NBC Nightly News with Tom Llamas - Sunday, May 25, 2025

Episode Date: May 25, 2025

American charged with plotting to bomb U.S. Embassy office in Israel; 1 hospitalized after fuel tanker crash on Florida highway; Severe weather threatens Memorial Day travel rush; and more on tonight���s broadcast.

Tonight, an American citizen accused of plotting a firebomb attack in Israel. The Justice Department arresting the suspect at the JFK International Airport today, charged with planning to bomb a U.S. Embassy office in Tel Aviv with Molotov cocktails. The suspect allegedly posting death to America on social media and threatening to assassinate President Trump, the latest on that investigation. And a fiery explosion, heavy black smoke billowing in the air after a fuel tanker collided with the bus. This busy Florida highway shut down.

What we are learning about the crash and the survivor pulled from that wreckage. And millions of people at risk for severe weather ahead of the Memorial Day travel rush. What you need to know if you are headed home. And growing questions about an alleged kidnapping and torture case in New York City. The new information now coming to light and it has been five years since George Floyd died in police custody. What's changed after his death sparked a movement.

National parks forced to cut services and grappling with huge layoffs in the federal workforce. The big question, what does this mean for your summer vacation trip and honoring the ultimate sacrifice and inside look at the special marine unit that pays final tribute to their fallen brothers and sisters says NBC Nightly News with Hallie Jackson. Good evening. I'm got a schwarzen for Hallie tonight and we start with allegations of a terrifying attack plan. 28 year old Joseph New Mayor, an American citizen, was arrested today and is accused of plotting to fire bomb a U.S. Embassy office in Tel Aviv. Federal prosecutors say he was stopped while carrying Molotov cocktails and it also posted disturbing threats on social media. Matt Bradley starts us off tonight in Tel Aviv. posted disturbing threats on social media. Matt Bradley starts us off tonight in Tel Aviv.

Tonight a man accused of trying to firebomb a branch office of the U.S. Embassy in Tel Aviv appeared in a New York court. Earlier today Joseph Neumeyer, a dual U.S. German national, was detained at New York's JFK airport after he was deported from Israel, where the 28-year-old allegedly planned to burn down a branch U.S. embassy building. Neumeyer's ideology remains unknown, but his arrest comes amid growing concern over rising anti-Semitism. Just days after a gunman killed two Israeli embassy employees, couple Yaron Lechinsky

and Sarah Lynn Milgram, in Washington on Wednesday. The Justice Department said in a statement that on May 19th, Neumeyer approached an embassy guard and spat on the guard. He fled when guards tried to detain him, the statement said, but he left his backpack, which contained three Maltov cocktails, a kind of firebomb. Earlier that day, the Justice Department said Neumeyer had written threatening social media posts.

Join me as I burn down the embassy in Tel Aviv, he had written, death to America, death to Americans. The Justice Department statement said earlier posts included plans to assassinate President Donald Trump. And Matt Bradley joins us from that US embassy building in Tel Aviv. Matt, what kind of charges is the suspect facing here? Yeah, well, Attorney General Pambandi said that new mayor faces accusations of planning to attack this U.S. embassy behind me and threatening the lives of American citizens and President Donald

Trump. If convicted, he could face up to 20 years in jail. Got it? Matt Bradley in Tel Aviv, thank you. To Florida now and to an inferno on the highway, a fuel tanker bursting into flames after crashing into a bus. Priscilla Thompson has more. A sea of massive orange flames engulfing Florida's Interstate 595.

After officials say a fuel tanker and public bus collided in Broward County this morning. That's an explosion driver of the still inside a vehicle. Davie fire says one person was taken to the hospital during a busy holiday weekend on the roads families passing in disbelief. belief. Officers seen here diverting traffic as thick black plumes

filled otherwise sunny skies. There were some toxic fumes coming had to breathe through the towel for a while traffic shut down for hours as firefighters sprayed water and repellent in a race to contain the place. I felt like I was standing in front of a fire. NBC Miami anchor and reporter Sharna Amara capturing this video on her drive home from work. It's just dark, dark black,

and then all you see from the blackness is like this, what looked like a swirl of fire. It was just so scary, because I'm like, is it gonna explode? Views from above showing the aftermath aftermath as tonight the crash still under investigation Priscilla Thompson NBC News And the Memorial Day travel rush is set to ramp up tomorrow with millions of people hitting the roads in the skies But severe weather could make it getting home even harder Ryan Chandler has the latest

But severe weather could make it getting home even harder. Ryan Chandler has the latest. Tonight, severe weather slamming parts of the country during a record holiday travel weekend. Hail pelting Colorado. Even seen as far south as Florida. In Missouri, floodwaters seen from the sky after heavy rain. And in Tennessee, winds up to 45 miles an hour

ripping off the roof of this tornado safe room near Memphis. 23 million people from New Mexico to Georgia at risk for tornadoes, hail and high winds today. The risks target the south tomorrow, putting 12 million people from Arkansas to Texas and Louisiana in the warning zone for hail and tornadoes. That severe weather could target the second busiest airport in the U.S. here at DFW. Some passengers say they're heading home early to beat the weather and the weights.

