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One World with Zain Asher
King Charles and Queen Camilla Wrap Up U.S. Trip Today; Trump Sees Blockade as Best Option to Get Iran to Negotiate; Brent Crude Briefly Tops $126 a Barrel Amid U.S. Blockade; WHCD Shooting Suspect in Court for Detention Hearing; British Royals to Lay Wreath at Arlington National Cemetery. Aired 11-11:30a ET
Aired April 30, 2026 - 11:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
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BIANNA GOLODRYGA, CNN HOST, ONE WORLD: Hello everyone, live from New York, I'm Bianna Golodryga.
ZAIN ASHER, CNN HOST, ONE WORLD: And I'm Zain Asher. You are watching "One World". Britain's King Charles and Queen Camilla wrapping up their first
state visit to the United States. This is King Charles obviously shaking hands with the U.S. President. They are on their way out.
They are departing. Obviously, this visit coincides with the United States' 250th anniversary since independence from the UK. Let's bring in CNN's Max
Foster joining us from the town of Front Royal in Virginia, the scene of the block party to honor the 250th anniversary.
I think the interesting thing here, Max, is that the irony isn't lost on anyone, the fact that this is the 250th anniversary of United States
independence from Britain. And yet the Americans are actually celebrating with the people who obviously did once colonize them. That is an important
irony to note here. Just walk us through what's happening behind you, Max.
MAX FOSTER, CNN ROYAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, I've been asked Zain, several times, why are you celebrating losing the war? That is effectively what the
king is trying to do here, celebrating with the king. I'm not the only one here, Zain, check this out. This is -- there's a very small space in the
block party, but this is the queue of people trying to get into it.
It goes around the blocks. It goes on and on. It must be a couple of miles long, thousands of people. And I think, Zain, actually, I don't know what
you think, but I was really keen to come here because we've done so much on, you know, the leader meetings and all the pomp and ceremony.
But did it connect with Americans? Do Americans even care? And actually, you know, there are some royalists here, but most people are coming out
because there's bit of curiosity. There's not much that happens around here, I'm told. But also, I think a few people saw parts of the speech, and
actually they are really interested in the king and queen. Here's a few thoughts I grabbed in the line.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I mean, what a chance to see the king and queen. I mean, I wouldn't miss it. I live 20 minutes away. It's a once in a lifetime
opportunity.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's just an honor that they're coming to Front Royal. It's a small town. Who would have ever thought that the King and Queen of
United Kingdom would come to Front Royal.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Not been to England yet. So, this is the closest I've gotten so far. When we heard, they were coming to Front Royal we thought,
well, that's appropriate, right? It's a royal town, and so we're just excited.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
FOSTER: They wanted to come to Main Street, the couple. They wanted to meet ordinary Americans. They wanted to talk about the people-to-people
relationship, not just the president to king relationship. And the main street here is called Main Street, so it's been pretty perfect.
There is going to be a somber moment, though, coming up Zain, because they're going to be honoring the fallen. So, you'll have that. And then
basically a party.
ASHER: Yeah, I love the fact that it is called Front Royal -- people obviously noticed that little, that small fact. And then, as you point out,
the main street is indeed called Main Street.
GOLODRYGA: Also, Virginia, an homage to, obviously, the United Kingdom as well. I mean, there's still so much in this country names states and
Commonwealth that were named in tribute of the UK.
ASHER: Yeah.
GOLODRYGA: So Max Foster there you are Front Royal on Main Street. You belong in Main Street everywhere, Max, that's where you are in this. Thank
you so much.
ASHER: Thanks, Max.
GOLODRYGA: Let's take a closer look at the royal visit with British Broadcaster and Royal Expert Bidisha Mamata, she joins us now from London.
Bidisha, when you look back at this trip, I would imagine it is viewed as a success for the king and queen, and even yesterday, the president in the
Oval Office asked if this impacted his current views and relationship with Keir Starmer now.
[11:05:00]
Obviously, there is a difference between elected officials and a monarch here, but even the president said that yes, perhaps it does soften the
relationship, given how close he is and feels to the king and how happy he is with this trip.
BIDISHA MAMATA, BROADCASTER & ROYAL EXPERT: Yes, I'm wondering if the king said to the president, quietly, you know, you really should be a touch
nicer to my Prime Minister, Keir Starmer. He's an OK chap, really. I think that from the British side of things, it was a job well done, and let's not
be mistaken, it definitely was a job.
