NBC Nightly News with Tom Llamas - Tuesday, March 18, 2025

Episode Date: March 19, 2025

Astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams back on Earth; Thousands of records on JFK assassination expected to be released; Putin agrees to partial ceasefire in call with Trump; and more on tonight��s broadcast.

Tonight's Splashdown, the crew aboard the International Space Station makes their return after a 17-hour trip. Butch Wilmore and Sonny Williams splash down back on Earth, their journey inside the SpaceX Dragon and the first look as they exit the capsule, how they're faring after their epic journey. The courts versus the president, Chief Justice John Roberts' rare statement defending a federal judge against calls for impeachment from President Trump. Inside the standoff, the blinding dust storm danger in the desert southwest and the brush

fire shutting down roads in Florida. The high stakes call between President Trump and Russia's President Putin, Russia agreeing to a limited ceasefire. But what else is Putin demanding? Richard Engel in the war zone. The end of the ceasefire in the Middle East, hundreds of Palestinians dead in Israeli strikes on Gaza. What's next?

The JFK files, decades later, the thousands of pages in the investigation into JFK's death, expected out tonight. But what do they reveal? Why the family of the missing student now believes she has drowned. Her mother's emotional message as the last man believed to have seen her alive spends a chaotic day in court. And under the microscope, are woolly mice the first step to bringing back the woolly mammoth? This is NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt.

Good evening and welcome. If you think you have a story of an epic travel delay, well, Butch Wilmore and Sonny Williams can easily top it. No doubt. The astronaut pair who faced a prolonged stay in space, nine months versus a planned one week, are back on Earth tonight. They and two other members of a separate crew safely splashing down off the Florida Gulf Coast around dinnertime, Eastern Time. A short time later, breathing air on Earth for the first time in months. Sonny Williams waving to the camera. The experimental Boeing spacecraft that first brought Butch and Sonny to the International Space Station back in June

suffered malfunctions that required NASA to reprioritize spacecraft for the trip home, extending Butch and Sunny's mission. Their predicament closely followed around the world. Senior correspondent Tom Costello is standing by with the latest on today's homecoming. Tom, hello. Yeah, absolutely. Picture-perfect landing. And now that ship, Dragon, is on a mothership, a SpaceX ocean ship that is sitting there, and they are all out of the ship.

The world has been watching this crew closely after Bush and Sonny ended up on a very extended stay on the space station. SpaceX ground teams now assisting the astronauts. Also, a medical team is helping them just off of the coast of Tallahassee. extended stay on the space station. SpaceX ground teams now assisting the astronauts. Also, a medical team is helping them just off of the coast of Tallahassee. Again, could not have been better after 4,576 Earth orbits. And now gently coasting to a soft splashdown. Finally, after 286 days and more than 121 million miles, Butch and Sonny's original 10-day mission has come to an end. And splashdown, Crew-9 back on Earth. Inside that SpaceX Dragon capsule, Butch Wilmore and Sonny Williams on the space station since last June, after NASA became

concerned that their new Boeing Starliner spaceship wasn't safe to bring them home. In September, they joined Crew 9 when astronaut Nick Haig and Russian cosmonaut Alexander Gorbunov docked with the station. Late last night, all four began packing their spaceship for the ride home. Then, just after 1 a.m., somewhere over the Pacific, Sonny Williams and Butch Wilmore began their belated trip home. Then, just after 1 a.m., somewhere over the Pacific, they pulled away from the ISS. Travel time, 17 hours, from 17,000 miles per hour to zero. It's loud, it's dynamic. That final splash down into the water, it's like a very low-speed car crash. You feel the force of impact, you hear it, and then you're in the water waiting to be recovered by the incredible recovery team.

