Meet the Press NOW — July 8

Summary

Meet the Press NOW — July 8, 2026 (NBC News)

Host: Kristen Welker

Date: July 8, 2026

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Episode Overview

This episode centers on two rapidly evolving political crises: the escalating U.S.–Iran conflict following the collapse of a short-lived ceasefire, and the Maine Democratic Party’s turmoil surrounding embattled Senate candidate Graham Platner amid sexual assault allegations. The show features on-the-ground reporting on the Iran situation, analysis of White House strategy and market reaction, and a series of interviews with journalists, analysts, and key political figures—including a Maine Senate hopeful—on the Platner saga. Breaking news, live analysis, and pointed discussion highlight the precarious crossroads facing U.S. foreign and domestic politics.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. U.S.–Iran Escalation: Ceasefire Collapse, Renewed Strikes, and the Strait of Hormuz

Timeline and Context:

• President Trump announced (01:23–02:09) the ceasefire with Iran is over, warned of imminent further U.S. strikes, and dismissed further diplomatic engagement, labeling Iran’s leadership as "scum."
• Escalation is tied to recent Iranian attacks on commercial ships in the Strait of Hormuz (05:15–07:49), a critical waterway now under Iran-Oman control, with Iran threatening tolls and attacks on unapproved transit.

Notable Quotes:

• Donald Trump (02:13):
  “I think it's over. I don't want to deal with them anymore. They're scum. You know what scum is? They're scum. They're sick people.”
• Richard Engel on the situation in Tehran (05:15):
  “Here in Tehran, there is not a sense of panic... If there is military action, it could come in the overnight hours... But this is a critical moment, and Iranian officials have made it clear that they will respond to any new military strikes conducted by the US military.”

Administration’s Mixed Messaging:

• Despite tough talk, Trump downplayed risk of drawn-out conflict, insisting action “will go very quickly” (04:24–04:54), though specifics remain unclear.
• Monica Alba (08:37, 10:01): Outlines confusion inside the administration—Trump threatens war but leaves the door open for negotiations, flipping between vilifying and complimenting Iranian negotiators.

On-the-Ground Reporting:

• Richard Engel (05:15–07:49) delivers detailed context:
  • Iranian strategy focuses on asserting control over the Strait of Hormuz, introducing maritime tolls, and countering U.S. attempts to dictate shipping.
  • “The core of this crisis is about control of that strategic waterway... Iran insists that it, along with the Sultanate of Oman, must retain... sovereignty over the Strait of Hormuz.”
• Iran's threat: comprehensive, surprise response to any new U.S. actions.

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2. White House/NATO Dynamics & Military Options

White House Correspondents Discuss Presidential Strategy:

• Monica Alba (08:37-10:01) reports from Turkey on the challenge for U.S. strategy given the region’s volatility:
  • The President’s conflicting statements indicate uncertainty.
  • References to possible U.S. seizure of Carg Island, Iran’s oil hub; unclear if this is a real plan or rhetoric.

Analysis Table Segment:

• Elise Labott & Courtney K.:
  • Labott (16:35-17:44): Suggests Trump is "kicking the can down the road":
    “He doesn't want to go all in... It's really just kicking the can down the road because this is gonna go on for a while.”
  • Courtney K. (17:55-18:34): Points out military and logistical challenges of taking and holding Carg Island, a centerpiece in Trump’s bluster.

Geopolitical Repercussions:

• Elise Labott (21:13): Discusses shifting NATO dynamics—Europe seeking more military autonomy and innovation with U.S. watching warily.
• Elise Labott (20:38): “The Strait of Hormuz is more dangerous than Iran's ballistic missile and their nuclear weapons program.”

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3. Market and Oil Price Reaction

• Brian Chung (12:41-14:52):
  – Markets slid as news of escalation broke: Dow down 1%, S&P slightly down, though tech-heavy NASDAQ ended up.
  – Oil prices surged to nearly $80/barrel (~$10+ spike); every $10 increase is about $0.25 more per gallon at the pump.

Notable Quote:

• Brian Chung (14:08): “It almost feels like Groundhog Day because we've heard that talking point so many times over the course of this conflict. Here we are again after the collapse of that ceasefire... Brent crude oil was trading somewhere closer to $80 today... that would suggest if things hold... prices could go above $4 a gallon.”

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4. Breaking News: Further U.S. Strikes on Iran

• Courtney K. (15:05): Announces, “the U.S. military has started more strikes against Iran,” emphasizing escalation.
• Kate Snow (19:49): Reads CENTCOM statement:
  “At the direction of the Commander in Chief, U.S. central Command forces have started conducting additional strikes against Iran to further degrade their ability to threaten freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz.”

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5. Maine Democratic Senate Crisis: Platner’s Fallout and the Search for a Replacement (25:15–51:11)

Crisis Unfolds:

• Graham Platner, Democratic Senate candidate in Maine, faces mounting allegations, including sexual assault and abuse.
• Platner resists calls to withdraw, but party officials and national Democrats apply heavy pressure.

Timestamped Notable Quotes:

• Monica Alba (25:15): “Unfortunately, Graham Platner's team has repeatedly reached... out to us in an attempt to put their thumb on the scale of what this process looks like.”
• Chuck Todd (27:18): “The only person who can decide that Graham Platner is no longer the nominee is Graham Platner. He cannot be forced out by lawsuit or some vote by the main Democratic Party.”

Interview: Troy Jackson, Maine Senate Hopeful

• Troy Jackson (32:16):
  “It's clear that [Platner] has to drop out, and the sooner the better so that we can pick up the pieces and go forward with the movement that has gotten so strong here in Maine... Medicare for All, workers' rights, prescription drugs, trying to do something about this war.”
• Jackson (33:09):
  “I've been dedicated to fighting for these things... I'm the only candidate that's demonstrated that I can win statewide with conservative Republicans and urban young people.”
• Jackson (35:43):
  “When it came down to a credible allegation of somebody that was sexually assaulted, that was the end. That was the bright red line.”

Panel Analysis:

• Sahil Kapoor (42:02):
  “They have to disown him and the baggage and the horrible things that he's been accused of... But they can’t alienate his voters. They need the support of his voters who were not there for Graham Platner's personal character... They were supporting him because they saw him as effective at carrying on the issues.”
• Ashley Etienne (43:26):
  “It’s their fault. They got us into this, into this dilemma here. They knew full well what they were dealing with. Graham Platner. They did not fully vet him.”
• Garrett Graves (44:36):
  “How in the world do we get ourselves in a situation where you so have empowered political parties to deliver candidates that appear as fatally flawed as this guy is?”

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6. Discussion on Candidate Vetting & the Progressive Brand

• Ashley Etienne (47:27): “If you want to call it the progressive wing of the party has had such sweeping wins over the last year and a half... I think this primarily the responsibility falls on this particular campaign and this candidate. It doesn't reflect on the larger progressive movement.”

