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CNN This Morning
Four More Men Freed From Flooded Laos Cave In Hazardous Rescue Mission; Doctor Says Trump In "Excellent Health" After Check-Up; Trump's Anti-Weaponization Fund Blocked By Judge; Judge Reopens Donald Trump's $10 Billion IRS Lawsuit. Wasserman Schultz Defends Running in Minority District; Protesters Clash with New Jersey State Police Outside ICE Facility; No Word on Iran Decision After White House Situation Room Meeting. Aired 6-7a ET
Aired May 30, 2026 - 06:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
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VICTOR BLACKWELL, CNN ANCHOR: Welcome to CNN This Morning. We are following breaking news this morning.
This is amazing. Four villagers trapped in a mine in Laos are free after days stuck underground. They walked and crawled out on their own. We have new developments there just ahead.
Also new this morning, we're getting the results of President Trump's latest physical. What we're hearing from Trump's doctors about his health.
And breaking overnight, protesters again clashed with police outside of an ice detention center in New Jersey. The new clash has kept days of mounting tensions. We'll show you more what happened overnight.
Plus, fight night on the South Lawn. This massive arena is being built to host a first of its kind UFC match at the White House. U.S. service members are being invited to attend if they meet height and weight requirements.
All right, Saturday, May 30, you see the date. Thank you for joining us. I'm Victor Blackwell. We're starting with that breaking news.
The fourth four remaining villagers who were trapped inside that flooded cave in Laos are out and they are safe. Rescue crews started entering the cave to help the villagers out, but before they got in, they reached them, the survivors had managed to walk and crawl out on their own.
Here's a look at the incredible moment as those men reach the surface.
It's unbelievable. Five men had been trapped inside that cave for more than 10 days. One was rescued yesterday. Two others still are missing. CNN's Will Ripley is live outside the cave. Deep in the jungle there,
Will, I mean, we sometimes use the word miraculous to describe what happens, but this is just unbelievable. I was watching and listening to your coverage. Not that they just came out, but they came out on their own.
WILL RIPLEY, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Victor, I've got goosebumps standing here talking to you. This is one of those moments, really, one of those once in a lifetime moments that you take a mental snapshot and you always remember.
And that's just us standing here at the bottom of this mountain. You can only imagine what it was like for the rescuers from Thailand, from here in Laos, from all over the world who were assembled up there in this road that they cut into the mountain in recent days using that heavy machinery like that you see right there to get in the pumps and the generators that they needed to pump the flood water out of that cave and during the overnight hours, because there's been a break in the rain for the last day and a half.
The break in the rain has just ended, by the way. We've just heard thunder and the rain has been coming down on and off. But the rain stopped just enough and the water levels in the cave got low enough that the four villagers who remained after one was rescued by expert divers, they just decided to go for it.
They were sitting in that cave. They were told to wait for the divers to come to check their status, to see if they could give them more food and supplies. You can actually see in that group there. Those are some of the rescue divers that are walking down here.
We've been texting them. They've told us they'll talk to us when they get here. So bear with me as I just tell you more of this incredible story.
I want to play for you as we look at these live pictures, I want to play for you the moment when we were here and we saw them being put into the stretchers, into the ambulances that were waiting down below to get these men to hospital, because they were, for the last 11 days, in very difficult conditions underground.
They were suffering from breathing problems because the air in the cave was rancid. There were things decomposing. One person described that it almost smelled like death down there in that cave. And the air quality was getting worse.
Then they were sitting with that damp, muddy water.
[06:05:00]
Some of them had skin problems, digestive issues, because even when they were able to be given food for the first time in a week, they could only give them electrolytes, and they could give them white rice. So they were exhausted, they were hungry, they were feeling sick, and yet they sensed that this might be their only chance. And instead of waiting for these rescue divers to come get them, they
were actually putting on their wetsuits, getting ready to go in, when all of a sudden, they saw these four villagers emerge on their own. They made it through the most dangerous part that nobody thought they'd be able to do.
People were even questioning if they'd be able to make it with help. More than 100 feet of water that was pitch black and shockingly cold. And while we haven't been able to hear their accounts just yet, it sounds like the water levels got low enough that they can make it on their own without the divers, without the equipment. And you can see these fellows now.
You've got Robin there, who's from France, based in Indonesia. You've got Mikko. He's based here in Laos, based actually over in Thailand, I should say. You've got Ben, also based there in Thailand.
