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Italy's PM: Trump "Completely Fabricated" Claim She Begged for Photo; Italy's Foreign Minister Cancels Trip to U.S. Over Trump's "Fabricated" Claim that their Leader "Begged" for a Photo; Trump and Vance Defend Iran Agreement Amid Bipartisan Criticism; Trump Tells NBC He Urged Israel to Agree to Ceasefire with Hezbollah; Vance Says He Doesn't Think Netanyahu has Criticized Agreement; Tourist's Death Ignites NYC Push to Ban Horse-Drawn Carriage Rides 3-3:30p ET

Aired June 19, 2026 - 15:00   ET

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

KATEY RICH, AWARDS EDITOR, ANKLER MEDIA: ... his own distinctive way.

OMAR JIMENEZ, CNN ANCHOR AND CORRESPONDENT: Yes. And, you know, summer where superheroes aren't really dominating the summer as ...

BORIS SANCHEZ, CNN HOST: Yes.

JIMENEZ: ... you -- as we've seen sort of in previous years. So, excited to see how this plays out. Katey Rich, thanks for being here.

RICH: Thank you so much.

JIMENEZ: Of course. All right. A new hour of CNN NEWS CENTRAL starts right now.

Photo Fury: Italy's prime minister slams a claim by President Trump that she quote begged for a picture with him at the G7 summit. Ahead, how his comments are sparking a serious diplomatic spat.

Plus, the first round of talks between Washington and Tehran delayed and potentially threatened over new clashes in Lebanon. But there are new efforts to keep the negotiations on track. We'll explain.

Also, President Trump's controversial pick for acting intel chief begins his tenure and sources tell CNN he's looking to cut hundreds of jobs.

We're following these major developing stories and many more all coming in right here to CNN NEWS CENTRAL.

A war of words is breaking out between President Trump and one of America's closest allies, Italy's prime minister is publicly accusing the President of making false and offensive remarks about her. Trump said Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni begged him for a photo at this week's G7 summit. Meloni is now firing back and the fallout is actually affecting diplomacy.

For example, the Italian foreign minister canceled a trip to the United States where he was set to meet with Secretary of State Marco Rubio. I want to bring in CNN's Jennifer Hansler who's here with details.

So, what is going on between these leaders.

JENNIFER HANSLER, CNN STATE DEPARTMENT REPORTER: Well, Omar, here is what happened, President Trump did one of his many phone interviews with an Italian news outlet and they've reported that he said the following with regards to Meloni. Quote, "She begged me to take a picture with her. She wanted a picture with me so badly. I wouldn't have taken it but I felt sorry for her."

So, he puts these out. This comes out in that news outlet. And then we see a video posted by the Italian prime minister early this morning Eastern Time saying that this needed to be addressed immediately. Take a listen to what else she said in that video.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GIORGIA MELONI, ITALIAN PRIME MINISTER: Donald Trump's statements are completely made up. I am frankly astonished. I don't know why the President of the United States behaves like this toward his allies. It's not the first time moreover. I can only say it is disappointing that he does not show the same determination with the enemies of the West and of the United States whose leaders he instead treats with far greater indulgence. There is one thing he should remember, neither I nor Italy ever beg.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HANSLER: So, incredibly strong words from the Italian prime minister Meloni. And as you said this is having repercussions here on the ground as well. The Italian foreign minister was scheduled to come to the United States to Miami for a U.S. Italy business forum where he was going to meet with Secretary of State Rubio. They of course have a lot to talk about when it comes to Iran, Ukraine and number of issues around the world. That trip has been pulled down. And now that meeting as well that was meant to foster business ties between the two countries has also been canceled, Omar.

JIMENEZ: And it's worth noting the nature of how the Italian prime minister responded to straight to camera not some polished statement. It was her just responding sort of in the moment. Pretty astonishing. Jennifer Hansler really appreciate the reporting. Boris.

SANCHEZ: Now, the breaking news on the delay in talks between the United States and Iran. Just moments ago, President Trump during a phone interview with NBC said that he urged Israel to support a ceasefire with Hezbollah. All of this happening just hours after Vice President J.D. Vance postponed his trip to Switzerland. Iran asking for that delay.

As recently as this morning, Israel was hitting targets in southern Lebanon after it said four Israeli soldiers were killed by Hezbollah. Iran has viewed strikes in Lebanon as a red line for talks. But just over six hours ago U.S. sources tell CNN that Israel and Hezbollah renewed their fragile ceasefire which could pave the way for the U.S. and Iran to begin working toward a final peace deal. And, of course, as President Trump eyes his final deal he's frequently

blasted the Obama-era JCPOA as one of the worst deals ever made citing significant flaws as he withdrew the U.S. from that nuclear deal in 2018. Now, eight years later his administration is embarking on its own quest to secure an agreement with Tehran. While the White House does argue that the 14-point memorandum of understanding is simply a starting point not a final deal, it is worth contrasting what the Obama deal did then and where things stand now.

