Hallie Jackson NOW - June 16 — NBC News NOW

[0:01] We are coming on the air with an official update in just the last minute on light-threatening [0:16] storms that are creating severe weather for 16 million people tonight, a race to rescue [0:21] people trapped in rising floodwaters as officials warn of catastrophic damage. [0:26] Then the new arrests after the FBI allegedly foiled a plot to target the UFC event at the [0:32] White House with explosive-loaded drones. [0:35] What we know about one suspect who allegedly said the attack would, quote, jumpstart a [0:40] revolution in the U.S., then it's not easy being green. [0:45] Just ask the historic reflecting pool here in Washington why it's turning green again, [0:50] even after President Trump's multimillion-dollar mission to clean it before July 4th. [0:56] Plus, the controversy facing Major League Baseball after some players put Bible verses on their [1:01] Pride Night hats, the new warning just issued by the league. [1:05] And the new warning shot in a famous family feud, what Brooklyn Beckham is now saying about [1:11] his rift with his parents in a new World Cup ad that is later in the show. [1:15] Hey there, I'm Ryan Nobles in tonight for Hallie. [1:18] And tonight, 16 million people are at risk of deadly flash floods ahead of a potential [1:24] tropical cyclone that could bring more life-threatening conditions in the South. [1:28] Look at this. In Louisiana, Missouri, and Texas, you see people abandoning their cars [1:34] in the middle of completely washed-out streets. Millions across the Louisiana coast are now [1:39] under tropical storm warnings. And take a look at this. A tow truck trying to pull a vehicle [1:44] out of all of the water in Texas. We now know one woman is confirmed dead after her car was swept [1:52] away there. And then, the main city at the highest risk, Houston, ahead of what could be the first [1:57] named storm of the season, taking shape around the Gulf Coast right now. Our meteorologist Bill [2:03] Cairns is watching it all. But first, let's bring in Ryan Chandler. He's on the ground in Houston. [2:08] So, Ryan, give us an update there. The conditions might get worse in Texas tonight. What kind of [2:14] resources are going into keeping folks safe out there? Well, Ryan, the largest threat to life here [2:21] in Houston is going to be on the roads. The bad news is Houston is incredibly susceptible to flash [2:26] flooding that can shut down some major arteries for transportation right in the center of the city. [2:31] The good news is this happens often, and officials know exactly where the most dangerous flood-prone [2:38] areas are. So, they are prepositioning barricades to shut down roads that they know are going to be [2:44] dangerous, reminding people that even a foot of water is enough to carry a car away. Unfortunately, [2:49] elsewhere in Texas, we've seen a death in exactly that situation. A woman who was pulled away in her [2:56] car in rapidly rushing floodwaters, even as she was on the phone with 911. Here in Houston, [3:02] we also know that they are transitioning dump trucks into high-water rescue vehicles and [3:07] prepositioning boats to rescue people who inevitably may get stranded on the roads. Here's the urgent [3:13] message from local officials today. If you get in a position where you see high water, it's very hard [3:21] to adjust. You may think you can pass it in your car and you'll get stuck, and then that puts our [3:28] first responders, our police and fire apparatuses in a very difficult situation. Turnaround, don't [3:35] drown is very, very important. We've seen a steady stream of rain here over Houston throughout most of [3:43] the day. Some significant flooding on the roads, stranding some cars just north of here in the [3:47] woodlands area, but we expect the rain to last through the night as that storm system continues to [3:52] strengthen, Ryan. Ryan Chandler, thank you so much. Stay safe. We appreciate your work out there. [3:58] Let's bring in our meteorologist Bill Karens now. So, Bill, we did just get an update from the [4:02] National Hurricane Center. What are we learning? The storm is moving as expected, not strengthening, [4:07] and the risks are still all about the rainfall. We're not really worried about storm surge or even [4:12] the winds with this storm. It's going to be interesting to see who gets the heaviest rains out of [4:17] this. All the pictures that you've seen, by the way, of all the flooding hasn't been from this tropical [4:21] system. That's just been from a stalled cold front with a lot of tropical air around. [4:25] Now we have to deal with what's going to happen as the storm begins to form. And you can see how some [4:30] of this rain is actually dissipating. This was the rain that produced a lot of heavy rain earlier [4:33] today with a stalled out front. This spin is with the actual storm itself. And you notice there's not [4:39] that much wet weather over land, just some spiraling showers. All the heavy stuff is out over the water. [4:44] So, later on tonight and tomorrow, if you're right along the coast, that's who has the best chance of getting that heavy rain. [4:49] And of course, Houston is near the coast, but not right on it. So, it's not guaranteed that we're [4:53] going to get that heavy amount of rain in Houston, but it's still a possibility. This is the new [4:57] forecast path. First thing we'll say is, notice the winds, 35. Then tomorrow afternoon, 40. If it gets [5:04] up to 40, then all of a sudden it becomes a tropical storm. And this would be Arthur. And then it should [5:08] move somewhere around the Beaumont Port Arthur area. And then we do have tropical storm warnings that are now [5:13] up. East side of the storm is the stronger part. That's why we have these warnings. I don't think, [5:18] you know, this area gets hit by huge hurricanes. And if they get 40 to 50 mile per hour wind gusts, [5:22] that's not going to cause any damage at all. But that's the areas that, you know, just, [5:26] it's a rule. If we get winds that high, you get tropical storm warnings that are up. [5:30] The rainfall is by far 99.9% of any of the damage from the storm will come from the rain, [5:36] not the wind or the waves. We have already had this tremendous amount of rainfall today in northern [5:41] portions of Louisiana, southern Mississippi, Picayune, Mississippi had eight and a half inches of rain today. [5:47] There's a ton of flooding in the town. With the actual tropical system, we haven't really seen [5:52] that much in the way of heavy rainfall, but that'll change. Tomorrow, areas near Houston, [5:56] down along the coast, and then, not tomorrow, but as we head towards Thursday, that's when the heaviest [6:03] rains will be in Mississippi and also Alabama. And that's why we could have these really high rainfall [6:07] totals. So this purple area here, the maroon, that is the best chance of getting all of the serious [6:13] flooding. And I will mention this too, right? Tomorrow, we are going to see a very dangerous [6:18] tornado day. Tomorrow, by far, the biggest risk is going to be these tornadoes at this time rolling [6:23] through Indiana and Illinois, not what's happening in Rhode Arthur down in the Gulf with the flooding. [6:27] So, yeah, two active storm systems and one tomorrow, very, very dangerous. Maybe our most dangerous [6:34] tornado day of the year tomorrow in the Midwest. [6:36] Okay. Bill Karen, it's going to be a busy night in the weather department. We appreciate it, Bill. [6:40] Thanks. At least five people are in custody after an alleged plot to target the UFC event at the [6:46] White House over the weekend. That, according to new court docs, the would-be attackers plan to use [6:51] explosive-loaded drones and shooters to fire at the thousands of people who were at the event, [6:58] which, remember, was a celebration for the president's birthday and America's 250th anniversary. [7:02] The FBI says 19 people were involved in a chat discussing the alleged plot, [7:09] including a 19-year-old from Ohio who allegedly planned to use the attack to, quote, [7:13] jumpstart a revolution in the United States. More than 4,000 people were at the UFC fight, [7:19] including the president, VP, and other top members of the Trump administration. [7:23] The Justice Department is declining to comment on this. We've also reached out to the White House, [7:27] but we haven't heard anything back. Let's bring in Kelly O'Donnell, though, who's tracking the story. [7:31] So tell me more, Kelly, about what we do know and how this alleged plot was stopped. [7:37] Well, one of the most important things is that the mother of the 19-year-old from Ohio called police, [7:42] and she alerted them, and that sort of opened the doors for all the investigative work that followed, [7:46] because she was seeing that her son had quit his job, had used money that he got for graduation to [7:52] buy weapons and to assemble gear and those kinds of things that could be used for this sort of plot. [7:58] So it wasn't just talk online. Some of the members that have been taken into custody actually [8:02] assembled some of the criminal tools that would be needed, drones, different equipment, [8:08] camping gear for staying out, that kind of thing. And what we've been told is, according to the [8:12] criminal complaint, that the members of this group, which are some are known by their actual [8:17] names, some only by usernames at this point, they wanted to protect the United States, which they [8:21] believed was headed in the wrong direction. Members of the group believed that the United States [8:26] needed to be torn down so that it could be rebuilt. So this was motivated by grievances, by a sense [8:32] that they could do something. And what really stands out is that it was not just this connection [8:38] online, but those actions, specific steps they were prepared to take. [8:41] Well, it's interesting, Kelly, because we kind of feel like this UFC event was the kickoff of what [8:46] are a series of massive events that are going to take place across the United States over the next [8:50] couple of months. Obviously, the World Cup is now underway. We have all the events here [8:53] in Washington and around the country in honor of the 250th anniversary. What more are federal [8:58] authorities doing to try and keep people safe around these events? [9:01] Well, there are a lot of mitigating factors where they are using lots of their partnerships, [9:06] state and local authorities, as well as all of the tools electronically to try to get a sense of [9:11] what are people saying. But in this case, what's so important is that a family member saw something [9:16] and acted on it. And that really was significant. And then beyond that, they're able to use all the [9:21] technical tools to go into the chat rooms, to work with the social media companies to identify where [9:26] these suspects are. And they're located across the country, those that are in custody so far. [9:32] This plot is one in which all of the alleged perpetrators are not in custody. So there's more [9:37] work to do. It's an active, ongoing plot. Even though what they were planning was exposed, [9:43] there's concern that if they have these weapons and other things amassed and this intent, [9:47] that they might act out in some other way. [9:49] OK, Kelly O'Donnell, thanks for being on top of it. We appreciate it. Let's turn overseas now [9:53] as President Trump pivots his focus to ending another war before he officially ends the war [9:59] the U.S. is in right now. You can see there photos posted by Ukraine's leader, [10:04] Vladimir Zelensky, with the president. It was a very good meeting, per President Trump, [10:08] saying he would do, quote, whatever I can to end Ukraine's war with Russia. The president says he can [10:14] do that in part because of the so-called memorandum of understanding with Iran that [10:18] no one's actually seen. But President Trump says once again, it involves Iran never having a nuclear [10:24] weapon. It does not include any investment in Iran. And that will make the Strait of Hormuz [10:29] toll free, as it has been already for decades prior to this war. Here's how Mr. Trump explained his focus [10:36] now after a meeting with Gulf leaders. We're focused on Iran. It's going to be in the back [10:43] in the rearview mirror. Gabe Gutierrez is traveling with the president in Geneva. He joins us now [10:51] with more on this. So, Gabe, the president laid pretty bare today that this whole process has [10:56] exposed a pretty big riff with the top U.S. ally in the region, and that's Israel. Explain to us [11:01] what's going on there. Well, Ryan, the president is saying right there that he'd like to put Iran in [11:07] the rearview mirror. But one of the things potentially preventing that is the ongoing [11:11] conflict between Israel and Hezbollah, of course, the Iran-backed group in Lebanon. Now, President [11:17] Trump, in the last several weeks, we've heard how he's been increasingly frustrated with Israeli [11:22] Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Well, today he was asked about the situation in Lebanon, and he [11:29] issued some of his most pointed comments yet. Let's listen. I'm not happy with the way [11:36] Israel has handled themselves with Lebanon and with Hezbollah. They should have been able to do [11:44] this faster. It just goes on forever. And when that happens, it throws a negative light on the [11:52] big deal, and that's the deal with Iran. And there you hear it there with President Trump saying [11:59] overall he still has a good relationship with Benjamin Netanyahu, although some question just [12:04] how tight they really are. But this is hugely remarkable, Ryan, when you think about it. [12:08] The key U.S. ally, Israel, there really seems to be this opening rift, and it raises a lot of [12:16] questions about