CNN TO HOST ‘SHUTDOWN AMERICA: A CNN TOWN HALL WITH BERNIE SANDERS AND ALEXANDRIA OCASIO-CORTEZ’

‘Shutdown America: A CNN Town Hall with Bernie Sanders and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’ Airs Live Wednesday, October 15 Moderated by CNN Anchor Kaitlan Collins.

 Town Hall to Air Live at 9pmET on CNN, CNN International and CNN en Español

Washington, DC – (October 10, 2025) – CNN will host Shutdown America: A CNN Town Hall with Bernie Sanders and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez live at 9pmET on Wednesday, October 15 from Washington, DC. The Town Hall will be moderated by CNN Anchor and Chief White House Correspondent Kaitlan Collins.    

As the government shutdown stretches into its second week, millions of Americans have been furloughed and are wondering when and if they’ll get their paychecks. Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont) and Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-New York) will take questions from a live studio audience and Collins on the Democratic strategy and a pathway toward resolution. The studio audience will be comprised of Democrats, Republicans, and Independents, including people who have been directly affected by the shutdown.

CNN has a longstanding tradition of hosting Town Halls as part of the network’s robust political coverage. ​Audiences can follow CNN’s coverage across platforms on the mobile app and CNN.com.

The Town Hall will stream live for Pay TV subscribers via CNN.com, CNN connected TV, and mobile apps. The Town Hall will also be available On Demand beginning October 16 to pay TV subscribers via CNN.com, CNN apps, and Cable Operator Platforms. 

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Press Contact:

Dylan.Rose.Geerlings@cnn.com