Meet the Press NOW — October 1

[0:11] Welcome to Meet the Press Now. I'm Kristen Welker in Washington. President Trump is about to hold [0:16] an event in Texas as he kicks off his October campaign push today in not one, but two typically [0:23] reliably red states with just 32 days to the midterms. President Trump will be joined at [0:29] this Texas event by Republican Senate candidate Ken Paxton, who's trailing Democrat James Tallarico [0:35] in recent polling in a state that is not usually one that Republicans worry about defending. [0:41] But that's becoming the story of these midterms, as more new polling shows the president is [0:46] dangerously underwater with voters on the most important issue of the election, the economy. [0:52] But earlier today, while departing the White House for Texas, the president rejected voters' [0:57] dim view of the economy and inflation, branding his administration's record a triumph. [1:01] I just announced about it, and I would say this, I give us an A plus on economics, on everything, [1:20] on the way down. It comes after the president yesterday similarly appeared to acknowledge [1:36] messaging missteps for him and his party. What we're doing poorly and we're not getting [1:42] the word out. I mean, we're just not getting it. That's why I'm going to be making, I thought [1:46] I was finished campaigning, but in order to help Republicans, because we need the votes, [1:51] we have to have the votes. I've done a very bad job of explaining. I saw Rachel talking about it. [1:56] I've done a very bad job of explaining how good the country is doing. We're doing better than any [2:03] country in the world economically. I'm going out because nobody's selling it. I'm doing, [2:08] we're doing an extremely poor job of promotion and an extremely great job of running the country. [2:15] So I think you're probably better off with that, but we'll get the word out. It should not be hard. [2:19] But as the president hits the campaign trail to try to boost Republicans, a new poll shows his job [2:27] approval at just 31% and his net approval rating severely in negative territory on the economy and [2:34] the cost of living. Just 26% saying they approve of his handling of the economy, a new low in that [2:41] poll. And nearly two thirds of adults say they blame his policies for higher costs. Joining me now [2:48] is NBC News White House correspondent Monica Alba. Joining us from Dallas is politics reporter Phil [2:53] Prazen from our affiliate NBC5. And with me on set is Cook Political Reports editor for Senate and [3:00] Governor's Races Jessica Taylor and NBC News national politics reporter Bridget Bowman. Thanks to all of [3:06] you for starting us off. We've got a big group today. We really appreciate it. But Monica, let me start [3:11] with you. President Trump, of course, kicking off his midterm travel, this final stretch by visiting [3:17] Texas. It's a state he won by double digits in 2024. No Democrat has won statewide since the 1990s. [3:24] He's specifically visiting a truck factory. And that's notable because average diesel prices, [3:30] Mon, right now are at $6.38 a gallon. Talk about the administration strategy moving forward for these [3:36] final days. It is absolutely impossible to ignore that as the backdrop to all of this travel, [3:43] Kristen. What you lay out there, even though the president has sort of repeatedly dismissed, [3:47] dismissed this idea that prices are high, in particular diesel and gas, in connection to [3:53] the war against Iran, only promising that those are going to come down, he says, shortly after Iran [3:58] eventually makes a deal, which he's been predicting could happen after the midterm elections. But the way [4:03] that he actually talks about this with voters who are seeing this, experiencing this in real time in [4:10] places like Texas, like Oklahoma, will be fascinating to see. And this is really the kickoff to a sprint. [4:17] The president is going to be traveling repeatedly, he says, over the next 32 days, he says, pretty much [4:23] nonstop. And if you look at the map over the next week or so and where he's going to be going, [4:28] he is starting out certainly in places that are far more ruby red compared to some of the more [4:34] competitive districts. But it'll be fascinating to see how he kind of addresses this messaging, [4:40] because these prices are high from a war that he started now more than seven months ago. [4:46] That's absolutely right. Phil, let me turn to you now. You and I usually talk on Fridays. I'm usually [4:52] previewing my show for you. But you now watching the president today, what are you going to be watching [4:59] for? What do you think voters want to hear from him, Phil? I think voters want to hear about the [5:08] results that he is bringing to these local facilities and companies. I mean, what's so [5:15] interesting about this trip and where the economy is right now is this is what many economists told us [5:22] the president's policies would do, right? It is a tradeoff between higher prices versus more American [5:29] jobs, as in so, for example, these tariffs. Tariffs are taxes on imports. So where he's at in Peterbilt [5:35] Motors here in Denton County, about a year ago, he put a a higher tax on imported trucks. OK, and shocking [5:43] that increased the price of trucks. Right. But that also forced consumers to buy American trucks. [5:50] And that's why you see a Peterbilt Motors. The White House has touted that this company has [5:55] increased production, has hired more people and has built more trucks. However, it's interesting [6:01] because what we're seeing in the mood in the country right now, when you force Americans to [6:06] choose between prices and jobs. Remember, we have a low unemployment rate, but people are really [6:12] frustrated with the prices. And it's just historically has shown they're more a little price sensitive [6:17] and Americans just generally like cheaper goods and services. And so that is why the president [6:24] has such poor economic numbers because Americans just they look at the price of goods and they [6:29] don't always think about the downstream or the second order effects like jobs. [6:33] Yeah. Phil, you and I are always talking about just how dynamic the races are in Texas. It's an [6:39] understatement, really. We're watching the gubernatorial race. I'm going to talk to Gina Hossa [6:43] momentarily. Of course, the Senate race as well, where you do have James Tallarico with a lead in some [6:52] polls. What's the state of play there? How would you describe it right now? [6:59] Republicans are worried. They're being very public about that. And also they say the same thing [7:06] when the camera is