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The Brief with Jim Sciutto
CNN International: Country Music Icon Dolly Parton Dies at Age 80; Canada-U.S. Trade War; Trump Floats Renaming Lake Ontario to "Lake America"; Iran and Oman Propose Temporary Route Through Strait of Hormuz; Ukraine's Need for Air Defenses; Actor Liev Schreiber Calls for More Air Defenses; U.S. to Revoke Visas from Asylum Seekers. Aired 6-7p ET
Aired August 25, 2026 - 18:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[18:00:00]
JIM SCIUTTO, CNN ANCHOR, "THE BRIEF": Hello and welcome to our viewers joining us from all around the world. I'm Jim Sciutto in Washington, and
you're watching "The Brief."
Just ahead this hour, the legendary musician and philanthropist Dolly Parton has died at the age of 80. We'll look back at her legacy which
extends far beyond country music. Canada strikes back announcing steep retaliatory tariffs against U.S. goods. I'll speak to a Canadian official
about the fallout. And scenes like this have become all too common across Ukraine. Actor and activist Liev Schreiber is calling for Kyiv to be given
the air defenses necessary to prevent them. He will join me live.
Well, U.S. flags lowered as we speak at the White House to half-staff in honor of Dolly Parton. President Trump ordered the flags lowered across the
U.S. for one week in memory of the beloved music star. Her family says she died peacefully at her home in Nashville at the age of 80. Her career
spanned more than half a century with hit songs like "Jolene" and "I Will Always Love You." She of course was also a successful actor businesswoman
and philanthropist. She founded her imagination library to promote children's literacy. Elizabeth Wagmeister has more on her life and legacy.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ELIZABETH WAGMEISTER, CNN ENTERTAINMENT CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): A beloved country queen known for her vulnerable and poetic lyrics like in
her classic hit "Jolene."
(MUSIC PLAYING)
WAGMEISTER (voice-over): Dolly Parton's music was as popular as her bold style composing and performing booming anthems like "9 to 5" that resonated
with office workers everywhere.
(MUSIC PLAYING)
WAGMEISTER (voice-over): She ranks among the most successful country recording artists of all time with nearly 50 albums and more than 25 number
one hits. A superstar who often sang about her humble small town Tennessee roots.
(MUSIC PLAYING)
WAGMEISTER (voice-over): The fourth of 12 children she started singing hymns in church. Dolly moved to Nashville after high school graduation
aiming for work as a songwriter.
DOLLY PARTON, SINGER AND PHILANTHROPIST: I was just trying to make a living trying to find what I wanted to do to have my songs recorded.
WAGMEISTER (voice-over): The petite singer modeled her signature style after a woman known for her promiscuity in her hometown.
PARTON: She was the prettiest thing I'd ever seen. I was very impressed by the big hair she had the lipstick and the nails and the high heel shoe.
WAGMEISTER (voice-over): Dolly got noticed quickly scoring a recording deal and a regular gig on the Porter Wagoner show.
(MUSIC PLAYING)
WAGMEISTER (voice-over): Their collaboration lasted seven years. She wrote a song about parting ways with Wagoner and it became a smash first in 1974.
And again when Whitney Houston recorded it nearly two decades later.
(MUSIC PLAYING)
PARTON: Her version of that was spectacular. I always think of it as being our song.
WAGMEISTER (voice-over): Dolly said music made her a crossover success.
PARTON: It was a song that got me everywhere I've ever been.
WAGMEISTER (voice-over): She wrote the theme to "9 to 5" and landed a lead role in the movie.
PARTON: And I shot a whole clean through my purchase.
WAGMEISTER (voice-over): Some of her other films include "The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas." And "Steel Magnolias."
PARTON: Young lady you've just landed yourself a job.
WAGMEISTER (voice-over): Her many job titles included author, theme park owner and philanthropist. From setting up a literacy program for
impoverished children to funding research for a COVID vaccine.
(MUSIC PLAYING)
WAGMEISTER (voice-over): She stayed low-key about her charity work insisting she saw herself as a musician first.
PARTON: My music is everything to me and I just that is what I grew from.
WAGMEISTER (voice-over): Dolly said her career was shaped by her family, faith, and ambition.
PARTON: God first me second. And I've been able to maneuver and live my life based on that and use my talent to the best of my ability.
[18:05:00]
WAGMEISTER (voice-over): Indeed she did. Writing an estimated 3,000 songs and earning countless awards and honors including a Grammy Lifetime
Achievement Award and enshrinement in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. An event Dolly dominated. Even out rocking the rock stars in 2022.
(MUSIC PLAYING)
She released her first rock album at the age of 77 and often collaborated with younger singers. It all helped make Dolly Parton one of America's most
beloved artists with fans and admirers that spanned generations.
