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NASA's Historic Moon Mission; Josh Dinner is Interviewed about the Moon Mission; Rep. Johnny Olszewski (D-MD) is Interviewed about Iran; American Journalist Kidnapped in Iraq; Jamie Hagen is Interviewed about High Diesel Prices; 50 Years of Apple. Aired 8:30-9a ET

Aired April 01, 2026 - 08:30   ET

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

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[08:31:34]

SARA SIDNER, CNN ANCHOR: A nice, bright sky. We're taking you back to live pictures there from the Kennedy Space Center. We're just hours away from the launch of NASA's historic mission. Right now, NASA teams are preparing the rocket for fueling. Four astronauts are set to fly around the moon and back, returning humans to deep space for the first time in more than a half century.

CNN's Tom Foreman tells us what we can expect during this particular launch.

TOM FOREMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: No matter how many space launches you have seen, you've never seen one like this because the space launch system is a vessel unto itself. This is a beast. Taller than the Statue of Liberty from the base to the tip of the torch, well over 300 feet. It weighs around six million pounds. But that's OK because it can produce about eight million pounds of thrust. Starting with those two big solid fuel boosters on the side there. They will both burn straight through at the beginning, giving it that extra boost as it gets off the ground, and then they will fall away. They could almost get the job done entirely by themselves, but they will have the help of that big orange core in the middle. It's orange because that is insulation to keep what's inside very, very cold. Liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen, both of which will be flowing down to these four RS-25 engines down below, all together sending this well up into space with a tremendous amount of power.

So, where are the astronauts in all of this? They're up here. That's where you'll find the Orion crew module. Just below it, the service module that will supply water and oxygen and all sorts of things to the crew up above. And below that, another big booster, which will send that part into a giant elliptical orbit around the earth before sending it on its way.

One more thing. You'll see that upside down ice cream cone up there. That is a escape module in a sense. A way for the crew to get out. Even when this rocket is going thousands of miles an hour, it could bring them safely back down to earth. Of course, everybody hopes that this doesn't get used, that everything falls off as it should properly. And the Orion crew is on its way on this historic return to the moon.

JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: All right, our thanks to Tom Foreman for that.

With us now, Josh Dinner, a writer at space.com.

Josh, great to see you. We see you there waiting for the launch, which is tonight, scheduled to be tonight.

Why don't you just explain what the most important part of this mission is and what we should be watching for, particularly at launch tonight?

JOSH DINNER, WRITER, SPACE.COM: Well, hi, John. Thanks for having me.

I mean, the most important part of this launch is that we are going back to the moon. I think that is the most important, most exciting, just most incredible part of the entire mission.

The launch itself is, in itself, spectacular. SLS is one of the most powerful rockets in operation right now. And when it launches, you feel it. You feel it in your chest. You hear it in your ears. It is one of the loudest things that you can hear here at the space coast.

BERMAN: I am so excited. I'm a space geek. And some of the most interesting coverage I've ever done was of the space shuttle in Houston. That said, there is an element of this to me that we did this 50 years ago, right? It's not like we celebrate, you know, the invention of a new color television. So, what is it that's new and different about this? How will this move us forward?

DINNER: Well, Artemis -- for NASA, the Artemis program is very different than Apollo.

[08:35:01]

With Apollo we went to the moon, we hung out for a little while, and then we came back to earth. Through Artemis, NASA is really hoping to establish a permanent presence on the lunar surface. It's starting with Artemis III. This is the first crewed mission of Orion. They're going to be flying around the moon, around the lunar -- the lunar far side. And it's a build up all in preparation for the next mission, which is going to be a rehearsal with the lunar landers in 2027. And then a lunar landing in 2028 on Artemis IV. And so each step of these missions in the Artemis program is meant to build on the next and to really put us back on the moon. And instead of coming right home, NASA wants to stay there and create a sustained presence on the lunar surface, build a lunar base, and really springboard the technologies that will take people to Mars.

BERMAN: And that would truly be historic and something novel and pushing the space program ahead by generations here.

Let's talk about the risks. Obviously, any kind of space mission is hugely risky. But in terms of how these spacecrafts have operated and tested, what's the riskiest part over the next several days?

