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Iran Deal Largely Negotiated; Shooting Near White House; Toxic Chemical Concerns. Aired 3-4a ET

Aired May 24, 2026 - 03:30   ET

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

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[03:00:00]

BEN HUNTE, CNN INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR: Hello, wherever you are in the world, you are now in the CNN Newsroom with me, Ben Hunte in Atlanta, and it is so good to have you with me.

Coming up on the show, a potential major breakthrough to open the Strait of Hormuz and end the war in Iran. President Trump says an agreement has been largely negotiated. Details on what's in the deal and what could come next.

A suspect is dead and a bystander is injured after a shooting near the White House. We'll bring you the latest on the incident that prompted a lockdown.

Plus, a state of emergency in California as emergency crews race to prevent a toxic chemical tank from leaking or exploding.

Welcome. The United States and Iran may be on the verge of ending their months-long war. We are now getting new details about a potential peace deal that both sides may be close to signing. A regional source familiar with the negotiations tells CNN the deal is expected to unfold in two phases. Let's break them down.

In the first phase, Iran would reopen the Strait of Hormuz to its pre- war status, with shipping security in the region ensured. Iran will be allowed to resume the sale of fuel and oil. Iran will also provide assurances that it will not pursue nuclear weapons. The second phase will involve a 30 to 60-day ceasefire extension and will focus on detailed negotiations over the nuclear issue. The agreement is likely to be signed in the form of a memorandum of understanding.

CNN Producer Sebastian Shukla joins me now from Berlin. Sebastian, there is so much going on. We're getting some new details there. What more can you tell us?

SEBASTIAN SHUKLA, CNN PRODUCER: Yes, good morning, Ben. What we have here is basically the framework to end this months-long war, something that diplomacy has been actively trying to bring about for the last little while, particularly since the beginning of the weekend and what we saw Qatari and Pakistani mediators arriving in Tehran to begin some of these talks. What we've now seen, as you've mentioned, is that this agreement has been largely negotiated. Those are the words of the U.S. president, Donald Trump. As the framework of this starts to become a little bit clearer, and if it's not a framework, it's certainly the steps that are made up of this.

What we have, first of all, as you mentioned, is the reopening of the strait, vital for the European economy and something that has become a real chokepoint throughout this conflict. What we are seeing is that, what we understand to be is that the strait will be reopened so that shipping will be able to continue to travel and reopen freely the passage of anything that goes through that strait.

What seems to be the sticking point is exactly how that will work and the sovereignty, which is key for Iran, over those waters. There is a dispute. The Iranian Foreign Ministry have been saying that they do not believe the same characterization as has been put forward by Donald Trump.

The second part of it is that the blockade of the strait that was imposed as a result of the cutting off of the strait by the Iranians to U.S. naval assets blockading Iranian ports will be lifted. So, that is again talking about the waterway there. And then there is the unfreezing of Iranian assets which are held in banks, in other banks around the world which has been something that the Iranians have been looking for for quite some time, the easing of sanction, and is likely one of the bargaining chips that they have played in these negotiations.

And then lastly is the start of this clock that is effectively going to be 30 more day extension to the ceasefire, where the thorny detail of Iran's enriched uranium is going to be discussed further. The Iranians have maintained that they would never give up their capabilities to enrich uranium, which they say would only ever be used for civilian purposes.

What we have here now is the possibility, there seems to be a chink of light here that the Iranians may be prepared to give it up. And what we -- New York Times are reporting that they are prepared to give it up. That's something that CNN, we've not been able to independently verify, but would mark a really significant step forward in Iran's nuclear capabilities.

[03:05:08]

So, taking that all into context, Ben, what we've got here is that there was the real prospect of military action coming back on the table. Don't forget that Donald Trump announced earlier this week, last Monday, that he had called off military strikes at the request of Gulf allies, and that we now seem to have reached a moment where diplomacy is likely going to be winning out here. Ben?

HUNTE: Okay, Sebastian, thank you so much for that update. We appreciate it.