We try to do it Sunday so we don't get in the Memorial Day scramble to get home. Most Americans rushing to the roads, the vast majority opting to drive instead of fly. Triple A reporting that for most people, the best time to travel on Memorial Day before 2 p.m. and the worst time between 4 and 7 p.m. Americans watching the skies and highways as the race to get home gets underway. And Ryan joins us live. Ryan, what airports are seeing the worst of the delays right now Well got a the big story there right now delays in Denver flight aware reporting

131 flights are delayed there right now more than 4,000 flights delayed nationwide today and the big concern heading into tomorrow Especially here in DFW. Well, that's severe weather heading in keep Monday flyers from heading home. Got it. Brian Chandler at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport. Thank you to New York City now where we're learning more about an alleged kidnapping and torture case involving a dispute over crypto. My England has this report. More questions tonight as investigators uncover the gruesome details of how a 37 year old crypto trader allegedly tortured a man for 17 days. It's More questions tonight as investigators uncover the gruesome details of how a 37-year-old crypto trader allegedly tortured a man for 17 days. It's insane.

It's like, I don't know, something out of a horror movie. How didn't anyone hear the guy? New York City police say they arrested John Wiltz Friday after the alleged victim escaped from this high-priced six-story townhome in downtown Manhattan. What happened, sir? Did he take money from you? from this high price six story townhome in downtown Manhattan. Did he take money from you? Wilt's net worth is estimated to be $100 million according to law

enforcement sources. They say the victims net worth is closer to 30 million and law enforcement sources close to the investigation say the kidnapped man who was from Italy had previous connections with Walt's and another business partner. The men met up

in the city on May 6. According to a criminal complaint, over the next two weeks, the alleged victim says he was beaten, whipped with a gun, and subjected to other torture devices because he refused to share his Bitcoin password with Waltz and the other male accomplice, who was still wanted by police. Law enforcement sources added that the men tied an air tag on him and even urinated on the victim. Photographs of the alleged crimes, a gun and other

torture devices were found by authorities inside the home. They describe as a high end frat house filled with alcohol and stripper polls. Curious residents and tourists have stopped by the home shocked by the details. I'm down here pretty often, so it's it's it's wild to see something like this going on. Wiltz's lawyer declined to request for comment at this time. The crypto trader has been charged with assault, kidnapping and criminal possession of a firearm. He's scheduled to appear again in court on Wednesday. And Maya, what else are we hearing about the man who escaped? God, the authorities say that the alleged victim has not been publicly identified and when

he escaped, he was covered in cuts and bruises. He was taken to the hospital and is in stable condition. Gotti. My England, thank you. Now to politics with President Trump extending his deadline on the European Union after he threatened a massive 50% tariff on that trading block. Yamiche Alcindor has more. Tonight, President Trump extending the deadline

to make a trade deal with the European Union as he threatens to impose a 50% tariff on the block of nations. The president saying he spoke with the leader of the EU. July 9th would be the date. That was the date she requested. Could we move it from June 1st to July 9th? And I agreed to do that. And that she said we will rapidly get together and see if we

can work something out. On Friday, the president saying discussions with them were going nowhere and that he planned to roll out the new tariff as a result. In response to European Union's top trade official saying trade must be guided by mutual respect, not threats. The EU is one of the nation's largest trading partners, with more than $900 billion in goods exchanged last year, according to the U.S. Trade Representative. It's a genuine fear that we'll be priced out of being able to do business. The looming deadline is especially concerning for small business owners like Joe Carney of

Thanos Import Market in Syracuse, New York. Carney buys Mediterranean products like olive oil, cheeses, pasta, and vinegars. If you could talk to President Trump, what would your message to him be? Yeah, I would say that these threats of tariffs just aren't affecting these companies and nations overseas. They're affecting folks here and little markets like ours.

Now Carney is bracing to see how much he may have to pass off costs to his customers. Yamiche Alcindor, NBC News. And to Europe now, where Russia launched the biggest airstrike since the war in Ukraine began, according to Ukrainian officials, and there were massive explosions overnight after more than 300 drones and missiles from Russia targeted more than 30 cities and villages, including the capital of Kiev. This comes after a major prisoner swap between Russia and Ukraine this weekend. Here at home today marks five years since George Floyd's death in police custody, sparking a nationwide movement for police reform. But with efforts stalled or stopped across the country, Floyd's family is making a new push

to change policing in America. Our Shaq Brewster is in Minneapolis tonight. At the Minneapolis intersection where George Floyd was murdered five years ago, a community commemorating its loss. Floyd took his last breaths here under the knee of Derek Chauvin. Thank you Lord. Floyd took his last breaths here under the knee of Derek Chauvin.

