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Trump Gets Revenge On GOP Senator Cassidy In Louisiana Primary; Georgia Primary Election To Shape Key Races Ahead Of Midterms; Economy Emerging As Top Voter Concerns As Midterms Approach; Two U.S. Fighter Jets Collide At Idaho Air Show; Two Teens Arrested In Connection With Austin Random Shootings; Crowds Gather On National Mall For White House-Backed Prayer Event; Maduro Is Gone But His Influence And System Remain In Place. Aired 7-8p ET

Aired May 17, 2026 - 19:00   ET

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

[19:00:00]

CLARE DUFFY, CNN TECH CORRESPONDENT: But I do have a couple of questions, namely, how do you make sure that A.I. doesn't make it easier for people to catfish other people? How do you know you're not going to show up on a date that you're dating concierge said is going to go one way and the person is completely different in person?

Whitney Wolfe Herd was also asked about this in a recent interview. Take a listen to what she said there.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

WHITNEY WOLFE HERD, CEO, BUMBLE: So things we will not do, which I think is important for people to hear in the era of A.I. We will not let you falsify who you are with A.I. You cannot have falsified photos with A.I. You cannot use A.I. to, you know, message people that -- we will not be leaning into A.I. as a replacement to human connection. Our goal is to leverage A.I. to make love and connection more human.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

DUFFY: So Bumble saying that A.I. could make the dating process more human.

We will see, Omar, if that reverses this dating app trend to slump.

OMAR JIMENEZ, CNN ANCHOR: That is a big if. We shall see.

Clare Duffy, appreciate the reporting.

A new hour of NEWSROOM starts right now.

All right, folks, you're in the CNN NEWSROOM. I'm Omar Jimenez in New York. Jessica Dean has the night off.

Tonight, a high profile primary election in Louisiana is proving President Trump still has a strong grip over the Republican Party, despite the war in Iran and higher gas prices. Incumbent Republican Senator Bill Cassidy, who voted to convict President Trump after his impeachment five years ago, losing his primary race after the president crusaded against him.

Cassidy is the first Republican senator to lose renomination in nearly a decade. The race now goes into a runoff between President Trump backed challenger, Congresswoman Julia Letlow, and State Treasurer John Fleming. But with months to go in office, Cassidy took a little bit of a veiled swipe at the president in his concession speech last night.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. BILL CASSIDY (R-LA): When you participate in democracy, sometimes it doesn't turn out the way you want it to, but you don't pout. You don't whine. You don't claim the election was stolen. Our country is not about one individual.

(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)

CASSIDY: It is about the welfare of all Americans. And it is about our Constitution.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

JIMENEZ: CNN's Alayna Treene joins us now from the White House.

Alayna, what is President Donald Trump saying about all of this?

ALAYNA TREENE, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, look, for Cassidy in particular, you saw the president be quick to take a victory lap on social media and congratulate Julia Letlow, the congresswoman who he had endorsed in this race, even though, of course, I should note, she is running or she is headed to a runoff with the state treasurer. But, look, I think what Cassidy shows here is that if you are a Republican who the president perceives as crossing him, particularly in a way that Cassidy did.

You know, his original sin was back in 2021 when he voted to convict President Trump for his actions around the attack on the Capitol on January 6th. I mean, the president never forgot about that. Neither did his very close aides, who are very politically minded in this White House. And they moved hard over the last several months to try and get Cassidy out of office and out of the Senate.

Now, I do want to say that we are seeing the president also try to draw a connection between what happened yesterday with Cassidy and Thomas Massie, the congressman who is running in a primary in Kentucky on Tuesday. Massie is someone that President Trump has long really been kind of -- the two of them have gone at it repeatedly, trading barbs, trading criticisms. I remember early into the president's second term, Omar, speaking with White House officials about the midterms and them saying, we are going to get Thomas Massie out of that House.

So this is a long standing kind of conflict between these two men. Massie for his part, what he's done is he's taken a lot of votes that oppose President Donald Trump. That includes in government funding, that includes on a war powers resolution recently regarding the Iran war. He also was the man really behind bringing forward that push to force the Justice Department to release all of the Epstein files. He did that along with the Democratic Congressman Ro Khanna.

