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Houston's Bush Airport Warns Fliers Of 4 Plus Hour Wait Times; Markwayne Mullin Sworn In As DHS Secretary; Israel Carries Out Another Wave Of Strikes Across Iran; Israel Defense Minister Orders Destruction Of All Bridges Linking Southern Lebanon To Rest Of The Country; NTSB: Air Controller In Charge Was Doing Duties Of 2 Positions. Aired 3-3:30p ET

Aired March 24, 2026 - 15:00   ET

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

BORIS SANCHEZ, CNN HOST: Right now, the cause of this crash is unknown.

And a piece of Georgia history went up in flames on Monday as a raging fire destroyed this historic late 19th century courthouse in the city of Rome. CNN Atlanta affiliates report the fire caused the building's bell tower to collapse. The structure now is a total loss. Fire department officials say that everyone inside was safely evacuated. County officials say the cause of the fire is under investigation.

A new hour of CNN NEWS CENTRAL starts right now.

Could there be hope on the horizon? Lawmakers are trying to reach a deal that would pay TSA agents and end the agonizing security lines plaguing passengers at airports across the country. We have the latest on the negotiations.

Plus, investigators just giving an update on the investigation into that deadly collision between an Air Canada jet and a fire truck at LaGuardia Airport, what they say about a runway safety system that did not send an alert.

And new reporting on indirect communications between the U.S. and Iran and possible proposals to end the war. We're following these major developing stories and many more all coming in right here to CNN NEWS CENTRAL.

We begin with TSA turmoil at Houston's Bush Airport. Right now, the wait time clocking in at more than four hours as staffing issues nationwide continue to escalate. Officials say over 450 TSA agents have now resigned since the partial government shutdown. Thousands of TSA employees are calling out every single day. And many now nearing 40 days without a full paycheck.

Earlier, a White House source told CNN that a new plan from Senate Republicans seems to be acceptable. But moments ago, President Trump said this --

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Do you support the, what appears to be, emerging agreement coming out of the Senate to reopen DHS?

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Well, I'm going to look at it. And we're going to take a good, hard look at it. I'm -- I want to support Republicans and, you know, sometimes it's awfully hard to get votes when you have Democrats that don't want to have voter ID. They don't want to have proof of citizenship. They don't want to do anything about men playing in women's sports. That's one of the items we put on.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SANCHEZ: Let's go straight to George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston with CNN's Ed Lavandera.

And Ed, we are seeing, I guess, the -- the -- the promised land behind you. This is the end of the line. But as you were explaining to us just moments ago, it actually goes down several floors, winding into a subterranean level.

ED LAVANDERA, CNN SENIOR NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, it's a, you know, quite -- I've never seen anything like it. So, this is, as you mentioned, this is -- from this point here, you have about 45 minutes to an hour to get to the very front of the TSA checkpoint. All of these people have navigated all of these lines that come down here. Yet, the line's actually extending outside, behind that glass wall, out into the drop-off area where there's four or five lines that go back.

But take a look, this is the first floor down. All of those people that you see below us, this is what would normally be the baggage claim area. This is -- area -- the -- an area that has been converted into lines that are snaking back and forth as they come to -- as they're coming up, eventually, up to where we are.

And even beyond this, there's another floor, one below them, where normally you would catch the subway tram to connect between terminals here at George Bush Intercontinental Airport. And that is where the line starts.

So, you know, but what is really striking, Boris, a couple different things, is that as long and as brutal as these lines are, people have really taken everything in stride. We've talked to countless people over the last two days about just saying that this -- it is what it is, and they're trying to make the best of it.

But the politics of this situation is -- is also kind of festering underneath all of this. And we've heard repeatedly, I mean, there's not a politician that has been spared. When you ask people about who they blame, from the President to Democrats, and just politicians in general, almost some people not even sure exactly who to blame in all of this.

So, all of that really festering here among all of the passengers, who in some cases are showing up seven to eight hours before their scheduled flight times, just in hopes of making these flights. And that is the challenge that all of these thousands of people are facing here this afternoon. Boris?

SANCHEZ: It does not look like a good time. Ed Lavandera live for us in Houston. Thank you so much. Brianna?

BRIANNA KEILAR, CNN HOST: Let's talk more about the new leader of the Department of Homeland Security. Just moments ago, Markwayne Mullin was sworn in as DHS Secretary, and CNN's Priscilla Alvarez is here with us now.

This is a -- a huge agency, and he's walking into a crisis. It's in shutdown.

