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CNN Live Event/Special
CNN Headlines: Sources: Israel Warns U.S. Of Iranian Plot To Assassinate Trump; Surveillance Video Shows Moments Before Deadly ICE Shooting In Texas; Source: Platner To Formally End Senate Bid In Maine On Monday; Dangerous Heat Dome, High Temps Top Hit The Rockies And Plains This Weekend. Aired 5-5:30a ET
Aired July 10, 2026 - 05:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[05:00:27]
BRAD SMITH, CNN ANCHOR: Reports of a possible assassination plot by Iran on President Donald Trump. What we are learning this morning that's coming your way.
Plus --
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RONALDO SALGADO, FATHER KILLED BY I.C.E.: I know my dad would have stopped had ICE agents formally and clearly identified themselves, at least through their vehicle markings.
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SMITH: We're hearing from the son of the man who was shot by an ICE officer during a traffic stop. This morning, we have new surveillance footage showing the moments before it happened.
And --
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LANCE TWIGGS, ROOMMATE OF ACCUSED SHOOTER: He started crying a little bit and said he wishes he hadn't done it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SMITH: That is the former roommate of the accused Charlie Kirk shooter. What else he told investigators about Tyler Robinson and what we can expect in court today at the hearing that determines whether he will stand trial.
Good morning, everyone. I'm Brad Smith. This is CNN HEADLINE EXPRESS. Glad that you're with us this morning.
Let's get this started.
We begin with reports of a potential Iranian plot to assassinate President Trump. That is according to sources who say that Israel shared the intelligence with the U.S.
The U.S. has not confirmed the alleged plot, first reported by "The Wall Street Journal", and details have not been released. Some U.S. officials are skeptical. They suggest it could be Israel's attempt to influence Trump's potential future military actions against Iran.
This new report comes amid heightened concerns after Trump switched planes, leaving the NATO summit on the original Air Force One. That's after he arrived on the new plane that Qatar gifted him. That sparked questions about his security.
Take a listen.
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REPORTER: I'd like you to address speculation that you're leaving Ankara not in the new Air Force One because of security concerns involving Iran. You've spoken today twice about them possibly assassinating you and possibly being successful. Did that concern have something to do with you --
DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Well, I speak about it a lot because, you know, the life of a president is very dangerous. I'm number one on the kill list for Iran.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SMITH: For more on this new alleged assassination plot, CNN's Pamela Brown reports from the USS Abraham Lincoln in the Arabian Sea.
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PAMELA BROWN, CNN CHIEF INVESTIGATIVE CORRESPONDENT: We're told that as recently as this past week, Israel shared new intelligence with the US that it was devising -- that Iran was devising a new plot to assassinate President Trump.
Now, I'm told from talking to a source that in recent weeks, there has been an increase of intelligence coming in indicating that Iran was devising new ways to go after the president. We know since his first term, it has looked at President Trump as a target ever since the administration took out the Commander Soleimani of Iran. But these this is a new plot apparently coming from Israeli intelligence that I should know. It has not been verified by the U.S, we're told.
And one source we spoke to did express some skepticism that this particular intelligence about a specific plot coming from Israel. They do question that, given the fact that they believe that Israel may be trying to influence President Trump.
But nonetheless, this is something the intelligence community is looking at and trying to figure out more. We don't have details yet of that specific plot, but the change of Air Force One planes this past week certainly raised a lot of questions.
I'm told by a U.S. official that they really want to get diplomacy going, that that is taking the lead, and that right now there is diplomacy happening behind the scenes to try to ease tension because as we've been talking about this week, we have seen those tensions escalate with strikes back and forth between the U.S. and Iran.
But it's very touch and go, I can tell you. And talking to folks here on this ship, there's a feeling that things can change at any second and strikes could resume any minute. And they're trying to make preparations for that.
They're doing maintenance here on aircraft. So that's that sound. I mean, this ship is going 24/7 and in terms of aircraft, there were operations going on throughout the day with these fighter jets and throughout the night. I believe we have some new exclusive video we can show you from our time here on the Lincoln today. These are operations from these fighter jets that are defense in nature until they've been doing these types of operations throughout their time here.
But it, of course, took on new meeting today. Given this posture of heightened alert, the captain of the ship said that things are heating up and I can tell you here on the ship. It was a lot busier today with putting armaments on these fighter jets in preparation for potential strikes. Pilots were doing drills.
They were getting ready in case they were called on to do a third night of strike.
[05:05:01]
So far, that hasn't happened. Things are delicate. Diplomacy is underway. But as we've seen throughout this war, things can rapidly change.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SMITH: Thank you, Pamela.
