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The Brief with Jim Sciutto

CNN International: U.S. Launches New Strikes on Iran; Lindsey Graham's Sister Appointed to Replace Him in U.S. Senate; Trump Backs Russia Sanctions Spearheaded by Graham; Lindsey Graham's Legacy in Ukraine; 12 U.S. States Sue To Block Paramount Skydance-WBD Merger; Protests Over ICE Shootings. Aired 6-7p ET

Aired July 13, 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, the U.S. is launching more strikes on Iran, and Iranian ports, the U.S. president says, will be cut off again. After Trump

formally notified Congress that military action against Iran is back on. Fatal shootings in Maine and Houston sparked demands for more transparency

from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE. And we'll hear from a Ukrainian lawmaker paying tribute to U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham. That

story and much more coming up.

We begin with the U.S. launching its third straight night of attacks on Iran. It follows a weekend of intense U.S. strikes and Iran's retaliation

against U.S. allies in the region. This comes as U.S. President Donald Trump says the U.S. will seize control of the Strait of Hormuz. He says

that the U.S. will also blockade Iranian shipping, and that all other commercial vessels will now be charged 20 percent of their cargo's value.

Joining me now, Hudson Institute Senior Fellow and retired U.S. naval officer, Brian Clark. Good to have you.

CMDR. BRYAN CLARK (RET.), SENIOR FELLOW, HUDSON INSTITUTE AND U.S. NAVY (RET.): Thanks, Jim. Great to be here.

SCIUTTO: So not long ago, the U.S. secretary of state, Marco Rubio, last month said that there isn't a nation on Earth that supports having to pay

money to go through the Straits, and now the U.S. president is charging shippers 20 percent. Sounds like a toll.

CLARK: It does sound like a toll. I mean, I think their argument would be this is to compensate the United States for protecting the shipping against

attacks that could come from Iran, and that they wouldn't be doing this charge if it wasn't a matter of Iranian attacks on shipping being the

problem.

The difficulty with that, of course, is that the U.S. has been protecting shipping for a while. The U.S. has viewed this as a responsibility that all

nations have to protect shipping in international waters. So, there's not been a case in the past where shipping companies have been forced to pay

for the protection provided by different militaries. So, it's a new dimension of the fight.

SCIUTTO: I mean, it sounds almost Mafia-like, doesn't it, protection money?

CLARK: Well, I guess in the Mafia case, you're -- the thing you're protecting against is also yourself, whereas here, you know, we're offering

protection against somebody else. So, it's a little bit different, but there is a dimension of extortion to it, I think.

And then the issue, too, is also that the United States really hasn't been protecting shipping. And the shipping that's gone through the Strait of

Hormuz during Project Freedom and during the previous several weeks, the U.S. has provided some overwatch of that, and they provided some guide

ships to show the ships where the safe channel is. But they really haven't been mounting any sort of defensive measures to protect against Iranian

small boat attacks or anything like that.

So, this implies a much greater degree of U.S. involvement in the defensive mission than there has been to date.

SCIUTTO: Here's a question, because the administration has calculated that if it ups military action against Iran, that Iran will yield and, frankly,

go back to the negotiating table. To date, that hasn't worked, and Iran seems to be digging its heels in on claiming control over the Strait. I

mean, is there evidence from a strategic perspective that military action is accomplishing the goals that the U.S. has set out here, I mean,

primarily reopening the Strait?

[18:05:00]

CLARK: No, it hasn't. This is -- it seems to be on both sides. They're trying to carry the negotiations onto the battlefield and use battlefield

action as a way to further their efforts to get a better negotiating position. Iran, I think, viewed the statements in the MOU as suggesting

that Iran has the ability to exert some control over the Strait. And when we started to get up to 30, 40 ships a day getting through without any

exertion of control by Iran or any tolls being paid, Iran felt like it had to take action or else it was going to lose that leverage.

And so, that was part of the negotiations to reestablish the fact that they indeed did have control over the Strait of Hormuz. And the U.S., of course,

doesn't agree with that and doesn't want to see to that, so now they're pushing back by attacking Iranian targets. But this is really taking the

negotiations to another venue in the hopes that we'll be able to return to the table with each side having improved their position.

SCIUTTO: Yes. The U.S. -- the number of U.S. strikes has increased from roughly 80 targets to now 140, nearly doubling in just a matter of days. I

mean, there are costs associated with that because you have to keep the ships and the aircraft deployed and they have to keep flying sorties and

expending munition. I mean, is there a limitation on how long the U.S. can maintain that tempo?

