hello, i'm wolf blitzer. wherever you are watching from around the world, thanks very much for joining us. we gibb with new details on the worst mass shooting in u.s. history. a video posted by one of the victims captures the moments when shots first rang out inside the pulse nightclub in orlando, florida. in the video, amanda alvear didn't realize that the sound was fun geyer. >> at the club. -- was gunfire. >> i'm at the club. ♪

[ gunfire ] >> sadly, amanda alvear did not survive. she was one of the 49 people shot and killed by the terrorist gunman omar mateen. this is the scene outside the club today. the orlando police chief says authorities, they tried to negotiate with the gunman after he barricaded himself in a bathroom along with hostages. when negotiations didn't work, the chief made the decision to go in. >> we used our armored vehicle, the bearcat armored vehicle, to punch a hole in that wall. and we were able to rescue dozens and dozens of people that came out of that hole. the suspect came out of that hole himself, armed with a handgun and a long gun, engaged in a gun battle with officers where he was ultimately killed.

>> weeks before the massacre, the shooter tried to buy military grade body armor from a local store but the store didn't sell it. that's according to a u.s. official briefed on the investigation. also, the fbi says the gunman made three phone calls during the massacre. inside the nightclub. police and witnesses describe a truly horrific scene. victims' cell phones ringing as loved ones tried to reach them. a terrified woman who said she survived by covering herself with bodies. thords have identified all but one of the 49 people who were murder. florida's governor says helping the victims and their families is the top priority. >> we are a going to continue to work hard to take care of these families and make sure we try to get this community back and the state back to work as quickly as we can. right now it's time the fwreev for each family member that either lost a loved one or still has somebody in the hospital injured. >> any minute now we expect to hear from hillary clinton out on the campaign trail.

her thoughts on this tragic shooting in orlando. that's coming up. also we're waiting for today's white house press briefing. that's scheduled to begin fairly soon as well. just a little while ago over at the white house president obama spoke blntly about the terror attack and the investigation. >> this is being treated as a terrorist investigation. it appears that the shooter was inspired by various extremist information that was disseminated over the internet. at this stage, we see no clear evidence that he was directed externally. it does appear that at the last minute he announced allegiance to isil. but there is no evidence so far that he was in fact directed by isil. and there also at this stage is

no direct evidence that he was part of a larger plot. this is certainly an example of the kind of homegrown extremism that all of us have been so concerned about for a very long time. >> our national security correspondent jim sciutto is on the scene for us in orlando. jim, the president speaks about homegrown extremism. but they are also looking at the possibility this could have been part of a wider plot? >> they are, but the indications so far wolf is that it's not. and that's for a couple of reasons. one, they don't have evidence that he had contact or communication with isis central. they don't have that yet. it could turn up in other sources but at this point they don't have it. two, they know he had foreign travel. sources close to the investigation told me he traveled to saudi arabia the ways n 2011 and 2012. that was apparently for pilgrimages, part of muslim faith. but they don't have evidence at this point that he met with any bad actors during those trips. those are two lines of inquiry

they have gone down and don't see ties to a larger terror group. in addition to that -- and this is something the fbi director james comey said just a short time ago, at various times he expressed support not only for isis as he did while he was inside the club down the street here but also expressed support for al nusra and hezbollah. the thing about those three groups, those groups hate each other. they diametrically opposed. al qaeda and hezbollah currently fighting a war against etch each other in syria. those are sunni islamist groups. and those are reasons why the fbi when they were looking at him did not take him seriously because his claims of ties to those groups did not seem substantial. >> the fbi director was pretty blunt in describing what they know so far. let me play a clip of what he just said. listen to this. >> it is also not entirely clear

at this point just what terrorist group he aspired to support. although he made clearly his affinity at the time of the attack for isil, and generally leading up to the attack for radical islamist groups. during the calls he said he was doing this for the leader of isil, who he named, and pledged loyalty to. but he also appeared to claim solidarity with the perpetrators of the boston marathon bombing and solidarity with a florida man who died as a suicide bomber in syria for as muse re front, a group in conflict with the so-called islamic state. >> and interestingly enough, and i don't know if you can update us on this. the florida terrorist the only american so far who became a suicide bomber for al nusra, the al qaeda affiliate in syria. they went to the same mosque? did they know each other well? what do we know about that connection between those two people? >> this is an important