Brokered in 2015, after years of negotiations, the JCPOA allowed Iran to enrich uranium, but only up to 3.67 percent well below the 90 percent threshold needed to produce a nuclear weapon.

[15:05:04]

A limit that was to stay in place until 2030.

The deal also required Iran to store all of its enriched uranium at one facility, the Natanz nuclear site under the supervision of the International Atomic Energy Agency. After Trump withdrew Iran began enriching beyond that limit. And today it has a stockpile of roughly 900 pounds enriched at 60 percent which a former IAEA inspector says is a breadth -- is a hair's breadth from weapons grade.

That's part of what the U.S. targeted last summer during Operation Midnight Hammer which is believed to have buried that uranium more than a hundred feet underground. As per Trump's agreement the two sides now have 60 days to agree on what to do with it.

Notably, the text of the memorandum says that at a minimum Iran must down blend that stockpile under supervision to an undetermined but assumedly less dangerous level. Trump appears to have been open to giving Iran leeway on this issue though, listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: The whole mountain is collapsed on top of it. We have cameras on it. You could make the case. Why are you even bothering? Because it's not really valuable.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SANCHEZ: Remember, Trump previously said that Iran cannot enrich any uranium and even that Tehran had already agreed the U.S. would go into Iranian territory to remove it. The President has now also indicated a willingness to allow Iran to maintain at least some level of enrichment capability.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: You need nuclear for some electricity. It is a little hard though when you say that somebody wants it. Other people have it. Other adjoining states have it and you're not letting them have it for purposes of electricity and things like that, it's always a little tough. You have to use a little common sense.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SANCHEZ: Now, to perhaps, the most controversial aspect of this memorandum of understanding the financial incentives for Iran. One of Trump's biggest critiques of the JCPOA. This agreement addresses oil waivers, sanctions, frozen assets and funding for reconstruction of Iranian infrastructure. The moment this agreement was signed Wednesday Iran immediately received sanctions waivers allowing it to once again begin selling its oil. This is what traffic looked like in the strait on Thursday essentially returning Iran to a status that it enjoyed under the Obama-era deal.

Now, energy experts assess that this move alone will deliver Tehran between $60- and $70 billion a year. The memorandum then goes further. It states that as part of a final agreement the U.S. will end all sanctions on Iran -- all sanctions. The administration insists this is tied directly to Iranian compliance. In other words, this will not happen unless, in Trump's words, Tehran behaves, include lifting sanctions for supporting terrorism human rights violations plots to assassinate Americans missiles, et cetera.

That language alone goes beyond anything the U.S. has ever offered before. There's also the issue of frozen assets. Under Obama's deal the U.S. and EU unfroze between $100- and $150 billion worth of Iranian funds. Though keep in mind back in 2015 a Treasury Department official testified before Congress that Iran could only access about $50 billion of that. Much of the funds were not liquid available assets.

Nevertheless, for more than a decade President Trump has argued that this meant that the U.S. was giving Iran money.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: We can't continue to make deals like that horrible Iran deal where we give them $150 billion back.

The Iran deal was so bad. We paid $150 billion to sign a horrible agreement.

Obama gave them $1.7 billion in cash, green, green cash.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SANCHEZ: Despite that criticism, the memo just signed by Trump calls for the unfreezing of Iranian assets, which he now is describing on very different terms.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: We have taken them -- it's not our money. It's their money and we froze it. At a certain point in time, I guess we're going to have to give it back.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SANCHEZ: It -- it is not clear when the funds would be unfrozen. Iranian media estimates they amount to roughly $124 billion to $167 billion worth of assets that are held around the world. President Trump's agreement also goes a step even further. As part of a final deal, the MoU requires the U.S. and regional allies establish a reconstruction fund worth $300 billion to help Iran rebuild. Here's how President Trump responded when he was asked about this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's been reported that it includes a three hundred billion dollars reconstruction fund ...

TRUMP: That's false.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: ... funded by Gulf allies. That's false?

TRUMP: No, it's false.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Is there any (INAUDIBLE) ...

TRUMP: People -- you can invest if you want. I mean what am I going to say. Nobody's ever allowed to invest? No. We're not investing. We're not putting up $0.10 and people can decide to do that, but that's up to them. I mean, do you want me to say nobody's ever allowed to invest in -- in a country?

[15:10:07]

We are not investing in it ...

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Understood.

TRUMP: ... and we do not have a fund.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Are you asking Gulf countries to put up the fund?

