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Americans Test Positive for Hantavirus; French Woman Tests Positive for Hantavirus. Proposal From Iran Unacceptable to Trump; Iran's Proposal Includes Hormuz; Ocasio-Cortez Leaves Door Open for Presidential Run. Aired 9-9:30a ET

Aired May 11, 2026 - 09:00   ET

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

[09:00:00]

KATE BOLDUAN, CNN ANCHOR: A new hour of CNN NEWS CENTRAL starts now.

SARA SIDNER, CNN ANCHOR: An American with a presumed case of hantavirus, another showing symptoms all back on U.S. soil after that outbreak on a cruise ship. What comes next for those passengers?

Plus, totally unacceptable. That's how President Trump is describing Iran's latest peace proposal. So, where do negotiations go from here?

And, how does this even happen? How a motorcycle rider is doing after the bike gets stuck dangling from a traffic light.

I'm Sara Sidner, with Kate Bolduan and John Berman. This is CNN NEWS CENTRAL.

BOLDUAN: All right, let's get to it.

Touching down in Nebraska overnight. Seventeen Americans evacuated from that stranded cruise ship that we have been tracking for weeks now, hit by the outbreak of the hantavirus. Among the Americans evacuated, now the first U.S. citizen to test positive for the virus and another exhibiting what's being described as mild symptoms. This is coming from the Department of Health and Human Services in a new update.

The group is going to be at a special medical facility known as the National Quarantine Unit at the University of Nebraska's Medical Center in Omaha. There they are being assessed and monitored.

Inside this medical center it's a fascinating place. Special rooms outfitted with negative air pressure systems specifically designed to contain the spread of any virus. According to the facility, the passenger who tested positive was taken directly to a biocontainment unit.

We also have new numbers coming in from the World Health Organization. It says that seven hantavirus cases have now been confirmed overall, two suspected cases. Since the outbreak started, remember early on there were three deaths that had been linked to it.

And also just in, a new video message from the captain of the cruise ship.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JAN DOBROGOWSKI, CAPTAIN OF MV HONDIUS: Most importantly, our thoughts are with the ones that are no longer with us. And whatever I say will not ease this loss. But I'd like you to know they are with us every day in our hearts and our thoughts.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BOLDUAN: The ship is currently still docked in Spain's Canary Islands, where they're continuing the process of evacuating today all of the remaining passengers.

John.

JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: All right, let's get to CNN medical correspondent Meg Tirrell.

Meg, just walk us through where we are right now in this hour (ph).

MEG TIRRELL, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes. Absolutely.

So, this information is evolving and we are hearing from health experts that they won't be surprised to hear about potentially more cases from on board this ship. And, of course, we did just get that additional update from the WHO this morning.

So, almost 150 people aboard this boat from 23 different countries. Seventeen Americans plus one British national brought back to the United States overnight. Three people have died.

The WHO says that monitoring is recommended for folks with exposure for up to 45 days. And so, this has a really long incubation period that we've been hearing about. Potentially more than six weeks before you might start showing symptoms. So, that's really important to keep in mind.

Now, of the folks who flew back to that Nebraska quarantine unit, there's one person who tested positive, but that is not being included in the new WHO case count as of right now because there does seem to be some sort of international disagreement over whether to count that person as a case. We understand there's been some mixed testing results. However, folks saying if there's a PCR positive, if you remember PCR testing from Covid, that likely does mean they do have the virus. But we're waiting for more information on that person. We do, however, know they're going to a biocontainment unit.

A separate person showed symptoms, but we don't have a positive test result for that person. And we don't know if that person is actually going to end up being a case. So, that is the situation where we are right now.

So, these folks are in Nebraska. This one person is going to the biocontainment unit. Others are going to undergo monitoring and assessment for their own personal level of risk. And we heard from dr. Jay Bhattacharya, the head of NIH and CDC,

simultaneously right now, that folks may be able to go to home-based monitoring for those six weeks as they could still potentially develop symptoms.

Now, we're waiting to hear more about that today because some folks are pushing back on that and saying, hey, we do need to really have a stricter quarantine. So, we're going to see how that proceeds and if they do send those folks home.

Health experts are saying it is very important that they are monitored, not just from themselves, but that they're close to health care because these are the early symptoms, headache, fever, muscle aches, some GI symptoms, difficulty breathing, but this can deteriorate fast, so they need to be close to medical care if they do end up getting symptoms and become a case so that they can get that care and make sure they're taken care of. So, the containment, making sure we know where people are, and taking care of them if they do develop symptoms are the priority.