connection. the man went the syria and blew himself up in a suicide bombing. he and the orlando shooter went to the same islamic center here. if fbi saying they were believed to have had a casual acquaintance with each other. they don't know and have not said they had a deeper relationship or evidence of cooperation. but at least they knew each other. and this was a mosque to be clear that the orlando shooter didn't go to occasionally. he went three or four times a week. a deep connection there. now on the flip side here you have the fbi, they say they looked into him for a full ten months and then decided it wasn't substantial enough. this is the challenge for law enforcement here in the u.s. for counter-terror officials. they had many people, many dozens of people in this category who may express support for a group, have had communication with a terror group, shared a mosque with someone who was previously convicted or carried out attacks. that is, in our legal system,

not enough to lock them up. and it's a difficult thing for them to in effect block every one of these attacks because you could have many clues like this and ultimately they make judgments. and here they made a judgment that in effect turned out to be incorrect bass he did act violently many months after they ended that investigation. >> yep. he certainly did. all right jim sciutto on the scene for us in orlando. families of those killed in the orlando massacre just beginning to bereave for their loved ones. and some of those generate in the shooting are fighting for their lives right now. jik for blackwell is over at the orange county regional medical center in orlando. bryn jen grass is in new york. would mar are you learning about the identities of the victims? >> we are heart breaking stories coming out about all the victims. you just mentioned the one about amanda, the stories of their last moments. i want to show you another one. a text exchange between eddie

justice and his mother, mina. here's what it read, mommy, i love you. in a club, there's shooting. in the bathroom. call police. i'm gonna die. she texted back, calling them now. still there? answer your phone. call me. then she again texted call me. they texted back and forth and eddie eventually texted back. still here in bathroom. he has us. they need to come get us. hurry. he is in the bathroom with us. he is a terror. after that, no answer from eddie. hours later his mother learned her 30-year-old son was killed. we have other names we want to certainly mention here. jonathan kamuri, a telemundo journalist who worked in san juan then in florida. also corey connell, 21 years old, among the youngest of those killed in this attack. he wasality at pulse with his girlfriend. she survived the attack. connell did not. he was a student and he had big dreams of becoming a firefighter, which of course were cut short.

another person, wolf. edward soto mayor jr. he was known to his family and friends as top hat eddie. people have been posting pictures of themselves in top hats because that's how everybody knew him and loved him. officials right now say more than half of those kills, their names have been released but they are still trying to get in touch with family members to officially release all of the names. but all of them have been identify except for one, wolf. certainly, we are hearing more stories. we'll continue to bring them to you. >> heart breaking stories indeed. bryn, stand by. victor, give us an update on what you are learning in orlando. you are near the hospital. what are the conditions of those who are still in the hospital? >> still an urgent situation here. 36 hours since the shooting began. six people underwent surgery today at the orlando regional medical center. and we are getting a broader

picture of the people who were rushed here, treated and some people who have been released. let's put up on the screen numbers we are getting via twitter. 44 people treated here. 11 taken to other hospitals. nine died. but the hospital says those deaths came in the hours shortly after the shooting and none in the last 24 hours or so. six have been discharged. we're told that 29 patients remain in the hospital. five of them in grave condition. of course if we said 49 people in all died. one of those, amanda alvear she was broadcasting via snap chat what she thought would be a fun night at the club. there was music and unfortunately it ended with her death. >> hold on for a moment. i want to get to you. hillary clinton is speaking out in cleveland, ohio. her first public appearance since the terror attack. i want to listen in. >> i want to thachk your

congresswoman marcia fudge, who is both indomitible and defatiguible. she is a tenacious advocate for the people she represents. i want to acknowledge the mayor, mayor jackson, who is here, county scuffive budish. and i want to recognize the passing of george b orks oinovich. he devoted his life to serving the people of ohio as mayor of cleveland, as governor, and senator. and we send our prayers and sympathy to his family. he also want to thachk dan moore, the owner and founder of this company and team wendy for his belief in cleveland, for his commitment to create jobs. i can't wait to work with him to

do more of what he has accomplished here. midgely, i had intended to come to cleveland under very different circumstances. we are heading into a general election that could be the most consequential of our lifetimes. but today is not a day for politics. on sunday, americans woke up to a nightmare that's become mind numbingly familiar. another act of terrorism in a place no one expected. a madman filled with hate, with guns in his hands, and just a horrible sense of vengeance and vin kickiveness in his heart. apparently consumed by rage against lgbt americans. and by extension, the openness and diversity that defines our

