Top Story with Tom Llamas - Wednesday, May 27, 2026

Episode Date: May 28, 2026

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 Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Tonight the death told him that deadly chemical disaster in Washington rising and now the painstaking operation to find nine people still missing. The new video of the devastating catastrophe, this chemical tank partially collapsed, trucks tossed in the blast. New aerials showed just how widespread the impact was. Desperate families searching for answers. Our reporter is at the scene. Also tonight, daring cave rescue, incredible video of five people trapped in a flooded cave for days, found alive. will take you inside the incredibly complex effort to get them out. The new plan to keep Ebola out of the U.S. are new reporting on increased screening at U.S. airports where Americans exposed to the disease will be forced to quarantine. The shocking remarks from former First Lady Jill Biden saying she thought President Joe Biden was having a stroke during his 2024 debate with President Trump.

Shark Tank's Kevin O'Leary joins Top Story to talk about the mega AI data center he's trying to build in Utah. We pressed him on the mounting backlash as residents there fear it will drive up their energy bills and hurt the environment, what he had to say. The FAA ordering SpaceX to investigate a mishapter and its Starship mission, what we're learning about the potential setback. Plus the debate over flame-throwing robot dogs, you heard us correctly, why right now they're totally legal and why lawmakers want to change that. And the NFL star arrested what we're learning about the investigation into Green Bay Packers running back. Josh Jacobs. Top story starts right now. And good evening. Tonight, a dangerous search underway to recover those still missing in a deadly chemical catastrophe in Washington. At least two killed, and that number is expected to grow. New video taken on the ground at that plant

shows the moment right after the rupture, the massive debris field. Trucks crushed and tossed, you see them here. And here's another angle, showing that tank partially collapsed. Officials say right now, toxic chemicals are still slowly leaking as we report. The view from above, it shows the scope of this packaging facility. The magnitude of this recovery operation is vast, with nine people still unaccounted for. Friends and family embracing at the scene as they await word on their loved ones and dozens gathering at a vigil to pray for the lives lost in this horrific tragedy. Right now, growing questions over how this could possibly happen. Our Morgan Chesky is at the scene and starts us off.

Tonight, stunning new video shows the devastation inside a Washington plant moments after the deadly rupture of a massive chemical tank. A toxic surge inside a packaging plant, leaving trucks flipped over or crushed, seen here in video obtained by an independent journalist. The leaking tank partially collapsed. Authorities confirm at least two people are dead and nine still missing from the implosion or. early Tuesday. This was a shift change time. They were operation and they were in their work spaces when this blast occurred. The cause still unknown. We do not know where all nine are. We have searched the area, the area that is searchable. The tank holding nearly a million gallons of white liquor, a sodium-based chemical used in paper manufacturing that can cause severe burns if not properly handled, enough to fill more than an Olympic-sized swimming pool. Authorities have now sealed off

the entire plant as recovery efforts intensify. That leaked chemicals so powerful. Even firefighters reported damage to their own gear. The steam cloud was so big, covered everything. You couldn't see through it. Eli Bernal was working at the plant. Today, he and his sister remembering their father, 52-year-old Gilbert Bernal, who they say showed up for a shift just minutes before the implosion. He was just a very genuine person and just within minutes of you talking with you. them you felt like you know him for a lifetime. Meanwhile, at an overnight vigil, hundreds gathered to pray and support the families, now left longing for answers.

I know they can't give us all the details, but I still want to know what happened to my dad. Yeah, there are so many questions, Morgan. As you know, you're live right there. We can see the plan over your left shoulder. Are investigators any closer to figuring out how this started? Tom, they're certainly trying, and we do know that federal investigators arrived on scene today, trying to get as close as they could to where that implosion took place. This is going to be an investigation that will likely take weeks, if not longer. And they're also going to provide recommendations on how to make sure this doesn't happen again.

In the meantime, officials here, Tom, are encouraging people to avoid local drainage areas until they can further test the water around this particular plant. And tonight, the owner of this facility has shared a statement saying that they expressed their condolences to the bereaved families here. Tom. Okay, Morgan Chesky leading us off on top story tonight. Morgan, we thank you. Now to that stunning moment, five men trapped inside a flooded cave found alive after a days-long search. But at least two people are still missing. Our Janice Mackie Freyer spoke with one of the rescue divers about the complex mission ahead to get them out.

Deep inside a flooded cave in Laos. Through muddy water and narrow tunnels, they found them. Five men huddled on a ledge, cold, famished, but unhurt. Thank you, thank you, said one of the survivors in dramatic video shot by divers. Outside volunteers were elated. Yet now the real work begins to find two others still missing and get all of them. and get all of them out. We spoke with one of the rescuers

who said the men cried when they saw him. They really cut them there and shouting, like, grab hand. The group went into the cave last week to search for gold when heavy rain triggered a flash flood that blocked the entrance with mud and debris. The rescue team from Thailand was involved in the 2018 operation that got 12 boys and their soccer coach

out of a cave after 18 days. This rescue will be no less difficult. The survivors, nearly a thousand feet inside tunnels that are less than two feet wide at parts, complicated by potentially contaminated air and anxiety. For now, divers are getting supplies to the group to help build up their strength to soon make the daring journey out.

