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The Brief with Jim Sciutto

CNN International: Trump and Xi Discuss Taiwan and Iran During Beijing Visit; Cuban Energy Minister: Island is Out of Oil and Diesel; At Least 17 People Killed in Russia's Largest Prolonged Drone Attack; Kyiv Hammered in Massive Russian Drone Attack; Former Labour Party Leader Jeremy Corbyn on Westminster Turmoil; Trump Plans to Raise Issue with Jimmy Lai Imprisonment with Xi; FIFA Announces Star-Studded World Cup Halftime Show. Aired 6-7p ET

Aired May 14, 2026 - 18:00   ET

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

[18:00:00]

JIM SCIUTTO, CNN ANCHOR, "THE BRIEF": Hello and welcome to our viewers joining us from all around the world. I'm Jim Sciutto in Washington, and

you're watching "The Brief."

Just ahead this hour, Chinese leader Xi Jinping tells Donald Trump Taiwan is the most important issue for their two countries to manage. President

Trump said he would raise the case of jailed Hong Kong tycoon Jimmy Lai on his visit to Beijing. I speak to Lai's daughter, Claire, about her hopes

for his release and concerns about his health. And Shakira, Madonna and BTS are set to headline the first halftime show in World Cup history.

We do begin once again in Beijing where Chinese leader Xi Jinping and U.S. president Donald Trump are preparing for a second day of talks. On

Thursday, both leaders reaffirmed the importance of their nation's relationship.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, U.S. PRESIDENT: Just as many Chinese now love basketball and blue jeans, Chinese restaurants in America today outnumber the five largest

fast-food chains in the United States all combined. That's a pretty big statement. The American and Chinese people share much in common. We value

hard work. We value courage and achievement. We love our families and we love our countries.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SCIUTTO: Day one of the summit, however, was not just polite diplomacy. President Xi warned that there could be, quote, "conflict" if the U.S. and

China mishandle their disagreements over Taiwan. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said later that the U.S. policy on Taiwan is unchanged and that

Washington will also raise those issues. However, Scott Bessent said that President Trump understands China's sensitivities around the island.

As for the Iran War, President Trump told Fox News that his Chinese counterpart offered to, quote, "help," agreeing that the Strait of Hormuz

should be open.

Kristen Holmes is in Beijing traveling with the president. Kristen, is it clear yet what the deliverables of this summit are, what they're walking

away with, particularly as relates to the Iran War and the Strait of Hormuz?

KRISTEN HOLMES, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: No, it's not clear at all. But I do think we'll have more of an understanding in the coming

days. I mean, one thing you have to keep in mind here, Jim, and I know you know this literally better than anyone, having covered China extensively,

it is very hard right now to have real conversations with the White House officials that are here on the ground. All of them were given burner

phones, clean phones, new numbers, and they don't want to be having any form of comms that they think could be compromised because of all the

cybersecurity risk.

So, likely, what we're going to see in terms of deliverables are going to come over the next several days, once they're actually out of the country.

The only deliverable we've heard of so far is President Trump talking about these Boeing airplanes, which was expected.

Now, in terms of Iran, it was interesting to hear President Trump kind of talk through with Sean Hannity during an interview what he said President

Xi said about Iran. This was beyond the statement that came out. He said that President Xi promised not to give any kind of military or weaponry to

Iran. That is something that the Chinese have denied that they're doing that. But there was that New York Times report that said that Chinese

companies were in discussions about providing arms to Iran.

He also said that at one point, President Xi said that he would help in whatever way that he could, but didn't elaborate on that. Now, today, we're

going to see the two of them meet for another bilateral meeting. And it is likely that more of these details of what they started talking about

yesterday are going to be hammered out, as well as a reprise of the more sticky issues. Taiwan, Iran, this is going to be a smaller group.

And also, yesterday, we have to remember that this was the earliest part of the trip between these two leaders. They did not, neither side wanted

anything to devolve before they got to the pomp and circumstance around the dinner, the toast, the various activities that they had.

[18:05:00]

However, this will kind of be the last point where the two leaders sit down and really kind of go through all of the details of any kind of deals,

economic-wise, and anything that President Xi is actually willing to do on Iran. And it's likely, of course, given what we've heard from Chinese state

media, that Taiwan is going to come up again. I do think it's interesting President Trump's take from the meeting was that President Xi had offered

to help in any way. He also broadcast that.

