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Mayor Mamdani's Allies Sweep House Primaries in New York; Congress Weighs Aviation Safety Upgrades After Close Calls; Millions Enduring Sweltering Heat Wave in London; Judge Demands Explanation for Kennedy Center Tarp. Aired 3:30-4p ET
Aired June 24, 2026 - 15:30 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[15:30:00]
GLORIA PAZMINO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: ... Regarding an alleged bribery scheme involving senior level officials within the department, Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch acknowledged the investigation earlier today, confirming that there were several raids and search warrants that were served on these officials this morning, and saying that the department will cooperate with the investigation.
BRIANNA KEILAR, CNN HOST: All right, Gloria, thank you very much -- Boris.
BORIS SANCHEZ, CNN HOST: New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani just scored a hat trick in his first political primary as leader of the nation's largest city. All three of the progressive candidates he backed won their congressional primaries last night in a remarkable show of force for the insurgent left, the results sending shockwaves to the Democratic Party.
Let's dig into what all this means with CNN Chief National Affairs Correspondent Jeff Zeleny. Jeff, how are you reading the results from last night?
JEFF ZELENY, CNN CHIEF NATIONAL AFFAIRS CORRESPONDENT: Look, a huge night for Mayor Mamdani. There's just no question about it. I mean, not only did all of his endorsed candidates win, but he single handedly helped defeat two incumbent Democratic members of Congress, including the chairman of the Hispanic Congressional Caucus.
So that, of course, raises some concerns here in Washington and perhaps all across the country as well, just about what is happening inside the Democratic conference here. If the ultimate objective for Democrats is to win the House majority in November, what did the events of last night to do toward that? At the very least, they caused some hard feelings.
This is what Hakeem Jeffries, a Democratic leader, said today.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HAKEEM JEFFRIES (D-NY), MINORITY LEADER: Listen, the mayor and I agreed to strongly disagree about some of his endorsements. And he's got work to do in terms of the conversations that he's going to have with members of Congress moving forward.
MAYOR ZOHRAN MAMDANI, (D) NEW YORK CITY: And I'm looking forward to working with Congressman Jeffries on delivering for the people of our city. And what I see these results as a reflection of are the fact that New Yorkers are hungry for a new kind of politics. They are hungry for a politics that understands working people should be at the heart of it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ZELENY: Look, you could just hear Hakeem Jeffries there kind of moderating his words. He said he has some work to do with members of Congress. The reality here is that what is potentially changing for Hakeem Jeffries is if Democrats win control in November, is it going to complicate things by pulling the party left?
We shall see. And we can't read too much into what happened in deep blue New York City, which is happening in mayor's races across the country as well, to what actually is happening in battleground districts across the country. But the question is, is that going to make it more difficult by giving Republicans some ammunition to brand the Democratic Party?
SANCHEZ: That is an important question. House Speaker Mike Johnson and other Republican leaders are reacting to these results. What are they saying?
ZELENY: Look, I mean, they are trying to brand all Democrats, even ones in swing states in Iowa, in Wisconsin, in Ohio, other places as basically the same as these Democratic Socialists of America. Of course, there are. It's a big attempt.
There are many different kinds of Democrats, many different kinds of Republicans. But is it going to make Democrats job more difficult? Certainly it makes Hakeem Jeffries job more difficult.
We'll see what impact it has for the Democratic attempts to win control of Congress in November. But certainly at the bottom line, a huge night for the new mayor of New York City.
SANCHEZ: Yes. I mean, there were folks on social media. I saw videos of folks at one of these victory parties chanting as Hakeem Jeffries was on a screen doing an interview.
You're next. You're next. So it could spell some trouble for him.
ZELENY: And add Chuck Schumer into that. He has to decide if he's running in 2028. So very interesting primary night in New York last night.
SANCHEZ: Jeff Zeleny, thank you so much for that.
Still to come, questions about a cover up. A judge wants to know why there is still a tarp over the exterior of the Kennedy Center days after President Trump's name was taken off the building.
New details coming your way.
[15:35:00]
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KEILAR: The NTSB is investigating after a close call at Boston Logan Airport over the weekend. This happened when a landing Delta jet and an American Airlines plane that was taking off came close to colliding. And now Congress is aiming to upgrade the nation's air safety systems.
CNN aviation correspondent Pete Muntean is with us now. What happened here?
PETE MUNTEAN, CNN AVIATION CORRESPONDENT: You know, these new warnings from members of Congress come just days after this near collision at Boston Logan International Airport, where these two planes came within only a few hundred feet of colliding. In the Senate hearing, lawmakers expressed major concern that the aviation system is too reliant on last second saves by pilots and by air traffic controllers.
And it also came with a stark warning from the head of the airline industry's top lobbying group. He testified there are likely far more close calls than the public ever hears about. Though the latest FAA data shows cases of planes or other vehicles being on the runway when they're not supposed to be is way, way down than recent numbers.