And we know it is daring. Janice McAfriere joins us now live from Beijing. So Janice, you also covered the operation to get the Thai soccer team out of a cave back in 2018, where this same rescue team was involved. So how do they prepare to get the people out? Well, Tom, there are a lot of similarities here in terms of the challenges, the water, lack of oxygen, claustrophobia to squeeze through those tiny passages. Back in 2018, the boys were obviously younger,

and most didn't know how to swim. So there were a lot of psychological hurdles that they were having to face, to control anxiety during the rescue because once it gets started, there's really no room to turn around. So one thing that really stuck with me then was a rescuer who told me they were teaching the boys how to swim, not because they were going to swim out, but so the boys could feel involved in their own rescue. And in this case, the rescue teams, they're getting supplies to the group like electrolytes, some food, so they can build up their strength. And at the same time, they're going to be pumping the water out, because I did.

they want to get these men out on foot. But more heavy weather remains a risk, and two men are still missing. So time is still very much a factor here, Tom. Okay. I can't imagine how hard that's going to be to get out of that cave. We thank you for that, Janice. Back here at home, President Trump tonight insisting he's not thinking about politics or the midterms as he tries to wrangle a nuclear deal with Iran. All his former First Lady Jill Biden is making a huge headline with new comments on her husband's disastrous debate performance. Here's Gabe Gutierrez. Tonight, under pressure from soaring gas prices, President Trump is brushing off any concerns that the Iran war will hurt Republicans this November. And he has this warning as he negotiates with Iran's regime.

They thought they were going to outweigh me. You know, we'll outweigh him. He's got the midterms. I don't care about the midterms. Look what happened last night. That was the prelude to the midterms. People understand it. They know that very simple.

Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon. The president pointing to last night's landslop. primary victory for the GOP candidate he endorsed. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton defeating four-term incumbent Senator John Cornyn. We just sent a Texas-sized message to Washington. Meanwhile, President Trump's stressing that he won't accept a short-term agreement that would allow Iran to keep blocking the Strait of Hormuz by threatening to attack commercial oil tankers. He straight will open immediately, immediately.

But it's got to be perfect. I'm not going to do this. I didn't do this to get a Krummy agreement. And President Trump is dismissing the idea Iran would manage the strait with the help of Oman, a U.S. ally. If they would like to control, nobody's going to control it. It's international waters. And Oman will behave just like everybody else who will have to blow them up. Okay, Gabe, I know you're tracking another headline. We're getting more insight into one of the most consequential moments of the 2024 campaign,

President Biden's disastrous debate performance, and these new comments from former First Lady Jill Biden. I was frightened because I had never, ever seen Joe like that before or since. As I watched it, I thought, oh, my God, he's having a stroke. And it scared me to death. And, Gabe, in many ways, Democrats still reckoning with that debate. Yeah, that's right, Tom. It was not even referenced in the recent DNC autopsy. And that issue of transparency is really now looming over the midterms, particularly because

the former first lady's answer is so different from what we heard from top Democrats at the time, Tom. Gabe Gutierrez for us outside the White House. Gabe, we thank you for that. For more, let's get right to our political pros tonight. Tiffany Smiley is a Republican strategist, and Megan Hayes, a Democratic strategist and former White House director of messaging planning during the Biden administration. We thank you so much. Megan, let's pick up where Gabe left off. If the former first lady had this concern about President Biden during the debate, should she and the party have been more transparent with the American people at the time? Yeah, absolutely. I mean, I'm not sure what the first lady was referring to or how she felt. Obviously, these are looking back as always hindsight's 2020.

But I think that Democrats need to turn the page and we need to be focused more on what's happening now. We have a president who also has extreme health problems. He went to Walter Reed yesterday. We never got a read out of what's going on. And the American people, inflation is still high and the American people are still paying more for gas and groceries. So, you know, it's interesting that these health consequences, conversations are following us from one president to the next, but it is something obviously that Democrats should be transparent about moving forward as Republicans as well.

Tiffany, you're facing off against a seasoned Democratic operative there with Megan, who's clearly pivoting over to President Trump, like she should, because that's what she does. That's her job. But this was sort of like a big moment in the debate. It was a big moment in the campaign. You know, you could say what you want about Kamala Harris. It was very tough for her to sort of turn around that campaign and really take off and launch after the moment. What do you think we learned from that and from Joe Biden's comments? Yeah, well, Americans were frightened. And Americans knew right then and there that something is

desperately wrong with President Biden. And then the Democrats doubled down and kind of lied to the American people or tried to cover it. And American people are smart. The voters are smart. And that is what played out. Kamala Harris couldn't even win a single swing state because they wanted transparency.