DINNER: I mean a lot of people are concerned about reentry. Artemis I had a lot of char and damage to the heat shield that they weren't expecting when it came back through the atmosphere. And they've made a lot of adjustments for the crew and the spacecraft's trajectory for reentering earth. And I think that is the largest piece of risk that they have been able to mitigate. Obviously, launch is a risk in and of itself, though the Orion spacecraft, the SLS rocket, all have been tested, you know, reassured, given the golden check of approval. And NASA is very confident, and the astronauts are maybe the most confident that this launch is going to go smoothly. And without a hitch.

BERMAN: Josh Dinner, it's great to see you. We can sense the excitement that you feel for this launch. Hopefully everything goes off as planned on time tonight so we can all watch, frankly feel it. The power of this launch will be so immense it will be felt for miles. So, thanks for being with us.

Kate.

KATE BOLDUAN, CNN ANCHOR: So, a wartime address in prime time. President Trump will speak to the nation tonight to give his press secretary has described as an important update on the war with Iran. According to the president just last night, the war, or U.S. involvement in it, could be over in two to three weeks. But the Strait of Hormuz is still essentially paralyzed. And the president now says that the United States has nothing to do with securing and reopening the Strait of Hormuz, telling allies now to go get their own oil.

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DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: If France or some other country wants to get oil or gas, they'll go up through the Strait and -- Hormuz Strait. They'll go right up there and they'll be able to fend for themselves. I think it will be very safe, actually. But we have nothing to do with that.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BOLDUAN: Joining me right now, Democratic Congressman Johnny Olszewski of Maryland. He sits on the House Foreign Affairs Committee.

Thank you so much for being here, Congressman.

Is there a case that President Trump could make tonight that could get you to support his efforts in Iran and support the U.S. operation ending soon?

REP. JOHNNY OLSZEWSKI (D-MD): I mean, yes, but that's what we've been calling for since this war started, is for the president to actually articulate what the strategy is, what the outcome should be and how we're going to get there. And the president has consistently failed to do that with shifting outcomes, shifting strategies. And so, I'm glad the president is finally choosing to address the American people tonight because we're in a real mess. A mess that Trump created himself and a mess that we've been clear on, that this has been a war of choice, that he didn't have to go in. And now we're at this point where gas prices are up, we've lost American lives, the Strait of Hormuz is closed, and there's no real clear end to how we get out of this war.

BOLDUAN: The president, yesterday, said that his one priority is making sure -- one objective is making sure that Iran does not get a nuclear weapon, cannot have a nuclear weapon. Do you think he can accomplish that objective without going in to secure -- or remove or secure in some way, shape or form or fashion the uranium that still remains?

OLSZEWSKI: Yes. To be clear, I share that objective with the president. I don't want to see Iran have a nuclear weapon. I know that they are a threat. And, you know, while I'm supportive of having that objective met, this president has not engaged Congress at all. As you mentioned, I sit on the Foreign Affairs Committee. We have yet to have one public hearing on the conduct of the war or how we win it, what -- how we obtain that objective. And so, I would call on the speaker not -- to bring us back, not only for that purpose, but to also address the ongoing DHS shutdown, which is making us less safe.

As I talk to experts outside of the committee and outside of the administration, many believe the only way to actually secure that nuclear material is to have boots on the ground. We know that 70 percent of Americans oppose that action. And so, the president has to do a much better job of explaining exactly how we will do that, and how boots on the ground can be effective in securing American interests.

[08:40:08]

The president has failed on that miserably so far.

BOLDUAN: The president is also now, just today, threatening in a new way of leaving NATO. He just did a new interview with a British paper, and he was asked if he would reconsider U.S. membership in NATO after this war. And the president said this, "oh, yes, I would. It's beyond reconsideration." He also said, "I was never swayed by NATO. I always knew they were a paper tiger. And Putin knows that too, by the way."

If the U.S. leaving NATO is one result of this war, along with the U.S. leaving the fight before the Strait of Hormuz is reopened, what then?

OLSZEWSKI: Well, then America is on its own and we're less safe as a result. And we are better because of the alliances that we've forged over the years. You know, it's not that long ago we can remember that we were attacked on 9/11, and the countries who rallied to our defense in the fight against terrorism.

Think about what would happen if we were on an island by ourselves, and we had a similar situation like that, or, God forbid, China or Russia or one of our other adversaries were to start a conflict directly with the United States and to not have that support. This is a president who will say and do anything, depending on the day, and pretends like he forgot about saying it the day before. This is really putting Americans in jeopardy.

