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CNN Headlines: Extreme Heat Threatening America 250 Events In D.C.; Venezuela Acting President Says Death Toll Rises To 2,595; Trump Wants Lawmakers To Pass Save America Act First; Taylor Swift And Travis Kelce's Wedding Festivities Begin. Aired 5-5:30a ET
Aired July 03, 2026 - 05:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[05:00:21]
BRAD SMITH, CNN ANCHOR: Hot, hot, hot. One hundred two degrees, 104 degrees, and in some places, it feels like 110 degrees. The dangerous heat as it threatens some of the big events this 4th of July weekend.
And surveillance video is telling the story of how that daredevil couple got to the top of the Empire State Building.
Plus --
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UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: All the Taylor Swift, all the Swifties out here
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SMITH: Cheering her on tonight, the big night. Details on what is expected to be Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce's wedding. Plus, that rehearsal dinner last night.
Good morning, everyone. I'm Brad Smith. This is CNN HEADLINE EXPRESS. Glad that you're with us this morning. Happy Friday.
Let's get this started.
We are kicking off a massive 4th of July weekend as half the country faces major or even extreme heat risks. Daily temperature records are melting away in cities like Boston, Philadelphia, Washington, D.C. as well.
And that's threatening America's 250th birthday celebrations in the nation's capital. D.C., is expected to soar well into the triple digits both today and tomorrow. It is so hot, authorities did not allow the public to watch last night's rehearsal for the annual Capitol Fourth concert, and now they're weighing changes to the show itself.
But it's not just Washington. The worst of the heat has shifted into the I-95 corridor. New York's Central Park recorded its first 100 degree day since July of 2012.
Here is Jenn Sullivan with more on the life-threatening heat.
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JENN SULLIVAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): A massive heat wave crippling the East Coast, temperatures soaring into the triple digits with feels-like temperatures even hotter. And it's coming as millions of Americans get ready for July 4th celebrations.
MAMDANI: These are extremely dangerous conditions, and they will affect every part of our city.
SULLIVAN (voice-over): In New York City, millions of visitors are expected as the Big Apple prepares for its monumental America 250 celebrations, including a special ball drop in Times Square for the countdown to July 4th.
CHRISTINA FARRELL, COMMISSIONER, NYC EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT: Our teams will be working through every hour of this, and we will keep you updated.
SULLIVAN (voice-over): But the dangerous temperatures aren't just a threat to people's health, there's also fear of possible power outages. Energy company Con Edison warning customers in New York to conserve energy.
It could also impact air travel. Delta telling customers the heat could affect flight delays in and out of New York's LaGuardia Airport, and Amtrak warning passengers the high temperatures may cause trains to operate at slower speeds.
In Washington, D.C., it's forecast to reach around 103 degrees Thursday and Friday.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This has the potential to have triple digit temperatures, which may break records this week.
SULLIVAN (voice-over): Wednesday, some of the booths at the Great America State Fair had to temporarily close because the air conditioning went out. Many of the cities, seeing extreme heat are also hosting FIFA World Cup games like Atlanta, where thousands of fans face sweltering heat at the FIFA Fan Festival Wednesday.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: These heat-related illnesses can escalate very quickly.
SULLIVAN (voice-over): In New York, I'm Jenn Sullivan reporting.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SMITH: Thank you, Jenn.
Officials are also urgently warning people to take precautions if spending time outside. More than 100 people had to be treated for heat-related injuries at an outdoor railroad event in Pennsylvania, and thousands of customers in New York are without power this morning, amid the searing heat. Con Edison is reducing voltage to ease the strain on the system. Mayor Zohran Mamdani has asked New Yorkers to set their AC to 78 degrees to prevent more power outages.
To this developing story, Venezuela is in a period of national mourning after those deadly earthquakes devastated the country. Acting President Delcy Rodriguez says that the death toll has climbed to nearly 2,600, and that almost all of the local government leaders in the hardest hit area were killed. She also rejected accusations that the government's response was slow. But amid the tragedy, a remarkable rescue. More than a week after the quakes.
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SMITH: Emergency crews pulled a man alive from the rubble. Eight days after the quake struck. He was trapped in a nine-story building. Fire officials say that it took more than 70 hours to rescue him. He went to a medical facility for treatment.
Well, President Trump is holding off on signing a bipartisan housing affordability bill. In an interview with CNBC, he called the bill, quote, "fine," even though it passed both chambers with strong bipartisan support.
[05:05:06]
Instead, he says he wants the Save America Act passed first. That measure would remake federal elections.
