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The Lead with Jake Tapper
Tiger Woods Involved In Rollover Crash In Florida; TSA Officers Will Start Getting Paychecks As Early As Monday; CNN Teams Witnessed Cluster Munitions Explode Over Tel Aviv; Rubio Says U.S. Can Achieve Iran War Goals Without Ground Troops; Gas Prices Inch Toward $4 A Gallon As Iran War Drags On; CPAC Crowd Cheers For Impeachment Hearings. Aired 5-6p ET
Aired March 27, 2026 - 17:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[17:00:00]
DANA BASH, CNN HOST: Thank you so much to the panel today for a very lively conversation. You can now stream The Arena live or catch up whenever you want on the CNN app. Just scan the QR code below. You can also catch up by listening to The Arena's podcast and follow the show on X and Instagram at The Arena CNN.
You're in luck because Phil Mattingly there, you see him right there. Best hair in the business, not to mention brain. Standing by for The Lead. Hi, Phil.
PHIL MATTINGLY, CNN CHIEF DOMESTIC CORRESPONDENT: Hi, buddy. Have a great weekend.
BASH: Thank you.
MATTINGLY: We'll look for more next week in The Arena. It is a busy afternoon for breaking news. The Lead starts right now.
Reports of Tiger Woods involved in a serious car crash. The breaking details just coming in.
Plus, a plan set in motion to pay TSA workers in a matter of days after a record number of them called out in a single day. The impact? Extremely long lines, security lines, one even out the door on CNN live.
Meanwhile, on Capitol Hill, House Republicans sounding off.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Could the Senate be any more lazy than to send to us a bill that doesn't do the job and then leave town?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MATTINGLY: So how exactly will this shutdown end? We're asking House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries here on The Lead in moments.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is CNN Breaking News. MATTINGLY: Welcome to THE lead. I'm Phil Mattingly in today for Jake
Tapper. We begin with breaking news in our sports league. We are standing by for an update any moment on a car crash this afternoon reportedly involving legendary golfer Tiger Woods.
The accident in Jupiter Island, Florida, is said to have involved two vehicles that you can see in this image from CNN affiliate WPTV. One vehicle rolled onto its side. To be clear, it's unclear if this is the vehicle that woods was in.
Deputies told WPTV the crash happened after 2 o'clock this afternoon. Woods, of course, was previously involved in a devastating car accident in Los Angeles in 2021 in which he sustained multiple leg injuries. He's currently attempting a comeback after rupturing his Achilles last year as well as having his seventh back surgery. We will share more on this as we learn it in a moment.
There is also breaking news in our National Lead. The Department of Homeland Security says TSA workers should start getting paid as early as Monday after President Trump this afternoon issued a memo ordering their pay.
Now they're not getting it the normal way, you know, the way in the Constitution, Article 1, Section 9, Clause 7, because Congress once again failed to find a way out of this partial government shutdown. Now, last night, all 100 senators agreed their chamber to pass a bill that would have funded large parts of the Department of Homeland Security, including the TSA.
This afternoon, House Republican leaders rejected it, saying instead they would create their own short term version providing money for the entirety of the department, including immigration enforcement, for eight weeks.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REP. MIKE JOHNSON (R) HOUSE SPEAKER: We're not going to risk not funding the agencies that keep the American people safe. The Department of Homeland security is the third largest department in the federal government. It has 10 agencies beneath it. It's not just TSA, it's also FEMA, the Coast Guard, all these agencies that keep us safe, we must fund them. This is not a game.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MATTINGLY: Now, just minutes after Speaker Johnson's announcement, the White House released the memo directing the DHS to pay TSA agents despite the ongoing shutdown, although the executive action was vague about where the money would exactly come from. We'll continue to watch that.
But just moments ago, President Trump, well, he weighed in on the shutdown.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) DONALD TRUMP, U.S. PRESIDENT: The Democrats want to let illegals come into the country, criminals, murderers, every kind of criminal you can imagine. And the Republicans just don't want to have it happen. I have spent the better part of this year trying to get these criminals out and the Democrats want to have them come in and we can't let that happen.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MATTINGLY: If you think the Senate will resolve the actual shutdown anytime soon, well, my friend, let me introduce you to Congress. Senators already left town for their two-week recess, meaning the earliest they can likely get back to take up this bill would be Monday at best.
Now, as many of these lawmakers extend the shutdown while taking a paid vacation, apparently. Behold, I give you the handiwork of the U.S. government.
Travelers forced to wait in hours long security lines at many airports across the country. Lines at the Baltimore Washington International Airport have stretched inside and outside the terminal today with rates waits reaching up to three hours.
