presumptive gop nominee donald trump again facing blowback for using language at a rally that harkens

political violence. we're live in d.c. with what both sides of the aisle are saying about the remarks. another victory in russia. vladimir putin winning a reelection that was never in doubt under a ruler notorious for quashing opposition. our team is live with what putin is now saying about the late opposition leader alexei navalny. the stage is set for college basketball's biggest tournament. we bring you the top seeds and early matchups in this year's march madness. the olympic games are just around the corner, and there is a new competition emerging, one that flies in the face of anti-doping rules and encourages players to use performance enhancers. and college students paying it forward, giving the prize of a lifetime to one security guard who they've come to consider as family. it's monday, march 18th. "early today" starts right now. hi there. i'm frances rivera. hope you have a good morning. we begin with the race for the white house. the week is starting with more fallout from

comments by former president trump, who said at a rally that there would be bloodbath -- it would be a bloodbath if he loses this election. nbc's brie jackson joins us now from d.c. brie, good morning. the trump campaign is saying these comments were never about actual violence. >> good morning. that's right. former president trump and his allies say he was obviously talking about an economic bloodbath. mr. trump was speaking about the auto industry and a potential trade war with china when he gave the warning about a bloodbath. take a listen. >> we're going put a 100% tariff on every single car that comes across the line. and you're not going to be able to sell those cars. if i get elected. now if i don't get elected, it's going to be a bloodbath for the whole -- that's going to be the leath of it. it's going to be a bloodbath for the country. that will be the least of it. >> reporter: now more republicans are being asked if these comments were appropriate. louisiana senator bill cassidy defended mr. trump on nbc's "meet

the press" but acknowledged that the rhetoric could be concerning for voters. >> he always walks up to the edge on that rhetoric. and again, that's why people are concerned. but sometimes the mainstream media, whether they want to or not can't resist and they go just a little bit too far, which distracts from what could be the impact. >> reporter: the biden-harris campaign reached a statement saying former president trump wants another january 6th. they say voters will reject his extremism and his affection for violence. but before speaking at the rally in ohio, mr. trump saluted as a rendition of the national anthem played, excuse me, by the january 6th prison choir, which features people who were arrested for the attack at the u.s. capitol. mr. trump referred to the january 6th rioters as hostages and patriots. frances?

>> brie, thanks for starting us off. now to a cross-country manhunt for a suspected killer that has come to an end. 33-year-old jaremy smith is in the hospital and in police custody after officers chased him on foot and shot him. smith is accused of killing new mexico officer justin hare on friday when hare had stopped to help him with a flat tire. smith had been driving a car that belonged to phonesia machado-fore, a paramedic from south carolina who was found dead on friday. smith is a person of interest in that case. russian president vladimir putin was re-elected this weekend with a whopping 88% take of the vote. in the west, his victory is being regarded as a forgone conclusion. international observers and even the u.s. state department say that russia largely conducts, quote, sham elections. let's go live now to claudio lavanga, who is standing by with the latest. but first, claudio, remind our viewers why these elects are not seen as free and fair. >> good morning, frances. well, with 93% of the

ballots counted now, it looks like at least on paper it's another landslide victory for vladimir putin, who received more, almost 88% of the votes as you mentioned. this means that he is going to extend his almost 25 years in power already with another six years as president. but as you mentioned, this came to nobody's surprise of course because the u.s. and other western countries call this election not free nor fair for a number of reasons. well, first of all, three contenders in the election were practically unknown, and they received 3% to 4%. they were seen as token rivals. and then there is very limited if no independent monitoring of elections in russia. and most importantly, the real critics, the real political contenders of opposition to vladimir putin are either in exile or in jail or dead, just as of course alexei navalny, who died in that prison almost a month ago. talking about naval any, our own nbc news

foreign correspondent keir simmons did ask about alexei navalny and putin for the first time mentmentioning navalny by name saying he, putin agreed before navalny died that he agreed with swapping for other prisoners in western continues. but after that, he died, unfortunately, concluding by saying, well, that's life. now five seriouses told nbc news that such a deal was being negotiated, but it was not imminent when navalny died on february 16th. frances? >> okay, claudio, thank you. turning now to iceland, where there is a state of emergency following another powerful volcanic eruption. nbc's josh lederman has the astonishing new images. >> reporter: a blazing wall of lava is spreading across southern iceland. a volcano spewing bright orange smoke seen here in stunning photos from a coast guard helicopter for the fourth time in as many months. this time threatening

iceland's most famous tourist attraction, the blue lagoon hot spring where bathers had just minutes to flee. >> we are evacuating. >> look at that. wow! >> reporter: american melissa's vacation with her husband interrupted mid-meal. >> as the waitress was bringing my wine we heard the sound go off and that's when my husband and i looked at each other and they said okay. evacuation en route. >> reporter: local media say hundreds in a town near the blue lagoon have now fled to safety. >> everybody was steady and prepared. >> meteorological authorities say the volcano erupted in 40 minutes and carved a fissure into the earth nearly two miles long triggering a state of emergency, an orange glow visible for more than 20 miles away in reykjavik, the capital. volcanos are common in iceland, which sits atop a geological hot spot. this volcano has been erupting roughly once a month since december, but this eruption appears to be the biggest yet.

