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Interview With Gov. Kathy Hochul (D-NY); Three People Charged With Making Threats in Nolan Wells Case; U.S. Running Low on Munitions?; Republican Senators Target Anthony Fauci. Aired 1-1:30p ET

Aired August 06, 2026 - 13:00   ET

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

[13:00:02]

MANU RAJU, CNN HOST: Shapiro is up for reelection this year.

Thanks for joining INSIDE POLITICS.

"CNN NEWS CENTRAL" right now.

BRIANNA KEILAR, CNN HOST: Dr. Fauci faces a new fight. Senate Republicans vote to hold the former health official in contempt of Congress, setting up a high-stakes legal and political test for the Trump administration.

OMAR JIMENEZ, CNN HOST: And depletion or denial. President Trump says U.S. reports of a munitions shortage are flat-out wrong and that the U.S. has all the weapons it needs.

And then a shot in the arm, a groundbreaking new vaccine is approved, one that appears to be far more effective against the flu, but it won't be available for everyone. We will talk about it.

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

KEILAR: Senate Republicans upending decades of precedent as they pushed to prosecute Dr. Anthony Fauci for his role in the government's response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Homeland Security Chair Senator Rand Paul telling CNN that, after securing a party-line vote to hold Fauci in contempt for invoking his Fifth Amendment right during a hearing last week, he now intends to bypass the full Senate for a vote and send a referral from the committee straight to prosecution to Trump's -- referral for prosecution straight to President Trump's DOJ.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. RAND PAUL (R-KY): But, for now, we will hand-carry this over to the attorney general. We will hand-carry this to the district court here in Colombia, and we will -- as a committee, we have voted the majority to refer this. So that will be accomplished today.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KEILAR: CNN senior reporter Annie Grayer is on Capitol Hill for us.

And, Annie, Democrats say this could not only make it harder to compel future witnesses to testify, but it could allow leaders in both parties to bypass a full Senate vote when making referrals for prosecution.

ANNIE GRAYER, CNN SENIOR REPORTER: That's right.

We're sort of in unchartered territory here because normally when a committee makes a criminal referral, like the Senate committee made today, then it gets a full Senate vote. But that is not what Chairman Paul is doing here.

Instead, he is saying that his committee will hand-deliver these criminal referrals to the Department of Justice and to the D.C. District Court today. And Democrats in the hearing this morning laid out why this is so problematic, how it sets a new precedent that they warned that they would use if Democrats ever reclaimed the Senate majority.

And -- but Republicans say that they are comfortable with this, that they believe this is what they need to do to move forward. So take a listen to that back-and-forth, how that played out this morning.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. GARY PETERS (D-MI): That would be even more dangerous and widely unprecedented move. Allowing one chairman to unilaterally assert those powers would invite future chairs in both parties to bypass the Senate whenever they cannot secure the support of their colleagues.

QUESTION: Are you comfortable with the precedent being set?

SEN. RICK SCOTT (R-FL): Yes. I mean, look, Fauci was a liar. He had every opportunity. He had a pardon. He could have come here and just told the truth. He didn't.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GRAYER: So now that it has passed out of the Senate Homeland Security Committee and it will be hand-delivered, Paul says today, it'll now be in the hands of the Department of Justice for what happens next.

KEILAR: So what does happen next once Senator Paul sends this to DOJ?

GRAYER: So it really will be up to the Department of Justice of how to handle this. But Republicans think they have a very strong case. And they want the Department of Justice to prosecute Fauci for not answering their questions in the committee hearing last week and instead pleading the Fifth Amendment over 100 times.

They say that Fauci has to answer their questions. But Democrats point to the fact that pleading a Fifth Amendment is a constitutional right. And Fauci in the hearing laid out why he was choosing to plead the Fifth Amendment, arguing that Rand Paul, the chairman of this committee, was specifically targeting him and trying to catch him in some sort of lie, so he was doing this Fifth Amendment as a protection to himself.

We know that Republicans view Fauci as a top target of theirs. President Trump has wanted to go after Fauci for some time. And we have seen the Justice Department continue to target some of Trump's biggest rivals. So we will see how they handle this here.

There is some precedent for recently the Department of Justice taking these criminal referrals, specifically the January 6 Committee with -- Steve Bannon and Peter Navarro served prison time over not appearing for their interviews in front of the former January 6 Committee. We will see what happens here, but it's going to be in the Department of Justice's hands soon, Brianna.

[13:05:05]

KEILAR: All right, Annie, thank you for the latest there -- Omar.

JIMENEZ: Well, meanwhile, President Trump is firing back at reports that U.S. munitions stockpiles are running low after months of war with Iran.

