NBC Nightly News Full Episode - March 20

>>> TONIGHT, PRESIDENT. TRUMP TAKES ON THE. DEPARTMENT OF. EDUCATION. THE PRESIDENT TRYING. TO MAKE GOOD ON A. CAMPAIGN PROMISE TO. SHUT THE FEDERAL. AGENCY DOWN. BUT DOES HE HAVE THE. AUTHORITY? WHITE HOUSE. CORRESPONDENT GARRETT. HAAKE ONE ON ONE WITH. THE EDUCATION. SECRETARY. >>> THE FEDERAL. CHARGES JUST FILED IN. THE MOLOTOV COCKTAIL. ATTACKS ON TESLA CARS. AND CHARGING STATIONS. THREE SUSPECTS FACING. UP TO 20 YEARS IN.

PRISON. >>> THE GEORGETOWN. RESEARCHER DETAINED. AND FACING DEPORTATION. OVER ALLEGED TERROR. TIES. GABE GUTIERREZ ON THE. ORDER A FEDERAL JUDGE. JUST ISSUED TO THE. TRUMP ADMINISTRATION. >>> ARE AMERICA'S. BRIDGES AT RISK? NEARLY ONE YEAR AFTER. THE DEADLY COLLAPSE OF. THE FRANCIS SCOTT KEY. BRIDGE TOM COSTELLO ON. THE NEW WARNING THAT. DOZENS OF BRIDGES. INCLUDING THE GOLDEN. GATE AND BROOKLYN. BRIDGES COULD BE. VULNERABLE. >>> THE DANGEROUS. WEATHER RIPPING ACROSS. THE COUNTRY. THE WILDFIRE GROWING. IN FLORIDA.

AND THE DEVASTATING. TORNADO INDIANA. BROUGHT THE HOUSE. DOWN AT THE GRAND OLE. OPRY. >> Announcer: THIS IS. NBC "NIGHTLY NEWS". WITH LESTER HOLT. >>> GOOD EVENING AND. WELCOME. FOLLOWING THREATS AND. PROMISES, PRESIDENT. TRUMP HAS NOW. OFFICIALLY MOVED TO. START DISMANTLING THE. U.S. DEPARTMENT OF. EDUCATION. GRANTING A LONG-TIME. WISH AMONG MANY.

CONSERVATIVES. THE PRESIDENT ORDERING. THE DEPARTMENT TO TAKE. ALL LAWFUL STEPS TO. SHUT IT DOWN. BUT ONE OF THOSE. LAWFUL STEPS IS. GETTING APPROVAL FROM. CONGRESS. CRITICS OF THE. DIRECTIVE INCLUDING. THE NAACP CALLING THE. MOVE UNCONSTITUTIONAL. THE PRESIDENT SAYING. THE INTENT IS TO TURN. CONTROL OF SCHOOLS TO. THE STATES. THE WHITE HOUSE SAYS. THE EXECUTIVE ORDER. LEAVES STUDENT LOANS. AND PELL GRANTS UNDER. THE AGENCY'S PURVIEW. THE PLAN TO CLOSE THE. D.O.E. BEING ANNOUNCED. ON THE HEELS OF. MASSIVE PERSONNEL CUTS.

TO THE AGENCY. GARRETT HAAKE HAS LATE. DETAILS AND REACTION. >> Reporter: PRESIDENT. TRUMP TONIGHT LOOKING. TO KEEP A CAMPAIGN. PROMISE. >> I WILL SIGN AN. EXECUTIVE ORDER TO. BEGIN ELIMINATING THE. FEDERAL DEPARTMENT OF. EDUCATION ONCE AND FOR. ALL. >> Reporter: AT A. WHITE HOUSE EVENT WITH. SCHOOL CHILDREN AND. REPUBLICAN GOVERNORS. >> THE DEMOCRATS KNOW. IT'S RIGHT AND I HOPE. THEY'RE GOING TO BE. VOTING FOR IT BECAUSE. COME B. THEM. >> Reporter: THAT'S.

