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CNN Headlines: Bondi Points Finger At Blanche In Epstein Files Release; Iranians Mark 37th Anniversary Of Islamic Republic Founder's Death; Judge Dismisses Murder Case Against Arkansas Sheriff Candidate. Aired 5:30-6a ET

Aired June 05, 2026 - 05:30   ET

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

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[05:31:03]

BRAD SMITH, CNN ANCHOR: It is half past the hour. Let's hit the refresh button on our top stories.

The transcript is out from Pam Bondi's closed-door interview with lawmakers, and she appears to point the finger at Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche. Bondi said that Blanche was in charge of the Epstein files release and distanced herself from Ghislaine Maxwell's prison transfer. Now Democrats want Blanche to testify as he prepares for an attorney general nomination.

And according to a New York Times report, Democratic Senate Candidate Graham Platner is facing allegations of unsettling and in at least one case physically threatening behavior towards women that he used to date. Platner has disputed the claims of physical intimidation, calling the most serious allegations false and politically motivated.

And President Trump says Bill Pulte's role as Acting Director of National Intelligence is only temporary. He says his appointment is just a short-term fix while he interviews other candidates. That selection faced a lot of pushback, including from some Republicans who have raised questions about Pulte's lack of intel experience.

Senate Republicans overcame deep internal divisions to pass a massive immigration enforcement package early this morning. This $70 billion bill is a major win for President Trump after weeks of struggling to pass the legislation. It includes funding for ICE and border patrol through the rest of Trump's term and will protect the agencies from future government shutdown fights.

The bill was approved without new language addressing the push to kill the president's $1.8 billion anti-weaponization fund. It now goes to the House for final passage.

And President Trump says that he'll soon nominate Todd Blanche to permanently lead the Justice Departments, but now new scrutiny is falling on his role in the release of the Epstein files. Former Attorney General Pam Bondi told lawmakers last month that Blanche was in charge of the matter. And for more let's go to CNN chief legal affairs correspondent Paula Reid.

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PAULA REID, CNN CHIEF LEGAL AFFAIRS CORRESPONDENT: In this transcript, former Attorney General Pam Bondi makes it clear that she delegated all things Epstein to her number two, then-Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche.

She told the committee that "As the head of a large department with broad responsibilities, I did not lead every aspect of this effort nor conduct that document review myself. I delegated that oversight over this process to Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche."

She makes it clear that Blanche supervised the entire process of carrying out the requirements under the Epstein Files Transparency Act.

She also said that when it comes to that controversial Ghislaine Maxwell interview, she said Blanche is the one who initiated that and because he believed that there was someone still living in prison who had potential information about other co-conspirators and crimes.

Now she was not at all critical of Blanche. In fact, she praised him, calling him "one of the most highly ethical individuals I know." Saying that he is "an incredible Acting Attorney General" and that "this investigation was a herculean task" done "with very little error."

But now that Blanche faces a high-stakes confirmation hearing to be attorney general, this is something that he is going to have to answer to. Now, sources have previously told me once he was tapped to be the acting attorney general that one of the only problems they saw with Blanche was that he didn't get this administration past the "original sin" of how they have handled Epstein because he was so involved.

So now, not only will he face questions about that controversial weaponization fund that had his name on it, he will also be answering questions about his handling of the Epstein files, and Democrats can even read directly from this transcript.

Paula Reid, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SMITH: Thank you, Paula.

House lawmakers have greenlit a new aid bill for Ukraine. Dozens of Republicans crossed the aisle and voted with Democrats to approve the bill. But CNN sources questioning the bill's viability in the Senate. Among other things, it authorizes $8 billion in new arms sales to Ukraine, and it slaps 500 percent tariffs on Russian imports.

[05:35:15] And let's take you to Iran now, staying internationally. Thousands gathered in Tehran Thursday to commemorate the death of the Islamic Republic's founder. CNN's Fred Pleitgen was there. And we should note that CNN operates in Iran only with the permission of the government but maintains full editorial control of its reports. Here is Fred.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: We're at an event her in Tehran to mark the death of the founder of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Ayatollah Khomeini. And as you can see, a lot of people have turned out here to pay their respects.

