Return to Transcripts main page
Connect the World
Trump Heads To Mount Rushmore On Independence Day Eve; Trump's Great American State Fair Plagued By Criticism; Heat Records Being Broken Across East Coast U.S.; Six-Day Funeral Ceremonies For Iran's Supreme Leader Begin Saturday; Venezuela's Twin Quake Death Toll Climbs To 2,595; World Cup Round Of 32 Concludes With Three Matches Friday; Interview With Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas; Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce's Wedding Celebrations Underway In New York amid Tight Security; Pope Leo Accepts Liberty Medal On Eve Of U.S. 250th Birthday. Aired 10a-11a ET
Aired July 03, 2026 - 10:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[10:00:16]
ANNOUNCER: Live from CNN Abu Dhabi, this is CONNECT THE WORLD.
ELENI GIOKOS, CNN INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR: Welcome to the second hour of the show from our Middle East programing headquarters. I'm Eleni Giokos in Abu
Dhabi where the time is just after 6:00 in the evening, and we're following two events of major symbolism.
Iran is memorializing its late Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei killed at the outset of the U.S.-Israeli war in a massive weeklong funeral expected to
draw in 20 million people. The timing is likely no coincidence, as the United States prepares to celebrate its 250th anniversary, President Trump,
who has put himself at the center of the festivities, is due to speak at Mount Rushmore late tonight.
And in the U.S., though, a lot of attention is in fact turning to Taylor Swift's wedding in New York later today. We'll bring you the very latest on
what's being dubbed America's royal wedding.
And we begin in the United States as it gears up for a major celebration, its 250th birthday tomorrow, and gigantic parties are being planned right
across the country. Parades, concerts, fireworks, patriotic flyovers, you name it, it's in the works. Festivities in Washington, D.C. will be
centered on the National Mall. President Trump will be there, but first he will travel to Mount Rushmore for a pre-July 4th event.
But amid all the fanfare, polls show national pride has taken a hit and political divisions are dampening the mood.
CNN's Kevin Liptak set the scene from the White House last hour.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
KEVIN LIPTAK, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: It's clearly a tense -- a tension filled moment in the United States politically, I think socially
as well. And so this anniversary is coming at a very fraught time. You know, the president, when he's going to Mount Rushmore later today, is
actually reviving a trip that he took in his first term. During that term, he mused about potentially seeing his own face on that monument at some
point in the future, and seems likely that he might mention that again.
He's also flying there on the new jet that was donated from Qatar that I think only aggravates some of the concerns about the conflicts of interest
and the president's financial disclosures that just came out earlier this week. You know, this whole anniversary has been, I think, politicized in a
lot of ways that were meant to be avoided. You know, there was a bipartisan commission, the America 250 Commission, that was created a decade ago in
the Obama administration to try and plan for this seminal anniversary in the United States.
But in a lot of ways, it was overtaken by a different Trump organized institution, Freedom 250. It took away some of the funding and in fact,
just yesterday, Democrats accused Freedom 250 of committing essentially wire fraud by donors who thought they were donating to the more bipartisan
faction and instead sent their money to the Freedom 250 organization. That's the group that has been organizing the state fair. The pictures that
you're seeing there on the screen.
They also organized the UFC fight, an Indy race that's taking place in Washington. All of these anniversary events that are really centered around
President Trump himself. And you'll see that tomorrow when the president delivers what he claims will be a very long speech ahead of what they hope
will be a record-breaking fireworks display here in Washington. Now, there are a lot of questions about how exactly that will proceed, given that the
high temperature in Washington both today and tomorrow is hovering around 105 degrees.
Some real concerns about individuals' safety during that event. And then, of course, the smoke created by those fireworks also causing warnings about
air quality in the Washington region as well. There are, I think, also private concerns at the White House that perhaps the crowd at that event
will not necessarily meet the president's expectations. All of this, I think, making it hard for people to look at this anniversary sort of with
an imagination that goes beyond some of the contentious political battles of the day and more towards, you know, the historic importance of this
anniversary.
But nonetheless, a lot of, I think, stops being pulled out. President Trump certainly very eager to celebrate this moment. He has talked frequently
about he thinks it's a fate that he is president during this anniversary moment but I think politics, finding a way to seep into all of it as well.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
[10:05:09]
GIOKOS: CNN's Karin Caifa is joining us now from the Great American State Fair in Washington.
Karin, good to see you. Describe the mood for us. Does it look like July 4th will live up to expectations?
KARIN CAIFA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Eleni, if you look at the Great American State Fair behind me, you see there's not a lot of foot traffic,
certainly not as much that you would expect for an event like this on the National Mall on the day before the Fourth of July, during Americas 250th
anniversary. To be fair, the gates just opened. But this has been a similar scene over the last week or so since this fair opened.
