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Hollywood Actress Hayden Panettiere Dies; U.S. to Reduce Joint Military Exercises with South Korea; A Fund-Raising Concert of Top Latin Music Stars Will Benefit Relief Efforts in the Recent Venezuela and Colombia Earthquakes. Aired 3-4a ET

Aired August 17, 2026 - 03:00   ET

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

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POLO SANDOVAL, CNN ANCHOR AND CORRESPONDENT: Hey everybody, I'm Polo Sandoval, live in New York. Thank you so much for joining us here on "CNN Newsroom."

The White House trying to get Gaza peace talks back on track. We're live in the region as Donald Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner, meets with both sides.

And the U.S. President citing his positive relationship with North Korea's Kim Jong-un as he makes an unexpected announcement regarding South Korea. We'll tell you what it was.

Plus, thousands of Puerto Ricans rationing water amid a drought. I'll also tell you why this is far more than just a weather story.

UNKNOWN (voice-over): Live from New York, this is "CNN Newsroom" with Polo Sandoval.

SANDOVAL: Hey everybody, we're going to have more on all those stories in just a moment, but first we are following breaking news from the entertainment world.

Actress Hayden Panettiere has died at the age of 36. The actress is best known for her roles on television in the science fiction show Heroes and the country music drama "Nashville."

While the circumstances surrounding her death remain unknown, Panettiere's father told CNN, quote, "she was an incredible light and a force of nature who brought immeasurable love and joy to all those who knew her and to the millions who watched her on screen."

Joining me now is T.V. host and entertainment journalist, XiXi Yang, to talk more about this developing story. Xixi, thank you so much for joining us. As we continue to learn more, let's go straight to you.

What are you learning about the circumstances surrounding her death and also some of the tributes that are coming in? I mean, 36 years old. XIXI YANG, T.V. HOST AND ENTERTAINMENT JOURNALIST: Good morning, Polo.

Hollywood and the world is mourning the loss of actress Hayden Panettiere at just 36 years old. Last night, when we all heard the breaking news, it was so gut wrenching. Everybody felt it because Hayden Panettiere was a national treasure.

For over 30 years, we all saw her grow up on screen. Her first commercial was when she was 11 months old, when she was a little girl. She was a soap opera star.

And then at the age of 10, she booked a movie that completely changed the trajectory of her life and career, "Remember the Titans." And then came "Heroes," a T.V. show that made her a household name. Then her role in "Nashville" garnered her two Golden Globe nominations.

I think this is why even beyond all the celebrity tributes, all the fans and a whole generation is really in mourning because she's so near and dear to our hearts. We watched her grow up for the last 30 years.

SANDOVAL: And as you were speaking, you were seeing her in her childhood as she was making the press rounds during the release of "Remember the Titans." And on that, I'm just curious, how did she help shed more light on the trauma that many child stars experience?

YANG: I think Hayden was going through such a change in her life and career because earlier this May, she released her memoir, "This Is Me, A Reckoning," and it really is her reclaiming her own narrative. Shedding light on the fact that all the glitz and glam that we see surrounding child stars is so far from the reality of what she's been through.

She was completely candid about some of the immense pressure that she felt working since she was a baby. Her struggles with addiction, her postpartum depression, motherhood, complicated relationships with her family. She really did go through it all and I think she was just at the face of her life when she was reclaiming her story.

After Hollywood has been telling her story for so many years, she was taking back her power, taking back her voice. And this is why I feel her death was so timely because after spending almost her entire life being defined by Hollywood, she was finally telling her story. And this is just so heartbreaking.

SANDOVAL: And on that note, when she was making the press tour, she told the "Hollywood Reporter," "I realized it was more important for me to share my stories and to wipe the slate clean."

I think that really punctuates that last point you just made, which was she was, as you lay out, at a stage in her life where she wanted to take control of that.

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And just speak to more of that, the significance of putting her own story out there. And it must have been extremely vulnerable for her.

YANG: Extremely vulnerable. She spoke candidly about how at the age of 12, she was faced with her identity crisis. She didn't know who she was.

And she described her strive for perfectionism, her people pleasing ways, almost like a military style discipline. She was trained as a child to constantly say, yes. And she was unable to set those boundaries.

