Top Story with Tom Llamas - Monday, December 11, 2023

Episode Date: December 12, 2023

Tonight's Top Story has the latest breaking news, political headlines, news from overseas and the best NBC News reporting from across the country and around the world.

Tonight, a former hostage held by Hamas speaking out as a humanitarian crisis worsens in Gaza, smoke bombs filling a refugee camp in southern Gaza, as a battle between Israeli forces and Hamas rages in and around Khan Yunus. Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, saying this is, quote, the beginning of the end for Hamas. But Palestinian civilians are dying by the thousands, faced with airstrikes, disease, and starvation. The U.S. saying there has been no progress on another part. pause in fighting as nearly 140 hostages remain in captivity. Tonight, our Richard Engel sits down with one of the freed hostages, why she says time to save them is running out and her call

for another ceasefire. Also breaking tonight, the building collapsed in New York City. New video from Citizen App showing the entire corner of an apartment building gone. Firefighters going window by window searching for anyone trapped inside will have the latest details from the scene. The deadly tornado outbreak in Tennessee, at least six people killed after more than a dozen tornadoes touchdown on Saturday, including a violent EF3 that ripped apart a community outside of Nashville, the father who made a split-second decision that likely saved his family. Above the law, former President Trump surging in Iowa with 51 percent of caucus goers saying he is their top pick in a new poll. But the special counsel investigating Trump asking the Supreme Court to rule quickly on whether or not he can be prosecuted on charges he plotted to overturn the election. What this could mean for the case. Abortion battle, the lawyers for a Texas woman at the center of a challenge to the state's strict abortion laws say the week of legal limbo has left her in and out of the emergency room.

Her fetus given a fatal diagnosis that could also jeopardize her own health. Her plan now to cross state lines to get the procedure as the new abortion ban challenge pops up in Kentucky as well. In inaugural warning Argentina's new president sworn in, then delivering a fiery speech in front of a massive crowd that included world leaders like Ukrainian president Vladimir Zelenskyy and former Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro. Why Argentina's new leaders say the country's struggling in economy will get worse before it gets better. And Barbie now painting awkward, excuse me, painting award season pink, the summer blockbuster picking up a whopping nine Golden Globe nominations. We'll have a look at who else is vined for the top prizes plus all the surprises and snubs. Top story starts right now. And good evening, southern Gaza now, the front lines of Israel's war against Hamas.

But as Palestinian civilians run out of places to flee, a humanitarian crisis is worsening. The Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry says, look at this, 18,000 people have been killed since the start of the war. 1.9 million displaced, and the U.N. now saying half of Gaza's population is starving. But this just in tonight, Israel says it will begin security checks. On aid trucks at this crossing that sits on the border with Gaza,

Israel and Egypt, beginning tomorrow. They say it will double the amount of aid being allowed into Gaza. Approved trucks will then need to enter through Egypt's Rafah crossing. Israeli forces have now reached the center of Khan Yunus, the largest city in southern Gaza. It has been 10 days since a pause and fighting ended, and no hostages have been freed since. An estimated 10 140 hostages remain in Gaza, but over the weekend, Israel saying 20 of them have been killed while in captivity. So far, more than 100 have been released, and our Richard Engel sat down with one of them for a powerful interview on what she experienced

and her concern for those that remain, including her husband. One of the first hostages freed by Hamas, 85-year-old Joheved Lifshitz, tonight tells us time is running out to save the hostages still in Gaza. How concerned are you about the ones who didn't get out? The lack of air in the tunnels, as well as the shortage of food and medicine, could bring people to complete exhaustion, and they just won't make it.

They need to get out today. Otherwise, they won't live. Yoheved was taken from her home in Niroz, a small kibbutz of 400 residents where Hamas killed or kidnapped one out of every four people. We walked several kilometers underground. The ground was damp. The walls are wet. We walked there until we reached a large room they had prepared in advance. prepared in advance. I don't know how many are still alive, especially the elderly and sick. They are not getting anything and barely enough food. As Israel continues to attack Hamas, food is increasingly scarce in Gaza. A desperate crowd today rushed to take whatever food aid they could in Ruffa. The UN says half of the population

is starving and diseases are spreading. In southern Gaza, 15-year-old Ruefa Bukker today tried to count the number of times she's been displaced. We are tired, so tired, we are begging for one bite, she says. 90 percent of Gazans have been driven from their homes, according to the UN. Many are now living in the open desert. That wall is the Egyptian border, the end of the line. nowhere is left that's safe for Gazans or the hostages, including Yoheved's husband of 63

years, Oded, still held by Hamas. He was a very talented person. He was a brilliant journalist. He is still an excellent economist. I don't want to say was in the past tense. Yoheved and her daughter Sharon tonight made an urgent appeal to Hamas, the Israeli government, and the United States, which vetoed. which vetoed a U.N. resolution for a ceasefire to release the hostages.

There are sick people there who don't get the medicine they need. They won't last long. Only a negotiation can release and return them. Make a Christmas miracle. Make the Hanukkah miracle. And let us have our people back. Israel has released the name of 20 hostages, it says, have died in Gaza and holds Hamas fully responsible.

