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Three U.S. Troops Killed in Deadliest Week of Iran War Since March; Gulf Coast Braces for Heavy Rain, Tropical Storm-Force Wind Gusts; Cyclospora Outbreak Raises Questions on Trump Funding Cuts. Aired 7-7:30a ET

Aired July 20, 2026 - 07:00   ET

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

[07:00:00]

JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: The breaking news this morning, gas prices spike back up over $4 a gallon, but there's an even bigger cost to the United States. We have new details about the fallen service members in the war with Iran.

BIANNA GOLODRYGA, CNN ANCHOR: And breaking overnight, the FDA says the test linking lettuce at Taylor Farms to a stomach illness outbreak was a false positive, but the recall remains for now.

And a search underway this morning for the suspects who broke into the home of Philadelphia Eagles star running back Saquon Barkley while he and his family were there.

Kate and Sara are out today. I'm Bianna Golodryga with John Berman. This is CNN News Central.

BERMAN: Breaking this morning, rising prices and a rising death toll, the human and financial cost of the war with Iran. New details about the U.S. troops killed in the fighting there. At least 17 Americans have died since the war started. This weekend, CENTCOM says one service member was killed in Northern Iraq while trying to detonate a downed Iranian attack drone, and remains have been recovered in Jordan amid the search for a service member still missing after an Iranian attack that left two others dead.

And just in moments ago, the Pentagon identified those two soldiers who were killed in Jordan. First Lieutenant Tyler James Feehan, a 25- year-old from Hawaii, and Private Isabella Gonzales, a 19-year-old from Texas. President Trump spoke about the losses.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, U.S. PRESIDENT: Well, we feel very badly, but you know, those great people, those great patriots who are out there fighting that Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon. Iran has been very, very badly damaged. They've lost everything almost militarily.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BERMAN: The first U.S. service members killed in action since March. Also this morning, the average price of gas is back up over $4 a gallon. Again, the human and financial toll of this war is increasing.

Let's get to Kevin Liptak live at the White House for the latest reaction from there. Good morning, Kevin.

KEVIN LIPTAK, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE REPORTER: Yes. This has been one of the deadliest stretch of days since this war began almost four months ago, really ratcheting up the cost for Americans, but also deepening the quandary for President Trump. And the death toll does appear likely to rise.

CENTCOM saying that it's still working to identify remains that were found at the site of that attack on Jordan. They say that two service members had been killed when they came under attack from Iranian missiles and drones. We also understand that there was an additional death in Northern Iraq over the weekend when a service member was working at a controlled detonation of unexploded ordinance.

Both of these incidents, I think underscoring that Iran really does retain missile and drone capabilities that perhaps President Trump may have been underplaying over the last several months, but also seems to have the ability to evade U.S. air defense systems.

It really comes amid escalating exchanges between the two countries, both sides going after increasingly sensitive targets, including civilian infrastructure. Last night, CENTCOM saying that it carried out the ninth straight consecutive night of attacks on Iran. And I also understand from U.S. officials that additional American firepower is heading to the region, including F-16 jets, F-35 jets, as well as additional aerial refueling tankers all now heading to the Middle East.

It's all, I think, led to some anxieties as you see these increased attacks by the U.S. on Southern Iran that perhaps President Trump could be preparing for some sort of ground invasion. And, certainly, the president is at something of a strategic crossroads here as he determines which way to go amid this escalating conflict with Iran.

Of course, these deaths, I think, just reiterate that the U.S. doesn't actually need ground troops in Iran in order for positions in the region to be at heightened risks. Those troops that are arrayed across the Middle East are now coming under fire from Tehran.

[07:05:03]

At the same time, you hear both sides not ruling out the prospect of diplomacy. You had Marco Rubio, the secretary of state, say this morning that the door remains open with Iran for negotiations. He said Iran had communicated, quote, directly and through multiple channels, that they were open to negotiations. You also heard the foreign minister from Iran, Abbas Araghchi, say that negotiations could begin, quote, when you have achieved reliable battlefield and strategic gains, suggesting that there could be efforts even though they're sort of difficult to detect at the moment that both sides are trying to find a way to draw down before this conflict escalates into something that neither side is able to contain. John?

BERMAN: It's escalated fairly far already, again, with the first U.S. deaths really since March.

Kevin Liptak at the White House, thank you very much. Bianna?

GOLODRYGA: Well, this morning we are watching a tropical depression gaining strength as it heads towards the Gulf Coast. The National Hurricane Center is monitoring what will be called Tropical Storm Bertha, and it is expected to bring heavy rain, flooding threats, and powerful tropical storm force winds this week.

CNN's Derek Van Dam joins us now. Derek, so what do folks need to know at home?

DEREK VAN DAM, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Bianna, any time that we have a potential of a tropical development in the Gulf, we obviously want to take it very seriously, especially when it's this close to land. But I'm going to show you the satellite because this is looking very unimpressive, and there's a lot of reasons why.