Look, I do want to read for you what the president said because he talked about both of these men today on social media. He said, quote, "That's what you get," this is referring to Cassidy. "That's what you get by voting to impeach an innocent man, especially one who made it possible for Cassidy's Senate win. Very disloyal. But Tom Massie, a major sleazebag, is even worse. Kentucky, get this loser out of politics in Tuesday's election."

One more thing I just want to add to all of this, Omar, is that we started to see the president's ire this week, in turn, not only to the people who are involved in these primaries, but for -- in Massie's case, the people who ended up supporting him, and that includes Congresswoman Lauren Boebert, a Republican from Colorado, someone who has long been viewed as one of Trump's fiercest supporters.

[19:05:01]

The president went out and called on someone to primary her, to challenge her, because she went out and supported Massie. So just fascinating to see. We'll have to see whether or not Massie is able to be the exception to the rule here and still win on Tuesday despite the president's criticism.

JIMENEZ: Yes, and something to watch in the months leading up to the midterm elections as well.

Alayna Treene, appreciate the reporting.

Now, one of those political backgrounds this week is Georgia, which holds its primary election Tuesday, setting the stakes for some key midterm races. Topping the ticket is the contest for U.S. Senate. Five Republicans are competing to take on incumbent Democratic Senator Jon Ossoff in November. President Trump hasn't endorsed a candidate yet.

The Georgia secretary of state says more than a million people in Georgia have already cast their ballots early. So far most of them are Democrats. Nearly 582,000 compared to 428,000 Republicans.

I want to bring in Patricia Murphy, senior political columnist at the "Atlanta Journal-Constitution" and co-host of the "Politically Georgia" podcast.

Patricia, I just want to start with which Republican do you see winning and facing off against Ossoff for the Senate seat? At least, who's in the best position to do so?

PATRICIA MURPHY, SENIOR POLITICAL COLUMNIST, ATLANTA JOURNAL- CONSTITUTION: Well, Omar, here in Georgia, we have a system where you have to get 50 percent of the vote in order to go forward without a runoff. And I think in that Senate race, it looks like Republicans are dicing up their votes between these three gentlemen in particular. And so we -- I think this race is going to go to a runoff. We have Congressman Mike Collins, who is very close to the president, Congressman Buddy Carter, who dubbed himself a MAGA warrior in his very first commercial, and Derek Dooley, who's very close with Governor Brian Kemp down here.

So, among those three, we expect it to go to a runoff. We don't know who's going to come out ahead, but that race has just not cleared out. And a big part of that is because President Trump has not endorsed in that race. We don't know why, but he's really sticking out of that one. He has endorsed in the governor's race. So it's let the Senate race -- the three of them are just really punching up amongst themselves.

JIMENEZ: It is interesting to see where he has chosen to endorse. Another race where he hasn't is over in Texas between Attorney General Ken Paxton and Senator John Cornyn there, and, as you mentioned, has yet to endorse a candidate here. And while we might not know the strategy behind it or when it might come, the question is, how strong do you think his influence will be and whoever he picks to come out of that pack?

MURPHY: Well, I think his influence in the GOP primary is important, but it's not required. In 2022 Governor Brian Kemp had a Trump endorsed challenger against him, and he still won the primary with 72 percent of the vote. Herschel Walker got the Donald Trump endorsement. He did get through his primary, but then he lost in the end. So I think the president is looking to see who's the most electable in that Senate race.

He's staying out of it. And I think it gives everybody else a chance to start to wonder themselves who is the most electable. No clear answer right now.

JIMENEZ: So I -- you mentioned the governor's race, obviously another one being watched very closely. Former Atlanta mayor and former senior White House adviser Keisha Lance Bottoms is facing off against seven other Democrats there. The Republican ticket has eight candidates, including three state officeholders and one billionaire. I mean, we've got just a lot of candidates here, obviously, trying to vie for -- jockeying position to break out of the pack here.

I wonder how you assess the Democrats in this. And do you believe that someone like Keisha Lance Bottoms, based on how she's polling right now, will be the one to sort of break out of the pack there?

MURPHY: Yes. So she really has already broken out of the pack. She's polling in the low 40s right now. But again, if she can't get over 50 percent she's going to have to go to a runoff. I think that really hits the reset button on that race. Mayor Bottoms had a very tumultuous term, single term as mayor and did not run for a second term. And I think that has left a lot of questions about, is Atlanta going to be the base of support for her? Is that going to be the base of opposition for her?

