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Isa Soares Tonight
Trump Speaks To Putin On Phone In An Effort To Cease Fire In Ukraine; Israel Opens Borders To Allow First Batch Of Aid Trucks In Nearly 3 Weeks To Enter Gaza; Joe Biden Diagnosed With Cancer; Supreme Court Allows Trump Admin. To Deport Venezuelans; Biden's Cancer Fight; Trump To Sign Bill On Cracking Down "Deepfakes"; Polish Election's Second Round; Romania's Pro-E.U. Candidate Unexpectedly Beats Far-Right Rival; Portugal Snap Elections. Aired 2-3p ET
Aired May 19, 2025 - 14:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[14:00:00]
ISA SOARES, HOST, ISA SOARES TONIGHT: A very warm welcome to the show, everyone, I'm Isa Soares. Tonight, is the Russian President ready for peace
or is this latest attempt at diplomacy all talk? Donald Trump speaks to Vladimir Putin by phone for nearly two hours about ending the war in
Ukraine. We have the U.S. readout, came out in the last few minutes.
Plus, the first aid trucks in nearly three months begin to enter Gaza, but it's not just a trickle of what's needed, and it comes as Israel
intensifies its ground offensive. We will bring you, of course, the very latest. And cancer touches us all. Joe Biden thanking the public for their
outpouring of support. We'll have the details on the former President's diagnosis.
But step first, a step in the right direction, always Vladimir Putin stringing his American counterpart along and putting the U.S. President's
credibility on the line. Here is what Donald Trump posted on social media just moments ago. Let's bring that to you. Quote -- now I'm reading out,
"Russia and Ukraine will immediately start negotiations toward a ceasefire, and more importantly an end to the war."
But he didn't actually offer any specifics. Earlier, Mr. President held two separate high profile phone calls today, first, he spoke with the Ukrainian
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, that was followed by a nearly two-hour chat with the Russian President. And it comes just days after Mr. Putin
suggested peace talks in Turkey last week, but never showed up.
And it comes just hours after Russia unleashed this, its largest drone attack on Ukraine since its full-scale invasion more than three years ago.
Before the phone calls began, U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance spoke about the administration's growing frustrations. Going to play it. Have a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JAMES DAVID VANCE, VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: The President has been very clear. This is not the United States -- it's not going to spin
its wheels here. We want to see outcomes. The talks have been proceeding for a little while. We realize there's a bit of an impasse here, and I
think the President's going to say to President Putin, look, are you serious?
Are you real about this? Because the proposal from the United States has always been, look, there are a lot of economic benefits to thawing
relations between Russia and the rest of the world. But you're not going to get those benefits if you keep on killing a lot of innocent people. So, if
you're willing to stop the killing, the United States is willing to be a partner for peace. That's been the proposal to the Russians, to the
Ukrainians, and frankly, to nations and other hotspots around the world.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SOARES: J.D. Vance there. Well, our team is tracking this story from all angles. Kevin Liptak is at the White House, our Matthew Chance, as you can
see here with me. And Kevin, let me start with you, because we just highlighted part of that readout after the President put out on Truth
Social. He also called it -- he said Russia and Ukraine will immediately start negotiations toward a ceasefire, and more importantly, an end to a
war.
He said the tone and spirit of the conversation were excellent. The question is, did he achieve what he wanted to achieve, which was that 30-
day ceasefire?
KEVIN LIPTAK, CNN WHITE HOUSE REPORTER: Well, it doesn't appear by either the Kremlin readout or President Trump's own readout that Vladimir Putin
agreed in any fashion to stop the war immediately. And when you listen to J.D. Vance there, he essentially said that they wanted to ascertain whether
Putin was serious about bringing this war to an end, whether he was serious about sort of making any kind of concession to Ukraine.
President Trump in this readout seems to be taking Putin at his word that he's serious, but it doesn't appear as if there's any evidence to indicate
that he has changed his position at all. And so, when President Trump says that Putin agreed to start these direct negotiations with Ukraine, that is
essentially saying that he has not agreed to an immediate ceasefire.
And so, I think the question here is whether Putin is just stringing the President along, and it's hard to read the President's own Truth Social
without sort of interpreting it as just that. You know, President Putin has been telling President Trump for quite some time now that he would be
willing to end this war if a number of his own conditions are met.
And he seems to have said the same thing in this phone call, and President Trump seems to have taken him at his word. I think, you know, the question
going into this call was whether or not President Trump would agree to potentially new sanctions to apply pressure on Moscow, to agree to this
ceasefire. He doesn't mention those sanctions at all in this readout, which I think will be a disappointment to certainly some of the European leaders
who he had been speaking with, and who had been trying to advance this idea, to try and put some more pressure on Putin to agree to the ceasefire.
