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Meet the Press
Meet the Press NOW - May 20
00:52:50
NBC News Chief Data Analyst Steve Kornacki joins Meet the Press NOW to break down primary election results and what the latest races reveal about President Donald Trump’s influence over the Republican Party. Pennsylvania State Rep. Chris Rabb (D) discusses his victory in the Democratic primary for Pennsylvania’s 3rd Congressional District. The Department of Justice indicts former Cuban President Raúl Castro over the fatal 1996 shooting of civilian planes. GUID: now_mtp_netcast_260520
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Chris Rabb
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Kristen Welker
Welcome to Meet the Press.
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Laura Jarrett
Now.
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Kristen Welker
I'm Kristen Welker in Washington, where President Trump's grip on the Republican Party appears stronger than ever despite tumbling approval ratings with voters heading into the midterms. Today, the president celebrating another victory in his revenge campaign against his Republican critics after Republican Congressman Thomas Massie was defeated by Trump backed challenger Ed Gallerin in the most expensive House primary in history. In his victory speech, Gowrime pledged to support the president while Massie encouraged his party to exercise some independence. Take a listen.
- [01:37]
Susan Page
My focus is on advancing the president's
- [01:39]
Kristen Welker
and the party's agenda to put America first and Kentucky always. If the legislative branch always votes with the President, we do have a king. If the legislative branch always vote, which votes whichever way the wind is blowing, then we have mob rule.
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Donald Trump
But if the legislative branch and the
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Steve Kornacki
representatives and the senators that serve with
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Kristen Welker
it always follow the Constitution, we have a republic. The president's pick in Kentucky's Republican Senate primary, Andy Barr also won. But in Georgia, President Trump's pick in the governor's race, Bert Jones, did not hit the 50% needed and now heads to a runoff against billionaire Rick Jackson. The Georgia Republican Senate Senate primary also heading to a runoff, the winner of that race will take on Senator Jon Ossoff in a matchup we'll be watching closely in November. Congressman Massie's defeat is the latest data point emboldening President Trump to pursue an even greater MAGA makeover of his party. It follows the defeat of Republican Senator Bill Cassidy, who voted to convict the president during his 2021 impeachment, and the ousting of five Indiana Senate state senators who rejected the President's redistricting plan. Today, House Speaker Mike Johnson def the President's involvement in primary races.
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Mike Johnson
I talked with the President late last night after everything was, all the dust was settling over all the elections. And we talked about how his endorsement is the most powerful in the history of politics, I mean, anywhere in the world. I think it's just a phenomenon America is back. And that's because we've been running an agenda again based on common sense that achieves so many of those things I just said and more. We need people here who understand that, who are not, you know, trying to carve out their own lane and do something that's, that's destructive or, you know, counterproductive, I think, to the agenda. We don't demand loyalty to the President. What I demand as speaker of the House is loyalty to our core principles.
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Kristen Welker
Ahead of next week's Senate runoff in Texas, the president also now endorsing the state's controversial Attorney General, Ken Paxton, over incumbent Senator John Cornyn. It's a decision that has rankled many of Cornyn's Republican colleagues on Capitol Hill, who worry it could put the seat in jeopardy this November. Supremely disappointed, Supremely speechless. Yeah, it'll just cost us a fortune. Yeah, it's. I'm sad. I just. That's all. Today, the President dismissing those concerns, once again touting his record in these primaries so far.
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Donald Trump
They'll be all right with it. They wouldn't win. I know how to win. Some of them don't know how to win. I know how to win. I think I've proven that, haven't I?
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Kristen Welker
Joining me now on set, fresh off her late night reporting assignment in Kentucky, NBC News Capitol Hill correspondent Julie Serkin. Also with me, NBC News chief White House correspondent Garrett Hake and NBC News chief data analyst Steve Kornacki. Thanks to all of you for starting us off. Julie, let me start with you on set. You were at Massey's headquarters overnight. Talk to me about your takeaways, what you heard from him in that concession speech.
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Julie Serkin
Kristen, I know all we're talking about now is just how much of an influence the President has over his party, how much control he clearly has. But I have kind of an under the radar take, and it comes from my reporting on the ground. I spoke to maybe about 20 voters and I was so struck by the fact that most of those voters, even if they voted for Gal Rhein, they told me they don't like how much pressure the President has been putting in this race. Maybe this is a more independent part of the state. There's a lot of libertarian voters. But I was just struck by that fact. I really think that some of the aftershocks of last night may not yet be felt and might be felt as we get closer to the midterms and 2028, with people not really liking the fact that the President is consolidating power so blatantly.
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Kristen Welker
Yeah. This, of course, comes after President Trump ousted Bill Cassidy. He had that big win in Indiana where five state senators went down in defeat. Who had defied President Trump, or what are the broader implications right now for the Republican Party? How are leaders of the party like House Speaker Mike Johnson viewing all of this?
- [06:03]
Julie Serkin
I mean, look, he's used to Thomas Massie being a thorn in his side. I don't necessarily think he expects him to be even more of a difficult member than he already has been. Certainly Johnson told me that before the primary. But there's something that Thomas Massie said last night that I thought was really interesting. He said yesterday was the six month anniversary, the six month mark since the Epstein Files transparency law was passed. He looked at the voters who, who were pretty pumped up despite the loss, and he said, I have seven months left, implying that he is going to be a roadblock at every chance he gets. And certainly we're seeing that in the Senate as well with Senator Cassidy. I mean, this is really their YOLO moment as we've been talking about, and I expect they're going to use it.
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Kristen Welker
Okay, let me follow up with you on that point, because you invoke Senator Cassidy, who for the first time after he was defeated over the weekend, voted with Democrats on the War Powers act, essentially trying to block President Trump from any further military involvement in Iran. He was pressed on this flip flop, if you will tell me what he had to say.