So we don't quite know. It looks like that may go to a runoff as well. There are three Democrats, all really well-positioned, but again, fighting it out amongst themselves. Quickly, I'll say, the fact that we have so many Democrats on both sides, we think really speaks to the fact that what a battleground state Georgia is. All of these people, skilled, talented, they all think they can win this state on both sides and so that's why we're watching all these races. It feels like it'll have a big impact on the state in the future.

JIMENEZ: And you know, what's interesting with Georgia, a place I grew up, but in comparison to other states, you have open primary there. So you don't necessarily have to lock in with your party when you're voting in the primary. And to this point, we've seen more than a million Georgians already voted early with Democrats slightly having the edge in terms of numbers voting than Republicans.

Does that say anything to you about voter enthusiasm, especially in a place like Georgia? I just wonder how you assess that dynamic.

MURPHY: Yes. We can't say that because of the number of Democrats have come out they're going to win.

[19:10:02]

Georgians don't even register by party. So we don't even know if they're all Democrats. But it tells us that there's a huge amount of enthusiasm for choosing in that Democratic race, either for Mayor Bottoms against Mayor Bottoms, for the last many cycles, it's only been one person, Stacey Abrams, who's really been running away with it. And this is the first time all of this talent on the Democratic side has put themselves forward.

So it's a new day in Georgia when Democrats are pulling more ballots than Republicans. We don't know what it means in November, but it makes Democrats feel really good based on the other races that they've won so far.

JIMENEZ: A lot of fascinating races to watch and dynamics to watch, not just in these primaries, but in the months to come, especially there in Georgia.

Patricia Murphy, really appreciate the time and perspective. Thanks for being here.

MURPHY: Thanks so much.

JIMENEZ: All right. Meanwhile, this will play a difference in these elections coming up. Surging gas prices and higher prices are becoming top voter concerns heading into the midterms. And right now data shows Americans aren't very happy with how President Trump is handling the economy.

Harry Enten is running the numbers for us and how people are feeling financially -- Harry.

HARRY ENTEN, CNN CHIEF DATA ANALYST: Hey there, Omar. Look, we got some new polling out today that really puts emphasis on what a deep hole President Trump is in because I want you to think back to the 1980 election between, of course, Jimmy Carter and Ronald Reagan. And of course, Reagan asked, in their debate between the two of them, are you better off than you were four years ago? He asked that to the American public. And when it comes to a very

similar question, Americans are saying they are not financially better off when it comes to Trump's policies or because of Trump's policies.

Take a look here. This really is the name of the game. Trump will or is making you financially worse off or better off? You know, when Trump was reelected to a second term back in the fall of 2024, the plurality of Americans said that, yes, his policies, he will, in fact, make you better off. 44 percent, 38 percent said worse off. Look at where we are now. Look at how that better off number has fallen through the floor. Now just 14 percent. Just 14 percent of Americans say that Trump is making them financially better off.

Now the lions share, the clear majority, 57 percent, a jump of nearly 20 points from back of the fall of 2024 now say that in fact Trump is making you financially worse off. That better off has dropped by 30, 30 points in just a year and a half's time. My goodness gracious.

And it gets even worse when you dig deeper into the numbers, Omar, because just take a look here. Look at independents. Oh, my. Oh, my goodness gracious. Or as I might say, oy vey. Look at this. Trump will or is making you financially worse off, better off. In October of 2024 among independents, it was a near even split, but the slight plurality 40 percent said better off compared to 38 percent who said worse off.

Look at where we stand right now. That worse off number, up like a rocket. We're talking 64 percent, a jump of over 25 percentage points. Now say that Trump is in fact making them worse off. About two-thirds of the American public. And look here on the better off number, look at this decline. A drop of over 30 points, Omar, a drop of over 30 points, just 8 percent. When you can count it on your hands, when you can count it up. And this is eight, eight digits up in the air.

When you can count on your hands, you know you're in big trouble when you're Trump. Look at this. Better off dropping from 40 percent to just 8 percent. Just 8 percent now say Trump is making them better off. What a devastating number for a man who was reelected to a second term, in large part because Americans thought he would fix the economy.

