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Iran Bids Final Farewell to Slain Supreme Leader; Questions Mount over Venezuela's Official Death Toll; World Cup Highlights; Trump Delivers Remarks at Mt. Rushmore; Swift-Kelce Nuptials; July 4th Celebrations. Aired 3-4a ET

Aired July 04, 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 (voice-over): 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, mourners in Iran are gathering for the funeral of slain supreme leader Ali Khamenei. We have a report from inside the country.

Argentina beat Cape Verde to move on to the round of 16 in the World Cup.

And the moment millions of Swifties around the world have been waiting for: Taylor Swift is now married to Travis Kelce.

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UNIDENTIFIED MALE (voice-over): Live from Atlanta. This is CNN NEWSROOM with Ben Hunte.

HUNTE: Welcome.

Millions of mourners are expected to descend on Tehran for a massive days-long funeral honoring the late supreme leader Ali Khamenei, who was killed in a joint U.S.-Israeli strike earlier this year.

You're seeing some live pictures here of events on the ground. The public portion of his funeral is now officially underway. The mosque in Tehran, where his casket is on display, will stay open for a continuous 24-hour farewell ceremony.

Our Fred Pleitgen is in Tehran with more. And a note: CNN only operates in Iran with the permission of the government but we maintain full editorial control of our reports.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice- over): As the U.S. and Israel launched their war on Iran in late February, one of the first targeted assassinations, Iran's longtime Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, killed along with several family members in a massive air strike.

More than four months later, Iran is getting ready to hold possibly the largest funeral events in this country's history.

PLEITGEN: Final preparations are underway here at the gigantic Mosalla complex in central Tehran and security in the city is extremely tight as

millions of people are set to show up and pay their final respects.

PLEITGEN (voice-over): Tehran is plastered with images of the late supreme leader posters, billboards and even statues on buildings and in public

squares, many vowing revenge against the U.S. and Israel for the killing of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

"We don't trust the U.S. for any type of negotiations," this woman says. "Trump is the most bloodthirsty enemy in all the world.

And she says it is our message from here to all the world that all people should stand up, everyone should rise and give the slogan of "Death to the

oppressors, death to America."

This man says, "We do not expect peace from the enemy. Our experience has proven this to us."

After the U.S. and Israel killed the supreme leader and parts of Iran's political and military leadership, Tehran regrouped quickly, naming

Khamenei's son, Mojtaba Khamenei as the new supreme leader who still has not been seen in public since taking the reins and only communicates by

written statements.

Iran also launching powerful missile and drone strikes and effectively shutting down the Strait of Hormuz.

With a shaky ceasefire holding for now, Iran's political and military leaders were some of the first to pay their final respects at the coffins

lying in state, including the president, foreign minister and chief negotiator. Among the caskets, a tiny one containing the remains of

Ayatollah Khamenei's granddaughter.

"Without a doubt, this martyrdom has strengthened our resolve," this Revolutionary Guard general says. "Today, with even greater determination,

we address the enemies of the Iranian nation, the United States and the Israeli regime," and say, "We will hold them accountable for the blood of

our martyred leader and all of our martyrs."

Vows of retribution even as both sides negotiators aim to achieve a peace agreement looking to end the decades-long standoff between the U.S. and

Iran.

Fred Pleitgen, CNN, Tehran.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HUNTE: All right, let's go to CNN's Anna Cooban, joining us live now from London.

We are looking at some live pictures from Tehran right now.

Can you just walk us through what we're seeing?

[03:05:00]

What's still to come?

ANNA COOBAN, CNN BUSINESS AND ECONOMICS CORRESPONDENT: Well, we're imagining that there'll be millions of people descending on the capital city of Iran. Now Iranian officials have estimated that up to 15 million people, mourners are expected.

And this really will be an enormous spectacle. So the way this is all due to pan out is that Khamenei's body will be lying in state for the first couple of days. Now huge attendance figures are expected and obviously we know it's July and the July heat and 6,000 overhead sprinklers have been installed, apparently, in this square to keep people cool.

And then we'll see this funeral procession of Khamenei's body through Tehran before he goes on to another city, holy city in Iran and then to two holy sites in Iraq before returning to Mashhad, where he was born in Iran, to be to be laid to rest.