Yesterday the call out rate for TSA agents was the highest of the shutdown, 11.83 percent. And who can blame them? We've got TSA workers reportedly sleeping in their cars, selling plasma, taking on second jobs, unable to pay their rent, car payments, grocery bills because today they missed their second full paycheck.
[17:05:07]
By the way, civilian Coast Guard employees and FEMA employees also going unpaid. We start things off with CNN's Pete Muntean who is with us at the Baltimore Washington International Airport. Pete, today, busy travel day. What do you see? What are you hearing right now?
PETE MUNTEAN, CNN AVIATION CORRESPONDENT: Well, the workers cannot wait to get paid based on this executive order from the president. You said 11.8 percent of TSA workers have called out nationwide. Here it is more than three times that. According to the latest TSA data, 37 percent of TSA workers have called out here at BWI alone.
And look at the result here. This is the line where it would normally be to here at BWI for the C checkpoint here. Although, it's taking people about two hours just to get to this point where that young lady in red is back there. That is the start of the real checkpoint line that keeps going and going.
I just want to whip you around here. Don't get sick where door eight is way down there. It's going to be hard to see. That's where the line comes in from outside. Then the line snakes away from us towards us by the American ticket counter here, then by this Thurgood Marshall exhibit, goes left down a hallway, goes through a food court, makes a 180 degree turn, comes back out by the observation deck here. You see the folks waving back there. Starts to feel like the Truman
Show because you keep seeing people the same over and over again. I've been talking to folks in line and they really say this is so much more about people than politics. And I want you to listen now to what they've been telling me.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We are going home. We're going to Miami and we are. So we're heading home. But we came this way a week ago and had no issue. So I am surprised because, you know, it's difficult.
MUNTEAN: How long have you been waiting? Oh, you have the watch, so you're on.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: An hour and a half.
MUNTEAN: Were you expecting to wait that long?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.
MUNTEAN: Why?
UNIDENTFIED MALE: I went on Reddit and figured it out.
MUNTEAN: What's your message to travelers? I mean so many people are kind of taken off guard by this or a little flat footed.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Come early and don't vote Republican.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MUNTEAN: OK. I said it was about people and not politics. Although clearly some people are very clued in to the political aspect of this.
Now we're outside on the departures level where the line is really long. This is the entire departures level and kind of where the entrance ramp starts here for the airport, there's usually a person with a big, like, picketing like sign that says the line starts here. It's yellow. It's hard to miss. I can't even see it in this sea of people.
31,000 people anticipated by the airport to pass through security checkpoints here today. That's the most they have seen all year. The official start of spring break for Anne Arundel County Public Schools really begins today for students. That's why you're seeing this. It's the confluence of people and the lack of TSA workers.
That number, I told you at the top, 37 percent calling out, it's probably a lot higher today. There are rumors circulating here that number may have doubled when it comes to call outs today. And an entire shift may have not shown up for work simply because they've gotten another zero dollar paycheck. Phil.
MATTINGLY: Can't blame them when you put it like that. Pete Muntean, appreciate you, my friend. Thanks so much. Well, let's discuss all this with House Democratic Leader Hakeem
Jeffries. Leader Jeffries, really appreciate your time. Just to start with the administration moving forward on this executive action to pay TSA agents, given the pain that they've faced, is that something you support given the fact there doesn't seem to be any legislative outcome coming soon based on House Republicans?
REP. HAKEEM JEFFRIES (D-NY): We called for Donald Trump to do this weeks ago. Donald Trump and Republicans have now shut down the Department of homeland security for 42 days. They forced TSA agents to work without pay. They're inconveniencing millions of Americans and they're creating chaos at airports all across the land.
Donald Trump for weeks claimed he did not have this authority. Of course he did. But what we need to happen right now is for House Republicans to bring bipartisan legislation that was unanimously passed by the Senate to the floor so we can end this Trump Republican shutdown today.
MATTINGLY: Leader Jeffries, one of the questions that I've gotten often that I have a difficult time explaining the rationale is, look, ICE is paid right now on the mandatory side. They are funded right now based on the president's policy proposal that Congress signed into law on Republican only votes last year.
What is the fight? Is this about ICE or is this purely a negotiating mechanism, a vehicle to get the negotiation that you want on ICE restrictions?
JEFFRIES: You are correct that ICE has a $75 billion slush fund that was part of the Republican one big ugly bill that was enacted by Republican only votes last year.
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Where at the same time they ripped Medicaid away from the American people and stole food from the mouths of hungry children, seniors and veterans with $186 billion cut to nutritional assistance. So, there's a continuing fight about policy priorities.
House Democrats believe that taxpayer dollars should be spent to make life more affordable for the American people, not to brutalize and kill American citizens or violently target law abiding immigrant families. At the same period of time, we want Republicans to stop holding TSA agents and air travelers hostage to their extreme immigration agenda.
