Return to Transcripts main page

The Situation Room

Inside Lebanon; Interview With Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL). Aired 10:30a-11a ET

Aired June 04, 2026 - 10:30   ET

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

[10:30:01]

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. MIKE JOHNSON (R-LA): So here's the thing. The president obviously has prerogative -- the prerogative and the choice on who he appoints to these positions. And -- and this would be an interim appointment.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WOLF BLITZER, CNN HOST: As a member of the Intelligence Committee, Congressman, how do you respond to the speaker's point?

REP. RAJA KRISHNAMOORTHI (D-IL): Well, it's time to pull Pulte.

That was a nonanswer from the speaker. He didn't want to voice his support for this person. And there's a good reason why. He's completely inexperienced and unqualified for the position.

As a member of the Intelligence Committee, I look at this guy and what I see is that his claim to fame, being a housing official, is basically using sensitive information to go after Donald Trump's political enemies.

Now, imagine why he's being hired now to head the intelligence community. It's to basically use sensitive and potentially classified information to go after Donald Trump's political enemies. That is completely outrageous.

The intelligence community performs a vital role in telling the truth about foreign threats. And we cannot have someone so unqualified, inexperienced, with nefarious motives in that position, such as Mr. Pulte.

BLITZER: Do you know, Congressman, and I'm just curious, if Pulte has ever, ever had top secret security clearances, that he's been approved to get top secret security information either as a housing official or any else -- other time in his career?

KRISHNAMOORTHI: I'm not aware of that at all. I would be astonished if he had that type of security clearance. And I think that that's yet another strike against him.

BLITZER: Because, as far as his public background, we don't see any experience at all in the intelligence community or in U.S. intelligence. And that's the big criticism that's being leveled right now. And so you have a serious problem with him?

KRISHNAMOORTHI: I think our adversaries would be cheering if this guy actually got somehow the reins of the intelligence community, because I think that, basically, what would happen is that, instead of focusing on our adversaries and foreign threats, this guy, Mr. Pulte, would be going after Donald Trump's domestic political enemies.

And I think our national security would be harmed. That's just what would happen, pure and simple.

BLITZER: Trump has named him the acting director of national intelligence. As an acting appointment, he does not necessarily immediately require Senate confirmation. If he were named to become the permanent director of national intelligence, he would need Senate confirmation.

So, does Congress have any recourse right now to prevent him from being the acting director?

KRISHNAMOORTHI: Yes, I think Mark Warner in the Senate, I think, the other day said that this is going to really hamper efforts potentially to pass FISA or an extension of FISA.

I mean, that's a crucial tool for the intelligence community. And, right now, people already have concerns with Donald Trump as the president having that tool in his possession. Now putting Mr. Pulte in charge of the intelligence community only exacerbates those particular concerns. And I think it would really harm the whole effort to extend FISA.

BLITZER: FISA, the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, it needs to be reaffirmed. It's critical as far, as the U.S. intelligence community is concerned, in terms of surveilling potential suspects out there, whether terror suspects or other suspects.

Where do you stand on renewing FISA?

KRISHNAMOORTHI: Well, I would not be in favor of renewing it under the current circumstances.

Look, this tool is meant to go after the bad guys, OK? Unfortunately, in the past, it has also been used to collect information on Americans. Now, if you have someone like Pulte in charge of the intelligence community, and he's able to use that tool to go after Americans who happen to be also Donald Trump's critics or political enemies, I don't see where you get the votes to extend this particular critical tool.

BLITZER: Before you go, Congressman, a quick final question.

You recently spoke out against the Pentagon's latest decision to designate its press office, where journalists would normally receive information from military officials, a classified space. That's what they're designating it now, effectively banning reporters from being there.

Explain why you view this as dangerous.

KRISHNAMOORTHI: Well, look, I think freedom of the press is fundamental to what we are as a country. That is a vital check on our government.

And so when Pete Hegseth and others basically want to prevent the free exercise of that particular right, Americans are not able to have any insight into what's going on in a vital institution such as the Pentagon and the Department of Defense.

[10:35:12]

And so this is just a straight-up effort to prevent people from getting the news, to censor bad information or information that's somehow inconvenient to the Department of War. And so I think that this is -- this particular ridiculous move on the part of Pete Hegseth has to be opposed by everybody.

BLITZER: Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi, thanks, as usual, for joining us.

KRISHNAMOORTHI: Thank you so much.

BLITZER: Pamela.

