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Portugal Advances After Goal by Croatia is Waved Off; Trump's Tribute to America Divides Nation on 4th of July; Sweltering Temps Punish Millions of Americans; Taylor Swift, Travis Kelce to Begin Their Marriage Era; Trump Heads to Mount Rushmore Ahead of July 4 Celebration in D.C. Aired 2-2:30p ET

Aired July 03, 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: -- it didn't change direction. It didn't look as though anything had happened. But if you look at that a little bar graph at the bottom that FIFA have supplied, you can see the kind of the spike, that's because they now have microchips in the balls and that confirmed --

ERICA HILL, CNN CO-ANCHOR OF "CNN NEWS CENTRAL": Wow.

RIDDELL: -- that that player did get a touch on the ball, which is why it was offside. The margins are so slim. They are so fine. And when it comes to determining offside, you have to have a line somewhere. Thanks to the technology that line is getting thinner and thinner.

HILL: Yeah.

RIDDELL: It's remarkable.

HILL: Wow. It really is. All right. Don, appreciate it. Thank you.

Stay tuned, a new hour of "CNN News Central" starts right now.

President Trump putting his stamp on the 4th of July at the White House turning the national celebration into a rally for the president, a tribute to America that is dividing many Americans.

Cruel summer, millions of Americans suffering under these brutally hot temperatures that will last through the holiday weekend. The unrelenting heat wave which scientists say would be virtually impossible, if not for fossil fuel pollution.

And the marriage era begins, we think, in a few hours. Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce getting ready for their big wedding celebration, where else? Madison Square Garden. We're following these major developing stories and many more, all coming in right here to "CNN News Central."

We do begin this hour with Breaking News. The Great American State Fair, which is being held on the National Mall, has had to temporarily shut down because of the dangerously high temperatures in Washington, D.C. The heat dome we've talked so much about that's blanketing the East Coast right now, well, Washington, D.C. in the thick of it. Americans are roasting as they try to celebrate the nation's 250th anniversary. The searing temperatures are in the triple digits, breaking records in so many areas of the country.

Just look at how much of the map is red there, the conditions Incredibly dangerous for folks. CNN's Derek Van Dam is there at the American State Fair. So just as we spoke with you in the last hour, was right when they were making that announcement that they were closing down the fair at least for a few hours.

DEREK VAN DAM, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Yeah.

HILL: People have traveled from, you know, a lot of different states should be there. What are some of the folks who were there for the fair telling you about this decision?

VAN DAM: That it's miserable. It's so difficult to be out here, but they know that they need to evacuate. So here's proof, I mean, we saw the flyovers happen and they ended at 1:00 and then the announcement came over the PA system here, recommending that everybody -- actually stating that everybody had to leave the fairgrounds.

So we're on this elevated riser platform where some of the press can stand and I just want to show you this. This is incredible. This is one of our tripods and we were trying to move it out of the live shot and it had melted to the floor here. I mean I can take readings with my digital thermometer, watch this. 166 degrees. I mean this is black obviously surface that's been into the sun for so many hours. But that is what people are contending with here, not 166, but excruciatingly dangerous temperatures. And it feels like index that, you know, if you check your CNN Weather App right now, it's got currently in D.C. 113 degrees on the CNN Weather App for Washington, D.C.

So the National Mall, it's been evacuated, the postponement until 5 p.m. tonight. But Erica, you know, thinking about winds, the daytime heating peaks in an urban center like Washington, D.C., it typically is in that 4 to 6 p.m. time frame. So, are they really going to allow people to come back in at that time? I mean, there are so many events that are planned, thousands of visitors flocking to this area. We saw them just coming in, in hordes this morning.

But now, all having to be evacuated because this heat is simply too dangerous to be out and standing in -- I mean take it from me. We get to shade immediately after our live shot. This is just a railing that I'm keeping my balance on this riser and it is very hot to the touch. I cannot -- that would boil my skin. Our photojournalist behind the lens right now has to use a towel to Hold on to the camera because the black surface of the camera is too hot for his fingertips. He's asked our intern to go and get that.

