NBC Nightly News with Tom Llamas - Tuesday, June 24, 2025

Episode Date: June 25, 2025

Initial intel report: Iran’s nuclear program not destroyed, Israel-Iran ceasefire appears to hold, Deadly heat wave leaves millions facing dangerous temperatures, and more on tonight’s broadcast.

On the broadcast, the ceasefire holding, plus why the White House is slamming an initial damage assessment of those Iranian nuclear sites. Today, bombs landing, targets exploding. Inside the tense hours that nearly derailed President Trump's push for a ceasefire, Iran's deadly strikes on Israel, the president's urgent calls for Israel not to strike back. They came out and they dropped a load of bombs, the likes of which I've never seen before. The biggest load that we've seen. I'm not happy with Israel. I'm not happy with Iran either. Plus our new reporting on the B-2 mission and initial damage report finding the bombings were

not as effective as President Trump claimed. Deadly heat wave, more than 150 million, sweltering under an unrelenting heat dome, pavement buckling across the Midwest. In some places, the power is out as thousands wait for the AC to come back on. The Washington Monument shut down, too hot to visit, as hurricane season gets fired up in the Atlantic. Sucked out at 16,000 feet, the near disaster aboard that Alaska Airlines flight, a plane

in the air with a massive hole. Tonight we're learning the one employee that knew how to install that door plug properly was on vacation. Alligator Alcatraz inside the new migrant detention center being built in the Everglades. Florida's AG saying alligators and pythons will be waiting for anyone who escapes and cliffhanger the semi driver hanging on for dear life as his truck dangles over a rock ledge. This is

NBC Nightly News with Tom Yamas. And good evening tonight. A fragile ceasefire holding as new questions emerge about the impact of those U.S. airstrikes. NBC News reporting tonight that the American strikes on those three Iranian nuclear facilities only set back Iran's nuclear program by three to six months, that according to one preliminary intelligence assessment, the White House now calling this initial assessment flat out wrong.

President Trump rebuking both Israel and Iran today over their actions in the tenuous hours as his ceasefire agreement was about to start. The blows between Iran and Israel were traded just before the deal with the IDF targeting an Iranian missile launcher and Iran delivering a deadly strike on an apartment building in Israel. We've got our team covered at all from Israel to the Netherlands, where we start with Kelly O'Donnell. Tonight President Trump in the Netherlands for the NATO summit wielding a diplomatic win on the world stage with the tenuous ceasefire between Israel and Iran still holding.

The ceasefire is very much in effect, and I think we're going to keep it there for a long time. The president projected more confidence that the U.S. airstrikes on three Iranian nuclear sites, which included B-2 bombers, 14 bunker buster bombs, delivered a fateful blow. Photos before and after appear to show significant destruction at the sites.

However, in a new development tonight, a preliminary assessment by the Defense Intelligence Agency estimates that the Iranian nuclear program has been delayed by three to six months, according to three people with knowledge of the report. The White House disputes that initial assessment, calling it flat out wrong. Iran will never rebuild its nuclear. From there, absolutely not. That place is under rock. That place is demolished.

The B-2 pilots did their job. And this tonight from the director of the UN's nuclear watchdog. What we see is a very important degree of damage. The Iranian nuclear program has been set back significantly. Still, his all-cap style of diplomacy under stress tonight. The red carpet European welcome, quite a contrast

to the blunt and profane way he left Washington today. Furious over additional strikes by both Israel and Iran after he outlined his ceasefire plan. We basically have two countries that have been fighting so long and so hard that they don't know what the f*** they're doing. In flight on Air Force One, he recounted a tense call with Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu. There was going to be a retaliation this morning.

You got to go back to the plane. I think that it did. It's time to respect her right now. Behind the scenes, a senior White House official says the president, over the past 48 hours, had called Netanyahu with a clear demand. No more war. Then a trio of top officials, Vance, Rubio, and Witkoff, were directed to reach out to Iran to deliver the message that a ceasefire was expected. And here at the NATO summit, the president shifts to a broader agenda of diplomacy. And Kelly joins us now live. Kelly, let's go back to that initial assessment of the damage to Iran's nuclear sites.

