ABC World News Tonight with David Muir Full Broadcast - May 24, 2025

Tonight breaking news as we come on the air. The emergency landing after a bird strike at. Boston's Logan International Airport as millions. of Americans take to the skies and the roads. for the holiday weekend. And President Trump delivers the commencement. address at West Point. First 45 million Americans are on the move this Memorial Day. weekend, highways jammed and security lines are long. and airports nationwide. TSA screening more than 3 million passengers on Friday, one of the busiest days ever. That number could top 18 million by Monday.

And the lingering issues at Newark Airport, staffing shortages, still contributing to long. delays. Powerful storms, flash. flooding and damaging winds from Texas to Alabama. What it could mean for the holiday on Monday are. weather team tracking it all. Also, tonight, President Trump's message to. West Point graduates, saying we've liberated. our troops from divisive and demeaning political trainings. The President demanding changes on DEI policies from. West Point to the Pentagon. And Trump's speech following his escalating battle with.

Harvard and other universities. News on the economy tonight, major retailers. warning of higher prices amid President Trump's. trade war and his new terror threats against a. European Union and Apple. A deadly boat explosion on New York's Hudson River. One person is dead and two others injured. Late details just coming in. New reporting on that brazen jailbreak in New. Orleans. The 10 inmates allegedly. using electric hair trimmers to cut through a. wall. Multiple arrests now for. allegedly helping them. Five inmates still on the run.

A power outage in France disrupts the final day of. the Cannes Film Festival, authorities say it was sabotage, suspecting Arson, a rude awakening in Norway, a massive cargo ship runs aground, barely missing a sleeping man's house. McDonald's is making a big change. in what's no longer available on the menu. And America's strong tonight, the team paying it forward. after nearly dying on the football field. [music]. From ABC News, World Headquarters in New York,

this is World News Tonight. Good evening, thanks for joining us on this. Saturday. I'm Wade Johnson. Breaking news as we come on tonight, an emergency landing. after a bird strike at Boston's Logan International Airport. The plane landed safely and passengers eventually. moving on to another plane, But it comes during a. record-breaking holiday travel weekend, more. than 45 million Americans on the move. TSA screening more than 3 million on Friday alone. That's one of the busiest days ever.

Newark Airport still struggling with flight delays due to an. ongoing shortage of air traffic controllers. The Lays now averaging more than two hours. Despite the FAA, cutting the number of flights. after weeks of disruptions. more than 39 million Americans are driving to their holiday. destinations, but severe weather could disrupt some of those. travel plans, especially in parts of the South. ABC's Morgan Norwood leads us off from New York. Tonight, Americans on the move, more than 45 million, making.

the mad dash to their memorial day destinations, according. to AAA projections. The travel crush testing the limits of the nation's already. strained aviation industry. In the Northeast, Newark Liberty Airport, one of the country's. biggest hubs, still feeling the crunch. Flight delays through Newark this weekend on the rise, now. averaging over two and a half hours, blamed on an ongoing. staffing shortage of air traffic controllers, even after the. FAA slashed the number of flights, following. weeks of disruptions.

in Boston, a United plane returning to Logan Airport, the pilot reporting a birth strike. Nature of the mercy was a birth strike left and wing. Nationwide, the TSA screening more than 3 million people. on Friday alone, marking the busiest travel. day of the year so far. The line was really, really long today. The roads also jammed packed, triple-lay protecting. more than 39 million driving to their destinations. for Memorial Day. On the west coast, a major holiday artery. reopening just in time. The Pacific Coast highway shut down.

for months after the devastating palisades fire in. January. Now back open. Very happy I've been driving this every day. And with millions hitting the roads this weekend, many headed straight for the beach. Officials urging caution after early shark. sightings along the east coast. And tonight, thunderstorms temporarily stopping flights at. Orlando International Airport. and the weather is still in. little bit more of a new two hours. And what tonight the South racing once.

again for another round of severe. weather threatening to disrupt not. only holiday plans, but travel for the millions. heading home next week. What? Morgan. Thank you, and that severe. weather threat throwing a wrench in. a holiday travel plans from Texas. to Alabama. Strong wind gusts, slamming parts of. eastern Oklahoma as severe thunderstorms. move through. Let's get right to meteorologist Leslie Lopez from. our Los Angeles station KBC in New York tonight. And Leslie, where's the greatest threat right now? Hey, WED. It's going to be here with you.

