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Trump to Allies: Go Get Your Own Oil from Strait of Hormuz; California Governor Newsom Signs AI Protections Order, Defying Trump; Thousands of DHS Workers Still Working Without Pay. Aired 2:30-3p ET

Aired March 31, 2026 - 14:30   ET

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

[14:30:00]

BORIS SANCHEZ, CNN HOST: President Trump lashing out at America's European allies again today, criticizing them for not getting more involved with the war in Iran and not helping reopen the Strait of Hormuz, where one-fifth of the world's oil flows through. In a Truth Social post, the president demanding the UK build up some delayed courage and go to the Strait to, quote, get your own oil. He also warned that countries need to start learning how to fight for themselves because the USA won't be there to help you anymore, just like you weren't there for us.

We're joined now by Javed Ali. He's a former senior director for counterterrorism at the NSC under President Trump. He's also an associate professor on practice at the University of Michigan.

Javed, thank you so much for being with us. So with President Trump calling out Europe, what's your view of that message and how Europe is going to receive it?

JAVED ALI, FORMER SENIOR DIRECTOR FOR COUNTERTERRORISM, NSC UNDER TRUMP: So, Boris, nice to be with you as well.

[14:35:00]

And based on the latest comments from President Trump, to me, this is a continuation of these really, or the very tough line that President Trump has taken since coming back to office vis-a-vis Europe, either collectively on the continent or from the perspective of NATO or the European Union, where President Trump is expecting a different type of behavior from European governments when it comes to economic issues and national security issues now with the conflict with Iran or the war with Iran. Clearly, it seems that President Trump has expected some of these European countries to also get involved militarily, mostly in terms of helping get through the naval blockade that Iran has introduced in the Straits of Hormuz.

But that appears not to be happening, certainly not on the timeline that President Trump wants. So I think as this tension continues to play out on Iran, we'll probably hear more of these tough messages from the president.

SANCHEZ: What about the role of U.S. allies on the Persian Gulf? Because Iran has fired drones and missiles at Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, the UAE, Oman as well. None of those countries have directly retaliated. Why?

ALI: So that's another fascinating aspect of what's happening. So almost from the beginning of the conflict on February 28th, that Iran began expanding its attacks outside of just Israel and U.S. military facilities across the region, which are located in almost all the countries you mentioned. But now we've seen Iran up the ante and go beyond just trying to strike U.S. military facilities in those countries. They're hitting economic targets as well and cultural or tourism-related targets. So I think Iran is trying to put pressure on the Gulf countries to show that this is the kind of capability that they have. Iran is trying to hold the Gulf countries to some degree, I think, accountable for the war that has broken out.

And also, I think, part of their strategy is to get the Gulf countries to go back to the White House and perhaps put pressure on the administration to ease up on the military conflict. And we've now seen reporting from a number of different outlets suggesting that privately, there may be a different message, where some of the Gulf countries, including Saudi Arabia, might be encouraging the U.S. and Israel to continue the fight as it goes on. So this is also going to play out.

But I don't think Iran is going to pull back on its strategy of targeting its neighbors in the Gulf.

SANCHEZ: Yes, the reporting indicates that some of those Gulf neighbors want regime change. They want the U.S. and Israel to go even further. I wanted to get your thoughts on Pakistan as well because they're in an interesting position.

Along with China, they've asked for an immediate ceasefire. And Pakistan specifically is looking into the possibility of helping other nations' vessels get through the strait as they help mediate the conflict. How do you read their role in all of this?

ALI: So the role of Pakistan has emerged in the more recent time period over the last couple weeks with the conflict going on. And Iran and Pakistan have had longstanding diplomatic ties throughout the -- since the beginnings of the Islamic Republic in 1979. So I think Pakistan is trying to leverage that relationship with Iran, despite other differences the two countries have.

And pre-February 28th, we saw countries like Oman trying to sort of be intermediaries with respect to diplomacy between the United States and Iran. Now it seems like Pakistan has stepped into that. And one of the aspects that may be at play here is the strong relationship that folks in Pakistan's military establishment have with their counterparts in the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.

Now some of those people in the IRGC have probably been killed, but there is media reporting that up to very senior levels in the Pakistani military and the army, that they still have continued contact with the surviving senior leaders in the IRGC. So that's probably why we're seeing Pakistan play a more important role now, potentially either on diplomacy or on perhaps sort of helping out practically or operationally with respect to what's going on in the Strait of Hormuz.

SANCHEZ: One last related question about the leadership in Iran. Do you believe Russia's ambassador to Iran, who said that the new Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei is alive and doing well and leading the country and simply refraining from public appearances, as we haven't heard directly from him since the war began?