not on. And I don't really know if it's because, you know, they are frightened [7:13] of losing a seat or if they've just never been in this position before and they're not used to it. [7:19] I mean, we have a for real competitive race in Texas. And despite what has been said in the past [7:24] about Texas turning blue, it really has never been close to that. I mean, the Republicans have won [7:30] by high single digits, if not double digits for, you know, ever besides 2018. And so now what you're [7:38] seeing is a for real competitive race. The governing coalition of Republicans and Republican leaning [7:44] independence, we're seeing cracks in that coalitions. And it's just going to be really interesting to see [7:49] how big those cracks are. And that will decide whether James Tallarico, the Democratic candidate, [7:57] defeats Ken Paxton, the Republican attorney general this time. [8:01] Monica, let me turn to you on that point. Follow up on what Phil has mapped out this idea that there are [8:07] some cracks that are starting to emerge. Take us inside your conversations with your sources who [8:14] are close to the administration, who are allies of the president. Phil talks about the concern that [8:20] Republicans in Texas are experiencing. What are your sources telling you, Monica? [8:25] Well, yeah. And behind the scenes, certainly we have heard some of those concerns and that is how they [8:31] have tried to delicately make decisions about where the president is going to appear and who he's going [8:37] to appear with. But the president was asked directly today about that reporting that Ken Paxton had [8:43] said in private that perhaps the president, you know, appearing with him, appearing at the midterm [8:48] convention there in Texas had hurt him in the polls and that that is what he privately was expressing [8:55] when the president was asked his reaction to that. He said that, oh, he hadn't really heard about that [9:01] and he dismissed it a little bit. But he said it doesn't really matter because he feels that if [9:06] they need to, in order to win the election, make this case that the president needs to be there, [9:12] that he needs to physically be with him. And so Ken Paxton did, I'm told by our team, [9:15] just arrive at that event there in Texas. So it will be really interesting to see [9:20] how the president continues to talk about him. He's been pretty outwardly critical of things [9:24] like his appearance. He has certainly mocked him at times and made some kind of comments that are not [9:30] super complimentary of somebody that you're trying to endorse and back while still obviously appearing [9:36] there in order to attempt to help and boost his chances. Crystal, with the final 30 seconds we have [9:42] left. To what extent are reporters there watching to see if there is any awkwardness between the [9:47] president and Ken Paxton, given that New York Times report? Oh, yeah, I don't think they have [9:54] talked about it since. It's going to be fascinating to play out. And the big question that we're watching [10:00] is, can MAGA win the state of Texas by itself? Or does Ken Paxton need these other parts of the [10:08] Republican coalition, the Christian conservatives, what used to be the Tea Party, but those kind of [10:12] small government conservatives, the Bush Republicans, right? They historically have needed all those [10:18] elements of their coalition to stay in power in the state of Texas. And so with this Ken Paxton [10:23] candidacy, we're just going to have to see if all of those parts of the coalition still vote for the [10:30] Republican candidate. Or do the Bush Republicans break off here and give James Tallarico a chance? [10:35] Or if some of those Christian conservatives with the divorce of Ken Paxton, if they just stay home, [10:41] that will be interesting to see. Well, what a fantastic conversation to start us off. [10:46] Monica and Phil, thank you so very much. Jessica, I want to turn to you. And with our table panel, [10:54] Bridget, thanks to both of you for being here. So let's talk about what Cook announced today. [10:57] You announced basically that you're moving Texas and Florida governor's races from likely Republican [11:04] to lean Republican. Walk us through what you're seeing in those races, Jessica. [11:08] I mean, in Texas, Greg Abbott is running for a fourth term and he's being dragged down by Ken [11:12] Paxton. He is dragging down the entire ticket, really. Abbott will outrun Paxton. And honestly, [11:18] Paxton needs Abbott more to try to help him. But there is a worry that I hear from my Republican [11:23] sources in Texas. Just very bad polling that they are seeing in House races as well that they did not [11:30] expect. They expected the Senate race to be close. But this governor's race, I think, has surprised a [11:34] lot of people. Now, Abbott has far more money than state representative Gina Hinojosa. But she has hit on, [11:40] I think, some critical issues on education, on data centers that we have seen her press Abbott on where [11:45] he's changed his position. It used to champion data centers where he has now called for more control [11:51] and different things. So this is a really surprising race, but it's really the entire state of Texas [11:56] that is really competitive right now. It's pretty extraordinary to hear Jessica talk about the fact [12:04] that Ken Paxton is dragging down Greg Abbott. It puts the stakes of his race into focus. Certainly, [12:13] President Trump has made James Tallarico a foil. We know that. He calls him James, quote unquote, [12:18] Talafrico. But what about Gina Hinojosa, who we're going to hear from momentarily? [12:24] How does it play as it relates to the gubernatorial race? [12:28] That's a good question. They are very linked. Actually, state representative Hinojosa and [12:32] Tallarico are friends. They've served together in the state legislature. I saw them campaign together. [12:37] They've been campaigning together for months. And for Hinojosa, she presents a really interesting [12:41] candidacy, too, in terms of her strength among Latino voters, which are a key constituency in Texas. [12:47] They're going to be really key to all of those house races, especially in the Rio Grande Valley. [12:51] So can she also help Tallarico to some extent with that vote? Because they're both going to need [12:55] strong support from Latinos to win. [12:57] There's no doubt about that. You've been speaking to some voters from our latest NBC News poll [13:01] who were undecided about which party should control Congress. What were some of your biggest [13:08] takeaways from these conversations? [13:09] So the biggest theme across all of these conversations