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Sources: Secret Diplomatic Push To Restart Iran Talks; Trump Says He Will Name "Shadow" Fed Chair "Very Soon"; Bezos Wedding Underway With Celebrities; Protesters. Aired 7:30-8a ET

Aired June 27, 2025 - 07:30   ET

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

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[07:31:20]

SARA SIDNER, CNN ANCHOR: Just how much damage did U.S. strikes on Iran's nuclear sites truly do? This morning House lawmakers will receive their classified briefings on the strikes after it was delayed earlier this week. Yesterday, senators emerged from their briefing divided, largely along party lines.

And CNN has exclusive reporting that the U.S. has secretly been trying to get Iran back to the negotiating table before and after those strikes.

Joining me now is CNN global affairs commentator Sabrina Singh. Thank you so much for being here.

I want to talk about this new reporting that we're -- we've gotten from our reporters here at CNN. Several sources saying that the Trump administration has discussed possibly helping Iran access as much as $30 billion to build a civilian-energy-producing nuclear program, easing sanctions, and freeing up billions of dollars in restricted Iranian funds to get Iran back to the negotiating table.

And I'm curious because of your tenure at the Pentagon is this similar to the deal President Obama cut with Iran back in 2015 that halted, at the time, Iran's push towards a nuclear weapon.

SABRINA SINGH, CNN GLOBAL AFFAIRS COMMENTATOR, FORMER DEPUTY PENTAGON PRESS SECRETARY (via Webex by Cisco): There are similar contours to what the president -- President Obama had originally proposed and what was ultimately signed in that first nuclear deal that ultimately the Trump administration pulled out of.

There was some concessions when it came to, of course, lifting sanctions. And, of course, that deal limited the enriched uranium that Iran was being able to produce at that time. Now, since that first -- the first Trump administration pulled the United States out of that deal Iran has, of course, sped ahead and continued to enrich uranium levels.

And so the deal that is now being proposed -- that's on the table -- is very similar to the deal that was proposed before the United States conducted those strikes over the weekend on those three nuclear facilities.

I think the big thing here that I'm watching is before those strikes and, you know, the rhetoric that we've heard out of Iran is that they are drawing the line. They have a red line when it comes to enriched uranium.

They want to keep continuing to do that but now they are in such a different and weakened state, economically and militarily. And, of course, their air defenses have been taken out -- that this might be a little bit of the United States saying OK, let's check your bluff and let's see what you're willing to negotiate on right now.

SIDNER: I want to ask you a little bit deeper on that question. Iran's supreme leader has come out and spoke for the first time since the U.S. strikes saying that Iran's succeeded in destroying the enemy's capabilities -- not true. He also said U.S. strikes in Iran were not much more than, as he put it, Trump's "showmanship." He's speaking as if nothing has changed in Iran. We know that it has.

But no matter how much damage the nuclear facilities have isn't Iran really between a rock and a hard place at this point in time knowing that the threat of more strikes is still there?

SINGH: I think absolutely, and you characterized that accurately.

Iran is definitely in between a rock and a hard place. I think their senior leadership knows that. But at the end of the day they are going to have message to their people a position of strength. And so you're seeing some of that propaganda being messaged to the Iranian people to show, you know, that the United States didn't have any effect on our capabilities.

But we know the reality and the reality is that Israel really does control the skies over Tehran and that is a huge blow to the Iranian regime. And so I think that they really have to consider the fact that a majority of their air defenses have been wiped out by the Israeli military. And, of course, their nuclear facilities have been, you know -- I would say deeply destroyed or damaged while they're going to continue to message and use these propaganda talking points.

[07:35:15]

I think within the Iranian regime and certainly within the senior leadership ranks -- they know that they're going to have to come to the table with something.

SIDNER: Should anyone be making a determination as to exactly what happened, whether it's President Trump saying obliterated or you have Democrats saying that they don't think that it's as much damage that has been made? Should anyone be making these statements because they are just learning from the preliminary intelligence?

SINGH: You know, certainly, no. I think part of gathering intelligence is to knit together a picture of how successful these strikes are. And that DIA assessment that came out a few days ago was an initial assessment. And that is what is going to continue to build. The intelligence community is going to continue to use signals intelligence, human intelligence to get a better picture of how successful these strikes are.

Now, of course, the DIA's assessment was leaked and that -- and that has, of course, been a point of friction with this administration and others. But I think that the reality at the end of the day and hearing from the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs -- these strikes were a huge success. I don't think you can just dismiss that.

SIDNER: Yeah.

SINGH: Our military conducted an incredible operation. There was damage to these facilities, but how much damage I think remains to be seen, and that's why this battle damage assessment is going to be ongoing for a while.