And Kevin alluded to two reasons for that. Maybe people not as eager to celebrate here on the National Mall. Of course, there's the political
division within the United States right now, but also how President Trump's Freedom 250 organization kind of took over the organization of this. And a
lot of people coming to town are having difficulty separating President Trump from these events.
But over the next 24, 48 hours, we will see a number of the traditional events that you see on the National Mall here in Washington, including that
massive fireworks show that will take place (INAUDIBLE) about that fireworks show tomorrow night is that President Trump will be delivering
remarks before that, again, perhaps limiting the number of people who are eager to come to the National (INAUDIBLE). A massive celebration, Eleni, of
Americas 250th anniversary.
GIOKOS: All right. I hear it's very hot there as well. So a lot going on right now.
Karin Caifa, great to have you with us. Thank you.
Now, in the East Coast of the U.S., a dangerous heat wave is shattering records ahead of the Fourth of July celebrations. It has been triggered by
a heat dome which traps the hot and humid air due to high pressure. At least 20 heat records were broken or tied on Thursday, but the worst is
still expected. According to the World Weather Attribution, this type of heat would be virtually impossible without the effects of fossil fuel
pollution.
We've got CNN meteorologist Allison Chinchar.
Allison, good to have you with us. I mean, honestly, to read in terms of the records that have been broken, I mean, big question around how it's
going to impact the weekend of Fourth of July celebrations. Any relief expected?
ALLISON CHINCHAR, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Not for a few more days. And that is a concern because a lot of the events will start taking place both today as
well as tomorrow. And again, this isn't just one city that's being impacted. You're talking entire regions of the country are going to be
dealing with this extreme heat. These are the current feels like temperatures. So this is taking the air temperature plus the humidity and
combining it to what your body would feel like.
That heat index 93 is what it feels like in Boston, 97 in New York, 104 in Atlantic City, Baltimore, and Washington, D.C.. For comparison, that is 40
degree Celsius. That is the feels like temperature. And for our international folks, it is 10:00 in the morning for these city. So imagine
already feeling like you are 40 degrees or 104 at just 10:00 in the morning, knowing those temperatures are going to rise.
That's why you have all of these areas under those heat alerts over the next few days. So it's not just today, but it also includes Saturday
because for many of these areas, it's going to be several more days before we finally start to see those temperatures coming back down. Triple digits
here for New York, Washington, D.C., and Raleigh, well through Saturday, really only dropping back a little bit on Sunday.
A lot of these areas could see records. That includes Philadelphia, Washington, D.C., New York City, but these are just some of the dozens of
cities that could break records, not just today, but also into Saturday. The other thing to note, too, is it's not just the afternoon high
temperatures. It's those low temperatures as well, some of them not dropping back below 80 degrees. Again, imagine, you know, Celsius wise, you
don't drop below the mid-20s at night.
That doesn't give your body a chance to cool off before those temperatures rebound once again later in the afternoon. And if the heat wasn't enough,
we also have thunderstorms in the forecast for Saturday, especially the afternoon and evening hours, and a lot of them, some of which could end up
being severe thunderstorms, damaging winds, some small hail kind of mixed in. You're talking Boston, New York, Philadelphia, down through Washington,
D.C. and Baltimore.
All of these areas where we know outdoor activities are expected to take place. Those will continue to slide off to the east. The one thing to
notice, some of them will begin even today. You've got the risk essentially stretching from Montana all the way over through Massachusetts for today
and then for Saturday, July 4th itself, it stretches from Colorado all the way over to New York.
All of those areas have the potential for those strong to severe thunderstorms, Eleni, in addition to the fact that we're dealing with
extreme temperatures.
GIOKOS: Wow. Yes. And just for our international viewers, 104 degrees Fahrenheit is 40 degrees Celsius.
[10:10:04]
Here in Abu Dhabi right now, it's 35 degrees Celsius. So it gives you an indication of just how hot it is over where you are.
Allison Chinchar, thank you so much for that update. Good to have you with us.
All right, so Iran's Revolutionary Guards have issued a new warning against any attempt to target Iran in the coming days. Evening is now setting on a
country that is officially mourning from Saturday. Funeral processions will take place for the late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, lasting
until Thursday. His coffin and those of family members are on display in Tehran. Millions are expected to turn out at the request of Iran's
president, who appears to be sending a message to the U.S. and the world about Iranian strength and unity in the face of conflict.
Fred Pleitgen is in Tehran. CNN operates in Iran only with the permission of the government, but maintains full editorial control of its reports.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: This could possibly be the largest event in the history of the Islamic Republic of
Iran. The funeral ceremonies for Iran's slain supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Now those are set to happen here at the gigantic Masala Religious
Complex in the center of Tehran, where big events are often held.