with Democrats, Republicans, [13:13] Trump voters, Harris voters, folks who didn't vote in 2024, was that costs are the top issue [13:18] for them. We heard a lot about gas prices. We heard frustration with the Iran war. But we did also hear [13:23] that they're not happy with either party. Like, even though they are very frustrated right now, [13:27] they don't want to support Republicans, really. They're very hesitant to do that because of their [13:31] frustrations with the president, with the economy. But they also are wary of Democrats. Some said they feel [13:36] like they're moving too far to the left, embracing socialism. And they feel like politicians broadly [13:41] from both parties just aren't looking out for them and are only looking out for themselves. [13:45] And it's interesting because even some of the folks who were undecided but kind of leaning [13:49] towards Democrats told us that they're not doing that because they feel like Democrats have all [13:53] the answers. They're doing it because they don't like Republicans and they want a check [13:56] on President Trump and the Republican Party right now. [13:59] Well, that takes me back to you, Jessica. I mean, [14:01] the president is kicking off this final sprint campaign tour in some of these reliably red [14:09] states that he won by double digits in 2024. What does that tell you about the political [14:15] landscape as we watch these final weeks unfold? [14:19] Republicans are very worried that their voters are not going to come out, that they are so depressed [14:22] right now. We know that they have a there is a problem with Trump voters not turning out when [14:28] he's not on the ballot. But I think that goes beyond this, that even base Republican voters, [14:33] more loyal Republican voters are just so frustrated with the state of the economy right [14:37] now. And as Bridget said, it's really sort of a pox on both of their houses that they are just [14:41] so frustrated that they want to change. And change means pushing Republicans out. [14:45] Yeah. Bridget. [14:46] Yeah, I think that's exactly right. And for folks interesting, too, that voted for President [14:51] Trump because of the economy and now feel like he hasn't helped them out. And even as they hear him [14:55] say, some voters brought this up. They've heard the president say, as we heard just now, that costs [14:59] are down, that affordability is not a problem. And they just feel like he's not getting it, [15:04] that it is a real problem for them. And he just doesn't understand it. And they're just incredibly [15:07] frustrated. Yeah. I mean, despite the political headwinds, Republicans still have a significant [15:13] cash advantage. Bridget. What are you hearing about that and how that might I'm going to talk to [15:18] Gina Nohosa about that as well, because she's being significantly outspent. Does it matter, [15:24] though, in this climate? Yes, it does still matter. Democrats are worried about this. It's what they [15:28] say they're scared of. And Republicans do think this is an advantage. But is it too late? We'll [15:32] have to see. Jessica, how much are you watching where the money goes? I am watching the money. But [15:37] to me, it comes down to the money versus the message. And I think Democrats have the message [15:41] right now. They're hitting Gina Nohosa. Abbott has called her gender bender Gina. They're running on [15:48] some of these culture war ads. But I think right now it's the economy. It costs are just too high. [15:54] And Trump is not understanding that. And they feel like Republicans, as an extension, [15:58] are not understanding that as well. Well, great conversation. Great reporting [16:01] as well. Really appreciate it, Bridget and Jessica. Thank you for being here to start us off. [16:07] And speaking of the tightening races in Texas, I'm going to go, as I just said, [16:11] one-on-one with the Democratic candidate for governor, Gina Nohosa, [16:14] as she fights to become the first Democrat who would be elected to the position within 30 years. [16:20] That interview is next. Plus, new details in the investigation into what exactly happened aboard [16:25] the Fly Dubai flight and the heroic efforts by those on board to prevent a catastrophe. [16:31] Stay with us. You're watching Meet the Press now. Welcome back. As we mentioned, [16:46] the race is tightening for Texas governor, where Republican Governor Greg Abbott is being challenged [16:52] by Democratic State Representative Gina Nohosa. It's one of two races the Cook Political Report [16:57] shifted slightly in Democrats' favor today, as we were just discussing, from likely Republican [17:03] to lean Republican. And me now is State Representative Gina Nohosa, the Democratic nominee [17:10] for Texas governor. State Representative Nohosa, thank you so much for joining us. We really [17:15] appreciate it. Great to be with you. Well, it's great to have you here. Let's start off by [17:22] talking about the stakes of this race. The last time a Democrat won a statewide office in Texas was [17:28] 1994. Now, today, the Cook Political Report moved their rating of the race from likely Republican [17:36] to lean Republican, so more toward the Democrats' favor. What makes you think this moment could be [17:43] the moment that Democrats pull off a statewide victory? Well, it's what we're hearing and seeing [17:49] all across the state is that people want change. People know who's been in charge for the last 12 [17:56] years. It's Greg Abbott. They know that their life is harder than it was 12 years ago. And so that's [18:02] an opportunity for us. It's not that people all of a sudden are Team Democrat. Unfortunately, it's that [18:08] people just want something different from what this is. And that creates this opportunity to win. We now [18:14] have two polls in two weeks that show we are beating Greg Abbott, big, reputable polls, and that tracks [18:19] with all the polling. We have closed the gap from nine points down at the end of last year when we [18:24] launched. We've gone up against big, big money. Greg Abbott had $100 million in his campaign war [18:31] chest when we launched. He spent a lot of it. And here we are just getting closer and closer. So we're [18:36] trending in the right direction. And we're doubling down to win in November. We are going to talk about [18:41] the spending in this campaign in just a moment. But let me ask you about President Trump's [18:46] visit today. He's in Texas at a truck factory. He wants to showcase what he is going to argue is [18:52] manufacturing growth. What do you make of him coming to the state as he begins his midterm travel? Do you [19:00] think it could drive out the MAGA base? Do you