NBC Nightly News with Tom Llamas - Wednesday, May 20, 2026

Episode Date: May 21, 2026

Justice Department charges Raúl Castro with murder; Crews scramble to contain several wildfires raging in California; Trump-backed candidates sweep GOP primaries; 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 landmark indictment against Raul Castro, the U.S. Department of Justice, charging the former leader of Cuba with murder, decades after the deadly shootdown of two civilian planes. The question now, will the U.S. go into Cuba to arrest him? The indictment against the 94-year-old brother of Fidel Castro, a stunning escalation in the Trump administration's pressure campaign on Cuba. Does this mean military action is to come? and is there enough evidence to convict him? I asked the man who brought the charges if he thinks Castro will ever step foot in a U.S. courtroom. Tens of thousands under evacuation orders as wildfires spread in Southern California,

the smoke-nato spitting up a tower of ash, and did this shipwreck sailor spark a massive brushfire when he shot a flare, plus storms slamming the East Coast flash floods, stranding drivers in Atlanta. The fireball in lower Manhattan, a car exploding, sending people running near Wall Street, what's set off this blast? Campus intruder, the search for this man after he allegedly tried to assault a person in their Harvard dorm room and then was spotted inside a dorm building at nearby MIT. The push to leave quarantine an American furious over being forced to quarantine for the haunt of virus, saying it's like a prison, what he told our reporter.

Singhole on the runway, the scare at one of the nation's busiest airports, forcing a runway at LaGuardia to shut down. Los Angeles burglary bus, police cracking down on high-tech thefts, arresting more than half a dozen people, how they're using Wi-Fi jammers to break into homes. The dramatic video of a fire truck losing control, rolling over, and crashing into a business. And there's good news tonight, the graduating seniors, getting the surprise of a lot of a lot of, lifetime from their greatest supporters who serve our country. Nightly News starts right now. This is NBC Nightly News with Tom Yamas. And good evening. We begin tonight with a stunning move by the Justice Department. The U.S. inditing former Cuban leader Raul Castro on murder and conspiracy charges and demanding that he somehow face American justice. The move away to deliver justice

for crimes from the past, but it also opens a door for even more consequential action in the future. The 94-year-old brother to Fidel Castro officially no longer leads the country, but still wields immense power. The charges today stemmed from this incident 30 years ago when the Cuban military shot down two planes killing four Americans. The move already drawing comparisons to what happened to Venezuela's authoritarian leader, Nikolaas Maduro, who was first indicted before military action to arrest him and take him out of that country. It comes as the White House has ramped up its pressure campaign on the island nation, even threatening military action.

Our Gabe Gutierrez starts us off. For the first time in almost 70 years, tonight the Trump administration charging senior leaders in Cuba's government with killing Americans. Those who kill Americans cannot simply wait out American justice. 94-year-old Raul Castro, the communist regime's powerful force. former leader indicted by a grand jury for murder, conspiracy to kill U.S. nationals and destruction of aircraft. Prosecutors say he ordered Cuban fighter pilots in 1996 to shoot down two unarmed civilian planes piloted by the humanitarian group Brothers to the Rescue, which helped Cuban migrants

trying to flee to freedom in the U.S. Five other men allegedly involved in the shooting were also indicted. The announcement coming at Miami's Freedom Tower, an iconic site for Cuban exile. Miles. Merta Mendes is the sister of Carlos Costa, one of the four men killed. My brother was an American board, and he was murdered by the Cuban government. Back then, Raul Castro was defense minister under his brother, the late Fidel Castro, and the U.S. said audio showed the Cuban pilots celebrated the takedown. President Clinton announced sanctions, but decades later, President Obama tried to thar relations

with the island, even attending a baseball game in Havana with Castro. The new indictment raising questions about whether the Trump administration will arrest him, much like Venezuela's Nicolas Maduro. We expect that he will show up here by his own will or by another way. President Trump late today. There won't be escalation. I don't think there needs to be. Look, the place is falling apart. It's a mess.

