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Isa Soares Tonight
Iran Tells CNN Talks With The United States Are Deadlocked; Lebanese President Accuses Tehran Of Exploiting His Nation; Putin Responds To A Pointed Personal Letter From Zelenskyy; Zelenskyy Posts Open Letter To Putin Calling For End To War; Trump Says Russia And Ukraine Need To Make Compromises; Albanian Protests Grow Over Trump-Linked Resort; WHO Announces $518M Plan To Fight Ebola With Africa CDC; Global Football Tourney Kicks Off In Six Days. Aired 2-3p ET
Aired June 05, 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]
ISA SOARES, HOST, ISA SOARES TONIGHT: A very warm welcome to the show, everyone, I'm Isa Soares. Tonight, Iran tells CNN, talks with the United
States are deadlocked. We have exclusive new reporting from our Fred Pleitgen in just a moment.
Then, as a new ceasefire in Lebanon already fray, the country's President accuses Tehran of exploiting his nation. And then later this hour, Russia's
leader responds to a pointed personal letter from the Ukrainian President.
But we begin tonight with Iran because Iran says peace negotiations with the U.S. are deadlocked, but could make progress if a key demand is met. We
begin with exclusive reporting from our Frederik Pleitgen, who gained rare access into the Iranian supreme leader's inner circle.
He sat down in Tehran with Mohsen Rezaee; the senior military adviser to Mojtaba Khamenei. Rezaee said a potential deal hinges on the U.S. agreeing
to release $24 billion in frozen Iranian assets. He said, and I'm quoting here, "the ball is in Trump's court."
Rezaee also warned the U.S. not to resume attacks, saying Iran would then expand the war beyond the Persian Gulf. Here's more of that interview now,
and a reminder, of course, to all of you, CNN operates in Iran only with the government's permission, but we do maintain full editorial control of
our reports.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (on camera): You are the military adviser of the supreme leader. How is the supreme leader
doing? Is he fully in control of everything? And President Trump said that he would be honored to meet the supreme leader.
MOHSEN REZAEE, SENIOR MILITARY ADVISER TO MOJTABA KHAMENEI (through translator): This will not happen. Right now, we are in the first stage of
negotiations, and Mr. Trump has brought the negotiations to a standstill. This will not happen.
PLEITGEN: Are the negotiations right now blocked? Or do you think that a Memorandum of Understanding can be reached quickly?
REZAEE: In my opinion, the negotiations are at a deadlock, and Trump must break this deadlock.
PLEITGEN: They are waiting for an answer from Iran.
REZAEE: Iran has openly stated that our assets have been frozen, and you must release them. The Americans are not telling the truth in this regard.
PLEITGEN: So, the frozen assets are the big problem right now.
REZAEE: This is a sign of trust building. If Trump takes the negotiations seriously, $24 billion is not much to America. If he wants to reach an
agreement with Iran, this $24 billion is a test of trust that Iran wants to have with Trump.
This is a test that America must pass, and the path will be opened. This is our own money, not America's money.
PLEITGEN: Wouldn't a war be catastrophic for Iran as well, though, if it was a big bombing campaign?
REZAEE: If the war continues, and the Naval blockade is not lifted, we will drag the war to the Indian Ocean, the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait, the Red Sea and
the Mediterranean. And we will give another dimension to the war by attacking these other American bases that we have been attacking so far.
America will definitely suffer much more losses. America's losses will be very heavy.
PLEITGEN: Final question. What's your message to Donald Trump?
REZAEE: Mr. Trump must make decisions independently of Israel. He must give what is the rights of the Iranian people and stop the blockade. Release our
frozen assets. And this can be a new horizon for the future of Iran and America.
Therefore, Trump must put aside his personal interests and think about the interests of the American people. If Trump has the courage, many issues
will be resolved in the future.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SOARES: That exclusive interview from our Fred Pleitgen and Claudia Otto in Tehran. Let me bring in Kristen Holmes, who is at the White House. So,
Kristen, I'm sure you were hearing that interview there, and we heard very clearly there, the Iranian positions, right?
That their negotiations are deadlocked and they want the release of the frozen Iranian assets, and that President Trump, as you heard there, must
break this deadlock.
[14:05:00]
The ball is in Trump's court. What is the U.S. position? Just remind us of this on the unfreezing of these funds.
KRISTEN HOLMES, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: President Trump doesn't want any exchange of money, at least, something up front. We know that he has
said it multiple times. We also know that he campaigned on this idea that Barack Obama's deal with Iran was a failure because of the money that Iran
was given.
So, even in frozen assets, they don't want the initial unfreezing of assets to happen. Now, there have been conversations about something happening
down the road. If Iran was to follow through with this ceasefire, with this moving forward and follow through their steps to the nuclear program.
But President Trump has said that this is not something he wants to do. Now, whether or not that changes, is really up in the air, because we also
know that President Trump has been looking for any kind of off-ramp when it comes to the war in Iran.
