PBS News Hour - Full Show - December 15, 2025 – PBS News Hour full episode

Episode Date: December 16, 2025

Monday on the News Hour, authorities renew their search for the Brown University shooter and Australian leaders vow to toughen gun laws after an attack at a Hanukkah festival. Hong Kong democracy activist Jimmy Lai is convicted in a case that's become a symbol of Beijing’s crackdown on dissent. Plus, how Trump's immigration crackdown is affecting people who spent years trying to become citizens. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

Good evening. I'm Amna Nawaz. And I'm Jeff Bennett. On the news hour tonight, the fallout from two mass shootings. Authorities renew their search for the Brown University shooter, and Australian leaders vowed to toughen gun laws after an attack at a Hanukkah festival. Former pro-democracy activist and media mogul Jimmy Lai is convicted in Hong Kong, in a case that's become a symbol of Beijing's crackdown on dissent. And how the Trump administration's immigration policy is affecting people who have spent years trying to become U.S. citizens. This is a thinly veiled attempt to thwart people's efforts to become citizens of this country.

Welcome to the News Hour, the fallout from two weekends. mass shootings continued today, one in Rhode Island, the other half a world away in Australia. We begin in Providence, Rhode Island, where officials today released new video of a person of interest as the hunt continues for the gunmen behind a shooting in a lecture hall at Brown University. Two students were killed and nine others were injured. A short time ago, officials said they're still searching for the suspect and for more leads. We are renewing our call for the public's assistance and seeking any and all information about the shooter. No amount of information is too small or irrelevant.

We are also here to announce the FBI is now offering a reward of $50,000 for information that can lead to the identification, the arrest, and the conviction of the individual responsible who we believe to be armed and dangerous. Earlier in the day, most students left campus after classes and exams were canceled. But an increased police presence remained in the area and the community is coping with the aftermath. Sons turning. Huddled together in the frigid night air, the Brown University community gathered in grief last night.

What was once planned as a Christmas tree and menorah lighting celebration was now a moment to mourn. We're all very sad and coming out of a period of being very scared. Ph.D. student, Jaron Friesen, recalled the shooting. I heard some loud sound. I am so conditioned to thinking that something like that could happen. So my first instinct was that it was a gun. An all-too-common event for American students, this time claiming the lives of two,

identified by authorities as Mohamed Aziz Umurzikov and Ella Cook. 18-year-old Umurzikov, a freshman from Midlothian, Virgin. Virginia was described by the American Uzbekistan Association as sharp, kind-hearted, and gifted, and according to his family, dreamed of becoming a neurosurgeon. Ella Cook was just 19 years old, a sophomore from Mountain Brook, Alabama, an accomplished pianist and leader in the college Republican club. She was described by her hometown priest as generous, faithful, and a bright light. Amorsakov and Cook were killed Saturday when a gunman opened fire on

students in the middle of final exams. Overnight, authorities released a person of interest without providing details or answering questions about where the shooter might be. It takes time to run this evidence. It takes time to process information that was collected and hard evidence that was collected. Rhode Island's Attorney General defended the decision saying the investigation is high stakes. This is what these investigations look like. That sometimes you head in one direction and then you have to regroup and go and

another. For Brown Jr. Mia Treda, this marked the second school shooting she survived. It felt like, of course, it won't happen again. You know, it already did. Gun violence doesn't, it doesn't care whether you've been shot before. Tretta was 15 when she was shot during a mass shooting at Saga's High School in Santa Clarita, California in 2019. Her best friend, Dominic Blackwell, was killed along with two other students. I had to continue going. to not let this shooting, this gun take my whole life away, but also for my best friend. I had to go to college because my best friend will never get the opportunity to. I had to continue my life for someone else you couldn't.

A new memorial now grows, this time at the gates of Brown University, as the hunt for the person responsible continues. Joining us now for more is Maya Nelson. She's an editor at the student newspaper. That's the Brown Daily Herald. and she joins us from New York. Maya, we are so glad that you are well and that you made the time to speak with us.

Thank you for joining the show. Thank you so much for having me. So you are at home in New York now. Just take us back if you can and tell us about where you were when the shooting happened, what you remember about that time and how you learned what was going on.

Yeah, absolutely. So I was definitely one of the really, really lucky ones. I was actually at my professor's house at the time. He was hosting the final meeting for our class there since it's a pretty small seminar and we were all invited to stay over for dinner afterwards. So we were all there when we got the news in the middle of a class discussion when the alert started going off on everyone's phone. And basically class was canceled from there. And we all just started checking in on all of our friends, other students. Everyone we knew on campus to make sure that they were okay.

