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U.S. Asks Troops for Creative and Unconventional Ideas to Punish Iran; Trump Says Iran Talks to Resume Today After Strikes Called Off; Progressive Left's Influence Tested in Swing State of Michigan; Moscow Mayor Calls Deadly Restaurant Blast a Terrorist Attack; Ebola Outbreak in D.R. Congo Now Second Largest on Record; FBI & Police Investigating Attack at Idaho In-N-Out That Killed Three; Trump Signs Executive Order in the Oval Office. Aired 1:30-2p ET

Aired August 03, 2026 - 13:30   ET

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

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[13:31:59]

BRIANNA KEILAR, CNN CO-ANCHOR OF "CNN NEWS CENTRAL": Now, a CNN Exclusive. Sources say that the U.S. is asking military analysts for creative and unconventional ideas to punish Iran.

BRIAN ABEL, CNN CO-ANCHOR OF "CNN NEWS CENTRAL": The United States essentially crowdsourcing new ways to wage the war President Trump launched, now in its sixth month. CNN's Kevin Liptak is joining us with details. And we're also joined by CNN Military Analyst, retired Air Force Colonel Cedric Leighton.

And let's first go to Kevin Liptak at the White House. And Kevin, what are you learning about this?

KEVIN LIPTAK, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE REPORTER: Yeah, and it is kind of a remarkable email that I think underscores the difficulty that the administration, the White House, the military are having in trying to shake loose any concessions from Iran. You know, this war has stretched on for months and there doesn't seem to be any indication yet that Iran is loosening its stranglehold on the Strait of Hormuz, that it's willing to concede on the nuclear program.

And what this official at Central Command, he was in the intelligence -- they were in the intelligence branch. And what they wrote to this wide group of analysts was essentially looking for some new ideas. We are looking for new and unconventional ways to pressure and punish Iran is what they wrote in this email.

Trying, in the words of one official, to kick off a brainstorming session to see if there were any thoughts within the broader community of analysts about some way to shake loose this war. Because it has ended up at something of a stalemate.

Now, what CENTCOM has said is that this is somewhat typical. They say U.S. Central Command has a long history of thinking and working in innovative ways. That's a spokesman for CENTCOM there. And they say that Admiral Cooper, referring to Admiral Brad Cooper, who is the commander of CENTCOM, in particular, reaches out to members of our great team, regardless of rank, to achieve the highest levels of operational performance possible.

Now, what we don't know is what this inquiry yielded. Was there any new ideas that they brought into CENTCOM that could potentially try and move some of this along a little bit? But it is evident just by what we've seen over the weekend, President Trump threatening major escalation before pulling back, that they are still in search in a lot of ways of an avenue to bring this war to a conclusion.

KEILAR: Colonel, I wonder what you think of this approach. Is there a precedent for this? Is this unusual? Does this make sense?

COL. CEDRIC LEIGHTON (RET.), CNN MILITARY ANALYST: So it's somewhat unusual at the strategic level. Now, at the more tactical level, there have been programs like the Air Force Suggestion Program where people who are doing things like, let's say, maintenance work on an airplane, if they have a new procedure, they can get awards. They can actually get cash awards for turning in a new idea. And those ideas have often saved the military thousands, if not millions of dollars.

So there is some reference there. The other thing is Admiral Cooper, the Commander of CENTCOM, Kevin was mentioning, he has had a history of doing some innovative things in some of his prior assignments, including as commander of 5th Fleet in Bahrain, which is the Middle Eastern naval force that the U.S. has and has had for many decades there in various forms.

[13:35:16]

So the innovative approaches that they're seeking at the strategic level are kind of interesting because usually that's kind of the province of a planning group, kind of the province of people who are developing war plans. We've basically gone into, I think this is kind of a tacit admission that we've gone into this war without using those war plans or moving them around in such a way, the components of those plans in such a way that we really don't have a desired end state, and this is why they're soliciting kind of a crowdsourcing effort there.

