america first or america everywhere? president trump's proposal to take over gaza sparks a wave of backlash at home and abroad. we're live with the new questions and criticism over the controversial pitch. dialing down on doge.

the trump administration blocking elon musk's department of government efficiency from accessing some sensitive data at least for now. we're live in d.c. with the new developments overnight amid growing uproar over the push to shrink the federal workforce. google ends its search for diversity hiring targets. why the tech giant says it's rolling back its dei policy following other major companies. and the super bowl is just days away, but the party is already in full swing. we'll go to new orleans with a look at the security preparations ahead of the big game. and mustard on the heartbeat? how kendrick lamar's "not like us" could help save a life. according to the american heart association. "early today" starts right now. glad you're with me this morning. i'm frances rivera. washington is still reeling from president trump's remarkable suggestion that the u.s., quote, take over the gaza strip and expel the palestinians who live

there. seeming to walk back parts of the plan, the white house press secretary claimed that any such relocation would be temporary. but while she said the president has not committed to sending american troops to gaza, she did not explicitly rule it out when asked. on capitol hill, the proposal drew criticism from democrats and republicans alike. >> i haven't seen the first hand account, but obviously, that's not going to happen. >> i think that would be a tough place to be assigned if you're an american soldier. we'll see what the arab world says, but, you know, that would be problematic at many, many levels. >> i'm speechless. that's insane. i can't think of a place on earth that would welcome american troops less and where any positive outcome is less likely. >> for the international reaction, let's go to raf sanchez. good morning, raf, what are world leaders saying? >> reporter: frances, good

morning. president trump says he spoke to leaders across the middle east who quote, loved this idea. what we're hearing is rejection and condemnation from across the region. that comes from the palestinians who say they are not leaving their homes in gaza. it includes egypt and jordan, the two american allies who trump has identified as potentially taking in those 2 million expelled palestinians. and it comes also from saudi arabia who is another key regional power. president trump hoping to broker a historic peace deal between israel and saudi. the saudis saying that's not going to happen if he moves ahead with expelling the palestinians. we're hearing also from european and nato allies. they're warning that any effort to move the palestinians out by force would be a violation of international humanitarian law. it would be a war crime. the one place we are hearing some enthusiasm for this idea is in israel itself. far right israeli extremists are

cheering this idea. they have long believed the path forward is not a peace deal with the palestinians but pushing them off of their lands. israel's defense minister says he has also given the military instructions to begin preparations for palestinians in his words voluntarily leaving gaza. as he said, frances, the white house press secretary somewhat softening trump's remarks and talking down the idea that american forces would be deployed to gaza. >> we'll see how much softening and talking down they continue to do. donald trump's executive order to end birthright citizenship is back in court, this time in a seattle federal court. it will be before the same judge who last month temporarily blocked the order, calling it blatantly unconstitutional. today's hearing will consider a longer pause. it comes after a judge in maryland blocked the trump administration from implementing the executive order, instead siding with two immigrant rights

groups and five pregnant women who challenge it. the white house has agreed to temporarily block musk's department of government efficiency from accessing treasury payment systems. musk's team has been working to help shrink the federal government. a white house official confirmed to nbc news that more than 40,000 federal workers have accepted a deferred resignation offer. the deadline to accept that offer is midnight tonight. employees of at least one department have been warned not to take this deal. >> reporter: good morning, frances. yeah. top officials at the education department are warning staff that if they take this offer, the education secretary could decide to cancel it later. that means they would not receive the promised pay and benefits through september. the office of personnel management says this is false, saying the offers are binding. but a sample agreement obtained by nbc news does include a

clause that agent heads could rescind the deals. meanwhile, dozens of head start childcare programs say they are still unable to access federal aid because of last week's short-lived funding freeze. officials say the payment system is back up and running but that there are technical issues because of the high volume of requests. and there were protests here in washington, d.c. after news that thousands of u.s. aid workers would be laid off or placed on leave. democratic lawmakers joined the demonstrations. >> he haabsolutely no right in shutting down usaid. we cannot allow that! we've got to take to the streets. we've got to take to the rallies. we've got to fight back, and we must resist. >> all of us must speak truth to power! this is still the united stas

of america! you have a voice! >> reporter: democrats are also protesting russell vogt's nomination to lead the office of management and budget, delivering speeches late into the night on the senate floor, in fact, promising an all-night session. vogt was a co-author of prect 2025 and president trump has described him as an aggressive cost cutter. a final vote is expected today. and he is expected to be approved along party lines. frances? >> alice, thank you. the drastic changes in washington, d.c. have federal workers all across the country feeling shocked and panicked. hallie jackson spoke to some of them. >> reporter: from fury to fear. >> will my position remain? >> reporter: a range of reactions from federal workers. >> none of this is okay. >> reporter: as the president pushes to scale back the size of government across all agencies, including usaid, which officially terminated kristina dry. >> it's heartbreaking. because we know that people are going to be less healthy, less

