NBC Nightly News with Tom Llamas - Saturday, June 6, 2026

Episode Date: June 7, 2026

Severe storms put tens of millions on alert; Iran launches new attacks on U.S. allies; Critical California governor’s race begins to take shape; 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 severe storm threat putting millions on high alert. Injuries reported after a storm collapsed this tent at a baseball game. In Texas, emergency crews rushing to save this woman from her flooded car. Lightning in Iowa flashing across the sky and the northeast bracing for more dangerous weather tonight. Iran launching missiles in new attacks on American allies with the U.S. striking back, our team reporting from the region. New video of a massive inferno as Ukraine goes on the offensive, hitting targets deep inside Russia.

A controversial Senate candidate and one of the most high-profile races in the country. Now he's fighting for his political life and pushing back against new allegation. The search for two inmates escaped in North Carolina and the warning to the public tonight. Wild moments as a suspect slips out of handcuffs and grabs a wheel of a police car. And there's good news tonight. about a huge act of kindness from these students for the principal who always paid it forward.

This is NBC Nightly News with Jose Diaz Ballard. Good evening. We begin tonight with the severe storms impacting millions across the country. This was the scene in West Virginia today, reports of injuries when a storm swept in at a baseball game there, collapsing a tent and sending fans running for cover. We already saw heavy winds and rain. like this in Ohio today, plus incredible lightning in the skies over Iowa. And tonight, there's a threat of even more powerful weather and tropical storm force winds in the northeast. Aaron Gilchrist starts us off tonight. Tonight, terrifying moments at a college baseball playoff game.

Heavy rain and wind sending a tent flying, reportedly hurting several people in West Virginia. I got multiple injuries from tents. Griffin Floyd was. there. Debris blowing everywhere. Credit to the people up on the ridge, they managed to get a hold of that big canopy before it blew all the way over the top. Just some of the extreme weather crossing the nation. Look at this coming in. Downpours battering Ohio today, flooding streets in Louisiana, and in Pennsylvania, powerful wind slamming into homes and forcing country music star Morgan Wallen to cancel his show in Pittsburgh. Sixty four million people are at risk for severe weather tonight from Indiana to New England with a threat of destructive wind and large hail.

Flood alerts posted for 12 million people through Sunday. Parts of Texas already underwater, with storms overnight leading to flash flooding, first responders outside Austin rescuing a woman from a submerged car and saying they rescued or evacuated at least nine people. Lightning filling the skies near Des Moines, Iowa, and this video lit up with flashes of electricity captured from a plane. Where it's not stormy, the summer heat is already on a rampage. We need it to cool down. People battling temperatures 10 to 25 degrees above average in the Rockies and all the way to the Northeast, threatening to break records in several cities. Aaron joins us from Atlanta and Aaron, this heat isn't going away anytime soon.

And Jose, it's just going to get harder to find places to beat the heat. High temps again tomorrow above average, all the way from the Rockies into the plains, where we know people also have an enhanced risk for big-time hail and possibly even tornadoes. O'A.? Aaron Gilchrist in Atlanta, thank you. To the Middle East now, and Iran fired a series of missiles at key American allies in the region. The U.S. responded with strikes of its own. Matt Bradley reports tonight.

Early this morning, U.S. airstrikes hit Iranian radar sites, once again challenging a fragile ceasefire. U.S. Central Command says the strikes came after Iranian. attacks on ships traveling through the Strait of Hormuz. And U.S. allies Bahrain and Kuwait, the second time in less than a week the two American allies have been in Iran's crosshairs. This time, no casualties were reported. But Iranian attacks on Kuwait's main airport this week left one dead and more than 60 injured. I'm here in Qatar, which hasn't been struck recently. But the ongoing fighting around

the Strait of Hormuz has rattled U.S. allies like this one throughout the region. My colleague, Kristen Welker, sat down with President Trump to discuss the ongoing negotiations with Iran. They are so desperate to make a deal. Why haven't they made a deal with you yet? Because it's a very hard thing for them. They've had great independence. They've dealt with very weak and ineffective leadership on behalf of the United States. Kristen pressed the president on whether the deal he's negotiating would improve upon the one President Barack Obama made in 2015,

and that President Trump scrapped three years later. Why didn't you negotiate a better deal at the time? Because after it was ripped up, there weren't guardrails, and they escalated their production of enriched uranium. Excuse me. It takes years to do these things. These people have been fighting for 47 years. They've been killing Americans. They've been taken off their legs and their arm and their faces have been hurt so badly and so horribly.