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7. Health of Senator Mitch McConnell: Calls for Transparency

• Craig Melvin (48:07):
  “Do I think that voters deserve transparency? Yeah, absolutely they do... but the main thing is this is up to the voters in Kentucky.”
• Ashley Etienne (50:13):
  “[Andy Beshear’s] got an opportunity to cement himself with the larger Democratic apparatus as someone who's gonna fight Republicans and hold them to account.”

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8. DOJ Letter to States on Election Integrity

• Ryan Reilly (52:25):
  “It is very unusual to have the Justice Department sort of making this kind of move... They’ve really narrowed in on noncitizen voting as something they’re really focused on. But a lot of these non citizen voting cases are, first of all, they're extremely rare.”

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Notable Quotes (with Timestamps)

• Donald Trump (02:13): “They're scum. They're sick people. They're led by sick people.”
• Richard Engel (05:15): “The core of this crisis is about control of that strategic waterway.”
• Monica Alba (10:01): “He just isn't really ruling things out. On the other hand, he is saying that he hopes this sort of blows over.”
• Brian Chung (14:08): “It almost feels like Groundhog Day because we've heard that talking point so many times over the course of this conflict.”
• Kate Snow (19:49): “CENTCOM has just put out a statement acknowledging that... U.S. central Command forces have started conducting additional strikes against Iran to further degrade their ability to threaten freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz.”
• Troy Jackson (32:16): “It's clear that he has to drop out, and the sooner the better so that we can pick up the pieces and go forward...”
• Ashley Etienne (43:26): “They did not fully vet him. His wife submitted some text messages... which she said was going to be a vulnerability for him. That was over a year ago.”
• Garrett Graves (44:36): “How in the world do we get ourselves in a situation where you so have empowered political parties to deliver candidates that appear as fatally flawed as this guy is?”

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• 01:23 — U.S.–Iran ceasefire declared over / Trump’s rhetoric
• 05:15 — Richard Engel’s Tehran report: Shipping, power struggle in the Strait of Hormuz
• 08:37 — Monica Alba from Turkey: U.S. White House’s mixed signals on Iran
• 12:41 — Economic/market reaction: Brian Chung’s market and oil price analysis
• 15:05 — Breaking news: U.S. military launches fresh strikes on Iran
• 16:35 — Expert panel: What is Trump’s endgame in Iran? Feasibility of taking Carg Island
• 19:49 — CENTCOM statement: Official confirmation of new strikes for “freedom of navigation”
• 25:15 — Maine Dems and Graham Platner saga: Party brass vs. campaign team over succession, sexual assault scandal
• 31:58 — Interview: Troy Jackson, state senator seeking to replace Platner
• 42:02 — Panel: Navigating the electoral fallout and party divisions in Maine
• 47:42 — Assessing the impact on progressive politics / DSCC role
• 48:07 — Panel: Mitch McConnell health transparency debate
• 52:25 — DOJ’s threat to states on noncitizen voting/clean voter lists

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Conclusion

This episode delivers a thorough, fast-paced review of major international and domestic political crises—breaking down real-time U.S.–Iran escalation, market turbulence, and the pivotal drama within Maine’s Democratic Party as it scrambles to salvage a critical Senate seat. Discussion is frank, with sharp analysis and transparency about uncertainty on the global stage and within American politics. The episode also underscores the stakes for party brands, candidate vetting, and the evolving relationship between elected officials and the voters they serve.

Memorable moment:
– Donald Trump (02:13): “They’re scum. They’re sick people. They’re led by sick people.”
– Troy Jackson (35:43): “When it came down to a credible allegation of somebody that was sexually assaulted, that was the end. That was the bright red line.”

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For a deeper dive into any segment, refer to the specific timestamps provided above.

Transcript

[Kate Snow]

Hi, it's Kate Snow, NBC News anchor and host of the NBC News podcast the Drink. And this month, I'm having mojitos with comedian Eric Andre. Was I a little bit worried he might prank me?

[Chuck Todd]

Absolutely.

[Kate Snow]

But he promised he'd behave. Mostly did. Here at the Drink, we are all about the journey. And Eric's journey to success is anything but typical. We talk about his childhood, his brief run in music, and the decade he spent hustling in New York City before his hit TV show changed everything. It's a conversation peppered with humor, but also a real look at the path behind his larger than life Persona. We hope you'll join us for the drink. Listen and follow wherever you get your podcasts.

[Chuck Todd]

I'm Craig Melvin.

[Donald Trump]

Cheers. Cheers.

[Sahil Kapoor]

Cheers.

[Craig Melvin]

I've always been a glass half full kind of guy, and now I'm talking

[Chuck Todd]

to some people who look at the world that way, too.

[Craig Melvin]

Some really fascinating folks who share their

[Richard Engel]

defining moments, their triumphs, their challenges.

[Chuck Todd]

Their stories are funny and quite candid. So I hope you'll join me each week. And who knows, you might, too. Just come away with your own glass Half Full. Search Glass Half Full with Craig Melton

[NBC News Promo Voice]

From Today on YouTube and wherever you get your podcasts.

[Chuck Todd]

Welcome to Meet the press. Now, I'm Kristen Welker in Washington as the world braces for the possibility of a dramatic escalation between the US And Iran, with President Trump now saying more strikes on Iran could come tonight after his stunning announcement today that the ceasefire with Tehran is now over. Right now, President Trump is on his way back to Washington after attending the NATO summit in Turkey, where he lashed out at Tehran multiple times today after the US And Iran traded strikes overnight in the most significant escalation in weeks. Speaking alongside the NATO secretary General today, President Trump said the agreement with Iran was, which has been on shaky ground since it was signed less than a month ago, is over and seemingly dismissing any future talks with Iran.

[Monica Alba]

Is the ceasefire done? Is the MOU dead?

[Donald Trump]

It's a very interesting question to me. I think it's over. I don't want to deal with them anymore. They're scum. You know what scum is? They're scum. They're sick people. They're led by sick people.

[Monica Alba]

Does this mean that talks with Iran will not resume?

[Donald Trump]

I don't care. They can talk, but I think they're wasting their time. They're a bunch of lying guys.

[Chuck Todd]

Later in the day, during a meeting with Ukraine's President Zelensky, President Trump once again threatened new strikes on Iran and renewed his threat to seize Iran's key oil hub.

[Donald Trump]

And so we hit him very hard last night.

[Craig Melvin]

Very, very hard.

[Donald Trump]

Probably hit him hard again tonight. I'll give him a little warning. We're going to hit him hard tonight, but we'll see how it all works out. No, I'm not happy with them. We attacked Cargill island last night. We knocked out a piece. I said, don't touc oil because maybe we'll take over Cargill and we may take over Cargill, and there's not a thing they can do about it.

[Chuck Todd]

During his press conference today, President Trump was pressed on what happens next in the war with Iran, which his administration has repeatedly said is already over, and why a deal with Iran remains so elusive.

[Craig Melvin]

Why are you apparently unable to end the Iran war?

