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Trump Prepares to Depart for Critical NATO Summit; Study Shows Diets Rich in Fruits, Veggie, Grains May Cut Dementia Risk; Spain and Portugal Tied as World Cup Round 16 Game Hits Halftime. Aired 3:30-4p ET

Aired July 06, 2026 - 15:30   ET

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

[15:30:00]

DAVID GOLDMAN, CNN: ... old and that's why so many people want to sign up for this. We've already had six million people do that. Now you need to fill 4547 the IRS form.

I wonder why it's 4547. That's a little strange. Trumpaccounts.gov has all the information. Yes, you think this is branded. I don't know. It's a little subtle.

JIM SCIUTTO, CNN HOST: No question. David Goldman, thanks so much.

GOLDMAN: Thank you.

SCIUTTO: Coming up, Russia launches yet another deadly attack on civilian targets in Ukraine's capital just as President Trump prepares to travel to Turkey for the NATO summit. How this key meeting impacts the future of that ongoing Russian invasion? Please do stay with us.

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BORIS SANCHEZ, CNN HOST: In a matter of hours, President Trump is heading to Turkey to attend a critical NATO summit. Leaders are gathering in Ankara over the next several days in the face of major global security challenges, support for Ukraine and its war with Russia at the top of the agenda. But there are also major questions about security in the Strait of Hormuz as the U.S. continues negotiations with Iran.

Let's talk to former Defense Secretary Mark Esper. He serves on the board or as a strategic advisor for a handful of aerospace and defense-related companies. He's also a partner with Red Cell Partners Ventures Capital.

Secretary, thanks so much for being with us. Let's start with Russia hitting Ukraine's capital again this morning, hours after Trump spoke with Putin, offering to help end the war. It has been nearly 11 months since their summit in Alaska.

Have you seen any indication that Putin is closer to making a deal?

MARK ESPER, FORMER DEFENSE SECRETARY UNDER PRESIDENT TRUMP: Well, good afternoon, Boris, first of all. Look, I think the answer to your question is no. Putin is further away, I think, in some ways of getting his way because the Ukrainian military has done so well or at least better on the battlefield.

So we know that in the last few months, experts, independent experts have estimated that Ukraine has on net regained ground that was lost to Russia over the previous couple of years. And much of this is due to the Ukrainians blunting the Russian advances in Ukraine through long-range and mid-range drone strikes that have gone after Russian fuel supplies, logistics, strategic targets, refineries, things like that, that have really set the Russians back. And much of that is due to Ukrainian technology, know-how, the ability to jumpstart its own production of drones, and the fact that Starlink has enabled them to really reach deeper with precision strikes.

SANCHEZ: Kyiv notably, though, is running short on interceptor missiles, and that's why you see some of the carnage that we saw at least 19 killed in attacks overnight on Kyiv and in the area of Kyiv. Do you think when President Trump meets with Zelenskyy on the sidelines of this NATO summit, a request from Zelenskyy to provide more of those missiles would be met with the U.S. providing them? The two have gone back and forth on hot and cold with Trump at times chastising the Ukrainian leader.

ESPER: Yes, I think the challenge is inventory for the United States with regard to Patriot missiles, Boris. You know, the Russians shot a couple dozen ballistic missiles in the last 24 hours that killed 12 Ukrainians, and none of them were intercepted. And that is attributed to the fact that Patriot missile interceptors are in such low inventory.

And the challenge is they take, what, $4 million apiece to procure and up to two years to build. And the fact is, in the last three, four years of conflict, whether it's Ukraine, whether it was supplying Israel to defeat Iranian missiles or our own use of Patriot missiles, the fact is our stocks are really low and it takes a long time to build these missiles. So I think even if President Trump had the missiles, he probably would be reluctant to give them to Ukraine, sell them to Ukraine.

Or what Zelenskyy is really requesting is a reprioritization of the missile inventories. So look, maybe that's on the table, but I think I don't think that's the challenge here. I think Zelenskyy is going to argue that he needs broader support in addition to air defense missiles and from the from the allies.

And I think a big topic at the NATO summit in Ankara is going to be defense production, particularly coming out of Europe.

SANCHEZ: Well, the White House is expecting NATO leaders to also discuss securing the Strait of Hormuz. An administration official told CNN that they don't believe that the allies have what's needed militarily to contribute. Would you say that that's a fair assessment?

Is it equipment that is keeping NATO allies out of that region or just the risk? ESPER: Well, certainly risk is the issue for the Europeans or NATO allies. I'll throw Canada in there as well. I think it's the risk issue because, look, I see the war is really not -- it's not over.

We have a ceasefire. And arguably, I call that ceasefire really a suspension of major hostilities because there are still -- you know, the Iranians are still shooting missiles and drones at times. I think we had something happen in the last 24, 48 hours and in the United States will shoot back.

This is going to go on for a while. So I think the Europeans are reluctant to get involved. That said, there was reporting this morning that the French and the British are willing to contribute minesweepers into the Strait of Hormuz to clear the so-called center lane, the traditional two mile wide lane through which most shipping passes.

