Meet the Press NOW — February 23

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Welcome to Meet the Press Now. I'm Kristen Welker in Washington, where President Trump is defiant and threatening even higher tariffs worldwide after the Supreme Court ruled his signature tariff agenda was unconstitutional. It comes as new polling shows voters increasingly unhappy with his agenda just one day before he delivers the State of the Union address. Today, the European Union hit the brakes on a sweeping trade deal, citing uncertainty on the U.S. side after President Trump imposed a temporary 15% global tariff over the weekend, raising it from the 10% he announced Friday. The president also claiming on social media today, he does not need Congress's approval on tariffs despite the high court's ruling that he does. Meanwhile, top administration officials are pledging to keep the tariff agenda front and center in the White House's economic agenda. A lot of tariffs are still in place. The reality is we want to maintain the policy we have, have as much continuity as possible, make sure that business understands this is the direction we've been going. We're going to continue going this way. I can tell you at Treasury, contrary to what the committee for an irresponsible budget or whatever it's called says, tariff revenue will be unchanged this year and will be unchanged in the future. We... Do not be the administration, the president does not need Congress to move the tariff revenue back up. Now, this all comes as a new Washington Post ABC News, Ipsis poll, finds the president's approval on a host of key issues underwater with inflation and tariffs topping the list. His overall job approval rating at just 41% among registered voters. Voters also saying he has gone beyond his authority as president, including 72% of independent voters. The president is preparing to make his pitch to the American public tomorrow night. that the state of the union and the state of the presidency are strong, according to officials, previewing that speech this morning at a White House event focused on immigration. We have a country that's now doing well. We have the greatest economy we've ever had. We have the most activity we've ever had. I'm making a speech tomorrow night, and you'll be hearing me say that. I mean, it's going to be a long speech because we have so much to talk about. Joining me now is our NBC News team, Monica Alba at the White House. Julie Serke has the very latest from Capitol Hill. And also with me is senior business correspondent Christine Romans. Thanks to all of you for starting us off. Monica, let me start with you at the White House and tariffs, of course, the centerpiece of the president's economic agenda. The administration is pursuing tariffs under a different authority after the Supreme Court ruled that the president could not unilaterally impose tariffs. What is the likelihood, though, Monica, that the administration will end up back in court over this?

I think it's highly likely, Kristen, and I think there were many officials here who were bracing for the possibility of this major setback that we saw play out on Friday. But it was the president himself who didn't want to seem to embrace that reality until it actually happened. And then he did try to pivot to these so-called backup plans and alternatives. And that is why he is trying to pursue what was originally a 10% tariff that now he says he is going to raise up to 15%. But that is a short-term plan. He can do that for about 150 days. And there could be, again, renewed challenges. And you have the president likely to talk about this tomorrow evening. And that is what really sets the stage for what will be perhaps a remarkable speech where the president is going to be sitting facing some of the Supreme Court justices who may have ruled against him. They typically attend. It's unclear whether all of them will be there. But that is what the optics will be for tomorrow evening. content of the speech. The White House says that this is a president who doesn't like to prep very much. And so they likely are going over the speech today and tomorrow, but still working through some of the themes and some of the exact substance of what the president is going to be talking about. But you can expect for sure a pretty lengthy section on the economy, Kristen. I think that's a very good bet. And Republicans hoping he will focus largely on the economy. Monica, let me ask you, because this is not just about his domestic agenda. It's really about his foreign policy agenda as well, right? Absolutely. And the White House in the last couple of days announcing and confirming that the president is going to be heading to China in early April, where if this hadn't happened, he was hoping to have a lot more leverage in some of his negotiations with President Xi Jinping. That won't be the case. We'll see what the tariff landscape looks like when we get there in a month or so from now. But certainly this does have a really important implication for his foreign policy, again, not just with China and with... those trade conversations and negotiations. But you're seeing other countries as well. You're seeing the EU as a whole potentially pause the trade agreement that had been going on between the United States and the EU and other countries saying similarly that given the instability and given the uncertainty of where this is headed, that they are rethinking some of their talks, deals and negotiations with the United States too, Kristen. Absolutely. Monica, Alba, stay with us. We have more questions for you coming up. But Julie, let me. turn to you on Capitol Hill because President Trump is basically arguing he does not need Congress's approval in order to impose tariffs, even though the Supreme Court says yes, he does in fact need Congress's approval. What's the reaction been to that on Capitol Hill, Julie? It depends, Kristen, who you ask. You have at least a handful of Republicans, some who voted to rebuke the president's tariffs several months ago. Others who didn't vote to do that, but sided with the Supreme Court's decision to essentially block the president from enforcing and imposing these tariffs that we've seen him do over the last several months. I just spoke to Senator Bernie Moreno, who was in town despite the Senate and the House being out because of the inclement weather. He's the Republican who is pushing a reconciliation effort, meaning he wants Republicans to use that partisan tool.

