BREAKING NEWS TIME FOR HUNTER BIDEN AS A PLEA DEAL WITH FEDERAL PROSECUTORS FALLS APART IN DRAMATIC FASHION AT A COURTHOUSE IN DELAWARE >>> PLUS, A THIRD CRIMINAL INDICTMENT LOOMS FOR FORMER PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP. HOUSE REPUBLICANS ARE GEARING UP FOR IN-HOUSE IMPEACHMENT INQUIRY ARE OF THEIR OWN FOR THE CURRENT PRESIDENT. >>> AND A FORMER MILITARY INTELLIGENCE OFFICER AND USL WHISTLEBLOWER TESTIFIES BEFORE CONGRESS UNDER OATH THAT THE GOVERNMENT HAS BEEN CONCEALING A DECADE-LONG PROGRAM AND IS ACTUALLY RETRIEVED ALIEN SPACECRAFT AND EVIDENCE OF NONHUMAN PILOTS. >> WELCOME TO MEET THE PRESS NOW. THE WHITE HOUSE IS FACING A RENEWED POLITICAL AND LEGAL HEADACHE. THIS IS ALL TIED TO THE YVEGENY PRIGOZHIN SON HUNTER BIDEN. TODAY INSIDE A DELAWARE COURTROOM, A FEDERAL PLEA DEAL BETWEEN HUNTER BIDEN AND THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT FELL APART. IT CAME AFTER PROSECUTOR SAID THAT HUNTER BIDEN COULD FACE ADDITIONAL CRIMINAL CHARGES BEYOND THE TWO MISDEMEANORS ORIGINALLY IN THE PLEA DEAL. WHEN HIS LAWYERS HEARD THAT, THEY OBJECTED, AT WHICH TIME, THE GOVERNMENT THREATENED TO PULL THE AGREEMENT ENTIRELY. WHAT FOLLOWED WAS A TANGLED MESS OF NEGOTIATIONS AND LEGAL BACK-AND-FORTH THAT ENDED WITH NO PLEA DEAL, HUNTER BIDEN PLEA NOT GUILTY TO THE CHARGES, AND WIDESPREAD CONFUSION ABOUT WHAT EXACTLY HAPPENS NEXT LEGALLY FOR HUNTER BIDEN, AND OF COURSE, POLITICALLY FOR THE PRESIDENT. THE JUDGE IS ASKED BOTH SIDES TO AMEND THE DEAL TO CLARIFY HER ROLE IN THE AGREEMENT AND INSERT NEW LANGUAGE ON ITS SCOPE. TO BE CLEAR, HUNTER BIDEN CAN STILL MAKE A DEAL WITH PROSECUTORS, BUT POLITICALLY SPEAKING, THE FIREWORKS AT THE COURT TODAY EXTENDED AN EPISODE THE WHITE HOUSE HOPED TO PUT BEHIND THEM TODAY. CAPITOL HILL NOW HAS MORE FODDER FOR PROBES INTO THE BIDEN FAMILY. HOUSE SPEAKER KEVIN McCARTHY RAISE THE NOTION OF LAUNCHING AN IMPEACHMENT INQUIRY INTO THE PRESIDENT TO GIVE THE HOUSE FULL POWER TO INVESTIGATE PRESIDENT BIDEN AND HIS FAMILY. >> CONGRESS HAS THE RESPONSIBILITY TO INVESTIGATE. I AM SURE YOU HAVE ASKED THE SAME QUESTION, WHERE IS THE TRUTH? YOU HAVE TO GET TO THE BOTTOM OF THE TRUTH. THE ONLY WAY CONGRESS CAN DO THAT IS TO GO TO IMPEACHMENT INQUIRY THE KIDS REPUBLICANS AND DEMOCRATS THE ABILITY TO GET ALL THE INFORMATION. >> MEANWHILE, THE WHITE HOUSE IS DOING EVERYTHING HE CAN TO AVOID TALKING ABOUT HUNTER BIDEN. THE PRESS SECRETARY DIRECTED ALL QUESTIONS TODAY TO THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT AND SAID. >> HUNTER BIDEN IS A PRIVATE CITIZEN. THIS WAS A PERSONAL MATTER FOR HIM. AS WE HAVE SAID, THE PRESIDENT, THE FIRST LADY, THEY LOVE THEIR SON AND SUPPORT HIM AS HE CONTINUES TO REBUILD HIS LIFE. >> MEANWHILE, IT IS WORTH POINTING OUT THAT THE TROUBLE POINTED U.S. ATTORNEY IN THE CASE IS FACING ELEVATED SCRUTINY OF HIS OWN DUE TO THE HANDLING OF THIS INVESTIGATION. HOUSE REPUBLICANS HEARD PUBLIC TESTIMONY FROM IRIS WITH BELOW LAWYERS -- WHISTLEBLOWERS. THAT TESTIMONY CAME AFTER THE ORIGINAL PLEA DEAL WAS ANNOUNCED. THE ONE THAT FELL APART TODAY. IT IS WORTH NOTING THAT THE HOUSE WAYS AND MEANS COMMITTEE DID GIVE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION TO THE JUDGE IN DELAWARE BEFORE TODAY'S PROCEEDINGS. TOM WINTER IS IN WILMINGTON, DELAWARE COVERING THE LATEST. ALSO IN WILMINGTON IS OUR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT, AND JOINING US FOR LEGAL INSIGHT IS A FEDERAL PROSECUTOR, WHO IS AND NBC NEWS LEGAL ANALYST. LET ME START WITH YOU, TOM, TO GET A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF WHERE WE ARE AT THIS MOMENT. IS ARE GOING TO BE A TRIAL FOR HUNTER BIDEN? >> Reporter: [ LAUGHTER ] IF YOU LOOK AT THE HUNTER BIDEN DOCKET, IT LOOKS A LOT LIKE A FIRST APPEARANCE WITH THE ENTERING OF THE PLEA TODAY, AND THE FILINGS THE JUDGE HAS TO PUT IT ABOUT PRETRIAL RELEASE AND EXCLUSION OF THE SPEEDY TRIAL ACT. IT LOOKS AS IF THIS NEVER HAPPENED TODAY, BUT FOR HE ORDER SAYING THE SIDES NEED TO GET TOGETHER HERE AND FIGURE OUT WHAT THEY'RE DOING WITH THE PLEA AGREEMENT AND ADDRESS THE ISSUES. IT IS POSSIBLE -- I DON'T THINK IT IS LIKELY, BUT IT IS POSSIBLE THAT THIS COULD EVENTUALLY GO TO TRIAL. IT CERTAINLY WILL IF THE TWO SIDES CANNOT AGREE ON THE LANGUAGE. A COUPLE OF THINGS TO CONSIDER ABOUT HERE, AND IT IS MORE IN YOUR REALM ON THE POLITICS THE MIND, BUT I FOUND THE LANGUAGE INTERESTING IN SAYING THAT A JUDGE WOULD HAVE TO BE THE ARBITER OF WHETHER OR NOT HUNTER BIDEN HAS VIOLATED THE TERMS OF HIS AGREEMENT PERTAINING TO THE GUN CHARGE. IT IS A MORE SERIOUS FELONY. I WONDER IF HUNTER BIDEN'S ATTORNEYS, IN THE LEAD UP TO THIS, THOUGHT, JUST A SECOND, 2024 IS AROUND THE CORNER, IF THERE IS A REPUBLICAN PRESIDENT, WOULD THEY TRY TO FIND THE SMALLEST THING TO JAM UP HUNTER BIDEN AND BE ABLE TO MOVE FORWARD WITH A REPUBLICAN CASE. IT IS MORE INTO