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Jonathan Panikoff is Interviewed about Talks Between the U.S. and Iran; Millions at "No Kings" Rallies; Rep. Brittany Pettersen (D- CO) is Interviewed about DHS Funding; Vance Tops CPAC Poll. Aired 6:30-7a ET

Aired March 30, 2026 - 06:30   ET

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

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[06:31:19]

ERICA HILL, CNN ANCHOR: Good Monday morning. Thanks for joining us here on CNN THIS MORNING.

It is just past half the hour here on the East Coast. Here's what's happening right now.

Wait times at airports across the U.S. easing this morning. The longest wait at this hour? At George Bush in Houston. It's about an hour. JFK in New York, 35 minutes.

And while Congress remains at a stalemate over DHS funding, TSA workers have been showing up to work without pay could actually see some of their back pay hit their accounts today. President Trump, of course, issuing an executive order to fund the agency.

Meantime, an additional 3,500 U.S. Sailors and Marines are now in the Middle East, as President Trump weighs his next move in Iran. In an interview with the "Financial Times," Trump says he's still considering whether to seize Kharg Island. Iran, meantime, warning its forces are waiting for a U.S. ground invasion so they can, quote, "rain fire" upon them.

And oil prices rising this morning after President Trump told the "Financial Times" that he wants to take the oil in Iran. Brent crude crossing more than $116 per barrel earlier. It has fallen back down, as you can see there, a bit. Analysts, though, warning that if this war drags on through June, oil prices could easily hit $200. Gas could hit $7 a gallon on average here in the U.S.

This morning, President Trump is claiming diplomatic progress, as Pakistan says it is prepared to host talks between the U.S. and Iran in the coming days. Will those talks, though, actually happen?

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ISHAQ DAR, PAKISTANI FOREIGN MINISTER: Pakistan is very happy that both Iran and the U.S. have expressed their confidence in Pakistan to facilitate the talks. Pakistan will be honored to host and facilitate meaningful talks between the two sides in the coming days for a comprehensive and lasting settlement of the ongoing conflict.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HILL: Pakistan is already acting as a key mediator, delivering the Trump administration's 15-point peace plan to Tehran, which includes a ban on nuclear weapons for Iran. As thousands of U.S. troops arrive in the Middle East, meantime, Iran is accusing the U.S. of secretly planning a ground invasion amid ongoing negotiations.

Jonathan Panikoff is director of the Scowcroft Middle East Institute Security -- sorry, Middle East Security Initiative, rather, at the Atlantic Council, and joins us now.

You also have a great piece out in the "Financial Times" this morning where you talk about the sentiment among gulf states. They're very unhappy with the U.S., very unhappy with Israel, very unhappy with Iran. Where does that leave things in terms of support?

JONATHAN PANIKOFF, FORMER DEPUTY NATIONAL INTEL OFFICER, NATIONAL INTELLIGENCE COUNCIL: It leaves it quite confused, frankly. There's no indication that I think peace talks are going to meaningfully either happen, or if they do, that they're actually going to resolve the issue in the near term.

But there is an indication that you're starting to see, frankly, splits. Some of the gulf states actually clearly want the U.S. to really push forward and make sure that Iran can be completely defanged, as they've called it. Some of them actually want an off ramp immediately. So, even within the GCC, some splits are emerging, like they are almost everywhere else.

HILL: How challenging is it to the messaging that comes out of this White House and President Trump, which he and his supporters have pointed to, right, this is a negotiation tactic. He can't let everybody know where he's going. But the reality is, it almost feels like he's testing out options in real time as he talks about them.

PANIKOFF: I think that's absolutely right. Look, I don't think President Trump's made a real decision, but he's certainly preparing the ground in a way in case he does. And that decision could be, yes, I'm going to go ahead with some sort of talks. But it's also equally likely, maybe more likely at this point, that he's going to go forward with some sort of ground invasion. And what that actually looks like also has a mirid of different options that, frankly, could come from it.

