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The Lead with Jake Tapper

Suspect Dead After Ramming Car With Explosives Into MI Synagogue; Iranian Leaders Join Crowd At Pro-Government Rallies; Hegseth Insists Strait Of Hormuz Is "Open For Shipping"; Authorities: Gunman Was Veteran And Convicted ISIS Supporter; Strait Of Hormuz Threat Prompts Volatile Oil Prices; CNN On The Red Carpet Ahead Of Hollywood's Biggest Night. Aired 5-6p ET

Aired March 13, 2026 - 17:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

KASIE HUNT, CNN HOST: Thanks very much to my panel. Really appreciate you all being here. Happy Friday. Have a good weekend.

Thanks to all of you at home for watching as well. Have a wonderful weekend. Now, don't forget, if you need to do something this weekend, you can stream The Arena. You can do it live, but you can also catch up whenever you want in the CNN app. You can scan that QR code below on your screen.

You can also catch up by listening to The Arenas podcast. You can also follow the show on X and Instagram at thearenacnn. But don't go anywhere, Jake Tapper is standing by for the lead.

Hi, Jake.

JAKE TAPPER, CNN HOST: It is Friday the 13th. It is the second of the three Friday the 13th we're getting this year. And frankly, it feels like we're getting 365 Friday the 13th at this point. Kasie, we're going to look back for you in "The Arena" next week.

HUNT: Happy Friday the 13th.

[17:00:42]

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is CNN Breaking News.

TAPPER: Welcome to The Lead. I'm Jake Tapper and we are standing by for an update from the FBI on the attack at a Michigan synagogue and preschool. We're going to bring that to you live when it starts. Until then, a CNN investigation is revealing more about the suspect in yesterday's attack. Forty-one-year-old Ayman Mohamad Ghazali had previously been flagged in U.S. government databases for connections with suspected members of Hezbollah.

Hezbollah, of course, is the Iranian supported group that the U.S. considers to be terrorists. All of this according to law enforcement officials. Though we should know. Ghazali was not believed to be a member of Hezbollah himself. But several days before, he drove a vehicle filled with explosives into Temple Israel with dozens of children inside. Some of Ghazali's family members had been killed in an Israeli airstrike in Lebanon, in Israel's war with Hezbollah. Ghazali's two brothers, we're told, and two of their children were killed on March 5, according to the mayor of their village in Lebanon. That tragedy, that act of war, that whatever it was, apparently led him to seek to mass murder dozens of Jewish Americans in his terrorist attack. His car caught fire. He was killed and one security officer was injured, although that security officer is expected to recover. In a press conference this morning, Democratic Governor of Michigan Gretchen Whitmer laid out what she saw as the clear motive.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GOV. GRETCHEN WHITMER, (D) MICHIGAN: Yesterday's attack was anti- Semitism. It was hate, plain and simple.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

TAPPER: Now, Temple Israel, as have many synagogues in this country, had prepared for the worst. There were armed security guards, multiple armed security guards already on site. Employees had taken an Active Shooter Prevention class just a few weeks earlier. Their own caution prevented a far more horrible outcome in Michigan yesterday. We should note that attack was just the latest in a long string of anti-Semitic violence in the United States and around the world in recent months.

So why is it that so many public officials are still reluctant to call it out by name? In Dearborn, Michigan, police last night increased patrols around schools and mosques all across the city as a precautionary measure. Here's what the police chief in Dearborn said on social media in a video posted on Instagram for the city of Dearborn News.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CHIEF ISSA SHAHIN, DEARBORN POLICE DEPARTMENT: Our churches and our mosques are going to have extra added level of protection moving forward. There was a tragic attack that occurred in West Bloomfield today. And you know, people should feel safe when they go to worship, when they go to school. And so we need to do our very best to make sure we can accommodate and make people feel safe.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

TAPPER: I mean, absolutely, all communities should absolutely feel safe when they go to school, when they go to worship, when they just live, when they exist. But why not call what the chief called a tragic attack? Why not call it what it was, which is an act of anti-Semitism that occurred at a synagogue that was targeting Jews. Why omit those facts? Why erase the pain that specific community?

It is helpful to offer physical protection and reassurance to every person, no matter what religion, who might feel at risk. But I'm not sure it's helpful to verbally dance around a topic so serious that it's literally life or death to an entire community. Overall, the Jewish community in North America spends $765 million a year on security, according to the Jewish Federations of North America. That's all to relieve the fears of attacks like what happened in West Bloomfield yesterday.

