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Laura Coates Live
Trump Mulls "Winding Down" War As Thousands More Troops Deploy; Hormuz Headache Gets Worse; Travelers Face Unpredictable Wait Times Over DHS Shutdown. Aired 11p-12a ET
Aired March 20, 2026 - 23:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
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ROBERT F. KENNEDY, JR., SECRETARY, HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES: I would support the childhood schedule.
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UNKNOWN: I mean, the worm might have eaten the part of his brain that remember saying that.
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UNKNOWN: The Americans stress the medical information that they're getting from RFK, Jr, panel.
UNKNOWN: I just think it's hard to take medical advice from a guy that sounds like that.
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UNKNOWN: But he sounds like he's dying.
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UNKNOWN: He does, yes.
UNKNOWN: He sounds like he's actively dying.
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ABBY PHILLIP, CNN ANCHOR AND SENIOR POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: Catch the all-new episode tomorrow at 9 p.m. on CNN. And don't miss our Saturday show, "Table for Five," tomorrow at 10 a.m. Eastern. "Laura Coates Live" starts right now.
LAURA COATES, CNN HOST AND SENIOR LEGAL ANALYST: Tonight, President Trump says he's considering winding down the war with Iran. So, then, why are thousands more troops heading to the Middle East? Plus, the Hormuz headache gets worse. Trump says the U.S. can open the strait with the help of American allies. At the same time, he's calling them cowards. And lines, lines, and more lines. Travellers face epic wait times at the airport as frustrated TSA workers go again without pay. Tonight on "Laura Coates Live."
So, the war that President Trump keeps trying to say is almost over isn't looking much like a war that's almost over because, on one hand, Trump is posting this tonight. He says the U.S. is getting very close to meeting its objectives in Iran and considering winding down military efforts. But then on the other hand, you have this, reporting that thousands of U.S. Marines are on their way to the Middle East.
Now, Trump has not said he will send troops into Iran. But true to form, he has left the door cracked open. So, what could these troops be used for? Well, that's not clear. But here's what is clear. Iran's chokehold on the Strait of Hormuz and the world's oil supply is a problem he hasn't been able to solve.
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DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: We've knocked out everything. We're roaming free from a military standpoint. All they're doing is clogging up the strait. But from a military standpoint, they're finished.
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COATES: Clogging up the strait is one way to put it. That blocked artery and waterway is a big reason why your gas prices are so high. And now, we're learning the administration is furiously trying to keep from being closed for months. One intel official put it this way: "The Iranians have real leverage with this, and there's not an obvious fix for it."
And how long of a closure are we talking about? Well, a recent intelligence report determined Iran could keep Hormuz shut for anywhere from one to six months. Now, we know the administration has weighed at least one risky option to take away that leverage, and it would involve boots on the ground to capture Iran's Kharg Island. That's the crown jewel that handles 90 percent of Iranian oil exports.
But today, Trump was floating something else. He says Hormuz could be open with what he calls a simple military maneuver. Whether he thinks the U.S. needs help from other countries to do it, well, that depends on the day.
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DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: Well, we don't need too much help. We don't need any help, actually. We don't need help.
But you need a lot of help in the sense that you need ships, you need volume. And NATO could help us but they, so far, haven't had the courage to do so. And others could help us. But, you know, we don't use it. You know, at a certain point, it will open itself.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COATES: Well, the back and forth over help is kind of a big tell. Opening Hormuz has no easy fix. But there is something that is easier. Trying to publicly pressure America's allies. He posted that without the United States, NATO is a paper tiger. And he called countries that won't help -- quote -- "cowards, and we will remember."
Let's talk about it tonight with CNN political and national security analyst David Sanger, he has covered five American presidents in more than four decades of the "The New York Times," and retired Brigadier General Steve Anderson who served under General Petraeus during the Iraq war. Excuse me.
General, I want to begin with you here because the source is telling CNN tonight that Iran attempted to hit the Diego Garcia base in the Indian Ocean. Just look at the geography of that. They tried with two ballistic missiles. They failed.
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But this base is like 2,300 miles from Iran. Make that make sense for me. Why?
BRIG. GEN. STEVE ANDERSON, RETIRED BRIGADIER GENERAL, U.S. ARMY: Well, they're trying to obviously put pain on the United States and trying to show that they can strike places as deep as 2,300 miles away, which is pretty significant in light of the fact that this war is supposedly almost over, according to President Trump, and that the military missions that have been executed thus far against Iran have been incredibly successful.
