Meet the Press NOW — February 26

Summary

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.

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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]

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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.

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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]

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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]

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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.

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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]

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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

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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.

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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.

Transcript

[Kristen Welker]

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[Interviewer/Host]

Welcome to MEET THE press.

[Kristen Welker]

Now.

[Interviewer/Host]

I'm Kristen Welker in Washington. We begin with breaking news amid new fallout tied to the Epstein files. Right now, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is behind closed doors near her home in Chappaqua, New York, for a deposition for the House Oversight Committee as part of its Epstein investigation, with committee members set to question former President Bill Clinton tomorrow. 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. Committee chair James Comer, speaking to reporters from Chappaqua, pushing back

[Kristen Welker]

Democrats voted to subpoena the Clintons. The Democrats voted with the Republicans to hold the Clintons in contempt. So the Democrats have just as many questions for their Clintons as the Republicans. So this isn't a partisan witch hunt. This was a motion, a bipartisan motion supported by the Democrats to bring the Clintons in. So I don't think it's any type of being unfair in any way to the Clintons.

[Interviewer/Host]

Now, as we just noted, former President Bill Clinton is slated to be deposed tomorrow for the first time a former president has ever been compelled to testify as part of a congressional investigation. And Democrats on the Oversight Committee say they're now setting their sights on the current president.

[Kristen Welker]

So we should be very clear that now that we're going to hear from former President Clinton, I hope that Chairman Comer and the Republicans will join us in demanding that the person who actually appears more times in the files than the former president who we want to speak with is President Donald Trump.

[Interviewer/Host]

Now, we should note that neither of the Clintons have been accused of any wrongdoing or charged in connection with the Epstein investigation. But this does all come amid new scrutiny over the Justice Department's compliance with the Epstein disclosure law. NBC News confirms the DOJ has not released some files related to a woman who had made an allegation against President Trump. The FBI conducted multiple interviews with that woman who accused Epstein of abusing her. A source familiar with the Justice Department's investigation tells NBC News she also made an additional allegation tied to Mr. Trump about an incident when she was 13 years old. The White House has pushed back against allegations raised against the president, saying the files contain, quote, untrue and sensationalist claims against him. NBC News chief Capitol Hill correspondent Ryan Nobles joins me from Chappaqua, along with NBC News White House correspondent Monica Alba. Thanks to both of you for starting us off. Ryan, I have to start with you. You are there outside this hearing. What has the reaction been so far from both Republicans and Democrats to today's deposition?

[Kristen Welker]

Well, we haven't heard from Republicans since the deposition began. At one point, they had promised us that they were going to come out each hour to update us on the progress of these talks, and they have not done that quite yet. But Democrats did come out about halfway through and said that Hillary Clinton has answered every single question, that she has not taken the Fifth, that she's explained different aspects of what the Republicans were asking, including, and most specifically that she had no ties to Jeffrey Epstein or Ghislaine Maxwell, that she did not know them and that she certainly knew nothing about their criminal activity. And one of the things that the Democrats really honed in on was this idea that it was all taking place behind closed doors. And they wanted to make it clear that this information, the entire video and transcript of this deposition be brought out into the public as soon as possible. Take a listen. The full transcript, unedited, of the secretary's questions, and the answers need to be released by the majority in the next 24 hours. We need the public and the American people have a right to know exactly what she said, what questions were asked of her and how she responded. That's transparency. We're hopeful that tomorrow for the former president that the press would be allowed in and the public as well. That's been the request. Now, there's no reason to think that wasn't going to happen. Already the Committee's had a pretty good track record of producing the entire video and transcripts of the depositions that they've conducted up until this point. But there was a little bit of a dust up today when Congresswoman Lauren Boebert covertly took a photo of the secretary before she began answering her questions and then sent it to a conservative influencer who then shared it all across the Internet. They paused the deposition for a minute to remind everyone as to what the rules were stated around this deposition. But Democrats are pointing out, why are you sending pictures of the secretary when we wanted the whole thing to be public? It just doesn't make any sense.

[Interviewer/Host]

Christine and Ryan, of course, we're anticipating former President Clinton will be deposed tomorrow. What are you expecting? Have you gotten any preview there?

[Kristen Welker]

So I do think that tomorrow's deposition will probably go much further in terms of the overall goal of this investigation, to learn as much as they possibly can about Jeffrey Epstein and the conspiracy associated with his criminal sex trafficking network, Hillary Clinton. There's just no evidence that she had any sort of relationship with Jeffrey Epstein or Glenn Maxwell. The same cannot be said for President Clinton. There is a long track record of information in the files that shows him with Jeffrey Epstein. He has written in his own memoir about his connections with Jeffrey Epstein and saying that he'd wish that he'd never met him and that he. He wished that he had not developed that relationship. What he's never answered, though, are substantive questions about that relationship. What kind of interactions did they have? Where did they meet? Where did they go? What did they do? Was it just a surface level relationship or was there more to it? I can bet that that's some of the things that both Republicans and Democrats will be pressing the president on tomorrow.

[Interviewer/Host]

Yeah, no doubt about that. All right, Ryan Nobles from Chappaqua, thank you so much for starting us off. Monica Alba, let me head over to you at the White House. What has the reaction been from the White House? We know that there's been an attempt, obviously, in the wake of the State of the Union to stay focused on issues like the economy. What's the strategy there? Absolutely, Kristen.