So this is just what people are having to deal with on this widespread 4th of July heat wave that is corresponding with everybody wanting to be outdoors at this moment in time. But it is simply too dangerous to do so.

HILL: Yeah.

VAN DAM: So if you don't have adequate ways to cool yourself, water, hydrate. We know all the things, it sounds common sense, but it is important to remind that of people when you have heat exhaustion, it's serious. But when you have a heat stroke, that is when you have a medical emergency, and we saw people succumbing to heat exhaustion today getting escorted by fire department from the D.C. personnel here.

[14:05:00]

I mean all there are here are a few random personnel walking around, press and National Guard members. Otherwise, the National Mall is largely empty because of this postponement through the heat.

HILL: Yeah, it is really something and of course, raising questions about what will ultimately happen tomorrow as well at the fireworks celebration. There are a lot of concerns about the heat for that.

Derek, appreciate it. You know, Derek mentioned the CNN Weather App. Just a reminder that it is a great one for you to download. The data there that you have before you leave the house, almost minute by minute there. You can get these precise insights, expert coverage. You can get the app in the iOS store.

Happening now, a live look at the White House for you. President Trump is gearing up, of course, for this big July 4th weekend. A short time from now, he'll actually be heading to South Dakota. He is set to deliver a speech at Mount Rushmore tonight.

CNN's Alayna Treene has more with us -- for us now on the president's plan. So, why is he heading first to Mount Rushmore?

ALAYNA TREENE, CNN WHITE HOUSE REPORTER: Yeah, look, it's really kind of a return to Mount Rushmore, Erica, for the president. He had first visited back during his first administration when he went to Mount Rushmore in 2020. This will be his return and really the White House and the president are arguing it's a big symbolic place for him to kick off America's 250th Independence Day celebration.

So that's where we will find him later this evening. As you mentioned, Erica, he's set to depart in about an hour and a half or so, of course, give or take. We know the president's schedule can be -- can change a little bit leading up to it. But one of the things that I'm watching for is whether or not he's going to continue what we know he's discussed in the past, when he's openly mused about wanting to add his own face, his own likeness to that iconic and historic Mount Rushmore. We have four other, of course, early presidents, some of the founding presidents of this country.

I will remind you, actually, back in May, Trump had posted a picture, you can see on the screen now, of his face imposed as the fifth president to be on that mountain. I also remember a couple years ago when Trump had joked about this with then South Dakota Governor, Kristi Noem. Of course, she later became the president's Homeland Security Secretary, now former. She's now out of that role. All to say she had joked that she would find a mountain for the president in order to get his face up there.

But some other things to expect from his remarks. One, I'm told, it's likely going to be a very much a celebration of American history. And we did see this from a White House aide who posted about the speech on social media. She wrote, "Standing before the iconic monument honoring four of America's most consequential leaders, the president will deliver a major address making clear what the world already knows. The United States is the greatest, strongest, and most exceptional nation in history."

This is in line, Erica, with what I'm told these remarks are going to be about, a celebration of why America is the greatest country in the world, in the president's words. And of course, I think touting a lot of his own policies as well.

There's going to be a fireworks display at Mount Rushmore. There's going to be a flyover. And there's also going to be, of course, Trump's own speech. And that's just the kickoff. Tomorrow night, you're going to hear from the president again to really mark July 4th itself.

He's going to be giving remarks on the National Mall as part of the Great American State Fair. You're going to have what, Freedom 250, who's putting on a lot of this celebration in D.C. They say the finale will be the largest fireworks display in all of American history. They say there will be 850,000 fireworks show. So really, a lot of the pomp and circumstance being added to this weekend to really mark America's 250th birthday, Erica.

HILL: Yeah, absolutely. Alayna, appreciate it. Thank you.