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Julie Serkin
I mean, he defended it. He said, yeah, look, I'm not running for office anymore. I do think at this point, you know, it's been three months since this war began. Voters need answers. He kind of reminded me of what I heard from Senator Tillis in our interview earlier this spring when he told me, look, obviously I don't have to answer for my statements anymore. My votes, meaning at the polls in November, they feel free, they feel unleashed. But I do think this is going to be a problem for the President in the short term. We talked about those aftershocks he could potentially face as he tries to find a replacement in 2028 for the White House. I think in the short term, he has a lot. He still wants Republicans to pass very slim majority in the House, a little bit more wiggle room in the Senate. But with his, with his jabs at Cassidy now picking Paxton over Cornyn, I think that's going to make his agenda a lot more difficult to get through the finish line.
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Kristen Welker
Let's hear from Bill Cassidy. This is what he had to say when reporters started. I know that's a narrative, but I've always said that I'm going to do whatever's best for my city, excuse me,
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Bill Cassidy
for my state and my country.
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Ben Kamasar
And if you think about what I'm
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Bill Cassidy
answering, people always look past what your
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Kristen Welker
answer is into some narrative that they think underlies. Think about what I just said, Julie, what do you make of this? And do you think this is going to be a real problem for President Trump?
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Julie Serkin
I absolutely think so. I mean, they still have reconciliation to get through that ballroom, funding for, you know, to use for security. That's already been knocked out of the bill, not necessarily because of process. A big reason is because the president does not have the votes.
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Kristen Welker
All right, thank you so much for being here. Julie, fantastic reporting overnight. I know you haven't slept much, so we appreciate your being here. Karen, let me turn to you at the White House. You've been talking to your sources there. What's the mood today?
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Garrett Hake
Well, look, they're perfectly happy with what they saw yesterday. The president continuing to flex his control over the Republican Party. They were touting this 37 and oh number for the president's endor seas last night. They're particularly pleased to be rid of, at least eventually, of Thomas Massie. But I do think there's a little bit of an acknowledgement that a lot of this is just going to come from the president. I mean, I've not been able to find anybody who can identify for me a particular strategy behind, for example, the Paxton endorsement, other than to say that the president's going to make these choices himself. And a lot of times it comes down to his gut. And that's the situation where ultimately everyone else who works in this building has to ride with that.
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Kristen Welker
Well, Garrett, let me ask you, because if you look at the polls, he is deeply underwater with the general electorate on key issues, especially the top issue for voters, Garrett, that you and I talk a lot about, the cost of living, the economy, inflation. Are there any voices in the President's ear, warning him that this revenge tour that he on could potentially backfire.
- [09:51]
Garrett Hake
Look, I don't think they see these things as directly connected, the White House view when it comes to general election voters and numbers like the ones you just showed, or that they've got time to turn them around. J.D. vance, yesterday in the briefing room was just as insistent as the President and others have been that when it comes to the economy, when it comes to gas prices, this is all hangs on the war with Iran and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. And if they can solve that riddle, they'll start to turn things back around. They also think they have a pretty good story to tell about some of the other things that the President has accomplished earlier in his term in terms of tax reform and, you know, the elements that were in what they call the one big beautiful bill. Of course, that's not entirely within their control. You know, Iran gets a vote on when the Iran war ends, too. And they have a demonstrated history going back to 1979 of being willing to essentially use their own ability to dictate elections in the United States. They may very well do so here. The White House doesn't have a good answer for that. But as to the kind of revenge tour over the last couple of months, they are confident that that won't negatively impact the present where it matters come November.
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Kristen Welker
Garrett, I have to follow up with you on Texas. You and I spent a lot of time talking about this race last night when we were following all of these developments. The big concern inside the Republican Party is really about diverting resources, right? What are your sources inside the Republican Party telling you about what the strategy is going to be now as it relates to Texas and those battleground?
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Garrett Hake
Ultimately, Republican strategists, campaign operatives that I talk to inside and outside of the White House all believe that Texas is and will remain a red state and that it will behave that way in November, but that it might be more expensive to get it to this point. Now, nobody could make a logical argument for why it needed to be Ken Paxton who got the President's endorsement. It wasn't a logical choice. It was a gut call by the president, and it does make this race more expensive. But the thing about Texas here is you could make an argument that it could be a money pit for either side. Democrats are going to plow money into Texas to try to get James Talarico over the finish line. And if Texas behaves like it has every election since the early 1980s, that could be a losing gambit for them, too. It'll be expensive, it'll be closely watched, and the history is what it is.
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Kristen Welker
All right, Garrett Hake at the White House for us. Garrett, thank you so much for your great reporting, your great analysis overnight. Really appreciate it.
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Garrett Hake
Thank you.
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Kristen Welker
Steve Kornacki, who is also up late with us. Let me turn to you back at the big board in New York. Really appreciate your being here. We have to talk about the big race. Congressman Massie falling short in Kentucky. All eyes had been on that race. Why wasn't it enough? How was Ed Gallerin able to beat him last night?
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Steve Kornacki
Yeah, Kristen, what I think maybe is most significant when you look at this map is it kind of tells the story of President Trump and the Republican Party over the ten year history of his national political career. When Donald Trump first ran For President in 2016, he ran in the Kentucky primary against Senator Ted Cruz. Trump won Kentucky, but this district, in that primary, he actually lost. This was one of his weaker areas in Kentucky, and in particular it was the suburbs of Cincinnati, these three counties right here that make up about half the population of this district. A lot of folks have looked at this district as it's Republican, but a more libertarian style of Republican, one that was more in sync with Massie and some of those objections that he would raise. He'd be the lone vote on all sorts of matters in the House. So there was a sense that this district, if there was a place where somebody could make a stand against Trump in a Republican primary, it would be Massey on sort of libertarian grounds in a place like this. And yet even Massie couldn't survive in this district and especially not in those Cincinnati suburbs. We saw them come in last night. Take a look at Boone county here. 10 point win for Gal Rhein. Next door in Kenton county, little narrower, but still a Gal Rhein win. In Campbell, again, a little narrower, but still a Gal Ryan win. So this was supposed to be the kind of place that maybe the temperature in the Republican Party was a little bit different, a little bit more sympathetic to somebody who might stray in the way that Thomas Massie did. But ultimately, no. 10 years in. Now to Trump's national political, political career. Even the 4th district of Kentucky, when he wants you out, you're out.
