About this transcript: This is a full AI-generated transcript of Morning News NOW Full Episode – Oct. 19 from NBC News, published October 20, 2026. The transcript contains 17,607 words with timestamps and was generated using Whisper AI.
"Developing right now on Morning News Now, seal of disapproval. This morning, President Trump back on the campaign trail in Kansas as new polling from the NBC News decision desk shows his approval rating dropping to a second-term low. And from coast to coast, hundreds of thousands of No Kings..."
[0:03] Developing right now on Morning News Now, seal of disapproval.
[0:07] This morning, President Trump back on the campaign trail in Kansas
[0:11] as new polling from the NBC News decision desk
[0:14] shows his approval rating dropping to a second-term low.
[0:19] And from coast to coast, hundreds of thousands of No Kings protesters
[0:22] taking to the streets with just over two weeks to go until the midterms.
[0:27] We'll bring you the latest.
[0:29] Also this morning, fire and fury unfolding in France.
[0:33] Protesters across several French cities clashing with police
[0:36] over the rising cost of living and the country's education system.
[0:47] The clock tower of a 19th century town hall that survived two world wars
[0:52] now reduced to rubble after a weekend of violence.
[0:56] We will show you the damage plus the president's message to protesters.
[1:00] Also moral obligations, AI giant Anthropic turning to outside experts
[1:05] to shape ethical guidelines for its technology.
[1:07] More on the move that's renewing questions about ethics and AI.
[1:12] And Secrets Out, iconic lingerie brand Victoria's Secret is spreading its wings,
[1:17] launching a new era, and enjoying the buzz from their fashion show last night.
[1:21] Hear my conversation with the company's CEO about the turnaround that seems to be paying off.
[1:27] Right a few quarters now of growth for the company, which is interesting after quite a few scandals.
[1:30] And you'll delve into why that's happening.
[1:32] So looking forward to that conversation.
[1:33] Good morning. Good to have you with us on a Monday. I'm Joe Fryer.
[1:36] And I'm Savannah Sellers. We are going to begin this morning with the start of the final push
[1:40] to the critical midterm elections, which are now just over two weeks away.
[1:43] President Trump is ramping up campaign efforts for GOP candidates across the country this week
[1:48] as control of Congress hangs in the balance.
[1:51] He is expected to campaign in Kansas today for the incumbent GOP senator,
[1:55] who is now in a surprisingly tight race against his Democratic challenger.
[2:00] The president also planning campaign stops in Florida.
[2:03] The Carolinas in Iowa later this week.
[2:06] This campaign blitz comes as new NBC News polling shows Republicans may be facing an uphill battle
[2:12] this election cycle. A whopping 71 percent of Americans believe the U.S. is on the wrong track.
[2:19] The economy and soaring gas prices from the war with Iran remain top concerns for voters.
[2:25] In a few moments, we'll catch up with NBC News political reporter Megan Brand
[2:28] for the latest headlines coming out of Washington on this Monday morning.
[2:31] First, though, reporter Alice Barr kicks off our midterm coverage.
[2:35] Alice, good morning.
[2:36] President Trump rallied for Republicans in Kentucky this weekend,
[2:40] but this new NBC News polling showing his approval rating now dropped to 34 percent.
[2:46] What did he have to say to voters and just how have his campaign efforts been received?
[2:50] Keeping in mind, he's visiting places typically considered friendly territory.
[2:55] Yeah, good morning, guys. And that's exactly it.
[2:58] He has been in a lot of these red states and he's been treading a lot of the same ground there.
[3:03] He has been continuing telling people, Republicans, to get out and vote like he's on the ballot.
[3:08] But at the same time, we've seen a lot of these Republican candidates in tight races trying to figure out
[3:13] how to carry the fact that he keeps saying act like I'm on the ballot.
[3:17] But there's a sort of upswell in sentiment from voters and all this polling showing they're not particularly happy with a lot of the policies
[3:25] in the way that he has been taking the country.
[3:28] He has been arguing, though, that his rally circuit is boosting Republican chances in the races that he's waited on so far.
[3:36] On the economy, he pointed to record highs and average income and the unemployment rate and a record low poverty rate
[3:43] and said that these are all that those three stats are all that matter.
[3:49] So he can stand up there and, quote, B.S. for two hours.
[3:52] So he's emphasizing those positives in the economy, emphasizing again, he says gas prices are going to drop when the war with Iran ends,
[3:59] though he acknowledged that it may go on a little longer and specifically on Kentucky.
[4:05] He promised that if Republicans win the midterms, that the administration will invest a lot of money
[4:10] in a big pharmaceutical companies, Kentucky based manufacturing center.
[4:15] So, Alice, Joe mentioned a lot of this is in what's typically friendly territory.
[4:19] Today, President Trump will be in Kansas.
[4:21] It's getting a lot of attention this election cycle.
[4:24] That state has not elected a Democrat to the Senate in nearly a century.
[4:28] But the race does seem to have gotten really close.
[4:30] What more can you tell us?
[4:32] Yes, a Republican incumbent, Roger Marshall, is facing a tough challenge from a Democrat there.
[4:37] Adam Hamilton, he is a megachurch pastor who managed to raise significantly more money than Marshall
[4:42] in the three months leading up to October.
[4:44] That's been the case in a string of these tight races here in the final stretch.
[4:49] But specifically in Kansas, Reverend Hamilton leads the largest United Methodist congregation in the U.S.
[4:55] That comes with kind of a baked in base of backers.
[4:58] And he's been running a really moderate campaign in a bid to appeal to independence and lure some Republicans
[5:04] who may be frustrated by key issues like the cost of living.
[5:08] And that's exactly where Hamilton has been focusing and other issues that appeal to both parties like AI data centers.
[5:14] All right.
[5:15] Alice Barr in Washington.
[5:16] Alice, thank you so much.
[5:18] Well, as President Trump spent the weekend encouraging voters to get out the vote for Republicans,
[5:22] rallies were held across the U.S., opposing the administration's agenda and calling on everyone to vote.
[5:27] On Saturday, hundreds of rallies organized by the No Kings Network were held in cities and communities from California to Florida.
[5:35] While the events are billed as nonpartisan, anger at the president and the policies was evident.
[5:40] Hundreds of people gathered at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington with signs condemning Mr. Trump
[5:44] and demanding that he keep his hands off the vote.
[5:47] President Trump has repeatedly cast suspicion on early voting methods, including mail-in voting,
[5:52] claiming without evidence that voter fraud cost him the 2020 presidential election.
[5:57] No Kings demonstrations have been held by people upset with President Trump's leadership since he was elected for a second term in 2024.
[6:03] Let's take a closer look at the latest NBC News Decision Desk poll with our chief data analyst, Steve Kornacki.
[6:09] He's digging a little deeper into how voters are feeling about their wallets and the economy.
[6:14] Hey, Steve.
[6:14] NBC News Decision Desk poll just a couple weeks before the election.
[6:20] Now, this is a little bit different than some of the other polls you see out there.
[6:23] This is a poll here.
[6:24] This is of registered voters.
[6:26] It's a bit of a wider net that you're seeing in some of the other polls.
[6:29] But I think it captures the core of the environment here, the generic ballot.
[6:32] Which party do you want to see control Congress?
[6:35] Poll finds Democrats with a nine-point advantage right there.
[6:38] Now, there is some potential flux here.
[6:40] It's an interesting finding here.
[6:41] When you ask folks if they're definitely going to vote or if they've already voted, early voting underway in some states, the Democratic advantage is actually even a little bit higher than this.
[6:51] So a motivation edge there for the Democratic voters.
[6:54] But when you ask them, you know, will they probably vote or, you know, they really don't think they're going to vote, that's where Republicans actually do have an advantage.
[7:03] So to the extent Republicans can get their voters more motivated, more tuned in, they would have a chance to bring that number down.
[7:11] So that's a bit of the suspense here in the closing weeks.
[7:14] There's an enthusiasm gap there between the parties.
[7:16] Can Republicans stem that at all in the closing weeks of this campaign?
[7:20] Now, take a look here at what goes into that lead Democrats have.
[7:23] Now, this is a little bit of a wider net still.
[7:26] We're talking about all adults nationwide here.
[7:28] But just taking their temperature and asking them your personal financial situation, is it better or worse compared to a year ago?
[7:35] 44 percent say it's worse now than it was one year ago against those who say they are independents.
[7:41] It's a majority, 53 percent.
[7:43] And how about this?
[7:44] We asked the same question in September 2025, right?
[7:48] A year ago, we said your personal financial situation, is it getting better?
[7:52] At that point, 34 percent were saying it's worse.
[7:55] So that worst number has gone up over the last year.
[8:00] As I say, among those who say they're independents, that's an outright majority.
[8:04] In terms of the price of gas, this has been a major issue, a major theme this year.
[8:08] Look, 34 percent say it's a very serious problem right now.
[8:12] In the spring, that number was at 29.
[8:15] Cumulatively, a very serious or somewhat serious problem.
[8:17] That's two-thirds of voters saying that the price of gas for their family has been some kind of a serious problem for them in terms of how people are changing their habits due to the economic conditions.
[8:30] This is a percentage point increase here.
[8:32] I think, you know, look, cutting back on electricity, six percentage point increase.
[8:36] And the number who say they are doing that, changing or canceling plans to travel, that's a six percentage point increase for those who say they are doing that.
[8:43] So you see some, that's not a huge number, but that is all increases right there to some degree.
[8:48] Again, just people reacting to how economic conditions are affecting them.
[8:54] And it all goes to that question here, the rising price of everyday things, cost, inflation, which party do you trust more?
[9:00] Again, this is of all adults.
[9:01] This is not just registered voters.
[9:02] This is not likely voters.
[9:03] This is the widest possible net right here.
[9:06] But the Democrats here with a 12-point edge when we ask that question.
[9:11] All right, Steve Kornacki, thank you for that report.
[9:13] For more expert analysis and updates on all the midterms all season long, scan this QR code and subscribe to the Data Dive with Steve Kornacki.
[9:21] His weekly newsletter is out every Tuesday.
[9:25] Let's continue our conversation with NBC News political reporter Megan Brand.
[9:28] Megan, good morning.
[9:29] So what are we learning from this poll about how voters, excuse me, view both the Republican and Democratic parties?
[9:35] Hey, guys, good morning.
[9:37] So the bottom line here is that voters aren't really that happy with either party, but they feel a little bit worse about Republicans.
[9:44] So let's take a look at some of those findings from the poll.
[9:46] So in terms of how voters feel about the Republican Party, 63 percent had an unfavorable view toward the GOP compared to a 37 percent who had a favorable view toward the GOP.
[9:59] Now, take the Democratic Party in terms of who has unfavorable views.
[10:04] 57 percent had unfavorable views toward the Democratic Party and 43 percent had favorable views toward the party.
[10:11] So, guys, what we're seeing here in a lot of these races is candidates are trying to tie their opponents to their opponent's national political party.
[10:20] So you see Democrats trying to tie Republicans to President Trump and you see Republicans trying to tie their Democratic opponents to prominent Democratic members of Congress, guys.
[10:29] As we've mentioned many times, the economy, high cost of living, those are the motivating issues for voters.
[10:35] Yesterday, meet the press moderator, Kristen Welker, press Treasury Secretary Scott Besson on this and whether the Trump administration would take some responsibility.
[10:44] How did he respond to that question?
[10:46] Yeah. So the way that he responded to this, initially, he blamed the Biden administration, which is a fairly common tactic for Trump administration officials when they're pressed about the economy.
[10:56] But then moderator Kristen Welker had asked him, OK, so when would the Trump administration consider this to be the Trump economy?
[11:05] Here's what he had to say.
[11:07] Well, we will we will own the economy.
[11:10] We have so far this year, we've got a million private sector jobs.
[11:14] We've never had this many people working in the U.S.
[11:17] The net worth of American households are the highest that it's ever been.
[11:21] So, Kristen, let's be clear here.
[11:23] This is an energy supply side shock.
[11:26] We will get to the other side of this.
[11:29] I do want to note here, guys.
[11:30] Back in February, before the war began, President Trump was asked when he would consider this to be the Trump economy.
[11:36] And at that time, he said that he would say that we were in it right now, guys.
[11:40] Megan, one other piece of news I do want to ask you about.
[11:42] There's been some speculation here that White House chief of staff Susie Wiles could be next out the door for the administration.
[11:49] This is after President Trump had fired his recently appointed press secretary, Katie Zachariah, after just days on the job.
