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Mamdani Defends Criticizing AIPAC After Antisemitism Accusations; New York Mayor Mamdani Backing Contenders Hoping to Unseat Democrat Incumbents; Downed U.S. Pilot Saw Iranian Drones in Jellyfish Formation; Trump Claims Iran Agreed to Nuclear Inspections into Infinity; Note Sent to Media Outlets Claimed Nacy Guthrie Had Died. Aired 8-8:30a ET

Aired June 23, 2026 - 08:00   ET

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

[08:00:00]

SEAN DUFFY, TRANSPORTATION SECRETARY: ... the national airspace to AI tools.

PETE MUNTEAN, CNN AVIATION CORRESPONDENT: This is a complex problem, John. Air traffic control routing's kind of like playing chess in 4D.

And the FAA says this will not only take in weather and air traffic data, but also data from the airlines. They, of course, love this idea. And the top lobby for U.S. Airlines says the industry loses about $8 billion a year due to air traffic control delays. -- John.

JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: Got it. I mean, AI can't control the weather, at least not yet, but it can do all kinds of computations very quickly, right? They can help understand, perhaps, and mitigate some of the circumstances there. Pete Muntean, great to see you this morning. Thank you very much.

Brand new hour of CNN NEWS CENTRAL starts right now.

SARA SIDNER, CNN ANCHOR: All right, voters heading to the polls for primaries across the country today as some of those races pit the influence and power of President Trump against New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani. We'll explain.

Exclusive new CNN reporting, an American pilot shot down over Iran says he saw Iranian drones moving in like jellyfish, setting off alarm bells in the intel community.

And new details on one of the ransom notes sent to media outlets after Nancy Guthrie disappeared. Sources now revealing that note said that Guthrie had died soon after she was kidnapped.

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

KATE BOLDUAN, CNN ANCHOR: It is election day in America once again, my friends. Primaries in four states, one's getting quite a bit of attention this morning. They're happening in New York, where you'll be able to get a first look at the, as part of it, of the political power and weight of the new, New York City Mayor, Zohran Mamdani.

Mamdani has been rolling out a number of endorsements, like he's supporting Brad Lander, over incumbent Democratic Congressman Dan Goldman in New York's 10th congressional district. That endorsement is put in a spotlight once more on what appears to be the growing rift within the Democratic Party over support for Israel.

Lander echoing Mamdani's vocal opposition to Israel and candidates who have received campaign donations from the Israel-linked lobbying group, AIPAC.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MAYOR ZOHRAN MAMDANI, (D) NEW YORK: I want to be very clear. We're talking about a status quo where children are being killed on a daily basis. And when I am speaking about AIPAC, I'm speaking about an organization that has been supportive of the status quo, that has fought any attempt to actually deliver safety to people, not just in Palestine, but frankly, through much of the region.

And it is a status quo for immorality. It is one that I will not accept. And I think that it is important that when we ask ourselves how such death and destruction is happening overseas, we also name those who allow it to take place.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BOLDUAN: So, Congressman Dan Goldman, who is Jewish, has not taken money funding directly from AIPAC, but he is facing real fallout, it appears, already for any support of Israel. Just this weekend, a coffee shop in New York created a firestorm after he and his young daughter just visited the cafe. The owner then posting on social media a caustic and harsh attack against him, saying that he is banned from returning and saying they don't want his money because they believe it came from AIPAC.

Goldman talked about it last night on CNN.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. DAN GOLDMAN (D-NY): It's a reflection, I think, of a sad state of affairs that without knowing me, we could have had such a nice interaction, two people obviously from different backgrounds, different faiths, but that's what America is. And that's what New York City is. That is what I believe in.

The idea of accusing someone who you don't know of supporting a genocide, I mean, it's crazy. It's crazy. Now, I may disagree as to whether or not there's a genocide, but come on, we're better than this.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BOLDUAN: So now, that is now all wrapped up in the lead up to today. Many viewing the results of today's primaries is sending a big message in part about the direction of the Democratic Party heading into the November midterms -- John.

BERMAN: Let's talk about that bigger picture now. With us is CNN Washington Bureau Chief and Political Director David Chalian. Chief Director, good to see you as always.

DAVID CHALIAN, CNN WASHINGTON BUREAU CHIEF AND POLITICAL DIRECTOR: Good Morning, John.

BERMAN: Kind of help us understand tomorrow's news today, by tomorrow morning, or when they've counted the votes fully in New York City, which they do more quickly now than they may have a few years ago. But when they're all counted- --

CHALIAN: They do, yes, yes, exactly.

BERMAN: What will we have learned, do you think?