Cuba's government calling the new indictment lies, arguing that Cuba acted in legitimate self-defense within its jurisdictional waters. Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche with Tom late today. Do you think Raul Castro will set foot in the United States and stand trial? That's the goal. I mean, there's an arrest warrant, and I certainly hope that any defendant that's indicted in this country stands trial. Okay, Gabe, let's pick it up right there. What do we know about why this indictment came now? Well, Tom, that Florida grand jury returned this indictment almost a month ago. On April 23rd, the DOJ chose to unseal it today, symbolically, on Cuban independence day. It all comes as the Trump administration ramps up its pressure on the Cuban government, which is facing growing economic turmoil and fuel shortages.

Tom. All right, Gabe Gutier is leading us off from the White House. We are also following an outbreak of fast-moving wildfires out west, forcing tens of thousands of people from their homes. Steve Patterson is on the front line with fire crews right now working to stop them. the race to contain a wildfire outbreak now raging across California. In Simi Valley, the sandy fire repeatedly flaring up, keeping more than 40,000 people under mandatory evacuations. They got it under control, and then within an hour or two, the winds picked up.

The fire now expanding to more than 1,600 acres. So far, one home gutted by flames. More than 800 firefighters on the front lines trying to keep it that way. This is the fire line. We hiked with crews in treacherous terrain, working around the clock to keep the hot spots down. This is incredibly dry fuel. That's why I say this fire still has so much potential. And you can see the air attack behind me.

Crews trying to knock out these flames, dropping water on problem in hot spots, those flare-ups, so they can avoid it from encroaching into the community. To the east in Riverside County, a cluster of brush fires broke out, even spawning this smoke NATO, residents on roofs, scrambling to save their homes. We've never had anything come this close. The state's largest fire burning some 40 miles off the California coast, chewing through the largely uninhabited Santa Rosa Island.

Authorities are investigating if it may have been sparked when a 67-year-old sailor was left stranded after crashing against the rocky shore, then shooting emergency flares into the island's bone-dry brush. The sailor even carving an SOS into the ground, awaiting rescue as the flame scattered. Tom, this time of day is when the flare-ups happen. You can see what's happening in the canyon behind me, those thick plumes of white smoke. That's because there is columns of fire in that canyon.

Firefighters doing all they can and knock that out. Fix-wing aircraft using water drops, using retardant drops. They try to make sure that communities down here stay safe because it really only takes one ember for this fire to spread. Tom. Steve Patterson, his team on the fire line tonight, it was also a brutally hot day across much of the East Coast with temperatures well into the 90s.

And now that heat is setting off severe storms across the region. And already we've seen significant flash flooding. You see it right here in the heart of Atlanta. Look at that. Our Bill Cairns is live for us now in studio, tracking it all. Bill, walk us through what's happening. Yeah, Atlanta's difficult on a normal sunny rush hour. I mean, this has been bad.

We had a thunderstorm sit right over the top of Atlanta for about 90 minutes, drop three inches of rain, and the pictures tell the story. We have people trapped in their cars. We have interstates that are completely shut down. The thunderstorm is finally ending, but it's left its mark. It'll take a little while to clear that water out. We're also watching severe thunderstorms between Philadelphia and New York City. These have damaging wind with them.

We've also been having huge impact at the airports. Between ground stops, everyone is about one to two-hour delays from Dulles all the way to the New York airports. As far as the Memorial Day weekend forecast goes, we are watching heavy rain down along the Texas coast into Louisiana. We're also going to be tracking some of that heavy rain into the northeast on Saturday. Memorial Day, unfortunately, not the best. to the eastern half of the country.

Hope that forecast changes. All right, Bill. We thank you for you. Thank you for that. Now to the fiery scene in lower Manhattan, we want to show you. This video is wild.

A car exploding near Wall Street, sending pedestrians racing. And now the investigation into what caused the blast. Emily Aketa has more. It's like a scene out of a movie. A car engulfed in flames exploding into a massive fireball

in New York City. Sending frantic pedestrians scrambling for safety. Thick black, smoke smothered the intersection near Wall Street's famed charging bull statue. There was a series of booms followed by a cleanless smoke. Josh Crandall works in the area and described the chaos in the thick of rush hour Tuesday. I didn't know what was going to happen next.

Am I safe? Are those other people safe? Is there something bigger going on? You can see this charge sign, even 24 hours later and over here where the fire burned through a car that the Metropolitan Transportation Authority tells us was one of their vehicles. Video showing early stages of the fire burning the front end and the scorched aftermath. Remarkably, fire officials say no one was injured in the massive fireball as they investigate what caused the stunning scene.