BECAUSE THIS ORDER MAY. HAVE LITTLE IMPACT. ONLY CONGRESS CAN. ABOLISH AN EXECUTIVE. AGENCY A MOVE. DEMOCRATS OPPOSE. THE WHITE HOUSE SAID. TODAY CORE DEPARTMENT. RESPONSIBILITIES LIKE. MANAGING STUDENT LOANS. AND PELL GRANTS AND. SUPPORTING SPECIAL. EDUCATION WILL BE. PRESERVED. >> BEYOND THESE CORE. NECESSITIES MY. ADMINISTRATION WILL. TAKE ALL LAWFUL STEPS. TO SHUT DOWN THE. DEPARTMENT. WE'RE GOING TO SHUT IT. DOWN. >> Reporter: BUT THE. AMERICAN FREDRATION OF. TEACHERS UNION FIRING. BACK, "SEE YOU IN. COURT.". THE TRUMP. ADMINISTRATION CUT THE. DEPARTMENT'S WORKFORCE. IN HALF LAST WEEK. INCLUDING TERMINATING.

SOME 1,300 CAREER. EMPLOYEES. KATIMA STAPLETON WAS. FIRED AFTER 20 YEARS. WORKING AS A RESEARCH. ANALYST. >> I WANTED TO CHANGE. THINGS FOR STUDENTS. AND I'M SAD THAT THAT. JUST WENT AWAY. WITHOUT REGULAR ANY. CONSIDERATION. >> Reporter: TONIGHT. IN DENVER TEACHERS. PROTESTING, SAYING THE. COST CUTTING WILL HURT. STUDENTS. >> HE'S SHOWING WHERE. HIS PRIORITIES LIE. AND IT'S NOT WITH THE. CHILDREN OF OUR. NATION. >> Reporter: NBC'S. MORGAN CHESKY SPOKE. WITHTO A SPECIAL. EDUCATION TEACHER. >> OUR MONEY'S NOT. WHERE OUR MOUTH IS AS.

FAR AS EDUCATION GOES. >> Reporter: EDUCATION. IS ALREADY LARGELY A. STATE AND LOCAL. RESPONSIBILITY. JUST 8% OF FUNDING. COMES FROM THE FEDS. SOME STATE EDUCATION. OFFICIALS ARE. APPLAUDING PRESIDENT. TRUMP'S MOVE TO SHIFT. MORE POWER AWAY FROM. WASHINGTON. FRANK EDELBLUE HEADS. NEW HAMPSHIRE'S. DEPARTMENT OF. EDUCATION. >> WHAT WE'RE. ESSENTIALLY DOING IS. OPTIMIZING THE FUNDS. FOR THE STUDENTS, THE. PARENTS AND THE. TEACHERS BY ALLOWING. THESE PROCESSES TO GET. CLOSER TO WHERE. THEY'RE BEING USED. >> Reporter: THE WHITE. HOUSE POINTING TO LOW. TEST SCORES AS A.

REASON TO SHAKE THINGS. UP. THE LATEST NATIONAL. REPORT CARD SHOWING. 40% OF FOURTH-GRADERS. DON'T MEET BASIC. BENCHMARKS FOR. READING. DESPITE INCREASES IN. FEDERAL FUNDING. >> IF YOU'RE A PARENT. OUT THERE WITH A KID. IN A PUBLIC SCHOOL. WILL YOU NOTICE. CHANGES IN YOUR. CHILD'S EDUCATION. IMMEDIATELY BECAUSE OF. THIS? >> I DON'T ANY. ANYTHING HAPPENS. IMMEDIATELY. I'D LIKE TO SNAP MY. FINGERS AND HAVE. EDUCATION REFORMED, YOU KNOW, THROUGHOUT. THE COUNTRY. BUT IT'S GOING TO TAKE. A BIT. >> AND GARRETT, BEFORE. WE LET YOU GET AWAY. THERE'S ALSO A NEW. HEADLINE IN THAT STORY. WE'VE BEEN FOLLOWING. INVOLVING THE TRUMP.

