it is good to be back with you on this second hour of "chris jansing reports." at this hour, the e. jean carroll trial just back from a break after testimony that had donald trump slamming the table and shaking his hands in the air. what got him so riled up? plus, no lights, no sirens. what a 911 call reveals about the secretive ambulance pickup for defense secretary lloyd austin. pressing pause, why house republicans are slow rolling their crusade to hold hunter biden in contempt. and breaking news, the

princess patient, the surgery that will keep cape middleton hospitalized for up to two weeks, and the other major royal who is also headed for treatment. our nbc news reporters are following all the latest developments. we start with new york where e. jean carroll is getting back on the stand at this hour. nbc's rehema ellis has more. >> e. jean carroll has returned to the witness stand and before the lunch break as the judge sent the jury out for their lunch, there was a back and forth between donald trump and the judge. and it all refers to the fact that e. jean carroll's defense attorneys have been objecting to the fact, saying donald trump has been making gestures, shaking his head and making suggestions that e jean carol is

not telling the truth. at one point he slammed his hand down on the table. her attorneys say they heard him saying, it's a con job, it's a witch hunt. so the judge said to donald trump and his defense team, mr. trump has the right to be present here. that right can be forfeited if he's disruptive. if he disregards the court orders, mr. trump says, i don't have to consider excludeing you from the trial, he said. i hope you understand, you are very eager for me to do that. mr. trump then says, i would love it. i would love it. then trump boasts his hands in the air and shaking them. judge kaplan comes back and says, i know you would because you just can't control yourself in this circumstance. you just can't. at the beginning of this trial yesterday, before the jurors of nine members on the jury panel, seven men and two women were put in place, the judge said to both the defense and to the

plaintiffs that they cannot make any remarks that are disparaging. they can't say anything that can be within earshot of the jury that might attempt to influence the jury. so the judge in these remarks to donald trump outside of the purview of the jurors being able to hear it, he was admonishing him, telling him what he can not do. before all that happened in the morning session, the judge was also very admonishing at times of donald trump's defense attorney, elena aba, at some times, telling her to sit down. other times he was telling her to shut up and there were times he said he was going to ask certain questions in the courtroom of e. jean carroll, the judge looked at her and said lawyers don't tell me what they will be asking. i make the rulings here. sit down. but i should say also on one instance where e. jean carroll was attempting to testify, something in relation to how the issues of the sexual assault came about, t donald

trump's attorney objected and the judge sustained that objection. and that was on the grounds of the fact that he had said earlier this case is not being a litigation. we're not going to do a redo of the issue of sexual assault. this case is about damages, and the word he also used yesterday nd it's about punitive and punishment for mr. trump for the things he has said. e. jean carroll on her part, i should tell you, chris, has been telling this court what kind of harm, emotional harm she's been feeling in this, saying she's had death threats and even some of them so horrible they're difficult to describe. chris. >> even while you were speaking, she responded to donald trump saying he didn't know who she was, calling her a whack job, she said he was doing it to a large crowd and drawing laughs about sexual assault. i felt worthless. much more to come on this, as

again, she continues her testimony. rehema ellis, thank you. we are hearing the 911 call that was made before secretary lloyd austin's secret hospitalization, and it is sparking some controversy. nbc's courtney kube is following this for us. what does the tape reveal, courtney? >> what it shows is there was an effort to keep the secretary's hospitalization quiet from the very get-go, chris, in fact, from the moment that his aide, unidentified aide in this 911 call calls the emergency dispatch asking for an ambulance to take the secretary to walter reed. now, nbc news obtained part of that phone call. it is a little bit redacted yesterday, but it does shed some light on these efforts to keep this quiet. here's a little bit about what this aid said to the dispatcher. >> can i ask, can the ambulance not show up with lights and sirens. we're trying to remain a little subtle. >> yeah, i understand. yeah, usually when they turn

into a residential neighborhood they'll turn them off, but they're required by law to run with them with the main streets. >> reporter: so the aide there asking to keep it quiet when the ambulance came into the secretary's house, which we know from this call, it was the secretary's residence where he was picked up just after 7:00 p.m. this phone call was made on new year's day. the aide also asking the secretary be taken to walter reed medical center. we learned a little bit more in the day or two after we first heard about the secretary's hospitalization, defense officials said when he was taken to the hospital that night, he was conscious. well, that is also reflected in this call. he was conscious. he was aware of his surroundings, but he was experiencing severe pain at that time. there's a little bit more about his medical, exactly the sorts of symptoms that he was experiencing that night, but he was conscious, and he was aware

