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The Situation Room

NBA Finals Continue; Texas Senate Race Heats Up; Trump Threatens Iranian Power Plants and Bridges. Aired 10:30a-11a ET

Aired June 10, 2026 - 10:30   ET

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

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PAMELA BROWN, CNN HOST: Happening now: Violent anti-immigrant protests erupt in Northern Ireland. Mass crowds gathered in various parts of Belfast, setting houses, vehicles and barricades on fire. And this comes after a knife attack that was caught on camera. Police say the suspect is a Sudanese man who claimed asylum back in 2023. And this attack comes at a time of heightened tensions in Britain.

A former Air Canada pilot is facing criminal charges for flying tens of thousands of passengers for nearly 17 years with a fake pilot's license. Canadian police say Geoffrey Wall captained more than 900 domestic and international flights from 2009 to 2025 without ever obtaining the proper license or completing the mandatory testing.

How does that happen? I don't know.

A suspect fleeing police in Louisiana gets swamp justice. Bodycam video, you see it right here, shows a suspected impaired driver flailing in a swamp. That's because police say an alligator was attacking him. Despite injuries to both his arms, he kept running. He was later found and arrested.

Wow.

And we are continuing our breaking news coverage of the war with Iran. This morning, President Trump tells FOX News that he is getting closer to targeting its power plants and bridges. And this comes after a new exchange of strikes. Iranian state media released this video right here of strikes launched toward U.S. targets in the Middle East.

Kuwait and Jordan say they intercepted Iranian missiles and airstrikes. And Iran says it targeted the U.S. Fifth Fleet in Bahrain. Video geolocated by CNN appears to show a flash right near a U.S. base.

This morning, the president underscored the uncertainty of peace talks. He says Iran has -- quote -- "taken too long to negotiate a deal that wouldn't have been great for them. Now they will have to pay the price."

Let's bring in retired Army General Wesley Clark, a former supreme allied commander of NATO.

General Clark, always great to have you on.

What do you make of President Trump saying that Iran will now pay the price for not negotiating a peace deal?

GEN. WESLEY CLARK (RET.), CNN MILITARY ANALYST: The president wants to incentivize Iran to get the peace deal. He wants to keep the U.S. financial markets up. He's giving mixed messages, and he wants the messages to go to different audiences.

So, yesterday, he thought the peace deal was going to be close. That helped the markets, probably. Iran, on the other hand, is feeling quite arrogant. They have survived what they think is the worst that we could do to them in an air campaign.

They're looking at the United States. They see political controversy. They know President Trump is facing concerns over the war powers resolution. So they're pushing him, and the president's trying to push back with this rhetoric.

The truth is, the center mass of this operation is the Strait of Hormuz. If we want to succeed in the negotiations, we have got to get greater leverage over the Iranians. And the way to do it is step by step opening the Strait of Hormuz. We can do it. We have the military to do it.

We have collected the intelligence. We have looked at this for six weeks now, seven weeks. It's time to execute. But the administration is holding back. They're hoping for these negotiations. And I think what President Trump is signaling is maybe no more holding back.

BROWN: Well, and he's talked about Strait of Hormuz's bridges and power plants. He just told FOX News that this morning, but not what you just laid out as it pertains to the Strait of Hormuz.

Why would the administration hold back if it can do more to open up the Strait of Hormuz and show Iran that it doesn't have as much leverage as it thinks it has?

CLARK: Well, it's a little inexplicable to me.

And we have talked to people inside the administration, and we're pushing on this idea of opening up the strait. But the easy targets, the ones you can be sure you can strike and get in and out and destruction, are the infrastructure targets and the bridges. The problem is, they don't provide the leverage in the negotiation. They're just destruction.

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If you really want to move this forward, you must go after the Strait of Hormuz. We know how to do it. We have the means to do it. We should be doing it. This is the time.

BROWN: Well, how do you do it? Can you just walk us through how you would do it militarily?

CLARK: We have a number of different forces that you're working against.

You're working against ballistics, cruise missiles, sea-skimming anti- ship missiles, drones, and fast boats. But you have a combination of means to do this. You have your air assets overhead. You have satellite reconnaissance. You have U.S. Navy ships. And you have a number of unmanned assets.