think it could hurt you in the final tally? No, I don't. [19:08] Listen, people are very angry about this high cost economy. And it's interesting. He's visiting a truck [19:15] operation because diesel is unaffordable right now. Diesel is over $6 a gallon. And I've called on Greg [19:24] Abbott to waive gas tax right now when we're spending so much money on everything, including gas [19:31] in this high cost economy. He refuses to do it. But no, I think, in fact, if anything, it aggravates a [19:38] sore spot for Texans. And so just like we saw during the convention that they had, that did not [19:47] help their efforts. Look, the economy is what it is. Greg Abbott's record is what it is. It is the most [19:52] uninsured people, the most uninsured children, the most people being disconnected from their [19:57] electricity because they cannot afford to pay their bills, the most bankruptcy. That is Texas under Greg [20:03] Abbott. That is his record. It is why he's running from the voters. He's hiding from the voters. He's [20:09] refusing to debate, trying to hide from his record. But listen, if he's not man enough to debate me, [20:15] he shouldn't be governor of Texas. Well, let me ask you about his record. One of the big issues [20:22] in this election, immigration. Of course, you've spoken about the need for a secure border. Are there [20:28] policies from the president, from Governor Abbott that you support, given the fact that unlawful [20:35] deportations have dropped significantly on the president's watch? So I'm from the border. I'm [20:41] from Brownsville, Texas, on the border with Mexico. I want a secure border. But what is happening with [20:46] these ICE raids is making us less secure, not more. We had a man who was shot in the back in Austin, [20:52] Texas last week with the bullet lodged in his back. He slept on the floor of a detention center with no [20:57] pain medication. We had two weeks before that, two American 17-year-old boys on their way to [21:03] enlist in the Marines be pulled out of their cars from ICE and beaten. We had a man who was on his [21:09] way to work in Houston, Texas a few months ago, and he was killed by ICE. It was a case of mistaken [21:15] identity. When federal law enforcement officers, when ICE is shooting first and asking questions later, [21:23] nobody is safe. And so there's a lot of anger about what's happening and people are scared and people [21:29] want change. Well, let me ask you, though, attempted border crossings at the southwest border have, [21:34] as I just said, plummeted since President Trump took office. Do you give him credit for that, [21:41] that part of his policies? There is no question that crossings are way down and there is no question [21:49] it is because of President Trump. And do you see any area where you can work with the president, [21:57] whether it be on his immigration policies or otherwise? Is there an area of common ground [22:03] that you can identify? Listen, I've been in the Texas House for 10 years where I've had to work [22:10] with Republicans to get good things done for Texans. Working with the president will be no different. [22:15] I'm happy to work with the president or whomever to accomplish good things for Texans, to make the [22:22] lives of Texans easier. Texans work hard. They deserve a government that is working for them and [22:27] that will deliver for them. And that's why I'm running for governor, so that we can be a government [22:32] in Texas that is delivering for the people who pay for it. And that's the taxpayers. And right now, [22:37] we are all paying into a system that is working against us in Texas. It is full of grift. [22:44] There has been, after 30 years, one party control and 12 years of one governor, [22:48] just a lot of corruption in the system. I'm running to secure the American dream by saving [22:54] Texas schools and putting money in your pocket. And you can learn more about it at Ginafortexas.com. [22:59] Let me ask you about another major issue, data centers. You've made this a major focus [23:03] of your campaign, state representative. I want to play something the president said [23:08] while he was with tech leaders about plans to make data centers work better within their [23:13] communities. Take a listen. I'm going to get your reaction on the other side. [23:16] They're going to work to make the community happy. That might be supplying oil and gas. It might be [23:25] supplying education. It may be helping teachers along financially, helping people along financially. [23:31] If data centers were, in fact, mandated to provide economic benefits to communities, [23:37] would you support more data centers coming to Texas? Would that be enough for you? [23:41] Listen, the devil's in the details. Right now, there are no laws to protect Texans. And it is [23:50] the wild west of data centers. There has been this mad rush, a gold rush, if you will, of data [23:55] centers into Texas, invited into Texas by the richest tax, with the richest tax breaks in the [24:00] country that Greg Abbott signed into law. And so there are all these pie in the sky ideas about what [24:05] data centers can bring. We need a call. We need to have an emergency legislative session to pass laws to [24:11] protect Texans. Everything else is talk. Talk is cheap. We need real action to protect Texans. [24:18] You have been attacked by your opponent as being too woke. You did come out. You responded with this [24:24] ad. I'm going to play a little bit of that ad and talk about it with you on the other side. Take a look. [24:28] They want to run an entire campaign saying that I'm too woke. Let's roll. I plan to spend an entire [24:34] campaign focused on the fact that working people are too broke. That's the difference. I'm Gina [24:39] Hinojosa. My pronouns are mom, Texan, and soon to be governor. You know, it's a very different [24:46] approach than we saw last election cycle for many Democrats when Republicans leaned into cultural [24:51] issues. Did you think that Democrats were unprepared for that fight? Do you think you found the right [24:58] messaging, or could this be one of those issues that sinks campaigns? Listen, in 2026, nobody has [25:07] the luxury of fighting culture wars, but it's all Greg Abbott's got because his record is trash, frankly. [25:14] And so what I'm saying in that ad is you can't hurt me with the culture wars. Nobody cares. In 2026, [25:20] people want a government that is back to basics, just delivering basic services for the people of [25:27] Texas. We need a government that recognizes how hard Texans are struggling and that will do everything [25:34] in our power to deliver relief. And that is my agenda. And so that's what that