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Interview with Rep. Susan DelBene (D-WA): House Vote on Spy Law Fails Over Pulte Backlash; Democrats Target Vulnerable Seats to Win House in November; Orlando Marks 10 Years Since Pulse Nightclub Shooting; First Afghan Woman to Climb Mount Everest. Aired 8:30-9:00a ET

Aired June 12, 2026 - 08:30   ET

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

[08:30:00]

OMAR JIMENEZ, CNN HOST: We're following the breaking news, new details about a potential deal between Iran and the United States. The deal reportedly includes a ceasefire extension and a pledge by Iran to never obtain a nuclear weapon.

Now, President Trump campaigned as a president who would end wars, not start them. And after months of this conflict with Iran, there are signs some of his biggest gains with younger voters may be slipping.

I want to bring in CNN chief data analyst Harry Enten, who is here, you know, Harry, I guess the question is, how have young people's views on Trump's policy change?

HARRY ENTEN, CNN CHIEF DATA ANALYST: You know, you hit it on your intro, Omar, that is Trump putting a historically strong performance with younger voters. And here we're talking about voters under the age of 45. He beat Kamala Harris with them or at least beat the prior Republican baselines with them.

And you can see it right here on foreign policy. He absolutely crushed Kamala Harris as who was more trusted under the age of 45 on foreign policy. Look at that, was more trusted than Kamala Harris by nine points.

Come over to this side of the screen, Omar. Look at this. Look at this shift.

He has a net approval rating now on foreign policy, 40 points underwater and nearly 50 points switcheroo. So after putting in the strongest performance, more trusted on foreign policy, the first since George W. Bush all the way back '04, he has completely lost that advantage way down there.

He is no longer groovy, according to the young people of America.

JIMENEZ: Groovy. That's a great word. Great word choice.

Big, big discrepancy here, obviously. But how much is the Iran war contributing to what we're seeing? ENTEN: I think it's contributing a whole heck of a lot to what we're seeing right here, because just take a look how under the age of 45 feel about Iran. Not worth the cost. Look at this four in five, four in five.

Eighty one percent said the Iran war is not worth the cost. And look at Trump's disapproval, basically simpatico with this. Seventy seven percent of those under the age of 45 say the Iran war -- or excuse me, say that Trump's disapproval on the Iran war way up there, up there like a rocket at 77 percent.

So not worth the cost. Trump disapproval, both converging about four and five of those under the age of 45. No wonder that Trump's net approval rating on foreign policy among those under the age of 45 is way underwater at minus 40 points.

JIMENEZ: Well, even within that young group. I mean, what about young Republicans? How do they feel?

ENTEN: And yes, you think this nearly 50 point switcheroo is bad. You think nearly four and five disapproving, four and five saying not worth the cost is bad. What about young Republicans?

This is the Republican base we're talking about here. Take a look at this. Trump's net approval GOP under age 45.

Look at that. He's underwater with them on foreign affairs. Look at that.

His net approval rating. Ten points underwater. My goodness gracious.

This is Republicans. How about on the Iran war? Fourteen points underwater with them.

So even among young Republicans, Donald Trump has lost the faith of them. And indeed, they want, in fact, the policy for the next Republican president. They do not want to be following Trump's policy on the Iran war.

I think we may be going towards a real sort of pivot point within the Republican party on foreign policy when it comes to young Republicans, as even they have turned against the president of the United States when it comes to foreign policy, foreign affairs and the Iran war.

JIMENEZ: Some really significant contrast there. Harry, deepen the data like always.

ENTEN: Deepen the data, deepen the spreadsheets and have a groovy Friday, Omar.

JIMENEZ: Groovy. There's that word again. Good to see you.

ENTEN: Nice to see you.

JIMENEZ: Kate. BOLDUAN: So a key intelligence authority used by the federal government to stop terror attacks, it's designed to do that, is set to expire at midnight tonight. This is after the House rejected a short term extension for FISA, the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act. Now, many lawmakers and those in the intelligence community view this powerful surveillance authority as vital to U.S. national security. It allows U.S. officials to monitor phone calls and text messages from foreign targets. It can also scoop up the data of Americans in the process, which is why it has long faced calls for reform and scrutiny.