Now, no one is comparing that horrific deed and others like it with ugly words that we're hearing from politicians. But all of this garbage, all of this hate needs to be called out. Since the war with Iran started on February 28, at least three sitting Republican members of Congress have posted blatantly anti-Muslim content on social media. Not about individual acts or individual extremists or even individual terrorist groups, but about the entire Muslim community. Tens of millions of people who have never done anything wrong.

[17:05:11]

Republican Congressman Andy Ogles from Tennessee on Monday wrote, "Muslims don't belong in American society." Pluralism is a lie. That is one of the most anti-American sentiments I've ever seen expressed on social media. Last night, Florida Congressman Randy Fine, another Republican, wrote, "We need more Islamophobia, not less. Fear of Islam is rational."

No, it's not. And here's Alabama Republican Senator Tommy Tuberville running to be Alabama's next governor, comparing an Iftar dinner that New York Mayor Zoran Mamdani hosted for fellow Muslims for Ramadan inside city hall, comparing it to 9/11. Tuberville saying "The enemy is inside the gates." What? Not one Republican congressional leader has condemned any of this hateful rhetoric.

Threats of terrorism in the United States are on the rise ever since the U.S. and Israel's war with Iran began two weeks ago. There have been three other attacks connected to terrorism since then. A shooting in Austin, Texas. The makeshift bombs tossed at a protest outside Gracie Mansion in New York City by people that said who were they were inspired by ISIS. Yesterday, the shooting at Old Dominion University in Virginia by somebody who had been in jail for trying to work with ISIS.

Americans across the country are feeling rattled by these attacks. The temperature of this rhetoric must be brought down. We need cool heads, clear eyes. The folks, however, that we call leaders, are they leading the charge on calling out incendiary bigotry even when it's on their own side? CNN's Whitney Wild is in West Bloomfield, Michigan with the latest on the investigation into the attack.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

WHITNEY WILD, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): New details tonight about the man suspected of driving a truck filled with explosives into a Michigan synagogue and preschool and setting it on fire. Law enforcement sources tell CNN he appears in federal government databases with connections to, quote, "known or suspected terrorists" connected with Hezbollah in Lebanon, though he is as a member of Hezbollah himself.

Survivors recount the attack on Thursday which the FBI is calling a targeted act of violence against the Jewish community.

CASSIE COHEN, DIRECTOR OF STRATEGIC DEVELOPMENT, TEMPLE ISRAEL: I was just standing near the hallway where a car came in and I heard a large loud crash and I saw some debris from the car. I heard a bang which was a shot and barricaded the door and hid under my desk.

WILD (voice-over): The Department of Homeland Security identifying the suspect is 41-year-old Ayman Mohamad Ghazali, a Lebanese born U.S. citizen. The suspect lost four members of his family to an Israeli airstrike in Lebanon according to the mayor of the village where they lived. The airstrikes 30 miles from Beirut killed Ghazali's two brothers, two of their children, and also injured his parents and sisters-in-law. Michigan's governor said more than 100 children aged five and younger were at the school attached to Temple Israel Synagogue in West Bloomfield Township when the building caught fire.

WHITMER: Yesterday's attack was anti-Semitism. It was hate, plain and simple. We will fight this ancient and rampant evil. We will stand together as we do it and we will call it out.

WILD (voice-over): A security guard was hit after the suspect rammed the building but is expected to recover. Ghazali was killed by security officers employed by the synagogue, according to police, who said they "neutralized the threat."

RABBI JOSHUA BENNETT, TEMPLE ISRAEL: We are just absolutely amazed at the heroism of our security team who did exactly what we expected of them.

WILD (voice-over): The FBI Friday searched the suspect's home in Dearborn Heights, Michigan. He was born in Lebanon and entered the U.S. in 2011 with a spousal visa, according to the Department of Homeland Security. He became a naturalized U.S. citizen in 2016 and last visited Lebanon in 2019, according to law enforcement. He was flagged in DHS systems for threshold targeting based on records of prior contact with suspected Hezbollah members and contacts that were found in his phone. The synagogue will host weekly Friday Shabbat services at a country club across the street while officials are calling for peace.

