NBC Nightly News with Tom Llamas - Thursday, November 14, 2024

Episode Date: November 15, 2024

Trump chooses Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as HHS secretary; Trump's choice of Matt Gaetz as attorney general sends shockwaves through Washington; Amazon tries to win back customers from ultra-cheap online retailers; and more on tonight’s broadcast.

Tonight, another controversial pick by Donald Trump, choosing Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to serve as Secretary of Health and Human Services. The president-elect tapping RFK Jr., the conspiracy theorist and anti-vaccine activist for a role that will give him major power over public health and America's food and drug supply. Kennedy already calling for fluoride to be removed from drinking water, and his eyebrow raising headlines over the past year, revealing that doctors found a dead worm in his brain, and his admission that he once left a dead bear cub in New York's Central Park. It comes as some of Mr. Trump's other picks, such as Matt Gaetz for attorney general, send

shockwaves through the Senate, setting the stage for a possible confirmation battle and the ethics investigation into whether Gaetz engaged in sexual misconduct or used illicit drugs, which he denies. Will the public ever see the report? Also, tonight, the potential terror attack. The FBI says it thwarted in Houston the suspect, an alleged ISIS supporter, the possible targets. The life-threatening tropical storm Sarah, forming in the Caribbean, could it impact the U.S.? We're tracking it.

And they're ready to cast a spell on the box office. Wicked stars Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo joining as the hit musical heads to movie theaters. This is NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt. Good evening and welcome. Breaking tonight, another head-turning personnel pick by President-elect Trump, choosing Robert F. Kennedy Jr., an anti-vaccine activist, to serve as Secretary of Health and Human Services. If confirmed by the U.S. Senate, Kennedy,

an environmental lawyer, would lead a family of agencies responsible for protecting the health of Americans, including the Centers for Disease Control and Food and Drug Administration. In the past, Kennedy has spoken out against COVID vaccines and childhood vaccinations, though recently said he wouldn't take them away, endorsing Donald Trump after his own run for the White House ran aground. News of the RFK Jr. pick coming as both sides of the aisle in Washington are still weighing the viability of Mr. Trump's preference of former Congressman Matt Gaetz to serve as attorney general. Von Hilliard begins our coverage. Tonight, after teasing a potential administration role for weeks.

RFK, he's going to help us on health and the health of women, men and children. And he is so good. President-elect Trump selecting Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to be his next secretary of health and human services, writing, Americans have been crushed by the industrial food complex and drug companies who have engaged in deception, misinformation and disinformation when it comes to public health. Kennedy is a former Democratic and independent presidential candidate who dropped out and endorsed Trump. You want an America president who's going to make our country healthy again.

But he's faced criticism because of his history of vaccine skepticism, publicly espousing discredited assertions that vaccines cause autism. Vice President Harris slammed Trump for praising him. He has indicated that the person who would be in charge of health care for the American people is someone who has routinely promoted junk science and crazy conspiracy theories. Kennedy telling us last week that he would not block any vaccines. I'm not going to take away anybody's vaccines. I've never been any vaccine. I've just said you will not take any vaccine that is currently on the market. I'm not. If somebody if vaccines are working for somebody, I'm not going to take them away.

During the campaign, Kennedy also made headlines when he said that 15 years ago, doctors told him he had a parasitic worm in his brain that died. Kennedy is a critic of U.S. health care policy, who's advocated for big changes to food and drug regulation, writing last month, the FDA's war on public health is about to end, telling us he would eliminate parts of the FDA. The nutrition departments at FDA that have to go, that are not doing their job. They're not protecting our kids. Edvon, we understand Kennedy is now responding to his selection. Lester, just in the last few minutes, Kennedy writing in a statement that he's

committed to making America healthy again, saying we, quote, have a generational opportunity to put an end to America's chronic disease epidemic. Lester. All right, Vaughn Hilliard starting us off. Thank you. And there are serious questions about the confirmation prospects of some of the president-elect's picks for top roles, including Matt Gaetz as attorney general. Here's Peter Alexander. Tonight, President-elect Trump with more critical choices to come, including naming his economic team as his set of picks are still sending shockwaves across Washington, especially the selection of conservative

