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Trump's Top General Looking For U.S. Offramp From Iran Conflict; Senate Votes To Confirm Todd Blanche As Attorney General; Deported Man Returns To U.S. Custody; Lake Mead Reservoir Drops To Record Low; The Push Against Data Centers; One-On-One with Tom Selleck. Aired 3-4p ET

Aired August 08, 2026 - 15:00   ET

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

[15:00:04]

FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: All right. right now, let's take you to New Orleans. Thousands of runners are taking part in the New Orleans Annual Red Dress Run, although right now the live shot you're seeing, this is kind of the cool down walk or stroll, if you will. But they are wearing their red dresses.

It's a colorful re seeing where everyone wears a red dress dating back to 1987 that is part of this race, and you can say this is part race, part party and it's all for a good cause. The event actually raises money for more than 100 local non-profits.

All right. A Minor League Baseball player made an amazing catch that you just got to see, because it's hard to believe if I just told you about it. So take a look. It happened in Columbus, Georgia, where a Biloxi Shuckers outfielder right there, right there, oh, my gosh, Mark Kohli made a spectacular homerun robbery. Watch as the Brewers' prospect jumps above the outfield wall as you saw there to get his glove on the ball. Then he falls backward. But guess what? He still catches it.

We had to show it to you a couple of times there. It's one of the best. Homer stealing grabs you might have ever witnessed. Let's look at it again. There it is. Yes. And definitely a contender for catch of the year. Unbelievable.

All right. Almost 60 years after American astronauts first set foot on the moon, the race to return is accelerating. But this time, NASA is counting on two billionaires to help get the job done. A new CNN Flash Doc explores the high stakes competition shaping the future of space exploration. "ECLIPSING POWER" airs tomorrow night at 8:00 Eastern right here on CNN.

Hello, again, everyone. Thank you so much for joining me this Saturday. I'm Fredricka Whitfield.

All right. President Trump's top general appears to have some serious concerns about the future of the Iraq war. Sources tell CNN that General Dan Caine, who is the chairman of the Joint Chiefs, is looking for an offramp from the conflict. Caine told top advisers that the military options left on the table could backfire. CNN's Julia Benbrook is in New Jersey, near where President Trump is

spending the weekend.

Julia, what do we know about the general's concerns?

JULIA BENBROOK, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, sources familiar with the matter have spoken with CNN and said that the chairman of the Joint Chiefs, General Dan Caine, has privately warned and said that the United States needs to be looking for an offramp when it comes to this conflict with Iran. That is because the military options that are on the table to escalate have the potential to backfire, and the air power alone has its limits when it comes to achieving the objectives that have been laid out by President Donald Trump.

Those who have spoken with our team say that these private conversations have happened with other top advisers, including CIA director John Ratcliffe, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Vice President J.D. Vance. Some of them say that Caine has been a little less direct when it comes to the president himself, carefully communicating the potential downsides of certain military options.

Now, we did reach out to Caine's team for a comment on all of this. They said that they will not discuss what they categorized as confidential conversations with the president and with top officials. They also said that they would not comment on a, quote, "agenda driven characterization of those conversations by sources who were not privy to them."

A White House official did give us a statement when it comes to this reporting, and they said this, quote, "General Caine is an incredible asset to President Trump's national security team and the overwhelming success of Operations Epic Fury, Midnight Hammer, and absolute resolve speaks for itself. The general always provides accurate, unbiased information and a host of options to the commander-in-chief, who ultimately makes decisions based on what he feels is best for U.S. national security."

This comes as there are reports of a dwindling munitions stockpile that was a key topic of conversation at a recent Cabinet meeting that took place at Camp David. Trump has acknowledged that certain munitions are in tighter supply, but he insists that the United States has what it needs to continue fighting if needed. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: We have certain types of munitions that are very powerful, that we have unlimited, virtually unlimited supply. We have others where it's a little bit tighter and we're getting them in on a daily basis. We always want more. We have to have more.

[15:05:01]

We have other things maybe come up, maybe come up and maybe don't come up. Hopefully nothing else does come up. But we're in very good shape. We have literally massive amounts of ammunition. (END VIDEO CLIP)

BENBROOK: So as this conflict now nears the six-month mark, Vice President J.D. Vance, in an interview with FOX News that aired earlier today, he essentially said, we're in the middle of the game here, that this thing is not over, warning that there are a lot more next steps. He did say that the United States is speaking with Iran, is in communication as negotiations take place.