[14:40:00]

ALI: Yes, it's tough to know what the true state is, but I have to believe that he actually is alive because if he wasn't, I would think the Iranian clerical establishment and the IRGC already would have tried to pick his successor. I wouldn't understand the strategy of cropping up the fiction that Mojtaba Khamenei is actually alive, but I do think he is very significantly injured from the initial strikes that were launched on February 28th by Israel against Ali Khamenei, his father and other senior members of the IRGC and the clerical establishment. So until he probably can physically recover from those injuries, we probably won't see him, but we have heard statements attributed to him in the recent weeks, whether he actually delivered them or dictated them, we don't know.

But I do think he's alive. I just don't think he's in the condition we can actually -- the Iranians are willing to show him to the world.

SANCHEZ: Javed Ali, thank you so much for sharing your expertise. Appreciate your time.

ALI: All right, thank you.

SANCHEZ: California is now the latest state to try and rein in artificial intelligence. How the home of Silicon Valley is attempting to regulate AI next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BRIANNA KEILAR, CNN HOST: More states are rolling out tighter regulations for artificial intelligence companies against the president's wishes. California Governor Gavin Newsom just signed an executive order saying any AI firm that wants to do business there must provide safeguards that prevent misuse of their technology.

Let's bring in CNN AI correspondent Hadas Gold. All right, Hadas, tell us what this order says.

HADAS GOLD, CNN AI CORRESPONDENT: Yes, so this executive order is being called the first of its kind, but it is setting California up for a clash, a direct clash with the Trump administration. So under this executive order, any company, any technology company that wants to work with the state of California has to adhere to a few rules. And amongst them, the first one is outline its AI safety and privacy policies.

They have to explain how they prevent surveillance and the distribution of legal content. It has to explain how they avoid harmful bias in their AI models. And the companies will have to show that they are protecting the public from civil rights and free speech violations.

Another thing this executive order does, it states that if the federal government has declared a tech company a supply chain risk, California will actually make its own assessment and decide whether they will work with that company. That is in a direct response to the Pentagon recently declaring Anthropic a supply chain risk designation after they had a breakdown in negotiations over AI guardrails and the use of things like mass surveillance and autonomous weapons. And Gavin Newsom seems to address this potential clash with the Trump administration, because if you remember, back in December, President Trump signed an executive order saying that it's trying to restrict states from issuing their own AI regulations and laws, saying they don't want a patchwork of 50 different types of policies.

But Gavin Newsom is saying that Washington is designing policy and creating contracts in the shadow of misuse, saying that California is forced to do this the right way. And as we've seen this sort of light touch approach on AI regulation from the Trump administration, more and more states are stepping in. There are dozens of laws now on the books in different states.

Other states are trying to push forward more laws, more regulations on AI, saying this is something that their constituents are demanding. And that's why they're moving forward with this in spite of the Trump administration's executive order.

KEILAR: And why does Trump not want these regulations, Hadas?

GOLD: So the Trump administration has said, and a lot of people in the AI industry agree. They say, look, if you have 50 different policies and regulations from 50 different states on AI, this is sort of a borderless issue. You know, these are technology companies. It's going to be very hard for them to adhere to all these different laws and regulations.

This will be very expensive. And the Trump administration says it will stifle innovation. And when they're facing the sort of AI space race with China, that we need to be promoting innovation, not stifling it.

Instead, they say they want a national framework, which they've recently released. But there has been no legislation yet even voted on or, you know, let alone signed on this. And that's why you're seeing more and more states doing this.

And when you look at the polling, Brianna, you see that Americans really want this. Quinnipiac actually released a poll just this week that says 74 percent of Americans, 74 percent, think the government is not doing enough to regulate AI. And that's why you see these states stepping in.

KEILAR: Hadas Gold, thank you very much -- Boris.

SANCHEZ: Now to some of the other headlines we're watching this hour. The Army says it is investigating after musician and longtime Trump supporter Kid Rock posted these videos of Apache helicopters hovering outside of his Nashville home on Saturday. Kid Rock can be seen saluting and pumping his fist as the helicopters fly by.

An Army spokesperson told CNN they're aware of the video and will take appropriate action if any safety standards or professional conduct guidelines were violated.

Also, lawyers for the man accused of killing Charlie Kirk want a preliminary hearing delayed. Tyler Robinson's attorneys say they need more time to review evidence.

Among those materials is an analysis from federal law enforcement officials which reportedly says that a bullet fragment recovered during Kirk's autopsy was so destroyed that it could not conclusively be connected to the rifle found near the scene. The defense says it may try to use that analysis to clear Robinson. Prosecutors have said DNA consistent with his was found on the rifle's trigger as well as on fired and unfired cartridge casings. They intend to seek the death penalty.

And Air Canada's CEO retiring after criticism over his English-only condolence message following last week's deadly crash at LaGuardia airport. Prime Minister Mark Carney has accused Michael Rousseau of showing a lack of compassion and judgment.

One of the two pilots killed in the crash was a French-speaking Quebecer. And Air Canada, the country's largest airline, is based in French-speaking Quebec. Carney says it's essential that Air Canada's next CEO be bilingual.

