NBC Nightly News with Tom Llamas - Wednesday, October 1, 2025

Episode Date: October 2, 2025

No end in sight after first day of federal government shutdown; Pope Leo: ‘Inhuman treatment’ of immigrants in U.S.; Search for survivors in Philippines after deadly earthquake; 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, no end in sight. Republicans and Democrats deadlocked over the shutdown. The rejected reopening as another vote fails today. Democrats doubling down on health care demands as the White House reveals when mass layoffs could start. She immersed herself in the jungle and transformed the way we understand animals, legendary chimpanzee researcher Jane Goodall passing away after a lifetime of advocacy. The first American Pope seeming to criticize the American president.

Tonight you'll hear what Pope Leo is saying about President Trump's immigration policies and what the White House said when we shared the pontiff's comments. Dozens dead in the Philippines as the earthquake death toll sky rockets, the urgent search for survivors, rescuers digging through concrete and debris. Another home in the outer banks crashing down, the sixth in just 24 hours. Massive waves pummeling the East Coast. as two massive storms churn in the Atlantic. The search for stolen hawks, two majestic birds of prey that help patrol the skies above NFL games

snatched from the stadium while the players were on the field. The blast in the bronze and explosion sending part of a high-rise plummeting to the ground. This is NBC Nightly News with Tom Yamas. And good evening. We're one day into the government shutdown, and already the impacts are being failed. in Washington and far beyond. These closed national parks and monuments symbolic of the standoff as Republicans and Democrats battle back and forth

over how to fund the government. Federal workers telling us tonight they're already feeling the effects. The Trump administration saying layoff notices, for some could come later this week. Many others could be soon furloughed or work without pay. Right now, there's no end in sight. Another vote? It will fail today with each side blaming the other,

despite pushes for a bipartisan way out. We begin tonight with Ryan Nobles on Capitol Hill. Tonight, on day one into a partial federal government shutdown, Democrats again blocking a Republican funding bill that would reopen the government. How does this end? Well, it ends when the Senate Democrats pick this bill up, passed by the House of Representatives, and vote for it. But Democrats first demanding reversals in GOP changes to Medicaid.

The Republican health care crisis is immoral in nature, and Democrats are fighting hard to reverse it. While the White House pointing to a new poll showing 65 percent of Americans say Democrats should not force a shutdown if their demands are not met. For the first time since the Democrats have been in politics, they're now saying that unless we get every policy item that we demand, we're going to shut down the people's government. They're trying to take a hostage, and we're not going to let them. So far, Democrats say their supporters, including federal workers, want them to hold firm. How nervous are they that it could last a long time? They may be the strongest group yet saying you've got to push back. Now, you know, the question will become, well, they have that same view three weeks from now?

I don't know. But three Democrats today broke ranks, voting with Republicans to keep the government open, including Nevada's Catherine Cortez-Mastro. Do you think your leadership needs to do more to get in the? the room and start those conversations? I think both sides. I think the American public is looking at Congress and saying, what are you doing? We solve these problems. That's where we should be. Meanwhile, the White House using taxpayer-funded websites to accuse Democrats of shutting the government down. And one day in, the shutdown impacts are already being felt. Tim McCullough traveled here

to visit his granddaughter, but a lot of D.C. sites are closed. How disappointed are you in your elected leaders that they can't figure this out? I think it's disappointing on both sides. While Social Security, Medicare, and VA benefits will keep going out, President Trump's budget director, Russ Vote, told House Republicans layoff notices for federal workers could come out later this week. Those that aren't laid off could be furloughed or work without pay. We're not getting paid for the work we're performing. We're nervous about making ends meet. And the American people are also nervous about what a government shutdown means to their earned benefits. All right, Ryan joins us now live from Capitol Hill. And Ryan, I know you have some new reporting for our viewers about Republican efforts to pass the bill to reopen the government. So what's their pitch?