In a TRUTH Social post, the president claims the U.S. has massive amounts of munitions, while vowing to hunt down those who've leaked information that suggests otherwise.

But, look, this is a delicate moment in this war. The U.S. is attempting to get negotiations back on track while Iran says it is closing in on a deal with Oman to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.

So I want to bring in CNN's Alayna Treene, who is at the White House for us.

And, Alayna, let's just start with, what do we know actually about the state of U.S. stockpiles right now?

ALAYNA TREENE, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Yes, look, there's been a lot of reporting about all of this, Omar, from CNN, as well as other outlets.

I will remind you of some of the reporting we had from our colleagues, great reporting on just how dire this is in this moment. They have reported that the U.S. military has exhausted nearly 80 percent of his interceptors for a key defense system known as THAAD.

We also know that roughly half of the military's Patriot interceptors are also down since the beginning of this war. I would like to put in -- this into some context, though, as well. This is not something that's new all of a sudden. We know that the Pentagon has been warning about the depletion to its stockpiles and its munitions for months now.

It's also something that has been brought to the president's attention in recent months as well. But I think what was so interesting was what we saw from the president this morning, really trying to defend this in this moment and argue that's actually not the case. He posted that the U.S. has massive amounts of missions.

He said that there's large amounts that are also being manufactured. He also made a point just moments ago to show that he still supports his defense secretary, Pete Hegseth. There has been some reporting about frustrations between them.

All to say, from the conversations that I'm having, Omar, with people here at the White House, throughout the administration, what we're hearing is essentially the president knew that this was an issue, is frustrated by it, but I think it's even more so that he's frustrated with the media coverage of it, particularly at a time as fragile as this one in the negotiations to try and end the war between the United States and Iran.

We know that the president has repeatedly, as he has done many times over the last several months, tried to threaten these massive attacks or strikes on Iran. And those threats could appear hollow if there's a belief that the U.S. military couldn't potentially carry them out.

There's this idea that really the U.S. and the president wants the U.S. to be projecting a position of strength. So I think that gets into all of this. Meanwhile, we do know that there are conversations specifically focused on trying to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.

We have heard from the Iranians saying that they believe that they are close to a deal. They argue that it's only been negotiations between Iran and Oman, but we do know that the U.S. has been involved at some level as well. We will have to see whether or not that that can actually get completed.

But that is, of course, the main goal of the Trump administration at this point, Omar.

JIMENEZ: All right, Alayna Treene, appreciate the reporting from the White House.

Meanwhile, for us still to come, more on the fight for the Democratic Party's future after progressives notched some more wins. We're going to talk to New York Governor Kathy Hochul about that and much more coming up.

Plus, the man charged with arson in one of the most devastating Washington state wildfires is due in court today, as the latest weather conditions might actually fuel the flames even more.

And then, later, we're going to break down what you need to know about the new mRNA flu vaccine. Ahead, we will show you how it's different from a traditional flu shot and when it'll be available.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[13:13:05]

JIMENEZ: The president hasn't wasted any time attacking Michigan's new Democratic Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed.

Hours after CNN projected the progressives win, the president took to the podium and took aim. Here's that moment and El-Sayed's response.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Abdul El-Sayed, lovely gentleman. He's a man of hate. And now he's going around saying, no, I love everybody. I love -- he doesn't love everybody.

Put him in office, you're going to find out what he loves.

(BOOING)

TRUMP: He doesn't love Israel. He doesn't love Jewish people. He hates them. When I watch Abdul, he's full of (EXPLETIVE DELETED).

ABDUL EL-SAYED (D), MICHIGAN SENATORIAL CANDIDATE: I'm glad he thinks I'm a lovely gentleman. A lot of people think so.

Look, this is the response that they have. You notice what he talked about. First, look at the background. It says "No tax on tips." The man can't stay on focus.

Jewish people and Judaism are a light unto the world. I'm deeply grateful for them. That's not the same as a PAC or Israel.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

JIMENEZ: El-Sayed's victory is the latest for the progressive left this election season and follows big wins for Democratic Socialists, for example, in New York.

Those candidates were endorsed by New York City's Mayor Zohran Mamdani, who is also a Democratic Socialist.

Joining us now is someone who has been at the center of this dynamic now, the governor, Democratic Governor of New York Kathy Hochul.

Governor, appreciate you taking the time.

As I'm sure you saw, Abdul El-Sayed won his Democratic primary this week in Michigan, but it also prompts these questions about where the Democratic Party is, which, as we sort of mentioned, I know you have dealt with firsthand across various races in your state, including the mayor in New York City.