[08:35:00]

But still, Democrats voting no across the board, largely in protest to President Trump's nomination of Bill Pulte as acting director of national intelligence. Officials have made it clear a lack of funding or lack of extending FISA will create, they say, blind spots in national security and leave Americans less safe.

CNN's Annie Grayer has the very latest on this. And this will be, Annie, the first time that this will lapse, if it does, which it almost seems certain it will. What's the latest here?

ANNIE GRAYER, CNN SENIOR REPORTER: So we are staring at a midnight deadline, and it looks all but certain that this program will lapse. And this has been a controversial negotiation on Capitol Hill for months for all the reasons that you laid out, that there are right- wing Republicans and left-wing Democrats who have long had issues with this program because even though it provides key surveillance, it often can scoop up the data of U.S. citizens in the process. So this was always going to require a bipartisan vote in Congress to extend this critical spy powers program.

But then President Trump put Bill Pulte in the top national intelligence role, and that really upended any sense of bipartisan momentum on Capitol Hill because Democrats view Pulte as untenable, given his lack of national security experience. So that's why we saw Democrats in a large amount vote against extending this program yesterday. And then after the House had already left town for the next week, they're out of session next week as well, Trump announced that he was going to be putting Jay Clayton -- he was nominating Jay Clayton for the top job.

Now, Democrats seem to view Clayton as a little bit more palatable than Pulte, but they say as long as Pulte is still serving in that role, it's still a no-go for them. So both the House and Senate are now out of town, and if this deadline is hitting midnight tonight, take a listen to how the top Republican in the House, Speaker Mike Johnson, views all of this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. MIKE JOHNSON (R-LA), HOUSE SPEAKER: The questions are for the Democrats in the House and Senate, why they're willing to jeopardize the lives of millions of Americans to make a political point. Because they have a disagreement about someone that the president has appointed for a short-term position. It is absurd. There is no way to defend it.

They just jeopardize the safety of every American citizen. I pray, I'm going to be praying that we do not have -- we do not have an event on our shores. There will be -- there will be a lot to answer for if we do.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GRAYER: So a lot of finger pointing going on there from the Speaker. Democrats would point the finger back at the administration, arguing that if Bill Pulte had been taken out of the role, they would have moved forward and given the bipartisan votes necessary to extend this program. But that means without these votes, that at midnight tonight, this critical surveillance program is set to expire.

BOLDUAN: All right. Annie Grayer, thank you so much.

And joining us right now to talk about this and more, Democratic Congresswoman Susan DelBene of Washington.

She also is the chair of the DCCC, the Democrats' campaign arm dedicated to getting more Democrats elected to the House of Representatives. Thank you for being here. It's nice to have you in the studio.

I was reading that 19 Republicans also joined Democrats to oppose this bill. You also have Mark Warner, the top Democrat on Senate Intel, who even said that Bill Pulte is an outright insult to the intelligence community. Still, allowing this law to lapse for the first time. Are you nervous?

REP. SUZAN DELBENE (D-WA), WAYS AND MEANS COMMITTEE: I think having someone who is entirely unqualified as the head of this agency, even on a temporary basis, is also a risk. And I think you've heard bipartisan outrage at the president trying to put him in this position.

To move legislation forward, you've got to have bipartisan support. They knew that all along. The president should know that, too.

And Speaker Johnson absolutely knows that. Finally, last night, they put forward a candidate who's going to be reviewed by the Senate, but definitely a serious candidate. And we're in this position because of what the president and what Republicans have done to delay, to not take this issue seriously.

BOLDUAN: What do you think of that threat, though, from Johnson? Essentially saying, this is on your shoulders if there's a terror attack.

DELBENE: I think Johnson owns the issue of making sure that legislation gets through the House, and he should be putting it back on the White House. He was not doing that. He was not saying we need a qualified candidate.

And also on the legislation itself, I think it's important that we have bipartisan legislation. And there has been ongoing work to try to make sure that we have a program that not only addresses our national security but also protects the civil liberties of Americans.

BOLDUAN: Let's talk about the midterms. You just added, I saw, new Republican seats to your target list for the DCCC that you think Democrats can flip. I think I saw that the number you're targeting now are 24 seats.

At this point, do you guarantee you'll take back the House from your perspective?

DELBENE: We are going to take back the House. The American people are with us. We are running in districts all across the country, all across the country. We actually have 45 districts where we believe we can flip. We have our red to blue --

BOLDUAN: The red to blue I guess we're talking about.

