NBC Nightly News with Tom Llamas - Nightly News Full Broadcast (April 3rd)

Episode Date: April 4, 2025

Markets crater in response to President Trump’s tariffs; Impact of tariffs on prices of imports from top brands; Deadly storms cause widespread damage across South and Midwest; and more on tonight��s broadcast.

Tonight, Wall Street craters as the world reacts to President Trump's sweeping tariffs. The worst day for markets since 2020, wiping out $2 trillion. World leaders hitting back, promising retaliatory tariffs. Stellantis shuttering plants in Canada and Mexico. Temporarily laying off nearly 1,000 American workers. The president defending the move, saying markets will boom and he is evening the field. And from phones to shoes, how much everyday items you buy could go up. As analysts say, the move risks high inflation and even a possible recession.

The nonstop severe weather, 34 tornadoes reported, at least seven killed. The dramatic video, an entire roof blowing off, the top peeled off a daycare center, rivers rising, the urgent rescues. Teen stabbing tragedy, the high school student allegedly attacked by another classmate, later dying in his twin brother's arms. What their father is saying tonight. The Pentagon will investigate the messy leak of sensitive military planning involving major Trump officials. Plus, did a far-right activist meeting spur firings of top national security aides?

No Place Like Home, one of the first of its kind, programs that lets kids get hospital-quality care from home. And there's good news tonight, how Lenny the giant loghead turtle, went from badly injured back to the deep blue sea. This is NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt. Good evening and welcome. Today, the stock market firmly and quickly condemned President Trump's new tariffs in ways only markets can, painfully. A global sell-off eliminating $2 trillion at U.S. financial markets, which tumbled right from the start of the trading day, never to recover. By closing, the Dow losing just under 4% of its value, the S&P 500 down close to 5%, and the Nasdaq down nearly 6%, a day reminiscent of the start of the pandemic of 2020.

The market meltdown, the sharp reaction to President Trump's reciprocal tariffs that he announced yesterday, placing tariffs on virtually every global trading partner and everything, some as high as 50 percent. It's the president's strategy to charge countries what they charge the U.S. Tonight, the president not giving ground, insisting the country is going to boom. But many businesses that depend on imported products are bracing for impact. They say could hit Americans where they live with higher prices for virtually everything. Christine Roman starts us off from the New York Stock Exchange. Christine, good evening. Lester, it was the worst day for markets since 2020, and the fallout from the president's

tariffs has more economists now warning about the risks of a recession. Tonight, Wall Street sending a clear message about President Trump's effort to dramatically reshape the global economy. Major losses for the Dow Jones Industrial Average, the S&P 500, and the Nasdaq. President Trump taking the drop in stride. The markets are going to boom. The stock is going to boom. The country is going to boom. And on Air Force One tonight saying he is open to negotiations if other countries offer something, in his words, phenomenal, like a deal from China on the sale of TikTok. The tariffs give us great power to negotiate. Always have. I've used them very well

in the first administration, as you saw, but now we're taking it to a whole new level because it's a worldwide situation. After he slapped steep tariffs on trading partners like China, Vietnam and India, administration officials fanned out to make the president's case. For 40 years, we've had an economy that rewards people who ship American jobs overseas and raises taxes on American workers, and we're flipping that on its head. The administration now defending the formula it used to determine tariff levels. President Trump said it was half of what those countries charged the U.S. through taxes and currency policies, but critics saying it was more arbitrary.

This is the reordering of fair trade. And what happens is people think it's all about tariffs. It's about those non-tariff trade barriers. The United States buys everybody's products. We buy everybody's goods. You just have to treat us fairly. The European Union and China now preparing countermeasures. Canada's Prime Minister Mark Carney today vowed to match 25% auto tariffs on imports from the U.S. Our old relationship of steadily deepening integration with the United States is over. Already today, signs prices people pay are rising. Volkswagen announcing it will add an import fee to vehicles to reflect the 25% auto import tariff. Hyundai telling its dealerships prices are likely to rise.

