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The Situation Room

Interview With Comedian Matt Friend; Trump to Attend White House Correspondents' Association Dinner; Crisis in Lebanon. Aired 11:30a-12p ET

Aired April 24, 2026 - 11:30   ET

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

[11:30:01]

WOLF BLITZER, CNN HOST: Mary Schiavo, thank you very, very much -- Pamela.

PAMELA BROWN, CNN HOST: All right, Wolf, just ahead, we're taking you to Lebanon, where international groups are rushing to address a growing humanitarian crisis. Lebanese authorities say Israeli strikes have killed thousands and forced more than a million people out of their homes.

We will be back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: We're following the breaking news.

The very fragile cease-fire between Israel and Lebanon has now been extended for another three weeks after a meeting between the country's officials, the ambassadors to the United States, over at the State Department yesterday.

[11:35:06]

The conflict between Israel and Hezbollah, the Iranian-backed militant group in Lebanon, is among the sticking points in peace efforts between the U.S. and Iran. But Israel's ambassador to the United Nations cautions that an extended truce is not necessarily a guarantee.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DANNY DANON, ISRAELI AMBASSADOR TO THE UNITED NATIONS: We have to be honest. The Lebanese government, they have no control of Hezbollah. And Hezbollah is sending rockets, trying to sabotage the cease-fire. And Israel, we have to retaliate. Every time we see a threat, we take action.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLITZER: And we just learned that Hezbollah says the Lebanon cease- fire has -- quote -- "no meaning in light of continued Israeli hostile actions," a statement from Hezbollah.

Joining us now is James Elder, the global spokesperson for the United Nations Children's Fund, UNICEF, as it's called.

James, thanks so much for joining us. Thanks so much for all the important work that you and UNICEF do.

How does the cease-fire's extension impact UNICEF's efforts in Lebanon?

JAMES ELDER, UNICEF GLOBAL SPOKESPERSON: Look, Wolf, we are everywhere across this country, but I think the severity in the last five or six weeks, the severity of attacks -- and I mean here attacks on homes, on hospitals, on schools -- that really shook everyone.

It really turned everyone's life upside down. So you have got 400,000 children displaced. I mean, I'm just coming back now from a shelter. And so UNICEF, we are there doing nutrition for women, nutrition for pregnant women. We're doing recreation.

We're trying to help children on trauma, Wolf, because, of course, trauma doesn't stop with children when the bombs do. I sat with a dozen 12-year-old girls and asked them, what do they need most? They didn't ask for themselves. They asked for support for their moms because of the incredible strain they're under.

So, cease-fire or no cease-fire, we have to get length and breadth of the country. We have to be on those front lines. The problem is for those people who are desperate to go home, either because their home now is dust, or because their home is an occupied land, or simply because they just don't have the means to move.

BLITZER: And, James, tell us a little bit more about the situation right now on the ground in Lebanon. And I know you have been traveling around there, specifically the situation for the children that UNICEF has been serving.

ELDER: Yes, it's extremely difficult, Wolf. I mean, a lot of these things go back.

It seems strange, but two weeks ago, the war had already been going for a few weeks. And then, on the April 8, there was more than 100 airstrikes in less than 10 minutes. Dozens of children were killed. And that turned everyone's life upside down here.

It gave the Lebanese a sense that they just do not know where to feel safe. And so I get that, whenever I talk to children now, I'm seeing a level of trauma that I hadn't previously seen here. Again, I sat with a 7-year-old boy the other day whose mom was a preschool teacher, and she was killed in a strike, along with his father and only sibling.

Now, this little boy, there's still love there. There's grandparents and aunts and uncles. But as his grandfather said, how was a preschool teacher's home a target?

It's not been rare. It's been routine. So I think, for children, they need that safety. But, for UNICEF, a big element is not just trauma work, because we work across the country on that, Wolf, but it's also a sense of the physical injury. So many children have been wounded. And medical care costs a lot of

money. So we now -- one of the first times I have seen this anywhere, Wolf. Any child who needs those surgeries, we're covering every single health care cost. We just hope that the children in hospitals now with those wounds of war are the last ones we will see.

BLITZER: What are the families that UNICEF is working with right now saying about the cease-fire news? Are they hopeful at all that there may eventually be some sort of permanent cease-fire, if not a permanent peace in Lebanon, between Lebanon and Israel, for example?

ELDER: That's a great question, Wolf.

I mean, Lebanese, they know their country very well. They're rallying around each other all the time, again, in these shelters, people from all sorts of communities doing everything they can to each -- for each other. But they also know the realities.

