement on the relationship between president trump and don mcgahn. this is from white house press

secretary sanders. she said quote the president and don have a great relationship. he appreciates all the hard work he's done, particularly his help and expertise with the judges and the supreme court. we asked the special counsel about all of this as well, and as often is the case when we ask them to comment on stories like this, arthel, they declined to comment. arthel: ellison, thank you. talk to you soon. eric: as the mcgahn revelations hit this afternoon, the controversy over president trump and his pulling security clearances has heated up. the president again taking to twitter to ramp up his rhetoric against one senior justice department official in particular. the president threatening to strip away their security clearance of bruce ohr, a long time government prosecutor accused of being linked to ch s christopher steele is the author of the controversial and unverified steele dossier on the president and russia. jennifer griffin has more. first is the controversy over

john brennan. why is the president focusing on bruce ohr we have heard a lot about and especially his wife in connection to the investigation? >> they have tried to paint a picture of bruce ohr and his wife as key players behind the conspiracy to taint the president with the russia investigation. he worked in counternarcotics and in the organized crime division. newly texts reportedly show he was in touch with christopher steele the former british spy who compiled the dossier that included unverified allegations that russia had dirt on president trump. ohr's wife worked for fusion gps an opposition research firm hired by the washington free beacon and later the clinton campaign to investigate any ties trump had to russia. ohr was not involved in the russia probe. the president has tweeted about them repeatedly. quote, he's in legal jeopardy, it's astonishing he's still

employed. bruce and nelly ohr's bank account is getting fatter and fatter because of the dossier. he doesn't disclose it under fed regs using your federal office for personal dot dot dot. bruce ohr is slated to testify behind closed doors on capitol hill on august 28th. eric: given the backlash after revoking john brennan security's clearance, any thought the president may rethink that? >> no, there are very clear signs the president is planning to strip the security clearance of more former top intelligence officials who have been among his most vocal critics. former cia director brennan warned about a wag a dog type situation in which the president provokes a national security crisis to distract from unfavorable headlines. >> the fact that he's using a security clearance of a former cia director as a pawn in his

public relations strategy i think is just so reflective of somebody who quite frankly -- don't want to use this term maybe -- but he's drunk on power. he really is. i think he's abusing the powers of that office. >> among those now in the president's sights, former head of the fbi james comey, former dni james clap and sally yates who warned the president his national security advisor michael flynn could be a vulnerable target to foreign influence after he lied to the fbi about his discussions with the russian ambassador. eric? eric: we will have more on what the taking of the security clearances means in about five minutes. thank you. arthel: the number of people who have died in the bridge collapse in italy has now risen to 43. a hospital official saying a romanian truck driver who suffered severe injuries has died. mourners attended a state funeral today to honor the victims. italy's president is now demanding guarantees that all of the country's roads are safe.

eric: today marks one month since the disappearance of molly tibbets. the 20-year-old vanished from brooklyn, iowa, on july 18th. she was last seen going for a jog that evening. her father says a website that was set up by law enforcement, it went on-line on monday, well, that's already generated about 200 new leads. and vice president mike pence met with the tibbets family and her boyfriend after he gave a speech in des moines earlier this week. the vice president told the family that he has spoken with the fbi director, christopher wray about the investigation. a reward fund for tibbetts' safe return has topped more than $360,000. arthel: the death toll rising in southern india as thousands of people await their rescue in devastating flooding. the destruction that the heavy rains have caused. plus, the white house unveiling a list of security clearances that president trump wants to lift after revoking the access of former cia director

john brennan. the meaning behind his actions and how it could all shake out. >> we're fighting over whether or not he has it or taking it. the question is how is america safer because he has it? the answer is there's really isn't a good answer for that question. then why does he have it? if there's not a good answer to that question, then taking it away seems plausible and logical from my perspective. at ally, we created a savings account with a great rate. but if that's not enough, our app helps monitor your spending too. and if that's not enough to help you save, we could start a carpool. look at this traffic. don't worry.

