Top Story with Tom Llamas - Wednesday, July 16, 2025

Episode Date: July 17, 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.

Tonight, President Trump lashing out at his own supporters, calling them weaklings as his administration faces mounting criticism over the Epstein files. The deepening rift across the GOP after the DOJ refused to release the records. Are Garrett Haig pressing the president on the growing turmoil inside his administration? Is this pushing MAGA to its breaking point? Also tonight, tornadoes touching down in the Midwest, drone video capturing a massive funnel cloud forming, debris sent flying and trees ripped from their roots, plus the Gulf Coast now bracing for a tropical disturbance with New Orleans, right in that threat zone.

A man detained near the Capitol arm with guns, knives of bow and arrow, and a sword. What else he was doing there? Israel strikes Syria, a reporter diving for cover as explosions, rock a government building while she's live on the air. Plus mounting questions over the aid crisis in Gaza after a deadly stampede at a distribution site. The terrifying kidnapping attempt caught on camera, video capturing the woman being dragged, screaming and fighting off her would-be attacker, how she got away. Music Festival Inferno, a huge fire engulfing Belgium's tomorrow landstage just days before opening.

The questions about how the show will go on for the hundreds of thousands headed to the venue. And the Gen Z Stair, the generational debate, exploding on social media over a reaction from younger Americans. But is there more to it than meets the up? Plus, the Obama's breaking their silence over divorce rumors. Top story starts right now. And good evening tonight. One of the biggest divides in the history of the MAGA movement, growing even bigger. As President Trump lashes out at some of his own supporters over their fascination with Jeffrey Epstein,

Trump this morning saying, in part on truth social, my past supporters have bought into this BS, hook, line, and sinker, let these weaklings continue forward and do the Democrats work. I don't want their support anymore. The president responding to growing calls from some within his own base for the Justice Department to make public more documents related to the convicted sex offender. Some have even suggested the government is withholding a client list that once belonged to the late financier.

But in a memo last week, the DOJ and the FBI said there is no evidence that an incriminating client list exists, intensifying a revolt against Attorney General. Pam Bondi, as well as her boss. Democrats now looking to drive the wedge even farther into the heart of the MAGA movement. Arizona Senator Ruben Gallego introducing a resolution calling for the DOJ to release its Epstein files, which would force a divided GOP to put their votes on the record. NBC's Garrett Hake has been following the growing turmoil in Trump world and leads us off tonight. Tonight, President Trump lashing out at his own supporters amid the ongoing Republican outcry over his

administration's decision not to release Justice Department files related to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. I lost a lot of faith in certain people, yeah, I lost, because they got duped by the Democrats. The president dismissing the interest by some in the MAGA world in Epstein as a Democratic distraction and chastising those supporters as, quote, weaklings. It's all been a big hoax. It's perpetrated by the Democrats. And some stupid Republicans and foolish Republicans fall into the net.

and so they try and do the Democrats' work. They're wasting their time with a guy who obviously had some very serious problems, who died three, four years ago. I'd rather talk about the success we have with the economy, the best we've ever had, and all of the things we've done, including the Middle East. But the demands for public disclosure of Epstein-related evidence originated with some of the president's most outspoken supporters, some now serving in his administration,

FBI director Cash Patel two years ago. Put on your big boy pants and let us know who the pedophiles are. This from the president's son. How is it that my father can be convicted of 34 crimes, but no one on Epstein's list has even been brought to light? And this was the president during the campaign. Would you declassify the Epstein files? Yeah, yeah, I would.

All right. I guess I would. I think that less so because, you know, you don't know. You don't want to affect people's lives if it's phony stuff in there because it's a lot of phony stuff with that whole world. But I think I would. But last week, the Justice Department and FBI released a memo saying they had found no incriminating client list of Epstein's and no credible evidence.

Epstein blackmailed prominent individuals and that they would make no further disclosure. Tonight, multiple federal law enforcement officials tell NBC News that memo accurately describes the findings of law enforcement in the Epstein investigation. The president saying it's up to Attorney General Pam Bondi whether to release the material. If she finds any more credible information, she'll give that too. What more can she do than that? I mean, honestly, what more can she do? And we do have bigger problems.

We pressed him late today. Your attorney general was in here, your FBI leadership. Do you still have confidence in that team, sir? Totally. Now some top Republicans are downplaying any GOP divide. I have confidence in the president and his team. But after an array of outspoken Trump allies demanded the files, made public. Tonight, there are more calls for the government information to be released.

The abstain files need to be released. I would say, make it all public. Garrett Hague joins us tonight from the White House. So, Garrett, this is sort of a stunning attack, right, by the president on some of his own supporters and strongest advocates. So have any of them responded to the president's comments? The responses today have been interesting, Tom, because what you've seen from some of these people, particularly the more online influencer crowd, is to basically say, Mr. President, we're not arguing with you. We're trying to protect you. We're trying to protect you. you and make you keep your own promises. It's pretty clear that in the MAGA universe,

there's not a lot of stomach for a protracted fight with this president on any issue, much less this one. I think that's why you've seen some of these lawmakers trying to align their statements with the president today. If there's more there, they say, go ahead and release it. And for people like Charlie Kirk, Michael Flynn, some of the other folks featured on that graphic, it's more about Mr. President, we're on your side. We want to make sure if there is damaging information, they say, enemies that it ought to come out. It's a fascinating effort to get everyone all on the same page, even when there's still quite a bit of frustration about this issue across the right. Garrett Hague first at the White House.

