Meet the Press NOW — July 7

Summary

Meet the Press NOW — July 7, 2026

Host: Gabe Gutierrez, NBC News
Theme: Fallout from the Graham Platner Allegations, Senate Battle, and Global Politics

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Episode Overview

This edition of Meet the Press NOW is dominated by the cascading fallout from sexual assault allegations against Graham Platner, the Democratic Senate nominee in Maine. The episode examines the party’s response, the impact on Senate control prospects, and reactions from party leaders and voters. The show also turns to breaking international developments, including US-Iran tensions, President Trump at the NATO summit, and shifting alliances. The panel ends with reflections on political accountability and party health in a perilous election cycle.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Graham Platner Crisis and Its Impact

(00:48–15:26, 17:50–24:02, 45:05–53:32)

A. The Allegations & Political Fallout

• Allegation Details: Graham Platner’s former girlfriend, Jenny Racicot, accuses him of rape in 2021. Platner denies non-consensual behavior but details are aired on national networks.
  • "By definition? Yes, absolutely." — Jenny Racicot (01:51)
  • "He violated multiple layers of consent that night by coming into my home when I asked him not to and by advancing on me when I told him not to." — Jenny Racicot (02:05)
• Motivation to Speak Out: Racicot insists her decision was not politically motivated.
  • "I really agree with his politics. I think we need somebody with those political stances... I felt really uncomfortable with the responsibility and the weight of my story." — Jenny Racicot (02:49)
• Party Withdrawal: Every major Democratic endorser has rescinded support, including Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren, and Chuck Schumer.
  • "In light of these very serious allegations, I have recommended that he step aside." — Bernie Sanders, quoted by Gabe Gutierrez (03:43)
  • "The best path forward is for Graham Platner to step aside... and address these serious allegations outside this Senate race." — Elizabeth Warren, quoted by Gabe Gutierrez (03:52)
  • Schumer signals no DNC resources will be allocated if Platner stays (04:17, 07:59).

B. Voter and Party Voices

• Voter Reaction: Disappointment and anger over Platner’s conduct and the delayed response.
  • "Nice try, buddy, but get out. You're carrying too much baggage. You're going to cost the election." — Maine voter (05:36–05:41)
  • "Absolutely" Platner staying hurts Dems' chances. — Voter (06:10)
• Potential Replacements: Names floated include Troy Jackson, Nirav Shah, Jared Golden, and Janet Mills, but none are seen as ideal (09:08–09:54).
  • "There are a thousand flowers in Maine that could potentially bloom." — John Allen (09:08)

C. The Dilemma and Leverage

• Platner’s Position: As the nominee, Platner alone can withdraw by July 13. He is reportedly seeking assurances a progressive replacement will carry his vision before deciding (06:39–07:25).
  • "He wants a replacement who shares his vision and values... he didn’t fight all this way... for this progressive set of values... to drop out and have an establishment candidate take his place.” — Saha Kapoor (06:56)
• Party's Counter-Leverage: No funding, no support, no infrastructure for Platner if he remains (07:59–08:08).
• Consequences for Senate Control: The consensus is staying in dooms Democratic prospects; dropping out offers a glimmer of hope (11:54–12:34).
  • "If Platner stays on the ballot, I think the seat is gone." — Jessica Taylor (11:57)
  • Dem path to Senate majority "very, very narrow" without Maine (13:09–13:46).

D. Panel & Leadership Reflections

• Wide agreement Platner must go; frustration at party’s slow action.
  • "This is someone who should have been out of this race long before this brave victim came forward yesterday." — Herbie Ziskan (46:05)
  • "I think he was the best candidate... If you want Susan Collins to be reelected... he would have been the best one for her to run against." — Sarah Chamberlain (47:17)
  • Debbie Dingell and others note survivors are still punished for speaking, and due process vs. survivor support remains fraught (21:08–22:28).

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2. Party Process and Moving Forward

(06:39–15:26, 23:18–24:02)

• Replacement Process: Nominee has until July 13 to withdraw; otherwise, Democrats are stuck. Platner leveraging deadline to extract concessions on his replacement (06:39–07:28, 14:48–15:26).
  • "He won't have a viable campaign if he runs... nobody can force him to get out. So if he can extract something in exchange for stepping out, this seems to be the negotiation." — Saha Kapoor (14:48)
• Voter Choice vs. Party apparatus: Debate whether state party or DC should select the replacement; consensus is it should be a Maine process (23:26).

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3. Senate Map, Broader Implications, and Democratic Strategy

(13:09–14:42, 24:02–27:45, 49:50–50:23)

• Maine's Impact: Losing Maine makes flipping the Senate almost insurmountable for Democrats; focus could shift to Iowa, Ohio, and Alaska.
  • "I would look to Iowa... Iowa is a much cheaper alternative... very solid candidate there." — Jessica Taylor (13:51)
• Michigan Race Spotlight: Instability in Maine amplifies importance of other battleground states, like Michigan, where party unity will be key after a fractious primary (24:02–24:21).
• Panel: The shifting limits of voter tolerance — contemporary politics has “moved the red line,” but this case still crosses it (49:16).
• Republican Perspective: Sarah Chamberlain says Republicans will not get complacent and eyes challenges in Alaska, North Carolina, Iowa (50:00–50:23).

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4. Global Developments: Iran, NATO, and Trump at International Stage

(30:20–44:40)

A. US–Iran Tensions

• US Revokes Iranian Oil License: A move widely seen as retaliation for Iranian attacks on commercial ships in the Strait of Hormuz (31:35–33:04).
  • "This likely will be met with a lot of anger, stronger from the Iranian side... potential for an escalation." — NBC News Reporter (32:07)
• Military Response: Pattern has been proportional strikes following Iranian aggression, but President Trump's presence in region escalates stakes (37:02–37:54).
  • "They take these proportional responses and then they sort of up it just a little bit." — Courtney Kubay (37:32)

B. Trump at NATO and Global Alliances

• Threats to NATO: Trump again threatens troop withdrawal from Europe citing allies’ lack of support and investment (34:03).
  • "We've invested trillions of dollars in NATO. Why? To protect European countries... you would think that they'd be very willing to do something to help us." — President Trump (30:20)
• Relations with Turkey: US lifts sanctions on Turkey, considers F-35 sales—even as Israel and Congress warn this could destabilize the region (34:18–35:43).
  • "If you give... this kind of radical regime that admittedly smiles to America... you're going to see aggression in its wake." — Bibi Netanyahu (35:08)
• Trump’s Interest in Greenland: Trump doubles down on buying Greenland, raising questions about US commitment to NATO alliances (43:19–44:40).
  • "The one problem I continue to have... is this idea that you can only defend or secure a territory that you own... is deeply, deeply concerning." — Ambassador Ivo Daalder (43:49)

C. Ukraine War & NATO Expansion

• Zelensky’s Plea for Air Defenses: Ukrainian President to ask Trump for Patriot missile systems; emphasizes urgency to counter Russia (38:37).
• NATO Membership for Ukraine: Ex-ambassador Daalder argues Ukraine’s membership is increasingly important for both NATO and European security but sees no movement under Trump (41:00).

