Themselves and epstein. Both have been part of his elite social network around the time prosecutors say epstein was procuring under aire sk has the story. Reporter after pleading not guilty to sex trafficking charges, Jeffrey Epstein sits in a manhattan jail cell, a far cry from parties like this one in maralago alongside donald trump in 2000. Today President Trump distanced himself from the billionaire socialite. Well, i knew him like everybody in palm beach knew him. I mean, people in palm beach knew him. He was a fixture in palm beach. I had a falling out with him a long time ago. I dont think ive spoken to him for 15 years. I wasnt a fan. Reporter this is what the president told new York Magazine in 2002. Ive known jeff for 15 years. Terrific guy. Hes a lot of fun to be with. It is even said that he likes beautiful women as much as i do, and many of them are on the younger side. Epstein who made his fo powerful circles, connected to more than one president. Bill clintons Office Released its own statemen m president clinton knows nothing about the terrible crimes Jeffrey Epstein pleaded guilty to in florida some years ago, or those with ween recently charged in new york. Adding that clinton hasnt spoken to epstein in over a decade, but did fly on his plane for trips connected with the clinton foundation. In 2002 and 2003, president clinton took a total of four trips on Jeffrey Epsteins airplane, one to europe, one to asia, and two to africa. During that time, federal prosecutors say epstein was creating a network of under age girls who he sexually assaulted in his florida and new york city homes until 2005. Today democrats turned their attention to labor secretary alex accosta, with calls for his resignation. Instead of prosecuting trafficker of children, accosta chose to let him off easta, a f florida u. S. Attorney, cut a widely criticized plea deal with epstein in prosecution by pleading to state charges, including soliciting prostitution from a minor. He registered as a sex offender and spent 13 months in jail, but had permission to leave six days a week and work from a local office. Accosta commenting for the First Time Since epsteins new york arrest. The crimes committed by epstein are horrific. With the evidence available more than a decade ago, federal prosecutors insisted that epstein go to jail, register as a sex offender. Now that new evidence and additional testimony is available, the new york prosecution offers an important opportunity to more fully bring him to justice. But an attorney who says he struck financial settlements with epstein for three alleged victims holds accosta personally reonl dl. Mr. Accostas office categorically kept us in the dark. They failed to inform any of my clients what deal that they were attempting to cut. Reporter his clients, he said, felt they were taken advantage of twice. By a predator and a broken system. So, stephanie, this deal has been widely criticized by democrats as well as epsteins accusers. Is anybody else speaking about . Yeah, there is. We spoke to the former police chief in palm beach. He helped lead the initial investigation into epstein all those years ago. Hes critical of that 2008 deal and says that the victims and their families deserve an apology from someone in authority. All right. Stephanie gosk, thank you. And as stephanie just reported, there are growing calls by democrats for alex accosta to resign as labor secretary. And tonight President Trump is weighing in. Nbcs Peter Alexander has that part of the story from the white house. Reporter despite those calls for alex accostas resignation, tonight President Trump is praising him. I can tell you thatanstic jo. He first metta costa when he o reporter the president says controversial plea deal for billionaire Jeffrey Epstein. Now President Trump says his administration will examine accostas handling of that case. I feel very badly, actually, for secretary accosta because ive known him as being somebody that worked so hard and has done such a good job. I feel very badly about that whole situation. But were going to be looking at that and looking at it very closely. Reporter but the white house had already announced last march that accostas role as u. S. Attorney in epsteins plea deal was under review, though no update has been provided in the months since. Whether its aor an assistanr a judge, you go back 12 or 15 years ago or 20 years ago, look at their past decisions, i would think youd probably find that they would wish they maybe did it a different way. Reporter and two officials here tell nbc news that some top aides have been dissatisfied withaccosta, evefrustrated that he hasnt s more urgency to roll back regulations. But ultimately accostas fate, lester, will be up to President Trump. Peter alexander at the white house, thank you. Next a shocking murder case outside phoenix. Police say a 17yearold was stabbed to death at a gas station because he was playing rap music. Now anger over the case is spilling onto social media. Lets get more from nbcs ron allen. Reporter the murder of elijah el almin igniting the justice for elijah, some say it was a racially motivated murder. The teen stopped at a gas station playing rap music. Stabbed in the neck allegedly a told them the music made him feel unsafe. Understand. And its just too much. Reporter his mother serena said his s a High School Senior heading home from work. This is the worst feeling ever. No parent should ever go through this. Reporter murder and music like in 2012, jordan davis also 17, killed in florida after an argument about loud music with michael dunn, convicted of first degree murder. In arizona, adams now face being the same charge. A suspect released from prison two days before the alleged murder. Knowing that he suffers from autism, adhd as well as potential other Mental Illnesses reporter adams attorney arguing hes mentally ill. He was perfectly aware of what he was doing. Theres no way. Theres no way. Reporter the suspect now held on a Million Dollars bond. In the killing of a teenager, playing his music that the suspect apparently thought of as a threat. Ron allen, nbc news. Scary moments today in canada as emergency crews evacuated a hotel after a Carbon Monoxide leak was detected. Dozens of guests were rushed to the hospital, some left i critical condition. We get details from nbcs miguel almaguer. Reporter when paramedics arrived at the super 8 motel in winnipeg, canada, dozens were in trouble. An automatic alarm triggering the alert for Carbon Monoxide leak. 46 people were quickly transported to local hospitals. 