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The Source with Kaitlan Collins
Hegseth Warns Of "Most Intense Day Of Strikes Inside Iran"; Witkoff: Russia Told Trump It's Not Sharing Intel With Iran; Trump- Endorsed Republican Clay Fuller Will Face Democrat Shawn Harris In GA Runoff To Replace Marjorie Taylor Greene. Aired 9-10p ET
Aired March 10, 2026 - 21:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[21:00:00]
ANDERSON COOPER, CNN HOST: You can listen to the full conversation wherever you get your podcast, or starting right now, you can watch the entire episode CNN.com/AllThereIs. That's where you can also watch my new streaming show about loss, All There Is Live, this Thursday at 09:15 p.m. Eastern Time. But check out Robert Irwin, it's a great podcast available wherever you get your podcasts, right now.
The news continues. "THE SOURCE WITH KAITLAN COLLINS" starts now.
KAITLAN COLLINS, CNN HOST: Tonight. The price that is being paid by U.S. forces, as the Pentagon says today is the most intensive campaign of strikes we've seen yet in Iran.
I'm Kaitlan Collins. And this is THE SOURCE.
We are learning that nearly 140 U.S. service members have been wounded during the first 10 days of the war with Iran. The Pentagon says that eight of those are listed as severely injured and are receiving the highest level of medical care. A U.S. official previously told CNN that among the service members considered seriously injured are patients with wounds that could be fatal.
That is the sobering news tonight, in addition to the seven Americans who have been killed, their bodies flown back to the United States, where their families, seven families, are saying their final goodbyes and grieving.
On the war front tonight, there are no signs of a letup in the strikes. In fact, we're actually told that this is what we should expect tonight.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PETE HEGSETH, DEFENSE SECRETARY: Today will be, yet again, our most intense day of strikes inside Iran. The most fighters, the most bombers, the most strikes. Intelligence more refined and better than ever.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COLLINS: And if you've been to the gas station, here in the U.S., in the last few days, you're well-aware of the effect that this war is having on oil prices. And the reason for that is because of a standoff, an intense standoff, at one of the most important chokepoints in the global economy.
According to sources familiar with U.S. intelligence, CNN has learned that Iran has started laying mines in the Strait of Hormuz. The goal? To disrupt traffic in that winding stretch of water that connects the Persian Gulf and its oil to the rest of the world. About 20 percent of the global oil supply actually passes through the Strait that you're looking at right there, which is controlled in part by Iran. In the oil market, what happens halfway around the world is felt at the gas station here at home.
And tonight, we've seen President Trump threatening Iran over those reports of mines being laid today in the Strait of Hormuz, as CENTCOM released video that it says shows American forces taking out 16 mine- laying vessels.
Iran's moves there do also, in part, seem to contradict the President's claims yesterday about the state of the Iranian Navy.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: The Navy is gone. It's all lying at the bottom of the ocean. 46 ships. Can you believe it?
They certainly -- they have no Navy.
We wiped out a big Navy, very powerful Navy.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COLLINS: The contradictory messages extend today to the Energy Secretary, who today posted and then quickly deleted, that the United States Navy had escorted an oil tanker through the Strait. The post alone seemed to shake up the oil market today in the few minutes that it was up.
But the White House press secretary later confirmed that what Secretary Wright had posted was inaccurate.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KAROLINE LEAVITT, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: I can confirm that the U.S. Navy has not escorted a tank or a vessel at this time. Though, of course, that's an option the President has said he will absolutely utilize, if and when necessary at the appropriate time.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COLLINS: If and when necessary, a key phrase there, given the global spike in oil prices that we've seen.
And this comes as tonight here in Washington, we're hearing from Democratic lawmakers who are issuing warnings, like this one, after briefings from administration officials.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. RICHARD BLUMENTHAL (D-CT): I emerged from this briefing as dissatisfied and angry, frankly, as I have from any past briefing in my 15 years in the Senate.
We seem to be on a path toward deploying American troops on the ground in Iran.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COLLINS: My lead source tonight is the person you just heard from there, and sits on the Senate Armed Services, Homeland Security and Judiciary Committees. Democratic senator, Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut.
And thank you, Senator, for being here.
Because, I know you can't reveal any classified information that you heard in that briefing. But a lot of people might hear that and be alarmed by your statement.
BLUMENTHAL: And the American people deserve to hear everything that I was told in that briefing.
[21:05:00]
The American people deserve for a hearing before the Armed Services Committee, which conducted that briefing in a classified setting, because they would be alarmed, not just by the continued incoherence of the administration's explanation of its supposed objectives, which are often contradictory, as you just observed. But also because war is unpredictable, and the enemy has a vote.
So, we seem to be on a path, without any clear estimate on costs, conveyed to us in that briefing, without answers on Russia's involvement, which further widens the war, without any prediction on the timing.
And the President himself has talked about using Special Operations Forces to disperse or secure the enriched uranium. He's talked about regime change. It can't be done at 30,000 feet. It requires a presence in the country.
COLLINS: But when you say that there is a path, you believe, to putting troops on the ground in Iran. Based on what you heard today, how likely do you believe that is?
BLUMENTHAL: I am not going to predict, Kaitlan, about how likely it is. But history shows that great powers have a way of blundering into war by miscalculation.
