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U.S. And Iran Commit To Achieving Final Deal In 60 Days; Luigi Mangione To Argue A Psychiatric Defense In Murder Trial; Obama Presidential Center Set For Grand Opening Ceremony. Aired 4:30-5a ET

Aired June 18, 2026 - 04:30   ET

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

KRISTEN HOLMES, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: He then sent a photo, or that photo was sent, to the Iranians.

[04:30:05]

Now, what we are being told by a U.S. official, and I want to say this very specifically, they said, on Sunday, the Memorandum of Understanding was signed digitally by Vice President J.D. Vance and Speaker Ghalibaf, and witnessed by President Trump. Now it has been signed by both president, the president of Iran and President Trump.

We had originally been told by a U.S. official, pretty explicitly, that President Trump had also digitally signed a copy. Now what we're hearing is that this was the first time that he had actually signed a copy, and it was a hard copy. Now, on the Iranian side, we are hearing something slightly different, which was that they had agreed to a digital signature.

Sounds like the President of Iran has signed off on this, according to an Iranian spokesperson, but their understanding seems to be that now this 60-day negotiating period has begun. We have reached out to White House officials, U.S. officials, trying to get an answer, if that is the general understanding, and yet we have still not heard back.

The other part of this is what exactly Vice President J.D. Vance is doing in Switzerland on Friday, if everything has already been signed and this negotiating period has already begun. I was told that the Vice President is still expected to travel to Switzerland and sign the document on Friday, but the Iranian spokesperson essentially said that whatever happens in Geneva, it's not a signing ceremony, but indicated that there could be ongoing negotiations at that time.

So we're still trying to get to the bottom of what exactly is going on here, what has been signed in terms of digital and hard copy, other than what we know, which is President Trump signed a hard copy during this dinner and sent that photo to the Iranians. The other question, of course, being what does that mean for Friday? Will those be the start of the negotiations with Vice President J.D. Vance there on the ground? And will there not be any form of a signing ceremony, which even just moments ago, I was told, was still happening?

So this has just happened, and there are still an enormous amount of questions as to, one, if the 60-day negotiating period has started, that would also mean that all of the things that were supposed to happen immediately in this Memorandum of Understanding, including the opening of the Strait, the potential lifting of sanctions, that would all have to start in place right now, and that is what we still don't have answers on.

Kristen Holmes, CNN, the White House.

POLO SANDOVAL, CNN ANCHOR: Well, world leaders are welcoming the agreement. Here's what some U.S. lawmakers are saying about it.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. TED CRUZ (R-TX): They have been bombed back to the Stone Age. Now, I don't want to see theocratic Islamists who want to kill us made stronger. So if this deal is giving them $300 billion, that's a mistake. I hope that is not the case.

SEN. CHUCK SCHUMER (D-NY), MINORITY LEADER: This will be regarded as one of the biggest American disasters, and it's because Trump started this war, he didn't know how to finish it, and it looks like in too many ways he has just capitulated to the Iranians.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SANDOVAL: Attorneys for Luigi Mangione will be arguing a psychiatric defense at his New York state murder trial this fall.

You see, if jurors accept the argument, Mangione could be convicted of manslaughter instead of murder. So what does that mean? Here's CNN's Kara Scannell to explain.

KARA SCANNELL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: A significant development. Luigi Mangione's lawyers plan to argue he was in a state of extreme emotional disturbance when he gunned down UnitedHealthcare's chief executive nearly two years ago. The judge confirming Wednesday on the bench that Mangione would invoke this affirmative psychiatric defense. The defense is similar to saying the defendant lost control and the murder was committed in the heat of the moment.

If the jury agrees, they could convict Mangione of manslaughter instead of murder, significantly reducing the 28-year-old's jail time from a maximum sentence of life in prison to a maximum of 25 years. In court on Wednesday, the prosecutor aired his frustrations, saying Mangione's lawyers haven't disclosed who their expert witness is or turned over relevant medical records. They said they need the materials so their own expert can interview Mangione.