Ukrainian emergency crews are assessing the damage from a huge Russian air attack on Kyiv. Explosions rang out into the early hours of the morning. You're seeing some live pictures. The team is bringing you there from Kyiv. With Russian missiles and drones striking residential buildings and other structures across the capital overnight, Kyiv's mayor says at least 20 people have been wounded and at least one person has died.

Residents described a harrowing night as they took shelter.

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NATALLIA ZVARYCH, SHELTERING FROM RUSSIAN STRIKES: We walked under the explosions. We saw things flying up there. It was terrifying, scary. We've been sitting here for more than three hours now, listening to the explosions up there.

VALENTYNA VLASIUK, SHELTERING FROM RUSSIAN STRIKES: The more they bomb us here, the more confidence we have that we are right, you know, our justice and our goodness. They often say that God is with them. What kind of God is with them? It's terrifying even to hear that.

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HUNTE: Earlier, Ukraine and the U.S. had warned about Russian retaliation for a deadly Ukrainian strike on Friday. Russian President Vladimir Putin accuses Ukraine of firing drones on a college dorm in the occupied Luhansk region in a, quote, terrorist act.

Ukraine denies those claims, saying they only target, quote, military infrastructure. Russian state media says 18 people were killed.

Authorities in Washington, D.C., are investigating after Secret Service officers shot and killed a man near the White House just a few hours ago. The agency says the man approached a checkpoint and opened fire on them.

ABC News Correspondent Selina Wang was filming a social media video when she heard a volley of gunshots. Have a look.

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SELINA WANG, ABC NEWS CORRESPONDENT: -- for the two sides to remain far apart.

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HUNTE: Well, sources tell CNN the deceased suspect is 21-year-old Nasire Best. Court records indicate he'd had previous encounters with the Secret Service, as well as mental health concerns. In a social media post early on Sunday, President Donald Trump thanked law enforcement for their prompt response.

CNN's Julia Benbrook was there when the shots rang out, and filed this report for us.

JULIA BENBROOK, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, scary evening here covering the White House Saturday. Members of the White House press corps, we heard what appeared to be gunshots, dozens of gunshots it sounded like, and were rushed into the White House briefing room. That's where we were on lockdown for roughly 40 minutes.

Now, as Secret Service told everyone to get inside, to get safe, we have some of those moments of panic. These were captured by Photojournalist Joe Wagner as he went to safety as well.

We now know that a shooting occurred at 17th and Pennsylvania, not too far from the White House grounds, that the suspect pulled out a weapon and fired at officers. They then returned fire. He was shot, taken to the hospital, and is now dead.

Now, a bystander was also shot. It is unclear if that person was wounded by the suspect or by the return fire. President Donald Trump was here at the White House when all of this took place. He was not impacted. We do know that he has been briefed on the situation.

Julia Benbrook, CNN, the White House.

HUNTE: In our last hour, I got some insights from Steve Moore. He's a CNN law enforcement contributor and a retired FBI supervisory special agent.

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HUNTE: This is someone who was already known to the Secret Service and had other encounters around the White House. At what point does somebody move from being viewed as a troubled individual to being viewed as a genuine security concern?

STEVE MOORE, CNN LAW ENFORCEMENT CONTRIBUTOR: Well, when they do something violent is one thing. But prior to that, you have to cross a bunch of different trip lines. Is this person capable of attacking? Do they have the means to attack? Are they armed? There's an entire matrix of things that you go through to determine the threat level of any individual, and I think possibly because this person appeared to be delusional, he might not have been registered or at least thought of as such an imminent threat.

[03:10:10]

HUNTE: As investigators do go through social media activity and prior contacts with the police, what do you think they're going to be looking for now?

MOORE: They're going to be looking about to where he got his gun. And they're going to be obviously looking at all of his social media, everything on his cellphone, anything he said to people, and the things he said are going to be a little bit out there. I mean, at one point he claimed to be Osama bin Laden. At another point, he claimed to be God. And so it's going to be difficult to pin this down.

