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U.S.-Israel War with Iran; Ukraine's Deep Strike Drone Unit; Texas Republican Senate Runoff; Trump's Health; ICE Agents Clash with Protesters; Record High Temps in U.K. and Western Europe. Aired 10-11a ET
Aired May 26, 2026 - 10:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
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UNIDENTIFIED MALE (voice-over): Live from CNN Abu Dhabi, this is CONNECT THE WORLD with Becky Anderson.
BECKY ANDERSON, CNN HOST (voice-over): Welcome to the second hour of the show from our Middle East programming headquarters. I'm Becky Anderson in
Abu Dhabi, where the time is just after 6:00 in the evening.
Iran threatens retaliation after new U.S. strikes on Iranian targets. What this could mean for peace talks.
Protesters on the streets outside a U.S. immigration center in New Jersey and detainees reportedly on a hunger strike inside.
And four people dead, including two children, after a school bus collided with a train in Belgium. Investigators say it is too early to determine if
the bus driver deliberately drove through a railway barrier.
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ANDERSON: The U.S. launched what it calls self-defense strikes against Iranian missile launch sites and boats around the Strait of Hormuz. Iranian
media reports explosions in Bandar Abbas. You can see that on the map there.
Iran's supreme leader now warning that the U.S. will no longer have a safe haven for military bases in the Middle East. This as the U.S. secretary of
state says that peace talks are being held up over specific wording.
There's quite a lot going on here. Let's get the very latest. Zachary Cohen is in Washington.
Let's start with these strikes and these vows of retaliation.
What do we know about these strikes and what motivated them, Zach?
ZACHARY COHEN, CNN NATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: Yes. Becky. U.S. Central Command is framing these strikes in southern Iran as defensive in
nature, targeting first to IRGC boats allegedly attempting to lay mines in the Strait of Hormuz.
And then turning their attention to missile sites, surface-to-air missile sites that they say posed a threat to American forces in the area. But
look, Becky, we've seen the U.S. and Iran engage in this similar back-and- forth earlier this month.
But the situation here does appear to be a bit different, given the context in the moment that we're now in. We are seeing some signs, at least of
progress, as far as negotiating an initial agreement, a deal to lay the framework for a deal on the diplomatic front.
But again, this skirmish, if you will, raising more questions about the precarious nature of the -- of the diplomatic push by the U.S. and Iran
here.
And so, obviously, I'm told by a U.S. official, they're downplaying the significance of this, calling it a reactive strike, one that was not part
of a broader planned operation but rather responding to what they characterize as provocative actions by the Iranians.
But Iran, as you mentioned, is vowing to retaliate for any violation of the ceasefire. And obviously, the supreme leader saying potentially for
domestic consumption, saying that U.S. bases in the region are now no longer safe havens for those American forces.
ANDERSON: Well, let's talk about these talks, the diplomacy -- and certainly, Marco Rubio suggesting that they are stalled over wording and
language is really how he described things at present.
And do we really understand what the key sticking points in negotiations are right now?
COHEN: Yes. Becky, the short answer is no, not really. All this is happening really behind the scenes and the messaging publicly from the U.S.
and Iranian sides has been on very different pages.
But we do know from sources, at least on the U.S. side of things, that the two main sticking points, the wording around Iran's nuclear program and the
lifting of sanctions.
And obviously, we saw President Donald Trump show a little bit of new flexibility, if you will, on the issue of Iran's stockpile of highly
enriched uranium, which, of course, is a key part of its nuclear program and really a key demand for the U.S. delegation here.
President Trump saying he would be open to the idea of potentially destroying that uranium inside Iran, keeping it there or transmitting or
transferring it to a third country, rather than forcing it to have to come to the United States for disposal. That's a different shift, if you will,
by the president.
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But still, there's really no indication yet that we are really anywhere close to a deal that would end this conflict.
And it's interesting because the U.S. allegations around these Iranian actions that prompted these strikes yesterday, they're alleging that Iran
is actively mining the Strait of Hormuz while negotiating, terms that would ultimately in, based on what we know, reopen the strait itself.
So a little bit of both sides thing happening here and a lot of murkiness as the diplomatic push, though, seems to still be ongoing.
ANDERSON: That's right. Zachary, it's good to have you. Thank you.
That is the very latest, then, as we understand it, from Washington with Zachary Cohen.
A tanker reporting an external explosion off the coast of Oman. The U.K.'s maritime trade operations says the blast was toward the rear of the vessel
and happened 60 nautical miles from the Omani capital of Muscat. It adds that the crew are safe.
Authorities are investigating. Just another event, underscoring the problematic nature of those waterways at present.
