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U.S. Soccer Coach to Announce World Cup Roster Soon; Iran Warns of Retaliation for Any U.S. Ceasefire Violations; Trump Expected to Hold Cabinet Meeting at Camp David Tomorrow; Trump Receives Fourth Checkup of His Second Term; Texas Voters Head to Polls in Test of Trump's Endorsement. Aired 2-2:30p ET

Aired May 26, 2026 - 14:00   ET

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

[14:00:00]

DON RIDDELL, CNN SPORTS ANCHOR & CORRESPONDENT: -- newspaper over the weekend. So, if those are the players that end up in Mauricio Pochettino's squad of '26, then there'll be no surprises, but huge deal of anticipation and excitement anyway.

The tournament now just, well, it's only two, three weeks away. Very soon.

BORIS SANCHEZ, CNN CO-ANCHOR OF "CNN NEWS CENTRAL": It is going to be huge. Don Riddell, thank you so much for the update.

A new hour of "CNN News Central" starts right now.

BRIANNA KEILAR, CNN CO-ANCHOR OF "CNN NEWS CENTRAL": Threats of retaliation, Tehran issuing a stark warning as the U.S. Military carried out what it calls self-defense strikes targeting Iranian missile launch sites and boats around the Strait of Hormuz.

Plus, the race to rescue. Search operations are underway to save seven people who have been trapped in a flooded cave for almost a week. We're going to bring you the latest on the risky operation.

And moonshot, right now, NASA giving an update on its lunar ambitions, which includes a permanent base on the moon. We're following these major developing stories and many more, all coming in right here to "CNN News Central."

Iran is now threatening to retaliate against any violations of its ceasefire with the U.S. Overnight, U.S. Central Command says it hit mine laying boats and missile launch sites in new attacks near the Strait of Hormuz. This new flare-up in tensions is happening as peace talks to end the war reach a critical juncture.

Iranian state media says that top negotiators just returned to Tehran after holding meetings in Qatar which has played a key role in mediating these discussions. Now, President Trump is expecting to convene his entire cabinet at Camp David tomorrow. Secretary of State, Rubio saying this today about ongoing negotiations.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) MARCO RUBIO, UNITED STATES SECRETARY OF STATE: -- with something like this and it's going to take a couple days to settle on even down to the disagreements over a word, a sentence, so we'll have to work through that. If there's going to be a deal, we're going to have to work through that. But this is, you know, it's either going to be a good deal or there isn't going to be one.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KEILAR: CNN International Diplomatic Editor, Nic Robertson is tracking the latest for us from London. Nic, what are you learning about where these negotiations stand right now?

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR: Yeah, what we're hearing from Secretary of State, Marco Rubio does seem to be the sort of the current thinking of where events stand, that it is negotiation over words, maybe a sentence. Other sources that I'm talking to familiar with the negotiation process describe it in a similar way.

The Pakistani mediators over the weekend got the Iranians into a position where there was an alignment with the United States and it appeared to be that this memorandum of understanding could be signed relatively quickly. Talking to sources, it's still not clear when it's going to be signed or where it will be signed even. But I don't think anyone that I'm talking to at least is saying that it's all falling apart.

Certainly, there's a lot of concern about the spike intentions, the targeting of these missile sites, the targeting of Iranian small boats appearing to put mines in the Strait of Hormuz. The Iranians for their part of claim that they shot at a Reaper drone, they claim that they shot at an F-35. There isn't any evidence yet that we have that would support that claim by the Iranians, but it does show that both sides are in a situation where a military escalation or a spike at least could sort of derail this delicate process.

The fact that President Trump is going to meet with his cabinet tomorrow, I think, begins to focus minds in the region that the president is getting ready one way or another to kind of move ahead. He's trying to frame this as a big success. The Iranians are trying to do the same thing as well, but it's not going off track at the moment.

But what are these words? That's the critical part. How contentious are these words because we know that so much of the potential negotiation that comes after the memorandum of understanding is signed is going to be very contentious. The nuclear issue, President Trump has Indicated that he might be willing to allow some kind of watering down of this highly enriched uranium inside of Iran, others might be involved he's suggested.