HILL: Well, and we -- and I will point out, we were talking about this earlier, but our reporting at the end of last week here at CNN, he's been presented with multiple options, all of which have a significant risk for U.S. casualties.

PANIKOFF: Yes.

HILL: None of which have a guaranteed success.

[06:35:02] When you look at how this is playing out, you have comments, of course, from Iran saying, well, you're saying that you're negotiating privately. What we see you doing is building up troops. And then you have Iran also perhaps with a sense of winning in some aspects, as the president says, no, no, no, Iran's desperate for a deal.

PANIKOFF: Yes, I think that's absolutely right. Look, so, the president put forward his 15 point. Iran has, I think, rejected most of those, at least publicly. I'd be shocked if there's only a few remaining, as the president says. They're just so far apart from Iran's own minimums. Iran presented its own five points. Things like, frankly, not only financial remuneration having to come for U.S. attacks, but guarantees that the U.S. would restrain Israel from ever allowing it to attack Iran again. Things that are just certainly not going to happen.

And so, you've created this situation, I think, right now where there's not just more confusion, but I think also there's a real challenge. I think the Iranians are having a really hard time understanding what the U.S.' goal and red lines are. And I think the U.S. really just doesn't fundamentally understand Iran either.

HILL: What is the role for Pakistan here? How much could Pakistan potentially get them both to the table?

PANIKOFF: Look, I think Pakistan's going to try and bring folks together. We saw over the weekend that you had the Pakistanis meeting with the Turks, the Egyptians and the Saudis, obviously, to try to and see whether or not they could come together and have in the background some sort of momentum for negotiations. But we're still pretty far away from meaningful ones. Even if you get the U.S. to the table, even if you get the Iranians at the table, in Tehran they're very skeptical because you've got to remember that we had in June negotiations going on with the U.S., and then the U.S. struck. We had in January, negotiations going on, and then the U.S. struck. Whether you agreed with the U.S. striking or not, it clearly has created a level of skepticism in Tehran that I think is hard to not at least understand why they're feeling so confused.

HILL: Yes. Jonathan, great to have your expertise this morning. Thank you.

PANIKOFF: Thank you.

HILL: President Trump so far silent after millions came out over the weekend for a third "No Kings" protest denouncing the president and his agenda. Trump, in the past, of course, has been a vocal critic of the movement.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I can't express how much I hate Donald Trump, and I think that he's just ruining our country.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I would actually like to see him step down, and that would probably be the best thing for this country. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Twenty-six-year veteran. I took an oath to the

Constitution. The president takes an oath to the Constitution as well, but he's not following it at all.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I see the difference in the prices. Look at the gas. And every time I go to the grocery store every week, things have gone up.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Everyone out here is very peaceful, very loving. That's the way we want to see our country.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HILL: The group chat is back.

So, Susan, you wrote -- you wrote about these protests over the weekend. I mean the numbers are high, right? I was also struck by where these events were taking place. This is not just big cities this time around, which you also pointed out.

SUSAN PAGE, WASHINGTON BUREAU CHIEF, "USA TODAY": Yes, that's right. You know, eight million people, organizers say, showed up. That number hasn't been independently verified, but it's consistent with what we saw at the two previous "No Kings" rallies. That means more than one out of every 50 Americans participated in a "No Kings" rally.

And as you say, what struck me was not that they had a big one in New York and Los Angeles and Chicago. We're used to --

HILL: Minneapolis too, which is a focus.

PAGE: Minneapolis, where the flagship rally was. We're familiar with seeing big rallies there. This was in places like South Bend, Indiana. There was one in West Palm Beach that tried to march on Mar-a-Lago. It was in all 50 states, in every congressional district, including ones that were mostly rural, ones that were safely Republican. So, clearly, it reflected a sense among many Americans, millions of Americans, against Trump and against his policies, particularly on immigration and his assertion of presidential powers.

HILL: It's interesting, we didn't see -- unless I've missed something, which is entirely possible, because the posts can come at any time from the president in the last few minutes, but he's not really weighing in. The White House dismissing them. The NRCC, I believe, was calling these, you know, hate America rallies.