[11:56] But what's he saying about the idea that he may be looking for a new chief of staff?
[12:00] President Trump spoke with NBC's Peter Nicholas over the weekend about this.
[12:05] And in that interview, President Trump told Peter that Susie Wiles will be there until the end, is what he said.
[12:11] And also said that Susie Wiles has done a great job.
[12:15] Now, in that same interview, President Trump had said that he denied that he was unhappy with Wiles.
[12:20] And he also said that he believes he may have the most successful first two years in the history of the presidency,
[12:27] something that voters don't necessarily seem to agree with based on polling here.
[12:31] But this conversation came after a week of some more personnel turmoil in the White House with White House now former press secretary, Katie Zachariah,
[12:40] leaving that role after just five days.
[12:43] And guys, we still don't know yet who could potentially replace her.
[12:47] All right. Megan Brand, thank you so much.
[12:48] Well, over the weekend, Ukraine launched more than 1,000 drones at Russia in one of the largest aerial attacks of the war.
[12:55] The strikes hit an oil depot in St. Petersburg yesterday, setting it on fire.
[12:59] But Ukraine's strikes come amid deepening divisions with the U.S.
[13:03] as President Trump hit pause on implementing further sanctions against Russia that won bipartisan approval in Congress.
[13:11] Our NBC News Meet the Press moderator, Kristen Welker, spoke exclusively with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky,
[13:16] who has a new message for the U.S.
[13:19] Kristen has more of their conversation. Kristen, good morning.
[13:23] Good morning, Joe and Savannah.
[13:24] This week on Meet the Press, I spoke exclusively with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky
[13:28] about U.S. support for his country as President Trump suspends new sanctions on Russia
[13:33] and touts a new diesel deal with President Vladimir Putin.
[13:37] Can Ukraine win this war without the United States, President Zelensky?
[13:41] Very difficult. You know, it's, I mean, it's, it's all about losses. It's true.
[13:54] It's not about prevail or not prevail. It's all about, it's about our people.
[14:02] If it's without the United States support, it's very difficult.
[14:07] But if the United States will support Putin, I mean, it's unbelievable. It's tragedy.
[14:13] It's historic mistake and big tragedy. That's why I think that, I don't want to live in illusions,
[14:22] but I think that we have to be pragmatic. If the United States will take, officially,
[14:28] will take the side of Russia, of course, if these two countries will be together, of course,
[14:34] of course, we will not prevail and we will not be able to stand. It's understandable.
[14:39] That's why we hope that President, his team will be on our side, minimum in the middle.
[14:48] You can see my full exclusive interview with President Zelensky at meetthepress.com.
[14:53] You can also get more Meet the Press right here on NBC News Now every weekday at 4 p.m.
[14:57] All right, Kristen, thank you.
[14:59] As we begin a new week, say it ain't so, a nor'easter is churning off the Atlantic coast.
[15:03] So let's bring in Andrea Romero with the latest forecast and a look at what we can expect.
[15:07] Hey, Andrea, good morning.
[15:08] Good morning, Joe and Savannah. We are tracking this Atlantic storm.
[15:13] It's a developing nor'easter off the Carolina coast.
[15:17] The good news is that we are expecting the heaviest rain to remain offshore.
[15:22] However, the storm will continue to intensify and we're going to have this persistent,
[15:27] strong northeast flow associated with this storm with wind gusts of up to 50 miles per hour.
[15:33] Coastal flooding and beach erosion will continue along the eastern seaboard.
[15:38] And we are expecting this system to continue to strengthen as it moves well east of the coast.
[15:44] So the impacts are expected to stay limited to the coastal regions.
[15:48] However, we already have those coastal flood alerts in effect from North Carolina all the way to the Jersey Shore.
[15:56] We're talking about two to four feet of inundation because we are expecting eight to 14 feet waves likely as all that water is pushed on shore with these wind gusts.
[16:08] The worst of the wind gusts, the peak wind gusts, we're expecting probably tomorrow, Tuesday.
[16:13] And we're talking about 45 miles per hour in Hatteras and in Nantucket close to 40 miles per hour as well.
[16:20] And the other part of this system is that even though it is moving offshore, we're watching for the possibility that it could take on some subtropical characteristics.
[16:28] There's a 40 percent chance that it could become a tropical system.
[16:32] But fortunately, we're moving away from land and also moving away from land is Tropical Storm Trudy.
[16:37] It impacted parts of Mexico over the weekend.
[16:40] But now it has 60 mile per hour winds and it continues to weaken as it heads towards the west.
[16:46] Looking at our temperatures, the big story is the cold winter October chill that we are feeling with temperatures that are in the 30s.
[16:56] 31 million people are being impacted by these frost and freeze advisories, temperatures that are in the 40s.
[17:02] And in the southwest, we do have some rain that's moving in, the chance of some flash flooding that will continue into the next couple of days, including parts of California.
[17:13] Back to you guys.
[17:14] All right, Andrea, thank you.
[17:15] Well, in Kansas, two people are dead, including a six-year-old boy after a woman barreled her truck through a youth soccer game at a sports complex.
[17:24] Police in Wichita say nearly a dozen others ranging from five to 68 years old were also injured.
[17:30] Our NBC News correspondent Maggie Vespa is there with the latest.
[17:35] Chaos at a kid's soccer game in Kansas.
[17:41] A new video shows players, parents, and coaches running for their lives amid the sound of screeching tires.
[17:50] Wichita authorities say a truck plowed through a crowded field Saturday, hitting a dozen people, including children.
[17:57] Erica Case and her nine-year-old son barely escaped.
[17:59] We started hearing boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom.
[18:04] That was the sound of objects and bodies that the truck was hitting.
[18:08] You said that sound haunts you?
[18:10] Oh, yes, absolutely.
[18:11] Authorities ID-ing the two people killed as 35-year-old Nicholas Schaefer and six-year-old Cole Adrian.
[18:16] See those cops?
[18:18] Those cops are right there.
[18:21] This video appearing to show a woman being led away in handcuffs.
[18:25] The question remains, why did this happen?
[18:28] Is the police carrying somebody?
[18:30] It's a woman.
[18:31] Authorities declining to ID the driver, but confirming a 34-year-old woman was taken into custody
[18:37] and for now released without charges, pending toxicology results and a mechanical examination of the truck.
[18:44] We're working very hard to find out why it happened.
[18:49] We're not there yet.
[18:50] They add the driver's two kids were in the vehicle with her at the time.
[18:59] For many, the mystery adding to the pain.
[19:02] I am consumed, overly consumed, and my kid had to witness that.
[19:09] Multiple witnesses tell us the driver immediately after the crash was conscious, lucid, and calm.
[19:15] And authorities say she's cooperating with the investigation.
[19:18] As far as why or how this happened, authorities were asked about everything from it being intentional
[19:23] to intoxication to even a possible medical emergency, and they just kept reiterating that they're investigating.
[19:29] Want to go out west, students in Bend, Oregon won't be attending classes today as the close-knit community mourns those killed in last week's school shooting.
[19:38] Officials are still searching for a motive.
[19:40] Police say a 16-year-old opened fire at Silver Rail Elementary School last week.
[19:44] A teacher and three children, including a five-year-old, were killed in the attack before an armed passerby killed the gunman.
[19:51] NBC News correspondent Liz Kreutz is in Oregon covering the investigation for us.
[19:55] Liz, good morning.
[19:57] Well, hey there.
[19:58] We're outside Silver Rail Elementary where there's this makeshift memorial here.
[20:02] Members of the community have been coming by over the past several days, leaving flowers and loving messages of support.
[20:09] We are now learning more about the victims in this shooting, the four people that died, including five-year-old Rome Summer and 25-year-old teacher Megan Lambert.
[20:19] There's also two people injured, a seven-year-old and a teacher, 54-year-old Becky Drury.
[20:27] Investigators are continuing to try to figure out a motive in this case, why the 16-year-old gunman showed up here at Silver Rail Elementary on Thursday, targeting a special education classroom.
[20:39] Police say that this 16-year-old once was a special needs student here at the school.
[20:46] We did speak to a neighbor who lives next to the apartment where the 16-year-old lived with his mother.
[20:53] He said he would see this 16-year-old come and go and appear to be a normal teen.
[20:59] He never expected something like this would happen, but he would hear arguments in the apartment next door weekly, he said sometimes bi-weekly.
[21:06] Law enforcement sources tell NBC News that the teen obtained the gun somehow from his mother, who sources say purchased this gun back in August.
[21:18] Our law enforcement sources say his mother is cooperating in the investigation so far.
[21:22] We have seen Ben police show up at the apartment, appearing to take what might be pieces of evidence amid this ongoing investigation.
[21:30] Back here at Silver Rail, the school remains closed indefinitely.
[21:35] The Bend School District says that classes across the district at the other schools are going to resume on Wednesday.
[21:40] Back to you.
[21:41] All right, Liz, thank you so much.
[21:43] And Evie Pompouris is going to help us take a closer look at this investigation now.
[21:47] So Liz mentioned they searched the suspect's home.
[21:49] Another 44 rounds of ammunition found.
[21:52] What's going to be key to trying to figure out the motive in this case?
[21:55] So you're going to look through his devices, computers, phones.
[21:58] Nobody knows you better than Google, right?
[22:00] So that's going to help you with intention.
[22:02] But you know what's really interesting about this case?
[22:04] It reminds me so much of Sandy Hook, 2012.
[22:07] Let's look at the similarities.
[22:09] 2012, Sandy Hook, the shooter obtained the weapons from the mother.
[22:13] Now, in that scenario, the mother bought the guns for the shooter.
[22:16] In this scenario, we don't know yet, but it's either the mother purchased a weapon for him or she just had it purchased, number one.
[22:22] Number two, special needs.
[22:23] This shooter is identified as someone that's having special needs.
[22:27] Sandy Hook shooter, Adam Lanza, same thing.
[22:30] There were mental health issues with him.
[22:32] The other scenario that's similar is they both went back to a school that they used to go to when they were younger.
[22:37] So when you're looking through his devices or his computers, I would be curious to see if he was in some way inspired by the Sandy Hook shooter,
[22:47] because I see so many similarities there.
[22:49] We know you brought up the gun and the fact that it came from his mother.
[22:54] We've been seeing parents now be charged, in some cases be convicted of these crimes when their child carries out a shooting using a weapon that came from them.
[23:03] What pieces of information would be needed here to make a call like that?
[23:07] So one, how is this weapon secured?
[23:09] Like you have to secure your guns in the home.
[23:11] I was a former law enforcement.
[23:12] I would always think, is my weapon secured?
[23:14] If it's not in my possession, is it secured?
[23:17] Where are you securing it?
[23:18] So if she's just laying it, leaving it around, if he has easy access to it, I do think that, you know what, there has to be a level of responsibility.
[23:25] If you have, if your children have issues, even if they don't have issues, you are responsible for that weapon.
[23:32] And I think it's a way to make parents kind of wake up like, hey, you can't just put on your kids.
[23:36] You are responsible as well.
[23:39] Evie Pamporis, thank you so much.
[23:40] In overseas news, France is on edge this morning following a weekend of major unrest.
[23:46] For weeks, the country has been gripped by largely peaceful protests over the cost of living and the state of education.
[23:51] But in the last few days, those demonstrations have spiraled into rioting and looting with thousands of people arrested.
[23:58] French President Emmanuel Macron is calling for calm in a crisis that is quickly engulfing his administration.
[24:04] NBC News International correspondent Raf Sanchez joins us now with the latest on all this.
[24:08] Raf, walk us through what unfolded over the weekend, some of the just chaotic scenes we saw.
[24:15] Hey, guys.
[24:15] Yeah, so we are used to seeing large scale protests in France, but this is some of the worst rioting that we have seen in generations.
[24:22] It really, really escalated on Saturday.
[24:25] Authorities say about half a million people took to the streets in peaceful demonstrations.
[24:30] But then that descended into just widespread violence all across the country.
[24:35] Authorities are saying they made two and a half thousand arrests.
[24:39] They are saying around one thousand police officers, fire personnel, were injured in clashes with rioters.
[24:47] In central Paris, you saw groups of masked people attacking stores and then looting them.
[24:53] This includes a lot of really like high-end luxury boutiques like Lacoste, like Louis Vuitton.
[24:59] Some of the most painful images are from a city called Limoges and the 19th century city hall they are building that had survived two world wars was burned to the ground by rioters.
[25:13] The situation does seem to be much more under control now than it was over the weekend.
[25:18] But there are still some ongoing protests.