And we now have a president that is the most transparent President, in perhaps American history, President Trump is talking to the press out front, shows that he is working hard every day in physical and mental health, fighting for Americans. It's a very, Megan, I love you, but that is a very hard contrast to make. It's quite different. Yeah, Megan, I do want to ask you about the results in Texas last night. Paxton will now face off against Democrat, James Talarico, and Paxton's campaign is already out with an attack at. Let's take a look.

This is Texas. This is not. There are many more than two biological sexes. In fact, there are six. This is Texas. This is not. The American flag is such a complicated symbol. Are Ryan Chandler asked Talariko

about some of his past comments that the ad is alluding to, including one he said modern science recognizes six biological sexes. Here's what he told Ryan today. I'll be the first to admit that I missed the mark on some of those old statements. But what Ken Paxson is doing is clipping my cringy comments to distract from his career of corruption. Does Talariko need to do more to change his image in the eyes of more moderate voters? He has a sharp reply there to the question he's being asked by every single reporter in this race. What do you think his chances are? Look, I think he has really good chances.

Obviously, turning Texas blue is not going to be an easy thing to do. Everybody knows that. I do think, though, when you're running against someone who is morally bankrupt and has as much problems as Ken Paxson has had being impeached by his own party, you have some headwind or you have some TL wins here that I think that he will work for. But also, cultural issues work when you're not the party in charge. And a lot of the problems facing Texas, their energy prices and their cost of utilities and being lowest ranking in health care and across the entire nation, those are problems that have been put in place by the Republican Party. and the Republican Party hasn't done anything to help the people of Texas, along with their gas prices and grocery prices and all the other things that everyone is facing across the country. So when you have a cultural war, that's great when you're not in power and can't fix things. Those are things that voters clom onto, but you're actually the party in power.

So Ken Paxton is going to have to do a lot to say what are his solutions and come forward with some actual problems here. Also, the electorate in Texas has changed. A lot of people are moving from California. It's a more moderate electorate than it has been in the past. And he has also a lot more money than Ken Paxton does. So there are a lot of things in the district. Democrats favor, again, turning Texas blue. I've worked in Texas on a governor's race. It will be extremely challenging. But he, this is the closest and all of the things are coming together for Democrats to win. Tiffany, I do want to ask you, is the president making some mistakes here where when he says, you know, I'm not thinking about the midterms. I know he was talking about the war in Iran, but he's saying I'm not thinking about the midterms. Two weeks ago, it was he doesn't

think at all about Americans' economic problems right now in his decisions on the war. You understand what he's saying, the point he's trying to make, but it's what he, what it comes out and what it means to the Americans that are going to be voting that are struggling day and they pay their bills. Yeah, I mean, the president is saying that because he's making, he's making a point that he's focused on the future of our country, a legacy, doing what's right now, so we don't have to deal with it perhaps 10, 20 years down the road. And very rarely do you get a president in American history that's willing to do that,

most just bet on politics. And it's the good side and the bad side of our political system. But he is very much so in tune. His president Trump's political arm is on fire. President Trump is out on the trail. He is working hard every single day fighting for these candidates. And I think it goes to show that the political party is stronger than ever. Look at how they're coming together.

Look at their strength. You know, even in Texas, I think of the Texas race with Paxton. Perhaps it makes that race a little bit harder. But I was talking to a Dem operative today who said, you know, I was thinking that Dems might have a chance until I saw that political ad. And I don't know how Telarico overcomes any of that. I do want to ask you, though, Paxton's win last night. It was one of many political wins for President Trump in this sort of primary cycle, right?

He's nine for nine in the people that he supported, including taking down Kentucky Congressman Thomas Massey and Louisiana Senator Bill Cassidy in their primaries. Here's the graphic here you can see. In addition to the incumbent state senators in Indiana, are you concerned, though, that Republicans spent too much money on these sort of personal campaigns by the president, these revenge campaigns, the loyalty tests, instead of going after Democrats? No, I don't think so. I think it shows how strong the brand is, how popular it is, and it's not just. Well, with primary voters, Republican primary voters. Right, right, correct. But you have to look also, Trump will motivate voters to come out. And you have to focus on them, you know, November is a long ways away in political terms.

So gas prices can come down. President Trump could get a deal on the Strait of Hormuz, which would boost the spirits for Americans. Grocery prices could start coming down in the next few months. And I know this is all speculation. Yeah, they could also stay the same where they could go higher, which would, you know. But it's also the Democrats are kind of fumbling all over themselves. and they are not addressing these issues as well. They have no plan for hope for making a better life for Americans.

So if the Republicans can dial in on that messaging and back it up, it could be a game changer. Tiffany and Megan, we thank you, of course, for being on Top Story tonight. We're going to be back at a moment with the growing concerns across the U.S. about the deadly Ebola outbreak in Africa. The new steps at airports to try and stop the spread. Plus, Kevin O'Leary joins us here on Top Story. Repress him on the mega AI data centers. He's trying to build him at growing backlash in Utah.