I'm deeply concerned about the knee jerk approach to this president. He is a shoot first, ask no questions. And honestly, Americans are often the ones who end up getting hit as a result of this president's actions.

BOLDUAN: The president is facing some new low poll numbers right now in light of this war. And ahead of this address, this is new polling that was just released this morning by CNN, his approval rating on the economy has fallen to a new career low of 31 percent, 67 percent say he hasn't paid enough attention to the country's top problem. But there is little sign that Democrats are making headway in light of all of this. An even broader 74 percent of the public say that Democrats in Congress have the wrong priorities. And if you dig into it, that includes 52 percent of your own party. To that, you say, what?

OLSZEWSKI: Yes. Look, well, the president certainly deserves the poll numbers he's had. He promised on day one to lower costs, and he's failed miserably at that. Gas is up. Cost of housing, childcare. He's stripped away health care and food supports for Americans.

Democrats have our own work to do as well. But what I can tell you is, I am a Democrat, along with many of my colleagues who are focused, laser like, on lowering the cost facing my constituents and Americans, whether that is the cost of energy, the cost of housing, the cost of childcare, getting health care back in place, helping people find a job that affirms their dignity and worth, and that pays them a fair wage. And so, we have to do a better job I think of Democrats as communicating. But remember, Democrats are in the minority. Republicans control the White House, the House and the Senate.

BOLDUAN: Do you think it's just communicating? Because this is something that we've talked about for a long time, since even the 20 -- since the 2024 election ended, is that we keep being told by Democrats, it's a communication problem. Do you think that is the reason why the American public is feeling this way about the Democratic Party?

OLSZEWSKI: I think it's more than communication, but that's why I've done two dozen town halls and forums. It's why I'm out there protesting and working with, I think, our party. And I think Americans want to see Democrats and their elected representatives fighting for them. And so, I think it's both communicating the policy ideas that we have, but also showing in very real, tangible ways that we are alongside Americans and our constituents fighting for and with them.

BOLDUAN: Congressman, thanks for coming in. Appreciate your time.

Sara.

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

An American journalist has been kidnapped in Iraq. Shelly Kittleson was taken in central Baghdad yesterday. Iraq's ministry of interior says that security forces have launched an operation to track down those responsible and secure her release. The State Department now saying a suspect connected to the kidnapping is in custody.

CNN's Jennifer Hansler has more on this.

You have some new CNN reporting for us this morning about a warning that Kittleson received. What can you tell us?

JENNIFER HANSLER, CNN SENIOR REPORTER AND WRITER, NATIONAL SECURITY: Well, that's right, Sara. Myself and Jeremy Diamond heard from our sources that there had been threats made against Shelly Kittleson in the weeks leading up to her abduction yesterday. These were threats that were tied to the Iranian proxy group Kataib Hezbollah, which has repeatedly targeted American interests in the past. We're told by sources that this had been relayed to Shelly numerous times, and that they had urged her to leave.

But I should note, Sara, this is someone who has a long history of reporting in this region. She's spent years reporting in Syria and Iraq. So, she is used to operating in a high risk environment.

What we saw happen yesterday, though, she was abducted from central Baghdad. There is no official assessment of who abducted her. However, the assistant secretary of state for public affairs, Dylan Johnson, said in a tweet yesterday that the Iraqi security force had arrested an individual tied to Kataib Hezbollah, who was believed to be involved in this abduction.

[08:45:03]

He also acknowledged, without naming Shelly, that they had done a duty to warn of threats in this situation. That means when the U.S. government is aware of a threat against an individual, they have an obligation to tell them about those threats. He said that they were working with the FBI to try to bring her home as soon -- or this person, rather, as soon as possible. My understanding from sources is the U.S. is closely coordinating with the Iraqi government as well to try to bring her home, to locate her and to get a sense of her whereabouts and her well-being at this time.

But all of this, Sara, speaks to the heightened risk level in the region right now, particularly with the war in Iran going on. There have been repeated threats from the State Department that Americans are even more at risk if they are in that region, given the rising anti-American sentiment that is among especially those Iranian proxy groups.

Sara.

SIDNER: Yes, that is one of the things that a lot of Americans need to understand.

