Why the UAE Quit OPEC; Florida Enters the Redistricting Fight

Summary

PODCAST SUMMARY
Here's the Scoop – NBC News
Episode: "Why the UAE Quit OPEC; Florida Enters the Redistricting Fight"
Date: April 28, 2026
Host: Savannah Sellers (filling in for Yasmin Vossoughian)

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Episode Overview

This episode tackles two consequential stories at the intersection of global politics and domestic policy. First, it examines the United Arab Emirates’ (UAE) shock decision to withdraw from the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), discussing its motivations and the potential impact on global and US gas prices, especially as the US-Iran war keeps the Strait of Hormuz closed. Second, the show explores Governor Ron DeSantis’ aggressive push to redraw Florida’s congressional map and the implications for the national political balance. The episode also rounds up headlines from King Charles addressing Congress to developments in the Elon Musk–Sam Altman legal feud and Taylor Swift’s new AI trademarking efforts.

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Segment 1: UAE’s Exit from OPEC & the Global Oil Shock

(00:00–09:35)

Key Discussion Points

• Background on OPEC
  Christine Romans outlines OPEC’s typical role as a "shock absorber on energy prices," acting collectively to stabilize the market due to swings in global supply and demand.

  “They decide together as a big committee, we’re going to raise production together to try to dampen energy prices or… cut production together so that we can see stabilize energy prices…” (Christine Romans, 01:36)

• UAE's Reasons for Withdrawing

  • Has invested heavily in modernizing its energy infrastructure.
  • Seeks autonomy to determine its own production levels, unconstrained by collective OPEC agreements.
  • Complex geopolitical backdrop: Iran, also an OPEC member, has targeted UAE energy infrastructure amid ongoing regional conflict.

  “It gives it some more flexibility. There’s a lot being made... that it is in a Club until May 1st… where one of the members of the club is dropping drones and missiles on its energy infrastructure.” (Christine Romans, 02:45)

• Potential Impact on Oil Markets

  • In theory, UAE could supply more oil, which would help lower prices for US consumers (gas, airline tickets), but…
  • The Strait of Hormuz remains closed due to war, severely limiting export options.

  “It’s not good news if you can’t get the oil to the market… the real problem at the moment is the Strait of Hormuz, which remains essentially closed.” (Christine Romans, 03:58)

  • Countries like UAE and Saudi Arabia may seek land export routes, but those are slower and less efficient than the Strait.

• Damage from Conflict

  • Iran's targeting of Gulf neighbors has damaged infrastructure, mystifying geopolitical analysts and possibly pushing countries further toward the US.

  “They couldn’t understand why Iran would start firing on its neighbors when it had been attacked… by the US and by Israel. There are those who say this is a desperate Iran…” (Christine Romans, 05:24)

• Rarity and Significance of Exits

  • It’s highly unusual for a country to leave OPEC, hence the shock and extensive coverage.
  • Energy experts anticipated the UAE’s move due to long-term signs of its desire for autonomy.

• Implications for OPEC’s Power

  • Loss of UAE significantly weakens OPEC’s influence.
  • Uncertainty remains about whether any other countries will follow suit.

• Immediate Consumer Effects

  • UAE’s move could eventually help lower prices by increasing supply.
  • Unfortunately, current turmoil means prices are spiking:
    • US crude above $100/barrel
    • Gas prices surged: “Nationwide average right now just hit $4.18 a gallon, highest this year.” (Savannah Sellers, 08:49)
  • International Energy Agency labels this "the biggest energy shock of the last hundred years." (Christine Romans, 08:53)

Notable Quotes & Moments

• On OPEC’s power and UAE exit:

  "This is why this was such a shock and why it is getting so much news." (Christine Romans, 06:24)

• On US consumer impact:

  "What that means is... after relief last week in gas prices, gas prices are moving up quickly. I think they've moved up 16 cents in a up another 6 or 7 cents last night." (Christine Romans, 08:29)

• Headline of intensity:

  “It is the biggest energy shock certainly of my lifetime… the biggest energy shock of the last hundred years.” (Christine Romans, 08:53)

