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The Source with Kaitlan Collins
Trump Claims A Deal With Iran Could Be Signed This Weekend; White House Preparing For Sunday's UFC Fight On South Lawn; Cornyn: Trump Should Expect "Bumpy Ride" With Senate GOP. Aired 9-10p ET
Aired June 11, 2026 - 21:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[21:00:00]
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON COOPER, CNN HOST, ANDERSON COOPER 360: --I know what it means.
AMANDA PEET, ACTRESS: Oh, you know what it means, OK.
COOPER: But it's so funny. That's what she would refer to it. A fart would be like--
PEET: Yes.
COOPER: --another county has been heard from.
PEET: Another county heard from.
COOPER: Like on John King at the Magic Wall.
PEET: Yes. It's a line in Clifford Odets in Awake and Sing. Humor, life saver.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
COOPER: You can watch the entire conversation at CNN.com/AllThereIs, or wherever you get your podcasts.
"THE SOURCE WITH KAITLAN COLLINS" starts now. Have a good tonight.
KAITLAN COLLINS, CNN CHIEF WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT, CNN HOST, THE SOURCE WITH KAITLAN COLLINS: Tonight. From threatening a potential ground invasion in Iran to declaring that the war has ended, all in just a matter of hours. So, what changed, if anything?
I'm Kaitlan Collins. And this is THE SOURCE.
Even after months of the President's back and forth between promising peace and threatening annihilation in Iran, today's shift stands out from pretty much all of it. That's because, within the span of about five hours this morning, the President went from saying, quote, "The United States will be hitting Iran... VERY HARD TONIGHT" to "I have... cancelled the scheduled strikes and bombings against Iran," with the President arguing that the two sides were close to an agreement. That first threat came at 08:22 this morning. The President backed off at 08:28 -- 01:28 p.m.
Then, tonight, during a call with voters in Georgia, President Trump argued that the war is over.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: I don't know if you heard, but we ended the war with Iran today, and they have agreed never to have a nuclear weapon. Something that we insisted on; that was the whole purpose. That was 95 percent of it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COLLINS: That comment there from the President came, after he told reporters, inside the Oval Office, this afternoon, that a framework for a peace deal had not only been reached, but could also be signed within a couple of days.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: We just made a great settlement of the war with Iran, and we're going to be subject to finalization of documents, which should get done, over the next few days. We'll probably have a signing, maybe in Europe. And it's a great thing, as soon as we sign, which could be soon, very soon, maybe over the weekend, in Europe.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COLLINS: Now, I'm told tonight that there is a lot of optimism about a potential signing happening in Europe this weekend. We'll obviously have to wait to see if that actually happens.
That's because skepticism has been warranted here. Just 24 hours ago, the United States and Iran were firing at one another. That's something that we've seen happen repeatedly since that ceasefire was announced more than two months ago. And through it all, the President has repeatedly insisted that a deal was on the horizon.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: We're very close to making a deal.
We were very close to a deal.
I mean, Iran is dying to make a deal. I can only tell you that.
They'd like to make a deal very badly, very badly.
We're very close to making a deal.
We think we're close to a deal.
(END VIDEO CLIP) COLLINS: The President's back-and-forth approach to this war has been on display also, when it comes to whether or not to attack Kharg Island. That's the tiny island that is in the northeastern Persian Gulf. It's an economic lifeline for Iran because it handles roughly 90 percent of their crude exports.
And this morning, as he was saying that strikes were going to happen, the President also warned, At some point in the not too distant future, we will be taking Kharg Island.
Pretty definitive. 22 minutes later though, he said this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: I don't know that America has the stomach for it, to be honest with you, you know, make a fortune, but I don't know that America has the stomach.
But as good as it is, I'm not sure the country has the appetite for it, and that's OK. I understand that.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COLLINS: 22 minutes, between that post and that statement.
Now, all this comes as a spokesperson for Iran's Foreign Ministry has been telling their state media that no agreement has been finalized.
After the President had posted about a deal being closed, potentially. Here's what at least one congressional Republican had to warn about.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REP. DON BACON (R-NE): Iran needs to come to us wanting a deal. Right now, we're going to them. And they are abusing the President in these negotiations, if you ask me.
MANU RAJU, CNN ANCHOR AND CHIEF CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: They're going to--
BACON: Because they think he wants it more than they do. Right now, they think they can -- they think they have the advantage over President Trump.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COLLINS: My lead source tonight is Democratic Senator Adam Schiff of California.
[21:05:00]
And Senator, do you agree with the Congressman there, that Iran seems to think that they have the upper hand here, that they think Trump wants a deal more than they do?
SEN. ADAM SCHIFF (D-CA): I think they clearly feel they have the upper hand. They have demonstrated they can take a massive military campaign by the United States and still keep the Strait of Hormuz closed. They realize what a chokehold they have on the world economy.
