The 2016 election. The judge today urging prosecutors to get cohen to stop making public statements about the case before his showdown with his former boss in court. Also tonight, the deadly storms slamming florida. A possible tornado hitting tallahassee. Widespread damage. At least one person killed. Just out, the Biden Administration report highly critical of israels actions in gaza, but finding it did not violate its u. S. Weapons agreement as israel prepares to invade rafah over u. S. Warnings. Police arresting dozens of protesters at penn and mit as colleges try to keep commencements on track this weekend. The controversy in virginia. A School Board Voting to restore confederate names to schools. The scary moment at the italian open. Tennis star Novak Djokovic struck in head with a water bottle and collapsing. What we know. The spectacular show tonight. Why the Northern Lights may be visible as far as The Deep South. Announcer this is Nbc Nightly News with lester holt. Good evening, and welcome, everyone. He is the biggest witness we havent seen in Donald Trumps criminal trial, but that is expected to change monday morning when multiple sources tell nbc news, Donald Trumps former attorney, michael cohen, will come facetoface with his exboss and testify for the prosecution in his falsified Business Records case. Cohen, who was once fiercely loyal to mr. Trump and now a frequent and vocal critic, is expected to be questioned about a 130,000 Hush Money Payout he says he made to buy the silence Of Adult ActressStormy Daniels at the behest of mr. Trump, he says. All during the heat of the 2016 president ial race. Former President Trump has pleaded not guilty to charges he falsified Business Records to conceal the payments. Trump lawyers poised, meantime, for their chance to attack cohens credibility, and tonight the judge in the case is asking that cohen stop making public statements about mr. Trump. Senior Legal CorrespondentLaura Jarrett has the latest. Reporter tonight, nbc news learning from multiple sources prosecutors will call their star witness, michael cohen, on monday. He called himself Donald Trumps fixer. Now a vocal trump critic. Cohen unleashing on his old boss in his book and on social media spotted online this week wearing a tshirt depicting mr. Trump behind bars. The judge today Directing Prosecutors to inform cohen that the judge is asking him to refrain from making any statements about the case or mr. Trump, but not placing a gag order on cohen. Mr. Trump remains under one barring him from attacking witnesses and the jury. Its a disgrace. Its not a case. Theres no crime. There is no crime, and theyve failed to show a crime. Reporter cohen, a critical witness for the prosecution, as the jury has now read his text messages, heard his voice, and seen evidence that he paid Stormy Daniels 130,000 just days before the 2016 election so she couldnt derail the campaign. The defense says her story of sex with mr. Trump was false, a shakedown for money brokered by cohen, making his testimony and credibility on the stand essential. Mr. Trump has pleaded not guilty to the charges of illegally disguising his Reimbursement Checks to cohen, his former attorney, as, quote, legal expenses, to cover his tracks. The faceoff between the two likely to be one of the most dramatic of the trial. Cohen comes with baggage including previous convictions for Campaign Finance violations and lying under oath. Meanwhile, today the jury hearing more from former trump aide, madeleine westerhout, who sat outside the oval office and confirmed mr. Trump met with cohen at the white house in 2017 where prosecutors say they devised their reimbursement scheme but testified the former president signed checks without reviewing them first, contrary to what mr. Trump said in his book and other witnesses said at trial. So, laura, were four weeks into this case right now. Has the prosecution appeared to check all the boxes they needed and wanted to check . Lester, the challenge is so far this jury has not seen a single document, a single tape, a single piece of evidence directly showing that mr. Trump himself falsified any records or caused anyone else to do so. Instead, they appear to be relying on cohen to connect those dots for him, and thats the challenge, lester. Laura, thanks very much. After a destructive week of Severe Weather, today it was florida that got slammed by what appeared to be tornadoes leaving at least one person dead. Shaira frias has late developments for us. Reporter Toppled Trees and scattered construction equipment, tonight, tallahassee, the latest in a line of cities cleaning up from Severe Weather this week. At least one woman is dead from the storms after a tree fell on her home. Suspected tornadoes, hail, and powerful thunderstorms roared through the city early this morning leaving 70,000 in the dark. Carl wittington was describing the storm to us. I looked out the window, and its just white. Reporter when another tree fell behind his home there goes my Big Pine Tree in the backyard. Reporter the big top at Florida State universitys famous highflying circus was ripped apart leaving the 75yearold Student Act Without A place to perform. Alarms started going off and then you could hear the wind like really