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Trump to Sign His Mega Bill into Law at Major July 4th Ceremony; Supreme Court Allows Trump Admin to Deport Migrants to South Sudan; July 4 Celebrations Could Cost More Due to Tariffs. Aired 7- 7:30a ET

Aired July 04, 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]

ERICA HILL, CNN ANCHOR: Happening today, President Trump celebrating the 4th of July and a major legislative victory. He'll sign his massive tax and spending bill into law at a big Independence Day ceremony at the White House. The president calling this a phenomenal win for Americans, as Democrats hope the unpopular bill will help them win big in the midterms.

Plus a major legal victory for Trump, the Supreme Court paving the way for the administration to deport a group of migrants to war-torn South Sudan, a country most of them have zero ties to.

And time for you to fire up the grill, break out the sparklers all safely, of course, as millions get ready for their barbecues, maybe a little road trip, some fireworks. It I turns out this year may look a little different for your wallet. We'll break down the cost of those holiday celebrations.

I'm Erica Hill in this morning for John, Kate and Sara. This is CNN News Central.

Happy 4th to all of you, thanks so much for joining us on this Friday, the 4th morning. As the nation celebrates with fireworks and maybe backyard barbecues, perhaps a trip to the beach, President Trump set to celebrate by signing his big, beautiful bill into law, and it is the biggest legislative win of his second term so far.

The house narrowly passing that measure yesterday, mostly along party lines, just two Republicans voted against the bill after the president met with lawmakers at the White House and spent nearly 20 hours working the phones. In the end, the president convinced a number of holdouts to fall in line, despite divisions over a ballooning national debt and deep cuts to Medicaid and social safety net programs, this legislative win part of a streak of major triumphs for the president at home and abroad.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, U.S. PRESIDENT: 165 days into the Trump administration, America is on a winning streak like frankly nobody's ever seen before in the history of the presidency. (END VIDEO CLIP)

HILL: CNN's Kevin Liptak is at the White House this morning. So, Kevin, how is the White House set to mark this major moment?

KEVIN LIPTAK, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE REPORTER: Yes. And you saw that victory lap really begin last night. The president basking in this quite consequential legislative victory. It will continue this afternoon on the White House South Lawn, the president really turning that traditional July 4th picnic into a celebration of his political victory.

We've already heard the band practicing yesterday. We've heard smells, the grills being fired up. I think the big highlight of this event, apart from the signing, will be a flyover of those B-2 bombers who dropped those bunker-busters on Iran last month on those Iranian nuclear sites, which I do think kind of underscores what a consequential stretch of days this has been for the president.

Starting with those strikes in Iran, that very important NATO Summit that saw allies boosting defense spending the very impactful Supreme Court ruling that really expanded the president's executive authority and then this legislative victory that we saw from the president. This is now a commander in-chief really at the height of his political powers.

Certainly he thinks that. He said yesterday, he thinks he's more powerful than he was during his first term in office and saying that he thinks this last fortnight has been the most consequential of any president in history. And so this is really now a president basking in that victory.

Of course, the real work in a lot of ways now just begins. He has finished conjoling these Republicans into voting for this bill, but now the task is of selling it to the American people. You know, recent American history is littered with presidents who had these major legislative wins using their Congressional majorities only to come and regret not selling it to the American people after losing those majorities in the midterm elections.

And so the task in front of him is very clear, to try and make clear to Americans why this is not just a win for him politically but also a win for the country,

HILL: Kevin, I really appreciate it. Thank you.

We're also keeping a close watch on this development. A group of migrants taken out of the U.S. may be headed to South Sudan, a war- torn country where most of them have no ties. That's after the Supreme Court yesterday cleared the way for their deportation.

Immigration advocates have condemned the ruling saying the migrants are being dropped in the middle of violence and instability.

[07:05:02] The Trump administration, though, cheering the decision overnight saying, quote, these sickos will be in South Sudan by Independence Day.

So, the eight migrants have been held for weeks on an American military base in Djibouti. Just one of them is a citizen of South Sudan. The others hail from countries around the world. They have all been previously convicted of serious crimes.

The three liberal justices on the Supreme Court issuing a scathing, nearly 20-page dissent in it. Justice Sonia Sotomayor writing the court was, quote, rewarding lawlessness by siding with the Trump administration, calling the move illegal, and she said the deported migrants will likely face torture or death.

Joining me now to discuss, CNN Legal Analyst Joey Jackson. So, Joey, looking at that, I mean, quite the dissent, there are 20 pages of it. First for the migrants who were deported, practically speaking, what does this mean for these eight people? Could they in fact be in South Sudan as soon as today?