I mean, they've done -- reportedly done an incredible job of knocking out the ballistic missile launching sites for the Iranians. But, obviously, they haven't hit them all because of this attack on Diego Garcia. It's pretty shocking.
COATES: Well, what's interesting is that there is this winding down quote from the president. But then the sending of troops, it appears thousands more Marines into the Middle East. I mean, what is the aim there? Is it publicly trying to take a position while secretly maneuvering as the commander-in-chief or is this a disconnect you cannot reconcile?
DAVID SANGER, CNN POLITICAL AND NATIONAL SECURITY ANALYST, WHITE HOUSE NATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT FOR THE NEW YORK TIMES: Well, he's clearly wrestling with himself here. He knows he needs an off ramp. He's not sure whether he's ready to go take it. So, just as you parse the statement that the president issued today, first thing he said is we can wind down because we're achieving all of our objectives. But as you read through the objectives, they aren't the same ones that he started with three weeks ago on Saturday when this war began.
COATES: Why do you think that is?
SANGER: Well, for one thing, there is no mention, Laura, anywhere of the protesters, democracy, overthrowing the government, right? So, he knows that he is going to be left with sort of (INAUDIBLE) Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps running the country, an injured underground ayatollah but a hardliner. So, the initial desire, which was flip the control of the government, is something I think he realizes is going to take some more time.
And then when you got to his section on the nuclear fuel that is in the country, he said we need to get to a position so that we could easily take this out if we ever needed to in the time. Well, the previous position was all the fuel has to leave the country, full stop. So, he recognizes that hard as Kharg Island is going to be, it would be even harder to go in and grab that nuclear fuel from deep underground in Isfahan.
COATES: So, what would the military options be for the president? I mean, I've heard the phrase simple military maneuver. Nothing about this sounds simple.
ANDERSON: Well, he's bringing in the 31st MEU. They should be there in about another three days. Right now, they're off in the Indian Ocean, off the coast of Sri Lanka.
COATES: Before you continue, what is it that takes that travel time? Is this preparation? Is this travel? Is this the secrecy of not having us know when exactly it's going to take place?
ANDERSON: It's travel.
COATES: OK.
ANDERSON: It takes a long time to sail three ships, you know, from one side of the world to the other. It takes a long time. For instance, he has called up another MEU, they're in California, it's going to take 24 days to get there.
But even when they get there, they still have to negotiate the Strait of Hormuz. And, as we all know, it's closed right now. The Iranians have essentially been able to shut it down. Well, it's not really shut down because they're allowing their own ships to get through. Over 100 ships from Iran have gotten out, Indian and Chinese. In fact, their oil exports have actually increased.
But once they get the MEU in, then they're probably going to go after something like Kharg Island or perhaps one of the islands in the Strait of Hormuz to provide some kind of defensive cover for the actions that are going with the convoy operations.
COATES: Why on earth would he have suggested that Hormuz would just open itself?
SANGER: I don't know how it could open itself. Look, the reason people aren't going through it is more about fear than about actual attacks there.
COATES: But fear is valid.
SANGER: And the fear is very valid because they have 3,000 or more sea mines they can put there. The hills on the side of the coast there are filled with tunnels and caves where they can hide launchers. They can get out there in speed boats. So, they have a lot of options. And what the president keeps talking about is the number of targets we've hit, the number of missiles we've taken. All have been super impressive. But the problem is if you're fighting an enemy with asymmetric weapons, you could hit all of the major weapon systems you want to and they can still fight back.
COATES: They might have a longer threshold or patience to do so. We've talked about it in the past. But I want to play for you what the president said just yesterday.
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UNKNOWN (voice-over): Do you intend to potentially put U.S. troops or more troops in the region?
TRUMP: No, I'm not putting troops anywhere. If I were, I certainly wouldn't tell you. But I'm not putting troops.
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COATES: You know, that notion of not publicly announcing what the commander-in-chief wants to do actually harkens back to what he said in the campaign throughout his first election. But is there appropriate military strategy and prudence to not being so transparent with the world on these issues?
ANDERSON: Yes. I mean, it could be part of a deception campaign from the president, you know. Admiral Cooper, no doubt, has some options that he's looking at, utilizing the troops that are inbound, the 31st MEU and the 11th MEU, when they get there. But, I mean, putting boots on the ground is a major escalation. We're talking mission creep here, Laura. And that would be not be a good thing. Even if we are -- something like Kharg Island, which is relatively easy to take, we can probably take it in just a couple of days, but holding it is going to be difficult, providing logistic support for it is going to be difficult, and it greatly expands the war.