Hey, guys, can we talk to you? We're on live. Can I just -- can I just -- Joshua from Australia. Mikko. Robin. Holy moly. Congratulations. Who wants to talk? Who wants to go first? I think you volunteer.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Joshua brightest shirt. OK.
RIPLEY: OK. Tell us everything about what happened up there. I've got goosebumps.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The short version is they changed over the pumps this morning, so some of the pumps that were running were moved into a better position so they could work more efficiently. We'd been kind of been pushing for that for a few days. It finally happened. Everyone moved out of the cave while it pumped to try and reduce the water.
And literally, as I'm gearing up, because I was going to be heading in to take food and medicine, all those sort of things, four miners popped out. So they had, obviously, the water level had dropped far enough, and they'd made their way out on their own, so we didn't end up having to go in.
RIPLEY: Was there any possibility that you guys were expecting this was going to happen? I mean, we were talking about how difficult and dangerous this was going to be, even with your assistance to get them out.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I guess there was, like, we were joking about it, that if we. If the pump starts to work and if the water level goes down, these guys will rush out without like, any hesitation. And that actually happened. Yes, but it was the best outcome because the pumping was always the plan A. It's the safest way where nobody's going to get into a risk. So we're happy that we didn't have to go anymore.
RIPLEY: And the pumps were -- you were -- you were not sure that they were going to work, right? It's been -- you guys have been trying to pump for days. You had -- they carved this road. You got the generators up there, but the water levels were still staying too high, right? UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes. Yes. And even as recently, concerns about having pumps at the same time in the water and people running electrocution and too tight and all that, but it just happened. I think it wasn't that planned.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He always worry too much.
RIPLEY: He worries too much. So, Rob, what do you think? I mean --
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, I think that was the best option. As we talked this morning --
RIPLEY: Robin, you said yesterday it was a miracle that they got out with assistance.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.
RIPLEY: And you just were -- I could see in your eyes you weren't sure what was going to happen today.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I was really worried this morning that we had to extract them by diving because I don't think they would have made it alive. But the pumping was definitely the best solution and it worked out and we're lucky because now it starts to rain and the cave is going to fill up.
RIPLEY: And so what this rain means and what your presence down here means is that you have decided for the moment to call off the search for the two who are -- Wwho are still missing. Is that correct?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, they are now planning the search for them as we speak, but it's not diving anymore. So we are done and dusted.
RIPLEY: Is there any update on their conditions that you can share yet?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No, none. Now that the cave can be dried out so they can search the last part if they consider it safe.
RIPLEY: OK, because you believe they would have been in a chamber that was even more dangerous to access than the one where you found them.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: To be honest, what I like personally, what I believe is that they weren't even in that cave. But that's -- that's just hypothetical because we asked from the guys in the chamber that they never saw those two. So we hope that they actually get away and then they are somewhere else.
RIPLEY: That would be the best possible outcome, wouldn't it, if it's not them?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, because like we asked the miners, when they go out, and then they kind of what, another two?
RIPLEY: They didn't know. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Only five, you know, like, so it's kind of different area, so maybe it's like different group. But the one there is like only five. And then they all go out.
RIPLEY: So what did they say to you when you saw them for the first time? Oh, on the -- inside the cave, when you saw the villagers, were you in -- were you inside the cave or were you -- was it actually outside? So you saw them walking out from the mouth of the cave? That was the first time, yes. What did they -- what did they say?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They just crushed out the adrenaline, then they run for their life. And once they arrive to the camp they just like --
RIPLEY: And we saw them down here because they carried them down the mountain and they -- they look, well, they looked in pretty rough shape. I mean, they just, I mean, you can tell that this has been a tremendously exhausting ordeal and they got to be -- have got to have all sorts of sickness going on after being down there for so long.
[06:10:08]
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes. But I think it's very strong also. So, I mean, they kept their conscience, and they could still, like, talk and they could still, like, have a laugh.
RIPLEY: And they were laughing.
UNDIENTIFIED MALE: Yes, they were laughing. Yes. And say, like, oh, thank you. So I think that's a strong guy.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The fact that they actually crawled. Everybody crawled out by themselves. That talks a lot about it. It's not -- it's quite physical.
