NBC Nightly News with Tom Llamas - Monday, May 25, 2026

Episode Date: May 26, 2026

Officers rescue infant from flooded car in Texas as storms snarl holiday travel; Catastrophic risk for explosion eliminated; New details on potential deal to end Iran war; 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 treacherous trip home for millions this Memorial Day as powerful storms turned deadly. At least one woman killed with the threat far from over. Dramatic video of officers, look at this, rescuing a baby trapped in a car surrounded by rising water. This funnel cloud illuminated in flashes of lightning. Violent wind sending a bounce house flying. A tree in New York City crushing cars. The holiday weekend washout, upending travel at major airports. We're tracking where storms are headed next.

Also breaking tonight toxic emergency in California. The risk of a catastrophic explosion at a chemical tank now eliminated, but the threat is not over yet. The overnight operation to lower the danger, where things stand right now with the region on edge. Iran, deal or no deal? The potential agreement to end the war taking shape. So what's actually in it? Our new reporting with dozens of ships still blocked in the Strait of Hormuz. Plus, the president's tribute to those who lost their lives in the war.

Pope Leo's AI wake-up call, getting candid about his concerns, warning it's a threat to humanity. And the question, why was an anthropic co-founder at the Vatican? Summer tick warning ER visits skyrocketing to the highest rate in nearly a decade, what you can do to stay safe outdoors. And honoring fallen heroes. We speak with Medal of Honor recipients who carry on the legacy of their fellow service members, their powerful message on this Memorial Day. Nightly News starts right now. This is NBC Nightly News with Tom Yamas. Good evening. I'm Halley Jackson in for Tom, and we start

tonight with the severe weather washout on this Memorial Day. Intense rain, lightning, and dangerous flooding, upending holiday celebrations, and travel with 14 million people now under new weather alerts, thunderstorms, canceling parades, high, winds sending bounce houses flying. In Alabama, you see it there. Part of this gas station submerged. And in South Texas, an incredible scene. Police racing to reach a car swept away by flooding. And look, rescuing a baby. You see that car seat inside? And now a travel mess as a record number of people head home from the holiday weekend. Thousands of delays and cancellations stacking up at the nation's biggest airports. And on the road, gridlock. Look at this. Bumper to bumper traffic

piling up outside Yosemite National Park. We are tracking it all with the severe weather forecast in just a moment. But we begin tonight with Priscilla Thompson in Texas. Priscilla, a messy situation out there. Yeah, Hallie, very. We have seen multiple rescues today after cars were sucked in to high waters, police and fire rescue having to go out and help people on the roads. And we're also seeing those delays at airports.

We know that there have been more than 500, more than two. hundred, excuse me, cancellations and the havoc across the country as that weather continues. You got a baby? It's via the car is going towards the creek. We got an infant in the car. A hard stopping rescue in South Texas as a vehicle is swept toward a Russian creek. Yeah, give me the baby. First responders racing into the fast-moving water after this sedan became trapped in floodwaters with a baby inside.

One officer then grabbing the infant in a carrier, another quickly draping his coat over the baby in the pouring rain. The vehicle has slipped and she is submerged, currently submerged in water. In Mississippi, officials say one person has died after this car was swept away. The deluge stretching from the Gulf Coast to the northeast. I'm almost to my knees in water now. This woman's home surrounded by water. Look at this. Blood waters inundating this gas station in Alabama.

Heavy rain and wind toppling a massive tree in New York City, crushing multiple cars. It sounded like a bomb going on. In Texas, a menacing funnel cloud illuminated by repeated flashes of lightning. The weather turning deadly in South Carolina, where officials say strong winds ripped a patio umbrella from a table, killing a woman. Across the country, a Memorial Day weekend washout. Parades canceled. Bounce houses blown away.

Anderson. Graduates receiving degrees in downpours in Tennessee. And now a travel nightmare. Have you had any delays? We got a lot of rain. I just saw that my flight is delayed. There have been more than 4,000 delays and 170 cancellations. On the roads, even under sunny skies, there's no escaping the holiday gridlock.

Traffic bumper to bumper headed into Yosemite National Park. And right now, there are ground. stops in Atlanta, Dallas, and Denver as those storms continue into the night. Priscilla Thompson, thank you. Let's get straight to the forecast now with WNBC's Dave Price. Okay, Dave, please say we're going to see some sun soon. Well, we are in many parts of the country, including the Northeast, after that rainy Memorial Day weekend. But as we head to the south and sections of the eastern seaboard, 14 million people are impacted by very strong storms right now. Flooding concerns, as well as all of this continues to

whip to the east as we take a look at the next 24 hours. A flood risk is going to persist in the southeast, and we could see more strong to severe storms. So we'll watch for that. In the meantime, in the next 24 hours, we could see some major storms in West Texas as well. We're going to keep an eye on that with rainfall rates, which could deliver as much as three inches of rain in the next 24 to 48 hours there and the possibility of strong storms as well with the potential for some tornadic activity. We'll send it back to you. Dave Price, thank you. California now and the race to stop a toxic emergency at a chemical tank there. A new twist tonight.

