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U.S. Celebrates July 4th Amid Record Heat; Iranian Mourn Death Of Slain Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei; Pope Visits Memorial To Migrants Who Died In The Mediterranean; CNN Analysis: Nine States Will Likely Determine Senate Control. Aired 5-6a ET

Aired July 05, 2026 - 05:00   ET

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

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[05:00:32]

SALMA ABDELAZIZ, CNN INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR: Hello and a very warm welcome to all of our viewers watching from around the world and in the U.S. I'm Salma Abdelaziz in London.

Let's get into the headlines. A massive fireworks display in Washington as America turns 250. We're going to take you to some of the biggest Independence Day celebrations across the country.

President Trump marks the nation's founding with a speech honoring America's past, what he said about his political rivals, plus a CNN analysis identifying nine key races to watch in the midterm elections, the state that could determine which party controls Congress.

ANNOUNCER: Live from London, this is "CNN Newsroom" with Salma Abdelaziz.

ABDELAZIZ: Extreme heat and storms delayed some celebrations, but America still marked its 250th birthday in a grand fashion. Fireworks in Washington, D.C. lit up the sky for a full 40 minutes. Organizers say some 850,000 fireworks were set off from 10 different locations around the nation's capital. The goal was to set a new world record. And President Trump took center stage for his speech ahead of this fireworks display. The president devoted much of his remarks to American strength.

And in a very thinly veiled swipe at his Democratic opponents, the threat of what he described as communism.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP (R), U.S. PRESIDENT: Americans will never let anyone take our freedom away. Won't happen. And all these talks from the communists, they haven't got a chance. Not even a chance. We don't want communists in our country. Never worked and it never will work.

Americans must never forget that we are a historic and heroic people with a heroic spirit and a heroic purpose on this beautiful earth of ours. We are made of the courage and the fire and the flesh and the blood of the best and the bravest people this world has ever produced. We are the bravest and the best.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ABDELAZIZ: Our Julia Benbrook has a breakdown of the president's speech for us.

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JULIA BENBROOK, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It was a long day here in Washington leading up to President Donald Trump's speech, but he did take the stage shortly after 11 p.m. Eastern. Weather-related concerns led to evacuations on the National Mall and delays, but Trump made it clear that he planned to speak no matter what. Writing on social media, "Storms bring luck to whatever the occasion. They also make events a little bit more exciting. We will wait it out. I don't care if it's two o'clock in the morning or in one hour from now." He said, adding, "Looks like it's going to pass. They always do."

A message that he reiterated when he spoke to the crowd and honored America's 250th birthday.

TRUMP: Tonight, we come together for one of the most joyous and glorious milestones of all time. And you know what that is, 250, the 250th anniversary. And I do have to say this.

One of my very brilliant people backstage said, "Don't worry about it, sir. We can do it maybe next week." I said, It doesn't work next week. This is the big day. We want July 4th. We're not looking for July something else.

(CHEERING)

BENBROOK: In his speech, he talked about the nation's founding and also used some moments to highlight what he considers his biggest accomplishments in office so far. The president has drawn criticism for turning some of the events designed to honor America's anniversary into venues for personal promotion. At one point, he said that the 4th of July celebration would include a Trump rally in addition to honoring America's founding. Following his speech, there was a massive fireworks show here in our nation's capital.

Julia Benbrook, CNN, the White House.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ABDELAZIZ: Now, CNN's Anderson Cooper spoke to famed historian Doris Kearns Goodwin and asked if she thinks the founders ever imagined we would arrive at this point. Here's a part of their conversation.

[05:05:02]

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DORIS KEARNS GOODWIN, HISTORIAN: I'd like to believe some of them believed it, but I can't imagine most of them did. Yeah, they might have. Why should I say that? Of course, they had faith in us. UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Hey had faith.

ANDERSON COOPER, CNN ANCHOR: But we know something that they did not, which is if they didn't know we would do it, we know that we did it. What are your thoughts on 250 and what lies ahead?

KEARNS GOODWIN: I think that's the most important thing, which you just said. We know that we've lived through dark times before. I mean, I've lived through many of them, not only being 83 years old, some of them, but I've studied dark times my whole history life. I was drawn to them somehow because I knew that we emerged with greater strength. So, I wanted to go through that with them. So, we lived through the Civil War, which they could hardly have imagined or they thought about this country dividing. We lived through the Great Depression. We lived through the class war at the turn of the 20th century. We lived through World War II when Western civilization and the entire liberal democracy would have been undone.