Now this is as we know, a transnational affair. Now that's really projecting across Iran and Iraq. And that's really projecting a sense of power for Iran. And just to be holding this funeral at a time or during the ceasefire, after four months of conflict with the U.S. and Israel, is a show of defiance and resilience.

Now they've not been able to hold a funeral until now because of the ongoing conflict and because we've seen tentative ceasefires that have been incredibly fragile.

Now, of course, we know we're currently in the 60-day ceasefire and we know that Iran fired on a cargo ship a few days ago. But it is still far more stable place to be than we were a few weeks ago.

But one of the big questions is, will Mojtaba Khamenei be making an appearance?

The supreme leader now, he was wounded in the attack that killed his father, his mother and his wife. And so there are big questions. We haven't seen him since then. There are big questions.

Is he well, who is running the country?

So that is what a lot of onlookers will be watching for over the next few days.

HUNTE: All right. Thank you for that.

And as these funeral events do continue, what's the latest on efforts to secure shipping through the Strait of Hormuz?

And is there any sign that negotiations between Iran and the U.S. could actually be getting back on track?

COOBAN: Well, we have seen more ships get out of the Strait of Hormuz than we have over the past few months. But it's still not obviously what it was before the war.

Now France and the United Kingdom have said that they are prepared to deploy this international force to allow for the safe passage of ships through this waterway and that apparently has -- it has supported that operation or is going to support the operation.

We haven't heard from Oman yet on that. But this 60-day ceasefire, yes, this is the most stable ceasefire that we've seen over the past few months. But it is still, as I've just mentioned, difficult. A few days ago, we saw Iran fire on a cargo ship and that led to retaliation by the United States. So we are far from being at a true peace.

And, of course, these negotiations, we saw indirect talks in Doha earlier this week. We still need to have more talks and some of the thorniest issues around Iran's nuclear stockpile, that hasn't gone anywhere.

And also, Iran has made it clear that it wants to have more control over the Strait of Hormuz than it had prior to the war.

So after the 60-day ceasefire, will we continue to see Iran push for some kind of tolling system or to mandate or pressure ships to move through authorized corridors?

So again, a lot of questions still to be answered.

HUNTE: OK. Well, thank you for that. I appreciate it.

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HUNTE: Ukraine is not getting any break from deadly Russian 1attacks. Officials say the city of Zaporizhzhya was hit on Friday. Two people were killed and 17 others were hurt. Six more people were killed in other parts of Ukraine, too.

The attacks came on the heels of Thursday's massive strikes on Kyiv, which left at least 30 people dead. That was the third deadliest attack on the capital just this year.

After two earthquakes devastated Venezuela, the government says the death toll has now climbed to more than 2,600 people. At least 12,000 people have been injured. And more than 15,000 have lost their homes.

But critics say the true numbers could still be much higher. Authorities have not said how many people remain missing. New video shows the moment the rescuers pulled security guard Hernan Gil from the rubble of a collapsed building on Thursday.

Venezuela's acting president, Delcy Rodriguez, later visited him in hospital, praising his rescue.

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DELCY RODRIGUEZ, ACTING PRESIDENT OF VENEZUELA (through translator): Well, here you are. You are the living miracle, like a camera. It was like a camera where you could see it.

Then they told him, look up. There. I saw his red eye.

HERNAN GIL, EARTHQUAKE SURVIVOR (through translator): Vicente, a rescuer worker, gave me strength.

RODRIGUEZ (through translator): From Chile?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, Chile. Some worker from where you worked in galleries in Playa Grande said he heard something, but no rescue group believed him. And the Costa Rican Red Cross accompanied him to where he believed he had heard something.

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The Venezuelan Red Cross ambulance waiting for you there for four days and the doctors, hundreds of people. In those three days, there was a group from the United States, from Portugal, El Salvador, Chile.

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HUNTE: Rodriguez is pushing back against criticism of the government response to the quakes. Some residents say there are not enough emergency responders or equipment, plus a shortage of fuel for heavy machinery.

In some areas, they say they have been left on their own to search for loved ones and dig out the rubble from two of the strongest earthquakes to hit Venezuela in more than a century. Rodriguez denied the government has been slow to respond and says search and rescue efforts will continue.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) RODRIGUEZ (through translator): Our officials were deployed immediately. You can count the hours between the quakes and when we signed the emergency decree. There were 4,000 officials out in the first 24 hours, 10,000 officials the following day.