All the convection, all the thunderstorm activity is being pushed kind of away from the center of circulation. So, it's highly disorganized. However, what's important to note here is that we've got near record levels of temperatures across the Gulf, the Northern Gulf specifically.

So, here's a look at the latest watches. These are tropical storm watches basically near Apalachicola, just to the east, and then you head towards the west near the border of Mississippi and Alabama. These are tropical storm watches for the potential of tropical storm conditions within the next 24 to 36 hours. You take out the forecast cone, and this one has a very modest intensification from the National Hurricane Center, right?

Given all the parameters that we just talked about, we still have to keep a very close eye on it, but our highest resolution model really having a lopsided storm, so it shows the bulk of the rainfall staying offshore. If some of it happens to move closer to the shoreline, it would be a very gusty day as we head into Wednesday and Thursday, New Orleans to Panama City, Mobile, Alabama.

But the bulk of the heaviest rain looks to be just offshore. And the reason is the steering currents behind an upper level high pressure system that's going to keep it really going in a general westerly direction. But we cannot sleep on these systems because we know that tropical mischief this time of year can erupt rather quickly, so we'll keep a close eye on that for you.

Other big story, the chance of severe weather today. Cold front sweeping through the Great Lakes and the Midwest. It heads to New England and the East Coast for the day tomorrow. But the potential here, enhanced risk of severe thunderstorms that could lead to large hail and even tornadoes. Bianna?

GOLODRYGA: All right. Derek Van Dam, thank you. An unimpressive storm, we'll take it. John?

BERMAN: All right, new this morning, an apparent explosive reversal. These might not be the lettuce you're looking for. The FDA says it might be wrong about the source of the parasite causing an outbreak of explosive diarrhea. CNN has learned some of the impacts of the Trump administration's budget and staff cuts in response to the outbreak.

We've got new CNN reporting the financial holdings of an investment firm that counts Donald Trump Jr. as partner have soared to billions of dollars in President Trump's second term.

And we are standing by for funeral service. This is for the 18-year- old whose death on a boat trip with friends is raising so many questions.

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[07:10:00]

BERMAN: All right, new this morning, an apparent reversal by the FDA. Taylor Farms says the FDA apologized and is walking back its claim that it found traces of the parasite, cyclospora, on a sample of its lettuce. There have been thousands of illnesses across the country, the outbreaks, you've heard of them, of explosive diarrhea. A source tells CNN that funding cuts by the administration's created a perfect storm.

CNN Medical Correspondent Meg Tirrell is here with all the details here. So, we thought we knew where this was from, but now not so much?

MEG TIRRELL, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, so the FDA announcement over the weekend caused a little bit of confusion. And so, essentially, they had said that they had this positive test result of cyclospora, and it was on a sample that actually hadn't been included in this recall.

And so now they're saying that's a false positive. Taylor Farms is saying that the FDA apologized about that, but it doesn't actually change the fact that this recall still stands. The traceback still stands to the lettuce that people ate at Taco Bell and this broader recall. And so Taylor Farms has recalled this lettuce from Central Mexico, this iceberg lettuce.

But we also have new reporting this morning about what a lot of public health experts have complained is a slower than expected response from the CDC and the federal government broadly to this outbreak. And just to give you a timeline, the first illnesses started in mid-May. It was July 1st that Michigan warned of an outbreak, and, of course, we know there are so many cases in that state. But then it was two weeks later that the CDC issued its health advisory, and a lot of public health experts said, why did this take the CDC so long, two weeks after Michigan? They said it should've been much earlier.

And so our reporting from our investigative team, my colleague, Brenda Goodman, on the health team, they talked with the head of a former federal lab that was responsible for tracking outbreaks of parasitic illnesses.

[07:15:10]

That staff at that lab had been cut from 11 to 3 last year. By the time that the director of this lab, Dr. Joel Barrett, resigned in September, warning his superiors that the cuts to that lab could affect their ability to track outbreaks quickly in the future.

They also were affected by cuts to USAID funding because they did a lot of work on parasitic illnesses. Malaria is a parasitic illness. There were a lot of sort of shared resources that affected this work. Cyclospora, of course, is a parasite. And, of course, there was 25 percent reduction in CDC staffing last year.

And so what we've heard from Dr. Barrett as well as other sources is you're missing the expertise, the specific expertise in this area because you've seen those kinds of cuts. And also you're missing the sort of all-hands-on-deck ability for people to pitch in when you have just fewer people at the agency.

Now, the White House disputes that there's been any delay here. They also note the USAID funding was not for domestic response, it was for international response. They say the Trump administration's top priority is ensuring the health and safety of the American people, so.

BERMAN: Where do things stand, though? I think what everyone wants to know is this thing coming for me, right?

TIRRELL: Right.

BERMAN: Where -- like is it still spreading?

TIRRELL: So, we don't believe so. What we know right now is that there have been more than 7,000 cases that have been either confirmed or are under investigation, most of them concentrated here in this five-state outbreak, and Michigan really having more than 5,000 cases. But 34 states have reported cases of cyclosporiasis. Some of those are under separate investigations. These are not necessarily all linked to one another.

