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The Lead with Jake Tapper

U.S. And Iran Work To Resolve Disputes On Nuclear Issues And Sanctions; Jake Tapper Speaks With Wounded Marine Veterans; Lobster Prices Battered By Rising Cost Of Diesel For Fishing Boats; Texas GOP Runoff Pits Sen. John Cornyn Against AG Ken Paxton As Voters Head To Poll; The U.S. Coast Guard Rescued Several People Trapped In A Cave California. Aired 5-6p ET

Aired May 25, 2026 - 17:00   ET

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

[17:00:00]

BORIS SANCHEZ, CNN ANCHOR: Just scan the Q.R. code that's right there. You can also catch up by listening to "The Arena" podcast and follow the show on X and Instagram @thearenacnn. Pamela Brown is standing by for "The Lead." Hey, Pam.

PAMELA BROWN, CNN ANCHOR AND CHIEF INVESTIGATIVE CORRESPONDENT: Hey, there. Thank you so much, Boris. We'll look for more tomorrow in "The Arena."

Well, President Trump says it will be a great deal for all or no deal at all. "The Lead" starts right now. And tonight, sources say the White House is optimistic about a deal to end the war with Iran despite disputes today about the country's nuclear program. So, what would an agreement mean for the Strait of Hormuz and those sky-high gas prices? And we've reached the final hours of a nasty fight between Texas Republicans as John Cornyn and Ken Paxton battle for the party Senate nomination. Will Trump's last-minute endorsement have a big impact? We are live in the Lone Star State just ahead.

And on this Memorial Day, we'll be joined by two U.S. Marine Corps veterans who survived an IED blast in Iraq and will help us remember the reason for this Memorial Day by honoring the heroes who didn't make it home like my dear friend, Chase Comley.

Welcome to "The Lead." I'm Pamela Brown, in for Jake Tapper on this Memorial Day. And we start in our "World Lead." We are tracking the very latest on negotiations to end the war between the United States and Iran. So, the deal remains in limbo right now and U.S. officials say that's because of disputes over language about Iran's nuclear program and the lifting of sanctions. There is optimism though that this could be resolved soon, and oil prices reflected that optimism, dropping sharply today following talk of a potential peace deal.

Still, the U.S. has been looking for firm commitments from Iran that it will get rid of its stockpile of highly-enriched uranium and not pursue a nuclear weapon. On Sunday, a U.S. official said Iran had agreed in principle to those points, but Iran says it is not discussing details of its nuclear program, leaving that for a future round of talks. So, let's go straight to CNN's Fred Pleitgen in Berlin. Fred, what more do we know about this proposed deal, framework, whatever you want to call it, and the status of these negotiations between the U.S. and Iran around reopening the Strait of Hormuz?

FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Hi there, Pamela. I think they actually called it a memorandum of understanding. It's certainly the way that the Iranians say that they want to keep it. They say that for this memorandum of understanding, that it's essentially a first step to try and then get to larger negotiations that would also encompass Iran's nuclear program and also, of course, the future of the highly-enriched uranium. The Iranians are saying they also would want more sanctions relief out of further negotiations.

But getting there is really the key point right now. That's where there still seem to be a few disputes about some of the language. But I would also say that the Iranians believe that a lot of headway has been made so far. They are saying they believe that a memorandum of understanding at this point in time is not necessarily imminent, but they certainly seem to believe that things are on a very good track at this point in time.

But it really is some of that language that still seems to be an issue. The Iranians are saying that, first and foremost, the most important thing for them is that the war essentially needs to stop. The hostilities need to stop. That needs to be the first point of order. And then, of course, you very quickly get to the situation in the Strait of Hormuz, where the Iranians would then open the Strait of Hormuz and the United States would then gradually lift its blockade.

One of the other things that's very important to the Iranians is the possible unfreezing of Iranian assets. And one of the things that we've noted is that a senior delegation of the Iranians was in Qatar today. And, of course, we know that some of those frozen Iranian assets are actually in Qatar. The Iran Central Bank president is actually also among that delegation. So, that could have been one of the things that they're talking about.

But what we're getting from Tehran and, of course, what you said, what we're also getting from Washington, is that both sides seem to be cautiously optimistic that they are on the right track. Nevertheless, there are still some details that certainly appear to be needing to be worked out, Pamela.

