out of the president speaking at a -- ceremony there at arlington national cemetery. take a listen. >> a reminder, as long as those who stand for freedom light will always triumph over darkness. my fellow americans, jill, vice president harris, second general -- secretary mcdonough, secretary but agendas here, secretary mayorkas. acting secretary shoe, director haynes, deputy secretary hicks, vice chairman grady, most importantly, our veterans and service members equally as important, their families. we come together today to once again honor the generations of americans who stood on the front lines of freedom. to once again bear witness to the great deeds of a noble few, who risked everything, everything, to give us a better future. those who have always, always kept the light of liberty shining bright across the world. our veterans. that's not hyperbole. our veterans every year on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month we gather in this sanctuary of sacrifice. to pause, to pay tribute, to these patriots and their greatest fighting force in history of the world. as commander-in-chief, i have no higher honor as a father of a son who served, i have no greater pool of privilege. like for so many of you, veterans day is personal to jill and i. on this day, i can still see my son the attorney general of of delaware standing ramrod straight, as i pinned his bars on him the day he joined the army national guard in delaware. i can still feel the overwhelming pride in major beau biden receiving the bronze star, legions of mail, in the delaware secret service cross. we miss him. i can still hear my wife jill every morning she got up to go to school to teach praying over a cup of coffee. during the year he was deployed to iraq and six months before that he was a civilian. overseas. like it was yesterday, i can still hear what he told me when he signed up to serve he said, beau, why? god's truth. dad, it's my duty. duty. that was the cold my son lived by, the creed that millions of veterans have followed. -- from baghdad, to gettysburg, to -- canal. career to kandahar. and beyond. each one linked in a chain of honor. that stretches back to our founding days. each one bound by a sacred oath to support and defend not a place not a person, not a president but an idea to defend an idea, unlike any other in human history. that idea is the united states of america. where the only nation in the world only nation in the world that's built on an idea every other nation, based on things like geography, ethnicity, religion were the only nation built on the idea that we're all created equal. and dowd by a creator certain nearly-able rights. we haven't always lived up to, it because our veterans, because of you, we never walked away from it. through the annals of history, whenever and wherever the force of darkness has sought to extinguish the light of liberty, american veterans have been holding the latter high as they can for all of us. they were there when the determined band of patriots sparked a revolution delivering a nation where everyone everyone is endowed and served indelible rights. they were there less than a century later, they gave our nation a new birth of freedom. they were there when the forces of fascism brought the fight to the trenches of europe. in the bloodied beaches of normandy. they were there when called upon to face the oppression of frozen rice patties of korea, and the sweltering jungles of vietnam. they were there when darkness came to our shores, signing up for tour after tour after tour. to keep our democracy safe and secure these last two decades. folks, as a nation, we owe them. we owe you. not just for keeping the flight of freedom burning during the darkness of the moments, but for serving our communities even after they hang-up the uniforms. for inspiring the next generation to serve. we see this in bases all across america. where young women and men continue to risk their own safety. for the safety of their fellow americans. we see it around the world. all the countries have been able to our troops continue to stand. with our allies against the forces of tyranny. enters. to this day, wherever the forces of darkness have sought to distinguish the light of liberty, american troops are there. right by their side and their families, as the english poet john milk wrote. they also serve who only stand and wait. they also serve who will only stand and wait. our veterans are the steel spine of this nation. and their families, like so many of you, are the courageous heart most americans oversee the sacrifices that u.s. family members also make. they'll never see those holidays, those birthdays made special, even with the empty seat at the dinner table. they'll never see all the packing and unpacking, readying a family to make another move. needing to move to a new school, a new job for the spouse. they'll never see all those nights spent waiting for word from a loved one deployed overseas, because you're not sure. too often, your sacrifices go without thanks. or without acknowledgment we must remember, only 1%, 1%, of our society today protects 99% of us. 1%. we owe them, we owe you, so to all the families across our nation, to all those who are grieving the loss of a loved one who wore the uniform, to all those with loved ones still missing or at a county for. we see you. we stand with you. we will not forget just as you've kept the ultimate fate to our country. we will keep the faith with you. as a nation, i've said many times, we have many obligations. we only have one truly sacred obligation. to prepare those we send into harm's way and to care for them and their families when they return home. it's not an obligation based on party or politics but on a promise, that unites us all. and together, over the last three years, we work to make good on that promise. passing more than 30 bipartisan laws to support our veterans and their families. caregivers and survivors. that includes the pack act, almost significant laws ever to help millions of veterans. for exposed to toxins and burn pits during their military service. pits the size of football fields, that incinerated with a wastes of war. tires, chemicals, jet fuel, so much more. too many of our nations warriors have served only to return home to suffer from permanent effects of this poisonous smoke. too many have died in the 15 months since we wrote and sign the pact act. a half million veterans and their surviving family members have already started receiving benefits. far, far too many are still not getting what they need. the care they deserve that's why i'm