NBC Nightly News with Tom Llamas - Wednesday, October 23, 2024

Episode Date: October 24, 2024

Harris seizes on critical comments about Trump from his former chief of staff; Trump campaign slams comments by Biden; New Justice Department scrutiny of Musk's million dollar giveaway plan; and more on tonight’s broadcast.

Tonight, Kamala Harris on the attack after disturbing new allegations by Donald Trump's former White House Chief of Staff. John Kelly, the retired Marine General and Mr. Trump's longest-serving Chief of Staff, warning his former boss meets the definition of a fascist and that Mr. Trump praised Adolf Hitler. The Trump campaign disputing it all. The Vice President saying Kelly's remarks show Mr. Trump is unhinged and seeking unchecked power. All this just 13 days until the election. The candidates in battlegrounds, Mr. Trump in Georgia, Ms. Harris holding a televised

town hall in Pennsylvania. Plus the new warning from the Justice Department to Trump's supporter Elon Musk over his million dollar giveaways to voters. Also tonight, the potential escalation in the ukraine war the u.s confirming north korea sent thousands of troops to russia nbc news the only u.s tv network reporting from inside the country tonight nearly a year after the mass shooting in maine that killed 18 people the gunman's family out. Was there a point where you became fearful for your brother and of your brother? What they now wish they'd done.

New details on the deadly E. coli outbreak, the CDC link to McDonald's quarter pounders, the safety steps the company is taking, and in the digital age, why these retro cameras are making a big comeback. This is NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt. Good evening and welcome. A former White House chief of staff to Donald Trump is providing new fodder in the question over Mr. Trump's fitness to serve. Retired four-star Marine Corps General John Kelly agreeing with the notion that the former president could be called a fascist. Kelly, in an interview with The New York Times, also describing instances in which he says Mr. Trump spoke of good things done by Adolf Hitler. His reported remarks immediately

seized upon by Vice President Kamala Harris, who warned of the consequences of a Trump presidency without guardrails. For his part, Mr. Trump's campaign latching onto remarks made by President Biden about locking up the former president as Mr. Trump spent the day trying to appeal to Latino voters. Let's begin with Peter Alexander. Tonight, Vice President Harris seizing on sharp new criticisms of former President Trump from his own former chief of staff, John Kelly, who now publicly says Trump could be called a fascist. This is a window into who Donald Trump really is from the people who know him best. Harris using retired four-star Marine General

Kelly's words to fortify her argument that Trump is unfit to serve. Donald Trump is increasingly unhinged and unstable. And in a second term, people like John Kelly would not be there to be the guardrails. We know what Donald Trump wants. He wants unchecked power. The question in 13 days will be, what do the American people want? Kelly making his new claims two weeks before Election Day in an interview with The New York Times. Certainly, the former president is in the far right area. He's certainly an authoritarian, admires people who are dictators. He has said that. So he certainly falls into the general definition of fascist, for sure.

Kelly also claiming Trump made complimentary statements about Nazi leader Adolf Hitler. He commented more than once that Hitler did some good things, too. about Nazi leader Adolf Hitler. The Atlantic reports that two unnamed sources say they heard then-President Trump say, I need the kind of generals that Hitler had, people who were totally loyal to him, that follow orders. NBC News has not independently confirmed that reporting, and the Trump campaign says Trump never made those comments. Kelly says he's speaking out now because Trump recently suggested using the military against political opponents, who he called the enemy from within if there's election day chaos. Kelly became a fierce Trump critic after leaving the White House,

and the Trump campaign responded, quote, John Kelly has totally beclowned himself with these debunked stories he has fabricated. Late tonight, Trump posting that Kelly is a, quote, degenerate, who made up a story out of pure Trump derangement syndrome hatred, adding he was tough and dumb. And Peter, we've got a little less than two weeks to go in this campaign. You've got some new reporting this evening on the vice president's closing argument plan. Lester, that's right. A senior Harris campaign official says that Kamala Harris will deliver a speech next Tuesday in Washington, D.C., at the same

