NBC Nightly News Full Episode - Feb. 26

>>> TONIGHT AT THE. PRESIDENT'S FIRST. CABINET MEETING, IT. WAS ALL ABOUT. MR. TRUMP AND ELON. MUSK, THE TECH. BILLIONAIRE, DEFENDING. DOGE'S EFFORTS TO. SLASH BILLIONS IN. SPENDING BUT NOTING. MISTAKES, TOO. IT COMES AS A. GOVERNMENT MEMO IS. TELLING AGENCIES TO. PREPARE FOR MASS. LAYOFFS. >>> AFTER PRESIDENT. TRUMP SUGGESTED THE. U.S. COULD REDEVELOP. GAZA INTO A RIVIERA,

THE CONTROVERSIAL A.I. VIDEO HE POSTED. SHOWING HIM DANCING AT. A BUILDING WITH A SIGN. FOR TRUMP GAZA. >>> THE MEASLES. OUTBREAK TURNS DEADLY, AN UNVACCINATED. CHILD IS THE FIRST. DEATH. SHOULD PEOPLE GET. BOOSTERS? WHAT HEALTH SECRETARY. ROBERT F. KENNEDY IS. SAYING. >>> THE CASE OF ADNAN. SYED, MY CHAT WITH THE. >> .

>>> SHOCK OVER THE. WHITE HOUSE HAS PULLED. THE PLUG. WHAT IT MEANS FOR. DRIVERS. >>> NOW THE DIRECTOR. WHO. HAS A SHOT AT THE. OSCARS WITH "THE. BRUTALIST.". >> Announcer: THIS IS. "NBC NIGHTLY NEWS". WITH LESTER HOLT. >>> GOOD EVENING AND. WELCOME. ELON MUSK WAS THE. HEADLINER AT PRESIDENT. TRUMP'S FIRST CABINET. MEETING TODAY. THE PRESIDENT. SURROUNDED BY THOSE AT. THE SEAT OF POWER IN. HIS ADMINISTRATION. BUT IT WAS MUSK WHO.

HELD THE FLOOR, DEFENDING HIS WORK AT. DOGE AS THE. PRESIDENT'S BUDGET. CUTTER IN CHIEF. SAYING IT WAS THE. PRESIDENT WHO. ENCOURAGED HIM TO BE. MORE AGGRESSIVE. WARNING THE COUNTRY IS. HEADING FOR. BANKRUPTCY, AND. ADMITTING MISTAKES, PROMISING TO FIX THEM. MEANTIME, GIVEN A CHANCE TO. INJECT CLARITY WHETHER. FEDERAL WORKERS COULD. ACTUALLY LOSE THEIR. JOBS FOR FAILING TO. RESPOND TO THAT EMAIL. ASKING EMPLOYEES TO. ACCOUNT FOR THEIR. ACCOMPLISHMENTS,

PRESIDENT TRUMP. INSTEAD ANSWERED. WITH ANOTHER LOOSELY. VEILED THREAT. MUSK TRIED TO DOWNPLAY. THE EMAIL AS A PULSE. CHECK. THAT'S WHERE WE START. IN WASHINGTON WITH. GARRETT HAAKE. >> Reporter: TONIGHT. PRESIDENT TRUMP. CONVERTING HIS FIRST. CABINET MEETING INTO A. ROLLING PRESS. CONFERENCE. >> ILLEGAL BORDER. CROSSINGS HAVE. PLUMMETED. >> Reporter: TOUTING. PROGRESS. >> WE ARE CUTTING DOWN. THE SIZE OF. GOVERNMENT, WE HAVE. TO, WE'RE. BLOATED AND SLOPPY. LOT OF PEOPLE NOT. DOING THEIR JOBS. >> Reporter: AND.

