good morning. it is 11:00 a.m. eastern, 8:00 a.m. pacific. i am jose diaz-balart and we begin with breaking news from canada. any moment now prime minister justin trudeau will announce he will resign as leader of his party but stay on as prime minister until his party chooses a successor. trudeau has been in office for nine years now and is expected announcement comes after a revolt by members of his own party as canada faces tariffs under the second trump administration. we are seeing the door open right there. i will introduce our friends and colleagues. with us, senior white house -- oh, let's get right to prime minister trudeau.

>> every morning i have woken up as prime minister, i have been inspired by the resilience, the generosity, and the determination of canadians. it is the driving force of every single day i have the privilege of serving in this office. that is why since 2015 i have fought for this country. for you. to strengthen and grow the middle class while we rallied to support each other during the pandemic, to advance reconciliation, to defend free trade on this continent, to stand strong with ukraine and our democracy, to fight climate change, and get our economy ready for the future. we are at a critical moment in the world.

>> as he speaks in french, we will wait and see if he makes a specific announcement. let's listen in. >> [ speaking in a global language ] >> he is essentially repeating what he said in english, reconciliation for the defense of freedom. for democracy, for ukraine. supporting ukraine. fighting for climate change and preparing the future for the change that is coming and for

supporting democracy around the world. >> every bone in my body has told me to fight because i care deeply about canadians, i care deeply about this country, and i will always be motivated by what is in the best interest of canadians. and the fact is despite best efforts to work through it, parliament has been paralyzed for months after what has been the longest session of a minority parliament in canadian history. that's why this morning i advised the governor general that we need a new session of parliament. she has granted this request and the house will now be until march 24th. over the holidays, i've also had a chance to reflect and i've had long talks with my family about the future.

through the course of my career any success i have personally achieved has been because of their support and with their encouragement. left night over dinner, i told my kids about the decision i am sharing with you today. i will resign as party leader, as prime minister after the party selects its next leader through a robust nationwide competitive process. last night i asked the president of the liberal party to begin that process. this country deserves a real choice in the next election and it has become clear to me that if i am having to fight internal battles, i cannot be the best option in that election. [ speaking in a global language ] >> so the prime minister is now

essentially saying in french what he just said in english. we will keep monitoring this because if he takes any questions we will certainly go back to that. but i want to bring back our friends, senior widows correspondent gabe gutierrez, peter baker, white house correspondent, former north dakota senator and director of the university of chicago institute of politics. gabe, let's start with you. the prime minister says he is resigning not only as prime minister but this will be a status quo. he will stay in charge until the 24th of march? >> reporter: that is right, jose. our key ally to the north, prime minister trudeau stepping down as party leader and this has huge implications for the incoming trump administration. president-elect trump threatening that 25% tariff against canada and wanting to

see real changes in the way canada treats its neighbor to the south and president-elect trump has mocked prime minister trudeau and trudeau has been a leader that has faced a lot of issues that are similar to what president biden has faced here at home, inflation, dismal poll numbers and president biden decided several months and now and it appears prime minister trudeau is suffering the same pressure. this populace backlash we have been seeing with leaders across the world. president trump, jose, has expressed frustration in how the u.s. has subsidized canada. he wants to see more action on immigration and prime minister trudeau weeks ago announced there would be more funding for immigration measures, an immigration crackdown and canada bowed to the pressure of trump but trump himself met with

prime minister trudeau weeks ago in early december and several days after that mocked him on social media, calling him the governor of the 51st state of canada. a very strained relations there. we don't have reaction from the white house just yet. there could be immediate reaction but a very positive relationship between president biden and prime minister trudeau. they had just spoken weeks ago on the sidelines of the g7 summit in brazil. the prime minister announcing he will step down as the party leader. >> peter, there is a question i guess many would have as to why now, right? parliament is not in session in canada until the month of march. clearly there has been a deterioration of the prime minister's support within his own political party and the