of his surroundings, according to the aide. so, again, a little bit more light shed on what has been a very secretive process from the time secretary austin was diagnosed with prostate cancer early in december to now, when he's at home working from home today. >> courtney kube, thank you, and in just a few moments, we'll get reaction from former defense secretary, leon panetta. stay tuned for that. house republicans push to hold the president's son in contempt is on pause, and talks of scheduling a testimony date have started up again. ryan nobles is live on capitol hill. what more can you tell us about these discussions? >> reporter: it appears that house republican leadership is willing to give hunter biden's legal team a little bit of space to come to the table and negotiate an opportunity for him to testify in a closed door deposition about his foreign business dealings as part of their larger impeachment inquiry. this comes after hunter biden's team said they wouldn't sit for

the deposition, and said they wouldn't sit in a public hearing. that led members of the judiciary committees to pass out a contempt resolution, hold hunter biden in contempt of congress and threaten that the full house could vote on the resolution, as soon as this week. late last week, hunter biden's legal team sending a letter, saying they are willing to come and testify behind closed doors if the committee issues a subpoena. they haven't taken the step of issuing a subpoena. we are told they are having conversations about what a deposition could potentially look like and when it would happen. there's no time line at this point as to when the actual deposition could take place. it's unlikely it will happen as soon as this week. house republican leaders made it clear today that if it doesn't appear at any point that hunter biden's team is backing away of their promise appearing behind closed doors, they will quickly move this resolution to the floor and hold him in contempt of congress.

the talks are ongoing. it looks encouraging, but at any point, they could fall apart, and hunter biden could find himself in a position where he's held in contempt of congress. >> ryan nobles, thank you. we're following breaking news from overseas, the princess of wales has been hospitalized. nbc's meagan fitzgerald is live outside the clinic in london. what more do we know about kate's condition? >> reporter: chris, good to be with you. what we know is according to kensington palace, the princess of wales underwent this planned abdominal surgery yesterday. it was successful, noncancerous. she's going to remain in the hospital behind me for two weeks. after that, she'll continue her recovery period at home. it is by medical advice. they are saying she not have public appearances, essentially not work until after easter, so we are talking about a significant amount of time here since the fact that we have not

seen kate middleton publicly since christmas. >> we learned today that king charles is going to get treatment soon. what can you tell us about him going to the hospital? >> reporter: you're absolutely right. we heard from buckingham palace, that king charles will be undergoing treatment for an enlarged prostate. his condition is benign, and his recovery will be a short recovery. they didn't elaborate on that, but he will not have public events until after that procedure, and after he has recovered. but, look, you know, the palace is saying the king has been intentional about releasing this level of information because he wants to inspire men all throughout the world if they sense that something is wrong, if they feel like they may have some symptoms, the urgency and importance around getting it checked. and it's also worth noting here that we don't typically see the palace releasing this level of information. we have been speaking with royal

experts about why are we getting all of this information so soon, as before it's about to happen or after it happened, indicating the prince of wales. this is likely lessons learned from the past, the importance of releasing accurate information to steer away speculation or rumors that could swirl. >> we wish them both the best and a speedy recovery. meagan fitzgerald, thank you for that. houthi rebels continuing their attacks on the red sea despite u.s. efforts to deter them. can anything stop this from becoming a broader war. former defense secretary leon panetta joins me to discuss that and much more in 60 seconds. d m. s we have been busy too innovating, sourcing organic ingredients testing them and...fermenting. fermenting? yeah, like kombucha or yogurt and we formulate everything so, your body can really truly absorb the natural goodness

that's what we do so you can do you new chapter. wellness well done ah, these bills are crazy. she has no idea she's sitting on a goldmine. well she doesn't know that if she owns a life insurance policy of $100,000 or more she can sell all or part of it to coventry for cash. even a term policy. even a term policy? even a term policy! find out if you're sitting on a goldmine. call coventry direct today at the number on your screen, or visit coventrydirect.com. with millions, maybe billions of dollars at stake, and those costs being passed on to consumers, the u.s. has put the houthi rebel group back on a list of terrorist organizations. over the past several weeks, those iran-backed houthi rebels

have fired dozens of missiles at ships in the red sea, upending global shipping routes and supply chains. one global logistics company estimates costs have soared by 300% since november. the new designation will put a strangle hold on the money that the houthis use to support terrorist attacks. joining us now, leon panetta, former defense secretary, former cia director, and former white house chief of staff, it's so good to see you. mr. secretary, houthis keep firing on ships despite all the actions that the u.s. has taken to try to deter them. how urgent is the need to get them to stop and what's going to work? >> well, it's extremely urgent because there's no question that a danger of escalation is increasing as a result of these attacks and counter attacks that are going on. that's the very definition of escalation that's taking place. nevertheless, i think the united