Garrett, thank you. As the White House and the President tried to pivot away from the Epstein story, Trump has acknowledged the two had a relationship years ago, or Hallie Jackson takes a deep dive into their history and the fallout. President Trump, dismissing the interest now in the Epstein case. I don't understand why the Jeffrey Epstein case would be of interest to anybody. It's pretty boring stuff. And distancing himself from the convicted sex offender, as the president's been doing for years. I had a falling out with him a long time ago.

In the Oval Office in 2019, making clear his feelings on Epstein at that point. I don't think I've spoken to him for 15 years. I wasn't a fan. There's no evidence the president is connected to any of Epstein's crimes. We do know the two did have a relationship. The president acknowledging both men. and crossed paths in Palm Beach back in the 90s. NBC News archival video from 1992 shows the president with Epstein at a Mar-a-Lago party,

alongside cheerleaders for the Buffalo Bills and the Miami Dolphins. Donald! Mr. Trump greeting guests, including Epstein. The two chatting and gesturing to those in front of them. At one point, it appears Mr. Trump leans over and tells Epstein, she's hot. The video taken more than a decade before Epstein's plea deal, which made him register as a sex offender in Florida. Between 1993 and 1997, flight logs released in the trial of Epstein's now convicted associate, Galane Maxwell, show Mr. Trump flew on Epstein's plane multiple

times. In 2002, Mr. Trump told New York magazine, I've known Jeff for 15 years. Terrific guy. He's a lot of fun to be with, adding, it has even said that he likes beautiful women as much as I do, and many of them are on the younger side. Epstein, claiming to author Michael Wolfe in 2017 that the two men were at one time very close. There's no other evidence they were that friendly, and the two ended up having a falling out in 2004, according to people who spoke with the Washington Post,

over competition for an oceanfront property in Florida. The president has confirmed the friendship ended, though he didn't specify why. The reason doesn't make any difference, frankly. Of course, President Trump is not the only, powerful person who spent time with Epstein, former President Bill Clinton, former VP Al Gore, Bill Gates, all named in court documents as being connected to Epstein. There's been no evidence that any of these people, including President Trump, have been involved in Epstein's crimes,

and they've denied any wrongdoing, all as the Epstein case is back in the spotlight. I don't understand why it keeps going. I think really only pretty bad people, including fake news want to keep something like that going. But credible information, let them give it. Anything that's credible, I would say let them have it. And with that, Hallie Jackson joins us live tonight here in Top Story. So, Hallie, we know how the president feels about the Epstein Files. We just heard him. But how do Americans feel? It's interesting you asked, Tom, given that just late today, we are seeing, for the first time, a bit of a snapshot from this new Quinnipiac polling that's out, showing that most Americans, a majority of Americans, do not approve of

the way that the Trump administration has handled the Epstein files. You see the numbers here. 63% say they disapprove versus 17 approval, 20% no opinion. But you know what's really interesting when you go a little bit deeper on that? When you look at just Republicans, a full third of Republicans say they do not approve of how the president and the administration has handled this, 36%. Listen, if all those folks listen to President Trump saying, hey, I don't care, I don't want your support, it could potentially become a political liability for him, although it's too early to say. I'll also point out, Tom, that poll was in the field fairly recently from this past Thursday up until Monday, I think. So it's not as though that was taken weeks ago.

That is right in the midst of when all of this was bubbling up, like at that conservative conference over the weekend, Tom. A really interesting data point. All right, Hallie, so great to have you on the broadcast tonight. Thank you. We're also tracking that severe summer weather, millions still at risk across the country after days of unrelenting storms and extreme heat. Shack Brewster is on the ground in the storm zone with the latest. With sirens blaring in western Wisconsin late this afternoon, multiple reported tornadoes touching down. Warnings going out to anyone in the area.

If you are in Sox City or Prairie Dusak, you better be in your basement right now or your safe spot because there was a confirmed tornado. Holy molly! And despite the warnings, people out in fields capturing Mother Nature's power firsthand. Footage captured by drones showing the funnel clouds formation, debris, swirling in the air and the storm's path moving along a residential area. Oh, my guys, in the house. Further north in Wisconsin, a twister appearing to move right across the road, a man inside the car stunned.

Tornado, I got a tornado right in front of me, tornado right in front of me. Right here, right here, right north of Wisconsin Dells, tornado on the ground, tornado on the ground. They got a tornado. And tornadoes are not the only risk in the the region. Tarrantial rain and severe storms also pounding the Midwest. 28 million people are under flood watches tonight, on alert from Wisconsin, Pennsylvania and Virginia to Louisiana, where states along the Gulf Coast gear up for an increasing storm threat. Near Lafayette, Louisiana today, preparations already underway for the possibility

of a tropical depression. And after deadly flooding and record-setting rainfall earlier this week in the northeast, sweltering temperatures are now taking over. Tens of millions across 23 states facing heat alerts today, temperatures breaking 90 degrees in Chicago, St. Louis, and Little Rock, Arkansas. Just trying to cool off and get the kids out of the house. Shack, Brewster joins us tonight from Milwaukee. So, Shaq, all this severe weather creating some travel nightmares, I've got to imagine. Absolutely, Tom. And, you know, we've already seen ground stops at some major hubs across the country from Denver to New York City. even in Chicago, where both airports saw ground stops earlier today.