[Kristen Welker]

But I think in the words of

[Interviewer/Host]

a senior administration official some time ago,

[Kristen Welker]

since we've been talking about this issue overall for so long, this is the one that kind of hangs over the White House.

[Interviewer/Host]

That just doesn't go away.

[Kristen Welker]

And the president has been clear in

[Interviewer/Host]

the last couple of months that he

[Kristen Welker]

did push for that transparency.

[Interviewer/Host]

He signed that legislation into law to get the initial files out, and he

[Kristen Welker]

has continued and the White House has continued to point to that as evidence that the president supports more of this

[Interviewer/Host]

information to come out and to be released. But as we delve into these files

[Kristen Welker]

and as you mentioned, NBC's own reporting

[Interviewer/Host]

and confirmation of these, questions about what might still be withheld and has not

[Kristen Welker]

been released publicly that could be related

[Interviewer/Host]

to President Trump based on allegations from an Epstein victim.

[Kristen Welker]

That just again raises these questions for the White House once more.

[Interviewer/Host]

And they like to continue to point to and refer to a DOJ statement in which they say that this president,

[Kristen Welker]

in terms of information in the file,

[Interviewer/Host]

has been accused of things that have

[Kristen Welker]

not been true, that have not come true, and that have been just simply included in these files as sensationalist information.

[Interviewer/Host]

So they do continue to reiterate that the president hasn't been accused, accused of any wrongdoing when it comes to his

[Kristen Welker]

ties to Jeffrey Epstein. But again, this just does raise more questions, even though you're absolutely right to say this White House is focused on a complete different set of priorities and topics right now.

[Interviewer/Host]

Monica, let me ask you about this aspect of it. NBC News has confirmed the Justice Department has not released some of the files, particularly related to a woman who made allegations against President Trump. The president has denied any wrongdoing. But what's the White House saying about these specific files? Yeah, and they are really overall pointing

[Kristen Welker]

to what Attorney General Pam Bondi said

[Interviewer/Host]

some time ago, which is that all of the files that they plan to

[Kristen Welker]

release have been released.

[Interviewer/Host]

That is the Trump administration view of

[Kristen Welker]

this, and that if there's additional information out there, there was reason to withhold it. That needed to be part of that

[Interviewer/Host]

justification, either to protect the identity of somebody or because it included information that,

[Kristen Welker]

again, for whatever reason and determination, DOJ

[Interviewer/Host]

decided it shouldn't be made public. So this is a White House that is essentially trying to argue that this is case closed. But again, I think the public pressure

[Kristen Welker]

continues and the president is likely to

[Interviewer/Host]

face more questions about this in the days ahead. I think you're right about that, man. Let's shift gears for just a second. The Washington Post is reporting today that activists are coordinating with the White House on what they're describing as a draft executive order would effectively give the president authority over voting ahead of November's midterm elections. They're alleging that China intervened in the 2020 election. What are you hearing? What are your sources telling you about this effort? Well, the White House tells me that

[Kristen Welker]

essentially they are always in contact with outside groups, that they are always being

[Interviewer/Host]

presented with pitches or possibilities of things that could end up eventually becoming a

[Kristen Welker]

draft of an executive order.

[Interviewer/Host]

But that that is something that is not necessarily the case for this. Specifically, they did put out a statement

[Kristen Welker]

saying overall that the president is incredibly concerned about the status of elections and that is why he has continued to

[Interviewer/Host]

ask Congress and lawmakers to support the Save America Act. And he is still looking at other

[Kristen Welker]

possible reforms to election security. Though again, they wouldn't confirm necessarily that that specific 17 page executive order that the Washington Post reported on is actually being considered at this time.

[Interviewer/Host]

Kristen. All right, Monica Alba, thank you so much. We really appreciate it. Joining me now, Democratic Congressman Suha Subramaniam of Virginia. He's a member of the House Oversight Committee. Thank you so much for joining us. We really appreciate it. Congressman,

[Kristen Welker]

thank you for having me.

[Interviewer/Host]

So you were in the room. What are your biggest takeaways so far from the deposition of Secretary Hillary Clinton?

[Kristen Welker]

Well, my biggest takeaway is she shouldn't be deposed. I mean, there's really not much information that she could provide us. Certainly, you know, we're happy to talk to anyone who has information about Jeffrey Epstein, Ghilaine Maxwell, but she certainly seems to not have much information to provide us. And it's very interesting to see that, you know, Les Wexner, who bankrolled Jeffrey Epstein for many, many years, when we had a deposition of him in Ohio, zero Republicans showed up. Yet here they are. There's about 10 or 11 Republicans here to depose Hillary Clinton. It just shows the partisan nature from their end on this investigation. But we're going to continue to investigate and make it nonpartisan on the Democratic

[Interviewer/Host]

side very quickly because Secretary Clinton in her opening statement said she doesn't recall ever meeting Jeffrey Epstein. Did she affirm that under oath during the deposition?

[Kristen Welker]

You know, one thing I would really like is for the transcript to be released within the next 24 hours. We're technically not supposed to say anything specific from what happened, but I would say that when the transcript is released, we will see a lot of people be surprised by how good Secretary Clinton was as well as how embarrassing it was for Republicans to try to figure out how to corner her. And yet she ran circles around them today. And so I think we're going to ask for that transcript to be released so that the American people can see that Republicans were, you know, staking their claim or trying to make this partisan try to say that this is a Democratic hoax and blame Democrats when it really was not.

