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Trump Orders Navy to Shoot & Kill Mine-laying Boats in Strait; U.S. Navy Secretary Ousted Amid Blockade and Tensions With Hegseth; Report Finds One in Five in U.S. May Have Dangerous Toxin in Their Tap Water; Singer David Anthony Burke Arrested for the Murder and Death of 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez; Judge Tosses Laura Loomer's Defamation Suit Against Bill Maher; Prince Louis Birthday Photo Released to Mark Eighth Birthday; NFL Teams Set to Pick New Talent From College Ranks. Aired 1:30-2p ET

Aired April 23, 2026 - 13:30   ET

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

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[13:32:46]

BRIANNA KEILAR, CNN CO-ANCHOR OF "CNN NEWS CENTRAL": We're continuing to track developments in the U.S. war with Iran. President Trump now ordering the Navy to shoot and kill any boat that is putting mines in the Strait of Hormuz.

BORIS SANCHEZ, CNN CO-ANCHOR OF "CNN NEWS CENTRAL": We've also learned the Pentagon briefed lawmakers that it could take six months to fully clear the Strait of mines once the war ends. With us now to discuss, CNN Global Affairs Analyst, Brett McGurk. He's the former Middle East and North Africa coordinator at the National Security Council. Brett, thanks so much for being with us.

BRETT MCGURK, CNN GLOBAL AFFAIRS ANALYST: Thanks, Boris.

SANCHEZ: So it seems like this is open-ended, even though we've gotten assurances that this isn't open-ended. Effectively, we're in a waiting game between the United States, Israel, and Iran.

MCGURK: Yeah.

SANCHEZ: Who gains the leverage as we await the next step?

MCGURK: Yeah, it's come down to now kind of a competition between two blockades. So we have a blockade on Iran. Iran has a blockade effectively on the entire world. And who can outlast the other?

We've talked about in the earliest days of this about a test of wills. And now that's kind of what is really a showdown between these two blockades. So it would be good, given that Iran is blockading the world and given that this really puts pressure on Asia, on Japan, South Korea, and China, to do some real diplomacy to get some diplomatic pressure on Iran to, hey, get to the table and do a deal.

But right, now it's seen as a standoff. I was just talking to some European former colleagues. It's seen as a standoff between the U.S. and Iran. And I think we want to try to shift that a little bit. Again, our blockade is against Iran. Theirs is against the entire world.

So who can stretch time here? The economic pressure will build against the Iranians. That will begin to bite. But the global economic pressure is also continuing to build. So that's where we are.

Meanwhile, the Pakistanis are trying to get this, you know, these talks started again. But that looks like a really long road, just given the power vacuum in Iran and who's really calling the shots and whether you can get to a deal, which would be difficult even if you had a cohesive system in Iran.

So it's a predicament.

KEILAR: Seen as a standoff between Iran and the U.S. and Israel, right?

MCGURK: Yeah.

KEILAR: Because, I mean, that's the way the U.S. went into this.

MCGURK: Yes.

KEILAR: So it's hard to re-orient that in the middle of a war. That's really tough, especially as Trump wants it to be kind of the end of the war.

[13:35:00]

I guess my question is, do you see Iran in a position where they actually want to give up nuclear ambitions as you -- you don't? I mean, what's the point if they are not in some position where Trump can gain some progress on that front?

MCGURK: You know, kind of like everybody is right in this debate. We have reasonable demands on the table. Iran, give up your stockpile of highly enriched uranium which you don't need.

They're the only country in the world without a weapons program that was enriching to 60 percent grade, and they have the stockpile of 1,000 pounds. They don't need it, get rid of it. Why do they refuse to get rid of it? Because they want to keep it in some form, and give up enrichment. You do not need enrichment to have a very effective civil nuclear program. They insist on enrichment. Why? Because they want optionality for a weapon.

This program, it was a weapons program, it has all the elements of a weapons program. That's what Iran wants. They consider it essential to their deterrence. So they will not give that up. Perhaps for an extremely high price. But this has been part of the negotiations with Iran that, frankly, goes back decades from the beginning of their nuclear program. This is what makes it so difficult.

