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President Trump Announces Mission Project Freedom; Rhetoric Between the U.S. and Cuban Governments Grows More Heated. Aired 4- 4:30a ET
Aired May 04, 2026 - 04:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
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POLO SANDOVAL, CNN ANCHOR: Hey, everybody, thank you so much for starting your week with us. I'm Polo Sandoval live in New York. And here's what's coming your way in the next hour. Iran's ominous warning as the U.S. says that it's currently preparing to help guide ships through the Strait of Hormuz.
Plus, the demise of a low cost carrier, Spirit Airlines, abrupts closure. It has left thousands out of work and some even stranded in a hole in the aviation industry ahead of this very busy summer travel season.
And we're just hours away from the biggest night in fashion. The 2026 Met Gala, we'll be speaking to a fashion expert about the looks that we can expect and some of the controversy that's surrounding fashion's biggest night.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Live from New York, this is CNN NEWSROOM with Polo Sandoval.
SANDOVAL: We do want to begin this hour though, with the war in Iran. President Donald Trump says that the U.S. will start guiding so called neutral ships through the Strait of Hormuz in a mission dubbed Project Freedom. U.S. Central Command saying that it will be providing military support for the mission. An American official tells CNN that the initiative, it is not an escort mission. But a top Iranian official is warning that, quote, "any foreign military force," especially the invading American army they said will be attacked if they try to approach or enter the waterway. President Trump says that his representatives are currently having what he describes as very positive discussions with Iran and this as the two countries review each other's peace proposals.
The announcement coming after a U.K. maritime agency reported that a tanker was hit by unknown projectiles in the Strait of Hormuz recently. And we are covering these developments across the region from every angle. We do have CNN'ss Nic Robertson standing by in Islamabad, Pakistan, which has been the previous scene of other negotiations. But first, I'm wondering, we start with you, Eleni Giokos. You are in Dubai.
How are markets reacting right now with yet another wave of uncertainty and more specifically oil prices, reacting to President Trump's announcement of this new mission?
ELENI GIOKOS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, not reacting very much and frankly we've seen very little movement on Brent crude prices when initially we saw a little bit of softness, but now basically increasing once again. And you've got Brent crude prices sitting at around $109 a barrel, which is just a big sign and a signal that the guided, the guidance of vessels through the Strait of Hormuz is not being taken too seriously. Because a lot of people are asking the question around how this is going to be implemented and a lot of questions are arising. Who's going to go first? Which shipper is actually going to attempt the crossing of the strait knowing that perhaps the U.S. is going to step in?
What kind of coordination are we talking about here? And importantly, how is Iran going to respond? The Iranians say that any American interference in the new maritime regime of the Strait of Hormuz will be considered a violation of the cease fire. So very strong messaging coming through here. But from President Trump's perspective, he's calling it Project Freedom to assist any vessels and any shippers that are innocent that have just been trapped in the Persian Gulf.
And importantly, we're talking about 800 plus vessels with around 20,000 seafarers that have been impacted and basically unable to leave the strait for around two months now. In terms of the support from the military perspective and CENTCOM posting this on X this morning, they're talking about guided missile destroyers, more than 100 land and sea based aircraft, 15,000 service members which will be involved in this guide through the strait.
Now I also just want to remind you that at the beginning of the war, Polo, the U.S. administration had said that they had been considering naval escorts for vessels trying to transit the Strait of Hormuz. Analysts back then were telling me you would need eight to 10 destroyers to help guide through around eight vessels. And again, this is very resource intensive. So the state of play here is still very much the same. The U.K. MTO just three hours ago posting this message on X and saying that the Strait of Hormuz still remains very critical.
There's ongoing regional military presence and operations there and major congestions at Anchorage levels.
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Really important to note that just before the announcement of this Project Freedom, there was a vessel that was struck 78 nautical miles north of Fujairah here in the UAE and it was hit by an unknown projectile. Now, crew members are safe, but frankly, we have seen many of these incidents, specifically when the U.S. Naval blockade came into force in the Gulf of Oman and basically sending a very clear signal to shippers that they are very concerned about the dangers that are still very, very real. And this is, of course, having a massive impact in terms of what we see on the oil price front. Some projections now say that $150 a barrel, very, very possible and absolutely plausible as we have no real time frame on how and when this will end.