MATTINGLY: Do you believe there is any pathway at this point to actually secure the enforcement related changes Democrats were pushing for that led to this and start?
JEFFRIES: Yes, because the American people are demanding that immigration enforcement in this country be fair, just and humane. We want to compel ICE to conduct itself like every other cop, police officer and law enforcement agency in the country by enacting changes that are bold, meaningful, dramatic and common sense at the same period of time.
That's what the American people have demanded Congress do because the American people are rejecting the notion that billions of dollars are being spent to brutalize, target and kill them. That's not acceptable in this country. It's one of the reasons why Donald Trump's policies, his mass deportation, violent, extreme agenda is so deeply unpopular.
MATTINGLY: I want to play some sound from Republican Congressman Chip Roy from earlier today. Take a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REP. CHIP ROY (R-TX): It is absolutely offensive to the people that we represent that the Senate would send over a bill that doesn't fund border patrol and the four and the core components of ICE and the fact that they would expect us to take that up and pass it today as they leave town. I mean, could the Senate be any more lazy than to send to us a bill that doesn't do the job and then leave town?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MATTINGLY: I do want to preface this with it is a universal view in the House bipartisan that they don't like the Senate all that much and oftentimes would characterize it maybe not publicly as lazy as you just heard from the Congressman there. My big question is as a leader, watching the speaker and Senate Majority Leader John Thune end up in this position, how does that happen?
JEFFRIES: Well, House Republicans continue to fight with Senate Republicans while Democrats are fighting to make life better for the American people. Chip Roy should know that in the one big ugly bill that he supported, $65 billion in a slush fund was given to Customs and Border Patrol. They have more than enough money to continue to do the types of things that they have been charged to do under law.
But what shouldn't be happening is that CBP agents shouldn't be commandeered by ICE to actually target, violently brutalize or in some cases, kill the American people.
ICE is well funded. CBP is well funded. But Republicans have decided that they don't want to get ICE under control, which is why they have shut down DHS, shut down TSA, effectively shut down FEMA, and shut down the Coast Guard so that they can continue to jam their extreme ideology down the throats of the American people.
MATTINGLY: House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries, I had a lot of St. John's questions for you leading into the game tonight. I was told that this interview would never end if I started asking them. But I do appreciate your time. Thanks so much.
JEFFRIES: Thank you so much.
MATTINGLY: Well, let's get back to the breaking news out of Florida. Golf legend Tiger Woods involved in a car crash this afternoon in Jupiter Island. We have just learned that Woods was arrested and is now in custody following that accident. I want to get straight to Patrick Snell, anchor of CNN World Sport.
Patrick, what did the sheriff reveal about this crash?
PATRICK SNELL, CNN WORLD SPORT: Yes, hi, Nick. Yes, this is another big fall from grace from one of the greatest players ever to play the sport of golf, Tiger Woods, 15 time major winner. What we're now learning is in jail at this hour on this Friday after being arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence. That's according to the county sheriff down there in south Florida.
Woods driving a Land Rover at the time. I can tell you Woods is uninjured. But that Land Rover did clip a pickup truck pulling a small trailer, according to law enforcement officials. The collision causing Woods' Land Rover to roll on its side as well.
When police actually arrived there on the scene, Woods showing sign of impairment, according to the police officer there. I do want to get some sound on this because it's just into us. Let's hear now from the law enforcement officials in question on this big developing story at this hour.
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(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SHERIFF JOHN BUDENSIEK, MARTIN COUNTY, FLORIDA: They did do some in depth roadside test. And when it was determined he was placed under arrest and taken to the Martin County Jail. At the Martin County Jail and even on scene, we really weren't suspicious of alcohol being involved in this case. And that proved to be true at the jail.
So Mr. Woods did a breathalyzer test, blew triple zeros, but when it came time for us to ask for a urinalysis test, he refused. And so he's been charged with DUI, with property damage and refusal to submit to a lawful test.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SNELL: Tiger Woods has been in the news, of course, this week, Phil, because he's meant to be, hopefully he was hoping to be back on track to make a comeback from back to the sport of golf at the Masters, which is coming up on April 9.
Woods hasn't played any competitive golf since July of 2024 when he played at the Open Championship in Scotland. He's only played a total of 11 events across the last five seasons. Last year he ruptured his Achilles. He had a seventh back surgery as well.
Now, he did make a comeback of sorts this past week, I will say, at the TGL event in South Florida. That's the indoor competition. And he spoke afterwards basically saying that he hopes to compete at the Masters. He's going to be there anyway. He's going to be there at the Champions Dinner. But now this, I suspect, absolutely changes everything.