Well, the Iran conflict, of course, is rippling across the Gulf. Few countries feeling the impact more sharply than Kuwait. Once a major oil
exporter in the region, Kuwait is seen as a key energy infrastructure damaged by Iranian drones and missiles. Crude shipments halted.
I mean, obviously, you know, things will get back to normal at some point. But it's been tough there. It's been tough around the region. It continues
to be so. Joining us now is Bader Al-Saif, professor of history at Kuwait University. He's also an associate fellow at Chatham House.
I just want to you know we don't normally do this. When you and I talk, we talk about the wider Gulf picture. I do just want to start today, you know,
on an assessment from you of how the conflict is showing up in everyday life in Kuwait.
I mean, historically, Kuwait has had strong state support systems.
How effective are those in cushioning ordinary families during a crisis like this?
BADER AL-SAIF, PROFESSOR OF HISTORY, KUWAIT UNIVERSITY; ASSOCIATE FELLOW, CHATHAM HOUSE: Becky, Kuwait is on a timeline of its own and it hasn't
been part of that whole move into the future that the other Gulf states have been pushing very aggressively in the past.
And that could be a blessing in disguise for Kuwait, because it has been using those financial buffers and cushions to safeguard their people and
their residents in Kuwait in the past few months.
Now mind you, as you have mentioned, the situation is dire. It's not only about blockading the strait and what amounts to an economic warfare,
really. But we've also been bearing the brunt of continuous attacks by the Iranian state apparatus.
Even in the last few days when it came to drone attacks, some from the militias in Iraq -- and we've also had four IRGC operatives cross over to
Bubiyan Island, which sits next to Iraq and Iran and they've been held up. So it's multifaceted.
There are many things that are happening and our message has been very clear that we understand that this is a neighbor that's been difficult for
us but a neighbor that we need to deal with.
And that is part of the deal that we're trying to push forward through our friends in Islamabad and with the Americans and the Iranians. But we do
hope in earnest -- and I hope and that's personal, that the Gulf states are there on the negotiation table, because we can't be just passing messages.
We need to declare where we stand and how we need to safeguard ourselves and avoid going back to where we are right now.
ANDERSON: So the Gulf voice at the table, if not actually present around the table, is something you and I have discussed at length over the last 12
weeks or so. Certainly leaders -- I'm not sure that Kuwait was represented, in fact, I don't think it was -- Saturday night with Donald Trump.
But other Gulf and regional leaders, on a call with Donald Trump on Saturday night, during which, as we understand it, the details, they were
briefed on the details of this current deal, the parameters of this MOU, if you will, plus-plus.
And asked in no uncertain terms that they were to join the Abraham Accords if they were to benefit from this emerging, if that's what we should call
it, Iran deal at this point. I just wonder what your assessment of that latest line from Donald Trump is, as we consider, you know, what his Middle
East regional agenda is at this point.
AL-SAIF: Well, look, Donald Trump doesn't cease to surprise us with bringing in different strands of thoughts together in one big message.
We've seen this happen, for example, with the Riviera (ph) message on Gaza many months ago.
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And let me tell you, bringing in the notion of Israel is important because the event, the war started on Israel's prodding. And it's an attempt by
Israel to reshape the region in the Middle East.
So if anything, if we were to come to terms with Iran and with the other countries, we need to also understand that this cannot come at the expense
of Palestinian occupation. I mean, you need to end the occupation of Palestine and those lands need to return to its people with honorable,
dignified living for these people.
That while, only bring in a different opening for the region. And that is the opening that then can bring in different countries into the fold
without resolving the occupation. Becky, you're not going to be able to get at the root cause of the issue haunting the Middle East for decades.
ANDERSON: And one Saudi official in response to Donald Trump's post yesterday on the Abraham Accords, wrapping up or putting this Iran deal
wrapped in the Abraham Accords, said to me, nothing changes for the kingdom. Rehab will only normalize its ties with Israel once there is an
irreversible pathway to a Palestinian state.
I think you and I would be remiss if we didn't remind the viewers that there are some 54 states through the Arab initiative of 2002, who have
declared that they would -- certainly in the past would have been prepared to normalize relations once the issue of Palestinian horizon and a
Palestinian state is dealt with.
There seems to be no avenue for that with this current Israeli government, of course. I just wonder what, if any, connection you believe there is
between a solution in Iran and a wider regional Trump plan.
AL-SAIF: Iran is one node of the solution. The other lies in Israel. And those two countries need to understand, to live a life of normalcy in the
region, you need to play by the rules of the book. And those are the international norms that we have all known long ago.
