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Trump Says Talks with Iran are Continuing, at a Rapid Pace; Trump Floats MAGA Rally Instead of Concert After Artists Drop Out; CBS Legend Scott Pelley Says Boss is Killing 60 Minutes. Aired 2:30-3p ET

Aired June 01, 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: ... after a quick break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KEILAR: Fast-moving developments and contradicting statements on peace negotiations with Iran. Earlier today, Iran state media announcing that Tehran was suspending talks with the U.S. because of Israeli strikes in Lebanon.

SANCHEZ: And just a short time ago, President Trump responded with this Truth Social post saying that he spoke with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and representatives from Hezbollah and that, quote, there would be no troops going to Beirut.

[14:35:00]

He followed that post minutes later with this one, quote, "Talks are continuing at a rapid pace with the Islamic Republic of Iran."

Let's discuss with retired Air Force Colonel Cedric Leighton, a CNN military analyst. We're also joined by Kirsten Fontenrose. She's a former senior director for the Gulf on the National Security Council. Thank you both for being with us.

First to you, Colonel, what does it tell you about the state of negotiations when a few days ago we heard that a deal was being finalized and now we're hearing this back and forth about whether talks are even happening?

COL. CEDRIC LEIGHTON, CNN MILITARY ANALYST: Yes, Boris, well, first of all, I think they're in flux. I think what that really means is that both sides have a certain advantage to gain by saying certain things about these talks. The Iranians are making it very clear that they have the upper hand and they're doing things to really kind of slow things down, I believe, because they control the strait.

They control the nuclear equation when it comes to the highly enriched uranium. So what they're trying to do is basically draw things out for a long time. So on the one hand, you have those statements from the Iranians.

On the other side, you have President Trump's statements, which are a bit more optimistic and lead one to believe that there may be the possibility of a deal. But there is still going to be a long way to go before we get there, I think.

KEILAR: Kirsten, how is Netanyahu seeing the prospect of a deal? Because behind closed doors last week, he admitted that Israel actually has very little influence over the outcome of this agreement.

KIRSTEN FONTENROSE, FORMER SR. DIRECTOR FOR THE GULF, NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL: Israel in general is not in favor of a deal because they see it as throwing Iran an economic lifeline that is essential to Iran maintaining its supply for Hezbollah, its supply of its own missiles, which can reach Israel, and of just rearming to be ready to go at it again in a year, two years, four years, whatever it takes, and we'll be right back where we are right now. So Israel sees we're at a position where Iran is weaker than it's been, Hezbollah is weaker than it's been. They'd really like to see this thing finished, and many of the Gulf Arab states agree with them on that position.

So they don't love the idea of us taking the blockade off, allowing Iran a little bit of a lifeline with revenues increasing, oil flowing again. They say that's just giving them a chance to get right back to where they were.

SANCHEZ: At the beginning of the war, we all heard President Trump and the administration make the case that one of the objectives should be for Tehran to drop its support of its proxies in the region, and yet today you had President Trump seeming to orchestrate some kind of peace between Israel and Hezbollah with obviously the Lebanese hanging in the balance. What does it tell you that he's reaching out through apparently high-level mediators to a terror group?

FONTENROSE: Through the mediators is the key point there, because then we're not directly negotiating with them, which sounds like splitting hairs, but it's kind of important from a legal perspective. And he's saying in this negotiation point that since Iran requires the Lebanon issue to be on the table and be part of any sort of deal that opens the Strait of Hormuz, we've got to at least address it. And the Israelis have been pushing further and further into southern Lebanon.

They took a crusader castle this weekend that they took in 1992, and Hezbollah used it then to attack Israel as well. They held it until 2000. So that leaves people to say, well, if they take it again this time, how long do they intend to stay?

That is the concern that means it could throw the negotiations up on their face. So he's saying, all right, all right, all right, don't go that far. No going into Beirut.

