ABC World News Tonight with David Muir Full Broadcast - Sept. 5, 2025

Tonight, we have breaking news as we come on the air. Millions of the East are on alert for severe weather. A line of storms targeting major cities, Philadelphia, New York City, up into New England, damaging wind gusts, heavy downpours, and lightning expected.

We're also tracking tropical threats to both the East Coast and the West. Lee Goldberg standing by. Also breaking tonight, President Trump, late today, is asked about the economy amid the disappointing new jobs numbers.

The labor market slowdown, just 22,000 jobs created in August, much worse than expected. Tonight, the major immigration crackdown, hundreds of workers detained at a massive auto plant outside Savannah, Georgia. Authorities say many of them South Korean nationals. It comes after a raid at a food manufacturing plant outside Syracuse. The head of that plant and what he's now saying about the workers who've been hired there. Tonight, the dangerous mission by SEAL Team 6 that reportedly failed the New York Times first reporting.

The elite unit that killed Osama bin Laden going behind enemy lines in North Korea using night vision goggles. What they were reportedly hoping to plant there before spotting a boat in the water, flashlights aiming toward them, the seals reportedly opening fire on that boat. When this played out and President Trump late today is asked about the mission and what he said. Tonight's Martha Raddatz reporting live from inside Ukraine, where she just interviewed

President Zelensky, three weeks since the Trump Putin summit in Alaska and no meeting between Russia and Ukraine Martha asking President Zelensky about Putin's new invitation for Zelensky to come to Moscow how he responds back in the U.S. a deadly plane crash outside Denver at least 2 killed the explosion rocking a business park what we've learned overseas inside Gaza the moment

Israeli strikes level a high-rise building in Gaza City and the new warning tonight from the Israelis. In the U.S. the dramatic moment in court the Florida grandmother found guilty of conspiring to kill her own former son-in-law. What then played out in court. Defending is guilty of first-degree murder. Tonight the apology the Eagles Jalen Carter apologizes for spitting on Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott.

Tonight, the major news involving WNBA superstar Kaitlin Clark. And the Powerball jackpot soaring even higher. Big dreams for this weekend.

From ABC News World Headquarters in New York, this is World News Tonight with David Muir.

Good evening, it is great to have you with us here on a Friday night. We begin tonight with the severe line of storms moving in. More than 30 million Americans from Tennessee all the way up through the Northeast are on alert for severe weather. A line of storms targeting major cities, Philadelphia up into New York City and into New England. Powerful wind gusts, heavy downpours expected. An intense thunderstorm sweeping through Knoxville, Tennessee, damaging several hangars at Sky Ranch Airport.

Philadelphia now bracing for new storms after heavy rain slammed the city last night, delaying the big NFL game, halting the game for a time between the Eagles and the Cowboys. Now this new round on the way, so let's get right to Chief Meteorologist Lee Goldberg

from our New York station WABC Lee. it will be near or north of the Hawaiian Islands in early next week. High surf, strong winds and some rain as well. But again, the big threat close to home will be some storms severe here in New York tomorrow night. David? Lee Gilbert with us here tonight, Lee. Thanks as always. The other major story this Friday night, the labor market slowdown, raising concerns about the health of the U.S. economy. President Trump was asked about the disappointing numbers late today, the president downplaying the numbers and promising, quote, we're going to have tremendous job growth. The U.S. added just 22,000 jobs and the unemployment rate rose to 4.3 percent in August, a nearly four-year high.

Mary Bruce at the White House tonight.

Tonight, a dramatic slowdown in the American job market. Employers adding just 22,000 jobs in August, less than a third of what economists expected. Unemployment rising to 4.3 percent, nearly a four-year high, and revised numbers for June showing employment actually fell by 13,000 jobs, the first loss in almost five

years.

The labor market is starting to show a real chill. Not only are workers who have a job frozen in place, unable to hop to a higher-paying job Not only are workers who have a job frozen in place, unable to hop to a higher paying job elsewhere, but those who want a job are frozen out.