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Kristen Welker
Yeah, it certainly made that point, Steve. And we're also tracking a number of races that have now gone into runoffs, which was expected, particularly some of those races in Georgia.
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Steve Kornacki
Yeah, take a look here. That Senate race, that Republican Senate race in Georgia, winner would get John ossoff in November, June 16th will be the runoff here. Mike Collins, Derek Dooley, Dooley getting second place here, endorsed by Governor Brian Kemp. Interesting question here. In the runoff, will be President Trump not involved, currently has not endorsed anybody. Would he get involved here? Would he come in for Collins? Remember, Trump and Kemp do have a history. Would Trump see this as an opportunity to settle a score with Kemp? Perhaps. Also in Georgia, that Republican governor's race is gonna go to a run off. Bert Jones, the lieutenant governor does have Trump's endorsement. Rick Jackson's self funder spent heavily. He gets in second place. The two of them will square off. And in Alabama on the Senate side, there will be a runoff as well. Barry Moore, congressman from South Alabama, he finishes first. He has Trump's endorsement. It was a close race for second, but former Navy SEAL Jared Hudson gets into second. So there's going to be a runoff. Also June 16th in Alabama, again, Trump behind Moore. Hudson has aligned himself publicly with Trump. What role will Trump play here? Will he be coming in gung ho for more or is he gonna send more of a message that he's okay with either choice?
- [15:21]
Kristen Welker
Yeah, that's one of the big questions. And does he decide in that Georgia Senate race? We will be tracking it all. Steve Kornacki, so great to see you back at the big board for us. Thanks so much, my friend.
- [15:31]
Ben Kamasar
Thanks, Christy.
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Kristen Welker
Joining me now on set, NBC national political reporter Ben Kamasar and Bridget Bowman. Thanks to both of you for being here. The wind beneath our wings here in the NBC Political Unit. It's, it's great to have both of you. Ben, let me start with you. Your biggest takeaways, obviously we talked about a lot of these races, but you have to put the Kentucky race front and center.
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Bridget Bowman
Yeah, I think that's right.
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Ben Kamasar
I mean for me, the president proved that he could beat an entrenched in public Republican based off of issues that actually Massie was probably more in line with the Republican base or what they say that they would want. Right. I mean, I'm not gonna, this is not my unique take, but I thought it was fascinating that you think about the places where Massie broke with Trump on the Epstein files, on government spending, on foreign spending. Those are things that MAGA voters would say on paper. Yeah, we support what he's selling, but in this race, Trump was able to use a force of personality to kind of Trump all of that ideological divides.
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Kristen Welker
It's actually a really fascinating point, Bridget, the fact that when you just look at Massie on paper, he's very MAGA Let me ask you about this astonishing news in Texas. Here we were covering all of these other races. President Trump drops this bombshell. He's going to endorse Ken Patrick. And we've been trying to figure out for months who was he going to endorse, was he going to endorse in this race? And the concern for Republicans is that it's going to divert resources from some of these other critical battleground states, like North Carolina, for example, Ohio. Talk a little bit about the mood and what you're hearing about this decision to endorse.
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Bridget Bowman
Yeah, that concern is very real. And Garrett talked about this, too. It's because Texas is so expensive. There's like 20 media markets. It takes a lot of money to reach all of the voters in Texas. And Paxton has not been as strong of a fundraiser or as Talarico. He's going to need some of that outside help. And Republicans, as you alluded to, were already planning to spend on defense in some of these more Republican leaning state as they try to shore up the majority. States like Ohio, states like Alaska, Iowa, these redder states that they have to play defense in. But Republicans also want to grow the majority and they want to go on offense too, in states like New Hampshire, for example. But if they have to keep spending on defense, does that limit the amount of money they have to spend on offense? We'll have to see. But it seems like Texas could certainly pull a lot of resources.
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Kristen Welker
And what's your take on what the President decided to do in Texas and the broader implications here?
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Ben Kamasar
Yeah, I mean, I think to Bridget's point, it's the money piece.
- [17:51]
Bridget Bowman
Right.
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Ben Kamasar
You know, in retrospect, one of those things, we were spending so much time trying to figure out what the President was going to do. Maybe it was staring us in the face the whole time. You know, John Cornyn, obviously a long career in Texas, but as the kind of the establishment bulwark here. Right. Paxton had been an ally of the President. Paxton played kind of a little bit of the politics, the political game. So all of a sudden, when the SAVE act comes up, all of a sudden Ken Paxton makes this declarative statement, I'll drop out if the leader decides that he will fast track the SAVE Act. I mean, you know, he was playing a smart MAGA kind of inside game here that ultimately played into a lot of the arguments that he was making specifically with someone like Cornyn, whose very establishment and also has had his verbal breaks with the President on some important issues before.
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Kristen Welker
Yeah. And Cornyn was trying to convince the president that those breaks were not significant enough, that he should endorse him despite that. But it wasn't enough ultimately. Bridget, let me ask you, Steve mentioned the fact there are now some runoff races. And I think one of the big questions, will President Trump in fact endorse in those races? You look at the Senate race, I mean, that's a significant one. Collins facing off against Derek Dooley, backed by the governor of that state. But that's going to be a big race because the winner of this race faces off against Jon Ossoff. And this is a race that Republicans really want to win.
- [19:08]
Bridget Bowman
That's right. And I talked to several Georgia Republican strategists about this primary, asking do you think Trump's going to endorse in a runoff? And of course, everyone says we cannot predict what the president is going to do. But a lot of folks think that it could go to Collins. And Collins is really pitching himself as an America first candidate. He talks a lot about how he authored the Lake and Riley act, the first bill President Trump signed into law in this second term. And as you mentioned, you know, Dooley has that Kemp endorsement. There's some could be some bad blood there between Governor Kemp and President Trump. But Georgia Republicans I talked to point out that Governor Kemp is also still extremely popular, even with Trump supporters, even though they've had that disagreement in the past. And that's because, you know, in their view, Governor Kemp hasn't really personally attacked the president very much. He's kind of tried to move on from that and that he's been a good conservative governor. So we'll have to see if this becomes a proxy fight in some way between Kemp and Trump if the president decides to weigh in here.