(MUSIC PLAYING)
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SCIUTTO: Well, joining me now to discuss Dolly. Segun Oduolowu. Segun, it's good to have you back. I through so many decades, right, a true icon
but also it just seems a lovely person. You interviewed her. Tell us what you remember.
SEGUN ODUOLOWU, ENTERTAINMENT JOURNALIST: Just that, Jim, that she was a lovely person, you know.
SCIUTTO: Segun, your mic might be off. Check your mute button.
ODUOLOWU: Can you hear me now?
SCIUTTO: Check, check, check.
ODUOLOWU: I can hear you. Can you hear me?
SCIUTTO: All right. Keep talking.
ODUOLOWU: Can you hear me? All right. OK. Good. You can hear me now. And, so what I want to double on is in my interview with her when I was working
for People Magazine, Dolly Parton was just that, an incredible person, an incredible light. We talked in that opener about her film, "Fried Green
Tomatoes," and in that film she has this line that goes, good manners make for good memories, bad manners make for goodbyes. And that's what she was.
She was good, right.
You're seeing politicians on both sides of the aisle talk about her from President Trump to Bernie Sanders. You're seeing reality stars like Khloe
Kardashian and Oscar winners like Octavia Spencer. -- Dolly Parton meant to them.
One thing I want people to really focus on is the business woman underneath that blonde hair is one of the sharpest to ever pick up a pen to write a
contract. Her song, "I Will Always Love You," that everyone knows Whitney Houston covered, Elvis wanted to cover it and he wanted 50 percent of her
publishing to do that and she said no. That's who Dolly Parton was. The businesswoman who knew what she was worth and wasn't afraid to stand there
with the big hair and the rhinestones because she knew who she was. Her talent was as big as the sky but her brain was even sharper and her heart
was even better.
SCIUTTO: Yes. Now, I'm realizing it was only me who couldn't hear you earlier. Our audience could. So, anyway, they got to hear everything you
had to say. You know, it's interesting watching the president lower the flag say that all U.S. flags will be lowered across the country for a week
which is remarkable. I mean, you don't see that for, you know, heads of state, right? I mean this is this is a true American icon.
It just struck me that here is someone who -- and I don't want to bring it back to politics, but it is remarkable. She maintained popularity across
the whole spectrum even as we've seen the country split on so many other on so many other things down those partisan lines.
ODUOLOWU: When we when we talk about someone who's as good as gold Jim, let's think of the golden rule, do unto others as you would have them do
unto you. She was good to everyone. If you were an up-and-coming singer in Nashville or in country music far and wide, Dolly had no problem sharing
the stage with you. Dolly had no problem working with you. She sang duets with Kenny Rogers, Kacey Musgraves. It didn't matter. Reba McEntire. You
name it, Dolly was there with her guitar her voice and her kindness. She is Miley Cyrus's godmother. Like every genre, every generation has an
influence from Dolly Parton. And that's why she's so beloved.
I don't know what Dolly's politics were. I don't need to. She treated people nicely. She was a gem to me when I interviewed her and I was
fanboying out. I told her that do you understand, Ms. Parton, how incredible the lyrics to "9 to 5" are to working class black people. When
you say tumble out of bed, stumble to the kitchen, pour myself a cup of ambition, yawn and stretch and try to come alive, that's what people who
are blue collar do every day.
In the second verse when she says, they let you dream just to watch them shatter, you're just a rung on the boss man's ladder, that's what it feels
like to be working class and poor in America.
[18:10:00]
So, all disadvantaged communities, all communities from black, brown, LGBTQ, anyone who has felt ostracized or on the outside, there was room
under those tassels and rhinestones and guitar and big hair. And that's why everyone is beloved, is thinking of great things to say about Dolly Parton,
because she made space for everyone and her music was exception.
SCIUTTO: Yes. And her music, listen, she had major musical moments in the '70s, in the '80s, in the '90s, right, that the star did not fade. Before
we go, I'm so glad that as we identified her, we quite clearly said singer, actress, philanthropist, because she was a very generous soul. And she did
that in her work.
ODUOLOWU: Jim, her philanthropy came from the heart in a way that few people can maybe understand or really recognize. So, let me do it here.
Her literacy program came because her father could not read. So, the 300 million free books that she got to children was so that they wouldn't have
to go through that. Her million dollars that she donated to research at Vanderbilt University that helped bring on the vaccine, that's because --
that came from her pocket. But on another note, when people in Tennessee suffered from wildfires that lost their homes, she gave out cash from her
own pocket.
So, the causes that she was close to, the things that she did, they came not so that she could get a ton of notoriety, but because it helped people.