[Interviewer/Host]

And I know you're criticizing Republicans for focusing on Hillary Clinton but three Democrats on your committee did vote to hold her in in contempt for initially refusing to testify if she had nothing to say. Why do you think they voted to hold her in contempt?

[Kristen Welker]

Well, I think they wanted to be consistent with the fact that we don't want people evading our committee. I would say that, you know, the Clintons, you know, did eventually show up and we did make this happen. So they are here now. They're answering questions. But certainly we don't want our committee to be, you know, run over. This administration has done that the most. We also in that same vote tried to hold Pam Bondi in criminal contempt. But the reality was this Republican majority didn't want to do that. But, you know, Pam Bondi and Donald Trump and others in this administration continue to withhold two and a half million files and that's what makes it difficult to do this investigation.

[Interviewer/Host]

And I know you can't provide specifics, but broadly speaking, did Secretary Clinton give any insight into her husband's relationship with Jeffrey Epstein or any new details in that regard?

[Kristen Welker]

I think we're going to find out more about what President Clinton has to say tomorrow and his involvement. And, you know, that's why he's here. And certainly I think there'll be more members of our committee here tomorrow because they're very interested in his testimony.

[Interviewer/Host]

Let me ask you, because Congressman Robert Garcia has said this now sets a precedent for the committee speaking to President Trump potentially, who's also, of course, been named in the Epstein files. Do you think that that is something the Democrats will continue to press for? He has denied any wrongdoing.

[Kristen Welker]

I think this again, 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 if we want answers about his involvement and why he refuses to release all of the files. He's the best person to talk to. Right. And so we should get past just press gaggles and one off answers and get him in our committee telling us what's going on. I would absolutely support that.

[Interviewer/Host]

Let me ask you, because House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer has said that he's looking into reports that have been confirmed by NBC News that the Justice Department and its release of the Epstein documents omitted files related to a woman who made allegations against President Trump. What can you tell us about that specifically and how seriously is the committee looking into those files?

[Kristen Welker]

Well, of the files that were released, there were allegations made about President Trump. Some of those were taken down quickly after they were discovered. But we know from what we have that there are missing parts of these documents that have not been released. And so we have a lot of questions about where those pages are, where those documents are. They're clearly part of the two and a half million that weren't released, as well as many other victim statements, too, that, you know, we believe name President Trump. And certainly we're not saying that, you know, he is guilty of any allegations. But we want all the evidence and we want the evidence about all the people who are involved in these crimes. But to do that, you really have to get all the files and get all the evidence to us so we can do our investigation. And certainly the American people want that transparency, too.

[Interviewer/Host]

Well, we'll be tracking tomorrow's developments closely as well. Congressman Subramaniam, thank you so much for your perspective. We really appreciate it.

[Kristen Welker]

Thank you.

[Interviewer/Host]

Coming up, the very latest on US Tensions with Cuba as Secretary of State Marco Rubio says the administration is investigating an incident that Havana is calling a quote, foiled armed infiltration into its country involving an American boat. But first, a special programming announcement. Tune in this Tuesday for NBC News. Now special coverage of the first major primaries of the 2026 midterm elections will be live all night long as the results come in starting at 8pm Eastern. We'll be right back with more Meet the Press. Now stay with us.

[Kristen Welker]

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[Interviewer/Host]

Welcome back. We are learning new details about that deadly firefight off the coast of Cuba in which four people aboard a Florida registered Spirit were killed by the Cuban military. Now, Cuba says the speedboat was carrying Cuban residents of the United States who were armed and trying to infiltrate Cuba for, quote, terrorist purposes. Meanwhile, Secretary of State Marco Rubio says the US Is carrying out its own investigation into the incident that will determine the administration's response.

[Kristen Welker]

I'm not going to speculate on what the US Will do. What I'm telling you is that we're going to find out exactly what happened and who was involved and then we'll make a determination on the basis of what we find out. And we are going to find out, but we're not going to just take what somebody else tells us.

[Interviewer/Host]

Joining me now is NBC News correspondent Ed Augustin in Cuba and Will Freeman, a fellow for Latin American studies at the Council on Foreign Relations. Thank you both so much for being here. Ed, let me start with you and get you to respond to what Cuba is saying. Cuba's deputy foreign minister just held a press conference. What exactly are they saying?

[Kristen Welker]

Well, I'm here in the same building. The press conference took place about 20 minutes ago and the deputy foreign minister laid out the facts as Cuba says they are. He says that they have recovered from that speedboat panoply of weapons, assault rifles, night vision goggles, camouflage equipment, which furthers his case. He would argue that this was not to do with human trafficking, it wasn't to do with drug trafficking, both of which have happened in these waters in recent years. He would say that this furthers his case that this was armed people. Secondly, he pointed out a fact, and this is a fact as we've had enough history and investigation to know it. He said that Cuba has been a victim of terrorism emanating from the United States, both organized by and financed by the United States, and that really that's his opinion. I think you've also got to say it's academic consensus. Now, if you look at things like Bay of Pigs a long time ago in 1961 that was organized and financed by the CIA, by the US state, and it was a paramilitary invasion. You can argue it was a liberation, but it was actually a paramilitary invasion. In the 1970s, coming from Miami, you had Orlando Borsch, who was the intellectual architect and the CIA knew about this beforehand, of blowing up a civilian airliner that killed over 70 people. He was given a presidential pardon by the first Bush president and died peacefully in his home in Miami in his 80s. And more recently, most people wouldn't say this is terrorism, but in 2020, a man fired a weapon, a gun, a rifle, at the Cuban Embassy in Washington. And two years ago, no charges were pressed. So it is undoubtedly true that there is a line running through this, that a lot of violence has come out of Florida historically, and there hasn't been much accountability. And he pointed to that. The most important thing he said, though, was that the Cuban authorities are talking to the American authorities, both to the Coast Guard, which perhaps isn't too surprising because the Coast Guard, anyone who knows Cuba knows the two Coast Guards have a highly functional relationship and talk a lot, but also said that they're talking to the State Department. And in this wider conversation, the media are having speculation. Is it true that the two governments are negotiating or not? That's got to be an important thing.

