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The Story Is with Elex Michaelson

Murder Plot; Fatal ICE Shooting Investigation; US Politics; Mexico to File Complaints over ICE-Related Deaths; Disney's Live Action "Moana" Hits Theaters on Friday; France Beat Morocco 2-0 to Clinch a Spot in Semifinals. Aired 1-2a ET

Aired July 10, 2026 - 01:00   ET

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

[01:00:00]

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Live from Los Angeles, THE STORY IS WITH ELEX MICHELSON.

ELEX MICHELSON, CNN ANCHOR: Thanks for watching THIS STORY IS, I'm Elex Michelson. Coming up, THE STORY IS a possible murder plot, after concerns over the president's safety on his trip back from Europe. Sources say that Israel had intel on an Iranian plan to kill him.

THE STORY IS no body cams. The Department of Homeland Security says the ICE officers who shot a Mexican man in Houston were not equipped with cameras. The details on the investigation and how the government of Mexico is now getting involved.

And THE STORY IS the live action version of "Moana" starring The Rock. Could it be the most culturally sensitive movie yet? We'll discuss.

Thanks so much for being with us. The top story is a possible new Iranian plot to assassinate the US President. But there are some important caveats. Sources tell CNN that the intelligence came from Israel. The US has not vetted the details of the alleged plot.

Some American officials appear concerned this could be an Israeli attempt to get the US to keep bombing Iran. We're told for the moment the strikes are on hold as mediators try to get diplomacy back on track. But President Trump claimed Wednesday that the ceasefire was over and precautions are being taken to for his safety.

Earlier this week, the President landed at the NATO summit in Turkey on the new jet gifted to him by Qatar, but he went home on the old Air Force One. He spoke about the change with reporters.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, UNITED STATES PRESIDENT: Probably on a dangerous flight because of the sleaze bags that we have to deal with.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Do you think that Iran was possibly thinking, trying to --

TRUMP: Well, I mean, if they ask you to close your windows, probably they'd feeling --

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Were you aware of any credible threat by Iran against your own life?

TRUMP: Well, I have threat all the time. I'm number one on their list before you. But if I go, you go, right?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MICHELSON: CNN's Pamela Brown reports now from aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln out in the Arabian Sea.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

PAMELA BROWN, CHIEF INVESTIGATIVE CORRESPONDENT: We're told that as recently as this past week, Israel shared new intelligence with the US that it was devising, that Iran was devising a new plot to assassinate President Trump. Now, I'm told from talking to a source that in recent weeks there has been an increase of intelligence coming in indicating that Iran was devising new ways to go after the President.

We know ever since his first term, it has looked at President Trump as a target ever since the administration took out Commander Soleimani of Iran. But these -- this is a new plot apparently coming from Israeli intelligence that I should note has not been verified by the US we're told. And one source we spoke to did express some skepticism that this particular intelligence about a specific plot coming from Israel, they do question that, given the fact that they believe that Israel may be trying to influence President Trump.

But nonetheless, this is something the intelligence community is looking at and trying to figure out more. We don't have details yet of that specific plot, but the change of Air Force One planes this past week certainly raised a lot of questions. I'm told by a US official that they really want to get diplomacy going, that is taking the lead and that right now there is diplomacy happening behind the scenes to try to ease tensions.

Because as we've been talking about this week, we have seen those tensions escalate with strikes back and forth between the US and Iran. But it's very touch and go, I can tell you. And talking to folks here on this ship, there is a feeling that things can change at any second and strikes could resume any minute. And they're trying to make preparations for that.

They're doing maintenance here on aircraft. So that's that sound. I mean, this ship is going 24/7. And in terms of aircraft, there were operations going on throughout the day with these fighter jets and throughout the night, I believe we have some new exclusive video we can show you from our time here on the Lincoln today. These are operations from these fighter jets that are defense in nature until they've been these types of operations throughout their time here.

But it, of course, took on new meeting today given this posture of heightened alert. The captain of the ship said that things are heating up. And I can tell you here on the ship it was a lot busier today with putting armaments on these fighter jets in preparation for potential strikes. Pilots were doing drills, they were getting ready in case they were called on to do a third night of strike.

So far that hasn't happened. Things are delicate. Diplomacy is underway. But as we've seen throughout this war, things can rapidly change.