Now, it's unclear how President Xi is going to respond to having anything he said privately, if he did, in fact, say this privately, broadcast on an

interview, particularly given the fact that President Xi still does business with Iran. He also made clear, according to President Trump, that

he was going to continue to buy oil and do business with Iran. So, that might loom over today's bilateral meeting as well.

SCIUTTO: No question. Listen, as you know, China and the U.S., at least under Trump, have very different ways of communicating the readouts of

these meetings. Kristen Holmes in Beijing, thanks so much.

Well, joining me now is Bob Hormats. He's a former U.S. Undersecretary of State for Economic Growth, Energy, and the Environment, with his own long

history in China and the interactions between multiple U.S. administrations and Chinese leaders. Bob, good to have you on. Thanks so much for joining.

ROBERT HORMATS, FORMER U.S. UNDER SECRETARY OF STATE: Great to be on with you, Jim. Appreciate it.

SCIUTTO: So, first, big picture, if you can. What is your best sense? And again, there's a lot to be revealed after lower-level meetings tomorrow.

But what's your big picture sense of what the takeaways are going to be from this summit?

HORMATS: Well, I think there are going to be some broad takeaways, which is that both sides really want a more tranquil, stable relationship. Both

of them have strong domestic issues that the leaders have to deal with. In the U.S., it's the economy, affordability, a whole range of domestic issues

here. And China has similar issues. They have a big real estate problem, among other things. And as a result, the leaders would like to concentrate

on domestic issues to a greater degree.

But they -- and as a result, of course, Trump wants more trade. He wants the Chinese to buy more things. He's brought with him a whole coterie of

CEOs hoping to make deals. Trump will then come back and say these deals are advantageous to the U.S. in terms of job growth. The Chinese will

likely try to figure out ways of increasing cooperation on high technology issues that will benefit them because they're trying to advance their

technological preeminence in many areas.

So, I think there are a lot of general takeaways. Specifically, I think there are a couple of things they could do. And that is one of the things

that Henry Kissinger raised when he went to see Xi, and that is work out some agreements, some understandings on A.I. Because I think both Xi and

Kissinger concluded that A.I. without some regulation, without some understanding between the two biggest A.I. powers can get out of control to

the disadvantage of both.

SCIUTTO: Right. OK. On the immediate issue of the Iran War, President Trump says she pledged not to provide Iran with military equipment. I might

imagine we should take that with something of a grain of salt because, of course, China has said it wouldn't support Russia militarily in Ukraine,

but many Chinese components are in Russian weapons. Do you expect anything more, any concrete help from China to end the war or open the Strait of

Hormuz?

HORMATS: Well, I think they would like to open the Strait of Hormuz in part because they get energy from there, although their diversification is

very considerable. They get energy from a lot of places. But the other part is a lot of their big trading partners are heavily dependent on energy from

the Gulf, and they are hurting, certainly in East Asia, which adversely affects Chinese exports.

So, the Chinese have an interest in an open Strait and the ability of energy to move out of that Strait freely without inhibiting policies by

Iran. The question is, would they be willing to put pressure on the Iranians to do this, or would they be willing to participate in some

international group to internationalize the Strait, which would give all the countries the rights that they had before the war to go through the

Straits? And I think that's one opportunity. And Xi has an interest in doing this. How hard he's willing to push his ally Iran to get that kind of

arrangement remains to be seen.

I'm sure Trump will work on him, whether he asks him to do something or just hints at it. It remains to be seen, or simply delegates it to Rubio or

others to follow up on, which I suspect would be the way he would do it.

[18:10:00]

SCIUTTO: How about on Taiwan? I've been watching the words we're hearing on Taiwan very carefully. So, China, of course, lays out quite a hard

position, as it's wont to do, and says, listen, you know, there could be conflict if we don't handle this carefully. Then Rubio says there's going

to be no change in the U.S. policy that, you know, any forceful change to the status quo we won't tolerate.

But Scott Bessent said, well, President Trump is aware of Xi's sensitivities around Taiwan, which seems to open the door to some

concession, which there was concern about among our allies leading into this, that President Trump might concede some ground on Taiwan. Have you

heard anything of consequence on the Taiwan issue, and do you share those fears?

HORMATS: Well, I have heard very little about what they're going to say or do when they get together internally on Taiwan, but the interesting thing

is that Xi made such a strong statement right at the outset. It didn't surprise me that he made a very strong statement about Taiwan and about

Chinese reluctance, unwillingness to have the United States meddle at all in that process, much less provide any measure of support verbally or

otherwise.