RIPLEY: They showed people how it's done here in central Laos, didn't they?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, but I mean, the one -- the one that Mikko take it out from the -- on the dive, I think they crawl like 30 minutes out. 31. 31 minutes.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And it took 55 from us.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We do like 55. And then he already, like nine days inside. He can crawl 31 minutes out very fast.
RIPLEY: So they clearly had a will to live. And they. maybe they -- they didn't know that there was a storm brewing up here, but something must have told them they've got to go for it.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: When they see the water level down, they kind of like --
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Never let go.
RIPLEY: But you know, they would not have been able to do this, guys, had you not found them, had you not brought them the headlamps and the other supplies that they needed? I mean --
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The laps they have.
RIPLEY: They have --
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Already.
RIPLEY: They had them. OK, so -- so did -- but they -- did they -- were they wearing anything?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: A lot of lights and a lot of supplies and all that.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Who knows? They are strong. And like I said in the -- the way they mine here, they -- they -- they stack supplies and they plan -- they were planning to go there for a few days, so they might have some -- some extra food, so.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: In and out. In and out.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: So they go -- they go and then they stay couple of days inside with food, they supplies, headlamp and everything. They pack some gold, then they go out.
RIPLEY: Now, you mentioned because they went in the cave mining for gold. I think you mentioned some of them were still -- they were still actually looking for gold during their downtime in the cave.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Right.
RIPLEY: Because they didn't have anything else to do.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They got to do what they got to do.
RIPLEY: So they found some gold and they have it in their pockets to carry out.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes. I haven't asked, but I think they -- at least they went there for something.
RIPLEY: And maybe they -- maybe they brought it out. They get a souvenir from this ordeal.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, I think. But I think it's -- what this today happened is because of the Thai and Laos rescue team.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They found another exit for the water, so they pumped that thing. So then the water go down very fast as well.
RIPLEY: You have coordinated so incredibly with the local officials here. I mean, just talk to me about the army of people who descended to support all of your work here.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They did most of the --
UNIDENTIFIED MALE:T They did most of the things.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The Thai rescue and the Laos rescue, they're pretty well organized and they've put a lot of efforts. They've been inside for 10 years days. We just arrived recently. So they made most of the -- of the job.
RIPLEY: And they learned a lot of lessons too, from -- can I ask you about 2018 because you were -- you were one of the rescuers back for the Thailand soccer team, the Wild Boars in 2018.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.
RIPLEY: And -- and you guys put a lot of the lessons to use that you learned then into this rescue now.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes. Yes, the diving part.
RIPLEY: Yes.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That's -- that's what we handled. And yes, that was bigger the 2018. But yes, similar, like similarities there, but the environment was completely different.
RIPLEY: Yes. You mentioned this -- this cave more treacherous in some ways. Right.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I was more scared in this. Like, it's very claustrophobic. If claustrophobia would be a thing, that would be it.
RIPLEY: Can you -- can you describe the conditions that -- that you guys had to go in repeatedly, but also that these villagers had to climb out? What was it like? What did it look like and how narrow is it? Just describe for folks.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, it's not made for Caucasian my size, that's for sure.
RIPLEY: You had to actually exhale and wiggle your way through, right?
UIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes. But yes, the miners, they -- they move fast over there. Like we already mentioned, super tired in my books. Like, I'm not a big fan of dry caving, mostly diving. But yes, doing a couple of hundred meters of constant restriction in my books is claustrophobic experience.
RIPLEY: There's -- there's one restaurant in town here. Are you going to be booking? Are we going to book out the restaurant tonight? I think we can -- I think we can help out with that.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Thank you CNN.
RIPLEY: I think you guys have earned it. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.
RIPLEY: You deserve it. You deserve it. How are you feeling? I mean physically, how you -- how are you guys feeling?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Relieved.
RIPLEY: Yes.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.
RIPLEY: This is the best possible outcome you could ever hope for.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Definitely. I'm really happy that they made it alive. Everybody. For the two missing, I don't know what they're going to decide because now it's in their hands. So as Mikko said, we're only here for diving.
RIPLEY: And when you see the timing of this and the fact that now the storm clouds have moved in. We can feel the wind blow. We hear the thunder, the raindrops. I mean, it was now or never, wasn't it?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, yes, yes. It is like -- because we kind of -- yesterday we go in, me and Robin go in and then we kind of like easy, not easy, but we kind of safe because it's very hot. But if we have to go down now with the rain and everything, it can be like tricky because the condition is like, I mean, like the path is like this big.