ad's about. We're [25:41] not going to be, we're not going to be distracted with the culture wars in 2026. People are tired of [25:47] fighting them. People want leaders who focus on the serious business of making their lives easier. [25:52] Very quickly, I want to go back to something that you brought up, which is the cash advantage that [25:57] Governor Abbott has. Do you feel like National Democrats are investing enough in your race? [26:05] Listen, there's no doubt that playing in Texas is playing at the high rollers table. And there is a [26:11] high price of admission to play, but that's because the payout is so large. We know they're going to [26:17] try to redistrict next year in Texas. They'll eliminate five seats from Congress, five Democrats from [26:22] Congress out of Texas when that happens. Two years later with the census, they'll eliminate another [26:27] four to five seats from Congress because we're gaining more seats than other states through the [26:32] census. Do you think National Democrats should be spending more on your race? [26:36] There's no question. If we're not playing at the high rollers table in 2026, then what are we even [26:41] doing? This is our best chance in a generation to win. And I think people are frustrated with the [26:48] National Democratic Party for playing it safe. This is not the time to play it safe. Again, we won't have [26:54] a chance like this again in a generation. We've been dealt a phenomenal hand. Polls show. Latest polling [27:00] has us leading. This is a neck and neck race. We can win. And that's why I'm so excited to be running [27:07] for governor in 2026. It's been an honor to do so. People are excited and people want change. [27:12] All right. Well, we are going to track it very closely. State Representative Gina Hinojosa, [27:18] thank you so very much for your time. We really appreciate it. [27:22] Thank you. Appreciate it. [27:24] And coming up next, what we know and still don't know about yesterday's midair crisis after one [27:30] pilot stabbed the other, sending the Israel bound jet into a free fall before passengers and crew [27:36] miraculously regained control. That story's next on Meet the Press Now. [27:40] Welcome back. Saudi Arabian officials say both pilots involved in yesterday's midair incident on [27:56] a flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv have been transferred to the United Arab Emirates as new [28:02] details and video emerge of that terrifying incident, which Israel's defense minister calls [28:07] an attempted act of jihadist terror. We do want to warn you that some of the images you are about to [28:13] see are graphic. It's hard to watch that. This is a passenger's video from on board the fly Dubai flight [28:25] as it was plummeting more than 14,000 feet in just 30 seconds. As according to Israeli officials, [28:31] one pilot stabbed another pilot and tried to crash the plane. A group of passengers and other crew [28:37] members managed to subdue the alleged attacker and retake control of the aircraft. Just extraordinary. [28:44] This video shows the wounded pilot who was attacked covered with blood. You can see the other pilot in [28:50] the background being detained by passengers as well. The plane was eventually diverted to Saudi Arabia [28:56] where it did land safely. Again, miraculously, NBC News national law enforcement and intelligence [29:02] correspondent Tom Winter joins me now. Tom, it's really remarkable to see those images. Talk to us [29:08] about what investigators are really zeroing in on right now. [29:11] Yeah, I think they're really tearing through this individual, this pilot or co-pilot that stabbed the [29:17] other pilot. He's an individual of Omani descent. This is somebody who they have a lot of information [29:24] on, a lot of background information on, and apparently some concerning social media posts. [29:29] There's some other things in his background that I think in hindsight are going to really warrant the [29:33] attention of authorities here and are going to be some pretty serious questions have been raised [29:36] about this individual. In the near term, hopefully they've gotten access to the cockpit voice recorder. [29:43] I mean, thankfully, obviously that plane is intact. That's the good news. Certainly first and foremost [29:48] for the passengers, but great for investigators too, Kristen, because they'll be able to look at that [29:52] CVR, as it's called, and listen to it to hear what was being said in that cockpit leading up to that [29:58] moment where the stabbing and attack occurred. That could be very helpful as far as what the suspect in [30:04] this said, the other pilot. There could also be some additional information that we would get out [30:09] of this in terms of other background information. So all of that will be potentially quite helpful [30:15] here. You see those families hugging and it's just so incredibly emotional. We know, Tom, the flight [30:20] originated from the United Arab Emirates. It was bound for Israel, but then it was diverted. It landed [30:26] in Saudi Arabia. So who leads this investigation, Tom? It's a great question. Apparently we're told [30:32] technically it's being done by the United Arab Emirates. They are the ones that licensed the [30:37] pilots for fly Dubai. Certainly Saudi Arabia has an interest. This incident occurred in their [30:42] airspace. The plan landed on their soil. And then the Israelis certainly have an interest in the [30:47] investigation. They have an interest from an intelligence standpoint. We haven't heard anything [30:51] one way or the other from people we've spoken to about whether or not there's a tie here to Iran, [30:57] given this individuals from Oman and the ties between those two countries, which are a little [31:03] bit murky, but not non-existent. So that's a question that we have as well. We have a question [31:09] as far as, and to be clear, the president has raised this possibility, but nobody we've talked to has said [31:16] that there is a connection between the two. Obviously that's something they're going to look into. [31:20] Those are questions that we have and questions that they have in this investigation. [31:24] Yeah, no doubt. Tom, what kind of screening process do pilots in this country go through [31:30] before they can be allowed to fly? Well, they have to go through medical examinations. That [31:35] includes, by the way, a psychiatric investigation and at least a mental health check. That's done [31:41] for pilots under 40 every year. For pilots over the age of 40, that's done every six months. So [31:47] that's just part of the process. It's the same thing, by the way, if you're the version of the FAA [31:53] that's