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Dangerous Thunderstorms and Flash Flood Threat Target Midwest; New Test for Progressive Democrats in Wisconsin and Minnesota; Trump Hidden in Catering Truck, Moved to Secret Flight Amid Threat; Luigi Mangione Due in Court for Pre-Trial Conference; Death Toll Rises to 132, Hundreds More Injured in Colombia Earthquake. Aired 8-8:30a ET

Aired August 11, 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]

DEREK VAN DAM, CNN METEOROLOGIST: ... Rain in just a three-hour span last night, prompting a flash flood emergency. That's the highest level from the National Weather Service. Look at the radar, lighting up like a Christmas tree.

We've got one, two, three rounds of rain lining up. This is all being directed by upper-level winds, like directing traffic across the Midwest and the Ohio Valley. This will bring the train of storms across the same areas.

That is what's concerning. This is why we have this flash flood risk. Look at Perry County, right here, just east of Columbus.

Notice how the thunderstorms moved over the same location last night for periods of time, dumping rainfall rates of two to three inches per hour. Some of our radar estimates there, over a half a foot. That's why we had that flash flood emergency kind of broadening out here.

This flood threat stretches from Charleston, West Virginia, northwestward, towards Indianapolis, inclusive of Cincinnati. Widespread, two to four inches, with locally higher amounts, especially where we see those training of thunderstorms, meaning they work their way over the same locations for several periods of time. Now this is the excessive rainfall risk.

That's a level three of four people. Look at the large cities that are inclusive of that. Cincinnati, all the way to Charleston, just east of Indianapolis.

Widespread, slight risk, a two of four, inclusive of Pittsburgh. But it's a multi-day threat. So we continue to see the heavy rainfall tomorrow and into the day on Thursday as these systems move through, kind of timing things out.

It's going to be a rough afternoon in Chicago but look at the thunderstorms moving through the same areas. These could provide gusts over 60 miles per hour at times as they line up one after another after another -- John.

JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: Yes, get used to that thunder. That looks pretty intense there. Derek Van Dam, thank you very much.

And a brand-new hour of CNN NEWS CENTRAL starts right now.

SARA SIDNER, CNN ANCHOR: Breaking overnight, some really interesting details. An assassination threat that led President Trump to be hidden in a catering truck and then sneaked onto a secret flight, all while some of his staff and the press were put on Air Force One, not knowing that they were targets. Some lawmakers now demanding answers.

Plus, accused CEO killer Luigi Mangione expected back in court today for a final pretrial hearing, what key decisions must be made before jury selection begins in his state murder trial.

And he posed as a pilot for years, getting free flights around the world. Now this former flight attendant is facing 20 years behind bars.

Kate, out today. I'm Sara Sidner with John Berman. This is CNN NEWS CENTRAL.

BERMAN: It is Election Day in America. Where is Kate when you need her? Primaries in six states.

In Wisconsin, Francesca Hong is looking to become the newest Democratic Socialist to win a primary, running for governor, though some progressives are shying away from her. She is not endorsed by Bernie Sanders or Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. In Minnesota, Congresswoman Angie Craig and progressive Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flanagan had a heated Democratic primary for Senate there.

And the former MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell is seeking to win the Republican nomination for Minnesota governor.

Let's get right to CNN's Jeff Zeleny, who's outside a polling location in Dane County, Wisconsin. I think a lot of people are looking at this race as the big one tonight, Jeff.

JEFF ZELENY, CNN CHIEF NATIONAL AFFAIRS CORRESPONDENT: Hey John, good morning. The polls have been open here for just a couple minutes, and there's already been about a dozen or so people going in to cast ballots. Of course, tens of thousands of Wisconsin voters have already voted early, and that's why this is going to be so interesting, because this wild Wisconsin governor's race has changed over the last couple weeks.

A couple candidates have gotten out of the race. One got out and jumped back in, but Francesca Hong is the Democratic Socialist here. She's 37 years old.

She's a state representative here, as well as a former restaurant owner. And she has been leading the charge here, really part of this progressive movement we've seen across the country. But this race is very different, and talking to voters here, it is clear why.

All of them are wondering, what is a Democratic Socialist?

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DENNIS NEFF, DAVID CROWLEY SUPPORTER: The Democrats didn't get their act together to try to figure out who should be a viable candidate.

COLLEEN LEAHY, FRANCESCA HONG SUPPORTER: What they're calling socialist policies aren't necessarily socialist. It's working for people.

KAREN NEFF, DAVID CROWLEY SUPPORTER: I don't think there's anything wrong with being a Democratic Socialist, but she's come out so strong that I think she's going to scare people.

TI EICHINGER, FRANCESCA HONG SUPPORTER: I think that's why you're seeing maybe somebody who maybe has some bigger ideas, some bold ideas, that might seem a little bit crazy, but it's like, hey, let's give it a shot.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ZELENY: And that is Tim Eichinger right there, the last voter that we heard from. He's the owner of a Milwaukee brewery.