Tom. Okay, Richard Engel for us. Back here in the U.S., the backlash continues for university presidents that testified on Capitol Hill about anti-Semitism on campus. The president of Harvard under growing pressure to resign after the University of Pennsylvania's president stepped down. NBC Stephanie Gosk has more. At Harvard University, hundreds of faculty are rallying behind the school's president, Dr. Claudine Gay. I totally support Claudine Gay. In the wake of last week's controversial hearing in Congress on anti-Semitism. I personally don't think her actions merit her going. Saturday, University of Pennsylvania President Liz McGill resigned from her post.

During the hearing, both presidents testified that calls for the genocide of Jews did not necessarily violate their campus rules. It can be depending on the context. It does not depend on the context. The answer is yes, and this is why you should resign. President Gay later apologizing, clarifying that calls for genocide were vile and have no place at Harvard. Now a letter signed by more than 700 faculty members urges the university's top governing body to resist political pressures, including calls for the removal of President Gay. Is it fair to say that presidents at universities and colleges nationwide are dealing with the same issues and trying to answer the same questions? Absolutely. These are issues that are boiling on all of our campuses. They provide a setting for intense debate over very divisive subjects. Sometimes it hits the guardrails.

The spike in anti-Semitism, not just being felt on college campuses. In California, a couple in their 70s was attacked on their weight of synagogue this weekend. All of a sudden, I saw the guy hitting my husband with the belt and screaming, um, I'm sorry, give me your earrings, Jew. Her husband hit several times. The suspect is now charged. charged with a hate crime. Stephanie Gosk, NBC News. For more on the fallout from the college president's testimony and how it's impacting the students

on these college campuses. We're joined tonight by Jacob Miller, a junior at Harvard University, who serves as the president of Harvard Hillel, the Jewish student organization on Harvard's campus, and an editor for the Harvard Crimson's editorial board. Thank you so much, Jacob, for joining us tonight. I want to start with your president of Harvard University and the support she's receiving from faculty. More than 700 faculty and staff members signing that petition to keep her in the job. How do you feel about that? Well, first of all, thank you for having me. Look, I understand the position of the faculty. It's very important that, you know, it does not appear at Harvard that donors and politicians can dictate internal decisions from the Harvard Corporation. And so I

understand where the faculty are coming from. And I don't think, you know, President Gay should be dismissed as a result of donors who threaten to withdraw their funding. On the other hand, President Gay's testimony was appalling, and there does need to be a shift in the rhetoric and a shift in the posture of the administration, because currently Jewish students feel unsafe, and the testimony from last week did nothing to reassure us. And so I think Kledingay needs to take a hard look at herself and the actions of her tenure and see if she can shift the culture here and, you know, adopt a, you know, a posture that's more willing to, you know, call out hateful speech when it occurs.

Jacob, take me back to last week when you were watching that testimony. Maybe you were watching it live. And you heard the question about genocide. And then you heard your president, Harvard president's answer and how she sort of, I don't even want to describe her answer. We heard it from Stephanie Gost in that last report. But what were you thinking when you heard her words? You know, initially, I watched the first half of the hearing live, and then I had a final.

And, you know, the first half of the hearing was kind of uneventful, and we had the statement drafted from Hillel. That was kind of vanilla because the hearing had been uneventful. And then after the final, I started noticing in my, you know, these group chats, all these text cropping up about President Gay refusing to, you know, say that calls for genocide would go against our school's code of conduct. And I, you know, I was very shocked because, you know, first half of the hearing had been very uneventful. And I sort of looking at the actual footage and, you know, it was exactly what people had been describing in the group chats. And I was just kind of very stunned that the university president who had weeks, you know, more than a week to prepare for this testimony and more than a week to think about the boundaries of our, you know, school speech codes could go to the hearing without really any sense of where to draw the line. because if, you know, if calls for genocide against the Jews are tolerated on this campus, then, you know, all violent speech and all, you know, harmful speech is welcomed on this campus.

And we know that's not true. It seems like Jews are held to a different standard where, you know, anti-Semitic hate speech is tolerated in a way that other speech is not. So, Jacob, I want to ask you, are you surprised about everything that you have witnessed on your campus since first the terror attack in Israel and then later the war in Gaza? and now what you're hearing from your own Harvard president? You know, initially I was surprised. I was surprised when the pro-Palestinian student group released a statement immediately after October 7th.

The statement was released on October 8th, legitimizing the, you know, war crimes of Hamas and, you know, attacking responsibility to Israel. But in hindsight, I should not have been surprised because these students have brought anti-Samites to campus in the past. They invited Muhammad al-Kurd, who's a poet, who's invoked the blood libel in his poetry, and has tweeted that he hopes all Zionists, and by the way, I'm a Zionist, have a slow and

torturous death. And so, you know, I shouldn't have been surprised. And this honestly has been a wake-up call. There's a deep rot within our universities. Clutting Gay is not the disease, but she's a symptom that a university president of one of our nation's top institutions can testify on Capitol Hill and say, oh, yes, calling for the genocide of Jews. It depends on the context. It doesn't go against our school's code of conduct. If that doesn't go against the code of conduct, and what are the Code of Conducts for? Jacob, real quick, do you think she needs to resign? Does she need to step down?

