i'll say what city hall insiders won't. we have a drug, homelessness, and economic recovery crisis, because the system that's supposed to fix things is the problem. record budgets. fewer officers. business killing bureaucracy. the insiders won't change a system built for their benefit. i'm daniel lurie and san francisco needs a mayor unafraid to take on the status quo, bring accountability, and stop the excuses. tonight, our nbc news exclusive. one-on-one with donald trump. his first on-camera comments on the firestorm involving his campaign's altercation at arlington national cemetery. the u.s. army today confirming a female cemetery worker was, quote, abruptly pushed

aside by mr. trump's staff when she tried to enforce rules prohibiting political activity on the grounds. the campaign later releasing video of mr. trump in a restricted area and seen giving a thumb's up at the grave of a fallen soldier. what mr. trump told us, and his new comments on the assassination attempt and that if elected, he would mandate insurance companies to cover ivf treatments. also tonight kamala harris and tim walz sitting down for their first joint interview. how harris is responding to she flip-flopped on policies and what she said about including a republican in her cabinet. the labor day travel rush kicking off. the severe storms that could disrupt your trip. the failures in dozens of cases involving child sexual abuse still happening years after the fbi admitted botching the larry nassar case. growing concerns about mosquito-borne viruses. you'll hear from a family speaking out

after their 18-year-old was left paralyzed and fighting for his life. and a crash and dash sport thrilling the paris paralympics. and this year team usa has the history-making secret weapon. >> announcer: this is "nbc nightly news" with lester holt. >> and good evening. i'm tom llamas in for lester. it has been a blockbuster night on the campaign trail, and we begin with our exclusive interview with former president trump. tonight we asked him about that appearance at arlington national cemetery which is being criticized for bringing politics into the hallowed ground of arlington. specifically, for video and photographs of the former president laying a wreath in honor of service members killed in afghanistan and posing with family members among the headstones, giving a thumb's up. tonight mr. trump defending his arlington appearance saying that he was not thinking about his campaign, that he was asked for a photograph by family members who lost their children in

the chaotic afghanistan withdrawal he says was caused by the biden white house. meanwhile, vice president kamala harris campaigning in the deep south, making news with her first interview since she launched her campaign. but we start tonight with dasha burns' exclusive. >> reporter: tonight former president donald trump back in the battleground state of michigan making light of his comment about the controversy over his visit to arlington national cemetery earthier this week. >> i was asked to go there by people who lost their child because of biden and harris, because their pullout was so bad of afghanistan, they lost their child. and all of the sudden i hear that somebody that i have no idea who it is got into an argument with somebody else at the cemetery about pictures being taken. i took them at the request of the families, and i'm very happy i did. >> reporter: in a statement today, an army spokesperson said that defense department regulations, quote, clearly

prohibit political activities on cemetery grounds, and that a cemetery employee was, quote, abruptly pushed aside when trying to assure adherence to those roles. >> we lost 13 great, great people. >> reporter: the campaign on tuesday posting th laying a wreath at the tomb of the unknown soldier and then posing among grave sites with family of service members killed in the attack at abbeygate and afghanistan. >> we have a lot of people. we have tiktok people. we're leading the internet. >> reporter: but on that hallowed ground, should they have put out the images? >> i don't know what the rules and regulations are. i don't know who did it. it could have been then. it could have been the parents. >> it was your campaign's tiktok account. >> i don't know anything about it. i stood there and said if you would like to have a picture we can have a picture. >> reporter: the former president also reflecting on the assassination attempt against him in butler, pennsylvania. i wonder, having come so close, do you feel safe these days? >> it was incredible that that happened, that i was turned at

that particular point where something, the shooters would say was almost 100% that bad things would have happened. so i view it as, you know, very positive event. maybe it's positive because somebody wants me to take care of our country which is failing so badly. >> reporter: the former president also suggesting first the nbc news if he were reelected, fertility treatments would be covered without giving specifics on how. >> under the trump administration, we are going to be paying for that treatment. so we are paying for that treatment. >> reporter: all americans who want it? >> all americans to get it. for all americans that need it. >> all right, dasha, let's pick up right there on that ivf proposal. do we have any idea how much it would cost the government to pay for those? >> tom, we actually did the math, and it would cost around $7.8 billion annually. meanwhile, the harris campaign is responding saying in part because trump overturned roe v. wade, ivf is already under attack. mr. trump looking to make inroads and headlines on a big

night for vice president harris. tom? >> all right, dasha burns with that big exclusive tonight. flow to the first joint interview with vice president kamala harris and running mate tim walz, all as they campaign together in the deep south. reporting tonight from savannah, georgia. >> reporter: tonight after growing pressure to take questions and details on specific policy, vice president harris and tim walz are sitting down for their first interview since harris entered the race nearly six weeks ago. pressed by cnn why her position on some issues have changed. >> i think the most important and the most significant aspect of my policy perspective and decisions is my values have not changed. >> reporter: and saying she would want a republican in her cabinet. >> it's important to have people at the table when some of the most important decisions are being made that have different views, different experiences. >> reporter: it comes as harris is going where no democratic presidential nomination has gone in three days.