DELBENE: -- candidates are the candidates in those districts. Right now, 25 who are incredible leaders. They are connected to their communities. They are authentic, independent-minded.

Remember, they're running in these purple districts all across the country. And people want strong representation, not a rubber stamp for Donald Trump like they see from Republicans, but folks who are going to stand up and definitely address the challenges families are facing, especially the economic challenges that families are facing as they've seen costs skyrocket under this administration.

BOLDUAN: Let me ask you, obviously, it's a fight between Republicans and Democrats come the midterms, but I'm also seeing fights between Democrats themselves, this fight brewing over this race in California. Progressive candidate won in a primary over a more moderate Democrat in California's 22nd district. The DCCC had put in some backing on the more moderate candidate, and now some members say all of this and Axios threatening to withhold their dues that helped fund the DCCC unless you either stop spending in primaries altogether or spend equally among House Democrats' ideological factions.

I mean, did you guys back the wrong candidate in that primary?

DELBENE: We are going to fight to make sure -- and the stakes are incredibly high this election -- we're going to fight to make sure we're in the strongest position possible.

BOLDUAN: But what are you going to do about this?

DELBENE: We have put Randy Villegas, who won the primary, he is on our red to blue list, he is our candidate and he's going to win.

BOLDUAN: What do you think about this, stop spending in primaries or spend equally?

DELBENE: Again, we're going to make sure we're in the strongest position possible in districts all across the country. When I first ran, I was a red to blue candidate in a big primary. It is critically important and actually that we have these healthy debates, but we also come together to make sure that we win districts.

That's part of the process. The voters have a say, and the voters have a say in every district. They had a say in California too.

And Republicans have no story. They are not connected to their communities, they are a rubber stamp for Donald Trump. We have great candidates running, including in California 22, and we're going to win.

BOLDUAN: There are some prominent Democrats, though, in the caucus who have been on the show. I would say, I think it's in just the past week, Congresswoman, saying, though, that they believe, from their view, the Democrats are missing the mark on the message and the focus and the tone. Let me play this for you.

Seth Moulton and Jake Auchincloss.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. SETH MOULTON (D-MA): I mean, if you honestly are a Democrat today who says, you know, Democrats are knocking it out of the park, you know, we're winning all across the board, we shouldn't change a thing, then vote for the establishment, vote for Chuck Schumer, vote for the status quo.

REP. JAKE AUCHINCLOSS (D-MA): Americans think that we took our eye off the ball on American, excuse me, on economic policy, and we have to demonstrate that we can deliver on what, for three election cycles now, the American public has been crystal clear is their priority, which is, it is unaffordable. The American dream is unaffordable.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BOLDUAN: Democratic Congressman Adam Gray, he was just on the show, and he wrote an op-ed saying, "My party talks a good game about ambitious goals, but the work required to bring those dreams to life is often left undone."

DELBENE: We absolutely need a Congress that is working and standing up for families across the country. I absolutely agree. Number one issue everywhere in the country is affordability, housing, food, health care, childcare, energy costs, gas prices, all skyrocketing because of policies put in place by this administration and Republicans.

Right now, we need folks who are going to stand up, and we have incredible candidates running in these swing districts across the country. Farmers, veterans, small business owners, mayors, ministers who are deeply connected to their communities, but are authentic, independent voices for their communities. And when we have these voices from across the country, folks like Jamie Ager, who's a farmer in Western North Carolina, folks like Bobby Pulido in South Texas. When we have folks who are standing up for their communities, not only do they win, but they come to Congress to get things done.

And that's what people across the country are looking for. People are with us. Republicans have become a rubber stamp for Donald Trump. They seem indifferent to the struggles that families are facing all across the country. That's why we're running ahead everywhere. Absolutely the key focus on economic issues, help working families.

That's why we're going to take back the House in November.

BOLDUAN: Led us in a long way, but a very short, probably, time period left in your book.

DELBENE: Both are true.

BOLDUAN: Both are definitely true. And we will see. Thank you for coming in. It's nice to have you here -- Omar.

JIMENEZ: Well, today marks 10 years since the horrific mass shooting inside Orlando's Pulse nightclub. 49 people were killed and dozens more were wounded when a gunman opened fire inside the gay club during Latin night in 2016.