And, you know, as the night went on, and it became clear that the lockdown wasn't going to be lifted any time soon. Tell me about what you're hearing from other students as well right now, two days later, how you're feeling, especially now the gunman is still at large. Yeah, I think the initial shock of everything has kind of, you know, passed at this point. And now everyone is in mourning and they're grieving, you know, the identities of the two students. students have been pretty much confirmed at this point, and I know a lot of people who knew them, who were friends of them, who just are starting to process their grief on that. I know a lot of people, all of my friends have come home at this point and are just so grateful to be with family and to be safe afterwards, me among them. I'm so glad to be back at home now and to be really,

thoroughly supported through this. I think there's definitely still a lot of fear in the air not knowing who did this. I think a lot of students, you know, if it's not revealed who it was or it's

going to be a difficult feeling on campus. Now I think it's always going to hang in the air over us going forward and yeah, it's been a really tough few days. Why are you worried? about going back to campus?

A little, yeah. I really thought that they had found the guy when that news was released, and that was, you know, a huge relief since, you know, as the manhunt was going on, people who I think were getting less and less confident that they would be able to find a suspect. So it was a huge relief when they did,

and then now all that progress has kind of been, I don't want to say, undone, but, you know, it feels kind of a little bit like we're back where we were two days ago. And I just remember going back to my dorm right after to pick up my stuff before being driven back. And it just, it felt so wrong. I was like, kind of like shaking on the walk back because, like, you know, the gunman was still at large. And like, I didn't know if they were a student. I didn't know if they could be there still. And I think if, you know, whoever's responsible isn't caught, I think a lot of students going back are still going to feel that fear and that lack

of resolution. Maya, unfortunately, your peers, your generation, shootings like this are somewhat the norm, right? There's two students already who've come forward, who survived this shooting, who'd already survived high school shootings as well. Did you ever think something like this would happen at Brown? Not at Brown. I remember in high school it was talked about a little bit more frequently. We had a few bomb threats at my school.

It was always kind of looming. There were a lot of, you know, shooter drills and things that we did to prepare. And so it was more kind of actively in everyone's minds. And for some reason, I thought in my head when you came to college, like, you were safe now, especially at a school like Brown that is so, you know, close-knit. And also just has always felt very, very safe and very much, like, home to me. It was not something that was ever really going through my head. of the possibility of something like this.

You, of course, are also a journalist at your school. You're covering the same story as you're living through it. Tell us about what you've been able to report on so far. What kind of messages you're hearing from students who are trying to reckon with this over the last few days? It has been really, really difficult, obviously, but at the same time, so meaningful to be part of this and to be in a position to be able to take some action and feel like I'm

I'm contributing to something, because I know a lot of students who are feeling kind of like aimless and detached right now, they don't know what to do. And it's really nice to have an outlet to be able to channel my work and my focus. And I'm just so incredibly grateful to everyone who I've spoken with who has been able to trust me with their story and who's been open with me, who's helped out with sources, who's just provided support in whatever way they can. And yeah, the entire experience has been just really, really, really valuable. Maya, we're so grateful that you could make the time to speak with us today. We really do appreciate your time and your insights. Maya Nelson from Brown University, joining us from her home in

New York. Thank you. It's good to speak with you. Thank you so much. Now to the massacre at a Hanukkah gathering at Sydney's iconic Bondi Beach. 15 people were killed and one of two gunmen shot dead after a hail of gunfire tore apart celebrations for the first night of the Jewish Festival of Lights. Australian officials quickly labeled the assault an anti-Semitic act of terrorism. Today, shock and grief were matched by anger and urgent questions. Eyewitness video captures the moment two armed men opened fire at a Hanukkah gathering on Sydney's iconic Bondi Beach. Confusion, panic, the sound of celebration giving way to terror. Families running for their lives, a festival of light darkened by violence.

And then I heard like a shot, like boom, like three, four, five shot. I thought probably it's like a fire, fire rock. This Israeli tourist visiting Australia was filming the celebration when the gunfire erupted. And then like I just ran and one and one, I didn't think anything. And then when I just stop after I feel like it's a safe place, I see. I stopped and I was just thinking like, wow, this is the feel like being the same like what happened in the 7th October. In Nova Festival, people are celebrating, enjoy the moment, enjoy the holiday. That sense of shock and grief hung heavy today as members of Sydney's Jewish community gathered to mark the second night of Hanukkah.