that we saw them use so effectively last summer to try and move a bill forward with only Republican votes. It will be an uphill battle. He potentially doesn't even have the votes to do that. And he said he still has to talk to his leadership. Speaking of leadership, we did catch up with Speaker Johnson to see what he thinks. Take a listen. Mr. Speaker, do you think Congress should take the lead on tariffs now that the Supreme Court has ruled? We're going to wait and see what the administration does with the executive authority. As I've said, it may take a couple weeks to sort all this out, given the Supreme Court opinion, so we'll see. Do you think there's an appetite on the Republican caucus for tariffs? We have a wide range of opinions on the subject, so I think it'd be difficult to build consensus around it. We'll have to see. Are Kyle Stewart there pressing the speaker? Now that wide range of opinions answer is a far cry from having a plan to move forward on the tariffs. Certainly that decision is still split here on Capitol Hill. And Julie, talk about what this speaker effectively was pointing to, which is the tricky politics. I mean, if they were to hold a vote on this, this would put a number of Republicans in a tough spot as the GOP is fighting to hold on to the House, right? And I think that's the underpinnings, exactly, Kristen, of all of this. Republicans that I'm talking to prefer the president focus on his wins so far. Even Moreno said he hopes that tomorrow is a speech the president uses as a victory lap to talk about the border, to talk about the tax bill that I just mentioned, that they passed over the summer. Republicans don't want to get into this conversation again. And by the way, Democrats are eager to have this question of raising prices essentially on Americans because that is what has been happening in many of these key industries so close to a Mitch. term elections is something Republicans, especially conservatives who are very against any kind of tariff policy, don't want to be talking about. And of course, I think that's part of the reason why the president says he doesn't really need Congress at this moment. I think you're absolutely right about that. Julie Sirkin, thank you so much. Stay with us. Monica, let me go back to you. Talk about the State of the Union address. Are you getting any tea leaves? What exactly can we expect to hear from President Trump tomorrow? Well, all he really said there in the introduction you played, Kristen, is that it's going to be long. And we do know if we look at his past speeches, if there are any indication, a year ago when it wasn't technically the State of the Union, it was a joint address before Congress. He spoke an hour and 40 minutes that broke the record for the longest speech of that kind ever. In his first term, he certainly delivered speeches that were around an hour, an hour, and 20 minutes. So we'll see what he has in store for tomorrow evening. But what we are all really... watching for a couple of sections, of course. One would be a foreign policy section that might or might not include his latest thinking on Iran and whether there are any updated calculations that he is willing to share with the American people or rationale for making a decision about possible military action there. And then, of course, there are major questions about what the president is going to say on other domestic priorities, like immigration and just where he wants to take some of the Republican messaging. from here ahead of the midterms. Kristen. All right. Monica, I have to ask you to continue to stick around because I have more I need to discuss with you. But Julie, let me head back to you quickly on Capitol Hill. So we know that there are some Democrats who are planning to skip the state of the union tomorrow. Do we have a headcount? How many are not going to be there, roughly speaking? And what's the message? What's the strategy here? Could it backfire?

It could certainly backfire. We've seen this back and forth, depending on which president is at the dais, giving this speech. We've seen jeers from Republicans, from Democrats' interruptions. Last year, of course, as you heard Monica talk about, it was, of course, President Trump here. And so you had Democrats that interrupted, that jeered, that appeared rude at times when the president was there. And so I'm told that leadership is telling them to take a different strategy. They always try to enforce this idea of decorum. But I know that some Democrats who are attending are going to bring. guests with them. This is a moment for lawmakers to sort of highlight their own policy avenues in this case by bringing guests with them. So some Democrats like Ro Khanna, for example, Kristen, is bringing a survivor of Epstein's horrific crimes. Others are bringing those impacted by the ICE immigration enforcement operations. But I'm also told some Republicans plan to highlight the issue of immigration and maybe some disagreements with the administration as well. All right, Julie Circuit, thank you so much. I'll be watching and listening very closely, Julie. Thank you so much for that. Christine Romans. Let me turn to you now. The economy is going to be such a central part of this speech as I was just discussing with Monica and Julia. So what... Do you think the president needs to do? Given the fact that his approval rating, 47% of voters say they disapprove of his handling of the economy, that it's gotten worse since he took office in 2025. What's the reality check there? Well, you know, the president is really keen on superlatives about the economy. It is red hot. It was ice cold last year. That it is the best economy in the world, that he has brought it back from the brink of extinction under Joe Biden. look honestly when you look at the numbers you can see this economy has a lot of new elements But it is not really that different from last year. Look at GDP. It was actually stronger under the last year of the Biden administration. Job growth this year, or last year, only 181,000 net new jobs. Look at the job growth difference as the president does mass deportations and tariffs and just so many different things in the economy that are his trademark. The deficit has improved slightly, but the goods deficit in the U.S. is still a record in 2025. has improved a little bit, but pretty much the same. And he talks about all these records in the stock market. The last year of the Biden administration, the stock market returned better than the first year of the Trump administration. He's very good at branding. But I think that what he keeps saying about the economy is not what you're seeing in these approval ratings. Just fascinating to see that match up, Christine. Another number that we're looking at from the polls showed some daylight between his approval on inflation versus the economy. Overall, talk a little bit about the implications of that.