proud to announce that any toxin exposed veteran who served in any conflict outlined in the pact act will be able to enroll in va health care starting in march of next year. we're not stopping there, the past year we've delivered more benefits processed more claims than ever before in va history experience resources to end veterans homelessness and veterans poverty. and the silent scourge of suicide which has taken more veterans. we're launching a new initiative to protect veterans from scams, because no one should be defrauded by those they defend him for god sake. [applause] through jails work, and others and joining forces, we've also announced the most comprehensive set of actions in our nation's history to strengthen economic opportunity for military and veteran spouses, caregivers, and survivors. this year, as we mark 75 years of desegregate military, 75 years of integration in the military, women's. 50 years of all volunteer force, we've doubled down on our efforts to ensure all troops, all veterans, get the services they need. in that no veteran is denied the honor they earn, because they were just charged for being lgbtq plus. [applause] it matters. it matters to the vet for the state of delaware. who after years of being homeless, after years of living in a tent made of his own uniforms, finally got a roof over his head. it matters to the vet in arkansas who, after entering duties call on 9/11 after dealing with debilitating post-traumatic stress for years, finally is able to receive tailored mental health care that is changed his life. it matters to the vets of utah. after flying mission after mission over burn pits in iraq. after being diagnosed with cancer, at just 23 years of age. he's finally receiving full coverage for his treatment. it matters. [applause] it matters to the vets in florida being exposed to agent orange and after applying being rejected for benefits four times. finally, as he wrote to me in a letter quote, is able to get by a little easier now. today, we gather not only to honor these stories, but the stories of all veterans. for it's a story of our nation at its best. a nation that stands as one to forge a better future for all. a nation that faces down fear, generation after generation, a nation that meets darkness with light again and again and again. no matter how high the cost, no matter how heavy the burden, ladies and gentlemen, for nearly 250 years the sacrifice of many of you sitting in front of me and behind me and those who serve have kept our country free, and our democracy strong. as that young soldier wrote, more than a century ago after world war i ended, if you'd only could see a lantern shine in every window and door. today, we not only see that light of liberty we live by. and just like our forebears, it's not all of us, all of us together to ask ourselves what can we do? what must we do? to keep that light burning? to keep it shining in every window and door for generations to come. i know we can. i know we will. because, as our veterans know best, we are the united states of america. and there's nothing beyond our capacity. [applause] nothing beyond our capacity when we do it together. god bless you all, god bless our veterans, and may god protect our troops today and always. thank you, and thank you for your service. [applause] >> all right, everybody, the president there delivering a veterans day address as he was there at the amphitheater at the arlington national cemetery. about 15 minutes of a wide ranging speech, the many conflicts in which u.s. military have served and notably also, on 9/11. that just happen in the wake of that. we're gonna be following the presidents activities today on this honorable veterans day. in the meantime, we're gonna go to the breaking news on the israel-hamas war. idf forces are advancing on foot inside gaza, while missile strikes land near hospitals, we're gonna go right nbc's erin mclaughlin, joining us from jerusalem. erin, welcome. what can you tell us about this dire situation at the al-shifa hospital, and was that reports that israeli forces are closing in on the hospitals there? >> alex, as the israeli military is pushing further and further into gaza city, according to the palestinian red crescent, at least four of the main hospitals in gaza or areas of intense bombardment that includes the al-shifa hospital, which is the main hospital in gaza city. where tens of thousands of palestinians are sheltering. they've been speaking to doctors inside the hospital, they describe a dire and desperate situation, essentially saying that the hospital has stopped its basic functions. due to a power outage in the icu in the pediatric unit reporting that at least two patients have died as a result of that power outage, including an infant, they're lacking the basics their water medicine and food, take a listen to what what one surgeon inside the hospital had to say. >> > yeah, shooting everywhere. bombardment of around the hospital. not only the chief, a veteran f of. the ambulances cmove from schieffer to pick up any patients outside or inside. no movement outside, and the people they are horrified. their most of all the patients. in all of the staff aren't in the building. the main buildinof the fifa hospital. they are not outside because there's shooting everywhere. we are afraid for many bullets coming through and so on. bombardments around chief, there are bombardment and so on. >> now, while the israeli military is acknowledging that there was a tense fighting in the area of the al-shifa hospital in the overnight hours between the israeli military and hamas militants, they are denying that the hospital is under siege. and denying that they're shooting around the hospital, saying, quote, there is no shooting at the hospital, and there is no siege the east side of the hospital remains open, additionally, the israeli military can coordinate with anyone who wants to leave the hospital safely. although this doctor saying that, given the volume of patients inside that hospital suffering some from severe injuries, evacuation of the hospital simply not possible at this time. meanwhile, here in tel aviv, thousands of people are gathering for a rally to remember a 239 hostages that were captured by hamas militants on october 7th. they want to make sure the fate of those hostages remain in the forefront of the israeli government mind. alex? >> hard to forget about them, thank you so much for that, appreciate that, erin mclaughlin there in jerusalem. for all of, you are also gonna take you to gaza, get a report there at the bottom of the hour on. that just happening