BROWN: Yes, still a very delicate dance. Fred Pleitgen in Berlin, thank you so much. And here to discuss is Alex Plitsas, director of the Counter Terrorism Program on the Atlantic Council. Alex, so, as you well know, this is not the first time the U.S. has counted progress on a peace deal. And in those past cases, no deal materialized. Do you think this time is different?

ALEX PLITSAS, CNN NATIONAL SECURITY ANALYST, DIRECTOR OF COUNTER TERRORISM PROGRAM AT ATLANTIC COUNCIL, FORMER OFFICIAL AT DEFENSE DEPARTMENT AND PENTAGON: Actually, reading between the lines, I think we're a little further along than people realize, and there's a couple of reasons for that. So, the U.S. allegedly, according to some sources, has agreed to, in some sense, lift some of the sanctions if they're going to open the Strait of Hormuz and also unfreeze some assets because for the Iranians, as Fred correctly characterized, this is really about the liquidity problem.

The Iranians, until the sanctions are lifted and their banks are reintegrated, are really in a cash flow problem.

[17:04:59]

So, they're looking for short-term relief. If the strait is open up, that will then facilitate a next round of negotiations about the nuclear program, which is really what the U.S. is after and what President Trump has said was the real reason for the war in the first place. So, it looks like we've got forward progress towards getting there. But, again, we're still talking about a negotiation about a negotiation.

BROWN: So, in terms of what you just laid out, what would that mean for the Iranians if they got more cash flow? Because, as you know, critics would argue that they could use that money to fund its proxies and find a potential nuclear program.

PLITSAS: So, that's entirely accurate, and that is also part of the agreement. So, there's a number of proxy groups, as you mentioned, across the region. The one that's of most significant concern right now is Hezbollah in Lebanon. And part of this agreement is also allegedly a ceasefire in Lebanon in addition to a cessation of hostilities relating to Iran.

But we've seen over last couple of hours, the Israelis have intensified airstrikes inside of Lebanon, which is allegedly the result of Hezbollah not abiding by its responsibilities in terms of either demilitarizing or not conducting attacks. So, things are very delicate at the moment.

BROWN: Very delicate indeed. And the White House insists that Iran's stash of 1,000 pounds of highly-enriched uranium must be disposed of before Iran will see financial relief from this deal. Do you think Iran will actually agree to this? And if so, how difficult would it be for the U.S. to ensure that that material is actually destroyed?

PLITSAS: We're doing a verification on steroids compared to previous deals only because under the previous deal and what was known as the JCPOA, Iran was allowed to keep the technology that allowed it to enrich uranium to 60 percent once the U.S. exited the deal because you don't need to enrich uranium more than a couple of percentage points to get fuel for civilian nuclear reactor. So, there's no real purpose beyond that, at 60, 70, 80, 90 percent to get to 90, other than weaponization for weapons programs. So, you would need to significantly monitor that.

There ar two aspects of nuclear program that are under serious discussion. One is the enrichment itself, the ability to do that, which is up for discussion. The U.S. wanted a permanent moratorium. The Iranians are asking for some period where, if things go well, they'll be allowed to enrich in the future because they're wary of being, you know, relying on foreign sources of fuel for their domestic program because that could be used as leverage in the future.

The second piece is what you just mentioned, the 440 kilograms or approximately a thousand pounds of the highly-enriched uranium. There's really only two ways to deal with it. One is to dilute it, which is what the Iranians have proposed. So, they keep it in the country. They dilute it down to the point where it's no longer, you know, towards weapons grade. The other is what the U.S. wants, is when it leaves the country, and that seems to be where there's a bit of a disagreement, but there's still discussions that are ongoing, and there may be a pathway forward for that.

BROWN: All right. We shall see. Alex, thank you so much. Let's discuss this with Democratic Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman-Schultz of Florida. Hi, Congresswoman. Nice to have you on. So back in 2015, you ultimately supported the Obama administration's nuclear deal with Iran. You told Jake at the time it was a gut-wrenching decision process. So, I'm curious to know what you make and what you just heard Alex lay out of this, the current framework on the table for the Trump administration on Iran.

REP. DEBBIE WASSERMAN SCHULTZ (D-FL): Pamela, thanks for having me. You know, I can tell you through the lens of my constituents that they are saying to me, stop the ride, we want to get off. I mean, this is an incredibly chaotic, really unpredictable, topsy-turvy process that Donald Trump doesn't seem to have any control over and, you know, there's nobody with their hands on the tiller.