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Segment 2: The Florida Redistricting Battle

(11:09–19:46)

Key Discussion Points

• Context & Motivations

  • Florida Legislature is considering a special session for redistricting, prompted by Governor DeSantis’ new map aimed at "creating four new Republican-leaning districts." (Savannah Sellers, 11:09)
  • The map rollout was overtly partisan, with DeSantis announcing it on FOX News.
  • Despite Florida already overwhelmingly Republican in its Congressional delegation (20 GOP, 8 Democrats), the proposed map would shift it to 24 Republicans, 4 Democrats.

• Legal Challenges and Criticism

  • Florida’s constitution contains "anti-gerrymandering" language prohibiting partisan intent in mapmaking ("fair districts").
  • Even some Republicans are uneasy, fearing the transparent partisanship and constitutional risks.
  • DeSantis appears to be positioning for a legal challenge, possibly aiming to overturn the fair districts language at Florida’s Supreme Court.

• DeSantis' Public Reasoning

  • Claims Florida was undercounted in the last census, so maps don’t reflect true population.
  • Public messaging avoids open endorsement of partisan gerrymandering due to constitutional constraints.

• Potential Backfire for the GOP

  • Some districts’ Republican margins would be diluted, giving Democrats a better shot in future cycles.
  • Noted GOP nervousness in Tampa and Miami, where districts become less solidly Republican.

  “There is certainly a lot of heartburn among Republicans in regions of the state about the midterms, and if they're gonna be able to keep their seats.” (Matt Dixon, 16:07)

• Timeline & Legal Risks

  • DeSantis’ team says there’s time for these maps to affect the coming midterms.
  • Legal challenges expected; courts could freeze the process, but GOP confident statutory deadlines can be met.

• National Context

  • Florida is now the 8th state engaging in mid-decade ("off-schedule") redistricting, a trend that began in Texas.
  • Both parties have engaged: After GOP’s push, Democrats responded in states like Virginia and California.
  • Net effect so far: close to a wash, little overall advantage for either party.

  “At the end of the day, it looks like it's going to be kind of a push. One party or the other may pick up a few seats... but there's going to be no major pickup…” (Matt Dixon, 18:15)

Notable Quotes & Moments

• On partisan optics:

  "DeSantis has gotten a little bit of heat for how he rolled it out, sort of the partisan lens through which he views it..." (Matt Dixon, 12:24)

• On long-term consequences for GOP:

  “In a cycle where… Democrats flip seats that were held by Republicans, the atmospherics don’t appear to be very good for Republicans right now.” (Matt Dixon, 16:07)

• On national trends:

  “…We’ve gone through six months or whatever it has been of these conversations about redistricting. And at the end of the day, it looks like it’s going to be kind of a push... probably not mattered all that much.” (Matt Dixon, 18:15)

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Segment 3: Rapid-Fire Headlines

(21:04–25:13)

FCC and Disney License Renewals

• FCC orders Disney’s eight owned stations to apply for early license renewals amid an investigation into diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) practices.
• Accelerated after Jimmy Kimmel’s controversial joke about Melania Trump. (21:04)

James Comey Indictment

• Former FBI Director James Comey indicted by NC grand jury over a seashell Instagram post, alleged to symbolically threaten President Trump. Previous related case was dismissed due to improper prosecution. (21:19)

King Charles Addresses Congress

• King Charles gives a joint address aiming to reaffirm US-UK relations despite recent strains.