Well, Tom, right now, Republicans need five more Democratic votes to pass their funding bill. And the White House and Senate Republicans are actively reaching out to Senate Democrats to try and get them to break ranks, hoping that public pressure will get them to change their minds. But tonight Senate Democrats remain confident. They will hold firm. for now. Tom. Ryan Noble's leading us off on that shutdown. Ryan, thank you. We're going to stay in Washington because the White House is also responding tonight to those new comments from Pope Leo. The American pontiff seeming to criticize President Trump's immigration policies, what he calls the inhuman treatment of immigrants here in the U.S. Here's Gabe Gutierrez. For the first time since celebrating his inaugural mass, the American Pope from Chicago, weighing in on U.S. politics. Pope Leo seeming to criticize the Trump administration over the president's immigration policies. Someone who says that I'm against abortion, but I'm in agreement with

the inhuman treatment of immigrants in the United States. I don't know if that's pro-life. So they're very complex issues. I don't know if anyone has all the truth on them, but I would ask first and foremost that there'd be greater respect for one another. The rare remarks coming after his predecessor, Pope Francis also slammed the president's crackdown on illegal immigration. Tonight, the White House pushing back on Pope Leo's comments. You've been very open about your Catholic faith. How do you respond to that? I would reject there is inhumane treatment of illegal immigrants in the United States under this administration. There was, however, significant inhumane treatment of illegal immigrants in the

previous administration as they were being trafficked and raped and beaten, in many cases, killed over our United States southern border. Pope Leo also said President Trump's rebranding of the Department of Defense to the Department of War was concerning. But he did show support for the president's proposed peace plan for Gaza, calling it realistic and saying he hoped it would be accepted. Tom. All right, Gabe, we thank you. Now to the Philippines, where 69 people have been killed, more than 100 injured after a major 6.9 earthquake devastated an island there. Buildings and bridges destroyed first responders racing to safe survivors.

Janice Mackey Freyer has the story. The deadliest earthquake to hit the Philippines in over a decade, and the destruction is vast. On the island of Cebu, search teams are combing through rubble as authorities race to get essential aid to those who need it. Videos on social media showing when the powerful magnitude 6.9 earthquake hit, people seem clinging to each other. The top of this parish building crashing to the ground. At the Miss Pacific contest, people scrambling to hide under tables. One of the hardest hit areas was the city of Bogo, where images showed covered bodies side by side lining the street

and makeshift hospitals struggling to treat the injured. Rescuers are using whatever tools they have to pull away concrete and debris to recover bodies. Among the dead here, this man's wife and son. I went around the rubble and kept calling out their names, he said, touching the bag, holding his loved one's body. Officials have declared a state of calamity, the Philippines vulnerable to disasters like this, sitting on the geological fault known as the Ring of Fire. But rescue efforts are being hampered by broken roads and bridges, heavy rain and multiple aftershocks,

with the death toll expected to rise even higher. Janice Mackey Freyer, NBC News, Beijing. And back here at home, we turn to some stunning video from North Carolina's outer banks. Six homes have now collapsed into the ocean, all because of those waves from two massive storms in the Atlantic. Here's Jesse Kirsch now with this new video. In Buxton, North Carolina, these homes were no match for Mother Nature. The stormy surf causing five houses to collapse in less than an hour yesterday before a six was destroyed overnight. Officials say the homes were unoccupied following damage this summer

from Hurricane Erin. And tonight, more appear to be in danger. I looked down at my cell phone, thanks to social media, and saw my house falling in the ocean. It was shocking. Christy Roberson called her home Infinity and says it was the most special place in the world. My moments in Infinity and the moment shared there will always be the love story. The devastation was triggered by Hurricane's Umbert. and Imelda, which are lashing the east coast with massive waves. For years, the outer banks have been hampered by erosion from storms and rising sea levels, driven by climate change. If you had been

at any one of these properties 10, 15 years ago, you would have had to take a football field walk to get to the beach. But we've had that erosion process taking place for the many decades. Since 2020, 18 different houses have collapsed in the area, according to the National Park Service. Some deciding to literally pick up their homes and move inland. Communities have also used sand to reinforce beaches. But those are only temporary fixes as oceans rise and storms get stronger. Jesse Kirsch, NBC News. And tonight the world is remembering Jane Goodall, a trailblazer who went into the wild to study chimpanzees

and taught the world about animals, nature, and humankind. Here's Ann Thompson. Only death could silence Jane Goodall and her passionate defense of the environment. We've got a window of time to start healing some of this harm we've done to the environment. At 91, passing away from natural causes while on a speaking tour in California

after a lifetime of advocacy, starting with her beloved chimpanzees. In 1960, with little scientific training, she went to Tanzania and changed the way we look at these great apes by doing everything the scientific community then thought was wrong. They were totally.

horrified. I'd named the chimps instead of numbering them. I talked about them having personalities. I talked about them having minds and being able to have rational thoughts and emotions, happiness, sadness, fear. And all of these things were supposed to be attributes only of humans. Emmercing herself in the jungle, she discovered the chimps could make tools, ate meat, and fought wars, captivating the world. I got on a geographic cover and then there were all these people saying, well, she's only successful because she's got nice legs. My attitude was, well, if that's what gets me to get money to study the chimps, which is my passion, thank you legs. A prolific author, she spoke for the creatures she understood.