And just to recap, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed in a joint U.S.- Israeli air strike in the early stages of the U.S. and Israel's attacks on Iran on February 28th. The burial and funeral ceremonies, however, were
held up first of all because, of course, combat operations were still going on, but then also because the ceasefire between the U.S. and Iran was so
very fragile.
Millions of people are set to come here to Tehran. That's why the security here is extremely tight. There's a lot of posters of the supreme leader
that have already been put up here throughout the city. And what's going to happen is that the body will lie here in state, but not just the supreme
leader. Also other family members of the supreme leader who were also killed in that airstrike, including one of the granddaughters in a tiny
casket. Some of the video of that has already been shown on Iranian state TV.
As far as the timing of all of this is concerned, first of all, the body is going to lie in state here for several days. Then there's going to be a big
funeral procession here in Tehran, but then the body will be taken to several holy sites, both in Iran but also in Iraq, and then finally brought
to its final resting place in one of Shia Islam's holiest sites in Mashhad.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
GIOKOS: Well, joining me now is Sanam Vakil, director of the Middle East and North Africa Program at Chatham House.
Sanam, great to have you with us. I want to talk about what you're seeing right now, the significance of this moment, why Iran is shifting to
immortalizing the supreme leader as this holy figure. Give me a sense of what you're seeing.
SANAM VAKIL, MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA PROGRAM, CHATHAM HOUSE: Well, good to be with you. And thanks for having me. This is a big moment for the
Islamic Republic. It's obviously more than just a commemoration. Khamenei was at the helm of this state since 1989. He was one of the longest ruling
aging autocrats of the Middle East. And his death, you know, certainly could usher in change.
But this funeral and this celebration of his life is really about legitimacy. It's about regime continuity and strength. Religious
legitimacy, particularly after these two wars, this war in February that, of course, has left Iran feeling emboldened. The fact that it survived
despite his own death. So this is an important moment. And the fact that the ceremonies will take place in Tehran, in Qom, Iran's holy city, but
also move to Iraq's holy cities as well, signifies how important Iran is looking at this moment, not just for his leadership, but broader Shia
leadership.
GIOKOS: Yes. So, Sanam, I mean, there's a lot of questions around the new supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei. He has not been seen, you know, 117 days
ago since his appointment. Do you believe that we might see him, you know, at the actual funeral? This, of course, is his father that is essentially
being mourned. There's a lot of speculation around him and his health. How are you seeing this playing out?
VAKIL: Well, you're quite right. I mean, it's important to remind everyone that he was in the same room when his father was killed alongside many
members of the family. And so this -- we just don't have a sense of how profound he's been injured and what the recovery is like. I don't expect to
see him. And in fact, there have been some suggestions that he won't be there really because of so-called security concerns.
[10:15:06]
The Iranians have called on the Americans and the Israelis not to strike and not to attack Iran in this moment. But there is still this fear that
with no real peace agreement, no resolution of the issues that people could be targeted. And I think that's why above all, he will not be seen at this
very critical time.
GIOKOS: Yes. So you spoke about security concerns and this has come up because we've just learned that at some point during negotiations, the U.S.
was worried Israel might assassinate Iran's lead negotiators, parliamentary speaker Mohammed Ghalibaf, as well as Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, also
a key public face, and tried to warn Iran. So what's your reaction to this news?
VAKIL: It's not surprising. I think this incident came just in early April as the ceasefire went into effect and the Iranians were traveling back from
Islamabad. It's interesting, of course, that the U.S. warned the Iranians. But, you know, it speaks to, of course, divergences, serious divergences
between the U.S., President Trump's objectives and that of Prime Minister Netanyahu's, who clearly felt like the job had not yet been done, that
there were more leaders to take out.
But really, you know, I think that's problematic. What's problematic going forward is that there are still these divergences between Israel and the
United States. There is no real progress on the negotiations. And so everything is in flux. The security situation is potentially volatile. We
continue to see attacks and back and forth strikes in the Persian Gulf as well. So this suggests that this is an unsettled moment for the Islamic
Republic, despite the fact that they're trying to project strength and continuity.
GIOKOS: All right, Sanam Vakil, great to have you with us. Thank you so much.
Venezuela's earthquake death toll keeps climbing. But is the government hiding the true scale of this disaster? What it means for a country already
on the brink. That's coming up next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
GIOKOS: Venezuela's earthquake death toll has climbed to 2,595, and that is according to acting President Delcy Rodriguez. She also revealed almost all
government heads in La Guaira, the hardest hit area, were killed in the twin quakes last week. One forensic pathologist told CNN, the real death
toll is far higher, and she says the makeshift morgue where she works in La Guaira is processing 400 bodies a day and that refrigerator trucks are now
full. So body bags are left out in the sun and are decomposing fast.