CHALIAN: Well, I do think we'll learn something about Mayor Mamdani's political prowess in New York City.

[08:05:00]

I mean, I do think, you know, there are a bunch of competitive primaries. He's backed a trio of candidates in three districts. Notably, he hasn't endorsed publicly in his own district where he lives now, in Gracie Mansion in Manhattan. And he is definitely leaning into endorsing sort of the Democratic-Socialist-aligned left rising wing in the Democratic Party against more establishment.

I can't even call some of the moderate, they are also liberals by any definition, but the more establishment pick. And so how Democratic primary voters, and that's the advantage we have, John, on an election like this. It is a primary, a Democratic primary, in a very blue place. So it gives us a window into the cross currents inside the Democratic Party today.

These are not going to be competitive races determining control of the House come November, but they do give us a window into the Democratic Party today.

BERMAN: And how much does what happens here matter beyond New York City? Of course, New York City residents tell you that everything happens here is paramount everywhere on earth and beyond. But politically speaking, this type of situation is fairly unique.

I mean, New York City is a fairly unique place demographically.

CHALIAN: It is unique, John, but I do think some of the conversations that Kate just walked through that's happening in that Dan Goleman race over Israel and support for Israel, I think we're going to see that conversation on the presidential level in the '27 and '28 Democratic presidential primary. So I don't say, oh, this is just New York. I mean, Mamdani's election, I don't think you can just say, oh, this is just New York.

I think that you have to look at there is a potency and power in this wing of the party right now. Now, it will play out differently in different kinds of political geographic areas, but nonetheless, this is where sort of the, if you're wanting to tap into where the, in the bloodstream of the Democratic Party, this is informative, and I think it will play out nationally as well.

BERMAN: OK, so who are the higher level actors here watching this most closely? You mentioned Zohran Mamdani, who by the way, can never be president, at least based on the Constitution now. So he's capped on how far he can rise politically, but talk to me about Chuck Schumer, talk to me maybe about Donald Trump, but also about some Democratic presidential prospects, how they might interpret this.

CHALIAN: Yes, and I'll add one more, Hakeem Jeffries, who's poised to perhaps become the next Speaker of the House who comes from New York City. He, you know, there's our reporting from Isaac Ophir and others have indicated, you know, Jeffries has his eye on these races as well as he's trying to look at what his caucus might be like should he win the speakership. But you are right, there are other players here.

Chuck Schumer, as you know, he's not up this cycle, John, but he's up in 2028, and whether or not he retires or sees a path forward, whether or not somebody like Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez challenges him in a primary situation for that Senate seat or decides to run for president, Chuck Schumer's going to be watching really closely the dynamics that play out in this race to understand where he fits into the New York Democratic firmament.

And I just want to go outside the city for a second too, John. There are races like in Mike Lawler's district upstate. You know, that is a district that will have a primary today and which Democrat emerges could have real impact in a very competitive battleground state that will help determine control of the House in the fall. So it's not all New York City tonight, but I do think that's where most of our attention is going to be focused.

BERMAN: And just very quickly, it's not all Democrats when it comes to the issues surrounding Israel either, is it? I mean, Tucker Carlson, very, very public critic of Israel said this just over the last 24 hours about his support of the Republican Party. Listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TUCKER CARLSON: I would not support the Republican Party. There's no chance I would support the Republican Party. Not going to support the Democratic Party.

I don't know what I'm going to do. But at this point, you know, how could you support, how could I or any American voter support a political party that's not loyal to the United States that puts the interests of a foreign country above those of its own citizens? Like that's, you know, it's not possible to vote for people like that.

So no, I'm out. And if I'm out, then I think a lot of other people are out.

(END VIDEO CLIP) BERMAN: But that foreign country he is talking about is Israel. Make no mistake about it. Go ahead, David.

CHALIAN: Yes, John, you and I, this may not be terribly surprising to us who have watched sort of Tucker Carlson's evolution here. But just think about if you and I were having this conversation, I don't know, a few years ago, that Tucker Carlson just totally disowns any association with the Republican Party. He has been a front man for the Republican Party for 35 years, I think he said. And this is a dramatic development.

So you are right.

[08:10:00]

We are seeing this notion of Israel as a litmus test in both parties and whether or not members of the parties are seen as too supportive and that invites in sort of an insurgency and support from a wing of the party that is dedicated to opposition to Israel. That is creating a real divide within each of these parties.

I think we see in the polling, this is a bigger, more pronounced problem right now on the Democratic side than it is on the Republican side, but it is there too, no doubt.

BERMAN: All right, check this space tomorrow. David Chalian, great to see you as always. Thanks so much.

