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Trump-Backed Collins Wins Georgia; Rescue after Plane Crash on Texas Highway; Polls on Americans thoughts on July 4th; Reflecting Pool Overrun with Algae. Aired 9:30-10a ET

Aired June 17, 2026 - 09:30   ET

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

[09:30:00]

SARA SIDNER, CNN ANCHOR: Georgia Lieutenant Governor Burt Jones, who was endorsed by Trump and Kemp. Jackson will now take on former Atlanta mayor, Democrat Keisha Lance Bottoms.

CNN's Arlette Saenz following all of this for us.

A mixed night for Trump, although most of the candidates he endorsed won. What are you learning as you look at all of this? What are the takeaways?

ARLETTE SAENZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes. Well, Sara, I think the biggest takeaway is that that marquee Senate matchup in Georgia is now officially set with GOP Congressman Mike Collins set to take on Democratic Senator John Ossoff. This is expected to be one of the most intensely fought Senate races in this year's cycle. And Collins was able to get across the finish line, in part with the endorsement of President Trump in a race that really had turned into a proxy war between Trump and Brian Kemp, whose chosen candidate, Derek Dooley, did not advance to this fall fight with Ossoff.

But this was a very contentious primary within the GOP over the past few months. And last night, as Collins spoke to his supporters, he said it's time for Republicans to unite.

Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. MIKE COLLINS (R-GA): We Republicans now, we're going to have some robust primaries out there. Sometimes we got some strong disagreements. But I can tell you one thing, now we stand united around one mission.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SAENZ: Now, Ossoff is the most vulnerable Democratic senator on this map. He's the only incumbent Democrat who is running for re-election in a state where President Trump won back in 2024.

But Collins, last night, even acknowledged that this is going to be a challenging race. And one reason why is because Ossoff holds a massive fundraising advantage over Collins at this point in the contest.

If you just look at their campaign coffers, Ossoff had $32.5 million on hand heading into April, while Collins, who has been engaged in this -- these Republican fights only had $1.17 million in the bank. So, that is a huge disparity. Right now, Ossoff is also generating a lot of buzz about his potential for 2028, but he will need to survive this challenge come November 1st.

Now, during the GOP primary, many of Collins' opponents and supporters of his opponents had argued that they thought he had just too much political baggage to be an effective candidate against Ossoff in November. So, that is something that he will have to contend with going forward.

But Georgia is a key piece of the road to the Senate majority next November. Democrats need to keep that seat in Democratic control. And for Ossoff, this is a candidate going up against Collins is a matchup that they had really hoped for in their quest.

SIDNER: Yes, one thing you can bet is that money will start rolling in for Collins now that he has won, that is for sure.

Arlette Saenz, thank you so much for your reporting on this.

John.

JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: All right, happening now, NTSB officials are expected on the scene shortly after a plane crashed overnight on a Texas highway and it burst into flames. In this video, it's remarkable video, of witnesses rushing to pull survivors from the crash almost as soon as it happened.

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BERMAN: We do know that one of the six people on board the private jet was killed.

Want to get to CNN's Ed Lavandera, who's been monitoring the situation all morning long for the latest on this.

Ed, what are you learning?

ED LAVANDERA, CNN SENIOR NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, John, this video is remarkable for obviously a number of reasons. But you are actually seeing people jump into action there even before police and firefighters have arrived there on the scene. This is just moments after that plane crashed along a highway. The loop that essentially goes around the edge of the Laredo International Airport.

This was a private jet with six people on board. It was traveling from Mexico to Austin. And according to radio transmissions, the pilot reported some sort of mechanical trouble and diverted to Laredo, where they lost contact with the control tower there about 600 -- at about 600 feet. The plane there plummeted onto the highway, breaking in half basically. You can see in various videos the plane in two pieces on different levels of the highway. But what is just remarkable is the number of people. One car was hit

by the plane there on the road, but other people in that area and vicinity jumped out, raced to the scene. You could hear them trying to smash the window open to the cockpit. They also had people calling for crowbars to pry open the passenger door. And through that, with a number of people propping the door open, you could see several people crawling out there as smoke was filling up the inside of that cabin.

[09:35:01]

We do know that one person has died. Authorities say that several other people were treated for injuries as well, and that several officers were treated for smoke inhalation and that sort of thing. But dramatic scenes there as despite the danger and the inherently dangerous situation all -- that was unfolding there, no one really knew what could have happened, if there could have been further explosions, or that fire spreading quickly. Those people raced there in those moments to try to get as many people -- everyone out of that plane safely.

But we do know that one person has died. We have not gotten an update this morning on the rest of those injuries. But so, we do know that there were some injuries and smoke inhalation. But just absolutely dramatic and terrifying scenes unfolding on this highway just on the edge of the Laredo International Airport around 10 p.m. last night,

John.

BERMAN: Yes. And the edge of the Laredo Airport, you know, on the highway. And remind us, Ed, one more time, where this plane was coming from and where it was supposed to be headed to.

