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War With Iran; Russia's War On Ukraine; Panda Diplomacy. Aired 11p-12a ET
Aired September 26, 2026 - 23:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[23:00:28]
BRIAN ABEL, CNN HOST: Hello and welcome to our viewers joining us around the world. I'm Brian Abel. Here's what's ahead.
It's a wild weather weekend as an early season storm pummels the Northeast. We'll break down the latest forecast. Plus, Russia's foreign minister speaking in New York Saturday as aid for Ukraine hangs in limbo. What we know about Ukraine's requests for more Patriot missiles.
And China and the US have resumed panda diplomacy. We are live in Beijing covering the new additions to the Atlanta Zoo.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Live from Atlanta.
ABEL: US President Donald Trump says Iran's latest proposal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and resume talks is "unacceptable." Tehran's top diplomat says he's seen President Trump's public reaction to the proposal, but is waiting for an official US response delivered by mediators before making any decision. He could be waiting for a while though.
A White house official tells CNN," the US is in a very strong position with control of the Strait of Hormuz, so we are not in a rush." CNN's Julia Benbrook has more from the White House.
JULIA BENBROOK, CNN CORRESPONDENT: President Donald Trump says he has rejected Iran's latest proposal, calling it unacceptable. Now, the details of what is in the proposal are scarce, but Iran's foreign minister said that it did nothing more than what was in the memorandum of understanding, the agreement signed by both the United States and Iran back in June. But that was scrapped shortly thereafter.
This recent proposal, Iran says, would have led to the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz in exchange for some of its long standing demands of the United States. The Strait of Hormuz, that critical waterway, has been a key area of focus for this now months-long conflict, and there are conflicting messages on it. Trump has remained adamant. The United States is in full control of it and watching every inch of it.
He spoke on that part specifically at the White House on Saturday. Take a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) DONALD TRUMP, UNITED STATES PRESIDENT: Said, let's close it and cause a problem for the world. And then I came along, and we put up the greatest blockade ever in military history. It's a wall of steel. I would put it up -- and guess what, they don't have any money now because they wanted to close the strait.
And I said that's, fine. We're going to close it on you, but everybody else is able to use it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BENBROOK: These comments come not long after Trump spoke at the United Nations General Assembly. He said that he was in deciding mode when it comes to Iran. He said that he believed there could be some sort of an agreement to end the conflict shortly after the midterms, suggesting that Tehran is trying to put some political pressure there.
But as he said, that there could be an agreement, agreement in the coming weeks, he also said that he could annihilate Iran. He added that he could drive Iran into "hell with no chance of survival." It's important to note that following those first joint US-Israel strikes against Iran, Trump said that this could last a number of weeks. It is now nearing that seventh month mark.
And as those midterms are quickly approaching, poll after poll shows that the majority of Americans do not approve of the way that Trump has handled this. In fact, a recent CNN poll found that just 26 percent said that they approve of the way that Trump has handled this conflict so far. Julie Benbrook, CNN, the White House.
ABEL: Russia using one of the world's biggest political stages to rip into the entire Western world. On Saturday, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov addressed the UN General Assembly on day five of its annual debate. Despite Russia's brutal invasion and never ending airstrikes on Ukraine, he accused Western countries of being bullies.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SERGEY LAVROV, RUSSIAN FOREIGN MINISTER: The Western minority, which dominated for 500 years thanks to others' resources, continues to try to maintain its privileges and to oppose its own rules upon everyone else. The West continues to use brute force, to act unpredictably, to engage in all sorts of ventures, putting at risk the life and prosperity of millions, if not billions, of people on our planet.
As President Putin said, the dictatorship of one hegemon is spiraling out of control. It is dangerous for everyone else.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
[23:05:10]
ABEL: Lavrov later spoke with his German counterpart in the first such meeting since Russia launched its full scale invasion of Ukraine. Sources say Germany pushed Russia to reach an agreement with Ukraine on grain exports through the Black Sea. The German minister reportedly said that time is crucial given the food shortages in many countries. Those exports have dramatically dropped in recent months because of military strikes on both sides.