WHITFIELD: All right, Julia Benbrook. Thanks so much.

All right. President Trump's former personal defense attorney is now set to become the next U.S. attorney general. Todd Blanche was narrowly confirmed by the U.S. Senate in an overnight vote with Republican Senators Susan Collins and Lisa Murkowski joining the Democrats in opposition of the nomination.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: On this vote, the yeas are 50. The nays are 49. The nomination is confirmed.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: Blanche's confirmation to take over as the nation's top law enforcement officer ends weeks of uncertainty over concerns that he could surrender independence of the Justice Department to the president.

CNN's Brian Todd has details on how this tight confirmation battle played out.

BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Fredricka, it was an arduous week for Todd Blanche, as he really didn't know whether he had the votes for confirmation until late in the week. It was late Friday when Republican Senator Bill Cassidy of Louisiana finally came out and said that he would support Todd Blanche for attorney general. That put Todd Blanche over the top but by the narrowest of margins.

That vote, 50 to 49 with Republican Senators Susan Collins and Lisa Murkowski siding with the Democrats to vote against the Todd Blanche nomination. The concern, of course, by all the senators who were on the fence about Todd Blanche was, is he going to continue Donald Trump's retribution campaign against his political enemies, using the Justice Department to go after those enemies? The answer, of course, is not clear and those Republicans on the fence knew it wasn't clear. That's why so many of them, including Murkowski, had concerns.

Here's a quote from Lisa Murkowski ahead of the vote. Quote, "The country needs an attorney general who will check the worst impulses of this administration. I hope Mr. Blanche is able to achieve that if confirmed, but I simply do not have confidence that that will be the case," end quote. That was from Lisa Murkowski. So it came down to Bill Cassidy, who in the end had his own concerns about the probe into Cassidy Hutchinson. She is the former White House aide who was a pivotal witness in the congressional probe into the January 6th attack on the Capitol.

There are concerns that Cassidy Hutchinson might be indicted. That's not -- still not clear whether she will be or not. But apparently Todd Blanche said enough to Bill Cassidy to alleviate concerns about Cassidy Hutchinson. So Bill Cassidy did finally, in the end, support Todd Blanche. But again, still concerns whether Blanche is going to again carry out Donald Trump's wishes and, you know, bring cases against Donald Trump's political enemies.

Another thing we should note about the Senate's business before it adjourned for its August recess. The Senate did pass the extension of funding, excuse me, the extension of funding for the government through December 11th. There was a September deadline for that. So they got that done ahead of the September deadline. But they are trying to avert a possible government shutdown before the midterm elections.

So they did pass the bill to extend the funding of the government until December 11th. But still, the funding of the government, the fate of that bill is not quite certain yet, because the House still has to take up that measure. And in the House it is a little bit more uncertain. The House has passed an alternative measure to that spending bill -- Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: All right. Still a lot on the line. Brian Todd, thanks so much.

All right. Still to come, a federal judge ruled a man deported to Honduras was legally in the U.S. and has been ordered to be returned to the U.S. So why is he now being detained in Texas? We'll have the latest and later.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TOM SELLECK, ACTOR: Ronald Reagan said freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: Actor Tom Selleck opens up about his legendary career, his friendship with Ronald Reagan, and the iconic role he turned down. That one-on-one interview is on its way.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[15:14:18]

WHITFIELD: All right, back to our top story. President Trump's top general appears to have some serious concerns about the future of the Iran war. Sources tell CNN General Dan Caine, who is the chairman of the Joint Chiefs, is looking for an offramp from the conflict. Caine told top advisers that the military options left on the table could backfire.

With us now is Trita Parsi. He's the author of "Losing an Enemy," and is also executive vice president of the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft.

Always good to see you. So, I mean, do most of the options, as far as you understand, for a U.S. offramp favor Iran or the U.S. in the long run?

[15:15:08]

Trita, can you hear me?

All right. Doesn't look like Trita can hear me right now. We're going to try and reestablish that communication because it really is a very important conversation.

Right now another very important conversation, a Honduran immigrant is back on U.S. soil after a federal judge ordered the Trump administration to bring him back. We first told you about Jose Martinez-Andino last week that he was preparing to return and just needed a plane ticket to get back to North Carolina. So the federal government did get him back to the U.S., but not to North Carolina.

CNN national correspondent Rafael Romo is here with me now.

