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Key Republican Senators Criticize Trump's Iran Agreement; Trump's Acting Intel Chief Eyes Mass Firings; 6 Regional Grip Operators Ordered to Speed Power to Data Centers; "Toy Story5" Set for a Franchise Record Box Office Opening. Aired 2:30-3p ET

Aired June 19, 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: The backlash to the agreement President Trump signed with Iran is growing inside his own party. More Republican lawmakers are openly speaking out against the framework, especially that $300 billion reconstruction fund that Iran would get access to.

CNN's Adam Cancryn joins us now. Adam, what are these critics in the Republican Party saying?

ADAM CANCRYN, CNN WHITE HOUSE REPORTER: Yes, well, this is not, if you're Donald Trump, the reaction you want to this deal you've been negotiating over the last several months. We have a lot of Republican lawmakers saying, you know, I'm not sure about this deal. It doesn't seem like the right one for the United States.

Some even going as far as to say it's a capitulation to Iran on a lot of terms. We talked to a few Republicans. Let's take a look. Let's listen to those now.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SEN. JOHN CORNYN (R-TX): Everything I've heard about it causes me concern. I do have concerns that certain aspects of this deal might be a step in the wrong direction.

[14:35:00]

SEN. TOM COTTON (R-AR): I do have concerns that certain aspects of this deal to know where that money is coming from because I don't think my constituents aspects of this deal might be a step in the wrong direction.

SEN. JONI ERNST (R-IA): I have to know where that money is coming from because I don't think my constituents are going to be really happy about it if that's all U.S. taxpayer dollars.

SEN. JOHN KENNEDY (R-LA): I trust Iran like I trust gas station sushi, but it's only 60 days. And I think we ought to give peace a chance.

SEN. TED CRUZ (R-TX): History demonstrates that giving billions of dollars to theocratic lunatics who want to murder us is an exceptionally bad idea. (END VIDEOTAPE)

CANCRYN: So as you can see, I mean, really not a great reception. There are a number of things that these Republicans have had an issue with. The main thing, though, is this potential lifting of economic sanctions on Iran immediately.

And also this idea that if we get to a point in the next couple -- in the next 60 days, there could be a $300 billion fund for Iran. Lawmakers asking what are we getting there in exchange? Not a ton.

A commitment to talk about the nuclear ambitions of Iran. And also then maybe reopen the Strait of Hormuz, but only for 60 days and nothing guaranteed beyond that. So a lot of questions within the Republican Party right now.

SANCHEZ: Yes, Tehran is already asking for insurance information and registries of who's passing through. It'll be interesting to see how that's handled moving forward. Adam Cancryn, thank you so much -- Omar.

OMAR JIMENEZ, CNN HOST: We're also learning new details today on a big shakeup on President Trump's acting intelligence chief maybe planning for the department he's taking over on a temporary basis. For example, sources tell CNN that Bill Pulte is looking to cut hundreds of jobs at the National Intelligence Director's office. He arrived for his new role yesterday, which was a day early, reportedly asking for a list of every employee so he could decide whether to fire them.

Let's discuss with John Sipher. He's a non-resident senior fellow at the Michael Hayden Center at George Mason University. He worked for the CIA's clandestine service for 28 years and was deputy chief of Russia operations for the agency.

Appreciate you taking the time. You know, as we were talking about, two sources familiar tell CNN Pulte asked for a list of every employee in the office so he could assess whether to fire them. Depending on who he potentially goes after, what could be the immediate impact of that?

JOHN SIPHER, FORMER CIA DEPUTY CHIEF OF RUSSIA OPERATIONS: Well, it's clear that every day more and more that the president wants somebody in that job whose job is just to be a political hatchet man, cherry pick intelligence they can publicize. Fire people they don't like. And so, yes, the danger is you have serious people doing serious work.

You have a very powerful foreign intelligence agency and agencies. And if you're going to use them for political purposes, like to go check voting machines and get involved in U.S. elections, that's something that's very dangerous. And we've done reforms over many decades to try to avoid exactly those kind of things happening.

So when you have somebody like this who's not a serious person, who's in there only to cause trouble, yes, it is going to cause trouble.

