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Largest Day of Slain Iranian Supreme Leader's Funeral Underway; FIFA to Allow USA's Balogun to Play Despite Red Card; Displaced Survivors Living in Temporary Camps in Venezuela; Ukrainian Drone Strikes Trigger Fuel Crisis Across Russia; Trump Expected to Travel to Ankara for NATO Meeting; How the U.S. 250th Anniversary Celebrations Became Political; Japanese D.J. Refuses to Let ALS Silence His Music; Heat Wave in Europe Threatens Vineyards in Greece, Italy. Aired 12-1a ET

Aired July 06, 2026 - 00:00   ET

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

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BEN HUNTE, CNN ANCHOR: Hello. Wherever you are in the world, you are now in the CNN NEWSROOM with me, Ben Hunte, in Atlanta. And it is so good to have you with me.

[00:00:43]

Coming up on the show, CNN is inside Iran as huge crowds turn out to honor their former supreme leader.

A shakeup at the World Cup. Monday is the biggest match yet for the U.S., and they just got back their biggest weapon after sources say Trump got involved.

Anguish in Venezuela and growing criticism over the response to those deadly earthquakes as the death toll climbs past 3,000.

ANNOUNCER: Live from Atlanta, this is CNN NEWSROOM with Ben Hunte.

HUNTE: Welcome. We begin in Tehran, where we are seeing live images of the third and largest day of public mourning for Iran's slain supreme leader, Ali Khamenei.

His son and successor, Mojtaba, has still not appeared publicly since the weeklong funeral began on Friday.

CNN's Fred Pleitgen is in Tehran. And a reminder to our viewers: CNN operates in Iran only with the permission of the government but does maintain full editorial control of its reports.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): A huge prayer service at the crack of dawn. The Mosalla religious complex in Tehran packed, including high-ranking Iranian officials and three of the late supreme leader's sons.

A solemn service but also calls for revenge against the U.S. and Israel.

"Why don't we kill the one who killed my imam?" this poet says. "It would be a shame if we don't kill your killer."

Even the elusive head of Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps in the crowd. Ahmad Vahidi is one of the top commanders in charge of Iran's war effort.

The number of people even larger on the second day of the funeral ceremonies for Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed by a U.S.-Israeli air strike along with several family members on February 28.

PLEITGEN: The crowds keep swelling here in Tehran as scores of people are coming out, braving the mid-summer's heat.

And the government here wants to make this a show of force and of defiance, saying the Islamic Republic has withstood a massive attack from two of the most powerful militaries in the world.

PLEITGEN (voice-over): Some of those in the streets, even boasting of an Iranian victory.

"Yes, it shows that we won," this woman says. "From now on into the ears of our children, we will say, 'Death to America, death to Israel.'"

"This is by itself revenge," she says. "You can see that altogether, they should understand that the unity of our people is one type of revenge."

And this woman says, "We have not come to say goodbye. We have come to meet our great leader again. We hope Trump and his family will all die, and we promise that he will not have a good night's sleep."

The calls for revenge all around: on signs, posters, and in the slogans of many paying their final respects to Iran's longtime supreme leader.

Fred Pleitgen, CNN, Tehran.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HUNTE: Let's bring in Negar Mortazavi. She's a senior fellow at the Center for International Policy and the host of "The Iran Podcast."

It is good to see you.

Can you just describe for us what we have been seeing in Tehran this morning; what's happened; and what is still to come?

NEGAR MORTAZAVI, SENIOR FELLOW, CENTER FOR INTERNATIONAL POLICY: Sure. So, it's a multi-day state planned, choreographed ceremony, mourning of the top leader of the country, who was killed at the opening of the war by the U.S. and Israel. First of all, the ceremony itself is a departure from religious

tradition. In Islam, in Shia Islam, you burn, you bury the dead as soon as possible. And this took months for the state to plan for security reasons, for wartime.

It's being done in the holy month of Muharram, which is a holy month for the Shia. So, there's political significance. There's religious significance.

It's sending domestic messages to domestic audiences, regional, international message of defiance by the state, resilience after two wars by U.S. and Israel, which Iranians are projecting that they won, and they resisted. And also, a message of continuity for the state and for the Islamic Republic.