CHALIAN: You too, John, thanks.

BERMAN: Sara.

SIDNER: All right, thank you, gentlemen. Brand new exclusive scene in reporting this morning. A U.S. fighter plane shot down in Iran, sharing details that have raised alarms about Iran's drone capabilities.

And Europe baking under a deadly heat wave. France is now bracing for its hottest day ever.

Plus, a group of Americans now released from quarantine after sailing on that cruise ship hit by the deadly Hantavirus.

We will take you to all the stories and more ahead.

[08:15:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BERMAN: All right, just moments ago, President Trump responded to critics over the Memorandum of Understanding that he signed with Iran. He says, the money that the U.S. Treasury will release for Iran is going into escrow, won't be used to buy food and medical supplies exclusively from the United States. It should be noted, the money he's talking about here is different than the money from oil that Iran, as of now, can already sell sanction-free for U.S. dollars. Many see that as a huge windfall that Iran can get right now.

Also this morning, CNN has exclusive new reporting on one of the most dramatic incidents of the war, the downing of a U.S. fighter jet over Iran. Sources say the pilot, who was rescued by special forces, described seeing something before ejecting, a swarm of Iranian drones moving as one in a formation that resembled a jellyfish.

Now, if that is accurate, this would represent a major advance in Iran's drone capabilities. With us, CNN political and global affairs commentator, Sabrina Singh, and CNN military analyst, retired Colonel Cedric Leighton. Cedric, I'm going to go to you, the Air Force guy here.

A swarm of Iranian drones, why is that a big deal, if true?

COL. CEDRIC LEIGHTON (RET.), CNN MILITARY ANALYST: Yes, if true, John, this is a really big deal because what it represents is the possibility, at least, of a larger drone serving as a command and control node for smaller drones. Now, the larger drone would probably be controlled by the ground, but then it would serve as a relay station for the drones that are basically junior to it, the smaller ones that are all around it. And what that does is it's basically a force multiplier.

It allows the Iranians to potentially engage multiple targets, and if it's going after a fighter jet, it could basically swarm that fighter jet and overwhelm its defenses. So that is the basic idea behind it.

BERMAN: The other thing, Sabrina, if true, is it shows the Iranians still have advanced drone technology and capability, that it has not been destroyed in this war. Just like now we've learned that their missile capabilities have not been destroyed, they still have enriched uranium, which was not completely destroyed. So what does that tell us about what was accomplished up until that point in the war?

SABRINA SINGH, CNN POLITICAL AND GLOBAL AFFAIRS COMMENTATOR: Well, what it tells us is that the U.S. military, while it was effective in degrading the Iranian Navy and Air Force, Iran still maintains and retains quite incredible capabilities. I mean, this new reporting, and as Cedric laid out, if this is true, is very complex. And something that if Iran is able to execute on the battlefield is really going to change how modern wars are already being fought.

I mean, we're seeing that, how drones are impacting the battlefield, both in Iran and, of course, in Ukraine. And so the fact that Russia -- I mean, the fact that Iran is able to not only retain these drone capabilities, the United States has expended an incredible amount of military might. And just tomorrow, Pete Hegseth is going to go on the Hill and ask for $80 billion more to fund this war and to backfill our stocks.

So I think if this story and the reporting holds true, Iran is really going to change the modern battlefield and also how the U.S. purchases its own arms and thinks about future wars. BERMAN: I mentioned when I was leading into you guys, the president was writing about Iranian money that's being freed up. He's also writing about the nuclear weapons inspections that Vice President Vance announced yesterday morning. Then the Iranians started talking about it in a very, very different way.

A spokesperson for the Foreign Ministry said that weapons inspectors have not been invited back to the sites that were bombed, the destroyed nuclear sites, the major ones that are believed to hold the enriched uranium. But moments ago, the president wrote, Iran has fully and completely agreed to highest level nuclear inspections long into the future, infinity! Three exclamation points, he writes.

Cedric, what's the discrepancy here? If Iran is saying they haven't been invited back to certain sites and the president's saying the most sensitive for infinity, is there any wiggle room between the two?

[08:20:00]

LEIGHTON: It's hard to discern that wiggle room at this point, John, but basically what you're talking about is the Iranians are saying that those sites that were impacted by the bombing campaigns, both in the, presumably in the 12 day war, as well as in this latest version of the conflict, that really means that the Iranians want to keep those under wraps because they probably don't want to show the extent of the damage that has been caused by U.S. and Israeli aircraft. Now, when you go back in time, previous inspection regimes, they show the extent of the damage that has been caused by U.S. and Israeli aircraft. Now, when you go back in time, previous inspection regimes, there were sites that were undeclared that the Iranians had, and the IAEA, the International Atomic Energy Agency, they tried to get into those sites and they were successful in getting reports for three of them. But what that tells me is that there are probably multiple sites out there, some of which we don't, some of them we don't know about.

