ABC World News Tonight with David Muir Full Broadcast - May 2, 2026

[0:00] David Muir, ABC's World News Tonight. America's most watched newscast. Now streaming same day [0:07] with all the breaking news of the day on Disney Plus. Most watched, most trusted. Now on Disney [0:13] Plus every night. Breaking tonight, a popular discount airline abruptly shutting down. What [0:19] this means for air travel and why this could be a very costly summer for drivers. First Spirit [0:25] Airlines, its final flights landing overnight, signs removed from airports, passengers scrambling [0:31] to rebook with other carriers, and more than 15,000 employees out of work. Why a last minute [0:37] deal involving a government takeover fell apart and what the airline blames for its demise. [0:42] Gas prices surging again and now oil executives warning the worst may still be ahead. Their [0:48] painful forecast for the summer driving season, why prices could climb even if the Strait of Hormuz [0:54] reopens. Iran now saying the war with the U.S. is likely to resume and the growing rift [1:00] between the U.S. and its allies. President Trump now withdrawing thousands of troops from Germany. [1:06] Also tonight, the major decision that blocks access to abortion pills sent by mail. A federal [1:11] appeals court ruling that mail orders of mifepristone violate state abortion bans. That drug, one [1:18] of the most common means of abortion, can now only be distributed in person or at clinics. Plus, [1:24] a deadly crash. Police say a 14-year-old on an e-bike allegedly hitting and killing a Vietnam [1:30] veteran. Why the boy's mother is now charged with aggravated manslaughter. Gone in seconds. Stunning [1:36] images of what authorities are calling a million-dollar theft ring. Teams allegedly stripping wheels, [1:42] rims, and catalytic converters. The D.A. saying they worked as quickly as a pit crew. 16 people now facing [1:49] charges. Down to the wire in the NBA playoffs, the game-winning overtime shot while LeBron and the [1:55] Lakers move on to round two. The surprise passenger buckled in. Why this robot caused a big delay for [2:02] one flight. And America's strong tonight. He's keeping Americans safe in the sky at 90 years young. The big [2:08] surprise and what he says keeps him going. From ABC News World Headquarters in New York, this is World [2:20] News Tonight. Good evening. Thanks for joining us on this Saturday. I'm Wade Johnson. We begin tonight [2:25] with the unfolding travel nightmare. Spirit, the no-frills discount airline, shutting down after 30 [2:31] years, leaving flyers scrambling for options and forced to buy new plane tickets. The airline making its [2:37] final flight in Dallas, Texas overnight. It struggled in recent years, filing for bankruptcy twice since [2:43] 2024. But surging fuel costs from the war with Iran delivered the final and fatal blow. Frustrated [2:50] passengers across the country are now dealing with canceled flights. Other airlines are trying to offer [2:55] relief, but they too are facing financial strains. And thousands of Spirit's workers are now unemployed. [3:01] The airline, known for its bright yellow planes and rock-bottom prices, was unable to secure [3:07] a bailout from the federal government. ABC's Morgan Norwood leads us off from Newark Airport [3:12] in New Jersey. Tonight, Spirit Airlines, the no-frills disruptor that transformed the commercial [3:18] aviation industry with its bare-bones, low-cost fares and bold marketing, shutting down after three [3:24] decades. End of an era right there. Its final flight, 1833, touching down in Dallas just after midnight [3:31] from Detroit. The airline now the latest business casualty, as surging fuel costs from the war [3:37] in Iran, pushed it over the edge. Across the country, signage stripped from terminals. [3:43] Passengers stunned to find their flights canceled. Thousands of people potentially now forced to [3:49] book new flights. I get here, it's a ghost town this morning. I didn't know what to do. [3:54] Alvin Harper was set to fly out of Newark to South Carolina to handle a family emergency. He says he [3:59] ended up paying hundreds for a new flight. That's 900-something dollars I spent so far. But I'm looking forward to [4:07] getting my money back from Spirit. But when? How? The collapse comes after Spirit failed to secure a [4:15] last-ditch, half-a-billion-dollar lifeline from the government. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy [4:20] addressing Spirit's collapse at Newark Airport. I asked him why the president's deal fell through. [4:24] What was the sticking point and what was the tension point? [4:27] In the end, this was a creditor issue. Again, they have the final say of whether they want to do a deal [4:32] with the government. Duffy also criticizing the Biden administration for blocking Spirit's [4:37] proposed merger with JetBlue in 2024, calling it a massive mistake, pointing to the airline's [4:43] bankruptcy battles prior to the war in Iran. But Spirit itself saying soaring fuel prices, [4:49] quote, left us with no alternative but to pursue an orderly wind down of the company. [4:54] Now, the airline enters into a liquidation process. Partial refunds from its reserve funds [4:59] expected to