states and our allies have to make sure that these attacks on shipping are limited. and the only way to do that is to go after the missiles that the houthis are firing. look, the houthis are a very resilient gorilla force. let's not make any mistake about that. they took on the uae, saudi arabia, they're very good at being able to maneuver and hide where they're firing the missiles from. but i think what we need is good intelligence on the targets that we're going after because i think up to this point, the intelligence probably has been lacking as to where exactly these missile sites are located. >> so where does that intelligence come from? what's the chance we get it and quickly? >> well, as always, intelligence comes from two main sources. one is having people on the

ground, having spies on the ground, and i suspect that, you know, we probably lack those kinds of resources as sufficiently as we should in looking at yemen and particularly the houthis. in addition to that, obviously there's technologies, there's the ability to use drones, the ability to use space technology, and i'm sure we're looking at that as well. but what i do think is going to be important here is that we have got to get good intelligence up front very fast to make sure that we're hitting the houthis, particularly as they try to fire these missiles at the ships in the red sea. >> i also want to ask you, mr. secretary, about secretary lloyd austin, and the delayed disclosure about his hospitalization for prostate cancer. you said they dodged a bullet because if something happened in that gap, this could be a serious event. we're hearing the 911 call made

by his security team. i want to play some of that. >> can i ask, can the ambulance not show up with lights and sirens? we're trying to remain a little subtle. >> i wonder what your reaction is to that. does that suggest to you that from the very beginning they planned not to disclose this or is that something anyone in a high profile position in government would do? >> well, you know, going back to my days as chief of staff to the president, i'm not surprised by that call because i would think they would try to limit the attention that would be paid to the ambulance delivering secretary austin. that frankly doesn't surprise me that those efforts were made. nevertheless, i don't think it detracts from the larger issue that the secretary obviously took responsibility for, which was not to ultimately reveal the

situation with regards to his cancer to both the public and in particular, to the president and the white house. >> you were among a group of defense secretaries penned a letter, this was after the january 6th attack, and it warned that the military should not play a role in settling disputes about elections. however, nbc news has just reported a few days ago that lawmakers and public interest groups have expressed fears that if donald trump returns to the white house, he would use the military in dictatorial ways, for example, invoking the insurrection act if the midterm elections didn't go his way. do you share those concerns? >> oh, i don't think there's any question anybody that watched the president during the time he was in office, and his effort to use the military in trying to deal with a situation in lafayette park, and then

considering having aides who were considering using the military with regards to january 6th. there's just too much here to indicate that this president has any respect for keeping the military to its fundamental purpose which is to defend our country from foreign enemies and not to be used in law enforcement. i think there's no question that if elected president he probably would not hesitate to try to do everything he could to try to implement the military in various issues that he thinks could be helpful to him and to the issue he's dealing with. he just has no regard for, i think, the constitutional role of our military. >> secretary leon panetta, we really appreciate your time, sir, thank you. >> good to be with you. still ahead, deify kags of

donald trump, how the former president successfully is selling himself to a new type of evangelical voter. plus our new and exclusive interview, two students of palestinian descent, describe a harrowing experience, being shot in a suspected hate crime. t a migraine when it strikes and prevent migraine attacks, all in one. don't take if allergic to nurtec. allergic reactions can occur, even days after using. most common side effects were nausea, indigestion, and stomach pain. ask about nurtec odt. when you shop wayfair, nausea, indigestion, and stomach pain. you get big deals for your home - every day. so big, we'll have you saying... am i a big deal? yeah you are, because it's a big deal, when you get a big deal. wayfair deals so big that you might get a big head.

because with savings so real - you can get your dream sofa for half the price. wayfair. it's always a big deal. ♪ wayfair you've got just what i need ♪ here you go. is there anyway to get a better price on this? have you checked singlecare? whenever my customers ask how to get a better price on their meds, i always tell them about singlecare. it's a free app. accepted at major pharmacies nationwide. before i pick up my prescription at the pharmacy, i always check the singlecare price. it's quick, easy, and totally free to use. singlecare can literally beat my insurance copay. you just search for your prescription, and show your coupon in the app to your pharmacist. i just show you the coupon and i get this price? that's right! go to singlecare.com and start saving today. when my doctor gave me breztri for my copd things changed for me. breztri gave me better breathing, symptom improvement, and reduced flare-ups. breztri won't replace a rescue inhaler for sudden breathing problems. it is not for asthma. tell your doctor if you have a heart condition

or high blood pressure before taking it. don't take breztri more than prescribed. breztri may increase your risk of thrush, pneumonia, and osteoporosis. call your doctor if worsened breathing, chest pain, mouth or tongue swelling, problems urinating, vision changes, or eye pain occur. ask your doctor about breztri. bombas makes absurdly comfortable underwear. made to move with you, not on you. because your basic things should be your best things. one purchased equals one donated. visit bombas.com and get 20% off your first order.

