Top Story with Tom Llamas - Monday, June 23, 2025

Episode Date: June 24, 2025

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.

Breaking tonight, President Trump just announcing a ceasefire between Israel and Iran, expected to begin within hours. The news coming just after Iran launched retaliatory missiles, targeting Qatari military base, housing U.S. troops. All of them intercepted and no casualties reported. The barrage in the wake of the U.S. surprise attack on Iran, does the president's announcement signal the beginning to the end of this war. Tonight, we're waiting for a response from both Israel and Iran. night, Republican Senator Lisa Murkowski joins Top Story Live, why she backed the president's attack despite her contentious relationship with him. The first major heat wave of the summer shattering records, a road buckling in Missouri. Look at this, sending this car flying.

Passenger stuck on an Amtrak train without power, NAC, 170 million Americans under heat alerts when you could finally see some relief. The syringe attack at France's nationwide music festival, more than 100 concert goers jabbed, were young women targeted? Jarring video of a driver speeding out of control in the National Mall in D.C., narrowly missing crowds of people. What happened next? A potential breakthrough in the weight loss treatment drugs, the drug combo that for the first time helps preserve muscle while losing fat, why this could be a game changer. And Dolly's Vegas return, the Queen of Country, announcing a brief residency on the strip, her dazzling nude 9 to 5.

Plus, the new updates in the Diddy Trial, the defense not calling any witnesses to the stand. How soon could his fate be in the jury's hands? Top story starts right now. And good evening. We are coming on the air tonight with breaking news. President Trump announcing a ceasefire between Israel and Iran after 12 days of relentless missile strikes and U.S. involvement in the region. President Trump sharing the news on Truth Social. Here it is. Just moments ago saying, congratulations to everyone. It has been fully agreed by and between Israel and Iran that there will be a complete and total ceasefire.

We should note, at this hour, we have no response from Israel or Iran yet. The announcement's coming just hours after Iran launched multiple retaliatory missiles at a Qatari base, housing thousands of U.S. troops in Qatar, where up to 10,000 U.S. troops and personnel are stationed. Qatar officials saying all missiles there were intercepted. These strikes coming less than two days after President Trump's Operation Midnight Hammer when American B-2 jets discreetly flew Iran and dropped more than a dozen bunker-busting bombs on nuclear facilities in that country. Take a look at this map.

These are the three sites that the U.S. forces struck on Saturday, and this is the U.S. military base in Qatar that Iran targeted today. But the president's message of peace this evening coming after a weekend of back-and-forth missile attacks. Dash cam video showing the moment an Iranian missile struck near a power station in Israel, a ball of fire and smoke erupting on the highway. And in Tel Aviv, another residential building torn to shreds by an explosion there. The entire side of this apartment complex completely ripped off. Israel firing back plumes of smoke rising over Tehran. We've got full team coverage across the region and here at home, but I want to get right to NBC's Richard Engel,

who leads us off from Tel Aviv. Richard, what more do we know about the president's ceasefire Post. So this was a unilateral announcement from President Trump. It took many people by surprise. In it, he said that Israel and Iran had completely agreed to this ceasefire, that it would begin over the course of the next several hours, that it would be rolled out over the next 24 hours, at which point he said the end of the 12-day war would be upon us. So we have one more night of this, and that around now, tomorrow, according to this announcement from President Trump, it should all be over.

We have not heard any confirmation from the Israeli government. Reuters is quoting an unnamed Iranian official saying that Iran has accepted a ceasefire, a ceasefire moderated by Qatar, the same government that was attacked today, the same country that was attacked today, I should say. And I've heard directly from a Qatari negotiator involved in this process that they are encouraged. So a process is underway. President Trump's saying the process is over, that the two sides are just getting their final operations finished with, at which stage the war will be over, what he's calling the 12-day war. And this announcement came just hours after Iran fired on that year. U.S. military base in Qatar.

Iran threatened to respond to the American strikes on its nuclear sites, and tonight it did, releasing this video firing missiles at Doha Qatar, targeting a military base, housing up to 10,000 American personnel. Air defense systems immediately lit up the sky over the sprawling Al-Udeid air base. Tonight, Qatar says it successfully thwarted the Iranian attack, which it strongly condemned. A senior Qatari official telling NBC News, Qatar was expecting the attack. Hours earlier, Qatar closed its airspace

and Americans in the country were told to shelter in place. The Iranian attack appears to have been largely symbolic. Israel's attacks on Iran are certainly not. Israel is stepping up its strikes inside Iran and expanding the kind of targets it's hitting. Israel today blowing open the gates of the Evin prison. Human rights groups say Iran is holding. hundreds of political prisoners there. For critics, the prison is a major symbol of the Iranian

regime's repression. And Iran isn't holding back against Israel either. Launching new attacks. This one captured on a dash cam. Another tearing off the front of an entire apartment block in Tel Aviv, leaving just a skeleton. An Iranian ballistic missile fired in retaliation to the American strikes in Iran exploded right here, destroying everything in the air. area except for this lone safe room with that metal window and reinforced concrete walls. Remarkably, a family of four was crammed inside and all of them survived. What is it like for you now to look at your apartment like this? What can I say? It's my life.