Plus the new twist in the search for Lynette Hooker, whose husband says she went overboard in the Bahamas. So why is the Coast Guard heading back to the scene? What they found? That's ahead. We are back now with the urgent efforts to keep Ebola out of the U.S., including increased screenings at major airports. And now a facility being set up in Kenya to treat Americans exposed to that deadly virus. Here's Stephanie Gosk. Tonight, as Ebola cases in Africa surge, the Trump administration vowing it won't spread here. We cannot and will not allow any cases of Ebola to enter the United States.

The White House announcing it will set up a state-of-the-art facility in Kenya to treat Americans infected by the deadly virus in Africa, offering them life-saving care as quickly as possible. The CDC also taking steps to stop the spread, making an urgent call to its staff. Volunteers are needed at major U.S. airports to screen travelers. Only Washington Dulles, Atlanta's Hartsfield Jackson, George Bush Airways, airport in Houston, and now New York's JFK will accept U.S. citizens traveling from the Democratic Republic of Congo, South Sudan, and Uganda. At the airport, they'll be taken to a designated screening area where they will complete a brief questionnaire and have their temperature

checked, according to the CDC. Those without symptoms are free to leave, but are asked to immediately contact public health officials if symptoms develop. Dr. Ashish Jha is a public health expert. That kind of screening is a really important part of making sure that we don't get people coming in with Ebola who we're not aware of. Non-U.S. citizens, including green card holders who have traveled to the affected region in the last three weeks are temporarily banned from coming into the U.S. In Africa, there are close to 1,000 verified cases and more than 200 people dead. But there are fears the Ebola outbreak is far bigger, and it is spreading fast. Stephanie Goss joins us tonight from JFK, where that's screen. cleaning will be set up. Stephanie, what happens if someone arrives from Africa with those symptoms?

Well, Tom, if there's a reasonable suspicion, someone has Ebola. They will be transported from the airport to a designated hospital where they will be isolated, tested for Ebola, and then treated for Ebola. But they have to go to a special hospital. You can't just go to any emergency room, clearly, with a disease like Ebola. So they have to find a biocontainment facility in the area. Now here in New York, there's one in Bellevue Hospital that's in Manhattan, but there are biocontainment facilities around all four of those airports that are going to have these screening centers, Tom. Okay, Stephanie gosh, there at JFK tonight for us. Stephanie, thank you for that just ahead tonight. The sentencing for Matthew Perry's assistant who injected him with that lethal

dose of ketamine, how much time will spend behind bars? And one of the NFL's biggest stars arrested the allegations he's facing and how he's responding. Stay with us. back now with Top Stories News Feed and a major development in the death of Friends star Matthew Perry. The actor's personal assistant Kenneth Iwamasa sentenced to three years and five months in federal prison for injecting Perry with the ketamine that killed him. Iwamasa is the last person sentenced of the five who pleaded guilty in the case. Also tonight, the NFL star arrested Green Bay Packers running back Josh Jacobs facing allegations of domestic abuse, including strangulation and suffocation. but he was released from jail earlier after prosecutors said they needed more evidence before deciding whether to bring charges against Jacobs.

His lawyers say he denies any wrongdoing. And major developments in the search for Lynette Hooker, whose husband said she felt overboard in the Bahamas last month. A U.S. official familiar with the matter tells NBC News, the Coast Guard is now reopening its search because his story doesn't add up. They say new GPS evidence appears to contradict what he told investigators about where he was the night his wife went missing. We reached out to Hooker's legal team but have yet to hear back.

And an update on that SpaceX test flight we brought you last week, the FAA now ordering the company to investigate an issue with its biggest, most powerful rocket yet. Starship exploded as planned when it hit the Indian Ocean. But the mishap apparently involved the booster which flew back to the Gulf of Mexico. It all comes as SpaceX is planning to go public and what's expected to be the largest IPO in history. Okay, we're going to turn now to the Shark Tank investor setting his sights on what could be the country's biggest data center. Canadian businessman Kevin O'Leary is perhaps best known for his Mr. Wonderful TV personality or his recent role in the Oscar-nominated Marty Supreme. He made his money in tech and now he's ready for a new chapter, building the infrastructure that powers AI. His U.S. project in Utah has drawn major backlash from people living nearby who say the data center could impact their quality of life and devastate an ecosystem just north of the state's drought-stricken Great Salt Lake.

Local and state politicians, including the governor, say it will bring jobs and that data centers like this could be crucial to national defense. I want to bring on Mr. Wonderful right now, Kevin O'Leary. Kevin, we thank you for joining Top Story. I want to start out with a simple question. Why does the country need a data center this big? 10,000 acres? That would consume more electricity than the entire state uses in a year. Explain this to my viewers. So there's a lot of misinformation, including that you just pointed out, that's been put out about this project.