Democrats on the Hill are calling the president's trade policies a national sales tax. We estimate families will be charged $5,000 a year on the purchases they make of imported products. And despite this promise from the Rose Garden event yesterday... Jobs and factories will come roaring back into our country. There's near-term disruption. Automaker Stellantis today said it will pause plants in Mexico and Canada, and that 900 workers in the U.S. will be temporarily laid off. And while the president says companies will

start to make more products in America, economist Mark Zandi says that will take years if it happens at all. The tariffs are done under executive order. They're not under law and they can be changed by the stroke of a pen or the whim of the president. So I just don't see any major company making a big investment in the United States based on these tariffs. And Christine, a lot of anxiety watching those numbers crossing the screen today when the markets were open for people worried about their investments. What advice is there tonight? So, Lester, for retirement savers, the important thing is when you need to tap that 401k or likewise that college fund. Of course, remember, over time, historically, stocks rise. But if you're close to retirement or you're sending that kid off to school, you should be talking to a financial

professional. Now, the good news tonight is younger savers, they have time to weather all the ups and downs. Lester. Christine Roman starting us off. Thank you. It remains to be seen exactly how the price you pay will be affected by these tariffs. But take a look at this. A huge number of smartphones sold here in the U.S. are manufactured in China. Since President Trump took office, imports from there are now facing new tariffs of 54 percent. Many kitchen appliances Americans buy, like dishwashers that come from Italy, part of the European Union, hit with a 20 percent tariff. And so many of the shoes we wear come to the U.S. from Vietnam, where the tariffs are now set at 46 percent. Here at home, businesses are trying

to figure out how much of these costs will get passed on to you. Brian Chung has that part of the story. President Trump says his sweeping tariffs on imports will level the playing field for American companies making products in the USA. And today we're standing up for the American worker and we are finally putting America first. But for American consumers, it could mean higher prices on some of the most well-known brands that make their products overseas if they pass the cost of the tariff on to their customers. By one estimate, higher prices will cost the median household $690 annually. In electronics, Best Buy says they source about 55% of their products from China, and analysts estimate Apple assembles the majority

of its iPhones there. In apparel, Nike made half its footwear last year in Vietnam, where Adidas also sourced the largest share of its goods. Tariffs impacting furniture, too. Wayfair says its products come from China and five Southeast Asian countries facing tariffs. And one of the bigger categories that could get hit, toys. Basic Fun, maker of Care Bears and Tonka trucks, says a majority of their products are made in China. A $29.99 Tonka Mighty Dump Truck, which is our classic, one of our most classic items, that will be a $39.99 Tonka truck this Christmas. There's no other way around it. Basic Funds saying there are no factories in the U.S. that can make what they sell.

And there's no production here in the United States to shift to. But in Ohio, the CEO of Toymaker Simplay 3 tells us he supports the tariffs. Bringing American jobs back here, that's really important. His company makes all their products here in the U.S., so he says they won't have to raise their prices. We're building it right here. We've got a strong workforce and the ability for the consumer to purchase it the same price that it was at Christmastime. I think they appreciate that. The Trump administration also closing a loophole on the tax-free treatment of goods shipped directly from China,

meaning those discounted Xian and Temu products will likely get pricier, too. So, Brian, I think a lot of folks right now are trying to figure out next move. Should they be thinking about buying products in anticipation of a hike? Yeah, Lester, industry groups estimate that for imported smartphones and laptops, prices could rise by as much as $200 to $300 per unit. And for imported cars, they could rise by as much as $15,000. So for those categories, buying sooner rather than later might not be the worst idea. Although don't panic buy, only buy what you need, Lester.

All right, Brian, thank you. Now to the global fallout from all this. While President Trump says he's just asking other countries to pay the same tax they charge on American products, world leaders are stunned. Andrea Mitchell is with top NATO leaders in Europe. And Andrea, what are you hearing? Leicester Secretary of State Rubio came to NATO to press Europe to spend more on defense. But Europe is up in arms about President Trump's tariffs. One minister telling me that the president is wrong.

He's not calculating the trade deficit correctly and that he is hurting global trade. European ministers plan to meet on Monday to talk about retaliating. They say proportionally they don't want to escalate the trade war. And at the same time, Europe was already upset about the U.S. shutting them out of talks with Russia over Ukraine. Lester. All right, Andrea Mitchell, thank you. A widespread, dangerous storm in the Midwest and South causing at least seven deaths. Tonight, the severe threat is not over. Officials warn counties in places like Arkansas, Mississippi, and Tennessee are at risk for severe flooding. Kathy Park reports from the storm zone. Tonight, round two of crippling weather striking the same region already battered by severe storms.