Osnott Steinberger was trying to recover photographs and her paintings today from her apartment. But even with everything gone, she told us she still supports what Israel and the U.S. are doing, saying better to fight Iran now while it's weak. We learned from 7 October that when somebody is threatening you for many years, believing. But with so much destruction, she says she hopes it's over now and that it's time for negotiations. That was Richard Engle reporting from Tel Aviv for us. For the latest on this ceasefire deal, I want to get right to Gabe Gutierrez, who's reporting tonight from the White House.

And Gabe, I know you have some more reporting about that post on Truth Social. Yes, I do, Tom. So this really came as a surprise. And we just heard from the vice president who said that President Trump has been working the phones here over the last several hours trying to get to this ceasefire. Now, the president spent much of the day in the situation room speaking with his top national security staff. And we were still awaiting more details from White House officials. And I'm actually just literally looking at my phone, Tom, receiving some text messages from my colleague, Amish Al-Sindor. She says that she just got President Trump on the phone.

He said the ceasefire deal is a great day for the Middle East. He says he doesn't think Israel and Iran will be shooting at each other anytime soon. So again, that breaking news, Tom, NBC News, Yamish Al-Sindor, reaching President Trump by phone just a few moments ago. He's saying that this is a great day for the Middle East and he does not believe Israel or Iran will be shooting at each other. However, again, we don't have official word yet from the Israelis or the Iranians, although Richard mentioned. that Reuters is reporting that, according to a source with the Iranians, they have accepted the ceasefire. But Tom, this comes after a few days where it was very uncertain what would happen here. The Trump administration now touting this as a major foreign policy victory.

One more point, I would say. We have not seen President Trump on camera since late Saturday night after he had announced those U.S. airstrikes on Iran. As we've been on the air, just a few minutes ago, we did get a travel photo lid at the White House. That means that administration officials do not believe that he would be speaking to the American public tonight. But there have been so many fast-moving developments here. It's not out of the realm of possibility, but the White House is not expecting at this point, time. And, Gabe, as we get more information, if he ends up calling anybody else, including yourself, we'll bring you back on the air as this is a breaking new situation.

Gabe, we appreciate it. As the world sort of waits and watches this ceasefire proposal, this all, of course, happened hours before the Iran's retaliatory strikes that happened earlier today, targeting a military. base housing U.S. troops in Qatar. Courtney Q.B. joins us from the Pentagon. Courtney, I know you have new reporting for our viewers. Yeah, that's right. We have learned now, according to two defense officials, that those Iranian missiles that were fired at Al-UDD Air Base and Qatar, well, a number of them were actually shot down by the

U.S. military. It's been unclear today exactly what happened here. Frankly, we've been getting differing lines of what may have gone down. We did hear from the Qataris that their armed forces shot some of the military. of them down. But in fact, we are now learning, according to defense officials, that it was the U.S. military, you shot many of them down in conjunction with their Qatari partners, Tom. And then I know we also were getting some new video tonight of the Air Force releasing some of the B-2 action and some of the takeoffs, if you will, before it happened. What more do we know

and what are we seeing? Yeah, those B-2s made it safely back to Whiteman Air Force Base. We've been talking about this, but it was a remarkable 36-hour round trip. Those aircraft in the air the entire time, courtesy of dozens of aerial refuelers that were in the air. They're known as tankers. They were also escorted by a number of fighter aircraft as soon as they got near the border in Iran. Tom, what's remarkable about this is not just the fact that this entire mission was cloaked in secrecy and that the U.S. was able to get these aircraft, these bombers, in and out

of Iran without being detected, but that really that the whole mission began with a deception. With the U.S. military so concerned about the possibility of the public or Iran even finding out about these bombers taking off that they sent a large number of B-2s out of Whiteman Air Force Base just after midnight, Saturday morning. They sent them towards Guam. And then after it was clear by defense officials telling the media that they were headed to the Pacific to Guam, they rerouted seven of them in the opposite direction. Tom, they flew straight to Iran without stopping. loaded with those 30,000 pound bombs. Courtney Cupid with a lot of new reporting there for our viewers. Courtney, we thank you for that.

We're also tracking all of the economic reaction from the president's announcement of a ceasefire with Iran. Oil prices, which were already dropping today, sinking even further on the news. US crude oil down more than 4.5% as of 6.15 this evening and still dropping, even before the announcement, U.S. markets reacting with cautious optimism

after Iran strike harmed, no U.S. forces. With all three major U.S. indices up nearly, a point. To walk us through all of this, I want to get to NBC News, senior business correspondent Christine Roman. So, Christine, that news broke pretty late about the president of ceasefire. Are the markets, are the oil markets reacting yet? Yeah, well, actually, it started like at 1230 at Eastern time here when you saw the retaliation from Iran. And what the market presumed was that that retaliation was symbolic and targeted as expected. It wasn't anything against anything that would hurt infrastructure or the Strait of Hormuz where so much of that oil

goes through. So this was relief. This was relief that markets looked and said they see de-escalation. They saw it this afternoon. They became more convinced throughout the day. You had oil prices plunging on the day, about 7%, and then down another 4% now after hour. So that's a big move, $65 a barrel for crude. They've been up there above $74, $75. And there was fears to go to $100, as you mentioned. That's right. That's right. So this is really a big move in oil on the de-escalation idea here. I would just say it's still a very dangerous situation. There's still a lot of details. You know, I mean, markets can be quite volatile, so things could move again on a dime.

