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Netanyahu Says He's Not Sure Who is Running Iran Right Now; Trump Says Fight to Stop Nuclear-powered Iran is Militarily Won; Officials Say Thousands More U.S. Marines Deploying to Middle East; GOP Hard-liners Waver on Bondi Subpoena After Testy Briefing; Martial Arts Master, Hollywood Legend, Chuck Norris Dies at 86. Aired 1:30-2p ET

Aired March 20, 2026 - 13:30   ET

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

[13:30:00]

BORIS SANCHEZ, CNN CO-ANCHOR OF "CNN NEWS CENTRAL": Jeremy Diamond, live for us in Israel, thank you so much. Brianna?

BRIANNA KEILAR, CNN CO-ANCHOR OF "CNN NEWS CENTRAL": Let's talk about the war with Iran with Mark Esper. He's a former Defense Secretary under President Trump. Thank you so much for being with us. I first want to ask you about this recent internal assessment about a timeline for how long Iran could keep the Strait of Hormuz closed.

This is from DIA. It was circulating inside the Pentagon here in recent weeks, and four sources telling CNN that Iran could potentially keep the Strait closed for anywhere from one to six months. But White House and Pentagon officials insist the assessment, particularly that very concerning longer end of the time frame, is considered a worst- case scenario. It's not seriously being considered. What do you make of that?

MARK ESPER, FORMER DEFENSE SECRETARY UNDER PRESIDENT TRUMP: Well, good afternoon, Brianna, first of all. Look, obviously, I haven't seen the report, nor read it, so -- but that doesn't seem unreasonable to me that that would be an estimation. Of course, it would be the short end and the long end, as you mentioned. But even if we just pick an arbitrary point in the middle, three months, that's still quite a long time.

And they certainly have proved fairly resilient in terms of keeping the Strait open and threatening it through a variety of means. I mean, they have everything from frogmen and fishing boats that can lay mines to patrol boats all the way up to coastal defense, cruise missiles, and now long-range drones. So there are a variety of means to do it. They are at various distances and locations around the Strait.

The United States military is doing a good job going after them all, but it's a heavy task and it's complicated and it's dangerous work.

KEILAR: Do you think the U.S. is now in a kind of war that it did not anticipate being in?

ESPER: Oh, we're certainly in a war. I don't know if it's not the kind of war. I mean, we know that we have to keep the Strait of Hormuz open. The Navy trains for that. You know, during my time as Secretary of Defense, when I came into office, we started something called Operation Sentinel because the Iranians at that time, if you recall, were stopping commercial vessels.

They placed mines on some of them. And so, we set up a picket line with the United States and other countries to keep it open. Then, of course, they had these same tactics going back to the tanker wars in the '80s. So we always know that the Strait is a linchpin. And obviously, this is what they have right now that they're leveraging against the United States and our allies to put economic pressure, which leads to political pressure on Washington and Tel Aviv.

KEILAR: Yeah. Obviously, a lot of pressure here at home. People are already feeling it when they go to fill up the tanks, you know, to pay for gas and put that gas in their car. The president said yesterday he's not going to have boots on the ground.

He also said, though, that he would not tell the media if he was going to do that. Do you think that we'll end up seeing American military on the ground in Iran, including Special Operations Forces?

ESPER: Well, first of all, I would never take that option off the table. And that's always been my recommendation from the Trump administration to the Biden administration. Don't take that option off the table. You never know what's going to happen, and you want to have that flexibility.

With regard to that, I've commented before that I think some type of large-scale operation into the internal part of Iran, going after a nuclear site to secure enrichment material, would be very complicated, very risky, and would be a very difficult mission.

Now, something short of that, where you're trying to seize Kharg Island as a leverage point against the Iranians, more doable. It would require more Marines than we have now or a broader set of service members, but I would never take that option off the table.

And you mentioned Special Operations Forces. Look, we use them for various means. It could be a type of raid or it could be to train militia inside the country. So again, I think that is a tool that every president should retain.

KEILAR: Do you think that's what the administration is doing with these more warships and Marines heading to the area? What does that signal to you?

