president trump gives his

first speech of the second term. to foreign policy in ukraine and leaning into culture war. the response from democrats, including the house member escorted out during a protest is just ahead. and how are voters reacting to the first weeks so far? what a state's top prosecutor says happened in this case. two people under arrest for allegedly stealing thousands of eras tour tickets and reselling them to the tune of $600,000. how authorities say the scheme played out. and the bird-watching retreat to make exploring accessible to people who are blind. it's wednesday, march 5th. "early today" starts right now. good morning. i'm frances rivera. for the first time this term,

president trump addressed a joint session of congress. the president spoke for an hour and 40 minutes, making this the longest address of this ype. the speech was a mixture of culture war red meat and economic plans. >> we've ended the yranny of diversity, equity and inclusion. joe biden let the price of eggs get out of control. i've created the brand-new department of government efficiency, doge. perhaps you've heard of it. perhaps. [cheers and applause] the next phase of our plan to deliver the greatest economy in history is for this congress to pass tax cuts for everybody. [ applause ] >> there you see democrats, they

held up signs to fact check the president, and some left the chamber early in protest. jay gray kicks off our coverage from d.c. >> reporter: president trump walks into the house chamber with a raised fist. beginning his address with a bold declaration. >> america is back! >> reporter: he describes his return to the oval office as a mandate. >> from that moment on, it has been nothing but swift and unrelenting action. >> reporter: that met with loud protests from democrats. >> members are directed to uphold and maintain decorum in the house and to cease any further disruptions. >> reporter: texas representative al green refusing to sit down and ultimately led out of the capitol. the start of a contentious two-plus hours. democratic lawmakers holding signs wearing pink jackets and yellow and blue in support of ukraine, many sitting with recently fired federal employees

as the president celebrates his initiative to slash the scope, size and cost of the government, recognizing billionaire elon musk. >> i have created the brand new department of government efficiency. doge. which is headed by elon musk, who is in the gallery tonight. >> reporter: he defends 25% tariffs taking effect on imports from canada and mexico, despite significant drops in the market over the last two days amid concerns of a trade war and continuing inflation and price hikes. >> tariffs are about making america rich again and america great again. it will happen rather quickly. there will be a little disturbance. >> reporter: and he's asking for additional funding from congress for border security and deportations, promising the lightning pace of change that's marked his return to the white house will continue. jay gray, nbc news.

washington. mr. trump also made news on foreign policy in his speech. after that dust-up in the oval office on friday, he now says ukrainian president zelenskyy sent him a conciliatory letter. take a listen. >> the letter reads, ukraine is ready to come to the negotiating table as soon as possible. to bring lasting peace closer. nobody wants peace more than the ukrainians, he said. my team and i stand ready to work under president trump's strong leadership to get a peace that lasts. >> on the other side of the atlantic, the president reiterated his promise to take the panama canal. >> my administration will be reclaiming the panama canal. d we've already started doing it. >> mr. trump said that secretary of state marco rubio is spearheading that effort, adding, quote, now we know who to blame if anything goes wrong. the president has also got his

sights on greenland. he started off by promising self-determination to the people living there but ended on a more ominous note. >> we need greenland for national security and even international security. and we're working with everybody involved to try and get it. but we need it really for international world security. and i think we're going to get it, one y or the other, we're going to get it. >> greenland is a part of denmark but has had self rule since 2009. the greenlandic prime minister has said greenland is not for sale and will never be for sale. voters say the economy is their number one issue, and slotkin accused mr. trump of looting the economy on behalf of the wealthy. >> it's important to read the fine print. so, do his plans actually help americans get ahead? not even close. president trump is trying to

deliver an unprecedented give away to his billionaire friends. he's on the hunt to find trillions of dollars to pass along to the wealthiest in america. and, to do that, he's going to make you pay in every part of your life. >> slotkin also attacked mr. trump's russian-ukraine policies, saying that ronald reagan must be rolling in his grave after the meeting in the oval office last week. how are his voters reacting to his first six weeks in office? shaq brewster is in battleground wisconsin. >> reporter: in waukesha, wisconsin, many trump voters are still getting used to that whirlwind start to the president's second term. how are you feeling six weeks in? >> i'm feeling that the world is, it's a lot more stable than it would have been under biden. >> reporter: when we met 28-year-old zach lindsay last year he told us he was

embarrassed by his 2020 vote for president biden. >> because i'm not too happy with what's going on. >> reporter: he says he stands by his choice so far. >> he's trying to get the promises that he said. trump is already doing what he said he's going to do. >> reporter: realtor jeff skrima was once mayor here and said this is what he voted for. what are the things that excite you the most. >> i love that he's securing the border, i love what doge is doing, and i'm happy to see that we're no longer going to be funding ukraine. completely needless war. >> love him or hate him, you need to give him a chance. >> reporter: still, laurie questions the president's pace. >> i don't want to have to regret voting for him later on because he jumped into something too fast. >> reporter: and in the swing state that president trump flipped, we found broader support for his tougher immigration policies, even among some who didn't vote for him. major developments after the