[00:05:08]

HUNTE: Just a reminder to our viewers: we are seeing live images alongside there. We were. We'll see them again in just a moment.

How are Iran's leaders positioning themselves with these ceremonies, and how important are their messages, both domestically and internationally?

MORTAZAVI: It's very important, because if we remember, I mean, the supreme leader was assassinated at the beginning of a war, a second war by the U.S. and Israel. And one of the core underlying, you know, goals of that war was regime change.

And the war started with the assassination of the top leader. And it was a talking point that was repeated by American officials, Israeli officials, that either the regime will change or people will rise up and overthrow the regime. And that didn't happen.

And so that, in itself, the message from the government is a message of continuity, resilience, and also popularity. They have, you know, this massive crowd. This is essentially the largest state ceremony since the funeral of the previous supreme leader in the 1980s.

And there's just so much significance attached to it: victimhood, martyrdom. And also, you know, defiance against the enemies.

We also saw in the reporting of your correspondent in Tehran and the type of crowds that are showing. Of course, there's very little room, if any at all, for dissent. So, we're only seeing one type of the public in the Iranian society and the demographic, but nevertheless, it's the base of the state domestically.

It's also sending a message to their regional allies that there is continuity and strength for the Islamic Republic. And then, of course, to international audiences, specifically, you know, their foes, U.S. and Israel, that the Islamic Republic did not fall, the regime did not change, and that it's continuing.

HUNTE: We have seen enormous crowds in Tehran. We're seeing them there, as well. But you have argued that turnout isn't necessarily a measure of public support. How should we interpret these images?

MORTAZAVI: I mean, turnout is a measure of public support, but we have to also keep in mind that there's no room for dissent.

So, the part of the population that is considered the opposition will not have this kind of opportunity for public turnout. So, we have to keep that in mind.

But nevertheless, I mean, this is a real show of support for the state, for the Islamic Republic; also for essentially what Iran calls a defense that they put up in the face of a war that came to them. They were attacked with these -- by these two superpowers, U.S. and Israel, with military supremacy, and they were able to defend their homeland, defend their sovereignty, and essentially stop the war, and now go back to negotiations for peace talks.

So, all of these are happening in parallel. And, you know, it's just important to keep all of that in mind. This is a significant part of the Iranian society, but it's certainly not all of it.

And I would also argue that dissent or opposition has sort of been put on hold. We've seen protests after protests in Iran, but not during war time. And this is sort of a continuation of that.

So, we may continue to see dissent once the war ends, once these state ceremonies end, but not at this moment. This is very much the moment for the state to project that message of unity and strength.

HUNTE: At the same time as that, one of the biggest talking points has been the absence of Iran's new supreme leader. What are your thoughts? What has Iran said about that? What questions does that raise?

MORTAZAVI: Well, there are multiple sort of arguments or reasoning, the top one being security, of course. So, he survived the assassination of his father, the new supreme leader, Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, who's the son of Ali Khamenei. And, he's essentially a top target for more assassinations by Israel.

And we know it wasn't just the supreme leader. Top state officials, military, even political officials have been assassinated throughout this war. Even before this comes after years of assassination of Iranian nuclear scientists.

And so, there's a very serious concern for safety and security, especially for a supreme leader who was just appointed as a successor. This will -- it will be a very massive cost to the state if they get another assassination of a supreme leader within a few months.

So, there's a very high risk to something like that happening. So, safety and security concern.

And then there's also health issues being argued. He was injured in that attack. It's not very clear how severely.

But you know, there's image control very much part of the concern of someone who hasn't had public office; wasn't really a public figure; and was just appointed as supreme leader.

[00:10:05] His first show in public would want -- they would want it to be with some image control. And now is just not the time, it seems.

HUNTE: OK, we'll leave it there. Negar Mortazavi, thank you so much. Appreciate it.

MORTAZAVI: Thanks for having me.

HUNTE: Next, a stunning reversal by FIFA has shaken the World Cup, miring Team USA's impending match with Belgium in controversy.

FIFA leadership delayed a one-game suspension for Team USA star striker Folarin Balogun, invoking an obscure rule that will now allow him to play in Monday's match. That is despite the red card that he received during Team USA's last match.