You know, so scared was Franklin Roosevelt when he took the inauguration about to take it. Somebody said to him, you know, if your program works, you're going to be one of the great presidents in history. If it fails, you'll be one of the worst. No, he said, I'll be the last American president.

And the thing is the people living then, they didn't know that they were going to get through this. They lived with the same anxiety we live with today. And so that's why I think history is so important at this time when it's being diminished. It's the one thing that can give us perspective.

COOPER: It gives you courage?

KEARNS GOODWIN: It gives us hope. It absolutely does. Because we -- we know that our ancestors got through these times. There was some fiber in those leaders and those citizens. We've got to believe we have it in ourselves, too. I really think that's important.

COOPER: The 200th celebration, I was nine years old for it. It was the tall ships in New York, Operation Sail. And New York had a fiscal crisis, crime was high, the country was divided, the Vietnam War, the memory of it was still fresh. The Cold War was still very hot. And people were very divided and felt like they were very uncertain. And they felt like kind of we were at the end of our story almost. And a lot of people, I think, feel that way today. To your point about history giving courage, it gives me solace to know that many generations have thought they were at the end of the American story, and they weren't.

KEARNS GOODWIN: You know, in fact, what they used to say in the Great Depression was that we're at the end of our country right then. That's the words that they used. And the thing that we can take hope in, I think, is not simply the leaders. We had the right leaders at the right time. It was the citizens who acted.

One of the moments when Lincoln was called a liberator, he said, don't call me that. It was the anti-slavery movement and the Union soldiers that did it all. When Teddy Roosevelt comes in and is able to soften that class warfare and deal with the Industrial Revolution, he already had before him in the cities the settlement houses that had been formed and a social gospel and religion. The union movement was there for FDR. And, of course, the civil rights movement was there for Lyndon Johnson. The Civil Rights Act, the voting rights, would never have happened without the freedom marchers and the people in the streets and the freedom writers. And then you get the women's movement. You get the gay rights movement.

So, it's up to us, the citizens. That's what history has to tell us. We can't be -- we have to be like those colonists now. We have to do what we need to do and be active citizens to make sure that we're getting the right things happening in our country.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ABDELAZIZ: World leaders have been reacting to the 250th anniversary of U.S. independence. Prince King Charles sent a message of congratulations, hailing the relationship between the U.S. and the U.K. as one of extraordinary evolution. Russian President Vladimir Putin said the Declaration of Independence was a major milestone in world history. He used his message to call for constructive, equal and mutually beneficial relations between the U.S. and Russia, saying it was in the interests of the international community.

Meanwhile, Ukraine's foreign minister compared America's fight for freedom with Ukraine's war with Russia, writing that "America's values of liberty, independence and the right to choose your own future are at the very core of Ukraine's statehood."

In Germany, a message of a more visual kind, as Berlin's Brandenburg Gate was illuminated in the colors of the American flag. Berlin's mayor says the jester recalls the support the U.S. has given to the city's freedom.

We have live images now for you from Tehran, where day two of the public mourning for Iran's late supreme leader, Ali Khamenei, is now underway. Our Fred Pleitgen is in Tehran covering the week's long procession. A reminder to our viewers, CNN operates in Iran only with the permission of the government, but it maintains full editorial control over its reports.

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FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: There are massive crowds that have turned out here, and we're right in the middle of thousands of people who have come to commemorate Iran's late supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. If we pan around this way, then you'll be able to see that there's a stage over there with the caskets of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, as well as several of his family members who, of course, were killed in the early stages of that U.S.- Israeli bombing campaign in a massive airstrike on February 28th.

[05:10:03]

Now, we've been speaking to some of the people here. You can hear that they are chanting, they are praying, but many of them are also in tears and grieving. Some people have told us that they just want to express their sadness, but others also say they're so downright angry at the United States and President Donald Trump.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): I assure you that we will not let you have a good night's sleep from now on unless we get revenge for the blood of our leader.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (through translator): He was a father to me. I even loved him more than my father. It's as if I lost my father again.