  “Ours is a partnership born out of dispute, but no less strong for it...” (King Charles, quoted by Savannah Sellers, 23:31)

Elon Musk vs. OpenAI in Court

• Musk testifies in a legal battle against OpenAI’s Sam Altman, arguing Altman "plundered" the nonprofit by turning it into a for-profit entity.
• Musk's legal commentary in court is challenged; judge tells jury to weigh such remarks cautiously. (24:31)

Taylor Swift and AI Deepfakes

• Taylor Swift files trademarks to protect her image and voice against AI misuse, an unusual, potentially precedent-setting move.
• Other celebrities join as deepfakes become more common. (25:13)

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Timestamps for Critical Segments

• OPEC explainer / UAE’s withdrawal: 01:36–03:48
• Implications for oil markets: 03:58–05:06
• Iran’s attacks & regional impact: 05:24–06:21
• OPEC’s weakened power: 07:11–07:59
• Energy market turmoil, US consumer prices: 07:59–09:32
• Florida redistricting background: 11:09–13:26
• Legal & political risks for DeSantis’ map: 13:45–17:10
• National redistricting landscape: 17:55–19:42
• FCC, Disney, and Kimmel controversy: 21:04–22:30
• James Comey indictment: 22:31–22:51
• King Charles’ Congress address: 23:31–23:52
• Elon Musk–OpenAI legal battle: 24:31–25:13
• Taylor Swift trademarks & AI: 25:13–end

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Notable Quotes

• "It is the biggest energy shock of my lifetime. And the International Energy Agency says it is the biggest energy shock of the last hundred years."
  — Christine Romans (08:53)

• "The criticism is that it’s… at odds with that fair district language which was passed by voters… DeSantis... is making the case that fair districts are themselves unconstitutional."
  — Matt Dixon (13:45)

• "At the end of the day, it looks like it’s going to be kind of a push. One party or the other may pick up a few seats here or there, but there’s going to be no… major pickup for either political party."
  — Matt Dixon (18:15)

• “Ours is a partnership born out of dispute, but no less strong for it.”
  — King Charles (23:31, via Savannah Sellers)

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Episode Tone and Takeaways

The episode is quick-paced, clear, and accessible, breaking down complex energy geopolitics and arcane legal battles over redistricting. The tone is conversational but informative, with experts providing context and analysis on deeply impactful stories. The major themes are the interconnectedness of global crises and their direct effects on everyday Americans, as well as the high-stakes chess game of US electoral politics.

Listeners come away understanding why the UAE’s OPEC exit is seismic news, how domestic political maps shape future Congressional control, and how even pop culture overlaps with the headlines—from royal diplomacy to AI celebrity protection.

Transcript

[Christine Romans]

Opec. It is a pretty powerful group of nations that have their own kind of political infrastructure. This is why this was such a shock.

[Savannah Sellers]

Hey, everybody. And welcome to here's the scoop from NBC News. I'm Savannah Sellers filling in for Yasmin Vasugian. Today on the show, the United Arab Emirates is quitting opec. That's the group that coordinates oil output from some of the world's leading producers. With all the uncertainty in the Strait of Hormuz, could the UAE's exit affect gas prices here at home? Plus, Florida has jumped into the redistricting fight. How Governor Ron DeSantis new map could impact Republicans hold on Congress. But first, we're now two months into the US War with Iran and negotiations are at a standstill. The Strait of Hormuz remains shut. US crude oil just jumped to over $100 a barrel for the first time in weeks. And now another jolt to the energy sector. The United Arab Emirates says it's withdrawing from the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries OPEC in just a matter of days. The UAE is OPEC's third largest oil producer and OPEC produces four out of every ten barrels of oil in the world. So how will this shakeup in the energy industry impact the global market? And could it spell relief for US Consumers when it comes to airline tickets or gas prices? We're joined now by NBC News chief business correspondent Christine Romans. Hi, Christine.

[Christine Romans]

Hi.

[Savannah Sellers]

Thank you for being first. Let's just start with an OPEC and by the way, an OPEC explainer.

[Christine Romans]

Okay. It's a group of oil producers who work together as kind of a shock absorber on energy prices. So they decide, for example, together as a big committee, we're going to raise production together to try to dampen energy prices or energy prices are falling. We're going to cut production together so that we can see stabilize energy prices so that producers are still making money. And when energy prices are too high, that can actually cause global recessions, something nobody wants. So they'll trim or they'll change their production when energy prices are too high or too low to try to kind of smooth out the volatility. And this is a tried and true decades long alliance of producers. And sometimes it comes under criticism. Sometimes, you know, people, presidents and prime ministers get angry because they think it has too much power over energy prices. But it has been a bit of a stabilizer overall in the global economy.