And that's why gas prices have increased over $2 in the state of Florida and in some cases even more across the country. We have small businesses and individuals who have tremendous pain that they're experiencing economically to say nothing of the increase in the cost of diesel fuel, which has obviously driven up the cost of or being able to run businesses and deliver goods. This is -- the pain that Donald Trump's out of control war in Iran has caused is unacceptable.

And I am concerned and frustrated over, again, another potential deal, a negotiation for a negotiation, where we're going to unfreeze Iranian assets and give them billions of dollars to be able to control proxies again and to rebuild their ballistic missile program, never mind their drone program, which is incredibly deadly, and they've been increasing their drone capability.

So, this is deeply concerning and, look, I'm glad that Iran, their capability militarily has been degraded, but if what we get from this initial deal is just going back to where we were before, where Iran did not control the Strait of Hormuz, then what has been accomplished? This is preposterous.

BROWN: Is there anything -- let me just jump in there. Let me just jump in because, as you mentioned, their military has been degraded based on what administration officials have said.

[17:10:00]

Is there anything that could be reached in a deal that would satisfy you, anything at all?

SCHULTZ: Well, I absolutely want -- let's not put the cart before the horse. The reason that Donald Trump pulled us out of the JCPOA, of Obama's Iran deal, is because he said it was not a good deal. But what it did was it at least put Iran years from nuclear breakout. And him pulling us out left them weeks from nuclear breakouts. They're still refusing to give up their enriched uranium. We're not actually negotiating or resolving before we give them assets.

The main concerns which we have, which is no enriched uranium in the country and no capability to continue to enrich, getting rid of their missile capability -- their missile ballistic missile capability, and ensuring that they can never have access to nuclear weapon and can't control and manage and have resources to manage their proxies, if those things don't happen, this is a failure.

BROWN: All right. You mentioned the gas prices. Your fellow Florida representative, Republican Byron Donalds, told me that as soon as there is a deal, oil prices and gas prices, they will drop. Here's what he said.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. BYRON DONALDS (R), FLORIDA: Once ships are actually allowed to move through the strait freely, you will see the future price on oil tumble in the overnight markets. That's what will happen. And then when the future price plummets, you will see that show up in gas pumps. They'll go right back down to $3 like they were before.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BROWN: As I pointed out, analysts say it's more complicated than that. But what are you hearing from your constituents about this? I mean, how hopeful are you that the prices will come down soon if a deal is reached and that strait is reopened?

SCHULTZ: My colleague, Byron Donalds, shows a fundamental misunderstanding about how oil markets work and how quickly gas prices get reduced. I mean, all the -- all the oil analysts have said it could take months and even years for the adjustment to occur if there is a reopening of the Strait of Hormuz. I mean, we have petroleum that needs to be able to move, the storage tanks that have to be refilled.

But those are not certainties until there is certainty. And we know that we have to demine the Strait of Hormuz first. We have to make sure that the tankers that are stranded there are able to move.

So, this is not a flip of a switch and gas prices start plummeting again. They have gotten us into a horrific, twisted mess and it is going to take a while for consumers, if there is an agreement, which has been elusive, actually comes to fruition.

BROWN: All right, Democratic Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz, thank you so much for joining us on this Memorial Day. We appreciate it.

SCHULTZ: Thanks as always, Pamela.

BROWN: And on this special day, we're going to be hearing from a U.S. Marine Corps veteran who was severely injured after an IED attack in Iraq. Hear his advice about mental health to other veterans of war up next.

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(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JAKE TAPPER, CNN LEAD WASHINGTON ANCHOR: And we're back with the "National Lead" on this Memorial Day, what this holiday is really about. I want to bring in Sergeant Tim Lang and Corporal Josh Bleill, two U.S. Marine veterans who served and survived an IED attack in Fallujah, Iraq in 2006. They are not only were both men severely injured in that attack, they also lost close comrades, friends, battle buddies. Lang's squad leader, Sergeant Brock Babb, was killed that October day. Bleill lost his close friend, Corporal Joshua Hines.

Gentlemen, thank you so much for being here and helping us to bring a light, shine a light on what this day actually is about. It has been almost 20 years since that attack. You're both amputees. Sergeant Lang, what do you want Americans to know about what Memorial Day is really about?