COATES: And, of course, the timeline is part and parcel of the conversation politically about this. The president went after NATO allies, as you heard. I mean, he called them "cowards" for not helping reopen the Strait of Hormuz. U.S. allies are now working on a plan to reopen the strait. Is the president's public pressure campaign working then?
SANGER: Well, no particular evidence it is yet. I mean, I think he'll get some. But the core of the problem the Europeans have and to some degree the Japanese, South Koreans, the Australians, is that there was no work done by the president to bring them along before he made the decision to go into Iran.
Think of George W. Bush before the Iraq War. Now, you may think the Iraq War was justified, you may think it was a strategic disaster. Whatever you think of it, the president went out and did his spade work out there to try to bring along some allies. He succeeded with some. The French, the Germans didn't go along but, at least, they all understood where he was going. There was none of that now.
So, now, the president is basically saying, OK, we've come in here, we've done this, now I'm going to turn it over to you. And if you read down to the bottom of the statement, he said, actually, it's not the United States that's going to keep this open, it's everybody who else who depends on oil., and the U.S. does not depend on it very much.
COATES: So, what about the Gulf states? How long can they stay out of this war?
ANDERSON: They can't stay out for very long because this is a livelihood. You know, they've all -- the Gulf states almost all have naval -- competent navies they can contribute to this cause, putting some kind of an escort mission together.
But we're talking at least another three months. There are fifteen hundred ships that are essentially stuck in the middle of Persian Gulf waiting to get through there. Think about that. It's going to take a month to put the convoy together. It's going to take another two months to work off the backlog. We're a long way away from getting back to a hundred ships a day through the Strait of Hormuz.
And, oh, by the way, if they hit us once or twice a week with one of these asymmetric threats that David was just talking about, speedboats or missiles or cruise missiles or whatever, then that's going to probably shut down the strait again for another couple of three days. And so, it could be a real, real disaster.
So, I think it's in everybody's best interest to contribute to this cause, but he hasn't made it any easier by the way that he has insulted them and treated them and doesn't understand the value of our allies. They are going to go in there, but they're going to be holding their nose when they do it.
COATES: Well, politically, I mean, voters are going to be holding their nose already. And we're talking about -- this is -- the markets have been shocked by this for three weeks in. I mean, how bad could this get?
SANGER: Well, the president says as soon as this gets resolved, prices go right back down. I think for all the reasons that Steve has just laid out, it's not going to be that quick because there's going to be a big bubble that's going to have to work its way through supply.
If you look at what Goldman Sachs has said in their estimates, if you look at what United Airlines has said as they try to think about the price of jet fuel for the night, right, you're seeing financial companies, others in the industry, saying we have to be prepared for hundred and fifty, hundred and seventy-five dollar a barrel oil through much of the year and maybe into next year. Now, they're all saying maybe that's on the high side and we'll do better and let's hope we do. But that's the planning they're doing and that's going to last a while.
The president recognizes you go into an election with something like that, you've got a big problem. COATES: Gentlemen, thank you. David Sanger, General Anderson, appreciate your minds. Thank you.
Up next, the war goes online. Fake A.I. videos of attacks and destruction, even soldiers crying. It's spreading online and getting millions of views. Why won't social media companies stop it? Can they? Kara Swisher weighs in. And ahead, traveling any time soon? You might want to call your representative because a DHS shutdown has airports looking like Disney World during spring break with wait times up to three hours.
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COATES: We got to talk about what we're seeing online. War, chaos, protests, destruction, except a lot of it is fake. It's actually A.I. And the fake A.I. videos are racking up millions and millions of views. Here are just some of the examples: U.S. soldiers captured and held at gunpoint by Iranian troops. Fake. Barrage of Iranian missiles striking supposedly Tel Aviv. Fake. A downed U.S. military plane being paraded through the straits of Tehran. Again, fake. Now, a lot of these fakes are being used as propaganda by pro-Iran accounts.
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As for their motivation, not so sure. But to get clicks, is it for money? Something more sinister?
Joining me now, CNN contributor and host of the "On" and "Pivot" podcasts, Kara Swisher. Kara, so good to see you.
KARA SWISHER, CNN CONTRIBUTOR, OPINION CONTRIBUTING WRITER FOR THE NEW YORK TIMES, PODCAST HOST: Thank you.