MICHELSON: Our panel is back. On the right, Matt Bilinsky, attorney and host of "The Prevailing Narrative" podcast. And on the left, Brian Tyler Cohen, author of the new book "The Day After: How to Wield Power in a Post-Trump World." Welcome back to both of you.

What do you think of the war with Iran?

BRIAN TYLER COHEN, PODCAST HOST AND AUTHOR: I think it is, you know, look, I don't think that the President knows what he's doing with this thing. This was supposed to be a two-week war. And here we are at more than 120 days past.

And so at this point, it is costing America money. It's costing him his credibility because he swore up and down that the last thing he would get engaged in is a foreign war in the Middle East. And frankly, the guy ran on an America first platform.

[01:05:10]

Is it America first to spend what, upwards of $120 billion so far in the Middle East when we have Americans who are getting their healthcare cut at home, who are getting their food assistance cut at home, and who are watching their gas prices rise at home as the result of this war. So this is, you know, a major slap in the face to his own supporters who were foolish enough to believe him when he said that he actually had certain promises he was going to abide by.

MICHELSON: Do you feel like your face has been slapped?

MATT BILINSKY: I wouldn't say that I feel like my face has been slapped. I feel like there's been some disappointment. And I do question the planning and the positioning of the administration with this war, because when one side is fighting a war and has a timeline of 10 years and the other side has a timeline of we have to finish this in 10 weeks.

One side -- the side with the longer timeline is just in a stronger position. And so --

MICHELSON: You're talking about Iran has a longer timeline. I mean, 10 years, they're there forever, right?

BILINSKY: Exactly.

MICHELSON: And a lot of this is a religious thing, too. Like, you know, this is -- so what's their timeline? They're never leaving Iran.

BILINSKY: Yes. And I'd like, you know, President Trump, I think people have actually ignored and kind of devalued some of his accomplishments on the foreign policy and military side previously. Everyone remember ISIS, he came in, in his first term and he defended and kind of ended ISIS within about eight weeks. It was very successful.

So I've put a lot of trust in President Trump and the administration, their judgment in their use of military force. It has not been as disastrous as a lot of his opponents would sort of portray so far in the Iran war, but the planning does leave a lot to be desired because you see this tit-for-tat. Listen, are we trying to remove them and go as full force as we did all out, and trying to kill half the military and political leadership, which was absolutely very successful right off the bat.

MICHELSON: Yes.

BILINSKY: Are you that committed to ending this war and transforming the nation of Iran and its relationship with the United States, or is this something that we can only sustain as long as gas prices stay under $6?

MICHELSON: And of course, it's a very advisers around President Trump from the first term with ISIS. Most of those people are no longer there. Yes.

COHEN: Yes. I think it's worth noting too, that, you know, Donald Trump has really not gained anything out of this. I mean, anything that he, that he claimed that he wanted to do, like, for example, regime change, that we would have leadership in Iran that was perhaps more sympathetic to the United States. All they did was go from Khamenei to Khamenei.

And frankly, I can't imagine the younger Khamenei is going to be any more sympathetic after Donald Trump just killed his dad.

MICHELSON: Well, the biggest thing and, Matt, this is the challenge, especially from a financial perspective, is the Strait of Hormuz was open at the beginning of this, and now it's not. And so, that has a direct effect on Americans pocketbooks. When the President says, I'm not going to do foreign wars and I'm going to cut your costs, he's now done both of those things.

He's started the foreign war and the prices have gone up.

BILINSKY: Yes. I think there are a couple competing dynamics here. On the one hand, yes, you know, there has been a certain accomplishment that you cannot deny that there was destroying a significant portion of Iranian political and military leadership, and sinking their navy, and impacting their stockpiles of weapons and whatnot. All that did happen and setbacks of their nuclear program.

However, yes, you are, you know, you are correct that it seems there's almost been a revelation by the Iranians that they had, they have more leverage over the Strait of Hormuz than they even realized they had previously. That's been problematic. And it seems that the $800 billion a year military that we have, that we have used to great effect previously, should be able to open that up. But once again, hard to fight a war when you're unwilling to get anyone killed. I know that's a harsh reality for people to believe, but if your timeline is too short and you're unwilling to accept any casualties, that's just a low leverage position to be in and it seems to be the one that we're in.