Now there are 19,000 officials in La Guaira alone, despite how complicated it is for us to move personnel around with the airport out of use.

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HUNTE: CNN contributor Stefano Pozzebon has more on the government's response to the disaster.

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STEFANO POZZEBON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It makes sense that she tries to project an image of strength. This, of course, is in response to a mounting frustration and anger with the thousands of Venezuelans that we've spoken with, who are, of course, frustrated because the slow pace of the search and rescue has impacted many of them.

Today, for example, it is the first day that the government publishes a written memorandum with all the latest statistics. They told us, for example, today, that at least 2,630 people have been killed.

It is the first time that we, as journalists accredited here to work in Venezuela, are receiving this type of information on our phones, written in a statement. All of the previous death toll were communicated just by speaking to the national media and the public broadcaster here in Venezuela.

You can see that there is a sense of the state still very much under shock by the magnitude of the earthquakes and trying to come up with some solutions, with the difficulties of being Venezuela, which is a country that has gone through an economic and social collapse, like some.

Not many people can actually imagine in the last 10 to 15 years.

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HUNTE: Extreme heat is fueling wildfires in parts of Europe. In central Portugal, a blaze driven by heat and strong winds has spread into three neighboring towns. Nearly 1,000 firefighters are battling that fire, which has burned more than 2,400 hectares or nearly 6,000 acres.

Authorities were forced to evacuate part of a village. They say six people suffered minor injuries.

Parts of southern France are on high alert for wildfires this weekend after the recent record breaking heat wave. Firefighting efforts there are being helped by small planes dropping water on the flames, like you're seeing now. Peru has a new president after conservative candidate Keiko Fujimori

was declared the winner of a razor-thin election. Fujimori is the eldest daughter of former Peruvian president Alberto Fujimori. She edged out the left-wing candidate, Roberto Sanchez, by just under 50,000 votes.

Sanchez says he won't recognize her government and alleged voting irregularities. Fujimori is expected to be sworn in as president on July 28th.

All right. Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce are now officially a married couple. Still ahead, details of their star-studded wedding ceremony in New York.

And we'll have the latest World Cup results as the final day of the round of 32 launched. Three more teams that much closer to their dreams. See you in a moment.

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HUNTE: Welcome back.

Festivities were expected to wrap up in the last hour, after Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce tied the knot. They exchanged their "I do"s in New York on Friday night, which was later announced on screens near the city's Madison Square Garden. About 1,000 people attended the ceremony, including many A-list celebrities.

The wedding was officiated by the couple's longtime friend, actor Adam Sandler. We will have much more on the couple's big day later in the hour.

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HUNTE: The final day of this World Cup's round of 32 ended in triumph and heartache as three more teams have survived to advance.

Egypt made history, defeating Australia in a penalty shootout after drawing 1-1. The Pharaohs walked away with their first-ever victory in the knockout round.

Colombia also advanced, beating Ghana 1-0 with an early goal backed by fierce defensive play and extending their unbeaten streak to four matches so far in this World Cup.

And Argentina will be moving on to the round of 16 after surviving an intense battle against fan favorite Cape Verde. Cape Verde standout goalkeeper took a moment to express just how much his team has to be proud of.

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VOZINHA, CAPE VERDE GOALKEEPER (through translator): It was a great campaign. Obviously we're saddened by the result but the team should be proud and satisfied with what we achieved to get this far.

We have a fantastic group, we have players of great quality and we have done justice to Cape Verde's name into this national team around the world. Today we went toe-to-toe with Argentina, fighting on equal terms for a result but we couldn't get it. That's football.

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HUNTE: CNN's Elizabeth Perez has more on that incredible game between Argentina and Cape Verde.

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ELIZABETH PEREZ, CNN EN ESPANOL CORRESPONDENT: Cape Verde came to Miami as David. They left as giants. They pushed the defending world champions to the limit. Argentina earned a hard-fought 3-2 win over the African side. Cape Verde forced the Albiceleste into extra time.

[03:20:03]

Their defenders stood strong. They attacked with confidence and tested Emiliano Martinez again and again. Lionel Messi gave Argentina the lead in the first half after a brilliant pass from Lisandro Martinez. At that point, they looked in control.