This is a player who of course, is no stranger over the years to controversy and to at times unwanted headlines, not to mention, of course, the whole litany of surgeries. And I will say a courageous, courageous man when it comes to making comebacks. I was at the 2022 Masters after the 2021 car crash that he had in February of 2021.
As I said in Southern California after that, he endured a whole heap of surgeries related to his ankle and his leg as well. That was an amazing comeback there, but it really does remain to be seen. Now what happens after this? You can be sure we're going to be feeling and hoping to get a lot more information on this as it develops.
But Tiger Woods in the news once again as speculation was mounting, Phil, as to his potential comeback to the sport of golf.
MATTINGLY: Yes. And please do keep us posted as more information comes in and our teams are definitely reporting this out at the moment. Patrick Snell, thanks so much.
I want to bring in CNN sports analyst Christine Brennan. And Christine, I got to be honest, it's just sad on some level you know, I came up with him. He's like goat level status without any question. A transcendent athlete, but he's also a father. And you kind of wanted everything to come back together. What are you hearing? What are you thinking right now?
CHRISTINE BRENNAN, CNN SPORTS ANALYST: Phil, you and millions of other people who grew up with Tiger as not just a sports hero, of course, but also a cultural icon. I mean one of the touchstones for millions and millions of people around the world who maybe didn't even love golf, but love Tiger and watched him win all those tournaments.
What I am hearing with Patrick's great reporting and this news as it is breaking and developing, that Tiger being arrested and another incident involving driving with Tiger Woods, it is almost unbelievable. It sounds that everyone is OK. That's very important.
Clipping the other car that is reminiscent a little bit of the way in 2021 when he drove off the road and thankfully didn't hit other cars that could have been coming his way or the other way. So there's that.
The recklessness here is extraordinary for a man who has so much to lose. And obviously going back then a few years before that another incident where he was asleep at the side of the road in Florida and there were tests there done on sobriety. And then of course that incident at the end of his driveway in 2009 involving where he ran, you know, with his, obviously with his wife and his whole life that came apart there. And the whole image of Tiger Woods that came crashing down.
All of this self-induced. All of so troubling, as you said, Phil, the athlete he is, but the father and the man he is and the human being he is. That's I think the number one thing I'm thinking about right now.
MATTINGLY: Yes, you almost, you can't not. And just trying to think through to your point. You go down through the list over the years, that feels like you're back in that place again. I want to play, it's obvious, I think everybody knows Tiger Woods is friends with the current President of the United States. The president just give remarks on the crash. Let's listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: I feel so badly. He's got some difficulty. There was an accident and that's all I know. Very close friend of mine. He's an amazing person, amazing man. But some difficulties.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
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MATTINGLY: Now it had been announced that Woods was dating the President's former daughter in law, Vanessa Trump, who was married to Donald Trump Jr., their daughter Kai Trump is also a big time golfer as well.
Coming up, you know you talk about that other serious crash in 2021. His Genesis SUV rolled over then and suffered multiple leg injuries. We don't know extent of the injuries at this time. It seems like health is not a dramatically bad issue right now. That is great news of course, but I just again I can't get over it just feels the echo of it is remarkable.
BRENNAN: Well, it is, Phil. And I mean you're really. I've covered Tiger the length of his career as you know and, you know, I've certainly been critical when there's been a need to be and I've been laudatory when there have been on the course, you know, many, many times.
So we've all seen a lot with Tiger and I've had an up close view of one of the most remarkable careers in the history of sports. Not just golf, but throughout sports. And you know, you've got to be worried about this man right now, whatever is going on. He's 50 years old. He's no longer the 22-year-old that everyone was being introduced to.
One would have thought again as we starting to process this news, Phil, that this kind of thing wouldn't be happening again. Again, there's so much more to find out. But these are my first thoughts of someone who has had history and his career, his resume is full of now these kinds of terrifying things for him and potentially for so many other people that could have been involved in car crashes or on the road.
And so again it's just -- you wonder what is going on with this American icon, this worldwide icon. And you certainly hope for him to be able to recover and get whatever help he might need, again, as we are processing and dealing with this very early news of another troubling, troubling headline involving Tiger Woods.
MATTINGLY: Yes, it's remarkable. Was excited for the Masters also. You just see him swing at TGL and you're like oh, brings you back. He's just that great and transcendent of an athlete. Christine Brennan, as always my friend, thanks so much for your perspective.
BRENNAN: Thank you, Phil. MATTINGLY: Well, much more to come on the breaking news on Tiger Woods
and the car crash he was involved in this afternoon. Plus, brand new reassurances from the Trump administration that it can achieve its goals in Iran without putting boots on the ground. Hear it for yourself. Next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
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MATTINGLY: Some breaking news from the Middle East. New strikes intercepted over Tel Aviv. I want to get straight to CNN's Jim Sciutto, who is there. Jim, tell us what you're seeing in here right now.
