Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Newsroom

Thomas Massie Lost in Kentucky House Primaries, Georgia's Republican Senate Race Heads to a Runoff; President Xi Meets Russia's Putin in Beijing; Deceased Cuban Leader's Daughter Spoke to CNN Ahead of Former Cuban President's Indictment. Aired 3-4a ET

Aired May 20, 2026 - 03:00   ET

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

[03:00:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

POLO SANDOVAL, CNN ANCHOR AND CORRESPONDENT: Hey everybody, this is "CNN Newsroom" and I'm Polo Sandoval, live in New York. Here's what's coming your way the next hour.

He wasn't on any ballot, but President Trump, claiming victory as several Republican lawmakers who opposed him on various issues lose their primaries.

Two of the United States' biggest rivals showcasing their close ties as Xi Jinping welcomes Vladimir Putin to Beijing.

And scientists have recorded hundreds of previously unknown sea creatures, like this weird guy in a carnivorous death ball sponge. We'll tell you what else they found.

UNKNOWN (voice-over): Live from New York, this is "CNN Newsroom" with Polo Sandoval.

SANDOVAL: Alright, let's get to our top story now, which is America's latest primary election results. Voters in six states deciding who will land on the ballot come the November midterms.

One of the most expensive primaries of all time, it happened in Kentucky, where President Trump managed to knock out yet another Republican who he deemed as disloyal, Congressman Thomas Massie, who is against the war in Iran and also pushed for the release of the absent files lost to Trump-endorsed former Navy SEAL Ed Gallrein.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ED GALLREIN (R), KENTUCKY CONGRESSIONAL CANDIDATE: Now my focus is on advancing the President's and the party's agenda to put America First and Kentucky always.

REP. THOMAS MASSIE (R-KY): I mean, we stirred up something. There is a yearning in this country for somebody who will vote for principles over party.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SANDOVAL: And to Georgia now, where we know who's getting the Democratic nod for governor in that state, that's former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, who actually won by a landslide, and could also become the nation's first black woman governor. And what we don't know is who she'll face.

The Republican governor's race, that is headed to a runoff come next month. It's between Lieutenant Governor Burt Jones, who is backed by President Trump, and he goes up against a health care billionaire, Rick Jackson, who's self-funding his campaign.

And also headed to a runoff, the Georgia Republican Senate race. CNN's Arlette Saenz, with more details from Atlanta.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ARLETTE SAENZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The Republican contest to take on Democratic Senator John Ossoff in November is heading into overtime. The Georgia Senate GOP primary will now head to a June 16th runoff, as no candidate was able to secure more than 50 percent of the vote in Tuesday night's primaries.

The runoff will include Congressman Mike Collins, a staunch MAGA ally of President Donald Trump, going up against Derek Dooley, a former college football coach who is running as a political outsider. Dooley is running with the endorsement of a lifelong friend, Georgia Governor Brian Kemp, who remains incredibly popular here in the state. Kemp is hoping that he can use his political sway to try to push Dooley over the finish line, as he has argued a political outsider is needed to take off on Ossoff in November.

Now, Kemp was once thought to be the strongest candidate to take on Ossoff. He was recruited by party leaders, but he passed on a run of his own. And now some in the Republican Party are worried that this long drawn out and fractured GOP primary is complicating Republicans' chances of flipping this Senate seat in November.

Ossoff is the only Democratic senator who is running for reelection in a state won by President Donald Trump back in 2024. But Ossoff is an incredibly strong fundraiser, one of the biggest and strongest fundraisers within the Democratic Party.

And he has spent this time while Republicans are duking it out in general election mode. He has raised a substantial amount of money, has $32 million in his war chest, leaving Republicans to play catch up over the next few months.

But now both Collins and Dooley will be duking it out for the next four weeks. And then Georgia Republican voters will decide who they will send to the Republican nomination to take on Ossoff in November.

Arlette Saenz, CNN, Atlanta.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SANDOVAL: What a primary.

All right, let's head over to our strategist now, Democrat Caroline Heldman, she's standing by live in Los Angeles, and Republican Katie Frost joining me from Atlanta. Thank you both so much for staying up late and joining us for this conversation to have our viewers around the world get a better understanding of what this week has been like, politics-wise.

[03:05:09]

CAROLINE HELDMAN, CRITICAL THEORY AND SOCIAL JUSTICE PROF., OCCIDENTAL COLLEGE: Good to see you, Polo.