[Interviewer/Host]

Well, let me turn to you and get your take. I mean, this is such an extraordinary incident. And the Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, called it, quote, highly unusual. Cuba's foreign minister saying Cuba hasn't had to face. Has had to face, I'm sorry, numerous infiltrations since 1959. Part of what Ed's just laying out. Put this into broader context for us.

[Kristen Welker]

Well, it comes at a moment of extreme uncertainty, I'd say, for the future of the authoritarian regime on the island. Of course, it's persisted a long time, you know, through a lot of other crises, when people thought that it might finally collapse. But the current moment is really unprecedented. I mean, I just want to underscore a few figures. One, tourism down over 70% since 2018. The military and other authorities that rule the island had transformed the economy to revolve around tourism. Okay, so that leg is knocked out from under the table. You also have 10 to 20% of Cubans who've left the island since 2021, mostly young people fleeing, searching, both fleeing political repression and looking for opportunities elsewhere. So this is a regime that's completely gutted of legitimacy. It's no longer able, even able to claim credit for functional hospitals or low crime rates. Those are going up as well. It's a regime in absolute crisis, and that has only deepened since the Trump administration cut off the flow of oil from Venezuela, which had been essential keeping the lights on. So the Trump administration has Cuba in this position of, you know, I think, immense precarity and vulnerability, the regime that is. And allegedly, there are these talks going on now. Of course, the Cubans disavow those. The Trump administration hasn't provided much details, but what we believe is that the Trump administration is speaking potentially to a grandson of Raul Castro about some kind of negotiated opening, at least on the economic front, to. To reactivate the economy and probably bring in US Investment. So when I saw this episode happen, the first question for me was, if those talks are indeed going on, what does this mean for them? Does it derail them? Does it empower hardliners on the Cuban side who, some of whom may not want to see this kind of negotiation go forward? Does it empower certain hardliners on the US Side who maybe also feel threatened by it? I think that's what we'll see soon. But my read on Secretary of State Rubio's comments is that he's trying to keep a calm tone for now first, figure out what happened before jumping to conclusions.

[Interviewer/Host]

Well, will you take me to my next question, which is I do want to play some of what President Trump has had to say about Cuba, about those talks. Get both of your reactions on the other side. Take a listen.

[Kristen Welker]

Cuba is right now a failed nation. They don't even have jet fuel to get for airplanes to take off. They're clogging up their Runway. We're talking to Cuba right now. I have Marco Rubio talking to Cuba right now, and they should absolutely make a deal because it's a humanitarian. It's really a humanitarian threat.

[Interviewer/Host]

Will, let me start with you. What do you make of what you heard from the president?

[Kristen Welker]

Fairly straightforward description of the facts. It is a humanitarian crisis. There'd be no other reason that 1 to 2 million of 10 million people would have left in the last few years if that wasn't true. And I certainly do hope that there's a deal struck. I think the protests of 2021, unprecedented tens, if not hundreds of thousands of Cubans out on the street. I mean, it really showed you that there is mass discontent coupled with this mass exodus of people. There is, you know, a pressure for political change of some kind. Obviously needs to include a number of stakeholders on the island. But, you know, I think that's a. It's a pretty fair description of where Cuba is now. Obviously a very uncertain path ahead, but I think it's, it's pretty much on the money.

[Interviewer/Host]

Ed, let me give you the final word here. What more are you learning about the people on that and what are you watching for next in this investigation?

[Kristen Welker]

Well, it's been fascinating to report on the people on the boat. I Woke up at 5:30 this morning and I was listening to Radio Marti, which is a US Government financed propaganda outlet. And one of the people on that boat did an interview last year backing President Trump, saying that the regime is about to fall, saying that Cubans need to do everything possible to make the regime a fall. Clearly a very political person. Two of the people that were on that boat are on a list published by the Ministry of Interiors who claim they've been involved in sabotage. So far, so, so far, an AP came out with a story yesterday in which they interviewed the brother of one of the people on the boat who died, saying that he got caught up in a diabolical quest, an obsessive quest to overthrow the government. Now these are very anti government people, but it's clear that they are political people and they have been accused by the Cuban government for many years, at least two of them, for being involved in trying to overthrow the government. And so that would seem that there's circumstantial evidence to back up the Cuban government's narrative that this was indeed that these were political people.