Still ahead here this hour, New York Mayor, Zohran Mamdani offering his speech ahead of America's 250th birthday. Take a name, it's on President Trump's policies. We'll take a closer look at his words. Plus, no bad blood this cruel summer. Celebrities from the Big Apple to Hollywood preparing for a true love story. The wedding of the year, the decade, the century. We'll let you decide. We'll also let you in on what we know about Taylor and Travis' big plans.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[14:13:27]

Before President Trump delivers his Freedom 250 speech tonight, some notable Democrats are speaking out with messages of their own ahead of the nation's big birthday, including Maryland's Governor, Wes Moore, who will also be speaking tonight.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GOV. WES MOORE, (D-MD): Our message is not partisan. Our message is patriotic. What we are seeing from the president of the United States, that really is, that is nationalism. And that is an expression where he is making it about himself. But tomorrow is not about him.

(END VIDEO CLIP) HILL: Earlier today, we also heard from New York City Mayor, Zohran Mamdani, who took aim at President Trump's policies. He offered his speech from behind a desk used by George Washington, and he was surrounded this morning by recently naturalized U.S. citizens.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MAYOR ZOHRAN MAMDANI, (D-NY): As we mark 250 years, what do we see? We see a city of contradictions within a nation of contradictions. We see the wealthiest country in the history of the world, one where children go to sleep hungry while the world's first trillionaire hungers for more. We see monopolies that dominate every industry and oligarchs who buy elections. We see masked agents terrorizing our streets, eating food cooked by our undocumented neighbors before spiriting them away in unmarked vans.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HILL: It's important to note, Mamdani also talked about what he saw as American exceptionalism, which is the idea that it is being written every single day.

Joining me now is Scott MacFarlane, Chief Washington Correspondent at MeidasTouch Network. So Scott, when you see -- we're seeing a portion of these messages, right? But you've got Mamdani and Moore, a Democratic socialist and a relative centrist.

[14:15:00]

How would you sum up the Democrats' message ahead of the July 4th holiday? Is it unified?

SCOTT MACFARLANE, CHIEF WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT, MEIDASTOUCH NETWORK: They don't want to be surrendering patriotism to Donald Trump's show on the National Mall. I think when it comes to the patriotic undertones of this incredibly important birthday, they are unified. And they're trying to emphasize it.

In Pennsylvania, in Philadelphia yesterday, it was like this tale of two cities, Erica. They had this event at Independence Hall, a parade, a concert at night, truly devoid of partisanship. While on the National Mall in Washington was the other city where things seem to be overtly political by nature. There is a contrast we can see in what's happening in U.S. communities.

And this Great American State Fair, whatever is to happen here tomorrow, if the heat will allow it, with Trump's rally, I think Democrats are very much unified on this singular issue of celebrating the country.

HILL: So in terms of that, if we talk about where Democrats are, you see that unity, as you pointed out, among Democrats. What about the American people? I mean, we've heard a lot, CNN has certainly done a lot of reporting, talking to a lot of different people about how this feels different, but maybe not in the way that many people anticipated the 250th would feel different. Is it your sense that more Americans are starting to push away this idea of the partisanship, especially on July 4th, that it does feel too political?

MACFARLANE: Certainly want that tomorrow. We certainly want to do this in our communities when we go to the local event at the Town Square, the parade, at the pool, at the barbecue. We want to have maybe a politics-free zone and just celebrate our unity and the things that are connective tissue for us.

But it's hard to ignore that there is a Trump rally at the National Mall at the epicenter of American democracy on this round number birthday we all had aspirations to enjoy. I think that's infusing it with the partisanship that is being reflected in the polls. We've seen a lot of them this week, Erica, Gallup and otherwise showing a little bit of an erosion on patriotic fervor this year versus maybe on the 200th birthday in 1976 and other previous years, the lowest since 2001, according to Gallup.

When you corrupt American unity with overt politics, that's the result we shouldn't be surprised by.