Now, in this year, as Iran is in this conflict with the United States, of course, this event also has a special meaning for the people who have come here because a lot of people that we are seeing were waving red flags that say "Revenge" on them because, of course, there are still a lot of people here who want revenge for the killing of Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. And that's also something that was voiced here by the crowd.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (through translator): We don't trust America, never, ever.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): There is no reason for the Islamic Republic of Iran to grant concessions. We have no reason to back down from our position. We were not defeated in war, nor have we been defeated in diplomacy. We demonstrated that we are capable of resisting and that we are highly resilient.

PLEITGEN: At the same time, of course, the context that all of this happens and is extremely important. There are talks that are going on between the U.S. and Iran where both sides say they are trying to get a memorandum of understanding that would then pave the way for broader peace talks to try and end the war between Iran and the United States for good.

Also though, of course, the security situation, especially in the Persian Gulf, remains extremely volatile with the U.S. hitting some targets on some Persian Gulf islands. The Iranians, for their part, saying that they were hitting targets affiliated with the United States in places like Kuwait and in places like Bahrain as well.

So the security situation is very volatile. The ceasefire very fragile. At the same time, both sides say they are trying to find a way out of the impasse.

Fred Pleitgen, CNN, Tehran.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SMITH: Thank you, Fred, for that report.

In a stunning move, a judge in Arkansas dropped murder charges against a candidate running for sheriff who killed a man accused of sexually assaulting his 13-year-old daughter. Aaron Spencer's trial was supposed to start this month. In dismissing the case the judge cited missing evidence and misconduct by law enforcement, calling it "egregious." Spencer won his Republican primary back in February. He said he wants to fix the system that failed to protect his daughter.

We've got new developments in that Karen Read case. Remember, she was accused of killing her boyfriend, Boston police officer John O'Keefe, with her SUV but was acquitted. She is now suing the Massachusetts State Police and the town of Canton. The lawsuit alleges misconduct and systemic negligence during the investigation. Her complaint targets two former investigators and claims a culture of corruption and bias drove her prosecution. Canton officials have not commented.

It's time for Buzz Express, the stories that have people talking.

Swifties can rejoice this Friday as Taylor Swift has released a new song for the upcoming film "Toy Story 5" and posted an adorable throwback video this morning as well. She took to Instagram to post an old home video showing here dressed up as a cowgirl. She wrote that she has been a fan of "Toy Story" since she was five years old and that creating a song for the character of Jessie was "a new challenge and also felt like a second-nature all at once." "Toy Story 5" comes out later this month.

And this new song comes as Swift is now worth $2 billion, according to Forbes. Much of that wealth comes from her Era Tour, which ended in 2024 and her recent albums, including those recordings of her older music.

And new pics this morning of newlyweds Dua Lipa and Callum Turner. They are currently in Palermo, Italy where they're have a three-day wedding extravaganza this weekend. The couple had a civil ceremony last week in London.

And next up, the Tony Awards -- they're this weekend. Lots of talk about Lea Michele and Kristin Chenoweth who did not get nominations this year like many thought they would. But they are expected to be on the show.

And the host this year, Pink. When she was chosen, she says she didn't know whether to do it because she's never been on Broadway, but her daughter gave the OK.

[05:40:00]

The 20-year-old director of the hit movie "Backrooms" told Jimmy Fallon last night that he started working on that film idea when he was 16 and he developed it over the years on YouTube.

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JIMMY FALLON, HOST, NBC "THE TONIGHT SHOW STARRING JIMMY FALLON": Talk to me about this because it started on YouTube as -- was it like a post fortune? What was it?

KANE PARSONS, DIRECTOR, "BACKROOM": Yes, which I am not on.

FALLON: No, you're not on there. But someone posted this and if some -- it was a thing called "Backrooms."

PARSONS: Yeah. So the nature of fortune is that this was an anonymous caption that went along with the photo that no one could I.D. for the longest time until 2024. It appears to be some kind of, you know, office space -- something nebulous and very generic that I think a lot of people can find familiarity in.

And, you know, the text sets up this idea that just outside of reality kind of lurks this infinite megastructure. It's obviously a supernatural sort of fun concept to play with, but it's like if you fall off reality you'll end up there -- this drab sort of mono-yellow, drop-ceiling hellscape that goes on in all directions.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SMITH: "Backrooms" had a budget of $10 million, and it's already made more than $140 million worldwide. We'll see how much it brings in this weekend.

And Madonna delighted fans with a special performance in New York City. She kicked off Pride Month with a 15-minute pop-up concert in Times Square last night. The surprise show was held in partnership with Grindr and promoted her upcoming album "Confessions II." It's scheduled to release next month.