MICHELSON: Let's talk about another political headline of the day, which is this. Chuck Grassley, the 92-year-old senator from Iowa, who right now is one of the chairs in the Senate, is now investigating Kash Patel, President Trump's pick to lead the FBI. He is looking into whether he inappropriately used the FBI jet to go out on personal missions, whether he was inappropriate in buying BMWs and sort of whether he misused taxpayer funding.

We want to put up on the screen a quote from Chuck Grassley which said, "for decades, regardless of which political parties in the White House, I have worked to ensure that taxpayer dollars will are protected from waste, fraud and abuse." Good thing?

BILINSKY: I'm glad that he's doing it. Do I somewhat question his 100 percent sincerity? Perhaps maybe a little bit cynical but, hey, by all means, we need our public officials to be exerting some sort of oversight over, you know, spending by other officials. And sure, it seems like there's reason, at least probable cause to look into some of what Kash Patel didn't.

If he went and dined out, and went and took a vacation to the Winter Olympics, which is one of the allegations on the taxpayer dime, I want him to be held accountable for it. On the other hand, you know, in the case of this being maybe not quite a nothing burger, but an almost nothing burger, do I see do I envision this as resulting in the removal of Kash Patel, or any serious consequences for him in his position with the FBI? I find that unlikely.

[01:10:17]

So listen, by all means, I think it's a good thing that, you know, your people are investigating members of their own party. Do I think this is going to amount so much, probably not.

MICHELSON: You've gotten mad at Republicans for not investigating their own, should -- does he deserve some credit?

COHEN: Are we talking about Kash -- not. This can't be Kash Patel who did, who went snorkeling at Pearl Harbor, not that Kash Patel, this wasn't Kash Patel who took FBI resources go watch his girlfriend play, musical venues, not that Kash Patel.

That's the one we're talking about here? Look, I think that this is --

MICHELSON: And went into the locker room after the --

COHEN: The chugging beers with the US men's hockey team -- not. Not that Kash Patel, right?

MICHELSON: Yes. COHEN: Look, this is -- the fish rots from the head. And so, when Donald Trump has sent this message on down that you can basically act as corrupt, as wasteful, as fraudulent with complete impunity, of course you're going to have people like Kash Patel who view the government and taxpayer dollars as theirs to waste as they see fit.

But, frankly, you know what, you're right. We won't see anything come of this. We can see folks like Chuck Grassley kind of offer some modicum of, you know, accountability or oversight. But the reality is everybody knows that nothing is going to happen to Kash Patel.

You know, for a political party that spent so much time talking about the wastefulness of government and the ways in which Democrats had supposedly abused government when they were in power. Now, to watch them pilfer the government for their own financial gain, for them to watch, to see them get rich, to see them sell off America so that Donald Trump can triple his net worth, make money at World Liberty Financial.

I mean, it's so beyond the pale that, sure, this is a step in the right direction. Chuck Grassley deserves credit for making the statement. But I think you're absolutely right that nothing is going to come of this.

MICHELSON: We have to leave it there. Brian, Matt, thank you so much for being with us. We appreciate it.

COHEN: Thanks for having us.

MICHELSON: To Texas now, new details we are learning about the deadly shooting of a Mexican immigrant by an ICE agent during a traffic stop. A source with preliminary details about the incident tells CNN that the victim, 52-year-old Lorenzo Salgado Araujo, was not the target of the federal immigration operation. And the Department of Homeland Security says the officers involved in the incident had not yet been issued body worn cameras.

CNN's Ed Lavandera has more on the shooting, but a warning his report contains images that may be disturbing to some viewers.

ED LAVANDERA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The only video that has emerged so far of the shooting death of Lorenzo Salgado Araujo captures the 52- year-old construction worker lying on the ground moments after ICE agents shot him as he drove a white van with three other men inside. The medical examiner says Salgado was struck in the torso by a gunshot. In the video, you can see him bleeding on the street.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Crying, screaming after he'd been shot in the stomach.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: And he's screaming for help.

LAVANDERA: Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials say agents were conducting a "targeted enforcement operation." This is how ICE described what led to Salgado's death. The agency says Salgado tried to "evade arrest" rammed an ICE law enforcement vehicle, refused to follow multiple verbal commands and weaponized his vehicle in an attempt to run over an ICE law enforcement officer, resulting in our officer firing his weapon in self-defense.

