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CNN This Morning

U.S. And Sweden Scoreless In Extra Time at Women's World Cup; Simone Biles Wins Competition After Two-Year Break; Fourth Criminal Indictment Expected In Georgia; Op-Ed: Trump Indictment Breaks 50-Year Precedent; 21 Injured After 5.5. Magnitude Quake In Eastern China; New Yorkers Demanding Justice After Dancer's Death; President Biden Hoping To Sell "Bidenomics" To Voters; Obama Sends Out Fundraising Plea; Niger's Coup Leaders Face Deadline To Cede Power; Pentagon Considering Putting Troops on Commercial Ships; Federal Agents Going Online To Target Drug Cartels Across The Globe; U.S. Out Of Women's World Cup After Losing Dramatic Penalty Shootout; "Barbie," Beyonce, Taylor Swift Summer Craze; Interview With Wake Forest University Professor Of Psychology Christian Waugh. Aired 7-8a ET

Aired August 06, 2023 - 07:00   ET

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

[07:00:47]

AMARA WALKER, CNN HOST: Good morning, everyone. Welcome to CNN This Morning. We are still debating about tipping.

VICTOR BLACKWELL, CNN HOST: The whole commercial break.

WALKER: I'm Amara Walker.

BLACKWELL: I'm Victor Blackwell. Thank you for sharing part of your morning with us.

All right, right now, all the fans are watching women's soccer. The U.S. Team there at the World Cup, it's a make a break match. Will they win or will they be forced to go home?

WALKER: And she's back. Gymnast Simone Biles dominates in her first competition back after taking a break from the sport. The highlights ahead.

BLACKWELL: Former President Donald Trump unleashes in his sharpest attack yet against his own former vice president. All this as his legal fight heats up and he faces a possible fourth indictment.

WALKER: President Biden gears up for a busy week ahead as he gets ready to hit the campaign trail. We'll talk his latest strategy as the White House struggles to sell his message of Bidenomics.

Right now, 90 minutes was not enough. The U.S. and Sweden are in extra time. It is win or go home at the Women's World Cup.

BLACKWELL: Yes. The U.S. has looked like a different team this morning with a number of great chances, but not able to score. Still zero- zero. Let's go live down to CNN Correspondent Carolyn Manno, who is in the thick of this at the watch party in midtown Manhattan. Carolyn, a little quieter there now. I guess there's some concern as we get to extra time.

CAROLYN MANNO, CNN SPORTS CORRESPONDENT: The mood has definitely changed, Victor and Amara. Good morning. This is about as quiet as it's been since around 04:00 a.m. and when we got here. But the fans here hoping that they're not getting penalty kicks with their pancakes.

The U.S. women's team has played incredibly well. They strung together a really complete game, created a ton of chances, as you said, but Sweden's goaltender has been phenomenal, an absolute wall. And so now it's really about, can the U.S. women get this done in these 215- minute periods before we go to penalty kicks?

I see Megan Rapinoe just over on the right side of my screen getting ready to come in. She might be able to provide the spark that the U.S. women's team needs, but when you talk to fans around here, little bit of anxiety. They don't want this to be the end of the road for this U.S. squad.

BLACKWELL: All right, Carolyn Manno, we, of course, will bring you back as soon as there is a final here. Carolyn Manno, thanks so much.

After two years away, seven-time Olympic medalist Simone Biles returned to competition yesterday.

WALKER: Biles last competed at the Tokyo Olympics. She withdrew from several events after suffering from the twisties, which is a disorienting condition that causes gymnasts to lose track of their position in mid-air.

CNN's Isabel Rosales joining us now. What a spectacular performance? Of course, there were no signs of the twisties at all yesterday, Isabel.

ISABEL ROSALES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: What a powerful return to the world of elite gymnastics for Simone Biles. It's tough to believe that she hasn't competed in two years since the Tokyo Games. And this time around, she finished first place all around. So that's vault floor routine and the balance beam, and then she finished third in an uneven bars. That's traditionally her weakest apparatus.

Now, I want you to take a look at this. This is her floor routine where she does a double layout with a half turn. That right there is named after her, the Biles. And then on vault, she performed the famous Yurchenko double pike, something that no female athlete has ever done before. It is considered the hardest women's vault in the world. And if she performs that on an international stage, that skill right there will be named after her.