[14:05:00]
He does say that he spoke after his call with Putin, with a number of European leaders, to brief them on the outcomes of this. He does also say
that a potential venue for these direct talks between Russia and Ukraine could be at the Vatican with the new Pope Leo XIV, who has said that he's
willing to facilitate some kind of peace agreement.
But really, in this very lengthy readout, it doesn't appear as if there is anything new here. There doesn't appear to be much that --
SOARES: Yes --
LIPTAK: Has changed in all of the various dynamics of this war, despite President Trump saying ahead of time that he thought that this call could
help --
SOARES: Yes --
LIPTAK: Bring the bloodbath to an end. The bloodbath still certainly very much ongoing. President Trump not sounding as if he's willing to give up on
this position to try and bring the two sides together. So, it does -- I think, remain to be seen. Now, after this two-hour call has concluded --
SOARES: Yes --
LIPTAK: What actually has changed?
SOARES: Indeed, it seems like a bit of spin from what I just read. But you're right on the European -- for the European leaders, a measure of that
success was, of course, the ceasefire deal. In fact, Macron said tomorrow President Putin must show he wants peace by accepting the 30-day
unconditional ceasefire proposed by President Trump, backed by Ukraine and Europe.
Matthew, how -- well, how do you -- you know, we've got now both readouts. Putin -- the Kremlin signs saying was frank and substantive, I think it was
what he said. But he doesn't seem from what I read that Putin has removed on his masculine -- maximalist position.
MATTHEW CHANCE, CNN GLOBAL AFFAIRS CORRESPONDENT: I mean, there's a slight difference in, you know, how the conversation was characterized between the
Kremlin and the White House. You're right. President Putin called it substantial and candid, I think is the word that he used in Russian.
Whereas President Trump called it excellent in tone and in spirit.
So slight difference there. I think what -- you know, Kevin is absolutely right. There were no substantial moves -- move forward -- moves forward
when it comes to the Russian position. They still said they wanted to get the -- you know, the core issues of the conflict as far as they're
concerned, resolved, which is something they've always said --
SOARES: Yes --
CHANCE: Things like denazification, demilitarization, the acceptance of territorial losses on the part of Ukraine, things like that. But there were
a few things in it that I think were sort of interesting. First of all, there was no suggestion in President Trump's readout, for example, on Truth
Social that the U.S. would play any role in mediating between Russia and Ukraine.
In fact, you know, President Trump went out of his way to say, this is something that has to be sort of agreed between two sides because they know
the -- to quote him, that -- because they know the details --
SOARES: Yes --
CHANCE: He said. You know, there was also an indication -- there's been some concern about what Trump does next. Does he --
SOARES: Yes --
CHANCE: You know, abandon all kind of support for Ukraine --
SOARES: That it appears(ph), right --
CHANCE: And proceed with military -- proceed with business deals with Russia. He didn't -- he didn't suggest that, he didn't rule it out, but he
said that Russia wants large scale trade in capital letters when this bloodbath is over, implying that only when the war is over will the United
States perhaps proceed with all the economic --
SOARES: Yes --
CHANCE: Measures that have been discussed with Russia over the past few months.
SOARES: And really, the fear for the Ukrainians is, this is just Putin, which is just some of the criticism we heard just dragging his feet. It
doesn't seem that Trump is moving away from this yet. But what happens next? I mean, we're talking about meeting, what's your -- what's your take?
What are you hearing?
CHANCE: There's going to be -- according to Trump, there's going to be a continuation of direct talks between Russia and Ukraine, which is a
positive thing, I suppose. They're potentially going to be held at the Vatican City, which I know something -- it's something the pope has already
arguably suggested.
And President Trump reiterating in this -- in this readout. I think the fundamental problem, though, is that the two sides, Ukraine and Russia are
in very different places.
SOARES: Yes --
CHANCE: You know, neither side is prepared to accept the bare minimum that the other side --
SOARES: Yes --
CHANCE: Is prepared to offer. You know, Russia wants to entirely subjugate Ukraine. Ukraine wants to survive as an independent, viable country on the
western side of Russia. And at the moment, those two views of the future are not compatible. And it's unclear that face-to-face negotiations at this
point are going to sort of change the sides -- the minds of either side.
SOARES: And Kevin, I wonder, I mean, it seems there's just a lot of talking -- I was just picking up on what you just said there. It's just incredibly
hard to get either side to agree to anything at this moment because of their positions. But there has -- and the criticism that I've heard from
many foreign ministers on my show, European Foreign Ministers, I should say, is that there's been no stick from the United States, no red lines.
[14:10:00]
How much does this -- how much do you think this will infuriate those European leaders? Because of course, they've had a conversation prior to
this call with President Trump.