KEILAR: Yeah, and Kevin, what did CENTCOM tell CNN? Anything else?

LIPTAK: Well, I think that the way they're describing it is sort of a routine measure to try and get the temperature from the people who are actually responsible for planning this war and may have some insights that didn't necessarily rise up to the level of the military brass. I think, you know, what we don't know yet is whether this has shaken anything loose, and I think what -- you've heard from the president today, still continued frustration at the state of diplomacy with Iran, you know, less than 24 hours after last night saying that he thought a deal was to be had on the Strait of Hormuz and that the Gulf countries were working to try and make that happen.

You hear from him that state of frustration that the diplomacy is not yet yielding what he thought it would, and I think that just goes to show why the military is looking for some new ideas here, because clearly, what the president has been trying is frustrating not only him, but some of the people who are trying to carry out this war in a way that hasn't yet produced what the president is looking for.

ABEL: And Colonel, you know, Iran's foreign ministry says it's in talks with Oman to establish a safe, temporary -- that might be the key word here -- route for vessels through that critical waterway. What do you make of that? Is that something that Iranians are truly going to engage with without fees, without tolls of any sort?

LEIGHTON: Brian, I think that the idea that it'll be without fees or without tolls may be a bridge too far for the Iranians. They realize that they have a bit of leverage here. What they'd really like is some kind of concord between Iran and Oman that would allow both countries, perhaps, to collect fees and to do something where they can, in essence, both control the Strait of Hormuz. But we know who the senior partner in a relationship like that would be, and that would be Iran. So the Iranians see a major advantage in -- even, you know, in accordance with their efforts with Oman.

They believe that they will still have the advantage, that they will still get the monies that they think they are owed in this particular case. Of course, that contravenes international law, and so that's going to be, you know, either we change international law as a result of this or something else has to happen.

KEILAR: And Trump told reporters that there's a deal on Hormuz and then there will be a deal on the nuclear. How are you reading that?

LEIGHTON: Well, I'm skeptical, Brianna, because we've been basically at this point before and I think what you're seeing is a desire by the president to reach those deals, which is totally understandable. The problem is, is that the Iranians may not be playing ball. They see that they have certain advantages here, especially when it comes to controlling the Strait of Hormuz, at least being able to make it difficult for vessels to go through the Strait.

And that's enough of a control lever that they have that would make it really difficult for them to negotiate any type of concession on their part. They think they still have the upper hand. They don't see themselves being forced away from anything that they've achieved so far.

KEILAR: All right, Cedric, thank you so much. Kevin, really appreciate the reporting.

Still to come, after a streak of primary wins among Democratic Socialists, we're about to find out just how far to the left Democratic voters have truly moved and whether the party's progressive message appeals to a larger audience. The major test in Michigan, right after this.

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[13:43:54]

ABEL: Later today, candidates in Michigan will hold final campaign events in a race that is a big test for the Democratic Party and the progressive left's influence on it. Tomorrow's Democratic Senate primary at pits Establishment Congresswoman, Haley Stevens against party upstart, Abdul El-Sayed. Sayed is not a Democratic Socialist, but he does align with the movement on many issues and has been endorsed by Senator Bernie Sanders and Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.

The winner will run against former Republican Congressman, Mike Rogers in November. So far this year, Democratic Socialists have defeated mainstream Dems in several primaries, but those contests have been in deep blue districts. Now, in less than 24 hours, voters across the purple-swing state of Michigan will have their say.

Let's talk about this with the former Democratic Mayor of New York City, Bill de Blasio. And Mayor, thank you so much for being with us. Does Stevens or El-Sayed have a better chance of winning against former Republican Congressman, Mike Rogers? And do you think that even factors into the voters' votes at this moment when they head to the polls?

[13:45:00]

BILL DE BLASIO, (D) FORMER MAYOR OF NEW YORK CITY: No, Brian, I don't think it factors into the worldview of the voters. I think voters are thinking right now about kitchen table issues, how to pay the bills, and how to stop the excesses of the Trump administration. So, right now, I think either candidate would obviously be competitive in the general election.