PLEITGEN: You can hear the people chanting here in the crowd. You also heard some of the folks that spoke to us a little earlier. The Iranian authorities believe the ceremonies that are taking place over the next couple of days could be the largest such ceremonies in the history of the Islamic Republic of Iran.

Again, the bodies are going to lie in state here. Then there is going to be a burial procession in Tehran. But it's all going to end in Mashhad, one of the holiest cities of Shia Islam, where the body of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei will be brought to its final resting place.

Fred Pleitgen, CNN Tehran.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ABDELAZIZ: For more on what's taking place in Iran over the course of this days-long mourning process, Leila Gharagozlou, now joins us live from Abu Dhabi. I want to just play for you, Leila, this clip that I think our control room is working on getting right now. And it shows two of the slain leader's sons crying over his coffin. You can see that on our screen now, Mostafa and Masoud Khamenei. But noticeably absent, of course, is Mostafa Khamenei. Why is he not standing alongside his other brothers?

LEILA GHARAGOZLOU, CNN PRODUCER: Yeah, so Mostafa Khamenei hasn't been seen since he took over as supreme leader during the war. And part of that is due to his health. For a while, they were saying that he was injured very badly in those airstrikes that killed the rest of his family. And so he was recovering and recuperating.

On top of that, now they've said there's also the concerns of another attack on him in some form. So, they have very serious security concerns around his well-being. So, they're going to take extra measures to make sure that he is protected. And part of that is not necessarily putting him out in the public in an open space.

Now, we're not going to see him likely today or in the next couple of days. If we see him, it's expected that it could be in Mashhad. But even that is really, really unclear. But at some point, it is one of those things that the Iranian public is going to have to see the supreme leader.

When they determine that that threat on his life is diminished or not is also one of those things that's unclear, given that we do routinely get reports of possible, you know, assassination attempts and things like that, and the fact that the war isn't actually over quite yet. So, it's unlikely that we see him over the next few days. If we do, it could be in the hometown of his father in Mashhad. But until we see him, it's just very up in the air.

ABDELAZIZ: Leila Gharagozlou there on in Iran, trying to project strength without the presence, at least publicly, of its supreme leader. Thank you very much.

Ukraine's president is urging allies to help stop what he called Russia's terror in his country. He spoke after a massive glide bomb strike in the city of Sumy, it left four people dead and 33 others were injured when the bomb hit the city center on Friday. Officials say the fatalities included a 5-year-old child and her mother. The city is near the Russian border, where the Kremlin is trying to expand what it describes as a buffer zone.

Now, Pope Leo has delivered a 4th of July message. Just ahead, we're going to go live to Lampedusa and hear what he had to say.

Plus, a security dispute is casting a shadow over Prince Harry's upcoming trip to the U.K. We'll have a live report for you when we come back.

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[05:18:04]

ABDELAZIZ: In Venezuela, the death toll is climbing after last month's devastating double earthquakes. Government officials now estimate at least 2,954 people have been killed, and some experts fear that number is just a fraction of the actual toll. They say the final tally could potentially surpass 10,000 deaths. And while search efforts continued Saturday, acting President Delcy Rodriguez recognized several international rescue teams as honorary heroes of Venezuela.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DELCY RODRIGUEZ, ACTING VENEZUELAN PRESIDENT: The Venezuelan people will never forget the helping hand that came to care for us, to help us, to comfort us, and to stand by us. Those who are now leaving our homeland, may you all leave with a piece of Venezuela in your hearts as a token of the deep gratitude we feel toward each and every one of you rescuers who were here, risking your own safety to save others. I can't imagine a more beautiful sight than when a citizen of the world crosses borders to help another.

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ABDELAZIZ: Pope Leo is calling on Americans to welcome immigrants with compassion and generosity. He delivered that message during a July 4th visit to the Italian island of Lampedusa. It is a major arrival point for migrants that are crossing the Mediterranean, and the Pope began his visit at the door to Europe. This is a piece of artwork that stands as a memorial to migrants who have died trying to make that crossing. Later, the American-born pontiff returned to Rome, where he marked Independence Day with a visit to the residence of the U.S. ambassador to the Holy See.

For more on all of this, we're going to be joined now by CNN's Vatican Correspondent, Christopher Lamb. He is live in Lampedusa.