CLARK: Well, it could arguably maintain the tempo of what the Navy's been doing for the foreseeable future. Now, the problem is it means they're not

doing anything else elsewhere in the world. They've deployed most of their available surface ships and aircraft carriers to the Middle East, so there

really isn't a significant naval presence elsewhere in the world right now. The one carrier that's in Japan will eventually get underway and it's

starting its patrol right now, but that's it.

So, most of the Navy is now focused on the Middle East, which is the only way that we're able to sustain this operation over an extended period of

time.

SCIUTTO: Well, Brian Clark, we appreciate you joining. We appreciate you joining today, and we look forward to having you back as we continue to

follow developments in the Gulf.

CLARK: My pleasure, Jim. Great to be here. Thanks.

SCIUTTO: Well, joining us now from the White House, Kristen Holmes. And, Kristen, President Trump has claimed victory. Kristen Holmes, do we have

you? OK. We'll come back to Kristen Holmes momentarily when we do have her.

Joining us now, we are following, of course, continuing hostilities between Russia and Ukraine. South Carolina's governor announced today that he is

appointing the sister of the late Senator Lindsey Graham to fill Graham's seat for the remainder of his term.

The longtime Republican senator had just returned from Ukraine when he died suddenly here in Washington, apparently from a torn aorta. He was said to

be jubilant over getting the OK from President Trump to move forward with a bipartisan sanctions package against Russia over its ongoing invasion of

Ukraine. The White House endorsement would ease the legislation's path through Congress.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. JOHN THUNE (R-SD): Lindsey's been working that issue for a long time. It's one of those things he's very passionate about. He wants to see a free

and independent Ukraine, as all of us do, and is a big believer that economic sanctions are a huge tool for the president and his administration

for us to achieve that outcome.

So, I'm hopeful we can get that done. It would certainly be an incredible legacy for him if, in fact, we could find a path forward.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SCIUTTO: That would be quite a moment to move forward on that sanctions package. There's been bipartisan support for it for months now, but the

president to date has stood in the way.

Well, Reuters, citing senior officials, reports that Russian ballistic missiles are once again raining down on Ukraine's capital, Kyiv, as we

speak.

Joining me from Kyiv is Ukrainian lawmaker, Oleksandr Merezhko. Good to have you. My first question to you is, are you safe now, and have you been

hearing this incoming fire?

OLEKSANDR MEREZHKO, FOREIGN AFFAIRS COMMITTEE CHAIR, UKRAINIAN PARLIAMENT: Thank you for having me. Unfortunately, no one can be safe right now in

Kyiv, in Ukraine, because, yes, we're under attack. Less than an hour, we have been attacked by Russian, it seems like, ballistic missiles. I counted

at least five very loud, huge explosions, not far from the place where I live, but it's our reality. We have to endure this almost each day, each

night.

SCIUTTO: Now, coming out of their meeting at the NATO summit, the meeting between Zelenskyy and Trump, one, there was, of course, the word that

President Trump is going to allow Ukraine the license to manufacture their own Patriot interceptors. But is there any more immediate help? Because the

problem in recent days and weeks has been a shortage of those interceptors, particularly for the highly effective Patriot systems. Is there any relief

coming in the near term for Ukraine?

[18:10:00]

MEREZHKO: Hopefully, our European allies will provide us with interceptors, missiles from air defense systems, Patriot systems. We

desperately need them because it's extremely difficult for us to repel Russian ballistic missiles and this day also is another evidence to this.

It's about lives of our civilian population and it's about our critical infrastructure.

Luckily, Germany and Poland are going to provide us with these missiles but we don't have enough of them and that's why my appeal to our American

friends to help us in this regard because Russia is going to destroy ahead of winter which might be another harsh winter for us. Russia will be trying

to destroy our critical infrastructure and to make Kyiv and other cities in Ukraine uninhabitable.

SCIUTTO: Yes. Regarding Senator Graham's passing, you called his death a huge and unexpected loss, that he was a close link, arguably the closest

link between Ukraine and President Trump. Now, there does appear to finally be movement on a bipartisan package to impose new sanctions on Russia and

now it appears that President Trump has lifted his opposition.

How significant would that be and perhaps as a tribute to Senator Graham's legacy?

MEREZHKO: Well, it is a part of legacy of Senator Graham and yes, there is saying that there are no irreplaceable people. In reality, it's not true

and Senator Graham is a great example that he's irreplaceable.