In 2023, the FAA recorded 21 serious cases, which are known officially as runway incursions. So far this year, the FAA has reported only four, but notably that includes the fatal collision of Air Canada flight and an airport fire truck on the runway at LaGuardia. But lawmakers say that and this latest collision near collision in Boston shows that the risk is still very real.
This happened on Saturday when a Delta Airlines flight was on final approach as an American Airlines jet was accelerating for takeoff from an intersecting runway. Thankfully, the Delta crew aborted their approach at the last moment, avoiding this potential collision.
[15:40:00]
And I want you to listen now to what Senator Tammy Duckworth said about that.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. TAMMY DUCKWORTH (D-IL): These close calls remind us of the tight margins for the calculations made by pilots and air traffic controllers. In far too many of these incidents, the difference between a close call and a deadly disaster has come down to a single, highly trained and professional individual taking emergency action.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MUNTEAN: The National Transportation Safety Board is now investigating Saturday's incident. The other major point in this hearing centered on a push for new cockpit technology that pilots say could help prevent collisions before they happen. The head of the airline pilots union blasted what he called efforts to stall safety reforms following last year's deadly midair collision near Reagan National Airport.
The Senate has already passed a bipartisan bill backed by the NTSB chair, but the House has yet to act on it, leaving some of the most significant safety recommendations from the DCA crash still in limbo more than a year later.
KEILAR: So just to be clear, as that one plane was going to take off, did the pilots just see the other plane land?
MUNTEAN: A mark one eyeball is the best defense that pilots have. And they were able to see this collision essentially in the making. They aborted their landing.
KEILAR: They tapped the brakes.
MUNTEAN: Yes, well, they weren't on the ground just yet, but they put the power in and went around avoiding this potential collision. But the data we have from Flightradar24 is that this was a very close call. We're talking maybe only a few hundred feet away.
KEILAR: The landing plane.
MUNTEAN: The landing plane saw the Delta flight, which was coming in from the south. And this sort of begs the issue. The design of some of these airports really sort of bakes in some of these collisions in the making.
And so you see that airplane going essentially diagonally up the screen was the one that was still in the air. The one going across the screen right to left was the one that was still on the ground. But the fact that these runways intersect and airports use intersecting runways can create confusion and really put airplanes on a collision path when they're not really intending on doing that.
It makes it easier for air traffic controllers to keep planes moving and keep the system pumping when air travel is really brimming at the seams. But it can create dangerous situations like we just saw.
KEILAR: Yes, these vectors intersect. They're not parallel.
MUNTEAN: That's right.
KEILAR: So at some point they could come into contact. Pete, thank you so much. Really appreciate it.
MUNTEAN: You bet.
KEILAR: Coming up, a deadly record-breaking heat wave bringing Miami- like humidity to the UK. How European countries are coping with these sweltering temperatures without having air conditioning in many cases. We've got an update from London next.
[15:45:00] (COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SANCHEZ: An extreme heat wave is gripping parts of Europe. Major cities like London feeling as humid as Miami. In fact, the UK's hottest June temperature record has been broken again for the third time in one day.
23 countries now currently under heat alerts. Take a look at the highs across Europe today. London 96, Paris, Rome, Madrid all over 100, even Zurich getting over 90 degrees.
It's become a problem for many tourists and the bus drivers who work all day in the heat. Many of those buses not equipped with AC. What's this?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It's hot. I'm from the U.S. and right now it's actually about 20 to 25 degrees colder where I'm from. So this is a little, a little warm.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We're not prepared for this. Not at all. Like 35 degrees. The AC is not working.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm going to finish now. I can't take this hour. It's not easy.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And I think the buses are not prepared as well.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SANCHEZ: CNN's Clare Sebastian is in London for us to show us how the heat is impacting travel.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CLARE SEBASTIAN, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: This is one of London's biggest rail hubs, Victoria Station. And you only have to look at the departure boards inside the station to see just how much the transport network is being affected by the weather. We've seen trains delayed, some even canceled.
There's a critical express train that runs from here to one of London's biggest airports, Gatwick airport. And as of the middle of the afternoon on Wednesday, it is currently not running. So passengers have been advised not to travel unless absolutely necessary.
But of course, some people have to, and we've been speaking to some of those about how they've had to adapt.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Going back to Worthing, my little boy's about to be off school because he's been sick with heat exhaustion.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I've been traveling like through London and it's like so hot. Like I Ubered to the train station, even though it's like a 15 minute walk. It's been, it's been a nightmare. SEBASTIAN: This isn't just a railway station. This is also a bus station and conditions on these buses, many of which are not air conditioned, have been getting pretty difficult.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We're not prepared for this. Not at all. It's like 35 degrees. The AC is not working.
SEBASTIAN: With temperatures like these set to go on for a couple more days, with all of this disruption sending a ripple effect through the economy, it's a real wake up call for this city and its decades old transport system that simply wasn't built for these temperatures.