RIPLEY: It was this wide across.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes. And then to float the things until like we cannot breathe. It's like just need a little bit of water. So that kind of like scary for us as well.
[06:15:02]
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And also awards for Ben and Liz are still there and they put a lot of work. So congratulations to them. If you look at us later.
RIPLEY: And you know --
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's a teamwork, you know, it's not a diver work, but the logistics, everything, like we go up and down, like with the big machine, heavy machine, everything is like, never happen if there's no -- I think the military, Laos military, government, like the Thai team and everything.
RIPLEY: And you guys at home probably heard that huge thunder cloud. I just want to give a big thanks to God for this as well. I mean, whatever you believe, there was a -- there was a power at force today. Something that told those guys, now is the time to get out. And they are out. And I am just speechless. I'm in awe of the work that you do.
You guys are some of the bravest, most selfless people to go into these caves, save lives at a moment's notice. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Thank you.
RIPLEY: Thank you for the work you do. Joshua, thank you much.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.
RIPLEY: Robin --
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Thank you.
RIPLEY: -- thank you very much. Thanks to all of you guys. Congratulations. Robin Cresta, CNN in central Laos. Well, now you've said it. You've said it live. Thank you, guys. God bless.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Thank you.
RIPLEY: Yes, we'll see you there. Absolutely. Absolutely. We'll meet you. We got to do a little more work, but you guys can relax now.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Thank you.
RIPLEY: Victor.
BLACKWELL: Wow, Will. As I listen to the story --
RIPLEY: The rain is on cue.
BLACKWELL: And now you say that there's the thunderclap there and how narrow the window is or was for these men to get out. And they did. I've been watching your interview and I got to admit, I've also been watching here on my laptop on our website, the video of the reunion and the hugs and the crying and the relief that we see on all these faces. If it were fiction, it'd be a fairy tale.
This is the video I've been watching for people who've been waiting outside that cave for days now. As you say, best possible outcome, the work is not over. But for them to have the caloric base to crawl out, to have the energy to get out in that time, it's just remarkable. And we really appreciate your reporting there. The only person there --
RIPLEY: It really is.
BLACKWELL: -- reporting these pictures. Go ahead, Will.
RIPLEY: Oh, I was just going to say, Victor, I mean, this rainstorm that's now coming, this would have called off the entire rescue had the cavers not left when they did. The rain that is falling right now would have probably flooded the cave again and they would be still stuck down there and God knows what would have happened.
And the fact that we're standing here now talking about the fact that they made it out, they have those terrific rescue divers, all the local military and rescue teams who've been out here camping up on the, in rough conditions in the jungle here.
This is some of the most rough terrain that you'll find. Some of the most remote isolated area in Southeast Asia. It's rainy season. This is the exact kind of storm that caused the cave to flood 11 days ago. This is why they got stuck down there. And now the storm is coming up again after an extraordinary two-day almost pause in the rain. It was supposed to rain yesterday. It was supposed to rain all day today.
But it's just now starting to rain at 5:17 in the evening. And they are out. They're at the hospital getting the medical care they need. They're back with their families. We're going to wait for an update on the two that are still missing.
But I am just letting myself soak it all in and I'm thanking the Lord, I am thanking God today that I got to witness this. I will never forget this moment, Victor, ever. It's extraordinary.
BLACKWELL: Will Ripley, understandable.
RIPLEY: Amazing.
BLACKWELL: Understandable. Will Ripley, thank you for your reporting there.
OK. Still ahead, White House released the results of President Trump's physical late last night. We'll tell you what his doctors had to say. And a federal judge has ordered Trump to answer to claims that his administration committed fraud when setting up that so called anti- weaponization fund.
That's coming up. Stay with us.
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BLACKWELL: The White House released the doctor's recommendation for President Trump after his physical this week. Exercise more and lose weight. The physician's memo from the checkup says that President Trump remains in excellent health, demonstrating strong cardiac, pulmonary, neurological and overall physical function.
The doctor says that President Trump received preventative counseling on his diet and was urged to increase his physical activity.
A federal judge in Virginia has temporarily blocked the Trump administration from implementing its $1.8 billion so called anti- weaponization fund. The judge's order forbids the administration from, quote, the transferring of the money to the fund, the consideration of any claims submitted to the fund, and the dispersing of any funds.