[Savannah Sellers]

So the United Arab Emirates has been a member since 1971. Why would they leave now?

[Christine Romans]

So UAE has been investing A lot in its own capacity and infrastructure. And it has been modernizing and really building out its own energy production. And the country is not really explaining. It's a little vague on the reasons why it's doing this now, but a lot of the people who watch this space say they want to have more autonomy in deciding what's best for the UAE for its own production. It is a huge producer. It wants to be able to produce more and not be bound by the agreements that a bunch of other countries are making. Right. So it just gives it some more flexibility. There's a lot being made of the fact that it is in a Club until May 1st. It's. It is in this OPEC club where one of the members of the club is dropping drones and missiles on its energy infrastructure. So there's that backdrop here. This is a fracturing Middle east with a hot war happening and damage happening to UAE infrastructure by a partner, Iran. So there's that very complicated backstory there as well.

[Savannah Sellers]

So it sounds like this sort of is going to allow the UAE to do what it wants with its oil production rather than be bound by agreements within this club, is that right?

[Christine Romans]

And we assume it means the UAE wants to pump more oil. And that is longer term, probably good news for American airline passengers, for American car drivers, for people who want to see energy prices decline. However, it's not good news if you can't get the oil to the market. And the real problem at the moment is the Strait of Hormuz, which remains essentially closed. There are some ships that are getting through here and there, but it is essentially closed. So if you can't get the oil out to the global market, it doesn't help in the very immediate near term.

[Savannah Sellers]

And it seems though the UAE has some options there, right? When it comes to being able to essentially export it by going across their own country out the other way.

[Christine Romans]

It's true, there are. And I think the longer the Strait of Hormuz is closed, more countries, including Saudi Arabia and others, are going to be finding land passes, different ways that they're going to be able to move their supply. The reason why the Strait of Hormuz is so important, because there's no other way to move it that is just as efficient and quick and effective as shipping it through that narrow 21 mile wide strait.

[Savannah Sellers]

Christine, you mention this fellow member of the club being Iran and the bombings that we've seen happen, the way that they have targeted Middle east infrastructure, what has that meant for the UAE's oil producing mechanisms within the country has it taken a hit?

[Christine Romans]

There have been damage to several different countries and facilities. Right. Something that really perplexed Petro geopolitical watchers from the very beginning. They couldn't understand why Iran was targeting its neighbors who were partners in energy production. They couldn't understand why Iran would start firing on its neighbors when it had been attacked essentially from outside by the US and by Israel. So there are those who say this is a desperate Iran that has been, you know, painted, backed into a corner. And this shows just how much damage has been done to Iran's power structure. And it just moves to maybe drive some of these Gulf partners more to the United States, less toward, you know, Iran being the big power player in the region and Saudi Arabia. But it just means that maybe there's this drift that will be good for the United States because Iran is, is harassing its neighbors.

[Savannah Sellers]

Can countries come and go from OPEC as they please?

[Christine Romans]

You know, it's very rare, actually. I mean, this is kind of a, it's not a country, it's not a state. But when you talk about the cartel that is opec, it is a pretty powerful group of nations that have their own kind of political infrastructure. This is why this was such a shock and why it is getting so much news. Although energy experts will tell you that they've been watching the UAE modernize and invest in its own infrastructure for some time, that it's clear some more autonomy is something that doesn't necessarily shock the energy nerds who've been watching all of these players, but it certainly is, it is big news.

[Savannah Sellers]

What does the UAE leaving OPEC mean for opec?

[Christine Romans]

It means it is a weakened opec. It doesn't have this huge player inside its decision making infrastructure. I don't know if anybody else will leave. I don't know if there'll be any changes in the next one week, one year. What does it mean? Is it an admonishment of Saudi Arabia, which is seen as really the swing producer? Saudi Arabia has a lot of power in that group. Saudi Arabia is the biggest oil producer inside opec, followed by Iraq and then by the uae.