ADMINISTRATION'S. DEPORTATION FLIGHTS OF. ALLEGED MIGRANT GANG. MEMBERS. >> Reporter: YEAH, THAT'S RIGHT, LESTER. THE JUDGE TODAY. BLASTING THE D.O.J. FOR WHAT HE CALLS. WOEFULLY INSUFFICIENT. ANSWERS TO HIS. QUESTIONS ABOUT THOSE. FLIGHTS, WHICH HE HAD. ORDERED TO TURN AROUND. TO THE U.S. HE'S NOW ASKING FOR. SWORN RESPONSES TO. COME FROM A. CABINET-LEVEL OFFICIAL. DUE TOMORROW MORNING. LESTER? >> GARRETT HAAKE. TONIGHT, THANK YOU. >>> THE D.O.J. CHARGED. THREE SUSPECTS TODAY. FOR ATTACKS ON TESLA. CARS AND CHARGING. STATIONS. WHAT THE ATTORNEY. GENERAL IS CALLING.

DOMESTIC TERRORISM. THIS AS THE COMPANY. ANNOUNCES A RECALL OF. NEARLY ALL THEIR. CYBERTRUCKS. HERE'S LIZ KREUTZ WITH. THE LATEST. >> Reporter: TONIGHT. ATTORNEY GENERAL PAM. BONDI ANNOUNCING. FEDERAL CHARGES. AGAINST THREE PEOPLE. NATIONWIDE ACCUSED OF. USING MOLOTOV. COCKTAILS TO SET FIRE. TO TESLA CARS AND. CHARGING STATIONS. >> WE HAVE CHARGED. MULTIPLE PEOPLE. GET READY. MORE ARE COMING. >> Reporter: INVESTIGATORS SAYING. THESE IMAGES SHOW ONE. OF THE SUSPECTS IN. SALEM, OREGON CARRYING. AN AR-15 STYLE RIFLE. WHILE THROWING AN.

IGNITED DEVICE INTO A. SHOWROOM. THE TESLA CENTER. SAYING IT LED TO ABOUT. $500,000 IN DAMAGES. TWO OTHERS IN COLORADO. AND SOUTH CAROLINA. ALSO CHARGED. BONDI WRITING, "LET. THIS BE A WARNING. IF YOU JOIN THIS WAVE. OF DOMESTIC TERRORISM. AGAINST TESLA. PROPERTIES, THE. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. WILL PUT YOU BEHIND. BARS.". THE ATTACKS PART OF A. GROWING MOVEMENT TO. TARGET TESLA AS A FORM. OF PROTEST AGAINST THE. COMPANY'S CEO, ELON. MUSK, AND HIS. WIDE-REACHING ROLE IN. THE TRUMP. ADMINISTRATION.

THIS WEEK TESLAS AT A. SERVICE CENTER IN LAS. VEGAS ALSO VANDALIZED. AND A WEBSITE SURFACED. TARGETING INDIVIDUAL. TESLA OWNERS SHOWING. SOME NAMES, PERSONAL. CONTACT INFORMATION. AND ADDRESSES FOR. TESLA DRIVERS, PUTTING. SOME OWNERS ON EDGE. >> IF I HAD KNOWN ELON. WAS GOING TO TURN INTO. WHAT HE KIND OF TURNED. INTO, I DON'T KNOW. THAT I WOULD HAVE. BOUGHT THIS CAR. NECESSARILY. BUT EVEN SO, PEOPLE. HAVE GOOD REASONS TO. BUY ELECTRIC CARS. AND ATTACKING PEOPLE. JUST BECAUSE THEY OWN. A TESLA DOESN'T SEEM.

LIKE A GOOD WAY TO. PROTEST. >> Reporter: IT'S. UNCLEAR WHO'S BEHIND. THE WEBSITE, WHICH. APPEARS TO BE TAKEN. DOWN. MUSK CALLING THOSE. BEHIND THE ATTACKS BAD. PEOPLE. >> THEY WANT TO HURT. TESLA BECAUSE WE'RE. STOPPING THIS TERRIBLE. WASTE AND CORRUPTION. >> Reporter: THIS ALL. COMES AMID A DIFFICULT. TIME FOR TESLA. JUST TODAY THE COMPANY. RECALLING NEARLY ALL. OF ITS CYBERTRUCKS. OVER AN EXTERIOR PANEL. THAT CAN DETACH AND. INCREASE THE RISK OF A. CRASH. TESLA'S STOCK NOW DOWN.