And Iran may be weakened, but it is still dangerous. It is laying mines. It is choking the Strait of Hormuz. It is still bombing and drone-attacking others in the region, and it poses a threat in the United States of America. So, I am extremely worried and fearful after that briefing, but I was even before I had spoken publicly about it.
COLLINS: So Karoline Leavitt, at the briefing this afternoon, was asked about the comments that you made. I want you to listen to what she had to say.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LEAVITT: I would say that Democrats on Capitol Hill are clearly being quite disingenuous.
As for boots on the ground, the President has talked about this repeatedly, wisely, he does not rule options out as Commander-in- Chief. So again, I would hesitate to confirm anything that a Democrat on Capitol Hill says right now about the President's thinking.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COLLINS: What's your reaction to her claim that you're being disingenuous?
BLUMENTHAL: I'm just conveying my worries, concerns and fears that are widely shared by my colleagues, frankly, on both sides of the aisle, and by the American people who are very, very opposed to this war, because it may prove to be another Forever War, because there is no clarity as to objectives.
I received a text, Kaitlan, from a Connecticut National Guardsman, in the area, who is in harm's way right now. In fact, he's watching some of this action. And he asked me, What's the vision of success? There can be great military triumphs through bombing, but success requires a strategy. It isn't a video game. And--
COLLINS: So, someone from the military, in the Middle East, asked you what the endgame is, basically?
BLUMENTHAL: Exactly. And this was a Connecticut National Guardsman. I know him as a personal friend. I know his family. And so, he was being perfectly frank with me, and I think he was reflecting the questions asked by a number of his fellow National Guardsmen.
COLLINS: The Pentagon, we know, did tell Congress that the U.S. military went through more than $5 billion worth of munitions in the first two days of this war, $5.6 billion to be precise.
House Speaker Mike Johnson says, it's inevitable they're going to ask for more money.
If the administration asks Congress for more money for this war with Iran, how will you vote?
BLUMENTHAL: I'd be very disinclined to vote for another tremendous boost in spending designed solely for Iran.
And right now, the military says it has abundant munitions and supplies. So, there seems to be no reason to ask for a supplemental. Already, the military budget is close to a trillion dollars. So, I think the burden is on the administration to justify why they need a supplemental.
And I'm very concerned that a yes-vote on a supplemental would be interpreted as congressional approval of the war itself. So far, they have refused to come to Congress, which they are constitutionally required to do. The United States Constitution is very explicit that Congress has a role in declaring war. I don't want anyone in this administration to say, They voted for the supplemental, so they've approved this war.
COLLINS: Yes, and of course they might attack you if you don't vote for it, saying that you're not supportive of the military.
One thing they've been criticizing Democrats over is the partial shutdown, when it comes to the Department of Homeland Security. The President just ousted the leader there, Kristi Noem. He's replacing her with one of your colleagues.
[21:10:00]
We've seen these huge lines, though, at TSA, a lot of the airports, Americans are having to deal with this. At Houston, it was a three- hour wait. In New Orleans, two hours. People might ask, Why is the TSA, Coast Guard, CISA, Cybersecurity, why are they having to pay the price for this? And what would you say to people who are waiting in those long lines?
BLUMENTHAL: I would say, we have proposed paying the TSA, we have proposed paying FEMA and the Coast Guard, through separate appropriations bills, which the Republicans have refused even to take up.
Second point. You raised the politics of voting against the supplemental. My main concern is those men and women in uniform, like that National Guardsman who texted me, they are in harm's way, and they are dying right now, even if there are no boots on the ground. Men and women, our sons and daughters, are sacrificing their lives. And the statistic you just gave, about 140 service men and women, a number of them seriously wounded, is deeply disquieting and concerning.
So, what I would say to people is, we can pay TSA, FEMA, and the Coast Guard, and other agencies, that just happen to be housed in the Department of Homeland Security, through a separate appropriation bill, and then we can do reforms which are absolutely necessary.
The American people are demanding reforms, so that ICE agents wear badges and body cameras, so that they take off their masks, so that individuals who are harmed by government agents have a right of action to redress them. These are reforms that apply to all the police forces, your local police force. And yet, ICE is exempted from them. I think the American people want us to stand strong.
COLLINS: Senator Richard Blumenthal, thank you for joining us tonight.
BLUMENTHAL: Thank you.
COLLINS: And please tell that U.S. service member, that you're talking to, that we hope he stays safe.
BLUMENTHAL: Thank you.
COLLINS: Appreciate your time.
Still ahead for us here tonight on THE SOURCE. We're going to speak to a key Republican senator to get his view of the war in Iran from his party's perspective, after the Pentagon did confirm, about a 140 U.S. service members have been wounded since the war with Iran began.
Also, running for cover, a dramatic moment as our own Fred Pleitgen was inside Iran, as bombs were flying overhead.
And also, the President's war is facing its first major test, potentially at the ballot box tonight. There is a special election happening right now to replace Marjorie Taylor Greene. What do the results tell us about how the voters feel?
[21:15:00]
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COLLINS: The death toll has been mounting across the Middle East tonight, as the United States and Israel are intensifying their war with Iran. And Iran is continuing to retaliate, though at a lesser pace than in the first days of this conflict.
Iran's United Nations envoy says that more than 1,300 of those killed are Iranian civilians.
