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Isa Soares Tonight

Hegseth: Primary Effort Is To Make Deal With Iran; Trump Blasts U.K., Europe For Not Joining Fight Against Iran; Markets Surge On Unconfirmed Rumor Iran Is Open To Ending War; King Charles to Visit Trump In Washington; U.S. Secretary Of Defense Pete Hegseth Says The Main Aim Of Military Action In Iran Is To Convince Tehran To Cut A Deal; Dozens Killed And Thousands Forced To Flee Their Homes After Gang Attacks in Western Haiti. Aired 2-3p ET

Aired March 31, 2026 - 14:00   ET

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

[14:00:00]

MAX FOSTER, HOST, ISA SOARES TONIGHT: A very warm welcome to the show, everyone, I'm Max Foster in for Isa Soares. Tonight, the U.S. Secretary of

Defense says the main aim of military action in Iran is to convince Tehran to cut a deal.

As President Trump lashes out again at European allies for not getting more involved. Then, a desperate situation in Haiti as dozens are killed and

thousands are forced from their homes after gang attacks in the western part of the country.

Plus, famed author Jung Chang joins Isa's Book Club with "Fly Wild Swans"; the long-awaited sequel to her bestselling book. That, and much more ahead.

Well, the man who calls himself the U.S. Secretary of War says the time has come for Iran to talk peace.

For the first time in almost two weeks, Pete Hegseth held a briefing at the Pentagon. He said the primary aim of the military action at this point is

to convince Tehran to cut a deal. He also said regime change had already occurred in Iran.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PETE HEGSETH, SECRETARY OF DEFENSE, UNITED STATES: If Iran is wise, they will cut a deal. President Trump doesn't bluff and he does not back down.

You can ask Khamenei about that. The new Iranian regime should know that by now. This new regime, because regime change has occurred, should be wiser

than the last.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FOSTER: The U.S. and Israel continue to pound Iran. Tehran says a desalination plant on Qeshm Island has been knocked out of service by a

strike. The island plays a central role in Iran's strategy to control the Strait of Hormuz.

A Kuwaiti tanker fully loaded with oil and anchored off, Dubai, was hit by an Iranian drone, but the oil on board did not spill, according to the

authorities. Let's go to national security correspondent Natasha Bertrand. So, it was interesting to hear from the Secretary of Defense today.

NATASHA BERTRAND, CNN NATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: We didn't get a ton of new information on just what kind of objectives the U.S. military has

achieved, or what a timeline might look like for the achievement of all those objectives, including the destruction of their ballistic missile

program, drone program, Navy, Air Force, et cetera.

But Secretary Hegseth did answer a number of questions that touched upon that key question of the Strait of Hormuz. Many questions about whether

that is actually part of the U.S.' goals, reopening that Strait until it can finally end this war with Iran.

Is that going to be a key component of this? Are they not going to leave until they're able to open the Strait? And Secretary Hegseth, he seemed to

punt on that question, and he suggested that, you know, the U.S. doesn't use that Strait as much as some of the U.S.' key allies do.

And he suggested that the countries in Europe, for example, and NATO, they should put more of an effort into trying to reopen the Strait, something

that President Trump has also said repeatedly. Now, interestingly, he also talked a little bit about how the Iranian leadership has begun to fracture,

go underground, get worried, get nervous.

He didn't provide any evidence pointing to that Intelligence, but he did say that there has been regime change in the country, which is a line that

the President and the administration have also been testing out over the last several days, saying this is a new regime.

There is the possibility here that we can get to some kind of a deal with folks that might be a little bit more reasonable, and potentially giving

somewhat of an off-ramp to this conflict. But at the same time, you know, Hegseth also refused to rule out the insertion of ground troops into Iran

to try to achieve some of the administration's objectives.

Like, you know, taking that enriched uranium that Iran needs to make a nuclear weapon. So, there were a lot of different updates on different

areas, but all of it seemed to point to this idea that they want to deal with the Iranians, but they're still trying to keep Iranian leadership a

little bit off balance as to what the U.S. military is prepared to do. Max.

FOSTER: And what is the next phase in terms of the ground troops we now know are in region.?

BERTRAND: Thousands of ground troops have flown in over the last several days and weeks, and it's unclear whether they're just staging for now or

whether they're actively preparing for a potential incursion.

[14:05:00]

Whether that means in Kharg Island, which is that key export hub for the Iranian -- for the Iranian's crude oil, or if it's actually going into Iran

itself and going into the nuclear facilities and trying to find that enriched uranium I mentioned earlier, we just don't know at this point.