A source tells CNN U.S. President Donald Trump spoke with FIFA President Gianni Infantino this week and asked for a review of Balogun's red card.

Well, on Sunday, President Trump took to Truth Social to praise FIFA's move, saying they had, quote, "reversed a great injustice."

Team USA's head coach was quick to defend that decision.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MAURICIO POCHETTINO, USANT HEAD COACH: The power of this -- this sport, no? That is amazing. And of course, I am listening. Different coaches, different -- you know, nations (ph) that talk about, oh, the president called the -- this, that. No, no. Everything want to be involved.

It's not surprise me. I came from (UNINTELLIGIBLE) to Argentina or Europe that -- that football/soccer is -- is more than a -- is a religion, more than a religion. You know?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HUNTE: Well, Belgium's head coach was far more critical of FIFA's move.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

RUDI GARCIA, BELGIUM HEAD COACH (through translator): I didn't realize that, at FIFA headquarters, July 5th was the equivalent of April 1st in Europe.

The Belgian Football Association isn't defending itself. Nor is it defending the national team. It's defending football in general. The integrity and ethics.

As far as I can recall, I think this is the first time in the history of the World Cup that such a decision has been made. That's it. As for me, I'm the coach. I'm going to focus on my team and

on the match, regardless of the USA starting 11.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HUNTE: Sunday's round of 16 matches brought some serious drama to the pitch, ending the World Cup dreams for a host nation and one of the highest favored teams in one tournament.

Despite a truly valiant fight for Mexico, England secured its place in the quarterfinals, winning that match 3-to-2.

England scored twice in just 98 seconds during the first half and held onto its early lead, with only ten men on the field in a final half hour of play, following a red card expulsion.

And Norway is headed to its first ever World Cup quarterfinal after knocking out five-time champions Brazil 2-to-1. This is the earliest that Brazil has been eliminated from a World Cup since 1990.

Norway's star striker, Erling Haaland, delivered a standout performance, scoring both goals for his team, giving him seven across the tournament so far.

Francisco X. Rivera joins us now from Los Angeles. He's a play-by-play announcer for MAJOR LEAGUE SOCCER on Apple TV.

It is good to see you, sir.

FIFA has suspended the enforcement of Folarin Balogun's one-match ban, making him available now against Belgium. How much does that change the U.S.'s chances? And do you understand Belgium's anger over the decision?

FRANCISCO X. RIVERA, PLAY-BY-PLAY ANNOUNCER, APPLE TV'S "MAJOR LEAGUE SOCCER": Well, it had happened before. I mean, contrary to what Rudi Garcia was saying. And I understand the (AUDIO GAP).

It happened back in 1962 with one of the -- Pele's allies back in 1962 in Brazil. Garrincha, who was allowed to play in the final against Czechoslovakia, now known obviously as Czechia.

So, it had happened before.

And I understand it is hard to see this kind of reversal, but it's happened in the past, and now it's time to move on. Both teams will be -- or will have their strongest units. They'll be ready to go.

And -- and it's sometimes hard to think that one player is going to make a difference. At the same time, I think the U.S. national team has had a strong performance so far. Obviously, Balogun is a tremendous part of that unit going forward for the U.S. national team.

But at the same time, I think when there's this much controversy, when there's so much outside noise, I think this is also going to put a lot of pressure on the U.S. national team. And being the host country, being the only one of the three host countries that still alive in the tournament. The only hope for CONCACAF. I think the world's eyes are going to be on the U.S. National team now.

And they should be ready to put in a good performance to erase all this outside noise, all this off-the-field banter, and they have to get ready to go.

[00:15:00]

HUNTE: OK, well, let's take a quick step back for just a moment, because yes, we've seen reversals before, but let's talk about the precedent, or the lack of a precedent, for a president getting involved.

Does President Trump's close relationship with FIFA President Gianni Infantino give the U.S. an unfair advantage here? I feel like I know what you're going to say.

RIVERA: Well, I want to believe that sports have a separate place from politics. I don't know how FIFA made that decision. I don't know if the president was involved or not.

But then again, the good thing is that both teams are going to be at full strength. They're going to be ready to go.