And every time the President talks about how eager Iran is for a deal, it's basically a reveal, that he's talking about his own eagerness for a deal, and all I can say is I hope that he has more to show for it than an Iranian promise not to develop a bomb. That is something that we could never rely on in the past. It's not something we can rely on in the present. And I fear, what may come out of it is some face- saving announcement to agree at a later date by the President. That would be a terrible strategic loss for the country.
COLLINS: If they do sign some kind of memorandum of understanding this weekend, do you have an open mind about seeing what it looks like and judging it then? I mean, do you have any optimism about what could potentially happen?
SCHIFF: I certainly have an open mind. I hope this war comes to an end. We've been bringing up resolutions to bring it to an end. But for the reasons that Don Bacon just articulated, I think Iran has all the leverage right now.
And these threats that we see the President make, like he made this morning, he has so often walked back, using various excuses, often that a deal is near, or that the Pakistani government has asked him to give it more time, and they just lack credibility. So, at this point, it's not really clear what to believe. Are we going to have another round of tit-for-tat fighting in the days or weeks to come? We just don't know.
But at the end of the day, this is not a war we should have gotten into, to begin with. I fear, Iran is coming out of this with more leverage than they had going into it. And it just underscores, I think, the importance of Congress playing a role in deciding whether to go to war or not.
The President never came to Congress, never got the buy-in of the American people. The American people don't believe in this war. And he goes into these negotiations with a very weak hand.
COLLINS: As the Senator, I mean, and someone who has been in Washington a long time, obviously, as a Congressman before this. How do you read into it when the President does post something like he does this morning, saying that strikes are happening tonight, that the United States is going to seize Kharg Island, we're going to take over Iran's oil and gas. I mean, do you take it seriously when he says it in the moment? Because obviously he walked it back five hours later.
SCHIFF: It lacks a lot of credibility. And when the President says, later in the day, that a deal has been reached, that also lacks credibility.
And this is the problem, when the President squanders his credibility by telling falsehood after falsehood, throughout the course of this presidency and his last, and that is, the American people really don't know when to believe him. And I don't think there's anything strategic about that ambiguity. It doesn't make us stronger that we can't trust our own President.
So, I'm not sure what to make of it. Only time will tell whether there is a deal, whether we're back at war, whether there is a deal worth making, or whether it is merely a face-saving gesture.
But one thing is perfectly clear: tremendous amount of damage has been done, and American families are paying the price in higher gas and higher food prices. And the President's promise to keep us out of foreign wars, and his promise to focus so much on cost of living to the exclusion of other things. He has broken both of those promises spectacularly.
COLLINS: The other big news that came out today is the President says he's going, and he has since done so, nominate Jay Clayton, who is the U.S. Attorney in the Southern District of New York right now, to be the next Director of National Intelligence.
Will you vote yes or no on Jay Clayton for that job?
SCHIFF: I certainly will give him fair consideration. I'm going to want to know what kind of experience he has. He was the Chair of the SEC. He's been serving as U.S. Attorney in the Southern District of New York. Neither of those jobs give a lot of experience within the intelligence community. He's never served in the intelligence community. So, I want to know what kind of experience he has.
But I also want to know what kind of work he's been doing in those offices, in particular in the U.S. Attorney's in New York. Did he bow to political pressure from the White House? Is he likely to bow to political pressure in the intelligence community?
These are critical questions, I think because, the current Director did bend over backwards to essentially politicize the intelligence agencies, cause analysts to rewrite conclusions that didn't support the President's policies, got involved in election interference by participating in a ballot box seizure in Georgia. We cannot afford to have another Director of National Intelligence, politicizing and weaponizing their role the way the current one has.
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COLLINS: But when you hear your Democratic colleague, Jim Himes, over in the House. He's obviously Ranking Member on Intelligence. He had good things to say about Jay Clayton. He said that he's known him and respected him for decades, and he said his intelligence, temperament, and deep commitment to public service will make him a terrific DNI.
Could you potentially agree with that?
SCHIFF: Well, I have a lot of respect for Jim. I'm going to wait and make sure that we do a thorough vetting of his qualifications and experience.
I'm going to want to know, as I mentioned, what experience he has to bring to that job, but also what has been the experience of his management of that prosecution office. There was a lot of pressure on him to politicize that office. Did he succumb to it, or did he stand up to it? That's going to be a pivotal question for me. So, I don't want to prejudge it.
COLLINS: Yes.
SCHIFF: I do think that the Pulte problem, though, has not been solved. That is, it may take some time to get through the confirmation process with Clayton, and we cannot have someone so unqualified, really disqualified, as Bill Pulte leading that agency until there is a confirmed appointee.