SANDOVAL: Yes, Project Freedom, it really sounds like more of a possible short term solution. Let's talk about a possible long term solution with you, Nic. You followed these negotiations. They seem to be off, on, off again. I mean, where do you think stand right now in hopes of trying to finally bring this to a close and to bring things to a peaceful end?
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR: Yes. So on Friday, just to recap, that was when Iran sent its proposal to the White House via the mediators here in Pakistan. And I think it's been a sort of an exchange of messages backwards and forwards, but the White House putting forward its sort of response to Iran's Friday offering on Sunday, that went to the Iranians awaiting on their response. We know that today the Iranian foreign minister has spoken with his Pakistani counterpart here. Was that in fact Iran's response to the U.S. position that was put forward Sunday?
Not clear. Diplomacy is still working, is still ongoing. President Trump, as we mentioned there, sounding very positive, saying that there were positive developments and it could be positive for everyone. But in essence, Project Freedom and the offer to guide civilian maritime vessels through the Strait of Hormuz at a time when it's supported by CENTCOM, with 15,000 service personnel, 100 aircraft on board ships and in the region, and guided missile destroyers that offer to civilian vessels to go through the Strait of Hormuz is a direct challenge to Iran's control over the strait. And that's how Iran is responding to it. And this will play to Iran's fears that the United States really is actually not committed to the type of outcome that Iran wants to negotiate.
Rather, it is committed to its own version of the outcome, whether it's through rhetoric or by ultimately military force on the ground. So it doesn't really speak to quick diplomacy because what has happened here is a challenge to Iran's control of the Strait of Hormuz. What maritime -- civilian maritime vessels choose to do in the next couple of days will contribute largely to this Project Freedom and where it moves from here. There really is that possibility of escalation. There really is the possibility that the White House can move the narrative here on support or not support for the war with Iran.
But in terms of diplomacy, that does still seem to be going on. But it does have this sort of side serving, if you will, of military competition without the military for control the Strait of Hormuz.
SANDOVAL: That's a great way to put it. CNN's Nic Robertson, thank you. And our thanks to Eleni Giokos as well for all their reporting.
Tensions they do continue to escalate between the US and Cuba as President Trump claims that he could take over the island at any time. Something we've heard from the U.S. president before. CNN's Patrick Oppmann has the very latest from Havana as the Cuban government push us back. PATRICK OPPMANN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Rhetoric between the U.S. and Cuban governments grows more heated by the day, almost to the point where it would seem these two countries are on a wartime footing. Donald Trump is claiming that he is ready to take Cuba immediately, that he could send military assets, a U.S. navy aircraft carrier here, and that would cause the Cuban government to essentially raise the white flag and give up. That is something that Cuban officials are angrily rejecting. We've seen Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel saying he's willing to give his life, that Cubans would fight back against any kind of military aggression by the United States against this island. It's also blasting the Trump administration for placing more economic sanctions on the island's government.
They're already dealing with a pressure campaign that's been really unprecedented in recent years between the Cuba and U.S. governments where almost all oil shipments have ceased in silence is strangled an already failing economy. You see less cars on the road, blackouts that last longer and longer.
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And while the Cuban and U.S. governments supposedly negotiating, there's little progress to show for those negotiations. And you see Cuban officials saying more and more regularly that they are preparing for a U.S. invasion, that they are willing to lay down their lives and under no circumstances will the U.S. be able to take Cuba. Of course, for Cubans caught in the middle of this war of words, the concern is that it could turn into an actual war.
Patrick Oppmann, CNN Havana.
SANDOVAL: Former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani is currently in the hospital in critical but stable condition. The news came on Sunday evening in a statement from his spokesperson, but it did not say why the 81-year-old is currently hospitalized. Giuliani was dubbed American as mayor after the September 11, 2001 terror attack on New York's World Trade Center. But in later years he became better known as a staunch ally and former personal lawyer of President Donald Trump. The president sent some well wishes to Giuliani late on Sunday, calling him, quote, a true warrior.
Well, three passengers on a cruise ship are dead in what looks to be a Hantavirus outbreak. After the break, we'll have the very latest on what the World Health Organization is learning.
