KRISTEN WELKER:
This Sunday: The price of war. Gas prices hit a four-year high, as the war with Iran passes the 60-day mark.
PRES. DONALD TRUMP:
The gas will go down. As soon as the war is over, it'll drop like a rock.
KRISTEN WELKER:
And as President Trump weighs his next military move, the Pentagon reveals the growing price tag for the conflict. And the political fight here at home is heating up.
SEC. PETE HEGSETH:
The biggest adversary we face at this point are the reckless, feckless and defeatist words of congressional Democrats and some Republicans.
SEN. ADAM SCHIFF:
The president must terminate this use of force until Congress says otherwise.
KRISTEN WELKER:
Plus: Targeted. Former FBI Director James Comey is indicted for a second time for posting a photo of seashells arranged on a beach that prosecutors say amounted to a threat against President Trump.
ACTING ATTORNEY GENERAL TODD BLANCHE:
Threatening the life of the president of the United States will never be tolerated.
JAMES COMEY:
I am still innocent. I am still not afraid.
KRISTEN WELKER:
And: Lines drawn. States move to redraw congressional maps after the Supreme Court decision limits the Voting Rights Act.
SPEAKER MIKE JOHNSON:
This is obviously the right result.
REP. HAKEEM JEFFRIES:
We’re not here to step back. We’re here to fight back.
KRISTEN WELKER:
What will it mean for the midterms and beyond? My guests this morning: Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche and Democratic Senator Adam Schiff of California. Joining me for insight and analysis are: NBC News Senior Homeland Security Correspondent Julia Ainsley; Amna Nawaz, co-anchor of PBS NewsHour; Marc Short, former director of legislative affairs for President Trump, and former Democratic Congresswoman Val Demings. Welcome to Sunday, it’s Meet the Press.
ANNOUNCER:
From NBC News in Washington, the longest-running show in television history, this is Meet the Press with Kristen Welker.
KRISTEN WELKER:
Good Sunday morning. As the war with Iran surges past the critical 60-day mark, gas prices are at their highest point since the conflict began. The average price of gas is up 47 percent since late February, from $2.98 per gallon to now $4.39 per gallon. President Trump, who campaigned on a promise to lower prices, is facing growing pressure over the price spike, as the war becomes as unpopular as the Iraq and Vietnam wars at their peaks.
[BEGIN TAPE]
PRES. DONALD TRUMP:
Gasoline’s high. Other prices are way down, but gasoline’s high. But when this is over, you'll have a world without a nuclear weapon with Iran.
[END TAPE]
KRISTEN WELKER:
When the war will end remains an open question. Under the 1973 War Powers Resolution, a president must seek congressional authorization for continued military action after 60 days. But the Trump administration now argues it does not need approval, saying a ceasefire declared on April 7 resets the clock. President Trump writing to Congress, quote, "There has been no exchange of fire between the United States Forces and Iran since April 7, 2026. The hostilities that began on February 28, 2026, have terminated.” The president on Friday.
[BEGIN TAPE]
MONICA ALBA:
Is the war with Iran over? Why are you not seeking congressional approval to extend it?
PRES. DONALD TRUMP:
Because it's never been sought before. There's been numerous, many, many times, and nobody's ever gotten it before. They consider it totally unconstitutional, but we're always in touch with Congress, but nobody's ever sought it before. They don't like the word “war,” and they call it a military operation because that way you don't have a war, you don't have legal problems.
[END TAPE]
KRISTEN WELKER:
And joining me now is acting Attorney General Todd Blanche. Mr. Blanche, welcome back to Meet the Press.
ACTING ATTORNEY GENERAL TODD BLANCHE:
Good morning.
KRISTEN WELKER:
Good morning. Thank you for being here in person.
ACTING ATTORNEY GENERAL TODD BLANCHE:
Of course.
KRISTEN WELKER:
We really appreciate it. Let's start right there with the war. As you know, the War Powers Act requires Congress to authorize military action beyond 60 days, which the U.S. passed on Friday. The president did send a letter to Congress, just to recap, saying that hostilities have been terminated, given the ceasefire that was put in place on April 7th. And yet, the U.S. is actively engaged in a naval blockade of Iranian ports as part of this conflict. Is the United States at war with Iran?