It seems like they're in kind of a holding pattern until President Trump decides that the Iranians aren't negotiating, and therefore, he needs to

put this additional pressure on them, or if he's satisfied that a deal is coming together. But what Hegseth said this morning, essentially, is that

they're there as leverage.

FOSTER: OK, Natasha, appreciate it. Thank you so much. Well, Qatar is warning against a possible U.S. ground invasion. Qatar's Foreign Ministry

spokesperson told CNN's Matthew Chance, any such escalation would cause the situation in the region to deteriorate.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MATTHEW CHANCE, CNN CHIEF GLOBAL AFFAIRS CORRESPONDENT: Thank you, sir. Matthew Chance from CNN. There's a lot of talk at the moment about the

possibility of a U.S. ground invasion of Iran. How concerned are you about that? What -- how do you assess that would have consequences for Qatar and

for the region?

MAJED MOHAMMED AL-ANSARI, SPOKESPERSON, FOREIGN MINISTRY, QATAR: We are against any escalation that could endanger the stability of the region any

further. We have said from day one, we are not going to comment on the operational strategies of both parties, but what we will say is that any

kind of escalation that goes beyond the current parameters of the conflict threatens to further destabilize the region.

CHANCE: Do you understand why other countries in the gulf region are less cautious than you on that point, and are actually pressing the United

States to take military action that will remove any future Iranian threats.

AL-ANSARI: Our understanding is that there is a very unified position in the gulf on calling for de-escalation and an end to this war, but I would

say that you should ask, you know, every country about their own positions on this.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FOSTER: U.S. stocks have jumped sharply on an unconfirmed rumor, meanwhile, that Iran may be open to ending the war in exchange for security

guarantees. Here's a glance at the numbers. Stocks were already rebounding throughout the day on reports that comments from the Trump administration

about potentially ending the war soon came about, even without a resolution in the Strait of Hormuz.

But can this afternoon's market rebound be sustained? Joining us now to help answer that is CNN's Richard Quest. I mean, we haven't actually had

this report from Iran or about Iran confirmed, but it does show the sensitivity of the market.

RICHARD QUEST, CNN BUSINESS EDITOR-AT-LARGE: It most certainly shows the sensitivity of the market. And can this rally be justified upon on the

rumor that we're receiving? The answer is no. And to your question about the sustainability of it, I would say it's very unsustainable because it's

built on the false premise at the moment anyway, that is sort of peace in our time is around the corner.

And until there is more solid evidence, this would evaporate. Now, do I think the market wants to claw back the losses that it's seen over recent

weeks? Bearing in mind the Dow is off 9 percent or 10 percent, the Nasdaq is in a correction or it was until all this came along. Yes, I do.

I think there is a natural willingness to want to reverse the losses of late, but the evidence of what we've seen so far and the reasons being

given for these rallies simply don't stand up to the sort of magnitude that we're seeing.

FOSTER: Is this reflecting the oil price or is this reflecting just the outcome of the war?

QUEST: I think it's the latter. I think the oil price to some extent has a direct relationship in a sense, because the higher that oil price goes, the

less competitive countries become and the more costs of production for most companies. But you're seeing there, a drop of 1 percent or so for West

Texas, that's the U.S. blend.

The Brent is also down. That's the more relevant one in a sense for the region, and the whole thing is entwined. But what's really driving the

market is a knee-jerk reaction to every twist and turn. The sustainability of all of this is non-existent at the moment, because at the mere whim or

wish of another piece of news, it could go in the opposite direction.

FOSTER: How are investors meant to deal with this? Small investors, I mean.

QUEST: Oh, if you're talking about you and me, our pensions, people watching, worrying about that, very difficult, impossible. To be honest,

you have to just sit it out. Wait it out. Yes, there will be some that will have said over the last couple of days, buy on the dips.

But if you're already very heavy into tech, and you're worried about a tech sort of route at some point based on overvaluation of A.I.'s stocks, you

may not be wanting to, quote, "buy on the dips".

[14:10:00]

That said, there are opportunities totally and utterly in this current market unless you need the money tomorrow. If you need the money tomorrow,

don't gamble with it.

FOSTER: Appreciate it, Richard. More with Richard on "QUEST MEANS BUSINESS", of course. The U.N. relief chief warning that Lebanon is at a

breaking point, and says the world cannot let it fail. Tom Fletcher also says southern Lebanon risks becoming another occupied territory.