SANDOVAL: Katie, I'm wondering if we could start with you. In just one week, President Trump basically vanquished two members of his own party. In your view, what is the main takeaway for other Republicans in office, those who may not see eye-to-eye with President Trump?

KATIE FROST, REPUBLICAN STRATEGIST: I would say the main takeaway here is that you need to realize President Trump is the leader of the Republican Party. And in many ways, he is going to be the director directing the party going forward. So you can disagree with him on certain issues, but it depends on how loud you are about it.

You know, if you look at the voting records of some people in Congress, they aren't always aligned with the President, but they keep a low profile, they don't tend to stir the pot too much, and they're able to just go under the radar.

And then there are others who draw his ire, whether it's Massie or others, and they get a lot of attention. But I would just remind the voters at home, in 2020, Massie was targeted by President Trump, and he won with 81 percent. For the last six years, there's been a significant change.

And President Trump is now back in office, and I would say stronger than ever with the Republican primary base.

SANDOVAL: Caroline, to you, if the Republican Party does continue to be the Donald Trump Party per Senator Lindsey Graham from South Carolina, do you think that that opens up opportunities for Democrats in House elections come this midterm? I mean, can they seize this moment, actually capitalize on it, you think?

HELDMAN: I do think, Polo. In fact, if you look at the generic ballot, the Democrats are favored by almost seven percentage points over Republicans for the House. And the last time we saw that was when there was a massive swing in 2018, a swing of 40 seats. Donald Trump's approval ratings are in the gutter, they are the lowest of his second term.

And much of that has to do with erosion of his base. It's significant, and even though his endorsement still matters quite a bit in deeply red areas, what he is doing by making the party less diverse is actually harming his coalition. So his approval ratings have actually put Democrats in an incredibly good seat this November. SANDOVAL: Caroline, off of what Katie just said, or rather, forgive

me, Katie, to you now, seeing what happened to Thomas Massie and to Senator Bill Cassidy before him, how do Republicans on ballots in November midterms face this dilemma of having to sort of separate themselves from a President who, as we just heard, is widely unpopular among the general electorate, but at the same time avoiding drawing the ire of the President that we already have seen multiple times comes with some serious consequences, and you risk losing your seat in Congress.

FROST: President Trump is a very smart man who understands math well, so he understands that people have to conduct themselves differently in certain states.

But I would pull back to my home state here of Georgia and use Congressman Mike Collins as an example. Congressman Collins has not been endorsed by President Trump, but he has been endorsed by many people in his sphere, and many of these important organizations like Turning Point and Club for Growth.

Congressman Collins is running very much as the MAGA champion in the primary, but when he comes to the general election, he has a compelling story to tell about how he is one of the few members of Congress who has authored legislation that was signed by both President Biden and President Trump. He's someone who's brought a very effective office, and he's been able to deliver for the people of Georgia, regardless of who's in power, and pass bipartisan legislation under both administrations.

So that is something that you can talk about in general election and pivoting there once you complete your primary.

SANDOVAL: Do you think this may come with a price, though, in states like Texas, for example? John Cornyn certainly seemed widely popular in that state.

Ultimately, though, do you think that that could come with a price, especially for the Democratic opponent, that this could perhaps provide him with an upper hand?

FROST: I don't necessarily see it as coming with a heavy price. A lot of the folks I know in Texas are not too thrilled with us. Senator Cornyn has been there since 2002, since I was in middle school.

Probably time for a change there. What I will say, though, is when you look at the math, I think we're going to be in a good position come November. And I would just remind everyone that it is a lifetime in politics.

From May to November, in May of 2024, President Joe Biden was still the presumptive nominee for the Democratic Party. So a lot can change between May and November.

SANDOVAL: I'm also curious if we could talk a little bit, Caroline, about just going back to Kentucky. I mean, ultimately the state back in 2024, 65 percent, of course, voting for President Trump. [03:10:00]

I mean, another way of looking at this, could it possibly be, is that the constituents in that district who voted overwhelmingly for President Trump simply saw this as an opportunity to then vote for somebody that may actually be a closer ally to President Trump?

HELDMAN: Well, for sure, Trump's endorsement mattered, right? That is what made the difference. And again, it's only happening in deeply red areas.

And Katie is right. We have a lifetime between now and the election. But the direction in which this country is headed with gas prices, the price of everything else, because of Donald Trump's invasion of Iran, he is underwater on Iran, he is underwater, obviously, on the Epstein files, he's underwater on the economy, and none of those indicators are going to turn around.