The behavioral sciences unit at the FBI will almost certainly be trying to determine what kind of things they can learn from this so that in the future you would not take somebody like this as unseriously as he was. HUNTE: Can you just talk us through the first few seconds of this incident when somebody approaches a security checkpoint and suddenly opens fire? What training and protocol immediately kick in for agents?

MOORE: The training at that point is to get cover and return fire as quickly as possible to stop them from shooting. From what I heard, and this is just an opinion, but it sounded like there were four or six shots in a cadence that was similar to a revolver pistol being fired. There was a long trigger pull, and it was just bang, bang, bang, bang on the same cadence.

About the time the sixth bullet was heard there was just a ration of gunfire coming out. You couldn't tell individual reports from the guns. So, it sounds to me like it took them almost the entire time he was shooting to get their weapons and return fire, which is not surprising.

They're sitting there doing their normal jobs, and all of a sudden bullets are coming at them.

HUNTE: We also know that a bystander was injured. Investigators are still working through exactly how that happened. Are you surprised that more people weren't hurt in this incident?

MOORE: Well, it was raining, I think, and so that may have kept a lot of the bystanders away. Had this happened on a beautiful, sunny day, I think you would have had a lot of tourists there, a lot of people just wanting to see the White House area. That, as you know, is a very crowded area on a beautiful day, and this was not. And so, fortunately, that weather may have saved lives.

HUNTE: I just wonder if you could tell us about any gaps that may be existing within the U.S. healthcare system that would allow someone with mental health issues this level of access to guns and to carry out an incident like this.

MOORE: Well, Ben, I mean, obviously, I think we'd all agree on the fact that somebody like that should not be able to have a firearm. And we have to wonder what's going on in the medical community or in the political community where it deals with psychiatric issues.

You remember, you know -- well, you probably don't remember, but you've studied the fact that in the '70s in America, there was a great uproar that people were being locked away and kept away from population, one flew over the cuckoo's nest, things like that. And it caused a backlash where America didn't want any more to institutionalize people who were delusional and made threats.

HUNTE: It's difficult.

MOORE: There may be a need to go back to that and just fix the problems we had.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HUNTE: Bringing you some breaking news now. At least six people have been killed by a bomb blast in Pakistan's Balochistan province. Dozens more have been reported injured, with many in critical condition. Local police and hospital officials say the explosion caused a passenger train to derail. Rescue teams are working to pull victims from that wreckage.

Police say reports suggest the explosion may have come from a suicide attack. The Baloch Liberation Army militant group, which the U.S. has declared a terrorist organization, is now claiming responsibility.

[03:15:00]

Okay. A state of emergency has been declared in Southern California over an overheating chemical tank at an aerospace facility. After the break, the potentially catastrophic impact that it could have in the surrounding community.

Plus, an update on the mounting Ebola crisis in Central Africa and the global race to find a vaccine for that deadly strain driving the outbreak.

See you in a moment.

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HUNTE: A nine-storey building under construction in the Philippines collapsed early on Sunday. Rescue operations are underway as crews search for survivors, and we're seeing some live pictures there. Philippine officials say 24 people have been rescued from the site in Angeles City, but local media reports say 30 to 40 people are still missing. There's no word yet on what caused that collapse. We'll bring you the latest as we get it.

Emergency crews in Southern California are racing to prevent a potentially catastrophic explosion. That's after a tank holding thousands of gallons of a toxic and highly flammable chemical began overheating at an aerospace facility in Orange County. California Governor Newsom declared a state of emergency on Saturday as crews continue their efforts to cool and stabilize that tank.

CNN's Jenn Sullivan reports for us.

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JENN SULLIVAN, CNN REPORTER (voice over): Authorities in Southern California are desperately trying to cool off this tank that's full of a highly toxic and flammable chemical. If it gets too hot, it could explode.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's been averaging about a degree an hour increasing.