And US President Donald Trump is adding new uncertainty into the potential production of Patriot missiles in Ukraine. On Saturday, he refused to say whether he'll give Kyiv a license to manufacture the weapon. A day earlier, Ukraine's president said Mr. Trump told him he would do that.
The US president floated the idea of allowing Ukraine to manufacture Patriots in July, but then later appear to backtrack. Patriot interceptors, they are one of the few weapons that can shoot down Russia's ballistic missiles.
For more, we are joined by CNN contributor and former Moscow Bureau Chief Jill Dougherty, who's also an affiliated scholar at Georgetown University's Center for Eurasian, Russian and East European Studies. Jill, thank you for your time, as always.
So this conversation of interceptor missiles seems to be one that's dragged on for months now with only slow increments. If what Zelenskyy asserted is true, that the US Will allow them to manufacture their own Patriot missiles, is that enough to turn the tide of the war?
JILL DOUGHERTY, CNN CONTRIBUTOR: Well, number one, it's a big question as to whether, Brian, as you mentioned, this would even happen. Because at this point, the Patriots are being used against Iran and so there aren't a lot of them. And you're right, we have been here before because back in July was almost the very same situation.
President Trump said that he would give the OK for Ukraine to begin producing Patriot missiles. Then he reneged on that, and now it feels like the same thing again. So I don't think there's any guarantee. And at this point, even if he did say, yes, produce them, these are very sophisticated missiles. It takes a very long time to produce them.
It can be, under normal circumstances, up to two years to really produce them. So I think at this point, it is not going to save Ukraine from the devastation that is taking place right now. You know, in a way, they are able to respond to some of the drone warfare, but the missiles, they are not. And that's the real problem, and that's why you really need Patriot missiles.
ABEL: OK. I do want to step back for a moment to what Russia said this week at the General Assembly. What were your takeaways from Lavrov's message and the world's response to it?
DOUGHERTY: You know, it sounded like vintage Lavrov, you know? The very, you know, the unipolar world, the world is out to get Russia, et cetera. He says this a lot, but I think, you know, the important things that came actually from his talk, his speech, would be that he said this will be seen to the end, meaning that Russia is going to continue with this war full speed ahead, and there is no indication that they are going to stop.
In fact, he even said that it would continue even if there were a ceasefire or real negotiations. So this is a sign for Russia that there is no stopping. And that's a very bad sign, I think, for negotiations.
Now, we can talk about President Trump, who is urging Zelenskyy to settle, as he put it, with Putin, and for Putin to settle with Zelenskyy, but there is no indication that that is going to happen.
ABEL: OK. I know you don't have a crystal ball, Jill, but you are definitely an expert in this arena. So, are there any certainties over the next few months in this conflict? What should we expect?
DOUGHERTY: I think much of the same and probably worse, and it's kind of sad to say that. But if you look at what's happening in the war right now, remember we had drone attacks, those continue. Now, we have missile attacks by Russia on Ukraine, with Ukraine not really being able to defend itself.
And now Russia appears to be going after data centers and communications and internet connections. And that means that it's a somewhat different war, potentially, where they could begin to go against the banking system or other communications that people actually use. So it is, if anything, I think it is worsening.
And there are some very concerning signs with no sign that this will be over anytime soon.
[23:10:04]
ABEL: And, Jill, talk about, if you can, a little bit about NATO and potential fears of a Russian attack on NATO partners.
DOUGHERTY: Yes. This has been out there for a couple of weeks where you've heard from some members of NATO that they are afraid or concerned, I should say, that Russia will launch some sort of attack, you know, up the ante, not only against Ukraine but into Europe and possibly even against NATO allies.
Now, NATO members and especially, I'd say, the people in the Baltics are saying we are prepared. We, you know, this is part of the scare tactics of Russia. So I'd say there's even an internal debate in NATO about all of this.
But there is no question that Russia already has a hybrid war against Europe. We have sabotage going on, assassinations, drone attacks, et cetera. So this is ongoing and it's been ongoing. Think of all the drones that have hit many members of NATO countries along the border.