So at this point in time, the best models out there are predicting about a 75 percent chance of Democrats taking the House of Representatives. And now the Senate is in play. And this is entirely on Donald Trump and this is entirely Donald Trump making decisions that are wildly unpopular now with the general public.

SANDOVAL: Katie, is there still some, you both are right, there's so much that could happen between now and November. And between now and November, do you think that there might be opportunities for Republicans to really demonstrate to voters that they have an independent way of thinking, perhaps not really afraid of consequences when it comes to how President Trump may respond?

Because there does seem to be a consensus, certainly among Americans, that there are many of these sort of kitchen table issues that they're deeply worried about, that they want to be hearing the President talk about more.

FROST: Absolutely. A focus on kitchen table issues is going to be a key element for the Republican Party going forward. And my message to the Republican Party is that we need to focus on issues that impact families.

Our economic message needs to be focused on how our decisions impact the American family. For decades, the Republican Party's message on the economy has always been geared towards business. But only 5 percent of Americans are going to start a business, but over 90 percent of Americans will start a family.

So we need to focus on how our policies will impact you and your family. And actually, married voters are one of the strongest demographics for the Republican Party.

In 2022, we had 20 million less married voters turn out than we did in 2024. That's why we saw a disappointing election night for Republicans in 2022, because those married voters weren't showing up. When folks who are voting for their family come and vote, that is when Republicans win. SANDOVAL: Yes. Both parties certainly have a lot of work to do between now and November.

Katie Frost, Caroline Heldman, thank you so much for staying up late for me for this conversation. I really appreciate your time.

HELDMAN: Thanks, Polo.

FROST: Thank you.

SANDOVAL: The Internal Revenue Service is now barred from prosecuting or pursuing claims against Donald Trump for past tax issues. And that language unveiled Tuesday is part of the Justice Department's settlement with Trump to resolve his $10 billion lawsuit against the IRS. It was over the alleged mishandling of his tax records.

The addendum also covers Trump's family, trusts, and companies. Congressional Democrats call it outright corruption. Democrats are also denouncing the $1.8 billion anti-weaponization fund in that settlement.

It would give taxpayer money to people who claim that they were unfairly investigated by previous administrations. The Trump administration says that it's meant to be nonpartisan. Critics, however, say that it's merely a way for the President to enrich his allies.

And White House officials, including the Vice President, are not ruling out that the fund could possibly be used to pay people who violently rioted at the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021, even those who attacked police officers that day.

Chinese leader Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin are meeting in Beijing today during the Russian President's state visit. The two leaders sat down for talks and held a ceremony to sign agreements just a short time ago, this is footage from that meeting.

The summit comes just days after Xi hosted U.S. President Donald Trump, a Chinese leader now hailing ties with Russia as a force of, quote, "calm amid chaos." Putin had this to say about their relations.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

VLADIMIR PUTIN, RUSSIAN PRESIDENT (through translator): Years ago, our two countries signed the Treaty of Good Neighborliness, Friendship, and Cooperation, a foundational interstate document that serves as the basis for developing cooperation across all areas and that fully retains its relevance today. Today, our relations have reached an unprecedented high level, serving as a model of comprehensive partnership and strategic interaction.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

[03:15:00]

SANDOVAL: CNN's Simone McCarthy joins me live from Beijing as she continues to follow this visit. Simone, how does this visit potentially strengthen this relation between these two major powers, between Russia and China?

SIMONE MCCARTHY, CNN SR. CHINA REPORTER: Well, I think this visit is all about showcasing the existing strength of the relationship and how much deeper it can continue to go. I mean, certainly with the Trump visit last week, we saw those two countries, the U.S. and China, really setting out a new era of stability.

This is a very different set of optics here when it comes to Xi and Putin. These are two leaders who have met more than 40 times on the global stage. They also have this real chemistry between the two of them.

Putin, in his opening remarks, actually said something to the effect of, one day where we're not together is equivalent to three autumns, evoking a Chinese idiom and very much calling up this kind of chemistry between the two that have really played an incredibly important role in driving forward this deepening of a strategic partnership across trade, across the economy, across defense, as well as across diplomacy between these two leaders over the course of their time leading both of their countries and certainly in the face of the war in Ukraine as well.

Now, one of the things that we're definitely watching for, though, is any of the kind of concrete outcomes that we might see from this. Obviously, this meeting is now taking place in the shadow of the war in Iran, and that's driving a significant amount of energy instability across the world. China has been on pretty good footing in terms of its energy security so far, but there's the potential for that to drive forward more energy cooperation with Russia, which already is China's main source of crude oil.