WHITMER: We must lower the rhetoric in this state and in this country, especially at this moment where we've seen such a rise in anti- Semitism and more attacks on the Jewish community.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WILD (on camera): Jake, CNN's John Miller is just reporting at this moment that two days before this attack happened, this attacker bought thousands of dollars worth of fireworks, telling the manager there he was buying them to celebrate the end of Ramadan. Video of him inside the store making those purchases has been turned over to law enforcement. Jake.

[17:10:01]

TAPPER: All right, Whitney Wild in West Bloomfield, Michigan, thank you so much. And the investigation continues into this individual. Joining us now is Rabbi Jennifer Kaluzny of Temple Israel. I'm sorry, how -- is it Kaluzny or Kaluzny? I've heard it both ways, Rabbi. RABBI JENNIFER KALUZNY, TEMPLE ISRAEL: Kaluzny.

TAPPER: Kaluzny. I apologize. Thank you, Rabbi Kaluzny.

Let me start with just a very basic question. A horrible, horrible day yesterday. How are you? How are you doing?

KALUZNY: Thank you for asking. To be honest, it's a feeling of being very horrified, intensely sad, and at the same time, intensely grateful. We had a miracle yesterday, and the miracle happened because everyone was trained and did what they were supposed to do. But looking at my congregation from across the street, there is a feeling of deep, deep sadness.

TAPPER: I want to ask about your congregation in one second, but that guard who was injured, how is he or she?

KALUZNY: Thank God he's doing OK. He got a little banged up, but we've all been texting with him all day. He's in good spirits. And I spoke to another police officer last night who visited him in the hospital, and that police officer told me that all he wanted to know was if all the kids were OK. And he kept asking over and over and over, tell me the kids are OK.

Tell me the kids are OK. And that's who he is. That's who all of our security guys are.

TAPPER: It's amazing, although I'm old enough to remember when synagogues didn't need to have security guards. What are you hearing from members of your community, particularly the ones that had to be evacuated in the midst of the attack, in the midst of the police response? We're so glad everybody is physically OK, but I imagine that was a pretty traumatic event.

KALUZNY: It was. I was on this side. I was on my way to temple, and I must have pulled up right when it was happening because they wouldn't let me turn left into temple, so I turned right into the country club. And I was here with some of my colleagues, and we just kept bringing parents literally into our arms. We had parents coming out of the woods, coming down the streets, running for their children, screaming, some of them, others almost blank in effect.

And I know that some of them have taken the deep breath, they've held their children, and have been able to move to a space of gratitude for everything and everyone yesterday. We do have some teachers and some staff that have been in crisis, and we have incredible therapists who are donating their time. Our Jewish family service was here yesterday. Not only with social workers, but with crisis and trauma, informed and trained social workers, and they are basically on call 24/7. And all of my colleagues, we have all called upon them to help with our parents, our teachers and our staff.

TAPPER: Rabbi, I'm told that tonight's Shabbat services, it's the Jewish Sabbath this evening for those who don't know who are watching, that tonight's Shabbat services are going to be held in a makeshift sanctuary of sorts across the street at the country club you referenced. How bad is the damage to Temple Israel? How long will it take to make repairs? When can you have your Shabbat services where they belong?

KALUZNY: To be honest with you, we really don't know. The building is still what you would consider a crime scene, and we have not been able to go into the building. Very, very few people have been allowed into the building. We know obviously that there was fire and smoke damage. We know obviously that the man drove through a set of double doors to get into the building and that our sprinklers went off.

So we don't know how long it is going to be. We're hoping, God willing, of course, that we can be back with our community in our home. But in the meantime, our community has reached out and basically offered us different spaces, not only for our offices, but for Shabbat, for Bar and Bat Mitzvahs. And it's going to be a lot to do, but we will make it work. We will serve our families, and somehow we will bring everything together.

TAPPER: Well, Rabbi, we've heard such wonderful things about your temple since this horrible event happened. And I can tell that you have a lot of, from those dings, a lot of people are texting you right now. So I know you have -- I know you have people to get back to.

Thank you so much, Rabbi Jennifer Kaluzny of Temple Israel. Our thoughts and prayers are with you and the people of your synagogue. And know that most Americans are watching this and expressing sympathy --

KALUZNY: Yes.

TAPPER: -- and strength and prayers for you.

KALUZNY: We do. Thank you so much. Thank you for the support. A peaceful and restful Shabbat to you. Thank you.

[17:15:002]

TAPPER: You got another text message there. All right, thanks, Rabbi.