But as I always like to remind our viewers, and every time we talk, the markets like to predict the future. Right. When we look back at the indices, they all finished in the green. What does this tell us directly about what Wall Street thinks about the conflict? Couple of things. Early this morning, a lot of my Wall Street analysts were telling me that maybe, just maybe, the president successfully took a nuclear threat off the chess board, at least for now, pushing things back. They like that. They like that. Also, the fact that this could be some sort of the beginning of the end,

not the end of the beginning. I mean, not to sound too cute, but that's the way they kind of look at it here. Again, volatility is the watchword here because it's still a very dangerous situation. And, you know, for gas prices, they had been moving higher. This could mean that maybe those rising gas prices will stall here for now. Especially as we head into summer. Okay, Christine, we thank you for all of that. Back here at home and speaking of summer, a dangerous heat wave gripping the central and eastern U.S., record-breaking temps impacting millions of Americans. A state of emergency issued in New York and a graduation cut short after multiple attendees fainted, plus all types of things in Major League Baseball. NBC News correspondent Emily Aketa has more.

In the first week of summer, a record-smashing heat wave is scorching the eastern half of the U.S. It's just a lot. Buckling roadways and sending this car airborne in Missouri. Surrey. Some passengers riding Amtrak today say their train got stuck without power and AC this afternoon. Amtrak says a train malfunctioned. More than a dozen major cities are facing extreme heat warnings from St. Louis to Boston to Philadelphia, where the fire department has deployed extra medics as part of heat squads. We go to any firehouse right now and more than likely we won't see our ambulances because they're out there responding and probably at hospitals taking patients to them. It felt hotter than 100 degrees. near this high school graduation ceremony in North Jersey, which landed nine attendees in nearby hospitals, according to the city. Across the region, officials urging residents to take advantage of cooling centers and splash pads. The humidity takes it to a different level. New York City declaring a state of emergency poised to hit triple digits before Houston this year.

It's a one-to-punched north in Oneida County, where a deadly storm Sunday knocked out power to thousands just ahead of the blistering heat, now bearing down on businesses. The junction and the Catskills closed today to protect their staff. These kinds of temperatures are rare for you guys in the mountains. Rarely gets this hot up here. When it's this hot and this humid, it's just impossible for us to get that extra heat out of the kitchen. Over the weekend, the heat hitting afternoon baseball games. The Reds, Ellie de la Cruz and Mariners, Trent Thornton, both suffering heat-related illnesses.

Trent needs some help off the field. As an unrelenting heat wave seizes the start of summer. Tom, unfortunately, that's right. Today, Philadelphia reaching a staggering 99 degrees and setting a record in doing so. But the heat is expected to peak tomorrow when some 50 cities could approach new highs. Tom.

Okay, Emily Aketa for us there in Philadelphia where they have a heat health emergency. Let's get right to NBC News meteorologist Bill Karens. Bill, what areas are we seeing this record-shattering heat right now? And is there any relief? on the way. There's relief in sight, but not soon enough for a lot of us. The record highs today across the board here, going from the Great Lakes. I mean, we were 100 degrees in Plattsburgh, New York, almost right along the border with Canada. That's the hottest they've ever been in

any month of June going back 80 years. So for tonight and tomorrow, this area of the magenta, that's where we're most concerned with. Temperatures will not drop that much overnight. It's just so humid. It's going to hold a lot of the heat. So from Chicago to New York all the way down 95, this will be a hot night. Tomorrow looks to be the peak of the heat. heatway. We should be 100 New York City, Philadelphia, all the way down the Washington, D.C., and the Raleigh, even right now, you know, we're off the peak heat of the day. It still feels like 106 in D.C. That's hotter than anywhere down along the Gulf Coast. So for the record high is tomorrow, many will be in place. I mean, this is the peak heat index. So even in the shade,

this is how it's going to feel tomorrow, 110. So that gets into the dangerous category. That's why we have these extreme heat warnings in place. By the time we get to Wednesday, it's still extremely hot, but not quite the peak. And if you're wondering when the relief is coming to your area, Detroit, Thursday is going to feel a lot better. Thursday in Chicago, D.C., unfortunately, he's going to be off to be until Saturday. And Tom, it looks like for New York, 85 on Friday will actually feel chilly compared to how it's been late. Yeah, it has been so hot. Okay, Bill, we thank you for that. We want to turn out of some big developments in the Sean Diddy Combs trial. The prosecution expected to rest its case tomorrow in that trial. And in court today, the jury has shown

multiple text exchanges and explicit video evidence of those. so-called freak-offs. Combs'an is accused of sex trafficking, racketeering conspiracy and transportation for prostitution. He has pleaded not guilty to all the charges. I do want to bring in NBC News Entertainment correspondent, Chloe Malas, and NBC News legal analyst Danny Savalos and Chloe. The big headline there that we really didn't mention was that they're now going to arrest this case and they're not going to call any witnesses? I mean, this is so different. I mean, Combs' team said a few weeks ago that they needed a week and a half, that the prosecution, We've talked about this a lot, Danny, that the prosecution had changed the way the things were going.

