Meet the Press NOW — April 20

Summary

Meet the Press NOW – April 20, 2026
Host: Kelly O’Donnell (NBC News)
Main Theme: The ongoing U.S.–Iran conflict, its domestic political impacts for President Trump, economic fallout, and key battleground midterm races including an in-depth look at the Democratic Senate primary in Maine.

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Episode Overview

This episode of Meet the Press NOW covers the escalating crisis between the United States and Iran, focusing on renewed threats of military escalation from President Trump, the fragile state of ceasefire talks, the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, and mounting public and economic pressure at home. The show also examines the political consequences of the war and cost-of-living spikes, particularly for President Trump’s approval ratings ahead of the 2026 midterms. In addition, the episode features extensive polling analysis, reporting from the ground in Michigan and Maine, and a panel discussion on what these issues could mean for both parties.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

U.S.-Iran Crisis: Escalation & Diplomacy

• Renewed Threats from President Trump

  • Trump publicly states he will “obliterate Iran’s civilian infrastructure” unless Iran agrees to a deal by Wednesday. (“No more Mr. Nice Guy...knock out every single power plant and every single bridge in Iran if it doesn’t agree to a deal by Wednesday.” – Trump via social media, [01:11])
  • Seizure of an Iranian-flagged cargo ship by the U.S. Navy intensifies tensions; Iran accuses U.S. of “armed piracy.”

• Uncertainty Over Negotiations

  • Vice President Vance, special envoy Steve Witkoff, and Jared Kushner are expected to travel to Islamabad for a fresh round of talks, though the Iranian side has not confirmed participation. (Monica Alba, [05:19])
  • White House messaging is inconsistent about the negotiation timeline, reflecting broader confusion around the ceasefire deadline itself. (Keir Simmons, [06:43])
  • President Trump is reusing negotiation tactics, repeatedly moving deadlines—a point echoed by correspondents.

• On the Ground in Islamabad and Tehran

  • Major security mobilization in Islamabad signals talks are likely to occur, despite mixed official statements. (Keir Simmons, [08:56])
  • Internal Iranian divisions are highlighted, with the IRGC pushing for retaliation while the President focuses on diplomacy. (Keir Simmons, [10:51])

• Iranian Military Capabilities & Risks

  • U.S. has seized or turned away 27 Iranian-linked ships. (Courtney Kuby, [14:21])
  • Iranian conventional power diminished, but drones, missiles, and fast boats remain a threat, especially under decentralized command. (Courtney Kuby, [13:10])

Economic Fallout: Markets & Gas Prices

• Strait of Hormuz Closure Impact

  • Friday’s optimism from the brief reopening has been wiped away by the renewed closure, causing uncertain, sideways trading and persistent high oil prices. (Brian Chung, [14:47])

• Pain at the Pump

  • Gas prices remain above $4/gallon nationwide, with crude oil prices up 33% since the conflict started. Energy Secretary’s prediction of no sub-$3/gallon gas until next year is rebuffed by Trump. (Brian Chung, [16:00])
  • “Having members of your administration say these costs are going to be around for a while is an issue.” – Brian Chung on White House messaging, [16:22]

• Inflation & Public Backlash

  • Inflation, already a major concern, is heightened by the war and rising energy prices; 45% of Americans name it as their top economic challenge, a figure unmoved even since Trump began his second term. (Brian Chung, [17:34])

Political Consequences & Public Opinion

• Sinking Approval Ratings for Trump

  • Trump’s overall approval drops to 37%, and only 33% approve of his handling of Iran. Even among Republicans, disapproval is creeping upward. (Steve Kornacki, [25:17])
  • Inflation and cost of living are critical weaknesses; border/immigration is now Trump’s only relative approval bright spot (44%).

• No Appetite for More War

  • Clear majorities (including a third of Republicans) do NOT want further U.S. military action in Iran. (Steve Kornacki, [27:10])

• Sharp Generational & Partisan Divides

  • Sympathies in the Israel-Palestine conflict are split 50/50 overall, but 75% of Democrats and nearly all of Gen Z identify more with Palestinians. (Steve Kornacki, [28:06])

• Gen Z & Young Voters’ Disillusionment

  • Gen Z shows 76% disapproval of Trump overall, 80% disapproval on inflation, and 81% disapproval on the Iran war—a major 12-point decline since August. (Kelly O’Donnell, [28:06])
  • Live interviews with Michigan college students highlight anxiety over the economy and deep anger/outrage about U.S. involvement in Iran. Notable quotes:
    • “It seems like the cost of living has gone up a little bit just in terms of the cost of food, maybe things getting taxed a little bit… Prices of everything, just everything.” (Students, [30:10]-[30:28])
    • “[Trump] started a war. So that kind of really deterred my change on opinions.” ([31:38])

Expert & Ground-Level Perspectives

• Iran: Why Pressure Isn’t Working

  • “The reason the Iranians are hesitant to even commit to talks is because of all that pressure that President Trump is putting... That kind of pressure is not really working at all. And it never has.” – Homan Majd, Iran expert, [19:06]
  • Even the IRGC recognizes the need for economic fix and sanctions relief, but wants respect and equal treatment. (Homan Majd, [21:36])

• Internal Iranian Pressure

  • Economic hardship is pushing both Iranian diplomats and the IRGC toward seeking an end to the conflict, but Supreme Leader’s intentions remain unclear. (Homan Majd, [21:36])

Maine Senate Democratic Primary – Divisions on Display

• Establishment vs. Progressive

  • 78-year-old Gov. Janet Mills faces insurgent 41-year-old Graham Platner, who leads in polls and campaigns as a progressive outsider. (Kelly O’Donnell, [36:30])
  • Platner has survived attack ads on his past; he and supporters frame their campaign as anti-establishment and “organizing-focused.” (Platner, [37:51])

• Voters’ Mood & Dissatisfaction

  • Voters describe Democrats as “Weak, spineless, floundering, ineffective, distracted.” Both candidates agree to some degree. (Focus group, [38:41])
  • Platner: “I might use all of those words to describe the Democratic Party on a daily basis.” ([38:55])
  • Mills: “They probably do. I’m not happy with everything going on in Washington… I think the control of the United States Senate does go through Maine.” ([39:03])

• Candidate Electability and Experience

  • Voters torn between desire for “new blood” and recognition that “Mills has grit, experience, the intellect to go up against Susan Collins and finally get her out of the Senate.” ([40:18])
  • Platner leverages his Iraq war veteran status and outspoken antiwar stance, saying, “It’s sad and frustrating to watch ... people in power essentially just do the same thing that took me to war in Iraq, but without any of the attempts to trick anybody.” ([41:52])

• On Democratic Messaging

  • Platner critiques the national Democratic Party for failing to build movements and organize opposition to the war: “Power can be secondary outside of the institutions, coming from things like movements… Democratic Party has done, from what I can tell, absolutely nothing on that front.” ([42:49])

Panel Discussion: Midterm Implications, Messages, and the White House Dilemma

• Trump’s Negotiation Strategy

  • President continues to send mixed signals about extending the ceasefire, trying to balance projecting dealmaker image, placating his base, and addressing public impatience. (Jeff Mason, [45:33])
  • “He said specifically, ‘I’m not in a rush to get a deal because I don’t want to get a bad deal.’” ([46:07])

• Republican and Democratic Strategies

  • Republican strategist Michael Dubke: “The President isn’t really going to be moved by a lot of these polls that show shrinking support until that base Republican vote goes down.” ([46:25])
  • Democratic analyst Ashley Etienne emphasizes the need for a proactive, positive agenda: “You only win those races on the margins and it’s those independent voters... I’m not sure why [Democrats] are dragging their feet.” ([47:15], [47:53])

• Young Voters as Key

  • Both parties are anxious about youth voter turnout and leanings; young Americans’ sharp disapproval signals risk for Republicans and opportunity for Democrats if properly mobilized.