Prosecutors allege this was a planned premeditated murder. Judge Gregory Caro on Wednesday told Mangione's lawyers they have until Thursday to produce the records, saying, "Prosecutors need to know what the malady is that this defendant suffers and how that triggered an extreme emotional disturbance at the time and place of the occurrence. Nothing is going to be a surprise. I'm not going to let you surprise the people on the eve of this trial," he said. "So get it done." Defense lawyers and psychologists tell CNN it's a challenging defense given the strength of the evidence against Mangione, but it may be his best chance of avoiding a life sentence. Mangione is back in court in August. Jury selection begins on September 8th.

[04:35:13]

Kara Scannell, CNN, New York.

SANDOVAL: A New York judge has sentenced Gilgo Beach serial killer Rex Heuermann to life in prison without the possibility of parole. He pleaded guilty to killing seven women over nearly two decades on Long Island and admitted to an eighth murder earlier this year. Heuermann's victims were mostly young female sex workers whose disappearances tormented their families for years. Well, on Wednesday, some of them finally having a chance to face Heuermann in court.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Valerie Mack had a fire inside of her that lit up the world around her.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Jessica Taylor, my cousin, my brave, fun, hilarious, spunky, smart, beautiful friend.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: She was loving, selfless, and unforgettable. She had a nurturing spirit, always putting others before herself.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: She was a fighter for love, for family, for a better life.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: A vibrant young woman who dreamed of building a wonderful life for herself and her daughter.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Her sacrifice and soul brings victory to this courtroom because she has strength in Jesus Christ.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It ensures they are no longer forgotten and brings our families peace, knowing that the person responsible for our irreversible pain can never harm anyone else.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SANDOVAL: Those families offering a voice to their murdered loved ones. And some of those families, they feel that there may be even more victims that were included in this case. There are other Gilgo Beach investigations that are still ongoing. However, Heuermann is not charged in any of other cases.

A man in England facing nearly 50 different charges for the alleged sexual assault of his wife. CNN Paris bureau chief Saskya Vandoorne has more on what he and a dozen other men charged in this case are accused of.

SASKYA VANDOORNE, CNN PARIS BUREAU CHIEF: More than a dozen men are accused of taking part in the alleged sexual assault of a British woman who prosecutors say was drugged by her husband and raped while unconscious. Twelve men, their identities withheld because of U.K. reporting restrictions, appeared alongside the husband in a Manchester court on Monday.

The man, who authorities say is in his 60s, has pleaded not guilty to 48 counts, including multiple counts of rape and sexual assault. His 12 co-defendants, who are aged between 28 and 73, face various allegations, including conspiracy to rape, rape and sexual assault. So far, only one man has pleaded guilty to the charges he faces in connection with the case. The 13 men, including the husband, are set to stand trial in September.

SANDOVAL: Our thanks to Saskya for that report and continue to follow that story. And we're back with more in a moment.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[04:41:06]

SANDOVAL: Nearly a decade after President Barack Obama left the White House, his Presidential Center will be holding its official grand opening ceremony in just a matter of hours. President Obama and former First Lady Michelle, they are expected to welcome former Presidents Joe Biden, Bill Clinton, and George W. Bush, along with a lineup of musical artists. CNN's Jeff Zeleny is reporting from Chicago.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JEFF ZELENY, CNN CHIEF NATIONAL AFFAIRS CORRESPONDENT: When you walk inside the Obama Presidential Center, the first thing you see is toward a more perfect union. A bit of a history lesson with a message from the President, saying America has always been a work in progress.

You stop and listen and hear the President's remarks. Yes, we can. We all remember that anthem of his candidacy that led him to the White House. We often think of Barack Obama as a two-term President, but so much happened before he got to the White House. When you walk past these signs, I'm really taken back to how he got there.

It was not a foregone conclusion that he would win that primary campaign back in 2008. But he did win Iowa, fired up, ready to go, a key slogan of his. And he went on to a very bruising campaign with Hillary Clinton.

MICHELLE OBAMA, FORMER FIRST LADY OF THE UNITED STATES: All of us driven by the simple belief that the world as it is just won't do.

ZELENY: This is not just about Barack Obama, it's about Michelle Obama as well. And this speech of hers during the Democratic National Convention in 2008 really was one of the first times where the country was seeing not just one Obama, but two Obamas.

And look, Joe Biden picked as the senator from Delaware to add experience to the ticket. Of course, we had no idea at that point what history would have in store. So now that he's reached the White House, clearly what was waiting for him was the economy. But the reality is, going through the first term, it wasn't clear that he would win re- election because of the economy.