Now, two years ago, Biles shocked the world by withdrawing from her events at the Tokyo Games. As you guys mentioned, suffering from the twisties, where they can't tell what's up from down. So a big problem for gymnasts as they're going in mid-air.

Ultimately, she returned and she scored a bronze on the balance beams, and then she just disappeared from the world of competitive gymnastics. Well, now she is back and she's doing things a little different. Listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SIMONE BILES, SEVEN-TIME OLYMPIC MEDALIST: We're still in the working steps. My main goal was this and then championship, and then after that, we'll look onto world, and then we'll see. But, so far, it's heading in the right direction. But I still have to work on myself. I'm still going to do my therapy. I'm going to put myself first.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

[07:05:12]

MANNO: And it's not just Simone Biles, it's fans and fellow athletes that just have been so excited about her return. They sold out the now arena behind me, that's 7,200 seats, all of them filled to watch the greatest of all time, the goat herself in action. And Simone has a lot to show us still.

WALKER: She sure does. And boy, was she beaming in that sound bite that you showed. Good to see you, Isabel Rosales. Thank you.

Turning now to politics and a legal setback not keeping Donald Trump from railing against the latest charges that he is facing. Special Counsel Jack Smith wants a judge to quickly set limits on what Trump's legal team can do with evidence in the case. The judge denied their request to extend the Monday 05:00 p.m. deadline.

BLACKWELL: On the campaign trail, Trump once again aimed at the special counsel. CNN Reporter Alayna Treene has details.

ALAYNA TREENE, CNN REPORTER: Good morning, Victor and Amara. The former president spoke to a group of South Carolina Republicans Saturday night and used his speech, much of his speech, to criticize the recent charges that he's facing, as well specifically go after Special Counsel Jack Smith. He called him, quote, "deranged as well as mentally ill".

He also made an appeal to Congress, specifically Republicans on Capitol Hill to, quote, "step up and do something in light of the recent indictment". Now, one key difference about his Saturday remark is that he continued to talk about the case less than 24 hours after Jack Smith, in a court filing Friday night, had asked the judge to set limits on what Donald Trump's team can do with the evidence shared in the election subversion case.

The filing had pointed to one of Donald Trump's two social posts where he, quote, "If you go after me, I'm coming after you". Now, Victor and Amara, the judge ultimately ruled that Donald Trump's team has to respond to that proposal by Monday afternoon, despite the former president's team wanting to extend that to Thursday. And one other thing I just think is important to note in this is Donald Trump's team wants him to keep talking about the charges. They do think that he benefits politically from this, at least among his Republican primary voters. But it was very unclear going into tonight whether the former president would be swayed by this recent court filing from the special counsel's team and would kind of shift his rhetoric, but clearly he did not. Victor, Amara?

BLACKWELL: A fourth criminal indictment against Donald Trump now seems likely, this time in the state of Georgia.

WALKER: The case focuses on the former president's efforts to overturn the state's 2020 election results. Security around the local courthouse has already ramped up ahead of potential charges.

CNN's Nick Valencia has more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We're ready.

NICK VALENCIA, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): With a half-smile and a nod, Fani Willis says she's ready. The Fulton County District Attorney is leading the investigation into the former president and his allies' efforts to overturn the 2020 election results in Georgia.

FANI WILLIS, FULTON COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY: If someone broke the law in Fulton County, Georgia, that I have a duty to prosecute, and that's exactly what I plan to do.

VALENCIA (voice-over): While indictments could be handed down this month, it's been more than a year since Willis launched the investigation, convening a rare special purpose grand jury with the power to subpoena. Although the special purpose grand jury cannot itself issue indictments, it handed over its recommendations in February after interviewing more than 75 witnesses, including some of the biggest names in Trump's orbit.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Mr. Giuliani, when you met with Georgia lawmakers, did you lie to them?

RUDY GIULIANI, FORMER TRUMP ATTORNEY: We will not talk about this until it's over. It's a grand jury, and grand jury is, as I recall, a secret.

VALENCIA (voice-over): Trump's former attorney, Rudy Giuliani, is among a list of Trump associates who received letters from the DA indicating he is a target of the investigation.

GIULIANI: Blatant fraud.

