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The Situation Room

Rep. Kean Announces Depression Diagnosis, Long-Term Treatment; Remembering Elie Wiesel's Fight Against Hate, Antisemitism; U.S. Clinches Historic World Cup Win Over Bosnia and Herzegovina. Aired 11:30-12p ET

Aired July 02, 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]

PAMELA BROWN, CNN ANCHOR: -- when it comes to depression and where it's stemming from?

DR. MARK RAPAPORT, PRESIDENT, AMERICAN PSYCHIATRIC ASSOCIATION: Yes, what we know is that depression is a biological illness. Now, there are many different forms of depression, but it is caused by biology and it causes changes in sleep, changes in appetite, changes in mood, and that these changes can be ameliorated with effective treatment. And the good news is we have effective treatment available for us.

BROWN: Yes. And you know, I should also note, we talked about this a little bit earlier, that Rep. Kean was able to take time off. He was hospitalized. He took nearly four months off, that's over 100 days. You know, regular Americans may not have that luxury, those who are battling depression. What is your advice to those who don't have the ability to take that much time off?

DR. RAPAPORT: I think the key is to get help. The key is to let your family members know. The key, if you're working, is to let your HR know because they have resources available. One of the things that you can do if you want to find out more about this is go on to the Love, Your Mind website. This is a partnership with the Ad Council where they have information to help folks who may be suffering from depressive disorders. There's a lot that can be done.

BROWN: And you look at the numbers. I mean, Gallup and the CDC, they did a study that of the number of young adults that are dealing with depression, it's increased from 13 percent in 2017 to nearly 27 percent in 2025. What do we need to do as a society to reverse this trend?

DR. RAPAPORT: Well, the first thing we need to do is what you're doing today. We need to educate folks that disorders of the brain like depression are just as real as heart disease or lung disease and require the same type of parity in terms of costs. The next thing that we need to do is intervene early. And there are things that we can do to intervene very early when people are beginning to feel sad or blue. And the earlier we do that, the better.

BROWN: All right. Dr. Mark Rapaport, thank you so much for this really important conversation. And we want to note that if you or someone you know out there is struggling with mental health or in crisis, help is available 24/7, as he was just talking about. You can also call or text the National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988. We'll be right back.

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[11:35:00]

WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: Today's July 2nd, a day for remembrance. Ten years ago today, the world lost a courageous and tireless voice against hate and antisemitism. Elie Wiesel was a Holocaust survivor, a Nobel Prize winning author who devoted his life to fighting intolerance in all forms. I spoke to him many times throughout the years. Elie Wiesel endured several concentration camps during the Holocaust. And like so many survivors, he was steadfast in making sure those atrocities were never forgotten.

Joining us now is his son, Elisha Wiesel. Elisha, thanks very much for being here. It's hard to believe your dad has been gone now for 10 years. How do you think he would react to seeing this rise in antisemitism that we've seen in recent years, not just here in the U.S., but indeed in so many other parts of the world?

ELISHA WIESEL, FOUNDER, CLEARALPHA TECHNOLOGIES AND SON OF ELIE WIESEL: Thank you, Wolf, for having me on the show to remember my father.

My father left behind some very clear lessons for us and one of his clearest lessons was about language. When we use language of hatred, that can spread and get far worse than we ever imagined. Unfortunately, the right-wing in this country has dehumanized immigrants and in so doing, they opened the door to the DSA, which now dehumanizes Jew.

So, MAGA, I think in some sense, has created DSA or at least is reinforcing it through the choice of language. And if you look at the language that the DSA uses, we see the evil choices that they are making very clearly. Zohran Mamdani says that anyone who supports Israel, you know, through AIPAC or otherwise, that they are monsters spreading dark money. Chevalier, you know, who recently won a congressional seat, talks about how Israel doesn't exist, erasing an entire people with her words after participating in a celebratory rally on October 8th, not 24 hours after the horrors of October 7th. Brad Lander uses the word genocide.

My father survived the genocide. He witnessed it. Two-thirds of European Jewry were killed in the Holocaust. In Brad's genocide, Israel sends one and a half million tons or more of food aid, metric tons of food aid in the days following the ceasefire.

So, what a gift people are making when they use terrible language. When we misuse the word, genocide, we're giving a great gift both to the Nazis and to Hamas by weakening the meaning of the word.

BLITZER: Your dad, of course, was a Holocaust survivor who came to America and became a very, very patriotic American, like my own dad, who was a Holocaust survivor, came to America, became a very patriotic American. My dad wouldn't have believed some of the things that are going on right now, and I assume your dad would have been in the same place, knowing how much he loved this country, seeing this increase in antisemitism unfolding not only on the extreme right but on the extreme left as well.

[11:40:00]

WIESEL: My father loved this country deeply. He was a loyal citizen. He believed what this country stood for, and he believed that America, like no other country, was capable of correcting its own problems. He believed that even if a fever broke, we always would overcome it.

