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King Charles And Queen Camilla Meet Donald Trump At The White House; King Charles To Deliver Historic Address To U.S. Congress; Donald Trump Unlikely To Accept Iran's Latest Proposal; Shooting Suspect Charged With Attempting To Assassinate Donald Trump; New Fighting Between Israel & Hezbollah Despite Ceasefire; Israeli Settlers Block Children From School With Razor Wire in West Bank; Johnson Rejects Passing Senate Bill in House to Reopen DHS; White House Blames Democrats' Rhetoric for Shooting; Secret Service Chief Meets With White House Chief of Staff; Trump-Kimmel Feud Reignites After Morbid First Lady Joke; Legal Battle Between Altman and Musk Over Company's Mission; Musk Seeking $130 Billion, OpenAI Leaders Removed, and Revert Back to Non-profit; Italian Pastry Chefs Assemble World's Longest Tiramisu; Southwest Unveils Star-spangled Independence One Jet. Aired 2-3a ET
Aired April 28, 2026 - 02:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
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[02:00:38]
POLO SANDOVAL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, everybody. Thank you so much for joining me, I'm Polo Sandoval in New York, where it is 2:00 a.m., 7:00 a.m. in London.
And here's what's coming your way here on CNN NEWSROOM, King Charles and Queen Camilla getting a warm welcome in Washington as he tries to repair relations strained by the war with Iran.
Good but not good enough. That's the word on the U.S. reaction to Iran's latest proposal to end the war.
And Musk versus Altman. Elon Musk's lawsuit against his former partner over OpenAI, pitting the world's richest man against one of its most popular artificial intelligence programs.
ANNOUNCER: Live from New York. This is CNN NEWSROOM with Polo Sandoval.
SANDOVAL: 250 years after the American colonies declared independence from Britain under King George III, his descendant is in Washington, D.C. at this hour.
In fact, in just a few hours, King Charles III will begin day two of his historic diplomatic state visit to the United States. He's scheduled to address a joint meeting of Congress, but behind the scenes, his visit is also bridging the divide between the U.S. and the U.K. after tensions arose over the ongoing war with Iran.
CNN's Royal Correspondent Max Foster begins our coverage.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MAX FOSTER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The king and queen arrived in the United States at a particularly bad time for U.K.-U.S. relations, but the president has a fondness of King Charles, and they obviously have a very close relationship. And you saw that on display at the White House as the first lady and the president welcomed the king and queen to the United States.
The big formal welcome will be Tuesday, but this was day one, and the king and queen moved on from the White House here to the U.K. embassy and a garden party, typically British in the U.K. ambassadors garden, there were salmon sandwiches on available. There were cups of tea. It was a typically British event.
And the first group that the couple met were a group of bipartisan American politicians. You had the Speaker of the House, Mike Johnson, Nancy Pelosi from the Democrats, Scott Bessent from the cabinet. And then they moved through and met high profile names in sport and in show business and high-profile business figures, this is all about showing that there are deep ties, deep cultural business intelligence ties, security ties, between these two countries. And that was a visual expression of that. And the couple clearly enjoyed that experience.
And a lot of people invited really enjoyed it as well. The queen making particular time for a group of charities that represent survivors of domestic violence. This is a cause close to our heart, and when one of those charity heads was asked what they thought about the fact that the king won't be addressing the Epstein scandal in any way. They actually said they respect that.
But certainly part of the optics there was that the king can't speak to a live investigation, but the king and queen can show the survivors always come first in all types of violence.
The big moment, really, of this four-day visit will be on Tuesday and the king's address to the joint chambers of Congress. And I understand that the king will start off that speech talking about Saturday night and the attack on the White House Correspondents' Dinner, and how the king being here is showing that these are two nations shoulder to shoulder, something that has been reflected throughout history, since the War of Independence.
He will talk about what he thinks has come out of that deep relationship, so working together in World War II and the post war institutions that came out of that. And the King will point to the United Nations and NATO as key achievements of that relationship.
Some in the administration may not see the positives of that post war era, but it's certainly something the king is going to lean in hard on, and how this is an address to the people of America and the peoples of America coming together with the peoples of the United Kingdom. And actually, this visit transcends, actually anyone that's the current occupant of the White House. And this is about uniting joint histories, really.
[02:05:07]
Max Foster, CNN, Washington, D.C.
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SANDOVAL: All right, for more Max Foster, we now go to Sandro Monetti. He's the editor-in-chief of the Hollywood International Filmmaker magazine, also an expert on all things British monarchy.