At least 34 reported tornadoes tearing through the Midwest and South, shredding homes and upending lives. In rural Arkansas, J.P. DeLonga survived and recorded this large funnel cloud on his phone last night as it closed in. We looked outside and it was over there. Just outside Nashville, this home security camera capturing what appears to be the moment of impact. And across Michigan, the relentless rain triggering flash flood emergencies. Cars submerged and the powerful floodwaters cut straight through the street. Parts of Kentucky, a disaster zone. An industrial park ripped apart. Roofs peeled off. The debris scattered for miles. Our crew is there with a closer look at the damage. Alarms are still blaring inside this absolutely destroyed daycare. You can see

toys on the ground, a sign warning babies are sleeping. Thankfully, we're told no one was inside, but that roof is completely destroyed with the rain picking up here. In Indiana, punishing winds sent part of this warehouse crashing, trapping a worker. Officials say they were able to safely rescue her. And in hard-hit Lake City, Arkansas. This saved your life. Yes, it did. A storm shelter became a lifeline for Morgan Ernest and her family. Their home leveled in minutes. My son's like, I want to go home, mommy. I want to go home. It don't register because about 10, 20 minutes later, he'll say the same thing again. Does that break your heart? It does.

Because it's like all their stuff's there. And Kathy joins us now from Monette, Arkansas. Kathy, flooding is now the major concern there. Lesser, that's right. Arkansas is under a flood watch through the weekend. But as you can see, another big concern is cleaning up all this debris before more storms move in. This entire farming operation has been destroyed by a tornado the second time in just four years. Lester. OK, Kathy, thank you. Let's turn to Bill Cairns now. And Bill, dozens of tornadoes already reported many more dangerous hours to go with this. Dangerous days even. I mean, this is cruel.

The people that just got hit that you just saw, they're getting it again tonight. They're going to get it again tomorrow and possibly Saturday, too. So here's the heavy rainfall on the map. We have isolated tornado threat tonight, but the flash flooding is about as large as I've ever seen it. You can go from Charleston all the way to Little Rock. That's over 600 miles of flash flood warnings. And the amount of rain we're going to get over the next two to three days is going to be on top of the five to eight inches that's already fallen. Some areas are going to end up with well over 15 inches. So it's flash flooding now, and then it's going to be river flooding as we head through the

weekend. Here's the isolated tornado threat tonight from Shreveport all the way up to Nashville. But tomorrow, the possibility of another tornado outbreak. And once again, we're targeting Arkansas all the way down to Texarkana and areas outside of Dallas or Shreveport, Leicester. Such a dangerous time and just day after day, the same area. All right, Bill Kerens, thank you. The Defense Department is now investigating that controversial signal chat about strikes in Yemen and whether it included classified information. Gabe Gutierrez is covering the president force in Florida. And Gabe, we're also learning of a shakeup at the National Security Council. What do you know? Yes, Lester, the Pentagon's inspector general is now investigating

whether Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth used an encrypted signal messaging app to discuss classified information about military operations. Hexeth and other administration officials have repeatedly denied any of it was classified. And battled National Security Advisor Mike Waltz was also part of that chat. And today, we learned at least three of his staffers have been fired, the president saying some of them may have been disloyal. The firings came after far-right activist Laura Loomer met with the president yesterday in the Oval Office, according to three people familiar with the matter who say she expressed dissatisfaction with the national security team.

Late today, the president said she was not involved in the firings. Lester. All right, Gabe, thanks. In 60 seconds, an honors student stabbed at a high school track meet, dying in his twin brother's arms. Their father's emotional interview tonight, the latest on the arrest and investigation, is next. We turn out of the stabbing death of a 17-year-old student in Texas. Police say another student plunged a knife into Austin Metcalf's heart in front of his twin brother. Priscilla Thompson reports.

