NBC Nightly News with Tom Llamas - Sunday, May 17, 2026

Episode Date: May 18, 2026

Midair jet collision forces lockdown at Idaho Air Force base show; Millions on alert for severe weather with dangerous conditions expected; Trump targets political rivals ahead of midterms;  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.

We are following breaking news as we come on the air, the stunning free fall crash as two Navy jets collide at an air show. Dramatic new video of those planes tangling up as people watched from the ground. The crew ejecting, parachuting past the smoke after the planes explode on impact. You see it there. Emergency crews rushing to the scene. The late developments just coming in. Also tonight menacing thunderstorms in Kansas. Plus hail the size of golf balls.

The worst of it yet to come. In Minnesota, a new wildfire emergency. And in the east, the big heat wave on the way. We're tracking it all. World health officials sounding the alarm, declaring a global health emergency over the latest Ebola outbreak and new developments on the cruise ship dealing with a deadly hantavirus outbreak.

A political upset proving President Trump's tightening grip on the GOP, what we're hearing from Republicans now ahead of key primaries this week with another Republican in the fight for his political life after crossing the president. President Trump also warning Iran saying the clock is ticking to reach a deal. Could the fighting start again? Commencement speakers being booed by graduates. The question is whether you will help shape artificial intelligence. We do not know.

The reason for the chilly reception at speeches meant to inspire the next generation. On death row for decades, the prison inmate convicted with testimony from a hypnotized witness, now fighting for his freedom. Why fights erupted with chaotic crowds, swarming swatch stores, some even forced to close. And there's good news tonight how a wrong number at the right time led to a life-changing friendship. This is NBC Nightly News with Hallie Jackson. Good evening. We begin tonight with breaking news and the dramatic scene at an Idaho air show captured on camera. Two Navy jets colliding. Look at this. You see it here. It looks like at one point they get tangled up here. And then after this, you're going to see the crew members inside eject. There they go with the planes going into free fall, slamming to the ground, exploding into that fireball with the parachutes drifting down in front of all of that black smoke.

incredibly, we're told all four people in the planes survived, with questions tonight over how this happened in the first place. Our George Solis starts us off. Jaw dropping moments at an air show in Idaho captured on camera. The plane crash. Watch as these two U.S. Navy jets collide, go vertical, and then begin to spin as debris and flames ignite. Navy officials say the pilots collided while performing an aerial demonstration. Incredibly, you can see four parachutes deploy as the jets start to rapidly plummet towards the ground. Today, there you are.

This is to come again. I run the heat. You're not going to have been before. One of the parachutes that are sweet. The pilots floating just above as the wreckage explodes into a ball of fire and dust. Rich Rehill witnessed the dramatic moments. We knew it wasn't good, but we've also been told that, you know, we saw the four parachutes. That was a good sign.

Videos appearing to show the group landing back on the ground. Police say the dramatic collision resulting in the Mountain Home Air Force Base, about 40 miles east of Boise, to go on lockdown. The rest of the air show canceled. George is joining us now. George, what else do we know about how those crew members are doing? Yeah, Halley, tonight Navy officials tell us all four. of those pilots are being evaluated by doctors and say this incident still remains under investigation, Allie.

George Solis, thank you. Also, tonight millions of us are on alert for a dangerous storm and fire threat with the worst of it yet to come. Morgan Chesky reports. Tonight, from dangerous storms to fast-moving fires, millions from coast to coast bracing for severe weather. This line of thunderstorms making for a menacing skyline in Kansas. dark clouds unleashing a flurry of hail, some as big as golf balls.

The rising threat for damaging storms now impacting an estimated 17 million people, with tornado potential high. This twister churning through Iowa Saturday, one of four confirmed. Look at this! Farther north. Flames forcing Minnesota's governor to call in the National Guard to help contain an outbreak of multiple fires. Flames scorching thousands of acres.

Here you can see the sky burning orange, sirens blaring, and police launching an investigation, looking for whomever opened fire striking this fire suppression plane. The sheriff says no one was hurt. Meanwhile in Texas, crews able to slow the spread of the Hungate fire outside Amarillo. There were parts of it that were just so fast moving that it was hard to comprehend. Shelby Crow's home survived. But tonight, she's still uneasy. How did it feel knowing it was that close?

