In a letter to President Trump, Gabbard said her resignation would be effective June 30. 

"My husband, Abraham, has recently been diagnosed with an extremely rare form of bone cancer. He faces major challenges in the coming weeks and months. At this time, I must step away from public service to be by his side and fully support him through this battle," she said. "I cannot in good conscience ask him to face this fight alone while I continue in this demanding and time-consuming position." 

Gabbard said her husband has been her "rock" during their 11-year marriage, which has included a deployment, political campaigns and her role in the Trump administration. 

"His strength and love have sustained me through every challenge," she said, adding that she is "fully committed to ensuring a smooth and thorough transition over the coming weeks." 

Mr. Trump praised Gabbard in a post on Truth Social, saying she "has done an incredible job." He said Aaron Lukas, Gabbard's deputy at the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, will serve as acting director in the interim.

Gabbard's resignation was first reported by Fox News. 

Gabbard is the fourth Cabinet member to leave the administration this year, following the departures of Attorney General Pam Bondi, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer. 

Her departure will create an opening in a crucial role overseeing the 18 agencies that comprise the nation's intelligence community amid the war with Iran.

Gabbard's tenure

Gabbard, a former Democratic lawmaker who broke with her party to endorse Mr. Trump in 2024, was sworn into her post in February 2025. She had been firmly opposed to military intervention in Iran throughout her political career. 

Appearing before Congress earlier this year, Gabbard did not express support for the current war, telling members that it's up to the president to determine what constitutes an "imminent threat." 

In March, Gabbard's top aide Joe Kent, who led the National Counterterrorism Center, resigned, saying "Iran posed no imminent threat to our nation." Gabbard told lawmakers that Kent's statement concerned her, without elaborating. 

"Ultimately, we have provided the president with the intelligence assessments and the president is elected by the American people and makes his own decisions based on the information that's available to him," she said. 

Before the bombings of Iran's nuclear facilities in 2025, Mr. Trump said Gabbard was "wrong" when she testified to lawmakers earlier that year that Iran wasn't building a nuclear weapon. Following Mr. Trump's dismissal of the assessment, Gabbard accused the media of "taking my testimony out of context."

Gabbard also raised alarms in January when she appeared at elections headquarters in Fulton County, Georgia, while the FBI executed a search warrant and took ballots and other records related to the 2020 election. Democrats questioned why the intelligence chief was involved in domestic law enforcement operations. 

As DNI, Gabbard said last summer she would slash her office's staff by around 40%, cutting its headcount to around 1,300. She estimated the cuts would save around $700 million annually. Gabbard said at the time that the ODNI had become "bloated and inefficient, and the intelligence community is rife with abuse of power."

In a statement about her departure, GOP Rep. Rick Crawford of Arkansas, the chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, said Gabbard made "significant progress" on Mr. Trump's priorities, including "implementing needed reforms to address the weaponization and politicization" of the intelligence community and "taking actionable steps to increase transparency." 

Sen. Mark Warner of Virginia, the top Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee, said in a statement that Gabbard's replacement "must be committed to restoring trust in the office, protecting the integrity of our intelligence, and ensuring our nation's intelligence professionals can speak truth to power, without fear or interference."

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said the president "must not treat this vacancy as another opportunity to reward loyalty over competence." 

"Senate Democrats will fight any nominee who puts Trump's politics ahead of America's security," the New York Democrat said. 

Busch died Thursday at age 41. No cause of death has been given, though his family said earlier he had been hospitalized with a "severe illness" three days before he was to compete in the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway in North Carolina.

Busch was testing in the Chevrolet racing simulator in Concord, North Carolina, on Wednesday when he became unresponsive and was transported to a hospital in Charlotte, several people familiar with the situation told The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because details have not been disclosed by Busch's team or family.

During the emergency call placed late that afternoon from the General Motors training facility, an unidentified caller calmly told the dispatch: "I've got an individual that's shortness of breath, very hot, thinks he's going to pass out, and he's producing a little bit of blood, coughing up some blood."

Busch was lying on the bathroom floor inside the complex and the caller told dispatch "He is awake," according to audio provided by the Cabarrus County Sheriff's Office.

The man then gave directions on where emergency responders should go and asked that they turn off any sirens upon arrival.

President Trump paid tribute to Busch in a Truth Social post Friday evening, describing him as "a true talent who loved NASCAR and its fans."

'Kyle's wife, Samantha, and their two beautiful children are in our thoughts and prayers," Mr. Trump said. "…Rest in Peace Kyle Busch. You will always be a LEGEND!"

NASCAR legend Jimmie Johnson, a former teammate of Busch, expressed shock and sadness at the sudden loss.

"I'm kinda lost for words at this moment, but we're gonna miss you, buddy. Gone too soon to say the least," Johnson told "CBS Mornings" on Friday.

He described Busch as "just that spirited, ruthless competitor on track. And I use ruthless in the best way possible. If you took an inch, he was going to take two. And there was an amount of respect on the track that you just showed him, as a result. At the same time, [he] would race you so hard and so clean, and just an incredible competitor."

According to Richard Childress Racing, Busch had 63 wins in the NASCAR Cup Series and held an all-time NASCAR record with 19 consecutive seasons with a victory from 2004 to 2023.

"Throughout a career that spanned more than two decades, Kyle set records in national series wins, won championships at NASCAR's highest level and fostered the next generation of drivers as an owner in the Truck Series," the statement said. "His sharp wit and competitive spirit sparked a deep emotional connection with race fans of every age, creating the proud and loyal 'Rowdy Nation.'"

His death came 11 days after Busch radioed into his crew near the end of a Cup Series race at Watkins Glen asking a doctor to give him a "shot" after he finished the race. According to the TV broadcast, Busch had been struggling with a sinus cold that was exacerbated by the intense G-forces and elevation changes at the New York road course.