Israel is vowing to keep control of the area even after the war with Hezbollah, saying it needs a security buffer zone. Defense Minister Israel

Katz says all homes in villages near the Israeli border will be destroyed, according to the Gaza model.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

(EXPLOSION)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (SPEAKING IN FOREIGN LANGUAGE)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FOSTER: Well, Israel also carrying out new airstrikes. This massive blast happened in southern Beirut. Lebanon's Health Ministry says more than 1,200

people have been killed in Israeli attacks so far, including 125 children. UNICEF's representative in Lebanon spoke to CNN.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MARCOLUIGI CORSI, UNICEF REPRESENTATIVE IN LEBANON: These children are basically going through the same nightmare that they went through just 18

months ago. So, there have been a subject to multiple displacement. Right now, one of the challenges that we have is indeed reaching those children,

particularly in the south of Lebanon, where the conflict is indeed escalating.

So, there are children. We are trapped in communities which are very difficult to reach, and even more so, after the bombardment and the blown-

away of the several bridges by the airstrikes.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FOSTER: Well, at home and abroad, the Israeli government is facing pressure to stop settler violence, meanwhile, against Palestinians in the

West Bank. But its parliament just passed a controversial bill aimed at Palestinians who carry out deadly attacks.

The Knesset approved a measure that imposes the death penalty for Palestinians convicted of terrorism and nationalistic murders. It calls for

executions by hanging within 90 days, with no right to appeal. Jewish Israelis convicted of such murders against Palestinians are effectively

exempt from this, though.

Israel's National Security Minister, who himself has been convicted of supporting anti-Palestinian terrorism, celebrated the news with a

champagne, as you can see, there. Itamar Ben-Gvir and others wore noose- shaped lapel pins leading up to that vote.

European countries are amongst those condemning the law. Spain calls it another step towards apartheid, and says the world cannot stay silent. Our

Jeremy Diamond joins us now from Tel Aviv. Well, you can see the reaction that's coming from Europe. I mean, what's the port of reaction in Israel to

this?

JEREMY DIAMOND, CNN JERUSALEM CORRESPONDENT: Well, you know, we've heard a lot from Israeli human rights organizations who have expressed a number of

different concerns about this legislation.

First of all, the fact that it is discriminatory because it effectively only allows for the death penalty against Palestinians because, as the law

states, it is about individuals who have been convicted of killing Israelis with the quote, "intent to negate the existence of the state of Israel",

effectively making it impossible for radical Israelis.

Israeli settlers, for example, who have killed Palestinians for them to be convicted and sentenced using this new death penalty law. The second thing

that human rights organizations have also raised here is the notion that it will largely apply to Palestinians in the West Bank who are subject to

military law and Israel's military judicial system, which has a 96 percent conviction rate, according to B'Tselem; one of those human rights

organizations.

And those convictions are often obtained following harsh interrogations, sometimes including the use of torture. And again, there's very little

recourse of appeal for individuals who are convicted under this law. And indeed, under this law, individuals who are convicted would have to be

hanged within 90 days with no possibility for appeal.

There's another 90-day period for the Prime Minister to extend that under special circumstances, but it is quite a stark law, and it is one that the

critics of this law who showed up in force in Jerusalem today to protest it, for example, they are saying and hoping that Israel's supreme court

will strike it down.

An appeal has already been filed with the supreme court to strike down that law. And legal experts say that they do believe that it is more likely than

not that the supreme court will indeed strike this down. What happens then? Well, the law is struck down.

But in addition to that, the expectation is that Itamar Ben-Gvir will likely use this issue as something that he will campaign on in the

forthcoming elections. Max?

[14:15:00]

FOSTER: OK, Jeremy Diamond, thank you so much. Still to come, reports of a massacre in Haiti as an international security force is set to arrive.

We'll go to the capital of Port au Prince after this break. We'll also hear from Cuba, where a Russian fuel tanker has broken the U.S. blockade. Stay

with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

FOSTER: A desperate situation in Haiti after what Amnesty International calls a criminal massacre. Dozens of people have been killed in the western

part of the country as armed gangs attacked civilians and burned homes. A hospital in St. Mark, north of Port-au-Prince reports treating more than a

dozen injured there.

Now, a rights group estimates the death toll rose as high as 70 by Monday, and more than 5,000 people are displaced. The attacks come ahead of

expected arrival of an international force aimed at combating gang violence there. Harold Isaac is an independent journalist and joins us from Haiti's

capital, Port-au-Prince. Thank you for joining us. Just explain what's happening there. Who is behind this latest violence?