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this wi-fi is fast. i know! i know! i know! i know! when did brian move back in? brian's back? he doesn't get my room. he's only going to be here for like a week. like a month, tops. oh boy. wi-fi fast enough for the whole family is simple, easy, awesome. in many cultures, young men would stay with their families until their 40's. >> they should be looking at steele. they should be looking at all these fbi guys who got fired and demoted. it's a really -- it's not us. it is a rigged witch hunt. i've said it for a long time. eric: that's president trump of course demanding an investigation of christopher steele. as you know, the former british spy who was hired by fusion gps to investigate those suspected ties between russia and the president's campaign.

and the justice officials that he interacted with. well his comments come as the white house says the president is prepared now to revoke the security clearances of more current and former national intelligence officials after he yanked former cia director john brennan's security clearance. observers say this is all part of an escalating attack against those who have criticized the president or played a role in the russia investigation. a news desk reporter at axios is joining us now. it is a growing controversy. supporters saying and pointing out rightfully the president does have the power to do this, but critics accuse him of targeting those he's perceived as opponents, trying to stifle free speech and that it is a blatant abuse of power. how is it playing out in washington tonight? >> that's a very, you know, exactly right in saying that his critics are kind of saying that he's, you know, stifling free speech. that he's going after those that have been critical of him. that's what we saw the members of the intelligence community

that signed on to that letter criticized this move. they are all saying this is sort of a dangerous precedent and political litmus test for these intelligence officials that if they are talking about something or if they have something to say that the president doesn't like, they may withhold that information out of fear of losing their job. but then like you said, all of trump supporters are saying that brennan should not have his clearance in the first place, this is well within his right. it will be back and forth. i'm sure it will continue as the president threatens to pull more security clearances. eric: people may be surprised that some of the officials do retain their security clearances after they have left the job. they say one reason for that is that they can go back in and maybe offer advice because of their experience. is that the way it generally does work in washington? one would think once you are out of the job, you are out of the loop. >> right. it allows the current officials that, you know, they may have to call someone that had their job previously who may have worked

heavily on an issue that they aren't as familiar with. it gives the president the ability to talk to people used to be working on certain issues if he so pleases. it's certainly that so -- you know, this has been going on for a long time, that they have retained these security clearances, something that the president said he may also want to do keep to it where people don't have their clearances anymore are unable to get them again. it is this sort of back and forth of saying he doesn't believe they should have their clearances of all. so many members of the intelligence community think it is important to keep the lines of communication open. it will be interesting to see how the president takes that into consideration if he does at all. eric: brennan has been harshly critical of the president for quite a long time. the president tweeted this out, a pretty scathing tweet. has anyone looked at the mistakes that john brennan made while serving as cia director? he will go down as easily the worst in history and since getting out he's become nothing less than a loud mouth partisan

political hack who cannot be trusted with the secrets to our country. there's no case against brennan that we know of leaking classified material but he did have the controversy in which he had to apologize under his leadership, the cia actually surveilled and spied on members of the senate intelligence committee, the committee that i guess is supposed to oversee the cia. the cia -- they were going into the computers. that's outrageous -- of senate staffers of the intelligence committee. >> of course. that's a huge thing that people are pointing to that saying this shouldn't be a huge surprise that he got his clearance taken away. people who are supporting the president are saying of course he made the right choice and, you know, he did what should have been done a long time ago. but there is that, you know, that factor that he's been very critical of the president and so of course that's what people are saying. you know, the president was tired of hearing him rail against his presidency and against his decision, so this was kind of something he could take into his own hands.

we know the president likes having these kind of powers that he and he alone can execute, things like executive privilege, things like presidential pardons, this kind of falls in the line of those things, that he's able to make the decision on his own. i think for him it is kind of his way of regaining power over the narrative and the conversation. a lot of people will be saying he only did this to retaliate against brennan. but of course there is real things to point to in saying that brennan doesn't deserve to have his clearance anymore and he should have taken it anymore. eric: is this a danger to the republic or playing hard ball in washington? >> that's a good question. you know, it depends on who you ask. people are going to be saying that this is important for national security and to not have this precedent of people continuing to have their clearances, but we know that the president does like to play hard ball. he's said that, you know, all i did was give brennan a bigger voice and that's okay because i like taking on those kind of bigger voices.