[25:21] And the Louvre Museum in Paris has been unable to open so far today because of student protesters in front of the main entrances.
[25:29] Raph, tell us about just the broader response from the government, from the Macron administration.
[25:34] I know that, for example, they're calling for curfews in some cities.
[25:38] Yeah, so the French prime minister today announcing that there are going to be curfews ongoing in some parts of France.
[25:45] Basically, Savannah, there is just an enormous amount of public anger aimed at the French president, Emmanuel Macron.
[25:50] He's in the final six months of his 10 years in office.
[25:55] And you have a lot of anger from demonstrators who feel that he has presided over a weakening economy, over the dismal state of schools in France.
[26:02] But you also have a lot of anger from just the general public that feels that his government was just not prepared for this situation.
[26:09] He addressed the nation on Sunday night.
[26:12] He said he understood the pain of rising prices.
[26:14] He blames that partly on the Iran war, which France is not a part of.
[26:18] But he said there is no justification for violence.
[26:22] Kind of a confusing situation this morning.
[26:24] The interior minister, kind of the equivalent of the secretary of Homeland Security, offered his resignation to the French president.
[26:32] That resignation was not accepted.
[26:34] And he was told to go back and organize a better response.
[26:37] Guys.
[26:38] Raph Sanchez.
[26:38] Raph, thank you so much.
[26:40] Much more to come here on Morning News Now.
[26:42] Later this hour, Pope Leo on the mend after lung surgery just last week.
[26:47] Now new developments on his recovery and his message to the faithful.
[26:50] Up first, though, after the break, tragedy in Canada.
[26:53] The investigation now underway after a deadly fire at a military base.
[26:57] We'll be right back.
[27:03] We're back now with new details about that deadly fire at a military base in Canada.
[27:07] Four members of the Canadian military were killed and 39 others were injured after the fire broke out Saturday during a training exercise at a base in eastern Alberta.
[27:17] Military officials say they knew about the fire for hours, but believed it was contained enough to allow training to continue.
[27:25] But then the winds suddenly shifted, sending flames racing toward the soldiers.
[27:29] NBC News correspondent Stephen Romo has more.
[27:31] A mass casualty emergency at one of Canada's busiest military bases, leaving four service members dead.
[27:40] The town went crazy with sirens going off for about an hour.
[27:45] A massive, fast-moving fire erupting Saturday afternoon at Canadian Forces Base Wainwright in Alberta.
[27:51] During the conduct of a training, a grass fire ignited in the training area.
[27:56] The cause of this fire is under active investigation.
[27:58] Canadian military officials saying the flames spread rapidly beyond the base's training area, fanned by powerful winds in the region.
[28:07] Four service members have lost their lives and their next of kin has been notified.
[28:13] Dozens more are seriously wounded.
[28:16] Nearby hospitals raced to treat 39 patients, with some being airlifted to facilities farther away.
[28:22] At least 19 are in critical condition, according to authorities.
[28:26] I've seen burns. I've seen people that were getting unloaded.
[28:29] I heard people screaming inside of those vehicles.
[28:31] It was just a scene from a war movie.
[28:34] Right now, the cause of the incident is still unclear, but Canada's Department of National Defense saying there are no indications this was the result of terrorist activity.
[28:43] This is a very, very active and delicate situation.
[28:46] Families waiting for answers as authorities work to determine what went so terribly wrong.
[28:51] We did get more information late Sunday.
[28:54] Officials saying there were a lot of military supplies near this training area, and that includes grenade launchers, grenades, and other ammunition as well.
[29:03] They said some of those things may have contributed to this emergency situation, but this investigation is ongoing.
[29:10] Back to you.
[29:11] Stephen, thank you.
[29:12] Pope Leo is making progress as he recovers from lung cancer surgery.
[29:16] The American pontiff is expected to hold his weekly general audience in St. Peter's Square this Wednesday after returning to the Vatican from a Rome hospital on Saturday.
[29:26] Yesterday, he made his first public appearance just seven days after revealing to the world that he needed surgery.
[29:32] Pope Leo addressed the faithful gathered in St. Peter's Square for Sunday Mass, thanking them for their prayers.
[29:38] NBC News correspondent Ann Thompson was there and has this report.
[29:46] Energize Pope Leo.
[29:47] Buona Domenica.
[29:49] At his window, showing his back in a clear, strong voice.
[29:58] Ho sentito davvero il vostro sostegno. Grazie.
[30:03] The Pope thanking everyone who prayed for him during his lung cancer surgery last week.
[30:08] The 71-year-old promising he will eventually resume all his papal duties to cheers in St. Peter's Square.
[30:16] He did sound healthy.
[30:17] I couldn't tell any difference.
[30:19] He sounded fit and vigor and that's what we need.
[30:22] The overarching message to reassure Catholics here in Vatican City and around the world.
[30:29] These are the sisters of the Holy Family of Nazareth.
[30:32] He's touched the hearts of many, many people and they're encouraged by his, I think, his vulnerability and also his courage.
[30:40] And he's for the people.
[30:42] Chicago Cardinal Blaise Cupich says the city's favorite son is a man on a mission.
[30:48] We say Chicago's strong and I think that he's a good example of that.
[30:52] Well aware of how illness impacted the papacies of John Paul II and Francis.
[30:57] The events of the past week, Leo said, brought him closer to those who were sick and frail.
[31:05] But clearly he's determined to show he's still up to the job.
[31:09] Back to you.
[31:10] All right, Ann, thank you.
[31:12] Coming up, trouble in Texas.
[31:14] A controversial Senate candidate backed by President Trump dividing Republican voters ahead of the midterms.
[31:19] When we come back more on the race, how it could impact the rest of the ballot.
[31:24] Morning News Now.
[31:24] We'll be right back.
[31:25] Welcome back.
[31:31] Early voting begins in Texas today.
[31:33] But as the midterms get closer, Republicans in the state are far from united.
[31:37] Some fear that controversy surrounding Ken Paxton, that's the Senate candidate endorsed by President Trump, could drag down candidates in lower ballot races.
[31:46] Those anxieties are leading some Texas Republicans to quietly distance themselves from longtime allies as they hope to secure their own victories 15 days from now.
[31:57] NBC News Senior National Politics reporter Natasha Karecki took a closer look at these divisions within the Republican Party.
[32:04] She joins us now with her reporting.
[32:05] Natasha, good morning.
[32:06] Thanks so much for being with us.
[32:07] So remind us what Republicans' biggest concerns are with Paxton.
[32:12] Well, first of all, Republicans in Texas are divided.
[32:18] And that begins with, you know, Donald Trump sort of pushing out the longtime beloved senator, Republican Senator John Cornyn.
[32:27] And he anointed Ken Paxton.
[32:30] So there's a lot of issues with Paxton around his past.
[32:35] He has a lot of scandals, to say the least, that have followed him.
[32:39] He has been indicted before.
[32:40] He has been impeached before.
[32:42] I should say he was not convicted of either.
[32:44] So he's caught a lot of controversy.
[32:47] There have been leaked audios around him saying very controversial things about Trump himself, as well as others, including Greg Abbott.
[32:55] The list goes on.
[32:57] His, you know, his wife, his estranged wife now filed publicly for divorce on, you know, biblical grounds, she put it.
[33:06] So there's just a lot of different things swirling around him that Republicans think is making him radioactive at the top of the ticket.
[33:14] So with all that in mind, you write that one possibility here, something we do see often, is tickets splitting at the top of the ballot.
[33:20] Voters potentially will back the Democratic Senate nominee, James Tallarico.
[33:24] What would a split ticket like that mean for other Republicans in Texas?
[33:30] Right.
[33:30] Well, you know, what Republicans are worried about is that once a voter looks at that, a Republican voter, and they kind of give themselves permission to say, you know what, I am going to vote for the Democrat here, or I'm not going to vote for anyone here, that they then create this permission structure for themselves to do that farther down the ballot.
[33:48] So there's a lot of fear within the party that that could affect down-ballot races.
[33:53] And what we found in our reporting is that all of these different Republicans who are running are trying to distance themselves from one another.
[34:02] So Greg Abbott, who is polling better than Paxton, is distancing himself from Paxton.
[34:07] But then there's lawmakers who are distancing themselves from Greg Abbott because of some of the things he has done, including around data centers and otherwise.
[34:14] So it's creating a, you know, just a swirl of confusion around what's going to happen going forward.
[34:21] I should add that Republicans do outnumber Democrats in Texas.
[34:25] So Democrats do still have an uphill climb.
[34:28] But it's certainly the best position they've been in in decades here.
[34:32] Natasha, let's also just talk about the money spent, the ads we're seeing.
[34:36] According to Ad Impact, actually more than $3.8 billion has been spent nationally on aired political ads.
[34:42] That's for this whole election cycle, not just this race.
[34:44] But when it comes to Texas, some of these ads have been seen outside the state.
[34:50] Explain why that is.
[34:52] Right.
[34:52] It is.
[34:53] There's a couple of reasons.
[34:55] One, on James Tallarico's side, he is trying to attract a larger fundraising base.
[35:01] So going on national TV is just one way that he does fundraising.
[35:06] So other people start putting in.
[35:08] He's gotten a good amount of his money and he has done a ton of fundraising.
[35:11] He's been one of the top.
[35:13] I think he broke a record for the last quarter.
[35:15] So that's brought a lot of money from his coffers.
[35:18] And there's just different ways that campaign ads are purchased.
[35:22] And that ends up happening.
[35:24] But what they both want to do is hit those football.
[35:29] Sunday football is huge in Texas.
[35:32] And sometimes that just means you have to buy nationally.
[35:35] Football is big in Texas every night of the week.
[35:37] So Natasha, just over two weeks to go now until Election Day.
[35:40] Pollsters are just trying to predict who's actually going to vote.
[35:44] Real quickly, explain why it's so hard to identify those likely voters, especially in a midterm.
[35:50] Right.
[35:50] Well, pollsters only can do as far as a voter tells them.
[35:54] So they have to kind of believe that person's actually going to vote.
[35:56] And also they have to keep people on the line.
[35:58] And what a lot of pollsters have been saying is that people they've identified as more MAGA voters or more Republican voters have been dropping off of these polls.
[36:07] So they have to account for that.
[36:08] And when you start statistically accounting for those things, it throws off, it can throw off the polling.
[36:14] So there have been a lot of pollsters talking about that, that that could be one of the things we see.
[36:20] So, you know, we've all been here before where we think we're going to see one outcome and something else happens.
[36:24] So we all just have to see what happens.
[36:27] The poll is in 15 days.
[36:29] All right, Natasha, thank you so much.
[36:31] Appreciate it.
[36:31] And you can dive deeper into the 2026 midterms with NBC News's polling page, early vote data, expert analysis, and more subscriber-only content.
[36:41] Just scan that QR code on your screen to subscribe now.
[36:45] Coming up on Morning News Now, Victoria's Secret flying high with a new pair of wings.
[36:50] What just looking at it will feel different?
[36:54] I think this is done through a very different lens.
[36:58] We're really thinking much more expansively about who an angel can be.
[37:02] When we come back, hear my conversation with the company's CEO about the modern makeover for the iconic brand.
[37:08] And chatbot controversy, an AI giant turning to outside experts to help shape its ethical guidelines.
[37:15] Our friend and AI reporter, Jared Perlow, joins us with more on the move that is raising new questions.
[37:21] Jared will join us next.
[37:22] Looking forward to it.
[37:23] We're back with that growing debate over who gets to decide right from wrong when it comes to artificial intelligence.
[37:31] More leading AI companies are turning to outside experts to help shape the values and the ethical guidelines used to train their systems.
[37:40] The goal is to make chatbots act in ways that better reflect human values.
[37:45] But who should get the final say?
[37:47] Well, earlier this month, AI company Anthropic brought together a dozen experts who study law and democracy.
[37:53] They discussed how the company should develop its so-called AI constitution, a set of principles designed to guide chatbot behavior.
[38:02] But the group was divided over who should ultimately have the power to approve those rules.
[38:05] As you saw just seconds ago, NBC News AI reporter Jared Perlow is here with new exclusive reporting on the meetings.
[38:12] I know you've spoken with people who welcome this, others who have a lot of questions about it.
[38:16] First of all, you're reporting what actually happened behind closed doors here.
[38:20] So Anthropic has held a series of meetings over the past year to figure out how its AI models should behave.
[38:25] So they call in experts from a variety of different professions, philosophers.
[38:30] There's a big New York Times article about faith leaders visiting Anthropic and advising whether Claude might have some sort of soul.