BERMAN: I mean these symptoms, especially the top four, or could be for anything, right?

TIRRELL: Yes.

BERMAN: Which is why I think you have to monitor people so closely and carefully. And when you get these symptoms and sick, it's when you're contagious, right, just for that narrow period.

[09:05:02]

You know, what's the overall risk people are saying about it?

TIRRELL: Yes. So right now the overall risk they are saying to the general population is low, moderate, of course, for the people on the boat. This is not thought to be something like Covid, to spread really fast like that. But, of course, if you are symptomatic, if you have a fever, that's when it is thought to be able to spread more easily.

BERMAN: All right, Meg Tirrell, thank you so much for this. Appreciate it.

TIRRELL: Yes.

BERMAN: Kate.

BOLDUAN: Apologies. I'm coming.

BERMAN: Oh, Kate. Hi.

BOLDUAN: I'm sorry.

BERMAN: We can go on. Those are the greatest hits here.

BOLDUAN: And I'm back. Apologies, guys.

We're also hearing from the health ministry of France of a confirmed case among a French passenger.

Let's get over to Melissa Bell. She's on the island of Tenerife, where the ship is still docked this morning.

What's the latest from there, Melissa?

MELISSA BELL, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, what we've been hearing is a press conference from Spanish health authorities speaking to both those cases, the one that you mentioned, Kate, confirmed on a flight of passengers from the MV Hondius back to Paris yesterday. That confirmed case, plus the suspected one in the United States that Meg was just telling you about. And what they were asked here was, well, what does that tell you about the operation? Has it been successful? A resounding yes, they say.

What's been remarkable is getting all of these health authorities, the World Health Organization, CDC, all of these different bodies together to carry out these successful evacuations and bring them back home, even as they are very closely monitored, with more information emerging all the time about how this virus spreads. Just as you were saying a moment ago, it is when someone is symptomatic that they are contagious. And it takes very close proximity, as this suspected positive case in the United States appears now to have had with one of the people who sadly passed on the ship.

As to the ship itself, it's just over my shoulder over there. It's now being refueled and will prepare to go back to the Netherlands tonight, where it will be fully disinfected.

In the meantime, there are some more evacuations to go today. Twenty- two people will be coming off that ship, as they did yesterday, over the course of the day on those little boats, onto the busses and onwards, this time for a flight headed for the Netherlands, including not just the Dutch passengers, most of them crew, but also the five Australians from -- plus one New Zealander who couldn't be evacuated back home directly because of issues with the flight there that might have taken them back towards the southern hemisphere. Instead, they'll head to Amsterdam, and from there be transferred to their home countries.

Then what happens is that the 32 crew that remain on the ship will take it to Rotterdam, where it will get its full disinfection process. And the World Health Organization really today congratulating everyone involved in what has been a remarkable operation to get all of these passengers off back to their respective countries, again with that ongoing monitoring process and ensuring that each of them is in quarantine, is then isolated, and that tracing process is carried out properly.

Kate.

BOLDUAN: Yes, I was just thinking, like, what a mammoth operation this has been to repatriate and do so safely of so many people, so many different nationalities, just so many different home countries.

It's great to see you, Melissa. Thank you so much for being there. John.

BERMAN: All right, this morning we are learning new details about Iran's demands to end the war. President Trump says the latest Iranian proposal is, quote, "totally unacceptable." The Iranians today are calling it reasonable and generous. Iranian state media says the counter proposal calls for recognition of sovereignty over the blockaded Strait of Hormuz, among other demands. There was no mention of nuclear weapons.

Let's get to CNN's Julia Benbrook at the White House for the latest this morning.

So, totally unacceptable the president says. Now what?

JULIA BENBROOK, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's the big question. We have reached out to the White House here for more details on what exactly was in this response. What does it cover? And like you mentioned, does it address Iran's nuclear capabilities, the highly enriched uranium, the things that we have been discussing for several weeks now.

But what is clear is that President Donald Trump is not happy with this response. He called it totally unacceptable. I want to pull it up for you now. This was a Truth Social post that came Sunday. And in it he said, "I've just read the response from Iran's so-called representatives. I don't like it. Totally unacceptable."

Now, according to Iranian state media, that counter proposal, it included sovereignty over the Strait of Hormuz, as well as demands for compensation for war damages, which have been nonstarters here at the White House. And the response it also came later than those in the administration were expecting it to. On Friday we heard from Trump, we heard from other administration officials who said that they expected to see a response from Tehran sometime that day. And even then, Trump was asked about the timing. Did he believe that Iran was slow rolling this response? And he essentially said, we'll soon find out if that is the case.

