3:34
Tonight on ABC News Live Prime, the president takes aim at what he's calling unpatriotic Republicans. President Trump hits back at lawmakers who voted to send him a rebuke over the war in Iran, many of them in his own party. This is some top Senate Republicans signal they'll vote no on the president's immigration bill and to the president's nomination of Todd Blanch, his former personal attorney, as the next attorney general. I'm Mary Bruce at the White House with a look at what Republicans are demanding. First, new video shows the front landing gear of a Boeing Dreamliner collapsing while parked at an airport gate. The front tip of the plane crashing to the ground just moments before passengers were expected
to board for Los Angeles. Multiple injuries reported. The war's hidden cost. In tonight's Prime Focus, we look at the human cost of high gas prices and rising grocery bills and how those surging expenses are taking a very real toll on families across America. Frustrations with the health care system. A new report takes a look at how health insurance denials affect Americans and their health. Tonight, we talk with one doctor whose public disputes with an insurance company have gained national attention. Currently, our system makes so very much money for some very large companies. and why one man traveled all the way to the Vatican to give Pope Leo a check for $8.65. From ABC News World Headquarters in New York, this is Prime with Lindseay Davis.
Good evening everyone. I'm Lindseay Davis. Thank you so much for streaming with us. We begin with the growing Republican divide with more Republicans now pushing back against President Trump as he gets set to nominate his former personal attorney Todd Blanch as the next attorney general. If nominated, Blanch is expected to face challenges in the Senate. Blanch has lost favor with a number of Senate Republicans after becoming the face of the politically unpopular anti-weaponization fund on Capitol Hill. Now lawmakers from both sides of the aisle are pushing for an amendment to block the creation of the nearly $ 1.8 billion fund, which could include payments to January 6
riers. All of this comes after a sharp rebuke from four Republicans who joined Democrats to pass a resolution that limits President Trump's war powers. Chief White House correspondent Mary Bruce leads us off from the White House tonight. As President Trump prepares to nominate his former personal lawyer, Todd Blanch, as the nation's next attorney general, top Republicans predicting a tough confirmation battle. Blanch currently serves as acting attorney general that we are going to make him permanent attorney general.
His loyalty to Trump front and center. Obviously, I'm honored and humbled um that the president indicated he was going to nominate me today. But that loyalty could become a liability. Do you think I'll have a hard time getting confirmed? Um hard to say. Blanch is an architect of the idea to use taxpayer money for President Trump's fund to pay his allies, including those who stormed the capital on January 6th. Democrats outraged many Republicans, too. Earlier this week, Blanch pulling the plug. We are not moving forward with the fund, period. But Trump still defending it. So, I love it. I think it's so important. Today, Senate Democrats and
some Republicans pushing legislation to make sure the fund never happens. Republican Senator Tom Tillis says January 6th will be at the forefront of Blanch's confirmation hearing. The key for Todd or anybody going through judiciary committee is being pretty tight on uh January the 6th. They better not have said for one minute that the people that beat up police officers like these right down here were righteous people. It comes amid news the Pentagon has hired a January 6th rioter to serve in a sensitive counterterrorism job. Elias Irizari seen here climbing through a broken window at the capital and here sitting in a conference room
with a pole across his lap. He pleaded guilty to various offenses and was later pardoned by President Trump. And Mary Bruce joins us now from the White House. So Mary, in addition to answering questions about January 6, what more are we learning about Blanch's role in the release of those Epstein files? Well, Lindsay, the release of the Epstein files, it seems, will also be front and center in Blanch's confirmation process. Pam Bondi, the former attorney general, was on the Hill last week testifying behind closed doors. Tonight, we now have the transcript of what she told lawmakers, and she says that Blanch was the one in charge of that entire process and the release of the Epstein files. Lindsay, Mary Bruce for us. Thanks so much, Mary.
The NTSB has released its preliminary report about the low-flying United passenger jet that hit a light pole on the New Jersey Turnpike while coming in to land at Newark Airport last month. Investigators say the plane was just 15 ft above the highway. Tonight, new images of damage to the plane and what the first officer warned the captain. Ariana has those details. Tonight, new details on this stunning moment and just how close a packed passenger plane came to disaster on their final approach at Newark Airport last month. A new report tonight finding that United Airlines
flight with more than 230 people on board was flying dangerously low, just 15 ft above one of the busiest highways in the country when it slammed into a light pole. That pole crashing into a delivery truck, injuring the driver. Investigators today say the pilots navigated three rapid runway changes as they descended in strong winds, eventually told to land at Newark's shortest runway. The first officer warning the captain the air speed was slow. Later saying, "You were still slow and a little low." The captain saying he heard a thump shortly before touchdown. Passengers deplaning normally, but that plane suffering substantial damage, a gash in the side of the fuselage.