And many of them say, look, hope, it's all we have got. And maybe it's our blind spot, but it's what we hold on to. The challenge for people is, how do they get to their home? So, UNICEF, we're all about the kids, but you look at the frontline workers, there are also moms and dads.

And I sat with a father yesterday in the south, where I went. And, in September, when there were strikes, he lost all his livestock. Now, he managed to get a loan from the bank, Wolf, for around $50,000. And he bought more livestock. But, as he spoke to me, he said they have all been killed.

And he was showing me a video he just received watching his home be bulldozed and all the crops, the olive trees, be torched. So what does he do? Now, they're the families where we -- you need more than nutritional biscuits and blankets. We need those water repairs. We need ways to find people to get back into homes.

[11:40:03]

The challenge with this, I guess, Wolf, is, it's almost two sides of the same moral retreat. We're seeing breaches of international humanitarian law which hurt children, and we're seeing donor retreat.

So, UNICEF, for example, all the work we do, from those nutritional biscuits to rebuilding water systems and medical support, we're less than a quarter funded. So these are the moments.

And, look, for your viewers who are immense people, UNICEFUSA.org, anyone who can. I get to see the look in the eyes of moms and kids. It makes the world a difference, Wolf.

BLITZER: All right, well, stay safe. James Elder, thank you so much for doing what you're doing. Appreciate it very, very much.

And, to our viewers, you can find out how you can help civilians impacted by the Middle East conflict by going to CNN.com/Impact and Impact Your World -- Pamela. BROWN: Yes, tough to hear a lot of what he said.

(CROSSTALK)

BROWN: Coming up here in THE SITUATION ROOM: President Trump is returning to the White House Correspondents' Dinner. Michael Smerconish joins us next. He just spoke to the dinner's headliner, Oz Pearlman.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[11:45:30]

BROWN: A fixture on Washington's social calendar is set to kick off tomorrow night with the annual White House Correspondents' Dinner, as journalists and politicians of all stripes gather to toast the First Amendment.

There will be one very notable guest coming to the dinner at this year's so-called nerd prom. For the first time in either of his terms, President Trump will be in attendance, coming face to face with some of the reporters who have relentlessly covered him and his administration.

Trump is reportedly expected to deliver a one-hour-long speech.

Lots to discuss, so let's bring in CNN political commentator and host of CNN's "SMERCONISH," Michael Smerconish.

Good to have you here.

So many opinions about this dinner tomorrow night. I want to start with the fact that you just interviewed the White House Correspondents' Dinner headliner, mentalist Oz Pearlman, for your show tomorrow morning. What did he tell you about the dinner? He's an unusual pick. Usually, you have a comedian.

MICHAEL SMERCONISH, CNN CONTRIBUTOR: Pam, can I tell you how big a deal I think this is? It's such a big deal that I am torn between going to watch the Flyers host the Pittsburgh Penguins in the Stanley Cup playoffs or staying home and watching on CNN the White House Correspondent Association Dinner, because that's how special I think this is going to be.

And here in Philly, there's nothing bigger than the Flyers.

The answer to your question is, first of all, Oz Pearlman is brilliant. He is a great entertainer and I love his stuff. And I said to him, the president's an unpredictable guy. Like, how do you work with him, assuming he gets the opportunity to appear with him on stage? Because that's a little bit in doubt.

And he said to me, I vehemently disagree with what you're saying. He said, Donald Trump, there are patterns to his behavior and to his speech and to his manners. And he kind of implied he's got Trump figured out. So I hope it happens and I hope we get to watch that.

BROWN: I hope it happens too. Wow.

So, Trump, a frequent attacker of the press, is attending for his first time as a sitting president this year. There's a lot of different opinions about whether this is a good idea, bad idea. I think members of the press are pretty split about this.

The White House Correspondents' Association is defending this, saying that it's important to promote press freedom and bring everyone together. What do you think about this and what do you think the tone of his speech will be?

SMERCONISH: I love that he accepted the invitation. I'm all about breaking bread, having a cocktail and civility. So I think it's a good thing. I know that many outsiders criticize this year in and year out. I like what I think it represents, which is a nonpartisan evening.

Having said this, the president has got to handle it right. If he comes out and he speaks for an hour and he's got an edge to him, I think it'll be a blown opportunity. If I were counseling him, I would say, be self-deprecating, which doesn't come easy to him, and soften it up a little bit, because I think he could lose the opportunity if instead he comes out and is totally in opposition to the press.