SIDNER: Yeah. The question is over the degree of success that -- for the U.S. that happened in Iran.

Thank you so much, Sabrina Singh. I really appreciate you -- Kate.

KATE BOLDUAN, CNN ANCHOR: Also new this morning President Trump has attacked Fed chairman Jerome Powell for months now blaming him for all sorts of things -- angry the central bank isn't cutting interest rates on his demand. Now the president is saying that he is going to announce Powell's successor, in his words, "very soon." Powell still has 11 months on the term.

CNN's Matt Egan joins us now. The important part about this is this announcement coming very soon has a lot of people talking about the possibility of a shadow Fed going into place. Explain.

MATT EGAN, CNN SENIOR REPORTER: Yeah, Kate.

Look, the president is so frustrated with Jerome Powell that he could so something extraordinary to undermine him. As you mentioned, he said that he could announce a replacement for Jerome Powell soon. The Wall Street Journal says as soon as this summer. But to your point, the problem here is that Powell's term doesn't end until next May. In this news cycle that's like a decade from now.

Now, this would echo a plan that Scott Bessent floated last year before he became treasury secretary to name a replacement to Powell so early in the cycle that they essentially become a shadow Fed chair waiting in the wings. A counterpoint to the existing Fed chair.

Now, this is something that would be unprecedented in the Fed's 111- year history. And former Fed officials and economists -- they tell CNN that this is something that could really backfire because it would just add to the uncertainty --

BOLDUAN: I was going to say, like, if we -- if we live in a world that doesn't like uncertainty when it comes to -- comes to the economy --

EGAN: Exactly, right? This would just make it even more uncertain. Alan Blinder, who served as the number two Fed official at the -- at

the Fed back in the '90s, he told me that this is "...an absolutely horrible idea." He said, "If they're not singing from the same playbook, which seems likely, this is just going to cause confusion in the markets."

And, of course, there would be confusion, right? Essentially, you'd have two Fed chairs at the exact same time -- both of them nominated by Trump. One he despises; one he loves. It would be very, very chaotic.

It would almost be like imagine if in the middle of an NFL season the team's owner says OK, the existing head coach will be replaced next year, and they name the successor. And that guy just starts calling plays, right? Players wouldn't know who to listen to.

Now, just to remind everyone about why they're confused -- why the president is so upset with the Fed it's because of interest rates, right? On the left side of this chart this is where rates where during Trump's first term, right? They were very low.

Obviously, the Fed had to spike interest rates to get inflation under control. The president is frustrated that rates remain high. Of course, that is because the Fed is concerned about the president's tariffs and they're worried that all of these tariffs are going to eventually drive up inflation.

BOLDUAN: Which also means the reality of him saying there is no inflation, and the reality is that --

EGAN: There is inflation, but it has come down, and that's why the president is frustrated.

BOLDUAN: It's good to see you.

EGAN: Thanks, Kate.

BOLDUAN: Thank you.

Let's have a shadow anchor of the show. Is that when we get a break? Matt Egan, shadow anchor at CNN NEWS CENTRAL.

EGAN: Yeah, yeah.

BOLDUAN: What do you say, Matt? Would like you --

EGAN: Sure.

BOLDUAN: -- to toss to Sara?

EGAN: Sara.

SIDNER: That was excellent. We'll take it. That's right.

[07:40:00] The lavish wedding celebration of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and former journalist Lauren Sanchez is well underway in Venice this morning with a steady flow of A-list celebrities arriving there, including Kim Kardashian, Leonardo DiCaprio, Tom Brady, and Oprah to celebrate the couple. And while some locals support the wedding many more protesters have voiced their criticism of the billionaire's takeover of the iconic Italian city.

Joining me now from Venice is CNN's Melissa Bell. Uh, wow. That is just a beautiful shot and the reason why they are there obviously.

MELISSA BELL, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Wow.

SIDNER: I mean, just wow. What are you seeing?

BELL: Exactly, right? I mean, I have had far less comfortable and glamorous assignments than this one, Sara, I can tell you. Here we are in Venice on another scorching day -- day two of the Bezos-Sanchez extravaganza.

Just across the water from me there you can see San Giorgio Island and that we believe is where the couple will tie the knot later today.

What we saw yesterday, again, another sizzling day -- 90-degree heat here in Venice. It may be a beautiful location, but these are not easy conditions.

Yesterday the glitterati arrived. Two hundred-250 guests we estimate began to arrive on their water taxis for that opening event that was held in one of the quieter corners of the city, Madonna dell'Orto Church. Clearly, a lot of security. They closed off parts of the canal to allow the guests to get from their luxury hotels to the venue.