So she was really candid about a lot of the struggles that she went through. And then she also, of course, opened up about her estranged relationship with her mother, Leslie, who was her manager for much of her career.

And Leslie publicly disputed the book and said a lot of the claims were false. And Leslie said Hayden wrote those things because she wanted to sell books. But Hayden slammed all the accusations and said she told her truth. And even though they weren't on speaking terms, she still welcomed a relationship with her.

And she also spoke the biggest heartbreak in her life, which was losing her brother, Jensen, due to an undetected heart disease back in 2023. It was something that she was, as an older sister, she wrote that she felt like she failed to protect her younger brother. And it was something that she never quite recovered from.

SANDOVAL: And she was also very well known for, she was a recognized supporting figure for animal rights. You mentioned also, especially mental health awareness and even environmental issues. Closing thought from you, XiXi, how do you think she will be remembered?

YANG: Hayden Panettiere is our national treasure. And I think she will forever be remembered for her resilience.

I think it's quite fitting that her last post on Instagram was from two weeks ago. When she posted a photo with her friends with a simple caption, "good times and good friends." And I think that's an image that's really worth holding on to.

Hayden, surrounded by her loved ones, fighting these little moments of joy after everything that she's been through.

SANDOVAL: Hayden Panettiere, gone at just 36 years old. Xixi Yang, thank you so much for coming on and helping us better understand her life.

YANG: Thank you for having me.

SANDOVAL: Of course.

All right, let's switch gears now. President Trump's son-in-law is in the Middle East at this hour, hoping to find a way to get that Gaza peace talk process back on track.

Sources are telling CNN that Jared Kushner met with the new leader of Hamas. And in the coming hours, he will be meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who has rejected President Trump's 15- point peace plan for Gaza.

Foreign ministers from seven countries in the region, as well as Indonesia, released a joint statement condemning Israel's rejection. They're warning that it could undermine efforts to end the war and achieve a lasting political settlement.

CNN's Paula Hancocks is following the latest out of Abu Dhabi. So what is the latest now? Essentially, yet another stalemate?

PAULA HANCOCKS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Polo, what we're expecting today, this Monday, a diplomatic source says that Kushner, along with the Board of Peace Director Nikolay Mladenov, will be in Israel. They'll be meeting with the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, really trying to keep this Gaza peace plan on track.

Now, on Sunday, what we saw was a very rare meeting between a senior U.S. envoy and Hamas leadership. He did meet with the Hamas leader, Khalil al-Hayya. We don't have any details of how that meeting went.

But it's a very rare meeting between the two. We know that Kushner reportedly just once before has met Hamas, and that was in October of last year, when they were trying to secure that ceasefire between the two sides, which then led to the release of some of the hostages within Gaza as well.

We do know as well that Kushner and Mladenov met with the Egyptian presidents. The meeting with Hamas was in Egypt. We had a readout from that side, and they said that Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, the President, discussed quote, "the need for all parties to fulfill their obligations under the agreement to stop the war in the Gaza Strip."

Just at the end of last month, President Trump had issued his 15-point Gaza peace plan.

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There was silence for a week from the Israeli Prime Minister, and then he publicly rejected that plan, saying that the Israeli military will not withdraw until Hamas is completely disarmed.

So it is a stumbling block in this whole process. It was never expected to be smooth, and of course it's complicated by the fact that there will be elections in Israel in October. So it's unlikely that the Israeli Prime Minister is going to want to make any substantial concessions to this process before that time.

We've also seen many members of his far-right coalition suggesting that Gaza should be reoccupied, should be settled by Jewish settlers. So he's fighting against that far-right element as well when trying to agree this process.

Now the peace plan itself was supposed to have sequenced steps. It was supposed to have Hamas completely disarming, Israel stopping attacks in Gaza, and also then the Israeli military pulling out of Gaza. That last issue problematic for the Israeli Prime Minister, saying that that simply isn't going to happen until there is a complete Hamas disarmament.

So what we're seeing here is this mediation to try and bridge the gaps between the two sides, try and keep this process on track, this phase two of this Gaza peace plan, which is supposed to see Hamas completely disarmed, and Hamas rule replaced by a technocratic administration of Palestinians.

