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The Situation Room

Trailblazing NBA Player Remembered; President Trump Visits China; Interview With Rep. Katherine Clark (D-MA). Aired 10:30a-11a ET

Aired May 13, 2026 - 10:30   ET

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

[10:30:00]

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[10:33:31]

WOLF BLITZER, CNN HOST: Happening now: Sources tell CNN the House minority leader, Hakeem Jeffries, and his allies have now designed plans for the next two years to push Democratic-held states to set aside their nonpartisan redistricting rules and gerrymander even more aggressively.

The goal, to produce a dozen or more new Democratic-held seats in Congress by November of 2028. It marks a new strategy for the Democratic Party, which has recently faced several setbacks in the nationwide redistricting arms race against the Republicans from Virginia to Alabama.

Joining us now here in THE SITUATION ROOM is the House Democratic Whip, Katherine Clark of Massachusetts.

Whip Clark, thanks so much for joining us.

So what -- are you with Hakeem Jeffries on this?

REP. KATHERINE CLARK (D-MA): Absolutely.

Listen, we know we're in a fight for the American people. And what the American people are telling us is that they are not making it economically. And I think that's reflected in CNN's polling.

The terms I'm hearing from small business owners, from the mom who described that her husband who lost his job is now selling plasma so they can afford child care in this country, and what we are seeing in an effort by the Republicans to further rig the system against them, they are going to cheat and use every tool they can come up with in order to retain power.

[10:35:01]

And we are going to fight back with the same fury and intensity. The gloves are off. There is no pretense here. They are decimating black political power in order to retain power and keep a system that works against the American people. So, we are going to be strategic, we are going to be as aggressive as

they are, and we are going to fight for the American people at this moment.

BLITZER: Democrats often argue that President Trump started this redistricting battle by urging Texas Republicans to gerrymander, as you know.

But what do you say to voters who simply feel two wrongs don't necessarily make a right?

CLARK: Yes, well, we said to them when they came into Texas and started this partisan redistricting that, don't do it. Let's disarm. Let's make sure that we let the voters choose politicians and not the other way around.

But they know they are losing. The president's numbers on the economy, he has 70 percent disapproval. And they are doing nothing to change that through the policies that they are putting in place, whether that's the price of gas or groceries or housing or energy. They are doing nothing.

So they decided on this course. And we have to meet them, because we cannot let them continue to work against working people in this country by stealing elections.

BLITZER: A source is telling CNN that Jeffries' allies are preparing a messaging push against any Democrats who stand in the way of gerrymandering, insisting that only -- quote -- "Real Democrats are willing to fight."

Will this issue become a litmus test in Democratic primary races?

CLARK: This is so beyond party politics.

And I know, as I say, as a leader and a staunch Democrat, this is about the American people. And, right now, we're seeing attacks on black communities and their voting power. But this is about the voting rights of everyone.

And what we are seeing is an effort from the Supreme Court down to statehouses across the South to take away the political power of voters in order to continue to rig this economy against them. So, this transcends party. This is about, who will rise up in this moment? Who is going to stand up for the fundamental right to vote and for an economy that should be working for opportunity for the American people?

And at this point in time, that's the Democrats.

BLITZER: And while we're speaking, the House speaker, Mike Johnson, has been meeting with reporters.

I want to listen in, because he's talking about redistricting, and we will get your reaction.

REP. MIKE JOHNSON (R-LA): Their press conferences this week ought to be interesting.

Look, this decision doesn't change our posture for one minute. Republicans are laser-focused. We don't look to the right or the left. We charge straightforward. Election Day is less than six months out. And we're going to continue advancing policies that make America safer and more prosperous, while highlighting the stark contrast between our two parties.

And you heard it here this morning. This election is about one simple thing. It's a contrast between common sense represented by the Republican Party and crazy. And Democrats have given us yet another great example this last week that -- when they suggested disbanding the entire Supreme Court in Virginia and making the highest age that -- where you can serve on the bench of the state Supreme Court 54.