But this is why, you know, international diplomacy, Iran's nuclear program is under Chapter 7 U.N. sanctions. This should not just be a U.S.-Iran issue. I totally agree with you, Brianna. The way we went into this, you know, we kind of took off on the airplane, and now, we're maybe wanting some people to be with us, but we're already in the air. It's best to get folks with you while you're doing the takeoff.

(LAUGH)

KEILAR: Yeah.

MCGURK: But I really -- right now, I think we're kind of settling into this two-blockade standoff. And very important in that scenario, if we can, to use diplomacy to get the Asian partners of ours and adversaries of ours, competitors of ours, like China, to put some pressure on Iran to get to the table and try to do a deal. The problem with that, though, is who in Tehran can do the deal.

SANCHEZ: Right. Yeah. It's an open question. There is another aspect to this, another headline that we're sort of tracking along the way, whether it's related to what's happening in the Gulf of Oman, the Strait of Hormuz. We don't yet know.

There aren't signals pointing in that direction. But it's still noticeable that as the U.S. Navy is embroiled in this massive operation with huge consequences, the secretary of the Navy has just been removed.

MCGURK: Right.

SANCHEZ: What does that mean for that department?

MCGURK: So I think it means nothing in terms of the actual military operation in the Middle East. Secretary of the Navy is really not involved in that, not in the chain of command or anything like that. Secretary of the Navy is involved in equipping the force, training the force. But to the Iranians, they will look for any signal of disarray.

And to them, oh, the secretary of the Navy, while we have this naval blockade, just resigned or was fired. That's going to -- I think in the Iranian mind, it's going to convince them that time is on their side, right? They're looking ahead. They're thinking, and this is how they think.

I've sat across the table from the Iranians. They think we're very short term. And we can be very short term. They talk about our election cycles, our gas prices. So they're looking, say, six months until midterm elections. To the Iranians, it's nothing. Six months is nothing in terms of their overall time span.

So I think they're settled in for a long haul. And the question is whether we can be settled in for a long haul in these two competing blockades. That's a very open question.

And how do you increase enough pressure on Iran, perhaps to get them back to the table? The one thing I see right now, if you don't want to go back to the military campaign, which I don't think we should, I think we should try to keep this in the economic domain, is more diplomatic pressure, trying to bring others along with us.

And that's the one thing right now that we have not done.

KEILAR: Some passengers on that plane, midair.

(LAUGH)

KEILAR: I liked your theory, I liked your analogy.

SANCHEZ: Brett McGurk, appreciate the analysis.

MCGURK: Thank you.

SANCHEZ: So, is your tap water toxic? There's a concerning new study finding that one in five Americans may have hazardous levels of a common contaminant running through their pipes. We have an expert behind the research joining us in just moments.

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[13:43:36]

KEILAR: A new report shows that tens of millions of people across the country may have a dangerous toxin in their tap water. Over 62 million Americans, roughly one in five of them, may be exposed to hazardous levels of nitrates, according to the Environmental Working Group, which is a non-profit health advocacy organization.

Nitrates are found naturally in air, in water, soil, and plants, but they become a health risk when rainfall causes certain fertilizers used in agriculture to drain into groundwater, into streams and rivers, and then they eventually end up in public water systems.

Nitrates are invisible, they are tasteless, odorless, and according to the report, at low concentrations, they have been linked to certain types of cancers, as well as thyroid disease, pre-term births, and birth defects.

We're joined now by the author of this new report, Anne Schechinger. She was the Senior Director of Agriculture & Climate Research for the Environmental Working Group.

This is so interesting, Anne, and I think people are going to be plugging in their zip code to see what happens in their neighborhood, and so they should. Tell us who is most at risk from exposure and where you're seeing this the most.

ANNE SCHECHINGER, SENIOR DIRECTOR OF AGRICULTURE & CLIMATE RESEARCH, ENVIRONMENTAL WORKING GROUP: Yeah, so we really found that there are over 62 million people in the U.S. that are exposed to nitrate in drinking water, and it's not just in one state or one area or one region.

[13:45:00]

We really see people across the country affected by nitrate in drinking water. So you can be in a small rural town or you can be in a large city like Los Angeles and still be dealing with nitrate in water.