JOEY JACKSON, CNN LEGAL ANALYST: They really could, Erica. Good to be with you. Well, what it .means is, really, as it relates to immigration, you have a situation where people are going to be deported to third countries that they have no connection to.

And so the significance of that is that it's not as though they're going to the initial country from which they came to the United States. They're going to a country where they have significant fears in terms of whether they could be tortured.

And you look at South Sudan with the political upheaval and certainly issues relating to on safety, the question becomes whether they face that real fear and whether they should be entitled to stay here based upon due process, right, meaning, hey, I really have a fear that something significant can happen to me, and as a result of that, I should be protected. But that looks like it's not going to happen.

So, yes, based upon this decision, they certainly could be removed.

HILL: As we heard in that dissent from Justice Sotomayor, she said this was, quote, rewarding lawlessness. What do you see as the broader impact for immigration and for the way the administration handles immigration moving forward?

JACKSON: So, I think that what happens is this certainly emboldens them. When you look at how immigration is handled, you look to the courts really to give some structure in terms of whether a person has the right to challenge a decision.

You know, one of the fun fundamental things that we really look forward to in this country is what's called due process. And that is a notice and an opportunity to be heard no matter what you feel about immigration, that no one should be here, that everyone should be here. The fact is that you have rights in this country and you should be able to assert them. There should be a hearing. After that hearing is held and evidentiary decisions are made as to whether or not you feel that you should be entitled to relief and to stay, a judge makes a decision and you go. Under this particular ruling, it looks like the Supreme Court is giving this administration carte blanche to remove people with very little notice and very little opportunity to be heard.

So, to your question, the broader implication around mass deportations is extraordinarily significant, and I think you have an administration who's emboldened to do whatever it seems it wants to do.

HILL: Joey Jackson, always appreciate your expertise, my friend. Nice to see you this morning, thanks.

JACKSON: Thanks. . HILL: Lighting up the sky, it turns out could cost a little bit more this 4th of July, how President Trump's tariffs are spiking the price of fireworks.

Plus, an alternate juror in the Sean Diddy Combs Federal sex trafficking trial speaks with CNN. His insight on why the judge juror, why the jury found Combs not guilty on the most serious charges.

Plus, swimming with the sharks, a woman whose free dives with great whites have earned her the nickname shark whisperer explains why she's actually more afraid of people. In the ocean's most feared predators.

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[07:10:00]

HILL: Sparklers, hotdogs, hamburgers, 4th of July staples and also staples you may have noticed may have climbed a little in cost this year, as tariffs are driving up prices on a number of items, including fireworks.

It's not all bad news though. It turns out driving to your independent state destination probably won't break the bank.

Here's CNN's Vanessa Yurkevich.

VANESSA YURKEVICH, CNN BUSINESS AND POLITICS CORRESPONDENT: This 4th of July, millions of Americans will be hitting the road feasting on barbecue fixings while watching fireworks. But this year's fireworks may look a little different and could be more costly. That's because 99 percent of fireworks sold in the United States comes from China.

And on April 9th, President Donald Trump raised tariffs on Chinese exports to 145 percent before lowering them to 30 percent. But even that is too high for many businesses.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MARY ANN HOFFMAN, FIREWORKS BUSINESS OWNER: We have spent tens of thousands of dollars extra on tariffs already this year. (END VIDEO CLIP)

YURKVEVICH: The tariffs were added late in the firework season, so it made it challenging for businesses to pass that cost down to consumers, according to the American Pyrotechnics Association. Some businesses may be short new inventory this year and have had to substitute with what they have. That group is calling on the Trump administration to exempt fireworks from the tariffs.

And after five years of pandemic-fueled inflation, the cost of a 4th of July barbecue is back to normal this year. A meal for ten people with all the traditional July 4th offerings will cost $130. That's a. 2.2 percent from last year, according to a report from Wells Fargo.

Now, that's closer to the one to 2 percent increase normally seen on food at the grocery store. The menu item with the slowest price growth is chicken, up just 1 percent in the last year, which is especially affordable because Americans' wages have risen much faster than the price of poultry.

[07:15:11]

Buns for burgers fell 1.5 percent. However, beef prices shot up 7.4 percent, according to the report, and the price of potatoes for your potato salad is up 1 percent from last year. But the eggs needed for mixing are up 40 percent because of the deadly avian flu that killed tens of millions of egg-laying birds earlier this year.

And if you're hitting the road this holiday weekend, a record 61.6 million people will be right there with you traveling by car, according to AAA. Drivers will see the lowest 4th of July. Gas prices, since the pandemic, the average price for a gallon of gas heading into the long holiday weekend on Wednesday was $3.17 according to AAA. That's 33 cents less than last year.