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Notable Quotes and Memorable Moments

• On Trump’s Messaging:
  “The president’s made it very clear he is prepared to escalate to de-escalate this conflict.” – Willie Geist, [03:18]

• On Iran:
  “There are those that would like to see a deal. And this is what makes this so challenging for the Trump team—they may be negotiating with Iran, but they may be negotiating with one faction.” – Keir Simmons, [10:51]

• On U.S.-Iran Talks:
  “Pressure on the Iranians, that’s never worked and it won’t work this time either.” – Homan Majd, [19:06]

• On Public Frustration:
  “We have kept allowing ourselves to get dragged into these proxy wars and it does none of us home any good.” – Michigan college student, [31:48]

• On Democratic Party:
  “The Democratic Party has done, from what I can tell, absolutely nothing... Power can be secondary outside of the institutions.” – Graham Platner, [42:49]

• On Voter Sentiment:
  “Gen Z shows 76% disapproval of Trump overall, 80% disapproval on inflation, and 81% disapproval on the Iran war.” – Kelly O’Donnell, [28:06]

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Important Timestamps

• Escalation & U.S.-Iran Threats: [01:11–03:30]
• Negotiation Uncertainty: [05:19–08:40]
• Split in Iranian Leadership: [10:51]
• Seizure of Iranian Ship & Military Risks: [12:06–14:29]
• Economic/Market Analysis: [14:47–18:40]
• Expert Analysis (Homan Majd): [19:06–22:32]
• NBC Poll Results & Data Breakdown: [25:17–28:06]
• Gen Z & Lake Michigan College Voters: [29:11–32:26]
• Maine Democratic Senate Primary: [36:30–44:03]
• Panel Discussion: Election Implications: [45:33–52:54]

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Tone & Style

The discussion throughout is serious, urgent, and analytical, in keeping with the gravity of international conflict and its political consequences. Correspondents and guests are pointed in their analysis but retain the balanced, fact-driven tone typical of Meet the Press.

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Summary Takeaways

• U.S.-Iran relations are more volatile than ever, with high-stakes brinkmanship, unpredictable diplomacy, and real risks of escalation.
• President Trump’s approval is falling, primarily due to economic pain and disapproval of his handling of both inflation and the Iran war—young and independent voters are especially disaffected.
• The economic consequences of the war—especially gas prices and inflation—are deeply felt and central to political anger.
• The Maine Democratic Senate primary exemplifies the broader generational and ideological divide within the Democratic Party, showing focus among voters on both electability and a desire for systemic change.
• Both parties face the imperative to clarify their vision, mobilize their bases, and, above all, persuade independents and young voters with concrete solutions, not just rhetoric.

For listeners and voters, this episode delivers an in-depth, up-to-the-minute briefing on the most pressing national and international crises, and how they are shaping U.S. politics as the midterms approach.

Transcript

[Kelly O'Donnell]

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[Josh Mankiewicz]

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[Kelly O'Donnell]

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[Podcast Announcer]

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[Kelly O'Donnell]

Welcome to MEET the press. Now I'm Kelly o' Donnell in Washington. And here we go again. With President Trump renewing his threat to obliterate Iran's civilian infrastructure. New uncertainty over peace talks, tensions skyrocketing over the Strait of Hormuz, energy prices moving higher, and new public backlash against the war. Right now, Vice President Vance along with special envoy Steve Witkoff and the President's son in law Jared Kushner are likely to travel to Islamabad tomorrow for a second round of negotiations with Iran. That's according to sources familiar with the matter. But Iran's Foreign Ministry says no decisions have been made about whether its side will attend those talks. Yesterday, President Trump ramping up pressure on Tehran to come to the table, writing on social media, quote, no more Mr. Nice Guy and once again threatening to knock out every single power plant and every single bridge in Iran if it doesn't agree to a deal by Wednesday. The president also announcing over the weekend that the US Navy seized an Iranian flagged cargo ship it says was attempting to breach the US Blockade of Iranian ports. The Pentagon releasing this video of the Navy's warning to that Iranian vessel, motor vessel Toska, Motor vessel Toska, vacate your engine room.

[Josh Mankiewicz]

Vacate your engine room.

[Kelly O'Donnell]

We're prepared to subject you to disabling fire. In response, Iran accused the US of violating the ceasefire and vowed to retaliate against what it called an act of armed piracy and theft by the US Military. Yesterday on Meet the Press, UN Ambassador Mike Waltz insisted the president will not back down. If there is no deal by Wednesday. Will the president extend the cease fire agreement?

[Willie Geist]

Well, that's ultimately a decision for the president and I'm certainly not going to negotiate on, on national. Understood.

[Kelly O'Donnell]

But is it on the table? Is it on the table? Is that possibility?

[Willie Geist]

Everything's on everything. Absolutely everything's on the table. And the president's made it very clear he is prepared to escalate to de escalate this conflict.

[Kelly O'Donnell]

This morning, President Trump echoing that sentiment, telling Bloomberg it's highly unlikely he would extend his two week deadline, although we should note he has previously extended other deadlines to strike Iran's infrastructure at least four times over the last month. Meanwhile, the Strait of Hormuz appears closed once again. And Energy Secretary Chris Wright is preparing the public for lingering pain at the pump due to the war, saying it could be months before gas prices come back down. When do you think it's realistic for

[Willie Geist]

Americans to expect that gas will go

[Kelly O'Donnell]

back to under $3 a gallon?

[Monica Alba]

I don't know.

[Willie Geist]

That could happen later this year. That might not happen until next year, but prices have likely peaked and they'll start going down.

[Kelly O'Donnell]

But President Trump rejects that assessment, saying in an interview with the Hill today that his energy secretary is, quote, totally wrong and that gas prices will come down as soon as the war ends. And it all comes amid growing public backlash against the president and his handling of the war, according to a new NBC News polling, which we'll dive into in a moment. But joining me now is our team of NBC reporters. We've got all the experts with us, White House correspondent Monica Alba, chief international correspondent Keir Simmons. He's in Islamabad, NBC News senior national security correspondent Courtney Kuby, business and data correspondent Brian Chung, and our NBC News contributor Homan Marsh. Monica, let me start with you. We have heard from the White House perspective what it says is the status of talks, that they expect something will be coming shortly. The White House prepared for the possibility that the vice president could be heading up that negotiating team once again. But we're hearing from the Iranians. Not so fast. Bring us up to speed.