[08:45:00]

It's the deadliest incident of violence against the LGBTQ plus community in U.S. history. CNN's Carolina Peguero is in Orlando at the site of the now demolished nightclub. What are you seeing there and how is this day being remembered?

CAROLINA PEGUERO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Omar, good morning. It's been 10 years and for many, nothing has changed even though the Pulse nightclub building no longer stands. I spoke to many of the survivors and the family members of victims that come here and visit this makeshift memorial site and they say they close their eyes and they can picture exactly where they were that night and for how only some of them were able to escape.

And we're talking about June 12, 2016, where a gunman entered, open fired and killed 49 people injuring more than 50. Most of the fatal victims were Hispanic and Puerto Rican. This is one of the deadliest shootings in the country and one of the largest terrorist attacks on the LGBT community.

I spoke with a survivor, Darelis Torres, who also lost her best friend, Jonathan.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DARELIS TORRES, PULSE NIGHTCLUB SHOOTING SURVIVOR: Maybe if it would have been backwards, I always think about that every day where he would have been alive, vocal sooner. It was a feisty soul, but he was a very kind soul. When you lose somebody of that, you know that type of essence, you do feel that the world is a little bit duller, you know, like the world is a little bit of color.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PEGUERO: And like Darelis, many are still seeking justice from local and state officials and they are demanding an appropriate memorial site for their loved ones where they can honor them. And the city on the other hand of Orlando says that they are planning to build a memorial site sometime next year -- Omar.

JIMENEZ: Carolina Peguero, thank you for the reporting. Thank you for being there.

All right, coming up for us, video shows a police officer accidentally shot by his own colleague and what's being described as horseplay. The mayor calling it juvenile and unacceptable. We'll have the details ahead.

Plus, could Sally Field soon make a cameo on Noah Wyle's The Pit? It's up for discussion on the brand new episode of Actors on Actors.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

NOAH WYLE, ACTOR, THE PIT: What is a perfect director for you when someone comes to you and says --

SALLY FIELD, ACTOR: Well, you know, from what you've been saying or how you approach actors, I think you might be the perfect director for me.

WILEY: I would love it. Let's do it.

FIELD: Yes.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

[08:50:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

JIMENEZ: A quick traffic tip from Florida. If your seating chart includes the roof, you're probably going to need to rethink the plan. Police in Belle Isle say an officer stopped the car after spotting four people riding on top of the vehicle. The driver was arrested on a reckless driving charge.

The four roof riding passengers were also ticketed. They say click it or ticket, but you can't even click it up there.

All right, meanwhile, new dash cam video shows a Pasadena police officer getting shot by a fellow officer and what the police chief is calling horseplay accident. In the video, one of the officers standing outside is seen drawing his gun. You saw it just a moment ago and pointing at an officer in the patrol car.

But the police chief said the officer in the patrol car also drew his gun, which discharged. The officer who was shot has since recovered to this point. Unclear if either will face consequences. You see the moment there, but obviously a very, very serious situation.

Meanwhile, Colorado police arrest an alleged hit and run driver in a wrong way crash who then allegedly helped himself to a watermelon in a stranger's home. Police say the homeowner immediately contacted them after seeing the man. She didn't know inside her home.

He was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence and felony trespassing and a little bit of a strange choice -- Kate.

BOLDUAN: So a few weeks ago, we shared with you a remarkable story. A woman named River Ahmad weighed history as the first Afghan woman to ever reach the summit of the world's tallest peak, Mount Everest. And her journey to get there is even more incredible than the ascent.

As a teenager, she had to fake her own death in order to survive a Taliban massacre in 2014. She was one of three people to survive that bus attack that killed 12 people, she says. She then went on to study journalism and earn a master's in international relations.

And all along the way, she says that mountaineering has always remained her coping mechanism. And River dedicated her historic Everest accomplishment now to the women and girls of Afghanistan, hoping that she can inspire them. At a moment, so much of the world has turned its attention away from Afghanistan in the five years since the U.S. withdrawal.

And joining us right now is River herself. River, it is really great to meet you. When I first was reading about your story, I had been hoping to someday have a chance to meet and chat, and I'm just so thankful for it.

Has it set in yet? What an amazing thing that you've accomplished.

