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CNN This Morning
Truce with Iran Tested Over Questions About What Is in It; Mamdani's First 100 Days as New York City Mayor. Aired 6-6:30a ET
Aired April 09, 2026 - 06:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[06:00:03]
AUDIE CORNISH, CNN ANCHOR: A truce on shaky ground. Iran and the U.S. have different opinions about what's actually included. Is it because nothing has been written down?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
J.D. VANCE, U.S. VICE PRESIDENT: Ceasefires are always messy.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CORNISH: Today, delegations are slated to head to Pakistan to start talking. But Trump says the U.S. military is on standby, ready to start shooting.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I am a diehard supporter of President Trump, but I'm not celebrating.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CORNISH: President Trump faces blowback from some of his biggest supporters. Could he be losing the base over Iran?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We, the jury in this case, finds the defendant guilty of --
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CORNISH: A Maui doctor found guilty for trying to kill his wife. He says it was self-defense. We're actually going to hear from a juror.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: (SCREAMING)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CORNISH: And some terrifying moments in Florida. A school bus full of kids clipped by a train. The bus driver's qualifications now in question. CNN THIS MORNING starts right now.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KAROLINE LEAVITT, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: I will reiterate the president's expectation and demand that the Strait of Hormuz is reopened immediately, quickly, and safely.
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CORNISH: There are cracks this morning in the fragile ceasefire between the U.S. and Iran. And a big question mark about if it can hold.
Good morning, everybody. I'm Audie Cornish, and here's where we begin: breaking developments out of Iran. Now, there's some confusion about what's actually included in this truce, maybe because, as CNN has learned, there was no formal documentation about what was agreed to.
Now, Iran says it had stopped shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, because they say Israel violated the agreement by striking Lebanon. The U.S. says, Look, Lebanon was never part of this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
VANCE: I think this comes from a legitimate misunderstanding. I think the Iranians thought that the ceasefire included Lebanon, and it just didn't. The Israelis, as I understand it -- again, I'm supposed to get a fuller report when I get on the plane -- have actually offered to be -- frankly, to check themselves a little bit in Lebanon, because they want to make sure that our negotiation is successful.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CORNISH: OK. So, if you look at the data, some ships were able to cross the strait yesterday, but this morning, many are still waiting nearby.
So, the U.S. says the military will hang around to make sure Iran sticks to the ceasefire.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PETE HEGSETH, U.S. DEFENSE SECRETARY: We'll be hanging around. We're not going anywhere. We're going to make sure Iran complies with the ceasefire. And then, ultimately, comes to the table and makes a deal.
Our troops are prepared to defend, prepared to go on offense, prepared to restart at a moment's notice.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CORNISH: In a late-night Truth Social post, President Trump echoed those sentiments, writing in part, "All U.S. Ships, Aircraft, and Military Personnel -- will remain in place until there is a real agreement." He then goes on to write, quote, "If for any reason it is not, which
is highly unlikely, then the 'Shootin' Starts' bigger, and better, and stronger than anyone has ever seen before."
I'm going to bring in CNN's Paula Hancocks now. She's in Abu Dhabi.
So, let's talk about this issue of Lebanon, where Israel has been trying to push forward against Hezbollah. Earlier this week, we called it a kind of wild card. Can you talk about what the issue is?
PAULA HANCOCKS, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, Audie, this really does seem as though it could be the -- biggest hurdle in the short term to keeping this truce on track, especially when you see what happened on Wednesday.
Israel says it carried out its largest coordinated strike on Lebanon since the beginning of this war.
About 182 people were killed in the space of ten minutes in those strikes. Now, significantly, some of the strikes were in central Beirut. They were in Sunni Muslim Christian neighborhoods not affiliated with Hezbollah.
Now, Israel says that Hezbollah hides among civilian population. But this strike has really created a lot of condemnation among European countries. The sheer level and scale of it.
Now, we heard from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Pakistan, the mediator in these talks between Iran and the U.S. They said, quote, "The Israeli actions undermine international efforts to establish peace and stability in the region and constitute a blatant violation of international law and fundamental humanitarian principles."
[06:05:01]
Now, of course, there's no love lost between Israel and Pakistan. There are no diplomatic ties between the two countries.
But this is condemnation we heard from a number of European countries, as well, including the Belgian foreign minister, who said that they were just a couple of hundred meters away from the strikes when they happened, saying, this needs to stop, and Lebanon does need to be part of the ceasefire.