How would you characterize your working relationship with some of those who have come into power in the party further to your left?

GOV. KATHY HOCHUL (D-NY): Unlike Donald Trump, I actually respect the will of the voters, and I will work with whomever the voters want me to work with. And I make it work.

My job as a governor is to ensure that we're delivering on affordability for people, understanding there's enormous stress among all of our residents. And they're looking for leadership that's going to stand up to power, speak the truth, and also just deliver results.

[13:15:14]

So I can work with anyone. And when you ask the state of the party, I'm the leader of the Democratic Party in New York state, and I'm looking forward to harnessing the power of all the energy from all the elections, all the newly elected candidates or nominated candidates, and winning in November.

Because New Yorkers understand this, that, if we don't take back the House and take back the Senate, then heaven help us. So I'm charged with making sure we have that result, and I'm excited about our opportunities this November, just a few short months away.

JIMENEZ: Is that tax on multimillion-dollar second homes one of those examples, for example, of compromise with some of the folks that, again, have come in further to your left?

I ask that because, generally, it seemed you were resistant to raising taxes on the wealthy before this year, because it might make people leave the city. And yet here the city and state are in this situation.

HOCHUL: Well, I can easily clarify the difference.

I said I don't support increasing taxes on corporations who can leave or on individuals, but what I do support is saying that those who are able to afford a second home worth over $5 million, but do not make New York City -- New York City your home, you're benefiting from police and fire protective services and maintaining our roads and during snowstorms and in the summer.

So why aren't you contributing to this? So I'm asking people to pay their fair share. Everybody else does. That's all we're asking for. So it's a different dynamic here. And I did this to help the city of New York, which I also represent, get through a financial crisis.

Now, the mayor did inherit a real fiscal mess, and he had to plug a hole, and I'm focused on keeping the economic engine for our state and the nation strong and viable. So, helping with a dedicated revenue source was one way I could do that.

JIMENEZ: You know, separately, you are suing Kalshi, alleging, in part, it is quintessentially gambling and would then be subject, as I assume, to New York gaming rules.

We should mention CNN has a partnership with Kalshi and uses its data to cover major events.

But, in this case, you're looking for them to pay fines equal to three times the gains the company has made through their actions, among other things. And Kalshi's CEO has argued they are federally regulated and operating under those rules. Is your goal to shut down Kalshi in New York?

Or what is the -- what are you looking for here?

HOCHUL: My goal is to make sure that anyone operating in the state of New York follows our laws. It is that simple.

We have laws that regulate gaming. Basically, gambling is illegal in the state of New York with narrow exceptions. And they're refusing to get a law changed so our gaming laws can cover them like other sports gaming. We have casinos. We have sports gaming. They are a gambling enterprise. This is gaming.

And anyone who says it otherwise doesn't know what they're talking about, because this is exactly what is going on here. So we're not saying no. We're saying follow the laws of New York. It's real simple.

JIMENEZ: You know, this week, the governor of Texas, Greg Abbott, ordered a comprehensive audit on all data centers going through the state's electricity agency, basically saying no data project will move -- go forward until after that.

You instituted your own data center moratorium for up to a year, as I understand, last month. Did you have any conversations with leadership in Texas over -- to handle this growing demand for these centers?

HOCHUL: No. I'm always flattered when other governors follow what we do, especially the state of Texas. They're understanding the same anxiety that we're feeling here in the state of New York.

People across this country are simply feeling powerless. The world has changed so much. They can't afford gas anymore because of a war they never wanted. They cannot get childcare for their families. They cannot get health care. I spent time with seniors yesterday who are worried about the cost of prescription drugs going up because Donald Trump is taking away a subsidy.

So I'm responding to that, understanding that data centers consume enormous amounts of energy, and I don't want anything to drive up the rates for utilities or my ratepayers, my families, my businesses at all. So we put a moratorium in place, said, you want to come to New York, you have to bring your own power, or you pay a premium into our grid.

You also have to have substantial benefits for communities. So I would say this is in reaction to the anxiety we're hearing around this, the enormous consumption of space they take up, prime farmland or land that's Upstate New York that we're trying to preserve.

And we're trying to deal with this energy crisis, where I want to make sure that I can power major corporations like Micron that are creating 50,000 jobs, and not data centers that are not creating anywhere near that.

[13:20:09]

So, over the course of the year, we will get it right. We will tell businesses at the end of the year what exactly they have to do to be able to come to New York and engage in this.

JIMENEZ: You know, some...

HOCHUL: It's not a ban. It is simply saying, I want to be the first to get it right.