What do you make of the fact, Mario, that we haven't heard from the president on these, that he's not giving them any attention, not posting disgusting memes this time around?

MARIO PARKER, REPORTER, "BLOOMBERG NEWS": Right. I think the president, as we saw in a previous clip, has his attention elsewhere at this point. Some of this isn't as surprising just given we've seen this both in the first term but also over the past year as well.

But I think to Susan's point, what is surprising here and what this takes -- this takes place against this backdrop of just so much frustration and angst, right? This is something that's different from what we saw a year ago when we were seeing some of these protests. Now it's the TSA lines, right? The long lines. The gasoline prices that Americans are worried about. The war in Iran and other places that Americans are kind of having anxiety about as well. And then just the consternation right now with the current state of affairs, affordability and the political climate as well.

So, you put all of that together in a gumbo, and then you get just this huge outpouring.

[06:40:03]

It does the president no favors at this point to weigh in or give it any more oxygen, just given just how far this blaze is right.

HILL: Does that in any way show a level of concern, you think?

PARKER: I'm not sure it shows a level of concern. What I do think that it is a warning sign for Republicans in the House and the Senate --

HILL: Yes.

PARKER: Who see these things and have to be shuddering right now because Democrats, if they play their cards right, can kind of use some of this and maximize it.

HILL: Right. And that will be the ultimate tell, right, what happens in November between now and then. And, Susan, I think you also pointed this out in your piece.

The question too is, why are people there? So, we see the signs. We see people -- it's not necessarily one unified message. Does that help or hurt them?

SARA FISCHER, CNN SENIOR MEDIA ANALYST: I think that, broadly speaking, it is sort of unified in that it's a check on authoritarian power. That's what the "No Kings" labeling suggests.

I think in terms of November, there's two things I'm watching. One, to Susan's point, in red states this momentum is building against -- with this movement. And then the second is, if you take a look at the intra dynamics in the Republican Party, the Iran War is really playing out to sort of bifurcate it and split it. Both of those things combined going into November is going to make it very difficult for Republicans because independents are looking at this and they're saying that this has gone too far.

And so, I don't think that this "No Kings" protest, despite the fact that there's eight million people across various cities, is that disjointed. I think it's broadly a check on presidential power. And that's going to come back to haunt the Republicans in November.

HILL: A lot to watch for. I also want to point out, Susan, great piece this morning. But also you have a new book out, "The Queen and Her Presidents." PAGE: Thank you.

HILL: I'm looking forward to reading it.

PAGE: Thank you very much.

HILL: All right, later this month.

Still ahead here on CNN THIS MORNING, the shutdown at DHS continues. The House and the Senate on two very different pages. So, what happens next? I'll ask Democratic Congresswoman Brittany Pettersen about that.

Plus.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I think Vance is in the position.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think the person I would hope to represent it would be Marco Rubio.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HILL: Vance or Rubio, Rubio or Vance. CPAC attendees weighing in on who they would like to see represent the Republican Party in 2028.

And still to come here, the head of the FCC says President Trump is winning against fake news. A big break from the traditionally independent body.

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[06:46:40]

HILL: TSA workers could start seeing some money hit their bank accounts as soon as today, as the longest partial shutdown in U.S. history drags on. President Trump, of course, ordered the agency to begin paying agents on Friday. Some of those payments are now being processed. Workers have missed out, all told, on about $1 billion collectively worth of paychecks since the lapse in funding in February.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

KIMBERLEY FONDREN, TSA OFFICER: We have a very serious job to, you know, protect the American travel, to protect the American people. So, our high stress job and focus is what we need to be doing, not worrying about if my light is going to be on when I get home. And so, thinking about things, coming to work every day, it is like a hostage situation because we're not being paid.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HILL: Joining me now is Congresswoman Brittany Pettersen, a Democrat from Colorado.

Good to have you with us this morning.

So, things took a drastic change. A lot of people woke up Friday morning, after that Senate bill passed unanimously, perhaps a little hopeful. Things went a little differently, as you well know, in the House. We had House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, over the weekend, criticizing the Senate bill, claiming some of his colleagues now had buyer's remorse, as Representative Ron Johnson basically defended the Senate bill.