party that has joined to make the possibility of making the majority in parliament there in canada. that support has essentially fizzled out but you do see trump mocking trudeau in recent weeks. trudeau caught on a microphone mocking trump when trump was president. how do you think the president- elect is likely to view this announcement? >> reporter: no doubt he will consider himself responsible because he is responsible for all things he liked and not responsible for things he does not like. i'm sure he will take credit for this and say this is the result of trudeau's terrible relationship he had with him, trump, and therefore he is paying the price for not being nicer to trump. that is the way he normally casts these kinds of things. trump is definitely a factor, but trudeau's round has shift

beneath him before the election in november. of course, he was once a shining star in canada but people have long since lost, you know, their faith in him. his government had a hard time keeping that coalition together. his trusted deputy resigned with a blast to his leadership which i think was a devastating blow for him and his time was clearly over. he is facing a political circumstance at home and he has come to recognize that and today. >> after march 24th, the leader completely out of that coalition that, you know, they needed and required in order for him to stay in power. senator, this change in leadership -- what do you think

the repercussions of that will be as we go forward? we're talking about the 24th of march before anything can change in canada. that's already trump 2 in power. how will that change represent any options or possibility going forward for, for example, u.s. embassy, you know, terrace going forward from the united states towards canada? >> i think the prime minister just put sovereignty on the ballot and he knew he was not the person to carry that banner. you say, why not? well, he watched what happened in this presidency when one stated too long and what that could mean for the liberal party. one thing people are forgetting, the u.s. mca requires a renegotiation and the irony for the future

president complaining about the relationship as he negotiated it. his negotiation -- administration negotiated. and so for a state like my north dakota, that relationship with canada is critical to our economy anything trump has never understood the interaction between these countries. and for him to criticize and basically take advantage of us, he negotiated a bad deal, the guy that was the art of the deal did a bad deal, i guess. for justin trudeau and the liberal party, they needed this change in order to maintain some semblance of power in canada. but i also think sovereignty, which is critical to the canadian people, now is on the ballot when trump says he will

be the 51st state. that relationship will be a key talking point during this election. >> peter, the fact is you mca both good and bad was a step forward for what was in existence from before and this is a time things have to be renegotiated. is this an opening for a stronger u.s. going forward? >> reporter: we will see. we have a period of turmoil and uncertainty because whoever will take over for trudeau in six weeks or whatever it is will have to prepare for domestic elections later in the year and that means it'll be, you know, a politically fraught moment to make a new deal with the united states. you will want to show your toughness on behalf of canada. at the same time, you don't

want negative repercussions that could come from a trump tariff against the northern neighbors. it is a very fraught moment for whoever steps in at this point as the leader and i think it makes it unpredictable. >> peter baker, former senator heidi heitkamp, thank you for being with us. gabe, if you would stay with us because president biden is meeting with an opposition leader. the u.s. recognized him back in the summer. gabe, he has just come meeting with the president of argentina and he's now in washington? >> reporter: that's right, jose. he is set to meet with president biden before the president leaves for new orleans later on today and as you said, he was just recognized

as the winner of the election by secretary of state antony blinken in november. the election was several months prior but the u.s. has had concerns as you know about how that election was conducted and does not recognize him as the election winner. he is set to be sworn in on january 10th for his third term. gonzalez fled venezuela and was granted asylum in spain but he began a tour of the americas on saturday trying to drum up support for the opposition here in washington and certainly once a meeting with the president of the united states but certainly a fraught relationship between the u.s. and venezuela and the u.s. has said it does not believe the election that was held last summer was, in fact,

a legitimate election so the president is meeting with the opposition leader which it views as the rightful leader of venezuela. >> gabe, as you know this friday maduro says it is his time to be sworn in. the overwhelming majority of people in venezuela do not consider him to be the leader. friday is swearing in day. have you heard from the lighthouse on this? >> reporter: no, but we do expect to hear more later on today when the president meets with gonzalez here at the white house but as we were discussing, jose, this has been a relationship that has been a very fraught, high-stakes relationship given what's between the two countries. he insists he is the rightful leader and will be sworn in for