[38:35] But I learned about this meeting that happened at the beginning of October where they invited law professors and democracy experts to try to figure out how should the public,
[38:43] if these systems are going to be used by billions of people, how should the public be able to weigh in on the values that Claude espouses?
[38:50] And they gave us a statement here, which I thought was pretty interesting.
[38:53] And they essentially said that we expect Claude's constitution to evolve over time as models become more capable.
[38:59] We've continued to engage with these sorts of groups who help us question and challenge our thinking.
[39:03] So most of the people that I talked to said this was a meeting where Anthropic gave a presentation about how quickly AI capabilities are increasing,
[39:11] the type of work they're trying to do to instill these values.
[39:14] And then there was open debate about how do we actually make sure that the public has some sort of say in this living, breathing document that guides all of Claude's behavior,
[39:21] Claude being the chatbot from Anthropic.
[39:23] Let's talk more about what this document is generally.
[39:25] So Claude constitution, 82 pages or so, sort of tells it how it can respond to users?
[39:32] Exactly, yeah.
[39:33] So it tries to accomplish a couple of key principles.
[39:35] One, to influence what information the chatbot provides and when it might refuse a request.
[39:39] And then, you know, life is full of challenging questions.
[39:42] So it tries to instill in the model how to navigate questions with competing values.
[39:46] For example, you know, people at home or maybe a scientist might ask for help on some sort of biological task.
[39:52] But maybe that task is actually dangerous, could help somebody create a biological weapon.
[39:56] How should Claude answer in that situation?
[39:58] So this constitution is essentially that document.
[40:00] Of course, it borrows from the human constitutions, like the U.S. Constitution, which lays out kind of the rules of the road.
[40:06] How should humans behave?
[40:07] What should be the overall laws?
[40:09] And there are so many, you know, complicated ways to develop an AI system.
[40:12] But today, they largely do it by teaching it to follow this document.
[40:16] So it's essentially the instruction manual for how today's AI systems should behave.
[40:20] Because today's AI systems are not programmed.
[40:22] It's not individual lines of code.
[40:23] You essentially show it this document and say, do what's in here.
[40:26] Of course, it's 82 pages.
[40:28] There's a lot of info in there.
[40:29] But there's a lot that it doesn't, you know, fit into those pages as well.
[40:32] What are the steps these experts think the companies should take?
[40:35] And what are some of the concerns around the steps that they could take?
[40:38] Well, again, it's a super live discussion.
[40:40] Anthropic essentially says, well, we're building something that maybe, in their estimation, might be sentient someday.
[40:45] How should we make it behave?
[40:46] It's a huge open question.
[40:48] Now, what they say is we want people around the world, like I said before, you know, billions of people potentially to have some sort of input on this.
[40:55] But what does that process look like?
[40:56] Some people say there should be focus groups.
[40:58] Some people say you should select random groups of citizens who should come into Anthropic maybe, I don't know, a couple times a year and say, we want X, Y, and Z things to change.
[41:05] Maybe act certain ways in some situations, you know, tone down this sort of behavior.
[41:09] Other people say, get it as far away from companies as possible because we don't want any sort of corporate influence to be exerted over this.
[41:15] So I talked with some law professors from University of Texas, for example, who said, we need this to be some, you know, separate entity.
[41:21] Maybe Anthropic can give some money there, but it should be a totally independent entity where everybody can kind of deliberate, you know, maybe have some sort of like AI vote process that happens a couple times a year.
[41:30] But it's really unclear exactly where we go from here.
[41:33] They're saying this is a critical conversation we need to be having.
[41:35] Viewers at home should be weighing in on.
[41:37] We need to figure out how to operationalize that.
[41:39] Wow.
[41:39] All right.
[41:39] Interesting conversations.
[41:40] Jared, good to have you with us.
[41:42] Thank you.
[41:42] Thank you.
[41:42] As always.
[41:43] Well, now to our series, Business in America and a new chapter for Victoria's Secret.
[41:47] The iconic lingerie brand has faced years of controversy from its ties to Jeffrey Epstein to criticism over how it treated models.
[41:55] But now with a leadership team made up almost entirely of women, Victoria's Secret is spreading its wings in a whole new direction.
[42:02] And the turnaround appears to be paying off with five straight quarters of growth.
[42:06] Last night, the brand brought its famous fashion show back to the runway in Los Angeles.
[42:10] Well, ahead of that big show, I sat down with CEO Hillary Super at the company's flagship store in Manhattan to talk about its comeback, its future, and what sexy means in 2026.
[42:20] The brand that made superstars out of Heidi, Giselle, and Tyra.
[42:31] You have wings in your office.
[42:34] I do.
[42:35] I do.
[42:35] Now, Victoria's Secret revealing its own reinvention with CEO Hillary Super running the show.
[42:41] Sexy seems like a word that is just built into the DNA of Victoria's Secret.
[42:47] But I wonder what it means now to Victoria's Secret.
[42:50] I think it's one of the most common human connections that you can have, is wanting to feel sexy, wanting to feel beautiful.
[43:01] I think it just looks and feels different for every woman.
[43:04] The company on the come up after taking a sales and reputation hit for marketing that primarily featured one body type.
[43:11] Changing tastes and new competition, along with fallout in 2019 from former owner Les Wexner's close ties to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, led to a challenging period.
[43:23] Obviously, it was not the brand's most proud moment.
[43:26] It's not something any of us really want to be tied to.
[43:30] But at the same time, it's important to know that bit of history to understand how far we've come and how much we've changed.
[43:37] There was also conversation about the treatment of models.
[43:41] Harassment, many of them saying they felt like they couldn't eat to maintain this particular physical look.
[43:46] What has changed in that regard for models on set?
[43:50] We have very strict protocols in our casting, in our fittings, in any model interaction.
[43:55] And it's actually monitored by a designated individual.
[43:59] So we've come a long way in that regard.
[44:01] Wexner stepped down in 2020 and has said he had no knowledge of Epstein's criminal activity and did nothing wrong.
[44:08] Four years later, Super took the helm, driving the company through a dramatic evolution.
[44:13] Today, women make up more than 75% of the leadership team and 86% of employees overall.
[44:19] And the overhaul includes the faces of both its Victoria's Secret and pink brands.
[44:24] We like the mix of OG angels, new talent, sports figures, influencers.
[44:32] It's about the mix of the community.
[44:34] The shift extending to its more than 800 stores in North America, 40% of which, Super says, will be remodeled by the end of the year to help serve its fastest growing customer demographic, Gen Z.
[44:46] We are laser-focused on Gen Z in both brands, actually.
[44:51] Even the youngest of your customers want an in-store experience.
[44:54] I would say especially our younger customers want an in-store experience.
[44:59] There is this tremendous opportunity to be a third space for her and a gathering place where she can come and shop and have fun with her friends.
[45:06] On Sunday, Victoria's Secret's famous fashion show spread its wings in Los Angeles, leaving an impact the company hopes will soar past the heights of its heyday.
[45:16] What, just looking at it, will feel different?
[45:19] I think this is done through a very different lens.
[45:23] We're really thinking much more expansively about who an angel can be.
[45:27] And to me, that's about self-possession and just personal confidence, strength, and feeling great in your own skin.
[45:34] By the way, millions tuned in for that last night.
[45:38] So when I walked into that store, just the smell, some of those fragrances like bombshell, I mean, it just took me right back to high school, which is true for a lot of people.
[45:46] And it's something that Victoria's Secret is leaning into, nostalgia for the older customers, which I guess includes myself, but also something that Hillary calls faux-stalgia.
[45:55] That's younger customers who did not experience Victoria's Secret in its heyday, but they are still drawn in by that nostalgia element.
[46:03] And you can actually watch an extended version of this interview with Hillary Super and more exclusive content.
[46:07] Just scan this QR code on your screen and subscribe.
[46:11] I love that she calls it that because I've often thought, as we've covered nostalgia this year, I'm like, but these kids don't even know what the 90s were like.
[46:18] So I think that's a great way to label it.
[46:19] It's like seeing it in media, kind of like this elusive thing that they want to experience themselves, but not for a second time.
[46:25] I wore those clothes.
[46:26] Yeah, exactly.
[46:26] Well, not the Victoria's Secret.
[46:27] I wore them.
[46:28] With the chick crew.
[46:30] And I wore the perfume.
[46:33] All right, coming up on morning news now, the thrill of victory on the football field.
[46:39] No matter what these kids go through, this is their day to shine.
[46:43] And they treat them like champions like they really are.
[46:45] Let's go!
[46:47] When we return, the heartwarming phenomenon taking over schools and colleges now all across the country.
[46:52] Stay with us.
[46:55] We'll end this hour with the growing movement that's creating lifelong memories on and off the football field.
[47:01] It all started when one high school coach in Michigan gave back to his community by holding an event to help kids with all abilities have their own taste of victory.
[47:09] And since then, it's become a phenomenon of other schools and colleges across the country.
[47:13] Here's NBC News now anchor Hallie Jackson with more.
[47:16] This is the sound of victory.
[47:20] The band, to the cheerleaders, to the football players.
[47:30] At Woodhaven High School near Detroit, hundreds of students and volunteers are gathering to give these kids their moment to shine.
[47:42] It's called Victory Day when kids of all abilities get to feel the thrill of it on the field with their very own Super Bowl.
[47:50] When you have a kid with special needs, you don't know when they're going to talk, when they're going to walk.
[47:57] Just to have this day is amazing.
[48:00] I'm so happy you had fun.
[48:02] We live in a great community.
[48:03] High school football coach Aaron Segetti created Victory Day 16 years ago to thank the community that rallied around him when he battled cancer.
[48:11] People want to be around things that are good, pure, and filled with love.
[48:16] That idea, sparking a movement.
[48:19] Football teams from high schools and colleges across the country, like Penn State and Iowa State, now holding their own victory days, too.
[48:27] Here in Michigan, what winning really looks like is smile after smile after smile.
[48:36] A big win for these families and memories these kids will cherish forever.
[48:42] No matter what these kids go through, this is their day to shine.
[48:46] And they treat them like champions like they really are.
[48:48] Let's go!
[48:52] Sweet moment there.
[48:53] Thanks to Hallie Jackson for that report.
[48:55] That is going to do it for this hour of Morning News Now.
[48:58] Stay with us until the news continues right now.
[48:59] Good morning.
[49:13] Happy Monday.
[49:14] Thank you for kicking off your week with us.
[49:15] I'm Savannah Sellers.
[49:16] I'm Joe Fryer.
[49:17] Right now on Morning News Now, states of play.
[49:20] President Trump ramping up his campaign trail blitz this week with just 15 days to go until Election Day.
[49:26] But new NBC News polling shows the commander-in-chief's approval rating is at 34 percent.
[49:33] More on the uphill battle facing Republicans on the ballot.
[49:36] Also this morning, the desperate search for answers in Kansas, a pickup truck plowing into crowds at a children's soccer match.
[49:45] Two people killed, including a six-year-old boy, a 34-year-old woman taken into custody.
[49:51] The haunting stories from witnesses as the investigation unfolds.
[49:56] Plus, Pope Leo's roaring return.
[49:59] His holiness met with thousands of supporters.
[50:02] Thunderous applause echoing throughout St. Peter's Square this weekend.
[50:05] And heralding in his return to papal duties.
[50:09] Just days earlier, he had surgery for lung cancer.
[50:11] His message of gratitude to the faithful as he continues his road to recover.
[50:16] And later in the hour, we'll take you inside one big-name university's viral new push to make its student-athlete stars off the field.
[50:26] So instead of on the field, they're online.
[50:29] It's a unique thing we're going to delve into.
[50:30] It certainly is.
[50:31] All right.
[50:32] Let's begin this hour with the final dash to the midterm elections.
[50:34] Now just over two weeks away, President Trump is ramping up his campaign blitz this week as the latest NBC News Decision Desk poll shows Republicans could be facing an uphill battle come November.
[50:45] Voters are voicing serious concerns about the president's job performance and the direction the country is headed.
[50:51] All this as President Trump faces new questions over foreign policy decisions related to Russia and Ukraine.
[50:57] NBC News Senior White House Correspondent Gabe Gutierrez joins us with the latest.
[51:00] Hi, Gabe.
[51:00] Good morning.
[51:02] Hi, Savannah.
[51:02] Good morning.
[51:03] With the clock ticking, the president is planning to crisscross the country again this week.
[51:06] And those new poll numbers show Republicans facing an uphill battle to keep control of Congress.
