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Early Start with Rahel Solomon

War In Iran; Birthright Citizenship Debate; 2026 World Cup in Mexico. Aired 4:30-5a ET

Aired April 02, 2026 - 04:30   ET

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

[04:31:09]

DANNY FREEMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: President Trump gave no specific timeline, but says the US is nearing completion of its objectives in the war with Iran. In a primetime address to the nation, he threatened to bomb Iran back to the Stone Ages if he didn't make a deal within the next two to three weeks. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, UNITED STATES PRESIDENT: The nuclear sites that we obliterated with the B2 bombers have been hit so hard that it would take months to get near the nuclear dust. And we have it under intense satellite surveillance and control. If we see them make a move, even a move for it, we'll hit them with missiles, very hard.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FREEMAN: The President also said the siege was systematically dismantling the Iranian regime's ability to threaten the US or project power outside their borders. Despite the ongoing bombardment, though, Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps says the Strait of Hormuz is still fully under their control and won't be reopened to Iran's enemies despite theatrics, their words, of President Trump.

For more on all of this, let's bring in CNN's Paula Hancocks live from Abu Dhabi. Paula, an intense speech last night, not a tremendous new though.

PAULA HANCOCKS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: No, Brian. We were all waiting for more details, certainly everyone in the region was waiting for more clarification, which didn't necessarily come. What he had said was what we had heard from previous speeches from the President and previous posts on Truth Social.

We did hear a response from Iran, though, to this speech, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps giving a statement to state media where they rejected Trump's claims that the navy, the military capability and missile production of the country had been decimated. Now in this statement, the IRGC said that there is strategic military production in locations that the US doesn't know about and that they won't be able to reach. Also saying that this war will continue until the US and Israel face, "humiliation, disgrace, lasting regret and ultimate surrender." Now, we also had before President Trump made his speech, an open letter written by the Iranian president, Masoud Pezeshkian. And in it, he showed an understanding really of the American political system. He was questioning why this war is going ahead. And I'll read you a couple of the lines.

"Exactly which of the American people's interests are truly being served by this war?" Adding, "is America first truly among the priorities of the US government today. "Also saying that Tehran was acting in legitimate self defense, talking about the Gulf nations and retaliation against its neighboring countries as well.

So you have two differing viewpoints there in Iran. It's questionable how much power the Iranian president actually wields within the country. It is believed, although of course it's not known exactly who is running the show in Iran at the moment, but it's certainly believed that the Revolutionary Guard has more sway when it comes to the day to day decisions and when it comes to this decision to continue the retaliation against the Gulf nations, and against Israel and US interests.

Now, we do know that there have been a number of launches against some of the neighboring countries today. Bahrain, Kuwait, both having to intercept missiles and projectiles. And we know here in the UAE as well there have been projectiles which according to authorities that the debris of one interception did impact the industrial zone, Khalifa Industrial Zone Abu Dhabi.

[04:35:10]

They say there was damage, but at this point there have been no injuries. Back to you.

FREEMAN: Yes. Just a reminder that the war is still very much ongoing on many fronts out there. Paula Hancocks in Abu Dhabi, thank you so much for that reporting as always.

And President Donald Trump's speech was directed, of course, at the American public. But make no mistake, folks in Israel were watching closely as well. The President insisting the US is nearing completion of its objectives but not everyone is convinced. CNN's Jim Sciutto reports from Tel Aviv.

JIM SCIUTTO, CNN ANCHOR: Well, I said before the speech that folks in Israel will be listening for as his answers on Iran's missile capabilities and on its nuclear program. And we got those answers on the missile capabilities. He said that they've been dramatically curtailed. And while that may be true, it's cold comfort to people here who, myself included, spent a good part of their day in bomb shelters at the start of the Passover holiday, I should note, as Iranian missiles continue to rain down on Israel.

On the nuclear program, his answer is that the US is going to monitor it from satellites and if they make a move, he says, the US will take action. That has not been Israel's goal at the start of this war. I've been told by multiple Israeli officials that they would not consider the war a victory unless that 400 kilos of enriched uranium was controlled in some way. That does not appear to be the President's goal here, even as the war continues.