american way of life. we will learn more about the killer in the days to come. we know that he pledged allegiance to isis, that they are now taking credit, and that part of their strategy is to radicalize individuals and encourage attacks against the united states even if they are not coordinated with isis leadership. but there is a lot we still don't know, including what other mix of motives drove him to kill. the more we learn about what happened, the better we'll be able to protect our people going forward. in the days ahead, we will also learn more about the many lives he viciously cut short. many of them young people, just starting out in their lives. they were travel agents and pharmacy techs, college students

and amusement park workers, sons and daughters, brothers and sisters, and they had one thing in common. they all had a lot more to give. we should take a moment today amid our busy lives to think about them, to pray for everyone who was killed, for the wounded, those who are fighting to regain their lives and futures, for our first responders who walked into danger one more time. as a mother, i can't imagine what those families are going through. but let's also remember the other scenes we saw on sunday. we saw the faces of some of those first responders who rushed into danger and tried to save as many people as they could. we saw survivors like chris hanson who risked their lives to help others. people gathering outside

hospitals to comfort anxious family members waiting for news of their loved ones, and waiting, too, to learn more about what they could do to make sure this never happened again. religion leaders condemning hate and appealing for peace. people lining up to donate blood. americans refusing to be intimidated or divided. yesterday i called mayor dire of orlando and offered my support and my appreciation for the leadership that he and the other officials have shown. this is a moment when all americans need to stand together. no matter how many times we endure attacks like this, the horror never fades. the murder of innocent people breaks our hearts. tears at our sense of security. and makes us furious.

now we have to steel our resolve to respond. and that's what i want to talk to you about. how we respond. the orlando terrorist may be dead, but the virus that poisoned his mind remains very much alive. and we must attack it with clear eyes, steady hands, unwavering determination and pride in our kpun a country and our values. [ applause ] i have no doubt -- i have no doubt we can meet this challenge if we meet it together. whatever we learn about this killer, his motives, in the days ahead, we know already the bar

bearity that we face from radical jihadists is profound. in the middle east isis is attempting a genocide of religious and ethnic minorities. they are slaughtering muslims to refuse to accept their medieval ways. they are beheading civilians, including executing lgbt people. they are murdering americans and europeans, enslaving, torturing and raping women and girls. in speeches like this one, after paris, brussels, and san bernardino, i have laid out a plan to defeat isis and the other radical jihadist groups in the roimg and yoend beyond. the attack in orlando makes it even more clear, we cannot contain this threat. we must defeat it. and the good news is that the coalition evident in syria and

iraq has made recent gains in the last months. so we should keep the pressure on ramping up the air campaign, accelerating support for our friends fighting to take and hold ground, and pushing our partners in the region to do even more. we also need continued american leadership to help resolve the political conflicts that fuel isis recruitment efforts. but as isis loses actual ground in iraq and syria, it will seek to stage more attacks and gain stronger foot holds wherever it can, from afghanistan, to libya, to europe. the threat is metastasizing. we saw this in paris. and we saw it in brussels. we face is twisted ideology and poisoned psychology that

inspires the so-called lone wolves radicalized individuals who may or may not have contact and direction from any formal organization. so, yes, efforts to defeat isis on the battlefield must succeed. but it will take more than that. [ applause ] we have to be just as adaptable and versatile as our enemies. as president, i will make identifying and stopping lone wolves a top priority. [ applause ] i will put a team together from across our government, the entire government, as well as the private sector and communities to get on top of

this urgent challenge. and i will make sure our law enforcement and intelligence professionals have all the resources they need to get the job done. as we do this, there are three areas that demand attention. first, we and our allies must work hand in hand to dismantle the networks that move money and propaganda and arms and fighters around the world. [ applause ] we have to flow. we have to stem the flow of jihadists from europe and america to iraq, syria, afghanistan, and then back again. the only way to do this is by working closely with our partners. strengthening our alliances, not

weakening them or walking away from them. second, here at home we must harden our own defenses. we have to do more to support our first responders, law enforcement, and intelligence officers who do incredible work every day at great personal risk to keep our country safe. [ applause ] i have seen firsthand how hard their job is, and how well they do it. in orlando, at least one police officer was shot in the head. thankfully, his life was saved by a kevlar helmet, something folks here at team wendy know a lot about. it's often been said that our

