Hillary Clinton Testifies on Epstein; What Really Happened in Cuba?

Summary

Here's the Scoop – February 26, 2026

Episode Title: Hillary Clinton Testifies on Epstein; What Really Happened in Cuba?
Host: Yasmin Vossoughian (NBC News)
Key Segments: Hillary Clinton’s testimony on Epstein, Crisis in Cuba, US-Iran talks, Headlines

Episode Overview

On this episode, Yasmin Vossoughian guides listeners through the day's major stories. The headline focus is former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s deposition before the House Oversight Committee regarding her possible connections to Jeffrey Epstein, with additional coverage of rising US-Cuba tensions after a deadly maritime incident, a quick briefing on US-Iran nuclear talks, and scientific news about a tiny dinosaur fossil discovery.

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1. Hillary Clinton Testifies on Epstein

[00:03 - 13:14]

Main Theme

Coverage centers on the unprecedented congressional testimony of Hillary Clinton about her connections—or lack thereof—to Jeffrey Epstein, the committee’s motivations, and the broader implications for US politics.

Key Discussion Points

• Clinton’s Firm Denial and Critique of the Committee

  • Delivered a pointed opening statement asserting:
    “I do not recall ever encountering Mr. Epstein. I never flew on his plane or visited his island homes or offices.”
    (attributed to Hillary Clinton’s statement, [00:25])
  • Criticized the committee itself, calling it:
    “…an institutional failure designed to protect one political party rather than seek truth or justice for the victims.”
    (Clinton’s statement summarized, [00:32])

• Insight from Ryan Nobles

  • Ryan Nobles, NBC News Chief Capitol Hill Correspondent, provides on-the-ground analysis throughout the segment.
  • He notes the hearing’s political overtones:
    “…in many ways it's more of a political exercise than it is a true investigatory enterprise.”
    (Ryan Nobles, [01:59])
  • Details emerge about the Clinton Global Initiative and the presence of major Epstein-related donors, but Clinton claims she wasn’t involved at the time due to Senate duties.
  • The only revealed tie: Ghislaine Maxwell attending Chelsea Clinton’s wedding, which Clinton attributed to a "friend of a friend" connection.
  • The discussion largely circles back to Bill Clinton, whose deposition is scheduled for the following day.

• Testimony Drama and Photo Leak

  • During the deposition, Rep. Lauren Boebert leaks a clandestine photo of Hillary Clinton to a conservative influencer ([03:56]), briefly pausing proceedings over rules concerns—a notable irony, given Republican advocacy for closed-door testimony.
  • Nobles downplays any substantive revelations from the session.

• Bill Clinton’s Epstein Connection

  • Recap of public information:
    • Bill Clinton’s memoir: “I wish I had never met him…” about Epstein ([05:01]).
    • Maxwell claimed: “President Clinton was my friend, not Epstein’s friend,” stating she facilitated Clinton’s use of Epstein’s plane ([05:22]).
    • Demands for Bill Clinton to clarify flight logs, social relationships, and any knowledge of misconduct.

• Bipartisanship and Political Calculations

  • Nobles predicts tough, pointed questions for Bill Clinton—Democrats can’t appear soft given the parallel to Donald Trump’s own documented associations with Epstein ([06:09]).
  • Both Clinton and Trump, he notes, have denied significant connections, using similar phrasing:
    “I barely kn… as soon as I found out that he was kind of a creep, I told him to get out of my life. I wish I'd never met him. They're actually kind of eerily similar.”
    (Ryan Nobles, [07:18])

• Potential Future Witnesses

  • Emphasis on growing scrutiny of other prominent figures:
    • Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, whose explanations about Epstein are widely doubted; Congresswoman Nancy Mace is pushing for his testimony ([08:58]).
    • Kathy Rumler (former Obama White House counsel) also likely to be called.
    • Pending depositions of Epstein’s CPA and attorney.
    • Donald Trump could conceivably be called, especially if Democrats regain the House.

• Missing DOJ Documents and Unanswered Questions

  • Yasmin probes about unreleased FBI interviews with a South Carolina woman who accused both Epstein and Trump (per NBC analysis).
    • Nobles explains these records are referenced but not publicly released ([11:35]); the DOJ claims legal limitations while Democrats push for transparency.