inside that much beleaguered hospital. also some intelligence reports conflicting reports about whether not hamas is indeed operating some sort of command center underneath the hospital. we'll get you there at the bottom of the hour. let's go now to some new developments in the donald trump civil fraud trial. monday, his legal team will start presenting its defense. the trial's outcome could limit trump's ability to do business in new york state. his son don jr.'s gonna take the stand for the second time in the trial. more than 127 witnesses listed as potentially testifying for the defense. this follows a week of angry outbursts, memory lapses, in some gotcha moments. the former president and his daughter, ivanka, took a stand. nbc news investigative reporter chloe atkins was in the courtroom for all of that drama. she joins me now. welcome back. another week to discuss with you, lots of momentous stuff went on. tell me first of all what it was like to be in that courtroom. the tenor of everything in to see the former president in this really unprecedented position? >> trump's testimony went pretty much as you'd expect, alex. he took much of his time on the stand attacking the attorney generals office. the prosecutors, even the judge who is sitting to the right of him, just a foot away. it was quite a spectacle to see it play out in person in the courtroom. he really turned his testimony into a political stump speech. or as the judge said, a political rally. he said things along the lines of calling the attorney general a political hack. he said that the judge was a fraud, and that this was a very unfair trial. and that no one knew anything about him. i think it's really important to take note that this case, that the a.g. is bringing, and all of the emails and documents that they brought, this past month, really hints at the core of trump. and how he sees himself. he sees himself as this savvy, wealthy businessmen. who's made strides in real estate development. and this has really put him front and center, and shown a law in a very different way that he would've liked or hope to do. >> i'm just curious about the judges reaction when donald trump's release slandering him. feet away. we know laetitia james the attorney general, she speaks out at the courthouse every morning, and then after the trial afternoon. we get her take on things. the judge, for lack of having cameras in the courtroom, we can't see his face. how does he react to this? does he stay stone faced? >> you're lucky, i could see his face. yeah, exactly. during his time, sitting right beside trump. he has remained very steadfast and getting through the trial. when trump was asked different questions that he didn't like, he would start saying well, you know i'm a successful businessman. look at my net worth, so on, so forth. and then it would evolve and transform into this combative, explosive comments. about the judge, about the prosecutors, and even at one point the judge said, control your client. which is the president former president trump. >> or i will. >> yeah, exactly. we've talked about these gag orders he's made it very clear what he is willing to do if anything is spoken about his staff. and then, at another point, i do want to mention he did concede that he would review these annual financial statements. and would review them. that could be beneficial for the a.g.'s case. >> absolutely. i'm gonna get some reaction to his outbursts here, with a lawyer thinks about all that and how could play going forward. that said quickly, ivanka trump different demeanor than her father. what was your take away? >> very different. when she was on the stand, she was very poised. she spoke very softly she even smiled and laughed at different times during her testimony. you know, very much so like her brothers and her father, she distanced herself in the financial statements and how they were prepared. as it relates to the loans which we've talked about many times when she was forced to look at emails or documents regarding those loans, she would often rely on the i don't recall. >> okay. guess what, i have more questions. we'll see you again next hour. chloe, thank you for that. in the meantime, it is a what if scenario that would cross new lines. donald trump's intentions for his perceived political enemies. if he returns to the white house. harry litman joins me next, we're back in 60 seconds. ck in 60 seconds jen y. and jen z. each planning their future through the chase mobile app. jen x is planning a summer in portugal with some help from j.p. morgan wealth plan. let's go whiskers. jen y is working with a banker to budget for her birthday. you only turn 30 once. and jen z? her credit's golden. hello new apartment. three jens getting ahead with chase. solutions that grow with you. one bank for now. for later. for life. chase. make more of what's yours. honey... honey... nyquil severe honey. powerful cold and flu relief with a dreamy honey taste. nyquil honey, the nighttime, sniffing, sneezing, couging, aching, fever, honey-licious, best sleep with a cold, medicine. so, donald trump clashed entangled with a new york judge this week as his quarter billion dollar civil fraud trial played out in manhattan. his testimony came after that of his sons don junior and eric, and before his daughter ivanka took the stand. joining me now, we have stephanie grisham, former trump white house communications director. my goodness, i don't think i viewed quite the. soon i do have harriet, levant that we do have stephanie just a little bit. harry, let's bring you into the camera focus, excellent have you here. okay. the question to you is, is there any reason to think donald trump would use the power of the presidency to go after his political rivals? we should have a soundbite i would like to play where he's talking about this. he's talking about this pretty candidly in an interview that he gave. it's a little scary to listen to. we're gonna played anyway. here it is, everybody, take a listen. >> they've done indictments in order to win an election they call it weaponization. and the people aren't gonna stand for. yeah they have done something that allows the next party if somebody if i have to be president. and i see somebody who's doing well and beating me very badly i say, go down and indict them. mostly whether that would be, they would be out of business. maybe a. after the election. >> okay. there is a chance that the people if he gets in the white house with whom he would surround himself, lawyers, othered ministration officials, might not stop him from doing that. what are the guardrails