[10:20:03]
And you see video here of hundreds of coffins stored at La Guaira's port, now serving as a temporary morgue.
Carolina Jimenez Sandoval, president of the Washington office on Latin America, wrote in a "New York Times" op-ed on Tuesday, "I'm in Venezuela
and things are worse than they look." And she said, quote, "This crisis is as much a tragedy of authoritarian rule as it is a tragedy of nature.
Venezuela's natural disaster was unavoidable, but the devastation has left in its wake was not." And Carolina Jimenez Sandoval joins us now live from
Washington, D.C..
I mean, your words are, you know, just give you a real sense of the tragedy on the ground. And you say that it's far worse than what is being reported
on. You've just returned to the United States. Describe to us what you saw on the ground.
CAROLINA JIMENEZ SANDOVAL, PRESIDENT, WASHINGTON OFFICE ON LATIN AMERICA: Thank you. I have to say, I have been in other earthquakes in Latin
America, I was in Mexico in 2017, and nothing prepared me to -- for what I saw in La Guaira, especially specifically in Caraballeda and in Catia La
Mar, the level of devastation is enormous. There are 189 buildings collapsed, but those buildings that did not collapse are, you know,
absolutely in terrible damage. So with strong aftershocks in the near future, they could also collapse.
I saw people still looking for survival or survivors with their bare hands. I saw people sleeping in the streets with children. I saw people looking
for food. Although I do have to say that there has been enormous international solidarity, the government response has been heavily
criticized because it's been very insufficient. So this is a tragedy that has impacted the whole country. And I'm afraid that the reconstruction will
also be, you know, very inefficient.
And around six million Venezuelans have been directly or indirectly affected. And we have to see what is going to happen.
GIOKOS: So what you're describing is very different to what government is saying. And the government is insisting that it's doing all it can. You
know, give me a sense on the scarcity of information right now, how the military response has been. We've even heard that it's even blocking relief
efforts in some instances. What did you see?
SANDOVAL: It is to us Venezuelans and to people who were there during the earthquake incredible that it literally took an earthquake to be able to
access information freely. My first instinct when the earthquake struck was to open social media, but the sites were blocked because they were -- they
have been blocked for years. I couldn't access CNN because CNN was blocked in Venezuela until recently.
So access to information continues to be limited because access to a lot of digital platforms is limited. And then the armed forces were not deployed
immediately as the president says. Yesterday, the interim president gave a press conference insisting that all security forces and personnel were
deployed immediately after the earthquake.
Well, this is what I can say. Every person I spoke to in La Guaira, which is the most impacted area in Venezuela, and every person journalists have
been speaking to, say the same thing. They felt abandoned because government rescuers came very late. And we all know that the first 48 hours
in a natural disaster are the most important hours.
So it is the word of the victims and of thousands of people, you know, struggling to survive against the word of an authoritarian government. You
choose who to believe.
GIOKOS: Yes. I mean, look, what you're describing is absolutely devastating. And you're right to say the first 48 hours absolutely
critical, especially for rescue operations. The irony here isn't lost. This week marks six months since the U.S. capture of Maduro and the installation
of Delcy Rodriguez. So where do you -- did you see Washington being in all of this? They've announced $300 million in aid and deployed service
members. Do you believe that's enough? Should they be doing more? What is the sense from Venezuelans?
SANDOVAL: This is an excellent question because the impact on the economy is going to be severe. Estimates calculate that this is going to impact
between 6 percent and 8 percent of the GDP.
[10:25:06]
So as we all know, Secretary Rubio had a planned stabilization plan of in three phases, right? Stabilization, recovery and transition. This tragedy
interrupts this so-called plan for Venezuela. It has deployed important aid and rescue teams. And I think that is welcome. But the truth is that this
tragedy showed the lack of state capacity in the immense rejection of the population towards the government.
That creates a new dilemma for Washington. I think the support, that Washington has been showing to the interim government will need to be
reassessed because peoples' lack of trust in the current interim government will have a strong effect in the reconstruction phase. One thing that is
key in any country for reconstruction efforts to be successful is that people trust their authorities.
So I think it will be important to see how Washington designs its foreign policy toward Venezuela from now on.
GIOKOS: Yes, exactly. And of course, the United States has said it's going to be playing a major role in Venezuela. So it's important to see how that
relationship works and how it works for average Venezuelans as well. And frankly, the very, you know, aid organizations that could be saving lives
right now would have been dismantled. It's costing Venezuelans deeply.