SGT. TIMOTHY LANG, RETIRED SERGEANT, U.S. MARINE CORPS: Yes. So, thank you for the opportunity. Memorial Day is a moment where a lot of us remember those that have passed and have sacrificed the ultimate in the sake of freedom and liberty. And the biggest thing I want people to remember is those sacrifices that we remember just on that day are living in the lives of the families left behind and impact them every single day.

Sergeant Babbs' wife, Barb, his kids, Tanner, Levi, and Zoie, they live with the loss every single day. And I think what's really important for us to remember is that these sacrifices that we remember today are remembered every single day by all these families that have lost.

TAPPER: Absolutely. And Corporal Bleill, you both came to us through the group called Semper Fi & America's Fund. Folks there remind us that your own recovery can be a lifelong process. Tell us what it has been like for you.

CPL. JOSH BLEILL, RETIRED CORPORAL, U.S. MARINE CORPS: Yes. Absolutely. My recovery, it was about two years in the hospital. It was really physical. I lost both of my legs above the knee and had a bunch of injuries to my face and hands. So, it was really about physically getting back into shape.

But mentally and emotionally, there's not really a roadmap, and that's where the Americans in Semper Fi Fund comes into play. They help get your family members out there, fly friends out there. But they're also, you know, they're a lifelong partner, providing hope that they say, we're going to be with you through this entire journey.

Your life has been ultimately altered forever and anything that you need getting back together with your guys, with their unit reunions, has really come through and provided me with a stable life but an opportunity to keep going on and telling the ultimate story of those guys who paid the ultimate price.

TAPPER: Sergeant Lang, you were a young man, only one year out of basic training when you were deployed overseas.

[17:19:57]

What helped you cope with the mental health struggles after the attack and what advice do you offer others facing the same?

LANG: You know, the first thing I want to focus on is I'm one of the blessed ones. I have a visible injury and it's something that I didn't initially have that viewpoint. But, you know, being 21 and losing your mobility and everything that you sort of associated yourself with, being fast and fit and strong and capable, all that left so quickly, and I was left with a lot of, you know, uncertainty.

But as I've grown, I've learned that I'm one of the few and fortunate ones that have a visible injury. Why I say that is because people recognize the sacrifice even if it's just partial limb. And, therefore, they come up to you and thank you for your service. They understand the connection, they understand the sacrifice, and they sort of give you the opportunity over and over again to speak about what happened to you.

And then you look to -- a lot of times, I'll be with buddies who've seen just as much if not more, who were there longer. They struggle with some of the mental burden, and they're not thanked like I am. You know, they have some of those mental demons that are stronger than some of the ones I've -- you know, I did have them, but I was forced to deal with them and speak about them. And it really just desensitized me to what I had gone through and it helped me and forced me to get over it. And so many people are dealing with some battles that are invisible, and those injuries can be oftentimes much more severe.

TAPPER: Yes. Absolutely. Corporal Bleill, tell us about Corporal Hines.

BLEILL: Corporal Hines was -- he just always has smile on his face. He brings a smile to my face. He was just kind of life of -- really say the life of the party but is a light of the room. Anyone that was around him knew how infectious that just to be in him. He was a joker. But he was just a good, good guy. He would do anything for you.

And he was married. He had a small child right before we deployed. So, Riley (ph) was less than a year old when his father was killed. And, you know, I think about that every day because I get to grow up going to my kids' games and stuff and Riley didn't have that chance to have his dad at the baseball games, and Caryn, you know, to have her husband next to her. So, it's real sacrifice that hits me every day, but I know we remember this Monday on Memorial Day.

TAPPER: Yes, we remember today. Sergeant Tim Lang, Corporal Josh Bleill, thank you both for telling your stories and thank you both for your service, of course.

BLEILL: Thank you, sir.

LANG: Thank you.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BROWN: These heroes are hopping on their hearts today. Well, officials say the threat of a catastrophic explosion in California has been eliminated. But they are still warning about other serious dangers after a chemical tank cracked right outside of L.A. That's next.

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BROWN: In our "National Lead," an update to that volatile chemical tank in Southern California. As of now, the threat of a catastrophic vapor explosion has been greatly reduced. But officials warn the danger has not been entirely eliminated. Authorities have been working to cool the tank, which should prevent it from exploding. But if the tank isn't properly managed, it could still leak toxic material into the soil and the air, posing health risks. About 50,000 people received an evacuation warning at the end of last week, and officials say that warning there is still in effect.