So what's happening and where is he?

RAFAEL ROMO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, he's still in detention. He was put in ICE custody the moment he landed in this country, but was backed by the United States. But he is not home yet. And the Department of Homeland Security confirmed to CNN in a statement that Jose Martinez-Andino was returned Wednesday to the United States to comply with an order by a federal judge.

CNN shot the following video of the immigrant at the airport in San Pedro Sula, Honduras, just moments before his flight. A federal judge in the District of Columbia ruled in June and the U.S. Department of Justice and Homeland Security must facilitate Martinez-Andino's return because his detention and subsequent deportation may have violated his due process rights by allegedly not allowing him access to an attorney and coercing him to sign papers for voluntary departure he did not understand.

I spoke with the immigrants legal team after Martinez-Andino was returned to the United States, and they told me their client should not have been deported in the first place because he had legal status in this country.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ALLISON CHAN, MARTINEZ-ANDINO ATTORNEY: There was a due process violation that there was a judge who listened to both sides and ruled in favor of the plaintiff, and then ordered the government to return him and facilitate his return. And then the government complied with that order. And now he is back this week.

ROMO: If he had legal status to work in the United States and live legally in the United States, how can he end up being not only detained, but also deported from the country? AYLA BLUMENTHAL, MARTINEZ-ANDINO ATTORNEY: That can happen if someone

commits a crime or some other change in circumstances takes place to justify detaining that individual. But none of that took place here, and there was no procedure here. That's really where we came in, saying that due process has been violated.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROMO: And according to his attorneys, Martinez-Andino had what is known as special immigrant juvenile status that allowed him to live and work in the United States under a visa meant to protect immigrant children. But during the current administration, one of Martinez- Andino's attorneys say -- says minors in this category who do not yet have their green card may also be targeted by ICE.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DERRICK HENSLEY, IMMIGRATION ATTORNEY: In this case, the ICE officers or Border Patrol were able to take advantage of that and say, hey, you don't have your green card yet. We're going to tell you that you don't have a right to remain here, even though in point of fact, he was within a couple months from being able to get his green card.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROMO: And of course, we reached out to authorities. In a statement, the Department of Homeland Security told CNN that Martinez-Andino was taken into custody on March 18th, accepted a voluntary removal and was returned to Honduras on April 10th. On August 5th, Martinez-Andino was returned to the United States by court order and is currently in Border Patrol custody.

The 21-year-old immigrant has a 3-year-old daughter who is a U.S. citizen, and his attorneys told me they are trying their best to get them reunited soon. But, again, too many questions, the case is still ongoing and they don't really know how soon they can get him out of custody.

WHITFIELD: Wow. His legal journey still underway. All right. Thanks so much, Rafael Romo. Appreciate it.

All right. Back now to our top story. President Trump's top general appearing to have some serious concerns about the future of the Iran war. Let's try to reestablish our communication now with Trita Parsi.

Trita, hopefully you can hear me now.

TRITA PARSI, AUTHOR, "LOSING AN ENEMY": I can hear you now. How are you?

WHITFIELD: OK. Very good. All right. So do most of the options for a U.S. offramp in your view favor Iran or the U.S. in the long run?

PARSI: It depends on whether those offramps are diplomatic or military. At this point, I think it is absolutely clear there is no escalatory military path out of this war. It's been tried. It's been tried in several different variations, and it has not ended up particularly well. In fact, the U.S.'s position has been weakened, in my view, by additional military action. And as a result, I think there needs to be a full dedication to the diplomatic pathways. And that's where the U.S. actually has some real significant leverage.

[15:20:03]

That the promise and the credibility of the promise of sanctions relief will carry far more weight at this point than threats of further bombings with the Iranians.

WHITFIELD: So now I'm wondering what your view is on this agreement. You know, how you interpret this agreement between Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan now in the mix? Turkey is currently a NATO ally. And this new agreement with these three countries adopts a kind of similar credo, an attack on one is an attack on all. So what does this mean in your view?

PARSI: The entire meaning of it at this point is not fully clear. It's not clear whether this is going to be a defense pact, primarily protecting these countries from Israel or from Iran. But I think what is safe to say is that this is a manifestation of the fact that countries in the region, all of them close to the U.S. in various ways, have lost faith and confidence in the American security umbrella. And as a result feel that they have no option but to find alternative measures.