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Kristen Welker
Yeah, Kemp has certainly walked a fine line. And just so fascinating how President Trump's and the 2020 election has loomed over all of the races in Georgia. Ben and Bridget, thank you so very much. Really appreciate your being here with your great analysis. And coming up, much more on last night's marquee primary races and the president' role in the midterms. My one on one interview with the progressive Democrat who won one of the most hotly contested elections of the night in battleground Pennsylvania. That's straight ahead. But first, Raul Castro indicted. The justice department charges the 94 year old former Cuban president with conspiracy and murder, ratcheting up the administration's pressure campaign amid President Trump's repeated calls for regime change. You're watching. Read the press.
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Andrea Mitchell
Now.
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Chris Rabb
There's only one Ozempic.
- [20:52]
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Kristen Welker
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Steve Kornacki
You redid your jingle.
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Barney Frank
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- [21:16]
Kristen Welker
There's only one Ozempic.
- [21:18]
Ozempic (advertisement voice)
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- [21:20]
Laura Jarrett
Who gets to be a citizen of the United States at birth? When it comes to sports in school, who gets to compete with the girls? And how much power does the president actually have to hire and fire at independent agencies? These are some of the key questions before the U.S. supreme Court this term. And as any good lawyer knows, whether you win or lose in the highest court depends on the facts, the evidence and how you frame your arguments. But that's not the only thing that matters. I'm Laura Jarrett, senior legal correspondent at NBC News. And this month in a new series for our here's the Scoop podcast, I'm talking to legal experts and lawyers whose past legal victories are now the building blocks for the biggest cases still left to be decided. I want to know how how they convinced the court they were right when the stakes were high, what special sauce locked it in, and what could be different this time around? Join us for here's the Scoop Supreme Court Edition new episodes every Saturday. You can find here's the Scoop from NBC News on YouTube and wherever you get your podcasts.
- [22:24]
Steve Kornacki
Hey guys, Willie Geist here reminding you to check out the Sunday Sit down podcast. On this week's episode, I get together with Grammy winning star Michael Buble to talk about their remarkable career ranging from pop hits to Christmas classics. You can get our conversation now for free wherever you download your podcasts.
- [22:47]
Kristen Welker
Welcome back. Turning now to breaking news on Cuba and a major escalation by the Trump administration. The Justice Department is charging the former President of Cuba, 94 year old Raul Castro, and five others with the murder of four American pilots tied to the 1996 shoot down of two humanitarian planes from an organization known as Brothers to the Rescue. The incident also charges Castro, who still wields immense political power on the island, with conspiracy to kill US Nationals and two counts of destruction of aircraft. Acting US Attorney General Todd Blanch announcing the charges to much fanfare at an event in Miami.
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Todd Blanche
Trump is committed to restoring a very simple but important principle. If you kill Americans, we will pursue you. You, no matter who you are, no matter what title you hold. And in this case, no matter how much time has passed. This isn't a show indictment. This is indictment because we expect that there was a warrant issued for his arrest. So we expect that he will show up here by his own will or by another way and get in prison.
- [23:56]
Kristen Welker
The Cuban government has consistently defended the 1996 shoot downs, claiming the aircraft repeatedly violated Cuban airspace and were deemed national security threat. Cuba's president called the indictment a, quote, political maneuver devoid of any legal foundation and a justification for military aggression against Cuba. The indictment comes as the Trump administration has been ramping up pressure against Cuba's communist regime, including a blockade on oil reaching the island, which has exacerbated the country's current energy crisis. Reacting to the indictment this afternoon, President Trump downplayed the possibility of a military escalation with Havana, despite previously threatening a takeover of the. Here's what he said.
- [24:38]
Donald Trump
There won't be escalation. I don't think there needs to be. Look, the place is falling apart. It's a mess. And they sort of lost control. They've really lost control of Cuba.
- [24:51]
Kristen Welker
Joining me now on set, NBC News Chief justice and national affairs correspondent Kelly o'. Donnell and our chief Washington correspondent and chief foreign affairs correspondent Andrea Mitchell. Thanks to both of you for being here. The two chiefs. Chiefs, appreciate it. Kelly, let me start with you. Break down these charges, how they were unsealed in Miami, this extraordinary scene we saw today.
- [25:12]
Kelly O'Donnell
So many things about this are extraordinary, including the nature of these charges and the primary defendant that people are interested in. 94 years old, wielding power then and now. The counts deal with the fact that murder has no statute of limitations. So even 30 years later, that's still very relevant. And what we have learned from the indictment is a bit of a narrative reminder who might not have known of the history of these flights at a time when many were fleeing Cuba, There were perilous journeys across the water. And so these planes, civilian planes from the United States, were observing and helping and trying to make certain people made safe passage. And that's when this happened. The indictment talks about the fact that there was work done behind the scenes to scout these planes, to target them. And the indictment says that the decision making power within Cuba went right to Raul Castro and his brother at the time, Fidel Castro, whom Andrea has met and interviewed over the years, the late Fidel Castro. So it gives us history. It gives us Some details it doesn't tell us, some surprising new piece of information. And the big question, I think is where and when, if ever, will Raul Castro be brought to the United States?
- [26:27]
Kristen Welker
Andrea, it's absolutely the big question looming over this and what this means politically, the shift that we are witnessing in US Relations with Cuba. Talk about that piece of this.