this conflict moving forward and whether this any sort of peace framework could [12:22] actually hold if that what the president has called a skirmish in Lebanon continues, Ryan. [12:27] We talk about this memorandum of understanding, which is kind of the foundation of this whole [12:32] war coming to an end. But we haven't seen it. The public hasn't seen it. Members of Congress [12:36] haven't seen it either. The Senate's top Republican John Thune says that he's tried to get his hands [12:41] on it, though. Listen to what he had to say. I think any ultimate deal is going to have to be [12:49] contingent upon their declaration and not just declaration, but compliance and enforcement [12:55] on their nuclear program. So first of all, it seems kind of startling that the most powerful [13:02] member of the United States Senate hasn't seen the information contained in this deal. But [13:06] is the president even attempting to try and get any sort of input from Congress here? [13:13] Well, it doesn't appear so, Ryan. And you know as well as anyone that the president hasn't exactly [13:17] deferred to Congress in pretty much of anything in his second term here. So the administration [13:23] really doesn't seem to be paying that much attention to what Congress thinks. Certainly [13:27] not Democrats and, you know, potentially not Republicans either. Now, today the president was pressed on [13:33] why his administration hasn't released this text of the Memorandum of Understanding. He shot back [13:40] that, you know, the main parts of it, in his view, is that Iran will never have a nuclear weapon. And [13:45] he also said, floated the idea of potentially holding a press conference where he would read the entire [13:50] text of the agreement word for word. So we still have a lot of questions about what it entails. But at [13:57] this point, we do expect it to be formally signed here in Switzerland on Friday. [14:01] I think we'd be game for that. I bet we'd cover it live if you decided to read the whole thing word [14:06] for word, Gabe Gutierrez. We appreciate that report. Thank you so much. Elsewhere, overseas, [14:11] two people are in custody after the shooting and killing of a prominent critic of Vladimir Putin [14:16] now living in Poland. Robert Kuzikov would slam Russia's president and the Chechen leader through [14:22] his artwork using unflattering portraits of both. In a statement, Polish prosecutors say that they've [14:27] arrested two Belarusian citizens immediately after the incident. Their connection to the case [14:32] is being thoroughly investigated. Danielle Hamangin joins me now with more on this. So, [14:37] Danielle, how does this artist's death fit into allegations made against Russia of trying to [14:42] attack its opponents under Putin's rule? Yeah, Ryan, well, his name is now added to a growing list, [14:50] a list that is already long of individuals who have either died or have been injured after having [14:55] opposed of Vladimir Putin. The list includes mercenaries, politicians, former spies, and now [15:02] an artist. He went by the pseudonym Robert Simonian Skripensky, rather. And according to the public [15:09] prosecutor, this happened in the parking lot and the sidewalk near his residence in eastern Poland. [15:16] He was approached by an unidentified man who shot him twice at close range. The victim fell to the ground, [15:23] according to the prosecutors. And the man then approached him even closer, shot him another [15:29] three times before quickly fleeing. The victim, we understand, died at the scene. He was shot a total [15:37] of seven times, including with wounds to the head, to the chest, and the back. Now, immediately after, [15:43] an alert went out. And as you say, two Belarusian men were arrested. Their roles are now being [15:49] investigated. But public prosecutors say that Robert Kay, as he's been identified in the media [15:55] over there, through his art, expressed criticism of the policies of Russian authorities. He painted [16:02] unflattering portraits of Vladimir Putin, of the Chechen leader, Ramzan Kadyrov, and other high-profile [16:10] Russians. One of his portraits depicts Vladimir Putin being cradled in the arms of the Soviet dictator, [16:16] Joseph Stalin. And on Sunday, he posted a video of himself in Berlin, putting a Russian flag in a bin [16:24] on June the 12th. That holiday is, that day is a holiday marking Russia's sovereignty. Again, [16:32] Polish authorities have not made any formal accusations. This is very much in the early [16:37] stages of this investigation, Ryan. Okay, Danielle Hamangian, thank you for that. We appreciate it. [16:41] New details tonight now. In a deadly Air Force bomber crash at a California base, [16:47] the wife of one of the victims says that he was part of a routine mission that had been pushed back [16:53] several times. Listen. They just kept pushing it back and pushing it back. And I don't think that [17:00] plane was ready to take off. And I'm so sad it did. Now, the Air Force has not publicly identified the [17:08] eight victims or determined what caused the B-52 Strata Fortress to go down yesterday morning. [17:14] Officials say it'll take upwards of six months to know exactly what might have happened. [17:19] It comes after an F-A-18 Hornet jet crashed in Washington state just two days ago. [17:25] You can see the fighter jet falling out of the sky in this video and then slamming into a nearby hill. [17:29] Well, let's bring in Liz Crust. This is just an awful story, Liz. We knew and we now know, [17:35] I should say, that this was, I guess, a routine test mission. Was there any reason to believe that [17:40] things could go this horribly wrong? Hey, Ryan, as far as we know, [17:45] no. Officials with the base say that they do routine test missions with these B-52 bombers there [17:50] on the base every single day. Extremely experienced pilots. These are planes that have been in operation [17:57] for decades. So there's a lot of questions about how this happened. You did just play a part of our [18:03] interview with Lauren Smith, who says that her husband, Jeremy Smith, was on that plane. And she [18:09] said that she's been with him for six years. He's worked at the base for 10 years and never felt like [18:15] she had reason to particularly be worried about him, that she felt he was very safe. This was, [18:20] she described as well as a routine mission. He had said that morning, I'm going to go on a plane like [18:25] normal, kissed her goodbye. But she did say what you played there, that actually, as she thinks [18:31] about it, that this was a mission that she says was supposed to happen on Friday, then kept getting [18:37] pushed back. So that certainly raises some questions about why that was. NBC News has reached out to the [18:42] military. We've not heard back on that front, but just really tragic there. She told us that her husband [18:48] only returned from paternity leave last week, that he had been out because they just had a baby a few [18:54] months ago. So really, really, really sad, Ryan. Yeah, yeah. The airfield was closed most of [19:02] yesterday. They now reopened it to visitors. But are they taking any precautions in the coming days [19:06] and weeks as investigators try and figure out what happened? Well, what we know is that the [19:12] investigation is going to take several weeks, potentially even months. And even after that, [19:17] the officials said it's unclear what they're even going to be able to release to the public. It could be [19:21] that some of this is classified. So it may be that we never fully understand what happened here. [19:27] We do know that tomorrow morning, it's expected we should get all of the identities released. [19:33] The Air Force has not released the names of the victims so far, and hopefully some more answers [19:38] as well. But we'll see. OK, Liz Quartz, thanks for being on top of it. We appreciate it. [19:45] And now to the World Cup, one of the huge favorites to win the whole tournament, [19:49] France, just in the last few minutes, beating Senegal three to one in their first group stage [19:55] game. Here is France's team captain Mbappe celebrating the first goal, which didn't come [20:01] until the 65th minute of the game. It wasn't just the first test for France, but for the New York [20:07] City region's transit system itself. Today's big game shutting down access to New Jersey's transit [20:13] trains on a workday for hours to anyone without World Cup tickets. Here they are getting on those [20:18] trains and heading to the game. Just take a listen to the energy on the ground when they [20:23] got there. [20:25] I drove 12 hours, no sleep. [20:31] And the other big game of the night is coming to the World Cup's smallest city, where the [20:39] reigning World Cup champs, Argentina with superstar Lionel Messi, are kicking off against Algeria [20:45] and Kansas City. We've got team coverage tonight. Shaq Brewster is in Missouri. But first, [20:50] let's go to Steven Romo. He is in New Jersey for us, where that game's about to kick off. [20:55] Well, Steve, I would say that game just happened. The game between France and Senegal just [20:58] wrapped up. Talk to me about the energy there. What is it like on the ground as people try to get [21:03] out of the stadium? [21:07] Yeah, Ryan, what a match. We heard each and every one of those scores. France getting three, [21:12] Senegal falling with just that one score. But Medlife is over here across the street from us. [21:18] The roars were just emanating out of that stadium. It was absolutely electric when we heard it. Fans [21:24] showed up hours in advance of that start time at 3 p.m. Eastern. They're now pouring their way out. [21:29] We've seen the buses already going. The trains are getting ready as well. Close to 80,000 people in [21:35] there watching that game, now getting ready to make that mad dash home. This was the first weekday [21:41] game at Medlife. A test for the final, which is coming up next month to see how that will do. A [21:47] little bit of a test drive here. Today, the celebrations stretched far and wide. So many people [21:52] so excited to see this one. There was that 2002 game when Senegal upset France and shocked the [21:58] world. The fans of Senegal today were really hoping that that would happen this time around. [22:04] France did not quite make that happen for them. But the excitement beforehand, absolutely electric. [22:10] It was a party until it happened. The party is continuing for the fans of the French team. [22:16] We've seen, though, some Senegal fans that are not too thrilled right now. But what a game this was, Ryan. [22:22] I mean, Senegal might have got the toughest draw in the opening round. You can't feel too bad for them. [22:28] They certainly played a good game. Stephen Romo, thanks for that. Let's move now to Shaq Brewster. [22:33] He's in Kansas City. So much excitement there in Kansas City, Shaq. Talk to us what it's like on the ground [22:38] there, especially for those Argentina fans who are hoping to win the World Cup again this year. How excited are they? [22:44] Oh, yeah. And you can probably see behind me there is a lot of blue and white because of that exact [22:51] reason. Look, the match is happening later today. But folks were here at this Fan Fest watching the [22:56] earlier match. And that was happening way back there. And actually, look, OK, some Algeria fans as well. [23:03] I think we know who they're for. And then, look, on the other side, you have Argentina and how this [23:13] happened so quickly. But I'll tell you, Ryan, this is also a pretty big test. This is also [23:20] a pretty big test for Kansas City. Argentina, where are you guys coming in from? Where are you [23:25] coming in from? We're coming from Miami. You're coming from Miami. You know Argentina is going [23:30] to win tonight. Why are you so confident? Because we are the world champion, the world champion, [23:34] man. That's what we are. What do we have in our team? I mean, we got Messi. Come on, guys. [23:38] We got the greatest team in the world. For those who don't know and haven't been to a [23:43] World Cup, what is it like being here? What's the energy like? I think I saw some of it there. [23:47] But tell me, what has it been like? It's amazing. Trust me. Positive energy. Positive energy all [23:52] the time. It's amazing. Have you been to a World Cup event before? No, but I'm so happy that I'm [23:56] able to come to this. I know it's like a once in a lifetime experience. And I'm glad that I'm able [24:01] to share with like the friends and family. This is the smallest World Cup host city, Kansas City. [24:06] When you knew you were coming to Kansas City, was there any hesitation or did you come here? [24:11] Why not? Because no, I mean, this is a great city. I mean, and you know, people have been [24:14] really welcoming to us. You know, we've been feeling like home, basically. So this is great. [24:19] All right. Ryan, you heard and saw how quickly things escalate, how excited these fans are. [24:24] And I think that shows you why, what the vibes are like on the ground and how excited these fans are. [24:30] And look, this is the Fan Fest. This is not even where the game is going to be happening. [24:33] That's happening miles away. Fans now leaving there to go to Arrowhead Stadium for the game [24:38] tonight. Right. Yeah. Obviously, those Argent fans from Argentina are pretty excited. But man, [24:44] it's impressive how the Algeria fans are showing up. I mean, it seems are you seeing quite a bit of [24:48] green there? I mean, I'm sure that they will be underrepresented given how big Argentina's [24:53] reaches. But we've seen some of these smaller countries pull some pretty big upsets. So there's [24:57] got to be a little bit of optimism for Algeria there. [24:59] And that's what we keep hearing from the fans from