They took such a long time that they had to rejigger their strategy. And then just recently they said that they would shorten that. They don't need a week and a half. They only needed about two to three days. So today, when I was at court to learn that they're not calling any witnesses, I was absolutely shocked. And the thing is, though, is that they do plan to enter some stipulations and some evidence of their own tomorrow. And I knew that Combs likely wouldn't testify in his own defense, but to not call not even a character witness or an expert. I find surprising.

So, Danny, walk us through here. What does this mean for the defense? Do they feel they're so confident in their case? Or should we see something else here? No, I'm going to let you in on a little secret of the defense part. This happens all the time. My last federal trial, I submitted a witness list of maybe a dozen. I called 0.0.

The defense frequently rests by and calls not one witness. And there's a reason for that. We, as the defense, never have the burden. You have to understand that it's not us trying to counter their witnesses. We can rest on the defense and just say they have not proven their case beyond a reasonable doubt. Consider that every witness the defense calls is a potential landmine, especially when it is the government that always has the burden and the highest burden in our law, which is beyond a reasonable doubt. But does that express some kind of confidence, though, that you don't have to call a single witness, that you don't have to clarify. You've done your job up to now.

No, I would think of it this way, because I'm sure there are witnesses they would love to call, but the risk is just too great. You can't call a witness without that witness being cross-examined. So what happens is this is a game-time decision. You put your witnesses on the witness list, and as the case goes on, you counsel with your other attorneys and the defendant, and you say, do we need to put on a case? And often that decision isn't made until the last day of the government's testimony. But there is an added bonus, Tom.

And it's that by not revealing that, by holding your cards close to your vest, you do cause the prosecution to have to prepare for all of those witnesses. So there is a tactical advantage. Here's one person, though, that the defense always knew they were never going to call, and Chloe already revealed it. It was Sean Combs. He was never going to take the stand. But you saw that they even said he wants to. We, defense attorneys, do that all the time. So, Chloe, explain, when do we think the jury will get this case?

Right. And I just have to say, like, I'm surprised they didn't even call one person to try to say. say that Combs is a good guy or somebody that worked for him who said, we weren't running a RICO conspiracy, but Danny was like, if you call someone to say he's a good guy, you're going to play that video of Cassie Ventura being brutally beaten in that hallway over and over, right? But that's a good point. Why not call any character witnesses or you don't have to? Oh, no, no. Character witnesses would be a terrible idea for Sean Combs, and here's why. Here's the rule. The prosecution can never introduce evidence of the defendant's bad character.

The defendant can introduce evidence of his good character. But as my love, law school professor described this rule. It's the dump truck rule. Beep, beep, beep, as the dump truck backs up, because now that means that if you choose as the defense to introduce what you think is good character, they now open the door and can introduce all kinds of awful evidence about your bad character. And Combs has a lot of bad character, the worst character. And they've done that for six weeks, almost seven. As for your question, the closing arguments are going to take place on Thursday. It's going to spill over into Friday morning, but the jury is going to get the case Friday afternoon. And you can imagine that it will have been seven weeks at that point that they want to wrap things up before the 4th of July, go back to their families.

You know, so many of them have had different family things either that they've had to miss. They even let court go early one day so that one juror could go to her child's graduation. But again, they have five counts to go through a copious amount of data, a bunch of stuff that's been revealed over the last several weeks, that this is not going to. to be fast. Yeah, I do want to ask you, Danny, we've seen everything. We now know how this is sort of going to play out before the jury gets it. Did the prosecution make their case? I think they made their prima facie case. Now, don't take my prediction, because I'm wrong all the time. I think they put in enough evidence to secure a guilty verdict. However, a lot depends on credibility. And some of these witnesses may not have been perfectly credible to these jurors. But do they have sufficient evidence in, at least, that a jury could conclude guilt on all counts? I believe so. I don't. I think it's going to be split. Okay.

What do you think a mistrial? No, I think they're going to find him guilty on transportation to engage in prostitution. Both counts, not guilty on RICO conspiracy, maybe guilty on one of the two counts of sex trafficking. Okay. So I've said it here. Go with Chloe. The law firm of Savalos and Los, we appreciate having you guys here. We love to thank you for that.

Okay, we're back at a moment with a chilling story in France. More than 145 people reporting being stabbed with syringes at a music. festival at events across the country where the investigation stands. Plus, a Marine veteran's wife detained by ICE, despite the fact that she was still breastfeeding their three-month-old baby. What he's telling Top Story tonight is the Supreme Court makes a major decision on mass deportations and a potential game-changing development in the booming industry of weight-loss drugs. Could there be a once-a-month shot or even weight-loss pills on the horizon?

You're watching Top Story. Stay with us. Authorities in France investigating a number of needle attacks across the country this week, and nearly 150 people reportedly jabbed by syringes at multiple locations during a nationwide music festival. Hala Gerani following the latest on the investigation. A day of celebration across France turned into a nightmare for dozens of mainly women attending the country's annual street music festival. The French Interior Ministry telling NBC News 145 people reported being pricked by needles in attacks in multiple assaults nationwide, 13 in Paris alone.

And there was concern before the event. The social media influencer shared a chilling post telling women to be careful. And what to do if they're attacked, saying there had been calls online. to assault women with needles. The mayor of Mets, a city in eastern France, said one suspected assailant was arrested and that about 15 women and girls had been attacked there. Overall, the Interior Ministry reports 12 people have been arrested so far,

with authorities expressing concern that social media is amplifying these calls to attack women in large public gatherings like this one. Okay, Hale Garani joins us tonight from London. I mean, the headline is terrifying and what authorities are saying. Do we know if anyone was actually injected with any type of substance? Well, Tom, that was the concern. Right now, no reports that drugs were found.