She is also headlining the first FIFA World Cup final halftime show. She's going to share the stage with Shakira and BTS on July 19 in New Jersey's MetLife Stadium.

Well, next up on CNN HEADLINE EXPRESS, a miracle on Mount Everest as a man missing for nearly a week with no food and barely any oxygen is found alive. The story straight ahead.

And scandal at a California elementary school after some kids were served cookies laced with marijuana, allegedly by a school staff member. Details on that story coming up.

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[05:46:23]

SMITH: Let's go around the globe to see what else is making headlines today, starting in Cuba. The U.S. announced new economic sanctions targeting top officials, including Cuba's president. The sanctions also target some of his family members along with former President Raul Castro's son and grandson. This is the latest move in a pressure campaign against the Cuban government. Secretary of State Marco Rubio says that the Trump administration is going after those who "destabilize national security."

Right now, protesters who are forming a road blockade in Bolivia are keeping medical supplies from being delivered. With critical items like oxygen running low, the hospitals are working to replenish supplies for newborns who are at risk. Those demonstrators are demanding the resignation of Bolivia's president over the rising costs of living. And a man was rescued after going missing for six days on Mount Everest without food and little oxygen. The 52-year-old sherpa was spotted above base camp and officials brought him down to safety. He was returning with another climber after failing to reach the summit. He is being treated for frostbite on his fingers, plus other complications.

And cancer patients in the U.K. are getting a show of support from Princess Kate. The Princess of Wales visited one of Europe's top cancer centers on Thursday. She met with staff and patients, and she was there as a woman rang the bell to signal the end of her cancer treatment. This visit was deeply personal to the princess who is in remission from cancer.

The pope's papal money -- PayPal money has finally turned up. The Illinois state treasurer, who personally handed the pontiff a check at the Vatican for $8.65 from an old account that he had before becoming the pope. Officials say that the money had been sitting in the state's unclaimed property system after a failed attempt to return them through the local archdiocese. Excuse me for mistaking papal and PayPal for a moment.

A chance of storms for some but most people are looking at a perfect summer weekend.

Derek Van Dam has your forecast.

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DEREK VAN DAM, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Congratulations! You made it to the weekend. But you definitely want to be a little bit on the weather aware side if you live across parts of the Great Lakes and Midwest. You can see this area of red that we've highlighted here. That's where we have the potential for some stronger thunderstorms.

So heads up and keep an eye to the sky in Chicago and perhaps Green Bay into Des Moines and Minneapolis. These are the areas that could see some of the stronger storms move through. It's more of a wind and a hail threat but we can't rule out an isolated tornado, especially across portions of Iowa and Nebraska as this cold front sweeps through.

Elsewhere though, along the East Coast, besides the temperatures going up it's really a nice looking summertime forecast for the I-95 corridor stretching southward. Lots of sunshine with high pressure in control of the weather. And the heat will start to build, especially throughout the mid-Atlantic.

Here is a look at the evolution of these thunderstorms as they progress across the Great Lakes and into New England for the day on Saturday. So showers and thunderstorms will eventually shift eastward as that cold front sags eastward through the course of the weekend. Thunderstorms popping up to the south and west as well -- Albuquerque to Oklahoma City, St. Louis. These areas could see some weekend thunderstorms.

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SMITH: All right. Thank you, Derek.

Still to come on CNN HEADLINE EXPRESS, caught on tape. A teen on an E- scooter crashes right into a police car. Find out what happened next.

[05:50:00]

And 16 years later investigators revisiting the case of a boy who went missing from his elementary school when he was just seven years old. A closer look at this cold case on the other side of the break.

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SMITH: In this morning's Money Express recall alert. Some Gas-X Extra Strength Softgels are being voluntarily recalled over safety concerns. The FDA says the medication might have been contaminated with a coolant caused by machine leakage while the packages were processed. There have been no reports of any related illnesses or injuries, and you can find more information on the FDA's website.

[05:55:00]

Well, Google is making it easier for creators to promote their content with a feature called "Search Profiles." Maribel Aber has more details. Maribel, what do the creators need to know out there?

MARIBEL ABER, CNN CORRESPONDENT, MONEY MATTERS: OK, Brad. So Google is rolling out what's called "Search Profiles." It's a new feature designed to help creators and businesses improve their visibility in search. The move comes after publishers and creators argued that AI- generated search summaries were reducing referral traffic. They claimed users would read the AI overviews and not continue on to their website.