We usually get to talk to you during award season, so it's wonderful to have you with us to talk a little bit about the king and queen's visit to the U.S. Welcome back.
SANDRO MONETTI, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF, HOLLYWOOD INTERNATIONAL FILMMAKER: Well, the diplomacy is going great so far, Polo, don't you think?
SANDOVAL: So far, especially over tea. King Charles, as you know, getting ready to address -- yes, actually, I wonder if we could just get started on the -- on the -- on the meeting that we expect, on the address that we expect to take place in just a few hours, maybe get your thoughts on what could the king focus on during his address to the joint meeting of Congress on Tuesday, especially as you just heard a little while ago, Sandro, where he is supposed to technically remain politically neutral.
So, what do you think he -- what do you think the king's message will be to the American people that he delivers through their legislators?
MONETTI: Well, the small talk over sandwiches is over, and now it's all about the substance, but Charles really is a man on a mission here to smooth over this strange special relationship. So, he's not going to talk about the Epstein files, his brother, former Prince Andrew or even Jimmy Kimmel. He's going to talk about how this special relationship between the U.K. and the U.S. is one of the strongest alliances in human history, shared democratic values. And yes, he's going to use all his wisdom and experience to deliver a win here and not say anything embarrassing.
SANDOVAL: Sandro, let me also ask you this, do you think there's the remote possibility perhaps that President Trump's relationship with the king could perhaps help mend this fallout between the U.S. president and his U.K. counterpart, Prime Minister Keir Starmer, or pretty much no chance of that?
MONETTI: No, actually, I do, because these are two world leaders who are so completely different, their relationship shouldn't work. You've got Charles who's all about the stiff upper lip, being careful what to say, and diplomacy. You've got President Trump who acts purely on impulse and seems to revel in controversy.
And so, yes, Charles is above politics, but he is here on a mission from the prime minister, and very much part of his mission will be to restore that relationship which is strained over the Iran war and various other issues. But, you know, he is pretty much Trump's favorite British person, and
so, who else but Charles could come to the rescue and do it? I think hopes are high. I'm an optimist about this visit.
SANDOVAL: Yes, no, I think a lot of people are but, you know, I'm glad you mentioned also the timing of this. Not only is it after just those shocking moments on Saturday night at the White House Correspondents' Dinner. But also, as you point out, some of those critical alliances, particularly NATO certainly being put to the test.
I wonder if, you know, as you helped us look forward, help us look back now, the last 24 hours, what did you make of Monday's events? Anything that stands out to you from the presidential tea party to this would appear to be a welcome party in a garden?
MONETTI: Well, I was very relieved actually by what was served at the afternoon tea. Some of us were worried that the Trumps would serve up big mac fries and Diet Coke, but instead, the menu consisted of scones, cucumber sandwiches and tea. It was actually Earl gray tea. Now, actually, Charles's favorite is Darjeeling, the champagne of teas. But never mind, they're off to a good start.
And then, there was plenty, as I mentioned before, subjects to avoid right at the start. So, luckily, we had Melania's beehive, and they went to sort of inspect that out in the garden. All seemed very friendly. This was supposed to be just a short visit. The Royal stayed twice as long as they were expected to. So, it's off to a good start. Long may that diplomacy continue.
SANDOVAL: Yes. And then as you were speaking, we were seeing that beehive, and also some of those pictures of the king meeting with some members of the cabinet.
Sandro Monetti, thank you so much. As always, it's a pleasure having you on, especially with that great looking tie. Thank you for your time.
MONETTI: God save the Kingdom. God bless America. Happy birthday, USA.
SANDOVAL: Thank you, Sandro. We'll see you again soon.
We do want to turn now to the Middle East, and the latest peace plan that was submitted by Iran. Sources are telling CNN that U.S. President Donald Trump is appearing unlikely to accept the proposal. Tehran's new plan would reopen the Strait of Hormuz, but leave questions about its nuclear program for its later negotiations. Remember, that is a key sticking point of these negotiations.
The U.S. Secretary of State says that the proposal is better than expected, but also reiterated that the Strait must be fully and freely open, and all of this is Tehran's top diplomat met with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday. The Iranian foreign minister says that their meeting s including discussions on the war and the aggression by the U.S. and Israel.
[02:10:20] Let's go now to CNN's Eleni Giokos joining me from Dubai with the very latest as you continue to track the situation there. Hi, Eleni, we can hear you. Go ahead.
