NBC Nightly News with Tom Llamas - Friday, May 30, 2025

Episode Date: May 31, 2025

Deadly storms impact the Southern U.S.; Elon Musk departs his role in DOGE; Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs’ former personal assistant cross-examined; Lester Holt signs off after 10 years on Nightly News; and more on tonight’s broadcast.

Tonight, a violent spring catches the South by surprise. Kentucky torn apart after an unexpected tornado the 45th of the year. As the sun came up, people on the ground stunned. And the damage across the deep South, the 18-year-old son of a famed actor critically injured, 38 million facing severe storms stretching into the evening. Elon Musk dozed departure from wielding a chainsaw to getting a key from the president, plus facing questions over reported drug use, the intense witness testimony in the Diddy sex trafficking case, the witness going by the pseudonym Mia detailing years of abuse and

harassment, how Diddy's defense is questioning her today, some of the worst wildfires in memory in Canada, making air dangerous to breathe in the Midwest. And the honor of a lifetime after 10 years at Nightly News, my final broadcast from Paris to Tokyo, Uvalde to Ukraine, the greatest generation to the wild blue yonder, the news we've covered, the people we've met,

and the stories we've told. Your stories. My gratitude to all of you on this special night. This is NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt. Good evening and welcome. This spring of extraordinarily violent weather is bringing dangerous surprises and leaving 38 million in the danger zone tonight. After Kentucky was broadsided by an unexpected tornado, the severe weather danger zone expanding

across the mid-Atlantic and southeast, with tornado watches in effect for parts of West Virginia, Virginia and North Carolina. This after a tornado caught some Kentucky residents off guard. With little warning, the powerful twister sent people scrambling for cover and first responders racing to warn those in its path. It killed at least one person and left many injured. Kentucky has taken more than its share of tornado strikes

this storm season and suffered a heavy loss of life. When much of the South remains at risk tonight, Kathy Park is in the storm zone. Tonight, an unexpected disaster in rural Kentucky. A devastating tornado ripping through Washington County. Phone alerts coming with just minutes to spare. I think this is probably about the worst I've seen. Where home stood just yesterday, now empty lots.

Emergency crews already at work on the downed trees and leveled houses. Just so grateful that we have the top community that we take care of one another. The Washington County Sheriff's Office confirming one person is dead and multiple injured. Jack Coleman says a twister killed his friend and his girlfriend is recovering at the hospital. There was no chance if you look at his house now, it's just shampoo. There's no chance that could have made it. The sudden storm catching locals off guard with no outdoor sirens installed for miles. It did come out of

nowhere. We're not expecting it was surprised. The region already railing after a powerful E. F. four tornado ripped through three counties in southern Kentucky two weeks ago, killing this latest disaster bringing the total to 45 confirmed tornadoes this year alone in the state in nearby Tennessee this morning, a confirmed tornado scattering debris from miles just south of Knoxville. All on the heels of a tornado yesterday afternoon wreaking havoc in the town of Locust Grove Georgia tornado hit my

apartment complex on this home flattened injuring residents with no advance warning for those in its path. I just ran for the closet and covered my head and started praying and I could hear things in the House actor Trey Cheney breaking down in tears as he posted this update to instagram. I survived its tornado must. to instagram. I survived the tornado. My son, he survived. Saying his 18 year old son Malachi was thrown 300 feet by the wind and is now in the ICU.

And Kathy, it looks like the threat is not yet over tonight. Lester, that's right. 38 million across the southeast and mid-Atlantic are at risk for more severe weather. This includes a possibility of additional tornadoes. And here in Kentucky, as you can see, crews are out in full force as recovery efforts get underway. Lester? All right, Kathy Park, thanks.

Now that major shift inside the Trump administration with Elon Musk set to leave, but first appearing with President Trump in the Oval Office. All this as there is breaking news on the terror front Gabe Gutierrez has the latest tonight Elon Musk is saying goodbye to Washington at least for now It's my friend and he's done a fantastic job President Trump heaping praise on the tech titan presenting him with a golden key for leading the Department of Government The Golden Key for leading the Department of Government Efficiency. Musk's turbulent time at Doge falling short of his own cost-cutting predictions as he leaves his 130-day appointment.

Well, I expect to continue to provide advice whenever the president would like advice. I'm confident that over time we'll see a trillion dollars of savings. But the billionaire is facing a new controversy. Vote, vote, vote. While Musk was a fixture on the campaign trail last year, The New York Times citing people familiar with activities who allege he was using drugs, including ketamine, ecstasy, and psychedelic mushrooms, far more intensely than previously known. Musk has previously said he was prescribed ketamine for depression.