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5. Inside Capitol Hill: Senate Leadership and Accountability

(50:23–53:32)

• Mitch McConnell’s Absence: Raises questions about transparency, the role of aging politicians, and narrow majorities.
  • "I think the McConnell team and the Senator need to be very forthright... He owes it to his constituents, he owes it to the country, he owes it to his colleagues." — Herbie Ziskan (51:17)
• Potential implications: Delay/loss could alter critical votes, judicial nominations, and even control in closely matched Senate.

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Notable Quotes and Memorable Moments

• "By definition? Yes, absolutely." — Jenny Racicot, on whether Platner raped her (01:51)
• "He violated multiple layers of consent that night..." — Jenny Racicot (02:05)
• "In light of these very serious allegations, I have recommended that he step aside." — Bernie Sanders (03:43)
• "The best path forward is for Graham Platner to step aside as the Democratic nominee and address these serious allegations outside this Senate race." — Elizabeth Warren (03:52)
• "Nice try, buddy, but get out. You're carrying too much baggage. You're going to cost the election." — Voter on Platner (05:36–05:41)
• "If Platner stays on the ballot, I think the seat is gone." — Jessica Taylor (11:57)
• "This is someone who should have been out of this race long before this brave victim came forward yesterday." — Herbie Ziskan (46:05)
• "He has not at all changed his mind that he wants Greenland to be part of the United States." — Ambassador Ivo Daalder on President Trump (43:49)
• "The McConnell team... needs to be very forthright." — Herbie Ziskan (51:17)

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Key Timestamps for Important Segments

• Platner Allegations and Fallout: 00:48–15:26, 17:50–27:45, 45:05–49:50
• Voter Voice / Party Strategy: 04:35–06:18 / 08:08–13:46 / 23:18–24:21
• Panel on Platner, Vetting, and Whataboutism: 45:05–49:50
• Michigan Senate Race & Progressive Debate: 24:02–27:45
• US-Iran Showdown & NATO/Trump Coverage: 30:20–44:40
• Ukraine and NATO Expansion: 38:37–41:00
• McConnell Health & Leadership Transparency: 50:23–53:32

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Conclusion

This episode of Meet the Press NOW provides a sobering look at the intersection of political scandal, party accountability, and the unforgiving math of Senate control—juxtaposed against global uncertainty driven by US policy and presidential conduct abroad. Speaker after speaker returns to an underlying question: How do parties balance principle with power, and what’s the political cost of acting too late? The Platner saga is not just a Maine story, but a cautionary tale for all of Washington.

Transcript

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[Gabe Gutierrez]

like, wow, I didn't know I did 7,000 steps today. Start Today meets you where you are. Download the Start Today Wellness app now on your Apple or Android device. Terms Apply C app for details. Welcome to Meet the Press now. I'm Gabe Gutierrez in Washington, where we're tracking breaking news amid the intensifying fallout facing the Democratic Senate candidate in Maine, Graham Platner, as now, every major Democrat in Congress who endorsed him has rescinded that endorsement and is calling for him to drop out. It all comes after his former girlfriend, Jenny Racicot, publicly came forward with allegations that Platner raped her in 2021. Platner denied the allegations of non consensual behavior in a video released on X yesterday as Racicot detailed the alleged assault in an interview on cnn. Did Graham Platner rape you?

[Jenny Racicot]

By definition? Yes, absolutely.

[Gabe Gutierrez]

Because he had non consensual sex with you, forced himself on you even after you had told him no and fought him off?

[Jenny Racicot]

Yeah. He violated multiple layers of consent that night by coming into my home when I asked him not to and by advancing on me when I told him not to. And furthermore, another incident that I had told him not to do.

[Gabe Gutierrez]

And with protection.

[Jenny Racicot]

Yeah, yeah.

[Gabe Gutierrez]

Rasakat also addressing why she chose to speak out. Now there are going to be people, maybe even his campaign, certainly his supporters, who say this is politically motivated. What would you say to that?

[Jenny Racicot]

I couldn't disagree more. That was actually one of the reasons that I didn't come out.

[Gabe Gutierrez]

Because you agree with his politics?

[Jenny Racicot]

I do. I really agree with his politics. I think we need somebody with those political stances and who are willing to do the work. And you know, I see his political videos. They get me fired up as well. I understand why people want someone like him in office, you know, and I felt like me coming forward would essentially potentially take that away. And I Felt really uncomfortable with the responsibility of and the weight of my story and what that might do.

[Gabe Gutierrez]

A source familiar with Platner's thinking tells NBC News that he's still undecided about whether to drop out of the race. Explosive allegations coming nearly a month after he handily won a Democratic primary. Despite months of other controversies around his candidacy, including allegations from multiple women of aggressive and physical behavior, Platner denied allegations of abuse and rallied supporters around the party's mission to oust Republican Senator Susan Collins and retake Senate majority. But his support in Washington and beyond has now evaporated. Today, his top backer, Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders, saying, in light of these very serious allegations, I have recommended that he step aside. Senator Elizabeth Warren, who campaigned with Platner in Maine, saying the best path forward is for Graham Platner to step aside as the Democratic nominee and address these serious allegations outside this Senate race. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, who endorsed Platner after June's primary, warning Platner that the powerful campaign arm of the party will not invest in the main Senate race if Platner remains on the ballot. Other Democrats speaking out publicly as well. I think Graham Platner needs to get

[Courtney Kubay]

out of the race today as soon as possible.

[Gabe Gutierrez]

What happens for Maine Democrats that's obviously.

[Alison Stewart]

Well, there's an opportunity to fill that seat. We saw that the governor had stepped up earlier.

[Courtney Kubay]

I think there are other potential candidates, and the sooner that he gets out,

[Gabe Gutierrez]

the sooner we can fill the seat.

[Debbie Dingell]

These allegations are serious.

[Gabe Gutierrez]

They're credible, they're unacceptable. The Maine Democratic Party has called for him to withdraw.

[Debbie Dingell]

I agree. I'm not a voter in Maine, but

[Gabe Gutierrez]

I won't support Graham Platner going forward. Well, my focus has been on my

[President Donald Trump]

race in North Carolina, but this goes beyond politics.

[Gabe Gutierrez]

These are disturbing allegations, and I believe that he should drop out of this race. Today, NBC News was on the ground in Maine talking to voters about their reaction to the allegations.

[President Donald Trump]

While he's an attractive candidate, he, you know, has been stumbling repeatedly.

[Gabe Gutierrez]

Do you think you should drop out of the race?

[President Donald Trump]

I do.

[Debbie Dingell]

I would tell him, nice try, buddy, but get out.

[President Donald Trump]

You're carrying too much baggage.

[Debbie Dingell]

You're going to cost the election.

[Jessica Taylor]

Do you feel like at this point

[NBC News Reporter]

he should drop out of the race?