VALENCIA (voice-over): In the months after Trump's loss in Georgia, Giuliani met with Georgia lawmakers at the state Capitol three times, spreading conspiracy theories and election interference lies.

GEORGE CHIDI, JOURNALIST: I thought they were trying to conceal something from me.

VALENCIA (voice-over): Independent Atlanta-based Journalist George Chidi stumbled into the 2020 meeting of fake electors in the Georgia State Capitol. This week, he received a subpoena to appear before the grand jury as soon as Monday. Once the grand jury hears the case, it will be in their hands to decide whether or not to issue indictments.

(on-camera): Is there merit to this investigation from what you've seen firsthand?

CHIDI: I think there's enough to put things in front of a grand jury. Beyond that, I'm going to let the grand jury figure it out.

VALENCIA (voice-over): It has been months of work for a sprawling investigation that could include racketeering and conspiracy charges, and there are several indications it may be nearing the end.

On Friday, outside of the Fulton County Courthouse, a heavier than normal police presence in the shadows of freshly erected police barricades. Starting Monday morning, streets around the courthouse will be closed.

[07:10:05]

And now with Trump already facing three other indictments, the big question here is, will Fulton County be yet another place where the former president is arrested and charged. The Fulton County sheriff telling out front his team is prepared.

PATRICK LABAT, FULTON COUNTY SHERIFF: We understand what courthouse security looks like, and quite simply, we are ready.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WALKER: All right, let's get some perspective now on the political fallout and the historic context of the latest Trump indictment. Joining me now is CNN Political Analyst Julian Zelizer. He is a historian and professor at Princeton University.

First off, if we can just take a step back, Julian, because, you know, perhaps some voters, people have gotten a bit desensitized now that we're talking about a potential fourth indictment being handed up, you know, but let's not get lost in the details here because, you know, there is a very historic and consequential nature to the fact that, you know, we are seeing a former president being indicted three times thus far. Just put all of this into context for us.

JULIAN ZELIZER, CNN POLITICAL ANALYST: Yes, it's historic to see a former president indicted so many times. It's a break from a precedent set by President Gerald Ford in 1974 when he pardoned Richard Nixon after Watergate and prevented legal proceedings from going forward. But it's also historic, and we can never forget in terms of what the substance is in this indictment.

This is about a former president who was involved in an effort to overturn a presidential election that he lost and that remains the central issue. And that's why this particular indictment is so important, as will be the trial.

WALKER: You -- how do -- in your most recent CNN.com piece, you know, you talk about, you know, the Watergate scandal, comparing that to what's happening now but also, you know, the fact that this country learned just how powerful the presidency was from the Watergate scandal, yet it doesn't seem like we learned much from it because the Oval Office has become increasingly powerful since, you know, then.

ZELIZER: That's exactly right. There was this moment in the 1970s in the United States after Vietnam, after Watergate, where there was a lot of pressure to curb the power of what was called the imperial presidency. But since that time, many of the efforts to constrain the power have failed, and the presidency, the executive branch, has gone stronger and stronger.

And in this case, with January 6, with the election, we're not just talking about presidential power, we're talking about the abuse of presidential power in the most egregious form. And that's what's on the table right now as this indictment moves forward.

WALKER: I do want to read a part of your article. And you write, quote, "By seeking this indictment, as well as the one involving Trump's handling of classified documents, the Department of Justice has broken with the precedent established by former President Gerald Ford when he preemptively pardoned former President Richard Nixon on September 8th, 1974 for any crimes that he might have committed in Watergate".

Just curious, in your opinion, which was more dangerous? Pardoning Richard Nixon by setting that, you know, precedent showing that the government wasn't willing to take action against a former president versus, you know, indicting a former president? Which -- how would you weigh the two?

ZELIZER: Both are problematic, both are risky, there's no doubt about that. But not seeking accountability had very high costs. I don't know if dangerous is the right word, but certainly we've paid a price for never really resolving the crisis of Watergate, the crisis of what had been exposed during the Nixon presidency.

And, you know, some of the costs we saw during the presidency of Trump, including January 6. So I don't think it was a free ride to say, let's heal over let's achieve accountability. Sometimes accountability is actually central to a healthy democracy, even more than some of the divisions that an indictment might cause.