And in our "National Lead," if you postpone your Memorial Day beach trip, you might have to wait a bit longer to catch some sun. Gray and rainy skies are in the forecast for much of this week with some locations at risk of flooding.

Derek Van Dam is in the "CNN Weather Center." So, Derek, what can we expect?

DEREK VAN DAM, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Pam, so many of our plans were spoiled by cool and damp weather over the eastern half of the country this weekend. And guess what? The extended holiday continues with our chance of rain and that lasts right through the better part of the work week as people return to work tomorrow.

We've got significant moisture. This is a very summertime atmosphere we're dealing with. And this is going to allow some of the areas that have already experienced rain to see multiple rounds of rain through the rest of the week.

You can see our rainfall accumulation. Across the deep south, two to four inches, locally higher amounts. These locations from Birmingham to Atlanta, even into Jacksonville, they could see this cycle of afternoon and evening thunderstorms developing, waning overnight, and then redeveloping through the course of the afternoon as the summertime sunshine helps heat the day.

Now, the extended outlook shows multiple days over the same locations with a successive rainfall risk. Check Atlanta to Birmingham. Going forward, you'll see how these locations have chances of at least some localized flash flooding right through the end of the work week and it continues from there as we head into the end of the month. And starting off early June, the extended outlook shows above average chances for rainfall across the southeast.

So, look at the temperatures. We've come off that cool weekend across the nation's capital. We've rebounded quite nicely, but it's still sticky, very humid across the East Coast. And then we skip to the West Coast and it's a different story. We cool things down as another system moves in along the West Coast. Pam?

BROWN: All right, Derek Van Dam, thanks so much. And coming up, we are talking lobster rolls on this unofficial start of summer.

Whether you like them cold with mayo or warm with butter, get ready to pay a whole lot more for the seafood special. We're digging into why up next.

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[17:34:34]

BROWN: And our Money Lead, rising fuel costs aren't just affecting Memorial Day travel. The high cost of diesel is clawing at the affordability of a summer seafood favorite. Randi Kaye explains why the price of lobsters is red hot.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

RANDI KAYE, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: One more bite. Are you willing to shell out big bucks for a lobster roll?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: No, not today I'm not. That's why I got a seven dollar clam chowder instead.

KAYE (voice-over): Lobster rolls are usually a popular summer item on the menu, but here in New England, some customers can't believe how expensive they are now.

[17:35:06]

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The great thing was that it was given to me.

KAYE: If you had to pay for it, upwards of $40 a lobster roll. Is it worth it?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Is it that? Is it that? Wow.

KAYE: Maine's lobster supply has been dwindling for years. And last year, according to Maine's Department of Marine Resources, they saw the lowest supply of lobster since 2008. All of that drives prices up.

PAUL BARKER, OWNER, PAULI'S: I remember when Lobster rolls was 16, 1799. At some places in the city, we're at $50. It just blows my mind.

KAYE (voice-over): Restaurant owners here say they are dealing with soaring wholesale prices and rising labor costs. And the price of catching a lobster has also put a squeeze on supply.

KAYE: In Maine, where about 80 percent of the country's lobster comes from diesel fuel prices are up 52 percent over this time last year, according to AAA. So for lobster fishermen, they have a decision to make. Do they really want to go offshore and burn that much expensive fuel in search of a lobster?

Oh, my goodness. I have never seen a lobster roll like this.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's fantastic. And you can see this is big chunks of lost. This is the lobstitution.

KAYE: The lobstitution.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Exactly.

KAYE: How much lobster is in the lobstitution?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You get almost a pound and a half of lobster right there.

KAYE: Oh, my gosh.

STEVE BARRESI, WULF'S SEAFOOD SUPPLY: Fuel costs are so high. Bait is so high. Labor is so high. Maintenance of their traps is so high. So by the time they get out, they're already in the red. Live lobsters are up around $2 a pound compared to last year, which translates to the higher meat prices.

KAYE: Which translates to more expensive lobster rolls.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: More expensive lobster rolls.

JEREMY SEWALL, CHEF, ROW 34: It definitely impacted us this winter, and it just drove the cost through the roof.

KAYE (voice-over): At Row 34 in the Boston Seaport, Chef Jeremy Sewall says they serve about 200 lobster rolls a day in the summer months.

SEWALL: This is our warm butter lobster roll, which is our by far our most popular lobster roll. So it's just warmed up in whole butter and stuffed into a toasted bun.

KAYE: Oh, my gosh. What do these go for?