[Savannah Sellers]

Okay, you mentioned consumers. And obviously right now the price that we are feeling trickling down all the way to when you're filling up your car, when you're booking those airline flights right now. I mean, it's just unbearable for a lot of people. This move by the uae. Does this bring down prices? If they're able to put more supply

[Christine Romans]

into the market, it is potentially a positive for consumers, prices and I say potentially because it's one of a bunch of swing factors happening. Strait of Hormuz is still closed. US And Iran are not talking. Israel and Lebanon are having their own talks that are sort of all related. There are a lot of other pain points in the discussion right now that are keeping oil and gas prices high. Oil prices briefly today topped $100 a barrel. The US crude prices, they've been kind of hovering around there. But what that means is after relief last week in gas prices, gas prices are moving up quickly. I think They've moved up 16 cents in a up another 6 or 7 cents last night.

[Savannah Sellers]

Nationwide average right now just hit $4.18 a gallon, highest this year.

[Christine Romans]

That's the highest this year when just a week or so ago we were talking about, oh, wait, maybe sometime this summer. The treasury secretary was saying maybe sometime this summer you're going to have closer to $3 than $4. Suddenly you don't have talks between the US and Iran. You have this announcement from the UAE, which should mean more oil essentially on global markets in coming months. You're not getting it to global customers. And so you still have this. It is the biggest energy shock certainly of my lifetime. And the International Energy Agency says it is the biggest energy shock of the last hundred years.

[Savannah Sellers]

Wow. All right, Christine Romans, thank you for being here to walk us through it.

[Christine Romans]

You're welcome.

[Kate Snow]

All right.

[Savannah Sellers]

We're gonna take a very quick break. When we're back, Florida is the latest state where Republicans are trying to redraw the congressional map of the November elections. But is it constitutional? And could it actually help Democrats? That's next. And hey, while you're waiting, why not take a second to subscribe to our podcast, wherever you're listening. And if you already subscribe, thank you. And don't forget to rate and review us. It really helps. We're back in a moment. Hey, everyone. I'm Dylan Drier, co host of the third hour of TODAY and mom to three wild boys. I've learned a lot in my years as a parent, mostly that I don't have it all figured out yet. And I'm not the only one. This is my new podcast, the Parent Chat. Each week I sit down with someone new for honest conversation and real world advice about parenting.

[Christine Romans]

I am over here just, like winging it.

[Matt Dixon]

Hey, I'm just trying not to screw my own kids up. I'm not giving you advice on how not to screw your ass up.

[Savannah Sellers]

Search the parent chat on YouTube and wherever you get your podcasts.

[Matt Dixon]

Hey, guys. Willie Geist here reminding you to check out the Sunday Sit down podcast. On this week's episode, I get together with Red Hot stand up comedian Nikki Glaser to talk about the long career grind that has brought her to this starring moment hosting the Golden Globes killing at the Tom Brady roast. And now with another hit special on Hulu. You can get our conversation now for free wherever you download your podcasts.

[Savannah Sellers]

And we're back with here's the scoop from NBC News. The battle over control of Congress has made its way to the Sunshine State. Florida's state legislature is holding a of state special session today to consider redrawing the congressional map. Republican Governor Ron DeSantis released the new map on FOX News Monday. It aims to create four new Republican leaning districts. The redistricting push in Florida is happening in the wake of the narrow victory for a Virginia ballot measure last week which could hand Democrats four House seats. But will these new districts actually be in place for the midterms? And why are some GOP members saying the map could help Democrats more than Republicans? Matt Dixon is a senior national politics reporter for NBC News based in Florida, and he joins me now from Florida's Capitol building. Hi, Matt.

[Matt Dixon]

Well, hello. Thanks for having me.

[Savannah Sellers]

Okay. So Matt, as I mentioned, the governor has released his proposed map. He did so on FOX News. It's sort of this sea of red with just four little dots of blue. And what's interesting is this is of course already a Republican state when it comes to the House. 20 Republican representatives in the House in D.C. just eight Democrats. How would redrawing this map increase that even further for Republicans? What does that mean?