But a source familiar with the preliminary details of the incident tells CNN Salgado was not the intended target of the operation. In a new statement to CNN, DHS says agents conducted surveillance based on a "credible tip from our law enforcement partners' weeks prior to the shooting and spotted two white vans at a property. On Tuesday morning, as agents approached that location, they saw Salgado's white van and initiated the vehicle stop.

The statement does not make clear if Salgado's white van was the same van spotted by agents weeks earlier. Salgado's family and Latino civil rights activists question whether DHS is telling the truth.

JUAN PROANO, CEO, LULAC: We do not believe them. They are playing by a playbook. They're using a template in shootings and murders that have happened across the country time and time again. And it is time to stop.

LAVANDERA: At 6:46 Tuesday morning, video shows Salgado Araujo's white van turning onto Canal Street, followed by a black SUV which turned out to be one of the unmarked vehicles carrying ICE agents. Shortly after that, another camera captured the black SUV pulling up alongside Salgado's white van with a second unmarked black SUV following seconds behind them.

[01:15:00]

At 6:48am, a woman driving by the scene.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: That's so (inaudible) up.

LAVANDERA: Recorded the video of Salgado on the ground suffering from the gunshot wound.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Put yourself in his shoes as a driver, he has all his tools for construction. His livelihood is in that vehicle. He has his brother in the vehicle.

He has two of his workers in the vehicle. Would you not be concerned and maybe try to go to a place where it's public when you have unmarked cars trying to ram you and stop you?

LAVANDERA: Salgado lived in the United States for 35 years, supporting his wife and three college educated sons by working in construction. The family says they learned about his death by seeing a video posted on social media.

RONALDO SALGADO, FATHER FATALLY SHOT BY ICE: I recognize him immediately, not from his appearance but from his voice crying for help as he lay on the street bleeding out.

LAVANDERA: The FBI's Houston field office says it's investigating the incident as a potential assault on a federal law enforcement officer, but Salgado's son disputes those allegations and says his father would have complied with law enforcement if they identified themselves.

SALGADO: Because he had been in the process of getting a work permit, he knew what to do in case he was stopped by ICE, OK? He knew the, the process --

LAVANDERA: The shooting like those that came before is now prompting protests in Texas and calls for justice and reform.

CHRISTIAN MENEFEE, US HOUSE DEMOCRAT: They are coming to our streets not to more safe but to terrorize our communities.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MICHELSON: We'll have -- that was Ed Lavandera reporting for us. We'll have more on the deadly ICE shooting in Houston later this hour, including how Mexico is responding to the incident. We'll discuss with attorney Raul Reyes in about 15 minutes.

And the UK moves closer to choosing its next prime minister, and the odds looking pretty good for this guy. Details after the break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

MICHELSON: THE STORY IS In Maine, where a source says Graham Platner will fire the paperwork to officially end his Senate bid on Monday. A person close to the campaign warned against reading anything into that delay. Platner suspended his campaign on Wednesday after allegations of rape and violent behavior, both of which he denies.

Democrats will now hold a nominating convention to decide who will face Republican incumbent Susan Collins in the midterms. Former state Senator Troy Jackson, Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows, former Maine CDC Director Nirav are among the frontrunners.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

NIRAV SHAH, RUNNING TO REPLACE GRAHAM PLATNER: I have not sought Mr. Platner's endorsement, nor would I accept it if he offered it to me. On matters of policy, Graham and I, there is very little light between us. What voters in Maine want is a clearly progressive candidate to make issues like Medicare for all an actual reality.

The other thing that voters in Maine are clearly looking for is someone who is an outsider. I come to this race not having been part of the political establishment in Maine, or indeed even in the United States.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MICHELSON: In the UK, nominations have opened for the next leader of the Labour Party, who will become the country's new prime minister. Former Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham, who was the only declared candidate when Labour MPs began voting, says he nominated himself.

He's running unopposed, has support of 80 percent of labor lawmakers that put him on track to replace Keir Starmer on July 20th. Starmer resigned as prime minister just last month under growing criticism and pressure from within his party.

In another British political race, right wing populist Nigel Farage had hoped that the special election to regain his seat in Parliament would be a battle against what he calls the political establishment. And while he is facing a challenger who's well-versed in British politics, it won't be a conventional contest, since his opponent is best known for wearing a trash can on his head. CNN's Robbie Hawkins reports.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ROBBIE HAWKINS, CNN PRODUCER: Why is a guy wearing a garbage can on his head running for British Parliament? No, this isn't a joke.