[51:12] This morning, with the midterms two weeks away, President Trump is playing defense and heading to typically red states, where Democrats are showing signs of progress.
[51:23] First up, Kansas, where he'll campaign for the Republican incumbent in that key Senate race.
[51:28] Later this week, he plans to visit the Carolinas, Iowa, and Florida.
[51:33] This is the most important midterm in the history of our country.
[51:36] The president on the move as a new NBC News poll shows 71 percent of Americans believe the U.S. is on the wrong track.
[51:44] That's the highest level of his second term.
[51:46] The president's approval rating also dropping to 34 percent, with voters especially sour on the economy and soaring gas prices.
[51:54] Corruption is also a major concern, and while Americans are skeptical of both parties, more than half say they find the Trump administration more corrupt than previous ones.
[52:04] We have more people working than ever before.
[52:07] As the president faces pressure to bring down gas prices, he's defending his decision to exempt Russia from sweeping new sanctions and making a deal to release Russian diesel into the global market.
[52:18] On social media, the president arguing he does not want to drive Russia away from peace talks and attacking Ukraine's President Zelensky, saying he doesn't want to end this war.
[52:32] If the United States will support Putin, I mean, it's unbelievable. It's tragedy. It's a historic mistake.
[52:40] The move also drawing bipartisan pushback, including from Republicans in tight battleground races.
[52:46] I'm just a little skeptical that this will work in the way that the administration wants it to work.
[52:50] We need to lower gas prices in this country. We need to lower diesel prices, but I don't think we need to be making a deal with Russia to do it.
[52:56] President Trump insists his outreach to Russia will help bring down fuel prices ahead of the midterms, even if some within his own party are increasingly skeptical.
[53:05] Savannah and Joe.
[53:06] All right, Gabe, thank you so much.
[53:08] Also, you can dive deeper into the 2026 midterms with NBC News's polling page, early vote data, expert analysis and more subscriber only content.
[53:18] Lots of Steve Kornacki. Scan the QR code on your screen to subscribe now.
[53:22] Investigators are searching for answers behind a deadly tragedy in Kansas.
[53:26] They're trying to figure out why a woman drove her pickup truck through a crowded kids soccer game, hitting a dozen people and killing two, including a six year old boy.
[53:35] NBC News correspondent Maggie Vespa joins us now from that soccer complex with the latest Maggie.
[53:41] Good morning, Joe.
[53:43] Good morning.
[53:44] This bizarre mystery just compounding the pain for people here who've been leaving these signs and flowers over the weekend.
[53:51] Police were asked about everything from this being intentional to possible intoxication, maybe even a medical emergency.
[53:56] And they just said they don't know yet.
[53:59] At the same time, multiple witnesses tell us the driver seemed calm after this deadly crash.
[54:05] In Kansas, a kid's soccer game devolving into chaos.
[54:14] Players, parents and coaches screaming and running after hearing tires screeching.
[54:24] Witnesses say this black pickup truck plowed the length of a crowded youth soccer field in Wichita Saturday, hitting a dozen people, including multiple kids.
[54:37] We started hearing boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom.
[54:41] At first, Erica Case thought she was hearing gunshots.
[54:44] The moment that I recognized that that wasn't gunshots, that that was bodies, I lost it.
[54:51] I lost it because it wasn't just adults.
[54:54] It was also children.
[54:55] Everybody off the field, please.
[54:56] Off the field.
[54:57] Police say 10 people were injured and two died.
[55:00] 35-year-old Nicholas Schaefer and six-year-old Cole Adrian.
[55:04] This video appears to show a woman being led away in handcuffs.
[55:09] You see it?
[55:10] Is this the police carrying somebody?
[55:12] It's a woman.
[55:13] Investigators say a 34-year-old woman was taken into custody and released pending toxicology results and a mechanical examination of the truck.
[55:23] They have not publicly named or charged the driver.
[55:25] We know what happened, but now we're working very hard to find out why it happened.
[55:31] We're not there yet.
[55:33] David Grigspoor watched the driver from the next field over.
[55:37] What did you see regarding the driver?
[55:39] How did she behave?
[55:41] First of all, a lot of people ran to the truck.
[55:44] That vehicle was surrounded by lots of people.
[55:47] Everybody was yelling, though.
[55:49] The driver got out and you could kind of see her trying to explain her story.
[55:55] He says police quickly intervened as first responders raced to help the injured.
[56:00] My heart is heavy for the young kids that had to see that happen.
[56:05] Now, adding to this tragedy, police say the driver had two of her own children in the truck with her and that a third child of hers was playing soccer on a nearby field here.
[56:18] Police say all those kids are safe.
[56:20] Meantime, regarding those tests that are aimed at shedding light on why this happened, no word on what we can expect those results quite yet.
[56:28] Joe?
[56:28] All right, Maggie, thank you so much.
[56:30] Well, let's head overseas.
[56:32] France's government is calling on multiple cities to impose partial curfews following a weekend of major unrest.
[56:37] For weeks, the country has been gripped by largely peaceful protests over the cost of living and the state of education there.
[56:44] But in the last few days, those have turned to ugly.
[56:47] Rioting and looting has erupted, leading to the arrests of thousands of people.
[56:52] French President Emmanuel Macron is now calling for calm as the crisis threatens to engulf his administration.
[56:58] NBC News International correspondent Raf Sanchez joins us now.
[57:01] Raf, good morning.
[57:02] So first off, just talk us through some of the dramatic scenes.
[57:05] We're showing some of them here from over the weekend.
[57:06] How did things escalate?
[57:09] Guys, good morning.
[57:10] So this started with peaceful protests.
[57:13] Authorities say about half a million people turned out, protesting about the state of the economy, about the state of French schools.
[57:19] But pretty quickly, it descended into very widespread violence all across the country.
[57:25] Multiple cities where you have crowds facing off with riot police.
[57:30] Authorities say they arrested around two and a half thousand people.
[57:33] Another thousand cops and firefighters were injured in these confrontations.
[57:39] And you saw just these very, very striking scenes of disorder all over the country.
[57:43] In central Paris, groups of masked people attacking and then looting luxury stores.
[57:50] These are very well-known brands like Louis Vuitton that were looted.
[57:55] One of the most painful images for people in France today is the city hall in a city called Limoges.
[58:03] You see it on your screen there.
[58:04] That is a 19th century building.
[58:07] It survived two world wars only to be burned down by rioters last night.
[58:13] We are seeing some ongoing demonstrations today.
[58:16] The Louvre Museum has been unable to open in Paris because student demonstrators are out on the streets in front of one of its main entrances.
[58:23] And Raph, with that in mind, it looks like the French government's taking action today with this call for the partial curfews in some cities.
[58:30] Tell us more about that and just how damaging all of this has been for President Macron and his administration.
[58:37] Yeah, Joe.
[58:37] So the French government trying to get their arms around it this morning.
[58:40] As you said, they are announcing curfews in a number of French cities.
[58:44] But a lot of this public anger is aimed at the French president.
[58:48] He is in the final six months of his 10 years in office.
[58:51] People are very, very unhappy about the state of the economy, the high cost of living right now.
[58:58] There's also a lot of anger from just everyday people who feel like the government was not prepared for the scale of the disorder here.
[59:06] President Macron actually spent Friday night at a Celine Dion concert in Paris the next day.
[59:13] You saw this mass, mass protesting all over the country.
[59:17] Macron addressed the French people Sunday night.
[59:20] He said he understood the pain of inflation, a lot of which is caused by the Iran war, which France is not a combatant in.
[59:27] But he said there's absolutely no excuse for this kind of violence.
[59:30] Gus.
[59:30] Raph, it's not just in France where we're seeing these riots.
[59:33] Similar scenes unfolded in Italian cities like Milan over the weekend.
[59:36] Tell us about this.
[59:38] Yeah, it's really striking how similar these images are.
[59:40] Once again, you see people out in the public square.
[59:43] They're fighting with riot police.
[59:44] The protests in Italy have not been as large as what we saw in France.
[59:49] But there are a lot of similar complaints about unemployment, about the high cost of living there.
[59:55] And of course, we live in an age with social media where, you know, images of rioting in one city are instantaneously beamed to another.
[1:00:03] So it's possible there's some kind of copycat element going on here.
[1:00:07] Guys.
[1:00:07] All right.
[1:00:08] Raph, thank you very much.
[1:00:09] Staying overseas, we've got a new update on Pope Leo's recovery from lung cancer surgery.
[1:00:14] The American pontiff is expected to hold his weekly general audience in St. Peter's Square this Wednesday.
[1:00:20] Pope Leo returned to the Vatican over the weekend.
[1:00:22] He was released from a Rome hospital.
[1:00:24] Yesterday, greeted crowds for Sunday mass, thanking the faithful for their prayers.
[1:00:29] It has only been a week since he revealed to the world that he needed lung surgery.
[1:00:34] The NBC News correspondent, Anne Thompson, joins us now from the Vatican with the latest and good morning.
[1:00:39] Good morning, Joe.
[1:00:43] It's all pretty remarkable, isn't it, when you consider that surgeons took out the lower lobe of the Pope's right lung when they discovered cancer last Tuesday.
[1:00:52] Now, today is a day of rest and recuperation for Pope Leo.
[1:00:56] Usually on Monday nights, he goes down to the papal retreat called Castle Gandalfo.
[1:01:00] He is not going to do that.
[1:01:02] He is going to stay here, and usually he takes Tuesday off, so that, too, will be a day of rest.
[1:01:08] But as you mentioned, he'll be back at work on Wednesday for that general audience as he continues to recover.
[1:01:16] To a roar of applause, Pope Leo showed the world he is back.
[1:01:23] Buona Domenica.
[1:01:24] It was a happy Sunday for the crowd in St. Peter's Square.
[1:01:28] We just want to make sure that one of the few real leaders in the world is still doing well.
[1:01:35] The Pope thanked the people who prayed for him during his lung cancer surgery
[1:01:40] and promised he would eventually return to all his duties.
[1:01:45] Doctors said he was fit for discharge, releasing Pope Leo Saturday,
[1:01:49] after checkups and a chest X-ray showed the affected lung was healing well.
[1:01:54] It allows him to understand even better the suffering of others.
[1:01:59] The Pope seemed to soak in all the good wishes Sunday.
[1:02:04] In the crowd, Tom and Julie Gilbert from Atlanta.
[1:02:07] I like his focus on world peace, caring for immigrants, for really looking out for everybody,
[1:02:14] a return to just being a welcoming church again.
[1:02:18] A mission Chicago Cardinal Blaise Cupich says the Chicago-born Pope is determined to see through.
[1:02:25] He's calling us to live a better kind of life, not just as individuals, but as nations,
[1:02:32] in which we have a multilateralist kind of view of the world, in which we're interdependent on one another.
[1:02:40] Though he has chosen the White Sox in Chicago's great baseball rivalry.
[1:02:46] From the Sox run this year, people were proud of that, to the mitre night that they had.
[1:02:51] But it's very clear that people are having a lot of fun with this in a good way, drawing people together.
[1:02:58] And I think he appreciates that.
[1:03:01] Now, the big question is, will the Pope's lung surgery impact this trip he has planned to South America last month or next month, Joe?
[1:03:12] I'm sorry.
[1:03:13] It is a very arduous trip.
[1:03:15] It is three countries, 11 days, and some 19,000 miles, which sounds like a lot for a 71-year-old man who has just had lung surgery.
[1:03:25] However, there is no word yet from the Vatican press office on whether any of it is going to be altered.
[1:03:32] Joe?
[1:03:32] We'll see.
[1:03:32] I'll say I would still be in bed watching Ted Lasso episodes.
[1:03:36] So to see him up and about is pretty extraordinary, Ann.
[1:03:40] You and me both.
[1:03:42] All right.
[1:03:43] Thank you, Ann.
[1:03:44] Appreciate it.
[1:03:45] Time now for a check on your morning news now weather with NBC meteorologist Andrea Romero.
[1:03:50] Hey, Andrea.
[1:03:50] Good morning.
[1:03:51] Good morning, Joe and Savannah.
[1:03:53] And it is a cold start to the day for many of us in the Northeast and in the Midwest.
[1:03:58] 29 million people are being impacted by frost advisories and freeze warnings across the area with temperatures this morning in the 30s.
[1:04:06] In some areas in the lower 40s.
[1:04:09] Fortunately, we do have high pressure in control, lots of sunshine, so that will help to warm up the temperatures this afternoon.