Like imagine doing it not as a line item when you're worth almost half a billion dollars, because you're the blueprint for the Taylor Swift's and
Beyonce's that own their own publishing. But the fact that you're giving back because it's the right thing to do, the causes are the ones that
matter because they matter to you. That's what makes Dolly Parton so important. That's why flowers are being left at her star in Hollywood on
the Walk of Fame. That's why people are in tears remembering her music, but remembering the person more.
SCIUTTO: Yes. Listen, I love the way you talked about how it just appealed across cultures in this country, and actually we should say around the
world. Segun, so good to have you.
ODUOLOWU: Around the world. Thank you, Jim.
SCIUTTO: Still ahead, Canada fires back in the trade war with the U.S. Ottawa announcing sweeping new tariffs set to make U.S. exports more
expensive. I'll speak to the premier of the Canadian province Nova Scotia just ahead.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[18:15:00]
SCIUTTO: Welcome back. In today's business breakout, across the board gains for U.S. stocks. The NASDAQ, the best performer, up more than a half
percent. Chip stocks bounced back and bond yields fell. Oil dropped sharply as well, down more than 5 percent.
The trade conflict between the U.S. and Canada, however, is only getting worse. Canada today announced retaliatory tariffs of up to 50 percent on
hundreds of U.S. goods beginning September 8th, all this after trade talks between the two nations broke down over the weekend.
American imports facing the maximum 50 percent tariffs include U.S. steel and aluminum, paper, clothing and agricultural products. Some 20 billion
worth of U.S. goods are targeted overall. They represent almost dollar to dollar the exact amount of tariffs that the U.S. has imposed against
Canada.
As those trade tensions escalate, President Trump posted this image on social media. He says he's thinking of changing the name of Lake Ontario to
Lake America. Trump says he doesn't expect to do much business with Ontario in the future.
The premier of Ontario, Doug Ford, who traded insults with President Trump on Monday, tells my CNN colleague, Wolf Blitzer, that he hopes calmer heads
will soon prevail.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DOUG FORD, ONTARIO PREMIER: It got a little heated, it got a little personal yesterday between the president and myself. But I want to make a
deal, a good deal for the American people, a good deal for the Canadians. And we're the two greatest countries in the world. We're each other's
number one customer. And it's time to get back to the table and let's negotiate a fair deal because it's hurting the U.S., it's hurting Canada.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SCIUTTO: I spoke to President Trump over the weekend after the breakdown in negotiations with Canada. He did not dispute that the U.S. added
conditions late in the talks. He said, quote, "that sounds like me," end quote. The president justified the tougher stance that triggered that
breakdown, saying, quote, "They, Canada, have to pay a fair amount. And if they don't pay a fair amount, we won't make a deal. That's fine." He blamed
for all this, quote, "stupid presidents" for letting Canada, quote, "get away with murder in past trade deals."
Joining me now is Tim Houston, the premier of Nova Scotia. Good to have you on.
TIM HOUSTON, NOVA SCOTIA PREMIER: Thanks for having me. Appreciate it.
SCIUTTO: So, first, when we spoke at the end of last week, there was some hope. And you shared that hope that U.S. and Canadian negotiators could
come to an agreement. Of course, they did not. What's your reaction?
HOUSTON: Yes. I mean, it's unfortunate. It's bad for Americans. It's bad for Canadians. This is a longstanding relationship. There's family ties,
trade ties, military cooperation. This is a very deep relationship. So, we want to be able to trade back and forth. We are customers of each other. We
have good relationships. We want to be fair. So, we're hopeful that we can get to a fair deal, because that's what's necessary here.
I mean, this is where we're at right now. It's hurting Americans. It'll hurt Canadians. There's a lot of emotion. We do need to let a little air
out of the emotion bubble right now and try to get to a place where we can talk like adults and strike a fair deal that works for both countries.
That's really where we need to get to, because this is a damaging situation right now.
SCIUTTO: I just wonder how confident you are that negotiations can reach a deal that is fair for Canada. As you know, Canadian officials, including
the prime minister, Mark Carney, said that the U.S. injected demands last- minute into those negotiations that helped blow them up. When I spoke to President Trump and I asked him if that was true, he said to me, quote,
"That sounds like me." And then when I pressed him again, whether he was not denying it, he said, I don't deny anything.
Can Canada make a fair deal with the U.S. under negotiating conditions like that?
HOUSTON: Well, obviously, we have to get to a place that's better than where we are right now. So we have to assume that there is a fair deal to
be had for the long-term. In the short-term, this is pain. Pain for Americans, pain for Canadians. We as a government, me as the premier of
Nova Scotia, will do what we can to support Nova Scotians, to help support Canadians through this time right now.
We'll plan for negotiating a fair deal after the president. That's what we'll obviously have to plan for that as a contingency, because we're in a
really difficult situation right now. But we will remain hopeful and ready to sit down and just have an actual discussion about the facts, about the
importance of the relationship.