I'm moving very fast. I'm into three months. You know, Vietnam lasted 19 years. I'm into my third month. all I do is say, well, when are you going to win? Among the main sticking points in the talks, fighting between Israel and Hezbollah, an Iran-backed Lebanese militia. This week, Hezbollah rejected a full ceasefire agreement between Israel and Lebanon,

meaning for now the attacks continue. Matt Bradley joins me now from Doha Qatar, and Matt, indeed, we do have new reports of fighting in southern Lebanon. That's right. The Lebanese government said three of its soldiers were killed. an Israeli attack, and the Israeli military said two of its troops were killed in southern Lebanon. All of that within days of the U.S. government declaring a ceasefire between Lebanon and Israel. Jose?

Matt Bradley in Doha, thank you. And you can see more of Kristen Welker's exclusive interview with President Trump tomorrow morning on Meet the Press. To Russia now, where Ukraine staged a major attack on key locations overnight. A drone strike sparked this massive inferno. at an oil depot in southern Russia. A military base near St. Petersburg was also hit. All of this comes as Russian leader Vladimir Putin rejected direct talks with Ukrainian President Zelensky.

Today also marks 82 years since D-Day, the Allied invasion of Europe in World War II. Some of the last surviving veterans attended the international commemoration in Normandy, France today. And to California now, where votes are still being counted in several key primary races for governor and L.A. mayor. And the state's slow ballot counting process is opening the door for claims of voter fraud. Here's Liz Kreutz. Tonight, days after California's primary election, millions of ballots still need to be counted as several key races in

the state remain too close to call. NBC News projects Democrat and former Biden cabinet member Javier Becerra will advance to the November runoff to replace Governor Gavin Newsom. Here we come. But it remains to be seen if he'll face Republican political commentator Steve Hilton or fellow Democrat and billionaire climate activist Tom Steyer. In L.A., the competitive race for mayor is also yet to be decided. I'm going to prove to everybody this is for real. While political outsider Spencer Pratt remains in second place, Progressive City Councilwoman Nithia Rahman is gaining ground

and could overtake the former reality TV star to go up against the city's current leader, Karen Bass. As the weight drags on, conservatives blasting the state's slow vote counting process. It's just an example of how these people can't run anything properly. In California's vote-by-mail system, ballots can be counted so long as they are postmarked on or before election and arrive within seven days of the election. Political experts here also say in this heavily blue state, mail and ballots tend to lean Democratic, all of it opening the door to unsubstantiated claims of voter fraud. We just don't want cheating in our elections, and you see it happening in California. As a federal prosecutor in L.A.,

says he's now pursuing multiple election fraud investigations, California's Democratic Attorney General Rob Bonta, pushing back. There is no widespread voter fraud. It is only a figment of the imagination of Trump and others who follow that conspiracy theory. And Jose, it could be several more days before all the ballots are counted here, and in some of these tight races, winners are announced. Jose. Now, to Maine and one of the most high-profile Senate races in the country,

Democratic candidate Graham Platiner speaking out, defending him, against new allegations with a primary just days away. Monica Alba has the latest. Since the beginning, Maine, you had my back. Speaking to supporters late Friday night, Democratic Senate candidate Graham Platner appearing to address new allegations of toxic and unsettling behavior from three women who spoke with the New York Times

about past romantic relationships with him. As every single piece of that past and journey gets dug, up, litigated, and weaponized, you have my back. It's the latest scandal for the combat veteran and oyster farm owner turned politician, running to unseat five-term incumbent Republican Susan Collins, who called the accusations troubling. But some of his supporters have been able to overlook them. It's refreshing to have someone actually own up to stuff that they've done and say, yeah, that wasn't such a great idea.

