On February 3, US President Trump responded to a question about the disappearance of the mother of NBC “Today” show co-host Savannah Guthrie with deep concern.
During an Q&A session in the Oval Office, a reporter asked President Trump about the incident, to which he replied, “This is terrible!” Trump expressed his shock at the situation and stated that he would reach out to Savannah Guthrie later to offer support. He described the situation as unusual and emphasized the need for a thorough investigation.
Savannah Guthrie’s mother, 84-year-old Nancy Guthrie, was last seen around 9:45 p.m. on January 31 at her home in the Catalina Foothills community in northern Tucson, Arizona. Authorities revealed that Nancy Guthrie, who was supposed to host the Winter Olympics in Milan this week, has canceled all her commitments to focus on handling her mother’s disappearance. Through NBC, she released a statement thanking everyone for their concern and urging anyone with information to come forward.
According to the Pima County Sheriff’s Department, they received a report around noon on Sunday, February 1. Sheriff Chris Nanos stated at a press conference on Monday that Nancy Guthrie has a medical condition requiring daily medication, which if missed for 24 hours could be life-threatening.
Law enforcement confirmed on Monday that blood traces were found outside Nancy Guthrie’s residence, indicating a possible crime scene. Investigators suspect that Nancy Guthrie was forcefully taken from her home, leading them to consider the case as a potential kidnapping or abduction.
The FBI is assisting the Pima County Sheriff’s Department in the investigation, conducting door-to-door interviews, collecting doorbell and surveillance footage, and searching for suspicious vehicles. The search operation involves helicopters, infrared drones, search dogs, and volunteer teams. Due to the proximity to the Mexican border, Customs and Border Protection also joined in the effort. Neighbors reported unusual police presence and helicopter activity on the night of February 1.
President Trump mentioned on Tuesday that he is considering deploying additional federal agents to assist Arizona law enforcement in the search efforts. Despite past confrontations, he emphasized maintaining a cordial relationship with Savannah Guthrie, emphasizing that they have interacted well in the past.
During a televised event in October 2020 at the Miami City Hall, Savannah Guthrie had questioned Trump’s handling of the COVID-19 pandemic and his promotion of conspiracy theories, likening him to someone’s “crazy uncle.” She had also challenged him on retweeting doubts about Osama bin Laden’s death online.
Authorities confirmed on Tuesday that reports of ransom letters had been brought to their attention. The Pima County Sheriff’s Office noted in an afternoon statement that information about ransom requests in Nancy Guthrie’s case would be directly relayed to detectives, who are coordinating with the FBI in the investigation.
Media outlets TMZ and KOLD 13 News reported receiving unconfirmed ransom letters demanding payment for Nancy Guthrie’s release. TMZ disclosed receiving a ransom request in cryptocurrency, specifically in bitcoins, with instructions and undisclosed details about her disappearance, including a deadline.
It remains unclear if the ransom letters received by TMZ and KOLD are related.