But the fact that he did this and made this strong statement right at the outset is quite remarkable. Normally, these things are done at the end. And

I think the reason is because the Chinese are quite aware of the debate going on in Washington and that there are a great many people in

Washington, at least powerful people in the Republican Party, who would like to see Trump make some positive statements in support of Taiwan, even

very, very light language, not necessarily full-blown support, but some.

And the Chinese don't want any of this. And the fact that they said it right at the beginning was a way of preempting any kind of statement by

Trump that would be harmful in terms of their interest in getting Taiwan back to the mainland, either peacefully or otherwise. They don't want this,

and they want to preempt any positive language on the part of Trump in support of Taiwan, indirectly or directly.

SCIUTTO: Yes, constant game of diplomatic chess. Bob Hormats, appreciate you joining.

HORMATS: Pleasure. Thank you for having me.

SCIUTTO: Well, the Cuban government says that the head of the CIA, the director, made an unannounced trip to Havana. The government says John

Ratcliffe led a U.S. delegation to meet with Cuban officials. A visit comes as Cuba says it has now completely run out of diesel and fuel oil under a

continuing U.S. blockade. Scattered protests have broken out in Havana amidst a series of island-wide blackouts, some of which have lasted for

several days.

Our Patrick Oppmann joins us now from Havana. And Patrick, you know that the Trump administration has talked quite openly of changing things in

Cuba. Cuba's next. We've heard this phrase many times. Was the Ratcliffe visit part of that effort?

PATRICK OPPMANN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: You know, obviously, there's been a lot of carrot and stick here and probably more stick. What's really

extraordinary to me, Jim, is that this is the same agency, the CIA, that the Cuban government has blamed for decades with trying to undermine,

sabotage its revolution. They are the devil in the eyes of the Cuban government.

So, to accept this visit shows how dire things are. And to have top Cuban intelligence officials meet John Ratcliffe at the Havana's airport, this

unannounced visit, and sit down and try to hash out some kind of deal that comes as the U.S., on the other hand -- on one hand, you know, threatening

more economic sanctions, potentially a military action. And on the other hand, saying that they're willing to give Cuba $100 million in aid with

some pretty serious strings attached.

We're talking about opening up the economy, opening up the political system, both which are completely controlled by the Communist Party here.

It's part of the reason the situation is so dire here, that the government has not been willing to take the economic reforms that they've been pushed

by so many to do over the years.

So, the Cuban government saying that the meeting was an opportunity for them to show the U.S. government that Cuba does not present a threat. You

know, John Ratcliffe obviously had his own wish list of what they want the Cuban government to do here. Whether or not the Cuban government will

follow through on that, you know, they're running out of time. You've heard the Trump administration saying the window is closing. They can accept aid,

make very deep structural reforms and changes to this one-party communist state, or they could either face more of the same, a collapsing economy,

blackouts that are lasting 20-plus hours a day, and the threat of military action.

[18:15:00]

So, certainly, the fact that they are talking, the high-level talks between the top U.S. spies and Cuba's intelligence services, you know, these are

the people that would hammer out a deal that are not going to have a lot of bluster and are going to get down to business. And so, it is a positive

sign that you have, you know, the dealmakers trying to work something out, and yet it's not clear at this point if any agreement has been reached.

SCIUTTO: Patrick Oppmann in Havana, thanks so much for joining us. Well, joining us now is Republican Congressman Darin LaHood from Illinois. He's a

member of the House Intelligence Committee as well as the House Select Committee on China. Congressman, thanks so much for taking the time.

REP. DARIN LAHOOD (R-IL), MEMBER, U.S. HOUSE SELECT COMMITTEE ON CHINA: Good to be with you, Jim.

SCIUTTO: Lots to cover today. If I can, I want to begin on Cuba, given that you are on the House Intelligence Committee and we have the CIA

director currently in Cuba. Is it clear to you what the Trump administration's intentions are as relate to Cuba? Because you hear

rhetoric up to and including, you know, Cuba is next, we're going to run Cuba. I mean, is the U.S. looking to flip this regime, perhaps like in

Venezuela?

LAHOOD: Well, Jim, let's -- I mean, the fact that Cuba is a failed state, I think everybody recognizes that. They were heavily reliant on Venezuela

for oil and Russia to a certain extent. I think it's a positive move that Director Radcliffe is there having negotiations, having conversations with

the Cuban government. I think everybody recognizes that we need to transition this country. And I think it's just a matter of whether the

Cuban government wants to do that.