IMMEDIATELY TURNING. THE SPOTTING NOT ON A. CABINET MEMBER BUT. ELON MUSK, HEAD OF HIS. DEPARTMENT OF. GOVERNMENT EFFICIENCY. TO DEFEND HIS. CONTROVERSIAL. DIRECTIVE THAT ALL. FEDERAL WORKERS EMAIL. A LIST OF FIVE. ACCOMPLISHMENTS FROM. LAST WEEK OR FACE. TERMINATION. >> IT WAS INTERPRETED. AS A PERFORMANCE. REVIEW, BUT IT WAS A. PULSE CHECK REVIEW. IF YOU HAVE A PULSE. AND TWO NEURONS, YOU. CAN REPLAY TO AN. EMAIL. IT'S NOT A HIGH BAR. >> Reporter: MUSK WAS. SURROUNDED BY CABINET. MEMBERS WHO PUSHED. BACK AND INSTRUCTED.

EMPLOYEES NOT TO. RESPOND. MUSK INSISTING THAT. WAS FINE. >> WE'RE GOING TO SEND. ANOTHER EMAIL. THE GOAL IS. NOT TO BE CAPRICIOUS. IT COULD BE JUST THAT. I'M WORKING ON. SOMETHING TOO. SENSITIVE OR. CLASSIFIED TO. DESCRIBE. THAT WOULD BE. SUFFICIENT. >> Reporter: THE. PRESIDENT BACKING. MUSK. >> LET THE CABINET. SPEAK JUST FOR A. SECOND. UNHAPPY? IF YOU ARE, WE'LL. THROW HIM OUT OF HERE. >> Reporter: WARNING. FEDERAL WORKERS WHO. HAVE NOT RESPONDED.

REMAIN AT RISK OF. LOSING THEIR JOB. >> THOSE PEOPLE THAT. HAVEN'T RESPONDED, ELON, THEY ARE ON. THE BUBBLE. MAYBE THEY DON'T. EXIST, MAYBE WE'RE. PAYING PEOPLE THAT. DON'T EXIST. >> Reporter: IT COMES. AS A NEW BUDGET OFFICE. MEMO INSTRUCTS FEDERAL. AGENCIES TO PREPARE. FOR MASS LAYOFFS AS. THE TRUMP. ADMINISTRATION FOCUSES. ON REDUCING. FEDERAL SPENDING. >> IF WE DON'T, AMERICA WILL GO. BANKRUPT. >> Reporter: MUSK. ACKNOWLEDGING DOGE. MADE MISTAKES. INCLUDING CUTTING. FUNDING FOR EBOLA.

PREVENTION. >> WITH WE MAKE A. MISTAKE, WE'LL FIX IT. QUICKLY. WE RESTORED EBOLA. QUICKLY, NO. INTERRUPTION. >> Reporter: THE. PRESIDENT MAKING. HEADLINES ON UKRAINE, REVEALING PRESIDENT. ZELENSKYY WILL VISIT. THE WHITE HOUSE TO. TALK ABOUT THE DEAL. FOR U.S. RIGHTS TO. MINERALS TO. RECOUP BILLIONS IN. U.S. AID SENT TO. UKRAINE. THE PRESIDENT. SUGGESTING IT WOULD BE. A SECURITY FOR. UKRAINE. >> AUTOMATIC SECURITY. NOBODY WILL BE MESSING. AROUND WITH OUR PEOPLE.

THERE. >> Reporter: SAYING. FOR THE FIRST TIME. RUSSIAN PRESIDENT. PUTIN WILL HAVE TO. MAKE CONCESSIONS. >> HE WILL HAVE TO. >> Reporter: VICE. PRESIDENT VANCE. HEADING OFF WHAT THE. CONCESSIONS WILL BE. >> WE'RE NOT GOING TO. DO THE NEGOTIATION IN. PUBLIC WITH. THE AMERICAN MEDIA. HE'S DOING THE JOB OF. A DIPLOMAT. >> Reporter: THE. PRESIDENT ALSO. SPEAKING ABOUT THE. MIDDLE EAST AFTER. POSTING THIS A.I. GENERATED VIDEO OF HIS. NAME AND FACE IN A. FUTURE. REDEVELOPED GAZA, HIS. CONTROVERSIAL PLAN TO. TAKE OVER AND REBUILD. IT, OPPOSED BY KEY.

