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Iraqi Prime Minister Says U.S. Military Forces to Leave Iraq by September 30; China Misses Growth Target as Iran Turmoil Impacts Trade; Trump to Discuss Election Security During Thursday Address; U.S. House Passes Bill for Permanent Daylight Saving Time; Spain Headed to World Cup Final; New Museum Opens Underneath the Lincoln Memorial. Aired 2-3a ET

Aired July 15, 2026 - 02:00   ET

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

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[02:00:44]

ROSEMARY CHURCH, CNN ANCHOR: Hello and welcome to our viewers joining us here in the United States and from all around the world. I'm Rosemary Church.

Just ahead on CNN NEWSROOM, President Trump reverses course on a proposed toll for ships in the Strait of Hormuz as Iran accuses the U.S. of derailing the cease fire.

Ukraine and its allies look to bolster air defenses as Russia escalates its attacks on civilian targets.

And who will face Spain in the World Cup final? How England and Argentina match up ahead at the last semi-final.

ANNOUNCER: Live from Atlanta, this is CNN NEWSROOM with Rosemary Church.

CHURCH: Good to have you with us. And we begin in the Middle East, where U.S. forces have concluded the latest round of strikes on Iran, just hours after reimposing a naval blockade on Iranian ports.

Now, this comes as President Donald Trump walks back his proposed 20 percent toll on cargo moving through the Strait of Hormuz. Trump says it will be replaced by Gulf state investments in the U.S.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: They would love to invest more money in the United States at record amounts, and that would be very acceptable. And this way, there's no fee. I don't like the concept of a fee, but at the same time, it's not fair that we're protecting this Strait for the entire world. But it's unfair that we're not in somehow compensated.

(END VIDEO CLIP) CHURCH: Tehran now says it has no obligations to the 14-point agreement made with the U.S. last month and blames Washington for causing the breakdown of the cease fire.

Gulf countries are on high alert following the U.S. naval blockade on Iran. Earlier video geolocated by CNN appears to show an Iranian drone striking a warehouse in Kuwait.

CNN's Kevin Liptak is at the White House with more on President Trump's latest threats against Iran.

KEVIN LIPTAK, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE REPORTER: President Trump is issuing fresh warnings against Iranian civilian infrastructure, including bridges and power plants, as he ups the rhetoric against Iran to try and break loose some sort of resolution to this conflict.

Now, the president has made those threats before, including as recently as last week, and hasn't followed through on them. And it's not clear that they will yield the type of concessions from Iran that so far they have failed to yield during the previous threats that the president has made.

But I think it all adds up to a commander in chief, who is really casting about, looking for a way to break loose what has essentially become a stalemate in Iran, and you saw over the course of the last several days the president searching for different options, including the naval blockade of Iranian ports that went back into effect on Tuesday. Central Command saying that 20 U.S. naval warships and hundreds of American military aircraft are enforcing that blockade.

You also saw the president sort of go back and forth on this idea of imposing a 20 percent fee on vessels that are trying to transit the Strait of Hormuz. The president, in an interview on Tuesday, declined to say potentially how long all of this would last, saying only that the U.S. strikes on Iran would, "Continue until I say it's enough."

Kevin Liptak, CNN, the White House.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CHURCH: Joining me now is Mehran Kamrava, a professor of government at Georgetown University in Qatar, appreciate you talking with us.

MEHRAN KAMRAVA, PROFESSOR OF GOVERNMENT, GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY IN QATAR: Thank you, Rosemary.

CHURCH: So, President Trump has already backed off his threat made on Monday to impose a 20 percent protection toll on ships moving through the Strait of Hormuz, saying it will be replaced by Gulf state investments in the U.S. What does this sudden about face signal to you?

KAMRAVA: Well, there's a couple of important points here. First and foremost, it appears that the president is, in principle, not opposed to some sort of toll or fee for ships transiting through the Strait of Hormuz, that is at least the way it is seen in Tehran, and I think that's really important.

[02:05:05]

The other factor is the fact that the Gulf states are quite justifiably very worried about the consequences of this escalation, and they really want to ensure that the escalation remains as contained as possible.