PAMELA BROWN, CNN HOST: All right, Wolf, just ahead, a SITUATION ROOM special report,

CNN gets exclusive access to Hezbollah and confronts a top official about the growing violence in Lebanon.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ISOBEL YEUNG, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: What would you say to the parents of the hundreds of kids who have died? What did they die for?

IBRAHIM MOUSSAWI, LEBANESE PARLIAMENT MEMBER: I believe, this question, you should say to Donald Trump and to Benjamin Netanyahu. We are defending our people.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[10:40:36]

BLITZER: Happening now: The Hezbollah leader is now rejecting, rejecting the latest Lebanon-Israel cease-fire plan. Earlier today, Israel and Hezbollah were still trading strikes, according to local media reports.

CNN international correspondent Isobel Yeung and her team recently traveled to Southern Lebanon to understand how, despite Israel's heavy-hitting campaign, Hezbollah is still standing.

Here's her SITUATION ROOM special report.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

YEUNG: So, we're here in the Beqaa Valley, where Hezbollah still have a very tight grip on control.

After months of trying, we have managed to persuade a man who we believe is an arms dealer providing these weapons to Hezbollah to meet with us.

That's the car?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes. Yes.

YEUNG: It seems to be just off this road. So, we're now just going off the dirt track. I can see a building just over here has been struck by an airstrike.

Let's put the cameras down.

(CROSSTALK)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You think this is the house?

YEUNG: Yes.

(voice-over): We were asked to put our cameras down and not to reveal this location or the identity of this arms dealer, who says he's a target for the Israeli military as they try to stop the flow of weapons entering Lebanon.

(on camera): What is this?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): This is a grenade launcher.

YEUNG: It's quite a lot of weapons you have here.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): Yes, Kalashnikov, RPGs, projectiles, machine guns.

YEUNG: Who is it you're selling these weapons to?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): We sell to whoever wants to buy weapons. I cannot give names.

YEUNG: I mean, if you're selling to people in the Beqaa Valley, I mean, could be working for Hezbollah, right?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): It is possible they are taking them to Hezbollah. But I don't know. I just sell the weapon, and they do whatever they want with it.

YEUNG: You think that these weapons are needed to defend themselves against Israel? UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): They shouldn't invade

Lebanon. They crossed into Lebanon. They are causing destruction and killing families.

YEUNG: And it never keeps you up at night that these weapons are obviously used to kill people?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): Why should I be concerned?

YEUNG: I mean, there is obviously a war going on in this country right now. You're not worried that these weapons are helping to fuel that war?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): I am far away. Let people do whatever they want with these weapons.

YEUNG (voice-over): Driving much of the demand for weapons is Hezbollah, the Iran-backed militant group designated a terrorist organization by the U.S., U.K., Canada, and others.

Hezbollah is an incredibly secretive group, but we wanted to understand how they're still standing and what they're fighting for. After months of working with contacts on the ground, we gained exclusive access to key parts of the group and to those most affected by the war.

Hezbollah struck Israel in solidarity with the Hamas October 7 attack, triggering a massive Israeli bombardment across Lebanon, even since the November 2024 cease-fire, accusing Hezbollah of failing to withdraw from the border areas.

In March, Hezbollah fired rockets on Israel after Israel and the U.S. attacked Iran. This sparked a large-scale ground invasion, displacing over a million people and killing more than 3,000, according to the Lebanese government.

Hezbollah's fight could be existential. Under pressure from the U.S., the Lebanese government has been trying to disarm the group. But Israel's offensive has given Hezbollah new zeal, and it has vowed to fight on, despite heavy losses.

(on camera): Thanks.

MOHAMAD ALI HAIDAR HASAN, BEQAA VALLEY: This is my friend. His name is Sam Mortado (ph). It's 2007. This is his sister, and this is his sister. This is his grandfather, and this is mother.

YEUNG: You know, a lot of people who have died in here?

HASAN: Yes.

I know my -- another friend, Azer.

YEUNG: When did he die?

HASAN: From three years, I think. YEUNG: OK.

[10:45:00]

HASAN: Andav Jenob (ph).

YEUNG: Was he a fighter?

HASAN: Yes, he's a fighter.

YEUNG (voice-over): Mohamad (ph) from the Beqaa Valley says he's not a member of Hezbollah, but he and many others here see the group as their best protection from Israeli aggression.

(on camera): This was your cousin?

HASAN: Yes.

