Meet the Press NOW — May 29

Summary

Meet the Press NOW — May 29, 2026: Episode Summary

Overview

This episode of Meet the Press NOW, hosted by Kristen Welker, dives deep into a tense, pivotal moment in American politics and world affairs. With the midterm campaigns heating up and the country engaged in a high-stakes war with Iran, the show explores the latest campaign dynamics, culture-war rhetoric, ongoing legal controversies, and urgent international crises—including peace talks with Iran, a war-related incident in Romania, and a growing Ebola outbreak in Africa. Political stakes, legislative battles, diplomatic negotiations, and public health emergencies all intersect in a packed hour of news and analysis.

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Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. The Escalating 2026 Midterm Election Landscape

Timestamps: [01:39]–[16:44]

• Major Senate Races: Texas emerges as a central battleground. Attorney General Ken Paxton (Republican, embattled by 2023 impeachment) faces off against Democrat James Talarico. Both parties paint the race in existential, culture-war terms.
• Republican Culture War Tactics: White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller attacks Talarico with false claims, misgendering him in crude, personal attacks on Fox News ([02:50]). Panelists dissect whether these tactics will work in Texas or elsewhere.
• Democratic Pushback: Democrats respond with aggressive rhetoric on social media, indicating a willingness to counterattack in kind.
• Other Noteworthy Races:
  • Maine: Incumbent Republican Susan Collins faces Democrat Graham Platner, with Platner highlighting Collins’ Iraq War record.
  • Michigan & Georgia: Messy primaries and vulnerable seats on both sides.
  • Uncertainty in red states like Alaska, Ohio, Iowa, Nebraska.
• The Influence of the Iran War: President Trump insists he “doesn’t care” about midterms when it comes to Iran, even as the war’s domestic impact looms.

“They thought they were going to outweigh me... I don’t care about the midterms.”
— President Trump, via Congressman Adam Smith quoting him ([04:17])

• Campaign Strategy: Culture-war issues, questions of “authenticity” and masculinity, and attempts to paint opponents as outsiders—a tactic especially pronounced in Texas.

2. The White House and Congressional Response

Timestamps: [05:09]–[09:41]

• Analysis from NBC’s Garrett Hake: The current White House has shown a penchant for welcoming and amplifying personal attacks in favor of energizing the base.
• Trump’s Campaign Style: Known for nicknames and aggressive attacks, President Trump’s playbook remains focused on “othering” Democratic opponents.
• Democrats' Resource Allocation: Significant infusion of resources into races like Texas; concerns arise about the party's funding compared to past cycles.

“This kind of thing is sort of welcomed, especially on cable news where it’s aimed at a base that cheers on personal attacks in politics.”
— Garrett Hake ([05:09])

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3. Political Panel Discussion: Implications and Strategies

Timestamps: [09:42]–[18:12]

• Sahil Kapoor (NBC): Races are uniquely messy for both parties, with unusual vulnerabilities and spending needs.
• Ashley Davis (GOP strategist): Democrats and Republicans will need plenty of cash; for Republicans, support for Paxton coalesces quickly despite earlier fractures.
• Taryn Rosenkranz (Dem. strategist): Grassroots fundraising may be lower due to the economy, and redistricting plays a crucial role.
• Panel on Culture Wars: Acknowledgment that cultural messaging could stick in Texas, but also frustration with the overall divisiveness from both parties.
• Resignation over Divisiveness: Public, including artists rejecting the White House anniversary celebration (Freedom 250), tired of everything becoming a "culture war."

“There is a sick of... I’m sick and tired of this divisiveness. I’m sick and tired of everything being a culture war...”
— Cyndi Lauper ([17:40])

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4. Legal and Policy Developments

Timestamps: [18:12]–[23:05]

• Anti-Weaponization Fund Blocked: A Trump administration-created DOJ fund to compensate supposed victims of government "weaponization” is temporarily halted by a federal judge; both Democrats and Republicans skeptical, fearing misuse as a slush fund.
• Kennedy Center Renaming Thwarted: Courts stop the renaming of the Kennedy Center, reinforcing Congress’ exclusive authority.

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5. International Crises: Iran & Ukraine

Timestamps: [25:46]–[32:00]

Iran Peace Talks

• Deal in the Works: Reports from Garrett Hake, Vice President J.D. Vance, and Congressman Adam Smith signal a potential 60-day “talks” agreement concerning Iran’s nuclear program, but no comprehensive deal yet ([25:46]-[29:58]).
• Richard Engel (NBC): Frustration and distrust on both sides. Principals agree on the need to end conflict, but disputes over language, new demands (e.g., mention of Lebanon, release of frozen Iranian assets) hinder finalization.
• No Trust: “None whatsoever” between the U.S. and Iran.

“The two sides have fundamentally agreed that this conflict needs to end. But they are fighting over the language.”
— Richard Engel ([27:11])

Ukraine War and NATO Tensions

• Russian Drone Hits Romania: Not seen as an accident. Russian rhetoric suggests escalation aimed at Europe.
• NATO’s Response: Secretary General condemns incident. Panel agrees on the need for more diplomacy.

“Medvedev... said that Europe and Europeans should brace for more attacks like this because they are helping build drones that are being fired at Moscow.”
— Richard Engel ([31:00])

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6. House Armed Services Committee: Rep. Adam Smith Interview

Timestamps: [33:35]–[42:58]

• On Iran: Smith expresses willingness to accept a deal reopening the Strait of Hormuz, even absent a nuclear agreement, acknowledging the war’s failures and high cost ([34:15]).
• War Powers Legislation: Congressional Republicans so far stick with Trump despite growing public opposition ([37:12]).
• On Russia/Ukraine: Cautions more diplomacy; warns of escalation if Russia targets NATO further.
• On Democratic Party Health: Criticizes past Biden campaign decisions as a “colossal blunder,” says the party has “not fixed their brand,” and urges a focus on economic populism and party unity.

“It was just such a colossal blunder for Joe Biden to ever think that he could run for a second term.”
— Rep. Adam Smith ([39:38])

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7. Epstein Files Investigation

Timestamps: [43:06]–[47:04]

• Pam Bondi Testifies: The former Attorney General admits “redaction errors” in the Epstein files release but places most responsibility on her successor ([44:03]).
• Survivor Advocacy: Survivors still unsatisfied; lack of broad investigation and accountability remains contentious ([44:52]).
• Congressional Oversight: Committee chair James Comer pledges continued pursuit of justice for survivors.

