black republican in congress is now running for president. tonight he speaks exclusively abou tonight the urgent effort to avoid a catastrophic government default president biden hosting speaker kevin mccarthy at the white house, both now optimistic a deal cacan be reached the prpresident sasaying they n need to r reduce the deficit as the government benefits for millions and much, much more hang in the balance. the deadliest fight of the ukraine war. russia now in control of the center of back huet -- bakhmut but ukraine says it is not over senator tim scott the latest to challenge front-runner donald trump for president. the suspects in the murder of four idaho college students in court inside bryan kohberger's unusual approach as we learn of new evidence in the

case also tonight we return to florida devastated by hurricane ian eight months ago florida insurance companies are accused of short changing homeowners were damage claims altered? families still in limbo in uninhabitable homes. we investigate plus florida's massive tourism industry, booming in some places but struggling in others we met them right after ian hit. some left, some stayed the steps forward big and small as ft. myers beach comes back >> announcer: this is "nbc nightly news" with lester holt reporting tonight live from ft. myers beach, florida. good evening and welcome, everyone. we've taken "nightly news" on the road tonight to ft. myers beach, florida for a story of unfinished business tonight with the official start of hurricane season just over a week away, a followup to hurricane ian, which came ashore here last september as a destructive category 4 hurricane.

in many spots here as you can see around me it looks like it just happened last week there are a lot of houses that look like this i spent several nights in the days after the storm reporting here on what became one of the costliest natural disasters in u.s. history. it claimed more than 150 lives directly and indirectly and left a trail of destruction eight months later we're back, witnessing an uneven recovery at best surely a story of resilience and hope but also one of deep frustration, where patience is thin, especially over unpaid insurance claims we'll look deeper into that in a few moments. but economic well-being is at top of mind for americans across the country tonight. the pressure to raise the debt ceiling has never been higher. today with the u.s. quickly running out of head room to pay its bills and the consequences of default severe, a high stakes negotiating session between president biden and house speaker mccarthy, kelly o'donnell is at the white house now with the very latest.

>> reporter: lester, the president says a critical point now is that he and the speaker must be able to sell whatever deal they can reach to their own parties. i asked the president if spending figures are the key to resolving this he said not that alone. he also wants to talk about raising taxes on the wealthy, a nonstarter for republicans. stepping out of the west wing tonight, the house speaker said no deal yet, but he praised the effectiveness of today's face-to-face with president biden >> i think it was productive and the professionalism, the honesty with one another. >> reporter: in the oval office the president also looked for progress >> i think we may be able to get where we have to go we both know we have a significant responsibility >> reporter: coming together without other congressional leaders. late today after financial markets closed negotiators also met on capitol hill. house republicans want to reduce overall spending and say democrats are not willing to cut enough. >> the time of

spending, just spending more money in america in government is wrong >> reporter: adding to the pressure, a fresh assessment from the treasury secretary the country's ability to borrow is highly likely to run out as early as june 1st, triggering default and what economists say would cause job losses, stock market declines, and recession that might even include a delay in federal financial benefits owed to gold star families like teresa jones, a navy widow with two sons. her husband, a chopper pilot, was killed in 2013 >> it would absolutely be an added burden in trying to figure out, okay where are the funds for the mortgage going to come from where are the grocery bills coming from? >> reporter: and the timing so close to memorial day, when emotions are already raw. >> i'm frustrated for my family, for my gold star friends, their families i don't understand why this has to be so difficult. >> reporter: the stress compounding her

loss the kelly o'donnell, nbc news, the white house. also tonight the deadliest battle of the war in ukraine russia now claiming victory in bakhmut but ukrainian forces still fighting molly hunter is in ukraine for us tonight. >> reporter: tonight the city of bakhmut is obliterated as the sun sets and the charred remains of the city once home to 80,000 people the mercenary group is claiming full control over the eastern city and president putin congratulating the troops but today as president zelenskyy returns home from the g-7 - outskirts of bakhmut. the kremlin releasing footage of russian >> reporter: -- ukrainian officials say it is still a fight for the outskirts of bakhmut meanwhile, the kremlin releasing footage of russian fighter jets it says targeting an air base in the southern ukrainian city of dnipro, but ukraine says it was dnipro civilians that came under russian fire nobody here, this