COATES: I mean, this is an alarming trend. And many people are wondering why aren't social media companies doing something about it.
SWISHER: Well, did they do anything about the other stuff before this for years and years?
COATES: Nope.
SWISHER: They have no interest in cleaning up their messes they make there. You know, these things have been happening for a long time. This is just a more sophisticated and sort of more video heavy version of this, but it has been going on for a decade at least or for a while.
And Iran, and I'm not paying them a compliment, has become very good at this in terms of using these social networks, both explicitly and implicitly for propaganda. And, by the way, so is the White House, you know, putting up their memes and their various things. They're using other people's music and fake imagery. So, it's sort of one of the tools in the war box now, unfortunately, is to try to psych people out with these videos in some cases, most of which are pretty obviously fake. But at the same time, some people obviously believe them in some fashion.
COATES: I mean, Elon Musk's social media platform X announced that paid content creators posting A.I. videos of armed conflicts will be suspended for making money for 90 days if they don't disclose it as A.I. Is that a step in the right direction?
SWISHER: Oh, I'm not going to -- no. You know, yes, I guess, if they actually enforced it. But they should clean up their non-consensual sexual images first, in my opinion, and child pornography on that site that they've had problems with, you know, in all manner of things.
I think it's not just that. By the way, to be fair, it's not just a problem on X. It's a problem across social media, whether it's TikTok or, you know. It's less so on some platforms. And they have to really spend a lot of time monitoring it and dealing with it.
But how do you -- you can't take it down. It's hard to take down real stuff, right? If there's a shooting or a shooter goes, you know, on a barrage, they had a hard time stopping those things if they had a GoPro on their hat and they were filming live. And so, they're not very good at these either.
COATES: Well, the White House today, they released a blueprint of sorts for national A.I. rules. And the bottom line, Congress should preempt state A.I. laws. Why do you think the administration is so determined to block states from implementing their own A.I. regulations?
SWISHER: Because they're working hand in glove with the tech industry who is paying their bills. You know, as I said, it's a coin-operated president when it comes to tech industry. And the tech industry wants very much not to have states rule these things. There are some good reasons for that because you don't want 50 different rules.
But the fact of the matter is the federal government has done nothing and they're hoping to do nothing, I think, in general. And so, they prefer the slower federal process, which will, of course, result in no rules at all, which is the way it has been forever.
And, you know, certain states like California have been very strong, like, in terms of lots of things. I just met with the California attorney general. He's looking at a lot of things. And, of course, they don't want him to be looking at anything.
COATES: You know, I have to ask you because this reaction to this A.I.-generated MAGA military glam woman --
SWISHER: Yes.
COATES: -- that's actually a phrase --
SWISHER: Yes. COATES: -- that has gone absolutely viral. I mean, the fictional soldier appears in post of the president. She's posing with F-22 fighter jets. None of it's real.
SWISHER: Yes.
COATES: This is blowing up online. Why?
SWISHER: Right. Well, she's sexy. I think that's what they're doing there. I don't know if you've seen some of the pictures, but they're -- you know, it's attractive. It looks -- you know, it looks real. It's like a pinup girl in a weird way. It's very sexist, obviously.
And so, people just like to share it and think it's interesting. And, you know, they could do this in any manner of ways with lots of stuff like that. In this case, I think it's because, you know, it's a woman soldier and it looks -- you know, combine war and women, sexy women. It's grotesque, but that's what works online, unfortunately.
COATES: Well, you know what is fortunate? Your new CNN Original Series coming up that I cannot wait to watch. It is called "Kara Swisher Wants to Live Forever." It premieres April 11th.
SWISHER: Yes.
COATES: You got to put it on your calendars. I can't wait to watch it.
SWISHER: Thank you. There is a (INAUDIBLE). There's a fake Kara that I make. So --
COATES: (INAUDIBLE). Oh, I was going to say it. Look, Kara, call me. I want to this.
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April. I got it on my calendar. Thank you.
SWISHER: Thank you so much.
COATES: Up next, TSA workers, they are missing paychecks again and travellers waiting in three-hour lines at some airports. So, who will get the blame from voters for this DHS shutdown? And why do lawmakers get special treatment? Yes, they do. We'll debate it, next. Plus, did the president pull the Mark Twain prize from Bill Maher this year? We'll tell you what we know.
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COATES: If you flew out of an airport today, chances are you probably waited in a line like this. This was a security line at Houston's Bush Intercontinental Airport. It took passengers, get this, two and a half hours to get through it. Atlanta, long security lines there as well. This is all because TSA workers are among the thousands of DHS employees who have not been paid during the shutdown.