take dates. The DOT says they are working with other carriers to roll out rescue [5:05] fares, averaging around $200 for a one-way ticket, most likely higher than what passengers had paid [5:11] for their tickets on a Spirit flight. But the fallout goes far beyond passengers. The airline now [5:17] scrambling to get its more than 1,300 crew members back home, with hundreds more employees without a job. [5:23] It was somewhat kind of unreal, and I really haven't processed it all yet. [5:27] The Association of Flight Attendants now urging the government to step in and help those who have [5:36] been laid off. Many people are going to be harmed by this, and we need to make sure that there is an [5:41] effort underway by the administration right away to lift people up. And when there is relief for [5:47] ticket holders tonight, Spirit says if you book directly through them through a card, those refunds [5:52] should be automatic. However, if you went through a travel agency or, say, a third-party booking website, [5:56] you want to start there. Lastly, if you use points or vouchers, those refunds will be handled through [6:02] the bankruptcy process, which could take some time with. [6:05] Yeah, still so much uncertainty for those passengers. Morgan Norwood, we appreciate it. [6:09] Growing concerns tonight about the state of the economy, with gas prices surging as high as $8 a gallon [6:15] in parts of California. The cost of food and housing also ticking up, and the warning from oil [6:21] executives amid the stalemate over the Strait of Hormuz. Here's ABC's Alex Frosche. [6:26] Pocketbook pain for millions of Americans tonight as they struggle to get by, with a gallon of gas [6:31] climbing nearly 40 cents in just the last week and no end in sight. The national average now sitting [6:37] at $4.44 a gallon, a four-year high. I hope to go down soon because it's hard. [6:44] A new ABC News Washington Post's Ipsos poll shows over 4 in 10 Americans have cut back on driving [6:50] or cut other household expenses because of high gas prices. And those prices will increase at least [6:55] 10 to 15 cents per gallon in the coming weeks due to stations rolling out their more costly summer blend. [7:02] If the Strait of Hormuz continues to be blocked or significantly impeded, we could see the national [7:06] average pushing closer to $4.75 or even that $5 a gallon mark by Memorial Day. [7:11] Complications over the Strait of Hormuz have driven up oil prices more than $100 a barrel. [7:17] Experts cautioning even once the Strait is fully operational, [7:21] it could take one to two months before the flow of oil is reestablished. [7:25] But with time, as the Strait's remain closed, those additional sources of supply will [7:31] attrit, will run out of the inventory. And so we'll see an increasing impact on price. [7:37] Friday, the Treasury Department issued a warning that shippers who pay Iranian tolls to travel the [7:42] Strait could face American sanctions. The rapid and sustained increase in energy prices leaving [7:47] many Americans little time to adjust. [7:50] It's so much more expensive. [7:52] Those added costs often reflected in higher grocery bills. [7:55] The most recent inflation report shows consumer prices in March surged at their fastest monthly [8:00] pace since 2022. And in the housing market, the average rate on a 30-year fixed mortgage topped [8:06] 6.1% this week, the highest level in more than a month. [8:11] Well, and Whit, the concern is that if oil stays at this level for a year, by one estimate, [8:15] it will cost the typical household an extra $1,300 in gas and diesel, not including the fuel [8:22] surcharge that some companies have already adopted. And then, of course, those rising airfare prices. [8:27] Wait. Alex Brashe, our thanks to you. Next tonight, President Trump issuing a new warning to Iran [8:33] as officials from that country say the war is likely to resume and the rift between the U.S. [8:38] and its allies appears to be growing. Here's ABC's senior White House correspondent, Selina Way. [8:44] Tonight, more than 24 hours after President Trump told Congress that hostilities with Iran have been [8:50] terminated, Iran warning renewed conflict with the United States is likely. A senior Iranian military [8:57] officials saying in state media that evidence shows the U.S. is not committed to any agreements [9:03] or treaties. The armed forces are fully prepared for any new adventures or foolishness from the [9:09] Americans. President Trump telling Congress yesterday that the war is over, bypassing a legal deadline [9:15] that requires congressional approval to continue military action. But just hours after sending that [9:22] letter, Trump saying the U.S. might be better off without a deal. They've got to make a bad deal. [9:28] But if they make a deal at all, because frankly, maybe we're better off not making a deal at all. [9:32] With peace talk stalled, Trump issuing Iran this stark warning. Do we want to go and just blast the hell [9:38] out of him and finish him forever? Or do we want to try and make a deal? [9:42] The U.S. naval blockade in full force and the Strait of Hormuz remains closed. The Trump [9:48] administration now asking other countries to join a new international