COUNT BINFACE, UK PARLIAMENT CANDIDATE: I'm here to take out the trash on planet Earth because it's time to make Earth great again.

He's called Count Binface, and according to him, he's an intergalactic space warrior from the planet Sigma 9. A mainstay of British elections, he's been on the ballot before. First as Lord Buckethead running against Prime Minister Theresa May, then as Count Binface against Boris Johnson and Rishi Sunak.

His campaign promises include cutting your taxes while raising everyone else's, drafting anyone who uses speakerphone on public transport, representing the UK at the Eurovision Song Contest, and I pledge to build at least one affordable house. This time, he's taking on Nigel Farage in a special election where Britain's main parties aren't running candidates.

So who actually is Count Binface? He's the satirical creation of comedian Jonathan Harvey, carrying on Britain's long tradition of novelty election candidates, from the Monster Raving Loony Party to Elmo and even a fox, for some reason. Beneath the costume, there's one message he's genuinely trying to get across.

COUNT BINFACE: And I urge everyone, no matter who you support, do go out to vote. And most importantly, make your votes count.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MICHELSON: Thanks, Tim, for that. The President Donald J. Trump International Airport in South Florida is now officially open for business. The facility was formerly known as the Palm Beach International Airport. The name change became law in March after the Florida legislature approved the bill and Governor Ron DeSantis signed it.

The new signs are now up. The old Palm Beach Airport signage has come down. By the way, the new letters for the airport are DJT.

[01:25:04]

Still ahead on THE STORY IS, Mexico is seeking legal action against the US and the Trump administration over the deaths of Mexican immigrants. We'll break it down and discuss with our next guest after the break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[01:29:38]

ELEX MICHAELSON, CNN ANCHOR: Welcome back to THE STORY IS. I'm Elex Michaelson.

Let's take a look at today's top stories. Sources tell CNN that Israel recently warned the U.S. about an Iranian plan to assassinate President Trump.

At the NATO summit this week, the president said he knew that Iran wanted to take him out and that he was their number one target.

Some U.S. officials suggest Israel may be trying to sway Trump's decision-making on further military action against Iran.

Regional sources confirm that Qatar and Pakistan are working to bring the U.S. and Iran back to the negotiating table.

Fighter jets aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln are carrying out practice drills in case President Trump orders more strikes against Iran, but officials say Iranian claims of new strikes on Thursday are inaccurate.

Department of Homeland Security says that the officers involved in a fatal shooting of a Mexican immigrant in Texas had not yet been issued body-worn cameras. DHS blamed government shutdowns for holding up the deployment of body cameras for ICE agents.

A source tells CNN the Mexican national, who was shot and killed in a traffic stop on Tuesday, was not the target of a federal immigration operation.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CLAUDIA SHEINBAUM, MEXICAN PRESIDENT: What happened recently with the death of a Mexican in an ICE operation not only is it sad and regrettable, but it seems to be targeted. So obviously we will maintain the diplomatic relationship.

But we made the decision to file a formal complaint with the state and federal prosecutors office of the United States against those who are found responsible for what we consider to be homicides.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MICHAELSON: We see the Mexican president there. Mexico is seeking a criminal investigation in the U.S. related to the deaths of 17 different Mexican nationals during immigration operations in recent months.

Mexico's president says her government cannot turn a blind eye to the issue and will escalate the matter.

The Mexican immigrant killed by an ICE agent in Houston this week, Lorenzo Salgado Araujo, was only the latest Mexican to have died in a case related to immigration enforcement.

Mexico's foreign minister says 14 Mexican immigrants have died in ICE custody and three in ICE operations.

Joining us now is attorney, immigration analyst and CNN opinion writer Raul Reyes. Thanks so much for being with us.

So sort of give us the background of what's really going on here.

RAUL REYES, CNN OPINION WRITER: Right. This is a very unusual move by the Mexican president and Mexico's foreign minister. Basically, what they're saying is that they're concerned about Mexican migrants and nationals who have died in ICE custody or as part of ICE operations.

And what they're basically saying is that diplomatic channels have not worked. So they are seeking more answers through the U.S. criminal justice system.

So that's really an escalation of this issue. It officially turns now with Mr. Araujo's death, we officially have an international incident now.

