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The Story Is with Elex Michaelson

U.S. Says Strikes on Iran for Helicopter Downing Complete; Maine Democratic Voters Pick Graham Platner; Republican Steve Hilton to Face Democrat Xavier Becerra in California Governor's Race; Pope Leo to Dedicate Final Tower of Sagrada Familia Basilica; Pope Leo to Dedicate Final Tower of Sagrada Familia Basilica; Steve Hilton Weighs in on California Governor's Bid; NASA Reveals Artemis III Crew, New Mission Details. Aired 12-1a ET

Aired June 10, 2026 - 00:00   ET

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

[00:00:00]

LAURA COATES, CNN ANCHOR: But I do love a front row seat as long as he does not indulge in a second primary.

HINOJOSA: We need more women.

COATES: Because I am not one of those.

HINOJOSA: We need more women after all these allegations, man. That's all I'm saying.

COATES: Thanks, everyone. Let's go -- wait, hold on. Tell me, New York Knicks tomorrow playing, what's happening? Do you believe Stephen A. Smith? Is it a domino?

HINOJOSA: Spurs.

FINNEY: No. Knicks, baby.

HINOJOSA: Spurs goes --

TODD: This is not about mojo, it's about --

HINOJOSA: Spurs, go, Spurs.

COATES: Scott?

JENNINGS: I'm for the -- I'm happy for the Spurs.

HINOJOSA: Oh, my god.

COATES: Elex Michaelson, here's your show.

ELEX MICHAELSON, CNN ANCHOR: I'm Elex Michaelson live in Los Angeles. Welcome to THE STORY IS.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) MICHAELSON: THE STORY IS in Iran where the U.S. military wrapped up what it called self-defense strikes after the downing of a U.S. helicopter.

THE STORY IS in Maine, where Democratic Senate candidate Graham Platner is declaring victory at the ballot box after serious allegations against him.

THE STORY IS in California where CNN now projects that Republican Steve Hilton will make the runoff for governor. Hilton with us live.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ANNOUNCER: Live from Los Angeles, THE STORY IS with Elex Michaelson.

MICHAELSON: It is 9:00 here in Los Angeles, where it's election night in America. We'll have more of the results throughout this show, but we head to Iran, where it is 7:30 in the morning. The U.S. military says it has now completed what officials are calling self-defense strikes in response to the downing of a U.S. Army Apache helicopter off the coast of Oman.

U.S. Central Command says forces struck Iranian Air Defense, ground control stations and surveillance radar sites near the Strait of Hormuz. Iranian media had reported explosions in southern Iran. Iran says it retaliated with missiles and drones fired at U.S. targets in the region, including the U.S. Fifth Fleet in Bahrain.

This is the first loss of an Apache since the conflict with Iran began. President Donald Trump says the two pilots were rescued and not hurt.

CNN's Ivan Watson live in Hong Kong to start us off.

Ivan, what is the U.S. doing to respond?

IVAN WATSON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Right. Well, Elex, it feels like the dust has barely settled from Iran and Israel shooting at each other starting Sunday and that apparently dying down. And now we have this exchange of fire between the U.S. and Iran. The U.S. Central Command announcing that it was carrying out these attacks using U.S. Air Force and Navy jets to bomb different targets along the Iranian coast, saying that this was in retaliation, as you pointed out, for Iran's role in downing this Apache helicopter.

And the two pilots were rescued from the sea by a U.S. Navy drone, I might add, in a first. So the U.S. military is saying that they were bombing ground control stations and surveillance radar sites near the Strait of Hormuz. Iran has been reporting explosions at a number of places near Chesham Island and several other locations, again, along that coast, also claiming that some water reservoirs were destroyed in this apparent American series of airstrikes.

Now, this is what's really important here. Then Central Command is announcing that it has completed its operations. It's not going to do this anymore, calling this a proportional response to recent attacks on the U.S. and thus signaling that this is supposed to be done. We have a U.S. official who's told CNN that this is a kind of warning for what happened to the Apache helicopter, and that the negotiations should -- between Iran and the U.S. should be allowed to continue.

The question is, does Iran see it that way? And we're hearing that Iran has already retaliated for what the U.S. has signaled is a limited operation.

MICHAELSON: Yes. Talk to us about that. How is Iran retaliating?

WATSON: Right. So the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has announced that it fired at a number of different U.S. targets around the region. It says it shot drones at the headquarters of the U.S. Navy's Fifth Fleet. That's in Bahrain. And we have some video of what appears to be some kind of a flash from a camera there over the capital city, in the direction of the U.S. Navy's Fifth Fleet.