So, why don't we start with negotiations and dialogue? And there's nobody better than John Radcliffe and his background and experience and having the

trust of the president. So, let's begin there and see where it goes.

SCIUTTO: My question, you know, when you think of Cuba, based on what's happening in Venezuela, is what exactly is the intention long-term? Because

President Trump talks about running Venezuela, as you know, and he posted this week, Venezuela is the 51st state. And he's used similar language

about Greenland, you may remember.

And when I speak to European allies, they take his territorial aspirations for Greenland quite seriously. Should the U.S. president be in the business

of territorial acquisition? I mean, should Americans take this seriously? Is he trying to expand the territory of America? He certainly talks about

that.

LAHOOD: Well, Jim, I think you should take what the president says seriously, but not literally. He says a lot of things, but that's the

nature of the president. But I use the example of Panama. If you go look back 30 years ago, when we had the conflict in Panama, and we extracted

Noriega, and he was brought to the U.S. to face justice.

You look at Panama today, it's one of our best allies in Central America. We have a strong intelligence relationship, cultural relationship, economic

relationship. They're one of our best allies. Now, that took a while to do, but I think that's an example we ought to look at with Venezuela and with

Cuba moving forward.

SCIUTTO: OK. Let's talk about China now, because, gosh, there's a lot on the president's plate there. When you look at these negotiations, you have

the Chinese president, according to President Trump, saying China will not arm Iran. Do you believe that? I mean, China and Iran have quite a deep

relationship, including buying a lot of oil, but also a whole host of sharing of weapons, technology, et cetera. Do you believe that China will

keep to that promise?

LAHOOD: I don't believe most of what China says. I don't believe the CCP. They play by a different set of rules and standards than every other

industrialized country in the world. If you look at Xi Jinping over the last eight or nine years, he's doubled down on authoritarianism. He engages

in wolf warrior diplomacy, where he regularly says you can't trust the United States, that, you know, we are a failed state. And so, you have a

regime and a dictator that I don't think can be trusted.

So, am I glad President Trump is there having a dialogue and discussion with a country that has the second largest economy in the world? Of course.

But let's not forget, Jim, China has a plan to replace the United States, and they are working at it every single day. They want to beat us

technologically, militarily, economically, and diplomatically.

SCIUTTO: Yes, and they believe they will. There's a lot of confidence there, as I'm sure you know as well. In terms of Taiwan, are you concerned

at all? Because when I've been speaking to diplomats in the region, they've been concerned that President Trump is not as invested in Taiwan security

going forward as previous presidents, Republican and Democrat.

[18:20:00]

Do you share that fear at all that he might give ground that previous administrations would not?

LAHOOD: I'm not at this point concerned about that. And let's also remember the amount of weaponry we've given Taiwan. We've essentially

porcupined out Taiwan with the level of military equipment that we've given them. But make no mistake about it, Jim. China feels emboldened by what

they've done in Hong Kong, what they've done in Tibet. I mean, think about it. We never talk about Tibet anymore. Nobody brings it up because China's

won there. They've won in Xinjiang and Western China. And many people believe Taiwan is next.

And China's given us very, very few reasons to think that -- or -- that that will be next. And I think we have to be conscious of that. They don't

like AUKUS, which is us helping the Australians build nuclear submarines. We've got to continue to be vigilant and support Taiwan.

SCIUTTO: Yes. I might add the South China Sea to that list. Before we go, I'm sure you, given your long support for Ukraine, watched these just awful

Russian attacks on Ukraine in the last 24 to 48 hours. You have long backed Ukraine, as have large bipartisan majorities in Congress. Many members of

your own party. And yet, since President Trump assumed office again, the U.S. has basically zeroed out its military assistance to Ukraine.

I know it does still share intelligence, but as you know, the support is not where it was just a year ago. Why has the Republican Party, despite

widespread support for Ukraine, including among Republican voters, why has it ended that support largely under Trump? And do you feel that the U.S.

has abandoned Trump? That's how many Ukrainians feel.

LAHOOD: Well, I don't agree with your premise on that, Jim. The money that is currently flowing into Ukraine from the United States continues from

what we appropriated a couple of years ago, which was a lot of money. We continue to have a strong, uninterrupted intelligence apparatus with the

Ukrainians. We continue to engage at the highest level with helping Zelenskyy and his -- and let's face it, this is a war of attrition. It's a

war of inches. And in some ways, the Ukrainians are winning in terms of drone technology, too.

So, I think there's still strong support in the Congress in a bipartisan way. So, again, I don't see that lacking. And I think there's many members

of the administration that support that, too.