You have more reporting on the White House reaction. And Tom, the White House is effectively saying, hold on. The Pentagon is still examining the consequences of the strikes. Also tonight, we're learning that for the first time, lawmakers have been able to see some of the analysis by intelligence agencies that is secure, and they were able to do that in a secure location. And that is a new development.

Tom? All right, Kelly O'Donnell for us. Kelly, thank you all of this, as there were some tense moments on the ground before President Trump's ceasefire plan took effect, including a deadly Iranian strike on Israel. Here's Richard Engel with the TikTok of how it happened. Around 5.20 a.m. in Israel this morning, it did not look like peace had a chance. President Trump announced his ceasefire just a few hours ago, but these sirens mean that Iranian missiles are inbound.

By 540, one of those Iranian missiles slammed into an apartment building in Beersheba in southern Israel. It was one of the deadliest attacks of the war against civilians. And this is where the missile exploded destroying this entire floor of an apartment building killing at least 4 people maybe killing the ceasefire before it even takes

hold. As recovery efforts were underway Iran fired more missiles this time after the ceasefire was in effect Israel quickly vowed revenge for both attacks scrambling its jets until president Trump publicly rebuked both sides. I'm not happy with Iran either, but I'm really unhappy if Israel's going out this morning because the one rocket that didn't land that was shot perhaps by mistake that didn't

land Israeli jets dropped a bomb on a radar station outside Tehran and turn back. Just a few hours later President Trump's ceasefire began to hold. The streets of Tel Aviv sprung back to life. A partial state of emergency banning school work and gatherings was lifted. And in Tehran, while Iran's military and nuclear program have been severely damaged, people poured into the streets for celebrations, cheering that Iran stood up to the U.S. and Israel and remained standing.

Richard, let's pick up right where you left off. This may be a positive sign for the ceasefire. Iran, Israel, and the U.S. all declaring victory tonight. Well, that's the way you want a ceasefire to go. Prime Minister Netanyahu got what he's long wanted, the United States to join an attack on Iran's nuclear program. President Trump didn't get sucked into an open-ended Middle East war. And while Iran is still standing, it's much weakened.

Tom? Richard Engel for us. Richard, thank you. Back here at home now to the sweltering temperatures. They have more than 150 million people under heat alerts from the Mississippi Valley to the East Coast. Triple digit degrees surging in multiple cities as that heat wave turns deadly. Here's Sam Brock. A triple digit heat wave is hammering people in some of the nation's largest cities. From New York. We We left Florida we came north to get away from the heat and it's worse here and it's worse here to the nation's

capital with the Washington monument remains closed for a second straight day. It's the feeling of like walking into an oven is really hot. The summer's first blistering stretch also prompting a very high heat risk at the Grand Canyon and turning deadly officials in Saint Am, Missouri confirming a woman dying in her house to the danger a seed after having no water or air conditioning for at

least 3 days while in Massachusetts to firefighters hospitalized after suffering heat exhaustion battling flames as many parts of the East Coast about to cope with power outages at its peak 10's of thousands in the region losing access to a C a second ago you pulled up your phone. What did it show 100 degrees. So we have hit triple digits here. Yes, yes and you guys have what right now or what don't you have at this hour no

electricity, Donna miss Uchi and her result or New Jersey neighbor Jay boss. A relying on a generator with no power since midnight at the same time they can handle the electricity limbo. The more elderly older people that have medical conditions the ones that need to run the equipment down for their health that would be top of mind in a situation. A concern elevated in public spaces to at least 5 people

need treatment from heat related injuries after a pop concert in DC and the Northeast transportation bedrock Amtrak announcing temperature related speed restrictions from 11am to 8pm some speed bumps as some relief could be in store later in the week though it's little comfort to those suffering through the suffocating heat now. And Sam Brock joins us from the center of that heat wave. Sam, this heat could affect the history of New York City. It's Election Day here.