[Keir Simmons]

Yeah, Kelly, there really have been mixed messages and fast moving developments here. Some of the information that's been a little bit confusing has come from President Trump himself over the weekend. He couldn't really confirm whether the vice president would be leading that delegation. Ultimately, the White House confirmed that he was going to be joining, joining Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner at some point for these negotiations, if they do take place in Pakistan. But then even today, the president indicated that the vice president might already be on his way or would be heading there at some point in the coming hours. But what we expect actually in reality is for the vice president to perhaps depart as early as tomorrow. Though again, this is all still pretty fluid and it still could change, it still could shift, which tells you a lot, Kelly, about the state status of these talks and these negotiations that, of course, the vice president was a part of a little over a week ago when he was part of that 21 hour marathon session. But many of the issues that they would need to talk about are still unresolved, and that is part of the challenge as well. So officially, the White House is only saying that this will happen at some point. They're not exactly putting a timeline on it because again, things still seem to be shifting in real time.

[Kelly O'Donnell]

There is a deadline. Will that play into this at all? The cease fire deadline is Wednesday and the president says he's not going to extend it. We know the history on that. But what are you hearing? Is that a lever on all of this as well, with that deadline looming?

[Keir Simmons]

And interestingly, the president is using the same exact language that he used two weeks ago before he decided to ultimately extend that two week period to see if negotiations could end up in an end to the war against Iran. He said it was highly unlikely that he would extend that deadline. But there on your your screen you can see the examples of all the times that he did just that in recent weeks where he did keep moving it, sometimes by just a couple of days, sometimes by a couple of hours. And ultimately we thought that that deadline was going to be tomorrow actually, because tomorrow is two weeks since he made that announcement. But in reality, now the president is saying it's going to be Wednesday evening, Washington time. To just give you a sense, Kelly, of how little we know about exactly when that is. We've asked the White House to provide the exact window and they haven't yet. So it's unclear whether it's toward evening at the end of the day. Is it dependent again on how these talks might go? That is all still unclear as well.

[Kelly O'Donnell]

So pencil, not pen. As we're jotting this all down, we're going to look into some of our polling as well. Monica, a third of Americans disapprove of the President's handling of the war. Are you getting the sense that the White House is concerned about those optics and what it could mean for November in the midterm elections?

[Keir Simmons]

Well, if you look at the president's social media posts today, that may be a window into a level of concern where the president is saying he has absolutely no concerns about what his critics are saying. But the way in which he is saying that lends you to believe and it tends to imply that there might be some concern going on about those kinds of numbers and his low approval rating in particular. He is pushing back and saying that he doesn't need to operate on any kind of timeline, that he doesn't feel any kind of pressure to make a bad deal. But it's the president of the United States this entire time that has been setting the timeline. He is the one who said this would be a four to six week military operation. And we are well beyond that now at this point to Kelly.

[Kelly O'Donnell]

Monica, thank you for those updates. Appreciate your time today. Let's switch over to Kir now, who is in Pakistan and what is the mood like there in Islamabad and are you getting a sense that they are preparing for what could be a next round?

[Keir Simmons (continued)]

Oh, certainly they are, Kelly. By the law of watch what people do rather than listen to what they say. You would have to assume here in Islamabad that these talks are happening. There's security across this capital city, armed security everywhere, frankly, entire freeways, highways closed off. We were at one earlier today and the ambassador, the US Ambassador and the Iranian ambassador both met with Pakistani officials today, including the police. And what that tells me is those conversations, if you're meeting with the local police, are about the security of your teams who are likely to to be arriving anytime soon. I think one thing to keep in mind is that all of the noise that you hear, and in many ways it is noise, or even some of the confrontations that you see in the Strait of Hormuz are part of the negotiation. They are about, for example, which delegation will arrive first, how to get the other side on the back foot. And even I think the question you were asking Monica there about the timeline for the end of the ceasefire, of course, President Trump isn't going to say that he's going to extend the cease fire because that would relieve the pressure on the Iranian side. This is a high stakes diplomatic game, if you like. But certainly here in Islamabad they believe that these talks are going to take place. And indeed, reports say that the de facto leader of the country, Field Marshal Munir, spoke to President Trump just in recent days and tried to urge him even to lift the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz to try to get these talks going.

[Kelly O'Donnell]

Some important context that you're picking up being on the ground there, that makes such a huge difference. We're also hearing some mixed messages from Tehran. How would you sort of dissect that in terms of where they are right now?

[Keir Simmons (continued)]

Well, I think, you know Mike Walsh told Kristen Welker over the weekend that the Iranian leadership is divided. And they are. And you can see it more and more clearly. Just as an example, the irgc, the Revolutionary Guard Corps in Iran, the military, if you like, the most extreme wing today, spent their time vowing vengeance for the seizing of that Iranian cargo ship around the Strait of Hormuz. On the other hand, the Iranian president, President Possession, was talking about diplomacy. Now, people question how influential he is. But there are two sides. There's the more extreme side in Iran, very extreme, some would say. And then there are those that would like to see a deal. And this is what makes this so challenging for the Trump team, is they may be negotiating with Iran, but they may be negotiating with one fraction faction from Iran who are themselves then going back to Tehran and trying to get others to agree.

[Kelly O'Donnell]

That gives us quite the picture here of how complex this is. Thank you so much for your reporting. And to turn to Courtney now, was with us in studio. And what more can you tell us about the US Seizure of the Iranian flagged vessel? Where is it now? What happens next?

[Courtney Kuby]

So the military doesn't want to talk about exactly where it is or where they're going to take it, setting operational security. But we do know that the US military, specifically US Marines from the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit are on board. As of a couple hours ago, they were still searching that vessel and checking the cargo on it. So but they don't want to talk about exactly where it's going. It's really critical though, to say, you know, the way that the Navy carried this out, they have been, they've been wanting to show us the process that unfolded here, that it took a matter of six hours where they were communicating via radio with that Iranian flagged vessel, telling it that it was about to be in breach of this blockade. Throughout the course of that time, the vessel continued to move towards what the military is calling their blockade line. And they warned them that they were planning to fire. They told them to clear the engine room and they shot exactly at that. And they shot at it with a deck gun versus a missile or something that could have done very serious damage and potentially even crippled and sunk that ship.

[Kelly O'Donnell]

We've been hearing threats from Iran of retaliation after this. What would that look like based on the degrading of some of their capabilities at least?

[Courtney Kuby]

Yeah, I mean, Iran's conventional capabilities have been degraded, but they still maintain about half of their missile launchers, a lot of their ballistic missiles that were buried deep underground. The stockpiles While they have to pull them out from underground, they remain intact. According to officials we've spoken with, they still have drones, they still have some mines. They still have a capability. And the one that I think would really potentially play a huge role here are the small, small fast boats by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy that Kiir was just explaining to us.

[Kelly O'Donnell]

And do we have any sense if there is centralized control of these assets in Iran?

