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Trump at NATO Summit; Tyler Robinson in Court; Graham Platner Under Fire; Manhattan High-Rise Evacuated. Aired 1-1:30p ET

Aired July 07, 2026 - 13:00   ET

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

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BORIS SANCHEZ, CNN HOST: Evacuations in Midtown Manhattan after workers find buckled columns and cracks on the 21st floor of a high- rise that's currently under construction.

BRIANNA KEILAR, CNN HOST: An under pressure. Democratic Senate candidate Graham Platner facing calls to end his campaign over sex assault allegations. He's denying that accusation and says his campaign is considering the path forward.

And allies on edge. President Trump is in Turkey for the NATO summit, and he's bringing up a familiar grievance, his belief that the U.S. should control Greenland.

We're following these major developing stories and many more, all coming in right here to CNN NEWS CENTRAL.

SANCHEZ: We're following breaking news right now out of Midtown Manhattan, multiple blocks evacuated after structural columns buckled on a 33-story building that's currently under construction.

KEILAR: These are columns that are actually on the building's 21st floor, which is where inspectors have also found multiple cracks and sagging floors. You can see here in the pictures, just the structural issues that we're talking about here.

CNN's Gloria Pazmino is near this site, not too near it, because there's a whole zone that is set up here, Gloria, which you can tell us about. Officials are updating right now. Are they worried that this could collapse?

GLORIA PAZMINO, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: That's right. And they have set up a significant security perimeter right around the building out of concern.

This all started shortly after 8:30 this morning when someone (AUDIO GAP) bricks falling from this building directly behind me. Now, I do want to tell you a little bit about this building, because it is actually the former Pfizer pharmaceuticals headquarters. And it's a building that's been under construction for a while now

because it was being converted from office space to apartments. And as part of that conversion, the construction was adding several floors to the top of this building.

And from what we can see from the photos that we have gotten from inside this construction site, you can see that some of the beams are buckled and some of the structure that is holding up that construction appears to be giving way.

Now, I spoke to some of the construction workers that were inside that building earlier this morning. Two of them told me that they were evacuated shortly after 8:00 this morning, when they arrived to work. And one of them actually showed me the video from inside the floor where those buckled columns are visible.

This is a project that likely has hundreds of construction workers in it. All construction workers were evacuated, and everyone has been accounted for. There have been no injuries, but there are several buildings in the perimeter around here that have been evacuated as a safety precaution, so a lot of disruption in this area, which is particularly busy here in Midtown Manhattan.

We heard from officials just a short while ago, including New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, who said that the building continues to be unstable. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ZOHRAN MAMDANI (D), MAYOR OF NEW YORK CITY: This is a minute-by- minute assessment, and I'm thankful for the work of all of our city workers in doing exactly that from the morning through this moment and then through the rest of the day.

And as you heard from our DOB commissioner, the number one focus here is the safety of New Yorkers. We're thankful that, at this time, there are no injuries. Every worker is accounted for. And now we are continuing to assess. As soon as this building is stable, it then opens up the possibilities for us to shore up the building.

But until that point, we are still having to measure that.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PAZMINO: Now, I do think it's very important to mention here that officials said that all of the construction that was happening inside this building had been approved and permitted. There is, of course, an investigation now under way to try and figure out exactly what resulted in the buckling of these beams.

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We also heard from the fire chief just a few minutes ago. He said that since the incident was reported this morning, the building has continued to shift and has continued to move, which, of course, is not something we want to hear, but he also made a very important point. He said, because the way this building is constructed, a steel frame building, he said that the concern for a collapse is of a localized collapse, so not a complete collapse of this building.

But, of course, that still means that the area around the building is a potential hazard for pedestrians and vehicles and everyone that is here, which is why this continues to be closed off to traffic and pedestrians -- Boris, Brianna.

KEILAR: As they said, they can't shore it up until it is stable and is it is still unstable at this point.

Gloria, we know that you will keep an eye on this. Things are obviously changing very quickly there in Midtown Manhattan.

We also do have some breaking news on Graham Platner's collapsing Senate running in Maine. This is one of his biggest supporters, we have now learned, who helped elevate his campaign. Senator Bernie Sanders is now saying that he spoke with Platner, and he recommended that Platner step aside, all of this after a woman accused Platner of rape.

SANCHEZ: Jenny Racicot detailing her allegations to CNN, saying that Platner showed up to her home drunk in 2021 while they were casually dating and then forced himself on her.

Racicot telling Jake Tapper she repeatedly told him no.

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JENNY RACICOT, GRAHAM PLATNER ACCUSER: So he had kind of, like, jumped on top of me and indicated that he had intentions that were sexual in nature.

And I remember just at first being like: "Hey, I'm not into this. Like, don't. I'm not in the mood. Like, don't," whatever. And it got to the point where I was like, OK, I feel like I have said this enough times. Like, he's not listening to me or he's not hearing me, and I looked at him.

And I remember this very specific look in his eyes. And I could smell alcohol, and I was like, this is different.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SANCHEZ: Platner denies the allegations, saying that any accusation of nonconsensual behavior is categorically false.