And the National Weather Service said they clocked wind speeds, at least gust, topping 67 miles an hour at Chicago's O'Hare Airport. And the problem is when you look at all those millions of people who are still under severe thunderstorm alerts and still under flood warnings, there's a fear that that travel trouble will only extend into the night, leaving frustrated passengers and many people still grounded. Tom? Okay. Shack, thank you. Just now, tsunami alerts for parts of Alaska canceled after a strong earthquake struck off the coast.

I want to get right to NBC, New York meteorologist, Bioleta Yas, once again, here on top story for us. So, Bioleta, we know earlier people were told to seek higher ground. Now they have the all clear. What do we know? Yeah, so it was a busy afternoon in the weather department. We had that 7.3 magnitude, which would be considered major, about 60 miles south of Sand Point. Now, this would have been about 1238 Alaska time. They're four hours earlier than us. Luckily, after that warning was issued, eventually dropped to an advisory, and not too long ago, we did get the all clear. So luckily, we are all good. Meanwhile, back on the mainland, things just now starting to get active across the southeast. We're keeping a very close eye on this potential tropical disturbance.

We haven't seen that development through the last couple of days, but we do have the main center, although very disorganized, it is sitting offshore. Water temperatures here are very warm, so we'll have to see if we do get some intensification here through the course. the next day or two. You can see that track is expected to continue almost due west approaching the coast of Louisiana as we head into tomorrow. So we'll continue to see those very heavy downpours, albeit disorganized through tonight and into tomorrow. That heavy rain will continue from the Florida panhandle through Louisiana. And then for tomorrow, again, we'll have to see how much time that center spends over the Gulf to see if we get any additional intensification. But as we've been saying all week, regardless of whether or not this does eventually

develop into Dexter, this is going to continue to produce some very heavy rain from the Florida Panhandle, which we've already seen across parts of southern Mississippi and Alabama. This does include Mobile and continuing towards Louisiana. So again, places like New Orleans extending west through right around Baton Rouge and Lake Charles will be dealing with these very heavy downpours, even though they will be disorganized. We'll have to watch for this through the course of the next couple of days, at least into Friday. All right, Biela. That's so great to have you once again here on Top Story. Back in Washington, the U.S. Capitol, police say they arrested a man just steps away from the Capitol building this morning, finding multiple guns, knives, even a sword

inside his car. NBC's Gabe Gutierrez has been following these late-breaking details and joins us tonight from Washington. Gabe, this is a strange one, right? What more do we know about the suspect who would carry both firearms but also a sword? Tom, this is definitely a bizarre scene. And it all started just a few yards from me when Capitol Police noticed a station wagon. that was parked in an area normally reserved for congressional staff. Well, after searching the vehicle, officers found a rifle, a handgun, axes, knives, a bow and arrow, a sword. It was very, very strange. And this came as police then identified the suspect as a 23-year-old from Oregon.

It's unclear what his motive may be, but this all comes as authorities. really are on a high alert after a slew of high-profile threats. There have been threats to lawmakers and public officials really across the country. And just a short time ago, we had that case in Minnesota with a murder of a state lawmaker and her husband. And we also just passed a one-year anniversary of that attempted assassination of President Trump. All right, Gabe, do we think this is a lone wolf or do they have any concerns there might be more threats tonight?

Well, that is a big question right now. the investigation is ongoing. We don't, don't yet know what the motive may have been. But at this point, though, Tom, Capitol Police do say that it does not appear that this suspect was targeting Congress. Okay. All right. We hope they're right. Gabe, we thank you for that. In Canada tonight, a strange story. Police in Vancouver investigating what they're calling a hijacking after a man allegedly stole a small private plane. The incident bringing air traffic to a stop at a major international airport. Here's NBC's Tom Costello with more. On the runway at Vancouver International Airport, a small Cessna pursued by a line of police cars.

Moments later, Royal Canadian Mounted Police trained their guns on and took into custody the pilot, the only one on board, who police say had hijacked the plane, forcing air traffic at this major West Coast airport to shut down. We do have a aircraft that's in hijacked is in the vicinity of the airport overflying. For 40 minutes, commercial flights were forced to. hold or circle. Nine diverted to other airports, including Seattle. He came on and said, oh, there's no airspace, the airspace has been closed because of a ultralight plane that is not communicating with the tower. The plane was allegedly stolen from a flying club at nearby Victoria, then flew low altitude circles over Vancouver Airport. Just in case anything starts heading

towards you. You have the ability to move at church discretion. The Canadian press says an air traffic control conversation suggests the suspect may have been motivated by some type of protest. In a statement, police say the plane landed safely at Vancouver and Richmond, RCNP officers arrested the suspect without incident. What the hell? In 2018, a Seattle airport employee stole an empty passenger plane performing aerobatics despite little pilot training. I played video games before, so. I, you know, I know what I'm down a little bit. Richard Russell died after crashing the plane into a nearby island.