We do hope that this package of sanctions, this bill will be adopted by the Congress, by the Senate and it will be the best monument to Senator Graham.

SCIUTTO: Well, Oleksandr Merezhko, I know you have a young child and given the ongoing threat there in Kyiv, I wish you safety tonight and thanks so

much for joining.

MEREZHKO: Thank you.

SCIUTTO: Well, joining me now from the White House is Kristen Holmes. Kristen, on the Iran war, as you know, this is not where President Trump

wanted to be. He's claimed victory in this war a number of times over the last several weeks, yet here we are. Is the White House prepared for a

sustained resumption of military strikes on Iran?

KRISTEN HOLMES, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: It depends on what you mean by sustained. We are told that this is likely to last, excuse me,

a few days, but in terms of how long beyond that, that is still an open- ended question. I think one of the most notable things we saw today was President Trump informing Congress that military action has resumed in

Iran. This is the first time that he has done this. Now, he said it was just defensive attacks, but it is incredibly notable.

And I want to read you one line from this letter that he sent to Congress, where he says, United States ground forces are not involved in these

strikes. These strikes are limited, measured, planned and executed in a manner designed to minimize civilian casualties.

He just took questions on this as well, on overarching where we stand. He said the bombing, the back and forth, that is not part of a new normal. But

in fact, it is what we have seen back and forth for the last four months. He said specifically the Vietnam War lasted over a decade. This has only

been four months. But a reminder that he said that this war itself was only going to last three to four weeks at one point.

So, I want to play for you just some of what he said about Iran during this kind of filibuster that he gave just now in the Oval Office.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: So, Mr. President, you noted the United States is bombing Iran again. I mean, you've been bombing Iran for months now. Is

this just the new normal for the American people?

DONALD TRUMP, U.S. PRESIDENT: No. Well, you know, we're in Vietnam for 19 years. We're here for four months. So, I think we've done a lot. We've

knocked out their Navy in a period of one month. We knocked out their Air Force. Air Force is non-existent. We knocked out most of their missiles,

most of their drones. We knocked out their drone manufacturing capability, about 92 percent. Their missile capability for manufacturing, we knocked

out 89 percent. And they have a little capability, but they don't have any capability for us. This is almost a military skirmish.

Now, with all of that being said, you have to get people that want to make something. We had a deal with them two days ago. And then they said, oh, we

can't make that deal. We have to negotiate it further. And this is what they've done for 47 years. The difference is nobody negotiated like I do.

And this should have been done by Bush and Obama and Biden and people before them.

Frankly, it's 47 years. They've been ripping off everybody and really hurting and killing thousands of people. So, they killed 52,000 protesters,

but they killed many, many people with Soleimani, who I killed in the first term.

[18:15:00]

Soleimani killed many people, many, many people, and not only killed. When you see a young former soldier walking around with no legs, no arms, a face

that's been horribly, horribly hurt, that was done by Iran. That was done by Soleimani. He was a person that was very evil. He was an evil genius. He

was looking to take out a lot of our military installations in Iraq and Iran. And I got him before he got us. So, we have to do what we're doing.

And the Strait is open. It will be open. We've cut down their capability very substantially. But, you know, they're going to fight for a while. Our

military has done a fantastic job. And, you know, the bottom line, though, and I say it to everybody, and I say it as much as you want to listen, Iran

will not have a nuclear weapon.

If we didn't bomb them with the B-2 bombers, that plane right there, if we didn't bomb them, they would have had a nuclear weapon long ago, one month.

Within one month from the day we bombed them, they would have had, if we didn't do it, they would have had a nuclear weapon. If they had a nuclear

weapon, Israel would no longer be with us. And the Middle East probably would no longer be with us.

But as you saw, they sent missiles to five different countries that never even knew they were involved, because they're stone-cold crazy.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HOLMES: Yes. So, you see him their kind of going off on Iran, saying a lot of what we've heard before. One thing I want to bring up is this idea of

reimbursement in the Strait of Hormuz.

A couple of things. One is that President Trump is now saying that countries around Iran should reimburse the United States for being what

he's calling a guardian of the Strait, escorting ships through the Strait of Hormuz, that this naval blockade would be in place, but they would only

be blocking Iranian ports and ships. It is very unclear how that would work. And whether or not commercial vessels would even want to go through

the Strait of Hormuz, given the danger if Iran is not agreeing to attack or to not attack these various commercial vessels.

