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The Situation Room

First Gestational Surrogacy Baby Turns 40; Interview With Fat Joe; Storms Threaten Central U.S.; SpaceX IPO. Aired 10:30a-11a ET

Aired June 12, 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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[10:31:25]

PAMELA BROWN, CNN HOST: Happening now: backlash in Baltimore after immigration agents detained two people on school grounds just as kids were walking in for the day. Agents could be seen pulling a man and a woman from their SUV.

DHS says ICE does not target schools. Officials say the man faces charges, including resisting federal officials. The woman is accused of assaulting a federal officer. Maryland's governor says the incident is -- quote -- "disturbing."

And, in Washington, the Secret Service and Park Police are investigating how 8647 was etched into the grass of the National Mall. The number 86 is code in the restaurant industry for getting rid of or removing an order of a patron, while Trump is the 47th president. The term is also at the heart of an indictment of former FBI Director James Comey.

And a major loss for the art world. Renowned British artist David Hockney has died. He's best known for vibrant landscapes and sun- drenched portraits. He was 88 years old.

WOLF BLITZER, CNN HOST: And happening now: The opening bell has rung as SpaceX prepares its debut on Wall Street. The company is awaiting its first trade after the biggest IPO in history. It's expected to make CEO Elon Musk the world's first trillionaire.

Earlier this morning, he spoke at the headquarters in Starbase, Texas.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ELON MUSK, CEO, SPACEX: I gave SpaceX less than a 10 percent chance of succeeding at all, to be clear. In fact, I told people this.

I said, look, we're probably going to fail, but we should give it a try, because, if we don't, if there's not a new company that enters space, we will never be a truly space-bearing civilization.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLITZER: CNN's Hadas Gold is outside Nasdaq headquarters in New York City.

Hadas, how are the markets reacting at least so far?

HADAS GOLD, CNN A.I. CORRESPONDENT: Yes, so SpaceX has not yet actually been officially listed for trading.

This is what happens often with IPOs. The SPCX symbol for SpaceX is not something that people can yet buy, but what we have seen so far is, from its IPO, they sold at $135 per share, raising $75 billion, valuing the company at around $1.77 trillion, the largest IPO in history, as you noted, setting Elon Musk up, depending on what we see with the trades today, to potentially be the world's first-ever trillionaire.

We do know, according to reports, that this IPO was oversubscribed something like four times. And there are some indications from some of sort of these early indications that we get of what might happen once it is actually traded is that the initial price that once it starts trading could be something at like $175, quite a jump from that $135 initial IPO share price.

Obviously, there's a lot of excitement over this company. Here outside of the Nasdaq when that bell was first rung, there were lots of SpaceX fans, people here in astronaut companies, people -- astronaut costumes, people here in SpaceX T-shirts, "Occupy Mars" T-shirts cheering when that bell was first rung.

SpaceX president Gwynne Shotwell, she was the one ringing the bell here in New York. Elon Musk was at Starbase in Texas. But there is a lot of questions about whether there is too much of a hype, because when you look at SpaceX's financials, they are burning through cash right now, compared to some of their contemporaries in at least the size of this company.

But for a lot of these investors, it's not about what SpaceX is doing right now. It's about what SpaceX will be doing into the future, and that people who really believe in what Elon Musk says he wants to do about building a colony on Mars, about lunar transport, about these data centers in space, and having this totally vertically integrated A.I. company from the models.

[10:35:06]

All the way to the rockets that will bring these data centers into space, and then Starlink, the satellite company, that will communicate that data back and forth from those data centers. So if you have bought in to that idea, that's why people see this company as so viable -- Wolf.

BLITZER: All right, Hadas Gold in New York for us.

Hadas, thank you very, very much -- Pamela.

BROWN: Right.

And it's hard to imagine, Wolf, one trillion as a number, let alone the amount of money someone is about to be worth. So here's some context. One trillion has 12 zeros. It's one million million dollars. And if you spent one million dollars every hour every day, it would still take you more than a century to spend it.

BLITZER: From an economic standpoint, only 20 countries have economies larger than $1.1 trillion. And that means the vast majority of nations have an economy worth less than Elon Musk. Some of them include Taiwan, Ireland, Sweden, and Musk's native South Africa.

Musk could theoretically buy all of the property in Houston, both residential and commercial, and still have money left over. He could buy the $16.3 million new -- 6.3 million new cars bought by Americans last year and still have money left over.

And if sports is more of your thing, Elon Musk -- get this -- he could buy all 50 of the most valuable teams from around the world for a cool $353 billion.

BROWN: Just a little context there for you.

BLITZER: Yes.

BROWN: All right, happening now: The storm threat turns east after a deadly week of tornadoes and storms in the central part of the country. Police in Des Moines, Iowa, say a 54-year-old man died after a tree broke apart during a storm and fell on a homeless encampment.

