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CNN International: Concern Growing Over Defense Secretary Hegseth; Putin Speaks At Eastern Economic Forum; Kennedy Center Removes Outdoor "Blue" Sculpture; U.N.: Hundreds Of Millions Threatened By Rising Sea Levels; Tiger Woods Pleads No Contest In DUI Case; Dollywood Announces Changes To Honor Dolly Parton's Legacy. Aired 4:30-5a ET

Aired September 03, 2026 - 04:30   ET

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

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[04:30:41]

POLO SANDOVAL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Welcome back to CNN Newsroom. I'm Polo Sandoval in New York. And let's continue with some of your headlines now. And the growing controversy surrounding the man in charge of prosecuting the war with Iran, U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.

And there's now a scathing new appeal for President Donald Trump to fire him. Some of the critics are taking issue with the way Hegseth is managing the Iran conflict. The Pentagon, and forcing out some of the top brass. Army Secretary Dan Driscoll, as you may recall, resigned this week after clashing with Hegseth.

And according to the Atlantic, Driscoll brought his concerns to President Trump in person. And on Wednesday, the president was asked about the lack of army confirmations. The commander in chief blamed Democrats.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, U.S. PRESIDENT: The Democrats hold up the confirmation like crazy. I mean, you get, I mean, you don't get one vote. I could take those three, Lincoln, Ulysses S. Grant, George Washington, and if I put them up in this modern era, they would get no Democrat support.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SANDOVAL: And critics are also accusing Hegseth of being too focused on culture wars and also prioritizing his own image of the American warfighter.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PETE HEGSETH, U.S. SECRETARY OF DEFENSE: Reviving the warrior ethos. The warrior ethos. Unbreakable warrior ethos. I talk a lot about reviving the warrior ethos. And that gets to reviving the warrior ethos. And then my job is we restore the warrior ethos. Where we're restoring the warrior ethos. (END VIDEO CLIP)

SANDOVAL: More now from CNN's senior national security reporter Zachary Cohen.

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ZACHARY COHEN, CNN SENIOR NATIONAL SECURITY REPORTER: Multiple sources telling CNN that they agree with concerns that were raised by Army Secretary Dan Driscoll before he resigned from his post officially this week. Now, Driscoll, before departing the job, did voice concerns about Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, saying that he was blocking the army's ability to modernize its force and adapt to the new era of modern warfare. Things like drone warfare, which have been proven during the war with Iran and in other conflicts, like the war between Ukraine and Russia, as the new age of warfare and the battlefield on which future conflicts will be fought.

But Driscoll raising concerns that Hegseth, by firing the generals who are really spearheading the army's efforts to modernize that service, has prevented the army from taking the steps necessary to make sure it's prepared for future conflicts in the near term.

Now or ultimately, Driscoll departing his role rather than staying under Hegseth and conforming to what multiple sources have said are his priorities, which are effectively culture war issues.

One defense official who serves in Europe saying that that's been a little bit confusing for the rank and file, both civilian and uniformed members of the military, because Hegseth did issue recent guidance directing the army and the other services to modernize their forces in line with the recent trend of warfare, but at the same time has clearly prior other issues that are more culture oriented. That defense official saying, quote, it's conflicting because, yes, he put out a memo saying this is important, but he's talking about muscles, dudes in dresses, testosterone. We don't see a change at that level.

Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell, however, disputing the idea that Hegseth is in any way preventing the army or any of the military services from taking steps towards modernization, telling CNN in a statement, quote, Secretary Hegseth has been a transformative leader for the Department of War and, and at President Trump's direction, has ushered in a new era of peace through strength. Secretary Hegseth has slashed bureaucracy, unleashed innovation, and delivered for our war fighters every step of the way.

At the same time, though, this -- Driscoll's resignation is raising new questions about Hegseth's future as the leader of the Pentagon. Republican Senator Thom Tillis calling on President Donald Trump on Wednesday to fire Hegseth, saying, quote, I have never witnessed more inept management of the brave men and women who serve our country. I urge the president to find a new leader at the Pentagon who will retain power and empower our military talent rather than diminish it.