But authorities are saying that if a syringe was used multiple times, that there could be issues associated with that, infections, for example. And also what authorities are saying is that not everyone might have reported that they were assaulted. so the number of victims could still go up, Tom. Okay, Hala Garani for us from London. Hala, we thank you for that. Just ahead. President Trump announcing a ceasefire deal between Israel and Iran.

We get reaction from Republican Senator Lisa Murkowski of Alaska. She joins Top Story Live. Why she backed the president's strike on Iran and new comments that she'd be open to leaving the Republican Party. We'll have her explained. Plus, mayhem on the mall, a driver terrifying people trying to enjoy the national mall this weekend,

weaving his SUV around joggers and surprising tourists what D.C. police are saying tonight. Back now with Top Stories News Feed and a lot of headlines tonight. We start with police identifying the suspect who opened fire with an assault rifle outside of Michigan church during Sunday service.

Churchgoers at Crosspoint Community Church seemed ducking behind chairs and running out of the room for their lives. Suspect, Brian Anthony Browning was shot dead when church employees returned fire. Bullets were fired into the church, but no one was injured, thankfully. Police saying Browning attended the church with his mother and may have been suffering a mental health crisis. In a search of his home, police say they found even more weapons and a large amount of ammunition. A man who drove his SUV through Washington, D.C.'s national mall appearing in court today on multiple charges.

Police saying that the moments after the driver was seen doing donuts on the park's grassy areas, and dirt paths. He told an officer that it was, quote, just a joke, but you can see how he was driving, terrifying people there. No one was hurt, luckily. Court documents charging him with reckless driving and assault with a dangerous weapon. JetBlue making upgrades to help its customers keep track of their luggage, sort of. The airline announcing a tracking feature on its app that will give travelers real-time updates on the status of their checked bags. But here's the thing. JetBlue will also allow you to share the location of Apple Air Tags. inside your check bags with their baggage team.

Okay, promising to disable access to that link once you're reunited with your own luggage. And Greenpeace joining protests against the lavish wedding of Jeff Bezos and his fiancé Lauren Sanchez. They plan to host that wedding, of course, in Venice this weekend. The environmentalist activist unveiling a banner of Bezos in Venice's St. Mark Square, you can see it right there, demanding that the Amazon tech billionaire pay more taxes. Greenpeace joining locals who see the star-studded 200. person wedding as a sign of over tourism. We've told you about that here on top story. But the mayor telling the AP the city is proud to host the wedding and is hoping to meet

Bezos. Okay, we want to return out of the conflict in the Middle East and President Trump's announcement of a ceasefire between Israel and Iran. It comes after President Trump's weekend strikes against Iran's nuclear facilities, leaving lawmakers on Capitol Hill. Some of them, they say, caught off guard. Joining us tonight is Alaska Republican Senator Lisa Murkowski. She's a of the Senate Subcommittee on Defense and Homeland Security, as well as the author of a new book on her more than two decades in Congress. It's called Far From Home, and Alaskan senator faces the extreme climate of Washington, D.C. Senator Murkowski, thank you so much for being on Top Story tonight.

Thanks, Tom. Good to be with you. Yeah, let's start with the announcement by President Trump just less than an hour ago on this ceasefire. Do you believe this ceasefire deal, or the announcement, at least, to be real? Well, we are taking everything as it is coming. Just mere hours ago, I was on another show where literally coming in through the ear of the newscaster was the news of the strike in Qatar. A few hours later, I'm back here with you, and now the announcement, the news is about a ceasefire. So there is much that is in play. I think we all want to believe that, in fact, we are moving towards a better place, that there is a ceasefire that will hold, and this situation that we're seeing will de-escalate and de-escalate rapidly so that negotiations can really proceed.

Senator, when did you find out about the plan to strike Iran if you can share that information with our viewers? And do you feel you were given sufficient information and time about the strikes as a member of Congress? as of only one of only two people that represents Alaska and the Senate. Well, I found out about it, as most Americans did, by receiving the news that popped up on my phone when it really was first announced by the president, by the administration. Do you feel like you should have known more? Well, in fairness, we are going to be getting a full classified briefing tomorrow. I think that that is going to be important.

It's going to be telling. Do we all want to know more, absolutely? But I think that there was an element that required a level of just closeness in terms of the information being closely held. I understand that. I get that. But I think it is going to be imperative going forward that we fully understand what led up to the decision. And then more importantly, where we go next, really where we go next. When we talk about the president strikes over the weekend against Iran, one of the most vocal critics of the strikes.

It's a member of your own party, Kentucky Congressman Thomas Massey. He's essentially been saying that Trump campaigned against getting into wars and that the Republicans are afraid to stand up to him. How do you respond to that? Well, I don't think any of us want to get into a war. And certainly we don't want to get into a long, protracted, yet another forever. war in the Middle East. And so I would join. But I think that the president has made clear himself. He has no desire for a long, drawn-out war. So let's acknowledge, none of us want that. So how are we going to, again, back things down so that negotiations can proceed. The first step

is a bona fide ceasefire. So what was announced just within this past hour, Hopefully, we will see that that holds. That's what we're hoping for. We all hope that. Senator, you and the president have had a contentious relationship, right? He's called you a creature of the Washington swamp. He actively campaigned against you in 2022. How would you describe your relationship with President Trump?