[Courtney Kuby]

We don't exactly. Kir couldn't have explained it better, talking about how there is really this bifurcation now. There is these there's always been sort of the official Iranian government and then the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps who were seen as more extreme. But now it is even more divided than before, as Kir was just explaining with the messaging that's just coming out today about the blockade. So that's one of the big concerns. Those small fast boats, those are Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy. It's not really clear who's telling them what to do or who they, who they could listen to.

[Kelly O'Donnell]

And as far as we know, the blockade remains in effect against the Iranian ports, not the entire strait, but against those ports.

[Courtney Kuby]

Exactly. And the U.S. has stopped about 27 ships or convinced them to turn around at this point. So it appears to continue to continue to be in effect right now and.

[Kelly O'Donnell]

But a tinderbox, too.

[Keir Simmons]

Absolutely.

[Kelly O'Donnell]

Let me turn now to Brian, who joins us with some of the economic perspective here. Friday's markets surge because of optimism over the Strait of Hormuz being reopened. At that time, Iran now saying that critical waterway is again closed. So give us the picture of markets and how they're reacting today.

[Brian Chung]

Yeah, it was a very different picture going into the weekend when it seemed like the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz had us essentially at the end of the tunnel here. But then the developments over the weekend, which you've explored with all the correspondents before me, has certainly pointed to the opposite direction. That's why it looked like it was going to be a nasty day on Wall Street. And yes, indeed, all the major markets did end negative for the day, but only marginally so. I wouldn't describe any of these moves where it's a quarter percent down for the day. As particularly notable, it seems like markets are drifting sideways while they try to figure out whether or not the dialogue between the US And Iran is going to happen at all. There were some even questions over whether or not the vice president was on his way to Pakistan to have those negotiations. And for that reason, while the markets and investors say, we don't even know if those conversations are happening, essentially deciding to hold steady on where they were in their investment portfolios. That might explain some of the lack of market action today, but nonetheless, we're still looking at crude oil futures, which are at $86 on WTI. That is the United States indexed oil prices that we've seen $89 by other measures, that is still up 33% since the start of this war. And of course, Americans still feeling those over $4 a gallon averages at the pumpkin nationwide.

[Kelly O'Donnell]

Well, speaking of that, the president, as you may have heard, he said that his energy secretary is totally wrong when Chris Wright suggested gas prices may not come back under the $3 mark a gallon until next year. I don't want to put you between the president and his cabinet secretary, but what's your assessment of what the expectations are for gas prices? Yeah.

[Brian Chung]

And the president perhaps trying to walk back the commentary from the energy secretary. As you mentioned, Chris Wright, who said over the weekend that it's possible that we might not see the average price nationwide on gallon fall below $3 until next year. He did couch that and say, yeah, it could happen later on this year as well. But the president does have a messaging problem here where his war has led to higher prices at the pump for Americans that already feel squeezed by inflation. And so having members of your administration go out there and say these costs are going to be around for a while is an issue. Analysts have been telling us after the Strait of Hormuz was open last week that it could be the case that we see gas prices fall to 3.35ish by Labor Day of this year. Again, that was under the optimistic scenario that the Strait of Hormuz was indeed going to be reopened. It's hard to see that scenario playing out with the developments over the last few days. But, Kelly, again, it does seem like there is a bit of pessimism, if you will, over gas prices falling to where they were pre war anytime soon.

[Kelly O'Donnell]

You made mention of inflation in our latest NBC News polling shows that the most important economic issue facing Americans right now is in fact inflation, the rising cost of everything you need to spend for your daily living. Are you seeing signs that the war is actually driving up inflation?

[Brian Chung]

Yeah. Well, I think that so far the data that we've seen says that the overall level of inflation is indeed higher as a result of those higher energy costs. So the reading that we got on inflation in the form of the consumer price index was the highest that we've seen in years. Again, People would argue that once gas prices go back down, presumably one this, once this conflict is over, inflation should come back down to the relatively mild readings that we were getting prior to that. But when you consider that Americans have been feeling the pinch of not just this, this war in the form of higher gas prices, but they've already been saying affordability was an issue prior to this war having begun. 45% of Americans saying in that poll that inflation is the top issue. And I think that's notable when you consider it was still around 45% in the previous polls that where we asked the same questions since President Trump began his second term. So that shows that that really hasn't improved, despite the president's insistence in public remarks that inflation has got. He's even argued that prices have gone down, which is just simply not the case in terms of the aggregate data that we've been watching. But nonetheless, that is something that is a messaging issue for the administration.

[Kelly O'Donnell]

Kelly, those are helpful checks on the data. Thank you, Brian. We appreciate it. And turning now to our special contributor, Ahuman Majd, and let's start with these stalled negotiations. You bring a lot of life experience and expertise on what's happening in Iran. Do you get the sense that the Trump administration's attempt to pressure Tehran to get back to the table, could that be effective? And do you think there would be talks prior to this ceasefire expiration this week?

[Josh Mankiewicz]

Well, it's hard to say whether the talks will happen before the expiration of the ceasefire. But in terms of the pressure on the Iranians, that's never worked and it won't work this time either. I mean, in fact, it's. I would argue that the reason the Iranians are hesitant to even commit to talks is because of all that pressure that President Trump is putting on the Iranians. Again, talking about blowing up bridges, infrastructure, that sort of stuff. That doesn't sit well with the Iranians at all and especially with the irgc. As Kira was saying earlier, those people are not people who are happy to make a deal with the US under those kinds of circumstances. They've always insisted on being treated as equals, being treated with respect, and I would argue that the diplomats feel the same way. So, no, I don't think that that pressure is necessarily going to help at all. And in fact, the idea that the blockade, of the blockade is still in effect for the Iran is actually a huge slap in the face. They argue that they open the Strait of Hormuz, as it were going to open the Strait of Hormuz once The Lebanon ceasefire was in effect, which it was. And then President Trump said, well, yeah, that's fine, but we're not going to let any Iranian ship dock in Iranian ports or leave Iranian ports and export material. So the Iranians said, well, the strait's going to be either open for all or for none. And so they closed it almost right away on the same day. So, I mean, that kind of pressure is not really working at all. And it never has. If you really think about it. The only time Iran was able to make any sort of headway with the us, any US administration was with the Obama administration and the jcpoa, when that took a lot of trust building, when it started. The talks for the nuclear program started in September of 2013 and ended in July of 2015, as you remember yourself, with John Kerry and Javad Zarif, the Foreign Minister of Iran. So that's a two year program, basically, just to get to a trustworthy place where they could say, we have a deal.

[Kelly O'Donnell]

Give us a sense, if you could. Let me just jump in and ask this, if I may. Do you sense that inside Iran there is any pressure building to try to end this war, given all of the implications, all of the hardship that is brought with the damage that's been done, what, if any, pressure is happening internally to try to find a solution?