[Interviewer/Host]

All right, Ed Augustin, Will Freeman, thank you so much for joining us on this still developing story. We really appreciate it. Coming up next, inside today's high stakes talks between top US And Iranian negotiators over Tehran's nuclear program in what could be a final push for a diplomatic solution as the president weighs military action in Iran. Stay with us on MEET THE press. Now,

[Kristen Welker]

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[Interviewer/Host]

Welcome back. The U.S. and Iran are holding their latest round of talks in hopes of reaching an agreement to rein in Tehran's nuclear program. US Special envoy Steve Witkoff and the president's son in law, Jared Kushner are in Geneva today for indirect talks with Iran's foreign minister. Sources telling NBC News the Trump administration viewed today's discussions as positive and Iran's foreign minister saying they were the most serious and longest so far. Also saying, quote, good progress was made on the issues of Iran's nuclear program and sanctions relief. But it comes as questions continue to swirl about possible US Military strikes on Iran after President Trump's State of the Union address where he claimed Iran is working on a missile that could reach the US Was trying to restart its nuclear program despite claiming last summer the US had obliterated Iran's nuclear program. Joining me now is NBC News chief international correspondent Kier Simmons. Kier, thanks so much for being here. So significant these talks were underway. Give us the very latest. What are you hearing was achieved?

[Kristen Welker]

Well, fascinating, Christine, that two U.S. officials tell NBC News that one word that you just described just positive about these talks that have now wrapped up. They did take hours. The foreign minister of Iran, Abbas Arabchi, on the other hand, more, more positive if you like, because speaking more about it on Iranian television saying understandings have been reached on some issues and on others there are still differences, saying that the Iranian side presented Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff with their expectations on sanctions relief and that there will be more talks next week. That message reinforced by Oman's foreign minister who is mediating these talks, saying there's been significant progress and that they will resume after consultation in their respective capitals. An interesting point here, Kristen. The foreign minister of man said exactly that in May 2025 after talks between the US and Iran. And then Israel launched its 12 day war. And then of course, there was Operation Midnight Hammer against the Iranian against the Iranian nuclear program by President Trump. So just because these positive messages are emerging from these talks today, it doesn't mean necessarily that these threats that President Trump has been posing won't come to fruition. And just a data point on that, the USS Ford the biggest aircraft carrier in the world left Crete today, heading towards the eastern Mediterranean. And so it will be the second aircraft carrier in this region if President Trump decides to carry out those strikes against Iran.

[Interviewer/Host]

So here, if the president were to carry out strikes against Iran in the coming days, what would the implications be? Would that affect effectively put an end to these talks?

[Kristen Welker]

Well, you'd have to think so. It did when Israel launched its 12 day war in 2025. They've talked about technical talks in Vienna next week. Again, it's hard to see how those could continue if, say, for example, those strikes happened this weekend. Ultimately, President Trump has the capability now to strike Iran, but it's not that he has to do it at any particular time. It does cost a lot of money to keep so much firepower in this region. But that I suspect won't weigh too much on President Trump's mind and what will be concerning him. And we know that these conversations are happening in the White House are the questions of what happens after those strikes. If you carry out regime change, do the more hardline leaders impose themselves in Iran? Do you end up supporting the Iranian protesters by doing that? Or even does Iran collapse and then cause all kinds of issues in this region for a long time? Could it even explode into a war? I mean, these are all the kinds of things that any president, even President Trump, will be trying to weigh up in deciding what to do at this stage.

[Interviewer/Host]

Yeah. And the regime change in Iran, undoubtedly far more complicated than in Venezuela, as we just witnessed. All right, Keir Simmons, thank you so much. We know you've been following every twist and turn of these talks. Really appreciate it. We do want to turn now to the ongoing search for Nancy Guthrie, of course, the 84 year old mother of our beloved colleague Savannah Guthrie. 26 days into the investigation, two federal law enforcement sources tell NBC News officials are now working to return Nancy Guthrie's home back to her family. Several agents were seen at the property Wednesday as part of that plan, according to the sources. Officials also acknowledge law enforcement no longer sees a need to seal the home as a crime scene. The FBI tip line has received more than 23,000 calls since Guthrie was taken. 750 of those came in on Tuesday in the first 12 hours after Savannah and her family offered a private $1 million reward for the return of their mother. If you or anyone, you know, anyone has more information, we encourage you to call the tip line. Please, if you know anything, call this number on your screen. 1-800- call FBI. Again, that's 1-800- call FBI. Coming up after the break, the Pentagon battles with AI powerhouse Anthropic, demanding it allow the US military to use the AI technology without guardrails. That story's next on MEET THE PRESS now. Welcome back. Turning now to a story that has thrust an uncomfortable question into the spotlight. What happens when you combine artificial intelligence with deadly weapons? For weeks, tensions have been brewing between the Pentagon and AI giant Anthropic. And now the Defense Department is giving the AI company an ultimatum. Let the military use its technology without restrictions or pay the price starting tomorrow. The dispute centers around Anthropics demands that any military use of its AI must come with significant guardrails to prevent the powerful technology from being used to make lethal automaton autonomous weapons or for the surveillance of Americans. But during a tense meeting earlier this week, Pentagon leadership gave Anthropic a final warning to drop their demands for guardrails by 5pm tomorrow. That's according. According to a senior Pentagon official. If it doesn't, the Pentagon is threatening retaliation either by invoking the Defense Production act to force Anthropic to comply or threatening to cancel its $200 million contract and label Anthropic a supply chain risk, a designation often reserved for companies with ties to foreign adversaries that pose a national security risk. Joining me now is Jacob Ward, veteran technology journalist and host of the Rip Current podcast. Jacob, thanks so much for being here. So let's dive right in. What do you make of this standoff between Anthropolog? How do you see it going?

