What hes saying about that conversation this morning. Hostage standoff. Two staffers held captive by inmates at a delaware prison. Negotiators trying desperately to secure their police right now. Well have the latest from the scene. And destinys children. Beyonce and jay z post this photo. They are expecting twins. Announcer from nbc news, this is today with matt lauer and Savannah Guthrie live from studio 1a in rockefeller plaza. Good morning, everyone. Welcome to today on this thursday morning. Hoda again here while savannah continues on maternity leave. When is the last time you googled beyonce. By the way, my head did one of those, too. I was radio when it haen a lot of people excited about that news. Well talk more about that later on but we have a very busy morning. Starting with breaking news overnight. Comes from berkeley campus. Demonstrators causing havoc shutting down a planned speech by an editor at a conservative breitbart and internet troll. Miguel almaguer has the latest on this. What can you tell us. Reporter it had been planned for quite some time. Police anticipated the crowd and protest. Before this event could begin it was shut down because of a fiery crash. The protest quickly turned viole violent. Demonstto fires, smashed windows and destroyed property at uk berkeley. Anticipating trouble police and to use flash bangs and pepper spray to clear the crowd of 1500. All of uc berkeley locked down. Students shelter in place as protesters moved downtown. There were brawls in the street. The chaos on campus began before he began to speak. The controversial editor from Breitbart News criticized for racist and mysogynistic views. Many protesters also voicing their opposition to the republican president. Invited by the student republican party, he released this video after the violence. Even if the things they said about me were true, it still wouldnt be the appropriate response to ideas. Then to twitter for tweets. Called leading member of the altright, which he denies hes part of the growing group last week a man was shot as demonstrators gathered outside for his speech. At uc davis a clash for police and protesters for schools there to get another speaking engagement. Now its happened again. This time at the very university where the Free Speech Movement was born. The president saying if you see berkeley does not offer free speech and practices violence on someone with a different view, no federal funds. The Free Speech Movement is dead. The constitutional right to free speech was silenced by criminals and thugs. Back to you. Miguel almaguer, thank you very much. The pren is putting iran on notice. Nbcs Andrea Mitchell had more on that. Andrea, good morning. Good morning. The Trump White House is wuputtg iran on notice and promising to hold accountable. The president tweeting this morning iran has been formally put on notice for firing a Ballistic Missile and should have been thankful for the terrible deal the u. S. Made with them. The policy crisis in iran, a challenge for new secretary of state Rex Tillerson, a caution from his boss, President Trump. Our foundation needs to foster stability in a world too often trapped. Right now its trapped in violence and war. Confirmed by a cluster vote by a top diplomat. Yeas 56, nays security adviser Michael Flynn issuing a strong warning to iran. We are officially putting iran on notice. Promising to hold iran accountable for testing a Ballistic Missile and threatening white house ships at sea. White house Officials Say nothing is off the table, not economic sanctions even military action. President trump tweeting late wednesday, iran is rapidly taking over more and more of iraq, even after the u. S. Has squandered 3 trillion there. Because defense secretary james mattis in south korea this morning filled with north koreas range it has missiles capable of carrying a Nuclear Weapon that would reach continental united states. On still another front, new fighting in ukraine could become an early test of President Trumps relations with vladimir putin. The Washington Post reporting President Trump had a testy call with australian Prime Minister. That country one of the longest military President Trump accusing him of trying to send the u. S. The next boston bomber, referring to an agreement to send 1250 refugees here. Mr. Trump hanging up after just 25 months according to Washington Post and tweeting monday night, do you believe the Obama Administration agreed to take thousands of immigrants from australia. Why. I will study this dumb dill. The Prime Minister tried to downplay the deal. The report the president tweeted out is not correct. The call ended courteously. As far as the nature of the discussion, it was frank and forthright. I stand up for australias interest, i make australias case as powerfully and per subwaysively as i can wherever i am. All this as the president and daughter ivanka went to delaware to see remains of navy s. E. A. L. Killed in yemen, First Service member killed in action on the new president s watch. Just returned from an family. It wasom very sad, very beautiful. Ryan, a great man. A lot of headaches for the new secretary of state as he takes over today. Hoping Rex Tillerson will calm the waters after unprecedented inauguration orders. Andrea mitchell, thank you so much. Nbc National Security analyst, chief of staff at cia and defense department. Jeremy, good morning to you. Good