And we're talking about the greatest threat level right now. right through that Oklahoma City area. So as we're looking out towards this large area, it's not just Oklahoma City, but that is the place. they can see the greatest tornado threat. Anyway, from Lubbock all the way out. towards Tuscaloosa, damaging wind, large hail, isolated thunderstorms, all a possibility. That's tonight. And then we head into tomorrow. And now that area grows in size. From Lubbock all the way out towards Huntsville, we could even see some flash flooding. So that'll be a big concern over the next 24 hours. We move you off into Monday, which is the. Memorial Day holiday.

And you'll notice at the center of the country. still dealing with that severe weather threat. However, each coast, now clearing out really. nicely, look in New York 75 degrees and beautiful. for Memorial Day Los Angeles, sitting about 78 degrees. also really nice forecasts for the Southwest. What? Something to look forward. to, Leslie, thank you. It's great to have you. Turning now to President Trump today, delivering. the commencement address at West Point. The President praising the cadets, calling them, quote, "graduates of the golden age of America.". His speech coming as he demands changes from West Point to.

the Pentagon over DEI policies and escalates his. showdown with Harvard. Here's ABC Senior White House correspondent, Selena Wey. Today President Trump addressing West Point's graduating cadets. You are winners every single one of you. While taking credit for restoring America's. military might. You will become officers in the greatest and most powerful army. The world has ever known. And I know because I rebuilt that army.

Trump touting his America first agenda, slamming. his predecessors for launching nation-building. crusades. "We're getting rid of the. distractions and we're focusing our military. on its core mission. crushing America's adversaries, killing America's. enemies and defending our great American flag. like it has never been defended before. And highlighting the purge of diversity, equity and inclusion. across the armed forces. We've liberated our troops from divisive and demeaning.

political trainings. One long time West Point professor resigning in protest. these orders are to indoctr not educate. But West Point is just what have many schools. facing pressure from the Trump administration. Harvard is locked in a heated battle with the. president that conflict escalating. dramatically this week. The administration banning international students from. enrolling at Harvard at the Department of Homeland Security. ordering that existing foreign students must transfer or lose.

their legal status. Harvard sued the administration calling. the ban unlawful. A federal judge temporarily blocked the. move on Friday. It's relief, at least for now, for. Harvard's nearly 7,000 international students about. a quarter of its student body. "And with the president is also shaking up his national. security council sources, tell that more than half. of its officials were put on administratively. yesterday afternoon. This dramatically shrinks the size of the president's. key advisory group when it comes to foreign.

policy and national security decisions. Whit. So, lead a weighing. at the White House. Thank you. News on the economy tonight and growing pressure on retailers. President Trump's trade war taking yet another turn as he. threatens to impose new tariffs on tech giant Apple and. the European Union. Some retailers like Walmart. and Nike are already planning to raise prices. Here's ABC's Alex Persia. As millions of Americans are shopping for Memorial. Day savings, there's new fallout tonight.

as President Trump reignites his trade war. with Europe threatening to send prices higher. The EU's Trade Commissioner urging that trade with. the U.S. must be guided by mutual respect, not threats and that it stands ready to defend its interest. President Trump announcing a 50% tariff on European Union. products starting June 1st after he said talks between the U.S. and the EU are going nowhere. "It's time that we play the game the way I know. how to play the game.". The president also for the first time targeting. an American company.

Tech giant Apple could face a 25% tariff by the end of. June if it doesn't move all of its iPhone production to the US. Tariffs on other tech companies like Samsung. could soon follow. The president has downplayed fears. that American companies will shoulder. the burden of these tariffs. - They're not hurting, they're helping. because they're creating jobs in America. and we're creating tremendous amounts of jobs. in America like you've never seen. - But Commerce Secretary Howard Luddick admitted this week. that terrorists would be felt here at home. once they hit 15%. - The world has a 10% tariff now.