Memorable Quotes

• “If the majority was serious, it would not waste time on fishing expeditions. There is too much that needs to be done…”
  — Hillary Clinton’s opening statement, as paraphrased by Yasmin Vossoughian ([01:25])
• “There really isn't any sort of, like, tangible link between Hillary Clinton and Jeffrey Epstein other than Bill Clinton.”
  — Ryan Nobles ([02:49])

Timestamps

• [00:25] Clinton’s opening statement highlights
• [01:59] Nobles on political motives and substance of hearing
• [03:56] Photo leak incident
• [05:01] Recap of Bill Clinton–Epstein association
• [06:09] Committee expectations for Bill Clinton testimony
• [08:58] Future witnesses, especially Howard Lutnick
• [11:35] Missing DOJ documents and FBI interviews

---

2. What Happened in Cuba?

[15:19 - 22:32]

Main Theme

Analysis of a deadly shootout in Cuban waters, the Cuban regime’s version of events, implications for Cuba–US relations, and the worsening humanitarian crisis on the island.

Key Discussion Points

• Incident Overview

  • Cuban military killed four individuals on a US-flagged boat, claiming they foiled a terrorist plot ([15:19]).
  • Cuban officials state all involved were Cuban citizens living in the US.
  • Notable inconsistency: One listed “injured” is reportedly in Florida and unharmed ([17:14]).

• Calls for Investigation

  • US Secretary of State Marco Rubio supports an independent probe due to discrepancies in accounts.

• Cuba’s Prolonged Crisis

  • Jose Diaz Balart describes longstanding economic hardship worsened by:
    • End of Soviet subsidies post-1991
    • Cessation of Venezuelan oil and aid following Nicolás Maduro’s ouster ([18:49])
    • Recent US-enforced oil blockade and Mexico’s reduced support ([20:59])
  • US will permit some humanitarian oil sales, though questions remain about actual suppliers ([21:02]).

• Humanitarian Realities

  • Diaz Balart paints a grim picture: “Think of having no electricity for days on end. Think of not knowing where or how you will be able to feed your children. There is no gasoline, there is no power.… The garbage is just piled up like snow in New York City after a storm. But it’s garbage. And you have people looking through that garbage to see if they can find something to eat.” ([21:28])
  • Worsening situation for everyday Cubans, with relative privilege for international tourist areas.

Memorable Quotes

• “…that they are Cuban citizens living in the United States…one of the people …is actually in South Florida… So there are discrepancies.”
  — Jose Diaz Balart ([17:14])
• “Think of having no electricity for days on end. Think of not knowing where or how you will be able to feed your children. … The garbage is just piled up like snow in New York City after a storm. But it’s garbage.”
  — Jose Diaz Balart ([21:28])

Timestamps

• [15:19] Incident described and guest intro
• [17:14] Discrepancies in Cuban government account
• [18:49] Historical context and economic crisis explanation
• [21:28] Daily life for Cubans amid crisis

---

3. Highlights & Headlines

[24:16 - End]

US-Iran Nuclear Talks

• Ongoing negotiations in Geneva, marked by deep mistrust
• President Trump claims imminent missile threat; US intelligence disagrees ([24:49])
• US wants Iran to remove highly enriched uranium from the country; Iran proposes diluting it

Domestic News

• Medicaid Funding Halted:
  Pause on $259 million in Medicaid to Minnesota over fraud probes ([25:45])
• Jesse Jackson’s Passing:
  Country mourns and commemorates civil rights leader Jesse Jackson ([26:08])

Science

• Tiny Dinosaur Discovery ([27:10]):
  Argentinian researchers discover “Alma,” a crow-sized dinosaur, challenging the notion that dinosaurs were all giants.

