NBC Nightly News with Tom Llamas - Saturday, April 4, 2026

Episode Date: April 5, 2026

Urgent search intensifies to find missing American service member; Republicans push back against White House request for defense spending increase; Crews rush to battle Springs Fire in Southern California; 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.

This is NBC Nightly News with Jose Diaz Ballard. Good evening. We begin with that urgent search and rescue mission intensifying tonight as the U.S. military rushes to track down a missing America. This was a scene in a remote area of Iran, where Iranian forces are hunting for that service member as well. This all-out search entering a second day after an F-15 fighter jet with two American crew members on board was downed. Even though one of them was saved, with the other still missing, the White House is not commenting about the ongoing rescue efforts. Our Ralph Sanchez starts us off tonight. Tonight, Iranian forces searching valleys and hillsides, hunting for the U.S. airmen who's still missing, around 36 hours after their two-seater F-15 fighter jet was shot down. More wreckage from the plane has been found.

The Revolutionary Guard posting what appears to be an ejector seat. But the fate of the aviator remains unknown. And state television has announced a $60,000 bounty for their capture, knowing that an American prisoner of war could be a major bargaining chip. Just like U.S. hostages were back in 1979. The other F-15 crew member was rescued alive on Friday, two U.S. Blackhawks taking fire during the extraction mission. Troops on board suffered minor injuries,

a U.S. official says. Iran's Revolutionary Guard today boasting, we will achieve full control of our skies and prove the humiliation of the weak enemy to the world. The White House not commenting on the ongoing rescue effort, but President Trump restating his Monday deadline

for Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, posting, time is running out, 48 hours before all hell will rain down on them. Also today, the State Department announcing the arrest of two race, relatives of Qasem Soleimani. The Iranian general assassinated in a U.S. drone strike during the first Trump administration. Secretary of St. Rubio revoking their green cards, accusing Soleimani's niece of spreading Iranian propaganda, though not providing evidence, while Soleimani's

family in Iran denying they're related. And the U.S. racing to recover its missing service member. And Raph joins us now from Qatar. Raf, Iran is now saying there was a strike near one. one of its nuclear power plants? That's right, Jose. They're saying the area around the Boucher nuclear plant was attacked earlier. One person was killed. The U.N. says there is no sign of any radiation leak, but they're calling for maximum military restraint to avoid a nuclear accident.

Jose. Ralph Sanchez in Doha, Qatar. Thank you. Here at home, there are new questions about how the U.S. will be able to continue to pay for this war. Julie Circon is looking into this from the White House. Julie, good evening. Jose, good evening to you.

Republicans are pushing back on the White House's request for a massive defense spending increase. Senator John Curtis of Utah says he won't support more money for the administration's war in Iran until Congress so far cut out of the escalating conflict gets a say. But President Trump is also skipping over Congress on the partial government shutdown, ordering DHS to use funds from the one big beautiful bill to pay Coast Guard, FEMA, and cybersecurity staff. Remember, TSA workers got the same deal last week.

Republican leaders in both chambers, Jose, claim they have an agreement to reopen DHS and deal with ICE and border funding later without Democratic support. But here's the thing. Some of Speaker Johnson's own House members aren't on board. Jose? Julie Serkin at the White House. Thank you. And don't miss Kristen Walker's big lineup on Meet the Press tomorrow morning right here on NBC.

We're also tracking the fast-moving Springs fire near Los Angeles. Tonight, the flames offering a warning that it could be an early wildfire season following a very dry winter across the west. Morgan Chesky has the latest. Fiery battles burning through Southern California. East of Los Angeles, the Springs fire scorching more than 4,000 acres after sparking late Friday. Crews working nonstop, sharing its now 75% contained. It started at about 5 to 6. Back now with Pope Leo the 14th celebrating his first Easter weekend as Pope

Pope Leo wrapped up his first Easter vigil in his homily saying that war, injustice, and the isolation of nations break the bond between people. Tomorrow the Pope will preside over his first ever Easter Mass in St. Peter's Square. Also tonight this video capturing a terrifying coyote attack in California. Take a look at this. The animal knocks down a four-year-old boy, then bites him. The boy's mom saw it happen and scared the coyote away. Then she rushed in and grabbed her son, little boy recovering from puncture wounds, but should be okay. And Blake Lively is speaking out after a federal judge dismissed many of the claims in her lawsuit against her former COSAR, Justin Baldoni. Lively says she is embracing

the chance, quote, to finally tell my story in full at trial. A statement is her response to a federal judge dismissing 10 of her 13 claims against her former co-star from the movie It Ends With Us. We're back in a moment with a potential game-changing for parents across the country that could save you money on your tax return. This week, President Trump suggested states should cover daycare costs instead of the federal government, but a rare bipartisan win in Washington has already led to billions in more dollars to help parents cover certain costs.