in the United Arab Emirates, they have similar qualifications from a health standpoint. [31:59] And most pilots can get through screening, frankly, quite easily because they're known as known [32:04] travelers. And Tom, very quickly, you also have an update on that incident near a UK military base [32:10] used by the US, another arrest in the case. What are you hearing? [32:14] Yeah. So Vicki Evans, who's the coordinator for the counterterrorism police in England, [32:19] been pronouncing today that they've got somebody that has been arrested. He's in his late 20s. He's [32:23] a dual UK Iranian citizen. They're questioning a 26-year-old as well. They executed two search [32:29] warrants in the Westminster borough of London today. So this investigation is still very hot. I'm [32:35] watching this very closely. It's significant. Yesterday, the British prime minister came out [32:39] and said that they believe Iran had a tie to this. The question is, what were they actually doing? [32:44] Three vans. They found some petrol, as they say, some gasoline inside of them. What were they [32:50] ultimately up to? And what sparked that phone call from one of the five at 1245 AM that obviously led [32:57] to a huge police response? So a lot of questions about that investigation. Not getting a lot of [33:02] details from British law enforcement. And that makes sense, given the sensitivities of the [33:07] investigation there. Awful lot unfolding worldwide. A lot of ties back to the Middle East, [33:12] obviously, Kristen. All right, Tom Winter with some really important information there. Tom, [33:17] thank you so very much. Coming up after the break, lawmakers head home to ramp up their [33:22] reelection campaigns, heading into the midterms. We'll dive into the record this Congress is running [33:27] on. Don't go anywhere. This is Meet the Press Now. Welcome back. A little more than a month before [33:37] voters elect the next Congress, most of the work of the current Congress is over. The House and Senate [33:43] have both headed home, and they won't be back until after the midterms. NBC News senior national [33:48] political reporter Sahil Kapoor joins me now from the big board. Sahil, great to have you here. So [33:53] members are back home just about a month before the midterms. What kind of record, Sahil, does this [33:59] Congress have to run on? That's right, Kristen. The Senate is gone. The House is gone. We're not going [34:03] to see them until after the midterms. So it's a good time to take stock of the 119th Congress. More than [34:09] 19,000 bills introduced. That is a lot. But none of it matters unless they pass the House, [34:13] unless they pass the Senate, unless they get signed into law by the president. How many of [34:17] these bills have actually become law? 119. That is a low number. In fact, that is less than 1% [34:24] of all bills that have passed have gotten signed into law during this Congress. Let's take a look at [34:30] how that stacks up historically. During Joe Biden's second two years, he signed more than twice that many [34:35] bills. During his first two years, he signed more than three times that many bills. How about Donald [34:39] Trump? Again, the reference point is 119. Donald Trump signed over 200 more bills in his second [34:45] two years, signed over 300 more bills in his first two years. And this is the apples to apples because [34:50] these are the trifectas, Democrats in full control here, Republicans in full control here. These tend [34:55] to do more, these Congresses, than these Congresses, which are divided government. Now to the historical [35:00] comparison. By the way, 119 bills in the 119th Congress, that's just a neat coincidence. [35:05] Look at that symmetry. [35:06] Over here, we see the high watermark. That's 804 during Jimmy Carter. Another flashpoint. This [35:12] was Bill Clinton and Newt Gingrich. Kind of the dawn of modern ideological polarization. [35:16] Yet another flashpoint. This is around the time Mitch McConnell came to power as Senate minority [35:21] leader, sort of normalized the use of the 60-vote filibuster rule in the Senate, which was rare for [35:26] the most controversial bills. Now it's common for just about everything. You see the impact of this [35:30] fewer and fewer bills becoming law. Now, the reason this matters, the reason this 119 matters, [35:36] Republicans will argue that they've done a lot more in fewer bills, such as President Trump's [35:41] One Big Beautiful Bill, where they packed in trillions of dollars in tax breaks and spending [35:45] increases on things like defense into one bill. So number of bills doesn't automatically correlate [35:51] to productivity. But again, the reason this matters is that Republicans would have much rather [35:55] it be higher. So they would have something to go home and to campaign on regarding accomplishments [36:00] on AI, on data centers, on crypto, on stock trading. They've not been able to get that done [36:06] at the end of the day. Now, this number will go up in the lame duck session when they come back. [36:10] But the next lowest is 274. They're not going to come anywhere near that number. This will go down [36:16] by the numbers as the most unproductive Congress in modern American history, Kristen. [36:19] Wow. Part of the story, Zahil, is the extent to which they weren't in session. Walk us through [36:25] that part of the story. Yeah, absolutely. Let's first start with the basic function of Congress. [36:29] Their most important job is to fund the government, to keep the lights on. Instead, we're witnessing a [36:34] dark age of government shutdowns. Two of the top two longest government shutdowns in American history [36:39] have happened just in the last two years. How does that stack up historically? Total 122 days. [36:43] And if you look at the last half century before that, 52 years, we had a total of 161 days in a [36:51] government shutdown. It's taken two years to get to 122 days in a government shutdown. Now, [36:58] in terms of days in session, 295 days that the House has been in session, how does that stack up [37:02] historically? It's the lowest number since the 114th Congress, which was President Obama's last two [37:08] years heading into the 2016 election. After two terms of that presidency, Congress largely peaced out. [37:13] They were pretty much spent on legislating. They decided they wanted to spend more time on the [37:17] campaign trail. But it all boils down to, Kristen, Republican leaders in the House will argue [37:20] fairly enough that days in session doesn't automatically correlate to productivity. [37:25] But still, it doesn't change the fact that this is what it all boils down to. [37:29] Republicans