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Trump Threatens Iran to Open Strait of Hormuz; U.S. Rescues Missing Airman; Orion Spacecraft About to Enter Moon's Sphere of Influence; Trump Warns Iran To Reopen Hormuz Or Face Dire Consequences; Pope Leo Celebrates Easter, Continues Appeal For Peace; Democrats React To White House's Defense Budget Request. Aired 2-3a ET

Aired April 06, 2026 - 02:00   ET

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

[02:00:00]

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BEN HUNTE, CNN ANCHOR AND CORRESPONDENT: Hello wherever you are in the world. You are now in "CNN Newsroom" with me, Ben Hunte, in Atlanta. It is so good to have you with me.

Coming up on the show, escalating threats from Donald Trump. We'll have Iran's reaction to his expletive-laden ultimatum for reopening the Strait of Hormuz. Gearing up for the main event. Artemis astronauts are set for a lunar flyby in just a few hours. And later, the U.S. vice president is set to visit Hungary just days ahead of huge elections.

UNKNOWN (voice-over): Live from Atlanta, this is "CNN Newsroom with Ben Hunte."

HUNTE: Welcome. U.S. President Donald Trump has issued a new deadline and new threats against Tehran. The president has once again postponed the deadline for Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. In a profanity- laced social media post, Trump renewed his threats to target key infrastructure sites. That's if Tehran does not comply by Tuesday. Iran has since fired back, saying it will only reopen the vital waterway when financial damages from the war are -- quote -- "fully compensated."

We're also learning new details on the daring rescue of that U.S. airman whose F-15 fighter jet was shot down over Iran. The injured airman hid in Iran's mountains for more than a day before being rescued on Sunday. A source tells CNN hundreds of U.S. special ops, military, and intelligence personnel were involved in the mission as well as the CIA. President Trump is set to brief the press on that operation from the White House on Monday.

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HUNTE: Meanwhile, Israel faces a new wave of Iranian missile strikes. Air raid sirens could be heard blaring just outside Tel Aviv.

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HUNTE: We're looking at some live pictures now of Haifa, Israel where Israeli media reports at least two people were killed and two remain missing after an Iranian strike on a residential building on Sunday. Well, that's awful.

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HUNTE: Let's bring in CNN's Paula Hancocks live from Abu Dhabi for us. Paula, what are you hearing about Iran's position right now? Is there any indication at all that things are de-escalating?

PAULA HANCOCKS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Ben, if you listen to the public statements from either side, there's no indication whatsoever. We do know, behind the scenes, there are discussions ongoing, though. We hear from a Pakistani security source that they are still passing communications between Iran and the US. President Trump told Axios over the weekend as well that there are negotiations ongoing. But if you just look at the public statements from both sides, it does not appear to be heading in the direction of any kind of ceasefire or de- escalation at all.

So, we have that expletive-laden social media post from the U.S. president. It has garnered a lot of response from Iranian officials. We heard from the parliament speaker, Mohammad-Bagher Ghalibaf, who's really emerging as a very powerful voice within Tehran, and he accused Trump of pushing the U.S. towards a living hell and warned that the region could burn because within this social media post, Trump had threatened power plants and bridges, so civilian infrastructure. Iran saying if that happens, then they will respond in kind to allies in the region, so presumably the Gulf region, which we have been seeing really from day one.

We also have been hearing some fairly tongue-in-cheek responses from Iranian embassies around the world. I want to read one of them to you. The Iranian embassy in India has said, swearing and throwing insults are how sore loser brats behave. Get a grip on yourself, old man. Also, from the Senate minority leader, Chuck Schumer, calling him an unhinged madman. So, you have plenty of reaction and response in Iran to the social media posts.

And, of course, experts still point out that threatening or attacking civilian infrastructure could well constitute a war crime, although we have been seeing energy infrastructure, civilian infrastructure being targeted by all sides so far in this war.

[02:05:08]

Now, we also did hear a response from the Foreign Ministry spokesperson. I want to play that for you now.

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ESMAIL BAGHAEI, IRANIAN FOREIGN MINISTRY SPOKESMAN: Iran's reaction would be one of reciprocating any such attack. Our armed forces have made it clear that in case Iran's infrastructure is attacked, we would react in kind. They would -- our armed forces would target any similar infrastructure that is owned or in any way or manner related to the United States or contributes to their act of aggression against Iran.