Tonight, no word on what charges the Canadian suspect might face. Meanwhile, Homeland Security Secretary Nome is talking about relaxing the TSA's liquids and gels rule after last week allowing passengers to keep their shoes on at checkpoints. Noam wants to make it easier on passengers if the technology allows it. The TSA's three-ounce rule, you may recall, came after an attempt to blow up a point. plane using liquid explosives, but many security experts are very concerned about relaxing these screening rules, saying detection technology is not yet in place, and terrorists remain focused on attacking the U.S. Tom.

Okay, Tom Costello for us, overseas now to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, Israeli missile striking Syria's defense ministry in Damascus. The blast captured while a newscaster was live on the air. Look at this. He said Wazir of Diffa of the Israeli, Israel, Kats, that the army will be wauceauce

quite the terrifying moment there. For more on this, in the latest on the war, I want to bring in NBC's Matt Bradley. Matt, talk to us about what we just saw there and what the Israeli attack on Syria really means for the region.

Yeah, Tom, I mean, it's a really remarkable scene, and we actually saw that same kind of scene several times with other. news reporters who have been doing their lives, kind of like I am now, in front of the Ministry of Defense in Damascus. So what you're seeing there is this fight between the Israelis and the regime of Ahmad al-Shara, the new regime.

He toppled former president Bashar al-Assad, that dictator, back late last year. And he's had a tenuous grasp on power ever since then. But fighting in the southwest of Syria between the Druze religious minority and the regime in Damascus has now really escalated. And it involved, it was sparked by fights between the Druze and some Bedouin. And now the Israelis have intervened, really forcefully. The Israelis feel a particular affinity towards the Druze minority because that group straddles, actually, Lebanon, Syria, and Israel. And there are quite a few Druze who fight in the army here in Israel.

They're a major part of Israeli society. So the Israelis have decided to intervene and are attacking the regime forces. We did hear from Marco Rubio just tonight, the Secretary of State, saying, that it looks as though this whole incident, this whole flare-up is going to be coming to some sort of resolution this evening. We had heard that also from the regime in Syria and from a Drew's leader in southwest Syria around that area of Sweda, where all of this has been going on. But we also heard from a rival Drew's leader that he's not going to abide by any truce, that he's going to fight the regime, probably with Israeli help, until they leave southwest Syria.

Okay, Matt, Brian, let's get a little closer to where you are tonight, Talk to us about this stampede at a Gaza food site. What more do we know about that? Yeah, this is just a recurring problem. And, in fact, health officials in the Gaza Strip, which is ruled by Hamas, have said that hundreds of people have been killed waiting in line for food and other supplies at these facilities, these aid stations, many of which have been set up by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation. That's an Israeli and American-backed organization that has ties to the Trump administration.

and we've been seeing now. It looks as though we really don't know exactly where its financing is coming from. But this group has been mired in controversy ever since it started distributing aid through only four aid stations throughout the Gaza Strip. This latest incident that we just saw

killed about 21 people, and the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation themselves came out and said that they really regretted and were mourning the losses there. According to witnesses who were there, they said that the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation personnel, who many of them are former American soldiers, many of them are Americans, that they fired tear gas into the crowd and that the crowd started running,

and that's why we saw that stampede. Now, we've seen this again so many times before, over the past couple of months, ever since this aid institution started picking up the mantle of distributing aid in the Gaza Strip. And, you know, that's why people like Hamas, other Palestinian officials, they're calling these aid stations a death trap. Tom. All right, Matt Bradley for us. When Top Story returns tonight, under suspicion, why the husband of a popular TikTok influencer

could be facing charges of child abuse in their son's drowning death. The bizarre story out of California, 21 children rescued from a home, all of them, born of surrogate mothers from across the country. One mom telling us she was scammed into giving birth. And setting the record straight, the Obama's breaking their silence on those divorce rumors that won't go away. Stay with us. We are back down with an update in the tragic drowning death of a TikTok influencer's three-year-old son. Police say the social media star's husband could now be facing felony child abuse charges in relation to the incident. NBC's Camilla Bernal has the details.

I love you. I love you. It's a tragedy followed by millions that could soon be a criminal case. Social media influencer Emily Kaiser's son drowned in the family poor. back in May. And this is Trigg. Trigg was just three years old. Emily often posting about him. I'm so grateful for Trig and like I love him so much. Police and Chandler, Arizona say they're recommending a felony child abuse charge against the boy's father, Brady Kaiser. At the time of the drowning, Emily wasn't home, according to a search warrant affidavit obtained by our Phoenix affiliate, KPNX. Brady told police that after dinner, he saw Trigg in the backyard playing

near the pool. He said he was distracted by his infant son and added that he lost sight of Trigg for approximately three to five minutes. The documents say the dad immediately jumped in trying to save him and called 911. Trigg died at the hospital a few days later. It rises to the level of criminal charges under the law when it's a negligent act, meaning that the parents are careless and they should have done something to prevent the death of their child. Brady Kaiser could not be reached for comment, and Emily's attorney did not respond to a request for comment, but in a lawsuit attempting to seal the records related to Trigg's death, her attorney called it a heartbreaking accidental drowning, adding Emily is going through a parent's worst nightmare. Camille, I can't imagine what they're going through there. This is a terrible incident for them. Do we know any kind of timeline on where this criminal case will proceed?