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Because right now, you know, at least a third are using what's called a southern route adjacent to Oman. And of course, the Iranians want everybody to use the northern route, which is close to Iran. So I think the Europeans, at least a couple of countries, are trying to step up and say we'll provide minesweepers. We'll start clearing the Strait, provided that it is indeed secure and without threat.

SANCHEZ: Trump again reiterated his claim today that the Iranian regime has changed. Perhaps the people in charge have changed. But given some of the images we saw in Tehran, the size and anger of crowds mourning the late Ayatollah, there was a ceremony that they call stoning the devil, where they held an image of Trump with pebbles.

Would you say the current leadership in Tehran views the U.S. any differently than the previous one? Would you call this regime change?

ESPER: It's changed for the worse with regard to leadership. They are far more hardcore, I think more dominated by the military and less by the theocracy. The theocracy, of course, now led by Mojtaba Khamenei, the previous Ayatollah's son and other theocrats.

But I think the military is really dominating now. And they have taken a far more hardcore position, which is why you see so much back and forth with regard to Iran, asserting control, asserting sovereignty over the Strait of Hormuz. So I think it's a more challenging regime than what we had faced before.

And they seem more aligned. That doesn't mean there aren't divisions. There are.

But certainly the president, Pezeshkian, is a is a relative moderate in Tehran. But nonetheless, I still think the military is dominating now more than they did under the previous Ayatollah.

SANCHEZ: Secretary Mark Esper, we have to leave the conversation there. Appreciate the time, sir.

ESPER: Thanks, Boris.

SANCHEZ: Of course. Coming up, a new study that finds healthy eating habits may protect your brain as you age. We'll talk about the types of food you should prioritize next.

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SCIUTTO: So it's no secret that eating healthy promotes better brain health. But now there's evidence that diets heavy in whole grains, fruits and vegetables can also reduce the risk of developing dementia, even in people showing early signs of Alzheimer's.

SANCHEZ: Researchers followed more than 1,800 people over the age of 60 in Sweden who did not have dementia, when the study began. They found those whose diets included so-called anti-inflammatory foods were less likely to develop that condition, even in people with a higher biological risk of Alzheimer's.

Let's bring in Dr. David Langer. He's the head of neurosurgery at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York. Doctor, thanks so much for being with us. What is your reaction to this? How seriously should we take these results?

DR. DAVID LANGER, DEPARTMENT OF NEUROSURGERY CHAIR, LENOX HILL HOSPITAL: I mean, I would take it seriously. I think Alzheimer's remains this kind of, like, you know, existential threat to people, especially highly productive, smart, you know, well-to-do people. Everyone worries about this stuff.

And all you can do is live healthily. And so these types of studies really feed into our own sense of control. And there's no doubt that this data is interesting.

It's a big group. It's well-defined outcomes. And an apparently significant benefit from eating these healthy foods, which, you know, there may be other things, obviously.

We know there are other things contribute to our risk of life and limb. But certainly, I think these sorts of studies more or less confirm the value of a healthy diet. And it would be silly not to consider this and take this information wisely.

SCIUTTO: Can you explain the why of this? Because it sounds quite similar to what you hear about an anti-inflammatory diet as relates to heart health, right? It just seems, you know, is there a connection between why that's good for your heart and also good for your brain?

LANGER: You know, look, the cause of Alzheimer's is controversial. There's many different thoughts on what even causes the problem. So without understanding the cause, it's hard to connect these sorts of things directly to effect.

On the other hand, inflammation, we know, has negative effects on our end organ systems, the kidneys, the heart, the liver, and almost certainly the brain. So I think that ultimately, these are likely related to vascular effects. The blood vessels are where it connects the blood system and the immune system to our brain.

And so if there's inflammatory changes that exist within the kind of milieu of our blood vessels and the immune system of the brain, it's likely this interaction causes some destruction or some injury to the tissues that likely can result in the effect we call Alzheimer's. And it works very differently in the heart because there aren't neurons there. There aren't what are called glial cells.

But, you know, in the end, I think that this is more or less a para phenomenon. The inflammation causes change and the change results in some sort of destruction of the tissues.

SANCHEZ: It sounds like someone is trying to reach out to you, doctor, to let you know that you're on CNN right now. We'll let you take the call in a moment. But first, I wondered how this compares to the Mediterranean diet.

Because last year, another study found that closely following that, lowered the risk of dementia by at least 35 percent in people with two copies of what's known as the Alzheimer's gene. How does the Mediterranean diet compare to the anti-inflammatory diet?

LANGER: They're similar. I mean, I think legumes and fruit, vegetables, all these whole grains, all these things that are part of the Mediterranean diet are in fact low in inflammation.

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So there's a lot of overlap. And I would imagine that they're measuring more or less the same thing. You know, what was lost in this is when you study people, remember that there are lots of other things to contribute.