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HANCOCKS: So, that's the war of words that we're hearing there. There's the war in the military sense still raging there. We saw a number of airstrikes across Iran overnight in Baharestan County, which is just southwest of Tehran, a very densely-populated area.

We have seen from state media footage from Fars News Agency that two residential buildings were hit. Thirteen killed in that particular strike, according to state media. Also saying that four were killed in East Tehran when there was a strike on a residential area there. CNN cannot independently verify those figures, but we are seeing this continuation of strikes.

And then coming the other way, we know that an Iranian missile struck an area, a residential area in Haifa, in Israel. This was a six-story residential building, we understand. We do see images of search and rescue teams trying to comb through the rubble. Two have been confirmed to have been killed. According to Israeli media, there are still two more missing that teams are looking for. And then in Lebanon, with Israeli strikes against Lebanon, 11 people have been killed, including a four-year-old girl overnight.

So, we can focus on the diplomatic side and we can focus on the war of words that we're hearing, this rhetoric we're hearing, increasing and escalating from President Trump and then by Iranian officials, but the facts on the ground speak for themselves. There is no let up in this war. There is no de-escalation or any sign of it at this point. Ben?

HUNTE: Thank you so much for that update, Paula. Speak to you again in an hour. Thanks again. Onwards, CNN's Jim Sciutto is in Jerusalem for us with more on the effort to get the service member out from behind enemy lines.

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JIM SCIUTTO, CNN CHIEF NATIONAL SECURITY ANALYST: This was a daring and dangerous operation involving dozens of aircraft, hundreds of U.S. military and intelligence personnel, but also the remarkable actions of this military pilot. The U.S. carried out multiple efforts at once. Of course, launching this search and rescue team.

But also, the CIA carrying out a disinformation campaign inside Iran to spread false information that both pilots had already been rescued by then. That, of course, wasn't true. The U.S. was searching desperately for the pilot. The CIA helped locate him.

But the pilot himself went 7,000 feet up a ridge line, hid inside that ridge line as the CIA pinpointed the location, and then those aircraft and those commandos went in to get him out. This all began on Friday when, of course, that F-15 went down. The U.S. got their first communication from him Friday night indicating he was injured. That, of course, added to the urgency of this. But very much a happy ending. That pilot on his way home. A great relief to the U.S. Military and also, of course, to his family and loved ones.

Jim Sciutto, CNN, Jerusalem.

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HUNTE: Global oil prices climbed after President Trump's threat to strike Iranian energy facilities. OK, so, the global benchmark has climbed to $110 a barrel on Sunday. We're going to show you later where U.S. crude stands.

And we're going to Eleni Giokos in Dubai to hear a bit more about where the markets currently are. Eleni, how are the markets reacting to the threat of disruption that we are seeing globally right now? What do you say?

ELENI GIOKOS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, it was a holiday weekend. It was Good Friday. So, markets were closed on Friday. But, obviously, oil markets responding to the threats by President Trump, that Tuesday deadline, now saying that Tuesday is going to be power plants and bridge day. Clearly, you know, very escalatory language that we're hearing. But also, the Iranians saying that all the gates of hell are going to open into the region.

Interestingly, you saw Brent crude now sitting at around $110 a barrel.

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It's up eight tenths of a percent. I mean, everyone waiting to see, Ben, what happens next? We have seen consistent targeting of critical energy infrastructure across the Gulf region. Even over the weekend, Kuwait's oil, the petroleum company there, having to deal with an incident because of an interception and debris as well as a direct target.

When I look at WTI prices, they're also up. And it's so interesting that the U.S. benchmark is above the global benchmark. Now, there's a technical reason for this, but it's also showing that there's so much supply constraints out of the Strait of Hormuz that it's just sorts of rejigging the overall market dynamics right now.

OPEC Plus meeting yesterday and saying that they're going to increase oil production by members, by 206,000 barrels a day. Experts that I spoke to this morning saying that this is just, you know, trying to pump a little bit of confidence into the market. OPEC Plus members saying they're going to be monitoring the overall situation. But the companies and the countries that agree to increase production includes the UAE, includes Saudi Arabia, Iraq, as well as Kuwait. All these countries obviously very restricted by what we're seeing in the Strait of Hormuz. And we also saw over the weekend the very first E.U. and NATO leader coming to the region, speaking to leaders here as well. Giorgia Meloni, the Italian prime minister, a stark warning in terms of the impact on Europe at this time. Take a listen to what she said.