ACTING ATTORNEY GENERAL TODD BLANCHE:
No. I mean, what President Trump said this weekend is absolutely true. My job as the acting attorney general is to make sure that the president, that we all are doing the right thing legally. And we absolutely are. As we said to Congress last week, there has been nothing going on, no hostilities, no exchange of fire since – in almost a month, in almost a month. And how do you end a conflict? How do you end this? You have a ceasefire. And that's exactly what we have, and Congress knows that and the leadership knows that. And there's a lot of drama. I'm sure that Senator Schiff will come on here and say something different. This has been done repeatedly for many, many years, with many, many presidents. And there's nothing inconsistent about what we're doing and what's been done in the past.
KRISTEN WELKER:
Well, you say that you're not actively at war. Here is what President Trump had to say on Friday. I want to play it for you, get your reaction on the other side.
[BEGIN TAPE]
PRES. DONALD TRUMP:
But they don't like the word war. And they call it a "military operation," because that way, you don't have a war, you don't have legal problems.
[END TAPE]
KRISTEN WELKER:
Is the president effectively arguing that he can avoid congressional approval by avoiding using the word "war?"
ACTING ATTORNEY GENERAL TODD BLANCHE:
He's not effectively arguing anything except that he is trying to keep this country safe. We have kept Congress updated at every step of the way, consistent with what other presidents have done. President Trump is doing something that the past five presidents did not do. They promised to do it, they promised, "Oh, we'll stop Iran." "Oh, Iran can never have a nuclear weapon." President Trump is doing what others have promised but failed to do. And as far as what we're doing with Congress, keeping them updated, we are doing so.
KRISTEN WELKER:
As you know, Democrats and even some Republicans say that the ceasefire's not enough to override this 60-day benchmark. Republican Senator Susan Collins posted, quote, "The President's authority as Commander-in-Chief is not without limits. That deadline is not a suggestion; it is a requirement." Are there any legal limits on the president's powers to carry out the war with Iran?
ACTING ATTORNEY GENERAL TODD BLANCHE:
We – suggesting that President Trump or this administration or the Department of War is violating the law is just completely wrong. It's not appropriate to say that. We are not – we are complying with the law. I can tell you that as the acting attorney general. We are doing exactly what we're supposed to do legally and President Trump will continue to do that.
KRISTEN WELKER:
But are there any, to this point, do you see any limits on how he has to carry out this war?
ACTING ATTORNEY GENERAL TODD BLANCHE:
Of course. Yes, of course there's limits to what President Trump can do and he's never said there aren't limits. He's acting within his duty to the American people to keep us safe. What – he's not engaged in a popularity contest when it comes to what we're doing in Iran. He is doing something that will save us for generations. And so he is doing something, again, that every president since Reagan has said that we should do and he's the only one willing to do it.
KRISTEN WELKER:
The President Trump said that the War Powers Act is unconstitutional. Do you agree with that?
ACTING ATTORNEY GENERAL TODD BLANCHE:
We – I'm not talking about the constitutionality of the War Powers Act as it doesn't do anything. I will tell you that the Department of Justice advises the president, advises the Department of War, and we are acting completely within the law with what we're doing.
KRISTEN WELKER:
All right. Let's move on to former FBI Director James Comey. A grand jury has indicted the former FBI director. For this Instagram post, I want to put it up, I think a lot of folks have seen it at this point, “86 47” in seashells, which the indictment says, quote, "A reasonable recipient who is familiar with the circumstances would interpret as a serious expression of an intent to do harm to the President of the United States." How does that image of seashells amount to a serious threat against the president's life?
ACTING ATTORNEY GENERAL TODD BLANCHE:
Well, every case requires an investigation. And what you just showed is one part of that investigation. What you just showed is the Instagram post. Rest assured that the career assistant United States attorneys in North Carolina, the career FBI agents, the career secret service agents that investigated this case didn't just look at the Instagram post and walk away. That's why you saw an indictment last week, notwithstanding the fact that it was last May that the post was made. So I am not permitted to get into the details of what the grand jury heard or found, as you know. But rest assured that it's not just the Instagram post that leads somebody to get indicted.
KRISTEN WELKER:
Well, part of what the government would have to prove is intent. James Comey deleted the post the same day. And he wrote, quote, "I didn't realize some folks associate those numbers with violence. It never occurred to me. But I oppose violence of any kind so I took the post down." How do you prove intent, Mr. Blanche, when Mr. Comey himself said he didn't understand that some people would look at that and think about violence?