We're looking closely at whether there's any progress on the Power of Siberia 2 gas line, which is a major project which has been years in the making, but so far has had a number of hiccups and hasn't yet come to see fruition. So this is one of the significant things that we're watching. But certainly this is all about the optics, and that's underscored to such a degree, given that it's coming just a couple of days after the Trump visit.

We can see very much that while China wants to be able to strengthen its ties with the United States, that Russia is a country that it feels deeply aligned with, and certainly that's a mutual feeling with Putin as well.

The other thing that I will say to Polo is that when we look at the way that these two countries are talking to each other, one of the things that they really emphasize is this instability on the global stage. And the subtext there is that they see that the United States and its actions, its alliance system, are a cause of that instability. And so reading through the subtext of a lot of the messaging that we've seen so far, that's certainly a key theme.

And that's really interesting and even more to the point, coming so closely on the heels of this meeting with Trump. So certainly there's a lot of deals that they've just announced, and we're watching very closely to get more information on the details of that, and we look forward to sharing that to you when we know more.

SANDOVAL: Yes, I've heard this visit described as a chance for China to basically present itself to the world as the adult in the room, given those ongoing conflicts. Simone McCarthy, thank you so much for putting all of this together for us.

Coming up, we are going to have an update on Central Africa's deadly Ebola outbreak, how global health organizations are now responding to an alarming spike in the number of cases and victims.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[03:20:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

SANDOVAL: President Trump is getting some pushback on the war with Iran. The U.S. Senate advanced a measure that's actually aimed at restricting his war powers by requiring congressional approval for any future military action in Iran. The measure advanced 50-47 with four Republicans voting with Democrats.

And the vote comes as President Trump says that he was on the verge of launching new strikes against Iran, and then postponed the attack at the request of several Gulf nations. But he says that that pause is only temporary. The President also says that the war with Iran is necessary despite being unpopular among many voters.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, U.S. PRESIDENT: Everyone tells me it's unpopular, but I think it's very popular. When they hear that it's having to do with nuclear weapons that could take out Los Angeles, could take out major cities very quickly. When they hear that, you know, when they're explaining, I'll tell you what, when we explain it to people, I don't really have enough time to explain it to people.

I'm too busy getting it done. When they understand, I think it's frankly very popular, but whether it's popular or not popular, I have to do it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SANDOVAL: Diplomatic efforts with Iran, those are still ongoing, but according to the Vice President, the outcome remains uncertain. J.D. Vance, who led the U.S. delegation at the last round of peace talks, had this to say.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

J.D. VANCE, U.S. VICE PRESIDENT: We have an opportunity here, I think, to reset the relationship that has existed between Iran and the United States for 47 years. That's what the President has asked us to do, and that's what we're going to keep on working at. But it takes two to tango. We are not going to have a deal that allows

the Iranians to have a nuclear weapon. So as the President just told me, we're locked and loaded.

We don't want to go down that pathway, but the President is willing and able to go down that pathway if we have to.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SANDOVAL: The victims of a deadly shooting at the San Diego mosque are being hailed as heroes for preventing the attackers from moving deeper into the building, likely saving many lives.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

HAWA ABDULLAH, DAUGHTER OF SECURITY GUARD KILLED IN MOSQUE SHOOTING: My dad was the number one advocate for safety and keeping our communities safe. He stood against any form of hate, he took his job seriously to protect everyone here, he would want our community to stand together as one. That's exactly what he would want.

And I hope this moment we can all come together and to be kind to one another and to remember who he truly was.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SANDOVAL: That tribute coming from the daughter of the security guard who died as he defended the Islamic Center of San Diego during Monday's attack. He was one of three people who were killed.

The FBI says the two teen suspects who died of apparent self-inflicted gunshot wounds appear to have been radicalized online, which is actually where they met, according to investigators.

And a manifesto has already been recovered by law enforcement. The shooting is being investigated as a hate crime.

[03:25:07]

Well the head of the World Health Organization says that the scale and the spread of the deadly Ebola outbreak in Central Africa that it was some serious concern. It's now estimated that more than 130 deaths have been directly linked to the virus, among more than 500 suspected cases.

A senior U.S. State Department official confirming that a disaster assistance respond team has already been deployed to the DRC and to Uganda. CNN's Larry Madowo has more on the international efforts to contain the outbreak.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

LARRY MADOWO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The concern from public health experts in the region is that there's a likelihood that many people could have been exposed to Ebola. They're just not showing symptoms yet. It might take until three weeks before that begins to happen. This area in Ituri, northeastern DRC, which is the epicenter of the

outbreak, has a lot of insecurity.

