Spheres of Influence: Trump Flexes on Iran & Artemis II Orbits the Moon

Summary

Podcast Summary

Podcast: Here's the Scoop | Host: NBC News, Yasmin Vesugian
Episode: Spheres of Influence: Trump Flexes on Iran & Artemis II Orbits the Moon
Date: April 6, 2026

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Episode Overview

This episode unpacks two major headlines:

1. The escalating crisis between the United States and Iran, exploring President Trump’s aggressive new deadline to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and the complexities surrounding a contentious war and rescue operations.
2. NASA’s Artemis II mission as it soars farther than any human has before, exploring what astronauts hope to find on this historic journey around the moon’s far side.

Additional segments touch on North Korea leadership succession rumors, Savannah Guthrie’s emotional return to the Today Show following her mother’s disappearance, and top stories in sports and government affairs.

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Segment 1: U.S.–Iran Crisis and Trump’s Ultimatum

[00:00 – 11:28]

Key Discussion Points

President Trump’s 8pm Tuesday Deadline

• Trump reiterates that if Iran does not reopen the Strait of Hormuz by 8pm EST Tuesday, “the entire country could be taken out in one night. And that night might be tomorrow night.” (Trump, 01:13)
• This statement follows an expletive-laden Truth Social post and the daring rescue of two downed US airmen over Iran.

The High-stakes Rescue Missions

• NBC’s Courtney Kuby details the rescue:
  • The first, on Friday, was a risky daytime mission under fire. Helicopters ("Jolly Greens") were damaged, and crew members were injured.
  • The second, on Saturday, involved major deception: "More than 155 aircraft...swarm[ed]...seven different locations" to mislead Iranian forces and facilitate the rescue (Kuby, 02:29–04:06).
  • Notably, the F15E was brought down by “a shoulder fire missile,” underscoring the war's complexity: "Someone standing in the desert with a missile on his shoulder was able to do all of this. One person, that's astonishing." (Kuby, 04:01)

CIA’s Essential Role

• The CIA discovered the second missing airman and managed essential comms ("sneakers literally on the ground…passing along misinformation" Vesugian, 04:06, Kuby, 04:15).

Trump’s Threat: Striking Iranian Infrastructure

• If Iran doesn't comply, US plans to “begin hitting Iranian critical infrastructure. So things like the electrical grid or potentially electrical plants, maybe bridges” (Kuby, 04:53).
• Striking civilian infrastructure is likely a violation of international law; administration may seek legal “loopholes” ("If they can find an attorney or JAG...who can write a legal memo..." Kuby, 06:31–07:09).

The Ceasefire and Regime Change Confusion

• Iran has heavily rejected a 45-day ceasefire proposal; US officials say negotiations are hard to verify given weak communication channels.
• Trump claims “the US has achieved regime change inside Iran”—contradicted by on-the-ground reporting (Vesugian, 07:44).
• The Supreme Leader’s son may be “more conservative and more radical than Ayatollah Ali Khamenei” (Vesugian, 07:55–08:31).
• The administration often draws an ambiguous parallel to US regime change in Venezuela, though circumstances are starkly different.
• “Even today, President Trump, when asked about an outcome, he said, ‘well, we don't know, but we're not gonna tell you anyway.’ …The objectives that President Trump laid out…have changed.” (Kuby, 10:16)

Notable Quotes and Excerpts

• President Trump:
  "Could be taken out in one night. And that night might be tomorrow night." (01:13)
• Courtney Kuby:
  "More than 155 aircraft...they took swarms of aircraft to each location...to pull the Iranian forces away from where the weapons service officer actually was." (03:00)
  "If anything underscores how difficult this war in Iran is, it is that simple fact that someone standing in the desert with a missile on his shoulder was able to do all of this." (04:00)
• Yasmin Vesugian:
  "No Iranian inside the country believes that regime change has in fact been achieved." (07:50)
• Courtney Kuby:
  "All of this underscores how difficult it is to figure out what the US, the Trump administration's actual plan is in Iran because...the objectives...have changed." (10:16)

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Segment 2: Artemis II Surpasses Human Space Distance Record

[13:02 – 22:48]

Key Discussion Points

Breaking Apollo 13’s Record

• At 2pm EST Monday, Artemis II astronauts traveled 4,000 miles farther than Apollo 13—now the humans farthest from Earth.
• Astronauts in the crew: Reid Wiseman, Christina Koch, Victor Glover, and Jeremy Hansen.