>> oh, it's good to be back in savannah! >> reporter: wrapping up a two-day bus tour in southeast georgia, a blue county in a largely red region where the campaign is hoping to tighten former president trump's margins and to repeat joe biden's 2020 victory in this critical battleground state. the latest polls show a competitive race with harris narrowly leading mr. trump in georgia as well as arizona and nevada, all still within the margin of error. same story in north carolina. but mr. trump has a slight lead there. clinton edminister owns an art supply shop in savannah. he has reservations about president biden's age, but is eager to vote for harris. what is it about kamala harris that gives you confidence the democrats can win back the white house this fall? >> it's absolutely her confidence and her enthusiasm. and you need that in order to run a campaign. >> reporter: tyler merritt, the founder of nine line clothing apparent is supporting mr. trump. >> policy number 5 on the agenda is to bring manufacturing back to the united states, to stop outsourcing and to allow us to bring the living wages that

we need to support our families here in the united states. >> reporter: maria kato is a floral designer for weddings, most concerned about her business that has been hard-hit by inflation. you haven't decided who to vote for? >> no, because i'm waiting to see policies. that's going to help us on these things. one of the reasons i'm really hurting. >> all right. peter joins us now live. peter, we're learning more about how the vice president is preparing for the debate in less than two weeks? >> tom, multiple sources tell nbc news that vice president harris has been holding prep sessions between campaign stops and her official duties. and among her goals, according to one source, is to figure out how best to needle mr. trump to get him to appear unhinged. as the source said, to get trump to go full trump. tom? >> all right, peter alexander for us. now to that severe weather rocking flyers, and the possibility of more to come as we head into a record holiday weekend of travel. here is priscilla thompson. >> reporter: massive tornadoes tearing through the dakotas. dozens of freight cars flung off the tracks in north dakota after

five reported twisters slammed the region overnight. >> lock the window! >> reporter: the treacherous weather moving in just as millions are eager to get out. you're leaving today. why? >> definitely because fridays are already chaotic. and a three-day weekend. >> reporter: but harrowing moments in the sky wednesday after this united airlines flight hit severe turbulence. >> i wasn't sure if we were going down, honestly. it was -- it was very scary. >> reporter: one person hospitalized and six others injured officials say after that chicago-bound plane was forced to land in memphis. >> it was pretty intense. actually, i saw one of the ladies that hit the roof and then landed on top of me and the other passengers. >> reporter: the long weekend also off to a bumpy start in denver. a packed terminal after a mechanical issue shut down trains between concourses for hours. >> you couldn't get on and you couldn't get off once you did get on. >> reporter: and the headaches may not be over yet. millions are under threat of severe storms tonight and

through the weekend which could impact airport hubs in seven major cities as tsa prepares to screen more than 17 million passengers. there is good news for those hitting the road, though. gas prices are down 50 cents from a year ago. and as you can see, there are lines of folks here sneaking one final getaway marking the end of this red-hot summer of travel. tom? >> all right, priscilla, we thank you for that. we want to turn now to a scathing new government report faulting the fbi for its continued failure to protect some child victims of sexual abuse after the scandal involving former usa gymnastics dr. larry nassar. ken dilanian joins us now. ken, what did they find? >> tom, today's report by the department of justice inspector general found widespread failures by the fbi to properly investigate child sexual abuse allegations, despite promises by the bureau to fix the problems exposed in the nassar debacle. in that case nassar's abuse continued while the fbi investigation stalled. today's report said

that problem persists. in one example, the audit found the fbi failed to investigate a child sexual abuse allegation for over a year while the suspect abused the victim and another child. the fbi said some agents were referred for potential discipline, adding in a statement that "ensuring the safety and security of children is a solemn duty that we are committed to fulfilling." tom? >> all right, ken. we thank you for that. we want to head overseas now, a major blow to ukraine's war effort. one of the country's top fighter pilots killed amid the russia's largest aerial attack yet, as both sides push further into each other's territory. erin mclaughlin on the ground in ukraine tonight. >> reporter: tonight the ukrainian air force announced a newly arrived f-16 fighter jet crashed during the massive russian missile attack on monday, killing top ukrainian pilot lieutenant colonel oleksiy mes. known by call sign moon fish, he spoke to nbc news months into