[Donald Trump]

So I think we're doing just the opposite. The Iran war has been a tremendous military success. Success. And, you know, I can only answer the question by saying they're not going to have a nuclear weapon. They want to make a deal, but they don't know how to make a deal. And then they go around shooting ships at night. I don't like that. You know, they're dealing with very fine people. They're dealing with Steve Witkoff, they're dealing with Jared Kushner and J.D. vance, and they're dealing with Marco and Scott. They're dealing with great people, but I don't know, I think they're a little loco, They're a little crazy. And I'm not sure I want to make a deal with him. We can play games, but I'm not sure I want to make a deal. Let's just finish the job.

[Chuck Todd]

Despite that escalatory rhetoric, President Trump also trying to downplay the possibility of a drawn out military conflict with Iran. Mr. President, it seems that the war

[Troy Jackson]

with Iran may start again.

[Chuck Todd]

What do you expect from your European allies?

[Donald Trump]

I don't think it's going to start again. I think it's going to go very well.

[Richard Engel]

Quickly.

[Donald Trump]

They hit a couple of ships and so we hit them much harder. When they hit, we hit 10 times harder. You know, we hit much harder than they do. We have a lot better equipment than they do. We may even. Somebody asked before, do you think you'll hit them tonight? I said we might. Yeah, we might. But when they hit, we hit. You know, that's what they're. We use. We use their language. We speak their language. No, I don't think so. I think anything that happens is going to be over very quickly.

[Chuck Todd]

Tehran, meanwhile, is Hitting back, a spokesperson for Iran's National Security Commission saying any future confrontation will be met with a, quote, comprehensive and surprise offensive and warning. It has, quote, many options at its disposal. NBC's chief foreign correspondent Richard Engel is in Tehran and just filed this report.

[Richard Engel]

Kristen. Ron is once again bracing for more US Military action that could come in the next few hours if President Trump makes good on his threats. But I must say here in Tehran, there is not a sense of panic. The streets are open. Traffic is flowing. The lights are on in this city. Shops are open. If there is military action, it could come in the overnight hours when the streets are not nearly as crowded. And most of the US Military activity has been focused on southern Iran, on military bases near the Straits of Hormuz. So people in Tehran generally feel that if there is a new spike in violence, that this city could be spared. But this is a critical moment, and Iranian officials have made it clear that they will respond to any new military strikes conducted by the US Military. Iran's foreign minister said that he wouldn't respond and that Iran wouldn't respond to President Trump's insults. President Trump earlier described Iran's leadership as scum, but said that Iran would respond with fearless action. So Iran is making it clear, should there be military activity in the next few hours, Iran will resume military activity of its own, most likely attacking, as has been the pattern in the past US Military bases in the Gulf. This all began this latest escalation, the most serious escalation in weeks, just yesterday, when Iran fired on three commercial ships that were transiting through the Strait of Hormuz. And this, the core of this crisis, is about control of that strategic waterway. Iran insists that it, along with the Sultanate of Oman, must retain and must have sovereignty over the Strait of Hormuz, which is leverage they did not have before this war began. Before Israel and the United States launched their surprise attack on February 28, killing the supreme leader beginning the war, the straits were open and ships transited through without paying any fee. Now, Iran says that it, in conjunction with Oman, will direct traffic through Hormuz and attack ships that take routes that are not approved by Iran. Iranian officials also say that international cargo ships should pay maritime fees and security fees to Iran, effectively a toll. This is something that the United States and other countries completely reject. So we could have a very long night here, Kristen.

[Chuck Todd]

All right, Richard Engle, thank you so much for that reporting. Please continue to stay safe. For more on all of this, I'm joined now by NBC News White House correspondent Monica Alba, who is traveling with the president in Turkey, NBC News business and data correspondent Brian Chung. And with me on set, NBC News senior national security correspondent Courtney K. And Elise Labet, host of the Cosmopolitics podcast. Monica, I want to start with you and Ankara. It has been about three weeks since the president signed that memorandum of understanding with Iran. They were supposed to negotiate the thornier issues in the days and weeks ahead. He's now saying effectively that that memorandum of understanding is over, that the ceasefire is over. What is the state of play based on your conversations with your sources? MAN

[Monica Alba]

yeah, I mean, this was a definitely a significant development, Kristen. It would have been if the president had been back home. But even more so given the fact that he was here in Turkey, which of course neighbors Iran. He's in the region. This was the backdrop to a lot of the conversations that were going on here at this NATO summit. But then, of course, that became even more heightened when the president did decide to authorize that military action and to even preview more to come potentially in the hours and days ahead while while he was still on the ground here. But there is a lot of mixed messaging from the President as well. On one hand, he's saying this isn't going to go back to a full scale military operation. On the other hand, he's saying it may have to if he doesn't get what he wants from diplomatic negotiations. He also talked about those negotiators just a few weeks ago in more glowing terms, saying that he thought they were smart people, that they were fair to deal with. And today he really called them scumbags. He said that they were unsubscribing, unstable and crazy people who couldn't be trusted. So there is just still so much up in the air here and no real diplomatic solution on the horizon, it seems.

[Chuck Todd]

KRISTEN well, Monica, the president said he believes any military action will go, in his words, very quickly. Is there an actual plan in place for what happens next, or is he still making up his mind about what happens next?

[Monica Alba]

And the president often says that things are going to go very quickly, almost as a placeholder when it's completely unclear how long something is going to actually take place over. I think with this in particular, the president even talked about some sights, some targets that the US could still hit in the future. And it was unclear whether he did mean today, tomorrow or beyond that. Specifically, he was talking about some infrastructure in Iran, potentially even taking Carg island, which we know could potentially involve US Ground troops, even though the president said that was unlikely but he just isn't really ruling things out. At the same time, he is saying that he hopes this sort of blows over and he is leaving the door open to potential negotiations. But he's putting certainly his team of Steve Witkoff and son in law Jared Kushner in an interesting position for their next round of meetings, which right now we should point out had paused because of the funeral services and multiple days there that Richard was talking about in Tehran of the late Ayatollah.

[Chuck Todd]

Kristen and Monica, quickly, before we let you go there, and I know it is late in Turkey, so we appreciate your staying up with us, but the president got this question about the fact that he's traveling back from Turkey on the old Air Force One instead of the newly retrofitted Air Force One. What do we know about that? Monica?

[Elise Labott]

Yeah, this was a bit of a

[Monica Alba]

head scratcher because the White House had made a big deal of this new plane. Of course, this is the $400 million luxury jet donated by Qatar that sparked a lot of controversy when that happened. The president just took his first few trips on it domestically. And then this was his first, first major overseas trip with the plane arriving yesterday here in Ankara. And then today it was a big surprise when they announced that actually that plane was going to travel pretty much empty ahead to an Air Force base in the UK according to the White House, so that service members there could tour it as a sort of perk and that then the president would actually leave here on the old Air Force One. And the reason that was here in the first place is because it is the support plane, it's the backup plane, plane, if you will, if anything goes wrong with the first plane. But the White House is assuring us that this is something that they are doing for that stated reason about the bases, even though he was met with some of those security questions which he did not answer directly.