ARAB ALLIES. ♪♪. THE PRESIDENT SLAMMING. HAMAS HOW IT'S HANDLED. THE RELEASE OF DEAD. HOSTAGES AS THE. CEASEFIRE MOVES TO A. POTENTIAL SECOND. PHASE. >> THIS IS A VICIOUS. GROUP OF PEOPLE, ISRAEL HAS TO DECIDE. WHAT THEY'RE DOING. >> AND PRESIDENT TRUMP. SIGNED ANOTHER. EXECUTIVE ORDER. REGARDING DOGE. WHAT DID IT SAY? >> Reporter: IT'S FOR. CUTTING MORE SPENDING. AND MANDATES WITH SOME. EXCEPTIONS THAT.

EMPLOYEE'S. GOVERNMENT CREDIT. CARDS ARE FROZEN FOR. 30 DAYS AND. NONESSENTIAL TRAVEL. HAS TO BE JUSTIFIED. AND PUBLICLY POSTED. WHEN POSSIBLE. LESTER. >>> HOUSE REPUBLICANS. DELIVERED A. LAST-SECOND WIN FOR. PRESIDENT TRUMP, NARROWLY ADOPTING A. NEW BUDGET FRAMEWORK. WITH DEEP CUTS. BUT DEMOCRATS ARGUING. THE PLANNED SPENDING. CUTS GO TOO FAR. RYAN NOBLES. >> Reporter: TONIGHT. REPUBLICANS ARE ONE. STEP CLOSER TO HELPING. PRESIDENT TRUMP KICK. HIS 100-DAY AGENDA. INTO HIGH GEAR. >> ROLLED UP OUR. SLEEVES AND WORKING ON.

IT. >> Reporter: IN A BIG. WIN FOR PRESIDENT. TRUMP, HOUSE. REPUBLICANS. ADOPTING THEIR VERSION. OF THE BUDGET, BUT. BARELY, EVERY DEMOCRAT. VOTING NO, PULLING OUT. ALL THE STOPS TO TRY. TO SINK THE GOP. PROPOSAL. ONE RUSHING TO THE. FLOOR AFTER RECOVERING. FROM SURGERY. ANOTHER, A BRAND NEW. MOM ON MATERNITY. LEAVE, FLYING ACROSS. THE COUNTRY TO CAST. HER BALLOT. >> ONLY 4 WEEKS OLD. >> Reporter:

BUT REPUBLICANS GOT IT. DONE. PRESIDENT TRUMP. REACHING OUT. PERSONALLY TO FOUR. CONSERVATIVE MEMBERS, THREE VOTED YES. >> THE PRESIDENT. ASSURED ME HE WOULD. WORK TOWARDS CUTS. HE'S NEVER LIED TO ME. >> Reporter: THE HOUSE. PROPOSAL CALLS FOR. $4.5 TRILLION IN TAX. CUTS. AND SLASHES SPENDING. DEMOCRATS ARGUING YOU. CAN'T CUT THAT. MUCH WITHOUT AFFECTING. SOCIAL SECURITY, MEDICAID AND MEDICARE. >> IMPACT ON RURAL.

HOSPITALS, NURSING. HOMES AND BASIC HEALTH. CARE FOR PEOPLE AT LOW. INCOMES. >> Reporter: BUT. PRESIDENT TRUMP. PROMISING THE CUTS. WON'T COME FROM THE. CORE SOCIAL PROGRAMS. >> Reporter: CAN YOU. GUARANTEE THAT. MEDICAID, MEDICARE AND SOCIAL. SECURITY WILL NOT BE. TOUCHED? >> I'VE SAID IT SO. MANY TIMES, YOU. SHOULDN'T BE ASKING ME. THAT QUESTION. WE'RE NOT GOING TO. TOUCH IT. WE ARE GOING TO LOOK. FOR FRAUD. I'M SURE YOU'RE OKAY. WITH THAT. >> Reporter: THE GOP. LEADERS GOING TO THE. WHITE HOUSE TO DISCUSS. A PATH FORWARD AND. SENATE REPUBLICANS. CALLING FOR CHANGES. LESTER. >>> IN TEXAS AN. UNVACCINATED CHILD HAS.