But do you believe this moment, these twin earthquakes could be the tipping point for regime change to regime change in Venezuela?
SANDOVAL: Another excellent question. I saw people who are, of course, suffering because this has impacted the country as a whole. People are sad
and incredibly impacted emotionally. But I also saw a population that feels outraged at the lack of response and the sense of abandonment. So six
months without, you know, six months in January 3rd, calls for a national reflection.
But I but I feel that the way the government has reacted in this context is sort of reiterated to the Venezuelan people that this is a government that
does not represent the will of Venezuelans. So I feel that this sense of urgency for a democratic and peaceful transition became more important and
became more urgent. And that's why it will be so important for Washington to listen to Venezuelans and not just to think of its own political and
economic interests. This could indeed be, , a major change in the political future of the country.
GIOKOS: Well, Carolina Jimenez Sandoval, thank you so much for sharing those stories with us, those insights. We appreciate you taking the time
today. Thank you.
All right. You're watching CONNECT THE WORLD and we have a lot more coming up for you. Still ahead, Portugal advancing to the Round of 16 at the World
Cup, thanks in part to a goal by Cristiano Ronaldo. But it didn't happen before some late drama with the tying goal wiped off the board.
We'll be back right after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[10:31:07]
GIOKOS: Welcome back to CONNECT THE WORLD. Here are your headlines.
The casket of Iran's former supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is on display in Tehran ahead of funeral events that will take place from
Saturday to next Thursday. Iran has closed its airspace, and the Revolutionary Guards are warning against any attempt to attack in the
coming days.
The United States is on the eve of a huge historic milestone this July 4th. The country will mark 250 years of independence. U.S. President Donald
Trump is preparing to host a big birthday bash tomorrow in Washington. But first, he'll attend an event at Mount Rushmore later today.
Venezuela's acting president says the death toll from twin earthquakes that struck nine days ago is approaching 2,600. Delcy Rodrguez is defending her
governments response to the quakes, which critics in Venezuela say has been too slow. She says the government is doing everything it can, including
soliciting help from other nations.
The World Cup Round of 32 concludes today with three more matches. On Thursday, Spain defeated Austria three-nil in a dominating performance and
Switzerland cruised past Algeria two-nil. The losers of those two matches, incidentally, played out that wild three-three draw in the group stage that
ensured both would advance.
In the day's one nail-biting finish, Portugal beat Croatia two-one, but only just having to rely on 103rd minute VAR call to rule out Croatia
equalizer.
We've got Patrick Snell who can tell the story far better than I can. He's got all the details on all the action.
Patrick, good to see you. There's always a bit of drama in that Portugal, you know, anytime Portugal plays, frankly. So tell me what happened between
Portugal and Croatia.
PATRICK SNELL, CNN WORLD SPORT: Yes. This was very, very action packed. Drama is exactly the word, controversy as well., Eleni. I'll tell you what.
Let's start out with just a special night for Cristiano Ronaldo in his sixth and record equaling World Cup making an appearance, he actually
scored a goal from the penalty spot. Really, really special moment for him. 41 years of age. But what is significant about this goal? It was -- would
you believe this? It's his first ever knockout goal ever in World Cup history, which is quite remarkable given the fact that, as I say, he's 41
and playing in his sixth World Cup.
But that big controversy you referenced coming in the 13th minute of stoppage time, right at the end of the game. Croatia thought they had
leveled for two all, but the goal was chalked off. Josko Gvardiol put the ball in the back of the net, but it was chalked off due to an offside in
the buildup. You can see from this image here the ball skimming off the head of one of the Croatian players. That rendered the goal offside.
Why do they chalk it offside? Due to this technology, a microchip in the ball, a sensor in the ball, detecting the tiniest bit of motion and
contact. That was enough to rule the goal offside. Heartbreak for Croatia. Let's hear from the head coach of Portugal now.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ROBERTO MARTINEZ, PORTUGAL COACH: You need to tell them that the message is very clear. And the balls now, they've got a chip and it's very clear.
That's why the VAR intervened. There are two twitches. There is a twitch of Matanovic and the twitch of Renato Vega. The twitch, the sensor of the ball
shows that the ball was touched at that moment, partially offside. So before the refereeing decisions were so difficult, I don't think this is
one of those examples that technology helps the game because he was offside.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SNELL: Literally a skim at the top of the head. Look at this video. Now this is Cristiano Ronaldo, the team hotel in Toronto after the match. And
look at these scenes here. Ronaldo from the team balcony there looking down on thousands of devoted fans.
[10:35:00]
Their Portugal fans absolutely loving the moment. And who have Portugal got next, Eleni? Why none other than the reigning champions of Europe, Spain.
That should be quite a match up in the Round of 16.