[Alison Stewart]

Uh, I don't know.

[Gabe Gutierrez]

I mean, I don't know, because again,

[Courtney Kubay]

like, he stands accused of some pretty ugly things.

[Gabe Gutierrez]

So far, he's addressed all of them

[Alison Stewart]

in a way that I'm like, okay,

[Gabe Gutierrez]

but then this one he's denying.

[Alison Stewart]

So I Don't know if that should

[Gabe Gutierrez]

be allowed to be played out before he has to make a decision.

[Jessica Taylor]

Do you think if he stays in

[Gabe Gutierrez]

the race, he hurts Democrats chances of defeating Susan Collins?

[Alison Stewart]

Absolutely.

[Courtney Kubay]

Would you like to see Susan Collins out of office?

[Alison Stewart]

Um, not for Graham Platner.

[Gabe Gutierrez]

And joining me now is Saha Kapoor, Senior national political Reporter, John Allen, senior national politics reporter, and Jessica Taylor, Senate and Governor's Editor at the Cook Political Report. Thank you all so much for joining me. Saha, what else do we know about the Platner's campaign's thinking of all this? Do you float getting out of the race if you don't actually intend to?

[Saha Kapoor]

Not usually, no. It's been more than 24 hours since Graham Platner cracked open the door to potentially getting out of the race. And we don't have an announcement. What is he waiting for? Since then, he has been bleeding support left and right from the party. Pretty much all of his prominent endorsers have fled. And we have a brand new article published just moments ago that I worked on with our colleagues Mel Zanona, Brennan Leach and Bridget Bowman. And one of the things we report in there is that as of this morning, Platner was undecided on whether to get out. And one of the things he's considering is that he wants a replacement who shares his vision and values. In his view, he didn't fight all this way and take this anti establishment route for this progressive set of values and vision that he cares about to drop out and have an establishment candidate take his place. So that's one of the things that he's considering.

[Gabe Gutierrez]

So he feels he has leverage here still?

[Saha Kapoor]

Well, in a way he does because the main state law says he has until this coming Monday, July 13, to decide whether to drop out. If he doesn't, then he's stuck on the ballot and Democrats have to have to deal with him on the ballot. So if he, that's the leverage that he has, if he doesn't drop out in time, then the Democratic Party can't do anything to force him off. What the Democratic Party, what the party establishment, what they believe their leverage is, is that they're essentially trying to signal to him, you're not gonna have a campaign, you're not gonna have any money, you're not gonna be able to run without any support.

[Gabe Gutierrez]

So, yeah, do national Democrats have any sort of like, break open, you know, break open glass plan here? What are the options that Chuck Schumer has if he doesn't get out by Monday's Deadline.

[Saha Kapoor]

Chuck Schumer's task right now is to make abundantly clear that Graham Platner cannot run a viable campaign. What Schumer has done in a joint statement with the DSCC chair Kirsten Gillibrand, is make clear that they will not spend a penny to fund his campaign in support of his campaign to spend any money in Maine to help him win the general election, which is as good as a death sentence against Susan Collins, who's going to have tens of millions of dollars in Republican money. They're deeply determined and committed to try and keep that seat. So without the money, how is Graham Platner going to be able to run? Without any prominent endorsers in the Senate who have all fled, how is he going to be able to make the case that he could be an effective senator? Some of the endorsers who supported him and have now fled. Bernie Sanders, Chuck Schumer, Kirsten Gillibrand, Elizabeth Warren, Martin Heinrich, Ruben Gallego, Ed Markey, Chris Van Halle, and I can't count a single Senate Democrat who's still supporting him.

[Gabe Gutierrez]

Well, John Allen, I want to turn to you on the flip side of that question. If Platner drops out, who could potentially take over?

[John Allen]

You know, there are a thousand flowers in Maine that could potentially bloom. A lot of people looking at this, a lot of people being looked at in Maine. The one that the progressives have quickly rallied behind is Troy Jackson, the former Maine Senate president who was. Who had run for governor and lost in the primary. A couple of the other candidates that ran in that race and lost, Nirav Shah, the former Maine CDC head. And then you've also got Congressman Jared golden, who is retiring, somebody who might be convinced to try to get into this if Platner gets out. But a whole bunch of candidates. Governor Janet Mills, who of course, lost to Platner in the primary, a lot of possible candidates, none of them ideal. Susan Collins has won five terms in the Senate already. She's been there for 30 years for a reason. She is difficult to beat. And Maine Democrats have not been able to find anybody to beat her in the past. So they will be in a quandary. You know, even. Even if Platinum were to get out right now in a quandary about how to fill that seat with somebody who might actually compete against her.

[Gabe Gutierrez]

You know, John, we did have a Republican strategist on the show yesterday who said that the best Democrat to beat Collins is a generic Democrat. So, you know, could all this turmoil actually end up helping Democrats if they can find this Replacement candidate.

[John Allen]

Yeah. The political graveyard is full of generic Democrat. There is no such thing. And to the extent that somebody is a generic Democrat, they often lose because they have not offered something to the voters that the voters want. I mean, I think one of the things that was popular about Platner, and you hear this from the people behind him, you know, who are looking for a new candidate now, is that they liked the platform, the policies that he was pushing. I'm not sure that Maine does as a whole like that. But. But you would think that in this era that you're going to have to find a candidate with some energy, with something that makes them take them, something that connects them to the voters. This is, you know, a pipe dream of consultants that you can find candidates who are going to just run fine and be fine and not be the other candidate and win. Sometimes that works. Occasionally works. But I think the main Democrats have their work cut out for them in finding a solution after Platner.

[Gabe Gutierrez]

Yeah, certainly not a very great bumper sticker. Right. Keeping it generic.

[John Allen]

A generic Democrat, Gabe, that's if he gets out. I mean, as was just pointing out, he's the one that makes that decision, like Joe Biden in the Democratic presidential nomination in 2024. Completely up to him.

[Gabe Gutierrez]

Well, thanks, John. Jessica, I want to turn to you on what this means for Democrats chances in Maine and also for their chances of retaking the Sen.

[Jessica Taylor]

It.

[Gabe Gutierrez]

Let's start. If Platner stays on the ballot, if

[Jessica Taylor]

Platner stays in the ballot, on the ballot, I think the seat is gone. Then I don't see Democrats having a chance. Yeah, we would shift it considerably in Susan Collins direction because national Democrats have already, as Sahil said, have already said that they will not spend to try to flip this seat. They have distanced themselves from Graham Plattner in every possible way that they can. He would be abandoned by the national party.

[Gabe Gutierrez]

Well, what if he drops out and this replacement candidate comes in even from a progressive cloth, does that candidate, a generic candidate, stand a better chance?

[Jessica Taylor]

Absolutely. Even before all of this, Graham Platner had so much baggage that he was teetering right on the edge of being unelectable. And then this latest accusation of rape, I think was a red line for many voters. And for someone who's talked about being the white working class savior almost, he was really. His approval ratings were upside down in polling. He was doing very badly in rural areas of Maine that you need to win. This is where other challengers of Susan Collins have, where she has been successful before in holding on to those rural working class voters that may have split their ticket and voted Democratic for president but continue to vote for Susan Collins.