JIMENEZ: Some are looking at this and worry that this would hurt investment in the state of New York, for example. Obviously, on one side, there are many environmental concerns, but the trade-off seems to be providing a place for some of that investment.

Have you had conversations with any specific tech leaders or businesses that have assured you they are also on board with what you are asking here in terms of this moratorium?

HOCHUL: I will tell you what I just did literally moments ago. I got off almost an hour call with the significant business leadership of our city of New York. It's called the Partnership New York, represents all the major businesses.

I wanted to have a direct conversation with them, get feedback from them, but also say this. I have been very clear in my objectives. It is to respond to the fact that we have over 30 applications to use high amounts of power, consume massive amounts of energy here in our state.

If I allow all those to happen, I will not be able to power their own businesses. So we have to get it done in a smart way. And I told the individuals, New York embraces technology. We embrace A.I. We embrace innovation. It's in our DNA.

So the investments should and will continue to keep coming to New York, independent of what we're doing to get it right with respect to these hyperscale data centers. So I know we're going to do that the way the businesses expect us. They just want to know the rules of the road. And New Yorkers want to be protected. And I'm going to do both.

JIMENEZ: All right, Governor Kathy Hochul of New York, appreciate you taking the time. Thanks for being here.

HOCHUL: Thank you very much.

JIMENEZ: Still ahead for us, new developments in the case of Nolan Wells, the Mississippi teen found dead after a July 4 boat trip with friends. Several people have now been charged with threatening a judge and witnesses connected to the investigation.

We will bring you the details coming up. Stay with CNN.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[13:26:50]

KEILAR: Three people are facing federal charges in the Nolan Wells investigation, accused of making threats to multiple people linked to the case.

Court documents say one suspect allegedly threatened to kill a judge. Wells was an 18-year-old whose body was found on a barrier island off the Mississippi Gulf Coast after a boat trip with friends the July 4 weekend. The death investigation is tinged with issues of race because he was the only African-American in a group of white teens, the cause of his death remaining a mystery.

Nobody has been arrested, and authorities have not named any suspects at this point.

So let's get more from CNN senior national correspondent Ryan Young.

Ryan, tell us more about the people charged and if they know anyone connected to the case.

RYAN YOUNG, CNN SENIOR NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Brianna, this case is just baffling, and, of course, the longer it goes, the speculation becomes more rampant online.

The three people charged all come from different parts of this country, and they didn't know anyone connected to the case, but they still apparently made those phone calls, according to authorities, someone from California, somebody from Ohio, someone from Illinois. All used different sort of devices to make these phone calls or to go on Facebook or to call in bomb threats.

So they took them pretty seriously. But all this is connected back to the Nolan Wells case. And, of course, it's July 4 when he first went missing, and it wasn't until July 6 when his body was found on the shoreline near Horn Island.

There's been so much speculation involved in this case, especially online, to try to figure out exactly what happened to the young man. We know investigators, both private and, of course, the law enforcement, have been trying to put together a solid timeline to figure out exactly what happened.

Those friends that he came with claimed that he decided to stay behind to hang out with somebody there at Horn Island, and they left. But now the big question is, what happened to Nolan Wells after those friends apparently left him on that Horn Island?

And, of course, so many questions have surrounded this case. Just last week, we talked to the family. They are still torn up about all these questions that haven't been answered and the loss of their precious son. Take a listen to the mom that we talked to just last week.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CHRISTINE WONSLEY, MOTHER OF NOLAN WELLS: At this point, we refuse to allow that negativity to come into our home, to come into our hearts, our minds. We will not pay that back to the people who are giving it to us.

ELMORE WONSLEY, FATHER OF NOLAN WELLS: Conversations, keeping them busy, keeping their minds occupied, positive, sitting down, having those conversations, just talking to them. How you doing? What's going on?

C. WONSLEY: How can we help you?

E. WONSLEY: How can we help you? What me and your mother and what we expect of you guys, the constant reassurance of just, look, we're here.

C. WONSLEY: Absolutely.

E. WONSLEY: If you want to talk, come talk to us, just keeping the communication open, and like I say, just having those conversations.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

YOUNG: Brianna, I want to note, on that last sound bite with his dad, the reason why he was talking about who he's trying to keep in the right mindset, the two other sons, his brothers, they are still playing football at the same high school where he played football.

And they're obviously trying to keep them insulated from all the things that are going on out there in the public. The mom has been attacked nonstop online as well, people asking why they are fighting so hard. But they're trying to keep that in focus.

I also want to mention, on August 19, which would have been Nolan's 19th birthday, there's a rally planned there in the community to show support for that family.