COLLINS: I want you to listen to something that Jay Clayton said this week, actually, as he was talking about counting votes in your home state of California.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JAY CLAYTON, U.S. ATTORNEY FOR THE SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK: On the integrity side, we're doing an absolutely terrible job, and the American people are right to question it.
BECKY QUICK, "SQUAWK BOX" CO-ANCHOR, CNBC: I'm not saying -- there's not necessarily fraud there, and that's--
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: But he--
CLAYTON: What it is, is it makes -- it makes the opportunity for fraud so much greater when that is not necessary.
There are a lot of people who look at this and say there is no fraud. OK? I don't think that they're right either.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COLLINS: What do you make of those comments?
SCHIFF: Well, this is Clayton, apparently auditioning for the role, and may have played a part in his getting this nomination. But this is the exact kind of thing that really causes questions about whether people have the stomach to stand up to pressure, improper pressure to do immoral things by the President of the United States.
Clayton is smart enough to know that there is no massive fraud, as the President has been alleging in the California elections. Yes, we take a long time, too long, to count ballots. That's not evidence of fraud, and for Clayton to suggest something pernicious about it is disingenuous. So, you know, that doesn't breed confidence. But again, I'm going to give him fair consideration. But I certainly don't want a Director of National Intelligence that's going to play fast and loose with the facts, as you just saw there.
COLLINS: You mentioned Bill Pulte. He's very controversial among Democrats and Republicans. That's why the President moved so quick to name Jay Clayton. His -- Jay Clayton's hearing is next Wednesday, I believe, his confirmation hearing. Is there a chance, though, that you think he could get confirmed, and Bill Pulte may never take the job? Because he's not scheduled to do so until, I think, next Friday.
SCHIFF: I don't know the answer to that. I do think that we need to do a thorough vetting of Jay Clayton, that that process shouldn't be abbreviated in a way that will fail to fully vet him for this position because, the President has threatened to put in someone patently unqualified in that job.
There is an Principal Deputy Director of National Intelligence, a career professional, at the agency now, doing a perfectly fine job. That person should be left in that position until the confirmation hearings of Clayton are over. There's no need to rush in some hack like Bill Pulte. It's only going to end up killing the 702 program or allowing it to expire, when we should be working on reforms of that program.
COLLINS: We'll see what happens.
Senator Adam Schiff, thank you for joining us here tonight.
SCHIFF: Thank you.
COLLINS: And my next source is CNN's National Security Analyst, and also the former Deputy Director of National Intelligence, Beth Sanner.
It's great to have you here on this.
You heard what Senator Schiff said in terms of what he's going to take into consideration with Jay Clayton. What do senators need to hear from him, do you think, at this confirmation hearing?
BETH SANNER, CNN NATIONAL SECURITY ANALYST, FORMER DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF NATIONAL INTELLIGENCE: Yes, I think that one is that, the statute requires a national -- significant national security experience.
COLLINS: And does Jay Clinton have that, from what you know?
SANNER: He does not have that. He does have, he knows how to run a big organization. He's a lawyer. So, so much of what happens at ODNI is about civil liberties and privacy and following the law, right, those kinds of things.
But the main thing I think, as Senator Schiff was saying, is some reassurance, you know, how -- I don't know how this extends to real life, but some reassurance that he is going to uphold the responsibilities and not go beyond the authorities of that job.
And Tulsi Gabbard going down to Georgia and taking -- you know, participating in taking an election machine in Puerto Rico. Those are beyond the authorities given to that job.
So, that would be my core question.
[21:15:00]
COLLINS: Well, and if Bill Pulte does serve in this role, the President has made clear he wants him to downsize it, to fire people--
SANNER: Yes.
COLLINS: --that are in the intelligence community, before the permanent DNI would ostensibly take place. How quickly do you think that could happen? I mean, how much leeway would Bill Pulte have as the acting DNI?
SANNER: I mean, one school of thought would be, it's going to be hard for him to find his way to the bathroom in the cafeteria in a week, let alone figure out what part of an organization works or doesn't work. So, you know there's that. But he could certainly go in and say, I want you to cut 10 percent by Friday and fire these people. And then people just spend up -- stay up all night and get it done.
And I think that one of the things that's, to me, so important is that -- and there is a lot of warranted criticism about ODNI, and it grew beyond its requirements. To me, the main requirement of ODNI is it goes back to the beginning of this, which is the integration of the 17, plus the 18 being DNI itself, integration of these organizations to make sure they can communicate, to provide oversight, to actually look at the budget and to do budget cost. They can pass an audit, unlike the Department of War. And so, these kinds of things need to be done by somebody.
And what the 9/11 Commission told us is that at the time of 9/11, this was done by the DCI, the head of CIA, Ratcliffe's position. And what they said was that for 57 years, that position had failed to do good community management, and that's why we had the messes that we had that led to 9/11.