howling. Reporter the deadly weeklong outbreak has devastated families from michigan to tennessee like briann lubbock. Last night she was still looking for her mother. Tonight shes learned her mom, 67yearold sheryl, died. She was wonderful. You couldnt make her mad. She was always smiling. Reporter and back here in atlanta, crews are still working to clear downed trees, but the good news is the storm system will finally move off the Atlantic Coast tonight giving us a break from the extreme weather for the next few days. Priya sridhar, thank you. Tonight, the Biden Administration finds itself grappling with its response to the war in The Middle East criticizing the effort in a new report and pausing deliveries of some, but not all, weapons earmarked for israel. Richard engel has more. Reporter as israel launched new attacks tonight, the State Department issued a long anticipated report that had the potential to block the flow of american weapons to israel. It didnt. While the report was extremely critical of israels use of american provided weapons and the high number of civil yaven casualties in gaza, it stopped short of saying they violated International Humanitarian law citing in part the complications of war to draw conclusion. This week President Biden warned directly that the u. S. Would stop sending weapons if israel launched a major offensive on the city of rafah in gaza, but in an interview with phil mcgraw, israels prime minister, benjamin netanyahu, brushed it off, saying, only israel decides whats best for its security. Weve destroyed about 20 battalions of hamas 24 terrorist battalions. We have another four to go. Theyre in rafah, and thats why we want to go into rafah, because we cant leave them there. Reporter but this is what it looks like from the inside. The most dangerous city now in the gaza strip. Our crew in rafah kept rolling as the Israeli Military advanced, and palestinians ran for their lives. Theyre not sure where theyre going, just away from the sounds of explosions. Our cameraman arrived at a narrow alley. Israel had just struck a building at the far end of it. He films as wounded children scream out. In some cases carried by other children. Israel says its targeting hamas with precision strikes. At the local hospital, medics treated more than 25 casualties. Most of them appear to have been children. Two Administration Officials tell nbc news that defensive and offensive weapons including small arms are still flowing to israel with new shipments recently sent. Lester. Okay, Richard Engel tonight, thank you. And tensions over the war continue to divide Americas College campuses where there was a surreal blend of clashes and timehonored tradition. Heres liz kreutz. Reporter as thousands of College Graduates take the stage in celebration tonight at other universities a stark contrast with more arrests made by police breaking up propalestinian encampments. At the university of pennsylvania, police in riot gear physically removing demonstrators detaining 33 people. And at the university of arizona, Law Enforcement using tear gas and rubber bullets to disburse protesters. Police say rocks and Water Bottles were thrown at officers. Demonstrators still camped out on the stage where commencement usually takes place at Pomona College near los angeles. The school announcing its moving the ceremony off campus. At columbia there will be no universitywide celebration this year but smaller events got under way today away from the main campus. I wish we were celebrating on morningside campus today, but, alas, we are not. Reporter meanwhile at the university of Southern California [ cheers ] tabitha asna tabassum. Reporter the schools Employee Palestinian valedictorian receiving her diploma at a Smaller Department ceremony today. Usc canceled her speech and ultimately their entire main Commencement Ceremony citing security concerns. Some jewish groups voiced concerns over her instagram, which included a link to a website that calls for the abolishment of israel. To be here and not speak, honestly id love to hear her. Reporter at an event yesterday, she got an ovation from her classmates. Today she shared what would have been her speech with the school newspaper. A majority of it she blacked out sending a message that she was silenced. Lester, this is where the encampment once was now filled with celebratory graduates. All around campus there are signs warning anyone exceptionally disruptive may be removed immediately. Liz, thank you. In virginia a School Board Voting to restore the names of confederate leaders to two schools after they were changed a few years back during an nationwide reckoning over racism. Heres yamiche alcindor. Reporter tonight, people in this county are divided after a Virginia SchoolDistrict Voted 51 to restore the names of Confederate Military leaders to two public schools. The reason why they changed the name, i kind of understand that, but we need to put it back to our heritage. This is where were from. This is what we do. I dont like it at all and just thinking about it makes my heart race. Stonewall jackson is a part of our heritage. The process was wrongly done. Reporter last night parents, teachers and students sounded off in front of the school board. People dont take