New video of Israel shows the damage from Iranian missiles. One of the seven locations struck tonight. We're going to go live to Tel Aviv for the latest on the ground next. Plus, a major blow to President Trump today. A federal judge quashing subpoenas that the Justice Department issued for a federal grand jury investigation into Fed Chair Jerome Powell.

So case closed. That's ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

TAPPER: Turning to our world lead now and today's headlines from the war in Iran. U.S. Central Command confirms all six crew members died when their refueling aircraft went down in Iraq on Thursday. These pictures are of the other aircraft involved in the incident. This aircraft damaged but landed safely in Israel. Iran says it fired missiles at Israel and that Hezbollah launched a simultaneous attack from southern Lebanon.

The Israeli military says strikes or debris from intercepted Iranian missiles have caused damage at multiple locations. Israel also says it continued to strike Iran going into Friday night. Oil prices keep going up because tankers cannot or will not go through the Strait of Hormuz between Iran and Saudi Arabia. CNN's Jeremy Diamond joins us now live from Tel Aviv.

[17:20:09]

Jeremy, it's been another day of incoming fire from both Iran and its proxy Hezbollah and Lebanon, as well as Israeli retaliation. What's the situation right now where you are?

JEREMY DIAMOND, CNN JERUSALEM CORRESPONDENT: Well, Jake, just a couple minutes ago we got that early warning that could indicate that we will have air raid sirens in Tel Aviv any minute now. A ballistic missile fire incoming from Iran. So if we have to move to shelter, we'll do that with you as we continue to speak. But certainly we saw earlier today already a ballistic missile fired by Iran that appears to have been outfitted with one of these cluster munitions. These are munitions that split off into some 24 smaller bombs that can land indiscriminately across residential areas.

And that's what we saw tonight as there were several fires that were set off as a result of what seems to be those bomblets falling to onto these buildings. No casualties reported as of yet. Yesterday, another Iranian ballistic missile struck a town in northern Israel. Dozens of people who were lightly wounded, but no serious casualties or fatalities. And of course, Hezbollah has also been ramping up its fire on Israel in recent days.

As for Israeli strikes and American strikes in Iran, they have resulted in more than 1,300 people being killed so far, according to Iranian officials. That toll could be much higher, though, because that's the toll we have from Wednesday. Today there was a pretty stunning scene in the Iranian capital city of Tehran where we saw a pro-regime rally taking place. Several senior Islamic Republic officials attended that rally, including the country's president, Pezeshkian. And in the background of that, you saw an Israeli airstrike taking place very nearby.

That strike was targeting Iranian internal security forces, a besieged checkpoint in that capital city. Quite a show of defiance from those Iranian officials to be out in broad daylight. In Lebanon we've also witnessed an escalation of Israeli strikes there as well, including in the capital city of Beirut, where we are witnessing the mass displacement of hundreds of thousands of people there and the Lebanese government caught between Hezbollah rocket fire that has drawn these Israeli strikes and the potential of an Israeli ground offensive in southern Lebanon. Jake.

TAPPER: Jeremy diamond in Tel Aviv for us. Thank you so much.

Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth says we don't need to be worried about Iran blocking ships from the Strait of Hormuz, despite the fact that strait is key to the global oil supply and gas prices are soaring. That story next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[17:26:59]

TAPPER: We are back with our world lead. The Trump administration officials there claim that what's left of Iran's leadership is in hiding. Here are pictures from today showing Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian greeting members of the crowd. However, during a pro- Iranian regime demonstration, he was joined by other government officials at the rally in Tehran, even though social media video shows a strike near that pro-government demonstration. Journalist and commentator Bobby Ghosh joins us now.

Bobby, is there any real way to assess how much control and support the regime has?

BOBBY GHOSH, COLUMNIST & GEOPOLITICAL ANALYST: Well, not unless we get people on the ground, journalists on the ground to get a -- to get a good bead on things. But there's no indication to suggest that they have lost control of the street. We would have some indication of that. We would have indication if protesters came out against the regime, if there were signs of widespread looting, if there were signs of a breakdown in law and order, we haven't seen that. So just by process of elimination, I think we can conclude that the regime is still very much in control of events taking place inside Iran, at least in the big cities, where we get some video coming out.