Busch finished the race in eighth place.

Officials said they would eliminate the option for many immigrants seeking a green card to complete the process without having to leave the U.S. Instead, in most cases, those immigrants will be required to return to their home countries in order to apply for an immigrant visa overseas through an American consulate, officials said.

Current and former U.S. immigration officials told CBS News the memo published Friday would likely have wide-ranging implications, forcing groups like students, tourists and other temporary visa holders, as well as those who entered legally but overstayed their visas, to leave the country before trying to obtain a green card through sponsorships filed by U.S. citizen spouses or employers.

For many immigrants, going back home could make it difficult or impossible for them to return to the U.S. 

Citizens of 39 countries, most of them in Africa and Asia, currently face outright bans or restrictions from entering the U.S. under a proclamation, known as the "travel ban," signed by President Trump on national security grounds. A separate Trump administration policy has paused all grants of immigrant visas for people in 75 countries seeking to move to the U.S. permanently, arguing that they could become economic burdens. Additionally, in most cases, people who overstayed their visas and have lived in the U.S. illegally for some time would trigger 10-year bans from reentering the country if they leave.

Michael Valverde, who was a senior official at U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services under Republican and Democratic administrations until his departure last year, said Friday's announcement would "disrupt the plans of hundreds of thousands of families and employers annually."

"This is a largely unprecedented move that will limit lawful immigration to the U.S. greatly," Valverde said. "People who followed the rules faithfully now face tremendous uncertainty."

The memo published by USCIS on Friday seeks to dramatically restrict when the agency can allow immigrants to get a green card through the "adjustment of status" process. That allows eligible immigrants in the U.S. to get a green card, without having to return to the U.S. and seek permanent residency through a visa application at an American consulate.

The memo instructed USCIS officers to treat the adjustment of status process as an "extraordinary" relief and act of "administrative grace," arguing that Congress suggested in federal law that most green card applications should complete the process abroad. Officers were directed to treat someone's decision to seek adjustment of status, instead of the consular process overseas, as "adverse factors" in their applications.

While exemptions to the policy were not precisely outlined, the memo suggested that people with so-called "dual intent" visas, such as H-1Bs for high-skilled workers, as well as refugees and asylees, would still be allowed to apply for a green card in the U.S. through the adjustment of status process.

"From now on, an alien who is in the U.S. temporarily and wants a Green Card must return to their home country to apply, except in extraordinary circumstances," USCIS spokesman Zach Kahler said in a statement. "This policy allows our immigration system to function as the law intended instead of incentivizing loopholes."

Kahler said the policy would also reduce the "need to find and remove those who decide to slip into the shadows and remain in the U.S. illegally after being denied residency."

In a separate statement later Friday, Kahler suggested that green card applicants in the U.S. who will provide an "economic benefit" or serve the "national interest" would be allowed to complete their processing here, without having to leave the country.

Doug Rand, a former senior USCIS official under the Biden administration, said the changes could affect hundreds of thousands of cases, since half a million people get green cards each year through the adjustment of status process. Immigrant spouses of U.S. citizens who are in the country on student and other temporary visas, he added, will likely be among those most affected by the changes.

"The primary impact of this appears to be to make it difficult or impossible for very large numbers of U.S. citizens to get on with their lives with the people they've chosen to marry who came here legally," Rand said.

Many of those forced to leave the U.S., Rand added, may get stuck overseas.

"Imagine you fall in love with someone from Iran or Russia, or again, 114 different countries, where if you go back and try to apply for a permanent residency from that country, the Trump administration will not let you in," Rand said.

Many holiday travelers who spoke to CBS Atlanta on Friday said train rides are beating the stress of driving during the holiday weekend, especially with the cost of riding MARTA.

"It's $2.50 compared to an Uber ride," MARTA traveler Amy Williams said.

Williams flew into Atlanta from Chicago to visit family this holiday weekend. She caught the Marta train from the airport.

"We are going to the Jazz Festival down here. Then, I'll cook on Monday," she said.

A spokesperson for MARTA says they expect to see an uptick in travelers this weekend, expecting up to 10,000 travelers each day during the Memorial Day weekend. That's about 2,000 more travelers than on an average Saturday or Sunday.

"It was not too busy for me, and it's also our first time in Atlanta for all of us," MARTA traveler Adhyot Singh said.

He said he chose MARTA because his friend said it was the cheapest way to travel in the city right now.

Over at Atlanta's Amtrak station, passengers are choosing the train over the airways.

"It was mostly convenient. When it comes to traveling through the airplanes, you have to pay so much more. Here, it just felt more economical with all the baggage," Christina Diaz said.

Diaz says gas prices played a role in their decision to take the Amtrak.

"Driving up to DC didn't seem very economical since it was pretty far away. With the gas prices, trains seem to be the more logical option," Diaz said.

If you plan to hit the roads this Memorial Day weekend, you should prepare for heavier traffic. Thankfully, the Department of Transportation has suspended all interstate lane closuresstatewide until Tuesday morning to help with congestion.

Authorities with the GDC have confirmed with CBS News Atlanta that an altercation involving numerous inmates happened on Thursday at Dooly State Prison.

Nine inmates were taken to local hospitals for treatment of injuries, none of which are believed to be life-threatening. Seven of the nine have since returned to the prison. No staff were injured in the incident.

"Out of an abundance of caution, all GDC facilities have been placed on lockdown until further notice," a spokesperson for the Georgia Department of Corrections said.

The agency oversees 34 prisons across Georgia, housing nearly 47,000 felony offenders.

In a Facebook post made on Friday, the state agency said that Dooly State Prison, Washington State Prison, Ware State Prison and Hancock State Prison will not hold visitation during the Memorial Day weekend. Other prisons will hold regular visitation hours, but that status is subject to change.