What's interesting about this is that according to the White House, negotiations are ongoing. But one thing we know to be true is that the last
we've heard about the actual Memorandum of Understanding that was going back-and-forth between Iran and the United States.
Was President Trump sending it back to Iran with stricter language around the nuclear program, around reopening the Strait of Hormuz? It does not
seem as though Iran has responded to that yet. They believed at that time, both Iran and the negotiators in the middle as well as the United States
were sounding somewhat optimistic that this memorandum was something that could be approved to start this kind of peace period and moving forward
from the Iran war.
But it doesn't seem as though that they're still in the same place now. Now, of course, one of the complications of all of this is that Iran is
known to not tell the truth, and we've seen them time and time again continue in the negotiations, but also out loud say that nothing is
happening and they would never talk to anyone linked to the United States, et cetera, which of course, was not true.
Right now, though, given what we are hearing from this official saying, that is not something that's going to move on President Trump's end, we
have not heard any reaction yet to this interview, though.
SOARES: Yes, that is interesting because of course, I wonder what the reaction has been, and we'll get to Lebanon in just a moment what is
happening between Hezbollah and Israel. Because as we've been telling viewers, Israel and Lebanon have agreed to a ceasefire. Hezbollah has said
no.
So, it's unclear where we are right now and what the next negotiation, the next step in the diplomacy will be. What is the sense that you're getting
from the U.S. administration on this?
HOLMES: Well, the guesses I'm getting is that they're trying to figure out any way to make this work without President Trump coming away from this
feeling like he lost anything. He doesn't want --
SOARES: Yes --
HOLMES: To come away with the exact same deal that President Obama got. He wants something different. He wants to make sure that the points that he's
been hammering home for the last several months, talking about the nuclear program, as he calls it, the nuclear dust.
But it's just the enriched uranium and frozen assets, any kind of funding to Iran. Those are things that matter to him because they were part of
Obama's deal as well. So, he wants to come out of this with something new and greater.
That shows why he went into this war in the first place, as so many Americans still don't really have an understanding of why President Trump
chose this moment to go into it. The other thing to keep in mind here is that, it is not lost on President Trump or his administration, his closest
advisors, of just how unpopular this is in the United States.
They are heading into a Midterm season. And yes, President Trump isn't on the ballot. And yes, it is President Trump's last term. But he -- if his
Republicans get slaughtered in a Midterm, he has almost no power for the final two years of his administration.
And much of what he's been able to do, he's been able to do with a very supportive Congress who hasn't pushed back. So, they need wins in Congress.
They need wins during these Midterms. And the American people are getting more and more angry as they're watching the prices of gas go up.
They've watched the cost of living go up, all of it linked at least, some of it tangentially, but some directly to this war in Iran.
SOARES: Important context there from our Kristen Holmes. Thanks very much, Kristen, appreciate it. Well, as Kristen and I were discussing Lebanon, and
Lebanon's President is taking the rare step of rebuking Hezbollah and its Iranian backers.
Joseph Aoun says the people of Lebanon are fed up, his words with war. He condemned Hezbollah a day after it rejected the latest ceasefire between
Israel and Lebanon, demanding a full Israeli troop withdrawal.
Ongoing attacks by Israel and Hezbollah are threatening to make a mockery of the ceasefire. Mr. Aoun said Hezbollah's leader does not represent the
Lebanese people, and Lebanon doesn't belong to Iran. He spoke exclusively with our Christiane Amanpour.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOSEPH AOUN, PRESIDENT, LEBANON: IRGC, the --
CHRISTIANE AMANPOUR, CNN CHIEF INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR: Iranian --
AOUN: Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps that this -- they don't agree with it, they don't approve this agreement the -- what happened.
[14:10:00]
It's not your country, it's our country. It's our obligation. It's not your job to interfere into our country. I reject the statement totally because
our people are being killed. Our people being -- our houses being destroyed. They are using Lebanon as a chip -- bargaining chip in their
negotiation with the United States.
It's unacceptable. And here also, Hezbollah must understand that. Hezbollah must understand that no other way, but to sit and talk. No other way to
solve this problem and to save what's left except through negotiation and diplomacy.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SOARES: Joseph Aoun speaking there to our Christiane Amanpour. And still to come tonight, he's set to become the acting director of U.S. Intelligence.
So, why wasn't President Trump's choice for the job given even the lowest level of security clearance before he was appointed? We'll examine that
after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SOARES: Well, in a scathing ruling just a short time ago, U.S. federal judge struck down Trump administration policies targeting immigrants,
calling those policies not only illegal, but anti-immigrant. The administration last year, if you remember, indefinitely suspended asylum
and immigration decisions for people from countries under U.S. travel ban.
