Meet the Press NOW — October 16

Kristen Welker has exclusive interviews with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, Sen. Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.) and Sen. James Lankford (R-Okla.). Steve Kornacki breaks down the results of a new NBC News Decision Desk poll. Hallie Jackson, Lanhee Chen, and Steve Ricchetti join the roundtable. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Iowa overwhelmingly voted for Donald Trump in 2024 — and Republicans hold all of the state’s congressional seats. But rising fuel costs, tariffs and growing voter frustration over the war with Iran have made the Hawkeye State one of the most closely watched battlegrounds of the midterms. This week, “Here’s the Scoop Election Edition” host Garrett Haake sits down with Iowa state representative and Democratic Senate nominee Josh Turek, a Paralympic gold medalist and former Republican who's betting that his brand of "common-sense prairie populism" can win over independents, farmers and working-class voters. Then, longtime Republican strategist and Iowa insider David Kochel explains how GOP candidates are trying to establish independence from the White House and what he'll be watching for on election night. swap.fm/l/htsfd Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Katie Zacharia is out as White House Press Secretary after five days on the job. New Jersey congressional candidate Rebecca Bennett (D) joins Meet the Press NOW to discuss her campaign incumbent Rep. Tom Kean Jr. (R-N.J.). California's Secretary of State accuses the Department of Justice of fueling public distrust in elections with early voting is underway. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

President Trump hits the campaign trail as economic headwinds intensify for Republicans just 19 days to the midterms. Trump cancels Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's plan to livestream the execution of the Fort Hood shooter. Democratic Pennsylvania U.S. House candidate Bob Harvie discusses his campaign to unseat five-term incumbent Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Pa.). Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Republicans face headwinds from the rising cost of living in the final stretch ahead of the midterms. Outgoing Rep. Dusty Johnson (R-S.D.) shares his predictions for control of the House. Montana House candidate Sam Forstag (D) discusses his longshot bid to flip a seat in a district won by President Trump. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

President Trump and Vice President JD Vance barnstorm key battleground states, hoping to boost their party despite significant political headwinds. The Vatican announces Pope Leo XIV has lung cancer and had a had a lower lobe of his right lung removed. Democratic candidate Johnny Garcia of Texas joins Meet the Press NOW to discuss his bid for the redrawn 35th congressional district. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

President Trump kicks off a busy week of campaigning with a visit to Ohio as he defends a diesel deal with Russia that is drawing bipartisan criticism. Iran-backed Houthi militants attack Saudi Arabia’s airport in Riyadh in the deadliest attack on a Gulf ally since the start of the Iran War. NBC 5's Phil Prazan joins Meet the Press NOW to discuss his interview with U.S Senate candidate James Talarico (D-Texas) who is dismissing rumors about his health after a multi-day absence from the campaign trail. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Michigan Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed (D) sits down for an exclusive interview with Meet the Press less than a month out from the midterm elections. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Kristen Welker has exclusive interviews with Abdul El-Sayed and Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.). Michael Lewis discusses his new book about DOGE. Stephen Hayes, former Sec. Jeh Johnson and Amna Nawaz join the roundtable. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

As early voting gets underway ahead of the midterms, Garrett Haake goes behind the scenes of America’s elections to ask a fundamental question: Can voters trust the results? Pennsylvania Secretary of the Commonwealth Al Schmidt explains how officials are preparing for everything from cyberattacks and AI-generated misinformation to voter intimidation and potential federal interference. Then, NBC News senior reporter Jane C. Timm takes us inside Georgia’s election system, where Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger is turning to security measures, audits and a lot of data to combat distrust. Plus, why counting votes takes time, what makes voting by mail secure, and what election officials are most worried about this November. swap.fm/l/htsfd  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.