Do you see, at this point, any lane of compromise in the House?

REP. BRITTANY PETTERSEN (D-CO): Yes, I was -- I was incredibly disappointed that a bill that passed unanimously in the Senate, that would have ensured that, you know, TSA agents aren't being held hostage by our focus to make sure that we bring necessary reforms to ICE and FEMA and other critical services, so that passed. Unfortunately, in the House, they decided to kill that in the rule. They passed their own for extending the funding that included ICE funding.

I think that the compromise is the very clearly laid out path on what we need to do to bring transparency and accountability for ICE. They are a rogue agency right now, and overwhelmingly the American people believe that they've gone too far. So, we're not going to stop fighting back and trying to bring accountability for this agency. So, I think that we have to be willing to come to the table on these issues.

HILL: We were talking earlier on the show about the impact of the president's order that TSA agents begin getting paid, and whether or not that took away some of the leverage. If the lines go down at airports, how do you think that impacts the position of both sides here?

PETTERSEN: The Democrats have been trying to ensure that that was the case the entire time. I don't know why, if he was going to do this, why he waited this long while Americans, while TSA agents went without paychecks. We need to fund all of these critical services. They don't need to be held hostage with our disagreement around how ICE is operating. So, I think that we never wanted that leverage. We don't want to use that piece. Our focus is ICE.

HILL: What are your conversations, if any, that you are having privately, not asking, obviously, you to reveal names, but among your conversations with your colleagues across the aisle, what are you hearing from Republicans that maybe we are not hearing publicly?

PETTERSEN: Look, privately, many Republicans are concerned around the way in which ICE has engaged. I -- the -- how necessary it is to start reining in some of their actions, I mean, can you imagine if this was happening under Democrats and how Republicans would feel about that?

[06:50:07]

I'm grateful that some Republicans have spoken out. I, you know, about having an independent investigation to these murders, you know, making sure that there is accountability. But we need to see a lot more.

HILL: When it comes to plans -- let's hope that this shutdown does end at some point. There are significant questions about the continued impact on the security of this country when TSA agents are often seen, right, as the political pawns here, forced to show up for work without getting paid. What is the plan to make sure that doesn't happen moving forward from Democrats?

Well, we need to continue to fight to make sure that TSA is fully funded and is not part of this fight and this conversation. I -- unfortunately, the Republicans have tried to use, you know, leverage, not funding these other services in response to our pushback around ICE.

So, I think that it is -- as a member of Congress, but also as an American, I'm incredibly frustrated. This is my fourth year. I come from the state legislature. I'm used to being able to find common ground, being able to give and take, to work together, to find compromise. So, incredibly frustrating being in Washington to see the dysfunction up close and the very obvious steps forward that we could make together to solve these issues.

HILL: Congress is now in recess for two weeks. What do you have planned in terms of speaking with your constituents and hearing from them? I mean most people we talk to, they really don't care what letter comes after your name, whether it's a "D," an "R," an "I," they are, frankly, just fed up, as I'm sure you know, with Congress. How much do you plan to speak with your constituents while you're home?

PETTERSEN: So, when we're home, we're working around the clock. I'll be going throughout my district and the rural parts of the area doing the travel that we don't have enough time to necessarily when, you know, we're back and forth in D.C. So, if you're doing your job right, you're out in the community, day in and day out. So, that's what I'll be doing, listening to my constituents.

I think that, yes, people want a functioning government. They don't want to have to worry about these things. They don't want to have to worry about a shutdown. They want to be able to show up to the airport and not have to wait six hours to board a plane. So, we have to do so much better for the American people and deeply disappointed in the actions of the Republicans in the House in not passing the bill that came unanimously from the Senate.

HILL: Congresswoman Pettersen --

PETTERSEN: And, by the way, it's because Donald Trump I told them to oppose it. So, you know, he has been in the way this entire time, and he is the x factor that makes it incredibly challenging to actually work together and do our jobs.