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And now, some are calling out sick, while others are taking up a second job or quitting altogether in order to find a job that does pay. World Central Kitchen says it has provided more than 14,000 meals to TSA workers who missed their paychecks last week. If you thought these lines were bad, Sean Duffy says that they could get worse if Congress does not fund the agency.
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SEAN DUFFY, U.S. SECRETARY OF TRANSPORTATION: You're going to see what's happening today. It looks like child's play. This is going to be -- these are going to be good days compared to what is going to happen a week from now as America tries to travel.
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COATES: So, what are the political implications of all of these? Let's talk about it with two strategists, Sawyer Hackett, a Democratic strategist, and Brad Todd, a Republican strategist and CNN political commentator. Glad to have both of you here. I'm rethinking all my travel plans just with the thought of this.
But Sawyer, we talked a lot about how gas prices could impact the midterms. But this airport chaos and yet another shutdown, even if it's partial and the nuances of it, it could impact the midterms as well. So, Democrats are being told they'll be to blame. Strategize.
SAWYER HACKETT, DEMOCRATIC STRATEGIST: I don't think democrats will be to blame, and I don't think voters really think that they're to blame. I think voters are -- you know, they're pretty smart. They know who's in charge in Washington. Republicans control the Senate, the House, the White House. They've also seen, you know, Democrats put forward seven different bills to fund these other agencies that are part of DHS that aren't ICE and Border Patrol.
So, I think, you know, voters are pretty -- are pretty smart when it comes to this stuff. They know, you know, where those pain points are coming from.
COATES: Do they agree with Democrats for doing this, you think?
HACKETT: I think the voters who are paying attention, who are paying attention to the politics, who are paying attention to this moment, you know, they've watched for months as ICE has run roughshod over the rule of law. They've seen, you know, them abducting people on the streets and shooting American citizens. I think they find that this is a justified fight. And the people who aren't paying attention, I think, are blaming Republicans.
COATES: Democrats, Brad, you know, have insisted on a separate funding bill that would cover certain agencies. Republicans are against that. Why? Why not piecemeal? BRAD TODD, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR, REPUBLICAN STRATEGIST: There's one appropriations bill that's not passed. It's the one for the Department of Homeland Security. It includes TSA, it includes the Coast Guard, it includes several different things. It's time to pass that bill. In fact, if you go back to the shutdown we had in 2013, Chuck Schumer said, it doesn't matter how strongly you feel about a particular policy. Whether you want changes to that policy, you can't hold millions of Americans hostage for it.
That's what Democrats are doing. They're trying to force Americans to wait in line until they scream at TSA long enough to try to get what they want on other Homeland Security items.
COATES: Well, one could argue that representatives, their main job is to advocate for the very things that would be policy good news for them. Is that what they're doing?
HACKETT: Well, I mean, I would argue that Republicans are the ones holding TSA hostage, that are keeping these two-hour lines that voters should be pissed about. I mean, they have the ability right now. You know, Thune could fund TSA tonight if he wanted to, the House could take it up tomorrow, and the President could sign it tomorrow. We could not have these lines at airports.
COATES: Why won't he do that?
TODD: That's not the way the appropriations process works. You fund the entire department at one time. And if Democrats want to change the rules at the Department of Homeland Security, there's a time for that. It's in the authorization process next year. In fact, if you look back at Barack Obama in 2013, the shutdown, he said if you have a strong opinion on an issue, don't hold the government hostage, go out and win an election on it. And so, Democrats, that's the lesson they've always insisted on in shutdowns. You fund the government first, argue about policy afterward.
But what I'm really more concerned about is safety. We have TSA agents walking off the line. You know, last year, the TSA collected over 6,000 firearms at checkpoints, over 700 knives. You've got a lot of tired TSA agents there. We've had four terrorist attacks in the last three weeks here on the homeland. But Jon Ossoff, Chuck Schumer, the Democrats don't care. They're willing to put that at risk so they can get their way on ICE.
COATES: You know, I've been a federal employee during a shutdown and have not gotten paid. It is not fun. It is something that is infuriating as an employee who -- you could go to greater pastures but you have a public service calling. And yet it's happening to them yet again.
