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Meet the Press NOW — June 10
00:49:48
President Trump vows the U.S. will hit Iran “hard” after accusing the country of downing an American helicopter. Steve Kornacki breaks down the latest primary results from across the country. House Oversight Committee member Rep. James Walkinshaw (D-Va.) shares what Bill Gates told Congress during his testimony regarding the Epstein files.
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- [00:00]
Radiolab Host
A text says, you're on my mind. A bouquet from 1-800-FLowers says, you're my everything. Heartfelt moments belong in the real world, not just your phone. For 50 years, 1-800-Flowers has helped millions of people make memories that'll last a lifetime with gifts they'll cherish forever. Their expertly curated arrangements and gift baskets shipped nationwide with a 100% satisfaction guarantee. Don't wait for the next big moment. Make it when you visit 1-800-flowers.com sxm today, that's 1-800-flowers.Com sxm at Radiolab, we love nuts.
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Radiolab Co-host
Nothing more than nerding out about science, neuroscience, chemistry.
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President Donald Trump
But.
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Kristen Welker
But we do also like to get
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Radiolab Host
into other kinds of stories. Stories about policing or politics, country music, hockey, sex of bugs.
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Radiolab Co-host
Regardless of whether we're looking at science or not science, we bring a rigorous curiosity to get you the answers and
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Courtney Kuby
hopefully make you see the world anew.
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Radiolab Co-host
Radiolab Adventures on the Edge of what We Think, Think we know.
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Kristen Welker
Wherever you get your podcasts. Welcome to MEET the press. Now. I'm Kristen Welker in Washington, where President Trump is vowing escalation in Iran, announcing the US Will carry out new military strikes today as his administration grapples with the economic fallout of the war with the Dow tumbling and new numbers showing inflation rising to its highest level in three years. This morning in a post on social media, President Trump warned Iran will have to, quote, pay the price after taking too long to agree to a peace deal. It came after the US And Iran exchanged strikes overnight after the president accused Iran of downing a U.S. apache helicopter patrolling the Strait of Hormuz, while Tehran accused the US of using the crash as a pretext for for strikes. From the oval office today, NBC's Garrett Hake pressed the president about that social media post and what comes next in
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Garrett Hake
the war you posted this morning about
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Kristen Welker
Iran, you said that they've taken too
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Garrett Hake
long to get to a deal and
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Kristen Welker
I want to make sure I quote you correctly.
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Steve Kornacki
You said that now they will have to pay the price.
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Garrett Hake
What did you mean by that specifically?
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President Donald Trump
Well, we're going to be attacking them, attacking them very hard.
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NBC News Correspondent
Resuming bombing.
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President Donald Trump
Yeah, well, we are based on the helicopter. I guess we have the right to do that. You know, they shot down a very, very incred. Actually an incredible machine. And at first they said they didn't do it. Then they admitted they did it. I've been working with Iran for a number of months and they should sign their deal. It's a good deal. It doesn't give them the right to have a nuclear weapon. In fact, it totally prohibits them from ever having a nuclear weapon. So we'll see what happens. But we hit him hard yesterday and we're going to hit him again hard today.
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Kristen Welker
Now, it comes after my interview with the president on Friday when he drew this new red line for renewing military action against Iran. Listen, I want to know what your red line is. What would trigger you to restart military action? Would it be Iran killing more American citizens?
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President Donald Trump
Well, certainly that would be something that I would think about very seriously. But my red line would be if I think I wasn't going to make a deal or if I wasn't going to make a deal fast enough. So we're having very good negotiations with the people that are leading the country now. It's the third group that we've been dealing with and they are different. And you could say it's regime change, actually, because these are very different people, I find would be more rational, very smart.
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Kristen Welker
Marcus closing just moments ago, reacting to the president's threat, the dow tumbling more than 9, 150 points. Meanwhile, new economic numbers show inflation in May jumping to 4.2% from a year ago, largely fueled by rising energy costs and fuel prices as transit through the Strait of Hormuz remains disrupted. But today, the president once again downplayed those rising prices. Here's what he said. Are you concerned, Mr. President, about the
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Garrett Hake
latest inflation number which came out this morning.
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Kristen Welker
Could that be a headwind for the
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President Donald Trump
numbers were the war is over. It's coming down.
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Kristen Welker
I know you can't.
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President Donald Trump
It's going to come down like a rock.
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Kristen Welker
Meanwhile, a new poll shows Americans overwhelmingly disapprove of President Trump's handling of inflation, the cost of living and the economy. Joining me now to start us off, our team of NBC News reporters, White House correspondent Monica Alba, senior national security correspondent Courtney Kuby, and business and data correspondent Brian Chung. Monica, I have to start with you at the White House. As we were just discussing President Trump saying the US Planning to carry out more strikes again today, what exactly can you tell us? Man?
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Monica Alba
Yeah, I mean, this is a president who is telegraphing what he wants his military to continue to do here. We saw a little bit of a preview of that yesterday. But it's the president stressing that because of the downing of that Apache helicopter that he argues the US has no real option here but to respond. The question is how forcefully will he respond? And does this mean that this is a restarting of major combat military operations which, remember, the president has not taken that off the table. He has said that that is possible throughout the course of this pretty shaky cease fire. But it's unclear if that's what he means or whether these are going to be continued targeted strikes like what we have seen in recent days because again, even though there is technically this fragile cease fire, the US And Iran have been trading and continue to trade some of those strikes back and forth, especially over the last couple of days. So when he was asked specifically by our colleague Garrett Hake whether that did mean to resume the bombing, the president indicated yes, but again, we don't know if this is going to be the sort of start of another large barrage or continuation. But it really comes, Kristen, as the president is saying kind of on the other hand that he still feels a peace deal could be imminent, could be coming in the next couple of days, as he continued to stress to you in your interview as well. So where the reality exists between those two very different things is still a very open question.