(christina) with verizon business unlimited, one purchased equals one donated. i get 5g, truly unlimited data, and unlimited hotspot data. so, no matter what, i'm running this kitchen. (vo) make the switch. it's your business. it's your verizon. in order for small businesses to thrive, they need to be smart, efficient, savvy. making the most of every opportunity. that's why comcast business is introducing the small business bonus. for a limited time you can get up to $1000 prepaid card with qualifying internet.

yup, $1000. so switch to business internet from the company with the largest fastest reliable network. give your business a head start in 2024 with this great offer. plus, ask how to get up to $1000 prepaid card with qualifying internet. ken ken. it is one of the most counter intuitive changes in

politics, evangelicals devoutly loyal to him, a twice divorced businessman. a feeling summarized in a video shared by donald trump that you may have seen, suggesting he was divinely chosen to lead the country. here's a bit of that original. >> and on june 14th, 1946, god looked down on his planned parenthood paradise and said, i need a care taker so god gave us trump. god had to have somebody willing to go into the den of vipers, call out the fake news for their tongues as sharp as serpents, the poison of vipers is on their lips, and yet stop. so god made trump. >> well, now, this brand new ad from the lincoln projects, kind of spinning that concept. >> god said i need a man that failed in everything but they felt and broken promises to live in a golden promise and convince the poor, he made a dictator.

i need a wicked man to lead the common folk with hatred and fear, god made a dictator. i need a corrupt man above the law and immune from justice, god made a dictator. >> shaquille brewster is joining us, and senior adviser, tara set may r, who are youg to sway with this ad, it's not going to sway evangelicals, so what's the point? >> the point is they need to start paying attention to what's going on here with donald trump, christian nationalism and this idea that he is somehow a divine right of kings type of dictator that is ordained by god. this is so antithetical to what this country was founded on. it's antithetical to what our founders clearly said like john

adams who said the united states government is not founded on a christian religion, and i think a lot of people, particularly in swing states, swing state voters, independents, some of the softer republicans who we call ban in line voters who need a permission structure to vote for joe biden. these types of people need to see what the contrast is here, what we're actually up against, this undercurrent of the christian nationalism that is being put forth and accepted by the republican party as mainstream is dangerous to our democracy, and so whistleblower -- we're trying to point that out and get people's attention and realize this is what we're up against. >> it wasn't just the god made trump video, eric trump said his father saved christianity. ben carson a little earlier this week comparing trump to king david. listen to this. >> well, you know, you think about the bible, and king david. most of those people probably,

if they were alive back in those days would have said, oh, what a horrible guy. >> for the record, you're comparing him to king david and that worked out well for king david and this is another king david, right? >> i don't know about him king, but certainly he has some policies that are very worthwhile. >> ben carson is very popular with evangelical voters. tara, is the fact that so many evangelical voters turned out for trump in iowa proof that the messaging is working, is even your commercial, your ad proof that you know that messaging is working? >> well, it depends on who we're saying it's working for. obviously donald trump has been able to dupe christians in believing that somehow he's a godly man or they have decided that political power is more important than character, integrity or even following the gospels of jesus, because there's no way you can tell me that anything donald trump has said or done or how he conducts

himself is in line with what the gospel preaches, so, you know, this is something like i said, those people, they're going to have to answer for their decision to support someone as immoral as donald trump. we are focused on the people who are uncomfortable with the way donald trump has conducted himself, who are looking for an alternative, and it's an important that they understand that the republican party, the party i was part of for 27 years is no longer a mainstream party. it's a party that's accepting of this type of christian national radical extremism. and there is an alternative. that alternative is joe biden. in order to protect our democracy to move forward and not fall to a theocracy. if you look at mike johnson who's now speaker of the house, and some of these other people who are now mainstream in the republican party, they are perfectly okay with this, and continue to perpetuate it. i don't think the majority of americans are okay with america

going down the path of a christian national authoritarianism. i don't think so. that's who we're targeting, those people. >> let's go to the campaign trail. shaq, what are voters saying on this issue? >> reporter: chris, i'll tell you, this was a big issue we heard from voters in iowa. evangelical christian voters, made up a big share of the vote in iowa. donald trump won those evangelical voters. it was something that came up a lot with our colleagues who were at those caucuses earlier this week. it does relate to what we'll see in new hampshire. before we get there, i want you to listen to how much it came up from those voters in iowa. >> we need to put america first, and that's, god and trump are our only answer right now. i believe that. >> you know, you have to line up with the word of god, and so trump does. you know, he believes in people not having abortions and so do we. that's what the word of god says. so you have to line up with that if you're actually a believer.