Holy. The NTSB is going to want to go back and say, "What is it about this approach to this runway? How can we take out the possibility of error that almost led to tragedy in this case?" Also tonight, dramatic new video posted on social media showing the front landing gear of the Luanza jet collapsing while parked at a gate in Frankfurt, Germany, just moments before passengers were set to board the flight to Los Angeles. The nose of the plane crashing down. The airline saying 13 crew members and ground staff were on board at the time. Several taken to the hospital with minor injuries.
Lindsay, the planes involved in both incidents have been taken out of service as authorities investigate. Lindsay Rian, thank you. Jury selection began today in a murder case that made national headlines. A now 19-year-old high school track star is accused of fatally stabbing a 17-year-old rival during a track meet. The case has sharply divided the Colin County, Texas community. Here's Morgan Norwood. Tonight, day one in a trial that has deeply divided a Dallas suburb and made national headlines. Carmemelllo Anthony, now 19, charged with first-degree murder in the stabbing death of 17-year-old fellow athlete Austin Metaf after a
confrontation at a track meet last year. Can you be the stabbing Kirkindle Stadium press box? It's going to be a student athlete. Prosecutors called it a sneak surprise attack, showing the jury grainy surveillance of the bleachers where it all happened that rainy morning after Anthony sat under a tent belonging to Metaf's team. Austin's twin brother, Hunter, was there. He started getting aggressive and talking reckless and my brother stepped in and said, "You need to move." And he's like, "Make me move." And prosecutors say when Metaf tried moving Anthony, he pulled out a knife.
Metaf's last words, "I've been stabbed." before he died in his brother's arms. But Anony's defense arguing he acted in self-defense, reacting in a split second of fear, chaos, saying after he defended himself with a knife, he ran. He didn't stab again, he dropped the knife. The case fueling debate and racial tension. Metaf's father has insisted it's not about race. Both families have faced threats. To the family who experienced the loss, my heart truly goes out to you. We believe in legal process and that is where the truth will come out. Tonight, one civil rights organization voicing outrage that there are no black jurors deciding Anony's fate. And Lindsay, even though Carmemelllo Anthony was 17 at the time, he is being
tried as an adult. If convicted, he faces 5 years up to life in prison. Lindsay Morgan, thank you. An 18-year-old is dead and three others are injured after a shooting at a high school graduation in Northern California. School officials say the violence started just after the ceremony ended Wednesday night at Fairfield High School. The three people injured include an 11year-old and two people in their 20s. They were taken to the hospital, but their conditions are unknown. Police say there is no ongoing threat to the community and authorities have not announced any suspects or arrests. ABC News has learned that President Trump's former national security adviser, John Bolton, is expected to plead guilty over his
mishandling of classified documents. Our chief justice correspondent, Pierre Thomas, has those details. He was a prime target of President Trump's retribution campaign. And tonight, sources tell ABC News Trump's former national security adviser, John Bolton, is planning to plead guilty to mishandling classified information. I'm not a fan of John Bolton. I thought it was a sleeves bag, actually. Bolton was indicted on 18 counts in October of 2025. Accused of sharing classified information with members of his family in the course of writing a book. his home raided by the FBI.
Tonight, sources tell us Bolton will plead guilty to one count of illegal retention of national security information and will acknowledge he stored sensitive information in his personal diaries. He's agreed to pay a fine of $2.25 million and could face up to 5 years in prison. Bolton has been an unsparing critic of the president. I don't think he's fit for office. President Trump himself was charged with mishandling classifying information when he left office. That case later dismissed. The investigation into Bolton began during the Biden administration. The case against him was brought by career DOJ prosecutors, not newly appointed allies of the president.
Pierre Thomas joins us now. So Pier, what's next here for Bolton? He's expected to enter his guilty plea on June 26th. If he had been convicted on all 18 counts, he could have faced up to decades in prison. Lindsay, he plans to ask for probation, which will be up to a judge to decide. Pierre Thomas for us. Thank you. Residents in Southern California were left confused and upset after military drills went into the early hours of the morning. People in Pasadena could hear flashbangs, weapon fire, and even helicopters until just past 2:00 a.m. overnight. Drills were also reported in Irvine. A local councilman posted a series of videos of the training to his Instagram and called
the late night exercise absurd and ridiculous. Local police departments were warned about the training exercises with a few hours notice, but it still caught many by surprise. Next tonight to the severe storm threat including possible tornadoes expanding across multiple states. The system is pushing into the northeast along with searing heat well into the 90s from Washington DC to Philadelphia and up to New York and Boston. Philadelphia schools are actually shifting to virtual learning tomorrow because of the extreme heat. Let's bring in ABC senior meteorologist Lee Goldberg. What's it looking like, Lee?