CHURCH: And U.S. forces. Have completed their latest round of strikes on Iran, hours after that U.S. naval blockade of Iranian ports was reimposed, and now President Trump says he's ready to strike Iranian power plants and bridges until the country's leaders negotiate. What do you make of that shift in targets and military strategy?

KAMRAVA: Well, in some ways, the United States continues to escalate and ratchet up its attacks on Iran, make sure that they inflict as much damage to the Iranian economic system as well as militarily as possible.

And so, I think this is quite a dangerous escalation. We've also heard the president mention ground troops, and there's speculation rife in Iran that the United States and the UAE, in particular, are gearing up for some sort of capture of some or a number of Iranian islands in the Persian Gulf. So, we're really at a very dangerous point right now.

CHURCH: Yes, indeed, and of course, Tehran is now saying that it has no obligation to the memorandum of understanding that both countries signed last month, blaming the U.S. for causing the cease fire to break down.

And this comes after President Trump said this week that the MOU with Iran was a test and didn't mean much. So, one thing that both sides appear to agree upon. So, where does all this leave diplomatic efforts to end the war, do you think?

KAMRAVA: Well, one of the main diplomatic forces that has been involved in trying to bring about some sort of conclusion to this conflict is Qatar, and Qatar has had a state funeral over the last several days for the former emir.

So, Qatar is out for the time being. That leaves Oman and Pakistan, and Oman has been attacked a couple of times by Iran in Omani ports, have been subject to Iranian attacks because they house American naval assets.

And so, that in many ways really leaves Pakistan. And you know, what we're seeing is we're seeing -- we're running out of negotiators, and certainly the Iranians and the Americans don't appear to have the wherewithal or the statesmanship necessary to pick up the phone and talk to one another.

And so, again, I hate to say this, but we're really at a dangerous point right now.

CHURCH: So, in the end, will the U.S. naval blockade and these increased strikes on Iran be enough to force Tehran back to the negotiating table do you think?

KAMRAVA: Well, somebody has to blink, and or somebody has to rethink their current approach. Will it be Tehran or will it be Washington? I think that remains to be seen.

We have seen both sides determined to end this conflict. They know that the current situation is untenable. Who's going to blink first, or at least who will allow mediation to once again bear some fruit remains to be seen.

CHURCH: Mehran Kamrava, thank you so much for joining us and sharing your analysis and perspective on this issue, appreciate it.

KAMRAVA: Thank you.

CHURCH: Of course. Well, U.S. lawmakers have unveiled a sweeping bipartisan bill aimed at intensifying sanctions on Russia's energy economy and defense industrial base. Senators on both sides of the aisle are now urging Congress to pass the legislation, calling it a fitting tribute to the late co-sponsor Senator Lindsey Graham. This comes as the United Nations reports that June was the deadliest month for Ukrainian civilians since April 2022.

U.S. Congressman Michael McCaul recently met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Kyiv. McCaul told CNN he sees an opening for Ukraine to take the upper hand in this conflict.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. MICHAEL MCCAUL (R-TX): What I saw in the front line operations was the Ukrainians taking back Russian occupied territory. They're actually winning this fight now.

[02:10:09]

So, now is the time to put pressure on Putin. These sanctions that Lindsey and I have been working over the last year and have finally gotten White House, you know, the green light. His last comments on earth were optimistic about how we were going to pass them into law.

So, for purposes of peace, not war, because we achieve peace through strength.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: Major European powers are also working to boost support for Kyiv as France marked Bastille Day this week. President Zelenskyy joined leaders in Paris to announce a new air defense coalition that would jointly develop an anti-ballistic missile system. CNN's Clare Sebastian has details.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CLARE SEBASTIAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yeah. Becky, that, there was that very overt show of force in Paris, as you see, a show of force in unity. President Macron, of course, using the Bastille Day celebrations to showcase Europe's sort of increasing resolve to take charge of its own defense, amid the U.S. of course stepping back.