[Gabe Gutierrez]

So realistically, is there a path for Democrats to win the Senate without me?

[Jessica Taylor]

There is one that exists, but it's a very, very narrow one. I mean, the entire path for them to win the Senate is still narrow at this point anyway, because if you flip, North Carolina is the likeliest to flip at this point. We have that race, that open seat race, rated likely, excuse me, lean Democrat. Maine should be the next on the list. Without that, they with Maine, they still have to flip two states that Donald Trump carried by double digits. So if you don't include Maine on that, they have to flip three states that Donald Trump carried by double digits. Neither of those scenarios is ideal.

[Gabe Gutierrez]

Quite a tall order there. Where do you expect Democrats will focus their resources if they cut Maine loose?

[Jessica Taylor]

I would look to Iowa. I think that, you know, beyond the next possible are two seats that we have in in toss up, which is Ohio and Alaska. And those are must wins to get to four. But if you need that fifth seat, if something happens in Maine, Iowa is a much cheaper alternative. They have a very solid candidate there. And State Representative Josh Turek, who has a very compelling personal story. He's a former Paralympian in a wheelchair running against Ashley Henson, a Republican congresswoman who is running a very strong campaign. But I think there are some seeds of discontent in Iowa this cycle dealing with the economy and with agriculture prices that Iowa, there's also three congressional seats that are very competitive and the governor's race is a toss up as well. So I would look to Iowa make

[Saha Kapoor]

a play for that too.

[Jessica Taylor]

Right. Texas is so expensive, I put Iowa ahead of Texas right now.

[Gabe Gutierrez]

Interesting. So I'll finish with you. You know, how loud do you expect this drumbeat to get over the next coming?

[Saha Kapoor]

Extremely loud, because this is the kind of the prisoner's dilemma that the Democratic establishment and Graham Platner are caught in. He won't have a viable campaign if he runs. As Jessica was pointing out, he has very, very, an extremely slim path to victory. But it's his choice by law. This is his. He's entitled to this nomination. He did win it and nobody can force him to get out. So if he can extract something in exchange for stepping out, this seems to be the negotiation. This seems to be the cold war that he's stuck in. But like I said, the national Democrats have made abundantly clear, including Bernie Sanders, who when I spoke to Graham Plattner in Maine on he said Bernie Sanders is kind of his political idol. One of the reasons he's running is to mirror his style of politics and not Bernie sang get out.

[Gabe Gutierrez]

That's right, Sahil. Jessica, thank you so much for joining us. And before we go to break, we should note if you or someone you love is experiencing sexual violence, you're not alone. Call the number on your screen now. That's 1-800-656-4673. Or visit rainn.org to connect with a trained professional. Help is out there. And coming up, we're digging deeper into the Democratic Party's scramble in May as platners embattled candidacy threatens to upend the party's midterm strategy. Top House Democrat from a battleground state response. Plus, Iran launches a new volley of attacks on ships in the Strait of Hormuz using drones and high speed missiles as President Trump meets with NATO leaders. We are live in Turkey covering that summit and the latest out of the Middle East. You're watching MEET THE press now. Stay with us. The world of business is constantly evolving. And Comcast business keeps you totally in step with secure AI backed networking in more than 100 countries. They're powering over 90% of the Fortune 500 and millions of small businesses. That's a lot of muscle. And behind it all, thousands of experts answering your call at 2:00am like it's 2:00pm one partner powering how business gets done for companies around the globe. When you add it all up, no one does business like Comcast Business.

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[Gabe Gutierrez]

this is Telemundo de Portes in Luiso Martabia. Wondering who you should root for at FIFA World Cup 2026? Listen to my new favorite futbolista wherever you listen to podcast. And welcome back. Joining me now is Democratic Congresswoman Debbie Dingell. Michigan Congresswoman, thank you so much for joining us here on MEET THE press. Now let's start with Graham Platner. As we've mentioned, a number of Democrats have called on him to drop out of the race. Do you agree? Should he drop out?

[Alison Stewart]

So, Gabe, good to be with you. And many people know that I raised concerns as early as May. Yes, I do think that he should drop out. And I've been very clear. I'm not a voter in Maine, I'm a voter in Michigan. But I had very serious concerns in May. And when someone's had a pattern, which this has been, people need to listen. And you know, I said to people, I didn't sleep last night because I keep thinking we're making progress. But why, again, did everybody give a hard time to their survivors who talked about what happened to them? And I want to see someone in the United States Senate representing Maine that is willing to stand up to the president and isn't going to be a rubber stamp. But I've had concerns for months. Some of the people that quite frankly yelled at me for saying what I said have now said he should step aside. And I think we need to take a long, hard look at why it took two months to get to where we are today.

[Gabe Gutierrez]

Sounds like you're really wrestling with this.

[Alison Stewart]

He is going to resign.

[Gabe Gutierrez]

Yeah, it sounds like you're really wrestling with this. I hear, I hear it in your voice. I mean, you said you thought about it a lot last night.

[Alison Stewart]

Well, what I'm angry about is I did express people ask me to got you questions. Are you supporting them? And I wouldn't I said that I was concerned. I spent my whole life fighting for people that have been that are survivors of domestic assault and sexual assault. I have lived both in circumstances and you know, I don't. We got a sexual predator in the White House. I am concerned about that. But I think as Democrats, we got to fight fire with fire. But at the same time, there are certain values that we have to have and have to be willing to stand up to. And a lot of people were uncomfortable with doing that. And here we are today in the mess that we are in.

[Jessica Taylor]

Right.

[Gabe Gutierrez]

Well, Congresswoman, I want to play what you said yesterday right after that news broke of that latest accusation.

[Alison Stewart]

I will always be concerned about domestic violence allegations, sexual assault allegations, but also we got a man in the White House that's a predator, has been convicted of sexual assault, and people's lives are being impacted by this every single day. So it's a very complicated situation.

[Gabe Gutierrez]

You said it was very complicated. What exactly did you mean by that? Were you at the time making a case for Platner possibly staying in the race

[Alison Stewart]

now? What I was Casey had asked me what I thought and I said I'm processing it. I do believe that I'm not a voter in Maine. The people of Maine are the ones that have to decide. And at this point, this isn't new. This is another revelation that fits into a pattern because I was so quickly asked. I also he has that people have mayn't have until July 13th to have the ability to replace him on the ballot. I am wrestling with why did it take people so long to believe him? Why did people yell at me and I was yelled at for saying what I said back in May and June. And I'm a strong, tough woman who's not afraid to stand up to people. So think about what it means to be a survivor and to tell a story and how people go after you. You. We are still living at a time that if women tell the truth, they are the ones that frequently get the repercussions. And we have to get to a point. Due process matters. Due process matters. But we also women are afraid to come forward because of what the consequences are. When you tell people what have happened,

[Gabe Gutierrez]

Congresswoman Platner says he's considering the best path, best path forward. You just said that you think he should drop out. Do you think he will?