You cannot have a single organization, like CIA, run this vast place and run itself. And you could even argue today, as a CIA person, I hate to say this, but given our main threats today are about technology and competition and mythos and quantum and cyber, is NSA more important? CIA is not even the top six of budget or personnel in terms of size. Why would they be central? Because they always have been?
So, these kinds of things, there is a reason for it, those kinds of things need to be preserved. How in the hell would Bill Pulte know that? And how could you do that quickly?
COLLINS: If, as someone who was the Deputy Director of National Intelligence, if there is one quality you think the next director needs to have, what would it be?
SANNER: I do think that having experience in understanding how this works and what is necessary, like understanding the difference between overhead imagery and HUMINT and NRO and NGA's missions, and you know, I mean, this is hard stuff. But if you can't have that, then having someone, like Clayton, who knows how to run an org -- a big organization, and listen to people, if that's what he can bring to it, and a lawyer's attention to detail.
Look, you know, John Ratcliffe didn't come in with a lot of national security experience. But in my view, he is running CIA as a director who wants that organization to succeed. Whether you agree or disagree with everything he does. That's what I would hope of this -- Clayton.
COLLINS: What's crazy is, in term one, when Ratcliffe was first picked, I mean, he was widely rejected by the Senate, and then they went a different direction, and then they came back to John Ratcliffe, and everyone was like, OK, great, we'll confirm him.
SANNER: Well, and what's interesting too is that in this ODNI role, he kind of did a more of a political, focused on 2016 elections and Russian influence.
COLLINS: Right.
SANNER: But when he moved to CIA, he got serious.
COLLINS: Beth Sanner, we'll see what happens. Great to have you, as always.
Up next. We have a close-up look for you at the final preparations that are underway right now for the UFC fight at the White House. Donie O'Sullivan is my source on MAGA world's favorite sport coming up to Washington.
And also, President Trump is weighing in after one of his handpicked candidate loses. He says, this is why he made the wrong endorsement.
Also, Knicks fever has taken over not just New York City, but the world. My source tonight was actually sitting courtside for that historic comeback last night. Knicks superfan and Sopranos star Edie Falco is going to join me soon.
[21:20:00]
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MARCO RUBIO, SECRETARY OF STATE: When President Kennedy announced that we were going to put a man on the moon and return him safely to the Earth, no one thought that was possible, and we did it. We are a nation founded on doing what no one else dared to do and no one else aspired to do.
And at some level, that's what this whole company, what UFC, has been.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COLLINS: That was the Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, hyping up the upcoming UFC fight at the White House to out-of-this-world proportions.
CNN actually got a close-up look at the $60 million production today, including the massive Claw on the White House South Lawn that hovers -- or over the UFC's octagon cage, and that can be seen from basically any angle as you get close to the White House these days.
If everything goes according to plan, on Sunday, 14 fighters will clash, more than a 100,000 people are expected to watch. That is, if a judge doesn't knock out the event first. That's because earlier this week, two Virginia residents actually sued to stop the event on the grounds that the event was never authorized by Congress.
[21:25:00]
It's a bid that a lot of legal analysts view is a long shot. But as a judge is considering the case, I should note, those pre-fight events are already getting started. There's going to be a press conference and fighter face-offs at the Lincoln Memorial tomorrow, and a ceremonial weigh-in at The Ellipse on Saturday.
The President has billed Sunday's fight as a celebration of America's 250th birthday. I should note, it's also his own 80th birthday, and Flag Day on Sunday.
Joining me tonight is CNN's Donie O'Sullivan, who was down at the Lincoln Memorial, looking at the preparations today.
You know, someone -- I was talking to someone today, who said, Actually, looking at it from the Lincoln Memorial's maybe more impressive than even seeing the Claw at the White House.
DONIE O'SULLIVAN, CNN SENIOR CORRESPONDENT: Yes, impressive is one word for it, Kaitlan. Yes. What kept coming to mind, as I was walking around D.C. today was, remember, a few years ago there was that viral trend, where women were asking men in their lives, how often do they think about the Roman Empire--
COLLINS: Yes.
O'SULLIVAN: --and guys are always like, Yes, pretty much every day.
They are the vibes in D.C. right now because there's gladiators, there's like big columns next to everything, it's, I mean, frankly, it's weird.
And as you mentioned, this time tomorrow night, there will be a press conference at the Lincoln Memorial. I was down there, earlier today. And again, quite strange, just seeing Lincoln looking down at these steps, where MLK--
COLLINS: He could have never imagined this.
O'SULLIVAN: --where MLK delivered his "I Have a Dream" speech.
And this time, tomorrow night, there will be what -- what UFC does is, in the lead up to these fights, they have these press conferences, where a lot of the fighters kind of come and basically talk smack about each other.
COLLINS: Yes. O'SULLIVAN: So, that's going to be happening there tomorrow night. And then there will be the ceremonial weigh-in on Saturday. And then, of course, we have the extravaganza, on Sunday.