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Kristen Welker
It is. You raised such a seminal point, Monica. Just how close are they to getting a deal? Courtney, let me turn to you. Pick up where Monica left off because she talked about this open question. Could this be a large barrage of attacks that we see today or will it be similar to what happened overnight? What are you watching for? What are your sources telling you?
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Courtney Kuby
So we have seen a pattern between how the US And Iran have been retaliating, responding, whatever you want to say here. Over the last several weeks, the US has been taking strikes primarily along the Strait of Hormuz and even inside the Strait of Hormuz on an island, Kashmir island. In there they hit the coastal radar sites, air defense systems. They hit the kinds of locations where the Iranians may be firing off drones or in some case surface to air missiles to try to stop them from doing so in the future. That's how they justify these as self defense strikes. So I would suspect that would be the same kind of thing that we would see going forward. But you know, we don't know. We don't have any real specificity that we can say on that right now. I would suspect that though Iran has been firing back, launching out at US Allies in the region and specifically trying to target US Personnel on bases, whether it's US Bases or even bases that are owned by the host country where US Personnel are sometimes housed. The majority of those have been have
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Kristen Welker
been shot down though of people are wondering, Courtney, what we are witnessing, what happened overnight. Is it already in escalation? How are people within the Pentagon viewing This.
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Courtney Kuby
So, I mean, the one thing that has definitely escalated is it's a shorter time frame between the sort of escalation ladder of little activities that are occurring, and then that leads to strikes from both sides. That timeframe is. It keeps shrinking. But not just that. Iran. One difference from last night, Iran fired on three different countries. It was a large number of. Number of missiles and drones, one of the biggest ones that we've seen of the ceasefire. The US struck 20 different targets as part of this yesterday. That's larger than what we've been seeing. It's usually been two or three maybe locations. So in that way, yes, this is escalating. The way that it's not escalating, though, is exactly what Monica was just talking about. The idea of major combat operations back inside Iran, we still haven't seen it move into that area. This is still really focused on what's going on inside the Strait of Hormuz.
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Kristen Welker
Okay, well, I know you're going to be watching it very closely. Courts are. Stick around. Monica, let me just go back to you because President Trump said something else that I think got a lot of attention today. He announced what he's calling a secret mission to secure more oil. What exactly does that mean? Could it potentially bring prices down?
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Monica Alba
Yeah, that language certainly did raise a lot of eyebrows, Kristen, when the president said he was able to basically tell reporters in the world about it now because Iran had kind of figured it out. He implied that basically some of the military assets that have been in place in this naval blockade and in the region have helped some tankers and some vessels be able to transit through the Strait of Hormuz that the president argues has contributed to a bit of a dip in gas prices that we have seen in recent days because he says it allowed 100 million barrels of oil to enter the open market. But we have some questions about exactly what this was. What he calls a secret mission maybe is actually something that we sort of did know was going on or something that certainly had been an effort behind the scenes because we know that the administration had continued to talk, tell us they were trying to do that, to get more through, but that maybe they weren't being as public about their role in it. So this was something that was a bit of a surprise. It does seem like it perhaps could have had a little bit of an impact. But we should point out, Kristen, that those prices at the pump are still much higher than they were before the war began.
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Kristen Welker
Yeah, it's a really good point. And I'm going to come Back to you on the broader economy in just a moment, Monica. But Courtney, let me have you weigh in on this secret mission. What are your sources is telling you about that?
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Courtney Kuby
It's not so secret.
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Kristen Welker
It is true.
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Courtney Kuby
The the US Military, I mean basically we should look at this is the military is helping sort of coordinate with some of these shipping companies so that some of the ships can get not only out of the Strait of Hormuz, but back in to get more oil. There have been more than 200 transits throughout that, not necessarily 200 ships, but transits back and forth through the Strait of Hormuz over the course of the last month or so, according to a US Official. Basically what the US Is doing here is they're saying, look, here is the safest passageway through the Strait of Hormuz. While you're going along there, stay in communication with us. If you see that you're getting any threats, attacks from drones, whatever it is, we're really close to you. We're right nearby. The US has been shooting down incoming drones and projectiles that have been launched by the Iranians. So they are protecting commercial shipping. It's just not as at the same level of Project Freedom, which lasted just a couple of days several weeks ago. It's a slightly scaled back version of that. And it's more about coordinating than it is about actually protecting.
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Kristen Welker
All right, Courtney Kuby, thank you so much for helping to start us off today and all of your great reporting, including overnight. We really appreciate it. Monica, let me turn back to you. You just talked about gas prices. You know, it was so notable because we got this new inflation figure today which shows that it did in fact increase yet again. But the president is downplaying the latest inflation numbers. What exactly did he say? Monica?
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Monica Alba
Yeah, he said something that also may be seized upon by Democrats and critics in the coming months, which was, quote, I love the inflation, because he argues it means that when this conflict in his view is over, the prices will come crashing down. That's an argument we have heard the Trump administration and the White House make repeatedly when it comes to gas prices, when it comes to some of these other higher costs. But it's not something that we have seen overall. But it just sort of is an interesting point from the president who really has leaned into this kind of trying to dismiss the idea of affordability concerns. Remember that when he was asked whether he thinks about Americans financial situations, when factored into his decision making about the war in Iran, he said and doubled down and tripled down that he doesn't think about it at all, that it doesn't factor into that. So this is sort of a part of the president's own view on this. But that does certainly kind of dismiss some of these concerns that we have seen that are really raised at the very top, if not the top of the list, when voters are asked what they care most about and likely will continue to be asked about as we get closer to the midterms. And those are these issues of affordability and high costs.
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Kristen Welker
Kristen, Monica Alba covering all the angles for us from the White House. Monica, thank you so much. Really appreciate it. Brian Chung, let me turn to you now. Again, as we reported at the top of the program, we did see markets drop today. Give us your insight into why that is happening and the latest inflation report.