HAROLD ISAAC, INDEPENDENT JOURNALIST: Well, Max, it seems to be yet again another case of a turf war between, gangs here in Haiti. But this time

around, really in outside of the capital, Port-au-Prince, and as we've seen in the last few years of violence is really spreading as we see.

FOSTER: And in terms of how it's peaking at the moment, obviously, there's been violence for many months, if not years, but what's this latest --

what's encouraging this latest round of violence do you think?

ISAAC: Well, the details really are unclear. What we know happened over the weekend and still happening as we speak is that many people have been

killed and injured in really clashes between gangs from various areas. It's not sadly the first time that this is happening in that area, but the

firepower really is the new element in these clashes where several civilians have been killed.

FOSTER: So, the gangs are basically becoming better armed. They're getting arms in somehow.

ISAAC: Well, for, you know, for the last five years at least, this has been really the culprit of the gang issue in Haiti. It's the firepower

where essentially, you're awash with the arms smuggling in Haiti, which has led to increased firepower on the side of the gangs.

[14:20:00]

And which is creating really a challenge, even, especially for a legitimate authority that are really struggling to quell this surge of violence.

FOSTER: Are there areas now that the legal authorities won't even go into because they've lost control of them?

ISAAC: Well, in the specific case of Jean-Denis and I'Artibonite where this violence has been waging in the last few days, the authorities have

really struggled to even get there, let alone humanitarian, let alone emergency services that were trying to assist the folks that have been

victims of the latest attacks from these factions of gangs. And it also poses a bigger challenge as to how the country will restore security and

deliver elections this year.

FOSTER: So, they're getting support from an international force. Where is that coming from?

ISAAC: Well, so far, Haiti has had the support from the -- what they call the MSS, which is the multinational security support mission led by Kenya.

But their mission is coming to a term, and the Security Council of the U.N. has essentially approved a new force to be starting tomorrow in principle,

the GSF, the Gang Suppressing Force, which will be led by Chad troops. But how they will be able to quell this violence or at least, face it remains

to be seen.

FOSTER: And do any of these gangs have political support? I'm just wondering if there's some political motive here or it's purely just getting

control of territories for their criminal activity.

ISAAC: Well, political motivation has always been in the backdrop of the gang struggle and the gang fights in Haiti. They've always been from

various political leanings, and which make, you know, the gang -- the gang, the anti-gang efforts really complicated in Haiti, as we've seen in the

past few years.

And that's why part of at least -- from the legitimate authorities, part of what they're trying to achieve is to have institutions being restored in a

country where we haven't had any elections in the last ten years, with the hope that perhaps that will be the beginning of a normalization of the

situation here.

FOSTER: It must be a desperate situation for ordinary people just living there amongst in this violence. Do they feel just completely deserted by

the international community?

ISAAC: Well, these people, especially in affected areas, and let's say here in the capital, Port-au-Prince, about 80 percent of the capital is

under gang control or some form of gang control. For these people, their reality, their daily lives is really checkered.

And therefore, they have to compose with de facto established local authorities that the gangs have grown to be now, and the struggle really is

to remove this kind of regalian power that they have from their hands.

FOSTER: OK, Harold Isaac, thank you so much for bringing us up-to-date. It's a complicated situation, but one the world really does need to hear

about. Thank you. We're going to go to Cuba now, where a Russian oil tanker has arrived in port, breaking the fuel blockade imposed by the U.S.

The vessel is carrying roughly 730,000 barrels of oil, offering a vital lifeline to the Caribbean Island. Power outages have become common as the

country struggles without Venezuelan oil. U.S. President Donald Trump has said, the tanker's arrival is OK with him, but struggling locals are

calling on the U.S. to allow further tankers through.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

YUNISEL TARNAYO, HAVANA RESIDENT (through translator): I hope that aside from that ship, others come in as well. Let's see. I don't know whether

President Trump allows us too, or whatever solution they come up with in this country. Do you understand? Because the situation is indeed chaotic.

We can't bury our heads in the sand because it is chaotic in every sense. If there is no fuel, there is no electricity. If there's no electricity,

there is no water. If there is no water, there is no transportation. There are no supplies for this country. And right now, we are in a country that

has quite simply collapsed. It's no secret to anyone.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FOSTER: Patrick Oppmann has been reporting for this, of course, and he's been tracking the journey of this Russian oil tanker as well. Joining us

now from Matanzas. Thank you for joining us. I mean, it's such a hopeful scene, isn't it? Seeing this oil come in for many of the people living

there, but still have power back, but not for very long. That's the reality.