the time to think about students like me. He fought for slavery to be a constitutional right reporter the contentious hourslong Board Meeting lasted in early friday morning. Restore our rights and restore our heritage, our history and our school name. My heart breaks for the children that are going to have to walk in schools named after people that wanted them and their families enslaved by the white man. Reporter after the killing of george floyd in 2020 there were nationwide efforts to reckon with racism and get rid of confederate symbols. Statues were removed from Public Squares and Military Bases across the country were renamed. Here Stonewall Jackson high school became Mountain View high and honey run elementary, but in the years since some conservative leaders here have been trying to reverse efforts, which is what happened here. You cannot ignore the heritage and feelings just because you are the minority. They honor men who believe that i have less value and worth because i am black. Reporter this reversal is a sign the debate over america and how it deals with its painful past is far from over. Lester. Yamiche, thank you. In 60 seconds, the battle over electric vehicles. The Biden Administration about to take major action against evs from china. Thats next. And im ready for a rematch. Game on. Ive been practicing. What the cello . You want me to lower the hoop . Foul what . You going to tell on me again . Foul yah . Foul bro here take a free shot go ahead knock yourself out. Your about to get served. Seriously . Get allstate, save money, and be better protected from mayhem, like me. Love you mom wait till your father gets home. If you have Chronic Kidney Disease you can reduce the risk of Kidney Failure with farxiga. Because there are places youd like to be. Farxiga can cause serious side effects, including ketoacidosis that may be fatal, dehydration, urinary tract, or genital yeast infections, and low blood sugar. A rare, lifethreatening bacterial infection in the skin of the perineum could occur. Stop taking farxiga and call your doctor right away if you have symptoms of this infection, an allergic reaction, or ketoacidosis. Farxiga back with new reporting from the white house. The Biden Administration plans to raise tariffs on electric vehicles from china from 25 to about 100 . Sources familiar with the matter telling nbc news. It comes as former President Trump argues for more evs will hurt u. S. Workers. Heres garrett haake. Reporter theyre a top target for former President Trump, arguing aggressively to put the brakes on the Biden Administrations support for electric vehicles. Theres a problem. Theyre very expensive, and they dont go far. Theyre going to be made in china, every single one. Reporter the former president hoping to boost his appeal in the traditional automotive hubs of michigan and ohio where theres anxiety that more evs means fewer highpaying union jobs. Mr. Trump attacking President Bidens pledge that half of all new vehicles sold in the u. S. By 2030 will have zero emissions. Ill terminate joe bidens radical plan to kill michigans economy by repealing his insane electric vehicle mandate. Reporter but despite comments like those, the Domestic Ev Industry is booming including here in the critical battleground state of georgia, which has added more than 27,000 jobs in the industry since 2020 including at facilities like this one just outside atlanta. Ascend elements plays a Critical Role in the ez supply chain, recycling spent batteries then selling back the valuable metals within for reuse. When i look at this, i see scrap. What do you see . Dollars. Reporter Battery Scale used to be done only in china. How much of this industry can be done entirely in the United States in the future . All of it can be. Its a question of if we decide to. Reporter ascend employees including trump supporter chris bryant largely shrugging off the former president s attacks on evs. I think ev cars will be the future of america. Reporter the Energy Department says 60 of new battery and vehicle plants are planned for red states including a new toyota plant in kentucky, and a Hyundai Ev Plant in georgia, but electric vehicles have had a rough few months. Automakers including ford and gm announcing they will scale back or delay ev production. Tesla recently announcing layoffs as demand for evs has dropped. Still, this Hyundai Ev Plant will bring 5,000 jobs to the district of republican buddy carter, who considers himself a supporter of donald trump and evs. How do you square the way he trashes that industry with your support for it in your district . Well, you know, look, the president and i may have some different views on this particular subject, and i believe that people want to see evs, and they want to make sure that were manufacturing them here in america. Thats very important, but, look, it cant be forced upon them. It has to be market driven. Reporter leaving the future of evs at the center of the National Political debate even as the industry shifts gears. Garrett haake, covington, georgia. More to come. Up next, the space storm bringing a spectacular light show. With nurtec odt, i found relief. The only migraine medication that helps treat and prevent, all in one. To those with migraine, i