First of all, the parcels, 40,000 acres of which maybe will use 9,000 over 10 years. That's lie number one. Misinformation number two is that we're going to use so much electricity that all the rates are going to to go up in Utah. We're not using any electricity from Utah. We're building our own power plant off the Rose Pipeline. In fact, giving back power to the people in Utah so that their rates stay stable and don't increase, actually. This will help that. And the third, and I think of grave concern, you talked about the environment. By the way, I'm a graduate environmental study, so I understand the issues. But about the water level in the Great Salt Lake, we're not going to be touching water in the

Great Salt Lake. We're a long way from that, and we're not using any of that. And the idea that we're using millions and millions of gallons of water, also a falsehood, but put out by, well, I'm starting to learn who put it out. But the fact is a lot of the turbines today are much different than they were 20 years ago. They're air-cooled. So the idea that all the water is going to be used this way. And the water used to cool chips is like your car now, a radiator, it's self-contained. So a lot of falsehoods and lies.

And I began to think... I know there's a lot of misinformation that has maybe even put out there. The only thing I brought up was that the data center, once it's built, will use more electricity than the entire state in a year. Is that not true? No, it's not true. The phase one is 1.5 gigawatts, which is one gig of compute. That'll take us probably two to three years to build. And that will be powered directly from our own power plants that is coming off the Rose Pipeline.

So, no, that's incorrect as well. In fact, the way you've got to look at this is it's phased. It takes a long time to do this. It will create about 4,000 jobs in that first build over three years in construction. It will then maintain a job based around 2,000 highly skilled engineers and support people. And I would think you'd want those jobs in the Box Seldar County because they're very, they pay well. And also the taxes we're going to pay. I mean, I think this is a great project for the county.

No, I hear you. I hear you. I think the issue that's being raised is how much power will be used, not where it's coming from just eventually, but let's move on here. I want to ask you, this has never been done before, right? To your credit, you're trying to do something big. At this scale, a project this massive, how can you sit here and guarantee it's going to be safe? Because you build it out in 1.4 gigs. The math, you know, people talked about it being the largest on Earth. That's not true. It's four times the size of Manhattan, also a falsehood. We're building 1.4 gigs. That's a standard. size data center to start. Everybody can come and look at it when it's finished and see how much water it's using, the quality of the air, the sound, the heat profile. That's a small facility.

That'll be the first part. And I think that's the way to do it. We should prove to the people of Box Elder, including all the people that work there, that we're going to do exactly what we said. And by the way, we're not trying to circumvent any permits. We have to get the land. We have to get the water. We have to get the noise.

We have to get EPA. We need it all, and it's all public. Kevin, I hear you. So you're going to build it in phases, and by building in phases, it'll be a bit more responsible as what you're saying. But eventually, though, you want to have the biggest data center in the country, correct? If we can get 7.5 gig, that may be the biggest in the country, but that'll be nine years from now, because we do have about 40,000 acres of which we could use as much as 25%.

But that's, remember, this is not farmland, this is arid desert, and it's used for great. and most of the ranchers that have sold this are leasing it back to continue grazing. It's not in anybody's backyard. You won't see it from any of the house. I get it, but as you mentioned, you know about the environment. I'm sure you're aware, from at least what my producers are telling me, hundreds of species of birds that call this area home around the Great Salt Lake area. I do want to move on.

I'm in New York, right? I'm not sure where you're coming to us live from, but I'm in New York. The people of Utah where you're building this, right? They have a lot of opinions about this. They want to speak to you directly. Here's what some of them have said about this project. Let's listen. They're not taking the people into consideration.

There's no transparency. We weren't allowed public comments. The people who live here don't want it. And a message for Kevin O'Leary, we are not bust in from other states. Kevin, you heard them there. You have the floor. What do you say to them? Well, it's interesting.

The first protest, if you want to call it that, on May 4th, had 2,500 people there interested in the project. This last one you pulled those clips from had 200. So there's 66,000 people that benefit from this in Box Elder County. I want to talk to them, and I want them to get the truth. So I've started to spend a fair amount of money in working with the federal government to find out who is funding this misinformation, and we found out some fascinating stuff just since March 4th, and I've given it all back, starting from the White House,

to all the special agents I'm working with, with all of the federal agencies. There are some very bad people funding this misinformation. The Salt Lake Tribune has done some research. They said the people protesting you, at least the people that they looked at, that filed the petitions and paid the money. The vast majority had Utah addresses. They were locals. They were from the state. Well, I think we have to answer the question to everybody.

I want the people that actually benefit from it to get the answers they want. I want to be totally transparent, and I plan on doing that. But I'm talking about money coming from nefarious foreigners by the hundreds of millions funding organizations within Utah, like the Alliance for a Better Utah. I have the IRS filings that show they took money from Marabella, funded by the Chinese, Neville Seville. I handed it over to the government. They said we've already been investigating this, not just in Utah. They're doing this everywhere where power is being built, not just data centers. Anywhere America tries to build power onto its grid, you've got Chinese money bringing in protesters

and funding protests with misinformation, not just in Utah. So that woman, you just had a clip of where did she get her information from? Because what she was talking about wasn't correct. She's probably thinking that it's draining water from the Great Salt Lake, which is not true, and then it's 40,000 acres, not true. That we're using power from Utah, not true. It's going to melt a hole in the ground from heat. not true. All of this stuff is false funded by foreign money.