So in order to neutralize him, they did shoot and kill him. And we are learning, just according to law enforcement sources, a little bit more about this individual, a young man from North Carolina, according to these sources, who had been reported missing by his mother over the weekend. And of course, Kristen, as you know, this just comes against a backdrop of an increase in political violence, in threats. And certainly, the president is no stranger to assassination attempts that he saw. several of in 2024. Kristen. Monica Alba covering multiple different angles for us. Monica, thank you so much for starting us off. We really appreciate it. Great to see you. Coming up, all eyes on Iran, the White House is now warning Iran could be one week away from having industrial-grade nuclear bomb-making material, despite the president's claims months ago that the U.S. had obliterated Iran's nuclear facilities. Plus, Americans stranded as a powerful cartel unleashes a wave of violence across Mexico after its leader is killed by the Mexican military. With the U.S.'s help. Stay with us. You're watching Meet the Press now.

Hey there, it's Stephen Dubner, host of Freakonomics Radio, and we have just made a new show, a TV talk show. It's called Better In Person. We have the kind of guests you don't see on every other show, and we have the kind of conversations you don't hear anywhere. Frank? I'm like, yes, chef. Be one with the pork. You have the opportunity to make this little corner of the world into your ideal world, your dream world. You can watch better in person on the Freakonomics YouTube channel. You'll find a new episode there every week. This is how a conversation works. Summer means firing up the grill, getting together with friends, and making the most of the weekends. Total Wine and More is my first stop. Whether it's Celsius and ready to serve cocktails with a cooler or a good bottle of bourbon. Everything I need is at Total Wine. With the lowest prices, it's easy to stock up for whatever the weekend brings, and I can get everything I need in one stop. Shop Total Wine and More and get ready for your next summer party. Spears are not sold in Virginia or North Carolina. Drink responsibly must be 21. The GLP1 pill you've been waiting for is now on row. Yep, it's finally here with the same clinically proven ingredient. Now in a pill. And now on row. It's the first FDA approved GLP1 pill for weight loss. At the lowest price available, that's one daily GLP1 pill for big results. Now on row. Go to row.com slash listen to see if you qualify. RX only go to road.co slash safety for serious side effects and boxed warning associated with GLP ones. Welcome back. The U.S. and Iran are set to hold their next round of nuclear talks on Thursday. It comes as the Mideast is bracing for the possibility of U.S. strikes as the Pentagon continues to surge assets to the region. Yesterday, Iran's... President said recent talks have yielded encouraging signals, but added Iran continues to closely monitor U.S. actions and has made all necessary preparations for any potential scenario. Meanwhile, U.S. Special Envoy, Steve Witkoff, said in an interview with Fox News, President Trump is curious why Iran has yet to agree to U.S. demands that it stop its enrichment program, especially given the U.S. military buildup. Steve Witkoff also revealing new details about the U.S. assessment. of Iran's nuclear program. The president has, he gave Jared and I direction before we went over there. There were red lines. Zero enrichment. We have to have the material back. You know, they say that it's all about their civil program, and yet they've been enriching well beyond the number that you need for... for civil nuclear. It's up to 60%. They're probably a week away from having industrial grade bomb-making material. And that's really dangerous.