---

Notable Quotes & Moments

• “Both men [Clinton and Trump] have given the same excuses as it relates to Jeffrey Epstein. I barely kn… as soon as I found out that he was kind of a creep, I told him to get out of my life. I wish I'd never met him. They're actually kind of eerily similar.”
  — Ryan Nobles ([07:18])

• “Think of not knowing where or how you will be able to feed your children… people looking through that garbage to see if they can find something to eat.”
  — Jose Diaz Balart ([21:28])

---

Summary Table of Key Segments

| Segment | Main Topic | Featured Guests | Key Timestamp | |------------------------|-------------------------------|-------------------------|------------------------| | Hillary Clinton Testifies | Clinton–Epstein connection | Ryan Nobles (NBC) | 00:03–13:14 | | Cuban Waters Incident | Maritime shootout/U.S.–Cuba | Jose Diaz Balart (NBC) | 15:19–22:32 | | Headlines & Science | US-Iran talks, Medicaid, Dino | Keir Simmons (NBC) | 24:16–End |

---

The Takeaway

Today’s episode delivers high-impact reporting on the politicized investigation into the Clinton-Epstein connection, growing Congressional scrutiny of other high-level officials, and real-time analysis of the deepening US-Cuba crisis. The tone is direct, factual, and insightful, with trusted correspondents offering both news and broader context.

For further updates:
Listen to the upcoming episode, when Bill Clinton himself testifies before the House Oversight Committee.

Transcript

[Yasmin Vestugin]

Hey, everybody. Welcome to here's the scoop from NBC News. I'm Yasm Desugian. On our show today, tensions between the U.S. and Cuba are running high after a firefight in Cuban territorial waters that the Cuban ministry says left four people dead. Plus, nuclear talks between the US And Iran are going ahead amidst a massive military buildup in the region. And a tiny new fossil marks a huge breakthrough. But first, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton faced questions today in front of the House Oversight Committee about her potential ties to the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The deposition took place behind closed doors in her hometown of Chappaqua, New York. In her opening statement, Clinton said this. I do not recall ever encountering Mr. Epstein. I never flew on his plane or visited his island homes or offices. Secretary Clinton has not been accused of any wrongdoing, nor has she been charged with any crime related to Epstein. But most of Secretary Clinton's four page statement was a takedown of the committee and what she called, quote, an institutional failure designed to protect one political party rather than seek truth or justice for the victims. For this, I want to bring in NBC News chief Capitol Hill correspondent Ryan Nobles, who's in Chappaqua for us. Hey, Ryan.

[Ryan Nobles]

He has.

[Yasmin Vestugin]

I want to start with this statement. She told them essentially what they should be doing versus asking her, for instance, to testify in front of the committee. She said, quote, if the majority was serious, it would not waste time on fishing expeditions. There is too much that needs to be done. And then she basically lays out the to do list the things that they should be doing. Yeah, Talk more about the opening statement that we heard from former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and the tone it set for the hearing today.

[Ryan Nobles]

So I don't think that there's any doubt that many of the points that she made have merit. And I, and I do think that there are many arguments to be made and potential criticisms that can be made about the way this committee is conducting its work and that in many ways it's more of a political exercise than it is a true investigatory enterprise. Now, I do think any of the specific questions that they have for her likely could have been asked and answered in a written Q and A or something along those lines. But the Bill Clinton of it all, I think is an inescapable issue that Democrats have to reconcile with. And I think you've seen that committee Democrats recognize that they have not stood in the way of this deposition process. They believe that he should come in and answer questions. And I think to a certain extent, Hillary Clinton is kind of along for the ride because of their marital connection. There were a couple of substantive points that I think they hit on today. There is the role of the Clinton Global Initiative, and Maxwell and Epstein being pretty significant donors to that effort. And what the secretary told them is that she was not involved in CGI during that period of time because she was still serving in the United States Senate. And then they also wanted to know about how Ghislaine Maxwell ended up at Chelsea Clinton's wedding, which the secretary explained was through a friend of a friend, basically. But outside of that, there really isn't any sort of, like, tangible link between Hillary Clinton and Jeffrey Epstein other than Bill Clinton. And I think that the real meat of this conversation is probably gonna happen tomorrow.

