Nightly News Full Episode – Feb. 17

>>> BREAKING NEWS, AS WE COME ON. THE AIR. THE TERRIFYING SCENE ON A RUNWAY. IN TORONTO. A DELTA AIRLINES PLANE FROM. MINNEAPOLIS COMPLETELY UPSIDE. DOWN AFTER CRASH LANDING WITH. DOZENS ABOARD. >> THIS AIRPLANE JUST CRASHED. >> AT LEAST 18 HURT INCLUDING A. CHILD CRITICALLY INJURED AT. CANADA'S BUSIEST AIRPORT. SMOKE BILLOWING FROM THE.

FUSELAGE, FIRE TRUCKS ON THE. SNOW-COVERED TARMAC AS AN AIR. AMBULANCE RUSHES TO THE SCENE. FOOTAGE FROM INSIDE THE PLANE. SHOWING PASSENGERS EVACUATING. TONIGHT, QUESTIONS OVER HOW THIS. COULD HAVE HAPPENED, AND THE. GROWING CONCERNS ABOUT OF A. OF. A YAGSZ SAFETY AS HUNDREDS ARE. LET GO AFTER THE FATAL MID-AIR. COLLISION IN D.C. >>> THE DEADLY FLOOD EMERGENCY. IN KENTUCKY AND AT LEAST 11. KILLED. THE MOTHER AND DAUGHTER SWEPT.

AWAY. MORE THAN 1,000 RESCUES, ROADS. WASHED OUT AND ENTIRE. NEIGHBORHOODS UNDER WATER AND. EMERGENCY CREWS RACING TO REACH. PEOPLE STILL TRAPPED AND THE. THREAT ISN'T OVER. PLUS, WE'RE TRACKING EXTREME. WEATHER. ONE OF THE WORST WINTER COLD. SNAPS YET FOR 67 MILLION. AMERICANS. AL ROKER STANDING BY. >> TOP AMERICAN OFFICIALS HEAD. OVERSEAS FOR THE HIGHEST-LEVEL. MEETING BETWEEN THE U.S. AND. RUSSIA TO TRY AND END THE WAR IN. UKRAINE, BUT PRESIDENT. ZELENSKYY, NOT INVITED AND.

RICHARD ENGEL REPORTS TONIGHT. FROM THE WAR ZONE AND HONORING. THE BLACK CADDIES WHO CARRIED SO. MUCH ON THEIR SHOULDERS ON ONE. OF GOLF'S GREATEST COURSES. ♪♪. ♪. >>> THIS IS "NBC NIGHTLY NEWS". WITH LESTER HOLT. >>> AND GOOD EVENING. I'M TOM LLAMAS IN FOR LESTER. TONIGHT. WE ARE COMING ON THE AIR WITH. BREAKING NEWS. A DELTA PASSENGER JET CRASH. LANDING A SHORT TIME AGO IN. TORONTO. HERE IS THE STUNNING IMAGE OF. HOW IT CAME TO A STOP.

YOU SEE THE PLANE UPSIDE DOWN ON. THE RUNWAY AT FRONT'S PEARSON. INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT. ONE WING GONE AND NO TAIL LEFT. DELTA FLIGHT 4819 CARRYING 76. PASSENGERS AND FOUR CREW MEMBERS. WAS COMING IN FOR A LANDING FROM. MINNEAPOLIS WHEN THE ACCIDENT. OCCURRED. EMERGENCY CREWS WERE ON THE. SCENE IN THOSE FRIGID. CONDITIONS. DEEP, DARK MARKS VISIBLE ALONG. ONE OF THE ENGINES OF THE PLANE. THE AIRPORT SAYS ALL ONBOARD. ACCOUNTED FOR AND THERE WERE.

