NBC Nightly News with Tom Llamas - Tuesday, December 2, 2025

Episode Date: December 3, 2025

Millions of Americans remain under winter alerts; Hegseth defends second strike on alleged drug boat; Putin: If Europe wants war, we are ready; 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 massive winter blast pummeling millions right now. The storm sweeping from Kentucky to New England bringing brutal cold and treacherous snow. Dangerous conditions sending this truck skidding off an overpass. How rescuers rappel down to save the driver. The snow and ice triggering hundreds of crashes across the storm zone, some spots getting nearly a foot of snow. Also tonight the new revelations on those boat strikes in the Caribbean. Pete Hegseth revealed about where he was when that controversial second strike was ordered,

are reporters pressing the Defense Secretary today. Plus the president's fiery rhetoric on Somalians in America, seeming to say he doesn't want them here. New images just in the suspected National Guard shooter spotted near a subway stop, moments before prosecutors say he opened fire, what he allegedly yelled before his deadly ambush. $1,000 for every baby born in America. How you can get that money for your child.

A self-driving car appearing to drive uncomfortably close to an active police scene with passengers on board as officers draw their weapons. Urgent new warnings about the TikTok door kick challenge. The teens arrested for the viral trend and the warning from police to them, it could get them shot. A truck plunging into the ocean the moment caught on camera when a Good Samaritan jumps into help.

And our correspondent goes one-on-one with the tallest basketball player ever. Even Shaq lets up to this college freshman. Nightly News starts right now. This is NBC Nightly News with Tom Yamas. And good evening. A dangerous storm system barreled east today, bringing a blast of snow and ice to much of the Northeast for the first time this season. Millions were pounded by snow and ice and freezing rain and brutally cold temperatures.

And in many places, the weather took a dangerous turn. Take a look at this in West Virginia, a truck dangled over the side of an icy highway. You can see how fast that snow is falling. Emergency crews working for over an hour to rescue the driver from the precarious position. In Connecticut, one tractor trailer completely overturned, white-out conditions causing crash scenes like this one to play out on roadways up and down. the Northeast Corridor. At this hour, 14 million people remain under winter alerts, and the official start of winter is still weeks away. Aaron McLaughlin is in snowy Pennsylvania for us tonight and

leads us off. Tonight, a fast-moving storm striking the northeast. Reeking havoc on the roads as far south as West Virginia. Where for over the edge, where for over five hours, they The cab of this tractor trailer dangled precariously over the side of a bridge. According to reports, the load of bricks the driver was hauling the only thing that kept him in the air. Video shows the harrowing moments the driver was rescued. Meanwhile in Pennsylvania, state troopers responded to more than 500 calls reporting crashes and highways shut down.

And at the nation's airports, flights delayed as crews worked to de-ice planes. Tonight, 14 million Americans under winter alerts, with snow-topos. totals up to 10 inches in parts of New England, and winter supplies flying off store shelves. We've been super busy selling out of ice melter and shovels and everything. In Scranton, Pennsylvania, an alert warning of extreme cold and an all-out effort to stay ahead of the snow. The plows have been working the roads since 7 a.m. You just have to watch for pedestrian. You don't believe how they just, they'll walk right in front air, air, behind you.

I almost had a guy in a little mopet. So PSA, you see a snowplow steer clear? I would think so. Today, former professional snowplow driver, Clyde Best, came out of retirement to salt the streets. What's your advice for folks dealing with all the snow? Stay home. Good advice right there. Aaron joins us now live from Scranton.