ELENI GIOKOS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes. Good morning, Polo, a lot happening. And frankly, we saw what Iran, you know, was doing in terms of diplomatic efforts, and of course, the United States not in the room. And you know, many would say this is sort of a diplomatic roadshow that was held by Iran's top diplomat, Abbas Araghchi, he went to Islamabad, he went to Oman, and then ended off with a trip to St Petersburg in Russia, meeting with Vladimir Putin.
What's interesting here, and we were waiting to see how the U.S. was going to respond to the proposal by the Iranians. So, we also know that Marco Rubio, the Secretary of State says, it's better than anticipated, however, rejecting the idea of focusing just on the Strait of Hormuz and reopening the Strait of Hormuz and keeping the nuclear issue for later, and this actually just comes down to leverage.
For the Iranians, they view what their hold is on the Strait of Hormuz as sort of, you know, nonnegotiable. They are wanting to see the Iranian route sort of being formalized. And of course, the U.S. naval blockade is a thorn in Iran's side, because that is causing immense economic pain for them
According to Kepler Data, Iran just has around 12 to 22 days of storage capability left. And if that is the case, then we'll see, you know, the inability for Iran to actually export its oil. So, that is the effect that the U.S. naval blockade is having there. The question is, who is going to make concessions first?
For now, we know that this is the initial proposal, and the question is, who's going to buckle in terms of getting to the negotiating table, which, frankly, hasn't happened yet, keeping in mind that President Trump has indefinitely extended the cease fire, which seems to be holding right now, even though we've seen maritime confrontations occurring over the last few days.
Marco Rubio also saying it's very difficult to negotiate with the Iranians right now, and I want to read you some of what he said to Fox News. He says, as much as anything else, one of the impediments here is that our negotiators aren't just negotiating with Iranians. Those Iranians then have to negotiate with other Iranians in order to figure out what they can agree to, what they can offer, what they're willing to do, even who they're willing to meet with
And really questioning the, you know, the leadership in Iran right now, which, of course, the U.S. administration believes is very fractured. They don't know the status of the new Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei Mushtaq, and these are all questions that, of course, the U.S. s is coming out with but again, this just really comes down to what pain can be inflicted by the Iranians on the global economy, which clearly already has had an effect, and then the US wants to just squeeze out the Iranians. There's also been an interesting report, Polo, from the Atlantic, and
according to sources familiar with the matter. Vice President J.D. Vance has been questioning the Defense Department's depiction of the war in Iran and whether the Pentagon has understated what appears to be a drastic depletion of U.S. missile stockpiles.
And of course, this is really important right now. We have reported in the past about just how much the United States has used of all its missiles stockpiles, start systems and so forth. And we also know that we've reported, again, according to sources, that a lot of it has been depleted.
This is sort of becoming a really big question now, right at the very top apparently, two senior administration officials, according to the Atlantic, told them that the vice president has queried the accuracy of the information the Pentagon has been providing about the war, keeping in mind that both Pete Hegseth, the Secretary of Defense, as well as General Dan Caine have publicly said the U.S. stockpiles are robust.
So, this really important at this juncture, as we wait to see whether there can be a second round of negotiations.
SANDOVAL: Yes, and for now, as you say, the president does not appear to be open to this initial proposal from Tehran. Eleni, as always really appreciate that update. Thank you.
A train operator in Indonesia says that the death toll has risen to at least 14 people in a collision near the capital of Jakarta. Another 84 people were injured, all of the victims, they were reportedly traveling in a women only carriage. Authorities say the mission to pull survivors from the wreckage is complete. The accident apparently happened when this commuter train hit a taxi then collided with a long-distance train. Indonesia's president ordering an investigation into this.
[02:15:02]
Spain's National Police investigating what was an absolutely scary accident that happened over the weekend at the Seville -- at the Seville Fair. Four people sustained minor injuries on this slingshot ride, which carries riders up into the air inside of a -- of a pod that's tethered to these two support poles. You can see the moment again, people here were just injured. Fortunately, nothing beyond that.
You could see the moment that the cable snaps and the pod crashes into the support pole, two of the children -- two of the people were children who were on the -- on that ride. Their family says that they used to love the rides, but now, as you can imagine, they really won't take much interest in that anymore.
The man accused of targeting a Washington gala heading to court. Ahead, we'll be hearing the charges that Cole Tomas Allen is now facing when he's due back before the judge.