That doesn't necessarily replace their relationship with the U.S.. I think that was going to -- that is going to remain strong for many of them, but they're not exclusively going to rely on the U.S. any longer. Now, ultimately, that is actually very good for the U.S.. Plenty of American presidents have promised that we should get out of the Middle East, and part of the reason why we haven't is because many of these countries have pulled the U.S. back in.

Now they're kind of letting go. And I think if that enables the U.S. to be less militarily involved in the region and focus its military or political and diplomatic energy elsewhere in regions that actually matter much more to the United States, that's ultimately a good thing. The manner in which it has happened may not be ideal in the sense of this happening as a result of this war, but ultimately it is better for the United States to find a way out of the Middle East and to remain entangled there forever.

WHITFIELD: All right, Trita Parsi, we'll leave it there for now. Thanks so much.

PARSI: Thank you for having me.

WHITFIELD: And still to come, stunning images of the country's largest reservoir reaching a new record low. What it means for the millions of people relying on water from the Colorado River.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[15:26:43] WHITFIELD: Dangerous fire weather in Washington state shows no sign of abating as flame fueling winds reach their peak point. Fire crews are battling to keep these blazes from spreading in Spokane, with at least three fire related deaths reported. Prosecutors say a suspect has confessed to starting one of the wildfires devastating the area. The suspect was initially identified after a witness, Paul Child, gave the man's description to police.

I actually spoke with Paul Child last hour, and here's part of his story.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PAUL CHILD, HELPED LAW ENFORCEMENT IDENTIFY SUSPECT IN WASHINGTON WILDFIRE: I just happened to see this guy standing by the train tracks and, you know, just standing there looking into the woods. And I was thinking, well, what's he doing? But he wasn't really doing anything at that time. We were returning back from getting my grandson's friend, and we're coming back up our road. And then he was still there. Only this time, he was kind of bent over and doing something in the bushes.

He saw us, and he basically stood and turned and faced us, and then kind -- got kind of nervous. And then, you know, my grandson made the comment and said, what's he doing? And, so we continued up the road, got to my house and then probably five minutes -- five to 10 minutes max, after we got to the house, my daughter who was sitting on the back porch happened to see some smoke. And so I ran out there. And of course, my first comment was, you know, that SOB started a fire.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: That family very vigilant and observant. Investigators say the suspect told them that he also set more than two dozen other fires in the past year. He is now charged with multiple counts of arson.

Lake Mead, the country's largest water reservoir, has plunged to a record low. CNN's chief climate correspondent Bill Weir explains how the water supply for millions of people is lower than it's ever been.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BILL WEIR, CNN CHIEF CLIMATE CORRESPONDENT: We've hit a grim milestone in the American West. Lake Mead, the biggest of our reservoirs out here, has reached historic lows, at its lowest level since this lake was created with the construction of Hoover Dam back in the '30s. 27 percent capacity right now. And just for perspective, this boat marina, you can see floating just below us here, used to be way up on the hillside.

But about 75 percent of this reservoir is gone in the last two decades, a result of a 20-year mega drought fueled by climate change and increased demand. This is a basic supply and demand problem in the American West, but it is so vital because this is the water that starts as snow in the Rocky Mountains and then keeps 40 million people alive and their pets and livestock and lawns and swimming pools and over five million acres of agricultural land comes out of this.

And historically, the seven states that share this, the two dozen tribes, Mexico also shares this water, have failed to agree on how to evenly divide it. So the federal government finally had to step in recently. Interior Department put out a framework that for the next 10 years will be a series of cuts to try to conserve this water because we're about a million and a half acre feet short of what is needed by the population currently in the West, which is stable or growing.

[15:30:06]

And at least for the next couple of years, it's the lower basin desert states, California, Arizona, and Nevada that would have to cut the most, maybe up to 40 percent, maybe up to 50 percent of their allocated water from here. Places like Phoenix have been preparing for this. Places like Nevada have set the national standard for water conservation. And so the taps are not going dry anytime soon, but this is not sustainable.

There is hope, prayers that this El Nino will bring enough snowfall this year to recharge these to give people a little more breathing room. Seven states could come together with a new agreement, which would be great. They could end up in the Supreme Court, which experts agree would be horrible. This is fueling a lot more talk about desalination in the American West, which some say is expensive, but without it, without water, you got no casinos, you got no data centers, you got no other water intensive golf courses or anything else that Americans love.