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Radiolab Co-host
Yeah, Kristen, as you can see on that screen, the markets ending the day down one and a half percent, 2% in some cases. Some of that is the malaise on tech stocks. A lot of that is the Iran war developments. But also this inflation report which showed prices rising by 4.2% between May of this year and May of last year. Not only is that higher than the 3.8% we saw in April, but it's also the highest number that we've seen on this print Since April of 2023 over three years ago. Now, I think this is the more worrying thing that's certainly going to make that affordability problem that Monica just talked about even worse, and that is negative real wage growth. Again, this is basically a measure of adjusting your income for inflation because inflation is now in its second consecutive month of being higher than the rate of wage increases. That means that Americans are likely having to tap into their savings because the price tags at the store are rising at a faster pace than your actual income. And a lot of that is, of course, because of higher energy costs, gas prices well above $4 a gallon. It was sub $3 a gallon before this war began, but again up 23% compared to a year ago. Food costs are also up over 3%. So these are all things that are weighing on Americans and also going to weigh likely on the Federal Reserve, where their expectation is that they're not going to cut interest rates or move interest rates in their next meeting next week. But later on down the year, you now have markets pricing in a good chance they could hike interest rates. That would be certainly unwelcome news to the president.
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Kristen Welker
So let me follow up with you on that point, because I asked President Trump about that specifically. Is he concerned that they could in fact, hike interest rates. He was very clear he was not a fan of that. Walk me through what the Fed is grappling with right now. And again, as you say, they're going to meet next week.
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Steve Kornacki
Yeah.
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Radiolab Co-host
And Kevin Warsh is going to be in between the rock of this economy and the hard place that is the president obviously calling for lower interest rates as he told you in that interview over the weekend. Now again, what the Fed is going to be really focused on is right here, this particular chart on real wage growth. This is a major red flag for the economy. You do not want inflation eroding at your income for that reason. Generally, when you see this type of dynamic and inflation going up, the Federal Reserve will respond by hiking interest rates. Again, that is exactly the opposite of what the president wants. He has said and reiterated in your interview that he will be independent in terms of allowing Federal Reserve Chair Kevin Warsh to do his thing. His first meeting is going to be next week. How does the incoming Fed chair thread that needle? I think what was also interesting, the president told you he's living with Kevin. So it does seem like he's willing to let him do his own thing. But what types of troop social posts can we see if the Fed chair does not lower interest rates but even later on down the line hikes them? We'll have to see.
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Kristen Welker
Yeah, I think that is the key question. Brian Chung, thank you so much for joining us. Really appreciate it. Coming up, Platner prevails and President Trump unloads, slamming the controversy plagued Democratic Senate candidate as a low level thug and a pig after his primary win in Maine last night. Plus Bill Gates and the Epstein files. Lawmakers on the House Oversight Committee pressed the multi billionaire for answers about his ties to the convicted sex offender, what he told them and where the Epstein investigation goes from here. Stay with us. You're watching Meet the Press now.
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Kristen Welker
Let's just take a step back.
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Willie Geist
Hey guys, Willie Geist here reminding you to check out the Sunday Sit down podcast. On this week's episode, I get together with the multi talented Mindy Kaling to talk about her beginnings on the Office her hit creation Running Point and her latest series not Suitable for Work. You can get our conversation for free wherever you download your podcasts.
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Brooke Gladstone
There's a lot going on right now. Mounting economic inequality, threats to democracy, environmental disaster, the sour stench of chaos in the air. I'm Brooke Gladstone, host of WNYC's on the Media. Want to understand the reasons and the meanings of the narratives that led us here and maybe how to head them off at the pass that's on the Media's specialty. Take a listen wherever you get your podcasts.
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Kristen Welker
Welcome back. A crucial Senate matchup that could decide control of Congress is officially set. Maine's incumbent Republican Senator Susan Collins will face controversial Democratic newcomer Graham Plattner, who won more than 70% of the vote in last night's Democratic primary after Governor Janet Mills suspended her campaign in April. The main seat is effectively a must win for Democrats if they hope to retake control of the Senate. The firestorm around Platner's campaign has only intensified in recent days following reports of toxic and at times physically aggressive behavior towards former girlfriends, which he denies. This morning, Platner, who has denied all of those allegations of physical violence, downplayed the controversies.
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Graham Platner
There's nothing out there that's actually concerning. People will make everything seem very concerning because that's what people do in politics. But, you know, I think the thing about all of this is what I find to be kind of most curious is this is what everyone wants to make the campaign about. So we do not talk about the struggles of working matters.
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Kristen Welker
President Trump today going out of his way to slam platinum repeatedly while speaking to reporters in the Oval Office.
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President Donald Trump
He's a thug and they're trying to make excuses for him. I mean, he's worse than any human being that's ever run for office. Probably. This is a thug. He's a cheap, no good person. I made a lot of money picking out phonies. He's a real phony. He's a bad person because he's just an outright pig.
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David Remnick
He's like a pig.
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Kristen Welker
Joining me now is NBC chief data analyst Steve Kornacki and Alex Seitzwald, former NBC News politics reporter and current editor of the Maine newspaper the Midcoast Villager. We are so excited to have you, Alex, but let me start with Steve. Steve, we're also so excited to have you. I get to see you a little bit more. We are going to get to Graham Plattner's race in just a minute, but first, unpack what happened in the Californ gubernatorial race. Tell us what happened there?
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NBC News Correspondent
Yeah, it took a while, Kristen, but you now see it on our screen here. Two check marks, meaning the decision desk last night did make the call officially that Steve Hilton, one of the Republican candidates, will join Javier Becerra in the general election for governor of California. Those two will advance again. California's top two primary system here. All the candidates, regardless of party, run on the same ballot. So you can see there was sort of a big collection of names that were right there, but Hilton gets in there. The significance obviously means Republicans will be represented in the general election. That's something that doesn't automatically happen in the blue state of California. There have been races under this system where it's been two Democrats against each other. So Republicans will be represented. But of course, in terms of Hilton's prospects, you say it's a deep, deep blue state. Look at it this way. Hilton got 25% here. Go down. You see the other main Republican, Chad Bianco, he got about 10%. That's 35% between the two of them. And of course, you look at how Trump did in this state in 2024. 38%. A combined 35%. 38% for Trump. Something dramatic, dramatic would have to change for Hilton to actually make this a competitive race against Becerra in the fall.