There were more than a dozen tornado reports Thursday, almost all in Illinois and Indiana. And here you can see one of those twisters moving over a field in Livingston County, Illinois.

So let's go to CNN meteorologist Allison Chinchar.

Where is the severe weather expected to hit next, Allison?

ALLISON CHINCHAR, CNN METEOROLOGIST: All right, so, as you mentioned, it is moving east.

So the main targets today are really going to be areas of the mid- Atlantic, the Northeast and stretching down to the Gulf Coast. But it's all the same system that provided these same storms from yesterday. This tornado, you can see here from Illinois, and it was one of several tornado reports that we had just in the last 24 hours.

In total, we picked up more than 450 storm reports, again, stretching from the Northeast all the way back through Texas, although the largest clusters really kind of focused over the mid-Atlantic and the Ohio Valley there that you can see.

Right now, we still have some of those ongoing showers and thunderstorms, a lot of lightning with both of these particular clusters as they continue to slide south and east through portions of Arkansas, Oklahoma, Texas, and definitely into Tennessee.

Now, for the remainder of the day, especially afternoon and evening hours, when we anticipate a lot more of those storms to fire back up, this is going to be the main area of concern. You can see from Burlington, Vermont, all the way down to Charlotte, North Carolina.

The main concerns are going to be damaging winds, but also some large hail could be mixed in with them. And, again, a lot of these are really going to start to fire up late this afternoon, thanks to the heating of the day and they will continue through the evening hours.

But the heating of the day is not just fueling storms. It's just kind of being there. And it's going to be so warm, we are actually looking at record-breaking temperatures in many of these places. Up and down the Eastern Seaboard, or at least a large portion of it, you have those heat advisories.

And a lot of it coincides with where we anticipate seeing some of those record highs, as indicated by all those little dots that you see there on the map. Look at some of these areas, again, New York expected to top out at 93 today. That would get to their record, same thing with Philadelphia, Washington, D.C., and Raleigh all going to be within a degree or so of breaking their record high.

BROWN: All right, Allison Chinchar, those are some high temps.

BLITZER: Yes.

BROWN: Thanks so much.

BLITZER: Up in the 90s.

(CROSSTALK)

BROWN: We were out in D.C. yesterday walking around.

BLITZER: Yes, it was hot.

BROWN: And we felt it, right?

BLITZER: We were schvitzing, as they say.

(LAUGHTER)

BLITZER: Also happening now: All the way up, that's how Knicks fans described the energy right now in New York City. The storied NBA franchise will play the Spurs in San Antonio tomorrow for a shot at the Knicks first title since 1973.

Knicks fans are hoping their squad doesn't lean back and ease up on the Spurs.

BROWN: The last two games at New York's Madison Square Garden brought out the usual celebrity super fans. Die-hards like Ben Stiller, Spike Lee, Tracy Morgan and Adam Sandler were all seen courtside. Also among them, Grammy-nominated rapper Fat Joe, who joins us now.

He is also the host of the "Joe and Jada" podcast with friend and fellow emcee Jadakiss.

Thanks for coming on. Great to have you here on THE SITUATION ROOM. So you have built a career using your words to paint pictures and tell

stories. For those of us who aren't New Yorkers or big Knicks fans, describe what it feels like right now.

FAT JOE, RAPPER: Lifetime of suffering, of letdowns, and it's finally -- it's still -- it's still a dream until we finish it. So, 3-1, and the other night felt unreal.

[10:40:08]

I haven't slept in two days, by the way. And it feels unreal, but we got (AUDIO GAP) and seal the deal. There was nothing like the magic in that arena. We all felt as fans like we played a part in the victory. So the guy screaming at the TV, the lady screaming at the TV, she felt like she'd (AUDIO GAP) Knicks through.

The fandom is on another level.

BLITZER: What are some of the so-called only-in-New-York moments, Fat Joe, that you have seen during the Knicks record-breaking playoff run?

FAT JOE: Well, I have seen Hasidic Jews break dancing with black kids. I have seen the unity at an all-time high.

This is a different type of thing going on over here. And everybody's a Knick fan, from the mechanic to the baker to -- everybody's just getting along. Everybody's having these big parties. I have a friend who did put up a screen in the back of his house. He had his whole neighborhood there. He didn't even know his neighbors.

This is the type of thing that's happening in New York City.

BROWN: I love that. And I love just the sense of unity, bringing people together who may not otherwise come together, as you point out.

And when you look back historically, 1999 was the last time the Knicks were in the Finals. They weren't expected to win that year. How does this run feel different to you?

FAT JOE: Oh, this is way different.

And us older folks, we think about the time Patrick Ewing with the finger roll. But the young kids that are playing, they don't care about those so-called New York Knick jinx. They're trying to win the championship. The young fans, they don't know all that. They know that Jalen Brunson is the star, Karl-Anthony Towns is the star.