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SANDOVAL: Now to the latest on a suspected Hantavirus outbreak aboard a cruise ship that's already left three people dead and several others seriously ill. The ship is Dutch and reportedly traveling up the western coast of Africa with a capacity of 170 passengers throughout 80 cabins. The world Health Organization says that it's currently conducting an investigation into the outbreak and that at least one case has been confirmed so far. But the question remains, how were these people infected? For more on that and much more, we do want to go to CNN's Larry Madowo, who is reporting from Nairobi.
Larry, all of these questions that investigators have right now with the WHO, I mean, are they getting any answers?
LARRY MADOWO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It's still too early to tell. Out of these suspected cases of Hantavirus, only one has been confirmed. They say that on the others they're still doing investigations and epidemiological testing, gene sequencing. They will have more answers when that's complete.
One person is intensive care in South Africa and two people have died. We know some of the nationalities of the two were Dutch citizens. A 70-year-old man was the first to die in St. Helena, that is the British overseas territory, and then his wife was in South Africa attempting to fly back to the Netherlands when she collapsed and died. We are waiting for more information from authorities in Cape Verde, where the ship is currently docked in Praia off the West African coast. Cape Verde is a small island nation of just over half a million people and the ship arrived there on Sunday.
Authorities have not allowed anybody to get off the ship, but they have sent medical teams on board to assess two crew members who are exhibiting respiratory symptoms, basically that are consistent with Hantavirus. The ship originated seven weeks ago from Ushuaia in Argentina. It's often called the "End of the World." That's where 90 percent of cruise ships headed to Antarctica begin. It did go to Antarctica, to South Africa, and has been sailing along the Atlantic Ocean on the West African coastal before it arrived in Cape Verde.
Hantavirus is extremely rare and human transmission -- human to human transmission even more rare. It is largely transmitted from rodents like mice and rats. And it's not clear if they have the Andes version, which is the only one where there could be human to human transmission, Polo.
SANDOVAL: Larry Madowo with that live report. Thank you, Larry.
And as the world feels the ever increasing impacts of climate change, wildfires, they're becoming more frequent and also harder to control. Experts say that response strategies that they're currently falling short and that they're calling for a new approach centered on prevention. Here's CNN's Stefano Pozzebon.
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STEFANO POZZEBON, CNN CONTRIBUTOR (voice-over): In a matter of minutes, Claudia Castro's home was reduced to ashes. A resident of the central Chilean city of Concepcion, her single story house was one of thousands of buildings incinerated by catastrophic wildfires in January. Hours later, what was left was dust and despair.
CLAUDIA CASTRO, WILDFIRE SURVIVOR (through translator): I am speaking to you and my mind goes through my home. Open the door, I go through the room where I have lived. So many nice and sad moments.
POZZEBON (voice-over): The Concepcion fires killed 21 people and shocked Chile, not for their scale, but because of how fast they spread. The flames developed in woods to the east of the city. Castro's home was on the front line and was not spared.
CASTRO (through translator): It was the longest night of my life. We looked like zombies walking here, walking there, not knowing what to find.
POZZEBON (voice-over): Flight data analyzed by CNN and interviews with firefighters and survivors show aircraft and engines were no match for delays. By the time the government declared a state of catastrophe, 30,000 hectares of wild and urban areas had been devoured. Because of the brutality of fires like Chiles, Los Angeles and the state of Georgia in recent months, experts are calling for a new approach to firefighting. It's called integrated fire management and it switches the focus from response to prevention and risk reduction.
We join the training day in the Colombian forest. Participants learn to evaluate the fire risks and what areas are most exposed.
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POZZEBON: Today we have firefighters receiving this training, but also forest engineers, the civil protection services, for example, and people from other countries. Colombia, of course, but also Peru, Ecuador, Bolivia and Spain. The idea is, of course, to create synergies and to share knowledge because the issue of catastrophic fires is touching us all.
POZZEBON (voice-over): Brazil was the first country to pass specific fire management legislation to stop the Amazon forest from going up in smoke every year. Colombia and Chile are now discussing similar laws. In the U.S., the Trump administration has cut funds to the emergency response and to the Forest Service, a decision many believe will cost even more as fires are becoming more common. Some authors call it the age of fire because it's like we're entering a different era where fire is going to dominate what shapes the ecosystem.
POZZEBON: And that is a consequence of human activities.