15 of them in critical condition. We saw the full range of symptoms ranging from moderate headache to nausea and vomiting, and weakness. Reporter with authorities scrambling to shut off gas to the building, high levels of Carbon Monoxide were discovered in different areas of the motel. Wearing specialized equipment, firefighters carried out the rescues. Tonight still unsure how the leak happened. Its reporter Carbon Monoxide is known as a silent killer, but tonight in canada, a deadly disaster may have been averted because of an automatic alarm. Miguel almaguer, nbc news. We are keeping a close eye tonight on the gulf coast and the potential for a tropical threat over the next several days. Al roker is following it all. Al, what are you seeing . Lester, we are already seeing heavy rain in florida. Sarasota seeing flooding so were watching the the system developing even as we speak. In fact, both models, the american and european model, bring the system into the gulf and up and makes landfall according to the european model as a strong tropical entity sometime saturday afternoon or evening. Its stronger and further east. The american model weaker and further west. Whatever happens, were talking about tons of rain. At least 7 inches in some places may pick up a foot. Were watching it very closely. Lester . Al, thank you, sir. Now to details of the shocking death of a toddler on the docked cruise ship in puerto rico, her family is now saying the cruise line is to blame. Nbcs Gabe Gutierrez has the latest. Reporter tonight the family of 1yearold chloe is disputing initial accounts from police that she slipped through her grandfathers hands. I do think that there is going to be blame on the cruise line, and i will do everything i can to hold them accountable for what appears to me to be negligence. Reporter police in san juan, puerto rico say they fell sunday from an 11story window of Royal Caribbean freedom of the seas landing on a dock. The family attorney Michael Winkleman now says chloes grandfather sam had placed her on a railing by a window but had no idea it was open. The toddler was used to pressing up against glass back home, watching her brothers hockey games. Why in the world would you leave a window open in an entire glass wall of windows in a kids area . Why would you have that kind of hidden danger without warning . Reporter they are assisting ocal authorities but not allegations of possible negligence. In a a previous written ned by the the cruise line said tragic accident. The family remains in puerto rico. Meanwhile, back home in south bend, indiana, where chloes father is a police officer, the community is raising money for them. Even though that is not immediate family, its still our family. So a part of our heart breaks just as much as anybody elses. Reporter what was supposed to be an unforgettable family vacation, now an unthinkable loss. Gabe gutierrez, nbc news. There is newly released video showing the tragic moment of impact when a tour helicopter collided with a small plane over the italian alps. Mounted go pro cameras captured the deadly crash in january. Our tom costello has more on the increasing questions about safety in the tourist industry. Reporter it was a beautiful chopper ride over the alps that suddenly turned deadly. A tourist plane carrying three pilots learning alpine flying crashing midair into the helicopter that had just lifted off. The chopper coming apart and crashing to the ground. Five on board the chopper dead, two on board the plane also killed. The video just released by the search and rescue team, it comes amid a string of accidents involving tourist aircraft. Six passengers killed when two tour planes collided in alaska. Two chopper crashes in hawaii. Three dead. Five tourists killed in new york when their chopper went down in the east river. This is really buyer beware. You as the customer have to do your research to determine the safety level of this company because they dont operate at the same more consistent robust standards as a major airline. Reporter search google or the faa or ntsb website. Is the operator certified as an air taxi . Are the pilots licensed to the minimum standard or required to have more experience . Have there been accidents . If so, what happened . If it doesnt sound safe, dont go. Tom costello, nbc news, washington. One of the more colorful characters ever to run for president of the United States has died. Ross perot, the sefltmade texas billionaire who tried to reach the white house twice as a plaintalking independent. N american orind its time for the cleanup crew. Reporter a quirky brash country boy from texas born into poverty who built a Computer Services empire, launched Daring Missions to vietnam and iran and turned the 1992 president ial race upside down with his selffinanced independent run. At one point he was leading president bush 41 and democratic challenger bill clinton in a threeway race. You dont care about anything but making money, there will be a jobsucking sound going south. Reporter with a nasal twang that was instant fodder snl. I cant deal with a problem unless i can feel it, touch it, taste a it amore. Reporter always combative on tv. May i finish . May i finish. It was a question. Youve already finished. Reporter using the soviet as an idea to fix the deficit. Abruptly quitting and reentering the race and still winning nearly 20 of the vote. The bushes long blaming perot for their loss to clinton. And the nafta trade deal. This is not good for people of the country. Reporter and running for the president. Ross was inspired by winston churchill. Never give in. Never give in. Never, never, never. Reporter and by his neverending love for the lone star state. I was texas born, texas bred, and texarkana raised and when i die, ill be texas dead. Reporter andrea mitchell, nbc news, washington. Ross perot was 89. A medical breakthrough