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Trump Says, Iran Agrees to Nuclear Weapons Terms; Search for Missing Miners; PSG are Back-to-Back Champions. Aired 3-4a ET

Aired May 31, 2026 - 03:00   ET

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

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BEN HUNTE, CNN 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, the U.S. president says Iran agrees it will not acquire or develop nuclear weapons, but the status of the Strait of Hormuz and a peace deal is still up in the air.

The search goes on in Laos for two missing miners, a day after four men walked out of a flooded cave.

And Paris Saint-Germain are crowned champions, two years in a row.

Welcome. U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is warning that American forces are ready to resume fighting with Iran if needed, and he says the U.S. is in a stronger position to do just that. The U.S. is also enforcing its blockade of Iranian ports. The country's military says it fired a missile at a Gambian-flagged commercial ship that was heading to Iran on Friday after giving more than 20 warnings that it was violating the blockade.

President Donald Trump is still insisting that the U.S. is very close to reaching a peace deal with Iran. He says Iran has agreed to never develop or buy a nuclear weapon.

CNN's Nada Bashir is joining me now live from London. Nada, it's good to see you.

There has been so much back and forth on this peace deal, and still so many unanswered questions, but what are you hearing right now?

NADA BASHIR, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, it had been understood, Ben, that there was some sort of tentative agreement, but, clearly, the finer details of that agreement are still being ironed out. We haven't had any sort of formal announcement from the U.S. president, quite the contrary, actually. He said just last night that he is not in a hurry to sign this deal. He wants to ensure that this is a deal that meets all of the terms that the U.S. has, of course, put forward, all of President Trump's red lines.

Of course, as you mentioned, Ben, there are some very key, very significant issues on the table, including, of course, crucially for the United States, reopening the Strait of Hormuz to a pre-war level, but also questions around the nuclear issue. This has long been hanging over the entire mediation process with questions as to whether that would be included in this current peace proposal on the table, which is essentially a memorandum of understanding, potentially an extension of the current ceasefire, but, again, something that is laying the groundwork for a future long-lasting peace agreement, or whether perhaps that nuclear issue is dealt with at a later date.

At this stage, the U.S. president has said that he believes Iran has agreed not to develop nuclear weapons. Take a listen.

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DONALD TRUMP, U.S. PRESIDENT: I would rather get a deal because we can open the strait immediately upon signing. The one guarantee that I have to have is that there will be no nuclear weapons. They've agreed to that. And it was very interesting. They originally said, we will not develop a nuclear weapon. I said, well, what happens if you buy a nuclear weapon? So, now it says, we will not develop or in any way purchase a military weapon. That's a big difference.

So, we're getting what we want slowly, very tough negotiators. It takes a long time. I'm in no hurry. I'd like to say I'm in a hurry because, you know, well, gasoline prices are going to come tumbling down. But if you're going to be in a hurry, you're not going to make a good deal. And slowly but surely, we're getting, I think, what we want. And if we don't get what we want, we're going to end it a different way

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BASHIR: And that different way was also, of course, hinted towards by the U.S. defense secretary, Pete Hegseth, who has said that U.S. forces are fully prepared to resume hostilities, if indeed that is necessary.

On the Iranian side, of course, we haven't heard any sort of signals of a firm agreement at this stage either. The Iranians, of course, have been very clear that they want to see the blockade lifted on Iranian ports to allow for free shipping routes. They want to allow, of course, the unfreezing of Iranian assets, billions of dollars worth of Iranian assets.

It appears as though at this stage that might come in exchange for the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz at a pre-war level.

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But, again, no clear conclusions just yet.

HUNTE: Okay, Nada Bashir in London, thank you so much. I appreciate it.

As President Trump weighs a potential deal with Iran, his former national security adviser tells CNN the waiting game is working in Tehran's favor.

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JOHN BOLTON, FORMER TRUMP NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISER: Well, I think there must be confusion over what people think has been agreed, or more likely, in my view, Trump is dissatisfied with what he sees in the agreement. He's worried that parts of it could come back to haunt him or be the subject of criticism. And they're trying to figure a way out of it.

I think this is the sort of indecision, though, that's a gift to Iran. Every day that goes by that Iran isn't being bombed, the regime can dig out, try and regroup and re-entrench its position. It would certainly like to be free of our blockade of their exports of oil, but, fundamentally, the regime is more interested right now in just basic regime survival. And this delay ultimately benefits the regime more than it benefits us or the people of Iran.