ACTING ATTORNEY GENERAL TODD BLANCHE:
You prove intent like you always prove intent. You prove intent with witnesses, you prove intent with documents, with materials. So again, this is not just about a single Instagram post. This is about a body of evidence that the grand jury collected over the series of about 11 months. That evidence was presented to the grand jury. And it's not the government. It's not the Department of Justice. It's not Todd Blanche that returned an indictment against James Comey. It's the grand jury, part of the judicial process, and that this process has to be allowed to play out in the courts. It's not fair to Mr. Comey, it's certainly not fair to the prosecutors for us to be airing your view or my view of this indictment. It's something that will be presented in court at the time set by the judge.
KRISTEN WELKER:
Let's dive a little deeper. Conservative legal scholar Jonathan Turley said, quote, "This indictment is facially unconstitutional, absent some unknown new facts." Are there, are you in fact, saying that there are facts beyond this Instagram post that clearly establish an intent to threaten the president's life?
ACTING ATTORNEY GENERAL TODD BLANCHE:
I've said repeatedly this was an investigation that lasted 11 months. If the only facts that existed was the posting of the Instagram, obviously that wouldn't have taken 11 months. And so when Mr. Turley talks about whether it's facially unconstitutional absent unknown facts or circumstances, we will necessarily have to prove beyond a reasonable doubt, at trial, every element of this crime, which we're prepared to do.
KRISTEN WELKER:
Can you and will you let the public know what any of those other facts are?
ACTING ATTORNEY GENERAL TODD BLANCHE:
Absolutely. It's called a trial. That's what happens with every single case. We indict thousands of cases every year. Every one of those cases, there's an indictment and then eventually there is a trial or some sort of disposition. At the trial, a public trial, that will be open to the public. Everybody in this country will know exactly what evidence the government has against Mr. Comey.
KRISTEN WELKER:
I know you can't give me specifics, but can you give me any insight? Are you talking about writings, are you talking about conversations? What does this other evidence consist of?
ACTING ATTORNEY GENERAL TODD BLANCHE:
We are talking about evidence of all sorts. And that means documents, that means witnesses and that means, that means the whole array of what we did. And again, we are not talking about some political guy in D.C. running out and getting an indictment. We are talking about career prosecutors in North Carolina systematically investigating a case with the FBI working with them, with the secret service working with them. And now we have an indictment.
KRISTEN WELKER:
Well, the image, excuse me, is part of what led to this indictment.
ACTING ATTORNEY GENERAL TODD BLANCHE:
Yes.
KRISTEN WELKER:
It is worth noting that on Amazon.com, we looked this up, there are dozens of products with the same terminology, we're showing it right here, “86 47” being sold and purchased right now. Should individuals selling or buying "86 47" merchandise be concerned that they're going to be prosecuted by the DOJ?
ACTING ATTORNEY GENERAL TODD BLANCHE:
This isn’t – this isn't about a single incident, okay? I mean, of course not. That's posted constantly. That phrase is used constantly. There are constantly men and women who choose to make threatening statements against President Trump. Every one of those statements do not result in indictments, of course. There are facts, there are circumstances, there are investigations that have to take place. And we have charged dozens and dozens of men and women this year with threatening President Trump and others. So this isn't a new charge we're bringing.
KRISTEN WELKER:
Just to be very clear, you are suggesting the seashells themselves are not at the root of this indictment?
ACTING ATTORNEY GENERAL TODD BLANCHE:
No, I am suggesting that every single case depends on the investigation that's done. And of course, the seashells are part of that case. I mean, that's what the public sees. But without a doubt, and it should be evident by the fact that it's been 11 months since the posting and the indictment, there is an investigation that takes place. And that's the result. The result of that investigation is the indictment that was returned last week.
KRISTEN WELKER:
Let's talk big picture. Back on September 20th, President Trump publicly posted a private message to then Attorney General Pam Bondi pressuring her to prosecute Senator Adam Schiff, James Comey and Letitia James, writing, quote, "They're all guilty as hell. But nothing is going to be done. They impeached me twice, they indicted me five times over nothing. Justice must be served now." Why should the public believe that any case brought against the individuals listed there is an independent law enforcement decision and not retribution?