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8. Ebola Outbreak in Central and East Africa

Timestamps: [47:04]–[53:52]

• Dr. Megan Coffey (IRC): Warns the current outbreak could become deadliest ever if the international community doesn’t act. Over 1,000 infections within just two weeks—a much faster pace than previous outbreaks ([48:58]).
• Challenges: Ongoing armed conflict, lack of community trust, insufficient resources, and risk of international spread.
• International Response Needed: Urgent calls for funding, resources, and a ceasefire to allow humanitarian operations.

“You need people, you need stuff, all that PPE test kits, you need systems, the coordination, and you need trust.”
— Dr. Megan Coffey ([51:27])

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “They thought they were going to outweigh me... I don’t care about the midterms.”
  — President Trump (via Rep. Adam Smith) on Iran, [04:17]
• “This kind of thing is sort of welcomed, especially on cable news where it’s aimed at a base that cheers on personal attacks in politics.”
  — Garrett Hake, [05:09]
• “There is a sick of... I’m sick and tired of this divisiveness. I’m sick and tired of everything being a culture war.”
  — Cyndi Lauper, [17:40]
• “None. None whatsoever.”
  — Richard Engel on U.S.-Iran trust, [29:18]
• “It was just such a colossal blunder for Joe Biden to ever think that he could run for a second term.”
  — Rep. Adam Smith, [39:38]
• “You need people, you need stuff, all that PPE test kits, you need systems, and you need trust.”
  — Dr. Megan Coffey, [51:27]

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Important Timestamps by Segment

• [01:39] — Kristen Welker formal introduction; overview of Texas Senate race and campaign dynamics
• [02:50] — Stephen Miller’s crude attacks and their fallout
• [04:17] — Trump’s stance on Iran conflict vis-à-vis midterms
• [05:09] — Panel analysis on GOP campaign tactics
• [09:42] — Sahil Kapoor breakdown of “messy” national races
• [14:06] — Democrats’ pushback on culture-war insults
• [18:12] — Legal discussion: DOJ’s anti-weaponization fund
• [25:46] — Iran deal negotiations; assessments from White House and NBC’s Richard Engel
• [29:58] — Russian drone strike in Romania; potential escalation of Ukraine conflict
• [33:35] — Rep. Adam Smith interview: Iran, Ukraine, Biden’s second term, and state of the Democratic Party
• [44:03] — Pam Bondi testifies on Epstein files, survivor response
• [48:58] — Dr. Megan Coffey details Ebola outbreak challenges and urgent needs

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Conclusion

This episode captures a U.S. mired in complex, high-stakes political and geopolitical challenges—from the ever-escalating midterm campaigns, with their caustic personal attacks and existential stakes, to fraught diplomatic efforts over Iran and intensifying crises in Ukraine and Africa. The show’s blend of frontline reporting, expert panel insights, and direct interviews with key players offers listeners a comprehensive, candid look at the turbulent issues and choices confronting the nation and world right now.

Transcript

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[Kristen Welker]

Welcome to Beat the Press Now. I'm Kristen Welker in Washington. We begin with new escalations in the fight for control of Congress as the parties begin their pivot to the general election. In what is shaping up to be a long, bitter and divisive campaign season, both sides are painting the outcome of these midterms in existential terms, with Democrats seeking to flip both chambers of Congress and Republicans battling major headwinds due to the president's poor political standing and the war with Iran. And if you want an indication of what the next five months could look like, take a look at the battle for Texas Senate, where Attorney General Ken Paxton brings a slate of recent controversies to his race against State Representative James Talarico. Talarico is already trying to capitalize on those controversies, attacking Paxton as corrupt and launching a campaign ad highlighting the attorney general's 2023 impeachment. Paxton, meanwhile, appears to be going all in on hot button culture war issues, launching personal attacks on Talarico's masculinity. It's a strategy that was escalated yesterday by White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller, who slammed Talarico with crude and false attacks on Fox News last night. Take a look.

[Congressman Adam Smith]

I think it is very bold. One could even say brave, courageous. That the Democratic Party would choose Texas of places to nominate their first transgender Senate candidate who's clearly transitioning into a female. You know, when Talarico goes in for a blood test, when he gets a

[Sahil Kapoor]

physical, blood doesn't come out.

[Congressman Adam Smith]

Instead, soy milk comes out. This man has less testosterone than Jasmine Crockett. It is a mind boggling choice. They would choose a person to run for that office who looks like he doesn't belong in the Senate but in a cabaret show.

[Kristen Welker]

And of course, Talarico is not transgender. Miller made a similar comment on social media earlier this week with the Talarico campaign called quote, talarico derangement syndrome. And the DNC responded with a profanity laced personal attack against Miller. Another race heating up is the battle for Maine Senate, which is also taking a turn for the personal as Republican incumbent Senator Susan Collins and controversial likely Democratic nominee Graham Platner spar over Platner's military service. Meanwhile, next month's primary calendar is jam packed as we head into summer, including contests that will decide more of November's marquee races. What happens in all of those races is going to have major repercussions for the president's agenda. But the president told reporters this week he refuses to bow to the pressure of the midterms when it comes to the war against Iran.

[Congressman Adam Smith]

They thought they were going to outweigh me. You know, we'll outweigh him. He's got the midterms. I don't care about the midterms.

[Kristen Welker]

Look what happened last night.

[Congressman Adam Smith]

That was the prelude to the midterms. People understand that. They know that.

[Kristen Welker]

Very simple.

[Congressman Adam Smith]

Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon. I'm doing that for the world. I'm not doing it just for us.

[Kristen Welker]

Joining me now is NBC News chief White House correspondent Garrett Hake. And with me on set is our panel, NBC News senior national political reporter Sahil Kapoor, Taryn Rosenkranz, Democratic strategist and founder and CEO of New Blue Interactive, and Ashley Davis, former White House official in the George W. Bush administration. Thanks to all of you for starting us off. Garrett, let me start with you and these comments from Stephen Miller. He's of course, the president's deputy chief of staff. Any reaction to the back and forth we've seen over those remarks, Garrett?

[Garrett Hake]

Not of the kind I think you're looking for. Kristen Mostly what there's been is other Republicans jumping in to defend Stephen Miller after the Democratic Party attacked him for his original tweet on social media. The idea that there's any personal attack that's too low or too mean spirited for this White House is just not something that's been evidenced over the time that the President has occupied the office or been a campaigner. This kind of thing is sort of welcomed, especially on cable news where it's aimed at a base that cheers on, you know, personal attacks in politics. Really across any topic.