So, this is the call we're hearing now. Interesting to point out, it wasn't just Iran who believed that Lebanon was part of this original ceasefire deal. The Pakistan prime minister also said it.
So, the misunderstanding was -- was within the -- the key mediators, as well -- Audie.
CORNISH: OK. That's CNN's Paula Hancocks. We'll be following up with her today.
I want to bring in the group chat now. We've got Mike Dubke, former White House communications; and Joel Rubin. Thank you so much for being here. He's the former deputy assistant secretary of state for legislative affairs and also author of "The Briefing Book" on Substack, which I have been reading. So, I'm glad you guys are both here.
When I look at the papers today, we've got "Ceasefire Fractures," "USA Today"; "Ceasefire Teeters," "Wall Street Journal"; "Ceasefire Shaky," "New York Times." So that's the --
MIKE DUBKE, FORMER WHITE HOUSE COMMUNICATIONS HEAD: There's a -- there's a theme.
CORNISH: That's the state of play right now. And we're looking at two things in particular.
And Joel, we often talk about Israel here. And these were U.S.-Israeli strikes. But the ceasefire was Trump. So, what does that mean, with Israel still pushing forward with its goals?
JOEL RUBIN, DEMOCRATIC STRATEGIST: You know, Audie, it's like the Abbott and Costello line, "Who's on first. What's on second. And I Don't Know is on third."
I think that's where we are right now in terms of the ceasefire. There's no document that's been agreed to and signed by anybody. So, this is more of a pause, not really a ceasefire.
I think what we're going to look at over the weekend, if we do get to those talks and the vice president does attend -- and I think he should -- is hopefully to get to some document that's unified, that all the parties --
CORNISH: Not a tweet? Not a text?
RUBIN: There -- that's an irrelevant statement. It does not matter.
In diplomatic parlance, in life in general, when you have different warring parties basically not signing the same piece of paper, then nobody signed anything.
And so, that's -- we're in this sort of interlude right now. At least there's a pause to get to a ceasefire talks, but there is no real ceasefire.
CORNISH: OK. I want to play for you the chief energy advisor to Gulf Oil, because that's going to get us to the other issue here --
DUBKE: Yes.
CORNISH: -- which is before these strikes started, everyone could pass through the Strait of Hormuz. Now, we -- we have actually made that a worse situation with the U.S.-Israeli-led strikes. Right?
Now, we're looking at a ceasefire that tentatively -- We don't know if this is going to happen, but it appears that Iran can basically charge a toll through the strait.
Here is the advisor to Gulf Oil.
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TOM KLOZA, CHIEF ENERGY ADVISOR, GULF OIL: I would emphasize these are really baby steps right now. There's no real indication that the strait is going to reopen. And it seems like a flimsy ceasefire, to say what's obvious.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CORNISH: Adding a new word to our pile, which is flimsy.
DUBKE: Flimsy.
CORNISH: But talk about the Strait of Hormuz. That -- that is an issue here, because through the U.S.'s actions, there's a new problem to deal with.
DUBKE: From the very beginning of -- of military operations against Iran. The Strait of Hormuz was pointed out as one of those things that you can't ignore, that you've got to take into account.
That part of the reason that Iran hasn't been struck before is because of the Strait of Hormuz.
So, it is on -- the opening and the safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz is on both of the 10-point, 15-point. Whatever peace plans we're talking about right now. But it is essential to the ceasefire.
I think the United States came to the table because of Iranian actions in the Strait of Hormuz. And without a free passage there, we are going to see hostilities start much sooner than they -- they would. I think Lebanon is a -- is a side issue.
CORNISH: Why do you think the White House isn't saying, Look, there's no way we're going to let them charge tolls? I was surprised that the White House isn't saying that's a nonstarter. The way they say that nuclear enrichment is a nonstarter.
RUBIN: Well, you know, right. I mean, they -- they should say that clearly.
But also, look, in this whole question, it is -- it's a bit more complicated than even Iran is claiming.
CORNISH: Yes.
RUBIN: First of all, Iran is claiming they'll take the tolls and split the proceeds with Oman, who is not on board with this.
The international shipping industry, the oil companies --
CORNISH: Yes.
RUBIN: -- they're not going to go along with this.
CORNISH: Their insurers.
RUBIN: And this is -- yes. I mean, this is an illegal piracy of their -- their revenue. Right? And so, it's not going to stand in international law, international courts.