WALKER: Is it important that this election subversion trial or perhaps a federal documents case is resolved or concluded before 2024's presidential election?

ZELIZER: I think timing is less important than doing it well because of the nature of this trial and all these cases. It is true that the public needs to see this as being handled legitimately, being handled carefully and fairly. So I don't know when that timing really falls, but what matters is that this is a good, solid process, and that should be the litmus test. WALKER: Julian Zelizer, appreciate you joining us this morning. Thank you so much.

[07:15:03]

BLACKWELL: Still ahead, a teen suspect is now facing charges after allegedly stabbing a gay man who was dancing at a gas station. We'll have the latest on that investigation.

Plus, the number of injuries after a magnitude 5.5 earthquake hits eastern China. We'll have the latest.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLACKWELL: Some headlines for you now. A 5.5 magnitude earthquake hit eastern China early Sunday, injuring at least 21 people, according to the China Earthquake Network Center. State media reports that 126 houses collapsed because of the quake, and emergency rescue teams have been sent to the area.

WALKER: U.S. border officials are increasing resources at an Arizona town less than 50 miles from the Mexican border. To deal with a recent increase in migrants amid the ongoing heat wave, authorities say Border Patrol officers will transport migrants to facilities where they can receive medical care, food and water. An excessive heat warning is in effect for the remote area, with dangerously hot conditions expected until Sunday evening.

[07:20:11]

Oregon drivers are now allowed to pump their own gas after the state lifted a ban on self-service dating back to 1951. The new law was signed Friday by Democratic Governor Tina Kotek and went into effect immediately. The law does not phase out full service completely in the most populous counties, and stations cannot charge more for the service. This leaves New Jersey as the only state where service station customers cannot pump their own fuel.

New Yorkers are demanding justice after a man was killed while doing what he loved most, dancing. O'Shae Sibley was stabbed to death last month at a gas station in Brooklyn. Sibley was a renowned dancer who had performed at New York's Lincoln Center and with the Alvin Ailey American Dance Foundation.

Hundreds of people gathered last night for a rally to remember Sibley. They chanted, they marched, and of course, they danced. Police say they have now -- they now have a suspect in custody. A teenager from Brooklyn.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

WALKER (voice-over): A 17-year-old is facing a murder and hate crime charge for the stabbing death of professional dancer O'Shae Sibley. Sibley was killed last weekend at a Brooklyn, New York gas station. According to police, a group of men shouting anti-gay slurs approached Sibley, who had been dancing to a Beyonce song before the stabbing. SHNEAQUA COCA PURVIS, CEO OF BOTH SIDES OF THE VIOLENCE INC.: Anyone, any human that enjoys something and they lose their life over it, we should put an emphasis on it. We should shine a light on it. We should make it huge, because this is something that he actually died for.

WALKER (voice-over): At a news conference Saturday, NYPD announced charges against the suspect.

ASSISTANT CHIEF JOE KENNY, NYPD DETECTIVE BUREAU: He has been charged with murder too, and that is being charged as a hate crime and criminal possession of a weapon. He has been remanded.

WALKER (voice-over): Joseph Kenny, assistant chief at the NYPD's Detective Bureau, said the teenager is the only person who will be charged in relation to the incident at this point. Kenny said he surrendered on Friday.

A spokesperson with the New York City Police Department said he did not know whether the suspect would be charged as an adult. New York City Mayor Eric Adams also spoke at the news conference.

MAYOR ERIC ADAMS (D), NEW YORK: This is a city where you are free to express yourself and that expression should never end with any form of violence.

WALKER (voice-over): Saturday night, hundreds of people chanted Sibley's name as they marched in solidarity. The Alvin Ailey dance family shared this recent video of Sibley dancing in a technique class. Mourning his loss, Ailey dance leaders said Sibley was a cherished and devoted participant of their group.

In a statement, Alvin Ailey's Artistic Director Robert Battle said, "We live in a world where the fact that someone wants to dance for joy can inspire hate. We dance for joy to inspire the humanity in each other".

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WALKER: Now Sibley was killed while vogueing to Beyonce's music. After hearing of his killing, the singer paid tribute to him. Beyonce changed the front page of her official website to read, Rest in Power O'Shae Sibley.