[Matt Dixon]

Yeah, the top line takeaway, at least on paper. And obviously on paper it's different than performance. It would be an additional four Republican leaning seats and essentially doing away with four Democratic leaning seats, you know, four seats that are currently held by Democrats. So it would up the Florida delegation to 24 Republicans and just four Democrats, which is a pretty aggressive draw. I think a lot of people anticipated he would Governor DeSantis might have gone for three seats because there's all sorts of legal standards and there's anti gerrymandering language in Florida's constitution that makes the state here a bit different than others as far as what they can and can't do. But he went ahead with a pretty aggressive redraw, leaked it through Fox News as you had mentioned. So from the outset here, DeSantis has gotten a little bit of heat for how he rolled it out, sort of the partisan lens through which he views it, but at the end of the day, it's a Republican led state. Republican led state legislature. The maps are almost certainly going to pass later this week.

[Savannah Sellers]

Matt, in your reporting, you've pointed out he's received some of that heat even from Republicans because of essentially the battle that it's setting up in the way that it goes across that language in the constitution of the state. It's about fair districts. It prohibits partisan intent when creating new maps. What are those criticisms you're hearing?

[Matt Dixon]

Well, the criticism is that it's on its face, I think it's blatantly sort of at odds with that fair district language which was passed by voters here and added to the state constitution. But what DeSantis is doing is I think he would almost acknowledge that his maps are at odds with those. He is making the case. He released a memo yesterday. He's essentially going to make the case that fair districts are themselves unconstitutional. So this map is going to be a vehicle to get to the Florida Supreme Court and essentially be a challenge of the merits on fair districts themselves. And it's sort of been a long running goal for Governor DeSantis. This is his second redistricting map, his second redistricting cycle. And he's always sort of had an aim at going after the fair district's language, which was generally pushed by Democrats and Progressives.

[Savannah Sellers]

What is DeSantis saying about why this map is needed? Why do this redistricting?

[Matt Dixon]

Yeah, so Florida, because of the fair district stuff. We just talked about, the messaging and the conversation about redistricting in Florida has been a bit different. In the seven other states that have done this. It has been an almost open conversation about majorities in the House picking up additional House seats for, you know, so Republicans can sort of pad their slim majority. Democrats keeping up as Republicans, you know, continue to redraw their congressional lines. In Florida, that sort of overt political language hasn't necessarily been used because at least up until now, there was concern about the constitutionality of injecting sort of overt politics into this. So he's talked about it's his belief that Florida was undercounted in the, in the last U.S. census. So, so most of the conversation has been Florida was an undercount. The maps don't reflect the true population of the state. So we have to do this now regardless of what other states are doing. That has been what the governor has focused on pretty heavily since this whole process has started.

[Savannah Sellers]

Matt, I know in your reporting you've said that there's this Other concern among Republicans, maybe they think, okay, great, for now we would get these four additional seats. But does the fact that you essentially break up what was Democratic strong strongholds and therefore sort of dilute some of those Republican strongholds by moving, you know, groups of these Democrats into various districts in the area, does that have a longer term negative impact for the GOP?

[Matt Dixon]

Well, it depends what long term means for a 2026 midterm cycle that appears like it's going to be bad for Republicans. There are definitely incumbent members of Republican, incumbent members of Congress here who are concerned, most notably in the Tampa and the Miami areas. Both of those had some Democratic representation on new maps. They would not. So some of the seats in those regions, the margins have gotten much smaller. If using past political data is your guide performance data, there's still Republican leaning seats, there's still seats that Trump won, but the margin by which Trump won on the new map versus the existing map is much, much smaller. And in a cycle where we have seen across the country so far this year, Democrats flip seats that were held by Republicans, the atmospherics don't appear to be very good for Republicans right now. So in the future, I guess there is a potential Republicans can win some of these seats back should Democrats take them in the midterms. But there is certainly a lot of heartburn among Republicans and regions of the state about the midterms, and if they're gonna be able to keep their seats.