NBC News has not confirmed any of the accusations in the report. Today Musk did not directly respond. There is a New York Times report today that accuses you of blurring the line between... Is the New York Times, is that the same publication that got a Pulitzer Prize for false reporting on the Russia gate? The Pulitzer board saying the Times reporting was not discredited. Meanwhile the president today touting his own win in the Supreme Court involving his deportation efforts. The justice is allowing him to revoke temporary protections for over half a million migrants from Venezuela, Cuba, Nicaragua and Haiti.

Former President Biden had granted them mass parole, allowing them into the U.S. Some of the murders, it's very important that we're able to get those people out of here fast, bring them back to their country where they belong. Late today, the president visiting a steel plant outside Pittsburgh and announcing a deal to allow a Japanese company to merge with U.S. Steel with an American CEO after candidate Trump had opposed it. If you don't have steel, you don't have a country. So when it comes to the steel tariffs, you don't have a country. So when it comes to the steel tariffs, you support what the president's doing?

Absolutely. Local officials optimistic the merger and other Trump policies will bring more jobs. They've been wondering, are they going to have a job? Are they going to be able to save their house? The kids go to college. And I was just overwhelmed with happiness. And Gabe, you're there in Pennsylvania where President Trump is speaking. He just made a major tariff announcement.

Yes, Lester, he just doubled tariffs on all steel imports from 25 percent to 50 percent. And separately, he said today that China had violated its agreement to roll back tariffs for 90 days Is that developing news tonight thanks now to Sean Diddy combs criminal trial a lawyer for combs Cross-examining a former employee she testified he repeatedly threatened and sexually assaulted her. Here's Chloe Milos a day after a former personal assistant to Sean Diddy Combs described through tears how he repeatedly sexually assaulted her. Today, the woman testifying under the suit and in Mia was back on the stand. Combs is defense attorney Brian Steele grilling Mia and showing the jury more than a dozen

effusive social media posts where she called Combs her mentor and said that she loved him. Steele asking Mia, you're calling the person who assaulted you your mentor?' Mia responding, yes. Mia later testifying, "'Instagram was to show how great your life is, even if it wasn't true. And I didn't want my family and friends to know the misery I was in.'

Steele also asking her about a scrapbook and card she gave to Combs for his 45th birthday. Steele reading the card in court, "'I hope it reminds you of when this world made your eyes light up. She wrote, I love you forever. That's a loving card Steele said. Mia replying, I'm a loving person.

The person who sexually abused you Steele asked. Mia responding, yes. The defense's job is to try to attack this witnesses credibility. Earlier in the day Mia testifying about the conditions during the eight years she worked for Combs. She said at one point, he threatened to kill me. But during cross-examination, Steele

presented a text Mia sent after she was ultimately let go. I'm going to kill myself. My life is over, she wrote. I'm so heartbroken, I can't breathe. Combs has pled not guilty to all charges. President Trump today asked if he would consider pardoning Koms if he's found guilty. I would certainly look at the facts. If I think somebody was mistreated, whether they like me or don't like me, it wouldn't have any impact on me.

Lester, we're expecting Mia back on the stand on Monday, and then we're going to be hearing from a hotel custodian and then a forensic video expert. Lester. All right, Chloe Moloss, thank you. And then we're going to be hearing from a hotel custodian and then a forensic video expert lester all right chloe malas Thank you turning out of the midwest where millions are under alert for poor air quality because of wildfires in canada Adrienne brought us is in Duluth, Minnesota Adrienne. What are the conditions like there right now? Lester tonight it smells like a campfire here in Duluth. You can see that thick haze hanging over parts of the Midwest as that smoke blows in from those massive Canada wildfires. 22 million under air quality alerts from Minnesota to Michigan. Most at risk, children, older adults and others with heart or lung conditions. Experts say you should wear an N95 mask or stay indoors if possible. Back

in 2023, smoke from those Canadian wildfires led to weeks of toxic air in the Midwest and on the East Coast. And tonight, Lester, experts warned these latest alerts could stretch into next week. Adrian, thank you. We'll be right back in 60 seconds the new close call We just learned about between two planes and a lithium battery charger starts smoking forcing a southwest plane to divert the new rule change when you fly There is word tonight of a close call at San Francisco International Airport Tom Costello is here now Tom What more do we know? Yeah, Lester, this is based on preliminary information. This was a United Airlines flight and a Skywest Airlines flight back on May 13th.

The planes were departing from parallel runways at SFO. When the United flight turned without authorization into the path of the Skywest aircraft, the FAA is investigating. And meanwhile, Southwest Airlines is crediting the flight crew tonight for a very quick action after a battery charger began giving off smoke in flight. It happened on Southwest flight 1844, Baltimore to Tampa. The pilot's diverting to Myrtle Beach due to a reported fire in a seat back. We have an emergency inbound with a reported fire in a seat back. We have an emergency inbound with reported fire in the cabin.