THANKFULLY NO FATALITIES, BUT. SEVERAL PEOPLE ARE HURT. INCLUDING SOME IN CRITICAL. CONDITION. TOM COSTELLO JOINS US LIVE WITH. NEW REPORTING. GOOD EVENING. >> Reporter: TOM, THIS HAPPENED. AT 2:45 P.M. IN TORONTO. THE RESPONSE IF FIREFIGHTERS. IMMEDIATE. THE AIRPORT WAS CLOSED FOR. SEVERAL HOURS AND JUST OPENING. NOW, BUT AMAZINGLY, EVERYONE GOT. OUT OF THIS PLANE ALIVE. >> Reporter: ON THE RUNWAY IN. TORONTO A TERRIFYING END FOR. DELTA FLIGHT 4819. >> A PLANE CRASHED AND IT'S. UPSIDE DOWN.

>> LYING UPSIDE DOWN ON THE. RUNWAY AN ENDEAVOR AIR REGIONAL. JET HAD JUST ARRIVED FROM. MINNEAPOLIS IN GUSTING WINDS. WHEN SOMETHING WENT TERRIBLY. WRONG. >> THIS AIRPLANE JUST CRASHED. >> AS THICK, BLACK SMOKE POURED. FROM THE PLANE, FIREFIGHTERS. SMOTHERED THE SCENE IN FOAM. THE RIGHT WING RIPPED OFF. THE FUSELAGE BEARING WHAT. APPEARED TO BE SKID OR SOOT. MARKS. >> DROP EVERYTHING! DROP IT! >> ALL PEOPLE ONBOARD MANAGED TO. ESCAPE THROUGH THE EMERGENCY. EXITS. >> I WAS WALKING, AND I COULD.

SEE IT POSSIBLY CRASHED ON THE. AIRPORT. THE AIRPLANE FLIPPED. >> 18 PEOPLE INJURED AND. TRANSPORTED TO AREA HOSPITALS. INCLUDING TWO AIRLIFTED TO. TRAUMA CENTERS. ONE CHILD RUSHED TO CHILDREN'S. HOSPITAL IN TORONTO. >> I'VE SEEN A FEW PEOPLE ON. STRETCHERS THAT WE'VE. TRANSPORTED, AND I'VE SEEN ONE. PERSON WITH A SLING ON THEIR. ARM, AND I'VE SEEN OTHERS THAT. ARE JUST POTENTIALLY.

EXPOSURE-TYPE INJURIES, BECAUSE. IT IS VERY COLD HERE. A PLANE, A BOMBARDIER, CIJ 900. REGIONAL JET IN CANADA IS A. WORKHOUSE FOR SHORT HAUL FLIGHTS. WORLDWIDE. AT THE TIME OF THE CRASH IT WAS. 18 DEGREES WITH 20 TO 30 MILE. PER HOUR WINDS AND STRONG CROSS. WINDS. THE QUESTION FOR INVESTIGATORS, HOW AND WHY DID THE PLANE LOSE. AT LEAST ONE, MAYBE BOTH WINGS. ON LANDING AND THEN FLIP OVER. CAUSING JET FUEL TO SPILL ON TO. THE RUNWAY? >> I THINK IT'S POSSIBLE THE. WING MAY HAVE TOUCHED THE RUNWAY. DUE TO A GUST, AND IF THAT'S THE.

CASE THEN THE REST OF THIS MAKES. SENSE AND THE RECORDERS ARE. GOING TO SHOW THAT. >> IN A STATEMENT, DELTA SAYS. OUR PRIMARY FOCUS IS IMPACTED. THE FLIGHT WAS CARRYING A TOTAL. OF 80 PEOPLE, 76 PASSENGERS AND. FOUR CREW. THE INVESTIGATION WILL BE LED BY. THE CANADIAN TRANSPORTATION. SAFETY BOARD WITH BOTH THE FAA. AND NTSB ASSISTING. >> TOM, LET'S TALK ABOUT THOSE. CONDITIONS NOW. THE AIRPORT WAS DEALING WITH. BOTH WITH HEAVY SNOW AND AS.

