NBC Nightly News with Tom Llamas - Monday, February 3, 2025

Episode Date: February 4, 2025

Trump pauses tariffs after Canada, Mexico pledge more border security; Trump defends Musk's role as government programs are targeted; Hegseth meets with troops at Southern border in New Mexico; and more on tonight’s broadcast.

Tonight, the temporary truce in the trade war just hours before a key deadline as Elon Musk tries to make his mark on the government. Tonight, a last-minute pause on President Trump's trade war with Canada and Mexico, their new promises that pulled world markets back from the brink, where things stand now, and what it could all mean for everything from trucks to tomatoes. It comes as the president and Elon Musk look to reshape the federal government with a new title for the world's richest man, special government employee. The standoff at the FBI over the push to clean house, American foreign aid at a standstill. Pete Hexeth's first trip to the border as defense secretary and our exclusive report on how ICE has

already released some of those newly detained migrants back into the U.S. The brand new images of the aftermath of the midair collision in Washington as the wreckage is raised from the deep, pulled from the Potomac. The legal battle between Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni. The new warning from a judge today in court. Paralyzed from the chest down until a brain chip changed everything. We'll take you inside the mind-bending technology bringing sensation back to one man's

body. This is NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt. Good evening from Washington. I'm Hallie Jackson in for Lester and we are coming on the air tonight with a pause in place for now to avoid what could have been a massive trade war kicking in at midnight. Instead, a last minute scramble with just hours before the deadline. I want to show you President Trump in the Oval Office today. It comes as he's giving both Mexico and Canada an unexpected break for about a month from those long threatened tariffs. The whole thing setting off a roller coaster ride on Wall Street. But for China, no temporary tariff relief. And that means you might end up paying more for some of what you need from cell phones to sneakers. We've got the fast moving developments covered tonight, starting with our senior business correspondent, Christine Romans. What's happened tonight? Just hours before a trade war was set to commence, a partial step back from the brink.

President Trump saying he'll delay 25 percent tariffs on Mexico because Mexico's president made concessions involving the border, including sending more soldiers to patrol for drugs and migrants. They've agreed to put in 10,000 soldiers permanently, like forever, 10,000 soldiers at their side of the border and stop fentanyl and illegal aliens from coming into our country. President Trump delaying the tariffs for 30 days while talks continue. Mexico's president today saying, I'm sure in this month we'll be able to give results. While late this afternoon, a 30-day delay on tariffs against Canada, too, after Canada's prime minister said he will also beef up border security following President Trump's tariff threat, including spending $1.3

billion reinforcing the border with 10,000 frontline personnel. President Trump posting, Canada has agreed to ensure we have a secure northern border and to finally end the deadly scourge of drugs like fentanyl that have been pouring into our country. U.S. officials say 43 pounds of fentanyl were seized on the northern border last year, a relatively small amount compared to Mexico. Meanwhile, there's still a midnight deadline for 10 percent tariffs on China. If tariffs are imposed, economists warn they could hit the wallets of almost every American because these are our top trading partners. From Canada, the U.S. imports 4.2 million barrels of oil a day. Tariffs could add 15 to 25 cents to a gallon of gas. And with Mexico supplying 42 percent of auto parts imports, you could pay $3,000 more for a new car because of tariffs. If tariffs last

for several months, the Nonpartisan Tax Foundation estimates it could cost American households more than $800 this year. In Michigan, union autoworker Joseph Knowles voted for Trump and praises his tariff plans, saying they protect American businesses. It keeps companies from taking businesses out of the U.S. I believe that it's going to create more jobs, and I do believe that it's going to protect mines. But in California, Zach Davis co-owns six ice cream shops. He says tariffs would raise the prices on equipment, even sprinkles. It may mean that our business doesn't even make any money this year. Can you eat any of that cost increase, or does it have to go to your customers? So if the cost goes up 10 cents to put sprinkles on your ice cream cone,

we cannot eat that cost. We will have to pass some of that along. Christine is joining us now from New York. And Christine, to be clear, this is not all over. This is just a temporary pause. That's right, Hallie. For Mexico and Canada, the new deadline is now 30 days away and tariffs on China are still scheduled to go into effect at midnight. President Trump said he's going to talk to China in the next 24 hours. So then what does this mean for things that people buy that come from China? You know, historically, these tariffs are passed on to consumers. Remember, the U.S. imports hundreds of billions of dollars in consumer products from China, from toys to electronics.

Now, everyone's going to be watching, Hallie, to see if China makes those same kind of concessions, it'll earn their own reprieve on these tariffs. A lot of folks watching that. Christine Romans, thank you. Also playing out tonight, a sprawling effort to scale back parts of the federal government in a push led by Elon Musk and President Trump facing new questions about the role of the unelected billionaire. Here's senior White House correspondent Kelly O'Donnell. Tonight, this partnership of power under intense new scrutiny. President Trump and the world's richest man, Elon Musk, upending federal agencies to overhaul government and slash spending. The president acknowledged that Musk can get inside sensitive government computers like the Treasury Department payment system.

