NBC Nightly News with Tom Llamas - Monday, December 1, 2025

Episode Date: December 2, 2025

Severe weather snarls holiday travel; White House confirms second strike on alleged drug boat; U.S. officials to meet with Putin in Moscow; and more on tonight’s broadcast. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Tonight, the major winter blast barreling east, a nor'easter developing right now, set to hit tens of millions as remaining Thanksgiving travelers try to make their way home. The storm sending cars skidding. This one, straight into a phone pole. White out conditions, even thunderstorm snow, pummeling states from Missouri to New York. Airports digging out from the busiest travel day on record, now bracing for a new onslaught of winter weather. The White House meeting on Venezuela as the president threatens military action there and the admission from the White House today about those lethal boat strikes in the Caribbean

as calls for an investigation into the Pentagon's actions grow. Luigi Mangione back in court, the key evidence his lawyers are trying to get thrown out and the 911 call from the McDonald's he was captured in played in court. Manhunt for a killer after a birthday party shooting left multiple children dead. The youngest, only eight years old. The new leads tonight. Horrifying moments a man mauled to death after sliding down a tree into a lion enclosure, why the zoo is defending the animal.

In New York, officers jumping into freezing cold water to save a struggling swimmer, while in L.A. neighbors rush to save a little girl from a fire. And the Christmas tree won't be the only thing shining in Rockefeller Center this week, the iconic statue getting a makeover with real world. Gold. Nightly News starts right now. This is NBC Nightly News with Tom Yamas. And good evening. For millions across the country, they'll return to work after the holiday included a brutal blast of wintry weather. And those storms were just the beginning. As we

come on the era, Northeaster is intensifying that could bring dangerous conditions tomorrow. Right now, 79 million people are under winter alerts. The major system, already blamed for accidents just like this in Kansas, a car sliding off a road into a pole near St. Louis emergency responders swarmed a snow-covered roadway after vehicles spun out of control. Look at that. The brutal weather causing travel chaos at airports already crowded because of the holiday, and it's going to get worse with those winter warnings spreading from Kansas to Maine tonight. We'll get to Al Roker with the latest forecast in just a moment, but tonight we start with Maggie Vesp.

telephone pole. Tonight, another monster winter storm charging east. Another truck, another truck. Another car. Here wreaking havoc on roads in Kansas. People can't go anywhere. Might have to walk home. Whiteout conditions hammering Missouri, where new video shows several cars, even a school bus, stranded along this snowy highway near St. Louis. It's unclear if anyone was injured. First responders on scene. Overnight, a rare thunder snow striking Buffalo. This latest blast colliding with the holiday travel home stretch already snarled by this weekend's record storm that sent planes sliding across icy tarmacs littered highways with dozens of wrecks and canceled flights by the thousands. We actually got here and realized that they

we booked us for tomorrow. Hundreds more flights canceled at Chicago's O'Hare today. At one point there was no flights for the next three days. Disruptions coming amid a record travel surge. TSA screening more than 3.1 million passengers yesterday, the most in a single day, Ever. You said your flight got messed up five times. Yeah, yeah, five times. Tantiana Bakiri has been trying to get home to Toronto since Saturday. I was to start my first new job on today, so I missed my first day of my new job. Your first day of your new job. Hours after we spoke, she finally boarded. Homeward bound, days late, as another massive storm fires up. Maggie Vespa joins us now live outside. Chicago's O'Hare Airport. Maggie, we can see that snow already coming down tonight.

