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"On Assignment" May 15th

'The Terrorist Next Door' The 'Last Best Place on Earth' and 'Finally Phelps.'

Sunday, May 15th, "On Assignment"...

You can see the full Sunday, May 15th 'On Assignment' report here.

The Terrorist Next Door

NBC News' Richard Engel interviews Abu Mohammed, who says he stole the ISIS files from a senior commander
NBC News' Richard Engel interviews Abu Mohammed, who says he stole the ISIS files from a senior commanderNBC News

Richard Engel tracks down the identities of Americans who left their country to fight for ISIS. Among thousands of documents obtained from a Syrian who claims to be an ISIS defector, NBC News found 15 names of Americans. For the last month, Richard Engel traveled across the country to find out why anyone would leave the U.S. to fight for one of its most dangerous enemies.

The Last Best Place on Earth

Harry Smith diving in the Palmyra Atoll waters.
Harry Smith diving in the Palmyra Atoll waters.

Harry Smith takes us to a Pacific island so protected and pristine that TV news cameras have never been there and so fragile that he and his team had to rid their clothes of invasive microbes by sealing and freezing them before setting foot on its shores. It’s called Palmyra, it’s in the Pacific a thousand miles from Hawaii. It's is a living laboratory that showcases how life blossoms when man’s influence is kept at bay.

Finally Phelps

Michael Phelps and Matt Lauer after their interview for 'On Assignment' and the TODAY Show. Matt first interviewed Phelps for the 2004 Athens Olympic Games where the decorated swimming won six gold medals.
Michael Phelps and Matt Lauer after their interview for 'On Assignment' and the TODAY Show. Matt first interviewed Phelps for the 2004 Athens Olympic Games where the decorated swimming won six gold medals.NBC News

Michael Phelps opens up to Matt Lauer in an exclusive, candid interview about his family, DUI, rehab stay and the road to Rio. Phelps, who recently became a father, talks to Lauer about the challenges in his home growing up: “I was a kid that always wanted a family. You know, whether we’re, whether our parents are together or not, I still wanted a mom and dad. And I never had that for so long.”