And the heavy bombardment has even led to some close calls for CNN's own team on the ground in Tehran, which I should note, is operating there with the permission of the Iranian government. Though we maintain full editorial control of our reporting.
But here's what happened with Fred Pleitgen, earlier on the ground.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice- over): There's been heavy bombardment in Tehran over the past 24 hours, as we both heard and felt. This morning, we visited a site when all of a sudden it was targeted again.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I think we should go.
PLEITGEN (on camera): Yes, we should go.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We should go. We go. We go. We go.
PLEITGEN (on camera): Yes. OK, we're hearing jets overhead, this anti- aircraft carrier going up, they told us to get out of here as fast as possible. So that just goes to show how fast things can turn bad here. We were filming at a site that was apparently -- rid of this mask -- struck yesterday.
PLEITGEN (voice-over): Earlier, we'd spoken to folks caught in the attack.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I was in the basement, and I was thrown against the opposite wall. I was under the rubble. That's it. I don't know what else to say.
I'm sorry.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
COLLINS: I'm joined tonight by:
Karim Sadjadpour, an Iran expert at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.
And also, Shawn McCreesh, a White House correspondent for The New York Times.
I mean Karim, just to see that moment and to see that man crying, as he's speaking with Fred, about what daily life is like in Iran. They want to know more than anyone what's going to happen here, what the endgame is, what that looks like. I wonder what you make of what you've heard from the administration, just in the last 24 hours alone on that.
KARIM SADJADPOUR, SR. FELLOW, CARNEGIE ENDOWMENT FOR INTERNATIONAL PEACE, CNN GLOBAL AFFAIRS ANALYST: Well, unfortunately, Kaitlan, war is horrible, and there's never a golden bullet which is only going to harm the bad guys and prevent civilian damage.
And I think the big challenge the Trump administration has is articulating what their ultimate endgame is. The President hasn't been clear whether his goal is to actually change the character of the Iranian government or just degrade its capabilities. And he was hoping for an Iranian Delcy Rodriguez, someone who is going to be pliant and do a deal with the United States. But so far, we essentially have an Iranian Kim Jong Un. The son of a dictator, Mojtaba Khamenei, who is going to double down on his father's ideology.
COLLINS: Do you think so? I mean, we haven't heard from him, obviously, since he was elected as the new Supreme Leader. The President seemed disappointed by it. But I do think it's a good point that what we heard from the administration of what they wanted this to look like? That's not what they were hoping for.
SADJADPOUR: No, I mean, I think that the President was trying to recreate the Venezuela strategy, which was significant military pressure, significant economic pressure, as a prelude to a deal.
[21:20:00] When Iran didn't capitulate, he launched the war, thinking that if they assassinate Ayatollah Khamenei, the next leader is going to be pliant. But we have a regime which is now, as I said, doubled down on ideology. And it's true, Mojtaba Khamenei, he's injured. He's living in a bunker, probably right now, trying to elude Israeli assassination. But there are no signs that this is a regime which is prepared to change its character or to meaningfully compromise.
COLLINS: Shawn, you asked a fantastic question to the President, a line of questioning you've been asking the administration constantly about something -- the deadliest civilian toll, we believe, since this war started, which was the bombing of that girls school in Iran, in southern Iran.
I just want everyone, who might have missed your question to the President, to hear how he responded to you.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SHAWN MCCREESH, WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT, THE NEW YORK TIMES: You just suggested that Iran somehow got its hands on a Tomahawk and bombed its own elementary school on the first day of the war. But you're the only person in your government saying this. Even your Defense Secretary wouldn't say that, when he was asked, standing over your shoulder, on your plane, on Saturday. Why are you the only person saying this?
TRUMP: Because I just don't know enough about it. I think it's something that I was told is under investigation. But Tomahawks are used by others, as you know. Numerous other nations have Tomahawks. They buy them from us. But I will, certainly whatever the report shows, I'm willing to live with that report.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COLLINS: I mean, as reporters noted to Karoline Leavitt, today, only a handful of countries have Tomahawks. None of them are currently involved in Iran besides us. She said, The New York Times was harassing the administration over this, as it's under investigation.
I wonder what you made of what you heard from the President there, but also what we've heard from them since.
MCCREESH: I think this is a fascinating case study in sort of Trumpology and the limits of his power of rhetoric.
This atrocity has -- people are -- they want to know what happened here. It's a horrifying incident, and the public has the right to know, and whether our government was responsible for it.
And so, the administration had an official line all week, and they all stuck to it, and it was that, It's under investigation and that the United States does not purposely target civilians.
But Trump himself had not been asked this, and so I asked him on Saturday, and I -- you know, it should have been easy enough to echo, but he threw the whole thing into a blender, when he looked at me and said, Well, Iran did it. Which is something that nobody had said.
And in that moment, I looked at Pete Hegseth, and even he didn't want to go along with this. It was like -- you know, that line from Evelyn Waugh, Up to a point, Lord Copper. He would not echo what the President was saying there, and I thought that sort of told us everything that we needed to know.
And so, it was an obvious question for him at the press conference. And he did sort of back down. And I think he often will throw people who are trying to keep up with his narrative, kind of throw caution to the wind. And this time, it didn't work.
COLLINS: I wonder what you thought of that answer, and the back and forth, Karim, on that. Because then the President said, It's under investigation, I'll believe what they tell me. But he did state pretty clearly that he believed it was Iran. And people would obviously trust that, because he looks at classified information every day.