Yeah, no, I hear you. And if any laws were broken... And I've proven it with IRS filings. Yeah, and if any laws were broken, you've submitted that to federal authorities, as you say, I'm sure they will investigate it, and they will either call them out or they'll take legal action. Earlier this month, our team covered this data center project and spoke with Robert Davies, who you may or may not know. He's a physicist at Utah State University. Here's what he told us. Listen. This has the footprint in the valley of 2,000 Walmart supercenters.

That's the physical footprint. If you want the energy footprint in units of Walmarts, it's 40,000 Walmart supercenters in this one small valley. What's your take on that? I guess the big question here. That is complete BS. 100% lies. I don't know who this guy is, but that's complete. What part of what he said is wrong?

Absolute crap. Tell us what he said is wrong. He just made that up. He has no idea. We haven't even submitted the proposal yet for the land permit. He has no idea how many square feet we're going to use or where they're facilitated. He is full of hoopoo. Yeah, I hear you.

I hear you there, Kevin. Do you think that you've done enough of a good job to sort of get your side out there, the public relations part? The governor of Utah, who's on your side on this, has acknowledged, right, that the rollout wasn't exactly perfect here. What should have gone differently, in your opinion? Well, I think I can't change the past. What I can do now and what I will do is make sure the real information gets out,

the actual facts through the permitting process, that everybody understands exactly what we're doing with water, exactly what we're doing with power. But I am doing something that's unique to me, because no one else that develops data centers has 12 million followers. I'm catching every four hours the people that are school, squatting on my social media, putting out misinformation. This is one hour old, okay?

You're the first to get it. You want to call it breaking news. Someone called Caroline Gleach. Apparently, she fails a Utah senator in 2024. I don't know which party she was with. I don't know her. She is actually putting out falsehoods with and being funded by something called

Bear and Earthly Education. Where are they from? Australia. Why would Australian money fund her In Utah, I mean, I'm amazed. So I have an international team now. We're digging because most people know that Australia has now become a vector for the Chinese now that they can't use TikTok.

So Caroline, what are you doing squatting on my social media this morning 26,000 times? What are you doing? Because I'd like to know. So call on, okay? You're in Utah. You represent the Utah people? What are you doing?

Yeah, Kevin. But I think there's also a large report here that maybe some people will have to understand. And I don't know if it's the size of your project that's got people so concerned. I saw this data and it blew my mind, right? 40% of Americans live within five miles of a data center. They are growing all over the country. The vast majority are actually in urban centers. And people are using AI like crazy.

Without these data centers, right? These AI companies cannot operate. How important and why do you say it's an issue of national security does the U.S. need projects like this? Do you want to cure cancer? before the Chinese does. Do you want the benefit of ubiquitous education for everybody, regardless of their social economic status in America?

Do you want the best defense around the world? Do you want the highly trained ordinance that protect the American people? All of that comes from AI. Do you want to win the space race? Or would you prefer, we took a breather, as Bernie Sanders is suggesting, and we don't build any data centers,

and we let the Chinese do it. Just to give you a stat that should wake up everybody in America. Last year, we did. We didn't build any new power. Forget about data centers, just new power. The Chinese built 400 gigawatts with coal-burning turbines. They don't give a damn about the environment, but they want to beat us on AI.

So would you rather have the Chinese tell your children what to eat for breakfast than 20 years, or do you want America to have the strongest offense it can have? This is not just about one topic. AI is the future of the economy. It will determine which economy succeeds, who will. who wins wars, who cures cancer, who educates their population, who gets to space first. It's everything. Now it's scary, and I understand people are nervous about jobs, but I don't think the robots are going to eat the children. I'm sorry, it's just a tool.

And I think that's what people would get their head around. Everybody should contribute. Everybody should build a new class data center like I am, which is not using massive amounts of water or any water at all in the case of air-cooled turbines. Forget about the data centers built 20 years ago in Virginia. They are old and they're noisy. And that was, we don't use any of that technology anymore. So let's educate the people of Utah and Box Elder County, the people I care about, the 66,000 that will benefit from the jobs and the taxes, and everybody else in America.

And let's ask ourselves, who's giving us this misinformation? And I'm sure you're not very nice people, okay? I got a couple, two more questions for you. First, are you fully funded? I saw somewhere this is going to cost you? around $170 billion. Are you already fully funded on this project? Nobody's fully funded data centers.

The first phase is $15 billion. So that's a massive amount of capital. Half of it will be debt, half will be equity. You should make the assumption that I'm talking to every single hyperscaler and every source of financing around the world. Everybody's interested in putting capital into Utah. This is a fantastic facility and a great opportunity

for everybody in Utah. They may be able to leave the digital conversion of American economy. We don't know yet, but it's a huge competition. Just so you know, Texas wants that status. So does Mississippi, so does Missouri, so does Wyoming. So there's a lot of states that would like to get $15 billion next week. Yeah, Kevin, you were a spokesperson for Sam Backman-Fried's disgraced crypto company, FTX. You've never hidden from that.