Entering the Lunar “Sphere of Influence”

• “It is the first time humans have crossed that threshold in over half a century” (Vesugian, 14:22).
• Tom Costello defines it as entering the Moon’s gravitational pull for 36 hours to complete a flyby of the far side (Costello, 14:48).

The Lunar Flyby Experience

• For about 40 minutes, the crew will lose all comms with Earth while photographing the moon’s far side.
• This distance allows the astronauts a new, pole-to-pole perspective compared to Apollo crews.
• The crew is “given the best of the best cameras,” and NASA believes human experience and interpretation will provide insights no robot or still camera could (Costello, 15:30–17:08).

The Farthest Interview in History

• Tom Costello conducted the most distant live interview ever, speaking to the crew from over 250,000 miles away.
• Christina Koch describes seeing the far side: "It was just absolutely spectacular. And something about you senses that is not the moon, that I'm used to seeing...we got out our lunar targeting information and we matched up, and we're like, that is the dark side now." (18:06)
• Costello points out there’s no true “dark side”—the moon gets sunlight everywhere; the term is a pop culture artifact.

Profound Reflections from Space

• The astronauts are “deeply moved” looking back at Earth—reflecting on current global conflicts during Easter/Passover weekend, and on “how alone and so isolated in this universe” humanity is (Costello, 19:33–20:13).
• “We really need to work together, to live together and come up with solutions together.” (Costello, 20:13)

NASA’s Budget Uncertainty

• Amid the mission’s success, the Trump administration has proposed a $5.6 billion NASA cut for 2027 (including $3.4 billion from science).
• These cuts put the timeline and feasibility for Artemis missions 3, 4, and 5 in jeopardy, as no lunar landers are yet ready and the pace for moon landings in 2028 is considered "awfully aggressive." (Costello, 21:38–22:48)

Notable Quotes and Excerpts

• NASA Narrator:
  "Three explorers set the record for the farthest distance humans have ever traveled from our home planet...today, for all humanity, you're pushing beyond that frontier." (13:08)
• Tom Costello:
  "We don't even have a lunar lander yet...We have Jeff Bezos and Elon Musk competing...but neither one of them is approved yet. Neither one of us has flown yet. So there are an awful lot of loose ends here before NASA were to ever really try to land on the moon. And like everything, it takes money." (21:38)
• Christina Koch:
  "Something about you senses that is not the moon I'm used to seeing...that is the dark side now." (18:06)
• Tom Costello:
  "For four and a half billion years, the moon has never taken its eyes ... we've never taken our eyes off the Moon." (19:23)
• Yasmin Vesugian:
  "At the end of the day, everyone's gotta work together because we are so privileged to have this Earth and to be in this universe." (20:27)

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Segment 3: Headlines Roundup

[24:47 – 28:10]

Noteworthy Updates

• Elon Musk’s Private Security Deputized: New details emerge on federal waivers allowing Musk’s team to act as agents, raising oversight questions.
• Steve Bannon’s Legal Breakthrough: The Supreme Court facilitates possible dismissal of his contempt case linked to Jan 6.
• North Korea’s Leadership Prep: Kim Jong Un’s daughter is reportedly “being built up” as his likely successor, highlighted by state-released images of her handling tanks and firearms.
• March Madness Finals: UConn faces Michigan; UCLA women’s team secures their first title, credited to senior-heavy experience (Vesugian, 25:55).