Algeria, that this, you know, while Argentina [25:06] may be favored, they feel really good coming into tonight. Because if you go back to last [25:10] World Cup, Argentina also gave up a game early in that tournament. So there is a lot of excitement [25:16] on both sides. I'll tell you, it's funny that I said that there are that Argentina was outnumbering [25:21] folks here, because when you saw that group from Algeria, they made it known how vocal they [25:27] were when they came through here. Yeah, I would say one of the most fun things watching [25:31] these games is seeing these small countries represent. Even if they don't have the bigger [25:35] crowds, you hear them when their team scores. So Shaq, thanks for capturing all that energy [25:40] for us on the ground. We appreciate it. Coming up, the urgent search today for a missing woman [25:46] in South Carolina, where police say she was headed moments before she disappeared. Plus, [25:51] the new details just into us about an acid attack on a group of people in New Jersey. Stay here. [26:16] The vice president just responded to an upcoming book excerpt published in the New York Times that [26:20] says that he led a campaign within the White House to get the Justice Department to release all of the [26:26] Epstein files, even any unsubstantiated allegations against his boss. The Times excerpt also says that [26:32] Vice President Vance even tossed around the idea that Tucker Carlson should interview Epstein's [26:38] accomplice, Ghislaine Maxwell, who's serving a 20-year prison sentence after she was convicted [26:42] of sex crimes. The Times reports that Vance thought it could help the president if Maxwell said that [26:49] Trump wasn't involved in any wrongdoing with Epstein. Here's what Vance said when he was asked about the [26:54] role he played in the Epstein files release. Watch. Well, I'd say, first of all, don't believe [27:00] everything that you read in any newspaper, whether it's a right-leaning paper or a left-leaning paper, [27:05] because as you guys know, well, there are things that are true, things that are false, and things [27:09] that are totally missing context. What part of it is true? Well, here's what I'll say. So, number one, [27:13] I am, frankly, kind of a conspiracy theory on the Epstein stuff, and that story says that that's one of [27:18] the things that's true, is that some people called me a conspiracy theory on the Epstein stuff. [27:21] The chief of staff, Susie Wiles, called you a conspiracy theory. And I love Susie, but absolutely, [27:24] she thinks I'm a conspiracy theorist on the Epstein stuff, because I think that it's crazy that you had [27:29] this guy who is clearly a sex predator who is hanging out with a lot of very wealthy and powerful [27:34] people. Like, that really bothered me. I don't know what's there, of course. Nobody knows exactly [27:39] what happened unless you were there, but that really bothered me, and I wanted to have full [27:42] transparency. What I disagree with is the idea that the White House wasn't committed to full [27:47] transparency. We have to remember, like, I was inside the room when some of these decisions were made. [27:51] The Epstein Files Transparency Act, the one that the president signed, the one that led to all these [27:56] files that we're seeing, the emails. By the way, again, sorry, do I have to defend my boss? I know [28:00] you guys don't always appreciate this, but, you know, one of the things you see in the Epstein emails [28:04] is that Jeffrey Epstein hated Donald Trump, and that Donald Trump literally reported Jeffrey Epstein [28:10] to the police. That's one of the things that came out of these files. They were best friends for about [28:14] a decade. And remember, he signed that Transparency Act under duress when some Republican women, [28:20] Congresswomen like Lauren Boebert, like Marjorie Taylor Greene, did not give in to his pressure of not [28:25] signing. He brought Lauren Boebert into the Situation Room to pressure her into caving on not voting for [28:32] that bill. So let me respond to that. That's all true. Let me let me respond to that. So number one [28:36] is, yes, Donald Trump, he said this, he knew Jeffrey Epstein back in the 1980s. He also threw Jeffrey [28:42] Epstein out of his club when he found out it was a creep and reported him to the police. That's [28:46] something that the media often misses when it reports this story. They tell the fact that they knew each [28:50] other in the 80s, which the president himself admits. They ignore the fact that he narked on him to the [28:55] police and led ultimately to Jeffrey Epstein's downfall. Now, we should note the Times reporting [29:01] here is from a book by two of their reporters that's set to come out next week. The authors say [29:06] they've interviewed more than a thousand people close to President Trump for their reporting. [29:10] Let's bring in our White House reporter, Monica Alba, to talk more about this. So, Monica, [29:15] it's interesting to see J.D. Vance kind of try and carve his own lane a little bit when it comes to [29:20] the Epstein files. I mean, does this in any way signal kind of a split in the White House as to [29:25] how it relates to Epstein? I think so. I mean, this is a story that when you talk to senior White [29:29] House officials, they constantly stress it's kind of the one that just won't go away. They can try [29:34] to talk about anything else, and it just keeps coming back and coming back. And sometimes it is [29:38] because you have the vice president talking so openly about these situation room meetings that were [29:43] reported on in The New York Times and that we have reported on as well. But the fact that they were [29:47] down there having that level of discussion about how to handle this tells you a lot [29:51] about how there were differing viewpoints about this. But I think something that's really [29:55] interesting, Ryan, and what the vice president was saying there, he said a couple of times that [29:59] Donald Trump had reported Epstein to police. But we should be really, really careful and be really [30:05] clear about the context around that, which is that we think he's referring to information that came [30:10] out in a summary memo from the FBI as a part of the Epstein files that did say, because the FBI [30:16] interviewed a former Palm Beach police chief that he had gotten a call from the then-private [30:22] citizen Donald Trump back in 2006 that said something like, quote, thank goodness you're [30:27] stopping him and everyone knows about him. But we should be clear that that didn't necessarily [30:32] initiate an investigation or a probe, that that had been ongoing. But we believe that that's what [30:39] the vice president is referring to when he said that. He just kind of said it pretty plainly. [30:43] We have asked the White House and the vice president's office if there's more that they [30:46] want to share about what he means by that. And then, of course, it's important to point [30:49] out that the president has denied any wrongdoing here. The vice president hasn't been accused of [30:53] any wrongdoing. But it is a story that I think really does encapsulate not just the different [30:58] factions within the Republican Party and MAGA, who really were pushing for a lot of this to come [31:04] out, but also something that's just going to probably keep following this White House, [31:08] this administration and the vice president if he decides to run for president in 2020. [31:12] Especially because the victims, the folks that care a lot about this issue, [31:16] remain unsatisfied, right? They feel as though they have not gotten the justice that they're [31:20] looking for. Or all the answers. [31:21] Yeah. All right. Monica Alba, thanks for that. Let's get you over now to the five things our team [31:25] thinks you should know about tonight. Number one, New Jersey police are working, quote, [31:29] around the clock to find the suspects in an acid attack. Jersey City police say two people drove [31:36] past a group of women and splash them with what's believed to be sulfuric acid. Five victims are [31:42] getting treatment for non-life-threatening burns. Thankfully, they are expected to be okay. Police [31:47] believe the attack is connected to an earlier dispute. Number two, check this out. It's a huge [31:52] water spout sighting in southern Italy. This is basically a tornado, but it's over water. Thankfully, [31:59] there are no reports of anybody getting hurt. Number three, country music star Jelly Roll has filed [32:05] for divorce from his wife Bunny XO. That's according to Tennessee court records. The couple was married [32:11] for nearly a decade. It was just at February's Grammys when the singer thanked her for saving his [32:16] life. We've reached out to attorneys for both sides, but haven't heard back. Number four, tennis [32:22] greats and sisters, Serena and Venus Williams will team up again at Wimbledon. The pair have been [32:28] given a wild card invite for women's doubles. Serena and Venus have won 14 Grand Slam doubles titles [32:35] as a team to go along with other individual successes. This comes after Serena returned to [32:40] the court a few weeks ago for the first time in nearly four years. Number five, Georgia voters are [32:45] back at the polls today for crucial runoff elections. In the Republican Senate race, Trump-backed [32:51] Congressman Mike Collins faces former football coach Derek Dooley. The winner will face Senator John [32:56] Ossoff in November. There's also a runoff for which Republican will be on the ballot for Georgia [33:01] governor. Be sure to check out Steve Kornacki at the Kornacki camp tonight for those results [33:06] and more. You can stream it on NBCnews.com or on YouTube. When we come back, the scary scene [33:14] on the water in Maryland, how Cruz stopped a runaway boat after its driver was thrown overboard. [33:20] Plus, why one D.C. landmark is turning green again. Let's take you to South Carolina, where police [33:43] are looking for a personal trainer who mysteriously disappeared after walking out of a gym. [33:48] Authorities say Elena Moore was last seen here at Planet Fitness last Thursday evening. [33:54] Now, according to police, Moore left the gym and headed toward a wooded area behind a Lowe's [33:58] home improvement store, and she hasn't been seen since. Maggie Vespa is joining us now. This is scary, [34:04] Maggie. Talk to us about the latest efforts to try and find more. Yeah, Ryan, it's been a massive [34:10] search in this area just outside Columbia, South Carolina, and we actually have video from our [34:15] affiliate WIS showing a huge search effort that was underway in that wooded area behind that Lowe's [34:21] store. This was yesterday, and authorities basically combing that area just next to that [34:26] Planet Fitness that you're seeing. That was where she was last seen. Again, saying that she had walked [34:31] into the woods. I talked to a police spokesperson about why that might have been, and she said, [34:35] right now, investigators don't know. They don't know why she walked that direction. They don't [34:39] know what she might have been doing if she was trying to meet anyone, et cetera. So you can see [34:42] the emergency vehicles there. That was a huge search effort, sadly, to no avail. We do also have an [34:48] image that we can pull up that surveillance image of the last time she was seen inside that Planet Fitness. [34:53] It shows her, there she is, at the front desk of that gym. Again, that was Thursday evening, [34:59] and she was reported missing the next day. The basic facts of this case right now is that she was, [35:04] again, around 6.40 last seen, wearing that olive hoodie. You can see some of it there. Black athletic [35:09] pants. Police don't believe that she has a car with her. They think she has her phone, but say it [35:14] hasn't pinged since she's gone missing. And they also say that they're working with her husband. She is [35:20] married, and that he's not at all at this point. We've seen a lot of questions about this online, [35:24] considered a person of interest. He's cooperating. They say at this point, they actually don't even [35:29] have any evidence to indicate that foul play could have been involved at all. This woman has just [35:34] simply vanished, Ryan, and it's really rattling people there. And I take it there have also been [35:40] some false reports that she'd been found. Talk to us about that. Yeah, this was really bizarre, and this [35:45] didn't help nerves in that area. I just talked again to the police spokesperson. She says basically what [35:50] happened is a woman called the tip line and said, I think I just saw her. I think I just drove [35:54] Elena Moore somewhere. And, you know, great news. She's alive. Well, investigators went to go vet that [36:00] tip, as they do with every tip, and found out that she was mistaken. It wasn't the right person. But the [36:04] problem is somebody basically at the police department, and they openly admit this, jumped the gun and [36:09] sent out what they call a found alert or a spotted alert, basically a flyer. And they say that was a [36:16] mistake. They're really sorry about it. And they're, again, very aware of how much this has [36:20] frightened people in that area as this search effort continues with this woman who friends say, [36:24] by the way, was not acting strangely. Everything seemed to be fine in her life, but it's just been [36:29] missing for days now. All right. We hope for the best. Maggie Vespa, thank you for that report. [36:35] Federal workers in D.C. now are trying to clean up its historic reflecting pool that's back to looking [36:41] green just a little more than a week after President Trump said that the renovations there [36:46] were all done. You can see National Park workers today trying to clear out