Chris, this has been such a powerful visit at such an important time. And I just want to play you a short -- short clip of this moment where you see the Pope laying flowers at the graves of migrants. And this took place, of course, as America was celebrating its 250th birthday. You were there. You saw that moment. Tell me about how it played out. It must have been so emotional.

[05:20:14]

CHRISTOPHER LAMB, CNN VATICAN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Salma, it was an incredibly moving and poignant moment for the Pope's visit in Lampedusa. There is a cemetery on the island. I visited it. And there is a part of the cemetery dedicated to those who have lost their lives, making that incredibly perilous crossing from Africa to Lampedusa into Europe.

And in the part of the cemetery where the Pope was laying the flowers, there is a grave to a boy, six months old, who died in 2020 in a shipwreck, Yusef Ali Khan. And the Pope going to that cemetery and being in Lampedusa really underlined the human tragedy of the migrants' crisis. It's not just about numbers, but also people.

And the Pope trying to put a personal element to this tragedy, to maybe not get into just the politics of the migrants' crisis, but to emphasize that each person needs to be treated with dignity. I think that was the underlying message of his trip. And, of course, he was seeking to communicate that not just within Italy and Europe, but also to the U.S., because, of course, it took place on Independence Day, the 250th anniversary of the founding of the U.S.

And the Pope, when he arrived in Lampedusa, released this message to America where he emphasized the importance of welcoming immigrants with compassion and generosity, pointing out the history that the U.S. has of welcoming new arrivals and the contribution that they make.

So the Pope, using this visit to Lampedusa to underline that message. He, of course, also found time to celebrate going to the U.S. Ambassador of the Holy See's residence in Rome. It is very unusual for a Pope to pay a visit to an embassy like that. It shows the importance that Leo wants to put on marking Independence Day, of course, the first American Pope.

He went to the residence, and we're told that he received homemade apple pie, a baseball, and a U.S. soccer shirt. I think he, obviously, is going to be following the U.S. in the World Cup in the coming days. Salma.

ABDELAZIZ: An American Pope eating apple pie on the 4th of July. Thank you so much, Christopher Lamb.

Britain's Prince Harry will not be bringing Meghan or their children to London next week amid a dispute over security arrangements. Now, Harry had hoped his family would join him for this five-day visit. He submitted a formal request for police security, but was told that protection could not be provided. For more on all of this, we are joined by CNN's Anna Cooban. She is here in London.

You know, there was this hope that we would see a reunion, Anna, between King Charles and his grandkids. He hasn't seen them, I believe, in four years' time, at least not in person. But it sounds like that's no longer going to take place. What went wrong here?

ANNA COOBAN, CNN REPORTER: Well, we don't quite yet know exactly what will happen over the next five days. That's the duration of Prince Harry's trip. But we do know that it is probably less likely that we will see that reunion. You're right, four years ago, King Charles was able to see his grandchildren. And then since then, we've only seen a few trips from Prince Harry back to the U.K. for the Queen's funeral in 2022, the coronation in 2023, and a private meeting between Prince Harry and King Charles in September over tea. This was during a time when King Charles was going through cancer treatment.

So, there are some big question marks over this visit, one being, will the family still be with Prince Harry outside of London? We know there are engagements in different parts of the U.K. And the second question is, where are they going to stay? CNN understands that they were planning to stay in both a private and a royal residence. Now, staying in a royal residence means that you automatically get police protection. But then Buckingham Palace clarified that an invitation by King Charles to the family to stay in a royal residence has not yet been accepted. So, some big question marks there.

And, of course, to understand all of this, we have to go back to 2020. The reason we're even talking about this is because when Harry and Meghan stepped down from their royal duties, they were not then automatically eligible for taxpayer-funded police protection. Prince Harry says that this is absolutely imperative for any visit to the U.K. with his wife and children.

ABDELAZIZ: Anna Cooban there on the latest when it comes to those security arrangements. Thank you for that update.

Cities around the U.S. have had to adjust some of their plans to celebrate July 4th. Just ahead, how extreme heat and thunderstorms played out on the nation's 250th birthday.

[05:25:05]

Plus, why the midterm elections in just nine states could determine which party is in charge of the U.S. Senate and why Democrats are feeling a bit hopeful. That's coming up next.

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ABDELAZIZ: Welcome back. I'm Salma Abdelaziz.

