Meet the Press NOW — September 29

For decades, Texas has been the deep-red heart of the Republican Party. For Democrats, it’s the white whale. But this midterm cycle, political observers think they may have a chance. In the Senate contest, most polls show Democratic State Rep. James Talarico ahead of Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton by a few points. And in the race for governor, Democratic State Rep. Gina Hinojosa is in surprisingly close competition with the incumbent, Republican Greg Abbott, despite being outspent by a mile. For this episode of Here’s the Scoop, Election Edition, NBC News chief White House correspondent Garrett Haake headed to Austin to sit down with Hinojosa and Texas Tribune Editor-in-Chief Matthew Watkins to ask: Could this finally be Democrats’ year in Texas? 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.

President Trump defends his economic record while continuing his midterm campaign tour in Alabama. The U.S. labor market slows as the September job report shows less hiring than expected. Governor Kathy Hochul (D-N.Y.) appoints Attorney General Letitia James as special prosecutor in Cornell University sexual assault investigation. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

President Trump kicks off his midterm travel plans in Texas as polling shows his approval rating reaching record lows ahead of November's midterms. The Democratic nominee for Texas governor, state Rep. Gina Hinojosa,  joins Meet the Press NOW to discuss her race to unseat Gov. Greg Abbott (R-Texas). Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

President Donald Trump says he and Republicans have done a “very bad job” of touting their economic wins to voters. Hispanic voters appear to trend back toward Democrats amid the closely-watched Senate midterm match-up in Texas between James Talarico and Ken Paxton. After a co-pilot allegedly stabbed his partner aboard a plane bound for Israel, former Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Jonhson discusses air safety and potential recommendations. 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 meets with tech executives amid growing concerns around artificial intelligence. Former Special Counsel Jack Smith testifies before the Senate Judiciary Committee for a politically charged hearing on his investigation into President Trump's efforts to overturn the 2020 election. Some Republicans on Capitol Hill push back on the Trump administration's use of taxpayer money to fund a campaign-style TV ad. 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 offers conflicting messages about the war with Iran as the conflict enters its eighth month. Five men in the United Kingdom were arrested and released on bail on suspicion of terrorism near a British air force base used by the United States. OpenAI says they are pausing training their latest AI models after disclosing incidents of AI agents attempting to hack various U.S. government websites. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In an exclusive interview with Meet the Press, Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates tells Kristen Welker about the potential “major threats” from AI if safeguards aren’t put into place. 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 asks U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz and Foreign Minister of Iran Abbas Araghchi if there’s a path to peace in Iran. Rep. Ro Khanna shares his thoughts on AI and potential impeachment efforts if Democrats win a House majority. Bill Gates warns about the potential threats of AI. Ryan Nobles, Marc Short and Adrienne Elrod join the roundtable. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

As Democrats grapple with what their party stands for, one issue continues to divide them: Israel. The first signs of a fissure came after Israel began its invasion of Gaza in response to the Oct. 7 attacks. Some progressive Democrats demanded a more forceful U.S. response to what they saw as war crimes being committed with the help of American weapons and military aid. By the fall of 2024, a larger movement against the war had grown: More than 100,000 Democrats cast uncommitted ballots in the Michigan primary — a harbinger of Kamala Harris’ ultimate loss to Donald Trump. Since then, polls show that voter support for Israel has continued to decline in both parties. But among Democrats, that erosion has been far more dramatic.So how should the party position itself on Israel policy in 2026 — and eventually, 2028? In this episode of "Here’s the Scoop, Election Edition," we ask two Democrats on opposite sides of this debate: Tariq Habash, a co-founder of A New Policy, a political group that advises candidates like Abdul El-Sayed in Michigan, and Rep. Dan Goldman, D-N.Y., who says he lost his primary because of his position on Israel. 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.

Some Republican candidates break with President Trump as they fight headwinds ahead of November's midterm elections. Former Trump White House lawyer Ty Cobb discusses the president’s attempt to impose a ban on certain media outlets. Physicist and professor Max Tegmark joins Meet the Press Now to share his take on AI regulation as Congress weighs new guardrails. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.