the algae from the pool [36:51] today. It's been a problem for the landmark for years. But this is after a multi-million dollar [36:56] renovation project that President Trump launched to paint the base, what he calls American flag blue, [37:03] ahead of America's 250th anniversary next month. Now, I went down there today. It is very green, [37:07] I can confirm, and spoke to some D.C. locals and tourists who say the makeover, in their mind, [37:14] has fell short of expectations. So what were you expecting when you got here? [37:20] A little, a little clearer water, actually. It should have been done by this point, [37:26] especially after the whole shebang with the UFC event. It doesn't look like a good use of $15 [37:31] million. It doesn't really look like anything's changed. I tapped out and sent Andrea Mitchell down [37:38] there to pick up this story. Andrea's there at the pool. She's done an extensive reporting on this [37:42] topic. So, Andrea, what else do we know about this big cleanup effort? And it's part of this bigger [37:48] D.C. beautification push from the president, right? Yes, and he takes a huge interest in this. He even [37:55] drove here one night just around sundown to look at it and talk about the American flag blue. Well, [38:02] it's actually turned today and yesterday into Kermit the Frog green because of the algae. And the algae [38:09] may have always been here since it was first built in 1922. As you saw, this is a big project. It's, [38:15] you know, more than 2,000 feet long. That's about four times as long as the Washington monument at one [38:22] end of it is high. It's, as the president is fond of saying, longer than the Empire State Building is [38:29] tall. So it is a huge project. And it was supposed to cost $2 million, Ryan, and take about a week, [38:36] he said. It ended up costing more than $14 million and taking six weeks. And to get it done quickly, [38:43] they did it on a no-bid contract, which critics on Capitol Hill, Senator Blumenthal from Connecticut [38:51] say violates congressional laws. But in any case, it's done. And now it is green. And so what they've [38:57] done, as you saw earlier, is they put, first of all, hydrogen peroxide in and then oxide impregnated [39:06] nanobubbles, right, nanobubbles. And that supposedly eats the food that feeds the algae that turns it [39:15] green. And what it does to the ducks is another whole question. We've seen them mother and the [39:21] ducklings. And so far, they don't look any, the worst food, any hydrogen peroxide they may have [39:27] imbibed. But in any case, it is definitely green. And then it gets vacuumed, the dead algae get back [39:34] to mouth, vacuumed. We talked to a marine biologist who said, after a couple of days in the hot sun, [39:40] it's going to turn green again. So this is going to be a continuous project all summer, as long as [39:46] it's hot weather and a shallow pool. And running from the Lincoln Memorial historically to World War [39:53] II Memorial at the other end, a very big project, but definitely the all-American flag. [40:01] And, Andrea, I mean, you've lived in Washington, D.C. for such a long time. I mean, and you've talked [40:08] about how there have been these algae blooms in the past. To me, being down there today, this seemed [40:13] like no algae bloom I'd ever seen before. Do you think this is comparative to how the algae has [40:18] happened in the past? Or it seems like it's even more than we've ever seen. Yeah, I think it is [40:25] very similar. It may be worse because of the dark paint on the bottom of it. I'm not an expert on that, [40:32] but it does absorb more heat. And the more heat, the more algae. And so it goes. It's no fun being [40:39] green. It's no fun being green. All right. Andrea Mitchell takes the National Mall. We [40:45] appreciate it, Andrea. Thank you for being down there for us, as always. NBC News covers hundreds [40:50] of stories each day. And because it's tough to read, watch, or listen to them all, our bureau teams [40:55] have done it for you. This is what they tell us is going down in their regions in a segment we call [41:00] the local. For our Washington Bureau, new video shows a runaway boat on a Maryland river. The [41:07] Coast Guard says the operator was thrown off after turning too fast. Watch as crew members pull up [41:12] alongside and carefully hop on and cut off the engine. Only one person was on the boat. He was [41:17] rescued by his son, who was trailing close behind. From our Western Bureau, a mountain lion seen walking [41:24] around a California neighborhood will be set free in the Santa Cruz Mountains. Police and wildlife [41:30] officials used a drone yesterday to track it down. They tranquilized her and put on a GPS collar [41:36] so experts can study her movements. Also from our Washington Bureau, two baby giraffes went missing [41:43] from a Virginia Zoo for more than a year, but now they've been found. The state's attorney's [41:48] general's office isn't saying where the drafts were found. The animals are now at a specialized [41:54] facility. Animal abuse allegations at the Natural Bridge Zoo date back to 2023. One of the owners [42:01] actually served jail time for refusing to explain what happened to the drafts. Is it just me or does [42:07] it seem like it would be difficult to lose a giraffe? They're really tall. They belong. Anyway, coming up, [42:13] the new fallout today in a pretty famous family feud. How Brooklyn Beckham is using a new ad to take a [42:20] swipe at his parents. Time out for tonight's original now with in-depth reporting on a topic [42:34] that we've been watching. And tonight it's more fallout in that ongoing family feud that's breaking [42:40] up the Beckham family. With Brooklyn Beckham now taking a shot at his parents in a newly released [42:46] commercial, even after he said he wanted out of the family and more privacy. Chloe Malas has the story. [42:53] A soccer legend cheering from the stands at the FIFA World Cup while his son tries to score from home. [43:01] Brooklyn Beckham, David's son, seen in this new DoorDash ad on social media promoting the World Cup, [43:07] while he seems to be steering clear of this year's games. You're probably wondering why I'm watching [43:12] the FIFA World Cup 2026 from home. It's a long story. That long story, a clear shot at his dad, [43:20] a two-time World Cup quarter finalist, alluding to plenty of family drama off the field, teasing [43:26] more to come. It all comes after Brooklyn publicly cut ties with his family in a series of Instagram [43:33] posts earlier this year, where he accused his father and mother, former Spice Girl Victoria Beckham, [43:39] of controlling him for years and trying to ruin his relationship with his wife, Nicola Peltz. [43:45] In one post, he says, quote, I do not want to reconcile with my family, adding that all he [43:50] wants is peace, privacy and happiness for him and his wife. But that new life out of the limelight [43:56] now includes a commercial during the world's biggest sporting event, drawing tons of backlash [44:01] on social media. As people online point out, he's still profiting off his family name, [44:07] even as he tries to distance himself from the Beckham brand. [44:11] You are the definition of biting the hand that feeds you. [44:15] Well, you've got nothing to do with football, mate, except for your dad. [44:18] DoorDash didn't comment on the ad directly, telling us in part, [44:22] our content reflects the fun and frenzy that only this tournament can bring. [44:27] Brooklyn Beckham did not respond to our request for comment. [44:30] Neither did representatives for David and Victoria Beckham. [44:33] But the two aren't shying away from the spotlight, [44:35] watching the U.S. Paraguay game in Los Angeles last week, alongside superstar Tom Cruise, [44:41] and showing a united front with their three other children on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, [44:46] where David Beckham just got a star. [44:48] I'm going to get emotional now. Kids, I hope you bring my grandchildren here one day [44:54] and tell them about a boy who dreamed big. To make you all proud is my greatest achievement. [45:01] Brooklyn notably not there as his mother poked fun at herself in her speech. [45:06] I assumed I was coming here today to receive my star for my part in that iconic cult classic, [45:14] Spice World the movie. Trying to keep the Beckham family [45:18] image intact during the spicy family feud while their son fires from the sidelines. [45:24] Chloe Malas, NBC News. Thanks, Chloe. Spice up your life. [45:30] Still to come, the new warning from Major League Baseball to players [45:34] after some of them put Bible verses on their hats during a team Pride night. At least one top [45:48] Republican says he wants to investigate Major League Baseball for alleged religious discrimination [45:54] after three players wrote Bible verses on their Pride night hats. You see the verses there on the [46:00] hats of San Francisco Giants pitcher Landon Raup, JT Brubaker, and Ryan Walker. Now, [46:06] Rob's verse comes from Genesis, which reads in part that the rainbow symbol serves as a quote, [46:10] sign of the covenant between God and the earth. After he lost Friday's game, Rob explained why he did it. [46:17] Thankfully, we live in a country where, you know, we have the freedom to believe what we want. So, [46:25] um, yeah, and express what we want. [46:29] Now, MLB warned the players that they can't write the phrases on their hats going forward, [46:36] prompting Florida's attorney general to tell MLB they'll be hearing from his office. [46:41] Even Vice President Vance weighed in saying, quote, [46:44] Trump won. We don't have to do this anymore. Morgan Chesky joins me now to talk more about [46:49] this controversy. So, Morgan, some in Congress accused baseball's commissioner of discriminating [46:54] against Christians. But we've heard from the league and they say it's not about the message itself, [46:58] right? Oh, Ryan, that's what they're saying. And it's been interesting. We have heard from [47:02] multiple lawmakers today. You mentioned several. I also want to share a few words from Missouri [47:07] Senator Josh Hawley, who said that his office sent a letter to the commissioner of Major League [47:13] Baseball today, reading in part that Americans of every creed are entitled to confidence that the [47:18] institutions of our national pastime will not single out religious expression for punishment [47:22] while celebrating messages of the league's own choosing. I trust the league shares that commitment. [47:28] Ryan, Senator Hawley went on to mention a period during 2020 when the MLB temporarily suspended [47:35] some of their equipment rules to allow progressive slogans and messages to be written on players' cleats [47:42] following the death of George Floyd. Later today, MLB did respond with a statement of their own, [47:48] sharing those words with you now here. In response, they say, [47:52] this routine verbal warning was not to wear the hat in future games, is not disciplinary, [47:58] and had absolutely nothing to do with the content of the message. We respect players' right to free [48:02] expression. However, writing of any kind with any message is prohibited per MLB uniform regulations. [48:08] They went on to say, Ryan, that players have been, you know, warned for having, [48:14] I love you mom or hi dad messages, you know, written on their uniforms or their hats in years past. [48:20] And let's talk about what's happening in Texas, Morgan. The governor there, Greg Abbott, he also [48:25] called out the league. He pointed out that the Rangers don't even hold a pride night. They're the [48:29] only team that actually doesn't. And as far as we've seen, the Giants as an organization don't [48:33] appear to back the message of these players. What can you tell us about that? [48:38] This is interesting, Ryan. Initially, following this, the manager of the Giants spoke to the [48:44] Associated Press and said there was really no discussion regarding the riding on the hats and [48:47] that it's understood in the dugout in the clubhouse that players are free to express themselves as they [48:53] see fit. But later today, we're hearing from the organization of the Giants. This is what they had [48:58] to say regarding this situation. They say they understand the choices by individual players may [49:04] have caused pain and anger to many in the LGBTQ plus community. And we're sorry about that. [49:09] Those choices do not change our organization's commitment to inclusion, belonging and creating [49:14] a welcoming environment for all. One quick note here, Ryan, a longtime broadcaster for the Giants [49:21] baseball games who has since retired said the players need to be more aware, perhaps, [49:26] of the city they're playing in, right? Okay. All right, Morgan Chesky. Thank you for that. [49:30] We appreciate it. And that's a wrap for this hour. Thanks for watching. [49:33] This is HJN on NBC. We are coming on the air with the life-threatening storms that are creating [49:57] severe weather for 16 million people tonight. The race to rescue people trapped in rising floodwaters [50:03] as officials warn of catastrophic damage. Then what we're hearing from the wife of one of the victims [50:10] of the deadly B-52 crash at a California air base. Why she now says the plane was just not ready for [50:15] takeoff. Plus the new arrests after the FBI allegedly foiled a plot to target the UFC event [50:22] at the White House with explosive loaded drones. What we know about one suspect who allegedly said the [50:28] attack would jumpstart a revolution in the U.S. Then it's not easy being green. Just ask the historic [50:35] reflecting pool here in Washington why it's turning green again even after President Trump's multi-million [50:41] dollar mission to clean it up before July 