LIPTAK: Right, and I think the European leaders are very wary of alienating the President in public. They want to encourage this effort to bring the
war to an end, even if they don't, in private, really feel as if Putin is willing to do anything to bring the conflict to any kind of resolution. And
so, I think you probably will still see this level of coordination, at least, on the surface, between all of the sides.
And you've seen that sort of develop over the last several weeks. All of these European leaders getting on the phone, essentially on a speaker phone
with President Trump to try and coordinate, at least in public, their efforts to bring the war to an end. I think the question now is whether
they'll go their own way when it comes to new sanctions.
Obviously, there are a heap of sanctions already on Moscow. There are a lot of people who question what effect any sort of new sanctions will have in
terms of this stick to convince Putin to come to the negotiating table, to try and make some concessions to bring the conflict to an end. You know, it
should be said that President Trump has never pulled those off the table.
He has raised them at various points throughout the last several months. And you see this sort of fluctuation between the tone of this readout that
you heard today, calling it a positive conversation. He then will swing the pendulum back to the point where he's talking about sanctions, saying he's
frustrated with Putin.
And I think you'll just continue to see that going back-and-forth and back- and-forth until there is some sort of progress in these talks, whether that happens after this conversation today, or whether Putin continues to hold
out these maximalist viewpoints in these irreconcilable differences with the position of Ukraine, I think remains to be seen.
But as of today, it doesn't appear as if President Trump is any more willing to put, you know, that kind of pressure on Moscow to bring this
conflict to an end.
SOARES: Yes, no more willing. Also, we're not any closer to this 30-day ceasefire. Thank you very much, Kevin, Matthew, as always, thank you. Well,
Palestinians in southern Gaza are fleeing for their lives yet again after Israel's military issued urgent evacuation orders for Khan Younis, warning
of an unprecedented attack.
Israel is conducting extensive new ground operations as well as fierce airstrikes that have killed hundreds of people over the past few days.
Authorities in Gaza say entire families have been wiped out. Israel's military released this video looking at, saying it shows the intensified
operations. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is leaving no doubt about the end goal.
Despite international calls for a ceasefire, he says Israel will take all of Gaza and destroy Hamas. He also says Israel will ease its total blockade
on humanitarian aid to allow in, quote, "minimal basic supplies as the threat of famine grows."
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BENJAMIN NETANYAHU, PRIME MINISTER, ISRAEL (through translator): Eventually, we will have an area fully controlled by the IDF where Gaza's
civilian population can receive aid while Hamas gets nothing. This was part of the effort to defeat Hamas, alongside the intense military pressure and
our massive incursion, which is essentially aimed at taking control of all of Gaza and stripping Hamas of any ability to loot humanitarian aid. This
is the war plan and the victory plan.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SOARES: Well, relief organizations say Gaza's 2 million people need a flood of aid now, and to prevent really any more deaths from starvation. But the
U.N. says just nine trucks were cleared to enter today, calling that, quote, "a drop in the ocean." Israel says the limited aid is a stop-gap
measure until a new U.S.-backed mechanism is up and running.
We initially have just four distribution sites. The U.N. says those sites would be only in southern and central Gaza. So, the plan could effectively
facilitate Israel's stated goal of forcing Gaza's entire population from the north. A UNICEF spokesperson says many people would still go hungry.
Have a listen to what James Elder said.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JAMES ELDER, SPOKESPERSON, UNICEF: Two-point-one million people at its best, this promises to reach half, everyone has to move to the south in a
militarized zone. People know that as they move, they're at risk of being shot by quadcopters, bombed whatever. Instead of having 400 distribution
points, there will be a handful of distribution points.
So, think of a mum who's got a couple of children and her husband's been killed because there's thousands of those. She's got to walk 3 or 4 miles,
pick up 25 kilograms in a militarized zone and then walk back. So, children, disabled, women, and it enforced the entire population to go to
the south. It just doesn't work.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SOARES: James Elder also pointed out that thousands of aid trucks are just across the border, the Gaza border ready to go, as you can see there. He
says what's happening now instead amounts to a drip. His words of aid to appease political pressure. I want to go to our Jeremy Diamond here in
Jerusalem.
And Jeremy, we'll speak about the desperate humanitarian situation in Gaza and the aid in just a moment. But first, let's talk about this offensive.
I've just seen the press release, a joint statement from the leaders of the United Kingdom, France, Canada on the situation in Gaza and the West Bank,
talking exactly about this expansion, Israel's military expansion in Gaza.
[14:15:00]
They say "we strongly oppose the expansion." It goes on to say, "we will not stand by while the Netanyahu government pursues its egregious actions.
If Israel does not cease the renewed military offensive and lift restrictions on humanitarian aid, we will take further concrete actions is
in response."