That's on. It's a red hot Democratic primary on a day where some records temperature wise are falling. Now there was some concern initially time we could be losing power at the polls. We have received no reports of that so far. Also worth noting, ballot scanners have backup batteries so even if the power does fail those can last hours. Tom and it could be just too hot for some voters all right Sam Rock for us I want to bring in Bill Karens. Bill such a brutal day there's so many records broken and now we know the tropics are heating up as well. Yeah we got our A-name storm but first let's start with the numbers because this

wasn't your normal day. Boston ended up going up to 102 degrees, the hottest ever recorded in June. And JFK Airport also went over 102. Philadelphia 101. Newark was 103. These are numbers that haven't been hitting over a decade in some cases. Tomorrow the sizzle continues, but we take it down just a notch. We'll have a dozen or so record highs. By the time we get to Thursday and Friday, everything will come back down. And as far as the tropics go, this is not a storm that any of us have to worry about. This is tropical storm

Andrea way out in the Atlantic. Just a reminder that the season is here. Our next be named storm will be Barry, but there's no signs of that coming anytime soon. Okay, that's goodness. We'll take it. Bill, we thank you for that. Now to a new migrant detention camp in the Florida Everglades officials there are calling it alligator Alcatraz, suggesting the swamp's wildlife will prevent migrants from escaping. Here's Gabe Gutierrez. Tonight, construction is underway deep in the Florida Everglades on a massive migrant

detention camp that state officials are calling Alligator Alcatraz. Starting next month, 5,000 migrants will be housed in trailers and heavy duty tents at this remote abandoned airfield. As I call it, alligator Alcatraz. In a promotional video set to music, Florida's attorney general lays out what he considers a deterrent for any potential escapees. People get out, there's not much waiting for them

other than alligators and pythons. But some local officials warn the environmental impact could be devastating. We have environmental and fiscal stewardship and safety concerns. The Trump administration has said it wants to get up to 100,000 beds at detention centers across the country to facilitate mass deportations. A lot of bad people were led into our country. We're getting them out.

We're getting them out fast. The Department of Homeland Security says the new facility will cost about $450 million a year and will be reimbursed in large part by a FEMA program previously used to shelter migrants in places like this hotel in New York City. Do you think that this is a good idea for your home state? Well, I 100% support the president's deportation efforts.

It's the president's priority to get those individuals out of our country. But immigrant advocates argue the money has not been set aside by Congress and. The biggest concern is the great inhumanity that seems to be at stake in terms of sending people to incredibly inhumane, brutal conditions. An administration official tells NBC News

that ICE currently has nearly 60,000 detainees in custody, a record. Tom? All right, Gabe Gutierrez, we thank you. It was that shocking image from an airplane. And now the head of the NTSB says last year's door plug blowout from an Alaska Airlines flight could have ended in disaster and that it was a miracle.

No one died. But has enough been done to ensure it never happens again? Here's Tom Costello. It was a terrifying emergency, a hole in the side of an Alaska Airlines 737 after a door plug blew out midair. One passenger feared her baby would be pulled from her arms. Frankly, it's nothing short of a miracle

that no one died or sustained serious physical injuries. At an NTSB hearing today, investigators detailed a systematic breakdown in Boeing's quality control, noting Boeing still has no record of when the plane's door plug, covering an unused emergency exit, was removed on the assembly line to fix bad rivets. NTSB video released today shows how the plug should have been reinstalled. But the one employee who knew how to do it was on vacation at the time.

The plug was reinstalled without the bolts to hold it in place. Alaska's CEO showed us firsthand. It makes me angry, Tom. Boeing is better than this. Boeing has since designed a new system to prevent the door plug from moving, but the NTSB also found that FAA inspectors on site

had failed to properly audit Boeing. Your experts testified that the FAA really wasn't conducting the oversight that they were supposed to be conducting. They were not. Is that shocking? Yes, because the regulator is the last line of defense when it comes to safety. The FAA says it has fundamentally changed how it oversees Boeing with more staff and

audits. Boeing says it continues to regret the accident and it is strengthening safety and quality. But the NTSB warns a mindset change with executives doesn't always filter down to the assembly line. Tom? Tom Costello. And we'll be right back. The trial is over, but there are new headlines in the Karen Reed murder trial. Why the jury foreman says he believes she is innocent