And I don't think Belgium is a naive team that will think that one player is going to make a difference for them. And once again, with both of them being at full strength, I think it's an even matchup.

Even Belgium has the lead, because they have a lot of great superstars like Kevin de Bruyne, like Romelu Lukaku.

So, I think Rudi Garcia, being a smart coach, being a veteran coach, he's got to let all that outside noise just slip away, get it out of his locker room, and get his players focused for tomorrow's game.

HUNTE: England have beaten co-host Mexico, 3-2. Just how statement- making is it to eliminate a host nation in one of world football's most intimidating stadiums?

RIVERA: Well, let me tell you, it was a very fun week. I mean, I was born and raised in Mexico City, living in L.A. now, but I do understand everything that happened, even the banter from Mexican fans, even the hostile environment that they tried to create for all the -- all opponents, for Ecuador, for England; going to the hotels and screaming and having fireworks outside.

They played their game. They tried to help the team as much as they could.

But now, once we get to being on the field, I think this Mexican national team made the nation believe that they could do something special, that they could win five games in a row.

However, when you play a team like England, it's like when you play Argentina, when you play Brazil, when you play France, you have to be almost perfect. If you are not, like it happened to Mexico today. Three mental lapses, three goals by England. And as you mentioned before, three goals in a matter of two minutes.

And that, actually, has been a problem for Mexico.

There's a say that we have in Mexico to illustrate our soccer or football situation. And it says: (SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE)

And it means, "We play like we never had before, but we lost like we always have."

And, you know, they always get very close. They play great teams. Or, you know, when they play Argentina, when they play Brazil, when they play France and now England, they're very close.

And as I said before, this team was different. This team made everyone believe that they could do something, because they started the tournament with no expectations.

However, England did what they had to do. Jude Bellingham appeared twice, he scored twice. Harry Kane did it at a tremendous time on a long ball by Jordan Pickford, where he fought against Edson Alvarez. He started to play. That provoked a penalty kick that gave England to win.

So, then again, I didn't expect, honestly, to -- for England to drop back and to play defensively. It just went for the counterattack. But I did talk to some friends who played for the England national team, and the general consensus was we're -- It's going to be hard for the players physically, the altitude. You know, when you talk about 7,200 feet, it's going to be tough on the players.

So, I think that was a strategy for Thomas Tuchel. Just drop back, wait for Mexico to invest all their energy, to waste the energy, and for them to just wait for counterattacks, which is exactly what they did.

So, once they get to the next round, once they get to Norway, I don't think they're going to be able to yield possession like they did before. I think it's going to be an even matchup in Miami.

Humidity is going to be a great, great, I think, effect -- or is going to have a great effect on both teams. Neither one used to such extreme heat.

But at the same time, I think Europe remains a candidate.

When I was asked by my MLS colleagues before the tournament who my favorites were to reach the finals, I said Spain and England. So, so far, I think, you know, they have a good chance to get far.

HUNTE: OK. Francisco X. Rivera, thank you so much for joining us. Appreciate it.

RIVERA: Thanks, man. HUNTE: All right. Still to come, the humanitarian crisis deepens as

the death toll rises in Venezuela. We'll bring you more stories of survivors still searching for loved ones after the deadly earthquakes.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[00:23:34]

HUNTE: Welcome back.

Venezuela's acting president has ordered additional troops to be deployed to help emergency responders in the aftermath of deadly earthquakes.

On Sunday, Delcy Rodriguez announced a new military unit would be formed to respond to both the current earthquake emergency and future disasters, too.

This comes in the wake of harsh criticism of the government's response to the disaster. Officials say the death toll has risen higher than 3,300 lives.

More than 17,000 people have now been displaced, and some are sleeping on the streets. Others are venturing back into their homes to recover what they can, cven though many buildings are unsafe.

CNN contributor Stefano Pozzebon has more now on how survivors are trying to move forward.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

STEFANO POZZEBON, CNN CONTRIBUTOR (voice-over): Zo Santander (ph) has not seen her son in ten days. They were separated in the twin quakes that shook Venezuela on June 24.

But her 9-year-old, Xavier, was trapped under the rubble. Four days later, she saw a video of a child being rescued at night. She believes it was her son, but in the chaos that followed, she hasn't been able to find him.