GIOKOS: Yes, World Cup is always filled with so much excitement. OK. So, what's ahead today? So here in the region and for me specifically, you
know, any African country that's playing, I'm obviously on their side. But we're excited about Egypt taking on Australia today. What are the odds?
SNELL: This is, this is an interesting one. Yes, it's special for both countries because they weren't guaranteed and no country takes anything for
granted when it comes to getting out of the group stages. But so much of the focus is going to be on the very high profile Mo Salah. Will he or wont
he play for the Egyptians? Just to remind everyone that he picked up a bit of a hamstring injury in the previous game, the one all draw with Iran.
And we do know from Egypt's head coach that he's not guaranteed to start or at least that's the official line being put out. We'll wait to see if
that's actually true. So all eyes on Mo Salah ahead of that crucial game with Australia's Socceroos. And then we've got a really special matchup.
I'm really looking forward to this one. It's in Miami, Florida. Lionel Messi, that guy right there. And the Albiceleste, the Argentina, the
reigning champions of the world taking on Cape Verde.
Cape Verde playing in their first ever World Cup. The tiny African island nation through to the knockout stages in their first ever World Cup. That
is quite incredible, quite incredible stuff. We'll see how it all pans out.
Back to you, Eleni.
GIOKOS: And I have to say that African countries have done so well, and it's historic in terms of how far they've gotten in this World Cup. So
watching that very closely.
Patrick Snell, thank you so much. So good to have you on.
All right. So even though it's the smallest U.S. host city in the World Cup, it's played a vibrant role in the tournament so far. It's a city
famous for its rich jazz history, and it's home to the team that Taylor Swift's soon-to-be husband plays for. And you might have guessed, it is
Kansas City, baby. In the four World Cup matches staged there so far, a total of 275,000 spectators have filled the Kansas City Stadium, and with
two games to go, the party isn't over just yet.
And joining us now from Kansas City, Missouri, of course, is Mayor Quinton Lucas.
Mayor, great to have you with us. Thank you so much for taking the time. I want to start off with this impressive number. The city has been getting a
lot of attention for the atmosphere, the fan culture. How is that achievable?
MAYOR QUINTON LUCAS, KANSAS CITY: You know, I think this has been one of the great experiences that we have probably had in the history of Kansas
City. We have all of these exciting matches. We have a number of teams that are hosted here, the most exciting of which has been Algeria. That's based
in Lawrence, Kansas, about 40 minutes outside of Kansas City. An exceptional relationship that was born between that community and the
people of Algeria.
We've also hosted the Netherlands, Argentina and England. And so you're turning around everywhere, bumping into crowds of people from other
countries. You're seeing banderazos. I saw one yesterday for Team Colombia. I got to dance with Ghanaians. This is an incredibly unique moment for
Kansas City. I think for the United States, as the smallest host city, we want to really get into it.
GIOKOS: It doesn't seem like you've had much sleep. Am I right?
LUCAS: You know, I haven't had a ton of sleep. It has been pretty late party. So as Americans turn in a little early, a lot of our foreign guests
have not. And that has made it even more fun. Now we've gotten to share barbecue with everybody else. The Argentines are great with it.
GIOKOS: OK, well, listen, you mentioned you were dancing with Ghanaians and frankly it's a huge weekend for you because you've got Colombia versus
Ghana, the match tonight. It's also the run up to America's 250th anniversary tomorrow. It is also -- it's also expected to be extremely hot.
There's a lot going on right now. You know, what's -- give me a sense of the atmosphere for this weekend.
LUCAS: You know, I think the atmosphere is going to be thrilling in Kansas City. It is very hot. The games, of course, are played fairly late, so that
should be all right. We have a huge fireworks show for the 250th birthday of the United States. But probably what we are most excited about here is,
notwithstanding all the other things happening in the world, this is where we all get to come together.
It is not every day that we get to have this shared excitement, this shared energy, and that's really what Kansas citizens, I think, are most thrilled
about.
GIOKOS: Yes.
[10:40:00]
So actually, I'm so excited because we've got a video of you dancing with the Ghanaian team. I want to show it to our audience and I've almost got a
feeling you're rooting for them, am I right? And you're doing really well, by the way.
(CROSSTALK)
LUCAS: You know, I would say that I am not biased --
GIOKOS: You're going to get an invite to our (INAUDIBLE) very soon.
LUCAS: I think the biggest part of it all, and this is where it gets very interesting. My son wants to be in the shot. But we are all big fans of all
of the teams. He's a fan of soccer. So this is kind of a thrill, but, yes, we were excited to dance with Ghanaians and we're going to have a lot of
fun with the Colombians, too.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Daddy --
GIOKOS: Well, hello, what's your son's name?
