NTD Evening News Full Broadcast (July 10)

Welcome to NTD Evening News. Our top story tonight, President Trump declaring the ceasefire between Iran and the U.S. over. At the same time, Trump says his administration has agreed to hold more talks amid the flare-ups in the Middle East. Ari Otsu at the White House. Graham Platner, the Democrat from Maine, ends his troubled Senate campaign. His message to supporters and what Maine Democrats will have to do next. A federal grand jury has charged eight men with plotting to attack the UFC event at the White House last month. They're also accused of planning to kill government officials and could face life in prison. Jason Perry with the details. An illegal alien child rapist pardoned by Minnesota Governor Tim Walz. Now Secretary of State Marco Rubio stepping in. Jack Bradley has the story. The final days of Tyler Robinson's preliminary hearing ends with testimony from the defense's DNA expert. Christina Corona reports on the final testimony and the emotional moment involving Charlie Kirk's family. Are audio and video recordings justified inside autonomous vehicles? Waymo contacting police after detecting possible illegal activity from two teens. David Lamb has more. A new batch of UFO files just dropped in from the Pentagon. Jason Blair brings us the key takeaways. This is MTV Evening News, live from our global headquarters in New York City. Here's Cary Dunst. Good evening. Thank you for joining us on this Friday evening. Graham Platner, the embattled Democratic Senate candidate in Maine, officially exiting the race. This comes following a troubled campaign tinted by an allegation of sexual assault. Platner formally withdrew his candidacy in a letter to the Maine Secretary of State today. This comes two days after he said he would quit the race. In a letter on social media today, the Democrat thanked his supporters and said, quote, I seek to further the movement we have built together and the future we believe in. Maine Democrats are seeking a new nominee, and several hopefuls have already begun jockeying for position. They must name the replacement by July 27th. Maine, considered a key state for control of the narrowly divided Senate, Democrats have made it a priority to defeat Republican Senator Susan Collins. And President Trump declaring an end to the U.S.-Iran ceasefire. That's as he says his administration has agreed to continue the talks with Tehran despite suggesting that the regime may not actually be worthy of any deal. NDD's White House correspondent Mari Otsu brings us more from the North Lawn of the White House. They have very little left. They called a little while ago. They want to make a deal so badly. I don't know if they're going to honor the deal, that's the problem. President Trump taking to Truth Social saying, quote, Iran has asked us to continue talks. We have agreed to do so, but the United States has stated to them in no uncertain terms that the ceasefire is over. Now this declaration is coming after the U.S. launched retaliatory strikes against the Iranian regime for two nights in a row after Iran attacked commercial ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz. President Trump warning of much worse retribution if Tehran attacks commercial vessels again. The president also suggesting that after weeks of negotiating with the regime and their so-called dishonesty that they may not be worthy of making a deal. They're a little loco. They're a little crazy. They're scum. That's the way they act. We can play games, but I'm not sure I want to make a deal. Let's just finish the job. And an economic retribution following Tehran's attacks on oil tankers in the Strait. The U.S. is sanctioning a top financier for Iran's supreme leader and 13 other individuals and entities. The Treasury accusing Dubai based Ali Ansari of embezzling Iranian public funds to build a global property empire for Mohammadi and other regime elites. Treasury Secretary Scott Besson saying the so-called supreme leader is hiding in seclusion while his regime crumbles. Treasury will continue using every tool at its disposal to isolate him and other regime elites from the global financial system. We will preserve these assets for the Iranian people. The Treasury also hitting three major Iranian exchange houses that move billions for sanctioned banks blocking all their U.S. assets. Meanwhile, closer to home in a push for election integrity ahead of the midterms, President Trump declaring he will not sign the housing bill, which has been fully approved by Congress and sent to the White House in protest over the fact that the United States Senate is not capable of passing the Save America Act. The president, though, did not say he would veto the housing bill, which seeks to lower costs for homebuyers and rein in institutional investors, something he has long advocated for setting the stage for it to automatically become law. He adds the Save America Act's non-passage is crazy and a serious threat to any politician who votes against it. Friday is the deadline after which the housing bill will become law without your signature. I'll make a decision. Not that I dislike it. I dislike the fact that people aren't voting for voter I.D. with a picture. How can you not vote for voter I.D.? And by the way, the public wants it 94 percent. Voter I.D., proof of citizenship, no mail in ballots other than with the exemptions. And President Trump today had a few closed door meetings. He also has no plans to travel to Bedminster this weekend and is expected to be here at the White House. Reporting from the White House, Mario Tsu, NTD News. Federal grand jury has charged eight men with plotting an attack on the UFC event that was held at the White House last month. Suspects are accused of planning to kill government officials and they could face life in prison. NTD's Jason Perry has more. According to a statement released by the Justice Department on Thursday, a federal grand jury has indicted eight men in conspiracies related to a plan to attack the UFC Freedom 250 event