That caused a big backlash last time. Let's see how much we can get with putting pressure on the Lebanese government to force Hezbollah to lay down arms. Let's get Israel to come back to the point that it agreed to in terms of that movement into southern Lebanon.

And let's see if we can get people to not be concerned about a permanent Israeli presence in Lebanon. KEILAR: So it's interesting, Colonel, because the IRGC warned that if fighting is to resume, that it would extend far beyond the region. The IRGC is really aware that President Trump would prefer to move in and stay in this phase where there isn't actually widespread military action, but they are moving towards an agreement. It's a really interesting threat.

I wonder what you make of it and what that could look like if diplomacy fails.

LEIGHTON: I think the IRGC is, first of all, exercising a lot of power right now in Iran. In fact, they're, I think, the controlling force in the country at the moment. So you look at those statements and the way I see it, Brianna, is that what they're going to do is they're going to use as many asymmetric means at their disposal as possible.

So you've got the proxies. We always talk about the Houthis in Yemen, but of course Hezbollah, like you just mentioned, Kirsten, in Lebanon. You've got the Hamas, remnants of Hamas in Gaza, potentially being reactivated in some way.

And then, of course, you have all those militias in Iraq. Those are a very dangerous piece right there, and they could potentially be reactivated in some form by the IRGC. And then the final thing that they would be able to do, and they're probably doing this all simultaneously, would be on the cyber front.

[14:40:00]

Because one of the key things that the Iranians do is they look at all the industrial control systems that they can go after, whether it's here in the United States or in Europe or in the Middle East. Years ago, they destroyed the administrative IT network for Saudi Aramco, and they can do something like that again. That would have significant economic consequences, once again, for a country like Saudi Arabia, and it could also have significant economic consequences globally.

So that's the kind of thing that the IRGC would do, and we have to be prepared for them to do it, all the way from sleeper cells to cyber. That's basically what we would see here.

KEILAR: Really interesting. Cedric, Kirsten, thank you so much to both of you.

Still to come, he's not in Ice Ice Baby. As one performer after another bails from a concert to celebrate America's 250th anniversary, Vanilla Ice is not among them. Come July 4th, he's going to rock a mic like a vandal, and right after the break, he's going to join us live to tell us why.

[14:41:22]

KEILAR: President Trump now says that a concert series, which was originally planned to kick off America's 250th anniversary celebration later this month, should be canceled. It comes after a majority of the musicians expected to perform backed out last week, claiming they were misled to believe the event would be nonpartisan. Organizers said on Saturday that President Trump will now headline the event.

Shortly after that, the president wrote on True Social, quote, "We should have a giant Make America Great Again rally for 250 instead of having overpriced singers who nobody wants to hear, whose music is boring, and yet who do nothing but complain, cancel it.

Now, one of the artists who has not dropped out of the concert series is rapper Vanilla Ice. He's with us now to talk a little bit about this. Rob, thank you so much for being with us.

Tell us why you're still planning on performing, even though we've heard that from the president when so many other performers are deciding not to.

VANILLA ICE, RAPPER: I don't know. I can only speak for myself, and I'm proud to be an American. I was born here and raised here, and this is my country, and I don't like anybody telling me I really can't be proud of it.

And this is a huge honor to play the birthday. It's one of the moments in a lifetime, you know, 250. So I'm honored, and I just, you know, I respect everybody else.

I know there's a lot of tension everywhere. This whole world is like a snow globe, but it shouldn't be that. And music is here to bring people together, man.

And, you know, it shouldn't be that this music is dragged into politics. It's not fair, you know. I don't even vote.

I'm not a politician. I don't have anything. I don't have the first thing to say about how to run a country or do anything like that.

I think this is a huge honor, and I'm wanting to celebrate the country I was born and raised in, man. And we didn't take things so serious back in the 90s. I feel sorry for these kids today, man, you know.