morning, matt. I want to start with this statement by Michael Flynn where he says we are officially putting iran on notice. It sounds like that should be the first sentence in a statement and you go on from there to explain exactly what you mean. Instead it was the last sentence and he leaves it hanging. So what does that mean to you . More importantly, what will it mean to all. This is an open ended threat. Were going to take a tougher line against iranians and probably that means increasing our military force presence there, increasing our naval presence, conducting special operations activities against Iranian Forces and maybe even conducting direct military action when theres a threat between iranian assets in the gulf and our own naval ship. It sounds like the comment was meant to put iran in a box or corner. If they continue bad behavior there will be consequences. By the very statement, dont they put the Trump Administration in a box as well. They have to take some kind of action . Well, thats right. Though this isnt exactly a red line, its sort of a pink dotted line. Its an assertion we are going to act. In question this morning, matt, is whether we talk to any of our european allies. Before we go out there and Start Talking about sanctions, for them to be effective we need other countries with us. We also want other countries with us if we in the region. This will be roller coastered in israels capital, the capital of saudi arabia and the emirates. The question is whakt our other allies in the region and in europe. During the campaign, then candidate trump was very critical of the Iran Nuclear Deal reached with the Obama Administration. Could this also be a first step in the Trump Administration attempts to dismanhattan that will agreement . Both of the president s statements through twitter this morning noted the iran deal was a terrible deal or a bad deal. I think theyre looking for a reason to pull out of that. But keep your eye on yemen, matt, because thats where American SpecialOperations Forces are operating, and there are iranianback proed proxies there, iranianbacked force, and thats where if were going to get into a scrape or military confrontation, its going to happen in yemen or the waters around yemen. Iermy bash, good to get your perspective. Th over one of the president s cabinet picks this morning, the nomination of betsy devos kwoub in peril with two republicans saying they will vote against her. Nbcs Hallie Jackson is at the white house with this story. Hey, hallie. Reporter hey, there, hoda. Good morning to you. President trump will be at a National Prayer breakfast here in washington before another busy day at the white house and as you mentioned another busy day on capitol hill. That is where political math is becoming increasingly important with razorthin margins on key votes. Now that pair of republicans breaking with their party is complicating for the administration their political calculus. Confirmation in the crosshairs with betsy confirmation in the crosshairs with betsy devoss nomination as secretary of education now in real jeopardy. Two republican, snow Susan Collins and Lisa Murkowski say they will vote against her. The mexican billionaire does and doesnt know about public education. I think mrs. Devos has much to learn about our nations public schools. Tomorrow devos faces full senate vote with exactly 50 votes in her favor right now. If it stays that way and no other republicans defect, it sets up something thats never happened before. The Vice President cas a tiebreaking vote on cabinet nomination. Mike pence on capitol hill for a different reason, girding a fight making the runs for new Supreme Court nominee neil gorsuch. The administration saying if they try to block the nomination, Senate Majority leader Mitch Mcconnell should trigger Nuclear Option. In other words, changing senate rules to let republicans of 51 votes instead of the 60 votes theyd normally leave. If we end up with that gridlock, i would say, if you can, mitch, go nuclear, because that would bn if a man of this quality was caught up in the web. Reporter mcconnell, after his first meeting with gorsuch, pointing out the Senate Confirmed him unanimously back in 2006. Not a single one of the democrats who still serve with us opposed him including the Ranking Member of the judiciary committee, senator feinstein, and the democratic leader himself, senator schumer. Reporter senator schumer now blasting gorsuchs record. I have very serious doubts that judge neil gorsuch is up to the job. Reporter hes warning republicans, dont trigger that Nuclear Option. If this nominee cannot meet the same standard that republicans insisted upon for president obamas Supreme Court nominees, 60 votes in the senate, then the problem lies not with the senate but with the nominee. Reporter on the other end of pennsylvania avenue, the president kicking off black History Month at the white house, praised by africanamerican supporters but raising eyebrows 19th century abolitionist Frederick Douglass in the present tense. Frederick douglass is an example of somebody whs done an amazing job and is being recognized more and more, i notice. Reporter theres a dom though effect on capitol hill to whats happening there with the confirmation votes for Jeff Sessions to become the next attorney general on hold. Why . That is because republicans need sessions vote as senator to help get betsy devos