[Josh Mankiewicz]

Oh, sure, the diplomats want a solution. I think, I would argue the IRGC does too. The IRGC are not stupid people. They know that they have to fix the economy, basically, since they are the most powerful organization right now inside Iran. And the person they report to, the new Supreme Leader, we're not sure of his power. We haven't heard from him directly, we haven't seen him. The IRGC reports to him directly, but we don't know what that means in reality. But they're pragmatic people as well. They know that if the economy isn't fixed, if they can't get sanctions relief, that the uprising that we saw in January with the Iranian people, which started with economic issues, will just happen again. So they're also keen to get things sorted out. And the only way they will get sorted out economically is for sanctions, to get sanctions relieved from the United States.

[Kelly O'Donnell]

And that's certainly a big pressure point.

[Josh Mankiewicz]

That's a big pressure point, absolutely.

[Michael Dubke]

Yeah.

[Kelly O'Donnell]

We so appreciate your expertise today. Thank you so much for being with us. We'll talk to you again soon. I know this continues to be a vital topic and coming up. Yes, that's for sure. Absolutely. Coming up, the Young and the Restless, A deep dive into NBC News decision desk polling, including the view from some of America's youngest voters, voters on the economy, the Trump agenda. And we'll be live in battleground Michigan next. Plus, the main line NBC speaks to two Democratic Senate candidates vying to take on the longtime Republican Senator Susan Collins in May in a race that could decide the future of Democratic Party and the balance of power in the Senate. Those are key aspects of this race. We'll have more coming up. You're watching MEET THE Press now. Stay informed with the NBC News app

[Willie Geist]

breaking news just coming in moments ago.

[Kelly O'Donnell]

Watch, read and listen throughout your day. And now unlock even more with a subscription. It's the best of NBC News with fewer ad interruptions, including ad free articles,

[Courtney Kuby]

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[Kelly O'Donnell]

deeper access and exclusive content. Let's just take a step back. It's more context and clarity from the reporters you trust. Download the NBC News app now and subscribe for more.

[Willie Geist]

Hey guys, Willie Geist here reminding you to check out the Sunday Sit down podcast. On this week's episode, I sit down with one of the biggest bands in the world, Mumford and Sons, as we get the boys together to talk about their new number one album, Prize Fighter and the evolution of that irresistible foot stomping sound. You can get our conversation for free wherever you download your podcasts.

[Michael Dubke]

Let's kickstart your wellness journey with the Dark Today app.

[Kelly O'Donnell]

Workouts, meal plans. It's your fast track to a healthier you. And now during the Xfinity Member celebration, members can get an exclusive 50% off an annual subscription. Head to xfinity.com membership to learn more. Xfinity Imagine that subscription automatically renews each year at $65.99 plus taxes and fees until canceled offer ends May 20, 2026. Prices subject to change.

[Willie Geist]

Visit today.comxfinity for full offer terms and details.

[Kelly O'Donnell]

And welcome back. Now, as we noted at the top of the show, NBC News poll numbers show the war with Iran and the economy are taking an increasingly political toll on President Trump with his approval rating now sinking to a new low. N chief data analyst Steve Kornacki joins us now with all of the details.

[Willie Geist]

Kelly, let's dive right in with the reminder. It's the Decision Desk poll. This is of all adults, not just registered voters, a little bit of a wider net. But Donald Trump's approval rating here you could see now down to 37% in this poll, 2 points lower than it was the last time we checked in. What's different from then to now, of course, it's the start of the Iran war, which remains ongoing. Looks like it's hurting Trump politically. And, and you can really see that it is in this next question here. Just the approval rating specifically on Iran, and that number is just 33%. By the way, a quarter of those who say they are Republicans are in the disapprove camp here when it comes to how the president is handling Iran. Another trouble area for the president right here. This has been the story of his second term. Inflation in the cost of living, only 32% there. The bright spot, if you want to call it that, for Trump here, here is this border and immigration, this number, 44%. Obviously, it's higher than these other areas. It's also higher than it was when we asked about border and immigration earlier this year when ice, when Minnesota, when those events were in the news. So the president has recovered a bit of his standing there. But again, still, it's a majority disapprove when it comes to border and immigration. Looking more specifically here at Iran, what folks want to happen, clear majority here say they don't want anything else to happen. They want no further military action. A third of those who say they're Republicans fall into that camp. That's overseas. Domestically, we say cost of living front and center on people's minds. We ask them, what's your top economic concern to you and to your family? Inflation, cost of health care. Those two combined. Clear majority right there. Then there's this gas, gasoline taking center stage a bit. The cost of it. 29% say it's very serious, 36% say it's somewhat serious. Combined, that's 65%, 65%, almost two thirds saying that gasoline, the cost of gas is a serious problem for their families right now. One other interesting finding here, I think it gets to the question of foreign policy. It gets to sort of the direction of the two parties and a big shift that's going on. We ask folks, who do you sympathize more with when it comes to the Israelis and the people? Palestinians look overall dead even 50, 50 here. But look at some of these divides. One of them is partisan. Among Republicans, overwhelmingly, 81% side with the Israelis. Among Democrats, complete opposite, 75% say they sympathize with the Palestinians. So a clear partisan divide there. That Democratic number is the one that's moving big time toward the Palestinians. The other big movement we see is generational, that rising generation Gen Z. Look at the this kind of goes much more across the partisan spectrum. Three quarters basically of Gen Z say that they identify, they sympathize more with the Palestinians. Kelly.

[Kelly O'Donnell]

And a big thank you to Steve for breaking all of that down for us. And we see President Trump's falling approval rating is being fueled in part by a growing number of younger Americans who are souring on the president and say the country is headed in the wrong direction. According to our poll, 76% of Gen Z Americans disapprove of the job President Trump is doing, a 12 point shift since August with 80% disapproving of his handling of inflation and the cost of living. And the top issue for Gen z Americans, an 81% disapproval rating of his handling of the war with Iran. And that brings us now to our colleague, NBC News correspondent Shaquille Brewster, who has been speaking to students at Lake Michigan College in Benton Harbor, Michigan. I know this is a place you like to be, right out there talking to people and you've been hearing about these issues. It's your happy place, Shaq. I know that. So tell us what did you get a sense about this direction of the country that the students you're meeting with, what are they saying?

[Shaquille Brewster]

Kelly, you know me well. It is my happy place because we see those polling numbers and I always want to know, how does it compare when you're talking to people? What more can you learn? And the conversations that I've been having here really reflect the frustrations that you see reflected in that poll. You have vast majority of people saying that they believe the country is moving in the wrong direction, many of them pointing to the economy, saying they're intimately familiar with the price of gas, the price of groceries. And these are folks who, many of them have a foot in the job market that they consider to be a tough job market. Listen to some of the conversations that I had when I asked them about the track of the country and the direction of the country.

[Kelly O'Donnell]

I think the economy is not doing super well. I don't think that international relationship are very well.

[Keir Simmons]

Don't think that we are kind enough to one another.

[Kelly O'Donnell]

Seems like we're headed towards a hostile environment in our country. I mean, it seems like the cost

[Sahil Kapoor]

of living has gone up a little bit just in terms of like the

[Kelly O'Donnell]

cost of food, maybe things getting taxed a little bit in terms of if

[Sahil Kapoor]

they're getting imported from other countries.