at the White House. The suspects, their ages ranging from 19 to 32, resided in different states across the U.S., including California, Ohio, Missouri and Nebraska. The eighth suspect, who was allegedly to participate in the attack as a sniper, was arrested by the FBI in West Virginia this week. The indictment charges all eight men with two crimes, conspiracy to provide material support to terrorists and conspiracy to commit murder on federal government territory and to murder a government official. DOJ says the men participated in online chat groups and forums on Signal, Simple X, Discord, TikTok and Instagram. And during these communications, they developed plans for attacks, recruited members and encouraged each other to prepare for attacks, including the attack on the UFC Freedom 250 event. Authorities say the suspects also planned to assassinate President Trump, Vice President J.D. Vance, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and tech CEO Elon Musk. According to a federal affidavit, one of the defendants told investigators that they planned to fly drones carrying explosives into the event and then shoot panicked crowd members as they fled. The court records don't indicate how close the would-be attackers could have come to carrying out the plan had it not been thwarted. According to an FBI affidavit filed in the case, a mother of one of the defendants was the first to notify police about her son's suspicious activities after she noticed he was purchasing firearms and had increased his online communications. Conspiring to provide material support to terrorists is punishable by up to 15 years of imprisonment. Conspiring to commit murder carries a penalty of up to life in prison. The eight suspects are expected to appear in federal court in Ohio for their initial appearances. Jason Perry, NTD News. ICE just deported a convicted child rapist who was pardoned by Minnesota Governor Tim Waltz just days before he was scheduled to be removed from the country. NTD's Washington correspondent Jack Bradley has the details. Americans must never be forced by their elected leaders to live alongside foreign sex criminals who have no right to begin with to reside in our country. ICE just deported an illegal immigrant from Laos who was convicted of raping a child in the U.S. and then recently pardoned by Minnesota Governor Tim Waltz. Tula Vong was convicted in 2006 of repeated first-degree sexual assault of a girl from age 10 to 13. A federal immigration judge issued Vong a final removal order that same year, revoking his permanent resident status. But after leaving jail, Vong stayed in the country illegally. It wasn't until last December when ICE first arrested Vong. But in February, a Minnesota judge ordered his release from ICE custody, citing state sanctuary policies, which are limits on honoring federal immigration detainers. Federal officials say Vong was then scheduled to be deported in recent weeks. But just days before that, on June 10th, he was pardoned and his criminal conviction erased by Governor Tim Waltz. That pardon complicated his removal. What we saw here was an illegal alien convicted of heinous crimes that was shielded from deportation by Governor Tim Waltz. That is, until Secretary of State Marco Rubio stepped in and revoked what was left of his lingering immigration status. He's now deported and permanently barred from re-entering the U.S. Because of our action, this foreign criminal will never pose a threat to any American ever again. We've reached out to Governor Waltz's office for comment, but didn't hear back. Meanwhile, the State Department is also focusing on counterterrorism efforts in the U.S. and around the world. Washington will host an international meeting next week, bringing together officials from more than 60 countries across the globe, focusing on what they describe as a rise in political terrorism being carried out by far-left groups like Antifa. Far-left political terrorism has been a threat that existed for a very long time, but it has gone unaddressed, and we're making sure that we solve that problem. The terrorist actions that those groups are taking, including kidnappings, including the targeting of critical infrastructure, that's what we're focusing on. These threats include assassinations, kidnappings, attacks on infrastructure, and threats against law enforcement and military personnel. The meeting comes after the Trump administration designated several left-wing extremist groups as foreign terrorist organizations. For NTD News Washington, I'm Jack Bradley. The State Department stepping in in Minnesota is just one of many such cases. Here directly from State Department spokesman Tommy Piggott tonight on Capitol Report at 7 p.m. Eastern, just after evening news. And after an entire week of hitting Russian energy, Ukraine now releases video of a drone striking a target in Siberia, 1,500 miles behind the front lines. This as Ukraine is getting ready to bruise its own Patriot missiles. NTD's international correspondent, Arian Pasdar, has the war update. New footage posted by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Friday shows a Ukrainian drone in Siberia. Russia confirmed that Ukrainian forces struck an oil refinery in Omsk, 1,500 miles behind the front lines. This after Ukraine reported striking over a dozen oil facilities in different parts of Russia throughout the week. Russia is now dealing with fuel shortages, even proposing a diesel export ban to guarantee its own domestic needs. Zelensky says a country like Russia, whose economy has always been focused on exporting its own energy resources, is now scrambling to find fuel. Zelensky previously explained the goal of Ukraine's attacks on Russian energy is to force Moscow to end the war. This comes as Russia is increasing its attacks on residential buildings in Ukraine, killing hundreds of civilians, as the United Nations is now saying. Preliminary figures for June indicate an even higher toll, with at least 265 people killed and 1,816 injured. This concerning trend is seemingly