I'm working to be a better person. Alex Siteswalt covers politics for Maine's Mid-Cost Villager newspaper. It's not the first controversy for Plattner, but could this be a bit of a breaking point? I do think this scandal is hitting differently for supporters. It's created this perception that there might be another shoe that's going to drop. With three days until the primary, Democratic leadership is largely sticking by Platner, though some are voicing concerns. I'm not comfortable with that candidate. I'm not going to defend.

someone who has a history of violence against women. Platner, while saying in the past he was not a perfect boyfriend, denies, quote, anything alleging physicality. And come Tuesday is likely to become a key part of Democrats' hopes to win back the Senate. Monica Alba, NBC News. Still ahead tonight, the wild scene as a suspect gets out of his handcuffs and takes the wheel of a police car. Plus the urgent search to find these two escaped inmates in North Carolina. Back now with a search for these two.

In two inmates caught on video escaping a prison in Vance County, North Carolina. The FBI says these men are both considered armed and dangerous. The FBI is offering a $40,000 reward. New video tonight shows the dramatic moments when a suspect slipped out of handcuffs and grabbed the wheel of a police car. Valerie Castro reports. Tonight, a backseat breakout. Police releasing these videos showing the moments a man in custody.

leaps behind the wheel of a Dallas police cruiser and takes off. Police say last week, 37-year-old Stacey Huffman was arrested after a traffic stop for driving without a valid license and possession of drugs and a gun. Once in custody, Huffman manages to get out of handcuffs and undo his seat belt before trying to open the door when officers take notice. Both getting out creating the right opportunity for Huffman. Huffman climbed into the driver's seat and drove away. Officer Harper was able to enter the rear seat of the vehicle as Huffman fled. Officer Harper tries to tase Huffman and even hits him in the head with his gun, but that doesn't slow Huffman down.

After traveling approximately 1,000 feet, that speeds reaching approximately 50 miles per hour. Huffman opened the driver's door and exit from the moving vehicle. Officer Harper, steering from the backseat, swerves to avoid hitting another vehicle on the interstate, eventually bringing the squad car to a stop. Huffman was knocked unconscious after he jumped out of the car. car and was hospitalized for his injuries. The incident now under investigation. Valerie Castro, NBC News. Back now with the countdown to the World Cup and a number of friendly matches held today. Unfortunately, Team USA came up short in their game, losing two to one to Germany in Chicago.

There's 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. Before these high school seniors can collect their diplomas, they have one final classroom to visit. Back to where their journey began, these Westwood High Schoolers are returning to their former elementary school in Massachusetts. Part of his trip down memory lane stops to appreciate the teachers who helped get them to where they are today.

It's full circle. They were first graders. in this classroom and just see them all grown up. I'm so proud to be their teacher. This community in Frontenac, Missouri really delivered. I'm to retirement. After 41 years of serving this town, Postman Mike Carranza is retiring. It's just the interaction with people. That's what I'll miss most. Congratulations, Mike. Thank you. So, instead of collecting their mail, this neighborhood decided to decorate his route to send off their beloved mailman. You're the

Thank you for everything. We'll miss you. That celebration and recognition, earning his stamp of approval. At St. Stevens and St. Agnes School in Virginia. The A-plus send-off, Bud Gurekis will never forget. After 25 years of doing what he loved, students and faculty saying goodbye to their cherished teacher.

I was just completely moved by it, and it's something I never forget. That's one of the high points of my life is that walk up that hallway left. And in Texas, Principal Jason Mutterer is saying goodbye to the Mansfield Summit High School graduating class. Hiding in those diplomas, nearly 500 personalized letters written by Principal Mudderer himself. But this year, the students weren't the only ones to get surprised. We have surprised me over the past few days, we got every senior to write. What did that moment mean to you?

I was shocked and overwhelmed. It just reaffirmed that they see me. They see the hard work that we're doing as a campus and that what we do, what I do matters. As for the student letters, well, just listen to what one of them had to say. You have redefined what a principal is to me. In meeting you, I gained a leader, a role model,

and most importantly, a friend. A major act of kindness in return for the principal who always paid it forward. Small, random acts of kindness can have a huge, huge difference in this world. It has a huge ripple. And then others, they can take that same act of kindness, and they can move that forward and pass it on to others. And that's NBC Nightly News for this Saturday. I'm Jose Diaz-Balart.

Thank you for the privilege of your time. And good night.