NBC Nightly News with Tom Llamas - Thursday, July 18, 2024

Episode Date: July 19, 2024

Growing pressure on Biden to drop his re-election campaign; Exclusive: ICE director defends crackdown on alleged criminal migrants; and more on tonight’s broadcast.

Tonight, with Republicans set to unite around their candidate, as many Democrats clamor to change theirs. President Biden, isolating in Delaware, forced off the trail with a case of COVID. With persistent questions about his health, his polling and donations, is his campaign in jeopardy? Top allies pressuring him to withdraw. One person close to the president said, quote, We're close to the end. Why President Obama has concerns about his former vice president's prospects as his campaign vows to fight on. Plus, former President Trump said to accept the Republican nomination for the third time. His primetime speech tonight with the country bitterly divided. The dramatic overhaul of the party

featuring his running mate, J.D. Vance. The new video of the assassination attempt as bullets fly and what investigators found in the suspect's search history. Mr. Trump meeting with the Secret Service director. Her defiance amid growing calls for her to resign. Our exclusive reporting why some communities are rethinking their sanctuary city policies and working with ICE. What the agency's director tells us. The big name companies abandoning diversity goals after online backlash. What they're saying.

This is NBC Nightly News. Reporting tonight from the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, here is Lester Holt. Good evening from Milwaukee, where the stage is literally set for Donald Trump tonight, who will formally accept his party's nomination here at the Republican National Convention and speak to the country five days after a gunman tried to kill him. This week, Republicans have rallied behind the former president in a strong show of unity. But remarkably, the Trump speech may not be the biggest story in politics tonight. Instead, it's Democrats locked in a heightened state of soul searching over whether President Biden should

end his campaign for reelection. Mr. Biden, who is in isolation with COVID, faces new and growing pressure from prominent Democrats to bow out or at least consider his options, including, it seems, from former President Barack Obama. One person close to the president telling NBC News we're close to the end. Gabe Gutierrez starts us off tonight from Rehoboth Beach, Delaware. Tonight, President Biden is in self-isolation, both literally and politically, after testing positive for COVID. In a new letter, his doctor saying he has just mild symptoms and no fever. All while the walls seem to be closing in on his campaign.

Even some of his most defiant backers privately say the pressure to drop out is getting too intense. We're close to the end, the person close to the president tells NBC News. Another person who spoke to a senior campaign official saying they're finally realizing it's a when, not if. But the president is still moving forward. In a radio interview conducted right before he was tested for COVID yesterday, his cough is evident as he addresses public questions about his age. What happens when he's 84 years old? What happens when he's 85 years old? I was smart enough to know, with age comes wisdom. Still tonight, new pressure to leave the race from powerful Democrats. Two sources tell NBC News former President Obama has concerns about President Biden's

ability to stay at the top of the ticket. One source saying Mr. Obama sees President Biden's path to winning as getting harder. And citing multiple sources, CNN reports former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi privately told President Biden polling shows he cannot defeat former President Trump and could destroy Democrats' chances of winning the House. A Pelosi spokesperson would only confirm she has not spoken to the president since Friday. And in a meeting with the president Saturday, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer also shared recent polling data showing Biden trailing Mr. Trump in what two sources familiar with the meeting called a blunt conversation. Tonight, though, the president still has the support of top Democrat Jim Clyburn. I'm riding with Biden and that's not

going to change. What would it take for me to change my mind? It would take him changing his. Publicly, the White House and campaign are aggressively pushing back against Democratic leaders trying to push the president out. Obviously, our campaign disagrees about the path to victory not being there. Late today, a source close to the president telling NBC News, in 2015, Obama, Pelosi, Schumer pushed Biden aside in favor of Hillary. They were wrong then, and they are wrong now. With her running mate sidelined, it is Vice President Harris on the trail, visiting Battleground, North Carolina, and vowing to fight.

Do we believe in the promise of America? And are we ready to fight for it? And when we fight, we win. Again, there have been more troubling signs for the president regarding major donors. Tell us about that. Yes, Lester, a person with knowledge of the projections tells NBC News the Biden campaign now expects it will raise only 25 percent of the big donor money it had planned for in July. This person says the money has dried up. Lester. All right, Gabe Gutierrez, thank you. And here in Milwaukee, we will hear from former President Trump tonight accepting the nomination of what appears to be a unified Republican party

five days after a gunman tried to assassinate him. Here's Hallie Jackson. Tonight, his party and his stage as former President Donald Trump prepares to accept the GOP nomination. I think you're going to hear something from Donald Trump tonight that maybe people aren't expecting. A source familiar with the speech says the former president personally wrote it himself. Mr. Trump saying this week he threw away his original brutal rip roar against President Biden for something more unifying. If that's what he delivers, it would be a departure from the defiance and grievance that have become hallmarks of his speeches from his inauguration. This American carnage stops right here and stops right now. To his rallies.