continuing into July. Because of those attacks, President Trump is now allowing Ukraine to produce Patriot air defense systems. I am grateful for the positive decision on a license to produce Patriot systems. We discussed this in detail with President Trump and his delegation. The exact details of the production now have to be worked out. We resolved this issue politically. Now it is very important that our technical teams, all our representatives from various ministries and representatives of the executive branch, begin working on this immediately. Experts say it might take Ukraine 18 months to have its first Patriot missiles. Zelensky is thus introducing a Ukrainian missile called Freya, which he says is easier to mass produce and less expensive. The Ukrainian president says European nations will meet in France to discuss producing the Freya missiles to bridge the time until the first Patriot missiles are ready. And in other Russia-related news, a bipartisan group of senators say they reached an agreement with the Trump administration to advance a bill aimed at imposing more sanctions on Russia. A statement by the senators reads in part that it is imperative that the legislative and executive branches work together to create tools to exact a heavy price on those who buy Russian oil and natural gas fueling the Putin war machine. Ariane Pastor, NTD News. New videos of unidentified aerial phenomena have just been released by the Pentagon. From what's being described as a, quote, floating brain to an object resembling a six-pointed star. NTD correspondent Jason Blair brings us the highlights from the fourth batch of these intriguing files. New videos were just released in the fourth batch of Pentagon UFO files. Here are some of the most interesting ones. This first video shot in infrared gives us one of the clearest and closest looks yet at a UAP some are calling a jellyfish or floating brain. The official report describes it as roughly 12 to 15 feet tall, drifting with the wind and no maneuvering observed. This next one shows a military sensor tracking what appears to be a six-pointed star-shaped object over the Yellow Sea in 2025. It's also one of the clearer and closest shots we've seen in these releases. Then this brief infrared clip from the Middle East in 2023 shows a UAP that suddenly appears large and close at the six-second mark, another unresolved case. And this one captured over the eastern U.S. in 2019 shows a small object moving at a high speed in a straight line. The Pentagon began releasing these files on May 8th after a directive by President Trump. This fourth batch contains 19 new videos, with the fifth batch expected in the next three to four weeks. Reporting in Washington, D.C., Jason Blair, NTD News. And the results are in for Colorado's GOP primary race for governor. Victor Marks will be the candidate, and he will face Democrat Phil Weiser in November's election. NTD's Melina Weiskopf has these results and also which races are left to watch in the key swing states. A week and a half after Colorado's primary elections, the ticket is set for the governor's race. Republicans chose Victor Marks to take on Democratic nominee Phil Weiser in November. Weiser is currently Colorado's attorney general. Phil Weiser, he's a smart fella, but he represents the current system because he is part of it. And that current system has made Colorado more expensive, less safe, and harder for regular families to trust government. The Marine Corps veteran founded All Things Possible Ministries to provide medical aid and trauma relief to victims of trafficking, terrorism, and violence in some of the most dangerous regions across the world. Marks said one reason for running for office is because he understands the hardship many face after having lived through a traumatic childhood, a story he shared publicly. His race was too close to call on election night last Tuesday, while the Democrats' candidate easily slid to victory. The future of Colorado will not be decided by out-of-state billionaires. The race is expected to be an uphill battle for Republicans. The party hasn't won the governor's seat for more than two decades. While several states have chosen candidates for the November ballot, there are a number of swing states that have yet to hold races. Later this month, Arizona voters will choose nominees for congressional races, some of which are toss-ups that could decide which party controls the House until the end of President Trump's term. In August, Michigan's holding primaries for the U.S. House and Senate. The Democrats' divide will be on full display in the Senate race as the progressive and moderate go toe-to-toe. The question about whether or not Israel has a right to exist is actually quite secondary He's endorsed by progressives, while Congresswoman Haley Stevens has the support from mainstream Democrats. The work that I stand by is long-term peace and a two-state solution where people in Palestine and Gaza can live peacefully side-by-side with the people of Israel. It is deeply concerning that Abdul equivocates when talking about Israel's right to exist. Senator Mike Rogers is running unopposed on the Republican side. As for the House, the Democrats are trying to flip a seat in Michigan's 7th congressional district held by Republicans, and Republicans are looking for a gain in the 8th district. Later in August, races will take place in the swing states of Alaska and Wisconsin. Reporting from Washington, D.C., Melina Weiskopf, NTV News. Coming up, the final day of Tyler Robinson's preliminary hearing ends with testimony from the defense's DNA expert. Christina Corona reports on the final testimony and the emotional moment involving Charlie Kirk's family. And are audio and video recordings justified inside autonomous vehicles? Waymo contacted police after detecting possible illegal activity from two teens. David Lam has more. 