NBC Nightly News with Tom Llamas - Sunday, February 25, 2024

Episode Date: February 26, 2024

Nikki Haley says she won’t give up after losing South Carolina GOP primary; Video shows American fighter jets launching from Red Sea on Saturday night; Zelenskyy discusses need for aid from allies as Ukraine marks 2 years since Russian invasion; and more on tonight’s broadcast.

Tonight, Nikki Haley vowing to stay in and fight on after Donald Trump's landslide victory in South Carolina. The former governor already campaigning in the next primary state after last night's historic defeat in her home state. Trump supporters calling on her to drop out. The mega donor group whose support she just lost. A man lights himself on fire outside the Israeli embassy in Washington as the U.S. helps broker a possible new ceasefire in exchange for the release of Israeli hostages. Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky one-on-one with our Richard Engel, his message to American lawmakers. What happens to your country if this American aid doesn't arrive? Another murder at a college, this one in Kentucky.

The campus on lockdown, a fellow student arrested. It's the fourth high-profile campus murder this month. Are you ready for the spring, the great American warm-up? Who's about to get some record high temperatures? This is NBC Nightly News with Kate Snow. Good evening. The results of the South Carolina primary were not unexpected. Former President Donald Trump had a sizable lead in polls there. But a big question heading into Saturday's contest was what would Nikki Haley do next?

Well, now we have our answer. The former governor of South Carolina is not dropping out, not backing down. This is a live look at an event she's about to hold right now in Michigan, which has its primary on Tuesday. Haley says she wants to give voters a choice in this election, but make no mistake, last night's loss was historic. She lost to Donald Trump by 20 points, the biggest primary loss by a candidate in their home state in modern times. And this week, the Republican primary calendar kicks into high gear. Take a look at this. In the next 10 days, 19 states and Washington, D.C. will hold primaries and caucuses. And in many of those states, it will be a lot harder for Haley to win any delegates. We begin tonight with Ali Vitale on the trail with the Haley campaign.

Tonight, Nikki Haley not backing down. I'm a woman of my word. I'm not giving up this fight. Donald Trump's sole rival sticking in the race, defiant. And barreling into Michigan, even after an historic loss in her home state of South Carolina last night. And I'm grateful that today is not the end of our story. Trump, meanwhile, full steam ahead. An even bigger win than we anticipated. Ignoring the primary and already wishing for the general election. In certain countries, you're allowed to call your election date.

If I had the right to do it, I'd do it tomorrow. He's preparing the party for that, too, seeking to install family members and allies to run the Republican National Committee. The next stretch of voting states looming large. Michigan, followed by Super Tuesday a week later. Most of those winner-take-all states, making it tough for Haley to earn delegates unless she actually wins the state. Haley's campaign manager last night.

I think the thing that we get hung up on,, I think probably rightly so, is the delegate math. There are a lot of those states that are winner-take-all. There's also a lot of proportional states. We know the odds, but we also know the stakes. Haley hitting nearly a dozen states in the next 10 days and seeing reason to keep going. I know 40% is not 50%, but I also know 40% is not some tiny group. Even the unlikeliest of voices, like Democrat Gavin Newsom, urging Haley on. I hope she stays in personally. And independent voters, even those who ultimately opted for Trump. I think she should keep going. I think she's a smart woman.

So I think she should stay in it and see what happens. And Ali joins me now from a Haley rally in Michigan, and there are new obstacles for the Haley campaign. Yeah, that's exactly right, Kate. Even as the Haley campaign is touting a million dollars raised in just 24 hours since South Carolina, NBC News has just confirmed that a major conservative group aligned with mega-donor Charles Koch is pulling its support,

including funding, from the Haley campaign. They're citing challenges in the states ahead as to why. Kate. Ali Vitale for us. Ali, thank you. Overseas tonight,

we're getting our first look at video of a new round of U.S. airstrikes targeting terrorist weapons stockpiles in Yemen. It's the latest mission by the U.S. airstrikes targeting terrorist weapons stockpiles in Yemen. It's the latest mission by the U.S. to stop fighters from taking over ships at sea. Aaron Gilchrist reports. Tonight, new video of American fighter jets launching from the Red Sea,

lighting up the Saturday night sky in Houthi-controlled Yemen. U.S. and British forces say they struck 18 Houthi targets, this time including underground weapons facilities. A fourth joint mission to stop attacks on military and commercial ships in and around the Red Sea. The Iran-backed rebels vowing to continue targeting ships they say are connected to Israel until it ends military action in Gaza. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on American television Sunday morning promising only victory over Hamas will end the war. Unless we have total victory, we can't have peace.