Authorities have not shared any other details about the altercation at Dooley State Prison, but said that the investigation is ongoing.

On Thursday, a jury found 28-year-old Kentavious Hardnett guilty of felony murder and first-degree cruelty to children for the 19-month-old boy's death.

According to prosecutors, Hardnett had been in a relationship with the victim's mother for two months when she left the toddler in his care on Jan. 21, 2021, to go to work.

At around 7 p.m. that day, authorities say Hardnett took the now-unresponsive boy to a neighbor for help. The neighbor called 911 and then drove Hardnett and the toddler to Emory Decatur Hospital's emergency. By the time they got to the hospital, officials say the boy was suffering from cardiac arrest and respiratory failure.

The victim was then transported to Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, where officials say a CT scan revealed countless retinal hemorrhages in both his eyes and blood pools in his brain.

The boy never regained consciousness. He was declared brain dead, and life support was removed three days later.

Hardnett told investigators that the toddler had fallen off his bed, but authorities say the victim had injuries that were inconsistent with "abusive head trauma."

"The Child Abuse Pediatrician, medical examiner, and pediatric neuroradiologist all concluded that the victim's injuries were inflicted, and not consistent with a fall from a bed," the DeKalb County District Attorney's Office said in a statement.

A sentencing hearing will be scheduled for the next few weeks.

Gwendolyn Brandon, 43, of Cumming, Georgia, pleaded guilty to theft of government funds after prosecutors say she submitted at least 46 fraudulent invoices to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, funneling the money into an account she controlled.

According to prosecutors and court documents, Brandon created fake invoices designed to look like they came from legitimate vendors requesting payment for goods or services provided to the CDC. She then allegedly used her position and her knowledge of the CDC's invoice and credit card processing system to direct employees under her supervision, who had no idea the invoices were fraudulent, to approve the payments.

The scheme ran from approximately August 2023 to February 2025, according to court documents. Prosecutors say the fraudulent invoices ranged in amount from $2,230 to $9,970, totaling $190,461.50 in stolen government funds.

"This defendant embezzled taxpayer money and brazenly exploited her position of public trust by fabricating invoices," said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg. "When she is sentenced later this year, she will pay the price for her greed and deception."

Marcus L. Sykes, special agent in charge of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General, called Brandon a "federal employee-turned-fraudster" who prosecutors say exploited her government position to enrich herself.

As part of her plea agreement, Brandon agreed to resign from the CDC and is permanently barred from seeking federal employment or doing business with the federal government as a contractor or vendor.

Brandon's sentencing hearing is scheduled for Sept. 3, 2026, at 10 a.m. before U.S. District Judge Steven D. Grimberg in federal court. 

City officials said the advisory was issued out of an abundance of caution and follows guidance from the Georgia Environmental Protection Division. Power has been restored at the pump station. But crews are continuing to monitor operations and water system pressure while testing is completed.

Residents and property owners who have experienced low water pressure or outages are being told to boil water before using it for drinking, cooking, brushing teeth or preparing baby food. Officials said water should be boiled for at least one minute after reaching a rolling boil. Bottled water can also be used.

The department warned that infants, older adults and people with weakened immune systems should take extra precautions. Residents are also advised not to drink from public water fountains in the affected area. 

Several downtown businesses and venues, including the Georgia World Congress Center, have been impacted by the advisory.  

In a statement obtained by CBS News Atlanta, the Georgia World Congress Center Authority said it is "actively monitoring the City of Atlanta's boil water advisory and has implemented precautionary measures across its campus to help ensure the health and safety of guests, clients, partners and team members." 

"At this time, Georgia World Congress Center, Centennial Olympic Park, Signia by Hilton Atlanta, Mercedes-Benz Stadium and associated facilities remain operational. GWCCA is working closely with city officials and campus partners to assess impacts and follow all recommended guidance," the statement reads. "The safety and well-being of everyone on our campus remains our top priority. We are taking proactive steps to minimize disruption while following guidance from city and public health officials throughout this advisory."

The advisory will remain in place until the Department of Watershed Management says testing confirms the water is safe to use.

Service in Atlanta was temporarily halted following a storm on Wednesday that left one of its vehicles stuck on a flooded street.

The company said that there are operational protections against flooding, but the rapid nature of Wednesday's storm and heavy rain caused an unoccupied Waymo car to stop in the deep water in Midtown Atlanta before any weather warning or advisory was issued by the National Weather Service.

The vehicle was eventually recovered and removed from the area.

Since then, and with more severe weather possibly on the way, Waymo has removed its vehicles from Atlanta streets. On Friday, the company told CBS News Atlanta that the weather-related suspension is now affecting Texas as well.

In a statement, a spokesperson for Waymo said it would be pausing its services across Texas "out of an abundance of caution for the forecasted severe weather" in the state.

Waymo currently operates in four Texas cities: Austin, Dallas, Houston, and San Antonio.

The company did not give a date when its vehicles could be back on the roads.

"We continue to closely monitor forecasts, alerts, and live weather conditions, and we will resume serving riders soon," the spokesperson said. 

Authorities say officers were called to the 3300 block of Cobb  Parkway SE on Thursday morning after a maintenance worker found the body while checking the building for a possible water leak.

According to officials, the site was a Kroger that had been closed since 2024.

The Cobb County Medical Examiner's Office responded and pronounced the man dead at the scene. His identity has not been released.

Investigators say they suspect foul play in connection with the man's death.

The investigation remains ongoing. Officials are asking anyone who may have information regarding the case to call the Cobb County Police Department Major Crimes Unit at (770) 499-3945.

Authorities say 43-year-old Gwendolyn Brandon used dozens of fake invoices to steal over $190,000 from the federal government in less than two years.