JIM SCIUTTO, CNN CHIEF NATIONAL SECURITY ANALYST: Well, Phil, the Iranian foreign minister said earlier today that Israel would pay a heavy price for the strikes. Israel carrying out today across Iran. And we may have just gotten a taste of that here in Tel Aviv. You might be able to hear just there. Those are ambulances responding to these strikes.
In the span of a few minutes, we saw, as you're seeing on the screen now, two Iranian missiles unleash their cluster munitions. These are missiles equipped with a cluster of submunitions in their warhead that then rain down on the city. And the issue with these, Phil, is that once they release those submunitions, they can't be intercepted. And we saw one off on the eastern end of the city and then one that came right over our head here where we are. And the impacts were just to the south of us here.
And sadly, one of those impacts caused at least one death, two injuries, as we understand now, just on the street less than a mile down from us where we're standing, they look like fireworks. They're not. Each of those little pins of light you see there is a submunition. The more they are, the smaller the submunitions are. But they're enough to cause damage and as we're seeing now, and as again, as you're hearing more of those first responders going out causing injuries around the city.
Earlier in the day we did see some missile intercepts over the city. But like I said, it's these clustering munitions that are harder to intercept and therefore more likely to cause damage and in this case, casualties. And I should note as well, Israeli officials say there's a reason Iran fires these at city centers. They are aiming to hit the civilian population and sadly here they succeeded.
MATTINGLY: Jim, you and your team stay safe over there. Appreciate the reporting. Keep us posted as the night moves along. Jim Sciutto for us, thanks so much.
Also in the region, Iran reporting a wave of new strikes in multiple cities. Iran's Red Crescent says the death toll in the country is now near 2000. Also today, Secretary of State Marco Rubio attempted to clarify what the U.S. objectives are in the war.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MARCO RUBIO, U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE: We've been as clear as you can possibly be from the very first night of what the objectives of this mission are. We're going to destroy their factories that make missiles and rockets and drones. We're going to destroy their navy, we're going to destroy their air force, and we are going to significantly destroy their missile launchers and we can achieve them without any ground troops.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MATTINGLY: The Secretary also said the U.S. is expecting Iran's response to its 15-point proposal to end the war, quote, at any moment. Joined now by retired U.S. Air Force Colonel Cedric Leighton. Colonel Leighton, I want to start with we've seen the deployments or the announced deployments of thousands of U.S. troops or just over the course of the last several days.
[17:30:03]
The Secretary says no ground troops, no boots on the ground. If there are ground troops, you wouldn't be deploying people if you weren't at least considering it. What would be the first target?
COL. CEDRIC LEIGHTON (RET.) CNN MILITARY ANALYST: Yes, so, Phil, that's actually a really good question, because when you look at the overall map, you have a situation where you've got, you know, several areas that could be a target. One of them is the Strait of Hormuz. That area, you know, as we can see on the map, is so critical not only from a commercial standpoint, and there's an obvious economic and political objective to try to open that up.
But then there's also Kharge Island, which is right up here. And that particular effort to go after Kharge Island really can't happen without the Strait of Hormuz being opened up. You can do it partially, but then the holding power that you have there, the staying power that you have there, would definitely be called into question if the Iranians still control the Strait of Hormuz in its entirety. So those are two of the objectives.
The third objective could be the nuclear strike zone, basically. I'll call it the basically the three nuclear sites within Iran. So those would possibly be the types of targets that you could go after, and those are the ones that you really would have to look at.
So we're looking at, you know, areas that are near Tehran and then to the south of Tehran, and those are the areas that would be potentially considered for the option of going after the -- about 1000 or so kilograms, excuse me, pounds of enriched uranium. So that would be one of the areas that they could do. But that is like the most difficult mission. Strait of Hormuz would have to happen first.
MATTINGLY: OK, 15 things I want to ask you. I want to start, though, with Strait of Hormuz just because you ended on that. Explain to people what's actually happening there right now. Because it's not like a black and white thing. LEIGHTON: Right.
MATTINGLY: But it's a fascinating, dramatic shift of how it has worked for the better part of decade after decade. What are you seeing?
LEIGHTON: So what I'm looking at here, there are several different areas right here that we can take a look at. And this is, you know, when you look at the Strait of Hormuz, you have an area that has a lot of islands. And, you know, when you look at it on the maps, you see that these islands like Abu Musa Island, and then you've got Kesham Island and one of the other islands near Bandar Abbas.
So what you're seeing here is the ability of the Iranians right now to control the sea lanes. Right now the sea lanes have actually moved. The Iranians are moving ships into an area that's closer and within Iranian territorial waters.