Lindsay, it's hard to believe we had 50s wind and rain across parts of the Northeast. Now we're looking at 90s. you know, the front that will actually break the heat in the northeast been sitting over the northern plains. This is the third night in a row of severe weather. Severe thunderstorm watch actually extended till 1 in the morning. Places like Rapid City and Pierre. This goes all the way from parts of Wyoming into the Dakotas. To the south, it's more of a flood threat into Iowa. Although, we had a tornado warning in the evening hours across northeast Kansas. We also had a tornado earlier in the day. So, lots of severe weather threats there. As we go through the next 24 hours, we're
going to see that severe threat shift more south and east. So, it'll be from Omaha, De Moines, as we go into the upper Midwest, level two out of five with damaging winds, maybe a brief tornado. Once we get into Saturday, it's the Great Lakes, and then we're looking at Detroit and Cleveland, Pittsburgh, and even some storms could sneak into the northwest areas of New York City into upstate New York and New England as we go into the day on Saturday. Speaking of the northeast side, ahead of the severe weather, those 50s are traded in for 90s. I mean, you might even get close to a heat wave in a couple of spots. The good news is the humidity isn't through the roof, but we're not used to it just yet. So, it will feel
hot. The temperatures will peak on Saturday. Then that front will come through on Sunday, break the humidity and heat into early next week. And one other treat, if you're looking up tonight and you see a little tint on the horizon, Noah Space Weather telling us that coronal mass ejections or CMEs that left the sun on Tuesday have arrived here. They're interacting with our magnetic field, calling that be causing those beautiful colors known as the auroras, the northern lights. They're most visible near the northern tier of the country. Seattle all the way to Montreal and Minneapolis. But low on the horizon, there's a shot from Salt Lake City, Chicago over into New York City.
So enjoy. Take a shot at it away from the city lights, Lindsay. All right, sounds like a plan. Lee Goldberg, our thanks to you as always. Sports fans are celebrating today in New York City after the Knicks win in San Antonio last night in game one of the NBA Finals. Knicks fans gathered at Madison Square Garden and other watch parties around New York City to cheer on their team. San Antonio fans were out in full force at the Frost Bank Center in their iconic teal, pink, and orange fiesta colors. And kids in New York received special permission from Mayor Mom Donnie to stay up late during the
finals. Earlier this week, he signed an executive order repealing bedtime for the duration of the games. New York fans, who are hoping to see the Knicks play at Madison Square Garden next week, might want to consider a trip to Texas instead. Tickets for game two tomorrow are as low as $800. Meanwhile, tickets for Monday's game here in New York City more than $7,000. That flight to San Antonio will set you back an additional $850, but all consider that's still a bargain. ABC's Will Reeve is in San Antonio covering the series. They take game one of the NBA Finals. Overnight, the New York Knicks stealing game one of the NBA Finals from the San Antonio Spurs. From the opening tip, this finals rematch, 27 years in the
making, was electric. Jaylen Brunson's first shot of his final career goes down. Victor Webbinyama playing his first NBA Finals game at age 22. The two stars get off by knocking down their first shots. The Spurs supported by the Celisian sisters of St. John Bosow there too. Serving as divine lucky charms for the home team. Late in the first quarter, a major scare for the Knicks. Captain Jaylen Brunson appearing to his knee, limping to the locker room. And obviously that's the nightmare scenario. He returned but then appeared
to twist his ankle. There you see that ankle turning in. This time he would stay in the game but the Spurs using the momentum opening up a 14-point lead in the third quarter. Leans in shot. Got it. But the man known as Captain Clutch putting the team on his back. Brunson scoring 13 of his 30 points in the fourth quarter. That fourth quarter interrupted by a fan storming the court for a selfie with Wemby. That person wasn't here for the basketball. They were not. After the dust settled, the Knicks putting the Spurs away for good.
Puts it in. JAYLEN BRUNSON DOES IT AGAIN. THE confidence in me also gives me the extra boost. We're together out there and whatever happens, we're just going to fight for each other. Webyama unable to hide his disappointment after making only six of 21 shots. I was bad tonight. It's not more complicated than that. The Knicks familiar contingent of famous fans fired up. Spike, Timothy, Tracy, and Fat Joe taking in the win. Go New York. That was a big one. Three more. Let's go.