4th. And the big games and the big tests over at the World [50:47] Cup and off the pitch why the country's largest transit system is taking center stage. We'll explain [50:53] all of that later in the show. Hey there, I'm Ryan Nobles in for Hallie tonight and 16 million people [51:00] right now at risk of deadly flash floods ahead of a potential tropical cyclone that could bring more [51:06] life-threatening conditions in the south. Take a look at this. In Louisiana, Missouri and Texas you [51:11] can see people abandoning their cars in the middle of completely washed out streets. Millions along the [51:18] Louisiana coast are now under tropical storm warnings. And take a look at this, a tow truck trying to pull [51:24] a vehicle out of all of this water in Texas. We now know one woman is confirmed dead after her car was [51:30] swept away here. And at the main city and the main city, I should say, that's at the highest risk, [51:36] Houston, what could be the first name store of the season, taking shape. It's all happening [51:42] around the Gulf Coast right now. We have Ryan Chandler. He's on the ground in Houston. Let's first, [51:46] they'll bring in our meteorologist Bill Caron. So Bill, do us a favor, break down where the threats [51:52] are right now with this potential tropical cyclone. Yeah, so Corpus Christi to Brownsville area and [51:57] eventually tonight up towards the Houston Galveston area. So the hurricane center gave us the update. [52:02] They said it's moving now, but it's not getting any stronger. So that's why we don't have a tropical [52:07] storm yet or a tropical depression. As we go throughout the day tomorrow, it's going to be [52:10] right near the coast over warmer water, and it should strengthen just a little bit. Not enough for any [52:15] wind problems, not enough for any problems as we're dealing with storm surge, but we will be watching [52:20] here heavy torrential rain. You can already see it, the bright reds off the coast. But so far, this is [52:25] offshore. Later on tonight, though, some of that could rotate onshore. Now, will it make it to Houston [52:30] or not? It's going to be a close call. So we'll have to wait and see. You know, maybe Houston gets [52:34] lucky and most of the heavy rains down towards Galveston, but there's still a chance at least [52:38] that Houston could be in that heavy rainfall threat. And there's the path. So they think tomorrow [52:42] afternoon is when it will be at its strongest. Notice the winds are no big deal, but that's when it [52:46] would be the closest to Houston in the Galveston area, then coming up onshore tomorrow evening, roughly about [52:51] this time near the Beaumont Port Arthur area. So all of the flooding we've seen, all the pictures, [52:56] have nothing to do with the tropical system, just a tropical air mass with a stalled out front. [53:02] And that's the heavy rain we've dealt with today through Louisiana and Mississippi. [53:05] I mean, we got nailed. We already have seen numerous areas of flash flooding. This is New Orleans. [53:10] You now have thunderstorms rolling through with tremendous amounts of rainfall. So there's a flash flood [53:14] warning for the New Orleans area. And then as we head towards the rest of tomorrow and tomorrow night, [53:20] that's when we're going to be watching other areas like Shreveport, like you're seeing here, [53:24] with additional chances for some showers and storms. Now, Shreveport shouldn't get the bulk [53:27] of it. The heaviest rains will be more towards Lake Charles, back up into areas around Jackson. [53:32] This is numerous spots in Louisiana had a lot of problems with flooding today. [53:38] All right, Bill Karens, thanks so much for that. We appreciate it. Let's now go to Ryan Chandler. He is [53:43] out there in Houston for a view of what's happening on the ground, Ryan. [53:46] Well, Ryan, the largest threat to life here in Houston is going to be on the roads. [53:50] The bad news is Houston is incredibly susceptible to flash flooding that can shut down some major [53:56] arteries for transportation right in the center of the city. The good news is this happens often [54:02] and officials know exactly where the most dangerous flood prone areas are. So they are prepositioning [54:08] barricades to shut down roads that they know are going to be dangerous, reminding people that even a foot [54:14] of water is enough to carry a car away. Unfortunately, elsewhere in Texas, [54:18] we've seen a death in exactly that situation. A woman who was pulled away in her car in rapidly [54:25] rushing floodwaters, even as she was on the phone with 911. Here in Houston, we also know that they [54:31] are transitioning dump trucks into high water rescue vehicles and prepositioning boats to rescue [54:37] people who inevitably may get stranded on the roads. Here's the urgent message from local officials today. [54:43] If you get in a position where you see high water, it's very hard to adjust. You may think you can [54:51] pass it in your car and you'll get stuck. And then that puts our first responders, [54:56] our police and fire apparatuses in a very difficult situation. Turn around, [55:01] don't drown is very, very important. We've seen a steady stream of rain here over Houston [55:06] throughout most of the day, some significant flooding on the roads, stranding some cars just north of here [55:11] in the woodlands area. But we expect the rain to last through the night as that storm system [55:15] continues to strengthen, Ryan. All right, Ryan Chandler, thank you for being there. We appreciate [55:20] it. At least five people are in custody after an alleged plot to target the UFC event at the White [55:25] House over the weekend. That, according to new court docs, the would-be attackers plan to use explosive [55:30] loaded drones and shooters to fire at the thousands of people who were at the event, which remember was a [55:35] celebration for the president's birthday and America's 250th anniversary. The FBI says that 19 people [55:42] were involved in a chat discussing the alleged plot, including a nine-year-old from Ohio who [55:47] allegedly planned to use the attack to, quote, jumpstart a revolution in the United States. [55:52] More than 4,000 people were at the UFC fight, including the president, VP, and other top members [55:58] of the Trump administration. The Justice Department is declining to comment on this. We've also reached [56:03] out to the White House, but they're deferring to the FBI. Let's bring in Tom Winter, who's got more [56:08] information on this. So, Tom, what more do we know about how this alleged plot was stopped? [56:12] Sure, Ryan. Well, this was an effort between the Secret Service and the FBI, [56:16] and it started with a phone call from mom, the mom of one of the people that's been charged here. [56:21] That's Tyson Proper from the Cincinnati area. And according to the charging documents, [56:26] she was concerned about him. Police were called approximately 9 p.m. last Wednesday. [56:31] They get to the house. They start having discussions. They find this arsenal. [56:34] They take him into custody. He was actually taken to a hospital for treatment for having [56:40] homicidal intentions. And then they were able to speak with him post-Miranda. And that's when they [56:45] got onto a big signal group. They're still unwinding it, by the way. This investigation is very much [56:50] ongoing as we sit here tonight. We do expect further arrests. They have not identified everybody [56:56] that's involved in this. And so, really, as this investigation continues, it's led to the arrest of [57:01] five individuals. That's Tyson Prosper, Abraham Alvarez, Brian Roa, Michael Allen Thomas, [57:06] and Daniel Eskridge. Four states, at least, have been involved in this. So it's something that we're [57:11] going to continue to watch as far as the scope of this plot. But apparently, it was quite serious. [57:16] Ultimately, on the 12th, they cut it off. So that would have been Saturday. They just thought that [57:21] this idea of bringing drones and bombing the UFC and then shooting people as they were fleeing, [57:27] that that was probably not going to be something they could get together in enough time. The reason [57:32] why they wanted that person right there, the president of the United States, specifically [57:36] referenced killing him, specifically referenced killing the vice president, Elon Musk, members [57:41] of Congress over their support of Israel and AIPAC. They had issues with the handling the Epstein files, [57:47] they say. And they had issues with data center and water usage. So it runs the gamut of all the [57:53] ideologies we've seen here. Ryan, this is in the words of one senior law enforcement official, [57:58] quote, serious plot, something they're definitely concerned about and something we'll be watching [58:03] for in the coming weeks and coming days and weeks, I should say, for further arrests. [58:07] Okay, Tom Winter, thanks for being on top of it. We appreciate it. Let's head overseas now as [58:11] President Trump pivots his focus to ending another war before he officially ends the war the U.S. is in [58:16] right now. You see their photos posted by Ukraine's leader Vladimir Zelensky with the president, [58:22] a very good meeting, per President Trump, saying he would do, quote, whatever I can to end Ukraine's [58:26] war with Russia. The president says he can do that in part because of the so-called memorandum [58:31] of understanding with Iran that no one's really seen. But Mr. Trump once again says it involves Iran [58:37] never having a nuclear weapon. It does not include any investments in Iran and that it will make the [58:42] Strait of Hormuz toll free, as it's been for decades prior to the war. Here's how Mr. Trump explained [58:48] his focus now after a meeting with Gulf leaders. We're focused on Iran. It's going to be in the [58:56] back in the rear view. But in just the last few minutes, we're learning that Iran's military has [59:03] fired drones at commercial ships in the hours after the agreement on the memorandum. We'll get the view [59:09] on the diplomacy with Gabe Gutierrez in just a minute. But we're going to start with Courtney [59:13] QB, who's here in studio with me on her new reporting. So this could be a bad sign for the peace talks. [59:19] Talk to us about what you know, Courtney. Yeah, it's just I feel like this is the narrative that [59:22] we've been talking about for several weeks now, and that is there were these constant firing back [59:28] and forth between the U.S. military and primarily the IRGC, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, [59:33] over the course of the ceasefire. Well, now this memorandum has at least been digitally signed, [59:38] this preliminary part of the memorandum, even though it hasn't been formally signed until Friday. [59:43] But Iran, at least the IRGC, continues to fire at ships that are trying to move through the Strait of [59:48] Hormuz. So you'll recall the U.S. military continues to have this sort of coordination [59:52] effort with these shipping companies. It's not full on escorts. They're not boarding the ships. [59:57] They're not even putting aircraft over and sort of escorting them through. But they're helping them [1:00:01] find the safest way to get through as possible. And as that has continued since the signing on Sunday, [1:00:07] Iran has fired a number of different drones at these ships. The U.S. military has shot them down. [1:00:12] It's not really clear how this could play into this memorandum of understanding. It's supposed to be [1:00:16] signed on Friday, especially since, as you mentioned, we don't even really know what's in it yet. [1:00:20] Yeah. And I have to imagine that, you know, this memorandum sticking would be very much contingent [1:00:27] on the street being open. And you talk about these escorts or, you know, kind of the semblance of an [1:00:32] escort. That's not what's going to make the economy come back. It's going to be what we had before, [1:00:36] where you could get through there without any kind of worry. And even with this coordination, [1:00:40] it is a small fraction of what it was prior to the war. Now it's better than nothing, [1:00:44] but it is a very small amount of oil that's still getting through. And some of that isn't [1:00:48] even oil, it's goods and humanitarian supplies. So, yes, the strait needs to be reopened fully. [1:00:54] And keep in mind, you know, the U.S. military has had this huge effort that they undertook about [1:00:59] more than a month ago now to check for any mines. And while we're not aware that they've actually [1:01:04] found any mines, they've not actually checked the entire strait. So there still needs to be an effort [1:01:08] to make sure that the entire waterway, once they get back to that full traffic, [1:01:14] they need multiple lanes of shipping available. And so they need to make sure that Iran hasn't [1:01:17] put any mines down. So it's really unclear how this is all going to unfold. But what's very clear here [1:01:24] is the IRGC continues to threaten that waterway while commercial ships are trying to make their [1:01:29] way in and out right now. Okay. Courtney Kuby, thank you for that update. Let's go now to Gabe [1:01:32] Gutierrez in Geneva. So, Gabe, digest this news for us. I mean, the president says that the deal now [1:01:38] goes to a second stage with Iran. Do we have any idea what that second stage could look like? [1:01:45] Well, Ryan, that second stage is what we have been talking about, this 60-day window for technical [1:01:50] discussions, negotiations that will be led by Vice President J.D. Vance. Now, today, President Trump [1:01:57] said that he thought this second stage would be, quote, easier than the first. Many skeptics are looking [1:02:02] at this and saying that's very difficult to imagine, given all the thorny