We can't confirm that. We have no confirmation that it may have been hit. There were air raid sirens reported there, and that headquarters was targeted in the first days of the war back in March. There were also air raid sirens reported over Kuwait. Kuwait saying that it was firing back at hostile projectiles and urging residents to take cover.

[00:05:05]

The Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps also says it fired what it describes as long range solid fuel missiles, ballistic missiles at an air base in Jordan. And we've heard from the Jordanian Armed Forces that they claim to have shot down five missiles. No reports of injuries in Jordan around that purported air base. An exchange of fire here, and the question now is, could this continue to escalate?

Will Washington feel an obligation to retaliate to what Iran has done, or will this very shaky ceasefire somehow continue to hold with these intermittent and potentially deadly skirmishes taking place seemingly every few days?

MICHAELSON: Yes, a ceasefire that includes plenty of fire in the last 24 hours.

Ivan Watson, starting us off in Hong Kong. Thank you.

Joining me now for more is CNN military analyst, retired U.S. Air Force Colonel Cedric Leighton.

Welcome back. So we had U.S., we had Iran, we had the back and forth. At this point, have both sides sort of checked their boxes, said we did what we need to do, and we're done for now, let's negotiate a deal?

COL. CEDRIC LEIGHTON, CNN MILITARY ANALYST: Well, Elex, let's hope that's the case. It could be that that's the situation. But then we have to look at what Iranian Foreign Minister Araghchi has said, which is basically if the U.S. attacks us, then we will attack back. And so maybe the strikes that Ivan reported on, you know, that had allegedly hit Bahrain, and maybe were centered also on Kuwait and possibly Jordan, that those are basically Iran's answer, and then maybe we'll go back to the negotiating table.

But this is, you know, we're kind of in a situation where this could easily get out of control. But there are certain offramps that if they are taken could result in at least negotiations and maybe possibly a ceasefire. But we're not definitely not there yet.

MICHAELSON: Meanwhile, the pilots that were rescued, the Americans that were in that downed helicopter, were rescued by a drone boat. Talk to us about that. How does that work? Because something like that has never happened before, right?

LEIGHTON: Yes, that's exactly right. So we're talking about the Slavonic Corsair. It's a -- it basically looks like a cigarette boat when you see it in pictures. And this is one of the unmanned surface vehicles or USVs that the U.S. Navy has developed over the years. In fact, in Bahrain, at the Fifth Fleet headquarters, there's a task force called Task Force 59, and Task Force 59 is responsible for the development not only of drones. That is, naval drones, both under sea as well as surface drones.

And these drones are basically being used not only for reconnaissance missions, possible combat missions, but as we see in this particular case, combat search and rescue missions. So they are probably repurposed this drone from another mission, but it was used very effectively in pulling those two pilots out of the waters of the Persian Gulf. And as been reported, they are safe back in U.S. custody. So what these drones can do is they can basically, without human intervention, except for the direction of the drone, they can take not only the war to the enemy without inflicting casualties on us or putting us at risk, but they can also do things that manned vessels may find it difficult to do, and they may also be less detectable than manned vehicles of various types.

So there are certain advantages, and it's somewhat analogous to what the Ukrainians have been able to do in the Black Sea against the Russians in the Russia-Ukraine war. So this is significant. And the fact that these unmanned vessels have been able to be used in this case is, of course, not only a very big deal, but it could also impact the future of warfare at large.

MICHAELSON: Yes. A game-changing moment that we just witnessed history together. And we are grateful that in part because of that these two guys are coming out alive, which is an amazing thing to celebrate.

Cedric Leighton, with us live tonight. Thank you so much. Always great to see you.

LEIGHTON: Good to see you, too, Elex. Thank you.

MICHAELSON: We promised election night in America. Let's talk about that now. Results coming in from the latest round of U.S. primaries. They are once again testing the strength of President Trump's grip on the Republican Party and also voters tolerance for political scandals.

In Maine, CNN projects that Democratic Senate candidate Graham Platner will win his primary despite being embroiled in several controversies. This one wasn't even close. Now, of course, Janet Mills wasn't really a candidate and said she's not running anymore, so the fact that she still got 20 percent almost is quite something.

[00:10:04]

He will face incumbent Senator Susan Collins in what is expected to be one of the most closely watched battles of the November midterms.

In South Carolina, if we get that election music going, CNN projects longtime senator and staunch Trump ally -- there it is -- Lindsey Graham will once again secure the Republican nomination and by a landslide. He will face Democrat Annie Andrews.