Emily Ikeda, NBC News, New York. And tonight we're also tracking some reports out of Massachusetts where the search is on for a suspect who authorities say followed people into dorm buildings. at both Harvard and MIT, allegedly trying to assault at least one woman. Here's Stephanie Gosk. Tonight, two famous campuses on edge. Police at MIT and Harvard looking for information on this man. Someone matching his description authorities say is suspected of breaking into a Harvard dorm Tuesday

and allegedly assaulting someone. Police responding to a call at 5.30 at night. Went up behind her, from behind, pushed her inside. Covered her mouth at the Gonsky, she had she waited. According to a statement from Harvard Police, the victim screamed, prompting nearby residents to exit their rooms, at which point the suspect fled. The victim did not report any injuries, police asking officers to be on the lookout. White male, 20 or 30s, 510 to 6 feet. Then, according to MIT Police, a woman reported being followed into the side entrance of a building on their campus later that night at roughly 545 when this photo was taken.

The man matched the description of a person who was the subject of a Harvard University police department alert. Both campus police departments calling on anyone with information to contact them. MIT also offering advice, including report anyone acting suspicious on campus and asking students and teachers to lock residential and office doors and windows. Both schools rattled by the news. There's always something in college that you hear about, and it's like scary. An uneasy night at two of the country's most prestigious universities. Stephanie Gosk, NBC News.

We also have a major update to those Americans quarantining in Nebraska after exposure to the hauntavirus. One of them is now speaking out to us saying he wants out. It comes as an American is battling another life-threatening disease, Ebola, transported to Germany. Here's Maggie Vesp. Tonight, as the global race to contain Africa's surging Ebola outbreak intensifies, new video shows the American surgeon infected in the DR Congo arriving via ambulance at a German hospital. This as a report in the Washington Post says the White House resisted allowing Dr. Peter Stafford to return to the U.S. for treatment, delaying his evacuation and care, according to five people familiar with the Ebola response.

A White House spokesperson telling NBC News, the report is absolutely false. Directors of the missionary group Dr. Stafford was traveling with describing his condition as Cruz guided him to a plane. He's hanging on them barely strong enough to walk. So he looked really tired and really sick. Health officials say Dr. Stafford's wife, four kids, and another American physician were also exposed and transferred to hospitals in Berlin and Prague for monitoring. So far, there are 139 suspected deaths and close to 600 suspected cases now tied to the outbreak. Those case numbers nearly tripling in the last five days. Meanwhile, back in the U.S. These are the two federal quarantine orders issued to one of the 18 American passengers exposed to haunt a virus on this cruise ship

and now isolating at this Nebraska hospital, which the passenger calls a prison. A 30-year-old New Yorker, he asked to remain anonymous amid online threats to his fellow passengers. The orders saying leaving early to isolate at home would potentially endanger the public's health, adding if he does leave, he could face a criminal fine or up to a year in jail. The passenger telling us, quote, no one here is asking not to be under quarantine, adding he's very angry about not being allowed to leave. Maggie Vespa, NBC News. Okay, we turn to politics now in a major victory for President Trump, who has made it his mission to go after Republicans who defy him. Overnight, all the candidates he endorsed in primaries won big.

Here's Garrett Hake. Tonight, a clean sweep for President Trump, with Trump-backed candidates winning or advancing in three. 37 Republican primary races. We won everything. We won all races last night. Every one of them. I know how to win. I think I've proven that, haven't I?

Including GOP voters rejecting two long-time Republican critics of the president. Brad Raffensberger finishing a distant third in his run for Georgia governor and Kentucky Congressman Thomas Massey, defeated by farmer and former Navy SEAL Ed Gowryne. I want to thank President Trump for his support. In his pursuit of political opponents over the last month, the president demonstrating the sway he still holds over the GOP base. We talked about how his endorsement is the most powerful in the history of politics. I mean, anywhere in the world, I think it's just a phenomenon.