are going home with this number, a historically low number, [37:33] a historically sluggish Congress goes home to campaign for the midterms. [37:36] It's just extraordinary to see all of those historical comparisons. Just fascinating stuff. [37:42] Sahil, thank you so very much for that. Really appreciate it. While most members of Congress [37:46] have left Washington, some Democrats are still in town this morning, joining veterans and [37:52] preservationists in protecting President Trump's plan to build a triumphal arch between the Lincoln [37:57] Memorial and Arlington National Cemetery. Critics calling the proposed 250-foot arch an obscenity [38:04] that would interfere with other historic landmarks in the area. Congressional Democrats also arguing [38:10] that Congress must approve its construction. [38:12] We are a democratic republic. Do we stand for our constitution? Do we stand for our freedom? [38:19] Do we stand for our democracy? We don't want this march to be built that is a symbol of everything [38:26] contrary to that. It is a symbol of a dictatorship. And we are going to reject Trump despite his [38:34] efforts to be a strong man. My father lays at rest in the cemetery. One day, I will lay at rest in the [38:42] cemetery, as will my husband. How dare, how dare this coward erect a monument to his own vanity, [38:51] his own ego, covered in the same fake gold, and he's plastered all over the Oval Office and [38:56] his potential Marie Antoinette ballroom. We are not going to let him get away with it. [39:03] Video there of that protest of the arch. NBC News Chief Washington Correspondent Andrea Mitchell joins [39:09] me now. Andrea, thank you so much for being here. There's been a lot of, in addition to the protest, [39:13] legal back and forth over this arch. What's the status right now? How quickly could this actually [39:19] be built? Well, the judge has said that he, that the president, the administration has to give them [39:24] 14 days notice before building, that they can do some archaeological studies. We don't know what that [39:29] really means, but no construction and is very wary because of the bulldozing of the East Room, [39:36] the cutting down of 150 trees in East Potomac Park and at the golf course. But the White House has [39:42] proved that it has been very adept at getting around some of these judicial orders. No doubt about it, [39:48] Andrea. And notably, part of the president's argument, he's saying this is going to be a part of a [39:54] military complex. Break that down. What does that mean? How's that argument being received? [39:59] This is a new argument. And he found with the ballroom, or at least his administration found [40:04] that with the ballroom, once he described it as a national security issue, he got more leeway with [40:10] the judge. So they, 10 days ago on Truth Social on a weekend, he, for the first time, suggested that the [40:17] arch was a military complex with snipers and drones and ammo. And frankly, there's no obvious military [40:26] reason for it because Fort Myer with ammo and all of that, and plenty of weapons, is right across the [40:33] bridge, a stone's throw away. But, and this is a middle of a traffic circle with tourists, right, [40:40] bordering on Arlington National Cemetery. The main argument against it is its height. And he first [40:46] saw L'Arc de Théomph in Paris on Bastille Day in 2017. And after that, wanted this arch and wants [40:53] it to be taller. And this will be taller than the arch in Paris on the Champs-Élysées. And it will be [41:00] taller than the Lincoln Memorial, which is offending a lot of the preservations. But it's really the [41:04] military. You saw Tammy Duckworth, a double amputee from Iraq. Her father's buried there. [41:09] She said, she will be buried there. Her husband. And she's, you know, profoundly upset about this. [41:14] Well, the images of the protests tell the tale of the opposition the president is facing. Andrea [41:20] Mitchell, I know you're going to continue to stay on top of it. Thank you so much for being here. [41:24] Appreciate that update. We have much more to get to with today's panel after a very quick break. [41:29] Keep it right here on Meet the Press now. Welcome back. Joining me now is our panel, [41:39] Shelby Talcott, White House correspondent for Semaphore. Ashley Etienne, [41:43] who served as communications director for Vice President Harris and a Meet the Press contributor, [41:48] and Mark Bednar, Republican strategist and principal at Monument Advocacy. Thank you all so much for [41:54] being here. So I have to start with you, Shelby. Here we have President Trump kicking off this kind [42:00] of homestretch campaign tour, notably in a lot of red states, Oklahoma, Alabama, Ohio, Nebraska, [42:07] states where he won in some cases by double digits. Texas. I left Texas off the list. What do you make [42:13] of this strategy? What does it say about this moment that we're in? So it's confused. Some of these states [42:18] have confused some Republicans. I think some of the states are now in play, and that's why the president [42:23] is going to them, because they are competitive. But there are some states like Alabama, where I've [42:28] heard from Republicans who are wondering, why Alabama? And the argument I've heard from those [42:34] who's involved in this sort of month-long spree that the president is going to go on is that these [42:40] rallies in places like Alabama and places like Oklahoma hit multiple media markets because they [42:46] are near other states that are competitive, like Florida, like Texas. I've heard from other people who [42:52] are close to the White House who argue that that's not a legitimate enough reason that it is a way for [42:58] the president to get big rallies. But that's the thinking as to why, for example, he's hitting up [43:04] Alabama and Oklahoma. Fascinating and great reporting. Mark, I want to play a little bit of [43:10] what Senator John Cornyn had to say to my colleague, Sahil Kapoor. Sahil was just here, who pressed him on the [43:17] state of play in the Texas Senate race, of course, between Ken Paxton and James Tallarito. Take a look. [43:23] It's a tough environment, period. And I think it's a very competitive race. I don't know what's going [43:32] to happen, but we haven't elected a Democrat since before 1994 in Texas. And I think we're at risk. [43:41] Do you believe you'd still be in this situation if you were the nominee? [43:45] I do not. [43:48] Boy, that was pretty blunt. I do not. Now, obviously, Cornyn ran against Paxton in a runoff and in [43:54] the primary and lost after President Trump endorsed Ken Paxton. So there are not a lot of warm feelings [44:01] there. But