I have kids, so I know, and it's a different world. I mean, these computers have kind of ruined the world, if you ask me. I think we should all go back to the 90s and the 80s when it was just, you know, having fun and Z. Cavariccis, and you just go out and you rip your back seat and you put subwoofers in and you enjoy going to Blockbuster.

That's all we're doing is celebrating the birthday of our country. What's the big deal here? And as far as entertainers, I don't think it's fair to put any of us on a pedestal like that as far as politics does. You know, it shouldn't matter, we're just here to play. I'd play for anybody. So it's, you know, can I go play for Biden's family or anybody?

It doesn't matter. It's all about just enjoying music. There's fans everywhere.

KEILAR: Yes, so listen, I love the 90s, and I miss Blockbuster myself, but I want to ask you about what these other performers are saying, because they're largely saying that they were sold this as being nonpartisan. They didn't know, and it's a Trump-affiliated group putting it on. What were you told when you booked this performance?

ICE: I don't ask questions. I just play, man. I don't even know.

I ask, where are we playing today? It's awesome, you know, and I'll play anywhere for any fan. I don't think it's important to really dissect it and look at it in any kind of way like that, because I don't take it too serious.

I know that if I'm booked, I got fans that booked me, and they're ready to dance and have a great time and celebrate and bring people together. I think it's really wrong for people to attack musicians in either direction politically, because, you know, the country needs to come together, and this is a good time to do it. And, you know, I know there's differences everywhere, and I know that -- I also know that you can shake a hand and make a friend, and I also know that smiles are contagious.

So if you get out and you kind of start practicing these things, you'll see that it'll start to marinate on people and will become one more. And I think that's what we need to do, is we are all one around the whole world, man. Enjoy each other's company and smiles and stuff, and, you know, this shouldn't be put on the musicians like this.

This is a moment to celebrate our country turning 250 years, no matter who puts it on.

KEILAR: So I hear you saying, you're saying music is not political. You've said that before here. But, you know, rap, the genre that gave you your success, is often political.

Its roots are political, and everyone knows Ice Ice Baby. I mean, everyone knows it. But your time before that big hit is really interesting because you opened for NWA.

I know you credit the Stop the Violence tour with your big break. It's a tour that was actually part of a political movement about violence in communities of color. And you've covered music by Bob Marley, by Public Enemy.

[14:50:00]

I mean, wouldn't it be weird if music actually completely stayed out of politics? Your career might be very different.

ICE: No, because I don't have any politics in my music, and that's their music, and that's what they feel to represent. You know, music is expression. So if Bob Marley feels like expressing something about his religion or politics, then that's up to him, and I respect him for that, you know?

I'm Ice Ice Baby. I'm Go Ninja Go. How can you take this serious? This has got to be fun. We're just going back to the fanny packs and the crazy neon colors and joy in our country. I want to celebrate the birthday of my country, and I'm honored to be here and do this, and I think it's a great event, and I think people to put the musicians on a spotlight like they are is not fair to us as musicians on both sides.

I'm still on the tour right now with everybody. Young MC's on the tour with me. I played with them yesterday.

I mean, we're all friends. Our little chat about it was so simple. It was like, man, I don't know.

It's just, you know, it's a lot of heat around the world right now, and it's not fair to any of us. So I love everybody, man. I think this world needs a lot more love in it.

I think it would be a lot better, and, you know, all of our friends and neighbors around each other, no matter what side you're on, I don't think it should be split so much. I see that the split causes these young generation to be confused anyway right now, man. They need to be unconfused, and I wish they could just go back to the 90s and see how simple it was before these computers ruined the world and all this social media and these smartphones and all this stuff that they have to contend with.

We didn't have any of it. Just, man, it can be so much more simple. It's in the head.

I don't think we should take any of this too serious. We're all going to die one day, man. You better enjoy this ride.

For you to go out and make problems everywhere or have any problems and cause or be a part of or any of these crazy things, I don't know why you take life so serious. You could actually flip the script and enjoy your life. That's all.