Well, he's got access only to letting people go that he thinks are no good if we agree with them. And it's only if we agree with them. The White House says in his role running the Department of Government Efficiency, Musk is designated as a special government employee with top secret security clearance. Elon can't do and won't do anything without our approval and we'll give him the approval where appropriate, where not appropriate we won't. A top Musk target? The U.S. Agency for International Development. He argues there is too much waste in its $42 billion budget. U.S. aid delivers food, medicine, vaccinations, and humanitarian support to 60

countries, help that is considered vital to U.S. national security. Musk spoke on his ex-platform, declaring the agency must be shut down. What we have here is not an apple with a worm in it, but we have actually just a ball of worms. Secretary of State Marco Rubio says core life-saving programs will not be frozen during a 90-day review. These are not donor dollars, these are taxpayer dollars. So far, a lot of the people that work in USAID have just simply refused to cooperate. USAID is authorized and funded by Congress. Today, Democratic lawmakers blasted the shutdown as illegal and dangerous. Elon Musk did not create USAID. He doesn't have the power to destroy it. We're going to stop him.

USAID workers told to stay home as many relief programs are halted. Our lives on the line because of this? Lives have already been lost because of this. Former USAID official Dr. Atul Gawande says the relief workers he knows are devastated. They're in fear for what this means for America, what this means for the people that they touch, and they're in fear for themselves. Fear is also rattling the FBI tonight. Eight top career officials fired Friday and a top official seeking names of agents who worked on January 6th cases. The FBI Agents Association in a statement described agents as extremely fearful of being removed and some started to pack up their desks. Kelly is joining us now from the White House.

And Kelly, all of this is happening as the Senate is considering President Trump's nominee for FBI director, Kash Patel. That's right. In his hearing and under oath, Kash Patel pledged all FBI employees would be protected against political retribution. But tonight, Senate Democrats are now demanding additional information about all of this. Kelly? Kelly O'Donnell, thank you.

To the border now and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth meeting with troops today in New Mexico. As we learned, some undocumented migrants arrested by the Trump administration are being released back into the U.S. Priscilla Thompson has late details. Leaving Washington for the first time since his confirmation. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth headed to the U.S. southern border in New Mexico to shake hands with some of the 1,500 troops deployed by President Trump, who joined the 2,500 already in place under former President Biden. These troops aren't able to do enforcement, so what exactly are their day-to-day tasks? What they do is relieve Border Patrol to have the opportunity to actually do the interdictions.

They're calling in observation to Border Patrol, who then interdict. It's a process that in the past, Tom was telling me, might take 30 minutes. The show of force, part of a larger immigration crackdown, including military mass deportation flights and ICE raids. Yet exclusive NBC News reporting shows that ICE has already released some migrants back into the United States, opting to use ankle monitors due to full beds and federal court orders that prohibit indefinite detention. We asked Border Czar Tom Holman about the releases. I'm not aware of that, but now that you said that, I'll find out what happened. Over the weekend, the Department of Defense released this video they say shows Marines taking off for Guantanamo Bay,

preparing to house migrants at a military site there. We are building out our capacity at Guantanamo Bay. Right now, that is where the worst are going. And across the country. From Chicago to Los Angeles, hundreds took to the streets to protest escalating immigration enforcement. As some businesses closed their doors, hoping to show what a country without immigrant labor might look like. Without immigrants, we wouldn't have food to serve. So I think that's mainly our point in doing that and showing people that this is how it would affect you and how it really does affect us all. And Hallie, now the state of Texas has granted its National Guard soldiers the power to make immigration arrests, a power not granted to troops here under federal orders like the ones the

secretary met with today. Hallie. Priscilla Thompson, thank you. Here in Washington, we may be just hours away from learning more about that Army helicopter's black box after the collision with an American Airlines jet last week. And tonight, new images as teams manage to raise part of that plane's wreckage from the Potomac. Here's Tom Costello. It was just before 10 a.m. when recovery teams managed to lift one of the American Eagles engines out of the Potomac River. We transferred debris from the water to a guy here on the eastern shore. A flotilla of boats, cranes, and divers working to raise pieces of the fuselage,

the windows still visible, and recover the remains of the last 12 of the 67 people who died in that mid-air crash with an Army helicopter. New NTSB drone video shows the wreckage of both the plane and the Black Hawk resting in the Potomac. NTSB investigators are hoping the helicopter's black box will reveal its altitude before the crash. Air traffic control radar indicated it was at 200 feet, the maximum allowed for choppers. But the plane's black box shows the crash happened at roughly 325 feet. There are all kinds of reasons that you could deviate from an altitude. You know, something as simple as a flock of birds is in front of you, or you may deviate if you see

something that's an obstacle or other threat to your flight. Like many control towers, Reagan National has struggled with understaffing and overtime. On Wednesday night, five controllers were on duty, just one handling both plane and helicopter traffic. They are stressed out, they're tapped out, they're overworked. That's no excuse. For years, Reagan's congested airspace has been a top safety concern, with planes and choppers flying just a few hundred feet apart. For now, the airspace is closed to all but police and medevac helicopters. Captain Jason Ambrose is the president of the Airline Pilots Union. Is it time to separate out helicopter traffic from regular passenger traffic here at Reagan Airport?

