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The Situation Room

U.S. and Iran Signal Progress in Negotiations to End War; Pope Leo Warns of Risks from Artificial Intelligence; DOJ Seeks Private Voter Info from 30 Plus States and D.C. Aired 11:30-12p ET

Aired May 25, 2026 - 11:30   ET

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

[11:30:00]

WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: Happening now, some headlines. The World Health Organization says the Ebola outbreak in Central Africa is outpacing its response efforts. There are now more than 900 cases and at least 220 deaths. Most are in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Plus, Russia used a new powerful hypersonic missile in a truly massive weekend air attack on Ukraine. The missile's speed makes it nearly impossible for Ukraine to shoot down. Four people were killed in the strikes.

And scary moments in South Carolina where there was a stampede at a festival near Myrtle Beach. Authorities say it started when someone started running and triggered a chain reaction in the crowd. At least 19 people were hurt, but they're expected to be OK.

Let's get back to our top story right now. The U.S. and Iran are reporting some progress in their long-stalled peace negotiations. It would end the fighting and reopen the Strait of Hormuz. Joining us now, CNN Global Affairs Analyst Karim Sadjadpour. He also focuses on the, on Iran for the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. Karim, thanks very much for joining us.

[11:35:00]

First of all, what's your level of optimism right now, if you have any, that a working agreement can be hammered out for further negotiations between the U.S. and Iran?

KARIM SADJADPOUR, CNN GLOBAL EXPERT, IRAN EXPERT AND SENIOR FELLOW, CARNEGIE ENDOWMENT FOR INTERNATIONAL PEACE: Well, Wolf, as you alluded to, what is being talked about now is a memorandum of understanding, which would initially open up the Strait of Hormuz. Iran would stop its obstruction of the Strait, and the United States would stop its blockade of Iran. That would open up a 30- to 60-day window for negotiations to hammer out the nuclear issues.

I have to say that the negotiations between America and Iran are always very difficult because there are always zero sum and zero trust. These are two adversaries that don't trust each other at all, and there's no kind of common understanding about mutual benefit. It's always zero sum, especially from the Iranian vantage point. And I think even if we do get a memorandum of understanding, Wolf, and they're trying to hammer out the points of contention, it's very unlikely we're going to see a quick negotiation which resolves the nuclear challenge.

BLITZER: As of now, Karim, the so-called memorandum of understanding would stop the fighting, it would gradually reopen the Strait of Hormuz, and it would set off what's being described as a 60-day process to negotiate other key issues, including Iran's nuclear program. Given that the Obama deal required 20 months of negotiation, how much can be achieved, you think, in 60 days?

SADJADPOUR: Well, you put your finger on it, Wolf. The only major diplomatic success that the United States has had with Iran over the last several decades has been the JCPOA, the Obama nuclear deal. And that process took a couple years.

Now, this situation is a little bit different in that Iran's economic difficulties are far more challenging now than they were a decade ago. But at the same time, Iran feels that it's the victor and it's prevailed in this war. And they don't seem right now that they're wanting to make meaningful compromises, whether that's on the future of the Strait of Hormuz, they want to continue to control that, or the two key points of contention on the nuclear issue, which is their stockpile of highly enriched uranium, perhaps as much as 450 kilograms, and then their right to enrich uranium. Those issues are probably going to take many months to hammer out.

BLITZER: Well, do you believe Iran will ever abandon, completely abandon its nuclear ambitions?

SADJADPOUR: I'm skeptical of that, Wolf, because I think that there's almost an internal consensus among the Islamic Republic's decision makers that they need to acquire nuclear weapons as a deterrent. They look at countries which gave up their nuclear programs or didn't acquire nuclear weapons, whether that was Saddam Hussein's Iraq, Gaddafi's Libya, Ukraine. Those countries made themselves vulnerable to external intervention. And then they look at the example of North Korea, a country with nuclear weapons which has a cloak of immunity.

So, it's my view that even in the event that we're able to hammer out a nuclear deal with Iran, I wouldn't rest carefully at night that they're not trying to pursue nuclear weapons clandestinely somewhere underground.

BLITZER: All right. Karim Sadjadpour, as usual, thank you very, very much.

SADJADPOUR: Thank you.

BLITZER: And new this morning, Pope Leo offering a warning about artificial intelligence. In his first major theological writing, he presented his vision for how to preserve human dignity in the era of A.I. and called for more government regulation of A.I. companies. Listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) POPE LEO XIV: Today, we find ourselves facing a transformation of similar magnitude with perhaps even greater consequences. Artificial intelligence already touches many areas of our lives and affects decisions that shape human coexistence. It is also dramatically changing how war is waged.

Artificial intelligence needs to be disarmed. The word is strong, I know, but deliberately chosen because this moment needs words capable of attracting attention, awakening consciences and indicating paths forward for humanity.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLITZER: And this morning, Pope Leo oversaw the release of the 235- page booklet alongside the co-founder of Anthropic, an A.I. company involved in a legal dispute with the Trump administration over the use of its technology in military operations. The Pope also called for protection for workers, education for students, actions to protect children and safeguards around the use of weapons.