[1:04:15] And most of the week we'll be dealing with pleasant fall-like temperatures.
[1:04:19] Our concern actually this week will be this system right here.
[1:04:22] It's an Atlantic storm, a northeastern that will be continuing to develop along the Carolina coast.
[1:04:29] It's going to maintain, it's going to stay offshore with the heaviest rain remaining offshore.
[1:04:34] That's the good news, but we will have these persistent northeast winds up to 50 miles per hour that could bring coastal flooding, beach erosion, rough surf, all the way from the Carolinas into parts of New Jersey.
[1:04:49] And this system will continue to strengthen well east of the coast with the impacts limited to the coastal region.
[1:04:54] In fact, we already have some coastal flood alerts up.
[1:04:58] We're looking at alerts that will be in effect until Wednesday.
[1:05:02] Two to four feet of inundation is possible.
[1:05:05] Eight to 14 feet waves are likely, as we can see in those locations.
[1:05:11] And, of course, the peak wind gusts will probably be felt tomorrow evening.
[1:05:15] We are looking at maybe 45 miles per hour in Hatteras and in Nantucket.
[1:05:20] And we're watching because this system could take on some tropical characteristics and could become a subtropical system later on this week.
[1:05:26] And, of course, we're also checking out over in the southwest.
[1:05:29] We do have the chance of some flash flooding parts of Arizona, Mexico.
[1:05:32] And we have some rain moving into California, too.
[1:05:35] All right.
[1:05:35] It was nice to have a Sunday without rain yesterday because it had been weeks and weeks of rainy Sundays.
[1:05:41] And Sunday was actually beautiful because we had that cold blustery here locally.
[1:05:46] We had all those winds and that cold temperature on Saturday and Sunday.
[1:05:49] It actually felt nice.
[1:05:50] I know I was outside setting up the Halloween decorations and everything.
[1:05:54] It was nice.
[1:05:55] Thank you for that.
[1:05:57] Yes, yes.
[1:05:58] Much more to come on this hour of morning news now, including why Kansas could now be in play for Democrats looking to score some big midterm wins come November.
[1:06:06] First, though, after the break, eye-opening information coming to light.
[1:06:09] The case of O.J. Simpson, the now unsealed court documents that have some asking questions over who exactly was there on the night of those infamous murders.
[1:06:20] That is next.
[1:06:25] Welcome back.
[1:06:26] After more than 30 years, parts of the O.J. Simpson case still remain a mystery.
[1:06:31] But newly unsealed documents obtained by The New York Times are raising questions about who was really there the night that Simpson's ex-wife, Nicole Brown Simpson, and her friend, Ron Goldman, were killed.
[1:06:43] NBC News correspondent Emily Ikeda has the details.
[1:06:46] Emily, good morning.
[1:06:49] Hey there.
[1:06:49] So the report doesn't introduce new forensic evidence or untangle the mystery.
[1:06:53] But these newly unsealed court docs from the 90s do shed light on a mobster-turned informant who had information about O.J. Simpson's alleged domestic violence, attempts to flee, and the murder weapon.
[1:07:05] New questions are being raised this morning about who may have been involved in the 1994 murders of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ron Goldman.
[1:07:14] The intriguing new information surfacing more than three decades after O.J. Simpson's acquittal for the murders.
[1:07:21] Newly unsealed court records obtained by The New York Times revealing details of a mobster-turned-secret informant named Joey Ippolito.
[1:07:29] According to the documents, Ippolito became close to several individuals at the center of the murder case and had, quote,
[1:07:36] become privy to many facts relevant to the case, including Simpson's attempted flight from justice and his disposal of the murder weapon, which has never been recovered.
[1:07:46] Ippolito was a close friend of Simpson's confidant, Al Cowlings, which is likely how he entered Simpson's orbit.
[1:07:53] Mike Baker is one of the Times reporters involved in the investigation.
[1:07:57] Why does this information about Joey Ippolito matter?
[1:07:59] I mean, to me, this is a part of the O.J. Simpson story that has been kept secret for 30 years.
[1:08:06] There is someone here who is telling law enforcement that they know details about the murder weapon.
[1:08:12] They know details about how O.J. Simpson wanted to flee prosecution.
[1:08:17] Ippolito died in 2006, but The Times reports his brother Sam told their team he believes Joey had been at the scene of the murders.
[1:08:25] Sam Ippolito said his brother went out to help O.J. Simpson and then returned to their apartment with what appeared to be blood on his hands,
[1:08:32] with a bag that he wanted his brother to get rid of.
[1:08:36] And Sam Ippolito told us he did.
[1:08:38] He was confident that his brother was present at the scene of the murders.
[1:08:42] The Times says Sam Ippolito later asked for compensation for his account.
[1:08:46] And when a reporter declined, he told them he wanted to recant his story.
[1:08:50] When we reached out to Sam Ippolito overnight, he told us via text message there was no way Joey could have been involved.
[1:08:57] But theories around accomplices in the murders have long been floated in books, social media, and reportedly an upcoming documentary on Peacock,
[1:09:06] as the case that once consumed the nation continues to captivate.
[1:09:11] Joey Ippolito was never called to testify during the trial.
[1:09:15] One of the prosecutors telling The Times she would have been informed if Ippolito had any credible information.
[1:09:19] In the meantime, the LAPD says the case remains an open investigation, telling us because there is no conviction in the murders,
[1:09:27] the department has an obligation to continue to pursue justice in this matter.
[1:09:31] Back to you.
[1:09:32] All right, Emily, thank you so much.
[1:09:33] For more, let's bring in NBC News senior legal analyst, Danny Savalos.
[1:09:38] Okay, let's go through this.
[1:09:40] According to The New York Times report, prosecutors received this information during the trial,
[1:09:44] but it was after prosecutors had actually presented their case to the jury.
[1:09:47] One of the prosecutors in the case told The Times she would have been informed if Ippolito had any credible information.
[1:09:53] So does this cast a shadow over what we experienced 30 years ago?
[1:09:59] Joe, whatever shadow it casts is no bigger than the already lunar eclipse-sized shadow that was cast over this trial
[1:10:05] when someone who almost certainly killed two people was found not guilty of their murders.
[1:10:11] So this doesn't, and by that I mean that even if this is a realistic theory, and I'm not buying it either way, unfortunately.
[1:10:20] I love a good conspiracy theory.
[1:10:21] I love casting shadows.
[1:10:22] I'm a criminal defense attorney.
[1:10:24] But this happens all the time.
[1:10:26] And these kinds of jailhouse informants and cooperating witnesses are the bane of us criminal defense attorneys' existence.
[1:10:33] Because in our view, and I'm biased, of course, they will say or do anything to benefit themselves.
[1:10:40] And that is often not the truth.
[1:10:42] Police have interviewed and followed up on numerous leads in this case, as we just heard there.
[1:10:47] Who is responsible for deciding which witness statements are taken to the prosecutor?
[1:10:52] Information that is known by detectives, and the lead detectives were Lang and Van Adder in this case.
[1:10:57] They are presumed to provide all the information to the prosecutors.
[1:11:02] The prosecutors decide what evidence goes in.
[1:11:05] The detectives, they put together the murder book.
[1:11:08] They collect all the evidence, and they must give it to prosecutors to make that critical decision.
[1:11:14] However, if this was information in the files of federal investigators and federal prosecutors, those are two separate sovereigns.
[1:11:20] There's no assumption that the federal prosecutors and investigators will share that information.
[1:11:26] And in fact, if you talk to local police, they'll often say, hey, the feds never share enough information with us.
[1:11:32] So Ippolito is now dead.
[1:11:34] He's a convicted mafia associate.
[1:11:35] Only shared this information after he was arrested.
[1:11:38] As Emily reported there, the brother was for support of the story, now saying Joey wasn't involved.
[1:11:43] With all this in mind, how tough would it even be for prosecutors to try and verify the claims?
[1:11:48] Do you think at this point our investigator is even interested in that right now?
[1:11:52] Impossible, because even though Simpson was acquitted, I'm certain that prosecutors view this case as having only had one perpetrator.
[1:12:02] None of this other evidence has come up in 30 years.
[1:12:05] Again, it comes from jailhouse informants.
[1:12:07] It's the kind of thing I don't expect anyone to take seriously or run it down unless it's delivered to them on a silver platter.
[1:12:14] And by the way, at best, what this describes to me is an accomplice after the fact.
[1:12:19] And we already know that people helped OJ.
[1:12:21] We saw a low-speed car chase of one of his friends helping him after the fact.
[1:12:27] That doesn't mean he participated in the murder itself.
[1:12:30] Of course, it just means that he got assistance from people after the fact.
[1:12:34] This still seems like a crime of opportunity, a crime of passion that had little to no planning as evidenced by the fact of the jubilee of evidence against Simpson at trial.
[1:12:45] That shows this was a reckless crime and something that happened in the moment.
[1:12:49] Danny Cervalos, thank you so much.
[1:12:50] Appreciate it.
[1:12:51] Well, turning out a heartbreaking remembrance of Presley Gerber, the 27-year-old model and son of supermodel Cindy Crawford, passed away last month.
[1:13:00] Now his family is breaking their silence, sharing emotional tributes as they mourn their devastating loss.
[1:13:06] NBC News correspondent Liz Kreutz joins us from Los Angeles with more.
[1:13:09] Liz, good morning.
[1:13:12] Well, hey there, good morning.
[1:13:13] This is the first time we're hearing from Presley Gerber's family since his sudden death.
[1:13:17] An online post saying they are grateful for the outpouring of support over the past month, both from those who know the family and from strangers who feel their pain.
[1:13:28] Touching tributes this morning from the family of Presley Gerber.
[1:13:31] Nearly a month after his sudden passing, his mother, supermodel Cindy Crawford, and father, businessman Randy Gerber, sharing this image of their son with angel wings.
[1:13:42] Writing, we are beyond heartbroken and calling Gerber a sweet, beautiful soul who loved and is loved now and forever.
[1:13:49] The couple also praising their son, adding, we are so proud how he showed up in the world with kindness and vulnerability.
[1:13:55] Gerber, who followed in his mom's footsteps, spent nearly a decade modeling.
[1:14:01] This is the Pepsi for this model.
[1:14:05] His mom.
[1:14:07] Also frequently publicly discussed his own struggles with depression and substance abuse.
[1:14:12] Welcome back to Mental Mondays.
[1:14:14] Whether I help one person or 100 people get out of that place that I was in at one point in my life, that's all I need to do.
[1:14:20] He died last month, just hours after checking into a luxury, sober living facility in Santa Monica.
[1:14:26] Longtime friend of his parents, George Clooney, reacting to his death last week.
[1:14:30] It's one of the most devastating things that's happened to our family and their family is just, as you can imagine.
[1:14:36] It's the worst thing that could ever happen with them.
[1:14:38] Gerber's younger sister, Kaya, a model and actress, also posting for the first time since his passing, sharing a video of them dancing and a photo of them together as young children at the beach.
[1:14:50] In a lengthy note, Gerber saying, you believed, always believed in people.
[1:14:54] You met cruelty, not with anger, but with confusion and curiosity.
[1:14:58] You believe people were inherently good because, Presley, you are inherently good.
[1:15:03] She went on to call him, my best buddy and my greatest protector, adding, I love you, only you know how much.
[1:15:11] And police initially said they were investigating Gerber's death as a possible overdose.
[1:15:15] The medical examiner's office here in Los Angeles still has the official cause and manner listed as pending as they await more test results.
[1:15:23] Back to you.
[1:15:24] All right, Liz, thank you.
[1:15:25] And we know that that story there touched on some mental health.
[1:15:27] If you know someone who is struggling or is in distress, if you are, there is help available 24-7.
[1:15:33] You can call or text the National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline.
[1:15:37] It's 988 or visit 988lifeline.org.
[1:15:42] Coming up, President Trump is back on the midterm campaign trail this morning.
[1:15:46] Yeah, he's heading to Kansas, historically a state that's been friendly to Republicans.
[1:15:50] But this year might be different.
[1:15:51] Why?
[1:15:51] It's quickly becoming an unlikely battleground.
[1:15:54] That's next.
[1:16:03] Back now, the closer look at what's making news in the world of politics.
[1:16:05] This morning, starting with reaction to last week's raid on Congresswoman Ilhan Omar from inside the Justice Department.
[1:16:12] NBC News political reporter Megan Brand joins us with that and more.
[1:16:15] Megan, good morning.
[1:16:16] Hey, Joe, good morning.