So, first of all, just speak to this new offensive and what Prime Minister Netanyahu is looking to achieve here, because he spoke about taking control
of all of Gaza.
JEREMY DIAMOND, CNN JERUSALEM CORRESPONDENT: Yes, that's exactly right, Isa. As the Israeli Prime Minister orders the Israeli military to expand
this offensive, he is also making very clear what the ultimate goal of this operation is. And that is, in his own words, to take over all of Gaza. The
Prime Minister is framing this operation in very different terms than previous Israeli military offensives.
And we are already seeing on the ground as hundreds have been killed in just the last few days.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DIAMOND (voice-over): The next chapter of Israel's war in Gaza is now underway, and it could be the deadliest yet. Over the weekend, the Israeli
military launching Operation Gideon's Chariots, striking Gaza with devastating force. Tens of thousands of troops now mobilized for the
offensive with a new mission from the top.
NETANYAHU (through translator): We have intense, massive fighting going on, intense and immense. There is progress. We are going to take control of the
entire Gaza Strip. That's what we are going to do.
DIAMOND: Israeli strikes have killed more than 300 people since Friday, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health. The toll on civilians is
once again rapidly mounting. Among those killed is Ellul(ph), taken from this world just four months after she was born into it. Her small body now
lies on her father's chest while her family searches for words to make sense of it all.
"They were all asleep. A mother, father and their four-month-old daughter all targeted in their bedroom. Ellul's(ph) uncle Omar(ph) says, "I don't
know what to say anymore. We've spoken a lot. No one is looking after us. Not Arabs, not Muslims, no one." In Khan Younis, mattresses and belongings
are piled high once again as Israel's new offensive triggers Gaza's latest mass displacement. The Israeli's military ordering hundreds of thousands of
people to evacuate, declaring the area a dangerous combat zone.
In that same city, anger and frustration boiling over, including at Hamas. Hundreds of Palestinians taking to the streets in a rare protest, calling
for the war to end and for Hamas to get out. After pushing Gaza to the brink of famine, Israel now agreeing to partially lift its 11-week
blockade.
NETANYAHU: We need to provide a temporary bridge, minimal basic aid to prevent starvation. That's the current situation we're in.
DIAMOND: The Israeli government says several dozen aid trucks will be allowed into Gaza this week until a new Israeli approved mechanism for aid
deliveries becomes operational later this month. Thousands more are ready to go. Aid trucks will continue to be blocked. There will be no relief for
the latest to mourn their loved ones after Israeli strikes tore through a tent city on the Gaza coastline.
"They are all civilians, civilians", this man shouts, praying his brother, wife and mother will be avenged. Who were you killing? This is a child.
What was her sin? And this elderly woman, are they holding rockets and firing at you? Are they using Kalashnikov rifles?" Amid the destruction of
another airstrike in central Gaza, residents are paying close attention to ceasefire negotiations in the Qatari capital.
But here, flickers of progress lead only to another body that must be wrenched from the rubble. "We went to sleep with hope that tomorrow will be
better, and suddenly, everything turned upside down", Riyadh Abu Alex(ph) says, "my message is look at this. Stop this war." More men eventually join
the raid to pull out their neighbor's body and carry him out of the rubble.
Signs of hope now seem far away once again.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
DIAMOND: And Isa, the Israeli authorities have told us that five of those aid trucks have been processed through the Kerem Shalom Crossing into Gaza.
[14:20:00]
It's not clear what happened to the four other trucks that were supposed to have entered today. The real question will be how many trucks go in, in the
coming days? Because as we have heard from Tom Fletcher and other top U.N. and humanitarian officials, nine trucks is really just a drop in the bucket
for the enormous need in Gaza.
And in the background of all of this, of course, are those ongoing ceasefire and hostage release negotiations happening in the Qatari capital,
but also happening on the phone with the Israeli Prime Minister speaking repeatedly with U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff, as well as the Secretary
of State, Marco Rubio.
So, diplomacy is certainly happening on different levels. And of course, a ceasefire would allow for a massive flow of aid into the Gaza Strip as
well, of course, as a much needed stop to the hostilities. Isa?
SOARES: Jeremy Diamond there with that important but incredibly heartbreaking report. Thank you, Jeremy. We're joined now by Juliette
Touma; she is a Communications Director for UNRWA, the U.N. relief agency for Palestinian refugees. Juliette, great to have you back on the show. Let
me speak to -- we'll talk -- we'll talk about, what -- you know what Prime Minister Netanyahu now is starting in the last few days.
And the strikes, the never-ending strikes that we've seen in the last kind of 24-48 hours. But can I get your reaction to this aid coming in, as you
heard from our correspondent there, is supposed to be nine trucks, we've had five trucks. The U.N. has called this a drop in the ocean. Just speak
to what we're seeing and what we've been seeing just in the last few hours.