And in the Republican governor's race, Lieutenant Governor Pamela Evette and State Attorney General Alan Wilson are headed for a runoff. President Trump backed Yvette, but Wilson claims he's the strongest supporter of the administration. The winner will face State Representative Jermaine Johnson, who is projected to win the Democratic primary.

And it's been a week since we were doing election night in California, and now we know who is moving on in the California primary for governor. CNN can finally project that Republican Steve Hilton will advance to the governor's race in November. The former FOX News commentator, endorsed by President Trump, will face Democrat Xavier Becerra, the former Health and Human Services secretary and California attorney general.

It's worth noting California has not elected a Republican governor in 20 years. By the way, Steve Hilton will join us live here in about 20 minutes.

For more on all this, we're joined by our panel of experts. Elizabeth Ashford is a political consultant who works often with Democrats. She has worked for multiple California governors. And Matt Klink is a Republican strategist as well as the owner and president of Klink Campaigns.

Welcome back to both of you. Great to see you. The big headline of the night, though, is about Maine. So let's start with that. Graham Platner coming in after receiving all sorts of allegations from "The New York Times" about some relationships, some women claiming that he had acted inappropriately when he had dated them. This is what he said to the crowd tonight.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GRAHAM PLATNER, DEMOCRATIC NOMINEE FOR MAINE SENATOR: Redemption is not just some simple or easy destination. It's a journey. I've made mistakes in my life, mistakes that I regret, that I live with, and that I continue to learn from. And I'm still far from perfect. But every day I wake up and I try to be a little bit better and a little bit kinder than I was the day before. And if you give me the chance, I will be a senator for the people who cannot afford to buy a senator.

(END VIDEO CLIP) MICHAELSON: There are a lot of critics of this guy. And yet the voters seem to be drawn to him. Why is that?

ELIZABETH ASHFORD, POLITICAL CONSULTANT: Well, as we know, flirting with Nazis and, you know, sexting women that aren't your wife are not things that push you out of contention for these jobs.

MICHAELSON: You say flirting with -- he's got a tattoo that he proclaimed --

ASHFORD: Yes, he has a tattoo that, you know. And so, you know, I think that, you know, if that was true, then Donald Trump wouldn't be president of the United States. So it's very obvious that voters are willing to overlook things that are, you know, frankly, pretty bizarre about this candidate. He's a broken vessel. We'll see if he's so broken that the Democrats choose to replace him before the primary rolls around. They can do that. That is an escape hatch.

MICHAELSON: Yes.

ASHFORD: So I'm actually not that surprised in the sense that if you're voting for him, you're already ticked off at the status quo and you're going to be voting for the person who's communicating that. And I think he did successfully do that.

MICHAELSON: Let's talk about how important Maine is, Matt, because there is no path for the Democrats to win the Senate without Maine. Susan Collins somehow wins election after election after election in a state where she probably shouldn't. She defies all political reality and got to give her credit as a campaigner to do that. How do you see this race?

MATT KLINK, REPUBLICAN STRATEGIST: Both parties got the candidate that they wanted in this race. Susan Collins wants to run against Graham Planter and the Dem -- well, 70 --

MICHAELSON: Platner.

KLINK: Seventy -- Platner. 70 percent of the 34 percent of Mainers that are Democrats voted for him. His problem is not with Democrats. His problem is with Republicans who he won't get but more importantly, with the roughly 30 percent of Maine residents that are independent and primarily with older white women voters, I don't see them voting for this guy. And he has a Nazi death head tattoo on his body that he referred to as my little Totenkopf.

And this is what I love about the Democrats and the irony. All women should be believed, I guess now, except if you're running for Senate in Maine.

MICHAELSON: Well, you mentioned, Elizabeth, this escape hatch. So our pal Ron Brownstein, who's with us next hour on THE STORY IS wrote in Bloomberg today a column about that very topic, which is essentially if Graham Platner voluntarily steps aside before July 13th, that the Democratic Party could then nominate a replacement, including some candidates for governor who are well-liked in the state. [00:15:09]

Not all of them are going to make it to governor. One of them could end up running for Senate. You think that's a better play for Democrats?

ASHFORD: I don't know. I mean, I'm not -- you know, I'm not there. And I think that because he ran on such a focused, you know, affordability message, I think that's where, you know, he was able to break through despite all of this. I mean, I will say that I think that, you know, it's very hard from across the country to sort of predict the behavior of folks within a state. He's obviously, like I said, he's a very broken person, obviously, in some ways. But again, is it going to be enough to swing the party in a different direction, to be determined.