[Monica Alba]

I would say like ICE and deportation and all that kind of stuff that's going on. Prices of everything, just everything.

[Shaquille Brewster]

What are you noticing? What prices?

[Monica Alba]

Gas, groceries, rent, utilities, everything.

[Shaquille Brewster]

What direction are they up

[Brian Chung]

now?

[Shaquille Brewster]

One word of caution is I did talk to some people who actually responded to the poll, and even though they said they feel the country is moving in the wrong direction, they said they didn't believe that was a reflection of policy. They pointed to other things like religion or other factors that made them respond that way.

[Kelly O'Donnell]

I did hear a mention of foreign policy. Among the people you talked to, did you get a sense that the war in Iran is of specific concern to many of them?

[Shaquille Brewster]

Absolutely. And you mentioned about how 81% of young voters say that they disapprove of how President Trump is handling that war, about 65% saying that they strongly disapproved, which suggests that this is an issue that is animating for folks and has the ability to shift how they perceive President Trump and Republicans. Listen to some of those conversations.

[Keir Simmons]

When the war started in Iran, it

[Kelly O'Donnell]

kind of, I don't, I didn't expect

[Keir Simmons]

that to happen because obviously his campaign was no wars. And of course he started a war.

[Kelly O'Donnell]

So that kind of really deterred my change on opinions.

[Shaquille Brewster]

It made you view him more negatively.

[Kelly O'Donnell]

Yes.

[Josh Mankiewicz]

I feel that we have kept allowing

[Brian Chung]

ourselves to get dragged into these proxy wars and it does none of us home any good.

[Kelly O'Donnell]

And these people who live in these

[Josh Mankiewicz]

countries are suffering at our hands.

[Willie Geist]

For what?

[Brian Chung]

There's no gain here.

[Kelly O'Donnell]

They didn't attack us.

[Shaquille Brewster]

Kelly, you know better than anyone there are midterm election implications to what you heard there. If young voters pull back or if they're animated, if they say they're angered by what they're seeing and this drives them to the polls, that can influence what ultimately happens, especially in these swing states like Michigan.

[Kelly O'Donnell]

That's why it's so great to have you there getting the pulse of what young voters are thinking. So thank you for being on the ground for us, Shaq. We appreciate it. It. You got it. And up next, the progressive newcomer versus the establishment governor inside Maine's Democratic Senate primary that's showcasing the party's divisions over age, ideology and generational change. NBC speaks to both candidates and the voters straight ahead. This is MEET the Press. Now.

[Courtney Kuby]

Get the best of NBC News with a subscription, fewer ads, deeper access and exclusive content. And now, during the Xfinity member celebration, members can get an exclusive 50% off an annual subscription. Head to xfinity.com membership to learn more. Xfinity. Imagine that subscription automatically renews each year at $65.99 plus taxes and fees until canceled. Offer ends May 20, 2026. Price is subject to change. Visit nbcnews.comxfinity for full offer TERMS and details.

[Kelly O'Donnell]

Welcome back. We are following breaking news and new details out of a horrific story from Louisiana where authorities have now identified eight children killed in a mass shooting yesterday.

[Willie Geist]

Today we remember Jayla Elkins, age 3

[Kelly O'Donnell]

Shayla Elkins, age 5 Kayla Pugh, age

[Sahil Kapoor]

6 Layla Pugh, age 7 Makedon Pugh,

[Willie Geist]

age 10 Sariah Snow, age 11 Conundrum

[Kelly O'Donnell]

Snow, age 6 Braylon Snow, age 5. Police say all eight children were shot at this home in Shreveport. They've identified the gunman as Shemar Elkins, the father of seven of those children. Police say Elkins shot a woman described as his girlfriend at a different house before killing the eight children and shooting his wife. Both women were critically injured but are still alive. Investigators say Elkins then fled in a stolen vehicle, leading police on a chase. This is home security video of the moment officers caught up with him. Police say there was an exchange of gunfire, but that the suspect's exact cause of death, death has not yet been determined. The ATF is investigating how Shemar Elkins, a convicted felon, was able to obtain access to a gun. Officials today say that this is among the most heartbreaking tragedies they've ever encountered. Eight innocent children losing their lives as a result of domestic violence. There are no words that can fully capture the death of this loss, no words that can ease the pain, the families of the families who are grieving.

[Willie Geist]

No words that can explain the weight

[Kelly O'Donnell]

of eight young lives taken far too soon. And we are back. Now, in all likelihood, any chance the Democratic Party has to win control of the Senate in November goes right through the state of Maine and requires unseating Republican senators, Senator Susan Collins. But first, Democrats have to pick a candidate in a primary that is putting the party's thorniest debates about ideological issues and generational change on full display. Maine's Democratic Governor Janet Mills is 78 years old, or 78 years young, depending on your point of view, and is seen as the establishment figure as she faces off against 41 year old progressive political newcomer Graham Platner. Now, polls show Platner is leading by a significant double digit margin less than two months from primary day. But Mills told my colleague Sahil Kapoor she doesn't put much stock in those polls and dismiss concerns over her age.

[Janet Mills]

I do what I always do and that is going out and talking to people one on one, small groups, getting to know what's on people's minds, small businesses, because people already know who I am pretty much they've already voted for me at least once. And or had that choice anyway. And, you know, I've done things. I've gotten stuff done for people in Maine.

[Sahil Kapoor]

One other voter in Maine, Jennifer, she's 61. She's a moderate from Holden. She told us she was leaning toward Mills. She doesn't love Platner, doesn't trust him completely, but she says we've got to change. And he's younger and he's new. She worries 78 is too old. What do you say to her?

[Janet Mills]

I say this Platner is the same age as J.D. vance. He's 41. Does she like J.D. vance just because of age? No, it's not all about age. Age isn't the issue. I have experience. I have know how I can go there on day one and get things done.

[Kelly O'Donnell]

Meanwhile, Platner, who campaigned alongside Senator Elizabeth Warren on Saturday, offered his take on why he's leading in these polls and why he believes he could be the best choice to take on Senator Suetzunkow Collins, despite controversies over his past statements on sexual assault and a tattoo he covered up which resembled a symbol associated with Nazis.

[Podcast Announcer]

I think there's just a exhaustion with this kind of politics now in the electorate. I think that's why the negative ads that the governor's campaign came out against us backfired spectacularly. Our support has gone up. And so I think people are sick and tired of this negative, performative politics, a politics that is not remotely built around discussing policy. We are playing an entirely separate game. We are doing a campaign that is entirely different, being far more organizing, focused, really focusing on going out into communities and connecting with Mainers directly.

[Kelly O'Donnell]

Sahil also spoke to both candidates about a recent NBC News focus group that asked Democratic voters in Maine and on also in Michigan their feelings on the party.

[Sahil Kapoor]

I want to mention to you some words that some focus groups of Democrats we talked to in Michigan and Maine used about the Democratic Party. Weak, spineless, floundering, ineffective, distracted. Does that sound about right to you?