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Ganjing Campus equips educators worldwide with powerful Teachers Premium channels and high-quality learning resources to help children learn and grow safely online. When you support one teacher, Ganjing World matches your support to help another. Support Ganjing Campus. Scan to learn more. There's a whirlwind of emotion and activity going on in this painting. And there's chaos all around and threat from below. The wolves surrounding her, and they're anything but unmoved. They're moving all the time, and we sense that. But this little girl remains unmoved. She's in quite a perilous situation, but she's completely strong and serene, and she's actually meditating. It was very, very well-liked because no matter what culture or what sort of walk of life you're from, I think people, they see it and they immediately understand what that energy, what that message is, and they're drawn to it because everybody kind of needs a little bit of that in their own life, of, you know, the steadfast calmness and something to hold on to. It's definitely an inner peace in the midst of something very chaotic. And for a lot of people right now, the whole world is very, very chaotic. So I guess that's another reason why so many people are very drawn to this. If you need to do something to feel okay to drive, you're not okay to drive. Don't drive buzzed. Welcome back to NTD Evening News. I'm Cary Dunst. The defense wrapped up its case Friday in Tyler Robinson's week-long preliminary hearing by calling its final witness, an ATF forensic biologist. The proceedings ended with emotional moments in the courtroom as the judge prepares to decide whether the case will move forward to full trial. NTD's Christina Corona has more. On the final day of Tyler Robinson's preliminary hearing, the defense called its final witness, Caitlin Oliver, DNA section chief at the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. She testified about the DNA testing methods used in the investigation. Defense attorneys argued that DNA testing cannot prove with certainty whether someone had used a particular item. Oliver also explained how a DNA profile can sometimes be developed even if someone never directly touched an item. So it's possible if, say, the pen that you're sitting there using for the week, you, say, hand it off to the judge and the judge then touches it for a period of time and then I swab it, it doesn't speak to who handled it last. I could test that. I could get both of your profiles. I wouldn't know which person was the last person to handle that item. The defense also questioned whether contact could transfer DNA from one person to another. If you had a lot of DNA on your hand, we shook hands. I then went to pick up an exhibit, a gun, I touched the trigger of it. Your DNA could be on that trigger, right? It is possible, yes. Okay, even though you never touched the gun? Yes. But under cross-examination, Oliver testified that DNA testing on swabs taken from several parts of the rifle and ammunition supported the conclusion that Tyler Robinson was the primary contributor. For this exhibit, the DNA profile was at least 1 trillion times more likely if it originated from Tyler Robinson as the major component and 3 unknown, unrelated individuals than if it originated from 4 unrelated individuals. At the close of the testimony, Judge Tony Graff allowed Charlie Kirk's family to view an enhanced surveillance video prosecutors say shows Robinson on a rooftop at the time of the shooting. As the video played, reports say Erica Kirk embraced Kirk's mother as both became emotional. The Kirk family released this statement saying, As difficult as these last few days have been, it brings our family comfort to know that the world has witnessed the overwhelming evidence of what occurred to Charlie that day. They go on to say nothing will ever undo the loss of our beloved Charlie. As this case moves into its next phase, we pray that truth will continue to be heard through a process that is fair, transparent, and grounded in the facts. Judge Tony Graff is not expected to rule immediately on whether the case will move forward to a trial. Both sides will review the hearing transcript and submit written legal arguments before returning to court for oral arguments on September 1st. Each side will have up to 4 hours to present its arguments before the judge decides whether Robinson will stand trial. Christina Corona, NTD News. And coming up, it's official patriotic thriller Young Washington is a sensation at the box office, taking in $20 million in its opening weekend, beating all the forecasts. We're going to speak with the film's screenwriter. And as America continues to celebrate its semi-quincentennial, what are your hopes for the next 250 years? We are from people at the Great American State Fair in D.C. My 15-year-old son, Ethan, and I had a fun and relaxing morning. We returned home, and Ethan walked to his best friend's house an hour later. I heard the ambulance scream by the street carrying my beautiful boy. Ethan was shot in the head in his best friend's house with an unsecured gun. He had zero chance of survival. The father, the gun owner, he stored his three guns and bullets in a shoebox. How do you feel? That has to be the most horrific experience that a human could ever have. David, would you give any advice? First thing you do is not keep your ammunition with your weapons, and that your weapons need to be locked at all times. That first time seeing my son, I feel like my life did a 180. I was already trying to change my perspective of life and really just be a father figure that I never had. Being present is the most important part. I'm still growing every day. Becoming a better version of myself to be the better mirror for my son. I mean, he's just grown. He's becoming his own person. Man, first I saw him dance. Bro, he brings the vibes. You know what I'm saying? He brings the party no matter what. He's really a definition of why I love somebody. And I love him to the death of me. I debate all day. It's what I do. But there are some things that are undebatable, like your mental health. My own mental health. I was in a dark