SEWALL: Well, currently they're on the menu for $48.

KAYE: Does a higher cost change your mind about ordering lobster roll?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Not in this case, because it's a special treat, so I'm OK with it.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I have to pay for gas, but I also would love to eat a lobster roll.

KAYE: It's a tough choice.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It is.

KAYE: In an economy like this, people may be choosing between a delicious lobster roll and filling their tank.

SEWALL: Yes. And I would say go half a tank and come have a lobster roll.

KAYE (voice-over): Randi Kaye, CNN, Boston.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BROWN: And our thanks to Randi for that report. And that really made me want a lobster roll. I don't know about you guys. All right, let's turn to what's happening in Texas.

Voters head to the polls there tomorrow after an expensive and ugly primary runoff between two Republicans. So who will secure the nomination? We are live on the campaign next.

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[17:42:14]

BROWN: And our Politics Lead, Texas Republicans head to the polls tomorrow to weigh in on the high stakes showdown between incumbent four term Senator John Cornyn and Attorney General Ken Paxton. Yesterday, President Trump promoted his recent endorsement in the race posting quote, Texas, remember, Ken Paxton was a great attorney general, probably the best in the country. He was also very loyal to your favorite president, me.

Ken's opponent was very disloyal to me as president. Vote for Ken Paxton on Tuesday. He will never let you down.

CNN's Arlette Saenz is live in McKinney, Texas, just outside of Dallas. Arlette, you've been talking with a lot of Texas Republicans in how is Trump's endorsement impacting undecided voters there?

ARLETTE SAENZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Pamela, Republican voters here in Texas are set to deliver their final verdict in this showdown between Senator John Cornyn and Attorney General Ken Paxton. Cornyn is fighting for his political survival, trying to hold on to the seat that he's held since 2002. But President Donald Trump's endorsement of Ken Paxton just last week is weighing heavily on a lot of voters' minds here in Texas.

Now, Cornyn has argued that he believes Texas Republican voters are independent thinkers, that they will be able to make up their own mind. But there are some who have said that they would be swayed by what the president has had to say, while others have told us that they're sticking with John Cornyn. But there is here -- take a listen to one undecided voter that we spoke with a bit earlier today who is still making up her mind one day before the runoff.

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CYNDEE BALDWIN, UNIDECIDED VOTER: There's some things on Cornyn that I really like, but then there's some things on Paxton that I like. And then I'm trying to discern between the lies that are being told on both sides and the truths that are being told on both sides.

I was a little shocked, to be honest with you, because I felt like Cornyn was a little bit more reserved than Paxton might have been. I'm trying really hard not to let the personal side of things filter what I'm going to do or filter my decision. So that's kind of the issue that I'm having right now.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SAENZ: Now, this is a race that has roiled the Republican Party, not just in Texas, but also on the national level. There have been many GOP senators who have expressed frustration with the president's decision to endorse Paxton over Cornyn. Cornyn has argued that Paxton has a lot of personal and political baggage that could drag down not just him, but the ticket here in Texas in November. But Paxton has survived a lot of those personal and political scandals here.

[17:45:00]

So question is whether Republican primary voters will side with him as they decide who to send to face off against James Talarico, the Democratic nominee in November.

BROWN: All right, Arlette Saenz in Texas for us. Thanks so much. So let's discuss with us in the studio here is Meghan Hays Hayes and Rosemary Becchi. Thank you, ladies for coming on. Rosemary, I want to start with you on just what Arlette laid out there. So far we have seen Republican primary voters have shown that you don't want to be on the wrong side of Trump's endorsements, which, as we've seen, unseated Senator Bill Cassidy and Congressman Thomas Massie.

Listen to what Senator Cornyn said about Trump's endorsement of his opponent in Texas.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. JOHN CORYNYN (R-TX): Well, my situation is different. President Trump has called me a friend and a good man. Well, I don't know how much more with him I could be than 99.3 percent of the time. I can't interpret what's in the president's mind. But I have been a support -- supportive of him because I want him to be successful.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BROWN: So what do you think? Is the situation in Texas different than what we saw with Cassidy and Massie? ROSEMARY BECCHI, FORMER V.P. FOR GOVERNMENT RELATIONS CITIGROUP AND FIDELITY: I don't know at the end of the day that this is actually going to be different. Right. As we go into the primary election, typically the voters that turn out in a primary are your, your very committed voters. Right. And they're typically the ones that show up for or four out of four elections or three out of four elections.