TRUMP: No, I'm not. I'm not. If they do it, fine. But I would say they won't be doing it for a while until they find out the behavior.

SANCHEZ: Despite saying that you saw the text of the agreement where it talks about $300 billion fund to rebuild Iran. The Trump administration notably says that U.S. taxpayers would not be funding that account. The administration does say the memo is not a final deal. But notably compared to the JCPOA and where this memorandum of understanding now it gives you a picture of how far the administration still has to go over the next 60 days perhaps more to achieve its previously stated objectives.

I want to show you some live pictures now from Joint Base Andrews in Maryland where President Trump is about to unveil the new Air Force One. We're waiting for the President to make some remarks that is expected at any moment. We will of course bring it to you live right here on CNN.

Also, ahead could have more than a century and a half old tradition in New York's Central Park soon be over? City leaders are now pushing to ban horse-drawn carriages following a tragic accident. Plus, sources say that President Trump's controversial pick for Acting

Director of National Intelligence Bill Pulte showed up at his new job a day early and he's already taking steps to cut hundreds of jobs there.

And later, Scottish soccer fans are descending on Boston for the World Cup reportedly causing local bars to run out of beer. That much more coming your way on CNN NEWS CENTRAL.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[15:16:03]

JIMENEZ: Back now with our breaking news on the delayed peace talks between the United States and Iran. President Trump just told NBC that he urged Israel to agree to a ceasefire with Hezbollah this morning. And just a short time ago Israel's ambassador to the U.S. posted this: "Israel remains firmly committed to an immediate ceasefire," adding, "if Hezbollah honors the agreement and ceases its hostilities, they will be met with quiet."

Joining us now is Joel Rubin former deputy assistant secretary of state during the Obama administration. He's also the author of "Saving Democratic Foreign Policy: How Democrats Can Earn the American People's Trust to Lead the World Once Again." Talk about a wide- ranging situation right now that feels a little bit like deja vu in some respects. But let's just start with this factor of Israel and Hezbollah because how much does this renewed ceasefire, fragile as it may be -- how much does it matter to the future of the U.S.-Iran talks.

JOEL RUBIN, FORMER DEPUTY ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF STATE, OBAMA ADMINISTRATION: Well, you know, Omar, the -- the preamble essentially of this MoU, the first paragraph talks about Lebanon three times. So, clearly it was on the minds of the negotiators when they wrote it. They didn't really have a solution to Lebanon and -- and that is something that really is not clear. There's a couple of tracks on Lebanon. There's the American sponsored talks between the Israeli government the Lebanese government. Now, there's this and a ceasefire in Hezbollah. But it's at the top of the agenda because it is the hotspot.

The Israeli leadership can't just turn a blind eye to Hezbollah attacks coming in. And for the United States to engage Iran, Iran says without there being calm we're not going to talk. So, this is the linchpin.

JIMENEZ: Yes. And, you know, one thing that's very interesting in -- in this relationship especially as of late is President Trump telling Axios that if it wasn't for him Israel would have been eviscerated and, quote, "they do as I say, end quote. And then, Vice President Vance also had some pretty strong words from -- for Israel, especially some of the hardline members of Prime Minister Netanyahu's cabinet. Here's what he told The New York Times about the criticism of the deal.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

J.D. VANCE, VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I don't think Bibi himself has actually criticized the deal, because I think he's maybe a little bit more familiar with the details of what's in it. But, yes, you've seen people in their system Ben-Gvir and Smotrich who have attacked the deal. And I guess my response to them would be what is your exact proposal. And, you know, you're -- you're a country of -- of 9 million people, you can't just kill your way out of solving every single national security problem that you have.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

JIMENEZ: And then, Vance was also at the White House saying if I was in the cabinet of the Israeli government I might not be attacking the only powerful ally that I have anywhere left in the entire world. How do you interpret those statements?

RUBIN: Well, the Vice President is clearly not showing any friendship towards Israel at this moment. And, in fact, he's blaming Israel for the dynamic that we're in right now in the region. I think, it's -- it's really beneath his office to say that the Israeli military just fought alongside the American military in a joint operation against Iran.

Iran has killed thousands of American service members. Iran is the opponent in this dynamic and that's why we are having a negotiation with them to deal with these issues. So, to blame Israel for this feeds into memes that are online that are deeply negative towards Israel and the Jewish community. I think you should stay away from that rhetoric.

Argue for the deal. Argue for the validity of the deal. But don't start finding others to blame when there's a little criticism for it.

JIMENEZ: You know people looking at this moment now and trying to figure out how this memorandum of understanding can actually get to that next phase. You know, we thought today was going to be a big day in Switzerland.

RUBIN: Yes.