for him it may in a sense playing hard ball. i guess it depends who in washington you ask what could ultimately mean for national security. eric: it is very partisan too. meanwhile bruce ohr shgs -- we are hearing a lot about him. he was the former associate deputy attorney general. his wife nelly worked for fusion gps, you know, and meanwhile those e-mails show that ohr was in contact with christopher steele and glen simpson, the head of gps. what was he doing? he wasn't apparently on the russia investigation. he's having e-mails and/or meetings and breakfast. what's going on? they even had an e-mail that said there was concern they will be exposed. how does that fit in? is the president on solid ground when he's going after bruce ohr? >> we know they haven't found any real evidence that what bruce or his wife were doing had an effect on the russia investigation. but again, like you said, he has kind of been tied up in these

issues that are also involved in the russia investigation. for the president, you know, that is a way for him to point to, you know, the deep state working, you know, in this investigation, having their hands in this probe, which we know he wants wrapped up quickly, and we know he wants to kind of move past that. for the president, that's definitely a way for him again to kind of take things into his own hands when it comes to this investigation. it's something he doesn't have a lot of control over. so to be able to point to someone like bruce ohr and his wife and saying that, you know, they were working with christopher steele, they were working with fusion gps, it's sort of a concrete example for him to say there are people working against him that have been working against him. so whether he will take the clearance away is yet to be seen. he said on friday that he certainly would do it quickly. we will see how that shakes out. eric: some think ohr was being used by the justice department to get information from steele after the fbi jumped steele. we will see. he will testify behind closed doors before the judiciary and the oversight committee on

august 28th, ten days from now. we'll see what he says in his defense. great to see you. thank you, haley. certainly this is not going away. take care. >> thank you. eric: of course. arthel? arthel: new york university, nyu, announcing both its current and future medical students will receive full tuition scholarships. the school says the goal is to fight the shortage of doctors in lower-paying fields. wow. bryan llenas is in our new york city newsroom with these incredible details. hi. >> hi, arthel. new york university becomes the first top ten ranked medical program to offer free tuition for all of its current and future students. that's about 400 students. the big thing about this also is that how this announcement was made. it was made at a -- it was a surprise announcement made at the white coat ceremony, the annual ceremony that the first year students have, where they get their lab coat that they will have for the rest of their career as they learn and study

medicine. look at their reaction when they are told. [cheers and applause] >> incredible. why are they smiling so much? well, look, it costs about $55,000 a year to go to nyu. the average nyu student graduates with $184,000 in debt. so now they're being told they have no longer -- will need to pay for tuition -- they no longer will need to pay for tuition. take a listen to one of our doctors here, as to why this is such an important program. >> the association of american medical colleges says that most graduating medical students come out $192,000 in debt. if you don't think that that influences what field you go into, i will tell you something different. it does. you say i've got to pay that back. i can't be a pediatrician. i can't be a family physician. i can't even go into research because i've got to get the money paid back right away. >> that's right, arthel. basically what people are doing is they are graduating with such crushing debt that they are choosing specialties that pay 6

to 800,000 dollars a year and avoiding pediatricians that pay 100 to 200,000 dollars a year. there's a shortage in this country. they are hoping this will turn the tide. arthel: $55,000 a year to go to nyu. i understand that new york state is helping out some college students pay with tuition as well. >> right. nyu is a private institution. it will cost them 600 million dollars to fund this free tuition program for their medical students. but new york state by itself has offered a lot of -- they've offered this last year, called the excelsior scholarship which is offering 940,000 middle class families a chance to go to two to four-year colleges to get their first undergraduate degrees. they are offering free tuition as long as you promise to finish your degree within two to four years and as long as you also promise to stay in new york after you graduate. new york clearly, you know, trying to get ahead of the curve of this situation.