BLACKWELL: And before moving to New York, Sibley danced at the Philadelphia Dance Company. Sibley will be laid to rest in his hometown of Philadelphia on Tuesday.

WALKER: Still ahead, President Biden is gearing up for a trip out west to sell Bidenomics to the American people and low public confidence in his administration's economic policies.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[07:27:36]

WALKER: President Joe Biden will be trying to sell Bidenomics to Americans this week. He's going to be traveling to Arizona, New Mexico, and Utah to talk about his economic policies, which reject the trickledown theory in favor of focusing on the middle class.

BLACKWELL: Well, the latest CNN poll shows that 63 percent of Americans disapprove of how the president is handling the economy. CNN's Kevin Liptak joins us now from Wilmington, Delaware. So Bidenomics, apparently a term we're using now will be a centerpiece of the president's 2024 reelection campaign. Why are we seeing this low public confidence in his economic policies?

KEVIN LIPTAK, CNN WHITE HOUSE REPORTER: Yes, certainly you're seeing a big disconnect there. And one of the biggest challenges for the President's campaign is going to be bridging that gap, and that is what you'll see him doing out west this week.

He's traveling to talk about the investments he's made in climate change, green energy, talking about the jobs that that will create. And this is all part of an effort to take more credit for some of his accomplishments, including the Inflation Reduction Act, which included $370 billion to combat climate change.

Now, while he's out there, he is considering naming a new national monument that would protect millions of acres around the Grand Canyon. This had been lobbied for by native tribes. It would bar mining in the area, and for President really trying to bolster his climate record ahead of 2024.

This, of course, is a very important issue for members of the progressive wing of the Democratic Party, young voters, voters who haven't always given Biden credit for his record here, dissatisfaction with his record on mining for fossil fuels and cutting carbon emissions. The President really needs those voters enthusiasm heading into next year's election.

Now President Biden is just one member of the administration fanning out across the country this month trying to sell these economic records. Certainly, they think they have a good story to tell. Inflation is slowing down, consumer sentiment is ticking up.

But as you mentioned, voters still feel sour about the economy. 75 percent in that poll say that economic conditions are poor. They are really hoping to bridge that gap. This will be sort of the singular issue for President Biden as he heads into next year's election, guys.

WALKER: And Kevin, former President Barack Obama, he's getting in on this push, pushing for grassroots donors to meet with him and Biden. What more do we know about that?

[07:30:06]

LIPTAK: Yes. President Obama, certainly one of the most popular figures in the Democratic Party, sending out an e-mail solicitation to grassroots donors, offering a chance to meet him and President Biden. Of course, President Obama wants to do everything he can to help President Biden get re-elected. He is set to begin a fundraising schedule for President Biden this fall. Now, President Biden's 2020 campaign was really fueled by these grassroots donations. He broke all kinds of records when it came to a small dollar figures. His latest fundraising report showed some concern in that area. That spigot has really been turned off. Really one of the objectives of the campaign now is to get that turned back on. And it does speak to this question of enthusiasm among Democrats for President Biden's re-election.

Certainly, the campaign says that once this campaign gets going in earnest, once President Biden is facing off against a Republican nominee, that those donations will kick back up. And certainly, they think they have the time to get that going in the months ahead. Guys.

VICTOR BLACKWELL, CNN ANCHOR: Kevin Liptak, thank you so much.

The leaders of Niger's coup, they face pressure to cede power today. What's at stake if they refuse?

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[07:35:00]

BLACKWELL: All right. Time is important for the leaders of the coup in Niger. Today is the deadline they were given to relinquish power and reinstate the country's ousted president.

WALKER: A block of West African nations set the deadline, and they could take military action if it is not met. But the coup leaders seem to be holding their ground right now. CNN's Larry Madowo joining us with the latest. Larry, if these coup leaders, they don't adhere to this deadline, what could happen next?

LARRY MADOWO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Amara, then this group of West African countries could militarily intervene. And so far, the coup leaders are almost daring the Economic Community of West African Countries to military intervene (INAUDIBLE). They gave this coup leaders one week to reinstate the government of President Mohamed Bazoum or they would use all measures, including force, to do just that.