And so the conversation should be about building like Israel did and Singapore did a lot more desalination. But here we are. It's a slow- motion disaster that's been going on for a long time. We pay attention when it hits these sort of record numbers from here on out, but as a reminder that this is a problem that is not going away.

Bill Weir, at Lake Mead, back to you.

(END OF VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: Very, very volatile conditions.

All right. Straight ahead, water use is driving much of the pushback against A.I. data centers. Ahead, why Texas and other states are putting projects on hold now.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[15:36:16]

WHITFIELD: All right. This week Texas put a hold on the approval of any new data centers in the state. They'll have to go through a, quote, "comprehensive verification and audit" before they can connect to the state's power grid. Texas is part of a growing amount of opposition and delays facing these facilities, even as the demand for A.I. computing capacity is exploding.

CNN's David Goldman explains why they're facing an uphill battle.

DAVID GOLDMAN, CNN BUSINESS SENIOR CORRESPONDENT: All right, there is significant public opposition to A.I. data centers. A recent Gallup poll said that 71 percent of Americans are opposed to building a data center in their neighborhood. But that's not the only thing that is preventing these data centers from getting built. In fact, 50 percent of data centers that are scheduled for 2028, they aren't going to be built on time according to Goldman Sachs.

And we're looking at significant construction delays. In fact, 60 percent of all data centers that are planned for next year, they aren't even begun. They haven't even begun to get a shovel in the ground. And then of the ones that have, 7 percent are delayed. So that means that a significant portion of the planned data centers are not going to meet their deadlines.

Now, we do have quite a few data centers in this country. More than 5,000 in the United States. But there are a lot more planned. Almost 4,000 new data centers planned over the course of the next several years. But look at this. Only 802 are under construction at the moment. That means that a significant portion of these data centers are either in the planning phase, or they're not even going to happen at all.

And a lot of that has to do with material shortages and chips in particular. If you can't get the computers to run the A.I., well, then you don't have an A.I. data center. Power is an enormous problem because they suck power, and a lot of states are saying you need to build your own power if you are going to build a data center. Labor, if you don't have people to build them, we know that immigration policy has restricted the amount of construction workforce in this country. How are you going to build your data center?

And then, of course, public opposition. People don't want them. And a number of states are starting to restrict the construction of data centers. Now, the plan was to get about 11 times the amount of computing power that we currently have. We're at 50 gigawatts. They wanted to get that up to 565 gigawatts in a decade. But Columbia thinks probably more like 180. That's still three times what we have right now. But it gives you a sense of what the dream is and what the reality is.

Now data center construction is happening and it is growing fast. Up 46 percent in June over June of 2025. That is a significant increase in growth, but it's also a significant cost. For each data center these things can cost $8 billion to build. This isn't something that's going to happen overnight, for sure, for all of those reasons. And because people just don't want them.

Back to you.

WHITFIELD: All right. David Goldman, thank you so much.

Let's continue this conversation now. With us is Professor Michael Webber. He studies energy at the University of Texas.

[15:40:05]

All right. So why did Texas take this step and now?

MICHAEL WEBBER, PROFESSOR, UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN: I think there are a couple of factors at play. One is there's a lot of expected growth of data centers in Texas. So a lot of pressure on demand from the grid for electrical power, plus also demand for land and water. And this makes people nervous. So there's a lot of that, but also a lot of political pushback as a consequence.

And I think the governor feels the pressure is like, OK, let's think about this. Let's slow it down. And he's responding to political pressure. I think the governor would not have said anything like that if he didn't feel like it was a politically sensitive point. And that's in response to the rapid rate of growth. Texas is like the number two market for data centers, but behind Virginia might overtake it if we build all of them.

WHITFIELD: Oh, my goodness. OK, so you study this as well as you're helping others study, you're teaching about all of this. So as David Goldman, you know, mentioned, a Gallup poll showed 71 percent of Americans actually oppose new data centers. So I wonder how influential might that be? Will that kind of feedback stand in the way of the building of these data centers?

WEBBER: Absolutely. I mean, that shows up at the local setting. So there's a lot of local opposition, and that will slow down the ability to get the permits you need, or just to get the permission to connect to the grid. So that opposition is felt not just nationally, but locally even in a place like Texas, which tends to build a lot of things. And so I think that's part of the pressure that's going on.