So what we will see today is those meetings in Israel, as Jared Kushner and others try to convince the Israeli Prime Minister to stay the course and to continue down this border of peace path. Polo?

SANDOVAL: Prime Minister, as you point out, is certainly feeling the pressures back home, the political pressures. Paula Hancocks, grateful for your reporting as always. Thank you.

Now joint military exercises between the U.S. and South Korea kicked off today, and that's just hours after President Donald Trump ordered the Pentagon to substantially scale them back. In a social media post announcing the change, the President cited his positive relationship with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, saying that the drills send a signal that is, quote, "inappropriate and hostile to North Korea."

The President also cited Seoul's lack of assistance with Iran. He said that he recently asked South Korea's President if they'd like to join the, quote, "denuclearization of Iran, and that they said no."

CNN's Gage Golding is following developments from Hong Kong. Gage, good to see you. So help us break down, help us unpack what was a very lengthy post by President Trump.

GAGE GOULDING, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, you know, it kind of is all over the place, and it has that little additive in there that, hey, you know, South Korea did not help us with Iran.

But let's talk about, you know, the bigger thing. This is a large- scale military exercise. It's joint between the United States and South Korea.

About 18,000 South Korean military members joined. The 28,500 members that are stationed in and around South Korea. So it's a big operation.

It happens every year, last 10 days. It was kicking off today, and then really in the 11th hour, the President says it's too late to cancel. However, we're going to scale it back dramatically, all in the same sense, posting on Truth Social that, you know, look, we have great relations right now with North Korea.

And actually, even yesterday, the President posting a picture of him and the North Korean leader, Kim Jong-un, saying that we might not be smiling in this picture, but, you know, we have a great relationship. We're doing really well together. You can see that picture there.

So it kind of was a precursor to what we saw today. That picture, you know, popped up in my feed. I was kind of questioning it, you know, thinking of what exactly is going on.

And new this hour, we're actually hearing from the leaders of the South Korean government in the Blue House there, which is the executive leadership, where they say that the Korean government, they're aware of what was posted on social media, and they do really hope that this is a way for an amicable relationship between the North Korean government and the United States, going on to say that they are working closely with the United States, specifically on the exercise there.

They also went on, kind of like that Truth Social post that went on pretty far, they said that they are actively participating in ways to help on the discussion for a ceasefire in Iran and to open the passage of the Strait of Hormuz. So a lot to unpack there, but notice that it wasn't a jab back at the United States.

The United States to South Korea is a key ally. Again, just under 30,000 troops are stationed in South Korea. This is an annual exercise.

But Polo, I think it's really important to note that there are two big things to take away from this.

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One, President Trump previously in his first term, in 2018 and 2019, worked to scale back this Ulchi Freedom Shield is the name of this exercise, and he scaled it back, and then COVID-19 in the years of 2020 and 2021 also had it scaled back. So he's familiar with this, and this was not his first attempt to scale it back.

However, on the flip side of that, this may be something of sort of like an olive branch to the North Korean government and the leader Kim Jong-un saying, hey, maybe we should get back to the table to talk a little bit because they haven't really had a conversation during this term that we're aware of.

They met three times in the past in 2018 and 2019, that was during President Trump's first term. Polo, they haven't met yet in this second term.

SANDOVAL: Great reporting, Gage Goulding. Thank you so much. And welcome to CNN, It's great to have you.

GOULDING: Thank you.

SANDOVAL: All right. Still a lot more on the way here on "CNN Newsroom," including communities in Puerto Rico. They are going days without running water as the U.S. territory grapples with a worsening drought. After the break, a local journalist tells me how the growing water crisis is disrupting daily life for many people on the island.

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[03:20:03] SANDOVAL: Tropical storm Lala has started to move away from Hawaii, but parts of the state are still seeing some heavy rain and strong wind gusts at this hour. Officials saying that the most serious threat now is flash flooding and mudslides, especially in some of the higher elevated areas.

Lala made its closest approach to Hawaii's Big Island on Saturday as a Category 1 hurricane, and then it left a lot of this devastation behind. Hawaii's governor says that at least 100 homes have been damaged or lost, and wind gusts toppled trees and knocked down some of the utility lines on the island. Right now, about 165,000 customers are without power, and they've been warned that the outages could last a while.