And so far, these coup leaders have allied themselves with other military juntas in the region, specifically Burkina Faso and Mali, that are also led by military leaders and even Guinea. And in one specific meeting, they went out to Mali, which backed with the Wagner Group, this private military contracting group from Russia. And now, it's basically the battle lands of drone, ECOWAS, these West African countries have to decide what they are going to do and risk a protracted conflict that will also have devastating effects on the 4.4 million people in Niger that even right now need humanitarian assistance.

I showed a while ago, I spoke to one political and security analyst in the country.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) ABDOURAHAMANE ALKASSOUM, SAHEL SECURITY AND POLITICAL ANALYST: I think ECOWAS will not win, nobody will win and Niger will lose, ECOWAS will lose, the International Community will lose too, because it's going to be to create a big humanitarian crisis in this area, not only in this country. So, how can you win the war? By creating humanitarian crisis.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MADOWO: This was always going to end up here when they made that made threat. They boxed themselves into this poor decision, either a conflict or do nothing and tell future coup leaders that it's OK to overthrow a democratically elected government.

BLACKWELL: Larry, is there any evidence of public support for the coup? And if so, how much?

MADOWO: The longer this drags on, the more people in Niger seemed to support the military and the coup leaders that overthrew the government of President Mohamed Bazoum. We have seen many protests around the nation with many Russian flags. Yevgeny Prigozhin, who leads the Wagner Group, has said that this is a small fight between Niger and his former colonial power, France, and that his group can quickly take care of this. And this would be an opportunity for the Wagner Group to extend its influence in the African continent.

But people who do not want western meddling, people who are opposed especially to France, the former colonial power of Niger, have been inching closer towards the military. And so, in a way, the military and these men seemed to say that, listen, even though the International Community has condemned us, the people support us. Victor.

WALKER: All right. Larry Madowo, appreciate it. Thank you very much for your reporting.

A source tells CNN the Pentagon is considering putting troops on commercial ships traveling through waterways in the Middle East. The idea is just one of many options in response to a recent uptick in Iranian aggression.

BLACKWELL: That decision though could bring U.S. and Iranian forces even closer to direct confrontation. CNN's Oren Liebermann reports.

OREN LIEBERMANN, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Victor and Amara, the U.S. is considering putting teams of U.S. troops on commercial vessels in the Middle East to prevent and stop Iranian attempts from seizing those vessels. Something we've seen several times over the course of the last several months and which has played out over a process of years.

That problem, according to U.S. officials, has gotten worse since 2021. According to the U.S., Iran has attempted to seize or harass about 20 commercial vessels in international waters, and that's gotten worse in recent months. This plan would put teams of about 20 U.S. navy sailors or marines on commercial vessels as a way of deterring Iran from attempting to interfere with those ships, according to a U.S. official familiar with the plans.

[07:40:00]

Some sailors are already trained on this, and U.S. marines who are in the Middle East now are training to be able to carry out this mission. The mission, according to several U.S. officials, is under consideration, and it's part of a broader set of ideas used by the U.S. as an attempt to deter Iran from seizing these vessels.

We have already seen, over the court of the last several months, the U.S. send advanced fighter jets to the region, including F-35s as well as F-16 and 810s that are monitoring areas like the Strait of Hormuz, a critical waterway in the Middle East, the Gulf of Oman and several other areas.

In July, Iran attempted to seize two commercial shipping vessels in international waters and was only stopped from doing so, according to the U.S., when a U.S. destroyer intervened and arrived on the scene. This would be a major step up from that if the U.S. goes ahead with putting troops on commercial vessels, and it certainly risks a direct confrontation between Iranian and U.S. forces, a situation which has largely been avoided to this point.

Now, this isn't purely a U.S. decision because these are commercial vessels, it would need buy-in from not only the vessel itself and its owners, but also perhaps the country where that vessel is flagged. So, there are authorities and policies that need to be worked out with this. But the official familiar with the plan says, since this uptick in Iranian seizures, commercial shipping industry and commercial shipping companies have expressed interest in something like this to protect their vessels. Victor and Amara.

BLACKWELL: Oren, thank you.

Federal agents are going online to target drug cartels across the globe.

WALKER: Authorities are searching cryptocurrency markets, looking for transaction linked to the drug trade. CNN's Sean Lyngaas has more.