JULIETTE TOUMA, COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR, UNRWA: Well, thanks for having me, and good to see you. Look, it's less than 1 percent of what people need in
Gaza. So, on average, we've got to send in 500, 600 trucks a day.
SOARES: And, you know, 500, 600 trucks a day, and as we showed viewers -- and I've heard from numerous NGOs, Juliette, here on my show, you know, and
I'm going to ask my producer to bring that footage up again. On the other side of the border, you have lines -- you know, trucks lined up ready to
go. And that is the frustrating part.
TOUMA: Oh, absolutely. Only at UNRWA, the organization I work for. We have over 3,000 trucks that have been waiting with food rotting with medicine
for children, expiring in different parts. The gates must be open. There has got to be a flow, a significant flow of trucks. We're talking about
basics here, Isa.
We're talking about medicine, hygiene supplies, vaccines for children, fuel for hospitals. So, it's really the basics that any human being anywhere in
the world needs.
SOARES: Can you speak, Juliette, to what you're hearing from your contacts about what the situation is like on the ground? Our correspondent, Jeremy
Diamond has pretty much day in, day out, been showing us reports from our stringers on the ground. It's just utter desperation. Every time I see it,
it doesn't get any better. The plight of these people, what they're going through. What are you hearing when it comes to aid here and the lack of
food?
TOUMA: First of all, Jeremy's report was excellent. And that footage is indeed heart-wrenching to say the least. It's commonplace, however,
especially over the past 3 to 4 days, we've seen a huge increase in the death toll, especially among civilians, including among the staff. People
are absolutely exhausted. They have lost everything, they need everything. But they also lost the light in their eyes.
SOARES: And, you know, trying -- I saw -- we saw one family -- it was last week, one mother, absolutely broken to pieces, just weakened. She had no
food to put on the table for her children because while there may be some food, the prices are exorbitant. They're out of reach for so many people.
So, what are people eating, then, Juliette?
TOUMA: Very little. We keep receiving reports from our colleagues that they have to share one tin of peas or beans with 8 or 9 family members. We've
heard the reports that people have resorted to eating herbs. It's not a life for human beings. The food is outside, the gates have got to be open,
and not for 5 or 9 trucks. It has got to be 500-600 trucks every single day going in, including to Andan(ph), because we are the largest humanitarian
organization with the largest reach.
[14:25:00]
SOARES: Let's talk then about this extensive ground operation, because as I talk about these aid trucks going in, five aid trucks so far, there is also
a new extensive operation, ground operation and fierce, I should say, and fierce airstrikes too. People now being issued with evacuation warnings.
What are you hearing on that? I mean, it seems as space they've being told to move to, it's getting ever so small.
TOUMA: Well, first of all, these are forced displacement orders. This is a tactic that has been used from early on in the war. And what this means is
that people have to leave everything behind and search for safety that does not exist in Gaza, because no place is safe in Gaza, no one is safe.
And the recent evacuation orders and the displacement orders that were issued, we estimate that they were likely to impact hundreds of thousands
of people in the area of Khan Younis. People are being treated like pinballs.
SOARES: And very quickly, Juliette, as we wrap up, well, just give me your reaction, and from UNRWA reaction to this Gaza humanitarian fund mechanism
that's been put in place by the United States and Israel. We have heard from various organizations that are very much against it, because they
don't have an infrastructure and many other concerns, too. But what's UNRWA's position on this?
TOUMA: The U.N.'s position, including UNRWA, is that we oppose it simply because there is a system in place that is working, has been working when
we were allowed to do our work. So, why fix something if it's not broken?
SOARES: Thank you very much, Juliette, thank you very much for taking the time to speak to us on the show. And just to reiterate, we got a joint
statement from the leaders of the United Kingdom, France, Canada on the situation in Gaza and the West Bank. And they're basically saying we
strongly oppose the expansion of Israel's military operations in Gaza, and we will not stand by while the Netanyahu government pursues its egregious
actions."
A very long statement, but we'll keep on top of all international reaction. Thanks Juliette, as always, appreciate it. And still to come tonight,
Supreme Court deals Venezuelans living in the United States a stunning defeat. A look at the high court's decision just ahead. Then it's been ten
years since Joe Biden lost his son, Beau, to cancer. Now, the former U.S. President is facing a cancer battle of his own. A closer look at his
condition just ahead.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[14:30:10]
SOARES: The U.S. Supreme Court is giving the Trump administration the green light that would allow it to potentially deport hundreds of thousands of
Venezuelans. The court ruling a short time ago will bring an end to temporary deportation protections currently in place for more than 300,000
Venezuelans. The United States, Kentucky Brown Jackson was the only justice to voice dissent.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem has led the push to end protected status for Venezuelan migrants. Let's get the very latest on this breaking
news story. Our CNN Chief Legal Affairs Correspondent Paula Reid joins us now from Washington.