WINDS GUSTING UP TO 38 MILES PER. HOUR. >> YEAH. IT WAS FRIGID. THE TOWER REPORTING WINDS FROM. THE WEST AT 28 MILES PER HOUR, GUSTING TO 48 AT THE TIME OF THE. CRASH AND AS WE SAID, 18 DEGREES. AND A LOT OF SNOW ON THE GROUND. THERE, TOM. >> TOM, WE ALSO HAVE THAT. INCREDIBLE VIDEO, RIGHT? TALK TO US ABOUT THE PILOT AND. THE CREW GETTING SO MANY OUT. SAFELY. >> YEAH. THE BOTTOM LINE HERE IN AN. EMERGENCY THE ORDERS FROM THE. FLIGHT DECK ARE GET OUT AS FAST.

AS YOU CAN AND THE PEOPLE. BUCKLED IN, THEY TELL THEM DON'T. GRAB YOUR BAG. DON'T GRAB YOUR SUITCASE, DON'T. GRAB YOUR COAT, GET OUT, GET. OUT, GET OUT! THAT'S PRIORITY FOR THE FLIGHT. ATTENDANTS AND HELP EVERYONE GET. OUT, AS WELL. >> TOM, WE THANK YOU FOR THAT. >> WE ARE JOINED BY JEFF. GAZETTI, A FORMER NTSB. INVESTIGATORS. JEFF, LOOKING AT THE AIM. KNOWLEDGES OF THE PLANE, UPSIDE.

DOWN, NO TAIL, A MISSING WING. WHAT DOES ALL OF THAT TELL YOU? >> WELL, IT TELLS ME THAT. SOMETHING WENT AWRY DURING. LANDING AND JUST AS THE CAPTAIN. INDICATED EARLIER, TYPICALLY. WHENEVER AN AIRPLANE ENDS UP. UPSIDE DOWN LIKE THIS, IT DRAGS. A WING AND THE WIND WAS COMING. FROM THE RIGHT CROSS WIND. MEANING YOU WOULD COUNTER WITH. LOWERING YOUR RIGHT WING AND. PERHAPS IT STRUCK SOMETHING AND.

CAUSED THE AIRPLANE TO CART. WHEEL, BUT YOU KNOW, THE. COMMERCIAL AIRLINE, VENTS LIKE. THIS SHOULD NOT OCCUR DURING. LANDING. >> JEFF GUZZETTI AS IT IS UNDER. WAY. WE THANK YOU FOR THAT. AND WHAT HAPPENED IN TORONTO IS. THE STRING OF HIGH-PROFILE. INCIDENTS AND SAM BROCK TAKES A. CLOSER LOOK. >> THE SURREAL SIGHT OF AN. OVERTURNED PLANE AT TORONTO'S. PEARSON INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT. JUST THE LATEST DISASTER TO. STRIKE OUR AIRWAYS IN ONLY THE.

LAST THREE WEEKS WITH THE. HORRIFYING D.C. COLLISION IN. LATE JANUARY, THE FIRST FATAL. COMMERCIAL PLANE CRASH IN THE. U.S. SINCE 2009 CLAIMING THE. LIVES OF 67 PEOPLE AND DAYS. LATER -- AN AIR AMBULANCE. CARRYING SIX CRASHED NEAR A MALL. IN NORTHEAST PHILADELPHIA. KILLING EVERYONE ONBOARD AND. ANOTHER OPINION IN A CAR, INJURING DOZENS. LESS THAN A WEEK AFTER THAT, A. SOBERING IMAGE POSTED BY THE. U.S. COAST GUARD FROM ALASKA. AFTER A REGIONAL FLIGHT CRASHED.