[Kristen Welker]

Yeah, that's for sure. The president has also, of course, criticized Talarico. He's accused him of being weak on crime, supporting open borders. What kind of strategy are you anticipating we might see from the president? Will it echo what we've seen from Stephen Miller, Garrett?

[Garrett Hake]

Oh, I think it will. I mean, the president is no stranger to personal attacks against people he's running against. He loves to deploy a nickname. I've not seen him really stick one on Talarico yet, although he tried when he compared him to Alfred E. Newman, the Mad magazine character. But he already used that nickname on Pete Buttigieg a couple of years ago. So he's probably going to have to go back to the well here to the degree that this is strategic, Chris, and I think there's an element of it. There is you heard the President earlier attacking Talarico, suggesting he was a vegan, although he mispronounced the word and Talarico has denied it. It's simply not true. There is an effort to kind of other Talarico and suggest that he is not a cultural fit for Texas despite his seminarian background, despite the way that he's been able to reach out to Republican voters, they want to try to disconnect him from those moderate kind of Cornyn style Republicans by saying like whatever else you think about him, he's not a and not a real Texan that comes in sort of ham handed ways like Stephen Miller tried to do it. And I suspect we'll see it being done in more strategic ways as we get further into this general election matchup.

[Kristen Welker]

Yeah, it's a really important context. Garrett, I want to ask you, broadly speaking, I mean the President's been very clear, he's laser focused on Iran right now. He's been trying to negotiate an end to the war, at least a short term agreement to halt the fighting. Do you anticipate though, and based on your conversations with your sources there inside the West Wing, Garrett, is the president going to start getting more engaged in the midterms. Are we going to see him out on the trail, more particularly as these general elections get underway?

[Garrett Hake]

I think. I think there's going to be a significant effort to force that engagement from him. And we know that Susie Wiles, as chief of staff, has urged him to be more involved. I'm old enough to remember just a few months ago when he was going to be going out and talking about affordability on a weekly basis. Those trips to battleground states have largely fallen off, although they could pick back up again. And the president has already promised Ken Paxton he'll throw rallies, plural, for him in Texas. So I do think the president will get some of that election fever as it gets closer. He enjoys the rallies. He does like certain elements of getting out on the road. But as you say right now he's been very much bogged down in the Iran crisis, which continues at this hour.

[Kristen Welker]

Well, ok, so you take me to my next question, Garrett. The Iran war looms over these midterms for a range of different reasons and in a range of different ways. We know the president today huddling with his team in the Situation Room, trying to reach a final agreement. Are any sense that he is closer to striking a deal with Iran?

[Garrett Hake]

It's impossible to tell, Kristen. I mean, our reporting from our colleague Richard Engel was that there was a deal mostly agreed to in Doha on Tuesday and here we stand on Friday with the president not having announced anything of substance. His truth Social Post this morning read to me more like a wish list of things he wants in a deal than things that have been agreed to. You know, right now the president has two more events, well, maybe one more event on his calendar today that were meant to be closed press. There's still the possibility that the pool could come in. We could hear from him on that, or I think perhaps more likely we'll hear from him after the markets close, which has been the time that he's most likely to deliver what they might consider to be bad news about the war. If there's no decision yet, I suspect you'll hear it shortly after the bell rings.

[Kristen Welker]

All right. Garrett Haggar, chief White House correspondent. Garrett, thank you so much for starting us off. Really appreciate it. Let me turn to our panel now. Sahil, let's talk big picture here. Garrett really laid out the tone and tenor that we're hearing so far just in Texas. I mean, it is already so bitter. And the general election matchup between Talarico and Paxton is just a few days old. What does that say about what you're anticipating as we get deeper into these midterm races?

[Sahil Kapoor]

Yeah, Kristen, there are a lot of messy races brewing all over the country, starting with Texas among Republicans. It's quite messy. There's a lot of bad blood after President Trump did the work to take down John Cornyn. Trump's ally, Senator Lindsey Graham told me a few days ago that they're going to have to spend three times the money Republicans are to hold that seat now that it's Paxton and not Cornyn who has been sailing through. There's also the state of Georgia, a messy runoff for Republicans where they're not thrilled with any of their candidates. Michigan, that's messy for Democrats. There are three candidates. There's no A plus candidate. They're all flawed in their own ways. And Republicans potentially smell a chance there. In Maine, the general election is already underway. You mentioned the clash between Susan Collins and Graham Platner over her vote to support authorized the Iraq war and the fact that Platner went and served there. He's going after her pretty hard on that. And then you have a number of red states, Alaska, Ohio, Iowa and Nebraska, where in a blue wave scenario, everything has to go well for Democrats. They think they might have a shot there. So depending on the elements of Republicans can kind of fight the environment to a draw. They could maybe do well and hold the red states and pick up Michigan, maybe Georgia, although that's not looking good for them. Or if it does turn into a blue wave, Democrats could really make big gains where it would be unexpected otherwise.

[Kristen Welker]

Well, Ashley, pick up on that point and the initial point, point that Sahil makes, which is about the fact that Republicans are bracing to divert so many of their resources to Texas, which has historically been a reliably red seat. No Democrat has won a Senate seat in Texas in more than three decades.

[Michelle Bernstein]

Well, absolutely. And also New Hampshire. I'm not sure that that's not on the list somewhere. I mean, just because of Sununu's name recognition alone. But yeah, listen, Texas is going to be ugly. I am a believer that both sides are not going to need money. I mean, there's always enough. I think the president has already promised that he will support him through the MAGA Inc. Money. And I think that you already see Paxton coming here next week. All the senators, Republican senators that didn't necessarily support him or wanted, you know, their colleague John Cornyn are all doing events for him next week while he's in town. So I do think you'll get the establishment, the establishments already behind him, it was very fast. But in regards to Telorico criticizing him on all the different things he's done negatively, I just don't know. Does that stick? Because everyone already baked in. Is it baked in already? Yeah.

[Kristen Welker]

How do you see it, right or wrong? We're talking about how much money Democrats are going to. Republicans are going to have to divert to Texas. Democrats are going to have to.