the war. >> it was the most intense the first couple of days. >> reporter: the cause of crash is under investigation as the deadly game of who blinks first continues, with russia gaining ground in ukraine's east while ukraine takes more land in the russian region of kursk. the russian border is a straight shot that way. this week we visited the ukrainian city of sumy, less than 20 miles from the russian border. now the staging ground for ukraine's historic invasion. "putin has said russia has no borders." this ukrainian officer says. "now we've shown we can enter russian territory." we spoke with ukrainian commander inside russia. nbc news is withholding his name at the military's request for security purposes. are you gaining ground? "yes, little by little," he says. he tells us they have been given strict instructions on how to interact with russian civilians. "we were told to help them as much as we can," he says. >> every few hours you hear explosions.

>> reporter: irina says she wants more help from the west. >> the support should be strong. with russians today, they're going to kill you tomorrow. >> reporter: erin mclaughlin, nbc news, sumy, ukraine. all right. in 60 seconds, the devastating toll of those mosquito-borne viruses. more deaths reported and a teenager paralyzed. we'll have the late details right after this. but his medication causd unintentional movements in his face, hands, and feet called tardive dyskinesia, or td. so his doctor prescribed austedo xr— a once-daily, extended-release td treatment for adults. ♪ as you go with austedo ♪ austedo xr significantly reduced dan's td movements. some people saw a response as early as 2 weeks. with austedo xr, dan can stay on his mental health meds— (dan) cool hair! (vo) austedo xr can cause depression, suicidal thoughts, or actions in patients with huntington's disease. pay close attention to and call your doctor if you become depressed, have sudden changes in mood, or have suicidal thoughts. don't take if you have liver problems, are taking reserpine, tetrabenazine, or valbenazine.

austedo xr may cause irregular or fast heartbeat, or abnormal movements. seek help for fever, stiff muscles, problems thinking, or sweating. common side effects include inflammation of the nose and throat, insomnia and sleepiness. ♪ as you go with austedo ♪ ask your doctor for austedo xr. ♪ austedo xr ♪ all right. we are back now with the growing concerns of west nile. all right. we are back now with the growing concerns of west nile. confirmed in more than 30 states now, and tonight one family tells our maggie vespa the virus has left their teenaged son paralyzed and fighting for his life. >> reporter: tonight, more american families in agony. >> it's hard to see him like this. >> reporter: in st. louis, john proctor's once healthy 18-year-old son lies paralyzed on a ventilator at barnes jewish hospital after john says bb got west nile virus from a mosquito bite earlier this month. how does that hit you this was in all likely

doctors say a mosquito bite, and here we are. >> it's hard to fathom how such a small, insignificant creature can take a perfectly 100% healthy human being and make it so that they can't even move or support their head and they can't regulate their body temperature. and it's causing havoc on his body that fast. >> reporter: the proctor family's nightmare marking another alarming severe case of mosquito-borne virus. today, wisconsin public health officials revealing two people there died this month from west nile. the deaths in wisconsin come as west nile cases hit 33 states across the country. experts point to a hotter, more humid summer, conditions just right for mosquitos to thrive, spreading west nile and a deadly virus called eee. health officials in massachusetts today announcing a second human case of eastern equine encephalitis, a woman in her 30s. five states now reporting cases as the effects of

mosquito-borne illnesses hit home for a growing number of families. >> i keep telling him. look at my face. is dad scared? and that's how we get through. >> reporter: are you scared? >> i'm scared. i'm scared. >> reporter: bb's family is inside that hospital praying for a full recovery. they've been told it's possible, but could take a year or more. tom? >> we'll be thinking about that family tonight. all right, maggie, thank you. up next, our investigation into whether blind ride share customers are being denied rides, and is it against the law? right after this. d boy, am i. but i've got lead in my foot and spirit in my fingers. [cheering] [car rev] ha, ha, what a hit! and if you don't have the right auto insurance coverage, the cost to cover that... might tank your season. ♪♪ so get allstate,

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back now with our investigation into ride share companies like uber and lyft, across the country, people with certain disabilities are saying drivers are illegally denying them rides. as candice nguyen from our nbc bay area station tells us, it's caught the justice department's attention as well. >> reporter: as a special ed teacher in san jose, california, annalisa di leonardo gets to school a little differently. >> find the curb. >> reporter: through the eyes of guide dog cousteau. >> he is literally my eyes. without him, several times i would have been a pancake. >> reporter: cousteau gets annalisa safely to a curb each day to catch a ride share, if they can find a driver who will take them. >> i can't take a dog with me. >> he is a service dog.