And you've got no sense of urgency in Washington D.C. to solve this issue. I mean, 16 senators did not vote on funding DHS today. They left town. I don't know if they walked or if they flew or whatever they may have done. But is there any hope that a deal will be reached maybe next week? HACKETT: It seems like they're headed for it. I mean, Republicans and Trump certainly realize that Democrats hold the leverage here. I mean, they have come forward with concessions that are definitely not as close to Democrats, the 10 different demands that they're making about DHS -- about ICE and CBP rather.
But, you know, they're the ones coming to Democrats with these very, very minor concessions. They're the ones that are eating the pain of these lines at the TSA. I mean, recent Navigator poll showed that 48 percent of voters are blaming Republicans for this shutdown, only compared to 29 percent of voters who are blaming Democrats.
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I mean, they understand that they are the ones feeling the pain from the shutdown.
TODD: Forty-seven Democrats in U.S. Senate. One of them has voted to fund this agency, put TSA workers back on the job. One. That's John Fetterman of Pennsylvania. Every other Democrat is opposed funding Department of Homeland Security. It's unconscionable.
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HACKETT: I don't think Democrats are withholding funding for the Department of Homeland Security. They're withholding funding for ICE and CBP. The rest of these agencies --
TODD: The Department of Homeland --
HACKETT: The rest of those agencies could be funded tonight if they wanted to.
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COATES: The idea that there's a two-week recess coming when this is all happening undermines the argument that there's a huge security threat, which is mind-boggling to me. But there's also a bill that could end private security escorts at airports for lawmakers. hey may feel the pain so many Americans are already experiencing. And I wonder, from your perspective, Brad, will that force them to find a deal if they lose their security?
TODD: I hope so. It's ridiculous that members of Congress would have to force some people to sit in these lines and then be escorted around them. That's the kind of thing that gets everybody thrown out of office in November and it probably should.
COATES: What do you think?
HACKETT: I don't find any issue with that at all. I think members of Congress should have to face the public in the public whenever they're out there. I think they should have to go through the same process as everyone else.
But I think that's a separate issue from what we're talking about with TSA and these two-hour lines that Republicans are allowing by not funding TSA tonight. They could do that tonight if they wanted to. Democrats have put forward seven different bills. Republicans have rejected every single one of them.
COATES: Feels like deadlocking a stalemate. Not good when there's a shutdown. Sawyer and Brad, thank you both so much.
A curious twist on one of the most prestigious prizes in comedy. It concerns who will receive the Mark Twain Prize for American humor. Earlier today, sources told CNN that comedian Bill Maher will receive it. That would be a curious choice since Maher has been a frequent critic of President Trump, although not always. And the Kennedy Center, which hands out the award, now has a board handpicked by Trump. But the two did have that dinner at Mar-a-Lago last year as Trump returned to the White House.
So, it seemed plausible until White House Communications Director Stephen Cheung called the reporting fake news. Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt went a step further insisting -- quote -- "Bill Maher will not be getting this award." She didn't say who would.
I want to bring in Emmy-winning comedian and host of the podcast, "Inside Out," Paul Mecurio. He is also an attorney. Good to see you, Paul. You know --
PAUL MECURIO, COMEDIAN, PODCAST HOST: Good to see you, Laura.
COATES: -- Bill Maher didn't say anything about this on his show tonight. A source close to the Kennedy Center, though, told CNN he had been offered the award and was considering it. He hadn't accepted it. An additional announcement had not even been put out. Is this what happens, you think, when politics tries to control maybe culture?
MECURIO: A little bit. Yes. I mean, this is the most significant and prestigious, I think, cultural arts award that you can give in this country. And it has been compromised. The credibility has been compromised.
I had a lot of hopes. You talked about the history between these two, Trump and Barack Obama. I'm like, if they're going to give him an award, that's great. Politics isn't involved. And then a few minutes later, boom, my whole world blows up. I was, you know, just -- it's -- this is -- we're politicizing comedy awards now? Is that what we're doing? What's next? Are we going to be filibustering knock-knock jokes? You know, having red and blue seating sections in comedy clubs?
There is a process here that has been unadulterated and has worked for years. There's a committee comprised of Kennedy Center leadership, entertainment industry figures, and past recipients. And there's a purity. And they look at the person, and they decide this is a significant cultural icon, if you will, who should be honored. And grudges are involved or anything like that. And now, we're beyond that.
So, what this means is that, you know, we're in this sort of morass of sort of, you know, watch what you say because you're not going to get the little award that you should be getting.
COATES: How is the comedy world reacting to this? I mean, do they see this as a way to sort of silence criticism or that comedians will take this note as a way to silence and muzzle themselves? That seems odd, that they would do that. It might be even more reactionary.