his third term on friday, even though gonzalez claims to be the rightful leader. jose, this is something from both administrations as you will recall from the trump administration there was an opposition leader who try to drum up support and contest the elections there against maduro but maduro has been able to withstand all of this and the u.s. trying to throw it support against -- behind this opposition leader but maduro continues to be the president of venezuela, at least he says he will be sworn in on friday despite what the opposition says. >> gabe gutierrez from the white house, thank you, my friend. appreciate it. in two hours congress is set to certify trump's november victory in stark contrast what we saw four years

ago when his supporters stormed the capitol. plus, what points one capitol police officer years later. he will join us. we saw gabe gutierrez there in d.c. in the snow. we've got snow from the central plains to the mid-atlantic. we are back in 90 seconds. in florida, no snow. complete nutrition you need, and the flavor you love. so, here's to now... now available: boost max! if you have generalized myasthenia gravis, picture what life could look like with... vyvgart hytrulo, a subcutaneous injection that takes about 30 to 90 seconds. for one thing, could it mean more time for you? vyvgart hytrulo can improve daily abilities and reduce muscle weakness with a treatment plan that's personalized to you. do not use vyvgart hytrulo

if you have a serious allergy to any of its ingredients. it can cause serious allergic reactions like trouble breathing and decrease in blood pressure leading to fainting and allergic reactions such as rashes, swelling under the skin, shortness of breath, and hives. the most common side effects are respiratory and urinary tract infections, headache, and injection site reactions. it may increase the risk of infusion-related reactions and infection. tell your doctor if you have a history of infections or symptoms of an infection. talk to your neurologist about vyvgart hytrulo for gmg and picture your life in motion.

19 past the hour. now to the big day on capitol hill. congress will meet to certify donald trump's victory in the november election despite the weather forecast calling for nearly a foot of snow. today's activities are expected to be a far cry from what we saw four years ago when a mop stormed the u.s. capitol trying to certify joe biden's victory in the 2020 election. fencing has gone up around capitol hill. there is a huge law enforcement presence in the area today. vice president kamala harris lost to donald trump in november and said this in today's events on nbc news. >> today at the united states capitol i will perform a constitutional duty as vice president of the united states to certify the results of the 2024 election. this duty is a sacred

obligation, one i will uphold guided by love of country, loyalty to our constitution, and my unwavering faith in the american people. >> the certification marks an important step in the gop taking control of power in washington. last week republicans took back majorities in both the house and senate. and two weeks from today donald trump will stand at the capitol to take his oath of office. once again, julie tsirkin and reporter gary grumbach outside the capitol. and justice reporter ryan reilly. you are also the author of sedition hunters how january 6th broke the justice system, but julie, i want to start with you. how are things playing out at the capitol today? >> reporter: it is a ghost town in part of course because of the snow covering the capitol

mostly because of changes made since the last time lawmakers gathered on january 6th two certify the election. we saw that unprecedented day and i'm sure ryan will share the security upgrades but there is a large law enforcement presence around this building. it's expected to be a very quick process when they convene at 1:00 p.m. today. vice president kamala harris essentially certifying the win of her once rival. she was the democratic nominee heading into this election. once the joint session does convene, we will see mahogany boxes carrying the individual state vote tallies to certify the election. going down the middle center aisle of the house filed by senators as they gathered to certify the election. it's expected to be quick because there were changes to

the rule. the vice president's role is ceremonial thanks to a 2022 law. also to object to any state certification there needs to be a 1/5 letter essentially signed by a majority of the house and senate, 20% in order for the aggression -- objection to be heard. this time around donald trump did win. there are no supporters trying to stop the certification. it is expected to go quickly and the house will essentially leave for the day and so will the senate, jose. >> that happens today but what happens going forward on capitol hill? >> reporter: today might be a quiet day, but it will not be for the rest of the month because republicans have a very ambitious agenda, one in which the speaker spoke on this weekend. they wanted to pass two massive bills. not interested in