31-year-old Kyle Clark has worked for years as a technical editor, but he's been unable

to find a job since April.

At the end of the day, like, despite how good or bad the economy is, I still need a job. I still need to pay rent. I still need to pay my bills. I like I like to eat. I like to be able to afford groceries.

The president has acknowledged he won the election in large part because he promised to grow the economy and lower prices. Today he downplayed the latest numbers. We're gonna have tremendous job growth. He insists the economy is booming and is adamant his tariffs will spark a renaissance in American manufacturing. But the data shows the

opposite four straight months of manufacturing job losses. When these

factories start to open up that are being built all over the country, you're

gonna see things happen in this country that nobody expects. We've lost 78,000 manufacturing jobs since the start of the year. That's the exact opposite of what the administration was hoping for, but some of those job losses are in fact due to the higher input costs that we're seeing.

While the Federal Reserve has resisted Trump's pressure to lower interest rates, this week's jobs report making it all but certain they will cut rates to try and encourage hiring when the Fed meets in two weeks.

So let's bring in Mary Bruce live at the White House tonight because Mary, while the president was taking questions on the economy, the president also signing an executive order late today to rename the Defense Department the Department of War.

And David, tonight they're already replacing and changing the signs over at the Pentagon. It's been the Department of Defense since 1949, but today the president rebranding it the Department of War, saying it sends a message of victory and strength. Now, a formal name change

would likely require congressional approval, but today the president glossing over that, saying, quote, we're going with it. We're going with it very strongly.

David. Mary Bruce with us tonight. Mary, thank you. Next this evening, the major immigration crackdown. Hundreds of workers detained at a massive auto plant in Georgia. Authorities say many of them South Korean nationals. It comes after a raid at a food manufacturing plant outside Syracuse.

And tonight we hear from the man who runs that plant what he says about the workers he hired. Here's our Chief Justice correspondent, Pierre Thomas.

Tonight hundreds of South Korean nationals detained during a raid on a Georgia Hyundai plant, the latest sign of an ever escalating and massive deportation effort by the Trump administration.

This, in fact, was the largest single site enforcement operation in the history of Homeland Security investigations.

Video of the raid was posted by a local activist showing events unfolding inside the construction site of Hyundai's 3,000-acre electric vehicle plant in Ella Bell, Georgia.

Our homeland security, we have a search warrant for the whole site. We need construction to cease immediately.

A show of force involving scores of state and federal agencies, including the FBI. 475 people taken into custody, most of them South Koreans. Hyundai says those detained did not work directly for the company, but for a network of subcontractors that the plant used. And another raid this week, hundreds of miles away,

outside of Syracuse, New York. Federal agents converging on this food manufacturing plant in Cato, New York. Co-owner Lenny Schmidt telling WSYR, he believes all 69 workers detained were legally authorized to work in the US,

and some have already returned to work.

I just think it was unfortunate the way it was conducted. I think it could have been done, conducted a lot easier, and, you know, more proper.

The raids come as Chicago is bracing for an influx of federal immigration officials as soon as this weekend. ABC News has learned that the Great Lakes Naval Station outside Chicago will be used as DHS's base of operations, with hundreds of DHS officials involved. David, as you know, South Korea recently pledged to invest billions in the U.S. President Trump was just asked in the Oval Office

whether the Georgia raid could signal a clash between his immigration agenda and his economic goals. He said if those workers were here illegally, they need to be removed.

David? Pierre Thomas live in Washington, Pierre, thank you. We turn now to the dangerous mission by SEAL Team 6 that reportedly failed. The New York Times reporting, the elite unit that killed Osama bin Laden went behind enemy lines

in North Korea using night vision goggles and what they were reportedly hoping to plant there before spotting a boat in the water. Flashlights aiming toward US submarines, the SEALs reportedly opening fire on that boat. So when all of this played out

and President Trump was asked late today about the mission, and here's Martha Raddatz.