[Savannah Sellers]

What's the timeline on all this, Matt, in terms of how quickly we could see this pass, but then also, how does that impact midterms that are around the corner?

[Matt Dixon]

Yeah, well, certainly the Sans administration is arguing that there's plenty of time for these maps to be the maps for the midterms. There's obviously gonna be legal challenges and whether a court TR this or make the case that while it's under legal challenge, they can't be the maps. That's sort of a process we'll have to watch play out. And based on how the courts react to what Governor DeSantis has done. But certainly it's the position of the governor's office and Republicans here that these should be the maps for the midterms. They think the timelines work, but a lot of those elements are going to kind of play themselves out in court once the maps leave the state Capitol here this week.

[Savannah Sellers]

Matt, let's broaden this out and look at gerrymandering across the country. This whole battle for seats, redrawing maps. This has been in the news a lot lately, recently with Virginia and that being a win for Democrats and also four seats in that particular instance. What are we seeing across the country? How many states is this happening in?

[Matt Dixon]

Florida would be the eighth state to do it. And it's been sort of a redistricting war. The Republicans in the House have a very slim majority. And so the White House came up with this idea of mid decade redistricting, sort of off schedule redistricting. It started in Texas, I guess late last year, and that's a Republican state. And places like, you know, Virginia and California responded. And so far, I guess what's kind of most interesting about it to me is we've gone through six months or whatever it has been of these conversations about redistricting. And at the end of the day, it looks like it's going to be kind of a push. One party or the other may pick up a few seats here or there. It's very close right now. But there's going to be no, no major advantage or certainly no major pickup for either political party because as the White House started to launch this idea of mid decade redistricting, Democrats started to match them. And so even if Florida does implement these maps and let's say if they do pick up four additional seats, let's say they perform for Republicans, it does feel like it's going to be relatively negligible as far as the advantage gained. And if it is a wave cycle like we think it could be, sometimes we see 20, 30 party seats flip. We've certainly seen that in the past, especially in midterms. And at that point, the tradition conversation will have been a lot of fun for political nerds. But ultimately probably not mattered all that much.

[Savannah Sellers]

Matt, thank you.

[Matt Dixon]

Thanks.

[Savannah Sellers]

Coming up, King Charles makes an historic address to Congress. And Elon Musk makes his case in a battle between billionaires. What they said After a quick break, Let's kickstart your wellness journey with the

[Matt Dixon]

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[Kate Snow]

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[Matt Dixon]

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[Kate Snow]

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[Matt Dixon]

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[Kate Snow]

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[Matt Dixon]

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[Kate Snow]

Hi, it's Kate Snow, NBC News anchor, host of the podcast the Drink. This month I'm grabbing a matcha latte with comedian Taylor Tomlinson. The Drink is always about someone's journey to the top, and Taylor's story is remarkable. She tells us all about her unlikely path from performing in churches all the way to headlining her own Netflix specials like her latest Prodigal Daughter. And she opens up about her religious upbringing, what drew her to stand up, and how she she feels when she gets on that stage. Hope you'll listen and follow the drink wherever you get your podcasts this week

[Savannah Sellers]