And when it comes to safeguarding the navigation, you know, maritime navigation, international waters, protecting the integrity of different
countries, we're talking about Israel on the -- in -- they're in Syria, they're in Lebanon. They're in the -- they're in the West Bank and beyond.
And that's not going to bode well for them.
We talk, Becky, right now -- and Lebanon sustained heavy attacks in the past few hours. So when we're talking about a ceasefire that holds, we need
to understand that these different moving parts need to be put under check.
And everyone's safety and sanctity needs to be brought into check. Let me tell you, today we're celebrating the holiest day in Islam, the Day of
Arafah. And the excessive heat in Mecca, something that keeps me up at night, the flood warnings that came up on Syria. Deir ez-Zor and Daraa were
asked to evacuate.
The malnutrition, the hunger in Sudan and Yemen, these are the real issues. These are the ones that we need to focus on, as opposed to going from one
war to the other.
ANDERSON: Well, we are currently in this war and it seems, you know, negotiations stalled, as far as Marco Rubio is concerned, over language at
this point. Let's see.
Meantime, the Strait of Hormuz moving a little bit but not much.
You are quoted as saying, quote, "the more corridors the merrier."
Do you think freedom of movement will get back to pre-war norms?
Or do you see this as the opportunity for the development of more corridors for these Gulf states?
We are certainly seeing the emergence of those. And you and I have talked about this in the past. There is a navigate a new Middle East, which
includes, you know, different trade corridors across this region. What is your perspective?
AL-SAIF: And these trade corridors, Becky, the different ones are the ones that are going to bring peace and prosperity to the region. And that's why
we shouldn't be held hostage to one route or to single routes forward.
We've been very active in putting a plan forward and bringing in alternative routes beyond Hormuz. And I think that will also entail other
partnerships, including Iran, down the line if they want to partake in a prosperity plan for their own people, because that's the way to go.
We can't only focus on one revenue stream or on one route. And I think we're living in a polar world. People are talking day and night about a
reordered Arabia or a reordered Middle East and that should be done.
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Not only through the tired prism of balance, of power dynamics -- we've tried those through the nation state lens. I think we should go
transnational and we should think of everyone's interests in the composite and we should push them as such.
Now doing that will take a lot of wisdom, will take a lot of patience and will take a lot of foresight. And I hope, unfortunately, we don't have much
of that reservoir across the region at the moment.
ANDERSON: Well, we can take an optimistic view and say, let's hope we see more of that going forward.
It's always good to have you, Bader. Thank you very much indeed for joining us.
Well, the head of the World Health Organization traveling to the Democratic Republic of Congo; the epicenter, of course, of the fast moving Ebola
outbreak. Before his departure, he warned that, right now, the outbreak is outpacing the response.
He said delays in detecting cases meant that responders are playing catch up as 220 people now suspected to have died from Ebola. Most are in Congo.
Uganda also confirming two more cases, bringing the total there to seven.
Well, ahead on CONNECT THE WORLD, as Russia launches a new hypersonic ballistic missile into Ukraine, CNN takes a look at Ukraine's own deep
strike drone unit.
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ANDERSON: Well, Russia threatening a wave of new strikes after a heavy and deadly bombardment that started this week in Ukraine. Moscow also warning
foreign nationals, including diplomats and international organizations, to leave Ukraine's capital.
And I quote here, "as soon as possible."
But a U.S. State Department spokesperson said there are no changes to U.S. embassy operations. Well, as Russia's war on Ukraine continues without
letup, CNN's Nick Paton Walsh is in Eastern Ukraine, looking at the deep strike drone unit there.
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NICK PATON WALSH, CNN CHIEF INTERNATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: President Trump once said Ukraine had no cards. But now they've built
themselves a new deck.
WALSH: We're now with perhaps Russia's most keenly sought target in the war, a deep strike Ukrainian drone unit, launching this night a wave of 200
attack drones into Russia.
The issue here is the scale. Potentially 20 drones being launched just from here. And three or four other locations around here also involved in
tonight's attack. The sheer number overwhelming. It seems much of Russia's air defenses and causing persistent embarrassment to the Kremlin.
WALSH (voice-over): Working fast in silence, knowing an error with the fuel or explosives or launch could kill them all.
WALSH: They are a key target for the Russian Shahed drones flying overhead, constantly interrupting their work, which is going to go on all
night.
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WALSH (voice-over): Close to here, Russian strikes have just hit Ukrainian civilians.
And in Russian Stavropol, these Ukrainian drones hit. The mayor telling Russians there to stay indoors.
In another field, another technological leap is at work. Jet boosters used to get drones to their 120 mile-an-hour speed in just seconds. At their
base, one screen is a glimpse of a world order turned on its head.