PATRICK OPPMANN, CNN CUBA CORRESPONDENT: Yes, that's because, you just heard there, I think for a lot of Cubans, just the sense they were cut off

from the outside world, that all their allies had turned their backs on them, was really part of the most -- you know, distressing thing about all

of this, is that no help was on the horizon.

[14:25:00]

So, here you have behind me this tanker full of Russian crude oil. It is a gift from Vladimir Putin to the people of this island, and somehow, it did

get through the Trump oil blockade. The White House saying that they let it come through, that they could have stopped it, that they did not.

And whether or not that's just a game of chicken that the Kremlin won this time, or actually there was a deal, we don't really know. But for Cuba, it

will have a temporary effect that once the oil is taken off the ship, it will probably take a couple of days.

Once it is refined, that will take longer. It could supply anywhere from 10 to 12 days of oil for the electrical grid, but that is it. This is not a

silver bullet. This is not the solution to Cuba's problems. It is a temporary relief. It is a lifeline which, if you were drowning as this

island is, is a welcome assistance.

But, you know, in that time and a couple of weeks' time, we will be back to square one. And it remains to be seen if Russia will continue to send oil

because Cuba owes them about a billion dollars from past debts, going back all the way to when Russia was the former Soviet Union and Havana's patron.

And Mexico has said that they would perhaps like to send some donations. But they were afraid of U.S. tariffs. So, is this a one-off to help with

the situation to keep from a total collapse happening? What has not changed, the Trump administration says is their intention to force open the

economy here, to change the political system, and to make the Cuban government bend to the will and offer major concessions, which the

government so far here says they will not make.

FOSTER: How much support does the President have amongst people, because they're suffering, obviously, greatly day-to-day. Are they happy for him to

go if they're just going to be able to open the borders up, as it were?

OPPMANN: Yes, it's a great question because of course, when you see people come out at night banging on pots and pans, they're not protesting the U.S.

government, they're protesting their own government, the Cuban government, who many people do blame here.

They feel that instead of building fancy, expensive hotels, the government should have invested in infrastructure. That's what a socialist government

is supposed to do, that they should have invested in water. Because as the gentleman whose soundbite aired earlier, who was interviewed, aired earlier

noted, you don't get water every day.

And then when you don't have power, then it could mean you don't get water for several days. So, people have already been living this sort of

shoestring existence that they blamed on the government. They blamed the lack of funding, the lack of investment and things that help Cuban people

and not just hotels and things that are for tourists.

FOSTER: OK, Patrick Oppmann, thank you so much for joining us from the scene there with the tanker behind. Now, the war with Iran sending oil

prices soaring, of course, and the U.S. gas prices along with them. Why the White House is downplaying the increases and what President Trump wants the

U.K. and other allies to do about it. That's just ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[14:31:06]

MAX FOSTER, CNN ANCHOR: Back to our top story, as the war with Iran enters its second month. The U.S. Defense Secretary says the primary effort is to

make a deal with Iran. Like President Trump, Pete Hegseth says the regime change that has happened in Tehran should make it easier to reach an

agreement. During the first Pentagon news briefing in 12 days, Hegseth refused to rule out the possibility of U.S. troops on the ground in Iran,

saying the military aims to be unpredictable with its plans.

Meanwhile, the Trump administration is downplaying the impact the war is having on oil prices, even as the cost of gas in the U.S. rises above $4 a

gallon for the first time since 2022. That's about a dollar a liter the White House says prices will plummet once the war with Iran is over.

President Trump is now calling on other countries to help reopen the Iran- controlled Strait of Hormuz.

Our Kevin Liptak joins us from the White House, and this speaks to his frustration, doesn't it, with NATO allies, effectively, that they haven't

done enough to support Iran. Therefore, if they want to get oil out of the Middle East, they have to go and get their own. Is that right?

KEVIN LIPTAK, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE REPORTER: Yes, that's the argument the president seems to be making, saying that because these countries rely

more on oil from the Middle East than the United States does, that they should be the ones who are responsible for sending their naval vessels to

the Strait of Hormuz and ensuring that tankers are able to go through unimpeded.

But the president, you'll remember, has been making this argument for some weeks now very angrily, I should note, in public and in private. And so,

far, none of these countries have said that they're able to do that, at least while the war is ongoing. They have said, yes, they're willing to

cooperate down the line, to join some kind of coalition to patrol the Strait, but that the act of hostilities would have to end.

