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IEA Suggestions to Ease Impact of Gas Prices; Becca Wasser is Interviewed about Iran; Trump Comments about Troops; Rep. Mike Haridopolos (R-FL) is Interviewed about Iran. Aired 6:30-7a ET

Aired March 20, 2026 - 06:30   ET

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

[06:30:00]

AUDIE CORNISH, CNN ANCHOR: As the war in Iran stretches into its third week. The U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, Mike Waltz, and a panel of experts, they're actually going to take questions from a live studio audience. Our own Dana Bash moderates. It's called "CNN Town Hall: War with Iran." That's live tonight at 9:00 on CNN. And, of course, you can watch it on our CNN app.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CORNISH: Welcome back, everyone. It's 6:34 here on the East Coast.

We're still following this breaking development in the war with Iran. The attacks on Middle East oil that are sending your gas prices higher.

[06:35:04]

They continue this morning.

Now, Israeli sources confirm a strike on a refinery in the Israeli port city of Haifa. And this comes after Israel hit Iran's gas fields.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BENJAMIN NETANYAHU, ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER: Israel acted alone against the Assaluyeh (ph) gas compound. Fact number two, President Trump asked us to hold off on future attacks, and were holding out (ph).

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CORNISH: So, the prime minister claims that Israel, as you heard, acted alone in that strike on the South Pars facility that happened on Wednesday. This is actually despite the reporting from U.S. and Israeli sources that the two governments actually coordinated the attack.

And Iran has executed three men in connection with nationwide protests that took place in January. One of the men was a 19-year-old wrestler whose conviction had drawn criticism from the U.S., with President Trump previously warning Iran against it. Now, these hangings are thought to be the first carried out in public in response to the January protests.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: It's a small price to pay to make sure that we stay tippy-top.

PETE HEGSETH, DEFENSE SECRETARY: It takes money to kill bad guys.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CORNISH: And the White House is getting ready to ask Congress to give them more money. President Trump confirming Thursday he is seeking $200 billion to fund this ongoing war on Iran. But it will likely be days, if not weeks, before that request actually makes it to Congress.

And with oil prices hovering around $107 a barrel, the soaring cost of crude driving up fuel prices worldwide. The International Energy Agency has posted a list of unprecedented recommendations to help you ease the pain. They are urging people around the world to avoid air travel.

CNN anchor and correspondent Eleni Giokos joins us from Dubai.

Eleni, thanks for being with us this morning.

I -- can you tell us more about some of these suggestions and also restrictions.

ELENI GIOKOS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes. Well, firstly, it feels almost like a throwback to Covid-19 restrictions in a way I mean, it's interesting, Fatih Birol, the executive director of the International Energy Agency, says that there's an energy crisis unfolding. And despite releasing record emergency reserve number of 400 million barrels, you and I have to help with the demand side. So, we have to try and pull back in terms of how much we use.

So, working from home. I don't know how corporate America is going to feel about that. But, of course, that's going to mean a lot less cars on the -- on the roads. Reducing speed limits of around six, 6.5 miles per hour. That's around ten kilometers per hour. Using public transport and then use alternative cooking methods. So, you know, newer technology that's going to rely less on gas, for example. And then the big one, avoiding air travel.

I was looking at the jet fuel prices and it's unbelievable to see this graph that just shows a massive spike that is higher than what we saw when Russia invaded Ukraine. Clearly in a supply shock. These refined products of jet fuel have made an impact already on the airline industry. Delta, for example, has already increased its prices several times over the past few weeks. And you can see jet fuel prices are up just over 11 percent only in the past week. And there's more to come because we don't know how long this war is going to last, Audie.

CORNISH: OK. Eleni, thanks so much for that.

I want to bring in someone else to the group chat here. Iran's foreign minister has vowed to show zero restraint. And so, if Israel is attacking the energy infrastructure, Tehran also warning it is only using a fraction of its firepower when it hit an Israeli oil refinery yesterday. And, as we heard, President Trump and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu tried to downplay the concerns people were having after these attacks.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: It's going to be over with pretty soon. We've obliterated their navy. We've obliterated their -- just about everything there is to obliterate, including leadership.