President Trump's trade policies have pushed prices lower and consumers became nervous pulling back on spending, which weakened demand for oil prices according to GasBuddy. And if there are no additional interruptions like Middle East conflicts or hurricanes, GasBuddy says that gas prices could fall below $3 a gallon by the end of the summer. Back to you.

HILL: Well, that would be something. Turning now to more serious news breaking overnight police, investigating an explosion involving firework. It ripped through several homes in Los Angeles, Los Angeles, rather. What investigators are now saying this morning about how it started.

Plus the man, the myth, the hotdog eating legend, how Champ Joey Chestnut is preparing for today's big event as he returns to Nathan's famous hotdog eating contest.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[07:20:00]

HILL: Tennis great Novak Djokovic notching another record at Wimbledon, advancing to the third round for the 19th time.

CNN's Sports Correspondent Carolyn Manno is here with more of the action. Not a bad run.

CAROLYN MANNO, CNN SPORTS CORRESPONDENT: No, not at all. I know you're a tennis fan. You're used to this. I mean, the seventh time Wimbledon champ making this look easy yet again, beating Dan Evans in straight sets to win his 99th match at this prestigious Grand Slam where he has done so well. 2025 actually marking 20 years of Novak competing at Wimbledon and with a lot of people starting to wonder how close he actually is to retirement now.

This particular fortnite could really be his best chance to win that record 25th major title that he's been chasing. The tennis star says he's not ready to go there mentally just yet.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

NOVAK DJOKOVIC, SEVEN-TIME WIMBLEDON CHAMPION: I don't reflect fully on everything that I have been through. I would like to, but I think that's going to come probably when I set the record aside and then sip Margarita on the beach with Federer and Nadal and just reflect on our rivalry and everything.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MANNO: Cleveland Guardian's pitcher Luis Ortiz is on indefinitely with multiple reports pointing towards a gambling related investigation from Major League Baseball. According to ESPN, a betting integrity firm flagged concern over two specific pitches from Ortiz last month. The Guardian said in a statement they're cooperating with the league on this. Major League Baseball does allow players to legally gamble on sports, but not on any diamond sports, meaning no baseball, no softball at any level. So, we'll continue to watch that story.

And Joey Chestnut is back to regain the crown at this year's Nathan's Hotdog Eating Contest. A sponsorship dispute derailing his chances last year, but the 41-year-old king of competitive eating says his body feels amazing, that a 17th title is well within reach, in his opinion.

Now his record, Erica is 76 hot dogs in 10 minutes, but I'm sure he would love to kick everybody's buns, be an opportunity he would relish.

I don't know how many hotdog puns I'm going to be able to get in. I love that he says his body feels amazing, whatever that means. But, you know, we'll all be watching later on this afternoon.

HILL: There is that. I think I might focus on how do we get invited to the margarita party on the beach with Djokovic, Federer and Nadal. I think that's where we should maybe be putting our focus today.

MANNO: That seems a more sophisticated affair. Yes, slightly more sophisticated affair. But you know what? Happy July 4th, America. It's Nathan's.

HILL: Yes. I mean, we wouldn't have it any other way, right? Thank you my friend, yes.

Just days after a high profile fight with social media superstar Jake Paul in California, Mexican boxer Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. now facing deportation from the U.S. What DHS is saying about his arrest.

Plus, a juror in the Sean Diddy Combs trial now speaking out, the details on what the juror on what was heard and what was said inside that Manhattan courtroom.

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[07:25:00]

HILL: President Trump kicking off his 4th of July weekend with a victory rally in Iowa hours after the House handed him his first major legislative win of his second term, the passage of that massive tax and spending bill. The president spoke for over an hour, exciting his supporters, but also repeating numerous falsehoods.

Here to break down some of them is CNN's Daniel Dale joining us with a fact-check. We can't get to all of them but a lot of. Things were in there, including, Daniel, one of his longstanding campaign promises about no tax on social security. So, just is this even in the big beautiful bill?

DANIEL DALE, CNN SENIOR REPORTER: It is not. You can read the bill. It's just not there.

Now, what the bill does do is take a step in the direction of fulfilling that campaign promise. It creates an additional tax deduction for seniors, people 65-plus of $6,000 per year. The White House claims that additional deduction means that about 88 percent of people 65-plus will not be paying a tax on their Social Security benefits, up from a current 64 percent.

Even if that's true though, that still leaves about 7 million Social Security recipients above 65 who will still be paying tax. And that doesn't count the people under 65 who are receiving Social Security. People can start claiming their retirement benefits in their early 60s.

[07:30:04]

So, yes, a step in the direction, but no tax on Social Security, period, as the president keeps saying.