About 100,000 people are displaced. It's a mining town. There's a lot of border traffic between this area in Bunia to Uganda across the border.

So even though Uganda says there's no local infections in the country, the two people who were confirmed were Congolese, one died and was sent back across the border, and the other is receiving treatment, the people move back-and-forth.

Some may be asymptomatic right now, but in a few days or a few weeks, they might begin to show symptoms, and they might have come into contact with a lot of people. We've seen the numbers rise to more than 513 suspected cases, more than 130 deaths associated with Ebola.

So as they do more lab testing, contact tracing, and surveillance, the numbers might as well skyrocket, and that affects a huge number of people within these countries, Uganda, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and possibly South Sudan as well. And you've seen these reported even in Kampala, which is a few hundred kilometers away.

So that is why the WHO and many other experts say this could be much deeper of an outbreak than they currently know, and it could have already been spreading for a few weeks in the community before it was detected and confirmed.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SANDOVAL: Larry Madowo, thank you for that report.

And we're back with more in a moment.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[03:30:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

SANDOVAL: Hey everybody. I'm Polo Sandoval in New York, and these are today's top stories.

A summit between Chinese leader Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin underway at this hour in Beijing. The two leaders sat down for talks before taking part in a ceremony to sign agreements just a short time ago. Putin told Xi that relations between their two countries have reached a quote, "unprecedented high level."

President Trump has put a time frame on his decision to temporarily pause planned attacks against Iran. President Trump said that on Tuesday, he was on the verge of launching new strikes before then postponing those possible attacks at the request of several Gulf nations. He also told reporters that despite the wars on popularity that he, quote, "has to do it to prevent Tehran from acquiring a nuclear weapon." And President Trump has succeeded in ousting another Republican rival.

Congressman Thomas Massie lost his primary for Kentucky's 4th House District, but he said he's not going away anytime soon, and that this is the start of a movement. The winner of that race, Ed Gallrein, was actually chosen by the President and thanked him for his counsel.

We're also keeping a very close eye on Georgia, where the Republican race for governor is headed to a runoff next month, since there was no candidate that received at least 51 percent of the vote on Tuesday.

Lieutenant Governor Bert Jones will be facing off against health care billionaire Rick Jackson, he's currently self-funding his campaign. Jones has President Trump's endorsement and served as a false elector in the 2020 election. And the winner of that runoff will be facing former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, who is projected to win the Democratic nomination for Georgia governor by a landslide.

And the Republican Senate race is also headed to a runoff, since no candidate crossed the 50 percent threshold. Trump-backed Congressman Mike Collins will be advancing, along with Derek Dooley, who is endorsed by Georgia's outgoing governor at the moment.

And another race to watch comes next week in Texas, the runoff between incumbent Senator John Cornyn and Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton. Paxton will be heading into the Senate primary runoff with a new burst of support thanks to a late endorsement from Donald Trump. Here's what he had to say about the President's vote of confidence.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

KEN PAXTON (R), TEXAS SENATORIAL CANDIDATE: I'm so honored to have President Trump's endorsement. His endorsement, in my opinion, is the most significant endorsement in my lifetime. So when he endorses, it has a tremendous impact.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SANDOVAL: So Cornyn and the President, they have generally worked well together, but the incumbent Senator was slow to support Trump for his 2024 bid for the White House. He also worked with Democrats to pass gun safety laws in 2022, but Cornyn is not giving up hope just yet.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. JOHN CORNYN (R-TX): You may have seen that he endorsed Ken Paxton in this race, and I think that will certainly have an impact, but we're not giving up the fight. I know who gets to choose our Senators, and it's the people of Texas, and there's no substitute for that.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SANDOVAL: Yes, for many Republican incumbents, we've seen that prove to be the political kiss of death, so we'll see what happens in Texas.

And still to come here on "CNN Newsroom," problems with the economy, meaning problems for your wallet, by the bond market matters to consumer spending after the break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[03:35:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

SANDOVAL: Welcome back, I'm Polo Sandoval, and here are your business headlines.

General Motors announcing that it would start assembling the Chevrolet Groove and the Aveo in Mexico for sale in the local market, and it's part of the U.S. automaker's $1 billion investment in that country. G.M. saying that it will still continue producing the car parts in China.