coalition to help reopen the [9:54] strait. U.S. officials tell ABC News the coalition would coordinate diplomatic efforts and enforce [10:00] sanctions. But that ask comes as Trump has repeatedly blasted our NATO allies for not getting directly [10:06] involved in the Iran war. On Monday, the German chancellor publicly criticized the administration's [10:13] handling of the war, saying the Americans clearly have no strategy and the U.S. is being humiliated by [10:19] Iranian negotiators. Trump responding, ordering the Pentagon to withdraw 5,000 U.S. troops from Germany over [10:27] the next 6 to 12 months. And Whit, tonight we're learning that the State Department has fast-tracked [10:33] $8.6 billion in arms sales to partners in the Middle East, sidestepping congressional approval [10:39] by invoking emergency powers. And since the Iran war began, the U.S. has already used that authority [10:45] for billions more. Whit? And Selena, on another subject here, Cuba is also responding to new threats [10:52] from President Trump. That's right, Whit. Last night, President Trump said that the U.S. would be taking [10:56] over Cuba almost immediately after the war in Iran is over. And tonight, Cuba's president is firing back, [11:02] saying, quote, no aggressor, no matter how powerful, will find surrender in Cuba. It comes as Cuba's [11:09] economy is struggling, with many going without power and even without food, Whit. All right, [11:14] Selena Wang for us tonight. And tune into this week. Tomorrow morning, Martha Raddatz interviews [11:19] Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy and top Armed Services Democrat Senator Jack Reed about the ongoing [11:25] fallout from the Iran war. Now to the Supreme Court facing yet another major ruling on abortion. A [11:31] pharmaceutical company filed an emergency appeal earlier today. This after a lower court on Friday [11:37] blocked a popular abortion pill from being dispensed through the mail. Here's ABC's investigative [11:42] reporter, Olivia Rubin. Tonight, the most sweeping abortion restriction since the 2022 Supreme Court [11:49] decision overturning Roe versus Wade taking effect around the country. A three-judge appeals court panel, [11:55] two appointed by President Trump, temporarily barring women from accessing the abortion pill, [12:01] called Mifeprestone by mail, the ruling a win for Louisiana, which sued in part on claims the [12:07] by mail pill skirted its statewide abortion ban. The FDA approved Mifeprestone in 2000, [12:13] but eased restrictions in 2023 under the Biden administration, no longer requiring women to see [12:20] a certified health care provider in person. But under the Trump administration, HHS Secretary Robert F. [12:27] Kennedy Jr. Ordering an FDA review of the safety and efficacy of the drug. It's very efficacious and has [12:34] less than 1% complication rate for people living in rural counties or in states with strict abortion laws, [12:42] people who cannot access a health care provider in person, having the option of medication abortions [12:48] via telemedicine is potentially lifesaving. The ruling now significantly curtailing access to one of [12:55] the most common abortion methods, medication abortion, which in 2023 accounted for more than 60% of all abortions [13:03] in the country, according to Guttmacher Institute. And with this case now before the Supreme Court tonight, [13:09] two manufacturers of the pill asking the nation's high court to restore access. But Whit, the Supreme Court [13:15] has been here before. Just two years ago, it unanimously rejected a similar challenge to the pill, though [13:22] critically, it left the door open to similar challenges. Whit. Olivia Rubin reporting tonight. Now to a California mom [13:29] charged with involuntary manslaughter after her 14-year-old son allegedly struck an 81-year-old man with an e-bike. The [13:36] Vietnam veteran and substitute teacher later died from his injuries. Here's ABC's Jacqueline Lee. [13:42] Tonight, a teen's alleged ride turns fatal and his mother is now charged with involuntary manslaughter. [13:49] 50-year-old Tommy Joe Meyer is behind bars after police say her 14-year-old son illegally rode an e-motorcycle [13:56] and fatally struck a Vietnam veteran. 81-year-old Ed Ashman was walking home from his job as a substitute teacher [14:02] when police say the teen was doing wheelies and hit him. Authorities say the teen [14:06] fled the scene as Ashman lay critically injured. Ashman was a captain in the United States Marine [14:12] Corps and flew combat missions in Vietnam. Ashman died in the hospital a week later from his injuries. [14:17] Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer saying in a statement, [14:20] an American hero who survived flying combat missions in Vietnam could not survive walking across the street [14:26] in Lake Forest because of a 14-year-old child. The e-motorcycle allegedly involved in the collision [14:31] goes up to 58 miles per hour according to authorities. [14:34] I'm charging the mother because she provided the motorcycle. She was aware of it. She was warned on a prior occasion that this was a dangerous vehicle. [14:45] Meijer is facing a maximum sentence of seven years and eight months in state prison if