Dozens of Ukrainian drones roaming inside Russia -- code, coordinates, targets, AI-powered, pulsing on the screen faster than your eyes can read.
Russia, often seen as the third largest military power, preyed upon by a series of laptops.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's our biggest advantage and why it's so hard for Russia to destroy this program, because we split up. We don't have any
common centers. And we use dozens of places. Also, the software gives us a chance to work with thousands of UAVs.
WALSH (voice-over): The drone can take a huge payload, over 1,200 miles. There are decoys and a jet powered drone, they say, seems to appear like a
rocket on Russian radar.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Those are decoys. We sent hundreds of them. Some are empty, some with a payload. The payload is small but it's enough to destroy
defense systems.
WALSH (voice-over): It is dizzying, the speed of evolution, adaptation, ingenuity. Ukraine two years ago, begging for old American missiles to hit
just inside Russia's borders that now it builds itself and launches so many drones, often as deep as Russian Siberia.
Even Kremlin loyalists are questioning Putin's end game. Now the West wants to learn from what Ukraine had to do to survive when it didn't get the help
it needed. Each leap advantage lasts just months before the other side catches up.
Ukraine is ahead for now but only because it's learned it'll likely be on its own when it's not -- Nick Paton Walsh, CNN, Eastern Ukraine.
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ANDERSON (voice-over): Well, let's get you up to speed on some of the other stories that are on our radar right now, folks.
And investigators are on the scene of a deadly collision between a train and a school minibus in northern Belgium. It happened around 8 am local
time in the town of Buggenhout. Police say two children were among four people killed after the bus appeared to plow through a barrier at a level
crossing.
Well, an Israeli source tells CNN the Israeli military is preparing to expand its operations against Hezbollah in Lebanon, in coordination with
the United States. We are also learning that Israel is pushing to renew strikes on Beirut to target senior Hezbollah figures there.
In Laos, rescuers are trying to reach seven people trapped in a cave by flash flooding. Cave divers are navigating a 340-meter-long tunnel with
some points as narrow as 60 centimeters. CNN's Mike Valerio has more on that rescue effort.
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MIKE VALERIO, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Rescue teams squeeze through narrow, flooded tunnels in rural Laos. Their goal:
reaching seven people trapped underground for almost a week. We're told local villagers often visit the site to search for gold deposits.
Videos recorded by rescue divers from Thailand show them navigating a more than 1,000-foot-long tunnel. For most of the way, they have to crawl. In
some places, they have to submerge completely to find a way through.
One of the groups coordinating the rescue says that, at its narrowest point, the tunnel measures just 23 inches. Outside, other team members run
cables through a gap between the rocks to guide rescuers to its lower reaches.
Three divers from the crew were involved in the dramatic 2018 cave rescue of 12 Thai boys and their football coach. No word on this latest incident
from Laos ministry of foreign affairs. The Southeast Asian nation is a one- party Communist state that often closely regulates the release of information -- Mike Valerio, CNN.
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ANDERSON: Well, next up, Iran's nuclear program is a major point of contention in negotiations with the U.S. Of course, we're going to look at
why peace talks do appear to have stalled and what that means for this current ceasefire.
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ANDERSON (voice-over): Welcome back. You're watching CONNECT THE WORLD with me, Becky Anderson. These are your headlines at the bottom of the
hour.
The head of the World Health Organization arrives in the DRC on Tuesday to survey the response to the Ebola outbreak. There 220 people now suspected
to have died from Ebola. The WHO warning that delays in detecting cases are hampering efforts to contain the virus.
Well, forecasters say most of Western Europe is experiencing temperatures 10 to 15 degrees Celsius above normal this week. In fact, southeast England
just set a new record for May in the last hour.
Well, Iran's Revolutionary Guard vowing to retaliate against any ceasefire violation, as they describe it, after the U.S. hit Iranian targets in what
it called self-defense strikes. It's testing a ceasefire that is already fragile.
Of course, U.S. secretary of state says peace talks are being held up over specific wording and language. For more, let's bring in Kevin Liptak. He is
just outside the White House.
What's the assessment there on what is going on with regard, one, these latest strikes?
Two, the diplomacy, which seems to have moved to Doha, Qatar, at this point.
What's the latest messaging from the administration?
KEVIN LIPTAK, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Yes, they're trying to downplay, I think, the effect of these strikes, you know, around the Strait
of Hormuz. They don't want them to derail what had already been quite fragile negotiations to try and get this memorandum of understanding over
the finish line.
You know, when Marco Rubio says that the disputes are over words or sentences, I think in some ways he's trying to downplay what are some
fairly significant differences, you know, not to get philosophical.