Inside the watch party at Madison Square Garden and the outdoor spillover. Fans going wild. Three more, baby. WE FROM NEW YORK, BABY. THAT'S RIGHT. WE FROM NEW YORK. WE ALWAYS COME BACK. And our thanks to Will for that early success for New York. Let's bring in ESPN's Justin Tinsley. So Justin, a lot to talk about the strength of the Western Conference, but the Knicks have been on an incredible run. Did you see anything last night that changes your idea of how these finals are going to go ultimately? No, I still think it's going to be a very long series. If you're the Knicks, you did exactly what you were supposed to do in game one. You stole one on the road. So, at the very worst, when they
go back to Madison Square Garden for game three on Monday, the series at the very worst would be 1-1. Uh New York did not shoot the ball well. Jay and I mean Jaylen Brunson, he scored 13 of his 30 points in the fourth quarter and he really led that charge then. But by any account, he'll even tell you that he didn't shoot the ball well. So if you're New York, you stole the game, but you cannot get too confident because you can't expect Victor Wimyama to shoot six of 21 every night. And the San Antonio Spurs, they didn't shoot well either. I believe they shot 36% at as a team. So, if you're the Knicks, you stole one, you try to steal game two, but at the very least, again, you're
going back to New York, tied two, tied 1-1. So, what do you think that the Spurs learned from last night's game that they may try and really put into effect tomorrow night in order to even the series up? Well, if you're a Spurs fan, you're really hoping that this is a very young team. They've never played on this level of basketball before. So, you're hoping game one you work the nerves out. you try to play it a little slower pace even though you try to run as well because they're still a young team. I fully expect Wimi to play a lot better. I fully expect him to let the game come to him a little bit more in game two. And again, you look at guys
like De'Arren Fox, you look at Stefon Castle, you look at Vassel, and just so many guys on that team, they really looked rattled in a lot of parts of the game last night, even though they were up 14 at one point. So, I expect calmer nerves. I expect cooler heads to prevail for San Antonio in game two, but that does not guarantee a win in game two either. Yeah, we talked a little bit earlier about the price of these tickets for these New York games starting at $7500. Jaylen Brunson was asked what he would pay $7,500 to watch. And he said a live Michael Jackson performance. So, just in
the spirit of fun here, what do you think is worth $7,500? What is worth $7,500? Uh, I mean, I'm going have to stick with music as well. Like, God Bless the Dead, but if I can see Tupac Shakur or Biggie Smalls, I would pay $7500 for that. But right now, just looking at my credit card balances, I will be watching on TV. And I also cannot forget about our hockey fans. The Carolina Hurricanes will try to even up their series with the Vegas Golden Knights in the Stanley Cup finals. Who do you have winning the Stanley Cup?
Uh, I got Carolina. I still think much like the NBA finals, this will be a long series. And I'm I'm looking at Carolina. They have not won a title in over in almost 20 years, excuse me, in 20 years since 2006. So, I expect to see a heightened sense of urgency from Carolina. But this is a very good Vegas Knights team. They just won a couple of years ago. They've only been in the league for like nine years, and they've been near the very top pretty much for the duration of that. But I got Carolina in game two just based off the sense of urgency alone. All right, Justin Tinsley, and you have the Knicks winning the NBA finals or what?
Oh, yeah. Look, you can go on ESPN.com. It's already written in stone. I got Knicks in six. Written in stone. Like that confidence. All right. Thank you so much. We're going to hold you to it. Coming up, more on the NBA Finals and the fan who stormed the court for a selfie midame. We're learning how he's being punished. Coming up, it's payday for Pope Leo. a special delivery he received at the Vatican. And navigating healthc care insurance approvals can be a nightmare. But one Texas plastic surgeon is gaining
followers online fighting back for her patients. We'll talk to Dr. Elizabeth Potter right after the break. Welcome back everyone. A new report out today titled, "How health insurance coverage denials affect Americans puts a bright spotlight on Americans dealings with their doctors, their insurance companies, and the hospitals, and other healthc care facilities we all use." The report is the result of the Commonwealth Fund's 2025 affordability survey of more than 4,500 adults with private insurance. That survey was conducted between July and October of last year, and it is the topic of tonight's by the numbers. One in five people with private health insurance said that they or a
family member had insurance coverage denied for docker recommended care in the past year according to the report. 13% said that they had an authorization denial even before care was provided. The remaining 8% received a claim denial after care was provided. 43% of people who had a claim denied said that it led to medical debt that they're still paying off. Finally, only about 50% of people who experienced a coverage denial appealed the decision, often because they were unsure they had the right to do so or they didn't think it would make a big difference. But among those who did appeal, many ultimately received some form of coverage or had their bills
reduced. Among those who did appeal a prior authorization denial, more than half ultimately received some form of coverage, either for the recommended care or an alternative. And one-third of those who challenged a claim denial had their bills reduced or eliminated altogether. And joining us now is Dr. Elizabeth Potter. Dr. Potter, thank you so much for joining us. You describe a situation many patients and doctors may be familiar with. You have a patient for whom a procedure has been approved by their insurance company, but then the insurance company questions or denies part of the claim. Why do you believe such denials occur?