50% SINCE ITS HIGH IN. DECEMBER. MEANWHILE, AS THE. WHITE HOUSE RALLIES. BEHIND THE COMPANY, TRUMP COMMERCE. SECRETARY HOWARD. LUTNICK URGING. AMERICANS TO BUY ITS. STOCK, WHICH SOME. EXPERTS SAY IS A. POTENTIAL VIOLATION OF. GOVERNMENT ETHICS. >> BUY TESLA. IT'S UNBELIEVABLE THAT. THIS GUY'S STOCK IS. THIS CHEAP. IT WILL NEVER BE THIS. CHEAP AGAIN. >> AND LIZ, WHAT MORE. DO WE KNOW ABOUT THESE. DOJ CHARGES ANNOUNCED. TODAY? >> Reporter: THE THREE. SUSPECTS ARRESTED FACE. SERIOUS FEDERAL. CHARGES RANGING FROM. UNLAWFUL POSSESSION OF. A FIREARM TO ARSON AND. IF CONVICTED THEY EACH.

FACE UP TO 20 YEARS IN. PRISON, LESTER. >> OKAY, LIZ, THANKS. VERY MUCH. >>> A FEDERAL JUDGE. TONIGHT TEMPORARILY. BLOCKING THE. DEPORTATION OF A. GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY. RESEARCHER. THE TRUMP. ADMINISTRATION IS. LOOKING TO REMOVE HIM. FROM THE COUNTRY, ACCUSING HIM OF TIES. TO A TERROR GROUP. OUR GABE GUTIERREZ HAS. LATE DETAILS. >> Reporter: BADAR. KHAN SURI, A GRADUATE. STUDENT AND FATHER OF. THREE FROM INDIA WHO. WAS TEACHING AT. GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY, IS NOW ACCUSED OF. HAVING TIES TO A. TERROR GROUP. BUT LATE TODAY A.

FEDERAL JUDGE. TEMPORARILY BLOCKED. HIS DEPORTATION AFTER. THE ACLU FILED AN. EMERGENCY MOTION. >> FREEDOM OF SPEECH. IN THIS COUNTRY SHOULD. NEVER BE LIMITED. AND IT SHOULD NEVER BE. CHILLED BY THE. GOVERNMENT. >> BUT THE IDEA THAT. SOMEHOW HE IS A THREAT. TO OUR NATIONAL. SECURITY BECAUSE OF, YOU KNOW, HIS VIEWS ON. THE ISRAEL-PALESTINE. CONFLICT IS JUST. RIDICULOUS. >> Reporter: BUT A. SPOKESPERSON FOR THE. DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND. SECURITY SAYS SURI WAS. ACTIVELY SPREADING. HAMAS PROPAGANDA AND. PROMOTING ANTISEMITISM. ON SOCIAL MEDIA.

A U.S. OFFICIAL TELLS. NBC NEWS HIS. FATHER-IN-LAW WAS A. HAMAS ADVISER. GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY. SAYS IT'S NOT AWARE OF. SURI ENGAGING IN. ILLEGAL ACTIVITY AND. THAT HE WAS GRANTED A. VISA TO THE UNITED. STATES TO CONTINUE HIS. DOCTORAL RESEARCH ON. PEACE BUILDING IN IRAQ. AND AFGHANISTAN. THE TRUMP. ADMINISTRATION IS. USING A LAW THAT. GRANTS THE SECRETARY. OF STATE POWER TO. DEPORT VISA HOLDERS. WHOSE PRESENCE HAS. ADVERSE FOREIGN POLICY. CONSEQUENCES. >> WE WILL CONTINUE TO. LOOK FOR PEOPLE THAT. WE WOULD NEVER HAVE.