Now, those comments represent a significant shift from the White House's claims just eight months ago when it said, quote, Iran's nuclear facilities have been obliterated and suggestions otherwise are just, quote, fake news. Joining me now is NBC News, senior national security correspondent Courtney Kubi. So, court, let's start off by just setting the scene of where we are right now. What do you think President Trump's latest thinking is on this? So nobody knows except for President Trump, right? And I think one thing that we have learned over the last several years from his first term until now is that in some cases it's really the last person in the room. What we know that we can see, the tangible things that we can see are the military is continuing to flow forces into the region. So this buildup is not over yet. And it's not going to be over yet today or tomorrow. They are still moving people and forces in. The Gerald R. Ford, the second carrier strike group that was. moving in. It's in Suda, so it's not in the Middle East. Now, it's not that far from Iran that's closer than it was in Southcom, but it's still not quite there. So the buildup continues. That being said, if in fact the president were to decide to take a very limited, targeted strike, everything he needs is there. What is still lacking, though, for a limited strike, that is for the offensive piece of it, the defensive side. There is still some concern. The U.S. used a ton of air defense systems against the Houthis, against Iran, all these things, and those stockpiles have not been completely refilled. So you take me to my next question, which is, is the United States prepared for the possibility if there were to be a strike? a counterattack from Iranian proxies. And it's not just the United States, because most likely if there were a proxy attack, or frankly, even if big Iran were decided to respond in some way, as we have seen, it could be U.S. allies that would have to be doing some of that defending as well. So, you know, potentially Al-UD., that's been a target in the past, so Qatar. Yes, they have defenses all over the place at land, at sea. That being said, and even in the air in some cases, that being said, they have been depleted over the last two years. And the stockpiles are not where they once were. So there is some concern that if Iran were to really go all out and really unleash everything they have, there would be casualties. And a number of the president's allies deeply concerned about getting ensnared in Middle East war, everything he campaigned against. Court, I have to ask you about this extraordinary assignment. You went to Alaska. to get an up-close view of the military's training for cold weather conflicts. Tell me what you saw. What were your key takeaways? Yeah, so, I mean, for two decades, I covered the military in the desert. And so this was a huge departure from most of the kind of coverage I've done of the military. And I think the biggest thing I learned was just how much more difficult it is to operate in the kind of conditions that you see there on the screen. Negative 30 degrees. crippling winds, very little sunlight. Everything is more difficult when you're dealing with these conditions as these men and women you see in uniform are there. Something so simple as grabbing your weapon with a bare hand without a glove on can cause immediate frostbite. People dehydrate. Everything just moving from place to place is more difficult. So.

I got a real appreciation for how tough it is. And we got to spend some time with the U.S. Army there. One of the generals there, he's the general in charge of the 11th. They were born known as the Arctic Angels. He laid out exactly why it is so difficult for his troops. Here's what he had to say. We can be anywhere to about 90% of the industrialized world in nine and a half hours in any direction, because we have the ability to go over the pole. So in terms of the United States' ability to project power from a strategic location, you have to own Alaska. and you have to have forces that are trained not only to operate in the Arctic, but that are worldwide deployable. Surviving up here is a challenge in and of itself, and so we have to train our soldiers, make sure that they have all the cold weather training prior to coming into this environment. We have to make sure they're properly equipped. We have to make sure that our leaders are engaged and checking on their soldiers, and that they can also do the things that we expect from our infantry formations, which is to close with and destroy the enemy. But you have to be able to do it when it's minus 20, and you're assaulting through waste-deep snow. You know, another big takeaway for me was just how these troops are really trying to innovate. There are so many challenges they face and they're trying to take each one on. Little things like their batteries deplete really fast there. How are they dealing with that? So it was a good learning experience and I feel for those men and women out there in that cold. Well, we appreciate your bringing this story to us. And you can just see how labored it is for these service members to move from point A to point D. Courtney, thank you so much. As always, we really appreciate it. We want to turn now in Mexico. Where the country is on edge following a wave of violence over the weekend after Mexico's army killed the leader of a powerful cartel group known for trafficking huge quantities of fentanyl into the U.S. This was the scene in several cities in Mexico, as cartel members responded forcefully, clashing with Mexican security forces, setting cars on fire and leaving plumes of smoke billowing into the air. The widespread unrest, leaving tourists, including some Americans in cities like Puerto Vallarta, stranded and causing scenes. of panic and chaos at airports. In a statement, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said the U.S. provided intelligence support to assist with the Mexican military's operation. NBC News correspondent, George Solis, is covering that story for us. He joins me now. George, thanks for being here. So what was the situation on the ground like today in Mexico in the wake of that wave of violence over the weekend? Yeah, Kristen, a number of tourists that we've been speaking with, many of them who are still in their hotel rooms saying there is somewhat more calm today, but it's eerie, almost comparing it to the COVID-19 pandemic. Streets are empty. However, it's not to say some images aren't popping up of some normalcy, some stores that are starting to reopen amidst all of that chaos from yesterday. So we're starting to hear reports of long lines at places like grocery stores. For the most part, that shelter and place order for a lot of these hotels and resorts,

Remains in effect, and a lot of tourists are telling us they are heeding the warning, especially one tourist that I spoke with who said he believes he was carjacked by a cartel member during this unrest, saying that this individual pointed a gun at his head, took his vehicle, and he in an attempt to... participate in one of these roadblocks and set the car on fire. He had his partner actually separated for up to about eight hours, he said, before they were able to reunite amidst all of this chaos. Now, we are getting some preliminary reports and images from the airport in Guadalajara today where you're starting to see a lot more activity. And flights, while not canceled, are still... may be rerouted, some maybe delayed, postponed. But there are reports of flights that are still allowed to be scheduled and people who are looking to get out later this week, some who had their visits and stays extended by this unrest that unfolded after the killing of this cartel leader. And George, give us a little bit more. What exactly do we know about this cartel leader? Yeah, so his nickname was El Mencho really started to rise to power there in 2009, the leader of the Halisco New Generation Cartel, known really just for a proliferation of drugs and human trafficking, which is what a lot of these cartels are known for in the region, the U.S. and the Mexican government also wanted. You can see right there. the award there, up to 15 million for his capture. And as you mentioned there, Kristen, the U.S., the White House saying that they provided intelligence, but it's really saying this was a Mexican operation. Today, the military officials that... briefed on this saying it was actually looking like a mistress of his actually provided some information to the Mexican government that ultimately led to his capture, which led them to a compound, which led to a shootout and transport is really where he died. And then shortly after that news broke is when all of these scenes of unrest unfolded, Kristen. Well, just extraordinary scenes there. George Steve Scalise, thank you so much for bringing us the very latest. We really appreciate it. Coming off in Epstein Reckoning, the UK's former ambassador to the U.S. is arrested as Democrats invite survivors to President Trump's State of the Union tomorrow night. You're watching Meet the Press now.