location where Donald Trump made his remarks the morning of the January 6th attack. She's expected to argue that Americans should turn the page against his era of chaos and division. Lester. All right. Peter Alexander tonight. Thank you. And this evening, the Trump campaign firing back after controversial comments from President Biden as both campaigns focus on crucial Latino voters, Garrett Haik is in Arizona tonight. Tonight, former President Trump in Battleground, Georgia, talking about shutting down the border if he's elected. It'll be done in the first hour of the first day. While the Trump campaign is slamming President Biden following these comments overnight,

appearing to reference Trump's legal troubles. We got to lock him up. Politically lock him up. Lock him out. That's what we have to do. The Trump campaign saying, quote, Joe Biden just admitted the truth. He and Kamala's plan all along has been to politically persecute their opponent, President Trump. The White House responding late today. He said politically, politically lock him, lock him out. That is what he was referring to. Meanwhile, there's growing focus tonight on the critical Latino vote. Vice President Harris was pressed about immigration on Telemundo. There's nobody, no Democrat talking about a pathway to citizenship, an immigration relief. What do you stand on as deportations? What's your stand there?

We need smart, humane immigration policy in America that includes a pathway to citizenship, putting more resources at the border. The top issue for Latino voters, according to a recent NBC News Telemundo poll, is the cost of living. The Harris campaign organizing outreach with bilingual food banks and WhatsApp groups and blanketing both the television and radio airwaves with Spanish-language ads. As the Trump campaign looks to build on what has been a 17-point shift by Latinos towards Republicans since 2008, according to exit polls. Trump's son Don Jr. stumped in Phoenix today at an event targeting Latino voters.

What do you think about your father's message connects with Latino voters? You know, I think it's probably, you know, a community that was frankly always conservative. They just didn't necessarily know it that way. Cheryl Rosado is voting for Trump. He seems like a truly genuine person. What you see is what you get. It resonates with people. Joshua Flores cast his ballot for Vice President Harris.

I see a lot more of her policies benefiting Latinos, not just myself, but as a whole. Garrett, it's fascinating. These campaigns are thinking about even the smallest detail when it comes to the outreach to Latino voters. Yeah, that's right, Lester. No detail is too small. For example, the Harris campaign tells me when they record a Spanish language ad, they will use different narrators for different states just to make sure that the accent sounds correct for each market that they're trying to hit. Lester.

OK, Garrett Haig, thank you. One of Mr. Trump's biggest supporters, Elon Musk, facing new scrutiny over million dollar giveaways to voters. The Justice Department warning it may be illegal. Laura Jarrett now with late breaking details for us. What started as a swing state giveaway by tech billionaire Elon Musk has now earned the attention of the U.S. Justice Department. I have a surprise for you, which is that we're going to be awarding a million dollars to, randomly, to people who have signed the petition every day from now until the election. The Tesla CEO, who has been ramping up his support for former President Donald Trump, making that million-dollar offer Saturday.

The petition, a pledge to support First and Second Amendment rights, but receiving the prize money, is contingent on being registered to vote in the seven key battleground states expected to decide the election. A source familiar with the matter telling NBC News the Justice Department sent a letter to Musk's super PAC warning that giveaway may be illegal. Federal law prohibits paying people to register to vote. Take over, Elijah. Musk donating nearly $75 million to his pro-Trump super PAC since July. The PAC's treasurer tonight not responding to a message left by NBC News.

The Justice Department declined to comment. Vice President Kamala Harris dismissing the million-dollar giveaway in an interview with Hallie Jackson Monday. I'm not about doing gimmicks and all of that. So, Laura, the big question here is a million-dollar giveaway illegal. So some election law experts will say because he's not paying people outright to register, he's couched it in that way. He may have given himself enough cover. Others will say the intent was clear. Either way, Lester, this is not going to get resolved before November 5th. OK, Laura, thank you very much. Now to election security and two arrests in Maricopa County, Arizona, involving either violent acts or threats of political violence.