I mean, it's a joke. Instead of just taking their medicine and acknowledging defeat, they have actually become arsonists, I mean, institutional arsonists. And, remember, this is the party that breathlessly tells you that they are for small-D democracy.

It is the opposite of that. Republicans are for common sense. Democrats are for crazy. And it's as simple as that. And we're going to continue reminding the American people of this every single day. So, with that, I will take a couple questions.

BLITZER: All right, Congresswoman, what do you think? What's your reaction?

CLARK: You know, every single election comes down to this. Do you see my family and are you going to fight for me?

And what we have seen from Mike Johnson and House Republicans and this president is, not only are they not fighting. They are actively and aggressively hurting them. They have stripped away their health care and jacked up the price. They're closing rural hospitals as a result.

They have taken away veterans benefits, food programs, all of it. Now we're seeing gas prices through the roof, all of it to follow along and give money and tax cuts to the billionaire class. That is what Mike Johnson stands for.

And he will turn a blind eye to corruption, to, like, overtly racial redistricting in order to retain power, and to retain power for the very wealthiest of Americans. So, we are in communities. We are talking to voters.

[10:40:05]

We are fighting for their right to have opportunity, to have a solid floor and no ceiling on their success. And that starts with securing the right to vote. So they can make up everything that they want. You can have the president of the United States yesterday say he doesn't think about Americans' financial security.

We get the message. He is not looking out for the American people, and they are drowning. They are saying to us, we are not making it in this economy.

We are going to fight for them at every turn and we are going to fight to preserve fair and secure elections.

BLITZER: Let me play that clip of what the president said yesterday...

CLARK: Yes.

BLITZER: ... on this whole issue of affordability and the American people. Listen to this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

QUESTION: When you are negotiating with Iran, Mr. President, to what extent are Americans' financial situations motivating you to make a deal?

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Not even a little bit. The only thing that matters when I'm talking about Iran, they can't have a nuclear weapon.

I don't think about Americans' financial situation. I don't think about anybody. I think about one thing. We cannot let Iran have a nuclear weapon. That's all. That's the only thing that motivates.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLITZER: I assume you agree that you don't want Iran to have a nuclear weapon, right?

CLARK: Of course.

BLITZER: But what do you think about what else he said, he's not thinking about affordability right now?

CLARK: Yes, he never has.

This is the fundamental betrayal of people who supported him. He told them he'd lower costs on day one. What has he done? He's imposed tariffs that have ruined the soybean market for farmers across this country. He's taken away people's health care.

And we haven't even seen the worst of those cuts hit home yet. But we're already seeing hospitals close, people's premiums skyrocket. He's taken away food programs from people. He's dismantling our public schools.

But what is he doing with full pursuit that's taking up all his time and energy? Building a ballroom. A billion dollars is what he proposed the American taxpayer, when they are working so hard and have no breathing room. That's where his priority is.

Everything comes back to, how does Donald Trump personally benefit? It is the Gilded Age in his mind. And so whether it is policy in Iran driving up gas prices and further endangering our national security, he hasn't done one thing in Iran to help move us farther away from them ever obtaining a nuclear weapon.

But what he has done is brought this home once again to working families, a billion dollars a day that could be going to help people reduce the cost of rent and mortgages, expand housing, groceries, energy bills, childcare.

These are the issues the American people need us to be working on. And they are living in some world where it is all about the very wealthiest Americans. He's taking Elon Musk over to China. It is always about, from the day he was sworn in, that billionaire class and how the Trump family and Donald Trump can do better and bring his wealthy donors with him.

BLITZER: The Democratic whip. And we know why you're the Democratic whip.

Katherine Clark of Massachusetts, thanks very much for coming in.

CLARK: Thank you.

BLITZER: We will continue this conversation, to be sure.

PAMELA BROWN, CNN HOST: All right, coming up here in THE SITUATION ROOM: Iran's missile capabilities. A report from "The New York Times" finds that Tehran still has access to most of its missile facilities.

We're going to have details on that just ahead.

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[10:48:13]

BLITZER: Right now, President Trump is on the ground in Beijing just ahead of a critical summit with the Chinese president, Xi Jinping.