And in that particular case, what you're seeing is the Iranians trying to find ways to hide what they've got and potentially keep the capability of developing a nuclear weapon, regardless of what kind of agreement they make with the United States or other parties.

BERMAN: Yes, Sabrina, what do you read into what appears to be a discrepancy in language, whether it's a discrepancy in facts on the ground, I guess, remains to be seen.

SINGH: Well, this is certainly mixed messaging coming from this administration and the Iranians, but I think both Trump and the Iranians are messaging to their audiences. This administration wants to take a victory lap after the high-level talks that J.D. Vance left, and they want to say that we have IAEA inspectors going back on the ground. But this isn't something that's groundbreaking.

You'll remember that the Obama-Iran deal, we had IAEA inspectors going in and checking on these sites in Iran, and Iran is party to the nonproliferation treaty, as well, that mandates that these inspections happen. So it's really just getting back to the norm right now. Again, I think, John, what you said earlier about Iran being able to sell its oil right now, that is a real break from U.S. policy and something that is enriching them right now, both economically and could help them also rebuild their military, as well.

BERMAN: And what's most notable is that, in the president's long post on True Social, that's not what he talked about. He was talking about a different pot of money and different things, not what the Department of Treasury absolutely did sign yesterday into action. Sabrina Singh, Colonel Cedric Leighton, great to see both of you.

Thank you very much -- Kate.

BOLDUAN: We're following breaking news right now. Just in the last few minutes, Savannah Guthrie is responding to the new details and the new reporting about one of the ransom notes about her mother's disappearance, indicating that her mother died shortly after being abducted. We're going to bring you Savannah's new comments in just a minute.

Plus, days after the controversial pick took the position and Bill Pulte took charge as Director of National Intelligence, a source now tells CNN large-scale job cuts are now underway at the office of the Director of National Intelligence. How lawmakers are reacting to this today. We'll bring you that.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BOLDUAN: Yes, just this morning, Savannah Guthrie is now speaking out, just now after the reporting has revealed new details about the ransom notes that her family received after her mother, Nancy Guthrie's disappearance. Law enforcement sources tell CNN that one of the notes said that Nancy Guthrie had died shortly after being abducted. Savannah, this morning, says she was not going to comment on the reporting, which NBC also had, but she did say this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SAVANNAH GUTHRIE, NBC NEWS ANCHOR: I can't pretend I'm not here. And so since I am, I wanted to just take the opportunity to ask people to really to beg people to come forward. Somebody knows something.

And this is a new story today that is on your radar, but this is the life that my sister lives, that I live, that my brother lives, that our extended families live, that our children live every day. And we are in agony. We cannot be at peace.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BOLDUAN: Oh my God, my heart. All of our hearts continue to break for them. CNN's Ed Lavandera has been following this investigation from the very beginning, now five months ago.

Ed, what are you hearing?

ED LAVANDERA, CNN SENIOR NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, it continues to be an excruciating story for the Guthrie family, as they still hope. And they clearly believe that there are a number of people out there who know exactly what happened to Nancy Guthrie and where she might be. But this is significant in the sense that we are nearly five months into Nancy Guthrie's disappearance.

And at this point, even the Guthrie family has said they understand that the likelihood of her coming home alive is very minimal. So they are in the process of trying to accept that fact. But we do have confirmation from several law enforcement sources that do say that in the flurry of ransom letters that were sent to the family in the days after Nancy Guthrie went missing, that there were a number of letters that law enforcement investigators deemed to be credible.

One of those was demanding millions of dollars very early on. And then a second note from what investigators believe to be the same person said that Nancy Guthrie had died shortly after being kidnapped, that it was not something that they meant to happen, but it happened. So clearly very early on, the family was getting indication that this was not going to end well.

And if you remember, one of the first videos that the family released was in direct response to those ransom letters where Savannah Guthrie said, we got your letter, we understand. Clearly a direct reference to the information, the horrible information that was included in that second letter. CNN and a Tucson station were aware of the contents of the letter at the time.

We were asked by law enforcement authorities not to reveal those exact details because they were trying to be able to ensure confirmation and confirmation of whoever might be sending those letters. So that is the kind of information that investigators were hoping to hold back so that they could continue being able to confirm the identity of whoever was sending these letters because there were so many letters that were simply just trying to take advantage of the situation. But the Guthries -- remember, there is still a reward.

[08:30:00]