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Welcome back. More fallout today from the Jeffrey Epstein files. Peter Mandelson, the former UK ambassador to the U.S., has been arrested in London on suspicion of misconduct in public office. Mendelssohn has denied any wrongdoing related to Epstein. The arrest coming weeks after police opened a criminal investigation stemming from the Justice Department's latest relief of Epstein-related files, which appear to show Mendelssohn providing Epstein with sensitive government information. And days after former Prince Andrew was arrested, arrested for the same allegation following revelations about his relationship with Epstein. The former prince has also denied any wrongdoing in connection to Epstein. It also comes a day before Epstein survivors are set to attend President Trump's State of the Union address as guests of Democratic lawmakers. Joining me now is today's panel, Francesca Chambers, White House correspondent for USA Today. Arshi Sadiki, Democratic strategist and former senior aide to former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Lonnie Chem. A fellow at the Hoover Institution at Stanford University and an NBC News contributor. Thanks to all of you for being here. Lonnie, let me start with you. Before we get to the substance of the state of the union address, this is going to be looming large over this tomorrow night. How do you see these optics playing out? Well, it's like a storm cloud. It's a storm cloud over a lot of different people. Obviously, the Peter Mandelson revelations indicate at the very least a severe lapse in judgment. And I think this is one of those things where nobody involved is going to, there's nothing good to say about this. And I think the optics are in a similar way, very negative. Obviously, you know, folks are trying to keep this in the news for political reasons. But the more that we discover, the less there is to like about any of this. Hershey, what do you make of this and Democrats' decisions, some of them, to bring survivors tomorrow to the state of the union? Could that backfire? How do you see that playing out? No, I think actually that's the most positive development in terms of this, because I think the survivor piece of this often gets lost because there's so many different layers of this, and some people always deviate to the president. But this is about the survivors and these young women who their lives were really... ruined in many instances. So I think that is a good thing. I also think that there's a big juxtaposition in what's happening abroad in England and the UK. You look at Charles III's statement and you look at how resolute that nobody is above the law. And we just haven't seen that. And I think that's where Democrats are really doubling down is that nobody can be above the law in the U.S. Yeah, Lonnie, I think you're right. It's just going to loom so large over this speech tomorrow. Francesca, I think the issue that will loom largest, arguably, will be the economy. When you talk to Republicans, they say we want the president to focus on the economy, his vision as they fight to hold on to the House. What are you anticipating tomorrow night set the stage for us? Well, I think you're absolutely right that the economy will be the biggest part of the speech. When it comes to other areas of it, I was just told earlier today by a senior White House official that they're still working on it. They're still rewriting it. We might not even get, I think, those traditional excerpts that we've sometimes gotten from presidents in the past because we know that President Donald Trump, he likes to ad lib and add things in. And the last time he gave a joint address to Congress, I mean, they were changing things up until the final moment.

moments before the speech. So I guess that's one way to I guess that's the stage. When it comes to the economy, though, I mean, this comes as we saw two major polls in the last few days, show the president's approval rating lower than 40%. And it got the president's attention. He actually commented on it today at an event at the White House. I mean, he cast it as... not accurate, the polling. He said he actually thinks his polling is higher than 40% and said that he thinks that there's silent approval for his policies. Lonnie. Pick it up there because one of the concerns that Republicans have expressed about the president is when he goes out on these campaign events, for example, to these battleground states. He starts off talking about the economy, but then he quickly veers off course, as Francesca is saying, this speech is still being written and rewritten. Who knows if he will stay on message? What does a win look like for the president for Republicans on Wednesday morning? I think it's addressing the core issues of cost of living and affordability. And the strengths on immigration. I think one of the challenges is that immigration has gone from a point of strength to a potential point of weakness. As we've moved away from border security to internal immigration enforcement, I think it's become an issue that Republicans have been weaker on. And so I think a victory would be focusing entirely on those two issues, and particularly on the cost of living issues, articulating here are the things that the White House and Republicans plan to do to address these concerns. that the president hears those concerns and has a plan to deal with them. Archie, what's your reaction? What do you think Democrats are anticipating? And we know that some are actually saying they're not going to go. And by the way, no one can sit in those seats. So there may be, if in fact some Democrats boycott. empty seats because only members can sit in those seats. Well, I think in town, as we saw this with the Supreme Court ruling on tariffs, I think that drumbeat is going to continue to grow. This is after the ACA enhanced subsidies lapsed, and there hasn't been any sort of relief for Americans on that front. Then you look on tariffs, that would have been very easy after the Supreme Court ruling. It would have been an easy off-ramp, an elegant off-ramp to maybe revisit tariff policy. But the president... did double down. And that goes back to cost of living. So I think not only do we have this overarching trend that the economy is great, that the president keeps on repeating, but also a lot of these policies are making things worse for American families. And the issue of foreign policy, I mean, the economy is the number one issue. But Francesca, foreign policy. is certainly on the minds of a lot of Americans right now, because there's been this discussion and moving these military assets to the Middle East, questions about whether the president's going to strike Iran again. How much do you anticipate he will focus on foreign policy? Well, he's going to want to take a victory lap on Venezuela and the capture of Maduro, and probably those Iran strikes that took place last summer.