A ritual usually centered on joy and continuity carried out this time. in grief and mourning. Today, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese called it a horrific act of anti-Semitism. Tragically, in 2025, we live in a dangerous time. And these two evil people have engaged in this act of anti-Semitism, driven by ideology. But the attack has also sharpened political tensions. On Sunday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu criticized Albanese and his government's decision to recognize a Palestinian state. On August 17th, about four months ago, I sent Prime Minister Albanese of Australia a letter

in which I gave him warning that the Australian government's policy was promoting and encouraging anti-Semitism in Australia. I wrote, your call for a Palestinian state pure's full fuel on the anti-Semitic fire. The Australian Prime Minister rejected that, instead calling for national unity. Do you accept any link between that recognition

and the massacre in Bondi? No, I don't. And overwhelmingly, most of the world recognizes a two-state solution as being the way forward in the Middle East. This is a moment of national unity where we need to come together, and in particular, at this time, we need to wrap our arms around, members of the Jewish community who are going through an extraordinarily difficult period.

That was an anti-Semitic attack, obviously, and I just want to pay my respects to everybody. In Washington, President Trump also condemned the attack and highlighted an act of extraordinary bravery. A very, very brave person, actually, who went and attacked frontally one of the shooters and saved a lot of lives. That man, an Australian fruit vendor, Ahmed al-Akmed, charged toward danger, tackling and disarming one of the gunmen. When he saw these people on the ground, covered in blood, his conscience and morals compelled him to attack one of the terrorists. Ahmed was later shot by the second gunman. He's now recovering in the hospital. I'm proud that my son saved lives.

He was hit by bullets in the hand and shoulder, but Allah won't hurt him as he was doing good. Half a world away in Tel Aviv, a vigil was held for the victim. Candles lit, prayers whispered, and grief shared. The impact is deeply personal. Near Golan is visiting Tel Aviv, but is from Bandai Beach. This is our community. This is our school. This is our synagogue.

This is our backyard. It's a tragedy. and we are still processing what has happened. Golan says the attack has shaken his faith in Australia's ability to protect Jewish citizens. I've told every person I've been here that Australia is no longer safe for Jewish people. So this is not unexpected. The government has done nothing to protect us. And unfortunately, this is the situation we're in.

It is tragic. My heart goes out to everyone back home. Australian couple Harry and Tammy Graff were in Israel working as well. volunteers with a non-profit group when they learned what had happened back home. We come here to help this country. We got home. What do we do to help our country? What can we do? It was a huge shock and the world seemed to just turn upside down. Harry Graf says this is a turning point for the Jewish community in Australia, but that they have to go on. We have to continue to have our Hanukkah events.

Christians have to continue having their Christmas events. Otherwise, the bad guys win. You know, we cannot let that happen. A community shaken, but determined to remain visible, to choose light even in the darkest moments. In the day's other headlines, a thought. Parties in California have arrested the younger son of Rob and Michelle Reiner after the director and his photographer wife were found dead this past weekend. Police say Nick Reiner, seen here with

his family, was booked for murder and is being held without bail. It was not immediately clear what charges he faces. When Harry met Sally Director and his wife were found with stab wounds yesterday in their home in Los Angeles in what police are treating as a homicide. We'll have more on Rob Reiner's life and career later in the program. Separately in California, federal officials say they foiled a bomb plot that was set to take place at several locations in Southern California on New Year's Eve. At a press conference today, DOJ officials said they arrested four people last week after surveillance footage showed them testing explosives in the desert outside Los Angeles. Authorities allege the suspects belong to an extremist offshoot of a pro-Palest

group dubbed Turtle Island Liberation Front. They face multiple charges, including conspiracy and possession of a destructive device. In western Washington state officials ordered immediate evacuations for three Seattle suburbs today after a local levy broke. It follows days of heavy rain and flooding that have swamped communities. The National Weather Service issued a flash flood warning for nearly 47,000 people and warned that routes of escape could be lost at any time. Meantime. On the opposite coast, residents across the northeast have been digging out from a weekend. snowstorm. Crews cleaned up several inches of snow in New York and New Jersey, the region's

first major snowfall of the season. U.S. officials say that Washington and Europe are offering Article 5-like security guarantees to Ukraine as part of talks aimed at ending its war with Russia. The reference to NATO-style protections come as Ukraine's president met with European leaders and U.S. mediators in Berlin today. The officials also said there is consensus on about 90% of the outstanding issues between Ukraine and Russia. But disputes over things like territorial matters remain unresolved. Speaking to reporters, Ukraine's President Zelenskyy said he believes American mediators can help find a compromise on such issues.