Now, independents, of course, are key for elections, right, Omar? They are key to the center of the electorate. Which way independents go oftentimes is the way the nation goes. But of course, there's a big part of Donald John Trump's base. That is white voters without a college degree. That was the big reason why he won in 2016. It was the big reason why he was reelected back in 2024. They've been a solid bloc for him.

But on this issue, on this question, even they are abandoning the president of the United States. Look at this. OK. Trump will or is making you financially worse off, better off. Back in October of 2024, the clear majority, 54 percent, said better off. Look at that. Compared to 30 percent, just 30 percent who said worse off when it came to Trump making them financially or will make them financially worse off or better off. These numbers, it's a flip flop now. Look at this. Pretty much the

inverse. Now 52 percent, 52 percent of white voters without a college degree, Trump's base, now say worse off. He's making them worse off. Just 15 percent. Look at that. That's a drop of nearly 40 points, a drop of nearly 40 points of white voters without a college degree, saying Trump's policies would make them worse off.

[19:15:00]

Look, you just look at all these numbers, Omar, and you just go, boy, this is a presidency in some real dire straits.

Back to you, my friend.

JIMENEZ: Mr. Harry Enten, huge contrast there. Always appreciate it. Good to see you.

All right. Still ahead, we're tracking a severe storm threat impacting millions of Americans across the country. Plus, comedian Stephen Colbert preparing to deliver his popular late-night monologue one last time. A look at how the Trump administration's fight with Paramount and CBS has turned Colbert's final days into a legendary story in the entertainment industry.

More coming up.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[19:20:13]

JIMENEZ: We're following breaking news out of Idaho. Two U.S. fighter jets collided in mid-air. You can see here they run into each other there, clearly caught up there after that impact. You see those flashes there as it appears the pilots are able to eject and those parachutes deploy. But this happened during an air show at Mountain Home Air Force Base. Some scary scenes as the plane goes crashing down. Right now the base is still on lockdown as we understand.

Our Rafael Romo has been following this story for us and joins us now with the latest details.

So, Rafael, what are you hearing about the crash and the pilots right now?

RAFAEL ROMO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hey, Omar. Well, the mid-air crash happened on the second day of the gunfighters air show held near the Mountain Home Air Force Base in Idaho, located about 50 miles southeast of Boise, the state capital. A video of the crash obtained and geolocated by CNN shows the two jet fighters colliding. And after a few harrowing moments, the four crew members on board ejecting, followed by the two airplanes crashing on the ground away from the public.

The Associated Press reports that a naval air spokeswoman said the four crew members are safe and being evaluated by medical personnel. In a statement, the Mountain Home Air Force Base gunfighters said the following, "An aircraft incident has occurred at Mountain Home Air Force Base during the Gunfighter Skies Air Show, two miles northwest of the base. Emergency responders are on the scene and investigation is underway and more details will be released as they become available."

In a statement published last month, Mountain Home Air Force Base announced the Gunfighter skies Air Show was scheduled to be held on Saturday and Sunday, May 16th and 17, calling it a free event open to the public featuring the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds. Mountain Home Air Force Base announced on its Facebook page that it went on lockdown after the crash, and the Mountain Home Police said the remainder of the air show was canceled.

The base was the site of a Thunderbirds F-16 airshow crash in 2003, according to the U.S. Marine Corps. Then in 2018, a hang glider pilot was killed during the same show, according to local station KTVB.

Omar, now back to you.

JIMENEZ: All right, Rafael Romo, really appreciate the reporting.

Now, meanwhile, tonight, millions of people across several states in the Central Plains are under a tornado watch. In addition to possible tornadoes, the severe weather could bring storms with hail larger than baseballs and winds up to 75 miles per hour.

I want to bring in meteorologist Melissa Nord, who's been tracking these storms and joins us now.

So, Melissa, what can you tell us?

MELISSA NORD, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Omar, in the last hour, we've actually seen some reports from emergency managers in Nebraska of hail that was three to three to three and a half inches in diameter. That is larger than teacup size hail. And a new tornado watch issued just minutes ago through southern Minnesota, northern Iowa, as well as we see several different clusters of thunderstorms developing and moving east.

I want to start off here in Nebraska and also northern Kansas, where we have these more discreet supercell thunderstorms producing large hail. That threat of a tornado. Those are developing and pushing east. So eventually moving in towards Kansas City and Omaha as they move into more of a linear shape. And then we have this cluster of thunderstorms, tornado warning northeast of Sioux Falls in South Dakota. And that's moving east. That's going to be pushing east along the I-95 corridor there.