[Cyndi Lauper]

Yes, a lot of money. The map is up in the air. I mean, not just on the Senate side, but on the House side as well. You've got redistricting that played into everything and, but I think, you know, if you drew out the best laid plans, they're not going to look anything like that. Even in November, you know, September and October, we're going to see very much different places where our emphasis is. But I do think, like for Texas, and this has played out a few times where you get the MAGA Republican that comes out on top and it does change the dynamics and it means kind of a rush and an excitement to maybe be able to pick up somewhere else. But I think that we also balance that out in a lot of places and I don't think that we will have as much money as we have had in previous times because I do think that the economy is playing into it and we have a lot of grassroots people powered movements and they're just going to give less when there's not more to get.

[Michelle Bernstein]

What about donors?

[Sahil Kapoor]

President Trump's mind is elsewhere as well. He's doing some version of what a lot of second term presidents do, which is focusing on legacy, focusing on foreign policy when the domestic environment is falling away from him.

[Kristen Welker]

You know, I'm curious what you think about the messaging that we're hearing, Ashley, and the strategy that we are seeing, the fact that there's been this focus on cultural issues. Now, look, we have seen that be an effective strategy in past races. Do you think in 2026, in this moment in Texas, it could be effective against Talarico? Is that going to work? What we heard from Stephen Miller.

[Michelle Bernstein]

Listen, I think that Telo is a good candidate and has been and I will never take that away from him. I do think when he's explaining or when he's like, no, I'm not, or no, I don't like vegan or whatever it is, I think that that's, I mean, so I don't know what Stephen Miller's doing and why he's doing this. But yeah, I think Texas is a place that stuff like that could stick and it's wrong. Obviously, he's not transgender.

[Kristen Welker]

Well, it's interesting because the Democrats are already pushing back pretty forcefully. Democrats X account replied writing, shut up, you ugly blank. Responding to Stephen Miller. That was an expletive. I cannot say a bad one here is so bad. I can't say it. We can't even write it on the page. Taryn, is that the way, I mean, Democrats are saying they want to see more fight?

[Cyndi Lauper]

Well, that kind of fight. They want to see the fight you're going to get, Right?

[Kristen Welker]

Like, when is that what's necessary to win over Cornyn?

[Cyndi Lauper]

I think that, I think that there's this moment where they want to be forceful because they have talked about his masculinity. So we're playing this culture war game, right? They're going for it. I don't think that's going to be the strategy across the board. I think the real strategy here is reminding folks, folks, which, you know, we don't even have to remind folks that gas is inching very, very close to $5 and it's just affecting you in every which way. Right. And that he's saying very clearly as the president, oh, I don't really care about you. I don't really care about the midterms. I don't care about that. I care about, you know, this war in Iran. And I think that that goes against even to some of his core people that will always stay with him, but it goes against to those people that we cut across the middle and that he was able to pull in.

[Kristen Welker]

I want to talk about something that's gotten a lot of attention. As we approach the 250th anniversary of the country, a list of artists were lined up to perform at the White House celebrations. They've now started to cancel Sahil. A number of them saying that they were caught off guard. They thought this was a nonpartisan event. Here you can see some of the featured artists who have now withdrawn from this. Martina McBride, let me read what she says. She says, I asked a lot of questions and was assured this was a nonpartisan event that was meant to celebrate all 50 states. Yesterday things started and what we were told is, in fact, not what is happening. The optics of this Sahil, how's it playing?

[Sahil Kapoor]

This is Freedom 250. It's an organization associated with President Trump. I think what some of these artists fear is that there's going to be Trump branding all over that they would inevitably be associated with. Now, some of these artists probably wouldn't want to be associated with anything regarding Trump in any situation. But it really does remind me about a year and a half, two years ago when the MAGA movement was resonating with Trump's popularity, personal popularity was quite high when they were making inroads with young people, especially men. There might have been some artists who were on the fence about it, but now his personal popularity and his brand outside the core Republican base is at an all time low nationally. Do these artists want to be associated with it? Do they want to be even perceived as being involved in something political? I think that plays some role here.

[Kristen Welker]

Ashley, what are you hearing in terms of the reaction to the fact that some of these artists have started to withdraw? Is there going to be a backlash to that?

[Michelle Bernstein]

Yes, I think so. I mean, this is what the problem is. I think they had bad staffing. I mean the artists had bad staffing because they should have known that this was going to be his event. Because now you were isolating 50% of the country when you were saying yes to the event. Now you're not doing it and you're going to isolate the other 50%. And let's remember, I mean, I remember there's been so many musicians that have picked a side and they've had horrible backlash. I mean look what's happening to Cardi B right now. Can't believe I'm like being hip brain with all these things.

[Cyndi Lauper]

You know, teenager would be very proud.

[Michelle Bernstein]

I have one. But no, you know, does it now do we go back to the kid rocks of the world or Cardi Bs of the world that will aren't afraid that have already isolated half their fans?

[Kristen Welker]

Yeah. How's it playing with Democrats?

[Cyndi Lauper]

I think that it's really important that people are just. And I, and I think this is Democrats and Republicans. There is a sick of. I'm sick and tired of this divisiveness. I'm sick and tired of everything being a culture war, of everything being this. And you're seeing that across the board in digital and social media. Like people are starting to actually not complain anymore about even one specific party as much as they are about the fighting. So something that is a seller should be a celebration of our country and our history. And this patriotism has been tainted. And I think people are just sick of that and I think they're sick of the divisiveness and name calling as well.

[Kristen Welker]

All right guys, well, this is a great, great Friday conversation. Thank you all so much for being here. Hope you guys all have a fantastic weekend. We do want to turn now to a setback for the Trump administration. So called anti weaponization Fund. A federal judge temporarily blocked the nearly $1.8 billion fund that was created by the Justice Department as part of the president's settlement in his lawsuit against the irs, an agency he controls. The judge from the Eastern District of Virginia said the order was necessary to ensure that no funds are irreversibly dispersed from the anti Weaponization fund while there are motions pending to block it. Fire January 6 Prosecutor and others filed a lawsuit last Friday seeking to halt the recently created fund, arguing it violates several laws and legal precedents. Politically. The fund is also sparked bipartisan outrage on Capitol Hill, with some critics calling it a slush fund for the president's friends and allies. In a statement, a Justice Department spokesperson says the DOJ remains extremely confident, confident in the legality of the fund. Joining me now is NBC News Chief justice and national affairs correspondent Kelly o'. Donnell. Kelly, thanks so much for being here. So delve a little bit more into what we heard from the judge today. What was the judge's reason for temporarily halting this fund?