A hearing has been scheduled for June 12 to determine whether a longer or more permanent hold will be placed on that development fund. And that fund was created to settle his $10 billion lawsuit against the IRS.
And not long after that ruling, a second federal judge said President Trump must respond to allegations that he committed fraud against the court. District Judge Kathleen Williams is questioning whether the deal improperly benefits Trump and his allies.
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No fewer than 35 former federal judges called on Judge Williams to reopen the case and to look into whether the out of court settlement is a product of collusion and itself a fraud on the court.
Let me talk now to Meg Kinnard, national political reporter for the Associated Press. Thanks for being with me. So the Wall Street Journal is reporting that there are Republicans who were saying even before the judgments came down from these two federal courts that maybe it's time to walk away from this, to kill this fund.
Considering the, the President's revenge tour that we've seen, is that likely? Do you think there's any reporting behind that?
MEG KINNARD, NATIONAL POLITICAL REPORTER, ASSOCIATED PRESS: Hey, Victor, it's always good to be with you. That's a very good question. That is something that, as we have seen repeatedly as Republicans across the country question decisions that involve President Trump, we have seen him come out, and especially in an election year like we are right now, that can have electoral consequences.
So I think it kind of depends on who may be having these thoughts, who may be making these statements, and whether they will be on ballots in primary elections or, of course, in the midterms in November.
So there have, of course, been some who have quite questioned exactly the formation of this fund. If this is something that those who are convicted on in crimes related to January 6th will be able to avail themselves of, that's something Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche has said that they're considering.
And so, yes, I think it just depends on where the criticism exactly is coming from and if we will really see how vocal some of those critics are, given what we've seen happen politically, speaking to some of President Trump's critics.
BLACKWELL: Something the president is walking away from. It's a Kennedy Center. A federal judge says that the center's board illegally added President Trump's name to the promotion to the building, to the website, also blocked the two year closure.
The president posted on social media. Unless I'm free to do what I do better than anyone else, bring this institution back physically, financially and artistically, I have no interest in continuing what could only be a hopeless journey into never, never land.
Uncharacteristic of the president to walk away from a legal fight here. But in this case, the law seemed pretty clear about the purview that Congress has and the board has or does not over this building.
KINNARD: Yes, that was something that when the name change was announced for the new Trump Kennedy Center, now I guess just the Kennedy Center, that was a question that came up a lot considering that it is set out specifically who has naming rights or who can make judgments over anything that's happening to the exterior of the building. And that's Congress.
And so that question has been ongoing for some time. You're absolutely right, though, that it is unusual for us to see President Trump seeming to back down as quickly as that social post that you point out seems to have done.
But this has all been part of President Trump's intent to make over what he sees as a lot of, of monuments, of buildings, of different facets of the Washington, D.C. area that he wants to leave a mark on. Obviously, there's the debate ongoing about the ballroom at the White House. There's the arch for which there are plans. And in recent weeks, we've seen a lot of the work that's happening at the National Mall with the reflecting pool.
So there are a lot of other projects where I feel like the president probably thinks he can leave his mark, maybe not just his name, at least not on this particular project.
BLACKWELL: Let me ask you about Congresswoman Deborah Wasserman Schultz currently representing Florida's 23rd district. Since redistricting, that district has been less friendly to a Democratic candidate in the midterms. She's now running to represent the 20th district. Historically, a black congressperson has led that for 30 years or so.
Majority are maybe now plurality black district. And there are Democrats in Florida who are saying that she should not run in this race and that there should be a black representative who should be elected there. They write these are members of the state DNC. They write the state party, our party cannot credibly denounce the dismantling of black political power by Republicans while treating one of Florida's few remaining majority black districts as a political opportunity for an incumbent seeking a safer seat.
Tell us about this fight and what Congresswoman Wasserman Schultz is saying about it.
KINNARD: We often see these situations come up when there are these redistricting issues. It's kind of like an in party fighting a family feud over -- even if it's a district that is has been traditionally in one party's hands.
[06:30:00]
Now there's a new primary, and now there's a different sort of make on who may be representing that area. So, yes, there's been the criticism that, OK, this is an area that has been represented traditionally by -- on one side of things.
