february 11th, i m stan stein, filling in for my friend ali velshi. we begin this hour with the latest signs at the justice department s investigation into donald trump s escalating and shifting to a more advanced stage. on thursday, nbc news learned that former vice president mike pence was subpoenaed by jack smith, the special counsel appointed by attorney general eric garland, to handle the justice department investigation in the january six. and donald trump s handling of classified documents. the subpoena was filed between pence s legal team and the doj. it s taking a hard look at the scheme to mistake electors to falsely declared trump the winner of the election in states that joe biden actually won. in december, just about a month after he was appointed, smith subpoenaed local officials in the spring state, the trump team targeted in effort to overturn the results. trump it had his way, would ve paid a critical role. which is why this subpoena is a significant mileston
mariana islands and gave us this update earlier. they said he will be landing in australia wants to hearing wraps up. his plan is committed to depart inside three hours time, that he would land around 6:1i1pm australian eastern time. that is later today. our correspondent shaimaa khalil was at the northern mariana islands and gave us this update earlier. julian assange is in the us district court house behind me where the final steps of the legal proceedings for his guilty plea are under way, his pleading guilty for one felony thatis pleading guilty for one felony that is illegally obtaining and disclosing classified national security material, no for him because as for the deal that was agreed the usjustice department, he will get credit for time served in the uk. he is here because crucially, this is here because crucially, this is continental usa, julian assange refused to go to mainland us because he deeply distrust the us government. in the past, he accused him of plotti
khalil. we know that julian we know thatjulian assange change of the courtjust over an hour ago, change of the courtjust over an hourago, can change of the courtjust over an hour ago, can you get us up to speed with the latest? that s right. julian sanchez is in the courthouse behind me, where the final steps of the legal proceedings for his guilty plea are under way one felony illegally obtaining an national security because as the deal agreed by the us justice department, he will get credit for time served in the uk. he is here because crucially this is continental usa, he refused to go to mainland us because he deeply distrusts the us government. he in the past had accused them of plotting to kill him, something that washington has denied. this picturesque island way remote in the pacific, us territory is going to be the place for that last chapter is playing out. if you look at the some of the courthouse itself is overlooking a beautiful beach. we are surrounded by lush g
plane, it s not superman or a balloon, or a ship with little green men from mars, at least we don t think it s that. but yesterday, the u.s. military shot down what the pentagon is calling a quote, high altitude object, flying at 40,000 feet over american airspace in alaska. notably officials aren t saying which comfy tree owns the object. they also aren t calling it a balloon, i like the chinese spy balloon that the military shot down on sunday. after that and traversed over parts of the continental usa last week. we now know the balloon is part of a chinese surveillance balloon fleet, which has been observed in more than 40 countries across five continents. joining me to discuss this is gary locke, served as u.s. ambassador to china from 2011 through 2014. the first chinese american to do so. he s also a former u.s.
anna koran joins us now. we are also hearing from america s top general, anna. reporter: that s right. the chairman of the joint chiefs of staff, general joseph dunford is here in seoul. he is on his way to china now but met with the south korean president as well as officials of his government where he emphasized that this crisis needs to be resolved peacefully, through diplomatic and economic measures but if there is a provocation from the north that america, with its full capability, with its full capability, will return fire, will attack. he is saying that he has the military options needed for the president if there is a provocation from the north. he is also confident, john, that america can defend south korea, guam, hawaii and continental usa if there is any provocation from