[Alison Stewart]

I don't know. Part of that which you played was also in response to the video that he recorded yesterday. And it sounded like he actually understands it's not about him. It's about the people of Maine and the Americans who need to have someone who is going to be electable and be able to stand up and not be a rubber stamp for what is happening. I am not a friend of his. I have not talked to him. I have people that have been friends of him who are very angry because they believe that he lied to him. I have no idea what he is going to do.

[Gabe Gutierrez]

And so if he does drop out, where does the race go from here? You think should Democratic Party officials pick a new candidate?

[Alison Stewart]

I don't think. I don't think the DSCC should. I think the people of Maine, they have a Democratic Party. They have, from what I'm hearing, any good candidates. The voters of Maine are the ones that should pick who they want to send to the United States Senate. That's what our Democracy is. So I'm not going to. I'm going to hope it's someone who doesn't have a history of domestic or sexual violence. But there are a lot of good candidates that I've heard. And I think the people of Maine and their leadership in the Democratic Party are the ones that should determine who they think is the strongest candidate.

[Gabe Gutierrez]

And the uncertainty in Maine is now making the Democratic Senate race in your state of Michigan even more critical than it already was. So the race is now a showdown between Congresswoman Haley Stevens and the more progressive Abdul El Sayed. Will you be endorsing in this race now that it's down to two candidates?

[Alison Stewart]

Absolutely will not be. I will stay neutral. I am one of those people that has to bring people together in August to remember what we are focused on in November. I know both of them. I know both of them will be able to defeat Mike Rogers. And one of them is a constituent, one of them is a colleague. This is a race that I have deep concerns about. And I am going to make sure that we win in Michigan in November. And this is a purple state. None of the elections in Michigan right now are a given. We are going to be competitive until election Day.

[Gabe Gutierrez]

I want to play one of the recent or part of one of the recent attack ads against Al Said. Let's, let's watch. Abdul campaigned with anti Israel radical Hassan Piker. He called to abolish private health insurance. And he's championing socialist tax hikes with Senator Bernie Sanders. You just said that you believe both candidates can win. Do you think El said specifically, though, can weather those types of attacks?

[Alison Stewart]

He's going to have to be prepared to do so. But I do believe, look, I like both of these candidates and I know that Donald Trump is loving using the word communist right now. I don't think anyone's going to call me a democratic socialist, though. I am a fighter. And I got to tell you, I am the co. I lead the Medicare for all in the Congress. And the Dingles have been fighting for it for a long time. So some of the issues that they want to call socialist or communist, there are a lot of people who need health care in this country that can't get it. That's not a communist issue. That's an issue that everybody's got a right.

[Gabe Gutierrez]

And Congresswoman, to that point, do you welcome these democratic socialist candidates who we've seen win in New York and Colorado into the party? Do you welcome them into the party and the Congressional Progressive Caucus, which you of course helped lead?

[Alison Stewart]

Well, I don't. I'm not. I'm a member of the Congressional Progressive Caucus. I'm not a leader in it, so let's be clear on that. But the issues I care deeply about, you know, we're. We have a representative government. And I hate, by the way, all these labels that we see people use right now. But a representative government means that everybody's got a right to have somebody that reflects their voice at the table. Democrats have a big tent. America's got a big tent. Republicans have some people that I don't agree with. But it's important that everybody feel that there's somebody fighting for them at the table. This is who the district elected to send to Congress. I remember when everybody in the media tried to demonize aoc and I wasn't. I didn't sponsor the Green New Deal because labor wasn't at the table. But she and I worked together and we actually brought labor to the table with environmentalists and actually came to agreement on good policies. I think there's a lot of people the media loves the story of let's pit people against each other. Let's demonize. And I look forward to getting to know them. I'm going to agree with them on some things. I'm going to disagree with them on some things. I'm not somebody that's afraid to tell people where I stand and what my position is on an issue, no doubt.

[Gabe Gutierrez]

Congresswoman Debbie Dingell, thank you so much for your time. And up next, we have the takeaways from NATO summit day one, including President Trump, new comments on Greenland, and threats to remove US Troops from Europe. Stay with us here on Meet the Press.

[John Allen]

Now.

[Alison Stewart]

Stay informed with the NBC News app.

[Debbie Dingell]

Breaking news just coming in moments ago.

[Alison Stewart]

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, podcasts, and full NBC News shows. Plus deeper access and exclusive content.

[NBC News Reporter]

Let's just take a step back.

[Alison Stewart]

It's more context and clarity from the reporters you trust. Download the NBC News app now and subscribe for more. Honey, did you invite the minions over?

[Gabe Gutierrez]

Well, you know how we talked about getting wi fi from Xfinity?

[Sarah Chamberlain]

Yeah.

[Gabe Gutierrez]

I ordered it this morning. Was online in minutes, then they showed up.

[Courtney Kubay]

So they just came over to use

[Alison Stewart]

the wifi for what?

[Herbie Ziskan]

Better not to know.

[Courtney Kubay]

Get online in minutes with same day wi fi from Xfinity.

[Alison Stewart]

Plus lock in your price for 5 years and see Minions and Monsters only in theaters.

[Courtney Kubay]

Xfinity imagine that restrictions apply.

[Alison Stewart]

Not available in all areas.

[Saha Kapoor]

Learn [e-mail] SameDayWiFi hey guys, Willie Geist

[Debbie Dingell]

here reminding you to check out the

[Gabe Gutierrez]

Sunday Sit down podcast. On this week's episode, I get together

[Debbie Dingell]

with Tony and Grammy winner and Academy Award nominee Leslie Odom Jr. As he

[Gabe Gutierrez]

returns to the role that made him

[Debbie Dingell]

famous as Aaron Burr in Hamilton 10 years after the original run.

[Gabe Gutierrez]

You can get our conversation now for

[Debbie Dingell]

free wherever you download your podcasts.

[Gabe Gutierrez]

And welcome back. Turning now to some new developments tied to the renewed tensions between the U.S. and Iran. A U.S. official tells NBC News that the U.S. has revoked the general license that has authorized the sale of Iranian oil. That license had been part of the interim deal to end the war with Iran. And it comes after US Officials say Iran struck three ships near the Strait of Hormuz. And this all comes as President Trump arrives in Turkey, which borders Iran, for a two day NATO summit. The president beginning that trip by meeting with Turkish President Erdogan where he vowed to lift US Sanctions on Turkey, accused other NATO allies of failing to assist with the war in Iran and threatened to pull US Troops from Europe.

[President Donald Trump]

It's a big thing, but we weren't treated well because we did something in Iran. We don't need anybody's help. I didn't even want their help, but before I asked, they said they wouldn't be there. And we've invested trillions of dollars in NATO. Why? To protect European countries, others Canada, etc. But to protect people countries from generally speaking, it used to be the Soviet Union, now it's Russia. And I say that's fine. But you would think that they'd be very willing to do something to help us and they really weren't. In the case of the United Kingdom, the prime minister, I guess he's no longer there.