Um, nerve-wracking. I am where my mom evacuates to, and my mom is where I evacuate to. So for both of us to be in the same predicament at the same time, it was nerve-wracking. The fire threat stretching all the way to California, where it's already feeling like summer. And with gusty winds, red flag warnings will remain in place through Monday. Morgan is joining us now, and Morgan is. It is only going to get more intense in the hours to come, right? Yeah, Hallie, that's right.

The risk of baseball-sized hails, 70-mile-an-hour wind gusts, and even a potential tornado's expands to 50 million people starting tomorrow. Meanwhile, those in the Northeast staring down a heat wave that could last days on in with some areas expecting temps in high 90s, Hallie. Morgan Chesky, thank you. The CDC late today trying to temper concerns here at home about a new Ebola outbreak with the rest of the world on edge about what's now been declared a global health emergency. Kier Simmons has the latest.

Tonight, the World Health Organization declaring a global health emergency as cases of Ebola virus surge in Africa. International health agencies now preparing a large-scale response to an outbreak that may be difficult to trace. Currently, I'm on panic mode because people are dying. First identified in the Democratic Republic of Congo with at least 336 suspected cases and more than 85 suspected death since April. Yeah, is it a good done? I'm really frightened. These latest cases tied to the Bundabuglio strain of the virus, for which health officials say there is no approved vaccine or treatment. In the US, the CDC saying the risk to Americans

is low, but not confirming whether any Americans in the region may already be infected. The spread of Ebola is primarily person to person with contact of fluids, body fluid, secretions, saliva, etc. It does come with a high mortality rate, a high transmission rate. All this says Hunter virus continues to be a concern. Canadian health officials say a passenger that was on board the infected cruise ship has tested positive. That individual and their spouse who is showing mild symptoms of the rare but deadly virus are now in isolation at a hospital in Canada. However, health officials in Washington State are looking into six potential exposure cases. Tomorrow, the remaining crew, staff and crew will disembark in the Netherlands.

Afterwards, the ship expected to be cleaned and disinfected. Kier Simmons, NBC News. New fallout tonight after a political upset in Louisiana, a sitting senator losing his primary after crossing President Trump with another Republican fighting to avoid a similar outcome just days from now. Julie Circon reports. Tonight, another Republican who crossed President Trump voted out. Louisiana Senator Bill Cassidy losing his primary election, becoming the latest casualty in Trump's revenge tour. When you participate in democracy, sometimes it doesn't turn out the way you wanted to. The president posting this video on social media today.

I voted to convict President Trump. Depicting him hitting the senator in the head with a golf ball. Cassidy voted to convict the president for inciting the January 6th and surrounding. and took an apparent dig at him overnight. But you don't pout, you don't whine, you don't claim that election was stolen, you don't find a reason. President Trump is on a winning streak. Earlier this month, he helped unseat Republican state lawmakers in Indiana who voted against his redistricting push. And now his focus is on Tuesday, Trump railing against Republican Congressman Thomas Massey nearly 10 times in 24 hours, calling him disloyal, a sanctimony. fool and a loser. Trump's fury with the Kentucky libertarian has only grown after Massey voted against

his signature tax and spending bill last summer, opposed the war in Iran, and pushed to release the Epstein files. That put me on the wrong side of the president for quite a while. And now Trump is looking for someone to primary congresswoman Lauren Bobert in Colorado after she campaigned with Massey, whose race is now the most expensive House primary in history. He's been outspent by outside groups allied with Trump, who are supporting his opponent at Galrine, a political unknown. Massey's going to lose because he's trying to destroy the agenda. This is the party of Donald Trump. Julie, is joining us now from the White House, and Julie, Congressman Massey seems to be bracing for whatever may come Tuesday night. Yeah, Halley, that's right. That's when we'll see if the president's

efforts have paid off in Congressman Massey's primary. This afternoon, I asked Massey about all of those posts. He told me it appears the president is losing sleep in his race. Hally? Julie Sirkin at the White House, thank you. The president is also out with a threat to Iran tonight, warning, in his words, the clock is ticking, adding they better get moving fast or there won't be anything left of them. On the flight home from his China summit, the president told reporters he dismissed Iran's latest peace proposal. It comes as Iranian officials posted a series of defiant messages calling the president desperate. Also tonight, what's becoming a kind of trend at several graduations across the country with commencement. speakers addressing AI, getting booed, including Google's former CEO just this weekend. Here's Valerie Castro. Spring signals graduation season and commencement speech time, but one phrase proving wildly unpopular. The rise of artificial intelligence is the next industrial revolution.