firebrand and now former Florida Congressman Matt Gaetz for attorney general. He's an accomplished attorney. He's very concerned about the lawfare that has been occurring in the Department of Justice under the Biden administration. Multiple sources with direct knowledge tell NBC News Gaetz has been placing calls to Senate Republicans to get their read on his chances to get confirmed. One Republican saying there's already enough opposition to sink his nomination. He's got a really steep hill to climb to get lots of votes, including mine. A lot of people will spend a lot of political capital on something that even if they got done, you'd have to wonder if it was worth it. Gaetz resigned his House seat overnight, abruptly ending the House Ethics Committee investigation into whether he engaged in sexual misconduct and illicit drug use.

Allegations Gates denies. Tonight, a top Republican says senators should see the report. I think there should not be any limitation on the Senate Judiciary Committee's investigation, including whatever the House Ethics Committee has generated. Trump has repeatedly slammed the DOJ for what he says were political prosecutions designed to derail his presidency and campaign, praising Gates, who he says will end the, quote, partisan weaponization of our justice system.

The lawfare we've seen against President Trump will do great damage well beyond our time in public service. Some Republicans argue after his decisive victory, Trump is entitled to the team he wants. I'm telling my Democratic friends, elections have consequences whether you like it or not. Also facing a potential confirmation battle tonight, Trump's selection of Pete Hegseth for defense secretary, a Fox News host and decorated combat veteran. But Democrats are questioning his readiness to lead the Pentagon. He has no managerial experience and no policy experience with the really substantive and significant issues

that the Department of Defense has to confront. Tonight, some Republicans are defending the pick. The Department of Defense has been enormously mismanaged under the current regime. They need to stop working on pronouns and get back to lethality, and someone like Pete can lead that. Then there's Trump's pick for the director of national intelligence, former Hawaii Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard, a Democrat turned Trump supporter who's also a military veteran. But some lawmakers have slammed her past meeting with Syria's leader

and accuse her of being too sympathetic to Russia. Someone who has aligned herself previously with Russia, with Syria, should not be in a position to have any of the information that is America's greatest secrets. Overnight, Gabbard speaking out. Of course there's going to be resistance to change from the swamp in Washington. I think that's kind of the point. The American people are saying, hey, stop looking at yourselves, stop focusing on your own power, your own position, your own bank accounts.

And Peter, President-elect Trump also finding an administration role for one of his personal attorneys. Yeah, Lester, that's right. Trump announced that he has picked Todd Blanche, his lead defense attorney, during his Manhattan criminal hush money trial for deputy attorney general. Also tonight, a Trump spokesperson tells NBC News that Trump will pardon January 6th defendants on a case-by-case basis, effectively distancing the president-elect from any blanket pardon. Lester. All right, Peter Alexander, thanks. Also breaking this evening, federal authorities in Houston announcing the arrest of a man

accused of supporting ISIS and planning a possible terror attack on Jewish targets in Texas. Stephanie Gosk has late details. Tonight, the FBI says they've stopped a possible terrorist attack in Houston. We've taken a suspected terrorist off the streets of Houston, Texas. According to the FBI, after his arrest on November 8th, Anas Saeed told federal agents about his plans to commit violence in the United States, including researching the layout and security at Jewish-related locations, such as synagogues, and expressing the desire to use an explosive belt.

He bragged that he would commit a 9-11-style attack if he only had the resources. Agents say Saeed also told them he considered attacking members of the military if they supported Israel or if they had been deployed to Afghanistan or Iraq and killed Muslims there. He allegedly said those are the persons he would kill. According to court documents, Saeed admitted to federal agents that he created videos and images that glorified ISIS's violent attacks and tried several times to travel to join ISIS.

The 28-year-old is charged with attempting to provide material support to ISIS. He's pleaded not guilty. FBI agents have interviewed Saeed multiple times since he came to our attention in 2017. However, due to the October 7, 2023 Hamas attacks on Israel, Saeed's behavior began to mobilize towards violence. Saeed's arrest comes just a month after a man originally from Afghanistan living in Oklahoma was arrested for an alleged plot to carry out an attack on Election Day on behalf of ISIS. And Stephanie, what more do we know about the background of the suspect in Houston?