But Trump's wins also adding to a flock of lame duck lawmakers unmoored from party politics, like Louisiana Republican senator and Trump critic Bill Cassidy, who was defeated in a GOP primary after President Trump endorsed another candidate. Today, Cassidy criticizing the billion-dollar funding requests for security enhancements at the president's White House ballroom. They could cost a lot less. He could cost a lot more. I just don't get it. And I think this could go through the normal appropriations process. Tonight, several Republican senators say that billion dollars for ballroom security does not have enough Republican votes to pass may expect it to be stripped out of their spending bill. Tom? Garrett Hake at the White House. Garrett, thank you. In 60 seconds, the president.

burglary ring busted. What we're learning about the huge high-tech operation involving those hitting cameras and Wi-Fi jammers, that's next. We're back now with the arrests of multiple suspects connected to dozens of recent burglaries in California. The crew is often using high-tech Wi-Fi jammers and surveillance cameras of their own to break in. Liz Kreutz has more on how authorities caught them. Tonight, Los Angeles authorities arresting seven people, in connection with a series of home break-ins across Southern California involving high-tech tactics, including hidden cameras and Wi-Fi jammers. These criminals generally get more sophisticated, whether they're coming from South America or their local criminals. Officials say the suspects are part of a South American

theft group that's burglarized dozens of homes stealing jewelry, handbags, money, and at least one case of firearm. Today, police displaying one of the hidden cameras the burglars used, which was disguised to blend in with bushes on the property. It is a box, a wooden box wrapped in artificial turf. What's in it is a phone and a camera with extra batteries. Authorities also say the thieves will sometimes place food delivery bags on front porches and then ring the doorbell to see if anyone's home. They'll then turn on Wi-Fi jammers like these to disrupt home security systems. This doorbell camera footage shows thieves holding jammers as they approach a home.

You can see the security camera starts to glitch. The latest arrest, part of an ongoing effort to crack down on the rash of raisin break-ins in the region. This video shows thieves appearing to use walkie-talkies to coordinate during a robbery. And here, mass suspects running away once spotted. And Tom officials say these thieves are increasingly trying to break into the second story of homes where there's often less surveillance. Most of the people arrested today face up to six years in prison. Tom. Good tip to be aware of, though, about that second floor. All right, thanks, Liz.

We're back in a moment with the sinkhole. that shut down a runway at LaGuardia Airport today. That's next. We're back now with a major stock launch that could make Elon Musk, the world's first trillionaire. Today, SpaceX confirmed plans to sell shares of its stock to the public for the first time. The initial public offering is expected to take place next month, and it's likely to be the biggest IPO ever, making SpaceX one of the most valuable companies in the world. We also want to show you this video from Los Angeles of a fire truck. flipping over. The truck appears to barrel sideways into two parked cars, flipping on top of them and

crashing into a building as smoke pours out. The fire department says that crash happened when they were responding to a fire, and that two firefighters did sustain minor injuries. And here in New York, this deep sinkhole shut down a runway at LaGuardia Airport. The airport says the sinkhole was discovered during an inspection this morning, and that emergency crews are working to determine the cause. Okay, when we come back, there's good news tonight the emotional surprises for these graduates from their biggest supporters. That's next. Finally, there's good news tonight. It's graduation season, always an emotional milestone, but even more so when those grads with family in the military get a heartwarming surprise. Up next, Ms. Jaslyn Ardwin. At this high school graduation in

Central Louisiana, a surprise for senior Jaslyn Ardwin. Ms. Jasmine is going to be receiving her high school diploma from her father. Jaslin rushing to hug her father, so excited in the moment her shoes came off. The Army Staff Sergeant has been stationed in Kosovo for more than a year. Staff Sergeant Ardwain, we extend our sincere gratitude for your dedicated service to the nation. And my dad actually showed up. All my problems and my thoughts just went away. Good thing the glasses was on because under the glasses, there was a lot of tears.

And more than a thousand miles north at Kuka College in New York, student Madison Robinson Mayors called to the stage. So I would like to ask if Army Specialist. Her brother Tyler, an Army Combat Medic Specialist, flying overnight from Georgia to see her graduate. And for senior Sydney Matlock in Oklahoma, her brother, Skyler, stationed with the Navy in San Diego, right there to surprise her at her high school graduation. Loved ones reuniting on some of life's biggest stages.

This is going to be one of my core members. It actually needs a lot to that my dad was there. And a big thank you to those military families. That's nightly news for this Wednesday. I'm Tom Yamas. Thanks so much for watching. tonight and always we're here for you good night