[04:35:00] Now, Hegseth has a well-documented history throughout his time in the Pentagon of being preoccupied by his own insecurities and going after perceived rivals internally who he feels have maybe tried to circumvent him and going directly to President Trump, as he believes Driscoll did. But at the same time, President Trump has appeared to back his defense secretary since Driscoll's resignation. But that vote of confidence is only as good as the moment it's made in. Zachary Cohen, CNN, Washington.

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SANDOVAL: Russian President Vladimir Putin has addressed the Eastern Economic Forum, which is a gathering on economic cooperation in the Far East. Officials from 80 countries are attending, according to the Russian state news agency. And before his speech, Putin met with China's vice premier on the sidelines of the forum. China's official news agency reporting that the Chinese official praised what he called broad and promising opportunities for cooperation in the Far East. And the event comes as Moscow and Beijing expand their economic and military ties. Clare Sebastian is monitoring all of those developments closely. She joins us from London. Good morning, Clare.

CLARE SEBASTIAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, good morning, Polo. Interestingly, we have during the Q and A session after Putin's long speech about economic development in the Russian Far East, we have had some comments on Ukraine. Not for the first time this week. The president is very much out there in the international spotlight speaking about this, but he said he thinks there's a chance to resolve the conflict in Ukraine.

Don't read too much into that. I'm about to explain why. But of course, this is another sign of the upbeat mood in which we find the Russian president, even despite the major challenges his country faces after four and a half years of war. And he was asked specifically about the recent starts that we've heard from the U.S. in particular the U.S. President.

Take a listen to what Trump had to say on Wednesday and then we'll get the Russian response.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Is there any hope that Russian President Vladimir Putin would do another summit with you in the near future?

TRUMP: Oh, he'd do it if I wanted it, but I want to do it. When we're ready to do a peace deal, I want to do it. You know, we want to have good relationship with Russia, Ukraine, with everybody, be great for business. Russia's got great land, got very valuable land, a lot of good things happening.

But no, we could do one. I bet I could do it immediately. I want to do it when that war is ending, and I think we will.

(END VIDEO CLIP) SEBASTIAN: So this Putin says, was the is the correct approach. He said yes, of course. You know, Ukraine and Russia should agree first and then he said he's very much ready to restore full relations with the United States. But here's the sting in what he said. And this is pretty much the same as what we heard him say in another summit earlier this week.

He re-upped his accusation that Ukraine's warning that its increasing drone attacks pose a threat to civilian aircraft. He accused them of state terrorism. He even expanded this and said any allies of Ukraine are also complicit in international terrorism. And of course, calling Ukraine a terrorist state, as he so often does, gets him out of having to negotiate them.

So it's again a sort of a yes, we're ready for some kind of resolution to this conflict, but really disguised as a no on that score. So that's that And I think if you look at the actions on the ground of Russia, the prospects are bleak for this. We had another overnight attack on Ukraine last night. President just put out some pictures of, of a strike on an apartment block in Odesa. 17 people he said were injured, including three children. More air raid alerts in Kyiv this morning. Now day eight of a near constant bombardment, multiple air alerts day and night.

So I think look at what Russia does, not just what it says. And meanwhile, of course, not an invitation to a summit from Trump, but no condemnation. Sharp contrast, of course, to what we're seeing from the Europeans at the moment, who are really trying to ramp up the costs on Russia.

SANDOVAL: Clare Sebastian live reporting from London, let's say, also with Chinese leader Xi Jinping as he works to strengthen ties with Egypt. He spent the day touring the Grand Egyptian Museum in Giza with President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi. They viewed ancient artifacts, including the golden masks and coffins of pharaohs.

And this is the Chinese president's first trip to the Middle East in four years. And it also comes as U.S. partners in the region reassess their strategic relationships amid the wars in Gaza and Iran.

Still ahead here on CNN Newsroom, from rising sea levels, we'll tell you more about what's being done to try to avert this looming crisis and also the dangers that they pose to people living specifically in coastal areas. We'll be right back.