A group representing several U.S. airlines is now opposing the Trump administration's proposal to privatize security at smaller airports. The CEO of Airlines for America expected to speak before Congress on Wednesday, arguing against that plan. The President has proposed cutting nearly 10,000 workers and $1.5 billion from the annual TSA budget.

And as we look ahead, we are keeping a very close eye on U.S. futures across the board. I want to show you where they stand right now.

You can see Dow Futures down just a slight percentage point there with S&P and Nasdaq numbers considerably up. Of course, we'll certainly see where the day goes, especially with the fragile ceasefire holding in place overseas.

At 30-year bonds, they've hit a 19-year high amid fears of inflation and also of higher interest rates throughout the economy. CNN's David Goodman has more on what that may mean for finances of Americans.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DAVID GOODMAN, CNN BUSINESS SR. REPORTER: So there's a market that you don't think about all the time that's more important than the stock market right now, and it is sending a worrying signal about the economy, and that's the bond market, which you can think of like a scale. And when prices go down, the yield or the interest rate that it pays goes up. And that is happening big time right now as bond prices are falling like a rock and yields are going higher.

And the reason that's happening is all of that negative stuff that's happening in the economy right now. And you can think about it like the cost of inflation or the amount that we need to finance the debt, all of those war costs. We also have potential rate hikes and all the money that we're paying for A.I.

And then, of course, all the consumer spending that fuels all of this. And so the prices are falling and yields are rising.

Actually, the 30-year yield just hit a 19-year high. And the benchmark 10-year yield, well, that's at its highest since 2025. And that's a problem because all of those consumer loans that are pegged to the 10- year yield, well, those are rising too.

Think credit card loan rates and mortgage rates, auto loans. All of that has to do with the yield of those bonds.

[03:40:07]

It's not just consumers, it's also businesses. And they have to pay more money and that means that their stock prices might start to fall. In fact, the stock market is falling today.

And also, the government needs to pay a lot more to finance its debt. So when you think about why the bond market matters so much, the problems with the economy mean problems for your wallet.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SANDOVAL: Britain's Royal Mint teaming up with CNN's parent company, Warner Bros. Discovery, to create the coin that rules them all. This is a new 50-pence coin that celebrates the 25th anniversary of the 2001 "Lord of the Rings" movie. The tail side of the coin is designed around the coveted one ring at the heart of the original fantasy saga by author J.R.R. Tolkien.

A select few will also feature a reflective, all-seeing eye of Sauron, marking the first time that this kind of technology is used on public U.K. coins. These pieces go on sale today, starting at about $20 per unit.

For our international viewers, "World Sport" is next. And for those of you who are here in North America, I'll join you again in just a few moments with more of your headlines here on "CNN Newsroom."

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[03:45:10]

SANDOVAL: The son of the late founder of the Spanish fashion giant Mango has been arrested in connection with his father's death. Jonathan Andick currently serves as the vice chairman of Mango's board, his family standing by him, confident in his innocence. Isaac Andick died after plunging down a 320-foot ravine back in December of 2024 while he was walking with his son.

Forbes estimates that his net worth was about $4.5 billion at the time of his death. Jonathan Andick's bail of one million euros has already been paid. The judge has ordered him to turn over his passport and to make his weekly appearances in court.

To the U.S. now, where fire crews in Southern California are currently racing to contain multiple brush fires that have forced thousands of people to flee their homes.

Let's start with the Sandy Fire. It broke out on Monday morning in the hills of Simi Valley, which is about 30 miles north of Los Angeles. It's reported that the fire has scored 1700 acres and is just 5 percent contained. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNKNOWN: I was working out of my office. I saw dark, darkness, you know, come out of my window. Something was blocking the sun and I looked out the window and I saw the fire right here.

UNKNOWN: It's like so weird. You look there and it's blue, you look here and it's like total fire, you know. It's pretty scary, I mean, we've lived here 24 years and nothing like this has ever happened.

UNKNOWN: It's men and women on the ground and from the air that are fighting this but having the ability to drop up to a thousand gallons of water per drop and a quick turnaround time from a lake nearby has been instrumental.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SANDOVAL: Firefighters say that they have made some significant progress as weather conditions become more favorable. Fortunately, no injuries reported there.

Meanwhile, two other wildfires broke out on Tuesday just hours apart in Riverside County. At least five people have been injured. The Bain fire has scorched nearly 1400 acres and is 10 percent contained.

And the Verona fire that has burned more than 400 acres and it is at 0 percent containment at this hour.