[Chuck Todd]

All right, Monica Alba covering all of those angles for us. Monica, have a safe trip home. Thanks so much for starting us off. Really appreciate it. Let me turn now to Brian Chung. So, Brian, a lot of people watching the markets today. How are they reacting to you heard Richard Engle call this, quite frankly, the biggest escalation since that ceasefire was put in place between the US And Iran.

[Brian Chung]

Yeah. And Kristen, the markets reacted in the same way that they usually do when there's news items that suggest that the conflict is flaring back up again. And that's that. We saw red across the board. The Dow Jones down 1%. At one point during the day, it looked like we were on track for a 2% down day. It did pare some of those losses. The S and P down only a quarter of a percent. The NASDAQ composite, which has been lifted substantially by a lot of these tech companies and AI stocks did actually end the day positive, up 2, 10 of a percent. But again, the question here is if there's further escalation beyond strikes tonight. Let's say, for example, you have another few days of that. You have any sort of developments out of the street of Hormuz of a potential reintroduction of the blockade. Obviously mines in the straight were a concern as well. That could lead to further market reaction there. But at least for right now, a 1% down day on the Dow. Yes, certainly notable. Not necessarily suggesting there's any sort of, you know, bloodletting on on Wall Street. It just seems to underscore that traders are aware of the volatility that's being int by the collapse of this cease fire.

[Craig Melvin]

Right.

[Chuck Todd]

And we should also note that people watching oil prices quite closely. The President was pressed on this today. They jumped today. Take a look at what he had to say.

[Donald Trump]

The prices of oil are dropping like a rock now. They'll be up a little bit and this will end very quickly. We have a tremendous, we have an oil lut right now because we got all those boats out of the strait and it's going to drop.

[Chuck Todd]

Will it drop like a rock? What's the reality check there?

[Brian Chung]

Yeah, and again, Chris, it almost feels like Groundhog Day because we've heard that talking point so many times over the course of this conflict. Here we are again after the collapse of that ceasefire. Same talking point right now. We've seen oil prices rise. Brent crude oil was trading somewhere closer to $80 today. It actually closed the day, I believe, just below the $80 market. That is still about $10 higher than where it was just a few days ago. In the back of the napkin. Math is for every $10 a barrel of oil trades higher, that's 25 cents more per gallon that you and I pay at the pump. The average right now, $3.80 according to AAA. That would suggest if things hold the way they are, that prices could go above $4 a gallon. But again, it really depends on the developments or developments over the next few days, which none of us can really say for certain in terms of a crystal ball for what that might look

[Chuck Todd]

like, that is for sure. But we'll all continue to track it very closely. Brian Chung, thanks so much. Great to see you as always. Let me turn to Courtney and Elise here at the Table Court. You've got some breaking news as we sit here. Some more strikes on Iran as we talk.

[Kate Snow]

Literally in the last few moments, the US Military has started more strikes against Iran. So we don't have any sense at this point. I mean, literally, this is, it's ongoing right now of the scope and scale we have to point to is, look, there's been a pattern of this, right, where, where Iran, over the series of the last several months was striking out at commercial ships in and around the Strait of Hormuz. The US Military would sort of build up and the military would respond with strikes inside Iran. What was really notable about last night was how much bigger the milit response was than the previous rounds. The US had been generally kind of responding in a more proportional way with a little bit of an uptick. Right. So they would go after the sorts of locations where Iran was firing the missiles and the drones. From last night, it was in response to Iran attacking three commercial ships. The US lashed out at more than 80 targets. That's a lot around the coastal areas of Iran. So I think the big question right now that we will be working on in the coming hours is, is this going to be another one of those massive responses to not only Iran's attacking those commercial ships, but Iran's response last night against Bahrain in Kuwait?

[Chuck Todd]

You know, Elise, I talked to someone who's in close contact with the president, one of his allies. The president's staring down this choice, basically. Does he let these talks play out and continue to try to get this broader deal that they've been in search of, or does he resume more strikes and ramp up these strikes? Courtney's making the point that last night certainly was significant in terms of the force.

[Elise Labott]

Well, I think it's both. And as many of these things are, right, yes, I think President Trump, as we see right now, is going to continue these strikes. And he doesn't want to go all in.

[Chuck Todd]

He doesn't want to.

[Elise Labott]

What is it going to take to end this war? Right. We all know what that is, ending the nuclear program. That would take going and getting those nuclear, that nuclear dust, the enriched uranium. And that's going to take, as Monica said earlier, troops on the ground. He said today he's going to take, you know, maybe we'll take Carg island, like as if it's like, you know, just taking like a little piece of your backyard. It's a very involved thing. And we both all know that President Trump is not going to Put the boots on the ground that it would take to do that. So he. Yes, in one sense, he's making this. He's facing this choice. But actually, I think. And I would be interested, if Courtney agrees, it's really just kicking the can down the road because he's going to. This is gonna go on for a while. Yeah. But I think ultimately the only thing that's gonna solve this is some kind of agreement that is really not going to be sufficient for what a lot of the real Iran hawks would like to see.

[Chuck Todd]

Well, Cor, pick up on that. And to Elise's point about Carg Island, I mean, the president seemed to suggest that this was something he was significantly considering. We know it's something he's been weighing, quite frankly, from the beginning.

[Monica Alba]

Right.

[Kate Snow]

I mean, Elise is absolutely right. It would be a huge military undertaking for them to take Carg Island. And I guess it depends on how we actually would define taking the island. Is it actually putting the US Military there and holding it? Because the taking of it would be difficult enough because there is some Iranian military infrastructure that still exists there. The holding it would be very, very difficult and dangerous because of what we've just seen Iran do in the last several days. They can fire coastal missiles from at Carg Island. They can fire drones. They still have some fast boats. The US military took out about 60 of them last night, which is pretty significant. But they still really hold at risk anyone who's holding that.

[Elise Labott]

And let's remember what Carg island is. Right. That's where Iran stores its oil. So, you know, the threat is, I'm going to stop your oil. But he already did that with the blockade. And I wouldn't say it really persuaded Iran. It persuaded them to come to the table and start talking, but, you know, that's not really getting them to stop what they're doing.

[Chuck Todd]

Well, the President had effectively given up on these negotiations after last month, sounding a note of suggesting that he actually thinks that the Iranians are negotiating with the goal of getting a deal. Take a listen to a sound from about a month ago.

[Donald Trump]

We're dealing with people that I think are very rational people. They were nice to deal with. They were strong people, smart people. I think they are more rational, but based on their actions over the last week or two, they're not doing a service to the people. And I think more than anything else is. I got to know him, and I'm not sure I want to make a deal with him.

[Chuck Todd]

This shift in tone is striking, Elise.

[Elise Labott]

It's a tone it's rhetoric. He does want to make a deal. I mean, and he's going to make a deal. If not now, then in a couple of months. It could go. It's the only way out.

[Donald Trump]

Yeah.

[Chuck Todd]

Court, you are getting a new statement from centcom. Yep.