I believe that the issue of territories is a painful one because Russia wants what it wants, and we can't go any further. But of course we need to find dialogue, and we will do everything to find clear answers to the question. of security guarantees, territories, and money as compensation for Ukraine. In a joint statement after the talks, European leaders said they remain committed to providing robust security guarantees to Ukraine, including a European-led multinational force supported by the U.S. Chile is set for its most right-wing government in decades after ultra-conservative Jose Antonio Kast won Sunday's presidential runoff.

Kast spoke to supporters in Santiago as the results came in late yesterday. During the campaign, he had promised to crack down on crime and immigration. His victory is the latest in the political shift rightward across Latin America, including in places like Argentina and Bolivia. In France, workers at the Lourn Museum are on strike after talks broke down over better working conditions, among other concerns. striking workers shut down the museum by blocking its iconic glass pyramid entrance it's the latest setback for the world's most visited museum after thieves made off with more than one hundred million dollars worth of jewels back in october four arrests have been made but none of the artifacts have been recovered on wall street today stocks ended a touch lower ahead of tomorrow's november jobs report the dow jones industrial average slipped about 40 points so nearly unchanged The NASDAQ fell more than 130 points.

The S&P 500 also posted a small loss on the day. And General Hospital star Anthony Geary has died. He's best known for playing Luke Spencer on the hit daytime drama. The romance with Laura Weber, played by Jeannie Francis, became a cultural phenomenon. Hi, Lucas Lorenzo Spencer. Take thee, Laura Weber Baldwin. Take thee, Laura Weber Baldwin. Some 30 million people tuned in to watch their world.

wedding in 1981. To this day, it's the highest rated soap opera episode in American TV history. Starting in 1978, Geary appeared in nearly 2,000 episodes of General Hospital, winning a record eight daytime Emmys along the way. Anthony Geary was 78 years old. Still to come on the news hour, Tamara Keith and Amy Walter break down the latest political headlines. We look back at the life and legacy of the late filmmaker Rob Reiner. And a news hour tradition, members of the armed forces, band perform a holiday song. This is the PBS News Hour from the David M. Rubinstein studio at WETA in Washington, and in the west from the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism at Arizona State University.

Hong Kong's High Court found media mogul and pro-democracy activist Jimmy Lai guilty today of conspiracy to collude with foreign forces and sedition. The high-profile trial took place under a national security law imposed by mainland China in 2020, which punished people not only for what they did, but also what they said. Anyone who, quote, provoked the hatred of Beijing, who called for Hong Kong separation from mainland China, who received support from a foreign country as judged by Beijing-backed courts. Sentencing will take place next month.

Lai, who is 78 years old, could be sentenced to life in prison. President Trump today weighing in. I feel so badly. I spoke to President Xi about it, and I asked to consider his release. He's not well. He's an older man, and he's not well. So I did put that request out. We'll see what happens. Jimmy Lai arrived in Hong Kong at just 12 years old, stowing away on a fishing boat. He rose from factory worker to become a media tycoon in one of its most outspoken pro-democracy voices. In the summer of 2020, he became the highest profile figure, arrested under China's newly imposed national security law. And for perspective on this, we're joined now by Claire Lai, Jimmy Lai's daughter. Thank you for being here.

Thank you so much for having me. You have described this as a life or death situation, not just a legal case. When you think about your father right now, what feels most urgent? Definitely his health. I mean, my father was extremely robust and strong man going in. when he first went in five years ago and, you know, his health, I mean, I've just watched it deteriorate over the last five years, but, you know, a lot more alarmingly in the last two years, he's diabetic, he's, he has heart issues despite having a perfectly healthy heart five years ago. He has high blood

pressure, much higher than it was a year ago. He has nails that are falling off and turning colors. He has rotting teeth. He has waist and back pains. He has failing eyesight and failing hearing. He has infections that last months, despite taking antibiotics. And he just had so many health issues to list out. And we're just extremely, extremely worried about him. You heard President Trump's remarks. The Secretary of State Marco Rubio also issued a statement today saying we urge the authorities to bring this ordeal to an end as soon as possible and to release Mr. Lai on humanitarian grounds. Is there still meaningful space for a diplomatic effort to secure his release?

Absolutely. I mean, I've said it before, but I, having sat through every single day of the trial, I mean, I think what it shows is that it doesn't even live up to the name of a show trial. It won't live up. It won't be through the once promising but now highly compromised, Hong Kong legal system that this is solved, and it has to be solved between world leaders, and we are extremely, extremely grateful for President Trump, Secretary of State, Rubio, and the entire administration for their continued support.

