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Senate Begins Marathon Vote on Trump Agenda; Crowdsourcing App Flags ICE Sightings; Gas Price Hit Low Ahead of Holiday; Annapolis Brings Past to Live. Aired 9:30-10a ET
Aired June 30, 2025 - 09:30 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[09:30:00]
KELLY HYMAN, TRIAL ATTORNEY: In prison for the RICO charge.
SARA SIDNER, CNN ANCHOR: What -- what makes it so difficult? I mean, obviously, when you hear RICO, you usually think there are more people involved and more defendants. And this time it is simply one man who is being accused of sort of being the mastermind of all of this.
HYMAN: It goes to the whole idea of this mafia, this crime family, this racketeering conspiracy. And that's what the defense really argues, if this is a conspiracy, then why is he the only person being charged? Where are these other coconspirators? The defense argues that no one out of the 34 witnesses that the prosecution brought to testify, no one said that this was a criminal enterprise. And so, based on that, he should not be committed guilty of those charges.
SIDNER: And how long -- is it unusual for it to take more than an hour, or an hour or more for instructions to be given to a jury in a case like this?
HYMAN: That usually is about the time because they have to -- you have to remember, the judge has to go through each one of the elements of the crime and to -- and explain that to the jury so they fully understand what exactly they are going to look at when they go back and deliberate.
SIDNER: Well, we should mention, court back in session just now. They are looking at these charges. And we're expecting the judge at this hour, at this time, is already starting to read some of those instructions to the jury. So, we will wait and see what happens with this case. But as you put it, there are some big numbers, 95 percent of cases that have come to this particular court have been convictions, correct?
HYMAN: Yes.
SIDNER: OK.
HYMAN: On a charge, absolutely. But ultimately we're going to see what the jury does.
SIDNER: Yes. HYMAN: And whether they come back guilty or not guilty.
SIDNER: Yes. Thank you so much. I really appreciate your time.
Kate.
KATE BOLDUAN, CNN ANCHOR: Thousands of people from around the world marching in Budapest's pride parade despite a government ban on the celebration. More detail on that.
And today, several potential witnesses will be in court, witnesses in Pennsylvania, Bryan Kohberger's home state, who may be called to testify in the murder trial against him in Idaho. One big question, how does their testimony relate to the case?
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[09:36:49]
SIDNER: All right, we've got breaking news on Capitol Hill. This morning, the Senate off and running for a marathon day of amendments and votes on President Trump's massive policy agenda bill. Now, he wants it on his desk by July 4th. And this is the final hurdle the Senate GOP has to jump -- jump over before getting to a final yes or no vote.
CNN's Arlette Saenz is on Capitol Hill.
What are you seeing and hearing so far today?
ARLETTE SAENZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Sara, after senators worked through the weekend, they are back at it this morning. One senator, Senator Schmitt of Missouri, told us that they are about to walk into the thunder dome as the Senate is about to begin their so-called vote- a-rama.
Now, the vote-a-rama will allow senators to introduce amendments to President Trump's agenda policy bill. We anticipate that many Democrats will introduce amendments. They have railed against this bill over the weekend. But then there are also a number of key amendments that will be introduced by Republicans. Some of those to watch come from Senator Rick Scott of Florida, who has introduced one amendment that would reduce the federal match rate for states that have expanded Medicaid under President Obama. Another senator to watch is Senator Susan Collins, who will be introducing some amendments. And then there's Senator Lisa Murkowski. Senate leaders had actually included two provisions that would have benefited her home state of Alaska and Hawaii. But the Senate parliamentarian yesterday decided that those provisions could not proceed. So there's big questions about where her vote will be on the final passage of this bill.
Now, this vote-a-rama that's about to get underway could span several hours. And they would need to get through that before getting to a vote on final passage.