Then the heavens opened. Many of them making their way back through a quite spectacular rainstorm and thunderstorm. But this morning again the heat is back.

We don't have many details of exactly where the guests are going to be around lunchtime or what the couple has planned. In fact, they've kept so many of the details of this weekend secret, not just to keep us away from as much of it as they can but, of course, the protesters. We expect more of them over the course of the day and, of course, tomorrow -- the big day, which will be the final day of events. We expect one of the biggest protests when protesters will go from the train station to the town center.

Still, whilst there have been several protests in the run-up and over the course of the last couple of days, nothing has gotten in the way, so far, of the events that were planned, and we expect that to continue again, in great pomp, just opposite, at about 6:00 p.m. local tonight, Sara.

SIDNER: Melissa Bell, grazie for that beautiful view. We all want to be you today. I really appreciate it.

All right. Still ahead we're expecting a blockbuster day at the Supreme Court. Major cases still left to be decided, including birthright citizenship and age checks for adult websites.

Plus, dramatic dashcam video. A semi-truck slamming into an electrical worker. By the way, he's OK. What helped save his life.

Those stores and more ahead.

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[07:47:00]

BOLDUAN: President Trump's massive tax and spending bill that he now calls the ultimate codification of his agenda is facing a new and real setback this morning.

The top rules official in the Senate, known as the parliamentarian, and analyzes legislation passing through the chamber -- well, stepped in and said some of this doesn't work because of the fast-track method that the Republicans are trying to use with this mega bill. It comes with strings attached to avoid a Democratic filibuster. And this parliamentarian says some of the provisions violate budget rules, including a key provision that would make cuts to Medicaid.

All told, this could mean hundreds of billions of dollars in the spending cuts in the bill would be eliminated from the bill -- a bill that's already on shaky ground with a handful of Senate Republicans who are needed to get this over the finish line.

Still, here was Trump yesterday.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, (R) PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I shouldn't say this, but we don't want to have grandstanders where one or two people raise their -- for we are -- we vote no. And they do it to grandstand -- that's all. Not good people. They know who I am -- who I'm talking about. I call them out. But we don't need grandstanders.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BOLDUAN: Just in to CNN, President Trump, we've learned, will be staying in Washington this weekend -- a rare move for the president -- to put -- continue to put pressure on Senate Republicans to pass the bill by the July 4 deadline that he has imposed.

Joining us right now is CNN political commentator and former Trump campaign adviser David Urban. And Matt Bennett, a Democratic strategist and former official in the Clinton administration. It's really good to see, guys.

David, Politico called it "one big beautiful mess" this morning. If hundreds of billions in spending cuts needs to be now cut out of the bill or replaced with other cuts in some other way, how do Republicans make the case that this is thought through, carefully analyzed -- all the things -- and contains a good deal?

DAVID URBAN, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR, FORMER TRUMP CAMPAIGN ADVISER (via Webex by Cisco): Well Kate, I think -- I think that's where they got to -- that's how they got to where they are today by thinking it through and looking at all of these provisions.

As you highlighted, the Senate parliamentarian looked at it very closely to make sure that it didn't violate the Byrd Rule, right, on legislating on a spending bill.

And so every single piece of this bill has been thought about and that's why we are today where we are in terms of many of these senators not even wanting to vote -- not wanting to vote for the overall package because they have issues with different pieces. The Medicaid provider tax on some and the revenge tax on others leaves a big hole in the -- in the -- in the budget.

So I think the president is going to get his bill, I just don't think it's going to happen before the July 4 recess. I do think, however, they will get this done. I think they're going to have to do some more arm-twisting and some more negotiating, and some more debating on these different provisions, but I think they'll get it done. Getting it done by, you know, over the weekend is going to be very, very difficult just because of the amount of issues to get resolved in the -- in the short period of time.

[07:50:00]

BOLDUAN: Yeah.

URBAN: But I do think he'll get it done.

BOLDUAN: David Urban with a much-needed slice of reality check when it comes to this deadline.

And just to reiterate for everyone there's no -- there was no reason for July 4 other than Donald Trump wanted it. And look, a self-imposed deadline when it comes to Congress sometimes is needed.

URBAN: Well, Kate, I was -- Kate --

BOLDUAN: Go ahead, David.

URBAN: I was saying the only reason he used July 4 is that's the only way to get the Congress to act on many things, right? You've got to back it up against the holiday where people want to go home and visit their families and constituencies. And so if you don't back it up against a major holiday like this, the House and Senate continue to churn forever it seems.