So I think, you know, for some reason it has kind of reached (inaudible) pitch but -- and Russia can use that, by the way, Brian, to increase the concern among the Europeans. But I think more sober heads are saying, yes, we've seen that it's happening, but we will be ready.
ABEL: OK. Jill Dougherty, former CNN Moscow Bureau chief, thank you very much as always for your insight. President Trump appearing optimistic about a potential agreement between the US and Cuba to ease simmering tensions. The island nation has been suffering from blackouts and severe fuel shortages triggered by a US imposed oil blockade. Despite the Cuban delegation walking out during President Trump's UNGA speech earlier this week, Cuba's foreign minister says the country will always be open to dialogue with the US.
And now President Trump is downplaying the need for military action to resolve differences between the two nations.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: I would say that Cuba and us will make a deal. I don't think we'll need the military. Cuba is failing very badly. We want to help Cuba. We want to open Cuba up to our people.
We have great Cuban Americans who want to go back. We want to open Cuba up to our people.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ABEL: Much more to come here on CNN NEWSROOM. Thailand's capital facing widespread flooding. How the city is coping ahead. Plus, Pope Leo's second day in France, his message to faithful Catholics and to the rest of the world, that's ahead.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[23:16:41]
ABEL: Two giant pandas have left China and are on their way right now to the United States, actually right here in Atlanta. Their arrival is part of Beijing's long tradition of using panda diplomacy to strengthen ties with other nations. Ping Ping and Fu Shuang are scheduled to arrive at Zoo Atlanta Sunday morning. They were sent off with a farewell ceremony and plenty of fresh bamboo shoots and apples to eat during their flight, according to Chinese state media.
Now, the arrangement comes just days after Chinese leader Xi Jinping extended a trade truce with President Trump during a state visit to Washington. During their meeting, the Chinese president described the pandas as envoys of friendship between the two countries.
Joining us now to talk about all of this is CNN's Mike Valerio in Beijing. Mike, obviously, Americans, we love seeing pandas. The more the merrier, right? And I actually can't wait to see these new ones for us right here in Atlanta.
Take us behind the curtain with how this was all set in motion, the prep work that goes into something like this and the timing of when it became clear that this was really going to happen.
MIKE VALERIO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It all became clear that this was in motion late last night. You know, I was just checking in with government officials who are directly familiar with the panda motions of this panda transfer. And I think that we do have new video from Chinese state media, from our affiliate network here in China. Let's play that video, if we do, to introduce you to Ping Ping and Fu Shuang.
They're so cute, so cute. But, yes, there was no exact time, Brian, of when exactly they were going to cross over the Pacific Ocean and make their way to Atlanta, Georgia. But I was checking in with officials yesterday. I said, when is this thing going to happen? And they texted me back a couple minutes later and they said, oh, it's actually happening tonight, which was much faster than we thought it would be put in motion.
You know, this meeting between Xi Jinping and Donald Trump at the White House just ended a little more over a day after we started making those phone calls and text messages. And this is certainly one of the ways that the Communist Party of China is telling the United States that this meeting between Trump and Xi went quite well.
But in terms of what these two fluff balls have done to prepare to make their journey to the United States alone, for about the next 10 years, it was a month of preparation. You know, just sort of listening to interviews that the panda keepers have done with our Chinese network partners here, they were saying that they had to train them to be comfortable with getting into a very big crate to make this journey.
They did not want to start this thing yesterday night with both pandas refusing to get in. They're like 200 pounds. So if you could imagine, like, you know, both pandas refusing to get off their butts from eating bamboo and not move, that would have been a very big problem, logistically speaking. And they've also been trained to be able to deal with noise because they're going to be in the car hold of this plane for, I think, 10 to 12 hours.
They're expected at Hartsfield Jackson International Airport early tomorrow morning, the 6:00am-7:00am hour local time. But they both do have very different personalities that I'm sure you and everybody going to the zoo is going to start to encounter and experience face to face.
[23:20:13]
Ping Ping, the male, is very demure, very gentle, very quiet when being fed apples, you know, kind of sniffs the apple. So very gentle, very demure is the sort of character description that I got from reading the journalism in China here over the past couple days. Fu Shuang, the female, I'm not going to say chaotic energy, Brian, but she's very energetic. When she is served honey for lunch, she gets very animated.
