This Morning’s Top Headlines – Feb. 26 | Morning News NOW

We Begin this morning with a big shakeup in the race for the White House Ron McDaniel has announced she will step down next month as chairwoman of the Republican National Committee the new news comes less than two weeks after former president Trump endorsed new leaders to direct the party going forward now despite the change the former president continues to dominate in his primary battle against former un Ambassador Nikki Haley Trump won the South Carolina Republican primary on Saturday night t

he race now shifts to Michigan for the GOP Primary set for tomorrow to win in South Carolina widen Trump's lead when it comes to delegates as he looks to win the Republican nomination for a third straight time Haley says she's looking forward to next week when several States will take part in super Tuesday I said earlier this week that no matter what happens in South Carolina I would continue to run for presid in the next 10 days another 21 states and territories will speak they have the right t

o a real choice for the latest we are joined by NBC News senior political editor Mark muray and NBC News senior National politics reporter Jonathan Allen good morning to both of you thanks for being here Mark I'll start with you and the news this morning of Ron mcdel stepping down as RNC chair talk to us about the implications of this announcement yeah I think the biggest takeaway is just is another sign about how Donald Trump has strengthened his hold over the Republican party and all of its or

ganizations as he marches to become the party's likely Presidential nominee after his victories in the early primary States and uh Donald Trump has already endorsed Michael wattley the chair of the North Carolina Republican party to be the rnc's next chair it also comes as the RNC has struggled to raise money versus the Democrats and after the Republicans losses in the 2018 midterms the 2020 presidential election and the 2022 midterm elections although while many people in the Republican Party h

ave pointed their fingers at R McDaniel others have actually blamed the former president Donald Trump John let's bring you in here um and talk sort of about what we're seeing happen to Nikki Haley so of course we we mention how she did not do well in her home state of South Carolina she's also losing some notable support uh including financial support walk us through what we're seeing happen to her and how significant this is right now as she tries to hang on here yeah I think what you've seen i

s uh some of the big donors around her the uh Coke Network the Americans for Prosperity concluding what a lot of others who were not uh in love with Trump have concluded uh over time which is that uh there's no marginal return in each dollar they put into Nikki Haley and so they don't want to keep throwing good money uh after bad uh and so when she looks at um when she looks at the the Outlook uh she's she's going to have some money to compete in these states that are upcoming but the truth is t

here's not a single state where she has that she has on the map that she can identify that she's gonna win and if you can't come in first uh in any state you're not going to win a nomination Mark let's talk about the Democratic Primary in Michigan so it's also taking place tomorrow and as we previously reported Michigan congresswoman Rashida TB is urging Democrats to vote against President Biden and vote uncommitted in the primary this was in response to the White House's handling of the war bet

ween Israel and Hamas what should we know ahead of the Michigan vote walk us through what choices voters do have and what kind of an impact this is making that we're seeing from this congresswoman yeah this is a protest against President Biden coming from progressives who are upset with the president's handling of the Israel Hamas war and of course we have seen this in National surveys and also uh in some of the polling in Michigan where president uh Biden ends up trailing uh Donald Trump and so

me hypothetical matchups although the margin is within the margin of error in those contests and Michigan is important to note is an Open Primary so you're going to see de people participating in the Democratic Primary people participating in the Republican Prim primary regardless of party uh and uh you know that is that aspect of it being an Open Primary also is something that Nikki Haley sees as a benefit despite her trailing Donald Trump and delegates and and many polls for for some of the up

coming contests that some of the Independents and crossover Democrats might end up voting for her instead of participating in the Democratic primary John Before I Let You Go I mean so this is looking more and more like we are going to essentially have a rematch between President Joe Biden and former president Donald Trump um there's something interesting yesterday from Meet the Press where California governor Gavin Newsome he actually specifically called on Biden to debate Trump but we know his

campaign has been non-committal at this point point to any general election debates any chance that you think that that moves forward what do you make of those comments it's a great question savan I really want to know what was behind them whether uh Gavin Nome got a green light on that from the White House or he's freelancing um you know it's Gavin Newsome writing checks with his mouth that uh Joe Biden would have to cash with his body and with his debate skills later on so uh look I I think th

e the bottom line is that uh it is still completely unclear as to whether they're are going to be presidential debates this year uh obviously we've seen uh frustration um from the Trump side about the presidential debate commission that has long governed those uh you've uh seen frustration from the Biden side about about debates remember they uh canceled one when they had the opportunity to do so um uh during the last election cycle because uh Trump was non-committal so um it would be fascinatin