[18:20:00]
This is an important relationship to both countries, it really is. And I think Americans know that, Canadians know that as well, but we just need to
get to a place where we can just talk about facts and stop with the rhetoric and the name-calling and all this type of stuff. It's obviously
not helpful. There's a lot at stake here and we want to get to a fair deal, I want to get to a fair deal, and so we can resume the very mutually
beneficial relationship that we've had for a long, long time.
SCIUTTO: To be fair though, Canada is and has been hedging its bets. You and I have discussed that and Mark Carney has discussed that, that Canada
is and must, to some degree, have negotiations, expand trade with other nations to make up for trade that it is losing and has lost with the U.S.
You're doing that in Nova Scotia, does that strategy, does that approach continue?
HOUSTON: It has to continue. Obviously, the dependability of the trading partners is really important and that's broken right now, for sure, with
the United States. That's unfortunate, but it is what it is. We have to acknowledge where we're at, the trust is broken, so we are looking for
other reliable trading partners and we're finding them.
You know, in Nova Scotia, we're exporting a lot of seafood, we're exporting a lot of forest products, a lot of products that are going around the
world, and we're finding reliable trading partners who want them. So, we're striking deals there for sure, that is happening.
The United States, like the geography is such that we're always going to do some trade, we're always going to have to have some relationship, that's
just for sure. We're neighbors, we should be friends and neighbors like we always have been, but we are diversifying away and we are trying to grow
our own economy, you know, mining more of the critical resources that we have, critical minerals we have, developing more of the energy sources that
we have. So, that will happen, that ball is in motion, but we still need a fair relationship with the United States too.
SCIUTTO: Before we go, what's your reaction to the President, it seems, threatening to rename Lake Ontario, Lake America? Keep in mind he's done
that before, Gulf of Mexico, now Gulf of America. What would your reaction be?
HOUSTON: Yes. I think it's, well, nothing surprises anyone right now, so the things that are said, the rhetoric that happens, you know, we're not
nasty Canadians, we're not mean, we're not trying to rip anyone off, we're just, I think we're a pretty well-respected country and a pretty well-
respected group of people. So, I just put that in the category of noise, and the real -- the important stuff is the relationship, the commerce, the
relationship that we do have.
So, the noise will happen for sure, there's more noise than normal right now, no question about that, but let's get to the place where we can
actually do a deal and get the economies of both countries stronger and stronger and stronger, because we can help each other.
SCIUTTO: Tim Houston, thanks so much for joining the show again.
HOUSTON: Thanks for having me, appreciate it.
SCIUTTO: To the Middle East now, where after weeks of negotiations, Iran and Oman are proposing a temporary shipping route through the Strait of
Hormuz. The Iranian and Omani foreign ministers say the two nations discussed a framework to facilitate the corridor and to clear mines there.
This comes as President Trump says that U.S. Navy has removed all mines from the Strait or detonated them. He is now threatening to destroy any
vessels that try to place new mines.
Checking some of today's other business headlines, the chief executive of Meta-owned Instagram began testimony today in the high-profile social media
safety trial underway in California. Adam Mosseri is a central witness in the lawsuit filed against Meta by 29 U.S. states. He denied during
testimony that he knew of a company policy to keep negative information from the public. The states alleged that Meta was aware of the harmful
effects of their platforms on children, but kept silent.
The CEO of United Airlines has discouraging news for air travel. Scott Kirby says he believes airfares will continue to rise into the first half
of next year. He says fair hikes will be gradual and not as steep as they were this year. The U.S. Labor Department says airfares were up more than
25 percent in July compared to a year earlier. Rising jet fuel costs a big part of that.
New numbers show U.S. consumer confidence fell to their lowest levels since January. The conference board says in its report, consumers are more
pessimistic about business conditions and the labor market, and more consumers see inflation rising, not falling, over the next year.
Still ahead, actor and activist Liev Schreiber joins me live on "The Brief." He's going to discuss his recent visit to Ukraine and explain why
he's speaking about the need out -- about the need for more U.S. military support.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[18:25:00]
SCIUTTO: Welcome back to "The Brief." I'm Jim Sciutto. And here are the international headlines we're watching today.
Country music legend and philanthropist Dolly Parton has died. Her family says she died peacefully at her home in Nashville, Tennessee. Her career
spanned many decades with hit songs like "Jolene" and "I Will Always Love You." She also founded her Imagination Library to promote children's
literacy. Parton was 80 years old.
Canada has announced steep retaliatory tariffs against the U.S. after the breakdown in trade talks. The tariffs are set to hit more than $20 billion
worth of U.S. goods beginning next month. Those tariffs range from 15 to 50 percent. Canada says it will spend billions of dollars to help support its
own businesses and workers hurt by the trade war.