law enforcement, our intelligence agencies, our first responders have to be right 100% of the time. but terrorists only have to be right once. what a heavy responsibility. these men and women deserve both our respect and gratitude. and they deserve the right tools and resources and training. too often, state and local officials can't get access to intelligence from the federal government that would help them do their jobs. we need to change that. we also need to work -- [ applause ] we also need to work with local law enforcement and business owners on ways to protect vulnerable so-called soft targets like nightclubs and shopping malls and hotels and movie theaters and schools and houses of worship. now, i know a lot of americans

are asking how it was possible that someone already on the fbi's radar could have still been able to commit an attack like the one in orlando and what more we can do to stop this kind of thing from happening again. well, we have to see what the investigation uncovers. if there are things that can and should be done to improve our ability to prevent, we must do them. we already know we need more resources for this fight. the professionals who keep us safe would be the first to say we need better intelligence to discover and disrupt terrorist plots before they can be carried out. that's why i have proposed an intelligence surge to bolster our capabilities across the board with appropriate safeguards here at home. even as we make sure our security officials get the tools they need to prevent attacks,

it's essential that we stop terrorists from getting the tools they need to carry out the attacks. [ applause ] and that is especially true when it comes to assault weapons like those used in orlando and san bernardino. [ applause ] now, i believe weapons of war have no place on our streets. [ applause ] we may have our disagreements about gun safety regulations, but we should all be able to

agree on a few essential things. if the fbi is watching you for a suspected terrorist links, you shouldn't be able to just go buy a gun with no questions asked! [ applause ] and you shouldn't be able to exploit loopholes and evade criminal background checks by buying on line or at a gun show. and yes, if you are too dangerous to get on a plane, you are too dangerous to buy a gun in america. [ applause ]

now, i know some will say that assault weapons and background checks are totally separate issues having nothing to do with terrorism. well, in orlando and san bernardino, terrorists used assault weapons. the ar-15. and they used it to kill americans. that was the same assault weapon used to kill those little children in sandy hook. we have to make it harder for people who should not have those weapons of war. and that may not stop every shooting or every terrorist attack. but it will stop some, and it will save lives. and it will protect our first responders. [ applause ]

and i want you to know i'm not going to stop fighting for these kinds of provisions. now, the third area that demands attention is preventing radicalization and countering efforts by isis and other international terrorist networks to recruit in the united states and europe. for starters, it is long past time for the saudis, the qua qataris to fund extremist organizations. and they should stop supporting radical schools and mosques around the world that have sent too many young people on a path toward extremism.

we also have to use all our capabilities to counter jihadist propaganda on line. this is something i spent a lot of time on at the state department. as president, i will work with our great tech companies from silicon valley to boston to step up our game. we have to do a better job intercepting isis's communications, tracking and analyzing social media posts and mapping jihadist networks as well as promoting credible voices who can provide alternatives to radicalization. and there is more to do -- [ applause ] -- off line as well. since 9/11, law enforcement agencies have worked hard to build relationships with muslim american communities. millions of peace-loving muslims live, work, and raise their

families across america. [ applause ] and they are the most likely to recognize the insidious effects of radicalization before it's too late, and the best positioned to help us block it. so we should be intensifying contacts in those communities, not scapegoating orsolating them. [ applause ] last year, i visited a pilot program in minneapolis that helps parents, teachers, imams, mental health poeflgs and others recognize signs of radicalization in young people and work with law enforcement to intervene before it's too late. i've also met with local leaders pursuing innovative approaches

in los angeles and other places. and we need more efforts like that in more cities across america. and as the director of the fbi has pointed out, we should avoid eroding trust in that community, which will only make law enforcement's job more difficult. inflammatory anti-muslim rhetoric and threatening to ban the families and friends of muslim americans as well as millions of muslim business people and tourists from entering our country hurts the vast majority of muslims who love freedom and hate terror. [ applause ] so does saying that we have to start special surveillance on our fellow americans because of their religion. it's no coincidence that hate

crimes against american muslims and mosques have tripled after paris and san bernardino. that's wrong. and it's also dangerous. it plays right into the terrorists' hands. still, as i have said before, none of us can close our eyes to the fact that we do face enemies who use their distorted version of islam to justify slaughtering innocent people. they take us all back to the stone age if they could, just as they have in parts of iraq and syria. the terrorist in orlando targeted lgbt americans out of hatred and bigotry. and an attack on any american is an attack on all americans. [ applause ]