OFF THE COAST LEAVING TEN PEOPLE. DEAD. THE 78-YEAR-OLD PILOT ON A PLANE. CRASHED INTO THE SCOTT DALE. ARIZONA RUNWAY. >> PASSENGERS SHAKEN. >> IT IS NERVE-RACKING. I'LL BE COMPLETELY HONEST, IT IS. NERVE-RACKING. >> I DON'T FEEL SAFE BECAUSE. THERE'S SO MUCH STUFF GOING ON. >> AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLS. NATIONWIDE ARE STRAINED FOR.

PEOPLE AND RESOURCES. >> WE NEED TO MAKE IMPROVEMENTS. WHERE THE RECOMMENDATIONS AND. FINDINGS SUGGEST THEY NEED TO BE. MADE. THAT DOESN'T MEAN IT ISN'T. OVERALL A SAFE SYSTEM. >> A DEEPENING CONCERN OVER THE. STATE OF WHAT'S BEEN AN. EXCEEDINGLY SAFE INDUSTRY. SAM BROCK, NBC NEWS. >>> WE'RE ALSO FOLLOWING. BREAKING NEWS BACK HERE AT HOME. THE CATASTROPHIC FLOODS ACROSS. THE SOUTH. THE DEATH TOLL FROM THE WEEKEND. FLOODING IN KENTUCKY IS RIDING. AGAIN TONIGHT WITH THE YOUNG. CHILD AMONG THE LIVES LOST. MANY ARE BELIEVED STILL TO BE.

TRAPPED AND MORE STORMS. THREATENED TO CLEAN UP EFFORT. NBC'S SHAQ BREWSTER IS IN. EASTERN KENTUCKY TONIGHT AND. JOINS US LIVE. SHAQ, GOOD EVENING. >> GOOD EVENING, TOM AND JUST. LOOK AT WHAT THIS BACK ROAD HAS. TURNED INTO. YOU HAVE RUSHING WATER FILLING. THE BACKYARDS OF SEVERAL OF. THESE HOMES AND ONE NEIGHBOR. TELLING ME, SEVERAL FEET OF. WATER IS IN HER BASEMENT AND. THIS IS THE RESULT NOT OF A. SWOLLEN RIVER AND A MUDSLIDE. DIVERTED THE WATER LEAVING YET. ANOTHER NEIGHBORHOOD DEVASTATED.

>> TONIGHT, AS KENTUCKY'S. DEVASTATING FLOODWATERS RECEDE, THE RIVER IS BRACING FOR YET. ANOTHER ROUND OF STORMS. >> WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE GET. THE RESCUES DONE BEFORE THAT, THAT WE'RE NOT DOING BOAT. RESCUES IN A SNOWSTORM, AND. PROMPTING MORE THAN A THOUSAND. RESCUES. NEARLY 250 AIRLIFTED IN MARTIN. COUNTY TODAY. STACY SAID THE WATER CAME. RUSHING IN. >> I FELT LIKE I WAS GOING TO. DIE, REALLY. WE ENDED UP GOING IN THE AT.

BEING. >> YOU WERE TRAPPED HERE. >> YEAH. ABSOLUTELY. >> IN KENTUCKY'S HART COUNTY, A. 35-YEAR-OLD MOTHER AND HER. 5-YEAR-OLD DAUGHTER WERE KILLED. WHEN POLICE SAY THEIR VEHICLE. WAS SWEPT AWAY BY WATER. MORE THAN 300 ROADS ARE STILL. CLOSED. IN PIKE COUNTY, RESCUERS ARE. WORKING TO REACH THE MANY THEY. BELIEVE ARE STILL TRAPPED. >> THE MOST URGENT CONCERN RIGHT. NOW IS MAKING SURE THAT PEOPLE. NEED HELP THAT WE GET TO THOSE. PEOPLE. >> HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE WE. TALKING ABOUT? >> WE HAVE NO IDEA.