So these two wrapping up here are a pair, they're not exactly a couple, but male and female. And they're being put together in the hopes that they can start a panda family. And one of the reasons that Atlanta was chosen for this first new batch of pandas is because, it has produced over the past couple of years, seven panda cubs, the most successful panda breeding program in the United States. And, you know, just so you and producer, Becca, Brian, can get in the panda spirit, we're going to be FedExing you this panda from the Beijing Bureau. This is actually one of the pandas that world leaders are going to get in their swag bags at the APEC Summit in Shenzhen in November, which President Trump is going to be visiting just across the border from Hong Kong.
But it just goes to show you that if a little guy like this is being included in the swag bag for attendees and world leaders coming to the Shenzhen APEC Summit, this is very much China's soft power diplomacy at play. It's a huge symbolism of China. And, you know, people I just saw for coffee this morning, they said they're very glad that the Americans are going to be getting these symbols very soon, Brian.
ABEL: It's a lot of power, but also a lot of work. You know, I covered when the zoos arrived at the Smithsonian Zoo in DC not too long ago and the habitat that they had to create to make them safe, you know, it was insane. So, Mike Valerio, thank you.
VALERIO: Yes, yes. I'm amazed.
ABEL: And we will gladly --
VALERIO: Millions of dollars of upgrading in for Atlanta.
ABEL: Yes. We will gladly accept that plush panda. Thank you, buddy.
VALERIO: Good.
ABEL: All right. Mike Valerio for us in Beijing.
What we have here now, Pope Leo is on a day three of his trip to France. On Saturday, he visited the Grotto of Apparitions, and we'll get to that in just a second because I do want to show you what we're talking about here in Thailand with this Bangkok flooding.
Take a look at these roads that are across Bangkok first. We'll get to the pope in a minute. But the flooding and the storms that swept through the city, more rain expected in the coming days. And the city's governor has actually declared the area a disaster zone. CNN's Ben Hunte has more.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BEN HUNTE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Floods in Bangkok have slowed the normally bustling city to a crawl. The city's governor declared it a disaster zone on Saturday and more storms are expected throughout the weekend. Nearly 300 millimeters or a foot of rain has deluged the Thai capital since Thursday. Major roads are waterlogged and officials are warning against unnecessary travel.
Yet, some residents trudge through the floods to stock up on supplies.
SANSUK LAOWATCHARAKUL, BANGKOK RESIDENT (through translation): I'm worried, too, because I haven't stocked up on food beforehand, and I've never faced this kind of situation alone before since my parents aren't with me.
HUNTE: The city's pumping stations are working at full capacity, but the governor says it could take up to three days to fully drain the streets once the rain stops, according to the Bangkok Post. The army is setting up emergency shelters and an emergency advisory was sent out urging people that live near canals to move their belongings to higher ground. But some people say it came too late.
SUPPAKARN JULAVIJITPHONG, BANGKOK RESIDENT (through translation): The warning this time was quite limited. The only real alert came in the morning through an iPhone notification. Before that, I wasn't aware enough to consider relocating.
HUNTE: September is the peak of the rainy season in Bangkok, but it's been soggier than usual, according to the city's Drainage and Sewer Department. So far, the floods haven't caused major disruptions at the city's main airport, but schools will be closed on Monday in another effort to keep people off of flooded streets. Ben Hunte, CNN.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ABEL: Now to Pope Leo on a three day, at least. This is day three of his trip to France. On Saturday, he visited the Grotto of Apparitions in the town of Lourdes, praying at a Catholic pilgrimage site marking the place where the Virgin Mary is said to have visited a 14-year-old girl back in the 1850s.
Now, earlier, the pontiff celebrated an outdoor mass in Paris for a crowd of an estimated 800,000 people. He gave a message of faith over materialism a day after he warned about the dangers of rampant AI development and the loss of democracy injustice on the world stage. Pope Leo's four day trip to France comes as the Catholic Church is seeking to repair its standing several years after an abuse scandal rocked the nation.