In his ruling, the judge wrote, I'm going to read part of it. "The government effectively invites the court to shut its eyes and ignore the
strong evidence of anti-immigrant animus before it. Doing so will require profound naivete on the court's part."
I want to bring in Priscilla Alvarez live from Washington. And Priscilla, like we've just laid out, I mean, this is incredibly scathing, this ruling.
And it does affect countless people. So, talk us through what we've heard today.
PRISCILLA ALVAREZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, it's a major ruling that stands to affect millions of immigrants in the United States, because they have
all been in legal limbo after the Trump administration last year indefinitely suspended asylum adjudications as well as froze immigration
benefits for people who fell under the travel ban.
Remember those 39 countries that have been listed by the Trump administration. Now, this is a scathing ruling. It's also a very long
ruling. This was 135 pages. The judge here having a lot to say about the administration and its choice to, again, essentially place all of these
immigrants in the U.S. once that the judge notes -- did things, quote, "the right way in legal limbo and facing uncertainties."
[14:15:00]
I'll read another part of this ruling to you. He says, quote, "the challenged policies placed the lives of countless individuals on hold
solely by virtue of their countries of birth. And as you read there at the top". He also talked about and described that, quote, "strong evidence of
anti-immigrant animus."
Now, these were policies that were rolled out after an Afghan national had shot two national guardsmen in Washington D.C. This was part of the
response and reaction by the Trump administration.
And ever since then again, many immigrants in the U.S. who were separated from that altogether, have had their cases placed on hold and placed them
in a position of not being able to work in the U.S. or know what the next steps were legally.
Now, the Department of Homeland Security is pushing back, and they're pushing back forcefully. James Percival; the Department of Homeland
Security's general counsel had this to say in a statement, quote, "the left has been running the same gambit with so-called, quote, 'animus claims
since 2017, it is sabotaged dressed in legal clothing.
It goes like this, one, the admin is racist, two, therefore, a policy I don't like is motivated by race, three, therefore it is invalid. They have
used it in virtually every Trump-era Department of Homeland Security Policy.'"
So, this is certainly a major blow to the Trump administration. This is an administration that has not only cracked down on illegal immigration, but
also on legal immigration. And that is what was happening here. The federal judge ruling against that, striking down those policies.
The question is what happens next? This is likely a case that the administration will appeal and will be on the watch for that. But in the
meantime, we'll also be on the watch for these applications and adjudications restarting as a result of this ruling. Isa?
SOARES: Right, so, on that final point that you made there, Priscilla, is it clear how quickly the process -- I believe this will be a huge relief
for so many people. So, what are the next steps for those who want to know where this go from here?
You know, putting aside, of course, the legal aspect of this, that potentially there could be an appeal from the Trump administration who, by
the way, we haven't heard from yet.
ALVAREZ: Well, generally, when we have big rulings like this or any court ruling at all, having to do with the Trump administration policy, there is
a process that starts within the Department of Homeland Security, where their legal teams --
SOARES: Right --
ALVAREZ: Are reviewing, and they're trying to understand what the judge is saying and what they have to do. So, this is not something that immediately
happens in terms of a restart. There is a process that plays out. And then typically, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, which adjudicates
these applications, will release guidance internally to the officers working on these applications to tell them what to do next.
In the meantime, at the same time that, that is playing out is generally when the administration may also be moving toward an appeal. So, there are
still a lot of moving parts here, but from -- just from the ruling itself, it is certainly, again, a blow to the administration, because these are
policies that they have leaned on to crack down on illegal immigration in the U.S.
SOARES: Priscilla Alvarez there with that breaking news. Thanks very much, Priscilla, appreciate it. We're going to stay in the United States because
President Donald Trump's pick to become the next U.S. spy chief not only didn't have any Intel experience before he was chosen, he didn't have --
even have the lowest level security clearance.
Sources tell CNN, Bill Pulte lacked that longstanding basic requirement before being chosen as the next Acting Director of National Intelligence.
Pulte has played a key role in the President's retribution tour against his political enemies.
And that means he'll have unfettered access to the most sensitive information on friends and foes alike. The President is defending his
choice. Have a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: It's an acting position. It's not a problem. He's not going to be permanent because, you know, I don't
think he'd want to be permanent. But he's a very smart guy and he may find out some things about the rigged elections, et cetera.
I think he'd like to do it. I'd like to -- I think he wants to do it very much, got a lot of energy, but he'll be very good. Again, it's not a
permanent position --
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Right --
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SOARES: Let's get more from our CNN's national security correspondent, Natasha Bertrand, who joins me -- who joins me now. Natasha, good to see
you. So, just explain this for our viewers. I mean, I would imagine this job would be, you know, this would be a prerequisite, right? The checks and
balances for the job. Just talk us through this because I know there are different levels, aren't there?
NATASHA BERTRAND, CNN NATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Bill Pulte was chosen by President Trump to serve in this acting capacity because he's
seen as a loyalist who is going to move fast and break things in the Intelligence community.