And so the president's endorsement is probably going to matter quite a bit in this race. And so I don't know that it is different. Right. I think that you are likely going to see the same result because the voters are really going to look to President Trump as they go out and vote tomorrow.

BROWN: We've seen it historically. We'll see if it happens in Texas. Here, Senator Cornyn's pitch to Texas Republicans last night on Fox.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CORNYN: Ken Paxton, as you know, is a flawed candidate. He's got scandal that follows him everywhere. And I think Paxton could not only -- might not only lose the Senate seat, but be the reason why we lose congressional seats. So this really isn't just about me. This is about the Republican Party.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BROWN: What do you say to that argument, Megan? That if Paxton wins, it could create a bigger opening for Democrats?

MEGHAN HAYS, FORMER BIDEN WHITE HOUSE DIRECTOR OF MESSAGE PLANNING: Yes. He is absolutely not wrong. The Republican Party in Texas is melting down. They can't raise money. They know Paxton's not going to be able to raise money. You have Greg Abbott out there soliciting underage photos of Gina Hinojosa, who's his opponent running for governor in her swimsuit. I mean, it's just like completely melting down. And it will -- he's 100 percent right is going to impact the down ballot ticket here.

And it's just so interesting because Paxton, he's not a good candidate. And I don't understand why Trump is putting himself in this situation that they could lose a seat and have to put money in Texas, that they could be spending in Maine, Alaska, North Carolina, Iowa, all these other battleground states that Democrats are going to be really competitive in. And he has -- they could lose the Senate. And this is a reason why, bTrump only cares about Trump. He doesn't care necessarily about these members or even at the governor's race.

BROWN: I mean, it's a test of loyalty. He said it himself.

BECCHI: Absolutely, absolutely. And again, I think that what we're seeing in some of the polls in Texas is that those voters that were going to vote for Cornyn will turn out and vote for Paxton. So, you know, I do think it's -- it's about making sure that, you know, voters turn out and the most loyal ones will likely turn out.

BROWN: And no matter who wins tomorrow's compared to primary runoff, we are getting a bit of a preview of the general election matchup. Here's how one recent attack ad from a super PAC supporting Paxton is going after the Democratic nominee, James Talarico.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JAMES TALARICO, DEMOCRATIC NOMINEE IN THE 2026 U.S. SENATE ELECTION IN TEXAS: God is nonbinary. It is now existential that we try to reduce our meat consumption. The American flag is such a complicated symbol for most of us. Prophetic voices like Jesus have helped me reckon with my own whiteness, my own masculinity.

DONALD TRUMP, U.S. PRESIDENT: The Democrats have a weird, a weird candidate.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Low-T Talarico to week for Texas.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BROWN: And Talarico or Paxton is also hitting Talarico for claiming he's a vegan, to which Talarico campaign responded with this image of him you can see taking a bite out of a turkey leg. Democrats say they're cautiously optimistic about running against Paxton. But how concerned should Democrats be about defending some of those past comments from Talarico in a ruby red state like Texas?

HAYS: I just think that people care that their prices are really high and they can't afford things. Texas ranks last in health care. Their children rank last in health care. That is a problem. That is a massive state that should not have those sort of statistics. And if they're worried that he's a vegan or he said something, I think that Republicans are going to learn that a cultural war doesn't work when you guys are the ones in power and you're the one that inflation is high.

We're fighting a war that nobody wants to be in, which is impacting gas prices. People can't afford energy in Texas, which is a huge issue.

[17:50:00]

So you can have these cultural arguments, but what really matters is people want money in their bank account and want to be able to afford gas, and they can't do that right now because of Trump and because of Republicans. And this is how you lose in ruby red states with a Democrat.

BROWN: How do you see it?

BECCHI: I do think that this is all about electing somebody that shares people's values and chairs Texas values. And so I think that that's what this will turn in. But I don't disagree that a lot of this is going to turn on the affordability issue. Right. Looking at gas prices, looking at housing, health care, things like that.

And so at the end of the day, when we get to the general election, those are the issues that are really going to matter here. BROWN: And help us understand just your point about the rising gas prices and affordability. A majority of Americans polls show, are not happy with where things stand. I mean, but President Trump has always had his committed base. Help us understand why the voters, like you were saying in Texas, those Republican primary voters will stick behind Trump's candidate, even though they, they're unhappy perhaps with the way the economy is right now.