working across the aisle or with democrats. johnson told a closed door meeting of republicans it is president-elect trump intention to pass this in one mega bill. trump says he doesn't care how it happens as long as it happens on immigration, tax cuts, the debt ceiling, energy. now republicans have to deliver on that. here is johnson. >> president trump will prefer as he likes to say one big beautiful bill and there is a lot of merit to that because we can put that together in one big up or down vote which can save the country quite literally because there are so many elements to it and it will give us more time to negotiate that and get it right. that does not mean we will come out of the gates full-fledged at the beginning of congress. >> reporter: johnson wants this in april or may, an ambitious timeline. the margins are tighter in the house than they were for

democrats. we saw president biden's bill get derailed, jose. >> gary, how is the weather impacting things in the nation's capital? >> reporter: yes, jose, snow was coming down. schools across the region are closed today but congress will be in session at 1:00 p.m. everyone will stay here in d.c. to be available for the certification but what a difference four years makes. i want to take you around to see the security precautions. you've got bike racks and non- scalable fencing. that 9 foot non-scalable fencing surrounds not just the capitol but house and senate office buildings in this area. you've got a very significant law enforcement presence here. we've got secret service, nypd,

the metropolitan police department all over the united states capitol. this is a special security event, one of three that d.c. will see this month alone. capitol police said they are ready for whatever happens. >> the united states capitol police are better staffed, better trained, better equipped than ever before to protect the capitol and congress. today are planning, preparation, intelligence, training, equipment are all exactly where they need to be. >> reporter: and capitol police have done several things to get to that point. they did a live demonstration, a reenactment of what could possibly happen in a civil disturbance back in december with 16 agencies on the ground to get that real life experience. they have really upped their

staffing of police with 2200 members of capitol police. on the ground they've got federal, state, and local partners ready to keep this area safe for members and staff. >> if you want, there is so much around you, a lot of snow but i cannot see -- you are near north capitol street? right near union station and to the left is the capitol and the senate offices but that is quite a difference from the actual capitol. it's all closed off? >> reporter: that is correct. we are several football fields away from the capitol, where the united states capitol is. you can barely see it with the snow coming down there. streets are closed and the entire vicinity. there are pedestrian checkpoints. the only people getting inside the capitol are those with a united states capitol badge, which means members, staffers, and journalists. jose?

>> ryan, just four years ago, where do things stand in the justice system for those involved in the riot? >> reporter: cases are still ongoing. there are 200 that have been identified but not arrested by the fbi. 200 have been accused or seen on video assaulting law enforcement officers and that is the question over the next year as the statute of limitation expires, whether or not the justice department will be able to go forward. unfortunately it will not wa gary up being out there in the cold but using the government lighting money on fire. this shows how the government is really slow to changing circumstances. the idea january 6th would be a threat was reduced by 99% when donald trump legitimately won the 2024 election. there would not be a realistic incident on january 6th because

you didn't have the same president of the united states lying about the election and telling them to go to capitol hill. that was the threat of that day but because the wheels were in motion back in september we have this spectacle of law enforcement officials protecting the building essentially stopping kids from sliding down the hill. last january 6th grounds were restricted with far fewer means of barriers. there was a bike rack situation versus multiple layers of security but it's incredible when you look at how slow the federal government was to changing circumstances that we saw a really after donald trump won the 2024 election. >> yeah, and julie, there are more military police than there are civilians. julie tsirkin, gary grumbach, ryan reilly, thank you. appreciate it. coming up, we will talk to one of the police officers

speaking out. he will join us next. plus, president-elect trump lawyers try to sentencing in the hush money case. we will break down what could happen next. you are watching "jose diaz- balart reports" on msnbc . i do . this reminds me of my bike. the wolf was about the size of my new motorcycle. have you seen it, by the way? happy birthday, grandma! really? look how the brushstrokes follow the line of the gas tank. -hey! -hey! brought my plus-one. jamie? want a next level clean? swish with the whoa of listerine. it kills 99.9% of bad breath germs for five times more cleaning power than brushing and flossing alone. get a next level clean... ahhhhh with listerine. feel the whoa! it's payback time. all these years, you've worked hard.