safe, through no choice of our own. >> reporter: what does this mean for your life for the short term here? >> yeah, i think in 10, 15 days, you know, this whole thing has just been turned upside down through no fault of my own. i don't know where my rent is coming from. >> reporter: nearly 2.3 million civilians work for the federal government. 80% live outside of the washington area. >> it has been chaos. >> reporter: after ten years in the navy. andrea shifted to a career in the federal government, at least for now. >> nobody wants to work in this type of condition where we're going to be in a psychological warfare for how long? >> reporter: other federal workers, not revealing their names because of concern over retribution, described to nbc news fear and panic, an orwellian nightmare. shelly told us she has concerns about elon musk's role in the changes. >> i did not vote for him. and i have a huge amount of issue with the access that he's getting.

>> reporter: vice president vance arguing many americans did vote for donald trump, who promised repeatedly to have elon musk root out wasteful spending in our government. and the white house has said a bloated federal bureaucracy has cost american taxpayers hundreds of billions of dollars each year. dry suggests she understands streamlining, but? >> there has to be, you know, a mechanism by which that occurs that offers basic decency and basic respect to that worker. >> reporter: the political getting personal. hallie jackson, nbc news, washington. now to a nbc news exclusive. president trump's administration evicted former coast guard come daunt linda fagen from her home on tuesday, giving her just three hours to leave, according to two people familiar with the incident who said fagen didn't even have enough time to gather her personal effects. trump originally fired fagen, a four-star admiral and the first woman to lead a branch of military on his second day in

office. border security issues were cited and an excessive focus on diversity, equity and inclusion among the reasons for her dismissal. president trump signed an executive order prohibiting transgender women from competing in women's sports. >> from now on, women's orts will be only for women. the war on women's sports is over. >> the initiative called the no men in women's sports executive order is the fourth executive order targeting transgender people that trump has signed since he took office less than three weeks ago. a japan airlines plane struck the tail of a delta plane at seattle airport yesterday. no injuries were reported. delta passengers were rebooked. the collision happened while the planes were taxiing. delta says its plane was being de-iced when its tail was

clipped. japan airlines said they sincerely apologize for any inconvenience. a messy day ahead for the mid atlantic and northeast. let's turn to nbc meteorologist denise isaac who's here with that forecast. good morning, denise. >> happy thursday, frances. we are tracking some ice, rain and also snow. right now, charleston, west virginia is under a flash flood warning because they've seen quite a bit of rain. lots of thunderstorms. d.c., it's a light glaze of ice. the same for scranton, pennsylvania. while new york, we're seeing a few flakes flying, but tt will eventually transition to ice. it's a rough morning drive for many in the northeast. a few strong storms possible in the tennessee valley. towards new england it will be mostly snow for boston to maine. out west we're tracking a new pacific storm. this storm won't be as strong as the one we had tuesday, but we can't rule out the possibility for flooding. some snow possible in the

cascades today while this system moves inland tomorrow bringing snow from montana down towards the rockies. spring temperatures continuing in the deep south. austin, 81nd new a o the south, temperatures possible in san angelo, 85. 84 in brownsville while 80 in lubbock under mostly sunny skies. a busy weather day ahead, frances. back to you. >> thanks so much for the update. today is sentencing day for the former interpreter of dodgers' superstar shohei ohtani. he pleaded guilty in june of bank and tax fraud charges after

being accused of stealing money from the three-time mvp. he admitted to stealing $17 million to cover gambling debts. prosecutors are seeking four years and nine months for the disgraced translator. and google is rolling back diversity initiatives. with your dishwasher and cascade complete. your dishwasher does the work for you, with temperatures up to 140 degrees - too hot for hands. some dishwashers even have a sanitizing cycle. load pots, pans and tableware at the bottom, with plastic and glassware on top. cascade complete removes visible and invisible residue, for virtually spot-free and shiny dishes. switch to your dishwasher, and cascade complete. ah mornings! cough? congestion? i'm feeling better. all in one and done... with mucinex kickstart. aaaaaaaaaaaaa. - headache? - better now. mucinex kickstart gives all-in-one and done relief with a morning jolt of instant cooling sensation. it's comeback season.