Look, I think she needs to think hard about whether she can support the Jewish community, and I think that's what the Harvard Corporation is considering right now. You know, her leaving is neither necessary and are sufficient to addressing the anti-Semitism that exists on campus. I'll know that, you know, Harvard isn't unique. I'm hearing reports from my friends across the country who are on college campuses who have been the victim of, you know,

anti-Semitism. And, you know, frankly, Harvard isn't as bad as a lot of the reports that I'm hearing. And so I don't think this is all, you know, her responsibility and her fault. That being said, the testimony was really appalling. And, you know, she needs to think about can she continue functioning in her job as a university president and support all students. Jacob Miller, president of Harvard's Hillel Society. Jacob, we thank you for your time tonight and your honesty. We want to turn to some breaking news right here in New York City. Firefighters are now urgently searching through the rubble after six stories of a Bronx apartment building unexpectedly crashed the ground late this afternoon.

Joining us live now on the scene is NBC New York's Ida Siegel. Ida, thanks for joining Top Story tonight. When we see these pictures and we first all saw that video from Citizen App, the first question that comes to mind is, was there anybody buried underneath that rubble? Do we know that answer tonight? We don't know. And that is the primary question for FDNY officials and the NYP. as well. There is a significant pile of rubble outside of the building tonight, and we don't know

if there's anyone inside. I can give you one bit of good news. There is a corner bodega, as we like to say in New York City, a corner deli that was just beneath that corner of the building that collapsed. I interviewed someone in Spanish who was inside the bodega at the time of the collapse, and this is what he told me. They heard a banging noise inside the deli. Then they saw a A pipe burst. Water is suddenly spewing all over the place, and that was their signal to get out of the deli as soon as they possibly could. There were probably about three or four of them inside. They ran outside, and within a minute, that's when the facade collapsed right before their eyes. They couldn't say if there was anyone potentially walking down the sidewalk at the time, or if there was anyone inside any of the apartments that suddenly crumbled and came down below. That is the primary question for officials tonight, and that's why they say they will stay here until every single bit of rubble is removed, and they figure out whether or not there is anyone trapped beneath it.

Yeah, they're going to take no chances. We were just looking at a before picture taken earlier. I'm not exactly sure when, but we have it up now on the screen for our viewers. Was there construction or any type of open permits happening at this building? I know there were a lot of questions being asked when the accident happened. Yeah, that's right, Tom. Turns out, according to the Department of Buildings, there were a number of concerns about the facade of the building, seven violations, in fact, according to the New York City Department of Buildings. Now, what they said during the press conference with the mayor was that these concerns about the building's facade did not necessarily indicate that the entire building was unsafe and that an imminent collapse could happen. However, for lots of folks in the area, including local officials who represent this area, that is deep. deeply concerning to them that the building was on the radar of city officials, and yet this happened anyway. So that will certainly be part of the investigation moving forward, Tom. Ida Segal reporting live from the scene from NBC, New York for us. Ida, we appreciate your

reporting. Thank you for that. Now to that string of deadly tornadoes touching down across Tennessee this weekend. The terrifying new images in our interview tonight with one family that ran from the storm and barely managed to escape. Blaine Alexander is on the ground tonight in storm ravage Clarksville. With the light of day comes the true scope of nature's fury. Across Middle Tennessee, as many as 13 reported tornadoes tore through the area Saturday. Oh, my God. Including in Clarksville, site of a confirmed EF3 tornado.

Oh, my God. Jeffrey Coyazzo was in his driveway when the winds started picking up. That's when I saw the big old cloud just spinning, you know, the tornado pretty much. You actually saw the tornado? Yes, it was dark brown, white cloud just spinning with debris on it. His three children were watching TV inside. We're in that room up there that's our living room. Jeffrey rushed them to the car, deciding rather than hunker down at home, he would try to outrun the storm.

This video shows the funnel descending on his neighborhood as they scrambled to escape. My daughters were in the car. My oldest one was in the back, and she was screaming, Daddy, it's coming. It's coming. Incredibly, they made it out. But across the storm's path, six people were killed, including a two-year-old child. Dozens more taken to the hospital. It's part of the same unforgiving storm system that dumped rain on Alabama, whipped tornado force winds in North Carolina, and in the northeast flooded parts of New York and Connecticut, while leaving areas of Virginia covered in snow. Back in the volunteer state, true to its name, there's no shortage of help.

As Jeffrey and his wife, Suheli, take in what's left of their home. Inside, a Christmas tree still stands, but not much else. We were spared. God's about our lives, yeah. And Tom, if you travel across the storm zone here in Tennessee, on street after street, you will see scenes that look like this. Just a cruel reminder of how devastating these storms can be. And on top of that, the recovery effort, of course, is just getting underway.

But there's also the issue of power. Tonight, there are thousands of people here in Tennessee, still without power, all as temperatures are set to dip into the 20s overnight. The 20s. Okay, Blaine Alexander Forrest, that storm system that brought the deadly tornadoes now moving out to sea past the east coast. But parts of the northeast still experiencing snow and wintry weather, especially in New England. For more on this, I want to bring in NBC News meteorologist Bill Karens, who's going to walk us through what's happening now in the next couple weeks. Hey, Bill. Yeah, so this storm raced out of here during the day today.