Finally, just regarding Iran and the nuclear deal, he says that he terminated Barack Obama's nuclear deal in part because of the money that it sent Iran. We should note that by lifting sanctions on Iranian oil ships, Iran has gained many billions of dollars in oil sales just in the last several weeks. It's worth mentioning.

A final point, if I can, on NATO. Trump's views on NATO began long before this war. We should note that just weeks ago, and I've been speaking to European officials throughout it, that his attempt to take Greenland from NATO ally Denmark very nearly broke the alliance then. And in the wake of it, many European officials told me that the trust had been broken.

So, you know, he's had a long term view of NATO, not much interest in it, not much commitment to it. That began long before this war and his upset over NATO allies not joining the war.

FREEMAN: Moving north from there, Lebanon says its civilians are paying the price as Israel pushes ahead with its military operations against Hezbollah. Lebanese health officials said Wednesday, at least 50 people were killed in Israeli strikes in a 24 hour period. The United Nations says more than a million people, or 20 percent of Lebanon's population, have been displaced. Many of them won't be able to return right away even after the war because Israel plans to set up a security zone in much of southern Lebanon.

The Lebanese Health Ministry says more than 1,300 people have been killed since March 2nd, including 125 children.

All right, just ahead, an unprecedented move by President Donald Trump. He became the first sitting US President to hear oral arguments of the Supreme Court. We'll tell you why this case is so important to him that he bucked that tradition. Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[04:43:02]

FREEMAN: Republican leaders in Congress say they've come up with a plan to reopen the US Department of Homeland Security and end the partial government shutdown. Now, this plan involves a complicated process called reconciliation. If it works, Republicans can bypass the Senate filibuster and pass a bill without Democratic votes. And that new mega bill would presumably include the funding for immigration enforcement that the Republicans want.

But make no mistake, they face some major hurdles. Republicans could try to add wish list items to that bill, potentially slowing down the process and risking more infighting. And House Speaker Mike Johnson can only afford to lose one Republican vote. President Trump has demanded the new bill by June 1st.

And President Trump has become the first sitting president to attend oral arguments at the US Supreme Court. He was there on Wednesday while the justices voiced skepticism about his executive order to end birthright citizenship. Now he sat in court for about 90 minutes, leaving shortly after the government concluded its arguments.

Birthright citizenship codified in the 14th Amendment of the Constitution, establishes that nearly every person born in the United states is a US citizen. But the Trump administration is seeking to change that, leaving the justices skeptical.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

D. JOHN SAUER, US SOLICITOR GENERAL: Of course, we're in a new world now, as Justice Alito pointed out, to where 8 billion people are one plane ride away from having a child who's a US citizen.

JOHN ROBERTS, CHIEF JUSTICE: Well, it's a new world. It's the same constitution.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FREEMAN: CNN's Paula Reid has more from Washington.

PAULA REID, CNN CHIEF LEGAL AFFAIRS CORRESPONDENT: On Wednesday, it appeared that a majority of the Supreme Court is skeptical of the Trump administration's argument in support of the President's executive orders limiting birthright citizenship. On Wednesday, even the three justices that Trump himself appointed appeared that they were not buying what the solicitor general, John Sauer, was trying to sell them in terms of this new interpretation of the 14th Amendment, which for the past over 100 years has been interpreted to mean that if you were born in the US that you are a citizen of this country.

[04:45:07]

But they're arguing that there's language in the 14th Amendment that says not only are you born here, but you are subject to the jurisdiction thereof. They really focused on that, arguing that if you are here illegally, if you're on a short term visa, if you're a tourist, that you're not subject to the jurisdiction of the US and therefore you should not be a citizen.

There's a series of tense exchanges, though, between the justices and the President's lawyer, so we're not exactly sure what he wanted to achieve by being the first president in modern history to attend an oral argument. But clearly his presence did not make the justices any more sympathetic to his arguments.

Now, he laughed after his lawyer wrapped an argument. Then the ACLU got up and they certainly had an easier time, though they did face some tough questions at times. The justices, though, appeared to be asking questions that maybe were aimed at how they were going to write their opinion and not necessarily how they should rule.