But early in the second half, Duarte scored for Cape Verde. The goal changed the game. Argentina had to push harder while the African team stayed organized and resisted every attack. Their efforts sent the match into extra time.

Lisandro Martinez scored first in the extra time to put Argentina back in front, then Sidny Cabral produced a stunning goal to level the match again and he set up an emotional second period of extra time.

Cristian Romero finally broke the tie. Argentina had to suffer until the final whistle but they held on for the win. Now the (INAUDIBLE) moves on to Atlanta, where they will face Egypt in the round of 16 -- from Miami Gardens, I'm Elizabeth Perez.

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HUNTE: All right. Tracey Holmes joins me now for an in-depth look at Friday's game. She's the host of "The Sports Ambassador" podcast and author of a Substack by the same name.

It's good to see you.

Firstly, how are you assessing this World Cup so far?

Has anything surprised you and does this tournament feel different from the World Cups that you've seen before? TRACEY HOLMES, PODCAST HOST: It does feel very different, Ben, and I think that's by nature of the fact that there are so many teams competing and there was some doubt about whether that was going to be a successful move or not.

It's seen an upgrade from 32 to 48 teams. But all in all, you know, the real story, the fairy tale story, it's come to an end for Cape Verde at the moment. But they took Argentina right down to the line.

And this shows us the expansion of football and what the investment of football in Africa and the entire African continent has done. There are a lot of people thinking there would be a lot of very uneven matches by expanding the competition to 48.

But Cape Verde has shown that that was not the case. They took it right down to the line today against Argentina and Virginia, who is the goalkeeper, of course, for Cape Verde, one of the superstars and one of the lasting stories, I think, from this World Cup, he came in as a relative unknown as part of his team.

I think he had 45,000 followers on Instagram and he departs. He goes home with a approaching 20 million followers now. And a heck of a lot of likes for his performance and that of his team's performance at this World Cup.

HUNTE: That is pretty incredible. Well, let's keep talking about that because it was one of the biggest stories from yesterday, Cape Verde pushing Argentina all the way before eventually losing. Tell us more about that performance.

And what did it say about the strength of some of the so-called smaller nations at this tournament?

HOLMES: Yes, well, Cape Verde was one of five of the lowest ranking nations to qualify for the World Cup. But they certainly did not embarrass themselves. In fact, they shocked a lot of the bigger names, Argentina being one of them.

But earlier in the group phase, Cape Verde also played Spain, which is one of the favored nations for this tournament. And they held them to a draw in that game, the goalkeeper saved seven shots on goal and kept a clean sheet.

And that was when people started saying, this is quite phenomenal. What we're seeing now with the rise of Africa and we saw an increase from, you know, less than half a dozen nations who competed at the previous World Cup to 10 African nations, nine of them going through to the knockout stage. So, yes, a big improvement in world football.

HUNTE: Yes, indeed. There were a wild few hours of confusion over England's match against Mexico. FIFA considered bringing the kickoff forward but then didn't.

What was going on there?

HOLMES: Well, this is all about the storms, of course. And we also know that that match is going to be played at elevation. So this was another problem for England that they had to consider.

They decided they would fly in at the last minute, basically for the day of the match, play the match and then get out of there. And hopefully the impact of that altitude would not play too much of a part.

Then there was some stories of the storm and FIFA was debating whether they would change the start time of the match. The latest we've heard is that it will go ahead as scheduled. There will be no change.

And that's probably one relief for England. And there's a lot of pressure on England, as you know, Mexico being a host nation. They're going to be a crowd favorite, of course. But England, every time they play in a World Cup, there are memories of 1966. The last time they won it and chance always going around the crowd.

It's time that we bring it home. The trophy is coming home.

[03:25:00]

That hasn't happened for many, many years. England is hoping that this time around it will be time.

HUNTE: One of the biggest talking points has been the weather with players, coaches, medical experts all raising concerns about extreme heat.

Are we seeing a tournament that's being shaped by the climate?

HOLMES: Well, I think this is an aspect that is facing a lot of major events now. The Olympics talks about it a lot. FIFA has definitely been looking at it.