convicted on all counts. [14:52] She will be arraigned later this month. Whit. [14:55] Jaclyn Lee, thanks so much. Here in New York City, more than a dozen people were indicted for their alleged involvement [15:00] in an auto theft ring. Prosecutors compared them to a race car pit crew. Here's ABC's Aika Giachi. [15:07] Tonight, new images of what investigators call a pit crew of car thieves moving fast and furious [15:14] through Bronx streets under the cover of darkness. You can see the three-person crew piling out of a stolen car. [15:22] According to prosecutors, masked, in gloves, with a jack and milk crates, and in minutes, [15:28] police say their victim's car is up on crates, the tires, rims, even the car's catalytic converter gone. [15:34] They allegedly worked fast like a race car pit crew in the dead of night. [15:40] Tonight, 16 alleged members of the Trinitario street gang now indicted in a nearly 1,000-count case. [15:47] Grand larceny, auto stripping, and more accused of more than 250 thefts across the Bronx alone. [15:53] Prosecutors say they hit between midnight and 5 a.m. Then, drivers waking up to work only to find an empty space [16:01] or their cars propped up on crates, stranded and facing thousands in repairs. [16:06] Witt, tonight, several of the 16 alleged crew members are now in custody, awaiting a September court date, [16:12] with authorities saying more arrests are possible. [16:15] Prosecutors say the message is simple. [16:17] They're going after these pit crew-style rings wherever they operate. [16:21] Witt. [16:22] All right, Ike Ajachi, thank you. [16:24] There is much more ahead on World News Tonight this Saturday, including a deadly mass shooting in Texas. [16:29] What police say led up to the shots fired. [16:31] And a look into the future. [16:33] Trucks making deliveries with no one at the wheel. [16:36] Stay with us. [16:37] Next tonight, a deadly mass shooting in Amarillo, Texas. [16:43] Two people were killed, ten others injured in the overnight shooting. [16:46] Police say the shooting broke out over a dispute at a party inside an apartment. [16:51] No arrests have been reported. [16:53] When we come back, the overtime winner that became an instant classic in the NBA playoffs. [17:01] To the NBA playoffs now, LeBron James led the L.A. Lakers into the second round Friday night. [17:06] The Lakers beat the Houston Rockets in six games. [17:09] Toronto's R.J. Barrett had the shot of the night somehow, finding the bottom of the net in the final seconds of overtime [17:16] to beat the Cleveland Cavaliers and tie the series at three games each. [17:20] And the Detroit Pistons came from 24 points down to beat the Orlando Magic. [17:24] That forces game seven. [17:26] And you can watch it right here on ABC tomorrow at 3.30 Eastern. [17:30] A major first for the trucking industry. [17:34] A startup called Bot Auto delivered freight this week without a driver. [17:38] This wasn't a demonstration, but the first paid commercial delivery, [17:42] 230 miles from Houston to Dallas overnight. [17:45] Industry officials predict that within 10 years there could be up to 170,000 autonomous trucks on America's highways. [17:54] And while we're talking about robots, Southwest Airlines flight from Oakland to San Diego was delayed because of an unusual passenger. [18:02] This right here is Bebop. A robotics company was transporting it for a demonstration. [18:07] It was too heavy to be checked, so its handlers bought a seat. [18:11] Southwest then said its lithium-ion battery was too big, so they confiscated it. [18:16] At last word, the handlers were still trying to get it back. [18:20] Still ahead, America Strong, celebrating a TSA veteran who shows no signs of slowing down. [18:26] Finally tonight, America Strong and a TSA milestone. [18:33] Morning, ladies. [18:35] At John Wayne Airport in Orange County, 90-year-old Lawrence Santucci still works at TSA Checkpoint and shows up before sunrise. [18:43] He's inspirational. [18:44] The Army veteran is the oldest TSA officer in the country. [18:48] But working for the TSA was not part of his original plan. [18:52] After an unexpected financial hardship, he joined in 2008 when he was in his 70s. [18:57] I had to come back to work. [18:59] Because I wanted to save my house. [19:01] What began as a way to rebuild became a second career. [19:05] I try to instill on people when they come to work, you're here to protect life and property. [19:11] And this week, his usual early arrival came with a special surprise. [19:15] Happy birthday, dad. [19:17] His daughter Marie says service is what keeps him going. [19:22] He loves our country and wants to serve others, and that's why he won't retire. [19:28] Santucci says that work ethic started long before the TSA. [19:32] At 13, I built my first shoeshine box. [19:36] At 90 years young, Lawrence Santucci still has a pep in his step, finding pride and purpose at the airport. [19:43] What am I going to do if I retire? Sit down? [19:46] A true inspiration. [19:50] Thanks so much for watching. [19:51] Have a great night. [19:52] David Muir, the most trusted anchor in America, the most watched anchor in America. [19:59] Thank you for making world news tonight with David Muir, the number one newscast in America.