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GIORGIA MELONI, PRIME MINISTER OF ITALY (through translator): If production or transit contracts or even stops here, the price increases for everyone. And if it worsens, we could end up not having all the energy that is needed in Italy as well. Consider that Qatar alone, which is where we are, covers 10 percent of Italy's gas needs. And overall, the Gulf area guarantees our nation about 15 percent of the oil it requires.

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GIOKOS: So, Ben, we've been hearing oscillating messages by President Trump. First, he's saying the Strait of Hormuz is going to open up naturally. Then he says it's not our problem, you know, other countries rely on the strait. And then you have this immense warning towards Iran if they don't open up the strait because gas prices in the United States have risen. Jet fuel prices are much higher. The International Energy Agency has said this has triggered the largest oil disruption in the history of markets.

So, again, if we don't see movement coming through in the Strait of Hormuz and going back to 100 percent capacity, which experts say will not happen at least in the next few months, we're looking at a supply shock that is going to trickle all over the world, and we've seen signs of the impacts already. Ben?

HUNTE: Yikes. Eleni Giokos, thank you so much for that. I'll speak to you again in the next hour. Thank you. Right, well, let's keep talking about it. For more on this, let's bring in the editor-in-chief of "The National," Mina Al-Oraibi, live from Abu Dhabi. Thank you so much for being with me. I appreciate it.

Let's start with the massive headline moment we're seeing right now. President Trump has set this Tuesday deadline for Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. We've heard about deadlines before. We've heard they're going to face strikes. How significant is this escalation to you?

MINA AL-ORAIBI, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF, THE NATIONAL: Well, firstly, Iran has been taking consistent strikes for the last five weeks. We're now in week six of this war. And second, as you said, deadlines have moved but it's still around about the time that Donald Trump had initially said, which is the 6th of April. So, it's probably a day longer than anticipated.

It's significant because of the threat that he has made to go after all energy and bridges, cutting off the country. And militarily, usually, that sort of attack is to cripple the country rather than to prepare, for example, for a land invasion where, again, some people were speculating that could be what we had to just a few weeks ago. We seem far from a land invasion, but very much using full air power to cripple Iran's economy.

Now, we've been hearing a lot that Iran is threatening to reciprocate if they are targeted. I think it's really important for your viewers to understand that Iran wouldn't reciprocate by targeting the U.S. or, frankly, Israel.

And as much as it's targeting the Gulf, which not only before the war said they were very much against being part of a war like this and actually called for diplomacy, also throughout this have stayed away from actually getting involved in the war. So, any threats that Iran is making to target the Gulf region is actually targeting a party that isn't party to this war, which is causing great concern but also frustration in the Gulf.

I'd say that the words from President Trump, of course, capture the attention of the world. It is the president of the United States. It's also his actions. We need to see on the ground what happens. He spent a lot of Easter Sunday speaking on the phone with different journalists.

[02:15:00]

And all the reporters are saying that he is interested in getting to a deal. Is this maximum pressure to try to push the Iranians to come to some sort of agreement, even if it's a temporary ceasefire? It's unclear. What is clear in this part of the world, a temporary ceasefire does not solve the fact that Iran has gone out of its way to make the Strait of Hormuz impossible for the world to have access to, but also to really threaten the Gulf.

HUNTE: We have also seen that dramatic rescue of a U.S. airman deep inside Iran. What signal did that operation send about U.S. capabilities and intent right now?

AL-ORAIBI: Well, of course, it reconfirmed America's incredible military power. But it also signaled the weakness of Iran, the fact that they were unable to capture this pilot, did everything from putting out a public call to its people to try to capture him to, of course, trying on the ground to stop any American rescue mission. And yet the U.S. proved once again that it has superior military capabilities but also will not leave its soldiers behind.

So, it's quite daring -- it was quite a daring rescue mission. But it also says a lot about how much the U.S. is spending on this war. The fact that incredibly sophisticated planes were destroyed in order not to leave the technology behind for the Iranians or their allies is also indicative of how high stakes this war is.

HUNTE: And at the same time, Iran is warning of much more forceful retaliation that's coming. Are we now in a cycle where each side just feels compelled to escalate further?

