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Price-Checking RFK Jr.'s Cooking Show; Back-to-School Sticker Shock; D.C. Grand Prix; U.S. Military Insiders Placing Bets on Polymarket?. Aired 10:30-11a ET

Aired August 21, 2026 - 10:30   ET

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

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WOLF BLITZER, CNN HOST: Happening now: A new report is raising serious alarm bells over findings that suggest U.S. military insiders potentially use privileged information to place bets on Polymarket and could be exposing very sensitive national security information publicly.

The report found there's roughly 150 so-called wallets that placed bets on in military markets and won nearly every time.

Joining us now is CNN senior reporter Marshall Cohen.

Marshall, what are we learning?

MARSHALL COHEN, CNN SENIOR REPORTER: Wolf, this insider trading stuff just keeps coming up, doesn't it?

So, just to give you the context here, war markets are illegal in the U.S. All those trades that you mentioned actually occurred on Polymarket's international site. And that's important because that site runs on blockchain. So all the trades are actually public and trackable.

But it doesn't tell us who is doing the trading, which is important, but the data is still valuable, and the folks at the nonpartisan Anti-Corruption Data Collective did a deep dive. They identified more

than 150 accounts that showed signs of potential insider trading on war markets, including markets about Iran.

They said many of these accounts placed huge longshot bets and had a stunning win rate of 97 percent. And you can see on your screen that they profited more than $8 million.

Now, to be clear, Polymarket is not accused of any wrongdoing here. And I actually spoke with a senior Polymarket official about these findings. They said they had already referred dozens of those accounts to the Justice Department and that criminal investigations are under way. Now, CNN has also reached out to the DOJ for comment on that.

Polymarket, meanwhile, says that it is investing heavily in the surveillance tools needed to prevent insider trading. The company's founder and CEO, Shayne Coplan, actually brought that up yesterday at an event with federal regulators here in D.C.

Listen to what he said.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SHAYNE COPLAN, FOUNDER AND CEO, POLYMARKET: We have someone here right now who is ex-FBI who works full-time at Polymarket, has built custom proprietary surveillance software on chain. I know, as this livestreams, people are going to be upset to hear that.

But we talked with our partners, Palantir, Chainalysis, and they're like, damn, you guys have this in-house? This is serious. And we're grateful to have that, and we can continue to invest more in it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COHEN: Wolf, just looking at the big picture here, situations like these are exactly why so many policymakers are alarmed about these prediction markets.

A bipartisan coalition of 44 state attorneys general are pushing hard for more regulation, and there's more and more Democrats and Republicans on Capitol Hill who also want to rein in this industry -- Wolf.

BLITZER: All right, Marshall Cohen reporting for us. Very worrisome indeed. Thank you very much.

Also happening now: Federal authorities are investigating after eight people died in a charter plane crash in Western Alaska. The FAA says the flight departed from Anchorage and went down near its destination of Cape Newenham. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers says it chartered the flight, and two employees were among the victims.

And the first week of the Tupac Shakur murder trial will wrap up today after jurors heard a secret police interview with Duane "Keffe D" Davis in 2008. He detailed his version of events to law enforcement and admitted to a role in the deadly 1996 shooting. Davis also told the FBI that Sean "Diddy" Combs offered to pay him $1 million to kill Tupac and the former CEO of Death Row Records Suge Knight.

[10:35:07]

And cleanup is now under way after powerful storms triggered tornadoes and sent flash flooding through the mid-Atlantic and Northeast. Yesterday's very heavy rainfall overwhelmed urban drainage systems, including in New York City. One person was also killed by lightning in Virginia.

Today's forecast has more challenging weather conditions expected to shift across the Southeast. Pamela, what's the latest?

PAMELA BROWN, CNN HOST: Well, Wolf, start your engines. D.C. is getting ready for a big race.

So, this is new video of warm-ups this morning showing Corvettes on the track, and it's all part of the Freedom 250 Grand Prix. And, soon, Indy cars will be roaring down the streets of our nation's capital. The track will have drivers speeding past history along the National Mall.

This is a two-day event. It kicks off tomorrow, and it's all part of America's 250th birthday celebrations. And the race itself is also historic, marking the first auto race ever held on the streets of Washington, D.C.