We can't leave Hamas in place. We can't leave a quarter of Hamas battalions in Rafah and say, well, that's fine. Netanyahu also confirming he's presenting his government an updated hostage release and ceasefire deal brokered by the U.S., Egypt and Qatar. Demonstrators demanding an end to the suffering. According to D.C. police, a man set himself on fire outside the Israeli embassy in Washington. Social media posts claim he yelled, free Palestine. Meanwhile, demonstrators in Tel Aviv insisting more be done to return Israeli

hostages home. Netanyahu suggesting Hamas's demands still go too far. They're in another planet, but if they come down to a reasonable situation, then yes, we'll have a hostage. Netanyahu saying a deal would delay Israeli soldiers rolling into Rafah, where more than a million displaced Palestinians have been forced into a small area, adding that before a major strike there, civilians would be evacuated back into parts of Gaza already destroyed. And Aaron joins me now from the White House. Aaron, is President Biden supporting the Rafah evacuation plan you just mentioned? Well, Kate, the president's national security advisor says Israel needs to have a clear, executable plan to protect and house Palestinian civilians before a major military operation in

Rafah, adding that the White House has not seen a plan like that yet. Kate? Aaron Gilchrist for us. Aaron, thank you. This weekend marks two years since Russia first invaded Ukraine, and by most accounts, the tide has shifted in Russia's favor. Tonight, our Richard Engel sat down with Ukraine's president, Volodymyr Zelensky, who is desperately trying to reach an audience here in the U.S. to convince the American public and Republican lawmakers his country is worth helping. As Ukraine commemorates two years since Vladimir Putin invaded, President Zelensky told reporters tonight delays of weapons and ammunition from allies, including the United States, are costing Ukrainian lives, saying 31,000 of his troops have been killed so far in the war, his first update of the death toll in a year. President Zelenskyy said Russian troops are

taking advantage of Ukraine's lack of supplies with a new offensive, which he expects will intensify over the next two months. I met up with the president in our fifth conversation since the war began. The president began by saying Ukraine has no choice but to keep fighting because the cost of losing to President Putin is everything. If he will break defending lines, he will destroy all the cities. He doesn't need anything, any Ukrainian culture. He will destroy architecture, museums, schools, universities, people. Mr. President, I just returned from several areas along the front line, in the south and in the east, and soldiers there told me

they have to ration their ammunition. What happens to your country if this American aid doesn't arrive? We will lose a lot of people, we will lose territories. If to give us strong package in one time, our steps will be more strong on the battlefield. Do you think the United States wants Ukraine to win this war or they just want you to weaken Russia and contain Russia? I hope so, I hope so. Otherwise how to trust people? You know it's so difficult to live without any any trust so I mean that's we have we have we count on our partners. You said that you believe this year is a turning point year for Ukraine because of, in part, U.S. elections.

You pointed specifically to the U.S. elections. Are you talking about Donald Trump? Are you worried that Donald Trump could pull the plug? I hope he will not stop. If he will be the president, that is the decision of your people, of course. And I hope that the policy of the country will not change. I count on the American people. President Zelensky also outlined a peace plan to end the war,

with Ukraine presenting its terms to Russia this spring, followed by direct talks. The Kremlin has already rejected the proposal. Kate. Richard Engel for us. Richard, thank you. Back in the U.S., there's been yet another murder on a college campus, the fourth high profile killing in the last few weeks. And while the crimes are unrelated, it's an alarming wake up call about violence in what is supposed to be a safe place for students. Marissa Parra has more. Tonight, a new murder charge in the latest case casting anxiety over yet another college campus.

This time, Kentucky's Campbellsville University. 18-year-old Josiah Killman found dead in his dorm room yesterday, sending the campus into lockdown. Until 21-year-old Charles Escalera was found and arrested in a barn, both of them students. A cause of death not yet released. This as we're learning new details over student killings in Colorado Springs. 26-year-old Celie Montgomery and student 24-year-old Samuel Knopp gunned down over a week ago in a University of Colorado dorm room. Knopp's roommate, 25-year-old student Nicholas Jordan, charged with two counts of first-degree murder. Newly unsealed documents show a history of tensions in the apartment.

Following a January argument, Jordan threatened not that he would kill him, and there would be consequences if Mr. Jordan was asked to take out the trash again. I still feel really on edge. Meanwhile, University of Georgia reeling after 22-year-old Laken Riley was murdered while running on campus Thursday. 26-year-old Jose Antonio Ibarra, a non-U.S. citizen from Venezuela, charged with her murder. Authorities say they didn't know each other. His brother, Diego Ibarra, charged with possessing a fake green card, together igniting a political firestorm among conservatives like Georgia

Governor Brian Kemp, demanding President Biden take federal action to secure the border in the wake of Riley's death. You have people like these two individuals that came into the country and committed crimes and nobody was notified of those. And why were they not sent back? Meanwhile, a student led petition has almost 25,000 signatures demanding the campus reinstall emergency blue lights, call boxes used to quickly alert authorities to someone in trouble, as students grapple with trying to find safety and closure. And Marissa's with us from the University of Georgia. So students will return to class tomorrow? That's right, Kate. Their first since Thursday evening. Tomorrow will also mark the first campus vigil held in Riley's honor.