But what is a memorandum of understanding but just a bunch of words and sentences?
So it does seem as if there's some dispute about the actual content but they feel good about the efforts to overcome some of that.
And the presence of that Iranian delegation in Doha, I think, was encouraging to a lot of officials. The Qataris, obviously have been a
mediator in all of this. But perhaps more importantly, Qatar is also where much of those frozen Iranian assets are being held.
And so as the Iranians try and get some clarity about what financial relief will be coming toward them as part of this deal, I think that will be some
very important conversations.
You also had President Trump yesterday demonstrating a degree of flexibility on one of the most contentious points in all of this, which is
what will become of Iran's stockpile of highly enriched uranium. You know, almost 1,000 pounds of it believed to be buried far underground.
Before yesterday, the president had been fairly insistent that the U.S. take possession of it. But in that Truth Social post late yesterday, he
seemed open to some alternatives, including that it be destroyed inside Iran.
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Or that it be moved to a third country. And so the president seeming to, I think, move on his position there in a way that would suggest he's trying
to reach a deal.
Now how long this takes remains to be seen. You know, the way American officials have described it is that every word that is changed in this MOU
has to be approved by the Iranian supreme leader.
And that process is quite a pained one, because he's believed to be in hiding. And it takes several days to get the messages passed back and
forth. So how much longer exactly this takes remains to be seen. But still, despite the slow-going process, optimism from the White House that this
will eventually cross the finish line.
ANDERSON: OK. All right. Thank you for that.
Let's get to Doha, Qatar, then. I'm joined by Mehran Kamrava there. He's professor of government at Georgetown University in Qatar.
And let's talk about Doha returning very publicly to the mediator's seat.
Just how significant is this as a moment?
MEHRAN KAMRAVA, PROFESSOR OF GOVERNMENT, GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY: It's quite significant because, earlier, Becky, that Qatar has had very explicitly
said that, although they support negotiations, they will not be involved.
And, I think, everyone realizes that these negotiations are far too delicate for all parties not to be involved, for someone, for a country
like Qatar that carries a lot of weight in Iran, and also in the United States.
ANDERSON: Tehran pushing, amongst other things but very specifically for the release of billions of dollars in frozen Iranian funds, which are
currently being held in Doha. We know the Iranian central banker has been party to these talks in Qatar.
How central is that issue to getting these talks completed?
And does having the talks being done there, do you believe, move the needle on that in any way?
KAMRAVA: Absolutely. First of all, this is one of the central issues that Tehran has been insisting on. And I think it's important to note also that
the Iranian ambassador to Qatar is a former head of the Iranian central bank and he was appointed specifically to facilitate the movement of funds
to Tehran.
And so this is incredibly important insofar as Iran is concerned. And I think it would be interesting to see precisely what mechanisms would be
used to move the funds, because, in the past, there was one previous occasion in which $6 billion were supposed to go from Seoul, South Korea,
to Doha and then to Tehran.
And they got diverted in Doha. And the Iranians feel that the Americans were not negotiating in good faith previously. So it'd be interesting to
see precisely how that specific issue plays out.
ANDERSON: Look, I mean, I think our -- many of our viewers who may be watching from outside of this region where you and I are -- and, of course,
I'm in the UAE, neighboring Qatar -- will wonder how, after so much of this region was directly targeted and attacked by Iran, how does Tehran even
begin repairing relations with Gulf countries after that?
You know, Doha prepared to mediate; that's a pillar of its foreign policy, as you say, you know, to date has had decent relations with Tehran; shares
a gas field, an incredibly important gas field. But I just wonder how long or difficult, arduous it's going to be to get this relationship in any way
back on track.
KAMRAVA: Extremely difficult, Becky, and the Iranians are quite aware that they have a lot of damage repair to do because, as you said, there's a lot
of bad blood that accumulated in the process of this war. At least Qatar was somewhat immune to Iranian attacks, although it did suffer in its gas
facility, oil and gas facility.
But as you know, the UAE, Bahrain, Kuwait, all of these countries have been subject to extensive Iranian attacks, not just in terms of American
military facilities but, at least in the UAE and in Bahrain, also civilian targets.
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And so -- and the Iranians are quite aware that, once the dust of the war is settled, they have an awful lot of damage control that they need to do.
ANDERSON: Yes. I mean, let's not forget just how significant an impact those strikes on the gas facilities have had on Qatar's GDP.
The forecast for next year, you know, at something like -8 percent. We were looking at some what, 5-6-7 percent growth for next year. So you know,
there's a significant impact there in terms of growth. We will, you know, look for better news going forward.