Jennifer Hansler, thank you so much. I do appreciate your reporting.

John.

BERMAN: All right, just moments ago, the Masters updated its website to reflect that Tiger Woods will not play this year. His new announcement after a sheriff says he had pills in his pocket after flipping his SUV.

And so the Army had confirmed an investigation into the Apache helicopter that flew by Kid Rock's house. Kid Rock said that it was a show of respect for him. Now, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth rescinds that investigation.

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[08:50:40]

SIDNER: Rising oil prices have led to the highest gas prices in four years, adding to Americans' frustration over the economy. Diesel prices are also soaring. They are now at $5.49 a gallon on average. That's up 46 percent from just a month ago. While some bigger companies are less exposed to pricing pressure, some small truckers and operators say they are struggling.

Joining me now is Jamie Hagen, president of the trucking company Hell Bent Xpress.

I got to ask you, I mean, at this point in time, with these prices up 46 percent since -- in the past month or so, what does that actually mean for you on a day to day basis trying to run your business?

JAMIE HAGEN, PRESIDENT, HELL BENT XPRESS: Well, it's not good, that's for sure. The -- from last month to this month, we've already spent 16,000 more dollars, which doesn't sound like a huge number, but when you're a small company, it's a pretty big number. So, our operating expenses have risen astronomically compared to what we're bringing in, which is a, we all know in business, is a recipe for disaster, right?

SIDNER: Yes, I mean, can you put those costs onto the consumer or to someone else, or is this something you're just having to eat?

HAGEN: Typically, like a large corporation would have contracts for these situations. I'm just such a small-time player, you know, everything is done with a handshake kind of a deal. So, we are trying to get concessions so they can pass it down to the consumer, but it's slow going and it's a lot of negotiation to get those. So far we've gotten a few, but not as much as we'd like to make sure that we can survive this for sure.

SIDNER: Look, give me some sense, if this goes on for let's say another few months or another even month or so where you're losing $16,000, how close are you to having to say, I can't -- I can't continue like this?

HAGEN: Yes. Well, that's the thing, you know, how far does a guy go when you know the numbers don't add up, right?

SIDNER: Yes.

HAGEN: Like how deep do you go? Right now, you know, maybe a couple of months at most. But we are, you know, like I said, we are getting some movement. Rates are going up. People are starting to understand that this is going to have to happen if we're going to survive this, if they want small time trucking companies, which is what, you know, 80 percent of the market is, is small time companies, if they want that, they're going to have to, you know, pay a little more for their shipping.

SIDNER: Yes, I mean, look, and we're seeing that already. We're seeing some of those prices go up. And people are -- were already upset about the cost of things. Now the cost of gas has gone up. And now you're talking about what's happening with your business.

I'm curious if this is the only thing that is impacting you, or are there other issues that are also impacting your business beyond the fact that these diesel prices are enormously high?

HAGEN: Well, normally we would be able to absorb some of this easily, but the market has been so overcapacity. You know, everyone talks about a truck driver shortage, but there's actually too many, if you can believe that or not.

SIDNER: Wow.

HAGEN: And that's kind of brought our rates down. It saw a lot of erosion of just people out there willing to pay -- you know, shippers really wanting to get the best price they can. I mean, who doesn't, right? So they're using people that would not normally want to be in this situation. We got a lot of people from out of country and non- licensed people right now in, you know, in the trucking industry that really -- who are willing to do things the wrong way. We're all regulated by the hours that we can drive. And these nefarious individuals are more than willing to drive past those hours, making our roads very unsafe. That's why you see these huge, huge truck accidents. Didn't see those a few years back, right? So now they're everywhere. And it's not good for any of us.

SIDNER: Yes. Those are a lot of different concerns. One of the number ones though is the cost of diesel. I know that's hitting you hard.

[08:55:01]

But you know what's good, the name of your company, Hell Bent Xpress. I like it. It was a good choice.

Jamie Hagen, very cool. Thank you so much for joining us. Appreciate you.

Kate.

BOLDUAN: Can we also use that as the new motto for our show, the Hell Bent Xpress.