>> IN PLACES WHERE THE WATER HAS. MOVED ON THE DAUNTING FUTURE IS. NOW VISIBLE. >> AT ONE POINT THE COMMUNITY. WAS UNDER WATER AND NOW THEY'RE. PUSHING MUD OUT OF THE BUILDING. AND TRYING TO SAVE ANYTHING THEY. CAN. >> ACROSS KENTUCKY, SOME 10,000. REMAIN WITHOUT POWER AND NEARLY. 17,000 WITHOUT SAFE DRINKING. WATER. THIS WEEKEND STORMS ALSO SPAWNED. TORNADOS IN TENNESSEE, DAMAGING. CARS AND RIPPING OFF ROOFS AND. IN ATLANTA, A TREE COLLAPSED.

INTO A BEDROOM KILLING A. RESIDENT INSIDE. THE MOUNTING TOLL OF A SEVERE. WINTER STORM WITH YET ANOTHER ON. ITS WAY. SHAQUILLE BREWSTER, NBC NEWS, FLEMING, NEON, KEN PARTICULARY. >>> ALL RIGHT. LET'S GET RIGHT TO AL ROKER AND. AS WE HEARD FROM SHAQ THERE, THAT SAME AREA IS IN A MASSIVE. SECTION OF THE COUNTRY ABOUT TO. FACE WIND, SNOW AND. BONE-CHILLING COLD. >> THAT'S RIGHT, TOM. WE ARE LOOKING COAST TO COAST AT. THESE WINTER WEATHER ADVISORIES.

FOR 43 MILLION PEOPLE LITERALLY. FROM COAST TO COAST. WE ARE EXPECTING THIS SYSTEM TO. DIVE INTO THE PLAINS FOR. TOMORROW. GUSTY STORMS NEAR THE GULF COAST. AND WEDNESDAY THE STORM TRACKS. QUICKLY ACROSS THE TENNESSEE. RIVER VALLEY. WHILE NOT LOT OF SNOW, AND ALSO. IN THE MID-PLAINSES FROM SIX TO. INCHES OF SNOW. FROM THE DAKOTAS AND ALL OF THE. WAY TO TEXAS WE'RE TALKING 67.

MILLION PEOPLE AND WE'RE TALKING. WINDCHILLS FROM TEN TO 20. DEGREES BELOW ZERO. COMPLETE DETAILS COMING UP. TOMORROW MORNING ON "TODAY.". TOM? >> WE'LL STAY TRACKING IT ALL. WEEK AS WELL. AL, WE THANK YOU FOR THAT. >>> OVERSEAS NOW TO THE BATTLE. FOR THE FUTURE OF UKRAINE. TOP OFFICIALS FROM THE U.S. AND. RUSSIA WILL HOLD TALKS THIS WEEK. ABOUT ENDING THAT WAR, BUT. UKRAINIAN LEADERS AREN'T PART OF. THE DISCUSSIONS AND PRESIDENT. ZELENSKYY SAYS NO DEAL CAN BE. REACHED WITHOUT THEM.

RICHARD ENGEL REPORTS FROM. INSIDE UKRAINE. >> PRESIDENT TRUMP DISPATCHED. HIS TEAM TO SAUDI ARABIA TO. BEGIN THE MOST INTENSE. NEGOTIATIONS YET TO END THE WAR. IN UKRAINE. THE TALKS, WHICH COULD REDRAW. THE MAP OF UKRAINE AND HAVE. MAJOR IMPLICATIONS FOR THE. SECURITY OF EUROPE AND NATO. BEGIN WITH THE RUSSIAN SIDE. UKRAINE IS NOT INVITED. UKRAINIAN OFFICIALS TELLING NBC. NEWS THAT'S A TROUBLING SIGN. THERE'S AN OLD EXPRESSION IN. PEACE TALK, IF YOU'RE NOT AT THE.