KEILAR: And the federal guidelines that were established way back in 1962 set nitrate safety levels at 10 milligrams per liter. Talk to us about that threshold and if that is actually low enough.

SCHECHINGER: So the Environmental Protection Agency sets drinking water standards for multiple different contaminants. So for nitrate, they set the level of 10 milligrams per liter in public drinking water, and that was really set based on a 1962 recommendation from the Public Health Service Administration, which was like the precursor to the EPA.

So, that level of 10 milligrams per liter really hasn't been updated in many decades in order to protect people's health. So there have been multiple studies, scientific journal articles showing health conditions like colon cancer, thyroid disease, and birth defects in babies tied to nitrate in drinking water at levels much below the 10 milligrams per liter.

So the EPA level that's currently set right now really is not being health protective for all people who are drinking water with nitrate.

KEILAR: OK, that's not great. So if you're looking at this on a community level, how can communities be addressed -- on a water system level, how can they be addressing this? And if that's not happening, how do you address this on an individual household level?

SCHECHINGER: So water systems definitely in some places like Des Moines and in places in Minnesota and California, they have water treatment so they can actually treat the water to remove nitrate from drinking water to make it safer. But really, prevention is going to be more effective and cheaper.

So a lot of this nitrate is coming from farm fertilizer and manure that are applied to farm fields. So keeping nitrogen on fields instead of having it run off and get into drinking water would be really the best way to prevent this problem from happening in the first place.

And then on a consumer level, you can really look up your zip code in EWG's tap water database. You just go to our website, EWG.org/tapwater, and you can find if you have high levels of nitrate in your drinking water or all other contaminants that are regulated by the EPA in drinking water.

So consumers can kind of see what's in their water. And then our tap water database also recommends water filters if you want to be reducing nitrate levels down to a lower level than your water system has it at right now.

KEILAR: So all kinds of water filters, are you talking about kind of those ones that go under the sink and are more like systems? Are you talking about the ones that might just be kind of in the pitcher? Are all of those good options? SCHECHINGER: So nitrate is really tricky when it comes to removing it from drinking water. You can only really remove nitrate from drinking water if you have a reverse osmosis system or an ion exchange system. So, you know, a regular BRITA filter, a carbon filter, pitcher won't remove nitrate from your water.

But there are other options like an under the sink reverse osmosis that you can get at, you know, your local hardware store, those kinds of water systems can be used to remove nitrate. So you can't use kind of the most common water filters, but there are still options that people can choose to install if this is really a problem in their water.

KEILAR: Yeah. And they have to remember to change those filters in those systems too. That is important to remember as well. And this is something I think a lot of people are paying attention to. Thank you so much for being with us to talk about what you found.

SCHECHINGER: Thanks for having me.

KEILAR: Of course. Boris?

SANCHEZ: Now to some of the other headlines we're watching this hour.

Singer David Anthony Burke and his attorneys were back in an L.A. courtroom today where we learned the evidence against him includes a significant amount of child pornography. The L.A. County deputy D.A. said law enforcement had obtained up to 40 terabytes of data in the case. Burke has pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder and the death of 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez.

Her remains were found in his Tesla. An autopsy found she was killed by multiple penetrating injuries from a sharp object.

Also, a federal judge has dismissed a defamation lawsuit brought by prominent Trump-ally, Laura Loomer, against Bill Maher and HBO. The judge said a joke by Maher in which he suggested that she might be in a sexual relationship with President Trump constituted protected speech. Loomer claimed that the remark lowered her standing in Trump's orbit and cost her a job.

We should note, for the sake of transparency, HBO is owned by Warner Bros. Discovery, the parent company of CNN.

And happy birthday to Britain's Prince Louis. Kensington Palace releasing this photo of the young royal to mark his eighth birthday today.

[13:50:00]

Louis is the youngest of the Prince and Princesses of Wales' three kids. He is fourth in line to the British throne. According to the P.A. News Agency, this photo was taken on family vacation in Cornwall in southwest England.

The waiting, my friends, is the hardest part, especially for college football players of the NFL Draft, which begins tonight. The wait can be especially long for Mr. Irrelevant, the last player picked. We have a former Mr. Irrelevant turning off the lights on us.

Stay with us. We'll be right back.