We're joined now by CNN's Lauren Fox.

Lauren, Senator Sanders stood by Platner when other allegations came forward in "The New York Times" last month. What more are you learning?

LAUREN FOX, CNN CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: And he wasn't the only one, right, who stood by Graham Platner after that "New York Times" story. SANCHEZ: Yes.

FOX: And a lot of lawmakers really were making the case that this was up to voters in the state of Maine. Obviously, these very serious allegations, this interview really changed those dynamics.

You see there, there are now more than a dozen senators who are asking for him to step aside, the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee. Kirsten Gillibrand who's the chairwoman of that committee, as well as the top Democrat in the Senate, Chuck Schumer, have asked him to step aside.

And they have also argued that they are not going to be spending a dime of money in this race, which is a very serious threat, if Graham Platner remains the nominee.

Now, Bernie Sanders just came out with this statement, saying: "I have spoken with Graham Platner about the best path forward for Maine in light of these very serious allegations. I have recommended that he step aside."

Obviously, I think right now the question is, what is Graham Platner going to do next? When does he announce that he's going to step aside if that's the decision that he makes? He does have to make that decision by next Monday by 5:00 p.m. if he wants to allow the Democratic Party in the state of Maine two weeks to come up with an alternative candidate.

That's obviously something that Democrats want to see happen, given the fact that this is a top target for Democrats if they want to take control back of the United States Senate. Beating Susan Collins has been their top target, not just in this election, but six years ago and the six years before that. They really thought they had a shot at doing that.

Obviously, this has complicated matters.

KEILAR: Yes, I mean, we'd even spoken with Democrats who said personally they found the allegations prior in "The New York Times" to be disqualifying, but it was up to voters in Maine, and they were, it seemed, willing to entertain this.

They were dissatisfied, certainly, with Senator Collins, a lot of them, not all of them, a lot of them. But in this -- giving them a choice, those voters, now who will replace Platner?

FOX: Well, I think that's a huge question mark right now, Brianna, is, do you have someone like Janet Mills who had to drop out of the Senate race because she didn't have the fund-raising prowess to continue in that race? She admitted that herself when she decided to drop aside.

You also have other people like Troy Jackson, who is the Democratic state senator, who potentially could take that seat. There's also a question for the left right now on if they want to have a say in who this next nominee is, because Graham Platner was able to mobilize voters in the state of Maine in a way that previous candidates had not been able to.

And so finding someone who can generate that energy for the state party, I think, is going to be a really important piece of this if Graham Platner does decide to step aside.

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KEILAR: All right, we will be looking, obviously a lot of movement there today.

Lauren Fox, thank you so much.

And still to come: The man accused of killing conservative activist Charlie Kirk is back in a Utah courtroom today, as prosecutors lay out their evidence against him. We're inside the hearing.

SANCHEZ: And later: President Trump will not rule out further troop drawdowns in Europe, citing NATO's refusal to join the war with Iran.

We will be right back.

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SANCHEZ: For a second day, the widow of Charlie Kirk is in a Utah courtroom listening to the evidence in her husband's killing. Erika Kirk was seen leaving court yesterday, marking the first time that she faced her husband's suspected killer, Tyler Robinson, in court.

This is a pivotal week for Robinson, seen in the gray suit on the right side of your screen. Prosecutors are presenting their case against him to determine if there's enough probable cause for it to go to trial.

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KEILAR: Robin (sic) is accused of gunning down the conservative activist on September 10 at Utah Valley University. Today, the judge viewed surveillance video that allegedly shows Robinson moving on and off campus the day that Kirk was gunned down.

CNN's Nick Watt is outside of court.

Nick, what's the latest there?

NICK WATT, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, that's right, Brianna. They played some of this surveillance video in court. It is a compilation of surveillance video from that campus from the day that Charlie Kirk was killed.

And prosecutors say that Tyler Robinson is identified coming on and off the campus four times, twice before the shooting, once for the shooting, and another time very late that night. So while they were playing this video, they had a Utah state investigator narrating.

Take a listen.

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DAVID HULL, FORMER UTAH STATE INVESTIGATOR: That's the vehicle that is believed to belong to Mr. Robinson arriving in the parking garage on campus.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And at what time in the morning? Well, what time of the day?

HULL: It's approximately 8:30 in the morning on September 10, 2025.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And what leads you to believe that this particular vehicle belongs to Mr. Robinson?

HULL: Information that was provided regards to driver's license and Department of Motor Vehicle records.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WATT: Now, from these images, it appears that the first time Robinson was on campus, he was wearing shorts. Later, he changed into long pants, but kept the same shoes, and that has helped investigators try and identify him throughout the day.

He also went to Chick-fil-A, got something to eat, and then this is key. So the investigator and the video seems to show that Robinson returns to campus 11:53; 12:22, he is lying prone on the roof with a line of sight to Charlie Kirk; 12:23, shot is fired.