Yeah, Tom. So I reached out to the Maricopa County's attorney's office, and they say they're reviewing the case right now. But when I asked about a timeline, they said they don't have one. It's possible that they'll never file charges against him. There's a lot we don't know about this case because these documents are sealed. But the search warrant documents. They do say there was a camera outside of the house near the pool. So it's possible that authorities are able to corroborate or deny essentially what this father said when he said he lost track of his. son between three to five minutes. So we're waiting to see if the video has time stamps and is able to prove some of this information. But because of this lawsuit, the family saying that they want all of these things private. She says she wants to take care of her newborn son. She wants to grieve in private. But there's a lot of supporters who want to know exactly what happened, who want to actually show their support for her and who say they want to hear from her. But she has not posted anything since this incident happened, Tom. Okay, Camila. Still ahead on top story, the terrifying would-be abduction caught on camera, a woman screaming for help, fighting off her

attacker, how she managed to escape. Plus, a day of political whiplash for Jerome Powell, multiple reports saying President Trump was close to firing the Fed chair, even drafting a letter to do so, how the markets reacted, and who's on the shortlist to replace him. But first, top story's top moment, and on this might be controversial, the official deviled egg flavor, revealed for the Ohio State Fair, and it's pretty shocking. I am proud to present to you the 2025 Ohio State Fair, OhioEgs.com, featured flavor of the year, which is chocolate chip cookie dough. All right, you heard it right there.

Chocolate chip cookie dough, they are calling it an appetizer dessert. Would you try it? It will be at the Ohio State Fair. You can get it starting next week. Okay, stay with us. We're back in a moment. We're back tonight with the battle between President Trump and Fed Chair Jerome Powell. Trump now saying it is highly unlikely he'll fire Powell after telling lawmakers privately just yesterday that he would.

The New York Times reporting today that Trump even drafted a letter firing the Fed chairman. The market's responding to Trump's apparent course correction ending with major gains. for the Dow, S&P, and NASDAQ, you see them right there. This is the president entertains other key allies for the job. I want to bring in NBC's Brian Chung to break it all down for us. Brian, we're seeing the markets rally after Trump said he would not fire Powell, even though the reporting was that he was about to. What's going on here?

Yeah, well, I mean, if you rewind to the beginning of this day when there were these reports floating around that the president was likely to fire the Fed chair eminently, well, you saw the markets actually go down. The Dow Jones lost about 250 points, and then it bounced back up when the president, appeared in front of the press and said, that's highly unlikely. That's the words that he used. It's interesting because it was his own White House senior staff that told NBC News prior to telling the press that the president was seriously thinking about firing the Fed chair. So again, this is really bad for markets. A lot of people, including Senator John Kennedy, a Republican from Louisiana,

he worries that there could be a stock market crash if the president tries to fire the Fed. By the way, he appointed. Yeah. And then, Brian, do we have a short list of the people that the president would want to replace Powell with? Yeah, well, as the president was in the Oval Office, suggesting that he could wait until the Fed chair's term ends and made it replace him, he did float a number of names. He talked about Scott Besson, who is currently the Treasury Secretary. He also talked about Kevin Hassett with very kind words.

Again, he's the director of the National Economic Council, one of the top economic advisors to the president. And a third name that is reportedly in the mix is Kevin Warsh. He is a former Fed governor, so he's familiar with what it's like to work inside the Fed at the highest levels. So again, these are the three names that are. being floated out there. But again, Tom, the question here is, when would that person perhaps take over? Would it be by force with the president trying to oust Jay Powell, or would it be at

the end of Powell's term, which would be in May? Yeah, we're going to have to wait and see we may know sooner than later. All right, Brian, we thank you for that. Next night, to a shocking case out of California, police say 21 children, including an infant, have been removed from a couple's care under suspicion of neglect and endangerment. Many of those children, police say born from surrogate mothers. One of those surrogates speaking to our Emily Aked. about this disturbing discovery. Tonight, new details in an alarming child abuse investigation that led officers to discover 21 young children who lived inside this Southern California home.