[11:40:00]

And coming up, another legal setback for the U.S. Justice Department as it tries to carry out President Trump's push to control elections.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: We're following new developments in the Trump administration's unprecedented efforts to access sensitive voter information. Federal judges in Maine and Wisconsin recently dismissed lawsuits filed by the U.S. Justice Department trying to force those states to provide voter registration data. And that includes birthdates, partial social security numbers, and addresses. The administration has sued at least 30 states, and Washington, D.C. for that matter, for their voter rolls.

[11:45:00]

Joining us now is David Becker. He's the executive director and founder of the Center for Election Innovation and Research. That's a non-profit that seeks to build confidence in elections. David, thanks very much for joining us. Put these Maine and Wisconsin rulings into context for us, first of all. Should we be surprised by these legal setbacks for the Justice Department, or are they par, par for the course at this point?

DAVID BECKER, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, CENTER FOR ELECTION INNOVATION AND RESEARCH: As you mentioned, Wolf, there have been 30 lawsuits filed -- 31 actually, 30 states plus D.C. have been sued by the Department of Justice seeking this highly sensitive information that federal law really doesn't entitle the DOJ to grab or seize from the states. And that includes not only partial social security numbers and dates of birth, but also driver's license numbers. Those three items are the holy trinity of identity theft. There's a reason the states so carefully protect those pieces of data. And Congress would have to pass a very specific law saying that the DOJ can seize that data from the states. And Congress has not done that. And so, it's not surprising at all that the DOJ has run up this pretty incredible record of defeats. Now, eight states out of eight that have ruled on this so far, eight courts, and three of those judges were in fact appointed by President Trump himself. So, I think it's not looking particularly good for the DOJ as they continue this attempted seizure.

BLITZER: Underscore for us right now, David, just how notable the Trump administration's efforts to compel the release of this voter data are. Why does it actually matter?

BECKER: Yes, it matters because the founders gave the power to regulate elections to the states, and they did that intentionally. They did that in Article I, Section 4 of the Constitution. It's called the Elections Clause. And it says the state legislatures get to run elections. That's because the founders were very concerned that an executive, a president, could seize too much power over elections. They just fought a war against a monarch, and they wanted to make sure that power was dispersed among the states in that regard.

And that's the way we've done it for 250 years, where the states have run elections. This is the first time in American history we've seen a federal government attempt to seize this kind of information from the states, attempt to dictate to the states how they run elections. This is, of course, also in the context of at least two executive orders that the president has tried to issue dictating to the states how they run elections.

But the courts have held firm, not only in these eight cases that we've heard so far, but in the cases on those executive orders, where so far courts have blocked the first executive order. The second executive order is now being considered by two different federal courts. And I think we're going to hear very shortly that those courts have ruled that the president does not have the power to tell the states how to run elections. Congress can, but when Congress doesn't act, then the president doesn't have that power.

BLITZER: What do you say to the argument, David, that if the states have nothing to hide, they should just hand over this information to the federal government?

BECKER: Well, again, the founders were very concerned about how power was dispersed and what the balance of those powers should be. And the founders just did not give that power to the federal government. Congress has to pass a bill that expressly says that.

And so, the states have nothing to hide. They've already run their list through various databases to confirm that they're accurate. In fact, the federal government, this DHS, under this administration, has reviewed 60 million records that states voluntarily provided to them. And they found that 99.97 percent of all of those records were confirmed, documented citizens of the United States, even using the data that DHS has, which is incomplete. The remaining 0.03 percent, which is a very small number, many of those are also citizens that the states have found when they've run that data through the federal database.

So, the states have nothing to hide. They've shown their work. They are doing an outstanding job of keeping our voter lists up to date. And the federal government is the one who has to show their work. They have to explain what is the law that gives them the authority to do this, how are they going to store and protect this data. And the federal government has not done that so far, and the federal courts continue to rule against them.

BLITZER: We're just, what, a little bit more than five months away from the midterm elections in November. There are high-stakes primaries already underway, as we all know, including tomorrow for the Republican Senate nomination in Texas. Given all the legal challenges we've seen to elections in recent years, are you confident, David, that the country's election infrastructure will hold come November?

BECKER: Yes, it's facing challenges like it's never faced before, not only from the White House and the federal government.

[11:50:00]

But in the aftermath of these mid-decade redistrictings, which are causing a lot of chaos and confusion among voters and a lot of extra work for election officials in Louisiana and Alabama and other places they're having to plan whole new elections that they didn't know they were going to have to plan.

And yet, every time we're seeing their work stand up to scrutiny, withstand the tests that they're being faced, I'm 100 percent confident that our elections are going to be safe and secure. Voters are going to find them as convenient as ever. There's more early voting than ever before. I really encourage people to use early voting when they can. And I think our elections are going to withstand all of the challenges that they're facing right now, even though they probably shouldn't have to face those challenges.

BLITZER: David Becker, thanks so much for your expertise.

BECKER: Thank you, Wolf.

BLITZER: And as we head to a break, a closer live look right now from Arlington National Cemetery. President Trump is expected to speak there shortly after laying a wreath in honor of Memorial Day and those who have sacrificed their lives for this nation. We'll be right back.