You know, I think that there is a level of respect. As I've shared with the president, you know, I might not have voted for you, but I will work with every president that we have. responsibility as an Alaskan Center. I don't get to pick and choose who I get to work with. I work who the American people have said is going to be our president, and I do just that. And I represent a state that is pretty independent. They supported Donald Trump, absolutely, but they sent me back. So as I've shared with him, I said, sir, you won and I won. You want to do good things for the country. I want to do good things for my state. Let's figure out how we make it happen.

And I think that kind of mutual respect, you can get some things done. Is it hard to be in the president's crosshairs when you're fighting for the people of Alaska and federal resources? And a lot of times in Alaska, as you mentioned throughout your book, you've got to be bipartisan. You have to be bipartisan. But again, I don't think it should suggest that I'm in his crosshairs all the time. Maybe when it came to the campaign. But again, the campaign is over. I've now been reelected.

We're working together. He's got some pretty ambitious agenda items for Alaska, and they're items that I share. I encourage him on much of what he is proposing with resource development, and I have shared just that with. So when we can find those areas to be working together, we need to do it.

We must do it, not just for Alaska, but for the country. Yeah, you know, you made some news earlier today on a podcast, leaving open the door to possibly becoming an independent and caucusing with the Democrats. at least that's the way it sounded. Let's listen to it. I want to get your reaction on the other end. Is there a world in which, by becoming unaligned or an independent, you could help

Alaskans that you consider it? There may be that possibility. I'm evading your answer, of course, because it is so supremely hypothetical, but you can tell that the construct that we're working with right now, I don't think is the best construct. You know, and that answer seemed reminiscent of a key line in your book. I want to show it to our viewers here. This comes straight from your book. You write, most likely, I will never be understood in Washington.

The best gift that Alaskans have given me is that I don't have to answer to Washington. What is it about Alaskan politics that you believe allows you to not necessarily play by the rules of Washington? Because as far as Republicans go, Republicans go, you were pretty brave to say that. Well, I don't think it's any great secret here. that my commitment is not necessarily to the Republican Party. It is to the people of the state of Alaska. And I put that out there every single day in saying, that's who I work for.

I don't work just for Republicans. I don't work for the Republican Party. I work for the people of the state of Alaska. And so there's been a lot of news that has broke today. I am not going to make news on your show tonight, Tom, by saying that I'm leaving the Republican Party. going to happen. I am very independent-minded. Alaskans respect that. They've asked me to continue my service in that very independent vein. But my values are still the values that I have

long held. And there are values that are very much Republican, whether it is personal responsibility, individual liberties, strong national defense. I mean, that part of it. That part of it, hasn't changed. Yeah, but just to be clear, I want to sort of put a book in on this and ask you one more thing about your book. You're not considering leaving the Republican Party, right? No. Okay.

Okay. What I shared on the podcast is there is a construct that we have right now where we have two parties that pretty much control everything. And you are either on the red team or you're on the blue team. And it doesn't seem like there's much space in the middle for those who just want to put party politics aside and say, what are we going to do that's good for the country. It's good for Alaskans, good for the people back here on the East Coast. Let's work towards that. Let's get out of the partisan ruts that we have just found ourselves. Senator, we're running out of time, but I do

want to point this out. I want to ask you about something you put at the beginning of your book. This is the image. It's a graphic that comes even before the introduction of your book. It's an image of Alaska superimposed over the continental United States. Why did you want to start your book with this image. People need to understand the size and extent of the place that I call home. We stretch from Florida to California to the Gulf to all the way practically to the Canadian border. And so the people that I represent are just as diverse as those from Florida to California to Minnesota to Louisiana. And I'm blessed with that. It's a hard job. It's complicated. It's complex, but it's the best thing that I could possibly be asked to do is to help serve

Alaskans. Senator Murkowski, we thank you for joining Top Story. Your book is out. We appreciate your time. We do want to get back to that breaking news on the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Iran that President Trump announced late today. NBC's Keir Simmons is in Erbil Iraq. He joins Top Story tonight with some breaking news and some new reporting. Keir, what have you learned? Yeah, Tom, we have some new insights into what happened? here with our own Mishal Sindor speaking to President Trump and President Trump saying this ceasefire can be unlimited and can go on forever.

What we're learning is the extent to which President Trump really pushed this deal through. So what I'm told by a diplomat with knowledge of the talks is that President Trump spoke to the Emir of Qatar. He told the Emir of Qatar that he had got Israel to agree to a ceasefire deal and asked the Emir of Qatar to try to get Iran to do the same. Now, this was then handled, I'm told, by this diplomat, by Vice President Vance and the Prime Minister of Qatar. They handled the details, and Iran agreed to that ceasefire.

