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Sources Say, Trump Considering U.S. Military Strikes on Iran; GOP Hawks Clash With MAGA Isolationalists on Next Steps in Iran; Panthers Win Second Straight Stanley Cup. Aired 7-7:30a ET

Aired June 18, 2025 - 07:00   ET

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

[07:00:00]

JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: Happening now, on the brink. Sources say President Trump is increasingly considering a strike inside Iran using weapons that only the U.S. can deliver or standing by for an update from the White House.

SARA SIDNER, CNN ANCHOR: Moments ago, Iran's supreme leader addressing his nation and giving a warning to the United States saying his nation will never surrender, as Iran and Israel both launch new waves of attacks overnight.

And a message from Amazon's CEO A.I. is here and soon your job may not be. Thousands could be out of work as automation takes over faster than anyone expected.

Kate Bolduan out today, I'm Sara Sidner with John Berman. This is CNN News Central.

BERMAN: We do have breaking news this morning. As Israel and Iran launched new attacks on each other, President Trump is weighing one of the biggest decisions of his presidency. Will he use U.S. military assets to strike Iran's nuclear facilities? Two officials tell CNN he is increasingly warming up to that idea.

The rhetoric on all sides is becoming increasingly combative. Just moments ago, Iran's supreme leader warning the U.S. not to interfere or it will lead to, quote, irreparable damage. He declared earlier, quote, the battle begins. That comes after the president threatened the ayatollah, saying he would be an easy target and demanding Iran's unconditional surrender.

The U.S. is already surging assets to the Middle East, sending a new aircraft carrier to the region. And sources tell CNN that the U.S. is also sending in more than 30 aerial tankers that could help refuel Israeli fighter jets carrying out strikes over Iran.

There are big questions this morning about who has the president's ear on all of this. Is it Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, whom he spoke with on Tuesday? Is it Republican hawks eager for regime change in Iran? Or is it the MAGA faithful whom the president promised during the campaign that he would keep the U.S. out of war? Let's get right to the White House where these discussions continue. CNN's Alayna Treene is there. What's the latest you're hearing this morning, Alayna?

ALAYNA TREENE, CNN WHITE HOUSE REPORTER: Well, just, John, to answer those three questions you just fired off about who has the presidency here, I can tell you it's all of them. He is talking to so many people, his close allies on Capitol Hill, Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu included. I mean, all of these different factions, he is listening to.

But I can tell you that, according to my conversations with these White House officials, the president is now closer than he has been yet to wanting to use military power to strike Iran and really move with Iran -- or, excuse me, move with Israel in a way that we have seen him so far hesitant to do.

And I have to say this is a major departure from where the president's posture has been over the past days. I would tell you just even leading up to before he abruptly ended his attendance at that G7 Summit in Canada, the president had been really trying to find some sort of diplomatic solution to try and end this conflict between Israel and Iran.

He had been considering, and we had this reporting that, you know, having conversations with his vice president, J.D. Vance, with his special envoy, Steve Witkoff, with Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Some of those conversations included considering wanting to send Vance and Witkoff to a mutually agreed upon area in the Middle East to meet with the Iranians and try to hash out a deal that would avoid escalating this further and having the U.S. get involved in a more -- you know, in an attack type of way rather than just from a defensive type of aid and effort in Israel.

I am told that is now on pause. That idea of wanting to send them the president has moved away from that and he is increasingly warming up to this idea of having the U.S. help in striking Iran's nuclear facilities and really aiding Israel's ultimate goal in trying to wipe out their nuclear capabilities.

Now, that is not official. I am told that the possibility of still trying to reach some sort of diplomatic resolution with the Iranians is still on the table. But in my conversations with these White House officials here in D.C. is essentially that they -- the president specifically, but these officials really want the Iranians be far more forthcoming and proactive and offering more specific concessions in order to get to that point.

[07:05:07]

As of now though, that is not necessarily what is happening, and you've heard the president now say publicly, I know he is telling his different allies and people close to him behind the scenes, that his patience is wearing thin. All of this really, you know, ratcheting up the tension that we've seen in that region and waiting to see what the president will ultimately do. John? BERMAN: I know you're there. I know you're talking to as many people as you can, trying to figure out which direction this is headed at.

Alayna Treene at the White House this morning, thank you very much. Sara?

SIDNER: All right. And here's what we're learning. It happened just moments ago. Iran's supreme leader addressed his nation, saying Iran will not surrender. He also directly responded to President Trump. Ayatollah Ali Khameini made this threat, let the Americans know that the Iranian nation is not one to surrender and any military intervention on their part will undoubtedly result in irreparable damage. His remarks coming just a day after President Trump called on Tehran to surrender unconditionally.

CNN's Nick Paton Walsh is in London. What more can you tell us about what the Iranian supreme leader is saying this morning to his nation, but clearly sending a message to the world and specifically the United States?