At 10 percent, you're not going to see it. Above 15 percent, I agree you're going to see it. The mixed messaging sent market sliding Friday. As three of the country's biggest retailers say they're. bracing for tough times. Earlier this month, retail giant Walmart announced it will. raise prices due to higher cost from Trump's tariffs. The company also preparing to lay off 1,500 employees. Target's hoping it won't have to raise prices, but has already. slashed its annual outlook due to the unexpected.

impact of tariffs and heightened uncertainty. And Nike is planning on raising prices for a number of its. products starting next week. It is not blamed tariffs, however the majority of. its footwear is sourced in China and Vietnam. And Home Depot says it plans to keep most prices stable in. spite of the tariffs, but on the holiday week and. historically marked by great sales. New data is showing that the tariffs are driving up furniture. costs, rising 7 times faster than overall prices last month. Wait. Alex Brasheye, thank you.

Now to the frightening scene at a college graduation, 12. people were injured after a tree fell during the commencement. ceremony in Northern California. At least two people were rushed to the hospital. here's ABC's Melissa Adon. Tonight, authorities say 12 people are injured and at least. two hospitalized after a tree fell onto onlookers during a. community college commencement in Northern California. There's a tree obstructing the path to the left here. Please clear the way for an emergency response.

The incident disrupting the end of Diablo Valley. College's ceremony for nearly 2500 graduates. We're doing several calls about it. I think it just fell on. the police. I believe they were on a walkway adjacent to. the football field. The college saying in a statement police and. EMT were on site. Additional emergency responders arriving. within minutes to treat the injured and that they were able.

to complete commencement and remove the tree. With the college is also looking into. how that tree was maintained and what caused it to topple. over onto the crowd. Whit? - Melissa Don, thank you. Next tonight, new details in that brazen jail break. in New Orleans. A new report alleging the inmates use hair clippers. with multiple blades to cut through cell walls. And the latest on the hunt for the five, still on the run. Here's ABC's Philip Off. - Tonight, we are learning how authorities think 10 inmates.

in a New Orleans jail, several of whom were facing. second-degree murder charges, were able to escape. and remain undetected for hours. Surveillance video showing the men shoving a door. and running off in the dead of night. And authorities now say they had help. - At 1 a.m., they were observed on camera, exiting our facility using an adjacent loading dock door. - In addition to the six people who have been arrested. for allegedly helping the prisoners to escape. and evade capture, authorities accuse another inmate,

the trail on Williams of providing shirts and towels to. the escapees to help them get through the jails razor wire. and authorities say they use hair clippers with multiple. blades to cut through a cell wall according to CNN. Problems at the jail date back decades, the Justice Department. warning in 2012, conditions at the Orleans Parish Prison. have been dangerous and unacceptable for far too long. the Orlean sheriff who initially deflected blame. for the escape now says she takes full. responsibility, but says she needs.

millions to fix outdated surveillance, aging. infrastructure, blind spots and supervision and. critical staffing shortages. Authorities say they are. confident the remaining five escapees will be caught all of. whom by the way. Our charge was second. degree murder. Whit. All right, Phil. Thank you. Now to the tragedy on the. Hudson River in New York City, the FDNY saying. a sewage transport boat explosion left one. worker dead and two others hurt. Officials say the blast took place in one of the ship's.

holes. The cause of the explosion still. under investigation. Overseas now and aid is slowly trickling into Gaza. This as Israel continues with strikes. in a ground offensive in the region, dozens of people have. been killed over the past 48 hours and tragedy for one. Gaza doctor, nine of her 10 children killed. Israel facing a growing chorus of. international criticism. Here's ABC's Marcus Moore. More death and destruction in Gaza tonight as Israel.

escalates its assault on alleged Hamas targets. Here a desperate and dusty race. to pull survivors from the rubble of collapsed buildings. The Hamas Run Gaza Health Ministry says dozens have. been killed today alone. And yet more heartache South of Con Yunus, where three airstrikes killed a pediatrician's. nine children at their home as she cared for patients. at a nearby hospital. The children ranging in ages from just seven. months to 12 years old. Dr. Al-Najar's second child and husband also a doctor survived, but suffered critical injuries.