So this deal was coordinated at the highest levels, and that may be one of the reasons, Tom, why through the evening we've been talking to sources, some of whom have not known that this deal was happening, were trying to catch up on the news. There were even reports from inside Iran that the Iranians hadn't agreed to this deal. Reuters is now reporting tonight based on one Iranian source that, in fact, Iran has agreed. It is a developing story. You know, Tom, classic President Trump, to announce it on his social media platform almost immediately while the ink is not dry. But another aspect of this that I think is just stunning, Tom, of course, is that earlier today, just a few hours ago,

We were reporting on the Iranians firing missiles at a base in Qatar that thankfully they managed to shoot them down, that the Iranians gave Qatar notice that they were going to do this. And we were talking about this as something of a show, as something of an indication that the Iranians wanted an off-ramp without any idea at that moment, that in fact that was exactly what was happening. And now this news that President Trump has personally brokered this, working with Qatar, according to the this diplomat with knowledge of the talks, Tom. Keir Simmons, taking us behind the scenes on how these diplomatic plays happen. Kier, we appreciate you and all your reporting.

Back here at home, we are following late developments out of the Supreme Court tonight related to President Trump's deportation efforts. In a brief unsigned order, the court clearing the way for the Trump administration to swiftly deport migrants to countries where they have no previous ties, known as third countries. Previously, a lower court ruled that migrants should have a, quote, meaningful opportunity to bring claims that they would be at risk of torture. persecution or death if sent to these third countries. The ruling immediately applies to a group of men the administration seeks to send to South Sudan. All three liberal justices dissented, calling the ruling

an abuse of the court's power. The majority did not provide explanation for its ruling. And those deportation efforts tonight hitting a Marine veteran and his family hard. His wife detained at her interview for a green card separating her from the couple's two young children, one of them, just three months old. NBC's Aaron Gilcrest spoke with that vet and has this story. Marine Corps veteran Adrian Kluat didn't expect to be caring for his two young children all on his own. How are you guys doing? My son misses his mom a lot. It's actually gotten worse in the past couple of days.

He's constantly asking me for her and just having like a little breakdowns. After immigration authorities detained his wife Paola at a green card interview in New Orleans. I was devastated. I was angry, upset. The couple shares a two-year-old son and a three-month-old daughter. We switched her to formula. She does get to breastfeed twice a week when I go to visit my wife. Cluot says his wife came to the U.S. from Mexico as a teenager with her now estranged mother. He says she was detained because of a deportation order issued in 2018. My wife was living in a homeless shelter in NDO, California, when this all went down.

Her mom skipped the appointment. The judge, by default, issued a removal order for my wife, her mother, and her brother. And she was never notified of it. no way of knowing. Cluat says his family was trying to do the right thing and obey the law by still going to the green card interview. The interviewer went and talked to his supervisor and then came back, told us that we did well and to wait in the lobby for paperwork regarding our next appointment. And then, you know, the three ICE agents showed up and arrested my wife. Cluat taking his wife's wedding ring for safekeeping as he says she was handcuffed and led away. The Department of Homeland Security telling NBC News in part, Paola Cluat,

is in the country illegally. President Trump and Secretary Nome are not going to ignore the rule of law. After nearly a month, Kluat says he's working to get Paola's immigration case reopened and trying everything he can to bring her home. It seems like there's no humanity with this, you know, whole deportation stick going on right now. It feels hopeless, and I'm hoping I'm wrong. You see the vet there holding his child. Aaron Gilchrest joins us tonight. Aaron, are there any special protections or benefits in place for military spouses in situations like this? Well, Tom, Cluott says traditionally veterans had been allowed to take advantage of the option of parole in place. So in this case, Cluot says that his wife would have been able to parole at

home, would have been able to get a work visa, and would have been able to go through the green card process and eventually become a citizen that way. But in this instance, because of that deportation order that was placed on her mother, her, and her brother when she was a teenager. That supersedes even marriage, according to Cluot. And so for that reason, she's been picked up by federal agents and is being held in custody. They are waiting now for a decision by a judge in California on whether to reopen that deportation case. That is something that we're told has been really moving very slowly. And so the concern is that they don't know when this judge's signature might come through and allow them to try to make their case again for the asylum that

was granted to this wife and her family previous to her marriage to this Marine Corps veteran. All right. Aaron Gilchrist for us. Aaron, we thank you for that report. When Top Story returns tonight, it's being called the Cosmic Treasure Chest, the world's most powerful digital camera, bringing us a deep view of our universe like we've never seen before. Plus, Dolly Parton's new nine to five gig, the country music legend heading to Vegas for her. first extended run in 32 years. Could this be her swan song? Stay with us.

Back now with Top Story's Global Watch, a major wildfires forcing evacuations on the Greek island of Heos. Nearly 200 firefighters are now battling the flames. It began yesterday as three separate fires merged into one. Firefighters say strong winds today are making conditions even worse,

and arson investigation team is being sent to look into how these fires began. A super yacht belonging to a British tech tycoon recovered after sinking off the coast of Italy 10 months ago. Video shows it being lifted out of the waters just off the coast of Sicily. The 56-meter ship sank last August during severe storms. Businessman Mike Lynch, his daughter Hannah, and five others died. The boat is being transferred to a nearby port will it be turned over to investigators

who are still looking into what happened. And the first image is released from a powerful telescope in Chile. One picture shows gas and dust clouds in an area 9,000 light years from Earth. The telescope, which uses the largest digital camera ever built, is able to detect asteroids in striking distance of Earth, map the Milky Way, and answer questions about dark matter. Scientists say it could transform our understanding of the universe. Okay, back here at home, time now for Top Stories Health Check

and the next wave of weight-loss drugs that could soon be on the market. NBC's Maggie Vespa explains why they could be even more effective, than what's currently available. Tonight, major potential breakthroughs in the booming world of weight loss drugs. First, drug maker Amgen trumpeting the early experimental success of Maritide, a longer-lasting

GLP-1 injection that patients could take once a month instead of once a week. The regimen typically recommended for OZembe, Wigovie, and other popular medications. I have no plans of ever not being on these medications. The idea of monthly, shots welcome news for patients like Chanel Robinson, who's lost nearly 100 pounds using semaglutides. That would be fantastic for people that are scared of to give themselves an injection.