This was a diplomatic trip happening at a very urgent time in terms of international current affairs, lots of controversy, lots of political
debate. And the king and the queen did what the royal family have always done extremely well. In fact, that's why they exist in the 21st Century,
soft power, ceremony, the romance of royalty.
It's very seductive, but you mentioned the small-town America. Let's remember that the fascination for America exists in the UK, just as
America's fascination for down to an Abbey, Bridgerton type English stuff exists in America. We are also intrigued by American small-town life.
So, I'm thinking that this trip, particularly this day, has been a bit of a novelty for the king and the queen themselves.
ASHER: Yeah, know, that is I mean, as somebody who grew up in the UK completely, I always wanted to live in America when I was older.
MAMATA: Yeah.
ASHER: That's exactly what I did. So, to your point, but, talk to us about how the king navigates conversation in private with somebody as
unpredictable as Donald Trump. I mean, obviously there's just so much you would have to side step. It could be a minefield. You can't bring up
politics.
You have to answer diplomatically and neutrally about everything. You know, there is an art to small talk, isn't there, Bidisha?
MAMATA: There's an art to it that the royal family have been practicing for literally centuries. In fact, the Queen Elizabeth the Second was absolutely
famous for her skill in this department. And let's not forget that the king has served a long, long, lifelong apprenticeship learning these skills.
He is not supposed to be overly emotional. He's not supposed to be political. He's not supposed to give any kind of partisan indication of how
he really feels. But let's not forget that the speech he made to Congress. What was it? Barely 24 hours ago, maybe not even that was itself extremely
political while still being factually true.
So, he didn't give his personal opinion, but he did say, well, yeah, the rule of law is something no one individual has powers beyond what is
written in terms of their executive ordinance. All of this stuff is actually, to me, at least acutely political. So, he was making a very
public statement to the president and to both sides of the political spectrum in America that he does have a viewpoint.
They are both very quirky people, and, who knows, in a strange way, I actually imagine them getting along with each other while being
simultaneously baffled by each other.
ASHER: I can actually see that too.
GOLODRYGA: Yeah.
ASHER: But I've never been good at small talk, so it is a skill that I very much admire.
GOLODRYGA: And how many kings can go back home and say that the President of the United States his mother had a crush on them when they were younger,
something that I expect, the king did not expect to hear from President Trump. This visit as well. Bidisha Mamata, thank you so much.
MAMATA: Thank you.
ASHER: All right. New outrage from Iran as the U.S. continues its naval blockade aimed at forcing the Strait of Hormuz to reopen. According to
Iranian state media Supreme Leader, Khamenei, foreign aggressors belong in the quote, depths of its water. And a senior Iranian military official is
threatening long and painful strikes if bombing resumes.
GOLODRYGA: Sources tell CNN, President Trump is laying the groundwork for an extended blockade of Iranian ports. And as tensions rise, mediators in
Pakistan are still waiting for Iran's revised peace proposal. This as oil prices are falling today, after briefly hitting a new wartime high.
Earlier, Brent crude climbed to above $125 a barrel. There you see it coming back down to 114 WTI at 105.
ASHER: Yeah, meantime, U.S. gas prices have hit a four-year high. The average is now $4.30 a gallon. Let's discuss all of this with Vanessa
Yurkevich live from New York. So obviously that $126 a barrel did terrify a lot of people. It's come down slightly since then.
But this is not just about prices at the pump. I mean, energy prices affect everything. It's transportation costs, its food prices, it is flight ticket
prices as well. Walk us through it, Vanessa.
VANESSA YURKEVICH, CNN BUSINESS AND POLITICS CORRESPONDENT: Absolutely, this has a widespread impact on consumers. Let's just start with those gas
prices that you mentioned, 4.30 a gallon for gas here in the United States.
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Look at that three-day sort of moving average. You can see that it's jumped 12 cents in just the last three days alone. And for folks who fill up their
tank every single day here in the United States, whether it's for work or driving kids to school, you're going to notice that, and that is because
oil prices have really been above $100 a barrel for the last week now.
As you mentioned, Brent crude taking up to $125 a barrel overnight. That was over investor concerns that the war with Iran was escalating, and then
over a little more oil market wonkiness about futures moving from the July, excuse me, from the June trading market to the July trading market, which
was pricing in a little bit more expensive, but you can see them coming back down a little bit today.
114 for Brent crude, 105 a barrel for U.S. crude. Now, what this has meant for prices across the board, you now have oil prices up 58 percent since
the beginning of the war. You have gas prices up 44 percent, diesel prices up 47 percent, and jet fuel prices up about double. So, you're talking
about a 50 percent increase there.