So, what this looks like in practice is really a big question mark, particularly as we've seen U.S. officials, including secretary of state,

Marco Rubio, say that any kind of toll imposed would be very difficult to actually follow through with, and that because it is an international

waterway that no one should be getting any kind of money, tolls, fees for the passage of the Strait of Hormuz does, of course, appear that President

Trump has shifted his thinking on that. I mean, unclear how this actually looks in practice.

SCIUTTO: Yes. And it was Marco Rubio who said in June, "There isn't a nation on earth that supports having to pay money to go through the

Straits," quote/unquote. Kristen Holmes at the White House, thanks so much.

Still ahead, an 11th hour move to block the merger of Paramount Skydance and Warner Bros. Discovery, the parent company of CNN. Twelve U.S. states

have filed suit against the deal. We're going to discuss what happens next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[18:20:00]

SCIUTTO: In today's Business Breakout, U.S. stocks fell across the board Monday, pressured in part by another sharp rise in oil prices. Brent Crude

posted its biggest single-day jump in six years, after President Trump announced that the U.S. will reinstate a naval blockade of Iran and seemed

to signal the restart of the war. Brent now back above $80 a barrel.

Chip stocks sold off, too. Shares of South Korea's SK Hynix tumbled more than 9 percent in New York. Its losses were ever steeper in Seoul. The chip

stock sell-off triggered a nearly 9 percent plunge in South Korea's KOSPI index. Just a short time ago, they had their IPO here.

Paramount Skydance's bid to buy Warner Bros. Discovery, of course the parent company of CNN, is facing what could be its most serious legal

challenge yet. 12 U.S. states have filed a lawsuit to block the merger, which has already been approved by the U.S. Justice Department.

California attorney general, Rob Bonta, is leading a coalition of states. He says the deal clearly violates antitrust laws.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ROB BONTA, CALIFORNIA ATTORNEY GENERAL: There is no debate here. This merger would snuff out competition, drive up prices, diminish content

quality, and produce fewer movies and shows each year. That is the bottom line.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SCIUTTO: In response, Paramount says the suit, quote, "reflects a fundamentally flawed application of the antitrust laws and is wrong on both

the facts and the law." It says it will defend the merger deal vigorously.

Joining me now, Richard Quest. Richard, great to have you here. I got lots of questions for you. I mean, there was some talk of this leading up to

today, and now the suit is underway. Is this a significant challenge to first meeting Paramount's goal of having this all closed by September?

RICHARD QUEST, CNN BUSINESS EDITOR-AT-LARGE: Oh, absolutely. There is this ticking clause that it needs to be done by a particular date. Otherwise,

Skydance, Paramount, has to start paying some very sizable sums of money. And that was largely what got the deal over the line right at the end. All

these subclauses that sweetened the deal, that said it could be done in a particular time.

It will become very expensive for the Ellison family if they do not complete in the order in which they had hoped. But now you have this suit

that's come along. This was expected, but it is late in the day, Jim.

What are they hoping to do? I doubt that they can derail this completely. Why? Because antitrust is primarily a federal area. And the arguments are

well known. The Feds have said they don't believe it's anti-competitive. The states are now saying they do. You've still got the Europeans who've

also got to rule on it. What they can do, to use a colloquial phrase, is bugger the deal up. And what do I mean by that? They can start to seek

terms. What's Skydance Paramount prepared to give up? CNN, one of the studios, different boards. All the things that the Ellisons have said they

are not prepared to do.

Well, when you're facing a litigation that could cost you tens of millions, you can see things very differently.

SCIUTTO: Yes. That was going to be one of my questions, was what is the potential cost, right? What might the state attorneys general demand? Let

me ask you this, because Banta's statement in his press conference following injected some no-kings fervor into this case. I'll quote from his

comments. "In this country, no one is above the law. California and our sister states are fighting for free and fair markets, not rigged markets.

America has no kings in government or our economy."

QUEST: Right.

SCIUTTO: I wonder, does that help the case before the courts?

QUEST: So, let's go to why he says that. He says it because over the course of the bid and over the course of the Trump administration, David

Ellison has been very well friends with the president, whether it's the inauguration, turning up at events, having dinner with the president and

the family.

[18:25:00]

So, there is this accusation that the deal, at least from the administration's point of view, has been tainted. This is a favorite

sweetheart deal, if you will, to a friend of the president's. There is an accusation that it has not received the scrutiny that it would have

normally got from the Justice Department.

Many lesser deals, by the way, in the past have fallen. Paramount, of course, says nothing of the kind. Paramount says nothing of the kind.