[23:25:12]
Still ahead for us this hour on CNN NEWSROOM, a rare early nor'easter is slamming into the US East Coast this hour. We'll have the latest and hear from a weather expert about what may lie ahead. Plus, Republicans facing an uphill battle heading into this year's midterm elections, an update on the issues dividing voters and GOP lawmakers. That's after the break.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ABEL: Six people died in a gas explosion in central Athens, including four Americans who were visiting Greece. It happened in a two story building in a popular tourist area. That building collapsed into a pile of twisted metal and concrete after the blast.
Nearby houses and shops were damaged along with cars parked near the building. One apartment belonged to an elderly couple who are feared among the victims. The other units were being used by two American couples on vacation. The US State Department confirming that four Americans were among the victims. Tens of thousands of people in Madrid are demanding solutions to Spain's housing crisis after an 87-year-old woman was forcibly evicted from her childhood apartment. Protesters say it's nearly impossible to afford to buy a house or rent an apartment, or even to find a place to live in the first place. CNN's Pau Mosquera has the details.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
(FOREIGN LANGUAGE)
PAU MOSQUERA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's what growing anger over Spain's housing crisis sounds like.
(FOREIGN LANGUAGE)
[23:30:05]
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I spent a big part of my salary on housing and I cannot spend the money on other things. I cannot buy a house.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (through translation): I'm 28 years old, I've been working for 12 years and I still can't buy a flat or even afford the down payment. I'm still living with my parents.
MOSQUERA: Protests like this over soaring housing costs, both to rent and to buy, have become increasingly common in Spain's major cities in recent years. But this particular one was sparked by the controversial eviction of Maricarmen, an 87-year-old neighbor of Madrid's Retiro District. She was evicted on Wednesday after the real estate company that owns her apartment won the legal battle to put an end to the long standing rental contract that she inherited from her parents years ago.
So those taking part in this demonstration are protesting not only on Maricarmen's eviction, despite her vulnerability, but also calling for better access to housing.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translation): Maricarmen's case is disgraceful. And the real problem is that there are many Maricarmens, many young people who simply cannot access housing.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (through translation): I'm older now, I have my own home, and it doesn't affect me personally. But it clearly affects many people. We need to look not only at what happens to us individually, but also at what we see around us. Many people are facing serious problems.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (through translation): I earn an average salary, but it's still not enough for me to move in with my boyfriend. I simply can't do it. I can't afford to pay 1,200 euros for a home.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (through translation): We live in Madrid and we're forced to keep sharing flats with people we don't even know while rents climb above 1,500 or 2,000 euros a month.
MOSQUERA: The protesters say they want to prevent cases like Maricarmen's eviction from happening again, but Spain's government has yet to agree on how they will handle the case. So far, we know that they want to propose next Tuesday a decree as to tackle the impact of the country's housing emergency. But its coalition partners remain divided over how to deal with evictions, and whether they should or not expropriate the apartment where Maricarmen was living.
Pau Mosquera, CNN, Madrid.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ABEL: Fans are reacting to reports that one of the most successful football clubs could be facing sanctions. The reports claim the English Premier League has found Manchester City guilty of charges connected to breaches of its financial rules.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think loads of fans, I think they will have lost the trust of loads of fans. The people, the fans, they'll never have the same trust in the owners and the club again. But there's the true fans that will stay with the club through thick and thin, but obviously they'll lose quite a few just for everything that's going on.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ABEL: The Premier League charged Manchester City back in February of 2023. It alleges the club failed to provide accurate financial information for more than a dozen seasons, failed to comply with financial fair play regulations, and failed to follow rules on profit and sustainability. According to the report, sanctions have not been decided and Manchester City is expected to appeal the decision.
As the US Immigration crackdown continues, LGBTQ migrants are being deported to countries that immigration advocates say put them at extreme risk. For years, migrants were allowed to stay in the US if they convinced an immigration court that they would be in danger if deported. But that's changing. CNN's Isobel Yeung reports.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I am bisexual. In my country, that is illegal. That is a sin. That is a crime.
