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CNN Headlines: Justice Department Launches Criminal Investigation Into Trump Accuser E. Jean Carroll; U.S. And Iran Launch New Strikes, Testing Fragile Ceasefire; Divers Scramble To Reach Remaining Two People Still Trapped. Aired 5:30-6a ET
Aired May 28, 2026 - 05:30 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
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[05:30:55]
BRAD SMITH, CNN ANCHOR: It is half past the hour. Let's hit the refresh button on our top stories.
The Justice Department has launched a criminal investigation into E. Jean Carroll according to multiple CNN sources. It's focused on allegations that Carroll committed perjury in testimony tied to her civil lawsuits against President Trump. Juries have awarded her millions in damages. The president is appealing.
And U.S. forces launched new strikes on an Iranian military strike near the Strait of Hormuz saying it posed a threat to American forces and commercial shipping. Iran's Revolutionary Guard says it retaliated by targeting a U.S. air base.
And crews are searching for nine people believed to be dead after that incident at a paper plant in Washington State, bringing the death toll to 11. Eight others have been injured. And there are now new concerns as officials say the 900,000-gallon tank rupture has sent contamination into the Columbia River. Federal investigators are trying to figure out how this happened.
We return now back to our top story first reported by CNN -- the Justice Department's probe into claims of perjury by E. Jean Carroll. Now she is the former magazine columnist who accused President Trump of sexual assault. Juries awarded Carroll millions of dollars in damages following judgments in the sexual abuse case and a separate defamation case. She is still embroiled in legal battles with the president as he appeals.
This marks the latest effort by the Department of Justice to investigate Donald Trump's personal foes.
Senior legal analyst Elie Honig weighed in on CNN last night explaining that in perjury cases the burden is on the prosecution.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ELIE HONIG, CNN SENIOR LEGAL ANALYST, FORMER FEDERAL PROSECUTOR, FORMER ASSISTANT U.S. ATTORNEY, SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK: The definition, legally, of vindictive prosecution is when a person exercises their constitutional or legal rights and then is prosecuted as payback for that.
And if we look at the history here it's well known E. Jean Carroll sued Donald Trump successfully -- $88 million -- and then a couple of years later finds herself on the receiving end of currently an investigation. Who knows? It might become a prosecution.
And if you look at this -- look, just the other day the indictment of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, who was wrongly deported -- that was thrown out for vindictive prosecution because a judge in that case said well, Mr. Abrego Garcia asserted his rights and then he was being prosecuted as payback.
And I think E. Jean Carroll would have a very similar argument. She would say I asserted my rights. I brought a civil lawsuit. I won. And now she will argue surely this is payback.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SMITH: The perjury investigation is focused on a 2022 deposition. Elie Honig explains the prosecutors would have to prove that Carroll knowingly gave false testimony and that it's material to the case.
Carroll's legal team declined to comment for this story.
Turning back internationally, the U.S. and Iran trading fresh waves of strikes adding to the uncertainty of reaching a long-term peace deal. A U.S. official tells CNN those strikes hit a military site used to launch drones near the Strait of Hormuz, calling the operation defensive. Meantime, Iran's Revolutionary Guard says that it targeted an American air base in retaliation.
CNN senior international correspondent Ivan Watson has the latest developments.
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IVAN WATSON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: It's all behind closed doors. We don't know what the two sides are saying to each other. We hear about it occasionally from perhaps the mediators or from the statements that are coming from both sides -- and they, both Tehran and Washington, are contradicting each other.
We've heard Iran saying that no agreement will happen unless tens of billions of dollars' worth of frozen Iranian assets will be released. Iran claiming that it is going to maintain some authority over the Strait of Hormuz moving forward, though a spokesperson for Iran's foreign ministry has kind of shifted, saying that it's no longer going to ask for tolls for ships to go through.
[05:35:00]
Meanwhile, we've had President Trump shift from -- you'll remember when he used to call for unconditional surrender from Iran. He's not saying that anymore, but he's saying that the Strait of Hormuz has to be opened. That there's not going to be any exchange of money for concessions on the part of Iran.
And then in a strange moment in a cabinet meeting he issued a threat against what has been considered an ally, Oman. Take a listen.
DONALD TRUMP, (R) PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: The strait is going to be open to everybody. It's a --
REPORTER: And who would control it?