[Kristen Welker]

Well, it's a very new thing in my world. Generally speaking, when I interview tech CEOs at companies that have business with the government, they tend to say, you know, how this stuff is used. And the ethical questions that come up around it are not my job. I've often asked them things like, well, the technology you've created, you know, very often you're seeing a company that has like a border patrol drone with a facial recognition camera stuff that is so far outside the bounds of even the Geneva Convention. You say, well, shouldn't you have to invent the ethics to go with the technology you've invented? And they say, that's not my job. Anthropic is one of the very rare companies that actually has taken a stand on this internally in the way that so many people have suggested these companies should. And that's because they're living in the future. They know what is capable, what, what AI is capable of producing in terms of surveillance and in terms of military applications. And that's why they have these policies that, quote, don't allow the company to track a person's physical location, emotional state or communic without their consent. You're not allowed to use AI to, quote, produce, modify design or illegally acquire weapons. I mean, these are some very fundamental standards they've tried to impose. And in the past, Kristen, it's been government use of this stuff that has imposed restraints, right? Democracy has imposed restraints on these companies. But now we're seeing the opposite. We don't live in that world anymore. Suddenly this company, which has its own set of standards, turns out to have higher standards perhaps than the Pentagon does. And now we're in this strange standoff truly in the Upside down here, Krist.

[Interviewer/Host]

Just fascinating. And look, Anthropic saying one of the guardrails at once is barring the use of lethal autonomous weapons. What exactly does that mean? What would that kind of weapon look like? Jacob?

[Kristen Welker]

Well, we already have seen it. This is the thing to understand. This is not imaginary stuff. This is currently happening. So a company called Oterion, which is a Arlington, Virginia based company, just recently did a demonstration of multiple drones, multiple fixed wing aircraft, all controlled by a single system. Even though all of these pieces were made by different companies. Basically, you buy these things off the shelf, you put them under AI control and it can go kill someone for you without a human ever having to be consulted. The human doesn't have to pull the trigger anymore. So we're already in a world in which the role of a human has been downgraded from being the one that decides to yes, you should kill someone to really someone who decides, am I going to get in the way or let this thing go ahead and do its job and kill people automatically? That's the sort of thing that we're talking about. And that's not even taking into account, Christian, the long list of things. I have a whole piece up at the rip current about this where you have, you know, wi fi Systems now where three $30 routers can be used to identify who's in the room and where they are through a wall or in perfect pitch blackness, right? You have all, all sorts of AI capabilities that were in unimaginable five years ago that make the possibility of very scary, very real surveillance, identifying people by their heartbeat, how they walk, reading their lips through a mask. All of that is possible with AI. This is the world that Anthropic realizes they are playing in. And this seems to be why they're trying to impose some restrictions here and why The Pentagon, of course, wants every possible capability that they can get out of this technology.

[Interviewer/Host]

So, Jacob, who do you think right now has more leverage in this standoff?

[Kristen Welker]

That is a great question. So, right as. As of now, Anthropic is the only one of these companies that is allowed into the classified military systems. So they're the only ones that have gotten to this highest designation under the terms of their $200 million contract. And so the Pentagon basically has said, you've had them. They've told Axios and others. We're dealing with these guys because they're so good. Right. The technology is so effective. So that's the Pentagon feeling that they need these folks. Now, then, Anthropic, they also need this. I mean, a government contract is a very valuable, stable source of revenue for a company that's, you know, worth $380 billion, just raised about $30 billion this year, but as a result, owes a lot of money to its investors. And so there's a real standoff here. And it's not clear to me, you know, you really have the. The creator of this company, Dario Amadai, in a real pickle. He, I think, has some leverage, but I think, in theory, this is the real problem for him. Xai Alphabet, Google System, Gemini and Meta are also in line behind Anthropic for those sorts of contracts. And so this comes back to that same thing that drives tech people all the time is if I don't do it, someone else is, so I might as well do it. There's a lot of people lined up behind him to do that. This. Kristen.

[Interviewer/Host]

All right, well, we'll be watching closely to see what happens in the next 24 hours and beyond with Anthropic. Jacob Ward, thank you so much. We really appreciate all of your insights and information. Well, as the Trump administration embraces the use of AI, at least one prominent Republican is actually backing away. Florida Republican Governor Ron DeSantis has voiced concerns about the rapid expansion of AI, a position that puts him in sharp contrast with the Trump administration and therefore at odds with two potential 2028 presidential candidates, Vice President J.D. vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio. As the term limited governor weighs another presidential run. Here's Governor DeSantis at an AI roundtable earlier this month. We have a responsibility to create a

[Kristen Welker]

framework so that this technology and technological innovations are channeled in a way that benefits the people of the state, benefits our kids, our parents, enhances our experience as human beings, not supplant our experience as human beings.

[Interviewer/Host]

Joining me now is senior national politics reporter Matt Dixon. Matt, thanks so much for being here.

[Kristen Welker]

Of course. Thanks for having me.

[Interviewer/Host]

So let's start off with what Ron DeSantis is up to. Why is he taking this stance and

[Kristen Welker]

what is his argument so functionally from the AI skeptic standpoint? Republicans or really polit politicians across the board talk about a couple of things, job loss, they talk about environmental concerns, broader societal impact, children that could be impacted by so called chat bots. We have seen there's been reporting about kids who have harmed themselves interacting with AI And Fernanda Santos that the Florida governor, he sort of checks all those boxes. He has come out of the gate swinging and it's a relatively new issue. He ran for president of folks who recall in 2024 it didn't go well. This really wasn't an issue for him or anyone. But in recent months, he has really come out swinging on all of the major bullet points that you would expect a skeptical politician to hit.

