Good Thursday afternoon. The special counsel’s office has obtained a recording of former President Trump discussing a classified document in his possession, a source tells NBC News, the debt bill is being debated in the Senate after the House passed it, and the military has joined the battle against intense wildfires in Canada.
Good Thursday afternoon. The special counsel’s office has obtained a recording of former President Trump discussing a classified document in his possession, a source tells NBC News, the debt bill is being debated in the Senate after the House passed it, and the military has joined the battle against intense wildfires in Canada. Here is what’s in our Nightly Rundown. |
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Special counsel has tape of Trump discussing classified document he kept after leaving office |
There is a new development in the classified document investigation involving former President Donald Trump. The office of special counsel Jack Smith has obtained a recording of Trump discussing a classified planning document he had taken from his time at the White House, a source directly familiar with the matter has told NBC News. The source said that the document was related to Iran, and that Trump acknowledged on the tape that it was classified. The source said the 2021 tape was played during testimony provided to the grand jury that has been investigating Trump's handling of classified documents. CNN first reported that federal officials had the recording. NBC News has not heard it. Trump has denied any wrongdoing related to allegations that he mishandled more than 100 classified documents discovered at his Florida resort. After reports of the recording surfaced last night, a Trump spokesperson said in a statement: “Leaks from radical partisans behind this political persecution are designed to inflame tensions and continue the media’s harassment of President Trump and his supporters.” The statement added: “It’s just more proof that when it comes to President Trump, there are absolutely no depths to which they will not sink as they pursue their witch hunts. The DOJ’s continued interference in the presidential election is shameful and this meritless investigation should cease wasting the American taxpayer’s money on Democrat political objectives.” |
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Debt limit bill now in the Senate after House passage |
With just days before a potential government default, the battle shifted to the Senate after the House last night overwhelmingly passed a bill to raise the debt limit. In the Senate, the bill needs 60 votes to pass, and both Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Minority Leader Mitch McConnell have endorsed it. Schumer said today the Senate will stay in session until the bill is passed. After last night’s House vote, President Joe Biden said in a statement that “this budget agreement is a bipartisan compromise,” adding that “neither side got everything it wanted. That’s the responsibility of governing.” The bill includes modest spending cuts and would suspend the borrowing limit until the start of 2025. |
Worsening wildfire emergency in Canada |
Canadian officials say they are sending the military to Nova Scotia to help battle wildfires, Reuters reported. Two large wildfires are burning not far from Halifax, Nova Scotia’s provincial capital, and have forced the evacuation of about 18,000 people. Bill Blair, Canada’s emergency preparedness minister, says 211 wildfires are burning throughout Canada, with 82 of them out of control. The fires have led to the evacuation of about 28,000 throughout Canada. The military will provide equipment and personnel in Nova Scotia to relieve firefighters who have been battling the blazes. |
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Tropical disturbance on first day of Atlantic hurricane season |
On this first day of the Atlantic hurricane season, forecasters say there’s a 50 percent chance that a tropical disturbance in the Gulf of Mexico could become a tropical depression or storm. Parts of Florida could see heavy rainfall through the coming weekend and flood watches have been issued for much of southeast Florida through tomorrow. Elsewhere, temperatures soared today from the Midwest to New England with some highs expected to reach the low 90s. Several records could be broken as highs reach 10-20 degrees above average. |
Companies add 278,000 jobs in May, beating expectations |
The payroll processing firm ADP reported that companies added 278,000 jobs in May, far surpassing the 180,000 that economists had estimated. It said the increases were mainly in leisure and hospitality and natural resources and mining. The figures were released a day ahead of the Labor Department’s jobs report for May. President Biden tweeted: “Over the course of my presidency, we've added 12.7 million jobs and achieved the lowest unemployment rate in over 50 years. He added that “the bipartisan budget agreement helps protect that progress,” referring to the debt-limit in Congress. |
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What else we're watching: |
The city of Davenport, Iowa, said three people are still unaccounted for, four days after the partial collapse of an apartment building. In a statement, the city said the three had “high probability of being home at the time of the collapse and their apartments were located in the collapse zone.” |
Singer Billy Joel announced that after 10 years, he will end his monthly residency at New York’s Madison Square Garden in July 2024 with his 150th concert there. |
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Watch us this evening at 6:30 p.m. ET / 5:30 p.m. CT on NBC, or check your local NBC station listing. After the broadcast, access Nightly News video on NBCNightlyNews.com or the NBC News app. |
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