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DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: The housing bill is fine. There's a lot of Democrat points in there that I don't even think are good. But it's fine. But I've made the case. I'd rather not sign anything until we sign the Save America Act.
JOE KERNEN, CNBC ANCHOR: Practically. How do we get there on Save America? What would you like Majority Leader Thune to do?
TRUMP: Well, I would like them to get it passed. What I'd really like is for them to --
KERNEN: Filibuster.
TRUMP: -- kill the filibuster. Terminate the filibuster
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SMITH: The president also now defending his 2025 earnings. This week, newly released financial reports revealed that he brought in billions of dollars during his first year back in office, and most of it came from his cryptocurrency ventures. The reports details raised some ethical concerns, which Trump has largely brushed off while speaking about it.
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TRUMP: Well, you know, I don't do anything having to do with my business. My kids run it. I put a lot of money. I had a lot of money, and I have a lot of money, and I've always made I've made money.
You know, I'm a businessperson. I'm a really good businessperson. I mean, there's nothing illegal. There's nothing wrong with it.
SMITH: Meantime, today, on the eve of America's 250th birthday, the president will go to Mount Rushmore, where a celebration for the armed forces is set to take place.
Well, hundreds of agents are being brought in to ramp up the FBI's investigation into the 2020 election in Georgia. A source tells CNN that the bureau is making this a priority. CNN reviewed a memo that calls for the agency to quickly dedicate 260 agents to the investigation. That is on top of the agents already working in the Atlanta area.
In January, the FBI seized 700 boxes of election materials from Fulton County. The FBI has not responded to a request for comment.
A grand jury in Washington has indicted a former Olympic canoeist, accusing him of damaging the Reflecting Pool. David Hearn now faces a felony charge, one count of destruction of property that carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison.
And U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia, Jeanine Pirro, says that Hearn reached into the pool last month and ripped part of the lining.
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JEANINE PIRRO, U.S. ATTORNEY FOR THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA: Our evidence further shows that the National Park Service employees observed Hearn actually forcefully and violently pulling up and removing the bottom liner with both hands. According to witnesses, Hearn damaged approximately two square feet of sealant from the bottom of the pool.
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SMITH: Hearn's attorney blasted the indictment, saying, quote, "David Hearn is innocent. These charges are outrageous and should be alarming to every American. Hearn previously told CNN police arrested him after he touched a flap of blue material that detached from the pool. Renovations ordered by President Trump have cost more than $14 million.
After months of rumors and speculation, it's believed that Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce will soon say their "I dos" today. So, all eyes remain on Madison Square Garden, where sources say cocktail hour begins this afternoon, followed by the ceremony and a reception lasting into the early morning.
And we've learned this ahead of their rumored wedding. The couple has donated $26 million to 20 local and national charities. That includes food banks in New York and Rhode Island. Children's Mercy Hospital in Kansas City, and Dolly Parton's Imagination Library. Several of those organizations are already posting thank you messages on social media. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: All the Taylor Swift, all the Swifties out here rooting her on. Come on. She's going to be a bride. It's the best.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is like the American royal wedding. We've all seen her love stories over the years and really rooted for some over others. And we're really happy that that she found her forever
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SMITH: CNN's Elizabeth Wagmeister will be outside Madison Square Garden to break down all of the details of the highly anticipated wedding, the guests, and the performances in a special CNN all access event, "Love Story: Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce". That's going to air at 1:00 p.m. Eastern, CNN.com/watch or on the CNN app.
We've got lots more to come on CNN HEADLINE EXPRESS. Check this out. The city of Brotherly Love and Sisterly Affection with a human display of one of the city's most historic landmarks.
[05:10:00]
And, people are flying drones around World Cup stadiums. And the feds are not happy about it. We'll explain what's going on ahead.
And it could be a record-setting holiday weekend for travel. With millions expected to hit the road and fly the friendly skies. What you can expect if you're leaving town.
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[05:14:46]
SMITH: This morning, there is a new twist in the abduction of Nancy Guthrie, the mother of "Today Show" host Savannah Guthrie, a man accused of making a false ransom threat back in February, has pleaded guilty to two charges of harassment using a telecommunication device. He will face sentencing in September.
And the threats were sent to the family after they posted an appeal for help on Instagram, according to the complaint. This is unrelated to the FBI's revelation earlier this week that some of the ransom notes were fake extortion attempts, while others may be authentic and are still being looked into. The suspect's attorney declined to comment on the plea.
If you are thinking about flying a drone near a World Cup game, don't. The FAA is locking down the skies, and the FBI says it's already seized more than 500 drones.