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SANDOVAL: The man accused of opening fire outside the White House Correspondents' Dinner over the weekend, has now been charged with attempted -- attempting to assassinate President Donald Trump, and that is just one of three federal charges that were filed against 31- year-old Cole Tomas Allen, who made his first court appearance on Monday. He's also charged with discharging a firearm during a violent crime, as well as transporting a firearm across state lines with the intent to commit a felony.
One official, however, said that additional charges could potentially be filed, and the incident has sparked security concerns, but the acting attorney general, who was also at that dinner on Saturday, he defended the actions of the Secret Service.
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TODD BLANCHE, DEPUTY ATTORNEY GENERAL: Law Enforcement did not fail. They did exactly what they are trained to do. This was not an accident. It was the result, as we know now, of preparation.
What is clear from the complaint and from what we have so far is he was targeting President Trump. He described that in his manifesto. He was targeting administration officials. He described that, but as far as us understanding additional motivation that's for the FBI and law enforcement.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SANDOVAL: CNN's Katelyn Polantz tells us why Allen has yet to enter a plea in response to those criminal charges.
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KATELYN POLANTZ, CNN CRIME AND JUSTICE CORRESPONDENT: the man accused of attempting to assassinate the President of the United States on Saturday at the White House Correspondents' Dinner here in Washington. He made his first appearance at the federal courthouse in D.C. He hasn't had the opportunity to plead not guilty because this man Cole Tomas Allen of California, he was just shown the three charges he faces for the first time.
One of those is the attempted assassination of the president. He also is facing two firearm charges, one for allegedly bringing guns across state lines on a train the whole way from California to D.C. just a few days ago, and then discharging a firearm inside the Capitol Hilton just outside the entrance to the ballroom at that press gala on Saturday Night.
Now in court, Cole Allen was quite a confident and very imposing figure. He is very tall, taller than any of the U.S. Marshals that were securing the courtroom around him. He was also someone who was speaking very clearly and confidently when he was being asked questions by the judge to state his name, he said he had a master's degree. He said he wanted a court appointed attorney to represent him just today.
And other than that, we haven't heard much else from this defendant, nor has law enforcement. In court records that were unsealed after his appearance, it says that he has so far invoked his ability to remain silent, even if law enforcement is attempting to question him.
And we have heard from the top officials of the Justice Department, giving us not just a blow by blow, of what happened on Saturday night when Cole Allen fell to the ground, fired a shot, was shot at multiple times by law enforcement officials securing the ballroom at the Capitol Hilton. We also know from those officials, people like acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, that there is more to come here, more investigation, more details that we will be learning as law enforcement is putting together what they learned from witness interviews, from searches they're conducting at his home and in other places in Washington and other locations, as well as what they're learning from the ballistics around the two guns he had a rifle and a pistol on him on Saturday
There are also more court proceedings expected. Cole Allen is set to be back in federal court here on Thursday for another hearing about whether he should remain behind bars as he awaits trial. We're likely to see arguments from the prosecutors about how this is such a serious charge attempting to assess the President of the United States, it carries the possibility of a life sentence in prison. We're waiting to see how much Cole Allen's defense team may challenge that, if at all. And then we go from there, waiting to see what a grand jury learns, what investigators also put together, and ultimately what the charges will be, back to you.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SANDOVAL: Want to get some insight now from CNN Senior National Security Analyst Juliette Kayyem. She's also a former assistant secretary with the Department of Homeland Security, as well as a Harvard professor. Juliette, great to have you again.
JULIETTE KAYYEM, CNN SENIOR NATIONAL SECURITY ANALYST: Thanks for having me.
SANDOVAL: Now that those charges have been filed against the suspected gunman. In your view, what questions remain outstanding? You know, as we tap into your experience as a former DHS official.
[02:25:01]
KAYYEM: Well, look, the complaint and the claims against him are just the beginning. We have to assume that there's going to be more investigation. We'll learn more about him.
As someone who knows and studies radicalization. I think the real question I still have as we unearth more about his history is, why is he sort of a semi accomplished student, a smart guy, really into gaming, not really into politics, and then just sort of in the last year or so, not only becomes politically active, but politically radicalized and then becomes violent. It was a very quick process. And for the world that we live in now,
you know, he's a -- he's a guy living at home, he's single, he's isolated, maybe he's online too much, and I think, you know, that's that sort of the loneliness factor, get -- is how radicalization occurs. People look for greater meaning, and he found it in as the Department of Justice, as sort of less left-wing politics, left-wing hatred of Donald Trump and then -- and then tries to kill him.