Both leaders are set to discuss a flurry of issues facing the world's two largest economies, perhaps the biggest issue on their agenda, the war in Iran.

Here with us now to discuss, CNN national security analyst Beth Sanner.

Beth, you're a former deputy director of national intelligence. You understand what's going on. Trump was, what, the last U.S. president to visit China during his first term back in 2017. How has China changed since then?

BETH SANNER, CNN NATIONAL SECURITY ANALYST: It is a totally different place.

And I think that this was one of the things that actually affected President Trump when he first started in this term with this big trade war, is that he made some assumptions based on what it was like back then, when we had a lot more cards, as he likes to say.

And, this time China, because they've been working on self-sufficiency for so long and they've been growing their economy, they played a card they had never played before, which was restricting rare earths and critical mineral exports.

And that kind of shut everything down and led to the truce that we have now. But it's interesting, because Secretary Hegseth and Secretary Rubio have never been to China before. And so I think this is a great -- I'm glad that they're going. I'm glad they're bringing so many people, because we need to have dialogue and we need stability.

And I think both sides are on that page.

BROWN: Yes.

And it's notable there because, as we said, one of the biggest issues they're going to be talking about is the war in Iran. And President Trump said as he was leaving for this trip he doesn't need China's help.

SANNER: Right. Right.

BROWN: But does he...

(CROSSTALK)

BROWN: ... given -- given how much Iran depends on China and the role China could play here, particularly with the Strait of Hormuz?

[10:50:03]

SANNER: Yes.

So, I think one thing to really put straight is this. I've heard people say in different news broadcasts, not on CNN, that Iran is a very close ally of China. That is not how I think of it at all. China is very, very transactional. And, also, they have valued their relationship with the Gulf states much more than Iran.

And so Iran has always been kind of disappointed, but more dependent. So China has some leverage here. But how much are they going to play? If you were China, and you were looking at this conundrum, yes, they wanted the strait open, they wanted it open yesterday, because they are an export-driven economy.

But, on the other hand, why would they want to get entangled in this mess, and why would they want to put President Xi out there in a way that maybe it would look like he wasn't effective? The foreign minister was just there. He knows where the Iranians stand.

And so maybe he would be like, hmm, this isn't very close to settlement. I'd be glad to host a signing ceremony, but I'm not going to wade into this, well, not quagmire, but this conundrum right now.

BLITZER: This mess.

SANNER: Mess. Mess, yes. BLITZER: There's some new reporting, I want to get your reaction, in "The New York Times" today that Iran still has access to a majority of its missile sites along the Strait of Hormuz, effectively giving it control over the that key waterway.

But just before leaving for this trip, Trump downplayed the leverage China has over Iran. I want you to listen to what he said.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: This is going to be a very exciting trip. A lot of good things are going to happen.

(CROSSTALK)

QUESTION: Do you think he needs to intervene at all with the Iranians?

TRUMP: I don't think he does, no.

QUESTION: Do you think he can help in any way?

TRUMP: No, I don't think we need any help with Iran. We will win it one way or the other.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLITZER: Can China put pressure on Iran actually?

(CROSSTALK)

BLITZER: And what could China ask for in return if the U.S. does during these upcoming talks seek its help in opening the strait?

SANNER: So, I think -- I think China probably is putting some pressure on Iran to come to the table.

But I wouldn't be surprised if President Xi said to President Trump, look, you're not going to get a deal with Iran unless you also kind of pull back from your maximalist demands.

So we will have to see here. But I think Iran and China are showing today -- today, really for one -- the first time in recent weeks, China sent a -- one of these VLCCs, these very large carriers of crude oil, through the Strait of Hormuz, two million barrels.

They did that on the day that President Trump arrived. China and Iran are showing that things are kind of -- they're -- the United States isn't the only game in town. And Iran said today, look, we're going to earn more money from the tolls than we have from oil.

So they are really showing how locked in they are. And China probably knows there's only so far they can pressure Iran, not very.

BROWN: Right, not very.

All right, Beth Sanner, thank you so much.

SANNER: Thanks.