Honestly, I think it's about the balance in healthcare between taking care of patients and the business of medicine or making money. And things have shifted so far towards the fiduciary responsibility of insurance companies to make money for their shareholders that decisions like denials come at the last minute. And it's starting to feel like that's really part of the business model um to deny as much as possible as a method of cost control. You've previously claimed that hospitals overcharge patients by a factor of four or even five. How can you be sure? So overcharge, I would say that because I own my own surgery center and I've built that from the ground up, I know exactly how much the surgeries that I'm
doing cost. And when I compare what I know them to cost based on um the actual numbers of doing them in my surgery center to what my patients are being charged and build and my patients have sent me those EOBS and their bills, the numbers are dramatically different. So by owning my own surgery center and looking at the cost, I can save sometimes 40 to 60% in some of these cases. And that's something that I think the American public needs to understand. We're all talking about affordability in healthcare. We want the system to cost less and have better outcomes and doctors like me can provide that service like through my surgery center. But there is pressure from the entire
industry to not have doctors like me um you know owning those centers and performing care that they're in charge of. So in effect Americans are paying more than they should be paying. So, when patients get that bill from a doctor or a hospital and it's for way more than they may have expected, is it too late at that point to do something? They've already had the procedure. That's such a great question and I want your listeners to understand this. So, when you get a letter from your insurance company, it should be an EOB or an explanation of benefits. If you get a bill, that should be from your provider like the hospital or the doctor. Number one thing I would say is don't pay that bill right away. What you
need to do is get that EOB and compare the bill and make sure the numbers match up. Then you want to think about your rights like are there in network facilities and there you're being charged out of network rates. Sometimes that's the case and that's there are federal and state protections against that kind of charge and those are no surprise billing laws. So you want to check the numbers and make sure the EOB and the bill match. You want to know your rights and then you want to call your hospital and the insurance company or your doctor and the insurance company and talk about it. There are often ways that providers can come up with payment plans or discounts or ways of
negotiating down the payment um that make it more affordable. So number one, don't pay right away and um certainly check everyone's work. We know that more than 70 countries out there do provide universal health care for their citizens. What do you think the number one obstacle is that keeps us from being able to have something similar here in the United States? I think that our system is going to resist that because currently our system makes so very much money for some very large companies. I mean, we're talking about 20% of GDP. Um but I would say on a hopeful note that the environment now the attitude of
healthcare workers and the knowledge of the public there's a moment building where we all understand that we that healthcare really is a right and we need to provide a baseline level of that care. So I think that the status quo is probably the biggest obstacle but it's not as large as our hope and our persistence to get the job done for Americans. Such a pleasure to have you on the show, Dr. Potter. Thank you so much for your time and insight. Thanks, Lindsay. Coming up, the new world screworm has been detected in a Texas calf. What that parasite's presence in the US could mean for beef prices. And the NBA is punishing the fan who stormed the court for a selfie during last night's game.