Liz Kreutz is covering this for us. Liz, what are these arrests all about? Well, Lester, authorities have arrested 60-year-old Jeffrey Michael Kelly, who they say is responsible for firing bullets at a Democratic campaign office in Tempe, Arizona. Police say over the last two months, he shot at the office three separate times, once with a BB gun and twice with a firearm. Kelly is also accused of hanging anti-Harris political signs with bags of an unknown white powder and razor blades attached to them in locations around Phoenix. Meantime, authorities have also arrested a 24-year-old high school teacher in Tempe who allegedly made online

threats towards Donald Trump Jr., who campaigned in Arizona today. Both arrests come amid heightened concerns about election safety and security. The man accused of shooting into the DNC office is facing multiple charges, including three counts of committing a terrorism act. He is being held on $500,000 bail. Lester. OK, Liz, thank you. Now to the alarm being raised by the White House. 3,000 North Korean troops are believed to be in Russia

and could be deployed to fight against Ukraine. Keir Simmons is the only U.S. network TV correspondent inside Russia. Tonight, the U.S. confirming a potentially dangerous escalation in the Ukraine war. The White House says Kim Jong-un has sent at least 3,000 soldiers into eastern Russia, traveling by boat from North Korea and then training at Russian bases. If Russia is indeed forced to turn to North Korea for manpower, this would be a sign of weakness, not strength. The South Korean intelligence service says these satellite images

show North Korean troops in Russia. The U.S. says exactly what they are doing is yet to be seen. But if they are sent into combat with Ukrainian soldiers, it would be a dramatic new step. These are going to be quality troops, so there's a tactical implication. And it would further globalize a war that has already reshaped alliances. America's ambassador to China telling NBC's Janice McIffrayer Beijing is also supporting Russia's war effort.

The government of China is allowing its companies here to export critical dual-use technology to the Russian defense industrial base so that Russia can prosecute this barbaric war against the people of Ukraine. Today, here in Russia, China's President Xi standing shoulder to shoulder with President Putin. At that summit here in Russia this week, President Putin was surrounded by world leaders. His message, I'm far from isolated. Lester. Keir Simmons in Russia, thank you. In 60 seconds, our reporter asking the CDC about the deadly outbreak of E. coli tied to onions on McDonald's quarter pounders.

What they are tracking and what you need to know next. All right, we're back now with the investigation into the deadly E. coli outbreak tied to fast food giant McDonald's. The CDC now saying the infections began mounting nearly two weeks ago and warning the cases will likely rise. We get more from Maggie Vespa. Tonight, new details in the E. coli outbreak rocking fast food giant McDonald's as the first lawsuit is filed. The CDC confirming the nearly 50 people infected range in age from 13 to 88, with 10 hospitalized and close to 20 stemming from one western Colorado county

where officials say one person has died. Meanwhile, the CDC teaming up with the USDA and FDA, interviewing infected customers, examining beef used in the menu mainstay, the quarter pounder, and officials say the likely culprit, raw slivered onions. Food safety is, you know, our top priority at McDonald's. McDonald's president this morning on Today stressing the company has pulled the quarter pounder and its onions from menus in affected states and fielding a question about where else those onions might be sold. We're going to work closely with the CDC and work closely with our supplier. I don't want to speculate where those other products might have gone. The FDA declining to name the onion supplier. This after the CDC

confirms they were first alerted to cases of E. coli in Colorado nearly two weeks ago, adding they flagged McDonald's a week later, though investigators didn't connect cases to the quarter pounder until the weekend, prompting it to be pulled. Do you expect numbers to keep going up amid this outbreak? We do expect the number of illnesses to go up. We think that's going to be driven by people who ate Quarter Pounders at McDonald's before they took these actions. Customers watching what happens next.