And begin readjusting to gravity with NASA doctors watching for cardiac, blood pressure, vision, and neurological changes. Their skin has been adjusting to the lack of gravity. And one of the biggest things is their actual coordination centers within their inner ear and the brain that's connected to it. So all of a sudden they get this shock to that system. But tonight, Butch and Sonny's excellent adventure is finally over. Tom, Sonny and Butch both looking pretty happy to be back on Earth tonight. A lot of smiles, a lot of thumbs up there as they both came out of their dragon capsule ship and then were on board the surface ship. After a quick medical check on board, all four astronauts will chopper to a nearby airport

where a plane is waiting to fly them to Houston. And that is where they will be reunited with their families and then undergo several days of medical examinations and mission debriefs. But Butch and Sonny, Alexander, as well as Nick Hague, they're all back on Earth and all of them appear to be healthy. All of them appear to be happy this evening. Lester. All right, Tom, quite a day. Thanks. Chief Justice John Roberts with a rare rebuke of President Trump tonight. Garrett Haig now with the latest on that. Tonight, Chief Justice John Roberts delivering a rare rebuke to President Trump after the president called for the impeachment of a federal judge who tried to

block the swift deportation of nearly 300 undocumented migrants, the White House says, are violent gang members. Trump labeling Judge James Boasberg a radical left lunatic, prompting the chief justice to write, quote, For more than two centuries, it has been established that impeachment is not an appropriate response to disagreement concerning a judicial decision. This after the president used the 18th Century Alien Enemies Act to deport what DHS says included Trende Aragua gang members to a prison in El Salvador. Boasberg had verbally ordered the flights to turn around, but the White House says it complied with his written order that did not include those instructions. He's attempting to meddle in national security and foreign affairs, and he can't do it. These are foreign terrorists. The president has identified

them and designated them as such, and we will continue to follow the Alien Enemies Act. But attorney Lindsay Tuzloski represents a Venezuelan migrant who she says lawfully requested asylum last year when he was immediately detained over concerns about his tattoos. She says in a court hearing yesterday, ICE lawyers said her client, whom she's not naming due to fears for his safety, was among those deported. So the only evidence the government has that your client is a gang member are his tattoos? That's correct. He is in fact a law-abiding citizen with no criminal record who has never been in any kind of custody until he was in civil ICE custody and now in El Salvador in a

prison. The White House says federal law enforcement is certain of the identities and threats posed by those deported. And meantime, Garrett, a federal judge delivered a legal blow to the Trump administration involving layoffs at USAID. That's right, Lester. In one of the most direct rebukes of Elon Musk and Doge yet by the courts, a federal judge ruled that their accelerated shutdown of the foreign aid agency was likely unconstitutional. Still, the judge did not revive canceled programs or contracts. Lester. Garrett Haig tonight. Thank you. Here at home, it's another day of hot, dusty, sometimes dangerous conditions. Gusty winds already picking up, bringing treacherous conditions on roads south of Albuquerque, New Mexico,

and shaking trees near Rio Rancho. And at the southwest tip of Florida, fire crews are battling brush fires across 3,500 acres as fire and smoke fill the night sky. Now to President Trump's high-stakes phone call with Russia's President Putin. Russia agreeing to a partial ceasefire, but not the unconditional Trump proposal that Ukraine already agreed to. Richard Engel is in Ukraine tonight. Exactly one week after Russian President Putin rejected President Trump's 30-day ceasefire, arguing Russia couldn't slow down its offensive, tonight Putin changed his position, slightly agreeing to a partial ceasefire. In a nearly

two-hour call with President Trump, both the White House and the Kremlin say Putin agreed to suspend attacks on Ukraine's energy sector and infrastructure for 30 days. President Trump calling it a very good and productive call with an understanding that we will be working quickly to have a complete cease fire. The Kremlin naming several conditions to move further, including stopping foreign military and intelligence aid to Ukraine. Tonight, Ukraine's President Zelensky, who had already agreed to Trump's ceasefire unconditionally, said he accepted Russia's proposal, but Ukraine would continue to welcome foreign military assistance. Outside of Kharkiv, these Ukrainian volunteers are following Russian troops with drones. Central commander is looking for the targets.

In a nearby safe house, the unit commander showed me an operation as it unfolded. A Russian mortar position being attacked by Ukrainian artillery. Is this positive from your perspective? Does this open the door for more discussions? Absolutely not. A broader ceasefire? Absolutely not. Russia is pretending that they are peaceful. They are not.