But with Congresswoman Wasserman Schultz having led her party, as she did several years ago at the national level, and having a lot of experience, much of her argument comes from the fact that I have longevity in Washington.
I have existing relationships. I have whether -- wherever exactly my district is, I have an ability to represent it in a way that comes along only with experience and with time spent fighting for the same kinds of issues that she would argue are important for Democrats across Florida and the country.
So, she's coming into it with an experience argument, but as you rightly point out, there are plenty there in Florida who see this as someone -- yes, they have experience, but coming in and trying to kind of change the construct of a district that for years has been represented in a different way.
VICTOR BLACKWELL, ANCHOR, CNN THIS MORNING WEEKEND: Yes, Congresswoman Cherfilus-McCormick not running for re-election in Florida's 20th. Meg Kinnard, the "AP", thank you. And coming up later this morning on "FIRST OF ALL", I'll be joined by the Vice Chair of the Florida Democratic Party, the group that condemned Congresswoman Wasserman Schultz's decision to run in that majority black district.
I'm also joined by the Chair of the Congressional Black Caucus, Congresswoman Yvette Clarke. Now, they're urging businesses to take a stand in this redistricting fight. That's at 8:00 right here on CNN. A deal is reportedly on the table to end the war with Iran, or at least open the Strait.
But President Trump walked out of a Situation Room meeting without announcing a decision. We're live with what we know about the possible agreement.
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BLACKWELL: We've got video for you this morning of the tensions outside a New Jersey ICE facility. State troopers pushed into crowds; protesters threw objects at vehicles. Look --
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BLACKWELL: The officials there say that this happened as police tried to clear a path for staff, leaving that building. There have been days of protests growing tied to concerns about conditions inside Delaney Hall, that detention center. CNN's Gloria Pazmino was there, and she has more.
GLORIA PAZMINO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Victor, the hunger strike by detainees inside Delaney Hall has been going on for at least nine days. They have been trying to bring attention to conditions inside this detention center.
They say that they are being kept in unacceptable, inhumane conditions, lack of access to medical care, a lack of proper food, a lack of access to legal counsel. And their family members have been protesting outside this detention center. Now, this has been a major flashpoint throughout the past few months.
This is a major detention center here in the tri-state area. If a person is detained by immigration, it is likely that they would be detained here. And that's what's brought so much attention over the past few days.
And we've seen confrontations significantly get more and more violent, particularly in the evening hours where there are confrontations between demonstrators and law enforcement officers who are guarding the entrances to Delaney Hall.
Now, New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherrill making some significant changes ahead of the weekend. She announced on Friday that state police here in New Jersey will be taking over the duties of these ICE officers, who have been guarding the entrances.
She also said they will be creating specific protest zones here in the area to try and keep people away from the entrances, where we have seen so much of the sort of back-and-forth and these standoffs between law enforcement and demonstrators take place.
This is all happening ahead of a scheduled pro ICE demonstration on Saturday, where we are expecting perhaps that, you know, things will escalate given the two different sides of people that we will be expecting to protest here.
So, significant safety measures being put into place. Traffic is also being diverted out of this area to try and keep congestion down as much as possible. But the governor, again, calling for the closure of Delaney Detention Center, asking the Attorney General to conduct an investigation.
And again, members of Congress, who in the past few days have been able to gain access, they too, have reported similar conditions to what we heard from family members and attorneys representing those inside. Victor?
BLACKWELL: Gloria Pazmino, thank you so much for that. Coming up on "FIRST OF ALL" later this morning, I'll speak with the wife of one of the men held at that detention center. It was her husband, Martin Soto's(ph) case that sparked these protests. She is leading them outside.
You'll hear from her and her attorneys at 8:00 Eastern right here on CNN. That's on "FIRST OF ALL". This morning, we are waiting on a response to Iran from President Trump after a two-hour Situation Room meeting. In a statement, a White House official said that any deal must meet Trump's redlines, Iran can never have a nuclear weapon.
[06:40:00]
The President had previously laid out conditions for a possible framework for a deal. In the meantime, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth says American forces are ready if they're ordered to resume fighting. Let's go to CNN correspondent Nada Bashir. Nada, it was expected that we would hear something from the White
House. We have not heard that. We're now standing by to see if this can move into a new phase to open the Strait to begin negotiations.