And then just yesterday, speaking with "Axios," Trump did confirm that he had had another conversation with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

[09:10:04]

He said that it was a good conversation, that they discussed a number of things. But Iran's response here was part of that. So, the big question remains, what's next? How does Trump see next steps? We have heard him threaten escalation multiple times when things have fallen through in the past. It's really unclear at this moment, though.

We do expect to at least see him a couple of times today. There should be reporters in the room with him at various events. So, hopefully we'll get an update at some point.

John.

BERMAN: All right, we will listen carefully to that.

Julia Benbrook, thank you so much for your reporting on this.

Sara.

SIDNER: All right, thank you, John.

With me now to discuss is CNN politics and global affairs commentator Sabrina Singh.

Thank you for being here.

Look, where we are right now, where does this leave us in this war with Iran?

SABRINA SINGH, CNN POLITICS AND GLOBAL AFFAIRS COMMENTATOR: Well, I think where it leaves us right now is both sides looking at each other and determining who can outlast each other longer. And I do think right now Iran has more of time on its side. Iran is willing to endure the economic pain and doesn't really care about its population. I mean, obviously, we've seen that from the crackdown of protests within the country versus the United States and this administration.

I mean every single day Americans are seeing their gas prices going up. I think in 49 states right now gas is over $4. So, the economic pain and pressure is really being felt here at home. And this administration is going to have to make that political calculation, as well as how long they can withstand this war.

I think both sides really don't want to resume kinetic action. But, obviously, the president has said multiple times that he is willing to take that action, and that remains to be seen on what his latest response to this Iranian proposal will really bring and if that brings a U.S. response, I don't think this week, but in the coming weeks, potentially.

SIDNER: Iran, as part of one of the things that it's demanding, is asking for sovereignty over the Strait of Hormuz. Is this something that proves the idea that this war made it crystal clear to Iran that power over the Strait is almost as valuable as their power in the region, as their nuclear ambitions are.

SINGH: I think that's absolutely right. I mean Iran used its own nuclear option by closing this Strait and then just crippling global markets everywhere around the world. And so, by doing that, that really put the United States on its back foot.

But no matter what, I think the idea that Iran would control the Strait of Hormuz indefinitely and charge some type of toll, I mean, that just goes against everything when it comes to freedom of navigation. And so, the United States really, and this administration in particular, now has to force Iran back to the table and say that is a nonstarter for us but we have to get this Strait open.

And I think, potentially, what you could see this week is Trump is going to China. And is this something that he discusses with President Xi? I mean, we know President Xi and Iran have close ties to each other. Can China help potentially open this Strait and get it open for all countries around the world so that, you know, global markets can essentially, potentially reset, you know, over the next few months and years too.

SIDNER: I do want to get your take on something. The defense secretary, Pete Hegseth, is going after Senator Mark Kelly for comments that he made about this war where Hegseth says he revealed some classified information. Let's listen to what Senator Mark Kelly said.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. MARK KELLY (D-AZ): We've been briefed by the Pentagon on specific munitions. Actually, it's been pretty detailed on Tomahawks, ATACMs, SM-3s, THAAD rounds, Patriot rounds, so those interceptor rounds to defend ourselves. And the numbers are, I think it's fair to say, it's shocking the -- how deep we have gone into these magazines.

The munitions are depleted.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SIDNER: Kelly says that Hegseth himself has mentioned this. But what do you make of the man who's in charge of this war delving into this political spat?

SINGH: I mean it just shows such misplaced priorities and such a waste of time. I mean we're in the middle of a war. Americans, every single day, are feeling the pain at the pump. And this secretary is choosing to go after a sitting senator, someone who served his country very honorably, over comments that were not only -- that had been briefed very publicly in the last two hearings that you saw last week with both Hegseth and General Caine of -- the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, talking to Congress about some of the munitions that they have used in this war, and that it would take years to replenish.

So, I don't think directing the energy and resources of the department to go after Senator Kelly is a good use of time. And that's why I think you're seeing, you know, pretty widespread condemnation of Secretary Hegseth's comments when it comes to Senator Kelly this week.

[09:15:00]

SIDNER: All right, Sabrina Singh, thank you so much for being here with us this morning and walking us through all that.

Kate.

BOLDUAN: So, what Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez just said and why it is now sparking new 2028 presidential speculation and beyond.

And Democrats have been -- had been optimistic about their midterm chances given the recent redistricting wins. But did the Virginia Supreme Court just completely dash those hopes? We're breaking those numbers down for you. And how did a motorcycle end up hanging from a traffic light?