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Kristen Welker
Okay, well, now we're looking at a competitive race in Maine and obviously big results in South Carolina as well. Steve, talk to us about that.
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NBC News Correspondent
Yeah, well, we can start on South Carolina because I know you'll come to Maine with. With Alex after. So why don't we just go down there? And two things that stand out. Number one here on the Senate side, Lindsey Graham does win his Republican primary here. This is sort of a tradition with Graham. I think you can almost say here. There's been. Throughout his career in the Senate, he's had a lot of sort of. He's been viewed with suspicion, I think it's fair to say, by the base throughout a lot of his career. Every six years, he's got to get through one of these Republican primaries. He doesn't necessarily do it impressively. This is not really an impressive number, under 60% here for an incumbent United States Senator. But for Graham, it serves his purposes. He wins the primary. He did have the endorsement of Donald Trump in this race. Probably carried a lot of weight in a state like this. He gets through the primary and again, the prohibited favorite in the general election, just given the political bent of South Carolina. The other notable result in South Carolina, Carolina last night, the very crowded Republican race for governor right here. This is the lieutenant governor, Pamela Yvette, endorsed by Donald Trump. She finishes first here over the attorney general Alan Wilson, notably back down in fifth place here. A lot of folks surprised by this. Congresswoman Nancy mace just gets 12%, a distant fifth, as it turns out, in this race for governor of South Carolina on the Republican side. And then, of course, as you say, there is that race up in Maine. Everybody was looking last night at what Platner's number would be here. You know, Janet Mills name was still on the ballot. She'd been making clear her name was still in the ballot in the final day. A couple others here as well. Platinum lands at 72%. I think the significance of that number, just trying to look at, you know, is it impressive? Is it unimpressive? There was a poll taken about two weeks ago before this latest round of controversy and after Mills had dropped out. Platner had been at 76% in that poll, lands at 72%. It's a little bit under, but there's got to be a little, little wiggle room there. He basically landed where he was in that poll. There's not any evidence, really, when you look at that number and say there was a dramatic shift away from him among Democrats amidst this controversy. So I think clearly he's taken this as a sign of strength. You're looking at a lot of Democrats, their reactions to this result today. They seem to be interpreting it that way as well.
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Kristen Welker
Yeah. Underscores there may be a disconnect between the national conversation with Democrats and the conversation in Maine that Democrats are having. All right, Steve, thank you so much for joining us and setting us up. We really appreciate it. Alex, let me turn to you, and I want to, to start off by getting you to just react to what we heard from Graham Platner there with Mika Brzezinski, the fact that he was downplaying the controversies that have swirled around him. Is that going to be the strategy moving forward to just dismiss whatever comes his way?
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Alex Seitzwald
Well, I think it will depend what comes. And obviously the big question on everybody's mind is what else is out there? Is there something even more damaging than what's already come? But he's now been inoculated, I think, by this result. I think he basically, basically got what he needed to out of last night, quieted the doubters. You saw Chuck Schumer, the dscc, House Senate majority pac, all quickly get behind him. And Republicans now saying that it would be, you know, a fatal assumption to assume he's, he's too damaged to win. But part of the way that he got to where he is was by taking responsibility and apologizing for those earlier scandals that he had in the fall. People really responded positively to that. They felt like he was being honest and human in a way that we rarely see from politicians. And in this more recent spate of scandals about the sexting and his past relationships, he did the more kind of traditional, you know, attack the media, deny it, quibble over how many women he was really sexting with. And that got a much more negative reaction from a lot of voters that I've spoken to. So he's in a tough place rhetorically now because, you know, he's gotta carry the party banner. He's gotta go up against him, Susan Collins and present a unified front. But at the same time, he has to be this relatable down home main guy who works with his hands and is a real human being, a tough guy who goes to therapy, as he puts it. But he's, I think, in a stronger position than he's been in really this entire race heading into November now.
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Kristen Welker
Well, you raise his opponent, Susan Collins. I want to play a little bit of what he said about Susan Collins in his speech last night, get your reaction. Take a look.
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Graham Platner
Susan Collins may have started, may have started her career decades ago in Washington with good intentions, but she has become just as spineless and corrupt as the establishment she now serves. She got elected promising to protect Roe v. Wade, only to turn around and put on a justice, put a justice of the Supreme Court who overturned it. She lied to us.
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Kristen Welker
So it's a pretty interesting strategy, Alex, given the fact that a number of the controversies swirling around Graham Platner have to do with both his treatment and language about women.
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NBC News Correspondent
Absolutely.
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Alex Seitzwald
And the swing voters in Maine for Susan Collins are women. There's been a lot of talk about how he could appeal to white working class voters and maybe he can bring some of those in. But Susan Collins has won and with huge margins in a blue state, by winning Democratic or independent voters and largely women, she won, you know, with 65% of the vote in 2008, which was a great year for Democrats. In 2020, she won by 9 percentage points against a totally qualified, uncontroversial Democrat who outspent her 2 to 1. So Democrats in Maine know this, but I think nationally, folks have a harder time understanding Susan Collins is very tough to beat. You should take this very seriously. And I think what Platner was doing last night was to turn the focus, you know it's all been on him. But he's now turning the attention back to Susan Collins. And that's a, a much more comfortable place, not just for him, but for Democrats who are uncomfortable with Platner, with these allegations, mostly women. And I've spoken to a lot of women who are deeply uncomfortable with this, but because of the stakes, because they know Susan Collins, because they've been trying to get rid of her for so long, they will vote for Platner in the fall, or at least most of them will. And the more Trump attacks him, the more this is about control of the Senate, about abortion rights, about the Supreme Court. That is the safe space for Democrats. That's where he wants this to be, the focus on her, not on him.