Let's get you back to one of our top stories. The IRS, it is now permanently barred from prosecuting or pursuing claims against President Trump, his family, his businesses, or for any of their past tax issues.

This unprecedented move comes as the U.S. Justice Department is part of its legal settlement with the President. Trump had accused the IRS of mishandling his tax records and sued for $10 billion.

Todd Blanche, Trump's former defense lawyer who now runs the Justice Department as the acting Attorney General, signed the new settlement terms on Tuesday.

And the settlement also includes an agreement that was already set up as a so-called anti-weaponization fund. This is made up of nearly $1.8 billion of your taxpayer money. And it's meant to go to people who claim that they were unfairly investigated by past administrations.

The White House claims that it's non-partisan, but the plan is currently facing some strong pushback as CNN's Paula Reid explains for us.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

PAULA REID, CNN CHIEF LEGAL AFFAIRS CORRESPONDENT: According to the acting Attorney General, the only requirements to apply for an apology and or a monetary settlement is that you are not a member of President Trump's family and you believe you were unfairly targeted by the Justice Department.

Now, the acting Attorney General said this could even include Hunter Biden, who was, of course, prosecuted and convicted by his father's Justice Department. But when pressed by lawmakers of both parties about the details here, Blanch sort of wavered. For example, he was pressed on whether someone convicted of assaulting a police officer on January 6th could be compensated.

Let's take a listen to that.

SEN. CHRIS VAN HOLLEN (D-MD): Will individuals who assaulted Capitol Hill police officers be eligible for this fund?

TODD BLANCHE, ACTING U.S. ATTORNEY GENERAL: Well, as it makes plain, anybody is--

VAN HOLLEN: Just let me know if they're eligible for the fund.

BLANCHE: As was made plain yesterday, anybody in this country is eligible to apply if they believe they were victim of weaponization.

VAN HOLLEN: Mr. Attorney General, let me ask you this. Are there going to be rules that say that if you've assaulted a Capitol Hill police officer or committed a violent crime, you will not be eligible? Why not make that a rule?

BLANCHE: I expect that. Well, because I'm not one of the commissioners setting up the rules. I expect there will be rules set up.

VAN HOLLEN: You're appointing four of the five members, aren't you, Mr. Attorney General?

BLANCHE: Pardon me?

VAN HOLLEN: You're appointing four of the five members.

BLANCHE: I am appointing all five members.

VAN HOLLEN: You can set up the rules. I would hope you would make a rule that anyone convicted of assaulting a police officer of violent crime is simply not eligible. They should not apply.

REID: Now Blanche is the acting attorney general, but if he is tapped to be the permanent attorney general and confirmed, he would indeed be the one selecting the people that will review these claims. He would also be the only one who could audit their decisions.

[03:50:00]

So it's a little surprising he didn't have more details about how this process will work. We've seen this fund has drawn scrutiny from members of both parties. So these are not going to be the last questions that Blanche faces about this controversial use of taxpayer money.

(END VIDEOTAPE) SANDOVAL: Paula Reid, thank you.

The U.S. Justice Department could potentially indict former Cuban leader Raul Castro today. Sources are telling CNN that it's over his alleged role in the downing of two civilian planes 30 years ago that killed three Americans.

And this comes as the Trump administration has recently intensified sanctions against Cuba and imposed an oil blockade. A daughter of the late Cuban President, Fidel Castro, who is living in exile, is warning against underestimating the Cuban government. CNN's Carolina Peguero sat down with her in Miami.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CAROLINA PEGUERO, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Inside a modest Miami home, far from Havana and far from power.

PEGUERO: This is your home sweet home?

ALINA FERNANDEZ, FIDEL CASTRO'S DAUGHTER: Yes, this is my humble abode.

PEGUERO (voice-over): Alina Fernandez, daughter of Cuba's Fidel Castro, is opening a deeply personal window into a complicated legacy. She greets us with coffee.

FERNANDEZ: This is a daily habit.

PEGUERO: For the Cubans.

FERNANDEZ: This is home.

PEGUERO: Yes.

FERNANDEZ: No, for the Cubans, it's just, you cannot wake up or start a day without coffee.

PEGUERO (voice-over): Family photos.

FERNANDEZ: This is my sister. This is my little caricature.

PEGUERO: So you drew Fidel?

FERNANDEZ: Yes.

PEGUERO: Did he ever see these pictures?

FERNANDEZ: I don't know. I assume maybe.

PEGUERO: So this is your mother?