SCIUTTO: There are, but we'd be remiss not to note that U.S. assistance is not where it was prior. And you're seeing other moves in the region, as you

know, for instance, the U.S. reduction in its troop presence in Germany. I just wonder is well, let me ask it this way. Is U.S. support for Ukraine

where you believe it should be in this war?

LAHOOD: Well, let's also not forget, President Trump, I think, has done a decent job with getting our European allies to step up more. It's in their

backyard. They ought to have a vested interest there more, though. So, I don't think Ukraine is lacking for weaponry because they're getting

supplemented by other European allies and other NATO.

So, I'm comfortable where we're at with the allocation and appropriation we did several years ago. It's not a blank check. And we ought to continue to

work with our likeminded allies to support Ukraine. But we can't do this forever.

SCIUTTO: Congressman Darin LaHood, we appreciate you joining the program.

LAHOOD: Thank you, Jim.

SCIUTTO: And we'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[18:25:00]

SCIUTTO: That is life in the Ukrainian capital, an explosion rocking Kyiv, as Russia continues to hammer the Ukrainian capital with airstrikes.

Ukraine says Russia launched its largest drone attack of the entire war on Wednesday. Attack carried on into today.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says Russia fired more than 1,500 drones, dozens of missiles. Rescue operations are still underway for people

possibly trapped between the rubble, as you see there, of an apartment block. Ukrainian authorities say at least 17 people have been killed,

including two children.

Joining me now is Chrystia Freeland. She's a former Canadian deputy prime minister and foreign minister. She's now an adviser on the economic

development of Ukraine. Chrystia, thanks so much for joining.

CHRYSTIA FREELAND, ADVISER ON ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OF UKRAINE AND FORMER CANADIAN DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER: Great to be with you, Jim. And I want to

be clear, I am an adviser to President Zelenskyy, but I don't speak on behalf of him or the Ukrainian government.

SCIUTTO: I understand. I just want to ask your views here. First, on this latest attack, it followed that brief ceasefire, which seemed to be largely

intentioned to allow Putin to carry out his Victory Day parade. But now you have the largest drone attack of the war. Do you think beyond -- listen,

this has happened, as you know, for more than four years. But do you think there was a message, given the timing with Xi and Trump in Beijing, that

Putin was trying to send to them?

FREELAND: Of course. I'm really glad that you're highlighting the attack. We can't get used to this. And we have to really point out these are war

crimes that are being committed. I actually see these attacks as a measure of Putin's desperation. The Ukrainians are actually starting to win on the

battlefield. And this is a loser who is lashing out by attacking innocent civilians, including children.

SCIUTTO: Yes. Ukraine's foreign minister said that Trump and Xi both have leverage to pressure Putin to end the war. Do they have interest in

pressuring Putin to end the war? That's a whole other issue, of course.

FREELAND: That, Jim, is the question. I think we need to be really clear that, as Xi has been clear, he has talked about the powerful friendship

between China and Russia. And the reality is, right now, there is an axis of authoritarians. China, Iran, Russia, they are all helping each other.

So, Xi definitely has a lot of leverage. If he stopped supporting Putin economically, and to some extent militarily, it would be very hard for

Russia to continue this war.

SCIUTTO: When you speak to your Ukrainian counterparts, because when I speak to Ukrainians, and frankly, when I speak to many in Europe, they've

given up on the U.S. as a reliable partner. Has Ukraine given up on the U.S. as a reliable partner in this war?

FREELAND: The Ukrainians are very realistic. This war has taught them that, at the end of the day, they have to depend on themselves. And by the

way, they've been doing a magnificent job, right? Not only are they great in terms of strategy, but they have figured out how to change the way wars

are fought and how to manufacture the weapons that we need for the new type of war that is dominant in the world.

You know, they are leading producers of drones. They have figured out how to manufacture deep strike ballistic missiles. You see the Gulf states

turning to Ukraine for support.

[18:30:00]

The sad reality, and to me, it's actually quite astonishing, is that right now it is the Europeans and allied countries like Norway, like Canada, but

principally Europe, that are providing the financial support Ukraine needs. The U.S. is just not there. And I agree with your previous guest. I think

there is a huge amount of appreciation in the United States that Ukraine is an important and valuable ally. But we can't ignore the fact that when it

comes to actual financial support, the U.S. has withdrawn.