His brother was holding on to him, trying to make it stop bleeding, and he died in his brother's arms. Austin Metcalfe's final moments, his dad says, were spent in his twin brother's arms. I rushed up there, and I saw him on the gurney, and I could tell. The 17-year-old died Wednesday, police say, after being stabbed by another student at a high school track meet in Frisco, Texas. Not conscious, not breathing, he was stabbed. His twin brother, who was there, told their dad the incident began when the pair asked the student to move to a different seat. He brought a knife to a track meet and he murdered my son by stabbing him in the heart.

Police are not saying what caused the altercation, but have arrested 17-year-old Carmelo Anthony, a student-athlete from a rival school now charged with murder. Anthony has not yet pled. The North Texas community in shock. It's heartbreaking. It's heartbreaking. Grieving alongside Austin's family, who are remembering the high school junior as a bright student athlete who was MVP of his football team and had a 4.0 GPA. He was loved by many. He was a leader. He believed in God. He was a great kid.

Made me the proudest father in the world. Tonight, his family leaning on that faith to forgive. I already forgive this person. God takes care of things. God's going to take care of me. God's going to take care of my family. Priscilla Thompson, NBC News. All right, we'll take a break right here. I had a new way to treat sick kids by bringing the hospital home.

We'll show you how it works and the big benefits for families. We're back now with a story about a way to help improve medical care for sick kids without having it cost any more. As Ann Thompson reports, it's about bringing the hospital home. For Stephanie Conlon and her six-year-old daughter Mackenzie, this is a wish come true. Look at that smile. I see it. I see it. We get to go home. Going home with hospital-level care from Levine Children's Hospital in Charlotte, where Mackenzie was treated for dehydration from the flu.

She also has cerebral palsy. How good is it to be home? It's amazing, and that's all you want for your kid is it to be home? It's amazing. And that's all you want for your kid is to get out as quick as you can. They are part of Atrium Health's Hospital at Home for Kids, an option already offered to adults. Like that program, there is an iPad with 24-7 access to nurses and a video doctor visit at least twice a day. We're going to do a little bit of short-term thickening for the next 24 hours or so until we shake the flu. Patients range from newborns

needing light therapy to those like Mackenzie on the road to recovery. Stopping by in person, paramedic Johan Pexson, one of five paramedics especially trained to treat kids. We're not showing up to people on the worst day of their lives. They're happy to see us. His truck is packed with all the typical medical equipment and something just for kids. A distraction bag. Is there a surefire winner in this bag? You know, so far the teddy bears work, but I think this is really the real winner. Program director Dr. Stephanie Reed says it is cost neutral with potentially better outcomes.

Generally, kids are better at receiving something from mom and dad than from people that they don't know. For Mackenzie and her mom, the benefits are immeasurable. Just as a mom of somebody with special needs, it's really hard to think sometimes that you can do everything that they need at home. Now there's help for whatever they need. Ann Thompson, NBC News, Charlotte. When we come back, the incredible chance encounter that saved the life of this 300-pound loggerhead named Lenny. We leave you with the good news about a loggerhead turtle who got first class care to return to the sea. Here's George Solis. It all centered on this crucial moment. But before this majestic creature of the sea was returned to the water, the loggerhead

sea turtle named Lenny faced an uncertain future, even after six to seven decades of life. That's underwater photographer Mike Pappish, who rescued Lenny last month from a reef in the Florida Keys. Lenny is believed to have survived a shark attack that left him with a badly damaged flipper. You think he sensed that you were there to help him? Once we got him actually onto the boat, he kind of calmed down. He almost had this look in his face like, okay, it's over. With some help, Mike rushed the 322-pound marine reptile to the Turtle Hospital in Marathon, Florida. The team worked around the clock to save the largest loggerhead they've ever seen.

Betty Zirkelback is the manager of the hospital. It's cool for us to get to see those animals up close and personal. This guy, we turned right around because his blood work was normalized, he had no sign of infection, and he needed to get back out here. Lenny, now much better thanks to his new friends, One, two, three. headed back into the turtle ambulance It's okay, the turtle ambulance to return where this journey first started. Then it happened. A bit emotional? Always emotional. So was Mike Pappish for that

deep blue farewell. He looked back as I was getting his last shot and then just kind of waved. George Solis, NBC News, on the reef. Good luck, Lenny. That's nightly news for this Thursday. Thank you for watching. I'm Lester Holt. Please take care of yourself and each other. Good night.