[08:05:00]

He voted for Joe Biden, but he said now he is ready for change in this Democratic Party. So that is one of the driving factors here. People are looking for something different, as we have seen in one state after another.

But David Crowley is the Milwaukee County executive. He's the other leading contender. He's been campaigning across the state with Governor Tony Evers at his side, and the governor has been making the case that Wisconsin has an opportunity to become Democratic in both chambers of the legislature, as well as holding the governor's seat.

But he worries that Francesca Hong is too liberal, is too extreme to be elected in November. We will see about all of that, of course, but Republicans have also been watching this race very carefully. The Republican Governors Association has invested about $3.6 million in effectively propping up Francesca Hong. They clearly want to run against her.

So, John, even as voters are now coming out of this polling place, we'll talk to a few of them. This race is the next chapter, the next act of the summer of a progressive movement -- John.

BERMAN: And as you correctly noted, tens of thousands of people have already voted, potentially for people no longer in the race. And there was a fight to try to get them to vote again, but that's not going to happen. So this is really fascinating to watch.

This will be a truly compelling night.

ZELENY: You cannot change your ballot in Wisconsin, right?

BERMAN: Yes, no, notable there. And like I said, you will be there tonight. It will be compelling, a compelling watch.

CNN's coverage all night long and into the morning. Don't miss it for a second. Jeff Zeleny, thank you very much.

SIDNER: He will also be having some cheese curds because I know Jeff Zeleny will be getting into that as well.

BERMAN: Jeff Zeleny knows how to eat well.

SIDNER: He knows how to eat well on his trips.

All right, now to the high-stakes deception that were taken to protect the president. CNN has confirmed that President Trump secretly switched planes while leaving the NATO summit in Turkey last month after an assassination threat from Iran. You can see him boarding Air Force One at about 8:24 p.m. There he is.

But minutes later, a U.S. official says he was moved to a catering truck that took him to a smaller plane while Air Force One was used as a decoy. The story was first reported by The Washington Post.

CNN's Kevin Liptak is live at the White House this morning. At this point, the White House has not denied any of this. Is that right?

KEVIN LIPTAK, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE REPORTER: No, they've not denied it. They've not confirmed it either. But I do think all of this, this very elaborate subterfuge, really underscores the concerns not only about these Iranian threats that were directed against President Trump, but also about Iranian capabilities, their ability to target the most secure aircraft in the entire world.

And this whole ruse seems to have been put together very quickly on the ground there in Turkey by the White House Secret Service, the national security apparatus. You know, throughout that entire NATO summit, President Trump had almost seemed preoccupied with the threats on his life by Iran. They've dated back years and years.

And he kept talking about them over and over. But it's really only in retrospect that we're now starting to notice signs of what was afoot. You know, for example, when reporters got on that old legacy blue and white Air Force One, they were all asked to lower their window shades, which made it so they could not see that catering truck, which we now know the president had been bundled into and moved to that other aircraft that he flew from Turkey to the U.K. on.

We also noticed that when the old legacy Air Force One landed in the U.K., it took an unusual amount of time for the doors to open and for reporters to be left off, which would have allowed time for the president to get back on the plane, only to walk off again in full view of the cameras. So it's all, I think, this very elaborate shell game that the Secret Service and the White House orchestrated. You know, the White House, in a statement from Stephen Cheung, the communications director, said that, quote, "As the president has said recently, there are many enemies of America who have their sights on him, and we use every tool at our disposal to address those threats." That doesn't necessarily match with the explanation that the president put out at the time for this switch in aircraft between the Qatar- donated Air Force One, which is that black and red plane, and the legacy Air Force One. He said at the time that he wanted to show it off to troops who are positioned in the U.K. Now we understand that it is these threats from Iran that led to this switch. It all, I think, also led to the people who actually did fly on the blue and white plane, you know, reporters and staff, to become unwitting decoys in this ruse, which I think is disconcerting for anyone who flies on Air Force One regularly.

SIDNER: Yes, and as John Berman points out, unwitting targets, decoys or targets in this case. Thank you so much for your reporting there from the White House for us, Kevin Liptak.

[08:10:00]

All right, up ahead, new research efforts this morning after a catastrophic 7.4 magnitude earthquake devastated parts of Colombia. We are watching these rescues happen at this hour.

And accused CEO killer, Luigi Mangione, is heading back to court today for the final hearing before his state murder trial, what his defense team is hoping for before the jury selection begins.

Plus, terrifying scene after a semi-truck veers off the road, smashes straight into a house. We're learning this morning on the condition of those involved in that accident. Goodness.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BERMAN: We are standing by to see Luigi Mangione in a Manhattan courtroom for what could be his final public appearance before his high-profile murder trial.

[08:15:00]

Mangione is accused of killing UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in December of 2024. If convicted in the state murder case, he faces the possibility of life in prison.

Jury selection is set to begin or could begin as soon as next month. Let's get ready to see it as Kara Scannell outside the court. What do we expect today, Kara?