According to prosecutors, Brandon created at least 46 fraudulent invoices in amounts between $2,230 to $9,970 from around August 2023 to February 2025. Using her position as supervisor, she got her employees to approve the invoices, which appeared to be from vendors, officials said.

Gwendolyn Brandon, a former supervisor at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), has pleaded guilty to theft of government funds in connection with fake invoices she submitted to the CDC.

"This defendant embezzled taxpayer money and brazenly exploited her position of public trust by fabricating invoices," said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg. "When she is sentenced later this year, she will pay the price for her greed and deception."

On Thursday, Brandon pleaded guilty to theft of government funds. As part of her plea agreement, she agreed to resign from the CDC and never apply for a job with the federal government or work as a government contractor or vendor.

Brandon's sentencing hearing is scheduled for Sept. 3.

Tracy Denise Jones, 61, of Atlanta, was sentenced May 20, to nine months in prison, followed by nine months of home detention and 15 months of supervised release. She was also ordered to pay $65,598.80 in restitution and a $63,546 fine, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Georgia.

Jones previously pleaded guilty on Feb. 2 to conspiracy to commit theft of government funds, wire fraud and credit application fraud.

Federal prosecutors said Jones, who served since 2017 as senior vice president over the Housing Choice Voucher Program at the Atlanta Housing Authority, used her role overseeing one of the nation's largest Section 8 programs to carry out the scheme. The program is funded by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and provides rental assistance to low-income families, often with long waiting lists.

According to prosecutors, Jones used falsified forms to enroll family members into the Section 8 program and arranged for housing assistance payments to be made on her own rental property. Authorities said she used a fake name and a shell business to conceal her identity and improperly obtained more than $36,000 in federal funds.

Officials also said Jones submitted a false affidavit and encouraged others to provide false documents to obstruct the investigation.

At the same time, prosecutors said Jones obtained more than $27,000 in COVID-19 relief funds through U.S. Small Business Administration programs by falsely claiming her businesses were operating, had employees and generated revenue. When one application was denied, she appealed and made statements claiming she was an honest business owner, according to court records.

Investigators also said Jones committed mortgage fraud by falsely stating a rental property was her primary residence when refinancing a $219,780 loan and by denying ownership of other properties.

U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg said Jones "violated the trust of the community, the taxpayers, and the needy families she was supposed to assist."

HUD Office of Inspector General Special Agent in Charge Jerome Winkle said the conduct "undermined assistance intended for vulnerable communities and struggling businesses during the pandemic."

University officials say Adam Wexler, the founder of PrizePicks and a 2007 graduate, has committed $10 million to support the men's basketball program and the university's Athletic Director Excellence Fund.

Officials say the funds will be used for personnel and operating expenses to support the long-term ambitions of the basketball team.

"This gift will leave a lasting impact on the Athletic Association and, specifically, the men's basketball program," J. Reid Parker Director of Athletics Josh Brooks said. "We are deeply grateful for Adam's extraordinary generosity and commitment to Bulldog Athletics. His investment will further elevate our program and continue to enhance the student-athlete experience."

Wexler's father was a two-sport student-athlete at the university. During his time at the University of Georgia, he served as the editor-in-chief of the school newspaper.

"The University of Georgia has always meant a tremendous amount to me and my family," Wexler said. "Watching my father's lifelong connection to this university shaped my appreciation for what Georgia represents: opportunity, culture, and excellence. There has never been a more interesting time in the history of collegiate athletics for donors to make a difference, and I'd love for this to be the start of something much bigger for the Bulldog community."

The school did not share specific details about how the funds will be used, but said additional information regarding future initiatives tied to the program and the gift will be announced in the future.

Dr. Peter Stafford was working with the missionary group Serge in the Democratic Republic of Congo when he was infected with the virus, the group said. He was evacuated to a hospital in Berlin, Germany, to receive care, the group said Tuesday.

"Before I was evacuated I was feeling really concerned I wasn't going to make it. And now I'm cautiously optimistic," Stafford said in a statement shared by Serge. 

Stafford's wife, Dr. Rebekah Stafford, who also works with Serge, and their four children were also evacuated to the Berlin hospital, Serge said. They are asymptomatic and are being isolated and monitored, the group said Thursday.

The hospital, Charite University Hospital, said Friday that Stafford "is severely weakened but is not currently critically ill."

"Because the course of the illness can change, he remains under close observation and is receiving treatment," the hospital said. Stafford is in a "high-security area of the specialized isolation unit."

The hospital added that his wife and four children are still "asymptomatic and quarantined in a separate part of the unit." 

The Bundibugyo ebolavirus outbreak in Congo, which has spread to neighboring Uganda, is likely larger than what has officially been reported, health officials have warned. There are so far nearly 750 suspected cases, including 177 suspected deaths, the World Health Organization said Friday.

Stafford was exposed to the virus while doing a surgery at Nyankunde Hospital in Bunia, a city in eastern Congo, Serge said in an earlier statement. He has worked at the hospital since 2023, according to the group. Ebolaviruses are transmitted from person to person through bodily fluids such as vomit, blood or semen, and medical personnel can be at high risk if exposed to sick patients. 

This is only the third known outbreak of the Bundibugyo strain. There is no known vaccine or treatment for it, health officials have said. The first symptoms are typically fever, fatigue, muscle pain, headache and a sore throat. Symptoms then can progress to vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, rash, organ dysfunction and less frequently, internal or external bleeding. The fatality rate of the Bundibugyo strain is about 30 to 50%, according to the WHO.

Dr. Scott Myhre, the Serge director for East and Central Africa, said Stafford reported feeling better Thursday than the day before, and said he had been able to eat small amounts of food as he experiences Ebola symptoms including vomiting, rash and diarrhea. 