And so, Paula, just talk us through this because it seems like a win for the time being for the Trump administration.
PAULA REID, CNN CHIEF LEGAL AFFAIRS CORRESPONDENT: That said perfectly, it is a win for the time being for the Trump administration because it allows
them to proceed with their sweeping deportation efforts.
Now, here, specifically, the Supreme Court is allowing them to roll back a specific form of humanitarian relief, temporary protected status for a
certain group of Venezuelan migrants. Now, they had gone to the Supreme Court. The administration went to the Supreme Court asking it to allow the
Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem to rule back some of these protections.
Now, back in March, a federal district court in California temporarily blocked her effort to do this for around 300,000 Venezuelans. Now, the
challengers, they argued that she was motivated by racial and political hostility, and this of course just the latest in a series of challenges to
Trump's immigration agenda that have reached the Supreme Court on this expedited basis.
So, they can begin this process, but we can also expect to see additional litigation. And because this was such a short single piece of paper that we
got from the Supreme Court, we didn't get the longer analysis about the bigger constitutional, questions of executive power. But the litigation
will continue here. And as you noted, there was only one justice who was noted as saying she would have denied the application, that is Justice
Jackson.
SOARES: And did she -- very quickly, on that, on Jackson, did she give a reason for opposing it?
REID: No. We don't get --
SOARES: Do we have the detail on that?
REID: No, we don't get much. When they respond to these kinds of applications, it's not a full-blown opinion. Instead, it's just one line
saying that she would have denied the application, but we didn't get a chance to see what her reasoning would've been or any kind of legal
analysis.
SOARES: Paula Reid, as always, thank you, Paula. Appreciate it. And still to come tonight, former U.S. President Joe Biden is considering different
medical treatments following a prostate cancer diagnosis. What doctors are saying about his condition.
Plus, two candidates will face off in the final round of the Polish presidential election. We'll have a report on who they are and what's at
stake for voters. That's next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[14:35:00]
SOARES: Welcome back, everyone. Former U.S. President Joe Biden, known throughout his half century political career as a fighter is now facing one
of the toughest challenges yet. Biden and his family are weighing medical options after the 82-year-old was diagnosed with an aggressive form of
prostate cancer. A statement from Biden's office is, while the cancer has spread to his bones, it appears to be hormone sensitive, which could allow
for effective management of the disease.
In a social media post, Mr. Biden wrote, cancer touches us all. Like so many of you, Jill and I have learned that we are strongest in the broken
places. Thank you for lifting us up with love and support.
CNN's Medical Correspondent Meg Tirrell has more now on the former president's diagnosis.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MEG TIRRELL, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Prostate cancer is one of the most common cancers in men, and many times it can be very, very slow growing.
But the way it's characterized is by something called a Gleason score. And we learned from President Biden's office that his cancer has a Gleason
score of nine. And typically, that describes essentially the way the cells look under a microscope and lower numbers closer to six show that the cells
look closer to normal. A higher number, closer to 10, suggests they look more abnormal and suggests it is a more aggressive form of cancer.
And we know from President Biden's office that the cancer has spread to his bones. They say also that the cancer is sensitive to hormone therapy, and
that's a good thing. Doctors we spoke with said that that is typical, when you first start to treat prostate cancer, often you do see it respond well
to therapy that blocks male hormones. And a question will be, does that continue to work for the president? And they say that will guide really
future treatment options, which could include things like chemotherapy as well as radiation therapy. So, we understand that the president is working
with his family and doctors to think about treatment options now.
Now, a lot of folks might be asking, you know, how did this only get caught after it had already spread to the president's bones? And doctors say,
that's a complicated question, because if you look at the screening guidelines for prostate cancer in the United States, for men below the age
of 70, it's really an individual decision with their doctors whether to screen routinely for prostate cancer based on just how fast the cancer
often is growing, if it's caught at that stage in the outcomes that change, whether you're screening or not.
But for men over the age of 70, the recommendation isn't to routinely screen using PSA or prostate specific antigen testing for prostate cancer.
And so, while it's unclear if a president would be getting different treatment than the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force guidelines, it's
typically not recommended for men over the age of 70 to be routinely screened.
But prostate cancer is a very common cancer. One out of eight men in the United States are estimated to have a diagnosis of prostate cancer in their
lifetimes. The National Cancer Institute estimates that more than 300,000 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2025 and more than 35,000 men
will die from the disease.