[Gabe Gutierrez]

And NBC News White House correspondent Monica Alba joins me now from Ankara, Turkey. Also with me is NBC News senior national security correspondent Courtney Kuby. Thank you both for joining me. Monica, I want to get to you first. We'll get to the latest developments there in Turkey in just a moment. But I do want to start with that news on Iran. How significant is the revocation of that license allowing the sale of Iranian oil? And is this a response to these recent attacks by Tehran?

[NBC News Reporter]

Yeah, it does appear to be, Gabe. And obviously with the president here in Turkey in the region, it is perhaps one of the only options that he can choose right now that sends this pretty strong message economically, though he continues to say whenever he's asked that he hasn't taken the idea of resuming potentially major combat military options off the table. He says that if a final deal cannot be reached, that the US Will still finish this quote the hard way. But the fact that this waiver, which was put put in place for 60 days after there was that diplomatic breakthrough with the memorandum of understanding, has now been revoked, I do think is significant, given that back then this was something that Treasury Secretary Scott Bessen said basically the US Was doing in good faith because they had felt that enough progress was made on negotiations with Iran and so they were going to give them this boost economically to be able to sell their oil again. So this likely will be met with a lot of anger, stronger from the Iranian side of things. And then, of course, there could be the potential for an escalation. And again, just with the president here in Turkey right now, as you noted, which borders Iran and where tensions already are flaring, that could be a significant development, but one that I think is meant to kind of add to the economic pressure. Remember that it hasn't just been Operation Epic Fury, but Operation Economic Fury in the is part of that strategy from the administration gave.

[Gabe Gutierrez]

And Monica, turning now to Naito, the president threatened to pull American troops from Europe. I know there's been talk about this before, but was this just bluster or is there any indication that he's going to make good on that threat?

[NBC News Reporter]

Well, there's an actual review underway on force posture from the Pentagon. We know that that's going to be ongoing for several months to see whether the US Actually is going to remove additional troops and US Forces from Europe. We know already that they reduced the posture in Germany by about 5,000 troops. And it is possible that in other countries that could happen as well. But remember that the president, Gabe, even said that he was considering withdrawing the US from NATO. Overall. That's obviously not the case or not. What he is going to do here by participating in this summit, even though the rhetoric is a little bit more intense, which is again, what we've seen when he discusses troop withdrawal. So it's something that he has has threatened. It's unclear whether he's actually going to follow through on it beyond what he's done so far.

[Gabe Gutierrez]

And Monica, what's been the reaction to the president's announcement that the US Would lift sanctions on Turkey? And the president also said that he was considering a sale of F35 fighter jets to Turkey. How is that sitting with US allies?

[NBC News Reporter]

Yeah, and these two things are connected because the sanctions were put in place initially When Turkey purchased a Russian air defense system, that really is kind of the crux of the problem here with the F35 stealth fighter jets. Because it's possible then that that kind of technology from the US Side of things, the fear was, could fall into the wrong hands, could potentially somehow be used by Russia or by an enemy of the United States. And so that is why in the President's first term, he banned the sale of the F35 and applied those sanctions in 2020. So the fact that now he is considering lifting those and resuming the sale of these F35s really raised a lot of eyebrows with some of the allies, including, of course, from Bibi Netanyahu of Israel, who had this to say specifically about the potential for this.

[Gabe Gutierrez]

Listen, well, as I said, it would destroy the power balance in the Middle east because, because Turkey, I think, has aggressive aspirations. So this is, this is not a force for peace and stability. And if you give,

[Debbie Dingell]

you know, this

[Gabe Gutierrez]

kind of radical regime that admittedly smiles to America when it is necessary or smiles to the President of the United States when it's necessary, when you're given that power, you're going to see aggression in its wake.

[NBC News Reporter]

And one important note here, Gabe, if the President did decide to sell these F35s again to Turkey, Congress, Congress could block it. So that's a factor in all of this as well.

[Gabe Gutierrez]

Thanks, Monica. Courtney, I want to turn down to you. What's your reaction to this revocation of this general license that allowed the sale of Iranian oil? What impact do you think that might have?

[Courtney Kubay]

So it's clearly a response to what Iran was doing today, which one official US Officials said was extremely aggressive and that is firing on at least three ships so far that we know about. Two, they fired these super high speed short range missiles that struck in each of the ships, not causing any casualties, but it did cause extensive damage to both of them. And now we know that this was sort of overnight last night. We know that today Iran has fired a number of drones. One of them struck another commercial ship. The US Military has been shooting them down, shooting down some drones. They did not intercept any of the missiles though, at this point. So this is a direct response to again, what they're calling this aggressive action. And what's really critical here is this is one of the first points, points in that memorandum of understanding. So if the US Is not, if in fact the US Is saying Iran is not following through on their side and now the US Is revoking some of what they agreed to do, what's the next step here.

[Gabe Gutierrez]

Okay. And you took me on the next question. This is an economic response. Do we know if the Pentagon is planning any military action in retaliation for this?

[Courtney Kubay]

So remember what happened about two weeks ago when Iran started firing on ships. The US Military responded with strikes inside of Iran. And that's been a pretty common consistent pattern that very targeted strikes, very targeted. They were along the Strait of Hormuz. And this is, this has again been the pattern they went after coastal radar sites, drone and missile launch sites. So what the military would call pretty proportional reaction to the Iranians initial attacks on those ships. What the military has been doing though is they take these proportional responses and then they sort of up it just a little bit.

[Jessica Taylor]

Right.

[Courtney Kubay]

So they go a little step further. But again, two weeks ago when this was the last time this happened, June 26th was the last time the US military took strikes that we're aware of inside Iran. There was a, both sides sort of came together and decided okay, we're going to de escalate here. It's not 100% clear why they have, they have Iran has started firing again.

[Gabe Gutierrez]

Well, something else that makes us much higher stakes. Even if it, if it would be another proportional response. The president's in the region right now.

[Alison Stewart]

Right.

[Courtney Kubay]

Which is a huge factor.

[Saha Kapoor]

Right.

[Gabe Gutierrez]

Courtney Kubay, our national security correspondent, thank you so much. And after the break we're diving deeper into President Trump. Trump's high stakes meeting with President President Zelensky tomorrow is the war in Ukraine remains top of mind at this week's Summit. A former U.S. ambassador to Naito is next. Keep it right here on MEET the Press now. Welcome back. As we noted earlier, President Trump is set to meet tomorrow with Ukrainian President Zelensky. The Ukrainian leader telling reporters today that he'll ask ask Trump for badly needed air defenses to fight Russia tomorrow.