COLLINS: Did you talk to people when you were down at the Lincoln Memorial?
O'SULLIVAN: I--
COLLINS: I mean, what were other people who were down there looking at and saying?
O'SULLIVAN: Yes, I didn't see a lot of UFC-ers, or at least people who seem to be upfront -- upfront UFC fans around at the moment.
There were some people, when I was down there this evening, families visiting D.C., and at that point they had closed off the Lincoln Memorial, I guess, to really fully build out the stage. So, there was people quite disappointed that they had come to town, obviously to see the sights, and they couldn't get in to see Lincoln himself.
But I think what we will see this weekend is obviously tons of particularly young male supporters coming into town for this event. This is obviously -- UFC is hugely popular with many young men. But I think what's going to be kind of interesting is, you know, we actually went to UFC events at MSG, right after the 2024 election. That was very much when Trump and UFC were sort of joined up to hip as--
COLLINS: Yes.
O'SULLIVAN: --many young men supported Trump. That's changed a lot since then. A lot of men have broken with Trump because, of the war in Iran. Because of the handling of the Epstein files, so. And Joe Rogan has also sort of insinuated this and has spoken about this, how maybe the UFC audiences isn't as warm toward -- as warm toward Trump as they were in the past.
COLLINS: Yes, I still think they might want to see, though, a fight at the White House.
And we're going to see this fight card that's coming up. The first fighter who's actually on it, his name is Steve Garcia, and he talked to Sara Sidner recently, about the importance of this and what it means. He's actually from a Mexican American family.
And in terms of what this event means to him, this is what he told Sara.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SARA SIDNER, CNN ANCHOR, CNN SENIOR NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Are you worried at all? You're going to be at the White House, and we are in a very divisive political time where there are people who revile, despise the President, and there are people who love the President. STEVE GARCIA, UFC FIGHTER: There's no politics. I get to go out there and I get to punch somebody in the face, whether he's blue or red, right down the middle, angle to the left, to the right.
SIDNER: People are going to find a political--
GARCIA: Yes.
SIDNER: --edge to this.
GARCIA: Yes.
SIDNER: And one of the big ones is immigration. It's the way that the president talks about people of different colors and races and creeds.
As someone with the last name Garcia.
GARCIA: Yes.
SIDNER: How do you handle that? What do you think about it?
GARCIA: Yes, my last name is Garcia. That has nothing to do with. I'm an American, and I'm a proud American, to be honest. I get to go out there, and I get to perform for my country. The White House is just in the background.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COLLINS: The White House is going to be in the background.
O'SULLIVAN: Yes, the White House is just in the background.
Look, I will just say, for many of my friends, who are UFC fans, there's other things at play here because, people actually care about the actual fight, right?
COLLINS: Yes.
O'SULLIVAN: Two things. One is, normally, UFC fights are not outdoors, and they're not normally outdoors in the sort of D.C. swampy weather in the summer, so there's some concern about that.
COLLINS: In June.
O'SULLIVAN: And then also, UFC pay-per-views like this are pretty much always on Saturday nights. But of course, there is one big reason why it is on Sunday, this time, and it's because you know -- you only turn 80 once, right? And if you're going to do it, you might as well have--
COLLINS: I mean, could we just--
O'SULLIVAN: --cage fight on the South Lawn of the White House.
COLLINS: As much as I want to look at me and Donie, can we just show a full screen of what it looks like right now? Because this is it, truly live, right as of this moment, lit up. O'SULLIVAN: Yes.
COLLINS: Obviously, you can see the Treasury building, the White House over to the right, and then that is the cage itself set up for Sunday night.
O'SULLIVAN: Just I mean somewhere --
COLLINS: It's pretty.
O'SULLIVAN: Yes. If the--
COLLINS: It's quite a production.
O'SULLIVAN: And -- and -- and--
COLLINS: It's quite a production.
[21:30:00]
O'SULLIVAN: And that -- that beautiful flagpole, as well.
COLLINS: Donie O'Sullivan, we'll be waiting to see your coverage of this, and can't wait. That is on Sunday night. We'll see what happens there.
Up next, I should note, after failing to secure the President's endorsement, there's a Republican senator who is now telling Carl Hulse at The New York Times, the President could be looking at a, quote, "Miserable" final two years in office. What else he told The New York Times?
And also, what it's like to watch the New York Knicks get one step closer to clinching the championship, from a sideline superfan. Edie Falco is my source, coming up.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[21:35:00]
COLLINS: Even through souring public approval, President Trump's endorsement has grown into one of the most powerful political weapons in all of American politics. We've seen that on display, the last several weeks.
But in this moment, when the President gave Republican Congressman Randy Feenstra, his complete and total endorsement to be the next Governor of Iowa, you can imagine the reaction in the West Wing when he lost the Republican primary, last week, to Iowa farmer and businessman Zach Lahn.