LAVANDERA: Well, it was flying from Cabo in Mexico to the -- to Austin, Texas. So, Laredo is, you know, several hundred miles south of Austin. So, clearly, at some point there, as that plane was making that trajectory toward Austin, the pilot, from what we've been able to gather so far, reported some sort of mechanical trouble. We don't know exactly the details of what that is or what caused that, but that's the reason why that airplane was diverting itself to Laredo.

BERMAN: Something went wrong there in the air. Once it hit the ground, one person was killed. But then as we can just see in these pictures, just the bravery. I mean it may have been foolish bravery, but the bravery of the people there on the ground to try to help those inside, it really is remarkable.

OK, Ed, the NTSB headed to the scene. I expect we will learn more in the coming hours. Thank you so much for your coverage of this.

So, how a yoga event at China's Great Wall went horribly wrong for Lululemon. Was this better or worse than the allegedly see through yoga pants?

And what happens when you spend millions in a much ballyhooed effort to make a pool blue, and it's green. CNN goes beneath the surface, literally, of the almost farcical developments in the Washington, D.C., reflecting pool.

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[09:42:00]

BERMAN: All right, the countdown is on. Seventeen days away from July 4th and America's 250th birthday. Two hundred and fifty-one years since the people of Massachusetts showed (ph) the rest of the country the way. How patriotic are Americans feeling this morning?

With us now, CNN chief data analyst Harry Enten.

HARRY ENTEN, CNN CHIEF DATA ANALYST: We will always remember Lexington and Concord, people. We will always remember it here on CNN (ph).

BERMAN: Patriots Day versus the Fourth. We know which one is more important.

But the meaning of the Fourth. When we asked voters about this, what do most of them say at this point?

ENTEN: This, to me, is one of the most stunning divides that we have seen. You know, we're talking about polarization in politics. It even comes down to what you believe July 4th actually is. Like, what does July 4th mean to you? Celebrate America, friends and family time. Among Republicans, what do you see? You see the clear majority say it's a time to celebrate America, 65 percent. Among Democrats, however, the plurality disagree. Look at that. What do you see? Friends and family time at 42 percent, versus just 24 percent who say that what it means most to them is to celebrate America. So, even on the basic question of what July 4th means to you, we have Republicans on one end saying, celebrate America, more of them say that, and Democrats on the other end saying that it means more to them to have time with friends and family.

BERMAN: What do they say about the flag?

ENTEN: Yes. OK. So, what do they say about the flag? Even on the basic level of flag? Look at this. Look at how we have an increasing polarization on this issue. Will display the flag on July 4th. The American flag. Back in July of 2001, look at this, you had 68 percent of Republicans, 65 percent of Democrats saying that they would, in fact, display the flag on July 4th. You come over to this side of the screen. Republicans basically are where they were 25 years ago, right, 64 percent. But look at that Democratic percentage. Absolutely plummeting. Just 27 percent of Democrats say they will, in fact, display the flag on July 4th. Democrats and Republicans in different camps, even on the simple question of displaying the flag on July 4th, a polarization, a split that, simply put, did not exist a generation ago.

BERMAN: What about the sloganeering about proud to be an American?

ENTEN: OK, what about this idea, are you proud to be an American? Extremely or very proud to be an American. Again, look at this divide. A growing divide on this question. Back in January of 2001, 90 percent of Republicans, 85 percent of Democrats. This was after a very contentious 2000 election, keep in mind, right, with George W. Bush coming into the White House.

You come over to this side of the screen, in 2026, look at this, again, the Democratic percentage absolutely plummets to just 29 percent of Democrats say they're extremely or very proud to be an American. That Republican percentage, the exact same, 90 and 90, the Democratic percentage. What is that? That -- that's basically a third of the level that it was just 25 years ago.

BERMAN: No, I think you're right to point out, that this was a time when Democrats might have been feeling badly about the course of the country. Still, 85 percent said they were proud to be Americans.

[09:45:01]

Something's changed.

ENTEN: Something has absolutely changed, despite the fact, a contentious time then, a contentious time now. And yet Democrats that extremely, very proud number has absolutely plummeted.

BERMAN: One of the subjects that does seem connected to this every generation or so is the issue of burning the American flag. Something the Supreme Court periodically weighs in again. What are the prediction markets saying about whether this is something they will take up again?

ENTEN: Yes, the Supreme Court, over and over again, has said that, yes, you do have a constitutional right to, in fact, burn the flag. The idea, in fact, that the SCOTUS will actually hear a flag burning case in this upcoming cycle, in this upcoming year, before 2027, just a five percent chance, according to the Kalshi prediction market.

So, a lot of different folks have a lot of different views on the flag. And the Supreme Court is saying, you know what -- or the Kalshi prediction markets, people putting their money where their mouths are, are saying that SCOTUS is going to allow that to continue to be the case.

BERMAN: Harold Enten, great to see you this morning. Thank you very much.