One of the reasons why they said that these drinks breaks were coming in midway through each half, turning a game of football into four quarters, if you like, which is standard practice for a lot of sports in the USA, people are used to that.

Most people in global football are not used to that and it was one of the criticisms ahead of the tournament. But I think we've seen that it has had some benefits.

We also know that some of the player associations around the world, including the international player association, FIFPRO, has said that they were encouraged to hear that there would be drinks breaks because they were concerned about the heat at some of these matches.

Not all of them, of course. You wouldn't expect this problem in Canada. But in parts of Mexico and the USA, where temperatures have been quite high, including for today's match with Argentina, the drinks breaks have come in as most vital.

The question now, though, is does FIFA stick with this?

And do they try and use that?

Because it is an opportunity also for them to make more money by selling more advertising.

HUNTE: Yes, indeed. Tracey Holmes, thank you for joining us. Thank you again soon.

HOLMES: Thank you, Ben.

HUNTE: England and Wales are extending bar hours for an upcoming World Cup game. The British prime minister says pubs and bars across both countries will be allowed to stay open until 5:00 in the morning on Monday. That means that fans can watch England's round of 16 clash against Mexico at their local pub.

Sunday night's match in Mexico City kicks off when it's 1:00 in the morning on Monday in the U.K.

People all over the United States will soon be waking up to ring in the 4th of July weekend. Just ahead, we'll hear how president Trump is celebrating and how extreme weather is changing plans in some major cities. See you in a moment.

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HUNTE (voice-over): Welcome to our viewers joining us in the United States. Happy Independence Day. I'm Ben Hunte. Let's take a look at today's top stories.

It is the 4th of July in the United States. This year marks the 250th anniversary of America's independence from Great Britain. President Trump opened the holiday with a speech and fireworks at Mt. Rushmore.

Extreme heat is changing plans in many cities. Washington, D.C., canceled the parade planned for Saturday.

Right now, Iranians are gathering for the funeral of their late supreme leader. The body of ayatollah Ali Khamenei was unveiled to the public a short time ago beneath a glass case at a large mosque in Tehran. Days of ceremonies are planned across five cities in Iran and Iraq.

Venezuela's acting president visited an earthquake survivor in hospital on Friday. Delcy Rodriguez met with security guard Hernan Gil, calling him a living miracle. He was rescued from the rubble after being trapped for eight days. He credited the international team of rescuers for giving him the strength to escape.

Well, as people wake up all over the U.S. today, they'll be celebrating the 250th anniversary of independence. President Donald Trump spent part of Friday visiting Mt. Rushmore. The national memorial in South Dakota features carvings of four American presidents. Earlier, president Trump posted an image of his signature on a $100

bill in honor of the country's anniversary. This is the first time in American history that a sitting president's name will be featured on the nation's currency.

Meanwhile, record high temperatures are already affecting celebrations for the 4th of July in several cities. In Philadelphia, the city where independence was voted on and declared, the Independence Day parade scheduled for Friday was canceled due to the hot weather.

And in New York, thousands of people lost their electricity because the power grid was overstretched.

President Trump used part of his speech on Friday to emphasize what he sees as the greatest threat to the United States. Jeff Zeleny reports from Keystone, South Dakota.

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TRUMP: Communism is a mortal threat to American liberty. It is the greatest threat to our country, including World War I, World War II, Pearl Harbor or even 9/11. We're not going to let this happen to us. Believe me, we're not letting it happen because communism is the enemy of free people everywhere, everywhere in the world.

Never works. It's the enemy of the Constitution. Above all, it's the enemy of July 4th, 1776.

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JEFF ZELENY, CNN CHIEF NATIONAL AFFAIRS CORRESPONDENT: And that was president Trump on the eve of the 4th of July, delivering a warning about what he says is a rising threat of communism in America, offering a pointed preview of perhaps his midterm election message.

But in a very disciplined and even short speech by his standards, only 30 minutes or so, the president stayed very closely to his message, talking about American patriotism and the role in the country.

TRUMP: Tonight, on the threshold of our 25th year, we stand beneath the monument of these heroes, a true group of unbelievable people. And we rededicate ourselves to being a nation as big, bold, noble and as great as these American giants. And that's not easy to do but we're going to do it. These men could only have been made in the USA.