Officials are saying that the danger from the storm is not over yet.

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MAJ. GEN. STEPHEN F. LOGAN, ADJUTANT GENERAL, STATE OF HAWAII DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE: We still have a lot of rain. We have a lot of flooding. We have a lot of road closures, and we still have a lot of high winds.

Although it's been recategorized to be a tropical storm, it's still on the upper level of the tropical storm with winds in excess of about 70 miles an hour. The widespread power outages is creating a lot of problems for a lot of our residents now.

With the road closures also, people are either having to take an alternate route or they're unable to get to the destination that they need to get to. So we're urging everybody to stay home insofar as possible that they're able to.

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SANDOVAL: Widespread heat alerts are in effect across parts of the U.S. as millions face triple-digit temperatures well above average. CNN Meteorologist Allison Chinchar with your forecast.

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ALLISON CHINCHAR, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Roughly 50 million people are under some type of alert across the U.S., with the bulk of it really focused right here along the southeastern portion of the country.

Now, when we take a look at the heat index, that is the air temperature plus the humidity in these regions, this is what the feels-like temperature is expected to be. 105 in Atlanta on Monday, 109 in Jackson, 107 in Jacksonville, Florida. But again, even progressing into Tuesday, these numbers really don't drop off all that much, and in some cases, they actually go up a little bit.

This is going to be a prolonged effect for many of these southern cities. Take Atlanta, for example, the average high this time of year is 89 degrees. They will spend every single one of the next seven days at or above that marker. And even worse for a place like Dallas, where the average is 96, every single one of the next seven days, that temperature is expected to be in the triple digits.

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SANDOVAL: Allison, thank you.

And tens of thousands of people are rationing water in Puerto Rico as due to a deepening drought on the island. The capital of San Juan just recorded its driest July on record.

Residents there lining up at community wells and distribution points hoping to get enough water for their daily needs. In fact, in some communities, water service is now rotating on a 48-hour schedule, and that's leaving people without running water for days at a time. And that rationing is expected to last at least through the end of this month, as forecasters believe that the effects of El Nino could extend the drought into the fall.

A local laundromat operator says that the unpredictable water outages have become a major problem for her business.

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LISVETTE FRAGOSO, LAUNDRY MANAGER (through translator): Literally, we have been greatly affected because this business operates 100 percent on water. Since November of last year, we have seen disruptions in water pressure. The water here goes out without warning.

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SANDOVAL: Joining us now is journalist Manuel Guillama Capella with "El Nuevo Dia" in Puerto Rico. Manuel, thank you so much for joining us.

MANUEL GUILLAMA CAPELLA, JOURNALIST, "EL NUEVO DIA": Thank you, Polo, for having me.

SANDOVAL: So what is your latest reporting on Puerto Rico's water crisis? Just, I mean, how long have residents been forced to ration water?

CAPELLA: Sure. The way I would describe the situation here in Puerto Rico is that people are just tired. I mean, the water rationing program has been going on for the last couple of weeks in the San Juan metropolitan area.

But the reality is that customers, particularly in the northern and central part of the island, have been facing water interruptions for over the last year plus. And it's a crisis that, it's not the first time that Puerto Ricans have faced this kind of problems, but it probably is the longest going crisis in recent memory.

And when that combines with the energy crisis that Puerto Ricans have faced since, particularly over the last decade after Hurricane Maria, that gives you an idea of how tired people are of having to be resilient, which is a word that -- has been one of the most common words that you hear in Puerto Rico.

And it's certainly a very difficult situation. And there's no, we don't really have an idea of how long this is going to last.

SANDOVAL: And of course, as you're speaking, we're seeing that main reservoir that looks more like a puddle, which is what officials are pointing to as one of the reasons why people are dealing with this. And then we're also seeing Puerto Ricans essentially having to shuttle water back and forth.

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So just speak to how disruptive this has been. I've read about dialysis centers having to postpone appointments. People who are caring for the sick and the elderly really being impacted as well.

CAPELLA: Yes, you can talk from an individual or community standpoint. As you say, dialysis patients are one of the most impacted sectors or groups, certainly, of the situation. Right before the San Juan rationing program began, a sample of 12 hotels they stated that they had already spent over $2 million on different measures that they had to take to be able to deal with the crisis that had already been going on for a few weeks.