[Kelly O'Donnell]

Kel well, good to be with you, Kristen. And this is something that was anticipated, the outrage really, that erupted across the political spectrum about the establishment of the this fund. You knew there would be litigation. And so that has started now. And it is short term. This is a way to pause any work on this newly created fund and to allow time for the litigants involved in this to file their papers and so forth. There will be more of that to come. The main argument is that one of the prosecutors who was fired after doing the work of prosecuting the 1-6-6 defendants is arguing that this is unfair to him. And the judge is saying that there needs to be a pause here so that can all be sorted out. Now, as you indicated, this stems from the president filing a suit against the irs, but also administrative claims he had against the Department of Justice. And so to compensate for those legal matters brought by the president against the federal government going away, his team put together this fund. They used used the sort of clever number 1776 for when the country was founded. So that's where you get the nearly 1.8 billion to pay out people who claim they've been harmed by the federal government. That is a standard thing that the federal government does. There are ways, if citizens have complaints against the federal government for harm being done to them, where they can be compensated, just like you would in any litigation. But that goes through a court process. This is a very different set of circumstances and that is fired up, up criticism from Democrats but also Senate Republicans who are concerned about this being effectively a way to pay friends and allies of the administration, whether it's January 6th type defendants who were pardoned by the president or others who were involved in election denialism or things like that. Now, the fund specifically says Democrats could apply for it as well or people who don't have a partisan sort of hook to their claim. But there are concerns about how would that actually work. So this really puts the brakes. No money can be paid out, no formal steps can be taken, and the commission is not even yet up and running. That it's to be formed by five commissioners chosen by the Department of Justice with the president's approval, with one of those five being consulted with Congress. So there are a lot of details in this, but there's also going to be a lot of back and forth like we're seeing right now.

[Kristen Welker]

No doubt about that. And Kelly, while you're tracking that, another legal development. The Trump administration received a ruling against its effort to close and rename the Kennedy Center. What can you tell us about that?

[Kelly O'Donnell]

Well, a judge is putting on hold a plan to close the Kennedy center for two years for repairs and acknowledges there are needed repairs to the 50 plus year old facility. But the judge is saying that the costs and the outcomes of closing the art center for two years outweigh this plan to shut it down for two years. So putting that on hold and very clearly stipulating that only Congress can bestow a name on this center. It was originally the John F. Kennedy center for Performing Arts. It's a memorial, supposed to be a living memorial to the slain president, although the board that was appointed by President Trump has added his name on the facade and would like to formally change the name. The judge said only Congress can do that and that the law that that brought about the Kennedy center was very clear that only Congress could make a change and that it was the intent that only John F. Kennedy's name beyond that building. Kristen?

[Kristen Welker]

Well, it's just fascinating and I know you and we will continue to track it very closely. Kelly o', Donnell, thank you so much for joining us with all of these legal developments. We really appreciate it. Great to see you as always. And coming up, deal or no Deal, President Trump says he held a Situation Room meeting today to make a final determination about a tentative agreement with Iran. We have the very latest on the war and where it's headed, plus fears of escalation. Naito vows to defend every inch of the alliance's territory after a Russian drone crashes into an apartment building in Romania. How the US And Russia are responding. Stay with us. You're watching Meet the Press now.

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[Congressman Adam Smith]

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[Kristen Welker]

welcome back. President Trump held a meeting in the White House Situation Room today as he looks to finalize a deal with Iran. Sources tell NBC News the deal the president is considering is a potential agreement to begin a 60 day period of talks on Iran's nuclear program and does not appear to be a comprehensive deal to unwind Tehran's nuclear ambitions. Here's Vice President J.D. vance speaking to reporters about the talks yesterday after returning to Washington from the Air Force Academy's graduation. Graduation. Well, I think it's hard to say exactly when or if the president is

[Garrett Hake]

going to sign the mou.

[Kristen Welker]

We're going back and forth on a

[Garrett Hake]

couple of language points.

[Congressman Adam Smith]

I do think that we've made a lot of progress here. It's very clear that I think the

[Garrett Hake]

Iranians, they want to deal and they

[Congressman Adam Smith]

want to open the Straits of Hormuz.

[Garrett Hake]

We want them to open the Straits of Hormuz. There are a couple of issues on the nuclear stuff, the highly enriched stockpile

[Congressman Adam Smith]

and also the question enrichment. So, you know, we're going back, back

[Kristen Welker]

and forth with them.

[Garrett Hake]

We do think they're negotiating at least so far in good faith and we're

[Kristen Welker]

making some progress despite that. Today, Iran's top negotiators striking a defiant tone, saying Tehran has, quote, no trust in guarantees or words, only actions matter. Joining me now is NBC News chief foreign correspondent Richard Engel. Richard, thank you so much for joining us. So what exactly are you hearing from your sources about where these conversations stand about a potential deal? Richard?

[Richard Engel]

Well, I'm hearing a lot of frustration, frankly, from sources that I'm talking to mediators, people who want to get this deal over the line. They believe that the principles are already there, that the two sides have fundamentally agreed that this conflict needs to end. But they are fighting over the language. And I was told that four days ago in Doha, Qatar, the negotiating teams effectively came up with a memorandum of understanding standing. They sent it back to their respective leaderships in Tehran and in Washington. And now it seems both sides are delaying. Both sides are pushing for last minute changes. And we just saw a short while ago, President Trump put out a social media post listing his demands and then Iran responding, saying some of these demands are new or that President Trump ignored some things that that the negotiators had agreed upon, particularly Lebanon. Iran is still insisting that a Lebanon cease fire be included as part of this deal. Iran also wants $12 billion of its frozen assets to be immediately released. So the principles do seem to be there, but so far that the primary leaders, President Trump and the Iranian leadership, have not signed off on on it. So until there is a deal, there is no deal. But to answer your original question, there's a lot of frustration across the region because people believe that it's time to move on. The Straits of Hormuz were open before this war began and Iran was not in the process of building a nuclear weapon. So for many people, it seems like a simple solution. Stop the war, get back to talking, and work out the details along the way.

[Kristen Welker]

Well, Richard, to that point, I mean, no one knows the history, the background to this conflict better than you. Is there any trust between these two sides?

[Richard Engel]

None. None whatsoever. I was in Iran quite a few times over the last 12 to 15 months. I spoke with Iranian officials. I'm still in contact with some Iranian officials, officials, and they have no trust at all. They were in the midst of negotiating with the US when the war began. They were in the midst of negotiating with the US when Iran was attacked 11 months ago, when the nuclear sites were hit with in Operation Midnight Hammer. So they don't have any. Any confidence that these negotiations will lead to peace. There's a possibility that there could be a text tonight. There is that little, that low level of trust.