From a tech business executive to a music industry Titan, AI clearly striking a sore spot. AI is rewriting production as we sit here. Deal with it. Like I said, it's a tool. At the University of Arizona, former Google CEO Eric Schmidt faced loud jeers on the topic. The question is whether you will help shape artificial intelligence.

We do not know. The speaker choice was controversial from the get-go. Some students launching a petition to replace Schmidt in part because he's been accused of rape and sexual assault by a former girlfriend in a lawsuit currently under arbitration. NBC News has reached out to Schmidt for comment but have not heard back, but he has denied the allegations in the past. AI is going to touch everything else as well.

Whatever path you choose, AI will become part of how... When it comes to artificial intelligence and Gen Z, more than half say they use it regularly, according to a recent survey. But a third say the tech makes them feel angry, and nearly half say the... The risks of AI in the workforce outweigh the benefits. If you'd let me make this point, please.

A workforce wary of what lies ahead. Valerie Castro, NBC News. Here in Washington, a prayer rally today on the National Mall is among the first of what will be multiple moments celebrating the country's 250th birthday. Our Gary Grumbach is there. Gary, good evening. Hallie, organizers from the Trump Align Freedom 250

say thousands of people came out for an hour's long prayer event here in the heart of the nation's capital, administration officials and faith leaders calling on attendees to rededicate themselves to God, critics raising concerns about the lack of religious diversity seen on stage. Nearly every speaker in performance, Christian. The Trump administration has been accused of blurring the lines between church and state after prayer circles in the Oval Office, and the president posting a meme depicting himself as Jesus. Now, this event, the first of many this summer celebrating America's 250th birthday, from a UFC fight on the South Lawn to a Grand Prix

race on the streets of the nation's capital and even a Supreme American state fair here on the national law. Hally? Gary Grombach, thank you. Still ahead for us tonight, the hypnosis testimony that helped send this inmate to death row and his plea now. Plus, the new strike on Russia that could signal a new phase in its war with Ukraine. Back now with the case of a Texas man who's spent decades on death row. With all of his appeals denied, he wants the Supreme Court to step in, because he says he was convicted based on testimony of a witness who'd been hypnotized. Dan Slepian reports. What we're going to do is when we get you into a deep state of hypnosis.

This woman, an eyewitness in a murder investigation, is about to undergo hypnosis by a detective. We'll be to count down from three zero. The court testimony of Jill Bargeneer sitting in that chair would help send this man, Charles Flores, to death row. She points to you and says, I'm 100% sure that's the guy. How did that feel to you? It's like a nightmare. It's like what is going on? On January 29, 1998 in Farmers Branch, Texas, 64-year-old Betty Black was killed inside her home.

Bargeneer, Black's neighbor, told police she'd been looking out this window that morning and saw a distinctive VW bug in the driveway next store. She said two white men, both with long hair, got out. The next day, the owner of that VW bug was picked up. Bargeneer identified him as the driver, and he was arrested for murder. Police were now on the hunt for the second man. We were there to try to track down anybody could have been involved in this. Jeff Ashbranner was a narcotic sergeant at the time.

His team heard that hours before the murder, the man they arrested, was part of a drug deal with someone named Charlie. And Irving PD was very very very. familiar with a guy named Charlie Flores. Charles Flores, not a white man with long hair. That's when Bargeneer came to the police station to be hypnotized. Again, she said the second man had long hair. And see it to his shoulders. Before the hypnosis ended, the detective told her this.