MICHAELSON: But some might see that as authenticity.

ASHFORD: They might see that as authenticity.

MICHAELSON: Right? That at a time when all these politicians, you know, are too manicured and feel really inauthentic, the fact that this guy has been through problems and feels more real, I think may be a reason that some people are drawn to him and maybe that toughness --

KLINK: I'll tell you, I mean, he has a compelling narrative, but he has to sell it, right? He tried to soften himself today. I mean, the guys an oyster farmer in Maine. I mean, he says he's not bought and paid for by anybody else. Well, he's bought and paid for by his daddy's money. They come from money. But he could tell a good story. And I mean, Elizabeth is right. We don't know how upset the Maine voter is with the status quo. That's his opening.

ASHFORD: And there could be an Eric Swalwell moment. There could be a level of allegation that really does tip things in a different direction. And that's why this escape hatch is important. More could come out.

MICHAELSON: Yes. It's interesting with the Swalwell thing here in the California governor's race, he was essentially knocked out in like 20 minutes.

ASHFORD: Yes.

MICHAELSON: Graham Platner, there's been this drip, drip, drip of stuff for a long time, and he's been able to survive all of it so far. Not as serious allegations as what came against Eric Swalwell.

Let's talk about that governor's race, which Eric Swalwell is no longer in. But Steve Hilton is in, and he's going to face off against Xavier Becerra, the Democrat on that side. How do you as a Republican strategist see this race? Does Steve Hilton have a chance in this largely Democratic state?

KLINK: I think that Steve Hilton is going to give Xavier Becerra fits because, as we were talking just between the two of us, he's much more smooth and comfortable talking on TV and in front of audiences. But is this a 60-40 race? I mean, the math just doesn't work for a Republican candidate. And I don't think that the decline to state or the no party preference crossover vote is going to be there.

MICHAELSON: And to that point, I mean, Hilton has to appeal to Democrats and independents. And just today we were showing video of him. He was doing a rally in front of the registrar's office with the chairman of the Republican Party behind him and a bunch of Republican candidates, talking about the issue of voter I.D.. It looked very Republican.

Now he is a Republican. But is that the kind of opening message that you want to send to Democrats that may be frustrated with the status quo, but are uncomfortable with the idea of voting for a Republican?

ASHFORD: I mean, this is the problem with the Republican Party in California is that they've continued to pursue strategies that don't resonate with voters, and that's why they've continued to, as Arnold said, lose at the box office. And Hilton is repeating those mistakes. He's doubling down on these inane, Trump driven narratives that are not true. And as a result, that kind of alienation is going to continue.

You know, he will be a formidable campaigner, but he cannot win in California. It would take a different kind of Republican.

MICHAELSON: What would that kind of Republican be?

ASHFORD: A moderate. It would be somebody that recognizes that Californians are mostly moderate and like to be motivated by economic policy and lifestyles and immigration.

MICHAELSON: Someone who breaks with Trump.

ASHFORD: Absolutely.

MICHAELSON: Yes. But then could that person make it into the top two?

KLINK: They'd never clear the Republican primary.

MICHAELSON: I mean, as I said to Hilton on the night that he got Trump's endorsement, a lot of people feel like you just made it into the top two guaranteed and lost in the November guaranteed as well. We'll see, though. This is why they run campaigns and we'll hear Steve Hilton's perspective in a little bit here on THE STORY IS.

But for now, Elizabeth and Matt, thanks so much. Great to see both of you, as always.

ASHFORD: Thank you.

MICHAELSON: Still to come, protesters in Northern Ireland take to the streets torching cars and buildings. We'll have the latest on the attack at the center of the unrest. Plus, Pope Leo is in Barcelona to mark a major milestone for a basilica that's been under construction for more than a century. We'll tell you why some neighbors are concerned as the project nears completion. (COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[00:24:05]

MICHAELSON: Police in Northern Ireland are calling for calm after protesters set fire to vehicles and homes in Belfast. The unrest flared after police charged a Sudanese man with attempted murder in connection with a knife attack on Monday that left another man seriously injured.

This video shows bystanders rushing in to try and stop that attack. Anti-immigration sentiment has spread to other cities in the U.K., sparking smaller protests in Glasgow and London. Police say the suspect had a legal right to reside in Northern Ireland. Authorities say their investigation into the stabbing is still in its early stages, and officials across the U.K. are now condemning that unrest.