AL-ORAIBI: Well, it seems, for the Iranian regime, it's survival of this regime. So, they will escalate as long as they think that is how the regime will survive this. They're not thinking about the damage that is happening to Iran. Iran, when this war ends, eventually it will, will be so much weaker not only militarily but also economically and how much Iran is suffering. For the U.S., it is an escalation, of course, along with Israel. This is Israel and Iran and the U.S. working together in this war. It is an escalation to try to force the Iranians to change their behavior. In past, maximum pressure somehow hasn't forced them to change their behavior.

HUNTE: On the strait itself, shipping is still heavily disrupted and oil markets are obviously reacting, as we heard from Eleni there. How close are we to a genuine global energy shock, do you think?

AL-ORAIBI: We are already in an energy shock in the sense that, one, the production flows from certain countries like, for example, Qatar having to declare force majeure for Qatar energy because of the strikes from Iran, and then add to it, of course, the lack of flow through the strait. We're seeing the impact not only on oil prices but fertilizers, for example, which will affect food prices, at least for the remainder of this year.

And so, the trickle effect will get only worse as each passing day goes by and that's why it's critical to try to come to not only an agreement but also not to allow Iran to take the Strait of Hormuz hostage now or in the future.

HUNTE: OK. We'll leave it there. But some really great updates. We really appreciate your insights. Thank you so much to Mina Al-Oraibi. Appreciate it.

Onwards, Artemis II is getting closer to the moon as the crew prepares for its lunar flyby. When we return, an update on the mission, and we'll speak to a former NASA astronaut, too. Stay around for that.

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HUNTE: Welcome back. The Artemis II crew have entered the lunar sphere of influence. That is where the moon's gravitational pull is stronger than Earth's. The crew is preparing for their historic lunar flyby of the moon's far side. CNN's Ed Lavandera has the latest for us from Houston.

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ED LAVANDERA, CNN SENIOR U.S. NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: The Artemis II crew is preparing for what will be the most momentous moment of this mission as they prepare for the flyby around the moon. And there has been a great deal of thought over as to what will happen over these hours and to excruciating detail.

NASA officials laid out what the plan will be and how this crew will maximize their time flying around the moon, capturing the images and parts of the moon that have never been seen before. This is a moment that has not happened in more than 50 years.

And NASA officials say that the four-person crew will divide time, taking pictures of the moon as they fly around it. There will be two astronauts at the windows at any given time taking pictures. Other two crew members will be inside preparing. They have a laundry list of the very spots and specific areas of the moon that they want to capture images of. They have a detailed plan of when they will fly around each of those spots and a plan to be able to try to capture as many of these images as possible.

On top of that, there will also be cameras on the solar panels that extend from the capsule looking down on the moon itself so there should be some extraordinarily stunning images of the moon.

And what is very different is when this was done during the Apollo missions, it was audio only. There was no visual inclination or any visuals of what was actually happening. It wasn't until much later after the crew returned that we were able to see those images. Now, they're going to be seeing the video, all of this in real time. But, of course, there will be a moment, about 40 minutes, where the crew loses all communications. But this is the moment, the most significant moment of the Artemis II crew mission to the moon.

Ed Lavandera, CNN, Houston, Texas.

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HUNTE: Let's bring in former NASA astronaut, Danny Olivas. Thank you so much for being with me, Danny. This is one of those rare and exciting moments, right? Humans heading further into space than we've gone in decades. Can you just paint the picture for us? What's about to happen next?

DANNY OLIVAS, FORMER ASTRONAUT, NASA: Well, I guarantee you the crew is focusing on the mission at hand and that is reconnaissance, essentially taking photographs of the moon, potential landing sites, scientific information that the ground has wanted and we are going to need for future Artemis missions.

[02:25:06]

So, essentially, the crew is basically just, you know, focusing on the mission at hand at this stage of the game. And this is the money shot for them. They're on the backside of the moon, taking a bunch of stunning photographs, things that we have never seen before, none of us here on planet Earth, even those in the Apollo. So, that's what we're going be focusing on right now.

HUNTE: I love it. So exciting. How extreme and risky has this journey been so far? And also, has the public reaction surprised you? Are more people paying attention than you expected or less people? What do you think?