I'm very frustrated because my kids like McDonald's. Experts say McDonald's has a long road ahead, but note brands have bounced back from crises like these by prioritizing food safety and public transparency. Lester. All right, Maggie Vespa tonight. Thanks. Coming up one year after the deadliest shooting in Maine's history, the missed warning signs and my exclusive conversation with the family of the shooter, what they wish they'd done, and how they are honoring the victims. Friday will mark one year since the mass shooting that killed 18 people in Lewiston, Maine. And tonight we're hearing from a family uniquely caught in the middle,

dedicated to honoring those killed that day while struggling with questions of what if. I first met Leroy Walker on the worst day of his life. Leroy sat down with me less than an hour after learning his 57-year-old son Joe was one of 18 people murdered in a mass shooting in Lewiston, Maine. You're all going through a lot of pain right now. It's awful. That moment when I got the call, it said, Joey's dead. One year later, Leroy is still grieving and accepts that the man who did it, Robert Card, wasn't in his right mind. I never hated this man for what he did because I knew he was mentally ill somehow. Nikki and James Hurling's grief is even more complicated.

The shooter, an Army reservist, was Nikki's brother, who died by suicide. In this last year, where there are times that I did want to run and hide. As Card's mental health declined in the months before the shooting, they say the family tried to reach authorities. Was there a point where you became fearful for your brother and of your brother? For me, I became fearful for him immediately when Ryan, my oldest brother Ryan, called me at work on May 3rd and said, Nikki, I need your help. He's at the point where he doesn't trust me. He's paranoid.

Earlier this year, a state investigation faulted both the Army Reserve and local law enforcement for failing to act on warning signs about Card's mental health. Nikki and James say they tried to get him to accept help. I wish we had gone and tried to talk him into this because if he would have been angry during that time, it would have been two instead of 18. That's a pretty difficult assessment. It's okay. I fight with myself every day for that. Card had suffered traumatic brain injury, which his family believes was a result of his work as a grenade instructor.

His brain was hijacked. It was damaged. Now, lawyers for 100 survivors and relatives of victims, including Leroy Walker, are suing the U.S. military for failing to respond to warning signs. The Army has acknowledged multiple errors by them and others and says it has since improved its procedures. The military does not believe Card's brain injury was related to his service. Nicky and James say their focus now is on the victims of the shooting and preventing future tragedies. There isn't a time or an hour that we go by each day that we don't, we're not going to forget this. I'm not going to forget the 18. Lives.

Those names are on the border of our property, their hearts, for the stories and the legacies that they had. Beautiful people. Beautiful people. One of them, Leroy Walker's son, Joe. He's the first person I think of and pretty much the last person when I go to sleep at night. We'll take a break right here. Up next, taking a photo with a click and a prayer.

Why disposable cameras are seeing a big comeback next. Finally, good news tonight from our Gotti Schwartz about the growing number of people who think a great photo doesn't have to come from your phone. From Snoop Dogg at the Olympics to Hope Walls at the Democratic National Convention, suddenly disposable cameras seem everywhere. One, two, three. For photographers and friends Allison Blackman and Asia Villacrez. That was a good one.

It's all about the look and the experience. Why a disposable camera? I think just the easiness of it. It's cool because you don't know what you're seeing and what you're going to get. Do you carry disposable cameras with you? Yes, I always have one on deck. You have one right now? Wow. We set out to shoot a few rolls.

Two, one. Nice. At one of the most photographed places in L.A. Let's hope it's in frame. Compared to the camera we're all carrying in our pockets. Unlimited pictures. The quality is better. It's the vibe. It's the vibe. According to Kodak Moments, it's more than just vibes.

Sales of the company's single-use cameras have doubled over the last five years, driven largely by millennials and Gen Z. It's social media. They're seeing it on TikTok. Phil Steadley owns a darkroom in San Clemente, California, where his lab technicians process and recycle two to three hundred disposable cameras every single day. Young people now, they didn't grow up with physical prints where old people like me, that's how we saw our photos. And then there's the wait.

Each print, a time capsule into the past. It's the beauty of it. It's kind of like Christmas morning, opening up your photos and seeing and remembering all those little moments. Gatti Schwartz, NBC News, Los Angeles. Oh, but will they bring back the photo mat? That's nightly news for this Wednesday. Thanks for watching. I'm Lester Holt. Please take care of yourself and each other.

Good night.