ENTEN: Great to see you. May the Fourth (ph) be with you.

BERMAN: We've got a lot of news this morning. We'll be right back.

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[09:50:29]

BERMAN: All right, this morning, color catastrophe. It has been barely a week since crews finished painting the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool what the president called American flag blue. But now it really mostly looks just like it did before, which is algae green, despite the fact the project cost more than $14 million. CNN's Betsy Klein has been diving in almost to this problem.

What have you learned, Betsy?

BETSY KLEIN, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE REPORTER: Well, John, the Trump administration is bringing in the very highest technology in algae remediation and prevention to the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool. They have sent in crews clad in hip waders to vacuum up clumps of algae. And then on Tuesday, they dispatched workers to dump gallons of hydrogen peroxide in the pool to clear it up.

But as of this morning, still very green. The department of Interior says that a state of the art filtration technology, known as an ozone nanobubble, has been installed and successfully destroyed the algae bloom.

Again, we did a status check this morning. No noticeable difference. The pool was supposed to reflect Trump's American flag blue vision, but still very much murky.

And CNN even took an independent sample of this water last week. We consulted with a pool store. And their analysis showed that phosphate levels are high -- far higher than what is recommended to keep algae at bay for the 6.5 million gallon pool.

And one algae expert we spoke to essentially said that this pool has set the perfect conditions for this problem to surface. It's pretty shallow, and there is a lot of sun, direct heat. This is also in a swamp.

But this $13 million taxpayer funded project has been a major priority for President Trump. He personally traveled into the drain pool in his motorcade to inspect the progress. And the White House has not responded to our inquiry as to whether the president's aware of these cleanup efforts, if he's surprised by the presence of algae, or if he's even talked to Interior Secretary Doug Burgum about it.

But this is something that has plagued so many administrations, including back in 2012. The Obama administration spent $34 million over 18 months only to have a major algae issue. Around that time, the National Park Service actually found 80 dead ducks inside the pool. But ultimately, the Interior Department says that the nano bubbler, plus a full-time maintenance crew from U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services are going to make these fixes more permanent. We'll be watching, John.

BERMAN: So, one algae expert we spoke to, a sentence I'm sure Betsy Klein always knew she d be saying, one day in your journalism career.

I just have to say, all this effort was literally to change the color of the pool, right? I mean I know they wanted to change the filtration system. But at least right now it didn't work. So, $14 million to do something that as of today hasn't worked?

KLEIN: Yes, and I'm a botanist now, John.

BERMAN: Yes. You -- chief botanist Betsy Klein, thank you very much for being with us this morning.

Sara.

SIDNER: All right. Thank you, John.

This morning, Lululemon facing some serious backlash and apologizing over a mistake at a promotional yoga event at the Great Wall of China. During the event, a drum troupe performed on what was described as a traditional Chinese drum. But musicians and social media users said it was actually a Japanese drum, saying the image brought back memories of Japanese imperialism and wartime brutality. Lululemon later apologized, scrubbed all the content related to the event from its website and social media.

Boxing legend Floyd Mayweather now facing felony charges in Las Vegas over allegations tied to a $200,000 watch purchase. Prosecutors say Mayweather wrote a check last year without having the funds in his account. He's been charged with theft and passing a check with intent to defraud. His next court hearing is set for September. This comes as the 49-year-old former champion faces a string of legal and financial disputes. Mayweather has not commented publicly on those charges.

All right, and heading into tomorrow's Knicks' parade, expect some serious security. Every spectator, we are told, will be screened before they can get a spot to watch the parade. I don't know how they're going to do that. Anyway, and everyone and every vehicle in the parade will also be screened. A sanitation officials says some of their trucks will also be used to block side streets. That's pretty normal. The security model is similar to other recent parades held in the city.

All right, this weekend the new CNN series "This Land" follows the descendants of the explorers who pushed west, transforming America in the process.

[09:55:01]

Here's a look.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: This is the Montezuma Swamp, which was the epicenter of some of the worst parts of digging the canal. It was so bad that at various points the mean digging the canal had to stand chest deep in water and muck. And they would no sooner sort of clear a trench than it would collapse in again and they'd have to start again.

There was a period of time where almost every single person working as they came through this stretch got sick at some point because of the mosquitoes.

There was a huge malaria outbreak in which many, many of the Irish people helping to dig this canal died. All the nearby farmhouses were deployed as field hospitals, and there was one doctor in the region.

(END VIDEO CLIP) SIDNER: Two new episodes air Sunday night at 9:00 Eastern on CNN and the next day, of course, on the CNN app.

BERMAN: Don't miss it.

SIDNER: So, I hear somebody's going to a parade.

BERMAN: I'm not so sure because I hear someone's going to an opening of a museum.

SIDNER: Oh, really? Not so sure. We'll just have to see.

BERMAN: We'll just have to wait and see. No one knows.

SIDNER: There's your tease, people.

BERMAN: This is CNN.

"THE SITUATION ROOM," up next.

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