SCIUTTO: Yes. I mean, that's what -- I was going to ask you to respond to Darin LaHood's answer when I pressed him on that, because the numbers are

quite clear in terms of the decline in U.S. support. He said, I think there's still strong support in the Congress in a bipartisan way. So,

again, I don't see that lacking, talking about USAID. What's your response to that?

FREELAND: Well, I actually do think there is support in Congress. I think there is support among the American people for Ukraine. And that's, you

know, not out of any, you know, emotional, bleeding heart kind of sympathy. I think that support is there because Americans, American legislators,

American people recognize the reality, which is Ukraine is on the same side as America. You've just had a really interesting conversation about China

and Taiwan.

My own view is that the single biggest issue that Beijing, that she is watching right now, is the fight between Russia and Ukraine. And a clear

Ukrainian victory is the best way right now to support Taiwan.

SCIUTTO: You and I are in agreement on that. In covering both those issues, I haven't spoken to a single person, either Ukraine or Taiwan, who

doesn't draw an explicit straight line between those two. Chrystia Freeland, we appreciate you joining us. Thanks so much.

FREELAND: Great to be with you.

SCIUTTO: Coming up just after the break, never a dull moment in British politics, as a former Labour MP makes a bid to re-enter Parliament to

challenge the sitting Prime Minister, Keir Starmer. We're going to hear from a former Labour leader turned independent lawmaker, Jeremy Corbyn.

That's next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[18:35:00]

SCIUTTO: British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has lost a senior member of his cabinet as he faces a result in his Labour Party. Health Secretary Wes

Streeting said today that he has lost confidence in Starmer's leadership and that it would be, in his words, dishonorable and unprincipled to remain

in government.

To trigger a leadership contest, Streeting needs to gain the support of at least 81 Labour lawmakers, one fifth of its MPs. Another potential

challenger is Andy Burnham, the mayor of Greater Manchester. He is seeking permission to run for a seat in Parliament after the local MP resigned.

Joining me now, former Labour leader himself and now an independent MP, Jeremy Corbyn. Sir, thanks so much for taking the time.

JEREMY CORBYN, FORMER LABOUR PARTY LEADER AND INDEPENDENT MP: You're welcome. Nice to talk to you.

SCIUTTO: So, the prime minister argues that replacing him now would plunge the country back into the kind of chaos that voters rejected under the

Conservatives. What's your response to that? And do you believe that in reality it's time for new Labour leadership?

CORBYN: Well, in reality, it's already in the crisis that Keir Starmer was complaining about the Tories had. They had several prime ministers during

their time in office, one of which only lasted 45 days. So, any instability will continue. I think the most likely scenario is that Streeting doesn't

do an immediate challenge, because I'm not convinced he's got the numbers to do it. Because if he had them, presumably he'd reveal who they are.

And Starmer has said he will not prevent Burnham from running in a by- election in the north-west of England in Makerfield. And if, and that is a big if, Andy Burnham wins that by-election, he then becomes a Labour MP.

And at that point, his supporters, and there are certainly more than 81 of those in the Parliamentary Labour Party, could then trigger a leadership

contest, which Starmer has so far said he would contest.

My concern is that all this is going on in the backdrop of huge local election losses last week for Labour, but none of it is discussed in the

sense of the reasons why Labour lost those places. It wasn't just the personality of Starmer. It was anger over food prices and fuel prices, in

some parts promoted by right-wing nationalism, by reform.

And so, the electorate went in several directions last week. Yes, some went to reform. Most that had been Labour went away from Labour, either to not

voting or often to independent or green candidates. And so, the political scenario in Britain is no longer a two- or three-party structure. It is now

a five- or six-party structure. Very, very different.

Now, the government has actually got to meet the needs of the people, and that is simply what is not being done. It was very telling -- I'll finish

on this point -- it was very telling that yesterday, with all the drama going on inside Parliament, with Labour MPs huddled in corners having talks

to Starmer and everybody else, outside there was absolutely nothing at all.

After the king had gone from the state opening and all that, there were no demonstrations. There was no real interest in it. It's a sort of media-

driven drama at the moment. I would hope this will turn into a real debate about the levels of poverty, injustice and inequality in Britain and

Britain's participation in so many wars and huge military expenditure around the world.

SCIUTTO: Who among Labour MPs, leaders, has a message, in your view, right, to answer those voter concerns as reflected in the local election

losses?

CORBYN: Well, not many of them is the answer. Andy Burnham has been effective as the mayor of Greater Manchester, but that is being mayor of a

big city, and he's done well, I'll give him that. That's not quite the same thing as being prime minister and he's been out parliament now for six

years or so. More than that, 10 years, more like.