TAPPER: When it comes to the Strait of Hormuz, I want you to listen to something that Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth said during this morning's Pentagon briefing.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PETE HEGSETH, DEFENSE SECRETARY: And as the world is seeing, they are exercising sheer desperation in the Straits of Hormuz. Something we're dealing with. We have been dealing with it and don't need to worry about it. The only thing prohibiting transit in the straits right now is Iran shooting at shipping. It is open for transit. Should Iran not do that?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

TAPPER: The only thing prohibiting transit in the straits right now is Iran shooting at shipping. It is not -- it is open for transit. Should Iran not do that? Can you make any sense of that? I mean, that seems like a rather significant problem as to why there would be ships that can't make it through the strait.

GHOSH: And coming from somebody who comes from a television background who knows how to speak to a camera, that is quite the flub. It is -- it's a little awkward phrasing to put it mildly. But what he said at the start of that segment, that Iran is desperate, I don't think that makes me feel more reassured if I'm a shipping company or if I'm a crew member on a tanker anywhere near the Persian Gulf. The fact that Iran is desperate fills me with even more dread rather than any sense of reassurance. Iran is most dangerous when it feels desperate.

This is true of many regimes and certainly of this one. And we've seen that Iran continues to have the ability to blow up tankers in those waters. Just a couple of nights ago, they blew up two tankers in Iraqi waters. And that -- those videos going around are being -- now I come from a long a family of sailors, merchant sailors. My father was one, my brother-in-law, my nephew, I can tell you that in those circles, those videos are being circulated.

People are sending videos to each other of ships being blown up in those waters. People who are in that profession are not at all reassured by that kind of language coming from the Secretary of Defense of the United States.

[17:30:08]

TAPPER: Nor, I'm sure, are they from President Trump saying that they need to show some guts and sail away through the Strait of Hormuz. Bobby Ghosh, thank you so much for your time. Always good to have you. Thank you so much.

Tonight we're learning new details about the Army Lieutenant Colonel killed in yesterday's shooting at Old Dominion University. We're also learning about how other members of the ROTC took down the attacker. That's next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[17:34:56]

TAPPER: Our National Lead now, we are learning more about the victim in yesterday's shooting at Old Dominion University, Army Lieutenant Colonel Brandon Shah. Shah was a military science professor and ROTC instructor at the university. He joined the army in 2003, deploying in Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom, according to the university's website.

With more than 600 combat flight hours, Shah earned numerous awards for his service, including two bronze stars. Two others were wounded in Thursday's attack. Other students in the classroom subdued the shooter. And one of them stubbed him to death.

The FBI is now investigating the shooting as an act of terrorism. They identified the shooter as Mohamed Bailor Jalloh, a convicted ISIS supporter from previous years. CNN's Brian Todd has more from Jalloh's neighborhood in northern Virginia, including his past affiliation with the terrorist organization ISIS.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: FBI, we have a third warning.

BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): A normally quiet neighborhood suddenly put on edge.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Now with your hands up and follow the instructions. TODD (voice-over): Late Thursday night, law enforcement officials raided the home of Mohamed Bailor Jalloh, who the FBI identifies as the shooter in Thursday's Old Dominion University terror attack.

CLAIRE WANG, NEIGHBOR: It was like a movie. It was really scary seeing everyone, you know, armed with their military rifles because I've never seen that before in my life.

TODD (voice-over): Claire Wang lives across the street in this Washington, D.C. suburb in Virginia. She took this video as law enforcement surrounded Jalloh's home.

WANG: I would just never think this would happen. And, you know, it's I just feel really unsafe.

TODD (voice-over): The FBI investigating Thursday morning's shooting as an act of terrorism.

DOMINIQUE EVANS, FBI SPECIAL AGENT IN CHARGE: We have confirmed reports that prior to him conducting this act of terrorism, he shouted -- stated, Allahu Akbar.

TODD (voice-over): Before Jalloh was stopped, he killed one, a professor and U.S. veteran and injured two others in a university ROTC classroom. Jalloh, a former Virginia National Guard member and army combat engineer, was a naturalized citizen from Sierra Leone and a student enrolled at Old Dominion. He was also known to law enforcement officials.

In 2016, Jalloh attempted to procure weapons in what he believed would be an attack in the name of ISIS and tried to donate money to the designated foreign terrorist organization, according to the Department of Justice.

At the time, Jalloh unknowingly confided to an FBI informant who had been monitoring his behavior. The source told officials that Jalloh did not reenlist in the army after listening to online lectures by an al-Qaeda leader and that he had been thinking of conducting an attack like the 2009 shooting rampage at the Fort Hood military base that left 13 people dead and 32 injured, according to the Department of Justice.