A new study estimates that NFL football players are at an alarming risk of brain damage. Looked at the brains of players who died between 2016 and
2021 and found that one in four suffered from chronic traumatic and so encephalopathy, CTE as it's known. It's associated with repeated blows to
the head. It can only be diagnosed after death. Symptoms include memory loss impulsiveness depression anxiety and anger issues. The study's results
were published in the BMJ, a peer reviewed medical journal. The NFL says it continuously strives to make the game of football safer.
To new developments now in Ukraine the country's ousted defense minister, Mykhailo Fedorov, is warning that Ukraine appears now to be slowly losing
the war with Russia. He tells Reuters Ukraine urgently needs to address issues including a failure to innovate. Fedorov was dismissed last month
after starting reforms that put him at odds with the military establishment.
His comments come as a source tells CNN that the director of the CIA has made an unannounced visit to Moscow. They say John Ratcliffe was due to
meet Russian officials. It is unclear why he traveled now. The CIA declined to comment.
[18:30:00]
A source says the U.S. asked Ukraine to halt drone and missile strikes on Moscow ahead of the visit.
Well, the actor and activist, Liev Schreiber, is joining calls for Ukraine to receive greater air defenses, this after a visit to the country earlier
this month. Schreiber is an ambassador for the Ukrainian fundraising platform UNITED24 and himself co-founded the humanitarian organization
BlueCheck Ukraine.
Liev Schreiber joins me now live. It's so good to have you. I've been aware of your work highlighting the suffering in Ukraine for some time now. I
wonder if you could walk us through what you saw there on your latest visit. Are people scared that they may be losing this war?
LIEV SCHREIBER, ACTOR AND ACTIVIST, AMBASSADOR, UNITED24 AND CO-FOUNDER, BLUECHECK UKRAINE: That's certainly not the sense that I get. You know,
the first thing you notice when you're in Kyiv is the frequency of attacks has increased dramatically. I think this past July is probably the worst --
has been the worst month in terms of casualties since the war began. I think there was something like 437 civilian deaths and around 2,600
injuries.
So, I mean, I just -- I -- at one point I posted a picture of the notifications on my phone, and you could see that there were there were
there were strikes pretty much every two or three hours somewhere in Kyiv. And I think what is particularly alarming to me is the scale of these
strikes is getting worse. And I think the other piece that's worth noting is the targeting.
The images you're seeing right now are a ballistic missile that landed in the Solomianskyi District in Kyiv. And that that's where it hit, is a
parking lot. But just beyond that parking lot is a school. And on either side are housing developments. Also, struck on that night was a pediatric
hospital.
So, you have to -- I mean, it sort of seems that a very clear strategy on the Russians part of demoralizing, like just sort of beating down the civil
sector in Ukraine. But what I'm happy to report is they really haven't achieved it. I mean, it's extraordinary. Resilience is something that
people talk a lot when they talk about the Ukrainian character. But what I saw on this trip was really innovative and ingenious solutions to problems.
The Ukrainians don't have a tremendous amount of money or time. And what they do with very little has just been truly inspirational to me.
SCIUTTO: No question. I've been -- I was there during the invasion and I've been impressed with their resolve, their resiliency, and also their
increased self-sufficiency, right, in defending their own country. The fact is now, though, they really are short of those U.S.-manufactured Patriot
interceptors. And clearly, the U.S. is not going to step up. Europe appears to be stepping up more, but perhaps not enough, at least not to -- you
know, slow what you witnessed there.
Do you sense frustration among the Ukrainians that you spoke with that they're not getting the help they believe they deserve?
SCHREIBER: You know, for the most part, I can only speak from my experience and the people that I've met there. They're sort of beyond
frustration there. They're -- they don't have time for that. They're really just looking for solutions.
SCIUTTO: Yes.
SCHREIBER: Interceptors would obviously be a great solution for everyone. You know, if we could get the Patriot program going again, that would make
a huge difference. But I think what I really want to stress to you most is the successes that they're having there.
In visiting our partners with BlueCheck, part of the idea of what we try to do is we raise money to fund local, on-the-ground humanitarian aid, groups
like Zaporuka, which is an incredible organization that houses children who are going through pediatric cancer so that they can be with their families
as they go through this process. That's -- those are the images that you're seeing right there. That's Zaporuka.
We're finding more and more that -- as with any war, the most profound effect is on the children. Another group that we met with is called Voices
of Children, and they're dealing with tremendous numbers of internally displaced kids, kids who've had to leave their families in occupied areas
and dangerous areas.
At one point while I was visiting with the Voices of Children group, an air-raid alarm went off, and I actually spent about half an hour in a
bunker with three teenage girls, and it was extraordinary listening to them, what they had been through.