and i want to say this to all the lgbt people grieving today in florida and across our country. you have millions of allies who will always have your back. [ applause ] and i am one of them. [ applause ] from stonewall to laramie, and now orlando, we've seen too many

examples of how the struggle to live freely, openly, and without fear has been met by violence. we have to stand together, be proud together. there is no better rebuke to the terrorists and all those who hate. our open, diverse society is an asset in the struggle against terrorism, not a liability. it makes us stronger and more resistant to radicalization. and this raises a larger point about the future of our country. america is strongest when we all believe that we have a stake in our country and our future. this vision has sustained us from the beginning. the belief that, yes, we are all created equal and the journey we have made to turn that into

reality over the course of our history, that we are not a land of winners and losers, that we should all have the opportunity to live up to our god-given potential. and we have a responsibility to help others do so as well. [ applause ] you see [ applause ] -- as i look at american history, i see that this hags always been a country of "we" not "me". we stand together because we are stronger together. e pluribus. out of many one, has seen us through the darkest chapters of our history. ever since 13 squabbling

colonies put aside their disagreements and united because they realized they were going to rise together or fall separately, generation after generation has fought and marched and organized to widen the circle of dignity and opportunity, ending slavery, securing and expanding the right to vote, throwing open the doors of education, building the greatest middle class the world has ever seen. and we are stronger when more people can participate in our democracy. [ applause ] and we are stronger when everyone can share in the rewards of our economy and contribute to our communities. when we bridge our divides and lift each other up instead of tearing each other down. now, we have overcome a lot together. and we will overcome the threats

of terror and radicalization and all of our other challenges. here in ohio and across america, i've listened to people talk about the problems that keep you up at night, the bonds that hold us together as communities, as one national community, are strained by an economy with too much inequality and too little upward mobility. by social and political divisions that have diminished our trust in each other and our confidence in our shared future. well, i have heard that. and i want you to know, as your president, i will work every day to break down all the barriers holding you back and keeping us apart. we're going to get an economy that works for everyone, not just those at the top. we're going to forge a new sense of connection and shared responsibility to each other and our nation. and finally,

[ applause ] -- finally let me remind us all, i remember -- i remember how it felt on the day after 9/11. and i bet many of you do as well. americans from all walks of life rallied together with a sense of common purpose on september the 12th. and in the days and weeks and months that followed. we had each other's backs. i was a senator from new york. there was a republican president, a republican governor, and a republican mayor. we did not attack each other. we worked with each other to protect our country and to rebuild our city. [ applause ]

president obama went to a muslim community center just six days after the attacks to send a message of unity and solidarity to anyone who wanted to take out their anger on our neighbors and muslim citizens, he said that would not and should not stand for america. it is time to get back to the spirit of those days, the spirit of 9/12. let's make sure we keep looking to the best of our country, to the best within each of us, democratic and republicans republican presidents have risen to the occasion in the face of tragedy. that is what we are called to do, my friends. and i am so confident and optimistic that is exactly what we will do. thank you all so much! [ applause ] >> the presumptive democratic

presidential nominee, hillary clinton, with jered brown, the democratic governor from ohio, mentioned as a potential vice presidential running mate with a speech she definitely would not have delivered before orlando, a thoughtful detailed speech dealing with the aftermath of orlando, the terror attack there killing 49 americans, injuring 53 others. gloria, certainly not the speech she would have delivered had orlando not taken place? >> no, it isn't. she laid out a very clear plan what she wants to do talking about lone wolves, hardening our defense against soft targets, an surge in intelligence and the list went on. while she didn't mention donald trump by name she clearly took him on for what she called

scapegoating the muslim community in this country. and then she harkened back to a republican president, george bush, after 9/11 who called for unity in this country and made a point of saying that you should not go after muslims. and she talked about the ban and how it hurts the vast majority of muslims who love freedom and hate terror in this country. and that's a direct attack on donald trump. but she was very, very careful, wolf, not to mention his name. just to mention his policy. >> and she was very, very specific in avoiding that name. >> absolutely shoo but clearly chris citing him implicitly on the ban on muslims coming to the united states and other several issues. jeff zeleny, you listened carefully to the former secretary of state. and she was very blunt in explaining what she would do. i was sort of surprised she specifically said friendly conditions like saeb, qatar and kuwait, they have got to stop