TABLE YOU'RE ON IT. >> RUSSIA OCCUPIES 20% OF THE. TERRITORY IN THE EAST AND SOUTH. UKRAINIAN OFFICIALS FEAR. PRESIDENT TRUMP COULD CARVE OFF. THOSE AREAS AND CEDE THEM TO. PRESIDENT VLADIMIR PUTIN. >> PRESIDENT ZELENSKYY TOLD NBC. NEWS' KRISTEN WELKER UKRAINE. WILL NOT ACCEPT A DEAL THEY'RE. NOT PART OF. >> DO YOU FEEL YOU HAVE A SEAT. AT THE TABLE RIGHT NOW? >> I NOT ONLY COUNT ON IT, I AM. SURE WE HAVE TO BE THERE. OTHERWISE IT'S NOT ACCEPTABLE. >> EUROPEAN NATIONS ARE ALSO.

SHUT OUT OF THE TALKS SO TODAY. THEY CONVENED A LAST-MINUTE. EMERGENCY SUMMIT AMONG. THEMSELVES. IN UKRAINE'S FRONT LINE CITY OF. KHERSON THIS MORNING VOLUNTEERS. HELD A BELATED VALENTINE'S DAY. PARTY IN A SHELTER FOR CHILDREN. HERE WHO AFTER THREE YEARS ARE. STILL HIDING UNDER GROUND, NOT. GOING TO SCHOOL AND HARDLY EVER. PLAYING AND SOCIALIZING. YULIYA IS AN ORGANIZATIONER AND.

SAID, UKRAINIANS WANT PEACE AND. THEY WANT THEIR LEADERS TO HAVE. AN INPUT ON THE NEGOTIATION. >> THIS BY PRESIDENT TRUMP, DO. YOU SUPPORT IT OR ARE YOU NFSHS. ABOUT IT? >> IT'S CONFUSING AND IT'S GOING. QUICKLY AND YOU DON'T KNOW WHERE. IT'S GOING. >> PRESIDENT TRUMP SAID UKRAINE. WILL NOT BEING CLUDED FROM. NEGOTIATIONS AND AN ENVOY IS. EXPECTED LATER THIS WEEK, BUT. TALKS WITH RUSSIA DO APPEAR TO. BE THE PRIORITY AND PRESIDENT. TRUMP PLANS TO MEET WITH. VLADIMIR PUTIN SOON. TOM?

>> ALL RIGHT, RICHARD ENGEL FOR. US. RICHARD, WE THANK YOU FOR THAT. >>> IN 60 SECONDS, AS WE. CONTINUE TO TRACK THE PLANE. CRASH, THERE'S NEW CONCERN AS. THE TRUMP. >>> WE'RE BACK NOW WITH. QUESTIONS ON AIR SAFETY. THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION HAS. FIRED HUNDREDS OF FAA EMPLOYEES. PART OF IT IS EFFORT TO RESHAPE. THE FEDERAL WORKFORCE.

HERE'S KELLY O'DONNELL. >> WITH ALARMING REAL WORLD. INCIDENT, THE PUBLIC SAFETY. FACES AN INTERNAL TEST AS THE. FEDERAL WORKFORCE IS UNDER. SCRUTINY AND HIT WITH JOB CUTS. PRESIDENT TRUMP'S DEPARTMENT OF. GOVERNMENT EFFICIENCY AND ELON. MUSK'S DOGE TEAM CONTINUE TO. MAKE CUTS INCLUDING AT THE. FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION. CLOSE TO 300 FAA EMPLOYEES. TERMINATED THIS WEEKEND. ACCORDING TO A UNION THAT. REPRESENTS WORKERS THERE.

28-YEAR-OLD JASON KING WAS AT. FAA FOR EIGHT MONTHS. WHEN YOU WERE DOING YOUR JOB AT. FAA DID YOU THINK YOU WERE. HELPING TO MAKE THE PUBLIC. SAFER? >> I DID. >> HE WORRIES CUTS COULD BE TOO. DEEP. EVEN FOR THE PEOPLE THAT ARE. STILL THERE, THEIR WORKLOAD HAS. DRASTICALLY INCREASED, AND I. THINK THAT'S WHERE A BIG PART OF.