[18:40:00]

So, it is a big change if he is to be the successor. Wes Streeting has been the health secretary and is very keen on promoting the private sector

within our much-cherished National Health Service. So, I don't think Streeting offers any alternative other than a different face. And so, I

think that is what's lacking. Now, that's where the unions that are largely still, well, affiliated and part of the Labour Party can make a big

difference, and maybe that's where the pressure is going to come.

I think if you look very interestingly at this debate that goes on, certainly from my point of view and our independent group of MPs' point of

view, we will be pushing very hard on the economic and social issues and also on Britain's participation in particularly the war in Iran and

supplying arms to Israel over Palestine.

SCIUTTO: Jeremy Corbyn, we appreciate you joining the program.

CORBYN: Absolute pleasure. Thank you very much for inviting me on.

SCIUTTO: Still coming up on The Brief, supporters of Hong Kong democracy activist Jimmy Lai await an update as President Trump meets with China's

leader in Beijing. I'm going to speak with the jailed media tycoon's daughter next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

SCIUTTO: From the summit in Beijing, there's been no comment yet on the status or future of Jimmy Lai. This after President Trump said that he

planned to raise the case of the jailed Hong Kong media mogul with the Chinese leader during the summit.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, U.S. PRESIDENT: Jimmy Lai, he caused lots of turmoil for China. He tried to do the right thing. He wasn't successful. He went to

jail and people would like him out. And I'd like to see him get out too. So, I'll bring him up again.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SCIUTTO: Lai, a prominent critic of the Chinese Communist Party, was sentenced to 20 years in prison earlier this year under Hong Kong's strict

national security laws. He was arrested shortly after Beijing imposed that law in 2020, convicted on national security and sedition charges, which he

denies.

[18:45:00]

I spoke with his daughter, Claire Lai, and began the interview by asking about her father's health.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CLAIRE LAI, DAUGHTER OF JIMMY LAI: You know, my father this year, he's turning 79. He -- gosh, I mean, he has lost weight. He has heart issues. He

has high blood pressure. His back is getting worse. You know, his aching back is -- you know, he gets back pains a lot more frequently. You know, he

continues to have rotting teeth and nails and just, you know, a huge range of health issues.

But, you know, we stopped getting proper reports around January. So, it does make -- you know, not for lack of requesting them, but just -- you

know, they just stop sending them out. And, you know, it's -- my father is aging. He is still in solitary confinement, and solitary confinement has

severe detrimental health impacts. So, we're extremely, extremely worried for him.

And, you know, the average life expectancy for a male in Hong Kong last year was 82 to 83. You know, he's turning 79 this year with that many

health issues. We're just extremely worried.

SCIUTTO: Yes, understandably. President Trump, of course, in Beijing. And he has mentioned your father's case a number of times and has said that he

would push for his release. Is this a hopeful moment for you and your family that perhaps not only will he ask, but that China will free your

father?

LAI: Absolutely. I mean, President Trump and his administration have shown their commitment to freeing my father on numerous occasions. But where they

once again, once he has once again reaffirmed his commitment to freeing my father. And I am confident that if anyone can do it, it will be President

Trump. And I am extremely confident that he will be the president to free my father and that we will be reunited as a family.

SCIUTTO: Now, before he left, President Trump said in comments to reporters that your father has caused a lot of bedlam, that he's caused,

quote, turmoil for the Chinese government. Even compared him to James Comey in this country, who, of course, the president has criticized repeatedly.

How did you take those comments? Did they concern you at all? Did he seem to be making a case for his imprisonment?

LAI: You know, he also said that my father did the right thing and that a lot of people want him to be free, including the president himself. And,

you know, continuously, he has shown a commitment to his freedom. And if he had used too strong a language that -- you know, so close to the trip, it's

unlikely that it would have led to any productive result.

And I think it's important to look at it -- I think one way to look at it is that, you know, my father, he is -- symbolically, he is someone who

represents so many values that are so important to people like us, but in a lot of ways inconsistent with the Chinese Communist Party.

So, it's just -- and, you know, so he is a politically significant figure, but he is also aging. And he has always been someone who has been peaceful.

He has always been someone who has been anti-independence of Hong Kong and someone who just wanted the promises made and the Sino-British Declaration

to be respected.