With respect to the foreign policy, though, and how Americans are feeling about it, and the Washington Post ABC News Ipsos poll last week, just 35% of Americans approved of the president's foreign policy. So it's not, he's not much better off, I would say, there, when it comes to foreign policy than the economy. And actually right now, the issue that he does pull best on is his handling of the United States border with Mexico. Immigration has consistently been his best issue. And... Arshi, what are you going to be listening for as it relates to foreign policy? Again, it's not the number one issue or even the number two issue for voters, but given the fact that the world is on edge right now, waiting to see what he's going to do on Iran. I mean, whether he's going to go for common ground and a unified front with Congress, because this is a place when you look at Iran, there could be bipartisan support. And he has deviated from that in recent weeks. And I think this is an opportunity for him. Part of the challenge is there are divisions within the Republican base on some of these foreign policy questions and the president's interventions, whether it's Venezuela, potentially in Iran going forward. I think there's some real angina in the base about how this goes consistent with or inconsistent with the president's commander or his desire to end forever wars. And I think that's part of the challenge here. And I was going to say, and Kristen. This coincides with the fourth anniversary of Russia's war against Ukraine tomorrow. So I'll be curious to see what, if anything, the president says about that. I mean, his negotiators are still trying to get a deal between Russia and Ukraine, but so far they've been able to. I'm glad that you raised that. We're in fact about to talk to the Ukrainian ambassador coming up next. You're absolutely right. The president said he's going to end that war on his first day in office hasn't been able to do it. Francesca, quickly, we have a little bit of... what's arguably a side show, which is that FBI director Kash Patel caught on camera chugging a beer with the U.S. men's hockey team after their incredible victory over the weekend. The question, Francesca, about timing, about optics. It came on the same day that the Secret Service had to shoot a man at Mar-a-Lago, concerns about how the FBI leadership is being run. Do you think this is going to be a problem for the administration and for Kash Patel? Well, Not with the president. The president was on the phone when this was taking place and inviting the men's hockey team to come tomorrow night. So I think the president's made himself clear. What do you think? I think it depends entirely on the lens through which you see Donald Trump. If you're a supporter of the president, this doesn't bother you. If you are an attract for the president, this bothers you like many things. I mean, there's a judgment question here, which I think, you know, we could talk about. But fundamentally, the politics of this, I think, play exactly how you'd expect them to. It really is our Shiel Worshack test, right, about how you feel about President Trump and the Trump administration. And also it reinforces this narrative that the administration may be out of touch. And I think that's with everyday Americans. And I think that is a challenge that we're going to see that continue to grow. All right. And I'll just read what he had to say. He said, I love America and was extremely humbled when my friends, the newly minted gold medal winners on Team USA invited me into the locker room to celebrate this historic.