The flooding part, at one point, we had 52 million people under floodwatches. There hasn't been hardly any reports of any flooding. Just a couple of rivers in Connecticut. So the storm is gone up in the Canadian Maritime, some snow showers left behind it. We did get almost up to a foot of snow in some parts of the Catskills and also in northern Vermont. So let's talk about these tornadoes. How unusual is it to get these December tornadoes? Well, the year to date count, typically in the year we get about 1,400 tornado reports.

We're right at that number. So it's been an average tornado year. But now that we had this six fatalities to the total, we're up to 82 tornadoes. fatalities this year. Last year, in 2022, we had one of the quietest years in a while. This year is almost four times as many, but that's a little misleading. If you look at the last seven years, we've been anywhere as low as 10. We've been as high as 103. The average, by the way, is 71. So this is not that unusual to be in the 80s. Unfortunately, you know, we don't want any fatalities, but, you know, especially in December, right before the holidays, just brutal.

And then it's all cold and trying to recover. At least tomorrow will be warmer through Tennessee. after a cold morning, it will warm up nicely for the recovery efforts there. And then it's a pretty mild trend. I mean, Cleveland, 50s, Chicago's 40s is just fine. And here's the seven-day forecast. If you do not have snow on the ground right now, I'm sorry, it's not looking like a white Christmas. Tom, this is the week before Christmas. This is the temperature forecast, coast to coast.

Any of my maps that look like they're like bright red burning, that's not good for snow lovers. Is that Bill Cairns there or the Grinch? I can't make them. This is a Grinch forecast. All right. It could change. All right, Bill. Thank you for that. All right. Next to power and politics in a new NBC news poll showing Donald Trump's growing strength in Iowa, just five weeks ahead of the first in the nation, GOP caucus. The former president surging to 51 percent, leading his closest rivals. Look at this by more than 30 points, the largest lead in the history of competitive Republican caucuses in the Hawkeye State.

Priscilla Thompson on the ground in Iowa for us tonight with the new numbers. 2024. Who's your candidate? Trump, only Trump. Only Trump. No other option. With just five weeks into the Iowa caucus, Ken Mason's mind is made up.

He's a result-orientated person, a successful, extremely successful as well. A normal politician doesn't have those arrows in his quiver. Mason is part of the 51% of likely Iowa caucus goers who say Trump is their top. pick, up eight points from October, according to a new NBC News, Des Moines Register Mediacom poll. It's the largest lead ever in this poll this close to a competitive Republican caucus.

Trump's closest rivals Ron DeSantis and Nikki Haley are both trailing him by more than 30 points. Their numbers have moved little in the past month, even with DeSantis spending considerable time and money here. I just keep hoping those polls are wrong. Amanda Wallace hopes the case against Trump will discuss. qualify him. The 55-year-old preschool teacher says she's backing DeSantis. Groceries are just so much more expensive. Gas, just everything is so much more expensive.

How excited are you to caucus for DeSantis? I don't know if I'd say excited, but I'm willing to. I'm not really excited to go all in for anybody. That lack of enthusiasm also reflected in the poll. Seventy percent of Trump supporters have made up their minds, more than double the Haley and the Santa supporters saying the same. He's a gift from God to answer many people's prayers. And Tom, nearly half of likely caucus goers say they've already decided. But as past cycles have shown, there's always the possibility of a caucus night surprise. Tom.

That could happen. Priscilla Thompson on the campaign trail. Priscilla, thank you for more on the new polling and the state of the race in Iowa. Let's bring in our panel of reporters tonight. Brian Fannin-Steel, Chief Politics Reporter at the Des Moines Register, and Alex Tabita, 20. 24 NBC News campaign embed. Thank you guys both for being here. Brayne, I'm going to start with you.

Does the poll in square with what you're seeing on the ground? There are most of the Republican caucus goers you're speaking to, all in on Trump. Yeah, I think this poll is really reflective of what we're seeing on the ground here in Iowa, and the momentum that's been building over the last couple of months. You know, we saw Nikki Haley really kind of have a surge and a burst of interest, and that's leveled out in this poll. But again, Donald Trump is just really surpassing us. You go to his events. He has massive crowds. You talk to the people there. Again, we mentioned

the statistic. 49% of likely Republican caucus goers have made up their mind. But when you look at just Donald Trump supporters, that's 70%. It's far lower, just about a third for Ron DeSantis and Nikki Haley. So they've got a lot of work to do to really lock in their support compared to Donald Trump. Alex, let me get your perspective on this. You're one of the embeds that NBC News has stationed in the state of Iowa for this caucus. You've been talking to voters there. Are you seeing this Trump dominance in the polls playing out in the conversations you're having with voters there? Well, Tom, I think one of the most interesting findings from this poll is when we gauge for enthusiasm. Trump supporters said about 45% of them describe themselves as extremely enthusiastic