issues that still [1:02:07] remain, the specific details of Iran's nuclear program. And also, what about the enriched uranium [1:02:13] that was buried in U.S. airstrikes? What will be the fate of that enriched uranium? So certainly a lot [1:02:20] of more difficult questions. But we still don't have the text of this memorandum of understanding, [1:02:26] which we're now expecting to get sometime after Friday, when that formal signing ceremony [1:02:31] happens here in Switzerland, Ryan. And let's talk about the war with Ukraine, [1:02:36] Russia's war with Ukraine. Let's not forget that the president said he could end it in [1:02:40] one day of his second term. We're now past 500 days. Do we have any real sense of how much of [1:02:45] a priority it may be for him to get a deal done there? Well, look, the war in Ukraine didn't seem [1:02:54] to be a priority for President Trump for quite some time now, given that he's been focused so much on [1:02:58] Iran. Today, we did see that shift in focus a bit when the president saying that he wanted to put [1:03:02] Iran in the rearview mirror. And Ukrainian President Zelenskyy was here on the sidelines [1:03:08] of the G7 summit. There had been no scheduled official meeting between Zelenskyy and President [1:03:15] Trump today. It signifies just what not a priority this was for the president coming to the summit in [1:03:23] France. However, when President Zelenskyy was greeted at the summit by French President Emmanuel Macron, [1:03:28] they were overheard on a hot mic basically discussing Emmanuel Macron urging President [1:03:35] Zelenskyy to meet with President Trump and saying that he would help arrange for that to happen. [1:03:41] Indeed, Zelenskyy and Trump and Macron met in private and discussed the war in Ukraine. [1:03:47] President Trump saying today, when asked about this in front of reporters, he said that he wanted [1:03:53] Russian President Vladimir Putin to strike a deal here. And Ryan, this comes as Russia just bombed a [1:03:59] century, centuries old cathedral or monastery, I should say, in Kyiv. So certainly this war is still [1:04:07] raging. And now perhaps the president, President Trump, signaling that he wants to shift at least a [1:04:13] little bit of focus to that. It was a hot topic today at the G7 summit. Okay. Gabe Gutierrez on the [1:04:18] ground there in Geneva. Gabe, thank you for that. Now to an active situation at a hospital out in [1:04:23] Delaware, where police say two people have been shot. This is the scene outside Wilmington Hospital [1:04:29] in the last hour. Police have not revealed the status of the shooter or the condition of the two [1:04:34] victims. One employee who was inside the hospital when it all unfolded said the shots rang out like [1:04:40] firecrackers. Yeah, I just got out of there. I mean, they, in a class, they tell you like when [1:04:46] something like that happens, just leave, just get out. And plus your instincts take over. I'm not [1:04:50] going to stick around. You know, I want to get out of there. It's scary. It's scary for everyone [1:04:55] involved. Now, police are asking the public to avoid the area. We're going to continue to follow [1:05:01] this story. We will bring you updates as we learn more. We also have new details tonight in the deadly [1:05:06] Air Force bomber crash at a California base. The wife of one of the victims says her husband was [1:05:12] part of a routine mission that had been pushed back several times. Listen. [1:05:17] They just kept pushing it back and pushing it back. And I don't think that plane was [1:05:22] ready to take off. And I'm so sad it did. The Air Force has not publicly identified the [1:05:30] eight victims or determined what caused the B-52 strata fortress to go down yesterday morning. [1:05:36] Officials say it'll take upwards of six months to know exactly what might have happened. [1:05:40] It comes after an F-A-18 Hornet jet crashed in Washington state just two days ago. You can see [1:05:46] the fighter jet falling out of the sky in this video and then slamming into a nearby hill. [1:05:50] Let's bring in Liz Kreutz, who's following this story for us. So, Liz, we don't know the names of [1:05:55] the victims yet, but what more are you hearing about the lives lost? Hey, Ryan. Yes. So we know that [1:06:02] there were eight people that sadly perished on that flight. And officials say it was a mix of military, [1:06:08] civilians, and government contractors. Boeing put out a statement saying that two of the people on [1:06:13] board were their employees and they offered their condolences to those people and to their families. [1:06:20] We also just spoke to the wife of one of the victims. You heard a little bit of it there. [1:06:25] This is Lauren Smith. She says her husband was Jeremy Smith. He had worked at the base as a [1:06:30] Department of Defense engineer for a decade and was regularly going on these B-52 test missions. [1:06:36] She said it seemed to be a normal day. He said, I'm going to go on a plane like normal, [1:06:40] kiss her goodbye. But she did mention what you said there, that she did know that this [1:06:46] was a flight that was supposed to be delayed or had been delayed. And she doesn't really know why [1:06:50] that was. We've reached out to the military. They say they don't comment on active investigations, [1:06:54] but he does leave behind their toddler and four month old son. Take a listen to what she said. [1:07:03] I know he is just a speck in, in this world of people, but he truly, truly loved this country [1:07:09] and he would do anything for this country. He loved spending time with us and I would, [1:07:15] I would do anything to, to get that back. And she said that he actually only returned [1:07:22] from paternity leave a week ago. She says she desperately wishes he had taken more time, Ryan. [1:07:28] That's just awful, Liz. We know this was a test flight, but these sorts of missions, [1:07:34] they happen every day, multiple times a day. What are investigators going to be looking [1:07:39] for to figure out exactly what happened? Yeah. I mean, the fact that this is a routine [1:07:43] test mission and officials said that they do this daily there on the base and this particular base, [1:07:47] Edwards Air Force Base, about a hundred miles northeast of here in LA, is known for being one [1:07:53] of the key places where they do these tests. So we are told by the official on the base that they'll [1:07:58] likely be looking for the black box to get the flight data recorder. They do know that this [1:08:03] basically crashed immediately upon takeoff. These are some of the most experienced pilots in the [1:08:08] world. So some experts have speculated it's probably some kind of mechanical issue with the plane, [1:08:13] but these are planes that have been in operation for decades. They're in use now in the Middle East. [1:08:18] And so a lot of questions here. And as you said earlier, it could be several months until they [1:08:23] really determine the cause. And even then we, as the public might never know, it could be this is [1:08:28] classified and they're not able to release it publicly, Ryan. Okay. Liz Croyd, thanks for [1:08:32] being on top of it. We appreciate it. At the World Cup now, one of the huge favorites to win the whole [1:08:37] tournament, France, just in the last hour, beating Senegal 3-1 in their first group stage game. [1:08:44] And it wasn't just a test for France as fans flood out of MetLife Stadium. The New York City region's [1:08:50] transit system itself also being tested. Check out the bus loads of people heading out. Today's big [1:08:56] game shut down access to New Jersey transit trains on a work day for hours to anyone without a World Cup [1:09:02] ticket. Meanwhile, we've got our eyes on tonight's big game kicking off in a few hours in the World Cup's [1:09:08] smallest city where the reigning champs Argentina are kicking off against Algeria in Kansas City. [1:09:15] We've got team coverage tonight. Shaq Brewster is in Kansas City, Missouri. But first, let's go to Tom [1:09:20] Costello in New York City. Tom, first of all, you're holding a soccer ball. You're not supposed to use [1:09:25] your hands unless you're going to tell me that you're a goalie and then I'll let it slide. [1:09:29] Let's talk about what's happening where you are at New York's Penn Station as everybody [1:09:33] trying to get out of that game and back home. Well, le bleu a gagné, monsieur Noblesse, right? [1:09:40] The blue won. The French won. And they are celebrating today. We've had an—I know your name has to be [1:09:46] French. You've just Americanized it, I'm sure. Listen, we have got right now people starting to come back [1:09:52] from Jersey, right? So—but they're mixed in with the evening crowds. So we've seen folks coming [1:09:57] from Long Island. We've seen people coming back. Thank you very much. People going to the Yankees [1:10:02] game. This is a very busy piece of Midtown, right? Right at Penn Station. I think that so far the [1:10:10] results are that New Jersey Transit and the Metro here in New York City, the whole Metro system worked [1:10:16] pretty well in handling the crowds. 80,000 people, 80,000 were inside MetLife Stadium. 28,000 people [1:10:25] were handled just on New Jersey Transit. So overall today, it went pretty well following, you know, [1:10:32] kind of a rough day on Saturday. And today the stakes were even higher, of course, because it's a very busy [1:10:38] workday, right, on a Tuesday in New York City. But so far so good. And they're giving themselves [1:10:44] high marks. They're now all starting to flood back in to the city. And I—one more thing, [1:10:49] Ryan, I think that everybody's grateful that we didn't have a Knicks game tonight, right, [1:10:53] on top of everything else. It really would have really taxed the system. But so far so good. And [1:10:58] everybody's in a pretty good spirit. Yeah. And you talked to some of those folks, [1:11:02] right? I mean, obviously, the French fans were probably very excited. But does everybody feel like [1:11:08] the process has been going pretty well, given everything you talked about? Well, listen, [1:11:13] we talked to fans as they were departing to get on the trains. And here's what New Jersey Transit did, [1:11:19] right? They essentially created a closed loop. So if you were a regular commuter coming into the city [1:11:25] today, trying to get to work, you're not going to get through on New Jersey Transit. You had to go [1:11:30] south through the PATH train on the south side of Manhattan or find another way. But New Jersey Transit [1:11:36] wasn't working for you. And so we talked to people as they were on these dedicated trains, [1:11:40] a closed loop going over to MetLife Stadium, coming back. And I think it's safe to say they [1:11:46] were pumped. Take a listen. Today we're going to MetLife Stadium to watch France Senegal. I've never [1:11:53] been to a World Cup game, so it's going to be really fun. I think it's great. The atmosphere is starting to [1:11:58] build up. I think that's the whole thing, buddy. But the atmosphere here has been electric. I mean, [1:12:07] people are positive. They're having fun. And listen, some people are rooting for France and [1:12:12] others are rooting for, of course, you know, whoever else they may be playing today. But everybody, [1:12:17] I should say all week, but everybody really enjoying the day. All right. Well, [1:12:22] good test run for New York because they've got a lot more to come before this World Cup is over. Tom [1:12:26] Costello, thank you for that. We appreciate it. Let's go now to from the biggest city hosting a game [1:12:32] to the smallest city in the United States anyway. And that's where Shaq Brewster is in Kansas City. [1:12:37] So Shaq, we can see the energy on the ground there in Kansas City. They seem to be handling [1:12:42] it even though they are the smallest city on the World Cup map. What are the vibes on the ground like [1:12:48] there? Yeah, the energy, the enthusiasm. It is not clear. It's not apparent that this is the smallest [1:12:55] city to host a World Cup, especially you have that big match tonight. Leo Messi will be taking the pitch [1:13:01] in what is normally Arrowhead Stadium, but has been turned into Kansas City Stadium [1:13:06] for the World Cup. But right now we are at the fan zone and this is the area where fans have been [1:13:10] spending much of the day. You see some of the sponsorships and the activations behind me. You [1:13:14] see behind me in that field there, people are watching some of the matches that have been going [1:13:19] on right now. It looks like it's a rock in Norway that they're watching. And this entire area has gotten [1:13:24] full at some times. You see the heart up there. That's a key logo for Kansas City. But Kansas City, [1:13:30] this is a city that calls itself the soccer capital of America and it's doing whatever it can to try to [1:13:36] prove that point. Fan activations like the one here, but the big modifications you saw [1:13:42] at Arrowhead Stadium and also just trying to do what they can to make it easy for folks who are coming [1:13:46] from all over the world. I've had conversations with fans who are going to the event tonight who [1:13:51] say I normally wouldn't come to Kansas City if I were coming to the United States, but they wanted to [1:13:56] change that up and they said they have been surprised by what they have seen in this city. [1:14:01] So a lot of excitement, a lot of enthusiasm. I'll tell you, a lot of it cleared out because people are [1:14:05] heading off, hopping on the bus, going down to the stadium to watch the match tonight. But you're [1:14:10] still seeing a lot of excitement here, Ryan. And you know, it's not as if Kansas City doesn't [1:14:13] have at least some experience with this. They are an NFL city. They're a major league