NBC Nightly News with Tom Llamas - Friday, January 30, 2026

Episode Date: January 31, 2026

3 million pages of Epstein documents released; Don Lemon facing federal civil rights charges; Luigi Mangione will not face death penalty. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Tonight the biggest Epstein file drop yet. Millions of documents just released, including never-before-seen videos. Our team combing through it all. In them, emails of Elon Musk discussing plans to visit Jeffrey Epstein's island. And why was a document mentioning Epstein, former President Clinton, and President Trump temporarily pulled down by the DOJ? Plus, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnik said he cut Epstein off two decades ago, but new documents show otherwise.

Former CNN anchor Don Lemon arrested for charges connected to a protest at a Minnesota church service, the decision from a judge moments ago. Major legal victory for Luigi Mangione, the death penalty now off the table for the accused CEO killer, why a federal judge ruled it out. New states of emergency as a powerful Northeaster takes aim. Dozens rescued after a ski lift malfunctions. A man screaming for help, trapped in frigid waters. The urgent search right now for missing fishermen off Massachusetts,

the latest track and timing as a new Arctic blast moves in. Massive walkouts and marches from coast to coast over the president's immigration crackdown. And what we're learning about the DOJ opening a federal civil rights investigation into Alex Preti's death. New video of a passenger tackling a man who breached TSA, what we know about the takedown. and remembering comedic genius Catherine O'Hara, her iconic on-screen moments from Home Alone to Schitts Creek to Beagle Juice. The tributes pouring in. Nightly News starts right now. This is NBC Nightly News with Tom Yamas. And good evening. We begin tonight with that massive release of Epstein Files and the names, many rich and powerful like Elon Musk, now linked to the notorious sex offender through his emails.

Our teams are combing through the millions of documents right now. In them, emails with Musk seeming to coordinate a trip to Epstein's infamous island asking when the, quote, wildest party will be. President Trump's Commerce Secretary, who previously said he cut ties with Epstein, apparently coordinated a time to visit. And there are questions about one document posted by the DOJ taken down, then posted again, that included a summary of accusations against President Trump. Those accusations are not verified, nor are these public figures implicated in any wrongdoing. But for the president and other powerful men, the documents are raising new questions. Ryan Nobles has been working through the documents today. Tonight, the Department of Justice releasing their final batch of files connected to the late

convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Today we are producing more than 3 million pages, including more than 2,000 videos and 180,000. images. New emails from 2012 and 2013 show billionaire Elon Musk at Epstein, coordinating a possible visit to the financier's infamous island. Musk asks when the wildest party will be. In another exchange, Epstein telling Musk there is always space for you and says he will send a heli for him. It's not clear if Musk ever visited the island. Musk's name has popped up in prior releases, including from the House Oversight Committee's release from the Epstein estate. He did not respond to NBC News's request for comment, but previously called Epstein a cretan and said he never advised him.

Musk told Vanity Fair that Epstein tried repeatedly to get him to his island, but he declined. Emails also show Trump Cabinet Secretary Howard Lutnik coordinating a visit in the Caribbean in 2012. It's not clear if the meetings happened. Lutnik claimed to have cut ties with Epstein in 2005. My wife and I decided that I will never be in the room with that disgusting person ever again. But the emails show drink and lunch meetings being arranged between the two well into 2012. A Commerce Secretary spokesperson said in a statement, quote, Secretary Lutnik has had limited interactions with Mr. Epstein in the presence of his wife

and has never been accused of wrongdoing. The drop also includes a spreadsheet summary of complaints made to the FBI's National Thurnexie. threat operations center. It contained allegations against former President Donald Trump and former President Bill Clinton. There's no indication the FBI turned up evidence supporting the tips. And a note on the file read some of these individuals are reporting secondhand information and determined some of the tips were not credible. The DOJ later temporarily pulled the file without explanation. Both former presidents have denied any wrongdoing. Ryan joins us now live and Ryan. How are Epstein survivors reacting to