RIVER AHMAD, FIRST AFGHAN WOMAN TO CLIMB MOUNT EVEREST: Thank you for having me at CNN. And yes, thank you so much for me having that.

BOLDUAN: What does it feel like, all of the attention that you've been able to have, that you've received since accomplishing this amazing, this amazing thing, summiting Everest?

AHMAD: Look, I just wanted to climb at this time of this year to be a voice for Afghan women. And I got that attention, like the world is not forgetting about Afghanistan right now. And I'm beyond happy that's happening.

And I can be a voice.

[08:55:00]

BOLDUAN: Yes, and you are such an amazing voice for the women and girls of Afghanistan who can't speak for themselves. Talk about that moment. What does it feel like when you made it to the top of Everest?

AHMAD: Oh, I love that part. That was the best part of the journey when you get to the top. And for two minutes, I was in shock.

I was thinking and looking around. Is that right? I'm on the top?

And I asked this twice from my guide. And he said, yes, this is the top. This is the top.

And after that, I felt so powerful. I felt confident. I felt like we can do things when we have a plan. We are just working hard for it.

BOLDUAN: And that's exactly what you wanted to show. You wanted to shine a light on that women and girls of Afghanistan, like what we say, we can do hard things. We do them every day, and they can especially.

I mean, when I think about Afghanistan, so many promises made from the United States during the 20 years war, so much progress was seen actually for women and girls in Afghanistan in that time. And now in the five years since the U.S. withdrawal, things have gotten so much worse for women and girls. What is your message to them?

What do they need? And what do you hope the world will wake up to in hearing your story?

AHMAD: This is a really good question. And look, the world forget about Afghanistan and what the United States had done in Afghanistan that was not fair for women. And they knew the circumstances of what is happening for human beings in Afghanistan.

And now it is a very hard time for Afghan women right now. The world forget and nothing is happening. Nothing is going right there.

And mostly all the time they are killing the women. They are whatever they want, they are doing. It is a horrible time.

And we have my message is that we should have to have attention and we have to look after this part of the world that is really struggling right now.

BOLDUAN: Look, you are an amazing, an amazing human. And your story even to get to this point is just part of what makes you so remarkable. What happened to you when you were young and that Taliban attack that almost certainly would have killed you had it not been for your own quick thinking at such a young age is just remarkable.

And you say, I saw that you said that you carried that memory with you to the top of Everest. What did you do? What did that memory do for you during your summit?

AHMAD: Look, for years I was struggling with that trauma and stuff. And I was like, not happy at all. And I forget that moment.

I tried to forget at all. When I go to base camp and somehow it comes to my brain like, oh, we have beautiful mountain back home in Afghanistan, but right now everything is closed. We cannot do anything.

We cannot climb. It was a struggling with that. Things happen back home.

And then it remind me in base camp like, yes, I was a struggle and the Taliban wanted to kill me and they are not a nice human being and they are not doing great things when I was teenager and still it's going on. And it is like, we have to do something for them, you know? And I was, they haven't done good things that when I was as a teenager. BOLDUAN: Absolutely. Well, you are doing amazing things and you are sending such an amazing message of resilience and love and probably most importantly, hope for so many people in this very -- in this world that's full of, well, not a lot of that right now. River Ahmad, it is a true pleasure to meet you.

Thank you so much. Can't wait to see what River does next.

So for us now, could HBO's hit show The Pit soon be getting a new face? Actor Noah Wiley sits down with Sally Fields in the latest episode of "ACTORS ON ACTORS" and CNN's Elizabeth Wagmeister has more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ELIZABETH WAGMEISTER, CNN ENTERTAINMENT CORRESPONDENT: It was over 25 years ago that Noah Wiley and Sally Field worked together on ER. Of course, Noah Wyle starred on ER and Sally Field had a very memorable role as a patient. She actually won an Emmy for that role.

Well, now for "ACTORS ON ACTORS," Noah Wiley and Sally Field reunited and sat down together again, where Noah was telling Sally Field about his favorite projects of hers. Take a look.

NOAH WYLE, ACTOR: It's such a pleasure to go through your filmography because I want to go watch, I want to go watch Hooper again. By the way, that's still my favorite movie kiss of all time. When he gets off that horse and jumps down and comes over and holds you.

SALLY FIELD, ACTOR: I don't even remember it.

WYLE: You don't remember that? Oh, it's a great movie kiss ...

END