But amid that, Ukraine facing what it said was its fifth assault by Russia involving ballistic missiles this month alone. So, the frequency of that does seem to be going up. Now it was able to avert, shoot down, or suppress five out of the eight ballistic missiles used, according to the air force.

It has not been able to do so in some of the recent attacks. So, what we're in now is a race against time. Ukraine and its allies racing to beef up Ukraine's defenses, as it's clear that Russia is in escalation mode. On Monday, they announced this coalition anti-ballistic missile coalition.

The core of that is to come together, Ukraine and its allies to build what would be a cheaper alternative, a cheaper European alternative to the Patriot system. President Zelenskyy has also called for a winter air defense package involving some 300 Patriot interceptors.

That is a huge number, especially given that the effective collapse of the ceasefire with Iran will put even more strain on U.S. stockpiles. So, this really is a race against time. And I think look, the sort of concentrating the minds around Ukraine, putting forward this package to you know, what it says would be to survive what will be its fifth winter at war.

And all the while we see from Russia signals that it's not backing down from its maximalist goals and that it is in the mood to escalate here.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CHURCH: Live pictures from Capitol Hill, where House conservatives expect action on border security and reconciliation after talks with leadership on Tuesday. Texas lawmaker Chip Roy declined to say whether President Trump got involved in the negotiations, but he said they are working on hammering out a deal on a reconciliation package that includes Save America Act provisions, defense spending, and other priorities. Others say there will likely be a floor vote next week on H.R. 2, the border security measure.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. CHIP ROY (R-TX): I don't want to get ahead of the speaker or the chair committee chairman, but we made significant progress on moving forward on border security provisions, as well as birthright citizenship and other things that are critically important. And we know there will be action next week. I'll let them lay out the details.

REP. TIM BURCHETT (R-TN): You'll probably see H.R. 2 tomorrow next week.

REP. RALPH NORMAN (R-CA): H.R. 2 is up in the air. Offsets on the reconciliation. Everything's up in the air, but it's being discussed.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: Authorities are investigating another deadly encounter with federal immigration agents here in the United States. The Florida Highway Patrol says four people ran away from a vehicle stopped by ICE agents. One of them ran across the highway and was struck and killed by a tractor trailer. The Department of Homeland Security says the victim was a Mexican national.

Well, protesters in cities across the U.S. are demanding action after two fatal shootings by ICE officers in less than a week.

In Maine, they are remembering Colombian immigrant Johan Sebastian Duran Guerrero as a loving person who worked hard to provide for his wife and 3-year-old daughter.

Meanwhile, the Department of Homeland Security is pausing most traffic stops by ICE agents, and they're planning to equip each arrest team with an agent wearing a body camera.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. ANGUS KING (I-ME): There's no excuse for it. We've known for months that this was something that was necessary. Police forces all over the country have body cameras.

SEN. SUSAN COLLINS (R-ME): This incident shows how imperative it is that we have a mandate for body-worn cameras.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

We get more now from CNN's Jason Carroll in Biddeford, Maine.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JASON CARROLL, CNN U.S. NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Maine lawmakers say there are still many unanswered questions about why ICE officers use deadly force when they stopped Johan Guerrero at this intersection early Monday in Biddeford, Maine.

REP. CHELLIE PINGREE (D-ME): Homeland Security was saying that the officer feared for their life. That's what they always say, that the individual whip -- weaponized their car. But then we heard 12 hours later in the day that they feared for public safety. This man was shot four times through the windshield. So, there was an ICE officer shooting him directly in the face.

[02:15:16]

CARROLL (voice-over): Democratic Maine Congressman Jared Golden posting on X, "Unfortunately, the ICE officers involved in this incident were not yet wearing body cameras, which could have helped to establish those necessary facts. DHS needs to make this a priority."

DHS releasing a statement blaming Democrats for no body cameras, adding "Body cameras have been deployed to more than half the field offices with the remaining half to receive them in the next 60 days."

Body worn cameras absent in both deadly ICE involved shootings in Maine and Texas, though $20 million in funding has been allocated for them. The department has pledged to roll them out for the past five months. That is little comfort to those calling for accountability and transparency.