It's good to have you. Thank you, sir.
Well, new clashes between ICE agents and demonstrators in the United States.
What's behind the latest protests?
Well, that is after this.
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ANDERSON: Republican voters in the U.S. state of Texas casting their ballots today in what is a runoff between incumbent Republican senator John
Cornyn and the state attorney general, Republican Ken Paxton.
Now an endorsement from President Trump and a string of new nicknames for the Democratic candidate are really shaking up the race. CNN's Arlette
Saenz explains
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ARLETTE SAENZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): A Republican duel in Texas heading to its final faceoff.
SEN. JOHN CORNYN (R-TX): I think Ken Paxton's flaws and the baggage he brings to the general election is going to be exploited to the fullest by
James Talarico and by Democrats.
SAENZ (voice-over): Senator John Cornyn in his last stand against State Attorney General Ken Paxton, who received President Donald Trump's
endorsement despite concerns raised by GOP leaders in Washington.
KEN PAXTON (R-TX), SENATORIAL CANDIDATE: I don't know if you all noticed this but Donald Trump endorsed me this week.
SAENZ (voice-over): In a Sunday appeal to Texas Republicans, the president writing on Truth Social, "Paxton was very loyal to your favorite President,
me," while Cornyn "was very disloyal to me as President."
Despite Trump's opposition, Cornyn is pressing forward to keep the Senate seat he's held since 2002, insisting he's on the president's side.
CORNYN: I really don't think it was about me. I think it's very different from the Cassidy and Massie situation because I've been a Trump ally. I
think he got frustrated with the Senate, not able to get what he wanted when he wanted it.
SAENZ (voice-over): Many GOP senators are not falling in line with Trump's support for Paxton, who has survived a series of personal and political
scandals.
SEN. THOM TILLIS (R-NC): This guy is an empty suit and will do us no service by being in the U.S. Congress.
SAENZ (voice-over): And some Republican voters say they're not swayed by Trump's pick.
RANDY MARSHALL, REPUBLICAN VOTER: I'm going to stay with Cornyn and vote for him. I think stability is the name of the game right now.
SAENZ (voice-over): Paxton is ready to turn the page.
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He's stopped airing negative ads against Cornyn and is targeting James Talarico, the Democratic nominee.
PAXTON: Look, the party's an open door. We have to unite. We have a common enemy, James Talarico.
SAENZ (voice-over): The GOP is testing out lines of attack against Talarico, starting beef over a common breakfast taco order.
JAMES TALARICO (D), TEXAS SENATORIAL CANDIDATE: Yes, breakfast tacos. That's right.
SAENZ (voice-over): And his past comments about reducing meat consumption.
PAXTON: How about tofu Talarico?
How about Talarico?
Talarico?
TRUMP: He's a vegan. He's a vegan in Texas. And you can't get elected as a vegan in Texas.
SAENZ (voice-over): Talarico, who is not a vegan, has pushed back and argued Texas is primed to turn blue in November.
TALARICO: They're going to throw everything they have at us. They'll call our movement U.N.-Texan, U.N.-American. They'll call us a threat.
The only truth is we are a threat. We are a threat to their corrupt system.
SAENZ (voice-over): For now, Republican voters, even Cornyn supporters, still feel confident Paxton would defeat Talarico.
BOBBY WAITE, CORNYN SUPPORTER: I think we're red enough that it doesn't matter whether it was Paxton or Cornyn, whoever the Republican is, is going
to win.
CYNDEE BALDWIN, UNDECIDED REPUBLICAN VOTER: I think he would fare well against Talarico. I think it would be a good race.
SAENZ: The Texas Senate primary has already amounted to the most expensive U.S. Senate primary in history, with more than $30 million spent in this
GOP runoff alone.
Pro-Cornyn forces have outspent Paxton in advertising by 4:1 and whoever emerges from this GOP runoff will face off against a formidable fundraiser
and Democrat James Talarico. The Democratic nominee raised more than $27 million in the first quarter of 2026.
The big question going forward is how much each of the national parties will invest in this state come November, as Texas could be critical to both
Democrats and Republicans in their path to the Senate majority in this year's contest. Arlette Saenz, CNN, McKinney, Texas.
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ANDERSON: Speaking of U.S. politics, I'm already starting to think about 2028 and the presidential race. Republican congressman Thomas Massie
weighing his political future just days after losing his primary to a candidate backed by President Trump.
The question now, the big question now is what office will he run for?
Well, Massie kept it vague in a post about his 2028 campaign filing, writing, and I quote him here, "This allows me to raise funds to continue
my political operations, supporting my position as a current office holder and as a potential candidate for federal office.