place when my brother passed away in a car accident. I've never been more devastated than the day I lost my mom. I was depressed, miserable, in ways I never imagined. I reached out, and my sisters came, my pastor, my therapist. They helped me get through it. I found that the more I spoke up, the healthier my mind became. The chaos that was in me began to subside. I was more focused, clear. When you love your mind, you can go so much further. That's not up for debate. Find mental health resources at loveyourmindtoday.org. Welcome back to Entity Evening News. I'm Kerry Dunst. The Commerce Department is easing export controls on the United Arab Emirates. The move will provide the Gulf nation greater access to military hardware, certain commercial satellites, as well as spacecraft. The decision will also allow the UAE and approved companies to access advanced computing items without the need for a license. U.S. companies operating in the country, including Amazon, Apple, and XAI, will no longer need licenses for AI chips and servers. In its decision, the Department cited the close relationship between the U.S. and the UAE. The Department also pointed to the country's efforts against Iran and its proxies, including Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Houthis. And a fast-moving wildfire tearing through southern Spain, killing at least 12, leaving 23 others missing after flames swept through a popular holiday destination. Authorities say the victims were killed while trying to escape the blaze after abandoning evacuation plans and attempting to flee by car or even on foot. Officials say most of those killed appeared to be foreign nationals, including visitors from across Europe. Strong winds fueled the rapid spread of this fire, destroying homes, holiday properties, and vehicles as firefighters continued to battle to bring the flames under control. A local mayor describes the terrifying conditions as lives hang in the balance. The wind is blowing from the west, and it is going to reach the campsite, where we also have 400 to 500 people. We are very concerned because houses are burning. Four people were found dead in a right-hand drive vehicle, suggesting that they may have been British. Seven others were found dead after apparently abandoning their vehicle and trying to flee on foot along an unauthorized evacuation route. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez offered his condolences to the victims' families, saying he felt, quote, enormous sadness and devastation. The wildfire is Spain's deadliest since 2005, when 11 firefighters were killed battling a blaze in the country's central region. And as we continue to celebrate America's semi-quincentennial, what are your hopes for our nation's next 250 years? On the final day of the Great American State Fair, NTD's Sam Wong was out at the fairgrounds, and he was speaking with the people. What are your hopes for the next 250 years in America? That we become more patriotic, our economy gets better. That abortion becomes unthinkable. Restoration of the American family. I think we should go all out in space, make colonies. We're going to win the next 250 World Cups. I hope that we can find a common ground. Deep down, we all really do have a common goal and a common wish to just get along. Get back to just anchoring ourselves in God. And I think if everybody did that and we had a big revival in our country and had that our focus, this world would be a whole lot different. Which industry would you like to see thrive in the next 250 years? I think trains, really. I know that might be a little old-fashioned sounding, but rail travel could really be useful. Cars, space, anything. Mechanics, any kind of trade. Hey, please, bring the batteries here, not China. I think we should become the leaders in every industry, because if we don't, it might grow scarce. I think we need to win the AI race against China. If AI is in the wrong hands, it can be used very badly. Well, I'm real excited about what we're doing in outer space. I feel like, obviously, we ought to be thinking about what lies the next frontier, what lies beyond the next frontier. There's only two frontiers that we haven't really explored much of, and that's space and the oceans. I mean, we have just a wonderful creator that has created all these things for our enjoyment. We haven't even tapped into half of what he has. What are some of the principles you would like to see future generations carry forward? Faith is the most one. We are seeing in Gen Z there's a big faith rise, and if we have more faith in Gen Z and in this country, it's going to soar even more over the next 250 years. I think God and family, and we need more presidents like Trump. Understanding, really, our rights. That was one of the things that the founding fathers really wanted to make a point about with founding our country. Integrity. Taking a bold stand for what's right, even if you might be the outcast for it, I think is where it's going to start. Make sure our amendments all continue on. We have to get back to what life is, and it's a God-given right. Only he has the power to give and take away. Well, we made it. The weekend is here. And for many families and film buffs, summer weekends means a trip to the movies for that experience that you can only get in the theaters. And that's just what many did last weekend for America's 250th and watched Young Washington. Joining us now to discuss the film's success is its screenwriter, Diederik Vogstraten. Diederik, thank you so much for joining us. And let me congratulate you. Your team smashed expectations. You took in nearly $20 million in just your opening weekend on a total budget for the film of $20 million. So it's safe to say you're well into the black. What do you attribute the film's success to? Thanks. Thanks for that compliment. It's been a wild ride. We had high hopes. But expectations are a little different. You never know until audiences either show up or don't. Our visionary filmmaker and director, my co-writer, John Irwin, he really