And I think their sort of collective view is that the president, having started this war without gaining any real input from them or even alerting

them that this was going to happen, is now sort of shrugging off the main problem that it has caused and asking them to solve it for him. And that, I

don't think, is being received particularly well in European capitals, but in Asia as well, which is also seeing the brunt of this spike in oil

prices.

You know, I think the president here is facing some countervailing impulses. Yes, it does affect the United States if the Strait of Hormuz is

closed. Obviously, it's caused the price of gas to rise in the United States. But there is a recognition among officials that getting it reopened

is going to take some time, you know, weeks if not months. That is running into the president's own timeline for ending the war, which was four to six

weeks. Obviously, we're within that window now.

Those are sort of competing objectives. If you want to get the Strait open, it's going to take longer than the six-week mark that the president has

laid out. And what the White House seems to be doing is suggesting that the war could end without the Strait being reopened.

The press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, was asked pretty explicitly yesterday whether reopening the Strait was a prerequisite for ending the

war. And she said that it wasn't. And instead, she listed those four other objectives that the administration has put out there.

I think the problem that the president will face is that this political conundrum that he has, rising gas prices in the U.S., once he declares that

the war is over and that all of his objectives have been met and those prices remain high, it's going to be, I think, very difficult for him to

explain to the American people why he's concluded the war without reopening the Strait.

And so, there are clearly a whole set of decisions that the president will now face on how he wants to proceed. But this sort of knot that he has tied

himself in, it doesn't seem as if it's going to become undone very quickly. Max.

FOSTER: And just explain how important gas prices are to U.S. politics and elections.

LIPTAK: Well, they're enormously consequential, I think, because it's a price that Americans see every day on signs when they're driving past gas

stations that gives them an indication of how the economy is going.

[14:35:00]

You know, it's an everyday barometer that Americans can use to test their politicians and the people representing them in Washington. The problem,

particularly for presidents, is that there's nothing they can necessarily do very quickly or very easily to get gas prices down. It's something that

almost every American president faces at some point during their tenure.

And the reality is that they go up very quickly when something happens geopolitically, like the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. But it takes much

longer for the gas prices to come back down. And so, it's something that is always very difficult for presidents to gauge.

It's something that has always been something of a preoccupation for White House chiefs of staff, you know, Biden's chief of staff, Ron Klain, checked

the gas prices every morning. President Trump's chief of staff, Susie Wiles, has similarly been said to be sort of overly focused on that

particular number, which is now above $4 a gallon.

And so, it is something that American politicians and American presidents pay very close attention to because it has such an everyday impact on

Americans' pocketbooks. But it's not something that they can do necessarily to bring it down very quickly. And that's why it, I think, is something

that so many American presidents find is something of a sticky wicket for them as they try and convince Americans of the strength of the economy.

FOSTER: Kevin Liptak at the White House, thank you very much. U.S. oil futures surging more than $100 per barrel on Monday for the first time

since 2022. And that's pushed Asian markets down on Tuesday. But U.S. markets are in the green, as you can see here.

Joining us now Amrita Sen, the founder and director of market intelligence at Energy Aspects. And as I understand it, there was a rumor about

something the Iranians said about the war possibly ending sooner rather than later. But it wasn't anything substantive that the market rode on

today.

AMRITA SEN, FOUNDER AND DIRECTOR, MARKET INTELLIGENCE AT ENERGY ASPECTS: Oh, no, it's a great question. Honestly, nothing has changed. The Iranians

have made these comments in the past as well, saying that if our conditions are met, we are willing to end the war. And they have a long list of

conditions, and those conditions are not the same as the U.S. is putting forward.

I think also what happened in the market today is we've had several statements from the U.S. saying that they're basically willing to walk away

even if the straight isn't open, which, by the way, means more disruptions or a longer disruption in higher energy prices, not lower. More

significantly, some comments coming out of China, you know, talking about ceasefires, et cetera.

And I think that's why the market's kind of -- this is a market fear, like you say, fearing that, you know, the escalation might be kind of dying down

anytime soon. However, fundamentally, really, nothing has changed. And we do expect prices to go back up again because the physical shortages are

here, and we're feeling it in Asia pretty much every day. It just hasn't come to the West, and I think that takes another month or so.

FOSTER: In terms of the relationship between markets and oil prices, the stock markets are obviously much more emotional, aren't they? But how fixed

are they? Are they trying to predict the oil price and the impact on the economy? I mean, what are the big investors thinking here?