OLIVAS: Well, so, I think it's interesting. So, first off, I mean, I think the crew has done a phenomenal job. The mission has gone off pretty much by the numbers, even some hiccups here and there with some of the equipment, life support equipment. But that's part of what Artemis II is all about, is testing the life support equipment fully loaded with four crew members. And so, they're putting it through the paces right now, and they're learning what they need to.

As far as the public is concerned, I've been nothing short of just astounded by the amount of public support that the crew has been getting. You know, we're living in very challenging times right now. And so, the breath of fresh air of, you know, inspiration from four astronauts, four human beings that are basically destined for the moon and making their way around it right now, I think, is bringing everybody together.

HUNTE: I love that. Can you just take us inside the spacecraft a bit? At that distance with communication delays and space conditions, what are the astronauts actually experiencing in real time?

OLIVAS: Well, this crew has been together for a while. And so, they have been training, they know each other's moves, they can predict each other's moves, and especially during this critical time where they're going to get one shot to get all the data that they can on the backside of the moon. They have been rehearsing for this. They've been planning for this.

Like I said before, this is the money shot for them. So, they can read each other's thoughts. And so, everyone is tuned in, they're focused, and they're there to back each other up and to make sure that, you know, each one of them, you know, does their job successfully. And I guarantee you that there's no one person that doesn't have a job that isn't also backing up someone else. So, they're also looking out for their buddies while they're there. So, it's a pretty tense time right now.

HUNTE: If people do tune in, what are the key moments during the flyby that we should really be paying attention to?

OLIVAS: Well, so, you know, we have to pause and think about what's exactly happening. I mean, this is where humans -- the human species has never been this far away from planet Earth before, which is a pretty astounding thing, you know, given that Earth is about, you know, 4.5 billion years old. And this is the furthest that human beings have ever gotten away from it. Not only can we relish the accomplishments of NASA and the Artemis II crew, but also the fact that they're going to be coming home.

And, you know, the one thing about it is that every astronaut who leaves the planet Earth always wants to come back home because this is where everything that we've ever learned, everything we know, everyone that we love is here on planet Earth. So, they want to bring home that successful mission, all that knowledge to share with essentially the next set of explorers that are getting ready to head on Artemis -- post-Artemis II, whether it's Artemis III or some sub of II. Definitely, it's a pretty exciting time.

HUNTE: And at the same time, this is all happening as the White House proposes some major cuts to NASA's science budget. Does that create a tension between what we're seeing here and what could potentially be happening in the future?

OLIVAS: Well, one of the things that you learn about being an astronaut is you focus on the task at hand. The budget is something for tomorrow. There's a lot of things that have to happen before the budget gets passed. There's lots of discussions that are going to happen.

And so, no sense in worrying about things tomorrow than the things that are more pressing today. Right now, we're halfway through the mission. The crew is basically getting ready to, you know, do what they need to do before they start heading back to planet Earth. There's a lot of things that can go wrong between now and then. And so, they have to keep their eye on the ball and, by the way, so is all NASA. Everyone on the ground control team, even the ones who work in the back rooms, everyone is focusing on the task at hand, and that is getting the crew back safely.

HUNTE: OK. Danny Olivas, thank you so much for now. We appreciate it. I'm very excited to see what happens next. Speak to you again very soon, I'm sure.

OLIVAS: Thanks, Ben.

HUNTE: All right, new CNN polling reveals how Americans feel about President Trump's handling of the war with Iran. We'll bring you the details of all of that polling and what it all means next. See you in a moment.

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HUNTE: U.S. President Donald Trump has renewed his threat against Iran, setting a new deadline for Tehran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz by Tuesday.

CNN's chief global affairs correspondent Matthew Chance reports on the standoff and growing risks to the region.

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MATTHEW CHANCE, CNN CHIEF GLOBAL AFFAIRS CORRESPONDENT: Well, tonight there are growing concerns in this region because Iran has again vowed to step up its retaliation against its Gulf Arab neighbors if President Trump eventually carries out his threat to strike Iranian civilian infrastructure. One Iranian official warning the region will, quote, "burn".

President Trump now appears to have extended his self-imposed deadline for Iran to open the Strait of Hormuz, but there's no sign of any negotiations between Washington and Tehran or any public word of compromise by either side. In fact, Iran has suggested it will only reopen the strait, which had effectively closed to most shipping at the start of the war once war reparations are paid, doubling down on its defiant rhetoric.

