NBC Nightly News with Tom Llamas - Thursday, May 29, 2025

Episode Date: May 30, 2025

Appeals court reinstates Trump’s tariffs; Judge blocks Trump ban on Harvard’s foreign students; Former assistant to Sean "Diddy" Combs testifies he repeatedly sexually assaulted her; and more on tonight’s broadcast.

Tonight, the battle is breaking out everywhere over President Trump's trade war. Two courts blocking some of his trademark tariffs. But tonight, the federal appeals court allowing some tariffs to continue while a legal challenge plays out. The market reaction plus the fallout for businesses big and small. And our new reporting about that crypto kidnap and torture case. Sources say two NYPD detectives were placed on modified duty, now being investigated for a possible connection to the case.

Severe weather down south, a funnel cloud blowing past drivers on a highway, and one man swept away in Texas. We're tracking it. Plus, Canada on fire. Thousands evacuated, and where it's already impacting air quality in the U.S. The emotional testimony in court, the witness known as Mia, who accused Sean Diddy Coehm's

of sexual assault, what she says he did at the house of R&B star Prince, hardball with Harvard. The new twist says the president tries to strip foreign students from the storied campus on graduation day, and why the Secretary of State is vowing to revoke visas of Chinese college students in the U.S. This is NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt. Good evening and welcome.

Tracking the status of the Trump trade war has been a little bit like following the bouncing ball over the last 24 hours of federal trade court voiding many of Mr. Trump's tariffs, ruling the president exceeded his authority and giving the White House a narrow window to comply. And then just hours ago a separate US court siding with the administration, ruling those tariffs can stay in place while appeals run their course. The ruling pausing the trade court decision, adding further uncertainty to U.S. trade policy. Despite it all, the administration conducting business as usual, moving forward with negotiations with trading partners.

Gabe Gutierrez is at the White House with that and a notable parting of ways at Doge. Tonight, tariff whiplash. A federal appeals court ruling President Trump's tariffs can stay in place for now, temporarily pausing last night's ruling by the U.S. Court of International Trade that had blocked most of the president's sweeping tariffs and given the White House just 10 days to unwind them. Three judges of the U.S. Court of International Trade disagreed and brazenly abused their judicial power to usurp the authority of President Trump, to stop him from carrying out the mandate that the American people gave him.

President Trump relied on emergency powers outlined in a 1977 law to enact many of his tariffs, but the court said that use is impermissible, not because it is unwise or ineffective, but because that law does not allow it. Small businesses in a dozen states had filed the lawsuits. It's just been surreal. Victor Schwartz is the lead plaintiff and the founder of V.O.S. Selections, a small New York based wine company. The tariffs are a cash flow killer, particularly impactful for a small business. This kind of uncertainty is terrible for business.

It's impossible. You're just guessing. The president still has other means of imposing tariffs on imported goods, and the White House says it will keep negotiating with other countries to produce trade barriers on American products, despite the uncertainty. Why would other countries continue these trade deal negotiations? Because other countries around the world have faith in the negotiator in chief, President Donald J. Trump.

And they also probably see how ridiculous this ruling is and they understand that the administration is going to win. The tear of turmoil comes as one of the most visible members of the administration officially confirms he's leaving after his 130-day appointment as a special government employee. Elon Musk thanked the president for the opportunity to reduce wasteful spending while heading up the Department of Government Efficiency. We thank him for his service. We thank him for getting Doge off of the ground and the efforts to cut waste, fraud and abuse

will continue. But tonight, the top Trump ally is also distancing himself from the White House. It's not like I agree with everything the administration does. So it's like, there's, I mean, I agree with much of what the administration does, but we have differences of opinion. Gabe, let me also ask you about some striking comments tonight from the White House about the former first lady. Yes, Lester, the White House press secretary is accusing former First Lady Jill Biden of

being, quote, complicit in a cover-up about her husband's decline while in the White House and is calling on her to speak to House Republican investigators. Tonight, a Biden family spokesperson declined to comment. Lester. Gabe Gutierrez, thank you. Now we turn to that crypto kidnapping case here in New York. New details tonight about two NYPD detectives who have been sidelined as the department looks into whether they're connected to the case.

NBC's Sam Brock with that story. Tonight two members of the New York Police Department have been placed on modified duty. Guns and badges temporarily taken according to the NYPD as they're investigated for any link to two crypto businessmen John waltz and William de Plessis accused of kidnapping an Italian investor before his escape 17 days later in torturing him inside of a soho townhouse trying to pry away his Bitcoin password law enforcement sources familiar with the case say that

includes a detective and Mayor Adam security detail who was working off duty at the time and provided security at that townhouse the NYPD telling NBC News members of the service were modified yesterday. The matter is under internal review. How did this possible connection come to light. Ever since this incident took place detectives are scouring everything that happened at some point the detectives identified a couple of members of the NYPD that may have had

interactions with the Italian tourist and at that point the investigation widens. Terry Monahan is a former NYPD chief of department sources say that detective picked up the Italian tourist at the airport, but where they traveled next and whether either member had any knowledge of what was allegedly happening in that townhouse is under review if they know anything that was going on where they involved in

the criminal. This is all going to come out over the next couple of weeks of the investigation continues. Monahan says any sort of off-duty security job has to be pre approved whether this one was is also part of the investigation. Mayor Adams not addressing the matter during a public appearance today, but a spokesperson told NBC News, every city employee is expected to follow the law, including our officers both on and off duty. We are disturbed by these allegations. Attorneys for both men accused of kidnapping and torture have declined to comment. Sam Brock, NBC News, New York.