g I think the American public deserves to see uh the two candidates debate but at the same time uh not clear that that's actually going to happen we shall see John and mark thank you very both thank you both very much for kicking us off on a Monday now let's head to the Middle East where us Coalition forces launched more than a dozen air strikes against houthi rebels in Yemen over the weekend the move is just the latest effort to try and stop the iran-backed fighters from targeting ships in the

crucial shipping lanes in and around the Red Sea for more we are joined by NBC News foreign correspondent Megan Fitzgerald she is in London Megan Good morning so what can you tell us about this weekend's strikes and the areas that were targeted good morning to you what we know is that the US and the UK launched fighter jets from the Red Sea striking some 18 Targets in houthi controlled areas of Yemen so uh we're talking about underground facilities weapons facilities drones air defense systems u

h things like Radars according to the US and look we are seeing these attacks because the houthis aren't letting up they just continue their attacks on shipping vessels in the Red Sea despite the US and UK's joint efforts to stop them uh we've seen a surge in H attacks take last week for instance the Iran backed militia fired a missile that set a cargo vessel on fire and guys I've been speaking with supply chain experts and uh these attacks are having a significant impact experts say some 90% of

merchant vessels have diverted to around the tip of Africa creating delays in products and sending cost soaring so the cost of course will then be passed on to the consumer uh for goods guys Megan as you mentioned these attacks have been ongo both um from the houthis and then the response this is the fourth joint mission to stop attacks on ships in and around the Red Sea but it doesn't seem like that has done much what has the response been what are we hearing from us officials and is there hop

e that this time makes a difference yeah it's a great question and you know you're absolutely right I mean this was the fourth joint operation that we've seen since January 12th uh but keep in mind the US has also been carrying out almost daily strikes to take out houie targets us defense secretary Lloyd Austin said in in fact I want to read this for you the United States will not hesitate to take action as needed to defend lives and the free flow of Commerce in one of the world's most critical

waterways we will continue to make clear to the houthis that they will bear the consequences if they do not stop their illegal attacks but Savannah as you mentioned um we're talking about four four joint attacks with the US and the UK since January and so far uh that has not seemed to stop the houthis from launching counterattacks all right Megan Fitzgerald thank you very much well this week qar is set to host mediated talks between Israel and Hamas in Cairo and Israeli official told NBC news th

at there was some progress on ceasefire negotiations but Hamas says Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu quote aborts all attempts to make progress in negotiations NBC News foreign correspondent RF Sanchez is in Tel Aviv with the latest an Israeli official tells NBC News there was progress in talks over the weekend in Paris involving in the CIA director but there is still a long way to go towards a deal negotiations right now focused on a proposal that would pause the fighting in Gaza for s

everal weeks get more humanitarian Aid into Palestinian civilians and lead to the release of Israeli hostages beginning with women but Israel's prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu is saying Deal or No Deal he will push ahead with an attack on the city of Rafa in southern Gaza he says Israel's military has drawn up a plan to move more than a million civilians out of the city before an attack begins but humanitarian groups are saying there is simply nowhere safe in Gaza for them to run to Meanwhile

in Yemen the US and the UK carrying out another wave of strikes against Iranian backed houthi militants hitting 18 targets that's according to us Central Command but there is no sign at this point that these strikes are deterring the houthis from their continuing attacks on commercial ships in the Red Sea rap Sanchez NBC News Tel Aviv well this weekend marked two years since the war in Ukraine began since the start of the Russian invasion president zalinski said 31,000 Ukrainian soldiers have be

en killed speaking with NBC's Richard Engle the Ukrainian president said his troops are running out of supplies and urged Congress to approve more military aid here's that interview as Ukraine commemorates 2 years since Vladimir Putin invaded president zalinski told reporters delays of weapons and ammunition from allies including the United States are costing Ukrainian lives saying 31,000 of his troops have been killed so far in the war his first update of the death toll in a year president zali

nski said Russian troops are taking advantage of Ukraine's lack of supplies with a new offensive which he expects will intensify over the next two months I met up with the president you in our fifth conversation since the War Began the president began by saying Ukraine has no choice but to keep fighting because the cost of losing to President Putin is everything if he will break defending lines he will destroy all the cities he doesn't need any anything any Ukrainian culture he will destroy arch

itecture museums schools universities people is I just returned from several areas along the front line in the South and in the East and soldiers there told me they have to ration their ammunition what happens to your country if this American Aid doesn't arrive we will lose a lot of people we will lose territories if to give us strong package in one time our steps will be more strong on the battlefield do you think the United States wants Ukraine to win this war or do they just want you to weake