HILL: Congresswoman Pettersen, appreciate your time this morning. Thank you.

PETTERSEN: I appreciate you. Thanks so much. HILL: So, when it comes to J.D. Vance, is his stance on the war in

Iran hurting his chance with Republicans? The GOP is looking ahead to 2028, and it is shaping up, at least as of today, to potentially be Vance versus Rubio. Vance winning this year's straw poll at CPAC, the Conservative Political Action Conference, 53 percent to Rubio's 35. Rubio, though, is gaining ground. Last year he had just three percent of the vote.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: As much as I would like to say someone like Vance, I just -- I hate seeing the president and vice president run. I want someone new and different, someone younger.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I don't really like Vance. I think Marco Rubio is the only person from the administration that I would support going into 2028.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'd have voted for Vance.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I would go with Vance too. I like Rubio too. They'd make a good team. Too bad they couldn't co-president, you know.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I think Vance is in the position, and I don't think it would be wise for Rubio and his supporters to try to jump ahead of Vance.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HILL: Sara, we'll have you kick things off with this one. How much -- how much do you think it could be what J.D. Vance has said in the past versus where we stand now when it comes to war, when it comes to Iran, that could be impacting what we heard from those --

FISCHER: I think what it has to do with is, who does President Trump like in favor? And in both of these situations, with J.D. Vance and Marco Rubio, President Trump has been allied, he hasn't turned really on either one. And that's why you see broad support for them.

To me, what is spectacular is the political comeback of Marco Rubio. Think back to 2016, a decade ago.

HILL: Yes.

FISCHER: When he was just thirsty Marco and Donald Trump was beating him up in debates. He would have never shown up as a speck on a CPAC straw poll. To now come in with 35 percent means he's played his political cards very, very well within the Republican Party. Being able to pivot as sort of a centrist Republican into full MAGA sphere while still finding ways to hedge within the Republican -- within the Trump administration, Marco Rubio, comeback of the decade for Republicans.

HILL: Comeback of the decade. How long does it last?

PARKER: I think he's got momentum, right? To go from three percent to 35 percent over the course of the past year, I mean, is pretty remarkable. And we've seen his profile grow.

[06:55:01]

He was out front on some of the actions that the administration took in the Caribbean, for example, with Venezuela. We've seen some of the talks with Cuba as well. We've seen him distinguish himself as a spokesperson for the administration in a lot of ways as well.

And it's interesting, to Sara's point, you can see just how much President Trump enjoys some of this "Apprentice" style jostling as well. Whenever we ask him in the press about some of this, he's like, well, I think there could be two people on the ticket in 2028.

HILL: Yes.

PARKER: Those two people will be a tough combination. We haven't seen him quite weigh in, but we can see that he enjoys the question.

HILL: Well, so it's funny, we were having that exact conversation in our show meeting this morning, that this is a little bit like, you know, "Apprentice" 2026, as he -- you know, in many ways pitting them against each other. I think we actually even have some of that sound if we want to play it.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REPORTER: Do you agree that the heir apparent to MAGA J.D. Vance?

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Well, I think most likely, in all fairness. He's the vice president. And I think Marco is also somebody that maybe would get together with J.D. in some form.

So, it's too early, obviously, to talk about it, but certainly he's doing a great job and he would be probably favored at this point.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HILL: So, that, again, was August, but it is fascinating to watch.

PAGE: You know, before we go too far with this, the record of CPAC straw poll --

HILL: Yes.

PAGE: And predicting who's going to thrive, Rand Paul would be president if it was a good predictor. But it does show that this succession to J.D. Vance is not going to be automatic. There's going to be some sort of debate, which President Trump doesn't seem to mind.

HILL: I was also struck by -- I did want to play these comments from Pope Leo over the weekend. I just want to play them and talk about them on the other side.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

POPE LEO (through translator): Brothers and sisters, this is our God, Jesus, Prince of peace, who rejects war, whom no one can use to justify war. He does not listen to the prayers of those who wage war, but rejects them, saying, even though you make many prayers, I will not listen. Your hands are full of blood.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HILL: This is, of course, at Palm Sunday mass yesterday. It is, I think, remarkable the way in which Pope Leo continues to use his voice. Obviously not mentioning the Trump administration, but there have been very clear comments from him that certainly make you think about who the intended audience is.