(CROSSTALK)
LUCAS: His name is Bennett and he wants to be on CNN.
GIOKOS: Yes, he's on TV. He's on CNN. Welcome to your debut. Fantastic, Bennett. We'll interview you very soon.
So here's a question and I love this -- here's a question. I mean, I want to switch this up a bit so I think you know where I'm going to go with
this. A year ago, you said here on CNN that you'd happily officiate Chiefs star Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift's wedding. Did they take you up on that?
Is that still coming? Is this going to be the big surprise? Are you sneaking off to Madison Square Garden?
LUCAS: You know, I am -- I'm a little heartbroken that I don't have the chance to officiate the wedding. That being said, I know it will be very
exciting. I think it will be a big weekend in New York city. Also very hot, a lot of things going on. But to Travis and Taylor, I wish them well. The
coolest thing is they donated to all these charities in Kansas City and New York, and Travis' native Ohio.
I think this will probably be the wedding of the year. I know they're keeping it under wraps, but maybe somebody tips off CNN with some good
pictures along the way.
GIOKOS: Yes, I'm sure you'll be watching that as well. And then there's -- I think the question here is not which designer Swift will wear. It's why
not Kansas City?
LUCAS: You know, I have thought a lot about that. Of course, Travis Kelce has had lots of success in Kansas City. Right? He's this great NFL star. I
thought it would have been beautiful. You could have sold tickets. They would have sold out the stadium with 70,000 people there. There's a great
picture from Kansas City. That being said, we are just delighted to have them here. Just about eight Sundays at least every year, and glad that he's
coming back.
Hopefully, you know, their honeymoon gets to the Super Bowl this year, and that's just what we'll keep rooting for. But great couple. They've been a
great experience for Kansas City. And talk about an exciting summer for us. We've got the World Cup here. Our most famous couple getting married. I've
got my kid running around. You know, I can't be unhappy now.
GIOKOS: You're a blessed. I'm telling you, your son is such a pleasure. And please thank him from CNN for appearing on our show. We appreciate the
debut and congratulations to you and everyone in Kansas City. I mean, what a feat hosting so many people with such a vibe. Wishing you all the best
for the weekend, sir. Mayor Quinton Lucas, thank you.
LUCAS: Thank you so much and happy birthday, America.
GIOKOS: Thank you.
All right. And speaking of that big event, how about a "Star Spangled" wedding as if the World Cup and the July 4th fireworks were not enough.
We'll have more on Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce's big day right after this short break. Stick with CNN.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[10:45:28]
GIOKOS: Amid the Independence Day fireworks and festivity celebrations of a very different kind for possibly the world's most famous couple. Pop icon
Taylor Swift and NFL star Travis Kelce have kicked off their wedding celebrations at Madison Square Garden in New York. Sources tell CNN the
event is set to be an extravagant affair with around 1,000 guests expected to attend.
These are live pictures that we're seeing right now in terms of the preparations. And of course, we hear that some of the dignitaries and of
course the celebrities will be able to drive through a tent and then basically get into the venue completely unseen by paparazzi. So very well-
planned, essentially. So a lot of secrecy around this, with the event expected to enforce a strict no phones policy. So no selfies at all. So,
yes, it is what it is.
Earlier today I spoke to Brynn Gingras, who was outside Madison Square Garden. Let's take a look.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BRYNN GINGRAS, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: We are seeing a lot of Swifties come down to Madison Square Garden, the heart of New York City, to
hopefully get some sort of peek at whatever clues they can see about what is happening inside. And quite honestly, we are doing the same thing. Every
time we see a truck go down 31st Street, which is where the main entrance to where guests are going to be arriving, where the set up crews have also
been going through in midtown Manhattan.
We, you know, kind of pieced together what's going to be happening through this, quote-unquote, "garden party" extravaganza that's expected to happen
for the wedding later tonight. We've seen big to goods. We've seen stuff to make pizzas. We've seen air conditioner units, we've seen lighting, you
know, to transform the arena of Madison Square Garden. So it has been a little bit of fun trying to get some clues, but it has been completely
shrouded in secrecy.
There are major tents built along that street so that when the guests do arrive later today, we're understanding a thousand guests are invited to
this, all being rolled up and tinted SUVs. They'll be able to literally drive into a tent, go completely undetected as they enter this enormous
party. And streets have also been shut down around New York, around Madison Square Garden, rather. We've actually been seeing police officers honking
their horns of any yellow cab tried to even pull over close to Madison Square Garden.