their funding of these terror groups. >> well, she was very specific, indeed. and this speech was designed here in ohio, of course one of the biggest battleground states of all to kick off the general election campaign. wolf, that's exactly what this speech is. that's exactly what today is. this new debate of this campaign is suddenly reframed with this horrific events in orlando over the last 24 hours. but wolf so important and key that she didn't mention donald trump by name as gloria said but throughout her entire speech that was the subtext here. folks take a look at the differences between me and donald trump. basically what she was saying. she also called specifically for a ban on assault weapons and that was the first and loudest and most sustained standing ovation here in this crowd here in battlegrounds ohio. she said i believe weapons of war have no place on our streets. that is going to be her battle cry in this campaign the next

five months. we've seen the democratic party having challenges with the issue of guns over the years. they have tried to walk a fine line here. no more. that is over. hillary clinton is clearly siding with gun control and that is a message they believe resonates well here. i was struck by the specifics of funding terrorism. she was secretary of state. some of her record is going to be picked apart here. but this is her bailiwick, her strong society suit. i thought her tone was the most impressive or notable thing overall. contrast that from two weeks ago in san diego when she was going hard after donald trump. that speech essentially laid the predicate for this speech, this is the kind of leadership she is trying to present to the american people. of course we'll hear a rebuttal if you will from donald trump. but this is a new moment in this campaign a new framing this campaign that's much more serious than pomp and circumstance and music. this is what this campaign is

all about. >> it certainly is. she said specifically, i believe weapons of war have no place on our street. she was very, very specific in going over -- calling for this ban on assault weapons. paul crook shack is with us as well, our cnn terror analyst. paul, we heard earlier in the day in a cnn interview with hig here on newday on cnn she said whether you call it radical jihadism or radical islamism i'm happy to say either, they mean the same thing. in this speech she spoke about radical jihadist. expla explain. the president refuses to say radical islamism and she this morning saying she is willing to use that phrase. >> people in my field, analysts

who look at it. we use the phrase islamist, terrorists, we use the phrase jihadi. they are skribtive terms. they are not loaded terms. they are aimed to describe a certain phenomena that is going on. it has become very loaded obviously in the political discourse in the united states on both sides of the political divide. we're all aware of that. but what i can tell you is that people like me have no issue describing radical jihadis to describe groups like al qaeda, like isis. but if you are a political figure, a political leader in the united states or in the west you may decide to be careful with language in order not to make the threat greater from these sorts of people. and that is why we've seen the president and other administration officials being very careful in their use of language. jihad is a term which is used my

many muslims to denote a very different struggle to the one al qaeda and isis use it the denote. so there is this battle over semantics but people like me want to move on from that and just talk about terms as best as we can to describe these phenomena. >> everybody stand by. we are going to be getting back to you. when the senate and house convene later today here in washington, both will hold a moment of silence to mark this weekend's shooting in larnd. let's talk about that and what we also just heard from hillary clinton, republican senator and chairman of the senate homeland security and government affairs committee ron johnson is joining us right now. senator thank you for joining us. let me get your reaction first of all to what we heard from hillary clinton. i assume you heard most of that speech. >> wolf, my approach has always been trying to find areas of agreement that keep america safe, prosperous and secure.

again, there are an awful lot of parts of hillary clinton's speech that i agree with. that's a good thing. this is a moment where we need to unify as a country. that's certainly what the moment of silence is going to be about. let's try to find real solutions. i come from a manufacturing background. solved a lot of prbs, root cause analysis. my root cause analysis of what happened in orlando and so many other cases islamic terrorists, that ideology. they are not going away. you can say you want to enwars. two twice do that. defeat your enemy or both sides agree to lay down their arms. islamic terrorists aren't going awaying laying down their arms so we have to defeat them. >> she reiterated a call to ban assault weapons. are you ready to call for gun control and ban assault weapons. >> fully automatic weapons of war are already banned.