>> and you know, god picks unusual people to do great works, and i think he's picking trump for a great work in our day. >> reporter: now, that was iowa where you saw trump have that dominant performance, while new hampshire does have a smaller base of evangelicals, less conservative than what you saw in iowa, there are more independents here. the dynamics are fundamentally different. what you saw out of iowa, those evangelical voters helped prop up trump, they helped form his base, and they're helping him with the momentum he's hoping to carry with him in this state, and making it harder for some of his competitors in this stays. it's something that comes up less among the voters. you see the impact still lingering from what you saw earlier in iowa. now to an nbc exclusive, two palestinian american students who were shot in vermont along with a third friend now talking publicly for the first time

about why they believe they were targeted. the shooting left one of them wheelchair bound after he was paralyzed from the chest down. nbc's tom llamas joins us now. it is powerful, emotional, tell us about your conversation. >> yeah, it's the first time that hisham awartani has spoken public about what happened. essentially they were three friends. they grew up together in the west bank. two are palestinian americans. they did everything together, including coming to college in the united states. they were hanging out at a relative's house during the thanksgiving break. they decided to walk out after they had gone to a bowling alley. they were talking about homework when this happened. >> talk to me about the night. what do you guys remember right before this happened. >> we were wearing the traditional palestinian head scarf for a variety of reasons, practically because it was really cold but on a more, meaningful sense, it's because we felt as palestinians during this time period, it's important

for us to show our identity, and to show that we exist, and that we're human. just walking along the street, you know, this man comes down the porch, approaches us, pulls out a pistol, and i just remember gunshots and falling down. >> did you know you were shot? >> i didn't quite process the fact until i looked at my phone and saw my phone had blood on it, and i was like i've been shot. >> was your mind comprehending this is happening in burlington, vermont, to me? >> not that i had always expected something like this to happen, but growing up in palestine, this was something i always thought was possible. >> did you think it would happen here? >> not really, no. i definitely expected it would happen in the west bank, but not in vermont. >> burlington, vermont, chris. so this young man now paralyzed, and yet, you know, we always learn things from interviews even though we have been doing this a long time. what these kids taught me,

hisham, he's paralyzed, he says he's one of the lucky ones, if this would have happened in gaza, he would have not gotten the care, the wheelchair. he might be dead right now. his mother said she's angry, but even more angry that somebody, an american looked at them, these are accusations, but looked at these three boys. they didn't see humans. they saw animals because of what they were wearing and saying. two were palestinian americans. >> will they ever dress like that again, is their life to live in fear of being who they are? >> it's a good question, i asked, what can you look forward to now, and he said that things change. and what does that mean, that things get better. this is a saturday thing that i got from the interview. talking to these guys, they're 20 years old, and so selfless, they kept going back to what was happening in gaza and how lucky they were to be here. and i said, do you have hope. they said, we have hope, but we don't have optimism, and that's a creed amongst palestinians.

>> impressive men and a great interview. you can catch more of that porf interview when it airs tonight on top story nbc news now streaming at 7:00 p.m. eastern. tom llamas, thank you so much. still ahead, biden and the big four. can a high profile meeting at the white house produce a long-awaited breakthrough on aid for ukraine. ant to feel protect! always discreet protects like no other. with double leak guards that help prevent gushes escaping from the sides. and a rapid dry core that locks in your heaviest gush quickly for up to zero leaks. always discreet- the protection we deserve! (man) mm, hey, honey. quickly for up to zero leaks. looks like my to-do list grew. "paint the bathroom, give baxter a bath, get life insurance," hm. i have a few minutes. i can do that now. oh, that fast? remember that colonial penn ad? i called and i got information. they sent the simple form i need to apply.

all i do is fill it out and send it back. well, that sounds too easy! (man) give a little information, check a few boxes, sign my name, done. they don't ask about your health? (man) no health questions. -physical exam? -don't need one. it's colonial penn guaranteed acceptance whole life insurance. if you're between the ages of 50 and 85, your acceptance is guaranteed in most states, even if you're not in the best health. options start at $9.95 a month, 35 cents a day. once insured, your rate will never increase. a lifetime rate lock guarantees it. keep in mind, this is lifetime protection. as long as you pay your premiums, it's yours to keep. call for more information and the simple form you need to apply today. there's no obligation, and you'll receive a free beneficiary planner just for calling.