In the South, dangerous, severe weather tonight. This video capturing an apparent tornado in metro Atlanta. And the threat isn't over with 22 million in the path of more storms into tomorrow. Plus, in Austin, Texas, flooding yesterday turned deadly when one person died. Elsewhere in the city, two others survived after they got sucked into drainage tunnels underneath an interstate. The jury in Sean Diddy Combs' criminal trial today hearing from a key witness, Combs' former personal assistant who testified the music mogul sexually assaulted her several times.

At times she was so emotional she struggled to speak. Chloe Moloss was in court. Tonight, gripping an emotional testimony from a former personal assistant to Sean Diddy Combs, who wept as she told jurors that her boss repeatedly sexually assaulted and raped her. Testifying under the pseudonym Mia to protect her anonymity, she recounted an incident at his Beverly Hills home when he entered a bedroom where she was sleeping and began having sex with her through tears saying,

quote, he told me to be quiet. He put himself inside of me. I just froze. Another time she said combs forced her to perform oral sex. When asked why she never reported the sexual assaults, she testified, I was going to die with this. I didn't want anyone to know ever calling the assaults the most traumatizing experiences of her life. Combs has pled not guilty to all charges. Mia also

testifying about grueling conditions during the eight years she worked for combs. She said that she once worked five days without sleep leading to a physical breakdown. She said he has thrown things at me. He has thrown me against the wall. He has thrown me into a pool. Mia's testimony that she worked for days on end without sleep and that Combs threw things at her and was otherwise violent goes towards the government's burden of proof for racketeering. They have to show things like forced labor and even the violence helps to prove some of these what are called predicate crimes for a Rico or racketeering charge. Mia also recounted seen combs repeatedly assault his on and

off girlfriend Cassie Ventura saying I've seen him attack her I've seen him throw her on the ground I've seen him crack her head open testifying that in 2012 combs became enraged that she and Ventura went to a party at the home of the late musician Prince she said combs chase them and then attacked Ventura Mia also saying that she and Ventura went to a party at the home of the late musician Prince. She said Combs chased them and then attacked Ventura. Mia also saying that she witnessed the incident that led to this gash on Ventura's forehead. She said Combs threw Ventura into a bed frame, adding, it was the first time I realized like the severe danger that we were actually in.

And Chloe joining us now. Mia is expected back on the stand tomorrow, we understand. in. And Chloe joining us now. Mia is expected back on the stand tomorrow. We understand. That's right, Lester. We're expecting another emotional day of testimony from her. And at times today, her voice would barely get above a whisper. She was crying and she said on the stand that she thought that every assault would be the last one.

Lester, Chloe, the loss tonight. Thank you. Now to the showdown between President Trump and Harvard over foreign students. The university notching a legal victory today as the Trump administration also says it will revoke visas for many students from China. Stephanie Goss with late details now. At graduation today, Harvard president Alan Garber getting a standing ovation when he praised graduates from around the world. Around the world just as it should be. Yeah! While just across town, a federal judge

extended her order blocking the Trump administration from revoking all foreign student visas at the university. But it is only a small win for Harvard. Its international students still face legal limbo that could last months. I'm not sure if I am able to return to Harvard for my fall semester which begins in August. Pakistani student Abdullah Shaheed Seyal was just elected student body president. He spoke to us from Australia. We really want to come back.

The Trump administration accuses Harvard of fostering anti-Semitism on campus and implementing what it calls racist DEI policies. A Harvard University task force recently found a demonization of Israel and bullying of Jewish students on campus. But Harvard rejects the government's demands, which include sweeping oversight of its curriculum, hiring and admissions. In retaliation, federal agencies froze billions of dollars in grants, including for cancer research.

Harvard has been a disaster. I'd rather see that money go to trade schools. And by the way, they're totally anti-Semitic at Harvard. The move to revoke international student visas impacts more than a quarter of the student body. Tonight, the Trump administration with a new escalation. Secretary of State Marco Rubio announcing the State Department will aggressively revoke visas for Chinese students, including those with connections to the Chinese Communist Party or studying in critical fields, and will revise visa criteria to enhance scrutiny of all future visa applications from China. Two hundred and seventy thousand Chinese students are studying at U.S. colleges. Back here at Harvard, Maria