the student loan -- student debt situation is a big big deal, plenty of friends including myself who all have student loans. look, this is one of the solutions. it is controversial, but they are at least doing something about it. arthel: yeah, you know, bryan, i mean the student loan issue is something that unfortunately deters a lot of people from even going to college at all. >> that's right. arthel: in the first place. >> that's right. it keeps people from doing things that we're doing right now. plenty of parents say don't go to the liberal arts education. i need you to become an accountant or businessman right now so you can pay back the loans. some of these fields. it discourages students to follow their heart. that's always a tough thing. arthel: all right. bryan, nice to talk to you. >> take care. eric: thousands of people are waiting to be rescued in a popular tourist destination in india. that's after devastating floods killed at least 170 people in that country in a little more than one week. heavy downpours triggering mudslides causing chaos,

collapsed homes and bridges. sadly more than 300 people have died in the region since the monsoon rains began there in june. arthel: the east coast getting hit with wet weather as the heat sets in on the west. how long will it all last? we're live in the fox weather center. plus, remembering the queen of soul. yes, a former background singer for aretha franklin joins us to share his incredible memories. >> she had that voice. she was the original. and she could sing anything. they called her the queen of soul, but aretha could sing anything you put in front of her, opera, soul, gospel, jazz, whatever it was.

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arthel: a spokesperson for the late aretha franklin has announced her funeral services will be held on friday, august

31st at 10:00 a.m. at the greater grace temple in her hometown of detroit. ahead of her funeral, a four-day celebration of aretha's life and legacy is planned, including musical tributes by major recording artists. ms. franklin, who died after a long battle with pancreatic cancer, at the age of 76, will lie in repose at the charles h. wright museum for african-american history. the viewing will be open to the public august 28th and 29th from 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. our next guest has had the honor of singing back-up for and with the queen of soul, including during her performance of natural woman at the kennedy center honors. ♪

>> a former back-up singer for aretha franklin is here. i mean, just -- i don't even know where to begin with you. first of all, thank you for being here because you have such great stories to tell. what an honor for you to have been able to have worked with aretha franklin. you said something when we were showing that last clip, and you just said what a night. >> unbelievable night. you know, aretha franklin -- i don't even know where to begin except that i have been so privileged to meet aretha originally at president bill clinton's inauguration. luther vandross, my best friend, invited me to come down and hang out and meet her in the dressing room. there were a few times that we

went to shows and would go backstage and see her. 2008, she called me up and says i want you to come out on the road with me and put my singers together for me, you know, the way you do luther's thing, that new york thing that you all have. i said who is this because i was on the phone at my mother's house and i was surprised. but back to natural woman, at the kennedy center, it was just so amazing because to see her get props for being the woman that can bring the fire. you know what i'm saying? whether you are someone who subscribes to gospel or whether you're religious or not, aretha has a way that she has an anointedness to the way that she sings. and she brings her audience in touch with the divine. so if you don't believe, you go and you hear her and you believe, do you know what i'm saying? she speaks from an experience based on someone who has 60 years of a huge career, as a businesswoman, as an amazing singer, amazing musician.

she is such a big influence on all the singers that have come after her. luther told me one time he saw a clip of someone sitting in the front while aretha was singing. i mean this woman has influenced everyone. for me to be called to come and put her singers together and to keep the vocal section in top -- remember, these are the most famous background parts in the history of music. everybody knows ♪ just a little bit ♪ just a little bit those are the most famous parts, so for her to give me the responsibility to make sure the group was always in shape, everything was -- you know, the blend was good, the articulating was good, accurate. she was smart. she knew what she wanted. she was the real article. she came up during the time when