It's a loss that the President overlooked today, as he was touting his perfect endorsement record, until one reporter asked him about it.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: Every time I endorsed, they win. It's been a pretty amazing track record. I was 18-0 this last week. And all of them are--
REPORTER: Do you regret endorsing Randy Feenstra, sir?
TRUMP: What?
REPORTER: Do you regret endorsing Randy Feenstra? In Iowa?
TRUMP: The man running against him was all Trump. And the only one out of hundreds of races, hundreds -- I'm glad she brought it up, you know why she's got to bring it up.
There's a gentleman in Georgia (ph) that I endorsed who was much less Trump than the other man that won, as you know. And had I been given the proper information, which I don't think I was, I probably would have endorsed the other person but -- or not endorsed at all, but I would have endorsed the other person. The other person was much more Trump, as you know, than Randy.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COLLINS: If he was given the right information. Ouch.
My political sources are here.
Democratic strategist, Paul Begala.
And Republican strategist and pollster, Kristen Soltis Anderson.
I mean, Kristen, when you hear the President say that. He was praising Randy Feenstra just a couple of days ago, 10 days ago. He couldn't -- he didn't even say Zach Lahn's name today as he was there in the Oval Office. But I mean, if you're like his political team, it's not exactly what you want to hear from the President.
KRISTEN SOLTIS ANDERSON, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR, REPUBLICAN STRATEGIST & POLLSTER: Donald Trump's whole brand is built on, I'm a winner, I know how to win. And so, for him having that perfect batting average in primaries is very important.
The reality is he is still a very strong force in primaries, and part of that is because right now, if you ask Republican voters how fired up they are to vote, Republican voters who are not particularly Trumpy are staying home. It's going to be a potentially really big problem for the GOP in the midterms. But right now, it also means if you're the MAGA candidate, you have a huge benefit in primaries, generally.
In this case, I think this one race kind of didn't go Trump's way because, the candidate that won, Zach Lahn, he was Trumpy, I mean, Donald Trump was correct in saying that, but also was an outsider.
I think where Donald Trump has the most potent ability is to go after insiders, establishment folks, anyone who has sort of breathed a whiff of difference with Donald Trump. That's where his endorsement against them has the most power still.
COLLINS: Yes. Paul, what did you make of that comment about proper information?
PAUL BEGALA, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR, DEMOCRATIC STRATEGIST: Oh, I used to be a White House staffer, that's what we're there for. I can't stand Trump, but he could throw the staff under the bus every day, that's what we're for. I don't hold that against him, I really don't. Sorry, I hate to back up Trump.
But Kristen's point is really important. The way our primaries are turning out, right? The normie Republicans are staying home, and so the MAGA Republicans are dominating. I saw one survey, Kristen, that Trump's got a 93 percent approval among MAGA adherents, it's like 73 with all Republicans. But so -- that endorsement makes you almost unbeatable in the primary, but almost unelectable in the general election.
Because, with Independents, Trump got 46 percent of the Independents against Kamala. He split it right down the middle, 46. He's now at 26. That's the biggest collapse since my beloved Spurs, last night, at Madison Square Garden, OK? That is -- that is a terrible, terrible collapse for Trump, and it spells disaster for the -- for the midterms.
COLLINS: Well, I mean, Kristen, you mentioned the people that Trump goes after in these primaries. I mean, one person who can attest to that is John Cornyn, who just lost his primary. He has -- still has several months left in the Senate, though, and he has made clear that he is going to be doing whatever John Cornyn wants. He talked to our friend Carl Hulse over at The New York Times.
I just want to read you a few of his quotes because, he said, I think it is going to be a pretty bumpy ride for the next seven months... It does give us some more freedom, certainly more leverage.
He talked about the fact that this could be the most miserable two years of the President's life, if there's a disaster in the midterms.
He also said, if the President would do that to me, he would do that to anybody. There's never going to be good enough for him, other than a 100 percent slavish adherence to whatever he wants. And obviously that's not what the senator's role is supposed to be, especially in terms of checks and balances.
[21:40:00]
SOLTIS ANDERSON: So, there are two big problems that I think Trump is facing, as a result of things like what you saw in Texas.
One is, it's going to make the midterms more challenging, right? I think it is pretty unquestionable that John Cornyn would have been an easier sell to your sort of swing voter in the midterms than Ken Paxton will be. It will take a lot more, in terms of Republican resources, to get Paxton over the finish line against James Talarico in that race.
But the other thing that it's going to do that's going to create problems for Trump is that now, if he wants to get anything done with these last couple of months, where he definitely has a Congress that is controlled by his party, he's going to need some of these senators who are now unplugged, so to speak, to come along with his agenda, when he doesn't have a lot he can lord over them anymore.