i'm willing to take a look at any solution that actually solves a problem. i think the hurdle that those that propose further restrilgting our constitutional rights -- let's look at what islamic terror has done in terms of restricting our rights. we spent $95 billion on tsa. it's much more difficult to get on an airplane today. where are we going to further restrict our constitutional rights in reaction to this? i'm willing to look at any solution that would work. but the hurdle of those opposed to those tighten affecting our right to bear arms -- is it going to work. you have to look at past tragedies and you have to seriously conclude it wouldn't have solved the problem. i think the first thing we have to do is recognize that islamic terror is disrupting civilization restricting our freedoms. let's not restrict them further voluntarily. >> the ar-15 that was used in this terror attack killing 49

people, you wouldn't describe that as an all weapon? you are differentiating between that and a fully automatic assault weapon? >> yes. >> that weapon certainly did kill a lot of people. >> so do bombs. there are other ways that terrorists can slaughter people. it's their ideology. it calls for the slaughter of innocents. that's the root cause. it's not law-abiding gun owners that are the problem heempl it's islamic terrorists and we need to actually accomplish what president obama laid out as our goal 22 months, degrade and defeat isis. the ideology i have been using is you have a hornets nest in the backyard. you can poke it and do some damage. but you make them actually more dangerous. we have to take out the hive. we have to defeat isis and islamic terror once and for all. as a civilized world we need to remain committed relentlessly to defeating isis and al qaeda wherever it is found around the

world. >> i know you have got to go but hillary clinton said he was investigated by the fbi and no problem going to a store and buying an ar-15 and another pistol s. that a problem you see out there? >> i spoke to a fbi deputy director. and basically, they did have a very robust 10-month investigation trying to track down whether any of the claims to co-work earls were true. they finally interviewed him and he basically said he made it all up. they cleared him. they took him off. he did commit a terrorist act. the enormous challenge we have, the vexing problem is what do you do with the not guilty yet? this is why we need to take a look at not only this situation but san bernardino, ft. hood, texas. remember, in milwaukee, wisconsin, just in january, we foiled a plot. sammy hamza wanted to slaughter

100 people here so we need to look at what the problems are and what we can do. i'll go back to the root cause, islamic terror. >> senator johnson of wisconsin, thanks very much for joining us. >> have a good day. >> thank you. coming up, we're learning new details now on the fbi's previous investigations into the orlando shooter. we'll discuss that. update you on more information right after this. you both have a

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we are learning new details on the fbi's investigation into the orlando nightclub terrorist. evan perez is joining us. i understand you went -- left a background briefing with top officials over there. what did you hear? >> reporter: that's right, wolf. a briefing by the fbi director james comey and sally yates

deputy director general and wanted to give background of the fbi investigations into the shooting suspect, for instance, back in may of 2013, the fbi placed him on a watchlist that would have certainly raised questions if he tried to fly. not necessarily the no-fly list but something that would have caused the fbi to ask questions, question him if he tried to fly. this was for about ten months from may 2013 to about march of 2014. when the fbi closed this investigation. this is an investigation that began when co-workers said that mateen was boasting about ties to the boston bombers. he said he was a member of hezbollah. the fbi interviewed him and that he was making it up. they closed the investigation and even used undercover informants. they checked with saudi arabia where he had traveled and found nothing to continue the investigation. he was, again, investigated or looked into back in 2014, wolf, when his name surfaced in

connection to someone who carried out a suicide bombing in syria. that's abusalah. the fbi said there was not enough there to continue the investigation and what the fbi director was trying to today was he believes they did what they should have done back in those investigations. he said they'll go back and review it but he believes they did a thorough job and added more detail as to what happened on the night of the shooting in orlando. he says that the suspect made three separate 911 phone calls. in one he hung up. the second one he spoke briefly with the operator and hung up again and then in the third phone call, the operator called him and they spoke briefly. the fbi director wouldn't say what exactly was exchanged in the calls. we know from talking to sources he did mention the -- that he

did mention the boston bombers and abusalah that carried out the syrian suicide bombing on behalf of al nusra. >> that's it for me. i'll be back 5:00 p.m. eastern in "the situation room." the next hour, donald trump will address the orlando nightclub terror attack and meantime, the news continues after a quick break.

here we go. top of the hour. you are watching cnn here. i'm brooke baldwin live in orlando. just quickly to give you a vantage point, you can see the pulse sign a block away from me in the 95-degree heat we are covering the story. cnn's special live coverage of america's worst deadly terror attack. 49 innocent people, enjoying life. latin night, salsa. murdered. and another 53 hurt. we're now seeing as new