- [26:39]
Andrea Mitchell
It's a very important shift. And it started with Trump won, the first administration who reversed many of the openings to Cuba. There was actually a recognition of diplomatic recognition, the raising of the American flag. The embassy was reopened. And I went with President Obama when he went on a state visit to Havana, that Raul Castro, then the president had a news conference with Obama. I asked a question that was remarkable because he was always unavailable. He's a dictator and they don't have real elections and we have opposed the communist regime. But Obama felt it was important to recognize them. And they went to a baseball game together. And that is being used as a real irritant, understandably, to the relatives of the four pilots who were killed. Now, there is more background that was released by the National Security Archives, which is a think tank. This was done through a Freedom of Information suit. And they found that in 1996 when this happened, there were repeated complaints by Cuba about incursions by these planes into what they claimed was their airspace. And there were memos declassified that I've read through today which said that the FAA was warning that they are violating the airspace, that this is going to lead to a confrontation, a military confrontation, potentially, that something needed to be done. The FIA met with Jose Basulto, the leader of the group the Brothers to the Rescue. They were anti Castro activists, clearly, and doing humanitarian work. But also this was considered very provocative. They were accused by the FAA in these emails of filing of flying with false flight plans because they were going and actually dropping leaflets over Havana and telling people to rise up against the regime. And as a result, after a year of this, there was a confrontation and it was predicted by the faa. It went up to Federico Pena, the transportation secretary. It went to Sandy Berger, the national security adviser. I asked him about all this at the time, and the explanation was, very frankly that it was a reelection year and they were not going to take on this activist group from a key state of Florida. You understand that?
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Kelly O'Donnell
Well, it was perfectly politically imbued today because it's unusual to have the acting attorney general deliver an indictment, the unsealing of it in a context that had a political rally sort of emotion. Family members of those who were killed were present the political community there.
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Kristen Welker
You heard the cheering.
- [29:16]
Kelly O'Donnell
Yes, that's highly unusual. And it tells you something about the history and the charge must.
- [29:21]
Bridget Bowman
No.
- [29:21]
Andrea Mitchell
And as you can see from the background, this is the Freedom Tower. This is like the Statue of Liberty to Cuban Americans, to the emigre community, it is hugely important. Marco Rubio has said he's not going to let a threat to the national security of the United States exist 90 miles from our shores. And he's not explicit about what they are going to do. But the implication from Todd Blanche, whom you cover clearly today, is that this could be an extraction similar to the Mediterranean.
- [29:49]
Kristen Welker
You reference Marco Rubio. Let me play a little bit of this sound. Let's talk about it on the other side. Here's the Secretary of State, Kelly. Basically, the Secretary of State is making the argument to the Cuban people directly. He's speaking in Spanish. Obviously you see the subtitles. They're making the case you're not suffering because of the US Government. We are trying to end your suffering by getting rid of this regime. You're suffering because of the Cuban. Cuban government. There have been negotiations with Marco Rubio. Where do those stand?
- [30:48]
Kelly O'Donnell
And a lifetime of Marco Rubio working on these issues because his own parents and his political career in Florida before he became Secretary of State, certainly trying to send a message to the Cuban people that there is another way beyond the political conflict. I was more struck today by President Trump, who has been very aggressive about Cuba, saying no need for escalation.
- [31:09]
Bridget Bowman
So it's hard to read that.
- [31:11]
Kristen Welker
Andrea, what do you make of that and where these negotiations stand?
- [31:14]
Andrea Mitchell
If anywhere there have been back channel negotiations and one of the people involved, improbably or interestingly, I should say, is the favorite grandson of Raul Castro, the man indicted today. Todd Blanche said there's an arrest warrant and that they're going to affect it one way or the other. But this grandson, who has been a bodyguard to his grandfather, very close to him, is the real powerhouse in the reg. And I've talked to and met with opposition leaders recently who say they should not do this militarily and there cannot be a Castro in the takeover. The regime really has to change. No one can explain how that can happen, though.
- [31:56]
Kristen Welker
Well, we continue to watch it so closely. I interviewed President Diaz Canal who said that they are bracing for potential aggression by the United States, even though President Trump backed hugely from that today. Yeah. Which was also extraordinary to see the blackouts and what they are enduring. Kelly. Andrea, thank you so much. We really appreciate it. Appreciate this incredible perspective you both bring. Thank you. Coming up next, Meet the Nominee. I'll talk to the progressive Democrat who scored an upset victory in a key Pennsylvania primary, which is establishment backed opponent described as a wake up call for the party. State Representative Chris Rabb is standing by. Don't go anywhere you're watching. Meet the.
- [32:40]
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Kristen Welker
Let's just take a step back.
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- [33:41]
Chris Rabb
We just won. I assure you I did not win tonight. We won. We won. I have been critiqued along this campaign for being too radical, being too bold. They ain't seen nothing yet.
- [34:12]
Kristen Welker
Welcome back. That was Pennsylvania State Representative Chris Rapp last night after he won his primary to be the Democratic nominee in the state's third Congressional District. It is a major win for progressives in what is considered the nation's bluest House district. Joining me now is Pennsylvania State Representative Chris Robb. Thank you so much for joining me. Great to see you.
- [34:34]
Chris Rabb
Likewise.
- [34:36]
Kristen Welker
And we should say we of course know each other. I'm from Philly, so we have a lot of contacts in common. Really appreciate your being on the program. I want to ask you about this victory last night. It's being viewed as a major win for progressives and I wonder, what message do you hope it sends to the Democratic establishment and quite frankly, the rest of the country?
- [34:59]
Chris Rabb
Well, I think even beyond the progressive label, what it suggests and what it actually affirms is grassroots organizing and people powered campaigns that rebuke corporate PAC money is something that resonates with not just the base of the Democratic Party, but those folks who do not feel seen or heard by the party. So new folks, young folks, certainly progressives, but other folks who are just tired of entrenched politics and establishment politics. They want to see themselves in their leaders and in the platforms of those people who are running. And if they don't, they don't feel particularly compelled to come out to vote.
- [35:43]
Kristen Welker
Well, let me ask you, because Governor Josh Shapiro, as you know, weighed in on several Pennsylvania primaries. Notably, he did not weigh in on yours. There was a report that the Governor was trying to block your path to victory. Do you think that your brand of politics can be replicated in the swing districts in Pennsylvania where the Governor did weigh in, where Democrats are hoping to win in order to take back the House?