Kate. Marissa Parr, thank you. We're back in a moment with the terrifying minutes just after a house explosion, all caught on police body cameras. Plus, the big winter warm-up. Record temperatures could be ahead for millions. Just how hot will it get? If you're already sick of winter, you're in luck.

Much of the country in for a potentially record-breaking warm-up. Temperatures are expected to soar across half the country starting tomorrow. We're talking about as high as 30 degrees above average in places, even getting into the 60s in New York and nearly 70 in Chicago this week. Tonight, a new look at the terrifying moments following a house explosion in Michigan, all caught on police body cameras. Here's Maggie Vespa. Like something out of a disaster movie.

Body camera video just released by Ann Arbor police gives a firsthand look at Monday morning's jaw-dropping home explosion that rocked this quiet Michigan neighborhood. What did you think when you saw how big this was? Definitely was a surprise for me. I was really shocked. Oh my God, there's been an explosion across the street. Beginning with 911 calls and dash cam video as police r toward the scene. The nearly two minute clip shows a neighbor blurred by police running toward Officer Zach Cunningham. Is anybody there? Do you know of somebody was in there? The other officer very quickly found the man who they thought was inside. It turns out, thankfully, he wasn't. He was outside the home. Correct. I think Officer Betts was able

to locate him within the first 30 to 60 seconds of us being on scene. Everybody back up! Officers scramble to clear the area. Moments later, the home completely caves in. There's a chimney. It's a brick chimney. The brick actually makes it all the way across the street into the neighbor's yard. Oh, it scared the living daylights out of me. Our affiliate WDIV was there in the aftermath of Monday's fire as neighbors and the city's fire chief pieced together what happened.

We do have reports that propane was possibly being used inside of the house for heating. Investigators later confirming propane tanks caused the explosion, adding no other homes were damaged, and the man who lived there in his 70s was injured but survived. He and his neighbors now left with a terrifying story to tell caught on camera. Maggie Vespa, thank you. When we come back, there's good news tonight about the life-saving bond that brought this teacher and student together. There's good news tonight about supporting each other through uncertain times and the

kindergarten teacher who's making sure one little girl knows she is not alone. Mad. Pad. At Lake Highland Preparatory School in Orlando. Fan. You have to think about this one. Kennedy Vaught and her kindergarten teacher, Carleen Honor, share a special bond. Once I met her, it was, you know, it was over.

I was in love. I was excited to embark on this new journey of a new school year together. That journey includes something they have in common. Both are heart surgery survivors. Kennedy had hers at Advent Health less than a year together. That journey includes something they have in common. Both are heart surgery survivors. Kennedy had hers at Advent Health less than a year ago. Thank you guys. We have all set. So when it came time for her to start kindergarten, mom Kristen was overjoyed to discover Mrs. Honor knew just what Kennedy was going through. Oh my gosh, I cry every time we talk about this. It's special to have this element to it when going into something we thought was so scary,

we've come out of with nothing but Mrs. Honner's words blessings. I wanted to reassure Kennedy, as well as her mother, that she was going to be okay. She was going to be in great hands. All right. Mrs. Honner, who had her surgery five years ago, says she's teaching Kennedy that their scars are a sign of strength and courage. We just call each other heart twins. And one of the things I wanted Kennedy to know was that the scar was a reminder, a blessing,

and not to let it stop her from doing the things that she wanted to achieve. Can you do a split? Kennedy is now back doing gymnastics. Give me an A. And wants to be a cheerleader. Give me a T. We're walking for you, girl. And together, they teamed up for the Greater Orlando Heart Walk.

For Mrs. Honor, it was a powerful reminder about just how lucky she is to be alive. That was my moment that I had to myself that I realized I survived something greater than what it is. Gratitude for second chances and a new friendship that will last a lifetime. I always want you to know that Miss Honor loves you this much. I'm always going to be there to cheer you on. Just love that. That is NBC Nightly News for this Sunday. As I mentioned last week, this is my last Sunday with you anchoring Nightly News, but I'm not going far. You can watch me Monday through Friday on NBC News Daily from 2 to 4 p.m. Eastern time. You can find me on your local NBC affiliate or on our streaming network, NBC News Now.

I'll see you there tomorrow and I'll keep reporting for Nightly News as well. Thank you so much for watching. For all of us here at NBC News, stay safe. Have a great night.