[Kristen Welker]

Well, Richard, let me turn now to another conflict that you've been tracking. Of course, the war with Ukraine. Overnight, a Russian drone that was targeting Ukraine actually hit a residential building in neighboring Romania. Very forceful response from Naito, the NATO Secretary General, condemning the incident. He called it reckless behavior. Of course, it also comes after Moscow had urged diplomats in Kiev to evacuate, vowing that more strikes were coming to the capital city. What is your sense for where things stand? Is Keefe bracing for a major escalation right now

[Brian Nobles]

and not.

[Richard Engel]

Not just Keith. And it's not entirely clear that this was an accident. This drone, allegedly fired by Russia, hit Romania, hit an apartment building in Romania. Now, Romania is obviously not on the Russian border. It borders Ukraine.

[Kelly O'Donnell]

Ukraine.

[Richard Engel]

But it wasn't just along the Ukrainian border. This attack took place deep inside Romanian territory. So it doesn't seem like it was a. Was a misfire. It doesn't seem like it was a drone that suddenly went on the wrong course. And just a short while ago, the former president and Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev, who serves on Russia's National Security Council, while he didn't accept responsibility, he said that Europe and Europeans should brace for more attacks like this because they are helping build drones that are being fired at Moscow. So the logic being, if, if people, if Russians living in Moscow can't have peaceful night's sleep, then Europeans who are helping the Ukrainians can't have peace as well. And he said that there would specifically be more attacks, attacks like these. So it's not clear that this was an accident. It seems like this is Russia sending a message to. To Europe, sending a message to NATO partners that, that they can be targeted and will be targeted.

[Kristen Welker]

All right, Richard Engle for us, live from Jerusalem. Richard, thank you so very much for being here. We really appreciate it. Coming up next, the top Democrat on the House Armed Services Committee responds to the latest escalations in Iran and Ukraine and the political fallout as both wars rage on. Keep it right here on Meet the Press. Now.

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[Kristen Welker]

Welcome back. As we mentioned, President Trump met with his advisors today to make a quote, final determination on a potential deal with Iran. But so far no deal has been announced. Joining me now is Democratic Congressman Adam Smith of Washington. He's also the top Democrat on the House Armed Services Committee. Congressman, thank you so much for joining me. Really appreciate it.

[Congressman Adam Smith]

Well, thanks for having me.

[Kristen Welker]

It's not entirely clear what the final sticking points are of this short term deal that's under discussion. But let me ask you, would you support a deal that reopens the Strait of Hormuz but does not directly address Iran's nuclear program?

[Congressman Adam Smith]

At this point I would. And I know that people like to say, well gosh, that's unacceptable. We have to Iran has to give up their nuclear weapons. I take a more practical approach on this. How are we going to do that? Exactly what level of force are we going to imply that's going to require Iran to make that decision? Now look, if, if the President can negotiate a deal that has them more directly address the nuclear program, that would certainly be Better. But that's why this war was so stupid in the first place. It has not advanced our interests. It's come at enormous cost. And everyone knew up front that if Iran perceived an existential threat, which this war would be, that they were just going to survive and dig in. And they're actually more hardline now than when this thing started. So, yeah, President Trump starting this war has put us in an awful, awful position. We still have to make the best choice out of a bad series of options.

[Kristen Welker]

Well, following up on that point, the president said this week during his Cabinet meeting, if there's no deal, he will, quote, finish the job. The assumption being that he would resume military operations. Do you agree with that strategy, Congressman?

[Congressman Adam Smith]

If he can't reach what I really want to drill. Yeah, this is what I want to drill down on, because I've heard variations of that same sort of, to my mind, stupid assessment. You know, people say, oh, Trump, don't quit now. You got to finish the job. We have to. What does that mean? Okay, and how is it going to be achieved? I mean, it sounds good, sure. You know, it's like, finish the job, you're running a marathon, just run the last mile. But here, what are we going to do that's going to force Iran to give us what we want? And keep in mind, the job, broadly speaking on this is no nukes, no support for terrorist organizations in the region, no ballistic missile program. It. Okay, how are you going to force Iran to do that? In this perception that somehow, if we simply apply enough force for long enough, we will get that result? We have countless examples where that just isn't true, and this is one of them. So I'm worried that what he's going to do is going to bomb for another four weeks. Are we going to send in ground troops? We're going to try to drop bigger bombs? What's going to force Iran to. To allow us to, quote, finish the job? Meanwhile, the cost of continuing the conflict is really high. The global economy, certainly, and our economy here locally, not to mention the Middle east and the chaos that is there.

[Kristen Welker]

Let me ask you about this debate over the War Powers Resolution. The House set to vote on the War Powers Resolution when you all come back from recess. House Majority Leader Steve Scalise saying the vote was delayed to allow lawmakers who were absent to participate. But I'm wondering what you're hearing behind the scenes from your Republican colleagues. Are you getting the sense that more of them are migrating to wanting there to be congressional oversight of this war? Is the president losing support amongst rank and file Republicans.

[Congressman Adam Smith]

He's losing support in the country at a staggering clip, as we have seen. But the short answer to your question is no.

[Kristen Welker]

Out.

[Congressman Adam Smith]

I've seen no evidence that the Republican Congress are going to respond to their constituents. They're going to keep responding to Donald Trump. Now, I could be wrong. You know, I obviously I don't talk with every single House Republican, but I haven't seen or heard anything that, you know, shows that they're going to change their mind and actually side with the public on wanting to end this war.

[Kristen Welker]

Let me shift gears now. Ask you about, about what happened overnight in Europe. A Russian drone hit a residential building in neighboring Romania. Naito condemning it. I was just discussing this with Richard Engel. Do you think the response from NATO is strong enough? Does there need to be a stronger response? Are you learning anything about whether this was a targeted attack or a mistake that was aimed initially at Kiev?