Let's check some of today's top stories. In Iran, thousands of mourners have gathered in the capital for the second day of a public funeral for the country's former supreme leader. Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed in the first U.S.-Israeli airstrike that launched the war with Iran. He was succeeded by his son, Mostafa, who has not been seen in public since becoming Iran's new leader.

And despite extreme heat and thunderstorms, the United States pulled off a spectacular 250th birthday party. The fireworks in Washington, D.C., started late but lasted for more than 40 minutes. Before the show, President Trump spoke about American ideals.

The 250th anniversary wasn't the only historic milestone at Washington, D.C.'s Independence Day celebration this year. President Trump is touting the district's fireworks display as the best ever. Organizers say more than 850,000 fireworks shells were set to be launched, which could set a new world record for the largest fireworks show.

During the celebrations, tens of millions had to contend with extreme heat and thunderstorms. Michael Yoshida is in Washington, D.C., with more on how the July 4th holiday played out.

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MICHAEL YOSHIDA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Gates opened at the Salute to America event on the National Mall around 5 p.m. Saturday, despite the intense heat. A severe thunderstorm forced an evacuation just a couple hours later. Delayed but not deterred, President Donald Trump still took to the stage for a late-night speech.

TRUMP: This is the big day. We want July 4th. We're not looking for July something else. Because this is the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. Nothing like it.

YOSHIDA: Trump's celebration for America's 250th anniversary promised a record-breaking fireworks show.

STEPHEN VITALE, CEO, LIVE EVENTS/PYROTECNICO: We're going for the world record, but most importantly, we want the show to be memorable and aesthetically beautiful for the crowd. And something that people will remember forever.

YOSHIDA: Over the last two days, a fierce heat wave also forced organizers to alter or cancel events in the Capitol and in communities all along the East Coast. In Washington, D.C., the opening of the Great American State Fair was postponed by two hours Saturday. Friday, it had to temporarily shut down due to the heat.

RENEE SWART, MALL VISITOR: We were told that they were closing it down due to the heat. A lot of people were passing out.

YOSHIDA: First responders were on hand to quickly respond to any emergencies.

CHIEF JOHN DONNELLY, DC FIRE AND EMS: Fourth of July is typically our busiest day of the year. Where we run 500 to 600 calls a day, I think we're going to be over 1,000 this weekend. YOSHIDA: The heat is also causing unhealthy air quality in some cities. On top of that, the extended fireworks displays will likely only make the air quality worse.

In Washington, I'm Michael Yoshida reporting.

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ABDELAZIZ: The U.S. midterms are getting closer, and at stake is control of the Senate. In the coming week, several states will hold primaries, and Democrats are increasingly seeing hope in the future. They need to hold all their seats and flip for others to take control from Republicans.

CNN is taking a look at the states most likely to flip in November. Our analysis is based on reporting, conversations with strategists, analysts, fundraising and polling. CNN's Arlette Saenz breaks it down for us.

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ARLETTE SAENZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The battle for control of the U.S. Senate is set to play out over nine states between now and November. And for the first time, CNN is ranking the list of states most likely to flip in this midterm election.

Now, Democrats need to flip four Republican-held seats and defend all of their own if they want to win the majority in November. And topping the list that we have is North Carolina, which is currently held by a Republican senator who is retiring. But the Democratic candidate, former Governor Roy Cooper, is giving the Democratic Party one of their best chances at flipping a Senate seat in November. He is facing off against Republican candidate Michael Whatley, a close ally of President Donald Trump. And if you take a look at polling, Cooper has -- is currently leading Whatley by seven points in a state where a Democratic senator has not won since 2008.

Now, coming in at number two, we move up north to Maine, a seat currently held by Republican Senator Susan Collins, who is running for her sixth term in office. She is facing off against the progressive Democratic candidate Graham Platner in a race where his campaign has been embroiled in a lot of controversies in recent months. But if you take a look at polling, this race is very competitive, and there is no clear leader in the contest at this point in the race. So, that will be one to certainly watch heading into November.

Coming in at number three is the state of Michigan, which is currently held by a Democrat, retiring Senator Gary Peters. And the Democratic primary has been very competitive and contentious between three candidates. That includes the progressive candidate Abdul El-Sayed, the moderate Congresswoman Haley Stevens and state Senator Mallory McMorrow.