We're continuing to follow new developments in the Middle East, where the U.S. military says it has completed strikes on Iran in response to the downing of a U.S. Army Apache helicopter. U.S. Central Command says forces struck Iranian Air Defense, ground control stations and surveillance radar sites near the Strait of Hormuz.

[00:25:01]

Iran says it retaliated with missiles and drones fired at U.S. targets in the region. Caught in the middle of the conflict are the Iranian people struggling to afford the basics as costs soar.

Our Fred Pleitgen is in Tehran with this report, and we must note CNN operates in Iran only with the permission of the government, but maintains full editorial control of its reports.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: As the conflict between Iran and the United States drags on, the U.S. blockade continues, sanctions continue. Of course it makes things very difficult economically for a lot of folks here in Iran.

I just spoke to a business owner. He sells and produces shoes. And he also told me that business has been difficult for quite some time now.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): Purchases have decreased and so have our sales. Shoes have become more expensive and premium materials have gone up as well. But it's not like sales have completely stopped. The war had its own effect, but it has not brought our sales down to zero. We are still selling and we are still trying to increase sales.

PLEITGEN: A war is always devastating for any economy and as you can imagine, a lot of folks here in Iran have lost their jobs. Inflation is also a big problem as well.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (through translator): The markets really collapsed. Now previously I could buy more easily, but now everything has become so expensive.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (through translator): Inflation has made prices increase 100 times more.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Absolutely it's difficult because after war we have such a problem like, and after sanctions we have a problems here. But it's a consequences of war. We can -- we cannot do anything.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (through translator): I personally do not have much hope. What we see on the surface is that neither side will step back from their positions, at least for the next couple of years, and the situation has been like this for 30 or 40 years.

PLEITGEN: But one of the other things that the shop owner told me has been a real issue was the fact that the internet here was shut down for an extended period of time because he also has an online shop where he not only sells his shoes, but he also buys some of the material as well.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): For about a month or 40 days, we were really struggling. And right now, as you've witnessed yourselves, it's difficult to move from one page to another. I hope this matter could be resolved soon so that our business can flourish again. We will welcome anything that puts an end to the war.

PLEITGEN: And of course, that's something a lot of folks here in Iran think about is the U.S. and the Iranian side try to come to some sort of end to this armed conflict. A lot of people here are just hoping for sanctions relief and for the economy to improve.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

MICHAELSON: Our thanks to Fred Pleitgen for that report from Iran.

You're looking at live pictures right now from Capitol Hill, where just hours ago, House Republicans sent a $70 billion immigration enforcement package to President Trump for his signature. The bill will fully fund the Department of Homeland Security including ICE and Customs and Border Protection for the rest of Trump's second term.

Democrats had blocked Congress from approving any money for those agencies after federal agents killed two U.S. citizens in Minnesota back in January. But in the end, the president gets nearly everything that he wanted in this bill. Remember those shutdowns that the Democrats did? They didn't do anything. The president, though, does not get $1 billion in security upgrades for the White House, which would have included $200 million for his East Wing ballroom project.

Large crowds greeting Pope Leo at Barcelona's 14th Century cathedral on the second leg of his visit to Spain. The pontiff presiding over a midday prayer service on Tuesday where he spoke in Catalan, a language key to the region's identity. In the coming hours, the Pope will inaugurate the newest tower of the Modernist Basilica that has now become the world's tallest church. But as construction enters its final phase, local residents fear being forced from their homes.

CNN's Pau Mosquera has the story.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

PAU MOSQUERA, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): One massive cross crowns Barcelona's skyline. Weighing close to 100 tons, it now tops the tallest Catholic Church in the world, the Sagrada Familia.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (through text translation): Impressive.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (through text translation): Impressive, yes.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (through text translation): Just thinking about it give me goosebumps.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Taking pictures feels almost like a waste because it's so spectacular.

MOSQUERA (voice-over): The tower dedicated to Jesus Christ was recently completed after soaring to over 560 feet. A major milestone for Antoni Gaudi's masterpiece. Architect Mauricio Cortes is overseeing the Jesus Tower Project.

MAURICIO CORTES, ARCHITECT: Gaudi imagined a monumental complex of 18 towers with hierarchies, starting with 12 towers on the facades dedicated to the Disciples of Christ. So Jesus occupies the exact center of the Latin cross.

[00:30:03]

MOSQUERA (voice-over): Parts of the tower and the cross itself, were assembled in this workshop, located nearly 200 feet above the ground.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The tower, the design process was very intense and complex. The whole tower is a mixture of modern technology with handcrafted labor.