Officials say they've eliminated the worst case scenario, a catastrophic explosion, but they warn it is still not safe enough yet for people to return home. Our Steve Patterson is there. Tonight, a major mission accomplished the risk of a catastrophic vapor explosion eliminated after a late-night operation. As authorities confirm a crack in this chemical tank relieve the mounting pressure inside. A significant reduction in the magnitude of a possible blast, temperatures inside, now cooling. We still have a fire concern or a small explosion concern, and we have a leak concern. Officials say the risk to residents is ongoing. What you guys are working on as far as getting people back into their homes? Our priority is life safety. We cannot allow them to come back if we don't

deem this safe. This incident is still dynamic. Inside the tank, thousands of gallons of methyl mitzhyrlate, a colorless, highly volatile liquid chemical used to make plastics. An explosion could release plumes of toxic vapor, known to cause symptoms like dizziness, headaches, fatigue, severe skin irritation, even lung distress. Evacuations for 50,000 people tonight are still in place. Literally, it was like, okay, grab our cats, grab my mom, and let's go. We found Andrea Luna camping in the parking lot of an overcrowded shelter. I don't feel safe going back until we know for sure. sure that it's okay that we can go home. We don't know the long-term effects. That's what I'm

really worried about. The threat zone, very close to major attractions like Disneyland, which is still operating. Disneyland officials say there's no impact to the resort and they're still monitoring the situation. Tonight, a community's collective sigh of relief, the worst-case scenario averted, but officials warned we're not out of the woods yet. Steve is joining us now from Southern California. So Steve, do we have any sense of when it could eventually be okay for those folks to get back home? Hally, we know officials are now re-evaluating those evacuation orders, but the chief tells me that the temperature inside that tank still about 40 degrees higher than it should be. So this is something that they absolutely want to get right before moving forward.

Hallie? Steve Patterson, thank you. Here in Washington, new questions over just how close the U.S. really is to a deal with Iran as President Trump working to real. in the Strait of Hormuz, says those negotiations are proceeding nicely. Garrett Hake has our new reporting about what's in the potential agreement. Tonight, a new test for the ceasefire between the United States and Iran, as CENTCOM says the U.S. conducted self-defense strikes in southern Iran, targeting missile launch sites in Iranian mine-laying boats near the Strait of Hormuz, potentially complicating ongoing talks to end the war outright. It comes in the 13th week of the U.S. war with Iran.

With President Trump today at a Memorial Day event at Arlington National Cemetery, paying tribute to the 13 American lives lost in the conflict. These incredible men and women gave their lives to ensure that the world's number one state sponsor of terror will never have a nuclear weapon. Oh, and they won't. All while tonight, the weight in the straight drags on with ships seen still bottled up in this new video. As the U.S. in Iran appear to inch towards a possible deal to over. the strategic waterway and end the war. President Trump posting that negotiations with Iran are, quote, proceeding nicely and at the end result will be a great deal for all or no deal at all.

While Secretary of State Marco Rubio urged patience as the world awaits Tehran's response to the latest proposal. And it takes the Iranian system a little while longer to get back. So, look, the president's not going to make a bad deal. He's just not. The president's plan calls for the immediate reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, according to a senior administration official, and the start of a 60-day clock for talks on Iran's nuclear program and its enriched uranium, buried by last summer's U.S. strikes. Iran's forward ministry tonight claiming the country at this stage is, quote, not discussing the details of the nuclear issue and that the agreement leaves open-ended how the strait will be managed. Garrett is joining us now from the White House where, Garrett, we are hearing more about what is on tap

for President Trump tomorrow, and that's a visit to Walter Reed Hospital for a checkup? Yeah, Hallie, White House official says this is just a medical and dental checkup, his third such visit in 13 months. The president has had some visible minor health issues like bruising on his hand and swollen legs, but he'll turn 80 next month. But he told Tom in February he feels 50 years younger. Hallie. Garrett Hake, thank you. Also tonight, Pope Leo is making history by wading into the AI debate, warning that people need to be a part of that new technology, however it unfolds. Anne Thompson has the details.