PRISCILLA ALVAREZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: And a department that's been in turmoil because of the controversy and scandals that dogged Homeland Security Secretary -- or then-Homeland Security Secretary, Kristi Noem.

[15:05:04]

So, he -- what's interesting about the first remarks that we heard from now Secretary Mullin, since his swearing in, was that he has stressed that he -- that the Department is not there for any political party. We just actually got a statement from the Department of Homeland Security, where he says that his first priority is, quote, "to get the department funded so the incredible patriots that support our 22 critical agencies receive a paycheck and can continue their critical work of keeping our nation safe." He goes on to say, "DHS is bigger than any political party."

This echoes exactly what we heard from him from the Oval Office just moments ago. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MARKWAYNE MULLIN, DHS SECRETARY: I have made this very clear that I don't care what color your state is. I don't care if you're red or you're blue. At the end of the day, my job is to be Secretary of Homeland and to protect everybody the same. And we will do that.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ALVAREZ: Of course, the reality for this department has been that it is often stuck in the political crosshairs of Republicans and Democrats and the White House, particularly because the department has in many ways focused now on immigration. That is the President's mandate. He has been pushing forward with his deportation campaign. And while the Department is massive, 260,000 employees, multiple mission sets, it is the immigration work the department does that it is often scrutinized for or praised for depending on the party. And that is what the secretary is going to have to navigate now.

Now, he also said he spent the day meeting with DHS employees. We know that he has been getting briefings over the course of the day and getting read in on the department, that he's also making some personnel changes. He brought some of his Senate staff to the department. Other changes are also expected. But this is something that he has been preparing for in conversations with agency heads. He's been in very close touch with White House border czar Tom Homan, who of course has his vision of how immigration enforcement should happen, looking at that more targeted approach versus the broad immigration sweeps that were seen under Kristi Noem.

But there has been no indication that there's a softening here, so much as a stylistic difference from his predecessor, Kristi Noem, and how he proceeds with all of that, it will be closely watched. But as he -- but his first message has been now twice that he -- that the Department is bigger than any political party. History has shown that it is often right in the center of the politics.

KEILAR: Yes, it sure is. Priscilla, thank you so much for that reporting.

Still to come, President Trump says Vice President J.D. Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio are leading negotiations with Iran, but an Iranian source isn't describing talks that way.

Plus, the NTSB reveals what happened in the final seconds before an Air Canada flight collided with a fire truck at LaGuardia Airport. We'll break that down.

And then later, adding to this travel chaos, a major U.S. airline warns it may need to increase ticket prices by as much as 20 percent just to keep up with rising fuel costs. We'll have that and much more coming up on CNN NEWS CENTRAL.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[15:12:27]

KEILAR: We are following breaking news on talks to end the war in Iran. Just moments ago, President Trump said Vice President J.D. Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio and others are leading negotiations with Iran. He's also expressing some optimism that a deal is in sight, but he said there are certain conditions that are non-negotiable.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: Remember, it all starts with they cannot have a nuclear weapon. Just, you know, I said yesterday, what did they said, what are the top 10? I said, well, number one, two, and three is they can't have a nuclear weapon. And they're not going to have a nuclear weapon. And we're talking about that and ...

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: (INAUDIBLE) ...

TRUMP: I -- I don't want to say in advance, but they've agreed they will never have a nuclear weapon.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KEILAR: A senior Iranian source is telling CNN there has been outreach between the U.S. and Iran in recent days, but no full-fledged negotiations are underway. That source says Tehran is willing to listen to what it calls sustainable proposals to end the war, but Iran and Israel still trading attacks. Israeli authorities say Iran launched seven waves of strikes overnight that damaged buildings in Tel Aviv. CNN's Jeremy Diamond is in Tel Aviv for us.

Jeremy, what more can you tell us about these talks and about what's been happening where you are?

JEREMY DIAMOND, CNN JERUSALEM CORRESPONDENT: Well, Brianna, in just the last half hour, yet another Iranian ballistic missile was making its way towards central Israel. This one appeared to be armed once again with one of those cluster munitions, and we've already received several reports of impacts as a result of those smaller bomblets that have struck areas around the Tel Aviv area, including in Petah Tikva and Bnei Brak, where we have learned that there are at least two individuals who were wounded by those bomblets. No one appears to be in serious condition as of right now, but it is at least, you know, the 10th wave of ballistic missiles that we have seen being fired by Iran over the course of the last 24 hours.

Israel, of course, has also been striking heavily inside of Iran overnight, carrying out strikes on at least 50 different targets, including missile production facilities and at least one facility in Isfahan, where Iran also has a nuclear facility in that very same city.

