NBC Nightly News with Tom Llamas - Tuesday, September 30, 2025

Episode Date: October 1, 2025

Hegseth summons military leaders for speech where he calls for controversial changes; Prosecutors want Diddy sentenced to 11 years, while defense asks for 14 months; South Carolina deputy suspended after incident with teens; 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 countdown to a shutdown, the bitter battle with Congress deadlocked ahead of that midnight deadline, 750,000 workers set to be furloughed. The president threatening some could lose their jobs permanently, what it means for social security, student loans, national parks, and air travel. Also breaking tonight home after home, collapsing into the surf in the outer banks. Plus, the Defense Secretary and the Commander-in-Chief's eye-opening speech to top military brass, new fitness test standards, new grooming rules, and drill instructors allowed to put their hands on recruits, the president telling top generals to get on board or get out. Shocking video a deputy suspended after kicking and threatening a group of teens while he was off-duty, but partially in uniform, even pulling his gun as they cried out for help.

Could one of the most popular birth control options in the country be linked to tumors? 1,000 women filing a new lawsuit. The deadly earthquake rocking the Philippines, bridges and building swaying, sending people running into the streets. The catastrophic school collapse, rescuers sending oxygen into the rubble trying to save students still trapped inside. Did he set to be sentenced, his plans to address the court on the day of his hearing. Nightly News starts right now. This is NBC Nightly News with Tom Yomas. And good evening.

With the midnight deadline fast approaching, we are just hours away from a partial federal government shutdown. A Republican spending bill would keep the government open, but it needs 60 votes to pass. You're looking live right now to that vote. A shutdown would likely furlough 750,000 federal workers, with President Trump threatening some could lose their jobs permanently. Essential government workers will still.

report to their jobs, but most of them won't be paid if there's a shutdown. Social Security, Medicare, and VA benefits would all continue, but staffing shortages could mean there are delays in that service. Republicans and Democrats blaming each other as the clock ticks down. Ryan Nobles is on Capitol Hill for us tonight. Ryan, where does an 11th hour push to keep the government open really stand right now? Tom, tonight the Senate held a series of votes designed to avoid would have become increasingly inevitable. Both of those votes failed to meet the 60 vote threshold, meaning that at midnight

tonight, the federal government is set to shut down. Tonight, just hours from a partial federal government shutdown, Senate Republicans making a last-ditch effort to get enough Democratic votes to keep the government open. But coming up short, Republicans need 60 votes to pass a spending bill to avoid a shutdown, meaning they need at least seven Democrats to support it. It's up to Senate Democrats. If they decide to vote it down tonight, they're going to be the ones that have to explain at midnight tonight why the government shut down. Democrats say they want to reverse GOP changes to Medicaid. What's the plan to get out of it? The American people are learning how bad this health care crisis is, and they will put tremendous heat on Republicans to solve it. But Republicans

say Democrats should not shut down the government while both sides negotiate. Is there any way out? I don't know. That's what worries me. I don't know why. I just say to my Democrat colleagues, there is no reason for a shutdown. The last thing we want to do is shut it down, but a lot of good can come down from shutdowns. We can get rid of a lot of things that we didn't want, and they'd be Democrat things. President Trump tonight, warning of mass firings. The Democrats want to shut it down, so when you shut it down, you have to do layoffs.

You can't fire massive firings in the federal government without hurting the quality of services for the American people. In a shutdown, Social Security, Medicare and VA benefits would continue, as would student loans. But national parks could close, and 750,000 federal workers could be furloughed. Others, like TSA officers, would work without pay. We're looking for bombs, weapons, stuff I got, and you can't miss, right? So you don't want officers with added stress of how am I going to pay my bills. Ryan Noble's NBC News, The Capitol. And now to a dramatic scene unfolding along the North Carolina coast. Look at this. Five homes in Cape Hatteras just collapsing into that intense surf all within 45 minutes of each other. Bill Cairns joins us now live. Bill, as we look at that radar, these two storms are massive in size. And even without a direct hit, we're already seeing the impacts.

Yeah, the powerful waves from Umberto arrived during this high tide cycle today. 11 foot waves were out in the outer banks. This was expected. These homes were evacuated long ago. We knew that this would occur. We just didn't know with what storm. And the huge waste from Umberto have taken at least five homes. There's been 12 since 2020. This is not a new problem for the Outer Banks, but one that's going to get worse in the years and decades ahead. The Outer Banks is slowly sinking. Plus, with climate change, the ocean level slowly going up. And with the warmer ocean, we're getting bigger, more powerful storms. So we're going to get more beach erosion problems in areas like the Outer Banks and on the East Coast. So still dangerous conditions all week long as the waves still arrive from both hurricanes until the weekend. All right, Bill. Great to see you. We thank you for that. that to a gathering unprecedented in modern times. Defense Secretary Pete Hague said summoning hundreds of U.S. generals and admirals from all over the world. He spoke before the president who suggested major U.S. cities could be the new training grounds for the military. Here's Courtney Kuby. The topic was shrouded in secrecy beforehand and security was tight.

