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CNN Live Event/Special
CNN Headlines: Vance Trip To Switzerland Postponed, Swiss FM Says Today's Talks Canceled; Lebanon: At Least 18 Killed In Airstrikes, 4 Israeli Soldiers Killed Overnight; Obama Center Honors 44 President, Features Museum, Garden & Basketball Court; Damaging Storms Span Central U.S. This Week. Aired 5-5:30a ET
Aired June 19, 2026 - 05:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[05:00:26]
DANNY FREEMAN, CNN ANCHOR: The planned U.S.-Iran talks in Switzerland have been called off as President Trump claims the signed agreement amounts to Iran's, quote, "unconditional surrender".
Plus this --
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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Unbelievable.
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FREEMAN: Those poor guys, you just got to see this. Pigs caught in heavy flooding in Louisiana from Tropical Storm Arthur. And this morning, 17 million people are under flood watches.
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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Hey there, buddy. Hi. Are you okay?
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FREEMAN: Scary video here, a small child saved from a hot car on a 92-degree day. We've got that full rescue later on in the hour.
And the Obama Presidential Center is now open to the public. We're going to take a look at the special ceremony and the former first lady's emotional tribute to her husband, Barack Obama.
And a very good morning to you. I'm Danny Freeman, and this is CNN HEADLINE EXPRESS. We're so glad that you're with us here this morning, so let's get started.
First up, we begin with the latest developments in the U.S.-Iran memorandum of understanding. President Trump summed it up as an unconditional surrender by Iran, but critics, they're calling it a bad deal. And the vice president is postponing his trip to Switzerland as questions linger about this U.S.-Iran agreement.
The conflict between Israeli and Hezbollah in Lebanon persists.
CNN's Paul Hancocks is here.
Tell us, Paula, what is the latest as we are looking at what was going to be a whole day in Switzerland?
PAULA HANCOCKS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Danny, what we saw in Lebanon, in southern Lebanon overnight was significant. There were a lot of strikes against areas in southern Lebanon by the Israeli military. There was also Hezbollah rocket fire that was targeting the military. The end of it, we understand, four Israeli soldiers are killed. At least 18 Lebanese have been killed.
And this appears to be the trigger that has put these talks on hold at this point. We always knew. that what happens in Lebanon could be a spoiler for this U.S.-Iran deal agreement and we're certainly seeing that at this point now we are seeing and hearing some rhetoric from Israel -- furious rhetoric from the far right saying that Lebanon should -- all of Lebanon should burn after Israeli soldiers were killed, and we're hearing from the Israeli Prime Minister that they don't intend to pull Israeli soldiers out of southern Lebanon.
This, of course, is number one of the 14-point deal that the cessation of all hostilities on all fronts, including Lebanon. Iran has said there would be a very harsh response if that were not the case -- Danny.
FREEMAN: Well, and, Paula, just before you go, today was, of course, going to be the first day of talks under this new agreement signed this week, that memorandum of understanding. Now that that's canceled, where do we go from here?
HANCOCKS: So we've just had some information from a source, a diplomat who is familiar with this situation, saying that Iran has been asking for guarantees that hostilities in Lebanon will end before they effectively agree to start this 60 days of talks and negotiations with the United States.
So it makes it very clear that the success of this U.S.-Iran deal really does hinge on what we see on the ground in Lebanon. Now we have been hearing increasing frustration from the Trump administration, President Trump saying that Israel needs to do better when it comes to dealing with Hezbollah. So we should expect today some pressure from the Trump administration on Israel to pull back. But also, of course, there needs to be pressure on Hezbollah to stop its rocket and drone fire. Potentially, that could be the mediator's role in trying to keep these talks on track.
As we know, they have been postponed, the U.S. vice president canceling, or at least I should say postponing, his trip to Switzerland. But this 60 days was already considered quite short to be able to come up with a final agreement. And even at this point, they have not agreed when they will have the first meeting to try and reach that final agreement -- Danny.
FREEMAN: All right, all eyes continue to be on the Middle East today. CNN's Paul Hancocks checking in with us from Abu Dhabi, thank you so much for your reporting this morning.
Switching gears now, today is Bill Pulte's first official day as acting director of National Intelligence.
[05:05:02]
His appointment by President Trump has drawn sharp criticism, though, from lawmakers who say he lacks direct intelligence or national security experience. Jay Clayton has been nominated to take the job full-time, but Trump recently ordered his Senate hearing be canceled. Under Clayton's replacement as U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York is named, until, I should say, that replacement is named.