♪ you were always so dedicated... ♪ we worked hard to build up the shop, save for college and our retirement. but we got there, thanks to our advisor and vanguard. now i see who all that hard work was for... it was always for you. seeing you carry on our legacy— i'm so proud. at vanguard, you're more than just an investor, you're an owner. setting up the future for the ones you love. that's the value of ownership. ♪ (upbeat music) ♪ ( ♪♪ ) with the push of a button, constant contact's ai tools help you know what to say,

even when you don't. hi! constant contact. helping the small stand tall. (christina) with verizon business unlimited, i get 5g, truly unlimited data, and unlimited hotspot data. constant contact. so, no matter what, i'm running this kitchen. (vo) make the switch. it's your business. it's your verizon.

an update now on the

defamation damages trial involving donald trump. cross-examination of e. jean carroll began just a few minutes ago with trump's attorney doing the questioning. it lasted only a short time before the judge called a halt, clearly frustrated with haba saying we are going to do it my way in the courtroom, and that is all there is to it. this is a tough day for haba and for trump who has been seen shaking his head in disbelief and complaining about carroll's testimony loud enough for the jury to hear. in fact, the judge threatened to throw trump out of his defamation trial. carroll testified that trump's attacks on her essentially ruined her life. she is asking the jury for damages of at least $10 million. right now, we're about half an hour away from a critical meeting at the white house. president biden hosting the big four congressional leaders, schumer, mcconnell, johnson and

jeffries, along with key committee leaders from both parties to see what if anything can be done to get that aid for ukraine and israel done amid a fierce debate over his border policy. nbc's kelly o'donnell is reporting for us from the white house. kelly, how high is the urgency to get this deal done and get it done soon? >> well, good afternoon, chris, time is limited. there is another peak moment, crisis moment for government here in terms of funding, which expires on friday. there's also the issue of trying to get from the president's point of view more funding for ukraine, and there's the discussion over border policy and funding. where president biden says he's willing to make changes on that concessions, if you will, but it's all about trying to negotiate these complex issues in an election year with realtime lines and real world consequences like support for israel and ukraine. and so he's bringing together not only these top leaders but also the key committee chair

people and ranking members who are really on the front lines of this. so the appropriations, the intelligence, foreign relations, and so forth. so this will be a meeting that will fill the cabinet room this afternoon. notably, the white house is not having any press coverage of this meeting. typically we would see meetings with elected leaders from capitol hill, and the president on various topics. they are choosing not to do that today, at least when last i checked, and this is a high priority, where the president believes there's been some progress, he has given some distance to try to allow lawmakers to work it out. but chuck schumer, the senate top democrat did give a preview of his expectations. >> i expect the meeting with president biden will reinforce something i have been saying all along. it's a matter of the highest national urgency that both parties keep working together to pass the supplemental. at stake is the security of our country. the survival of our friends in

ukraine. the safety of our friends in israel. and nothing less, nothing less than the future of western democracy. we cannot come short at this pivotal moment. we must stay the course until the job is done. >> you get a sense of the stakes there. these are big issues, but not an easy path. the white house indicates they believe there's been progress. that's also been said by mitch mcconnell, for example, on capitol hill that there's work being done, and they're getting there. will they get there in time, and can they come to a solution that all of them can live with, chris. >> the $6 million question, kelly o'donnell, thank you for that. adding to the list of problems for congress, and she touched on it, that rooming shut down. government shutdown deadline at the end of the week. i want to bring in republican congressman, greg murphy of north carolina. it's good to see you, congressman. right now, the hope is that a stopgap measure will pass, funding the government through early march. you've called out republican

colleagues in the past who are willing to shut down the government over the border. so what's your level of confidence right now that a shutdown can be avoided? >> i think it's high because we have a one-seat majority now, chris, and this is going to have to be probably a bipartisan effort. we're not going to be able to do things like a normal majority, whether it be republican or democrat, where those party bills are passed. we're going to have to make them bipartisan, and so i think the nation as a whole, the fact that we don't default, we don't crumble is of utmost importance, and i'm hopeful that my colleagues, while we didn't get everything we want, i think the spending level is higher than i would prefer. we have to put the country first. >> so do you think speaker johnson, then, is in the same position kevin mccarthy was in with this group of hard right lawmakers, and if so, do you think there's a chance he could suffer the same fate as mccarthy did? >> well, i think that would be extremely myopic, very