Well, the new feature allows eligible users to add videos, avatars, social links and other information to their profiles. Sign-up details are on Google's website.

And AMC says moviegoers returned to theaters in record numbers. The entertainment chain says more than 25 million people visited its locations worldwide in May, the highest attendance since May 2019. According to AMC, it operates 855 theaters globally, totaling more than 9,600 screens. The company's CEO credited a strong slate of films in recent months, including Indie hits like "Backrooms" and "Obsession," which drew in big Gen Z crowds amid viral marketing.

Hey, if there's one thing better than Friday, it's a free donut Friday. Krispie Kreme and Dunkin' are just two of the national chains offering free treats for National Donut Day. The annual celebration honors the Salvation Army's donut girls who served snacks to soldiers during World War I. The charity will be hosting giveaways across the U.S. today. You can find details on their website. And several other chains, including 7-Eleven and Winn-Dixie are also offering deals today. Check with your local shop for details.

Do-nut have to twist my arm, Brad.

SMITH: I know, right? I'll be right back, Maribel.

Maribel, thanks so much. Appreciate that. I gotta go get some donuts.

We've got much more coming your way. Let's take a look at what's taking place cross country right now, the other stories making news.

We start in Florida with some heart-stopping video. Take a look at this. A teenager on an E-scooter runs a stop sign and crashes right into a deputy's patrol car. Investigators say that the deputy had the right-of-way and was going about 19 miles per hour before the crash happened. The teen, who wasn't wearing a helmet, only had minor injuries. But he got a ticket for failing to obey a stop sign.

And now to a mystery in Illinois. A death investigation shut down all lanes of an interstate for nearly nine hours. Authorities say an SUV was left in the middle lane with its windows blown out. A bomb squad unit arrived with guns drawn to investigate. Officials say that a man was found dead, but what happened is still unclear. They did reopen all of those lanes.

And in Oregon investigators are taking a new look at the case of 7- year-old Kyron Horman. He vanished 16 years ago from his elementary school after attending a science fair. Detectives are using new technology to analyze thousands of documents, photos, and other evidence.

Kyron's father says that he's hopeful the new strategy will bring some answers.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

KAINE HORMAN, KYRON HORMAN'S FATHER: I think we've been pretty well- trained that every step forward is hope towards closure. Now we don't know what it will take to solve it, so it's hard to say if it's a step in the right direction or just a different direction, but it's a step.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SMITH: A $50,000 reward remains available for information that helps solve the case.

And dozens of parents in California say they don't feel their children are safe after their elementary school students were given cookies laced with pot.

One mother shared her experience with our CNN affiliate KRDV, saying she did not learn about the drug exposure until her kids tested positive for marijuana at the emergency room.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE, CHILD GIVEN POT-LACED COOKIES AT SCHOOL: I was called at 11:00 stating that my child was dissociative and couldn't formulate sentences. It seemed and feel -- felt like they were trying to sweep it under the rug until maybe the substance could wear off.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SMITH: Parents say that the school e-mailed affected families of this the following day about a staff member sharing food with the students. They said it made no mention of its extra ingredient though. The sheriff's office says it's investigating but cannot give additional details because minors are involved.

A New Jersey store had almost $40,000 worth of Pokemon cards stolen. Surveillance video shows three masked people grabbing the cards before running out in the middle of the night. The owner says the thieves knew exactly which Pokemon cards to steal.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PABLO RANCIEN, OWNER, BIG PACK HOBBY SHOP: They came in and immediately went to the singles, which are the ungraded cards -- mostly the vintage ones. It's like they broke right through those two glasses and took a bunch of cards out. Then they came over here to where the graded cards -- slabs are. They broke this glass with what looks to be like a hammer or something. And then they just proceeded to start stuffing the bag.

Pokemon is extremely popular right now and super expensive. I mean, like I said, some of this stuff was worth thousands of dollars. It's just a quick, easy money grab for these guys.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

[06:00:05]

SMITH: Police say that there has been a rise in the value of collectible cards, so they are seeing more thefts in the area.

And game two of the NBA Finals set to tip off in San Antonio tonight. Knicks going to put their 12-game playoff winning streak on the line against the Spurs.

That does it for CNN HEADLINE EXPRESS. I'm Brad Smith. "CNN THIS MORNING WITH AUDIE CORNISH" starts right now.