SANDOVAL: Yes, just yesterday, I was speaking to a Rutgers anthropology professor, and we really got into great detail about how many of these individuals often sort of retreat into these dark spaces of the Internet to try to find some of that validation.
So, certainly, a lot of questions, as you point out, let's pivot now to the questions over security, about what happened and perhaps what should have happened on Saturday night. We should remind our viewers, you participated in mega event planning with heavy focus on security. In fact, in your most recent analysis on the Atlantic, you write that the most realistic approach here is not to eliminate risk, but to try to reduce it as much as possible.
Bearing that in mind, Juliette, what would be your recommendations if you were involved in this and taking part in compiling the after action report here?
KAYYEM: So, I will look at two different things. One is the sort of, was the president protected? Was the room he was in with the other -- the line of succession all the D.C. and media elite, was that protected? The answer is yes.
So, I mean, in other words, the security that it took to get through to that ballroom, which is was sort of ground zero was, in fact, it was not, or, I should say, was not penetrated. So, that is good news in a world of bad news. I'm not saying that's good, I'm just saying you're looking at this in terms of an after action.
The question I would be asking is, what decisions were made about every area outside of that secure area, and why was that decision made? In other words, why are people just allowed to check in a couple days before or how come people are just sort of walking around at these pre parties? I think the short answer is, is that this hotel may not be the right place for an event like this, where you have so many senior members of the Cabinet, not just the president. You have so many members of his team and the constitutional line of succession that you know, I think you just don't have it at a hotel, there are convention centers, there are single room events. There are places that don't have rooms that people can check into and hide in. There's, there's plenty of alternatives to one hotel in D.C.
SANDOVAL: The president and some of his fellow Republicans say there's also his future ballroom. I mean, could that be a potential option, even though the event is much larger than what this ballroom is supposed to look.
KAYYEM: It's not the White House's Correspondents' Dinner. It is though -- it is -- it is a private event held by an organization which is often critical of the president. He's not the host. He's shouldn't be the host, because it would change the nature of that event.
And I think that was my -- that was my point in the Atlantic, which is, look, we're we don't want to believe it, but we're constantly accepting risk at all times. I want to go to a game. I want to go to a concert. I realize those are higher risk events. They are hard. It's impossible to make those zero risks, and we're constantly calculating that at all times. And I think that's what the Secret Service now needs to do, is, is the risk higher for the President in this environment of political violence, and what can they do to minimize it.
But the only way you're going to get a perfectly safe president is if he never leaves the White House. That's not only something that's bad for democracy. That is not something that Donald Trump is likely to do.
SANDOVAL: Yes, absolutely not. Juliette Kayyem, as always, grateful for your perspective, and thank you so much for your analysis.
KAYYEM: Thank you.
SANDOVAL: Still to come here on CNN NEWSROOM, how Palestinian schools and school children have become the latest target of Israeli settler violence in the West Bank.
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SANDOVAL: Israel's defense minister is telling the U.N. Special Coordinator for Lebanon that Hezbollah is "playing with fire." Israel Katz warned the whole country will burn if the Lebanese government does nothing to stop that Iran-backed militant group. And the shaky ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah, it has been extended until May, but really the fighting hasn't stopped. In fact, both sides continue to accuse each other of violations.
And then on Monday, you could see some of the smoke that was spotted rising over parts of southern Lebanon and sirens, they blared in northern Israel after what the military called a hostile aircraft alert. And the Israeli army says that it will keep operating in southern Lebanon to prevent incoming threats.
[02:35:00]
The third Israeli soldier to be killed in southern Lebanon since the start of the ceasefire has been laid to rest. He was just 19-years-old and the Israeli military says that he died on Sunday in a Hezbollah drone attack. His mother giving this emotional address during the funeral.
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UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (through translator): Wherever you went, you immediately won over the hearts of those around you. You didn't have to do anything. You weren't even aware of it, and that's how modest you are. Your heart is full of love and goodwill, and that's how I want all of you to remember him. Do you promise?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SANDOVAL: Israeli settlers, they have set up a razor wire near a village in the West Bank that's been subjected to repeated attacks and land grabs. The settlers have effectively blocked Palestinian children from going to school for weeks now.
CNN's Abeer Salman with this report.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (through translator): They don't want me to learn like other children around the world.