A Tiger Woods update for you. The golf legend is now stepping away from the sport and says that he is going to seek treatment after his DUI arrest where police say he hit another vehicle and flipped his car. This was last week. He pleaded not guilty and is now asking for and demanding a jury trial in the case that he now faces. The deputy who arrested Woods says that he was sweating profusely and failed a field sobriety test. Woods says he crashed because he was looking at his cell phone and changing the radio station. The arrest affidavit also reveals that officers found two pills of the opioid hydrocodone in Woods' pocket at the time, same meds that were found in his system in 2017 when Woods pleaded guilty to reckless driving after another DUI arrest.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has now stepped in to reverse the suspensions of two Army pilots that the Pentagon had just ordered the suspension of. These are the pilots that were seen in the video flying closely by Kid Rock's Nashville area home in Apache helicopters. Kid Rock posted the video of it and said that it was a show of respect for him. Then the Pentagon launched this investigation, suspensions were ordered and the secretary of defense is now shutting down the Army's investigation into what happened. When asked about the incident, the president said, his words were, that the pilots "probably shouldn't have been doing it," adding, "I'm sure they had a good time."

A lost dog is now back with its owner a week later, and after that owner fell 180 feet down a waterfall in New Zealand. The woman was rescued and taken to the hospital. The dog was nowhere to be found. Word of the missing border collie spread far and wide. Thousands of dollars were donated to a helicopter company that was offering to help search for the pet. They say they use thermal imaging to find it. The dog was located near the base of the waterfall. Both dog and owner are doing OK, thankfully. Now they're reunited. We're told that the owner suffered a split elbow and bruises head to toe, but thank goodness.

John.

BERMAN: All right, we have a birthday to celebrate today. Happy birthday Apple, as I sit here with my two iPhones. Apple was founded exactly 50 years ago today, April 1st, 1976, if my math is right. CNN has a special look this weekend of "The Whole Story: 50 years of Apple," and Bill Weir with a preview will look at how Apple has changed and changed us.

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BILL WEIR, CNN CHIEF CLIMATE CORRESPONDENT (voice over): This morning, hundreds of millions of us woke up in an ecosystem created by one company. All day their devices will fill our hands and eyes, ears and brains, wants and needs, until we are powerless without them.

Which reminds me of Sunday school and that original test of willpower, that when knowledge of everything, good and evil, is wrapped in a delicious package like Eve's apple, humans will ignore all warnings, take a big bite and see what comes next.

WEIR: But this is a story of the modern equivalent. This is the story of Steve's Apple.

WEIR (voice over): As in Jobs and Wozniak. The two Steves created it in a California garage. And just 50 years later, 2.5 billion users make Apple one of the most influential, iconic and profitable companies the world has ever seen.

(END VIDEO CLIP) BERMAN: All right, and Bill Weir joins us now.

No one tells a story like you, Bill.

BILL WEIR, CNN CHIEF CLIMATE CORRESPONDENT (on camera): Oh, thanks, John.

BERMAN: Honestly, I have to say, like reminds me of Sunday school. You look back at sort of the good and the bad of Apple over the last 50 years.

WEIR: Right. I do.

BERMAN: What surprised you?

WEIR: Well, it was so surprising to see how close they were to the brink.

BERMAN: Yes.

WEIR: And how Steve Jobs brought them back. It was surprising to see how they've become a medical device company. That Apple watches now alert people that they need pacemakers, that the emergency SOS now makes up like a third of search and rescue calls outside of L.A.

BERMAN: Wow.

WEIR: So, they've become sort of life saving devices. They've created billion dollar economies. Attention gig economies. How we eat and all that sort of thing.

But what comes with that bite of the apple is screen addiction. The average adult, four hours a day. Average kid, eight hours a day. So, to mark this anniversary, I actually broke up with my iPhone for two weeks.

BERMAN: Uh (ph).

WEIR: And used an old school dumb phone, a flip phone, just to see what it would do. And I took brain tests before and after with experts up in Ontario who study the effects of screen time on young brains, it was startling the difference. And it also sort of reset my relationship with this. But it's a really wide-ranging look at truly how it's changed the world and changed us at the same time.

BERMAN: So, you were on a break?

WEIR: I was on a break.

BERMAN: You were on a break with the iPhone, and you had a fling. It's like "Friends."

WEIR: I did. I --

BERMAN: With Ross. And you had a fling with a flip phone.

[09:00:01]

WEIR: I fooled around with a dumb phone. And it turns out my dumb phone brain is much quicker and much better connected than my smartphone scrolling brain.