Of course, we mentioned that false positive, the FDA saying now that there are no confirmed positive sample results. That doesn't mean that this investigation, though has changed in terms of what the recall affects. Taylor Farms, of course, saying that the FDA apologized about that.

Now, Walmart has said over the weekend that it was recalling these potentially affected, although they haven't tied them to any illnesses, products, iceberg salad shredded lettuce from the Marketside brand. And the- it's important to note these use by dates, up to August 3rd, so folks should check. If they've bought any iceberg lettuce under this brand, check your fridges, make sure you don't use it, toss it out.

This is what that Marketside brand looks like. But more broadly, of course, this has really been tied to Taco Bell, which said it's, you know, recalled those products. They should not be in stores anymore. Jack in the Box said it also had recalled some of those products, made sure that they were replaced by a different supplier as well as these other brands.

BERMAN: It seems like we still got to be careful till we learn maybe a little more. Watch what you eat here. Yes. Cook your food thoroughly.

TIRRELL: That will help.

BERMAN: Meg Tirrell, thank you very much. I appreciate it.

We got breaking news, a brand-new day and a brand-new prime minister. We're standing by to see his arrival at 10 Downing Street.

And the growing second family, Usha and J.D. Vance, not to mention baby Alec, they make history.

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[07:20:00]

GOLODRYGA: Happening today, loved ones of 18-year-old Nolan Wells will gather to lay him to rest as they continue to press for answers nearly three weeks after his death.

Wells disappeared during a 4th of July boating trip to Mississippi's Horn Island after becoming separated from the group he was with. His body was found two days later.

His family is raising concerns about inconsistencies in the timeline and witnesses' stories. Authorities suspect that Wells drowned, but the Jackson County sheriff says the investigation is still open.

His mother posted a heartbreaking message on social media ahead of his funeral today.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CHRISTINE WONSLEY, NOLAN WELLS' MOTHER: This loss, this grief, this pain, it's different. It's insurmountable.

You know, one second I might be okay and I can talk about things and I can listen to his stories, and then the next minute, I am falling apart and I feel like I can't breathe.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GOLODRYGA: A mother's heartbreak.

Joining me now, CNN Legal Analyst and criminal Defense Attorney Joey Jackson. Joey, it's good to see you.

So, both autopsies, state and independent, are done. Nothing has been released, cause of death, toxicology, none of it. From a legal standpoint, is that silence standard operating procedure? JOEY JACKSON, CNN LEGAL ANALYST: Yes it is. Okay, good morning to you, Bianna. I mean, a case of this magnitude, I think in any investigation you want to ensure that information, at least initially, especially when you're going to present it to a grand jury, which is what authorities have indicated. They're going to hold tight with this information, and then eventually they'll put it before a grand jury.

I think, certainly, there's a lot, people in the public, who want to know what happened, and as a result of that, Bianna, I think eventually we will find out essentially what happened here. But lot of questions, and I think that the authorities have been counting on the autopsy report, the toxicology report, which would go to show what, if any substances were in his body to determine what's what.

I think it's also important that there was an independent autopsy done here funded by Colin Kaepernick such that the family could rely upon any findings that were ultimately unearthed by the autopsies.

GOLODRYGA: Those friends that were with him on the boat, they've all retained attorneys. As a defense attorney yourself, do you read much into that at all?

JACKSON: So, anyone has a right to have an attorney, but I think there are significant questions in this case with respect to what these friends did, what they knew, and their timeline. Whenever you have a teenager where leaves his phone apparently with his friends, why? Says to the friends according to them he wants to stay on this island to talk to a girl, why? Leaves the keys with the friends, why? And then, of course, you have apparently this young lady calling the mother or contacting the mother, at least the reports indicate, saying, hey, it may have been a hi and bye, but he said he was going with his friends.

[07:25:04]

Why am I saying that? These are discrepancies. You have the FBI involved, of course. The FBI's looking at the different cellphone data, the cellphone GPS tracking to determine where people were and when they were there. And so there's a lot of outstanding questions. You've got 60 witnesses in addition to these three friends that were with him, friends who have been spoken to and investigated. And so, yes, I think based upon the nature of the case, based upon the nature of the timeline of when the friends say he left and when they last saw him, based upon their entire story, I think it's important for them to have counsel. They may very well, depending upon a grand jury investigation, need one.

GOLODRYGA: A family burying their son today with still so many unanswered questions.

JACKSON: Yes.

GOLODRYGA: Thank you so much, Joey. Good to see you.

JACKSON: Good to see you, Bianna. Thank you. GOLODRYGA: And breaking this morning, gas prices top $4 a gallon for the first time in over a month, as the deaths of several U.S. troops raise fears that the war in Iran is escalating.

And new details about an attempted home invasion at Philadelphia Eagles star Saquon Barkley's home this weekend. What police are saying this morning.

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