people who were signed to recording deals because they were unique, because they had something to say that nobody else was saying. it wasn't just where i'm networked or i know people and that's why i got in. she was the genuine article. arthel: so much to follow up on. you were at your mom's house when you got the call from aretha. when you hung up the phone, what did you say to your mom? >> she said to me, i who was on the phone? i said it was aretha franklin. she said how did she get the number? i don't know how she got the number. but she wanted to speak to me, and she did. like i said, we were acquainted by the time -- i had been working as the vocal contractor for luther. we hired the singers on all the records he did and i sang on all

his records. aretha was familiar with me because of that. all the singers that sang with me that sang with luther, you know. arthel: i know that luther was so meticulous for the background singers. you know, i loved it. you were trained by the best, your best friend. >> absolutely. the thing that's amazing, we used to walk around in -- i met luther in the projects. his sister lived across the street from me in johnson projects. i was 13 years old. we used to walk around and sing. he was a big fan of houston and the sweet inspirations. in fact he brought them into our lives. years later when we were doing luther's records, he got her to sing on the record. this is all leading up to me working for the queen. here i am with people that are putting -- putting her energy into my life. so when she called me, i was ready to step up and do this.

arthel: you were ready to step up and do it. tell me fonzi, there you are, you now -- i mean, you're it. we've already given your accolades. they are definitely well deserved. there you are -- we all sing those parts in the shower, the car, wherever. >> yeah. arthel: you are not only singing them, you are singing them with aretha right there. >> unbelievable. you know, it is an amazing thing to stand on stage -- what she would always do is she would give me the set list of songs. let's say the next gig would be next week, and she would call me up and say this is the set list. she would give it only to me. my job was to like i said make sure that everything was in place, and she would -- they would say ladies and gentlemen, the queen of soul, aretha franklin, she would come to stage, her first thing to turn around, look at me, make sure i was there, see who was there, and she would say let's go. we how old hit the first song -- we would hit the first song. one of the biggest things that happened in the last year, she

opened the show using the song knew you were waiting for me, which she did with george michael. i sang the duet with her. the biggest moments of my life, a kid out of the projects singing with aretha franklin on stage. arthel: absolutely. i have 30 more seconds. >> sure, absolutely. arthel: when i hear, we all hear aretha sing, we get goosebumps. do you get it? >> absolutely. you know, i think when we're on stage with her singing, it is so hard to almost sing your part correctly because sometimes she does stuff that's so spontaneous and so real. she sings the truth, you know what i'm saying. she sings and we believe her. that's been the whole thing about aretha from the beginning, commanding delivery, the strongest, clearest, the truest voice. everyone that's come after her has been influenced by her musically. arthel: we have all been influenced by her musically and what she did for the african-american people, the community, we will never ever forget aretha franklin.

we're so thankful. >> i love you. i love you. i love you. i will miss you always. arthel: fonzi thornton, thank you. >> thank you, my dear. eric: arthel, fonzi, wonderful tribute. thank you. she was a national treasure. crews are gaining ground out west against some of the worst wildfires that continue to burn in california. how long will the dry weather conditions pose a challenge there? our meteorologist is in the fox extreme weather center with the latest on that. hi, adam. >> hey there, eric. challenges conditions where it continues to be hot and dry. the wind may be backing down a bit. northern california, a spot where we have seen some of the largest fires, 102 degrees today, above average. it stays there through the weekend. 103 degrees in redding for folks tomorrow. with this, it is dry. those winds not as strong as they've been. everything you are looking at into these pink highlighted areas, those are elevated fire danger. this has typically been more

widespread here over the last several weeks. it's been hot. it's been affecting air quality, also with the smoke from the fires. the elderly and children need to be paying attention to this the next few days. rain would help this. we've seen some rain in the interior western states but unfortunately the spots that maybe need it the most, right along the coast, from california up to oregon, up to washington, continues to be dry. now, this is a forecast model that's taking us total rainfall precipitation here through the next seven days. again, you're seeing some rain in the interior west. but the spots where the fires have been the worse continues to stay bone dry. now, it hasn't been bone dry on the east. that's something we're going to continue to pay attention to. spotty showers from just outside the eastern side of houston all the way up to new york. if you live on the eastern side of the country, it's been raining and raining. eric? eric: maybe we can give some of the rain here over there. they need relief. thanks. arthel: a colorado husband and