This primary really captures a lot of the debates playing out within the Democratic Party at this moment in time, as we have seen in recent elections success from some progressive candidates. The question is whether that can also translate to a presidential battleground state. Whoever wins that primary on August 4th will face off against the Republican former Congressman Mike Rogers.

Now, coming in at four, five, and six are three states that are in deep red territory. There is Ohio, then Alaska, and then Iowa. Iowa, if you take a look at recent polling, there's no clear leader in that contest between Congresswoman Ashley Hinson and the Democratic candidate Josh Turek. The President's economic policies, like tariffs and the fallout from the war with Iran, is something that could play heavily in that contest.

Now, coming in at number seven is the state of Georgia. This is a battleground state that is currently held by Senator Jon Ossoff, the only Democratic senator running in a state where President Donald Trump won back in 2024. But Ossoff has proven to be a very strong fundraiser. He has this ability to have clips of his speeches go viral. And he's giving a lot of Democrats hope that they will be able to hold on to this state.

[05:35:11]

If you take a look at recent polling, he was up over his opponent, GOP opponent, Congressman Mike Collins, by 13 points, fueling some of the Democratic hopes in that state.

Coming in at number eight is the state of New Hampshire, which is currently in Democratic control. And at the bottom of our list, at number nine, is the state of Texas. This is a contest that's going to dominate a lot of the conversation heading into November, as Democrats do see some hope in James Talarico, who is facing off against Republican State Attorney General Ken Paxton, someone who has endured a lot of scandals in his state, but he has also survived those in his past political campaigns.

There's a lot of questions about whether Texas will actually come into play. And we will keep an eye on that as this race progresses. But right now, this list really serves as a snapshot of this moment in time, of where these races currently stand. And it could shift between now and November, as there are still four months to go in a very contentious and spirited fight for control of the U.S. Senate.

Arlette Saenz, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ABDELAZIZ: Joining us now is Democratic Strategist Antjuan Seawright. He is live from Columbia, South Carolina. Thank you, first of all, for coming to us in what is the middle of your night.

As you heard there from our reporter, there is nine states where Democrats can focus their efforts and potentially win control. There's a lot of opportunity there, but you still got four months to go. What are the greatest challenges or missteps that could scooper this?

ANTJUAN SEAWRIGHT, DEMOCRATIC STRATEGIST: Well, I think the most important thing that Democrats can do is continue making the case directly to the American people about this unnecessary affordability crisis brought to you and sponsored by Donald Trump and your neighborhood Republican Party. There are 18.5 million Americans in places that Donald Trump won in the last election where they're paying almost double and quadruple for their premiums, co-pays and deductibles on the health care side. Gas, grocery goods and basic necessities are all up because economics has been a failure.

And in reality, when you think about what every day Americans feel when they go to the grocery store, when they go to dance club, they feel a level of uncertainty. And I think that's where Democrats need to hang their hats in terms of messaging and meeting people where they are. The worst thing we can do is make assumptions about the environment.

The tectonic plates are going to shift a number of times between now and November. So, the thing we have to do is stay consistent. In the words of Mike Tyson, the worst thing we can do is peak too soon.

ABDELAZIZ: But you do mention a lot of favorable conditions there, don't you? You say there's strong recruitment. There's a favorable national political environment. There is, of course, the rising cost of living. All of this is fueling hopes that the Democrats can flip control of the Senate. But there's another factor at play here, which is voter turnout. There's a lot of apathy out there. People are tired. Are you confident voters are going to head to the polls this fall?

SEAWRIGHT: Well, I'm confident that the people understand that they have the ability to set in place what that government looks like. In every single election since Donald Trump has taken office, Democrats have overperformed both the narrative and the expectation at the ballot box. You're also starting to see a sense of growth. I call it growing pains within our party. Whether it's on the progressive left, whether it's the centrist Democrats, we've overperformed in every single election. And that means we're expanding what traditional Democratic turnout looks like.

And quite frankly, if you look at every single survey to this point, we're growing independents our way. And that's going to be critical in battleground states, including the top six states that you mentioned in your graph a few minutes ago. So, I think that's critically important, because politics, like life, is a game of addition and multiplication, not subtraction or division.