DIED FROM MEASLES, THE. FIRST DEATH IN A. DECADE AMID A GROWING. OUTBREAK IN TEXAS. PRISCILLA THOMPSON. >> Reporter: A. FAST-MOVING MEASLES. OUTBREAK TURNING. DEADLY IN TEXAS. HEALTH OFFICIALS IN. LUBBOCK CONFIRMING AN. UNVACCINATED SCHOOL. AGE CHILD HAS DIED. >> WE'RE SEEING A. SERIOUS CONSEQUENCE OF. WHAT HAPPENS WHEN WE. HAVE. MEASLES IN THE. COMMUNITY. >> Reporter: SENDING. SHOCK WAVES THROUGH.

WEST TEXAS, ESPECIALLY. AMONG THOSE LIKE BEN. HAMM, WHOSE. 18-MONTH-OLD. FOSTER DAUGHTER IS. IMMUNOCOMPROMISED. >> AROUND A COLD, NOT. PROTECTED, COULD BE IN. THE ICU TONIGHT. >> Reporter: HAMM. EARLIED UP HER SECOND. DOSE OF THE MEASLES. VACCINE AS. CASES CLIMB TO 124, 18. PATIENTS HOSPITALIZED, OFFICIALS SAY, ALMOST. ALL BABIES AND. CHILDREN UNVACCINATED. OR WAITING THEIR. SECOND DOSE.

HHS SECRETARY, ROBERT. F. KENNEDY JR., A. VACCINE SKEPTIC, RESPONDING TODAY. >> IT'S NOT UNUSUAL. WE HAVE OUTBREAKS. EVERY YEAR. >> Reporter: THE. DOCTOR ON THE FRONT. LINES IN LUBBOCK SAYS. WHILE CASES OCCUR. ANNUALLY, SHE. HASN'T SEEN IT THIS. WIDESPREAD. >> IN PATCHES EVERY. YEAR, MAYBE THAT'S. TRUE, BUT IT'S IN. AREAS WHERE THERE'S NO. VACCINATION, LOW.

VACCINATION RATES. >> Reporter: MEASLES. CASES HAVE BEEN. REPORTED IN EIGHT. STATES, INCLUDING NINE IN. NEW MEXICO. OFFICIALS HAVE NOT. SAID THEY'RE. CONNECTED. THOSE BORN BEFORE 1957. LIKELY HAVE NATURAL. IMMUNITY BECAUSE OF. HOW WIDESPREAD IT WAS. BUT THOSE VACCINATED. 1957 TO '89 BEFORE A. LIVE VIRUS WAS USED OR. BEFORE A LIVE SHOT WAS. GIVEN MIGHT CONSIDER A. BOOSTER. PARENTS HERE HOPE THIS. OUTBREAK WILL SOON BE.

OVER. >> THERE ARE FEARS OF. A WIDER SPREAD OF. CASES TONIGHT IN. TEXAS. >> Reporter: THAT'S. RIGHT, HEALTH. OFFICIALS SAY A PERSON. WHO UNKNOWINGLY HAD. MEASLES TRAVELLED TO. SAN MARCOS TONIGHT BY HER SU. DEATH. STEPHANIE GOSK. NBC NEWS. >>> TODAY THE U.S. SECRETARY OF. AGRICULTURE ANNOUNCED. A NEW STRATEGY TO. COMBAT THE BIRD FLU. AND BRING DOWN THE.

PRICE OF EGGS. ERIN McLAUGHLIN HAS. MORE. ERIN, HOW WOULD IT. WORK? >> THE NEW BILLION. DOLLAR STRATEGY. WAS PUBLISHED IN A. "WALL STREET JOURNAL". OP-ED. INCLUDES ENHANCING. BIOSECURITY, EXPLORING. THE USE OF VACCINES. AND THERAPEUTICS, AND. TEMPORARY IMPORT. OPTIONS. IT WOULD BE PAID. FOR IN PART BY THE. DOGE CUTS. THE STRATEGY WAS. ANNOUNCED WHEN THE. USDA PREDICTED A JUMP. OF MORE THAT 40% THIS. YEAR.