JIMENEZ: How much does morale matter at a place like DNI, for example? How much does that matter in terms of just being able to do your work effectively?

SIPHER: Well, you know, most of the people who work there have worked there for years, a variety of presidents, a variety of policies. They take their job seriously. They believe they're doing important work for the American people.

So they do their work even if, you know, what they see in the political process goes up and down. But it does matter, ultimately, if you're not taken seriously by the people you work for. If the president shows contempt for the intelligence community by putting people in that probably wouldn't even be able to get an entry-level job, nonetheless, lead the DNI, it's a real problem.

You've got to remember here the DNI, too, is a very different kind of thing. It was created after 9-11 in 2004 for political reasons. It's very much sort of a boring nerd job whose job is to create standards over the intelligence community, worry about budgetary issues, solve problems between different agencies.

To have somebody come in and think that they can just sort of pull and figure out who to fire, I don't know how you would even do that. But it does -- it sends a bad signal to the people who work for the intelligence community.

JIMENEZ: Boring nerd jobs coming from someone from the CIA. I'm just writing that down. I'm using your description on that.

But to your point, you know, the job oversees 18 intelligence agencies. And if there is a thought of mass firings or at least looking at who to fire, is there any room for restructuring or downsizing or much room?

SIPHER: Well, the DNI was created, again, like I said, in 2004. It's grown in statute. It's sort of a middle management job.

It doesn't do the work of collecting intelligence or analyzing intelligence. Like I said, it's sort of dealing with process. It's a process job.

That's why I said it's sort of a nerd job. But it's important.

[14:40:00]

And frankly, if a president is going to put people in there just to try to cherry pick intelligence and, you know, publicize intelligence for political purposes, then, you know, we almost why do you need a DNI?

And if the president's word is gospel and he doesn't want anybody challenging what he believes, you don't need an intelligence community either. So, yes, it sends a bad signal to people who work there.

JIMENEZ: And, you know, Bill Pulte is interesting sort of when you zoom out in terms of the dynamics around it because Trump delayed the confirmation hearing of his later pick for permanent DNI, Jay Clayton, tied to this dispute over renewal of now expired FISA surveillance laws. Democrats held up that renewal over Pulte's appointment as acting DNI. And President Trump now also says he'll refuse to sign any FISA reauthorization unless his voting bill, the SAVE Act, is attached to it or also passed.

Bottom line, there's all these political threads that are tied into what we're seeing out of DNI outside of just the office itself. And I wonder, what do you see as the national security impact of FISA sort of being caught up in the middle of that political football match?

SIPHER: Yes, so clearly it looks like the president put an arsonist in charge and then hoped that the Senate would push back so that he can then bully the Senate to get what he wants on this voting thing. The Democrats clearly held back on authorizing FISA 702 to try to put pressure. So it's going to be interesting to see because I do think there are a mixture of Republicans and Democrats who will come together on this because Pulte is, like I said, a political arsonist and is quite dangerous in that position.

Yes, FISA 702, it's a complicated thing, but it's essentially collecting foreign intelligence over the airwaves. If someone's on computers or phones overseas and it works its way through United States infrastructure, we need to have a means to collect that. It's been complicated, but I think this is just a political game to try to stop somebody like Pulte being in charge.

And so it's going to be interesting to see if Democrats and Republicans will work together because this person is so unfit for the job.

JIMENEZ: We will see. John Sipher appreciate the analysis on the boring nerd jobs over at DNI. Thanks for taking the time.

All right, still to come, Americans growing frustrated over the massive amounts of power going to AI data centers. But the problem could actually soon get worse.

And it's all because of the government. We'll talk about it after a quick break.

[14:45:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

SANCHEZ: The U.S. government just made what one energy official is calling a historic move to meet the voracious energy demands of artificial intelligence. Federal regulators ordered six regional grid operators to fast track power to AI data centers. The affected operators provided power to 200 million Americans in the nation's most populous regions, including New York and California.