KARA SCANNELL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, John. This is the final pretrial conference for Luigi Mangione. And we're expecting it to be a bit of a catch-all for a number of these outstanding issues that both parties need to work through until this trial begins.

One of them will be jury selection. So we're expecting there to be some discussion about exactly how that will unfold and take place. They're also likely to discuss any last-minute scheduling issues.

And one thing that I'm looking for is what they say about these what are called motions in limine. These are the motions that both parties submit where they try to make sure they can get certain evidence in and prevent the other side from getting other evidence in. So that often gives you a sense of exactly how they're going to put on this case.

We haven't heard anything about that yet. So I'm looking to see if they're going to discuss that today. There's also been a question about media access.

Obviously, this trial is very high profile. There's been a huge social media component of followers who've been tracking this case and all of the developments. So that's another issue that may come up today in this hearing.

But again, it's a bit of a catch-all. Everyone will kind of raise any last-minute issues that exist because we're just a few weeks away from jury selection. That is scheduled to begin on September 8th, and then this trial will get underway.

It could go as many as six weeks. Of course, Mangione has pleaded not guilty to these charges -- John.

BERMAN: Watching carefully what happens today and the impact it will have on this highly anticipated trial set to begin next month. Kara Scannell for us outside the courthouse, covering this from the beginning. Thank you so much for the work you've done on this.

All right, President Trump orders changes to vaccination recommendations for children, admitting there is no evidence for at least one of the statements that he made.

And a suspect arrested for breaking into Kim Kardashian's mansion and stealing her car to take it for a joyride.

[08:20:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

SIDNER: This morning, officials say at least 132 people have been killed and hundreds more injured in Monday's devastating earthquake in Colombia. That toll is almost certain to rise. Just terrifying scenes in Colombia.

You are looking at the building collapse, and this seemed to go on forever. Dozens of buildings collapsed. As the shaking continues, hospitals were damaged.

Seven airports shut down. Officials are urging people to evacuate any building that shows signs of structural damage. Troops have been deployed to help with the ongoing search efforts.

They're happening at this hour. That includes a hospital in Cali where patients have been trapped under debris. CNN's Carolina Peguero is following the latest developments for us.

What are you learning, and where are you at this hour? CAROLINA PEGUERO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Sara. Well, as the search and rescue efforts happen in Colombia, here in South Florida, we're at one of the most focal points of donations, a center called Global Empowerment Mission, and where you can see there's already boxes of donations that were originally and still are for Venezuela. This place has been known to help during natural disasters.

They helped right after the earthquakes struck in Venezuela, and now they are going to do the same and doubling up on their efforts for Colombia after the 7.4 earthquake magnitude struck the nation in various parts of Colombia, and where we're learning today that there's also another center where they will be receiving donations and where they're asking the community to also help as volunteer in this effort.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

FRANCINE DE LA ROSA, ORGANIZER, GLOBAL EMPOWERMENT MISSION: It is -- already deployed a team. They're already on the ground. They will be assessing one of the various ground zeros because the devastation is vast, and it covers a large geographical area, so we will actually have multiple teams in different areas assessing the need and getting aid to those that need it most very, very quickly.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PEGUERO: And as the numbers of the deadly tolls are expected to rise as well as the injured, we know at this hour more than 100 people have died and more than 500 injured in Colombia. There is expecting to be more help to be deployed to Colombia. In the meantime, here they're asking for nonperishable items, canned items, medical first aid kits, and also any cash donations that could help for the next coming hours and days expected also for Venezuela and Colombia -- Sara.

SIDNER: Yes, I mean, it's just shocking how big this was, something they haven't seen in more than a decade, and then just next door experiencing something very similar. Very hard to watch this morning, just the amount of damage and the number of people who have been killed and that death toll expected to go up. Carolina Peguero, thank you so much for your reporting there from Miami for us.

Ahead, AI anxiety, and the data centers needed to drive it becoming a campaign issue ahead of November's midterms. New numbers on where voters stand.

And if this summer felt unusually hot, then you're going to not like the next summers that we experience over the years.

[08:25:00]

Why July ended up smashing heat records in the United States, and how this is going to become the new norm. Those stories are more ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BERMAN: A secret flight, a catering truck with the president hidden inside, and an American public that knew nothing about it until now. A U.S. official tells CNN that President Trump switched planes while leaving the NATO summit in Turkey last month in an elaborate ruse after an assassination threat from Iran. Cameras showed him boarding Air Force One at 8:24, but we are told he was covertly moved to a catering truck that took him to a smaller plane while the old Air Force One took off as a decoy.

This story was first reported by the Washington Post. With us now is Congressman Jake Auchincloss, a Democrat from Massachusetts. Congressman, good to see you this morning.

Obviously, the president's security is of paramount importance to national security. It just is. Nevertheless, what questions do you have about this level of deception, this level of concern about an Iranian threat?

REP. JAKE AUCHINCLOSS (D-MA): Good morning. Thanks for having me back on. I wasn't at the scene.

I'm not aware of all the security details. I'm not going to second- guess decisions made by the commander on that scene ...

[08:30:00]