downy does more to make clothes softer, fresher, and better. because your jacket does more than keep you warm. like when it smells like home... ...even far away from home. downy is more than just a fabric softener. it breathes life into your laundry. the u.s. postal service is reversing course on shipments from china. but first google is rolling back its diversity hiring goals amid the trump administration's crackdown on dei policies. cnbc's karen gilchrist is here with those details. hi, karen, good morning. >> hey, frances, good morning. yes, google has become the latest company to roll back its diversity, equity and inclusion measures. moving in lock step with president trump's move for, against dei in the federal government. now it said in a note to employees that it would no longer have aspirational goals toward diversity. it also removed mentions of

diversity from its annual sec filing. and this is just the latest company following the likes of mcdonald's, also meta and target to roll back these measures. so following from the messages of president trump. now elsewhere, the u.s. postal service has said that it will resume accepting inbound mail from china and hong kong. a move coming almost as quickly as it was announced that they would be blocking these imports. now this all stemmed from u.s. tariffs on china, and particularly targeting a tax or sorry, an import loophole called de minimis which would allow for imports worth less than $800 to be imported without levees. and this was a loophole used by chinese e-commerce giants such as shein and temu to build their u.s. customer base and avoid these kinds of levees. but critics were saying it was a way for them to skirt the

tariffs and potentially not have their items documented so well. we've also seen moves from the likes of temu saying they have been pointing consumers toward u.s.-based products and those hosted in u.s. warehouses, meaning that they can avoid these kind of tariffs. that's according to cnbc's search of products that were listed as locally produced. but temu did not respond to request for comment on the reasoning for that. still to come, "jurassic world." and it's more than just a grammy winning track. why it could also be lifesaver. febreze has a microchip to control scent release so it smells first-day fresh for 50 days. 50 days!? and its refill reminder light means i'll never miss a day of freshness. ♪ can neuriva support your brain health? mary, janet, hey! eddie, no. can neuriva support frasier, frank.h? frank? —fred, how are you? —fred! support up to 7 brain health indicators,

including memory. when you need to remember, remember neuriva. [not my name by the ting tings] when you need to remember, ♪ they call me stacey ♪ ♪ they call me her ♪ ♪ they call me jane ♪ ♪ that's not my name ♪ ♪ that's not my name ♪ ♪ that's not my name ♪ ♪ that's not my name ♪ ♪ unlike those other messy whole body deodorants, native whole body deo dries on contact, doesn't leave white residue on clothes, and fights odor for 72 hours. for your pits, privates, chest, thighs, and feet! how do they do it? get native. feeling backed up and bloated? good thing metamucil fiber plus probiotics gummies work harder for your digestive system. with fiber to help promote gut health. and probiotics to help relieve occasional bloating. so you can feel your best. metamucil fiber plus probiotics gummies. are my 5 morning alarms a metaphor for everything else i'm putting off ? like my laundry? or my 768 unread texts? i'm just your dermatologist. seven hundred and sixty nine. try hydro boost.

neutrogena. weightless hydration that goes deep. can neuriva support your brain health? mary, janet, hey! eddie, no. frasier, frank. frank? —fred, how are you? —fred! support up to 7 brain health indicators, including memory. when you need to remember, remember neuriva. jordan's sore nose let out a fiery sneeze, so dad grabbed puffs plus lotion soothe her with ease. puffs plus lotion is gentle on sensitive skin and locks in moisture to provide soothing relief. a nose in need deserves puffs indeed. america's #1 lotion tissue.

these dinosaurs are too dangerous for the original park. >> the worst of the worst were

left here. >> come on! >> life has found a way once again. in the first trailer for "jurassic world" rebirth, scarlett johansson joins the seventh installment of the blockbuster franchise. the film from our sister company universal pictures stomps into theaters on july 2nd. tired of using the same old song when you're trying to practice cpr? ♪ ah, ah, ah, stayin' alive, stayin' alive ♪ ♪ ah, ah, ah, ah, stayin' alive ♪ ♪ you can tell by the way i walk ♪ >> okay, now that it's in your ear, right? earlier this week, the american heart association highlighted recent hits that join stayin' alive as songs to do cpr to. one is "not like us" by y kendrk

lamar. the tempo, 101 beats per minute works for hands-only cpr. other mid-tempo varieties are texas hold'em and chappell roan's pink pony club. and crayola's bringing back colors not seen for 35 years. and valentine's day is quickly approaching, but applebee's wants to help the love last all year long. for jo kes, but here it goes. this muffin goes on vacation— what's happening? you said “joking” three times, that's why i'm here. uh, anyway, soso this muin— well i was just excited about my new car. -new car? oh, you don't need a joke, you need a jake. [singing] like a good neighbor, state farm is there. your state farm agent can help you choose the coverage you need. alright, i've got a show, so— you forgot your toothbrush, jimmy fallon! like a good neighbor, state farm is there. can neuriva support your brain health? mary, janet, hey! eddie, no. frasier, frank. frank? —fred, how are you? —fred!