And our own Brian Todd got access to walk the track and see it up close.

BLITZER: And Brian's joining us right now.

Brian, the big question, how are these cars going to maneuver the very tight turns in the streets of Washington, D.C.?

BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It's going to be difficult.

Yes. It's going to be difficult for them, Wolf. And some of these really tight turns, sometimes, three cars at a time are going to be navigating very tight turns in this -- in this race. It's going to be extraordinary to watch. It is exciting.

Now, a lot of people are getting jacked up for this race now in the city. There are a lot of people in the city who are upset by it because of the traffic and the road closures and all that. I will get to that in a moment.

But the more you talk to people along the track yesterday, people who have tickets and even those who don't, people are getting jacked up for this race. Here's an A.I.-generated animation of what some of this could look like.

There are the suites there racing alongside Pennsylvania Avenue in the capital. Well, this is just going to be a real spectacle for the next couple of days. Here are some of the dimensions that we can tell you about. It's a 1.7-mile track, a little less than 1.7 miles, seven turns. And, again, these turns are very tight along this very tight track.

And I'm going to show you the track in just a second. They're going to go 147 laps to reach 250 total miles, 250 to commemorate the birthday of the nation here. And let's go back to this some of these figures here, top speeds of 175 to 185 miles an hour.

And let's show you where that's going to take place. This is the map of the course here. Let's start it over again. Zoom in here. This thing is going to start on Third Street Northwest. Let's go back to the map. Here we go. Watch. Let's go back to -- let's just put this thing back up here.

All right, this is going to start on Third Street Northwest. Here we go. Getting it going. Well -- well, oh, there we go, finally. And it's going to turn left on Pennsylvania Avenue. I'm going to stop it right there, because, here on Pennsylvania Avenue, this is where it's going to be going -- the cars are going to go be going at a top speed of about 185 miles an hour along Pennsylvania Avenue.

That's where they're going to be going the fastest here. Pennsylvania Avenue was crucial because they had to have it wide enough for a pit lane, and that's the one place where they can put the pit lane. But here are the rest of the turns, seven turns total, 1.7 miles along this route.

And, again, it's just going to be spectacular views of the monuments, of the museums all along this route. Now, what we can tell you is also that what's interesting is, Thomas Jefferson -- according to the race organizer, Bud Denker, Thomas Jefferson, when he was president, he had a horse race in this area.

And Denker was very proud of the fact that they're back here 225 five years later with more horsepower, he says, along this route. Now, it has been a hassle in D.C. to get this ready. The preparation and the road closures actually started in late July, and, again, road closures all over the place, the main drags of Constitution Avenue, Independence Avenue in the district closed down now for close to a month.

Again, the construction started in late July, and they're not going to be able to actually open the roads up normally until early to mid- September. So it could be almost a two-month-long series of road closures and construction here.

This is just part of so many different events and projects for the 250th anniversary of the country. President Trump, of course, is heavily involved in all of these. You have got the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool. That's been a mess pretty much from the start, court cases and everything tied to that.

The triumphal arch, construction of that across the river in Arlington has not started yet. You have got the Garden of Heroes that the president is proposing in West Potomac Park, Lafayette Square Park, with new sidewalks and fences. The Kennedy Center, that is again tied up in court, with the president's name being contested there.

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You have got public golf courses, the Walk of Fame, of course, the White House ballroom down here. Again, that's been very controversial and tied up in various court cases. The Rose Garden has already been completed. The Oval Office with its gilded trimmings there has been completed. And, of course, they're building a White House helipad.

So, all of these projects are just really dominating the landscape here in D.C. in the summer, and this historic race is going to be part of that. So, guys, it's going to be really interesting to see how this plays out. The weather's going to be a factor. They're going to have the time trials tomorrow for pole position.

There's going to be some rain tomorrow. Sunday, it's going to be sunny for the main race at 1:00 on Sunday. So we're going to see how all this plays out. It's going to be very exciting.

BLITZER: Very exciting indeed.

Brian, how much is this Indy race going to cost? And can fans like you and me actually go see it for free?

TODD: Thirty-five million dollars is the price tag for this thing, mostly paid for by Penske and by IndyCar. People can go see it at different places. There are 100,000 tickets, free tickets, for people. You had to sign up and try to get those.