[18:35:00]
The girl to my right there is named Olga, and she was living in occupied Donetsk for 10 years, and her parents, to save her, sent her up to Kyiv,
and I asked her what she wanted to do, and she said that she wanted to become a lawyer. And I said, well, really? What kind of law are you
interested in practicing? And she said, well, of course, civil rights, to prevent this from happening to anyone else.
And for me, that is a very typical Ukrainian response is, how can we solve the solution -- how can we solve the problem that's in front of us?
SCIUTTO: Yes. Folks, they all want to do their part.
SCHREIBER: Sorry, go ahead.
SCIUTTO: I was just going to say they all want to do their part.
SCHREIBER: And they are.
SCIUTTO: And I think you deserve credit for doing your part, the humanitarian work that you carry out there, and I know that this is partly
personal for you. I believe your grandfather came from Ukraine, and this is true of so many American Jews I've met through the years who can trace
their family line, fleeing the pogroms through Odessa, through Ukraine, and then out later to Europe and the U.S. How much is your own family tie there
driving this for you?
SCHREIBER: Very little. You know, I have great-grandparents and one grandparent from Ukraine and two great-grandparents from Kyiv and Odessa,
but I never knew them. I'm pretty much as American as you can get. In fact, I think that's the reason why I'm here. You know, I've been on a television
show for eight years, and I have two young children.
And in 2022, we were watching the news. And the idea that we would have a ground war in Eastern Europe in our lifetime is just extraordinary. And the
values that they're fighting for, that they're dying for, are values that, in my opinion, define what it is to be American. And so, for me, that's why
I think it's really urgent that we defend them and that we get them from interceptors as soon as possible.
SCIUTTO: Yes. It struck me when watching this beginning to unfold that it was a 1939 moment, right? Eastern power invading a Western power, the
refugees fleeing, the attacks on the cities there. Before we go, I wonder, did you leave there -- I know you're impressed with the resolve of the
Ukrainian people, but as you left your most recent visit, did you leave there more hopeful than on previous visits?
SCHREIBER: Absolutely. I'm inspired by their work, by what they've done, with what little support they've had. What's fantastic is that -- I mean,
you're seeing Ukraine now leading the world and helping us. You know, they're helping us with air defense in the Middle East. They're helping us
protect American bases. They're helping us deal with food insecurity. They're so eager to open the docks again in the Black Sea so that, you
know, without those ships going out, you know, there's going to be some real issues with food insecurity around the world, particularly in southern
Sudan and places like that.
And what's inspiring to me as I visit Ukraine is, I think, they're often perceived as an empty hand. And what I'm seeing now is them reaching out
and offering a hand. I'm just -- I'm completely overwhelmed and inspired by this last trip. I haven't (INAUDIBLE) out of their success, and I hope that
soon enough we can play a bigger role in that.
SCIUTTO: Yes. Well, we can hope for peace. Liev Schreiber, thanks so much for sharing your experience there. We appreciate you joining us.
SCHREIBER: Absolutely.
SCIUTTO: Well, what happens to migrants in the U.S. who are deported to countries other than their country of origin, and where are they now? CNN
speaks with migrants who've been sent to one of the world's most dangerous places, just ahead.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[18:40:00]
SCIUTTO: In yet another sweeping crackdown on immigration, the Trump administration is moving to revoke visas from potentially hundreds of
thousands of foreigners who have applied or are seeking asylum here in the U.S. The planned action would target people who came to the U.S. legally on
temporary visas for things such as tourism or education, before then seeking asylum to remain longer-term. As many as 200,000 people could be
impacted. The State Department says obtaining a visa in order to seek asylum is fraud. To seek asylum, a person must be physically present in the
U.S. and be fleeing persecution in their home country.
The Trump administration has quietly struck agreements with some 35 nations in deals worth millions of dollars to deport migrants to so-called third-
party countries which are not their countries of origin. According to Third Country Deportation Watch, ICE sent its first flight of migrants to the
Central African Republic in June. That's the same place the State Department has repeatedly warned U.S. citizens about, calling it unsafe due
to conflict, crime and terrorism. CNN's Isobel Yeung traveled there to investigate.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ASENA (PH): I was so scared. I was crying, and I said, I'm not going out.
ISOBEL YEUNG, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Asena (ph) thought she'd find safety in the U.S. She says she fled Turkey after facing death
threats. But then she became one of thousands that the Trump administration has deported.
ASENA (PH): First, my hands, and with my belly like this, and my foot.
YEUNG: So, they handcuffed you and shackled you?
ASENA (PH): Yes. Yes.
YEUNG: And you still didn't know where you were going?
ASENA (PH): I don't know where I'm going to. So, I said, where we are going, tell me? And he said, I don't know, maybe Central Africa. And I was
in shock.
YEUNG: Have you ever heard of Central African Republic before?
ASENA (PH): No.