[1:16:17] Let's start in D.C., where Congresswoman Ilhan Omar's home was raided by federal agents last week as part of an investigation.
[1:16:25] Now, former DOJ officials are expressing shock about the timing of the raid.
[1:16:29] That's because the election is just weeks away and Congresswoman Omar is up for re-election.
[1:16:35] Former DOJ spokesperson Peter Carr said that he was astounded to see the search so close to an election.
[1:16:42] Separately, a former FBI official said that the timing of the search flies in the face of DOJ protocols.
[1:16:49] Let's go next to Texas, where there's a battleground Senate race.
[1:16:52] Now Republicans are expressing concerns they won't be able to turn out people who used to be reliable GOP voters.
[1:16:59] President Trump pointed a finger at current GOP Senator John Cornyn and his political ally Karl Rove.
[1:17:05] He said that if Republican Senate candidate Ken Paxton loses, it'll be because of people like them.
[1:17:10] Now, separately, a former GOP state lawmaker predicted that some Republicans would vote outside the party, maybe for the first time in their lives.
[1:17:20] Finally, let's turn to the upcoming Israeli election.
[1:17:23] President Trump weighed in yesterday endorsing incumbent Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
[1:17:28] Netanyahu responded thanking the president and saying that, quote,
[1:17:32] Israel has never had a greater friend in the White House.
[1:17:36] The election could be tight, and it marks the first vote since the October 7th attacks in 2023.
[1:17:42] Not to look at what's making news in politics this morning.
[1:17:45] Joe?
[1:17:45] All right, Megan, thank you so much.
[1:17:47] Let's keep the politics going.
[1:17:48] President Trump is expected to make a campaign stop in Kansas today,
[1:17:52] hoping to rally support for Republican candidates ahead of the midterms.
[1:17:55] That Midwest state is getting a lot of attention this election cycle.
[1:17:58] It has not sent a Democrat to the Senate in decades, but the race between the incumbent GOP senator and his Democratic challenger
[1:18:06] has gotten surprisingly close in recent weeks.
[1:18:10] NBC News senior national correspondent Stephanie Gosk traveled to Kansas ahead of the president's visit to hear what is on voters' minds there.
[1:18:16] Steph, good morning.
[1:18:17] Hey, Joe, good morning.
[1:18:18] This is going to be an interesting race to watch.
[1:18:20] Republicans have been pouring in money in recent weeks to shore up what is usually a solid red seat.
[1:18:25] Democrat megachurch pastor Adam Hamilton is trying to defeat incumbent Roger Marshall in a race that right now the polls is showing is a dead heat.
[1:18:34] President Trump won Kansas by more than 16 points in 2024.
[1:18:38] But in these midterms, the sunflower state has become an unlikely battleground.
[1:18:46] A chill in the air and the marching band playing.
[1:18:48] The season for the Newton High School Railers is coming to a close,
[1:18:53] but it is not just the weather changing in this small town north of Wichita.
[1:18:56] There's a sense that the political winds may be as well.
[1:19:00] Would you consider yourself a Republican or a Democrat?
[1:19:03] I'm a Republican.
[1:19:04] Did you vote for Donald Trump?
[1:19:06] I did.
[1:19:07] And how do you feel about this election?
[1:19:10] Very disappointed, frustrated, let down, bamboozled.
[1:19:16] I've talked to different people and a lot of them will come out and tell me that, you know,
[1:19:22] they're Republicans, but they don't like what's going on.
[1:19:25] And what specifically don't they like?
[1:19:28] They don't like the way Trump never, he never keeps a promise.
[1:19:33] President Trump won Kansas by more than 16 points in 2024.
[1:19:37] But in these midterms, the sunflower state has become an unlikely battleground for a Senate seat.
[1:19:43] Why do you think that this Senate race is so tight?
[1:19:49] I think that people are realizing that perhaps we've been led by people who didn't have our best interests at heart.
[1:19:57] Democrat Adam Hamilton, a moderate and a pastor in a popular church, is taking on incumbent Senator Roger Marshall,
[1:20:04] a Republican who has tied himself closely to the president's policies.
[1:20:08] Kansas has not sent a Democrat to the Senate in nearly a century.
[1:20:12] And in recent weeks, the race has gotten very close.
[1:20:15] And now suddenly President Trump added Wichita to his campaign trail.
[1:20:20] What he will find here across party lines is an economy that is taking its toll.
[1:20:24] Are you really feeling it in your pocket right now?
[1:20:28] Exactly. Yes. Yes. I got another part-time job to help, you know, cover costs.
[1:20:34] You had to get another job.
[1:20:35] I did. I mean, I got to get a tank of gas every week, so I see it every week.
[1:20:40] And again, grocery prices too. Everything's up and we know it. We feel it.
[1:20:45] Diesel prices in Kansas have increased nearly 80% compared to a year ago, largely because of the war with Iran.
[1:20:51] 85% of the land in Kansas is used for agriculture, and these farmers are already living on razor-thin margins.
[1:20:59] So when diesel prices go up, it hurts, and they are feeling real pain here in the country's breadbasket.
[1:21:08] Mark Lawless is a fifth-generation farmer.
[1:21:11] And what do you grow?
[1:21:12] Okay, we grow corn, we grow wheat.
[1:21:14] And like most farms, diesel is critical.
[1:21:17] We are in the time of the year, we're consuming the most fuel we could possibly consume.
[1:21:23] So does it hit? Absolutely.
[1:21:25] And it's hitting right now.
[1:21:26] It hits hard. It's hitting the balance sheet real hard.
[1:21:29] But for Lawless, that economic pain will not turn into a vote for the Democrats.
[1:21:34] It's hard on you, but do you support the war in Iran?
[1:21:37] You know, I do.
[1:21:39] I think many Americans are willing to take a hit for a certain extent.
[1:21:43] The Senate race could hinge on the independents, according to political science professor Alexandra Middlewood.
[1:21:49] Among independents here in Kansas, 62% of them actually disapprove of the job that Trump is doing as president.
[1:21:55] When you lose those independent voters, you really are going to struggle to win a state like Kansas.
[1:22:00] So will the president's visit today help?
[1:22:02] Well, you know, Trump, when he shows up, I mean, he always brings a level of enthusiasm.
[1:22:09] Former Trump voter Andy Ortiz doesn't want to hear it.
[1:22:13] And no, I will not be going to that convention or rally or whatever you call it.
[1:22:19] And I don't think I would have said that 18 months ago.
[1:22:21] I might have been trying to be in the front row.
[1:22:24] Steph, you were right near Wichita, where the president is going to be tonight.
[1:22:28] What stood out in your conversations with these voters?
[1:22:31] Yeah, you know, well, first of all, it's important to note that Wichita actually is the Democrat stronghold for Kansas.
[1:22:38] And outside of Wichita, it starts to get a little more purple.
[1:22:40] Right. But there was a real mix of people at that football game that I went to.
[1:22:45] And what was consistent, regardless of their politics, was a conversation surrounding the economy.
[1:22:51] And you can't overstate how important that conversation is going to be going into these midterm elections.
[1:22:57] And it'll be very interesting today, Joe, to see how the president handles that issue.
[1:23:03] If he acknowledges it, if he speaks to people who are feeling that pain and has a message for them, that could potentially resonate.
[1:23:09] It is it is too close to call, as they say.
[1:23:12] Yeah. This is going to be super tight all the way all the way through to election.
[1:23:16] But two to three months ago, people wouldn't have expected that we would be talking about Kansas.
[1:23:19] It is it is Kansas. But Kansas is also very independent.
[1:23:25] You'll remember there was an abortion vote that surprised people a while back as well.
[1:23:28] It can be a surprising state when it comes to the governor, too. Right.
[1:23:31] Exactly. Right. All right. Governor.
[1:23:33] Steph, thank you so much. Great reporting.
[1:23:35] Now, while Kansas is shaping up to be a key midterm battleground, it's also becoming a flashpoint in the fight for transgender rights.
[1:23:41] Kansas is one of the strictest anti-trans laws in the country, requires a person's gender on their driver's license to match their biological sex at birth.
[1:23:51] It also requires them to use restrooms that correspond with their birth gender.
[1:23:55] Now, one group of advocates is protesting that law by simply following that law.
[1:24:01] NBC News correspondent Marquise Francis explains.
[1:24:06] It looks like business as usual entering the bathroom at the Emporia Public Library in rural Kansas.
[1:24:11] But that simple act of going when you need to go is actually an act of protest for some transgender men in the state.
[1:24:18] They call themselves the Kansas Compliance Crew, a group of about a dozen who have decided to push back on a new law simply by following it.
[1:24:27] In February, Republican lawmakers overwrote a veto by Democratic Governor Laura Kelly for a bill that would stop any trans person from using their preferred restroom.
[1:24:36] The law was sold as keeping men out of women's restrooms, and because it does exactly the opposite of that, complying with it seems like a good way to make that point.
[1:24:45] NBC News spoke to three members of the compliance crew, Ray View, Charles Osmond, and Ren Hine.
[1:24:51] They told us they've used men's rooms for years, often without anyone blinking an eye.
[1:24:56] One person actually asked me, do you know you're in the women's restroom?
[1:24:59] And I calmly said yes.
[1:25:02] The law requires all state-issued documents like driver's licenses and birth certificates to have a person's sex assigned at birth.
[1:25:09] And it forbids people from using publicly owned facilities like a bathroom that doesn't correspond to that sex, saying repeated violations may result in fines or criminal charges.
[1:25:20] Members of the compliance crew tell us they wanted to show they opposed the law, but didn't want to take the risk of violating it.
[1:25:26] So they opted to follow it.
[1:25:28] All across Kansas, they've used women's bathrooms at libraries, swimming pools, even the state fair, where members of the crew say they got dirty looks and more.
[1:25:38] We had a man stand outside of the bathroom and yell at us, say, are you men? Are you men?
[1:25:43] I don't know how to answer that to, you know, protect my safety and also get out of the situation.
[1:25:50] View says even police sometimes don't know about the law or how to enforce it.
[1:25:56] As these kinds of measures spread across the country, 21 states have issued laws restricting where trans people can go in government-owned buildings,
[1:26:04] with nine issuing full so-called bathroom bans, according to the Movement Advancement Project, an LGBTQ advocacy group.
[1:26:11] Back in Kansas, NBC News sent multiple interview requests to the author of the law,
[1:26:16] State Senator Ty Masterson, now the Republican candidate for governor, he did not respond.
[1:26:22] In February, Masterson posted shortly after the override of the veto that, quote, common sense has prevailed.
[1:26:28] The law also has a so-called bounty hunter provision, letting anyone sue an apparent offender of the law for $1,000.
[1:26:36] It really turns neighbor against neighbor and sets folks up to police each other.
[1:26:39] Harper Selden of the ACLU represents six people suing Kansas after the state invalidated their driver's licenses.
[1:26:47] Kansas has a long history as a free state, and so this idea that you can object to someone's mere presence,
[1:26:52] not because of anything they've done or said, but just because you don't think that kind of person should be in a space with you,
[1:26:57] that's not allowed under the Kansas Constitution.
[1:27:00] NBC News also sent a detailed list of questions to Attorney General Chris Kobach, who has defended the law in court.
[1:27:07] He did not respond. As for the compliance crew, they plan to keep staging these protests.
[1:27:12] I feel as a man that I have a responsibility to stand up for my community, which includes trans women.
[1:27:19] I feel like I have a duty to say, I'm not just going to accept that invisibility.
[1:27:22] I'm going to stand up against it.
[1:27:24] All with the hope that everyone minds their business.
[1:27:28] Marquise Francis, NBC News.
[1:27:30] You can dive deeper into the 2026 midterms with NBC News's polling page, early vote data,
[1:27:36] expert analysis, and more subscriber-only content.
[1:27:39] Scan the QR code on your screen to subscribe now.
[1:27:43] Coming up, imagine the ability to restore a deaf child's hearing with a simple shot.
[1:27:49] Thanks to a first-of-its-kind form of gene therapy, a medical pipe dream has become reality.
[1:27:56] We'll explain next.
[1:27:57] We are back now with a potentially life-changing procedure that's giving hope to families with children who are born deaf.
[1:28:09] It comes after a team of doctors in Ohio performed a first-of-its-kind gene therapy that gave two young children the chance to hear for the first time.
[1:28:18] Daisy Kershaw from our Cincinnati affiliate spoke to the doctor who led the development of this breakthrough treatment.
[1:28:26] Video shows the moment a three-year-old brother and his one-year-old sister are able to hear for the first time.