Talk to us about the delays and the cancellations rising again. Yeah, Tom, they definitely are. We're tracking more than a thousand delays and cancellations combined here at O'Hare alone. And you point out the snow that just started falling from this latest system, this new storm already causing a temporary groundstop at Chicago's Midway Airport. So suffice it to say, it's definitely having an impact. Tom. It's a real snowmaker. All right, Maggie, we thank you. Let's get to the that nor'easter threat right now with some parts of the northeast to get a foot of snow this early. Al Roker is joining us tonight. Al, who's going to get the

worst of it? Well, it looks like it's going to be New England, Tom. But we've also got strong storms to the south of this and in between a mix of ice and snow. So we're watching this system now. As you mentioned, 79 million people with winter storm warnings up through New England and parts of interior New York. This system is going to be a heavy snowmaker, big delays for the interior northeast, rain and wind along much of the I-95 corridor, with rain and snow. Snowfall amounts, we're talking some four to eight inches from Albany, New York, six to ten inches up into parts of New England, Augusta, Scranton, four to seven inches, and to the south. We're looking at heavier rain from Boston all the way down to Augusta, Tom.

This is going to make for some airport delays and some rough roads along I-95. It's going to be a long week. All right, Al, we thank you for that. At the White House tonight, President Trump is meeting with his national security team to discuss Venezuela. The president's saying that military action inside that country could come very soon. Here's Gabe Gutierrez. After months of deadly boat strikes near Venezuela, tonight President Trump is meeting with his national security team, including Defense Secretary Pete Hagseth in the Oval Office discussing their next move. It comes as Congress is demanding answers about this attack on September 2nd.

The Trump administration now confirms it hit an alleged drug boat not once but twice. The second strike ordered after the first failed to kill everyone on board, a U.S. official and a source familiar with the Pentagon's actions tell NBC News. Does the administration deny that that second strike happened, or did it happen and the administration denies that Secretary Hegset gave the war? The latter is true name. Secretary Hegset authorized Admiral Bradley to conduct these kinetic strikes. Admiral Bradley worked well within his authority and the law. Admiral Frank Bradley is overseeing the U.S. military. operations in the region, which have killed more than 80 people, despite the administration providing no evidence illegal drugs were on all the boats. Yesterday, the president downplayed

concerns about a second strike. We'll look into it, but no, I wouldn't have wanted that, not a second strike. Now, Democrats are questioning whether the targeting of incapacitated survivors is a war crime. Even some Republicans are promising investigations. And Admiral Bradley is expected in Washington this week to speak with senior lawmakers. According to two people familiar with the matter. We're going to try to get to the facts. While the U.S. accuses Venezuela's authoritarian leader Nicolas Maduro of drug trafficking, which he denies, Trump is pardoning Honduras's former president, Juan Orlando Hernandez,

a convicted drug trafficker, who U.S. prosecutors had said accepted a $1 million bribe for El Chapo. Today, we press the White House on the difference between the two leaders. The people of Honduras have highlighted to him how the former president Hernandez was set up. All right, Gabe, let's go back to that strike on those survivors. You point out lawmakers, including Republicans, are talking of a possible war crime here. What do legal experts say? Well, Tom, some legal experts say targeting survivors of an initial attack who cannot defend themselves is a war crime.

Now, the U.S. is not at war with Venezuela. But the White House insists that it's designated the drug smugglers as foreign terrorist organizations. So defending the U.S. from deadly narcotics justifies the airstrikes. Tom. Gabe Gutierrez at the White House for us, Gabe. We thank you. We're also following the high-stakes talks to end the war in Ukraine. Key U.S. officials will meet with Russian President Putin tomorrow in Moscow.

Richard Engel is on the ground in Ukraine tonight for us. Today, a missile strike, without warning, in the city of NEPRO. Four civilians were killed, according to local officials. Ukraine is under diplomatic pressure, too. Ukrainian and U.S. officials met again this weekend to hammer out a peace plan to end the war. Ukraine's President Zelensky today in Paris, seeking European support. I will be honest, the territorial issue is the most complicated, he said.

Russia occupies about 20% of Ukraine. President Putin is insisting Ukraine surrender it all and more. This small village was hit by Russian missiles, and afterwards pretty much everyone left. And there are ghost towns like this one all over. Ukraine right now. So Ukrainians want the end of this. But they say they also can't accept humiliation or capitulation, believing it would only encourage Russia to do worse. In the village of Natchayane, I found Katerina Volodomorivna, who's lived here for 70 years. And now lives alone with her cats. No power or water. They stay warm, burning sticks she collects.