They are not. Their aim is to destroy Ukraine totally. The Kremlin said President Putin also wants a series of U.S. versus Russia hockey games. Russia is currently banned from international competition because of its invasion of Ukraine. Lester. Richard Engel in Ukraine, thank you. Tonight, the Middle East ceasefire is over after Israel launched deadly strikes that killed hundreds in Gaza. Israel saying Hamas broke the agreement by refusing to release more hostages.

Matt Bradley has late details. War has returned to Gaza. Since last night, Israeli missiles pummeling what they say are Hamas targets, including, the IDF says, killing the head of the Hamas government there. The Hamas-run Gazan Ministry of Health said the death toll is above 400, most of them women and children. They bombed our camps over the heads of the displaced people, this man said. They bombed the tents over the heads of sleeping people. Before the ceasefire ended, Hamas had released nearly three dozen hostages in exchange for about 2,000 Palestinian prisoners. President Trump had demanded all the hostages be released,

but negotiations had stalled. The U.S. and Israel blaming Hamas for rejecting all proposals from Trump's envoy. Hamas refused offer after offer to release our hostages. Why was this done now? We have indications and we've seen Hamas try and rearm and regroup. But for the family of American Idan Alexander, kidnapped by Hamas on October 7th, new fighting carries real risks. Do you worry that this military action could put your son in greater danger? Any military action will put remaining hostages in danger, no question about it. That's why our hope really that it will be limited.

A hope shared by both hostage families and Gazan civilians. Hamas accused Israel today of violating that ceasefire, while Prime Minister Netanyahu said that any further negotiations to free those remaining hostages will happen under fire. Lester. Matt Bradley, thank you. More than six decades after JFK's assassination, questions and conspiracy theories still swirl. President Trump says that's why he ordered a full release of files related to the case. Here's Andrea Mitchell.

Tonight, thousands of pages of documents finally released, including files from the CIA and FBI's secret investigations into President John F. Kennedy's assassination. Lawyers at the Justice Department working all night to review the classified files, according to a person familiar with the matter, after President Trump announced their release yesterday. I don't believe we're going to redact anything. I said, just don't redact. The president signing the executive order calling for the document's release on his fourth day in office. I think it's a great love. The overwhelming majority of the six million

assassination-related records had already been released. In 1964, the Warren Commission concluded that Lee Harvey Oswald acted alone when he fired that fatal shot at President Kennedy's motorcade in Dallas. But still so many questions. What was Oswald doing at the Soviet embassy in Mexico months earlier?

Why did he try to obtain a visa to Cuba? Was Cuban dictator Fidel Castro involved? Or J. Edgar Hoover's FBI? Even the CIA? The mystery deepened two days after the assassination, when Oswald was killed in a Dallas jail on live television by a nightclub owner, Jack Ruby. Decades later, the conspiracy theories were further popularized by Oliver Stone's thriller, JFK. I never realized Kennedy was so dangerous to the establishment. The number of people who think that there was a conspiracy has only risen over the last number of decades,

increasing distrust in government, splitting our country. The release documents do include some new material, including a CIA memo describing a Soviet diplomat in Mexico City as Oswald's case officer there in the months leading up to the assassination. Lester. Andrew Mitchell, thank you. In 60 seconds, the concerning trend involving Tesla's, the dramatic scene in Las Vegas when the cars were set on fire with Molotov cocktails and shot out with a gun. And now, police say it was intentional. Fiery scenes in Las Vegas and Kansas City, Missouri overnight as Tesla vehicles were set on fire.

It appears to be the latest in a string of vandalism attacks against the company. Here's NBC's Liz Kreutz. Tonight, authorities investigating what they're calling a targeted attack on a Tesla repair center in Las Vegas. This dramatic video showing multiple cars in flames. According to authorities, the suspected arson occurred early this morning. When police arrived, they found five vehicles set on fire or damaged, and the word resist spray-painted on the front of the business. We believe the suspect approached the business wearing all black clothing, and he used what appeared to be Molotov cocktails

and a firearm to conduct his attack. Just hours before in Kansas City, two Tesla Cybertrucks set ablaze at a dealership there. Tonight, the FBI stepping in to help local police investigate both incidents. To those who might think that something like this is justifiable or potentially even admirable, we want to let you know it's a federal crime. We will come after you. While authorities say the identities of the suspects and the motivation behind the attacks are still unknown,

it comes amid at least 16 reports of vandalism to Tesla vehicles and dealerships across the country as people nationwide protest Tesla CEO Elon Musk and his prominent role in the Trump administration. We're out here because we're defending democracy. President Trump sending a warning to those who vandalize Tesla property. You do it to Tesla and you do it to any company, we're going to catch you and you're going to go through hell. Tesla stock seeing a sharp drop, down more than 40 percent this year.