Obamacare, of course. This nearly cost him his re-election, there's no doubt about it. It was viewed as a huge liability for his party. He lost control of Congress because of this. Obviously, being commander- in-chief was one of the weightiest responsibilities of his presidency. I'm struck by how basically that is summed up just in like one panel here.

The challenges here from ending the war in Iraq, expanding the war in Afghanistan, the war in Syria, the drone program, those are some of the most controversial pieces of his legacy still to this day.

Here is the replica Oval Office. When you walk inside here, it's reminiscent of most every presidential library and museum. Everyone has them, right down to the replica Resolute Desk. Of course, Donald Trump is not mentioned at all in this presidential center. But when you look around this room, perhaps this is the most striking example of how very different things are.

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: You see the new and improved Oval Office.

ZELENY: And on the eighth floor is the Sky Room. It has sweeping views of the south and west sides of Chicago, as well as Lake Michigan. But even more than that, these giant letters that are etched in stone are from a particular speech, the one he delivered on the 50th anniversary of the March on Selma.

BARACK OBAMA, FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Oh, what a glorious task we are given to continually try to improve this great nation of ours.

ZELENY: The architect said seeing these letters is like looking into his mind as he's writing the speech. This is one part of his legacy. But finally, this Obama presidential center is opening nearly 10 years after he left office.

Jeff Zeleny, CNN, Chicago.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

[04:44:51]

SANDOVAL: Saw the way a celebration that will rival New Year's Eve here in New York City. We're just hours away from the next championship ticker tape parade where police are expecting millions of fans. Coming up next, our conversation with Mayor Zohran Mamdani about the event and also someone who may be an even bigger fan than the mayor.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

SANDOVAL: Hey, everybody. Thursday morning here in New York, and in less than 90 minutes, authorities here will be screening Knicks fans ahead of today's massive championship parade. And as you can see in some of these pictures, people have been lining up through the night. It'll get underway at 10:00 a.m. Eastern. The NYPD and city officials only had a few days to come up with a solid safety plan to accommodate a staggering amount of people. Some of them you see there. Here's CNN's Omar Jimenez.

OMAR JIMENEZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: There's a lot of sports going on in the New York City area right now. World Cup is still going strong, but Thursday could be one for the record books, not because of World Cup, but because of the New York Knicks and specifically the parade that comes with it. So I sat down with New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani to talk not just about the parade, but why this Knicks championship means so much to the city. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JIMENEZ: How would you explain why this feels different?

MAYOR ZOHRAN MAMDANI (D), NEW YORK CITY: I think one is the weight. We're talking about 53 years since we last won a championship, 26 years since we were last in the finals. Then I think it's also a story about the full circle moment of this. In '99, we were up against the Spurs. Rick Brunson was on that team. We lost 4-1. Now, in 2026, his son, Jalen Brunson, is the captain of the team. We beat that same team 4-1. It feels like a fulfillment of all those hopes. And I think also for the city, it feels as if the entire city has rallied around this team. And some of it is the weight.

[04:50:30]

Some of it also, though, is that people are so excited to be outside with one another, are so excited to be a part of something bigger than themselves. And what's a beautiful thing about this city is part of what we're talking about, the projections on the wall across the street, the impromptu viewing on the LinkNYC kiosk, the walking by a guy with his trunk open and the T.V. on, it also speaks to the fact that this city is unique in that you can walk across this city.

You can actually be outside and not having to drive everywhere. And part of that does give rise to these opportunities to be with people who you don't even know, who you've never met before. Because I don't know about you, but, you know, when we see GTA pull a spin move and go up for the layup, I'm not just embracing one of my best friends to my right. I'm also embracing somebody I've never met before on my left because we're just caught up in the joy and the moment of it.

And I think people have felt alienated. They've felt isolated for a long time. This is a moment that shows it doesn't have to be that way.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

JIMENEZ: And there are already expected to be a lot of people trying to make some of those memories. For example, New York Police Department Commissioner Jessica Tisch says they expect attendance to be in the millions to try and celebrate in some form as part of this parade and that they expect attendance to exceed the viewing area so that they're preparing to have to turn away people. That said, it likely won't stop the celebration for something the New York Knicks and the city have not done in more than 50 years.