[03:20:02]

SULLIVAN: Orange County Division Chief Craig Covey says the tank should be at around 50 degrees, but Saturday, temperatures reached as high as 90. This is at the GKN Aerospace plant in Orange County. The company issuing a statement Saturday saying, in part, we are working tirelessly with all relevant experts to resolve the situation as safely as possible.

For the past two days, authorities have been spraying the tank with water to help cool it off. It's full of methyl methacrylate. It's a chemical used to manufacture plastics. It can cause skin irritation, respiratory issues, and headaches if people are exposed, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.

That's why authorities have evacuated thousands of people who live and work in the nine-square-mile area around the facility.

STEPHANIE KLOPFENSTEIN, MAYOR OF GARDEN GROVE, CALIFORNIA: We understand that this is frightening. We understand that people are worried about their homes, their businesses, their pets, and their loved ones.

SULLIVAN: Shelters have been set up to help people who had to evacuate, and some hotels are offering discounts.

Health officials say the air should be safe outside the evacuation area. Still, many residents say they're concerned.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Hopefully they can do something, because it's really dangerous.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: And nobody knows anything. Nobody can really give us any details about what's going on.

SULLIVAN: Disneyland parks are just outside the evacuation zone in Anaheim. The mayor there says they are monitoring the situation very closely.

I'm Jenn Sullivan reporting.

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HUNTE: I spoke with Dr. Elaine Bernal, a lecturer in chemistry and biochemistry at California State University earlier. I asked about the drones and remote sensing technologies that emergency responders are now using.

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ELAINE BERNAL, LECTURER, CHEMISTRY AND BIOCHEMISTRY, CAL STATE LONG BEACH: That technology is so important because it's a way to keep track of any spikes, any trends, any changes in trends in order to keep the first responders safe. Is it safe to keep them in there? So, that's why the remote sensing is very important at this point, so that responders can react accordingly.

HUNTE: We are also hearing concerns around pressure building inside the tank. Can you help us to understand why that's creating such a challenge for responders?

BERNAL: I think it's creating such a challenge for respondents because, again, the remote sensing is important to see if the temperature's spiking or not. What happens is as the MMA cools from the outside in, there isn't really a way to see what's going on inside other than looking at the internal temperature.

It's been a challenge to perhaps open the tank because that's been floated. However, doing something invasive, doing something to physically open the tank, perhaps drilling into it, can actually create sparks that can create further side reactions that are unintended and can be dangerous.

HUNTE: People may wonder why evacuation orders remain in place even when officials say there isn't an active plume right now. Can you help us to explain why authorities are still taking such a cautious approach here?

BERNAL: I think authorities are taking such a cautious approach here because even though there is no active plume, there is some uncertainty around the tank that is actively reacting right now, and also the temperature.

Again, it's important to monitor that throughout this evening and then throughout the next few days to see if it's stable, to see what the trends are. So, that's why it's important for folks to evacuate and stay evacuated until the authorities clear that it's safe to come back.

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HUNTE: We want to bring you an update on our breaking news. At least 23 bodies have now been recovered after a bomb blast in Pakistan's Balochistan province. Dozens more have been reported injured, with many in critical condition. Local police and hospital officials say the explosion caused a passenger train to derail.

Rescue teams are working to pull victims from that wreckage, and police say reports suggest the explosion may have come from a suicide attack. The Baloch Liberation Army militant group, which the U.S. has declared a terrorist organization, is claiming responsibility.

The Ebola outbreak in Central Africa is now the second largest ever on record. Health officials there confirm 91 cases alongside more than 860 suspected cases. Three Red Cross volunteers are believed to be among the earliest fatalities after reportedly contracting the virus on a regional humanitarian mission in March.

This all comes amid growing public backlash in the Democratic Republic of Congo, where a second Ebola treatment center was set ablaze on Saturday. 18 suspected Ebola patients are now unaccounted for after running away during the attack.

The absence of approved medical treatments for this rare strain of the virus has sparked a global race to now find a way to try to limit the outbreak. Scientists at Oxford University are reportedly developing a new Ebola vaccine that could enter clinical trials in the coming months.