He's now in prison for fraud, and thousands of people say they lost money. So why should people trust you on this project? Wait a minute. Thousands of people lost money. Wait a second. Let's stop right there. Stop right there. FTX, and I'm not endorsing what Sam did, but just to clarify something may be the most successful bankruptcy in American history. Currently, the bid for the people you just said lost money is 141.5% on their money. And they're not even taking it yet because it turns out Sam Bankrupt Fee invested in Anthropic. People claim their money is still in limbo, though, Kevin. not everyone has been paid out. They can sell it right now for 141.

I just got the offer. I'm not selling mine either. So that is a falsehood. Listen, I can't endorse what Sam did. And he went to trial and the outcome is known. But the idea that people have lost all their money in FTX is a falsehood. 141.5% right there on my desk and I said no. Granted, but you still backed and you were a spokesperson for this company.

Do you regret that and why should people take positive back? And I'm sorry that happened because we assumed his parents, remember, were actually professors in compliance in Sanford. I met the parents. I feel very sorry for what happened there. And obviously, I rode quite a crazy wave. And I testified, I think, four times in front of Congress and the Senate. But, you know, I was taught something by my mother when I was 15. Just tell the truth.

You'll never have to remember what you said. I actually told the truth. I was talking to Bankruptcy the hour before he went down and into bankruptcy, and I disclosed minute by minute to the Senate, and that's what ended up getting Binance into trouble. They bankrupted him. And Zee ended up in prison, and now he lives somewhere, I don't know. Kevin, in a year, two years, will this data center be up and running in Utah? Yes.

I think within two years, the first phase, I think it'll be the shining example of what a data center should look like, and I want the Chinese to see it first, because that's who we're competing with. But I think when you see what I'm going to build and how I'm going to design it, it will be the shining example worldwide for how you do this right and how you take care of the people that live there, provide jobs for them, keep the air clean, keep it not, it won't be noisy, it'll be beautiful facility. I know how to do that. I've been doing real estate for a long time, and community is everything. So you're right. I wish I'd had a better time. to explain it because it happened so quickly, but I'm doing my job now, and the people of

Box Elder will be pretty happy with what I'm going to do. We gave you a lot of time here on Top Story. Don't forget that. Kevin O'Leary, Mr. Wonderful, we thank you for coming on. We appreciate it. Thank you. Take care. And that group that Kevin mentioned a few minutes ago, Alliance for a Better Utah, they're telling

us tonight they are not proxies for the Chinese government, and all of their staff live in Utah. Still to come, our series, the cost of denial and the challenges one little girl has faced to get the care she so desperately needs. That's next. We are back now with our series, the cost of denial, where we investigate the struggles Americans have with insurance.

Tonight, one girl's agonizing battle with daily seizures and her doctor's recommended procedure denied by insurance, but the company reversed in course after our team reached out. NBC's Maggie Vespasmore. Minutes into our interview

with Brandy Sharp about her daughter, Camry's seizures, We had to pause if he's coming down. Do you need to go? You can go. Dad, Brian, brings 13-year-old Cambri in the midst of a seizure to the couch. Her eyes glazed over, fists clenched. Norris, the alert dog, by Cambri's side. Good boy.

What are those 15 to 20 minutes like as a mom? They're hard. It's like watching the Cambri light go out. It's okay. I got you. It's a scene this rural Illinois family wants to share. Cambri, who has a severe form of epilepsy, goes through as many as four seizures a day.

Let's get it. She had a second seizure just a few hours later. I worry that every minute that she has a seizure is damaged to her brain. These are the medications that she has used. Having exhausted the list of possible medications, medications. 28.

Brandy says their doctors recommended neuromodulation with deep brain stimulation in which surgeons place probes deep in the brain that send electrical stimulation to help prevent seizures. NBC News spoke with pediatric neurosurgeons not involved with Cambri's care who agree the procedure can be effective. I know that there are other children who have it. Had your doctors told you that it had been done in other children? cover in other children. Yes.

Finally, I'm... But for Cambrey, insurance said no. Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield denied coverage days before the surgery was scheduled to take place. They said it was not FDA approved for children under the age of 18. And that's true, but the doctors treating Cambri tell us the procedure usually is approved by insurance for minors who qualify. To Cambrey, it felt personal. Apparently they don't care for my safety. Do you think that they were thinking about you when they said no?

All I think is that they were thinking about themselves or their money. NBC News reached out to Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield asking about Cambri's case. Three days later, the insurer reversed its decision. Anthem Blue Cross telling NBC News it previously had not received all of Cambrie's medical information, And once we received that information demonstrating that her treatment options are limited, we approved the deep brain stimulation treatment. Go ahead. It's in the middle there. We showed the statement to Brandy. She was skeptical.

They have been her insurance provider since she was maybe a year old. They have all of her records. Why do you think they reversed their decision? I believe that they reversed that decision because NBC News, reached out to them and they knew that there was going to be coverage about the fact that they were denying care for a child. You think it's that simple? I do.