Another possible alternative to weekly injections, Eli Lilly announcing their GLP1 pill, which would be the first oral weight loss drug, is showing promising results and could be widely available next year. The third major development, a new combination of drugs that researchers say could help patients lose weight without losing muscle mass. Days day four of rebuilding the muscle that we lost while taking Ozmpic. Something Robinson says she experienced. I can feel myself like incredibly weak. Just to have this growing list of options for these medications,

how exciting is that for you as a doctor? It's like boundless excitement to see how many tools we have in our toolbox to treat our patients. Now in our future, we're going to have so many different options. that can best suit the patient's needs. I mean, it's thrilling. And with that, Maggie Vespa joins us tonight from Chicago. Maggie, we heard the Eli Lilly pill may be available next year from your report there. Do we know how soon these other options might be out?

And what about the costs? Yeah, costs are a huge hurdle. It's something we're watching closely. Long story short, no word on costs at this point. Tined to these new options, all the researchers and drug makers say it's just too soon. But that's a huge hurdle for people. A lot of the most popular options on the market right now, They can cost upwards of $1,000 a month, and they're rarely covered by insurance.

As far as the timeline for those other two kind of new innovations, potential innovations, are concerned we're talking years away. The drug combination that prevents muscle loss up to five years away, potentially, from being widely available. Still, though, major announcements tonight giving a lot of people new hope. Tom. All right, Maggie, Vespa for us. Maggie, we thank you. We turn out to our ongoing series, The Cost of Denial, which takes a look at the time. the insurance industry. Today, major health insurers announcing they will overhaul treatment approval processes for both doctors and patients, because it is a major pain point for so many.

NBC News correspondent Aaron McLaughlin has the details. Jason Probst has chronic inflammation. He says it took hours on the phone and four denials to finally get his insurance to approve the medication he needs. This sounds like a nightmare. It is a nightmare. It felt like a deliberate attempt to delay the treatment that I need. The process of prior authorization is a headache for many patients like Probst. It requires doctors to get sign off from insurance companies before certain care can occur. Each year, health insurance companies issue millions of denials, refusing to pay for doctor-recommended treatments based on their own assessment. Is this system broken?

Yes, I think we're getting worse patient outcomes because of it. Mike Tuffin is the CEO of Ahip, the organization representing major insurance companies. Do you agree this process is broken? Yes, the experience is not one. working for people. Which today announced a series of commitments to simplify prior authorization, including applying the process more selectively and expanding real-time responses. We're trapped in this outdated system with paper and fax machines.

We want to abolish all of it. We want a digital interconnected system that puts the patient in charge. But some doctors are skeptical, pointing to previous industry pledges that didn't pan out. I have to see it to believe it. And so I love the intention, but I would really like. like to see happier, healthier patients, which we're not seeing right now. Now, in terms of a potential timeline, when patients could see some sort of improvement, the CEO of Ahip tells me that it will take time.

He said that changes are possible for next year. Doctors and patients will be watching closely. Tom. Aaron McLaughlin for us, Aaron, thank you. When Top Story returns, she's taking her 9 to 5 to Vegas. Country music icon, Dolly Parton, is back in the spotlight tonight. announcing a six-show run in the desert, the Dolly residency. What's behind the decision?

And could this be her final act? Finally tonight, it's time to tumble out of bed, stumble to the kitchen because country music superstar Dolly Parton back on stage for the first time in nearly a decade, the Tennessee legend taking her talents to Vegas for a short residency this December. Kathy Park has more on Dolly's new 9-to-5 gig. What a way to make a living.

The Queen of Country isn't clocking out any time soon. This December, Dolly Parton returns to the stage for a limited run residency, telling fans, grab your rhinestones, Vegas is calling. Dolly, the queen. I absolutely have to go. Six concerts at the Coliseum at Caesar's Palace will feature some of Dolly's greatest hits. like I will always love you and Jolene the 79 year old showing no signs of slowing down just months after the passing of her beloved husband of nearly six decades Carl Dean you know how I loved him and he would want me to be working today and today her impact goes far beyond music dolly's brand now spans beauty food philanthropy and entertainment the music the music The musical about her life premieres in Nashville next month.

I caught up with her recently as she celebrated 40 years of Dollywood. What's a secret to keep going? I mean, you don't stop. Well, I don't know how to stop. It's just like a child that you teach how to run. You say, run, and it gets to go, and it don't know how to stop. I'm going to make hay while sun shines. And she's still glowing with that signature, Dolly Sparkle.

Kathy Park, NBC News. and still going strong. We thank Kathy Park for that story. We thank you for watching Top Story tonight. I'm Tom Yamerson, New York. Stay right there. More news on the way.