SADJADPOUR: Well, first, kudos to Shawn for pursuing this and answering the question.
And you've been pursuing this as well.
Listen, I think that what distinguishes the United States of America from governments like Russia and Iran is that we don't deliberately target civilians. And in the event that civilians are indeliberately hit, we take accountability and we apologize. That hasn't happened here.
In the Russia's war against Ukraine, they have been deliberately targeting civilians.
COLLINS: Yes.
SADJADPOUR: The government of Iran, last January, killed as many as 30,000 of its own people protesting.
And I think the United States really needs to distinguish itself from these types of regimes.
COLLINS: Yes. And also, we've heard from Steve Witkoff on a lot of this today, in terms of where this stands. He's the President's Middle East envoy on this, Shawn. He talked about this war, and why it started, and what this looks like today. I want you to listen to what he said.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SARA EISEN, AMERICAN FINANCIAL NEWS ANCHOR, CNBC: Critics and Democrats who will say there's no evidence that they were that close and no urgency to move now. What do you say to that?
STEVE WITKOFF, TRUMP SPECIAL ENVOY: Well, first of all, they had 460 kilograms of 60 percent enriched material. There is no reason to be at 60 percent, none, zero reason, unless you're pursuing a weapon.
The second thing I would say to the naysayers is, who actually shows evidence of their weapon? Would a murderer do such a thing?
And it wouldn't be all that much for them to do a World War II-vintage type weapon.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COLLINS: Do you think it raises the question of how lawmakers, who have been listening to their bases for this, would respond to that reasoning?
MCCREESH: Two thoughts when I watched that.
One, aren't these the same people who told us six months ago that they obliterated their entire nuclear capacity, and that anyone who was questioning it was essentially committing treason?
[21:25:00]
And second thought. I found it interesting that when Trump began the press conference at Doral, on Monday, he basically said, We went in here, we're doing this thing, and Steve and Jared and Marco all told me it was a good idea.
And as those of us who have to track Trump's swings, very closely, you can sort of detect when he starts to shift blame. And it felt to me, in that moment, a little bit like, This guy behind me told me I should be doing this, and I thought that was interesting.
COLLINS: Yes, that's a good point.
Shawn McCreesh, excellent questioning.
Karim, great to have your analysis on this.
SADJADPOUR: Thank you.
COLLINS: Thank you for joining us tonight.
And up next here for us. There are new questions about what it's going to take to end this war with Iran. The Pentagon now says a 140 service members nearly have been injured. A Republican who has been an outspoken critic of U.S. troops in foreign wars, he'll join me with his perspective right after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[21:30:00]
COLLINS: Sources are telling CNN, as we reported, that Iran has started laying mines in the Strait of Hormuz.
And this comes as we have confirmed tonight, something that could be vital here, that the Navy doesn't have any dedicated minesweepers actually in the Persian Gulf right now. It's been that way since last September, when the last of four specialized mine countermeasures ship was decommissioned. The four ships were sent back to the United States for scrapping. And in their place, there were four other combat ships that were put there to handle the minesweeping duties. Those ships do have a history of some problems with reliability, so that raises questions about what exactly the United States is doing here. Of course, you saw the video that CENTCOM posted earlier, blowing up Iranian vessels that lay these mines.
Joining me tonight is Republican senator from Kansas, Roger Marshall.
And thank you, Senator, for being here.
First off, are you worried that the Navy decommissioned the dedicated minesweepers, back in September, that they're not in the Persian Gulf, given CNN's reporting that Iran is laying mines right now in the Strait of Hormuz?
SEN. ROGER MARSHALL (R-KS): Well, Kaitlan, that's news to me. But maybe this is what our allies are for. Certainly, this is not the first mines that have been in that area. So, maybe one of our allies can help us out here. If not, we'll get some minesweepers back there.
COLLINS: What's your view of how the administration has handled the war so far, in terms of when it could end? I mean, I was listening to your colleague, Josh Hawley, earlier. He was saying he thinks the President can declare victory right now. Is that how you see it?
MARSHALL: I don't think we're quite there.
Again, the President laid out very clear goals that he wanted to destroy their missile capability, their nukes, their navies, and prevent them from being able to arm terrorists in the future. So maybe we've destroyed 80 or 90 percent of their missiles, those types of things. So, I think we have some more work to do. But I think it's going on incredibly well, that maybe they staggered this out a four to -- six week plan, and maybe we'll be able to get out of there in two or three weeks. Time will tell.
But again, just hats off to our military, and thank you so much for all those people keeping us safe.
COLLINS: Is it clear to you when the United States will be done in Iran?
MARSHALL: I think that it's clear again, those four goals that the President laid out on day one. Couldn't have been more clear.
COLLINS: And all of those have to be done for the United States to finish with the war in Iran?
MARSHALL: That would be the goal. That is the absolute, the mission that the President had declared. And I have every reason to believe that we're going to be able to get there.
COLLINS: Your colleague, on the Democratic side of the aisle, Richard Blumenthal, emerged from that briefing, earlier today, and said he's worried that the United States is on the path to putting boots on the ground in Iran.
Should the President choose to do so, do you support that move?