Now, Republicans can only afford to lose three Republican votes up here in the Senate. Over the weekend, two notable Republicans voted against a key procedural vote. That was Senator Rand Paul and Senator Thom Tillis, who just one day later then announced, in really a move that stunned many on Capitol Hill, that he would not seek re-election. His no vote had drawn the ire of President Trump. And Tillis, after the president had criticized him for voting no, went to the Senate floor last night and delivered a very fiery speech, saying that this bill is a mistake. So, that highlights some of the political pressure points that senators are facing heading into this vote.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune earlier today was asked whether he will have the votes, and he said that he hopes to know that soon enough. But there's certainly still a lot more the Senate needs to work through in the coming hours as this vote-a-rama on amendments is about to begin, and then they will move on to that final vote. It's unclear when exactly today that might happen.
SIDNER: And if it moves on, and if it is voted for, it's got to go back to the house, right? What are the concerns that you're hearing there?
SAENZ: Yes, so any changes that were made in the Senate would still have to go back to the House. And there have already been some Republicans who have expressed some concerns. There are conservatives who believe that this does not do enough to tackle spending, and that there are others who are concerned with how deep of the cuts to Medicaid the Senate bill is making. That is all -- those are all issues that Speaker Mike Johnson will have to navigate.
[09:40:04]
If you remember, when this bill had passed the House just a few weeks ago, it was very carefully crafted to get every House Republican that they could on board. There was eventually only -- it only passed by one vote. So, there's a very tricky math, a very -- very delicate balance that they'll have to strike in the House if this does make it out of the Senate a little later today.
SIDNER: Arlette Saenz giving us all the angles there. Thank you so much for your reporting this morning.
John.
JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: Yes, and Thunderdome, two will enter, one will leave. I assume 100 senators will enter. We'll see how many leave.
All right, new this morning, as the Trump administration steps up ICE raids and mass deportations, one tech developer is pushing back with an app designed to track ICE activity in real time. It's called ICEBlock. And it is controversial, to say the least.
CNN's Clare Duffy is here with the latest on this.
What have you learned, Clare?
CLARE DUFFY, CNN BUSINESS WRITER: Yes, John. So, I talked with Joshua Aaron, who is the developer who created this
app. He's been working in the tech space for a long time. And he said he really wanted to fight back against this immigration policy that the White House is carrying out. He said he wanted to create an early warning system to let people know where ICE officers had been sited.
So, this app, you open it up and you see a map. Users can tap on the map to, you know, alert other users of ICE sightings. Other users within five miles of that sighting will get a push alert, letting them know.
And then, you know, users can follow where ICE has been spotted across the country. This is a free iPhone app. It is anonymous. The app says it collects no user data.
And I find this really interesting in this moment where we've seen other tech leaders supporting President Trump. Aaron is an example of the fact that there are people in the tech world that are resisting Trump's policies. I asked him what he would say to those tech leaders who, for example, were at the inauguration. Here's what he told me. Let's take a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOSHUA AARON, CREATOR, ICEBLOCK APP: I understand that you have shareholders to report to. I understand that you have employees that need their paychecks. But at what point do you say, enough is enough?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
DUFFY: Now, this is, of course, controversial. ICE did not respond to my request for comment about the platform. But Joshua said that he really wants to see people using this as a way to know where ICE is located, but not to interfere with officer's activity.
BERMAN: Does the app have a way to -- to guarantee the accuracy of the crowdsourced sightings?
DUFFY: So, no, this is a crowdsourced platform, but he said he built a number of safeguards in to try to make sure that nobody can spam or submit too much misinformation to this platform. So, these sightings are automatically deleted after four hours. You can only submit a sighting once every five minutes. And you can only submit a sighting within five miles of your current location. So, I couldn't submit a sighting in California right now, for example.
BERMAN: Interesting. Be curious to see what the government or how the government feels about this if it catches on.
Clare Duffy, thank you very much.
DUFFY: Thank you.
BERMAN: Kate.
BOLDUAN: Also new this morning, a rare dose of good news for you. Millions of people are expected to hit the road for the 4th of July holiday weekend, and gas prices for this holiday are close to a four- year low.
CNN's Matt Egan looking at the details for you.
What are you seeing?
MATT EGAN, CNN SENIOR REPORTER: Well, Kate, it is so nice to be here on this Monday morning with some good news on the cost of living for a change.