And if you look at the world today, you look at our country, yes, we have real problems. It's not surprising that young people who are so susceptible to the DSA and the extreme left's message are frustrated. There are real problems to solve in the country. My father always believed we could solve them.

You know, we have a -- we have crypto as a technology which consumes as much energy as Australia and allows Iran and Russia to massively evade sanctions. Should we tax it? Well, that's too hard a question for Gen Z. They own a lot of crypto. Social media is spreading disinformation like crazy. It's today's cigarettes. What cigarettes were for young people 40 years ago today, we know from authors like Jonathan Haidt what it's doing to the young minds of people today. Should we regulate that? Well, that's also tough for Gen Z millennials because the young people are spreading disinformation using these channels.

An immigration policy, can we fix that? Can we have an immigration policy that is both sensitive and compassionate and also sensible and makes sense for our country? We should be able to arrive at that nuance. But it's easier to talk about the world in terms of firmly open doors or firmly closed doors, nothing in between. And what happens when societies grapple with problems that are hard, people always come along with evil intent and suggest one scapegoat that's easier to talk about. And unfortunately, that's the Jews.

BLITZER: You keep referring to DSA, the Democratic Socialists of America, and the influence that they've been gaining. If your dad were still alive today, what would his message be to the Democratic Socialists of America?

WIESEL: I don't know specifically what his message might be for them, but I will tell you what his message was for young people and what my message is, which is young people who are swayed to fanaticism, to either of these extremes, the extreme right or the extreme left, you want to fix the world. We see you. I see you. You have an energy.

You feel the need to do something, and that's great. You have already fought past the warning against indifference that my father made so poetically and repeatedly during his lifetime. But there's a step that has to come after that, which is fighting ignorance. You have to know what you're speaking about before you start shouting. Learn before you shout. So, I think my message would be, in previous generations, my father, Natan Sharansky, activated an entire generation of students to free Soviet Jewry. That was a student-led movement. He was so connected and so proud of that. Today's students can do that too. You just have to be thoughtful in what you're arguing for. You can overcome the ignorance. We believe in you. And there is a way back. It's really never too late.

BLITZER: Elisha Wiesel, thank you so much for joining us. And as I always say, may your father's memory continue to be a blessing. Thank you so much for joining us. And we'll have more when we come back.

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[11:45:00]

BLITZER: Happening now, a historic World Cup achievement for the United States. The men's team with a hard-fought 2-0 victory last night against Bosnia and Herzegovina to clinch their first knockout win since 2002. CNS Sports Analyst and USA Today columnist, Christine Brennan, is here with us in the Situation Room. Christine, what impressed you most about this huge win? I was up late last night watching it.

CHRISTINE BRENNAN, CNN SPORTS ANALYST AND SPORTS COLUMNIST, USA TODAY: You and everyone else in America, right? Well, the way they fought when they went down a man because of a very controversial red card against the star Fo Balogun. And that was literally a shocking moment where he went out. So, for 30 minutes, they had to play a man down.

BLITZER: Instead of 11 players, 10 players.

BRENNAN: Ten, right. And Balogun is the star of the team. He's had three goals in three games. So, the notion that they could not have that extra -- not only did they lose him, a very suspect call. Lots of criticism. I don't think it deserved a red card at all, Wolf and Pam. But they sent him off. And the U.S. really, really dug deep and of course then had another goal. So, it was 2-nothing. It could have gone the other way very easily. They could have lost that game. So, a tremendous effort fighting against adversity for the U.S. team.

BLITZER: And the U.S. plays Belgium Monday night. That's next. But he's not going to be eligible. He's barred from even playing in that game, which is a huge setback for the USA team as well.

BRENNAN: It is. And it's really just unfair. I mean, for -- you know, we can all say, well, obviously people are for the U.S. and looking at this from a U.S. point of view. But it's just -- it's -- I'll say it. It's ridiculous. The ref -- it was a chippy game. There were lots of moments that could have -- where you could have called yellow cards. You go to a yellow card before a red card.

So, to throw him out the way they did for an inadvertent -- obviously did land on his leg, but an inadvertent issue, it is a huge -- a big issue now for the U.S. Because Belgium is the 9th ranked team in the world. The U.S. is the 17th ranked. And Belgium had to come back with two goals in the final five seconds -- five minutes, excuse me, just to tie the game. And then they won on a penalty kick right near the end of stoppage time. So, Belgium had its own battle.

But Belgium is going to be a very difficult team for the U.S. And especially now, without their superstar, it's going to be tough.

BROWN: But is there any way to appeal this and fight back?

BRENNAN: Well, it's a great question. It has been asked and answered. No. No appeal. FIFA said no appeal, Pam. So, no chance to get him back.

[11:50:00]

Again, you know, to lose Fo Balogun this way is just really, really unfortunate.

BROWN: Wow. All right. I want to turn to another star player, and that would be LeBron James. He is weighing his options right now after informing the Lakers this week that he will play elsewhere next season. So, where do you think he's going to go?