ALEXANDER MELEAGROU-HITCHENS, CO-AUTHOR, HOMEGROWN - ISIS IN AMERICA: He was inspired by Nidal Hasan, who in 2009 attacked Fort Hood. And now he has actually gone on to commit the attack that he expressed an interest in conducting to the FBI informant.

TODD (voice-over): Jalloh pleaded guilty to attempting to provide material support to ISIS and was sentenced to 11 years in prison in 2017. He was released from federal custody in 2024 after spending just seven years in prison.

JOHN MILLER, CNN CHIEF LAW ENFORCEMENT AND INTELLIGENCE ANALYST: They may have to ask themselves, were we keeping tabs on him through whatever his post-release requirements were from federal parole or wherever else he was supposed to be checking in and being monitored. TODD (voice-over): Today, anger and questions from Jalloh's neighbors. How could something like this happen? How was this convicted terrorist supporter allowed to walk free and become a terrorist himself?

HONORATO GARCIA, NEIGHBOR: They shouldn't be out on free. Yes, they should be put away for good.

NIC RIECKMANN, NEIGHBOR: Why did the justice system fail us with letting somebody out after seven years who had ties to ISIS? That's a terror organization.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

TODD: The White House posted a message today saying that the gunman was released from prison early under the Biden administration. And the White House said, "This should have never happened." Meanwhile, another man has been arrested and faces federal charges for allegedly selling Mohamed Jalloh a firearm used in the shooting. That's according to court documents as a convicted ISIS supporter. Jalloh was prohibited from owning a gun. Jake?

TAPPER: All right, Brian Todd. Thanks so much.

Joining us now to discuss is Seamus Hughes. He's the author of Homegrown: ISIS in America and is a great researcher when it comes to these kinds of cases. Follow him on Twitter. What's your Twitter handle again?

SEAMUS HUGHES, AUTHOR, "HOMEGROWN: ISIS IN AMERICA.": Seamus Hughes.

TAPPER: OK, Seamus Hughes. So the shooter in yesterday's attack at Old Dominion had been the focus of a chapter in your book because of his prior terror related conviction. You spoke to an FBI agent on that case. That FBI agent said, "I didn't sleep a lot during the three months of the Jalloh investigation. I couldn't get to sleep because I was worried about what could happen. This case kept me up at night." Why did it keep him up at night? And what's your reaction to him being freed and then committing another act of terrorism?

HUGHES: Yes, I mean, Jalloh was a tier one investigation, meaning that this is an individual who had a National Guard experience. He traveled to West Africa to join ISIS, was turned around because the bus he was on had a flat tire when he was communicating with an ISIS operative online. Luckily, the FBI was able to intercept that and interject themselves into it.

[17:40:06]

But they were very concerned. And when I say very concerned, I mean 24 hour surveillance. They were tracking his movements at all times. When he went to go buy a gun, he didn't have the right paperwork. So the FBI smartly went in there and switched out the gun for something inoperable and then arrested him the next day.

You know, I talked to those FBI agents and their analysts. They said this was one of those cases that really, really kept them up at night. TAPPER: But then he was released and they didn't keep up their surveillance, apparently.

HUGHES: Yes, I think this is the current -- concern, too. So the Department of Justice asked for 20 years at sentencing. The judge ended up at 11 years. The larger issue is, you know, we've arrested 270 people for ISIS related activities in the last 10 years. The vast majority of those individuals are getting out. And we don't necessarily have programs or processes in place to track them, monitor them, rehabilitate them or just keep tabs on them.

If you look at a case like Jalal, the recent court case mentions that probation officers checked in on him in November of 2025. And they committed an attack now. That was the last time they checked in on him.

TAPPER: So we've seen a rise in terror attacks here in the U.S. in the last few months, but then also in particular since the Iran war started February 28th. You research counterterrorism at the University of Nebraska, Omaha. What are you seeing in your research?

HUGHES: We're seeing a threat landscape that's complex and rising. So if you have you have the attack in New York of the two men who did it on behalf of ISIS, you're the attack in Michigan, the anti-Semitic attack in Michigan. You had this attack in Old Dominion. You had an arrest last week of a nihilistic violent extremist who was trying to harm young people.