And so, what we are witnessing right now is a continuation of this back and forth, both sides continuing to carry out strikes against one another, even as we are now learning about these, you know, efforts to try and begin negotiations between the United States and Iran.

[15:15:00]

Certainly, we've heard a lot of optimism from President Trump, including in just the last half hour, from the President talking about these talks, about a present that he received from Iran, about the seriousness with which he believes these negotiations are proceeding.

It's important to note that certainly, you know, that -- it's clear that there is an effort underway. Iranian sources also now confirming that to us. But no one is quite as optimistic and rosy about the prospects of these negotiations as the President himself.

So, we will have to see how that actually bears out. But it's clear that the strikes are continuing for now, and the United States is also preparing for the next possible phase of this war, should those negotiations not work with at least thousands of Marine and potentially airborne troops as well heading to the Middle East now. Brianna.

KEILAR: Jeremy Diamond, live for us in Israel. Thank you. Boris.

SANCHEZ: Israel is also stepping up its attacks on Iran-backed Hezbollah targets in Beirut. The Israeli defense minister ordering the destruction of all bridges connecting southern Lebanon with the rest of the country. Let's go live to Beirut with CNN's Nick Paton Walsh.

Nick, what can you tell us about these attacks in Lebanon?

NICK PATON WALSH, CNN CHIEF INTERNATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: Yes, it's important, Boris, to remind everyone that ultimately here in Lebanon, we're dealing with a sort of separate but intimately connected chapter of the conflict between the United States, Israel, and Iran. Hezbollah backed by Iran, but ultimately here caught, having provoked Israel into escalation after avenging the death of Iran's supreme leader, now finding Israel saying it will disarm Hezbollah.

And indeed, that some of the Lebanese government here wants that goal as well. The Lebanese government adding to the tension by throwing out Iran's ambassador today, saying that he had to leave by Sunday and pulling their ambassador back, too.

But militarily, we've seen a slow and I think targeted but troubling escalation over the last 24 hours.

In the south, Israel's defense minister, Israel Katz, has said that they will blow all the bridges that basically cross the Litani River that is the geographical boundary of the southern area of Lebanon that Israel says people should get out of or the lower part of what they said people should get out of. And the area too, which Israel's finance minister, Bezalel Smotrich, a hardliner and extremist, certainly has said should be the new border for Israel in the coming months. That's a very stark proclamation about occupation going forwards.

There are deep concerns, too, here about defense minister Katz's suggestion that they will demolish homes along the border and create a security zone along that southern border as well. And today, Israel struck around the key city of Tyre below that evacuation line that they've drawn, issuing warnings, no immediate reports of casualties, but massive devastation in a city, ultimately, which has been a sanctuary for many of the remaining civilians south of that Litani River area.

Those bridges will get blown, a million people already displaced inside of Lebanon. Enormous concerns here, frankly, about the disproportionality of Israel's behavior when it comes to ruining, destroying ordinary civilian life in the south here. In the capital, Beirut, a lot of developments as well, much of the center buzzed by a drone all day overnight, seven strikes on the southern part of Beirut, known as Dahieh, which is ultimately an area where Hezbollah have something of a stronghold now, and indeed, two targeted assassinations to the east of the city, and also, intriguingly, debris falling on parts of Beirut from the interception of a rocket.

Now, it's not clear who fired it. Lebanese state media just talking about the interception. It's not clear who intercepted it. Lebanon don't really have that good an interception capability, but the IDF, the Israel Defense Forces, have stepped forward and said, well, we targeted -- we -- we tracked that coming from Iran and flying towards Beirut and Lebanon.

A reminder, Israel is bobbling both Lebanon and Iran, so their judgment on who's doing what here, unclear how much we can put to that, but it's an example of how enormously complicated the situation is here. Hezbollah, an Iranian-backed militia in the south of Lebanon, fighting against Israel, but finding the Lebanese government increasingly seeking a similar goal to Israel of disarming Hezbollah, but on the ground, ultimately, very few signs that we're seeing so far that Hezbollah is ceding territory particularly quickly or that they are finding themselves militarily unable to function.

So, it's an exceptionally messy conflict here, and one the timeline of which I think will extend way past any optimistic ideas the White House have of ending their separate but intimately entwined conflict with Iran. Boris.

SANCHEZ: Nick Paton Walsh live for us in Beirut, Lebanon. Thank you so much.