SEAN LYNGAAS, CNN CYBERSECURITY REPORTER: Victor and Amara, the drug war has gone virtual. Mexican cartels are increasingly using cryptocurrency to smuggle in fentanyl across the border and try to evade detection from U.S. law enforcement.

How is the Biden administration responding? CNN got an exclusive look inside the ongoing crackdown as multiple agencies try to trace the crypto payments that are being made from the cartels to Chinese chemical companies and intercept that money.

It's very much an ongoing process and could take months before the fruits of it are fully seen. However, the urgency couldn't be greater. Tens of thousands of Americans die each year from drug overdoses, including from fentanyl. And the Biden administration is trying to play catch-up. Victor and Amara.

WALKER: All right. Sean, thank you.

The face of cannabis has changed. Sanjay Gupta meets senior citizens who are using plants to replace pills on a new episode of "The Whole Story with Anderson Cooper." Here's a preview.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN CHIEF MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Iris?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes.

DR. GUPTA: How are you?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: My wife's mother and sister and aunt, they have Alzheimer's. It scared her half to death. And they progress very slowly. Maybe four years ago, she cried for a half an hour every morning like clockwork.

DR. GUPTA: And this is full-on crying?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Crying.

DR. GUPTA: Do they try different medications?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: She had enough antidepressants to keep an elephant calm, and still she cried.

DR. GUPTA (voiceover): In 2019, they started a pilot program here at MorseLife. It's a senior living community in Florida.

DR. MELANIE BONE: Hi, Iris.

DR. GUPTA: Iris was given cannabis.

DR. MELANIE BONE: You look so beautiful today.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Dr. Melanie Bone runs the program.

DR. BONE: We do CBD. All of the different CBs in them, and the turpins (ph).

One, two, three.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Dr. Bone came along, gave her one. Stopped crying. Done.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Iris?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Here we go, sweetie.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Takes one in the morning, one at night, it's over.

DR. GUPTA: That sounds extraordinary.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Magic.

DR. BONE: It was so impressive how that worked. Kind of like Charlotte Figi. Where you see the seizures change and you go. Oh, my gosh.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WALKER: "The Whole Story with Anderson Cooper" airs tonight at 8:00 p.m. on CNN.

BLACKWELL: So, this is the summer of Beyonce, "Barbie" and Taylor Swift. So, what's behind these, I guess, cultural phenomena we are seeing simultaneously? We'll dig deeper.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[07:45:00]

BLACKWELL: All right. Heartbreak for the U.S. at the Women's World Cup. They lost to Sweden in penalty kicks, actually, sudden death. I'm so heartbroken, I can't even get it out, Amara.

WALKER: You're stuck in the south too.

BLACKWELL: Round of 16 by the slimmest of margins.

WALKER: Yes. There was a collective groan when all this happened here in our studio. Let's go now to Carolyn Manno at the watch party in Midtown, Manhattan. Walk us through what happened and just how heartbreaking this loss is.

MANNO: Well, I wish you could have been with us, Victor and Amara, for this roller coaster of penalty kicks that we just witnessed. The highest of highs and the lowest of lows for a U.S. women's team that is now making their earliest exit at a major tournament that we can remember.

They played such a complete game. Went to extra time. And then, at the end of it all, just a goal from Sweden that barely crossed the line. Alyssa Naeher, the U.S. women's goaltender, just did a phenomenal job even getting a penalty kick herself. And to have it end that way is truly heartbreaking.

But there's so much to consider here when you think about the fact that this is the last time that we will see Megan Rapinoe on the world stage. She right now, I'm just looking out of the corner of my eye here, as I see the two teams kind of shaking hands and dispersing, is emotional a little bit.

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Obviously, everybody knew that this was going to be her last world cup heading into this. But to actually see it thumb (ph) to its conclusion here so early on I think is a shock. But as we've been talking about all morning, these two teams so evenly matched. Sweden has had the U.S.'s number in recent meetings. They've met 10 times on the biggest of stages and they're both so physical, so talented. Sweden so physically imposing that even though the United States possessed the ball for the majority of the match, you just got the sense that Sweden was never really out of it. And to have it end this way, in such dramatic fashion, this will go down as one of the most shocking finals I think that we'll ever see, just in terms of play this early in the tournament for the U.S. women. Incredible. Incredible.