about caucusing for former President Donald Trump. For DeSantis, that went down to 16%. And I want to tell you about two conversations that I had with voters over the weekend that I really think paint this picture. I talked to a Trump supporter, Tim Blackerby, he owns and operates his own semi-truck. He told me he wouldn't caucus for any other candidate in this race, even if they offered him a million dollars in cold, hard cash. And I talked to a DeSantis supporter, Chris, who told me, I just feel like it's my civic duty. I want to go in on January 15th caucus and get out. And that's really emblematic of the conversations we've been having here in the Hawkeye State since July. Trump supporters are gung-ho, and some DeSantis supporters,

just feel like it's their civic duty, and he's their best option. Yeah, clearly those Trump supporters are pumped up. Brian, you know, something that really stood out to me, and I think maybe the most important finding in your poll, was what happened when voters were asked about all the legal cases against former President Trump and how that was affecting their vote or how it will on caucus day? Because I think a lot of people thought conventional wisdom

that this was going to hurt the president politically, and maybe even Democrats made that calculation. But what is your poll found in Iowa? Well, the poll is found that actually, as he gets closer to these criminal trials, as we see a finer point put on this, people are less concerned than they were in October. It's about 73 percent of likely Republican caucus goers say that this doesn't matter to them. They think that Donald Trump can beat Joe Biden in a general election, regardless of his legal challenges. So we're really seeing that play out. You know, we've seen Trump's competitors try and pin that on him, run ads, talk about it at their events, present themselves as being more electable and

a general election. And this poll says that that's not really resonating with likely Republican caucus goers. So, Alex, you've moved to Iowa. You got your mailing address over there. You know what the ground games are looking like for all these campaigns. Who's got the best ground game, or at least who have you seen really invest in Iowa? Well, Tom, I have a source at the Trump campaign who told me that back in 2016, Donald Trump and his team didn't really know what a caucus was. Certainly, they do now. In 2023, at the rallies, they're showing instructional videos teaching Trump supporters how to get involved, how to get invested, how to caucus on January 15th. DeSantis' campaign also has a strong ground game.

Never Backed Down his super PAC has been knocking on doors throughout the Hawkeye State for months now. And Nikki Haley's campaign, she doesn't quite have the same level as presence of the other two candidates, but she's getting a lot of new donors, a huge injection of cash I. and we can expect more staff members and a big push here in Iowa between now and January 15th. Tom? Yeah, and that leads to my next question to Brian, which is the timeline here. Brian, from your poll and from your reporting, do you think there's time for a candidate to break away? Because you look at that polling, and I don't even think it's fair to call the former president of frontrunner. I call him an ultra frontrunner because he's so far out ahead.

Do you think there's still time for someone to break away and to have a big upset in Iowa? Well, again, you look at these numbers, and 49% say their minds are made up. That leaves a small majority who are still deciding. And so you look at past caucuses, and these break late. There is a chance for people, you know, Iowans are going to these events. They're hearing out all of the candidates, and they want to make an informed choice. They want to hear from everyone, and they'll put off that decision until very late. And so I think there's still room for movement.

You know, we crunched the numbers from these past Iowa polls. And in the last three competitive GOP caucus cycles, the eventual Republican winner had a 20-point surge between October and where they landed on caucus day. So that's a pretty big chance for movement. We could see that. We might not. And again, to your point of an ultra frontrunner, even 20 points added to DeSantis's score puts him behind Donald Trump here. So there is a massive amount of ground to make up, but there is room for movement. Alex, before you go, what's your favorite thing to eat in Iowa now that you're living there?

Well, the Iowa State Fair gave a lot of great options. The deep fried butter, I wouldn't say it's my favorite, but it was certainly an experienced time. Alex, you definitely sound like a campaign reporter. Alex, we appreciate that and join all the great foods of Iowa. And, Brian, thank you for your reporting in that poll, of course, as well. Still ahead tonight, escaping the flames. New video shows a massive fire engulfing a home in San Francisco, the extreme measures one resident took to make it out alive.

plus the special counsel investigating former President Trump now asking the Supreme Court to quickly decide if Trump is immune from prosecution, how could this influence the case? And NASA's Webb Telescope, look at this, releasing the spectacular new images. That's a star exploding in real time, why this view is unlike anything we've seen before.

Stay with us. We're back now with a stunning new move from special counsel Jack Smith in the 2020 election interference case. Smith now asking the Supreme Court to immediately decide if former President Trump is immune from prosecution of federal crimes he's accused of committing in office. I want to bring in NBC News legal analyst Danny Savalos tonight. Danny, so walk me through this like I'm five years old. Why is the special counsel doing this?

Special counsel is really wanting to bypass the courts of appeal, the intermediate appeal, and go straight to the top on this issue. In other words saying, essentially, hey, Supreme Court, why futs around with all of this? Why have to wait? Let's just decide this issue. It's the core issue. And while it's pending, we cannot proceed with this case while this appeal is going on. So let's get it over with as soon as we can.

And there's a pretty good argument to do that because they did the same thing with the Nixon case several decades ago. In other words, hey, Supreme Court essentially take it away from the appeals process and make a decision on this one issue. so we can know one way or not. So there's no surprises? Are they essentially kneecapping the defense in case they wanted to try an appeal in another manner? That's one way of looking at it. I mean, in other words,

instead of going through the time-consuming process, which normally most criminal defendants don't care that much about delay. For Donald Trump, it's everything. Make no mistake about it. For the regular average criminal defendant, okay, fine, it goes to the Court of Appeals. Maybe it goes to the Supreme Court.