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Segment 4: Savannah Guthrie Returns Amid Family Crisis

[27:27 – 28:10]

• Savannah Guthrie is welcomed back to the Today Show after more than two months away, as her mother remains missing in a possible abduction case.
• Guthrie, wearing yellow in honor of her mom and community support, thanks viewers:
  “You guys have been so beautiful. I've received so many letters. So much kindness to me and my whole family. We feel it. We feel your prayers. So thank you so much.” (Guthrie, 28:00)

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Timestamps for Major Segments

• 00:00 – 11:28: U.S.–Iran crisis, Trump ultimatum, rescue missions
• 13:02 – 22:48: Artemis II, history-making mission, the lunar flyby, NASA’s budget threat
• 24:47 – 27:27: Headlines round-up (Musk security, Bannon case, North Korea, March Madness)
• 27:27 – 28:10: Savannah Guthrie’s return & personal update

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Memorable Moments

• “More than 155 aircraft...they took swarms of aircraft to each location...to pull the Iranian forces away from where the weapons service officer actually was.” – Courtney Kuby (03:00)
• “Could be taken out in one night. And that night might be tomorrow night.” – President Trump (01:13)
• “That is the dark side now.” – Christina Koch, Artemis II astronaut (18:06)
• “We really need to work together, to live together and come up with solutions together.” – Tom Costello (20:13)
• “You guys have been so beautiful. ...We feel your prayers.” – Savannah Guthrie (28:00)

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Episode Tone

Balanced and conversational, with a sense of urgency in the Iran segment, awe and inspiration in the Artemis II coverage, and empathy in the personal update about Savannah Guthrie. The reporting blends clear-eyed journalism with personal insight and reverence for history-making events.

Transcript

[Courtney Kuby]

If anything underscores how difficult this war in Iran is, it is that simple fact that someone standing in the desert with a missile on his shoulder was able to do all of this.

[Yasmin Vesugian]

Hey, everybody. Welcome to here's the scoop from NBC News. I am Yasmin Vesugian. Today on the show, NASA astronauts boldly go where no one has gone before. Literally no 1. The Artemis 2 mission surpassed Apollo 13's distance record going to the far side of the moon. But what are they hoping to find? Plus, is North Korean leader Kim Jong Un's daughter being prepped to become his successor? And Savannah Guthrie is making her return to the Today Show. What she said about coming home as the search for her mom, Nancy, continues. First, though, Iran has rejected a temporary 45 day ceasefire proposal, which a senior White House official told NBC News was, quote, one of the many things that are being discussed. But during a press conference this afternoon, President Trump reiterated his latest deadline for Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz by Tuesday, 8pm Eastern Standard Time. And if they don't, the entire country

[President Trump]

could be taken out in one night. And that night might be tomorrow night.

[Yasmin Vesugian]

So that is coming on the heels of a slew of threats from the president on Truth Social over the weekend, including an expletive filled post and just after a risky and complicated rescue of two airmen whose F15E fighter jet had been shot down over Iran on Friday. So what does all this mean for potential negotiations? Could President Trump back down? Or is this the final countdown? Want to bring in NBC News national security correspondent Courtney Kuby, who's been following all of it and is joining us now. Hey, Court.

[Courtney Kuby]

Hi.

[Yasmin Vesugian]

It was a very long press conference, over an hour. And a big part of of this presser was in fact the rescue mission that happened over the weekend. Here is what the president said about the operation to bring back the airmen of the fighter jet that went down over Iran.

[President Trump]

I ordered the U.S. armed forces to do whatever was necessary to bring our brave warriors back home. A risky decision because we could have ended up with 100 dead as opposed to one or two.

[Yasmin Vesugian]

What new details did we hear today in the White House press room about that rescue mission? Court?

[Courtney Kuby]