So he spent some of his childhood in Lebanon, Lester, but he was born here in the United States. And today, the FBI said that the primary international terrorism threat to the U.S. is homegrown violent extremists just like him. All right, Stephanie Goss, thank you. We're keeping a close watch in the Caribbean, where Tropical Storm Sarah formed today near the Nicaragua-Honduras border. It could bring torrential rain and catastrophic flooding to parts of Central America. By the middle of next week, its remnants could bring showers and thunderstorms across Florida. Now to the two astronauts who have been stuck on the space station for months now, and NASA says rumors that their health is being affected are untrue.

Here's Emily Akata. What was supposed to be a roughly week-long mission has turned into months for NASA astronauts Sonny Williams and Butch Wilmore after technical issues aboard Boeing's Starliner stranded the pair at the International Space Station. I think there's some rumors around outside there that I'm losing weight and stuff. Now, NASA is trying to dispel rumors that their health is in jeopardy in the wake of recent images from their extended stay in space. Actually, in almost every mission that we have, we prepare for the astronauts to be able to have to stay longer. NASA's chief medical officer says the duo's weight has not changed,

but a shift in the body's fluid can slightly shift their appearance. How are Sonny and Butch feeling? Actually, they're feeling tremendous. They are busy. They're working on a lot of research on the orbital platform of the ISS. They're exercising. We work out two and a half hours a day every single day. Biking, lifting and running. I'm set to run seven miles on this treadmill. Experts say exercise is critical

to combat muscle and bone density loss while living in weightlessness, along with weekly medical check-ins and carefully curated diets as the astronauts slowly float closer to their February return to Earth. Part of the astronauts' research is looking at how being in space impacts the human body. That intel could help treat bone loss here on Earth and prepare for future trips to Mars. Lester? Okay, Emily, thank you. Now to a question so many families grapple with. At what age can the kids be left on their own?

That question now coming into sharp focus with an incident in Georgia where a mother thought that 10 was old enough. Yasmin Vasugian has more. Brittany Patterson never thought taking her son for a medical appointment would result in a mugshot. What am I under arrest for? For reckless endangerment. Late last month, a mother of four arrested in front of her children. The police are here and they're taking me to jail. So I need you to come stay with the kids. It was anger and frustration, of course, because my children were having to witness that. They're taking me to jail. I love you. Love you too, baby. According to the sheriff's report, while she was out with one child, Brittany wasn't sure where

her 10-year-old Soren was, but figured he was around the house. Instead, Soren had decided to take a walk in Mineral Bluffs, Georgia, to the Dollar General, less than a mile from the house. It's really not even a town, hardly. A rural area, population around 370. It's not a super dangerous or even dangerous at all stretch of road. But the catch? Brittany didn't know her son Soren had done that until a sheriff's deputy called. So when you got that phone call, hey, do you know your kid is in town? What did you think?

I said no. I didn't know he was in town. I was not expecting them to say that. Do you know your phone number for your mom? The sheriff's incident report says when the deputy called Brittany, she recalled when it was time to leave that morning, she, quote, couldn't find Soren anywhere. But Brittany felt OK leaving, given her mother lives a one-minute walk away. She now faces a misdemeanor charge of reckless conduct, up to a year in jail and a $1,000 fine.

Neither the district attorney nor sheriff's department would comment for this story. But the sheriff's report says Brittany was, as she put it, quote, at her wit's end with dealing with Soren. Her lawyer says she was asked to sign a safety plan for her son, including a GPS tracker before prosecutors would consider dropping the charges. This is not right. I did nothing wrong. And I'm going to fight for that. Yasmin Vesugian, NBC News. In 60 seconds, what's driving the exodus from X, formerly Twitter, owned by Elon Musk, the new policy that has some users signing off? A major change is coming to X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter, owned by Elon Musk. It has to do with AI and it has users threatening to leave the platform for

newer alternative apps. Here's Savannah Sellers. So announcement, I am about to delete my Twitter. I don't know about y'all, but I am closing my Twitter account. Users of X, formerly Twitter, saying they're done with the platform on the eve of a big change. Tomorrow, the company will adopt new terms of service that explicitly state by using X, you're agreeing to let your post be used to train AI with seemingly no way to opt out. That means that if you've posted some text, a photo, a video, that X can suck that up and put it into its large language model training database. So X could then know personal information about you and even create content using your image.