[14:50:00]

So TSA workers just got back pay, but many other employees of Homeland Security have yet to be paid, including those at FEMA and U.S. Coast Guard civilians. We have that story in just moments.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KEILAR: The financial pain is not over for tens of thousands of Homeland Security employees. While TSA workers just received weeks of back pay, other DHS staffers continue working without compensation.

[14:55:00]

That includes FEMA personnel and civilians in the U.S. Coast Guard. But with Congress on a two-week recess, they'll have to keep waiting.

U.S. Coast Guard spouse Jessica Manfre is joining us now to talk about the impact that this shutdown is having. Jessica, thank you so much for being with us. Paychecks for the Coast Guard are being funded by the Big, Beautiful Bill, the President's landmark legislation, according to a senior administration official.

But we also understand that there's also this element of Coast Guard families kind of wondering at each pay period if they're going to get paid. Tell us what's happening.

JESSICA MANFRE, U.S. COAST GUARD SPOUSE: Well, thank you for having me and for covering this issue. I really appreciate it. Yes, I mean, we're waiting.

It almost feels like every time there's a paycheck, there's a Hail Mary. Like, is there money? Are we going to pull it from here?

Are we going to pull it from there? You know, meanwhile, our civilians are not getting paid, and they are a foundation of what allows Coasties to go out and do what they do. We have about 8,000 civilian workers.

Many of them are Coast Guard spouses. I know plenty of them on base here. And so that's three and a half paychecks they're missing in a society where you need two incomes.

KEILAR: So that's very integrated into the Coast Guard community. What does that do to morale? What does that do to the ability of the Coast Guard to do its job? And that obviously affects morale.

MANFRE: I'm going to be very frank. You know, the Coast Guard has a very wide mission set. We know that. Legal migrant interdiction, drugs, you know, environmental safety, saving people.

Their focus has to be 100 percent on their job. How can you focus 100 percent on your job when you're worried about whether your family is going to be provided for, if you have to wonder if the paycheck's going to come in? If you're short staffed because those civilians, maybe they weren't considered mission essential, so they're not, you know, in the base, you know, at the sector doing the work.

They're at home furloughed, so there's other Coasties having to fill in the gap. It has national security risks that I don't think people are taking into consideration.

KEILAR: This is also the second shutdown in six months, though this one is in a time of war. How are families scrambling? What are they doing to fill the gaps just in case they aren't getting paid, or if they do have a member of the family who is one of these Coast Guard civilian employees?

MANFRE: Well, like all branches of the military, I'm grateful that we have our own aid society. Coast Guard Mutual Assistance is standing ready to assist. You know, we're encouraging people to utilize food pantries, you know, find those nonprofits that, you know, serve this community.

Those are options, obviously, and I would also want to point out, there are Coast Guardsmen and women serving overseas right now. They are in Bahrain. They are in the areas where there is, you know, very real conflict going on, and I feel, you know, it's hard not to get frustrated.

When it was the entire military, there was more attention paid on this, and I don't feel like it really hit the news until people started going to the airport, and maybe that's just me being emotional because I'm in, you know, the thick of it, but they're there. You know, they're risking their lives. They want to serve this country, and they should be paid for the work that they do. KEILAR: Yes, I was reading about how they'll be securing the launch corridor of Artemis 2 when it goes off, so they're really there. As we're watching the news, they're there in the background, feeling this pain. Can you talk about what that means?

Because the Coast Guard is the smallest military branch. What is your message to lawmakers, who, by the way, are getting paid? They're on recess.

What's your message to them as a member of a Coast Guard family, and you are this member of the branch that is kind of getting left behind a bit here?

MANFRE: No, I'm happy to be direct about it. I think that I can be completely apolitical in saying that I'm anti-shutdown. It feels like a temper tantrum, if I'm going to be honest, because, you know, we learned everything important in kindergarten, as I always say, like two wrongs don't make a right.

So if you're trying to justify the shutdown, it's really, really hard to hear you and hear what you're trying to say when you're hurting other people while you're doing it. I also think it's incredibly frustrating, and I don't have a problem saying it, but they're getting paid while all of us are scrambling. And, you know, I'm going to take a minute, Brianna, and go off script.

I want to show this photo. There's a little girl in here that's mine, so she belongs to a Coast Guardsman, and there are four others that belong to a CBP agent who has served this country for over 10 years. Which little girls deserve their family's livelihood?

Which little girls, you know, deserve, you know, for their parents not to have to worry about putting food on the table? And I think the only way that we get past this is to humanize the impacts, because I've heard senators and congressmen, women, talking on even your program about, well, it's just these agencies. No, it's people.

And I think I just want to remind them of that.

KEILAR: Yes, there are people at the heart of this. Jessica Manfre, Coast Guard spouse, thank ...

END