[Interviewer/Host]

So is this about him carving out ELAINE Potentially in 2028?

[Kristen Welker]

Two things I think. One, he's always tried to tap in a little bit to the populist strain he is in the past. His administration has sued social media companies. He's always been a little bit of a tech skeptic. But yes, of course, Ron DeSantis is a savvy politician who is 2024 running, ran into the Trump Buzzsaw, did not do well. I think he would like to run again right now. We have JD Vance, we have Marco Rubio as sort of the frontrunners. They're very Pro I Ron DeSantis, he's an opportunity.

[Interviewer/Host]

He sees the lane.

[Kristen Welker]

It's good politics, but I think it also leans a little bit to his policy instinct as well.

[Interviewer/Host]

All right, Matt Dixon, thanks so much.

[Kristen Welker]

Thank you.

[Interviewer/Host]

Great to have you here. Well, we're going to dig deeper into the brave new politics of AI with our panel after a quick break. This is MEET THE PRESS now. Welcome back. President Trump has repeatedly called for more federal control over elections, saying his party should, quote, nationalize the voting and making false claims about corrupt elections in major Democratic cities. And as we mentioned now, there is new reporting from the Washington Post which suggests pro Trump activists are circulating a draft executive order that, quote, claims China interfered in the 2020 election as a basis to declare a national emergency that would unlock extraordinary presidential power over voting. Joining me now is our panel, Susan Page, Washington bureau chief for USA Today, Democratic strategist Amisha Cross and Tiffany Smiley, founder of the Endeavor Pack. Thanks to all of you for being here, really appreciate it. Susan, let me start with you. What do you make of this panel? Where do you see this going?

[Kristen Welker]

Well, there have been allegations of Chinese involvement, but the study that the administration did before concluded that they didn't do it. They thought Chinese thought about trying to meddle in the election, but did not do so. This is something President Trump has been talking about since the prospects of big losses in November have raised. He said he'll accept the returns basically if I think they're fair. He's sowing the kind of questions about the sanctity of the election that he did about his 2020 election, which you'll recall, no evidence of fraud in that election, but he continues to talk about how he should have won.

[Interviewer/Host]

Tiffany, does the White House, do these pro Trump groups risk potentially dampening voter turnout, the voters that they need in the midterms by talking about this potential influence in the election, which, as Susan is laying out, was deemed not to have happened?

[Kristen Welker]

I think voter turnout for years now has dampened because there is a lack of trust in our voting system. There are some states you really don't even need to have an ID to vote in in the election. And that's a problem.

[Interviewer/Host]

And so I like to look to

[Kristen Welker]

and focus on the Save America act, which is widely popular. It polls at about 80% with the American people. People need to know in this country that it's, it's that they have confidence in the voting system, that it's, it's easy to vote when it's hard to cheat. We know that fraud does occur in my home state of Washington State. It's mail in ballots. Even in hometown. There was an apartment manager who was filling in names on extra ballots. So we know what happens.

[Interviewer/Host]

Pick up on that point. I mean, what do you see as the chances of the Save America act getting any type of bipartisan support? Do you think that's something that will happen? Is it something that Democrats are going to continue to run against?

[Kristen Welker]

Democrats are going to continue to run

[Interviewer/Host]

against it for good reason.

[Kristen Welker]

It creates trying to solve a problem that doesn't exist. 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. But beyond that, I think that it is also an association with name. We know there have been several comments

[Interviewer/Host]

put out about how women who are

[Kristen Welker]

married may not have access because their last name changed. That is not true. And what we do know, what we do know is that this administration, as well as those of his acolytes in his version of justice space are individuals who are doing everything they can to dismantle our election cycle.

[Interviewer/Host]

They want to ensure that they limit votes because they do not want to

[Kristen Welker]

address why his poll numbers are what they are.

[Interviewer/Host]

They do not want to talk about the economy.

[Kristen Welker]

They specifically don't want to talk about affordability.

[Interviewer/Host]

And they have failed to reach where

[Kristen Welker]

Americans are in terms of moving America forward. He said America first, and he's everywhere

[Interviewer/Host]

and doing everything except right here and

[Kristen Welker]

protecting the Americans who are calling for affordability in housing, in food, you name it. That's what they're going to be taking to the ballot in November. He doesn't have an answer for it, so he just wants to stop them from coming.

[Interviewer/Host]

Tiffany, I assume you want to respond to that. Yeah.

[Kristen Welker]

No, that's not true. The economy is actually. There are really good things happening in the economy. And Trump is already out in Texas. The vice president is in Wisconsin making their case to the American people. And two things can be true at the same time. There are things trending in the right direction, and there is still work to be done. They were handed an economy that was not working. We were handed the highest inflation in my lifetime. And Trump has worked hard over this last year implementing his policies. The no Tax on TIPS act this summer that he passed and a tariff

[Interviewer/Host]

strategy that actually raised prices.

[Kristen Welker]

They will start to fill that. But two things can be true at the same time. Americans need to believe in our voting system and have confidence in it. And Save America act is widely popular. Trump is not doing that as a distraction. He's simply doing that to stand up for the American people. Mom. Donnie, in New York, you need to show two forms of identification to shovel snow. So certainly we can figure that out in our voting system.