[Yasmin Vestugin]

Right. And I'm glad you said that. Obviously, for folks that don't know, Hillary Clinton is day one, Bill Clinton is day two, testifying in front of the House Oversight Committee. You talked about some of what we learned inside this hearing today to be completely forthcoming. It is still ongoing as you and I are having this conversation. But what more has come out so far?

[Ryan Nobles]

Well, one of the interesting things that happened really had nothing to do with the tangible aspects of the investigation, and is that Republican Congresswoman Lauren Boebert decided to snap a kind of COVID photo of Secretary Clinton and send it to a conservative influencer who then posted the picture online. And that led to the Clintons asking for the deposition to be paused so that they could go over the rules of the game again. If you'll remember, it was the Republicans who wanted this deposition to be held behind closed doors and then a full video and transcript released after the fact. So it is a bit ironic that it was a Republican that leaked a photo of Secretary Clinton and that she leaked it to a conservative influencer. That seemed to be a minor hiccup in the process. Overall, I don't think that there was necessarily anything or will be anything uncovered throughout the course of this conversation today that will necessarily open up new investigative lines or create more or additional questions about really getting to the point of this investigation, which is to provide accountability and transparency for the survivors.

[Yasmin Vestugin]

If we walk through what we know so far about the relationship that Bill Clinton had with Jeffrey Epstein, we know, as you mentioned, right, Ghislaine Maxwell was at Chelsea Clinton's wedding. There are flight logs in which Bill Clinton's spokesperson has said that he traveled on Epstein's plane four times in 2002 and three on trips for the Clinton Foundation. There are undated flights photographs of Bill Clinton with Epstein and co conspirator Ghislaine Maxwell that were released in December. In the first release of documents made public under the Epstein Files Transparency Act. In Bill Clinton's 2024 memoir, he wrote, I wish I had never met him with regards to Epstein. And he had no inkling, quote, unquote, of Epstein's crimes. And then in an interview with Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche last year, Maxwell said that, quote, president Clinton was my friend, not Epstein's friend, and that she was the one who asked Epstein to let Bill Clinton and other foundation members and guests use his plane back in 2002. What are lawmakers telling you they want to get out of this thing? What do they want to walk away with after hearing testimony?

[Ryan Nobles]

So I think the biggest thing that the committee members, both Republican and Democrat, want to hear from Bill Clinton is a fulsome description of his relationship with Jeffrey Epstein. You know, his explanation in his memoir, Ghislaine Maxwell's testimony to Todd Blanche, which I think under any circumstances has to be taken with a grain of salt. And the, you know, limited amount of data that we have from the Epstein files don't really in any way, shape or form tell us the whole story. And so I think there will be some very pointed questions about how often did you see him? What type of social interaction did you have with him? Were there ever young women around? Were you ever introduced to a young woman? These are all questions that Bill Clinton's never answered, and they're questions that he's going to have to answer under oath. And I also think it's important to keep in mind and the Democrats have really, you know, at the beginning of this process of trying to bring Bill and Hillary Clinton in, there was a kind of a degree of skepticism and a degree of pushback. But then at one point the light bulb went off and they said, well, if we bring Bill Clinton in, first of all, A, it's a demonstration that we are truly in search of transparency regardless of party ideology. But B, it will set a precedent that will eventually land at the feet of Donald Trump. And the issue here for Democrats he has is that they can't go in and softball these questions to Bill Clinton and just let him off the hook. They're gonna have to ask him every tough question that they also may wanna ask Donald Trump because the information that's available in the files, they're not exactly the same, but they're somewhat similar between both Clinton and Trump. And both men have given the same excuses as it relates to Jeffrey Epstein. I barely kn as soon as I found out that he was kind of a creep, I told him to get out of my life. I wish I'd never met him. They're actually kind of eerily similar. And you've also seen President Trump himself kind of raise his eyebrows about Bill Clinton being here. So I think he's gonna get some tough questions and I think they're gonna be very specific questions and one he's gonna have to have an explanation for and one he can't lie about because he's going to be under oath.