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[13:55:26]

SANCHEZ: Dreams will be made and nerves will be tested as the 91st NFL Draft kicks off tonight, this year, taking place in Pittsburgh with the city closing roads and moving schools to virtual learning as they prepare for an influx of fans. The Las Vegas Raiders hold the number one overall pick. They are expected to select Indiana quarterback and Heisman winner, Fernando Mendoza.

But it is going to be a long three days ahead with rounds two and three tomorrow, and finishing up with four through seven on Saturday. We're joined now by Marty Moore, Moore was the first final pick in the 1994 Draft earning in the title of Mr. Irrelevant. His eight years in the NFL though proved to be anything but irrelevant. He went on to be the first last pick to play in a Super Bowl, the first one to win one.

Marty, thanks so much for being with us. What was it like for you knowing you were going into that 1994 NFL Draft not knowing when you were going to get picked?

MARTY MOORE, MR. IRRELEVANT 1994, LINEBACKER, UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY: You know, it's very nerve-wracking. My mother called me day one and I was like mom, calm down. I'm not getting picked in the first day. But day two, I was painting one of the bedrooms in the house, cleaning out the garage just trying to get my mind off things. And the Patriots called end of the sixth round, said we're taking you with the next pick. They took a quarterback.

(LAUGH)

MOORE: I about lost my mind. And then my brother said hey, they have another pick and I was selected, and it's at end of ESPN Draft. And I was like, am I the last pick?

(LAUGH)

MOORE: And a guy named Paul Soloto (ph) picked up the phone --

(LAUGH)

MOORE: And he was like, hey, you're Mr. Irrelevant. I was like, I don't even know where New England, I don't know what city they're in. Now, I'm Mr. Irrelevant.

(LAUGH)

MOORE: Like, it was it was a whirlwind. I was thrown into it pretty quickly. SANCHEZ: A lot of players are going to have that experience over the course of the next few days. But I do want to ask you about the player that's expected to go first, Fernando Mendoza. What stands out to you about him? Why is it that he's climbed to be -- expected to be the number one pick when just a few years ago, a lot of folks didn't know who he was.

MOORE: Character, you know, if you look at that young man, leadership and character, you know. That's the things that -- you really can't teach leadership. We all talk about it. But then just the integrity and the character of that young man, the leadership skills he had in the National Championship. You saw it all throughout the playoffs and you know, I think you want to surround your team with people of that caliber.

Bill Parcells, Bill Belichick, you know, we always talked about the character of players and being a pro and he is an ultimate pro in what he does and what he does on the field, off the field And I think they are going to make a great pick with him and build the franchise around him.

SANCHEZ: Who else have you got your eye on, on night one?

MOORE: You know, I kind of look at -- I want to see the Patriots take a tackle. That's really what I want to see in the first round. I want to see them take an offensive lineman (ph). I think that they have the opportunity to get back to the Super Bowl. But I feel like they need some help on the o-line (ph) and it showed in the Super Bowl. So that's really who I'm eyeing, that's my team. So I got to support my team and --

SANCHEZ: Of course.

MOORE: That's what I want to see them take in the first round.

SANCHEZ: Of course. And Marty, last question. What's your advice to this year's Mr. Irrelevant? I mean, we've seen some folks transcend that title, not only yourself, but also Brock Purdy as well, right?

MOORE: Yeah, I mean Brock Purdy. I mean he kind of brought it back to life, you know, Mr. Irrelevant now, Mel (ph) and gets up there and does a jersey and you know, it's going to become a big deal. But I think, you know, being selected in the NFL Draft, it doesn't guarantee you a job. It doesn't guarantee you money.

You have to play weekend, week out. It's a week-to-week job. And the last pick in the Draft, just take all the noise out, don't be Unhappy you're the last pick, make the most of it because every free agent, every Draft pick has an opportunity to make their mark.

And Tom Brady, he was a sixth round pick.

SANCHEZ: Yeah.

MOORE: I was a seventh round pick. Brock Purdy was Mr. Irrelevant. Ryan Succop was Mr. Irrelevant. You know, there's been a lot of guys that made great names for themselves and have really kind of put their mark on the NFL. And I just always say, you know, anything is possible. It is up to you --