NADA BASHIR, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's right, Victor. And we were, of course, in a similar place just five days ago when we heard from Secretary of State Marco Rubio suggesting that we might hear good news following last weekend.
And, of course, that was not necessarily the case. But it does appear as though we are hearing more positive indications as to where this agreement currently is in terms of the mediation efforts and where it could possibly land in terms of signing that Memorandum of Understanding.
And of course, this isn't a final peace agreement, but the hope is that this will set out the foundations and parameters for some sort of lasting peace agreement. And of course, crucially, for the United States and for U.S. President Donald Trump to reopen the Strait of Hormuz to pre-war levels and keep it fully operational.
But of course, we haven't heard that announcement just yet, despite that two-hour meeting in the Situation Room between the U.S. President and his special advisors. We have heard from the Defense Secretary, Pete Hegseth, who has suggested that there might be some necessary more time to hammer out the details.
But he has been clear that the U.S. President will not sign a deal until it is a good deal, in his words. Take a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PETE HEGSETH, SECRETARY OF DEFENSE, UNITED STATES: Status as of right now is that any deal will be a good deal, and I had a chance to talk to President Trump this morning, he wanted me to reiterate how patient he is in ensuring that with America undertaking this kind of historic endeavor, any deal will be a good one, a great one. And he's patient in the pursuit of that.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BASHIR: Now, of course, there are a lot of very high stakes details to hammer out in that Memorandum of Understanding at this stage. On the Iranian side, we haven't heard any indication that they have agreed to a deal at this stage, or that there has been any sort of final conclusion just yet. Victor?
BLACKWELL: Nada Bashir reporting for us this morning. Thank you so much. Five people, including two children were killed after Virginia State police say a bus slammed into several cars on i-95. Now, we're all watching the NTSB's investigation.
Next, what we could learn from the federal agency later today. And if you're heading out, remember, you can stream our show from anywhere in the U.S. right from the CNN app. You can also go to cnn.com/watch.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[06:45:00]
BLACKWELL: Let's check your headlines now. According to the top of the hour, an ICE agent at the center of a Minneapolis shooting is under arrest in Texas. That case goes back to January when prosecutors say a man was shot in the leg through the front door of his home during an immigration crackdown.
Authorities say this agent, Christian Castro is facing several charges, assault charges included, and is accused of lying about what led up to that moment. At first, federal officials said the man involved had attacked an agent, but that story fell apart and charges against the men were dropped.
Investigators later said that agents made false statements under oath. A federal official, calls the arrest political, while Minnesota leaders say no one, including federal agents, are above the law. The NTSB is set to hold a press conference today as investigators dig into that deadly bus crash on i-95 in Virginia.
Five people were killed, including two children, and more than three dozen people were hurt, including the bus driver. This happened when a bus slammed into several cars yesterday. Five people who were killed were not on that bus.
Now, the bus was traveling from New York to North Carolina. State police say the bus driver failed to slow down for traffic in a work zone. And now investigators are working to figure out what led up to the crash, with possible charges still on the table.
Three climbers are dead after a fall on Alaska's highest peak, Mount McKinley. Officials say the group was moving through a steep, exposed section known for dangerous terrain and sharp drops when they fell.
A fourth climber survived and was rescued by a helicopter. More rainy days ahead for those in the southeast this weekend, but at least, the rain is bringing some drought relief. CNN's Allison Chinchar is tracking what's in the forecast. It also comes with a risk of the flooding.
ALLISON CHINCHAR, METEOROLOGIST: Yes, it's -- you know, you want to help the drought. You want to be able to get that water into places. But we have had so much water in such -- just a few days. We would probably prefer to have it --
BLACKWELL: Stretch it out --
CHINCHAR: Yes, and maybe --
BLACKWELL: Spread it out --
CHINCHAR: About at least a month maybe --
BLACKWELL: Yes -- CHINCHAR: Or at least a couple of months to kind of spread all of
that moisture out. We're going to get more rain in the forecast. Again, you can kind of see right here along this front, and it's really been stationary across much of the southeast.
And that's unfortunately where we're going to continue to see some of the rain. So, here you can see this list, I am hoping I can say, well, no, we're just going to kind of turn here. So, New Orleans, we've had 11 consecutive days of rainfall right through here.