- [36:11]
Chris Rabb
Yes. Well, first, there's no credible evidence that the Governor tried to tank my campaign. I think that's pure speculation. And if he wanted to have his thumb on the scale, he could have endorsed any of my three opponents and he didn't do it. I think he respected politics of the race in Philadelphia and he is prepared to work with the new Democratic nominee. He called me. I graciously accepted his congratulations. But the real work is how do we make sure that the priorities of the Democratic Party resonate and more importantly are attuned to what the people closest to the pain want? And what we have is an intermediation of a donor class that is not reflective of the constituency and the electorate. So the things that are most important to the people who need to come out the most to have Democratic wins are the ones who feel least seen in the priorities of the current Democratic Party. Which is why I believe I was able to get a plurality of the votes. I was able to get a plurality of black voters, young voters, progressive voters. And so it was truly the broad diversity of one of the most diverse districts in the nation, one of the youngest. And I think it shows that when people see themselves in a campaign and understand that it's bigger than the candidate themselves, that anything is possible. And that's going to create a lot of enthusiasm.
- [37:47]
Kristen Welker
And again, just to press on this point, I mean, Democrats are trying to win back the House. Obviously all politics is local, so every candidate has to to refine their own messaging based on who their constituents are. But do you think that your progressive message can be effective, can be a winning message when you step outside of a district that is reliably blue, that is a swing area, for example, and win over independence and win over people who you need to win in order to win back the House.
- [38:20]
Chris Rabb
I don't think that regular working people and working families in suburbs and rural areas are in love with the, with the Epstein class. I don't think they're in love with greedy corporations. I don't. They're in love with money infecting politics. All of the things that make their lives so much harder, those are the things I'm fighting against. So I believe that this message will resonate far beyond ethnically diverse, very blue districts. And I am prepared to go anywhere and everywhere to lift up those messages of folks who want to be on the right side of history. And as a current state lawmaker in the largest full time state legislature in the country, I have had the benefit of going to places around our commonwealth. And those messages do, in fact, resonate with folks. It may not resonate with the donor class, but my interest is connecting with the people who decide who takes us to Washington, D.C. let me ask you,
- [39:18]
Kristen Welker
because you got the endorsement of Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio Cortez, as you know, there is a lot of buzz about her political future. Do you see her and her brand of progressive politics as the future of the Democratic Party?
- [39:34]
Chris Rabb
Absolutely. But I also feel that the things that she's uplifted in her leadership in Congress and many others, including my sister in service, Summer Lee, the first black woman to be elected to Congress from Pennsylvania, these things resonate far beyond what we would call a progressive voting bloc. These, whether it's universal healthcare or increasing the minimum wage or climate action or getting money out of politics, these are not inherently progressive ideas. Some of these things have been embraced by moderate Democrats, have been embraced by some Republicans as well over time. And I believe that the progressive label has some value, but it's not nearly as important as what are the things going to move our nation forward that address all communities and not just the left or the right. I think that's a challenging framework that is not necessarily accurate.
- [40:28]
Kristen Welker
Let me ask you, if Democrats win back the House in November, do you have confidence in Leader Jeffries to lead the Democratic Caucus to push through some of your priorities?
- [40:41]
Chris Rabb
Well, my priorities will be the priorities of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, which endorsed me. Those are things that are, I believe, the type of policies that will help everyone. And I believe from what I've seen, he will be receptive to that in a newly regained Democratic majority.
- [40:59]
Kristen Welker
So if you, in fact, do win the general election, what will your priority be on day one? What will be the very first issue you will aim to tackle?
- [41:10]
Chris Rabb
Well, we got to stop digging. We have to de trumpify demag ify government as we know it. We have to stop the bleeding before we can do anything else. We do need to embrace a bold legislative agenda for this nation. But we have to stop the bleeding. We have to restore the cuts. We have to make sure that our own government isn't weaponized against the most vulnerable. And that definitely starts on day one.
- [41:35]
Kristen Welker
Well, State Representative Chris Raab, we will be tracking your campaign through November. We really appreciate your joining us. Congratulations. Please stay safe.
- [41:47]
Chris Rabb
Thank you.
- [41:49]
Kristen Welker
And we want to turn now to the new fallout from the Justice Department's plan to create an anti weaponization fund. Two police officers who defended the Capitol on January 6th are now suing to block the nearly $1.8 billion fund, calling it the most, most brazen act of presidential corruption this century and arguing the money could be distributed, quote, to finance insurrectionists and paramilitary groups that commit violence in the president's name. The Justice Department announced the fund on Monday as part of a settlement from the president's lawsuit against his own administration. The fund would compensate victims of so called government weaponization under the Biden administration as determined by a commission appointed by the president's acting attorney general Todd Blanche, President Trump telling reporters today he was not part of the settlement while defending the creation of the fund.
- [42:41]
Donald Trump
I wasn't involved in the settlement. I could have been involved, but I didn't choose to be. So they made a settlement. Also the anti weaponization of people, I mean, people were destroyed. They went to jail, their families were ruined. They committed suicide.
- [42:59]
Kristen Welker
The Justice Department, meanwhile, is defending an addendum to that settlement that was disclosed yesterday, which says the government has agreed to drop, drop any pending tax claims against the president, his family or his businesses and that the US Is forever barred from revisiting those issues. A DOJ spokesman says the agreement is customary and only applies to existing audits. NBC News senior justice reporter Ryan Reilly joins me now to break down all of this. Ryan, thanks so much for being here. I have to start with the addendum. DOJ officials are saying it's customary. Is this customary or is it unprecedented?
- [43:34]
Bridget Bowman
It's pretty unprecedented. I mean, you have a situation where because of the way the law is written, only the president's not allowed to actually say, you know, direct how these audits are supposed to go. But there is an exception for the attorney general. And so the attorney general is able to do this. But I mean, typically when you have an agreement, you sign that agreement. That's how the agreement stands. You don't get to add on things afterwards. I think that took a lot of people by surprise when they're saying also this is being added on. Not only that it's not signed by, by both parties. It's only signed by one. And it's signed by the acting attorney general who didn't sign the, the original sort of settlement agreement here, which was not again, is not court enforceable, which makes it different from the cases they've compared this to.