CNN's Pete Muntean explains why this crackdown will only get tougher.
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PETE MUNTEAN, CNN AVIATION CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Five hundred drones have been seized by the FBI during the World Cup, and here's why. The FAA has created a no-fly zone after no-fly zone around every stadium and fan festival.
Take MetLife Stadium outside of New York, for example. The restricted airspace there can stretch up to seven miles across and up to 3,000 feet, and it includes places where drones can typically be allowed, catching some drone operators off guard during the World Cup, leading to their drones being seized, scrambled, or potentially even destroyed by the federal government.
And it's not just stadiums. Airports are also seeing an apparent spike in possible drone sightings. On Friday, two commercial flights landing at Newark Liberty International Airport spotted seeing a drone as they were coming in to land. And then on Monday, a JetBlue flight reported colliding with a drone as it was approaching New York's JFK Airport, although a source familiar with that investigation tells me there is no evidence of an actual drone collision.
Either way, the bottom line is that drones are becoming a bigger problem, not just for police, but also pilots, and you can expect this World Cup crackdown to be only just the beginning.
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SMITH: All right, thank you, Pete.
Well, take a look at this. 250 people decided to come together in Philadelphia to create a human-sized Liberty Bell. Volunteers wore red, white, and blue, and included Miss America delegates from across the country. Excellent stuff there from the nation's original capital.
Still to come on CNN's HEADLINE EXPRESS, Getting Your Mail by Horse, how one group is keeping the pioneering system of the pony express alive.
And we've got more details coming out about that couple who scaled the spire of the Empire State Building, how they were able to get past security, coming up.
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[05:21:58]
SMITH: An update now on the health of Kentucky Senator Mitch McConnell. A spokesperson says he remains hospitalized as he, quote, "continues his recovery". McConnell's office still hasn't said why he went to the hospital on June 14th, but the statement follows the release of an EMS audio recording that indicated first responders were called to his home for an unconscious person in cardiac arrest.
Pope Leo is set to receive the Liberty Medal today. And another story that we're tracking internationally here. The National Constitution Center presents the award. It says that the honor recognizes his global advocacy for religious liberty and freedom. The ceremony is in Philadelphia and was going to be outside with Independence Hall in the background. But with the heat, it's now going to be inside. The pope will accept his award virtually from the Vatican.
Well, as America celebrates its 250th birthday, some horseback riders are hitting the trail into history to mark the legacy of the Pony Express.
CNN's Michael Yoshida takes us along for a ride.
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MICHAEL YOSHIDA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Before texts, emails and did you get my Slack? America had this -- meet the Pony Express delivering mail more than 1,800 miles on horseback. Every year, riders retrace the legendary trail carrying a mochila filled with mail from horse to horse, day and night.
Started in 1860 and only lasted about 18 months. But in that short time, it helped connect Missouri to California during a turning point in American history. Most deliveries took about ten days, but Lincoln's inaugural address made it in just seven.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Everybody knew it was important. You know, Lincoln's inaugural address. He's now your president. So, they wanted to get that word out to California.
YOSHIDA: Then, the telegraph arrived and horseback mail went from cutting edge to outdated almost overnight. A short run, but a huge legend. And today, these riders are keeping it alive, inspiring the next generation to take up the reins.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Every little boy wants to be a cowboy. Some of us just don't grow up. We're trying to keep history alive because if we -- if we let it die, what have we got?
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SMITH: Those horses were cooking.
They stay with CNN for special coverage of Fourth in America, celebrating 250, featuring parades, festivals, concerts and fireworks. It kicks off tonight with Anderson Cooper and Andy Cohen. And tomorrow we've got special coverage celebrating America's birthday all day long on CNN and CNN.com/AllAccess.
Straight ahead on CNN HEADLINE EXPRESS, pools, water hoses, just anything to cool off will be in full effect this holiday weekend as we get ready for dangerously high temperatures.
Plus -- oh, yeah, if you haven't heard by now, there's supposedly a big wedding taking place in the Big Apple, possibly today. We've got more Easter eggs dropping on the nuptials of Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce.
Stay with us. You're watching CNN HEADLINE EXPRESS.
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[05:29:41]
SMITH: Well, tomorrow is the annual Nathan's famous hot dog eating contest. And we will see the glizzy guzzler himself, Joey Chestnut, defend his title on Coney Island. Contestants try to eat as many hot dogs as they can in 10 minutes.
Chestnut has won 17 of the past 20 Nathan's contests. Yeah, why show up? So, we'll see if he wins the mustard belt again.
It is half past the hour. Let's hit the refresh button on our top stories.