trump administration dropped a lawsuit against payment platform zelle and three of its parent banks. the biden-era lawsuit from the consumer protection bureau alleges j.p. morgan chase, wells fargo and bank of america failed to protect customers from fraud on zelle, costing them $870 million. the banks all have denied the claim. but now the cfpb has suddenly dropped a suit without explanation. in the latest move to undo actions of the bureau's prior leadership. zelle welcomed the move calling the suit legally and factually fraud. now a system wreaking havoc where hundreds of thousands remain without power. the system bringing everything from snow and heavy rain to dust storms and tornados. two people have died due to severe weather, and at least two twisters were confirmed in oklahoma. and the threat isn't over with millions still in harm's way. let's check in with angie

lassmaman who's tracking it all for us. good morning. >> we've still got that same system wreaking voc across much of the country. 16 million people under winter alerts. that's of course the cold side of the storm. but we've got this system bringing heavy rain and severe risk to folks across the east coast. notice the snowshowers still wrapping around the great lakes, even as we get through tomorrow and parts of the northeast. we'll see some slick spots. 39 million people mainly looking at strong wind gusts, but we've got the potential for tornados. nonorfolk, raleigh, wilmington d jacksonville to pittsburgh are dealing with those ingredients for some of those storms to fire up later today. 95 million people meanwhile are under wind alerts. you -60s in

washington, d.c. and richmond. 57 with rain today in new york city. boston tops out at 57 this afternoon. and that's a look at your forecast. a heartwarming moment during president trump's address to congress. >> and tonight, dj, we are going to do you the biggest honor of them all. i am asking our new secret service director, shawn curran to officially make you an agent of the united states secret service. >> dj daniels getting his wish of becoming an officer after being sworn in as an honorary secretervice agent. the 13-year-old has suffered from brain cancer since 2018. he was held up by his father, while showing off his new badge. daniels also shared a hug with

the director of the secret service as the gallery cheered on. shocking accusations in l.a. where dozens of officers are accused of staging gladiator-style fights at a juvenile detention center. rs ev. cause the active ingredient in head & shoulders fights off the microbes that cause dandruff. microbes are on everyone's scalp and can cause irritation. but when you use head & shoulders every wash... it keeps these rascals at bay and helps prevent dandruff before it starts. where do you think you're going?! see? no flakes down here! your haiair looks eat! had a little help. make every wash count. for years, one supplement claimed it improved memory. but the truth? it can't support those claims. choose neuriva plus — which supports six brain health indicators, including memory, with clinically tested ingredients. it's time to switch to neuriva. ♪♪ when comfy softness beads...

...meet fragrant scent beads... ...they blend together to create an incredible feeling beyond cozy... ...callecozé. new downy comfy cozy breathes life into your laundry. we are back with a troubling allegation in l.a. 30 officers accused of staging gladiator-style fights inside a juvenile detention center for kids as young as 12. steve patterson has more. >> reporter: 30 los angeles coty officers charged, accused of staging what prosecutors are calling gladiator fights inside a juvenile detention center. after video of one of those fights, first obtained and published by the "l.a. times" last year helped trigger an investigation. >> the officers looked more like referees or audience members at a prize fight, not adults.

charged with the care and supervision of young people. >> reporter: california attorney general rob bonta says that was just one of at least 69 fights at this juvenile hall in the second half of 2023. >> we're talking about vulnerable youth. 143 teenagers between the ages of 12 and 18. >> reporter: the juvenile hall houses youth awaiting trial for serious charges, including robbery and murder. parents of one of the teens speaking with nbc los angeles, horrified at the footage. [speaking in a global language] they say the guards appear to do nothing to help, even appearing to shake hands with one of the boys who hit him. >> a space and a time was created for the fights. and their plan was for the fights to happen and for them to stand by as they occurred and not intervene. >> reporter: the 30 officers charged could face two to six years in state prison for child abuse if found guilty, according

to an indictment unsealed monday. the president of the union representing the officers said in a statement, every american is innocent until proven guilty. our members are entitled to the same presumption of innocence and deserve to be treated with fairness and due process just as those in their custody. the probation department said in a statement all the defendants have been placed on unpaid leave. >> this is just additional trauma added on to whatever they've already experienced. >> reporter: advocates for juveniles detained here says the atmosphere of violence is harmful. >> they're going to need therapy. they're going to need treatment. they're going to need a level of care that's necessary to help them come back to normalcy. >> reporter: and that follows a pattern of understaffing and problems at the facility. last month we spoke to sten who spent time there for charges that include assault with h a deadly weapon. >> i have seen a lot of things that a normal 13-year-old isn't supposed to see. >> reporter: now 21, he's been in and out of the system since he was 13.

when you think back to your time there, what feeling do you feel? >> just desperation to get out. i feel like we were just treated like animals. still to come, an announcement for all fyre festival attendees. why they're running into familiar problems. want a next level clean?