That gives you an idea of how difficult this is to deal from both an individual and a business standpoint. And the fact that the government doesn't seem to have a plan to actually face this in an effective way.

SANDOVAL: Let's pick up on that last thought. Puerto Rico's governor previously said that the situation is beyond the administration's control, adding that it's strictly drought-related. But what are residents telling you about who or what they believe is to blame for these hardships?

CAPELLA: Sure, I think that's one of the main things that the perception amongst people is that this goes beyond the current drought. I mean, Puerto Rico has faced droughts before, particularly in 1994, then 2015.

So that's not something necessarily new. And certainly, this administration has inherited a very difficult situation for us, the Puerto Rican Authority. But I think the perception is, and it is backed by facts, verifiable facts, that water management in Puerto Rico for a long time has not been adequate.

And the thing is that it probably hadn't translated into this kind of interruptions. Because, as I said, for over a year, particularly in the San Juan metropolitan area, customers have been facing interruptions, I'd say, almost weekly. And that goes way before the current drought.

SANDOVAL: What's the sense there where you are, though, Manolo? Is there any hope that there could be an end that's approaching? Or is this likely to continue? CAPELLA: I mean, I don't think it's going to end. Certainly, what's

left of this August, it's probably going to go at least into September. We know that August and September are usually heavy rainfall months. Of course, this is the peak of hurricane season.

We have yet to face a hurricane. And sometimes you can hear people say, oh, we might need a hurricane or a heavy storm to finally get it done with this drought and stabilize the water system.

Obviously, that would have so many collateral effects that you don't want to face. But I think one of the main concerns right now is the potential carryover effect this could have up to next year, with, as I mentioned, the El Nino thing going on. And that's what you don't want to happen.

You don't want to be facing another drought and water rationing next summer. And right now, I don't think that there's much optimism that hurricanes can avoid that.

SANDOVAL: And those are people in U.S. territory right now that are having to carry water back and forth, and in some cases go without water for potentially two days, if not more. Thank you so much for everything, for all your reporting. Manuel Guillama Capella, thank you.

CAPELLA: Thank you, Polo.

SANDOVAL: Colombia is working to get aid shipments to Region 7C by last week's earthquake. Still ahead here on "CNN Newsroom," a look at the Latin music stars in Miami. They're raising money for those relief efforts.

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SANDOVAL: Welcome back. I'm Polo Sandoval, and these are today's top stories.

Film and television actress Hayden Panettiere has died at the age of 36. She's most known for her television roles, including the science fiction show "Heroes," as well as the country music drama "Nashville." So far, no cause of death has been revealed, and the circumstances surrounding her death remain unknown.

President Trump says that the U.S. will be reducing joint military exercises with South Korea, which is a key regional ally, and those exercises are now under way. The President cited Seoul's lack of help with Iran and his positive relationship with North Korea's leader. Trump said that the exercises send a signal that is, quote, "inappropriate and hostile towards North Korea."

Tropical storm Lala knocked out power to more than 160,000 customers in Hawaii. The storm was a Category 1 hurricane when it made its closest approach on Saturday, it pummeled parts of the state with torrential rain, powerful wind gusts, flooding, and landslides. The storm is now moving away, but some islands are still getting better with some heavy rain and winds.

Well it's now been a week since the devastating 7.4 magnitude earthquake in Colombia, which is estimated to have killed at least 290 people and injured thousands more. But authorities are not giving up hope of finding more survivors, with at least 140 people still missing at this hour. Search operations continued on Sunday in some of the worst-hit areas, including Colombia's third-largest city of Cali.

As the rubble is cleared, communities are discovering just how much was lost in this disaster.

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UNKNOWN (through translator): What we've encountered is a lot of pain. People who lost everything, their homes, their belongings, and people who died. For us, the hardest part is finding people beneath the rubble.

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SANDOVAL: And Latin music stars united in Miami to raise awareness for donations for relief efforts after the recent earthquakes in both Colombia and in Venezuela. CNN's Carolina Peguero reports.