She's not going to rest. But from here, there is little she can do.

POZZEBON: This used to be a golf course. La Guaira was a tourist hot spot by the Caribbean Sea. And so, here is where tourists will come and play golf and relax.

Now, of course, it's a tent city for hundreds of displaced, many of whom actually used to live there in those blocks. And every day, they wake up, and they see their homes and flats broken down by the brutality of the earthquakes.

[00:25:14]

POZZEBON (voice-over): Sheyna Ceballos is also looking for a loved one. She's lost hope of finding her mother alive, but will not leave the golf course until she recovers her remains. SHEYNA CEBALLOS, EARTHQUAKE SURVIVOR (through translator): If I had

the money, I'd dig her out. But I have none.

POZZEBON: This is what's left of Sheyna's home. An entire life shattered in an instant.

Now, like her, thousands of Venezuelans are only beginning to grasp the magnitude of this catastrophe.

POZZEBON (voice-over): Before this tragedy, Venezuela was already in a deep humanitarian crisis, facing chronic shortages of food and medicines.

World Central Kitchen has been operating here since 2019. In response to the earthquake, they have stepped up, with free meals for survivors and volunteers.

POZZEBON: Can you describe a moment that Venezuela is right now, when it's been ten days since the earthquake?

MIGUEL TORTOSA, COMMUNICATIONS RESPONSE MANAGER, WORLD CENTRAL KITCHEN: The numbers keep increasing, and we are still in the first phase of the operation. I would say this is still the emergency phase. And our teams are still, like, finding the exact numbers so we can get the amount of meals needed to cover all the needs.

POZZEBON (voice-over): Survivors and relatives of the victims have criticized the government response as inadequate and delayed. Many point to the armed forces, who they say, showed up too late or didn't do enough.

DELCY RODRIGUEZ, ACTING VENEZUELAN PRESIDENT (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.

POZZEBON (voice-over): The government also laying out credit agreements with the International Monetary Fund and plans to begin the reconstruction.

But at the golf course in La Guaira, the present is too dark to look ahead.

CEBALLOS (through translator): Now I just want to find her remains. To think about the future makes no sense.

POZZEBON (voice-over): Stefano Pozzebon, CNN, La Guaira, Venezuela.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HUNTE: Still to come, Donald Trump will join the upcoming NATO summit in Turkey, despite his clear hostility towards the alliance. What the other member nations can expect, ahead.

See you in a moment. (COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[00:32:14]

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

The largest day of public mourning for Iran's supreme leader, Ali Khamenei, is underway in Tehran. A massive funeral procession is following a ten-kilometer route.

The late ayatollah's son and successor, Mojtaba, has not been seen in public since the weeklong public funeral began on Friday.

The death toll in Venezuela has passed 3,300 people as searchers continued digging through the rubble after two deadly earthquakes.

Acting President Delcy Rodriguez has ordered the creation of a new military emergency response unit to help deal with this and future disasters.

Thousands have been displaced, and the number of people missing is still unknown.

In a stunning reversal, FIFA leadership has elected to delay the red- card suspension of Team USA's star striker, Folarin Balogun, to allow him to play in Monday's match against Belgium.

A source tells CNN U.S. President Donald Trump spoke with FIFA President Gianni Infantino earlier this week and asked the FIFA leader to review the call on the red card.

The Ukrainian air force is reporting explosions across Kyiv after Russian drones and ballistic missiles struck the capital city.

City officials say at least seven people have been killed, and 24 were injured. Others remain trapped beneath a badly damaged multistory residential building.

We're bringing you some live pictures there from this.

Meanwhile, Ukraine has continued targeting Russian infrastructure, sparking a growing fuel crisis in almost every region of the country.

CNN's Clare Sebastian has more for us.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: (SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE)

CLARE SEBASTIAN, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Two women screaming at each other over a spot in line at a Moscow gas station. Scenes like these are becoming more common as intensifying Ukrainian drone attacks have caused fuel shortages and panic buying.

CNN's analysis has found that at least 50 of Russia's regions, well over half, are now officially reporting supply problems. Unofficial reports coming from almost everywhere else. Lines outside gas stations forming from Moscow to Siberia.