TRUMP: It's international waters. Nobody is going to control it. We're going to watch over it. We'll watch over it, but nobody's going to control it. That's part of the negotiation that we have. It's international waters. And Oman will behave just like everybody else or will have to blow them up.
WATSON: Don't know what exactly that's going to mean.
One final thought. The Kuwaiti military says that its air defenses were firing at hostile incoming objects in the last couple of hours, a suggestion of how dicey things still are in this oil-rich, gas-rich region.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SMITH: Rescuers are scrambling to find two people who are still missing in that flooded cave in Laos that has captured the world's attention. At the same time, crews are also coming up with a plan to get the five people that they've already found out safely. The group of seven has been trapped for more than a week and rescuers have been giving them soft food to help them regain their strength for the challenging journey out of the cave.
CNN's Will Ripley has more on the dangerous rescue operation ahead.
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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (INAUDIBLE).
WILL RIPLEY, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voiceover): This is the moment rescuers found five villagers alive, trapped for a week in a flooded cave in central Laos. The men say they're not sick, just weak, exhausted, and desperately hungry.
Officials say they entered the cave a week ago searching for gold. Heavy rain and flash flooding sealed the exit behind them. Seven days later their first taste of fresh water and soon food and first aid. But the danger is far from over.
Some of the same elite cave divers who helped rescue a soccer team in Thailand in 2018 are back working on this rescue, including Finnish diver Mikko Paasi. He's helping lead the search and rescue operation, crawling through claustrophobic caverns full of muddy water. He says getting the survivors out alive will be extremely difficult and extremely dangerous.
MIKKO PAASI, ELITE CAVE DIVER: It's extremely small, tight complex of tunnels. Tight spots in this mine are so tight that you need to exhale to wiggle through.
RIPLEY (voiceover): Some tunnels are just 23 inches wide, forcing divers to crawl sideways, flat on their stomachs. They leave the cave covered in mud, exhausted from searching around the clock, all during monsoon season. In this mountainous jungle region near Long Tieng, once home to a secret CIA base during the Vietnam War, flash floods can happen in minutes.
Teams are pumping fresh air underground, working to drain the rising water, and even establishing an internet signal deep inside the cave using radar technology to scan narrow, underground passages.
Rescuers in Laos are hoping for another survival story, like that Thai soccer team about eight years ago. They spent more than two weeks underground and all made it out alive. But conditions this time may be even more treacherous. Rising water, tight tunnels, and zero visibility putting rescuers and survivors in danger.
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SMITH: Just a remarkable effort there that's still ongoing. Thank you, Will.
Well, President Trump gave an update on his D.C. renovations during his cabinet meeting. The overhaul of the reflecting pool will be done before July 4. As for his next project, take a listen.
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TRUMP: Now we're looking at the World War II fountain because that's also in pretty bad shape on the bottom. We're going to duplicate it, I think, with the -- maybe with a slightly different color. Actually, we'll go with a lighter color. But they're going to have a lot of fun doing it. It's very exciting, actually, to me. I love construction. It's very exciting.
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SMITH: The New York Times is reporting that the administration is using national park entrance fees to pay for these projects. So far, they've spent at least $67 million worth of park visitor fees to fix the fountains and the reflecting pool.
[05:40:00]
Well, construction crews are busy transforming the south lawn of the White House into a temporary arena for next month's UFC event hosted by President Trump. UFC Freedom 250 is scheduled to take place on June 14, which also marks the president's 80th birthday. The octagon viewing area will seat about 5,000 people with overflow crowds watching on screens set up on the Ellipse.
It's time for Buzz Express, the stories that have people talking.
First up, Robert Pattinson's new role. Remember the show "TO CATCH A PREDATOR?" Well, Pattinson is now playing post-Chris Hansen in a new movie all about it.
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Clip from A24 "Primetime."
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SMITH: It's called "Primetime" and this is the first trailer for it.
Pattinson portrays Hansen as he pushes the show that would end up catching suspected child predators in sting operations in the early 2000s. The new movie is out in the fall.
And Drake just dethroned the king of pop. He just passed Michael Jackson for the most number one songs by a solo male artist on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. Drake's latest hit to top the chart, "Janice STFU."