SPECULATION, BORDERING CONSPIRACY THEORIES, BUT IT IS INTERESTING LANGUAGE IN THERE. TYPICALLY, THAT WOULD NOT BE THE CASE. PROSECUTORS WOULD SAY, YOU VIOLATED IT, WE ARE CHARGING YOU AND YOU HAVE THE ABILITY TO DISMISS. THAT IS ONE THING I PICKED UP ON. IT WILL BE INTERESTING TO SEE HOW THIS GOES FROM HERE IN THE CONTEXT OF THE FACT THAT PROSECUTORS WERE VERY CLEAR TODAY THAT THIS IS AN ONGOING INVESTIGATION. >> THAT IS MY OTHER QUESTION TO YOU. IT WAS ONLY THE BIDEN LEGAL TEAM THAT MADE IT SEEM AS IF EVERYTHING WAS WRAPPED UP. IF ANYTHING CAME AT A JUSTICE, IT WAS THAT THERE IS STILL POTENTIALLY THINK THEY'RE LOOKING AT. THEY MADE EVERYBODY ASSUME TODAY WAS THE DAY. WHAT ARE WE TO MAKE OF THAT? >> Reporter: FROM THE HUNTER BIDEN TEAM APPROACH, YOU HAVE A FIVE-YEAR INVESTIGATION. MY SENSE IS THAT THEY FELT LIKE THEY HAVE GONE OVER ALL THESE ISSUES, OVER AND OVER AGAIN, ALL THE SPECIFIC POINTS, IF THERE WAS SOMETHING ELSE OUT THERE, WHAT WE HAVE NOT HEARD THAT ALREADY? WE ARE NOT AWARE, MYSELF AND MY COLLEAGUES HAVE BEEN FOCUSED ON THE HUNTER BIDEN INVESTIGATION PRIOR TO THE 2020 ELECTRIC, BY THE WAY, AND WE HAVE NOT BEEN AWARE OF ANY RECENT OVERT STEPS WITH A GRAND JURY OR A THE F.B.I. CONDUCTING INTERVIEWS. BACK IN THE SPRING, NBC NEWS WAS ONE OF THE FIRST TO REPORT THAT THERE WAS REAL ANGST AMONG FEDERAL AGENTS THAT THIS CASE HAD NOT BEEN DECIDED YET, BECAUSE THEY WERE DONE ITH IT. >> ONE FINAL THING BEFORE I LET YOU GO, THIS ISSUE OF WHAT ELSE THEY COULD BE INVESTIGATING. OTHER THAN THE WHISTLEBLOWERS, IT DOES FEEL AS IF, SINCE THE PLEA DEAL WAS ANNOUNCED, WHAT IS A NEW PIECE OF INFORMATION OUT IN THE PUBLIC? THE WHISTLEBLOWERS AND HER TESTIMONY WITH THE COMMITTEE. IT CERTAINLY LOOKS AS IF, IS CONSIDERING HOW AGGRESSIVELY THIS COMMITTEE GOT THAT INFORMATION IN FRONT OF THIS JUDGE, IS THAT NOT WHAT JUSTICE WAS REFERRING TO? >> Reporter: NO, I THINK THE JUDGE ACTUALLY HANDLE THAT QUITE EXPLICITLY THIS MORNING. SHE SAID IN ADDRESSING THE LETTER, 900 PAGES OF EXHIBITS SENT TO THE COURT YESTERDAY, THE JUDGE SAYS, IT IS PART OF THE RULE 11 KAREN, THE PLEA OF YOUR CASE, AM I ALLOWED TO REVIEW OTHER EVIDENCE, TO DIRECT THE GOVERNMENT TO REINVESTIGATE? AM I ALLOWED? OF COURSE NOT. SEPARATIONS OF POWERS IN THIS COUNTRY. SHE SAT DOWN THAT. OF PEOPLE ARE TRYING TO SAY THE REPUBLICAN LETTER YESTERDAY LED TO TODAY'S INQUIRIES BY THE JUDGE, IT DOESN'T REFLECT IN TODAY'S PROCEEDING. >> BUT WHAT COULD THEY BE INVESTIGATING? THEY DID SAY THAT THERE ARE OTHER THINGS TO INVESTIGATE. >> Reporter: THERE IS ONE OTHER THING THAT HAS COME UP OVER THE PAST SEVERAL WEEKS. THAT IS THE 1023 REPORT FROM A CONFIDENTIAL HUMAN SOURCE THAT WAS PRESENTED TO THE F.B.I. ABOUT HUNTER BIDEN AND JOE BIDEN'S BUSINESS DEALINGS ABROAD AND ALLEGATIONS OF PAYMENTS BROUGHT UP DURING THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION . WE HAVE NOT HEARD ABOUT ANYTHING AS FAR AS ANY CHARGES OR ANYTHING ALONG THOSE LINES, BUT YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU DON'T KNOW. IT IS NOT CLEAR TO ME WHETHER OR NOT THAT IS A FACTOR. IT IS NOT CLEAR TO ME WHETHER OR NOT THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT IS TRYING TO TAP THE BRAKES ON TURNING OVER ANYTHING ELSE ABOUT THIS CASE. IF THEY SAY IT IS AN ONGOING INVESTIGATION, THEY CAN KEEP CONGRESS AT BAY. ONE OTHER NUGGET IN COURT, KEVIN NORIS, WHO PAID HUNTER BIDEN'S TAXES AS PART OF A LOAN , WAS IN THE FRONT ROW. ONE DAY, HUNTER BIDEN OWES THAT MONEY BACK. >> TOM WINTER, THANK YOU. LET ME MOVE OVER TO MIKE'S. HOW INVOLVED IS THE BIDEN CAMPAIGN AND THE DNC IN THIS? IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING THERE ARE POLITICAL LEGAL TYPES TRIED TO GET INVOLVED IN HERE. WHAT DO YOU KNOW? >> Reporter: WE HAVE REPORTED ABOUT THIS, THERE HAS BEEN TENSION ON THE PART OF BIDEN ADVISORS ABOUT THE WAYS IN WHICH HUNTER BIDEN'S LEGAL ADVISORS, MORE SPECIFICALLY, ABBE LOWELL, HAVE BEEN CHOOSING TO TRY TO, NOT JUST WAGE A LEGAL STRATEGY, BUT TO MAKE THIS A BATTLE FOR PUBLIC OPINION. FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF THE BIDEN TEAM, THAT IS NOT SOMETHING THEY WATCH. YOU RECEIVE THE SAME SEMIREGULAR GOLDINGS PROVIDED OFFICIALS THAT I DO ABOUT WHAT WE AREN'T COVERING OR THINGS WE SHOULD BE COVERING MORE. THEY HAVE ALWAYS VIEWED HUNTER BIDEN'S LEGAL WOES IN THE CATEGORY OF THINGS WE ARE COVERING TOO MUCH. THERE HAS BEEN AN INDICATION CLEARLY IN THE LAST 24 HOURS AT THE WHITE HOUSE WAS READY FOR THIS MOMENT. THE BIDEN TEAM WAS READY FOR THIS MOMENT TO MARK A PIVOT. YOU HEARD IN THE BRIEFING ROOM YESTERDAY. REPUBLICANS ALWAYS KNEW THEY WOULD CONTINUE THEIR INVESTIGATION LONG AFTER THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT CONCLUDED THEIR WORK. THEY WERE READY TO MAKE THE ARGUMENT PUBLIC. REPUBLICAN CAMPAIGNS WANT TO MAKE THIS ABOUT THE PRESIDENT'S FAMILY, AND HE WANTS TO