MARSHALL: Look, I never want to take anything off the table, Kaitlan. But I hate war. I do. I served. My dad served. My brother served. My son is serving. President Eisenhower once said that, I hate war as only a U.S. soldier who has lived it can, who saw its brutality, futility, stupidity. So, I hate war.
Now, I think the benefits outweigh the risk. I support the President. I support the troops. Hopefully, we can rid Iran of all their problems that we've had with them for 47 years. But I do not think that this president wants boots on the ground.
COLLINS: You don't think so?
MARSHALL: Absolutely not. No, I think there's nothing to make me think that he -- that he likes war any more than I do. But I think he saw this opportunity--
COLLINS: So if he--
MARSHALL: --to eliminate Iran.
COLLINS: If he puts boots on the ground, would you oppose that?
MARSHALL: I think that I want really good reasons for it. Again, I hate to take anything off the table. I don't want to limit the President what he can do and not do. But everything I hear at the White House is they don't want boots on the ground. I hope that there's not. I hope that this war is over sooner than later.
COLLINS: And your son is a Sergeant, right?
MARSHALL: Yes, right.
COLLINS: Of course. We're grateful for his service and for all of that.
MARSHALL: Thank you.
COLLINS: When we look at this. Obviously, there is a very real cost to this war. We've seen that, not just with the troop deaths, as we were watching a dignified transfer happen last night for the seventh service member that was killed. We've now learned that a 140 service members have been wounded. And as you look at that, I think some people ask, Why is this happening? Why? Why are we at war with Iran right now?
And I want something you said last summer, I just want to remember that, about the strikes that took place in Iran in June.
MARSHALL: OK.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MARSHALL: I think it will take them years just to restart their nuclear program. I think that they can't control their airspace. They don't have the will to do it. From what I've seen, I'm in shock and awe. You know, you just -- it's shocking how much damage we did to their facilities.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COLLINS: You said there that you thought it could be years before they could restart their nuclear program. Did you see intelligence that changed your mind now on that?
MARSHALL: Look, I was wrong. They were restarting their nuclear program. That's what -- that's been -- the reports out of the White House that they were actually starting their nuclear program.
[21:35:00]
But I think it goes way beyond this. And you're absolutely right, there is a cost of war. And I mourn the loss of those seven soldiers with all my heart, and pray for those families, and the 140 that are injured. Eight of them are serious. Absolutely, I take that -- take that to heart. I hate war, once again.
But I think if you think back, that the Iranians killed 241 Marines. I had been in medical school then. Before that, they kidnapped and held hostage 60-some Americans for 444 days. Over the past several years, the 160 attacks by Iranians on American forces as well. There is a price to pay for freedom, unfortunately, and I appreciate soldiers being willing to do that.
COLLINS: OK. So, your view did change from last summer. I mean, we were told that it had been obliterated and that it couldn't be restarted for years, as you noted. And you believe that was wrong?
MARSHALL: I believe that we obliterated those particular nuclear facilities. But now, they're restarting nuclear programs in other places. And just their willingness to do that was just thumbing their nose at us.
COLLINS: So CNN is reporting, and other outlets, that Russia has been sharing intelligence with Iran on U.S. military targets, which basically means where our forces are, so they could potentially kill U.S. troops.
Steve Witkoff, the President's Envoy, talked about how the President spoke with President Putin about that, and said this today.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
WITKOFF: I can tell you that yesterday, on the call with the President, the Russians said that they have not been sharing. That's what they said. So, you know, we can take them at their word. But they did say that.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COLLINS: Do you think the United States should take Russia at its word that it's not sharing intelligence with Iran?
MARSHALL: Look, we can trust and verify whatever we can do. Surely, our CIA, some of those folks can figure this out, you would think.
COLLINS: I mean, and what's your view on that? I mean, if we're easing sanctions on Russian oil, while they're sharing intelligence with Iran to hurt us, do you think that that's the right move by the administration?
MARSHALL: Look, there's a lot of balls in the air, Kaitlan. I don't think you can look at any one of these in a silo. I think it's complicated.
I think the lifting the -- lifting the oil sanctions on India, buying Russian oil, I think that's doing something good for America right now. But I think you have to take every day, one day at a time. You have to weigh all these things as well. Of course, I have no use for Russia either. But I think it's -- all this is very delicate situation.
COLLINS: But you were a big proponent for sanctions on Russian oil--
MARSHALL: Yes.
COLLINS: --when they happened in 2022, I believe. And so, I think, Russia's behavior is still the same. They're still trying to harm Americans. Putin is putting out a statement, praising the new Supreme Leader, saying he wants to work with him. Some Americans might see that and say, Well, why are we lifting sanctions on them at this time?
MARSHALL: Well, I think it's very obvious. To bring down the price of oil to help Americans, back home.
Look, I have no use for Russia. I would prefer maximum sanctions. Remember, the President uses tariffs to get these sanctions, so India would stop buying oil from Russia. Instead, they would buy it from us. But suddenly, we have a problem. 20 percent of the world's oil supply is locked down because it can't get through the Strait right now. So, the President didn't do this to help Russia. The President did this to help Americans.
COLLINS: Right. I mean, I just ask because you described it as a hiccup, the gas prices--
MARSHALL: Right.
COLLINS: --and the change in the oil market that we're seeing. I mean, if they're lifting sanctions on Russia, clearly, they're worried it could last longer than just a brief period, don't you think?