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[04:42:55]

SANDOVAL: Well, the Kennedy Center for Performing Arts, with its board handpicked by Donald Trump, has made another controversial move, and this time choosing to dismantle a prominent piece of public art, the sculpture called Blue, which depicts a stick figure mid kick. A former curator told CNN last year that President Trump wants all new art. CNN's Sunlen Serfaty with more.

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SUNLEN SERFATY, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): With little warning, cranes, piece by piece dismantled and removed this 24-foot statue from the grounds of the Kennedy Center today. The abrupt action sparking outrage from activists marking another dramatic change to the iconic arts institution made under President Trump as he works to reshape the center in his name and style.

TRUMP: There's really nothing like it in the country.

SERFATY: The sculpture called Blue was first installed in 2019. The Kennedy Center says it was the center that requested the sculpture to come down, portraying a deinstallation as common practice, yet giving no public explanations as to why it came down now. But those who worked at the center say the piece of art was targeted early on after Trump took over the center as chairman of the board.

JOSEF PALERMO, FORMER CURATOR: As part of the renovations. They want to get rid of the outdoor art here on the campus of the Kennedy Center. And the reason why is because President Trump wants all new art for the reopening of the center.

SERFATY (voice-over): A source familiar with the matter disputed Palermo's account of the situation, activists pointing a finger at political motivations, saying the removal came, quote, at the behest of a petulant crybaby. The Kennedy Center has been largely dormant, its productions and shows falling silent as the future of the arts institution remains in limbo, bogged down in a legal and cultural battle.

TRUMP: We ended the woke political programming and we're restoring the Kennedy Center as the premier venue for performing arts anywhere in the country.

[04:45:00]

SERFATY: Last month, lawyers for the center threatened to demolish the building if they were not allowed to close for a two-year renovation.

TRUMP: In the coming months, we'll fully renovate the dated and really the entire the infrastructure of the building.

SERFATY (voice-over): A federal judge has blocked renovation plans, ruling they were made unlawfully, which the center and White House officials have continued to fight.

HOWARD LUTNICK, U.S. COMMERECE SECRETARY: There are chunks of concrete falling off the ceiling in the garage when it fell off last time at four o'clock in the morning. OK, you cleaned, clean it up in the morning. But if it fell on somebody, that would be an unmitigated disaster.

SERFATY (voice-over): Meantime, in a dramatic provocation, the Kennedy Center board voted last month to re add Trump's name to the facade, this time with an etching saying the president restored and renovated the building. After it was instructed to be removed in June and has been covered by

a tarp ever since.

SERFATY: And I'm standing here in the grass of where this sculpture once was. Crews came in and took hours to remove parts of this sculpture beam by beam earlier on Wednesday. And you'll see here in the ground still this hole where the sculpture once was and still the plaque, an acknowledgement to the artist Joel Shapiro, who made this art installation and died only last year.

And you'll see this is just in the shadow of the main Kennedy Center building. This in the area where a lot of people picnic right by the Reach complex, which holds smaller scale concerts. And again, the Kennedy Center officials are offering no explanation as to why specifically now this piece of art was removed other than routine de installation. Sunlen Serfaty, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SANDOVAL: Well, if you want a special $1 coin to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the United States, you may have to wait. You see the first batch of this special currency featuring, as you see there, the face of President Trump, which sold out just hours after they went on sale on Wednesday. Although they are legal tender at a buck apiece, a roll of 25 of these coins will set you back about $61. While a bag of 100 of these costs more than $150.

The Mint's website says that the coins can still be ordered while additional inventory is being made.

Let's switch gears now and talk about the U.N. as it's issued an alarming new report on how quickly sea levels and also how many people could be in danger. They say this is no longer a distant threat, that it's become a global crisis already. Scientists are warning that the warming waters and glacial melts are putting hundreds of millions of people at risk around the world and will have profound impacts on coastal communities, economies and infrastructure.

The UN is warning that if nothing changes, up to 1.2 billion people could be displaced by 2050. One in 10 people already face serious risks because they live in coastal areas less than 5 meters above the high tide line.