ABEER SALMAN, CNN SENIOR PRODUCER (voice-over): These Palestinian children have been demonstrating every day for two weeks. All they want to do is go to school. But razor wire is blocking their way, rolled out by Israeli settlers from a nearby settlement in a deliberate move to stop them.
11-year-old Huda (ph) struggles to hold back tears.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (through translator): They don't want me to learn like other children around the world. They don't want me to learn because I will grow up to be a lawyer and defend Palestinian land.
SALMAN (voice-over): Some of the kids here in Umm al Khair in the occupied West Bank are as young as five-years-old. Along with their books and their backpacks, they carry signs and hold them up so settlers can see them, as soldiers look on at the top of the hill. When settlers initially blocked the road, video shared with CNN showed soldiers with what appeared to be tear gas blowing around them. The children scream and run away.
This striking image was widely shared online, even capturing the attention of NBA star, Kyrie Irving, who made it his profile picture on Instagram, and the kids took notice. Umm al Khair is not unique. In fact, the U.N. says there are 12 more Palestinian communities in this small corner of the West Bank facing imminent threat of forcible transfer. That's 500 children and their families.
Israel may reject the description, but a local leader is clear in how he sees things.
EID SULEIMAN, UMM AL-KHAIR COMMUNITY LEADER: And the occupation mostly based on apartheid system, which give all the privileges to the settlers that prevent Palestinians from having any kind of right, even right to education and access to their school safely. All the kids in Palestine suffer. They want to just live their life normally, but they pay the price.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SANDOVAL: And still to come here on "CNN Newsroom," the Trump administration trying to stamp out conspiracy theories about the White House Correspondents' Dinner shooting. Exactly what's being said online, we'll explain.
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[02:42:41]
SANDOVAL: The longest partial shutdown in U.S. government history will likely drag on even longer after House Speaker Mike Johnson rejected a bipartisan bill. It was passed by the Senate last month to fund most of the Department of Homeland Security.
Notably, though, the bill did not include money for Immigration and Customs Enforcement or the U.S. Border Patrol. Johnson says that the Senate bill has problematic language that needs to be addressed, he says. Senate Republican Leader, John Thune says that he's willing to work with the House on any sort of technical changes to the bill. But anything further is out of the question, he said.
Johnson warning that they need to get on the same page and fast.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REP. MIKE JOHNSON, (R-LA) HOUSE SPEAKER: We have to move DHS funding because it's urgent. As the Secretary of Homeland has said, we're out of money. He's out of money at the end of this week. And so Democrats have been playing games with this. It's very dangerous, as demonstrated Saturday night. We've got to get the job done.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SANDOVAL: Well, we all remember that unity that President Trump called for in the hours after the attempted shooting at the White House Correspondents' Dinner. Well, it may have not lasted very long. You see, on Monday, his press secretary came out and accused Democrats of inspiring violence. Listen to this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KAROLINE LEAVITT, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: The left wing cult of hatred against the president and all of those who support him and work for him has gotten multiple people hurt and killed.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SANDOVAL: I want you to hear the response now from a visibly angry Hakeem Jeffries, the leader of the House Democrats.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REP. HAKEEM JEFFRIES, U.S. HOUSE DEMOCRATIC LEADER: The so-called White House press secretary, who's a disgrace, she's a stone cold liar, had the nerve to stand up there and read talking points, being critical of statements all taken out of context that Democrats have made and didn't have a word to say about anything that MAGA extremists have said or done, including providing aid and comfort to violent insurrectionists here at this Capitol on January 6th, who brutally beat police officers. (END VIDEO CLIP)
SANDOVAL: More now from CNN's Senior White House Correspondent, Kristen Holmes.
KRISTEN HOLMES, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Press Secretary, Karoline Leavitt on Tuesday blamed the rhetoric from Democrats and the media for leading to this would-be assassin coming to the White House Correspondents' Dinner.
[02:45:00]
She, unsurprisingly, did not mention any of President Trump's own incendiary rhetoric during this briefing. But she also called on Democrats to pass funding for the Department of Homeland Security, saying that it was a national scandal. And while she continued to praise the Secret Service and the job they did with security and stopping that gunman at Saturday's dinner, she also left the door open for some systemic changes.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Is that out of the question, changing any additional security protocols when it comes to how the president does these events that are outside of the White House?