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CAROLINA PEGUERO, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): "United For Our Own" is the name of the concert that brought together more than a dozen artists in hopes to raise donations for those impacted by the devastating earthquakes in Venezuela and Colombia. The proceeds from ticket sales, online and phone bank donations will go to help rebuild communities, homes, provide food and medicine to the displaced, as well as mental health support to adults and children.

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The event that was originally organized to aid Venezuela after the two earthquakes struck on June 24, killing more than 6,000 people, was later designated to help Colombia when on August 10, a 7.4 magnitude earthquake shook the nation, leaving more than 250 dead.

International Latin artists like Marc Anthony, Cheyenne, Luis Fonsi and others donated their talent and efforts for the cause made possible by the collaboration of several non-profit organizations like Global Empowerment Mission, World Central Kitchen, Maestro Cares Foundation and Univision Foundation.

Fans came from all over to support and share their thoughts and prayers for those impacted by the natural disasters.

MARTIN LINDENFIELD, IN SUPPORT OF CAUSE: I believe in brotherhood among the nations, especially Latin nations, who that's what we're here for. IRVIN AVILES, IN SUPPORT OF CAUSE: This is the best time to embrace each other and to show our brothers and sisters in Colombia and Venezuela that we are united, right, and that we care for each other. And I know they're going through a difficult time, but they're going to go through. And with our help and the help of God, I'm pretty sure that everything is going to be better for them.

GIANNA SULTON, IN SUPPORT OF CAUSE: History can change in either a good or a bad way, so I'm here to just support and donate and help as much as I can.

PEGUERO (voice-over): The initiative comes in a crucial time of need where families who have lost it all, their loved ones and their homes in both Venezuela and Colombia, slowly rebuild their lives and face the long road ahead of them.

Carolina Peguero, CNN, Miami.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SANDOVAL: We're still on the way, summer's new accessory is sun protective clothing. Just ahead, brands are seeing a growing trend among American consumers. Details on the fashion trend that is folks covering up.

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[03:40:00]

SANDOVAL: You're up to speed on the markets and here are your business headlines.

Global financial markets, they are in limbo as a deal to fully reopen the Strait of Hormuz has still not materialized. Oil futures were flat on Sunday as talks between the U.S. and Iran are stalled. And although Tehran and Oman are negotiating over the crucial waterway, there are no immediate signs of a deal.

Developers have withdrawn their plans for a 15 building data campus in the state of Georgia. And this after residents in the city of Lovejoy rejected the proposal for a sprawling 400 acre center. And it comes amid rising concerns over water pollution and the growing national resistance to AI infrastructure.

And a slew of new Disney movies in production were unveiled at a fan convention. The top headliners included Anne Hathaway who announced a new "Princess Diaries" film, and Benjamin Bratt announced the upcoming release of the Pixar animation "Coco 2." Other films that were mentioned included "The Incredibles 3," "Frozen 3" and "Zootopia 3."

Americans are making sun protection summer's hottest accessory. Clothing brands are catching on to a growing trend for sun protective clothing. According to a fashion forecasting firm, Google searches for U.V. shirt jumped 26 percent and views went up more than 100 percent on TikTok. At Athleta, an athleisure fashion brand owned by Gap, nearly 50

percent of its early summer inventory featured sun protection. Retail intelligence firm Edited found U.V. apparel sold at brands that grew at 12 percent from last year.

For our international viewers, "World Sport" is next. For everybody else, I'll be right back with you with more of your headlines.

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SANDOVAL: U.S. energy officials are ramping up their forecast for oil and gasoline prices. With minimal traffic transiting through the Strait of Hormuz, those prices seem unlikely to go down anytime soon. You see the national average gas price on Sunday, on average, that was $4.07 a gallon, that's according to AAA.

Chief Data Analyst Harry Enten breaks down how this could possibly impact the midterm elections and President Trump's poll numbers.

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HARRY ENTEN, CNN CHIEF DATA ANALYST: Gas prices still above $4 in the United States of America, at least on average. And it just feels like the American people can't catch a break.

I can tell you that the American people very much dislike, dare I say, President Trump when it comes to gas prices. Not a huge surprise given, of course, where gas prices are. But it's to a historic degree the hatred for President Trump on gas prices.

Look at this. Okay, highest disapprovals on gas prices by President. Look where President Trump is in 2026.