BENJAMIN NETANYAHU, ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER: Their air force is nearly destroyed. Iran's command and control structure is in utter chaos. And I can tell you that there's still more work to do, and we're going to do it.

But I also see this war ending a lot faster than people think.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CORNISH: All right, so, we're bringing in Becca Wasser, who's also a defense lead at Bloomberg Economics, adjunct senior fellow for defense at the Center for New American Security.

But the part of your resume I'm obsessed with is that you used to do war games exercises, modeling, at DOD. So, the Defense Department has, for years, talked about what they would do in this scenario. What are you seeing the scenarios now that we are many days in?

BECCA WASSER, DEFENSE LEAD, BLOOMBERG ECONOMICS: I think there's been some exquisite planning that has gone on for years and years from the Pentagon, from other parts of the U.S. military. And we see that with the tactical level success that you hear Pete Hegseth, Dan Caine, and even the president himself tout all over town.

[06:40:07]

But that does not necessarily mean strategic success.

And I think we're seeing that this war has gone on longer than President Trump initially thought with the idea that this would just be a little excursion, in his words. And because of that, I think we're seeing that despite all of that planning, the enemy gets a vote. And in this case, Iran has really gummed up some of those initial plans.

CORNISH: Even with U.S. supremacy in the air? I mean what -- where do the gains make a difference to help mitigate what the markets are clearly worried about?

WASSER: Yes. So, the U.S. has made some progress in the air, but it doesn't have air supremacy quite yet. It has localized air superiority, and it's working its way across the country to try and have more. But until it does that, the U.S. is going to have to rely on some of those more limited and expensive long-range weapons until it can gain greater security in the skies to start moving in some of those fighter jets and using some of those more plentiful, affordable munitions. And that right now is a huge focus for the department.

CORNISH: You know, we're hearing from Tehran, the foreign minister, saying that Tehran will show zero restraint. When y'all modeled this out years ago, what are you seeing that they're actually doing now? Like, how -- is this actually all that different from what the strategic planning sort of predicted?

WASSER: Iran has always had asymmetric capabilities. And they are using those to the best of their ability. No one's done more with the little than Tehran. And that's what they're doing right now. And that's why we are seeing all of these attacks on energy infrastructure, on various things that they can do to impose costs, not only to the U.S., but globally, in order to get their way and to essentially find a way to bring this conflict to fruition.

CORNISH: I was reading this week, I don't know if you saw this in "The Economist," the foreign minister of Oman saying that U.S. friends need to help it get out of an unlawful war, warning that U.S. security ties now feel like an acute vulnerability.

I wanted to point this out because Oman has traditionally had a moderating presence between the U.S. and Iran, right? Like, if there's a conversation, Oman -- it's Oman's table sometimes that helps make it happen.

What did you make of him weighing in, in this way? And what are you seeing from gulf allies?

WASSER: Oman has been struck by Iranian drones and missiles. And that is something that we would have thought of as being unheard of. And so, for them, it's a sea change in how they've approached things. So, I think across the gulf, you are seeing countries think twice about what they thought their security bargain was with the United States, that U.S. forces and bases on their territory would keep them secure. And I --

CORNISH: Meaning, can you guys actually protect us?

WASSER: Can you protect us and are you willing to protect us? Because a lot of the forces that traditionally are on the bases on their territory, they actually had moved farther outside to other far bases to avoid getting struck by Iranian missiles. So, they felt a little bit abandoned. And now they are continually being struck by drones, missiles, almost daily. And it's making them think twice about what they're going to do once this war is over.

CORNISH: All right, Becca, I would love for you to come back as we're hearing more about this. Thank you so much for being here.

I want to turn to this. You got "Reuters" and "Politico" reporting that President Trump is considering deploying thousands of U.S. ground troops to the Middle East. The president is denying it, but he's not ruling it out either. It's making a lot of Republicans nervous. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REPORTER: Do you think Congress needs to be briefed if there are boots on the ground?

SEN. LISA MURKOWSKI (R-AK): Yes, absolutely.

REPORTER: If there was a deployment of boots on the ground, do you think that Congress needs a separate vote?

SEN. JOSH HAWLEY (R-MO): Yes, I think then we have to go back and look at what the statute requires.