And that is despite the fact that he has no prior Intelligence or national security experience to include the fact that he didn't even have a security
clearance prior to President Trump appointing him for this role.
Now, as you said, there are different levels of security clearance ranging from, you know, lower-level clearances that allow you to see less
classified information to top secret that allow you to see very sensitive compartmented Intelligence information that is highly sensitive.
[14:20:00]
And he didn't have any of that. And that really underscores, you know, the fact that he has never handled classified information even prior to being
put in this role. He has never dealt with, you know, information that is sensitive national security information.
And now, he's going to be in charge of the entire Intelligence community, even the CIA director actually reports to the director of National
Intelligence. Now, we know that President Trump has for many years been deeply mistrustful of the Intelligence community.
And that's one major reason why he's putting Bill Pulte in there. He said just today to the "Wall Street Journal", that he wants large scale firings
to be carried out in that office. He believes it is too bloated, and he actually thinks that the director of National Intelligence Office should be
terminated altogether.
And that is something that they are going to be looking at. So, clearly, someone he is putting in there because he believes in an acting capacity,
as he told the journal, he doesn't have as many shackles as if he were in a confirmed position.
And he can essentially move quickly and make the changes that Trump wants to see for the Intel community. Isa.
SOARES: Yes, I was just looking at exactly at the "Wall Street Journal" because they said, I'd like to see it smaller. I think there are a lot of
people in there that shouldn't be there. This is according to the "Wall Street Journal" speaking to President Trump.
But I do want to go back, though, to what you were saying and to your reporting, Natasha, because what stood out for me from, you know, from
Pulte is that he hadn't been previously vetted for potential -- from what - - from what you're reporting suggests security vulnerabilities. How is that being received in Washington?
BERTRAND: A lot of concerns, especially among lawmakers, including Republicans, who say that because he's never been vetted for a clearance
before, never even taken a polygraph test, for example, it causes a lot of concerns about his past, whether he can be blackmailed, for example, his
financial vulnerabilities, anything that might come up in that kind of background check has not been done.
We should note, however, that the Office of the Director of National Intelligence actually just reached out to the CIA in recent days to get
that process started. So, prior to him taking the role, it does seem like he is going to have some kind of background investigation conducted into
his past.
But it's important to note that, that was never done before President Trump decided that he would be the acting director here. So, depending on what
that turns up, maybe his position will be withdrawn. But President Trump has made very clear that he wants Bill Pulte in that role.
SOARES: Natasha Bertrand with that reporting, thanks very much, Natasha. Good to see you. Now, when former Attorney General Pam Bondi testified
before a House Committee last week, she wasn't under oath and no cameras were allowed.
But a newly-released transcript is giving us a glimpse into how she responded to questions about the release of the Epstein files. Now, Bondi
told lawmakers that Todd Blanche, currently the acting Attorney General, was in charge of the entire process. This was her words.
She also shared she had nothing to do with the decision to transfer convicted sex trafficker Ghislaine Maxwell to a minimum-security prison.
And she refused to answer any questions about President Donald Trump. Under federal law, the DOJ was required to make public all non-classified
documents related to the case. Currently, about 3 million files have not been released.
Well, an appeals court is expected to rule within the next few weeks on the latest case testing the limits, really of President Trump's authority.
Earlier, a three-judge panel heard a legal challenge against the continued construction of a $400 million ballroom in the White House.
The hearing, considered the President's request to indefinitely pause an order halting construction. The panel also heard arguments on whether the
President had legal authority to bulldoze the historic East Wing without congressional approval.
The project has received heavy pushback from preservationists who sued the Trump administration back in December. We will stay across that story for
you. And still to come tonight, Ukraine's President has faced -- has asked for a face-to-face meeting with Russia's leader to end the war.
How Russia is responding. And then later, protests in Albania over luxury development with ties to U.S. President Donald Trump. We'll take a look at
why environmentalists are concerned.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[14:25:00]
SOARES: Welcome back, everyone. The leaders of France, the U.K. and Germany are set to hold talks with Volodymyr Zelenskyy this weekend in London, and
it comes after the Ukrainian President posted an open letter to Russian President Vladimir Putin, calling for a face-to-face meeting and an end to
the war.
Russia says if President Zelenskyy wants to meet Mr. Putin, he can go to Moscow. Speaking in St. Petersburg, the Russian leader dismissed the idea
of meeting with Ukraine's President right away. Have a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
VLADIMIR PUTIN, PRESIDENT, RUSSIA (through translator): I don't see any reason for a meeting. The Ukrainian side's only objective is to halt the
advance of our armed forces. That's it. We need agreements, not for six months, not for three months, but for a long historical perspective.
Let the specialists work and develop some solutions. After that, we can meet, be present at the signing of some documents or even sign something.