grandmother says, could have imagined in their worst dreams what happened here last night tonight, signs the conflict is spilling across the border with fighting reported among russian rebels inside belgrade, russia you hear the sirens in kharkiv. the battle of bakhmut has been the single bloodiest battle of this war so far but of little strategic value. if russia actually does control the city center they now have to hold it as ukraine prepares their counteroffensive lester >> molly hunter, thanks a haunting sound behind you please stay safe you and your crew. to the presidential race republican senator tim scott jumping in can he find a lane against the current front-runner former president trump? scott spoke with our tom llamas in an exclusive interview. >> reporter: tonight the republican race heating up >> i'm the candidate the far left fears the most >> reporter: south carolina senator tim scott emphasizing his

own story and leaning into optimism. you have a very positive message you quote scripture and yet the two people leading the gop field right now, former president trump and governor desantis, they're not afraid to demonize their opponents. do you think gop voters want someone carrying a bible or do they want someone driving a bulldozer into the democrats >> the truth is what people really want is an optimistic, positive conservative who has a back bone but also believes that the best is yet to come i don't think you have to be a pessimist to be strong. >> reporter: scott highlighting his grandfather, who picked cotton, then saw his grandson elected to congress. >> my amazing mother >> reporter: and his mom, who helped him rise up out of poverty. in 2021 you said you would support former president trump if he ran again for re-election. he's running but now you just announced your candidacy what changed >> i believe america can do for anyone what she has done for me. i also believe that we

have to have a president that persuades not just within our base but even on the other side of the aisle i know i am the candidate that best gets that done. >> reporter: sounds like you're trying to draw a contrast there. what will you offer voters that former president trump will not? >> the question is -- i'm running for president, period. i plan to win. so the question is, what do the voters want in their president? they want someone who can persuade on the issues that matter the most to them. >> reporter: would you ever try to overturn an election you lost >> no. >> reporter: we pressed senator scott on issues like abortion. >> as president of the united states i would sign the most conservative legislation, pro life legislation that can get to my desk. >> reporter: would you be in favor of a federal ban on abortion >> we won't see legislation like that come through congress if we don't first win the hearts and minds of the american people >> reporter: and scott drawing distinctions with ron desantis, the florida governor who initially called the war in ukraine a territorial dispute.

>> america's national vital interest includes degrading the russian military therefore, our presence in ukraine is actually essential for us achieving that objective. >> reporter: to be clear you disagree with him on that point. you think it is much bigger than a territorial dispute. >> obviously. >> reporter: now scott hits the campaign trail with stops in iowa and new hampshire. tom llamas, nbc news, charleston in moscow, idaho the suspect in the killing of the four university of idaho students was arraigned today on murder charges. gadi schwartz is there. gadi, things took an unusual turn in the courtroom. >> reporter: that's right, lester. today quadruple murder suspect bryan kohberger seemed very alert and very direct as he told the judge he understood the charges against him. but when he was asked how he pled, instead of saying guilty or not guilty, he remained silent, so under idaho law the judge entered default pleas of not guilty for kohberger and set the trial for october 2nd. meanwhile, there are new questions coming

to light after exclusive reporting from "dateline." according to court documents kohberger's dna evidence was found on a knife sheath at the scene and now a source with inside knowledge of the investigation is telling "dateline" detectives found evidence that kohberger ordered the knife and sheath on amazon seven months before the killing after today's hearing the prosecution will have 60 days to decide whether they are going to seek the death penalty a little later. lester >> all right gadi schwartz, thank you. in 60 second we're back from ft. myers beach and we'll go inside the battle over insurance, with homeowners desperate to rebuild, plus how tourism is bouncing back as a nenew hurricicane seasonon approachches prososecution w 60 days s to decide whether they are going to seek the death penalty y later. lester? >> gadi i schwartz, , thank k you. >> in 60 seseconds, we'll be back. homeownersrs desperatete to r rebuild andnd how tourism isis bouncing g back a as a new hurricanane season approaoaches. we're e back from m ft. mymyers beach.h. huhurricane iaian hit w deflflectors... . and mud flfla. w deflflectors... . and mud flfla. and the bubumpstep, to k keep the bubumper dent-t-. w deflflectors... . and mud flfla. cool! w deflflectors... . and mud flfla. it's the b best protecection for yourur vehicle,,

new or p pre-owned.. grgreabblele popopped soundnd. we know patitients are m more n their didisease. that's why, at t novo nordidi, wewe've spepent a hundrdred ys developiping treatmements to hp ununlock humananity's fuful potetential. ththese are ththe greats:: people liviving with, , thrivg with — not t held back k by — disise. they motivivate us to o fight diabetes a and obesityty, rare diseaeases and cacardiovasr condititions, forr generarations to c come. so, everyoyone can meeeet theieir moment.. because e your diseaease doe't dedefine you.. so, whatat will? nonovo nordisksk. driving g ch. we're back from ft. myers beach, where hurricane ian hit eight months ago with hurricane season about to begin, many homeowners here are still in limbo, struggling to get insurance payouts they need to rebuild.