moment with the boys. So there you have it. Guys, great conversation. Thank you so much for being here. Francesca, Arche and Lonnie. Appreciate it. Coming up after the break, as we just said, Ukraine's ambassador to the U.S. will join me right here in studio as officials eye a new round of peace talks with the war now hitting the four-year mark, as Francesca just said, and the Russian attack showing no signs of slowing down. Stay with us. You're watching the press now. Welcome back. Ukraine will mark the fourth anniversary of Russia's full-scale invasion on Tuesday, days after the latest round of U.S. mediated negotiations concluded in Geneva with little progress towards ending the war. This weekend, Russia continued its aerial attacks of Ukraine with hundreds of drones and dozens of missiles killing at least four people, according to Ukraine's president. Since the beginning of the war, the United Nations estimates more than 15,000 Ukrainian civilians have been killed, while more than 41,000 have been injured, though they say that is likely an underestimate. The UN also saying the war has forced nearly 6 million Ukrainians to flee their home country. Meanwhile, on the battlefield, it's estimated nearly 2 million soldiers on both sides. Ukraine and Russia have been killed, wounded, or are missing. Joining me now is Olga, Stephanie Schnea, Ukraine's ambassador to the United Nations. Madam Ambassador, thank you for joining me. And I wish it were under different circumstances, but thank you for being here. Thank you for having attention to this matter. Absolutely. And you were just in Kiev. So you have seen the latest in terms of the situation on the ground with your own eyes. What is the latest there? What is the status of the war? Well, we're not only approaching the forest anniversary since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, we're approaching the end of winter. And what I can proudly say that despite the fact that this is the coldest winter in decayed, and the most atrocious winter from the point of view of Russian missile and drone attacks across the whole country, Ukraine survived this winter. This is against the forecast. Russians were feeling the American delegation was that Ukraine will not make it through the winter. Ukraine will not make it through the next three or four months. The situation will be worse. On the opposite, Ukraine stands. And this is the major message we would want to send on this fourth year since the beginning of war. There's been so much focus on the talks that are happening. Do you think that real progress is being made? And can there be progress until Russia agrees to a ceasefire, which they refuse to agree to? Well, the war is not just a diplomatic talks process for Ukraine. The war is something real for every Ukrainian. Every Ukrainian family faced the consistances of war, whether somebody's been in the military or somebody's house has been attacked or the houses were freezing or they were not having access to water and supplies or people were. fleeting out of their homes and cities. So this is so real for Ukraine and nobody but the ordinary Ukrainian would want to wake up in a country. We know the best, the country which is prosperous, free and democratic. But at the same time, we see that these diplomatic efforts are still marked by a huge gap between what is really happening on the ground. And until this gap is getting smaller, it's too premature to speak about the progress.

But through the leadership of President Trump, the process has been secured. And I know that the teams are working tirelessly day and night to bring it to result. But at this point, what we see more vividly than ever that Russia uses the negotiations to prolong the war and to gain what they want by... signing it on a paper instead of, you know, fighting on a battlefield. Let me get your reaction to something that President Trump told Reuters last month about peace talks. He said, quote, I think he, meaning Russian President Vladimir Putin, is ready to make a deal. I think Ukraine is less ready to make a deal. And then he was pressed on whether the U.S. negotiations had not yet resolved this conflict. Who was more responsible? The president said... Volodymyr Zelensky, what do you make of that? Well, these messages were very different and they're different before and after different rounds of negotiations. And I think I understand very well the emotion of President Trump. He's the president of the United States who has made a personal commitment to at the war. And unfortunately, just tomorrow when he will make his address to the nation, he's not in a position to say that he He ended this war. And Ukrainians are the most active. We're the most vulnerable part in this trilateral talks. We are dying. And that's why we are always wanting something. We're always demanding something. But we are standing not only for the sake of the peace deal. We're standing for our lives. And that means that there are like so many more angles, but a part of the speaking about the Donbass area and everything related to that. So everybody have a lot of emotions. But I think this is us who are dying. And we appreciate the leadership of President Trump. And we are trying to do our best to spend as much time as we can in a frank discussion and a tough negotiations, but secure the real war over and the real peace established. You raise the state of the union address tomorrow. What do you want to hear from President Trump? I think it's important that President Trump hears from us that every Ukrainian is dreaming only of one thing that his commitment is brought to life. And it would be it Ukrainian members of the government or the parliament, the president of Ukraine, or average Ukrainian who wakes up or goes to bed knowing that he may not wake up in the morning. Nobody in my country wishes more. for President Trump to succeed in effort, in these efforts. And for me, it's really important that he hears that. before tomorrow's address on the union. We know very well that he has a personal stand and a personal commitment. We have invested every effort we can to provide necessary information, data, ideas. We're ready to contribute with anything to have him succeeding in this commitment. And you talk about what you want to hear from him and the fact that you feel as though he is committed to getting a peace deal done.

Do you think the United States is giving Ukraine the support it needs right now? Well, of course, we need more because we are defending ourselves. And the cause we're asking for support is very obvious. So this is not for political or geopolitical goals. This is not about the spheres of influence. This is not about big strategic things or deterrence or balances, checks and balances in a global politics. It's just for a simple thanks just to defend ourselves. to save our cities. And this is where we will never stop asking for. And we're really grateful that now we see the increase almost by 60% the increased commitment and contributions from Europe. But also U.S. capabilities are vital to secure Ukrainian air defense. And these are the only available capabilities on the world which could really have. help us close the skies over Ukrainian cities and again the number of losses among civilians have increased by 40% according to the UN reports just over this year. And this could be easily fixed by depriving Russia from the ability to terrorize Ukrainian people and Ukrainian cities. And everybody know how to do this. This is a military solution. We are ready and capable of paying for that. And I'm sure it is possible. And it's very humane. All right, Ambassador Stephanie Nishnia, thank you so much for being here. We really appreciate it. We hope the war comes to an end soon as you are calling for. We appreciate it. Up next, the fight for Texas, just eight days to go until Election Day in a race that could reshape the balance of power in Washington and tell us a whole lot about the future of both parties. You're watching at the press now.