ALLOWED INTO THIS. COUNTRY ON STUDENT. VISAS HAD WE KNOWN. THEY WERE GOING TO DO. WHAT THEY'VE DONE. >> Reporter: MEANWHILE, COLUMBIA. UNIVERSITY IS NOW. SIGNALING IT WILL. COMPLY WITH THE TRUMP. ADMINISTRATION'S. DEMANDS IN RETURN FOR. RESTORING $400 MILLION. IN FEDERAL FUNDING, CANCELED BECAUSE THE. WHITE HOUSE ACCUSED. COLUMBIA OF CONTINUED. INACTION IN THE FACE. OF PERSISTENT. HARASSMENT OF JEWISH. STUDENTS. DURING PRO-PALESTINIAN. PROTESTS CAMPUS. BUILDINGS WERE. OCCUPIED AND. VANDALIZED. JEWISH STUDENT. SHOSHANA OFFSTEEN SAYS.

SHE WAS TRAPPED INSIDE. ONE OF THEM. >> THERE COMES A POINT. WHERE SPEECH IS --. IT'S NOT PROTECTED. SPEECH ANYMORE IF. YOU'RE INCITING. VIOLENCE, IF YOU'RE. SUPPORTING TERRORISM. >> Reporter: AS FOR. THE GEORGETOWN. GRADUATE STUDENT, HIS. LAWYER SAYS HE'S DONE. NOTHING WRONG AND THAT. HE'S STILL IN CUSTODY. AT A DETENTION. FACILITY IN LOUISIANA. LESTER? >> ALL RIGHT, GABE, THANKS. >>> FOLLOWING A STRING. OF CONCERNING. INCIDENTS INVOLVING. AIR TRAVEL, THERE WAS. AN ALARMING MIX-UP ON. A RUNWAY IN ORLANDO. TODAY. EMILIE IKEDA JOINS ME. EMILIE, WHAT HAPPENED? >> Reporter: LESTER,

THIS WAS A MAJOR. MISTAKE. AUTHORITIES SAY A. SOUTHWEST PLANE HEADED. FROM ORLANDO TO ALBANY. STARTED ITS TAKEOFF. ROLL ON THE TAXIWAY. INSTEAD OF THE RUNWAY, WHICH RUN PARALLEL TO. ONE ANOTHER. SOUTHWEST SAYS THE. PLANE WAS ABLE TO STOP. SAFELY AND NO ONE WAS. INJURED. MEANWHILE, WE'RE. GETTING THE FIRST. REPORT FROM. INVESTIGATORS ON THAT. FIERY CRASH LANDING IN. TORONTO. >> YO, I WAS JUST ON. THIS [ BLEEP ] PLANE. >> Reporter: A MONTH. AFTER A DELTA PLANE. FLIPPED OVER ON A. SNOWY TORONTO RUNWAY,

CANADIAN AUTHORITIES. TODAY RELEASING NEW. DETAILS ON THE. HARROWING MOMENTS ON. BOARD THE REGIONAL. JET, NOW MOVED INTO A. NEARBY AIRPLANE HANGAR. FOR INVESTIGATION. THE PRELIMINARY REPORT. SAYS LESS THAN THREE. SECONDS BEFORE. TOUCHING DOWN AN ALERT. SOUNDED INDICATING A. HIGH RATE OF DESCENT. TO THE PILOTS. 1,100 FEET PER MINUTE. >> JUST HOW HARD DID. THE PLANE HIT THE. GROUND? >> THIS WAS PROBABLY. AT LEAST TWICE OF WHAT. THE NORMAL RATE OF. DESCENT WOULD BE. SO ALL OF THAT FORCE.

WAS CONCENTRATED IN. ONE AREA. WHICH WAS FAR ABOVE. WHAT THAT COMPONENT. WAS DESIGNED FOR. >> Reporter: THE PLANE. CAME DOWN HARD AT A. STEEP ANGLE ON THE. RIGHT MAIN LANDING. GEAR, WHICH PARTIALLY. BROKE AND RETRACTED. THE RIGHT WING. DETACHED, RELEASING A. CLOUD OF JET FUEL, WHICH USED THAT FIRE. AS THE PLANE ROLLED. OVER AND SKIDDED DOWN. THE RUNWAY. >> DROP IT. COME ON. >> Reporter: THE CRASH. LEFT PASSENGERS LIKE. PETE KUKOV HANGING. UPSIDE DOWN IN THEIR. SEATS, SUSPENDED BY.