I think they caused enormous destruction inside Iran. There's no doubt about it. There appears to be, from more recent intelligence analysis, that there's more that could be done. And I think that speaks to just how determined, really how fanatic, this militaristic ideological regime really is, that they're not spending money on the welfare of the Iranian people. They're doing work to entrench themselves in power.

So, if there's more to be done then I think there's that's what we should focus on, because otherwise, if the regime holds on and eventually gets to export oil again, they'll simply rebuild all the facilities we've destroyed. And in some definable period of time, we'll be right back worrying about the nuclear weapons program, right back worried about their terrorist proxies around the region and around the world and all the rest of it.

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HUNTE: The head of the U.N. nuclear watchdog says someone is playing with fire following a recent drone strike on Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant. The watchdog says it has recently been informed about the strike, which hit the plant's turbine hall. The organization added that nuclear sites should not be attacked under any circumstances, and that its inspectors will assess the damage.

Russian troops still occupy Zaporizhzhia, which is Europe's largest nuclear power plant.

New Jersey officials say they're trying to lower the temperature following a string of tense demonstrations outside an ICE detention facility in Newark. Opposing crowds of supporters and protesters were separated by law enforcement on Saturday. It comes amid concerning reports of inhumane living conditions inside ICE's Delaney Hall facility.

Nine people were arrested on Thursday, and six more were taken into custody on Friday following clashes between demonstrators and officers. Rescue divers have been called back to the flooded cave in Laos to assist the ongoing search for two missing miners. Diver Josh Richards says rainfall at the site may have increased water levels inside the cave too. He explains what is going to happen next.

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JOSH RICHARDS, RESCUE DIVER: From what we know, there is a significant air pocket that is considerably further on, another 100 meters or so through fairly lethal passage that the only place they could still be would be there.

So, we are potentially going to be pushing through to try and provide support and see if we can search the remaining tunnel.

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HUNTE: Just days ago, seven men entered the cave to search for gold as part of an informal mining exploration. They became trapped when heavy rainfall flooded those tunnels. Since then, one was rescued and four others were able to walk out themselves on Saturday after enough water was pumped out.

CNN was the only team on the scene when the four men freed themselves. Will Ripley shows us those extraordinary moments of joy and relief too.

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WILL RIPLEY, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: We are just -- I want to get you a little bit closer. Come on in here so you can see this incredible scene. They've just loaded two of the men, I believe, into these ambulances, which are on standby. You can see they're carrying a third villager down now.

So, you can see the entire village is coming out here. People are recording with their phones. You've got smiles, you've got people with looks of absolute astonishment because these men, they thought, everybody thought they were going to need to be ushered out by this team of highly skilled international divers, and they climbed out on their own. They showed the world how it's done here in Central Laos.

Obviously, there's a lot of medical care that they're going to need, which makes it all the more extraordinary that they crawled out of that cave 260 meters, more than 850 feet, on their own.

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A testament to the hard work, the days of pumping water out of the cave, and that the rain has not fallen yesterday and hasn't fallen yet today.

And here he is getting in the ambulance on the way to the hospital. It's just an extraordinary ending to really an extraordinary story here. These are some of the locals who've been gathering, some of the people who've been assisting with the search. You have dozens of people in this village, and we now have -- Kocha (ph), is this the -- I think Kocha's coming. This is the mother of one of the men who was rescued. Hey, Kocha.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Mother of the last guy who just, like, sent to the hospital.

RIPLEY: Kocha, let's talk. Sure ... come on over here. You guys remember Kocha from yesterday. How are you feeling? Congratulations.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Thank you. Thank you so much.

Thank you for helping me.

RIPLEY: Thank you for helping me.

This is one of those moments, really one of those once-in-a-lifetime moments that you take a mental snapshot and you always remember, and that's just us standing here at the bottom of this mountain. You can only imagine what it was like for the rescuers from Thailand, from here in Laos, from all over the world.

And you can see these fellows now. You've got Robin there, who's from France, based in Indonesia. You've got Mikko. He's he's based here in here in Laos. Based actually over in Thailand, I should say.

Hey, guys. Can we talk to you? We're on live. Yes. Can I just -- Joshua from Australia, Mikko, Robin, holy molly. Congratulations.

ROBIN CUESTA, FRENCH RESCUE DIVER: I was very worried this morning that we had to extract them by diving, because I don't think they would have make it alive. And they could still like have a laugh and --

RIPLEY: They were laughing?

CUESTA: Yes, they were laughing, yes, and say like, oh, thank you, bye-bye. So, I think they're strong guy.

MIKKO PAASI, FINNISH RESCUE DIVER: The fact that they actually crawled out by themselves, that talks a lot about it. It's not a -- it's quite physical.