MECURIO: No, I think it's the opposite. I think, in honor of Mark Twain, the irony is this feed right into what Mark Twain was about, which was satirizing power and politics, and that's all of this all rolled into one. This is one fast, fat, juicy, irony burger for Mark Twain, right? There's powerplay, there's dysfunction, there's contradictions.
And so, I think comedians push back because that's what we're supposed to do. We're supposed to be truths to power. But what we've seen along with, you know, the nonsense with Kimmel and other things, you push back and there's pushback that's even bigger from the White House.
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And, you know, look, it's not lost on me that there's this eerie parallel to here's a person in Maher that legitimately won something, and then Trump steps in to block its certification, right? And you're sort of sitting there going, OK.
You know, Mike Pence somewhere is going, oh, my God, not again. I am turning my phone off. I cannot deal with this. I'm sure that Trump, from what I heard, actually put forth an alternate slate of fake comedians just to fill this prize. So, look, I think you have to laugh at it --
COATES: Why do you think Maher didn't say anything tonight?
MECURIO: Because I think that, you know -- you know, that's a great question. I think he's smart. He's going to say something, and he's going to probably do it through a show, you know, because then he can really -- he can write some things that are really pointed. And I don't think he personally cares one way or the other. I don't want to speak for him if he upsets Trump or not. But I think that he's smart to do it on his terms, at his time, rather than do it through soundbites, through the media. He can control the message. That's what I would do.
COATES: We'll see.
MECURIO: You know, he's got the power to do that. He should, you know,
COATES: Paul Mecurio, good to see you. Thank you.
MECURIO: Great to see you again.
COATES: A predictable end to the case of Breonna Taylor under President Trump's DOJ. Today, federal prosecutors asked a judge to dismiss the charges against the final two former officers in the case, Joshua Jaynes and Kyle Meany. Both were accused of falsifying the warrant that led to the no-knock raid in Louisville where Breonna Taylor was shot and killed six years ago.
The charges against both Jaynes and Meany had been downgraded twice in the past, and prosecutors say that's what led them to dropping the charges altogether. Lawyers for both men say they are elated and grateful for the decision. The mother of Breonna Taylor says she's extremely disappointed by the move.
Next, a historic day for women in sports.
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UNKNOWN: I'll play you.
UNKNOWN: What?
UNKNOWN: One game. One-on-one.
UNKNOWN: For what?
UNKNOWN: Your heart.
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COATES: I'll never forget seeing that movie in theaters for the first time. "Love & Basketball" just turned 25 years old, a groundbreaking movie that showcased the struggles and triumphs of a female athlete. And on its anniversary, a new triumph for the female athlete, a landmark new labor deal for the WNBA that will bring huge pay increases and housing and bonuses for all players across the league. It's something that this director of "Love & Basketball" says she always dreamed of when I spoke with her a couple weeks ago.
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GINA PRINCE-BYTHEWOOD, DIRECTOR, "LOVE & BASKETBALL: I feel like, finally, within the last couple years, this explosion that has happened in both just respect and crowds and excitement, it's everything that I certainly dreamed of, I know these players have dreamed of. We're in an incredible place. But even then, you see what's happening with the negotiations like still fighting for respect. I know it's going to come because there's just such a different vibe now with the game.
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COATES: My next guest played a huge role in these negotiations. She's a three-time WNBA champion, small forward for the Washington Mystics, and vice president of the WNBA Players Association Executive Committee. Alysha Clark, welcome. Glad to have you here. So happy to see you, especially being in Washington, D.C. Obviously, I am a fan. Tell me, though, how monumental this is for you and also fellow players because you've been fighting for this literally for years.
ALYSHA CLARK, VICE PRESIDENT, WNBPA EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE: Yes. It's honestly still settling in, what we just, you know, hopefully accomplished from a verbal agreement. But yes, it's huge, what we were able to do in that negotiating room, not only just for the players that are currently playing, but even past and former players who have sacrificed so much for this league to still be around for us, to even be fighting for, and then for the future players who have yet to come into this league.
COATES: According to ESPN, the average salary could increase to around $600,000. And for reference, the average player is making around $120,000 last year. So, really, every player will benefit from this.
CLARK: Yes. And that's what we set out to do from the very beginning, is we wanted to make sure everyone was reflected in this CVA. And, you know, fortunately for us, our executive committee is covered seven teams and we cover literally everybody that is in this league, that will touch this league, everyone, from the top 10 percent players to the rookies to the middle players that are the heartbeat of this league that, you know, are just such crucial pieces to every team.