LEAVITT: I definitely wouldn't say changes are out of the question. I think again that it's up to the White House here and we view it as a great responsibility to ensure the maximum safety of the president and the vice president and the entire cabinet. And so we're always looking for ways to improve security.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HOLMES: And Tuesday, Sean Curran, the Head of the Secret Service, who used to be the Head of President Trump's Personal Detail, had a meeting with Chief of Staff, Susie Wiles, in which they debriefed the events of Saturday night. Neither Curran nor Wiles were there. They went through the protocol and the security, but I am told there are going to be a number of meetings in the future about these large-scale events, about what security looks like, and about the kind of officials that are at these events.
Karoline Leavitt seemed to say that there was no issue, they didn't need a designated survivor because there were some cabinet officials who were not invited to Saturday's dinner, but there have been a lot of questions about having all of these high-ranking cabinet officials, the president and the vice president, in one place, particularly if this is not a designated national security event.
So we'll see how those conversations progress, but clearly they want to be moving forward in a way that keeps both the president safe, the cabinet officials, but also the American public, as we are looking at a year of very public events for President Trump celebrating America 250.
Kristen Holmes, CNN, the White House.
SANDOVAL: The simmering feud between President Trump and late-night host, Jimmy Kimmel that goes back years, it seems to be flaring up again. You see, just two days before the incident at the White House Correspondents' Dinner, Kimmel opened his show by pretending to be the comedic host of that upcoming event, which is usually known for taunting attendees in the crowd. But there's one joke in particular about the First Lady, Melania Trump, that is sparking renewed controversy.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JIMMY KIMMEL, ABC HOST OF "JIMMY KIMMEL LIVE!": Of course, our First Lady, Melania, is here. Look at Melania, so beautiful. Mrs. Trump, you have a glow like an expectant widow.
(LAUGH)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SANDOVAL: Again, what you heard was before Saturday night's shooting. Well, on Monday, the first lady posted on X that Kimmel's monolog deepens the political sickness within America. And over on Truth Social, President Trump called for Disney and ABC to fire Kimmel over that joke, describing it as a despicable call to violence.
And just a short while ago, in fact, just a couple of hours ago, during his latest episode of "Jimmy Kimmel Live!," the late night host addressed this controversy head on.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KIMMEL: You know, sometimes you wake up in the morning and the first lady puts out a statement demanding you be fired from your job?
(LAUGH)
KIMMEL: We've all been there, right? It was a very light roast joke about the fact that he's almost 80 and she's younger than I am.
(LAUGH)
KIMMEL: It was not, by any stretch of the definition, a call to assassination. And they know that. I agree that hateful and violent rhetoric is something we should reject. I do. And I think a great place to start to dial that back would be to have a conversation with your husband about it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SANDOVAL: Well, the shooting incident at the White House Correspondents' Dinner as it unfolded live on television and journalists who were there attending the event, they were right there on scene gathering information and delivering it to viewers real time.
Well, despite that, various unfounded conspiracy theories are now thriving online, including posts suggesting that the whole thing was staged. CNN's Donie O'Sullivan with the facts.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
KEITH OLBERMANN, HOST OF "COUNTDOWN WITH KEITH OLBERMANN" PODCAST: Just because Trump and his filth have lied to you about everything, every day for 11 years, that's no reason for you to get cynical and think that was staged.
DONIE O'SULLIVAN, CNN SENIOR CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): As soon as gunshots were heard at the White House Correspondents' Dinner on Saturday night, conspiracy theories started spreading online. Posts like this one with no evidence claiming it was staged. A Fox News clip of the White House Press Secretary, Karoline Leavitt, also went viral.
LEAVITT: It'll be funny. It'll be entertaining. There will be some shots fired tonight in the room.
(LAUGH)
LEAVITT: So everyone should tune in. It's going to be really great. I'm looking forward to hearing it.
SULLIVAN (voice-over): This was to be President Trump's first time addressing the Correspondents' Dinner. Traditionally, at the event, presidents poke fun at themselves and at the press.
[02:50:00]
These jokes and jabs are clearly what Leavitt was referring to when she said shots fired.
DONALD TRUMP, (R) PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: I didn't want to say this, but this is why we have to have all of the attributes of what we're planning at the White House. We need the ballroom, that's why Secret Service, that's why the military are demanding it.
SULLIVAN (voice-over): This statement from Trump along with a bunch of posts online had some people speculating that the whole thing had been a set-up to justify the building of Trump's controversial ballroom on the White House complex. There is zero evidence to support this.
TIM DILLON, HOST OF "THE TIM DILLON SHOW": Just admit you staged it in Butler.
SULLIVAN (voice-over): Saturday's attack came on the heels of renewed skepticism among some former Trump supporters about the Trump assassination attempt in Butler, Pennsylvania.