REP. TIM BURCHETT (R-TN): I don't -- I don't want to put Americans on the ground out there in any shape, form or fashion.

REP. MICHAEL MCCAUL (R-TX): I think boots on the ground, I think has pretty much been ruled out.

SEN. JOHN CORNYN (R-TX): I don't believe American boots on the ground are going to be required or a good idea.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CORNISH: OK, I realized you should stay, Becca. In your scenarios, is there boots on the ground?

WASSER: So, there could be boots on the ground, but it's a highly, highly risky situation. And it's one that just means that essentially the Strait of Hormuz is a shooting gallery. And that is not a place that anyone wants to be in, both U.S. forces, because of the risks to them, as well as international markets, because that's the kind of situation where you do see oil prices go sky high, possibly past $170 per barrel.

CORNISH: OK. The argument I'm hearing that I thought was quite interesting, Republican Congressman Pete Sessions. He was saying that if the president sent ground troops to say Kharg Island in Iran, which is a major hub for them, that that is not technically boots on the ground here.

[06:45:06]

No, let me let you listen. Yes.

MICHAEL WARREN, SENIOR EDITOR, "THE DISPATCH": All right.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. PETE SESSIONS (R-TX): The president has chosen not to obliterate the ability that -- to get oil. And I think he wants to go secure that to make sure the Iranians don't do themselves in. So, I think it's probably wisdom. Is that boots on the ground? No, not like inside Iran where they're in the cities.

(END VIDEO CLIP) WARREN: I mean, he has -- he has a point. I mean it's boots on the ground but not in, you know, the mainland of Iran.

CORNISH: Not Fallujah. Not Iraq. Not the images people have of --

WARREN: Exactly.

CORNISH: Yes.

WARREN: But this is my question. I mean, again, Becca mentioned the possibility of boots on the ground. The folks that I talked to who know about either, you know, military experts or who have been reporting on what's actually happening inside Iran, whatever the goal is, which we still don't know what the goal -- they actually end goal is. I keep coming back to this idea, it sounds like whatever it is, whether it's regime change or just stopping what's happening in the Strait of Hormuz, the answer seems to be coming back around to boots on the ground. And that seems to be, I think --

CORNISH: But isn't it a different situation if Iran's capacity to fight back, Iran's military has been so diminished that I guess they're trying to imply that boots on the ground wouldn't be what people think it is.

WASSER: I think imagine just a few drones that can come across, drop bombs, make explosions. Imagine that there are mines in the strait and you have ships that are listing and blown up and there's, you know, a gaping hole in the hull. All of these are images of what Iran can do with very little. They don't need a full military in order to do that. And that in itself, imagine those playing out in TVs across America.

CORNISH: Yes.

MARIA CARDONA, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: You know what's so astounding about what you're saying, Becca? The fact that you all have done this, right? You -- these scenarios, you've played out years ago. It's astounding to me that in the comments that this administration has made, from the president on down, they seem surprised about how Iran has been reacting to this. And the fact that, you know, they say they're obliterated, but clearly they're not.

CORNISH: But can -- Maria, can Democrats -- can Democrats continue this discussion without an alternative path, right? Like, can you -- what I never hear from Democrats is, and here's how we would do it differently. And here's what it would mean to de-escalate. And here -- you don't hear any of that. It's just, this is what's going wrong.

CARDONA: Well, because it's not Democrats, the ones that pushed this war in the first place. And so, what they can say is, look, we agree that the regime, you know, having been the ayatollah being killed, no one is crying about that, but that the way that we went into this was completely misguided. There was no plan for this. There has been no reason for this. Every single time, like I said before, that they've talked about this, it's a different reason why they're doing this. So, it's not up to Democrats to figure out how to deescalate because they didn't want to escalate to -- CORNISH: Well, we're going to have -- I'm going to bring on a Republican for you to ask that in a minute, OK, so, save some of -- some of your energy. Becca, thank you. Great expertise. We appreciate it.

Next, we're going to talk about how the Pentagon, as we said, wants more money. We know that some voters are questioning when Congress will act.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'd like to see the Republicans grow some spine and Congress to enact its role.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CORNISH: So, I will be joined by Republican Congressman Mike Haridopolos. We're going to get his response, next.