support up to 7 brain health indicators, including memory. when you need to remember, remember neuriva. our floors don't stay clean very long. that's why i love my swiffer wet. i pop on a pad and get a mop-like clean floor in just one swipe. wow! and for hair, try swiffer dry cloths. the fluffy cloths pick up hair like a magnet. swiffer. you'll love it or your money back. zyrtec allergy relief works fast and lasts a full 24 hours so dave can be the... deliverer of dance. ok, dave! let's be more than our allergies. zeize the day with zyrtec. unexpected sweat can run a perfect look. oh yeah. but secret whole body dry feel deodorant absorbs sweat without aluminum for 72 hour freshness, everywhere. i know it's secret girly when i see one. secret. no sweat arghh! [explosion] ugh! here we go again. wait there's a red hulk now? excuse me... what do i do about this? we use tide oxi boost.

it's a lifesaver. the most powerful clean in any universe. lookin good. thank you. see captain america: brave new world. hey... i think i have a fever. i don't feel so good either. ♪ this is not just 1-hour delivery. ♪ this is not just medicine. ♪ this is fast relief... ...for those who can't take a time out. ♪ walgreens. can neuriva support your brain health? mary, janet, hey! eddie, no. frasier, frank. frank? —fred, how are you? —fred! support up to 7 brain health indicators, including memory. when you need to remember, remember neuriva. ♪♪ okay, y'all. i heard mielle's kalahari melon and aloe vera line is changing the game. up to five days of moisture

and no wash days in between? let's see about that. day two, headed to work, but i feel like i'm about to drop a hit single. all the cuties are at the run club. good thing these curls are curling. can you believe this is day five? i think i could go even longer. up to five days of lasting moisture. endless possibilities. imagine what you could do in five days. here's what's making headlines this morning. famed producer, irof goti has died at 54 yea old. he helped launch the careers of hip-hop stars. the cause of death was not announced. mattel could soon raise the prices of barbies and hot wheels in response to tariffs imposed by president trump. executives told analysts, the company will try to mitigate the effect of tariffs through the supply chain.

and crayola is bringing back a limited edition eight-pack. many of the colors were discontinued as far back as 1990. dandelion yellow will return for the first time since 2017. and applebee's is bringing back its date night card. only 3,000 pass lle ld sewi bso. ohhh, it's mesmerizing. i can't look away. cleaning that greasy mess... and not even scrubbing. well, fluff my feathers. dawn platinum is ba-ringing it. you know it! it cuts through the grease better than their old dish soap. keep quackin'. platinum breaks down the slimy stuff it would leave behind, removing 99% of grease and food residue. that's why only dawn is trusted to save wildlife. yeah! i'd fly south for a clean like that. dawn platinum. the better grease getter. speak now or forever hold your- [cough] only took 4-hour cough liquid? [cough] unlike robitussin dm,

delsym liquid offers 12 hours of cough relief all day or night. delsym, cough crisis averted. i forgot to wash my work shirt. just wear it again! i added unstopables with odor blocker and it keeps our clothes fresh all day! [sniff] ooo, imma be feelin it at work today. she smells so good i'm actually paying attention! smell unstopable. butler! long shot, good! >> after months of heated drama, jimmy buckets got his wish. the miami heat are trading jmy

butler to the golden state warriors. miami will receive multiple players and draft picks from golden state as part of the blockbuster deal which also includes the utah jazz. it brings an end to the season-long saga where butler was suspended multiple times by the heat for what they called conduct detrimental to the team. the party is in full swing in new orleans. the celebration comes just a month after a deadly terror attack in the french quarter. jay gray is there with a look at the safety preparations in place. >> reporter: as fans start to gather and the party kicks off in the french quarter, it comes with a growing show of force here. >> definitely lots of security. i think everyone who comes will feel secure. >> reporter: federal agents and officers, soldiers, state and local police in place across the city. heavy equipment blocking streets. tactical units in position. >> we have worked tirelessly to

ensure that the security and the safety of the city remains in tact. and i believe that it absolutely will be. >> reporter: intelligence teams say there's no credible threat targeting the super bowl. there wasn't a known threat new year's night either when a homegrown terrorist using a vehicle as a weapon attacked a crowd on bourbon street, killing 14, injuring more than a dozen. >> it changed not just the families that were tragically and horrifically lost their loved ones but also the city, the state and the whole entirety of our country. >> repororter: it also changed e security plan here. >> we have reviewed and re-reviewed all details of what happened on january 1. we have reviewed and re-reviewed each of our roles within the overarching security plan. >> reporter: a game plan this team is confident will keep this city and stadium safe and the focus on the hype and the celebrations and the teams on the ield sunday.

jay gray, new orleans. before we a look at what's ahead on "today". >> selma blair live in studio 1a and fun football decorations. that's all this morning on the third hour of "today". >> we thank you so much for kicking off your morning with "early today." i'm frances rivera. have a great thursday. we'll see you back here early friday morning. have a good one. for watching "

story." stay right there. more news on the way. re news on. growing global backlash to president trump's suggestion that the u.s. should, quote, take over gaza. we're live with reaction at home and around the world. overnight, the trump administration agrees