But first, we need to find a solution.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SOARES: Well, the timing of Zelenskyy's letter is no coincidence. Putin, as you saw there, is at an event with Russian billionaires and business
elites, and the Ukrainian President is hoping to capitalize on their discontent with Russia's struggling economy as the war drags on.
Zelenskyy also struck a personal note in the letter, addressing Putin directly and warning him about his future. He said, "you too will have to
fight much harder for your own existence, not Russia's, but your own. And this is not a threat from me or from Ukraine.
It is a fact of Russian history that you know well, when Russia grows tired, change comes." Joining me now is Kurt Volker; a leading expert on
U.S. foreign and national security policy, has served as both U.S. ambassador to NATO and the U.S. Special Representative for Ukrainian
Negotiations.
A well-known face here on the show. Kurt, great to have you back on the show. We will talk at great length about this letter, which I do recommend
viewers read in full. It is quite -- something quite striking. But let me ask you straight off the bat whether you think this letter, which
Zelenskyy, there, proposing, you know, talks while poking fun at him and criticize him.
Do you think that will push Putin at all to negotiating table because he said there, that, you know, the -- no reason for a meeting.
KURT VOLKER, SENIOR ADVISER, ATLANTIC COUNCIL: Yes, well, no, it will not push Putin to serious negotiations. And that wasn't the point. The point is
to demonstrate that Ukraine is strong. Ukraine has capabilities, Ukraine has resources, so they can hit Moscow, they can hit St. Petersburg, and
they can continue this.
So, demonstrating strength, that's one part. Another part is demonstrating that Ukraine wants peace. So, they are prepared to negotiate, prepared to
have a meeting. They're prepared to have an immediate ceasefire while that goes on.
[14:30:07]
So, it's positioning Ukraine on the side of peace while Putin is on the side of war. So, it's all that messaging going on. And that message, I
think, is aimed partly at President Trump to say, look, we do have cards and we are willing to make peace, so don't say we're the ones continuing
the war. But it's also aimed at the Russian elites and the Russian people to say Vladimir Putin has taken you for this ride and it is going
disastrously for Russia. You need to know that we're ready to stop it. It's Putin that is the problem.
So, I think several audiences and I and I think getting this letter out as a public letter was smart because then he makes sure all those audiences
see it.
SOARES: Yes. Yes, and the timing as we're saying is interesting and not a coincidence of course given it's happening in the middle St. Petersburg
International Economic Forum. And it is happening as well as we've been discussing, Kurt, all this week as Ukraine is regaining some battleground
leverage, right? Just this week, we have seen Ukraine striking deep in Russian St. Petersburg. Of course, the hometown of president -- of
President Putin.
How effective do you think Ukraine has been in your eyes at weakening at least Putin at home? Because President Zelenskyy thus focus on that.
VOLKER: Yes. Well, I think that Ukraine has successfully turned a corner here. Their drone strikes, including going deep inside Russia, are having
more strategic impact than Russia's strikes against Ukraine. Russia will hit Ukrainian cities, civilians, sometimes the power grid, but they are
really not having a strategic impact. What Ukraine is doing is knocking out fuel supplies for Russia, for Russia's military forces and also for export,
which is where Russia gets most of its money. So, this is actually having an impact. That's one side.
On the other, on the front lines, Russia is losing extraordinary numbers of personnel on the front lines so much that they can't keep up with it with
new recruitment. And they're not gaining any ground and in fact they've lost ground over the course of this year. So, I think the message for
Putin, the message for the Russian elites is that you're not gaining anything. You've already reached your high-water mark and now. You are
slowly losing. Do you want to keep this up or do you want to end it? And I think that is a strategically significant message coming from Ukraine right
now.
SOARES: Yes. And actually I thought that was really standout from his letter. And I want -- do want to delve deeper into that because in this
letter the president speaks about the rising discontent in Russia, the war fatigue, and he really cut through the Kremlin's excuses that we've heard
numerous occasions and he presented the war, Kurt, as one man's obsession, right?
We mentioned that -- we showed the viewers the little part that he said earlier that -- let me see -- if you do personally come to the conclusion
it's time to end this war, Ukraine will continue fighting for its existence. We'll have those who support us. But you too will have to fight
much harder for your own existence, not Russia's, but your own. And this is not a threat from me or from Ukraine. This is a fact of Russian history
that you know well. When Russia grows tired, change comes.
How do you think this would land in Russia?
VOLKER: Well, I think it's going to be seen as a lot of bravado. It's going to be seen as Zelenskyy acting tough and talking tough. So, there's a --
there's a downside to that, but it is also true. So people who are reading that will know, well, yes, actually as long as this war was cost-free, yes,
we can let Putin go ahead and pursue his legacy and his historical mission to rebuild the Russian Empire. But now it's actually costing us, the
Russian people, us, the Russian elites. We're losing businesses. We're losing access. We're losing travel. So, I think that is going to have an
impact.