Whereas, if John Cornyn had been the Republican nominee, he would still need to be in Trump's favor in order to get those MAGA voters out for him. Now, he is unleashed, unplugged, and I think that has the potential to make things spicy in the next couple of months.
COLLINS: Yes, I mean, spicy is a good word for it.
I mean, his quotes -- the other thing he said, Paul was, as the -- he was invoking that famous meeting inside the Oval Office, where President Trump and President Zelenskyy were going back and forth, Vice President Vance was yelling at President Zelenskyy.
And John Cornyn told The Times, quote, As the president told President Zelenskyy when he was in his office a year or so ago -- he said, You don't have any cards. John Cornyn said, Well, we've got some cards to play.
BEGALA: YOLO, man, You Only Live Once with this -- he joins the YOLO caucus with Thom Tillis, Susan -- Murkowski, who's always been a very independent Republican.
And this is the problem Republicans have, going into this midterm. Trump won, I think, 31 states, just 18 months ago. In 22 of them, he's underwater now. He's 17 points underwater in Maine. Do you think Susan Collins wants him to come campaign there? He's 14 points underwater in Michigan. You think Mike Rogers wants him there? He's eight points underwater in North Carolina, seven points underwater in Iowa, on and on, minus six in Georgia, minus five in Ohio. He's minus three in Texas, my beloved Texas.
So, I can take Bill Clinton or Barack Obama into any of those swing states, and they'll do well. They can't take Trump anywhere. I mean, I don't know what they -- what -- maybe he can just go watch more UFC fights or something, but I wouldn't want him in my state if I were a Republican in a swing -- not even a swing state, a red state.
COLLINS: We shall see.
Kristen Soltis Anderson. Paul Begala. Thanks for both being here.
Paul, you might want to turn your TV off for this next segment.
BEGALA: Oh no.
COLLINS: Because my inside source who is going to join me right after this is Edie Falco. She watched the New York Knicks' historic 29-point comeback courtside last night. The superfan and award-winning actress is going to join me, right after this.
[21:45:00]
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Go flat for Jalen Brunson, allow him to operate at the top, one-on-one.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Brunson gets it, fires up a three. Shot -- no good, the tip -- it's gone.
(CHEERING)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's gone. It's gone. With 1.2 remaining, Knicks take the lead. OG Anunoby. And it's 107-106.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COLLINS: That is the sound of 19,000 people having a synchronized cardiac event, alongside millions of Knicks fans back home, during last night's miracle at Madison Square Garden. This last-second tip from OG Anunoby sealed the greatest comeback in NBA Finals history, sending a lifeless Knicks squad from 29 points down, to the doorstep of the team's first championship in 53 years.
As Knicks fans poured out into the streets of New York, soaking in their team, taking a three-games-to-one series lead. Back courtside, it was Bedlam up and down Celebrity Row, as the biggest stars in the world were also wrapping their minds around what they just witnessed.
One of them actually rose to fame is Tony Soprano's high school sweetheart turned mob boss First Lady, Edie Falco, who is a certified Knicks fan and became a courtside MSG staple through plenty of bad years and embarrassing losses and tough ones, and also, yes, through the Knicks being the laughingstock of the NBA, to now having a championship just within their reach.
And Edie Falco is my source tonight.
It is so great to have you here. Because, I mean, I can't even imagine what it was like to be in that building, last night, as they tipped that ball in right there in the last second.
EDIE FALCO, AWARD-WINNING ACTRESS & KNICKS SUPERFAN, STAR OF "THE SOPRANOS" AND "NURSE JACKIE": It was more stress than I enjoyed, you know? For the most part, like I go to games throughout the season, and I don't know, I think I'm better built for those where less is at stake. It just that this -- I really like I -- I was like sick to my stomach, and last night I couldn't sleep. I don't know what's happening to me.
But it was very, very, very intense. The energy of the crowd was like, you know, and the noise that they made. It wasn't even a noise, it was like a feeling, like it -- I don't know, it bordered on a little bit dangerous.
[21:50:00] COLLINS: I mean, when you look at the scoreboard, I mean, this was what everyone was saying last night, you know, that they didn't -- they didn't think it was possible for the Knicks to come back from that point deficit, even going into the third. And when you see that no team has ever come back from 29 points down, to win in an NBA Finals game like that. I mean, was there a point, there at the end where, where you were hopeful? How were you feeling in those last few seconds?
FALCO: Well, as I said, I've been a fan for a long time, and they haven't always done well, and it's sort of like the joke is like, you know, I'll say I'm a Knicks fan, people are like, I'm sorry. Just because they -- they break your heart, Knicks, whatever. But doesn't matter, I love them regardless.