ISOBEL YEUNG, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: So this 21-year-old woman says that because of her sexuality, she and her family have been targeted in Ghana and even accused of witchcraft. So she says she fled Ghana to the US where she sought refuge, and a US Judge actually granted her protections.
We recently traveled to Central Africa because this woman is one of a growing number of LGBTQ individuals who ICE has deported, not to their home country but to a third country instead. The Trump administration has signed at least 35 deals with various countries to accept migrants who can't be deported to their countries of origin, including a number of African nations. So this woman, for example, is now in Cameroon, where homosexuality is criminalized.
It must be scary.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It's terrifying. It's like you're a criminal.
YEUNG: In the Central African Republic, I asked locals what they thought.
What about people of different sexualities, people who are homosexual? Are they welcome here?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translation): we don't like them. They should be killed.
YEUNG: So what would you do if you came across a person of a different sexuality?
[23:35:08]
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translation): Well, what do you think? There's no question. They should all be killed.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translation): They're men like us. They let themselves be penetrated from behind. We don't like that.
YEUNG: Several migrants are from Turkey, where the government has recently carried out a widespread crackdown on LGBTQ activists. Many migrants deported to third countries are living in limbo, terrified to leave the buildings they're being held in. They say they'll be killed if they return to their home countries. But with few options, some have now repatriated and are living in fear.
Has your opinion about America and American people changed?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I'd be lying if I said it hasn't because I was going to America to seek protection, to seek safety because Americans given an image of accepting all, of a free world.
YEUNG: The US Department of Homeland Security has argued that migrants are receiving due process, and that third country agreements are lawful tools to carry out removal orders. Isobel Yeung, CNN, London.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ABEL: We'll have more news after a quick break.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ABEL: As the US inches closer to the pivotal midterm elections in November, Republican officials are looking to rally support. But many remain wary that critical issues like the war with Iran and cost of living increases have splintered voter sentiment across the country. CNN's Manu Raju spoke with several GOP lawmakers on Capitol Hill as they weigh the party's chances of maintaining a majority. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MANU RAJU, CNN CHIEF CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: How much harder this has made the midterm environment, the Iran war itself and the way he's handling it.
SEN. LISA MURKOWSKI (R-AK): I think it has complicated the midterms considerably.
SEN. THOM TILLIS (R-NC): Anytime you got economic uncertainty going into October of an election cycle, generally speaking, it's not good.
RAJU: Is it time for the President to bring the Iran war to an end?
[23:40:10]
Sen. Pete Ricketts (R-NE): A country that chants death to America cannot be allowed to have a nuclear weapon.
SEN. TOMMY TUBERVILLE (R-AL): Our people in Alabama know that, you know, they voted for President Trump. They know he -- they gave him the opportunity to go back and --
RAJU: They're willing to pay higher prices you think?
TUBERVILLE: Yes, they're -- yes, sure they are.
RAJU: So you'll vote no on war powers, is that right?
SEN. JON HUSTED (R-OH): I don't plan to have America change course until we're successful.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ABEL: CNN's Manu Raju there. Join us now for more on two key Senate races we are watching is CNN's Stephen Collinson live from Washington, DC. And looking at these Senate races together, North Carolina and Georgia, what are the factors that are impacting voters for these races that are getting Republicans concerned?
Are they the same dynamics, regardless of the state? Outside factors like affordability in Iran or something more granular, some granular aspects about the candidates themselves?
STEPHEN COLLINSON, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL REPORTER: I think both of those are in play. These are two pretty fascinating states. They're both states that President Trump won in 2024. Georgia has a Democratic senator, John Ossoff, who's running for re-election. North Carolina has a retiring senator, Thom Tillis.
Now, Trump has muscled his own candidates, his preferred candidates, into both of these races. And the one in Georgia, Representative Mike Collins, he was pushed by Trump against the wishes of the state's popular Republican Governor Brian Kemp. So Trump is going all in.
And the problem is, is that a lot of the issues that the President is advocating, a lot of the positions he's taking, are exactly opposite to what a lot of voters want him to do. They're worried about affordability of housing and groceries. They're deeply against the war in Iran. Yet this weekend, the President has come out and rejected Iran's latest plan to end that war.