Tonight, the IDF says claims a civilian deaths in that. striker quote "under review" and they claim before. beginning operations there, the IDF evacuated. civilians from the area for their own safety. While the humanitarian situation remains dire, after international condemnation and calls. Israel to drop its blockade on humanitarian aid. going into the enclave. The United Nations Secretary General says some critical. supplies and food have passed through, but only some. All the aid authorized until now amounts to a teaspoon of.

aid when a flood of assistance is required. With a senior doctor at National Medical Complex in Conjunis, told ABC News, they have not received any aid. despite the urgent need. the situation in Gaza remains desperate with. no immediate end inside. With Marcus Moore for us tonight. Thank you. Now to France and the massive power outage. there, temporarily disrupting the final day of. the Cannes Film Festival. ABC's and Ezda Lecatero joins us now from Paris and as.

Arson is now suspected in the blackout. Wait, French officials are investigating whether. Arson could be to blame here after a massive. power outage hit southeastern Fran earlier this morning. The exact cause of. the outage remains unknown, but it came just hours. after a fire at an electrical substation near Kent overnight. A police spokesperson saying they're. looking into the likelihood of a fire being started deliberately. Tens of thousands of people across. the region were left without power, traffic lights, ATNs, train travel, we're all disrupted. Even the Kent Film Festival was affected.

Power has since been restored and so far. no rest have been made, but officials say that all. resources have been mobilized to try to identify and. track down the perpetrators. Whit? And as thank you, there's. still much more ahead on World News tonight this Saturday. McDonald's announcing a big change in closing some. specialized locations. A crypto trader accused of kidnapping and torture heads. to court in New York City. and how this boat ended up out of the water. nearly striking a home. [music].

Next tonight, a New York City kidnapping case that sounds. like a horror movie script. The suspect John Walts today ordered held without bail, the crypto trader accused of abducting an Italian tourist. Prosecutors say he tortured the man in a Manhattan apartment. for more than two weeks allegedly to try to get. the man's Bitcoin password. Waltz did not enter a plea. Prosecutors say he had an accomplice who is. still on the loose. When we come back, McDonald's announces a corporate cutback.

To the index now, new details on the cargo ship that. ran aground in a back yard. the 11,000 ton vessel stopping just yards from a. house in Norway Thursday. The ship's second in command now charged with negligence. Authorities say he admitted to dozing off while alone on watch. No one on the ground or the boat was hurt. McDonald's is dropping its drink-focused spin-off. Cosmix is closing. The stores with drinks like a matcha ice latte hope to compete.

with Starbucks and others. However the company says sales were lower than expected. All five pilot locations will close next month, though some menu items will land on McDonald's. menus. When we come back, a. teenage athlete surviving a life-changing health. scare now working to help others. Finally tonight, America's strong, the high school athlete. and his new passion to save others. 17 year old Spencer Davis loves sports, especially baseball.

But it was on the football field at Holiday's Berg High School. in Pennsylvania, where he came dangerously close to losing his. life, collapsing after a hit to the chest during a routine play, going into sudden cardiac arrest. He was lucky because his coaches were. trained in CPR and they had an AED near the field. For 13 minutes, those four quick thinking coaches. use an automated external defibrillator and CPR. restoring Spencer's heartbeat. His rare condition from blunt force impact,

the same suffered by DeMar Hamlin of the Buffalo Bills. Breathe in down. But just weeks later, Spencer began rehab, returning to school. in time for winter basketball, and then baseball by spring. Smashing a three-run homer for the Tigers on his 17th birthday. Spencer's comeback didn't stop there. Motivated to pay it forward, Hiennys family founded the. Spencer Davis Foundation. My new purpose is to just make sure everybody's trained. Our goal is to spread awareness, get 80s and just training.

for CPR for schools that don't have it. Tonight's Spencer sharing this message on life. Tomorrow's not guaranteed. Doing the things you love with the ones you love most. Great advice. Thanks for watching tonight. Have a great night.