The one thing that Republicans know is that they only have one strategy to this point. If you can't beat them, cheat them. And so they're doing everything they can to rig this midterm election for the sake of trying to maintain power. So, we have to make certain as Democrats this election is too big to be rigged.

ABDELAZIZ: But you touch on there expanding the voter base for the Democratic Party, trying to appeal to independents. But perhaps that's also causing a split within the party, because we're seeing this great division between progressives and moderates in the Democratic Party. And there's a surprising amount of progressive candidates in the mix here. You have El-Sayed in Michigan. You have Graham Platner in Maine. You could argue Talarico in Texas. What challenges do each of these candidates face in winning, and how could their results impact the direction of the overall party?

[05:40:16]

SEAWRIGHT: Well, I subscribe to that New York hip-hop philosopher Jay- Z, nobody wins when the family feuds. And so, I think it's so important that when this primary season is complete that we are all unified as one voice.

Look, we have to learn as Democrats to yell in the places we agree and whisper in the places we disagree. The common denominator here is that we all are laser focused on basic quality of life issues, kitchen table issues, barbershop and beauty parlor issues, the things that keep people up at night, but also the things that keep people going to work every single day. Forget about trying to make ends meet, there are people putting two ends together hoping they meet. And so, we saw this in the 2025 election cycle.

You had two national security moms in New Jersey and in the Commonwealth of Virginia who became governors of those states, and you also had Mayor Mamdani in New York. The common denominator was talking about the affordability crisis.

So, yes, there are some growing pains we're experiencing with some of these primaries, but I'm convinced that we are united in defeating the Republican agenda and the MAGA movement that has hijacked the modern- day Republican Party and has wrecked our country's economy and overall well-being.

ABDELAZIZ: Antjuan Seawright there in South Carolina on his view of the midterm elections. Thank you so much.

A white nationalist group tried to get some time in the spotlight while the U.S. celebrated its 250th birthday. Members of the so-called Patriot Front marched in Washington, D.C., on Saturday. That was ahead of President Trump's speech. Among other things, they shouted that they want to, quote, "reclaim America."

Experts say Patriot Front is one of the most active white nationalist groups in the U.S. The Southern Poverty Law Center, an advocacy organization, has designated it as a hate group. Police say the march did not lead to any incidents.

After the break, we have a story of defiance in the face of a devastating ALS diagnosis, how one Japanese DJ is keeping his music alive with the help of some incredible cutting-edge technologies.

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[05:45:36]

ABDELAZIZ: The World Cup's round of 16 is off and running. Two teams survived Saturday's matches and are now heading to the quarterfinals. Morocco knocked out host country Canada, breaking open a scoreless match after halftime and pulling away with a 3-0 win. It's another historic victory for Morocco. It becomes the first African nation to reach the World Cup quarterfinals more than once. Next, they'll face France, who edged out Paraguay 1-0 in a hard-fought

and physical match. Star striker Kylian Mbappe broke the deadlock with a penalty kick in the second half, sending two-time champions France into their fourth straight World Cup quarterfinal.

The round of 16 resumes later today. Five-time champion Brazil will take on Norway and New Jersey. And England is going to face off with Mexico in the host nation's capital, Mexico City.

After an ALS diagnosis changed his life, a Japanese DJ is finding new ways to keep his creativity and music alive with the help of cutting- edge technology. CNN's Hanako Montgomery reports on his determination to defy the limitations of his disease.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

HANAKO MONTGOMERY, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Masatane Muto makes music with the flick of his eyes. And this drone, he flies with his brainwaves, sending the electric signals through wires attached to his scalp. But this technology was born by necessity. Muto was diagnosed with ALS in 2014, the same year the Ice Bucket Challenge, a stunt to raise awareness for the incurable disease, flooded social media.

MASATANE MUTO (Diagnosed With ALS): Developing ALS made me realize I knew that everyone lives within a finite time limit, and it changed my perspective on the value of time.

MONTGOMERY: Soon after, he left his job in advertising to be a DJ, with his wife Yuko's support. Their daughter, nearly three, has never known the man Muto was before he developed ALS, a disease that's slowly limiting his mobility. Breathing now is a constant struggle. But technology, he says, is giving him his freedom back. This device tracks his eye movements across a keyboard to type out his thoughts. And with A.I., he's recreated his old voice, allowing him to speak with his wife like he used to.