The remnants of Tropical Storm Edward have already swamped parts of eastern Texas with more than 20 inches of rain. It's about 50 centimeters. Now the region is facing a rare high risk for flooding. More rain expected to fall through Thursday when the system is forecast to dissipate over the state. More than 7 million people in eastern Texas are currently under flood watches.

Still to come on CNN Newsroom, Dollywood, it is revealing how it will be honoring its late co-owner and superstar Dolly Parton with new attractions and tributes celebrating her life and legacy. We'll tell you more about that when we come back just how the park plans to keep Dolly's vision alive.

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[04:52:44]

SANDOVAL: Tiger Woods reached a plea deal with prosecutors over his car crash in Florida earlier this year. The 50-year old golf superstar initially pleaded not guilty to a misdemeanor DUI charge. In court on Wednesday, prosecutors described what they called an erosion of evidence in the case. Investigators acknowledged that they could not prove the allegation in court.

Instead, Woods and the state reached a plea deal, with Woods pleading to no contest to a reduced charge of willful reckless driving. He will avoid jail time this way, but his driver's license will be suspended for five years and he'll also have to pay a fine.

With the largest school district in the United States temporarily banning the use of artificial intelligence in most public school classrooms, New York's one year moratorium will apply to nearly 600,000 students from kindergarten through eighth grade. Mayor Zohran Mamdani says that the policy is designed to protect students' critical thinking abilities as well as their relationships with teachers.

Mamdani added that the tech industry wants us to believe AI in early education is necessary and inevitable. But he said, we do not see it that way.

As the world continues mourning the late singer Dolly Parton, her Dollywood amusement park says that her legacy will live on through several new experiences. Sherrell Hubbard has more on the woman that her staff called "The Dreamer in Chief.

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SHERRELL HUBBARD, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The legacy of Dolly Parton will live on. The country music superstar's Dollywood Amusement Park in Tennessee announced Wednesday that it has plans for at least the next 10 years to continue to carry Parton's work forward.

EUGENE NAUGHTON - PRESIDENT, DOLLYWOOD COMPANY: She really lit up when we talked about the future.

HUBBARD (voice-over): Dollywood's president Eugene Naughton says Parton, who died last week at the age of 80 after a brief battle with cancer, made advance preparations for the place she called a home.

NAUGHTON: Our dream maker-in-chief really taught us well and believe me you, she gave us the gift of time to be able to prepare.

HUBBARD (voice-over): A unifying and philanthropic figure in life, Dolly Parton will be honored in death at Dollywood, with dedications throughout the city of Sevierville.

[04:55:07]

A prospective new character at the park named the Dream Maker and tribute banners and kiosks throughout the park. HEIDI PARTON, DOLLY PARTON'S NIECE: She was just such a kind, selfless

person and I know that she would want everybody to continue that.

HUBBARD (voice-over): In Hollywood, workers repair Dolly Parton star on the Walk of Fame on Tuesday. At Dollywood the highlight of the park's new plans include a serene waterfall to be located at a chapel on the premises.

NAUGHTON: The waterfall is going to have a special reflection area with a guitar that's going to be sculpted. And I hope this will turn out to be the place on property that will give a chance for people to reflect on the impact that Dolly's had.

HUBBARD (voice-over): I'm Sherrell Hubbard reporting.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SANDOVAL: And in the wake of her death, Dolly Parton seems to once again be topping the musical charts. Five of her songs once again on the Billboard Hot 100.

So if you can't make it to a galaxy far, far away, maybe a trip to a new museum in Los Angeles might do. The George Lucas Museum of Narrative Art will be featuring a green space and a 28,000 square meter building. It will be including several galleries, two theaters, a library, places to eat. There's a retail space. It won't be all Star Wars, though. The museum's collection will also include works by comic book artist Jack Kirby, paintings by Norman Rockwell, and street art Banksy as well. The museum's CEO says that it will be an institution for many generations to come. It's scheduled to open on September 22nd.

Thank you so much for joining me the last hour of news. I'm Polo Sandoval in New York. Our live coverage continues with CNN Headline Express. In a moment.

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