Another piece that's not said is I think a lot of people understand that data centers will need power and land and water and things like that, but they don't quite yet understand why the data centers might be good. They don't understand what role they play in society, and they don't understand what benefits A.I. might or might not bring. So we feel the impacts today of land, water and power. But the good stuff might not come for a few years. And that mismatch in time is part of the tension.

WHITFIELD: So what advantages do you think need to be stressed?

WEBBER: I think if we want to be optimistic about the technology, there might be better cancer treatments or pharmaceuticals. Maybe designing fusion reactors better for clean energy, maybe discovering new chemistries for batteries to improve the grid. There are a lot of good things that could come from A.I., but we're not really feeling those things today.

So for a lot of people, it might show up as better search algorithms, maybe better cat videos or better logos. Like the impact doesn't feel really life changing today. And that's part of the challenge. But I see a lot of ways A.I. might be quite good for us, but it's not going to happen if we don't have the data centers. WHITFIELD: So do you believe those advantages outweigh the

disadvantages that many local communities feel that they are going to endure if the data centers are in their neighborhoods?

WEBBER: Yes, I mean, this is -- I'm an engineer. I'm a techno optimist. I believe that technologies will bring forward better solutions. And I want us to get those good things for society that all of us will benefit from. A longer lifetime, better prosperity, cleaner water, cleaner air. So without a doubt, I think the benefits of A.I. will outweigh those environmental impacts today. But that mismatch in time is real.

We feel the impacts today. The good stuff doesn't come for a while. But one other lens to think about it through or see it through is if we don't do it, who will? And I worry about China doing it without us. And then we have real downsides from a national security perspective as well.

WHITFIELD: All right. Professor Michael Webber, great to see you. Thank you so much.

WEBBER: Thank you.

WHITFIELD: All right. Straight ahead, Hollywood icon Tom Selleck sits down with CNN to talk about his career, his close relationship with President Ronald Reagan and a famous White House dance with a royal.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SELLECK: This woman comes over, a British woman, and she says, this is terrible. Mr. Travolta is dancing a second dance with the princess. We don't want to start any rumors. You must cut in.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[15:48:22]

WHITFIELD: All right. The Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Museum had a special visitor this week as part of a sold-out documentary screening narrated by longtime actor Tom Selleck. Selleck was a close friend of Ronald Reagan and Nancy Reagan.

The "Magnum P.I." star sat down with CNN's Elex Michaelson for a wide- ranging conversation about his acting career and politics.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ELEX MICHAELSON, CNN ANCHOR: What do you think is the state of our country right now?

SELLECK: In the state of flux.

MICHAELSON (voice-over): Actor Tom Selleck is known for iconic roles on "Magnum, P.I." SELLECK: Our NYPD family.

MICHAELSON (voice-over): "Blue Bloods."

SELLECK: Hi, Phoebe. Nice to meet you.

MICHAELSON (voice-over): "Friends".

SELLECK: Just hold her.

MICHAELSON (voice-over): "Three Men and A Baby," and more. He's also a military veteran that's been passionate about politics for decades, including a close relationship with America's 40th president.

SELLECK: Ronald Reagan said freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction.

MICHAELSON (voice-over): We joined Selleck for a tour of Reagan's presidential library in Simi Valley, now showcasing a special exhibit on America's 250th birthday, filled with artifacts from the American Revolution, including a copy of the Declaration of Independence.

SELLECK: Signing your name to that document was, in essence, in failure, a death point.

MICHAELSON (voice-over): Tom recently narrated a documentary for Hillsdale College called "Revolutionary America."

SELLECK: And what kind of a people would risk everything for their principles?

MICHAELSON (voice-over): They screened it in front of a massive crowd at the Reagan Library.

SELLECK: I never considered the stakes.

[15:50:01]

MICHAELSON (voice-over): Under the nose of Reagan's Air Force One.

SELLECK: Well, my favorite president is President Reagan.

MICHAELSON (voice-over): Selleck, one of many actors close with the Reagans, who were once actors themselves.

SELLECK: I think they walked their talk.

MICHAELSON (voice-over): The Reagans once invited Selleck to an evening of dinner and dancing with Princess Diana at the White House.

SELLECK: She was having the time of her life.

MICHAELSON (voice-over): Actor John Travolta started dancing with the married royal.

SELLECK: This woman comes over, a British woman, and she says, this is terrible. Mr. Travolta is dancing the second dance with the princess. We don't want to start any rumors. You must cut in. And, you know, John Travolta, people who were in a circle clapping, and they were rocking out. And I said, I'm not cutting in.