ZELENY: Now the president did not even stick around for the fireworks afterward but there was quite a show before his arrival, for the first time flying that new Air Force One over Mt. Rushmore, giving quite a scene to his supporters on the ground.

And then one flyover after another certainly created the anticipation of him. But he also seemed like he wanted to return to Washington. Of course, a very big day on Saturday as he delivers a major address on the National Mall. The White House concerned about crowds there.

[03:35:00] No concern here at Mt. Rushmore. Supporters gathered by the thousands and loved the night.

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HUNTE: As the United States celebrates its 250th birthday, the first American pope is spending his 4th of July on Lampedusa, the Italian island that's often at the front line of the Mediterranean migrant crisis.

The trip highlights the humanitarian issues that Pope Leo has put at the center of his papacy. During his visit, the pope will meet with migrants and lay a wreath in memory of those who have died at sea. CNN's Vatican correspondent Christopher Lamb is with us now from Lampedusa.

So why there and why now?

What messages Pope Leo trying to send with this visit?

CHRISTOPHER LAMB, CNN VATICAN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Ben, I think it's very significant that Pope Leo has come here to Lampedusa on U.S. Independence Day on July 4th to highlight the plight of migrants.

You know, the pope spoke to a gathering in Philadelphia yesterday saying that America has a long history of welcoming immigrants. And I think that is going to be at the heart of his message here in Lampedusa about the importance of welcoming and integrating migrants into society.

Now this, of course, is a place which is a major entry point for immigrants. It's also somewhere that has seen many migrant deaths. It's estimated that more than 32,000 have died in the perilous crossing to Lampedusa from Africa.

And in fact, they don't actually know how many have died over the years. So this is a very poignant visit by Pope Leo.

He's going to be paying tribute to those migrants who have died at sea and then at a mass, an open air mass here in Lampedusa, sending a message that he wants the world to hear about the importance of protecting and welcoming new arrivals.

So I think a strong message from Pope Leo and a very significant decision to come here as the first American pope on this very significant Independence Day in the United States, the 250th anniversary of independence, Ben.

HUNTE: OK. Christopher Lamb in Lampedusa, thank you so much.

Festivities are believed to be wrapping up after Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce exchanged their vows. Still ahead, we'll have details about their huge wedding where even guests were not allowed to record anything. See you in a moment.

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HUNTE: Welcome back.

Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce fans were gathered outside New York's Madison Square Garden just a short time ago, hoping to catch a glimpse of celebrities departing their star-studded wedding. Festivities were expected to wrap up in the past hour. That is according to sources who spoke with CNN earlier.

The celebrity couple tied the knot on Friday night in front of about 1,000 people. The announcement was confirmed on big screens outside the venue. There was reportedly a strict no-phone policy at this event but CNN's Elizabeth Wagmeister still got the details about the ceremony.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ELIZABETH WAGMEISTER, CNN ENTERTAINMENT CORRESPONDENT: Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce are officially married after weeks of speculation over whether they would really get married at Madison Square Garden.

Well, they did it and they pulled it off after the event was shrouded in secrecy. They got married in front of 1,000 people, according to sources who spoke to CNN. And it was officially announced right behind me on a giant billboard that lit up, that said, "JusT&T married."

The just was spelled with T&T. That's, of course, for Taylor and Travis. And shortly after it was lit up on the streets of New York City, I received a press release from Taylor Swift's representative Tree Paine, which divulged some of the wedding details.

Now who was the officiant?

Adam Sandler. Yes, that Adam Sandler. That was not on my bingo card. Their press release also announced that they didn't have any bridesmaids or groomsmen. Jason Kelce, of course, Travis Kelce, his brother, was his best man. And Austin Swift, who is Taylor's brother, was her man of honor.

Now we saw a lot of celebrities going in, everyone from Benson Boone to Hugh Grant to Jennifer Lopez and some guests even leaving early. Chris Rock was spotted leaving early, also Steven Spielberg.

But who can blame them?

The party was running late. Yes, our sources tell us that the party was set to go until about 2:30 am but the space was actually rented out until past 4 am. Now remains to be seen when we might see any footage or photos from the event. But that will, of course, be up to Taylor and Travis. She is a mastermind, after all. For all the Swifties who have been

waiting for years and years and years to see her love story come true, Taylor finally had her fairy tale ending -- back to you.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HUNTE: Love that.