They've had a proven track record of freeing the unjustly detained, and we hope that our father will be next. I read the piece you wrote in the Washington Post last week, and you said, Even though the Chinese government disagrees, I believe setting him free would be to the government's advantage. Walk us through that. Why would releasing him serve China's interests? I mean, firstly, it's the only just and it's the only honorable thing to do. And it's the benevolent thing to do.

My father has already been in jail for five years. A lot of the things he suffers from are not really, are not the natural byproduct of prison. I mean, he's denied the Holy Communion. He's natural sunlight is blocked off. He's not allowed to get the rosary. And, you know, denied external medical access and so on and so forth. He has suffered enough, and that is the benevolent thing to do. And also, my father, you know, he represents values that we all hold dear.

And he also represents everything good, you know, everything good about. about what was once the financial crown jewel of China, entrepreneur, real spirit, ingenuity, and all of those things. And my father is a British citizen, and he is, you know, if my father dies a martyr in prison, this is a stain on their history that they will not be able to live down.

Denied communion, denied the rosary, and yet, His faith is what sustains him. Definitely. We are so grateful. I mean, I, in the last five years, I've seen his body break down. But, you know, he is sustained by the prayers of some very good people. And he is, you know, every day he, he wakes up in the middle of the night to pray, and he wakes up before the crack of dawn to read the gospel.

And I truly, we all truly, we all truly, believe that that is what protects, that is, despite his failing body, that is what protects his soul and what protects his mind. Why is his case resonating far beyond Hong Kong? Because of what he stands for. My father, I mean, he stands for truth. He stands for freedom, the freedom of press, and he stands, I mean, he, you know, despite what the judgment says, I mean, all that they have proven in the trial that by the time of mitigation will have taken more than two years is that my father is a good man, a man who loves God, who loves truth and loves his family, and that is something that, and who stands for all

the values we hold dear, and that is something that we can all resonate with. Claire Lye, thanks again for your time this evening and our best to your family. Thank you so much for having me. It's the final step of a lengthy process to become a U.S. citizen, the naturalization ceremony. And in cities across the country in recent weeks, they've been abruptly canceled for immigrants from 19 countries that President Trump has deemed high risk. The cancellations follow the shooting of two National Guard members allegedly by an Afghan national. The news hour spoke to Marie, a Haitian woman who spent four years going through the citizenship process. Her ceremony was slated for this Friday, but was canceled last week.

We're not showing her face or sharing her full name because of her fears over her status. You try to do your best, you know, work hard, make sure you follow the laws and everything. And then now you get to this sprint and then you feel like, hey, what it is? you know, after my hard of work, you know, everything that you do. And then this is the result, you know. It's like a punch on the face, you know, because I love America. For more, I'm joined now by Gail Breslo. She's the executive director of Project Citizenship.

That's a nonprofit group that provides legal services to immigrants. Gail, welcome to The NewsHour. Thanks for joining us. Thanks for having me. So I want to make clear, Marie is not one of your clients, but I understand some 20 of your clients were told they're not going to be able to go through with their naturalization ceremony. Some were told on the same day of their ceremonies. Just tell us what happened and how you learned about these cancellations. Yeah. Well, on November 27th, the Trump administration put out a policy release from USCIS, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services announcing, that they were going to be undertaking enhanced vetting

and security measures in response to the tragic shooting that you alluded to in your lead-in. And then I'll just point out the irony of that. November 27th was Thanksgiving Day, a holiday in this country celebrating all of us who have come here as immigrants. Shortly thereafter, a few days after that, we began receiving phone calls and notifications on behalf of our clients that they're

oath ceremonies had been abruptly canceled. One of our clients didn't receive the notice in time that we had reached out to her, and by the time we connected with her, she had gone to Faniel Haugh for the oath ceremony that she had been scheduled for and told us that they were going down the line, they being officers, and asking every person what country they were from. And depending on the answer that they gave, they were taken out of the line. and told that their oath ceremony for that day was canceled. So, Gail, for anyone unfamiliar with the process, what does it take to become a US citizen?

How many years, how expensive is it? What kind of vetting do people go through? People go through extensive vetting to become US citizens. First and foremost, you have to already have a green card, which is an arduous process in and of itself and involves vetting. And then to be eligible for citizenship, you have to have had a green card for at least five years.