to this new release. Well, Tom, a group of survivors are accusing the DOJ of not doing enough to protect their personal information while withholding information about Epstein's alleged crimes. They want to hear more from Attorney General Pam Bondi when she appears before Congress in February. Tom? Ryan Noble's leading us off. Also breaking tonight just moments ago, former anchor Don Lemon was released after being arrested overnight over a protest at a church near Minneapolis. Earlier this month, our Liz Croix was in the courtroom today. Tonight, former CNN anchor turned independent journalist Don Lemon out of custody, but facing federal civil rights charges after covering an anti-ice protests inside a church near Minneapolis.

Last night, the DOJ sent a team of federal agents to arrest me in the middle of the night for something that I've been doing for the last 30 years, and that is covering the news. Appearing in Los Angeles federal court today, Lemon charged with conspiracy to deprive rights and for violating a federal law that prohibits people from interfering with the right to attend religious services. A move, Lemons attorney calls an unprecedented attack on the First Amendment. I will not be silence. The charges stemming from Lemon's coverage of this protest during a Sunday morning church service earlier this month, where demonstrators say a pastor also worked as an ICE field director.

This shows you just how divided America is. In Lemons' live stream from inside, you can see him interviewing congregants and a pastor who asked him to leave. We're here to worship Jesus because that's the hope of these cities. That's the hope of the world is Jesus Christ. I want to be very respectful. Please don't push me. I have to take care of my church and my family. So I ask this you actually would also leave this building.

Lemon repeatedly identifies himself as a journalist. I'm just chronically. I'm not with the group. I'm a journalist. They're activists. But the DOJ is grouping Lemon, who's been critical of the Trump administration and another independent journalist who was also arrested with the protest organizers. Federal authorities arresting Lemon even after a judge had initially

ruled there was insufficient evidence to do so. Make no mistake. Under President Trump's leadership and this administration, you have the right to worship freely and safely. And if I haven't been clear already, if you violate that sacred right, we are coming after you. Journalism rights groups blasting Lemon's arrest. His attorney saying Don has been a journalist for 30 years and his constitutionally protected work in Minneapolis was no different than what he has always done. Liz joins us now live Liz Lemon spoke outside of court moments ago. You were right there. What did he say?

Yeah, he just walked out of the courtroom here, hand in hand with his husband, and he just stopped and talked to reporters, and he said, I have spent my entire career covering the news. I will not stop now, and I look forward to my day in court. The next hearing has been set for just over a week from now in Minnesota. Tom. All right, Liz, we thank you for that. A federal judge handed Luigi Mangione a big legal victory today, ruling he will not face the death penalty.

But in a win for prosecutors, she said evidence found in Mangione's backpack will be allowed at his upcoming trial. Here's Lord Jared. Tonight, the death penalty now off the table for Luigi Mangione. We're all very relieved. A judge in Manhattan today dismissing two of the four counts against the 27-year-old who's pled not guilty to stalking and killing United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson in 2024. The judge acknowledging that this is violent criminal conduct under any consequences. common sense understanding, but ultimately finding prosecutors' legal arguments for why the death penalty should apply unfounded under federal law. Today's decision, a major blow to the Justice

Department, as the Attorney General has invoked Mangione's case in a push to revive the death penalty under President Trump. If there was ever a death case, this is one. At the same time, the judge handing prosecutors a major win, refusing to toss out key evidence authorities discovered in Mangione's backpack when he was arrested, including a gun, silencer, and a notebook with his writings. His defense had argued none of that evidence should be allowed at trial, since authorities failed to get a warrant before searching the bag at a McDonald's in Pennsylvania. But the judge disagreed, concluding police were justified in conducting that search. We look forward to fighting this case. This is the case inches closer to trial, with support for Mangione still pouring in, as he's racked up 1.4.4.