Get out and enjoy your life. Pina Coladas, palm trees instead of vote lines and craziness. Come on.

What's the difference? It's your option. We all need options, you know.

KEILAR: Listen, you can vote and have a pina colada, and I hear what you're saying. I think we all agree there needs to be more love and go back to the fanny pack.

I never gave it up. Rob, Vanilla Ice, thank you so much for being with us. Really appreciate your time today.

ICE: Love you guys. Be well. Have a great one.

Happy birthday, America.

KEILAR: Thank you.

ICE: Have a great one. Thank you. KEILAR: Boris.

SANCHEZ: Breaking news to CNN. We're learning about a tense meeting over at CBS after a wave of firings and a controversial hire over at 60 Minutes. CNN's Brian Stelter joins us now. Brian, what more are you learning?

BRIAN STELTER, CNN CHIEF MEDIA ANALYST: Yes, this is about Scott Pelley, one of the best-known stars on 60 Minutes, really one of the best-known journalists in America, and he's very directly challenging his bosses at CBS News today, creating a bit of a crisis internally. Right now it's about an overhaul at 60 Minutes, the highest-rated news magazine in the country. Pelley's been a part of that program for decades, and he's claiming that CBS News Editor-in-Chief Barry Weiss is trying to kill the show.

In a staff meeting earlier today, Pelley said, quote, "She was brought in to kill it, and she's been doing exactly that." Now, Weiss thinks that's ridiculous, and some of Weiss's deputies believe Pelley was being unprofessional and rude in this staff meeting, but here's what's going on. Last fall, Weiss was brought in by Paramount CEO David Ellison to remodel and renovate CBS News to try to drag some of its third-place programs out of the ratings and try to improve the network's performance.

60 Minutes has been the crown jewel at CBS News, of course. It's often highly rated, thanks to the NFL lead-in and for other reasons. 60 Minutes, though, is now on Weiss's radar.

She kind of blew up the show last week by firing two correspondents and dismissing a longtime executive producer of the program, Tanya Simon, who had just taken over a few months earlier. So, a total overhaul of 60 Minutes announced last week, and it created a lot of turmoil internally. Weiss brought in a new outside journalist, Nick Bilton, who worked at the New York Times and Vanity Fair, in order to overhaul the show, and that's created a lot of turmoil because he doesn't have TV news experience or much managerial background.

So, Weiss and Bilton, two outsiders, trying to renovate and remodel 60 Minutes, but Pelley, now in a staff meeting today, saying that they're trying to destroy the show. It's going to create a lot of questions now about whether Pelley will stay at 60 Minutes, and all this is happening as Paramount seeks to buy Warner Bros. Discovery, including CNN, a deal that may take effect in the coming months, but still needs regulatory approval.

SANCHEZ: Yes, Brian Stelter, thank you so much for the update there.

Still to come, Serena Williams returning to tennis. Just ahead, when the 23-time Grand Slam champion heads back to the court. Don't go anywhere. We'll be right back.

[14:55:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

SANCHEZ: Tennis legend Serena Williams is heading back to the court after a four-year break. CNN Sports anchor Don Riddell joins us now.

Don, what more are you learning?

DON RIDDELL, CNN SPORTS ANCHOR AND CORRESPONDENT: Well, I'm learning that I can no longer say I was there to see Serena Williams' last tennis match because that apparently is no longer the case. I was there in 2022 at the U.S. Open when we played what we assumed was her last match. Remember, though, at the time, she didn't say she was retiring.

She said she was evolving away from tennis, but in the nearly four years since, I think we all assumed that she had, in fact, retired, especially given the fact that she's now 44. If she never retired, is it a comeback? I don't know.

This is how she announced the news anyway, with a very cool but brief Nike commercial with her on a practice court. Her phone can be heard just blowing up with incoming text messages and phone calls. Guess ...

END