While there is no treatment for this type of ebolavirus, patients can receive supportive care including rehydration and specific symptom treatment. Stafford's medical labs are "trending slightly in the right direction," and he has received intravenous treatments "designed to improve Ebola outcomes," Myhre said. 

Hospital staff briefly allowed Stafford to see his wife and children through a hospital window, Serge said. 

Matt Allison, Serge's executive director, told CBS News on Tuesday that Stafford is "doing well, all things considered." 

"He's sick. He's sad to be away from his family, but he's getting the best care available to him," Allison said. 

A third Serge doctor, Dr. Patrick LaRochelle, was also potentially exposed while working in a DRC hospital. He is in quarantine at Bulovka Hospital in Prague, according to Serge. He remains asymptomatic so far, the organization said.

The State Department announced Thursday that any U.S. citizens or lawful permanent residents returning from the Congo, Uganda and South Sudan who had been in those countries within three weeks of entering the U.S. had to fly into Washington-Dulles International Airport in Virginia. The same restrictions apply to any non-citizens, according to the Department of Homeland Security.

"We are devastated to announce the sudden and tragic passing of Kyle Busch," his family, NASCAR and Richard Childress Racing said in a joint statement. "Our entire NASCAR family is heartbroken by the loss of Kyle Busch. A future Hall of Famer, Kyle was a rare talent, one who comes along once in a generation."

Busch, originally from Las Vegas, holds the record for most wins in the top three NASCAR divisions, and won Cup Series championships in 2015 and 2019. He was in his fourth season at Richard Childress Racing after winning titles with Joe Gibbs Racing.

According to Richard Childress Racing, Buch has 63 wins in the NASCAR Cup Series and held an all-time NASCAR record with 19 consecutive seasons with a victory from 2004 to 2023.  

"Throughout a career that spanned more than two decades, Kyle set records in national series wins, won championships at NASCAR's highest level and fostered the next generation of drivers as an owner in the Truck Series," the statement said. "His sharp wit and competitive spirit sparked a deep emotional connection with race fans of every age, creating the proud and loyal 'Rowdy Nation.'"

The news comes 11 days after Busch radioed into his crew near the end of a Cup Series race at Watkins Glen asking a doctor to give him a "shot" after he finished the race. According to the TV broadcast, Busch had been struggling with a sinus cold that was exacerbated by the intense G-forces and elevation changes at the New York road course.

Busch finished the race in eighth place.

Busch competed at Dover in Delaware last weekend and won the Trucks Series race for Richard Childress Racing. He finished 17th at the NASCAR All-Star race.

NASCAR legend Jimmie Johnson, a former teammate of Busch, expressed shock and sadness at the sudden loss.

"I'm kinda lost for words at this moment, but we're gonna miss you, buddy. Gone too soon to say the least," Johnson told "CBS Mornings" on Friday.

He said described Busch as "just that spirited, ruthless competitor on track. And I use ruthless in the best way possible. If you took an inch, he was going to take two," Johnson said. "And there was an amount of respect on the track that you just showed him, as a result. At the same time, [he] would race you so hard and so clean, and just an incredible competitor."

NASCAR driver and former teammate Denny Hamlin posted on social media: "Absolutely cannot comprehend this news. We just need to think of his family during this time. We love you KB."

"Absolute shock. Very hard to process," veteran NASCAR driver Brad Keselowski posted on social media.

A polarizing figure known as "Rowdy" and "Wild Thing" for his post-race fights, regular feuds with other drivers and sometimes outlandish behavior, the multi-talented Busch stormed on the Cup Series scene in 2005 by winning Rookie of the Year. 

From Las Vegas, Busch experienced unrivaled success across NASCAR's three national series winning a combined 234 Cup, O'Reilly Auto Parts and Trucks Series races. Along with his 63 Cup victories, he had 102 O'Reilly Auto Parts wins and 69 Trucks victories — both records.

Busch is the younger brother of Kurt Busch, a NASCAR Hall of Famer.

Kyle Busch was said to be ready to race at NASCAR's top level at 16, but a cigarette settlement banned his debut and he had to wait until he was a 18. At the time, Kurt Busch said, "If you think I'm good, wait until you see my brother." Busch is survived by his wife, Samantha, and children Brexton and Lennix.

"There is so much history here in the Ed Sullivan Theater, and we've been honored to have been just a small part of it," Colbert said in his opening monologue. 

In the opening of the show, Colbert emphasized the "joy" the show brought him and cast members throughout his 11 years and over 1,800 episodes as host.

"We call it the joy machine, because to do this many shows, it has to be a machine. But the thing is, if you choose to do it with joy, it doesn't hurt as much when your fingers get caught in the gears," Colbert said. "And I cannot adequately explain to you what the people who work here have done for each other and how much we mean to each other."

The final show, which ran 17 minutes longer than its usual hour, was packed with surprise cameos from celebrities such as "The Daily Show" host Jon Stewart, comedian Tig Notaro, actors Ryan Reynolds, Paul Rudd and Bryan Cranston, longtime friend and comedy star Tim Meadows, and astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson.

"I didn't think my show would end like this, but still grateful," Colbert told Stewart.

Fellow late-night hosts Jimmy Kimmel, Jimmy Fallon, Seth Meyers and John Oliver also joined Colbert on Thursday. 

"We came to say we're gonna miss you. Late night is not gonna be the same without you," Kimmel said. In recognition of Colbert's final show, Kimmel and Fallon both aired reruns in their time slot on Thursday.

Before the show, it was speculated that Pope Leo XIV might be Colbert's final guest, and Colbert jokingly tried to introduce him before a cast member said Leo refused to come out of his dressing room.

The show's actual final guest was none other than Paul McCartney.  