Thank you. Welcome back. We are just over a week away from the first primaries of the 26 midterm elections, if you can believe it. And all eyes will be on the high stakes Texas Senate race. On the Republican side, incumbent Senator John Cornyn is facing primary challenges from Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton and Congressman Wesley Hunt. And just last week, when asked if he would weigh in and endorse a candidate in that race, President Trump said he hasn't made a decision yet. Meanwhile, Democrats are hoping to flip that seat for the first time in decades with state representative James Talarico and Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett battling it out to be the Democratic nominee. And joining me now is NBC News National Political Reporter Bridget Bowman, who is fresh off a trip to Texas, where she covered a lot of ground and caught up with the Senate candidates from both parties. And spoke to voters. Bridget, thanks for being here. Sure. Thanks for having me. Absolutely. So this is fantastic that you were on the ground in Texas. Let's start on the Democratic side. You have James Talarico. You have Jasmine Crockett. Their policies aren't exactly that different, right? But their messages are very different. He has this populist message. She has a message that she basically has this name recognition that she's going to drive out new voters. What did you take away from that race? Yes. So you're exactly right. This race is really divided on style and strategy as opposed to substance. And as I was talking to voters in Texas, it seems like Democrats are just really divided here. Public polling has been a little all over the place. So it's a little tough to gauge where this race is. But what we've seen and what I've heard in conversation with voters is that they're really prioritizing electability and also someone who will fight President Trump. And that's why this race is so divided. Because when you talk to James Talarico supporters, they'll tell you, A big reason why they're supporting him is they view him as the candidate whose best position to win. They think it's populist message. He talks openly about his Christian faith is something that can really appeal to Republican voters in the state especially. But with Congressman Jasmine Crockett supporters, they, of course, believe that she can win. But when you ask them why they're supporting her, they'll often tell you that they think she's a fighter. That's a word I heard over and over again from voters in Texas who are backing her. She's really been talking a little more about President Trump on the campaign trail. in her advertising, especially as opposed to James Talarico. So we'll have to see kind of which message wins out. And just to put this into context, Democrat hasn't won this Senate seat in... years. Yes, more than 30 years. It's been a really, really long time. And I talked to Democratic voters there, and they are cautiously optimistic that maybe this year could be the year of all years with some of the backlash that we've seen to President Trump and his policies, with a lot of the energy that we're seeing on the Democratic sides in special elections, including in a state legislative seat in Texas that recently flipped in Democrats direction. So one voter I talked to said, you know, I feel like my heart keeps getting broken, but maybe this time.

And it'll be different. Well, let's talk about the Republican side because President Trump saying that he hasn't made up his mind yet. Senator John Cornyn's the incumbent. What's he waiting for? Yeah, it's a good question. He has really stayed neutral in this race, which is why this is so competitive. And he's faced a lot of pressure from Senate leaders to back John Cornyn because they really view Attorney General Ken Paxton as a very problematic nominee if he does win the primary. So as he's kind of stayed out of this race, it's interesting to talk to voters who are supporting each of the three candidates. candidates, including Congressman Wesley Hunt. And one of the things from Ken Paxton and Hunt supporters, they just view John Cornyn as not MAGA enough, as not a real reflection of the America First Movement. The one thing I heard over and over again from voters is they just think he's been in office for too long. But on the flip side, supporters of John Cornyn say that they view him as effective and having the right experience to get things done for Texas. And they have some real problems, especially with Attorney Ken Paxton, who was impeached on bribery charges. He was acquitted. But they say, like, I can't stomach voting for him if he is the nominee. Just very quickly, Bridget, what are some of the trend lines we could learn from whoever wins this race? We have about 30 seconds left. Yeah, so this is the real first big chance for voters in both parties to have a say in where they want their parties to go next. For Democrats, do they want to go the more combative, aggressive style of Jasmine Crockett, the more bipartisan appeal potentially of James Talarico? You know, we've seen strategists and Democratic leaders talking about how do we move forward. This is a chance for voters to have a say in that conversation. And on the Republican side, do we see the Republican Party continuing to be remade in the image of Trump? Tax and supporters especially likened him to Trump. All right. Bridget, thank you. Welcome back from Texas. First tomorrow at 4 p.m. Meet the press. We'll kick off NBC News Now special coverage of the state of the union. There's more ahead on NBC News Now. Hey everyone, it's me, Morgan Stewart, and I have a new podcast called The Morgan Stewart Show. Join me each week as I talk about pop culture, fashion, my personal life, and just a warning, I'm going to be giving my opinion on everything. I'll also have some really fun guests to join in on the fun. The Morgan Stewart Show is out now. Listen and follow wherever you get your podcast or watch full video on YouTube.