[Yasmin Vestugin]

Ryan, you talk about how we have only learned so much from the release of these Epstein files. It seems as if there is so much more to learn. The degree to which these, these place, how long they went on for. Right. I'm talking about former Treasury Secretary Larry Summers just resigning from Harvard University. Former British Ambassador to the US Peter Mendelsohn arrested. A Nobel Prize winning neuroscientist from Columbia has stepped down from a top post there. Others are also subsequently under investigation. The committee interviewed Les Wexner last week, the billionaire. Are these other individuals I just talked about going to be called as well? Is that what is in the plan for this committee?

[Ryan Nobles]

So the first answer to that question is, I think the number one name that we should be focusing on in the immediacy is Howard Lutnick, the Commerce Secretary. There are not many people that are buying his explanation about his relationship with Epstein. He emphatically stated on a podcast, which you and I talked about, that he cut all ties with him in 2005. His first interaction with him, he thought he was a creep. But then there's all this evidence that they went to his island with his family, that he was attempting to try and create some sort of business relationship. And today, before the Republicans went in, they were specifically asked about Lutnick. And Nancy Mace, who's a member of the Oversight Committee, suggested that she was going to push to bring Lutnick in for questions. And so I do think that there's a realm of possibility where Lutnick is called before the committee to answer some of these questions. You know, he's a member of the Cabinet, so he's required to be to be brought in front of Congress on a regular basis, just in an oversight capacity. They would be well within their rights to call him in and to have him testify. So I think that would be the first name to look for. I also think Kathy Rumler, who we've talked about, the former Obama White House counsel who has been forced to step down for her job at Goldman Sachs is someone that I think could be brought forward in the near future. We know for sure. Already on the books are depositions with the former CPA and lawyer attorney for Jeffrey Epstein. In terms of Donald Trump, I do not think it is impossible that he is called before the committee. My question is, when could that possibly happen? You know, do Democrats want to do something as bold if they win back the majority in November, you know, subpoena him while he's still in office? I think that might be problematic and difficult and may not actually work for them politically. But, man, the second he leaves office, if they're still in charge, why wouldn't they call him forward? Especially if the Epstein controversy is still something that is a hot button issue in this country.

[Yasmin Vestugin]

I got one more for you, Ryan, because I know that your time is tight here as you're putting posted up there in Chappaqua, New York. And it's also something that Hillary Clinton mentioned in her opening statement. We know what we have. There are also questions about what we don't have. According to an NBC News analysis of the Epstein files and information from a source familiar with the investigation, the Department of Justice has not released summaries and notes from three separate interviews that the FBI conducted with a South Carolina woman who alleged that she was a sexual assault victim of Jeffrey Epstein and also made sexual abuse allegations against President Donald Trump. What do we know about these documents and what have we heard from the doj?

[Ryan Nobles]

So what we know is that these interviews took place. There were four interviews in total. The contents of one are available in the public files that have been released. The three others are listed on a manifest which show that the interviews took place, but the documents themselves are nowhere to be found. Now, the Department of Justice has said that they have released everything that they're legally allowed to release, as according to the statute, the Epstein Transfer Transparency Act. But they've not addressed the substance of those three interviews and the information contained in those three interviews specifically. And they've also gone out of their way to say that there were a number of claims prior to the 2016 election that were made about President Trump that were unfounded and, you know, were essentially a political attack against him. So we don't know what's in these interviews, but we know that this woman exists. The sense that I'm getting from the committee is that there's an effort to reach out to her and talk to her to see if she would be willing to tell her story on some level. There's something to this Yasmin. But what it is in the form and fashion that it will eventually manifest itself, I think remains an open question. But there does seem to be a degree of evasiveness from the Department of Justice as to how they're handling this, and it's something that Democrats want answers about.

[Yasmin Vestugin]

Ryan Nobles, I know you got a busy day. I will talk to you again tomorrow when former President Bill Clinton testifies in front of the house overseas.

[Ryan Nobles]

All right, I'm done here. Friday night in Chappaqua. I'm gonna come stay. You got room for me with your kids at your house?

[Yasmin Vestugin]

Exactly. On the way.

[Ryan Nobles]

On the way home.

[Yasmin Vestugin]

Anytime, buddy. Anytime, Anytime.

[Keir Simmons]

All right.