[Kate Snow]

CENTCOM has just put out a statement acknowledging that there's. I'll just read it to you. At the direction of the Commander in Chief, U.S. central Command forces have started conducting additional strikes against Iran to further degrade their ability to threaten freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz. So, once again, this is about the Strait of Hormuz. I mean, that's what's so remarkable here, is how this has shifted. I was really struck today by President Trump at his press conference when he said, the one thing that we're doing here is making sure Iran doesn't have a nuclear weapon. Well, that's a completely divergent message from that very first night, in the middle of the night, when he went on social media and put a video out and he laid out five strategic objectives for this war. Now he is narrowed it down to this one. And what's so remarkable is in that time, there has been this whole new and emerging power projection location called the Strait of Hormuz. It's not a surprise.

[Elise Labott]

You said it's the new nuclear weapon.

[Monica Alba]

It really is.

[Kate Snow]

In some ways, the Strait of Hormuz is more dangerous than Iran's ballistic missile and their nuclear weapons program.

[Chuck Todd]

It's fascinating. All of this comes, Elise, as the president is at the NATO summit. There's obviously been all of this tension between the US And NATO allies because President Trump has been quite critical of them, including in this moment, saying that they haven't given the United States the kind of support he wanted to see. What do you make of this moment? How do you assess this moment? He actually struck a somewhat more positive. I thought it was very positive at the press conference. Yes. And we basically said there was a lot of love in the room, right?

[Elise Labott]

Yes. Right. Listen, I think that NATO, and particularly the Secretary General, Mark Rutte, has gone to great lengths to kind of give President Trump the credit that he needs in terms of Europe trying to stand a little bit more on its own, on its own defense. And you saw what happened with Ukraine today when he said, we're going to allow Ukraine to produce Patriot missiles. I think it's really remarkable how this war is transforming. And Ukraine in particular. You used to study whether Ukraine should be a member of NATO. Now NATO is looking to Ukraine for innovation. And so I think what we're seeing and President Trump, Trump, this is something that's been happening over successive administrations is that Europe is taking more risk, if not more spending. They're going to try and take more responsibility. And I think President Trump wants that. You just want to see it linked up to the US And NATO working together, not only Europe and no more

[Chuck Todd]

US all right, Elise, thank you for all of your incredible analysis. Court, thanks for your great reporting and all of the breaking news being on top of it. We appreciate it. Thank you, you both. Great to see you. Coming up, new allegations against Graham Platner and an escalating crisis in Maine as Democratic Party officials accuse their embattled Senate candidate of trying to meddle in the process of replacing him if he drops out, which he hasn't done yet. Plus, we'll go one on one with a top Maine Democrat who's considered an early frontrunner in the emerging fight to replace Platner in the race. Former state Senator Troy Jackson meets the press. That's ahead. You're watching MEET THE press.

[Richard Engel]

Now.

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[Chuck Todd]

Stay informed with the NBC News app. Breaking news just coming in moments ago. 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 interests, including ad free articles, podcasts and full NBC News shows, plus deeper access and exclusive content. Let's just take a step back. It's more context and clarity from the reporters you trust. Download the NBC News app now and subscribe for more. Honey, did you invite the Minions over? Well, you know how we talked about

[Ryan Nobles]

getting wifi from Xfinity?

[Chuck Todd]

Yeah, I ordered it this morning. Was online in minutes.

[Sahil Kapoor]

Then they showed up.

[Kate Snow]

So they just came over to use the WI Fi for what?

[Richard Engel]

Better not to know.

[Kate Snow]

Get online in minutes with same day wi fi from Xfinity plus lock in your price for 5 years and see Minions and Monsters only in theaters.

[Sahil Kapoor]

Xfinity.

[Kate Snow]

Imagine that restrictions apply. Not available in all areas.

[Chuck Todd]

Learn [e-mail] SameDayWiFi welcome back. Turning now to fast moving developments in Maine, the Democratic Party's embattled Senate candidate, Graham Platner is weighing whether to stay in the race or get out as he faces unrelenting pressure from Democrats to step aside after a former girlfriend went public with claims he raped her in 2021. He denies those allegations. A source tells NBC News that senior campaign officials informed staff during a call that Platner will speak later today, although it was not clear whether that means public remarks or a private address to staff. Now it comes as the fight between the Platner campaign and Maine's Democratic Party is escalating. After yesterday, the state party's executive director accused the Platner campaign of meddling in the process to potentially replace him.

[Monica Alba]

The Maine Democratic Party has been working around the clock to develop a process to replace our U.S. senate nominee that is open, inclusive, transparent and fair. Unfortunately, Graham Platner's team has repeatedly reached

[Chuck Todd]

out to us in an attempt to put their thumb on the scale of

[Monica Alba]

what this process looks like. We have repeatedly reiterated to Graham Platner's team that they have no role in determining our next Democratic nominee for the US Senate, nor in determining what this process looks like. We have also reiterated that Graham Plattner must drop out of this race so

[Chuck Todd]

that Democrats in Maine can focus on

[Monica Alba]

defeating Susan Collins this November.

[Chuck Todd]

Now, Platner's team refutes those claims, telling NBC News, quote, the Platner campaign has reached out to the party to try to understand what this process would look like. And while Graham wouldn't want to be a part of the process, he would want to make sure the voters and volunteers make this decision, not the political establishment. Platner has until Monday to decide whether to withdraw from the race, which would give the party until July 27 to choose a replacement to face Senator Susan Collins in November. It comes as Platner faces new allegations from another former girlfriend, Lindsey Field, who previously accused him of physical abuse, an allegation he also denied told the Washington Post Platner repeatedly removed removed protection during sex without her consent. The Platner campaign calling that claim, quote, categorically false and politically motivated, noting Fifield's past support of Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh, who was accused of sexual assault before his confirmation. Joining me now on set is chief Capitol Hill correspondent Ryan Nobles with the very latest on this. This is a crisis not just for the main Democratic Party, Ryan, but for Democrats nationally because Maine is one of the biggest potential pickups for Democrats. This came to this current state of crisis about two days ago. Graham Platner has not dropped out yet. What is your reporting telling you about his thinking?

[Ryan Nobles]

Well, it seems pretty clear that the only option he really has is to drop out. But he still has a card to play in this process, because the only person who can decide that Graham Platner is no longer the nominee is Graham Platner. He cannot be forced out by lawsuit or some vote by the main Democratic Party. He has to be the one to decide that it's time to step away. And he would like to have some agency in this decision making process. More than anything. What he wants is that the party not pick a moderate. He wants someone that is more aligned with him from a progressive standpoint. But there's a real danger here for Maine Democrats because they don't want their new nominee to have any sort of connection to Graham Platner or at least as little connection to Graham Platner as possible. So everything I've been told by folks that are connected to the campaign or inside the campaign is that at this point, they're just looking for the best way to land the plane. It's not as if Platner's looking to take back off, but until he himself says I am out, there's still that very faint possibility that he tries to stick this out. Although he would do it to be clear, without any sort of campaign or financial infrastructure behind it, or support from

[Chuck Todd]

state Democrats or national Democrats who've all poured their support from him. By the way, everyone's refreshing their phones, trying to see if and when he's gonna make this announcement. Ryan, what are national Democrats saying? What's the party leadership, the DSCC saying?