McCartney performed on the same stage at the Ed Sullivan Theater with The Beatles during their American television debut on Feb. 9, 1964. He was a guest on the show in 2019 and in 2009, when David Letterman was still the host. 

The show also featured Elvis Costello and Jon Batiste performing Costello's "Jump Up." Batiste's return to the Ed Sullivan Theater as a musical guest comes after he was the bandleader and musical director for "The Late Show" from 2015 until 2022.

In the final moments of Thursday's finale, McCartney closed out the show with a performance of "Hello, Goodbye," as Colbert, Batiste and Costello joined in and staff members filled the stage.

In the days counting down to the franchise finale, a steady stream of star guests had appeared on the show, including actors Tom Hanks and Billy Crystal, director Steven Spielberg, Letterman, who premiered the show in 1993, and Bruce Springsteen.

CBS announced back in July that it would end "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert" and retire "The Late Show" franchise at the end of this season. The company said it was "purely a financial decision against a challenging backdrop in late night."

That explanation was met with skepticism from some viewers and media critics, who questioned whether political motives were involved, given Colbert's outspoken criticism of President Trump.

It didn't take the president long to weigh in on the finale. Shortly before 2 a.m. Eastern Time, Mr. Trump posted on his Truth Social platform: "Colbert is finally finished at CBS. Amazing that he lasted so long! No talent, no ratings, no life. He was like a dead person. You could take any person off of the street and they would be better than this total jerk. Thank goodness he's finally gone!"

Colbert took a jab at the network during the show Thursday night when his band played "Linus and Lucy," the theme song from the "Peanuts" television special, as part of a bit about a copyright infringement lawsuit.

"Is the band right now playing the same music I said people are being sued for, for using without permission? ... Oh no, I hope this doesn't cost CBS any money," Colbert quipped.

Colbert, 62, took over as host of "The Late Show" in September 2015 after Letterman retired from the role he'd held for 22 years.

The entire set of "The Late Show" is being donated to the Museum of Broadcast Communications in Chicago, a city where Colbert has deep roots. Colbert attended Northwestern University and performed in Chicago with the famous Second City improv troupe at the beginning of his comedy career. 

"The Late Show with Stephen Colbert" had been the No. 1 late-night program for nine consecutive seasons, CBS said last year. In September, it won the Emmy for outstanding talk series and received a standing ovation from the Emmys crowd.

CBS announced last month that Byron Allen's "Comics Unleashed" will replace Colbert's show in the 11:35 p.m. ET time slot.

The Wounded Warrior Project gathered nearly 40 veterans and their families Thursday to pick up trash along the Beltline as part of a nationwide Day of Service initiative taking place across the country.  

"Coming out, cleaning up a little bit of trash, spending time with each other, letting community members know we're here — this is really special to us," said Wil Williamson, vice president of connection at the Wounded Warrior Project.  

The organization works to connect veterans and service members with resources and support systems designed to improve their wellbeing.  

"Injured, illness or wound — it could be physical, it could be invisible wounds of war," Army veteran Dimitria Dunn said.  

Dunn said one of the most meaningful parts of the event was spending time with fellow veterans.

"I might not know your name, I might not have seen you before, but you're my battle buddy, so we have something in common," Dunn said.  

Army veteran Keyra Ezell drove from Newnan to participate in the cleanup effort. She said serving others remains second nature for many veterans.

"As a service member, you already had that life of service, so it comes natural to us to want to help, to want to give," Ezell said. "We just enjoy doing it."  

Ezell also described the instant bond veterans often share with one another.

"You already have that commonality. You don't have to break the ice — it's already broken," she said. "It's authentic, it's natural."  

"It fills my cup up," Dunn added. "It makes me so happy being around them."  

The Wounded Warrior Project said similar service events are taking place in several states, as well as in Puerto Rico and Germany, leading up to Memorial Day weekend.  

For now, however, such sentiments have yet to quash consumer spending, the critical flow of dollars that keeps the economy humming. What gives?

Walmart's latest financial results illustrate the pattern, with the world's largest retailer on Thursday reporting another quarter of strong sales growth. The company's low prices are drawing shoppers across the income spectrum who are spending more on essentials, particularly gas. Other retailers have also recently reported strong results, including Home Depot, Target and TJ Maxx owner TJX.

Retail sales nationwide slowed in April from the previous month but remained healthy, showing resilience despite the surge in prices at the pump driven by the Iran war. 

But higher gas prices are adding up: The typical U.S. household is paying an additional $188 in fuel costs since the start of the war in late February, according to an estimate by Brown University researchers. Inflation, meanwhile, reached 3.8% in April, its highest level in almost three years.

The disconnect between gloomy consumers and resilient spending matters because consumer spending drives about two-thirds of U.S. economic activity. For now, spending is holding up mostly because wealthier households are continuing to open their pocketbooks and because of temporary supports, such as larger tax refunds.

Economists warn that the picture could change quickly if gas prices stay elevated.

"At present, there are a lot of negative vibes about the economy and its trajectory that are making people feel gloomy. However, the reality is that most consumers do have some firepower to keep on spending," Neil Saunders, an analyst and managing director of retail at GlobalData, told CBS News. 

And while gauges of consumer confidence have weakened, these measures reflect people's willingness to spend more than their ability to spend, he noted. 

Many households are also holding up, and continuing to spend, thanks in part to larger tax refunds this spring. IRS data shows the average refund is about 12% higher than last year, with the typical refund for the 2026 tax season at $3,276.

"This is a temporary effect, but it has been helpful," Saunders said. 

Why high-income shoppers matter

Although Americans continue to shop, the distribution of spending could point to trouble ahead. Data shows that consumer spending these days is increasingly driven by higher-income earners. 

Economists have termed this trend the "K-shaped economy," which refers to the divergent fortunes of wealthier consumers compared with lower-income households. The upward arm of the "K" represents the strong spending and income growth among upper-income Americans. 