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Kristen Welker
All right, Alex Seitzwald, we're going to cover this race closely, which means we will have you back often, my friend. Thank you so much. It's great to see you.
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Alex Seitzwald
Thanks, Kristen.
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Kristen Welker
Coming up next, Speaker Johnson returns to the White House for the second day in a row to discuss President Trump's polarizing pick for intelligence chief with reauthorization of a critical surveillance tool at risk of lapsing. We're live on Capitol Hill with the latest that Stay with us on MEET THE PRESS now.
- [28:11]
David Remnick
Right now, we are living through some of the most tumultuous political times our country has ever known. I'm David Remnick, and each week on the New Yorker Radio Hour, I'll try to make sense of what's happening alongside politicians and thinkers like Cory Booker, Nancy Pelosi, Liz Cheney, Tim Waltz, Ketanji Brown Jackson, Newt Gingrich, Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. Charlamagne, Tha God and so many more. That's all in the New Yorker Radio Hour wherever you listen to podcasts.
- [28:40]
Kristen Welker
Hi, I'm Kristen Welker, moderator of NBC's Meet the Press. On our broadcast, I sit down with people who make an impact in their communities. From actors to activists, they all MEET the moment. Now. We're bringing the conversation to you in a live event. Join me June 29th in New York City for Meet THE MOMENT Live with special guest Taraji P. Henson. We'll discuss her journey from single mom to actress to mental health advocate. Hope to see you there. Get your tickets now@meetthepress.com. Welcome back. For the second time in as many days, House Speaker Mike Johnson met with President Trump at the White House. The meeting comes as congressional leaders have just three more days to reauthorize an important but controversial surveillance tool, section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance act, which allows the government to spy on foreigners outside the US Without a warrant. Democrats refusing to support the reauthorization of Section 702 after the President appointed Bill Pulte, a Trump loyalist with no intelligence experience, as acting director of national Intelligence. Some Republicans also voicing concern about the appointment. President Trump doubling down on the pick, announcing late yesterday that Pulte was will start as acting DNI on June 19th sooner than expected. The president also defending Pulte in the Oval Office today.
- [30:01]
President Donald Trump
You know, smart people are smart people. I always say I'd rather have smart than experience, but experience is good, too. I would say this. He's going to be there for a short while while we pick somebody else. We're interviewing five different people. They're all very good, very different, and we'll put somebody there.
- [30:21]
Kristen Welker
NBC News Capitol Hill correspondent Julie Cirkin joins me now. Julie, thanks so much for being here. So let's talk about this meeting with House Speaker Mike Johnson, the second day he's met with President Trump. What changed since yesterday that necessitated him going back?
- [30:36]
Julie Cirkin
That's a really good question, Kristen. And I'll point out that on the other side of the Capitol, Senate Majority Leader John Thune did not have that kind of face to face time with the president or even address direct phone conversation. So this entire issue has really been left up largely to the speaker to negotiate with the president. Now Speaker Johnson came back from the meeting today. He defended the president choosing Bill Pulte. I will tell you, Kristen, that I've heard from several Republican aides that if the president had just waited a week until FISA extension had passed, he could have then picked Pulte as a temporary pick and this wouldn't be an issue so much with Democrats. Here's a little bit of what we heard heard from Speaker Johnson today.
- [31:14]
Speaker Mike Johnson
And so he's going to help and assist with that sort of as a renovation effort, but not to serve in the intelligence capacity in any long term capacity at all. So he would begin June 19, probably, perhaps between now and then the president may decide upon his final pick. He is anxiously anxious to do that. He is working on it very hard. That is a good faith gesture. And I think, I think the Democrats need to take that and at least allow us a short term extension on Pfizer so that we do not jeopardize the American people.
- [31:45]
Julie Cirkin
Kristen, the surveillance program is a big deal. It is sometimes controversial. Some Democrats, even some conservatives think it extends to potentially spying on Americans unintendedly. And so this is something that is extremely important for leadership on both sides of the aisle to figure out. But so far, Kristen, Democrats not budging on Pulte.
- [32:02]
Kristen Welker
Well, let me ask you because to get a little bit into the weeds here, Speaker John Johnson's pushing for a short term extension. Is that something Democrats might be able to get on board with, Julie, how do you see that playing out?
- [32:13]
Julie Cirkin
Yeah, until July 2nd, Chris. And here's the issue. You have some Democrats who vehemently are opposed to this program. Like I said, they think there are privacy concerns, violations to American citizens. Then you have another bucket of Democrats who would support the extension of this program. But they say with Pulte in the mix, essentially he'd have to go back and stick to his housing role, not be anywhere near the intelligence agencies. That's what Mark Warner said was the top Democrat on that committee in the Senate. If that happened, then maybe they could support a short term extension. I actually just heard that Senator Ron Wyden, who is opposed to the program for privacy concerns, is going to try and pass a short term extension with some guardrails around it on the floor in the next 10 minutes. That is expected to fail. And really Democrats and Republicans find themselves in a stalemate. And even John Thune had said multiple times, Kristen, that really while Pulte is in the picture, he doesn't see a path forward on this and some real frustration brewing as we're just two days away from that program lapsing on Friday.
- [33:07]
Kristen Welker
Well, it's just so fascinating, your analysis that the president had perhaps waited on this pick. This could be unfolding a little differently. I want to switch gears, Julie. The House Oversight Committee heard from Bill Gates today and its ongoing investigation of Jeffrey Epstein. I want to note we're actually going to talk to a committee member in just a moment. Moment. But what did you learn about what Gates said behind closed doors today and where the investigation goes?