>> no. thank you. >> he is a working service dog. >> yeah, but i don't have any. >> but it's against lyft's policy to refuse him. you have to take him. >> i know, but i'm i mean, i'm not going to take the case. >> he is a not a pet. he is like a wheelchair. >> any time they break the law is when we start reporting. >> reporter: those refusals not just impolite, but illegal. a violation of the american with disabilities act and against the company policies of both uber and lyft. and yet this summer, annalisa has captured the offenses weekly on cell phone video. >> i don't want to mess up my car. >> it says why aren't you taking me? >> i don't want to mess up my car. >> it's a service dog. as lyft you have to. >> on a human level, what does it feel like? >> like i'm less and i'm not wanted in society. >> reporter: in 2016, uber and then lyft the next year settled lawsuits by the national federation of

the blind and promised to crack down on drivers. but with the issue persisting years later, the u.s. justice department is now getting involved. nbc news has confirmed through a source with the department and christine benninger with the nonprofit guide dogs for the blind. >> actually, things have gotten worse. we get phone calls on a daily basis. >> reporter: benninger says the doj's civil rights division is collecting data on these refusals. her own organization's findings show 83% of clients report being denied rides. >> a number of clients are actually evaluating whether they would get another guide dog again. the sad part than is the guide dog is much more than purely safe travel. it's your bridge to community. >> reporter: uber told us we have a clear policy prohibiting drivers denying service because of a rider's service animal. and it can take appropriate action, which may include deactivation of a driver's account.

lyft said it requires all drivers to accommodate passengers traveling with service animals, and it asks riders to report issues immediately. but annalisa says filing reports with the two companies leads to little more than the drivers getting a warning. >> and then i usually get a $5 gift card. so sometimes i've just stopped reporting. >> it says service dog. >> yeah, i can't. i'm sorry. >> reporter: despite the frustration, annalisa is a teacher first. hoping this story serves as an important lesson. >> i'm the same as you and i deserve the same rights. and i just want to get to work. >> reporter: candice nguyen, nbc news, san jose, california. and up next, the good news about the paralympic athletes competing in what they call murderball. her brave journey to paris. stay with us.

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finally, there is good news tonight about the first female athlete on the u.s. wheelchair rugby team at the paralympics and setting her sights on gold. here is emilie ikeda. >> a huge shift in momentum here. >> reporter: with the speed and chaotic collisions, it's easy to see why wheelchair rugby is nicknamed murderball, a combo of rugby, basketball and handball in specially designed chairs. >> i love the name murderball. it's so perfect for what we do out there and the intensity we bring to the sport. >> reporter: and for the first time at the

paralympics, usa's murderball team has a woman, 33-year-old sarah adam, who scored her first point today. >> an historic moment. >> reporter: most people don't even realize wheelchair rugby is coed. >> not many. >> reporter: what do you hope for young girls seeing you in the sport? >> i think in particular for young girls to see that you can go play a high contact physical sport if that's what you love, and see what it's done for me and my life. >> reporter: adam first grew to love wheelchair rugby as a volunteer in occupational safety. their school. years later when she was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, she suited up as a player herself. >> i was diagnosed with ms when i was 25 years old. i was thinking what's my future going to be like? what am i going to do? and wheelchair rugby gave me that community of support to say you're going to be okay. look at what your life can be. >> all for one, one for all! >> reporter: helping show the way

wheelchair rugby great chuck. >> see how far she has come away in a short amount of time. >> i think she is going to open the door not only for us as a secret weapon but for women in sports in general. >> reporter: and to anyone who may overlook adam at first on the court, the co-captains say -- >> adam has another -- >> reporter: prepare to learn the hard way. >> as a person with ms, people want to put me in a bubble all the time and say slow down, be cautious. that's not what i want to do. i want to push those limits. i want to see what my body can do, and in doing that, i prove a lot of people wrong. >> easy goal for sarah adam, her sixth. >> reporter: emilie ikeda, nbc news, paris. >> and you can catch sarah and team usa in action tomorrow. that's "nightly news." we thank you so much for watching. i'm tom llamas in new york. have a great night. york.

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