FERNANDEZ: This is my mother. I think she passed speaking about him.

PEGUERO: And who's him?

FERNANDEZ: About Fidel Castro. I think she lasted in love for as long as she lived, which for me is very difficult to understand.

PEGUERO (voice-over): But as the coffee cools, stories about family memories slowly shift to politics and an uncertain future for Cuba as relations with the U.S. reach a near breaking point.

With renewed pressure from President Donald Trump and Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel, warning of a bloodbath should the U.S. attempt to attack the island.

PEGUERO: Do you see an invasion of the U.S. in Cuba territory?

FERNANDEZ: I think that at this point, it depends on the Cubans, which is very worrisome.

PEGUERO: And why does that worry you? What do you feel will be?

FERNANDEZ: Who can desire or want an invasion for his country as easy as it is to say it's sitting here?

PEGUERO (voice-over): She says decades of sanctions and confrontation have hardened Cuba's leadership, creating a government she believes has learned to survive under pressure and respond when challenged.

FERNANDEZ: This is not the first time they are told that an invasion is coming immediately. We've been under invasion for the last 67 years or the threat of an invasion. I'm sure they are prepared.

I will remind everybody that the capacity for reaction of the Cuban regime shouldn't be undermined and underestimated. That can make the difference between a bloodbath and something else.

PEGUERO (voice-over): We asked Alina if she had a message for her uncle, Raul, Fidel's brother, right-hand man and former Cuban President.

FERNANDEZ: I don't have any specific message for Raul Castro. There is nothing I can elaborate to tell him. I assume he knows, being almost 95 years old, what to do and what has he done.

PEGUERO (voice-over): Alina believes Cuba will not cave to U.S. pressure. Yet she is short of saying an invasion is the only way to free the island from the revolution her father once led.

FERNANDEZ: I feel like every other Cuban these times, hopeful, frustrated, sad, hopeful again. Hope prevails.

PEGUERO (voice-over): Carolina Peguero, CNN, Miami.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SANDOVAL; So New York City garbage trucks, they are going from trash to treasure. On Tuesday, the city's Department of Sanitation unveiled five garbage trucks that were transformed into giant murals thanks to local artists.

One all pink truck is described as a love letter honoring the city's sanitation workers. There's another one that resembles a Pac-Man game, which the artist says was designed to be made with repurposed materials. And the city's sanitation commissioner says that the event is a great way to recognize the workers who aren't always noticed.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GREGORY ANDERSON, COMMISSIONER, NEW YORK CITY DEPARTMENT OF SANITATION: Our sanitation workers pick up 24 million pounds of trash, recyclables and compostables every single day. So, you know, that that takes an army of both people and equipment to get done. And, you know, it's great that we have this opportunity to celebrate that work.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SANDOVAL: Each truck will now be heading to New York City's five boroughs to begin their collection routes. Be on the lookout for them here.

[03:55:06]

SANDOVAL: And scientists are discovering the diversity of the deep sea. They've recorded more than eleven hundred previously unknown species just in the last year.

And among some of their findings is this ghost shark in the ocean near Australia, and then there's this worm, which makes its home inside of a glass sponge with a translucent mesh like skeleton, and they also found this carnivorous death ball sponge that uses velcro like hooks to catch crustaceans.

The new discoveries, they are part of a program called the Ocean Census, which involves more than 1000 researchers from 85 different countries. They're in a race against time to catalog as much life as they can before threats like climate change and pollution make them harder or maybe even impossible to find.

And then there's this handyman that's found an unlikely solution to cope with the rising fuel costs. He's transformed a pink Power Wheels Barbie Dream Camper into a fully functioning vehicle that he can drive around his suburban Atlanta neighborhood. He gave it power by installing an engine salvage from an old power washer, there he goes.

Operating the toy car, it actually costs only a fraction of filling up his minivan, which would set him back $60.

How's about that? No windshield to clean, though.

And Britain's King Charles and Queen Camilla, they joined the festivities while visiting a distillery in Northern Ireland. And from the looks of it, it seemed like quite the royal party.

(VIDEO PLAYING)

The king and queen, they were handed traditional Irish drums to play alongside a live band. And of course, you see the dancers there on stage. The celebration, this comes ahead of the world's largest festival of

traditional Irish music and culture coming to Belfast in August. The royals also toured the distillery and, of course, also got to sample some of the whiskey that was made there in-house.

Thank you so much for watching, I'm Polo Sandoval. I'll be back with you with more "CNN Newsroom" in a moment.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)