You have to be able to demonstrate knowledge of English, knowledge of civics. There's a lot of scrutiny that goes on in terms of background checks that you go through as part of the citizenship process. You have an in-person interview with a USCIS or U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Officer as part of the process as well. It is long and arduous. You know, we asked the administration for comment, and we got this response from the Department of Homeland Security, mentioning USCIS, the agency that you referenced. They say they've paused all adjudications for aliens from high-risk countries while they work to ensure that people are vetted and screened to the maximum degree possible. They say the pause will allow for a comprehensive examination of all pending benefit requests for people from those designated high-risk countries. And they note the safety of the American people always comes first. Gail, given what you just laid out in terms of the vetting, is it clear to you what their definition of the maximum degree possible of vetting means? Not at all. I don't think it's clear to anyone. I mean, this is a thinly veiled attempt to thwart people's efforts to become citizens of this country, in particular people from certain countries, from certain backgrounds. These folks have already been fully vetted.

And this is, again, just thinly veiled excuse to encourage people to leave this country. I'm angry and ashamed at the actions that the administration is taking in this respect. So, Gail, I want to share for folks, this is a look at the 19 nations that have been deemed high risk by this administration. I'm not going to list them all here, but here's the map. When you take a look at these, what is the common thread here? Is there a higher risk for people from these nations? Not that I'm aware of. I mean, when you look at what these countries have in common,

the people who live there tend to be black and brown people. The people who live there often practice religious that aren't the most common in this country. I can't think of any other reason why these countries would be singled out. one of our clients, if I may, you know, is a Haitian woman who has spent more of her life in this country than in Haiti where she was born. She has a teenage son. She works as a certified nursing assistant. She's been at the same job for over 20 years. These are not, you know, criminals. These are not people who need to be more thoroughly vetted than they already have been. This is, again, just an excuse to turn this country into something other than what most

of us are proud to be citizens of it for. So, Gail, what happens now for these clients? Is there a possibility people who've gone through the process and come to the final step, aren't able to fully become U.S. citizens? People have that very question. What we've been telling our clients is as difficult as it is to hold tight for now while we wait for further information from USCIS. It's been over two weeks, and there's been nothing, even though their cancellation notices promise that, you know, we will be, you know, back in touch with next steps. Nothing has been forthcoming. And, you know, we are at the same time exploring every legal avenue that might be available to us and our clients and are determined to fight for them and for their

rights and privileges and benefits that they deserve. That is Gail Breslow, Executive Director of Project Citizenship. Gail, thank you for joining us. Thank you for having me. receives rare backlash from members of his own party today for a social media post about the death of director Rob Reiner. In the meantime, Congress is running out of time to reach a deal on the Affordable Care Act tax subsidies. For analysis, we turn to our Politics Monday duo. That's Amy Walter of the Cook Political Report with Amy Walter and Tamara Keith of NPR. It's great to have you both here. So look, it was an incredibly callous and cruel post, even by Donald Trump's standards about the deaths of Rob Reiner and his wife, Michelle. So after the apparent

homicides, the president wrote on truth social, that their deaths were a very sad thing and that they would rest in peace. But most of the Post focused on attacking Reiner for his anti-Trump politics, and the president even suggested that Reiner had brought his death upon himself through what Trump called Trump derangement syndrome. What makes this moment different, you both know, is the response. You have Republicans, not just Trump critics, but Republicans in battleground districts, members of Congress pushing back, including New York Congressman Mike Lawley.

Oklahoma Congresswoman Stephanie Bice. You've also got a number of several conservative commentators also saying that this is really just depraved. What do you make of Republicans breaking rank here? Yeah, I think there is still a lot of grief over the murder of Charlie Kirk. And remember, there was a lot of consternation by many in conservative circles

about the way that they believed people on the left were treating that murder. There were many Calist tweets and responses from some about Charlie Kirk's murder and the approach that some conservative movement took was to say, we need to have an absolute truce to this kind of language, that regardless of anyone's political opinion, something horrible happens to them. We do not go and use those political beliefs against them. In this case, the president did not. What's different, you're right, though, is the first. fact that individual members of Congress and members of the sort of maga faithful coming out

and overwhelmingly pushing back. I think a lot of this is this, a feeling that, you know, the president in this case is taking what they had hoped to be a sort of moral high ground and had undercut that. Yeah, I mean, you did see some members of Congress contorting themselves to try to defend the social media post. President Trump himself was asked about the pushback that he was getting, which you described many of it, Marjorie Taylor Green,

congressman from Georgia, Republican, Barry Maga until recently, also pushed back. If you looked in the comments on truth social, and you know, that's a pretty self-selecting group, a lot of people in the comments were like, sir, are you sure? Maybe don't do this.

But President Trump was asked about this pushback, and he doubled down. He was asked in the Oval Office. He continued to trash Rob Reiner and his politics. It seems very clear that Reiner's politics had nothing to do with his murder. But President Trump often finds a way to make everything about himself. And that's also what that post did. All right. Well, let's move on.

