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CNN Live Event/Special
CNN Headlines: U.S. Launches Strikes On Iran For Second Straight Night; Trump Downplays Latest Sign Of Spiking Costs: "I Love The Inflation"; Bill Gates Testifies On Capitol Hill In Epstein Probe; Knicks Stun Spurs, Erase 29-Point Lead To Win Game. Aired 5-5:30a ET
Aired June 11, 2026 - 05:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[05:00:24]
BRAD SMITH, CNN ANCHOR: Overnight strikes between the U.S. and Iran, all while talks to reach a deal still attempt to move forward. The latest developments this morning.
After a festival where 12 people were shot, police are now focused on two suspects. What we know about them this morning.
And take a look at this tornado in Missouri, a wave of severe weather slamming across areas in the Midwest.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SPORTS ANCHOR: Shot no good. The tip is gone! It's gone! It's gone! With 1.2 remaining, Knicks take the lead.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SMITH: The Knicks pulled off the greatest comeback in NBA Finals history, beating the Spurs in Game four. New York is now just one win away from their first NBA title in decades.
Well, some fans in New York may still be celebrating that win in the city that never sleeps, but good morning to the rest of us.
I'm Brad Smith, and this is CNN HEADLINE EXPRESS. Glad that you're with us this morning.
Let's get things started. A diplomatic source tells CNN that talks to reach a deal between the U.S. and Iran are still on track. This is despite an overnight exchange of strikes between the two sides. Iran launched retaliatory strikes and attacks on American military targets across the region.
Bahrain released these images showing damage left behind by falling debris from intercepted drones.
Earlier, U.S. Central Command said the military completed a second straight night of strikes on Iran. Those attacks targeted Iranian military sites in response to, quote, "Iran's unwarranted and continued aggression." Meantime, Iran says the Strait of Hormuz is now closed to all vessels, though the US has pushed back on that claim.
A senior Iranian military official warns that Iran could turn the region, quote, into hell if the straight is made insecure.
But Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth threatened more strikes if a deal is not reached.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PETE HEGSETH, DEFENSE SECRETARY: You can see when someone's trying to tap, tap, tap on a deal. Instead, they're going to have tap, tap, tap bombs dropping on key facilities in Iran from the United States of America. If we need to negotiate with bombs, we'll negotiate with bombs, and we're very good at it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SMITH: We'll continue to follow the latest developments later this hour.
Well, President Trump is downplaying a spike in inflation and driven higher, connected, correlated by the war with Iran. Numbers from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the BLS, released yesterday showed inflation at 4.2 percent year over year in May. That is the highest level in three years, and it reveals that inflation grew faster than wages.
But the president insisted that the numbers are great.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REPORTER: Are you concerned, Mr. President, about the latest inflation number, which came out this morning? Could that be a --
DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: No, I love it. The numbers were great. You know what I really love? I love the inflation.
You know why? Because as soon as this war is over, you know, I can say it now, something you didn't know. You know, we've been taking out millions of barrels of oil. Nobody knows it. You know who doesn't know about it? Iran, until right now.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SMITH: The president has repeatedly brushed off concerns about increasing prices, claiming that costs will fall rapidly once the war is over.
Yesterday, Speaker Mike Johnson of the House defended President Trump.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MANU RAJU, CNN CHIEF CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: The president said today, I love the inflation amid these high economic --
REP. MIKE JOHNSON (R-LA), SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE: I knew somebody was going to ask me that. It was totally out of context. You know what he was talking about.
RAJU: But is the message that voters want to hear right now?
JOHNSON: No. The president is laser focused on the domestic economic situation. He is working to bring down prices. He is working to get the straight order moves reopened.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SMITH: Senate Republicans have raised alarms about rising prices and warn about political blowback heading into the November midterms.
Well, Bill Gates is revealing new details about his ties to Jeffrey Epstein. Gates told the House Oversight Committee that Jeffrey Epstein tried to use information about his personal life, including his infidelities, to pressure him after their relationship ended. That is according to his remarks obtained by CNN.
Gates said that he met Epstein in 2011 after being told that he could help raise money for global health initiatives. He denied knowing about Epstein's criminal conduct and rejected unverified allegations found in draft emails tied to Epstein. Gates has not been accused of any criminal wrongdoing.
[05:05:00]
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BILL GATES, MICROSOFT COFOUNDER: Glad to be here voluntarily to testify. to help with the committee's work. I hope my testimony is helpful to the important work of the committee to find justice for the victims.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SMITH: The chair of the House Oversight Committee, James Comer, told reporters that he plans to ask more high-profile individuals, including Alan Dershowitz and Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, to testify next month.
Now to the incident where 12 people were shot at a neighborhood festival in Toledo, Ohio. Police are focusing in on two men who may have been involved. Police say this 20-year-old man, Ka Nye Taylor, is wanted on 11 counts of felonious assault. That is him on the left from a previous booking photo.