MAKE IT ABOUT WHAT IS IMPORTANT TO YOUR FAMILY. THIS IS A SIGNIFICANT COMPLICATION TO THAT. THERE WILL BE QUESTIONS ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED TODAY. CLEARLY, THIS WAS A CASE IN WHICH THE JUDGE WAS STRESS TESTING A PLEA AGREEMENT BETWEEN PROSECUTORS AND THE HUNTER BIDEN LEGAL TEAM, AND IT DID NOT HOLD UP TO THE TESTING ENOUGH. TO FURTHER COMPLICATE THINGS FOR THE WHITE HOUSE, PART OF THE REPUBLICAN ARGUMENT, POLITICALLY, WAS GOING TO BE THAT THIS IS NOT A CASE THAT WAS BEING HANDLED BY THE BOX THE WAY THE PRESIDENT ARGUES IT WOULD BE. TO SEE THE DYSFUNCTION AT TIMES IN THE COURTROOM TODAY ONLY FEEDS THE IDEA THIS WAS NOT HANDLED IN A TYPICAL WAY. >> I ASSUME THE IDEA OF AN IMPEACHMENT PROCEEDING TARGETING THE PRESIDENT NOW, AGAIN, I KNOW WHAT HOUSE REPUBLICANS ARE GOING TO CLAIM, WELL, IT IS WHAT JASON SMITH SAID. ALL THIS INFORMATION DEADLY THE JUDGE TO HAVE SOMETHING FISHY HERE. THEY'RE GOING TO BELIEVE THAT THEY FOUND A THERE THERE. >> Reporter: IT IS CERTAINLY ONE OF THE QUESTIONS I WOULD EXPECT TO BE ASKED ON THE PART OF DEMOCRATIC ALLIES, WHETHER THAT KIND OF POLITICAL INTERFERENCE ON THE PART OF REPUBLICANS INFLUENCING THE U.S. ATTORNEY HERE IN DELAWARE, WHETHER HE WAS FEELING SOME POLITICAL PRESSURE. YOU KNOW THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN AN IMPEACHMENT INQUIRY AND AN ACTUAL IMPEACHMENT . IT IS ALL ABOUT THE VERY NARROW MAJORITY THE REPUBLICAN TAB AND WHETHER SOME OF THOSE REPUBLICANS INVITED DISTRICTS WOULD GO ALONG OPENLY WITH A VOTE TO IMPEACH THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES. ANY POLITICAL COVER YOU CAN GIVE TO THOSE DEMOCRATS TO SAY THERE IS A LEG TO STAND ON, I THINK YOU'RE RIGHT TO SAY THE LIKELIHOOD INCREASED TODAY. >> WE WILL GET AN INQUIRY. THAT WE WILL GET. MIKE, THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT, CAROL. I HAVE BEEN HOLDING MYSELF FROM GETTING TO FIRST, BECAUSE THIS WAS SO CRAZY. I HAVE TO THINK YOU HAVE BEEN THROUGH SOMETHING LIKE THIS WERE PLEA AGREEMENT FALLS APART IN THE COURTROOM. >> I COULDN'T BE MORE SURPRISED THAT I AM BY PROBABLY YOUR NEXT STORY ABOUT ALIEN LIFE ON EARTH. THIS WAS A SITUATION WHERE BOTH PARTIES KNEW THE EYES OF THE NATION WAS ON THIS HEARING TODAY. SOMEHOW, THEY WENT INTO COURT NOT HAVING A MEETING OF MINDS. A PLEA AGREEMENT IS A CONTRACT. A SIMPLE CONTRACT. IF YOU HAVE GOOD LAWYERS ON BOTH SIDES, WHICH WE HAVE HERE, YOU REPRESENT YOUR CLIENT AND YOUR CLIENT NOTES WHAT THEY ARE GIVING UP IN THE CONTRACT AND WHAT THEY ARE GETTING IN THE CONTRACT. THIS WAS VERY SIMPLE. THE GOVERNMENT GETS A GUILTY PLEA AND THEY GET CERTAINTY ABOUT THAT. THEY KNOW THEIR RESTRAINTS WITH RESPECT TO WHAT KIND OF TIME THEY CAN ASKED FOR IN TERMS OF PENALTY, WHAT KIND OF FINES. THE DEFENDANT KNOWS HE IS PLEADING GUILTY, AND HE IS GIVING THAT UP, BUT HE GET SOMETHING IN RETURN. HE GETS CERTAINTY ABOUT WHAT THE PENALTY WILL BE, AND HE KNOWS WHAT, IF ANYTHING, THE GOVERNMENT CAN CHARGE HIM WITH IN THE FUTURE. THAT IS THE BEFUDDLING THING ABOUT ALL THIS. THE JUDGE ASKED A SIMPLE AND OBVIOUS QUESTION IN THE COURTROOM. LET'S SAY THE GOVERNMENT WANTS TO CHARGE HIM WITH BEING AN UNREGISTERED FOREIGN AGENT IN THE FUTURE, CAN THEY DO THAT UNDER THIS AGREEMENT? THE DEFENSE SAYS NO AND THE GOVERNMENT SAYS YES. THAT IS INCOMPREHENSIBLE TO ME. >> THERE IS NO WAY YOU SHOULD WALK INTO THAT COURTROOM WITHOUT KNOWING THAT PIECE OF THIS, CORRECT? >> THE SCOPE OF THE RELEASE, IN OTHER WORDS, WITH CHARGES THE GOVERNMENT CANNOT BRING AGAINST YOU IN THE FUTURE IS A VERY CRITICAL PART OF ANY PLEA AGREEMENT. IT HAS TO BE EXPLICIT. IT CAN'T JUST BE SAID, DON'T WORRY, WE WILL CHARGE YOU, IT HAS TO BE EXQUISITE IN THE PLEA AGREEMENT. APPARENTLY, IT WAS NOT WELL ARTICULATED, AND THERE WAS NO MEETING OF THE MINDS. THIS IS A DISASTER FOR BOTH PARTIES. >> ALL WE HAVE IS THE PUBLIC TIMELINE OF EVENTS. I CAN'T HELP BUT SEE THAT THE PLEA AGREEMENT CAME BEFORE THE WHISTLEBLOWERS, BEFORE WE KNEW THAT INFORMATION. DOES ONE PLUS ONE EQUAL TO HEAR? IS THAT WHY JUSTICE WAS NOT READY TO DO THIS? >> I DON'T THINK SO. IT IS VERY HARD TO SAY, OF COURSE. A LOT GOES ON BEHIND THE SCENES THAT WE ARE NOT AWARE OF. I WAS ALREADY BEFUDDLED WHEN THE ANNOUNCEMENT WAS MADE. BUT IN THE GOVERNMENT PRESS ANNOUNCEMENT, THE LAST LINE, THE INVESTIGATION CONTINUES. ALL PROSECUTORS A FORMER PROSECUTOR SAID, WHAT IS THAT ALL ABOUT? ARE THEY LOOKING AT DIFFERENT TIME PERIODS. HOW CAN THE INVESTIGATION BEING GOING ON WHEN THE DEFENDANT IS PLEADING GUILTY TO SOMETHING? IT IS SO UNUSUAL IN THE CRITICAL CRIMINAL REALM. WHAT YOU SEE AS THE GOVERNMENT WILL SAY, WE WILL NOT CHARGE YOU WITH ANYTHING OF WHICH WE ARE CURRENTLY AWARE. OF COURSE, YOU HAVE TO HAVE THAT KIND OF PROTECTION ON THE SIDE OF THE GOVERNMENT. IF THEY KILLED SOMEBODY AND YOU DIDN'T KNOW THAT, YOU CAN'T TELL YOUR HAND THAT WAY, BUT THIS