[Ryan Nobles]

Well, so the party leadership in Washington, the Senate committees, they've made a calculation here that they need to put a maximum pressure campaign on him to get out of the race. And if he sticks it out, they're just gonna have to throw in the towel. They have pledged to no longer support him financially. Virtually every single national Senate Democrat has withdrawn their endorsement. They do not want the stench of the Platner campaign to. To any of their other competitive races in places like North Carolina or Ohio, Alaska and Texas. So I think that if for some reason Platner decides that he wants to keep going, he will truly be a solo operator. There will be no support. And I don't mean that just from the national perspective, because Platner really got here without much help from the national establishment. He's built a grassroots campaign, but even that grassroots campaign infrastructure, his campaign manager, his staff, his volunteers, none of them are prepared to stick it out with him, he would really be all by himself, which would be a very difficult proposition running a campaign of this size.

[Chuck Todd]

Well, it's just fascinating and we continue to watch it and track it. If there are any developments, run back out and bring them.

[Ryan Nobles]

Last check on my phone. Things are status quo, but I'll let you know.

[Chuck Todd]

Ryan, thank you so much. Great to see you as always. Coming up next, I will speak to the first Maine Democrat to officially say he wants to take Grand Platinum place on the ballot, despite previously campaigning with him and for him, Former Maine State Senator Troy Jackson is next. You're watching Meet the Press. Now,

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[Chuck Todd]

This is Telemundo Deportes lead play by play voice Luiso Martabia. Wondering who you should you root for at FIFA World Cup 2026? I'm hosting my new favorite futbolista where

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[Chuck Todd]

Welcome back. Joining me now is one of the candidates positioning himself as a potential replacement for Graham Platner on the ballot in Maine, former state senator and former gubernatorial candidate Troy Jackson. Thank you so much for joining me. I really appreciate it.

[Troy Jackson]

Yeah, well, thanks for having me today. I appreciate it also.

[Chuck Todd]

Absolutely. Well, let's get right into it. You've said you believe that Graham Platner will drop out and that it would be self serving if he doesn't. Have you spoken directly with Graham Platner or his campaign? Do you expect him to drop out today?

[Troy Jackson]

I haven't spoken with Graham for probably 10 days or so, but I do expect him to drop out. I don't know if he's going to do it today or not. You know, I have no knowledge. But, I mean, it's clear that he has to drop out, and the sooner the better so that we can pick up the pieces and go forward with the movement that has gotten so strong here in Maine. You know, things like Medicare for all, workers rights, prescription drugs. I mean, trying to do something about this war. And that's why it's important for him. And I do think he's going to step down.

[Chuck Todd]

Well, you have filed paperwork to explore replacing Platner on the ballot after your bid for governor was unsuccessful earlier this year. A group aligned with Senator Sanders has endorsed you as the replacement today. Dan Cleban, hopefully I'm pronouncing his name right, announced that he's throwing his hat into the ring. Why do you think you're the better pick?

[Troy Jackson]

Well, I mean, it's about the issues that, you know, are really happening here in Maine now for, you know, something I've been wanting my entire life since I've been, as, you know, up on the border back in 98, fighting for workers rights in right now, we got people across the state that want a different government. They want, you know, health care. They want, you know, wealthy billionaires not to get all these breaks and things like that. And they want. Want lower fuel and gas prices. And so my, my life has been dedicated to fighting for these things. And, and people, you know, do know that. And I think the fact that, you know, I did just come through this gubernatorial campaign with a lot less money than my opponents, but I still want to county where Senator Collins is from, I won Bangor, I won Portland. So I'm the only candidate that's demonstrated that I can win statewide with conservative Republicans and, you know, urban young people that are much more liberal. So that's why I believe I'm the best one. But it is important to understand that it is about the issues that I'm running. That's what I care about. That's what I want to see continue to happen, and that's why I'm jumping in this race.

[Chuck Todd]

And what do you think the nomination process should look like? Because we are talking about a tiny window to replace Graham Platner.

[Troy Jackson]

Yeah, I know it's insane. And I've dealt with this, you know, on the state Senate races and things like that. We've never seen anything like this completely, you know, off charts. And, and, but what is Important is that we have an open, fair, transparent process that everyone feels like they were heard and gets an opportunity to be heard. And that is what I'm going to fight for, because I don't believe. I mean, I want these issues to come forward. I want people to continue to feel like Democrats are fighting for them. But. And I don't want party insiders to pick candidates or anything like that. I, I totally disagree with that. So a statewide convention where everyone gets the opportunity, I think is the best case for this very unusual situation.

[Chuck Todd]

Well, let me ask you, because you campaigned with Graham Platner during your bid for governor, even as all of these other controversies surfaced. Old Reddit posts downplaying sexual assault in the military since covered up tattoo resembling a Nazi symbol. He denied knowing what it meant, as well as allegations from past girlfriends about physically aggressive behavior. He denied those. But why were none of those controversies a breaking point for you?

[Troy Jackson]

I think the, the old Reddit post, I think even the tattoo, you know, there were plausible things that, you know, people can change and things like that. But look, when it came down to a credible allegation of somebody that was sexually assaulted, that was the end. That was the bright red line. And that's why, you know, I came out, and that's why I feel strongly that Graham has to step down. The other things you, you know, there was. Well, it just very clear to me that this is the end because this is a credible allegation and it should be, it should be treated that way.

[Chuck Todd]

Well, you know, some people are going to look at the long list of red flags that Graham Platner was dealing with. And if, and when you do get into the race, what do you say to the folks who see your continued sustained support of Graham Platner and they question your own judgment?

[Troy Jackson]

I mean, again, you know, this came down to, again, about the issues. Medicare for all, like I said, homes, childcare. I mean, these things that I've been fighting for for a long time. And the fact that, you know, there was a momentum, there was an energy that got captured in this U.S. senate race for. That is why almost all of us were in support of this, because many of us have been waiting for something like this forever. Our government does not work. Right. It's, it's wealthy people that get all the breaks while working class people are getting the shaft every damn time. And, and so I don't feel bad, you know, for supporting those causes, because that's who I am. I, I do feel bad that there was a woman that was sexually Assaulted. And that's why I've quit supporting Graham. But I'm not going to quit fighting for everyday working class people.

[Chuck Todd]

Would you want and would you welcome Graham Platner's support and endorsement or do you worry that that could drag your candidacy down?

[Troy Jackson]

Yeah, I mean, I don't, I don't want it. And it's, you know, it's, it's unfortunate, but I just don't want it.

[Donald Trump]

So.

[Chuck Todd]

The main Democratic Party accused Platner of trying to meddle in this process. You probably heard some of the sound that we played a little bit earlier. The campaign says they just want to know what the process would look like. They say they're not meddling. Do you think that Graham Platner should have any say in who replaces him? Or has he forfeited his right to do that?