It's rainy season. This is the exact kind of storm that caused the cave to flood 11 days ago. This is why they got stuck down there, and now the storm is coming up again after an extraordinary two-day almost pause in the rain. It was supposed to rain yesterday, it was supposed to rain all day today, but it's just now starting to rain at 5:17 in the evening. And they are out, they're at the hospital getting the medical care they need. They're back with their families. We're going to wait for an update on the two that are still missing.

(END VIDEOTAPE) HUNTE: The head of the World Health Organization is in the Democratic Republic of Congo, which is currently experiencing a deadly Ebola outbreak, and CNN is with him. We'll go live to the region for the latest.

Plus, Paris Saint-Germain set out to defend its Champions League title against Arsenal on Saturday. Still ahead, a closer look at that match that was decided by one single kick.

See you in a moment.

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HUNTE: Welcome back. The director general of the World Health Organization is in the Democratic Republic of Congo. That's where an outbreak of the Ebola virus is believed to have caused at least 238 deaths and more than 1,000 suspected infections.

Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus went to the province where the first cases were confirmed. While traveling, he spoke with CNN's Clarissa Ward.

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CLARISSA WARD, CNN CHIEF INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Take it as soon as possible. Are you worried that this could spread to the level that we saw in 2014?

DR. TEDROS ADHANOM GHEBREYESUS, DIRECTOR-GENERAL, WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION: It depends on how we respond. If we move fast, and we're asking the international community to move fast in terms of funding and others, we can stop it, and the government can stop it, communities can stop it. So, it depends. If we don't take it seriously, of course, it can outsmart us.

WARD: I have to ask you, the United States pulled out of the WHO in January, dismantled USAID last July. How has that impacted the response?

GHEBREYESUS: So first, we're working with the U.S. They're working with us. And, second, they're putting resources. They're allocating a lot of money. So, I'm glad to see this, and I can see commitment from all levels starting from the highest to the technical people we meet on the ground, and that's very good. So, working together, unity, solidarity is the key. This virus cannot be stopped if there is a vacuum between us, when there are cracks in the solidarity, because solidarity is the best immunity, and I'm glad that U.S. is doing that.

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HUNTE: Meanwhile, Kenya is pushing ahead with an Ebola quarantine facility in partnership with the U.S. despite a high court order temporarily barring it earlier this week. It is intended for Americans exposed to Ebola in the DRC. A source tells CNN that U.S. personnel arrived on Saturday at a Kenyan air base where the controversial facility will be located.

Larry Madowo is there in Kenya and joins us now from Nairobi. Larry, it's good to see you.

Are the two countries still going ahead with this U.S. quarantine center? What's going on?

LARRY MADOWO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It appears that's what's happening here, Ben. And the Kenyans are kind of threading this fine needle where they're just within the law while not violating this court order.

So, a judge on Friday temporarily blocked Kenya from getting into this agreement with the United States from allowing anybody exposed to Ebola from coming into the country until the case is heard and determined. It'll come up for another mention on Tuesday.

But in the meantime, the Kenyan Ministry of Health confirming that it is setting up an Ebola isolation and treatment center at Laikipia Air Base. That's a military facility in Central Kenya. And a source telling CNN that the Americans who will run this facility arrived on Saturday.

The Health and Human Services Department of the U.S. previously told CNN that the Public Health Service Commissioned Corps will be sending specialized trained units to this facility in Kenya.

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They include doctors, nurses, lab technologists, engineers, mental health practitioners who will essentially care for and support Americans who might have been exposed to Ebola in the Democratic Republic of Congo. This has led to huge national outrage here in Kenya, and many here fear that the Kenyan government and the U.S. will be importing Ebola into the country when Kenya so far has no Ebola cases.

This is the health minister on national television Saturday night.

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ADEN DUALE, KENYAN CABINET SECRETARY, MINISTRY OF HEALTH: There's no way where it is said we are bringing Ebola patients to Laikipia. That facility is a military facility. Kenyans' defense forces will use that facility. Other Kenyans will use that facility.

And by the way, let me say this. I don't know why people are so much about the U.S., if there's one country that has contributed between 25 to 35 percent of the health budget since independence.

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MADOWO: He's right that the U.S. has supported Kenya's health budget for a long time, as much as 35 percent. Kenya was the first of the African nations to sign into this America First, the Make America Healthy Again pacts. It's a memorandum of understanding that the U.S. will support some of the healthcare budgets in these African countries, but these African countries also have to step up and fund some of that budget.