MOSQUERA (voice-over): Since part of Gaudi's plans and mockups were lost during the Spanish Civil War, people like lead architect Jordi Fauli were left to comb through the literature and try to interpret his larger-than-life vision.

JORDI FAULI, LEAD ARCHITECT: (SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE)

GRAPHIC: There are ten years between his death and the fire that destroyed his studio. During those ten years, his collaborators, architects, and disciples published articles and books, including the Sagrada Familia itself, containing information about his project and the explanations they had received from Antoni Gaudi.

MOSQUERA (voice-over): And so, more than 140 years after construction began, the basilica is now projected to be less than a decade away from completion.

As a Barcelona native, the idea of seeing it finished is almost unfathomable.

(SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE)

GRAPHIC: I remember when I was little, my parents, my grandparents would tell me, "Oh, we will never see the Sagrada Familiar finished." How much longer until we see the whole basilica completed?

FAULI: (SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE)

GRAPHIC: We don't know. We can say that our wish, which could likely happen, is that we finish in the next 10 years the remaining towers of this facade.

MOSQUERA (voice-over): But there is one major stumbling block: the Glory facade, which Gaudi envisioned as the building's main entrance. But carrying out the project could require demolitions and the relocation of residents living directly in front of it. Like Alicia Busquets.

ALICIA BUSQUETS, RESIDENT: (SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE)

GRAPHIC: I've lived here for thirty-something years. My parents lived here, and other members of the family, too. What worries neighbors now is this brighter section that we can already see rising, because we know the next step is for the construction to move toward us. And then we'll see what happens to us.

MOSQUERA (voice-over): The number of potentially affected residents remains unclear, ranging from a few hundred to thousands, many of whom want to stay put.

Since the project has not yet been approved, neighbors are demanding a seat at the table in negotiations over the basilica's completion. Salvador Barroso is leading that effort.

SALVADOR BARROSO, CHAIRMAN, ASSOCIATION OF PEOPLE AFFECTED BY THE SAGRADA FAMILIA: (SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE)

GRAPHIC: This has to be a three-way agreement: the administration, the foundation, and the neighbors. If two sides meet without the third, it's very difficult to reach an agreement that benefits everyone.

MOSQUERA (voice-over): The construction board says that they are first finalizing a deal with the city council, and that only after that will they negotiate with the residents.

In the end, only an agreement will restore the community's ability to admire Gaudi's work with the same serenity as visitors.

Pau Mosquera, CNN, Barcelona, Spain.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ELEX MICHAELSON, CNN ANCHOR: Coming up, a big win for Steve Hilton.

The Republican candidate for California governor has now secured a spot on the November ballot. I'll be speaking with him live in just a few minutes. But first, we go to break with a live picture from the White House.

Look at this. It's not a laser show we're looking at. That is the setup for the UFC fight that will take place on the grounds of the White House this weekend, in celebrations of the country's 250th anniversary.

It's after midnight there. They're testing out the light show. And what a show it is. Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[00:38:47]

MICHAELSON: In California, Republican gubernatorial hopeful Steve Hilton has booked his ticket to the November midterms. CNN projects that his 25 percent or so will be enough to advance.

He will face Democrat Xavier Becerra, who has been endorsed by outgoing California Governor Gavin Newsom, Vice President -- former Vice President Kamala Harris, and basically, the entire Democratic establishment tonight.

President Trump has backed Hilton.

We want to bring in Steve Hilton live, who's joining us from LAX, where he's about to check out a -- catch a plane. But we appreciate you finding some American flags and looking very official.

STEVE HILTON (R), CALIFORNIA GUBERNATORIAL CANDIDATE: Exactly. Great to be with you, Elex. We've got to make it look right.

MICHAELSON: Good to see you.

So, you're a former British government official. You moved to the U.S. in 2012. You became a citizen in 2021, and now you're one of two people on the ballot to become the next California governor, the Republican nominee to be California governor.

How are you feeling? And could you even imagine this a few years ago?

HILTON: That's a great question. Probably not, but I love this state so much. As you mentioned, moved here in 2012 with my wife and my two sons; taught at Stanford; started a business; had a whole new career in the media.

[00:40:03]

And I love California. I can see that, like so many people can see, it's going off-track. And I felt that I couldn't just stand by and do nothing. I've got business experience, experience in government, making reform happen.

This state needs a change. And I feel like I've got the plans, and the experience, and the determination, and the energy to make the change happen. And that's what this campaign has all been about. I'm so honored, honestly, that over 2 million Californians have chosen

to put their trust in me to make the change happen. But actually, I want to -- I want to say to all the Californians who didn't vote for me that I'm here for you, as well.