Paramount says it's on its face. Paramount says they've done nothing wrong.

But this idea that somehow the Justice Department has done a sweet deal for one of the friends of the president is at the core of the unspoken

accusation that this is an antitrust deal that needs to be stopped. It's a sweetheart deal, is what they would say.

SCIUTTO: Excellent analysis, Richard Quest. Great to have you on.

QUEST: Thank you.

SCIUTTO: Well, checking some of today's other business headlines. A federal judge on Monday blasted President Trump's civil lawsuit against the

IRS, saying it has no viable basis in the law or fact. U.S. District Judge Kathleen Williams says Trump sought to, quote, "manipulate" the judicial

process by bringing the suit, and that he acted in bad faith. She's also ordering sanctions for attorneys involved in the suit. The suit filed by

Trump included $1.8 billion anti-weaponization fund for allies of the president that was eventually dropped.

Well, Federal Reserve chair, Kevin Warsh, is set to begin two days of testimony before Congress on Tuesday. This will be Warsh's first appearance

before Congress since his confirmation as chair in May. Inflation and its impact on federal policymaking is expected to be, well, the main topic. The

latest U.S. consumer inflation report will be released right before he begins his testimony.

Federal Reserve governor, Christopher Waller, says that if inflation does not come down soon, the U.S. Central Bank may have to raise rates in the

near term. Waller said Tuesday's Consumer Price Index reading will be a key figure. He says bad data could prompt the Fed to hike soon. He says he is

worried that price pressures are now spreading through the economy. Daunting words.

Coming up next, outrage and a demand for answers. Protests in Maine now after a 26-year-old man was shot and killed by ICE officers.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[18:30:00]

SCIUTTO: Welcome back to "The Brief." I'm Jim Sciutto. And here are the international headlines we're watching today.

U.S. Central Command says the third straight night of strikes on Iran is now underway. It says that that is at the direction of President Trump. The

president said today the U.S. will act as the guardian of the Strait of Hormuz going forward, his words. He says Iranian ships will no longer be

able to cross the strait. And that non-Iranian vessels will be charged a 20 percent fee by the U.S. to pass through.

British counterterrorism police are now leading the investigation into the suspected murder of former conservative lawmaker, Ann Widdecombe. The U.K.

Home Secretary says new information and evidence has come to light. A 28- year-old white British man is in custody on suspicion of instigating acts of terrorism. Widdecombe was found dead at her home in Devon last Thursday.

Police say the 78-year-old suffered serious injuries.

In Thailand, a huge fire tore through a Bangkok bar and music venue early Monday. Disturbing video shows flames shooting out of the bar's front door

as people fled. At least 27 people were killed, dozens injured. Many victims were found in bathrooms near the rear exits where they apparently

sought shelter. Forensic officers are now going through the debris to try to determine what caused the fire.

Well, scenes of devastation in France where firefighters are battling a massive wildfire south of Paris. What you're seeing now are planes scooping

up water from the River Seine to then drop on the flames to extinguish them. Part of Europe -- parts of Europe are seeing record temperatures and

many deaths due to three successive heat waves. France's interior minister says police are trying to determine whether this wildfire was started

deliberately. Wildfires have also broken out in other parts of the country.

Melissa Bell is close to the scene and has more on efforts to contain the disaster.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MELISSA BELL, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, we've come as really as close as we can to give you a little perspective. Those are not

clouds that you see behind me. That is the fire coming from that fire still not fixed, say authorities. So, they still haven't managed to contain it.

And what we understand as authorities have spoken about what has been happening here since last night, we're about 60 kilometers to the southeast

of Paris. This is most unusual to see wildfires this far north.

What we understand is that this fire started last night. There were two different fires that started on either side of this main motorway, the A6,

that leads south out of Paris right by Orly Airport. Those two fires have now, say authorities, become one. And it is raging out of control. As you

say, 800 hectares already burned. It's about a fifth of the forest of Fontainebleau, this very ancient forest here to the southeast of Paris.

And just behind me, near where that fire is currently raging, of course, the famous Chateau de Fontainebleau, the royal residence here in France and

one of the most famous royal residences there are. So still not contained.

And what we're hearing is that this nearly 1,000-hectare fire now is likely to continue being pushed on by the kind of winds that we've been seeing.