You find yourself being able to recall other things at trial at trial. 13 months later at Flores' murder trial, for the first time, Bargeneer identified him as the passenger in the car, but the jury never heard the full backstory. Gretchen Swin has represented Flores for a decade. They don't see the hypnosis session. They see this very credible woman, say I'm 100% sure he's the guy. Bargeneer didn't reply to our requests for an interview. I witness identification is often wrong, according to the National Academy of Sciences.

Hypnosis can make that problem worse. Today, Texas recognizes the danger. In 2023, the state legislature passed a law saying all statements made during or after a hypnotic session are not admissible in a criminal trial. But that change came too late for Charles Flores. All of his appeals have been denied. There's more facts of this case than just a hypnotism. Ashbranner points out that the man who owned the VW bug stashed it behind Flores' home. I didn't know they had went and murdered Mrs. Black. I didn't know that the police were looking for that car.

I'm getting set up. Two days later, Flores set it on fire. Then he fled to Mexico. When Flores came back, he led police on a chase, crashed his car, and was taken to the hospital, where he tried to escape again. Looking back, don't you think that's kind of a bonehead move? Just a little bit.

Do you understand how people can look at that and not see that as a sign of innocence? Sure, but I'm here to tell you, you also run when you're afraid. I had that thought. They're going to kill me. They're going to kill me. And you know what? I was right. Where am I? Charles Flores still insists Texas got it wrong. The only direct evidence presented at trial placing him at the scene came from one eyewitness who had been hypnotized.

Flora says the state is planning to kill an innocent man. I had nothing to do with the murder of Mrs. Black. Dan Slepian, NBC News. And we will have more of Dan's reporting on this controversial case tomorrow. at 5 o'clock Eastern on H.JN over on NBC News Now. We are back in a moment with what led to the swarming of swatch stores with look at this, fights erupting at some locations. Next.

Fighting between Russia and Ukraine escalating now with Ukraine launching a deadly strike overnight deep inside Russia with some of those attacks near Moscow. Russian state media reports at least four people have been killed. Ukraine's president said the attacks were in response to deadly Russian strikes on Friday. Also, tonight, commuters in New York are bracing for a chaotic Monday morning with workers for one of the busiest commuter railroads in the country going on strike. Hundreds of thousands of people who ride the Long Island Railroad are affected, with officials encouraging people to work from home if they can't. And check out the chaos at swatch stores here in the U.S. and around the world for the launch of a new line of pocket watches. Huge crowds showing up.

And in one case, in Milan, even a fight breaking out. You see it there. Some shoppers had been waiting in line for days. Swatch says it even had to close some of its stores over safety concerns. When we come back, there is good news tonight about the unlikely friendship with unexpected roots. To where I talked to pilot into flipping it on its side. There is good news tonight about being open to the unexpected, with a wrong number to the right person leading to a lifelong friendship. Hello.

Lauren Stevens and Werner Croutine aren't just friends. They're besties. From karaoke. Here we are. To TikToks together. The unlikely friendship starting by accident. You're so good. I know.

I know. It all began when Lauren's work phone got messages clearly meant for someone else. I kept getting text messages saying Vern Dog, Vern Dog. And I very much was obviously who the heck. is Vern Dog. Verndo. That brought Lauren to his website, where she learned Vern Dog was Werner, a renowned San Francisco

photographer who'd spent decades traveling the world with his camera. Emails turned to phone calls. It's actually video chat. We couldn't figure that out on your side. Hanging out in person and opening up. What was it like for you when Lauren sort of entered your life?

That was like such a wonderful feeling, actually. somebody cared. And from that point on, it just accelerated. Yeah. As the world has gone digital, Vern's been struggling to make ends meet, so Lauren decided to help, sharing his work online and creating a GoFundMe that's raised more than $40,000 so far. I cannot tell you how amazing it is just having Lauren not only as somebody who supports me, but just who's become a really close friend. I can't believe it. She's 24. I'm 72. That friendship, lifting Vern when he needed it most, all from a wrong number at the right time. Be open to connection. Finding these small moments with people and your community is really what allows for a very grand and beautiful life.

A good lesson for all of us. That is nightly news for this Sunday, but stick around Sunday night baseball. is up next, the Padres Against the Mariners. I'm Hallie Jackson. For all of us here at NBC, thanks for watching and have a great week. What a fun day. It's a great thing.