baseball city. [1:14:17] They host big events. And you had a chance to talk to the mayor ahead of the kickoff. Talk to me about [1:14:24] how they prepared for this big game. Yeah, that point that you made is exactly right. And that's [1:14:29] the point that the mayor was making as well as they are. Yes, they may be big events. They didn't [1:14:41] think it was farfetched for them to put in a big over 10 years ago. Listen to a little bit of what he told [1:14:46] me. There is no place where the World Cup is going to take over the city more. This is the smallest market [1:14:52] with World Cup matches. But this is a place where we have built out a wonderful entertainment [1:14:57] apparatus, hotels, events, good security standing. Paul, we don't have audio. We don't have audio. [1:15:03] We also know securing these events is a big deal. We know other law enforcement agencies [1:15:14] for helping the security efforts, including some federal law enforcement. All right. So we'll explain [1:15:19] to our viewers what happened there, Shaq. The mic you're holding, the battery must have died or [1:15:23] something along those lines. The mic on the camera, we could still hear, but not all that well. [1:15:26] We thank Shaq for that excellent report and we're going to move on. Still ahead. [1:15:30] What we now know about this wild scene caught on camera in Italy, [1:15:34] plus how Tom Holland is trying to end those Zendaya marriage rumors for good. All right, [1:15:51] let's get you over to the five things our team thinks that you should know about tonight. Number one, [1:15:55] New Jersey police are working, quote, around the clock to find the suspects in an acid attack. [1:16:00] Jersey City police say two people drove past a group of women and splashed them with what's [1:16:04] believed to be sulfuric acid. The five victims are getting treatment for non-life threatening burns. [1:16:10] Thankfully, they are expected to be okay. Police believe the attack is connected to an earlier [1:16:14] dispute. Number two, check this out. A huge water spout sighting in Southern Italy. This is basically [1:16:20] a tornado, but it's over the water. Thankfully, there are no reports of anyone getting hurt. [1:16:26] Number three, Tom Holland finally settling the rumors, confirming he's married to Zendaya. That's [1:16:32] according to an interview with Esquire UK. Holland was asked about those AI-generated wedding photos [1:16:38] that went viral earlier this year. He said he never warned his family about the fake pics because they [1:16:43] were all there, but he didn't elaborate, adding, quote, that's all you'll get. I also was not there. [1:16:48] Number four, exciting news for Hamilton fans. An OG cast member is coming back to the stage. Here [1:16:56] comes the general, Christopher Jackson, reprising his role as George Washington after leaving the [1:17:01] Broadway musical back in 2016. He's the second original cast member to return following Leslie Oden, [1:17:07] Jr. Jackson will be back with the cast this September through January. Number five, [1:17:13] Georgia voters are back at the polls today for crucial runoff elections in the Republican Senate [1:17:18] race. Trump-backed candidate Mike Collins is facing former football coach Derek Dooley. [1:17:23] The winner will take on Senator John Ossoff in November. There's also a runoff for which [1:17:28] Republican will be on the ballot for Georgia governor. And make sure to check out Steve Kornacki. [1:17:32] The Kornacki cam will be up and running tonight for those results and more. You can stream it on [1:17:37] NBCnews.com and on YouTube. The vice president just responded to an upcoming book excerpt published [1:17:44] in the New York Times that says he led a campaign from within the White House to get the Justice [1:17:50] Department to release all of the Epstein files, even any unsubstantiated allegations against his boss. [1:17:55] The Times excerpt also says that Vice President Vance even tossed around the idea that Tucker Carlson [1:18:01] should interview Epstein's accomplice, Ghislaine Maxwell, who's serving a 20-year sentence in prison [1:18:07] after she was convicted of sex crimes. The Times reports, though, that Vance thought it could help [1:18:13] the president if Maxwell said that Trump wasn't involved in any wrongdoing with Epstein. Here's [1:18:17] what Vance said when he was asked about the role he played in the Epstein files release. Watch. [1:18:23] Well, I'd say, first of all, don't believe everything that you read in any newspaper, [1:18:27] whether it's a right-leaning paper or a left-leaning paper, because as you guys know, [1:18:31] well, there are things that are true, things that are false, and things that are totally missing [1:18:34] context. Well, here's what I'll say. So, number one, I am, frankly, kind of a conspiracy theory [1:18:40] on the Epstein stuff, and that story says that that's one of the things that's true, [1:18:43] is that some people called me a conspiracy theory on the Epstein stuff, and I love Susie, [1:18:48] but absolutely she thinks I'm a conspiracy theorist on the Epstein stuff, because I think that it's crazy [1:18:53] that you had this guy who was clearly a sex predator who was hanging out with a lot of very [1:18:58] wealthy and powerful people. Like, that really bothered me. I don't know what's there, [1:19:01] of course. Nobody knows exactly what happened unless you were there, but that really bothered [1:19:05] me, and I wanted to have full transparency. What I disagree with is the idea that the White [1:19:10] House wasn't committed to full transparency. We have to remember, like, I was inside the room when [1:19:14] some of these decisions were made. The Epstein Files Transparency Act, the one that the president [1:19:18] signed, the one that led to all these files that we're seeing, the emails—by the way, again—sorry, [1:19:23] I do have to defend my boss. I know you guys don't always appreciate this, but, you know, [1:19:27] one of the things you see in the Epstein emails is that Jeffrey Epstein hated Donald Trump, [1:19:32] and that Donald Trump literally reported Jeffrey Epstein to the police. That's one of the things [1:19:36] that came out of these files. They were best friends for about a decade. And remember, [1:19:39] he signed that Transparency Act under duress when some Republican women, Congresswomen like Lauren [1:19:45] Boebert, like Marjorie Taylor Greene, did not give in to his pressure of not signing. He brought Lauren [1:19:51] Boebert into the Situation Room to pressure her into caving on not voting for that bill. [1:19:57] So let me respond to that. [1:19:58] That's all true. [1:19:59] Let me respond to that. So number one is, yes, Donald Trump—and he said this—he knew [1:20:03] Jeffrey Epstein back in the 1980s. He also threw Jeffrey Epstein out of his club when he found out [1:20:07] it was a creep and reported him to the police. That's something that the media often misses when [1:20:12] it reports this story. They tell the fact that they knew each other in the 80s, which the president [1:20:16] himself admits. They ignore the fact that he narked on him to the police and led ultimately to [1:20:21] Jeffrey Epstein's downfall. [1:20:24] Now, we should note the Times reporting here is from a book by two of their reporters that's set [1:20:28] to come out next week. The authors say they've interviewed more than a thousand people close [1:20:33] to President Trump for their reporting. Let's bring in our White House reporter, [1:20:37] Monica Alba, to talk more about this. So, Monica, it's interesting to see J.D. Vance kind of try and [1:20:42] carve his own lane a little bit when it comes to the Epstein files. I mean, does this in any way [1:20:47] signals kind of a split in the White House as to how it relates to Epstein? [1:20:51] I think so. I mean, this is a story that when you talk to senior White House officials, [1:20:54] they constantly stress it's kind of the one that just won't go away. They can try to talk [1:20:59] about anything else, and it just keeps coming back and coming back. And sometimes it is because [1:21:03] you have the vice president talking so openly about these situation room meetings that were reported [1:21:08] on in the New York Times and that we have reported on as well. But the fact that they were down there [1:21:12] having that level of discussion about how to handle this tells you a lot about how there were [1:21:16] differing viewpoints about this. But I think something that's really interesting, [1:21:20] Ryan, and what the vice president was saying there, he said a couple of times that Donald [1:21:24] Trump had reported Epstein to police. But we should be really, really careful and be really [1:21:29] clear about the context around that, which is that we think he's referring to information that came out [1:21:35] in a summary memo from the FBI as a part of the Epstein files that did say, because the FBI [1:21:41] interviewed a former Palm Beach police chief, that he had gotten a call from the then private citizen, [1:21:47] Donald Trump, back in 2006, that said something like, quote, thank goodness you're stopping him [1:21:52] and everyone knows about him. But we should be clear that that didn't necessarily really initiate [1:21:59] an investigation or a probe that that had been ongoing. But we believe that that's what the vice [1:22:04] president is referring to when he said that he just kind of said it pretty plainly. We have asked [1:22:08] the White House and the vice president's office if there's more that they want to share about what [1:22:11] he means by that. And then, of course, it's important to point out that the president has denied [1:22:15] any wrongdoing here. The vice president hasn't been accused of any wrongdoing. But it is a story that I [1:22:20] think really does encapsulate not just the different factions within the Republican Party [1:22:25] and MAGA who really were pushing for a lot of this to come out, but also something that's just [1:22:30] going to probably keep following this White House, this administration and the vice president if he [1:22:35] decides to run for president in 2020. Especially because the victims, the folks that care a lot about [1:22:40] this issue remain unsatisfied, right? They feel as though they have not gotten the justice that [1:22:44] they're looking for. Or all the answers. Yeah. All right. Monica Alba, thanks for that. [1:22:47] When we come back, the scary scene on the water in Maryland. How crews stopped a runaway boat [1:22:53] after its driver was thrown overboard. Plus why one DC landmark is turning green again. Let's take [1:23:17] you to South Carolina where police are looking for a personal trainer who mysteriously disappeared [1:23:22] after walking out of a gym. Authorities say Elena Moore was last seen here at Planet Fitness [1:23:28] last Thursday evening. Now, according to police, Moore left the gym and headed toward a wooded area [1:23:33] behind a Lowe's home improvement store. And she hasn't been seen since. Maggie Vespa is joining us [1:23:38] now. This is scary, Maggie. Talk to us about the latest efforts to try and find more. Yeah, Ryan, [1:23:45] it's been a massive search in this area just outside Columbia, South Carolina. And we actually have [1:23:49] video from our affiliate WIS showing a huge search effort that was underway in that wooded area [1:23:56] behind that Lowe's store. This was yesterday. And authorities basically combing that area, [1:24:01] it's just next to that Planet Fitness that you're seeing. That was where she was last seen. [1:24:05] Again, saying that she had walked into the woods. I talked to a police spokesperson about why that might [1:24:09] have been. And she said right now investigators don't know. They don't know why she walked that [1:24:13] direction. They don't know what she might have been doing if she was trying to meet anyone, [1:24:16] etc. So you can see the emergency vehicles there. That was a huge search effort, sadly, [1:24:21] to no avail. We do also have an image that we can pull up that surveillance image of the last time [1:24:25] she was seen inside that Planet Fitness. It shows her there she is at the front desk of that gym. [1:24:31] Again, that was Thursday evening. And she was reported missing the next day. The basic facts [1:24:37] of this case right now, that was that she was again around 640 last seen wearing that olive hoodie. [1:24:43] You can see some of it there. Black athletic pants. Police don't believe that she has a car with her. [1:24:48] They think she has her phone, but say it hasn't pinged since she's gone missing. And they also say [1:24:53] that they're working with her husband. She is married and that he's not at all at this point. [1:24:57] We've seen a lot of questions about this online, considered a person of interest. He's cooperating. [1:25:02] They say at this point, they actually don't even have any evidence to indicate that foul play could [1:25:07] have been involved at all. This woman is just simply vanished, Ryan. And it's really rattling people [1:25:12] there. And I take it there have also been some false reports that she'd been found. Talk to us about [1:25:18] that. Yeah, this was really bizarre. And this didn't help nerves in that area. I just talked again to the [1:25:24] police spokesperson. She says basically what happened is a woman called the tip line and said, [1:25:28] I think I just saw her. I think I just drove Elena Moore somewhere. And you know, great news. She's [1:25:33] alive. Well, investigators went to go vet that tip as they do with every tip and found out that she [1:25:38] was mistaken. It wasn't the right person. But the problem is somebody basically at the police [1:25:41] department, and they openly admit this, jumped the gun and sent out what they call a found alert or a [1:25:48] spotted alert, basically a flyer. And they say that was a