WALKER: What a shame. I mean, where was so much buzz earlier this morning when you first got there as, you know, they -- I think they were in half time. And now, you could hear the sadness or you can almost feel it there. Carolyn Manno, thank you very much.

We'll be right back.

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BLACKWELL: This summer, we are all getting together. Blockbuster hits "Barbie" and "Oppenheimer" are bringing in millions of fans to the movie theaters. Beyonce and Taylor Swift are on billion dollars tours. What's behind all the enthusiasm. Christian Waugh is a professor of psychology at Wake Forest University.

Professor, good morning to you. This is not the first summer I will acknowledge off top --

CHRISTIAN WAUGH, PROFESSOR OF PSYCHOLOGY, WAKE FOREST UNIVERSITY: Good morning.

BLACKWELL: -- that there had been big summer hits at the theaters, that there had been these global tours. But if feels different because we haven't felt this in a while. What are you seeing?

WAUGH: Well, we saw in the pandemic that one of our primary needs, which is being social, was sort of thwarted. And that's sort of like a need that you would have with like hunger or thirst. So, when you have hunger or thirst, just like your social need is being thwarted, people have a drive to overcome that and get that back.

And although we can't conclusively connect the pandemic to what's happening this summer, it makes a lot of sense that people would have a strong drive to just be with other people and celebrate and just feel good about things.

BLACKWELL: And this gives us an opportunity to cope. I mean, in the context, in the -- I guess, aside from the context of the pandemic and social distancing, that being together, sharing this kind of anticipation of a big event and preparing, it helps us feel good?

WAUGH: Absolutely. We've shown in our own research that just anticipating a positive event can help people cope with their stressors. In the meantime, just having something in mind that you're really looking forward to can be an amazing, amazing coping strategy. And these events give lots of positive emotions because those positive emotions are amplified by everybody around you.

BLACKWELL: Is there something too -- I've heard, certainly the Taylor Swift fans say this, is that during the pandemic, they feel like they got closer to the artist because they relied upon that relationship more.

WAUGH: Yes, absolutely. When you're sitting there singing "Shake It Off" with 30,000 other fans, it's easier to feel a strong sense of social connection, not only to those fans but to the artists themselves, and that social connection gives us meaning, it gives us a sense of purpose and it gives us lots of these positive emotions that help us get through all sorts of stressors.

BLACKWELL: Do you see this as a one and done after we now have this return to these massive stadium tours, we're with our friends, we're with the artist, we got that -- maybe I'm out of my lane here, but the dopamine of being together that we won't go back --

WAUGH: Right.

BLACKWELL: -- in 2024 to seeing this, or what are you -- or is this how is it going to be heading forward?

WAUGH: Yes. We'll see. I mean, humans are really good at adapting, right? So, we're really good at like just sort of going back to normal after a period of change. But you never know. I mean, something like the pandemic, such a strong and unique experience for so many people and losing out on those social connections that it may actually change how they feel about social connections going forward. We'll see.

BLACKWELL: This is the first time I've seen people, and maybe I just haven't been paying attention, I will make allowance for that, spend so much money, not just on just the ticket, but on the wardrobe and the clothes and getting all of the things to be part of these events. Is there some --

WALKER: Victor included. You included, Victor.

BLACKWELL: Telling all any business, Amara.

WAUGH: Yes.

WALKER: A wardrobe tickets.

BLACKWELL: (INAUDIBLE) an element here of, we can't do this for years, so now, just spend it?

WAUGH: Totally. Just go for it, right? And, you know, people have been thinking that they have saved money through the pandemic, right, by not going to concerts. And now, they can spend all that capital on these experiences. But also, like the dressing up is a really a strong -- gives people a strong sense of identity. So, when they see lots of other people dressed up with them, they feel like they're really a strong part of this group and feel really connected.

BLACKWELL: Yes. Amara and I have talked about my shoe search for the renaissance store.

WALKER: You're getting dressed up.

BLACKWELL: Yes. I'm getting -- I'm doing the whole thing. WALKER: Yes.

BLACKWELL: Typically, I would do not. Professor Christian Waugh, thank you so much for helping us understand what we're doing now with "Barbie" and Beyonce and Taylor Swift getting together.

WALKER: You're going to get the full experience now.

BLACKWELL: Thank you.

All right. The next hour of "CNN This Morning" starts now.

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