WAS VERY STRANGE FROM THE GET GO. >> AS YOU KNOW, HUNTER HAS A SAVVY LEGAL TEAM. THEY HAVE DEALT WITH WHITE COLLAR PLEA AGREEMENTS AND MILLION TIMES OVER. THE ONLY OTHER EXPLANATION, IT LOOKS LIKE, WHERE THEY JUST HOPING THAT PLEADING TO THE STUFF WOULD BE THE POUND OF FLESH JUSTICE WAS LOOKING FOR? AND ALL THE SUDDEN, JUSTICE WAS NOT READY TO SAY THAT? >> THAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN THE CASE, UNTIL THEY CAME OUT WITH A LINE THAT THE INVESTIGATION IS ONGOING. THAT IS A BIG HINT THAT SOMETHING ELSE IS GOING ON. IF IT HAD NOT BEEN DONE BEFORE, IF THERE HAD BEEN AN ASSUMPTION ON THE PART OF ABBE LOWELL WITH RESPECT AND BRINGING FUTURE CHARGES, HE SHOULD HAVE HAD IT CLEARED UP AND SAID, WAIT A MINUTE. I WANT TO CLEAR SOMETHING ELSE UP TOO. IF THIS DOES GO TO TRIAL, IF THEY REALLY CAN'T GET THEIR ACT TOGETHER AND COME TO AN AGREEMENT, WHICH IS STILL THINK THEY WELL. I THINK THEY WILL ACTUALLY COME UP WITH SOMETHING THAT WORKS, BUT IF THEY CAN'T, HE IS NOT GOING TO GO TO TRIAL ON MISDEMEANORS. HE WILL GO TO TRIAL ON SOMETHING MUCH MORE SERIOUS. THIS WAS A PLEA AGREEMENT WITH GIVE-AND-TAKE ON BOTH SIDES, BUT IF THIS GOES TO TRIAL, THE GOVERNMENT WILL FILE IN INDICTMENT THE CHARGES SOMETHING MUCH MORE SERIOUS. >> FOR U.S. ATTORNEY AND NBC NEWS NEWS ANALYST ON A WILD DAY IN A DELAWARE COURTROOM. THANKS FOR YOUR INSIGHT ON THAT. >>> COMING UP, HOW THIS COULD COMPLICATE THE PRESIDENT'S REELECTION CAMPAIGN. >> NEWS FOR THE GENERATION OF NOW IS NBC NEWS NOW. WELCOME BACK. THE DRAMA BETWEEN THE HUNTER BIDEN PLEA DEAL WILL LIKELY HAVE REPUBLICANS RAMPING UP INVESTIGATIONS INTO THE PRESIDENT, IF THEY CAN COME UP WITH A CONNECTOR. THIS COMES AS HOUSE REPUBLICANS SAY THEY ARE PURSUING A POTENTIAL IMPEACHMENT INQUIRY INTO THE CURRENT PRESIDENT WILL ALSO CONSIDERING A VOTE TO EXPUNGE THE FORMER PRESIDENT. AND EXPUNGEMENT WOULD SERVE NO REAL LEGISLATIVE PURPOSE BEYOND SYMBOLICALLY A SORT OF RESOLUTION. HOUSE REPUBLICANS ARE ALSO THREATENING A GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN. ALL OF THOSE THINGS ARE LIKELY TO PLEASE TRUMP HEADING INTO 2024. JOINING ME NOW WITH THE LATEST FROM CAPITOL HILL IS OUR SENIOR NATIONAL POLITICAL REPORTER. IT IS ALWAYS AS IF IN IMPEACHMENT INQUIRY BY HOUSE REPUBLICANS AS SOME SORT OF RETRIBUTION FOR THE LAST CONGRESS, FOR DEMOCRATS IMPEACHING TRUMP TWICE. IT LOOKS LIKE IT SEEMS IT IS McCARTHY HIMSELF NOW SAYING, IF WE'RE GOING TO DO THIS, IT SHOULD BE FOR PRESIDENT BIDEN. HOW SERIOUS IS THIS? >> Reporter: I THINK IT IS VERY CLEAR THAT HOUSE REPUBLICANS ARE TRAINING THEIR SITE FOR PRESIDENT BIDEN AND NOT GOING TO IMPEACH A CABINET MEMBER. THE STEPS TO WATCH ARE AS FOLLOWS, THE SPEAKER HAS MADE CLEAR THAT THERE WILL BE IN IMPEACHMENT INQUIRY LED BY THE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE. AFTER THAT, FORMAL IMPEACHMENT PROCEEDINGS. THE COMMITTEE HAS TO PASS UP. THAN A MAJORITY OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES HAS TO VOTE TO SAY THE PRESIDENT COMMITTED HIGH CRIMES AND MISDEMEANORS. THEY CAN DEFINE THAT HOWEVER THEY WANT. THERE IS NO LEGAL BAR FOR EVIDENTIARY STANDARDS. RIGHT NOW, THE VOTES ARE NOT THERE. THERE IS A MIXED REACTION FROM HOUSE REPUBLICANS ABOUT THIS IDEA OF MOVING FORWARD WITH THE INQUIRY. MANY INSTITUTIONAL REPUBLICANS, CENTER-RIGHT REPUBLICANS, ARE NOT READY TO ENDORSE THAT STEP YOU. AND THEN THERE IS SENATOR LINDSEY GRAHAM, WHO HAS BEEN IN CONGRESS FOR THE LAST THREE IMPEACHMENTS. I ASKED HIM ABOUT THIS, AND HE HAD INTERESTING COMMENTS. >> I WOULD SAY THE FORMER PRESIDENT TRUMP GOT A BOOST. THE BASE, IT DID NOT HURT HIM WITH THE REPUGNANT BASE. -- REPUBLICAN BASE. I THINK YOU FOR MPEACHING A PRESIDENT FOR SOMETHING THAT THEY PUBLIC CAN RELATE TO AND THAT RISES TO THE LEVEL OF A POLITICAL DEATH SENTENCE, YOU KNOW, THAT IS DIFFERENT. IT DID NOT FOR CLINTON. NO ONE HAS BEEN CONVICTED YET. >> Reporter: NOTABLY, THE MAN TASKED WITH PROTECTING THE HOUSE WHIP UP THE MAJORITY TRIED TO DOWN TALK IMPEACHMENT. HE INSISTED THEY ARE JUST GATHERING FACTS. >> JAMES COMER AND JIM JORDAN HAVE BEEN TRYING TO GET A POUND OF FLESH ON THE BIDEN'S FOR A LONG TIME, IT TURNED OUT TO BE JASON SMITH. >> Reporter: THEIR HAPPY THAT THE PLEA DEAL COLLAPSED. THEY SEE THIS AS EMBOLDENING THEIR INVESTIGATIONS TO GO FORWARD. AND YES, IT WAS JASON SMITH WHO MADE A LOT OF INSINUATIONS THAT PRESIDENT BIDEN WAS INVOLVED. BUT NO DIRECT EVIDENCE. SMOKE, BUT NO FIRE THAT LEADS BACK TO THE WHITE HOUSE. >> ALWAYS WHAT THEY ARE MISSING. THEY DON'T HAVE ANYTHING THAT TOUCHES THE ACTUAL PRESIDENT. I WANT TO ASK YOU ABOUT A PRETTY ALARMING MOMENT AT THE MITCH McCONNELL PRESS CONFERENCE. LET ME PLAY IT. >> GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYONE. WE ARE ON A PATH TO FINISHING THE NDA THIS WEEK. WE HAVE GOOD BIPARTISAN COOPERATION [ MUTED >> DO YOU WANT TO SAY ANYTHING