giving hope to women struckling with infertility. Also the price you pay, big ways to save if you still needr vaca. Then tennis star Serena Williams opening up about one of her biggest controversies on the court. Stay with us. Did you know you can save money by using dish soap to clean grease on more than dishes . Try dawn ultra. Dawn is for more than just dishes. With 3x more grease cleaning power per drop, it tackles tough grease on a variety of surfaces. Try dawn ultra. Because you very difficult for too go throughmily everything that they go through. Maybe not in the same way, but youre still there. announcer you can quit. For free help, call 1800quit now. And now to an amazing medical breakthrough. For the first time in the u. S. , a woman gave birth after receiving a uterus transplant from a deceased donor. Doctors in cleveland are celebrating a big step in modern medicine that could bring new hope to women struggling to conceive children. Kristen dahlgren has our report. Reporter she may be tiny, but tonight this baby girl is a big deal. The first baby in america and only the second worldwide ever delivered from a uterus transplanted from a deceased donor. It went very well and it was not as complex as we anticipated, which is obviously something that you always hope. Reporter in june, a team of doctors at the Cleveland Clinic delivered the little girl to a mother in her mid 30s, who had been born without a uterus. Her transplant in 2017 was part of an ongoing clinical ia in 20 through ivf. Im quite confident that over time, that we will have come up with technical improvements that will make this more widespread. Reporter since the trial began, doctors have completed five uterus transplants. Three have been successful, including this one and two others. Now awaiting embryo transfer. I think it is important that these women have options. Reporter tonight those motherstobe have new hope in this little girl some thought they would never see. Kristen dahlgren, nbc news. Pretty remarkable. Coming up, the price you pay for summer fun. Why experts say its not too late to score some major deals on travel. But were also a company that controls hiv, fights cancer, repairs shattered bones, relieves depression, helps you back from strokes, and keeps you healthy your whole life. We never stop taking care of you. If you have moderate or psoriatic arthritis, your whole life. Little things can be a big deal. 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If you still havent booked your trip yet, weve got some great ideas that could save you a bundle. Heres nbcs morgan chesky. Reporter if youre still searching for an affordable summer get away, the savings can be significant. Travel experts say onestopshopping could payoff big. So, you want to look for inclusive packages where you get the most bang for your buck. Reporter if youre looking for more than just a beach get away, you dont have to settle for an oldfashioned road trip. If you know where to look, some of the best deals out there are just across the pond. According to kayak, bargain hunters can still find summer airfare to iceland, spain, ireland and london all under 800 bucks round trip. One of the lowest fares we found, round trip from boston to paris for less than 400 bucks. Europe is in a ripe old mess economically starting with london where bank city collapsing pound, youll get great value. Reporter elsewhere across the globe your dollars will stretch the most in places like canada, argentina, even vietnam. But some of the best deals will come if youre willing to bend a little. Flexibility is going to be the key. You want to look at alternate airports. You want to be prepared to go somewhere that has a terrific ofe flexible, thats how youre going to stretch your bucks. Reporter through summer, making memories with get away deals easy on the wallet. Morgan chesky, nbc news. Up next, superstar Serena Williams opening up about one of her toughest moments ever. A cookie dough ninja. Apply that same speed to the ford hurry up and save sales event. For the First Time Ever get 20 estimated savings on select ford models, plus earn complimentary maintenance through fordpass rewards. It all adds up. Dont you love math . So get here asap because tasty deals and summer go fast. 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Finally tonight, Serena Williams advancing at wimbledon today, and also opening up about a tough loss last year that sparked a lot of controversy. We get more from nbcs blayne alexander. Reporter Serena Williams is headed to the semifinals after another wimbledon win. Game, set, match. Reporter but its her thoughts on a different match that are getting attention. In a new cover article for harpers bazaar, serena recalls last years u. S. Open during an em serena was penalized for slamming her racket, losing a point, and ultimately the match to naomi osaka. I was hurt, cut deeply, she writes, for herself and her opponent. Serena says afterward she couldnt sleep and started seeing a therapist. Finally she wrote to osaka. I am truly sorry. I thought i was doing the right thing in sticking up for myself. I am, was and will always be happy for you and supportive of you. Serena says her punishment is the same thing that women endure in the workplace every day, def. She says her daughter olympia is her inspiration and the reason she speaks up. Even making a point through her photos, each one published unretouched. As for osaka, serena says her former opponent praised her for standing up for herself, telling her, continue trail blazing. Blayne alexander, nbc news, london. And that is nbc nightly news for this tuesday. Im lester holt for all of us at nbc news. Thank you for watching and good night. Today on steve steve we all know valentines day is right around the corner. From bachelorette rachel lindsay. I know a thing or two about roses. Ofplus, after a life service youre used to wearing a specific uniform. But then when you get out, you a new uniform to wear. Shes helping veterans live style. Barbara served in the army for eight years. Military. Support our but these outfits do look a lot flyer. Forut your hands together your host, steve harvey [cheers and applause] [music] every day is a good day every day