So what that means is they can theoretically and actually in practice, they're exacting tolls on ships, the few ships that are going through there right now. So the Iranians are trying to control that. If they continue to control that's going to impact all of the commerce that goes through the entire Persian Gulf.
And that would have significant economic impact on these countries right here along the eastern seaboard right there of the, you know, or the western seaboard of the Persian Gulf.
MATTINGLY: With the minute we have left, I want to ask you about what's happening in southern Lebanon right now. We obviously are understandably paying a ton of attention to what's happening in Iran. Israel has an operation underway right now. What should people know about?
LEIGHTON: So one of the key things about this is the area just south of the Litani River. So what we're talking about is this area that the Israelis actually have controlled historically before in the 1980s they moved in, they were supporting the Christian Falangest movement in Lebanon at that particular moment in time.
What they're trying to do now is they're trying to get Hezbollah out of an area that is basically within artillery or rocket range of northern Israel. They've done a lot of that work. But the basic thing that they're trying to do is create a buffer zone between themselves and Hezbollah. The remnants of Hezbollah done a lot of work in decimating the leadership of Hezbollah, you know, with the major attack and things like that.
But the other thing that they're trying to do is they're trying to make Hezbollah an irrelevant force and they're also trying to get it out of Lebanese politics. So they think they can do that by parking themselves in southern Lebanon.
MATTINGLY: A lot of moving parts. Somehow you are able to explain them all in one map. But I very much appreciate it. Colonel Cedric Leighton, thanks so much.
LEIGHTON: You bet, Phil. Thank you.
MATTINGLY: Well, the impact of what were just discussing on gas prices, which are now flirting with the four dollar mark, are they ever going to go back down? We're going to get an expert opinion. Next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[17:38:38]
MATTINGLY: In our Money Lead, the average price for a gallon of gas today will cost you just shy of $4. That is a dollar a gallon more than just one month ago when, of course, the war in Iran first broke out. With no clear end in sight for this conflict, Americans are asking, how much higher will it go?
Patrick De Haan is the head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy. He joins me now. And Patrick, I had in my head a lot of really brilliant questions to ask you. And then I read your most recent post on Substack, which had the best answers that I've seen to the questions that normal human beings are asking on a regular basis and also address a lot of the things the president said yesterday during his cabinet meeting about oil, about energy independence.
So I'm just going to kind of steal from your Q and A on Substack, if you don't mind, because I really do think it's invaluable for people to understand, starting with why did gas prices rise if the U.S. is quote, unquote, energy independent, but more importantly, the largest producer right now, barrels per day in the world.
PATRICK DE HAAN, HEAD OF PETROLEUM ANALYSIS, GASBUDDY: Well, Phil, it just all comes back to the fact that it's a very global economy and countries are competing for each other to buy oil. And U.S. oil producers goal isn't really to sell at the lowest possible price.
Just like if somebody was approaching us with a home offer to buy our house, we're not going to take the lowest price. Oil companies take the higher price.
[17:40:03]
And so when other countries like in Asia are being cut off by the de facto closure of the Strait of Hormuz, they're going to bid up the price for oil around the world, not just certain types and varieties. And so while we are the largest oil producer, still our prices of oil that we produce here at home are also affected by what's going on thousands of miles away.
MATTINGLY: The administration has said they will not pursue an export ban after meeting with oil executives who made very clear that's problematic in the long term. But why is that viewed as problematic? What's wrong with just keeping our own oil?
DE HAAN: Well, in the short term, it would generally push prices down, but essentially would choke off the future growth of U.S. oil production. It would disincentivize U.S. oil companies to maintain production. In fact, it would be like cutting off half of their customers, potentially.
So U.S. oil companies are not really giddy at the fact of losing an export market. And not only that, but down the road, you know, after they reduced investing, after they lose out on some of their customers, that would eventually lead to a drop in U.S. oil production that would then affect all of us.
So, you know, a lot of these complexities, a lot of these simple questions are actually very complex answers.
MATTINGLY: One of them, I think, is connected to another assertion the President made, but also a question I get a lot. The U.S. is not heavily reliant, or it's barely reliant on the Strait of Hormuz for its oil for the most part at this point. Why does that matter? Like, why do we have to care about the Strait of Hormuz in the US?
DE HAAN: Yes, again, kind of back to the first question. It was really -- it's all about the fact that it's a global market. Countries that no longer have direct access to cheap Middle Eastern crude oil are now bidding up oil that we have, that we buy from other countries, including Canada. The west coast also has a unique susceptibility to Middle Eastern crude oil prices. That's why areas like California right now are seeing gas prices approaching $6 a gallon, because that oil is very relevant, and it is very much a global marketplace, and we are all tied together.
Though sometimes it seems like it would be easier to just cut off the flow of oil and not be relevant or not have to worry about the Strait of Hormuz. What is happening thousands of miles away impacts the entire global economy, and we are part of that.