There have been other talks underway, including between Iran and the Gulf Arab state of Oman, aimed at striking a deal to open up the strait, through which some 20 percent, of course, of the worlds oil and gas is normally shipped.

An Omani source tells CNN their discussions have been underway for two weeks and are focused on tankers agreeing to register with Iran before being allowed to pass. But that would effectively formalize Iranian control of the global energy supply route, something the U.S. and many other countries in the region do not want to see.

The problem is, the only alternative at the moment seems to be escalation. More risks to the region, more risk potentially to U.S. military personnel and more risks for the global economy.

Matthew Chance, CNN, Doha

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HUNTE: During his first Easter services as pontiff, Pope Leo reiterated his calls for peace as he addressed thousands gathered in Saint Peter's Square and millions watching all around the world. He once again urged world leaders to reject division and war and to seek dialogue and understanding, instead warning the world is becoming increasingly desensitized to the human cost of conflict.

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POPE LEO XIV, CATHOLIC CHURCH: We are growing accustomed to violence, resigning ourselves to it and becoming indifferent, indifferent to the deaths of thousands of people, indifferent to the repercussions of hatred and division that conflict sow, indifferent to the economic and social consequences they produce, which we all feel.

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HUNTE: Pope Leo, the first American pontiff, has made peace a central theme of his early papacy, some say in direct reaction to the Trump administration's increasingly hawkish foreign policy and more specifically, the war with Iran.

Democrats are throwing cold water on the request from the White House for $1.5 trillion in defense funds. The budget blueprint for 2027 would increase defense spending by more than 40 percent compared to last year. Several key Democrats have spoke about the issue on Sunday, including the House minority leader

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REP. HAKEEM JEFFRIES (D-NY): The Department of Defense has been given over $1 trillion within the last year. They have more than enough resources as far as we can tell, in order to do what is necessary. At the same period of time, Congress has to be good stewards of taxpayer dollars. The cost of living in this country is out of control, and Donald Trump promised to actually lower costs on day one. That hasn't happened. In fact, life has become more expensive for the American people.

SEN. TIM KAINE (D-VA): It's not just about the dollars. It's about the Pentagon managing the money. You just watched the secretary of defense fire, very respected army leadership in the middle of a war, respected leadership on both sides of the aisle in both houses. And there's deep questions about why many suspect that Secretary Hegseth was just trying to move people out of the way that he viewed as personally threatening to his leadership. Maybe they were being candid to him with advice that he didn't like. And so, I don't think Congress is going to be in a mood to write a blank check to a leadership team, a civilian leadership team that seems so inept these days.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HUNTE: As President Trump continues escalating his threats against Iran, demanding they make a deal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, a new CNN poll shows just 33 percent of those asked approve of how President Trump is handling his role as commander in chief, the same number approve of how the president is handling the war with Iran.

And when it comes to people's overall view of the president, the data doesn't actually improve much there either. Just 35 percent of those polled said they approve of how President Trump is handling the role of president, and nearly two thirds of people said they disapprove of how President Trump's handling his own job.

U.S. ICE agents are turning to the courthouses as a new front in their immigration enforcement. Coming up, why activists believe courthouse arrests keep immigrants from fair legal treatment.

Plus, Hungarians will go to the polls in a parliamentary election next week. The result could have big consequences not just for Hungary, but for Europe as a whole. That's ahead. See you in a moment.

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[02:41:37]

HUNTE: NBC's "Today Show" co-host Savannah Guthrie shared a moving Easter message this holiday weekend as the search for her missing mother does continue. Nancy Guthrie was last seen on January 31st at her home in the Catalina Foothills of Tucson.

On Sunday, Guthrie talked about her family's continual struggle in a speech about the meaning of Easter during Good Shepherd, New York's virtual service.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SAVANNAH GUTHRIE, NBC'S "TODAY SHOW" CO-HOST: We celebrate today the promise of a new life that never ends in death. But standing here today, I have to tell you, there are moments in which that promise seems irretrievably far away, when life itself seems far harder than death

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HUNTE: The search for Nancy Guthrie has entered into a third month now.

Officials believe the 84-year-old may have been kidnapped, and they continue to investigate.

Onwards, Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents are expanding their field of action under the Trump administration. They're now making arrests in courthouses and other locations that were once considered off limits. Advocates say the major shift in policy prevents many immigrants from receiving a particular level of due process now.

CNN's Rafael Romo reports for us.