And for Zelenskyy to say very pointedly that it's Putin that is causing this and you know that there's a way that this has changed in the past and
it could change again.
SOARES: Yes. And he acknowledged -- and you mentioned United States earlier. I'm sure you've read it, but he also acknowledged those shifting
U.S. priorities, Kurt, saying that the U.S. is quote fully focused on the issue of Iran. Not a criticism, but we have heard from President Trump
regarding this letter.
I want to play what the president said. Have a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I'm glad that they're maybe talking about meeting. I think we had a lot to do with it. I know exactly
what you're doing. But, I think it would be great if they met. They should get it done. They're going to make both make compromises. I suggested those
compromises. And, you know, we've had a lot to do with it. Would love to see -- they're two very good people. They're two very, I mean, incredible
countries, beautiful countries. They've got to stop.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
[14:35:00]
SOARES: And this comes, of course, as legislation from what I understand, Kurt, has passed from the House of Representatives for aid for Ukraine,
potential sanctions for Russia. Do you -- do you think that this will pass as the Senate?
VOLKER: Yes. No, I don't. In fact, it may not even come up for a vote in the Senate if they can't get closer. But even if it does come up for a vote
and even if it does pass in the Senate, President Trump will veto it and there will not be a supermajority able to override a veto. So, this is just
a symbolic statement from the House and you may get one from the Senate too that they support Ukraine, but they can't overturn President Trump's desire
not to -- not to have the U.S. providing active support for Ukraine.
SOARES: Kurt, I always enjoy our conversations. Thank you very much for joining us. Kurt Volker there.
VOLKER: My pleasure, Isa. Thank you for having me.
SOARES: You're very welcome. You're very welcome.
As we've been showing you here on the show all week, demonstrators have been calling the growing protest across Albania, the Flamingo Revolution.
And they are worried a luxury development with ties to the U.S. president's family will ruin an environmentally sensitive part of the Adriatic Coast.
As we've showed you, it's home to wetlands and wildlife, including flamingos, hence the name. But Donald Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner, is
planning to build a billion-dollar resort there. I took a look at the mounting anger in Albania over the plan and what really is at stake.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SOARES (voiceover): Defiance and outrage in Albania's capital. For several consecutive days now, demonstrators marching through the streets of Tirana,
protesting a large luxury real estate project, backed by the U.S. president's daughter and son-in-law, Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner.
Demonstrations have been dubbed the Flamingo Revolution because the site suggested for the luxury developments includes the island of Sazan and some
of the coastline near the Zvernec wetlands and the Narta Lagoon, part of a protected area, home to seals, turtles, and thousands of flamingos.
The first protest started in spring when bulldozers were first spotted clearing land in this untouched corner of the Mediterranean. But only
gained momentum when private security were filmed clashing with protesters near the actual site early in the week.
A day later, the issue was amplified when Ivanka Trump shared in a podcast interview how she and Kushner stumbled upon the location during the visit
in 2021.
IVANKA TRUMP, DAUGHTER OF DONALD TRUMP: We were on a friend's boat and we stopped for a swim. Effectively, that's how we found it. We swam to the
islands. We went on a hike barefoot all the way up to the top and we were just captivated.
SOARES (voiceover): Trump's romantic tale of causality and spontaneity, not mentioning an important detail.
JARED KUSHNER, HUSBAND OF IVANKA TRUMP: Prime Minister Rama came to the boat.
SOARES (voiceover): Edi Rama, head of the country's government, impressing Kushner with his vision for Albania. In 2022, a year after that first
visit, Kushner decided to go back.
KUSHNER: So we went there, we looked for opportunities and we were able to find some incredible, incredible opportunities.
SOARES (voiceover): A firm linked to Kushner and his partners obtained strategic investor status in 2024. A provision which under Albanian law
allows their project to be fast-tracked by the government and regulators and given certain tax exemptions. Another law introduced in 2024 makes
things even easier by spelling out that luxury tourism developments can simply bypass legislation safeguarding environmentally protected areas. Two
controversial rules Albania has agreed to repeal as part of his accession to the European Union.
With protesters accusing Prime Minister Edi Rama of selling the country to the highest bidder, the head of the Albanian Executive telling me there
isn't even a project yet.
EDI RAMA, PRIME MINISTER, ALBANIA: There is not such a thing like a Trump family island. There is not such a thing like the family of the American
president taking over protected areas.
SOARES (voiceover): Rama saying environmental studies to measure the impact of building on this landscape are ongoing. While the company behind the
project says its focus remains on responsible stewardship, environmental enhancement, job creation, and creating long-term value for local
communities, echoing what Kushner and Trump have also said about the project themselves.
KUSHNER: If we don't respect the environment, the development we're going to create there won't be as special.