It could be the last game he ever sees in person. Welcome back to Prime. Here's a look at the stories making headlines right now. Some Republicans are pushing back against President Trump as he gets set to nominate his former personal attorney Todd Blanch as the next attorney general. If nominated, Blanch is expected to face challenges in the Senate over the nearly $1.8 billion anti-weaponization fund. Lanch is an architect of the idea to use taxpayer money for President Trump's fund to pay his allies, including those who stormed the capital on January 6th. Today, Senate Democrats and some Republicans
push legislation to make sure the fund never happens. The House Oversight Committee just released the transcript of their closed door interview with former Attorney General Pam Bondi last week. Bondi told lawmakers the now acting attorney general Todd Blanch was in charge of the controversial handling of the Epstein files. She said that Blanch approved the redactions to the transcripts and audio files ultimately released by the DOJ. US ranchers are on alert after a flesh-eating parasitic fly known as the screworm was confirmed in a cap in Texas. The USDA secretary said that this case does not pose a food safety issue. This comes after the agriculture department warned that the
fly may have migrated from Mexico and Central America. Officials said that so far the screworm has not been detected anywhere else in the US. and two fans got a lifetime ban from all NBA arenas after one of them rushed the court during game one of the NBA finals. The fan attempted to take a selfie with Spurs star victim Webeyama and Nick center Mitchell Robinson before he was caught by stadium security and arrested after the game. We said that the incident surprised him and he didn't know how to act. Coming up, what the Iran war is costing US households. Our Elizabeth Schulzy spoke with families across the country about the real life financial hardships they face. And after nearly 30 years, the popular video game
Backyard Baseball is back with a makeover. We have a sneak peek. Welcome back, everyone. Since the start of the Iran War, gas and food prices in America have climbed to their highest levels in years. ABC's Elizabeth Schelsey brings you the story of three households who say they're struggling to make ends meet. I know. Are you running? Yeah. Good. Betsy Rosado is helping her youngest daughter, 2-year-old Johnny Let her physical therapy. Johnny Le has Down syndrome. High five. Yeah. Betsy lives with her husband and five children in Spring Hill, Florida, a suburb of Tampa Bay. She had to stop working to give Johnny Le 247 care, taking her to physical, occupational, speech, and eating therapies. 5 days a week, sometimes
multiple times a day, and that means a lot of driving. Betsy says it now costs her $80 to fill the gas tank of her minivan. About 3 months ago, before the Iran War, she says it was $50. Makes me feel stressed. That's hard because of everything that I do for my child. I don't have the luxury of picking and choosing what day I go to a doctor's appointment. Gas prices across the US have climbed to their highest level in around four years as the standstill at the Straight of Hormuz has caused an historic disruption to the world's supply of oil. Since the start of the Iran War on February 28th,
the average American household has paid more than $400 extra for gas and diesel, according to researchers at Brown University, who say that higher fuel prices overall have cost US consumers more than $50 billion. I have to be very careful and very cautious on how on where I go throughout my day to make sure I'm not overusing my gas. Selia Monreal lives with her husband and five children in Tyler, Texas. Her husband works in construction. She's a part-time housekeeper. Monreal says they're struggling to pay for gas to go to work and to drop their children off at school. the middle class is struggling, you know, and it's I don't know if it's going to get any better or what's going to happen, but it's not looking promising.
And higher fuel costs are now rippling through the economy. In April, grocery prices jumped at the fastest monthly pace in nearly 4 years. Betsy says $250 of groceries will now last 2 or three days for her family of seven. Do you want more pizza? She says the same amount of food used to cost about $100 less just a few months ago. We matter. It angers me to the core. I'll go to the shower and cry it out like I normally do. But my kids are the ones that suffers. I've spoken to so many parents and the sufferings that we go through that our kids go through
because they can't have it. It angers me. Wait, put it back. Bets's 28-year-old daughter, Betad Alise, has a 5-year-old daughter of her own. She says that even though she works two jobs, she had to take her daughter out of ballet classes to pay for groceries and gas. But Alise said she's spending less time with her daughter to take on extra hours at work to make ends meet. It's depressing cuz I'm I there's nights where I cry because I'm like I want to do stuff for her and I want to make sure that she has everything she needs and I can't make that happen at this moment because finances are just not matching. It's very hard.
It's a sentiment resonating in households across the country. Nobody like me goes anywhere because their prices quadruple. Brenda Howard, a retired 66-year-old from Lach, Texas, told us the rising cost of living, especially gas, has isolated her from her community and made her what she calls a prisoner in her own home. This isn't life. This isn't living. This is existing. Howard, who cannot afford a car, says she relies on Ubers for transportation in Lach, where buses or trains are unavailable. She says over the past year, the rates for ride share apps have doubled, preventing her from going to the doctor and limiting her from
attending church events. Ministry is my passion. It's it's it's everything to me to be able to go out and help people. Not going to church, not having the ability to afford an Uber is just killing me. President Trump insists the economic pain from the war will be short-lived. Repeatedly downplaying the impact of rising prices on American families. Gas prices that are still high across the country, people are paying more for travel. Does that give you more urgency to make a deal? Why doesn't it? Well, I'll tell you the primary urgency. I said this, it wasn't covered properly, but the primary urgency is that we can't let Iran have a nuclear weapon. Selia says she voted for Trump in the 2024 election because she thought he would be
good for the economy. A decision she says she now regrets. When are we going to stop seeing the increase on all these basic things that we need? We're paying a high price for him being Betsy in Florida has a more direct message. My message for him is to step down. You're hurting the American citizens and you don't even care. Brush. She's urging families and friends to find unity in a moment of deep economic division. Check on people. Tell them you love them because this life and the economy is getting worse and it does affect everybody. So, we need to stand together. So many barely getting by. Our thanks to Elizabeth Schulzy for that. And we did
reach out to the White House for a response. They shared this statement. President Trump has always been clear about temporary disruptions as a result of Iran's attempts to subvert the free flow of energy. The administration has never lost focus, however, on implementing the president's proven economic agenda on the home front. As these policies continue taking effect, and as the Iranian terror threat is neutralized, Americans will again see cooling inflation, gas prices at multi-year lows, and accelerated economic growth. Still ahead, it's payday for the Pope. the special delivery the pontiff received today. Plus, Paul Rudd and Nick Jonas join us to talk about their new movie, Power Ballad, and the battle brewing between the two artists.