Yeah, look, it's an ongoing investigation, but clearly we can see that helicopter traffic and airline traffic doesn't mix. On board the regional jet, 28 members of the U.S. figure skating community, most of them teenagers, parents, and coaches. Today, a moment of silence at skating centers nationwide, including Wichita, site of last week's championships. And Tom is joining us now from Reagan Airport. Tom, when do we expect to learn more about the chopper's black box? NTSB is expecting to give us a readout tomorrow. They're trying to synchronize the flight data and the cockpit voice recorders, but the chopper's black boxes were not time-stamped, so it's taking some time.

In addition, they have now finished interviewing all of the air traffic controllers. Hallie. Tom Costello, thank you. Out West, some 13 million people are under flood watches across California tonight, where an atmospheric river is bringing a lot of rain and flooding. Look at that to towns like these and could even spur mudslides through Wednesday. The storm system set to hit cities like San Francisco and Sacramento. The rain will also affect L.A., where the deadly Eaton and Palisades fires have only just been contained. We'll take a break. And in 60 seconds, the courtroom fireworks in the legal battle between actors Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni. The judge is warning to the lawyers in the first hearing in the case. Back now with new and dramatic developments

in the legal fight between co-stars Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni. A judge today warning their lawyers to try the case in that court and not the court of public opinion. Chloe Malas is joining us now. So, Chloe, how did this first hearing go? Hallie, it was the first time that Blake Lively

and Justin Baldoni's attorneys faced off in a courtroom since the former It Ends With Us co-stars filed explosive lawsuits against one another. Things got heated as both sides pointed fingers at how the public legal battle has unfolded. Now, remember, it all began in late December when Lively filed a civil rights complaint alleging Baldoni created a hostile work environment on the set and then waged a smear campaign to ruin her reputation. Baldoni, who has denied those claims, has filed a $400 million lawsuit against Lively and her husband, Ryan Reynolds, for defamation. Since then, things have only escalated. Just this weekend, Baldoni's team publishing a website with hundreds of emails and texts between Lively, Baldoni and Reynolds.

And today, Lively's legal team saying that she is devastated by the public battle. And while the judge warned both sides to tone down the public war of words or he could move up the trial date. Chloe Malas, thank you very much. Coming up next, a groundbreaking treatment for people with paralysis. We'll meet the man able to move again thanks to a brain chip breakthrough. We're back with a groundbreaking new treatment for people who have been paralyzed. You're about to meet the first person to receive it and watch how it lets him not only move, but feel. Sam Brock explains how. For years, Keith Thomas lived out his dream in Manhattan,

managing hundreds of people for a Wall Street firm and few worries whang him down. What did you like to do? Play tennis, go jogging on the East Fairbairn. But a Long Island pool accident in 2020 changed his whole life, paralyzing the 45-year-old from the mid chest down and robbing him of sensation and movement in all of his limbs, at least. Until a medical breakthrough at Northwell Health's Feinstein Institute for Medical Research, where lead bioengineer Chad Boughton and his team developed a technology they call a double neural bypass. Chips are implanted in a patient's brain, and the signals for sensation

and movement sent back and interpreted through artificial intelligence and then redirected to the body and spine, creating a loop that could prove life-changing. Taking someone who had lost the ability to move their limbs, to sense or touch things and actually feel the sensation of that, to restore those abilities to the patient. Yes, that's exactly right. We have finally discovered that the signals in the brain are still there and strong even after a traumatic injury. Other neurotechnology companies like Elon Musk's Neuralink have implanted chips in patients to assist functionality, but recovery and restoring damaged neurons appears to be new ground. Is it wild to you to think that you have become the first person to sort of blaze this path and show that it's possible?

Yeah. We watched as Keith managed movements that only months ago would have been impossible. That's actually sensory data. From picking up a cup. What are you feeling, Keith? Like a jolt of energy. To navigating a quick bite of Twizzlers. Got it.

Last year, surgeons managed to place those chips in Keith's brain in areas that they spent months mapping out, leading to incremental improvements. And then a watershed moment. I'm ready. When Keith actually felt his sister's palm for the first time since the accident. That was an incredible moment. And there wasn't the first time since the accident. That was an incredible moment and there wasn't a dry eye in the lab. And with 5 million people living in the U.S.

with paralysis and 100 million worldwide, the significance is hard to overstate. It really hit me. In that moment, I felt like he's experiencing something he hadn't experienced in a long time and that there's hope. There's hope for the future. In the midst of a lot of misfortune, do you feel pretty fortunate? Yeah, I do feel pretty fortunate. A story whose next chapter is only beginning to be told. Sam Brock, NBC News, Long Island. So much hope for so many. That's nightly news for this Monday. I'm Hallie Jackson. For all of us here at NBC News, thanks for watching and have a great night.