And what's interesting about this is that Mexico does plan to ask state prosecutors, the DOJ, and potentially sue some of the private companies involved over the deaths of detainees.

MICHAELSON: Well, you said ask state prosecutors. Talk about how this legal process would work and how much legal leverage Mexico actually has.

REYES: Right. That's sort of the most important question here. To be realistic, if -- when Mexico files its request for investigations with the Trump State Department and in, say, certain red states like Florida or Texas, it's not realistic to expect those entities to respond.

However, we could see in states like, say, California, New Jersey, where there are detention facilities and where there have been deaths that the state prosecutors do launch an investigation and potentially bring criminal charges against those who are found liable for these deaths.

And the thing is, is that what -- Mexico is taking this step, but it could have tremendous repercussions down the line because once an investigation is opened, then you have -- it leads to a lawsuit.

Then you have requests for evidence. You have the discovery process. You have subpoenas for witnesses.

So we could end up potentially seeing more accountability and transparency about these deaths than immigrant rights advocacy groups and civil rights groups have been able to bring about here domestically.

MICHAELSON: Obviously, Mexico has to work closely with the United States of America, one of its biggest trading partners. Obviously, this is not something that President Trump is going to like.

REYES: Right.

MICHAELSON: What is the politics involved here for President Sheinbaum in Mexico? And -- and why is she doing this?

REYES: Well, I think the reasons for President Sheinbaum doing this are two-fold.

First of all, she is -- she is sending the message that she cares about Mexican nationals. This is an issue that she's expressed concern about at least a dozen times through discussions and letters to Washington.

[01:34:50]

REYES: But secondly, when you look at this purely from a political standpoint, President Sheinbaum is one of the most popular leaders in Latin America. She's probably one of the most popular leaders -- elected leaders in the world. Her popularity is usually like between 65 and 75 percent.

So for her, just for her domestic audience, anytime a Mexican president is willing to stand up to the United States, is willing to push back on the U.S. government that is seen very positively by Mexicans.

So, honestly, whether she succeeds with these efforts to launch, to have criminal investigations started, or whether it doesn't result in the type of effects that she wants, it's really a win-win situation for her presidency because she's taking a strong stand. She is taking concrete action.

And we could very well see some type of -- down the line, we could well see some type of move towards more justice and accountability for these deaths.

MICHAELSON: But on the merits of this, I mean, couldn't the Trump administration say we have a right to enforce our own immigration laws however we want? And if these people don't like it --

REYES: Right.

MICHAELSON: -- don't come here illegally.

REYES: Right. Right. I'm sure that would be the Trump administration's response. If they do respond, because in a way they could say as part of their America First agenda, they are perfectly willing to send more people back.

But what I think, in my view, President Sheinbaum, what I think is sort of a big question here that would most likely have the most repercussions is that Mexico plans to bring lawsuits against the private companies that run many detention facilities.

That's a whole different matter from the U.S. -- from seeking action through the State Department or state prosecutors.

Once a foreign nation is going after private companies, then we could see all sorts of information through lawsuits.

So I think in that sense, that's the most likely avenue for some type of concrete results.

MICHAELSON: Really interesting case and something we should be following for a while now.

Raul Reyes, thanks so much for staying up late with us. Really appreciate it.

REYES: Thank you.

MICHAELSON: Disney is bringing one of its biggest animated hits to life. Just ahead, we'll discuss "Moana" with film critic Grae Drake and former football player Jesse Sapolu, who is -- talks about the film's Polynesian representation means to him.

Stay with us.

[01:37:23]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CATHERINE LAGA'AIA, ACTOR: Maui, demigod of the wind and sea.

DWAYNE "THE ROCK" JOHNSON, ACTOR: Hero of men.

LAGA'AIA: Huh?

JOHNSON: So it goes like this. Maui, shapeshifter, demigod of the wind and sea, hero of men. Women -- women, too. Men and women.

LAGA'AIA: Thank you.

JOHNSON: You're welcome.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MICHAELSON: Just a quick look there at the live action version of Disney's "Moana". The original animated film has become a global phenomenon over the past decade, spawning a multibillion-dollar franchise, even a theme park attraction.