Many of 65-year-old Guo Jun Schwann and 38-year-old Sylvia Zhang's children have been born via surrogates, according to Arcadia Police. This was my first experience being a surrogate. Kayla Ann Elliott thought she was helping a couple have a second child. What was your reaction when you learned they had 21 children? I was a little bit hysterical to say the least. You just don't expect that you're going to hand the baby over to their parents and then all of a sudden find out that there was abuse and neglect going on. It all unraveled in May after a hospital contacted Arcadia Police to investigate the case of a two-month-old who arrived with head injuries, prompting detectives to pull surveillance,

video, cell phones, and hard drives from the home. We believe that the other children were also subject to physical and emotional abuse. And the nannies were the ones who were committing the physical and emotional abuse. However, the parents were well aware of what was going on. While police are still searching for the nanny, allegedly seen on camera shaking the hospitalized infant, the parents were arrested for felony child endangerment and neglect. They have since been released and have not responded to our requests for comment. As a Investigators zero in on the agency tied to their address, Mark's surrogacy, with the help of the FBI, according to Arcadia Police. Callie Fell is with the Center for Bioethics and Culture Network.

It's not illegal to have 20 children. It's not illegal to hire surrogate mothers. But certainly, this should open up our eyes to the fact that we are allowing an industry to just do what it pleases. All right. Emily Aketa joins us now in studio. So Emily, all those children, do we know? Are they in protective custody? Where are they? Yeah, that's exactly where they are. The kids ranging in age from two months to 13 years old. As for an update on that two-month-old whose hospital really opened all of these other questions and concerns, that baby is still in the hospital now for more than two months.

They do expect the child to survive. And while public records show that the business license for Mark surrogacy was recently terminated, I spoke with a pregnant surrogate who tells me that agency continues to contact her as recently as just yesterday. Wow. Okay, Emily, Aketa, a strange one there. I'm sure this is not the end of it either. Now to Top Story's news feed, we're learning new details about a Sun Country Airlines flight forced to make an emergency landing at L.A.X earlier this week, the flight was bound for Minneapolis, carrying 166 passengers when an engine caught fire, shooting sparks. Pilots quickly declared an emergency, returning safely to Los Angeles's airport where the plane was met by fire trucks.

The FAA is currently investigating the cause of the incident. Terrifying new footage released by police capturing an attempted kidnapping in St. Augustine. This is wild. You hear a woman there fighting for her life as a man is seen attempting to force her into a pickup truck. The man robbed the local business last month and grabbed an employee on his way out. Police say she did everything right, fighting back, yelling until finally getting herself free. A witness called 911. The man was later caught and charged with robbery.

kidnapping, and Grand Theft Auto. And a black bear shocking a New Hampshire homeowner with its good manners. Listen to this. Surveillance video is showing the bear, pressing its paw against the doorbell, then peering inside the home, it then staggers back on its hind legs and goes to explore the rest of the patio, even taking a peek at the hot tub. The homeowner saying, quote, at least he was polite enough to ring the doorbell. And Indiana fever star, Caitlin Clark, sustaining her fourth injury this season during the final minute of a game against the Connecticut Sun.

Clark seemed visibly distraught after injuring her right groin. This comes just after missing five games for a similar injury. She is said to be a captain for Saturday's WNBA All-Star game and Friday's three-point contest. Clark was ruled out for tonight's game against the New York Liberty. It is yet to be determined if her injuries will bench her from the upcoming events. Okay, next tonight, the Obama is speaking out together in a rare podcast appearance addressing divorce rumors that have circulated for months. Former President Barack Obama joining his wife's podcast, in my opinion, that she hosts with her brother, Craig Robinson. President Obama and Michelle Obama addressing the speculation lightheartedly at the beginning of the episode.

Take a listen. Wait, you guys like each other? Oh, yeah, really, huh? The rumor meal. It's my husband, y'all. She'll turn to me back. now don't start i can't it's it was touching go for a while it's so nice to have you both in the same room i know i know because when we aren't folks think we're divorced all right for more on this let's bring in

april ryan she is the washington bureau chief for black press USA and the host of the tea with april on substack april good to see you thanks for coming on top story tonight you have interviewed both the Obamas and followed their rise in the public eye closely. They appeared to laugh off these rumors. What do you make of this most recent podcast appearance? I just think it's the Obama's being the Obamas. They are who they are. Tom, you have to remember that this all started because Michelle Obama, well, Michelle Obama did not show up at the inauguration, the second inauguration of Donald John Trump, nor did she show up to Jimmy Carter's funeral, because she was the person who was going to be sitting next to Donald Trump.

Let's be clear. She said it. She's campaigned against Donald Trump, and she doesn't like him. She has said that he has endangered their family. He called the eight years of Barack Obama carnage during his first inauguration, this woman is so authentic and she's real. She tells you what she feels. And think about this, Tom. So many of us have lost loved ones, lost parents. And she had just lost her mother, right? Not long ago before Jimmy Carter's funeral, one that was her to go back

to another funeral. And then to sit with somebody, sit next to somebody that you don't like, remember how she had to sit next to George W. Bush. And they were close. George W. Bush was leaning on her, getting candy. She didn't want to do that with Donald Trump, and that was plain. Yeah, I do want to ask you something, though, and since you know them much better than I do, and obviously a lot of our viewers, she's sort of putting herself out there, though, recently, right? She's doing this podcast. She's doing a lot of interviews, but she has stepped back from the politics, the funerals, some of those sort of roles you would see a first lady and a

former first lady. How do you explain those two? Because it is somewhat of a kind of contradiction? She did not sign up to be a politician. She happened to be married to a politician who happened to be elected to become the first black president of the United States for eight years. She has been clear on that, but she supported her husband, and she supports this country. But she is a human being. She had a life before Barack Obama. She had a life during Barack Obama, and she has a life after. You have to remember being a president and a first lady. it's not normal. It's not like what we do.