So on the first rescue that was the one that occurred on Friday, I was really struck by the fact that it was a daytime mission. So I mean, that's very dangerous to bring aircraft in. We know that at least one, if not two of the helicopters that were taking them out, they're called Jolly Greens, they're basically like a modified Black Hawk we know that they took fire, at least one of them was damaged and there were injuries among people on board. So that was a very risky mission. But the second one that occurred Saturday, late Saturday there, I mean, I was astonished by some of the details that we got, particularly the deceptive efforts that the U.S. undertook to go about this mission. So more than 155 aircraft. And when he first said that, I thought, 155 aircraft, what are you using those for? And then it became clear they identified seven different locations around the area and they took swarms of aircraft to each location and they kind of had them circling around in a tight formation over a spot. And the idea was because that would help make the Iranians go, oh, well, maybe the pilot, he's over there, let's go look over there. And the whole effort was to try to pull the Iranian forces away from where the weapons service officer actually was. So that was fascinating to me, just the huge undertaking that this was logistically. I mean, another thing that I was absolutely struck by was the fact that the F15 was downed by a shoulder fire missile. I mean, if anything underscores how difficult this war in Iran is, it is that simple fact that someone standing in the desert with a missile on his shoulder was able to do all of this. One person, that's astonishing.

[Yasmin Vesugian]

The CIA was also integral in this rescue mission as well. Sneakers literally on the ground, Right. Passing along misinformation, we also learned that

[Courtney Kuby]

the CIA was the one who actually found the second airman who was missing for several days. That was something that President Trump said and that they communicated with him, they helped with the communications. I mean, the reality is we always assume that they have a big a role in things like this. But to actually get some of those details was pretty fascinating.

[Yasmin Vesugian]

Today, let's talk about the timeline the President laid out today, and that is 8:00pm Eastern Standard Time Tuesday night is when he's saying the Strait of Hormuz must in fact be reopened. What then is the Trump administration saying they're going to do if they don't meet that timeline? If it's not opened at 8pm Tuesday

[Courtney Kuby]

evening, they're going to begin hitting Iranian critical infrastructure. So things like the electrical grid or potentially electrical plants, maybe bridges, we've already seen them hit at least one bridge so far. I mean, I think the question on everyone's mind here right now is will the US Actually go through with this? Because of course, striking a critical infrastructure of your enemy is a violation of international law. It's a violation of the Law of armed conflict. Now, there are cases where the military can make a case for striking certain locations. So for instance, if there is a power plant that primarily services a military base or some sort of an area that is overwhelmingly military, or if it can be proven that that facility or whatever it is is directly supporting and having a real impact on the enemy's military ability, then there can be a time where lawyers will brought in and there's in the US Case anyway, there's supposed to be this very rigorous process where they go through the pros and cons and where somebody determines whether the side of this is potentially more important than the civilian suffering that could be imposed.

[Yasmin Vesugian]

So you hear the rhetoric from the President, right? You hear about this deadline, the potential of going after civilian infrastructure which we have violation, as you mentioned, of international law. Is there any reporting to suggest the President is in fact in his administration is looking for any sort of legal loopholes to get around these potential violations?

[Courtney Kuby]

They've done it in the past, I mean, very recently. So look at the strikes on the boats in Southcom. There was a legal memo to justify that. The reality is if they can find some attorney or a JAG or whatever it is who can write a legal memo saying it would be appropriate to target this electrical plant because it is less damage to the civilian population than it is, it has such a big impact on the military fight here.

[Yasmin Vesugian]

And by the way, ajag for those who do not know is the Judge Advocate General's Corps. It's the legal branch of the United States Armed Forces.

[Courtney Kuby]

Is that an illegal order? If there is a legal justification for it. And then the question is, even if there is a concern that something is a violation of the law of armed conflict or of the international law, who's going to enforce that? Generally, the way that this occurs is countries who are signatories to the icc, the International Criminal Court, the US Is not a signatory to. They will speak up about it. But I don't know that we've seen a lot of people speaking up for when there are concerns about violations by the Trump administration so far in the last year.

[Yasmin Vesugian]

Plus we've also heard of this 45 day ceasefire that's being floated. Iran has flat out, it seems, rejected it. The President said today that the United States has achieved regime change inside Iran, that the United States is dealing with a smarter and less radical leadership inside Iran. I can tell you from my own reporting inside Iran, no Iranian inside the country believes that regime change has in fact been achieved. Let's remind folks The Supreme Leader of Iran right now is the son of the former Supreme Leader, who might be more conservative and more radical than Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was known to be. All that being said, is there any proof that there are actual talks happening? Is there any indication of who they're speaking with, if they're still going through the intermediary of Pakistan?