We're talking about, on average, a disapproval rating of 79 percent. That is about four in five Americans who disapprove of the job that President Trump is doing on gas prices.

Joe Biden never reached that level, he was at 72 percent. Barack Obama never reached that level, his highest was 68 percent. Even George W. Bush never reached that level, he was at 75 percent.

So Donald Trump breaking records in the ways that you simply put do not want to be breaking records when it comes to gas prices and how Americans view the job that he is doing. Now, why?

Why is President Trump have a historically high disapproval rating on gas prices? Well, simply put, you can't reach 79 percent just by Democrats disliking the job that you're doing or, dare I say, hating it. Look at this.

It crosses party lines. You get the rare trifecta. Yes, you get 96 percent of Democrats, that's not so surprising who disapprove the job that President Trump is doing on gas prices.

But how about independents? 85 percent of independents disapprove of the job that President Trump is doing on gas prices.

And then, of course, that tried and true Republican base that is stuck with Donald Trump through thick and thin. Even they, a majority of them, 52 percent, disapprove of the job that President Trump is doing on gas prices.

This, simply put, are the types of numbers that if you're a Republican running in these midterm elections, you do not like. You very much want to be running away from President Trump, at least to how it comes to how Americans view him on gas prices.

Now, what is driving this? Why are these numbers so low? You know, you go back to the 2024 campaign.

President Trump put up a historically strong performance for a Republican candidate among working-class voters. That is those making less than $50,000. And this is what is driving it.

Look at this. Disapprove of Trump on gas prices among those making under $50,000 per year. Among them all, look at this number, 86 percent.

You can't get 86 percent of Americans or even a subgroup of Americans who are not a partisan subgroup to agree on anything. But they do.

They do when it comes to gas prices. Disapproving of President Trump among those making less than $50,000. More than that, look at this across.

Look at this across the different parties. We get 66 percent, a very unlucky 66 percent indeed, of Republicans making under $50,000 who disapprove of the job that President Trump is doing on gas prices.

How about, get this, 90 percent of independents who make less than $50,000 disapprove the job of President Trump on gas prices.

And 93 percent of Democrats who disapprove of the job that President Trump is doing on gas prices amongst those making less than $50,000.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SANDOVAL: That's Harry Enten.

And by the way, those numbers are only adding to Republican concerns over how the midterms will shake out. You see, Americans will be heading to the polls in less than three months. I spoke earlier with CNN's senior political analyst and Bloomberg opinion columnist Ron Brownstein about the current political climate and why the GOP may be losing some of its grip on parts of the country.

Here's what he told me.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) RON BROWNSTEIN, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL ANALYST, AND OPINION COLUMNIST, BLOOMBERG: Really, the middle of the country is where some of the sharpest movement away from Democrats and toward Republicans have been since Obama's presidency. I mean, when Obama came in, it's hard for people to imagine today. I mean, Democrats had senators in South Dakota, in North Dakota, in Iowa, in Nebraska.

[03:50:08]

He won Ohio and Iowa twice. Obviously, all of those places have moved very much toward Republicans, really around kind of the interrelated actions of two core constituencies, white voters without a college degree who are half or more of the electorate in all of the states that we talked about, I just mentioned, and several more across the region, as well as rural residents who are more plentiful in these places as well.

You know, now there is an opportunity for Democrats. Trump, mostly because of the economy. I mean, Trump's approval among working class whites, as we talked about before, he won about two thirds of them in all three of his races.

Now he's down to about 50-50 approval among them and below that in some of these states. And then in rural areas, the combination of the tariffs and the impact that's had on overseas markets for American agricultural products, as well as higher fuel costs, which also translate into higher fertilizer costs, give the opportunity to Democrats to lose by less.

I mean, they're not going to win those places. They're not going to win working class white voters. But if they lose them by less, their strengths among other groups in the area, particularly college educated whites and minorities, are allowing them to put some of these, many of these places back in play.

SANDOVAL: So overall, how do you think this translates to increased competitiveness in some key Senate and governor's races?