YEUNG: And he was fighting for Hezbollah?

HASAN: Yes. Yes. But Hezbollah defends us and defends of -- Lebanon.

YEUNG: Does everyone here support Hezbollah?

HASAN (through translator): We all support Hezbollah. Their blood won't go wasted, God willing.

YEUNG (voice-over): Perhaps Hezbollah's greatest strength are the thousands of fighters willing to sacrifice their lives for the group. They rarely give interviews to Western media.

(on camera): We have managed to secure a meeting with a member of Hezbollah who's been fighting in the south of Lebanon for the last few months, and he's agreed to meet us in a very remote location, which we're heading towards right now.

Why did you join Hezbollah?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): First, no family was spared Israeli attacks. Civilians are being killed. They want to take our land. They have a plan to occupy our land to achieve their goal.

YEUNG: You have seen a lot of fighters die. How does that make you feel?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): This makes us proud. I envy them because they are martyred. Martyrdom is something we are proud of. We die defending our homeland.

YEUNG: Do you think that firing towards Israel and Israeli troops is going to create a safer Lebanon? I mean, surely, that puts Lebanese people at more risk, knowing that what -- the Israelis will hit back with.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): No, we are not responsible for this. We will never give up our land. In the end, we either get martyred or get victorious.

YEUNG: But I guess it doesn't feel like that to a lot of people. It feels like Hezbollah is triggering and creating more war, rather than peace.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): If it wasn't for Hezbollah, there would be no peace in Lebanon.

YEUNG (voice-over): Not everyone agrees. Recent polls suggest that, while most Lebanese view Israel as an enemy, even more are critical of Iranian involvement in Lebanon.

Among those forced to flee their home is Mona Jahamy, a Shia Muslim schoolteacher from the southern city of Tyre.

(on camera): So many displaced people across the whole of Lebanon. It's crazy.

MONA JAHAMY, HIGH SCHOOL TEACHER DISPLACED FROM SOUTHERN LEBANON: It's the most miserable displacement ever that happened in Lebanon.

YEUNG: Is this an Israeli drone overhead?

JAHAMY: I can't see it, but we hear it.

YEUNG: You can hear it.

JAHAMY: We could have been better without getting involved in this war. What the hell did we have to do, put ourselves in the middle of hell?

In 2024, my house was almost devastated. It took me a year to reconstruct it, to redo everything. I haven't even took a deep breath, then another war. This is too much. This is too much for the people of Lebanon.

YEUNG: Israel are the ones who have displaced people, destroyed entire neighborhoods, killed thousands of people.

JAHAMY: We know that Israel is a very hostile and aggressive country, and it is highly and technologically armed. Nobody has doubts about this.

Take this example. There is a ferocious lion. I tell you, keep your hand away from the lion. He might bite you. He will bite you, OK? But you keep on teasing him. So he bites you. And more than that, you release the lion against everyone around you, OK?

This is what Hezbollah has done. Let the lion stay in its place.

YEUNG: Well, what is your message to the Hezbollah leaders?

JAHAMY: Let us live in peace. If you want to fight for Iran, go to Iran, but let us live in peace.

YEUNG (voice-over): Lebanon's government has tried to contain Hezbollah and to stop it from attacking Israel, but its ability to do that is limited.

Many fear that a direct confrontation with Hezbollah risks igniting sectarian strife and even civil war.

[10:50:05]

NAWAF SALAM, LEBANESE PRIME MINISTER (through translator): We're not seeking a confrontation with Hezbollah. On the contrary, I'd prefer to avoid a confrontation with Hezbollah. But, believe me, we won't be intimidated.

YEUNG: For decades, Hezbollah has stepped in where the state has failed, providing health care, social services, security. Hezbollah officials like Ibrahim Moussawi even hold seats in Parliament.

(on camera): The U.S. and Israel want Hezbollah disarmed. The Lebanese government itself also wants Hezbollah disarmed. What would happen if the Lebanese government, the Lebanese military tried to do that?

MOUSSAWI: This will not happen, I can assure you. We want our army to defend our country. Your army is not strong enough.

YEUNG (voice-over): Hezbollah decided to enter this war on March the 2nd. You knew before starting this war that the Israeli response would be huge, that thousands of people were likely to die, which they have. What made you decide that that level of human suffering, which we have witnessed over the last few months, was worth it?

MOUSSAWI: I don't want to go into the philosophy of life and death here. The Israelis continue to carry aggression, so there was one point when we have to respond to all of these aggressions.