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UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Do you have a warrant for his arrest?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes. Grab him.

RAFAEL ROMO, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): ICE in courthouses.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Back up.

ROMO (voice-over): Under the Trump administration, federal immigration agents have gone where they generally have avoided in the past, conducting chaotic arrests. Also impacting American citizens during a crackdown that has included those seeking asylum in the United States.

URVAL PATEL, VOLUNTEER, DETENTION RESISTANCE: They are showing up to their court dates. They're getting future court dates because they're meeting the requirements set by the law in this country.

ROMO (voice-over): The practice of arresting people at immigration courts is the subject of an ongoing lawsuit brought against the Trump administration by civil rights groups last year. And according to that ongoing lawsuit, the Justice Department recently admitted to a federal judge it's been incorrectly relying on an Immigration and Customs Enforcement memo to justify arrests at immigration courts.

CNN has reached out to DHS for comment. But immigration advocates say what these viral videos don't show is a tectonic shift in the asylum policy.

LAUREN WAITS, COURT WATCH VOLUNTEER, GEORGIA ASYLUM AND IMMIGRATION NETWORK: The major difference is that nobody's getting bond anymore.

ROMO: Several times a week, Lauren Waits sits in her kitchen and watches immigration court proceedings through a virtual feed.

WAITS: The dramatic change has been for people where there's no criminal history whatsoever. Those folks prior to this administration had access to bond. Now, the way I see it, we're all paying with our tax dollars to keep them in these detention facilities for no good purpose.

ADRIANNA HEFFLEY, LEGAL SERVICES DIRECTOR, GEORGIA ASYLUM AND IMMIGRATION NETWORK: What changed is that in around July of 2025, ICE began to take the very new position that the majority of immigrants in immigrant detention are not eligible to even ask a judge for bond.

ROMO (voice-over): Immigration Attorney Adriana Heffley, the director of legal services at the Georgia asylum and immigration network, leads the court watch program, a network of over 100 volunteers who document immigration court hearings.

[02:45:00]

ROMO: Observers with GAIN's court watch program say in the past, it was very likely for people living in the country with no legal documents to get bond if they didn't have a criminal record. But there has been a noticeable change during the current administration.

HEFFLEY: It's a drastically different interpretation of existing law that has been commonly understood by, you know, everyone practicing in immigration law for decades.

ROMO (voice-over): An Immigration and Customs Enforcement memo from July, posted online by the immigration policy tracking project, says in part that effective immediately, it is the position of DHS that such aliens are subject to detention and may not be released from ice custody except by parole, according to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement documents published in February, the federal government will spend more than $38 billion to acquire eight facilities to serve as large scale detention centers in 16 processing sites. That's in addition to 10 other existing facilities to increase capacity for immigrant detention for more than 90,000 by the end of November.

Rafael Romo. CNN. Atlanta.

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HUNTE: Serbian officials say they discovered explosives of, quote, "devastating power near a pipeline that carries Russian gas to central and eastern Europe. Serbia's president says two backpacks full of explosives with detonators were found near the section of the Turkstream pipeline that's close to Serbia's border with Hungary. He also said he informed Hungary's prime minister about that discovery. Serbia and Hungary both maintain close ties with Russian president Vladimir Putin and rely heavily on Russian energy supplies.

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban denounced what he called a sabotage operation. He indirectly blamed Ukraine as well, which categorically denies any connection to those alleged explosives. This all comes as an upcoming parliamentary election poses the toughest challenge yet to Orban's 16-year rule.

CNN's Clare Sebastian shows us what this Trump ally is now up against and how he's counting on a very high profile visitor from Washington to lend a hand.

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CLARE SEBASTIAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Pub owner Sandor Toth has been serving up pints for 43 years in the small village in Hungary, and it's from behind the bar, he says he's witnessed a lot of history in the country, including the fall of communism and later for victories in a row by Prime Minister Viktor Orban and his Fidesz party

SANDOR TOTH, PUB OWNER (through translator): People who come here chat about which party says what, and I believe that generally here people vote for Fidesz as they help pensioners, but also young people.

SEBASTIAN (voice-over): Toth says he voted for Fidesz each time, and Orban and his nationalistic and socially conservative politics have a lot of support in this town of about 450 people, rural areas are traditional urban strongholds, but that could be changing.