Some of the nation's most senior military leaders ordered to board buses at 3.30 a.m. and then wait hours for the event to begin, according to defense officials. This speech today is about people, and it's about culture. Defense Secretary Pete Higgseth telling generals and admirals who'd flown in from all over the world to get on board with a series of changes. If the words I'm speaking today are making your heart sink, then you should do the honorable thing and resign. The new standards include new grooming rules that prohibit beards and a requirement that everyone in combat roles must meet the highest male. standard for physical fitness, a change that could impact women in uniform. If that means no women qualify for some combat jobs, so be it.

He also plans to overhaul equal opportunity programs and the role of the Inspector General at a time when the secretary himself awaits the release of an IG review on whether he shared sensitive information on signal, an unclassified server, an accusation Hegeseth denies. New recruits could also see changes, lifting restrictions on how far drill instructors can go. And swear. And yes, they can put their hands on recruits. This does not mean they can be reckless or violate the law, but they can use tried and true methods to motivate new recruits. Retired Lieutenant General Mark Hurtling is concerned about the impact all of it may have on troops. To hear the kinds of things that came out of the secretary's mouth shows that he doesn't really respect them as contributors to the combat arms or fighting our nation's wars. President Trump today endorsing Hegst's speech and repeating his ultimatum.

If you don't like what I'm saying, you can leave the room. Of course, there goes your rank. There goes your future. In the president's remarks, which were highly political, he also defended the use of troops in American cities. I told Pete, we should use some of these dangerous cities as training grounds for our military. The military leaders in the auditorium showed little reaction to the remarks today, politely clapping at the end of each speech. As officers in uniform, they are prohibited.

from endorsing political comments. Tom? All right, Courtney, we thank you. Now to South Carolina, where a deputy has been suspended after video showed him pointing a gun at teens in a neighborhood. Priscilla Thompson has more on this investigation. Growing outrage in South Carolina over this video. Sir, can you go to cops? Please.

Hey, call the police. I am in the police. What are you doing? Get the hell of the ground. An off-duty Buford County Sheriff's deputy seen pulling and kicking and pointing his gun at a group of teens who were in his Hilton-head neighborhood Sunday night, the sheriff's department says NBC News does not know what happened before the recording. The officer heard saying, I will shoot you as one of the boys begs him to stop.

No, no, no, stop, stop. Why are you pointing? I'm not on the ground. Then screams for help and mom. That officer who officials have not publicly identified is now suspended without pay, the Sheriff's Department says, pending an internal affairs and possible state criminal investigation. The department saying in a statement, deputies are held to a higher standard as they must abide by all policies and procedures, both on and off duty. As tonight, many in the ideal of beachside community demanding answers. Persilla Thompson, NBC News.

Sean Diddy Combs is said to be sentenced on Friday following his conviction on prostitution charges over the summer. Prosecutors are asking a judge to put him away for more than a decade while Combs' team wants 14 months. Here's Chloe Malas. Tonight, prosecutors asking a judge to sentence Sean Diddy Combs to more than 11 years in federal prison, arguing he engaged in violence and put others in fear. A stark contrast to Combs' legal team who are seeking 14 months. which would see him walk free in a matter of weeks as he's already served 13 months in prison. Look for the judge to land somewhere in the middle, split the difference, a sentence of maybe four to six years.

Combs was convicted on prostitution charges over the summer, but acquitted of sex trafficking and racketeering, which carried up to a life sentence in prison. A source familiar with Combs' strategy telling NBC news that the mogul plans to address the court himself during his sentencing hearing. Both sides have submitted letters to the judge, one written by Kahn's. Hasse Ventura, Combs's former girlfriend, who was a key prosecution witness, writing in part, I am so scared that if he walks free, his first actions will be swift retribution towards me and others who spoke up. Combs's 85-year-old mother writing that her son has made some terrible mistakes in his life, which I know he recognizes. Chloe Malas, NBC News, New York.

All right, we head to the mid-east now where President Trump's Gaza peace plan picked up momentum tonight. as more Arab states announce their support, while President Trump is issuing a new deadline for Hamas to accept that deal. Here's Richard Engel. President Trump said today that time is running out for Hamas to accept his proposal to end the war in Gaza. We're going to do about three or four days. And if Hamas says no, Israel has the green light from the U.S. to keep the war going. We have one signature that we need, and that signature will pay in hell if they don't see. sign. I hope they signed. Israel has already approved Trump's plan, which demands Hamas

release all of its hostages in 72 hours and disarm, in return for Israel, withdrawing from much of Gaza. And the Trump proposal has momentum, now backed by nearly a dozen Arab and Muslim majority countries, including Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and Jordan. And that is lifting the spirits of Eli David. His brother, Eviatar, is one of the remaining living hostages, last seen skin and bones in a Hamas video. I don't know if we'll see a loss just coming back in three days. It sounds like a dream to me.