So, when they started to lose, I thought, Well, this is familiar, this feeling, you know, and I -- I hope that the kids, boys, don't take it too hard. I, you know, I'm saying win or lose, so it doesn't really matter. And as it started to kind of take back up, I just thought, this can't be happening, I know what this looks like, but there's absolutely no way we're going to walk away with a win. And that's why I love these guys so much. They are as unpredictable a group as ever I have cared about, so.
COLLINS: What would you say about this group?
(CROSSTALK)
COLLINS: Because they are such a fun team to watch, and you're like -- you're just personally rooting for so many of them. I mean, when OG tipped that ball in, it was just incredible. I mean, how would you, as someone who goes to so many of the games, how would you -- how would you describe this team?
FALCO: They just don't stop, and it feels like, you know, my very romantic idea of New York itself, just made up of a lot of people who had a dream, came to New York, and they just give it their all, like every last second, these guys just never, never give up.
And the story with this team feels like, you know, a lot of times the other -- the other team is ahead, but it's like they wear them out. Like in the fourth quarter, these guys are still running on a 100 percent. Like the stuff that Jalen Brunson pulls out in the fourth quarter is like, what is that kind of animal there that's doing these shots that nobody's even invented? It's just -- it's just beyond exciting, I don't know. I'm very uncomfortable being this excited about something in New York. It doesn't feel quite right on some level.
COLLINS: I mean, it was quite a star-studded MSG last night as well. I mean, obviously, we always see Timothee Chalamet, Spike Lee. Taylor Swift was there. I mean, it was kind of the who's who of the celebrity row that was -- was Mariska Hargitay.
FALCO: Right.
COLLINS: I mean, everyone was basically there last night in the room.
FALCO: I felt like, you know, God forbid, if like an earthquake had hit MSG, Hollywood would have gone under today, like there was nobody left because, every single person -- I mean, it was a very fancy night, yes.
COLLINS: Yes. I mean, but also for all the Knicks fans who were there, you know, it's obviously so meaning -- it's an -- it's an unforgettable night.
And I think you make a good point about your Knicks fan through and through, even when they were the laughing stock for a lot of people in the NBA, and you've supported them for so long. And to see them overcome that and to be where they are, on the cusp of such greatness in this moment, I mean, already achieving such greatness, but to be on the cusp of this with the game tomorrow night, how does that feel for you?
FALCO: I think the game is Saturday night, if I'm not mistaken.
COLLINS: Yes, yes, Saturday.
FALCO: God forbid somebody tuned--
COLLINS: I'm too excited.
FALCO: It's, you know, I'm so reluctant to let myself go there, you know. And I have this weird feeling of sort of ownership of this team, like they are clearly like everybody's team now. I mean, everybody has their state team that they root for.
But right now, it's like everybody's kind of loving the Knicks and watching what the amazing accomplishments and stuff, and I sort of feel like these are -- this is my team, you know, like you guys can't have them. I'm here all the time. And I don't know, I have a lot of feelings around my fandom that are not entirely sane and healthy and, you know, it's between me and my shrink. But nonetheless, it has been one of the more exciting years.
COLLINS: Do you have superstitions when you watch the game? Do you wear the same shirt or eat the same thing, or anything like that? Or are you just hoping and praying when you go and that's it?
FALCO: No -- I don't know. I would think I would be that person, but I'm not. I kind of sort of feel like they're stronger than that. They don't need me to, you know, to put the same shoes on, or whatever, you know?
Like, these guys are so, they're just so driven, you know, and like a bunch of kids who are going to do good, you know? I don't know, they're like that softball team of the kids who nobody picks, and they end up winning. I don't know where I get that from. But they're just going to keep fighting till the very end.
COLLINS: Yes, let's hope so. Edie Falco, it is so great to have you on, and it's amazing. Thank you for staying up for us after a crazy night, last night, and we can't wait to see you guys--
FALCO: Well, but I'm not going to sleep anyway.
COLLINS: All right, we'll talk to you after Saturday night, hopefully.
FALCO: Yes. Thank you.
COLLINS: Thank you so much for joining us.
FALCO: Thank you.
COLLINS: We'll be checking out on that, obviously, on Saturday night.
[21:55:00]
Still ahead for us here tonight on THE SOURCE. A series of numbers that appeared suddenly in the grass, right outside the National Mall, just days ahead of that UFC fight. What we're learning about an investigation that is now underway into this?
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[22:00:00]
COLLINS: An investigation is now underway into how the numbers, 8647, were apparently etched into the grass on the National Mall.
The President told me, back in April, that he believes that the number 86 is a mob term, meaning kill him. And that was a comment that he made, after the former FBI Director, James Comey, had been indicted for posting a picture that showed 8647 spelled out on shells on the beach.
Now, according to the U.S. Park Police, the cause of the grass discoloration has not been determined, but samples have been collected for testing.
Thanks for joining us.
"CNN NEWSNIGHT WITH ABBY PHILLIP" starts now.