Go home to a husband and cook dinner and help do homework. She had her mom in that White House to help her while she was doing the work of the people. It's an extreme person to become president, but once you leave and when you're young, you still have money-making potential. You still have a whole world

that you didn't see for those four, eight years while you were in that bubble at 1,600 Pennsylvania, I'm going to tell you how much of a real person she was. Tom, she used to leave the White House bubble without makeup, without any kind of big pomp and circumstance, and she'd go for walks in the morning. And people didn't recognize her.

She's such a tall, statues, as person. People didn't recognize her. We've seen her go to Target. She is a real person. And trust me, she's so authentic. If there was something wrong in her marriage, she would be, one, telling you that. And two, she would let you know that if she's,

was moving on. So these are people who have a life. They want to travel. They still are at money-making age. They are living their best lives traveling sometimes together, sometimes apart. They have different assignments assigned to go here and the other ones there. They are living their best life. They're still married and very close and coming together. They've been very candid about their marriage and tough times. But Michelle's saying in the podcast that she's never thought about leaving the former president, do you think this latest appearance, We'll tamp down some of that talk. And we should put some historical context here.

You know, a first couple, again, this is not what's happening, but a first couple getting divorced in modern history, I can't think of one. It would be very strange also. I've covered presidents from Bill Clinton, second term of Bill Clinton, and we saw what happened then, and Bill and Hillary Clinton is still together.

For two people to travel that road to be in the White House together, that's a bond that you don't share with other people. And again, I can't imagine. Think about this. If you do indeed divorce a president of the United States or a former presidents of the United States, do you know what you forego? You forego the first lady's office. You forego the first lady's staff. All the accoutrements are being a former first lady. So that's one thing. I mean, it's not just I'm divorcing this man. I'm divorcing this man and all the accoutrements to come with being a former first lady. But that's not what it's about.

She is about being a human being, raising our children to be normal kids and or normal adults, you know, who've lived in this bubble. And she's living, again, living her best life as authentically as she can. And he is too. I mean, they've got so many projects. And again, they are not always in the same space because he may be asked to speak overseas or or deal with an issue. and she's doing something over here,

writing a book or doing something, who knows? But they are together. They are very much together. April Ryan, so great to have you on Top Story. Good to see you as well. Up next on the broadcast, a massive fire erupting at the site of a popular electronic music festival, thick smoke engulfing the stage.

Will the show go on for thousands of fans? And it's a new trend taking TikTok by storm. What exactly is the Gen Z stare? And is it sparking a generational divide? We'll tell you. Stay with Top Story. Just getting started here. Back now with Top Story's Global Watch.

We start with the Trump administration announcing Tuesday that it has deported five immigrants to the small African kingdom of Eswatini. Eswatini becoming the latest nation to accept third country deportees from the U.S. Officials there saying they will hold the men who are from Vietnam, Jamaica, Cuba, Yemen and Laos in correctional facilities until they can be sent to their countries of origin.

Okay, a Norwegian Olympic medalist has died after being struck by lightning. Auden Grunvold, a former ski cross Olympian, was struck by lightning during a cabin trip with his family. The Norwegian Ski Federation saying he was rushed to the hospital where he died from his injuries. He won the bronze at the 2010 Vancouver Games, and he went on to become a national team coach and television commentator. he was 49 years old. And tourists in Iceland forced to evacuate from a popular geothermal spa after a volcano erupted less than three miles away. Video showing lava bursting out of a half-mile-long fissure near the Blue Lagoon,

a popular destination for international tourists. The national broadcaster, RUV, reporting that 100 people were evacuated from the nearby town of Grindivuk, which is about 25 miles southwest of Iceland's capital. The eruption, which started early Wednesday morning. is the 9th in the area since 2023. And in Belgium, a massive fire erupting at the side of a popular EDM festival. The flames engulfing the main stage where performers like David Getta were set to perform. Organizers say tonight, the show will still go on, but how exactly is unclear?

NBC's Daniel Hammamjim has his developing story. Dramatic videos show the moment massive flames engulfed the main stage at the Tomorrowland Music Festival. in Belgium. Smoke billowing into the town of boom outside of Antwerp as rogue fireworks appear to blast into the air. The destructive scene unfolding just hours before hundreds of thousands of festival goers were set to arrive. Organizers writing on Instagram that no one was injured in the blaze but confirming our beloved main stage has been severely damaged. The festival, one of EDMN, most iconic events, drawing revellers in from around the world with fantastical productions, a-list DJ sets, endless dancing, and welcoming about 400,000 people a year.