>> this was our master bedroom. >> reporter: what was once the clifford family home is now an unlivable maze of studs. this home is uninhabitable right now. >> absolutely. >> for how long? >> until we can fix it >> oh, my god. >> reporter: when ian tore through florida last september they had just relocated from new jersey and were days away from moving into their new home they say the roof was damaged. the floors and ceiling were soaked. the cliffords thought they were relatively lucky. then, they say, 9-year-old sheila started getting sick when was the moment you realized you couldn't live here anymore? >> the moment they told me there was mold in my daughters' rooms and it wasn't safe for them to stay there anymore. >> reporter: an adjustor the cliffords hired estimates there is more than $400,000' worth of damage. they didn't have flood insurance and their homeowners insurance has only covered the damage to the roof >> they sent a check for i think after

deductible about $4,800. >> is $4,800 going to cut it >> no. >> close >> not at all. >> the company sent a letter saying the damage is not covered because it could have occurred from wind driven rain or elevated flood levels. the cliffords are now suing the insurance company, which told nbc news they were unable to comment further due to the ongoing litigation how would you rank the insusurance respononse to ththis s storm >> absololutely garbage. >> tererrible. >> repeporter: eight months after hurricane ian, destruction is still a common sight here many homeowners blame insurance companies, saying payouts have been slow and insufficient and now florida's department of financial services is investigating possible fraud after several independent adjusters came forward alleging their work had been manipulated to pay policy holders less. what made you want to come forward and discuss this >> the fact that it was just wrong as wrong can be >> there are no doors or windows left.

>> when a catastrophic storm hits, adjusters like mark vinson and jordan lee are hired by companies called third party administrators or tpas to help insurance companies get through the mountains of claims their job is to go to homes and estimate property damage. the companies can make revisions to the reports but the adjusters say major changes were made without their collaboration or consent. >> 44 of the 46 claims i turned in to the firm that i was working for, they manipulated 44 of them. >> what kind of things were different than when you signed off? >> there were missing pictures and the dollar amount was significantly reduced from what i had originally written for. >> would you pick up the phone and challenge them >> i did they gave me no basis as to why they were making those changes >> nbc news reviewed several of the reports they submitted and the final copies in many cases the losses were reduced by tens of thousands of dollars. >> i have one that i wrote for $239,000

and the altered estimate was 3,476 dollars. >> completely wrecked. >> the final report still lists the adjusters' names has your work been wholly misrepresented? >> very much so. you come out to a category 5 hurricane home the roof, you see damage, and then i write an estimate for that damage. by the time it gets back to the policy holder that roof is not on that estimate at all i mean, what do you do >> the insurance company associated with vinson's work says it takes these kinds of allegations very seriously, adding tpas internally review and make correct adjustments before they are presented to companies for a coverage determination. the tpa and insurance company lee worked for have not responded to nbc news' request for comment. have you seen these altered estimates in other disasters? >> yes, we have. >> doug quinn founded the nonprofit american policy holder association after his home was destroyed in

superstorm sandy >> these are people that did the right thing. they put a safety net in place in case something like this happens. when that safety net fails them, what they go through is devastating. >> as for the cliffords, they say they have no idea when they'll be able to return home. are you in limbo >> kind of just keep reiterating to myself that there's got to be light at the end of the tunnel >> we have more to tell you about up next tonight inside florida's tourism rebound as the new hurricane season approacheses ththe new hurrrricane season apppproaches. ngs you lovedd befofore asthma a got inin the way?? fafasenra is a an add-on t treat for asththma drivenn by eosininophils. itit's designened to targegt and reremove themm and hehelps prevenent asthmama attacks.. fasenra isis not for s sudden breathing g problems oror other eoeosinophilicic conditiono. alallergic reaeactions mayay o. dodon't stop y your asasthma treatatments without t talking with youour doctor.. tell y your doctoror if your r asthma wororsens. headachehe and sore e throat may occur.r. tell y your doctoror if you he a paparasitic ininfection. get backck to betterer breathi.