HILL: When Zohran Mamdani gave his speech, he was, as I noted, he was surrounded by naturalized -- recently naturalized citizens behind him. He himself is a naturalized citizen. He spoke a good deal about immigration in that speech this morning. He was very clear about the contributions of immigrants to not only the city, to New York City, but also to this country, the opportunity that America affords people. How does the picture that he is painting this morning in New York resonate beyond this city and even this state?

MACFARLANE: You're going to see that replicated over the next 24 hours in other communities. They have one planned in Washington state, a naturalization ceremony in which members of Congress will attend. There are a whole bunch here near Washington, D.C. as well. It's a common component of July 4th to have naturalization ceremonies.

So it's going to be felt far and wide. But I want you to circle a different date on your calendar. Look at July 21st. That's primary day in Arizona, where there are several battleground races. Republican primary candidates are trying to take a hard stance against birthright citizenship, against the movement of immigrants into America. It's a wedge issue, and it's going to be a key issue in those frontline races in November.

We could talk about naturalization now, but in November, immigration will decide many races, potentially control of the U.S. House.

HILL: Yeah. Immigration has not been a winning issue for the Democrats. It will be interesting to see how that plays out and perhaps how the conversation changes, certainly in light of the birthright citizenship issue earlier this week from the Supreme Court. Scott, appreciate it. Thank you.

Still to come here, love by the numbers, we'll be joined by a numerologist about the possible meaning behind the date for Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce's romance.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[14:23:33]

HILL: It is the love story overtaking Madison Square Garden. Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce's wedding celebration is expected to kick off just a few hours from now. Sources who know about the planning say cocktails start at 4:30. The ceremony, we're told, an hour later. About 1,000 guests expected. They could party as late as 4 a.m. because that's how late the permit goes. So it was clearly thought out, as any wedding mostly is.

(LAUGH)

HILL: Swiftie fans know the date, too, is probably very carefully considered. The mega star, it turns out, is really into numerology. So she, of course, named one of her albums 1989 after her birth year. She has frequently incorporated her lucky number, 13, into big announcements. Take, for example, her engagement post, which was posted on August 26th, 13 days after her debut on Kelce's podcast, "New Heights." The 26th, of course, is 13 doubled.

The couple recorded that podcast episode actually on the day of their engagement. They talked about Swift's interest in numerology as well.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JASON KELCE, AMERICAN FOOTBALL CENTER: What is numerology?

TRAVIS KELCE, AMERICAN FOOTBALL TIGHT END: You don't know what numerology is?

TAYLOR SWIFT, AMERICAN SINGER-SONGWRITER: That's not what numerology is.

(CROSSTALK)

J. KELCE: I'm assuming something with numbers.

T. KELCE: Yeah, like I'm 87 and she's 13.

SWIFT: Yeah, literally, it's that simple. Just numbers.

T. KELCE: And 100.

SWIFT: Yeah, 13 plus 87 equals 100. That's numerology. Like numbers --

J. KELCE: But what is the significance of it all?

SWIFT: -- numbers that have a specific significance.

T. KELCE: That we keep it 100.

SWIFT: Like -- yeah, exactly. J. KELCE: Keep it 100?

SWIFT: Yeah. Do you not keep it 100 ever?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

[14:25:00]

HILL: He keeps it 100 on the land, the sea, the sky. You know what I'm saying? In case you need more convincing, Swift went on to mention 100, of course, in a single that was released a few weeks later on October 3rd, 10/03, 13. Work with me people, take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

Taylor Swift performing " "The Fate of Ophelia."

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HILL: Time for a little numerology vibes here. Joining me is Numerologist, Glynis McCants. I've been very excited about this segment, Glynis, just so you know. She wrote the book "Love by The Numbers: How to Find Great Love or Reignite the Love You Have Through the Power of Numerology."

So Taylor Swift is into numbers. Her fans are very into her numbers. Can you walk us through, she didn't really answer the question when she was asked what numerology is, so can you tell us? What is it?