So there does seem to be some movement diplomatically still ongoing at the moment and the fact that the Iranians had a delegation in Qatar that holds frozen Iranian assets, I think, again is another indication that the modalities are putting into effect some of the things in the memorandum of understanding are still that's still working, still going ahead. KEILAR: All right. Nic, thank you for the very latest there. Boris?

SANCHEZ: Once again, President Trump is touting how well he did during a medical checkup. You see his motorcade there as it left Walter Reed Medical Center less than two hours ago. He just posted that everything at his six-month physical "checked out perfectly" and he thanked the center staff.

[14:05:00]

This is his fourth physical since January of last year when he became the oldest president ever inaugurated. It's also happening just weeks before his 80th birthday. His visit to Walter Reed spanned more than three hours and also included spending some time with troops and staff there. The White House physician is expected to release a report on the exam in the next day or two.

Joining us now is CNN Chief Medical Correspondent, Dr. Sanjay Gupta. Sanjay, this physical brings back all the questions about the president's health. What do we know about how he's doing?

DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN CHIEF MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, we primarily know what they tell us, Boris, and I'm saying it like that because when it comes to health, this is one of those things where, obviously, he's not required to disclose anything. What we hear is from the doctors themselves and, obviously, everything else is protected understandably by privacy laws.

So what we heard, for example, in April of last year was just as you sort of alluded to, a single paragraph about the president's health at that point, giving things like his age, his weight, his blood pressure slightly elevated, having minor sun damage on his skin and also scoring a 30 out of 30 on that screening test for cognitive function.

He's talked about having that test done a few times. We know he's on certain meds such as cholesterol lowering meds and aspirin. And that's really about it. You know, from a family history standpoint, we know his father died of Alzheimer's disease at age 93, had symptoms for several years prior to that, but not much else known.

April was that visit I'm just talking about, Boris, but you remember that he went again to Walter Reed in July and then again in October. And it is worth pointing out that when one goes to Walter Reed, it does signify a higher level of care because the White House Medical Unit can actually do a lot of things in the residence itself.

So anytime the president goes to Walter Reed, it's a significant medical event, even if we don't always know what those visits are for.

SANCHEZ: Yeah, it's true. You mentioned the aspirin that the president takes. There's been much made in images of him, of the bruising around his hands, right? And those two could be tied together.

GUPTA: Yeah, that's what they say. Exactly. And you know, you see it on both hands, which makes the handshaking thing a little less sort of a likely explanation, but primarily in his right hand. When I looked at those images, I think what we what we know is that people typically take aspirin to try and prevent some sort of secondary heart problem. He doesn't.

He says and his doctors say he doesn't have a heart problem, even though in years past, he's had tests which have shown some buildup of calcium in the blood vessels leading to his heart. So the question is, why is he taking it? And then second of all, why such a high dose? Because typically, it's just a baby aspirin that's recommended. That's 81 milligrams.

He's taking a full aspirin, which is 325 milligrams, four times as much. And he has a bruising on his hands. So if you don't need it, it is certainly not that dose. You're having problems with it. Why is he still on it? And we've never gotten a good answer to that question, Boris.

SANCHEZ: Yeah, it is a good question. There's also the chronic venous insufficiency that Trump was diagnosed with --

GUPTA: Yeah.

SANCHEZ: -- back in July. Is that something that gets better with time and medication, or is that just something that he'll have to contend with?

GUPTA: Probably you have to contend with it more. There are certain medications that can help just a little bit of the timeline on that. You know, we saw the swollen ankles and swollen feet, really going back to even that that physical exam in April. But as you mentioned, it wasn't until July that they said the diagnosis was something known as chronic venous insufficiency.

And basically, what that means is your heart is pumping blood everywhere in your body, including down into the veins of your lower legs and feet. If the veins are insufficient, meaning that they're not pushing the blood back up to the heart, that blood can start to pool. Fluid will pool in your legs and lower feet. People who've taken long plane rides, for example, they may have noticed that sort of pooling of fluid.