On the downside of the K, many households of modest means face difficult tradeoffs amid rising gas prices and stubborn inflation, according to economists. In April, higher-income consumers "continued to power forward," while lower- and middle-income consumers pulled back on discretionary spending, Bank of America Institute said in a recent analysis of spending data.

"The largest divergences in discretionary spending growth appeared to be on 'bigger ticket' services like travel, perhaps reflecting lower-income households' hesitancy around vacation plans, given uncertainty over wage growth and gas prices," Bank of America Institute analysts wrote.

Many higher-income consumers are also shopping at discount retailers. Walmart Chief Financial Officer, John David Rainey, said in an earnings call on Thursday that "the high-income customer is spending with confidence into many categories, while the lower-income consumer is more budget conscious and perhaps navigating financial distress."

Other signals point to an increase in financial strains affecting millions of households. More consumers earning under $150,000 are turning to "buy now, pay later" loans, according to Michael Gunther, the senior vice president of research and market intelligence at research company Consumer Edge.

About 22% of people aged 25 to 34 relied on these installment loans in the first quarter, up 2 percentage points from last year, his research shows.

A record share of Americans are unable to pay off their monthly credit card bills, according to a March joint report from The Century Foundation, a left-leaning think tank, and the advocacy group Protect Borrowers. Roughly 111 million people, or half of Americans with a credit card, carry credit card debt, the report found. 

And enrollment in Affordable Care Act health insurance plans continues to fall as some customers struggle to afford monthly premiums after lawmakers failed to renew subsidies that had helped defray costs. 

Roughly 21% of people using the federal ACA marketplace, which operates across 30 states, failed to pay their share of January premiums. 

Can consumers keep up?

The question is whether consumers can keep opening their wallets if gas prices remain elevated, and what happens if higher energy prices trickle through to other goods and services, such as groceries. Heightening the challenge for Americans is that wages failed to keep pace with inflation in April, a trend that could weaken their purchasing power if it persists.

"We will start to see some cracks appear if gas prices remain too high for too long," Saunders said. "Over recent months, the impact has been offset by a windfall from higher tax refunds, but this will eventually fade."

But he added that consumers have complex coping mechanisms, meaning some might opt to cut back on travel to save on gas rather than curtail spending on other goods and services. 

Higher gas prices can also lift retail sales because fuel purchases are included in the data, meaning rising gas costs can inflate topline sales figures, Saunders noted.

"Lower sentiment shows up in many ways, including changing where people shop and how they shop, even if they are still spending," Saunders said.

—With reporting by Maya Blackstone.

In the days counting down to the franchise finale, a stream of prominent guests and fellow late-night hosts took their place in the seat beside Colbert to share stories, laughs and some emotional moments. 

Actor Tom Hanks gifted him a typewriter. "The Daily Show" host Jon Stewart brought something to help him relax: two massage chairs and a surprise serenade from Andra Day. 

Colbert and David Letterman, the show's host when it debuted in 1993, hurled furniture from the set off the roof of the theater — a nod to one of Letterman's classic stunts, accompanied by some choice words for the corporate bosses.

"You folks wouldn't be in the theater if it weren't for me, and Stephen wouldn't be here if it weren't for me, and we rebuilt this theater, and then Stephen came in and look at this, it's like the Bellagio," Letterman said on the show last week. "As we all understand, you can take a man's show, you can't take a man's voice." 

David Byrne joined the show on Tuesday and he and Colbert, in matching blue suits, performed the Talking Heads classic "Burning Down the House." 

Bruce Springsteen, in the midst of his "Land of Hope and Dreams" tour, made a guest appearance on Wednesday.

The guests for Thursday's finale were not revealed in advance.

CBS announced back in July that it would end "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert" and retire "The Late Show" franchise at the end of this season. The company said it was "purely a financial decision against a challenging backdrop in late night."

That explanation was met with skepticism from some viewers and media critics who suspected political motives, as Colbert has been an outspoken critic of President Trump.

"You have maintained such grace through this process," Stewart said on the show this week. Fellow late-night host Jimmy Fallon, of NBC's "Tonight Show," said,"I think it's odd the way it ended for you. And it's a bummer because I wanted to do this longer with you."

Last week, Colbert was joined by a lineup of Fallon, Jimmy Kimmel, Seth Meyers and John Oliver — a reunion of "Strike Force Five," the podcast the five hosts created when their shows went off the air during the Writers Guild and SAG-AFTRA strikes in 2023. 

"You guys have been wonderful friends and great models for me, and I'm so glad to know and love all of you," Colbert told them.

In recognition of Colbert's final show, Kimmel and Fallon both planned to air reruns on Thursday.

Colbert, who is 62, took over as host of "The Late Show" in September 2015 after Letterman retired from the role he'd held for 22 years.

Before "The Late Show," Colbert spent nine years hosting "The Colbert Report" on Comedy Central and had been a fan-favorite correspondent on "The Daily Show" under Stewart.

Colbert developed his own distinctive style behind the desk at the Ed Sullivan Theater, balancing humor, political satire and thoughtful interviews. 

Back when the franchise first launched, Letterman told "CBS This Morning," "It's me in a suit with peculiar-looking hair, depending on the humidity, and we just try to do an amusing, silly, entertaining show." After Colbert took over, "The Late Show" became more known for its political bent and commentary on current events. 

Along with its celebrities and musical guests, the show gave viewers a more personal look at Colbert himself, who was also known to weave his devout Catholic faith into his monologues and interviews, even saying he wanted Pope Leo XIV to be a guest on the show before it ended.

"The Late Show with Stephen Colbert" had been the No. 1 program in late night for nine consecutive seasons, CBS said last year. In September, it won the Emmy for outstanding talk series and received a standing ovation from the Emmys crowd.