[Courtney Kuby]

No. And then even today, the President said one of the most difficult things about this diplomatic process is it's really hard to get in touch with these Iranians on the ground there because there's so little communication. So we still have almost no fidelity on it. Administration officials are telling us to, you know, don't put a whole lot of faith in the 45 day ceasefire. At this point, we are no further along in this diplomatic process than we were last week when it was very opaque and we didn't really know whether there was any real potential for something to happen here.

[Yasmin Vesugian]

One other thing I think that stuck out to me in this press conference today, Courtney, and something that has repeatedly been talked about throughout this entire war is the example of what took place in Venezuela and the capture of former Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro, who is currently in a US prison. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth brought this up, brought his name up, brought up Venezuela up again. And I wonder if the Americans feel as if that is something they want to achieve or something they have already achieved, or if they are using that as a success story for what they believe Iran can become. It's confusing to say the least.

[Courtney Kuby]

Yeah, I mean, it seems as if they're trying to use this as a success story right where they can. The US can help lead to a new regime in Iran, even though the President has said that's not the goal here, and even though you could make the argument that the regime in Venezuela is the vice president of Maduro anyway, and there hasn't been some massive change there.

[Yasmin Vesugian]

But I mean, again, and also Venezuelanot to cut you up, but Venezuela took one evening, right? And yes, it is still a process. Now, we are now five weeks into this war and we recognize that the Iranian government has operated much differently than the current Venezuelan leadership has.

[Courtney Kuby]

All of this underscores how difficult it is to figure out what the us, the Trump administration's actual plan is in Iran because even from the very first night, the objectives that President Trump laid out in that truth social video have changed. You know, the one that stayed consistent is ballistic missiles. We usually hear that they don't. They can't have a nuclear weapon. But there's no real explanation for how they expect to accomplish that. Regime change comes and goes. Sometimes yes, sometimes no. There's the question of, of their navy, their air force, the Strait of Hormuz. Sometimes that's a priority, sometimes it's not. That is why this is so confusing is because even today, President Trump, when he was asked about an outcome, he said, well, we don't know, but we're not gonna tell you anyway. So they're hiding behind operational security for not explaining exactly how this is supposed to unfold and what the ultimate end goal here is beyond. Iran can't have a nuclear weapon. I would point out that the US still has not gone after Iran's nuclear program with the exception of one or strikes throughout this entire five plus week war.

[Yasmin Vesugian]

On a day like today, Courtney Kuby is a wanted woman. So I don't have much time with her. So for that, Courtney Kuby, thank you for the limited time you do have.

[Courtney Kuby]

Thanks, Yaz.

[Yasmin Vesugian]

All right, we are going to take a very quick break and when we come back, we are heading to infinity and beyond the details of NASA's historic moon mission. Up next. And hey, while you're waiting, why not take a second to subscribe to our podcast wherever you are listening or watching. And if you already subscribe, thank you and do not forget to rate and review us. It really helps with the algorithm. We'll be right back.

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[Yasmin Vesugian]

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[Yasmin Vesugian]

and we are back with here's the scoop from NBC News. It all came down to today.

[NASA Narrator]

Three explorers set the record for the farthest distance humans have ever traveled from our home planet. At that time, over 55 years ago, Lovell, Swigert and Haise flew 248,655 statute miles away from Earth. Today, for all humanity, you're pushing beyond that frontier.

[Yasmin Vesugian]

That was the moment that NASA and the crew of the Artemis II mission were actually working towards. At 2pm Eastern Standard Time, astronauts Reid Wiseman, Christina Cook, Victor Glover, and Jeremy Hansen traveled farther into deep space than anyone in history, beating the Apollo 13 record by over 4,000 miles. And then the lunar flyby kicked off. For the next seven hours, the crew's gonna work in pairs to snap photos of the moon's far side from a totally new perspective. But what are they looking for? So while I can actually talk to the astronauts in the Artemis II mission, the next best thing is, is the guy who actually interviewed them on Saturday. And that is NBC News senior correspondent Tom Costello, who is joining us from Johnson Space center in Houston, Texas. Hey, Tom.