And so they're rooting for the Knicks team. So we can't compare the two teams. But I love the fact that Patrick Ewing is so involved and all the former Knicks are courtside at the game.

And I got a shout-out to Mr. Dolan, man, and Mr. Dolan been taking care of the city, making sure everybody's well-taken care of. And we love Mr. Dolan.

BLITZER: You know all of us were watching on TV. The San Antonio Spurs, as you know, had a chance to tie the series during that last game, leading the Knicks by as many as 29 points. But New York mounted a truly amazing, historic second half comeback and pulled ahead in the final seconds of the game.

Be honest, Fat Joe. Did you see this coming at all?

FAT JOE: I think my daughter -- I took my daughter to the game. I think she officially knows I'm a lunatic. I went in there like nothing's going to stop us. Then I was, then we down 30. I'm like, oh, my God. Then I'm like, let's believe God loves us. Let's go.

I'm talking to the fans. I'm like we got -- because they were down 20. Yo, was the biggest emotional roller coaster I have ever went through in my life. I mean, words cannot describe the different emotions. I was there. My daughter officially thinks I'm crazy.

(LAUGHTER)

BROWN: Well, listen, it was an emotional roller coaster for a lot of us, right?

BLITZER: He's not crazy.

BROWN: You're not crazy. You're just a big fan, right?

BLITZER: He's a big, huge fan.

BROWN: So, with that in mind, I'm curious what your answer is going to be to this next question.

Tomorrow's game is in San Antonio, but game six would be back in New York. Would you rather the next close it out tomorrow, or do you want us them to secure the championship at home?

FAT JOE: You know, we can't take nothing for granted. We got to (AUDIO GAP). I'm about to head out there now. The people of San Antonio has been very gracious.

They have been showing us a lot of love and respect. Shout-out to the organization, because I have always loved San Antonio. Tim Duncan is my favorite power forward. But this is our year. I keep saying it.

And God loves us and God loves Wu-Tang Clan, OK?

(LAUGHTER)

BLITZER: All right, well, good luck. We will see what happens.

(LAUGHTER)

BLITZER: Fat Joe, thanks so much for joining us.

BROWN: And I can say, we're big fans, big fans, Fat Joe.

BLITZER: Yes.

FAT JOE: Thank you, Wolf.

BLITZER: All right, thank you.

BROWN: We will be right back.

FAT JOE: I'm a big fan of you guys.

BROWN: Oh.

FAT JOE: I'm a huge fan of you guys.

BLITZER: Yes, big fan of yours too.

BROWN: Thank you. That makes us feel good.

BLITZER: All right, we will stay in close touch. And let's see what happens on the court. Thanks so much for joining us.

And we will be right back.

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BROWN: Well, new this morning: A study is now suggesting smartphones are to blame for declining fertility rates in the U.S.

The study notes that the year 2007 was an inflection point of the fertility rate and coincides with the rollout of the first iPhone. Researchers think it led to a significant drop in the birth rate between 2007 and 2011. They believe it's tied to how we spend our time and attention and suggest the devices are a -- quote -- "substitute for physical contact and in-person interactions" -- Wolf.

BLITZER: And new this morning, for couples struggling to grow their families, surrogacy offers the only path to having a biological child. But the decades-old procedure is now under threat after a United Nations report called for a global ban.

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CNN's Elie Honig sat down with the first person ever born from gestational surrogacy about what's at stake.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ELIE HONIG, CNN SENIOR LEGAL ANALYST: You are the first ever human being born of this method. What does that mean to you?

JILL BRAND, FIRST PERSON BORN VIA GESTATIONAL SURROGACY: It means a lot more now than it did growing up. It crushes at a dinner party.

(LAUGHTER)

HONIG (voice-over): In 1986, Jill Brand's parents, Sandye and Elliot Rudnitzky, changed reproductive medicine forever. On April 13 of that year, Jill became the first human being ever born through gestational surrogacy.

BRAND: I sometimes think about what my parents went through, and it, frankly, just feels impossible.

HONIG: In the early 1980s, Sandye and Elliot longed for another child to join their two adopted daughters. They initially turned to in vitro fertilization, still a relatively new technique.

SANDYE RUDNITZKY, JILL BRAND'S MOTHER: Everything was fine, and then, at 26.5 weeks, I developed this sharp dagger-like pain in my stomach.

HONIG: Their daughter Heather was born prematurely and died just 13 days later.

RUDNITZKY: It was devastating. Not only did we lose her, but also I had a hysterectomy, which meant that I couldn't have any more children.

HONIG: Sandye and her husband, Dr. Elliot Rudnitzky, a practicing cardiologist, refused to give up on their dream of having a biological child.