"I want to thank CBS for giving us the privilege to be part of the late-night tradition, which I hope continues long after we're no longer doing this show," Colbert said in accepting the award.

CBS announced last month that Byron Allen's "Comics Unleashed" will replace Colbert's show in the 11:35 p.m. ET time slot.

Allen told "CBS Mornings" Wednesday that the cancellation of "The Late Show" was a "very unfortunate event" and said he will try to hold onto the late-night audience.

"I love Stephen Colbert. I'm a big fan," Allen said.

When Colbert came on stage and broke the news of the show's cancellation to his audience last summer, he said, "I've had the pleasure and the responsibility of sharing what we do every day with you in front of this camera for the last 10 years."

"It is a fantastic job. I wish somebody else was getting it," he said.

More recently, Colbert told People magazine in an interview that he tried to "never take for granted filming in the Ed Sullivan Broadway theater, having that tremendous audience or having the ability to work with the funniest people I know every day and make jokes about the things that make me most anxious." 

"You can't do this forever. … Who knows, maybe CBS saved my life," Colbert told People. "Because it takes a lot of bone marrow to do the show every day, and now I'll be stepping down with enough time, enough energy to do other things that I want to do."

After the final episode, the set where he held forth for more than a decade will be donated to the Museum of Broadcast Communications in Chicago.

Celebrity guests have been reflecting on what the show's ending means to them, with Hanks saying, "I don't know how the entertainment industrial complex is going to survive without you." 

"Thank you so much for holding the space for laughter," Oprah Winfrey told Colbert before turning to the crowd during an episode last month. "Has he not held the space for laughter for us in our lives and been there for us?" 

Watch "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert" at 11:35 p.m. ET/PT on CBS television stations or stream on Paramount+.

NOAA is predicting a below-average season this year, with eight to 14 named storms. Of them, three to six are expected to become hurricanes, including one to three major hurricanes of Category 3 strength or higher, agency officials announced Thursday.

They stressed that a below-average forecast should not keep people in hurricane-prone areas from taking it seriously and getting prepared.

"Even though we're expecting a below-average season in the Atlantic, it's very important to understand that it only takes one," said NOAA administrator Neil Jacobs. "We have had Category 5 storms make landfall in the past during below average seasons."

Jacobs and National Weather Service director Ken Graham praised technological advancements that, they said, will take storm preparedness to the next level.

"We've never been as prepared for hurricane season as we are now," said Graham. NOAA encompasses the Weather Service, which directly handles hurricane forecasts.

NOAA estimates there's currently a 55% chance that activity during hurricane season will be below-normal, a 35% chance it will be near-normal, and a 10% chance it will be above-normal, Jacobs added.

A storm receives a name if its maximum sustained wind speeds reach at least 39 mph, and it becomes a hurricane if those winds climb to 74 mph. Hurricanes are classified as "major" when they reach wind speeds of at least 111 mph. That strength places them in Category 3 or higher on the Saffir-Simpson Scale used to rate storm intensity.

The Atlantic hurricane season runs through Nov. 30, with activity typically peaking between August and October. That window tends to see the greatest number of storms develop, and a season's most intense storms often develop in those months, too.

NOAA's outlook will be updated several times throughout the summer to reflect any changes in the forecast over time.

How accurate was NOAA's 2025 hurricane forecast?

NOAA's hurricane predictions are generally fairly accurate, although not always exact. 

The agency's 2025 outlook originally predicted last year's hurricane season would include 13 to 19 named storms, six to 10 hurricanes and three to five major hurricanes. The forecast was adjusted slightly downward in August to predict 13 to 18 named storms, five to nine hurricanes and two to five major hurricanes. 

In the end, there were 13 named storms overall in 2025, including five hurricanes, four of which were major. 

That was a bit quieter than an average season, which has 14 named storms, seven hurricanes and three major hurricanes.

Impact of El Niño on 2026 hurricane season

The upcoming hurricane season may be influenced by the transition into El Niño, an oscillating climate pattern that affects weather conditions in the United States and has historically been associated with fewer Atlantic storms. 

However, as CBS News meteorologist Nikki Nolan wrote in a recent El Niño forecast, its emergence "does not necessarily mean that we won't see any Atlantic hurricane systems — just statistically, there may be less than average."

On the West Coast, the effect goes in the other direction: the warmer Pacific waters in an El Niño help enable tropical storms and hurricanes in the Pacific to develop and stay fully structured vertically. 

NOAA's Climate Prediction Center said last week that there's at least an 82% chance El Niño will arrive by July. Scientists are still monitoring conditions that will help them determine how strong it will be.

NOAA's 2026 outlook is being released about six weeks after another major hurricane forecast from Colorado State University's Tropical Cyclones, Radar, Atmospheric Modeling and Software Team. The CSU forecast predicted slightly less activity than usual in the Atlantic basin this year, with researchers estimating that the upcoming season would see 13 named storms, including six hurricanes and two major hurricanes. Like NOAA, they will release updated forecasts periodically in the coming months.

2026 Atlantic hurricane season storm names

Every year, the World Meteorological Organization preemptively compiles a list of names that will be assigned to tropical storms and hurricanes that develop during the upcoming Atlantic season. The roster includes 21 names, each starting with a different letter of the alphabet. If more than 21 storms form in a single year, which happens occasionally, then a supplemental list of names will also be used.

Here's the main list of names for 2026:

• Arthur
• Bertha
• Cristobal
• Dolly
• Edouard
• Fay
• Gonzalo
• Hanna
• Isaias
• Josephine
• Kyle
• Leah
• Marco
• Nana
• Omar
• Paulette
• Rene
• Sally
• Teddy
• Vicky
• Wilfred