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>> they have a wonderful christian pastor. he's a wonderful man, pastor brunson. they made up this phony charge that he's a spy. and he's not a spy. he's going through a trial right now, if you call it a trial. they should have given him back a long time ago. eric: that's president trump demanding the release of american pastor andrew brunson. this after turkey rejected an appeal to free him. the move comes amid escalating tensions between the two nato allies, as both sides are wrapping up the pressure on each other. what does this mean for relations with ankara and the pastor's release? an international security expert and senior research associate at

mit security studies program joins us tonight. there are reports they are trying to hammer out a deal to free brunson from house arrest because the president really hit turkey hard. do you think they expected this? >> i don't think they did, but before i go any further, eric, i have to say that i just watched that interview arthel did on aretha franklin and it was spectacular. you and i have a tough thing to match here, but let's do our best. eric: that is true. arthel: thank you. eric: arthel and fonzi, memory of aretha. >> it was unbelievable. but let me speak to -- i'm happy to hear that there are negotiations going on that might resolve this because it would be bad if it gets worse. i blame turkey. i think the president is correct in his stance. but we're dealing with a turkish president who is stubborn, who has autocratic tendencies. this trial that the pastor's

undergoing now, they have secret witnesses. i think it violates all sorts of protocols that you would expect in a fair trial. so it's bad, but i hope it gets resolved because turkey -- there are a lot of equities in play. they are a member of nato. turkey is sort of the center of emerging markets investment in terms of finance and loans. so if they were -- if this were to deteriorate, and if turkey were to deteriorate, that would be a bad thing. so i welcome those discussions. eric: what are the dangers to the relationship? you know, they have got the airbase which has been very vital. they are a nato ally. though they certainly sometimes don't act like that. >> that's right. eric: erdogan is basically a dictator, jailing journalists, jailing lawyers, jailing opponents. he's really cracked down and it is not the democracy that we have known in the past. >> i think you are absolutely right. after the attempted coup, he detained 160,000 people, tens of

thousands in the first few days afterwards. you know, i find it highly unlikely to the point of incredulity that they suddenly had evidence on tens of thousands of people who were allegedly traitors. this seemed like a power grab at the time. i said it to you when we talked about it at the time. it's gone downhill since there. moreover, the issues in the u.s. turkish relationship have been complicated by erdogan's now going after the kurds. the kurds are a u.s. ally in the fight against isis. so there are many troubling aspects to this. but as you put your finger on it, turkey is vital. look at a map. it is the land linked between europe and the middle east. it's been an important nato ally going back to the days of john f. kennedy and the cuban missile crisis. and so we don't want -- eric: he saw that by pulling the missiles out of turkey. >> exactly. so we don't want to see erdogan flip and go to russia or go to

some other alliance. that would be unwelcome. and as i say, there are real financial issues here. turkey's economy has received lots and lots of loans from the europeans. we know from the economic crisis we had before, that these banks are interlocked. if there are problems in turkey, and if those lead to problems with bank loans in europe, that could have worldwide implications. so i think we have to keep an eye on this and hope that it stabilizes. eric: why are they putting the pressure on brunson? do you think it was to do a prisoner swap with the exiled turkish cleric who erdogan has blamed for trying to overthrow his government, rightly or not? >> i think that's certainly a possibility. it seems clumsy if that was the motivation. i mean we really don't know erdogan's motivation. listen, when you are arresting -- detaining 160,000 people, you know, you are just picking and choosing and picking and choosing. this guy -- the pastor may have had an enemy who saw this as an

opportunity to get even. there are any number of explanations. but cooler heads should have prevailed, at least according to press reports. the president had worked out an arrangement in which he got israel to release a turkish citizen and turkey was supposed to follow through and they never did. and so -- i'm bewildered by it frankly. eric: finally, october 12th is another hearing for brunson. how do you think? who climbs down first? how do you think this finally gets resolved? >> well, you would think that turkey would climb down first because its currency has taken such a beating and that might set off a whole set of other things that no one wants to have happen. my experience is this, when you have two strong personalities, you have got to find a third way, another door to get around it so that everyone gets to save face. my guess is that's what those conversations you referred to at the top of our interview, that's probably what that's meant to do. eric: we will see what happens. our message tonight to president erdogan, release pastor andrew brunson period.