A professor with the Oxford Vaccine Group explained the urgency behind their efforts.

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TERESA LAMBE, PROFESSOR, OXFORD VACCINE GROUP: So, normally, a vaccine will take some time to get made and get tested, so, typically, it will take five to ten years. We don't have that luxury here. So, what we're trying to do is do many of the steps that are routinely done, do it in parallel. So, we are working as hard and as fast as we can.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HUNTE: My colleague, Brian Abel, spoke with former New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark, who now co-chairs the World Health Organization's independent panel for Pandemic Preparedness and Response. She was asked whether this outbreak could potentially become the largest ever, surpassing West Africa's severe outbreak over a decade ago. Nearly 11,000 people died then, and about 28,000 were infected.

Have a listen to her thoughts on the containment of the crisis so far.

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HELEN CLARK, CO-CHAIR, INDEPENDENT PANEL FOR PANDEMIC PREPAREDNESS AND RESPONSE, WHO: So, the big West African outbreak also got away before there was a concerted international response. This one is at this point largely confined in this eastern area of DRC. But as we know, there are cases across borders as well.

The key thing is to jump on it very, very hard now, and to learn the lessons of the future, which is that we cannot relax our grip on surveillance and detection. A stitch in time always saves nine, and unfortunately, we didn't have that stitch in time here. This was away before anyone knew. So, just throw everything at putting a ring around it, supporting those affected, stopping further spread. This is critical.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HUNTE: When we return, I'll speak with an analyst on Iran about the latest peace proposal that's on the table and what is included in the potential agreement. We will see you in just a moment.

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[03:30:00]

HUNTE: Welcome back. I am Ben Hunte. Let's take a look at today's top stories.

Authorities in Washington, D.C., are working to determine why a man approached a checkpoint near the White House and opened fire. Secret Service agents shot and killed him. A bystander was also injured and is now hospitalized. President Trump, who was at the White House, was not affected, but thanked law enforcement for their prompt response. Crews in Southern California are racing to prevent a tank full of hazardous chemicals from exploding. Thousands of people in Orange County remain under evacuation orders as firefighters work to cool and stabilize that tank at an aerospace facility. Governor Gavin Newsom has declared a state of emergency.

U.S. President Donald Trump says a peace deal with Iran has been largely negotiated. A regional source familiar with the talks tells CNN the deal is expected to unfold in two phases. Iran would reopen the Strait of Hormuz in the first phase, and the second phase would involve a 30 to 60-day ceasefire extension and detailed negotiations over the nuclear issue.

The U.S. secretary of state says there is a chance that, quote, we may have something to say about an Iran deal soon. Right now, Marco Rubio is meeting with Indian officials in New Delhi. We're seeing him speak right there. I think these are some live pictures for you. The U.S. war with Iran is taking a toll on India's energy supplies, and that's created some tension between the U.S. and India.

Rubio is pushing U.S. energy as a solution. He also insists the Strait of Hormuz needs to be reopened as soon as possible.

Overnight strikes in Southern Lebanon forced residents in the city of Tyre to evacuate their homes. After the sun rose, people surveyed the damage and sifted through the rubble. Israel says it targeted and destroyed Hezbollah infrastructure.

Both Israel and Hezbollah accuse each other of violating a ceasefire agreement that was announced on April 16th.

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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's a residential area, densely populated. People returned during the ceasefire, a ceasefire that's unfortunately fragile. They returned thinking they were safe.

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HUNTE: Also in Tyre, funerals were held on Saturday for two medics killed in Israeli strikes. They were among six medical personnel killed in a pair of strikes that took place in Southern Lebanon on Thursday and Friday.

Danny Citronowitz is a senior fellow of the Institute for National Security Studies. He's also the former Iran branch head of the research and analysis division of Israeli military intelligence. He's joining us from Rehovot, Israel. Thank you so much for being with me.

President Trump says a deal is now largely negotiated, but based on what you're seeing and hearing from the region, how close do you actually believe the sides are to an agreement now?