Tonight, the extraordinarily dangerous, top-secret Navy SEAL mission inside North Korea. The New York Times reporting SEAL Team 6, the same elite unit that killed Osama bin Laden, sneaked onto the shores of North Korea from a US nuclear-armed submarine back in 2019,

right in the middle of high-stakes nuclear negotiations between President Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong un the seals mission plant a listening device on North Korean soil, a nuclear armed adversary to intercept communications from Kim hoping to gain an edge in the talks a mission so risky said the Times president Trump had to personally sign off on it after months of practice, the Times reports that the U.S. ballistic missile submarine

carrying the SEALs steamed through frigid North Korean waters in darkness. As the sub moved closer to land, the SEALs transferred to mini submarines and headed for the shore. The elite commandos wearing black wetsuits and night vision goggles to detect heat signatures had no communications devices in order to remain undetectable. According to the Times, they expected an empty beach.

But in the distance, a North Korean boat appeared out of the dark. Flashlights from its bow swept over the water. Fearing that they had been spotted, the SEALs opened fire. The mission was aborted.

The SEALs then covering their tracks, swimming to the North Korean boat to make sure everyone was dead. And according to the Times, the SEALs then... hunkered the boat crew's lungs with knives

to make sure their bodies would sink. According to the Times, the SEALs then hunkered the boat crews' lungs with knives

to make sure their bodies would sink. It turned out to be a fishing boat carrying unarmed civilians. The Times saying officials told them it is not clear if North Korea ever found out about this classified mission.

President Trump asked about the reported mission late today.

But I know nothing about it.

Can you confirm that it happened? I. I know nothing about it. Can you confirm that it happened?

I don't know anything about it.

I'm hearing it now for the first time.

North Korea's president met with President Trump just weeks after the failed SEAL Team 6 mission face-to-face in Vietnam. Again, likely not knowing, the U.S. tried to plant a listening device on North Korean soil.

And David, in the years that have followed, Kim Jong-un has only increased his arsenal of nuclear weapons. And again, as you heard, President Trump says he knows nothing about the SEAL Team Six mission.

David.

All right, Martha Raddatz on this New York Times reporting tonight. Martha, thank you. And of course, while we have you, you're reporting in live from Ukraine tonight. You just interviewed Ukrainian President Zelensky. It's now three weeks since the Trump Putin summit in Alaska. Still no meeting between Putin and Zelensky.

And I know you asked him about Putin's new invitation for Zelensky to come to Moscow.

Let's listen.

When you think about where we are right now, three weeks after the summit in Alaska. Still no meeting between you and Putin. He said he will meet if you come to Moscow.

He can come to Kiev. You know, if a person doesn't want to meet during the war, of course he can propose something which can be acceptable by me or by others.

It's understandable. And David, at least seven other countries have said they would host a bilateral meeting. Zelensky said he would agree to that, but not Vladimir Putin. So a bilateral

meeting seems dead for now. David. Martha Radice reporting live tonight from Western Ukraine. Martha, thank you. And for much more of Martha's interview with president Zelensky tuned into this week on Sunday morning Martha, thank you will be watching back to the news here at home this Friday night, a deadly plane crash outside Denver, the small plane bursting into flames

killing 2 people on board near Centennial Airport. Here's Trevor alt.

Tonight, a deadly plane crash outside Denver 2 people on board killed, the explosion rocking a business park. We did find a single engine aircraft fully involved with a structure that was threatened. Officials say the Beechcraft plane crash landed onto a data center this morning, half a mile southeast of Centennial Airport. First responders racing to extinguish the flames as they threatened a nearby bank of generators. These generators

were very large and it was a concern. Witnesses heard the explosive sound of

the crash. We just heard a loud boom. We thought it was a generator at first.