BROWNSTEIN: Yes, I mean, look, you could see the return of the Heartland Democrats this year, I think without doubt. I mean, Democrats are seriously competing for the governor's mansions in Ohio and Iowa, which they haven't won either of those since 2006 with Amy Acton in Ohio and Rob Sand, who is now the favorite, I think, in Iowa, as well as the Senate races in both states, where Sherrod Brown has been leading in polls in Ohio.

It's more of an uphill climb in Iowa. And there are even long shot chances, I think, for Democrats in Kansas and Nebraska. I mean, obviously, those are much tougher states for Democrats, but they are on the map this year in a way they have not.

And it's not only in these governor and Senate races. There are three competitive House races in Iowa, three in Michigan, four in Pennsylvania, one in Nebraska, one to two in Wisconsin. I mean, this region really is at the fulcrum of the 2026 election. And, you know, you can look at this from the other side of the lens, which is that if Democrats can't make some breakthroughs, if they can't regain some ground in this area in this year, when Trump's approval has skidded so much and there are so many openings with groups that have leaned right, you have to ask yourself, is this really swing terrain?

Because if Democrats can't, I think, reestablish a beachhead, kind of a mixed metaphor in this landlocked part of the country, but if they can't establish a beachhead this year, when are they going to do it?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SANDOVAL: All right. Thanks to Ron Brownstein for that.

The commander of U.S. Central Command is pushing back after concerns about morale and mental health aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln. Admiral Brad Cooper visited the aircraft carrier this weekend as part of a recent trip to the Middle East, and the ship has been deployed for more than 250 days after being sent to the region to support U.S. operations in the war with Iran.

Admiral Cooper says that the USS Abraham Lincoln has, quote, "among the lowest mental health cases out of the Navy's 11 active carriers." But he also acknowledged the challenges of a long deployment at sea. Here's CNN's White House correspondent Julia Benbrook with more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JULIA BENBROOK, CNN CORRESPONDENT: In a statement over the weekend, CENTCOM chief Admiral Brad Cooper called his recent visit to the USS Abraham Lincoln, quote, "awe-inspiring." That visit comes as there are growing concerns about the conditions on that ship.

The Lincoln has been deployed for nearly nine months as it is supporting operations in the Middle East, and its combat efforts have prevented it from making stops at friendly ports to regather supplies, get the sailors some rest. That has led to a number of family members voicing concerns. One crew member told us that morale on the ship is very low and that there is this regular strain on some essential amenities.

Cooper did say that out of the 11 active aircraft carriers, that the Lincoln actually has among the lowest cases related to mental health right now. He went on to say this.

"This doesn't mean that all is perfect. Find any of the nearly four million Navy veterans in America today, and they will likely tell you that service at sea for long periods isn't for everyone. "It is uniquely challenging and tough, and every single one of us, including me, reacts to stressors in different ways."

President Donald Trump was recently asked about this lengthy deployment and the mental health concerns surrounding it, and he seemed to dismiss those concerns. He said that the deployment wasn't nearly long enough. Those comments have received swift criticism. [03:55:09]

He did say that the Lincoln would be traveling out of the region soon and it would be replaced with a very similar ship. A U.S. official tells us that that swap was previously planned.

Julia Benbrook, CNN.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SANDOVAL: Opening statements are expected later today in the trial against a man accused of killing hip-hop star Tupac Shakur. 63 year- old Dwayne Davis is the first and only person to face charges linked to Shakur's death back in 1996. Prosecutors are aiming to prove that he orchestrated the killing of the rap legend, but agree he did not fire the fatal shots.

Well the judge has ruled that Davis' memoir and previous interviews are admissible as evidence. Davis has pleaded not guilty to charges of first-degree murder with a deadly weapon and intent to promote further or assist a criminal gang.

Former MLB pitcher Tommy John has passed away, his death happened on Saturday. He is perhaps best known as the namesake of a revolutionary elbow surgery which gave the left-hander's career incredible longevity. The Tommy John procedure now allows doctors to use grafted portions from other tendons in the body to reconstruct a ligament in the elbow.

In a statement from the New York Yankees, John is remembered as a longtime fan favorite and as a bedrock of the Pins and Stripes roster. Just last month, he was reportedly battling health issues at his home in Florida. Tommy John was 83 years old.

Thank you so much for joining me in the last hour of news. I'll be right back with more of your headlines in a moment.

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