But a lot of folks are living with prostate cancer. In 2022, the estimate was three and a half million people living with prostate cancer. Doctors
recommend folks, you know, really keep on top of their health, talk with their doctors about their own personal risk factors, and make decisions
about whether screening works for them based on the guidelines. And everyone, of course, wishing the Bidens the best in this journey.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SOARES: Thanks, Meg. We are indeed wishing him a very speedy recovery. Well, next hour, U.S. President Donald Trump is expected to sign the Take
It Down Act, which will allow victims of revenge, porn, and deepfakes non- consensual A.I. generated sexual images to fight back. Of course, when that happens, we'll of course bring that to you.
[14:40:00]
The law will also boost pressure on tech platforms to take more responsibility for the spread of those images, which have exploded online
over the -- just the past few years with a push from First Lady Melania and Trump, the legislation sailed through Congress will nearly unanimous
bipartisan support. Google, Meta, and Snapchat are among the companies that already have forms for users to request the removal of explicit images.
Well, there are chilling similarities in the murders of two young social media influencers, putting a new spotlight on how women are often times the
target of violence online. Colombian authorities say the suspect in the killing of 22-year-old Maria Jose Estupinan disguised himself as a delivery
man and shot her when she answered the door at her home. Estupinan had previously been the victim of domestic violence. Her murder came just two
days after Mexican social media influencer, a story we told you about here on the show, Valeria Marquez, was shot to death during a TikTok livestream.
Police say they are investigating her death as a suspected femicide, and that is a killing of a woman or girl for gender-based reasons. We'll stay
across both of those stories for you.
And still to come right here tonight, Poland centrist and nationalist candidates will face each other in the last round of a neck and neck
presidential election. We'll have a report from Warsaw for you.
And Portugal's far-right Chega Party surges as the ruling party misses out on a majority. More on what this bumper weaken of election means just
ahead.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SOARES: Well, nearly a decade after the U.K. voted to leave the European Union, the two sides have launched a new chapter in the relations following
a new pact signed at a summit in London earlier today, after years of tensions, the U.K. and the E.U. have agreed on a new deal that includes
agreements on defense, migration, work, and travel.
Among the key points on the deal to ease border checks on goods, a move that British Prime Minister Keir Starmer says it hopes will lower food
prices and freedom to travel and work between the U.K. and Europe for under 30s And Britons will now be able to use e-gates at European airports when
they travel on vacation. The new pact has been criticized by Britain's resurgent populous right, claiming the deal weakens the U.K. sovereignty.
[14:45:00]
Well, Poland is set for a second round of voting for a new president on June the first after exit polls showed that Warsaw centrist mayor is just
barely ahead of the Nationalist Party candidate. In Poland, the president's position is largely ceremonial, but still has the power of the veto. As our
colleagues at TVN 24 explain.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MICHAL SZNAJDER, TVN 24 REPORTER: Poland's presidential election has delivered a nail-biting first round, confirming a razor thin margin between
the leading candidates and unveiling a potentially decisive surprise.
As anticipated, the June 1st runoff will feature Warsaw Mayor Rafal Trzaskowski, a centrist from the pro-European Civic Coalition, who secured
almost 31.5 percent of the vote against Karol Nawrocki who garnered 29.5 percent.
While officially running as an independent. Mr. Nawrocki is backed by the Nationalist and Populist Law and Justice Party, which governed Poland for
eight contentious years, facing international condemnation for its policies affecting the rule of law, E.U. relations and media freedom.
While Mr. Nawrocki outperformed pre-election polls, the predicted Trzaskowski-Nawrocki showdown is now a reality. The critical question, what
will the final outcome be? Current polling indicates Mr. Trzaskowski holds a slim lead, but his victory is far from assured. The election's wild card
is the unexpected surge in support for far-right candidates, particularly the controversial (INAUDIBLE) accused of, among other things, strong
antisemitism.
This block capturing over 20 percent of the vote is highly likely to coalesce behind Mr. Nawrocki in the second round. Adding to Mr.
Trzaskowski's challenge is the underperformance of other centrist and left- wing candidates. Even if he manages to successfully consolidate their support, it might not be enough to overcome Mr. Nawrocki's potential
advantage.
This raises the prospect of a right-wing populist presidency with a candidate who has openly praised leaders of similar political movements,
notably Donald Trump, and criticized the European Union. Some say that this election transcends individual candidates and is a referendum on Poland's
democratic trajectory and the strength of its institutions.
Michal Sznajder, TVN 24, Warsaw, Poland.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SOARES: Thank you very much. Michal. Well, in a surprise in turnaround, Romania's pro-E.U. candidate Nicosur Dan has won the country's presidential
election.
