Meet the Press NOW — February 26, 2026
Host: Kristen Welker, NBC News
Episode Theme:
This episode centers on several breaking and developing stories shaping US politics: the high-profile congressional depositions of Hillary and Bill Clinton as part of the expanded Epstein investigation; new scrutiny of the Justice Department’s Epstein file disclosures, particularly those implicating former President Trump; tensions between the US and Cuba following a deadly maritime event and ongoing diplomatic discussions; a Pentagon standoff with AI powerhouse Anthropic over military use of artificial intelligence; and the brewing political battle over federal control of elections and AI regulation ahead of a key midterm primary cycle.
Epstein Files Fallout and Congressional Hearings
Key Segments:
- [01:03] Breaking News: Hillary Clinton Deposition
- Hillary Clinton is being deposed by the House Oversight Committee regarding connections to Jeffrey Epstein.
- Bill Clinton is scheduled to testify the following day, marking the first time a former president has been compelled to participate in a congressional deposition.
- Democrats and Republicans presented a rare front, both voting to subpoena and potentially hold the Clintons in contempt for initially resisting testimony.
“According to her opening statement, Secretary Clinton told lawmakers she could not recall ever meeting Mr. Epstein and that she had no new information for their investigation. She also accused Republicans of partisan political theater.”
— Kristen Welker [01:21]
- [01:45] James Comer, Oversight Chair, Pushes Back on ‘Witch Hunt’ Accusations
- Comer points out the bipartisan support for the motions involving the Clintons.
“The Democrats voted with the Republicans to hold the Clintons in contempt. So... this isn’t a partisan witch hunt.”
— James Comer (via report) [01:45]
- [02:50] DOJ File Withholding and Allegations Involving Trump
- DOJ has not released files related to allegations against President Trump, including one from a woman allegedly abused by Epstein and making claims about Trump.
- The White House calls these allegations “untrue and sensationalist.”
- Both Clintons have not been accused or charged.
[03:56] Reaction from Capitol (Ryan Nobles)
- Democrats say Clinton answered all questions, did not invoke the Fifth Amendment, and denied knowing either Epstein or Ghislaine Maxwell.
- Call for transparency: “The full transcript, unedited... needs to be released by the majority in the next 24 hours.”
- Incident: Rep. Lauren Boebert took a covert photo before the deposition, causing a brief pause.
[05:54] Bill Clinton's Deposition Preview
- Clinton’s written record and memoir acknowledge a relationship with Epstein but he’s yet to be questioned in detail.
“What he’s never answered, though, are substantive questions about that relationship... Was it just a surface-level relationship or was there more to it?”
— Ryan Nobles [06:05]
White House Response & DOJ Files
[07:01] White House Perspective (Monica Alba)
- While focused on the economy after the State of the Union, the White House cannot escape the shadow of the Epstein file disclosures.
- President Trump previously signed legislation for Epstein file releases, using it to demonstrate transparency.
- White House reiterates that claims involving President Trump in released files are “untrue and sensationalist.”
“They like to continue to point to and refer to a DOJ statement in which they say that this president... has been accused of things that have not been true... included in these files as sensationalist information.”
— Monica Alba [08:19]
- DOJ (under AG Pam Bondi) maintains that only files justified for withholding remain sealed, with White House defending its position and facing growing calls for greater transparency.
Congressional Insights: Interview with Rep. Suha Subramaniam (D-VA)
[11:10] Lawmaker Reflections
-
On Clinton’s Testimony:
- “My biggest takeaway is she shouldn’t be deposed. There’s really not much information that she could provide us. ...It just shows the partisan nature from their end on this investigation.”
- Highlights contrast: Democrats insist on nonpartisan investigation, citing lack of Republican interest in deposing Les Wexner, in contrast to strong Republican attendance for Clinton’s deposition.
-
On Transcript Release:
- “We’ll see a lot of people be surprised by how good Secretary Clinton was as well as how embarrassing it was for Republicans… she ran circles around them today.” [12:14]
-
On Calls for Trump’s Testimony:
- “If they’re going to bring in former President Clinton who has been seen in the files a fraction of the amount of times as President Trump, we should be bringing in President Trump and we should be bringing him in now.” [14:47]
-
On Missing DOJ Files:
- “We know... there are missing parts of these documents that have not been released... as well as many other victim statements, too, that, you know, we believe name President Trump... we want all the evidence...” [15:46]
U.S.-Cuba Tensions: Alleged Foiled Armed Infiltration
[18:47] Incident Overview
- A U.S.-registered speedboat is intercepted by Cuban military, resulting in the deaths of four people alleged to be part of an armed infiltration.
- Cuban authorities claim recovery of weapons, night-vision goggles, and other gear, supporting their narrative of a politically motivated mission rather than smuggling.
[19:55] Cuban & Historical Context (Ed Augustin)
- Cuban Deputy Foreign Minister uses the press conference to highlight a history of U.S.-based terrorism against Cuba—ranging from Bay of Pigs to more recent incidents—arguing this context justifies their action and the current investigation.
- Quotes and references past U.S.-led or supported attacks.
[22:36] Analysis of Cuban Vulnerability (Will Freeman)
- Cuba faces unprecedented economic and political crisis:
- Tourism down 70% since 2018
- Massive youth exodus
- Oil cutoff since Trump administration
- “It's a regime in absolute crisis...completely gutted of legitimacy.”
- Ongoing, delicate U.S.–Cuban talks may be derailed or complicated by the violent incident.
[24:40] President Trump’s Statement
“Cuba is right now a failed nation... They should absolutely make a deal because it's really a humanitarian threat.”
— Donald Trump [24:40]
- Panel agrees: The situation is dire, and could drive change or negotiations.