That's good morning in chimpanzee. Goodall married twice and had one son, but her lasting legacy is the relationship forged in the wild. I want to be remembered for having helped people to understand the true nature of animals, that they do matter as individuals, that they do have a part to play in the scheme of things. And they're not just objects, they're beings, and they're, you know, part of it. Teaching us about chimpanzees and ourselves. Anne Thompson, NBC News. And when we come back, the urgent search for stolen birds,

of prey. Inside the investigation of find Alice and Bubba, two hawks taken from an NFL game this weekend. What happened? That's next. We are back now with a search for two beloved hawks stolen days ago. They are trained to circle the sky during NFL games and they were snatched in the middle of a game Sunday. Liz Kreutz reports on the rush to get them back alive. Tonight, a mystery in Los Angeles, two trained hawks missing after they were stolen at SoFi Stadium during L.A. Rams game. I'm so exhausted. I've been, I'm so exhausted. I've been looking for them. Falconer Charles Cogger says his hawks, Alice, and Bubba patrol the skies above the stadium. It's a popular way to scare off aggressive seagulls, something that's long been a problem at outdoor

sports venues nationwide, with birds making a mess on the crowd and snatching up food. But instead, he says two of his birds, Alice and Bubba, were snatched up themselves after a thief drove off in the vehicle where they were crated. All the little hot dog vendors and we're all this like, Charles, Charles, come on, come on. The guy took your bird or took your cart. According to police, the theft occurred Sunday about an hour into the Rams game against the Indianapolis Colts, while Cogger was working with his third hawk, aptly, named Hope. This all happened right here by the pond where the hawks patrol.

Authorities say the car that was stolen has since been found abandoned a few miles away from here, but Alice and Bubba still missing. Cogger says time is running out. They're not getting anything to eat, and they can only go so many days without food. and water before they go into what's called a crash mode. Today and tomorrow is like where it gets really critical. The Harris Hawks are federally protected and cost about $1,000 each. What is your message to the thief? I just hope you do the right thing. That's the only hope I have left. That they'll do the right thing and return the birds? Yeah. Cogger says there's now a reward offered,

if found. List Croix, NBC News, Los Angeles. We hope they find him. All right, we're back in a moment with the bomb threat at Octoberfest. Did you hear about this? Why officials in Germany were so concerned, they had to temporarily stop the festival. Plus, the major milestone for Elon Musk, as the world's richest man gets one step closer to becoming a trillionaire. That's next. We are back now with dramatic video here in New York City. Take a look at this, a high-rise public housing building in the Bronx, partially collapsing earlier this morning, leading to a rush to escape. You can see the moment right there, ventilation shaft just totally crumbles on the side of the building, leaving debris and rubble on the ground. The fire commissioner says an explosion might have caused

it to happen. Authorities say nobody was hurt, but the building had a number of violations. Also tonight, overseas police in Germany, temporarily closing the fairgrounds for October Fest after a bomb threat. Officials in Munich say the threat came from the suspected perpetrator from a different explosion that happened at a residential building elsewhere in the city. At least one person's death is believed to be connected to that explosion. On the Spanish island of Ibiza, torrential rains leading to widespread flooding. Look at this, due to the remnants of post-tropical cyclone Gabrielle. You can see rescuers pulling people, even dogs from the water.

This video is showing a rock crashing down on a hotel there, and that rain set a record for Ibiza's rainiest day in more than 70 years, that according to Spain's weather agency. And the world's richest man just got even richer. Elon Musk becoming the first person in history to achieve a net worth of, get this, nearly $500 billion, that according to the Forbes billionaire's index. Musk is now one step closer to becoming the world's first trillionaire. The big boost comes from a rebound in the stock value of his company, Tesla. All right, that does it for us.

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. Thank you.