[Tom Costello]

Hey there. Right across the street, Yasmin.

[Yasmin Vesugian]

What an incredible day, I have to say, especially when it comes to space exploration and space travel. The Artemis 2 crew, I should say, has entered what NASA is calling the quote, unquote, lunar sphere of influence. It is the first time humans have crossed that threshold in over half a century. What is this boundary, Tom, actually represent, and why does it matter, both scientifically and also symbolically?

[Tom Costello]

Well, essentially, in layman's terms, it's the. It's the gravitational pull of the moon. And they crossed into it early Monday morning. And they will stay in the moon's gravitational pull until they complete this lunar flyby of the far side of the Moon. So we're talking about 36 hours in total that they'll be under the moon's influence.

[Yasmin Vesugian]

I want to talk about that lunar flyby. Right, because that is when they go on the far side of the moon, as you mentioned, and for 40 minutes, essentially, give or take, they're not going to have any contact with the Earth. What are they going to be doing in that time? What are they going to be looking for? What are potentially they going to be seeing?

[Tom Costello]

So this loss of signal or loss of comms is not at all unusual in spaceflight. But clearly, we don't have satellites on the far side of the Moon, Right? So if you put a moon between yourself and Earth, there's no radio signal that you can reach on the other side. Nobody's worried about this. NASA's not worried about it. The astronauts are not worried about it. In fact, they lose comms from time to time with the space station. So they're used to this. But during that time, that 40 minutes of silence, these astronauts will already have been hard at work, as you described, working in pairs to document, to photograph the far side of the moon. And here's what's different than when the Apollo crews went around the far side of the moon, they were really, as you said, hugging the moon. All they could see is what they were looking at out their window. In this case, they're back by 4 to 6,000 miles. They can see the entire thing, everything from pole to pole, and all of the really critical geological formations that NASA wants to document. So the crew has been given the best of the best of the best cameras. They've been giving extensive training and the kind of photography that NASA wants out of there. And then also the spaceship itself has an awful lot of cameras just loaded and pointed at the moon. So we are going to get phenomenal imagery coming from the far side of the moon. And while we have seen robots come give us that kind of imagery, this is the first time humans have given it. And NASA really believes that the 3D human experience is going to be critical here in not only taking those photographs, but interpreting them and describing things that, you know, you don't necessarily get just off of a static photograph.

[Yasmin Vesugian]

You got to speak with the astronauts on Saturday, Tom, and you've been covering aeronautics and space for NBC News for a very long time. I'm not going to say how long to date you, but 20 plus years. Okay, 20 plus years. You've been covering for that long. This is in history, the farthest interview ever conducted because of how far these astronauts are away from Earth. What, what was that like for you to speak with them?

[Tom Costello]

Well, what a privilege. I mean, and to be clear, you know, you did hear from astronauts from the Apollo days when they were going to the far side, but you didn't have an interview. And I didn't think twice about this until NASA said, you know, you are about to conduct the farthest interview in history. And I thought, well, that's kind of cool, isn't it? I'm going to put that on my resume. But here's, here's my, a piece of my conversation with the astronauts. Let me just remind you, four of them that are sharing the space of about too many vans as they were approaching the moon.

[Christina Cook]

It was just absolutely spectacular. And something about you senses that is not the moon, that I'm used to seeing. And sure enough, we got out our lunar targeting information and we matched up, and we're like, that is the dark side now.

[Tom Costello]

Did you hear her there?

[Yasmin Vesugian]

She.

[Tom Costello]

She made a mistake. She. And listen, Christina and I, that's Christina Cook, and we've talked for a long time, and every once in a while one of us says, dark side versus farsight. There is no dark side of the moon. But we all are thinking that Pink Floyd album, Dark side of the Moon. Yeah, I'll see you on the dark

[Yasmin Vesugian]

side of the moon.