But it is also very dry conditions. We're now in the middle of our third heat wave in just a month and a half. Already across France, it is 32,000

hectares that have burned. That is more than the entire season of wildfires of heat of 2025. And it gives you an idea of just how dry the earth is and

just how hot the air is.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SCIUTTO: Melissa Bell there covering the wildfires in France. Please stay with us. We'll have much more news after the break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[18:35:00]

SCIUTTO: For the second time in less than a week, there's been another fatal shooting involving ICE, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement,

this time in the State of Maine.

A warning, this video is disturbing. You see agents there surrounding a person fallen on the ground. An immigration rights group says the

individual shot dead is a 26-year-old Colombian man, his death prompting protests and calls once again for accountability for ICE.

In February this year, President Trump suggested his administration could use a, quote, softer touch on immigration enforcement raids following the

fatal shooting of two U.S. citizens in Minneapolis. And yet now, in the last couple of weeks, two more fatal shootings.

Joining me now, Democratic Jordan Wood. He's running for U.S. Senate in Maine, hoping to replace Graham Platner on the ballot, and he joins me now.

Jordan Wood, thanks so much for joining.

JORDAN WOOD, U.S. SENATE DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATE: Thanks for having me.

SCIUTTO: So, first, what we know about this shooting, we're learning it's a 26-year-old Colombian man, but we're also told by Senator Angus King that

the man shot dead was not the target of the warrant, which would seem to mimic the circumstances of the previous ICE shooting in Houston. What are

you learning there about the circumstances of this shooting?

WOOD: Yes. So, the details are still coming out, what it seems to have happened, and I think this speaks to the fear that Donald Trump's ICE

regime and the chaos it's created in so many communities can have outcomes like this. You know, ICE is not new to Maine.

In this administration, we have seen a real increase several times for them to deploy ICE agents here to terrorize our immigrant refugee-asylum-seeking

community. And Maine is just beyond very tragic what happened in Biddeford, but we are just so fed up with this administration and this ICE regime in

our state, but also with Senator Susan Collins, who's not done anything to really stand up to this effort.

SCIUTTO: Senator Collins has said that Secretary Mullen, of course the DHS secretary, has told her that the DHS Inspector General's Boston office will

oversee this investigation. Given the DHS track record in investigating previous shootings involving ICE, do you expect that investigation to be

fair and thorough?

WOOD: Well, here's why I think we have these episodes of violence happening in Maine and around the country, is that Donald Trump, since he

took office, has really created an environment where if you break the law, no matter whether it's killing somebody or any law, for him, on behalf of

his agenda, then there will be no accountability.

[18:40:00]

He did this when he pardoned all of the January 6th insurrectionists, but there is this idea that you can be, you can freely shoot fellow citizens,

commit so many crimes, and there won't be accountability. So, I think, yes, there needs to be an independent investigation.

Maine has already said that they're going to open one as well. It is not enough to just have that. I think it speaks to the larger problem that we

have a law force in the agency of ICE today that has lost the trust of the American people, that this institution, this agency, is not there to

protect and serve us, it is there to be thugs on the street on behalf of Donald Trump.

SCIUTTO: As you know, in the cases of the fatal shootings of Alex Pretti and Rachel Good in Minneapolis, it was only this week, six months later,

that the feds released evidence to state investigators in Minnesota. What efforts are being made in Maine for state prosecutors to get some handle on

the evidence in this fatal shooting?

WOOD: Yes, I know this from Senator King, who said publicly that there were not body cameras on the agents who committed this crime. But there

does seem to be a number of witnesses public that were there in the area and have just described a really horrific situation.

But yes, there must be accountability. I mentioned that the state has announced their opening investigation. Attorney General Aaron Frey made

that statement just as I'm on my way right now down to Biddeford for a vigil, where I expect to learn more. But it is a state that has reckoned

with this force that is terrorizing our streets. And we are reminded today why this is such a devastating time for our country.

SCIUTTO: Well, notable yet again, it's a fatal shooting without those body-worn cameras. I want to ask you, if I can, about politics going

forward in the state, given Platner's exit. Susan Collins, as you know, she's won statewide six times, in part by attracting independents and

moderate Democrats.

Your platform, unapologetically progressive. Why do you believe you can win the state with that strategy?

WOOD: Yes. What Mainers are looking for today is a senator that is independent, that is committed to historic reforms, fixing broken systems

that have been broken most of my life. And what's resonated with voters across the state, I've had over 40 town halls in all 16 counties, is

building trust with voters.

I was in second grade when Susan Collins was first elected to the U.S. Senate for our state. And there is so much that Susan Collins has just not

addressed. And it's made life just unaffordable for so many people, including the family I grew up in. And I grew up in a family that my

father's a pastor, mom's a teacher. We struggled throughout childhood. I went to college on need-based student loans. My mom had to go get a union

job at Edward Little, our local high school, so that our family could have health insurance.