[Congressman Adam Smith]

We don't know yet. We do know that Russia has stepped up in the last couple of years, their gray zone activity against European nations that are backing Ukraine. So wouldn't surprise me in the least bit if, you know, Russia wants to say, oh, sorry, act like it was an accident, but really be trying to send a message. I think it's incredibly important that we engage in diplomacy right now. You know, Ukraine has stood up and bravely fought back against Russia and held on, more than held on. Basically, they brought Russia to a standstill. But there is considerable risk right now of this war escalating. And if Russia does get more aggressive towards NATO countries, there's an obligation to respond. So, you know, I think we need more diplomacy. It doesn't seem like the Trump administration has any ability whatsoever to engage in that diplomacy. So maybe Europe needs to step up and start having those conversations as well. But we need to calm things down so that this war doesn't dramatically expand in Europe.

[Kristen Welker]

I do want to turn to some other big news this week on the domestic policy front. Former first lady Jill Biden saying she thought President Biden was having a stroke during that disastrous debate performance. She said she was afraid. Of course, we know that in the moments after that debate, she went out to a rally, said she thought he'd done a great job. I'm curious, Congressman, what do you make of the response and these new revelations by the first lady?

[Congressman Adam Smith]

Yeah, I'd found the whole thing appalling for a very long time. I mean, it was just such a colossal blunder for Joe Biden to ever think that he could run for a second term. He had the opportunity to be a bridge, which is what he said he was going to be. He was very clearly not physically up to running another campaign. And Jill Biden, his family, his inner circle, I mean, they did this country and certainly the Democratic Party, a grave disservice by allowing this to go forward. I think it was. It was completely obvious that President Biden wasn't up for this campaign. And it's not particularly helpful at this point for Jill Biden to say, on the one hand, I thought he was having a stroke. On the other hand, I didn't see any evidence of cognitive decline. Thinking a guy's having a stroke at a national debate stage sort of checks that box of evidence of mental decline. And I do wish they'd shown more leadership and gotten him to just never run, never run for the second time term. Had a competitive Democratic process, I think we would have been a lot better off. I don't think it's particularly helpful to be dredging it back up at this point. I mean, everyone's got a book to sell. We got to move forward as a party and hopefully learn a hard lesson from that experience.

[Kristen Welker]

Well, on that point of moving forward, after the 2024 elections, you posted a video on social media. You said that the Democratic Party brand is broken and we desperately need to fix it if the party's ever going to. To have any hope of appealing to a majority of people in this country. So let me ask you, Congressman, we're about six months away from the next elections. Do you believe that Democrats have fixed their brand?

[Congressman Adam Smith]

No. I do think we've done a really effective job of attacking Trump's horrific policies. We've built a lot of support. We're well positioned for 2026 in the Congressional elections. We got a lot of good candidates who are driving a message. What I worry about is 2028. We need a coalition that is large enough and cohesive enough to win back the White House. And right now, there are deep divisions within the party. You know, my personal summary, I mean, first of all, to go back to the Joe Biden thing, I think the damage that that did to us has not been fully reckoned with. I think we should understand we can't afford to let that type of thing happen. But then, you know, we don't have as clear an economic plan as we should. Number one biggest issue, economic inequality. Too few have too much. Too many are struggling to get by. You know, and I'm very much an economic populist on that. Issue. But on the other hand, we also had some policies that were, I guess, best described as too far left on border security, on, you know, abolish the police, criminal justice issues, even on government spending. You know, we spent a lot of money. And some on the left advocate the theory that deficits and debts don't matter. I think that undermined our credibility. We're dodging all of these issues. You saw it in the autopsy report from the TNC that absurdly talked about social media and how we need to get better at it. Sure. But what we really need to do is have a conversation within our large family about the possibility there's bitter, bitter differences. And pretending like those differences don't exist isn't going to change what's going to happen come 2028. I think we can build a coalition. I think economic populism combined with accountability, responsibility, you know, building a strong country. I think there's a lot of things we can do. We're going to need to have that conversation to get us in a stronger position for 2028.

[Kelly O'Donnell]

All right.

[Kristen Welker]

Congressman Adam Smith, always appreciate your perspective. Thanks so much for being here on this Friday.

[Congressman Adam Smith]

Thank you.

[Kristen Welker]

Coming up after the break, former Attorney General Pam Bondi testifies behind closed doors as part of the House his investigation into the Epstein files as lawmakers demand answers. That's next on MEET THE press. Now. Welcome back. Former Attorney General Pam Bondi is acknowledging the Justice Department made some mistakes in its release of files tied to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Bondi facing questions behind closed doors doors today by the House Oversight Committee. According to her opening statement obtained by NBC News, the former AG Told lawmakers, quote, there were redaction errors, but since day one of this process, the department has been committed to accountability and transparency. According to the top Democrat on the committee, Bondi blamed her successor, Acting Attorney General Todd Blanch, for mistakes made during the process.

[Richard Engel]

She said, and I quote, acting AG Blanch was managing the entire investigation, end quote. And what you're going to hear in that interview and what she's saying here in her words and remarks is that it was Todd Blanche, the current acting ag, that was leading the Epson investigation. And quite frankly, all of the mistakes that we saw, the redactions, not protecting survivors, she continues to push that back onto the acting AG taught a Blanche,

[Kristen Welker]

you NBC News chief Capitol Hill correspondent Brian Nobles is with me now. So, Ryan, let's just start with this admission by the former Attorney general Pam Bondi, that mistakes were made. How significant is that that she made that admission?

[Brian Nobles]

Well, I don't think she had any choice, Kristen, because everyone knew there were mistakes that were made, and there were a lot of mistakes that were made. And I think on the level of admitting that mistakes were made, she didn't really take that much responsibility, suggested that it was a big process, that there was a lot to go through. Yes, they made mistakes, but they were fixing them. It doesn't speak to the broader issues that survivors have with the release of these files, that the redactions that they did choose were to redact the names of powerful men and the redactions that they missed were the names of victims. That's a pretty obvious error that they don't have an explanation for. And then furthermore, why have they not released the other 3 million files that they claim that they're sitting on? The Department of Justice justice has not given an explanation that most survivors feel comfortable with. And it doesn't appear that during this deposition that Bondi provided any additional information in that regard.

[Kristen Welker]

Notably, the chair of the House Oversight Committee, James Comer, said that he actually spoke with Epstein survivors before this testimony got underway. What is he saying about that meeting?

[Brian Nobles]

In fact, one of them actually confronted him right before they went into the deposition to kind of drive home the point that they have here. I mean, the Epstein survivors in general just are unsatisfied with the lack of progress that has been carried out as a result of this investigation. There's been no convictions. There's not even been the semblance of an extended investigation beyond Ghislaine Maxwell and Jeffrey Epstein. And Comer tried to respond to that. Listen to what he said.