We are heading into another week on Capitol Hill here with votes planned on the Affordable Care Act. No agreement yet on extending the enhanced sub-exempts. What if anything has actually changed? Has anything changed? I know. Well, there's a lot more conversation. Just talking to folks today who are following this a lot more closely than I am, they have not given up the belief that something can happen on these health care subsidies,

whether it's at the end of the year or the very beginning of next year, that even as there's no cohesive agreement on this, there are two paths, it seems. One is go through the regular order of things, have a vote. maybe an amendment that includes subsidies for the extensions, which many moderate Republicans want. The other is to go around regular order with this so-called discharge petition. It would mean that some of those moderates would have to join with more than 200 Democrats for a three-year extension. Now, if that second path happens, we talk a lot on here about the president's hold on his party, whether it is loosening, that would be a sign

that the president's grip is absolutely loosened if members of his own party are willing to team up with Democrats. Where is President Trump in all of this? And that's the $5,000 million question. He has been pretty unengaged, I think, is the best way to describe it. He's talking about he wants health savings accounts, he wants the money to go directly to the people.

It's kind of like he's having a a conversation that is completely different than the conversation that is happening on Capitol Hill. And there's no momentum behind what he's talking about. There's also no muscle behind what he's talking about. He's not trying to force Republican members of Congress to do this thing. He's just kind of musing about what would be an idea. But there isn't like real pin to paper. There isn't a specific plan. The House is voting this. week on a measure from the speaker that does not include what President Trump was asking for. The Senate voted on something that you could, you know, if you squinted, you could say that's,

that was basically what the president was talking about. It didn't get enough support because it turns out to get things through the Senate, you still need a bipartisan majority. You need 60 votes. And that means you need some sort of compromise, which just isn't happening. I will note in terms of timing just very quickly. Today is the day. deadline to sign up for Obamacare plans in most states if you want your insurance to start on January 1st. So the deadline is here. Yeah. And Amy, you pointed our team to the interview that President Trump gave the Wall Street Journal, where he's talking big picture about his economic policy to include health care. And he more or less openly acknowledges that his economic

policies may or may not translate into political wins for Republicans in the midterms. I mean, what does that reveal about how the White House, how he is thinking about the potential political payoff from his economic agenda. His economic agenda and this health care agenda. He knows that both of these things are critical to his party's ability to hold on to the House. We know that he and members of his team pressured Republicans in these states to redistrict in order to help keep the House. Here you have two opportunities to help your party keep control of the House, health care and economic policies. And yet he seems to be sort of taking a back seat and saying, well,

in this interview specifically, he says, I guess maybe 2026, it won't have kicked in yet. In other words, his economic policy is kicking in. But the other thing he says is, you know, historically, it's very difficult for the party who's in the White House to keep the House. This is also a very tenuous time for Republican members. They're going home for the holidays. This is when many of them have the sit down with their families. Should I run again? What do we think? Put in another two years. Put in another six years. they're seeing the president's approval ratings at an all-time low. They're having this fight over health care, not able to come together. There is obviously a lot of tension, intra-party tension within the House conference. And now they see the president saying, well, I don't know, you know, it's really hard to win in a midterm year when you're the party in power. It's not a great sort of send-off to those folks who are contemplating, perhaps, whether or not they want to come back and fight for their seat. And not a great start to a campaign and aggressive campaign. campaign tour next year, where I'm told the president's going to go state to state and talk

about his economic agenda. And he's not yet confident that it will actually be able to deliver a midterm win. Yes. He is distancing himself because he always distances himself from things that don't look like a sure thing to be a win. A quote from this Wall Street Journal article that really stood out to me, he says, I've created the greatest economy in history, but it may take people a while to figure these things out, essentially saying, well, you know, it's the people's problem, not mine. Tamara Keith, Amy Walter, for thanks to you both. You're welcome. As reported earlier, the investigation into the murder of director Rob Reiner and his wife continues

tonight. Senior arts correspondent Jeffrey Brown looks back at his life and his work. Rob Reiner was born into show business. His father, Carl, a legendary television comedy pioneer, whose credits included creating the Dick Van Dyke Show. His mother, Estelle, an actress and singer. He first came to national prominence as Michael Meathead Stivik. Where's your tie? Well, I tried, Gloria, but it doesn't look good with an empty neck.

Shaggy heard son-in-law to Carol O'Connor's bigoted Archie Bunker. In Norman Lear's game-changing sitcom, it ran for eight seasons in the 1970s and brought Reiner two Emmys for Best Supporting Actor. Hi, how are you? His move to directing began with the 1984 mockumentary, This is Spinal Tap. There's some problems here. I don't even know where to start. You'd like Bigger Bread?

