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Trump: Senate Could Make Fairly Significant Changes to Budget Bill; Jewish Americans Killed in World War II Now Buried Under Stars of David; Judge Orders New Steps to Protect Florida's Manatees. Aired 2:30-3p ET

Aired May 26, 2025 - 14:30   ET

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

[14:30:00]

BRIANNA KEILAR, CNN HOST: President Trump is now acknowledging that his Big, Beautiful Bill could face significant changes in the Senate, and he says he may even agree with some of the changes.

BORIS SANCHEZ, CNN HOST: The president remains optimistic that the bill will succeed. His comments come just days after the House passed the president's sweeping bill in a marathon overnight session. Let's get the latest with CNN's Manu Raju, who's here with the details.

Manu, do a lot of Republican senators share the president's optimism?

MANU RAJU, CNN CHIEF CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, look, I think at the end of the day, a lot of the Republicans realize that this is it. They have to pass something, otherwise the tax cuts would expire at the end of the year, and the entire agenda rests on success of this legislative package. The big question is, what does that legislative package look like?

How many changes ultimately, will the Senate make? Can those changes get enough support in the United States Senate? Where they can lose three Republican votes at most? And if it's changed significantly, what happens when it goes back to the House? Because the House members, we just went through such a rancorous process to get this through the House, the negotiations between the different wings, got various provisions in there, didn't get a lot of other things in there. That's going to be the big question.

And also, how are they going to deal with the big two parts of this bill, tax cuts and spending cuts? On the spending cuts side, there's concern among some of the more moderate members that the cuts go too far.

Senator Lisa Murkowski, one of them. We told me late last week about the concerns about the Medicaid work requirements in this House plan, which would take effect at the end of 2026.

And says, quote, there are provisions in there that are very, very, very challenging, if not impossible for us to implement.

Now, if they were to listen to Murkowski and change that, water it down, maybe push back that time frame, then you lose some folks on the right. And you have people like Senator Ron Johnson, who want massive cuts and hold -- really structural changes in the United States government. He says he's got enough Republican support on the conservative side to make that happen.

So then if you go that far, what does it mean for the more moderate members? It shows you the complicated balancing act, and there's all these other issues dealing with state and local tax breaks, the deductions for that, which is a big sticking point in the House. There are senators who want to get rid of what they put in the House there.

If they do that, it impacts the vote in the House. So there's just this balancing act that John Thune, Senate Majority Leader, will have to perform in order to get this through the Senate in the next few weeks.

KEILAR: You had this brilliant moment last week. I think you were talking to Rick Scott, and he was saying, the bill has to do this. It has to do that. It has to do that. You said, sir, it doesn't do any of those things. And he said, well, we have a lot of work to do.

Was it Rick Scott?

RAJU: Yes, yes.

KEILAR: It just goes to show how much there is ahead. And then there's this July 4th deadline to get it passed. I mean, is there any chance of that happening?

RAJU: I mean, it seems so hard. The Senate takes such a slow amount of time. There's this long, drawn-out voting process in the Senate called the Voterama, which means any senator can offer any amendment he or she likes. So there's a long process on the floor.

But they first have to agree on the policy before they bring it to the floor.

[14:35:00]

And there's all these other rules in the Senate that would require them, because of the process they're using, which would allow them to circumvent a filibuster and pass this along straight party lines, it has to follow strict budget rules in the United States Senate.

That's another big question. What will survive that test? And certain things could fall by the wayside, including making those tax cuts permanent, which is a major push by the Republicans.

If the parliamentarian in the United States Senate says that does not meet the budget rules in the Senate, they may have to change the whole tax package altogether. And that could lead to a whole other host of issues. So to answer your question, Brianna, it is really unclear if they can get it done by July 4th.

But one big deadline on top of that is they have to pass something to raise the national debt ceiling by the end of the summer, before August, to avoid the first debt default in this country. That debt limit increase is in this bill, too. So that just shows you how significant of a moment this is.

KEILAR: A lot of pressure. Voterama. I always thought that sounded so much fun, like a kid's Nickelodeon show.

RAJU: It's not as fun. Especially if you're a reporter covering it.

KEILAR: No, it's not. It's what reporters' spouses really do not like, because it's not fun. All right, Manu, thank you so much. Really appreciate it.

Churches in multiple American cities held prayer protests outside of Target stores on Sunday to mark five years since the murder of George Floyd.

The store's headquarters are based in Minneapolis, where Floyd was killed. And at the time, the company was outspoken about its shock over his death and its commitments to the Black community.

SANCHEZ: But now Target is facing an ongoing revolt after it announced just days into President Trump's second term that it was rolling back its diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives.

CNN's Ryan Young traveled to a protest outside a Metro Atlanta store yesterday and talked to the prominent pastor who started this ongoing boycott against the store.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REV. JAMAL BRYANT, ORGANIZED BOYCOTT OF TARGET: Pull down the stock. Pull down the valuation. Pull down every share until they are pulled to their knees to say, God, you're the only one that can restore it.