Tonight, Musk reposting the video from Las Vegas, calling the incident terrorism. Liz Kreutz, NBC News, Las Vegas. We're back in a moment with the latest in the case of a missing college student on spring break. And we're in court for a chaotic hearing as the last person seen with her seeks to be released. In the Dominican Republic, a chaotic hearing for the man believed to be the last person seen with the missing American college student. Jesse Kirsch was there and Jesse, the judge, just issued a ruling. Lester, the judge ruling that Joshua Reby should be allowed to move freely without a police escort. But at the same time, the judge said that this was not the correct venue to discuss his passport. So at this point, it appears the 22-year-old American is stuck in the Dominican Republic tonight.

Joshua Reby walking into court in the Dominican Republic today, surrounded by a crush of international media. His lawyers argued he is being deprived of his passport and his freedom to return home to the United States. Prosecutors, meanwhile, say they don't have Reby's passport and say he's been allowed to move around the resort freely, adding he has never been detained and is a witness, not a suspect. Which branch of the government has Joshua Reby's passport, if you know? I don't know the passport. The 22-year-old from Iowa is believed to be the last person seen with Sudeik Shikunaki

before she vanished from a beach in Punta Cana on March 6th. Police have not named a suspect in her disappearance. Reby testifying himself, saying, I really just want to be able to go home, and telling the court he spoke to Sudeikisha Kunanki's mother at the hotel. Thank you very much for helping save my daughter the first time, he says she told him, adding it was a really tough conversation and that the Kunanki family gave me hugs goodbye. We believe 100 percent in the authorities investigation. Back in Kunanki's Virginia hometown, we heard from her parents for the first time

since police say the Kounanke's asked for a legal declaration of her death. Our NBC station in Washington was there. It is with deep sadness and heavy. Tonight, remembering their daughter as a bright student who hoped to become a doctor. We are coming to the terms with the fact that our daughter has downed. This is incredibly difficult for us to process. Jesse Kirsch, NBC News, the Dominican Republic. When we come back, scientists trying to resurrect an extinct species,

an inside look at the mammoth size step forward. Next. Finally tonight, the good news for scientists and fans of animals we've only known in history books. Morgan Chesky with the tale of the woolly mice. They're small. Some would say even cute. So this is Chip on the left and that's Dale on the right. Two woolly mice made famous, born on the cutting edge of science.

These are the most precision edited animals on the planet. We're not happy about it, we're thrilled about it. The DNA breakthrough by Colossal Biosciences, all part of CEO Ben Lamb's plan to resurrect the woolly mammoth and other extinct species and return balance to ailing ecosystems. We actually took the genes that made a mammoth a mammoth, mapped them to mice, and in only one month, we produced living, healthy little mice. So we're here to tell people, before woolly mammoths come mice? Before woolly mammoths, we get woolly mice.

This is a validation step on our way to the mammoth. Woolly mammoths come mice. Before woolly mammoths, we get woolly mice. This is a validation step on our way to the mammoth. Colossal altering seven mammoth genes, such as hair thickness, color, and ability to store fat. Key for cold environments before applying them to Chip and Dale. I never thought that mice could captivate and inspire the way these two guys have. Colossal's chief animal officer, Matt James, says pictures are pouring in from all over the country. Students inspired by science, he says, could save endangered species and usher a new era of conservation. To the skeptics who say Colossal's playing God, what do you say? I would argue that we have a real issue as humanity of playing God

every day with nature. I think what we're doing is trying to reverse the course, try to repair the sins that humanity has already committed. Colossal says its first woolly mammoth is on track for 2028. These two more than happy to soak up the spotlight till then, Morgan Chesky, NBC News, Dallas. And that's nightly news for this Tuesday. Thank you for watching. I'm Lester Holt. Please take care of yourself and each other. Good night.