Excuse me, 50 percent increase in jet fuel prices. We're already hearing about impacts with shortages, things like makeup. Makeup is made with
petroleum jelly. You're also hearing about shortages with instant noodles. Think about them. They're packaged in plastic derived from oil, and then
medical gloves, of course, plastic again, derived from oil.
These are shortages we're hearing about mainly in Asia, which gets a much larger portion of its oil from the Middle East. But then there's concerns
for people here in the United States. We're talking about concerns over food costs potentially rising so perishables, milk, meat, produce things
that come in by truck, which diesel prices of course up 50 percent.
Of course, travel for everyday Americans, hitting the road this summer. Prices are already higher over the summer because of the fuel blend. You
add the war on top of that, that's pushing prices up. And then you mentioned airfare as well. Jet fuel prices on the rise already in Europe.
We have forecasts that there could be a shortage in the next few weeks or so for airlines. So just a lot to keep in mind, as we're seeing oil prices
stuck above $100 pushing prices everywhere else much higher, ladies.
ASHER: Vanessa Yurkevich, thank you.
GOLODRYGA: U.S. Senate lawmakers are getting their first chance to grill Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff,
Dan Caine, about the Iran war. Officially, they're testifying for the Senate Armed Services Committee on next year's budget in Wednesday's House
Armed Services hearing things got quite heated over the conflict in Iran.
ASHER: Now the White House wants to increase defense spending to 1.5 trillion dollars. That would pay for the Golden Dome missile defense
system, more warships and hefty raises for some military personnel.
GOLODRYGA: Brian Todd is covering the story from Washington for us. Things got quite testy yesterday, Brian, we spent time covering it on the show.
What are we hearing on the Senate side today?
BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well Bianna and Zain, the Senate hearing just under way now with some opening statements from the Chairman of the
Senate Armed Services Committee. So just getting started right now, we're going to be monitoring that over the next couple of hours to see where the
heated exchange, the exchanges come, because they certainly came yesterday in the House hearing.
You can expect Pete Hegseth and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Dan Caine, to face some very pointed questions about the end
strategy of the war, about how they plan to open up the Strait of Hormuz. Those are the real pressure points that they're going to face.
But they will also face some questions, likely, about the costs of the war, which Secretary Hegseth certainly faced yesterday. Here's one exchange
between Congressman Seth Moulton, a Democrat on the House Armed Services Committee. He an Iraq veteran himself.
This is what he went back and forth with Hegseth regarding the cost of the war. Take a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REP. SETH MOULTON (D-MA): At the end of the day, this also has a cost to us. If you -- if, let's say this war costs $100 billion I mean, you've
already said, give us more time. It's only been two months. It could go on for 20 years like Iraq and Afghanistan, let's just say it costs $100
billion.
What is that to the average American taxpayer? Do you have any idea?
PETE HEGSETH, U.S. DEFENSE SECRETARY: Well, unlike foolish previous administrations, it won't go on.
MOULTON: I'm just asking --
HEGSETH: -- for years and decades.
MOULTON: But let's just say -- $100 billon --
HEGSETH: -- hard to imagine how --
MOULTON: You know that?
HEGSETH: -- allowed those things to happen. You were a part of --
MOULTON: You know the answer to that?
HEGSETH: So was I -- And ever I never --
MOULTON: I'm just asking, if you know what your war cause, no average American taxpayer?
HEGSETH: What is the cost of Iran having a nuclear weapon that they --
MOULTON: I'm just asking, if you know the cost the average American --
HEGSETH: I'm asking what is the cost of --
MOULTON: So, for the American taxpayers out there, my constituents, some of the constituents you wanted to represent in Minnesota, I'm just wondering
if they have an extra 600 bucks lying around to pay for your war.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
TODD: So, a heated exchange there between two Iraq war veterans over the cost of the war. You can expect Secretary Hegseth to get some additional
questions about the costs.
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And of course, CNN reporting now that figure that the Pentagon Comptroller Jay Hearst gave to House members yesterday that the war cost roughly $25
billion so far. According to our sources, this is reporting from Natasha Bertrand, Zachary Cohen and Haley Britsky that's a low-ball figure.
Our source is telling CNN the cost is closer to $40 to $50 billion, Zain, Bianna.
GOLODRYGA: The Pentagon expected to present a supplemental that they will be asking for as well in fallout from the cost of this war. Brian Todd,
thank you so much.
ASHER: Thanks, Brian. All right, the man charged with trying to assassinate President Donald Trump is back in court right now for a detention hearing.