Clare Sebastien, CNN, at Victoria Station in London.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SANCHEZ: Thanks to Clare for that report -- Brianna.
KEILAR: Now to some of the other headlines that we're watching this hour. The Trump backed candidate in Colombia is now officially set to take over as president of that country. Right wing populist Abelardo de la Espriella narrowly defeated leftist Ivan Cepeda in the second round of elections on Sunday.
Today Cepeda officially conceding the race. Espriella is a dual U.S. Colombian citizen who calls himself "The Tiger." He's vowed to crack down on violent criminals and drastically reduce public spending.
[15:50:00]
A person in France has tested positive for Ebola after returning from a humanitarian mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo. This marks the first reported case in France amid an Ebola outbreak that the CDC has said is the second largest on record in the DRC. The outbreak is driven by a rare strain of the virus which has no vaccine or specific treatment. At least 277 people in the DRC and two in Uganda had died in this outbreak.
More than a thousand cases have been confirmed in the Congo. The person in France who has not been named is said to be in stable condition.
And a wildfire in Utah has now burned about 31,000 acres and is still not contained. High temperatures and strong winds are making it really difficult to put out. The fire started on Monday near multiple campgrounds and summer homes and it grew to 2,000 acres in just a matter of hours. Evacuations have been ordered for parts of Beaver County, Utah, and the cause of the fire is under investigation.
And how about this? A police chase going around 15, that's 1, 5, miles an hour. Deputies say the driver took off but not very quickly in that RV there.
They say he hit at least two other cars and weaved across lanes before stopping in someone's front yard, climbing out and trying to run away. But deputies eventually caught him. The man is now facing charges including DUI, driving with a revoked license and possession of a controlled substance.
Still ahead, a judge demanding an explanation on that tarp covering that the sign on the Kennedy Center just stayed -- on that sign at the Kennedy Center, pardon me, just days after President Trump's name was removed from the building.
[15:55:00]
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SANCHEZ: So a federal judge is now demanding an explanation from the John F. Kennedy Center for Performing Arts for why that tarp and scaffolding, which has covered the building's exterior signage for days, is still there.
KEILAR: Yes, U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper ruled in May that the board of trustees had added Donald Trump's name to the center illegally. After various delays, workers assembled the scaffolding and tarp overnight on June 13th. Senior White House reporter Betsy Klein is with us now.
Betsy, what's going on here?
BETSY KLEIN, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE REPORTER: New images earlier this week that does appear to confirm that President Trump's name has been removed. But now the judge wants the Kennedy Center to provide a status check on that tarp.
In his order, he says quote, "The joint status report shall indicate the purpose for and status of the tarp and scaffolding that defendants have erected on the front portico of the center to the extent they remain at that time."
Now, Cooper is also demanding that the Kennedy Center remain open during those planned renovations that are started as expected to start in the next couple of weeks. They have requested more time to comply with his order.
And he wants updates on all of that as well.
SANCHEZ: There is the question of why they would block the name in part for political reasons, because the White House may not want to see that image. I mean, I remember when the tarp went up, there was a crowd of hundreds outside. And CNN was live.
It went up to three in the morning. People were playing music and chanting things. Is there a political calculus for the White House in this?
KLEIN: There's almost certainly a political calculus here. President Trump is acutely aware of optics and stagecraft. And so whether this was something that he encouraged or something that people who work for him required, we don't know.
But certainly he doesn't want to see his name come down.
SANCHEZ: We'll see what the legal arguments say. Betsy Klein, thank you so much.
So the Miami Marlins are looking for a new MVP, a most valuable pup. It's all because of what happened last night at a game against the Rangers. It was bark at the park night. People were encouraged to bring their dogs to the game.
Unfortunately, because of rights issues, we can't show you the full video, but I ensure you it is hilarious that Sheba in front of you was fed a hot dog and the dog behind him watched in agony, very closely, sad puppy dog eyes.
KEILAR: Makes sense because glizzies are delicious. We stand by that here on this show. What a rough day for that pooch.
That guy right there, look at that face. We need some Sara McLachlan video to play over that face. Now the Marlins want help.
They want to find that good boy and you can help. They want to bring him back. They want to treat him to what's being promised as a dream day at Lone Depot Park.
And the team has put a wanted ad out on social media. They hope that this pet project has a happy ending. I tried to really like deliver that with meaning.
SANCHEZ: Yes, you have to.
KEILAR: Because this is sad.
SANCHEZ: He just sort of sat there in agony and you can see that the Sheba was really happy and he just looks so crestfallen. But we certainly hope for the best. If you recognize this dog, please let the Miami Marlins know.
By the way, the Miami Marlins hottest team in baseball right now, 15 wins in the month of June. They beat the Rangers last night. Just had to mention that.
KEILAR: Hottest team, hot dog. I mean, it all makes sense.
"THE ARENA" with Kasie Hunt starts right now.
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