You know, we've got to make a change in California. I think this is the year that we're going to make it happen.

MICHAELSON: Well, to that point, the base helped get you there. President Trump helped get you there. You're guaranteed 35, 40 percent of the vote in November as a Republican.

But you've got to get to 50 percent plus one to win.

HILTON: Yes.

MICHAELSON: And that's going to require Democrats and independents to back you. Democrats and independents that have not backed a Republican in very many years, if not ever.

What is your message to them? The folks that supported Tom Steyer, and Katie Porter, and Matt Mahan, and all the rest of them, that are uncomfortable with the idea of supporting a Republican who Donald Trump backs?

HILTON: I understand that. I understand I need to earn their trust. And the foundation of that trust is to show that my focus is on positive, practical things to help people.

It's not an ideological crusade. It's not about anything other than helping California families; small businesses, in particular; people who've really been struggling after 16 years now, where we've had one party in control.

And another message, I think, that is very important that I find many Democrat friends nodding along to when I make this point, is that it's just not healthy to have one party running absolutely everything for this long.

The -- the system that we have in America, we have that famous phrase, checks and balances. We haven't had any balance in California for a very long time. And I think that's an argument that people respond to.

And I think that the simple, practical things I'm talking about: your first 100 grand, tax free; $3 gas; cut your electric bills in half; a home that you can afford to buy; the policy reforms that bring about those changes, these are things that actually, once you get into the details --

MICHAELSON: Yes.

HILTON: -- really command broad support.

I think we've got to get behind the kind of caricatures and talk about practical things to help people. That's the basis of this campaign. MICHAELSON: Spencer Pratt ran to be a check and balance on what's

happening in Los Angeles. It does not appear that he's going to make the top two.

You talked about him today at a press conference that you held in front of the registrar's office. You're complaining about the way votes are counted. You said that you would welcome him to campaign with you.

Have you talked to Spencer Pratt since all of this, and sort of what's your message for him?

HILTON: I haven't spoken to Spencer. I said, I greatly admire the energy he brought to his campaign, and not just the campaigning. He got a lot of attention for his ads, and videos, and all the rest of it.

But actually, he had some very good, serious, substantive plans, in particular, on homelessness that very much mirror my approach.

And so, my message is, if you want to work together, that's great. But look, it's very -- it's -- it's a lot of work running these campaigns. I know that, and I expect he wants some time to think about what just happened.

But my door is open, not just to Spencer, but actually, to anyone, actually from any party, who wants to work with me to bring some positive change to California. I think change is what people want. It's not working out the way --

MICHAELSON: Yes.

HILTON: -- some people would have expected in California. We've got the highest poverty rate in the country, the highest unemployment rate, the highest cost of living, by far. Something's got to change.

And I think everyone who wants to see the change could join my team. I'd be very happy to see that happen.

MICHAELSON: To follow up on your point about Spencer Pratt and homelessness, what he told me about his homelessness plan was, essentially, that he wanted to mandate treatment and force people out of Los Angeles to a treatment center; move them away from here, where they would have no choice but to get treatment for drug and alcohol.

Is that your plan? And if so, where do you take people?

HILTON: That's definitely the direction we need to go. That's something I've been working on for a long time, actually, with experts in the field who -- you know, you're never going to get people healthy again who have mental health problems, who have addiction, if they're stuck in the same toxic environment and same situation on the streets. You've got to get them out of that environment.

We're a big state. There's a lot of space. There's a lot of room to build. We need to build homes for people who want to buy their own home in California, but we also need to build treatment facilities.

[00:45:02]

I've been talking, for example, to a very interesting project that's looking to repurpose former military facilities down near San Diego. There's lots of creative ideas out there.

We've got to do something different, because what we're doing right now obviously isn't working.

MICHAELSON: Well, Steve Hilton, I could talk to you all night, but I know you've got a flight to catch, so I want to let you do that. Thank you so much for joining us. Safe travels.

HILTON: Of course.

MICHAELSON: And congratulations on making the top two.

HILTON: Thank you, Elex. See you soon.

MICHAELSON: Coming up, NASA reveals the crew for its next Artemis mission. How their journey will help move the agency closer to its goal of returning humans to the Moon.

And did you see something? Do you miss something in that picture? What's missing there? Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[00:50:27]

MICHAELSON: NASA is revealing the crew of the Artemis III, the next mission in its program to put humans back on the Moon.