Statistically, it's virtually impossible to get to the Supreme Court because it only takes so many cases a year. So instead, in this case, with Donald Trump, if he successfully delays, the case is over. He appoints an attorney general who likes him and who will discontinue the criminal prosecution against him. If you can't do that, he'll pardon himself.

That's never happened with any other criminals. That could happen, and that is all legal. The two scenarios you set out, the first one, I don't know if that was legal, though. The first scenario is much more legal. The first scenario, appointing an attorney general? Yes. So you appoint an attorney general who, We'll just go to the DOJ and say, look, I make prosecutorial decisions.

We'll prosecute this. We won't prosecute that. And, oh, by the way, the president's going to prosecute this. I no longer have any interest in that due to my independent... But the president can't order him to do that. No, he cannot. I guess in theory on pain of being fired, which is exactly what happened during the Saturday night massacre. That exact thing happened where Nixon attempted to fire the attorney general did.

Then someone else stepped in. then that person resigned. So it does happen, but you can't directly tell the Attorney General go after that guy. In theory, you can, but you really can't because the Attorney General exercises independent judgment. When do we think the Supreme Court will decide this, and how will that affect the timeline for trial? In the Nixon case, they decided it one month from the day the petition was filed. I don't know if it was exact, but pretty close. And in fact, that's even in the petition that the government filed.

So it really is a fast-track procedure. Fast-track is relative because trial is set for March. That's not that far away. Not in trial terms. I mean, that is really danger close. So if the Supreme Court decides it within a month, then Jack Smith is thinking it's smooth sailing to that trial date. Of course, the defense will try to argue any other motion they can and appeal to delay,

but at least on that critical issue of whether or not a president is criminally immune for conduct committed while he's in. in the office? I mean, that's, in many ways, the core issue in criminal prosecution of a former president. I know there's been some legal analysis where some are saying that they don't think any of these cases are going to go to trial before the election. Do you agree with that? Okay, go for it. I started that. I was the origin. I want to credit. I want a nickel every time someone says, like I do, at least for Georgia, for example. I've said many times, and you can save the tape, and I hope you don't, because if I'm wrong, it'll be embarrassing. But first witnesses will

not be called in Georgia till 2025. Now, it's a bit of a magic trick I'm doing there because I say first witnesses. That's because the last high-profile RICO case in Fulton County took eight months, maybe more, for jury selection. Jury selection, Tom, not the government's case in chief, not rebuttal witnesses, not this, not that. Impaneling a jury took eight months. So, for example, if Georgia were to start, start calling jurors in and doing voir dire in the summer, then I'm right, 2025 for first witnesses for, if you assume, eight months for a much more significant high-profile case. What about the federal cases? The federal cases, federal courts move faster.

I wouldn't say that the March date, for example, in federal court is set in stone, and that's in the D.C. case. However, you can expect that. And arguably the most important in the election interference case. I would say so. I'd say the two federal cases are the most important, the most significant cases. But here's the challenge there as well. If it gets delayed anywhere beyond March, with each day, it gets delayed closer to November, that is really problematic. And arguably the defense is going to say, hey, wait, if there's an October trial date, how can you do that? How can you do that to an American election? And with each day, they might have a stronger point. But the bottom line is the trial has to happen at some time. For the defense, their argument is why not just have it after the election?

But, of course, the government knows that if you do that, then there is no prosecution, at least no federal prosecution. The state prosecutions cannot be affected by the president. In fact, in Georgia, even the governor cannot pardon a state case. Someone has to actually serve their sentence before they're even eligible, at least part of it, before they're even eligible for a pardon in Georgia under state law. The next time I bring up that issue about the cases won't be tried before the election, I say some great legal scholars. I'll insert Danny Savalos there.

I will give you credit. I want a flag. I want a bronze bust because I was the first one. We'll show your picture every time we say that. Danny, thank you for being here. We always appreciate it. When we come back, campaign threat, a man in New Hampshire arrested for allegedly threatening

to kill presidential candidate Vivek Wama Swami at a campaign event. Our authorities say they prevented the potential attack and what they found inside the suspect's home. That's next. We're back now with Top Stories News Feed, and we begin with the investigation into a fire in San Fran. New cell phone video showing a home engulfed in flames.

At least two people hurt. Officials say one of them jumped from a third floor window to escape the flames. The fire did spread to a neighboring home. Several people are now displaced and still no word on that cause. A man has been arrested after allegedly threatening a Vivek Ramoswamy campaign. event in New Hampshire. Police say Tyler Anderson allegedly responded to a campaign text message suggesting he wanted to shoot the GOP candidate and kill everyone attending the event in Port Smith on Friday. Court documents say he also sent threatening messages to other campaigns. The FBI reportedly

seizing several guns from his home during a raid on Saturday. Okay, Hawaii's Department of Health finding toxic elements in the ash from that devastating Lahaina wildfire in September. Samples of the ash collected last month showed higher levels of arsenic, lead, cobalt, and copper. Those elements coming from 100 buildings in Lahaina, some dating back to the 1900s. Officials warning that any direct exposure to debris and encourage people to wear protective equipment around areas with ash until it's removed next year. And NASA's Webb Telescope capturing an unprecedented view of an exploding star. Look at this. The new images shows the supernova remnant that's about 11,000.

light years from Earth created from a star that exploded 340 years ago. NASA says the telescopes near-infrared camera revealed never before seen structures of the exploding star. Researchers say it gives them more insight into how star dust spreads through the universe. All right, next tonight, we are following several major developments in the battle over abortion access. Lawyers for a pregnant Texas mother who sued the state over its six-week ban now says she has to go across state lines to get an abortion after doctors diagnosed her baby with a fatal abnormality. And another mother in Kentucky now suing that state challenging a near total abortion ban there. NBC's Maura Barrett has the late details.