MARSHALL: I don't, Kaitlan. I think you're really reaching here. I think--
COLLINS: But--
MARSHALL: I think just as quickly as we took those sanctions away, we can put them back on. So, I think -- again, it's one day at a time. You live in this little ivory tower here, I don't think that you're dealing with the real world that President Trump has. We don't know when the war is going to be over. We don't know when the sanctions should go back on. But I think the President on a day-to-day basis is trying to do--
COLLINS: But how is it an ivory tower? I'm asking you--
MARSHALL: --what he thinks is best for Americans.
COLLINS: I'm asking you about gas prices that Americans are paying, that are extremely high, and having wild swings, in part because of the war with Iran that the President started.
MARSHALL: Right, so -- again, freedom is not free. Americans are going to have to make some sacrifices.
But we're operating from a point of strength. Isn't it great that compared to when I was growing up in the 70s, we were so dependent upon Middle East oil. But now, we're the largest producer of oil in the world, that we are the second biggest exporter of oil in the world. So, we're not going to be shut out economically from this. We at least have the oil here. Yes, it's a worldwide commodity.
But this is one of the prices of war. Are we willing to stand here, for 47 years, and let Iran beat the heck out of Americans, and kill thousands of Americans? Or are we willing to stand up and say, Enough with this?
COLLINS: I just think some people are worried about oil prices affecting Republicans in the midterms.
Another thing ahead of the midterms that the President wants you to pass, you and your colleagues, is the SAVE Act.
MARSHALL: Right.
COLLINS: He's talked about it and said he's very busy with the war, but this is his other priority.
Just to let people see the urgency from the President on this, here's what he said.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: It will guarantee the midterms. It will guarantee the midterms.
They're doing everything possible because they know, if we get this, they'll probably won't win an election for 50 years, OK? And maybe longer.
And if you send it up there, you're going to win the midterms at levels that you can't even believe, and you're going to win every election for a long time.
Going to have a hard time winning elections that way, so you got to get that passed.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
[21:40:00]
COLLINS: Some people might hear that and say, are we passing -- are Republicans passing legislation just to help them win the midterm election?
MARSHALL: So, to me, this is all about election integrity. And I think the real question we should be asking is, why, in a world -- in a country where 70 percent of Democrats support voter ID, won't 10 Democrats walk across the aisle and vote with us? I think that's the real question we should be talking about right here.
I'm in favor of voter ID. I'm in favor bringing back integrity to elections. That elections are so important, that they're the backbone, the foundation of a democracy. And 70 percent of Democrats think that as well. So, I think that's the issue we should be debating.
COLLINS: Do you think that elections right now have integrity?
MARSHALL: I do.
COLLINS: So then--
MARSHALL: I do. They're not -- they're not--
COLLINS: So then why does this need to be passed?
MARSHALL: So -- but they're not perfect. I can tell you why. 60 percent of Americans have concerns about election integrity. I don't think that--
COLLINS: Well, that's because the President spent eight years telling them--
MARSHALL: You give the President too much credit, sometimes.
COLLINS: --telling them that the election was stolen.
MARSHALL: Sometimes, you give the President too much credit. Regardless, 60--
COLLINS: I think he would maybe disagree with that.
MARSHALL: --60 percent of Americans are concerned about election integrity.
One way I looked at this is, you don't wait for a plane to crash to require pilots to get a license, right? So, let's bring back more -- more integrity. Let's trust but verify. If you have to get an ID to buy Sudafed, to go -- to get a hotel room tonight, don't you think that confirming an ID in election has more value than those two things? So, I don't think it's too much to ask, to bring to trust but verify.
COLLINS: Your own Republican Secretary of State said that they don't think this will work, because your home state is proof, saying Kansas did this 10 years ago, it didn't work out so well.
If it doesn't work on a state level, why would it work on a national level?
MARSHALL: Well, hold on, hold on. I think that's not right. We've had voter ID for 15 years, and it's worked just fine. I'm not sure what the Secretary of State from Kansas is referring to. Maybe he's talking about some other issue with the elections, but it's certainly not voter ID.
COLLINS: No, well, he was talking about not just voter ID, but what the requirements of the SAVE America Act are when it comes to having your passport or your birth certificate to go when you register to vote. I mean, when you look at this and you talk about mail-in voting and whatnot in Kansas. This has existed in Kansas since 1995. And you just said you believe your elections have integrity.
MARSHALL: Right. So, what the Secretary was talking about there, was proof of citizenship. And that went to the Supreme Court. And what the Supreme Court said wasn't that we couldn't require proof of citizenship. What the Supreme Court said is, If that's what the Congress wants, they need to put that in law. And that's exactly what we're doing.
And I think it'd be the same way with absentee ballot, we're trust, but verifying. We want to verify people's IDs when they send in mail- in ballots. All -- what is the objection to it? What is the election about--
COLLINS: Well they're saying that there's -- there's no--
MARSHALL: --objection to making about -- making ballots--
COLLINS: --that there's no evidence of any non-citizens voting, where it's swayed the outcome of an election. I mean, even The Heritage Foundation looked this up and said they only found a 100 instances of non-citizen voter fraud since the year, 2000. That's out of 1.5 billion ballots that were cast.
MARSHALL: So, what are you afraid of? What are Democrats afraid of?