We cannot remain the same after what we have experienced here, and yet there's so much resistance to change. In Houston, loved ones holding a private memorial service. May 25th, my brother was murdered for the world to see. His family emotionally renewing their push for police reform Let's stick to this movement and stick to the script. We're not gonna give up We're gonna continue to fight while states have passed more than 1,500 policing related bills since May 2020 many of them did not address police accountability and standards and last week the Trump administration

rolled back investigations into and lawsuits reforming departments accused of discriminatory policing. There is a expressed desire to reform the police and to invest in our communities. Andrea Jenkins is a city council member who represents the area where Floyd was killed. There's still a lot of trauma. You know, people but we're not quite there the trauma that you felt through community lightin

2020, Billy Briggs has ta of pictures of the square where he's lived for dec families park in front of my house, walking over there, I know they're going over for a hard lesson, but an important one. Lessons bringing a city closer to healing. Shaquille Brewster, NBC News, Minneapolis. And still ahead tonight, national parks across the country are gearing up for a summer unlike any other. But after massive cuts to the federal workforce, will they be ready for your visit?

That's coming up next. And we are back now with some pretty wild video. Look at this, a box truck exploding in Illinois. Authorities say the truck was carrying a leaking propane tank that exploded damaging nearby homes and cars. Police say the truck's driver only had minor injuries. Also tonight, a major test for our national park system. This weekend is the unofficial start to summer, but with cuts to federal workers and scaled back services, the big question is whether the parks are ready for more visitors. Morgan Chesky has a closer look.

Tonight, our nation's parks promising pristine views, taking changes in stride amid a busy summer season. Today outside Zion National Park, visitors found bumper to bumper traffic already backing up area roads. And there's definitely a million people going to Zion today. Now, as summer heats up, multiple parks sharing changes. At Yosemite, visitors arriving between 6 AM and 2 PM will need reservations for entry, and many are filling up fast. In Tennessee, 12 million visitors

converged last year on Great Smoky Mountains National Park. This year, six of 10 campgrounds are closed until further notice. At Utah's arches, reduced staff means fewer trash cans and picnic tables. The change, similar to New Mexico's Carlsbad Caverns, or Ranger Cave Tours, are suspended. There's certainly been a roller coaster. Lee Zimmerman, who runs three lodges that all serve Yosemite,

says bookings haven't been this low since the pandemic. If this doesn't pick up, where does that put you? It puts us in a really difficult situation. So if you don't get the traffic when you need it, it creates a pretty dire financial situation. He tells us fears over park cuts plus economic uncertainty have hurt his business. Adding the fraught political climate has cut down on international visitors too. Still, as we await holiday weekend numbers out of Yosemite, early reports suggest things rent smoothly, still offering the magic of a national park getaway. Maybe it won't be in the same numbers were used to, but we weathered plenty of storms in our 25 years plus in the national park.

So we'll weather this one as well. Morgan Chesky, NBC News Los Angeles. And we're back in a moment with a rare inside look at a special marine unit Morgan Chesky, NBC News, Los Angeles. And we're back in a moment with a rare inside look at a special Marine unit that honors and pays tribute to their fallen brothers and sisters. As we prepare to commemorate Memorial Day tomorrow, we have an inside look at how a special Marine unit provides memorial services and pays tribute to those who have made the ultimate sacrifice. Our Courtney QB went to Arlington National Cemetery to see it for herself.

These Marines are the last ones to let you down. They're the body bearers at Arlington National Cemetery who carry fallen Marines to their final resting place. Colonel Kerry Batson is the first woman to ever serve as their commander. If there's a Marine who dies in service to the nation, the body bears are rendering that final honor that final salute to that Marine.

It's a physically and emotionally grueling job. Performing up to eight funerals a day, five days per week, these six Marines carry caskets weighing up to 1,000 pounds. We only use six. Other services use eight because Marines are different. We believe six looks better and it's the least we can do for our fallen.

Their unlikely training ground, a parking garage at the Marine Corps Barracks in Washington are different. We believe six looks better and it's the least we can do for our fallen. Their unlikely training ground? A parking garage at the Marine Corps Barracks in Washington, where this elite unit learns to carry caskets at shoulder height higher than other military services. Then they raise it over their heads as a final salute before laying it to rest. Their mission? Make it look effortless. We'll see a lot of entry-level students struggle. They'll make faces, they'll make noises. When before laying it to rest. Their mission? Make it look effortless. You'll see a lot of entry level students struggle. They'll make faces, they'll make noises.

When we train down the lower parking, so we try and kind of take away those habits of making faces grunting. And show no emotion. To have that flawless bearing, to have perfect discipline in your body, in your face, to be able to still bear that weight of the casket or the urn it's the ultimate sign of respect that family.

Quiet professionals serving across long distances on uneven ground and in all types of weather. We do for the family make sure that they get that funeral they deserve just stick to the sequence nothing changes that's there one and only so what makes it perfect. They put their lives on hold committing nearly 3 years for this mission each performing hundreds of us and supporting

one another when the job gets tough. Knowing you're not going to alone. Yeah, 5 other people run that box of the brothers. Honoring Marines like Colonel Bruce Pfeiffer laid to rest by Marines who stand with their brother until the end. Courtney Qubie, NBC News, Arlington, Virginia. That's NBC Nightly News for this Sunday. I'm Gotti Schwartz. For all of us here at NBC, thank you for watching and have a great week.