SCIUTTO: Yes. As you know, more than 100 members of Congress have urged President Trump to push for your father's release during his trip. And that

is bipartisan, of course. It's Republicans and Democrats and a majority of the members of the Senate. Do you believe that bipartisan pressure has an

effect on the Chinese government's thinking?

LAI: Absolutely. And I think -- I mean, firstly, we are so extremely grateful for the support we have gotten from both houses of Congress. But

also, it's -- you know, it does show that, you know, the values that my father stands for are values that are so fundamental that it really cuts

across political lines and, you know, speaks to a lot of people and are dear to many people. And we're just so extremely grateful for that.

And I think the party can also see that this is not -- this issue is not one that will go away as the political winds change. It is one that is --

you know, should my father die a martyr behind bars, it will be devastating for the party. And I hope that President Trump -- you know, he has a

reputation of being, you know, a liberator-in-chief, and I hope that he can help them see the wisdom in releasing my father.

SCIUTTO: Do you believe your father has symbolic impact beyond Hong Kong? Because, of course, for many Hong Kong people who support a more liberal

system, he's become a symbol of standing up to that kind of authority coming down from China. Do you believe that his case resonates beyond Hong

Kong?

[18:50:00]

LAI: I do. I do believe. I do believe that. And I think that is why it is one that so many people have taken to heart. You know, he is someone who

has overcome challenge after challenge. And even now in prison, you know, from the start of his imprisonment, he said he was in God's good hands.

And, you know, I think his story is very much one of hope, because, I mean, in the intensity of his suffering, you really learn about the abundance of

God's grace and his mercy. And, you know, I'm just so extremely proud to be his daughter.

SCIUTTO: Well, of course, his family shares in that suffering as well. So, my heart goes out to you, your brother, the rest of your family. Claire

Lai, thanks so much for joining.

LAI: Thank you so much.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SCIUTTO: In response to Claire Lai's comments, the Hong Kong government said, quote, "Lai and other defendants were found guilty after a fair and

open trial. Lai does not make any appeal against his conviction or sentence." Regarding his medical treatment, the government said, quote,

"The medical services received by Lai Chee-ying," that is Jimmy Lai's Chinese name, "in custody are adequate and comprehensive. During the plea

in mitigation in court on January 12th and 13th this year, the senior counsel representing Lai Chee-ying confirmed repeatedly that Lai had made

no complaints about the treatment he received while in custody."

And about his solitary confinement, the government said that his separation from other prisoners was at his own request. And in accordance with the

law, Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Beijing has not responded to our request for comment. But its spokesperson said this week, quote, "Lai

Chee-ying is the principal mastermind and perpetrator behind the riots that shook Hong Kong. Hong Kong affairs are China's internal affairs. The

government of China firmly supports the Hong Kong judicial authorities in performing duties in accordance with the law."

Coming up next, the World Cup, of course, is just around the corner. And the final match of the big event just got even more exciting. FIFA

announces its first ever World Cup halftime show with three big names taking the stage.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

SCIUTTO: The 2026 World Cup begins in just 28 days. The global competition comes to a head on July 19th with the tournament's final at MetLife Stadium

in New Jersey. And for the first time in World Cup history, this year's big finish will include a star-studded halftime performance. Kind of like the

NFL. This one featuring Madonna, Shakira, and BTS. And curated by Coldplay singer Chris Martin. A special guest joined him to announce the show.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CHRIS MARTIN, CURATOR, FIFA WORLD CUP HALFTIME SHOW: Well, this year for the first time there's a halftime show at the World Cup final.

ELMO, PBS CARTOON SUPERSTAR: What?

MARTIN: Yes.

ELMO: No, a halftime show?

MARTIN: Yes, a halftime show.

ELMO: A halftime show?

MARTIN: A halftime show.

ELMO: What's a halftime show?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SCIUTTO: Didn't know Elmo was a World Cup fan. The halftime performance will benefit the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund, which is working to

raise $100 million to expand access to quality education and sports for children around the world.

[18:55:00]

Shakira, no stranger to FIFA's biggest events, she earned the title Queen of World Cup Anthems, especially with her 2010 hit, "Waka Waka." It was a

great song. She recently unveiled this year's official song, "Dai Dai."

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

(MUSIC PLAYING)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SCIUTTO: Under the International Football Association board rules, halftime breaks are not allowed to last more than 15 minutes. Not yet clear

if they will change those rules to accommodate that performance. 15 minutes sounds a little tight for a halftime show.

Thanks so much for joining us. I'm Jim Sciutto on Washington. You've been watching "The Brief." Please do stay with CNN.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[19:00:00]

END