DANNY CITRINOWICZ, SENIOR FELLOW, INSTITUTE FOR NATIONAL STUDIES: Good morning from Rehovot, Ben. As we all know, we're in the Middle East. The sides are definitely very close to an agreement. We had a very unique phone call between President Trump and the leaders of the region just to see how they can push things forward. So, definitely, we're on the verge of an agreement, but until we won't see the sides agreeing to that and implementing that, then we have to assume that the negotiation is still continuing.

But definitely I think that the one thing is important to say that within the bad option that President Trump had, he chosen the least bad option by reaching an agreement with Iran.

HUNTE: Just tell me from an Israeli perspective, what are officials and analysts watching for right now around this proposed deal? You sound very confident about it, though.

CITRINOWICZ: Yes, as confident as we can be because, as I mentioned, I think we are very close to a deal. I think from Israel we can hear a lot of worried statement coming from senior leadership, but also commentators thinking that this deal is not actually will help Israel in its continuous battle against Iran.

[03:35:03]

The problem is that, as we all know in this agreement, actually strengthen the regime that Israel seek to topple, and even more than that, you have the discussion on the nuclear only in the second phase, and nobody actually mentioning the missiles and the proxies.

So, definitely, there are a lot of concern in Israel regarding the deal. But the problem in Israel that we don't have anything to do about it, so that Prime Minister Netanyahu can go to the -- return back to the Congress and give some sort of a speech against President Trump. So, at the end of the day, we are forced to accept anything that President Trump will decide to agree with the Iranians.

HUNTE: We are, of course, hearing some very different messages coming out of Washington and Tehran. Do you think that both sides are just trying to shape the narrative for their own audiences here?

CITRINOWICZ: Definitely. I think that both sides tried to claim that he won in the war and he won in negotiation. We have to say that this agreement is actually a strategic gain for Iran. On the 20th of February, Israel and the U.S. started the war to topple this regime, and actually now they are forced, especially the Washington, they are forced to negotiate with the same thing that they wanted to topple. And even worse than that, they are going to strengthening by unfreezing the money that they had all around the world.

So, I think in that regard, definitely the Iranian has the benefits, but I think they also understood that they don't want to continue wars forever, and they agreed to an agreement that they believe actually will serve their interests in the longer run.

In terms of President Trump, as I mentioned, at the end of the day, he didn't have, I think, other option. He could continue the blockade, but nothing could have happened. And we all know if we turn back to war at the end of the day, nothing would have changed because Iranians would have capitulate and the implication for the international economy were very severe if President Trump would have decided to do that.

So, the bottom line of things, I think that Iran has the upper hand. We have to wait to see, of course, what will happen in the future, but I don't think that President Trump and administration had a better option.

HUNTE: I just want to play something from Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman. He said on Saturday the priority was ending the war on all fronts, including Lebanon. Have a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ESMAEIL BAGHAEI, IRAN FOREIGN MINISTRY SPOKESPERSON: We decided that at this stage, the priority and focus should be on the issue that is urgent for all of us, which is ending the war on all fronts, and I stress, including Lebanon.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HUNTE: So, how significant is that language to you, and what does it tell you about Iran's priorities in these talks right now?

CITRINOWICZ: Well, definitely one of the biggest achievements of Iran during this war is the fact that you had a proxy joining in, especially Hezbollah, Lebanon. So, for them, they want to preserve the Axis of Resistance, so they will make sure that the ceasefire will be also implemented in Lebanon.

This create a major problem from Israel, especially for Prime Minister Netanyahu. If Israel will be forced to stop the war, but even if it wasn't that, return back to our borders, that it's a political blow to Prime Minister Netanyahu that actually assured the citizens up north in Israel that actually they're going to dismantle Hezbollah.

So, this is a very problematic thing when you look at the Israeli interest in that regard. But as I mentioned, I don't think that Prime Minister Netanyahu has something to do about it. He cannot challenge President Trump, so I think if that will happen, it will be another important achievement for the Iranians thinking that actually they're preserving the Axis of Resistance by forcing a ceasefire also in Lebanon.