POZZEBON (voice-over): That is a consequence of human activities and exacerbated by climate change.
Stefano Pozzebon, CNN, Villa de Leyva, Colombia.
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SANDOVAL: A vocal critic of President Trump has been chosen by Pope Leo to be the next bishop of West Virginia. Coming up, how some Catholic leaders are peacefully pushing back on the U.S. immigration crackdown. Plus the Supreme Court's blockbuster ruling weakening the Voting Rights Act. It's setting up -- setting up setting off a scramble to redraw district lines in Republican led states. How could this impact the midterm elections? We'll explain.
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SANDOVAL: Pope Leo has appointed a vocal critic of President Donald Trump's immigration crackdown as the next Catholic bishop to lead the faithful in the U.S. State of West Virginia. The Most Reverend Evelio Menjivar-Ayala says that he feels close to immigrants amid the federal raids across the United States, saying, quote, "That could have been me," he said. Menjivar-Ayala fled El Salvador civil war back in the 1980s and reportedly entered the U.S. illegally. He would later be given humanitarian protection and granted a visa as a religious worker, paving the path for him to finally gain U.S. citizenship.
Joining me now for more on this is CNN's Vatican Correspondent Christopher Lamb, joining me from London.
Christopher, thank you so much for coming on. So, elevating a bishop who was once undocumented, what message does that send the White House, either purposely or perhaps inadvertently?
CHRISTOPHER LAMB, CNN VATICAN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Polo, I think it does send a message about Pope Leo's concern with the treatment of immigrants in the United States. He has said that he believes that treatment has been inhumane at times. And I think the important thing here is that the appointment of bishops is the surest way that a pope can influence both the leadership of the church in the United States and, of course, globally, and also how that church engages with politics. Of course, the pope appoints bishops personally. And so Leo's decision to appoint bishop Evelio does send a message, and so does his early appointments to diocese in the U.S. because three of the four -- of the first appointments Pope Leo made to leadership positions in the U.S. were priests who were not born in the U.S. they came as immigrants.
I'm thinking of Bishop Pham in San Diego, who is from Vietnam, who entered as a teenager to the United States. So I think what Pope Leo is saying here is that new arrivals to a country, when integrated and welcomed, can make a very positive contribution. And he's showing that with these appointments of bishops who come from immigrant backgrounds. So I think there is a clear message being sent here. And of course, it does come within this tense relationship between President Trump, the Trump administration and Pope Leo.
We saw the extraordinary attacks on the pope by President Trump at the beginning -- sorry, the middle of last month. And we hear that Marco Rubio, secretary of state, is coming to Rome and will be meeting with Cardinal Parolin, the top Vatican diplomat, and with Pope Leo. So there is obviously also an attempt here to try and mend some diplomatic fences. But no doubt these appointments of bishops by Pope Leo sending a strong message about what he sees as the treatment of immigrants needing to change in the United States. And he wants bishops who can speak out. Polo.
SANDOVAL: Yes, these appointments, there's such a clear contrast with President Donald Trump's hardline immigration stance. So glad that you take us back to more beyond what we saw with Bishop Ayala. Christopher Lamb live in London. Thank you for that. And with the midterm elections just around the corner, the U.S. Supreme Court's decision that guts a key provision of the Voting Rights Act is setting off another congressional redistricting race in Republican led states. The court's blockbuster decision voided a Louisiana congressional map, and doing so makes it much harder for minority voters to lodge challenges against these redistricting plans. And the court's decision had pretty much immediate effect. In fact, Louisiana had to delay its May congressional primaries despite some ballots in that state already being sent out.
And now President Trump is calling on Republican states to redraw district lines in the wake of the Supreme Court's ruling. Alabama and Tennessee, they are convening special sessions of their respective state legislatures in the coming days to consider redistricting. And speaking on NBC's "Meet the Press," California Senator Adam Schiff expressed dismay over these plans and also suggested blue states may be able to respond.
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SEN. ADAM SCHIFF (D-CA): I suspect if the Republicans continue to do this, Democrats are going to find the necessity and feel the necessity of fighting fire with fire. But this is really a poor trend, anti- Democratic trend for the country. And I hope that when Democrats take power in both houses and once again take power in the White House, that we will insist on a national redistricting reform and end these gerrymanders for good.
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