you fixed it. you looked after it. maybe it's time for your home to start taking care of you. we've invested in our home, we've worked on it, we had a whole lot of equity just sitting there, you paid down the mortgage, invested in your home. i guess, you could say, your home owes you. if you're 62 or older and own your home, learn how you could access a portion of your home equity to give you cash. a reverse mortgage can put more money in your pocket by eliminating your monthly mortgage payments, paying off higher-interest credit cards, and covering medical costs. look, finance of america can show you how a reverse mortgage loan uses your built-up home equity to give you tax-free cash for almost anything you might need just eliminating the mortgage payment freed up a lot of cash for us i get to do what i want when i want finance of america customers talked about the counseling they got

along the way so they know how a reverse mortgage works, and how their home could help pay them back when they need it the most. i have no more worries anymore the fact that we're still in this home, means so much. it's done everything for us that we hope it would do for us. call now to receive your free no-obligation info kit. the kit shows you how to get you the cash you need using your home's equity with a reverse mortgage. find out how your home can start taking care of you. call this number. the worry every single month to make that payment was gone our customers' homes are taking care of them. maybe, your home could do the same for you. call finance of america, the country's #1 reverse mortgage lender and get your free info kit. call this number.

dexcom g7 sends your glucose numbers to your phone and watch, so you can always see where you're heading without fingersticks. dexcom g7 is the most accurate cgm, so you can manage your diabetes with confidence. ♪♪ z's bakery is looking to add a pizza oven, so you can manage your diabetes with confidence. arissa's hair salon wants to expand their space, and steve's t-shirt shop wants to bring on more help. with the comcast business 5-year price lock guarantee, they can think more about possibilities for their business and not the cost of their internet. it's five years of gig-speeds and advanced security. all from the company with 99.9% network reliability.

get the 5-year price lock guarantee, now back for a limited time. powering five years of savings. powering possibilities™. it will be my great honor to pardon the peaceful january 6th protesters, or as i often call them the hostages.

>> would you pardon those people? >> absolutely, i would. >> okay. >> i will be acting very quickly. >> within your first 100 days? first day? >> first day. >> trump reiterating his promise day one of his presidency he is considering pardoning rioters accused of storming the capitol four years ago today. one officer is speaking out in an op-ed for the new york times. he writes this morning he remembers the attack like it was yesterday. quote, i was barricading the tunnels with my body receiving blow after blow from rioters using makeshift weapons and stolen police gear. by the end, i was covered in my own blood, exhausted, overwhelmed and trampled, i did not know if i would make it

home to see my wife and child. sergeant joined us this morning. thank you for being with us. he is the author of american shield. sergeant, if i could just take us back to the beginning and your shift at work four years ago today. >> thanks for having me. look, on that day like many other colleagues, we defended the capitol against a violent mob incited by the former president and to sit here four years later and to listen to republicans say they support the police? they do not. if they did, donald trump would not be president in the coming next week's. and they would have put a plaque of the names of the officers

supporting that very same tunnel you are showing right now where we were willing to risk our lives, risking injuries, and the trauma we sustained. donald trump ran for accountability and that day was horrible for ourselves. it changed our lives, our livelihoods. many of my colleagues were injured to the point of losing eyes. these are the types of people donald trump and allies are trying to pardon. violent criminals. >> you write the attack has altered the trajectory of my career and my life. trump and his rioters not only stole my health but the livelihoods of me and my fellow officers. how do you reconcile with that? >> he can't. on that day i was trying to