Here's Julie Sirkin. Thank you. Come on this way. Most days, India Brown, a single mom, brings her two young children to this care center in Alabama. And the one that, you know, we have somebody that cares about kids and their well-being. This is a good thing. What about this one?

It is a good thing for her family. India Brown is able to work because the federal government subsidizes child care. I get to drop my kids off knowing that they're safe. that I can keep them here for a couple of hours, go to work, provide for them. For the first time in decades, Congress passed $16 billion in new child care spending, signed into law by President Trump. More families can get a bigger tax credit. Working parents can claim up to half of child care costs, depending on income.

And businesses are getting bigger subsidies, allowing workers to set aside more pre-tax dollars. And this could make a big dent. Because Labor Department data shows American families spend up to 16% of their median income on full daycare just for one child. The very hungry. Senator Katie Britt, a mom of two and the youngest Republican woman elected to the Senate, led the effort with Democratic Senator Tim Kaine. I don't have to ask people what it's like to be raising kids right now. So many of these things are things that I've experienced in my own life. She met with child care providers and advocates to discuss the impacts.

It enabled a lot of parents to go back to work. Britt framed the push as an economic issue. It's how she convinced her party to get on board. The dependability of child care, affordability, accessibility is an impediment to people who want to be in the workforce. 99% of the kids who go to this childcare center in Montgomery, Alabama, rely on federal subsidies, and without that funding, their parents would have no options. Lower-income families in at least five other states, all run by Democrats, are bracing for potential disruptions.

After the White House attempted to freeze certain federal child care funding, citing fraud concerns. What if it just went away? What would you do? Figure it out. It would be hard, though, right? If we didn't have daycare, I don't know. Most parents wouldn't ever be able to survive. Julie Serkin, NBC News, Montgomery, Alabama. When we come back, there's good news tonight about the special way these kids said thank you to someone who served them for decades.

There is good news tonight. So often the good news doesn't get as much attention as the bad. So every Saturday we highlight the many people who spread joy and love. And these are just some of those stories this week. One, two, three. In Chattanooga, Tennessee, 23-year-old Abby Wilson didn't see this coming. There she is, arriving to a round of applause for her final round of chemo.

But her friends and family were already there, giving her strength when she needed it most. Just having their support to know that they're my biggest cheerleaders and that I'm not going through this chemo alone. It was like one of the best feelings ever. Hi. Hi, guys. Hi. At Connolly Elementary School in New Mexico. Students chose to recognize us, officers, with a special project.

It's the lesson these kids will never forget. Those students showing off their model cruisers to the Las Cruces police officers. Who taught them a little something, too. And for longtime cafeteria world, Miss Bertina, a celebration made with love. She's been serving up smiles to Chatham Elementary School students and faculty for 30 years. And now they're celebrating her retirement

with this huge surprise. I was like in a day, and I even asked my coworker, is this for me? I was humble, so grateful and blessed to have all those people put something I got together, all the posters, all the kind words, kind words, wishes. Her secret ingredient, joy. You must have served literally thousands of breakfasts and lunch and special events. I mean, literally thousands. It was never hard for me to do my job because I enjoyed

it. I enjoyed the interaction and the children. I just really was, it has been a privilege for me to be doing this all these years. Now, Ms. Bertina is cooking up a legacy that goes far beyond the kitchen. What is it that has touched so many people? Whatever you do, if you do it from the heart, and with respect and love, everyone's important. It doesn't matter if you're cleaning up something or teaching in the classroom. We all have to work together,

and you work together for the better of our students. Thank you, Ms. Bertina. That's NBC Nightly News for this Saturday. I'm Jose Diazbollard. Thank you for the privilege of your time, and good night.