It's the same sort of thing except chronically, meaning it's happening all the time. Chronic venous insufficiency is relatively common. One in 20 people have it. People over the age of 50 are more likely to have it. It's a perfectly reasonable explanation. The thing is, Boris, again, if someone is having any cardiac problems, any heart problems, that can also lead to pooling of fluid in the legs and the feet.

And hopefully, that's something that we'll hear about today when we get the readout from today's exam. Hoping there's nothing wrong with this heart, but that's something that they certainly should be checking for.

SANCHEZ: Yeah, officials saying that readout will come in a day or two. We look forward to it. Dr. Sanjay Gupta, thank you so much. Still to come, the election spotlight today on the Lone Star State, how President Trump's influence could weigh heavily on the Republican Senate runoff between incumbent John Cornyn and the state's Attorney General, Ken Paxton.

Plus, as A.I. transforms the workplace and automates more white-collar jobs, at least one field remains firmly hands-on. How the growing demand for auto mechanics could offer a roadmap to job security. That and much more coming your way on "CNN News Central."

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[14:14:41]

KEILAR: It is primary runoff day in Texas and another test of President Trump's grip on his party. Voters in the Lone Star State are heading to the polls right now as incumbent Senator John Cornyn faces an uphill battle for his political survival.

He's facing off against Texas Attorney General, Ken Paxton, who is now considered the frontrunner after getting President Trump's last-minute endorsement.

[14:15:00]

CNN's Manu Raju is in Texas for us. Manu, what's Senator Cornyn's closing message here as voters decide his political fate today?

MANU RAJU, CNN CHIEF CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yeah, Brianna, he is trying to tell voters -- well, he's been trying to tell them for months, that Ken Paxton, in his view, cannot win this Senate race. And if he does win, Paxton, in November, that it would cost the party enormous amounts of money, hundreds of millions of dollars potentially, in this very expensive state. Money that could be spent in other battleground states, and that could ultimately impact the Republicans' efforts to hang on to their narrow majority in the Senate.

But here's the problem. Cornyn has been making that case for months. In fact, he has made that case directly to President Trump, raising concerns that criticism and baggage from Paxton's past, whether it's past impeachment scandals or whether it's his own personal issues, all of that could come back to haunt the GOP in November. But Donald Trump did not listen to John Cornyn, did not listen to Republican leaders who made a similar case directly to the president.

And it was the president's decision to endorse Ken Paxton last week that has completely upended this race and is making Paxton the favorite headed into tonight's critical runoff. I caught up with several voters here in Austin, which is a much more liberal part of the state, but Republican voters here who are supporting Cornyn about whether they could vote for Paxton if he were to win the nomination.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

RAJU: Who'd you vote for? DAVID HARRIS, REPUBLICAN VOTER: Cornyn.

RAJU: Why didn't you vote for Cornyn?

HARRIS: Because Trump did not endorse him.

RAJU: That was a big factor, right?

HARRIS: Yes, it makes me sick that the Republican Party is completely controlled by one man, Trump.

RAJU: If Paxton wins the nomination, could you vote for him in the general election?

HARRIS: Hell no, no way.

RAJU: What about in the general election if Paxton gets the nomination, could you vote for him in November?

BEN SIMMONS, REPUBLICAN VOTER: Yes. I mean, I think I could. I mean, obviously, I got to see who the other candidate is, but I pretty much know who that's going to be, so probably.

RAJU: Yeah, Paxton versus Talarico. You prefer Paxton.

SIMMONS: I think I would probably vote for Paxton.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

RAJU: And in talking to sources close to John Cornyn, they believe that there is still a path for him to win tonight. They are hardened by what they saw in some of the early vote. But today, the Election Day voting will, of course, be critical. Ken Paxton relying on that heavily tonight as a result of Donald Trump's endorsement, expecting a significant boost in other parts of the state.

So the Cornyn team sees a path, but they realize that path is much more narrow in the aftermath of the president's decision to get behind Ken Paxton, which could be decisive and could ultimately impact the battle for the control for the Senate majority. Brianna?