Does it feel any different this time than previous attempts that have obviously been unsuccessful for your brother? Yes, it does. It does. It does. To see the support worldwide from side to side in Israel and abroad, maybe it is different.

Tonight, Hamas says it is still studying the terms of Trump's peace plan. Tom. All right, Richard Engel for us in the region. In the Philippines, the death toll is rising. After a strong earthquake, take a look, rock the island nation, sending people running into the streets. You can see this bridge swaying drivers falling off their motorbikes as it rocked. This cross tumbling off the top of a church. Officials there say at least 20 people are dead with many more injured. And in Indonesia tonight, rescuers are trying to save dozens of students, cop beneath the rubble of a school that collapsed. Three people are dead. nearly a hundred injured. NBC's Ralph Sanchez tonight with the video. Tonight, in the ruins of this collapsed high school, a desperate race against time to save dozens of teenage students trapped in the debris. Officials say 38 people are missing, some calling out to search teams from below the rubble. Three people already confirmed killed, and growing dread that the toll will rise. One moment of hope, this child rescued,

and rush to an ambulance. But the search for others is painfully slow. This team is pumping oxygen into the wreckage, trying to keep survivors alive long enough for rescuers to reach them. Authorities say a top floor under construction crumbled. Parents now in agony waiting to learn the fate of their children, hoping they're on a list of those found alive. This man's 13-year-old nephew, Rosie, is still trapped.

He says, I don't know how he's doing, whether he can be saved, whether he's dead or alive. Raf Sanchez, NBC News, London. All right, back here at home. We'll be right back with our report on a popular birth control shot millions of American women take why hundreds are now suing the manufacturer after they say they develop tumors.

Stay with us. We are back now with a lawsuit against Pfizer over a popular birth control drug. More than a thousand women are suing the company, alleging it failed to warn doctors and patients about a possible risk of tumors. Here's Zinclai, SMA. Robin Phillip has been through two surgeries and months of radiation,

all due to a tumor she now believes was caused by her birth control injections. If I were new from the gigo, I would never took that shot. In 2018, doctors discovered a tumor called the meningioma, pressing on Philip's brain. This right here. Emergency surgery left her without vision in her left eye. She even had to relearn how to walk.

It was a whole reframing of life. I lost my apartment. I had to move in with my mom on. Depot Rivera is a progestin shot, injected every three months. One in four women in the United States use it, with black women taking the shot at nearly double the national rate. Philip took it for nearly 30 years. The only time you stopped was when you had your two.

two children. Yes. Multiple studies have found a potential link between Depo and meningioma, including one that found women who took the drug for more than a year, had five times the risk of developing the tumor. So overall, meningioma is not common. The likelihood of having a menigioma as a depot user is incredibly low. It's just that it's incredibly incredibly low for people who don't use Depot. Philip is now one of more than a thousand women suing Pfizer, the maker of Depo Pervera, alleging the company chose to ignore relevant safety concerns and deliberately not study the long-term safety of Depo. These women all have men in geomas. Many have surgery. Some have radiation. And they've all had their lives greatly impacted. The European Union added a warning label for men in geoma to the drug in 2024. Canada has listed it as an adverse reaction since 2006. No such warning exists in the United States.

In a motion seeking dismissal of the case, Pfizer says, it became aware of the risks of meningiomas in 2023 and made an application to the FDA to change the drug's warning label. The company says the FDA rejected their effort to warn patients. The FDA declined our request for comment, but in a letter to Pfizer included in the motion, it wrote, the findings of the available observational studies alone do not support the addition of a warning. Pfizer saying to NBC News, it stands behind the safety and efficacy of Depo Pereira. There was enough information decades ago for them to have done the proper studies and paid more attention and warned. Even after Robin Phillips' 2018 surgery, she kept taking DEPO. Her tumor grew back.

If you had known about this link, this risk earlier, would you have stopped? Yes. Yes. Cold turkey. I will have stopped. Zinclair Samoa, NBC News, West Wigo, Louisiana. come back, the deadly house explosion in Delaware, what we know about the fatal blast. Stay with us. All right, we are back down with a deadly house explosion in Delaware. Firefires, you can see here, rushed to the scene. One person was assisted from the home by neighbors. According to the state fire marshal, but another person was trapped and unfortunately died. Officials say the cause of this explosion is still under investigation. At this time, there is no indication of criminal activity.

Now to that announcement from President Trump about lower prescription drug prices, saying he's negotiated a deal with Pfizer to offer some drugs at deep discounts on a soon-to-be-launched website called Trump RX. Separately, Pfizer will offer all its drugs to Medicaid at reduced costs in exchange for tariff exemptions, though most Americans do buy their drugs through their insurance plans. And after nearly 20 years off the air, Reading Rainbow is coming back. New episodes of the beloved children's program will debut on YouTube every Saturday morning in October. And there's a new host. Here he is. Michael Threats. He's a former librarian with a massive online following.

Good luck to him in the show. All right. That does it for nightly news on this Tuesday. I'm Tom Yamas. Thanks so much for watching. Tonight and always, we're here for you. Good night.