SEN: Yes. I mean, the thing is the equity market, as of now, is not reflecting what the fear in the oil market is. And I think the realities,

when I'm speaking with the physical owners of assets, be it CEOs of oil and gas companies or refiners and consumers.

You know, we are staring at over $100 per barrel in crude. And our view is, and this is very much consensus, is that this could continue to rise

further. If you look at gasoline, petrol prices, diesel prices, the things we consume, in some parts of the world, it's over $200. In the U.S. here,

gasoline just crossed $4 per gallon. So, prices are going up, and we cannot replace 15 million barrels per day of lost supplies of 10 of crude and 5 of

products from any other part of the world. So, demand has to come off to balance this market, which essentially means a recession.

So, the equity market for now is extremely sanguine. We are less so. We do think every day this conflict goes on, the probability of that recession is

just rising rapidly.

FOSTER: Well, there are many economists saying it's inevitable now, right? Because there's going to be -- you know, the actual drop in supply to the

U.S. hasn't hit yet. It'll happen sometime later this month because of the delay of these transport systems. And then, you know, that puts pressure on

the U.S. oil supply, and demand and supply just aren't going to meet, and it's going to take months, if not years, to work through.

SEN: So, what I'd say is that the U.S. will not face shortages, right? Because U.S. only imports about 500,000 to 600,000 barrels per day from the

Strait of Hormuz versus, you know, 14 million barrels per day for Asia. And U.S. produces so much oil and gas, that's not going to be the issue.

[14:40:00]

The issue is this is a global market, so prices go up. U.S. can get replacement barrels, also the strategic petroleum barrels are there that

are being released. The challenge is that there is a huge call on U.S. barrels from Asian countries.

So, the U.S. export numbers are going to go up to about 5 million barrels per day, and that's when the fight begins between Asia, Europe, and U.S.

for these barrels. Because at the end of the day, U.S. refiners also need these barrels to make the products here. It just means it's an upward

spiral for prices. But I do want to make sure we don't confuse the outright shortages which is being faced in Asia, that we are not going to see in the

U.S.

FOSTER: OK. Amrita Sen, appreciate. Thank you for joining us.

SEN: Thank you.

FOSTER: Still to come tonight --

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JUNG CHANG, AUTHOR, FLY, WILD SWANS": I think the most important thing is that my mother made me a writer, which actually had been where my heart and

where my gifts lie.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FOSTER: Jung Chang joins Isa's Book Club with "Fly, Wild Swans." The long- awaited sequel to her best-selling book. Charting the personal stories of Jung, her mother and her grandmother.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ISA SOARES, CNN INTERNATIONAL HOST: Joining us today on our book club is Jung Chang with "Fly, Wild Swans: My Mother, Myself and China." Jung, thank

you for coming to the show.

JUNG CHANG, AUTHOR, FLY, WILD SWANS": Well, thank you for inviting me.

SOARES: It's a real treat because myself, like millions of people, grew up reading your book. We know your story. We know your story well. And this is

a continuation of that story where you focus on three generations of women in your family, your grandmother, your mother and yourself in 20th century

China. That's where it starts, of course. And you continue that.

This is a sequel to that and is incredibly compelling and deeply moving. I wonder why you felt 20 years later, 20 plus years later, this story needed

to be told now. Why now?

CHANG: Well, since the publication of "Wild Swans," many people have suggested that I should write a sequel because "Wild Swans" ends in 1978.

And that was a watershed moment in Chinese history, or for the world as well.

[14:45:00]

That year, Mao's tyranny was officially ended and Deng Xiaoping started the reforms and opened the door of China. China began to change. But for many

years, I didn't feel that I could write a sequel to "Wild Swans." I didn't feel that I could what I have experienced or my family had experienced was

enough for a book. But an epoch, an era ended. And so, I decided to write "Fly, Wild Swans."

SOARES: Your mother is a phenomenal woman. And this in many ways -- this book in many ways, Jung, is -- it's like a love story to motherhood in many

ways, a love story to your mother. For viewers who have not read this book, can you explain how instrumental she was to your upbringing to you and how

she shaped you?

CHANG: I think the most important thing is that my mother made me a writer, which actually had been where my heart and where my gifts lie. I

didn't, for many years, I didn't want to write. When I was in China, I would get into trouble being a writer. And when I was out of China, you

know, when I first came, London was like another planet. You know, everything was new. It was like landing on Mars.

And I just wanted to enjoy my life in London. And I didn't want to think about the past. Because in the Cultural Revolution between 1966 and 1976,

and my father died a tragic death. And my beloved grandma, who brought us up, died a very painful death. And it was a very painful past. And I didn't

want to have to think about it.