We are now joined by Chris Willman, senior writer and chief music critic at "Variety."

It's good to see you, sir.

What has made this wedding feel so much bigger than a typical celebrity wedding?

It's almost felt like an American royal wedding, right?

CHRIS WILLMAN, SENIOR WRITER AND CHIEF MUSIC CRITIC, "VARIETY" It is. It's, you know, it's in a way, it's like an old school royal wedding, where there were two nations being joined together by marriage, because you got the sports world and the music world. And certainly, you know, the biggest pop star in the world.

On Taylor's side and Travis being one of the biggest football players in the world and, you know, their circle is so huge. You know, you we're talking about the NDAs and the no phones policy.

And so, you know, we're sitting here wondering, OK, does Paul McCartney have to sign the NDA and turn his phone in?

You know, does the head of Disney have to do this?

And I think maybe they did. I mean, I think maybe this is the one wedding that could command that level of, yes, we'll agree to your extreme terms of secrecy because Taylor likes to reveal everything on her own terms. And we don't know whether we'll see wedding photos tomorrow or a month from now.

There were video cameras shooting it but, yes, it's really unlike any wedding we've ever seen. You know, Sly Stone from Sly and the Family Stone once had a wedding at Madison Square Garden where he sold tickets. But this is a little bit beyond that.

HUNTE: Well, let's talk more about it, because one of the most talked-about aspects has been the venue. It isn't really an obvious choice.

So why do you think they chose it?

And what does it say about how they want this day to be remembered?

WILLMAN: Yes. You know.

[03:45:00] People are -- some people are perturbed that, you know New York traffic was upset. But you know, there are things upsetting your traffic every day. Not that big a deal.

You know, some people say, you know, if you want to keep it secret, why are you having it at kind of the nexus of the entire world media?

And, but, you know, it's a fortress, so they're able to hide in plain sight. You know, of course, we caught glimpses of some of the celebrities who were leaving their hotels so that at least gave the paparazzi something to do.

But once they arrived, there were curtains up around the whole venue and the Madison Square Garden is a venue that, you know, they just hosted Donald Trump for the Knicks. You can imagine the security that went into that.

And James Dolan, who owns Madison Square Garden, has kind of pioneered facial recognition technology. So everyone who goes in, even on a normal night, is having their faces read. So that level of security is important when you not only don't want paparazzi but, you know, Taylor has had to deal with terrorist threats.

You know, on the Eras tour, when things got canceled overseas. So, you know, it's not just fans' prying eyes they don't want, it's a lot of things that could happen. And, you know, a venue right in the middle of things like that is prepared to be that that secret fortress.

HUNTE: Speaking about that secrecy, it has been pretty wild.

Has anything leaked so far?

What do we know?

WILLMAN: Not much, surprisingly. Of course, people are still there. As you and Elizabeth have said, it was supposed to go past 2:00 and a lot of people are still inside there. And, you know, a lot of people are going to hold to that vow of secrecy.

We've seen some fake photos come out that that we know were not real because did not match the white tuxes that Christian Dior, we know, designed now -- not in Taylor's case, of course, but the matching white tux and dress.

So we're waiting for the non-fake photos and we don't know when that will come but we do know that apparently Adam Sandler sang a song as well as officiated. There were rumors that Stevie Nicks would perform or that even Paul McCartney or Haim might perform. We haven't heard any confirmation of that yet.

So that may have occurred late in the evening if it happened.

HUNTE: Taylor Swift has spent nearly two decades writing about love and relationships.

Why do fans seem so invested in this particular chapter of her life? WILLMAN: Yes, you know, I'm one of them. I've been a Swiftie since 2006, so I'm not someone who grew up with her. I'm more like a parental figure to her in terms of how I relate.

But, you know, she's been so open about her relationships. Every album has been like a diary for love affairs and she has strenuously avoided talking about that in interviews. But as closed off as she's been in terms of naming names and in high-profile interviews, every detail has been there on every album for those who want to pick apart the details.

And so I think people feel like she's a BFF, a best friend, that they've kind of been watching out for. She's made some bad decisions, you know, they're -- you know, before Travis, there was, you know, the lead singer of the band in 1975, her fans did not approve of that.