YUKO, MASATANE MUTO'S WIFE (through translator): Not being able to hear his real voice was the hardest part. It was heartbreaking. But now, A.I. can recreate it, so I never have to forget his voice.

MONTGOMERY (voice-over): One day, Luto will reach a completely locked- in state, when he can't even move his eyes. But with the time he has now, he's determined to keep creating, using his artistic voice for the thousands like him.

MUTO: So, let's not give up on our dreams and continue to challenge ourselves together.

MONTGOMERY: Hanako Montgomery, CNN, Tokyo.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ABDELAZIZ: Thousands of people attended the annual Pride event in Madrid on Saturday. Participants said the event was meant to celebrate the LGBTQ community, as well as support advancing civil rights. The Madrid Pride event is one of the largest in Europe. It began after the 1969 Stonewall riot in New York. Over 35,000 people marched in London's Pride parade on Saturday. This weekend's Pride festival is estimated to attract 1.8 million visitors to the U.K.

The event is focused heavily on issues important to the LGBTQ community, such as trans rights, visibility for black and brown people, and chosen family rates.

Coming up, one of the United States' most prolific documentary filmmakers speaks out about the Declaration of Independence. We'll have that for you ahead.

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[05:53:19]

ABDELAZIZ: Before we go, I want to give you one last look at the 4th of July celebrations that took place in major cities all across America. Here you're seeing skylines from cultural hubs like New York, Las Vegas, and New Orleans firing off dazzling displays. Much to the delight of the cheering clouds below, the heat and somewhat stormy weather could not stop the party that includes events in one of the 13 original colonies, North Carolina.

Kirstyn Clark of CNN affiliate WRAL looks at how the state's capital city honored the historic anniversary.

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KIRSTYN CLARK, WRAL REPORTER AND ANCHOHR (voice over): Patriotism and pride on full display as Americans, young and old, commemorate the nation's history. It's a day full of emotions for Maureen Gilchrist (ph).

MAUREEN GILCHRIST: My mom, may she rest in peace, she was a big patriot. My dad was in the military for 21 years. My Uncle Donny, God bless him, was born on this day. My Uncle Bobby was born on July 3rd. So, celebrations were about the family and the country.

CLARK: Families from all walks of life were taking in the sights and sounds, celebrating not only America, but every corner of North Carolina.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is just a great day where people can come together for one cause, a simple cause, togetherness.

CLARK: Even those from out of state.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We're actually from Spotsylvania, Virginia, up near Fredericksburg area.

CLARK: And now that you're here, how is it so far? Are you liking the parade?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes. CLARK: And from out of the country got in on the fun.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I moved here recently from Egypt, so it's great to be here in America. I love it.

CLARK: Just as Uncle Sam and the Statue of Liberty showed up, so did the intense heat.

[05:55:00]

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It's a little warm.

CLARK: Hydration stations, fans, and pockets of shade were a big help, and some even had an escape plan ready to go.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We're going to the Marbles Children Museum, so we're going to enjoy some air conditioning and some water, and drink lots of water, and take lots of breaks.

CLARK: The keys to staying safe as the temperatures climbed on a day too significant to keep people at home.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You know, it is monumentous heat, but right now it's not bad, right? You know, a little sweat, but it's worth it. It's worth it. You know, it'd have to be, like, 120 to keep me away from this morning.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ABDELAZIZ: Ken Burns is a filmmaker who has spent his career exploring the American experience. His work chronicles the history, leaders, and major cultural movements of the United States. And as Americans celebrated Independence Day, he spoke with CNN's Anderson Cooper about what the Declaration of Independence still means today.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ANDERSON COOPER, CNN ANCHOR: I know there's certain parts of the declaration that particularly stand out to you. And I just want to ask you about some of them. For you, what is the best sentence in the Declaration?

KEN BURNS, FILMMAKER: Well, I think the best sentence in the Declaration is the second sentence, which is, you know, I think the second-best sentence in the English language. And that's, you know, after I love you. "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness."

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ABDELAZIZ: Thank you so much for joining us. I'm Salma Abdelaziz in London. For our viewers in North America, "CNN This Morning" is coming up next. For the rest of the world, it's going to be "Connecting Africa." (COMMERCIAL BREAK)