When the Israeli-American war -- again, they started the war against Iran. We felt this is a proper window to respond.

YEUNG (on camera): Hezbollah strikes have killed several people in Israel. They have caused some civilian harm. They have also been targeting some civilian areas. The -- that has triggered a huge Israeli response, and we have seen thousands of Lebanese people killed. We have seen over a million people displaced.

MOUSSAWI: You know why is this happening?

YEUNG: Do you take any responsibility? I'm going to ask you.

(CROSSTALK)

YEUNG: Let me ask, do you do take any responsibility at all for your actions on March the 2nd triggering this mass human suffering?

(CROSSTALK)

MOUSSAWI: Do you take any responsibility? Does your government take any responsibility? Does the American government take any responsibility for unleashing the Israeli full, mighty power of killing and making genocide?

Do they do this? We're defending ourselves.

YEUNG: I'm asking you about your role in this conflict.

MOUSSAWI: I'm asking you about right of resistance.

(CROSSTALK)

YEUNG: But you acted. You acted on March the 2nd. I'm asking if your actions on March the 2nd bear any responsibility for thousands of people killed, including hundreds of children?

(CROSSTALK)

MOUSSAWI: Absolutely not.

The international community bears the responsibility. America bears the responsibility. When Trump is capable to restrain the Israelis, the criminals, I believe the American administration hold the first and exclusively responsibility for all of the killings that happened.

YEUNG: But apart from appeasing Iran, what else has this war actually achieved? There has been a huge amount of mass human suffering.

(CROSSTALK)

MOUSSAWI: You're using the same equation, but in journalistic terms, that the Israelis are doing.

What the Israelis are doing? Simply, they -- if you carry an operation or if you defend yourself against their incursion into a certain village, they will destroy the village. To tell you what? Never think to defend yourself again. Never think to stand up for the Israeli mighty force.

I want to break this cycle.

YEUNG: What would you say to the parents of the hundreds of kids who have died? What did they die for?

MOUSSAWI: I believe, this question, you should say to Donald Trump and to Benjamin Netanyahu. We are defending our people. Go back to the people who are in the funerals and ask them. You're in Lebanon now. And you can see.

YEUNG (voice-over): Since March, around 200 children have been killed in Lebanon.

(on camera): Just absolutely heartbreaking. These are body after body after body, tiny little bodies. These ones happen to be carried on the bed because there's just only parts and remnants and pieces of them left.

(voice-over): In just one strike in March, five children were killed, 6-year-Old Yasmina, 9-year-old Malika, 11-year-old Sadiq, 12-year-old Zahra, and 13-year-old Zainab.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): Were there any Hezbollah martyrs? We're a family. The people of the south do not bow down, not to Israel, not to America.

YEUNG (on camera): These kids obviously have been out of school since the beginning of the war, and this group now is trying to do some activities with them, try to have some semblance of normalcy in their lives, which have obviously been completely disrupted.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (through translator): While we were eating, they started bombing. So, I got scared. I'm scared one of us will be killed.

YEUNG (voice-over): As the Trump administration tries to rein in both sides, the people of Lebanon are trapped between a die-hard militant force backed by a newly emboldened Iran and the Israeli military waging a brutal war.

[10:55:02]

(on camera): What would you say to the people who have power over this war right now?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (through translator): God didn't create you to do this to us. Children can't continue their education or do anything. You have ruined our lives.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER: Special thanks, of course, to Isobel Yeung for that really, really excellent report.

And I also want to thank her team, the producer, Mick Krever, photojournalist Sanjiv Talreja, and editor Oscar Featherstone. They did an amazing, amazing job.

BROWN: Such important journalism, and what a powerful message from that little girl there at the end.

BLITZER: Very powerful, very moving. You see those little kids, you get moved, yes.

BROWN: So -- yes, wow, what a just gripping, moving report there by Isobel.

We have more news coming up all new at the top of the hour.

A North Carolina woman is caught on video being punched multiple times during a violent police arrest. She joins us with her attorney and her father on what happened.

Plus, Americans testing positive for Ebola could soon receive treatment in the U.S. This is a shift from the Trump administration. And we're going to tell you how a revised timeline of the first known cases could impact the spread of the outbreak. Dr. Sanjay Gupta is here to answer your questions.

And CNN gets a first look right inside the Barack Obama Presidential Center. That's all new next hour.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[11:00:00]