New surveillance footage shows the moments before an ICE agent fatally shot a Mexican immigrant during a traffic stop in Houston, Texas. You can see 52-year-old Lorenzo Salgado-Arajuo on Tuesday morning getting in his van and leaving for his construction job. Just minutes later, he would be dead.
Video from a civil rights group shows the white vehicle turning onto Canal Street while a black SUV follows, his family says. And then, footage obtained by CNN shows that SUV driving right by the van. A few seconds later, another black SUV exits a nearby shopping center and follows in the same direction. ICE accuses the man of evading arrest and driving into a law enforcement vehicle. His family disagrees.
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SALGADO: There's been instances in the past where his van got stolen and his tools got stolen. So, ever since then, he's been very cautious about people following him. He did not know that those vehicles following him were ICE agents. Again, these vehicles were unmarked. They had no emblems, no logos, no
flashing lights. There was no way for him to know that they were ICE agents.
I know my dad would have stopped had ICE agents. formally and clearly identify themselves, at least through their vehicle markings.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SMITH: The moments after the shooting were recorded by a passerby and posted on social media. Now warning, some viewers may find this video disturbing. No images of the traffic stop have been released by authorities. The Department of Homeland Security issued a statement. It reads in part, The officers involved in the incident in Houston had not been issued body-worn cameras due to back-to-back Democrat shutdowns.
Body cameras have been deployed to more than half the field offices, with the remaining half to receive them in the next 60 days.
Prosecutors are expected to call up one more witness today in the preliminary hearing for Tyler Robinson, who is the man accused of killing conservative activist Charlie Kirk. The alleged killer is facing a judge in a hearing to determine whether he will stand trial. Yesterday, prosecutors played a taped interview from Robinson's former roommate, who says Robinson said, quote, he wishes he hadn't done it.
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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Did he talk about what he had done?
TWIGGS: Didn't go into detail. He just -- I just asked him in person if what he said was true the night before, and he said it was. I started crying a little bit and said he wishes he hadn't done it and then kept going around and just doing stuff, I think, to keep himself busy or distracted or something.
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SMITH: Prosecutors are trying to convince a judge that there's enough evidence to send Robinson to trial. He faces aggravated murder and six other charges, but has not yet entered pleas.
To Maine, Graham Platner told his campaign staff on Wednesday night that he plans to file paperwork on Monday to formally end his Senate bid in Maine, according to a source. He did not say why he's waiting, but a person close to the campaign warned against reading anything into the delay. Platner suspended his campaign after allegations of rape and violent behavior, both of which he denies. Democrats will now hold a nominating convention to decide who will face Republican incumbent Susan Collins in the midterms.
Well, crews say that they are making progress as they work to stabilize the weekend high-rise building in Manhattan. Just take a look at some of these images. As the building was evacuated earlier this week after structural columns on the 21st floor buckled, the New York City Department of Buildings shared this image on Thursday.
They say temporary shoring has been installed from the 9th floor to the underside of the roof. The developer previously said that the impacted columns will be fully replaced once the department clears workers to do so. Investigators are working to figure out what caused the supports to buckle.
We'll continue to track any updates there for you. We've got lots more to come on CNN HEADLINE EXPRESS. More questions about the death of a Mississippi teen who went boating with friends on July 4th and never returned home. Why high-profile civil rights attorney Ben Crump is now involved in the case.
And guns, ammo, and more lead to indictments in what investigators say was a plot to attack the White House. New details coming up.
And It's midsummer, but guess what? Back to school, just around the corner. Hey, don't come at me, students. Stores are getting ready.
That story and more, straight ahead. Stay with us.
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[05:14:29]
SMITH: Well, new this morning, CNN has obtained exclusive new video appearing to show the moment Senator Mitch McConnell was loaded into an ambulance last month. The face of the person on the stretcher is not visible in the video, but a neighbor says another witness saw McConnell's face that morning. This was back on June 14th. Two ambulances, a firetruck, and a Capitol Police officer, a group of them, as you can see, were also seen blocking off the street.
CNN senior political commentator and former senior advisor to Mitch McConnell, Scott Jennings, talked to Jake Tapper about his conversations with the senator's staff yesterday.
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SCOTT JENNINGS, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: I have been in touch with the staff. In fact, I was speaking with some of his senior staff today. And I know he was actually meeting with some of his staff late this afternoon about a few issues going on over at the Senate. And truthfully, it sounded to me like somebody who was preparing at some point to go back to work.
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SMITH: McConnell's team has still not said why the senator was taken to the hospital, nor have they disclosed specific details of his condition.
Well, the federal grand jury has indicted eight men in an alleged plot to carry out an attack at the UFC match at the White House that took place last month. Prosecutors say that they conspired to murder the president, the vice president, Elon Musk, and others. The indictment alleges that the defendants used online chat groups to coordinate their plans. The eighth defendant, who allegedly planned to be a sniper, was arrested in West Virginia this week.