The astronauts -- three from NASA, one from the European Space Agency -- could launch next year. They will not be traveling to the Moon. Still, Artemis III's commander says the crew is excited for the journey.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We are certainly humbled as a crew to be able to be your crew that executes this Artemis III mission in space. Being that unifying link between the phenomenal Artemis II mission, which we just had two months ago, and the Artemis IV mission that will follow ours, where we will again be the first to land humans on another celestial body. That celestial body being our neighbor in the sky at night, the Moon.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MICHAELSON: Laurie Leshin is professor of space futures at Arizona State University. She's also the former director of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory. She's live from Sedona.

Great to see you, Laurie. Tell us about this crew. What should we know about them?

LAURIE LESHIN, PROFESSOR OF SPACE FUTURES, ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY: Well, it's a great crew, Elex. And having them come right on the success of Artemis II. Now we've got Artemis III really laying out right in front of us with four fabulous crew announced today, three of whom are very experienced, have flown in space before, including, you know, the longest flying U.S. astronaut who spent more than a year in space, Frank Rubio.

And then the commander and the pilot, the European pilot, both have flown in space twice. Only Andre Douglas is the -- is a first-time flyer.

So, very experienced crew. And I think they're going to do great.

MICHAELSON: We've gotten pretty used to seeing women as part of these crews. What do you make of the fact that there are no women?

LESHIN: Well, look, so I mean, as a NASA fan and NASA professional, I'm excited about this crew. And I think they're really qualified, and they're going to do a great job.

As a woman, I'm a little disappointed, and especially because 40 percent of active astronauts are women. So, we know there are lots of really qualified and experienced women, too.

Here's my hope. You know, Artemis III is all men. Artemis IV that's going to land on the Moon. Let's make that one all women.

MICHAELSON: There you go. It's like when Ruth Bader Ginsburg said, how many justices should be on the Supreme Court? She said nine. There are nine justices on the court. There used to be nine then.

LESHIN: Are you with RBG?

MICHAELSON: Yes. So, talk about this mission that they're about to go on. And it's sort of the go-between, the sandwich mission, if you will.

LESHIN: Yes. Well, it's a really important test flight, just like Artemis II was a test flight, testing the Orion capsule.

In this case, they're not going to go to the Moon. They're going to be in earth orbit, but they're going to be doing important tests.

First of all, they're going to spend two weeks living in that Orion capsule in Earth orbit.

The most important thing they're going to do is actually connect the Orion up with test -- you know, test landers that are just like the landers that will eventually take astronauts down to the surface of the Moon.

And we have two companies working on those Blue Origin and SpaceX, and they're each going to send one up there. And first, the Orion will dock with the Blue Origin lander. And for a couple of days. And astronauts will go inside and check that all out. And then that'll separate.

And then they'll dock with the SpaceX lander, the Starship.

So, it's going to be very exciting to watch. Lots of really important critical events; and lots of learning about maneuvering and connecting up with these landers that are essential to getting our astronauts down to the surface, starting with Artemis IV.

MICHAELSON: We can't wait to see it, and hopefully, you'll be part of our coverage when it happens.

Lori Leshin, thanks for joining us once again tonight.

LESHIN: Thanks, Elex.

MICHAELSON: New York Police are stepping up security for game four of the NBA finals. They're searching for a group that attacked a San Antonio Spurs fan after the Knicks lost Monday night's game.

That man taken to a hospital in stable condition.

Twenty-one people were arrested, five officers injured when a watch party turned violent. Police moved in when people started throwing glass objects, fighting, destroying property.

A spokesperson for Madison Square Garden is blasting Wednesday's security restrictions, saying that the mayor and police commissioner don't want to see celebrations happen again.

Still ahead, a look at the violence on the streets of Belfast. Why fires and fist fights have broken out in Northern Ireland.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[00:59:33]

MICHAELSON: Serena Williams, the 23-time Grand Slam singles champion -- 23-time -- returned to the tennis court for the first time in nearly four years on Tuesday.

She partnered with up-and-coming Canadian star Victoria Mboko at Queens Club in London. Here's what the pair said after their win.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SERENA WILLIAMS, 23-TIME GRAND SLAM SINGLES CHAMPION: Well --

VICTORIA MBOKO, TENNIS PLAYER: We had a lot of fun, a lot of fun. You know --

WILLIAMS: I feel like there's room for improvement. I need to make some returns next match, which I will. I haven't -- I didn't miss one in practice, but yes, that was a little embarrassing out there.

But you know, the good news is we can do better. I can do better. I don't know about -- you did great.

MBOKO: We both -- we both could always.

(END VIDEO CLIP)