And then to the south. Also, additional tornado watches possible later on this evening throughout central and southern Kansas and also in towards parts of Oklahoma. Level three risk of severe weather through the overnight. We're expecting these storms to move east, but then we're not done with severe weather within this particular round of thunderstorm storms. In fact, tomorrow as daytime heating gets underway this is going to fuel a new round of thunderstorms, a level four risk of severe weather throughout northeastern Kansas up into southeastern Nebraska.

That's where we could see these storms producing that tornado and very large hail threat before it becomes more of a wind threat later in the overnight. In yellow, level two risk of severe weather from central Illinois back to Chicago and even Detroit in a level two risk of severe storms for tomorrow. You can see by the afternoon, even though we clear out tonight's overnight round of thunderstorms, the next round develops by mid-afternoon tomorrow throughout central Kansas, and then those push to the east.

Now, as we track several days in a row of severe weather, we're also tracking strong gusty winds, dry air on the backside of the system. Really extreme fire conditions. Again, as we head into Monday and even parts of Tuesday of next week, that level, extreme risk of fire, is going to be for the panhandle of Texas again tomorrow, where some of the wind gusts are in the afternoon. Could be 40 to 50 miles per hour.

Red flag warnings in effect, that means any spark that ignites could spread fires very quickly. So outdoor burning is not really recommended for tomorrow.

[19:25:01]

It's also really hot east of the storms. We set a record high temperature. We tied one today in Atlanta. We could see more records in each one of these circles tomorrow and even into Tuesday. That heat expands to the East Coast. Places like New York and also out towards Boston, going to be close to the 90-degree mark -- Omar.

JIMENEZ: All right. Melissa Nord, really appreciate it.

All right. Still ahead for us, the president and top cabinet officials delivering messages at a national prayer event that's sparking concerns about the separation of church and state. We'll have an update from the National Mall straight ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

JIMENEZ: Just a few moments ago, the Austin Police Department gave an update on the series of random shootings that happened yesterday and into today. Two of which happened at fire stations. Two suspects are now in custody, and there may be a third involved.

[19:30:12]

CHIEF LISA DAVIS, AUSTIN, TEXAS POLICE: So, four people were shot total four people. We had buildings, apartments that were shot into two fire stations, two separate fire stations that were fired into. A fire truck was struck while fire personnel were right behind that truck. We had two individuals at this point that, that were going and robbing cars and then started firing shots at people.

We saw, had one pole cam that was up that actually captured one of the shootings in front of a store where two people were shot. A woman sitting there, you know, standing there talking to someone and they drive by and they shoot out their window and striking her. (END VIDEO CLIP)

JIMENEZ: Police say the suspects in custody are 15 years old and 17 years old.

All right, meanwhile, today in Washington, D.C., crowds of people gathered on the National Mall for the White House-backed day long prayer event dubbed "Rededicate 250: A National Jubilee of Prayer, Praise and Thanksgiving."

The celebration, though, is raising some constitutional concerns about the separation of church and state. Several major political figures appeared in video and in person for the event, including the President. CNN's Gabe Cohen has all the details.

GABE COHEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Omar, President Trump delivered a video message late this afternoon, a reading from the Bible, and the very next speaker was a pastor who said he'd been to a lot of religious gatherings like this before, but this one felt different because it had been called for by the President of the United States. That got a big round of applause from this crowd.

But it also speaks to a lot of the concerns that we have heard from those who believe that what this event is doing is pushing Christian nationalism in this country.

What was billed as more broadly, an event about getting Americans and the nation as a whole to rededicate themselves to one nation, under God, to restoring faith and values that the vast majority of the speakers and the music and the imagery has been about Christian values and about the Christian roots of this nation.

And this has been firmly backed, this event by this administration, not just the President, but we've heard messages today from Secretaries Pete Hegseth and Marco Rubio, as well as Tulsi Gabbard and House Speaker Mike Johnson, who was on that stage a little while ago. And much of the money that went to pay for all this came from taxpayer dollars as part of America 250.