[Yasmin Vestugin]

In a break from the deposition, California Congressman Robert Garcia said he is asking for reporters to be allowed into the room for Friday's hearing with former Bill Clinton. Coming up, what we know about the incident in Cuban waters on Wednesday and what it could mean for a country already in crisis. And, hey, while you have a minute, why not subscribe to this podcast wherever you're listening. That way, you'll never miss an episode. We'll be right back.

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[Yasmin Vestugin]

And we are back with here's the scoop from NBC News. Secretary of State Marco Rubio says the US Is investigating an incident in Cuban territorial waters. On Wednesday, Cuba says its military killed four people in a US Flagged boat after they opened fire on the military. The Interior Ministry says they were Cuban residents of the United States and were planning to carry out terrorist action inside the country. It's coming at a time when tensions are already high between the United States and Cuba and the country is in a full blown economic and humanitarian crisis. And after the US Captured Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro in January, President Trump warned that Cuba could be in trouble. So for this, I want to bring in NBC Nightly News Saturday and Telemundo anchor Jose Diaz Bellar to talk about what this incident could mean for U.S. cuba relations. Hi, Jose.

[Jose Diaz Balart]

Hi, Asmin. Great seeing you.

[Yasmin Vestugin]

Good to see you. So all that we know of what took place yesterday in the waters surrounding Cuba are what Cuba is telling us. What are they saying happened?

[Jose Diaz Balart]

So there's been a small evolution in what the regime spokespeople have been saying about it. Initially, they said that their Americans may have been involved and later that 10 people that were Cuban citizens living in the United States were planning some terrorist attack and that they were intercepted on what they call a speedboat and that they were confronted and that according to the Cuban government, they received incoming and then they responded, killing four. Well, at least six were taken in. Some of those were injured and taken to the hospital.

[Yasmin Vestugin]

What are we learning, Jose, from Cuban officials about these 10 individuals so far,

[Jose Diaz Balart]

that they are Cuban citizens living in the United States. They have said, interestingly enough, just today in South Florida, one of the people that is listed by the Cuban government as being injured in that incident is actually in South Florida. And he's been speaking to Telemundo and others saying, hey, I'm on the list, but I'm here, I'm not injured. So there are discrepancies. And so, you know, when the Secretary of state, Marco Rubio, which you just mentioned at the beginning of our conversation, calls for a, an independent investigation, it's because there has to be a way to see what actually happened if something did happen and who is behind that.

[Yasmin Vestugin]

The US And Cuba, as you well know, Jose, have had a very longstanding rocky relationship. And that is putting it mildly. But as of the last few months or so, things have been incredibly tense, especially after what took place in Venezuela with the removal of the leader there, Nicolas Maduro, by the United States. There has been an ongoing blockade of oil onto the island. So there is a real lack of oil on the island right now. They are struggling economically because of that and for many other reasons as well. There is a humanitarian crisis on top of all of that. How is this all impacting the country right now?

[Jose Diaz Balart]

It's a question that has the suffering and in many ways the freedom of millions of people behind it, because we're seeing in Cuba a deterioration of an economy that has been regressing since 1959. But for many years, Cuba was able to survive through the gifts of the Soviet Union that gave it and that regime millions of dollars worth of assistance for many, many years. With the end of the Soviet Union, the Soviet Union's gifts to the regime also ended and Cuba entered what was called the periolo especial, a special period. This is in the 90s when literally people had it very difficult to find food. That was mitigated by the gift of for the Cuban regime, Hugo Chavez in Venezuela, that 25 plus years ago, essentially became the new sugar daddy of the Castro regime and received Cuba did literally millions of barrels of oil and subsidies and gifts to the regime. That all ended the 3rd of January of this year when then Hugo Chavez's successor, Nicolas Maduro, was taken out of his stronghold residence and brought to New York City where he's going to be facing trial. So that ended on the 3rd of January. And then as you state, then the United States said no more. And Mexico was the only other country that was giving gifts of oil to Cuba and that has been mitigated.

[Yasmin Vestugin]

And Russia is trying to break that blockade now as well.

[Jose Diaz Balart]

And just yesterday the United States announced that they were going to be permitting some humanitarian sales of oil to Cuba. But if it's coming from Venezuela, that's American controlled.