YEUNG: So, we are here in Bangui, in the Central African Republic, trying to find out what happened with this ICE deportation flight that took place
this summer going from the U.S. to here. We know that this flight happened in the shadows of secrecy. As far as we know, no one apart from U.N.
agencies has managed to meet with these migrants. So, we're here trying to track them down.
YEUNG (voice-over): At 8:58 p.m. on June 11th, 18 migrants from all over the world were brought to Alexandria Airport, Louisiana. They say they were
handcuffed and shackled. Several claim they were severely beaten.
Two of the migrants say they were forced into a full-body restraint, like the one seen here in a demo video. A U.S. official called the allegation a
flat-out lie and denied anyone was beaten. The maker of one such restraint said it's a last-resort tool intended to promote safety and prevent
escalation.
Nearly 20 hours later, after a refueling stop, the plane touched down in Bangui, Central African Republic.
YEUNG: Maybe I can just start with, where are you from originally?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm from Georgia.
YEUNG: You're from Georgia?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Egypt.
YEUNG: Egypt.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Afghanistan.
YEUNG: Afghanistan.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Iraq.
YEUNG: Iraq.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Jordan.
YEUNG: Jordan. So, all different countries.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.
YEUNG: How are you all doing here?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Doing here? Like hell.
YEUNG: Like hell?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes. No internet, no electric, too much of mosquito. Everybody have malaria.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translation): The police detained us and then demanded money from us. Since that day, we have not left the building.
YEUNG (voice-over): The U.S. State Department warns people do not travel here for risk of kidnapping and terrorism, and advises those who must to
leave behind a DNA sample so they can be identified by their family.
[18:45:00]
YEUNG: A lot of the migrants have told us that they are terrified to be here. And you can understand why. I mean, this is a country where there's
been an ongoing civil war that's still taking place. But even here in Bangui, there's very high rates of violence, very high rates of
criminality, and very high rates of, you know, these armed groups operating here.
YEUNG (voice-over): I asked the police about the migrants' claims that they are part of the problem.
YEUNG: Some of the migrants here that I've spoken to say that, when they go outside, the police stop them and ask them for cash and threaten them.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translation): No, no, those police officers are checking who those people are. I don't believe they're asking them for
money.
YEUNG (voice-over): Very little is known about what terms the CAR government agreed to with the U.S. But what we do know is that, on May
18th, just one month before the first deportation flight, State Department diplomats traveled here to meet with the President.
For the past decade, the U.S. has given just a few million dollars per year to the U.N. Migration Agency IOM's operations in CAR. But this year, that
figure shot up to $85 million. An additional $50 million was committed to the CAR Humanitarian Fund.
We asked the IOM about the money they're receiving. They did not respond to our specific questions, but told us that IOM has a longstanding presence in
the CAR and they're receiving funding from a range of donors. But this is at a time when the Trump administration has been slashing billions of
dollars in foreign assistance.
YEUNG: We have been trying to get a hold of any U.S. officials to talk about what's been happening and why and how they've sent these migrants
here, because they are ultimately the ones responsible. I mean, the State Department have emailed back saying, as a policy, we do not discuss
diplomatic negotiations or funding mechanisms. And the U.S. Embassy staff have not been replying to us. But we're going to try and knock on the door
just to see if they answer.
So, we just have some questions about the migrants that were brought here.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: All questions have to go to them. I'm not authorized to answer any questions.
YEUNG: All right. And is there anyone else we can contact at the U.S. Embassy?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: At Bangui PD at state.gov the email I gave you.
YEUNG: Who are just going to ignore us and pretend that email never came. All right. Thank you.
YEUNG (voice-over): Eventually, the State Department did get back to us. They did not reply to any of our detailed questions, but said, the U.S.
will use foreign assistance to support countries that help us achieve our immigration priorities. It's a tacit admission that the money is tied to
the deportations.
The U.S. government does have a responsibility towards these migrants. Most of those we spoke to here have protection orders from American judges,
stopping the government from sending them to their home countries, where they're likely to face persecution, torture or death.
FIDELE GOUANDJIKA, SPECIAL ADVISER TO THE PRESIDENT OF CAR: Hello, hello.
YEUNG (voice-over): Fidele Gouandjika is a special adviser to the CAR's President. He also hosts a local radio show.
YEUNG: As you know, nothing happens in this country without a little sweetener. It's a little bit difficult to believe that zero money was given
by the U.S. to Central African Republic. I mean, this is one of the most corrupt countries in the world, as you know.
GOUANDJIKA (through translation): I do not believe the government could be corrupt. I would not want to think for a single second that the Americans
or Donald Trump are acting as corruptors.
YEUNG (voice-over): For Gouandjika, what's happened to these migrants is a sign of American cruelty.