BLITZER: Thank you.

BROWN: We appreciate it.

And coming up here in THE SITUATION ROOM: paying tribute to a trailblazer. The NBA's first openly gay player, Jason Collins, dies at just 47 years old. A look at how he changed the league up next.

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BLITZER: This morning, the professional basketball world is mourning two of its own.

Jason Collins, the NBA's first openly gay player, died at just 47 years old from a brain tumor. Collins came out in 2013 in a "Sports Illustrated" article, writing in part -- and I'm quoting now -- "I'm a 34-year-old NBA center. I'm black and I'm gay" -- end quote.

And he spoke about that decision to CNN back in 2014.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

RACHEL NICHOLS, FORMER CNN HOST: What has it been like for you personally since you came out last May?

JASON COLLINS, FORMER NBA PLAYER: Incredible. I've grown so much as an individual. I've come across so many great people, great organizations, heard so many great stories, inspiring stories.

And it's nice to have a positive impact on someone else's life. And I feel like, with my actions, I've had a positive impact on someone else's life.

NICHOLS: Do you feel that you're inspiring some people out there? Have you heard good things?

COLLINS: Yes, I definitely have. I've met some other athletes who are sort of in the same position as I am. And we're sort of like a fraternity, just trying to help each other, just trying to keep inspiring each other.

NICHOLS: You're wearing number 98...

COLLINS: Yes.

NICHOLS: ... for Matthew Shepard, the college student who in 1998 was tied to a fencepost, beaten, tortured, and killed.

But now you've turned that into something where you're celebrating his life with that number.

COLLINS: Yes.

NICHOLS: And that jersey has become the top-selling jersey in the NBA this week.

COLLINS: Yes. Yes.

NICHOLS: What does that mean to you?

COLLINS: It's really cool.

NICHOLS: That nod to Matthew.

COLLINS: Yes. Yes,

It's really cool to see the support that's out there. Yes, it's cool to see that people are going out there and buying the jersey and wearing it with pride. So I hope that continues. And, you know, I will keep wearing the jersey, keep going out there and trying to do my job.

NICHOLS: We're here in Denver, and Matthew Shepard's family lives in Wyoming. But they drove here to Denver to come see you, to meet you. What's special about getting to share some time with them?

COLLINS: I was very fortunate to speak with Matthew's mother, Judy, last spring. And she had some great advice. I don't think she would mind me sharing. Typically, I don't share what people -- because I like to keep my conversations private.

But her message was, like: Let the haters hate. Just keep doing -- just living your life and keep going out there and being yourself.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BROWN: Let's go live now to see CNN sports anchor Andy Scholes.

Andy, how is Collins being remembered?

ANDY SCHOLES, CNN SPORTS ANCHOR: Well, Pam and Wolf, Jason Collins, he's truly one of the bravest athletes of our time.

He announced that he was gay back in 2013 in that "Sports Illustrated" cover story you mentioned, Wolf. And when he did so, he was the first publicly gay athlete in any of the four main sports leagues.

And Jason Kidd was a teammate and coach for Collins. And he posted on X: "This one hurts. Jason Collins was a pioneer. He had courage like you've never seen. He was an incredible teammate. And having him in Brooklyn at the start of my coaching journey meant so much. Those who knew him were blessed to call him a friend. You're already missed, my brother. Rest in Power."

Now, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver also commended Collins for breaking barriers, adding in a statement: "His impact and influence extended far beyond basketball, as he helped make the NBA, WNBA and larger sports community more inclusive and welcoming for future generations." Now, Collins had served as a global ambassador for the NBA for the past decade since retiring after that 13-year playing career. Collins, he did announce he was diagnosed with an aggressive former brain cancer late last year. And he was 47 years old.

Now, it was a super sad day across the NBA, as Memphis Grizzlies forward Brandon Clarke also died. A source told the AP Clarke was found dead Monday at a home in Los Angeles -- in the Los Angeles area. And emergency personnel who responded to the scene found drug paraphernalia in the home. Clarke played his college basketball at Gonzaga. He was drafted in the first round back in 2019.