on Meet the Press. The war with Iran heads into its third month as gas prices spike. Is there any end in sight? Plus, we'll dig into the former FBI director's second indictment and the fallout over another assassination attempt this week on Meet the Press. Listen to the full episode now, wherever you get your podcasts. And we're back with here's the scoop from NBC News. Let's get to some headlines. The Federal Communications Commission has issued an order directing Disney's eight owned and operated television stations to apply for broadcast license renewals two years ahead of schedule. The order says the action is related to an ongoing investigation into Disney's diversity, equity and inclusion practices. But a source with knowledge of the matter told NBC News that the move is was fast tracked after ABC late night host Jimmy Kimmel's comments on an episode of Jimmy Kimmel Live last week in which Kimmel described first lady Melania Trump as a, quote, expectant widow, a joke Kimmel says was about the 23 year age gap between the Trumps. The episode aired two days before a gunman opened fire outside the White House correspondents dinner in D.C. the administration is accusing Kimmel of inciting violence. In a statement, Disney confirmed that it had received the order and said that it was confident that its record demonstrates compliance with FCC rules. A federal grand jury in the Eastern District of North Carolina has indicted former FBI Director James Comey in connection with a photo of seashells he posted on Instagram last May. President Trump and his allies have portrayed the post as a threat to the president's life. The photo showed seashells on a beach arranged to spell out 8647, a PHRA that Comey later said he didn't realize could be associated with violence. 86 is a term commonly used to mean cancel or get rid of. The Trump administration previously indicted Comey on charges alleging he lied to Congress five years ago. That case was dismissed after a judge ruled that the prosecutor behind the original case, a former lawyer for President Donald Trump, was unlawfully appointed. King Charles is now the second ever British monarch to address a joint meeting of Congress. In a speech this afternoon, he sought to smooth over the special relationship between the US and the UK which has been frayed in recent months.

[Christine Romans]

Ours is a partnership born out of

[Savannah Sellers]

dispute, but no less strong for it. So perhaps in this example we can discern that our nations are in fact instinctively like minded, a product of the common democratic legal and social traditions in

[Matt Dixon]

which our governance is rooted.

[Savannah Sellers]

It to this day, the King will continue his first state visit to the US as monarch by stopping at the 911 memorial in New York City on Wednesday. Tesla CEO Elon Musk took the stand in a California courtroom today in a civil trial between him and OpenAI founder Sam Altman. The two billionaires are feuding over Altman's decision to convert Open Air into a for profit enterprise. Musk Co founded OpenAI with Altman as a nonprofit research center in 2015 before leaving and starting a rival AI firm. NBC News tech reporter David Ingram was in the courtroom.

[David Ingram]

Elon Musk began his testimony Tuesday by raising the stakes. He told the jury that if he loses this case, he believes that all nonprofits in the US Are at risk of being plundered the way that he accuses Sam Altman of plundering OpenAI. This drew an immediate objection from the OpenAI legal team who said that Musk is not an attorney and should not be giving this kind of legal advice to the jury. The judge somewhat agreed and said that the jury should give this as much weight as they choose, but noted that again, Musk is not an attorney. Musk then continued into a long description of his business career before talking about the launch of OpenAI in 2015.

[Savannah Sellers]

And finally, hey, it's Taylor. And and that is Taylor. Because when it comes to the threat of AI deepfakes, Taylor Swift is not just going to shake it off. The pop star is filing trademarks to protect her image and voice from being misused by AI. Her application included an image of her wearing one of her signature sparkly bodysuits on stage and two audio clips of her saying her own name. Hey, it's Taylor Swift and you can listen to my new album the Life of a Showgirl on Demand on Amazon Music Unlimited. Now normally, sound trademarks have been used to protect iconic brand sounds like the MGM Lion's Roar, Netflix's Ta Dum or, ahem, NBC's Chimes. And experts say trademarking a celebrity's voice is new and hasn't been tested in court. But other celebrities like Matthew McConaughey and Scarlett Johansson, who have also filed these kinds of claims argue that they're necessary in a world where it's easier than ever to create and share deep fakes. Guess that's just the life of a showgirl. That's going to do it for us here at here's the Scoop from NBC News. I'm Savannah Sellers filling in for Yasmin Vesugian. She'll be back tomorrow with whatever the day may bring. If you like what you heard, subscribe wherever you get your podcasts and you can also subscribe to our daily newsletter, the Inside Scoop. It's a deeper dive on the main stories of the day that comes out every weeknight straight to your inbox. You can sign up up for the Inside Scoop as part of our paid [e-mail]. Not sure if you have the experience to start your dream job. Good news these days it's the skills that count. Udemy can help you get those in demand. Skills Want to be an AI mastermind? Mind learn with us Game Developer. We've got you covered. AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner. We can help you prep. You'll learn from real world experts who love what they do so that you can love what you do. Go to udemy.com for the skills to get you started and get set for your dream job.