fulfill my duties, keeping my oath, defending my colleagues. what happened in the aftermath in terms of we were also defending democracy and the constitution. while i am one of the many immigrants defending the capitol that day, native citizens were attacking the capitol. yet when it comes to immigrants, donald trump continues to degrade them. for a party and a person who says they are working to reduce crimes, they are about to pardon 1500 people that try to up and our constitution. and our very system of governance. the department of -- in the court, in the courts, judges are holding plea deals because donald trump is saying he is

going to pardon these violent criminals and that's a shame. this service that myself and my colleagues did, many of my colleagues were injured and even the department of justice refused to approve some of the benefits they are entitled, like myself. we sustained serious injuries and yet because of that, you know, a friend of mine set up a gofundme to help me get by because those benefits had been denied by the department of justice, by a republican appointee that refused to acknowledge january 6th -- something terrible happened that day as well. >> sergeant, looking forward to january 6, 2025 and going forward, what are your hopes

and dreams for our country? >> i just hope many people, those who decided to be on the sideline and not be vocal about what they saw with their own eyes, what they witnessed, what they heard from the former president, they say something. i did what i could as a police officer, as a military person to defend this country against foreign and domestic enemies. you know, especially on january 6th, the metal behind me is because i earned those things and a lot of people sat on the sideline. well, few of us spoke out to remind the people the danger that donald trump presidency would represent. mitch mcconnell, kevin mccarthy,

vice president mike pence, they stood aside and watched while very few spoke out. because if they did, i'm sure a lot more people would have paid a lot more attention to the danger that a second presidency would entail. >> aquilino gonell, thank you for your time. >> thank you for having me. i hope you also enjoy my book as well. no matter how many ways donald trump will pardon individuals that attacked me, just remember our history. please read our books. it tells you exactly what happens, not the ultimate reality that he wants people to believe. >> i appreciate it, sir. up next, a mid-atlantic snow day as winter storm blankets the region, closing schools and prompting officials

to warn drivers to stay off the roads. you are watching "jose diaz- balart reports" on msnbc. and the flavor you love. so, here's to now... now available: boost max! hi, i'm damian clark. i'm here to help you understand how to get the most from medicare. if you're eligible for medicare, it's a good idea to have original medicare. it gives you coverage for doctor office visits and hospital stays. but if you want even more benefits,

you can choose a medicare advantage plan like the ones offered at humana. our plans combine original medicare with extra benefits in a single, convenient plan with $0 or low monthly plan premiums. these plans could even include prescription drug coverage with $0 copays on hundreds of prescriptions. and medicare advantage plans ensure that your covered medical costs will never go above a maximum out-of-pocket amount that you know beforehand. most humana medicare advantage plans include dental coverage with $0 copays for covered preventive dental services. vision coverage that includes vision exams and a yearly allowance towards eyewear. even hearing benefits, including routine hearing exams and coverage towards hearing aids. there are $0 co-pays for in-network preventive services like annual wellness visits, mammograms, and prostate exams. and $0 co-pays for routine vaccines and telehealth visits. you get worldwide coverage for emergency and urgent care

when you travel, so you can have peace of mind when you're away from home. and of course, you should be able to see the providers you like. that's why humana works with multiple large plan networks of doctors, hospitals and pharmacies. so, get the most from medicare with a humana medicare advantage plan. you could have more coverage than with original medicare with $0, or low monthly plan premiums, and a yearly cap on your out-of-pocket costs. it's called medicare advantage for a reason. so, call a licensed humana sales agent today to learn more, and to request a free decision guide. be sure to call today to find the plan that's right for you with extra coverage, and benefits. humana. a more human way to health care. it's time to feed the dogs real food in the right amount. a healthy weight can help dogs live a longer and happier life. the farmer's dog makes weight management easy with fresh food pre-portioned for your dog's needs. it's an idea whose time has come.