Now, one other thing about these Ebola quarantine facilities that are being talked about here is that both the Kenyan and the U.S. governments have a history, at least these current administrations, of violating court orders. So, it would not be surprising, Ben, if this is what was happening here.

HUNTE: Okay. Larry Madowo in Nairobi, thank you so much for that. I appreciate it.

Pope Leo is calling on everyone to do their part for peace, including on social media. The appeal comes just days after the pope's landmark address on artificial intelligence. In his first major document, he warned that A.I. is fueling world conflicts and said A.I. should not be controlled by just a handful of people.

The first U.S.-born pope made his latest comment on Saturday as he led congregants in a rosary prayer for peace in the Vatican Gardens.

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POPE LEO XIV: Yet everyone can and must do their part, beginning with small but important things, abstaining from every form of verbal and physical violence in daily life and also on social media.

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HUNTE: Visibility dropped to almost zero in parts of India during powerful sandstorms. They blanketed parts of India's desert state of Rajasthan on Saturday. The clouds of sand turned the skies a shade of amber brown. The Indian Weather Service has issued warnings in Rajasthan for thunderstorms, lightning, and dust storms.

Paris Saint-Germain has won its second straight Champions League title. That's despite trailing Arsenal for most of the match. PSG scored on a second-half penalty kick to level 1-1. In the end, the match was decided after extra time in a nail-biting penalty shootout.

While there was certainly drama on the pitch, French police say more than 400 people were arrested in the rowdy celebrations that followed. Thousands of officers had been mobilized ahead of the match and moved in on the crowds to control the unrest.

CNN's Patrick Snell has a closer look at Saturday's high-stakes match.

PATRICK SNELL, CNN WORLD SPORT: It's back-to-back titles now for Luis Enrique's team after PSG overcame English Premier League champions Arsenal on Saturday in Budapest. The Parisians now just the second team this century to win the Champions League in consecutive seasons after you know who, Real Madrid.

And the Gunners making an unbelievable dream start, taking the lead in just the sixth minute of play. German star Kai Havertz smashing the ball into the back of the net from the tightest of angles there, right into the roof of the net, past PSG's Russian goalie Matvei Safonov, who had no chance at all of keeping that one out.

Havertz in dreamland as the men from North London take the lead, a brilliant opener from Havertz. So, just past the hour mark now. We re- pick up the action. Last season's winners hit back. Georgian international Kvaratskhelia bursting through. He's fouled in the box by Arsenal's Spanish player Cristian Mosquera. Arsenal players are not happy about it one little bit, but the officials check it, and the penalty is given for contact there in the box.

Ousmane Dembele had been pretty quiet up to that point, but he makes no mistake from 12 yards out. Cool as you like, as the Ballon d'Or winner makes it 1-1, all to play for, right into the corner. Gunners' goalie David Raya given no chance. Raya going the wrong way. Remember, Dembele had been an injury doubt going into the match, but, boy, had he recovered from that calf injury. And at this point, it's now 1-1.

Now, after a goalless extra 30 minutes, it comes down to, oh no, the penalties, the shootout, the nerves are jangling.

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Lucas Beraldo, the young Brazilian, who PSG sent on as a sub during extra time, keeps his cool, nicely done from the South American. That piles the pressure, though, onto his compatriot, Gabriel, who plays for Arsenal. And that pressure taking its toll. He can't keep the shot down. The ball flying way over its target.

And PSG celebrate another famous victory. Paris Saint-Germain, champions of Europe again for a second straight season after winning the shootout 4-3. This was the moment then at PSG's home stadium, the famed Parc des Princes in the heart of the capital city, Paris.

Cue the celebrations as Paris fans, so long deprived of winning the biggest prize in European club footy, now they get to celebrate two back-to-back in a row, and a hearty congratulations to PSG.

And keep in mind, as I mentioned, the only other team to achieve back- to-back wins in this famous old competition since it was rebranded in the early 1990s, 15-time winners Real Madrid, no less.

And on that note, I'll send it right back to you.

HUNTE: The sound of an explosion shook buildings in New England on Saturday and sent people scrambling to understand what had happened. The American Meteor Society says the double boom was caused by a three-foot wide meteor entering the atmosphere near Massachusetts. The group says it received dozens of reports from people who heard the sound, felt the ground shake, or saw an actual fireball.

A monitor with the society says the meteor looked like a shooting star in the afternoon sky but it was unlikely to have struck the ground.

All right. That's all I've got for you for now. Thanks for joining me and the team. I'm Ben Hunte in Atlanta.

Blueprint is next. We'll see you tomorrow. (COMMERCIAL BREAK)

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