- [44:12]
Kristen Welker
And so how does this work? Practically speaking, the DOJ says this only applies to existing audits, not future ones.
- [44:19]
Bridget Bowman
Yeah. So I mean, it's, you know, it basically is not giving him a get out of jail in the future free pardon here, because that's not, they can't, they're not going to look backwards essentially, but they're not, you know, they're not saying that bars them in the future at some point. You know, it's not as though he can just not pay taxes or how however that plays out.
- [44:38]
Kristen Welker
So let's talk about the Anti Weaponization fund. It's obviously gotten a lot of attention. As I just reported, there's a lawsuit filed today by police officers who were assaulted on January 6. What is the argument these police officers are making and what's the status of this suit?
- [44:55]
Bridget Bowman
You know, so they've received a lot of threats from January 6th defendants and a lot of harassment. And so what they're saying is essentially that that is their standing here, that is the damage that is going to be inflicted upon them because this is going to be sort of a reward system for people who committed violence at the Capitol on January 6th and are now getting a payout. And that could also fund future violence and future acts, as they sort of spelled out there calling it a paramilitary operation. And that giving money to these individuals who are already harassing people and doing all sorts of other actions would only continue to fund that. So I think standing is going to be the tricky thing there for them to decide whether or not they have a reason to be able to go before the court and see say I have this is causing a problem for me. This will cause damages for me.
- [45:38]
Kristen Welker
And just very quickly, Michael Caputo filing the first claim. Who is he? Why is he filing the first claim?
- [45:43]
Bridget Bowman
Yeah, he was involved in sort of the quote, unquote, Russia gates operation. That's what they he's saying his damage is from. So he's the first sort of out of the gate here. But there's a lot of people down the line who really want to get some money out of this.
- [45:56]
Kristen Welker
Ryan Riley, I know you'll continue to track it closely. Really appreciate it. Thanks for being here. We want to turn now to some sad news from the world of politics. Longtime congressman and gay rights rights pioneer Barney Frank has died. Barney Frank represented Massachusetts in Congress for 32 years, where he was known as a staunch liberal and advocate for abortion rights, environmental protections, affordable housing, and LGBTQ equality. He was the chair of the Financial Services committee during the 2008 financial crisis and the co author of the landmark legislation known as the Dodd Frank act, which sought to impose stricter regulations on Wall Street. Frank was also among the first openly gay members of Congress. And in 2012, he became the first member of Congress to enter into a same sex marriage three years before the Supreme Court made the unions the law of the land in all 50 states. He discussed Americans evolving views on LGBTQ rights on Meet the Press in March of 2015, three months before that historic decision. Gay rights were once reviled publicly and Congress was revered.
- [47:02]
Ozempic (advertisement voice)
Now those attitudes have flipped. How did that happen?
- [47:05]
Barney Frank
Well, it's interesting. Our reality as gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender people beat the prejudice. I mean, the essential mechanism is there that we stopped hiding. And it turned out we weren't what the stereotype was. But clearly, I mean, there was a point when the notion that I could get married to Jim while I was still in Congress would have been the most bizarre possibility. And by the time I got married, someone said, well, was it controversial that you got married while you were still in Congress? And the answer was, yes, it was. A lot of my colleagues were mad that they didn't get involved.
- [47:34]
Kristen Welker
BARNEY Frank was 86 years old. Welcome back. There is a lot to get to. Joining me now is the panel, Susan Page, Washington bureau chief at USA Today. Antwan Seawright, Democratic strategist and CEO of Blueprint Strategy, and T.W. arihi, Republican strategist and vice president of Push Digital Group. Thanks to all of you for being here. What a night. I know a lot of you were up late, up early. So thank you for being here. Bleary eyed. Let's start with just the biggest takeaways that you had, Susan, from the night.
- [48:09]
Susan Page
Overall, you know, President Trump's in some trouble politically. His approval rating's down below 40%, but his iron grip on the GOP continues to be unchallenged, as Tom Massie, I think will tell you on Sunday on Meet the Press.
- [48:23]
Kristen Welker
Yes, that's right. Hopefully he will. He will flesh it all out for us. Let me ask you TW because picking up on Susan's point, if you look at the President's poll numbers, he's actually facing some of his lowest approval ratings, including on his handling of the Economy, inflation, the fact that gas prices are so high. How do you see this political moment for the President? And I have to ask you about the Massie race.
- [48:50]
Bill Cassidy
Yeah. Well, let's start with Thomas Massie. As alluded to before, the President has a pretty big grip on the base of this party. And like most political parties, the body follows the, the head of the snake. You could take those people who are ultra maga and people of a certain age, probably voted for Romney, probably enthusiastically voted for Bush, but now it's Donald Trump's party. That's not inaccurate. But make no mistake about Thomas Massie. The reason you didn't see a bunch of cavalry coming over the corner or over the Hill is because Thomas Massie has voted against Donald Trump. And on the big beautiful bill, he's pushed back on a number of things. And there are many past Republican Speakers of the House who will tell you he was their biggest thorn in their side and they're happy he's probably gone.
- [49:33]
Kristen Welker
Yeah, I mean, it was so fascinating because Massey was making the point. Look, I voted with the president over 90% of the time, but on those big moments, big moments, he wasn't with the President. And the President sent a message.
- [49:42]
Antoine Seawright
Antoine, you know, bullies operate comfortably where they smell and feel fear and where they're revered. I think that's how you summarize how Donald Trump has been successful in these Republican primary contests. But when independents and Democrats enter the political group chat, that is give their opportunity to make their voices heard in the fall, I think the, and the math will look different because he's underwater on every single issue he campaigned on to win the presidency on and this do nothing Republican majority Congress have to answer to the American people for their failure. In particular on the economy in which Trump voters themselves are feeling the residue of a bad economy.
- [50:24]
Kristen Welker
TW I have to let you respond.