COLLINS: Well, for me, I'm not a lawmaker voting on it.
MARSHALL: When -- when--
COLLINS: I think the question is can Republicans--
(CROSSTALK)
MARSHALL: But you're making the argument -- you're making the argument, which is your job. But, again, 70 percent of Democrats, 80 percent of Americans, want voter ID. And if you want to -- if they want to debate some of these other issues, about absentee ballots, about proof of citizenship, let's debate it.
But have you heard one Democrat say, a Democrat Senator, say, I want voter ID, that I want to make sure that our elections have integrity, that it's so important? Instead, they just throw up their hands at everything. So, why don't they come to the table, come across the table, across the aisle, and let's make our elections have more integrity?
COLLINS: Yes. I mean, the President has said that he wants all of those components in there. He doesn't seem to have wiggle room.
Senator, thank you for joining us tonight.
MARSHALL: You're welcome. Thanks, Kaitlan.
COLLINS: Appreciate your time.
Up next here for us on THE SOURCE. It is Election Night, speaking of, in Georgia. Voters there are choosing a replacement for Marjorie Taylor Greene. Our projection in the race, and what our political sources make of the outcome.
[21:45:00]
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COLLINS: It's the election music. So, it means it is Election Night.
As we can now project that the President's endorsed candidate, Republican Clay Fuller, will face the Democrat Shawn Harris in a runoff in Georgia to fill the vaccine seat that was left by former Republican congresswoman, Marjorie Taylor Greene, when she resigned.
Take a look at the vote in the ruby red Georgia district tonight, where Fuller actually trails the Democrat by 2 percent, amid a crowded field of nearly 20 candidates from both parties. These two are now going to compete for this seat in an April runoff, about a month from today, with major implications for the historically narrow majority that Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson is all-too familiar with tonight.
My political sources are here.
David Urban, as you look at this. The White House is touting it, because the President did endorse this candidate here.
DAVID URBAN, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL COMMENTATOR, REPUBLICAN STRATEGIST, FORMER TRUMP CAMPAIGN ADVISER: Yes.
COLLINS: What do you make of the results coming out of Georgia tonight?
URBAN: Yes, I don't think -- look, I don't think it's surprising, right? It's a very crowded field. Clay Fuller, incredibly talented individual. I think he will be the next Congressman from that district. I do think the Democrat put out a good fight in.
But this is a -- this is a ruby red seat, and I'm more likely to grow hair on my head than the Democrat winning that seat in the fall.
KAREN FINNEY, FORMER DNC COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR, SENIOR ADVISER, 2016 CLINTON CAMPAIGN: Oh, be careful.
COLLINS: Karen?
FINNEY: Well I'm--
URBAN: Look, I'm just saying there will be no--
FINNEY: I'm just saying--
URBAN: --no hair is growing on this head.
FINNEY: I'm just saying--
URBAN: No Democrat is holding that seat.
COLLINS: I'm trying to picture what kind of hairstyle you'd grow.
FINNEY: Yes, I just would never talk about by hair-growing thing.
URBAN: All right. Well, Republicans are going to win. That's just -- remember that--
FINNEY: OK. Let's say that. Let's say -- let's go there.
COLLINS: I mean, what do you make of what -- how the Democrat was faring tonight in this race?
[21:50:00]
FINNEY: You know, it was good to see that the turnout was high because -- and I'm not surprised. A, because Democrats have been doing very well in these special elections, these off-year midterm elections, these -- both State House seats and these congressional races. But also, Democrats in Georgia are activated. And so, it was good to see them come out in this district and show they're ready to vote. We're going to have to do it again, obviously.
URBAN: Look, there's some--
FINNEY: But it's good to see the energy and the interest--
URBAN: Karen, right here, look. There you go.
FINNEY: See, I told you.
COLLINS: Literally growing while we're on air tonight.
FINNEY: I'm not-- PETER MEIJER, FORMER U.S. REPRESENTATIVE (R-MI), CO-FOUNDER & HEAD OF STRATEGY, THE NEW INDUSTRIAL CORPORATION: Follicle's coming.
FINNEY: It's not that -- to me, though, it sounds like we're going to -- I agree with David, we're not going to win that seat. But it's still good to see Democrat voters still wanting to come out and make their voices heard, even though they know it's a tough seat to win.
COLLINS: I mean, there were a lot of Republicans running in this race that didn't get out, as they were all vying to replace Marjorie Taylor Greene. I mean, I think Speaker Johnson would like it if it was just an outright Republican win tonight.
MEIJER: Yes it -- but this is the whole point of the runoffs, right? You're going to have those top two that go on. The Democratic candidate here is posting up the exact same numbers he got in the 2024 general.
COLLINS: When he ran against Marjorie Taylor Greene.
MEIJER: Same exact scenario. It will just go to that runoff. I wish there was something more exciting, more juicy. It's a safe red seat. There's going to be a Republican, Clayton Fuller is going to be the next Representative.
COLLINS: Well, I mean, and the--
URBAN: I'll be bald, still.
COLLINS: This district is fascinating, because this is the exact people that Marjorie Taylor Greene cited when she resigned from Congress, because she basically said she couldn't agree with the President anymore, if she was representing her district for what they elected her on in good faith.