HUNTE: What would tell you over the next few hours that this is moving toward a genuine breakthrough?

CITRINOWICZ: Definitely, we are going to -- again in the Middle East, we are talking about two side that they have deep mistrust regarding each other. So, we have to be very cautious. I think we won't see things happening in terms of the agreement, but also opening the straits and lifting the blockade as a first move to building confidence and renew negotiation.

But, definitely, we can say one important thing. We are the closest as we ever been since the war started for an agreement that actually will end this war. I'm not saying peace between Israel between Iran and the U.S., of course, we are not there yet, but I think we are in a very important stage when I think war will actually -- won't return back, and what we'll see return back to negotiation table.

Again, with the cautious we have to emphasize in that regard, but I think that definitely we are very, very close to a breakthrough. And the next couple of hours and maybe days will be crucial to understanding whether the sides are actually agreeing to the agreement and returning back to negotiation.

HUNTE: Well, let's see what happens. Danny Citrinowicz, thank you so much. The team and I very much appreciate your insights there. Thank you.

CITRINOWICZ: Thank you.

HUNTE: Thousands took to the streets in Serbia's capital where a large anti-government protest turned violent on Saturday.

[03:40:00]

So what you're seeing there is video of riot police clashing with protesters in Belgrade city center. That's following repeated calls from Serbia's student-led movement for fresh elections and reform. This is the latest in a series of demonstrations against the president, which can be traced back to 2024, shortly after 16 people were killed by a collapsed awning at a railway station.

All right, the Trump administration continues its crackdown on immigration. Details on the new rule targeting green card hopefuls and how the changes could lead to thousands leaving the country.

See you in a moment.

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HUNTE: Welcome back. A tough choice is ahead for hundreds of thousands of immigrants who are trying to get green cards while they live in the U.S. The Trump administration now says if they want one of the residency visas, they have to leave the U.S. and return to their home countries to make their applications.

Green cards, nicknamed for their color, provide a path to U.S. citizenship. Attorneys, lawmakers, and immigration advocates have now criticized the new rule, which will likely face many legal challenges.

Joining us now is Attorney and CNN Opinion Writer Raul Reyes. Thank you so much for joining me, sir, I appreciate it.

Let's just start with the basics.

[03:45:00]

What exactly has changed here, and what are your thoughts on these changes?

RAUL REYES, CNN OPINION COLUMNIST: Well, a lot has changed here now. We are talking about a radical shift in immigration policy. We're now -- just to be clear, when we start -- just to start off our discussion, we're talking about legal immigrants, lawful immigration. This is not about illegal immigration.

What the government is now telling people who are here in this country who want to apply for the green card, it now is telling them basically they need to self-deport. They need to go, at their own expense, back to their country of origin, where they will have to wait months, maybe even years or indefinitely, with no guarantee of returning back to the U.S., just to get their green card. And up until this weekend, this was a process people could do while they're in the United States. So, we are looking at potentially massive disruption of people's lives, their jobs and in their communities.

HUNTE: So, the big question is, can people in America right now still get a green card without leaving the country for one?

REYES: Well, I will be honest with you. Every immigration and attorney in the United States has had their email and phone calls just blowing up because there's so much confusion and anxiety about this new policy. This was just rolled out by the administration in very vague terms. So, we don't know if people who are already in the green card process will be forced to leave the country and continue it there.

We don't know the exact date that this will take effect. There's so much confusion surrounding this policy, which seems to create so many problems while not solving any. And this is taking place at a time when all clear majorities of Americans say that lawful immigration is good for the country.

HUNTE: The administration says this restores the original intent of immigration law. What's their argument for why they say this change is necessary, though?

REYES: The administration says that this new policy is true to the original intent of the law of governing in-country adjustment of status. And they say that it prevents -- the government is saying that it prevents abuse that it prevents, they say, visa overstays, and it prevents people potentially coming into the country illegally. But we know that Congress created this law in 1952 allowing for exactly what the administration is now telling people they cannot do, which is to process their green card while still in the United States.