All of the celebrations that are happening across the country this year, which some argue blurs the line between that separation between church and state. So, I asked some of the people who came here today from all over the country if they shared those concerns. Here's a bit of what they told me.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Now, the so-called wall of separation between church and state, is a myth. It's a misconception, I should say. My understanding is that this event is partly paid for by private donations and some by taxpayer funds. So, a debate can be had about that as to whether that's legitimate expenditure.

COHEN: ... curious what you think.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He has put so much money in himself. And I think things are tainted and not always painted correctly.

COHEN: So, you have no issue with taxpayer dollars being used for this.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I'm not going to comment on that.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COHEN: And Omar, as you know, this is not the first time this administration has been accused of allowing Christian nationalism to make its way into government policy and operations. Just look at the war in Iraq and some of the messaging that we've heard in recent weeks, including from Secretary Pete Hegseth, who has talked about this battle between good and evil, only raising more concerns about the role of religion in this administration -- Omar.

JIMENEZ: All right, Gabe Cohen, appreciate the reporting for us. Now, we got a lot of news still to cover, including life after Nicolas Maduro. CNN is on the ground in Venezuela to see how the country is doing since the United States captured its leader. You're in the CNN NEWSROOM.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[19:38:33]

JIMENEZ: Venezuela is still facing some serious economic challenges and an uncertain path forward. More than four months after U.S. forces captured and removed President Nicolas Maduro from power. The former dictator has been in U.S. custody since January, but his shadow still looms over the country. While the political and security network he left behind remains intact.

Our David Culver went to Venezuela to learn more on what life is like there now, after 13 years of the maduro regime.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

(UNIDENTIFIED MALE speaking in foreign language.)

DAVID CULVER, CNN SENIOR NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (on camera): He says, "You can't go any closer because the police have blocked it off. "And you can see they've got a big barricade.

CULVER (voice over): A public demonstration and we can't get in. These Venezuelans are calling on their government to raise wages and ease repression. The police keep turning folks back.

(UNIDENTIFIED MALE speaking in foreign language.)

CULVER (on camera): He's trying to tell us that there's another side to go to. We've driven all the way around this area for about 30 minutes, and we haven't found a way to enter. It looks like now we might have found one possible entry here, but I mean, it's now towards the end of the march and demonstration.

(UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE speaking in foreign language.)

CULVER (on camera): She's saying elections have to come for a radical change.

(UNIDENTIFIED MALE speaking in foreign language.)

CULVER (voice over): He says they took him in U.S., Maduro, but left the rest of the system in place.

CULVER (voice over): Delcy as an acting President, Delcy Rodriguez, who governs behind layers of security. Several blocks of armed guards.

CULVER (on camera): We've got a mobile command force right there.

CULVER (voice over): Not surprising, given how her predecessors rule ended on January 3rd, when U.S. forces captured Nicolas Maduro and his wife, Celia Flores, their names and faces now plastered across Caracas billboards, graffiti, homemade signs. The government at least wants them back.

[19:40:25]

CULVER (on camera): The reality is Maduro, the man who ran this country for some 13 years, even though his face is everywhere here in Caracas, well, he's in custody, locked up in the U.S. The system he built that is still standing. And that's not lost on the people here.

CULVER (voice over): Especially the families of the more than 450 political prisoners still in custody.

CULVER (on camera): We've driven about an hour outside the capital. Were headed to El Rodeo, which is considered to be one of the better- known prisons where many of these political prisoners are believed to be held.

CULVER (voice over): At the prison gate, family members live out of tents, waiting for weekly visits.

CULVER (on camera): Because they don't have the money to make the trip multiple times. They camp out and on days like today, they have visits with their loved ones.

CULVER (voice over): Though the repression has not totally lifted, it has loosened a lot.

CULVER (on camera): It's also worth noting that not everyone feels like the United States should be involved in Venezuelan matters.

(UNIDENTIFIED MALE speaking in foreign language.)

CULVER (on camera): Do you think he's crazy?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, I think he's crazy.

CULVER (on camera): At a pro-government rally, we had folks coming up to us to say Venezuela is not a colony that sovereignty here matters to them.

CULVER (voice over): But for most here, the deepest suffering is economic. The official minimum income just went up to $240.00 a month. Most Venezuelans earn far less, and food alone costs nearly three times that amount.

There is a small bubble of wealth, nice cars, weekend clubs. But most here live like Maria Perez's family. Inside her parent's home, the scarcity is hard to miss.