JIMENEZ: Not quite the case. But you worked on the JCPOA at the time a little bit more than a decade ago. And the President -- this president -- President Trump has insisted his deal will be better. But I just wonder how do you see the -- especially the money part -- and sanctions part of the JCPOA stacking up against this memo of -- of understanding.

[15:20:06]

RUBIN: Look, Omar, he's been saying he'd get a better deal for 11 years now, 12 years now. Donald Trump was attacking President Obama's diplomacy before there was even a JCPOA. And now, the great irony of ironies is that his current deal this MoU is worse than what was achieved at the nuclear talks in 2015.

JIMENEZ: You believe it leaves the U.S. ...

RUBIN: I believe it leaves us weaker. I believe that the idea that we're providing a $300 billion slush fund to Iran makes no sense that we're going to freeze assets without any clear ties to performance written in this document is -- is unseemly. It should not be done. There's no verification protocol. I could go on and on about the technicals.

But at the end of the day, if there is going to be a diplomatic agreement needs to be firm, it needs to be verified. It needs to go to Congress. Congress needs to review it. None of that right now is in front of us. And remember, the JCPOA was a two-year negotiation, after a two-year negotiation earlier for the interim deal. So, this is going to be a long process. And that's why he should never have ripped it up to begin with in 2018.

JIMENEZ: And as you point out, yes, the length in time a major difference. But that -- especially that $300 billion reconstruction or rebuilding of the economy, it's facing criticism on both sides of the political isle.

RUBIN: That's right. Well -- well, we don't know why they want to do that ...

JIMENEZ: Yes.

RUBIN: ... and we don't know where that money will go. Should we be rebuilding the Iranian military? I don't think so.

JIMENEZ: We will see. Appreciate it.

RUBIN: Thanks, Omar.

JIMENEZ: Appreciate you being here, Joel Rubin.

Still to come for us, more on the push in New York City to ban horse- drawn carriages after a tragic incident. We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[15:26:11]

SANCHEZ: Breaking news to CNN, we want to share some live pictures from Joint Base Andrews because President Trump is unveiling the new Air Force One there. The White House had bid farewell to the planes used as Air Force One for more than 35 years this week and we are anticipating the President will emerge and speak momentarily. We will of course bring you his remarks as they happen.

Meantime, the death of an 18-year-old tourist from India is reigniting a call to ban horse-drawn carriage rides in New York City. It's believed to be the first fatality of its kind in the 150 some years that horse rides have been offered in Central Park. The victim's father says the horse driving their carriage bolted suddenly after the driver got out to take pictures causing his wife to fall out. He says his son jumped out to try and save her but hit his head on the ground. CNN has obtained video of the runaway carriage.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That's a horse incident right here ...

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SANCHEZ: CNN's Gloria Pazmino is with us in New York. So, Gloria bring us up to speed. How close is a band happening?

GLORIA PAZMINO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Boris as of right now days after this tragic incident the horses here in Central Park are temporarily off the job. This is where you would have seen them lining up on any regular day to pick up passengers. But the union that represents the carriage drivers has decided to pull the horses from Central Park while they conduct an investigation.

Now, as you said, this incident happened on Wednesday. Unfortunately, a family of four that was here in New York City visiting from India, celebrating their eldest son's acceptance into college. They were inside that carriage. They stopped to take a photo. They asked the driver to get out to take the photo. And it was at that point that the horse became spooked and ran away.

We are told that the fact that the carriage driver left the carriage was in itself a safety violation. That driver has been suspended from the job and the horse has been retired. The 18-year-old was injured when he jumped out of the carriage and in -- hit his head on the pavement. As you said, he was tragically pronounced dead hours later at the hospital.

Now, Boris, for several years here in New York City there's been a push to ban this industry from Central Park. Animal rights advocates who say that the conditions here inside the park are not adequate for the animals that they're inhumane. This is a very congested part of the city. You see you have the bicycles you have pedestrians, you have the pedicabs and all of that makes it dangerous for the horses to operate. That's certainly what the animal advocates believe.

And there is a legislation to ban the industry from the park. I want you to listen directly from the council member who believes that this fatal incident, as you said, the first time this has happened in the history of this industry in New York City. He believes that it will provide the momentum necessary to finally ban the industry. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CHRISTOPHER MARTE, NEW YORK CITY COUNCIL MEMBER: This is long overdue. Are we going to wait for another death or are we going to take action today? This is not a safe environment for a horse. And what we saw two days ago is it takes one second -- one random second for something terrible to happen. And I think that's what we're trying to prevent.

(END VIDEO CLIP) PAZMINO: Now, I also spoke with a representative for the driver's union earlier today and she told me that they are extremely concerned. They are heartbroken over what's happened. The death of this young man. But they believe that their industry can continue to operate and that in fact it does so safely.

[15:30:09]

They point out the fact ...