ELSE >> WE'RE COMING UP - >> THEY WENT THROUGH WITH THE REST OF THE PRESS CONFERENCE. HE HAS BEEN NOTICEABLY SLOWER SINCE HE GOT BACK FROM THAT CONCUSSION. THAT WAS A MOMENT THAT I THINK ALARMED SOME FOLKS. >> Reporter: WITHOUT ADULT. IT WAS A STRANGE MOMENT. YOU CAN SEE THE CONCERN WITH REPUBLICAN LEADERS STANDING NEXT TO HIM. AND DOCTOR ATTENDED TO HIM. McCONNELL DID COME BACK AND TO TAKE QUESTIONS. HE LOOKED A LITTLE PALE, BUT HE DID ANSWER THE QUESTIONS FINE. I WAS AMONG THE REPORTERS WHO ASKED HER QUESTIONS. HIS OFFICE POINTED OUT TO THE FACT THAT HE SAID HE WAS OKAY AND SAID THAT HE FELT A LITTLE LIGHTHEADED AND STEPPED AWAY FOR A MOMENT AND THEN HE CAME BACK TO HANDLE THE QUESTIONS. IT IS NOT THE FIRST HEALTH EPISODE WE HAVE SEEN WITH SENATOR McCONNELL, WHO IS IN HIS 80s NOW. BUT HIS OFFICE IS PLAYING A DOWN IN SAYING HE IS OKAY. >>> LET ME BRING IN THE PANEL. NICE TO SEE YOU. LET ME START WITH THIS COMING FALL CHAOS. IT'S FUNNY, IT IS LIKE, YOU HAVE THE PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN OVER HERE, AND THEN YOU HAVE HOUSE REPUBLICANS SEEMING TO DECIDE THEY WILL HAVE THEIR OWN EVENT, MAYBE IN IMPEACHMENT INQUIRY, MAYBE GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN, MAYBE BOTH. BUT THE POLITICS OF THIS -- LINDSEY GRAHAM HINTED AT A, THE LAST TWO IMPEACHMENTS, THIS IS NOT A TREND, WE HAVE HAD THREE TOTAL IMPEACHMENTS IN THE LAST 25 YEARS, PRESIDENT TRUMP IMPROVED WITH THEM. >> IT IS INTERESTING TO SEE THE CALCULATOR. FOR THE HOUSE SIDE, WHAT I AM HEARING FROM A LOT OF REPUBLICAN LAWMAKERS IS THAT WE ARE GETTING TO THE POINT WHERE McCARTHY IS GOING TO BE TESTED. I HEARD WEEKS AFTER HE WAS ELECTED THAT THE MOST CONTENTIOUS POINT OF HIS LEADERSHIP WILL BE THE GOVERNMENT FUNDING SIDE. WE'RE SEEING ALREADY A PREVIEW OF THE FAR RIGHT AND THEIR DEMANDS AND WHAT THE VULNERABLE REPUBLICANS WHO HAVE HAD TO SWALLOW A NUMBER OF VOTES WHO HAVE FALLEN IN LINE ARE NOW PRIVATELY BEHIND THE SCENES REALLY STARTING TO FRET ABOUT. >> DOES HE THINK IMPEACHMENT IS A WAY FOR HIM TO MAKE THAT THE SHINY METAL OBJECT? >> HERE SOME REPUBLICAN SAYING THAT THIS IS A DISTRACTION. YOU ARE HEARING THAT FROM SOMEONE IN THE FREEDOM CAUCUSING SAID TODAY, THIS IS IMPEACHMENT THEATER. IT IS SOMETHING ELSE McCARTHY IS GIVING TO THE FAR RIGHT, BECAUSE HE KNOWS THE SENATE IS LED BY DEMOCRATS. WHEN IT COMES TO POLICIES, THESE PEOPLE HAVE TO SWALLOW WHATEVER THE SENATE SENDS OVER. SO HERE IS SOMETHING ELSE TO TRY TO APPEASE THEM. >> HISTORY IS LITTERED WITH HOUSE MAJORITIES, WHEN THE HOUSE MAJORITY IS NOT OF THE PRESIDENT OF THE PARTY, THE YVEGENY PRIGOZHIN ALMOST ALWAYS BENEFITS WHEN THEY PLAY SHENANIGANS LIKE THIS. THE OLD GUYS KNOW IT. >> I THINK SAYING KEVIN McCARTHY IS BETWEEN A ROCK AND A HARD PLACE IS BEING KIND TO HIS POSITION RIGHT NOW. AS WE ALL KNOW, IT TOOK 78 VOTES FOR HIM TO BECOME SPEAKER. JUST LOOK AT SOME OF THE LANGUAGE HE IS USING AS HE TALKS ABOUT THIS POTENTIAL IMPEACHMENT INQUIRY. HE IS SAYING, WE COULD DO IT. TODAY, BEHIND CLOSED DOORS WITH THE CAUCUS, HE SAID, WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH EVIDENCE TO WARRANT THIS RIGHT NOW. HE IS TRYING TO PLAY BOTH SIDES. HE IS TRYING TO GIVE TO THE HARDLINERS, THE FREEDOM CAUCUS, SOMETHING TO CHEW ONE A SENSE OF HOPE, INTO THE MODERATES, TRIED TO SAY, CHILLOUT, WE ARE NOT DOING THIS TOMORROW. >> IT IS POLITICALLY LIKELY TO BENEFIT THE PRESIDENT. YOU WANT TO SHUT DOWN THE GOVERNMENT? HOWEVER, A FAILING ECONOMY IS BAD FOR THE PRESIDENT. HOW DO YOU NEGOTIATE A SPENDING BILL? THEY PULL THROUGH THE DEBT CEILING, BUT HOW DO YOU DO THIS? >> I HONESTLY THINK THE WHITE HOUSE STRATEGY WITH KEVIN McCARTHY CHANGED DURING THE DEBT CEILING CALCULATIONS. IF YOU REMEMBER, FOR A VERY LONG TIME, THE WHITE HOUSE AND THE PRESIDENT WERE SAYING, WE WON'T NEGOTIATE. THEY HAD NO RESPECT FOR PETER McCARTHY. >> THEY DIDN'T THINK HE HAD CONTROL. >> EXACTLY. I THINK WHAT CHANGED IS THAT THERE WAS A VOTE THAT HAPPENED. THEN THE WHITE HOUSE SAID, OKAY, WE HAVE TO PLAY BALL. I THINK THE JOE BIDEN THAT I KNOW, HE LIKES TO TRY TO MAKE A DEAL WHERE HE CAN'T. I THINK THE WHITE HOUSE IS SEEING CHAOS HAPPENING IN THE CAUCUS, AND THERE WATCHING SPEAKER McCARTHY AND WHAT HE IS DOING. AT THIS POINT, HE IS ALL THEY HAVE TO NEGOTIATE WITH. >> THE EASY PART IS DEALING WITH THE POLITICS OF THIS. HUNTER BIDEN IS PERSONAL. IT DOES FEEL AS IF THERE ARE PEOPLE THAT LET ME ASK YOU THIS, PEOPLE ON THE WHITE HOUSE POLITICAL TEAM FEEL LIKE THEY ARE BLIND ABOUT HUNTER BIDEN? >> YOU HAVE TO ASK THE PEOPLE IN THE WHITE HOUSE. >> HOW WAS IN 2020 FROM YOUR EXPERIENCE? >> FOR MY EXPERIENCE, THAT IS SOMETHING THAT IS NOT WIDELY DISCUSSED. YOU DON'T POP THAT ON AN AGENDA. >> DO THEY FEEL AS IF THEY JUST DEAL WITH THIS AS THIS COMES? >> I THINK THE REALITY IS THAT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT, IF ANYONE IS