And we wanted to make sure that that group wasn't left behind this time, that the players that have, you know, poured into this league, have experienced, have won in this league don't get squeezed out.
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And I think that's really what I'm most proud of. When I -- when I've been sitting back, kind of reflecting on what happened this past week, was everybody from newbies to OGs in this league are going to feel the benefits of this new deal. I'm really proud of that.
COATES: And it's so intentional, the motivation to do that. And the forward thought of thinking about being a real collective bargaining because every single player is so important to the league. And league's popularity, I mean, it is skyrocketing in just the last few years with huge improvements in both attendance and viewership and, dare I say, all the more respect that was already owed.
But the players have been arguing, we're not being rewarded for the gains. And a big hurdle in those negotiations has been this issue of revenue sharing. Tell me how that's going to work and why that particular term, revenue sharing -- why do I keep saying it that way? Revenue sharing was so important.
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CLARK: Yes. You know, from the very beginning, when we first opted out of our previous CBA, we wanted to -- we said from the very beginning, we want to make sure that the players are getting a meaningful share of the revenue that we're helping create and drive night in and night out. And so, you know, this system that we were really fighting for, I -- it's a part of the business. It's a part of the business that we'll be able to feel not only now, immediately, as we go into, you know, this next year, but decades down the line. Players are going to be able to drive the business, and we're going to be able to, you know, be able to share in that, which I think we should.
And so, that was something from the start that we wanted to make sure that we conquered, was getting a meaningful share of the business that we're helping create.
COATES: I mean, women athletes all across professional sports have been fighting for fair, for equal pay. So, is there a lesson here for other women's sports leagues? And, by the way, I look at it not as an athlete, but as somebody who knows what it's like to be at the negotiating table, and what you're doing transfers for all of us.
CLARK: For me, I would just hope that anyone that has been following along with the WNBA, that was following along with these negotiations, just feels inspired to hold the line, to not ever back down from fighting what you're worth, and just to continue to, you know, cause good trouble and get into good trouble. And that's something that I just am so proud of, and that will be reflected in this deal.
COATES: Well, here's to good trouble and here's to Alysha Clark. Thank you so much.
CLARK: Thank you
COATES: Up next, if baseball doesn't get you to the ball game, maybe the food will. Harry Enten has a look at the new eats on the menu for the upcoming MLB season.
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COATES: Anyone who has been to a ballpark knows that famous tune. But you can forget about those peanut and cracker jacks because some stadiums just unveil some wild new menu items (INAUDIBLE) stands this very summer. And if you're a Chicago Cubs fan, you'll soon be among the first to try chicken and churros the next time you're at Wrigley Field. It actually sounds good.
Our chief data analyst, Harry Enten, is here to dive into some of these wild new dishes. Harry?
HARRY ENTEN, CNN CHIEF DATA ANALYST: Hey, Laura. Baseball season is right around the corner. Is it take me out to the ballgame or is it take me out food and to the ball game? I don't know at this point because the bottom line is this: These ball parks coming up with all these nude food concoctions that, quite frankly, are making me hungry.
I mean, just take a look here. Take a look at these new baseball foods. Chicago Cubs, they got chicken and churros. That looks delicious. How about this pork loaded fries from the Los Angeles Dodgers and a foot- long Elote corn dog? You can get out there in the great southwest out there in Arizona. Yum, yum, yum. That's all I have to say. Street food corn on top of a hot dog? I mean, my goodness gracious. That looks fantastic.
But it's not just the food. It's the drinks as well. I mean, just take a look here. New baseball drinks. You got a golden hour vibe mocktail out there in Arizona, a Cafecito martini down in Miami. I mean, that's just beautiful. And then, of course, you got the Oreo brownie milkshake in Tampa Bay. I love a little dessert with my drink.
But, of course for me, Laura Coates, I'm still a simple man at heart. So, for me, I got to say that the hot dog at the ballpark, it is still my number one food as well as Americans' number one food. And you know what? I see this on the screen. I almost want to -- oh, my God! I wish I could take a bite.
Either way, Laura Coates, baseball season is right around the corner and maybe, one of these times, I'll take you out to the ballgame. Have a good night. Shalom.
COATES: Harry, thank you so much. And hey, thank all of you for watching. "The Story Is with Elex Michaelson" is next.
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