[Troy Jackson]

No, I don't think he should have any say. I mean, you know, it's the law. I mean, at this point, when you step down, just like any other other state legislative race, there is a process. This is different. I get it, but, but you don't get to choose your heir apparent. And I just feel like, you know, Graham should step down because in the end it's about defeating Susan Collins, who is not fighting for us. And he knows that. And that's why I think he's just going to step down and let the process play out.

[Chuck Todd]

If Platner drops out, the party has two weeks. As you and I are discussing just a tiny amount of time to replace him. Considering this shortened timeline, the vetting concerns with Platner, can you assure voters there is nothing in your past that could come out after the 27th if you are picked?

[Troy Jackson]

Yeah, I mean, I got a 22 year record of running in elections. I just came through a statewide election. I know this is bigger, but there's nothing there. And I've, you know, been been vetted for two decades now and I'm the only one that actually wins in an area that Trump has been winning, but still seen as someone that's very progressive. So that's why I know I can win this race. But there's nothing that is going to come out that people haven't already heard.

[Chuck Todd]

Do you think that this moment raises questions about progressives ability to vet their candidates? Will this be a mark on the record of progressives?

[Troy Jackson]

No, I don't think this is a mark on progressives. I think this is a mark on an agency that didn't do the vetting that, you know, people that wanted to make money off the campaign. But this is not a black mark on progressives. I think right now progressives are driving a conversation across the state and across this country that's been a long time coming because we are getting the shaft.

[Chuck Todd]

If you are not the pick, sir, will you support whoever is?

[Troy Jackson]

Yes, I will. Much like the gubernatorial race, I mean, I've been meeting with Hannah Pingree. She obviously was a friend. We ran against each other. I lost. What I want to do now is push the issues I care about. And Hannah's been great at this point. So it's going to be the same thing with this Senate race. I mean, I think in the end, as long as it is a very open, transparent process, whoever gets the nominee, I'll be happy with.

[Chuck Todd]

All right. Former state Senator Troy Jackson. We really appreciate your stopping by and for your perspective, we're going to watch this very closely. Hope to have you back.

[Richard Engel]

Okay.

[Troy Jackson]

Thank you so much.

[Chuck Todd]

Thank you so much. Coming up after the break, mounting frustrations around the situation in Maine. Everything that we've been discussing, also the mystery of Mitch McConnell's health and the turmoil in the Middle East. The panel is here to break it all down next. You're watching MEET THE PRESS now. Welcome back. Joining me now is our panel, Sahil Kapoor, NBC News national political reporter Ashley Etienne, meet the Press contributor and former communications director for Vice President Kamala Harris. And former Republican congressman from Louisiana, Garrett Graves. Thank you so much to all of you. Welcome to you, Congressman. We appreciate your being here. Sahil, I want to start with you to just set the table here. I thought it was very notable that when I asked Troy Jackson if he wanted the endorsement of Graham Platner, he said no. I mean, he is putting about as much distance as he possibly can between him and Graham Platner in this moment as he waits to see if and when he's going to drop out.

[Sahil Kapoor]

Yeah, that's right. He's walking a fine line here. On one hand, he said there are certain issues he ran on. He believes he could be a more effective candidate to carry the mantle. For everyone recognizes in the Democratic Party in Maine that Grant Platten got more than 150,000 votes in the primary, which is huge. I think that's a record for any Democrat there. So you can't discount the voters. This is the box that the main Democratic Party and every potential candidate is in. They have to disown him and the baggage and the horrible things that he's been accused of, of which he denies but credibly accused of at the same Time. They can't alienate his voters. They need the support of his voters who were not there for Graham Platner's personal character. Nobody saw him as a font of character. They were supporting him because they saw him as effective at carrying on the issues. So that's what Troy Jackson is doing. There are going to be others who run this differently. Some candidates are more on the center left side, a little bit more aligned with the national party establishment. Some are more on the progressive side. But everyone has to distance themselves from him somewhat, but not too much.

[Chuck Todd]

Yeah. Ashley, let me read you part of the Platner campaign text. It reads, the main Democratic party allowed the D.C. based Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee to send staffers to plan a potential nominating process behind closed doors. Their argument is they want to be a part of the process. Graham Platner would like to say he clearly wants a progressive to replace him. But can they really argue that they should? Do they have leverage right now? I guess is the best question.

[Ashley Etienne]

No, I would argue that they actually don't. I mean, it's their fault. They got us into this, into this dilemma here. They knew full well what they were dealing with. Graham Platner. They did not fully vet him. His wife submitted some text messages of explicit communication from him and other women, which she said was going to be a vulnerability for him. That was over a year ago. Then you had one woman come out and so they stood by this guy. So it's really the campaign that has that's to blame for this, not national Democrats. They didn't know what they didn't know. And so I don't think that they actually have leverage. But just to add to what Sahil said, you know, the challenge for the local Maine Democrats now is they're going to have to move quickly to seize this spot. Secondly, they're going to have to select a candidate who can raise money and also unite progressives. That's going to be a hard, hard road to hoe. And to your point earlier during our off session, they're going to have to pick someone who can really beat Susan Collins, which is hard. So who can also appeal to not just progressives, but also to independents?

[Chuck Todd]

Congressman Grayson. Ashley takes me to my question to you, which is take us inside the Collins campaign. Who would you rather run against, a progressive or a moderate? Who do you think she's more concerned about at this point?

[Craig Melvin]

I think she'd rather have a progressive candidate on the ballot. I do. I think that Susan Collins has proven her worth. She has been an Incredible campaigner, has delivered huge wins for Maine and is one of the leaders on the Appropriations Committee. I think that she would be much better off having somebody who is a more liberal candidate. Which brings me to the, to the next point. How in the world do we get ourselves in a situation where you so have empowered political parties to deliver candidates that appear as fatally flawed as this guy is? Really, I think we need to take a step back, take a fresh look at this and figure out how to. How to make sure that we get better vetting and better candidates on the ballot. This is the board of directors for America.

[Ashley Etienne]

What also is true about voters, and this goes back to Trump running and in this last election as a populist, which is voters seem to me to be putting their pocketbooks ahead of and overlooking all these indiscretions from Trump to Platner. And I think that is an interesting fact that we have to give credit to and really find a candidate that can speak to those.

[Craig Melvin]

You and I were talking before the show and it's amazing seeing the change in elections over the last several years where you have voters calling for folks that are gonna be disruptors and wanting to see that big change, that big disruption. And I think that on economic issues. Economic issues, But I think across the board, realizing the status quo of government is not satisfactory, they're not okay with it, and wanting to see that disruptive change. And I think, as you said, putting Pocketbook ahead of many other things is definitely a trend we're seeing.

[Chuck Todd]

It's such an important point, Sahil, because you are seeing when you see those rallies that Graham Platner was able to get all of those people, as you say, his vote total was significant. The fact that he had these huge endorsements, I mean, can the party even find someone who energizes voters in Maine in that same way? That's the big question for Democrats right now.