[Interviewer/Host]

Well, it is important to note that instances of fraud are incredibly low, but it does come against the backdrop of the midterms getting underway. We're going to have our first results on Tuesday. Susan Page. President Trump, as Tiffany says, is heading to Texas. He has not endorsed in that primary race. Senator John Cornyn, in the political fight of his life. He hasn't endorsed yet. Set the stage for us in the wake of the State of the Union, where the president did talk about the economy, a range of other issues at this moment. What are you watching for?

[Kristen Welker]

So he did talk about the economy, and that was of some relief to congressional Republicans who were actually being on

[Interviewer/Host]

the ballot in November. But he continued to mock the idea of affordability. And as though that's not a legitimate

[Kristen Welker]

concern for Americans to have, although they do have it.

[Interviewer/Host]

And he didn't do the, you know

[Kristen Welker]

that I feel your pain kind of moment that politicians do that says, I realize there are some things are hard for you. I'm going to try to do something about it.

[Interviewer/Host]

He followed instead the idea that the economy is great.

[Kristen Welker]

I have solved big problems since I took over a year ago.

[Interviewer/Host]

Tiffany, was that a I want to look forward, but I do think it's a critical point. We didn't hear that ignited acknowledgement that if you look at the polls, he's underwater in his handling of the economy. Many Americans still feel as though the economy's not working for them. Does he need to start doing that when he goes to Texas, for example? Well, when you pull the Democrats in

[Kristen Welker]

the economy, it's not any better. So I think his job is to build the confidence in the American people and to sell his message, make his case across the country and make sure that those running in the midterm are selling it as well. The fact is he has done really good things, things. Gas prices are down. 30 year mortgage interest rate just dropped. The Dow is at record highs. So there's good things that are happening and trending in the right direction. And once his policies take root, the American people in April are going to start to get their tax returns back and see more money in their pockets.

[Interviewer/Host]

Amisha, what about this argument that when you look at the polls by a narrow margin, actually fewer people have confidence in Democrats to address some of these pressing issues? How do Democrats address that in the midterms and as they start to make their case?

[Kristen Welker]

No, absolutely.

[Interviewer/Host]

Democrats have a hard hill to climb and in part because of the failures of the last presidential cycle, but also because they are still working on a

[Kristen Welker]

messaging strategy that makes sense for them.

[Interviewer/Host]

We saw the win with Mandani. We've seen Spamberger, we've seen cases across the country where it is, it has sailed. But by and large, Americans writ large

[Kristen Welker]

still want a fighter.

[Interviewer/Host]

Undecided voters are still trying to figure out where Democrats stand on certain issues.

[Kristen Welker]

And they have to not only fight against, you know, the treacherousness of this

[Interviewer/Host]

current administration, but they also have to have a path forward.

[Kristen Welker]

It's not just good enough to talk about affordability without having a plan of

[Interviewer/Host]

action to reduce those prices.

[Kristen Welker]

That issue is not going to go

[Interviewer/Host]

away anytime too soon. You know, it's certainly true that the

[Kristen Welker]

Democrats do not have any more faith from American voters than Republicans do, but it doesn't matter because midterm elections are referendum on the party in power and that's Republicans. I interviewed Nancy Pelosi yesterday who's a well known counter of elections and votes and she said that she predicted that Republicans would not only flip the three seats they need to get control of the House. She said they might win 30 seats.

[Interviewer/Host]

Are you bracing for that, that Democrats could potentially have wave as Nancy?

[Kristen Welker]

Well, history certainly predicts that, you know, so but that's not to say that the Republicans don't have this historic moment, this unique moment in time where they can make their pitch to the American people. As I mentioned, Trump's policies are taking effect. So, you know, I think the numbers we are seeing, we will see a significant shift in the coming months. And the Democrats message is just simply if Donald Trump is for it, we are against it. It's been like that from the very beginning.

[Interviewer/Host]

I mean, should he took office and I'm sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt you. Misha. There is this debate inside the Democratic Party. What exactly should the message be on the economy? We're going to see primary results in Texas on Tuesday, for example. You have James Talarico, you have Jasmine Crockett. Now, actually, they're not that different in their messaging. They're more different when it comes to their style. But what do you think Democrats should be leaning into the kitchen table issues that matter the most to Americans?

[Kristen Welker]

You are right.

[Interviewer/Host]

Mortgage prices are going down, but the average American can't afford a house. Hundreds of thousands of people are losing

[Kristen Welker]

jobs in the private sector.

[Interviewer/Host]

We already know that this president cut

[Kristen Welker]

the federal federal workers by the thousands as well.

[Interviewer/Host]

We know that AI is coming fast and furious and there are a ton of people who are currently unemployed.

[Kristen Welker]

So when you're talking about that and

[Interviewer/Host]

you're talking about gig economy work where people cannot afford not only the cost

[Kristen Welker]

of eggs, they can't afford to put

[Interviewer/Host]

a roof over their heads.

[Kristen Welker]

Democrats have to stay within that lane

[Interviewer/Host]

because that's where Americans are. Guys, we're out of time. Thank you so much, Susan, Amisha and Tiffany really appreciate it. We're back tomorrow with more MEET the press. Now there's more ahead on NBC News. Now

[Kristen Welker]

did you know that parents rank financial literacy as the number one most difficult life skill to teach? Meet Greenlight, the debit card and money app for families. With greenlight, you can set up chores automate allowance and keep an eye on your kids spending with real time notifications, kids learn to earn, save and spend wisely. And parents can rest easy knowing their kids are learning about money with guardrails in place. Sign up for Greenlight [e-mail] podcast.