God, we are not interested in a PR campaign, but we want a glory intervention. Do something so our children will not know this struggle.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SANCHEZ: The boycott was only supposed to last 40 days, but remains ongoing, and it has eaten into Target's profits. Last week, the store announced its sales dipped nearly 4 percent last quarter, and they admitted that backlash over its DEI rollback was partly to blame.

Still to come, 80 years after being killed in World War II, the burial sites of some Jewish soldiers are finally being changed to reflect their faith. CNN's Dana Bash takes us inside the operation to correct a nearly century-old mistake when we come back.

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(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

SANCHEZ: During World War II, many Jewish American soldiers who were killed in action were mistakenly buried beneath Christian crosses. KEILAR: And as we honor their sacrifice this Memorial Day, CNN's Dana Bash goes to an American cemetery in Italy with a non-profit Operation Benjamin, which is working to replace the grave markers.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DANA BASH, CNN ANCHOR AND CHIEF POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT (voice over): In this cemetery outside Rome lay more than 7,800 Americans killed in battle liberating Italy during World War II, now buried alongside rows of beautiful Roman pines.

RABBI JACOB J. SCHACTER, PRESIDENT, OPERATION BENJAMIN: Faith in each other --

BASH (voice-over): And on this day, families of three soldiers traveled to Italy from the U.S. to honor their sacrifice.

SCHACTER: Today we are setting the historical record straight. We will give them the marker that is appropriate for their faith.

BASH (voice over): More than 80 years after they died, correct inadvertent errors. Burial beneath Latin crosses instead of Jewish stars.

SHALOM LAMM, CHIEF HISTORIAN & CO-FOUNDER, OPERATION BENJAMIN: We're all here in some way to honor those who have rested here for all of these many years under an incorrect identity.

BASH (voice-over): All thanks to the non-profit, Operation Benjamin, which works with the American Battle Monuments Commission. Shalom Lamm is chief historian.

BASH: Many of the servicemen who are buried under crosses, even though they're Jewish, it's because they didn't want to show that they were Jewish on their dog tags.

LAMM: Right. There was a real fear of being captured. And if you were captured by the Germans in particular, that was really terrifying. These are not purposeful. These were true errors. America really tried to get it right, but they naturally missed some.

And our job is to come back through all these decades and find those guys. It has happened again and again and again that I introduce people to someone who's just a shadowy figure in their memory. They were real flesh and blood human beings. And we know that story.

BASH (voice-over): Stories like that of technician fourth grade Ben Bernstein. His nieces and nephews finally learned details of their uncle's sacrifice. A member of the elite First Special Service Force killed by a Nazi grenade on December 3rd, 1943, in the Battle of Monte La Difensa.

BASH: Your name is Ben.

BEN SHERIDAN, NEPHEW OF BEN BERNSTEIN: Correct.

BASH: You are named for your uncle.

SHERIDAN: He was a hero. He was always a hero in everybody's eyes. But we knew so little. We knew he stormed a hill in Italy and died. We knew he was a paratrooper. We knew he volunteered for force. That's about it.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (Speaking In Foreign Language).

BASH (voice over): Now they are here giving their uncle a proper burial.

BASH: This is the gravesite of Second Lieutenant Sheldon Finder, who was shot down and killed on August 16th, 1943, during World War II. As you can see here, he was Jewish and he's laid to rest beneath a Jewish star.

Well, the only other person to die in that very same mission in August of '43 was Paul Singer.

[14:45:00]

He was also the only other Jew in that mission. He's under a cross. That's going to change.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: In death, they are nine feet apart. In life, they were three feet apart. One was the navigator, one was the bombardier.

SCHACTER: Paul, on behalf of the members of your family, and on behalf of the Jewish people, we welcome you home.

BASH: Your cousin, Paul Singer, died 82 years ago, and he's been under a cross until today. What did it mean to you to be here and to be a part of the ceremony to honor his Jewish faith?

JODI REFF, COUSIN OF PAUL SINGER: We are very committed Jews. It's so special to have something from your religion that's now and that's connected families.

BASH: He was orphaned at 16. He was an only child.

REFF: Right.

BASH: It's probably why it took so long to have this changed.

REFF: Right, because they were trying to contact these aunts of his, but right, you know, there wasn't any other family. So it's nice to be able to be here and represent the family to be able to do this.

BASH (voice over): Sheldon Finder's family feels the same way.

BASH: So this is your uncle.

JONATHAN FINDER, NEPHEW OF SHELDON FINDER: That's my uncle, Sheldon. I have a great picture of my father and my uncle as children.

BASH: Did your dad talk about him? FINDER: Very little. Very little. I feel like by being here today, I honor his quiet grieving for his entire life.