KEEP IN MIND THE. AVERAGE. WHOLESALE PRICE OF A. DOZEN IS ALREADY MORE. THAN $8. EXPERTS SAY IT'S A. GOOD START BUT THERE'S. NO QUICK FIX FOR THIS. CRISIS. LESTER. >>> IN 60 SECONDS, THE. MAJOR COURT BATTLE IN. THE ADNAN SYED CASE. MY EXCLUSIVE WITH THE. >>> IN BALTIMORE A. CRITICAL COURT HEARING. IN A MURDER CASE THAT.

SPAWNED A. MUST-HEAR BROADCAST, ADNAN SYED ASKED FOR. REDUCED SENTENCE FOR. THE MURDER OF HIS. FORMER GIRLFRIEND TO. STOP A RETURN TO. PRISON. THE PROSECUTOR OPPOSES. OVERTURNING THE CASE. ADNAN SYED IN COURT, HIS FREEDOM TENUOUS. IN A NEW TWIST, IVAN BATES, THE NEW. BALTIMORE CITY STATES. ATTORNEY DECLARING. AFTER EXHAUSTIVE. REVIEW, HIS OFFICE HAS. WITHDRAWN HIS MOTION. TO VACATE THE.

CONVICTION FOR THE. MURDER OF HIS HIGH. SCHOOL GIRLFRIEND, HAE. MIN LEE. IN 1999. THE CONVICTION WILL. STAND. I SPOKE WITH BATES. EXCLUSIVELY. >> WE TOOK EVERY. SINGLE PIECE, TOOK IT. APART, PUT IT BACK. TOGETHER, AND WE'RE. VERY CONFIDENT IN THE. JURY'S DECISION IN. 2000. >> Reporter: AFTER 23. YEARS IN PRISON, SYED'S CONVICTION WAS. VACATED BY A JUDGE, AND HE WAS. FREED IN 2022, ONLY TO.

HAVE HIS CONVICTION. REINSTATED. MONTHS LATER. ALLOWED HOWEVER TO. REMAIN FREE. HE'S ALWAYS MAINTAINED. HIS INNOCENCE. >> I HAD ABSOLUTELY. NOTHING TO DO WITH THE. MURDER OF HAE. >> Reporter: NATIONAL. INTEREST EXPLODED IN. PART BECAUSE OF THE. PODCAST "SERIAL". >> WAS HE SO HURT HE. DECIDED TO KILL HER? >> 18-YEAR-OLD HAE MIN. LEE DISAPPEARED ON. JANUARY 13th. >> Reporter: AND AN. HBO DOCUMENTARY.

SERIES. HIS LAWYERS ARGUED THE. PROSECUTORS FAILED TO. TURN OVER EVIDENCE AS. COULD HAVE AFFECTED. THE OUTCOME, A BRADY VIOLATION. >> WE LOOKED AT THE. VIOLATION AND THE. EVIDENCE. >> Reporter: WOULD YOU. BRING THE CASE TODAY. BASED ON THE EVIDENCE. YOU HAVE? >> BASED ON THE. EVIDENCE WE HAVE. TODAY, YES. >> Reporter: A LITTLE. BIT OF A TURNABOUT IN. YOUR OPINION, IN 2018, YOU. WERE SAYING IT DIDN'T.

MEET THE STANDINGS FOR. PROSECUTION, THAT IT. WASN'T ENOUGH. >> IT IS AND IT ISN'T. IN THE SENSE THAT. BACK THEN WE HAD. CERTAIN INFORMATION, PART OF THE. INFORMATION. >> Reporter: BUT. BATES' OFFICE IN COURT. STAY. SUPPORTING ANOTHER. POTENTIAL PATH FOR. SYED'S PERMANENT. FREEDOM, A SENTENCE. REDUCTION ALLOWED. UNDER MARYLAND LAW, THE JRA, FOR CERTAIN. JUVENILE OFFENDERS. >> WE BELIEVE MR. I.D. SYED HAS BEEN A MODEL.

PRISONER AND TRULY. REHABILITATED HIMSELF. >> Reporter: SO YOU. SUPPORT HIS FREEDOM. BASED ON THE JRA. >> 1,000%, I'VE SAID. THAT. >> Reporter: BUT NOT. ON THE BRADY. VIOLATION? >> VACATING IT SAYS HE. WASN'T THE INDIVIDUAL. THAT COMMITTED THE. CRIME. >> Reporter: TODAY'S. HEARING INCLUDING. TESTIMONY FROM THE. VICTIM'S FAMILY WHO. OPPOSE SYED'S REQUEST. FOR RELIEF, MAKING. THIS PLEA TO THE. JUDGE.