An incredible story of survival on Mount Everest to tell you about tonight. A Sherpa who went missing nearly a week ago was found this morning crawling back to base camp. He was last seen May 29th descending the mountain but never reached base camp even though his client did. The 52-year-old was rushed by helicopter to a hospital in Catmu. His family had already begun funeral preparations for him. They say he suffered frostbite and other complications but otherwise is doing well. Pope Leo gets an unexpected refund. The return of a classic and beloved baseball video game and a mashed potato slip has a popular chain restaurant facing a pricey lawsuit.
These stories and more in tonight's rundown. The king of pop is making history yet again. Michael Jackson known for hits like Thriller and Billy Jean has become the first and only artist to have a new Billboard Hot 100 hit in six different decades. That's since 1970. His latest appearance in the charts came with Chicago debuting at number 30. The song saw nearly 388 million streams worldwide. Are you ready? The Henderson Police Department returned Corn Basis Raw Diaz's entire base collection after it was stolen from a storage unit. The community in Las Vegas came together to track down the instruments. One person tipped off
police after seeing a base being sold at a local store. The Henderson Police Department said horror stories are real, but so are happy endings. This one was made possible by a community that paid attention. This lawsuit is no small potatoes. An Outback Steakhouse customer is suing the chain restaurant for $1.5 million after faceplanting into mashed potatoes. The customer from Virginia said she was enjoying a meal with her family when she stepped into a slippery substance which appeared to be mashed potatoes while on her way to the restroom. She's claiming the substance created a dangerous environment and that the restaurant failed to warn customers. She also
claims to have suffered enormous pain psychologically and physically. The restaurant has requested a dismissal, though this is not the first lawsuit a customer has filed for negligence, but perhaps the first involving potatoes. Philanthropist and billionaire Melinda French Gates donated $215 million to improve women's health globally. The donation will go towards supporting access to contraceptives, maternal care, and will also help fund initiatives aimed at middle-aged women, including studies relating to menopause. This comes as funding to women's health in the US has been cut overall. The National Institute of Health reported that 31% of funding toward research projects on women's health were cut and
billions of dollars from grant programs aimed at supporting women were also cut as part of the Doge initiatives. A payday for the Pope in St. Peter Square today. The Illinois State Treasurer presented Pope Leo with a check for $8.65. The earthly windfall is from an old PayPal account the Pontiff left behind. According to a friend of Leo's, after he became Pope, he called his bank to update his account details. Leo identified himself as Robert Pvos and answered the security questions correctly, but the operator still told him he had to come to the branch personally. When he suggested it might help to know he was Pope Leo, she hung up.