So the threat landscape is all over the map, meaning that agents have to be aware of ISIS, al-Qaeda, al-Shabaab, far left, far right, anti- government all the same time at the moment when resources are being strained and people are being moved to different assignments.

TAPPER: And people are getting fired because Kash Patel doesn't like anti-Trump investigations in the past also. That doesn't help things. Seamus Hughes, thank you so much. Always appreciate your research online and now on The Lead. So good to have you here.

Coming up next, what President Trump said today about potentially making a deal with Iran as this war is about to enter its third week. Stick with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

[17:46:35]

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: We had some negotiations where I would have preferred making a deal. I guess. I don't know. Look, I wasn't that anxious to make a deal that it would have to be a really good deal. They had to get the number one thing is they cannot have nuclear weapons. OK.

(END VIDEO CLIP) TAPPER: Yes, you saw that right. That was President Trump telling professional influencer, Jake Paul, that he was never that anxious to make a deal with Iran. We're back in our World Lead as the U.S. and Israel are now in the 14th day of their joint military campaign against Iran.

At the table with us, CNN national security analyst Beth Sanner and CNN political and national security analyst David Sanger. David, we're almost now two weeks into the war with Iran. Started two weeks ago tomorrow. Today, President Trump posted, "We are totally destroying the terrorist regime of Iran militarily, economically and otherwise. Yet if you read the failing New York Times, you would incorrectly think that we are not winning. We have unparalleled firepower, unlimited ammunition and plenty of time. Watch what happens to these deranged scumbags today." But I think he's talking about the Iranian regime, not "The New York Times."

DAVID SANGER, CNN POLITICAL & NATIONAL SECURITY ANALYST: I'm relieved.

TAPPER: By the way, I read "The New York Times" regularly and it seems pretty clear to me from your reporting that they are. This is a very effective campaign. It's just like it's not as simple as snapping your fingers to destroy a regime. Where do you see the war going in the next few weeks?

SANGER: So there's this disconnect that I think lies behind the President's critique of our coverage. And the disconnect is this. The U.S. is hitting all of its main military targets, taking out the Navy, taking out the airplanes. They've done a good job with the missiles and missile launchers. But the way Iran is fighting back is not using that kind of military equipment, our usual metrics. They're fighting back by putting a few mines and lots of missiles around the Gulf, by attacking facilities among the Arab allies, which they can do from afar, cyber attacks, many other asymmetric attacks.

And so the question then is, supposing you run out of targets and the Iranian government still hasn't fallen and they're still able to attack you that way. And that's the conundrum of modern warfare. And I suspect that's behind the President's administration.

TAPPER: Asymmetric. And in fact, Trump himself has said we're running out of targets.

SANGER: Yes.

TAPPER: He said that the other day. A senior Iranian official, Beth, tells CNN that Iran is considering allowing a limited number of oil tankers through the Strait of Hormuz, provided the oil cargo is traded in Chinese yen. This comes after sources told CNN that Trump's national security team significantly underestimated Iran's willingness to close the Strait.

They knew it was a possibility. They didn't think it was going to be this bad. Worst case scenario. What do you make of this all considering this latest development? BETH SANNER, CNN NATIONAL SECURITY ANALYST: Well, OK, first, you know, as David said, Iranians are acting like insurgents and we have to understand that is exactly what's happening. So they have this ability to strike in these ways and control the Strait. And by allowing China or, you know, a few countries that are negotiating with them to get some supplies, it eases the pressure on those countries.

But it basically won't change the bottom line unless you really reopen the Strait altogether. So this is a way of applying this asymmetric kind of thing. It's like drip, drip, drip. We're helping and we're dividing the world. And I think that this is the thing, when we talk about success in this world and this war. It's not just about beating the crap out of the Iranians. This has global implications.

[17:50:16]

And this war is hurting our allies, hurting the global south and helping our adversaries and dividing us from our allies. And so these are the things these are called second and third order effects.

TAPPER: Yes, we're lifting sanctions for Russia --

SANGER: Which essentially means that you're saying we're going to help the Russians over the Ukrainians in service of trying to keep oil prices down during a war with Iran.

TAPPER: President Trump said today he believes that the new Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei is damaged, but probably alive. Hegseth said something similar about maybe he's disfigured from that attack. This comes after the Supreme Leader, the new Supreme Leader issued a written statement that offered no real proof of life. How important is it for the U.S. to know who's actually in charge?