SHOCKED BY THAT WE CAN BE SHOCKED BY WHAT HAPPENED TODAY IN THE COURTROOM. I WAS. I THOUGHT IT WAS A WATERMILL SITUATION. YOU SHOULD NOT BE SHOCKED THERE WAS A CASE. THIS IS SOMETHING PEOPLE HAVE BEEN WELL AWARE OF FOR YEARS. THAT THERE ARE THINGS GOING ON RELATED TO LEGAL DEALINGS WITH HUNTER BIDEN. I THINK FOLKS IN THE WHITE HOUSE TO WORK FOR THE PRESIDENT, PEOPLE IN THE DEMOCRATIC NATIONAL COMMITTEE AND PEOPLE WHO KNOW THE PRESIDENT AND HIS FAMILY PERSONALLY, THEY ARE AWARE OF HOW THEY FEEL ABOUT IT. THEY FEEL AS THOUGH, AT THE END OF THE DAY, HUNTER BIDEN IS JOE BIDEN'S SON. THEY HAVE NOTHING ELSE TO SAY ABOUT IT. >> I WANT TO PUT UP THIS POLL FROM TODAY. THERE ARE TWO PRIMARY CAMPAIGNS, AND WE ARE COVERING ONE THAT IS A FANTASY, WHICH MEANS THAT THERE IS A COMPETITIVE ONE. 45% SAID DEFINITELY TRUMP, 24% SAY PROBABLY >> REPORTER:. WE ARE LITERALLY LOOKING AT 75% OF THE PARTY THAT TRUMP IS THE STRONGEST CANDIDATE. WE HAVE BEEN AT THIS FOR A LONG TIME NOW. I DON'T WANT TO GET THE WORDS EARLY OUT OF HER MOUTH, BECAUSE I DON'T THINK IT IS ONLY. >> THERE GOES MY ENTIRE TALKING POINT. >> IT IS NOT EARLY ANYMORE. IS THIS THE EQUIVALENT OF FANTASY BASEBALL? >> A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE FOCUSING ON RON DESANTIS AND LAYING OFF 30% OF HIS STAFF YESTERDAY. I AM OLD ENOUGH TO REMEMBER WHEN JOHN McCAIN HAD AN IMPLOSION IN JULY 2007. I'M OLD ENOUGH TO REMEMBER WHEN JOHN KERRY HAD TO TAKE A MORTGAGE OUT ON HIS HOUSE TO PAY FOR EARLY STATE GROUND EFFORTS. BOTH OF THEM BECAME THE NOMINEES, AND THEY LOST THE GENERAL ELECTION. BUT IT IS TRULY EARLY. IF YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE STRUGGLES, HAVE THEM IN JULY AND AUGUST, NOT IN JANUARY AND FEBRUARY. IT IS UNDOUBTEDLY THAT DONALD TRUMP, RIGHT NOW, WILL BE THE REPUBLICAN NOMINEE OF THE REPUBLICAN PARTY. I THINK THE DEBATE WILL MATTER. THAT IS WHY THESE CANDIDATES ARE TRYING TO GET ON THE DEBATE STAGE. IT IS HARD TO ENGAGE WITH DONALD TRUMP WHEN HE DOMINATES THE MEDIA THE WAY HE DOES. THE ONLY CHANCE THEY HAVE TAPIRS THAT BUBBLE IS ON THE SAME STAGE. >> IT IS INTERESTING. DONALD TRUMP WILL NOT HAND RON DESANTIS A LIFELINE. BUT HIM SHOWING UP AT THE FIRST DEBATE WOULD BE HANDING HIM A LIFELINE. >> I DON'T THINK MANY PEOPLE ARE ACTUALLY THINKING THAT TRUMP WILL SHOW UP. IT IS PROBABLY MORE BENEFICIAL TO SIT BACK. AS LONG AS THESE PEOPLE ARE PUNCHING EACH OTHER ON STAGE, IT IS BENEFICIAL TO TRUMP. >> WANT TO CLOSE WITH A SEGMEN , THE CASE FOR AGE LIMITS AND GOVERNMENT. HOW WILL IT NOT GO UP? WE'VE HAD MULTIPLE SENATORS OF BOTH PARTIES -- IT IS NOT SURPRISING. DO YOU THINK AGE LIMITS MIGHT HAPPEN? >> I DON'T THINK SO. THE PEOPLE WOULD HAVE TO PASS IT ARE THE FOLKS AT THE AGE LIMITS. I DON'T THINK WE WILL EVER SEE THAT HAPPEN. I THINK A LOT OF YOUNG PEOPLE WOULD LIKE THAT, ONLY BECAUSE IT CREATES MORE DATA >> THAT WAS OUR FATHER OR GRANDFATHER OUT THERE, WE WOULD BE LIKE, YOU CAN'T DO THIS ANYMORE. IT IS HARD TO WATCH. >> PRAYING FOR MITCH McCONNELL. >> ABSOLUTELY. >>> NEXT, WHISTLEBLOWER ALLEGATIONS OF ALIEN SPACESHIPS AND A GOVERNMENT COVER-UP. SOMEBODY WENT UNDER OATH TODAY IN FRONT OF CONGRESS AND SAID THAT WE HAVE ALIEN LIFE FORMS. >> WELCOME BACK. LAWMAKERS ON THE HILL TODAY HELD A HEARING ON UNIDENTIFIED AERIAL PHENOMENON, ALSO KNOWN AS YOU APS AND WHAT USED TO BE KNOWN AS UFOS. THE COMMITTEE HEARD TESTIMONY FROM THREE WITNESSES TODAY. ONE WAS A FORMER NAVY COMMANDER, ONE WAS A FORMER NAVY PILOT, BOTH OF THEM CLAIMED TO HAVE SEEN UAPs AND ONE ALLEGED THAT THE GOVERNMENT IS CONCEALING A MULTI-DECADE RETRIEVAL PROGRAM. TAKE A LISTEN TO MORE OF WHAT THIS PERSON HAD TO SAY. >> IF YOU BELIEVE WE HAVE CRASHED CRAFT, AS STATED EARLIER, DO WE HAVE THE BODIES OF THE PILOTS OF THESE CRAFT? >> AS I STATED ALREADY IN MY NEWS NATION INTERVIEW, BIOLOGICS CAME WITH SOME OF THESE RECOVERIES. >> HUMAN OR NONHUMAN? >> NONHUMAN. THAT WAS THE ASSESSMENT OF PEOPLE WITH DIRECT KNOWLEDGE OF THE PROGRAM. >> NONHUMAN BIOLOGICS, A.K.A., ALIAS. FOR ITS PART, THE PENTAGON REJECTED THE CLAIMS, THING IT DOES NOT CURRENTLY HAVE, NOR IN THE PAST HAD, ANY EXTRATERRESTRIAL MATERIAL. THIS COMES AS MORE LAWMAKERS ARE CALLING FOR INCREASED TRANSPARENCY SURROUNDING UAPs AND THE THREAT TO NATIONAL SECURITY. THE NET NASA HAS SAID THERE IS NO CREDIBLE EVIDENCE OF EXTRATERRESTRIAL ACTIVITY HERE ON EARTH. AND CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT HAS MORE. I REMIND PEOPLE, YOU TESTIFIED BEFORE A CONGRESSIONAL COMMITTEE, YOU ARE UNDER OATH. WHERE DOES THIS INVESTIGATION GO NEXT? THIS IS ONE PERSON, THEIR SWORN TESTIMONY, BUT IT IS HEARSAY. I DON'T THINK HE SAID HE WAS THERE. TRUCK IT IS TOTALLY HEARSAY. YOU'RE RIGHT TO POINT OUT THAT HE GAVE THIS TESTIMONY, A FORMER INTELLIGENCE OFFICER, UNDER OATH. HE TOLD THE PANEL HE HAS HEARD SECONDHAND ACCOUNTS FROM HIS COLLEAGUES. HE EVEN SAID COLLEAGUES