And so, you know, they're happy that she got her, you know, a nice guy choice. And, she's talked about marriage so often beginning, you know, back to love story. People keep quoting that fairy tale ending.

And then, you know, along the way she sang, when things were going bad with Joe Alwyn, you know, she wrote a song, I wouldn't marry me, either. And, you know, she was quite down about that. And so, you know, things have really turned around for her and people have followed every step.

HUNTE: Yes. Well, I'm glad you're having a good time as well with this. Chris Willman, thank you so much for now.

WILLMAN: Thank you.

HUNTE: It's going to be one of the most spectacular sights in the U.S. Still ahead, how San Francisco is preparing the Golden Gate Bridge for its fireworks display. That and more soon.

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HUNTE: Welcome back.

New York is celebrating America's 250th with a parade of tall ships on the East River. In the coming hours, more than 53 U.S. and foreign warships are expected to take part in a ceremonial naval parade in the port of New York and New Jersey.

We're told ships are to sail through the harbor, with public viewing from Governor's Island and along the waterfront. This is part of the many events marking 250 years since the signing of the Declaration of Independence.

One of the most spectacular fireworks displays in the United States is planned in the Bay Area. Our affiliate in San Francisco, KGO, has this look at the finishing touches on the Golden Gate's fireworks display.

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UNIDENTIFIED MALE (voice-over): Hammering through the final touches, this crew is getting ready to bring some of the Bay Area's biggest booms to the sky.

Meet Matt Boom.

MATT BOOM, PYRO SPECTACULARS: Boom, B-O-O-M, just like it sounds.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (voice-over): And Monica Blam.

MONICA BLAM, PYRO SPECTACULARS: It's like painting the sky.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (voice-over): Both work with Pyro Spectaculars. The California-based company putting on hundreds of 4th of July shows across the country. The names are fun. The work is serious and safety comes first.

Blam got us suited up for an exclusive look at these barges near Mission Bay, where crews are wiring and securing thousands of fireworks for San Francisco's Saturday night show.

MONTY GILL, PYRO SPECTACULARS: It's a huge show.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (voice-over): That's Monty Gill. His name is less explosive but his job is not. He's the crew lead.

GILL: Fifteen hundred pieces, pyrotechnic devices on each barge. And then we're also going to have 5,000, over 5000 pyrotechnic devices on the Golden Gate Bridge.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (voice-over): Only twice before have fireworks launched from the Golden Gate Bridge, Pyro Spectaculars behind each display.

GILL: They're going to be shooting off each layer of the towers on the Golden Gate Bridge and all along the east side rail.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (voice-over): The show is computer coordinated, so fireworks from the barges and bridge burst in sync. But not every Bay Area show is as high tech.

[03:55:00]

For Boom helping to run the Richmond marina show Friday night, old school is part of the fun.

BOOM: I will get it on and in fire mode.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (voice-over): His pin board lets him time it all by hand.

BOOM: I can listen to the crowd. I can speed it up. And if I can get more cheering from the crowd, build them up, kind of slow them down. UNIDENTIFIED MALE (voice-over): Pyro says this 4th of July is part of

its biggest coordinated Independence Day effort in more than a century. More than 300 shows coast to coast. And in San Francisco, that means planning for fog.

GILL: It's always possible we're going to get fog when we're shooting fireworks in San Francisco. The good news is we have all different heights of shells. So there's going to be low level stuff down as low as 75 feet and as high as 1,200 feet.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (voice-over): So bridge, barges or both, whatever your view, the stage is nearly set. At 9:30, Saturday night's show designed to make the Golden Gate Bridge the center of the celebration.

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HUNTE: An extremely rare copy of the Declaration of Independence has been discovered in a London archive, just in time for America's 250th anniversary.

The historic document dates back to an American ship captured by the British in 1776. The founding document of the United States was listed in an archive simply as another document.

But back in May, a volunteer for the British National Archives decided to take a closer look. This specific copy of the declaration was printed in Exeter, New Hampshire, in 1776 and is one of 11 discovered from that print shop so far.

All right, that's all I've got for you. Thanks for joining me and the team. I'm Ben Hunte in Atlanta. To our U.S. viewers, happy 4th of July. There's so much more CNN NEWSROOM right after this. See you tomorrow.