New details this morning. Luigi Mangione's attorneys say they are withdrawing a psychiatric defense. The 28-year-old is charged with murdering UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in broad daylight in New York City back in 2024.
Now, his attorneys informed the judge Thursday they would withdraw their plan to argue at trial that Mangione killed Thompson while suffering an extreme emotional disturbance. It all comes just one day after they indicated they would pursue that same defense. It's not clear, though, why his attorneys backed out of using this defense. Mangione has pleaded not guilty to murder, and a state trial is set to begin in September.
We have another update in the reflecting pool saga. Some blue material at the bottom of the pool is now peeling off just days after it was painted blue and refilled as part of a multimillion-dollar renovation ordered by President Trump.
CNN's Tom Foreman has the latest.
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TOM FOREMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Amid the ongoing battle here to somehow knock down this algae bloom that has turned this entire pool green, and they're trying very hard to knock it down, now we have word of this piece of blue coming up and being spotted in at least one area there. Whether this is part of that $14 million job that put a liner underneath here of that color blue, or whether it was knocked loose somehow in the cleaning process, we just don't know.
An expert in pool linings told us that the type of chemicals being used in some parts here could make such a thing happen. But even if that is the case, the issue is, is this a localized thing in one spot, or does it represent a broader issue that would be a much bigger problem?
As it is, the battle goes on here to try to get rid of the green, even as the conditions are perfect for algae growth, hot weather, lots of water, and there you can see just tiny traces of the blue that is supposed to prevail here.
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FREEMAN: Thank you, Tom.
Happening today, the Obama Presidential Center will open to the public. Former President Barack Obama and his family hosted a special ceremony yesterday ahead of the opening of his presidential center. Hundreds were on hand as former presidents Joe Biden, George W. Bush, Bill Clinton, and the former first ladies, respectively, joined the celebration. President Trump was not invited.
Obama used the special occasion to encourage Americans to keep hope alive and remain active in the fight for democracy. The $850 million complex on the South Side of Chicago houses exhibits from the Obama presidency. It includes a museum, a fruit and vegetable garden, playground, and even a basketball court.
Now, former First Lady Michelle Obama gave an emotional tribute to her husband at that ceremony. Take a look.
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MICHELLE OBAMA, FORMER FIRST LADY: You always gave us the very best within you. And in doing so, you reminded the rest of us that we could, too.
Barack, there are no words to express how proud I am of the way you showed up and continue to show up every single day. It has been an honor to be by your side. You have made me a better person and have given us all an example that we should strive to emulate. And I hope you know, oh, there is truly no higher calling than that.
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FREEMAN: And as we mentioned, the Obama Presidential Center opens to the public today as the U.S. observes the Juneteenth holiday. It's the oldest known celebration marking the end of slavery in the United States. The date commemorates June 19th, 1865, when enslaved people in Texas were finally told they were free, notably two years after the Emancipation Proclamation was signed. Juneteenth has long been celebrated across the country, but it became a federal holiday back in 2021 under former President Joe Biden.
All right, we heard it here in New York. The Knicks brought out the New York spirit in a big way on Thursday. Take a listen.
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FREEMAN: So much fun there. Fans came out in droves to toast the New York Knicks with a huge ticker tape parade. An estimated two million people lined the streets of lower Manhattan to greet their champions yesterday, who finally gave them an NBA title after 53 years.
Mayor Mamdani honored the players afterwards at City Hall.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) MAYOR ZOHRAN MAMDANI (D), NEW YORK: What is New York, if not your back up against the wall? A dream that feels just out of reach? A rent payment you don't know how you'll ever make? What is New York, if not 99.6 percent of the world stacked against you?
And who are New Yorkers, if not people, who hear those odds and smile? Who look at a 0.4 percent chance of success and ask, why are you giving me a head start?
This is our city. This is our team. For 53 years, we watched. For 53 years, we waited. Now, we've won.
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FREEMAN: And of course, in honor of the championship title, Mayor Mamdani handed Knicks players ceremonial keys to the city. Well, well deserved.
All right, we got a lot more to come on CNN HEADLINE EXPRESS.
First up, the black boxes from that fiery plane crash on a Texas highway may provide more clues into what caused that accident.
And take a look at this. We're getting a better picture of the widespread damage caused by a tornado that ripped through the Midwest.
Plus this --
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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Hey there, buddy. Hi.
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FREEMAN: Police forced to break into a hot car where a toddler was left inside. Later on, where police found his parents.
Stay with us. You're watching CNN HEADLINE EXPRESS.