MY CONCERN WITH PUBLIC SAFETY. COMES IN. >> OTHER FEDERAL JOB CUTS MAY. ALSO BE LINKED TO PUBLIC SAFETY. 400 LAYOFFS AT HOMELAND SECURITY. INCLUDING 200 POSITIONS AT FEMA. THE FEDERAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT. AGENCY, HUNDREDS FIRED FROM THE. CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL. INCLUDING ABOUT TWO DOZEN WHO. SUPPORT OUTBREAK RESPONSE. ACCORDING TO AGENCY SOURCES. >> PROTESTS ACROSS THE COUNTRY. TURNING THIS PRESIDENTS DAY. HOLIDAY INTO A DAY OF ACTION,

FROM THE WINTER CHILL OF ALBANY. TO SUNSHINE IN ORLANDO. >> WE WIN! >> THE WEST COAST TO THE. NATION'S CAPITAL. >> THE PEOPLE ARE GOING TO FEEL. IT EVENTUALLY. >> MEANWHILE, AN EMPLOYEE. AFFILIATED WITH DOGE IS EXPECTED. TO SEEK ACCESS TO AN IRS SYSTEM. THAT HOLDS SENSITIVE. INFORMATION. STEPHEN MILLER INSISTS.

AMERICANS' FINANCIAL DATA IS. COMPLETELY SECURE. >> I GIVE YOU COMPLETE AND TOTAL. ASSURANCE ON THAT POINT. WE ARE TALKING ABOUT PERFORMING. A BASIC ANTI-FRAUD REVIEW TO. ENSURE THAT PEOPLE ARE NOT. ENGAGING IN LARGE-SCALE THEFT OF. FEDERAL TAXPAYER BENEFITS. >> KELLY, IS THERE NEW REACTION. TO THE FIRINGS AT THE FAA WITH. THIS NEW PLANE CRASH. >> WE HEARD FROM A DEMOCRATIC. SENATOR WHO SAID TODAY THAT. THESE CUTS HAVE INJECTED. UNNECESSARY RISK, BUT A.

SPOKESPERSON FOR THE DEPARTMENT. OF TRANSPORTATION SAYS THE FAA. IS CONTINUING TO HIRE AIR. TRAFFIC CONTROLLERS AND HAS. RETAINED EMPLOYEES WHO PERFORM. CRITICAL SAFETY FUNCTIONS. TOM? >> ALL RIGHT. KELLY O'DONNELL AT THE WHITE. HOUSE FOR US. THANK YOU. >> STILL AHEAD TONIGHT, A MAJOR. CASE THAT COULD BE THE FIRST. SUPREME COURT TEST OF ITS KIND. THE BIG. >> WELCOME BACK. THE U.S. JUSTICE DEPARTMENT IS. ASKING THE SUPREME COURT TO.

INTERVENE IN A CASE INVOLVING. THE FIRING OF A GOVERNMENT. ETHICS WATCHDOG BY PRESIDENT. TRUMP. NBC NEWS SENIOR LEGAL. CORRESPONDENT LAURA JARRETT. JOINS US WITH MORE. HOW LIKELY IS IT THAT THE. SUPREME COURT AGREES TO HEAR. THIS? >> THE PRESIDENT ONLY NEEDS FOUR. JUSTICES TO AGREE TO HEAR IT, BUT I'D BE SURPRISED THAT THEY'D. WEIGH IN AT THIS EARLY STAGE. GIVEN THAT IT'S WORKING ITS WAY. THROUGH THE LOWER COURTS. THE WATCHDOG FIRED SAID HE. SHOULD BE ABLE TO KEEP HIS JOB. BECAUSE OF THE FEDERAL LAW THAT. SHIELDS LEADERS OF INDEPENDENT.