A new backyard baseball video game is coming to consoles everywhere this summer. IGN announced the 2026 remake of the original video games that many sports fans grew up playing. Now those same fans will get to relive the nostalgia. The game features updated graphics but includes all the iconic characters from the original game. In the new movie Power Ballad, Nick Jonas is reliving the life of a boy band member attempting to take off as a solo artist. But when he steals the song of a wedding singer played by Paul Rudd, a riff forms between the two artists over the meaning of love, commitment, and the question of whether someone can truly own a piece of music. Our Ashen Singh had a chance to speak with Nick Jonas
and Paul Rudd to discuss the new movie. Let's take a look. Wow, Danny Wilson, you were great up there. Come with me. I could tell within 2 minutes of meeting you, you are not just some boy band guy. And you are too good for that wedding band. Paul, Nick, thank you guys so much for being here and congratulations on Power Ballad. This movie is a riot. This is a film about a washedup wedding singer who has this beautiful track that he's been sitting on for years and then Danny comes in and he takes it and he makes it big. What was sort of this needle that you guys were trying to thread as adversaries but also as kind of creative partners at one point in the movie who kind of turn on each other? It's tricky
because it does talk about like well who's who owns what, right? Who's responsible? Like there's only a certain amount of notes. You know, you can construct them in different ways. Never going to run if you don't look down. This song was not finished. I mean, Nick's character certainly is contributing to the track that he releases. what there's a lot of gray area and that's what is interesting. It's not such a black and white thing. I don't think I really feel like with Nick's character, he did a pretty masterful job, I think, of somebody who you can empathize with and yet at the same time uh you kind of want to scream because you understand
the motivations and I think you see the internal conflict. This song changed my life. One of the things that I really appreciated, Nick, was the character of Danny isn't portrayed as sort of this larger than-l life pop star as we normally see them in film. Like they're sensitive. They're very insecure. What did you have to tap into to portray Danny in a way that, like Paul said, you kind of feel for? Yeah, I think it's a testament to the writing. These circumstances that surround Danny and his life and his fame and where he's at in his career and all those things are just the backdrop to a person who's going through a real
identity crisis. I definitely related to a lot of the things that Danny's going through in this movie going back to when I was kind of breaking off solo and trying to find my sound and myself. What was it like sharing the stage? Because literally at the top of the movie, we see you guys rip through Stevie Wonders I Wish. I mean, Nick, did you have to coach Paul up at all or what was it like actually singing the song together? No, there was zero coach. It was just teamwork the whole way around and he blew me away with his singing. You know, obviously we know Paul's one of the best actors alive and I've been a fan of his forever and uh I mean that's that's well I appreciate it. Um and you're wrong but thanks.
And it was great to see him jump into the music side of things with such ease. And that was our first day on set together, which I think was the perfect way to kick things off. You mentioned sort of the familiarity of the role coming from the Jonas Brothers yourself and making it uh on your own as a solo artist. How many of the experiences that Danny faces in that movie felt real to you and something that you experienced in the industry yourself? Yeah, I mean I think pressure from the industry to come with your next hit.
You know, there are times people would say you're only as good as your next hit. And uh on one end of the spectrum, that's that's true, but once a star, always a threat, right? You can always get in a room, work with the right people, and find that song that can change your life at any moment in time. That goes for any artist. And that's kind of what happens for Danny. Cuz every song I ever wrote my life, it's about you. So good. Although he takes the song and doesn't give him the credit, you know, we see what can happen when there's a sort of collaboration that creates some magic. So cameras coming forward through take five.
What was it like working with John Carney, someone who does have such a musical background and this is such a musical story. I've been a fan of John's for forever going back to Once and then Sing Streets, one of my favorite movies. Dreamed of working with him. You know, I had heard that he was working on a script and just read the log line of what it was about and said to my team, I was like, "Please, if you can get your hands on that script so I can read it." And they did. And then I just said, I got to meet John and talk to him and see if he'll let me be in this movie. Thankfully, he said yes.
But I also knew at the time that Paul was attached. And it was kind of a dream duo for this story. Cheers to that. Both of your characters are coming from two very different perspectives, but they kind of seem to be chasing the same thing. Danny's chasing legitimacy as a global pop star, and Rick is chasing legitimacy just as an artist. Did you find like there were parallels in the character that you were both trying to create uniquely but also was sort of facing the same kind of struggle? Well, I think it's just both of these guys are trying to uh achieve their dream. You know, that's their they want to accomplish something and they see uh what's in front of them, what they want to be. And each one of them is
close to it. One's a little closer than the other, but it's all relative. and the struggles and the doors slamming in your face are there. So, uh, both of these characters experience that in their own way. Don't look down. Can I have that? Look, all I did was just throw in a little paprika, a little spice on top, some spicy spice. Add whatever spices you want. Without giving away any spoilers, one thing I really appreciate about this movie is that it's kind of messy in the way that it ends. It's not sort of has that traditional bow on it where everybody's happy and walks away.
Did it feel grounded for y'all ending the movie the way that it did? It did to me cuz life is a little messy. It's not always black and white and it doesn't always end up with that bow on it where everyone's happy. I think we'd like to believe it does in certain scenarios, but it's complicated. Even I didn't know the first time I watched the cut cuz there was one thing that was added at the end that was so brilliant on John's part. It kind of hit me pretty hard. Um, so I think it's a great way to end it, fellas. Thank you so much for your time. Congrats on the film. It's super fun. Thanks. Our thanks to Ashen Singh for the conversation. You can see Power Ballad in theaters now. And that is our show for this hour. I'm Lindsay Davis. Be
sure to stay tuned to ABC News Live for more context and analysis of the day's top stories. Thank you so much for streaming with us. Have a great night. This is what you need to know. We'll take you straight to where news is happening and give you what you need to know all in under 10 minutes. The top stories, latest headlines, what everyone's talking about, what you need to know, all in under 10 minutes. New