shortsighted, i don't think what happened with mccarthy was an absolute travesty and that was one person's vendetta against the speaker. that should never happen, republican or democrat moving forward, does nothing for the institution of congress, does nothing for the american people to have faith in their form of government. and so i would hope that we would never get to that place, chris. >> you hope it doesn't get to that place. i keep asking what's your level of confidence. what's your level of confidence that it won't? >> you can't ever predict anything here in washington, d.c. i don't have any perfect level of that. i hope we can maintain what we have right now. speaker johnson is a very smart, very confident individual in his role, he's still learning his role as it may, just like anybody would expect it to be. i think he's done a fabulous job coming in and taking a seat that just a few weeks ago would never be imagined he was doing. >> so we've talked a lot on this

program about the presidential race for obvious reasons. we are now into primary season, but this is going to be, i think we can agree, one heck of a fight for control of congress. the republican-led house is coming off a year when only 27 bills became law, despite more than 700 votes. that's a tally by "the new york times." so how do you convince voters things are better when republicans are in charge, or do you not convince them of that? >> well, chris, you have to remember, we have things passed like in the last section about a hairdo that was passed by the democratic majority. things that really didn't matter to the american people. we have not done as much as i had hoped, but we also don't need to have an oppressive government and pass everything for every intervention in government. we're already seeing the biden administration and all of their agencies pass more rules and interventions on the american

people than has ever be seen before. there is a balance passing bills and actually getting things done. we're hoping to achieve a better score on that during the second part of the cycle. >> i'm guessing the american people hope both sides come together get things done. we will watch carefully. congressman greg murphy, thank you for your time. >> thank you, chris. have a good day. >> you too. the extreme cold sweeping the nation, schools closed, flights canceled, football fans had to be rushed to the hospital with frostbite. and funny signs appearing on highways across the country, but why the federal government isn't laughing. that's next. (christina) with verizon business unlimited, i get 5g, truly unlimited data, and unlimited hotspot data.

so, no matter what, i'm running this kitchen. (vo) make the switch. it's your business. it's your verizon. students... students of any age, from anywhere. using our technology to power different ways of learning. so when minds grow, opportunities follow. ♪ have you ever wondered what an icon,... ...a legend,... ...a legacy,... ...a pop star,... ...and a tight end all have in common? they all got this season's updated covid-19 shot to help better protect them against recent variants. got it? ( ♪♪ ) got yours?

gwen: hi, we've both got a big birthday coming up. ( ♪♪ ) so we have a lot of questions about medicare plans. anne: we've got a lot of answers. how can i help? fran: well for starters, do you include hearing benefits? anne: how about a plan with dental, vision and hearing benefits? gwen: i sure like the sound of that! anne: then how does a zero dollar monthly plan premium sound? gwen & fran: ooooooooh! [laughs] avo: if you're new to medicare, call 1-888-65-aetna. we'll walk you through all your coverage and benefit options to help find the right plan for you.

when moderate to severe ulcerative colitis takes you off course. put it in check with rinvoq, a once-daily pill. when i wanted to see results fast, rinvoq delivered rapid symptom relief and helped leave bathroom urgency behind. check. when uc tried to slow me down... i got lasting, steroid-free remission with rinvoq. check. and when uc caused damage rinvoq came through

by visibly repairing my colon lining. check. rapid symptom relief... lasting steroid-free remission... ...and the chance to visibly repair the colon lining. check, check, and check. rinvoq can lower your ability to fight infections, including tb. serious infections and blood clots, some fatal; cancers, including lymphoma and skin cancer; death, heart attack, stroke, and tears in the stomach or intestines occurred. people 50 and older with at least 1 heart disease risk factor have higher risks. don't take if allergic to rinvoq as serious reactions can occur. tell your doctor if you are or may become pregnant. put uc in check and keep it there with rinvoq. ask your gastroenterologist about rinvoq and learn how abbvie can help you save. ♪ ♪ charlotte! charl!

every day can be extraordinary with rich, creamy, delicious fage total yogurt. for millions of americans right now, it is brutal to even step outside. there have been at least 16 deaths linked to winter weather since friday. in tennessee where temperatures are currently in single digits, a 66-year-old man died when he fell through his skylight while tryingo t snow off his roof. in oregon, more than 75,000 homes still don't have power, and officials say four people there have died from hypothermia. school was canceled for 1 million students nationwide even though the south and northern states are more accustomed to the snow. and missouri officials say 15 fans at the chiefs dalton game

had to be hospitalized for hypothermia and frostbite after sitting through windchills below 30 degrees. now, that is a fan. nbc's maggie vespa is recording on the ground in st. louis. looks cold where you are, what are the conditions today? >> reporter: well, chris, i got to tell you. you couldn't pay me enough money to stand outside at a football game today or prior to this. that's astounding. the windchill this morning was well into the sub zero category. it was painful when we came outside. i'll show you the roads, we talk about the extreme weather, that was what we saw like across the majority of the u.s. yesterday. we had insanely messy, icy roads in colorado, down in alabama. we saw a semitruck going off the road there. cars abandoned in missouri. it was just chaos, again, across so many states, so many part rs -- parts of the country.