NICK PATON WALSH, CNN CHIEF INTERNATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: Yes, his second public comment since this conflict, this phase of the conflict began on Friday. And I should say, yes, while the rhetoric is fiery, it's not the most combustible language we've heard coming out of Iran and indeed the irreparable damage, he says that will be done. He doesn't necessarily say it'll be done to the United States bases, for example, in the region.

He doesn't, as far as we know at this point, appear to even mention President Trump by name. And also to the version we're seeing is a statement that's been read by a female anchor on state news broadcasting. So, an interesting set of nuances here, but the words themselves are, let the Americans know that the Iranian nation is not one to surrender, and any military intervention on their part will undoubtedly result in irreparable damage. Those who are wise and familiar with Iran, its people and its history, will never speak to this nation in the language of threats. And that, of course, comes after Trump himself suggested that Khamenei was an easy target and suggested they would hold off killing him for now and demanded unconditional surrender.

Now, I think many long-term observers of Iran would say to you, it's highly unlikely at any stage you would hear the ayatollah or anyone in his security circle accept the notion of unconditional surrender, and how, of course, will that even practically occur with Israeli jets in the sky. But this statement, I think, is -- it's clearly putting Iran in a position where it's not about to suddenly cut out to any specific American demand. It is clearly not looking publicly here or be beseeching America for some kind of. Diplomatic off ramp.

But you got to bear in mind too, Sara, the position and condition Iran is currently in. A significant part of its military and indeed nuclear scientists having been killed, that hierarchy gone disrupted, even the replacement chief of staff of the military killed in just the last 24, 48 hours. Khamenei himself clearly dealing with the most existential crisis indeed, of his career with the Natanz enrichment plant heavily damaged, according to U.N. inspectors speaking in the last 48 hours by these Israeli strikes.

And so they're now looking, I think, at their military arsenal. What indeed do they have left? As some experts we've been speaking to have suggested they have between 1,000 to 2,000 missiles that could hit Israel. They've possibly burned through 500, maybe 700 of those so far.

So, really, doubts as to how much they have left that could be used deterrent against Israel, period. And I think that will be dictating a lot of their choices going forward. They can't publicly give in, but there's not an awful lot potentially, as far as we know, they can do to deter the U.S. and Israel in the days and weeks ahead. Sara?

SIDNER: All right. Nic Robertson -- or, sorry, Nick Paton Walsh, thank you so much for all of your reporting there. This is the latest that is coming out of Iran and important information and messages being sent. John?

BERMAN: Yes, so important, I think really to carefully parse what the supreme leader said as well, which we'll try to do throughout the morning here.

Also this morning, quote, you do not know anything about Iran, new infighting among staunch allies of President Trump as he weighs a response. We've got all this new reporting on the movements of U.S. military equipment to the Middle East, the tanker aircraft, the warships on the way, what that all means.

And we're also standing by for a verdict in the murder retrial of Karen Read, the woman accused of killing her police officer boyfriend, the new questions from the jury that could signal which way they're leaning.

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SIDNER: This morning, we're seeing an internal fracture within the GOP emerging into the open as President Trump contemplates what to do about Iran and weather to join the war militarily. Some Republican lawmakers, like Senator Lindsey Graham, urging the president to, quote, all-in to keep Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon. Then there are the MAGA isolationists. like Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene, she's making a plea for Trump to stay out and focus on America first.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TUCKER CARLSON, HOST, THE TUCKER CARLSON SHOW: How many people live in, around, by the way?

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SEN. TED CRUZ (R-TX): I don't know the population.

CARLSON: At all?

CRUZ: No, I don't know the population.

CARLSON: You don't know the population of the country you seek to topple?

What's the ethnic mix of Iran?

CRUZ: They are Persians and predominantly Shia. Okay, this is --

CARLSON: No, it's not even -- you don't know anything about Iran. So, actually the country --

CRUZ: Okay. I am not the Tucker Carlson expert on Iran.

CARLSON: You're a senator who's calling the overthrow of the government. You don't know anything about the country.

CRUZ: No. You don't know anything about the country.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SIDNER: CNN Senior Reporter Annie Grayer joining me now with much more on this. That was an extremely testy exchange there. Clearly, Tucker Carlson saying, you know, the United States should stay out of the war, and he does still have some sway in MAGA world. How is this playing out on both sides of the GOP aisle, if you will, right now, as Trump has been weighing on what to do next? What is he hearing from either side?

ANNIE GRAYER, CNN SENIOR REPORTER: Well, Sara, Republicans are divided on what to do about Iran and it's showing broader divisions of on how Republicans handle foreign policy. And President Trump is caught in the middle of it. He is hearing from all factions of his party members, are directly making their case to the president. And at this point it's still unclear which side of his party he's ultimately going to lean towards.