In the upcoming election, Orban faces one of his toughest challenges yet. Peter Magyar, a former Fidesz insider and current leader of the center right Tisza Party, which is surging in popularity, especially with voters under 40 and people in urban areas.

MARIA JUHASZ, HUNGARIAN VOTER (through translator): I would like to see change very much indeed. I will obviously vote for Tisza. We must change this regime. So yes, to them.

SEBASTIAN (voice-over): Magyar is trying to tap into voter concerns about domestic issues like health care and food prices knocking on doors in Orban's heartland to try to win new voters. And he's promised to realign Hungary with the European Union.

PETER MAGYAR, TISZA PARTY LEADER (through translator): Those who choose Tisza will choose a working, humane, European proud, peaceful and a serene Hungary.

SEBASTIAN (voice-over): Orban has close ties with Russia and has frequently clashed with the E.U., especially over its support of Ukraine. Most recently, he blocked a $103 billion loan package for Ukraine. And he says the opposition would drag Hungary into the conflict.

VIKTOR ORBAN, HUNGARIAN PRIME MINISTER (through translator): You Tisza are pushing the courage of the Ukrainians, and you are not standing with the Hungarians. You want a Ukraine-friendly government and you want to take the money of the Hungarians to Ukraine. This is the truth.

SEBASTIAN (voice-over): The vote is being closely watched around the world, not only for the impact it will have on the E.U., but what it could mean for right wing populist politics. Orban is a close ally of U.S. President Donald Trump, and on Tuesday, Vice President J.D. Vance will visit Hungary to try to drum up support for Orban. Both the U.S. and Hungary have aggressive policies on immigration, with Orban famously building a border fence in 2015 to keep migrants from illegally entering.

Magyar says he'll maintain the fence if he's elected, but will restore an independent media and judiciary, which have been eroded under Orban's rule. He'll also limit prime ministers to two terms. Polls say for now, Magyar's Tisza Party is in the lead, but analysts say it could still be an uphill battle to unseat Orban. ROBERT LASZLO, "POLITICAL CAPITAL": The gerrymandered constituency

map, the high proportion of the out-of-country voters, and the minority representation in Hungary.

[02:50:07]

These are the three factors that helps Fidesz to counterbalance a potential Tisza lead.

SEBASTIAN (voice-over): Voters in Hungary will decide on April 12th if they want another round of Orban's brand of populist politics or something new.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): I don't know yet. We will see. We will decide inside the polling booth.

SEBASTIAN (voice-over): Clare Sebastian, CNN, London

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HUNTE: Ukraine's president is offering his country's military expertise to allies in the Middle East, as the U.S. war with Iran rages on. Volodymyr Zelensky met Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa in Damascus on Sunday. They agreed to increase their country's security cooperation. Mr. Zelensky says the two leaders also discussed opportunities for energy, infrastructure development and ways to combat food insecurity in the region.

The Ukrainian leader is also warning that a lengthy war with Iran could hurt his country. He told "The Associated Press" that, quote, "Ukraine is not the priority. As the world turns its attention to Iran."

March Madness is set for the big finale. The women's champion has been crowned, and Michigan is ready to take on UConn for the men's final.

All of those details just ahead. See you in a moment.

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[02:55:16]

HUNTE: Firefighters in California have successfully contained 95 percent of a massive wildfire that has spread over 4,000 acres. The blaze broke out on Friday in Riverside County, with the exact cause still unknown at the moment. Footage captured by residents showed thick smoke billowing over nearby communities. As we're seeing there. CalFire says all evacuation orders have now been lifted.

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HUNTE: UCLA puts on a masterclass and dominates South Carolina to win the women's NCAA basketball championship. This is the first women's title in the program's history. The 79-51 score is the third largest margin of victory ever in a women's Division One championship game. An emotional head coach, Cori Close, described the win as immeasurably more than she could have ever imagined.

Michigan and UConn will face off for the men's championship tonight. The Wolverines are entering the title game with confidence and momentum after a dominant Final Four performance, and in their regular season, Michigan was winning games by an average of more than 30 points. But the UConn Huskies have a chance to win their third national championship in just four years, being one of the most consistent programs in the NCAA tournament.

Well, that is all very exciting. Thank you so much for joining me and the team this hour. I'm Ben Hunte in Atlanta. Of course, we're going to continue with the news. I'll be right back after this break. And you are watching CNN. See you in a moment.

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