what do you make of what Senator Cornyn said? And what are you watching for? [44:07] Well, I don't put a lot of stock into that. You have the primary loser being the prognosticator and [44:11] then saying, oh, I would have been better had I won, had I won the primary. Well, then when you're [44:16] primary. So I kind of discount that generally. Does that make up for the fact that Texas is competitive [44:22] and that we're going to have to spend a lot of time and energy and resources there? [44:26] That's absolutely the case. And President Trump being focused there, that's a good thing. And [44:29] it's also heartening to see that Republican dollars from MAGA Inc. and other entities, [44:35] they're flowing to Texas. They're flowing to these competitive states. And that's going to be a good [44:39] way to make sure that Republican enthusiasm, that matches where it needs to be come election day. [44:43] Well, MAGA dollars are far outspending in these races. Democrats, I spoke to Janina Hossa [44:51] about that. She had a very strong message, actually, to Democrats nationally. She thinks [44:56] they should be spending more on her race. James Tallarico facing similar headwinds in that regard. [45:02] What do you make of that? And how much could the cash dash play into it? [45:08] No, I think Gina is absolutely right. We need to make investments in these particular states that [45:14] we could possibly flip. I think Texas is more, Paxton is more vulnerable than I've ever seen any [45:20] Republican in my home state of Texas. You've got the first time ever where the Republican governor [45:25] and the Republican president are underwater in a red state like Texas. Tallarico is far outpacing [45:31] Paxton in terms of fundraising dollars. You've got a record turnout in the primary among Democratic [45:37] voters. So Democratic voters in the state are more enthusiastic about turning out. And this is why I [45:43] think you see Donald Trump going to these red states. His primary focus is that I think he [45:47] understands his weaknesses with his base right now, that he's got to raise enthusiasm among his base [45:52] because, you know, voters or Democrats are outpacing him and have an advantage over Republicans [45:58] in that regard. And I would say the second sort of reality, the reason why he's going to those states [46:03] is if you're playing defense, you don't have the space to play offense. And to me, that says you [46:08] can only play in those red states. You can't go to a place like Michigan and all these other [46:12] competitive states. He's going to a lot more states. This is just the first slog in the next [46:17] upcoming week. It's going to be geographically, ideologically diverse. He's going to be going [46:21] all across. Absolutely. But where you start says a lot about where you currently are. And the fact that [46:26] you're starting in red states says that you've got a problem with your own base. And so, [46:30] so I think that's that's that's got to be the concern for the president. [46:33] You agree with that? Well, Texas is an incredible priority just to get get that ramped up. But also [46:39] the rallies, it's more than just having big crowds and funny punchlines and attacking Democrats. [46:44] You also get voter data. You get the opportunity to get their phone numbers, their emails. You turn [46:48] voters into potential donors. You get people to then knock on doors, do do direct mail, do other [46:53] things that this is a really good way to galvanize. It's it's a good campaign tactic that the [46:58] president's doing here. All right. I want to talk to you all about this interview that President [47:01] Trump did with time. Shelby, let me start with you. A couple of headlines that came out of it. He was [47:08] very robust when it came to attacking a number of institutions that he regretted that the Supreme [47:15] Court justices that he has put on the bench because they vote against him too often. He took aim at the [47:23] Federal Reserve. He said, only I can save the Kennedy Center. And then he ended the interview [47:29] with an expletive saying, you haven't asked me one blank positive question. What does this say [47:35] about the president's state as he enters this homestretch with the goal of energizing Republicans [47:41] to get out and vote? I thought it was a really enlightening interview for that reason. It sort of [47:46] gives you a little bit of insight into how this president, this is his second year, this is his second [47:51] term in office. He is two years in his two years left before really nobody knows what's going to [47:58] happen to the Republican Party. And nobody knows if he's still going to be sort of the king of the [48:03] party. Right. And so I think that interview showed me how he's sort of dealing with all of those [48:10] realities. And it oftentimes displays displays itself in going after the press more and focusing [48:17] more on his projects here in Washington, D.C. As we've reported, he has become increasingly [48:22] sort of obsessed with remaking Washington, D.C. and leaving a legacy for himself. One of the really [48:28] notable things I also thought came out of that interview was his comments about A.I. and the [48:32] idea of potentially taking a government stake in some of these companies. I think that's something [48:37] really forward looking to watch. Pretty, pretty fascinating. Mark, what were your takeaways? [48:42] Just the breadth and his capability to just go topic by topic by topic, you know, from Venezuela [48:47] to Iran. And in addition to, you know, all those more confrontational topics that you mentioned, [48:51] but the fact that he's engaging with the press this way, you know, even, you know, when you have [48:56] spirited conversations with him, you know, that's always, you know, as a Republican, that's it's really [49:00] good to see our president engaging with the press in that way. Actually. Yeah. For me, I think the most [49:05] startling thing is that he's, he would not rule out declaring a state of emergency around the [49:10] elections, uh, that he says that he's not thought about sending ice to these polling locations, [49:14] which I don't believe. So for me, that says that the president is still very focused on how to rig [49:20] this next set of elections. All right. Well, we are out of time, but this is a great conversation. [49:26] Thank you all so very much. Really appreciate it. Shelby, Ashley, and Mark, we are back tomorrow [49:31] with more meet the press. Now there is much more ahead on NBC news now. [49:35] We thank you for watching and remember, stay updated on breaking news and top stories on the NBC [49:58] news app or watch live on our YouTube channel.