calls this a love letter for America, a love letter to America, an exploration of the forging of the character of our original American, if you will. And what he showed, I think, is that when you do that well, when you tell the truth about a historical episode in American history that's just truly exciting in and of itself, when you tell that truthfully, authentically, right down the middle, people will still show up. And that's, you know, we were all hoping for it. I think he's shown us that audiences hunger for this. You know, we want, I think, experiences, shared experiences in the dark of a movie theater. We still want that, but we don't want to be preached out. We don't want political messages, I think, generally speaking. We still love this country. We know it's not perfect, but we love movies that celebrate America. Top Gun Maverick showed it last year, right? And I'm so grateful to everybody going that this movie has shown it again. Well, it's certainly edifying and educational, but more than anything, it is entertaining. Action star Chris Pratt, known to some as Star-Lord from the Guardians of the Galaxy, he raved on Instagram about the film, describing it as the American Braveheart. Now, that's really high praise from a guy who clearly knows action films. So how does it feel to make a movie that people are just so pumped about, just from the point of view of being entertaining in an action thriller? Again, I go back to John Irwin, our filmmaker, who always reminds us, this is the business of entertainment, of mass entertainment. Hollywood might have forgotten that, or so it seems at times. We are here to entertain, and I love that Chris Pratt and many millions of other Americans have realized it because, you know, Tom Cruise shows it, Chris Pratt himself shows it over and over again. We do love great stories. Again, if the action is believable, if the story is somewhat educational without ever preaching, if we are allowed again to celebrate this country, you can probably tell from my accent, I live in Texas, but I'm not from there. I was born and raised in Western Europe. My kids are fully Texan. They wear Cabo boots to church, but I'm a new American, and I cherish the freedoms, the generosity, the traditions of this country. And if we can celebrate that again in a movie that also feels great, that redeems, that informs and encourages us, while also, you know, being tough to watch, I'm sure you realize there's a lot of violence there. This was not an easy time in American history. It's not an easy time for George Washington, so we're not shying away from the violence, from the hardship that he has to go through, but we are in the business of entertainment, and so we want to leave you hopeful and just glad to be an American. Absolutely, and let's now explore that cultural and historical significance. How gratifying is it to release this film timed to America's 250th birthday? Yeah, I mean, I speak to that a little bit as an outsider, as a European, and I can just tell you there is no other country in world history that was founded in these incredible principles, this vision, all rooted in the Bible and the Christian faith, of course, that then held firm for 250 years. People might take it for granted. People might criticize it. That's all fine. That's in the Bill of Rights. That's all constitutionally allowed, but I love that people, hopefully with our movie, will have a chance to realize again this is something that came about through incredible sacrifice to incredible struggle, and it is really unique. It's so special. There is no other place on Earth that has it, that has maintained it. I think that America is in a really, really good place. In your previous segment, I heard people expressing that same optimism, which I love. You know, folks who are in Washington, D.C. right now who are not afraid to say, we are still great. We have a great future ahead of us, and, you know, looking back to the greatness, what about this guy who was a kid who came from nowhere, who was being told no over and over again by the British? He wanted to be British originally, but he wanted nothing more, and then ultimately turned all those no's into, you know, I'll do it myself. I'm going to take care of this myself, realizing that the British could be defeated. He then took it to the British, obviously, but this movie, so people know, ends in 1755. He is young. He is ready to go. He is, you know, rejected over and over, but through that rejection, finds his purpose and his character that we know him for. And our sister media, Epoch Times, their reviewer, Michael Clarke, praised the casting. You have literally acting aristocracy in Sir Ben Kingsley, yet your team chose a relatively unknown as Washington, the charismatic lead, William Franklin Miller. A bit of a gamble. How did your team know that this was George Washington? It was interesting. When we wrote it, you know, you have a picture in your mind, and to be honest, my co-writer, Tom Provost, and I, we imagined a well-known A-list Hollywood actor for this, but not Joan Irwin. He is brilliant. He always knew he was going to find a newcomer who could take this role and take it to the next level, which, as you said, Will Franklin Miller does. He cast, I think he looked at, 200 actors for this role. So, you know, it's a lengthy process. By casting a newcomer, he knew it was necessary to find, as you say, Hollywood royalty, some of the biggest names around, true A-listers who can help carry this movie. And it's so important because in the film and the script, we surround him with strong characters, and these relationships are instrumental to him. We try to show when you fail, when you fall, when you struggle, when there's tragedy, these people around you are the ones to help you back up, to do it together. It's not the government, it's not the state, not at all, but it's characters like his mother, a wonderful role by Mary Louise Parker, who brings her faith especially in and who teaches him, even a pawn can take a king, an important line in that