ESPER: I would certainly tee up options for the president. I think the job of the Secretary of Defense, of the Chairman of Joint Chiefs of Staff, is to give the president options. And the more, the better. The more room he can have to make a decision with regard to which way to go, depending on either a policy choice or in reaction to what the Iranians are doing or threatening.

And so again, I would not only keep that card on the table, I would make sure I had the cards available to me in case I want to use them. Because otherwise, it takes a long time to get these forces in place. You know, the president spoke, or DOD mentioned last week about sending the Marines out of the Pacific, and they're still en route, right? They were recently spotted off of Singapore. So it's going to take another week or so for them to get to the region.

So you want to make sure you have those tools in place so that if you need to use them, want to use them, they're available.

KEILAR: Secretary Mark Esper, we appreciate your time today. Thank you.

ESPER: Thanks, Brianna.

KEILAR: So next, an update in the asylum case of Liam Canejo Ramos, the five-year-old who was taken into ICE custody in Minneapolis.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[13:39:05]

KEILAR: Chuck Norris, Hollywood star and martial artist known for his hit action movies and the popular CBS television series "Walker, Texas Ranger," has died. He was 86.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

RANGER CORDELL, PLAYED BY CHUCK NORRIS, "WALKER, TEXAS RANGER": Before I do, who sent you?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: My boss.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SANCHEZ: I could watch Chuck Norris highlights all day.

KEILAR: Me too.

SANCHEZ: His birthday was just 10 days ago, and he was a cultural icon. He was a tough guy, persona, who was legendary. And multiple outlets have reported that Norris had a medical emergency yesterday in Hawaii, his family confirming that he'd been hospitalized. They didn't want to share details surrounding it, nor the cause of his death.

We're joined now by Patrick Gomez, the Editor-in-Chief of "Entertainment Weekly."

[13:40:00]

Patrick, thanks so much for being with us. What are you learning about Chuck Norris' passing?

PATRICK GOMEZ, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF, ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: Well, as you said, the family said they want to keep this private, but we do have a little bit of information. It's been reported that he had a medical emergency and was hospitalized yesterday in Hawaii. But this still does come as a bit of a shock because reporting had said that he was in good spirit. So it seemed like this maybe was a temporary incident that was leaving him in the hospital.

As you also mentioned, he was posting just 10 days ago on his birthday, March 10th, 86th birthday. He was training with his trainer and saying, I don't age, I level up. And he certainly didn't seem to be an 86-year-old man in that moment.

And so, the family we know, said that they were with him but are keeping it private how things turned so quickly.

KEILAR: Yeah, certainly. Actually, we have that clip. So let's go ahead and take a look at that.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CHUCK NORRIS, ACTOR: I don't age, I level up.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(LAUGH)

KEILAR: As you said, I mean, yeah, this is what he was doing just, you know, a couple weeks ago. How do you think he'll be remembered?

GOMEZ: I think that is a perfect way for us to remember him because he was known for those one-liners. I grew up in Texas and so "Walker, Texas Ranger," I was ingrained -- it was ingrained to me that I should be watching that through most of the '90s into 2001. He was somebody who started training while he was in the Air Force in the late 1950s and eventually became a black belt in karate, taekwondo, and Brazilian jiu-jitsu.

And he began teaching celebrities, including Steve McQueen, Bob Barker, Donny Osmond, Priscilla Presley, even among many, many others. And he started to gain a reputation as somebody that could do a lot of action in films. And of course, during that time period, in the late '60s into the '70s, karate and martial arts really became in vogue in American cinema.

And so he became this kind of like fun, tough guy that could go toe- to-toe with Bruce Lee in "Way of the Dragon," but also do other like a spy comedy and do action in other types of films like "The Wrecking Crew." And then of course, you know, for a whole generation, I think "Walker, Texas Ranger," if you were a kid that grew up in the '90s, that just was always on. And if it wasn't that, it was the TV movies they were doing.

So he really had this Americana, tough guy persona, great with one- liners. And I think that's how he's going to be remembered for those that loved his acting.