MONTY ELLISON, LIVES NEAR SCENE OF SHOOTING: People have to realize this is not normal and it cannot become normal at all.

PEGGO HODES, VISITED SCENE OF SHOOTING: This is murder with impunity and this could be happening to any one of us. Any one of us. He's 26- year-old with a child. He has a legitimate reason for being here. He had Social Security. It's horrific.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: No justice, no peace.

CARROLL (voice-over): As protests continue, CNN is learning more about the man who was kill. His father telling Blue Radio, a popular station in Colombia, his son was working as a cleaner and a delivery driver hoping to build a better future for his family.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): He has his wife and his three- year-old girl. He is a very hard working person, a very loving person and a person who loves his family very much. His daughter, his little three-year-old daughter, he worked for them.

CARROLL (voice-over): A neighbor telling CNN Duran Guerrero was, was a good husband and father.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): He wasn't a bad guy. And the speculation that he was a criminal and had an order of deportation, that's a total lie.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CHURCH: Europe's heat wave is helping fuel fires across the continent, including in France, where officials are investigating possible arson for a wildfire burning near Paris. We'll have details after break.

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[02:21:59]

CHURCH: More than 100 million people in the Midwest and northeastern United States are at risk of dangerous air quality. This, as massive plumes of wildfire smoke are set to move across the border from Canada. A dozen fires have flared up in Ontario in recent weeks. More than 3,000 fires have burned nearly 4.5 million acres this summer in Canada.

A first round of smoke is already floating from Chicago to Boston, but a weather pattern change will bring unhealthy air quality from the Upper Midwest to New England Wednesday and Thursday. France commemorated Bastille Day with its annual military parade in

Paris, but a red alert heat wave impacted other celebrations, including the traditional Bastille Day firefighters' ball, which was canceled. The decision was made as firefighters battle a wildfire raging in an historic forest just south of the capital. Police have detained several people as part of an investigation. One teenage volunteer firefighter admitted he had set fire to Twiggs. According to officials, a second man said he accidentally started a fire by throwing out his cigarette.

Well, more than six million people in central and southwest Texas are under flood watches as parts of the state face a rare high risk of flooding rain. Rescue teams have pulled at least 45 people from floodwaters after six to 12 inches of rain fell on Tuesday. The governor has issued a disaster declaration in 59 counties to help deploy resources. Risk zones include San Antonio, Austin, and cities closer to the U.S.-Mexico border.

The Weather Prediction Center says these storms could bring an additional 10 inches of rain in some areas into Wednesday morning.

And even more rain and significant flooding is possible in the region through the end of the week. CNN meteorologist Derek Van Dam has the latest forecast.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DEREK VAN DAM, CNN METEOROLOGIST: We're following a few different big weather stories today. First, record heat across the eastern seaboard, specifically throughout the mid-Atlantic. Just be prepared for temperatures flirting with the triple-digit mark for some locations, and then also a flood threat that is going to be an impactful weather story going forward for the Texas Hill Country and into the Edwards Plateau. Look at the repeated rounds of rain that will cycle through this area, bringing up to the potential of 10 to 20 inches of local rain that could lead to flash flooding.

We've already seen swift water rescues across portions of West Texas, so we'll monitor that situation very closely. Here's the 100 degree temperatures, I'm talking about 102 in D.C. today, ouch. 20 or 97 for Chicago, 96 in New York City. We'll see those hot temperatures extend right into the early parts of the weekend for many of the major East Coast cities along the I-95 corridor. Back to you.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

[02:25:06]

CHURCH: Well, Cuba is grappling with its third nationwide blackout in just over a week, the latest collapse of the power grid comes amid a U.S. imposed oil blockade and is further strayed by the island's aging infrastructure.

Cubans have long been used to these frequent blackouts, but lately more and more residents are showing their frustration with nightly pot-banging protests against the government. Still to come, China's economy falls short of expectations for growth

in the second quarter as the turmoil in Iran disrupts global trade. We will break down the latest data.