But to write for me was to look back and look inward into a past I wanted to forget all about. So, I didn't want to write for 10 years until 1988,

when my mother came to stay with me for the first time. And for the first time, she told me the stories of her life and stories of my grandma,

describing to me how my grandmother's feet were crushed and bound to produce the three-inch golden lilies.

And so, my mother talked. And when she started, she couldn't stop. She stayed with me for six months. And she talked every day. When I was out

working, she talked into a tape recorder. So, by the time she left London, she had left me 60 hours of tape recording. And when I was listening to my

mother, I realized that actually I was dying to write and how much I wanted to be a writer. And so, I -- once my mother was gone, I started writing.

SOARES: There is so much love in this book, but also so much empathy. I wonder how you find that, given the brutality you have gone through, you

and your family have gone through. How do you find that empathy or always the distance? Is time a healer?

CHANG: I think the empathy and the love came at the time. I think extreme circumstances brought out the worst, the best in people, as well as the

worst. And during the Cultural Revolution, you know, children of the victims were encouraged to draw a line, what they call basically to

denounce their parents. And some even beat up their parents. But my family got closer. And that was because -- and I developed a kind of love for my

parents, which I think could not have existed in normal times. And it was those love and empathy that enabled us to survive.

SOARES: One thought I had is, why hasn't your book, any of your books been made into a movie, especially "Wild Swans"? It's something that to me

speaks, it's perfect for the younger generation. Do -- have you be -- has anyone reached out to you, offered to write a movie?

CHANG: Well, ever since the publication of "Wild Swans," more than 30 years ago, numerous directors, you know, famous directors, playwrights, you

know, actors. And so, I wanted to make the book into a film. But they have all failed.

[14:50:00]

The problem is with the distributors. And the distributors have invariably been worried about their other products.

SOARES: China, you mean?

CHANG: Targeted by China.

SOARES: Right.

CHANG: It's not that there are other films. It's not just that, it's all the products associated with the films. So, everybody at the beginning was

very confident. No problem. You know, we have everything. But in the end, it was always vetoed at the end, at the point where a distributor has to be

involved.

SOARES: I mean, that's pretty sad. How do you feel about that, Jung?

CHANG: Well, I've been feeling sad for more than 30 years. But, you know, I'm also realistic. And that is the situation.

SOARES: Keep telling that story. Keep writing. It's a phenomenal book. We recommend anyone to read it. "Fly, Wild Swans." Go and get it. It's

fantastic.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

FOSTER: And coming soon to Isa's Book Club, best-selling Korean author Juhea Kim joins with "A Love Story from the End of the World." It's a

collection of 10 short stories set in different locations around the globe, from Seoul to the South of France. And the book reminds us how important

our relationships are with each other, art and nature in a rapidly changing world.

Still to come tonight, mankind prepares to go back to the moon, and NASA's Lunar flyby is scheduled to take off in a little more than 24 hours.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

FOSTER: After much speculation, King Charles has made it official, the king and queen. Queen Camilla will be visiting the U.S. in late April,

President Donald Trump touting the news on social media, calling it historic. This comes as Mr. Trump has criticized the U.K.'s lack of support

in the Iran War. Stay tuned, next hour we'll be speaking to broadcaster and royal commentator Bidisha Mamata about the king's visit. During "What We

Know," also the big question about whether or not he will be meeting Epstein survivors over in the U.S., as he has been asked to do by a

congressman. We'll have an update on that.

[14:55:00]

And finally, this time tomorrow, four astronauts should be boarding a NASA rocket for a trip to the moon. NASA says there is an 80 percent chance that

the weather will be favorable for Wednesday's launch of the Artemis II rocket. It will be taking three Americans and one Canadian further from

Earth than anyone has gone in more than 50 years.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JEFF SPAULDING, SENIOR NASA TEST DIRECTOR: Our team has been working amazingly hard through these weeks and months trying to get this vehicle

ready to where it is. We've had some challenges. The team has done an outstanding job managing each and every one of those throughout all of this

through many different scenarios, through weather, through lots of different things that we've had to work through to try to get through all

of this and get to where we are today. People are excited and ready to go on this first chapter on our way back to the moon since the 1970s.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FOSTER: The 10-day mission will orbit the moon and see parts of it that have never been seen by human eyes. It's the first step in NASA's plan to

land humans on the moon and build a permanent base there. Thanks for watching tonight. Stay with CNN. I'll have "What We Know" up next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[15:00:00]

END