HAVE CLAIMED TO BE PHYSICALLY HARD BY THESE OBJECTS. WHERE DOES THIS GO FROM HERE? THIS IS NOT OVER. I WAS TALKING TO A DEMOCRAT ON THE PANEL WHO SAID THAT HE WANTS TO HEAR MORE. HE WANTED TO COME BACK IN A CLOSED-DOOR SETTING. HE HAS SAID THERE ARE A LOT OF THINGS HE CAN'T REVEAL TO THE COMMITTEE, BUT HE DID ACCUSE THE GOVERNMENT OF NOT BEING TRANSPARENT OR FORTHCOMING ENOUGH. NO MATTER WHAT YOU BELIEVE, WHETHER THIS IS A PLANE, A BIRD, OR AN ALIEN, THIS IS A SIGNIFICANT MOMENT IN WHICH, FOR THE FIRST TIME, WE ARE HEARING FROM A WITNESS, A WHISTLEBLOWER, WHO SAYS HE HAS HEARD OF DIFFERENT ACCOUNTS THAT THE GOVERNMENT MAY BE HIDING WITH THE ACTUALLY KNOW ABOUT THESE EXTRATERRESTRIAL ALIENS. >> IF SOMEHOW THE GOVERNMENT HAS OBTAINED THESE CRAFT, INDICATES THERE ARE CRASHES. WAS THERE EVIDENCE? WE KNOW NAVY PILOTS, COMMERCIAL PILOTS HAVE SEEN UNIDENTIFIED OBJECTS, AND WE HAVE BEEN CHRONICLING THAT. IS THERE ANYBODY CHRONICLING CRASHES THAT WE CAN'T EXPLAIN? >> Reporter: THAT IS KIND OF WHAT CONGRESS WANTS THE GOVERNMENT TO GO BACK AND START DOING MORE OF. WE HAVE HEARD IN THE LAST FEW YEARS, WHETHER IT WAS THE NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT OR ANY OTHER INTELLIGENT REPORT FROM CONGRESS, THEY WANT THE GOVERNMENT TO HAVE A CLOSER EYE AT INVESTIGATING THIS. THEY KNOW THEY STARTED THE PAST TO INVESTIGATE THIS. AS RECENTLY AS A FEW WEEKS AGO, THERE WAS A REAL EFFORT FROM THE SENATE AND THE HOUSE FOR THE GOVERNMENT TO DO MORE ON THIS ISSUE. WE SAW AN AMENDMENT FROM SENATOR CHUCK SCHUMER AND OTHERS, INCLUDING THE INTELLIGENCE RANKING MEMBER AND CHAIRS TO DO JUST THAT, TO MAKE THIS INFORMATION PUBLIC. BY THE WAY, DID NOT RETALIATE AGAINST WHISTLEBLOWERS TO COME BEFORE CONGRESS TO TELL THEIR STORIES. >> IN 20 YEARS, IT WILL BE FUN TO GO BACK AND LOOK AT THIS DAY OF CONGRESSIONAL HEARINGS AND COURTROOM DRAMA AND FIND OUT WHICH ONE OF THE STORIES IS THE ONE WITH THE MOST LEGS. IT COULD BE THE STORY YOU ARE COVERING TODAY. IT IS NOT YOUR ORDINARY CONGRESSIONAL COMMITTEE DAY. >>> NEXT, THE WAS CALLS FOR THE RELEASE OF THE PRESIDENT OF NIGER. WHAT HAPPENED THAT HAS THE UNITED STATES NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISOR GOING ON WELCOME BACK. WE ARE FOLLOWING A SITUATION IN NIGER. RESIDENTS OF THE PRESIDENTIAL GUARD AND WHAT NEIGHBORING COUNTRIES ARE CALLING AND ATTEMPTED TO. THE PRESIDENT HAS BEEN A RELIABLE PARTNER FOR THE UNITED STATES AND THE WEST IN A PARTICULARLY VOLATILE REGION WERE U.S. TROOPS ARE CURRENTLY TREATING LOCAL PARTNERS TO FIGHT EXTREMIST GROUPS. WE HAVE HAD TROOPS IN THE AREA FOR SOME TIME. IN A STATEMENT YOU DON'T SEE EVERY DAY FROM THE WHITE HOUSE, THE NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISOR, EARLIER TODAY, PUT OUT A STATEMENT THAT DENOUNCED THE ACTIONS OF THE PRESIDENT THE GUARDS, ADDING "WE STRONGLY CONDEMN ANY EFFORT TO DETAIN OR SUBVERT THE FUNCTIONING OF DEMOCRATICALLY ELECTED GOVERNMENT LED BY THE PRESIDENT. WE SPECIFICALLY URGE ELEMENTS OF THE PRESIDENTIAL GUARD TO RELIEVE THE PRESIDENT FROM DETENTION AND REFRAIN FROM VIOLENCE." WE SHOULD NOTE THAT WE SPOKE WITH THE PRESIDENT OF NIGER ON THE SHOW LATE LAST YEAR . HE TALKED ABOUT HIS COUNTRIES YOUNG DEMOCRACY AND ITS SHARED VALUES WITH THE WEST. JOINING ME NOW IS ARE PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT. SHE IS IN NIGER. SHE HAS BEEN REPORTING ON YOU WITH TRAINING MISSIONS . HERE YOU ARE TRYING TO LEAVE THE COUNTRY AND THIS HAPPENS. THIS IS NOT A STATEMENT YOU SEE EVERY DAY FROM THE NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISOR. YOU ARE ON THE GROUND. WHAT IS GOING ON? >> Reporter: SO FAR, THERE IS RELATIVE CALL ON THE STREETS NEAR THE CAPITAL. I WILL SAY THAT A COUPLE HOURS AGO WE HEARD A SERIES OF GUNSHOTS BEING FIRED. THE ASSUMPTION, THE BELIEVE, IS THAT MAY HAVE BEEN AN ATTEMPT TO DISPERSE A CROWD THAT WAS GROWING AROUND THE PRESIDENTIAL PALACE WHERE THE PRESIDENT IS BELIEVED TO STILL BE HELD, ALONG WITH HIS WIFE, BY HIS SECURITY FORCES. SINCE THEN, WE HAVE NOT HEARD ANYTHING ELSE. I THINK THE REASON WE SAW A STRONG STATEMENT COMING OUT OF THE WHITE HOUSE, FROM THE NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISOR, IS THE REASON WE ARE HERE. THIS IS REALLY ONE OF THE FOCAL POINT FOR THE U.S. MILITARY AND THE NATIONAL SECURITY APPARATUS OF THE UNITED STATES WERE THERE FOCUSED ON AN EFFORT TO COMBAT TERROR GROUPS. THERE ARE TWO MAIN TERROR NETWORKS THAT ARE REALLY THREATENING NIGER NOW. ONE IS AN AL QAEDA AFFILIATE , AND THE OTHER IS AN ISIS AFFILIATE. THE CONCERN IS THAT THESE TWO GROUPS ARE SQUEEZING THE POPULATION MORE AND MORE. THE U.S. MILITARY IS HERE NOW TRYING TO HELP THE LOCAL MILITARY FORCES AND TRAINED THEM SO THEY CAN COME BACK. >> DO WE THINK OTHER COUNTRIES ARE TRYING TO INTERFERE? >> Reporter: WE DON'T KNOW. THERE IS A LOT WE REALLY DON'T KNOW WITH WHAT IS GOING ON RIGHT