Now they are looking for help identifying the man on the right in connection with this shooting. Police say the shooting was between two rival groups. They say it started on Saturday when someone was tackled and assaulted at the festival. That led to one person opening fire and the second responding with more gunshots.
Authorities say that three of the 12 wounded people were involved in that incident and the rest were bystanders. Three people are still in the hospital. A recovery mission is underway for a five-year-old girl missing at sea
in Southern California. Laguna Beach police say that a mom and her two children were swept into the ocean Tuesday evening after a large wave washed them away. Bystanders, they rescued the mother and her son, but the young girl was not found. Several agencies, including the Coast Guard, were out searching for her on Wednesday. The mother and the son are in the hospital in stable condition.
While happening today, a highly anticipated kickoff as the first matches of the FIFA World Cup are played this afternoon in Mexico. It starts with Mexico versus South Africa and then South Korea versus Czech Republic. Mexico is hosting 13 of the 104 World Cup matches. Images of the sport's biggest stars like Messi lining the streets.
The first game for the U.S. will be against Paraguay tomorrow night in Los Angeles.
All right, sticking with sports for a second. This morning, New York Knicks fans are celebrating the largest comeback in NBA Finals history.
Yes, that's the reason that a lot of us are going to be reaching for those eye drops this morning. There you have it, the Knicks erasing a 29 point deficit to win game four against the San Antonio Spurs last night at Madison Square Garden. Jalen Brunson leading all scorers with 36 points, and the Knicks are just one win away from their first NBA championship since 1973.
CNN's Omar Jimenez has more from Madison Square Garden.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
OMAR JIMENEZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The Knicks just won in a huge comeback, and you can feel the energy in the arena. Honestly, not a single person that isn't smiling right now after that game that we just witnessed. It looks like Knicks were down and out, going to tie this series 2-2. And a miraculous comeback by the Knicks in the second-half to win it in the end and go up in this series three to one.
I mean, you look around this arena. People are jumping. They're smiling.
MARCUS CAMBY, FORMER KNICKS PLAYER: Great, man. I feel like I'll play right now, can't believe it, can't believe it. went man.
MARCUS CAMBY, FORMER KNICKS PLAYER: Looking great man. I feel like I'll play right now. Can't believe it. Can't believe it. OG saved us tonight. Good. Good win. Good team win.
CC SABATHIA, RETIRED NY YANKEES PITCHER: Man, that was crazy man. Garden was electric. Pulled it through. That was insane.
I just thought that if they kept the game under 110, they had had a good chance to win. And they did that. JIMENEZ: You saw celebrities like Taylor Swift, Whoopi Goldberg, and
Sydney Sweeney who were here at the match when the Knicks took away a nearly 30-point deficit to beat the San Antonio Spurs 107-106. It is the greatest comeback in NBA Finals history. Game 5 set for Saturday.
The watch party outside Madison Square Garden was canceled just hours before tip-off, according to Mayor Zohran Mamdani and an arena official. But that didn't stop Knicks fans from bringing the energy.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It was the craziest game and the most -- I am emotionally drained. That was the best thing I've ever seen. Let's go, Knicks! Knicks in five, baby!
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I mean, there was -- there was no words. It was just all screaming and tears and hugs. I mean, the city came together.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Anywhere in that building was the best night of my life.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SMITH: You could feel that building rocking, even if you were watching it at home. Excellent stuff there, Omar and Mark Morales, I believe I saw there on camera as well.
Lots more to come on CNN HEADLINE EXPRESS.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
POLICE OFFICER: Put your hands up!
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SMITH: A police chase ends with a homicide suspect in custody. We've got more of this dramatic body cam video coming up.
And a terrifying tornado. This is just part of the severe weather that hit the Midwest and the threat is not over yet.
[05:10:05]
And why the FBI is now involved after a chemical tank overheated and forced thousands of people to evacuate. That's coming up on CNN HEADLINE EXPRESS.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SMITH: FBI agents were spotted at the site of a Southern California aerospace facility that's where an overheated chemical tank forced thousands to evacuate last month. The agents were there to execute a search warrant. Now that warrant was for documents related to the storage and disposal of the chemical inside of the tank that overheated.
[05:15:02] Fifty thousand people were forced from their homes as officials feared a potentially catastrophic explosion at the time. The company says it's cooperating with authorities.
In Texas, a judge heard arguments regarding cases against Camp Mystic to decide whether they should move forward in private arbitration. Twenty-seven campers and counselors died last year when 4th of July storms sent floodwaters rushing through the camp. Lawyers for the victims' families want the arguments to happen in open court. Arbitration would keep proceedings private. The first case is scheduled to go to trial next May.
Strong winds swept through the Midwest, ripping trees from the ground. And look at this. A storm chaser sent his drone into a tornado south of Jamison, Missouri. Power flashes can be seen as the tornado picks up debris and travels over a solar panel field. Hundreds of thousands of people are waking up today without power.
More than 1,000 flights were canceled or delayed out of Chicago alone and millions still face the threat of severe weather today.