"I haven't made a final decision about which office to seek if I run."
And those words come just a day after he repeatedly refused to rule out a bid for the White House.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
QUESTION: Are you considering a run for president in 2028?
REP. THOMAS MASSIE (R-KY): I will not rule out anything. And right now I'm not going to rule in anything. I'll take some time and decide what's next.
But I think I will stay engaged in some way or shape.
QUESTION: Congressman, I hear you not ruling a potential run for president out.
Would you run as a Republican?
MASSIE: I won't rule anything out.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: President Trump expected to have his annual physical today at Walter Reed Medical Center. Last October, he had an MRI at Walter Reed.
Officials have not released the details of that exam. They did say it was part of a routine yearly checkup, despite his annual physical happening
earlier in the year.
Mr. Trump is the oldest American president to take office. CNN's chief medical correspondent, Dr. Sanjay Gupta, joining us now live.
So we've seen him, I think, go in today. This is the oldest U.S. president in history, of course.
What do we know about his health, Sanjay?
DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN CHIEF MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, we know what they've told us, Becky. And I say it that way because they haven't told us
a lot, frankly. And there's been things that they've told us that have been so hyperbolic.
I mean, the first time I interviewed his doctor back in 2016, he said something to the effect of, who knows, President Trump could live to 200
years old. I mean, it's so -- it's very hard to decipher is my point. But let me show you some of the specifics.
From April of last year, as you mentioned, he's had three visits over the last 13 months. But his comprehensive physical showed his age, his weight,
slightly elevated blood pressure, sun damage to his skin.
And then this Montreal Cognitive Assessment exam, which you've no doubt heard of, it's a screening exam. And he says he got a perfect score on
that.
He takes medications mostly for cardiac heart stuff, cholesterol lowering medications as well as aspirin as well, which is something that he's talked
about quite a bit. That's kind of it, Becky. We know his father died of Alzheimer's at 93.
[10:45:00]
And had symptoms for seven or eight years before that but we don't know much more than that, other than some of the tests and testing that he's had
over the years.
ANDERSON: There has been much made of bruising, Sanjay, that we've seen on Donald Trump's hands. And he says it's because of that aspirin that you've
just reported that he takes.
Is that true?
GUPTA: Well, it can be. I mean, it does track, Becky. It's a possibility. I will say this, first of all, aspirin, even though it's a relatively
common medicine, people -- everyone knows aspirin. It's not typically recommended for people to prevent cardiac problems if you -- if you haven't
had some cardiac problem in the past. Again, he says he has not.
So one question is why is he then being prescribed this aspirin?
And second of all, the dose when you typically take this to prevent problems, you're taking 81 mgs, a baby aspirin essentially. He's talked
about the fact that he takes a dose four times that, an adult dose. So it's questionable why he's taking it if he needs it. Certainly at that dose.
But in terms of causing the bruising on his hands, it is possible. Aspirin thins the blood or makes it harder for the blood to clot.
ANDERSON: I mean, it's well worth having this discussion because we can bring up a bunch of things, not least the president being diagnosed with
chronic venous insufficiency in July.
Can you just explain what that is as a diagnosis and how concerned he should be, let alone the U.S. public?
GUPTA: Well, I preface every answer again, Becky, by saying this is what they've told us, right?
And, you know, in the past, they've told us things that have been either overly simplistic or simply not in accordance with reality. But with regard
to chronic venous insufficiency, it's a relatively common thing. About one in 20 people have it. It's more common as you get older.
People may have noticed, even if they take long distance flights, their feet and their ankles swell up. It's the same process here. Blood
circulates from your heart through your body, goes to the veins in your legs, your feet.
If the veins aren't -- if they -- if they're not sufficient in terms of pushing the blood back up, that blood can start to pool and you get swollen
ankles and feet, which is exactly what they're saying is happening here.
The concern often is, look, is the heart not pumping the blood adequately to circulate it through the entire body?
And that brings up, you know, cardiac function overall, which, again, they have said repeatedly now for many years that he has no heart problems,
despite the fact that testing in the past has shown some concern. So we'll see if they talk about that today. That's certainly going to be one of the
big things I'm looking out for.
ANDERSON: It's always good to have you, Sanjay. Thank you so much.
Sanjay Gupta in the house.
Right. Masked ICE agents clashing with protesters outside a detention center in New Jersey.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON (voice-over): You can see part of that on this video. There have been multiple protests at this site amid reports that detainees inside face
inhumane conditions. Gloria Pazmino with me from New York.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: What can you tell us about this latest incident and what we understand to be going on inside?