Even prior to these new terms, the day after the election, X lost more users than any day since Elon Musk bought it in 2022. There are a few things fueling this exodus. The first is the change of terms of service. The other is just the presence of Elon Musk and what has happened to the platform and the overwhelming amount of content there that is really focused on the new president, Donald Trump, and also just full right wing information, conspiracy theories and posts. Other social media sites are reaping the benefits. Blue Sky welcoming two and a half million new users in the last week

and Meta's threads up 15 million in November alone. Now, when NBC News asked X about this, they didn't respond directly, but instead pointed to previously published election day numbers, which they say were an all-time high for the platform. Lester. All right, Savannah, thanks much. Up next, how low can they go? The price war among those ultra-cheap online retailers. Amazon now joining the fight. Back now with the new development of the battle among low-cost retailers. Amazon making a big move to take on the startups that have upended the world of online shopping.

Christine Romans has details. Some competition coming for Temu and Shein. The ultra-cheap and trendy online retailers ship goods from China directly to U.S. customers. The quality on this dress goes insane. Young shoppers often taking to social media to showcase their hauls. I am in love with this cardigan. The site's soaring in popularity with a business model that bypasses import fees on purchases less than $800. Now Amazon entering the race to fill Americans' carts with the cheapest products possible, launching what it calls Amazon Haul,

with items like an iPhone 16 case for $1.79, a nose trimmer for $2.19, and holiday table runners for $2.99. Courtney Reagan covers retail for CNBC. What is this market for super cheap? Americans have just become more price sensitive than ever, but they also have the ability to almost buy from more places than they ever have before. With low prices come longer delivery times instead of one to two days for your Amazon order, one to two weeks. The consumer who's shopping for

this stuff, quality is not top of mind. Yeah, they're inexpensively made and they ultimately have to be okay with the fact that the quality may not hold up over time as long as they're also okay with the impact, the environmental impact of tossing a good after so few uses. Amazon says any product offered in its stores must comply with its labor, health, safety, and sustainability standards. The online giant adapting to the retail world it once revolutionized. Christine, if a new Trump administration were to bring new tariffs on goods from China, how would that impact these sites? So, Lester, there's an $800 threshold where tariffs just don't apply. But if that were lowered, and there's been talk of that, that could make it harder to get items just so cheap.

All right, Christine, thanks very much. Up next, we'll hear from the stars of the new movie version of Wicked. The good news is next. There's good news tonight ahead of one of the biggest movie events of the year, Wicked, from our sister company Universal Pictures hitting theaters next Friday. Here's Joe Fryer. It's the newest chapter of a beloved prequel. A movie version of Wicked, the story of Oz before Dorothy dropped in. You're beautiful. When an unlikely friendship was forged between Elphaba, the green-skinned girl who would become the Wicked Witch of the West, and Glinda the Good. They're played by Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande.

It's an extraordinary privilege to be trusted with these roles and to have earned them. So I think the thing that was most important to us all along was finding that balance between honoring the source material while also in a way forgetting it and bringing our own new truths to it. The thing that we're very grateful for is that those wonderful fans like ourselves have a bit by bit as people start to see it I'll just you just embracing all the new things that we've brought to it. Wicked was a hit novel published nearly 30 years ago. That book inspired a musical that after two decades is still defying gravity on Broadway.

Now those iconic songs are mixed with movie magic. Giving us a new route to the Emerald City. Who are you and why do you seek me? Tonight, excitement's building. It's amazing. For another trip down the yellow brick road via the silver screen. Joe Pryor, NBC News. And that is nightly news for this Thursday. Thank you for watching.

I'm Lester Holt. Please take care of yourself and each other. Good night. Look at you. You're beautiful.