movie because we'll see in 1776 that he really does believe that. And I just have about a minute, but I want to bring up that your team has already announced a sequel. It's entitled 1776. I think it's pretty obvious where you're going with that, but could you please just give us a bit of a heads up on what to expect? Yes. Well, you know, John Irwin knew before he even approached me to help write this that there was obviously a wealth of material in the founding. And of course, there's alternative versions of history, people who want to change the story. We're not in that camp. We want to tell the story as it was. And so John always knew we were going to start with George Washington, the most important founder. Then we're going to take it to this bunch of guys, this very different group of men trying to figure this thing out, this experiment in world history. And so, yeah, this is the next movie on his list. He's going to be directing it. We're very excited to start putting it together soon because it's been the main question from audiences. They've all loved it, early screenings and also today. The first question is always where's the sequel? When is it coming? And it's wonderful that John could announce at the premiere in Nashville that it's coming as soon as possible. I can't give you a date, but we're very, very excited. Well, congrats again on all your success. Screenwriter Diedrich Hoogstraten, take care. Thank you for joining. Thanks for having me. Next, driverless Waymos are permitted in some metropolitan areas. One such vehicle in California called the cops after detecting possible illegal activity from its teenage passengers. Do safety considerations outweigh privacy concerns? And it is David Lam asks area residents. Police say they responded to a report of two minors drinking and shooting projectiles from a vehicle after a Waymo called it in. The San Mateo Police Department in California this week says the two 15-year-olds were detained and handed over to their parents. People in Silicon Valley share their thoughts on the audio and video recordings that are routinely made in Waymos. I don't know, it keeps the safety for the people in the car and outside of it. I think it's a good thing. Yeah, I think it's a good idea actually. So I've been in Waymos and one of the times I was riding in it, it was kind of a weird neighborhood and the Waymo asked me, do you feel safe getting out here? And it didn't unlock the car until I said yes. Well, I think when you are in a vehicle such as that, that, you know, you have to trade off a little bit of privacy for safety and I would be in favor of cameras and vehicles like that. I'm not sure about what happens when it's a minor. I'm not sure the regulations. I don't know if minors are allowed to book a vehicle. So if their parents book the vehicle, it should fall back on their parents. Waymo's driverless car system was triggered when it detected possible criminal behavior and police say Waymo called police and stopped the car. This is one of the latest incidents involving video surveillance and privacy concerns. The teenagers were allegedly drinking alcohol from Powerade bottles. Police say that the scheme may have been clever but warned that toy guns, water guns, and BB guns can be dangerous and cause fear to people nearby. Waymo has as many as 29 cameras in its autonomous cars. ACLU would probably be on the other side of that, right? Because of privacy laws. I think if you are entering a space that you are aware that you're being filmed, the Waymo should let you know that you're being filmed and if you are entering that space you should know maybe I shouldn't do an illegal activity. Yeah, that's probably fair. As long as they can manage their data properly, from the regulation perspective we need to make sure that they don't misuse the data and other than that I feel that's okay. After it's been investigated I think it should be deleted or erased, you know? I don't think it would need to be around for any other purpose at that point. Potential charges against the teens will depend on what the video footage reveals. David Lam, NTD News, California. And with Norway facing off against England tomorrow night, fans are hoping the country's traditional Viking row could push them into the next round. Have a look at that. Team Norway is gearing up for their World Cup quarterfinal. Tomorrow they'll take on England in Miami. The Nordic nation's historic Viking row is hyping up Norwegian fans. I really like the Viking row. It's really good as a chant. It gets people fired up. It gets people going. Much like their ancestors' Viking row, Norway's players will have to maintain their pace to defeat England. If you're actually going to row one of these things out at sea you need to go for hours and hours and hours and hours. So you need to take it slow. You need to do a little rest. Talent isn't enough. Beating England will require a competitive attitude. Viking is quite a Scandinavian thing. No one else has the same history. So therefore Viking is quite special. And the Viking spirit is wanting to win and wanting to do it together. The Norway-England match kicks off at Miami Stadium at 5 p.m. Eastern. And coming up at the World Cup, Spain battles Belgium in a much-anticipated match while France is awaiting the winner. Dave Martin joins us with all the latest. This is how I keep my joints happy. Omega XL is a powerful natural supplement backed by 40 years of clinical research. Take control of your pain like Cynthia Bailey. My knees in particular started giving me pain issues all the way back to my modeling days from just running through airports, photo shoots. After taking Omega XL, I really started to notice how less stiff I was, especially my knees and my hip. Has Omega XL changed my life? Yes. I barely notice my joint pain anymore. Now I'm like literally sprinting through the airports. My secret is Omega XL. Pick up the phone and call now to get this exclusive TV offer. 