GLORIA PAZMINO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Becky, you know, we should point out that Delaney Hall, which is located in Newark, New Jersey, not far here
from New York City, is actually a facility that has had a lot of interaction between protesters and law enforcement officers in the last
year or so.
In fact, it was at Delaney Hall where members of Congress were arrested last year when they tried to enter the facility to conduct an oversight
visit.
And we saw a similar dynamic over the weekend, including with the governor of New Jersey, Mikie Sherrill, who tried to gain access to the facility and
was denied.
Now this all started over the weekend after demonstrators showed up to try and bring attention to what they say are unacceptable conditions inside of
that detention facility. Now this facility has space for about 1,000 people there; a little over 300 detainees being held there right now.
Men and women who report a lack of access to medical care, a lack of access to their legal counsel. They say that they have been served food that is
spoiled. They don't have access to cleaning supplies. The conditions are cold in the winter.
And so this has been bubbling up over the past few days. And we are now seeing these skirmishes between law enforcement officers and protesters who
continue to be outside at this hour.
Now yesterday, things escalated significantly, including at one point, congressman Andy Kim from New Jersey was caught up and pepper sprayed when
law enforcement officers deployed pepper balls and pepper spray into the crowd to try and get them to disperse.
[10:50:09]
We've also heard from congressman Menendez, who was able to get in touch with some of the attorneys and the families who have detainees in this
facility to try and get a sense of how they are doing. Many of them have called for this facility to be completely shut down.
And attorneys representing those who are inside have been trying to highlight this issue of lack -- to lack of access to their counsel, lack of
access to their clients and certainly the conditions which have appeared to deteriorate over the last few months.
The question here is going to be whether or not the Democratic governor will get access to this facility anytime soon and if these protests will
continue to kind of devolve in the way that we have seen them in the past few days.
ANDERSON: Understood. Good to have you. Thank you.
Well, still to come -- excuse me -- a heat wave scorching Western Europe, pushing temperatures well above normal levels for this time of the year. A
closer look on that after this.
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(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
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ANDERSON: Western Europe sweltering under temperatures 10 to 15 degrees Celsius above normal for May. Record highs already reported in 13
locations across southeast England on Monday. More records were set in London earlier today.
CNN's Pau Mosquera is in Madrid, in Spain, where the unusually hot weather there also making life a wee bit uncomfortable.
Pau, just how hard is it where you are and how long is this all expected to last?
PAU MOSQUERA, CNN SPAIN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Becky here we're getting close to 5:00 in the afternoon and the temperature has already peaked at 31
degrees Celsius, which is around 88 degrees Fahrenheit.
So most of the people, what they are doing right now is trying to seek refuge in the shade. Like most of the people that you can see here around
me in the Retiro Park, El Parque del Buen Retiro, which is located downtown Madrid.
We could say that this is a version of New York's Central Park or London's Hyde Park and this is the best solution to cope with the heat that we have
to face during all these weeks.
So all the people that are watching us from home have an idea. This temperature is around 10 degrees Celsius above what is usual. So this means
we're getting some summer weather before the summer is actually starting.
And that's why we also come very prepared when we are hitting the street, for example. Becky, let me show, to prepare this live shot and also to make
sure that we are safe in case we get exposed to the sun.
We came with our fresh water also with a cap, a co-operative (ph) one, to cover from the sun and obviously some sunblock, which is very necessary.
And so you were asking me, until when are we going to be facing this extraordinarily high temperatures here in Spain?
So in the case of Spain, this is going to last at least until the end of the week. But it's still going to get worse than what it is right now.
[10:55:00]
Because Thursday and Friday, the National Meteorological Agency is estimating that we're going to reach around 35 degrees Celsius. We're going
to have to get a lot of patience to cope with this heat. Becky.
ANDERSON: Pau, it's good to have you. And I did -- this is so unusual, folks. Before I go, I just want to show you this. This is London. That is
Dubai today.
Who would have thought?
That does not happen very often, let me tell you. Because, of course, here in the UAE. Let me show you what's going on in Abu Dhabi. It's 33 in Abu
Dhabi, it's 33 in London. It's just a little bit cooler in Dubai, 31 today. Very, very unusual at any time of the year but particularly in May.
Right. Before I do let you go, to those of you celebrating Eid, we wish you a very blessed Eid al Adha. The holiday, of course, comes after Arafah Day,
the pinnacle of Hajj pilgrimage, an especially important day for millions of Muslims around the world at a time of uncertainty in this region where
we are.
I do hope that Eid brings a moment of peace and perhaps an end to this cycle of violence.
Well, that is it for CONNECT THE WORLD. Stay with CNN. "ONE WORLD" is up next.
END