- [50:26]
Bill Cassidy
Yeah. Well, I would point to the Quinnipiac poll out today that shows that the Democrats as a party are 52 points underwater and have a 20% approval rating. That's not good. They have a massive brand problem. I will concede the point that the economy is going to be the overriding factor in this race. But I would also push back, though, on a do nothing Congress, I think preserving the largest tax cut in history. No tax on tip, no tax Social Security, no tax on overtime. We need to do a better job selling those things. And then we need to figure out the Iran situation and bring it to a close so that we can start moving forward.
- [51:02]
Antoine Seawright
TW Respectfully, largest Cut in Medicaid in American history. Largest cut to snap benefits in American history. ACA premium, premiums out of the window. Forget about trying to make ends meet. Most Americans are trying to put two ends together, hoping they meet their feeling at the pump at the gas station. So I'm happy to have that conversation with you in the fall at the ballot box because things will not change.
- [51:22]
Kristen Welker
Well, let me ask you about one of the biggest races that is shaping up in the fall, and it's in Texas. Susan, the fact that you had President Trump with this shock endorsement yesterday. There's no other way to describe it. Everyone was focused on the races last night, and he came out and endorsed Ken Paxton, controversial Attorney General of the state. Establishment Republicans openly expressing their disappointment and frustration. They are in a runoff. We'll know next week who wins. What do you make of the timing and the fact that the President decided to endorse?
- [51:55]
Susan Page
You know, I think the president felt empowered by what happened in Indiana and in Kentucky and Louisiana where he expresses an opinion about which candidate should win and that candidate. Candidate wins. But the big risk, I think, for Republicans is that in this case, the president's endorsement way will result in the nomination of the weaker general election candidate. You know, Cornyn has won that seat four times. Paxton has been engulfed in various scandals. You could see the first Democrat elected statewide in Texas in decades, possibly because of the President's determination to punish Cornyn.
- [52:31]
Kristen Welker
James Talarico is the nominee for the Democrats. TW I want to play a little bit of what John Thune had to say about this and get your reaction on the other side. Take a look.
- [52:40]
Mike Johnson
None of us control what the president does. He made his decision about that. That doesn't change the way I feel and I am certainly supportive. I will continue to be supportive of Senator Cornyn and his reelection.
- [52:53]
Kristen Welker
So TW he's basically saying he's sticking with Cornyn despite the President's endorsement. What are the implications of the president's endorsement? A lot of Republicans I've been talking to say the biggest problem is they're gonna have to do divert money and resources.
- [53:06]
Garrett Hake
Exactly right.
- [53:07]
Bill Cassidy
And my old boss Lindsey Graham said it right. It's going to cost now three times more. And so it's going to be very interesting to see how Thune and slf, how at the NRSC and Tim Scott, how they decide to, how they're going to spend in the early going. And by the way, there's all these consultant problems. Jeff Rowe versus Trump. I can't believe it. Chris La With Cornyn, there's so much intrigue here, but I think at the end of the day, day, you know, Ken Paxton still, I believe, is the favorite in that race. But yes, it makes it more expensive and we need to be giving resources to Maine, to, to North Carolina, to Georgia, it's Alaska, et cetera, et cetera. So I don't, I somewhat get where President Trump's coming from, but it's going to be hurtful in the months ahead.
- [53:50]
Antoine Seawright
Barring words from Jay z, we have 99 problems in the Democratic Party, but Ken Paxton ain't one. And I would just say that everything is big in Texas, including the opportunity for Democrats to continue to outperform the narrative at the ballot box.
- [54:05]
Kristen Welker
But do Democrats run the risk of being overconfident in this race? This is still Texas. This has been the Democrats great white whale for decades. Is it possible to win this seat even if Ken Paxton, because the President's been shown polling that shows that Ken Paxton has, can win.
- [54:22]
Antoine Seawright
Earlier this year, we won a very Trumpy like state Senate seat, 4 million people. We flipped that seat. We've outperformed the narrative that throughout the Trump presidency, in special elections and elections to come. And so you play everywhere to win everywhere. We're treating Texas as an investment, not an expense. And I think that's gonna pay long term dividends. Candidate quality matters in these elections.
- [54:45]
Kristen Welker
I wanna talk about the Democrats night last night, Susan. There was a lot of focus on Pennsylvania, obviously the Philadelphia suburbs, the path through which Democrats hope to win back the House. And I was just talking to Chris Raab. He is in a relationship, liably blue district, but he was the progressive candidate. He just made the case that there is space and an appetite for his message in some of these swingier districts. How do you see that argument?
- [55:12]
Susan Page
Well, we'll see. Establishment Democrats still think the safer course in a competitive district is a more moderate candidate. But there has been a lot of energy behind the more progressive voices. Tell me, how big a move, how big is the wave in November? Because it's clear there's going to be a Democratic wave. Republicans have blended it somewhat through redistricting. If inflation's a big problem, if we're still in a war in Iran, you could have a big wave that could bring in James Talarico as well as more progressive candidates in places like Pennsylvania.
- [55:43]
Kristen Welker
That would certainly be significant. Antoine, who had the bigger night last night? Governor Shapiro or Alexandria Ocasio Cortez? At some of these progressive victories, I
- [55:51]
Antoine Seawright
think one of the most consequential governors in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania History. Josh Shapiro, by far, I think history strength was on display up and down the ballot last night. And he's proven time and time again he can win in tough situations and tough environments.
- [56:05]
Kristen Welker
TW and we only have a few seconds left here. How do Republicans see these wins by progressives?
- [56:11]
Bill Cassidy
They're flashes of when we went too far right in 2010 with the Christine O' Donnells and the others of the world. We have a man who had a Nazi tattoo in Maine and others. They're going to fall victim to that. Same thing we did in 20, but in 10.
- [56:26]
Andrea Mitchell
All right.
- [56:26]
Kristen Welker
Well, we could keep this conversation going all day. Thanks so much, Susan, Antoine and TW and we're back tomorrow with more MEET the Press. Now there's more ahead on NBC News.
- [56:35]
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