And Aaron, there are school closures up and down the East Coast tonight. That's right, Tom, here in Scranton. school was out for the day, as was the case for hundreds of schools throughout the Northeast. The good news is that storm is set to push out tonight, but it'll be followed by some pretty chilly temps. Tom. Aaron McLaughlin leading us off tonight. Aaron, thank you. And in Washington today, our reporter pressing Defense Secretary Pete Higgseth on that controversial

strike on a boat in the Caribbean that some were seeing was a war crime. Gabe Gutierrez now on what Hegseth revealed about his own involvement. tonight president trump defending striking a boat allegedly carrying drugs to the u.s twice in early september i want those boats taken out and if we have to we'll attack on land also just like we attack on sea and there's very little coming in by sea i think we've knocked out over 90 percent of it two people initially survived and the administration says the decision for a second strike killing all on board was made by admiral frank bradley today defense secretary pete higseth said even though he watched the first part of the attack live,

he'd moved on to his next meeting before the second strike. Admiral Bradley made the correct decision to ultimately sink the boat and eliminate the threat. We have his back and the American people are safer because narco terrorists know you can't bring drugs through the water. So you didn't see any survivors to be clear after that first strike? I did not personally see survivors, but I stand because the thing was on fire. It was exploded and fire or smoke, you can't see anything, you got digital, this is called the fog of war. The Trump administration has labeled drug cartels foreign terrorist organizations, but Democrats are calling the targeting of incapacitated survivors a potential war crime. Some Republicans are also skeptical.

I think both strikes are actually illegally. I don't think you can just name people and say, well, they've got drugs. Well, where's the proof? It comes as the administration ramps up its crackdown on illegal immigration, a senior law enforcement official tells, NBC News, ICE is planning an operation this week in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area where there's a large Somali population. You told me to look into Minnesota and their fraud on visas and their programs. 50% of them are fraudulent. Federal prosecutors have charged dozens of people in Minnesota's Somali community for allegedly stealing hundreds of millions of dollars in taxpayer money meant for social

service programs. This beautiful place, and I see these people ripping it all. of their country stinks, and we don't want them in our country. But when they come from hell and they complain and do nothing but bitch, we don't want them in our country. Let them go back to where they came from and fix it. Gabe joins us now live from the White House, and Gabe, back to that boat strike. You have new reporting tonight on the timeline here, and also when Admiral Bradley will appear before Congress?

Yes, Tom. Secretary Hanksath told me he did not learn about the second strike. until hours after it happened. Also, according to lawmakers and three sources familiar with the planning, Admiral Bradley will now brief leaders of both the House and Senate Armed Services and Intelligence Committees on Thursday. Tom. All right, Gabe, we thank you for that. Now to the suspect in that deadly ambush of National Guard soldiers charged with murder today in court, as we're seeing newly released images of that horrific attack. Here's Ryan Nobles. Tonight, newly released surveillance images showing the suspect outside a Washington, D.C.

metro station one minute before prosecutors say he unleashed his deadly ambush, running around the corner and opening fire on National Guard soldiers on patrol, continuing to shoot, then bending down and looking at their bodies on the ground. Prosecutors say the suspect yelled Alu Akbar and that he was subdued as he was reloading. In a virtual hearing appearing from a hospital bed, Ramanullah Lockenwal pleaded not guilty to all charges, including first-degree murder. Lockenwall is an Afghan national and had worked with the CIA in Afghanistan. He was brought to the U.S. during the Biden administration after the chaotic U.S. withdrawal. The Trump administration says there was no proper vetting.

Make no mistake. There's no vetting. We have no idea who he is. He has no connections to the community. President Trump has halted all visa processing for people from Afghanistan. 24-year-old staff sergeant Andrew Wolf was critically injured in the attack. 20-year-old specialist Sarah Bextram was killed. She was like a perfect human being. 20 years old just started.

She was like a baby. She told the parents that she was getting a promotion, and they were so proud of her. Then they get a call that this happened. All right, Ryan Noble joins us now in studio. So, Ryan, I know you have some new reporting about that other National Guard soldier, the one who survived and how he's doing tonight.

Yeah, that's right, Tom. Andrew Wolf, remains in serious condition. But there are signs that he's in. improving. West Virginia's governor said that he was able to wiggle his toes and give the nurses in his hospital room a thumbs up, but Tommy still has a very long and difficult recovery ahead of him. All right, Ryan Nobles. Ryan, we thank you. Overseas now to Moscow where President Trump's envoys are meeting with President Putin, trying to get him to sign off on a U.S. proposal for peace in Ukraine after a five-hour meeting tonight. Here's Keir Simmons. Tonight, even before his meeting

with President Trump's envoys Steve Wickoff and son-in-law Jared Kushner, Russian President Putin, in an uncompromising mood, accusing NATO countries of sabotaging President Trump's peace efforts in Ukraine. We're not going to have a war with Europe, I've already said. But if Europe suddenly wants to wage a war with us and starts it, we're ready right away, Putin said. Putin describing recent changes to the U.S. peace proposal as absolutely unacceptable. And our people are over in Russia right now to see if we can get it settled.