Cell phone video captured the smoking battery charger. I've got fire trucks set up on most quadrants waiting for emergency inbound. The plane landed safely, no injuries. Just the latest case of an onboard battery fire. In January, an Air Busan flight in South Korea was destroyed by fire after a battery charger caught fire. Everyone got out safely. In the U.S., the FAA reports 22 confirmed incidents so far this year of lithium batteries

overheating, smoking or catching fire. Last year, 89 cases. The FAA prohibits lithium batteries in checked bags that go in the plane's luggage hold where a fire would pose a serious threat. Just last week, Southwest began requiring passengers to keep batteries and power packs in plane sight, not in overhead bins. There are hundreds of lithium powered devices on every aircraft, and so people just need to understand the risk associated with those and in particular power banks. Southwest is flagging passengers on their app when they access their boarding passes to keep battery chargers in plain view and all airlines reminding passengers no batteries should ever go in checked luggage. Lester it's been a privilege back to you. All right and the

feeling is mutual Tom appreciate it. When we come back after a decade of broadcasts, the story of my life is the stories of yours. We're back with a final thought after this. Before we go tonight, a word about me. You may recall the announcement back some months ago that I would be leaving my post here at nightly news in order to expand my role as host of Dateline. Well, today is that day. After 10 years, this is my last Nightly News broadcast.

As anchor, it has been an honor to lead this program and an honor to be welcomed into your homes. I am so grateful for your trust. Around here, facts matter, words matter, journalism matters, and you matter. Over the last decade, we have shared some dark and harrowing days and nights from our country, the pandemic, mass shootings, natural disasters, each testing our resilience and our compassion.

That's why I often like to leave you with something to smile about, moments that reassure and connect us. I'll miss our evenings together, and I will miss the team that puts it all together, my dear friends and my colleagues. But for now, I just want to say thank you to my incredibly supportive and patient family and all of you. NBC Nightly News with Tom Yamas, Premieres Monday.

And I wish Tom great success. I'll see you on Dateline. In the meantime, please continue to take care of yourself and each other, and I'll do the same. As of tonight, this program has a new name, and I'm honored to say a new anchor. We hope to see all of you each and every night. Good evening, there is no better way to show you the scope of our lead story than tonight, than from the air.

Good evening everyone, we're moving into uncharted territory. Remember, we're in this together, and together may be the only way we find our way out of this. This is one half of America's split-screen shooting tragedy, the scene of the El Paso massacre. And below me are the tokens of tribute, hope, and blessing to the innocent who died simply because they were here. From Puerto Rico, this is an island with a long way to go. Tonight from Normandy, from inside Ukraine, from Israel, near the Gaza border, life here

in Iraq. I am a father also. I have two children. You understand me. You have nowhere to run. Nowhere to run. Nowhere to run. So you can't go backwards.

No. All you can do is go forward. No, fully. Breaking news tonight. As I have my hand on this window, I can feel it bowing. It's like having a jet engine outside our door right now. We've reached a point where we're going to put a mattress in front of this window. We want to be on the air, but we've got to take care of each other, know that we're safe.

I've been watching this battle to stop the fire from crossing a ridgeline. Breaking news tonight from Paris. We took position at the end of the theater. Where did you find the terrace? In the last door. This is the first thing that went to the door? Exactly. And it's pretty obvious what happened. Mr. President, thanks for the time. What it indicates... This interview... A live interview...

What's it like to look out there and see your brother? Tremendous sense of pride. Can the fighters on their own make it to where they need to go? Did you harm your daughter, Nikki? No, sir, I did not. Your best day was getting out of prison. What was the lowest day? Yeah. Yeah.

Yeah. Every time I think about that, so. You're all going through a lot of pain right now. It's awful. How do you put one foot in front of the other? Like I live my life in agony. My first time being in a big hurricane. Yeah. Yeah.

Well, I've been in little ones. Yeah, but you're in a really safe place. Yeah. You know that, right? Yeah. Okay. These are the names that represent the four million people who were man-tipated.

Holt. Yes. I sit there and I look at that and I think of who that name represents. Yeah, yeah. What they went through. Could they ever imagine me? Yeah, that's the thing that's powerful. Good evening everyone.

I want to welcome you to the Republican presidential debate. Live coverage of election night. You know Tom, you and I cover a lot of difficult things to report sometimes but this is this is magical. My heart beating is fast. I am so happy you guys got to experience this. It's good technique. There's nothing like that. I wanted to welcome you to the first Nightly News Kids Edition. How do you get to Kinsh? Sesame Street. Havana's famous moving tourist attractions.

Thank you for coming today to Iquito. What would a score of your life story sound like? I hope it has a cello solo in it somewhere. That's NBC Nightly News for this Friday. I'm Les LeHolt for all of us. That's NBC News. Have a good night. So long. Please take care of yourself and each other.

Oh my goodness. It has been quite a ride. Thanks everybody.