Tonight, the battle for the future of reproductive rights escalating across the country, ripple effects from lawsuits in Texas and Kentucky, and reversal of state law in Michigan, while state Supreme Courts in Arizona, New Mexico, and Wyoming will hear arguments over abortion access this week. Lone Star State, Kate Cox, the Texas woman, who at 20 weeks pregnant, learned the baby she's carrying, has a fatal abnormality, now planning to go across state lines for her abortion, according to her attorneys. I think forcing me to continue the pregnancy and the pain and suffering, but we through the risks of continuing the pregnancy. It's cruel. I want to get through this, and I want to heal, and I want to try again for another baby. Cox saw her request for an exemption from the state ban granted on Thursday, but then on Friday,

it was halted after the Attorney General filed an emergency stay. The Center for Reproductive Rights, which filed Cox's lawsuit, wrote in a statement today, this past week of legal limbo has been hellish for Kate. Her health is on the line. She's been in and out of the emergency room and she couldn't wait any longer. The move, time sensitive, as Cox's legal team says continuing her pregnancy threatens her future fertility. Meanwhile, in Kentucky, a woman who was eight weeks pregnant filing a lawsuit alongside Planned Parenthood, challenging the state's near total abortion ban.

They instill fear and stigma. They take the right to make medical decisions away from patients and providers and give them to ideologues and politicians. The woman identified only as Jane Doe says she's filing the suit not only on her behalf, but for all pregnant Kentuckians seeking abortion. Writing, quote, the government is interfering with my private matters. This is my decision, not the governments or any other persons. The cases in Kentucky and Texas among the first of their kind since Roe v. Wade was overturned.

Now playing out as the Republican Party hones its messaging on a national abortion ban ahead of the 2024 election, as some candidates try to avoid being pinned down on the issue. I personally am pro-life, but I don't judge anyone for being pro-choice any more than I want them to judge me for being pro-life. So I think as president I'll be somebody that will promote a culture of life, but I'm going to help these local and state folks be able to. able to do a better job to deliver the good message. In Michigan today, Democratic Governor Gretchen Whitmer announcing a repeal of a state law that would require additional insurance for abortion coverage.

Well, when the people get to decide, they overwhelmingly tell us they expect to have reproductive freedom. The move, echoing Democrats' focus on upholding abortion access, as public opinion shows a majority of Americans support the right to an abortion. It shows that when you listen to the people, when you're bold and you're bold and, you're, and you stay in the fight, you can win. All right, with that, Mora Barrett joins us now live. Mora, we're getting some late-breaking news that just crossed.

The Supreme Court just issued a ruling on the Texas case. Yeah, Tom, just in the last couple of minutes, we got the ruling from the Texas State Supreme Court overturning the court order that would have allowed that exception for Kate Cox. And so my understanding of that is that this means that she would have to seek that immediate needed abortion, as her attorneys put it across state lines. either way. Okay, Mora Barrett for us on that breaking news. Mora, we thank you for that. Okay, we start with Global Watch. We had to Global Watch now. And an update on the territorial dispute

between neighboring countries Venezuela and Guyana. Guyana's president, Irfan Ali, says he will meet with Venezuela's president Nicolas Maduro over the disputed Esquivido region this Thursday in St. Vincent and the Grenadines. This comes after Maduro vowed to permit exploration and mine development in the region, which is part of Guyana, a pledge approved by voters in Venezuela, despite U.N. opposition. We're also following a massive explosion in oil refinery in eastern Iran. New video shows flames and thick black smoke pouring from a small plant after a fire caused more than two dozen fuel tanks.

Look at that to explode on Sunday. There were no injuries reported, no word yet on what caused the blast. All right, coming up next on inauguration Day. Innauguration Day warning, Argentina's polarizing right-wing president officially sworn in why he's telling his people to brace for an economic shock and how he came through on his promise to take a figurative chainsaw to big government on day one. Stay with us. We're back now with the Americas and a look at Argentina's new president making headlines on day one in office. Javier Millei addressing a massive crowd at his inauguration, warning that the

country's economic crisis will get worse before it gets better. Telling people to brace for a painful, quote, shock adjustment. This has Ukrainian president, Vladimir Zelensky, was right there for the new day in Argentina's history. NBC's Rahima Ellis explains. As celebration still rang out on the streets of Buenos Aires, Argentina's new president, Javier Milley, warning the nation of painful months to come. No, we'll discusses, and desicions that will have to take in the next months, but, lamentably, no, no's had a option.