We are a nation in decline. We are a failing nation. But the former president's telling supporters he feels changed after surviving that assassination attempt. That was an amazing, horrible thing, amazing thing. attempt. NBC News has learned when Mr. Trump conducted his walkthrough on stage, he commented while looking around, it's a lot safer inside, according to a source with direct knowledge. Do you notice a difference between Donald Trump pre-Saturday and Donald Trump now? Yeah, a little bit. I think it makes you reflect on everything. Anybody would. The picture of Mr. Trump from Saturday, fist raised, face bloodied, mouthing fight, embraced by attendees, printed on shirts at this stand near the arena where Elizabeth

Hiddos spent more than $400. I bought eight. I have lots of nieces and nephews who are big Trump supporters. A handful of delegates wearing fake ear bandages on the floor. And the crowd mirroring that raised fist during Donald Trump Jr.'s speech last night. That moment preceding Wednesday's headliner, the new Republican vice presidential nominee,

Ohio Senator J.D. Vance. President Trump represents America's last best hope to restore what, if lost, may never be found again. A country where a working class boy born far from the halls of power can stand on this stage as the next vice president of the United States of America. The 39-year-old, introduced by his wife, Usha, repeatedly name-dropping the Rust Belt states where the Trump campaign hopes he'll boost turnout

and highlighting his turbulent upbringing raised in poverty. His mother struggled with addiction. I'm proud to say that tonight my mom is here. Ten years clean and sober. I love you, Mom. Hallie, the Trump campaign is already zeroing in on what battleground states to hit coming out of this convention. Yeah, that's right,

Lester, and the delegation that I'm in will give you a hint here. The key swing state of Michigan, that is where these two Republican running mates will make their first campaign appearance together on Saturday. Lester? Hallie, thank you. I'm joined by Kristen Welker, the moderator of Meet the Press, and Kristen, we are seeing a remarkable moment or moments playing out for both sides.

We are, Lester. This is an incredible split screen. There's a real opportunity to retool Donald Trump's message with a speech he says will be unifying. But the question is, will voters who are skeptical of Trump give him a second look in the wake of the assassination attempt? A successful night could really set him up with momentum after this convention. Now, as for Democrats, this is just unprecedented. It seems increasingly likely President Biden will not be the Democratic nominee. Democrats, I'm talking to say there is a growing air of inevitability that he'll drop out soon. One Democratic lawmaker telling me this is just a sad moment for the party, Lester.

All right, Kristen Walker. Kristen, thanks very much. Join me, Kristen, and Savannah Guthrie for our coverage tonight from the RNC as former President Trump gives his highly anticipated speech. Our coverage begins at 9 Eastern time. Well, five days after the attempted assassination of former President Trump, the head of the Secret Service, is facing growing backlash and more calls for her to step down. Kelly O'Donnell has the latest. Amid a search for answers and growing calls for accountability after the Trump rally shooting, the director of the Secret Service, Kimberly Cheadle, met personally with former President Trump Tuesday, according to two sources with direct knowledge. Cheadle, a 30-year veteran with nearly two years as director, was swarmed at the RNC Wednesday night. Republican lawmakers unsatisfied.

This is exactly what we were doing today. This was an assassination attempt. You owe the people answers. You owe President Trump answers. Demanding action, both Democrats. We have to look at what happened. I mean, we almost had a former president assassinated live on television. And Republicans. She needs to step down. This happened on her watch. But in a new statement, the Secret Service says its director has no intentions to step down and is fiercely committed to transparency. On social media, another angle of Saturday's gunfire, a puff visible near the crowd. And this view of when former President Trump was rushed off stage. A person on Wednesday's Hill briefing call says the FBI said gunman Thomas Crook's search history included images of Mr. Trump, President Biden and dates for their events.

While today, mourners gathered to honor the life of 50-year-old married father and former firefighter Corey Comparatore, who was shot and killed in Saturday's attack. And Kelly, there are also calls in Washington for the director of the Secret Service to testify before Congress. That's right. Multiple congressional committees want to hear from the director. Cheadle was subpoenaed to appear Monday before House oversight, but there is a dispute over timing. Secret Service officials say she will testify soon when they can agree on a date. Lester. Kelly O'Donnell, thank you. When we return after online backlash, why iconic brands like John Deere are pulling back on diversity and inclusion goals right after this. We're back with a major culture shift for one of the nation's most iconic brands farming equipment maker john deere now ending its policies promoting diversity and inclusion

and they are not alone christine romans explains two years ago john deere the iconic american farm equipment maker called diversity equity andI, one of its highest priorities. Now the Moline, Illinois company announcing it will end all, quote, social or cultural awareness events and audit all training materials to, quote, ensure the absence of socially motivated messages. Deere, quote, reaffirming that the existence of diversity quotas and pronoun identification have never been and are not company policy. Just a few weeks ago, Tennessee-based Tractor Supply Company announced it was canceling pride events and gutting diversity hiring goals. In Tractor Supply's case, they're in a red state with a very aggressive right-wing legislature. Deere, their modal client base, is probably not supportive of DEI.