[Congressman Adam Smith]

I hope that we can do the best that we can do in getting answers and getting the truth about American people, trying to provide some type of justice for the survivors. And if there's any way possible to hold people accountable, that's what we want to see happen. Well, we thank you for being here. And again, we will continue communications and if there are questions that aren't asked, anything you're not satisfied, let us know. And we're going to do everything in our ability to get answers for you. All right, thank you all for being here.

[Brian Nobles]

What he said there was so important whether or not we can get to the stage where there are further investigations. That just has not happened yet. The survivors were hoping at some point something would lift that would open the door to other people being held accountable for this massive controversy and scandal, and it just hasn't happened yet.

[Kristen Welker]

Yeah, just extraordinary. And a number of members of Congress continue to say they're going to push for the full release of the files. Ryan Nobles, thank you so much for being here. Really appreciate it. And still to come, public health officials sound the alarm about the Ebola outbreak in Central and East East Africa. An ongoing armed conflict threatens containment and humanitarian efforts on the ground. An infectious disease doctor with the International Rescue Committee is next. Stay with us on MEET THE PRESS now. Welcome back. As the Ebola outbreak intensifies in Central Africa, a Kenyan court is now blocking the US from opening a specialized quarantine facility for American citizens over concerns it could bring the disease into Kenya. The Trump administration, which is implementing enhanced screening measures at some US Airports, was planning to open what it calls a state of the art facility in Kenya in an effort to keep the disease from coming to the US the current Ebola outbreak is suspected to have caused more than 1,000 infections and at least 240 deaths deaths so far in the Democratic Republic of Congo. There have also been seven cases and one death in Uganda, with the World Health Organization saying they expect those numbers to rise. The head of the World Health Organization is currently traveling to the epicenter of the outbreak and is appealing for urgent funding from the international community. He's also asking for an immediate ceasefire between armed groups in the region, which he says are complicating the response to the outbreak. Joining Me now is Dr. Megan Coffey. She's a senior specialist for infectious disease at the International Rescue Committee or the irc. She coordinated multiple Ebola units in Sierra Leone during West Africa's Ebola outbreak. Thank you so much for joining me. I really appreciate it.

[Dr. Megan Coffey]

Thank you.

[Kristen Welker]

So let's just dive in. The IRC warned earlier this week that this could actually be the deadliest outbreak of Ebola on record if the international community doesn't step in. What are the signs that you are seeing that lead you to believe that?

[Dr. Megan Coffey]

I mean, the first place, this was the largest outbreak at the start when it was reported of any outbreak we've ever seen. It is right now the third largest outbreak. It's the largest outbreak ever of this particular species. But usually outbreaks start, there's 50 patients and we have to control it. At that point. We right now have an outbreak, outbreak over a thousand suspected cases. We're only about two weeks into this outbreak and this is more than other outbreaks had at the three month part. And just to express it's really, really hard to provide all the care and all the contact tracing, meaning figuring out where that patient's been, who they've been in contact with, where else can Ebola be? There's always going to be a lot of denial about Ebola because it's such a horrible disease. You never want to imagine it's Ebola. So it's incredible amount of. And we're really behind right now. The disease spread before we even knew that it was Ebola.

[Kristen Welker]

It's just terrifying to hear that. And of course, you have colleagues who are on the front lines of this. What are you hearing from them about the community response to this outbreak?

[Dr. Megan Coffey]

Yeah, I mean, any outbreak is so important that you have community trust. This is an area that's been through a lot. This is an area that, that has had conflict over decades. It's probably the largest conflict since World War II over the last two to three decades. But on top of that, there were rebel groups that have invaded an area that's now affected by Ebola. There's also been decreased funding for health care. This is also an area where there's mines and so there's migrant workers. It's a very difficult situation. And a lot of the people there, you know, you see the response. But are we really taking to account what they need, what they want? And it's a incredibly, incredibly important to work with communities. So that's what my colleagues in the RC on the ground are really working on, risk communication and really engaging with

[Kristen Welker]

communities and the World Health Organization, of course, appealing for more funding. What exactly do they need right now? What's your message to the public watching this?

[Dr. Megan Coffey]

Yeah, I mean, for any outbreak, you need, you need people, you need stuff, all that PPE test kits, you need systems, the coordination, and you need trust. You need to always make sure that you're really investing in that trust. But on top of that, you really have to make sure you're taking care of essential services. Why Ebola really spreads is that in that first week, it looks like any other disease, it could seem like it's morning sickness, malaria, measles. And in that time, if you're not providing essential services for all these other diseases, you're going to be missing Ebola. So these are people who really, we need to make sure that we're providing the essential services so that everyone is cared for in this region.

[Kristen Welker]

And the World Health Organization also calling for an immediate cease fire between these armed groups in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. How is this armed conflict impacting the efforts to try to help those who are dealing and suffering with this disease? Disease, yeah.

[Dr. Megan Coffey]

First, really, the issue of trust. If your government's been displaced, there's different groups. This makes it very important that you're really focusing on ensuring that there are trusted partners that everyone is able to understand what is happening and you have good leadership and coordination. But secondarily, I mean, you just have to make sure there's areas that have had rebel groups go into in and now they have Ebola south. There's South Kivu, North Kivu. These are areas that have been affected by these rebel groups and there are Ebola cases there. And we have to make sure that we're doing the contact tracing and finding all these patients. And then it's being led by those on the ground and local Congolese doctors, epidemiologists, nurses.

[Kristen Welker]

And how is the US Response to this being viewed so far? Many.

[Dr. Megan Coffey]

Again, I think it's just going to be really important that we're really focused on what is happening on the ground in the drc. When you're in the midst of an Ebola outbreak, that is all you see. It is a horrible, horrible disease. And it's just incredibly important that we're just focusing on getting all the support we need for all the health care workers, all the supplies and that that is the focus. Nothing else. Incredibly important to stop it where it is and not to think about just making sure that Ebola outbreak is over in eastern Congo.

[Cyndi Lauper]

All right.

[Kristen Welker]

Dr. Megan Coffey, thank you so much for bringing us your expertise. We really appreciate it and thank you for all the work that you and your colleagues are doing. We will be back Monday with more MEET the Press now and if it's Sunday, it's MEET the Press on your local NBC news station. I'll have have interviews with former Vice President Mike Pence and Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear. You do not want to miss it. There's much more ahead on NBC News.

[Cyndi Lauper]

Now.

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