What it is, though, to Mike's point, is another demonstration of the power that Iran has leveraged through its ability to stop flows through the straits, to try to end this war and stay in survival mode there.
One last thing I do you need to add is that the State Department, the Energy Bureau that would have looked at these issues that has been in existence for years, was eliminated, essentially, last year by DOGE.
[06:10:07]
And so, most of our experts who would be handling energy security concerns and helping us prepare for contingencies, they were let go. They're now somewhere in the private sector. So, we don't really have strong planning inside.
CORNISH: Yes. And in the meantime, there's a question about Europe, which has been very reluctant, obviously --
RUBIN: Right.
CORNISH: -- to support the U.S. efforts to open the strait. And we're going to follow up on that today after that meeting with Mark Rutte.
So, you guys stay with us. I'm glad you're here.
Coming up this morning on CNN, Secretary Hegseth wants a new Army secretary. But that secretary, Dan Driscoll says, Look, I'm not going anywhere.
So, could we see a clash in rank at this very crucial time?
And then the former attorney general, Pam Bondi, won't testify in the Epstein probe. Could that have something to do with why she left?
And an American woman fell overboard in the Bahamas, and now an arrest has been made in that case.
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CORNISH: OK, it's 15 minutes past the hour, and here are five things to know to get your day going.
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TODD BLANCHE, ACTING ATTORNEY GENERAL: The attorney general [SIC] and I went to the House Oversight a few weeks ago. We answered every single question asked for a couple hours.
What happens now that she's the former attorney general, and there's the subpoena out there, is I think I'll leave to -- to Chairman Comer.
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CORNISH: So, it turns out Pam Bondi will not appear for her upcoming deposition with the House Oversight committee in their Epstein probe.
The DOJ argued that she was only subpoenaed in her official role, and now that she isn't attorney general anymore, she doesn't have to appear.
The committee is still discussing next steps.
And a doctor in Hawaii charged with trying to kill his wife while on a hike, well, he's been found guilty of attempted manslaughter.
He wasn't convicted on the higher charge of second-degree attempted murder. Jurors say there was no evidence that he tried to kill her by pushing her off a cliff.
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MAKALAPUA ATKINS, JUROR: The only people that know what happened on that cliff are the two that were involved. There was no evidence or any other eyewitnesses to it, so we had to bring it down to testimony from both sides.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CORNISH: So, he still faces up to 20 years in prison.
And this husband of a missing American woman in the Bahamas is now under arrest in connection with his wife's disappearance. She's been missing since Saturday, when her spouse says she fell from the dinghy in rough waters.
The arrest comes just hours after the U.S. Coast Guard had launched a criminal investigation into the case.
And the U.S. fertility rate. Well, it's hit a record low in 2025: roughly 53 births per 1,000 women of reproduction age.
Now that's down about 9 percent from pre-pandemic levels. But it's down nearly 20 percent over the past 25 years.
And it's a tradition unlike any other. The 2026 Masters tees off at Augusta National that's in less than 90 minutes. Rory McIlroy will be defending his green jacket against a star-studded 91-man field.
And it's the season's first major championship and the 90th edition of the tournament.
And after the break on CNN THIS MORNING, Zohran Mamdani marks 100 days in office. How New Yorkers think he is doing.
Plus, is President Trump losing some of his staunchest supporters over Iran? And on behalf of Mike, good morning, Buffalo. We picked this shot just
for you.
DUBKE: Go, Bills!
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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Rate Mamdani so far, on a scale of one through ten.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I feel like an eight.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Seven.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Eight point 5.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I think he's doing a pretty good job.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Five.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He ain't my cup of tea, but we'll see how this city works out.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I don't know if he's doing too good or too bad. You know?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I just did.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CORNISH: OK, that's a TikTok from a local radio station in New York, asking New Yorkers what they think of their mayor.
Tomorrow marks 100 days in office for Zohran Mamdani. The city is still getting to know its youngest and first Muslim mayor, but a new Marist poll finds he's off to a promising start.
So, 48 percent approve of Mamdani's performance, while 55 percent view him favorably. Fifty-six believe -- 56 percent believe that New York is actually moving in the right direction. And that's compared to just 31 percent in October of last year.
It hasn't all been smooth sailing. Errol Louis is here to join me from New York to talk about it. He's the political anchor for Spectrum News and host of "The Big Deal with Errol Louis."