>> MY SISTER WAS THE. TRUE VICTIM HERE. AND I HOPE THAT WOULD. MAKE THE RIGHT. DECISION, DENYING THE. REDUCTION OF SENTENCE. >> SYED SAID HE. DOESN'T WANT TO CAUSE. MORE PAIN TO HAE MIN. LEE'S FAMILY, AND. VOWED TO BUILD A. MEANINGFUL LIFE. THE JUDGE WILL RULE. SOON. >>> AHEAD TONIGHT, HUGE ROAD BLOCK FOR. EVs, AMBITIOUS PLANS. TO BUILD THOUSANDS OF.

>>> A RECORD NUMBER OF. ELECTRIC VEHICLES WERE. SOLD IN THE U.S. LAST. YEAR, BUT CHARGING. THEM ALL REMAINS A. CHALLENGE. BRIAN CHUNG REPORTS. HOW PLANS TO BUILD A. NETWORK OF CHARGERS IS. NOW ON HOLD. >> Reporter: AT THIS. NISSAN DEALERSHIP IN. PENNSYLVANIA, SALES. MAN SPENCER SAYS THAT. DRIVERS ARE GETTING. RANGE ANXIETY ABOUT. BUYING AN ELECTRIC. CAR. >> PEOPLE GET NERVOUS. WITH CHARGING TIME.

IF WE HAD A LARGER. INFRASTRUCTURE IN THE. COUNTRY WOULD SOLVE. A MASSIVE ISSUE. >> Reporter: A RECENT. SURVEY SAYING SHARE OF. DRIVERS SAYING THEY. WERE. UNLIKELY TO BUY AN EV. JUMPED LAST YEAR. SAYING IT'S NOT FOR. THEM RIGHT NOW. >> I CAN'T MAKE IT TO. MAINE ON ONE CHARGE. I HAVE TO STOP. SOMEWHERE TO CHARGE IT. AGAIN. >> Reporter: AS A. PRESCRIPTION FOR RANGE. ANXIETY, THE BIDEN. ADMINISTRATION PUSHED. $5 BILLION IN FEDERAL. FUNDS TO BUILD OUT A. NATIONAL NETWORK OF EV.

CHARGERS, LIKE THIS. ONE IN PENNSYLVANIA. >> THEY WILL BE UP AND. EASY TO FIND AS GAS. STATIONS NOW. >> Reporter: THE. NATIONAL ELECTRIC. VEHICLE INFRASTRUCTURE. PROGRAM. 500,000 PUBLIC PORTS. BY 2030, BUT TO DATE, IT'S OPENED JUST 268. SPREAD ACROSS 60. STATIONS NATIONWIDE. >> WE'LL REVOKE THE. ELECTRIC VEHICLE. MANDATE. >> Reporter: THE TRUMP. ADMINISTRATION PULLING. THE PLUG ON THE. PROGRAM, ORDERING. STATES TO SUSPEND. BUILDING NEW CHARGING. STATIONS. AN ORDER THAT COULD.

BENEFIT ELON MUSK'S. TESLA, WHICH HAS THE. LARGEST NETWORK OF. CHARGING STATIONS AND. COULD NOW FACE LESS. COMPETITION. TESLA DID NOT REPLY TO. OUR REQUEST. FOR COMMENT. WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE. MORE AROUND THE AREA? >> YEAH. >> Reporter: THOSE. BETTING ON THE NETWORK. POWERHOUSE DUO GEARING. UP. FOR THE PINNACLE. MOMENT, THE OSCARS. >> SO WONDERFUL TO. CELEBRATE WITH THE. OTHER NOMINEES. >> Reporter: NBC NEWS.

>> THAT'S "NIGHTLY. NEWS" FOR THIS. WEDNESDAY. THANK YOU FOR. WATCHING. I'M LESTER HOLT, PLEASE TAKE CARE OF. YOURSELF AND EACH. OTHER.