I. TRUMP: Because the land is so beautiful that really the architecture has to be fully integrated into it.
SOARES (voiceover): It's unclear whether the bulldozers currently operating near the Narta Lagoon are connected to the Kushner-linked luxury
development, but protesters and environmentalists believe the government, despite their many denials, is hiding something.
[14:40:01]
MELITJAN NEZAJ, ENVIRONMENTAL BIOLOGIST: As we speak now, there are no permissions publicly available. The government is saying that we have
permission to the investors to develop the area but we don't have anything else. Like, everything else is like darkness for us and for the public.
SOARES (voiceover): And so until some light is shed, they say these flamingos are going nowhere.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SOARES: And still to come tonight --
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CLARISSA WARD, CNN INTERNATIONAL CHIEF INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: From up here you really get a sense of the challenges in fighting this outbreak.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SOARES: Our Clarissa Ward travels to remote Congolese mining town believed to be the epicenter of the Ebola outbreak. You won't want to miss her
report. Do stay with us for that.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SOARES: The World Health Organization has announced a $518 million plan with the Africa CDC to fight Ebola. The WHO says the program will run for
six months and it's calling for more international donors and political commitments to contain the deadly illness. The Democratic Republic of Congo
has been hardest hit by this latest round of Ebola.
Our Clarissa Ward went for a remote mining town believed to be the epicenter of the outbreak.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
WARD (voiceover): We are heading to Mongbwalu, a remote gold mining town deep in the lush forests of eastern Congo and the epicenter of this Ebola
crisis.
WARD: From up here, you really get a sense of the challenges in fighting this outbreak, the vastness of the terrain, and the total lack of good
roads.
WARD (voiceover): The World Food Programme now operates a daily helicopter to deliver supplies to the beleaguered community. On this day, they're
bringing a much-needed mobile testing lab. Days without results here have cost lives.
WARD: You can see they've sent security for us. That's because yesterday villagers were throwing rocks at a convoy of aid workers.
WARD (voiceover): We drive quickly through the town. Suspicion of aid organizations runs deep here with conspiracy theories swirling as the death
toll mounts. We jump out of the car to talk to local journalist Guar Mumbesa (ph).
[14:45:03]
WARD: So, he's saying that there's a feeling among the community as well that aid workers who are coming here are actually coming here to profit
from this crisis, not to help.
WARD (voiceover): He spends his days trying to educate the community about the outbreak.
WARD: So, he's saying that the reason he's frightened of this hospital is because everybody who goes in there sick, they don't leave. They come out
dead.
WARD (voiceover): Inside the hospital, a small team is holding the line. Logistics coordinator Naoufel Dridi is preparing to disinfect another body.
NAOUFEL DRIDI, LOGISTICS COORDINATOR, DOCTORS WITHOUT BORDERS (text): It's like you're on the front lines where the bullets are flying. But with
Ebola, you can't see it. You cant see it.
WARD (voiceover): That invisible enemy is everywhere here. Workers carry the first body to the morgue. A grim procession, disinfecting the path as
they go. A second follows closely behind. A woman can be heard wailing from inside. My child, my child, she cries. I remember my child.
WARD: So, he's explaining to me that the two bodies that we just saw being brought in. One of them was an 11-year-old child and the other one was an
8-month-old baby. And you can hear, we've been hearing the wails of the family. It's just -- it's unimaginable.
WARD (voiceover): The bodies keep coming, six in total this day. Each one a family destroyed. The mayor of Mongbwalu is overwhelmed. His town has never
seen anything like this.
WARD: Can we talk about when this all started? When did you first understand that there was something terribly wrong going on here?
SESEREKI MANDRO ISRAEL, MAYOR, MONGBWALU, DRC (text): The date was February 22nd when a body arrived from Bunia in a coffin.
WARD: The 22nd of February.
WARD (voiceover): That's more than 11 weeks before the outbreak was declared.
ISRAEL (text): Two or three weeks later, people started to die here. The deaths in two weeks, there were forty-eight dead, here in Mongbwalu.
WARD (voiceover): The virus continued to spread silently, invisibly through this town and beyond. Healthcare workers are now playing catchup to contain
the outbreak and the people of Mongbwalu are still paying the price.
Clarissa Ward, CNN, Mongbwalu, Democratic Republic of Congo.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[14:50:53]
SOARES: We are tracking some new developments ahead of the World Cup. A White House official tells Reuters Iran's football team have been granted
visas to enter the United States. And the news comes less than a week before the tournament kicks off. The games are being shared across North
America with Canada, the U.S., and Mexico splitting 104 matches in 16 different cities.
Joining me now is Jim Campbell. He is the co-host of The Thing About Arsenal and Football Ramble podcast.
Jim, welcome to the show. Look, I think it's fair to say the excitement is building, at least in my household. There's a lot of Panini stickers
around. But let's talk -- let's talk about -- let's talk about the football and what we're likely to see here. Is this going to be huge. Let's talk
about the winner, the potential winners, or rather the favorites. Where -- who's your money on?
