Trump lashes out at Putin and severe weather threatens Memorial Day travel: Morning Rundown

Trump accuses Putin of “needlessly killing a lot of people” after Russia’s massive attacks in Ukraine. Phil Robertson, the bearded patriarch of “Duck Dynasty,” dies at 79. And travelers opt for the open road instead of the skies thanks to cheaper gas.

Here’s what to know today.

President Donald Trump said Sunday has criticized Russian President Vladimir Putin, accusing him of causing needless deaths with a massive assault on Ukrainian cities.

“I’ve always had a very good relationship with Vladimir Putin of Russia, but something has happened to him,” Trump wrote. “He has gone absolutely CRAZY! He is needlessly killing a lot of people, and I’m not just talking about soldiers. Missiles and drones are being shot into Cities in Ukraine, for no reason whatsoever.”

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Putin, Trump said, wants to take over all of Ukraine. But, he warned, “it will lead to the downfall of Russia!”

Trump has called for an end to the war, but his administration has taken a softer line on Russia than previous ones, shifting American policy from supporting Ukraine toward accepting some of Russia’s account of the war.

Russian forces launched a massive barrage over the weekend as 367 drones and missiles targeted more than 30 cities and villages across Ukraine, including the capital, Kyiv. At least 12 people were killed, according to officials, including three children, in the northern region of Zhytomyr.

Read the full story here.

More politics news:

• Trump said that he agreed to extend the E.U. tariff deadline until July 9. His threat to impose 50% tariffs comes amid a broader souring of relations between the two global powers that has seen months of distrust and economic sparring.

• Republican Sen. Ron Johnson says there’s enough opposition in the Senate to hold up Trump’s “big, beautiful” bill. The criticism signals a tough road ahead for the funding package, which Republicans hope to deliver to Trump by July 4.

• Former President Joe Biden attended his grandson’s high school graduation, marking his first public appearance since he announced that he was diagnosed with prostate cancer.

Five years after George Floyd’s murder

In 9 minutes and 29 seconds, George Floyd was killed, sparking protests that called for change around the world. But in the Minneapolis neighborhood where it happened, few can agree if things have gotten better or worse.

Visitors on Sunday dropped colorful flowers on the intersection where Floyd was murdered, decorating a memorial enshrining him on the city’s streets. Five years on, a sense of calm has returned to the community, according to Bridgette Stewart, a freelance journalist and community activist who lives in Minneapolis and works in George Floyd Square. “This is our first year, actually, where we haven’t had to have Homeland Security come in and do the whole bomb sweeping,” she noted.

Floyd’s life was celebrated in other cities as well Sunday — his family held a private memorial service in Houston, and his brother hosted a march in Brooklyn, New York, that led to the unveiling of a community plaque honoring Floyd.

However, Trump’s return to the White House this year marked the end of many widespread initiatives announced in Floyd’s name, some of which were already winding down, forgotten or being purposefully abandoned.

His death ignited what many reform advocates hoped would be a national effort to end, or at least curb, excessive use of force. But the administration’s decision last week to dismiss lawsuits and drop accountability agreements with several police departments could undo some of that momentum, proponents of federal oversight say.

Severe weather threatens Memorial Day travel rush

Millions of people were at risk of severe weather including tornadoes, hail and high winds on Sunday, threatening a potentially record-breaking Memorial Day travel rush. More than 4,000 flights were canceled nationwide. Some travelers cut their holiday weekend short and headed home early to beat the weather — and delays.

A record 45.1 million people were expected to travel between this weekend, according to AAA. Of those travelers, more than 38 million are expected to hit the road, marking the highest number of Memorial Day drivers AAA has ever recorded. Fueling this travel frenzy is good news at the pump: a gallon of regular gasoline is down 11% compared to the same time last year.

Road trips are all the rage this summer as all but the wealthiest travelers are opting to drive — hoping to find a bargain on the open road. Read the full story here.

‘Duck Dynasty’ founding father Phil Robertson dies at 79

Phil Robertson, the bearded patriarch of A&E Network’s “Duck Dynasty,” has died, his family announced. He was 79.

“We celebrate today that our father, husband, and grandfather, Phil Robertson, is now with the Lord,” his daughter-in-law Korie Robertson, wife of Willie Robertson, posted on Facebook. The family had announced in December that he was battling Alzheimer’s disease. Read the full story here.

Read All About It 

• A man was arrested after being accused of kidnapping an Italian tourist and torturing him for weeks inside a Manhattan home in a bid to steal the alleged victim’s bitcoin, authorities say.

• A 28-year-old man was arrested after allegedly planning to bomb an office of the American Embassy in Israel. The suspect, a dual citizen of the U.S. and Germany, was deported to the United States by Israeli authorities.

• The bodies of five skiers were found on a glacier in the Swiss mountains after two skiers reported seeing abandoned skis at the bottom of Rimpfischhorn summit.

• The United States beat Switzerland 1-0 in overtime to win the ice hockey world championship.

Staff Pick: Dressed for success

Sometimes you just have to do what you have to do — and sometimes that means dressing up as a bear at work. The San Diego Humane Society is no stranger to caring for ursid cubs, but their latest little resident needed some special accommodations. The 2-month-old baby black bear is the youngest the group has ever rehabilitated, and some creative care measures were needed. The adorable, tiny furball may be getting bottle fed, but the people doing the feeding are donning bear costumes while mimicking “maternal behaviors.” If all goes to plan, the cub won’t imprint on humans and will one day be returned to the wild. — Rudy Chinchilla, breaking news editor

NBC Select: Online Shopping, Simplified 

Check out our Memorial Day sales story to find any last-minute deals on mattresses, beauty and tech. Plus, our editors have a breakdown on the best ways to clean your walls, including removing scuff marks, dirt and more.

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