SANCHEZ: Yeah, he became a symbol of American masculinity, this rugged guy that was always cool under pressure. He also got sort of a second wave of popularity because of Chuck Norris facts on the internet. Do you have a favorite Chuck Norris fact, Patrick?

GOMEZ: Oh, I don't know that I have a favorite, but I mean, anytime you become a meme, you're going to -- your legacy is going to live on even longer. And, you know, it's so interesting how the internet can take things like that and really give a person, as you said, a second life.

And I think that that introduced him to so many people that probably don't even know exactly who Chuck Norris is. They know Chuck Norris facts.

KEILAR: Do you have a favorite fact, Boris?

SANCHEZ: Chuck Norris doesn't sleep, he waits.

(LAUGH)

SANCHEZ: Yeah. They try to put Chuck Norris' face on Mount Rushmore. This apparently is his favorite one. They try to put his face on Mount Rushmore, but the granite wasn't tough enough for his beard.

KEILAR: I believe it.

SANCHEZ: So many good stories about Chuck Norris, passing away at 86- years-old, an American legend. Patrick Gomez, thanks so much for sharing your afternoon with us.

GOMEZ: Of course.

SANCHEZ: Up next, what happened during lawmakers' closed-door meeting with Attorney General, Pam Bondi, this week? Hear why some Republican hardliners now say they're reconsidering their decision to subpoena her.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[13:48:23]

SANCHEZ: Some Republican hardliners are now wavering on whether to support the subpoena of Attorney General, Pam Bondi. On Tuesday, the House Oversight Committee investigating late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and the DOJ's handling of the Epstein files issued the subpoena.

We should point out, some 2.5 of those documents have yet to be released publicly despite the transparency law that was passed by Congress. On Wednesday, during a briefing in which Bondi voluntarily met with the Oversight Committee, Democrats walked out and that is now prompting backlash from some of the Republicans who voted alongside those Democrats to approve the Attorney General's subpoena.

CNN's Annie Grayer has been tracking this story for us. So, Annie, what's the latest?

ANNIE GRAYER, CNN SENIOR REPORTER: So, Boris, there are five Republicans who initially voted for the subpoena and at least two of them are now wavering in their support. One of them is Republican Congresswoman, Lauren Boebert, who I'm told from sources in the room with Attorney General, Pam Bondi, said that she was embarrassed to have supported the subpoena and wishes she could have rescinded it.

And I'm also told that Republican Congressman, Tim Burchett is also wavering on his support for the subpoena because he argues, now that the Attorney General came and spoke with us voluntarily, was willing to answer our questions, that he argues the subpoena is sort of a moot point.

Take a listen to how Congresswoman Boebert put it to our colleague Manu Raju yesterday.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MANU RAJU, CNN CHIEF CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: So you're withdrawing your support for the subpoena?

REP. LAUREN BOEBERT, (R-CO) OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE: I didn't say I'm withdrawing it. I was asked if I'm considering it and after yesterday, absolutely, I am. Because that is absolutely shameful to have her come in there willingly to answer anything that we want to ask and to be treated that way. It just shows what's to come. It was foreshadowing.

[13:50:00]

RAJU: Did the White House ask you to withdraw?

BOEBERT: No, I've not talked to the White House about this at all. This is my own personal feeling.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GRAYER: Now, Boris, not all Republicans who initially supported the subpoena feel this way. Republican Congresswoman, Nancy Mace, who led this subpoena effort, told me that she is not wavering, that she is going to stand by the subpoena.

But House Oversight Chair, James Comer, who is overseeing this investigation, said he is going to consult with Republicans on the committee this weekend about what they want to do. Now, this is exactly what Democrats in the committee were afraid of.

They worried that the Department of Justice offered this voluntary briefing that happened earlier this week as a way to try and get out of a deposition, which is what the subpoena is calling for, for next month. And that's why they walked out of the meeting earlier this week, because they were pressing Attorney General Bondi, behind closed doors, trying to get her to confirm that she would still honor her subpoena. And they were not satisfied with her answers.