It's also going to be very interesting to see, how is the evening structured? Because, historically, the president's there the whole night. The headliner is the last to perform. It would mean, in this instance, that the president is actually physically there while journalists are being recognized for their investigatory work against the administration.

I can't imagine that Trump will be in the house for that, but maybe he will, and that's what we have got to watch.

BROWN: What do you think about Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth being invited by CBS? Obviously, he is someone who has attacked the press as well and been very, very critical and really clamped down on which members of the press can be there for briefings with him and so forth.

SMERCONISH: I may be wrong, but I'm consistent. I like everybody being invited. I don't have a problem with it.

And I think you could go through a number of those tables and say, well, should that person really be there and should this person -- for one night, for one night, can we all just break bread and be on the same page as Americans respecting journalism and the First Amendment?

Because that's what it's all about.

BROWN: All right, so I want to turn to something else, and that is the war with Iran. We were talking last Friday, and there was a lot of flurry of activity about the Strait of Hormuz and the Iranians saying it was open, and President Trump said he was going to get the enriched Iranian back and no money would exchange hands. Well, a lot has changed since last Friday. The Strait of Hormuz is

pretty -- is essentially blocked right now. But, last Friday, you said you were willing to give the president a win, even though you were skeptical about the imminent threat Iran posed. So what are you thinking now?

[11:50:04]

SMERCONISH: I have my eye on the clock for a week from today. I recognize that the war powers authorization that he has runs out 60 days. Could be extended for another 30.

But I haven't changed my view, skepticism as to whether we should have gone in, but the fact that we're there now, I don't want us to leave with our tail between our legs. I hope the U.S. can take control of the enriched uranium, and I'd like to see Congress give him an authorization for military involvement.

BROWN: He also says he has all the time in the world. Do you think he does politically?

SMERCONISH: No, because I have seen the polling data.

And you know who I think is paying very close attention to the domestic polling data? The Iranians. And I think they can outlast him, and I think he now knows that they think they can outlast him, which explains why he's recently been saying he's got all the time in the world. I don't know that he does.

Politically speaking, I mean, we just don't have patience in this country. And I think that's the one strong suit that Iran -- Iran's been decimated. I accept what the administration is saying in terms of the military success of this operation. I believe that.

The one thing Iran has going is limited American patience. And we can't give in to that.

BROWN: All right, Michael Smerconish, thank you so much.

SMERCONISH: Thank you.

BROWN: And just a reminder, you can catch "SMERCONISH" tomorrow at 9:00 a.m. Eastern right here on CNN.

And then, tomorrow night, make sure to tune in to CNN for the White House Correspondents' Dinner. Our coverage starts at 8:00 Eastern on CNN and on the CNN app.

We will be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[11:56:11]

BLITZER: All right, later tonight, straight from the nation's capital right here, Washington, D.C., the comedian and impressionist Matt Friend kicks off the White House Correspondents' Dinner weekend with a brand-new political comedy special here on CNN.

BROWN: Matt has become a known face in Washington, D.C., circles, but if you're not familiar, here's a taste.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MATT FRIEND, COMEDIAN: You know what? First of all, Hakeem is a nasty guy. He's a dog. We say that. We don't like each other too much, but Hakeem is a really bad guy.

I try to do these things. He overrides it. The Democrats treat me so badly. What do you say to that, Hakeem? Just a bad guy.

Jeffrey Lynn Goldblum, G-O-L-D-B-L-U-M, in Hollywood. Yes, of course. I'm like purring like a cat.

BILL MAHER, HOST, "REAL TIME WITH BILL MAHER": Yes, you can't do me, can you? Nobody can. Nobody can do me.

(CROSSTALK)

FRIEND: Well, I know you say (EXPLETIVE DELETED) I know you (EXPLETIVE DELETED). I know you say that and I know this might get cut, because it might make you uncomfortable. There it is. He doesn't like it. You're squinting. You say get out of my house.

MAHER: It's not bad. It's not good.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BROWN: I don't know, I thought it was pretty good.

All right, Matt Friend joins us now in THE SITUATION ROOM.

What inspired this kind of comedy special, Matt?

FRIEND: Well, we're in such a divided time in America right now. I had the opportunity to perform at the White House Correspondents' Dinner two years ago, and it was like the highlight of my career so far, until now.

And I just think comedy is so important in a moment like this, and any excuse or reason to try to bring the country together and laugh. And there's just too -- every day I walk down the street, people are saying, are you having a field day with this material?