million dollars in donations for his legal defense fund and a bizarre episode this week when authorities say a Minnesota man tried to spring Mangione from jail posing as an FBI agent. That man now behind bars himself housed at the very same detention center as Mangione. All right, Laura Jarrett, joins us now live in studio. So Laura, let's go back to that decision. Explain to our viewers here, why did the judge decide they can't seek the death penalty? Yeah, you might think that a murder charge alone, Tom, would be enough to trigger the death penalty. But because of the law that prosecutors were relying on here, they needed to show another crime, a second crime. It was a crime of violence. And the judges simply found that stalking, which prosecutors were relying on,

did not meet that legal definitionist, a technical definition. All right, Laura, we thank you for that explanation. Yeah. We are tracking another round of brutal winter weather tonight, set to bring near blizzard conditions as far south as North Carolina. And happening right now, a race to rescue missing fishermen off the coast of Massachusetts after their boat sunk. Sam Brock is tracking that for us tonight. Tonight, new video shows first responders in Connecticut carrying out a nighttime rescue, saving a man who fell into this marina's icy waters. Officers pulling him onto the dock before he was rushed to a hospital.

While 60 skiers in New Hampshire were rescued from a faulty lift, all part of a relentless week of brutal. and deadly winter weather. The crisis playing out on the roads too. Dash cam video captures this semi-truck veering onto a snowy shoulder in Oklahoma, then spinning out of control and into oncoming traffic. Today we watched limited New York City ferry service struggle through shelves of floating ice. Coming into New York City on the Hudson River, the ferries, which are still operating on this side, are forced to navigate a situation like this. You can hear the sound of the ice crunching underneath us, and it goes on as far as the eye can see.

All of it, a prelude to a second snowstorm set to rock the Carolinas and Mid-Atlantic this weekend. Last weekend was a dress rehearsal for this weekend. Plow trucks in Raleigh, standing by at the ready, and grocery store shelves already stripped bare. Oh, there's a lot of people. There's the lines are full. That stuff is coming off the shelf. People making preparations for the weather crisis that's already claimed around 90 lives, including a woman who police say struck a snowbank, and fell 120 feet into a river in Pittsburgh.

And in the freezing waters off the coast of Massachusetts tonight, a search and rescue effort is underway for seven people who were aboard a 72-foot fishing vessel. One unresponsive person, according to the Coast Guard, recovered so far. And Sam joins us now live from Lower Manhattan, where you can see that effort is underway to clear all that snow, piles and piles of it. Sam, the death toll is rising in New York City?

Tom, the mayor's office just updated the death toll from 10 to 13 related to this cold, and they are warning with windchills expected to be minus 10 this weekend, that minimal exposure can lead to frostbite. Tom, back to you. It is dangerously cold. Sam, you and your team get inside. I want to bring in Bill Cairnsville. It's been a week and week of extreme weather. Where are the areas that are going to get hit hardest now? Definitely the Carolinas, and especially eastern North Carolina. Let me explain. So the snow is going to be a problem because it's such a large footprint. It's light, it's fluffy. There's no ice involved with this storm. We will see high totals in areas that aren't used to it. Look at Wilmington,

six to ten. We could see easily a foot somewhere in eastern North Carolina. And with it, winds gusting 50 to 60 miles per hour, snow drifts up to three to four feet. We could have scattered power outages. And the reason that's a huge issue is the temperatures. We still have this extremely cold air even after this storm. The snow that falls will not melt until Wednesday or Thursday of next week. We could have people stuck in their homes for days until the plows can get them dug out. This will be another life-threatening storm. All right, Bill. Cairns, we thank you for that. We'll keep our eye on it. President Trump has named his pick for the next chair of the Federal Reserve, Kevin Warsh. Warsh served on the Fed Board previously and was credited

for helping to navigate the 2008 financial crisis. His confirmation faces steep pushback from at least one Republican senator, Tom Tillis, who says he will block it until the Department of Justice ends its investigation of current Fed Chair Jerome Powell. Tonight, crowds are flooding the streets of cities across the country protesting ICE in Minneapolis. It comes as the president now says he will not be scaling back ICE's presence there. Maggie Vespa has the story. Huge protests from Texas to California, New York, make some noise, to Minnesota.