And right now, the general election goes Democrats' way because Trump is just absolutely historically unpopular.

ABEL: OK. And Stevens' allies, Mayor, they've highlighted her connections to former President Barack Obama, though he hasn't endorsed in this race at all. What do you make of that?

DE BLASIO: Look, I think a lot of people looking at this split in our party and realizing we're in a moment of evolution. There is an insurgency in the Democratic Party. I think it's healthy. I think it's rejuvenating the party. I think President Obama, of all people, understands the power of bringing the youth vote out.

We saw that with Mamdani last year in New York City, highest mayoral election turnout since 1969, and that young vote was a big part of it. So if this insurgency is part of rejuvenating the Democratic base and expanding our electorate, I think it could be very healthy for our party. I think that's what a lot of people like Obama see happening.

ABEL: Once this plays out tomorrow, Mayor, what should national Democrats, including Senate Minority Leader, Chuck Schumer, take away from the outcome?

DE BLASIO: Look, I think our congressional leadership in Washington has been behind the curve a bit. There has been a sense that if a candidate is more blunt, more progressive, that somehow that's going to alienate the mainstream. I think the mainstream right now doesn't like the status quo. I think the mainstream in this country wants to see people are going to challenge the way things are. So with El-Sayed, for example, if he wins the primary and he can take a populist economic message out to Michiganders, he could be very successful so long as he remembers to reach out to the whole spectrum, not just to speak to the people who already think the way he does.

ABEL: Mayor, I was interviewing Representative Debbie Dingell of Michigan yesterday, and she made a point that back in time, Social Security was viewed as this big progressive idea that isn't viewed the same in a historical lens now. Do you see a scenario where the more established Democrats, the more seasoned ones on the Hill start accepting these more progressive policies in the future?

DE BLASIO: 100 percent. Look, you're exactly right. Franklin Roosevelt was attacked as a crazed radical for presenting ideas like Social Security, that now are mom and apple pie in this country.

(LAUGH)

DE BLASIO: 'Medicare For All' is an idea whose time has come. You hear from Americans how insecure they're feeling economically, and obviously, health care costs being one of the biggest factors. So these ideas have become more and more popular, and I think we're going to see the day where they're actually enacted. But these kinds of elections, like what we're seeing in Michigan, are going to be sort of the stepping stones to a different politics where that becomes possible.

ABEL: So maybe along those lines, the Democratic Socialists, they held their summit in Chicago over the weekend, and their program read, "the Republicans are in on it, the Democratic Party is asleep at the wheel, and both are funded by the same criminal class of billionaires and war profiteers." Pretty strong language.

A third of Democrats, or Democratic-leaning Independents, meanwhile, they identify as Democratic Socialists. Is the rise of the DSA a response to a leadership vacuum that Democrats have here after Harris' loss in 2024?

DE BLASIO: I think it's actually more than that, in the sense that it is a recognition of the Democratic Party drifted away from its roots, became too dependent on the big donors and the billionaire class, also on the political consultant class, and not connected to everyday people.

And Democrats used to be, very clearly, the party of working people and a labor movement, and very connected right down to the neighborhood level. And I think what folks in the DSA want is to get back to that. I don't agree with every one of their platform planks, but their impulse actually is very old school.

Part of why Mamdani won last year was because he had an incredible volunteer army going and knocking on doors. That's like as getting back to the roots as it gets, and I think that's what you're going to see a lot more of in the Democratic Party going forward. [13:50:00]

ABEL: All right. Former Mayor, Bill de Blasio, appreciate your expertise, sir. Thank you.

DE BLASIO: Thank you.

ABEL: Brianna?

KEILAR: Now to some of the other headlines that we're watching this hour. Marvel's new Spidey flick just killing it at the box office. "Spider-Man: Brand New Day" soared to the biggest domestic debut ever, netting $355 million over the weekend. The Sony Pictures release is quickly closing in on a $1 billion haul globally and comes almost five years after the last spider-man movie. That blockbuster raked in $260 million during its opening weekend.