Not an easy situation. Let me tell you, what a mess. It's a war that never would have happened if I were president, not even a chance. Kushner and Witkoff were taken to lunch at a swanky Moscow restaurant, while the Kremlin released footage of Putin in military fatigues being briefed on the war. Appearing emotional over the, quote, slaughter of Ukrainian soldiers by his own Russian troops. blaming Ukraine. On the streets of Moscow, this man telling NBC news,

I won't see the peace. Everyone is just tired of it, the casualties, the victims, he says. Tonight, the Kremlin says the five-hour meeting was constructive, but that they still disagreed on crucial points like dividing territory. Ukraine's President Zelenskyy says the U.S. will brief him tonight. Tom. All right, Kier, thank you. Back here at home, the White House announcing the launch date for what it calls

Trump accounts, $1,000 investments for every child born in the U.S. Christine Romans has this one. At the White House today, a celebration for new investment accounts for every child born in America with the administration calls Trump accounts now set to launch on July 4th next year. Trump accounts will be the first, I guess you could say, real trust funds for every American child. Those accounts for babies born between January 1st of this year through 2028, will receive $1,000 of federal funds that will grow tax-free.

The money is to be invested in broad stock market index funds and can be used for education, housing, or converted into a retirement account once the child turns 18. We believe this is the greatest investment that we could possibly make is in children. At today's event, what President Trump called one of the most generous acts in the history of the country, tech billionaires Susan and Michael Dell,

announcing they will donate 6.25 billion. dollars to expand the accounts to an additional 25 million children. Our gift will cover most of the children that are 10 and under that are not part of the federal program, the zero to two-year-olds, and who also live in zip codes where the median income is $150,000 or less. The gift, $250 per child. Others, like family members and employers, can contribute up to another $5,000 a year into the accounts. I have spoken with a number of other wealthy Americans, philanthropists, and we are confident that others will join us.

Christine joins us now live. And, Christine, how do parents open these types of accounts? Tom, the White House says once this program is launched next summer, you'll be able to fill out an IRS form to get that account set up. And contributions can come from relatives, from employers, and from philanthropists. If accounts max out with $5,000 a year every year, they could be worth all. Almost $200,000 once that child turns 18, Tom? 200,000. All right.

Christine, we thank you. We want to show you some new video tonight showing a Waymo Robotaxi driving right into an active policing. Officers with weapons drawn and everything. It's raising fresh questions tonight about the safety of driverless cars. Liz Kreutz now with the dramatic images. Oh, my God. In this video taken in downtown L.A. What the fuck is that Waymo doing?

You can see a line of police cars blocking the road and a man lying on the ground. Enter this Waymo driverless taxi, which while servicing riders proceeds to take a left turn driving right past the active police stop and officers who moments later are seen walking towards the subject with weapons drawn. Waymo telling NBC News that when its robo taxi came across the scene, it turned into an unblocked area where other cars were also driving and that it quickly left. In a statement the company is saying safety is our highest priority and that when we encounter unusual events like this one, we learn from them. Will it ever be possible to train a driverless car on every single potential traffic scenario? Now, and that's the catch with this technology. The question is, can you train it on enough that it makes few enough mistakes that you're willing to tolerate the mistakes? According to Waymo's data, their self-driving cars have 90% fewer serious crashes compared to a human driver.

but their vehicles are still facing challenges. Last year, a passenger got stuck in a Waymo after the car repeatedly circled around a parking lot at the Phoenix airport. This car is just going in circles. And a federal investigation is now underway into Waymo's repeatedly passing stop school buses with lights flashing. And as for this latest incident, Tom LAPD tells NBC news that the Waymo did not impact officers tactics, but that police did block the intersection after the robot taxi made that turn. Okay, Liz, thank you. We are back in 60 seconds with the TikTok trend, alarming police across the country.