But this decision to prioritize AI comes amid a growing backlash to the giant data centers that have sprung up across the country. We're joined now by CNN tech editor Lisa Eadicicco, and she's following these developments. So help us understand, Lisa, why this is so significant, why this move is a big deal. LISA EADICICCO, CNN BUSINESS TECH EDITOR: Yes, Boris, this is a really big deal because there's been growing concerns about whether the power grid is equipped to handle the growing demand from AI. And there's a big, urgent push here to address this because access to energy is really the potentially the biggest bottleneck to AI advancement right now. And we know that's been a big priority in this administration is making sure the United States is competitive in AI, especially competitive with China in that regard. And so there's this massive push to figure out how to make sure the power grid can withstand this.

And at the same time, as you mentioned, there is growing backlash against how the data center build out could impact local communities. In fact, approximately $130 billion worth of data center projects were either blocked or delayed in the first quarter of 2026 alone because of local opposition, according to Data Center Watch, a firm that tracks that. And according to Pew Research, there are 42 percent of Americans live either near an existing data center or a planned one.

So this is a really big deal. And I think what we're seeing here is kind of this growing concern about what those impacts are going to be amid rising electricity prices. And it's a question that's really difficult to solve.

But I think that's why there's a sense of urgency here because there are so many projects underway. And we need to be able to keep pace with that -- Boris.

SANCHEZ: Yes, a difficult balance, likely to be a campaign issue going into November's midterms. Lisa Eadicicco, thank you so much -- Omar.

JIMENEZ: Let's get you to some of the other headlines we're watching this hour. A top mosque leader in Wisconsin is no longer in ICE custody, as you see some of his supporters celebrating there. After a federal judge ordered his release, federal agents detained Salah Sarsour in March, alleging that he was a foreign policy threat.

His attorneys argued that he was being retaliated against for criticizing Israel and that his right to free speech was violated. The judge just ruled that the government failed to provide enough evidence to refute the defense's claim. Homeland Security officials are defending Sarsour's detainment and said any accusation of discrimination by ICE agents is false.

And then in New York, the NYPD says 10 people were arrested and three were issued summonses at the Knicks NBA championship parade on Thursday. The charges range from assault and disorderly conduct to resisting arrest and obstructing government administration. An estimated 2 million people gathered in lower Manhattan for the parade.

Over 50 floats went through a famed stretch of Broadway Street known as the Canyon of Heroes. The festivities capped off at City Hall, which is where I was, when Mayor Zoran Mamdani presented each player with symbolic keys to the city. A lot of smiles in the city over that day.

And a lot of smiles for ranch dressing because it's having a moment. It's been around, but it's this moment in particular.

[14:50:00]

Kraft is now ordering -- offering this TSA-friendly travel kit so World Cup fans visiting the U.S. can take some home. Sorry, I'm looking at this travel kit here. I've never seen anything like this ever.

Maybe the most American thing I can think of. It includes small packets, a clear bag that meets airport rules, and even a ranch-themed luggage tag. Videos have been going viral of international fans trying this classic American condiment for the first time and apparently falling in love with it.

I mean, how can you not? Ranch is ranch, but I've never seen it in a travel size. Hey, learn something new every day.

Coming up, grab some popcorn, folks. We're going to break down this summer's hot films. And what could be an even hotter box office season? Grab your ranch. We'll talk to you in a bit.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[14:55:00]

SANCHEZ: It's summertime and that means the box office is about to go to infinity and beyond. That, of course, a "Toy Story" reference. The fifth film in the franchise just hitting theaters, with analysts estimating that it could make more than $150 million, and it's opening weekend.

That would help keep up the momentum in what's been a major comeback year for Hollywood.

JIMENEZ: Yes, it's been a big year. The overall box office already up about 15 percent from last year. One big reason, surprise hits like "Obsession," which just went past $300 million globally.

A reminder, that film was made for 750,000 bucks. So, lots to talk about here. I want to bring in awards editor for Anchor Media, Katie Rich.

Good to see you. So, "Toy Story 5" couldn't have come at a better time for Disney, specifically after "The Mandalorian and Grogu," which still made a lot of money, but maybe not quite to the degree that people hoped.