BRENNAN: Well, I know, Wolf, you agree as a Great Lakes person, it would be fun to see him end his career in Cleveland, where he started, of course, from Akron, Northern Ohio. I'm a Northern Ohioan myself. He's been in Cleveland, then Miami, where he won two titles, back to Cleveland to bring a title there, an NBA title there, and then L.A., where he won one title over eight years. So, I think it would be great if he went back home and finished his career in Cleveland. We shall see.

There's going to be a lot of teams that would love to have him. Golden State, Steph Curry, that's another pairing that people would love to see.

BLITZER: Yes, I'd love to see him with my Washington Wizards, too. But that's not happening.

BRENNAN: Probably not.

BLITZER: Yes, probably not.

BRENNAN: Probably not, Wolf. Sorry, Wolf.

BLITZER: I'm a Washington Wizards fan.

BRENNAN: We all know that.

BLITZER: Did I ever mention that to you?

BROWN: Yes, and a Buffalo Bills fan.

BLITZER: All right. Good.

BRENNAN: A little bit. BLITZER: All right. After nearly four years of walking off the court, tennis superstar Serena Williams marked her return to Wimbledon this week. She and Venus are now expected to play tomorrow. How different is this comeback for Serena?

BRENNAN: It's tough. Imean, she lost, obviously, in the singles. So, they took it to three sets. At the end of the first set, Wolf, she tweaked her right knee. And so, there are questions right now if she's going to be able to play Friday with her sister. They've won six Wimbledon doubles titles.

They -- you know, obviously, for London and for Wimbledon, the notion that she would be able to be back and play with her sister. They won the Olympic gold medal there in 2012 in London on that same center court. But there are real questions if she's going to be able to play. And that's what age is about. Venus is 46, just turned 46. Serena's 44, will be 45 in September. It's tough.

And that, we see the example where she played very well, won the second set in singles, but, as I said, tweaked that right knee, which now impacts the opportunity, the potential for her to play in doubles on Friday.

BLITZER: I'll be watching, like millions of others.

BRENNAN: You and, again, like everyone else. Yes.

BLITZER: Christine Brennan, thanks so much for joining us.

BRENNAN: Thank you.

BROWN: Thank you so much, Christine. And coming up, the garden party, neither heat nor holiday will be enough to stop the show as Taylor Swift, Travis Kelce, and hundreds of guests prepare for what's expected to be their long-rumored wedding celebration at Madison Square Garden.

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[11:55:00]

BROWN: Happening now, the countdown is on for the expected wedding celebration of Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce. Sources tell CNN it'll happen tomorrow at New York City's Madison Square Garden. All this week, crews have been spotted outside the arena delivering boxes. A law enforcement source tells CNN that NYPD officers will be deployed around the garden for the event. And that's sure to cause a bit more traffic, but fans don't seem to mind.

BLITZER: CNN's Brynn Gingras is just outside. She's just outside Madison Square Garden right now. She's joining us live. Brynn, sources say the festivities are actually expected to begin tonight. What more do we know?

BRYNN GINGRAS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, that's right. We're starting to see signs of more activity and more things happening as we get closer to that start time, Wolf and Pan. We're seeing actually a tent being erected on the opposite side of Madison Square Garden where there's a VIP entrance. We expect people to be going in there undetected from any paparazzi because it's quite a big tent. And we've also seen some other signs.

Lots of barricades all around Madison Square Garden. Starting to shut off areas from pedestrians. Certainly, traffic is getting disrupted around this area. So, if anybody was wondering if this is actually happening, we're actually seeing a ton of signs.

What we've learned, yes, as you guys said it, the, quote/unquote, "rehearsal" is expected to happen tonight in the theater section according to our sources of Madison Square Garden beginning at about 6:00 p.m. A hundred guests expected to be in attendance for that. And then the big show is tomorrow. 5:30 we're learning from sources. The wedding will take place -- expected to take place at 5:30 on the arena floor of Madison Square Garden. And a little bit of signs we're seeing about that.

Again, more forklifts coming to these trucks, removing things, going into the tunnels of Madison Square Garden. We've seen beer trucks. We've seen bakery trucks. We've seen some structures, like arches. So, definitely again, as you guys said, those little Easter eggs, we're seeing more of them.

BROWN: We are. Lots of activity happening around you. What else are we learning about security, Brynn?

GINGRAS: Yes. We've been seeing that too, Pam. We've been seeing a lot of NYPD officers patrolling this area. Again, those barricades pushing people further back in every direction of Madison Square Garden. Sources are actually also telling us about 500 vehicles tomorrow for the expected wedding are supposedly going to be bringing guests into Madison Square Garden through the garages, possibly even through this way. I'm not quite clear on the direction.

But a lot of security taking place around this area in coordination with MSG security, the NYPD se- police officers. There are counterterrorism teams, K9 units, the full gamut for these A-listers. Guys, it's going to be quite a party here ahead of the July 4th celebration.

BROWN: Yes, quite a party, and as you said earlier, you're still waiting.

BLITZER: I haven't gotten my invitation yet. All right.

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