So you can see underwater. You can strike at the missile launch sites. And step by step, you must get Iran to reveal itself and then take it out. So it's not a one single strike. It's a campaign. It's like taking down any fortification. When they shoot back, you destroy the cannon that's shooting back or the missile launcher or the site.

And step by step, you will reduce their ability to interfere with this in the strait. And, honestly, once that starts, once they see they're going to lose, you will find that you have greater leverage in the negotiations.

And you will have kept in reserve the opportunity to destroy their civilian infrastructure.

BROWN: So you think, if the U.S. were to go after the Strait of Hormuz and the Iranians' blockage of it, that that could actually get Iran closer to making a deal than further away?

CLARK: Absolutely. Absolutely.

They are holding on the Strait of Hormuz as their key point of leverage. Now, they can respond asymmetrically, going against the Gulf states, yes. But then, when that happens, then you have the ability to go after their infrastructure. You don't start this game of action, reaction, counteraction by going after their infrastructure.

You start unraveling their control of the Strait of Hormuz. There's only so many assets there. There's so many boats. There's so many anti-aircraft positions. We're already knowing where they are. We're taking them out step by step. We just have to intensify this and go after it as a deliberate program.

You don't have to even announce it. You just have to do a little bit more. You can call it defensive strikes, just like Admiral Cooper is doing, and just do a little bit more every day. And when they see that leverage going away, you will get diplomatic progress.

BROWN: All right, retired General Wesley Clark, thank you so much.

CLARK: Thank you, Pamela.

BROWN: And coming up here in THE SITUATION ROOM: a surprising endorsement in Texas. The man who defended Ken Paxton during his impeachment is now backing Paxton's opponent in the Senate race. He will join us next to explain why.

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BROWN: Happening now: a surprising endorsement in a critical midterm race.

In Texas, Republican Ken Paxton's impeachment attorney is now backing his former client's opponent, Democrat James Talarico, for Senate.

Dan Cogdell sat down with Talarico on his podcast and said Paxton, who is also Texas attorney general, has -- quote -- "lost sight" of representing the state.

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DAN COGDELL, FORMER IMPEACHMENT ATTORNEY FOR KEN PAXTON: Unlike Ken, I believe to my core, James, that you are -- believe in unity over division and that how to assemble not only Democrats, but independents and Republicans. And we need that right now.

We need it more than in my lifetime, and I'm old as dirt.

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BROWN: Dan Cogdell joins us now.

Thanks so much for being here.

So when you say Ken Paxton has -- quote -- "lost sight," what do you mean by that?

COGDELL: Well, I mean, look, Texas, in my view, has a number of areas we need to approve in. We are number one in school shootings. We are number one in uninsured motorists. We are 44th in education. We are near the bottom in terms of health care.

Those are the issues that this state and our senators need to be focusing on. And as much as I enjoyed representing General Paxton and listening to his campaign efforts over the past year, he's not seemed to be focusing on any of those. He seems to be focused on what Donald Trump wants.

And, look, I get it. That's the MAGA spirit and all of that, but that's not his job description. His job description is representing Texans and Texas. And after spending some time with Talarico, I think those are the issues he's focused on. And that's why I am endorsing him.

BROWN: Just to be clear, do you consider yourself a Democrat or a Republican?

COGDELL: I don't consider myself either. I consider myself a moderate, whatever that means in the Year of our Lord 2026.

I have given more money and raised more money for Republican candidates over my career. Do I vote Democrat more than Republican? At this point in time, probably. But that's not really how I identify. I believe myself to be a moderate.

BROWN: And campaign finance record shows that you actually gave the maximum amount to Paxton's Senate run last year.

Arguably, the same information was out about him then as it is now. I mean, he had the same messaging. He was aligning himself with Trump then. So why the change of heart?

COGDELL: No, that's a fair question. I think the answer to that is my change, if you will, was an evolution. It wasn't binary. And I didn't know much, if anything, about James Talarico when I did host the fund- raiser and I raised that money.

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But after spending time with James, I believe he's focused on the issues that I think he should be focused on. Fun fact, I have similarly donated the maximum amount to Talarico. It just hasn't appeared in the record yet because that was last week.