Today, Pope Leo, leader of the 2000-year-old Catholic Church, taking on a modern and urgent issue, artificial intelligence. Let's not fear artificial intelligence, but constantly keep the question of the human in play. Living in the age of AI is the subject of his first encyclical, magnificent humanity. The Chicago-born pontiff doing what no Pope had done in recent memory, attending the presentation of this teaching letter to the church underscoring its significance. Artificial intelligence now demands to be disarmed,

freed from logics that turn it into an instrument of domination, exclusion, and death. This is not about rejecting technology, the Pope writes, but preventing it from reducing people to doubt. taking jobs and the dignity of work, and being a power that stays in the hands of a few. He calls for government regulation, and while warning against what he says is a new type of slavery in the digital world, Leo criticizes the delay both society and the church came to denounce the scourge of slavery, writing, for this in the name of the church, I sincerely ask for pardon. Getting attention, the presence of AI giant Anthropics co-founder Christopher Oel

law asking for help. We need informed critics who will tell the labs when we are failing. And offer Leo embraced. I accept your invitation to walk together. Leo practicing the culture of encounter, he preaches working together to make sure this technology betters humanity rather than diminishes it. Hallie? Ann Thompson, thank you.

To an alarming new health warning now, right as we are heading into summer, trips to the ER, surging to record highs. from tick bites. Dana Griffin reports. Yeah, I start with her head first. Chelsea and Jameson Latcoe have been battling ticks for months. Tick season started a little bit earlier this year than last year. Pretty much the second the weather got nice.

We let the dog out and she came back in with a tick. The Northport New York couple take the job very seriously, spraying their property with repellent, cutting their grass weekly and regularly weeding. We're taking smarter approach. to minimize our exposure. Both say they have already been bitten by ticks multiple times this year. My biggest concerns are that one of us are going to get sick or that our dog is going to get sick.

They're not alone. Data shows a record high spike in ER visits for tick bites last month, with states in the Northeast seeing the highest rates. According to the CDC, Lyme disease is the most common tick-related illness with nearly half a million Americans diagnosed each year. Dr. Peter Griffin is an emergency medicine physician in West Virginia. The milder winters and earlier springs contribute to there being more ticks around and more animals harboring diseases like Lyme disease.

There's no vaccine yet. To prevent contracting a possible disease, experts say wear appropriate clothing, use insect repellent, check for ticks and remove them. Sit. For the Lacos, their fight against ticks is just getting started. Good dog. Girl. I think ticks will be.

part of our lives for a long time or as long as we're still here. A reminder this season, small bites carry serious risks. Dana Griffin, NBC News. Back now with new concerns over the Ebola outbreak in Africa, the director of the World Health Organization, warning that the epidemic is outpacing the response efforts. The WHO says more than 100 people in Africa have died from this strain, which has no vaccine or treatment. there are more than 900 suspected cases across Africa.

And in Australia, a risky rescue, but this one at high altitude, emergency responders lowering themselves out of a helicopter and onto a narrow rock ledge at Mount Buffalo to rescue a climber who was hurt and unconscious after falling 26 feet. They're loading him onto a stretcher and lifting him to safety. He is now recovering in the hospital. When we come back, remembering fallen heroes, how Medal of Honor recipients are honoring the sacrifice and service of their fellow service members. Next. Finally, on this Memorial Day, we honor those who serve. And who better to mark a day

when we salute our fallen heroes than two Americans awarded this country's highest military recognition, the Medal of Honor. Here's Aaron Gilchrist. A somber observance to honor all of those who fought and died for their country. Memorial Day is a day in which we can express our love for those who have sacrificed their lives for this great country. Pat Brady and Jim McLuhan both served in Vietnam. Brady, a helicopter ambulance pilot. McLuhan, a combat medic.

Each a recipient of the Medal of Honor, the military's highest distinction for valor. If you think about the safety of another person, then that takes your thought away from any kind of danger. Today, they joined fellow Medal of Honor recipients at Arlington National Cemetery, all of them intimately aware of the cost of war. I held 18, 19, and 20-year-old boys in my arms.

I heard their last words, and I saw the last breath of life come out of their body. In 1969, private McLuhan ran into a hail of gunfire and grenades, saving nearly a dozen lives. The best part of my ceremony was when President Trump turned to 10 men that I invited that was in that battle. Where are you? And he asked them to stand up. they got their due recognition. Pat Brady wears the same honor, given to him by President Nixon, for a day in Vietnam when he battled fog and smoke on four helicopter flights across hostile territory,

narrowly surviving as he evacuated more than 50 severely wounded men. Fear is an emotion. Courage is a decision. At least my faith was a substitute for fear. For the 64 living Medal of Honor recipients, the mission continues, telling the stories of the courageous, of the patriotic. There were 89 of us went in. Eighty-eight other guys owned this metal right here. This wouldn't be around my neck if it wasn't for them. It's so important that we remember that we are grateful. Grateful for American heroes and the last full measure of devotion. Aaron Gilchrist, NBC News, Arlington, Virginia. Grateful to those heroes today and

every day. That is nightly news for this holiday Monday. I'm Hallie. Jackson. Thanks so much for watching and have a great night.