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[11:55:00]

BLITZER: Happening now, CNN Engagement Party, a brand-new CNN podcast featuring Audie Cornish and Ari Shapiro, is officially streaming on the CNN app. Ari's joining us here in the Situation Room. Ari, thanks very much for joining us. Talk a little bit about what you and Audie are starting with this new podcast.

ARI SHAPIRO, CNN CONTRIBUTOR AND CNN CO-HOST, CNN ENGAGEMENT PARTY PODCAST: Yes, thanks for having me, Wolf. You know, there are certain things that drain your batteries and certain things that fill your batteries. "Engagement Party" is a show that fills your batteries.

Audie and I, of course, co-hosted All Things Considered at NPR for years, but we've been friends for much longer than that. We've known each other for more than 20 years. And when our mics were off in the All Things Considered studio in between talking about very serious, important news topics, we would crack each other up.

We would make each other laugh. We would discuss what was in our social media feeds, what we were watching, what we were obsessed with, what we were engaged with, and so we decided to make a show about it.

BLITZER: This goes back to your joint days at NPR, right?

SHAPIRO: Yes, yes.

BLITZER: Yes.

SHAPIRO: We both kind of grew up as baby journalists at NPR, and, of course, Audie came to CNN about four years ago. I left NPR in October, and we had talked for a long time about wanting to make a show like this, and now CNN's given us the opportunity. Our first episode just dropped Friday.

BLITZER: So, tell us a little bit different -- what's different between a radio show and a video podcast?

SHAPIRO: I feel like I have been thrown in the deep end of a swimming pool, and I'm surrounded by Olympic swimming coaches to make sure I don't drown. It's really fun to do something new where, you know, for example, we're filming at this local independent bookstore here in Washington, D.C.

BLITZER: Which one?

SHAPIRO: It's called Solid State Books on H Street.

BLITZER: All right.

SHAPIRO: And so, you know, we're, like, surrounded by the place and the books, and we have all of the clips that we're throwing to from YouTube, from TikTok, from Instagram, because so much of the show is about what we're watching and what we're absorbing, or clips of, like, on the last episode, we discussed the HBO show "Euphoria." It's the second most popular show in HBO history after "Game of Thrones." I'm not a huge fan. Audie is. We get into some disagreements about it, and that's part of the spark of the show.

BLITZER: I want to play a little clip for our viewers. Listen to this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

AUDIE CORNISH, CNN ANCHOR AND CNN CO-HOST, CNN ENGAGEMENT PARTY PODCAST: So, the reason why I'm bringing it to engagement party, to a person who is so clearly hostile, to the show. Who is hostile to the show?

SHAPIRO: OK. Finish that thought, and then I'll tell you how I feel.

CORNISH: It's because I'm sure you're wondering why everyone's talking about it.

SHAPIRO: Yes.

CORNISH: Like, why does a fan base that loves a thing hate watch it? How did we get here?

SHAPIRO: And I'll tell you why I want to talk about it. Because I watched season one, and I thought, this is incredibly acted. It's very well made. It is -- I don't need to spend time with people overdosing and being victimized or abused when the real world is full of a lot of darkness.

CORNISH: OK. Is this your news person talking --

SHAPIRO: So, I tuned out --

CORNISH: -- or is this because you had a happy childhood?

SHAPIRO: I felt the same way about "The Handmaid's Tale."

CORNISH: Fair.

SHAPIRO: I was like, well-made show about topics I don't need to spend my free time engaging with. So, I tuned out after season one, and then it feels like the rest of the world piled on. So, I'm eager to find out what I'm missing. And I've gone back and watched a lot of season two and season three, and my take on the show has shifted from, these are dark topics I don't really want to spend time with to, this is deeply -- up.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SHAPIRO: So, it's a different vibe than you might be used to hearing from us if you heard us on All Things Considered.

BLITZER: It's a little bit different than working in radio for NPR.

SHAPIRO: Absolutely.

BLITZER: Yes.

SHAPIRO: Well, I mean, one of the things that's really different is that when we were hosting a news magazine on NPR, we'd have four- minute segments about everything. And here, we get to dive really deep into a conversation. So, it's not just, what's the show about? It's, how did the show create a generation of A-list actors? And what does it say about the moment in the capitalistic economy that we live in? And the only fans aspect of the show.

I mean, the visuals of the show coming from social media, there are a lot of threads that we can follow, and that's not the only topic. We also get into some Michael Jackson, Bob Ross, the public television painter. There's a lot that we're engaged with and a lot that we dive into. Give us a preview of the next episode.

SHAPIRO: All right. Well, in the next episode, we're going to be talking about -- have you ever heard of Blue Dot Fever?

BLITZER: Have I?

SHAPIRO: Have you heard of Blue Dot Fever?

BLITZER: No.

SHAPIRO: Blue Dot Fever is when you click on an arena concert to buy a ticket, and it's a sea of blue dots, meaning the tickets are not selling, and a lot of artists are canceling tour dates because nobody's buying the tickets. We're also going to be talking about the protein-maxing trend that is overtaking not only social media, but also supermarket shelves. Did you know they're now making --

[12:00:00]