Well, it brings his total to 14 and Jackson had 13 number ones during his career. And Drake is now tied with Taylor Swift and Rihanna for most number ones on the chart. And only Mariah Carey and The Beatles have more number one singles. Mariah Carey has 19 and The Beatles have 20.
Next up on CNN HEADLINE EXPRESS, FIFA is under investigation for super-high ticket prices and even for the process on you buying them, and some are calling it bait-and-switch. We're going to explain that in full ahead.
Plus, forget the pope mobile. The pontiff is riding around in Ferrari's first electric vehicle. More on that on the other side of the break.
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[05:46:25]
SMITH: Chicago leaders are optimistic this morning after police reported that there were no murders there over Memorial Day weekend, and now leaders believe that violence could be trending in the right direction in the city.
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MAYOR BRANDON JOHNSON, (D) CHICAGO: As has been reported, the city of Chicago experienced zero homicides over the holiday weekend. It's the first time in over a decade. We also saw a slight decrease in the number of shooting incidents when compared to last year, and the Chicago Police Department successfully removed 137 weapons from our streets.
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SMITH: As for that comparison, last year there were four homicides during this same time period. However, despite the drop in homicide rates over Memorial Day weekend there was a rise in both the number of people shot and the number of shooting incidents.
We turn now to this. Soaring World Cup ticket prices have the attention of the attorneys general of New York and New Jersey. There are now investigations into FIFA's pricing practices for matches at MetLife Stadium, saying that some fans have been misled about where their seats are actually located.
CNN's Brynn Gingras has more.
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BRYNN GINGRAS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yeah. We've been hearing about how these tickets are so expensive for the World Cup games. But what we're now hearing through this investigations as announced is did, basically, FIFA violate rules when putting these tickets online, allowing for people to buy them?
Now one person that I talked to, a lifelong soccer fan, basically says they feel like FIFA pulled a whole bait-and-switch. He described to me how he waited online on the FIFA website to purchase tickets for the World Cup. Spent 12 hours online in a queue waiting just to actually purchase tickets. Picked two seats next to each other, $515 each -- good seats on the side of the pitch.
And then when he spent another five minutes to get to the checkout his ticket confirmation showed completely different seats -- seats that are on the opposite side of the stadium he wanted to go to behind the goal.
So this is the kind of stories that we're hearing about but also, I imagine these attorneys general are also hearing and wanting to hear more about how this could possibly be in addition to those high ticket prices. Like I said, it's the New York and New Jersey attorneys general that filed these subpoenas requesting this -- some information -- starting this investigation.
But just a couple of weeks ago the attorney general in California sending a formal inquiry as well to FIFA asking for specific details about their ticketing strategy. Basically, what sort of disclosures are given to people who purchase tickets? What do their maps look like when someone is on their website trying to purchase tickets? So a lot of fact-finding trying to figure out how this process goes.
Unclear if there will be any restitution in this. Certainly, the World Cup starts in just a couple of weeks to probably not likely before these games start but maybe afterwards -- at least that's what one soccer fan told me he hopes for. But I can tell you that we did talk to some fans who are saying at least somebody is on our side because they do feel like they are getting a bit cheated and losing this game for sure.
Brynn Gingras in New York for CNN.
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SMITH: Let's go around the globe to see what else is making headlines this morning.
[05:50:00]
We start in Bolivia. That is where the government is clearing the way for the president to respond to weeks of protests and unrest gripping the country. BBC reports that the Congress there passed a bill which will make it easier for the president to declare a state of emergency and deploy soldiers. Protests and roadblocks have led to shortages of food, fuel and medicine in Bolivia's largest urban areas.
And Ukraine says that President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is asking the U.S. for help with its air defenses. The regional governor in Odessa reports at least 11 people have been injured in the latest Russian strikes. Zelenskyy reportedly sent a letter to President Trump and Congress requesting American-made ammunition to counter Russian missile attacks.
And pimp my ride pope edition. Pope Leo got to step into Ferrari's first fully-electric car and based on reactions from Ferrari fans it needs some work. They aren't really liking the design because it's different that the brand's usual sports cars. But the Italian automaker is hoping the EV will appeal to the more technology savvy generation.