URBAN: Yes, look, I mean, this -- these people who ran, right, ran kind of a Mar -- they ran to the right of Marjorie Taylor Greene, basically, right? And so, I'm not quite sure--
COLLINS: Which is pretty far to the right.
URBAN: Yes, as I'm saying, well, that's -- well, that's my point. So, I'm not quite sure where, like, how she gets to her logic that she couldn't represent the people who are going to elect someone who's more conservative than she is, right? So.
MEIJER: I don't know, when you're palling around with CODEPINK, I don't know if it's to the right or you're kind of circling around in that--
(CROSSTALK)
URBAN: Exactly.
MEIJER: Yes.
URBAN: Yes, I think she--
COLLINS: Well, I mean the White House--
(CROSSTALK)
URBAN: --I think she changed, not--
COLLINS: --on that.
URBAN: I think she changed, right? Not that -- not that the district's changed.
MEIJER: Yes.
FINNEY: Well, I'll tell you what's been interesting to watch is, so she was a, you know, in the core of the Trump MAGA universe, right? And then as she was leaving, she was like, Well, I'm not MAGA, but I'm America First. And then now, I'm hearing a talking point from my Republican colleagues, that you have to be both America First and MAGA to really be a Trump person. So, it's been interesting to see how these different sort of factions within MAGA are starting to stake their claims.
COLLINS: But one thing that has stayed true beyond Epstein files, America First, you know, we're seeing this with the war in Iran, is gas prices, and that issue that we were just talking about with Senator Roger Marshall, a few moments ago.
I mean, in Georgia, since February 28th, it is up 54 cents a gallon. That is something that every person who drove to go vote today thought about, as they were filling their car up, or making their way, or picking their kids up from school. I mean, you can't really ignore it at all if you're a lawmaker, because all your constituents are saying, Hey, why is my gas so expensive?
MEIJER: Yes, and it's still well below what we've been seeing historically. I mean, if you think back to when Russia invaded Ukraine, Brent was trading at north of a $120 a barrel. It is south of $90 right now. Is that above where the President will want to see it? Absolutely. But we're also at war with Iran. They have functionally shut down the Straits of Hormuz. This is about as a worst-case scenario you're going to get. And really, we could see rapid relief, very quickly, depending on how this conflict plays out.
FINNEY: But--
MEIJER: Well ahead of the midterms.
FINNEY: It's not -- but let's just be clear. It's not just about gas prices, right? It's a couple of things. Going to war with Iran, that stokes the economic -- the anxiety people are already feeling.
Gas prices are too high, groceries are too high, health care costs are too high. It's the layering of the different impacts of the Trump economy that people are feeling anxious about. And we can tell them anything we want. But until they feel it in their own pockets, in their own lives. Having Donald Trump say, Everything's fine, is not going to ease their concerns.
URBAN: Yes, I don't disagree with you, Karen. But the thing that you'll -- you got to understand, and the Congressman does is because he's run a race, people don't pay attention right now. They're going to pay attention now, but then the summer is going to come, and they're going to send their kids to camp and things. Maybe gas price -- as soon as this -- as soon as the Straits of Hormuz, gas prices go back down.
FINNEY: OK. But what about the other costs, Urban?
URBAN: I'm not -- listen, I'm not disputing, that costs have to come down. White House is working on that. I think you're going to see people's tax returns are going to be fat and juicy. There are no tax on tips.
FINNEY: They're--
URBAN: It's working. Listen, it is working. Q1, Q2, this year, I think you'll see the economy turn around, and people will go to the polls. It'll be different economic picture.
FINNEY: I think that is wishful thinking.
URBAN: Oh, let's wait and see.
FINNEY: I think you'll probably grow some hair on your head before that happens.
URBAN: Let's wait and see.
COLLINS: So much talk on David Urban's hair (ph).
Thank you for joining us for that conversation. Peter Meijer. David Urban. Karen Finney. Great to have all of you here.
Up next. We have an update on what's happening in New York City, where the Mayor, Zohran Mamdani, has broken his silence, after two people were accused of an ISIS-inspired attack. And an update on the latest in that investigation.
[21:55:00]
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COLLINS: On the heels of an attempted terror attack outside his home, police say, was inspired by ISIS, the New York City Mayor, Zohran Mamdani, had this message today.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MAYOR ZOHRAN MAMDANI, (D) NEW YORK CITY: Extremism will not be tolerated in our city, and that is regardless of whatever ideology motivates any person to commit an act of violence, there is no tolerance for it here.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COLLINS: That statement comes as investigators are digging deeper into the backgrounds of the two teenage terror suspects, who were allegedly inspired by ISIS, in tossing those makeshift bombs at protesters over the weekend. Fortunately, none of the devices exploded. And those suspects are now facing charges of providing material support to a terrorist organization and using a weapon of mass destruction.
Officials in New York say they have ramped up resources to protect the public as well.
We'll keep you updated on that investigation.
Thank you for joining us here on THE SOURCE tonight.
"CNN NEWSNIGHT WITH ABBY PHILLIP" starts now.
[22:00:00]
ABBY PHILLIP, CNN HOST, CNN NEWSNIGHT WITH ABBY PHILLIP: Tonight. As one Republican calls for troops to Iran.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. LINDSEY GRAHAM (R-SC): I'm going back to South Carolina, I am asking them to send their sons and daughters over to the Mideast.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