45 past the hour this morning. tens of millions of americans are facing a monster winter storm, heavy snow, blizzard conditions, cold temperatures moving east after slamming the midwest. in missouri, icy roads causing cars to lose control causing a massive pile up. joining us now, maggie vespa and bill karins. maggie, let me start with you. i can see a lot of snow. what are conditions like there now? >> reporter: awful and brutally cold. the snowfall was intense. look at these cars. they clearly have not moved since the snow started. i'm realizing how stupid it was

to try to walk through this on television, but here we are. the exact numbers i believed to bill. forecasters say this is probably the largest snowstorm in roughly a decade and cleanup could take days as we're talking about a one-two punch of ice covering the roads, the highways, leading to scenes you just saw on saturday and on sunday, the snow rolled in. again, a foot in some areas or more on top of the ice so dozens of wrecks and injuries on the highways, here in the city, a lot of cars stuck, digging their way out to go to work today. they are asking everyone to stay home. and air travel, it is wreaking havoc at the end of the holiday season. a lot of students trying to get back to campus. people who stayed with family a little longer until the new year are stranded. thousands of flights delayed and canceled. yesterday we met two pilots from arizona who have been stuck here since saturday and

think they will be here for a couple of days. here is part of that back and forth. >> last night everything was starting to cancel out. the airport closed earlier last night and i thought, oh, there is a chance but when i woke up and saw white on the ground i knew we were in trouble. >> reporter: how long will you be stuck here? >> they say until tuesday but hopefully we will see a break tomorrow. that would be really nice but tuesday at the best. >> reporter: if you notice in that video they do not have winter coats. again, they are from arizona and we felt really bad for those guys. and power outages, we've seen hundreds of thousands of people from missouri to virginia without power given a frigid cold it is. i can barely feel my mouth. crews are working frantically to get that don -- turned back on as soon as possible.

>> maggie, take care of yourself. bill, there are horrible conditions out there. it did not affect the three kings day epiphany. they got their job done but this is affecting millions of people. how long will this be going on? unfortunately the snow and ice is not going anywhere anytime soon. maggie is a trooper, jose. she's not complaining half as much as i would have been. the cleanup is brutal and it's cold. one little verse left in the ohio valley heading for the d.c. later on this evening. additional snow in southern jersey, maryland, delaware, and west virginia but the bulk of the heavy stuff is over with. ice accumulation, just a tiny bit left here. a quarter million without power from ice in missouri and kentucky. so, what's next? jose, the cold right now is

all the way down to the gulf coast. new orleans, houston under cold weather advisories. orlando, the disney complex, tampa, same for you. 25. new orleans, 28. zero right now in kansas city. the next storm will come in on thursday bringing snow and ice to dallas to oklahoma city. by friday, even atlanta has a chance for mixed precipitation. light snow in the ohio valley. the million-dollar question, will this come off the coast and out to sea? snow to virginia and north carolina? will this come up the coast as a nor'easter? are models are split. saturday into sunday, showing a little weaker. jose, we've got a nasty wintry mix for those that are not used to snow and ice for the end of this week. >> bill karins, appreciate it. what trump's legal team is

asking for days before the sentencing in his hush money case. you are watching "jose diaz- balart reports" on msnbc. it does not prevent covid-19. my symptoms are mild now, but i'm not risking it. if it's covid, paxlovid. paxlovid must be taken within the first 5 days of symptoms... and helps stop the virus from multiplying in your body. taking paxlovid with certain medicines can lead... to serious or life- threatening side effects or affect how it... or other medicines work, including hormonal birth control. tell your doctor about all medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements you take as certain tests or dosage changes of your other medicines may be needed. tell them if you have kidney or liver problems, hiv-1, are or plan to be pregnant or breastfeed. don't take paxlovid if allergic to its ingredients. stop taking and call your doctor right away if you have allergic reaction symptoms. serious side effects can include allergic reactions, some severe like anaphylaxis, and liver problems. these are not all the possible side effects, so talk to your doctor. if it's covid,... paxlovid. ask your doctor today.