The populist, far-right candidate, who trained as an economist before rising to prominence as a fiery TV pundit. Bracing his supporters for what he calls a shock adjustment that will make the economy worse before it gets better. If we're going to have to support a period of dureza, we're going to His speech was light on specifics, mentioning only a 5% cut in public spending.

But on the campaign trail, he promised to rein in soaring inflation and fight socialist values, most notably by getting rid of the central bank and eventually replacing the peso with the dollar. These next six months are going to be critical to see whether the policies, he's talked about, will actually be able to be put in place. A self-described anarcho-capitalists. Malay is no stranger to extremes, brandishing a chainsaw during the primaries, vowing to take it to the, quote, parasitic state. A promise he made good on on day one, slashing the number of government ministries in half

from 18 to just nine. And in a symbolic gesture, Malay departing from decades of tradition, literally turning his back on the National Congress and instead delivering his address to supporters gathered outside. The Trump-loving politician looking the part of a statesman in his first major step out on the world stage. Seen greeting Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky and former Brazilian president Jahrir Bolsonaro.

But as he looks to make a global name for himself, the most pressing concern playing out within his own borders with inflation reaching 144 percent and four and ten Argentines impoverished. Prices can rise by as much as, say, two or three percent in one day. You don't know how much you should budget for groceries. You don't know how much you should budget for the end of the month. You don't know how much you're going to have to support your family by the end of the month. It's all very short term.

It's all very hand-to-mouth. And it's all extremely stressful. Over the summer, chaos playing out on the streets. Business owners fending off looters with firearms amid mounting economic turmoil. But for now, some say all they can do is wish for the best in Malay's hands. I'm not going to agree with much things, but, well, there's, the people vote, and I have much And Tom, experts we spoke to today say those plans Malay has laid out. Switching to the U.S. dollar and closing the central bank would require constitutional change

and would not fix Argentina's economic woes anytime soon. Tom? When we come back, we'll switch gears and take you to Hollywood. The Golden Globe nominations are in, so does Barbenheimer still reign supreme? We'll tell you all the biggest snubs and surprises from both TV and film. That's next. Top story is coming to you live from Juarez, Mexico, reporting over the skies of behind us. Every weeknight, it's your news playlist.

Top Story with Tom Yamas, streaming weeknights at seven on NBC News Now. Finally tonight, the nominations for the 81st Golden Globes are out, and it's clear the Barbenheimer craze that swept the nation this summer is far from over. The box office hits Barbie and Oppenheimer getting a whopping 17 nominations collectively. On TV, shows like Succession and The Bear getting all the attention. NBC's Chloe Malas has the details on the nominees, the snubs, as well as some changes coming to this year's show. Tonight, the highly anticipated 81st Golden Globe nominations are out, and this year's theme is Pink, Barbie Pink. Hi, Barbie!

Hi, Ken! The summer blockbuster leading the pack, raking in 9. nominations. I don't know if we can be trusted. Followed closely by its opening box office rival, Christopher Nolan's Oppenheimer, which nabbed eight. I have one word to describe the noms, and that is Barbenheimer. It is just crazy to me to think that this movement that was Barbenheimer has legs all these months later. I love you, but you are not serious people. HBO's Succession scoring nine nominations for its dramatic final season. opening a restaurant.

Got to go hard every day. With fan favorites like FX's The Bear and Hulu's only murderers in the building with five nods each. I'm worried about you, kid. But some snubs include Harrison Ford and Apple TV's shrinking and Viola Davis in air. All of us are racers. As well as Michael Mann's Ferrari and the adaptation of the Broadway musical, The Color Purple. There were no musicals in the best musical or comedy category. No Little Mermaid, no the Color Purple, no Wonka.

with a little bit of sidel eye there. Viewers can expect a few changes to this year's show. There are two new awards up for grabs, cinematic and box office achievement and best performance in stand-up comedy on television. Welcome to the Ares Tour. The new prizes giving global superstar Taylor Swift a nomination for her hugely successful Ares Tour film.

I want to go low. I want to hear so fun. And comedians like Wanda Sykes, Trevor Noah, and Amy Schumer nods for their stand. up specials. Also new this year, the show will air live on CBS and streamed on Paramount Plus, moving off NBC. And the winners will be selected by more than 300 international journalists instead of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, which recently dissolved after coming under fire for its lack of diversity. In 2021, they got a lot of heat for having no black voters. Now they have 300 voters. And they say now that they are the most diverse and inclusive awards show,

reward should be televised. There was in 75 countries, and I think it's really important that they did do the internal diligence to get this right. Show producers may be having trouble finding a host with top comedians like Chris Rock and Ali Wong reportedly declining offers. Being a host, it's not a light lift. We've seen how a lot of hosts have gotten in trouble the past two years. What you say on that stage can get you canceled or close to it. So I think a lot of comedians, a lot of major stars, one, still have a little bit of beef, no pun and attended with the HFPA, but also are a little bit concerned about how to get up there and do what they do.

The Golden Globes hoping to overcome its rocky past and kickoff awards season with Star Power. Chloe Malas, NBC News. We thank Chloe for that report, and we thank you for watching Top Story. I'm Tom Yamas in New York. Stay right there. More news on the way.