[Tom Costello]

Well, for thousands of years, the presumption was that there is a dark side of the Moon because we only see one side. And I know you, Yasmin, because you have a very analytical mind, and you're thinking, why is that? And here's why. We only see one side of the Moon, because the Moon orbits the Earth, but it doesn't rotate. It's almost like. This is the best analysis. I heard the analogy. It's almost like a dancer that you are dancing with, and he or she is facing you, but doing a circle around you, and they never take their eyes off of you. So for four and a half billion years, the moon has never taken its eyes, or rather, we've never taken our eyes off the Moon.

[Yasmin Vesugian]

Wow. And then this time, they actually get to see the other side.

[Tom Costello]

And it also gets sunlight. We should say it also gets sunlight.

[Yasmin Vesugian]

What else did they tell you in that interview, Tom?

[Tom Costello]

I was struck by the emotions. You know, every one of these four astronauts is incredibly eloquent and not afraid to share their emotions and not afraid to share their vulnerabilities. And all of them were talking about how they. How deeply moved they were to look back at Earth and, of course, think about everything. That's all the conflict that's going on on Earth as we're on Easter and Passover weekend, but also looking out into the vastness and the deepness and the nothingness of space, and. And they all talked about how they feel so privileged on behalf of all of us humans.

[Yasmin Vesugian]

Yeah.

[Tom Costello]

But then also it resonates with them that we are they. We are so alone and so isolated in this universe, and we really need to work together, to live together and come up with solutions together.

[Yasmin Vesugian]

It's so interesting to hear that, because as I'm kind of imagining myself, I oftentimes like to put myself in their shoes while they're going through it. The only thing I can think of is some of the pictures that we've seen so far, the images that we've seen so far. They seem so, as you mentioned, peaceful. You see what's going on on Earth right now with, you know, multiple wars happening and, you know, everything that we are dealing with here on Earth and how it just must be so surreal to be so far away and looking at it as if it is just this magic, right? At the end of the day, everyone's gotta work together because we are so privileged to have this Earth and to be in this universe. With that said, though, Tom, I do want to kind of ask you one more thing as we're kind of wrapping this up, which is there has been so much attention on this mission. Understandably so. But last week there were some proposed budget cuts to NASA from the Trump administration. A 5.6 billion cut to their budget for 2027, including a $3.4 billion cut to the space agency's science unit. This mission is going to end on Friday when the astronauts return to Earth. They splash down in the Pacific Ocean near San Diego. How could these cuts affect future missions?

[Tom Costello]

Yeah, listen, I think that's a very good and open question. And if you talk to the NASA administrator, he was on television over the weekend saying that they're just going to do more with less. Okay, that's easier said than done. Keep in mind that next year they want to do Artemis 3, which is a. An orbit around the Earth, to test out docking procedures before Artemis 4 and 5, which is a very ambitious plan to land on the moon in 2028. Two missions in 28. I gotta say, I've talked to a lot of engineers within NASA, a lot of folks who say, ah, boy, that is awfully aggressive. We'll see if we can make that even in the best of cases. I mean, listen, here's the problem. We don't even have a lunar lander yet. We have one that's on design from SpaceX and one that's on design from Blue Origin. So we have Jeff Bezos and Elon Musk competing for who's going to get the lander contract, but neither one of them is approved yet. Neither one of us has flown yet. So there are an awful lot of loose ends here before NASA were to ever really try to land on the moon. And like everything it takes, money takes a lot, a lot of money. And you gotta wonder whether these budget cuts will have an impact.

[Yasmin Vesugian]

Tom Costello, thank you.

[Tom Costello]

Okay,

[Yasmin Vesugian]

we're gonna take a very quick break, and when we are back. More than two months after her mother vanished, Savannah Guthrie returned to the Today show this morning wearing yellow. We'll explain why that's important in the headlines.

[Will Arnett]

Hey, this is Will Arnett, host of Smartless. Smartless is a podcast with myself and Sean Hayes and Jason Bateman, where each week one of us reveals a mystery guest to the other two. We dive deep with guests that you love like Bill Hader, Selena Gomez, Jennifer Aniston, David Beckham, Kristen Stewart, and tons more. So join us for a genuinely improvised and authentic conversation filled with laughter and newfound knowledge to feed the smartless mind. Listen to Smartless now on the SiriusXM app. Download it today.