And those have already been given out, 100,000 each day, so there are going to -- they're going to be more than 100,000 people with tickets, free tickets, at different venues each day. So we're going to see just how crowded this is going to make it. But there are other places along the route where, if you don't have a ticket, you could get a glimpse of it.

And what we can tell you also, the suites are very interesting. There are a set of suites near the starting and finish line there. Each of those suites costs $200,000 to $250,000. So if you're a high roller and you got a suite, that's going to cost you. The tickets, 100,000 each day, are free. They have been given out already.

Again, there are places that you can go, but you're going to have to kind of carefully navigate. They're telling people don't try to drive down there over the next two days. Take the Metro or walk if you can. It's going to be tough to navigate down there, but, once you're down there, you can probably navigate to a place where you can see it.

BLITZER: Yes.

Well, I have been invited by the Canadian Embassy on Pennsylvania Avenue...

TODD: It's a great spot.

BLITZER: ... and the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies in the old museum right next door. But it's going to be a pain to try to get down there to begin with. So maybe I will just check it out on TV. All right.

TODD: Yes, it might be worth doing that, but a lot of good venues where you can potentially view this stuff.

BLITZER: Yes, it's going to be an exciting race, I'm sure.

All right, Brian Todd reporting for us.

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

BROWN: Thanks so much, Brian. Just ahead here in THE SITUATION ROOM: major price hike. As students

head back to school, families are digging deep into their wallets for supplies. Our David Goldman is here to "Make It Make Sense" -- David.

DAVID GOLDMAN, CNN BUSINESS SENIOR REPORTER: It's back to school, but it is going to cost you about 8 percent more next year.

I will "Make It Make Sense" coming up.

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BROWN: Happening now: Summer break is coming to an end, and children across the nation are headed back to school. As families stock up on notebooks, pencils, and juice boxes for the year, sticker shock is setting in.

CNN business senior reporter David Goldman is here to "Make It Make Sense."

And David has really brought his A game today. He is dressed up like the teacher's pet, I feel like. I mean, you even got the tape there and the glasses, the whole nine yards. Really bringing your A game here.

(LAUGHTER)

BROWN: So, the big question, as you hold these school supplies, David, what have you learned in terms of how much parents are spending on supplies this year?

GOLDMAN: Yes, it's a lot this year. You can tell I'm ready for back- to-school. I don't think my kids are, and I think a lot of parents aren't either, because it is going to cost.

Per child -- and I can attest to this. I was just at Staples this week, $173 to send your kid back to school for supplies. And that is up a lot, almost 8 percent over the course of the year. It was $161 last year, not super affordable either, but it is getting much more expensive.

And you can tell just by all of these kind of supplies what we're dealing with, I mean, almost 27 percent more just for your kid's lunch box, let alone the lunch. Index cards are up 20 percent. What's going on here? And I think that one of the big factors is tariffs.

And the reason why is if you look at Newell, right -- they make Paper Mate and Sharpie and Elmer's Glue -- they said that their hit over the past year because of tariffs was $126 million. And they are certainly starting to pass that on to customers.

Logitech, they make all that technology, keyboards, mice, that sort of thing, said that there was going to be a sizable price increase this year. And we have all seen the cost of A.I. on technology, and that includes things like Macs and iPads, a $100 increase this year. Those are going to cost a lot more, also other brands too, 15, 30 percent for some technology.

But it's not just the supplies. It's how you feed your kids as well, $106 per household per week just to send your kids with lunch to school. That is a significant increase over the past year, almost 11 percent.

And, so, if you look at what you feed your kids, some of these items, you got to watch out. Now, this is just an example lunch. You might be able to do this more cheaply, but sandwich bread 22 percent, and oranges are up 17 percent. Take a look at your grocery prices before you start packing your lunches.

It was -- it's going to cost you, per year, almost $4,000 to feed your kids every day for school lunch. Now, when you are at school, you can pay a little bit less. School lunches at school are up only 2 percent, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

And if you want to send your kids some extra coins and cash, those vending machine prices are around 3 percent higher this year. But then you got to make sure that your kids look great, like I do, when they go to school. Boys clothes, those are up 3 percent, and girls clothes up 5 percent over the past year, and oh, my goodness, shoes 2 percent.