Teens filming themselves doing the door kick challenge in the middle of the night. Cops now warning them they could get shot. That's next. By a homeowner when you're kicking their front door. We're back now with the viral TikTok challenge that police are warning could get teens shot. The dare kicking strangers' doors in the middle of the night. Emily Aketa reports. 911, where is your emergency?

Sweet bribery saying someone just. tried to kick in our front door. Watch as a masked teen forcefully shoves his foot into a front door. Part of a social media trend raising alarm across the country known as the door kick challenge. St. John's County Sheriff's Office says three teens did this at multiple homes last week in Florida. They tracked them down from above. And arrested the trio for loitering and prowling. You guys want to get shot by a homeowner when you kick in their front door and they think you're breaking in to kill them?

Investigators underscoring, it's not a harmless prank. Listen to the frightened homeowners reaction. My husband was going to open the door with our gun, but he did not. He still has his weapon out, though, correct? His weapon is, yeah, in his hand in case they come back. Home security cameras have captured the door kick challenge from Arizona to Minnesota to California. What may be fun or a cool thing to do amongst their friends and posted on social media, is very traumatic to those and terrorizing to those on the other side of the door.

This year, two young people were shot and killed in similar incidents in Virginia and Texas. And last month, outside of Chicago, there were five reports of door kicking, leaving neighbors on edge. It would be unnerving for sure. We'd have that happen. As police now tried to silence the concerning trend. Emily Ikeda, NBC News. All right, and we're back in a moment with what the police officer who arrested Luigi Mangione revealed in court today. Plus, the truck driver that drove right into the water in Miami and the Good Samaritan who jumped in to save the passengers inside. That's next.

We're back now with an update on Luigi Mangione. At a hearing today, prosecutors played never-before-seen police body cam video of the moments leading up to the arrest. An officer testified when he approached Mangione at that McDonald's. He immediately knew he was the manned police were looking for. Mangione's lawyers are trying to get evidence thrown out ahead of his murder trial. And take a look at this video. A truck barrels through a fence into the waters of Miami Marina. And eyewitness told our Miami station the two women inside were trapped by the airbags that deployed.

A Good Samaritan jumped in and helped pry the driver and passengers out to safety. When we come back, a truly giant gator. Our Jesse Kirsch goes one-on-one with the tallest college basketball player to ever play the game, and he's only a freshman, and you won't believe how tall he was in kindergarten. That's next. Finally, there's good news tonight from the world of college basketball, and the freshman player who is bringing the game to new heights. Jesse Kirsch goes one-on-one with the tallest basketball player ever. When this Florida Gator stepped on to the court, he made history. At 7 foot 9, Olivier Riu is the tallest person to ever play college basketball. And even before the 19-year-old's debut last month, the Quebec native made a name for himself on social media, going viral in this clip with Shaq.

Olivier's taller than anyone in NBA history. He's got a foot on LeBron James, 15 inches on Michael Jordan, and 20 inches on one NBC news correspondent. Let's go. What do you love about the game? I love that it takes discipline and hard work to be where I am. Guinness World Records calls Olivier the world's tallest teenager. Is it true you were as tall as your kindergarten teacher? I was probably six foot by five years old.

Now, like any other college kid, almost 5,000 calories. He's got to eat. Favorite food? Poutine. Is Poutine the secret sauce that helps people grow to 7. foot nine? I don't know. And navigate the school day. The auditoriums have a lot of small chairs and they're not comfortable. So lectures are not great. Entures are not great. But he takes on the challenges for moments like this, giving all of us someone to look up to. Jesse Kirsch, NBC News,

Gainesville, Florida. And that's nightly news for this Tuesday. I'm Tom Yamas. We thank you so much for watching. Tonight and always, we're here for you. Good night. Let's go. But that's a lot harder when you got 20,000 people.