AGENCIES EXCEPT IN LIMITED. CIRCUMSTANCES, BUT THE BROADER. QUESTION WHETHER MR. TRUMP HAS. THE AUTHORITY TO PUSH HIM OUT. COULD BE AN EARLY TEST OF HOW. THE SUPREME COURT'S CONSERVATIVE. MAJORITY VIEWS THE PRESIDENT'S, FORTS TO RESHAPE THE GOVERNMENT. AND GIVEN HOW MANY FEDERAL. WORKERS HAVE BEEN FIRED AT THIS. POINT, THE JUSTICES ARE LIKELY. TO TAKE UP THIS ISSUE AT SOME. POINT OR ANOTHER AT SOME POINT. SOON. >> LAURA, WE THANK YOU FOR THAT. >>> WHEN WE COME BACK, A STORY. YOU WILL NOT WANT TO MISS. THE BLACK CADDIES.

>>> IN THE CITY OF AUGUSTA, GEORGIA, HOME TO THAT LEGENDARY. GOLF UNCL, A MURAL IS ABOUT TO. BE UNVEILED DEDICATED TO THE MEN. OF GOLF WHOSE STORY YOU MAY NOT. KNOW. NBC'S PRISCILLA THOMPSON HAS. MORE ON THEIR ENDURING LEGACY. STILL FELT ON THE COURSE TODAY. >> I'M GOING TO BE YOUR CADDY. FOR THE DAY. >> ALL RIGHT. >> FOR YEARS, IT WAS J JIM DENT. WHO CARRIED THE BAGS OF GOLF.

LEGENDS. >> I'VE GOT YOUR CLUB HERE. CHOOSING THE CLUBS. >> THANK YOU, KENNEDY. >> THAT MIGHT LEAD THEM TO A. MASTERS WIN. WE'RE AT FOREST HILLS GOLF CLUB. TODAY. >> WOW. >> BUT AS A TEEN IN THE 1950s, DENT JOINED AUGUSTA NATIONAL'S. PLAYERS WERE REQUIRED TO USE AND. BEGAN LEARNING THE GAME OF GOLF. ON A COURSE HE WASN'T ALLOWED TO. PLAY. >> RACISM AND DISCRIMINATION, DID YOU EXPERIENCE ANY OF THAT?

>> OH, SURE, BUT IT DIDN'T. BOTHER ME. CADDIES FOCUSED ON READING THE. GREENS, BECOMING EXPERTS ON THE. COURSE FOR ARNOLD PALMER AND. JACK NICKLAUS. >> INSPIRED BY IT ALL DENT. DECIDED TO TAKE HIS SWING. >> IT WAS A LONG JOURNEY, TAKING. HIS SWING. >> IT WAS A LONG JOURNEY. IT WAS HARD. >> GOING ON TO WIN A DOZEN PGA. TOUR TOURNAMENTS. >> WHAT DID YOU FEEL LIKE THAT. FIRST JOB AS A CADDY GAVE YOU? >> IT GAVE ME EVERYTHING I OWN.

IF I HADN'T DONE CADDYING I. WOULD HAVE NEVER MADE A GOLFER. AND I WOULD HAVE NEVER MADE THE. MONEY I MADE, YOU KNOW? >> IN THE 1980s AFTER NEARLY 50. YEARS AUGUSTA NATIONALS BEGAN. ALLOWING OUTSIDE CADDYS AND THE. ALL-BLACK CADDIES ALL BE BUT. VANISHED. ROOTED IN RACISM. >> BY THE TIME CAME IT WAS EASY.

>> YOU WERE READY TO TAKE YOUR. PLACE OUT THERE. >> CLAIMING THEIR SPOT IN A. STORED TRADITION AS MASTERS OF. THE GREEN IN THEIR OWN RIGHT. PROSPECT PRISCILLA THOMPSON, NBC. NEWS, AUGUSTA, GEORGIA. >>> WE THANK PRISCILLA FOR THAT. STORY AND WE THANK YOU FOR. WATCHING "NIGHTLY NEWS " ON THI.