And so those are real pressures that they have to attend to. It comes a year after the Supreme Court ruling to end affirmative action in college admissions, emboldened conservative activists now campaigning online against corporate DEI programs, pride events, and climate change efforts, waging war on what they call corporate woke, hoping to match the success of their boycott of Bud Light. I got some Bud Lights for us. Whose social media collaboration with a transgender influencer sparked conservative outrage online and hurt sales. Once the most popular beer in the U.S., it has slipped to number three. Corporate social justice initiatives peaked in the months after the death of George Floyd,

but have declined in recent months. Five, ten years out, if you're not thinking about workplace diversity, you're not going to be able to staff up. Companies now trying to balance culture war pressure with their business interests. Christine Romans, NBC News. Up next, an NBC News exclusive, the crackdown on migrants with criminal records and why more communities are rethinking sanctuary city policies. At the RNC this week, Republicans continued their push to crack down

on the border. Now many cities are working with ICE to arrest migrants with criminal records. Here's Julia Ainsley with our exclusive report. It's 6 a.m. in a suburban Maryland parking lot, and we're joining ICE agents as they head out to arrest two migrant men authorities say committed violent crimes in their home countries before crossing the border and settling here just outside of Washington. Matt Elliston is in charge of the operation. First up this morning is a target who's from Columbia. Taken into custody in broad daylight. So a man has just been arrested and put inside this car from this apartment building.

We understand he's wanted for murder in Columbia, information that only became clear to U.S. authorities after he crossed the border. Why didn't Border Patrol know he was convicted when he crossed the border? At that point, the judicial system of Colombia hadn't entered any of that into their system of record. We're now on our way to the second arrest of the day. Nearly a dozen agents, part of the operation. The man these officers are now taking into custody is wanted in El Salvador for attempted murder with a machete. NBC News has learned more cities and counties are also rethinking their sanctuary city policies. Last year, ICE was able to make 59% more arrests of those who committed crimes than they made the year before.

Thanks in part to what ICE says is improved cooperation with local officials. Do you think there's a shift in their thinking now? There is. Baltimore County was previously not very cooperative. They had released a few people that we were looking for, and now Baltimore County is working with us. Definitely heard from our community about public safety issues. Earl Stoddard is the top public safety official in progressive Montgomery County, Maryland, where these arrests were made. While not officially a sanctuary county, he says they have increased cooperation too. He says he now gives ICE 48 hours notice before undocumented felons are released after serving time for violent crimes committed here. That makes it easier for ICE to pick them up for possible deportation. What are you trying to prevent? What's the worst case scenario here? Well, obviously we don't want a situation where we release someone and they go on to commit an

even more serious or heinous crime. And so that's the thing that we're always concerned about. While he says he's increased his cooperation with ICE, he says it's a balancing act because he doesn't want the county's large immigrant population to be afraid to report crimes. We need them to be witnesses. We need them to communicate with us. And so we can't be viewed as an agent for immigration enforcement. It's all about resources. P.J. Lechleitner is the ICE director. Why do you think the sanctuary cities are starting to come to the table? We've seen some examples of this where some individuals, unfortunately, were encountered by local law enforcement because of the policies put in place. And all of a sudden, you have people being released and reoffending. And we don't want that.

With record high border crossings under the Biden administration, ICE caseloads are now way up, with 8 million expected by the end of the year, far outnumbering the number of officers. That's one officer for every 7,000 migrants. Is that enough? No, that's not a good ratio at all. We're chronically under-resourced and need more funding. But I would like more room to breathe, and I would also stop doing more with less.

As for those two men arrested during our ride-along, they are currently in detention, awaiting deportation hearings. Lester? Julia Ainsley, thank you. Conservative TV talk show host Lou Dobbs has died. He anchored programs for years on CNN and Fox, focusing on politics and finance.

Dobbs was also a prolific author and a close friend of Donald Trump, who announced his death today on social media. Lou Dobbs was 78 years old. And that is nightly news for tonight. Thank you for watching, everyone. I'm Lester Holt. I'll see you back here again tonight for the Republican National Convention. In the meantime, please take care of yourself and each other. Good night.