He says, count him out from this weeks republican debate. We will tell you what he plans to do instead. Plus, what trumps refusal to pay for Rudy Giulianis legal bills may mean in that georgia case, in which their codefendants. Thats later on this hour as well. We want to begin, though, with the weather. Hurricane hilary specifically. Now a category three and expected to bring catastrophic and lifethreatening flooding to parts of california, nevada, mexico as well. Southern california now under a Tropical Storm warning, as residents are bracing for what could be the first storm like this to make landfall in the area since, get this, 1939. You see that thing turning towards the state. Nbcs guad venegas is on the ground for us in san diego. But first, i want to bring in michael brennan, director of the National Hurricane center. Michael, start us off if you will. What you are seeing this hour, the track of hillary, and if it weakens as some reports are saying it might, how dangerous coul
Politics the former president s pardon play. Donald trumps lawyers make a hail mary request for an april 2026 start to the 2020 Election Trial and try to make sure the case never sees the inside of a courtroom. Plus a game of risk. New reporting outlines how republicans plan to conquer a trumpless debate. How another republican warns his party appears poised to fulfill the textbook definition of insanity. President biden invokes the whole enemy of my enemy is a Friend Theory of Foreign Policy today pushing two neighbors to put aside a generation of bad blood and send a message to the country a couple blocks away, china. Im Phil Mattingly in for dana bash. Lets go behind the headlines and inside politics. Were going to start with this up first. Two questions. Do you know what youre doing on monday . Do you know what youre doing in april, 2026 . The answer is no for me on both of them. Donald trump, though, has plans for both. More specifically mr. Trump knows where he wont be on monday
Officials are worried about landslides and major flooding. The last Tropical Storm to hit california was in 1939, over 80 years ago. This map shows the predicted path this storm might take. As of early friday, the centre of the hurricane was located roughly 400 miles, thats 615 kilometers, south of mexicos southern edge. President joe biden spoke about the preparations underway. I also want to note that my team is closely monitoring hurricane hilary, which has the potential to bring significant rain and flooding to southern california. Fema has prepositioned personnel and supplies in the region, and they are ready to respond as needed. I urge everyone, everyone in the path of the storm, to take precautions and listen to the guidance of state and local officials. Were tracking multiple wildfires in canada as the country faces what is being called its worst fire season on record. Fires in the kelowna region of British Columbia and 1200 miles or 2000 kilometers north in the countrys North
Korea. They are testing new form of icbms. President xi not liking this chummy meeting that is going on right now at camp david. Well keep you posted as they come out moments away. Jim ratcliffe is here to tell us what he thinks of all of this and congressman Mike Gallagher, who is the chair of the select committee on china. What a great team we have to talk about this. Theyll be with us in just a moment. First to Jacqui Heinrich who is live on the ground at camp david as we await the president me moment now. Hi, jacqui. Hi, martha. Were waiting for the president to speak. Theyve been walking the grounds speaking informally. Were told a buildin time for that type of discussion outside of their trilateral meeting. This is a significant moment to have these three leaders appearing on a stage together. It was two years ago the deputy secretary of state for the u. S. , windy sherman, had to stand alone on a stage following a trilateral meeting to do a News Conference solo. The Japanese For
35year occupation of the peninsula. The United States has long tried to strengthen the relationship to create a more formidable bond across asia. But it hasnt quite worked until now. Whats changed . And will todays summit lead to something in writing, a joint agreement between all three nations . What would that mean for china . Joining me now is nbc news senior White House Correspondent kelly odonnell, who is at camp david, you saw her there with the president and the the director of the meeting. How did President Biden get these two leaders to come and stand side by side at camp david today . Reporter part of it has been one of the themes of the biden presidency, where hes wanted to strengthen this relationship in part because of the rise of China Economically and militarily weve seen, and of course the ongoing threats from north korea. So as you pointed out, the u. S. Has strong independent relationships with these two nations despite generations of being at war with each of them. W