[Debbie Dingell]

We will speak about different topics with President Trump and also about this. But also what is important is today to find from, to find a way how to get, how to get as quick as possible as much as possible. Missiles for Patriot systems. This is the most most important thing and we need, we need it very much and it's urgent topic for us. We see that the weakness of Russia, we feel it but it's not enough. We need more pressure, more anti ballistic and more sanctions on Russia.

[Gabe Gutierrez]

The meeting comes as President Trump says he's optimistic Zelensky and Russian President Putin will reach a deal to end the war which is now in its fourth year. Joining me now is Ivo Daalder who served as U.S. ambassador to NATO during the Obama administration or Obama administration. Ambassador, thank you so much for joining us here. Meet the Press now.

[Debbie Dingell]

Glad to be here, Gabe. Thanks for having me.

[Gabe Gutierrez]

And what is at stake for Ukraine in President Zelensky's meeting with President Trump tomorrow?

[Debbie Dingell]

Well, two things. One is what you just heard President Zelensky say. Ukraine desperately needs Patriot air defense missiles to defend against ballistic missile attacks that the Russians are launching at an increasing scale. And these are the only weapons that can defend against it. The fact that the inventory inside Ukraine is becoming smaller and smaller is leading to more and more deaths. You can see every night the number of casualties in Ukraine is going up. So that's job one. Job two is to convince the president that now Russia is on the back foot, that Ukraine is indeed gaining in this war, which it is, by targeting Crimea, by targeting the energy and oil infrastructure within Russia, and that this is exactly the time when the United States should come back to in support of Ukraine fully and wholesomely in terms of putting economic pressure on Russia and trying to convince President Putin to accept a ceasefire. At the place of contact where the

[Gabe Gutierrez]

forces are fighting today, Ambassador Zelensky renewed his calls for Ukraine to join NATO. Do you see any scenario where that realistically happens?

[Debbie Dingell]

Yeah, I do, actually. I do think that ultimately Ukraine will be a member of Naito. The reality is that while Ukraine really needed NATO for the last three to four years, in the past year or so, it's becoming increasingly clear that NATO needs Ukraine, that if Ukraine were not fighting the war that it is fighting, the capabilities the Russians are amassing would be far greater that they could amass against NATO. The technology, the defense industrial production that the Ukrainians are developing is extremely important, not only to fight Russia today, but to help Europe fight or at least deter Russia in the future. So I think there is a need for Ukraine to become a member of NATO. It's not going to happen anytime soon. President Trump has made very clear he's not in favor of it. So as long as he's president, I don't think that will happen. But one day in the not too distant future, if we are serious about the security of Europe and we're serious about the future of Europe, Ukraine should be a member of NATO.

[Gabe Gutierrez]

Now, I want to get to a comment that has gotten a lot of attention, raised a lot of eyebrows, especially among some US Allies, including Israel. The president today, very complimentary of Turkish President Erdogan. Let's listen.

[President Donald Trump]

I don't want to sanction friends. It's very Simple. There's plenty of people we can sanction. And we are saying we don't want to sanction friends.

[Gabe Gutierrez]

We don't want to sanction friends. Ambassador, is Erdogan a friend of the United States?

[Debbie Dingell]

Well, Erdogan is the president of a country that is an ally of the United States. It's indeed, it is a NATO ally. So to that extent, it is, but it's also, he's also a leader who has increasingly ruled through dictatorial and authoritarian means. He has arrested the opposition leader, put him in jail on trumped up charges. He has gone after the opposition a whole variety of ways. He's put more journalists in jail than anyone else. And so if he is Donald Trump's friend, I'm not sure he's a friend of the United States. If we still care about what it means to be an open and democratic society. And that, that Erdogan is clearly falling short.

[Gabe Gutierrez]

And Ambassador, President Trump today also renewed his desire to acquire Greenland. Let's listen to that.

[President Donald Trump]

It was Greenland that continues to be, that should be controlled by the United States, not by Denmark. And when they wouldn't go along with it and with all the money we spent to help them with Russia, we don't have to spend any money. We could remove all of our sovereign soldiers out of Europe because, as you probably noticed, Europe's a very different place than it was 20 years ago. Lot different. Much.

[Gabe Gutierrez]

Are you surprised that this remains on the president's radar?

[Debbie Dingell]

No, I'm not surprised. I think he has not at all changed his mind that he wants Greenland to be part of the United States. He wants to be a president who has enlarged geographically the country of the United States. The one problem I continue to have with this is the United States is obligated to defend Greenland today because it is a member of NATO and Greenland is part of NATO. And this idea that you can only defend or secure, ensure the security of a territory that you own as opposed to a territory with which you're allied, is deeply, deeply concerning, particularly if you say so at a meeting where 31 other allies are expecting you to be part of their defense. And if the only way to defend a country is to own it, it we're really sending a message that we're no longer in favor of, of the kind of alliances that NATO has been for the last 77 years. And that's sad.

[Gabe Gutierrez]

Ambassador Evo, da da. Thank you so much for your expertise.

[Debbie Dingell]

My pleasure.

[Gabe Gutierrez]

And still to come, politics and plot twists. We'll get the panel's take on what's already been a pivotal week in the race for Senate control. We'll be right back with more Meet the Press now.

[Sarah Chamberlain]

And welcome back.

[Gabe Gutierrez]

Joining me now is our panel, Shelby Talcott, White House correspondent for Semaphore, Herbie Ziskan, White House principal deputy communications director during the Biden administration, and Sarah Chamberlain, president and CEO of the Republican Main Street Partnership. Thank you all so much for joining us. Shelby, I want to start with you. So the Platner campaign appears to be collapsing. How much longer can he hang in?

[Shelby Talcott]

I mean, I cannot imagine that he can hang in there much longer. Democrats have been running away from him after this latest allegation. It is very clear that they want him to drop out as soon as possible, even Bernie Sanders saying as much so they can get somebody else in the race. And really there is a limited time for him to be able to do that. He has hinted that he would be willing to, but we haven't heard anything from him. And so I do think it's only a matter of time before he drops out.

[Gabe Gutierrez]

Herbie, this isn't exactly a candidate who is without scandal. Should Democrats have jumped ship well before this primary?

[Debbie Dingell]

Yes.

[Herbie Ziskan]

And this has been a really sad episode for the Democratic Party. This is someone who should have been out of this race long before this brave victim came forward yesterday. He should have been out of the race when it was discovered that he had a Nazi tattoo on his chest, that he looked in the mirror every day of his Adele life and kept on his chest. He should have been out of the race weeks ago when women came forward and talked about mistreatment, including physical aggression. And so I hope there's a lot of soul searching here. At the end of the day, this is a winnable race for Democrats, and it's less winnable because the fact that Graham Platner ran and stayed in so

[Gabe Gutierrez]

long talking about soul searching, isn't it, you know, Democratic leadership, is it possible that they just didn't want to be seen as pushing back against a progressive candidate here? Were they just, you know, too shy in this case?

[Herbie Ziskan]

I don't know that this is about leadership. I think this is about a lot of voices across the spectrum who are unwilling to stand up and speak out about something that was morally wrong, multiple things that were morally wrong. And now we're paying the price.

