Meet the Press NOW – February 26

NBC News National Political Correspondent Steve Kornacki joins Meet the Press to examine how the U.S. economy is responding to President Donald Trump’s trade policies. Commerce Sec. Howard Lutnick defends the president as he delays steep tariffs on America’s largest partners. Sen. Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.), who delivered the Democratic response to Trump’s joint address, weighs in on the division in her party over its role in the opposition. Courtney Kube, Jonathan Martin, Symone Sanders Townsend and Marc Short join the Meet the Press roundtable.

New Mexico officials give an update on the deaths of actor Gene Hackman and his wife. President Trump’s economic team acknowledges volatility could be on the way as the administration fine tunes its expansion of foreign tariffs. The president threatens to impose expanded sanctions on Russia until it reaches a peace agreement with Ukraine.

President Trump delays some tariffs on imports from Canada and Mexico. NBC Senior National Security Correspondent Courtney Kube and former Director of European Affairs at the National Security Council Alexander Vindman dissect the impacts of changes in U.S. support to Ukraine following an emergency EU summit. NBC Homeland Security Correspondent Julia Ainsley speaks with families and local officials about the possibility of ICE raids at sensitive locations.

President Donald Trump and Elon Musk meet with Republican lawmakers to discuss the administration's priorities. House Democratic Caucus Vice Chair Ted Lieu (D-Calif.) weighs in on Trump's joint address to Congress. NBC News Homeland Security Correspondent Julia Ainsley reports on the Trump administration rethinking its migrant detention plan at Guantánamo Bay after facing logistical and financial issues. 

U.S. tariffs on Mexico, Canada and China go into effect as President Trump prepares to deliver his first address to a joint session of Congress. House Ways & Means Chairman Rep. Jason Smith (R-Mo.) joins Meet the Press NOW to discuss budget negotiations and backlash GOP lawmakers are facing at town halls. President Trump orders a pause on military aid to Ukraine following the Oval Office clash with President Zelenskyy.

President Trump doubles down on his call for President Zelenskyy to be more grateful for U.S. support to Ukraine. Ontario Premier Doug Ford threatens to impose retaliatory tariffs as a potential trade war between the U.S. and Canada looms. Rep. Mike Quigley (D-Ill.) lays out what he wants to see in a government funding bill.

After the public clash between President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, U.S. officials say the path to a peace deal to end the war in Ukraine is deeply uncertain, Kristen Welker reports. Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson and Sen. James Lankford (R-Okla.) discuss the clash and how it will impact U.S. aid to Ukraine. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) talks about Trump and Elon Musk’s cuts to the federal government and the looming government shutdown. Carol Lee, Julio Vaqueiro, Stephanie Murphy and Brendan Buck join the Meet the Press roundtable.   

President Trump and Ukrainian President Zelenskyy hold a tense meeting before cameras in the Oval Office. NBC White House Correspondent Yamiche Alcindor, Chief Foreign Correspondent Richard Engel, Senior National Security Correspondent Courtney Kube, and former U.S. Ambassador to Russia Michael McFaul discuss the fallout from the meeting. Sen. Jack Reed (D-R.I.) describes the meeting as a “calculated political ambush.” NBC Correspondent Shaq Brewster highlights the latest as federal workers rallied in Detroit after more federal workforce layoffs.

President Donald Trump hosts British Prime Minister Keir Starmer at the White House as negotiations to end the war in Ukraine continue. NBC White House Correspondent Yamiche Alcindor, Sky News Anchor Sir Trevor Phillips, and Council on Foreign Relations Fellow Elise Labott discuss the latest developments from their meeting. NBC Chief Capitol Hill Correspondent Ryan Nobles describes the finger pointing between lawmakers as tensions rise to meet a government spending deadline. NBC Correspondent George Solis and Dr. Peter Hotez discuss the latest on the growing numbers of measles cases in Texas.

President Donald Trump holds his first Cabinet meeting of his second term. Rep. Brad Schneider (D-Ill.), chair of the New Democrat Coalition, pitches his new agenda for the party. NBC News’ Courtney Kube and CSIS’ Gracelin Baskaran explain the latest developments surrounding a potential deal involving U.S. access to Ukraine's rare earth minerals.