no deaths have been reported and defensive barriers built to contain the lava are holding so far. but scientists say it may only be the beginning. >> we might have eruptions in the peninsula on and off for the next few hundred years. >> reporter: a fiery future for an island where volcanoes are a fact of life. josh lederman, nbc news. okay. let's turn to the weather now. don't get used to those springtime temperatures just yet. nbc meteorologist michelle grossman is tracking a new cold front. michelle, good morning. just in time for what is the start of spring tomorrow? >> yes, i know, tomorrow is the first day that spring does arrive, and it feels like winter in many, many spots. we even have freeze alerts. that's really tonight into tomorrow for 22 million people. look at all the pink here. that's a freeze warning. tupelo down to montgomery, you're under a freeze warning. that means you need to cover hose plants, any sensitive plants. also protect the pipes as you head into tonight into tomorrow. this is why we're

looking at temperatures well below normal. it's going to be chilly today, chilly tomorrow, and we start to rebound on wednesday. nashville 14 degrees below what is typical, only in the 40s. 7 degrees below what is typical for this time of year. another cool day, 59 in nashville. rebound into the upper 60s by wednesday. same story in atlanta. 59 tomorrow, into the 70s wednesday and thursday. so feeling cooler there. feeling like winter along the great lakes. we're expecting snow. we're seeing snow falling. is up to 5 to 9 inches of the southeast. a cold night tonight. 48 degrees in nashville. 59 in jackson. 61 in montgomery. all right. that's your monday forecast. >> okay. thank you so much. over the weekend,

cities across the nation became a sea of green as residents celebrated st. patrick's day. boston, which has one of the largest irish populations in the country had a major turnout for its st. paddy's day parade. and in new york, an estimated two million lined 50 avenue to watch bagpiper, floats, and more. farther west, the windy city kept up its annual strad of dyeing the chicago river green for its 69th year. coming up, march madness is officially tipping off. the surprises from selection sunday. and a competition with a little extra juice. the new event literally promising to be the olympics on steroids. (♪♪) is he? confidently walking 8 long haired dogs and living as if he doesn't have allergies? yeah. fast relief of your worst allergy symptoms, like nasal congestion. [♪♪] looking for a moisturizer that does more than just moisturize? try olay regenerist for 10 benefits in every jar. olay visibly firms, lifts, and smooths wrinkles,

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melas. >> athletes some considered the greatest in their sports. >> a new book is claiming that san francisco slugger barry bonds used steroids for at least five seasons. >> sources say rodriguez admitted buying banned drugs. >> the one-time icon of sports in america stripped today of his seven toured titles. >> reporter: now one group wants to celebrate athletes who make that choice. they're calling it the enhanced game, set for next summer. and they plan to let athletes use prescription drugs, like steroids in the competition. >> the enhanced games is the third version of the olympic games. and now we're reinventing it once again for the 21st century. >> reporter: that's aaron desouza, the australian businessman whose vision has attracted the attention and money of billionaire right wing activist peter thiel. we'll see sfooif core sports, track and field, swimming, gymnastics, weightlifting and combat sports. and drugs are allowed, including ones on the world anti-doping

agency's list, from anabolic steroids, which boosts muscle strength, stimulants that can make the heart pump faster, to cannabis, even over-the-counter cold drugs like sudafed. the olympics stripping medals from athletes who take them like lance armstrong, marion jones and skater kamila valieva, the biggest name hurt by russia's state sponsored doping scandal. in a statement, wada condemned the enhanced games, saying, quote, the health and well-being of athletes is the number one priority. clearly this event would jeopardize both. but desouza cites a study commissioned by wada showing more than 40% of athletes had used banned supplements in the previous year. what would you say to your aedversaries who are not supportive about this, that the olympics is a clean environment to show how far you can push the human body on an even playing field? >> well, it's a different playing field. the olympics are like the opera. and we're like a rock

concert. we want to be like taylor swift eras tour. >> reporter: desouza says doctors will monitor athletes who use the drugs and give health screenings. but is there any safe amount of some of these drugs? medical experts say it's tricky. >> if you're using the lowest dose possible for the shortest duration possible and you've been selected as an appropriate candidate for that particular use, then i think you can probably do it safely. but this open endedness, that's where we start to see problems. >> reporter: there is another factor, money. the games, which have not secured a tv deal yet, promise athletes a fair based sally to be announced later plus bonuses. a huge contrast to the international olympic committee, which does not pay medalists. that's left to home countries to decide. and in the u.s., only medalists get paid, about 30,000 for gold. way less than the minimum salaries in the big four men's sports here in the u.s. the promise of a payout appealing to swimmer james magnuson, a three time medalist from australia who says he has never used