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[02:30:13]

CHURCH: The Iraqi prime minister is on his first official visit to the U.S. since taking office in May. He said U.S. military forces will leave Iraq by September 30th after a meeting with President Trump at the White House. The prime minister described his visit as the start of a new phase of Iraq's partnership with the U.S. that's centered on economic cooperation rather than military ties.

Turning to Asia now where China's economy has missed its growth target for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic. The government says the economy grew at a slower than expected pace in the second quarter. The country is struggling to offset economic challenges both at home and abroad.

CNN's Mike Valerio reports from Beijing.

MIKE VALERIO, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, China's economy just missed expectations and the timing of all this could not be more important. This is the latest GDP report since the Iran War began and China's economy grew at 4.3 percent last quarter.

That is below what economists expected and below Beijing's own annual target range. So what exactly happened here? Well, let's get into the wider picture. The Iran war isn't the only story. It isn't the whole story but it's added new pressure. Higher energy prices and uncertainty around global trade have made businesses more cautious.

And at the same time, China is still battling problems at home like a years-long property slump and consumers who just are not spending enough. And today's numbers certainly show that. One of the biggest red flags was urban fixed asset investment, which fell 5.7 percent in the first half of the year. That is money going into things like factories, machinery and infrastructure. And when that falls, it usually signals businesses are pulling back.

There were some notable positives we need to get to. Industrial production, that rose 5.3 percent, beating forecasts. And retail sales across China returned to growth, up one percent. But taken together, the picture is clear that is coming into focus and that is China's economy is losing momentum. So the big question now is whether or not Beijing responds with fresh stimulus when the country's leaders meet here later this month.

Mike Valerio, CNN, Beijing.

CHURCH: President Trump is set to make a televised prime-time address to the nation on Thursday and while the specifics are still being worked out, he told reporters his speech will include new information on election security. The topic has long been a focus of the president who continues to insist without evidence that the 2020 election was stolen.

Here's what he said about Thursday's address.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, (R) PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: But I'd rather save it, but it's really big news. It's really, really big news and our country has to shape up. What we're going to be talking about Thursday is, it doesn't get bigger because without free and fair elections, you don't have a country. We'll be discussing other things too, but it's going to be a very big announcement. Yeah.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: Senator Jon Ossoff of Georgia says the president's fixation on his election loss proves he's nervous about the November midterms. But the Democrat also says President Trump does not have as much support on Capitol Hill as he thinks he does.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. JON OSSOFF, (D-GA): He fears defeat in the midterms and that explains his spiral into conspiracy theories, conspiracy theories that put Georgia Republicans in a terrible bind.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What do you say to your Republican colleagues who may agree with the president on this?

OSSOFF: I don't know of Republican colleagues who agree with the president on this. Privately, most elected Republicans in this building think the president has lost it and it's dooming them to dismal losses this fall.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: Ossoff faces re-election himself this November. He's running against House Republican, Mike Collins. Ossoff says Collins now has to defend his own election denial claims as well as his record on other issues important to voters.

A live look at Capitol Hill where the House has voted to make Daylight Saving Time permanent nationwide. The bill now heads to the Senate but it's not clear it has enough support to pass. Supporters say the move would end the twice-a-year clock changes and the disruption to children's sleep. Opponents are concerned about the economic impact, especially for farmers dealing with later sunrises.

[02:35:00]

Spain took down the World Cup favorite, France, to claim a spot in the tournament final. Still to come, we will discuss the highlights and preview Wednesday's semi-final match between England and defending champion Argentina. Back in just a moment.

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[02:40:00]

CHURCH: This was the scene in Madrid on Tuesday, as fans celebrated Spain's 2-0 victory over France in the World Cup semifinals. La Roja are now headed to the final for the first time since 2010. World Sports' Don Riddell is in Dallas with more.

DON RIDDELL, CNN SPORTS ANCHOR & CORRESPONDENT: What a performance from this extraordinary Spain team who marched on to the World Cup final, hoping to repeat their feat of 2008 and 2010 when the European champions went on to claim the world title. And they just played this French team off the park today. It really was quite a remarkable performance.