A spoof of an aging rock band that would become a cult classic. He just recently brought out a sequel, Spinal Tap 2. The End continues. Then a string of hits in a wide variety of genres, including The Coming of Age Tale, Stand By Me in 1986, based on a Stephen King novel. Surrender! Ninety-seven's Princess Bride. But he won't accept. Will you promise not to hurt this man?

Yes! Ninety-nine's when Harry met Sally, co-written with Nora Ephron, starring Billy Crystal and Meg Ryan, a defining romantic comedy of its era. That's Reiner's mother, Estelle, in one of the first. film's most memorable scenes. I'll have what she's having. Misery, a horror film from 1990, was based on another Stephen King thriller. I don't give a damn! And the military courtroom drama A Few Good Men in 1992.

I did the job. Did you order the coat, right? You're goddamn right I did! Starring Jack Nicholson, Tom Cruise, and Demi Moore. It brought Reiner his only Oscar nomination for Best Film. The movies would continue as with his occasional acting. occasional acting, including in Martin Scorsese's 2013 film, The Wolf of Wall Street, with Leonardo DiCaprio.

Reiner would also become known for his activism on behalf of liberal political causes, including overturning a ban on same-sex marriage, first in California, then at the national level. And he was a frequent critic of President Trump, calling him a threat to democracy. Reiner spoke of his involvement in politics in a 2023 appearance on the news marking the death of Norman Lear. But from Norman, I got this idea that you could use your celebrity, you could use your fame, and you could do something good with it.

And I took that to heart and I've done things with my celebrity that I probably wouldn't have done it had I not had that path. He also combined his art and politics making the 2024 documentary God and Country, a critique of the rise of Christian nationalism. nationalism. Reiner was married for 10 years to Penny Marshall, also an actor and director. He adopted her daughter before their divorce in 1981. He met Michelle Singer on the set of when Harry met Sally, where she served as director of photography. He later said falling in love with her led him to change the film to have a happy ending. The couple had three children. Their son Nick, now 32, and being held on suspicion of homicide had spoken openly in the past about his struggles with drug abuse, including in 2016 for an interview with Omna on ABC News about the film Being Charlie,

directed by Rob and co-written by Nick, about the story of a drug-addicted teen clashing with his famous father. Was there ever a moment when he thought this is too much? I don't warn him to know all this. The father character initially was, it was harsh on him. And I, believe it or not, was not wanting the character to be that villainous. And it was hard for him for a while to think that I thought of him that way. And to convince him that that's not how I felt, but that, you know, fathers do get in that mode sometimes

when they're trying to help their kid. Sure, it's in danger. I did think that. I mean, the father originally was written as a very black and white bad guy. And I thought, oh, God, that's what Nick thinks of me. Today, tributes to Rob Reiner poured in. Ron Howard wrote, he proved to be a superlative filmmaker, a supportive colleague, and at all times a dedicated citizen. Kathy Bates, who starred in misery, told the news hour, he was brilliant and kind, a man who made films of every genre to challenge himself as an artist, he changed the course of my life.

Barack Obama wrote, beneath all of the stories he produced, was a deep belief in the goodness of people. Michelle Singer-Riner was 70. Reiner was 78. For the PBS NewsHour, I'm Jeffrey Brown. Finally tonight, we continue a NewsHour tradition, asking members of the U.S. Armed Forces to record and share a holiday song. Tonight, to celebrate Hanukkah, we bring you the song, Rock of Ages, which was composed in the 13th century. This video was produced by the Pentagon's Defense Visual Information Distribution Service. Rock of ages led our song, praise your saving power.

You amid the raging foes were our sheltering a tower, sheltering tower. Rock of ages, let our song praise your saving power. You amid the raging foes were our sheltering a tower, sheltering tower. Furious they have sailed us, but your arm availed us. And your word broke their sword when our own strength filled us. And your word broke their sword when our own strength filled us. when our own strength failed us. Children of the Maccabees, whether free or fattered,

Wake the echoes of the songs where you may be scattered. Born as I'm cheering, now the time is nearing. Which will see, all been free, tyrants disappearing. Which will see all men free Tyrants disappearing Which will see All men free Tyrants disappearing

Which will see All men free which will see all may be And I'm And that is the News Hour for tonight. I'm Omina Vaz And I'm Jeff Bennett for all of us here at the PBS News Hour.

Thanks for spending quite of your evening with us.