RUDNITZKY: I'm lying in bed. Elliot is in the bathroom shaving, and he says to me: "What if we have your egg, my sperm, and we have an embryo, and we had a surrogate carry the baby?" It had never been done before. I never heard of such a thing before.

HONIG: Finding a doctor willing to attempt this novel procedure would prove to be its own challenge.

RUDNITZKY: We got a list of IVF programs in the country, and Elliot started calling down the list. But almost universally, we heard from them, well, you know, we don't think this would work, until we got to the end of the list, Dr. Wulf Utian.

DR. WULF UTIAN, OVERSAW FIRST GESTATIONAL SURROGACY: Out of the blue, I got a telephone call from a cardiologist in New Jersey who said he'd had an idea.

HONIG: Ohio gynecologist Dr. Wulf Utian was intrigued, but first said he had to overcome legal, ethical, and religious obstacles.

UTIAN: When I first went to them with the idea, there was like a shocked silence. I had to take it to the hospital board. They said they had to get legal opinion.

HONIG (on camera): Did you consult with other religious leaders?

UTIAN: I consulted with an Orthodox Jewish rabbi, and he said: "Our religion says be fruitful and multiply, and what you're doing is you're helping an infertile couple have a baby. It's kosher."

HONIG (voice-over): Even with hospital approval, there were still unanswered legal questions.

(on camera): You were operating in somewhat of an unknown with respect to the law.

UTIAN: It was totally unknown. It had never been done. So, we had to try and think of every aspect before we went ahead. Ultimately, I got legal sign-off.

HONIG (voice-over): The pregnancy faced one final medical hurdle.

RUDNITZKY: Dr. Utian on this trial was only able to retrieve one egg. What chances do we have at this point? And his answer was simple: "It's a beautiful egg." And this is my beautiful egg.

(LAUGHTER)

HONIG: Today, hundreds of thousands of families have been built with the help of gestational surrogacy, a legacy that began 40 years ago with Jill.

UTIAN: She was the world's first surrogate baby. She made the cover of "LIFE" magazine.

HONIG: When Jill was born, her birth certificate originally listed the surrogate, not Sandye, as the legal mother. But the Rudnitzkys filed a legal challenge.

RUDNITZKY: The court found in our favor, and I'm listed as mother on the birth certificate.

HONIG: In recent years, surrogacy has faced criticism from some politicians and advocates.

BRAND: That's a couple that really wants a baby. That's a child that is going to be really loved. Why take that away?

HONIG: For Sandye and Jill, their family is evidence of what surrogacy can make possible.

BRAND: My husband and I have three beautiful children.

HONIG (on camera): And I understand you paid tribute to a certain medical professional.

BRAND: Yes. My youngest, Nuri, Nuri Wulf, named for Wulf Utian. I mean, he's a hero.

UTIAN: Oh, I was absolutely blown away. When she called and told me, I had tears running down my eyes. I mean, I really was touched.

HONIG (voice-over): Dr. Elliot Rudnitzky, Sandye's husband and Jill's father, passed away in 2024.

BRAND: This is his legacy. I think he's up in heaven just really happy that this story is getting out there. I think he's thrilled.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BROWN: Wow, Elie Honig, with that story for us now. Elie, what was your biggest takeaway talking to them?

HONIG: You know, Pam, I always go back to that moment in the early '80s when the Rudnitzkys had these two adopted daughters and they so desperately wanted a biological daughter to go with them. But they were out of options. And so they had this idea. They were convinced it would work.

[10:55:01]

They were convinced that it was morally and ethically correct. And so they teamed up with Dr. Utian, the other Wulf, by the way. There is another one now.

And they overcame all of these obstacles, religious, medical, ethical, even legal, in order to have this baby. And, in the course of doing that, of having Jill 40 years ago, they changed the future for hundreds of thousands of families who've used this gestational surrogacy to have their children.

I know plenty of people who've had children that way. I'm sure both of you do too. So they truly changed history with their courage.

BLITZER: Elie, it was so, so moving, your piece. And I'm so thrilled there's another Wulf out there right now too.

BROWN: Exactly.

(LAUGHTER)

BROWN: And you know what's so beautiful about it too is, because they did that and they had the courage to do that, she's talking about how now she has three kids, right?

HONIG: Right.

BROWN: So, I mean, just it's a beautiful legacy that they created here.

Elie, thank you so much.

BLITZER: Thanks from me as well.

HONIG: Thank you both.

BROWN: And here's what's coming up all new at the top of the hour. Today marks 10 years since the devastating attack on the Pulse nightclub. We are live in Orlando as the community honors the 49 victims.

And with prices on the rise, we explore just how much $150 will get you at the grocery store.

And Wolf and I go over to the White House to see all the changes happening there and across D.C. That's all new next hour.

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