Kuznetsova graduated today. She's a human rights activist from Russia. But what happens to you if your visa gets revoked? I don't have any, like, other visas. If I get deported back to Russia directly, like, it's a very bad situation for me. Tonight, Harvard officials tell us that because of the uncertainty surrounding their visas, dozens of students have reached out for help transferring to other schools, Lester. Stephanie, thank you. We turn now to the issue of medical debt and the struggles so many people have once they

become patients, understanding all the bills that come after an unexpected medical crisis and whether they are fair. Here's Liz Kreutz. Three years ago, Blake Pfeiffer went for emergency stomach surgery in Colorado Springs. He's a self-employed plumber and says at the time he couldn't afford insurance. He knew he'd have to pay out of pocket, but says the bills that came from the University of Colorado Health System made no sense. To this day, though, you still don't day though you still don't understand I still don't

understand that I don't know. The initial charges for his 7 day stay a $104,000 which quickly became 58,000 because of discounts for being a self pay patient. But Blake and his wife Don say bills just kept coming and without explanation. We literally had bills scattered all over the floor and it covered the entire office I get a bill for 20 some dollars and then I get a bill for

145 and then I get a bill for 75. They say they stop paying when no one at the hospital would explain the charges then they heard from a collection agency. I did not like going anybody any money but also like paying for something I don't know whether I'm paying for the couple went to a patient advocacy group for help and we're told that at the time the hospital wasn't publicly

displaying many of the charges a new law required but that wasn't the biggest issue for some of the test he received Blake was being charged far more than insured patients were charged for the same thing that's despite UC's own financial statement saying self-pay patients should typically pay a similar amount. Here's one example. UC health's public price data showed the hospital was charging insured patients anywhere from $6 to $53 for a common metabolic panel blood test, depending on who the insurer was but Blake's record show even after his cash discount he was being charged roughly a 103.

He didn't get a deal. He was actually charged over 2 times more than what would be a appropriate price patient rights advocate co-founder Cynthia Fisher says the issue is rampant across the country. You see health is one, and hospitals are using and hiding also, not only their prices, but they're hiding behind aggressive collection agencies that are going after these patients.

In a statement to NBC News, UC Health declined to talk about Blake's situation, citing a notice of a potential lawsuit from his lawyer, but it did dispute the lawyer's allegations and noted that the state of Colorado has found their hospitals to be in compliance with transparency rules. The patient advocacy group also says the health system is now compliant with those rules. Do you feel like there was any transparency in this process? No, no, nobody, nobody was interested in talking to us.

The Pfeiffer say their frustrations primarily stem from that confusion and lack of communication to help understand what the bills were for. And they now have this request to hospitals. Be more transparent. Treat people like you would want your family being treated. Liz Kreutz, NBC News, Colorado Springs. In 60 seconds, the billion dollar beauty deal. Hailey Bieber's popular beauty company acquired for a billion dollars today.

Why she's just the latest woman to go big with their brand. Next. A breakout beauty brand just sealed a major deal. Hailey Bieber's brand has been acquired in a deal worth one billion dollars. A move highlighting the booming business of beauty and its female founders. Kathy Park reports. I really, really, really love this one. This week, Hailey Bieber's beauty brand, Rode, got a major glow up with a billion dollar deal with Elf Beauty, a cosmetics giant widely available at your nearest drugstore.

How significant is a deal like this. This is a very big deal. It's one of the bigger beauty deals we've seen in some time. She's not the only celebrity capitalizing on the booming beauty industry a global market estimated to be worth over 700 billion dollars in the next 3 years. Rihanna Lady Gaga and Selena Gomez all launched successful beauty lines using their star power

to propel their brands. How did the beauty market get so big? A lot of it is social media. I've gone through two bottles of this. Full face of a road. We've had an explosion of content around beauty from product reviews to get ready with me videos. These just share beauty knowledge with a much wider audience.

Road launch in 2022 growing a massive following on tiktok with viral product trends glazed and glowing just how we like it. The 28 year-old model and founder will say on his chief creative officer saying in a statement I found a like mine to disrupt her with the vision to be a different kind of company that believes in big ideas and innovation in the same way that I do. A breakout beauty brand and now the face behind a billion dollar deal. Kathy Park, NBC News.

We're back in a moment with newly surfaced video of a traveler at Miami's airport assaulting a TSA officer, plus new developments in the case of a man accused of stalking Jennifer Aniston after he crashed this car into her gate. Back now with massive wildfires burning out of control in Canada, officials issuing a state of emergency across the province of Manitoba, where 17,000 people were ordered to evacuate their homes. Winds are expected to bring wildfire smoke to some Midwest states tonight and tomorrow. Also this evening, newly surfaced video shows a passenger at Miami International Airport

attacking two people, including a TSA officer. It happened in December, but was just released as the suspect is set to appear in court and plead guilty. The man had already been kicked off a plane the day before for allegedly assaulting someone else. And the man charged with stalking Jennifer Aniston was found not currently competent to stand trial after he crashed into this gate at her Bel Air home. The district attorney's office says 48-year-old Jimmy Wayne Carmoisle repeatedly harassed Aniston since 2023, sending her online messages and voicemails. The criminal proceedings have been suspended, but if convicted, he could face three years

in prison. And that is nightly news for this Thursday. Thank you for watching. I'm Lester Holt. Please take care of yourself and each other. Good night.