Coming into this game, everybody thought the French were going to do it, their swaggering, swashbuckling attack of Mbappe and Olise and Ousmane Dembele, but in the end, they didn't get a look-in and they ended up being knocked out of this tournament with barely a whimper.

Spain took the early initiative, Lamine Yamal earning the first-half penalty that was converted by Mikel Oyarzabal. It was a wonderful strike from Oyarzabal, meaning he now has five goals in this tournament. He's Spain's top scorer, making up for the disappointment of missing the last World Cup through injury. And that was the worst possible situation for the French to find themselves because they now had to chase the game against a team that doesn't concede any goals.

La Roja had only conceded once in the whole tournament before this game, and they kept yet another clean sheet today. It got even harder for France in the second half when Pedro Porro rounded off a wonderful team move to make it 2-0, and that was pretty much that.

Nobody thought it was going to end like this for the French team, but this Spanish team are going to take some stopping. And their fans, who've traveled all the way from Spain to watch this, were absolutely thrilled.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I cried of joy as soon as we scored the second goal, as soon as we approached the 80th. Like, I cried of joy multiple times. It was just, like, I don't know. I've never felt this before. Like, it was just the realization of, like, getting there finally after so many years. It's just amazing.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I was thinking it's going to be very hard, but I think it was really easy.

RIDDELL: Were you surprised about the French performance because they came into this game with everybody thinking they were just going to score a ton of goals?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I was 100 percent surprised they didn't come to play today. They didn't show up, nobody. They're still looking for Mbappe. Where is he?

(LAUGH) UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The feeling that I felt today was completely new to me, so on Sunday, I guess it's going to be another type of new as well.

(CROSSTALK)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's just going to prolong longer. Like, it's just going to go on and go on.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The only thing I'm sure about is that if we do go all the way on Sunday, it's going to be a story I'm going to tell my kids.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

RIDDELL: The narrative before kickoff was that France were unstoppable, Spain were impenetrable. Well, Spain might now be both, whether they face England or Argentina in the final in New York, New Jersey on Sunday, that's going to be the big question. Can anybody score on this team? Because if not, Spain are going to find themselves as world champions again.

Back to you.

CHURCH: Very happy fans there. And that second semifinal match is just hours away. England's Three Lions taking on defending champion Argentina and superstar Lionel Messi here in Atlanta. CNN's Amanda Davies has a preview.

AMANDA DAVIES, CNN SPORTS ANCHOR: A bit of Atlanta rain isn't going to put a dampener on enthusiasm ahead of this one. A tie with so much history and rivalry, one of the most intense in all of sports. And fans have waited a long time for this next chapter.

24 years since their last meeting at a major international tournament. And for everything that Lionel Messi has won and done in his career, this is set to be a first. He is excited about meeting England. They are excited about facing him.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JORDAN PICKFORD, ENGLAND GOALKEEPER: Everyone will talk about Messi because he's one of the GOATs of the game. But you can't look past the ability and the talent we've got in the squad. Going forward, defensively, togetherness, we've got it all there. And that's what we need to put on show on Wednesday. But we also can't just talk about Messi. They're a good side and they're reigning champions. So, yeah, they're a good side. But we've got so much ability in our squad going forward. And we're hard to break down. We've got that resilience, we've got that togetherness, and we've got that mentality. You know, that's what makes a good team.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

DAVIES: The Argentina boss, Lionel Scaloni, has urged fans to remember it is just a football match, as he put it, nothing more. But I'm not sure the fans are set (ph) to listen. As one Argentinean put it to me, this is a religion, not just a game. It dates all the way back to Wembley in 1966.