Video shows the aircraft appearing to perform loops, practicing takeoffs and landings and moments before impact air traffic controllers trying desperately to contact the pilot. And the forces three tango tower had here, but the pilot never responded. Another aircraft telling air traffic control the plane had crashed. Our smoke off the left side looks like he went down. David investigators are now looking into the cause of this crash. There is some evidence this may have been a student

or new pilot flying the plane.

David. Trevor Ault with us. Trevor, thank you. Overseas tonight now to Israeli forces striking a high-rise building in Gaza City. Dramatic images of children running for safety as plumes of smoke fill the air and the building collapsing.

The IDF says the high-rise was used by Hamas for surveillance and planned ambushes. It's not immediately clear tonight if anyone was wounded or killed in the strike. Residents were told to evacuate ahead of the attack. It comes as Israel steps up operations to seize control of that famine ravaged city back here in the U. S. Tonight, the dramatic moment of florida grandmother is convicted in a murder for hire plot. The defendant is guilty of first degree murder. 75 year old Donna returned guilty verdicts

Adelson stood accused of to kill her former son in in 2014. Adelson is the f in Markel's murder. When tonight, an NFL player sho what he's now saying abou

during the big game last night on the field and the Powerball Jackpot soaring even higher tonight. Many of you probably have big dreams this weekend. We're back in a moment. Next tonight here remorse from Eagles defensive tackle Jalen Carter. Refs ejected Carter from last night's game after he was seen spitting on Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott, a flag thrown on the field just six seconds Carter apologizing after

was a mistake that happen and you know, it just won I feel bad for just my te

there. No word yet if the any further discipline. T officially over for Caitlin fever guard revealing on will not b for the rest of the year.

mid july due to quad and saying in a statement, q isn't a big enough word t feeling. We wish her well When we come back here to jackpot, the big drawing

being made tonight where and a passing to note ton, a trailblazing figure in the civil rights movement. To the index of other news tonight in a passing to note a trailblazer in the civil rights movement, Joseph McNeil has died. McNeil was one of the college students who held a sit

in at a Woolworth's lunch counter that served to whites only in North Carolina back in 1960. The act inspired dozens of peaceful protests across the US of the creation of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee. No word on McNeil's cause of death.

He was 83 years old. It could be a really great Saturday night for someone out there. The Powerball Jackpot now the second largest ever. The prize jumped to 1.8 billion now, no winners yet. The winner who matches all six numbers would take home a lump sum of a mere 826 million. Not bad. Someone's not going to show up

to work on monday when we come back tonight. Our person of the week, the power of music, a husband and what he did every year for his wife on their anniversary and how he pulled it off this year. Finally tonight here, the husband determined to get his voice back for his wife, our person of the week. Tonight in Houston, Texas, Jerome and Agnes Bourgeois married 66 years. They met through music at a college production of Oklahoma.

Two children, two grandchildren, four great grandchildren. Jerome served in the Army and would go on to work as a school superintendent for decades. But singing was always his true passion. And of course, always singing to his wife, Agnes. Now in their 90s, music keeping them connected as Agnes battles dementia, struggling with memory.

So when Jerome was diagnosed with vocal cord atrophy and feared losing his voice, he was determined to restore it so he could sing to Agnes. Going to therapy at Tier Memorial Hermann for months, and this was the moment.

♪ It must have been cold ♪ ♪ There in my shadow ♪

Jerome singing to Agnes again, the wind beneath my wings on their 66th anniversary. The same song he has sung to her for years.

Did you ever know?

That you're my hero. Jerome holding back tears to overcome to continue. And right here tonight.

Hi David, I'm Jerome and this is my

wife Agnes. Hi Jerome and Agnes.

I couldn't get through it emotionally because she has been the. The wind beneath my wings all my life

and tonight the couple I'll be

loving you always singing right here to not for just an hour, not for just a day, not for just a year, but always.

And so we choose to Roman Agnes and their music. And so we choose to Roman Agnes and their music. Good night.