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a bunny committed suicide after he saw our bathroom. i once bit into a burrito, and there was a child's shoe in it. a pack of dogs took over and successfully ran a wendy's. >> it is a 30 rock reunion.

a comedy pilot starring tracy morgan looking to rehabilitate his image. the star reunites with his former co-stars. any time you put that stamp on it, like alum, you know it's going to be great. >> it's going to be funny. we can't wait to see how that plays out. it's been a little over a week since tickets went on sale for fyre festival two. the only problem, well, the island's tourism board told the guardian they have no contacts with any person or company about it. the founder and convicted fraudster billy mcfarland took to instagram to refute the claims and assure attendees that this won't go up in flames like the first edition of the festival back in 2017. well, here we go. i mean, if he says that's not

going to happen, how much weight does this hold after everything that's already happened? >> i know. >> it's concerning. >> talk about a red flag warning when if comes to this fyre right here. when we come back, the tate brothers are in more hot water. and two era tours facing ticket thieves. start to break away from uc with tremfya... with rapid relief at 4 weeks. tremfya blocks a key source of inflammation. at one year, many people experienced remission... and some saw 100% visible healing of their intestinal lining. serious allergic reactions and increased risk of infections may occur. before treatment, your doctor should check you for infections and tb. tell your doctor if you have an infection, flu-like symptoms or if you need a vaccine. healing is possible with tremfya. ask your doctor about tremfya today. ♪

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and repair weak inner hair bonds. ♪♪ for stronger, healthier hair... ♪♪ without the $90 price tag. ♪♪ it's intensive care for your hair. ♪♪ pantene. here's what's making headlines this morning. andrew and tristan tate are now under a criminal investition by florida's attorney general. the brothers who are charged with human trafficking in romania returned to the u.s. just days ago. they have denied any wrongdoing. two people have been charged for allegedly stealing and reselling tickets to taylor swift's eras tours and other concerts. prosecutors say they made over $600,000 in the scheme. they say nearly a thousand tickets were hijacked. apple just unveiled a new ipad air compatible with apple

intelligence. it starts at $599 and the 13 inch at $799. there is a new magic keyboard attachment. scientists have created genetically-modified mice. they're calling them colossal wooly mice. we'll be right back. ♪ ♪ t the truth? it can't support those claims. choose neuriva plus — which supports six brain health indicators, including memory, with clinically tested ingredients. it's time to switch to neuriva. [fighting scene] ugh! here we go again. —wait there's a red hulk now? —i know he's red. he seems very angry. —why is he so mad?! —sorry to interrupt... but what do we do about this? you must be new in town. —we use tide oxi boost. —it's a life saver. the most powerful clean in any universe, tide. lookin good. thank you. well at least it's on time. see captain america: brave new world.

♪♪ 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. we are back with one woman's love of bird watching and her determination to make it accessible for everyone. here's maggie vespa. >> reporter: on a snowy saturday outside detroit. the draw of the great outdoors

is undeniable. >> the river in front of me. >> reporter: no matter how you experience it. welcome to the great back yard bird count. a bird watching retreat for the blind. >> at let four or five, isn't it? i know it's several. >> reporter: on this day, hearing the trademark calls of canada geese, blue jays and more. this is about feeling nature, experiencing nature. >> yes. it's about sensing nature. i like to say. >> reporter: the outing organized by donna possant who founded birding by ear and beyond through the university of michigan dearborn after a genetic condition stole her sight as a child but left her love of exploring in tact. whether through listening, feeling, even hiking. >> with the right training and the right skills, we can live life like other people. we say we live the life we want. >> reporter: even out in the

woods. >> oh, yeah, this is the life i want. >> reporter: her spirit inspiring first time and veteran birders alike. >> i can smell the flowers and hear the birds. >> there's a stereotype that we can't explore nature because we can't see. so going against that stereotype, i love it. >> reporter: confidence and a connection with nature, universal in every sense. maggie vespa, nbc news,ing proud lake state park, michigan. today is ash wednesday, the start of the christian lenten season. and before the solemn observance begins, there's mardi gras. as usual, new orleans did not hold back. the annual parades kicked off early in anticipation of bad weather. but that didn't stop the screaming crowds from going for the beads. on the mississippi gulf coast, the crew of another parade getting crowds. revelers enjoying the music and beads ahead of the coming storm.

and coming up later this morning on "today", guess what the fast food wars are heating up again. you've got shake shack out with a new meal deal. the latest in a long line of chains offering up new value meals to entice consumers. where you can get the best deals coming up on "today", and especially people with the favorites, and it's an east coast-west coast thing. here on the east coast we don't have in and out. that's out of the running when it comes to this competition for us. thanks for being with us for thanks for being with us for "e ar with dupixent, stay ahead of moderate-to-severe eczema. as you welcome the feeling of touch with clearer skin and less itch. the #1 prescribed biologic by dermatologists and allergists, helps heal your skin from within. severe allergic reactions can occur. get help right away for face, mouth, tongue or throat swelling, wheezing or trouble breathing. tell your doctor of new or worsening eye problems, like eye pain, vision changes, or blurred vision, joint aches and pain, or a parasitic infection. don't change or stop asthma or other medicines without talking to your doctor. ask your doctor about dupixent.

than most administrations accomplished in four years or eight years. and we are just getting started. right now at five. president trump speaks to congress and the country about his vision to reshape america in a record breaking address. the