CULVER (on camera): He's your dad.

(MARIA PEREZ Speaking in foreign language.)

CULVER (on camera): She said her dad is a diabetic. Her mom's got severe arthritis. When it comes to health care, it's really bad.

CULVER (voice over): Her home is a 20-minute walk uphill from her parents. No real roads to get there.

(UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE speaking in foreign language.)

CULVER (on camera): They only really have running water, she said every 45 days. I'm sorry I'm out of breath a little bit. But the remainder of the days, they rely on these big tanks.

CULVER (voice over): Venezuela's leaders acknowledge how dire the economic situation is, and they often blame U.S. sanctions. Though the Trump administration points to years of corruption, mismanagement and authoritarian rule as the cause.

CULVER (on camera): Most everyone that we spoke with over the past few days has given us some version of the same sentiment, and that is that they're grateful that the U.S. captured Maduro. They're glad that he's gone. But as to what happens next, when you ask them that question, they stress that is for Venezuelans to decide, though they also emphasize they need the rest of the world to keep on watching.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

JIMENEZ: All right, David Culver, appreciate that reporting there in Venezuela for us.

All right, meanwhile, it's the final countdown. Stephen Colbert taking a bow this week at the Ed Sullivan Theater in New York City. We'll talk about this moment and what's led up to it. You're in the CNN NEWSROOM.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[19:48:12]

JIMENEZ: This week, Stephen Colbert will sign off for the last time as the host of CBS's "The Late Show" capping a historic 11-year run. The program series finale airs this Thursday. CBS decided to cancel the highly rated late night show last year, citing financial problems. But I want to bring in CNN chief media analyst Brian Stelter.

So, Brian, look, the end of an era here, but what should we expect for Colbert's final episodes?

BRIAN STELTER, CNN CHIEF MEDIA ANALYST: Well, some of the P.R. listings from the show's final week give us a couple of clues. On Tuesday night, for example, Colbert's longtime friend and producing partner, Jon Stewart, will be on the show along with Director Steven Spielberg, who has that movie disclosure day coming up.

Then on Wednesday, Colbert is going to have a performance by Bruce Springsteen. And then for Thursday, the actual series finale, no guests are being promoted in advance. And really, there's no reason to, because everybody's going to tune in no matter who is on the show. They're going to want to hear from Colbert one more time. And you mentioned that CBS explanation about financial reasons. There is such overwhelming skepticism about that explanation that CBS is getting out of the late-night T.V. business because it was losing money and couldn't find a way to make the financials work.

Colbert himself has said in an interview with "The New York Times," two things can be true at the same time. That, yes, the late night T.V. business is challenged financially, but also there's been tremendous political pressure, and CBS has been trying to appeal to the Trump administration.

So, multiple things going on at the same time. I expect Colbert maybe to reference that again this week, although he's been trying to go out on a very positive note with his current soon to be ex-bosses at CBS.

He's been letting guests like David Letterman do a lot of criticizing. And Letterman this week, very critical of CBS. Colbert letting his guests do a lot of that talking.

JIMENEZ: You know, there's always a lot of questions over what someone like Colbert can do next. It seems like there's a million possibilities whether he jumps into the podcast space or whatever. But he already has some gigs lined up when he leaves "The Late Show." What do we know about those projects?

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STELTER: He does. Number one, he has a script in the works for actually CNN's corporate sibling Warner Brothers. It's for a new "Lord of the Rings" movie, so he has said he's working on that. But he's also said he hasn't really had time to think about his future plans or ambitions. Colbert actually said on a recent podcast his son graduates college tomorrow, and then his show ends on Thursday. His brother gets married next weekend.

So, he has good perspective about what matters most in life at the time his show is signing off, but certainly there's been talk about possible podcasts in his future. And look, there are some Colbert fans who are serious about wanting him to run for President.

I'm just putting that out there. Who the heck knows what will happen? But certainly, there are, I think, a lot of potential homes online for Colbert if he wants to continue in the comedy space, as he says he wants to.

JIMENEZ: Yes, I mean, the fact that him being such a big "Lord of the Rings" fan, he gets that opportunity. I feel like if you're going to leave something good, that's probably the best thing you could get.