And here in the Southern Krasnodar region, a video emerged showing two women berating a man for filling up a gas canister. Authorities have banned this in multiple regions to prevent stockpiling.

Other Russians are coping with humor, turning hours'-long waits into makeshift tailgate parties, joking that the best place for a date night is waiting for a fuel tanker to arrive, and that Russia's most expensive perfume is now gasoline.

Well, this is getting so much attention that even Putin had to address this, warning that Ukraine's --

SEBASTIAN: -- attacks are not just about causing physical damage, but about what he called an information operation.

[00:35:02]

VLADIMIR PUTIN, RUSSIAN PRESIDENT (through translator): In order to, at minimum, create uncertainty for us, or even better, to lead to a schism in Russian society.

SEBASTIAN: All this could add to Russia's economic pain. Higher fuel prices mean higher inflation. But there is no evidence yet that it's going to convince Putin to stop the war.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HUNTE: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is downplaying reported divisions with President Trump over the Iran conflict. An Israeli source familiar with the matter says, "Mr. Netanyahu is set to travel to the U.S. as soon as next Monday to meet the president."

In an interview on Sunday, the prime minister said he does not believe any rift exists and that both leaders are, quote, "set on the same goal."

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BENJAMIN NETANYAHU: He does what's good for America. I'm the leader of Israel, the one and only Jewish state. I do what's good for Israel.

Ninety-nine percent of the time, we see eye to eye. But is there any -- in any family, in any close friendship? There are sometimes differences of opinion, and we discuss them openly, I can tell you, in a free spirit; and usually we resolve them, too.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HUNTE: Left-wing protesters in Turkey's capital are denouncing the upcoming NATO summit. World leaders, including U.S. President Donald Trump, will convene there in the coming days.

Turkish officials have been cracking down on protests and dissent ahead of that meeting.

This NATO summit comes as the Trump administration has taken an increasingly hostile tone toward the alliance.

CNN's Julia Benbrook tells us what to expect.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JULIA BENBROOK, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: President Donald Trump is expected to depart for the NATO summit in the coming hours, and we are getting a few more details about his schedule. I want to pull that up for you now.

BENBROOK (voice-over): His trip includes departing Monday evening. On Tuesday, he's expected to meet with the Turkish president and have dinner with NATO leaders.

And on Wednesday, he will participate in a NATO working session. He is expected to meet with both the Ukrainian and Syrian presidents during his trip, and hold a press conference before departing.

BENBROOK: Now, both the conflicts in Ukraine and Iran will loom large over discussions.

BENBROOK (voice-over): When it comes to Iran, according to a senior U.S. official, the topic of security in the Strait of Hormuz will likely come up.

In fact, they said that several member countries have expressed willingness to contribute to maritime security, but argued that they don't have necessary ships or assets to contribute to a meaningful maritime effort.

When it comes to Ukraine, we know that Trump had several conversations this weekend. According to the Russian Foreign Ministry, he spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin for roughly 90 minutes on Saturday. They said that that call was businesslike and highly constructive.

Trump also spoke with Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who I mentioned he has plans to meet with on the sidelines of the NATO summit. And Zelenskyy said that that call went very well.

Now, it's no secret that Trump has had a tumultuous relationship with NATO. At times, he has threatened to pull out of the alliance and has questioned whether it is benefiting the United States in the way that it should be.

He has repeatedly called for member nations to spend more when it comes to defense. In recent days, he reiterated that point in a social media post, writing in part, "The United States spends more money on NATO than any other country by far, to protect them without getting any benefit from so doing," adding, "Ridiculous!"

BENBROOK: So, a big week ahead, a lot of things that we will be tracking as he travels.

Julia Benbrook, CNN, the White House.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HUNTE: Joining us now is columnist and geopolitics analyst Bobby Ghosh. It is good to see you, sir.

Trump wanted these 250th anniversary celebrations to project confidence and national pride, too. But after watching the speech and the events surrounding it, do you think he succeeded in creating a genuinely unifying national moment, or did it ultimately feel more like a political rally wrapped in patriotic symbolism?

