Today’s Top Stories from NBC News

SATURDAY, MAY 30, 2026

In today’s newsletter: A Chinese-made missile may have been used to down a U.S. fighter jet in Iran. Confusion swirls around who's planning America's 250th birthday celebrations. And how Blue Origin's explosion could set back NASA's lunar missions.

Here’s what to know today.

▼ The Lead

Iran may have used Chinese missile to shoot down U.S. fighter jet, sources say

(Dan Kitwood / Getty Images)

The F-15 fighter that was shot down over Iran last month was probably struck by a Chinese-made shoulder-launched missile, three people with knowledge of the matter said. In the early days of the conflict, China also may have provided Iran with a long-range early-warning radar that spots stealth aircraft, according to one of the people and a U.S. official with knowledge of the matter.

U.S. officials are still investigating the circumstances around the shootdown of the American F-15E Strike Eagle in April, the sources said. The jet’s two-man crew safely ejected from the aircraft. The pilot was rescued within seven hours, but it took two days to locate and rescue the weapons systems officer, according to the Pentagon. It was the first time in decades that a U.S. fighter was downed by enemy fire.

It’s not clear when the military equipment was handed over. But Iran’s use of weapons made in China complicates Washington's relationship with Beijing at a time when President Donald Trump has sought President Xi Jinping's help in ending the conflict. Negotiations to end the war are ongoing even as the U.S. continues to launch what it calls “defensive” strikes.

More on China’s history of providing weaponry to Iran.

More Iran war coverage:

For subscribers: The U.S. military has not confirmed that Iran placed mines in the Strait of Hormuz, two U.S. officials and a person familiar with the matter said, adding to confusion around the war.

✱ FOR SUBSCRIBERS

The chemical industry is poised to see less government oversight despite recent crises

The deadly implosion at the paper mill in Washington state and the damaged tank that caused a multiday evacuation in Southern California is shedding light on long-standing gaps in the federal systems that are meant to protect communities and workers.

The EPA’s Risk Management Program — the main federal program designed to prevent hazardous chemical incidents and spell out emergency procedures — has been understaffed since long before Trump took office. The list of chemicals it covers has not changed substantially since it was created in 1990, leaving out some high-risk chemicals facilities, including the facility in California. All the while, the Trump administration is trying to roll back reforms and shutter the safety board that investigates them.

Read the full story here.

Celebrations are being planned across the country to commemorate the United States’ 250th birthday. For example, a UFC fight on the White House South Lawn is shaping up to be Trump’s marquee event (and NBC News learned that members of the military must meet a certain body type criteria to attend).

But confusion about who is behind other festivities planned for this summer and beyond reached a fever pitch this week after some artists backed out of performing at Freedom 250’s Great American State Fair, saying they were misled about the nature of the event.

That’s because there are two similarly named groups planning birthday parties. One of them, America250, was established through an act of Congress a decade ago and is led by a bipartisan group of lawmakers and private citizens. This group was originally supposed to put on all of the events.

The other group, Freedom 250, the folks behind the state fair, was established by an executive order at the beginning of Trump’s second term. The public-private partnership that isn’t subjected to congressional oversight, raising questions about whether the group is “commingling” federal tax dollars with privately raised funds.

Here’s what we know.

More politics news:

A federal judge temporarily blocked the Kennedy Center from closing for repairs and ordered the removal of Trump’s name from the building.

Trump is defrosting relations with Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko - known as Europe’s last dictator - after thanking him for his “cooperation and friendship” after a deal to release political prisoners held by his regime.

The lead federal prosecutor in the James Comey seashells photo indictment is no longer on the case.

Louisiana Republicans approved a new congressional map, eliminating one of the state’s two majority-Black districts.

A trio of former Biden White House officials running for governor are playing up their federal government experience while rarely mentioning the former president by name.

The Trump administration is looking into selling some of the large warehouses that ICE purchased to serve as mega-detention centers.

Trump is in “excellent health” after his latest checkup, the White House physician said in a memo.

▶️ Tune in to Here's the Scoop's special Supreme Court Edition, where Senior Legal Correspondent Laura Jarrett goes deep on major cases.

Blue Origin’s rocket explosion is a big setback for NASA

A Blue Origin rocket — and the company’s only operational launch pad for those rockets — unexpectedly blew up. Now what?

That’s what Jeff Bezos’ space company must figure out after Thursday night’s fiery explosion in Cape Canaveral, Florida. It could mean months or years of investigation and delays before the New Glenn rockets can return to flight.

There could also be big implications for NASA, as Blue Origin was expected to play a central role in the agency’s return-to-the-moon program and had won a major contract just this week. At least one of the agency’s uncrewed missions to the moon will almost certainly be delayed. The explosion could also affect the upcoming Artemis III mission to launch four astronauts into low Earth orbit ahead of a planned moon landing on the Artemis IV mission in 2028.

A closer look at the scope of the damage.

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▼ Quiz Time

A buffalo in Bangladesh was spared from sacrifice because it looked like which famous American?

Tom Cruise
Jimmy Fallon
Taylor Swift
Donald Trump

Find out the answer and test your knowledge of this week's most-read stories. (The answer to the question is also at the bottom of this newsletter.)

TAKE THE NEWS QUIZ

▼ Read All About It

These charts show where Ebola is spreading, how it infects humans and what the Bundibugyo type of the virus does to the body.

An ICE agent accused of shooting a Venezuelan immigrant in Minnesota and lying about it was arrested in Texas.

Four more men have been rescued after more than a week trapped in a flooded cave in Laos. Two are still missing.

For subscribers: An animator backed out of working on a generative AI-produced series from Amazon MGM Studios following widespread backlash.

▼ Staff Pick

Farmers in Iowa are struggling in Trump’s economy, but many still support him

We went out to Iowa to see how farmers are faring in a tough economic climate and how they viewed President Donald Trump’s policies.

Most of the farmers we interviewed had voted for Trump and still support him. But they didn’t mince words about the state of the farming business. “Scary,” one told us. They worry about rising fuel, machinery and fertilizer costs. Some said they’re not certain they can sustain operations and pass the farms to their children and grandchildren.

Yet most were hopeful Trump will deliver on his promises and revive their economic prospects. They like his candor and bluntness. Trump needs their continued loyalty if Republicans are to hold an Iowa senate seat that is up for grabs in November.

— Peter Nicholas, senior White House reporter

▼ NBC Select: Online Shopping, Simplified

PSA: Walmart is having a secret flash sale on outdoor must-haves, including up to 65% off grill tools, rugs and more. Plus, the NBC Select team spoke to experts about the best way to organize your closet. Here’s their advice.