NOW. THE REALITY IS THAT EARLY ON THIS MORNING WHEN WE FIRST HEARD THIS WAS HAPPENING, THE PRESIDENTIAL OFFICE PUT OUT A TWEET THAT SEEM TO APPLY THAT THIS WAS A SMALL ROGUE ELEMENT. THAT TWEET WAS LATER TAKEN DOWN. AT THIS TIME, WE DON'T REALLY KNOW WHO IS IN CONTROL AND IF THE PRESIDENT HAS ACTUALLY BEEN OUSTED. THERE DOESN'T SEEM TO BE ANY INDICATION THAT THE MILITARY IS A PART OF THIS AS WELL. IT SEEMS TO JUST BE THE PRESIDENTIAL SECURITY FORCES. ACCORDING TO SOURCES, WE DON'T HAVE A GOOD SENSE OF EXACTLY WHERE THE SITUATION IS. WE STILL DON'T REALLY KNOW. >> WE HAVE U.S. PERSONNEL IN THAT COUNTRY. IN MATTERS A LOT IF THEY CAN BE SAFE. YOU STAY SAFE. WE LOOK FORWARD TO GETTING YOU HOME AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. >>> STILL TO COME, WHY THE REPUBLICAN PARTY MAY HAVE A PROBLEM WINN WELCOME BACK. IF THE REPUBLICAN PARTY WAS HOPING TO TARGET YOUNGER VOTERS IN 2024, THEY HAVE A LOT OF WORK TO DO. NEW NUMBERS SHOW THAT AMERICANS BETWEEN THE AGES OF 18 AND 29 HAVE BEEN STEADILY GETTING MORE PROGRESSIVE OVER THE PAST DECADE. HERE ARE THEIR STANCES, 63% SUPPORT STRICT GUN LAWS, UP FROM 46%. HALF OF YOUNG VOTERS NOW THINK THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD ACT THE CLIMATE CHANGE, THAT NUMBER WAS BELOW 30% IN 2011. FOUR YEARS BEFORE THE SUPREME COURT DECISION ON SAME-SEX RELATIONSHIPS, THAT NUMBER IS NOW 54%. TODAY THE NUMBER OF YOUNG PEOPLE WHO AGREE THE FOOD AND SHELTER ARE HUMAN RIGHTS HAS JUMPED 20 POINTS. JOINING ME IS FORMER DIRECTOR OF THE HARVARD KENNEDY SCHOOL. WE HAVE TALKED ABOUT THIS GROWING DIVIDE BETWEEN WHERE THE REPUBLICAN PARTY IS GOING AND WHERE VOTERS UNDER THE AGE OF 30, YOU CAN ALSO GO TO 40, AND SEE THIS, IT DEPENDS ON THE POLLSTERS HERE. IS THERE ANY EVIDENCE, USUALLY, PEOPLE MOVE BACK TO THE RIGHT, WHEREVER THAT IS, WHEN THEY GET OLDER. >> WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IS NOT ONE BUT TWO GENERATIONS NOW, OF AMERICANS, GEN Z AND MILLENIALS, WHO HAVE A SHARED SENSE OF VALUES. WHAT YOU SHARED WITH THAT DATA IS THAT GEN Z IS BECOMING MORE URGENT, BUT ALSO EVEN MORE PROGRESSIVE. THAT COALITION WILL BE 40% OF ALL VOTERS IN 2024. WHEN WE THINK ABOUT A DIVIDED NATION, I THINK, PERHAPS, THE BEST TO PRISON TO LOOK THROUGH THAT IS THE DIVIDER PEOPLE OVER THE AGE OF 41, GENX, BABY BOOMERS, PEOPLE UNDER THE AGE OF 41 . IT IS THAT GROUP THAT STOPPED THE RED WAVE. >> ARE USING ANY DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THOSE WHO HAVE YOUNG FAMILIES AND DON'T, THOSE THAT ARE MARRIED AND AREN'T? THAT IS USUALLY ALSO ANOTHER MARKER, WILL PEOPLE START MOVING FROM WHATEVER'S EXTREME THEY AREN'T INTO THE CENTER. >> THE DIVIDE EMERGING THAT IS RELATIVELY NEW IS ACTUALLY BASED UPON CLASS AND EDUCATION, LIKE WE SEE IN THE BROADER ELECTRIC, BUT THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF SOCIAL SCIENCE RESEARCH PUBLISHED OVER THE LAST YEAR THAT SHOWS THIS COULD BE THE FIRST GENERATION SETTLING DOWN THAT IS NOT BECOMING MORE CONSERVATIVE, THERE ACTUALLY BECOMING MORE PROGRESSIVE. WHAT WE'VE SEEN, NOT JUST IN THE U.S., BUT ALSO IN THE WEST WITH EUROPE AND THE UK AND CANADA. >> DOES SEEM AS IF THE POTENTIAL REPUBLICAN VOTE IS SHRINKING. THEY SKEW OLDER. I HAVE SEEN AN INTERESTING CURVE. IT FEELS LIKE THE OLDEST VOTERS DON'T SKEW AS CONSERVATIVE. I GUESS IT IS BETWEEN 50 AND 70. >> IT IS. IT IS THE EARLY BABY BOOMER AND GENX. I GO BACK TO THE EXPERIENCE OF EACH GENERATION. REAGAN. WHAT DID HE SAY ABOUT GOVERNMENT? IT IS THE PROBLEM, NOT THE SOLUTION. >> AND WHAT DID BILL CLINTON SAY EIGHT YEARS LATER? HE SAID IT IS OVER. A DEMOCRAT AFFIRMING THAT VISION. >> NOW WHAT WE SEE IS TWO GENERATIONS WHO ARE CONCERNED ABOUT CLIMATE, LGBTQ RIGHTS, FUNDAMENTAL SAFETY IN TERMS OF AS WELL AS A BELIEVE THAT GOVERNMENT IS REQUIRED TO SOLVE THESE ISSUES. >> CYNICISM AND APATHY ARE THE THINGS OF SOMETIME INFLICT YOUNGER VOTERS. I DON'T THINK THIS IS AN APATHETIC GENERATION, BUT THEY ARE CYNICAL. >> MY CONCERN IS THAT, OVER THE NEXT -- OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS, THEY ARE BECOMING MORE CYNICAL. PART OF IT IS A DEFENSIVE MECHANISM, BECAUSE THEY'RE TRYING TO MANAGE THEIR NEWS HABITS BECAUSE OF STRESS AND ANXIETY. I THINK ELECTED OFFICIALS NEED TO START EARLY IN THE CYCLE. >> THEY DON'T BELIEVE GOVERNMENT CAN SOLVE PROBLEMS. THEY VERY MUCH SEE ALL THESE PROBLEMS, AND THEY THINK, THESE CANDIDATES CAN'T SOLVE THE. >> THEY DON'T TRUST GOVERNMENT, BUT THE BELIEVE THAT BUT THE GOOD NEWS, WE HAVE SEEN A LOT OF YOUNG PEOPLE STILL ENGAGING IN RECORD NUMBERS. >> IS THERE A CONSERVATIVE MESSAGE THAT COULD RESONATE WITH YOUNGER VOTERS? DOES ANYBODY HAVE ONE? >> IS NOT ABOUT THE MESSAGE. HAS TO DO WITH VALUES. LOANS. >> LBGTQ. >> YES. IT IS NOT LIKE YOUR POLLING HAS NOT BEEN A FLASHING YELLOW LIGHT TO THE CONSERVATIVE MOVEMENT. WE WILL SEE IF THEY HEED THE WARNING. >>>