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FREEMAN: In the latest update of that fatal plane crash on a Texas highway, investigators from the NTSB have, quote, "good information from the cockpit voice recorder, flight data recorder, and other electronic recording devices." The black boxes on the plane were sent to a lab in D.C.
And also, the flight crew is being interviewed and authorities have received witness video of that crash. Now, the jet was carrying six people when it crashed down a Texas highway earlier this week, killing one passenger. The NTSB expected to have a preliminary report for that crash in 15 days. To weather now, the Midwest is picking up the pieces after this week's
tornado outbreak, and the ghost of Tropical Storm Arthur is still haunting the Gulf Coast this morning. We have a lot to cover on Weather Express, starting in Illinois.
First up, a powerful tornado tore through Illinois for more than 20 miles Wednesday evening. In its path, this Corvette Museum you're seeing here, or at least what's left of it. Now, the owner tells CNN affiliate KSDK that everything is gone, including some one-of-a-kind collector cars.
And also take a look at nearby Montrose, a trail of destruction through this town. Tornadoes were reported in at least six states this week as the system moves towards the Northeast.
And on to the flooding going on right now along the Gulf Coast, take a look at this incredible video. You're looking at several pigs swimming in floodwaters from the remnants of Tropical Storm Arthur. Look at those little guys. And of course, more rain is expected today.
For more on this, here's meteorologist Melissa Nord.
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MELISSA NORD, METEOROLOGIST: The remnants of Tropical Storm Arthur inundated Louisiana and Mississippi with rounds of heavy rain. It prompted several flash flood emergencies, the highest level flood alert. Around a foot of water covered roads and Slidell, leaving some motorists stranded.
The system brought large areas with five to 10 inches of rain, but locally up to 20 inches fell. The area is under a rare high risk of excessive rainfall from the Weather Prediction Center. Another threat from what's left of Arthur, tornadoes. Damage littered Slidell and Houma, Louisiana after tornadoes struck overnight.
The risk of short-lived tornadoes, heavy rain and life-threatening flash flooding will continue east from Louisiana to Mississippi, Alabama, Florida and Georgia Thursday.
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Thank you very much, Melissa, for that reporting.
And for all of your weather needs from any location, you can download the CNN Weather app for iOS at CNN.com/CNNWeather for up-to-date local forecasts.
We also have new details into the investigation into what went wrong during deadly flooding at a Texas summer camp. More than two dozen children and counselors were killed last July 4th at Camp Mystic on Thursday.
A special joint committee investigating the incident met for the first time since April. At that last meeting, lawmakers learned camp counselors had no flood response training. The family that runs the girls' camp says the Cypress site where the flood hit will not reopen this summer.
Still to come, on CNN HEADLINE EXPRESS, where do things stand with the federal government's plans to buy warehouses across the country to detain immigrants?
Plus, what you can expect if you're traveling this Juneteenth holiday weekend, we have an update straight ahead.
So, stay with us.
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[05:23:41]
FREEMAN: The nation's highest court is racing to hand down opinions in its final days before breaking for the summer. And there are still several major cases left to decide that could have far-reaching consequences for millions of Americans.
Now, they include bans on transgender athletes in school sports, the president's authority to fire federal officials, as well as immigration-related cases concerning birthright citizenship and ending temporary protection status for migrants from Haiti, Syria, and other countries. More opinions are expected next week.
Developing this morning, ICE appears to be scaling back part of its plan to acquire empty warehouses to house detained migrants. "The New York Times" reporting the agency plans to sell seven of those facilities. And the article reads, in part, quote, "A year into Mr. Trump's term, it had bought 11 facilities at a cost of $1 billion. But in a major turnabout, the agency is planning to offload seven warehouses purchased for more than $700 million by either giving them to other federal agencies or selling them outright, according to documents obtained by 'The New York Times'."
However, ICE is still moving forward with plans for at least four other facilities. In a statement at the Times, the Department of Homeland Security said it is, quote, moving swiftly to utilize existing detention space.
And a heads up if you're traveling this holiday weekend, you better give yourself plenty of time.
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TSA officials are expecting the busiest travel day so far this year as millions of Americans fly for Juneteenth celebrations. It's become a major time for travel since becoming a federal holiday back in 2021. Last year, TSA experienced its second busiest day on the Sunday of Juneteenth weekend. The Sunday after Thanksgiving was the busiest.
Coming up ahead on CNN HEADLINE EXPRESS, talks with Iran are on hold. This sector, Israel, launches a barrage of deadly strikes overnight in Lebanon.
Plus, the Trump administration beefing up efforts to strip citizenship of hundreds of naturalized Americans. We're going to break down what that all means as well. Don't go anywhere.
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