[Dan Cummins]

Hey, it's Dan Cummins. If you're into the weird, the wild and the downright bizarre, check out my podcast, Time Suck. Each week I dive into shocking stories like the rise of the Nexium culture, the origins of conspiracies like QAnon, and the San Francisco Witch Killer murders. With deep dives and dark humor, Time Suck brings you the stories that'll fascinate you, make you laugh, and fill your head with lots of strange facts. New episodes drop every Monday. Join the Cult of the Curious. Follow timesuck wherever you get your podcasts.

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[Yasmin Vesugian]

And we are back with here's the scoop from NBC News. Let's get to some headlines. We are learning more about what happened behind the scenes at the Department of Government Efficiency. Government emails shared exclusively with NBC News show that last year members of Elon Musk's private security team were deputized as federal agents, even though at least some of them did not meet the U.S. marshals Service's basic requirements. The marshals granted waivers allowing Musk's private security to carry weapons in some federal buildings and continue protecting Musk as he oversaw Doge. It's not clear whether or when the special deputation ended. The documents indicate that it was scheduled to last two years. The agency said it was not immediately able to answer questions about the deputations. Elon Musk did not respond to requests for comment. The Supreme Court has made it easier for Steve Bannon's contempt case to be dismissed. In a decision on Monday, the justices wiped out a lower courts ruling and sent it back to a district court where the Trump administration has said it would be dismissed. Bannon was convicted and served jail time for his refusal to comply with congressional subpoenas related to the January 6 Capitol riot. He and his lawyers appealed, arguing that he believed he could not comply with any subpoenas because Trump had invoked executive privilege. We have seen some images out of North Korea lately showing the teenage daughter of Kim Jong Un driving a tank during army training and firing pistols during a visit to a light munitions factory. A new intelligence briefing from South Korea's spy agency says North Korean authorities may have organized these events to build up Kim's daughter's military credentials and establish her as the country's future leader. It is the spy agency's strongest assessment yet of her. She could extend her family's rule into a fourth generation. The UConn Huskies are going to face off against the Michigan Wolverines for the men's March Madness final tonight. Both teams have a lot on the line. You got UConn, who was on the verge of a dynasty. It would be their third national title in four years. And Michigan is looking to end a Big Ten drought. No team in that conference has won the tournament in more than 2025 years. On the women's side, the UCLA Bruins are now the reigning champs after beating South Carolina in a 79 to 51 point blowout on Sunday night. The secret to the Bruins success? Experience. Eight members of their 12 player roster are seniors and grad students in their final year of eligibility this year, and they scored every single point the Bruins earned. It was the Bruins first title in program history. And finally, good morning.

[Savannah Guthrie]

Welcome to TODAY on this Monday morning. We are so glad you started your week with us and it is good to be home.

[Yasmin Vesugian]

Yes, it is good to have you back at home.

[Savannah Guthrie]

Well, here we go.

[Yasmin Vesugian]

Our colleague, Savannah Guthrie returned to the Today show this morning more than two months after her mom, Nancy Guthrie, disappeared in Tucson, Arizona. Authorities have described the case as a possible kidnapping or abduction, but they still have not identified a suspect or a motive. Wearing a bright yellow dress to match the ribbons and flowers left at Nancy's home, Savannah thanked the assembled crowd for their support.

[Savannah Guthrie]

You guys have been so beautiful. I've received so many letters. So much kindness to me and my whole family. We feel it. We feel your prayers. So thank you so much.

[Yasmin Vesugian]

Welcome home, Savannah. We are so glad you are back. That is gonna do it for us. Here's the Scoop from NBC News. I'm Yasmin Vesugin. We'll be back tomor 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.

[Morgan Stewart]

Hey, everyone, it's me, Morgan Stewart, and I have a new podcast called the Morgan Stewart Show. Join me each week as I talk about pop culture, fashion, my personal life and just a warning, I'm gonna be giving my opinion on everything. I'll also have some really fun guests to join in on the fun the Morgan Stewart show is out now. Listen and follow wherever you get your podcasts or watch full video on YouTube.