This is getting to be really expensive. You know what? I wish my kids had a little bit of a longer summer, Pam.

BROWN: Me too.

GOLDMAN: Not looking great.

BROWN: That's why I do consignment for my kids' clothes, consignment.

GOLDMAN: That's a good idea.

BROWN: That might be...

GOLDMAN: That's where I got these, by the way.

BROWN: You reminded me too of the school lunches. Like, I have to say, it's been a nice break this summer, not having to do those lunches every day, but it's gearing back up.

GOLDMAN: I know. I know.

BROWN: David Goldman...

GOLDMAN: September is right around the corner. All right.

BROWN: ... as always, thank you.

And if you would like David to help you "Make It Make Sense," e-mail your question or send a selfie video of your question to MakeItMakeSense@CNN.com -- Wolf.

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BLITZER: Does he look like he's in 10th grade or 11th grade?

BROWN: I don't know. I mean, I think maybe 10th grade.

BLITZER: Yes, 10th grade.

BROWN: Yes, that's about right, the suspenders, yes.

BLITZER: Yes, I think so.

Brings back a lot of memories, David.

(LAUGHTER)

BLITZER: And coming up here in THE SITUATION ROOM: The health secretary, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. promising to deliver low-cost, healthy meals, but the real cost isn't as cheap as he suggests. We have more details. That's up next.

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BLITZER: Now to a SITUATION ROOM special report.

In his new online reality cooking show titled "Real Food," the health secretary, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., promises to deliver low-cost healthy meals. He's claiming this will help families prepare nutritious meals at a budget-friendly price.

CNN's Tom Foreman headed to the grocery store and to the kitchen to see if it all adds up.

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ROBERT F. KENNEDY JR., HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES SECRETARY NOMINEE: I'm traveling across America, connecting with renowned chefs to show families how to cook delicious, nutritious meals.

TOM FOREMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s new reality show pushes healthy, affordable eating, with sides of dubious claims about the food industry's science and public wellness.

KENNEDY: The dietary guidelines put Fruit Loops at the top of the food pyramid.

FOREMAN: But it's also the math that doesn't add up in this cooking class, especially when the secretary and his guest chef whip up crispy salmon cakes with apple, white beans, and green salad.

KENNEDY: So the, servings of each of these, we asked to keep it under $5.

FOREMAN: That's the pitch, and prices fly by, backing the idea of a family-sized meal for a bite-sized budget.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Fresh herbs are key for me.

FOREMAN (on camera): I am on my way to the store.

(voice-over): But when we started buying ingredients used in the show, even going for the lowest prices at a big competitive chain, the costs heated up fast.

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COMPUTER VOICE: Twenty-five.

FOREMAN (on camera): This was the cheapest frozen wild-caught sockeye salmon we could find, the closest to what they are using. They priced theirs at $8.99. The cheapest we could find, even with a deal from the store, was more than $24.

Now, the greens mix, that was about the same cost. So were the eggs on a per-egg basis, but that's the trick here, because they're only pricing that one egg out of the carton, and that gets worse with other things. For example, this red onion,they say they only spent eight cents on this because that's how much they use. Getting the whole onion cost us more than a dollar.

Look at this. This is the avocado mayonnaise. They priced this at 40 cents because they were only using a couple of tablespoons. To buy the whole thing cost us more than $11. They're only pricing parts of it. And grocery stores don't sell things that way.

(voice-over): HHS insists this is standard recipe costing methodology, and they want to help Americans stock up on high-quality ingredients they can use across many meals. In any event, the recipe was not too complicated.

(on camera): Here we go into the heat.

(voice-over): And it came out at home pretty much like it looks online. But while the show repeatedly says this dish will cost less than $20 to feed a family of four, just getting all those ingredients into our kitchen cost a whopping $70.54.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER: Tom Foreman, thank you very much for that report. Very good.

BROWN: All right, here's what's coming up all new at the top of the hour: CNN's new reporting, as sources tell my colleague Haley Britzky and me the Navy could soon rename the ship that's already slated to honor a World War II war hero. We're going to speak with one of his family members up next.

And powerful and destructive storms batter the East Coast, even bringing rare tornadoes to the New York City area. Who's in the storm's path today?

That's all new next hour.

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