The new version features Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson as the demigod, Maui, who teams up with Moana to save her people in Ancient Polynesia. The Rock says the film gives him a chance to showcase his own Polynesian heritage. "Moana" opens in theaters on Friday. Joining me now live on set to discuss is Grae Drake, film critic from

cbr.com. And Jesse Sapolu, former San Francisco 49er, four-time Super Bowl champion and co-founder of the Polynesian Football Hall of Fame and the Polynesian Bowl. Nobody knows Polynesia quite like you.

Great to have both of you here.

JESSE SAPOLU, CO-FOUNDER OF THE POLYNESIAN FOOTBALL HALL OF FAME AND THE POLYNESIAN BOWL: Thank you.

MICHAELSON: Grae, Let's talk about the movie first and sort of the extraordinary lengths that you say that Disney went to try to be very representative of the AAPI community.

GRAE DRAKE, FILM CRITIC, CBR.COM: Yes. So this is exactly what Disney has the resources to do and just knocks it out of the park.

So they have what they call a cultural trust, and they get together the best of the best. So this is linguists, anthropologists, even tattoo experts.

And they research and integrate every single part of all these different types of cultures and all these different little pieces in order to really showcase these people and to showcase them accurately and with respect and love.

So what we see on screen is this huge collaborative effort between people who really care, and they're teaching us the whole way that they go.

MICHAELSON: And the casting was part of this as well.

DRAKE: Absolutely. Yes. And it always is because everyone on screen is an AAPI person themselves. So what you're seeing on screen is like a very accurate representation of what this island would look like in real life.

MICHAELSON: So let's talk about what this representation means for you, Jesse. You are a father of four kids, ten grandkids. I know you've watched these films with your grandkids before.

What does it mean for you and for them to see themselves represented on the screen?

SAPOLU: Well, obviously you saw some of the pictures of my oldest granddaughter, her outfit that she took to school and won a competition was "Moana".

MICHAELSON: Yes.

SAPOLU: Before The very first one came out. So when they see "Moana" on the big screen, they see themselves. They get inspired to be successful in this country.

And I think I'm very thankful to "Moana", because there's a way of us representing our country and our people in a short period of time, which is a movie that's about 90 to -- 90 minutes to two hours.

MICHAELSON: Yes.

SAPOLU: How accurately they were trying to portray who we are and what we are.

MICHAELSON: Is that emotional for you?

SAPOLU: It is emotional because I look at it in the eyes of an adult, you know, because we are a community that's family-oriented, that believes in faith.

[01:44:47]

SAPOLU: But I also understand that you know, the ocean, you know, we're just not a bunch of island -- small island nations that are, is in the middle of the South Pacific. We are caretakers of the biggest ocean on earth. And we're very proud of that.

And for Dwayne and his crew to bring it out globally is something that I'm very, very proud of.

MICHAELSON: Well, let's talk about him for a moment. So Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson is somebody you've known since he was 12 years old. The King of Samoa has given both of you the same chief title. So I guess I should call you Chief for the rest of the night.

You inducted him into the Polynesian Hall of Fame. This is somebody, you know. Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson could use his platform to talk about anything.

SAPOLU: Exactly.

MICHAELSON: And he has chosen to talk about this and in a big way. What does that mean to the people in Samoa?

SAPOLU: Well, to think about our population is a third of a percent in the United States of America. And for him to be proud of that culture and to make sure that he represents us in a manner that brings our culture and our people globally, it's unbelievable.

And I remember his grandfather when I was young, was one of the best wrestlers. High chief, Peter Maivia.

MICHAELSON: Yes.

SAPOLU: So I followed him. And when his grandfather passed, his grandmother became a promoter of local wrestling in Hawaii. Right during the time I won my first Super Bowl.

MICHAELSON: Wow.

SAPOLU: So they wanted me to, you know, the gimmicks to train a Samoan young wrestler that was about to wrestle Ric Flair at Aloha Stadium in Hawaii. And as we were doing that filming, there was a 12-year-old running

around. You know, we didn't know how great he was going to be and the difference that he makes in our community.

That's the first time I met Dwayne.

MICHAELSON: And of course, his father was an iconic --

(CROSSTALKING)

SAPOLU: And his father was one of the best wrestlers of his time.

(CROSSTALKING)

MICHAELSON: So Grae, all that being said, because the community is so small, to make this movie successful, you got to appeal to a lot more than just the Polynesian community.

DRAKE: And they have.

MICHAELSON: Is the movie any good?

DRAKE: It's just like the animated one shot for shot. So everyone is going to be so happy because "Moana" is consistently in the top ten movies of Disney Plus, because everyone just loves it so much.