through. Matt, hoda . Hallie jackson, thank you very much. Mark is here with some analysis. Good morning. Rex tillerson was sworn in, so thats the good news. The democrats are holding up some votes and there is some question about betsy devos. Read the tea leaves for us. Do you think she will get confirmed . Well, theyve got no margin of error as hallie said, 50 votes with the Vice President there to break the tie. The white house is cde republican senators. Most president s lose at least one nominee. If President Trump gets her through, hell probably get everybody through. That would be unusual, but she cant afford to lose another republican senator. Lets talk about neil gorsuch. Chuck schumer said do not change the rules in the senate. This guy needs 60 votes one way or another. Is he going to get 60 votes anyway . Are enough democrats going to cross over the make that Nuclear Option a moot point . It hangs in the balance. From berkeley to the beltway, this country is divided, and the intense pressure on every democrat ick senator, even ones up iffer reelection in two years, is going to be do not give him 60 votes, do not let the filibuster be broken. You think were headed to the Nuclear Option. Thats on the razors edge too. If Mitch Mcconnell can avoid changing the senate rules and get 60 points, this games not over yet. Right now i dont think hell get to 60. Can donald trump and other outside groups put pressure on conservative states to vote for him . Mark, it was interesting. With cameras rolling trump said to Mitch Mcconnell, basically, dont hesitate to go nuclear. What does that say for how everyones going to be getting along . It says donald trump is governing as a republican president , not an independent. If he does a scorecard of his first few weeks in office and says am i living up to my goal and my promise to unite the country . Right now he is not. He is in the barricades with Mitch Mcconnell and other republicans on the confirmation fights. Hes got a whole agenda sprt from getting people confirmed trying to appeal to democrats. That will be tougher to do the longer it goes on. Off special coming up friday night. You were coverg this campaign for the last 18 months. What youre doing now i think is fascinating. Youve slowed the pace and you get the benefit of hindsight to look back at the race as a whole. How has it changed your opinion of what happened . It covers the whole campaign and will remind you of familiar events but a lot of stuff people havent seen. The biggest thing is listening to the voters. I went to so many trump rallies. Youll see trump voters talking in this film from all over the country. They knew he was going to win, and more importantly in listening to them, i didnt pick it up at the time, they knew why. They understood his appeal better than the pundits and explain why this is why the people will vote for donald trump. Tomorrow night it airs on show time. Breaking overnight, authorities still negotiating the release of two staffers. After delaware Prison Inmates held workers hostage. Two employees have been released by the inmates. They are upset with Donald Trumps leadership. They are communicating via twoway radio. All prisons placed on lockdown. An usual sight wednesday in frigid isolated city in canada a swiss air flight en route from zurich to los angeles forced to make an Emergency Landing due to technical irregularity. The boeing 777 had only one working engine. Passengers stuck in small arctic city for a few hours so they were given a sightseeing tour on a heated bus. A plane was eventually sent from new york to pick them up. I like how you pronounced that just right. All right. Lets get a check of the weather. Hey, al. Happy groundhogs day. Lets check on festivities live. Punxsutawney, pennsylvania. There he is. Look t oh, my gosh. Just happened. What h were waiting, they have not determined yet. Hold on. They are still debriefing. What do you mean you didnt like it . What do you mean . They are milking it. They know they are live on the today show. Ladies and gentlemen, he has made his prediction. This is where you read the poem. Like wadsworth. Here ye here ye here ye, now this 2nd day of february, 2017, the 131st annual trek of the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club before one of the largest crowds in the history of groundhog day. Punxsutawney phil the prognosticator of all prognosticators was awakened by cheers of thousands of faithful followers. In groundhogese he have directed the president and inner circle which reads at gobblers knob on groundhog day we celebrate a worldwide holiday its mighty cold weather youve been braving is it winter or summer youre craving since weve been up all not and starting to total. Function tonight phil will not dawdle my faithful followers i perfectly see a clear shadow of me six more weeks of winter it shall be. There you have it, ladies and gentlemen, straight from the groundhogs mouth. He has spoken. Yes, he has. Thats whats going on. Were going to get to your local forecast coming up in thet 30 secos good morning, everybody. Dont listen to Punxsutawney Phil, he couldnt have possibly seen his shadow under all those clouds. For us we have mostly cloudy skies, just a sliver of sunshine getting through. P potomac phil might see his. More sunshine as the day goes on. Turning breezy so have your inulated winbrke im excited about that coming up. The reemergence of