[25:59] Individual Motives (Ed Augustin)
- Evidence indicates those on the boat were longtime anti-Castro activists, with some previously advocating open action against the regime, supporting the official Cuban narrative.
Iran Nuclear Talks & Regional Tensions
[28:28] U.S.–Iran Nuclear Negotiations
- US special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner meet Iran's foreign minister for the most “serious and longest” talks yet.
- Iranian officials report “good progress,” but history suggests military action could still occur, with President Trump threatening strikes after stating Iran is working on missile capabilities.
[29:33] Analysis with Kier Simmons
- Both sides signal positive steps but remain cautious, as prior “progress” talks have been followed by violent escalations (e.g., Israel's 2025 “12 day war,” Operation Midnight Hammer).
- U.S. deploying another aircraft carrier to the region, increasing heating tension.
Pentagon vs. Anthropic: The AI Guardrails Fight
[35:46] Defense Department Ultimatum to Anthropic
- Pentagon threatens AI leader Anthropic: Remove strict ethical guardrails for military contracts or face retaliation (loss of contract/labeling as security risk).
- Anthropic wants to bar use of its AI for autonomous lethal weapons and mass surveillance.
[37:31] What Are Lethal Autonomous Weapons?
- Jacob Ward explains these already exist: AI can command coordinated drone fleets capable of killing without direct human authorization.
- AI can also enable extreme surveillance—reading movement, even breathing or heartbeats through walls.
“We already have seen it...You buy these things off the shelf, you put them under AI control and it can go kill someone…without a human ever having to be consulted.”
— Jacob Ward [37:31]
- Anthropic’s Leverage: Only company with top-clearance military contracts, but faces intense pressure from other AI giants waiting in the wings.
AI in 2026 Politics: Republican Rift
[41:19] Governor Ron DeSantis’ AI Skepticism
- DeSantis, contemplating another presidential run, positions himself apart from pro-AI 2028 GOP hopefuls (Rubio, Vance) by raising “populist” concerns: job loss, children’s digital safety, and the social risks of AI.
“We have a responsibility to create a framework so that this technology...enhances our experience as human beings, not supplant our experience as human beings.”
— Gov. Ron DeSantis [41:19]
Debate: Election Security, The Save America Act, and 2026 Midterms
[43:14] Panel Discussion Highlights
- New Reporting: Pro-Trump activists reportedly circulating a draft executive order to nationalize voting based on unfounded claims of 2020 Chinese election interference.
- Debate divides sharply along party lines:
- Some panelists argue voter confidence is low due to lack of ID requirements, supporting the Save America Act.
- Counterargument: Fraud is statistically rare (<2%), suggesting the effort is about restricting turnout rather than security.
“Fraud in elections is less than 2%. The bigger issue is getting people who are registered to regularly show up to vote, not preventing people who shouldn’t be voting from voting.”
— Amisha Cross [46:12]
- Democrats plan to campaign against the Save America Act, framing it as voter suppression.
Economic Messaging and Political Outlook
- Both parties debate economic progress: Republicans tout lower gas prices, rising stock market, tax cuts, while Democrats emphasize persistent affordability crisis for regular Americans (housing, jobs, gig economy, layoffs).
- Consensus: Both parties face trust deficits regarding the economy.
“It’s not just good enough to talk about affordability without having a plan of action to reduce those prices.”
— Amisha Cross [50:53]
- Nancy Pelosi is quoted predicting a major Republican wave in the House, adding pressure on both parties ahead of the Texas primaries.
Notable Quotes
- “She ran circles around them today.” — Rep. Suha Subramaniam on Hillary Clinton’s deposition [12:14]
- “Cuba is right now a failed nation... They should absolutely make a deal because it’s a humanitarian threat.” — Donald Trump [24:40]
- “We have a responsibility to create a framework so that this technology... enhances our experience as human beings, not supplant our experience as human beings.” — Gov. Ron DeSantis [41:19]
- “We already have seen it... You buy these things off the shelf, you put them under AI control and it can go kill someone… without a human ever having to be consulted.” — Jacob Ward [37:31]
Key Timestamps for Major Segments
- 01:03 — Epstein/Clinton depositions: Announcement and context
- 02:50 — DOJ files, allegations against Trump
- 03:56 — Capitol Hill reactions; transcript and transparency debate
- 05:54 — Bill Clinton preview
- 07:01 — White House & DOJ stance on file disclosures
- 11:10 — Rep. Subramaniam’s inside account
- 18:47 — Cuba incident, US-Cuba tensions
- 28:28 — Iran nuclear talks & risk of military action
- 35:46 — Pentagon vs. Anthropic over AI guardrails
- 41:19 — Governor DeSantis on AI regulation
- 43:14 — Election security, Save America Act, 2026 midterm politics
Tone and Language
- The episode is fast-paced and direct, balancing straight news with pointed political debate.
- Quotes are sharp and, especially in panel exchanges, carry the energy of live, occasionally contentious, political television.
- Personalities (Clintons, Trump, DeSantis, panelists) are allowed to show through, retaining candid or rhetorical remarks published verbatim above.
Summary
This packed episode covers seismic stories at the intersection of politics, justice, foreign affairs, and technology. The congressional depositions of Hillary and Bill Clinton bring the Epstein scandal back to the forefront, with partisanship and questions of transparency running high. Allegations of withheld DOJ files relating to Trump keep the White House on the defensive. Developments in US–Cuba relations and Iran nuclear diplomacy highlight global instability and the potential for rapid policy shifts. Domestically, a defining fight over the uses and ethics of artificial intelligence pits the Pentagon against innovators, while the higher-stakes backdrop of election security and midterm strategy frames it all. Through interviews, analysis, and rich roundtable debate, Meet the Press NOW delivers a comprehensive, engaging portrait of a nation at a political crossroads.