THEIR SAFETY BELTS. >> I REMEMBER JUST. HANGING THERE AND ME. AND THE LADY NEXT TO. ME WE GOT OUT PRETTY. QUICK. >> Reporter: REMARKABLY ALL 80. PEOPLE ON BOARD. SURVIVED. DELTA SAYS IT REMAINS. FULLY ENGAGED IN THE. ONGOING INVESTIGATION. INTO THE CAUSE OF THE. TERRIFYING CRASH. LANDING. EMILIE IKEDA, NBC. NEWS. >>> NEARLY A YEAR. AFTER BALTIMORE'S KEY. BRIDGE COLLAPSE. KILLING SIX PEOPLE THE. NTSB SAYS MARYLAND. AUTHORITIES FAILED FOR. DECADES TO REVIEW THE. BRIDGE'S VULNERABILITY.

TO COLLISION AND. DOZENS OF OTHERS. BRIDGES COULD BE AT. RISK. HERE'S TOM COSTELLO. >> Reporter: NEARLY. ONE YEAR AFTER A. SINGAPORE-FLAGGED. CONTAINER SHIPPED. CRASHED INTO A SUPPORT. PIER BRINGING DOWN. BALTIMORE'S KEY. BRIDGE, THE NTSB SAID. TODAY FOR DECADES. MARYLAND AUTHORITIES. FAILED TO ASSESS THE. BRIDGE'S VULNERABILITY. TO A COLLISION. DESPITE CONTRIBUTING. TO THE NATIONAL. GUIDELINES THAT CALLED. FOR THE ASSESSMENTS. >> HAD THEY DONE THAT, THE COLLAPSE. COULDN'T -- COULD HAVE. BEEN PREVENTED. >> Reporter: TODAY THE. NTSB WARNED MANY MORE.

BRIDGES THAT. OCEANGOING SHIPS. ROUTINELY PASS UNDER. COULD ALSO BE AT RISK, NAMING 68 BRIDGES THAT. NEED URGENT RISK. ASSESSMENTS INCLUDING. SOME OF AMERICA'S MOST. ICONIC. THE GOLDEN GATE AND. CORONADO BRIDGES IN. CALIFORNIA. AND BAY BRIDGE IN. FLORIDA. GW BRIDGE IN NEW YORK. AND MANY MORE. INCLUDING IN OHIO, TEXAS AND. MASSACHUSETTS.

>> WHAT WE ARE TELLING. BRIDGE OWNERS IS THAT. THEY NEED TO KNOW THE. RISK AND DETERMINE. WHAT ACTIONS THEY NEED. TO TAKE TO ENSURE. SAFETY. >> Reporter: BRIDGES. BUILT AFTER 1994 MUST. HAVE VESSEL COLLISION. MITIGATIONS LIKE. PROTECTION ISLANDS. AROUND BRIDGE. SUPPORTS. TONIGHT THE MARYLAND. TRANSPORTATION. AUTHORITY HAS NOT. RESPONDED TO NBC'S. REQUEST FOR COMMENT. MARYLAND GOVERNOR WES. MOORE SAYS THE NEW KEY. BRIDGE WILL BE FAR. MORE ROBUST. >> WE ARE GOING TO. MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE.

GOING TO GET THIS. BRIDGE BUILT ON TIME. AND ON BUDGET. AND IT IS GOING TO. MAKE SURE THAT IT. LIVES UP TO ALL. INDUSTRY STANDARDS ON. SAFETY. >> Reporter: WITH SO. MANY BRIDGES AT RISK. NATIONALLY, AN URGENT. NATIONAL PUSH NOW TO. PROTECT THEM FROM THE. KIND OF DISASTER THAT. BROUGHT DOWN. BALTIMORE'S KEY. BRIDGE. LESTER? >> TOM, THANKS. >>> IT'S BEEN A DAY OF. DANGEROUS WEATHER. ACROSS THE COUNTRY. WILDFIRES ARE RAGING. IN FLORIDA, SPREADING. NEAR MIAMI-DADE. THE FLAMES EVEN. CUTTING OFF SOME ROADS. IN AND OUT OF THE. KEYS. AND IN THE MIDWEST AT.