n Russia and contain Russia I hope so I hope so otherwise how to trust people you know it's so difficult to live without any any trust so I mean that's I mean we have we we have we count on our partners you said that you believe this year is a turning point year for Ukraine because of in part us elections you pointed specifically to the US elections are you talking about Donald Trump are you worried that Donald Trump could pull the plug I hope he will not stop if he will be the president that is

the decision of your people of course and I hope that the policy of the council will not change I count on the American people President zalinski also outlined a peace plan to end the war with Ukraine presenting its terms to Russia this spring followed by direct talks the Kremlin has already rejected the proposal Richard Engel NBC News Keith our thanks to Richard for that report well back here it is a battle of the seasons today the east coast and Southern Plains are expecting above average tem

peratures but the West is in for some heavy snow let's get a check on your Morning News Now weather with Michelle Gman who's with us today hey Michelle good morning hey there Savannah great to see you yeah we're going to temperatur is 30 even 45° above what is typical for this time of year so very spring-like in the Northern Plains and Central Plains from the Midwest Ohio Valley uh portions of the East but the Southern Plains we're going to get into the 90s in some spots so feeling like summer i

n February you mentioned that snow in the west or the winter weather in the west we're looking at the chance for heavy snow we had snow all uh over the weekend we're going to see that once again today into the Inner Mountain West it'll be very windy too with winds gusting up to 60 even 70 mes per hour so let's get into it because there's a lot going going on over the next few days first the warmth we're looking at February records being broken likely in many many areas uh possible in 25 States w

herever you see these red dots that's where we're anticipating some record-breaking temperatures over the next several days that includes over a 100 records so we're going to continue to watch that not only today but tomorrow also Wednesday and then we're also looking at the chance for temperatures soaring well above what is average for this time of year so take a look at some of these numbers Dallas today 93 3° that is the expected high in February 90° is the record there temperatures into the

80s in El Paso also Amarillo we're looking at 70s in Kansas City pretty close to the 80° Mark there and pretty close to 70° in Chicago 69 is the forecasted High the record there is 64 Minneapolis 64 and bismar looking at a chance of getting to the low 60s we're going to keep the warmth in place in some spots smartrow then we have a huge dip as we go towards Wednesday even a 40° uh tumble as we go into Wednesday but first on Tuesday we're looking at temperatures into the 90s in San Angelo the rec

ord there is 92 80s in Pine Bluff Baton Rouge Oklahoma City 70s near 80° on Tuesday in Nashville the record there is 78 degrees I think we will make it to 78 and 60s in Detroit also in Syracuse but look at this tumble as we go towards uh Wednesday this is a cold front that's going to bring the chance for severe storms tomorrow and it's going to really clear out the warm air so we're looking at a big difference as we get towards Thursday but still Wednesday we are warm in DC 70° a 20° difference

on Thursday 50° 76 in Raleigh on Wednesday just 58 on Thursday so you get the idea we'll see these temperatures go up but they're going to Tumble pretty quickly as we go over the next several days out west we are looking at some really heavy snow from the Cascades to the Rockies feed of snow in many spots especially in the highest elevations we're looking at damaging winds from Montana New Mexico and when I say damaging we're looking at winds gusting up to 70 mil per hour in some spots so we're

looking at the chance of snow squalls blizzard-like conditions snow falling at an inch 2 in inches per hour that's going to create some white out conditions combining that wind in there so really treacherous travel in portions of the northern Rockies uh today into tomorrow and really throughout the Inner Mountain West where you see that blue that's where we're expecting that snow here's that cold front watch as it moves across to the east that's what's going to clear out those warmer temperature

s but before that we're looking at really warm air ahead of that cold front so uh we're looking at the chance for severe storms that cold air clashes with that warm air in portions of the Ohio Valley the Great Lakes Midwest and we're talking severe storms uh tornadoes really large hail Gusty winds heavy downpours but behind this we're looking at heavy snow for the Upper Midwest so we're looking at cold cold air behind that cold front that comes through on Wednesday for much of the East Coast rai

n and strong winds for much of the East Coast so we're still mild on Wednesday uh with that heavy rain falling but we're going to see those temperatures really tumble behind it we could see some snow showers behind that cold front uh we're looking at 5 million people impacted by winter alerts where you see the pink that's your winter storm warning winter storm uh advisories are near uh White so again feet of snow in many spots Fargo you are under a winter storm watch winds will be very very Gust

y it's going to be for really tricky travels we had throughout the interner Mountain West portions of New Mexico as well 8 million people impacted we have high wind warnings that is in the purple there and there's that severe threat I do want to give a heads up Savannah with this because this is late tomorrow into Wednesday and we could see some pretty Gusty storms 25 million people at risk for sever weather Tuesday into Wednesday back to you all right Michelle thank you so much thanks for watch

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