[02:45:00]

Mexico, 1986, that infamous Diego Maradona Hand-of-God moment in the wake of the Falklands War. France, '98, when David Beckham was famously sent off for kicking out at Diego Simeone and England were beaten on penalties, followed by Beckham scoring the winner for his team at the World Cup in 2002. After two decades, this is the next installment and no one wants to miss.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Super excited. Are we excited?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Really excited.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yeah. Looking forward to it.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Oh, they're going to win the whole thing. So Argentina easy.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We've just come back from -- we come from Mexico. So we watched the game in the Azteca. Then we got tickets for this. We can't believe we're here, unbelievable.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's only a football match, nothing more. So we are exciting. We are coming from Argentina to support our team. Very happy.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Really excited, really, it's going to be, you know, historical.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I cannot even begin to tell you what I'm feeling now. For me, it's like a dream come true.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It is a dream come true.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: So excited. I mean we're going to be seeing two GOATs, Messi and Kane, so I'm really excited.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

DAVIES: Whatever happens with the rain, the roof of the stadium will be closed for the game. Argentina won't be giving up their title as world champions without a fight. They're looking to become just the third team in history to win it back-to-back. But England a second semifinal in three editions of the tournament and just like Spain, awaiting in New York. They haven't been to the final since the last time they won it.

Amanda Davies CNN, Atlanta.

CHURCH: Joining me now is former World Cup goal scorer and U.S. Soccer Hall of Famer, Bruce Murray. He is also a D.C. United Color Analyst. Great to have you with us.

BRUCE MURRAY, FORMER PLAYER, U.S. MEN'S NATIONAL SOCCER TEAM: It's great to be here. Thanks for having me.

CHURCH: Wonderful. So Spain secured their spot in the World Cup final, the European champions beating France in the semifinal Tuesday. What stood out to you? What did you think?

MURRAY: Yeah, I was very surprised the way it went, you know, defensively, they really made it difficult for France. But the one thing that Spain did differently, they have a system that they use called triangulation or tiki-taka and it takes forever, sometimes you feel like they're going to walk the ball into the net.

Today, they picked up the pace, Rosemary. They were moving and the ball was moving, and I think -- I think Spain adjusted to what they do and France didn't.

CHURCH: And Bruce, next, we will of course see England and Argentina renew their rivalry Wednesday, here in Atlanta. What are you expecting?

MURRAY: Oh, I'm expecting a firework show.

(LAUGH)

MURRAY: I mean you've got you've got some history here as you all know The Hand-of-God goal in 1986 and there's still a lot of people in Great Britain that aren't so happy with Argentina. So, I know it's going to be an incredible game, you know, skill against grit and determination. Harry Kane, just you know providing the leadership for this English team that we haven't seen in so long. And it's not even, Rosemary, a team that's -- that you would consider a great England team, right? Some of these teams in the past were incredible. But this team seems to understand how to play with each other all, these superstars sharing one ball. And so I'm pretty excited to see this game tomorrow night.

CHURCH: Yeah, we'll see what happens. Of course, we know that Spain will be in the World Cup final on Sunday. But we don't know yet if they'll face Argentina or England. Who do you expect to walk away with the trophy against the reigning European champion, Spain?

MURRAY: Well, I think that England's going to pull an upset tomorrow, I really do. And then you've got England, Spain, essentially the two best leagues in the world. And so all the players, it's more of a, How are the wife and kids kind of game because everyone knows everyone on the field. So I think that's what's going to happen.

(LAUGH)

MURRAY: I think Spain's going to be playing England.

CHURCH: OK. And how does this 2026 World Cup compare do you think to all the others? And what have been the most surprising and perhaps exciting moments of the tournament for you? MURRAY: Yeah, for me, I really believe this is one of the best World Cups we've ever seen. I was concerned with the -- you know, with the 48 teams and, you know, watering down. But then, along comes Cape Verde and we all fell in love with Cape Verde. I mean, who couldn't root for Cape Verde?

(LAUGH)

MURRAY: And so, you know, I think the captain was recruited through LinkedIn. I know that sounds crazy --

(LAUGH)

MURRAY: But it's true.

(LAUGH)

MURRAY: So, yeah, I mean and the African teams, nine out of the ten made it to the next round. I was very surprised and pleased with that.

[02:50:00]

I was a little disappointed, I thought Asia was going to be better. Australia did quite well with the United States in terms of getting to the next level. But, Japan went out earlier than I thought and Korea was a pure disappointment. So I think, going forward, that's going to be kind of impactful in Asia because they tend to take slots away and give you more. Like if your group or your area does better, then they give you more slots. So, yeah, we'll see.