BROWN: So I want to just bring to you what other members of Paxton's impeachment defense team had said. These are people you worked with. And they have pushed back against your endorsement of his opponent.

Attorney and Republican State Rep. Mitch Little said you're a Democrat who doesn't vote very much. Attorney Tony Buzbee echoed him, saying you recently got crossways with Paxton over a real estate development that he opposed and you represented.

How do you respond to this criticism you're getting?

COGDELL: Well, first off, if I didn't want to be criticized, I wouldn't become a criminal defense lawyer.

As to Mitch's comments, look, I like Mitch. I trust Mitch. He's a good person. Buzbee, as much as he wants to carp that I'm a Democrat about some real estate deal, to be completely transparent, it's my understanding that Tony has made a significant amount of money through relationships he's formed with Ken Paxton representing state of Texas.

In my view, none of that really matters. What difference does it make in terms of what Mitch thinks or what Buzbee thinks? I'm voting my own conscience. I'm not voting theirs.

BROWN: And you personally worked with Paxton for over a decade. And as a reminder, his 2023 Senate impeachment trial surrounded bribery, abuse of public trust, obstruction of justice and conspiracy.

Now, the Texas State Senate ultimately acquitted him of all 16 charges, but obviously those are serious charges. What else can you tell us about him that hasn't already been revealed?

COGDELL: Well, I don't think that can tell you anything about him that hadn't been publicly revealed.

And, for the record, I think the Senate came to the right result. The quantum of proof that's required or that was required in the impeachment was proof beyond a reasonable doubt. I don't think they did that. And -- but that's not the standard.

Look, again, I'm a criminal defense lawyer. I probably wouldn't endorse 95 percent of my clients who were running for public office regardless. But my obligation under the Constitution is different than my conscience to vote.

BROWN: What do you hope comes from coming out publicly like this and endorsing Paxton's opponent, James Talarico?

COGDELL: Well, to be frank, I wasn't going to be near as public about my endorsing Talarico until I saw the way that the Paxton campaign is going after him.

They're coming out with these A.I., where they have got Talarico dressed in some Sunday deal -- or some -- as singing to transvestite kids. And you see Paxton and Lieutenant Dan and Trump in the Oval Office holding up pictures of Talarico dressed as or drawn as Alfred E. Neuman in the "Mad Magazine."

It's like, really, guys? Is that what it's come to in our country? We have a war going on and you're likening your opponent to Alfred E. Neuman?

So, I don't think I'm going to fight fire with fire. I don't think my voice is going to matter at the end of the day. But I have got -- again, I have an obligation to vote my conscience and endorse through my conscience. And that's what I'm doing.

BROWN: All right, Dan, well, thank you so much for coming on to share your point of view on this. We appreciate it.

COGDELL: Thank you all.

BROWN: And here's what's coming up all new at the top of the hour.

Containing the Epstein files crisis. New reporting about the scramble inside the Trump administration.

And coin conflict? The Trump family is selling some medallions for up to $12,000 ahead of the UFC fight at the White House. Why some critics say that is a problem.

And a meet-up of biblical proportions. How Bad Bunny crossed paths with Pope Leo.

That's all new next hour.

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BROWN: All right, happening now, preps for game four of the NBA Finals are under way at Madison Square Garden, but the famed venue is putting New York City officials on blast over new security measures. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

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BROWN: Whoa. This comes after nearly two dozen people were arrested at a watch party that clearly turned violent. The new plan includes crowd control measures in and around the arena, including a frozen zone like the one used when President Trump attended Monday's game.

A spokesperson for MSG told CNN -- quote -- "We now know these restrictions were never about the president. It was just a convenient excuse to restrict how and when Knicks fans celebrate."

And, meanwhile, the Spurs are looking to even the series tonight in the Garden.

CNN Sports anchor Don Riddell joins us.

So, Don, can they do it?

DON RIDDELL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, if it follows how the series has gone so far, it is definitely possible. Home advantage has counted for absolutely nothing.

The road team has won each of the first three games of this series. That's only happened once before in NBA history. Victor Wembanyama had a monster game on Monday, but it was De'Aaron Fox's late jumper that clinched it at the Garden, a crucial win for the Spurs.

The Knicks are obviously hoping this won't be the first Finals ever to see the road team win the first four. And New York star Jalen Brunson says, well, it's simple.