[Gabe Gutierrez]

Sarah as this story was breaking yesterday, we spoke with another Republican strategist who said Platner, that his dropping out could potentially really help Democrats, that they were generic Democrats were polling very well against Susan Collins do you agree with that?

[Sarah Chamberlain]

I do agree with that. And actually, I'm sorry to see him go. I think he's disgusting and I think the women should have believed been believed right away in the beginning. But I think he was the best candidate. If you want Susan Collins, as I do, to be reelected and hold the Senate, he would have been the best one for her to run against. So I think this is going to be interesting to see who replaces him at this point. And he has to drop out before the 13th.

[Jessica Taylor]

Right.

[Sarah Chamberlain]

So he's kind of in the driver's seat right now.

[Gabe Gutierrez]

Shelby, you said this was only a matter of time. I mean, he is anti establishment. Could he, you know, what if he does stay in, what happens to Democrats then?

[Shelby Talcott]

I mean, I think that's a disaster for Democrats. I think that's the worst case scenario. And as you said, that's kind of what Republicans are hoping. And I was talking to Republicans because you saw some of these allegations from people saying, well, this is just a Republican oppo and this is all just an attempt to ruin him. But Republicans were saying, well, why would we drop this now? Why would we release all this now when he still has time to drop out? And so they're clearly hoping that he stays in the race. There is a chance he does that. And that would be, I think, disastrous for Democrats given all the allegations, plus this latest one.

[Gabe Gutierrez]

Herbie, until these most recent allegations, we heard a lot of Democrats defending Platner essentially saying that what he was accused of was no worse than either Ken Paxton or Donald Trump. Is that type of whataboutism? Is that good for the party?

[Herbie Ziskan]

What's good for the party is to speak up and say the truth. And this was someone who was not vetted. And when the reports came out about the things in his life that are deeply problematic, some people did speak out and others did not. And ultimately this day was inevitable. That given what we've learned about him through the months, given these deeply problematic things in his past, that it was going to get to a point where the vetting was not going to be good. And that's where we're at. And I think there's a lot of lessons to be learned here.

[Gabe Gutierrez]

And so what if he does stay in, though?

[Herbie Ziskan]

He's not.

[Gabe Gutierrez]

You're sure of it?

[Herbie Ziskan]

The die is passed, the dam is breaking, and I think he'll be gone in the next day or so.

[Shelby Talcott]

It does show, though, how this is kind of a good litmus test. Right. Of politics has changed in the past 20 years. And voters, what voters will stomach to vote for their candidate has changed in 20 years. And I do think that there was a sense on the Democratic side that, okay, he might have done some bad stuff in his past and he might have this tattoo, but, like, that's not enough anymore. And clearly there still is a red line that you can't cross, but the red line has shifted. I think 20 years ago when the first allegation came out, he would have been gone. I agree with you.

[Gabe Gutierrez]

And Sarah, what do you think this means for the Senate map? Even without Maine, There is a path for Democrats here. Is there a challenge for the Republicans? Just get too complacent?

[Sarah Chamberlain]

No, we won't get too complacent. We understand what's out there. You know, the Dan Sullivan in Alaska is kind of a problem for the Republicans. North Carolina is a problem for Republicans. Iowa is a problem now for Republicans. So there's a lot of states out there that we're getting soft in. But we will, we do intend to keep the Senate. It's going to be very close, but we do have to keep Maine to do that.

[Gabe Gutierrez]

All right. Well, Shelby, I want to turn now to Senator Mitch McConnell. He's been hospitalized for three weeks now. His office is really in not provided any update on his condition. What are you hearing from the Hill about his condition?

[Shelby Talcott]

I mean, I think there's a lot of concerns. We have heard that lawmakers have spoken to him, but I think it's really interesting that we really haven't heard much from his team. And it is a huge concern. And the big thing that I've heard from Republicans and Democrats is this specific example is emblematic of the much broader conversation that we have all been having for years now, which is the age of politicians, whether it is in Congress, whether it is in the presidency. And that clearly continues to be an issue.

[Gabe Gutierrez]

Well, Herbie, I want to turn to you on that. You know, Democrats have struggled with discussing their health issues in the past, age issues. Of course, you work for President Biden. Do you think political figures are entitled to privacy in situations like this?

[Herbie Ziskan]

I think the McConnell team and the Senator need to be very forthright about what his situation is, what his condition is, when he could come back. There's no question about it. He owes it to his constituents, he owes it to the country, he owes it to his colleagues. And look, there's, there's votes on the ndaa, there's Appropriations votes we saw last week. There could be a Supreme Court vacancy at any moment. I think ultimately his Colleagues in the Senate are going to want to know what the situation is and his team should be forthright.

[Gabe Gutierrez]

But you know, Democrats before, and you know, of course there were a lot of accusations with, when it came to, you know, President Biden's age issues. Is there just a reluctance on both parties to discuss this sort of thing?

[Herbie Ziskan]

I think when there' swhen someone is missing an MIA for three weeks, it's incumbent upon their team to be very, very clear about what's going on.

[Gabe Gutierrez]

Well, Sarah, can Republicans afford to have McConnell for much longer, much longer given, you know, these tight margins in the Hill?

[Sarah Chamberlain]

I mean, we need Mitch McConnell to get as healthy as he can and try to come back. I do know senators who have spoken to him. So the rumor that he's brain dead does not seem to be accurate. But we need him back because if not, the special election in Kentucky could be a real problem. Massey can, could step in and that changes the whole dynamic there. You could get a Democrat for a few months until Andy Barr would win it. November.

[President Donald Trump]

Yeah.

[Gabe Gutierrez]

Shelby, what do you think might happen if McConnell doesn't return to the Senate soon?

[Shelby Talcott]

Yeah, I think the margins are very small already and it could be a disaster for Republicans. And so clearly, I think that is part of the calculus to sort of keeping a little bit quieter about his condition because there is the reality that the margins are so small and that he is needed here in Washington in order to have some of these votes and in order for Republicans to continue being able to do what they want to do.

[Gabe Gutierrez]

And Irby, I'll let you wrap this up. You know, McConnell's term ends in 2027. His replacement is going to be chosen in the midterm. In these midterms, does it ultimately matter for Democrats whether he resigns or, you know, whether he returns before the end of his term? Does it, does it really matter at this point?

[Herbie Ziskan]

I think it certainly matters. I mean, there are votes in the senate that are 50, 50 that are broken by the Vice President's tie breaking vote. And there are judicial nominations that are still moving forward that can be really close. There are votes that we just talked about. And so it certainly matters to the outcome of votes and it's not a good look for, for the Republican Party. And this is, this is a Senate that's up for grabs in November.

[Gabe Gutierrez]

Herbie, Sarah, Shelby, thank you all so much for joining us here on Meet the Press. Now that's all the time we have. I'm Gabe Gutierrez. We're back tomorrow with more Meet the Press. Now There is more news ahead right here on NBC News now. Stay with us.

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