BOLDUAN: Let's mark it, because it's rare, buddy.
EGAN: It is rare. It is rare.
BOLDUAN: Just kidding. Just kidding.
EGAN: But if there were a bright spot in this economy, it really has been energy and the cost of gasoline. So, that's why GasBuddy is projecting that gas prices on the Fourth of July, they're going to average between $3.10 and $3.15 per gallon. That is significantly cheaper than $3.49 at this point last year.
And GasBuddy says that this translates to Americans spending almost half a billion dollars less on fuel than they did last Fourth of July. When we look at the trend, you can see that gas prices, they spiked three years ago. It was almost $5 a gallon on Fourth of July. Trending down since then. But look at this. This would actually be the cheapest since at least 2021. Perhaps the cheapest since 2020.
And when we look at the map of gas prices across the country, some drivers in some states are seeing even bigger drops in prices versus a year ago, $0.42 a gallon cheaper in Michigan, $0.38 in Illinois. Nevada, California, a number of other states having significant drops. And it's not because people are not driving and low --
BOLDUAN: Right.
EGAN: There's low demand. AAA forecasting almost 62 million people are expected to hit the roads this holiday weekend. That is 1.3 million more than last year.
BOLDUAN: Oh, wow.
EGAN: So, the roads are not going to be empty. There might be some traffic. But at least it will be a little bit cheaper to fill up.
BOLDUAN: How much does this -- is this forecast linked to the fact that oil prices have stopped rising?
EGAN: Yes, that is huge because we could be having a very different conversation, right?
BOLDUAN: Right. Yes.
EGAN: We saw oil prices skyrocket because of the Israel-Iran crisis. They were at as much as almost $80 per barrel on an intraday basis last Sunday. They've come all the way back, down to $65 a barrel. Look how much cheaper oil is than this point last year when we were closer to $85 a barrel.
[09:45:03]
BOLDUAN: Oh, yes.
EGAN: So, that is a massive difference. And the question, of course, is, how long will it stay that low?
BOLDUAN: Right.
EGAN: And for now, thankfully, this truce between Israel and Iran, this ceasefire, seems to be holding. So, a lot of those concerns that we have been talking about just a week ago about the Strait of Hormuz and skyrocketing oil prices. A lot of that has really eased. And that's why GasBuddy says there is a chance that the national average this summer could end up dipping below $3 a gallon, which, of course, would be great news.
BOLDUAN: Those concerns eased for now, but definitely in the background. And an example of how quickly this can change.
EGAN: It does.
BOLDUAN: It's good to see you. Thank you so much, Matt.
Sara.
SIDNER: All right, ahead, we asked, you answered. This morning, we're revealing another one of your favorite towns to visit in America.
Also, TikTok might have a new owner soon. What we know about the possible deal just being announced by President Trump. Those stories ahead.
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[09:50:35]
BERMAN: Today a judge will hear from several people who might end up testifying for the defense in the trial of a man accused of killing four Idaho college students. They are from Bryan Kohberger's home state of Pennsylvania. Local news organizations have reported the group includes school employees, a jail guard, a boxing gym owner and an auto shop worker. The judge will decide whether they will have to travel to Idaho for the trial, which is set to begin in August.
In Hungary, thousands of people took to the streets in Budapest to mark 30 years of pride and take a stand against the government's ban targeting LGBTQ gatherings. Earlier this year, lawmakers passed legislation banning pride events and permitting facial recognition tech to identify participants.
President Trump claims there is a new buyer for TikTok, and he claims that he will make an announcement soon-ish.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Very, very wealthy people. It's a group of very wealthy people.
I think only probably China approval. And I think President Xi will probably do it, you know?
MARIA BARTIROMO, FOX NEWS ANCHOR: Who's the buyer?
TRUMP: I'll tell you in about two weeks.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BERMAN: TikTok has been in limbo for months since a law requiring the app to be banned in the U.S. went into effect. Earlier this month, the president extended the deadline for its China based parent company to hand off control of TikTok's U.S. operations. This was the third extension, even though the law does not seem to technically allow for even one. This law passed by a bipartisan majority in Congress, and it also passed muster with the Supreme Court.