And, of course, that voter I.D. bill back on the Senate floor today. Why some lawmakers say that it could disenfranchise poor and rural voters.

And later on CNN, we're going to be live from the Atlanta airport. We're with you, Atlanta. The situation with TSA, frankly, seems to be getting worse.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[06:52:53]

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PETE HEGSETH, DEFENSE SECRETARY: It takes money to kill bad guys. So, we're going back to Congress and our folks there to ensure that we're properly funded for what's been done, for what we may have to do in the future.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

AUDIE CORNISH, CNN ANCHOR: That's Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's pitch for another $200 billion for the war with Iran. And there are some Republicans in Congress who have questions. Here is one Republican who says they are already a no.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. LAUREN BOEBERT (R-CO): I will not vote for a war supplemental. No. I am a no. I've already told leadership I am a no on any war supplemental. I am so tired of spending money elsewhere. I am tired of the industrial war complex getting all of our hard-earned tax dollars. I have folks in Colorado who can't afford to live. We need America first policies right now, and that -- I'm not doing that.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CORNISH: Joining me now to talk about this, Congressman Mike Haridopolos. He's a Republican, but from Florida.

Lauren Boebert is a no. Would you be a yes or a no?

REP. MIKE HARIDOPOLOS (R-FL): Well, this is something that the president's got to push forward and talk about why -- what the cost is and how that might impact the budget. That's --

CORNISH: Am I hearing maybe?

HARIDOPOLOS: I think we're going to hear the story. I mean, I'm not going to make a decision based on one comment. What I'm going to make a decision on is, can we eliminate the long -term threat of Iran, which has been plaguing our nation since 1979? As you know, Audie, I teach U.S. history for a living before I (INAUDIBLE). And what's incredibly frustrating is Iran has really ravaged this part of the world, killing their own people, tens of thousands just recently. And you see how they're firing on their own allies -- let's just say, neighbors around the world. This is an --

CORNISH: So, is that going to be your answer to the people in Florida who agree with her? And I ask because there is a strain of Republican within MAGA that is frustrated with the path the president has taken. And they are using arguments that sound very similar to what she says, that this is not America first.

HARIDOPOLOS: Well, again, what I think we're talking about right now is, let's see where this war goes. This has been a really challenging situation for all of us. We recognize -- I hope everyone at this table is rooting for our team to actually win this conflict. The last person didn't seem like they were rooting for America.

[06:55:00]

But the idea is that Iran is a major threat to this region, let alone the world. The last thing we need is a nuclear weapon in Iran. And let's hope that, once and for all, we can extract a victory from Iran because they're just a nation that is, simply, purely evil. I mean they kill their own people. You saw just this weekend, they killed one of their own wrestlers. Who knows what's going to happen to these young ladies who just came back from a soccer tournament in Australia. And the quicker they're knocked out of power, the better. And making sure they never get a nuclear weapon. You're seeing what they're doing to their own again, their neighbors right now, indiscriminately bombing hotels and everything.

CORNISH: Let me follow up on what you're saying, because the defense secretary, Pete Hegseth, actually was talking directly to the American people yesterday in his press briefing, and he talked about his own family. Let me play that for you.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PETE HEGSETH, DEFENSE SECRETARY: My 13 year old son popped into my office last night while I was editing these remarks. He asked about the war and the families I met at Dover. And I looked at him and I said, they died for you, son, so that your generation doesn't have to deal with a nuclear Iran. It's the truth. And they did. So, to the families who said, finish this, we will.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CORNISH: I want to talk about this. He was referring to families he met after dignified transfer, meaning loss. And I understand you have family members in the military. Are you prepared for boots on the ground?

HARIDOPOLOS: That's something we do not want to do at all. Clearly we believe that we have gained air superiority at this point. We have reduced their ability to use missiles, let alone drones, down about 90 percent since the height of the conflict. But, again, this is a challenging situation because Iran is such a legitimate threat. They were trying to produce so many weapons that they could eventually create a nuclear weapon.

CORNISH: Would a vote for you on funding be conditional on whether or not boots on the ground are part of the ask and the plan?