Nicosur Dan won more than 53 percent of the vote, clearly defeating his far-right ultranationalist rival George Simion. Simion is a Donald Trump
fan who swept the first round of voting earlier this month, but later faltered in a televised debate. Dan meanwhile is a strong supporter of
Romania's NATO membership, who has pledged to continue providing aid to Ukraine. Sabina Iosub has more from Bucharest.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SABINA IOSUB, ANTENNA 3 CNN ANCHOR: Romanians have chosen the next president and the vote count is now complete. The pro-European candidate,
Nicosur Dan, has won the elections with more than 53 percent of the votes, defeating his far-right rival George Simion with almost 900,000 ballots.
If we're looking at the post, we see that more than 11.5 million Romanians have come to cast their vote in a moment that was considered crucial for
the democracy in Romania. During the campaign. Nicosur Dan has promised, of course, to keep the democratic path for Romania, and also to tighten the
relations with the European Union and the NATO allies. We'll see what will happen in the next days because a new coalition has to be formed here in
order for a government to be delivered. Nicosur Dan will be confirmed as president on Wednesday.
In Bucharest, Sabina Iosub.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SOARES: Well, in Portugal, the ruling Center Right Alliance won a snap election on Sunday, but it fell short of the majority needed to end a long
period of instability, as the far-right Chega Party made record games. CNN's Joao Povoa Marinheiro explains what's at stake.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JOAO POVOA MARINHEIRO, CNN PORTUGAL ANCHOR: The center right Democratic Alliance led by Prime Minister Luis Montenegro came out on top with close
to 33 percent of the vote and 89 seats, still short of a majority in the 230-seat parliament and one of the shortest margins by winning party in 50
years. This was Portugal's third general election in three years, but the main headline was how the far-right Chega Party led by this man, Andre
Ventura, surged yet again, winning 23 percent of the vote and 58 seats, tying it to the long dominant socialist party.
[14:50:00]
And the race isn't quite over yet. Votes from the immigration circle, that is Portuguese citizens living abroad, are still being counted. In the last
election, Chega won the immigration vote. So, if it does it again, it will mark a stunning rise going from a French party to Portugal's second largest
political force in just six years. It's a dramatic toll for the socialist, which won an outright majority just three years ago, but now they had their
worst result in four decades.
Its leader Pedro Nuno Santos has resigned. He has stated that it isn't the socialist job to support the winning coalition with what they need. So,
this leads us back to the Portuguese Prime Minister and his future. How will he govern without the numbers to pass major proposals in parliament?
Luis Montenegro has ruled out any deal with Chega, decrying the party unfit to govern. Chega, which means enough in Portuguese, has long campaigned and
thrived on the message of what it calls the failures of Portugal's two major political forces which have always ruled.
Very busy days ahead in Portuguese politics following a historic electoral evening.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SOARES: And our thanks to Joao Povoa Marinheiro for breaking it all down for us.
Now, planes have two pilots in the cockpit, of course, as you all know, for a reason. After the break, details of a frightening flight that had no one
at the controls for 10 minutes. We'll explain, next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SOARES: The former best friend of Sean Diddy Combs' ex-girlfriend is the latest to testify in the case sex trafficking against the music mogul.
Kerry Morgan says Combs gave her $30,000 after allegedly assaulting her. Morgan also testified that Casey Ventura didn't believe she could leave
Combs because he, quote, "controlled" everything.
Earlier, Dawn Richards, a former member of the musical group. Danity Kane, testified about professional and personal relationship with Combs. Sean
Combs is accused of conspiracy, sex trafficking, and transportation to engage in prostitution. He has pleaded not guilty to all charges.
We are waiting to hear from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board, in just about 10 minutes or so. They'll be giving an update on that deadly
weekend boat crash in New York. On Saturday, a Mexican Navy training ship on a goodwill tour struck the bottom, as you can see there, of the Brooklyn
Bridge. Two crew members were killed. Nearly two dozen others were injured.
[14:55:00]
New York police believed there was a mechanical malfunction. Sources, though tell CNN the boat was moving in the wrong direction and got pulled
by a current underneath the bridge. There was no visible damage to the Brooklyn Bridge. Of course, we will monitor that presser and bring more to
you.
Well, 205 passengers and crew members were on board and Lufhansa flight with no pilot for about 10 minutes, that is according to a Spanish
investigation, and it happened in February of last year when the pilot left for the lavatory, leaving the co-pilot alone in the cockpit. The co-pilot
fainted and unintentionally operated controls. Though autopilot was active and kept the plane stable, we were told. There was no response when Air
traffic control tried to reach the co-pilot. The captain finally got into cockpit using an emergency code to open the door. After getting first aid,
the co-pilot regained consciousness and the plane landed safely. Lufthansa told CNN, it did its own investigation, but it's unable to comment further
on that report.
And that does it for us for tonight. Do stay right here. "What We Know with Max Foster" is up next. Have a wonderful evening. Bye-bye.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[15:00:00]
END