Omar Jimenez, CNN, New York.

SANDOVAL: And thank you so much for watching. Actually, I also want to bring you one more story before we let you go, and that is the story of somebody who is an absolute super fan of the Knicks. I want you to listen to this.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SANDOVAL: Joining me now is Knicks super fan Lavert Henderson-Hobbs. She joins me from right here, from New York. Thank you so much for being with us. It's wonderful to see you.

LAVERT HENDERSON-HOBBS, NEW YORK KNICKS SUPERFAN: It's great. I'm happy to be here.

SANDOVAL: I understand that you were at Madison Square Garden back in 1973 when they last won the championship. That is before the Saturday's win. Were you ever close to losing hope that you would relive the joy of seeing your Knicks win a title again?

HENDERSON-HOBBS: Oh, my goodness, no. I believe in them. I knew they would do it. It just took time. You have to get the right coach. Everybody had to gel together, and they did.

SANDOVAL: What are some of your most treasured Knicks keepsakes or memorabilia? I have one Knicks towel in my office. You have a whole collection behind you there.

HENDERSON-HOBBS: Oh, yes. I had 10 of these games, and when you told me to get something together, I just got so much, and I had to help. I was so happy to see I had '94, and I have '99. And it really hurt when we lost, but I was there, and I kept everything. I said, one day, they will win, and they did. I was there to see Clyde Frazier when he and Monroe and Bill Bradley, David Bush, Willis Reed. It was just a wonderful time, and Jerry Lucas shooting those bombers, and to see Brunson doing the same thing. I'm like, oh, my goodness, they're reliving my history.

SANDOVAL: And talking about reliving history, too, Lavert, as you were rooting on for the Knicks again, was this bringing back old memories? You know, you've mentioned your first date with your late husband Earl was that a Knicks game. So watching them again in action, I mean, were you sort of reliving some of those moments that you've shared with your families, with your family?

HENDERSON-HOBBS: Definitely. One part, to be exact. It brought back the history when we had the rough play, and to see my poor little Brunson get knocked down on the floor, and there was no call. I'm like, uh-oh, we don't want to go back to those days. We have cleared it out, and we want to keep it clean. But it's all part of basketball. I mean, when you see the evolution of the game from what we had back then and what we have now, the changes and the rules and everything, we didn't have three pointers back then. Now we have the three- pointers, which Tucker making that three at the end of the game, something that has to live with me. That has changed.

[04:55:24]

The way they take free throws, when they had, when he had to go two, you can make one out of the two. And I'm thinking back in the old days, when they were doing that consistently, you would file the person and they would have the opportunity to make the two out of three and so forth. So the game has changed a lot, but it's still very enjoyable.

SANDOVAL: Of course. That's fascinating. So you've watched the game evolve after attending just tens of thousands of games. I wonder if I could get some of your final thoughts, Lavert, on what has happened in New York City during this series. I've only been a New Yorker for about 10 years. You've been here, you've seen the progression of this movement. For viewers around the world who are watching this and who watched the game, just tell us a little bit about what's happened in New York City, this sort of energy, electricity, almost positivity that we've been experiencing because of the Knicks.

HENDERSON-HOBBS: Oh yes. It's like everywhere you go, it doesn't matter whether you're in the grocery store or you're just walking down the street. If you're in the doctor's office, which I was in Saturday, everywhere you go, everyone's talking about the New York Knicks, we did it, we did it, we did it. And I'm like, yes, and I have lived it and I've lived it and I've lived it. They like, are you for real? I'm like, yes, I'm for real. I've been with them for 56 years. They like, what? I'm like, yes, I love my Knicks. And I'm with them through the good, the bad, and the ugly. We start off good, we got bad, now we're back to good.

SANDOVAL: And that's what makes you, Lavert Henderson-Hobbs, such a super fan. Pinch yourself. It is certainly happening. This is not a dream and we wish you well and we can't wait to see you rooting on your Knicks at that parade. Thank you so much for your time.

HENDERSON-HOBBS: Thank you very much. I have a wonderful time. I have a wonderful year and I'm more than thrilled that my Knicks brought it home.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SANDOVAL: Thank you so much for joining me. I'm Polo Sandoval in New York. Stay with CNN as our coverage continues.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[05:00:00]