So if you look at this, the President is, in many ways, on the wrong side of some of the issues that people in North Carolina and Georgia really care about.
ABEL: Stephen, in an analysis piece this week on CNN.com you laid out in the headline, actually, President Trump's odd midterm strategy, give voters the opposite of what they want. Talk to us about that. How is that manifesting?
COLLINSON: Yes. So if you look at the recent set of polls this week that CNN put out on the issue of the war, on the issue of affordability, on the fact that a lot of voters are quite worried about the implications of artificial intelligence, and warnings we've had from senior tech leaders that technology could race out of control and even threaten humanity. The President has staked out positions exactly contrary to those concerns.
For example, on AI, we saw in his meeting with the Chinese leader, Xi Jinping, this week that he said, I am not going to do anything to rein in AI, any fears about AI hoax, and they're overblown. That is not a President that's really listening to the concerns of a lot of the electorate.
On the Iran war, the numbers are absolutely devastating, below 30 percent approval of the President's handling of foreign policy and his handling of Iran. Yet, he continues to say that this war will not end. He says it might end before the midterms, it might not. There are reports now that he's going to carry on pressing on with this war.
That is something that the voters want, and it's something that he told the voters they wouldn't get. In his second inaugural address last year, he said his presidency would be remembered very much for the wars that weren't fought by the United States. So he's again going against public opinion.
And on the question of affordability, a lot of Americans are finding it very hard to afford their groceries, their housing, their rent or mortgage rate, mortgages for their, for their homes. Mortgage rates this week went over 7 percent. Yet, the President is telling the country that they've never had it so good, that they're living in an economic golden age.
So I think there is this big disconnect between the way President Trump sees the country and the world, and the concerns that many voters have. And if you talk to Republicans, that is what they believe is driving what they fear will be quite a dire midterm election result in November.
ABEL: All right. Stephen Collinson for us in Washington, DC. Stephen, thank you very much. We will have more news for you right after a quick break. Stay with CNN. [23:45:07]
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ABEL: Welcome back. I'm Brian Abel. Let's take a look at today's top stories.
President Trump rejecting Iran's latest proposal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, calling it unacceptable. Proposal included nothing more than what was in the short lived memorandum of understanding that was signed by the two countries back in June. Tehran says it's seen Trump's public reactions but is still waiting on an official US response to be delivered by mediators.
Russia's top diplomat denying that his country has any plans for military action against Europe. Speaking at the -- he called such accusations utter nonsense. That's despite sources saying that recent US intelligence concluded Russia may launch a limited attack on a NATO country in the coming years.
Pope Leo wrapping up the second day of his four day trip to France. He prayed at a Catholic -- celebrating mass with hundreds of thousands of people in Paris. The pontiff's trip to France is in part to help repair the Catholic Church's standing after the abuse scandal several years ago.
[23:50:01]
A rare storm is bringing rain, strong winds and flooding to coastal areas in the northeast this hour, and the worst actually may still be ahead. Heavy rain caused street flooding like this on Saturday, and high winds were reported in several states. Wind gusts toppling trees, knocking down power lines. Falling trees killed one person and injured four others, including two children in New York City.
And more than 90,000 customers were without power across the region as of Saturday evening. The nor'easter is driving coastal flooding by pushing water toward the shore. The effect is at its worst in the hours around high tide, and tonight's full moon means the tide will be higher than normal.
Experts say the flooding risk could last for days, since the storm will linger over the coast rather than quickly drifting back out to sea, as nor'easters typically do. In New Jersey, nine people and a dog had to be rescued from flooded motels, and thousands of flights have also been delayed and hundreds have been canceled. Multiple events across the northeast have been either rescheduled or called off altogether.
Joining me now to talk about all of this is Frank Pereira. He's a Senior National Forecaster with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, NOAA, and he's coming to us from College Park, Maryland. So you're over there on the East Coast, Frank, first get us up to speed on what's happening with this nor'easter right now and what we can expect in the hours ahead. FRANK PEREIRA, SENIOR NATIONAL FORECASTER, NOAA: Yes. Hi. Good evening, Brian. Yes, the system has continued to drift to the north and is currently centered about 100 miles south of the southern coast of Long Island.