MATTINGLY: The immediate downstream effect on prices at somebody's gas station when there is -- there are hostilities in the Middle East when oil prices are jumping up, that oil isn't being delivered the next day. Why does that happen immediately? Why does that immediately flow down to as you're walking into your BP or as you're pulling up to your Shell?
DE HAAN: Well, a lot of this has to do with the fact that markets don't wait to trade and understand information. Just like the same reason, you know, once you see a hurricane maybe headed for your home on the east coast, you don't wait till it's there to act. You act when you learn that information. Just kind of how like look at the weather forecast in the morning and I decide, well, I'll take an umbrella with me. You don't wait for it to start raining to pull your umbrella out. You bring it with you and the markets are reactive in advance.
Those futures prices also impact the spot price of fuel. It would be like telling somebody, I'm going to give you a piece of information but don't act on it for a couple of months.
MATTINGLY: Patrick Da Haan, again, I can't recommend enough. You probably should have had a question on the Jones Act. Just so you should -- you could talk about why Jones Act makes no sense whatsoever, but otherwise, 10 out of 10, notes, really great work. Check out his Substack. Patrick Da Haan, thanks so much. DA HAAN: Thanks, Phil. Appreciate it.
MATTINGLY: A lot going on this hour. President Trump is speaking now in Miami at the Future Investment Initiative. We're going to monitor those remarks.
Plus, at breaking news, Tiger Woods in custody on suspicion of DUI after a rollover crash. Authorities saying they do not believe he was impaired by alcohol, but instead by something else. We are following the latest on this one. We're back in a moment.
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[17:48:07]
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MATT SCHLAPP, CPAC CHAIRMAN: How many of you would like to see impeachment hearings? No, that was the wrong answer. Try it again. How many of you would like to see impeachment hearings? No.
Can someone bring some coffee out?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MATTINGLY: I'm so here for that. Just for anyone. That's an apolitical statement. The call and response that goes the exact opposite way of what you're expecting. That's awkward and a lot more. I want to talk about this with our panel. Joe, that was CPAC Chairman Matt Schlapp. Not exactly what he was going for there. I don't really know what to make of that. What do you make of it?
JOSEPH MORENO, FORMER GOP STRATEGIST: What I make is that we've been wondering for a decade, right, what would finally cause the gap between Trump and the mainstream Republican. He's been the Teflon don for over a decade. It wasn't concerns about Russia. It wasn't January 6th. It wasn't Jack Smith and Alvin Bragg and the various prosecutions. It might be Iran. Right. He promised us no overseas adventures. And, and he promised us to make life more affordable.
And at this moment, neither of those things are happening. And so I think with Iran, even if you're hawkish like myself and feel like we should have done something after 9/11, and we wasted 20 years in Afghanistan and Iraq, people may have given him that patience if this were happening back then. I don't think there's any patience for this now. And I think you're going to see that in the rank and file and the MAGA movement.
MATTINGLY: Chuck, I think it's a really, really good point. Point as we're all trying to kind of suss out where things are right now. But it also connects to something. Our colleague Steve Cantoro, who's over, has been at CPAC all week doing great reporting. Picked up on cam from somebody. Take a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) ALEXANDER SELBY, CPAC ATTENDE: I think they would get destroyed in the midterms. A lot of people I knew who just voted for Trump because they thought it was cool in, like, high school are just now just being like, I can't stand the guy.
[17:50:04]
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: So why are you here then?
SELBY: I said, I'm still a conservative.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MATTINGLY: I think my question is for Democrats right now, when you're looking around the landscape, do you think that group of younger voters maybe weren't engaged but thought it was cool? Younger voters in particular who didn't want foreign excursions, lived through Iraq and Afghanistan and like the peace president that they voted for. How much of that group do you think is attainable for Democrats?
CHUCK ROCHA, DEMOCRATIC STRATEGIST: There's a couple of things going on all at the same time. There's something that we've talked about on this program is when Donald Trump is not on the tickets, Republicans perform differently. Presidential years are different than off your elections. We're moving into an off year election.
So what we don't know is will they vote for Democrats or my bet is a lot of them stay home because they're not motivated. It could be the war, it could be the Epstein files, it could be frustrations. But there's something that the Texas primaries taught us, which was there's an enthusiasm with both parties, more so with the Democrats to show up. A lot of people voted in a midterm primary than had ever voted before. That means something's happening in the electorate.