GLYNIS MCCANTS, NUMEROLOGIST: Yeah, it's a science of numbers. It's 2,500 years old. Pythagoras was the creator of the system that I use. And how it works is everyone has vibration. That's why when you meet someone, you're like, ooh, I really like this person. Or you meet someone and say, wow, that person just drained me. That's vibration.

There are three numbers that can be found in a name, three numbers in a birthday, and it gives us a blueprint of who you are. So of course, I've been looking at Travis and Taylor for a long time, since 2023 when they first got together.

HILL: And so what do you see in their numbers, both individually and for them as a couple?

MCCANTS: Well, it's interesting. They have some challenge numbers, and that means you've got to find ways to agree to disagree. Now, the word is they don't argue at all, which I can promise them that when they say I do, they will end up arguing at some point.

HILL: That's not going to last.

MCCANTS: That's you nature.

(LAUGH)

MCCANTS: No. But what I would say is what they share in numerology is the number six, which is the parent number. So I see them getting pregnant as soon as possible. It's definitely about having a child. No question.

And then they also share the number eight, which is image and beauty. So look at these big events they're putting together. I mean, it's like nobody else, right? No one else has done it like this. So I think that is what they have in common.

But ultimately -- go ahead.

HILL: Oh, no. No, that's great. I love where you're going with it. There's also -- there been a lot of questions about the date. So again, we think -- we think the ceremony is supposed to be today. Right? I guess we'll know for sure at some point when they finally confirm it.

MCCANTS: Yes.

HILL: But is there a significance that you see in the numbers of today's date, 07/03/2026?

MCCANTS: Well, here's the thing. If they really go with today, it's such a good day for them to get married. But I will say she's a seven life path, which means mystery. She really doesn't want people knowing her business. So it's pretty interesting that this is so public.

But here's what I can tell you. How do you find numbers in a date? You take the month and day, reduce it to one digit, 07/03 becomes a one, because seven plus three is 10, one plus zero is one. Then the actual day is a three. And then you take the full date and reduce it to one digit. Well, it becomes 20 and then two plus zero is two, one, two, three.

I'm telling you, Erica, that is magic. One is ambition, two is love, and three is laughter and communication. And these numbers are actually very compatible to them as a couple. So if they don't do it today, sorry to hear it, because it would have been the best day in numerology for them to do it.

HILL: All right. Well, then I hope for their sake it is actually happening today. Now, selfishly, I was told that one thing you like to do when you talk to people is do a little numerology for them.

MCCANTS: Yes.

HILL: And so based on my birthday, so I know you have that information. And I'm dying to know what you found.

MCCANTS: Yes. Well, you've got some fun numerology, let me tell you. The life path numbers are the most important number. In your case, it's the number five. It just tells me, Erica, if you don't know what's going on, you're a natural detective. You dig for the truth and you will find it.

That's extremely important to you. The other thing is, no one can control you. Like if someone's trying to control you, you're like, uh- oh, I can't breathe. Like whoever you end up with, are you married right now, by the way? HILL: I am.

MCCANTS: OK. So in the marriage, they have to give you space. There's times that you just need to go off and do your thing, but you will always come back. And then you're born on a two-day, that tells me you're really intuitive. So again, when I talk about meeting someone, you feel pretty quickly how you feel about them, right?

HILL: Yeah.

MCCANTS: And two means loving deeply. So yeah, when you're in love, you mean it. Like, it's funny, like one part of you is like, hey, don't control me. But on the other hand, you're like, where'd you go? You know, I really do want my relationship.

(LAUGH)

MCCANTS: And I got to ask, did you have any kids, any children?

HILL: I have two boys, 19 and 16.

MCCANTS: So how about this? You have a six in your soul, which means those boys fulfill your soul.

HILL: They do.

MCCANTS: They have made you feel complete. How true is that? And that's your soul number.

HILL: Yeah, it is.

MCCANTS: Right?