BOBBY GHOSH, COLUMNIST/GEOPOLITICS ANALYST: Well, it was very much the latter. It was a political rally, and if Trump had intended to be unifying, then that certainly did not come through.

On the contrary, he seemed to be essentially peddling in resentment and recrimination and demonizing his political foes.

The Fourth of July speech for American presidents in the past has usually been an opportunity to restate America's foundational values; to -- to advertise what is best and greatest about this country.

But that has not been Donald Trump's style. This is consistent with his style, which has often been to present the state of the world, the state of America, in very dark tones and -- and present this view of society and America being threatened, both from within, especially from within, as well as from without.

[00:40:12]

And that's what we heard. It's a -- it's become, unfortunately, quite familiar with every passing year of the Trump presidency. But we have to remind ourselves that that is not what used to be normal.

HUNTE: Mm. The speech mixed tributes to American history with familiar campaign themes, including attacks on communism that a lot of people are talking about. Is that simply how modern presidents communicate now, or does it blur the distinction between governing and constant campaigning?

GHOSH: I don't think that's how modern presidents speak, but that is certainly how Trump does.

We -- if you think about the more recent presidents -- Biden, Obama, Bush Jr., Clinton -- that's not how they spoke. This is very much the Trump style, the Trump brand.

And if you think about the speeches being given by others around the country -- governors, the mayor of New York -- their speeches are very much in the old style of trying to bring people together, trying to put forward a positive vision of the United States.

But Trump, as I say, has his own signature style, and it tends to be darker and much more the sense of -- of America and Americanism being threatened. HUNTE: As the holiday weekend ends, the president pivots almost

immediately to foreign policy with the NATO summit in Turkey.

How significant is that contrast: celebrating American strength at home one day, then having to suddenly reassure allies about America's role in the alliance the next?

GHOSH: Well, if you've been following what he and others around him have been saying recently, they don't they're not really looking to reassure the allies, either.

The constant message from this presidency has been that the allies are not carrying their weight. They ought to do more. They should not rely so much on the United States. They cannot rely so much on the United States.

And I suspect we'll see more of that during the NATO gathering: that Trump will continue to go down that path of saying, the rest of you should really be doing much more. And the United States is not going to give everybody a free ride. That's been his -- his message throughout. And I think we'll see the same.

I think the -- the other NATO allies will be bracing themselves, because they've had an opportunity to see this play out a few times. They'll be bracing themselves for exactly that kind of message in Turkey when they see him.

HUNTE: Ukraine is expected to dominate much of the discussion, and that's alongside security in the Middle East, following the Iran conflict.

Can NATO still present a united front on those issues, or are there visible cracks within the alliance that Russia and others will be watching very closely?

GHOSH: Well, the biggest crack comes between NATO and the United States, which you could say is the sort of indispensable ally in that alliance. And -- and that has been a crack that other European leaders, Emmanuel Macron prominently among them, have been trying to paper over throughout the Trump presidency in his first term and also in the second term.

They've done so with varying degrees of success. It varies from summit to summit. I think if I were Donald -- if I were Emmanuel Macron, I'd be very concerned with the fact that Trump yesterday spoke with President Putin for quite a long time.

We do know that Trump tends to, when he has had a conversation with Putin, then go across to the European leaders and essentially repeat Putin's talking points.

But again, as I say, the Europeans have seen this movie before. They know what to expect. And you would imagine that they would have their talking points ready, that they would be ready to try and herd Trump away from his tendencies and bring him closer to the line of the alliance. They've tried to do that before, as I say, with varying degrees of

success. And I think that's what well see play out again in Turkey.

HUNTE: Bobby Ghosh, thank you.

GHOSH: Anytime.

POZZEBON (voice-over): All right. Still to come, making music with the flick of his eyes. You'll meet the D.J. defying the limitations of ALS, thanks to some cutting-edge technology.

See you in a moment.

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[00:48:59]

HUNTE: Welcome back.

After an ALS diagnosis changed his life, a Japanese D.J. 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)

(MUSIC)

HANAKO MONTGOMERY, CNN INTERNATIONAL 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, D.J. WITH ALS (through computer-aided voice): Developing ALS made me realize anew that everyone lives within a finite time limit, and it changed my perspective on the value of time.