HARIDOPOLOS: Well, again, I think Mr. -- Secretary Hegseth has made the push for this funding. We're going to have that discussion. As you know, right now, what are in what we call the micro majority, and the realities of it.

CORNISH: Yes.

HARIDOPOLOS: And -- but --

CORNISH: But that's your hard line is boots on the ground? I want to be clear.

HARIDOPOLOS: Well, I think -- again, this is where -- I wouldn't actually base it on all the information in front of us. We're hearing a lot of different reports right now. I'm a person who's smart enough to take all the information in before I make a final decision. But the last thing we want is boots on the ground. As you mentioned, our own son is in the United States military. And I'm very cognizant. I know not only he, but all of his friends are thinking right now and we're optimistic we can finally take Iran off the map. That is all of our goal. I hope we share (ph) that right here.

WARREN: What do you want to hear from the administration before you make your decision on voting for $200 billion?

HARIDOPOLOS: Well, I think we want to get a full debrief on where we're at in the war. What we -- I think we all recognize is that the capability of Iran has been dramatically reduced. And that is good for the world, let alone, of course, the United States of America. And the cost -- when you always had this constant threat of Iran is very high over years. As you know we have bases in this region because of the threat of Iran.

But I think what is remarkable about this whole conflict is that, look at all of Iran's so-called neighbors. They're siding with us because this -- Iran is so evil. And again, the -- a nation would be willing to kill their own people shows you how radical they are. And I think we're getting very close to taking away that regime and allowing the people of Iran to finally take their country back. Because women in Iran don't have any rights at all. And what has happened since 1969 is just an absolute tragedy.

WARREN: Well -- so, it sounds like you're leaning toward supporting this, the $200 billion.

HARIDOPOLOS: What it sounds to me like is, I'm going to take in information before I make a final decision. And I'm smart enough to --

WARREN: Sure. Sure. What do you want to -- what do you want to know about the future of this conflict with Iran --

HARIDOPOLOS: Well, I want to -- I want to make sure that Iran never gets a nuclear weapon, because if they're willing to do this with drones and some missiles, you can only imagine what they'd be willing to do to the rest of the world with a nuclear weapon. And that's the goal here.

CARDONA: But, Congressman, what about the reports about how you were never going to be able to take away the possibility of Iran having a nuclear weapon unless you put boots on the ground, because they have hid all of their material so far underground.

CORNISH: Underground.

HARIDOPOLOS: Well, I just -- look, I remember when Barack Obama gave $150 billion to Iran, and they said they would no longer seek a nuclear weapon. Guess what? They kept seeking a nuclear weapon.

CARDONA: That was Iran's money, first of all. You know that.

HARIDOPOLOS: You're rooting for Iran, Maria? I --

CARDONA: No, I am not rooting for Iran.

HARIDOPOLOS: And they gave them four (ph) --

CARDONA: That was Iran's money. It was not the United States' money.

HARIDOPOLOS: What do you think they gave -- they gave them $400 million in actual cash. Do you think they gave -- they helped the people out?

CORNISH: No, we're trying to make sense of your answer.

HARIDOPOLOS: But I'm making -- this is a --

CORNISH: You say you're waiting for more, but what is the more?

HARIDOPOLOS: The more is, one, information. But we have absolute air superiority right now. We have the power to knock out anyone we want. And the leadership structure is gone in Iran.

CORNISH: And yet --

HARIDOPOLOS: And yet this is --

CORNISH: You're not a yes on $200 billion?

HARIDOPOLOS: Well, we -- what we're at -- where we're at right now is, this conflict is one where we think we can win long term. And this $200 billion number is a serious number. And I'm going to take it very seriously, because the threat of Iran is real. But the news -- better news is, compared to three weeks ago, they are less of a threat in that region long term. And I think that's a win for the United States, and more importantly for the world and world peace.

[07:00:03]

CORNISH: OK. Congressman Haridopolos, thank you so much for being here.

HARIDOPOLOS: Thanks, Audie.

CORNISH: Always appreciate your time.

Thank you for waking up with us or, frankly, watching us in the airport because the lines are long. We're going to talk more about that in the coming hour.

I'm Audie Cornish, and the headlines are next.