[1:28:33] The long journey started overseas last year.
[1:28:36] I was literally at one of our outline clinics, and this family came in with two cute and adorable kids from Uzbekistan and asked if I could help them hear.
[1:28:46] Unable to get treatment back home for their two young children born deaf, this Uzbek family researched options, finding Dr. John Greenwald in Cincinnati.
[1:28:55] Basically looked me up, stalked me on the Internet, and saw that I'm an expert in the molecular genetics of deafness.
[1:29:01] Brother Abdu and sister Samaya became patients in this breakthrough clinical trial.
[1:29:07] Doctors performed one of the world's first bilateral gene therapy injections.
[1:29:11] Within weeks, both could hear without any implants or devices.
[1:29:14] This is groundbreaking.
[1:29:17] The genetic therapy is predicted to last a lifetime.
[1:29:23] The approach for this is very similar to a standard cochlear implant.
[1:29:29] We go from behind the ear through the bone, and we go down to the opening of the cochlea.
[1:29:35] And we dose them and give them a gene therapy product.
[1:29:40] There have been very, very few complications, and both of our patients did phenomenally well.
[1:29:44] Not only did it work, Dr. Greenwald says the children's hearing show signs of continued improvement.
[1:29:51] This has taken a village.
[1:29:52] This is hundreds of researchers working on this, hundreds of folks on the clinical side doing this kind of work.
[1:29:59] But it is kind of a medical miracle.
[1:30:02] Our thanks to Daisy Kershaw for that report.
[1:30:06] Doctors do say every form of hearing loss is different.
[1:30:10] This specific clinical treatment only helps one kind of genetic condition.
[1:30:15] But Dr. Greenwald said he believes it will help find other cures and treatments for a wide range of hearing loss in our lifetime.
[1:30:22] For more on this gene therapy, joined now by NBC News medical contributor, Dr. Kavita Patel.
[1:30:27] Dr. Patel, good morning.
[1:30:28] So we just heard in Daisy's piece there that they received this bilateral gene therapy injections.
[1:30:33] It was one of the first times this treatment has ever been used.
[1:30:37] Can you help us understand a little more how it works?
[1:30:40] Yeah, this is typical but also a little bit different than other gene therapies that we've heard about.
[1:30:45] You kind of heard the doctor say that this is very unique.
[1:30:47] It has to be done bilaterally because on each side there is an injection into the inner ear, into the cochlea.
[1:30:54] And it literally injects into it something that actually has that cochlear fluid.
[1:30:59] Think about everything in our body, Joe, is kind of constantly reproducing, constantly reproducing cells.
[1:31:06] That exact mechanism is where this gene therapy on each side of the ear has to take action.
[1:31:12] And this is something that doesn't just happen with like a simple injection like a flu shot.
[1:31:16] It's something that's, as you heard from the doctor, kind of worked on in the lab and then injected into the body.
[1:31:21] And then it takes the actual cochlear cells, those inner ear cells that help process all our auditory responses and actually helps to kind of, as they reproduce and regenerate, to then automatically turn off what had resulted in the deafness.
[1:31:36] So that's the genetic flip or light switch, if you will.
[1:31:40] In this case, it's turning a light switch off and deactivating what had caused that deafness in the first place.
[1:31:46] It's pretty incredible.
[1:31:47] What is the potential then here?
[1:31:48] I mean, could this kind of treatment eventually make it possible to restore hearing in deaf adults?
[1:31:54] It's exactly the right track of thought.
[1:31:56] I think that the thinking is that by starting at a much earlier age, especially when there's a known target, then they have this ability to think again, is that on and off switch?
[1:32:06] That's probably the best analogy.
[1:32:08] Not all adult deafness or loss of hearing comes from that same sort of genetic defect.
[1:32:14] But I think, Joe, honestly, we're learning so much more about different types of hearing loss.
[1:32:19] Ten years ago, we would just say, you're older, you just have hearing loss from a certain kind of aging of the nerves.
[1:32:25] And I think all of this calls into question, could we even prevent that hearing loss?
[1:32:29] So this is an exciting area today, not accessible to the majority of people, but hopefully in time.
[1:32:36] This gene therapy was part of a clinical trial.
[1:32:38] It could be years before this is even widely available for those.
[1:32:40] It does help.
[1:32:41] Help us understand what it takes to develop a medical treatment for public use.
[1:32:46] Yeah.
[1:32:46] So from the start, it starts with not just clinical trials that you see in humans.
[1:32:50] It really starts in a lab originally with trying to look at proof of concept with cells, things that we can try to reproduce in a kind of microscopic setting.
[1:32:59] No humans.
[1:33:00] Then usually at the same time or around the same time, moves into animals in general, just because we want to do as much to reproduce the human environment, but without going directly into humans.
[1:33:11] And then you see the next phases of trials.
[1:33:13] We talked here about different phases of trials, one, two, three, four.
[1:33:17] And what we're describing is that medical research process.
[1:33:20] Now, when that trial process works, even when it is perfect with some of the drugs that we take for granted today, like GLP drugs, it can still take a decade plus.
[1:33:31] So with gene therapy, you can imagine it could take a while to get to the public.
[1:33:34] Dr. Patel, thanks for walking us through this.
[1:33:36] Appreciate it.
[1:33:37] Now to the changing game of college sports, where student athletes aren't just looking to score big on the field, but on social media, too.
[1:33:45] The University of California, Berkeley, is opening a brand new content studio designed to turn its athletes into Twitch streamers and social media stars.
[1:33:54] From live streaming gaming sessions and workouts to cooking competitions, athletes will have the chance to show off a whole new side of themselves.
[1:34:03] The goal, to build their personal brands, connect with fans, and potentially cash in on lucrative sponsorship deals.
[1:34:11] This NBC News trending reporter, Angela Yang, has been following this story for us.
[1:34:15] Angela, good morning.
[1:34:16] Interesting stuff here.
[1:34:17] I mean, we know since 2021, college athletes have been able to make money off their name, image, and likeness, or NIL, as it's known.
[1:34:25] How does this new StreamU studio work?
[1:34:28] How could it help them cash in on even bigger deals?
[1:34:30] Yeah, so as student athletes build their fan bases in college, one of the ways that they can profit from selling their NIL is by getting brand deals.
[1:34:40] And so this is an on-campus content studio built specifically for student athletes to live stream on Twitch, doing things like team workouts, campus tours, even gaming sessions.
[1:34:50] So the studio's got professional cameras, lighting, audio equipment, all sorts of stuff.
[1:34:54] They even have a PlayStation 5 station where student athletes can stream themselves gaming.
[1:35:00] Which people love watching.
[1:35:02] We know that.
[1:35:02] I mean, let's make it clear.
[1:35:03] Schools are looking for money in as many ways as possible right now, and universities can benefit from this.
[1:35:09] What's in it for the schools?
[1:35:10] Do you think we'll see more colleges follow Berkeley's lead here?
[1:35:15] Right.
[1:35:15] I mean, universities can gain a lot from turning their athletes into social media stars.
[1:35:19] Like, schools want to build that fan loyalty, which can be hard to retain because there's so much turnover in college sports with only four years.
[1:35:28] And the startup that partnered with UC Berkeley on this told me that it plans to open similar content studios at other schools, starting with the University of Arkansas, Texas A&M, Baylor, and the University of Houston.
[1:35:40] Let's talk about the flip side here.
[1:35:42] These students, first of all, are already juggling classes, sports, their own social media pages.
[1:35:47] So now they're being encouraged to put even more of their lives online.
[1:35:52] What are the concerns here about exposure and about added pressure?
[1:35:58] Yeah, I mean, college athletics has become extremely commercialized.
[1:36:01] And so athletes are increasingly being socialized into this entrepreneurial role of becoming online influencers, which can be fun for a lot of athletes.
[1:36:10] But, of course, not everybody is comfortable creating content or being on camera.
[1:36:14] And so there's this question of whether athletes might feel that they have an obligation to build big followings.
[1:36:21] And it can be hard as a young person to have to publicly represent your school all the time.
[1:36:26] Do the students who are doing this seem cool with it?
[1:36:29] What are you hearing?
[1:36:32] I mean, so far, we're seeing them already starting to stream content.
[1:36:36] There's supposedly a content calendar of 10 hours a week, but it's really just beginning.
[1:36:44] So we'll have to see how it plays out.
[1:36:45] We know you'll stay on it.
[1:36:46] Angela, thanks so much for joining us this morning.
[1:36:48] Appreciate it.
[1:36:50] Coming up, it's the time of year when folks can really go gaga over gourds.
[1:36:54] And thanks to one pumpkin patch in New England, you can pick until you pop.
[1:36:59] There's a catch, one that might leave your arms a little tired.
[1:37:02] We'll explain next.
[1:37:04] We have this hour in Rhode Island where fall lovers are flocking to a farm that is running the ultimate pumpkin promotion.
[1:37:17] It is a set price with just one rule.
[1:37:19] Pick as many as you can carry.
[1:37:22] Sam Reid from our Providence affiliate has a closer look at some customers' creativity.
[1:37:28] For fall lovers all over, Clark Farms in Matunik has got you covered in almost every way possible.
[1:37:34] Fall's like the best season.
[1:37:35] For roughly seven weeks, they host Fall Fest, a place families can come for everything autumn.
[1:37:40] And since they're celebrating 250 years of farming in Rhode Island, this year...
[1:37:45] You may have to tell me where to go.
[1:37:46] ...things are getting bigger.
[1:37:48] They do stay.
[1:37:49] I believe in it.
[1:37:50] And better.
[1:37:51] We did the new pumpkin wonderland this year, which consisted of nearly 10,000 pumpkins that we put out there.
[1:37:57] Max Buchholz, the marketing manager, helped place those pumpkins perfectly.
[1:38:02] It's just a new, magical experience with more pumpkins than you've ever seen before.
[1:38:06] But as the clock counts down and we head toward the holidays...
[1:38:09] All right, next up, pretty good haul.
[1:38:11] Something had to be done with them.
[1:38:13] I'm really in charge of making sure that people have a good time when they get here.
[1:38:16] Did it!
[1:38:17] Which is why this week, the farm is carving out something creative for customers.
[1:38:21] It's a pretty good haul.
[1:38:23] All you can carry pumpkins for $25.
[1:38:28] Oh, that's a big one.
[1:38:30] Or all you can wheel on a wagon for $100.
[1:38:33] One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine.
[1:38:36] We thought, how fun would it be if everyone can haul out as many pumpkins as they can possibly carry,
[1:38:41] turn it into a bit of a game, but also help us liquidate some of the possibly too many pumpkins that we put out there.
[1:38:47] As anyone knows, the men here have a task at hand.
[1:38:50] The guys are coming up sweating.
[1:38:51] Or should I say, in them.
[1:38:54] I'm next for shoulder surgery.
[1:38:56] Because especially with women and their love for fall, as well as a deal.
[1:38:59] Definitely got our money's worth.
[1:39:01] They'll do anything to max out this pumpkin promo.
[1:39:04] They're testing out their limits, seeing how many they can get, trying to make a wife happy.
[1:39:08] We've seen a couple shirts getting used.
[1:39:10] Might have been off limits, but that's okay.
[1:39:12] We're just here to have fun.
[1:39:13] The shopping carts are towering.
[1:39:16] We're definitely seeing more than one person helping load up the other person.
[1:39:19] I find that to be smart.
[1:39:20] It's the best.
[1:39:22] All you can carry.
[1:39:22] Owner Richard Clark says this chaos has been so much fun at the farm.
[1:39:26] Everyone loves a deal, and it's kind of crazy, and it's pumpkins galore.
[1:39:31] With hundreds hauled away, but still plenty to be picked, they plan to keep this up for the next few days,
[1:39:36] hoping to give people pumpkin to talk about.
[1:39:39] I would love to see people coming from far and wide to learn about what a great community we've got down here and spend some time in Matunic.
[1:39:45] Next year, I already have bigger ideas, so give me 340 days, and we'll put it back together.
[1:39:52] I would go the wagon route, I feel like.
[1:39:56] Our thanks to Sam Reed for that fun report.
[1:39:58] Clark said he's been running the farm since he was in the 8th grade.
[1:40:01] Over the years, Fall Fest has featured more than 18 themes this year.
[1:40:04] More than 10,000 pumpkins were used in the displays.
[1:40:08] Most of them were grown right there on the property.
[1:40:12] That is going to do it for this hour of Morning News Now, but don't go anywhere.
[1:40:15] The news continues right now.