These problems were problems when Susan Collins was in her first and second terms. And she has never prioritized the change that we need. And many

people are fed up. I think, yes, I am a progressive reformer, proud to say that. But I also have a demonstrated track record of being independent and

working with Republicans.

In my most recent race, I was endorsed by Adam Kinzinger and Joe Walsh, two former Republican members of Congress. Because that's what -- that's

because I have done political work. Since January 6, I was barricaded at the Capitol that day. And I've worked with Republicans who were willing to

rise above their partisan differences in order to protect the future of our democracy. And that's the group points voters are looking for. How do we

know you are independent? How do we know if you are progressive, that we can still rely on you to work with the other side?

SCIUTTO: Well, Jordan Wood, we wish you good luck. And thanks so much for joining.

WOOD: Thank you. Thank you.

SCIUTTO: Well, for more on the ICE shootings, CNN's Jason Carroll joins me now from Maine. And Jason, as you heard there, Jordan Wood, running for

Senate there, says that these officers were not wearing cameras. And that was the case in the Houston shooting, as you know. Do we know why? I

thought that they were required to now.

JASON CARROLL, CNN U.S. NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, look, there are a lot of questions that folks here are waiting answers to. The real issue

here, Jim, is that we still have not heard anything from the Department of Homeland Security. This is extremely unusual. It's been now, what, 11 hours

since the shooting that took right here at this intersection behind me. Shooting took place just after 7:00 a.m., and still no official word from

DHS in terms of specifics as to exactly what happened here.

[18:45:00]

What we can tell you is that, initially, the DHS told Senator King, as you know, that the person who was shot and killed, that person was the target

of an arrest warrant. And then later on, we get an updated statement late this afternoon from Senator King, where he said the following. I'm going to

read part of it to you. He said, in the hours since this press conference with the Maine Press Corps, Senator King again spoke with the Department of

Homeland Security secretary, who shared that the victim of today's federal law enforcement shooting was not the target of the warrant.

So, who is this person? The person has been identified as a 26-year-old Colombian. He had a Social Security number. He apparently shot on his way

to work. This information not coming to us from DHS. This information coming from an immigration rights group. That's where we've got to get some

of it from. Still a lot of questions as to how the incident de-escalated to a point where a shooting had to occur.

What I can also tell you, this happened right out here in a neighborhood, we've spoken to some people who live out here about what they heard and

what they saw.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

EM AKERLEY, WITNESS: I understand that no one deserves to just die, right, whether that be ICE or the man behind the wheel. But we were not the jury

of his peers right now. And he shouldn't have been killed in the street.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CARROLL: So, again, still looking for a lot of answers here. Why weren't these ICE officers wearing body cameras? That's a question. How did this

incident de-escalate to the point where a shooting and a fatal shooting took place? Another question and so many more.

Again, haven't heard anything officially from the Department of Homeland Security. Again, it's now been some 11 hours since the shooting. A number

of people in this community, and not just here, but across the country, given what's happened here, what happened in Mexico, a lot of folks waiting

for some answers here. Jim.

SCIUTTO: Yes. And it would be the first time that the first description of the circumstances of the shooting that provided by ICE was later either

contradicted by video or that ICE or DHS itself changed their description. Jason Carroll, thanks so much.

Well, it has now been one year since the death of Palestinian-American, Saif Musallet, who was killed by Israeli settlers in the West Bank while

visiting relatives. His father has returned to the site for the first time in a year. His journey quickly turned dangerous, though, as armed Israeli

settlers ambushed and attacked his convoy.

Jeremy Diamond has this report from the occupied West Bank.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JEREMY DIAMOND, CNN JERUSALEM CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Kamel Musallet hasn't been able to reach this land in over a year. This is the hillside

where his son, Saif, an American citizen, was killed.

DIAMOND: It's like it's down here, if you want to walk.

DIAMOND (voice-over): Beaten to death by Israeli settlers exactly one year ago. Since then, settlers have illegally occupied the area, preventing this

father from getting the closure he so desperately seeks.

KAMEL MUSALLET, FATHER OF AMERICAN KILLED BY SETTLERS: We have to keep an eye, because usually they'll come down that way.

DIAMOND (voice-over): We've come here in an armored vehicle, wearing bulletproof vests, because of how violent these settlers have been. But

we've made it.