And I guess the thesis behind tonight is, let's just keep laughing and bring Americans together.

BLITZER: Will anything be off-limits, shall we say...

FRIEND: Absolutely not.

BLITZER: ... in your new special...

FRIEND: Absolutely not. We are... BLITZER: ... that debuts tonight?

FRIEND: All I will say is this. CNN has been very nice to me, Wolf. They have been very -- they say, you can do what you want. We're going to make them laugh.

(LAUGHTER)

FRIEND: And let me just say this. You are such a beauty. We love a blonde. We love a blonde.

(LAUGHTER)

FRIEND: See, that's -- they're allowing it to happen.

BROWN: Oh, my gosh.

FRIEND: So, to CNN's credit, they're saying, go for it. And I think that's amazing.

BLITZER: You're very good.

FRIEND: But what is -- like, how can you make fun of the news when Pete Hegseth is already quoting "Pulp Fiction" as the Gospel? I mean, it's like the news is kind of a parody of itself right now.

BLITZER: Good point.

BROWN: Yes, you do have a lot of really good material.

FRIEND: Yes.

BROWN: Nothing is off-limits, as you say.

I know you probably don't want to spoil things, but any big surprises for viewers to look forward to?

FRIEND: I mean, we have a wide range of guests tonight. I have taken a cue from Bill Maher, who I do, who I think is great.

And I think it's important to have, like, a diverse set of opinions. We have liberals. We have conservatives, surprising conservatives. We have two previous headliners of the White House Correspondents' Dinner, which I'm very excited about.

So it's laughs. It's -- I just like to get people in different contexts is what is exciting to me, because a lot of politicians are very stiff. You know how they are. And I think, if I can kind of find the human being underneath it all, that is what I'm after tonight.

BROWN: A lot of people here in Washington take themselves very seriously.

FRIEND: They do. They do.

BROWN: Like they're saving the world at all times. FRIEND: Absolutely, yes.

BROWN: So you're going to try to get through that.

FRIEND: Much easier just to freeze as Mitch McConnell and just say nothing.

(LAUGHTER)

FRIEND: It's good to be on THE SITUATION ROOM today, yes.

BLITZER: You're very...

(CROSSTALK)

FRIEND: Yes. I don't -- I travel everywhere with these, by the way. I never leave my house with these glasses.

BLITZER: They're real glasses or just fake glasses?

FRIEND: Well, they're fake news glasses, Wolf. They are fake news glasses.

Where's your margarita, by the way?

BLITZER: Not here.

FRIEND: OK, got it, yes.

BROWN: Or the Wolf Spritzer.

FRIEND: Yes.

BLITZER: You know, we're really going to enjoy this comedy special.

FRIEND: Yes.

BLITZER: It's a one-hour special, right?

FRIEND: Hour special tonight. It's taking a cue from Johnny Carson, the Johnny Carson days of showbiz, where Americans could laugh together.

And that's what I want to do.

BLITZER: You know, I was a guest on the Johnny Carson "Tonight Show."

FRIEND: No way. Were you really?

BROWN: Yes.

BLITZER: After the first Gulf War, I was invited on. And when he introduced me, he said, a man who needs no introduction, because he was watching me every day.

[12:00:02] FRIEND: This is how we get that CNN young demo we're after right now, absolutely.

BROWN: That's right.

BLITZER: Yes.

FRIEND: That is so cool. That is amazing.

BROWN: That's when he said he first realized he was famous.

BLITZER: You're old enough to remember Johnny Carson?

FRIEND: I was born in 1998, so no. But I love watching him on YouTube. And -- but that's what I'm after...

BROWN: OK.

FRIEND: ... just those great moments where you don't really know what's going to happen.

BLITZER: All right, Matt, thank you very much.

FRIEND: Thank you for having me.

BLITZER: Thanks for doing this special.

And, to our viewers, you can catch Matt's political comedy special later tonight...

FRIEND: Yes.

BLITZER: ... entitled "AMERICA LAUGHS WITH MATT FRIEND." It premieres tonight 11:00 Eastern right here on CNN. You can also watch on CNN, on the CNN app.

(CROSSTALK)

FRIEND: I'm not wearing any pants right now. Do they know that?

BLITZER: You're wearing pants.

BROWN: OK.

FRIEND: I'm kidding. Hello?

BROWN: We're going to wrap it up.

FRIEND: Hey, now.

BLITZER: And, to our viewers, thanks very much for joining us this morning.

BROWN: "INSIDE POLITICS" with our friend and colleague Dana Bash starts now.