MICHAELSON (voice-over): Eventually, Selleck danced with both Diana and his friend, Nancy. After Ronald Reagan died, Selleck would hand- deliver Nancy Reagan avocados from his farm to check up on her.

Because you loved her.

SELLECK: Yes.

MICHAELSON (voice-over): Selleck doesn't have the same personal relationship with the current Republican president, Donald Trump.

How do you feel about him and what he's doing?

SELLECK: Well, certainly a mixed bag. I stay out of the current political world. Why pissed off half the country when you're in the business of entertaining people?

MICHAELSON (voice-over): Selleck's signature role may be Thomas Magnum on the '80s TV show "Magnum, P.I." After he filmed the pilot for that show, iconic filmmakers Steven Spielberg and George Lucas offered him the role of "Indiana Jones" before casting Harrison Ford.

SELLECK: They hand me the script and tell me, this is your part.

MICHAELSON (voice-over): CBS, who hadn't yet officially bought "Magnum," would not let him do it.

What was that like from your perspective?

SELLECK: Well, it wasn't fun.

MICHAELSON (voice-over): For six weeks, Spielberg held the part for Selleck, but CBS wouldn't budge.

SELLECK: They thought if I did the picture, I'd find a way to get out of my contract, which I never would have done. So it was OK, "Magnum" wasn't the worst thing.

Behind those trees. Put it down, I'll jump.

MICHAELSON (voice-over): "Magnum" lasted for eight seasons, earning Selleck an Emmy. For 14 seasons Selleck played NYPD commissioner coincidentally named Reagan on CBS's "Blue Bloods."

SELLECK: At ease. Gather round.

MICHAELSON (voice-over): He says, playing Dwight Eisenhower in the 2004 film "Ike: Countdown to D-Day" inspired how he played Commissioner Reagan.

SELLECK: You may have the world on your shoulders, which Eisenhower certainly did, and so did Frank Reagan. He had this weight of responsibility on their shoulders. But you can't show stress.

MICHAELSON (voice-over): At age 81, Selleck isn't ready to retire from acting anytime soon.

What's next for you career wise?

SELLECK: I have no idea, but that's always the way.

MICHAELSON (voice-over): In terms of his legacy, Selleck says he's most proud of treating his coworkers with respect.

SELLECK: You learn very early on that you may not feel so good coming to work every day, but if you put on a happy face, you might feel a little better and it affects everybody around you. And that's probably the legacy I hope I'm most remembered for.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: "Magnum P.I." definitely set the tone. All right. Elex Michaelson, thank you so much for bringing that Tom Selleck interview.

All right. In the go-go '80s sports became bigger, bolder, and more unforgettable. Revisit the decade of iconic moments and legendary rivalries from the "Miracle on Ice" to Larry Bird versus Magic Johnson in a new episode of "DECADES IN SPORTS." Here's a preview.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

KENNY ALBERT, SPORTS BROADCASTER, NBC SPORTS: It was really men against boys. It was a team of professionals from the Soviet Union against a team of mostly college kids, all amateurs, representing the United States.

TIMOTHY NAFTALI, HISTORIAN, COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY: Herb Brooks, the American coach, studies the Soviets because he realized Soviet players are in better shape. So he wanted his players to outhustle them. That was number one. Number two, the Soviets are masters at passing, so Brooks wanted his players to know each other so well that they could pass effectively without even seeing the other guy.

And when you watch, you will see Brooks' genius played out. The American team started the game by falling behind, but at the end of the first period, the Soviets were up two-one. But the Americans get a breakaway. They get a goal. One second left in the period. The Americans were able to play at their level.

CHRISTINE BRENNAN, SPORTS COLUMNIST, USA TODAY: Early in the third period, the U.S. scores two goals. The last one by Mike Eruzione, the team captain, and the crowd is going crazy because that put the U.S. ahead four to three with about 10 minutes to go.

[15:55:06]

AL MICHAELS, HALL OF FAME SPORTS BROADCASTER: Those last 10 minutes of that game, protecting a one-goal lead, it was like the clock was in quicksand. (END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: Iconic. So many incredible moments. This new episode of "DECADES IN SPORTS" airs Sunday night at 9:00 Eastern and Pacific right here on CNN.

Thank you so much for joining me today. I'm Fredricka Whitfield. "THE ARENA SATURDAY" starts at the top of the hour, right after this.

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