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with the theme parks, beaches and with its theme parks, beaches, and resorts florida relies on tourism as a pillar of its economy as our nbc orlando station wesh 2 reports the recovery after last year's devastating hurricanes is a mixed story across the state >> reporter: on florida's cocoa beach the surf director says business is booming. >> i'd say 90% of our business is tourism with people from all over the country. >> reporter: 137 million tourists a year bring florida roughly $100 billion in revenue, supporting 1.6 million jobs >> we've got to be able to continue to attract people to come into the state they are a huge part of our economy >> reporter: all of it at risisk k with each increasingly devastating hurricane. ian flooded areas of central florida, shut down theme parks, and battered the shore line eight months later

some parts of the state are setting new records. >> and lift-off, falcon 9. >> reporter: rocket launches fueling tourist spending on the 72 miles of beach just east of orlando. >> we like to say we are the only beach that doubles as a launch pad. >> reporter: on the bare yes islands on the other side of the state recovery is much slower how is tourism pre-ian versus today >> my gosh we were looking at record numbers. >> reporter: holly smith was mayor of sanibel when ian hit. >> our tourism dollars were stronger than ever before in 2019, 2020, 2021 that came to an abrupt halt. >> reporter: before ian sanibel and captiva islands boasted 2600 hotel rooms and short-term rentals. now there are less than 200, the island inple inn one of the only places they can stay. >> you want the place ready for the tourists it is a fine line we're walking as we recover.

>> reporter: sanibel used to see more than a million visitors a year 1600 a day just at the ding darling national wildlife refuge. since reopening last month it struggles to bring in 300 a day. >> the wildlife will continue to use it and that gives us a lot of hope. >> reporter: hope and determination slowly bringing the island back the visitor's center reopened, repairs under way at the national shell museum, restaurants once again ready to serve the tourists returning for the waters and the shore. >> it's beautiful. we don't have beaches like this in southern california >> reporter: with hurricane season approaching the lessons from ian are clear. resilience is the essential consideration in rebuilding >> sanibel took a huge hit. did you get a sense talking to folks that maybe it wasn't a good idea to rebuild? >> reporter: across the board what we saw is determination to come back. tourism is the business of sanibel island without it there isn't much economy people tell us it could take up to five years to get back to

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discovering strength within themselves and each other it's been eight months since hurricane ian barreled ashore but for some in ft. myers beach, it looks and feels like yesterday >> it was honestly terrifying >> a lot of people still without power and met quite a few that don't have water. >> the beach baptist church filling what even today is still an urgent need. >> we're feeding about 2800 mouths per month. >> there are signs of progress -- rebuilding, businesses slowly returning, even weekend beach goers are back recovery is measured in small steps volunteers cleaning up posting street signs >> they call it the beach vibe coming back >> but the personal toll is hard to measure. some left after the storm. others chose to stay how are you, man good to see you. how you been i first met fisherman and coast guard veteran matthew simonson the day after hurricane ian hit. >> it's like a

tsunami. >> telling me about his harrowing story of survival, clinging to a boat as it was hurled on to land atop the storm surge. >> we were actually eye level, taking out some of these top wires. >> we found him still living here doing marine salvage what made you stick it out? >> there is so much work to be done here still. >> that sense of purpose and hope extends even to the very youngest here ♪ we were stronger than we knew ♪ >> the children of ft. myers beach elementary school were forced to relocate to another school when theirs was destroyed. how did you do during the storm? >> i feel like i did pretty good. >> their story shared in a song that deeply resonates on this beach and across this battered but remarkably strong community. ♪ we can take whateve comes our way ♪ >> what gives you that strength >> because after the storm i felt like i lost everything but i realized i still had my friend and family

♪ we made it through the storm ♪ >> that's "nightly news" for this monday. join us tomorrow night when i report live from miami on the remarkable growth here and why the road to the white house may run through florida. thank you for watching everyone i'm lester holt. please take care of yourself and each other. goodod night

right now on nbc bay area news tonight, it is happening. super bowl lx coming to levi's stadium. is crime in san francisco a concern for the national football league? we'll be hearing from one of the people who made the super bowl bid happen. also a quick trip to the bay