- [33:32]
Julie Cirkin
Well, the investigation is still moving full speed ahead. Actually, James Comer just said that he intends to hear from Todd Blanch who's the acting attorney general who the president just formally nominated to lead that agency. He wants to hear from him in July if there are some missing documents that weren't released as part of the mandated law passed by Congress signed by the President President to force the DOJ to release all those files. That's notable because Blanche was sort of tapped to oversee this entire issue under then Attorney General Pam Bondi. But in terms of what Bill Gates had to tell members today, it was a nearly six hour closed door testimony. Gates appeared voluntarily in his opening statement, he said point blank, I never went to Epstein's island, his ranch or his Florida home. I've never victimized anyone. While he may have sought to foster a personal relationship, I was never interested in that and never reciprocated it. Democrats even coming out of the committee, including Robert Garcia, who's the top Democrat, said Gates was trying to be forthcoming and honest. But there are some real questions because he forged his friendship with Epstein three years after Epstein was initially convicted of his crime. So Bill Gates having to answer to a lot of that today.
- [34:36]
Kristen Welker
Kristen, just a fascinating day on Capitol Hill. Julie Cirkin, thank you so much. Really appreciate it. Coming up after the break, as we mentioned, I will speak with House Oversight Committee member Democrat James Walkinship, one of the lawmakers who questioned Bill Gates about his ties to Jeffrey Epstein. This is MEET THE PRESS now. Welcome back. As we mentioned, Microsoft co founder Bill Gates appeared before the House Oversight Committee today for closed door testimony about his ties to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein after his name appeared hundreds of times in the Epstein files. Gates has not been accused of wrongdoing and said he knew nothing of Epstein's crimes, earlier telling reporters he hopes his testimony helps find justice for Epstein's survivors. Joining me now is Democratic Congressman James Walkinshaw of Virginia, who sits on the House Oversight Committee and was able to question Mr. Gates today. Congressman, thanks so much for joining me. Really appreciate it it.
- [35:40]
Steve Kornacki
Thanks for having me.
- [35:41]
Kristen Welker
I want to start big picture. What was your biggest takeaway you were able to question Mr. Gates. What came of it?
- [35:49]
Steve Kornacki
Well, Mr. Gates testimony today I think was consistent with what he said publicly about his interactions with Epstein, the meetings and dinners that they had where he hoped that Epstein would be serious about supporting his public health and philanthropic efforts. He professed no knowledge of the crimes that Epstein was was committing and said that he was not ever even introduced to any of Epstein's assistants, some of the young women that we now know Epstein was abusing.
- [36:27]
Kristen Welker
And are you confident that Mr. Gates shared the whole truth with the committee?
- [36:34]
Steve Kornacki
I found him to be credible. I didn't get the sense that he was hiding anything. Obviously, it's impossible to know whether in the back of his mind as he was having dinner with Epstein or meeting with Epstein even after Epstein was convicted of a sex crime, whether in the back of his mind he had suspicions that some of the young women who were Epstein's assistants were, are actually being abused, that's impossible to know. But he did answer questions. Everything he said, as far as I can tell, is Consistent with what's in the files and in the public record.
- [37:10]
Kristen Welker
One of the aspects that does seem a little inconsistent. Mr. Gates said he didn't fully understand the extent of Mr. Epstein's crimes when he engaged with him on philanthropic work back in 2011. That was after Epstein was convicted of soliciting a mine or. How do you square that?
- [37:27]
Steve Kornacki
Yeah. He said he knew that Epstein had been convicted of some kind of sexual misconduct, but that he didn't research the details of it and he regretted not researching the details of it. Obviously, that is a huge, massive error in judgment, not just to not research the details, but have this relationship or engagement with Epstein even after you knew he was convicted of that crime. He acknowledged that as a, as an error in judgment that he regrets.
- [38:03]
Kristen Welker
Let me ask you about something that Oversight Chairman James Comer said. He is now saying he wants Attorney General nominee Todd Blanch to testify in July. Let me play a little bit of what he had to say to.
- [38:17]
David Remnick
Now, let me, let me be very clear. Todd Blanche came in a month ago. He came in with Pam Bondi to answer questions from the Oversight Committee and the Democrats stormed out and ran to you all to try to be the first to get on MSNBC and talk about their outrage. What a missed opportunity for the Democrats.
- [38:40]
Kristen Welker
How do you respond to that, Congressman?
- [38:43]
Steve Kornacki
Well, look, Chairman Comer tried to arrange for Pam Bondi and her sidekick at the time, Todd Blanche, to speak behind closed doors in an unofficial briefing with no transcript, no record. The media, the world, the American public would never have known what was said in that room if Democrats participated in it. That's why we walked out, because we want to end this cover up. We want transparency. When Todd Blanche comes before our committee in July, not only should there be a transcript, but it should be on video so the American people can see and judge for themselves whether he's telling the truth about his role in this cover up. James Comer doesn't want to see that happen. Democrats like myself on the committee do.
- [39:28]
Kristen Welker
Have you gotten assurances there will be a transcript?
- [39:31]
Steve Kornacki
In fact, we have not gotten any assurances. Just today we learned that Chairman Comercial decided after getting pressured by Democrats to ask Todd Blanche to come in. We know nothing about the circumstances. We're going to be pushing for it to be videotaped under oath so the world can see and judge for themselves.
- [39:52]
Kristen Welker
All right, I do want to ask you about this new reporting from Jonathan Swan and Maggie Haberman at the New York Times. They detail a situation room meeting with administration officials about how exactly to deal with the Epstein files. I want to read you part of this. They say, quote, behind the scenes, the Epstein crisis was paralyzing the Trump administration to a far greater extent than the public knew. It was consuming the highest ranks of the administration. What was your reaction to reading that? And do you think that administration officials need to come and be questioned by the committee?
- [40:25]
Steve Kornacki
I think it details the desperate efforts at the highest levels of the White House to cover this up. And what are they covering up? They're covering up Donald Trump's relationship with Jeffrey Epstein. And Donald Trump has lied time after time after time. He said he had no relationship. We learned by some accounts they were best friends, spent a lot of time together. He said he never flew on Epstein's jets. We learned from the files he flew on the jets four times. The files include allegations against Donald Trump, uncorroborated allegations, but allegations he continues to lie about his relationship with Jeffrey Epstein. And the White House has worked for a year now to cover it up. It is absolutely outrageous what they have done.