BASH: Until now, there was never a proper funeral.

FINDER: No, as a matter of fact, I don't think anyone in my entire family has ever been here before.

BASH (voice over): The two families met here in Italy for the first time.

REFF: I knew the name and I knew he was buried here. I didn't know he was buried this close, but then to meet them is really incredible.

RICKY REFF, RELATIVE OF PAUL SINGER: It puts a lot of meaning to this whole experience. That it's not just about one person, it's about all of these individuals.

BASH (voice over): Headstones in military cemeteries can only be changed with approval from soldier's families. Shalom Lamm does the research.

LAMM: The amount of proof we're required to deliver it to the American Battle Monuments Commission is really huge. It's really tough and it should be tough. We're changing something for eternity.

BASH (voice over): The stone from the cross that's removed never leaves the cemetery.

SCHACTER: We lower our heads in gratitude and respect to these silent civil sentinels who have so majestically stood guard over these young men for all of these decades. How magnificent is it that these men here on these grounds were comrades in arms against a common foe, good on one side and absolute evil on the other.

BASH (voice over): Dana Bash, CNN, Nettuno, Italy.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KEILAR: Our thanks to Dana for that report.

A desperate fight in Florida as conservationists work to save the state's beloved manatees. A new ruling could help them preserve the habitat of those animals before it's too late.

[14:50:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

SANCHEZ: Conservationists in Florida are fighting to save the state's manatees.

KEILAR: Their main target is the Indian River Lagoon. It is once the home of dozens of so-called sea cows. You know them. And pollution has made the waters unlivable for them. But as CNN's Randy Kaye reports, a recent ruling by a federal judge

could save the gentle giants. A warning some viewers may find certain images in this report distressing.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KATRINA SHADIX, EXEC. DIRECTOR, BEAR WARRIORS UNITED: I was ecstatic. It felt like Christmas for the manatees.

RANDI KAYE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Katrina Shadix and the group Bear Warriors United are celebrating a giant leap forward for the protection of manatees in Florida. We recently saw firsthand where the manatees are starving to death in Florida's Indian River Lagoon, which stretches from Palm Beach County to Daytona Beach. The lagoon is where manatees come for the warm water.

But in recent years, the northern end of the lagoon has been a death trap for them.

PETER BARILE, MARINE BIOLOGIST, MARINE RESEARCH AND CONSULTING INC.: All these homes along the lagoon that are on septic tanks are slowly leaking literally tons of nitrogen and phosphorus into the system.

KAYE (voice-over): Marine biologist Peter Borelli says those pollutants are being released by septic tanks and water treatment facilities along the lagoon and are fueling algae growth in the water, which is causing the manatees' main food source, seagrass, to die.

BARILE: So this algae is reducing light down to the seagrasses, essentially smothering them and killing them.

KAYE (voice-over): He says manatees need to eat nearly 100 pounds of vegetation a day. Between December 2020 and April 2022, more than 1,200 manatees died of starvation, most of them here in the northern part of the Indian River Lagoon. Now a federal judge has temporarily halted the approval of any new septic tank permits along the lagoon.

BARILE: It was a strong move to stop and put a moratorium on any new nitrogen coming from septic tanks.

KAYE (voice-over): The latest ruling follows a 2022 lawsuit in which Bear Warriors United sued Florida's Department of Environmental Protection to help protect the manatees.

SHADIX: They suffered immensely and for a very long time.

[14:55:00]

KAYE (voice-over): Last month, the same federal judge ruled in favor of Bear Warriors United and against the state, finding Florida's Department of Environmental Protection was, quote, in violation of the Endangered Species Act.

BARILE: There was lax leadership from the state of Florida over decades that allowed this problem to get worse and worse. KAYE (voice-over): The judge found a definitive causal link between Florida's Department of Environmental Protection and the ongoing risk to manatees. Just this week, he agreed to what was essentially a wish list from Bear Warriors United, things they wanted the state to fix on behalf of the manatees. In addition to halting septic tank permits, Florida must submit a plan to monitor manatees' health and set up a supplemental feeding program for manatees in this lagoon.

SHADIX: If we do this feeding program and give them an abundance of their natural food source, a healthy food source, starvation goes away.

KAYE (voice-over): We reached out to both the Florida Department of Environmental Protection and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, but neither provided a response to our questions. The state's Department of Environmental Protection has filed a notice of appeal signaling it plans to challenge the case in federal court.

SHADIX: I'm fighting to the death, and hopefully it won't be manatee deaths.

KAYE: Are you hopeful the manatee population will come back here?

SHADIX: Now that we won this lawsuit, we think we have a really good chance of working with the state to make sure the manatees don't go extinct on our watch.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KEILAR: Coming up, airline travel is down. Could that help you land a better deal for your summer getaway? The experts weigh in ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

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