[Sahil Kapoor]

It's going to be very difficult. I think we've seen in this primary and over the last several years that voters have a higher tolerance threshold than usual, I'd say, for controversy. Of course, they have their limits and they have their red lines. And Graham Platner seems to have crossed the Democrats red line on this one. I do want to add some reporting on the national party front. I spoke to two sources on the ground in Maine who say there are Democratic Senatorial Committee staffers on the ground in Maine. That part is true. I reached out to the DSCC about this because there are some allegations flying around that they're in there to take control of the process and kind of usurp it away from the Maine Democrats. The DSCC flatly denies this. They say it's false. They say they're continuing to defer to the Maine Democratic Party and for the entirety of the process. What they do have, however, is resources. And it's not untoward for local parties to take advantage of those resources.

[Kate Snow]

Absolutely.

[Ashley Etienne]

And that's what I heard from the dscc, too. They were like, it's only in our interest to let the party select and for us not to have a heavy hand and put our hand on the scale.

[Chuck Todd]

Very quickly, though, do you think this weakens the progressive brand at this critical moment or in any way overshadows it?

[Ashley Etienne]

I don't think it does. I mean, if you want to call it the progressive wing of the party has had such sweeping wins over the last year and a half. So I would say it actually doesn't. I mean, I think this primarily the responsibility falls on this particular campaign and this candidate. It and doesn't reflect on the larger progressive movement.

[Chuck Todd]

Congressman Graves, let's talk about Mitch McConnell. We know that he has been dealing with some health issues. There are all sorts of speculation online. You have top Republican senators, John Thune Barrasso. John Barrasso saying they've spoken to him. Do you think this is a moment where the McConnell team needs to come out and provide more information and more transparency, quite frankly, about what they happening in this.

[Craig Melvin]

Look, you can go back and look, you have had both Republicans and Democrats over the last several years that have disappeared. And I could go through and name names. I'm not going to right now. But, but, but both parties have seen it. Do I think that voters deserve transparency? Yeah, absolutely they do. I think they do. And I think I've seen situations where candidates, excuse me, not candidates, elected officials have not handled it well. And I've seen situations where they have, where folks have literally worked through cancer treatments and other really intense activities and been able to deliver for their constituents. I think they deserve transparency. I think the leadership deserves transparency, and I think that there needs to be somewhat of a shot clock. But the main thing is this is up to the voters in Kentucky.

[Chuck Todd]

Well, the Democratic governor, Andy Beshear, writing this letter. As public office holders, we have made a commitment to our constituents to do our best to represent them and always be transparent. I believe this requires clear communication about one's ability to serve. He has the ability, if necessary at any point to replace Senator McConnell, should he step down or otherwise talk about this moment and this letter from Andy

[Sahil Kapoor]

Beshear, should he step down, is the key part of that because right now the governor is sending this letter. We reached out to Senator McConnell's office. They are not engaging on this letter. Mitch McConnell has no political pressure to deal with any more. The only folks who matter here in terms of his constituency is the Senate GOP conference. And it seems like John Thune and John Barrasso say this book to him. Fascinating how everyone seems to have a 20 minute call with him, nothing more, nothing less these days. But look, the Senate is back next week. They're here for two weeks and then they're gone for a month. Are we gonna see Mitch McConnell for those two weeks? They've given no timeline for his return. They've not even said the reason he was hospitalized. Even though we have police scanner audio that an unconscious individual had cardiac arrest at McConnell's home. They're revealing as little as they can get away with.

[Chuck Todd]

Ashley, what do you make of this moment? We should note you are a longtime staffer on Capitol Hill. You worked with Nancy Pelosi, so you're no stranger to moments that are challenging. What do you make of how the McConnell team has dealt with this?

[Ashley Etienne]

I mean, I think they're representing their boss and doing whatever their boss would want. But I had breakfast with Andy Beshear a few months ago. You know, he's interested in running obviously in 2028. So this is a big opportunity for him. He's got potentially put a Democrat in that seat, but he's also got an opportunity to position himself as someone sort of who's beyond politics, who's fighting for the interest of Kentuckians, but also he can cement himself with the larger Democratic apparatus as someone who's gonna fight Republicans and hold them to account. So I think it's gonna be an incredible opportunity for him. So that's why I'm watching In this whole dynamic, I think we know what's on going happen with McConnell, but we're all regrettably.

[Chuck Todd]

Great conversation, but one, one final, very quick note.

[Craig Melvin]

We're if Governor Beshear was out there beating up on some Democrats in the past who have done the exact same thing, I think you would have credibility in this case. The public's going to see through this is a political opportunist move and I don't think there's any credibility to it.

[Chuck Todd]

All right, guys, well, great conversation. Thank you, Ashley, Congressman Graves and of course, Sahil really appreciate it. Coming up after the break, the Department of Justice threatens election officials in all 50 states with criminal charges ahead of the midterms. We'll explain. You're watching with the press now. Welcome back. The Trump administration is ramping up its pressure campaign on states over how they conduct their elections. In a letter to election officials in all 50 states and Washington, D.C. the Justice Department is, is warning that those officials could face criminal charges if noncitizens cast ballots. The DOJ giving states five days to explain how they'll maintain clean what they're calling clean voter lists. It's worth noting multiple studies and reports have found noncitizen voting to be extremely rare. This latest effort comes as the Justice Department demands voter roll data from all 50 states, with the DOJ suing 30 states and the District of Columbia for resisting. So far, 11 federal courts have dismissed the Justice Department's efforts. NBC News senior justice reporter Ryan Reilly joins me now. So put this into context. Just how unusual is this threat by the Justice Department?

[Ryan Reilly]

It is very unusual to have the Justice Department sort of making this kind of move. And I think this is all being driven by Harmeet Dhillon, who's the head of the Civil Rights Division who's been doing making a lot of efforts on the voting front. And she was, you know, she formerly worked in conjunction with and this has been a major sort of thing of her trying. They've really narrowed in on noncitizen voting as something they're really focused on. But a lot of these non citizen voting cases are, first of all, they're extremely rare. And when they come up, they're often mistakes that are made along the way. So this isn't necessarily someone who came to the country illegally. Often it's permanent, lawful permanent residents who are confused about their status. There might have been some sort of language barrier. And so they themselves have, I think, failed to bring up a lot of these cases. As we sort of looked across the board at how many cases they brought over this year and a half that they've been in office, there's only really a handful of them that they're able to turn up. And I think that speaks to the fact that this is a really incredibly rare.

[Chuck Todd]

Well, the DOJ is giving election officials five days to map out how they plan to comply with this demand. How is that going to work? What type of explanation are they looking for?

[Ryan Reilly]

Yeah, I mean, it's a pretty tight deadline there. I'm not sure how much information they're actually going to end up getting out of this. But I think, you know, the pressure campaign is really, really mainly the purpose that the Justice Department is trying to, you know, excrete here and make sure that people are aware that they're focused on this because it's such an important issue for a lot of the Republican base.

[Chuck Todd]

All right, Ryan Riley, thanks so much. Really appreciate it. We know you'll stay on top of it. We are back tomorrow with more MEET THE Press now there is much more ahead on NBC News now. I really love the Start Today app.

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