And it's only 9:15 in the morning here. This wedding isn't supposed to kick off until about 4:30 in the afternoon. So yes, security has certainly
ramped up, but it's going to be quite a party from our understanding. As I mentioned, people are expected to arrive around 4:00, 430. There's going to
be a cocktail hour, and then we're understanding the wedding is going to take place on the arena floor, and that will be followed by the usual
dinner and dancing, I imagine, until early morning hours of July 4th.
We've heard it's turned into a garden party. It is a black tie event is our understanding. No phones are ever going to be allowed inside, so no one can
get pictures. They want to have this completely to themselves. Possibly maybe to make a movie later on. That's what other people are suspecting.
But I got to tell you, as far as Swifties are concerned, we have -- we've seen a few and people are excited. Some people have said this is like the
royal family getting married here in the United States. So there is a lot of excitement building as we get closer to the start of this wedding.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
GIOKOS: All right. Brynn Gingras for us in New York.
And coming up, Pope Leo delivers a message to America on the eve of the nation's 250th birthday.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[10:50:28]
GIOKOS: Welcome back. So the first American Pope is taking center stage on the eve of America's 250th birthday. Pope Leo is about to deliver a live
virtual address as he accepts the Liberty Medal in Philadelphia. He will then turn his attention to one of Europe's biggest migration flashpoints,
with a visit to the Italian island of Lampedusa on Saturday.
CNN's Christopher Lamb is on Lampedusa, and he joins us now live.
Christopher, great to have you with us. So this is going to be an important message. It's a virtual message. What are we expecting to hear as he
accepts this award?
CHRISTOPHER LAMB, CNN VATICAN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Eleni, it is going to be an important speech by Pope Leo. It's the first time that the first
American Pope is really going to be reflecting and talking about the values that inspired the United States on this eve of independence, the 250th
anniversary. Our expecting the Pope to cover topics such as human dignity, religious freedom, pluralism, the values that inspired the founding
fathers.
Leo is Chicago-born Pope. He has been quite outspoken on a number of different issues during his papacy recently when it comes to migration or
war and peace. And he has, of course, clashed with President Trump and has been criticized by the president in an extraordinary way. So these remarks,
as he receives this Liberty Medal in Philadelphia are very important, and we are expecting him to look at the big questions and the values that
inspired the founding and independence of the United States.
GIOKOS: OK, so you're in Lampedusa ahead of the Popes arrival tomorrow. Why has he chosen to visit the island? And what message is he hoping to send on
migration?
LAMB: Well, Eleni, Pope Leo has made the protection of migrants a key priority of his papacy. And he's coming here on July the 4th, on
Independence Day of the United States. And I think that is sending a message about the importance that he is giving to the protection and
welcome of immigrants.
Now I've been around the island today and, you know, speaking to people, it's clear that this is still one of the most dangerous crossings that
people can make. Lampedusa is in the southern part of Italy, people making the crossing from Africa, and it is an incredibly deadly journey. Thousands
have died over recent years.
And Pope Leo's decision to come here to raise the question of immigration and the protection of migrants is, I think, a very strong indication of his
priorities and the message he wants to send to the world and to the United States as, of course, the first American Pope on this Independence Day --
Eleni.
GIOKOS: All right, Christopher Lamb, for us. Thank you so much.
Now, a short time ago, the mayor of New York, Zohran Mamdani, shared his reflections on America as it prepares to mark its 250th birthday. Despite
the country's many challenges, he says patriotism is alive and well. Take a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MAYOR ZOHRAN MAMDANI, NEW YORK: We see America each time neighbors link arms with neighbors, without asking how long they have lived here, or what
papers they have, as ICE invades our neighborhoods. We see America each time those young and old stand in the beating rain or the stifling heat to
cast their ballots. We see America each time working people demand more, not just for themselves, but for their fellow Americans.
There are some who respond to those who ask for more from America with a simple refrain, love it or leave it, they say. But patriotism has never
been about pretending our nation is without flaws. Patriotism is every act of righteous dissent. It is every march led under the heavy sun. It is
every protest held a decade before its time. It is precisely because we love this nation that we will not leave it. After all, who loves America
more than those who have sacrificed so much to make it free?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GIOKOS: Right. And of course, Mamdani isn't the only politician taking advantage of the big anniversary to get a message across. President Donald
Trump will speak later tonight at Mount Rushmore, and he's hosting a major event in Washington tomorrow.
[10:55:05]
And CNN is marking the moment, too. You can join us for America's 250th birthday with the biggest fireworks and stars. Anderson Cooper hosts "THE
FOURTH IN AMERICA," celebrating 250 live this Saturday, July 4th, and you can also stream it on the CNN app.
Well, that is it for CONNECT THE WORLD. I'm Eleni Giokos. I hope you have a fantastic weekend. It's going to be jampacked with a lot of excitement.
Stay with CNN. "ONE WORLD" is up next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
END