[Podcast Announcer]

I think I might use all of those words to describe the Democratic Party on a daily basis. So, yeah, that sounds right to me.

[Sahil Kapoor]

Do they have a point?

[Janet Mills]

Distracted.

[Willie Geist]

Wow.

[Janet Mills]

They probably do. I mean, I'm not happy with everything going on in Washington. Not at all. But we need to level the playing field. I think the Democrats have to take back the Senate, and that's one good reason I'm running, because I think the control of the United States Senate does go through Maine, and I want to make sure we capture it.

[Kelly O'Donnell]

And joining me now fresh off this reporting trip to Maine is NBC senior national political reporter Sahil Kapoor. Great work. Great to get both candidates. And also you talk to voters to get a sense of. Of what they are thinking. When they talk about the qualities they're looking for, what stands out.

[Sahil Kapoor]

Yeah, Kelly, One of the first things you learn going to Maine is what an institution Susan Collins is. She's coming up on 30 years in the Senate. It was very common for me to walk into rooms full of Democratic voters and meet at least somebody who had supported her in the past. So that's what Democrats are up against. The second thing I noticed among Democrats, at least, is this jarring disconnect between party leadership here in Washington and the sentiments on the ground. Party leadership here, including Senator Chuck Schumer, are supporting Mills. They see her as safe, tested, most likely to beat Susan Collins on the ground. The feeling is very different. They're ready for something different. They've lost their trust in party leadership and they want younger, more populist candidates. Take a listen to voters I spoke to.

[Kelly O'Donnell]

I have issues with Graham Platner's past, and I don't know if zebras can change their stripes, but I'm curious and, and basically I'm for anyone who can defeat Susan Collins. Janet Mills is the one who has the grit, the experience, the intellect to

[Courtney Kuby]

go up against Susan Collins and finally,

[Kelly O'Donnell]

finally get her out of the Senate. I think she's done a great job

[Keir Simmons]

as governor, but I'm excited to have

[Kelly O'Donnell]

someone else with new ideas and who's really willing to fight for Maine people. I think she's a good person.

[Josh Mankiewicz]

I think she's a good politician, but she's 77. I think it's time for some new blood.

[Sahil Kapoor]

Do you feel pretty confident that Graham Plattner can win a general election?

[Josh Mankiewicz]

Yes.

[Kelly O'Donnell]

Yes, I do. I'm very struck by spending time in Maine where they're not attacking these folks. They're deciding different qualities, but they're not saying, I really don't like this one. I really don't like that one. They're looking for something else that stands out.

[Willie Geist]

Yeah, absolutely.

[Sahil Kapoor]

And one of the things that Graham Platner is going to have to do if he's going to become a senator is win over a lot of voters who've supported Janet Mills at one point and who have supported Susan Collins at another point. And part of the thing you just heard there from voters is they not only some of them like Graham Platner, but some of them don't like him, but are willing to support him because they think he's more Electable than Janet Mills. Again, a yawning gap between them and

[Kelly O'Donnell]

what party leadership here is defining what's electable can really be troublesome for people. Now, he is also an Iraq war veteran. He brings that to the conversation. I want to play part of your conversation where you talked about how important that is, and then we can talk about it a little further.

[Podcast Announcer]

The thing that it has done for me emotionally is that it's just really sad and frustrating to watch a system and people in power essentially just do the same thing that took me to war in Iraq, but without any of the attempts to trick anybody. Like, they just understand that they can do it. Pete Hegs wants to drop bombs on people, and so they just go drop bombs on people. They're not even trying to justify it.

[Sahil Kapoor]

You've talked about reimagining power and thinking and rethinking the way Democrats exercise it in Washington. Is there anything you think they could be doing now that they're not, given that they're not in the majority and able to corral enough votes to stop this war in particular?

[Podcast Announcer]

Yeah, organize an anti war movement to get people out into the streets and effectively oppose a war that requires organization, requires resources, and it requires people to go on TV and talk about doing it.

[Janet Mills]

It.

[Podcast Announcer]

I don't see any of that happening. I mean, this kind of goes to one of my core critiques of the Democratic Party. It has forgotten that power derives from more than just the institutions. It derives from more than just the structures that they're used to working in. Power can be secondary outside of the institutions, coming from things like movements, coming from things like organizing people. Democratic Party has done, from what I can tell, absolutely nothing on that front.

[Kelly O'Donnell]

So what do you look for next? Your last takeaways here?

[Sahil Kapoor]

Yeah. So voters are very angry about the war in Maine. They're not just opposed to it. There's a raw anger there. They don't understand why we're there. They've noticed that prices are going up. They want the money to be spent at home. And, you know, so much of politics is timing. Graham Platner is using this moment. He's gotten a little bit from his personal experience. He can speak about this in a way that nobody else can, and he's taking full advantage of that to talk about his own experience. And also Janet Mills, the governor has sharpened her attacks on the Iran war, making a constitutional case against it, a moral case against it, and an economic case against it. Finally, Kelly, Susan Collins has so far voted in favor of continuing this war, allowing Trump to prosecute it. But she said in a statement to NBC News she may turn against it after the 60 day mark. Clearly, she too is in touch with the sentiments on the ground.

[Kelly O'Donnell]

Great window into an important race. Thank you, Sahil. We really appreciate it. And after the break, it's the economy and the war and the president. Our panel weighs in on NBC's latest decision desk polling as the race for the midterms heats up. You're watching Meet THE Press. Now. It's panel time. Welcome back. With midterm primaries ramping up, polling shows Americans overwhelmingly think the country is on the wrong track, according to our latest NBC News Decision Desk poll. And as we noted, that trend is even more pronounced among younger Gen Z Americans who were key to President Trump's and the Republicans victory in 2024 and whose dissatisfaction could shake things up in 2026. So joining me now for today's panel, Jeff Mason, Washington correspondent for Bloomberg News. Ashley Etienne, former communications director for former Vice President Kamala Harris and a number of other jobs along the way. I've known her for a long time. And Michael Dubke, White House communications director during the first Trump administration. Great to have all of you here. Jeff, I want to start with you because you had one of those call me, call me lately. You know, call me lately. I like how you said phone a friend. Yeah, phone a friend, meaning among the number of reporters who spoke to the president by phone. You have a long relationship covering the president, talking with him many times. But give us a sense of what he said today that really moved the news.

[Jeff Mason]

Well, interestingly to me, what he said was, number one, that he is not likely to extend the ceasefire, which is sort of different signal than he was sending last week in terms of him wanting to get a deal quickly. And apropos that, he also said he's not in a rush to get a deal, which is again, he said specifically, I'm not in a rush to get a deal because I don't want to get a bad deal. And he wants to kind of put some shade on what he called treasonous members of Congress for putting pressure on them for a deal. So that's, of course, a word that he uses as a more often than not.

[Kelly O'Donnell]

Indeed.

[Jeff Mason]

But those were some of the main takeaways.

[Kelly O'Donnell]

And Mike, when we're looking at the polling, if you are advising Republicans on what they should be doing to sort of fight against this negative mood that we're seeing reflected in the numbers, what is your key message?