Now, look, you talked about it a little bit earlier, sort of CBS publicly blaming the financial problems for cutting the show. But as you were talking about, many critics didn't seem to buy it, saying it seemed like pressure from President Trump. Can you just bring us into sort of what the pressure has been and what the perception will be, no matter what CBS is saying -- is the financial aspect of it, something that the public seems to be buying.

STELTER: Yes, a hundred percent, I mean, that's the mood music. I feel like that's the background music of this entire week. Colbert's fans believe this cancellation was politically tainted. They believe that CBS is trying to bend the knee to President Trump. And what CBS is doing replacing Colbert, putting on a kind of evergreen, nonpolitical roundtable talk show called "Comics Unleashed," it doesn't help that impression.

CBS, though, is under a lot of financial pressure, just like all the other broadcast networks. So, Colbert said two things can be true at the same time.

JIMENEZ: Brian Stelter, appreciate the analysis as always, good to see you.

And tonight we've got more. Don't miss the new CNN special, "The Last Laugh: Stephen Colbert Examining the Legacy of One of Americas Most Influential Satirists". Here's a preview.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DAVID RAZOWSKY, ACTOR: When I first saw Stephen on "The Late Show", I looked at him and I realized at that moment, Stephen Colbert has reached his lifelong dream of doing what he wanted to do with his life which is being Stephen Colbert.

JAKE TAPPER, CNN HOST: There's always been a gravity to his persona and who he is as well, because he is willing to take "The Late Show" with Stephen Colbert to a deeper and more emotionally fulfilling place than a lot of his peers.

JORDAN CARLOS, COMEDIAN AND WRITER: I think that Colbert hasn't been afraid to go there.

STEPHEN COLBERT, "THE LATE SHOW WITH STEPHEN COLBERT" HOST: If our next President is a single-celled organism, then Trump's going to look great.

ANDERSON COOPER, CNN HOST, "ANDERSON COOPER: 360": Single-cell.

RAZOWSKY: Looking at Colberts monologue at the beginning of the show, you know, like, that's somebody who's fearless.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

JIMENEZ: Don't miss it. "The Last Laugh: Stephen Colbert" airs next only on CNN and streaming on the CNN App.

Before we get there, though, a dramatic final round of the PGA championship, a leaderboard loaded with major champions chasing others trying to join that club, we'll break down how it all shook out.

You're in the CNN NEWSROOM.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

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JIMENEZ: Authorities at Mountain Home Air Force Base in Idaho say the four pilots who ejected after really a terrifying midair collision today at an air show are in stable condition. They also announced that the remainder of the two-day gunfighter skies air show has been canceled. The base is still on lockdown while an investigation is underway and video on social media showed both planes hitting each other. You can see the contact there.

They get tangled up as clearly the collision already happening. They're headed towards the ground. You see those four flashes. Those are actually the pilots ejecting and the parachutes working as well. But all of that happening as that plane goes crashing to the ground into that fireball. None of the spectators were hurt. The crash happened about two miles northwest from the base.

Now, in a statement, the Mountain Home Air Force Base gunfighter said the following, "An aircraft incident has occurred at Mountain Home Air Force Base during the gunfighter's skies air show, two miles northwest of the base. Emergency responders are on the scene an investigation is underway and more details will be released as they become available."

The base is home to the U.S. Air Force's 366th Fighter Wing, also known as the Gunfighters.

And before we go, the final round of the PGA championship today outside of Philadelphia. At the start of the day, 30 players were within five shots of the lead, including several major champions. But the man at the top, a 29-year-old who had never won any tournament, Alex Smalley.

Now, it didn't take long for Smalley to learn how much different Sunday pressure is from Saturday pressure at a Major. I wouldn't be able to deal with any of it.

But at number six, he went from rough to rough, leading to a double bogey, and then eventually losing the lead. Smalley shoots even par 70 and finishes tied for second with Jon Rahm.

The day, though, belongs to Englishman, Aaron Rai, who had four major winners, including Rahm pushing him all day. But Rye shoots five under 65. Finishes at nine under and wins his first major. See the hugs and emotions there. Just a second ever tournament win, and he's the first English golfer to win the PGA championship in 107 years, incredible.

And thank you all for being incredible and joining me tonight. I'm Omar Jimenez. Jessica Dean will be back next weekend. "The Last Laugh: Stephen Colbert" starts right now.

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