Good morning. Thanks for being with us.
ERROL LOUIS, CNN POLITICAL ANALYST: Great to be with you, Audie.
CORNISH: So, I'm going to put some science, at least some polling behind those comments we talked about earlier. But let me just start with what he has done and maybe what he's not
done in these first 100 days, because he has talked about the crime rate drop in the city. He -- lower murder rates.
He's talked about securing funding for universal childcare. And important to city dwellers, fixed 100,000 potholes. So, I don't want to skip over that.
What do you see in his wins and losses so far?
LOUIS: Well, yes, there's what he's done, and then there's how he's done it.
So, with those potholes, for example, they put out a lot of social media. The mayor himself filled some potholes. It was almost kind of manic.
He's doing what he refers to as sewer socialism, meaning you get a lot of the little things right. Removing a speed bump at the base of a bridge that had bedeviled bike riders for years and years and years. Really small stuff. But he made sure that everybody knew that he had done it.
The crime drop is extraordinary. These are some of the lowest numbers for shootings and homicides that have ever been recorded in the history of the city.
Now, a lot of that was clearly in motion 100 days ago. So, credit to the NYPD and to all of the community groups that get involved in this. And certainly, credit to the prior administration.
But he's here now. And I think the numbers in the poll that you refer to reflect some of -- of what's going right in the city right now, and he's taking credit for that.
CORNISH: Let me dig into some of those numbers a bit.
When you look at his more challenging numbers, where you see -- let's say -- Democrats, independents showing some uncertainty. That Marist poll, which was from March 26th, is showing independents' disapproval at 41 percent; independents unsure at 31 percent.
So, these numbers are not terrible, right? The approval is great. But talk about wait-and-see on those bottom figures.
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LOUIS: Oh, no, absolutely. I mean, look, for -- for people -- for a majority of New Yorkers to say the city is going in the right direction is pretty unusual. Because, we're kind of a cranky bunch.
So, that in itself is a pretty good number.
But yes, there's a, there's very much a wait and see attitude. No -- no question about it. He did not win a majority of the Jewish vote. That's an important community in New York City, obviously. And he's got some work to be done there, as well. So, he's not out of the woods.
They're going to have a commemoration of the first 100 days, I think, over the weekend. But I don't know that it's going to be a celebration. They -- they still have quite a lot of work to do.
CORNISH: Has he made overtures to that community? And I ask because during the election, there was this kind of claim that, look, you're going to see a mass exodus, right, of this voting bloc? Or the business community, who were concerned that it was the end of capitalism, that they were going to leave the city? Is there any evidence of that so far?
LOUIS: There's 150 billionaires in New York City, more than any other city on the globe. To my knowledge, none have left so far.
CORNISH: OK. They would tell us, I'm pretty sure, frankly. they're pretty loud about it these days.
Errol, thank you so much.
LOUIS: New Yorkers don't run. They stay and fight.
CORNISH: Yes.
LOUIS: So, if there's people who are unhappy, they're not leaving. They're going to stay and let them know about it.
CORNISH: Well, there are many fights ahead. I hear his plan for free bussing is not going well. So, I guess that's where we should look to next?
LOUIS: Well, for sure. He made three -- three or four promises that he pounded home every day for more than a year: fast and free buses; a freeze on certain rents in the city; universal childcare; and government-run grocery stores.
He's gotten two of those pretty far down the road just in the first 100 days, which is extraordinary. And that's thanks to over $1 billion committed by Governor Kathy Hochul to help him get the universal childcare in motion.
That, in itself, is just extraordinary and will probably be -- when the -- when the books are written, the biggest accomplishment. And he got that in the first seven days.
Everything else is going to kind of be details, but we'll see if we can get fast and free buses. He's working on the fast part by reconfiguring the streets. He can't control what the fares are on the buses, but he can control the routes. The city controls the streets.
And they're going to try and -- and bump some of the worst bus service in -- in the -- in the whole country, frankly. And see if we can get it to be better. CORNISH: OK. Well, Errol, thanks. We're going to check back with you
to see how all that is going. I appreciate your time this morning.
LOUIS: Thanks, Audie.
CORNISH: All right. And straight ahead on CNN, the president vows to leave NATO allies hanging if they need us. Did the meeting go that badly with the NATO secretary-general?
Plus, Artemis astronauts reflect on their journey to the far side of the moon.
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