It rained rose petals and dollar bills in Detroit during a celebration of life honoring beloved community member Darryl Thomas. $5,000 were dropped by a helicopter. Thomas' son said it was his father's wish and final expression of love to the community.
Sara.
SIDNER: Speaking of love, we asked what America's best towns to visit are, and you answered. And so we're at number five now on your list. Annapolis, the coastal state capital of Maryland, with its deep maritime roots, charm, epic boating scene, as you can see there, and seriously good seafood. It's no wonder this place draws coastal lovers in droves.
Our Laura Coates took a trip there.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
LAURA COATES, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): Annapolis, Maryland, a coastal town that sits on the shores of the Chesapeake Bay, where the seafood is fresh --
COATES: And it is pinching.
COATES (voice over): And as they say here, everything is better on a boat.
TYRONE MEREDITH, CHESAPEAKE WATERMAN: This is my boat. The Island Queen II. Welcome aboard.
COATES: Thank you.
COATES (voice over): Captain Tyrone Meredith is no stranger to the waters here.
MEREDITH: My great great grandfather bought a house on Kent Island in 1865. And he worked as a waterman. And I'm the fifth generation making my living from working on the Chesapeake Bay.
Here they come. Here they come. Another perch (ph).
COATES: Oh. Oh, look at that.
MEREDITH: Oh, yes, getting a little bigger.
COATES: Hi.
COATES (voice over): Captain Tyrone grew up on nearby Kent Island and has been working as a Chesapeake watermen fishing, crabbing and oystering in the bay for more than 40 years.
COATES: Finish this sentence for me. You can't come to Annapolis without eating what?
MEREDITH: Maryland Blue Crab.
They import crabs now from Louisiana, Florida and North Carolina. But nothing like the Chesapeake Bay Blue Crab.
COATES (voice over): Well, he didn't have to tell me twice. We headed into town for a seafood medley. Fried oysters, crab cakes --
COATES: This makes me really happy.
COATES (voice over): And, of course, Blue Crab covered in Maryland's signature J.O. spice seasoning.
The maritime culture here goes beyond just fishing boats. Annapolis is also home to the U.S. Naval Academy. And the town is considered by many as America's capital of sailing.
DAVID GENDELL, ANNAPOLIS HISTORIAN: We don't discriminate between boats. Whatever you want to get out. If it's a stand-up paddle board, a kayak, a powerboat, a sailboat, this is where you come to do it.
COATES (voice over): Over at the Annapolis Maritime Museum, you even have the chance to sail on a historic Chesapeake Bay skipjack boat, The Wilma Lee, one of the last of its kind.
But before you leave Annapolis, be sure to check out some of their fun and sometimes quirky annual traditions.
GENDELL: There's a tug of war that goes across Annapolis Harbor. There's a road race over the Eastport Bridge, so it's called the .05 K Run, worlds shortest road race. And then around the spring equinox we have sock burnings.
[09:55:02]
So, folks get together and they literally take off their winter socks and throw them in a fire to celebrate the coming of summer. So, it's not all buttoned up, Navy and state legislature. We have a lot of fun too.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SIDNER: Burning socks and eating crab. Sounds, odd, but cool.
BOLDUAN: Sounds like a regular Tuesday. (INAUDIBLE).
BERMAN: I actually wish my sons would burn their socks every once in a while.
SIDNER: To be fair.
BERMAN: Bring them down to Maryland to get rid of some of them. Whoo.
BOLDUAN: That's actually amazing.
SIDNER: Nice.
BOLDUAN: We done with that?
BERMAN: Yes, we are.
SIDNER: OK.
BOLDUAN: Let's show you real quick before we go. A live look as it is beginning to unfold. The vote-a-rama. Yes, that's to get you excited on a Monday. This very important marathon voting session on amendments, possible changes to the president's mega domestic policy bill happening right now in the Senate. A major step to decide the fate of what really encompasses his entire domestic agenda.
Thanks so much for joining us. This is CNN NEWS CENTRAL. "THE SITUATION ROOM," up next.
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