But you have defense hawks, like Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, who you mentioned, who spoke with the president recently about making his case that the administration should go all-in on eliminating any nuclear capabilities in Iran. Let's take a listen to what Senator Graham had to say.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. LINDSEY GRAHAM (R-SC): Iran with a nuclear weapon is a threat not only to Israel, but to us, and four presidents have promised to make sure that Iran never had a nuclear weapon. I think it will be Donald Trump who delivers on that promise.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GRAYER: And then on the other side of the party, you have isolationists, right-wing Republicans, like Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene, who's been messaging with the president telling him to stay out of another foreign war. She told CNN in our reporting, quote, we have all been very vocal for days now urging, let's be America first. Let's stay out.

So, the question is going to be, Sara, ultimately, which side of the party Trump sides with, but Congress also has a potential role to play here. They could pass a foreign powers act that would require the president to get authority from Congress in order to take any military action. But that is still days away and that could put Republicans in another uncomfortable position depending on what the President decides here.

SIDNER: Yes. We will see whether or not that happens and how this all plays out moment to moment. Things have been changing, messages being sent from Iran and from Israel at the same time. He's juggling that as well.

Thank you so much, Annie Grayer, I appreciate your reporting there from D.C. We are following developments, of course, in the Middle East and from the White House all morning, and we'll bring you the latest updates as soon as we get them.

Also overnight, the family of a Minnesota lawmaker who was shot and killed by a mass attacker now speaking out. Their message to the country, ahead.

And Amazon warning its employees about artificial intelligence and how that could mean a smaller workforce in the very near future.

Those stories and more ahead.

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BERMAN: Back to back. Nothing says hockey like Florida.

Let's get right to CNN's Coy Wire, and we have new slash old Stanley Cup champions, Coy.

COY WIRE, CNN SPORTS ANCHOR: Yes, John. Between the Panthers and the Tampa Bay Lightning, the state of Florida, known for its ice, has now won four of the last six Stanley Cups.

Sam Reinhart was the bell cow for Florida in game six, scoring four goals, John. That's a hat trick with a feather in the cap. First player with four goals in the Stanley Cup final game since 1957. Sam Bennett earned the Conn Smythe trophy, MVP of the playoffs. Captain Aleksander Barkov got to skate the Stanley to his Panthers.

Long quiet hike flight home for Edmonton, John. Hopes of bringing candidates first title in more than 30 years. But losing in back-to- back years to the Panthers, my wife has like five Stanleys at home, not as easy to -- not as difficult to get as this one though. One of their stars, Brad Marchand, said that this was extra special knowing that they took everyone's best shot all season long.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) BRAD MARCHAND, FLORIDA PANTHERS WINGER: It's a feeling you can't really describe. And, you know, seeing the family and everyone up there and everyone that supported me and help me get to this point it's -- there's nothing -- words can't put this into reality how great it feels and such an incredible group.

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WIRE: Now, no fights in the Stanley Cup final, WNBA says, hold my beer. Connecticut's Jacy Sheldon swipes towards the face of Caitlin Clark, hit her in the eye. Then Marina Mabrey blindsides are, sending her flying to the court. Three technicals assessed, a flagrant 1, but no ejections, John.

In the fourth, an in-your-face three-pointer from Caitlin, right in the eye of Jacy Sheldon. Clark turned to the home crowd with a 20- point lead letting them know she's not going to back down from anyone anywhere, anytime.

But watch this. Final seconds of the game, this happens. Sophie Cunningham with a hard foul on Sheldon, and there is a whole bunch of pushing and shoving. Cunningham, Sheldon and Lindsay Allen all ejected this time. This game felt like a Pistons-Bulls throwback.

Clark finishing with 20. In an 88-71 win, coach said, Cunningham was sticking up for her teammate and then she put the officials on blast.

[07:25:05]

Listen to this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

STEPHANIE WHITE, INDIANA FEVER HEAD COACH: Everybody's getting better except the officials, so we got to find a way to remedy it.

CAITLIN CLARK, INDIANA FEVER GUARD: I mean, you guys came for basketball. Let's talk about basketball. Come on now.

REPORTER: What did you think of just how you all were able to pull in the second half, Caitlin, in particular --

CLARK: Going to the Commissioner Cup Championship.

WHITE: Let's go.

CLARK: That's pretty exciting. You all want to talk about that? Let's talk about that.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WIRE: They will play Minnesota in the Commissioner's Cup Championship. And Indiana and Connecticut. John, they play each other two more times this season, one of them in Boston at the T.D. Garden. So, I ask what you will be doing on that day. because I might just have to come up and see you. BERMAN: I may be available, I'll tell you. I mean, you love to see the passion, but they're not wrong. I mean, the idea that that whole thing happened there, you know, Caitlin Clark getting knocked down, getting swiped, no technicals there, not wrong. The officials got to start calling these games.

WIRE: That's right. Even the commentators during the game said they should have nipped that in the bud before things really got out of control. John?

BERMAN: All right, great to see you, great basketball, great hockey as well. Congratulations to Boston's Brad Marchand.

All right, this morning we are standing by for a critical decision from the president as the United States military's assets are being moved to the Middle East.

And a new report released this morning by house Democrats claims President Trump's sweeping federal pardons may have wiped out $1.3 billion in funds that would've gone to taxpayers.

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