jim walsh, thank you. >> yes. thank you. arthel: a community grieving the loss of a mother and her two young daughters. the victims' husband is expected to be charged with their murders. what we're learning now from documents from the court on this case. we will tell you. ♪motorcycle revving ♪ motorcycle revving ♪motorcycle revving ♪ motorcycle revving

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arthel: we are learning more about the murders of a pregnant colorado woman and her two daughters. police have arrested the victims' husband and father in the case. meanwhile, a community is trying to cope with the incredible loss. jeff paul is live from los angeles with more. so jeff, tell us what's the latest on the investigation and there's more i will ask you in a moment. if you could tell us more on the investigation first. >> arthel, court documents reveal the man's two kids had been submerged in crude oil for four days before being discovered by investigators. we're also learning the suspect's lawyer is asking for dna samples to be taken from the kids' neck as well as samples from the hands and nails of the girl's mother. investigators say christopher watts killed his pregnant wife shanann and their two little girls. police say he confessed to their death. just the day before watts was giving interviews pleading for

the family's safe return. take a listen. >> my kids are my life. i mean, those smiles light up my life. i want them to come home, wherever they are at, come home. that's what i want. >> their bodies though were later found at a petroleum facility where the suspect once worked, but the big question that investigators have yet to answer is why this all happened. there's been zero talk so far of any motive. we also don't know the exact cause of death either. arthel? arthel: i mean, neighbors have to be so shocked and just outright stunned. what are they saying? >> yeah, arthel, the town where this all happened is frederick, colorado. it's home to about 8500 people. so the family was known by a lot of people in the area. that was clear judging by the amount of people who turned out for a vigil last night. hundreds of people including many moms and dads who brought their kids along as well as other people within the community. they showed up outside the family's home, mostly stood in

silence reflecting on what police say happened, praying for the lives lost. >> heart-wrenching, not real. it is too close to home. it's painful. we all have kids. >> investigators will formally charge christopher watts on monday. he's in jail right now. he will likely make his next court appearance on tuesday. arthel? arthel: thank you. eric: president trump is responding to reports that white house counsel don mcgahn has been cooperatively extensively they say with special counsel mueller's investigation. we will have a live report and what the president says about that, coming up. for just $59... ancestrydna can open you to a world of new cultures to explore. with two times more detail than any other dna test... you can get a new taste of your heritage. only $59- our site's lowest price ever.

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arthel: visitors are flocking to so cal to get a smell of one attraction. the plant is known for the rotten stench it releases once it blooms. the eric: is flower is named stink. one of three corpse flowers expected to bloom in the next week. the flower unexpectedly started to open on thursday. the bloom they say lasts only 24 hours. it normally takes get this about

15 years for a corpse flower to reach a mature bloom. arthel: i would want to go to smell it. i have never smelled one. eric: i will stick with roses. arthel: that's boring. jon scott is up next. jon: fox news confirming this hour that a top white house lawyer has spoken with mueller at length, sitting down with the special counsel three times. it comes as the new york times reports the white house counsel dan mcgahn is cooperating extensively with mueller's investigation. now the president is reacting to it all on twitter. i'm jon scott. this is the fox report. fox news has not independently confirmed some of the details in the new york times report but we have confirmed that mcgahn took part in three voluntary interviews with special counsel mueller. in its reporting, the times characterizes those meetings writing in part, quote, mr. mcgahn laid out how mr. trump tried to