YEUNG: When a powerful country like the U.S. comes knocking and asking for this help, is it difficult for a country like yours to refuse?
GOUANDJIKA (through translation): What saddens me about the United States, a superpower with all the resources could keep these migrants there and
they send them here to us instead. The United States is a superpower, but it is a power without a good heart.
YEUNG (voice-over): Perhaps most concerning of all are those who have nowhere left to run to, like this young pro-democracy activist from Iran,
who says she faced possible execution for partaking in protests. Initially, she was overjoyed when she arrived in the U.S.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I was too much happy. The America, one of the best country in the world. And I say, it's OK. Now, I'm safe and I can make a
new life here. I know if I was in Iran, they going to kill me.
YEUNG (voice-over): Earlier this year, Trump himself encouraged Iranians to keep protesting, promising help is on the way.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Every time I think they're going to protect me, but American not protect me. When they send me here, really, I lose my hope
again.
[18:50:00]
YEUNG (voice-over): Isobel Yeung, CNN, Central African Republic.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SCIUTTO: Just had tributes reporting for legendary musician and philanthropist Dolly Parton. She died today at the age of 80. We'll take a
closer look at her life and legacy when we come back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SCIUTTO: Back now to our top story, the passing of Dolly Parton. Her family says the beloved music star died peacefully at her home in
Nashville, Tennessee, at the age of 80. Through her career, she earned 11 Grammys, including a Lifetime Achievement Award. She also, of course, was a
highly successful actor, businesswoman and philanthropist. At her request, a small private funeral will be held only with immediate family.
Joining me now is Lisa France. Lisa, it's so good to have you. Listen, her -- there's so much to say about her life. I think one aspect is she came
from such extreme poverty, built an enormous business empire, but gave back.
LISA RESPERS FRANCE, CNN SENIOR ENTERTAINMENT REPORTER: She gave back so much, Jim. And she was such a humble person. I had the pleasure and deepest
honor to be able to interview her more than a few times. And in one interview, I talked to her about her donation for the Moderna vaccine. And
when I asked her if she had scheduled the vaccine to get it, she said absolutely not. She said there were so many other people besides her who
needed it first, and she was going to wait her turn.
So, it mattered not to her that her very large donation enabled that vaccine to actually exist. She just wanted to make sure that others were
taken care of. She was the most genuine person. I mean, beyond being a celebrity, I think lots of people talk about, oh, this person just seems so
normal and down to earth. She just had a beautiful heart, a beautiful soul.
And, Jim, we're seeing that reflected in the people who are paying her tribute. Like some tributes are to be expected, like Jane Fonda. They co-
starred together famously in "9 to 5." And Reba McEntire, who called her her buddy. They were both country music legends. But Eminem posting the
note that Ms. Parton sent to him when he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and just expressing how sad it was for him that they
never got to meet in person. Khloe Kardashian posting about how she was just a once in a lifetime soul.
I mean, Dolly Parton, I think, is singularly the most beloved person ever in the history of celebritydom. I mean, I can't think of a single person,
Jim, who did not love Dolly Parton. And that's why people are mourning her so deeply today.
SCIUTTO: No question. They loved her music.
FRANCE: Yes.
SCIUTTO: They loved her work. And they loved her heart.
FRANCE: Yes.
SCIUTTO: Right?
FRANCE: Yes, they loved her genuineness. Because when Dolly Parton said something, you knew that she earnestly meant it.
[18:55:00]
And I watched a video right before we came on of Reese Witherspoon having a chat with her. And Reese is literally in tears talking about how much she
admires her, and how much she admires her spirit and her heart and her genuineness.
And I think that's what it was. What Dolly Parton presented to you was who Dolly Parton exactly was. She was just a lovely human being. I say this as
someone who, like I said, got the opportunity to speak with her. You just felt like when you talked to Dolly Parton, there was no artifice. You know,
she just gave so fully of herself because she felt so incredibly blessed to be able to be a part of the music industry, to be doing something that she
loved, and to be so successful at it. And it enabled her to, you know, take care of her family.
She -- you know, she came from such a huge family, you know, such humble beginnings that she talked about. And so, here she was able to not just
have success and enjoy success, be able to bring her family along. And then, of course, there was that glorious marriage with her husband, Carl,
who stayed out of the limelight and allowed her to be the star that she was. And the loss of him last year, I'm sure, was devastating to her.
And so, now, even in the midst of the loss of her, what we continually see people talking about and posting about is now she is reunited with the love
of her life.
SCIUTTO: Lisa Respers France, it's so good to have you help highlight the life of Dolly Parton.
FRANCE: Thank you, Jim.
SCIUTTO: And thanks so much, all of you, for joining. I'm Jim Sciutto in Washington. You've been watching "The Brief." Please do stay with CNN.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[19:00:00]
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