CHURCH: Yeah. And you said that you thought this is one of the best World Cup, if not the best World Cup that you've seen. Why do you say that?

MURRAY: Just the games, the results, the crazy goals, the fans. You know, Norway, everyone here has fallen in love with Norway.

CHURCH: Yes.

MURRAY: Everyone here is ticked off at Scotland because they drank all the beer out of the country, right?

(LAUGH)

MURRAY: So, you know, it's just all good fun. You know, the governor of Massachusetts, you know, saying to the Scottish people, we've got to do this every year. You know, they're singing Scottish songs at the Red Sox game. I mean, come on. Who doesn't love that kind of story? You know?

CHURCH: Yeah. Absolutely.

MURRAY: It's not just about football. Yeah.

CHURCH: Yeah. Norway's Haaland has certainly left his mark on all of us, I think. (LAUGH)

MURRAY: Yes.

CHURCH: And you know, I did -- I did want to get your thoughts on FIFA actively considering expanding the Men's World Cup to 64 teams going forward up from the current 48 team format. What do you think of that plan?

MURRAY: Let's -- we -- I think we're proving that 48 is good right now. Right? Let's give it a couple of cycles, right? And let's see where it is. Let's not just go straight into the 64. I know there's a lot of financial implications and so forth, but I think that would be a real mistake. And let's stick with what we got.

You know, here I am thinking 48, oh, it's going to be watered down. And then those watered down teams end up being heroic. And so, yeah, but I don't think you can make that jump from 48 to 64, Rosemary, and have the same type of World Cup we just had.

CHURCH: Yeah, we'll watch to see what happens there, of course. Bruce Murray, great to talk with you. Appreciate it.

MURRAY: It's great talking with you.

CHURCH: Still to come, the Lincoln Memorial has a brand new museum open to the public. We will take you underground for a first look. Back with that in just a moment.

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CHURCH: Welcome back, everyone. Well, the American pilot known for the miracle on the Hudson is summoning his courage once again. 75- year-old Sully Sullenberger says he's been diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease.

In January of 2009, a flock of birds disabled the engines of the passenger plane Sullenberger was piloting. He managed to land on New York's Hudson River. Everyone on the plane survived although five people suffered serious injuries.

A new museum has opened underneath the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C. The hideaway features exhibits detailing the monuments construction and its role throughout American history. CNN's Betsy Klein takes a closer look at the Lincoln Memorial Undercroft.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BETSY KLEIN, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE REPORTER: Washington, D.C.'s hottest new museum is below Abraham Lincoln. The Lincoln Memorial Undercroft is now officially open to the public with tickets for the first time in history. Let's go in the underbelly.

KLEIN (voice-over): This new 15,000-square foot museum reexamines President Lincoln's legacy with a copy of the Emancipation Proclamation and the broader role that this site has played throughout U.S. history, including the 1963 March on Washington.

Efforts to honor Lincoln began shortly after his assassination back in 1865, but Congress didn't approve the memorial project until the early 20th century with construction starting in 1914. According to the National Park Service, this memorial sits on filled land and needed a strong foundation.

KLEIN: So you can actually see here some of the 122 concrete piers along with the concrete arches. Then in 1918, designers doubled the size of Lincoln statues so steel supports had to be added. Previously, only the Interior Secretary and a handful of National Park Service officials had access to this space and I came down here with a small group of reporters and then-Secretary, Ryan Zinke, back in 2018 during the first Trump administration.

During that tour, we actually walked down there. Now you can just view it from above. This underground project began in 2023 and cost $69 million. That's $26 million from taxpayers and $43 million in private donations, but tickets cost just $1.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CHURCH: Well, visitors are flocking to see a rare display of so- called corpse flowers which are famous for their foul odor that attracts beetles and flies. The plants began blooming simultaneously this week at the Huntington Botanical Gardens near Los Angeles. Each bloom lasts just 24 to 48 hours. It is one of the most short-lived spectacles in the plant world.

Thank you so much for your company this hour. I'm Rosemary Church. "CNN Newsroom" continues with Lynda Kinkade after a short break. Stay with us.

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