Also, officials in Russia are calling an explosion in Moscow that killed at least five people over the weekend a terrorist attack. State media reports a woman tried to enter a restaurant with what police say appeared to be an improvised explosive device. It detonated before she entered killing her, a security guard, and a customer.

According to a Russian newspaper the apparent targets were guests attending an event at the restaurant. Investigators reportedly believe that the bomb was detonated remotely and the woman most likely did not know what the package contained. Authorities have not revealed a motive or who might be behind the attack.

And an update on the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo. It is now the second largest on record with cases taking just weeks to reach levels that took a few years in past outbreaks. The World Health Organization reports there have been at least 3,500 confirmed cases since this outbreak was identified in mid-May and more than 1,500 people have died. The CDC maintains the likelihood of Ebola spreading into the U.S. is "very low."

Next, new video revealing the moment before a gunman opened fire outside an Idaho In-N-Out restaurant, killing three people.

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[13:56:44]

ABEL: Officials are trying to figure out why a 24-year-old man opened fire at an In-N-Out Burger in Idaho. Three people were killed, another seven injured, and we have new video from the weekend's rampage. This here, you're going to see showing the gunman before he fired at a car parked outside the restaurant.

Investigators say the shooter would eventually die from a self- inflicted gunshot wound. Police also say the tragedy could have been much worse had it not been for the heroic actions of two bystanders, including this man.

You see him here firing back at the shooter. He's identified himself as a 35-year-old health care worker. The other person who jumped in was an off-duty state trooper. Meanwhile, new dispatch audio shows some of the chaos and desperation that officials heard from the scene.

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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Twin Falls County units, if you're in the area of In-N-Out, have a report of a possible active shooter.

Copy that. We are getting inundated with calls of reports of multiple people down.

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ABEL: And CNN's Josh Campbell is joining us now. And Josh, what more are you learning from investigators about all this?

JOSH CAMPBELL, CNN SENIOR CORRESPONDENT: Well, there's still a question at this hour. Was he targeting someone who was at the In-N- Out specifically? Or was this someone who was just intent on causing indiscriminate mass killing? The police say that they're still trying to identify a motive. They say that the suspect's family is being cooperative. This horrific scene, of course, played out on Saturday afternoon while people were doing one of the most American activities there is, having hamburgers at a restaurant with family and friends.

This gunman walks into the restaurant and opens fire. You can see in that video this horrific scene playing out where people began to flee. Some people barricaded themselves inside restrooms inside the restaurant. Three people killed. At least seven people were injured. One of those killed was an employee of In-N-Out. Another person that was struck was a taxi driver who had stopped to charge up his electric vehicle.

According to a friend, he was sitting in the car whenever the gunman opened fire, striking him twice in the back. So again, question about the motive is ongoing at this hour. But it's really, truly a horrific scene playing out this weekend.

ABEL: All right, Josh Campbell, thank you. Let's go to the White House now. And President Trump, who is in the Oval Office, taking questions.

DONALD TRUMP, (R) PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: We'll say we have or we don't have. You know, we're straight about it. But they deny. But they're not denying it now. They just put out a statement not denying it.

But for some reason, when they're talking, they don't like saying that they're talking. So I say we're in talks. Big deal. We're in talks. And they'll sometimes deny it, even though they spend hours and hours together talking. No, the talks are going along. We're going to hit them very hard yesterday. Very, very hard. Harder than any attack, I think I can say, general, from a point of knowledge, any attack since World War II.

That's pretty big. And we were set to go. And they called. And in addition, Saudi Arabia called and the UAE called, Qatar called. I got calls from numerous people. Not -- I don't want to use the word begging, but some were -- in particular, Iran did not want to be hit. And they said, we want to talk. We want to talk about the Strait.

But more importantly, from my standpoint, we want to talk about the denuclearization of Iran because --