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Plus, we'll also include a free bottle of Vitamin XL D3. Two free bottles for the price of one bottle of Omega XL. A total value of $115. You pay only $49.95 and it ships free. Plus, you get a money back guarantee. Buy one, get two free. Call or go online right now. Now for your sports news, we're joined by NTD's Dave Martin. Dave, we got some tennis and some cycling news, but of course, we gotta start with the World Cup. Yeah, we got a big game today. Spain beating Belgium 2-1 in this one. This game was tied at 1-1, really for most of the second half. On the 87th minute, Spain's Mikel Moreno kicked in the rebound, off the rebound, I should say, from Belgium's goalie who made a spectacular stop, but could not hang on to the ball. Amazingly, Moreno had just checked into the game about two minutes earlier before scoring. That was just his second touch of the game. Belgium, though, they really had a golden opportunity then a few minutes later in stoppage time where Spain's goalie stepped outside a little too far of the goal, were unable to convert it. Spain, their advance is then 2-1, so they are on into the semifinals where they will play Kylian Mbappe in France next. That'll be July 14, next Tuesday there. Elsewhere at these games, the TV ratings for the U.S. versus Belgium game back on Monday night this week came in just over at 50 million viewers. That's between both Fox's telecast and Telemundo's. Now, that's just ahead of the 47 million average rating for the NFL's conference championship game last January. So, World Cup ratings getting near those NFL ratings are pretty amazing. People are pumped, and that's, of course, inside the country. The ROW, rest of world, is through the roof. You know, people are tuning in and that final is not too far out. Very exciting. But let's shift to Wimbledon and to London. This could be a UFC fight. The Sinner versus the Joker. You know, that would be like the poster. I like that. They should have a weigh-in with those two, right? Yes. Heavyweight fight indeed, right? Sinner defeated the Joker here today. Straight sets, 6-4, 6-4, 6-4. Number one, Sinner getting a little bit of revenge after Djokovic beat him in the semifinals of the Australian Open about six months ago. Let's actually hear what Djokovic said after the match. I know that. Tough loss. Is there anything you think you could have done tactically differently today against Yannick at all? No, not really. It was a good old blowout. There's not much I could do. Well, they're looking so high these days. Do you intend to come back next year when you're 40? I would like to. At least one more time. Let's see. Old blowout. Good sense of humor from Novak. There wasn't much he could say about that one. He was pretty humble there. He did seem to confirm he's going to come back at 40. Meanwhile, for Sinner, he's going to advance to play in the championship game. That'll be on Sunday against Alexander Zverev, third-ranked Alexander Zverev. Zverev, meanwhile, just won the French Open for his first Grand Slam title. That should be a good one. Even at 38, the level of play from Djokovic is amazing. But with tennis, there's a big gap between the number 3 and 4 and the number 1 and 2. All he needed was that opening. He got one break per set, and that was all he needed to close out that match. It was something. As we've talked about, no one past the age of 38 on the men's side has ever won a major. Djokovic at 39, he knows this because he stopped. We were talking about this. He stopped Federer from winning in 2019. Federer would have just about been 38 years. He was about to turn 38, so Federer would have been one of the oldest of all time. That was an all-time classic match. And we were watching this match earlier. We were talking about Edberg ending the epic Jimmy Connors U.S. Open run in his late 30s. If you ever want to see something inspiring, though, watch some of that tape. Classic Connors pumping the crowd. Every single point, he was cheering up that crowd. It worked for him. We got a little bit of fan feedback of the show. Kenny Ellison loves the sports segment, but he says, where's the Tour de France news, Dave? What do you got for Kenny? I was pretty hurt by that, by the way. Kenny, this one's for you. Belgium cyclist Tim Merlier actually won today's Tour de France stage at Stage 7, a sprint finish that marks his fourth Tour stage win. The stage, mostly a 109-mile flat route route into Bordeaux, known, of course, for their wine, but took place in sweltering conditions. 97 degrees there over in France. Meanwhile, race leader Tadej Pogacar maintained his yellow jersey, finishing in the pack of riders. He still has a two-minute, 40-second lead over the second-place rider. Meanwhile, tomorrow's stage is really one for the sprinters. The Tour de France will conclude finally on July 26th as they make their way into Paris. All right, Kenny, we're looking forward to that conclusion. I know it's going to be an exciting finish. And Dave, stick around. We're going to end the show on a goat story. You're not going to want to miss this one. It's a cheerful story. She's being called the greatest of all time of the Rock Creek Canyon fire. The goat helped out some firefighters in Colorado. She took it upon herself to lead fire crews to and safely from the fire, which is burning on the south side of Cheyenne Mountain near Colorado Springs. Interestingly, right in front of where I got married at the Broadmoor in Colorado. So right there at Cheyenne Mountain. Fire officials say the cute little pathfinder and unexpected escort helped firefighters pick the best route following the smoke. They say she helped with some, quote, fuel mitigation along the way to the fire. In other words, she helped herself to forest snacks in the form of vegetation along the path. So there you have it. Some goat news. And on that, that is all the news we have for you this evening. But for around-the-clock coverage, you can always visit us at NTD.com. Keep it right here. We have Capitol Report coming up next. Thanks for tuning in. I'm Cary Dunst. Have a great weekend.