hayden: the fact st. jude will take care of all this, this is what's keeping my baby girl alive. chelsea: it's everything for us. we wouldn't know what to do. we couldn't afford for our little girl to survive. and st. jude gives us that. [music playing] 53 past the hour. we are back with breaking news. attorneys for donald trump are asking judge merchan to halt hush money sentencing as they appeal and try to block it. judge merchan ordered trump to appear virtually signaling events that jail time is off

the table but the president- elect attorneys want the sentencing blocked entirely and asked the court to suspend all further deadlines until president trump's immunity appeals are resolved. joining us now, vaughn hillyard in west palm beach and former federal prosecutor barbara mcquaid. other requests based on immunity arguments in the past, what doing about today's findings? >> reporter: this is a response for judge merchan to put an automatic stay on the sentencing from going forward this friday until the appeals that the legal team for donald trump indicated it would be filing this afternoon are able to be ruled on and heard by the appellate division in new york so this is a matter in which the legal team for donald trump requested word from judge merchan by 2:00 p.m. this afternoon on whether that would be initiated or not here.

in a statement a spokesman for the president-elect wrote in part the supreme court's historic decision on the immunity, state constitution of new york, and other established legal precedent mandate this meritless hoax to be immediately dismissed. of course, merchan could have tossed the conviction in the case altogether against donald trump and he chose not to and determined friday night in fact the sentencing would proceed on friday and he could appear virtually if he desires but we will wait to hear whether this stay will be put in place or not here >> barbara, the defense team mentioned the supreme court ruling and the state constitution of new york. what do you expect based on his handling of the case until now? >> i don't expect judge merchan will grant the stay. there is no legal basis whatsoever. if anything donald trump should

be grateful for the opinion judge merchan entered on friday because he said although he was upholding the conviction of donald trump setting the sentencing for friday, he planned to give him no prison time and planned to end the case with an unconventional discharge, without further penalty. but i imagine donald trump will do what he always does, fight every step of the way, but i don't see any legal basis here for relief. >> barbara, the big issue is if merchan rules, you know, no jail time, there is a change in what donald trump will be cataloged as. >> yes, that's right. he will stand as a convicted felon. the president in history of the united states has entered office with a felony conviction and that will stand. donald trump has appeals after sentencing but typically a judgment is not right for a

pallet review -- appellate review and that does not occur. i don't see any legal basis. now we have seen courts bend over backwards before to accommodate trump and that could happen but legally there is no basis for appeal until after the sentence is imposed on friday. barbara, in a separate case, rudy giuliani is testifying in a contempt of court hearing. $146 million judgment for defamation. they say giuliani is not paying up. how is a judge likely to handle this case, and what are the conditions right now the judge will have to be looking at? >> yeah, they say you cannot squeeze blood from a stone and it seems harder to squeeze money out of rudy giuliani but he has been testifying and the

defense seems to be i'm confused, i'm busy, i'm the subject of 15 to 20 lawsuits and i'm having a difficult time keeping track of it but the judge will order he identify and dispose of these assets and freeman will be able to collect their assets but it'll take a lot of work and he will not make it easy for him. >> and meanwhile, the president- elect had a busy weekend there at mar-a-lago. the leader of italy was there and they whole lot of other leaders as well. >> reporter: the prime minister of italy came to mar-a-lago to meet with the president-elect but ended up bringing her to a movie premiere that is focused on john eastman. of course, the lawyer who urged donald trump and mike pence the electoral college votes could be rejected and sent back to the states in 2021.

john eastman was indicted for those acts but john eastman was joined by peter navarro, michael flynn, rudy giuliani, all inside of the ballroom down at mar-a-lago for the film presentation. donald trump spoke highly as the italian prime minister watched on. of course, all of this coming on the heels of the anniversary of the gentry sixth attack but now as we are about to be on our way from the certification of donald trump victory ahead of his inauguration on january 20th. jose? >> vaughn hillyard, barbara mcquade, thank you so much. that wraps on social media at jdbalert. thank you for the privilege of your time. andrea mitchell picks up with more news right now.

>