Reid Binion has the latest for us.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MARK FRANZ, ASSISTANT CHIEF, HORICON FIRE DEPARTMENT: There was occupants inside. There was residents in the main building that the roof came off.
REID BINION, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Crews in Wisconsin responding to damage from violent storms that tore through parts of the state Wednesday.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Oh my --
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Look over there.
BINION (voice-over): Storms also destroying this iconic Culver's Barn. Communities coming together amid the damage.
CHIEF KURTIS HAEFS, LOMIRA FIRE DEPARTMENT: Neighbors are coming together, as you can see, helping one another out throughout the community.
BINION (voice-over): Severe storms wreaking havoc across the Midwest, including at least two reported tornadoes, one captured on video in Lucerne, Missouri. Another possible tornado caught on camera just outside the town of Unionville.
In neighboring Kansas, menacing clouds rolling over the landscape all across the horizon. Powerful storms uprooting trees.
The wave of severe weather whipping up winds powerful enough to cause this train derailment in Minnesota. Violent storms ripping through parts of the state brought down trees and knocked out power for tens of thousands of customers. Intense storms also rolling through parts of Illinois, hitting the
Chicago area hard. Powerful winds ripping part of a roof off a building and scattering debris on the street below, leaving motorists struggling to avoid the mess.
I'm Reid Binion reporting.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SMITH: All right. Thank you, Reid.
A lot of cleanup still to take place there. We'll continue to track that.
Still to come on CNN HEADLINE EXPRESS, a former child actor is making new accusations against Sean "Diddy" Combs. We have those details.
Plus, despite some pushback, it looks like the White House is ready to rumble. The stage is set for a big UFC fight. We've got more on that after the break.
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[05:22:23]
SMITH: Sean "Diddy" Combs is facing another lawsuit. He's being sued by a former child actor who accuses him of sexually assaulting him when he was still a minor. A representative for Combs denies the allegations.
CNN's Elizabeth Wagmeister has more. We do want to warn you that the details are disturbing here.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ELIZABETH WAGMEISTER, CNN ENTERTAINMENT CORRESPONDENT: A former child actor has accused Sean "Diddy" Combs of sexually assaulting him back in 2007 at a networking event in the Hollywood Hills. Now, Sean Combs denies this, but let me walk you through the allegations.
This former child actor says that they met Sean Combs at this networking event, and he started making small talk with him, telling that he had some projects in mind for him. That's when according to the lawsuit filed this week in Los Angeles that Sean Combs took this minor actor into a back room and that is where he says that he sexually assaulted him.
Now we don't know who this former child star was. They have filed this lawsuit anonymously under a pseudonym just saying that they were under the age of 18 at the time.
Now I want to read you part of the lawsuit but I do want to warn you that the details are graphic.
Quote, "Defendant Combs pulled down plaintiff's pants and underwear and began to fondle plaintiff's genitalia, all while Combs was simultaneously touching himself, the lawsuit states." Quote, "Defendant Combs then performed oral copulation on the minor plaintiff while continuing to touch himself."
Now a spokesperson for Combs has denied these allegations, telling me in a statement, quote, "This complaint describes events that allegedly occurred nearly 20 years ago and is based solely on the plaintiff's account." The statement goes on to say, quote, "We are confident that the facts will demonstrate these claims are without merit."
Now this lawsuit is the latest of mounting legal troubles against Combs. As you all know, Combs is currently incarcerated on the East Coast, serving more than a four-year sentence. He is appealing that conviction.
But just last week, I confirmed with the Los Angeles District Attorney's Office that they are reviewing a case against Combs. What does that mean? Well, that means that Combs could potentially be facing charges in Los Angeles. That, along with this lawsuit and dozens more.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SMITH: All right, thank you, Elizabeth.
Well, motion denied. A judge in LA said no after Meta and YouTube asked to have a multi-million dollar verdict against them thrown out. The judge also denied a new trial. You may remember in March, Meta and YouTube, they were found liable for their roles in a young woman's social media addiction she said harmed her mental health.
[05:25:06]
YouTube argued the First Amendment shielded them from liability. Meta made similar arguments and said that the woman didn't prove her claims, but the judge ruled that there was substantial evidence that she was harmed by design features on both Instagram and YouTube. Meta and YouTube plan to appeal.
Well, the stage is nearly set for President Trump's UFC fight on the White House lawn this weekend. You can see that massive arched lighting grid that's dubbed "The Claw". It's one of many infrastructure challenges ahead of the event, which the administration says will cost more than $60 million to put on. Several federal agencies and hundreds of staff are working on the fight, which coincides with the president's birthday.
It's all part of the 250th anniversary of America's founding. The main event kicks off on Sunday.
Well, straight ahead on CNN HEADLINE EXPRESS, President Trump did not hold back when saying what he thought about Maine's Democratic Senate candidate Graham Platner.
And this drone footage helped police spot something other than that fire. That's coming up on CNN HEADLINE EXPRESS.
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