LEAST TEN TORNADOES. REPORTED, RIPPING. >>> NOW TO THE. REMARKABLE MISSION TO. HELP CHILDREN IN GAZA. GET OUT OF A WAR ZONE. FOR URGENT MEDICAL. TREATMENT, AN EFFORT. LED BY THE U.S. IT'S A STORY ANDREA. MITCHELL HAS BEEN. REPORTING ON FOR MORE. THAN A YEAR. >> Reporter: THE. YOUNGEST VICTIMS IN. GAZA, THESE CHILDREN. INJURED JUST. YESTERDAY, ALSO. DESPERATE FOR. TREATMENT, PALESTINIAN. CHILDREN WITH CANCER. LIKE THESE KIDS.

LEAVING CAN YOUNIS AND. HEADING TO HOSPITALS. IN ITALY. AND THIS RESCUE. OPERATION FINALLY. BRINGING THE FIRST. CANCER PATIENTS TO THE. U.S. YESTERDAY. WE WERE THERE AS THEY. ARRIVED. 12-YEAR-OLD LIA AND. HER FAMILY AND. 7-YEAR-OLD NESM. SKPACHLT HER MOM ON A. HUMANITARIAN FLIGHT. FROM CAIRO. A PROGRAM NBC NEWS HAS. FOLLOWING R BEEN. FOLLOWING THAT HAS NOW. RESCUED 240 CHILDREN. INCLUDING KIDS WE SAW. IN EGYPT AFTER THEIR. HOSPITAL IN GAZA WAS.

BOMBED IN NOVEMBER. 2023. 20 MORE CHILDREN GOT. OUT IN JUNE 2024. SPEARHEADED BY BIDEN. CHIEF OF STAFF JEFF. ZANTS, A TEAM FROM ST. JUDE CHILDREN'S. RESEARCH HOSPITAL AND. PALESTINIAN DOCTORS ON. THE GROUND. GETTING THE CHILDREN. OUT OF GAZA WAS. INCREDIBLY DIFFICULT. WITH URBAN WARFARE AND. FOR MONTHS ONLY ONE. EXIT WHICH SHUT DOWN. WHEN ISRAEL'S TANKS. INVADED RAFAH FOR AN. OPERATION AGAINST. HAMAS LAST MAY. DOCTORS SAY 12. CHILDREN DIED WAITING. FOR ISRAELI SECURITY. CLEARANCES. AFTER THE U.S. ELECTION ONE DOCTOR. MADE A PERSONAL APPEAL.

TO ROBERT F. KENNEDY. JR., WHO WENT TO. PRESIDENT TRUMP. THE PRESIDENT TASKING. SPECIAL ENVOY STEVE. WITKOFF TO HELP THE. KIDS. >> HOW DID YOU CUT. THROUGH THE RED TAPE? >> NO MATTER WHAT SIDE. OF THE BATTLE LINES. YOU'RE ON HERE, THESE. ARE YOUNG KIDS. AND THEY COULDN'T --. THEY NEEDED TO GET. PROPER CARE. >> Reporter: NOW THE. FIRST CHILDREN ARE IN. THE U.S. >> WHAT DOES THAT MEAN. NOW? >> I THINK IT MEANS SO. MUCH. YOU KNOW, MAYBE ONE. DAY SOMEONE'S GOING TO. REMIND THEM ABOUT ALL. THESE WONDERFUL THINGS. THAT HAPPENED AND. THAT'LL BE A BRIDGE,

YOU KNOW, LIKE THERE'S. JUST TOO MUCH HATRED. IN THAT REGION. >> Reporter: THIS. REMARKABLE WARTIME. MISSION STARTED BY ONE. WHITE HOUSE, CARRIED. ON BY ANOTHER, CONTINUES. DESPITE THE RENEWED. FIGHTING, SIX MORE. CH Reporter: KAYLEE. HARTUNG, NBC NEWS. >> WHAT A GREAT. MOMENT, WASN'T IT? THAT'S "NIGHTLY NEWS". FOR THIS THURSDAY. THANK YO.