Do you think the war is going to finish, or do you think that we're just in the middle of it? Everyone is saying that Putin will win, but I don't know, she says. President Trump's envoy, Steve Whitkoff, is due to meet with President Putin in Moscow tomorrow to discuss the peace plan. Tom? Richard, thank you. Back at home, it was a big day in court for Luigi Mangione. His defense team is trying to get evidence excluded from his upcoming trial for the murder of United Health Care CEO Brian Thompson. Stephanie Goss was in the courtroom as they heard 911 audio for the first

time. Tonight, new details about accused killer Luigi Mangione's arrest in a Pennsylvania McDonald's nearly a year ago. The Ivy League grad arriving in New York State Court today with permission to wear civilian clothes. During the pretrial hearing, they played the 911 call placed by the McDonald's manager publicly for the first time. Customers thought he looks suspicious, the manager told the operator, adding, he looks like the CEO shooter in New York, and they are really upset. At one point, she says, I don't know what to do here, guys. Mangiani pleaded not guilty to state and federal murder charges. His defense team is in court this week hoping to get critical pieces of evidence thrown out before going to trial, including everything discovered in his backpack in

that McDonald's, a gun, bullets, and Mangione's alleged writings. Prosecutors say he wrote someone should whack the CEO. Mangione's defense argues the backpack was illegally searched inside the McDonald's without a warrant, and there was a delay in reading his Miranda rights. Prosecutors say the search was justified, in part because police were concerned for their safety. How difficult is it to have evidence actually thrown out before trial? It's an uphill battle for defendants, and the reason is even though a warrantless search is generally unconstitutional, there are so many exceptions. Also taking the stand today, a Pennsylvania prison guard who says he had long conversations with Mangione while the accused murderer was under constant watch after being arrested. According to the

guard, they discussed how Brian Thompson's murder was being reported. Also part of the conversation, health care coverage, specifically the differences between private and universal care. All right, Stephanie, Stephanie, you were in court and you saw some security footage that hasn't been released to the public yet. What did you see? Yeah. So it shows Mangione in that McDonald's, Tom, placing his order, grabbing a table, and being confronted by police. And he appears to keep calmly eating even while he's being questioned by the police, Tom. All right, Stephanie, got some new reporting there. Stephanie, thank you. Authorities in Central California are still on the hunt for a suspect after a weekend mass shooting inside of a child's birthday party. Four people were killed, including three children. Our Steve Patterson is there with the man leading the man hunt. Mere minutes after the senseless mass shooting that claimed four young lives, Sam Joaquin's sheriff Patrick Withrow says he dedicated himself and his deputies to one task. The mission is to hunt down the animals that did this.

I have run down. The CPR has already been started on. The shooting, horrifying, a hail of gunfire inside a children's birthday party. Four killed in the crossfire, including three children ages 8, 9, and 14. And you walk onto a scene like this, and there are children laying there, and it still just shocks the conscience. Eleven others are so injured. It happened Saturday night. More than a hundred people packed into this banquet hall as shots rang out. The Stockton Unified School superintendent sharing one of their students was killed, saying our community is grieving. The sheriff now suspects there may have been more than one shooter. He says a pair of weapons were collected from the roof of the building. We don't know if they were related to this crime.

And it appears that handguns may have been used in this crime. Stockton's mayor says some of the people at the party had ties to gangs. From what I understand, it was due to a beef between individuals, and they wanted to send a message. Back on scene, and you can see the level of destruction. This building is riddled with bullets. Part of the reason why the sheriff believes he's likely looking for more than one shooter. Tom. All at a children's birthday. All right, Steve, we thank you for that. When we return in 60 seconds, the shocking attack caught on video after a man climbed into a lion enclosure at a zoo. That's next. That a horrifying video from Brazil, a lion mauling a man who climbed into the animal's enclosure, that moment captured on camera. Jesse Kirsch has the video, and we do want to warn you, the images are disturbing.