- [41:10]
Kristen Welker
Congressman, I want to shift gears here a little bit. Turn to the Senate race in Maine. Senate candidate Graham Platner won his primary last night, as you know, after facing a swirl of controversies, including accusations of being physically threatened, threatening to ex girlfriends, repeatedly lying to his campaign staff. He's denied claims of physical violence. Are you comfortable with Mr. Platner representing the Democratic Party in Maine?
- [41:36]
Steve Kornacki
Well, when I look at candidates for office or candidates for any job who have made mistakes in their past, the question for me is, have you acknowledged and taken responsibility for those mistakes and grown as a human being? I think Graham Platner has demonstrated he's taken some responsibility. He hopefully has grown as a human being. You can contrast that with Ken Paxton, who's running for the Senate in Texas, who was impeached by his own Republicans in the Texas legislature because he's wildly corrupt. And he continues to deny that and take no responsibility for his actions. So Grant Platner needs to continue to take responsibility and to grow as a person. I think if he does that, Maynard will respond well to it in a November.
- [42:20]
Kristen Welker
Well, he had initially said basically that all of the controversial information about him had come out, and then it was just in the past few weeks that there were yet new allegations that he had mistreated and been aggressive toward ex girlfriends. Does that for you raise concerns about his credibility?
- [42:43]
Steve Kornacki
Absolutely. I mean, look, I think we have to take seriously those allegations and his treatment of women that he was in relationships with. Obviously, for me, any corroboration of domestic violence or abuse is a red line. I don't think that's where we are right now. But he's going to have to continue to answer those questions and be open and honest about his both his past and who he is now as a human being.
- [43:11]
Kristen Welker
Just very quickly as a Democrat. And obviously Democrats want to win back not just the House but the Senate. How concerned are you that there could be more information that comes out about him that's damaging?
- [43:21]
Steve Kornacki
It's hard. It's hard to say. Obviously, you know, a fair amount of information has come out. Republicans could be sitting on more information. Look, there's a long time between now and November. I think in all of these Senate races there are going to be surprises. I think we'll probably get more information about Ken Paxton and the depths of his corruption in Texas, the circumstances of his divorce and some of the allegations made against him. That could happen in Texas. Could it happen in Maine? A little bit more, perhaps.
- [43:52]
Kristen Welker
All right. Congressman Walkinshaw, thank you so much for your time. Your perspective, really appreciate it.
- [43:57]
Steve Kornacki
Thank you. Thanks for having me.
- [43:59]
Kristen Welker
More news and politics ahead. Keep it right here on MEET THE PRESS now. Welcome back. Joining me now is our panel, Dan Marika, co author of the Early Brief, the Washington Post Ashley Etieck, former communications director for Vice President Harris and a Meet the PRESS contributor, and Sarah Chamberlain, president and CEO of the Republican Main Street Partnership. Thanks to all of you for being here. Appreciate it. Dan, I want to start with you on Iran because here you have the United States and Iran trading strikes as we're seeing the stock market drop more than 900 points. Talk about this moment politically for President Trump. He's very insistent as soon as this war is over, prices are going to start to drop. But as far as we can tell, there's no off ramp.
- [44:49]
NBC News Correspondent
Yeah.
- [44:49]
Garrett Hake
You talk to Republicans who are running campaigns out in these states and they would like to find the off ramp. They are well aware that gas prices will hurt them in November. They're well aware that prices at the counter in the grocery store will hurt them, not only because they just know this, but because that was what hurt President Biden, Vice President Harris in 2024. It is shocking to me that the president, when he was speaking with you on Sunday, said that he had never promised, promised endless, endless wars. I think it's a signal that he knows he's exposed here because not only was it a huge promise in 2024, you and I covered the 2016 campaign together. It was hugely motivating for Republicans, independents and even some Democrats. In 2016, when he was running against Hillary Clinton, I think it was a huge acknowledgement that he knows he's exposed here. He has to walk back some of those promises he made. And it signals to Republicans that their biggest fears may be Trump. True, he may be not looking for the off ramp quite yet. And that could be a big problem when they face voters in November.
- [45:45]
Courtney Kuby
Yeah.
- [45:46]
Kristen Welker
He continues to insist he could escalate even more than we've seen. Sarah, I want to show you some of the recent polling on the economy. This is a Reuters poll that shows he's getting -51% when it comes to inflation and rising prices. Cost of living, 48%, 35% in the economy over all. How are Republicans viewing those numbers and is there enough time to turn it around?
- [46:13]
Sarah Chamberlain
So they're very concerned. The members who are the most endangered are members of Republican partnerships. I sit with them every week and go over this. They're just praying that the president can find a quick out in Iran and we can get the gas prices down by early September at the absolute latest. Because this is resonating at home and people in town halls. Mike flooded one that was pretty controversial a couple of weeks ago. I mean, they're hearing this back home. They need an off ramp. They, they need this to end.
- [46:46]
Kristen Welker
Ashley, I'm sorry.
- [46:48]
Monica Alba
Yeah.
- [46:48]
Kristen Welker
Actually, when I ask you about the policy here, we're talking about the politics. I want to pivot to the policy a little bit because you have Democrats pushing for the war powers resolution. They're trying to tie the president's hands when it comes to actually being able to take more action. Action in Iran. They haven't gotten to a place where they've gotten enough Republicans on board to actually get this through both chambers. And the president would veto it anyway. But what are Democrats saying to you about the strategy moving forward?