Then this person who prosecutors say is Robinson on the tapes runs back across the video -- the roof, jumps off the roof, and then flees north into a neighborhood north of campus.

Now, Erika Kirk, as you guys mentioned, in court again today, emotional, dabbing tears, also whispering a little, interacting with Charlie Kirk's mother as well. Now, of course, what is happening here is, the prosecution is trying to put enough evidence to persuade the judge that this should go to trial.

Meanwhile, the defense is basically just trying to pick holes, trying to say, well, wasn't there another holster? Wasn't there another bullet fragment? Just trying to put a reasonable doubt. But what's happening here is not about reasonable doubt. The prosecution just needs to show probable cause. Reasonable doubt will come later if there is a trial -- guys.

SANCHEZ: Nick Watt, thank you so much for that update, as we see that it appears, from these live images, there has been a recess in this preliminary hearing. We will stay on top of what happens in court and bring it to you as we get it.

Up next: President Trump says he almost didn't attend today's NATO summit in Turkey, as he renews his threat to seize Greenland and to pull U.S. troops out of Europe.

That story coming your way next.

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KEILAR: It did not take long for President Trump to criticize America's top allies after arriving in Turkey for a critical NATO summit today.

During a meeting with Turkey's president, Trump made it clear he was not happy that NATO countries in Europe refused to join his war with Iran. And he did not rule out additional U.S. troop reductions in the region.

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QUESTION: (OFF-MIKE) farther troop drawdowns in Europe?

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Well, we're going to see. I was very disappointed with NATO. And, frankly, if it weren't held in Turkey, where my friend happens to be a very strong leader, a very strong person, I -- it's possible that I wouldn't have attended.

But we weren't treated well, because we did something in Iran. We don't need anybody's help. I didn't even want the help. But, before I asked, they said they wouldn't be there.

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KEILAR: I'm joined now by CNN senior military analyst Admiral James Stavridis. He's a former NATO supreme allied commander, and he's now vice chairman of the Carlyle investment firm.

Sir, thank you so much for being with us.

This spring, Trump had reportedly floated the idea of cutting forces in Europe by a third. Those U.S. forces are currently under review. What would the implications be for Europe and for the alliance with the U.S. if you see cuts that significant?

ADM. JAMES STAVRIDIS (RET.), CNN SENIOR MILITARY ANALYST: First, I will point out that Russia continues to be a significant threat, and not just to Ukraine, but also to Europe.

And, ultimately, Putin's goal is to try and break apart the NATO alliance. A pretty easy way to do that would be to start pulling a huge number of troops out of Europe. And those troops, by the way, Brianna, as you know well as an Army spouse, are there as forward deployment capability.

We use those bases frequently. I can understand why President Trump is annoyed about the contretemps of not using the bases in Iran, but, fundamentally, the alliance is good value for the United States,. Pulling troops out without a truly cooperative process would hurt the alliance.

KEILAR: And that is certainly a way to view it from the U.S. side of things. I wonder, when it comes to the European allies, how should they be

looking at this? It's not as if this is the first upset they have had with Trump, right? Foundationally, he has great disdain for NATO. What options do European allies have here in how they can respond?

STAVRIDIS: Well, the silver lining for the Europeans is that this will effectively move them to operate together, to rationalize their militaries, cooperate more on defense spending, and, above all, raise their spending, which they need to do.

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And they're doing that, by the way, not because of President Trump exclusively, but I think principally because of the threat from Vladimir Putin. Brianna, people ask me a lot, who's going to win the war between Russia and Ukraine?

In some ways, the Europeans may win the war. And what I mean by that is, it may drive them to cooperate together, stand up, build their own defense industrial base. They have the capacity, the capability, and the money to do it. And you will hear announced at this summit an additional $250 billion of European resources spent to do exactly that.

So Europe will stand up. And the bottom line, to conclude, is simply, when that happens, the United States will not have a subservient partner willing to simply go along every time we embark on a new adventure around the world. So this is bad news for the alliance, but potentially could be good news for Europe overall.

KEILAR: Trump is also floating the possibility of -- I should say strongly floating, right, of selling these F-35 fighter jets to Turkey. He actually banned them from purchasing them back in 2019 because Turkey had purchased a Russian air defense system. Congress then codified that into law.

STAVRIDIS: Right.

KEILAR: What do you think about this move to sell them those jets?

STAVRIDIS: I don't have access to the inside classified information, but my strong belief -- and it has been this way since this controversy began well over a decade ago -- is that there very well may be a technical way, using some kind of firewall process, to keep the Russian S-400 air defense very separated from the Joint Strike Fighter F-35, not to drown you in acronyms.

But the point is, if we found a technical solution to separate those two, I would be in favor of making this sale.

KEILAR: All right, Admiral Stavridis, thank you so much for being with us. Really appreciate it.

STAVRIDIS: You bet, Brianna.

KEILAR: A Manhattan high-rise has been evacuated, and a collapse zone has now been created around the perimeter. Why? You are looking at it. These are beams inside, 21 stories up, that are buckling. And, next, we're going to ask an engineer about the risk of structural failure here.

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