MATTINGLY: I'm glad you brought up the Texas primary because that obviously has been a focus as well at CPAC, and it's kind of the sharpest divide that's visible right now in the midterms within the Republican Party. Kim Paxton headlining tonight's CPAC Ronald Reagan dinner and a bit of runoff with Cornyn. Here's what Bannon said about the race today.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
STEVE BANNON, FORMER TRUMP ADVISER: This is Dallas Morning News. Paxton, Cornyn divided on CPAC. Right? Cornyn's not coming. You know why? He didn't think you were important enough to talk to.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MATTINGLY: To be clear, Steve Bannon should have used first name and first reference. My biggest question of all is why hasn't Trump endorsed yet, three weeks after posting on Truth Social he was going to, and what impact that has?
MORENO: Because his track record for endorsing other Republicans is not very good. And I think maybe that's finally sinking in. This is going to be a terrible midterm for us. I mean, it is. And the question is really the focus on 2028.
I think maybe it sunk through that when he picks a candidate, particularly the outlier candidate as opposed to the mainstream Republican, things don't go well, things go sideways. And so I think at this point he might be finally getting the message like, you know what? I can't always take up all the oxygen in the room. Maybe I should sit this one out.
ROCHA: It's really important to note that the Cornyn team, knowing that they had an uphill battle to get this endorsement, hired the entire Trump operation just to try to satisfy him. And he still hasn't jumped in because he wants to be -- to just point with the winner. And he hasn't decided who that's going to be yet. He thought it would be Cornyn because he unexpected that fairly well after that.
But everybody knows who has ever done a runoff. Only the base of the base shows up in a runoff in the middle of May in Texas. And that really goes to Paxton's advantage.
MATTINGLY: Do you think Paxton's the clear advantage at this point?
ROCHA: Absolutely. Just because I've done campaigns for 30 years and the only thing on the ballot is this. And so only the people that really care, and that's the MAGA base.
MATTINGLY: And what does that mean if Paxton wins? What does it -- I know the kind of narrative of what it means for the Democratic candidates.
ROCHA: Everybody knows I work for Talarico, but I'm not -- this ain't about James Talarico. This is about. This is -- this is a lot about the Republican brand right now. They're fighting history. Yes. I wish I could say the Democrats are the end all, be all. And I do think James Talarico is a special candidate. But they're running against history and the numbers. And I think no matter who wins, I think it's a little easier with Paxton, but I think with either one of them, they have a troubling time.
MATTINGLY: OK, Joe, it would take a lot for me to agree to play this sound, but there's a point on the back end of it. I want to assure you of that. George Santos talking about things in D.C. take a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GEORGE SANTOS, FORMER U.S. REPRESENTATIVE: U. S. House of Representatives, you know what time it is? It's time to expel Sheila McCormick. And if no one knows what to do with the Tiffany diamond ring, I'll hold on to it for good measure. And for safekeeping, I'll wear it. You guys will know where it is at all times. But Sheila, it's time for you to go.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MATTINGLY: I regret that decision. I made the wrong choice playing this, bringing George Santos back into everybody's life. The reason why, though, is because what he's talking about is a significant issue right now for one Democrat in particular, but the caucus as well. Cherfilus-McCormick faces federal charges for allegedly stealing millions in FEMA funds and using some of the money for purchases like the aforementioned diamond ring.
The congresswoman denies any wrongdoing. Obviously the ethics ruling came down. Hakeem Jeffries, the Democratic leader says we're going to wait until she gets justice, has the jury of her peers. What do you think?
MORENO: I think that expelling Santos even prior to a conviction that was a high note for us Republicans. That showed some ethics, that showed that we're not going tolerate that those kind of antics. This should be a layup for Democrats. She's in the bluest district in Florida. Why not do the same thing? We set the precedent for expelling someone prior to a prosecution. So do that and take the high road. I mean I don't see why what the downside is to that.
[17:55:00]
ROCHA: One of the things I see in congressional races all across the country right now with the electorate, Democrat or Republican is trust in the institution of the Congress. It's even lower than Donald Trump and he's at an all time low.
If she is found guilty, she should have her day in court and she should fight this with everything she can fight. But she should not be there and she should be expelled if she broke the law. Democrat, Republican, independent, we trust you to put you in office and to be sacred with this money. And if you break the law you should be out.
MATTINGLY: But not before the actual criminal case plays.
ROCHA: I don't think so. I mean I think that any soon. Yes, I think that I just -- whether I said that about Santos too like if you should make sure you did the crime and if she did, she should be gone.
MATTINGLY: Appreciate you guys as always. Thank you.
Breaking news, golfer Tiger Woods arrested on a DUI in custody this hour after a rollover crash. What investigators are revealing about the actions of the legendary golfer after the collision. That's next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
MATTINGLY: Welcome to The Lead. I'm Phil Mattingly in for Jake Tapper.
[18:00:00]
This hour, we are following breaking news out of Florida, where golf legend Tiger Woods has been arrested on suspicion of DUI after a car crash in Florida.