[Yasmin Vestugin]

When we talk about a humanitarian crisis, when we talk about an economic crisis, give us a sense of what life looks like for Cubans right now day to day.

[Jose Diaz Balart]

Think of having no electricity for days on end. Think of not knowing where or how you will be able to feed your children. There is no gasoline, there is no power. But if you look at some of the few hotels that still remain opened to international tourism, those hotels do get power. That is what the Cuban people are currently going through. And then they look outside and the garbage is just piled up like snow in New York City after a storm. But it's garbage. And you have people looking through that garbage to see if they can find something to eat. This is something that has been progressively getting worse.

[Yasmin Vestugin]

Jose Diaz Balart. Thank you.

[Jose Diaz Balart]

Thanks. It's always great seeing you.

[Yasmin Vestugin]

We're going to take a very quick break and when we come back, in the land of giants, archaeologists find a very tiny surprise. Stay with us for the headlines.

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[Yasmin Vestugin]

And we are back with here's the scoop from NBC News. Let's get to some headlines. The US And Iran held a third round of indirect nuclear talks today in Geneva, Switzerland, as President Trump oversees the largest military buildup in the Middle east in decades. The negotiations come just days after President Trump's State of the Union address where he claimed Iran was working to develop missiles that could soon reach the United states. A recent U.S. intelligence report said it would take 10 years. Here's NBC News chief international correspondent Keir Simmons.

[Keir Simmons]

The negotiations ran into the evening, which is either a good sign or an indication of how difficult, difficult they have been. You've got two sides, the Iranian government and the Trump administration who don't trust each other and are threatening each other. In President Trump's case, he has one aircraft carrier in this region and another one getting very, very close. In terms of the demands, the focus has been on Iran's nuclear program. The US for example, insisting that the highly enriched uranium that Iran has has to leave the country, Iran saying it would be prepared to dilute it. The fundamental question, President Trump says, is, is Iran prepared to say it does not want a nuclear weapon? Iran says that it doesn't want one. But with Iran, it's about whether you can trust what they say or whether you have to look at what they do.

[Yasmin Vestugin]

Vice President J.D. vance says the Trump administration will be pausing federal Medicaid funding to Minnesota as part of the vice president's new role leading anti fraud efforts. The pause, to the tune of $259 million, is tied to the state's ongoing fraud probe involving day care centers and allegations of misusing funds. On X. Minnesota Governor Tim Walz pushed back, saying that the cuts will be devastating for veterans, families with young kids, folks with disabilities and working people across the state. Mourners are gathering in Chicago to commemorate the late civil rights leader Reverend Jesse Jackson at the headquarters of the Rainbow Push Coalition, the organization Jackson founded. Events honoring Jackson will continue for the next week in Washington, D.C. and South Carolina, where Jackson was born. He died last week at the age of 84 after battling a rare neurological disorder that affected his mobility and ability to speak in his later years. And before we go, when I think of dinosaurs, I think of Jurassic giants roaming the Earth. But a new discovery could change all of that. Researchers in Argentina have found a nearly complete skeleton of what they say is one of the world's smallest known dinosaurs. Nicknamed Alma, the creature was only about the size of a crow, weighing in around one and a half pounds. Just think, if we were alive 95 million years ago, maybe you would have had a dinosaur instead of a dog that is gonna do it for us at here's the Scoop from NBC News. I'm Yasmin Vestugin. We'll be back tomorrow with whatever the day may bring. And if you like what you heard, subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. And you can also subscribe to our daily newsletter, the Inside Scoop. It is a deeper dive on the main stories of the day that comes out every weeknight straight to your inbox. You can sign up for the Inside Scoop as part of our paid [e-mail] we'll see you tomorrow.

[Ryan Nobles]

Why have I asked my electrician I found on Angie.com to bury my pet hamster. I was so moved by how carefully he buried my electrical wires, I knew I could trust him to bury my sweet nibbles after his untimely end. This is very strange, Angie.

[Angie.com Announcer]

The one you trust to find the ones you trust. Find pros for all your home [e-mail].