and he hopes the investigation in the case is reopened into John O'Keefe's death. We are back now with our interview with the foreman of the jury that found Karen Reed not guilty of murdering her boyfriend He said he believes she's innocent and would like to see the investigation into John O'Keefe's death reopened. Here's Emily Aketa Nearly a week since Karen Reed was cleared of killing her police officer boyfriend Tonight the jury foreman who led deliberations is

speaking out. How would you sum up this experience? Surreal. The 45 year old father of three who did not want to share his name said there were too many holes in the investigation and there should have been a thorough search of the home that O'Keeffe was found outside of. If I was in that house, I know that house would have been stormed. Someone's laying on someone's lawn, but no one goes in the house. It just doesn't make sense. Reid had been accused of hitting John O'Keefe with her SUV outside of a house party involving other law enforcement. She was drunk.

She hit him. And she left him to die. The defense argued Reed was framed. Now, special prosecutor Hank Brennan breaking his silence, writing that he's disappointed in the verdict and after an independent and thorough review of all the evidence, I concluded that the evidence led to one person and only one person.

But the foreman who was among the jurors who believed there was no collision says he hopes investigators revisit O'Keefe's death. We just need to find justice for John, and so a mother can finally put this to rest. Legal analysts say it's unlikely an investigation would be reopened since the prosecutor has said a federal probe

into the initial investigation was closed earlier this year. Tom? All right, Emily, we thank you. We are back in a moment with the final countdown in the Diddy trial as both sides rest their case. And the teen football player who died in his brother's arms, now a fellow student charged in his death. Welcome back.

Both sides rested their cases today in the Sean Diddy Combs sex trafficking trial. The defense not calling a single witness to the stand. The music mogul himself telling the judge it was his decision not to testify. Closing arguments now set to take place on Thursday, Combs has pleaded not guilty to all of those charges. A Texas teenager accused of killing another student at a high school track meet was indicted for murder today.

Carmelo Anthony was arrested in April after fatally stabbing 17-year-old Austin Metcalfe in the chest at a track meet. Metcalfe's father said he died in the arms of his twin brother. According to an affidavit, Anthony has said he was protecting himself during a fight with Metcalfe. And the heart-stopping moment in China.

Look at this, a truck with a driver inside dangling over a cliff. After a bridge collapsed beneath it following a landslide, witnesses said they had trouble reaching emergency services, but authorities eventually rescued the driver successfully. When we come back, keep on trucking. A toddler bonding with the local garbage collector. The young boy's enthusiasm leading to a unique friendship. There's good news, and that's next. And there's good news tonight in El Paso, Texas, where a toddler sparked an unexpected friendship with his local hero. Morgan Chesky on how this trash collector's biggest fan

is bringing smiles to an entire community. Go, go, go, go, go, Spider-Man. At the Kenyona's household in El Paso, garbage day is anything but a chore, with two-year-old Gaelle watching and waiting for a weekly visit turned tradition. Every Friday, he's up by 8 a.m., he's by the stairs. And on this day, that patience paying off. Hi, Spider-Man!

Mondo Avalos, whose route covers the family's neighborhood, taking a break to say hi to his biggest fan. The two hitting it off, sharing a high five and smiles all around. It was just like I better stop a touching moment where it brings peace to both of us and joy.

I mean, he's amazing little boy and he just brought a lot of joy to my heart. But the story doesn't in there. Guy else mom, Genevieve sharing the video online, which soon caught the attention of El Paso city leaders who surprised both with a gesture all their own. Guy else soon dozing with his pint sized trash truck extra close. It just overwhelming on seeing his face on getting this gives they brought tears to my eyes and go say no. It really

touched me. He's just sleeping with the little trash bin in the trash truck, so that's how you know that this small gesture like went a long way. My partner now. One man's trash day turned treasured friendship. I love him and I'm here for him. I'm his big brother. Morgan You're my partner now, OK? One man's trash day turned treasured friendship. I love him and I'm here for him.

I'm his big brother. Morgan Chesky, NBC News. And that's nightly news for this Tuesday. Thanks so much for watching. I'm Tom Yamas in New York. Tonight and always, we're here for you. Good night.