HOLMES: I have obtained a copy of this so-called manifesto. It says administration officials are targets prioritized from highest ranking to lowest.
SULLIVAN (voice-over): Marjorie Taylor Greene took to social media Sunday writing, I want to know why the Trump admin released Cole Allen's manifesto immediately, but they still keep a tight lid on Thomas Crooks. The FBI under both Biden and Trump has repeatedly said Crooks has acted alone and has released information about Crooks including his online search history.
On Monday, Press Secretary Leavitt was asked about the widespread misinformation.
LEAVITT: It's very important to us that we get the truth and the facts about this case and any case out there as quickly as possible to dispel some of that crazy nonsense that you do see running rampant online.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SULLIVAN (on camera): And we see this all the time now, particularly here in the United States, with virtually every major breaking news story, where as journalists and law enforcement and authorities try to gather the facts before that information can get out, we have people jumping to conclusions online, some of them with hundreds of thousands or sometimes even millions of followers. It is just part of the modern-day information ecosystem and a reason to always be careful on what you read online.
Back to you.
SANDOVAL: Our thanks to Donie O'Sullivan for that. And still ahead here on "CNN Newsroom," a battle of the billionaires. Years of bad blood, it will soon be playing out in court. Why Elon Musk is going after Sam Altman, Altman and other leaders of OpenAI.
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SANDOVAL: The world's richest man is expected to testify this week in his case against the leaders of OpenAI. Elon Musk wants CEO, Sam Altman ousted and is also demanding a hefty sum in damages. In fact, a jury was just elected on Monday.
CNN's Hadas Gold explains what's at stake in this trial.
[02:55:00]
HADAS GOLD, CNN A.I. CORRESPONDENT: If Elon Musk is successful in this trial, then the landscape for A.I. will change dramatically, and especially for the ChatGPT maker, OpenAI, because Elon Musk is alleging in this lawsuit that OpenAI and its executives like CEO, Sam Altman, essentially deceived him when they change their non-profit company into having a for-profit subsidiary.
You see, Elon Musk helped co-found OpenAI in 2015. He gave tens of millions of dollars to the non-profit and was very much involved until 2018 when he left after a power struggle. Now, he is saying that he was deceived, that OpenAI did a breach of charitable trust, that they unjustly enrich themselves as a result of his donations.
He is seeking some pretty drastic remedies. Among them, he wants OpenAI to revert back to its entire non-profit status. That will obviously affect OpenAI's possible IPO that's expected later this year. He wants Sam Altman and OpenAI President, Greg Brockman, to lose their positions on the board.
And he says that there's something like $130 billion that he is owed that he wants to go back into OpenAI's non-profit. OpenAI, for their part, they say that Elon Musk always knew about the potential plan for a for-profit subsidiary, that he was supportive of moves that would help OpenAI be competitive against the likes of Google.
And they're saying this is just a case of Elon Musk trying to bring a competitor down a peg because Musk has his own A.I. company called xAI. Now this case is being held in front of a jury of regular citizens who will then give a decision on an advisory basis to a judge on whether Elon Musk has a case and then the judge will make the ultimate decision on the remedies.
But we are expecting to hear from some of the most powerful biggest names in tech, not only Elon Musk, Sam Altman, Greg Brockman, but also Microsoft CEO, Satya Nadella, are all expected to take the stand in this case that will take place over the next few weeks.
Hadas Gold, CNN, Oakland.
SANDOVAL: And finally this hour, a dessert for the record books. More than 100 Italian pastry chefs, they have broken the Guinness World Record for the longest tiramisu. Over two days in front of a live audience, the chefs cracked 19,000 eggs -- you see them there, scrambling and hard at work. They measured out some 400 kilograms of sugar, probably my daily intake. And then they also added 128,000 biscuits to their massive dessert.
And in the end, it measured nearly 441 meters or more than 14,000 feet. After it was certified, the tiramisu was cut up and then sold. And all the profits went to benefit a charity.
Southwest Airlines, it is marking America's upcoming 250th anniversary with a patriotic new look. It has unveiled a red, white, and blue jet that's been dubbed Independence One. It is painted with a massive 1776 in honor of America's founding, as well as a nod to the Declaration of Independence. So look for it in the skies pretty soon.
Thank you so much for joining me. I'm Polo Sandoval in New York. Our coverage continues with my colleague, Rosemary Church, with more "CNN Newsroom" after a short break.
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