Kids are watching it on repeat. Clearly, what everybody's created together is resonating not only with just the people, but with our entire world. So it's incredible.

MICHAELSON: And it's part of a larger trend for Disney, this idea of taking the animated movies sort of a generation later when maybe those fans have some more money to spend.

And then -- and then turning it into a live action film. What do you think of that as a concept? Do you think it works? Do you think it makes sense?

DRAKE: I think it works for Disney's coffers. Like it works for their pocketbook, and people are watching them and they're buying tickets for a reason. These are the movies that deeply influence us.

So when you see them again, even just slightly modified like "Moana", you're like, this is fine. It's great.

Like people love it all over again. Now, as a critic, I would have loved to have seen something new, like a new song or a little bit of like something that makes it feel fresh.

But the magic is still there. And Dwayne Johnson as Maui is like born to do it.

MICHAELSON: But seeing real people do this also probably feels fresh to you, right? I mean, you haven't seen it yet. I know you're excited to go with the family and go see it. What will it mean to you to go watch this in theaters? SAPOLU: Well, absolutely. Its -- that's appealing to me. You know,

real people doing the real acting because I can identify it a little bit more from a reality standpoint.

So I'm looking forward to it. You know, our granddaughters last night were watching it, you know, and they kept saying, Papa, pay attention, you know.

I can't wait to see the real one.

MICHAELSON: You have a whole new round of that when the new film comes out on Disney Plus as well.

DRAKE: Oh, they'll love it.

MICHAELSON: Yes. Great to see you. Thanks for everything you've done for the community.

And Grae, always a pleasure. Thank you so much.

It is a deja vu feeling for French soccer fans after their team reached the World Cup semifinals again. Still ahead, how French fans are celebrating their team's victory.

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MICHAELSON: Albania's prime minister is defending a planned concert by Kanye West amid anger over the decision to pay the hip hop mogul 4.5 million bucks. West is banned from performing in several European countries because of his statements praising Hitler and content featuring Nazi imagery.

The concert will take place Saturday in a makeshift stadium constructed specifically for this event. The controversy comes amid ongoing protests over plans for a luxury resort built by President Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner.

France has clinched a spot in the men's World Cup semifinals after beating Morocco two to nil on Thursday. Celebrations broke out in Paris after the French team ratcheted the top four for the third straight time.

They play the winner of Friday's matchup between Spain and Belgium.

Much of the credit for the victory goes to star player Kylian Mbappe, who scored the first goal at the one-hour mark. Mbappe is now one goal behind Argentina's Lionel Messi on the list of all time scorers in the World Cup.

They both have scored eight goals in this tournament alone, so they're running neck and neck for the race for the Golden Boot.

French fans who came to the U.S. were ecstatic, to say the least, after the victory in Foxborough, Massachusetts. CNN's Maria Santana got some reaction from fans on both sides.

[01:54:49]

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MARIA SANTANA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: How are you feeling right now?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, we feel disappointed and we're upset because we had a bigger hope, actually, more than this. Unfortunately, France, they always stopping our way for some reason, 2022 and 2026 again.

But we're going to do better at home next time at 2030. Morocco didn't play well today, unfortunately.

But congrats to France and all the way Morocco. France, I think they're going to go all the way down for this World Cup -- either them or Argentina.

SANTANA: On Morocco goals.

But here are some French fans, fans of the French who are really, really happy. How happy are you right now? How happy?

Do you think France has what it takes to take the World Cup this year?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Most definitely. I mean, they're showing all the class, all the composure. And the defense look a lot better than it did last couple of games. So yes, definitely.

SANTANA: If they get to the finals, who do you hope they face in the finals?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Oh my God. I'm caught off guard. I have no idea who they should face in the finals. Tell me, boys.

SANTANA: You tell me. You tell me.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think they're going to meet Argentina in the finals.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That's a good one.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Messi, Mbappe. M and M. M and M.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Like the last World Cup. Yes, yes.

SANTANA: Repeat. Let's see a rematch.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MICHAELSON: Against Spain, Belgium in the coming hours here in southern California. Messi and Argentina playing on Saturday.

Thanks for watching THE STORY IS. I'm Elex Michaelson. I'll see you tomorrow to wrap up our week here. The news continues right after a quick break on CNN.

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