We are easily talking thousands of people. This part of downtown is shut down. This outrage isn't going anywhere. In North Carolina, students pouring out of school, thousands rallying at Brown University, all demanding ICE leave Minneapolis. How furious is Minneapolis at this point? It's unspeakable. Like, it's just everything is tense. Hopes of de-escalation seemingly dashed overnight when President Trump answered questions about plans to draw down officers announced hours earlier by his administration.

We'll do whatever we can to keep our country safe. So, yeah, pulling back? No, no, not at all. This as the Department of Homeland Security confirms the FBI is now opening a civil rights investigation into the Border Patrol shooting of Alex Preddy. The president calling Prattie an agitator and perhaps insurrectionist. Meanwhile, the mother of Liam Ramos, the Minneapolis five-year-old detained by ICE, is speaking out after DHS said she refused to take custody of her son. Telling Telemundo, when officers brought Liam home, she was inside with another child, and afraid if she opened the door, officers would arrest her leaving the other child alone,

saying it seemed, quote, as if they wanted me to run out desperately for my son so they could arrest me as well. Maggie Vespa, NBC News, Minneapolis. We're back in a moment with dramatic video of a traveler tackling a man who breached security at the world's busiest airport. And it took an artist almost a month to build this tower to break a world record. But then it all went down in seconds. We'll explain. That's next. We're back now with newly released video of a passenger stepping in and tackling a man who breached the TSA at Atlanta's Hartsfield's Jackson International Airport.

Police eventually got the suspect by securing him to a chair at the scene. And if you try to get through security at an airport without a real ID or a passport starting this Sunday, it's going to cost you about $45. That fee now going in effect after years of delays to enforcing real ID requirements. And look at this, an artist in Germany spent more than a month building that tower made of thousands of beer coasters in an attempt to break a Guinness World Record. But then you saw it right there. A little girl pulled out a piece and brought it all down. But wait, there's good news. The artist actually held the previous record.

So he's still a big winner. All right, when we come back, she made us laugh and smile for more than half a century. In movies like Home Alone and shows like Schitts Creek, our look at Catherine O'Hare's remarkable. life and career. That's next. Finally tonight, we remember the extraordinary life, career, and talent of actress, writer and comedian Catherine O'Hara, who passed away today. Here's Ann Thompson. Catherine O'Hara left McCauley Coulkin home alone and became a star, living every parent's nightmare on the big screen and telling NBC news about the impact of the role.

The child came up to me like a little eight-year-old in a ball. Are you Kevin's mom? I said, well, yeah, why did you leave him? Sorry, it was in the script. Today's audience with No O'Hara from the Apple TV hit show, The Studio. How dare you show your face at my door? Or her unforgettable turn as former soap opera star Moira Rose in Schitt's Creek. Honestly, can no one find nude photos of me on the internet?

Ernie O'Hara and Emmy, four decades after her first, as a writer on the Canadian comedy sketch show, SCTV, where she also performed. Well, just in case the love spirit wants to show you love's present. Part of a powerhouse troupe, including John Candy, Eugene Levy, and Martin Short, her springboard to movie stardom. I would rather talk about...

Beetlejuice. The nightmare before Christmas. and mockumentaries, including a mighty wind and best in show. Love's a Terrier. The 71-year-old died at her Los Angeles home after a brief illness. Macaulay Culkin speaking for many posting, Mama, I thought we had time. I wanted more.

Ann Thompson, NBC News. Catherine O'Hare was 71. We will miss her. That's nightly news for this Friday. I'm Tom Yamas. Thanks so much for watching tonight and always we're here for you. Good night.