Watch this man dangling from a tree. A female lion. is just feet below. As the man slides down, the lioness begins to claw. And when the man is close enough, the animal pounces, dragging him to the ground. You can see the man emerged from the vegetation briefly. In less than a minute, the struggle appears to be over. The zoo says the man was killed. A worker appears to spray a fire extinguisher to make the lioness move away.

Today, the zoo known as Bika in eastern Brazil posting this video of the lioness. who's named Leona. Speaking Portuguese, this woman identified as the zoo's biologist, says the lioness simply displayed natural behavior for her species. According to NBC News's translation, she adds, at no point did the idea of putting the animal down cross our minds. This video shows the man scaling the enclosure's fence line. On Instagram, the zoo writing in Portuguese that Sunday morning,

a man deliberately entered the lioness's enclosure, resulting in his death. The statement adding, we express our solidarity and condolences to the family and friends of the man who has not yet been identified. In another video posted by the zoo, this man identified as the zoo's veterinarian, says in Portuguese that the enclosure meets and exceeds all safety requirements. He adds, there are some situations that simply cannot be predicted. Jesse Kirsch, NBC News.

And we're back in a moment with the man jumping into action to save a little girl from a burning home. We'll show you that video. Plus our countdown to the Christmas tree lighting, the other icon, ready to shine. We're back with the Cyber Monday glitch, possibly impacting millions. Shopify, one of the biggest online shopping platforms, reported today that it had multiple service outages as Cyber Monday sales kicked off. The company says the issues have now been fixed, but the glitch sent their stock down about 6%. In New York City, new body cam video shows police scrambling to rescue a man. who went into the frigid east river.

The officers jump in at the same time as the man struggles to hold on to a life ring. They pull him to shore and put him on a ladder to get him to an ambulance. He's now in stable condition, that according to police. And take a look at this one, a family's home in Los Angeles,

rapidly going up in flames, in a giant column of fire. But you saw it right there. A man jumped into action to help save a little girl. Everyone there was able to get out of life. All right, that's some good news. When we come back, he defied the gods

and gave us fire. But even Titans can use a makeover, the 30 Rock Treasure getting his groove back just in time for the holidays. There's good news tonight about an icon here at Rockefeller Center. No, not our Christmas tree, but rather its neighbor. Here's Joe Fryer on the facelift worth its weight in gold. At the foot of Rock Center's famous Christmas tree,

Right next to the iconic ice rink, you'll find fire. A statue of Prometheus, the Greek titan known for giving humans. Fire is glowing after a makeover decades in the making. What will Prometheus look like when this is all said and done? It'll look like he's been dunked in gold. Mark Roussel, the project's principal conservator, is part of the crew painstakingly contorting to re-gild every nook and cranny using feather-like strips of gold.

There you go. They're applying about 20. 20,000 of these ultra-slender sheets. We pick it up with a brush and we apply it like that. With the price of gold skyrocketing, Prometheus' new coat costs more than 40,000 bucks. The sculpture, created at 1934 by Paul Manship, gets a shiny new shell every 25 years. We're keeping the intent of the artist's original vision for this statue. Bill Gautier is a master gilder with decades of experience.

He knows this golden Greek is an icon who, photo bombs countless pictures. Which makes it even more important for me to work on it because I'm a native New Yorker. No pressure. Yeah, yeah, yeah. No, I had to bring my A game to this. All right, go for it. With the final sheet added, they've now removed the scaffolding just in time to light the tree towering overhead, truly making the season.

Right. Joe Fryer, NBC News. And you can see the refurbished statue when the tree is lit up on Wednesday, here on NBC. That's nightly news for this Monday. I'm Tom Yamas. Thanks so much for watching tonight and always. We're here for you. Good night.