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JALEN BRUNSON, NEW YORK KNICKS: I have played better, but also I have played worse. We need to be ready to go. It's a very vague thing to say, but I think it's very simple as well.

STEPHON CASTLE, SAN ANTONIO SPURS: Not really paying too close attention to the crowd. I mean, they're going to be there regardless, especially cheering on their team. So, I mean, you should want to play in those kind of environments. I feel like that's when we play at our best.

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RIDDELL: So maybe, get this, the Knicks are destined to win in six.

Check out Evan Pfeufer's yearbook prediction from six years ago, while others were listing academic awards and accolades, Evan simply put "Knicks in six 2026 NBA Finals." How about that?

BROWN: All right, how about that?

Don Riddell, thanks so much.

And if the Spurs do pull off a win tonight, it may be due to a little divine intervention. These sisters have gone viral as a fixture during San Antonio's run, seen right outside wearing jerseys and cheering on the players. But their fandom goes back decades.

Sister Bernadette Mota and Sister Vuong Do of the Salesian Sisters of St. John Bosco join us now.

Sister, first of all, Mota, to you, I want to just kick it off with you here. What do you think of the Spurs' run so far?

SISTER BERNADETTE MOTA, SALESIAN SISTERS OF ST. JOHN BOSCO: It's been amazing to see them playing as a team. And really the way that the city has come together too to have everyone from the city really rooting together, it's been just a real blessing for the community of San Antonio and for all the Spurs fans out there.

So we're really trying to portray and show a positive element to professional sports and to help young people to have good role models they can look up to. So we're praying for them, for the Spurs to do that out there on the court and then also off the court too.

BROWN: So, Sister Do, tell us more about the sisters' relationship with the team and the players.

SISTER VUONG DO, SALESIAN SISTERS OF ST. JOHN BOSCO: You know, like you said earlier, our relationship with the Spurs has gone back to decades, and I feel that we're the second generation to continue the relationship with the Spurs.

And we have young sisters, sisters in their elderly age, and they -- we come together to watch the game as a community. And, obviously, we pray for both teams to play with good sportsmanship to show the young people out there, you know what, let's play with dignity and just have fun.

BROWN: I love that, good sportsmanship. You're praying for both teams to just have fun. That's what I tell my 7-year-old when he plays, right? Just go have fun and play with dignity and have good sportsmanship. And that applies to when you're older too, even in the pros like this.

And, Sister Mota, your support of the team has also brought a lot of attention to you and your sisters, and you have really been able to turn this into real help for your community. Tell us more about that.

MOTA: Yes, this has been a blessing for our -- really for our mission and for the young people that we serve, especially here in San Antonio, because we serve on the west side of the city, which is an impoverished area. So, many of the young people who live in this particular area cannot

afford private Catholic education. We would love to offer that to more young people. So this has helped us in that, but then also we still need more help, so the more that people can help us and support us in that generosity to give young people really hope for the future for them, so that they can be good Christians and good citizens here.

And so, again, it has been a blessing, but we're always in need of more assistance. So if anyone out there would like to support our mission, the Salesian Sisters here in San Antonio, we'd greatly appreciate it.

BROWN: Can you just tell us a little bit more for our viewers who are watching right now how they could help if they wanted to?

MOTA: Yes, so our Web site, SalesianSistersWest.org, if they go there, they can have our contact information and see some of the ways to support our mission.

They can donate online or by check. And on our address is online, so they can go there. Or if they want to call us, they can call us and the number is on our Web site, SalesianSistersWest.org.

BROWN: All right, so, Sister Do, let's get back to the game tonight. What is your prediction for tonight's game?

DO: You know, that's a good question. And, obviously, we hope that the Spurs will tie the series 2-2. They did it in game three, so it is possible to win this game at the Knicks.

And so we pray for a tie. But, really, we shall find out tonight.

BROWN: We shall.

All right, Sister Mota, same question to you. What is your prediction for tonight's game?

MOTA: And seeing the way the teams have played, I think the Spurs have a great chance of winning tonight.

And, again, we pray for them, but it's not that prayers are magical or going to be some special power that -- just because of our prayers. But we pray for them, again, so that they can have a really good game, and everybody can play safe.