BECCHI: I think they'll stick with President Trump and with whoever the nominee is because they think that President Trump has a better solution, has a better way about addressing the affordability issue. Right. That the America first agenda will ultimately prevail and ultimately lower costs, it'll continue to rein in inflation, that ultimately gas prices will eventually go down when the war is resolved and things like that.

So I think that it'll turn on some of those issues in terms of who has a better solution for the future.

BROWN: And we just heard James Talarico and some of the things he was focused on. And that was played in that clip. Right. God is non- binary. It is essential that we try to reduce our meat consumption. The American flag is such a complicated symbol for most of us.

You know, I know you're saying that people are going to vote on the economy and not on culture wars, but do you think James Talarico has been focused enough on the affordability message?

HAYS: Yes, absolutely. I mean, I think that he's been out there. Those, I mean, those clips are from years ago. Those aren't -- these aren't things that he's been out on the campaign trail talking about. He ran a competitive primary against Jasmine Crockett. He's going in to every corner of Texas. As you know, we used to go to camp in Texas. I know.

So you're -- you're familiar with how large it is and how diverse the state is, and I think that you have to meet people where they are, and I think he's doing that.

BROWN: All right, thank you both. Appreciate it. Coming up, meet the brave Coast Guard crew behind a daring rescue in a cave along the California coast.

(COMMERCICAL BREAK)

[17:56:53]

TAPPER: In our National Lead, never before seen footage shows a daring rescue near Santa Cruz, California to save a group trapped in a cave. One exit out led to a bluff too steep to climb safely. High waters blocked another exit, but three people in the group could not swim.

The emergency led local firefighters, patrol crews, even the Coast Guard to respond. After some careful maneuvering, crews managed to save all eight people trapped in the cave. Let's bring in the heroes, the rescue team from the Coast Guard. Thank you so much for being with us. Thomas Sizer, Let me start with you first.

You weren't actually on duty when the emergency call came in. When did you know something was going wrong?

THOMAS SIZER, AVIATION SURVIVAL TECHNICIAN 2ND CLASS, U.S. COAST GUARD: I've got a firefighter friend who was listening to his scanner and he informed me and that was, oh man, that was pretty soon after it happened. So I called the aircraft commander, Lieutenant Straits, and as I'm actively throwing my wetsuit on and grabbing some fins and headed to the scene and I knew we'd be a good asset for this.

And yes, I wanted to make sure that if there were, if there was a need for us, that we'd be there ready to help the other professional agencies on scene.

TAPPER: Quite fortuitous that you're hanging out with a firefighter friend. Christopher Bernard, three of those trapped inside did not know how to swim and that must have complicated the mission quite a bit.

CHRISTOPHER BERNARD, AVIATION SURVIVAL TECHNICIAN 2ND CLASS, U.S. COAST GUARD: Yes, fortunately they were kind of trapped on an open beach area, part of that cove. So they weren't able to exit through the cave to get out. But luckily there was enough area there for us to be able to conduct that voice off the beach.

TAPPER: Josh Straits, how different is a cave rescue from an open water rescue? I would think it would maybe even be much more dangerous.

JOSH STRAITS, PILOT, U.S. COAST GUARD: Oh yes, lots of things at play, a lot of hazards that aren't always known. Every case different. We do training at our advanced helicopter rescue school, so our rescue swimmers get to do that every three years. So we do have some techniques that make it a little safer. So, we were prepared to do that if necessary, but thankfully we weren't required to do that unless we could recover them from the beach.

TAPPER: Justin Kessinger, what advice do you have for people who are out this summer to avoid being trapped in such a dangerous situation?

JUSTIN KESSINGER, AVIATION MAINTENANCE TECHNICIAN 3RD CLASS, U.S. COAST GUARD: I would say let people know where you are and make sure that you always have another friend with you. Check what the weather's doing, check what the tide's doing, making sure that you all are safe and know when sunset comes so it can be daylight out and more people.

TAPPER: Yes, I might add, stay away from caves. Matthew Stickell, as I don't need to tell you, helicopters can be difficult to handle. What are some of the challenges you face during the rescue?

LT. MATTHEW STICKELL, PILOT, U.S. COAST GUARD: Main challenge definitely was nighttime is pretty dark. Definitely the wind was a factor for us, but luckily our partner agencies on scene have the scene pretty well illuminated for us.