Now, them walking out caused a major feud between Democrats and Republicans, but the Attorney General maintains she will follow the law on this. So we're waiting to see what happens after discussions this weekend.

SANCHEZ: Yeah, let's see. Annie Grayer, thanks so much for that reporting. Brianna?

KEILAR: Now to some of the other headlines that we're watching this hour.

An immigration judge has denied the asylum claim of Liam Ramos and his parents. Photos of five-year-old Liam wearing that blue bunny hat and a Spider-Man backpack went viral after he and his father were detained and sent to a detention center in Texas during the immigration crackdown earlier this year in Minneapolis.

According to their attorney, the family has been ordered, deported to Ecuador.

And in a highly unusual move, the panel that President Trump chose to lead, National Fine Arts Commission just gave the go-ahead for the U.S. Mint to produce a huge gold coin with his image on it. It's being called the "Liberty Coin" to mark America's 250th birthday this year. No word yet on how much it will cost, but the Arts Commission asked for it to be as large as possible, up to three inches in diameter. The U.S. Treasury still needs to give its approval.

And a scary moment for a pair of New York State Police troopers. During a traffic stop, their patrol car was rear-ended, oh my goodness, by an SUV. You see it there, the crash pushing their cruiser. It actually hit one of the troopers. And officials say the officer was taken to a hospital with just minor injuries.

The other trooper was not struck. The person involved in the traffic stop was also not injured. The driver behind the wheel of the SUV suffered minor injuries and police are still investigating.

Well, everyone loves an underdog, right? That is until a night of upsets wreak absolute havoc on their March Madness brackets. I accounted for this, though, I think. Tens of billions -- tens of millions, I should say, busted on day one.

(LAUGH)

KEILAR: We'll have that next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[13:57:48]

KEILAR: Brackets busted, favorites fall, and the Cinderella stories have begun. There is absolutely nothing like March Madness. And if you are upset over the upsets, well, you are not alone. The NCAA's website says out of the more than 36 million brackets submitted, only 14,000 perfect brackets remain.

We'll see how long that lasts, especially with four games already underway in the men's tournament. In the meantime, it is the first full day of action on the women's side. CNN Sports Writer, Dana O'Neil is in Buffalo, one of the sites for the men's March Madness games.

All right, what are you looking for here? What are the big takeaways from day one?

BORIS SANCHEZ, BRIANNA KEILAR, ANNIE GRAYER, DANA O'NEIL, CNN SPORTS WRITER: Well, yeah, first of all, I'll start with the fact that the brackets could be a lot worse had Siena pulled off the upset and beat Duke, as they were trying to do for the better part of that game yesterday. So for all those people who are upset about their brackets, it could have been a lot worse.

I loved yesterday, watching High Point and a player by the name of Chase Johnston, all season, he hit nothing but threes, 64 shots, all three pointers. He leaks out for a layup to upset Wisconsin. That is what March is all about. He's studying to be administered at a school that most people probably couldn't pick out on a map.

And then you have, of course, VCU, no stranger to sweetheart runs here at the NCAA tournament. They went from first four to final four. They go down in Greenville, South Carolina and take on North Carolina, team that has won a few more national championships than VCU, trail by 18, and Phil Martelli Jr.'s team roars back and gets the upset. That is going to be a very bitter pill to swallow in Chapel Hill.

I know they're without one of their best players, Caleb Wilson, but you can't be up 18 points in a first round game if your name is North Carolina and lose that game.

KEILAR: I picked High Point and VCU just because I love underdogs. So --

O'NEIL: Wow.

KEILAR: I just always -- I just pick them because I figure what the heck, you know? All right, so what are you looking --

O'NEIL: Why not?

KEILAR: -- forward to for today?

O'NEIL: Yeah, I mean, it's more of the same, right? This is what we love about the first round. We want to see people that we've never heard of at schools we can't find, see what they're up to. One of the ones that's going on right now is Akron and Texas Tech, kind of not unlike North Carolina. Texas Tech lost its best player, JT Toppin to an ACL.

Akron likes to shoot threes. That's pretty much the majority of their offense. And I think when you shoot threes --