GOLODRYGA: Federal prosecutors are trying to keep Cole Thomas Allen behind bars. They laid out their case in a new filing that provides a detailed
timeline of what they describe as a pre-planned attack. The documents also include a photo, Allen allegedly took of himself shortly before the
shooting, showing weapons strapped to his body. But Allen's defense team is pushing back on some of the prosecutors' claims.
ASHER: CNN's Evan Perez joins us live now from Washington. Evan, what's the latest?
EVAN PEREZ, CNN SENIOR U.S. JUSTICE CORRESPONDENT: Well, the hearing is now ongoing in federal court here in Washington. And what we anticipate is this
is really about whether he can get out of jail in the while the -- he awaits trial, and the odds of that are very, very low, simply because of
the type of crime he is charged with right now.
Right now, he's facing these charges of attempting to assassinate the President of the United States, and what prosecutors laid out in these
court filings yesterday and overnight is a month of preparation that they say went into this attempted assassination and this attack on the White
House Correspondents' Dinner.
They describe the arsenal that he had in his hotel room, including some of the photos you just showed right now as he prepared to go down the
elevators and go down into the area where this dinner was underway. They also showed some photographs of the arsenal, the shotgun that he had,
another firearm, another handgun that he had, as well as the knives.
And described the process by which, when he charged through where the Secret Service agents were preparing to o for the exit of people leaving
that dinner, the way, he fired his shotgun and then return fire from this one secret service officer who fired five times.
One of the things that has been at issue in the last couple of days, Zain and Bianna, is been, who actually fired the shot that struck the Secret
Service Officer, the one who did fire five shots. The press, the defense attorneys have been raising the question of as to whether maybe he shot
himself, and what the prosecutors are now saying is that, that absolutely did not come from the officers themselves, Bianna, Zain.
ASHER: All right. Evan Perez, live for us there. Thank you so much.
GOLODRYGA: King Charles and Queen Camilla are arriving at Arlington National Cemetery, where American service members are buried, to lay a
wreath. Let's watch.
ASHER: All right, King Charles and Queen Camilla arriving there. This is the final day of their trip to the United States. They're spending part of
this final day in Virginia at Arlington National Cemetery. This is, of course, America's most famous military burial ground.
This is, of course, a place where a lot of veterans are buried. After this, they will spend time, as we were hearing from our Max Foster at the 250th
Anniversary of the Independence of the United States, from Great Britain. There's a block party also taking place Front Royal close by.
That's where they will be spending the rest of the day. And after that, they're going to be departing from Joint Base Andrews back to the United
Kingdom.
GOLODRYGA: A very solemn moment now as they commemorate the fallen here, and notable, because I believe they are the first UK monarchs to visit
Arlington Cemetery. The king making a point in meeting with the president, and also a joint session of Congress.
And here in New York yesterday, visiting the 9/11 Memorial to remind Americans and the world of the British sacrifice as well, following the
only time that Article V of the NATO charter has been invoked, and that obviously was after the attacks of 9/11. Dozens of British citizens were
also killed that day, and subsequently British troops were killed as they were fighting alongside U.S. troops in Afghanistan.
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There had been a lot of push back in the United Kingdom following President Trump's remarks suggesting that the United Kingdom and UK service men and
women did not contribute as much as they obviously did, even some suggesting the king should postpone his trip.
He did not, and send this instead. This does seem to be a very successful trip from the monarchs coming at a very strained time now between relations
with these two countries, specifically over the war in Iran.
ASHER: And I also think it's worth noting, as you touched on, this is a very sort of somber ending. And one of the reasons why this is so symbolic
and so steeped in history and really important to note is that Arlington National Cemetery is the final resting place for veterans from every U.S.
conflict, from the Civil War to present.
And so just the fact that King Charles and Queen Camilla have chosen to end their trip by paying their respects and honoring the fallen veterans from
so many American wars is important to note. Let's listen in.
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Right. You've just been watching King Charles and Queen Camilla lay wreaths at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery. This to
really honor the unidentified fallen veterans, fallen soldiers at every American conflict, from the Civil War to present.
Really ending the final leg, the final day of their state visit to United States, with a day of remembrance. After this, they're going to be going to
the Shenandoah National Park and really talking about environmental and conservation issues, something that King Charles is certainly very
passionate about.
GOLODRYGA: President Trump calling him the greatest king in his book as the two departed at the White House just moments prior. All right, do stay with
CNN. There's more "One World" in about 30 minutes time, but CNN "Creators" is up next.
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(CNN CREATORS)
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