Can I have a hug? Can't I have a hug? Canberry surgery is now scheduled for next month. I told her that no matter what it takes, I'll always fight for her to get the care she needs. Maggie Vespa joins Top Story tonight from our Chicago Bureau. So Maggie, I know you have some new reporting for our viewers on what the insurance company decided to do? Yeah, Tom, that's right. Just as a couple of days ago, Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield telling our team that they are now changing their entire policy to cover this deep brain

stimulation procedure for all adolescents and pediatric patients who otherwise qualify, basically saving other families in the future from having to go through all this pain and hardship that the Sharp family has endured. Tom. Maggie Vespah, with our latest installment of the cost of the Nile. Maggie, we thank you. Now to the debate over something that looks like it is straight out of a sci-fi movie, a robot armed with a flamethrower, available for sale right here in the U.S. It's now forcing lawmakers to confront the question, should weapon-wielding robots be legal? We are not joking about this. Chris Glorioso from our NBC, New York station, has this one. Earlier this year, Chinese state media made this video public. It shows military-grade robot dolls. with automatic weapons on their backs.

It also shows an armed drone hovering as it opens fire. Closer to home. An Ohio company is now advertising this flame-throwing robot available for purchase at near $9,000. The manufacturer says the flame-throwing dog could help with wildfire control, agriculture management, or snow and ice removal. Still, images like these raise the very real question.

Weaponizing robots, where are the limits? Should robots with guns or flamethrowers be allowed on America's civilian streets? I think it's terrifying. Robots with guns, I think that's way too far. Nothing good can come of it. To lots of folks prohibiting remote control or automated machines from carrying firearms or flamethrowers sounds like common sense. But it turns out there is no rush to ban gun-toting robots in New York.

legislature. Yes. This bill would prohibit most robots and drones from being mounted with things like guns and flamethrowers. Assembly member Clyde Vannell sponsored the bill and says that is a no-brainer. This is crazy. This must, this has to be against the law. And I looked within our state and I saw that it is not. And at least for the time being, owning a flame throwing robot dog remains legal in New York. Last week, Vannell's bill failed to get scheduled for even a committee vote in the state legislature session. He said lawmakers were too focused on the late state budget. Meanwhile, there are also similar bills to ban weaponized robots in the Massachusetts

and California state houses. Throw Flame, the company that makes that flame-throwing robot dog, declined an interview request, but sent a written statement saying flame-throwers are tools, not weapons, and any bill banning this machine would be redundant. Any offensive use of any object, robotic or otherwise, against another person, is already illegal, the statement read. If someone weaponizes a robot to harm someone, we do not need a new law. We need a prosecutor willing to use the ones that already exist. Still, some of the best-known robotics companies have now signed this open letter, urging that general-purpose robots should not be weaponized.

Among them, Boston Dynamics, the company known for sports. social media videos showing robotic feats of strength and agility. Robots walking around in communities and places where people work and live should not be weaponized. That's simply a risk that's not acceptable. These are not technologies designed to be weapon systems. And with that, Chris Gloria also joins us now. Chris, this is such a sort of strange story. You mentioned there have been similar bills to ban these weaponized robots in Massachusetts and California. Where do those stand? Well, the bill in Massachusetts to ban weaponized drones actually just very recently passed that state's House of Representatives.

It still needs to go through the Senate and potentially get a signature from the governor. In California, a prior bill to ban weaponized drones was actually vetoed by Governor Newsom. He said he agreed with the idea behind the bill, but he was concerned that it might go further and prohibit police robots from using this technology, to use less than lethal force. But remember, a lot of these robot companies, they are lobbying in favor of these bills, not only because they are concerned about the potential that robots could be used to harm humans,

but they are also concerned about the perception of the population. They don't want to see images out there that show robots armed and potentially throw humans off of the idea that they might be interested in buying one of these robots. robots. All right. Chris Gloria for us. Chris, great story. We thank you for coming on. When we come back tonight right here on Top Story, how a community came together to honor a World War II veteran so he wouldn't be late to rest alone. It's a powerful send-off,

and that's next. Finally tonight, a powerful story of community when a World War II veteran died, leaving behind no family. Hundreds of strangers showed up for his funeral to honor his service to this country. The line stretched down the block. of strangers showing up for a man most had never met. This is beautiful. He would have loved this. Navy veteran John Bernard Arnold III served in World War II. He passed away at 98 years old, leaving behind no family. His mother died when he was very young. His father died when he was in his 20s. But the community of Hanson, Massachusetts wasn't going to let him be late to rest alone, inviting the public to come and honor a man who served as country. The turnout staggering. Talk about no family. Yes, you had a big family.

Police officers, firefighters, former military and community members paying their respects. People traveling from near and far. A celebration of life for a man who gave so much. And a community honoring a veteran, most didn't know, but will never forget. The community coming together there at Hanson, Massachusetts. All right, we thank you for watching Top Story. I'm Tom Yamis in New York. Stay right there. More news on the way.