The NTSB says the firetruck that collided with an Air Canada flight at LaGuardia Airport was missing a critical piece of technology that could have helped air traffic controllers do a better job of tracking it. We'll dig into the details next.

[15:20:01]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[15:24:40]

SANCHEZ: We just learned some new preliminary but potentially critical information from the NTSB as it investigates that deadly collision at New York's LaGuardia Airport. Officials confirmed that there were two people in the air traffic control tower at the time of the collision, the local controller and the controller in charge. Here's NTSB chair Jennifer Homendy responding to reports that the controllers were dealing with distractions.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JENNIFER HOMENDY, CHAIR, NATIONAL TRANSPORTATION SAFETY BOARD: I would caution pointing fingers at controllers and saying distraction was involved. This is a heavy workload environment.

In this situation for the midnight shift, it is standard operating procedure that they only have two on duty and those two perform the duties of other controllers. That is our understanding right now, however we're going to further dig into that as part of our investigation.

Certainly, I can tell you that our air traffic control team has stated this is a problem, this is a concern for them for years. That they have had this concern for quite a long time, I can understand it's a concern especially if there's a heavy workload.

SANCHEZ: The NTSB also revealed that the fire rescue truck involved in the fatal collision was not equipped with a transponder, technology that helps air traffic controllers identify and track vehicles on the airfield. It's unclear right now what impact that may have had. The flight's data recorder reveals that the plane was just seconds away from landing and likely less than 100 feet above the runway when the fire truck began crossing its path. The sound of the plane's landing gear could be heard as the tower told the fire truck to stop. We're joined now by former FAA safety inspector David Soucie.

David, what stood out to you from the timeline that was laid out by the NTSB?

DAVID SOUCIE, CNN SAFETY ANALYST: Well, Boris, I think the interesting thing to me on the timeline is, and they still weren't specific enough for me to understand this completely, but what is concerning and confusing to me is (INAUDIBLE) truck went directly straight across, perpendicular to the runway, because that's standard operating procedure. That's how you cross a runway.

If you're angling the way that it was, it's angling across that runway, it's basically spending more time on the runway than what's needed, and the visibility is impossible. The driver of that vehicle -- it would have been impossible for that driver of the vehicle to see if there was an airplane in the approach path to land.

So, the process and the procedure they followed for crossing the runway is something I would focus on directly, but as far as the timing and what happened when, I -- I think that it's accurate, but I don't -- I don't understand quite why it was going across the runway the way that it did.

SANCHEZ: Is it typical for a fire truck or -- or -- or a vehicle -- an emergency vehicle, on a runway to have a transponder? Why did this one not have one?

SOUCIE: No, it's not actually that typical. It's something that's been recommended by the FAA since 2007, after an inspector general report that came out about that, and they have recommended it. They highly recommend it for the airports, but they have not mandated it. It's not (INAUDIBLE) we also need to point out that the ASDE-X system, the A-S- D-E-X system at the airport, can identify vehicles on the runway or in the area even without the transponder, although they don't say what it is or who it is. It doesn't have identification information on it because it doesn't have what they call a squitter.

The squitter is what would tell them information about it, but it will still point out the points of what those vehicles are and where they're located. However, here in this case, the algorithm that tells the system to warn -- warn the tower that there's a vehicle about ready to intersect was confused because there were -- there were so many vehicles moving at once that this system is designed with the algorithm to -- to stop false positives. So, it's not -- it's not going to tell you there's a warning when it's not there. So, it does filter that out, and that's what happened here.

SANCHEZ: Homendy was asked, as we just played the sound bite, about the role that air traffic controllers were -- were trying to fill that night. We understand that they were tasked with multiple different duties. There was also some conflicting information, Homendy revealed, about who was actually conducting which duties. Help us understand the significance of that. SOUCIE: Well, first of all, step -- take a step back, and if you

recall, we were promised quite a while ago that the air traffic control situation was serious and that how they were going to mitigate any kind of safety risk to the flying passengers is by limiting the number of flights that come into these areas if they don't have adequate staff. And in this case, it doesn't appear they made any changes to that.

LaGuardia has been doing this for years with the two traffic controllers on the midnight shift and they've known it was an issue. They -- they feel that it's too much work for -- for two people or can be, depending on the volume. But if that's the case, then I would question why the traffic wasn't reserved, why -- why they didn't hold back and say, well, we can't handle that much traffic here and divert flights or delay flights, which is what we were promised they would do until they could get things fully staffed with the air traffic controllers.

[15:30:04]

SANCHEZ: Yes. Homendy said that these two controllers were doing the work of four.