All eight men are charged with conspiracy to provide material support to terrorists and conspiracy to commit murder. They face up to life in prison if convicted.
A former U.S. Olympic canoeist has pleaded not guilty to damaging the Lincoln Memorial reflecting pool. Sixty-seven-year-old David Hearn was greeted by cheers from supporters after leaving court yesterday. He could face up to 10 years in prison if convicted. Prosecutors say that he peeled sealant from the bottom of the pool last month as it was undergoing renovations. Hearn's attorney says his client merely touched the pool.
Three others are also facing similar charges, and the Trump administration has framed the alleged destruction as serious vandalism.
This weekend, another brutal heat dome, this time hitting the west. Temperatures are expected to soar much higher than normal during the hottest month of the year.
And CNN's Derek Van Dam is tracking it all for us. He's got your forecast.
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DEREK VAN DAM, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Here we go again. The dreaded heat Dome, this time not centered across the East Coast, but this time actually building over the central and northern parts of our country.
Here's a look at the long range as we head into the weekend. Notice how it kind of becomes encased into the northern tier of the US. This is going to center the heat Dome right over portions of Montana into the Dakotas.
We have the potential to set record high temperatures. for several days straight here across Montana. Look at Billings, will top 109 degrees on Sunday. Denver is flirting with triple digits as well through the weekend. We certainly have triple digit heat for Phoenix, Sacramento warming up as well. Los Angeles closer to the coastline, a little bit of influence from the Pacific Ocean. That means we get cooler temperatures.
So, we say goodbye to the heat dome on the East Coast, but you can see where the above average temperatures will go. And that is also where the major to extreme heat risks will reside through the better part of the weekend and into early parts of next week. You really need to stay hydrated, take frequent breaks if you spend time outdoors. and find a way to cool your body down.
This is Salt Lake City's seven-day forecast. We should be 93 this time of year. Look at the weekend, 105 and 106 respectively. Yeah, we're talking 10 to 15 degrees above average for many locations.
Back to you.
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SMITH: All right. Thank you, Derek.
We've got some sad news for you in the aviation community this morning. Wally Funk has died at the age of 87. She was a pioneering aviator who volunteered in NASA's Women in Space program back in 1961.
Funk's spokesperson says she passed away at her home in Grapevine, Texas, Wednesday. She had extensive experience as a pilot, logging nearly 20,000 hours and teaching more than 3,000 students how to fly. What a legacy.
Still to come on CNN HEADLINE EXPRESS, some airlines now facing lawsuits over window seats that don't have windows. We'll explain.
Plus, selfie pics may soon be considered a legit passport photo. The upgrades being made to get your passport more efficiently. We've got those details coming up.
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[05:23:52]
SMITH: Well, in some parts of the country, kids are just settling into summer break, but retailers are already stocked for back-to-school shopping. Don't kill the messenger, kids. It's all part of a new normal that reflects recent economic ups and downs.
And CNN's Karin Caifa has a look at what this means for your wallet.
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KARIN CAIFA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Summer is in full swing, but back to school buying is already underway. As consumers feel pressure from higher gas prices and higher inflation, retailers are stretching the season and the sales for consumers to browse right now.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: As retailers, you know, move their sales earlier, consumers are responding to that. And we know that the consumer is very price cautious right now. They want to stretch their dollar.
CAIFA (voice-over): In recent years, back to school shoppers have been met with sticker shock for reasons ranging from post pandemic supply chain problems to tariffs.
Kelly Peterson, global retail leader for PWC, says their research finds more families using A.I. tools, especially for deal hunting.
KELLY PETERSON, PWC: They're also actually finding it to understand and predict where the timing around promotions is going to be. So they're using -- A.I. is almost like a digital assistant to try to figure out when should they be buying.
[05:25:00] CAIFA: And retailers will be watching to see how resilient consumers remain because the big holiday season is next up on the calendar.
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SMITH: Your next passport photo could be a selfie. The State Department is working on a system that will let applicants take and upload passport photos using their phones or computers more easily. You can already upload your own passport photos, but they must meet strict requirements, and most people end up paying to get them taken.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio says that the new system will use facial recognition technology to make the process quicker.
Well, straight ahead on CNN HEADLINE EXPRESS, what we're learning about an alleged assassination plot by Iran on President Trump. We've got those details coming up.
Plus, new surveillance video captures the moments before a Mexican immigrant was fatally shot by ICE in Texas. What the victim's family and ICE are both saying about the harrowing incident. That is next.
Stay with us. You're watching CNN HEADLINE EXPRESS.
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