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[09:20:09]

BERMAN: So, this morning, the political world is abuzz by an answer from Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez at the University of Chicago to a question asked by our friend, former senior Obama adviser David Axelrod. And the question was basically a version of, what are you going to do next? Stay in the House? Maybe run for Senate? Maybe president?

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. ALEXANDRIA OCASIO-CORTEZ (D-NY): They assume that my ambition is positional. They assume that my ambition is a title or a seat. And my ambition is way bigger than that. My ambition is to change this country.

Presidents come and go. Senate, House seats, elected officials come and go. But single payer health care is forever. A living wage is forever. Workers' rights are forever. Women's rights, all of that.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BERMAN: With us now, the intrepid reporter behind that question, CNN chief political analyst David Axelrod.

Great to see you this morning, David.

So, two observations about that answer.

DAVID AXELROD, CNN CHIEF POLITICAL ANALYST: Good to see you, John. Yes.

BERMAN: You know, if -- are you going to run for president more or less? Number one, it wasn't a no.

AXELROD: Yes.

BERMAN: Number two, it was a wildly different response than we normally see to that type of question.

AXELROD: Both things are true. There also is a third dimension, which is, I added another option, which is, might you run for Senator Schumer's seat in New York in 2028, which is a very live possibility. You had 1,400 young people there. They cheered when I suggested that some people would like to see a run for president. They cheered even louder when I said, some people would like to see you run for Senator Schumer's seat in 2028. So, this is a high-class problem for AOC, right? A lot of options out there for her.

But she -- first of all, she did not say no to anything. That's the first thing to note. But what she said was interesting and not like what most politicians say, which is, I don't really -- I'm not really calibrating myself according to the position I might or could run for. I'm calibrating myself to how I -- how I can best promote those things that I think are important for rank and file, average working people in this country, like health care, like living wages and so on.

And that really landed -- that really landed -- well, and I believed her, John. I don't think that she got into politics, you know, in -- there are a lot of people in politics who, from birth, are thinking about how do I -- how do I get to that top rung of this political ladder? I don't think that's who she is. I don't think it ever occurred to her when she was young.

But now she's presented with these options. And what she's saying is, people think they can use that as leverage and that I'll calibrate my ambitions according to what job I want to run for. And I'm not going to do that. And so that was an unusual answer.

BERMAN: It really was. I mean, and I think that's what struck people. They hadn't heard an answer quite like that to that question.

So, she's not deciding along those -- that -- those standards right now. But she does have to decide eventually.

AXELROD: She does.

BERMAN: And my question to you is, you've been through this. You've been through this with people who are judging.

AXELROD: Yes.

BERMAN: Is it time? Is it too soon? Is it too late?

AXELROD: Yes.

BERMAN: When does she have to decide by?

AXELROD: Yes. Well, I think by the end of this year. I mean, after the midterms. You're going to see this presidential race explode. And there's going to be an awful lot of pressure to clarify what she wants to do. You know, I just -- I -- if I were advising her, what I -- I would probably say, you know, you're going to get a lot of votes if you run for president. And there's no doubt about it, she's really talented. She was down at Ebenezer Baptist Church yesterday and created quite a positive response when she spoke there. And, you know, she'll get votes.

But running for president -- John, you and I are baseball fans. You can have the best team in the country and best talent in the country and there's like a 12 percent chance that you're going to win the world series. She's got a much better chance to continue her career and in the Senate and would be very impactful there. And I think if she ran, I don't see a Schumer-AOC primary. I think she would -- he would probably fold if that were the case. He may anyway want to retire.

So, that would be -- and that would be the direction I would go if I were -- if I were her. She's 36 years old. [09:25:02]

She's got a whole life ahead of her. And I think she really is looking for a platform to pursue these goals that she feels strongly about. And certainly she would not be one of 100 in the Senate. She would be a figure of influence there.

BERMAN: Interesting. By the end of the year you say she would have to decide. That's going to come awfully quickly, I think.

AXELROD: It is. Yes.

BERMAN: David Axelrod, great to see you this morning. And it really was a fascinating discussion. Appreciate you sharing with us.

AXELROD: Always good to see you, John. Thank you.

BERMAN: Sara.

SIDNER: All right, thank you.

In the nation's capital, we are standing by for the arraignment of the suspected White House Correspondent's Dinner shooter. New reporting on his defense team's effort to get the top prosecutor and acting attorney general tossed off the case.

Also, if you can believe it, we found bipartisanship on Capitol Hill over the fact that in this country educators can open a bag of chips for kids but they cannot peel a banana. What the heck? We'll explain.

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