you go to buffalo, new york, they got 40 inches of snow, though, over the weekend. that is extreme, and then even more extreme, the governor is warning people there to brace yourselves for at least three or up to three more feet with the next round of weather that could sweep across the country heading into the weekend. people are being told to hunter down. then this interesting headline coming out of chicago. it's obviously applicable everywhere, we have seen ev batteries and owners of electric vehicles basically complaining about their batteries saying that they're not able to withstand the brutal and in some cases, record cold that we have been enduring day-to-day today across the country. when temperatures actually below 20 degrees, ev batteries shrink, basically their distance, their range, by up to 41%. so you go only 60% as far as you

would during normal temperatures and a lot of that is because of the heating system the cars use. they're working so hard to keep the cars warm that you can't drive nearly as far. on the flip side, it takes owners a lot longer to charge their cars. they're waiting in line at charging stations for hours. people saying it's one of so many layers of the impact that is really throwing people after such a mild winter basically got turned on its head, and we could, chris, have more on the way. keep you posted. >> i was with you until more on the way, and then i stiffened up, but you're the one standing in the cold, so maggie vespa, i appreciate you, thank you. meantime, the federal government has decided that those humorous psa signs you sometimes see on major highways are a little too funny, and they're pulling them off the roads by 2026. nbc's joe fryer has the explanation. >> reporter: even when traffic is turbulent, the highways can be poetic, lined with messages

like don't be a stinker, use your blinker, courtesy of nevada. here's the massachusetts version of that bulletin. i'll spare you my boston accent. they are popular ways for states to encourage good driving behavior. four eyes in mississippi, two i's on the road. ohio, visiting inlaws, slow down, get there late. this hit movie motivated new jersey to write, hocus pocus drive with focus. the interstate translation, i'm just a sign asking a driver to use turn signals. the examples are numerous, but that's about to change. the federal highway administration just issued new rules banning messaging with popular culture references that are intended to be humorous saying they might be misunderstood or understood only by a limited segment of road users and require time to

process or understand. >> it's not going to be distracting to me to read something and go, huh, that's weird i don't get it and go on with my life. >> elise reicher lives in arizona which has an annual safety message contest. 3,700 entries were submitted last year, including reicher's winner phrase, seat belts always pass the vibe check. i love them, and i think keeping your nind active while driving is important. >> reporter: whether such messages are good because they engage your brain or bad because they're distracting is up for debate. regardless, soon they will be gone. hopefully you'll still keep your hands on the wheel, not your meal. >> joe fryer, thank you, and that is going to do it for us this hour. did you see the sign with baby yoda? our coverage continues with "katy tur reports" after the break. break. to keep wo if this is as good as it gets.

but trelegy has shown me that there's still beauty and breath to be had. because with three medicines in one inhaler, trelegy keeps my airways open and prevents future flare-ups. and with one dose a day, trelegy improves lung function so i can breathe more freely all day and night. trelegy won't replace a rescue inhaler for sudden breathing problems. tell your doctor if you have a heart condition or high blood pressure before taking it. do not take trelegy more than prescribed. trelegy may increase your risk of thrush, pneumonia, and osteoporosis. call your doctor if worsened breathing, chest pain, mouth or tongue swelling, problems urinating, vision changes, or eye pain occur. ♪ what a wonderful world ♪ ask your doctor about once-daily trelegy for copd because breathing should be beautiful.

(man) mm, hey, honey. ask your doctor about once-daily trelegy for copd looks like my to-do list grew. "paint the bathroom, give baxter a bath, get life insurance," hm. i have a few minutes. i can do that now. oh, that fast? remember that colonial penn ad? i called and i got information. they sent the simple form i need to apply. all i do is fill it out and send it back. well, that sounds too easy! (man) give a little information, check a few boxes, sign my name, done. they don't ask about your health? (man) no health questions. -physical exam? -don't need one. it's colonial penn guaranteed acceptance whole life insurance. if you're between the ages of 50 and 85, your acceptance is guaranteed in most states, even if you're not in the best health. options start at $9.95 a month, 35 cents a day. once insured, your rate will never increase. a lifetime rate lock guarantees it.

keep in mind, this is lifetime protection. as long as you pay your premiums, it's yours to keep. call for more information and the simple form you need to apply today. there's no obligation, and you'll receive a free beneficiary planner just for calling.