JIM CAMPBELL, CO-HOST, THE THING ABOUT ARSENAL AND FOOTBALL RAMBLE PODCASTS: I can't really look past either France or Spain, I have to say. I
think it's very difficult to separate either of them at this stage. The French national team manager, Didier Deschamps, has been in charge of
France for a very long time. He's previously been criticized for being a little bit too conservative. We know this is going to be his last
tournament as the France manager. So, there is a possibility that he will just decide to let loose, let all of those attacking players really show
what they can do.
And Spain are a really, really well-organized team who are stacked with a lot of talent. Argentina have to come into the picture as well as the
holders. I think right now if I had to put money on it, I'd go for Spain, personally.
SOARES: Yes. And my 10-year-old, I mean, he put Spain up there as well with you. And he's just -- he's just really loves the young players in the
Spanish team, and that's something that they -- he's really connected with. Is -- what is it about the Spanish team that you think has potential?
CAMPBELL There is a lot of experience in that team. they've got a lot of very versatile players. They've got a lot of areas of the pitch that are
stacked with talent and with a bit of depth in each position. And they've really got an X-factor in Lamine Yamal, who I'm sure you're hearing all
about from your 10-year-old because he is --- he's only 18 years old, but he is an absolute superstar in the making already. I'm not sure if viewers
will have seen the picture of him as a child where he was literally bathed by Lionel Messi for part of a photo shoot that Barcelona did. So, there is
a -- there is a sense of inevitability about Yamal being a superstar at this tournament.
And there's something about him, and really let's be honest there's something about the teenage brain where they're just fearless and they take
risks. And he's got such a natural talent that the combination of those two things makes him a really, really entertaining watch. And I think he might
be the sparkle that Spain needs that goes on top of their very sort of, you know, as I say, highly organized and very sort of yes dedicated hardworking
team.
SOARES: Yes, him and Nico at the front, I mean, they're just -- they're just superb, aren't they?
Let's talk then about the -- you know, the dark horses because there are plenty of great teams out there. Who you -- who you have your eye on?
CAMPBELL: I think this is kind of an obvious thing to say, but you have to say it. I think Norway being at their first World Cup in 28 years is going
to be a really, really special thing, and I think a lot of people are going to be tuning in to watch their games.
Of course, they have Erling Haaland, one of one of the, you know, the best strikers in the world. But it's not just Haaland, they've got Martin
Odegaard, who's of course won the Premier League with Arsenal. Obviously, I have to get that in. But there are players in there like Antonio Nusa as
well, and Alexander Sorloth, who are very, very talented players. So, they're far from a one-man team. There's going to be a lot of kind of
general support for them. I think they're kind of going to be a lot of people's second team because it's just such a -- it's been such a long time
since they have appeared at the World Cup.
And I don't know if you've seen the photo shoot that they've just released where they're all dressed as Vikings --
SOARES: Yes. Oh, my goodness.
CAMPBELL: -- standing in front of Longboats.
SOARES: Haven't I seen it?
CAMPBELL: It's so great.
SOARES: It's everywhere on social media. Let me bring it up for our viewers. Let's bring it up. I'm not sure our producers are showing it now.
And these are photos by -- I think it's British photographer David Yarrow. And it's just -- I mean, they're dressed as Vikings. At one point, I
honestly did not know if this was A.I. I had to do a deep search here for work reasons, obviously.
CAMPBELL: Yes. Yes. I mean, there are a lot of players in that squad where I wasn't sure if they were extras from a show like Vikings or if they were
actually members of the squad because it's just been executed so brilliantly. And these are the sort of little quirky things I suppose we
love about the World Cup. And it also does make Norway look a little bit terrifying. They're in the same group as France, so that is -- that is a
game that's bound to be extremely entertaining if everybody delivers.
[14:55:29]
SOARES: And we've got about a minute left on the show, so let me ask you. I mean, how is the mood, the energy, the buildup? Are you feeling it yet or
is this still -- or not as exciting because it's so far away?
CAMPBELL: I am gradually getting more and more excited about it. I'm kind of -- I'm not sure how I feel about England's chances in that -- in that
type of heat, but actually England have a really, really good squad, which again has a lot of depth. They are among the favorites. I have a feeling
that they aren't quite at the level of Spain and France, so that's perhaps tempering my expectations a little bit. But as is always the case with the
World Cup, the moment it starts, you're just completely invested in what ends up being a festival of football. And I am sure that when it starts, I
will feel just like I did when I was 10 years old.
SOARES: Yes. Absolutely. Absolutely. I mean, my household, Colombia versus Portugal, imagine now what that's going to be like. Jim, I really
appreciate it. Thank you very much, Jim Campbell.
That does it for us for tonight. Do stay right here. "WHAT WE KNOW" with Max Foster is up next. Have a wonderful weekend. I shall see you on Monday.
END