So this is done quite frequently in the -- in the Congress. You put a big bill against a backdrop of a recess where people want to go home and go on and see their families. So July 4. The next one will be August -- the recess will be coming up and that's when the X date will be -- will be there as well in terms of the debt ceiling.

So I've always said this bill is going to pass but I think it passes in -- before the August recess, not before July. BOLDUAN: Matt, the parliamentarian has frustrated majorities of both

parties for -- throughout the years, of course, in trying to move legislation forward.

As Republicans try to figure this out amongst themselves what do you see in this roadblock?

MATT BENNETT, EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS AND CO- FOUNDER, THIRD WAY, DEMOCRATIC STRATEGIST, FORMER WHITE HOUSE DEPUTY ASSISTANT, CLINTON ADMINISTRATION (via Webex by Cisco): Well, what this -- as you said, it's a very familiar place for both parties.

I well remember Democratic frustration with this same parliamentarian, Elizabeth MacDonough, when Democrats were trying to legislate a single-party bill -- the Inflation Reduction Act, which was the big climate bill under Biden -- and a bunch of things that we wanted in there came out because they didn't comport with the rules.

I don't -- I think David is probably right that they're not going to get it done by July 4, but Trump has such control over this party that I would guess that they do get this bill across the finish line.

But I think the important thing here is what's in it. What remains in it even after the Byrd bath. And what remains is very, very bad for America and ultimately is going to be very bad for Republicans. They are going throw 12 million people off their health care to give a gigantic tax cut to wealthy people.

The poorest Americans are going to see their overall income cut by four percent, by $1,600, and the wealthy are going to get a giant tax cut. The middle class basically get nothing but $500 a year -- less than one percent of their income.

So this is bad politics and it is bad policy. And, you know, I think Republicans probably should take this time to reflect on whether this is where they want to go.

BOLDUAN: David, one aspect of the Iran situation that I wanted to ask you both about is some new CNN reporting that's coming in about behind-the-scenes diplomatic efforts that have been ongoing to try to get things moving with Iran, even before and after the strikes.

Here is the reporting.

"The Trump administration has discussed possibly helping Iran access as much as $30 billion to build a civilian-energy-producing nuclear program, easing sanctions, and freeing up billions of dollars in restricted Iranian funds -- all part of an intensifying attempt to bring Tehran back to the negotiating table." This is from "four sources family with the matter."

That reminded me when I read this of how much Trump accused Obama of essentially paying off Iran. Vilifying him for allowing Iran to access restricted funds. Here is a reminder.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) TRUMP: We gave them $150 billion, we gave them $1.8 billion, and we got nothing. Look at what they did to John Kerry and to President Obama. Look what happened -- where they're bringing planeloads of cash -- planeloads -- big planes -- 757s -- Boeing 757s coming in loaded up with cash. What kind of a deal is that?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BOLDUAN: If allowing Iran access to restricted funds -- and you can get into the details of fact-checking, but we won't -- but just essentially allowing Iran access to funds is bad then, what gives now, David?

URBAN: Well, you know, Kate, I think it -- what gives is there are three giant craters in the Earth in Iran which occurred because of Donald Trump's bold military action in crippling the Iran nuclear program. They are severely, severely crippled in terms of their ability to produce a nuclear weapon. And so I think that's what -- that's what's changed in the -- in the time. They no longer have the same abilities they had during the Obama administration as they have today.

BOLDUAN: Matt?

BENNETT: I mean, it's the same thing we saw with Trump about Obama before. Like, he threw out the NAFTA deal that Democrats had helped negotiate and then basically cut the same deal with Mexico and Canada. This is what he does.

But I will say look, if the -- if they are really degraded in their ability to create nuclear weapons, that is good. It is clear that the American military performed extraordinarily well, but we don't know yet. And Trump -- his main priority is getting credit for everything. That's what this has been about for the last three days.

[07:55:10]

BOLDUAN: Let us see. House lawmakers are going to get their classified --

URBAN: I love that Matt agreed with me on the top -- I love that Matt agreed with me on two -- on both of these.

BOLDUAN: I was say agree-ish. I think we could leave it at agree-ish on this fabulous Friday.

BENNETT: Yes.

BOLDUAN: -- with these two wonderful men.

URBAN: Yeah.

BOLDUAN: Thank you, guys. It's great to see you. Oh, do you see it? Nantucket. David Urban always living a better life than me. Thanks, guys -- Sara.

SIDNER: All right, thank you so much, Kate.

(Coughing) Sorry.

The line goes "There's no crying in baseball," but there was crying during the NBA Draft last night and it was beautiful.