mistake. They're really sorry about it. [1:25:53] And they're, again, very aware of how much this has frightened people in that area as this [1:25:58] search effort continues with this woman who friends say, by the way, was not acting strangely. [1:26:02] Everything seemed to be fine in her life, but it's just been missing for days now. [1:26:07] All right. We hope for the best. Maggie Vespa, thank you for that report. [1:26:10] Federal workers in D.C. now are trying to clean up its historic reflecting pool that's back to looking [1:26:16] green just a little more than a week after President Trump said that the renovations there were all done. [1:26:22] You can see national park workers today trying to clear out the algae from the pool today. [1:26:27] It's been a problem for the landmark for years. But this is after a multi-million dollar renovation [1:26:32] project that President Trump launched to paint the base, what he calls American flag blue, [1:26:38] ahead of America's 250th anniversary next month. Now, I went down there today. It is very green, [1:26:43] I can confirm, and spoke to some D.C. locals and tourists who say the makeover, [1:26:48] in their mind, it's fell short of expectations. So what were you expecting when you got here? [1:26:54] Um, a little, a little clearer water, actually. It should have been done by this point, [1:27:02] especially after the whole shebang with the UFC event. It doesn't look like a good use of $15 [1:27:06] million. It doesn't really look like anything's changed. I tapped out and sent Andrea Mitchell [1:27:13] down there to pick up this story. Andrea's there at the pool. She's done an extensive reporting on this [1:27:18] topic. So, Andrea, what else do we know about this big cleanup effort? And it's part of this bigger D.C. [1:27:24] beautification push from the president, right? Yes, and he takes a huge interest in this. He even [1:27:31] drove here one night just around sundown to look at it and talk about the American flag blue. Well, [1:27:37] it's actually turned today and yesterday into Kermit the frog green because of the algae. And the algae [1:27:45] have always been here since it was first built in 1922. As you saw, this is a big project. It's, [1:27:51] you know, more than 2,000 feet long. That's about four times as long as the Washington Monument [1:27:57] at one end of it is high. It's, as the president is fond of saying, uh, longer than the Empire State [1:28:04] Building is tall. So it is a huge project. And it was supposed to cost $2 million, Ryan, [1:28:11] and take about a week, he said. It ended up costing more than $14 million and taking six weeks. [1:28:17] And to get it done quickly, they did it on a no-bid contract, which, uh, critics from Capitol [1:28:22] Hill, Senator Blumenthal from Connecticut say violates congressional laws. But in any case, [1:28:29] it's done. And now it is green. And so what they've done, as you saw earlier, is they put, [1:28:35] first of all, hydrogen peroxide in and then, uh, oxide impregnated, uh, nanobubbles, right? Nanobubbles. [1:28:46] And that supposedly eats the food that feeds the algae that turns it green. And what it does to [1:28:53] the ducks is another whole question. We've seen them mother and little ducklings. And so far, they [1:28:58] don't look any, the worst for any hydrogen peroxide they may have imbibed. But in any case, [1:29:05] it is definitely green. And then it gets vacuumed. The dead algae get back to mount, [1:29:10] vacuumed venom. We talked to a marine biologist who said, after a couple of days in the hot sun, [1:29:16] it's going to turn green again. So this is going to be a continuous project all summer, [1:29:21] as long as it's hot weather and a shallow pool and running from the Lincoln Memorial historically to [1:29:28] World War II Memorial at the other end, uh, a very big project, but definitely an American flag. [1:29:38] Andrea, I mean, you've lived in Washington DC for such a long time. I mean, and you, and you've talked [1:29:44] about how there've been these algae blooms in the past. To me being down there today, this seemed like [1:29:49] no algae bloom I'd ever seen before. Do you think this is comparative to how the algae [1:29:54] has happened in the past, or it seems like it's even more than we've ever seen? Yeah, I think it is [1:30:01] very similar. It may be worse because of the dark paint on the bottom of it. I'm not an expert on [1:30:07] that, but it does absorb more heat and the more heat, the more algae. So, and so it goes. Yeah, [1:30:13] it's no fun being green. No fun being green. All right. Andrea Mitchell takes the National Mall. [1:30:20] We appreciate it, Andrea. Thank you for being down there for us, as always. You bet. [1:30:24] NBC News covers hundreds of stories each day, and because it's tough to read, [1:30:28] watch, or listen to them all, our bureau teams have done it for you. This is what they tell us [1:30:33] is going down in their regions in a segment we call the local. For our Washington bureau, [1:30:38] new video shows a runaway boat on a Maryland river. The Coast Guard says the operator was thrown off [1:30:44] after turning too fast. Watch as crew members pull up alongside and carefully hop on and cut off the [1:30:50] engine. Only one person was on the boat. He was rescued by his son, who was trailing close behind. [1:30:56] From our Western Bureau, a mountain lion seen walking around a California neighborhood [1:31:01] will be set free in the Santa Cruz Mountains. Police and wildlife officials used a drone yesterday [1:31:07] to track it down. They tranquilized her and put on a GPS collar so experts can study her movements. [1:31:14] Also from our Washington bureau, two baby giraffes went missing from a Virginia zoo [1:31:20] for more than a year, but now they've been found. The state's attorney's general's office isn't saying [1:31:25] where the giraffes were found. The animals are now at a specialized facility. Animal abuse allegations [1:31:32] at the natural bridge zoo date back to 2023. One of the owners actually served jail time before [1:31:38] refusing to explain what happened to the giraffes. Is it just me or does it seem like it would be [1:31:43] difficult to lose a giraffe? They're really tall. They have long. Anyway, coming up, the new fallout [1:31:50] today in a pretty famous family feud. How Brooklyn Beckham is using a new ad to take a swipe at his [1:31:56] parents. Time now for tonight's original now with in-depth reporting on a topic that we've been [1:32:09] watching. And tonight it's more fallout in that ongoing family feud that's breaking up the Beckham [1:32:14] family. With Brooklyn Beckham now taking a shot at his parents in a newly released commercial, [1:32:20] even after he said he wanted out of the family and more privacy. Chloe Malas has the story. [1:32:26] A soccer legend cheering from the stands at the FIFA World Cup while his son tries to score from home. [1:32:35] Brooklyn Beckham, David's son, seen in this new DoorDash ad on social media promoting the World Cup, [1:32:41] while he seems to be steering clear of this year's games. You're probably wondering why I'm watching [1:32:46] the FIFA World Cup 2026 from home. It's a long story. That long story, a clear shot at his dad, [1:32:53] a two-time World Cup quarter finalist, alluding to plenty of family drama off the field, teasing more to [1:33:00] come. It all comes after Brooklyn publicly cut ties with his family in a series of Instagram [1:33:07] posts earlier this year, where he accused his father and mother, former Spice Girl Victoria Beckham, [1:33:13] of controlling him for years and trying to ruin his relationship with his wife, Nicola Peltz. [1:33:18] In one post, he says, quote, I do not want to reconcile with my family, adding that all he wants is peace, [1:33:25] privacy and happiness for him and his wife. But that new life out of the limelight now includes a commercial [1:33:31] during the world's biggest sporting event, drawing tons of backlash on social media. As people online [1:33:37] point out, he's still profiting off his family name, even as he tries to distance himself from the Beckham [1:33:43] brand. You are the definition of biting the hand that feeds you. Well, you've got nothing to do with football, [1:33:50] mate, except for your dad. DoorDash didn't comment on the ad directly, telling us in part, [1:33:56] our content reflects the fun and frenzy that only this tournament can bring. Brooklyn Beckham did not [1:34:01] respond to our request for comment. Neither did representatives for David and Victoria Beckham. [1:34:06] But the two aren't shying away from the spotlight, watching the US Paraguay game in Los Angeles last [1:34:12] week alongside superstar Tom Cruise and showing a united front with their three other children on the [1:34:18] Hollywood Walk of Fame, where David Beckham just got a star. I'm going to get emotional now. Kids, [1:34:24] I hope you bring my grandchildren here one day and tell them about a boy who dreamed big. To make you [1:34:32] all proud is my greatest achievement. Brooklyn notably not there as his mother poked fun at herself in her [1:34:39] speech. I assumed I was coming here today to receive my star for my part in that iconic cult classic [1:34:48] Spice World the movie. Trying to keep the Beckham family image intact during the spicy family feud [1:34:55] while their son fires from the sidelines. Chloe Malas, NBC News. Thanks, Chloe. Spice up your life. [1:35:04] Still to come, the new warning from Major League Baseball to players after some of them put Bible [1:35:09] verses on their hats during a team pride night. At least one top Republican says he wants to [1:35:23] investigate Major League Baseball for alleged religious discrimination after three players [1:35:28] wrote Bible verses on their pride night hats. You see the verses there on the hats of San Francisco [1:35:34] Giants pitcher Landon Raup, JT Brubaker and Ryan Walker. Now, Rob's verse comes from Genesis, [1:35:40] which reads in part that the rainbow symbol serves as a quote sign of the covenant between God and the [1:35:46] earth. After he lost Friday's game, Raup explained why he did it. Thankfully, we live in a country [1:35:54] where we have the freedom to believe what we want and express what we want. Now, MLB warned the players [1:36:05] that they can't write the phrases on their hats going forward, prompting Florida's attorney general to [1:36:11] tell MLB they'll be hearing from his office. Even Vice President Vance weighed in saying, quote, [1:36:17] Trump won. We don't have to do this anymore. Morgan Chesky joins me now to talk more about [1:36:23] this controversy. So, Morgan, some in Congress accused baseball's commissioner of discriminating [1:36:27] against Christians. But we've heard from the league and they say it's not about the message itself, [1:36:31] right? Oh, Ryan, that's what they're saying. And it's been interesting. We have heard from [1:36:35] multiple lawmakers today. You mentioned several. I also want to share a few words from Missouri [1:36:40] Senator Josh Hawley, who said that his office sent a letter to the commissioner of Major League [1:36:46] Baseball Today, reading in part that Americans of every creed are entitled to confidence that the [1:36:51] institutions of our national pastime will not single out religious expression for punishment [1:36:55] while celebrating messages of the league's own choosing. I trust the league shares that commitment. [1:37:01] Ryan, Senator Hawley went on to mention a period during 2020 when the MLB temporarily suspended some [1:37:08] of their equipment rules to allow progressive slogans and messages to be written on players' cleats [1:37:14] following the death of George Floyd. Later today, MLB did respond with a statement of their own, [1:37:21] sharing those words with you now here. In response, they say this routine verbal warning [1:37:27] was not to wear the hat in future games, is not disciplinary, and had absolutely nothing to do with [1:37:32] the content of the message. We respect players' right to free expression. However, writing of any kind [1:37:37] with any messages prohibited per MLB uniform regulations, they went on to say, Ryan, that [1:37:43] players have been warned for having I love you mom or hi dad messages written on their uniforms or their [1:37:51] hats in years past. And let's talk about what's happening in Texas, Morgan. The governor there, [1:37:57] Greg Abbott, he also called out the league. He pointed out that the Rangers don't even hold a Pride [1:38:01] night. They're the only team that actually doesn't. And as far as we've seen, the Giants as an [1:38:06] organization don't appear to back the message of these players. What can you tell us about that? [1:38:10] Yeah, this is interesting, Ryan. Initially, following this, the manager of the Giants spoke [1:38:16] to the Associated Press and said there was really no discussion regarding the writing on the hats, [1:38:20] and that it's understood in the dugout and the clubhouse that players are free to [1:38:24] express themselves as they see fit. But later today, we're hearing from the organization of the Giants, [1:38:30] this is what they had to say regarding this situation. They say they understand the choices [1:38:36] by individual players may have caused pain and anger to many in the LGBTQ plus community. [1:38:40] And we're sorry about that. Those choices do not change our organization's commitment to inclusion, [1:38:46] belonging, and creating a welcoming environment for all. One quick note here, Ryan, a longtime [1:38:53] broadcaster for the Giants baseball games who has since retired said the players need to be more aware, [1:38:59] perhaps, of the city they're playing in, Ryan. [1:39:01] Okay. All right, Morgan Chesky, thank you for that. We appreciate it. [1:39:04] And that's a wrap for this hour. Thanks for watching. This is HJN on NBC.