FISCHER: Oh, absolutely. And it's a very difficult position for some of these folks in the Trump administration because they tend to be the ones that celebrate Christianity, Catholicism with Marco Rubio. People who are --

HILL: And J.D. Vance.

FISCHER: Of course.

HILL: Yes.

FISCHER: People who are religious forward. And then to hear their pope kind of coming out directly opposed to some of the actions of this administration, it puts them in an awkward position.

The one thing I would say, though, I don't necessarily think that Pope Leo's comments are going to impact politics here in the United States --

HILL: No.

FISCHER: But it does make you think about the bigger picture a little bit.

HILL: Yes, I would agree there. I don't think they impact, but it is fascinating just in terms of the way the stage is set.

All right, we got to do a little group chat before I let you all go. I understand a lot of us have something similar in the group chat. I don't know if it's because the rest of you are also from Connecticut. But, you know, Huskies. This game was insane. I was trying to go to bed early, because I'm in a hotel, so I can do that. Oh my God, that shot.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's good. (INAUDIBLE) point three.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HILL: I mean, and the sweet story around Braylon Mullins going back be -- playing in the Final Four in Indianapolis. He, of course, is from Greenfield, Indiana. This is a -- you both had it in your group chat as well, right, Mario and Sara? PARKER: Yes. Speaking of comeback of the year. I mean, here we go right here with Braylon Mullins. The NCAA has gotten a tough rap over the last year with NIL and everything else.

HILL: Yes.

PARKER: But this is March Madness at its best. And they're 19 points down to come back from Duke. I mean, it's just pandemonium.

HILL: And it does give you -- I mean what I love about March Madness is it gives people something to talk about and rally around.

FISCHER: Yes, that's just something that's nothing to do with politics or the war in Iran or gas prices. This is something that everyday Americans can come together around.

And, by the way, Erica, we only have a few moments like this every year. Typically it's the Super Bowl.

HILL: Yes.

FISCHER: Sometimes we get a big breakthrough in March Madness. In -- every four years, two years, you get the Olympics. So, these are special moments. And every time I see something like this, I'm really proud to be American. We have something like this that unites us.

HILL: Yes, it's really great.

We also have, and I'm excited that I'm here for it all week, because in your group chat, you have the cherry blossoms.

PAGE: Yes, when you talk about March, I think about spring.

HILL: Yes.

PAGE: And the cherry blossoms at their peak this weekend. They were beautiful. Drove by it this morning on my way to the studio. It's like taking a deep, cleansing breath to see this annual miracle.

HILL: Which we also need. Meaning a deep, cleansing breath. I think it would also be helpful for everybody.

Good to have all of you with us. So nice to be -- to be here with you guys.

So, as we're looking at, I'm going to go back to March Madness for just a second. I don't know, did you all do brackets? And if so, how are they looking?

PARKER: I did not, but I am an Illinois alum, so I'm very proud.

HILL: Oh. Big win over the Hawkeyes.

PARKER: INI (ph), yes. Absolutely.

HILL: All right. All right. Sara.

FISCHER: I had A.I. do my bracket because that's the trend these days.

[07:00:02]

And I did not have UConn in my Final Four. So, A.I., what are we doing here? But if I were -- if I were a betting woman, I think that that shot puts him at the top.

HILL: It was -- it was really something, I have to say. It reminded me of -- and I'm dating myself here, there was a little moment, it's late, it's great, it's Tate, which I think was like '92, '93. I don't know if anybody remembers this from UConn. But it was this crazy shot.

Anyway, I'll leave you with that. Look it up. It's worth watching.

Thanks to all of you. Great to see everybody this morning.

Thanks to all of you for joining us here on CNN THIS MORNING. I'm Erica Hill. The headlines are next.