SANNER: Well, you know, alive or dead, it's not just Mojtaba that's in charge. It's the IRGC and this harder line, not like they're all hard line. I don't like these kind of characterizations, but these are not guys who want to negotiate. And I think that actually, you know, President Trump's comments about I didn't really want to negotiate anyway. What do you think that does for these people? You know, we killed the Ayatollah. We've killed a lot of people.

Why would they be in the mood to ever do a deal with us? And at some point, you need a military campaign to end through some kind of political something with someone.

TAPPER: President Trump said he'll know when the war is over when he feels it in his bones.

SANGER: It struck me that the President said a couple of weeks ago that he went into the war because he just had a good feeling that Iran was getting ready to strike the United States. We haven't found intelligence officials who've been able to tell us there was any intelligence conclusion of an imminent strike against the U.S. Now he's saying that there will be a feeling, an instinct when it's time to get out. What I think is going on here, Jake, is that the President does not want to have a series of objectives out there and have to go meet each one of them before he declares that it's time to leave. And he hasn't. He's come out with a long and confusing list of objectives.

TAPPER: David Sanger, Beth Sanner, thank you so much. Always great to have you guys.

Any minute we're expecting an update from the FBI on that attack at a Michigan synagogue and preschool. We're going to bring that to you live. Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[17:56:52]

TAPPER: In our Pop Culture Lead, Hollywood's biggest night is almost upon us, and nominee Timothee Chalamet is under intense scrutiny for making dismissive comments about the opera and ballet.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TIMOTHEE CHALAMET, ACTOR: If people want to see it like "Barbie," like "Oppenheimer," they're going to go see it and go out of their way to be loud and proud about it. And I don't want to be working in ballet or opera or, you know, things where it's like, hey, keep this thing alive, even though it's like no one cares about this anymore. All respect to the ballet and opera people out there. I just lost 14 cents in viewership. But damn, I just took shots for no reason.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

TAPPER: I don't know the big deal. As he said, all respect to the ballet and opera people out there. CNN's Elizabeth Wagmeister, temporarily back from maternity leave, on the red carpet for us. Elizabeth, congratulations again on Baby Harry. Is Chalamet expected to win despite this controversy?

ELIZABETH WAGMEISTER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: First of all, thank you, Jake. Baby Harry is watching you from home right now.

TAPPER: Hi, Harry.

WAGMEISTER: But look, Timothee Chalamet, he, oh, we love that. So Timothee Chalamet, he was the front runner leading into the Oscar season. And now this is the talk of the town. But here is the catch. Oscar voting closed just as this was going viral.

So will this whole opera ballet controversy impact his chances? Maybe slightly, but probably not. But there are other factors that may have actually taken Timothee Chalamet away from being in the top spot in the leading actor race. Michael B. Jordan from "Sinners." He plays two roles in "Sinners." Well, he won the SAG award. So both of these actors have won some of the precursor awards.

Timothee Chalamet won at the Critics' Choice Awards. He won at the Golden Globes. But Michael B. Jordan right now has the momentum and so does "Sinners." And Jake, that brings us to the best picture race. Is it going to be "Sinners" or is it going to be one battle after another? Those are the two movies to watch. "Sinners" has the most nominations going into the night with 16, which is an Oscar record.

No other film has ever had that many nominations in one night. But it's not just the races that we're watching, Jake. I also want to tell you about something that's going to be a very emotional moment, the In Memoriam segment this year. We have lost so many incredible artists over the past year in Hollywood, particularly Rob Reiner. And many of the stars from his films are expected to be on stage, including Billy Crystal and Meg Ryan, of course, from "When Harry Met Sally."

So again, should be an emotional moment. There's also going to be some reunions on the Oscar stage. The "Bridesmaids" stars are getting back together for the 15 year anniversary of that film. So going to be a big night on Sunday and we will be live here on the red carpet. Jake?

TAPPER: And I'll be watching. Elizabeth Wagmeister, thank you so much. And don't miss out on CNN's coverage of the Oscars. CNN and Variety together live on the red carpet for the biggest night in Hollywood. Get up close with all the stars, all the fashion starting Sunday at 4:00 p.m. Eastern on TBS and the CNN app and at 5:00 p.m. Eastern on CNN.

[18:00:02]

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is CNN Breaking news.

TAPPER: We're going to go to the FBI news conference in Michigan right now. Let's listen in.