MONTGOMERY (voice-over): Soon after he left his job in advertising to be a D.J., with his wife, Yoko's support.

Their daughter, nearly 3, has never known the man Muto was before he developed ALS, a disease that's slowly limiting his mobility.

[00:50:10]

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.

M. MUTO (through computer-aided voice): (SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE)

YOKO MUTO, 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, Muto 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.

M. MUTO (through computer-aided voice): So, let's not give up on our dreams and continue to challenge ourselves together.

MONTGOMERY (voice-over): Hanako Montgomery, CNN, Tokyo.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HUNTE: Vineyards that have existed for decades are under threat in Greece and Italy. Just ahead, how heat is forcing winemakers to adapt and what it all means for the price of European wine.

See you in a moment.

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[00:52:58]

HUNTE: Welcome back.

The largest active volcano in Europe is erupting. The Italian Department of Civil Protection issued a red alert as Sicily's Mount Etna emitted large clouds of ashes on Sunday.

The volcano has been active for nine days straight now. A lava flow first moved downhill, accompanied by volcanic tremors back on June 26.

Cycling fans have been asked to stay away from the Tour de France because of a wildfire burning in the Southwest near the Spanish border.

Cyclists are due to cross the finish line just 60 kilometers, or some 37 miles, from the blaze. Only the riders and essential vehicles will be allowed on the route.

Extreme heat and wildfires are happening across Europe, with blazes in Spain as well as France.

The extreme heat in Europe is also threatening the production of wine in Greece and Italy. Even techniques that have served vineyards for decades are now failing to work.

CNN meteorologist Allison Chinchar has the details.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) ALLISON CHINCHAR, CNN METEOROLOGIST (voice-over): On the Greek island of Santorini. Winemakers grow vines in a basket shape called a kouloura to protect grapes from the summer sun.

But even this 90-year-old kouloura couldn't survive the rising heat over the past couple of years.

YIANNIS BOUTARIS, WINEMAKER: The lack of rain, in combination with the lack of cultivation in the last couple of years, has led to these old vineyards really dying, basically.

As a winery, and every winemaker around the world will tell you that old vines are special. The reason why old vines are special is because the -- because of the grapes that they give.

CHINCHAR (voice-over): Low rainfall has created a growing competition for the island's dwindling water supply, especially during the warmer months, when overtourism brings millions of tourists to the Greek islands.

The struggle to keep vines alive has caused wine production to go down, and the price of grapes to go up, making the wine harder to sell.

[00:55:09]

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (through translator): If we have the reputation that French wines have acquired in more than 100, 150 years, we could justify the price for Santorini to be higher.

CHINCHAR (voice-over): Winemakers across the rest of the Mediterranean are also facing similar problems.

In Italy, vines are flowering more than 20 days earlier than usual, and extreme temperatures are forcing workers to push their day earlier.

An order by the Sicilian government has banned work during the hottest part of the day in high-risk areas. Now, workers must start their day at 5:30 a.m. and finish before the sun makes the labor unsafe.

SALVATORE RANDAZZO, MANAGER, BUCECI WINE CELLARS (through translator): We are moving toward a very tropical climate, and temperatures, especially in the mountains, are rising much more than they did many years ago. Working in 40-degree heat under the peak of the sun in summer is becoming very stressful for a human being.

CHINCHAR (voice-over): Back in Santorini, vineyards are also adapting to the new normal. Farmers are introducing new techniques, such as planting vines in rows rather than scattered, irrigating the vines from underneath, and testing out a new pilot project. The practice takes wastewater from homes and hotels to irrigate the vines.

BOUTARIS: The main thing for our winery is that we're not abandoning tradition. We are adapting to the changes. We're learning from the tradition, and we're adapting the vineyard to the new circumstances. What we have to do is find new ways to survive, right? Because if we

don't survive, and if we don't adapt, we're simply going to stop existing.

CHINCHAR (voice-over): Allison Chinchar, CNN.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HUNTE: And that's all I've got for you. Thanks for joining me and the team. I'm Ben Hunte in Atlanta. I'm back with more CNN NEWSROOM after this quick break. See you in a moment.

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