- [47:14]
Ashley Etieck
Well, I think they're going to continue to lean in. There's no question about that. I mean, I think they're standing behind, standing behind this effort. It did pass in the House with some Republican voters. The question is whether what's going to happen in the Senate. But now that the president continues to double down, you know, making an argument for more escalation rather than de escalation. We've seen that happen in one other case, and that was Vietnam. He talked a lot about that on Sunday with you. That's the only other time we've seen escalation de escalate, not work. And I think there's a lot of nervous not just Democrats, but Republicans about where the president's taking this, whether or not he has an offer, whether or not he has a plan. So I think it's going to increase a lot more pressure on Republicans, Republicans to figure out what they're going to do on this War Powers Act. I mean, it's going to continue to hang out there. Democrats are going to continue to sort of weaponize it against them as much as they possibly can, especially as this continues to become more of a blunder for the president.
- [48:07]
Kristen Welker
Well, speaking of the midterms, Dan, obviously we have to talk about what happened in Maine overnight. Here you have Graham Platner, despite all of these controversies swirling around him, won his primary convincingly. Now he faces off against Susan Collins, who is no stranger when it comes to winning tough elections. What are you going to be watching for in the next few weeks as this plays out?
- [48:29]
Garrett Hake
So we published a story today at the Washington Post about how Democrats, national Democrats in particular, have somewhat begrudgingly gotten behind Platner. I read a lot of press releases on election night and I was very interested in the press release from the DSCC, the Senate Democrats campaign arm. It took them 80 words in an 89 word statement to move mention Graham Platner by name. And the statement was on the main victory of one Graham Platner. I think that says all you need to know about how Democrats are feeling about this moment. He is the nominee. There were some quiet hopes for a long time that something would happen. He would end his campaign, someone would emerge, there'd be a protest vote. In yesterday's election, there really wasn't. And so Democrats are now kind of stuck with Platner in some ways. He certainly has a huge base of support in Maine. There are a lot of people who are not willing to break with him. And really it's testing the bounds of what they're willing to accept from a nominee. It is a lesson learned from Democrats from one Donald Trump. He ran in 2016 and 2024 with lots of baggage. Republicans stuck with him. Democrats would have thrown someone like Graham Plattner overboard for the Nazi linked tattoo. They have not done that. And not only have they not done that, he is the nominee. So it is a lesson learned Democrats, Democrats have taken from Republicans.
- [49:43]
Kristen Welker
It always raises the question, Ashley, does the Trump playbook work for candidates not named Donald Trump? And is there a major disconnect between national Democrats and Democrats in Maine, but he's got to win over more than Democrats in Maine in order to win this race?
- [49:57]
Ashley Etieck
No, I Mean, if you look just at my home state of Texas and you look at the Republican running the Air Force Senate, I mean it's clear that the Republican Party could care less about corruption about. I mean all the issues that, you know, these folks who, you know, Republicans used to stick and glom to their bible could care less about anymore these days. So yeah, that playbook is continues to work for Republicans and now we're seeing it potentially work for Democrats. But to your point, in Maine, you know, Platner needs more than just Democrats to win. He needs independent voters. And what I've been reading and hearing on the ground there in Maine is that people are just disgusted with the status quo. So they wanted to get rid of the former governor cuz she was too old. She had sort of been there, had her time. So they're willing to take a risk on a new guy similar to how the Nation voted in 2016 on Trump. Right? They were willing to take a risk cuz they just were over the status quo.
- [50:54]
Garrett Hake
The 2016 dynamics in this race, the Hillary versus Trump and now Collins versus Platner are fascinating, worth exploration. You are absolutely right though. Susan Collins superpower in Maine is not holding Republicans. It is winning independents and many Democrats who vote for her despite disagreeing with her on a whole host of issues. It is going to be Platner's main challenge is drilling down on those votes.
- [51:18]
Sarah Chamberlain
Every year the Democrats think that they can beat her and every cycle she comes back.
- [51:22]
Kristen Welker
Well, let's look at the NRC is already up with a new ad comparing Platner to Collins. Let's take a look. Sarah, I'll get your reaction. Action on the other side.
- [51:30]
Republican Main Street Partnership Ad Narrator
Susan Collins spent time as a kid picking potatoes in Maine. Graham Platner spent time as a kid at a $70,000 a year prep school in Connecticut. Susan Collins has brought more than $1.5 billion back to Maine for hospitals, schools, roads and communities across the state. Graham Platner runs a Hobby Oyster farm whose only customer is his mother's restaurant.
- [51:54]
Kristen Welker
What do you make of the strategy so far day one?
- [51:56]
Sarah Chamberlain
I think it's a great compare contrast here. It's a great ad. I mean I think so. Collins for full disclosure, she is a member of Republican Main Street Partnership but she is unbeatable in Maine. I mean she will be there until she decides to retire. And this is just going to be a blip on the screen in my opinion.
- [52:12]
Kristen Welker
Ashley, she right? Is she unbeatable do you think?
- [52:15]
Ashley Etieck
I think it's going to be a tough race. There's no question about that. I mean, I think Platner's got a lot he's going to have to continue to explain. And then to the point of the congressman that was on previously, there's still a lot more time between now and November and a lot more opportunity for more to come out on a character like him.
- [52:30]
Kristen Welker
All right, guys, well, really appreciate the conversation. It was a great one. It's going to be fiery races, Maine and Texas beyond. Thank you so much for being here. We really appreciate it. Dan, Ashley and Sarah, and thank you for joining us. We're back tomorrow with more MEET the Press now. There is much more ahead on NBC News now.
- [53:14]
Courtney Kuby
I really love the Start Today app.
- [53:16]
President Donald Trump
They care about how I feel.
- [53:18]
Julie Cirkin
It's the staff on the app.
- [53:20]
Courtney Kuby
It's the connections you make.
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President Donald Trump
Without good mental and physical health, you have nothing.
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Courtney Kuby
It tells me how to cook to keep myself healthy.
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President Donald Trump
I look at my app and I'm like, wow, I didn't know.
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Kristen Welker
I did 7,000 steps today. Start Today meets you where you are. Download the Start Today Wellness app now
- [53:38]
Republican Main Street Partnership Ad Narrator
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- [53:40]
Kristen Welker
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