Now, the Supreme Court is a conservative supermajority. Thanks to Trump's three appointees, it is now 6:3 a conservative court. It has handed the President many major legal victories, but this time on this issue of birthright citizenship and trying to limit it through executive order, it appears that the justices may be willing to hand him a pretty big loss here. But we won't know for sure until June when they issue their biggest rulings. Paula Reid, CNN, Washington.

FREEMAN: Paula, thank you for that. To this now, multiple sources tell CNN President Trump has privately discussed firing Attorney General Pam Bondi. We're told the president is frustrated by the backlash and anger in his base over the administration's handling of the Epstein files. He's also complained that Bondi has not investigated enough of his perceived political opponents.

In a statement to CNN, the President called Bondi a wonderful person, says she's doing a good job. President Trump has reportedly asked people about replacing Bondi with EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin, among others. It is not clear, though, whether the President has made up his mind.

Coming up, Mexican security forces are not leaving anything to chance as they prepare for the upcoming World Cup. Still ahead, how they're training with real life scenarios to keep the tournament safe.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[04:51:40]

FREEMAN: Sports Now. Iraq has clinched the final qualifying spot in the World Cup after winning its last playoff game on Tuesday. Take a look.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

FREEMAN: I love that. Iraqi football fans went wild after their team beat Bolivia 2-1. This will be Iraq's first World Cup participation in 40 years. Meanwhile, in Bosnia Herzegovina, ecstatic fans jam packed the streets of the capital, Sarajevo, after a nail biter in the national team's qualifier against Italy. The underdog Bosnians won on penalty kicks, securing a place in the tournament for only the second time.

Now, make no mistake, this is a complete disaster for Italy, which will miss the World Cup for the third straight time. The nation had won the World Cup previously four times, and now its fans are demanding answers, calling for their sports minister to resign.

There are concerns about systemic problems in Italian football, including investments in up and coming players. One sports journalist told CNN, if those issues are not solved, the country's football will be doomed.

Meanwhile, of course, security is a big concern in Mexico, one of three countries that will co-host the World Cup starting in June. And that's partly because of the recent killing of a drug lord by Mexico's military in Jalisco, where some matches will be played. The killing unleashed days of violence there.

Valeria Leon explains how security forces are preparing to keep people safe.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

VALERIA LEON, CNN REPORTER: A military exercise, but one that strikes close to home. In this scenario, members of a cartel hijack a bus carrying soccer players. Mexican security forces move in fast, freeing the hostages. All of it in preparation for the World cup, which Mexico will co-host along with the US and Canada this summer. Mexico security is getting set for all sorts of emergencies.

Somebody trapped inside this car but this is actually a simulation. Mexican forces are running a high intensity drill, preparing for everything, from explosives to fires as the country gears up to host World Cup crowds.

At this military base outside Mexico City, units are deployed in the air and on the ground. Here, Mexican Special Forces are trained to search for and disarm explosives and other devices.

CESAR VILLANUEVA, HAZARDOUS MATERIALS LIEUTENANT (through translation): We're preparing for chemical and biological emergencies and to handle hazardous materials.

LEON: But this is not just about security threats, these troops are also trained for medical emergencies. And if disaster strikes, search and rescue teams dig through rubble, racing against the clock.

MARLENE GAITAN, EMERGENCY BATTALION (through translation): We're focused on improving response times so we can act as fast as possible during the World Cup.

LEON: With more than 5 million visitors expected, authorities plan to set up command centers near each of Mexico's three host stadiums.

HECTOR FLORES, MEDICAL LIEUTENANT (through translation): We'll be monitoring operations at all times, with coordinated deployment from the Army, Air Force, and National Guard.

[04:55:00]

LEON: For US and international visitors wary of cartel violence, security remains a key question ahead of the tournament. Mexican officials say these exercises are meant to send a clear message, they are ready for an event where the whole world will be watching. Valeria Leon, CNN, Mexico.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

FREEMAN: And we have some live pictures now because it is almost Easter Sunday and Pope Leo XIV is set to perform his first Friday foot washing ritual of his papacy. You're looking live at the mass of the Lord's Supper as the world's 1.4 billion Catholics commemorate Jesus last meal and founding of the priesthood before his crucifixion.

Now, the Holy Thursday ritual begins four intense days of events leading to Easter Sunday. That's coming up, of course, this weekend. Thank you so much for joining us this hour. I'm Danny Freeman in New

York.