And there is expected to kind of remain there for the next day or so, gradually drifting a little bit further to the west, perhaps towards the New Jersey coast tomorrow. And kind of just linger there for the next day or so, before it starts to gradually lift out to the north by Monday and certainly by Tuesday, moving out off to the Northeast.
ABEL: OK. And, Frank, while the East Coast is getting battered, Hawaii again facing tough conditions with Hurricane Nolo's close call. What's the latest there?
PEREIRA: Yes. The system is continuing to work its way off to the west, south of the islands. It does look like we've passed the point of the heaviest rainfall we're expecting for the islands, but there is the potential for some additional heavy amounts, especially for the eastern islands, the big island in Maui. They could see some additional locally heavy amounts. And that could --
ABEL: Frank, forgive me for just a moment. I do need to interrupt you because I need to welcome our viewers here in the United States. We are currently talking about weather systems that have been impacting the US including the nor'easter on the East Coast as well as the hurricane near Hawaii. Frank Pereira is who we are talking to right now in College Park.
And, Frank, my apologies. Continue.
PEREIRA: Oh, no problem. Yes, like I was mentioning, the Nolo is continuing to work its way off to the west, south of the islands. And fortunately, it does look like we passed the point where we're going to see the heaviest rainfall impacting at least the eastern islands.
But there is the potential for some additional locally heavy amounts, especially across the big island of Maui, that could result in some additional flooding and mudslides in those islands. But again, it does look like fortunately we have passed the worst of it for those ---
ABEL: That is the good news. The islands have seen a lot of activity lately. Help us understand some of these systems and how El Nino is playing into it.
PEREIRA: Yes. We've had a very active tropical season in the eastern Pacific, and a lot of these storms here are developing west of Mexico out over the Eastern Pacific. And the atmospheric flow is prevailing flow has carried a lot of these systems, including Nolo, off to the west where they've been impacting the Hawaiian islands over the past several weeks, and bringing periods of heavy rain or flooding, unfortunately for those folks.
ABEL: And, Frank, I want to bring everybody that was just joining us up to speed here. Can you just give us an outlook for the next 24 hours for the forecast here in the United States? PEREIRA: Yes. In terms of the nor'easter that we've been talking about, like I mentioned, it is going to just kind of linger there off the New Jersey coast for the next day or so. The good news is that it's going to start to gradually weaken, although we are looking at a few more high tide cycles that are going to continue to produce coastal flooding. We are looking at additional gusty winds that will likely cause damage across portions of the northeast, especially southern New York, New England over the next day or so.
But like I mentioned, the good news is that eventually, by the time we get into Monday, Tuesday, the system is finally expected to weaken and lift out to the northeast.
[23:55:03]
ABEL: All right. Frank Pereira joining us from College Park, Maryland, thank you for giving us that understanding of where everything stands right now.
PEREIRA: Oh, you're welcome. My pleasure.
ABEL: All right. And thank you all for watching us. I'm Brian Abel. I'll be back with more news after a short break.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ABEL: Hello, and welcome to our viewers joining us around the world. I'm Brian Abel. And here's what's ahead.
Iran has a new plan to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and President Trump doesn't like it, rejecting it as "unacceptable." A major storm slamming into the US East Coast right now bringing heavy winds and rain and it is already having massive impacts on travel across the country.
And two giant pandas are in the air right now heading to their new home here in Atlanta. How these adorable bears could improve the relationship between the world's superpowers?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Live from Atlanta, this is CNN NEWSROOM with Brian Abel.
ABEL: US President Donald Trump says Iran's latest proposal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and resume talks is "unacceptable." Tehran's top diplomat says he's seen President Trump's public reaction to the proposal, but is waiting for an official US response delivered by mediators before making any other decision.
He could be waiting for a while, though. A White House official is telling CNN, "the US is in a very strong position with control of the Strait of Hormuz, so we are not in a rush." CNN's Julia Benbrook has more from the White House.