DIAMOND: What does it feel like to finally be here after a year?

MUSALLET: It's just like I'm -- to be honest with you, I'm imagining -- no, just imagining him, you know, like -- so, it's just a thought log going

on in my head right now, like just what he went through at that moment.

DIAMOND: I'll let you take a moment. Come on.

DIAMOND (voice-over): But this solemn sacred moment won't last. Within seconds we spot a car speeding towards us. We start to leave, but as we

drive away, we see that four settlers have set up a roadblock. Armed with clubs and rocks, they try and block our way first with their bodies and

then --

DIAMOND: And now, it looks like he's trying to slash our tires. He's trying to slash our tires.

MUSALLET: Oh, he's got a knife. He's going for the tires.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Oh, my God.

DIAMOND (voice-over): A group of independent journalists and activists are in the car behind us.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Move. Move, bitch.

DIAMOND (voice-over): But their vehicle isn't armored.

MUSALLET: Without an armored car, without a bulletproof vest, how do I get to my land? The Israeli army should -- right now should be here and kicking

them out. It's illegal for them to be there. It's frustrating. It's -- you're so angry and you can't do nothing about it. It just kills you from

inside.

[18:50:00]

DIAMOND (voice-over): But the settlers aren't done. More arrive, blocking another road before chasing us and attacking us again.

DIAMOND: Now, they're trying to stop our car again. They're hitting us.

DIAMOND (voice-over): We finally make it back to safety where I get on the phone with the Israeli military, which is responsible for security in this

area. But settlers have also called the military, and these soldiers are only interested in harassing us, refusing to take action against the

settlers.

Minutes later, the commander of a different battalion arrives, and sends his soldiers after the settlers, detaining them until the police arrive.

The Israel police said they arrested four suspects and seized clubs and a knife. They vowed to, quote, "Bring them to justice accordingly."

A full year later, Kamel Musallet is still waiting for his son's killers to be brought to justice.

MUSALLET: No one's been arrested, no accountability.

DIAMOND (voice-over): Saif was just two weeks shy of his 21st birthday when he was killed. A Florida native, he had been visiting his family in

the West Bank. At the time, U.S. ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabee, condemned Musallet's killing as a criminal and terrorist act, and vowed to

pressure Israel to bring his killers to justice.

DONALD TRUMP, U.S. PRESIDENT: I reached out to the U.S. Embassy. I sent them a list of questions, and this is the response they gave me. They said,

the Trump administration has no higher priority than the safety and security of Americans. Due to privacy considerations, we have no further

information to provide at this time.

MUSALLET: I just feel if that was true you know, they would do something about it. You know, at least open an investigation. You know, that's the

least that they could do. If it was anywhere else in the world, an American citizen was killed by a mob of extremists or terrorists, what kind of

outrage would there be? You know, how disappointed would Saif Allah be right now that, you know, his U.S. passport did nothing for him?

DIAMOND (voice-over): Saif believed in that blue passport.

SAIF MUSALLET: Blue is blue. Not because he's Palestinian-American. He's just American.

DIAMOND (voice-over): But his family is still waiting for it to mean something, anything, in their pursuit of justice.

Jeremy Diamond, CNN, Sinjil, the West Bank.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SCIUTTO: And we'll have more news just after the break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

SCIUTTO: New Zealand actor, Sam Neill, has died at the age of 78. Neill had been battling a rare and aggressive form of blood cancer, though he had

said in April that he was then cancer-free. The star leaves behind a long reel of award-winning work from a five-decade career, perhaps best

remembered for his iconic role as Dr. Alan Grant in "Jurassic Park."

[18:55:00]

Kylie Minogue and Richard E. Grant are among the stars paying tribute, as is New Zealand's prime minister, who calls Neill one of the greats. And

indeed, he was.

Well, a man attacked by a bison in Yellowstone National Park is recovering in the hospital after surgery. You may have seen this video. The bison

charged the 65-year-old, you see him there, on Friday, sending him in that moment flying into the air. His injuries include a broken femur. The man

says he's lucky the animal could have gored or trampled him when he was on the ground. He says the bison became agitated after someone in their car

honked the horn to apparently get the animal to move. Seemed to just make things work.

And finally, the men's World Cup semifinals will kick off on Tuesday. Now, of course, only four teams remain. France will put their star-studded

offense to the test against a Spanish side that's allowed just one goal in the tournament so far. And on Wednesday, defending champions Argentina will

have to get past the three lions of England. It's going to be some good football.

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

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[19:00:00]

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