So, I think the administration's argument is going to be very hard to make in court of law. It's certainly a break from precedent and what we've seen historically across Republican and Democratic administrations. But in the meantime, we're going to have potentially hundreds of thousands of people in a kind of legal limbo, unsure of what their future's going to be, and if they can indeed go through the process to obtain legal permanent residence in the United States.

HUNTE: So, overall, is this good news or bad news for people trying to move to America?

REYES: I think most people are taking this as bad news because there's so much confusion and uncertainty about legal immigration. And this sends -- at a broader level, this sends a message to people that obviously the United States is not as welcoming to legal immigrants. It sends a message to employers in the U.S. that maybe they should not be offering jobs to foreign nationals. And I think at the personal level, it just injects a lot of fear into a process that works best when the law is clearly and consistently applied.

That's not what we're seeing here with this huge shift being just sprung on the public, the legal community just in a matter of days.

HUNTE: Well, Raul, we appreciate your insight. Thank you for that. And to anyone watching this who's going through the process, obviously thoughts with you. I've been through this, and it is very, very rough. It is very difficult. But, hopefully, you will get through it. Thank you again, Raul Reyes.

REYES: Thank you.

HUNTE: The U.S. is seeing a record number of wildfires this year. We will explain what is behind that rise next.

See you in a moment.

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[03:50:00]

HUNTE: Welcome back. The family of NASCAR Driver Kyle Busch has announced that he died after severe pneumonia progressed into sepsis. On Wednesday, Busch was transported to a hospital in North Carolina. Almost 24 hours later, Busch's family announced his sudden and tragic passing. The two-time NASCAR Cup Series champion was just 41 years old and in the middle of his 22nd season in NASCAR's top division. He was also scheduled to race this weekend.

Busch's team has suspended the use of his number 8 and says they will save it until his son is ready to begin racing himself.

Okay, let's turn now to the NBA playoffs. The New York Knicks appear to be running away with the Eastern Conference Finals. Their 121-108 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers on Saturday is New York's tenth in a row this postseason. That's marking a new franchise record. The Knicks now hold a commanding three-game lead in the series and are just one win away from their first NBA Finals appearance since 1999.

All across the United States, wildfire activity has already reached historic levels this year. CNN Meteorologist Allison Chinchar breaks down the numbers for us, and she explains why wildfires have been particularly severe this year.

ALLISON CHINCHAR, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Wildfire season is off to a historic start. You can see all across the maps, each one of these little red dots indicates where we already have a fire so far this year. The total number of fires across the U.S., nearly 30,000, that is the highest we've had in roughly two decades.

[03:55:03]

Even when you compare to what the ten-year average would be, that's closer to 20,000. It's not just the total number of fires either, but the total area that has burned. We are looking at more than 2 million acres so far. Typically, we would only have just a little more than 1 million acres burned.

What's fueling a lot of that is the drought that has been impacting so much of the country. In fact, one-fifth, roughly 20 percent of the country, has been dealing with level three out of four, or the extreme category of drought, nearly many areas of the country. You're talking the Southeast, the Central U.S., and even out into the West.

The concern has really been across portions of the southeastern portion of the country, where we don't usually see this much widespread drought already so early into the year. The one bit of good news is, as we continue through the holiday weekend, rain is expected across much of the eastern half of the country. This should not only help with the ongoing fires, but also the drought conditions as well.

HUNTE: Intense temperatures are scorching parts of Northern and Central India. That is triggering a growing water crisis all across the region. Temperatures have spiked as high as 47 degrees Celsius, or about 116 degrees Fahrenheit in some states.

India's weather office has issued several heat wave warnings. Experts say the above average temperatures are being fueled by the El Nino weather pattern, increasing the demand for water.

Okay, that's all we've got for you. Thanks for joining me and the team. I'm Ben Hunte in Atlanta. Our coverage, of course, continues after this very quick break.

I'll see you tomorrow. Kim, over to you.

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