KATEY RICH, AWARDS EDITOR, ANKLER MEDIA: Yes, and "The Mandalorian and Grogu" was made for less than your average "Star Wars" movie, so it still might wind up turning out OK. Disney, they have a lot of different franchises in a lot of different directions, but "Toy Story 5" looks like it's going to be exactly the huge monster hit that everyone was really assuming it was. That franchise is 30 years old and just seems completely bulletproof still.

SANCHEZ: It is, and it's sort of taking on a different type of story with the traditional toys going up against electronics. Something to be said about --

JIMENEZ: High tech.

SANCHEZ: Yes, the way that screens have shaped society. I'm also curious what you make about some of the other hits that we've seen this summer, like "Obsession" and "Back Rooms," stories that didn't totally originate the way that they typically do in Hollywood.

RICH: It is the film industry showing an ability that they're not always great at, at recognizing youth culture, letting younger creators in to make these things. The directors of "Obsession" and "Back Rooms," famously very young, really raised as part of the YouTube generation, and young audiences have responded in kind. And this has happened throughout Hollywood history over time.

You see in the early 70s, young filmmakers start coming in and changing things, and it feels like this really exciting indication of a new wave of filmmakers coming in there. We've got Steven Spielberg, Christopher Nolan, these established directors out there this summer, but if young people are seeing movies that are for them and getting excited and actually going to theaters, which is something that seemed like it might be going away a couple years ago, it's just such a great sign for the health of the business going forward.

JIMENEZ: If you had asked me a few years ago, before I knew about the production, that there would be a "Back Rooms" movie, just based on where it was in the culture, I would be so confused as to what exactly that would look like and how it would work. But I saw it, and I feel like it exceeded my expectations on that front. And to that point, Hollywood Reporter says that Reddit is emerging as a focal point of sorts for agents and execs.

You can find a lot of stuff on Reddit. But what does that tell you about where this industry is headed and how they're considering new and original ideas?

RICH: Well, you don't want to call it IP, but it kind of is IP, intellectual property. And for years and years, that was superhero movies or comic book adaptations or all of these other things. I mean, again, to mention Christopher Nolan, "The Odyssey" coming out this summer, that's IP, too, in some ways. It's just thousands of years old.

So if you have things that are coming from Reddit or from YouTube, like "Back Rooms" that are capturing people's imaginations, they have some kind of built-in audience. Clearly, if they're appealing to people that much on that smaller scale, they might be able to be blown up in a bigger way.

And I think if you're an aspiring filmmaker or a screenwriter or something like that, and you have one of those stories that has already hit in some way on this tiny platform or a relatively tiny platform online or Reddit, then you can really go a lot of places with that. And again, it feels really exciting and a lot of potential.

SANCHEZ: Yes, a lot of stuff on Reddit, not all of it you want to see. JIMENEZ: Yes, yes, yes. A wide range of things. Yes, we'll put it that

way.

SANCHEZ: Katie, you mentioned "The Odyssey," and I wanted to go back to that, in part because it seems like a passing of the mantle moment in terms of the king of the summer blockbuster. Steven Spielberg has a new movie out, "Disclosure Day."

It's doing OK. But on the flip side, "The Odyssey" is basically sold out of the limited amount of tickets that have been put out. It is poised to be one of the biggest movies we've ever seen, potentially.

RICH: And it is. Nolan already established himself as the king of making these unlikely hits with "Oppenheimer" a couple years ago. I don't think anyone thought that that historical three-hour biopic would come out in July and be the smash hit.

And "The Odyssey," in some ways, is kind of more tested storytelling. It's a tale as old as time in some way. And I think Spielberg and Nolan have a ton of respect for each other.

And in "Disclosure Day," there are a lot of cinephiles out there defending it. It's not going to be a hit like "Jurassic Park" was. And I imagine if you ask Steven Spielberg, he would be glad that a relatively younger filmmaker like Christopher Nolan is kind of able to pick that up and run with it and make really interesting, inventive summer blockbusters really in his own distinctive way.

JIMENEZ: Yes, and you know summer where superheroes aren't really dominating the summer as we've seen sort of in previous years. So ...

END