KEILAR: All right, big night tonight, Manu Raju and our special coverage of the Texas primary runoff will begin at 8 p.m. Eastern. Manu, we know that you will be a very big part of that coverage and we'll all be watching.

Still to come, President Trump signals new flexibility on how Iran's enriched uranium could be handled as U. S. And Iranian negotiators try to broker a peace deal.

Plus, rescuers race to reach seven people who have been trapped in a cave for nearly a week after flash floods blocked the exit. We have that and much more coming up on "CNN News Central."

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[14:22:52]

SANCHEZ: A.I.-related layoff announcements are mounting, and they are fueling concerns that technology could replace a large number of workers at companies as they invest in automation. But not every job can easily be replaced by A.I. CNN's Ryan Young has more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DARIAN MORENO, PORSCHE TECHNOLOGY APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM: A car requires a human touch.

DOMINIC WAGNER, PORSCHE TECHNOLOGY APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM: You have to have that human interaction.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: A.I. cannot do what a trained technician can do.

STEPHANIE ALSTON, EMPLOYMENT RECRUITER, CEO OF BGG ENTERPRISES: People are concerned, and rightfully so.

RYAN YOUNG, CNN SENIOR NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Workers across all industries are growing anxious as advances in artificial intelligence and automation technologies move deeper into the workplace.

YOUNG: Goldman Sachs estimates that as many as 300 million full-time jobs are exposed globally over the next decade as automation technologies from robotics to algorithmic systems evolve.

ALSTON: People are afraid because they don't know if their job will be next.

YOUNG (voice-over): But Porsche believes their well-paid technicians will stay in high demand.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Even if an AI advances further in the future, I just personally don't see AI ever taking over our jobs.

YOUNG: How important is it for you to be able to put your hand in the spaces and be able to touch all the parts?

RANDY BURNSWORTH, MANAGER, AFTERSALES TECHNICAL TRAINING AT PORSCHE CARS NORTH AMERICA: Oh, it's very important. Something is starting to deteriorate. You know, there's normally kind of like a pliability to some of these rubbers.

YOUNG: Right.

BURNSWORTH: Right? And if you can touch it and you start to feel that it's hardening, then you know. And one of the things, too, that's super important is smell. It's an instant clue that something's not right.

MORENO: I can never see a robot, you know, bending their parts to get into a crevice or a little point where a human could, you know, a human touch. WAGNER: A robot can't go through and notice some things like noises, even just small things that you might overlook. You have to go back through, kind of go back and forth. It's never always cut and dry.

YOUNG (voice-over): Let's have some fun.

MARC PISCITELLI, ASSISTANT CHIEF INSTRUCTOR, PORSCHE EXPERIENCE CENTER: Keep going, keep going. And lift. And then just hop on the brake.

(LAUGH)

PISCITELLI: This car is like a scalpel to a surgeon.

[14:25:00]

YOUNG: What could you say to someone who's even thinking about the car industry or being a high-level technician like this?

PISCITELLI: Do it. Even when I was younger growing up, kind of the trades didn't have a bad, you know, stigma to them, but they were always kind of pushed to the side. Whereas right now, the people that are getting into the automotive industry have so much more growth ahead of them.

YOUNG (voice-over): The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that employment of auto technicians and mechanics is projected to grow around 4 percent over the next eight years, just under 34,000 jobs.

ALSTON: I don't think there's really such thing as an A.I.-proof job. It's just those jobs that are A.I. resilient. And even when you think about mechanics and those jobs in the skilled workforce, I personally believe that, right now, they're not going to replace the worker. They're just going to help improve efficiencies and make the tools better.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There's no way that you couldn't make money doing this. The demand is there for them.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's very nice knowing that when I get out of here, I'll pretty much have a guaranteed job.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SANCHEZ: Our thanks to Ryan Young for that report.

Still to come, President Trump laying out a plan to handle Iran's enriched uranium as negotiations on a potential peace deal continue. Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)