Chattanooga, Birmingham have had ten straight days of rain. Columbus, Georgia, Little Rock, eight. So, again, all of these cities have had more than a week of rain consistently. And we're not just talking maybe a trace or a 10th of an inch for some of these areas. It's been an inch or two every single one of those days.
Look at this. We're talking about Mobile, Alabama. They've had 17 inches of rain so far this month. That is more than they had in January through April combined. They are not the only one. Gulfport, Mississippi, Panama City, Florida, also picking up more rain so far this month than they've had the first four months of the year combined.
And we're going to be adding more rain to it again. You can see we've got some ongoing storms right now across portions of the Central U.S. and also a very soggy start to the day in the southeast. Now, here's where we have some of the strongest thunderstorms you can kind of see from Omaha stretching down through Kansas City.
That's where we've had the most lightning and thunderstorms. But you also have a lot of rain still across the southeast, where we've had several flash flood warnings, and that is expected to continue through the weekend.
[06:50:00]
BLACKWELL: All right, thank you, Allison. Bringing the UFC to the White House lawn construction is continuing now on this outdoor octagon. Next, why some of those attending will have to meet certain weight standards.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BLACKWELL: Members of the military looking to get those free tickets to President Trump's White House UFC fight have to pass a waistline check first. Internal Pentagon memos reveal that troops are being screened for strict body composition standards to ensure that they, quote, "look good on camera." CNN's Kaitlan Collins has more on how the White House UFC fight is coming together.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
KAITLAN COLLINS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (on camera): That massive structure that is dwarfing the White House behind me isn't part of President Trump's large-scale renovation of Washington that's been underway now for months, but is instead only temporary, and is what UFC has actually dubbed The Claw.
It's being erected on the South Lawn of the White House ahead of the UFC fight that is scheduled to be held here on June 14th on the South Lawn, which happens to be President Trump's birthday, and is part of the events leading up to the celebration of America's 250th birthday.
(Voice-over): It's an idea that UFC President Dana White says President Trump suggested to him last Summer.
DANA WHITE, PRESIDENT, UFC: Were literally at a fight, and I can't remember if it was New Jersey or Miami, and he looks at me in the middle of a fight and says, you know what? We should do a fight at the White House. And I'm like, yes, we should do a fight at the White House.
COLLINS: That fight, a first in the nation's history to ever be hosted on the White House South Lawn.
[06:55:00]
DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: All people invited. Our country is invited to this. It's free.
COLLINS: The renderings for the event, UFC Freedom 250 showcase a massive display, including a fighting cage known as the octagon, just outside the President's bedroom window, a huge red, white and blue lighting structure dubbed The Claw towers overhead.
And there will be massive TV screens and seating for a watch party on the Ellipse that can accommodate approximately 85,000 fans.
TRUMP: And a 100,000 people in the back where they're putting up 8 or 10 very big screens.
COLLINS: There will be a press conference at the Lincoln Memorial, and weigh-ins will take place at the Ellipse the day before.
TRUMP: UFC is going to be here. Dana White, the great Dana White, he's building a -- literally, a stadium, a 5,000-seat arena right outside the front door of the White House.
COLLINS: The administration is calling the mixed martial arts event a showcase of American greatness.
TRUMP: This will be the greatest show on earth.
COLLINS: But critics argue it's out of touch. With California Governor Gavin Newsom sarcastically writing, thank God they are focused on the priorities of all Americans. Asked about who is paying for all of it, the White House responded to those questions on social media with three letters, quote, "UFC". There is one thing that the UFC CEO, Dana White, is worried about, the weather.
WHITE: I hate outdoors. Outdoors is just way too unpredictable. If it rains, we're going. If it snows, we're going. The only thing that will stop us is lightning. COLLINS: Dana White is a long-time friend of the President. Speaking
at the last three Republican National Conventions while praising his early support for the UFC.
WHITE: Donald was the first guy that recognized the potential that we saw in the UFC and encouraged us to build our business.
COLLINS: Now, White will be by Trump's side when the South Lawn is filled with fans. A White House official told CNN that a third of the tickets are reserved for military members and their family, a third for White House staff and their family, and a third for VIPs.
TRUMP: I have never seen anybody want anything so much as people want those tickets. It's a one of a kind.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BLACKWELL: Kaitlan Collins, thank you. All right, next at the top of the hour, we'll take you back to Laos, where four trapped villagers, they walked out of a flooded cave on their own. We have a live report for you next.