CNN sports anchor Andy Scholes has the highlights of the second round draft. Hey, Andy.

ANDY SCHOLES, CNN SPORTS ANCHOR: Sara, it was so good. You know, this may have been the most emotional --

SIDNER: Beautiful.

SCHOLES: -- NBA draft of all time. We saw so many tears. Just so many proud family members.

But Javon Small's grandpa -- he won the draft last night.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Emotional, as he should be, Javon. When you see your grandfather with that much enthusiasm what goes through your mind?

JAVON SMALL, SELECTED 48TH OVERALL BY MEMPHIS: You know, my family is my world, man. To see my Poppa over there with me. He took me to every single tournament since I was a little kid. He rarely misses any games. So, you know, I mean, that's who I do it for.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You're in the NBA.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SCHOLES: Just so good. Small's grandpa overcome with joy seeing him get drafted. Small, who played at West Virginia, was selected by the Grizzlies with the 18th pick in the second round.

All right, in baseball, we had a return for the ages last night. The Tigers' Dietrich Enns taking the mound in the big leagues for the first time in 1,371 days. He last pitched at the end of the 2021 season and since has pitched in Japan, in South Korea trying to make it back to the bigs. But what a return he had. Enns throwing five shutout innings are Detroit beat the A's 8-0.

And Tigers manager A.J. Hinch certainly impressed by the 34-year-old's return.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

A.J. HINCH, MANAGER, DETROIT TIGERS: Dietrich came in and stayed under control -- you know, stayed within himself from all the excitement and the return after 1,000 days or whatever it's been, and delivered a great performance at a time when we needed it. So I -- hats off to him and everyone around him that helped get him to this moment.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SCHOLES: Yeah, and Hinch said that Enns is going to be pitching again for the Tigers.

But, you know, Sara, we haven't had a good baseball movie in a while. That's certainly a great script. Just grinding away for more than 1,000 days and getting back to the big leagues. Congrats to Dietrich.

SIDNER: If you build it, they will come. We all remember. It's the only baseball movie anybody ever needed.

All right, thank you so much, Andy Scholes. I really appreciate it.

SCHOLES: All right.

SIDNER: All right. On our --

BOLDUAN: There's no crying in baseball.

SIDNER: But there's crying in the NBA draft, and I love it.

BOLDUAN: There's crying everywhere else.

SIDNER: I love it. It's crying everywhere else. Do not start crying. It's not over yet, Kate. Don't worry.

OK. On our radar this morning Brad Pitt's L.A. home hit by burglars. A law enforcement source telling us three people broke in through a front window late Wednesday night and ransacked the place. The LAPD confirmed the break-in but declined to name the victim. We don't know how much the burglars got away with. CNN affiliate KABC says Pitt was away doing publicity for the upcoming movie -- the "F1" movie. No one has been arrested so far.

All right, a terrifying moment caught on dashcam. A utility worker -- look at this -- is hit by a semi-truck while fixing a traffic light. It happened Wednesday in Denham Springs, Louisiana, about 20 minutes from Baton Rouge. The truck was making a wide turn when it slammed into the worker's bucket, flipping him upside-down. Fortunately, the worker took precautions. He was wearing a harness and, I don't know how but walked away with only minor injuries.

How is that possible? You know what? Safety first. He really took care of himself. That is awful.

BOLDUAN: That is bananas. Also, you can see, like, he almost like took a header straight --

SIDNER: No.

BOLDUAN: -- into the truck.

SIDNER: That's what would have happened without that harness.

BOLDUAN: OK.

SIDNER: Man, that is terrifying -- whoo.

BOLDUAN: He deserves a day off.

SIDNER: No, but yeah -- a week. You vote a week.

BOLDUAN: You're too kind.

SIDNER: So do we.

BOLDUAN: I'm just kidding. I'm just kidding. It's getting -- which camera? Which camera? Which camera? Here we go.

Today is set to be a blockbuster day at the Supreme Court. Hours from now the justices are set to hand down their final decisions of the term on a half-dozen high-profile cases, weighing in on issues like birthright citizenship, LGBTQ books in schools, and even age verification to access porn sites.

CNN's Joan Biskupic here with us now for a quick preview of what is going to happen today. What are you watching for, Joan?

JOAN BISKUPIC, CNN SENIOR SUPREME COURT ANALYST: It's going to be so dramatic Kate because, as you know, we've got six very big rulings left. And the first thing I'm going to do when I enter the chamber, which as you know, has no cameras there but it's just such a beautiful expanse.

The nine justices will take their seats upon the mahogany bench. And then Chief Justice John Roberts will start to announce who will be reading the opinions.