This year, expected to be no exception, a range of huge acts planned including David Getta, Swedish House Mafia and Martin Garricks. Organizers say the festival campsite will open as planned, on Thursday, but where those headliners will perform, not immediately clear. A notice on the Tomorrowland website reading, we are focused on finding solutions for the festival weekend. It's the biggest like electronic dance music festival in the world. The uncertainty not deterring Alex Chin, who still plans to travel from New York to Belgium next week for the second weekend of the massive event, in part due to money already spent

on flights and tickets. All in all, I might be like $3,000, but I think it's worth it. This is something I was really looking forward to all year. Organizers of the festival say the cause of the fire is still under investigation. Some residents told local media they heard the fireworks going off as the fire broke out. Now, in previous years, there have been elaborate pyrotechnics, but again, no official word just yet on what caused that fire. Tom. Next tonight to the stair that's causing a stir online and in real life.

You may have experienced it, but may not know the name. It's called the Gen Z stare. And if you're not familiar with it, we asked our Gen Z colleagues here at Top Story and Nightly News to demonstrate. It looks just like this. Blank stares and awkward pauses coming from Gen Z. That's people born between the years of 1997 and 2012. So where and why are people doing it? And where does it all come from?

Are Stephen Romo tackles this one? It's the phenomenon rattling millennials. I just had my first experience with the Gen Z stare. And putting Gen Z on the defensive. Most of the time, it's us trying to figure out if you're being for real or not. A blank expression dubbed the Gen Z stare at the center of the latest generational beef on TikTok. They just look at you, like they just saw a ghost. So what exactly is it?

According to millennial TikTokers, it plays out like this. Here's my impression. Hey, how are you? Gen Ziers parodied in these online skits. Are you still using this rack? In customer service settings. How is everyone tonight? And in the workplace.

Can you just show me how to use a printer? The trope even playing out in shows like the White Lotus. Hi. We have the Gen Z stare because most of y'all are just clueless. Ticktokker Jet, Demetrius Latham, one of many Gen Z content creators weighing in on the trend. As a member of Gen Z, could you just start off explaining what the stair is? Yeah, so the Gen Z stare is kind of like a dead pan, like blank kind of stare that we give to often like customers when they're asking very like awkward or obvious questions. With every new video of the Gen Z stare comes a new theory as to why it's happening.

The Gen Z stare is about refusing to perform anything for somebody else. But a lot of older generations talk too much, too rudely, and too proudly while being too stupid. All I see is you guys bullying teenagers who are growing up in a much more difficult world than you did. I don't really feel like it's a lack of social skills. I just think we just don't care. So are they buffering, protecting their peace, or genuinely anxious about interacting? I mean, there is an interesting question about how the pandemic might have influenced social interactions, but I had another idea. Maybe somebody popular started the stare, and then other kids in the same age range got it into their feed, and it became a trend due to algorithms.

Do we just generally see shifts in the way people communicate? Is that like a normal thing that happens among these generations? Absolutely, because generational interactions are based on the time that we're born into. The challenge here is that when you have this dead stare, it comes off as rude and it creates a social awkwardness. Whether it's a blank gaze or a digital days, that stare might be here to stay. Stephen Romo joins us now. Steve, why the stare? I was trying to pull it off. I can do it.

So look, it's good for social media, but what about the workforce? Yeah, a good question. We asked our Gen Z expert there about how this would play in the workforce. And the answer was kind of if a whole generation is doing this, then they're going to have to get used to it. The workforce is going to have to adapt to them. That's sort of the attitude they have right now. Of course, this young man was 18 years old, so we'll see how that evolves. Once he enters the workforce, we'll see how it goes.

All right, good to know, though. And it's good that we sort of translate these ways of communicating nowadays. When Top Story returns, a walk on the beach, a dog, and the discovery that spanned 13 years and an ocean. The message in a bottle that brought two couples across two continents together. That's next. Finally tonight, the message in a bottle, washing ashore in Ireland 13 years after it was thrown into the ocean. The note belonging to a Canadian couple commemorating a romantic date. We spoke to that couple about how they're doing now and what they remember,

about that message they wrote. John and Kate Gay were walking along their local beach on the west coast of Ireland with their dog when they found a wine bottle. Kate went and picked it up, and then I said, well, there's a message in there. The bottle, still in good condition, the paper inside, damp.

But with this message, Anita and Brad's day trip to Bell Island. Today, we enjoy dinner, this bottle of wine and each other on the edge of the island. If you find this, please call us. The date was September 14th, 2012. What's so lovely is it's such a happy story. The bottle captured a happy moment, and it's arrived on our shores after going through so many storms and challenges along the way.

At first, no one answered the number from that message in the bottle, so they put a call out on Facebook. Within hours, they managed to find these. We just didn't think anyone was going to find it, thought, let's put my parents' landline on it, and that's what they were trying to reach out to. The Canadian couple were on a date when they got the idea. I found a little piece of paper in the car and just scribbled a note that we thought would be, you know, just to like a private little special moment for us, and we put it in the bottle and sealed it up very tightly. And Brad threw it, yeah, just threw it into the ocean. Never did they imagine that it would cross the Atlantic, thousands of miles away. They would go on to marry and raise three children 13 years later, still very much in love.

Oh, we have a family. Beautiful family and a nice life. We're still in love. Oh, what a great story. Love that ending. Thanks so much for watching Top Story. I'm Tom Yamis, New York. Stay right there.

More news on the way. Thank you.