steroids, but vowed to, quote, juice to the gills to get a seven figure bonus if he can break the 50 meter freestyle record. magnuson tells me the enhanced games are safe for athletes of his level, in part because of the honesty behind it. >> we're going to do this in the open. there is no secrecy. it's not done in the shadows. i'll document it and be completely open and honest with everything i take, how it's making me feel. how my performance is affected. . >> our thanks to chloe for that report. still to come, a history-making finish at the players championship, and the madness has returned. we break down the top gay ds and the earl mes of the springtime sports tradition, right after this. [dog whimpers] [thinking] why always the couch? does he need to go to puppy school? get his little puppy diploma? how much have i been spending on this little guy? when your questions about life turn into questions about money... there's erica.

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the stage is set for college sports premier event. the brackets for the ncaa college basketball tournament were revealed on sunday's selection, or selection sunday.

in the men's tournament, uconn is beginning with the first overall one seed in program history. they will face tournament new comers stetson on friday. north carolina laid claim to the top spot in the west, while perdue will look to avenge their historic first round knockout from last year, taking the top seed in the midwest. houston rounds out the top dogs in the men's tournament with the number one spot in the south. over on the women's side, caitlin clark has a chance to add a national title to her historic final season at iowa. the hawkeyes claimed the top spot for albany regional 2. undefeated powerhouse south carolina locked up the tournament's overall one seed in albany regional one. texas and usc round out the number one seeds for the women's tournament. the madness begins thursday night as eight teams on the fringe compete for a spot in the 64-team opening round. so it's going to be all the buzz. >> so fun. >> brackets and all the action. >> have you ever sat there all day long with friends doing

this bracket thing? because it's really fun. >> not without a major adviser pretty much saying what do i do. >> blindly, just circle and see what happens. sometimes it works. >> that's part of the fun. >> exactly. over in golf, scottie scheffler's fate was in the hands of three other golfers sunday after finishing 20 under at the final round of the players championship. the world number one watched from afar as xander schauffele, brian harman and wyndham clark all one stroke behind attempted to force a play-off. it wyndham taking a shot at scheffler with a putt i'll never forget. >> unbelievable! >> that hurts. well, clark's heartbreak still ended up making history. scheffler won his second players championship title in a row, becoming the first golfer in 50 years of the tournament with back-to-back wins. and scheffler is such a good guy. his wife is so sweet. they're a cute little crew. so it's nice to see

him win again. >> that putt, though, is so, so, you know the could have, would have, should haves. >> and then it gets in your head. >> and stays there a lot of times too. coming up, a new report on how spacex may be helping u.s. surveillance. and love is in the r. wee got the latest statistics on marriages in the u.s. >> that's good. retinol24 renews millions of surface skin cells while you sleep. wake up to smoother, younger-looking skin with olay retinol24. can the flavor of a slow cooked smoked sausage be so gloriously delicious that the sight of its sizzling makes your tastebuds weep? if it's hillshire farm, oh, hill yeah.™

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you're about to see a man literally moved to tears. >> we have a gift inside. >> why such a small gift warranted such a big reaction. take a listen. [ cheering ] >> reporter: the man in the video is providence college's security guard james mogaji. and this student love and respect for him is so genuine, it inspired them to do something not worth any grade, but certainly wrt some credit. >> and you told us a while ago that you wanted to see your family in nigeria. >> yeah. >> which you haven't seen in a long time. >> ten years to be exact. so when the moment came to find a way to repay the man, who is not just seen as another authority figure, but rather a member of the family, students of raymond hall started a fundraiser to get james back home to nigeria to see his family, easily exceeding their original goal of $3500. >> take care of our own. as long as i've been

here, they've been here for, and for each other. so now we're doing it for you. >> looking back and seeing the video again, what goes through your mind seeing his reference, what you guys did for him, and being able to pay it forward in such a big way? >> it's just like unfathomable appreciation. i mean, james is -- he is a hard worker. i'm glad that myself and the pd community and the greater community, the greater world community was able to meet and surpass a need that james had. >> reporter: to say the man in the hour was taken back is an understatement. >> oh my god, guys, oh. all i'm trying to do is do the right thing and make sure i'm doing good by you guys. >> reporter: and like most mentors, he took his moment to focus on those who matter to him most, all right there in that room. >> i pray from the bottom of my heart

that god will continue to protect you guys, to make sure that you achieve your goals. >> you can bet james will be right there alongside them, because that's what family does. >> i think that just being able to be so blessed and also bless others, there is nothing better than that. i believe that's our mission. that's our purpose. we're here on earth to use what we are given to give. >> reporter: george solis, nbc news. >> what a great example of community and his kindness and giving there from all of them. love this to start off our week. thanks for kicking off monday with "early today." i'm frances rivera. hope you have a great tart to it. hope to see yoback hereu t

house heats up, so does the rhetoric. donald trump vowing there will be a blood bath if he loses th