[Michael Dubke]

Well, amongst Republicans.

[Sahil Kapoor]

Sure.

[Michael Dubke]

Because what I took out of your poll is the one thing that I've been talking about for a long time now that the President isn't going to really be moved by a lot of these polls that show the shrinking support until that base Republican vote goes down. And that was the one thing that I noticed in the poll. It went down a couple of points on just the economic issues and I think it was four points on Iran. But as long as that base stands

[Kelly O'Donnell]

there with him, the always durable base,

[Michael Dubke]

you're talking almost always durable base.

[Kelly O'Donnell]

What about the young voters that went his way? Do you think if they are backing off that that hurts Republicans?

[Michael Dubke]

Do we get get back to this place? Where are the young voters going to turn out in the next election? I think it does. Look, I think psychologically it can hurt and I think psychologically I think the President does pay attention to that because he was very proud of that vote that he got in 2024.

[Monica Alba]

Well, this is encouraging news that the President is only focused on the base because the reality is when you go into the midterms, it's not your base that actually wins those elections.

[Kelly O'Donnell]

It was very smooth as you picked up on that, Mike.

[Monica Alba]

He sets me up every time. But here's the reality. It's gonna be you only win those races on the margins and it's gonna be those independent voters that are gonna make the difference. And we're seeing now high turnout among Democrats, high turnout among independent voters. And they're the most concerned with the economy and with the war that we're on.

[Kelly O'Donnell]

The there's a lot of frustration with Democrats too. Do you think Democrats need to do something differently to try to talk about what they are for and what they could bring at a time when there's a lot of criticism.

[Monica Alba]

Kelly, you're reading my notes. Absolutely. The problem with the Democratic Party now is they're a counter proactive affirmative agenda out their vision for the nation that actually contrasts with the President's vision. When I was running the opposition for Pelosi in Trump's first term about this time, we rolled out our big alternative agenda. We went from six points ahead of Republicans to 14 points ahead of Republicans going into the fall. That's going to make up the gap for the Democratic Party. I'm not sure why they're dragging their feet on it at this point, but it's incredibly necessary.

[Michael Dubke]

My guess is they can't come to an agreement on what they those issues are.

[Josh Mankiewicz]

And I don't mean that, I don't

[Michael Dubke]

mean to bad way. I just think that that's probably they've

[Monica Alba]

agreed on corruption, though, which is the

[Michael Dubke]

obvious momentum is huge in elections. It's gigantic. And I think that's what you're seeing right now with the Democrats winning all of these down ballot races. If you look at the actual numbers they're getting, the Harris vote is turning out in these elections, but the Trump vote isn't. So Republicans have to worry about the fact a Donald Trump's not on the ballot. So for whatever good or evil that is, he's not on the ballot. And then secondly, they've really got to worry about how they get those folks that voted in 24 out again in 26. And that's there's a lot of messaging that has and work to do on that.

[Kelly O'Donnell]

Well, let's talk about the Trump factor and let me tap into your conversation again with the president. Obviously, how people feel about the Iran war may play out a lot in the midterms. And from what you gathered from him, in knowing him as you do in terms of tone of voice, his mood and so forth, do you think that he is is feeling these numbers that we're seeing reflected in the polling where many Americans are against this war effort?

[Jeff Mason]

I mean, I think the White House is certainly feeling those, those, those numbers and is not happy about it. I went to CPAC a couple weeks ago and talked to a bunch of voters there, again, base voters, and they were for the most part still very supportive. And so I don't think they're worried about the base, but they have reason to worry about independence as far as but to bring it back to the topic of Iran, the polling shows and NBC polling shows as well that the war is not popular and the president is aware of that. And I think that's why we sort of began to see him last week saying I'm ready for this war to be over. He didn't say that specifically, but he was indicating I'm ready to wrap this up.

[Kelly O'Donnell]

You sense an impatience to get it done.

[Jeff Mason]

At the end of the week I did. And this week in the conversation that I had with him, that seemed to have shifted again a little bit away from being in a rush because he used that word and wanting to get a good deal because this is also about legacy for President Trump. Trump, he likes to think of himself as a deal maker and he wants to get a good deal with Iran.

[Kelly O'Donnell]

Do you think it might also be to try to keep Iran off balance 100%?

[Jeff Mason]

I mean, this is somebody who is a business former businessman, negotiator. He knows exactly what he's doing when he's sending mixed signals, whether that's to reporters like me or whether it's direct

[Michael Dubke]

talks with the opposite or on truth social.

[Kelly O'Donnell]

A lot of ping ponging on truth social, this notion of rushed or not rushed. Do you get a sense that the president has a certain urgency timeline? We know he wants to go to China for a big trip that's coming up in May. We know that there is concern about getting this over for gas prices to eventually come down.

[Michael Dubke]

His supporters and up on Capitol Hill certainly want this to get over so they can start talking about other issues. I think Jeff is, is, is absolutely correct when he's, when you're trying to weigh this with the president because he's, he's toward here. Yes. He wants to move beyond Iran because he's got the trip to China coming up because he's got all of his supporters on Capitol Hill, Hill. But he's also the art of the deal. I mean, if Donald Trump is known for anything, it's getting a good deal. So he can't let that, you know, he can't take a bad deal here at all. But I do think he's probably a

[Kelly O'Donnell]

deal that's maybe going to look like the one that Obama had.

[Michael Dubke]

Well, that involved pallets of billions of dollars being transferred by.

[Kelly O'Donnell]

Talk about Iran.

[Michael Dubke]

That was a bad deal, too.

[Kelly O'Donnell]

Do you think that the Iran messaging within the Democratic Party is effective right now?

[Monica Alba]

No, I think we, I mean, I think it has been. But you know, Trump does more damage to himself than the Democratic Party ever could. But what I do think the Democrats need to do is expand the narrative that they're talking about now. They did the war crimes resolution. I think they, I mean, excuse me, they did the war powers resolution. I think they need to do a war crimes resolution. Focus on the fact that the president went in and killed, you know, over 1500 civilians, including children, amp up the

[Kelly O'Donnell]

pressure even when those don't succeed, to just use them for.

[Monica Alba]

Yeah, because what you're trying to do, what you're trying, what you're trying to do is create pressure on the ground. So what you want to do is take it out of Washington, D.C. in a process argument. The war powers is a process argument. You know, are you on something that all Americans can agree on? Create that pressure from the ground up in those 40 districts wanting more.

[Kelly O'Donnell]

Because this conversation is going to continue, but we have to say goodbye. So Jeff, Ashley, Michael, thank you all. We'll be back tomorrow with more MEET THE PRESS now. And as you know, news is still coming up right here on NBC News News. Now,

[Josh Mankiewicz]

he was a young Marine. She didn't care about convention. They made a life together. Then one night, the Marine died. And then the death investigation took a wild, unexpected and utterly bizarre turn. I'm Josh Mankiewicz, and this is Trace of Suspicion, an all new podcast from Dateline.

[Kelly O'Donnell]

Listen to all episodes of Trace of Suspicion.

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