Well, still to come on CNN HEADLINE EXPRESS, take a look at this. What started out as a brushfire in California quickly got out of control spreading to nearby structures. More on that ahead.
And the high cost of living. Why more Americans say they are draining savings to cover basic needs and even skipping meals. That story when we return.
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[05:55:40]
SMITH: In today's Money Express, President Trump's new app is going live today for parents to manage their kid's investments. It is called "Trump Accounts" and parents and loved ones can contribute up to $5,000 a year for children born in 2025 through 2028. The government will give an extra $1,000. And the accounts officially open for investment on July 4.
Well, some shocking findings from a new survey revealed that more Americans are now skipping meals or relying on food donations.
Maribel Aber has more details on this. Maribel, what do we know?
MARIBEL ABER, CNN CORRESPONDENT, MONEY MATTERS: OK, Brad. More Americans skipping these meals to make ends meet. This is according to the New York Fed's latest survey.
It found that 10 percent of respondents said they didn't have enough food or ration meals each month up six percent from 2020, the last time the survey was taken. Those relying on food assistance rose to 18 percent from 11 percent. And 37 percent said they tap savings to cover expenses, a 15 percent increase.
The Fed's data was gathered before the war in Iran and subsequent spike in gas prices.
Financial firm Robinhood is rolling out new AI tools designed to help manage parts of a customer's finance automatically. The tools can trade stocks and even make purchases on a user's behalf. Customers said investment or spending goals and AI can make moves to help get there. Robinhood says guardrails like user-controlled spending limits and the ability to instantly disconnect the AI from accounts. Future plans include crypto purchases and prediction market betting.
If you build it, Doritos may come and maybe hand you a quarter-million dollars. The company's "Build the Bold" contest challenges fans to recreate iconic American landmarks using Doritos chips. Choices include the Statue of Liberty, the Washington Monument, and the Capitol. Videos of the creations can be submitted to Doritos buildthebowl.com through July 31. The winner will be announced in August and takes home $250,000 to honor America's 250th birthday.
Brad, you've got to have patience beyond Lego patience.
SMITH: Yeah. Lego ideas but make it Doritos instead. OK, challenge accepted, I suppose.
Maribel Aber, thank you so much.
ABER: You got it.
SMITH: We are all anxiously awaiting, sitting on the edge of our couch cushions to see who the Knicks will be competing against in the NBA Finals. But ticket prices are already through the roof.
According to TickPick the least expensive seats for game three -- we're talking the least expensive seats at Madison Square Garden for game three are going for a whopping $3,500. Now get this -- the cheapest ticket sold for game three at last year's NBA finals -- that was $447. So you could have attended all seven games of last year's NBA Finals for the price of this year's least expensive seats.
Let's get a check in on some of the other stories making news across the country.
We start in the Keystone State of Pennsylvania. Four people were hurt in an explosion at a dairy plant. Officials say there was an electrical explosion at the facility Wednesday. Two people went to the hospital and two were treated at the scene.
And to the South. In Florida, a judge has allowed a teenager charged with sexually assaulting and killing his 18-year-old stepsister on a cruise ship to stay out of jail for now. Timothy Hudson, who is being charged as an adult with first-degree murder, can stay out until his trial in September. The 16-year-old has pleaded not guilty.
And look at this huge fireball erupt as a massive fire torches a barn in California. According to officials, propane tanks inside that building exploded Wednesday in Livermore. Crews say that it started as a brushfire that spread to nearby structures. Luckily, no one was hurt.
And take a look here. Crews in Iowa rescued a person working on this casino sign after it caught fire. Firefighters arrived and saw flames and smoke coming from the sign and the upper bucket of a cherry picker. Now, authorities say that crews -- they used another boom truck to rescue the worker. Officials say that the fire was accidental.
[06:00:00]
And in a circular ending here let's take it back to the Keystone State in Pennsylvania. A kitten is now safe after hitchhiking more than 100 miles across the state. Police found this lucky little guy tucked away inside the grill of a car. The driver says he didn't even notice the feline was inside until he heard "meow" the next day. The kitten is now being cared for by his next-door neighbor. Glad that kitten is going to be safe and making it home.
That does it for CNN HEADLINE EXPRESS. I'm Brad Smith. "CNN THIS MORNING WITH AUDIE CORNISH" starts right now.