As you know from studying people of longevity, social interaction, exercise, all these other things factor in as well. And so what I would say is that you'd be crazy not to consider this as part of your prevention.

Get plenty of sleep. Look for social interaction, hobbies, things that stimulate your brain. And by the same token, these sorts of diets, Mediterranean or low inflammation, are similar enough that there's data there that would suggest that that's the way to go.

You know, before you pop in your McDonald's, you have to remember that.

SCIUTTO: You know, it's funny, whenever I read this kind of stuff, I feel like my father's parents both lived to 100. That's what they did, right? But they didn't do it because they read a study.

They did it because that's what they did. And they walked around a lot and they kept up activity in social context.

LANGER: And genes matter too. SCIUTTO: Of course.

LANGER: That's your genetic. If you have parents or loved ones or close relatives with Alzheimer's, I would think you need to be even more careful because the genetic component of this is real.

SANCHEZ: Good point and good advice. Dr. David Langer, thank you so much.

LANGER: All right. My pleasure.

SANCHEZ: Of course. Now to some of the other headlines. We're watching this hour.

At least 25 people in New Jersey have died since Thursday of suspected heat-related illness. The state was at the epicenter of the extreme heat wave over the 4th of July weekend. Newark had some of the hottest temperatures, peaking at 105 on July 2nd, with a feels-like temp of 112.

According to the New Jersey Department of Health, more than 400 people in the state went to the ER with overheating symptoms last week.

Also, Microsoft eliminating about 4,800 jobs or roughly 2 percent of its global workforce. The Xbox gaming unit among the hardest hit. This follows several rounds of layoffs and staffing changes across the tech industry as more companies ramp up AI spending. But in a message to employees, Microsoft says the affected roles tied to today's announcement are not being replaced by AI.

SCIUTTO: A lot of headlines like that. Well, across Europe, crews are fighting back wildfires as a heat wave grips the continent as well there. Spain, France, Portugal, Greece all seeing flames, prompting evacuations for thousands.

Dry conditions and high winds are feeding those flames. The risk so severe that authorities actually had to close the third stage of the Tour de France to the public. Scientists warn that as the climate crisis intensifies, wildfires like these will become more frequent and more severe.

Coming up, while we wait for Team USA to take on Belgium for a spot in the quarterfinals, Cristiano Ronaldo and Portugal, they're facing Spain. What's happening in that game, coming up.

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SANCHEZ: As we await Team USA's big round of 16 World Cup match tonight, two major powerhouse teams are on the pitch right now.

SCIUTTO: Yes, by far my favorite story of the day. Could this Portugal star, Cristiano Ronaldo's, be his last World Cup game ever? Or will the number two ranked team, Spain, will their one come to an end? CNN Sports anchor Amanda Davis is with us now. I mean, listen, we've been talking about it all day because, of course, the U.S. is playing tonight. But you've got a big game going on right now, and it's a tight one.

AMANDA DAVIS, CNN SPORTS ANCHOR: Yes, and the winner, of course, of the U.S.'s match against Belgium faces the winner of this in the next round. And all the buildup has very much been dominated around the talk of Cristiano Ronaldo. He finally, in that news conference ahead of the game, said that this will be his last major international tournament for his country.

He is the all time leading international goal scorer in international men's football. But defeat for Portugal tonight would mean that this could be his international career coming to an end. He got that round of applause as he walked out of his news conference yesterday.

He has started this game against Spain, continues to defy the odds at 41 years of age. He's had a relatively quiet game so far. It's his Portuguese teammate, Nuno Mendes, who perhaps had the best chance of the first half, hitting the crossbar.

It's currently goalless at half time. Spain still haven't conceded a goal at this tournament. But, of course, it was Portugal who got the better of the meeting between these two sides when they met in the final of the Nations League last year.

Portugal winning it on penalties, but Spain, as we know, very much wanting to repeat their European Championship success and get their hands back on this trophy for the first time since 2010. So you suspect they will very much come out fighting after the break.

SANCHEZ: A tough matchup. Before we go, Amanda, there's a follow-up, a suggested follow-up question that I'm pretty sure you wrote. Is this the year that England wins it all?

DAVIS: No, I definitely do not like answering that question. I have been doing this far too long. We don't ask to answer that question.

But I have to say there is cautious optimism. I did feel for Mexico last night as It's Coming Home started ringing out at the Azteca in their backyard as they had been knocked out of the tournament that they are co-hosting. It is England going through.

They did have a plan A, B, C, D and E. That is something we haven't seen from them for a while.

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So I think they answered a few questions defensively.

But there is still Argentina in it. Spain are still in it. France are still in it.

England has to face Erling Haaland's Norway next. So yes, definitely not getting too carried away. SCIUTTO: Credit to England for defending in those last minutes with the man down. It was incredible.

SANCHEZ: Incredible matchup. Amanda Davis, thank you so much. Jim, always a pleasure to see you.

SCIUTTO: Nice to be with you, my friend.

SANCHEZ: "THE ARENA" with Kasie Hunt starts right now.