ACTING ATTORNEY GENERAL TODD BLANCHE:
Well, because you have investigations and you have indictments and you have the result. I mean, listen, if years later you're judged by a simple note from President Trump. By the way, that wasn't a private message. That was a message delivered to the entire world.
KRISTEN WELKER:
Right.
ACTING ATTORNEY GENERAL TODD BLANCHE:
And so this is not being done behind closed doors.
KRISTEN WELKER:
But it was meant to be private initially based on my conversations.
ACTING ATTORNEY GENERAL TODD BLANCHE:
How do you know it was meant to be private?
KRISTEN WELKER:
Based on my conversations, it was meant to be --
ACTING ATTORNEY GENERAL TODD BLANCHE:
Well, I'm not aware of those conversations --
KRISTEN WELKER:
With top administration officials, it was meant to be private --
ACTING ATTORNEY GENERAL TODD BLANCHE:
But President Trump --
KRISTEN WELKER:
-- and posted by mistake.
ACTING ATTORNEY GENERAL TODD BLANCHE:
President Trump is very clear with the American people what he expects as president of the United States. That is not something he hides from the American people. He wants justice, he wants full investigations where appropriate. And by the way, that's a good thing. That's not a bad thing. Everybody in this country should want that. And so no, I don't operate based upon concern or fear. The American people will know exactly what we're doing and why we're doing it.
KRISTEN WELKER:
And yet, Mr. Acting Attorney General, the Justice Department has already indicted former FBI Director James Comey, as you know, and New York Attorney General Letitia James. And a federal judge dismissed both of those cases. Why should people have confidence that this case will actually move forward and is rooted in fact?
ACTING ATTORNEY GENERAL TODD BLANCHE:
Well, let's be accurate, okay? The judge dismissed those cases not based on a factual finding that President Trump did something wrong or that there was something wrong with the underlying facts leading to that indictment. The federal judge dismissed that case because he found that the U.S. attorney was not properly appointed. That’s not a – there was no final finding on the facts or anything like that. So look, those cases are on appeal. We will see what happens. But again, you're comparing apples to oranges when you say, "Just because that indictment was dismissed, there's something wrong with the underlying investigation."
KRISTEN WELKER:
Well, again, he did directly push to have those people indicted. Charges were brought. And then they were dropped. Does that not undercut, potentially, the trust that people have in the Justice Department?
ACTING ATTORNEY GENERAL TODD BLANCHE:
Absolutely not. And by the way, do you think, or do the American people think that nothing was done on those cases until President Trump posted that truth in September? No, these are ongoing investigations. Investigations take time, investigations take effort. And so no, I don’t – I am not concerned. What we do, what we do at the Department of Justice, the American people can judge us. And they will. And I'm ready to be judged because we're doing the right thing. We're restoring justice, which nobody saw for four years. There weren't guests on your show for four years during the last administration being overly critical of what the Department of Justice was doing, and that was a problem, and we fixed it.
KRISTEN WELKER:
I want to turn now to the shooting at the White House Correspondent's Dinner. Since we last spoke, it has been deemed an assassination attempt against President Trump. We are all so thankful he is okay and everyone at that dinner, including yourself is okay. His lawyers say that the suspect in this case is now on a suicide watch. Are there any new updates you can share on the investigation or new charges that the suspect might be facing?
ACTING ATTORNEY GENERAL TODD BLANCHE:
Well, look. The investigation is ongoing. And it happened just over a week ago. And I expect that the U.S. Attorney Pirro, that she and her team are continuing to work on understanding why this man allegedly did what he did. Any other information that they can learn from the devices and from the search warrants that were executed. I don't have an update to provide you beyond the fact that we are working hard. I expect in the next week or so, there will be more information coming out. Obviously, assuming the investigation moves forward, there will be an indictment forthcoming and all that is typical of what happens.
KRISTEN WELKER:
You say more information, more charges potentially too?
ACTING ATTORNEY GENERAL TODD BLANCHE:
Potentially. I mean, look, I think that's what happens, right? There's initial charges and there's an investigation and to the extent that the government learns more things, I assure you they will become charges.
KRISTEN WELKER:
All right. Let's turn to the Supreme Court's decision to remove a major pillar of the Voting Rights Act which protected minority voters. In his majority decision, Justice Alito argued this, quote, "The nation had made," quote, "great strides in ending entrenched racial discrimination." Do you believe that minority voters are represented equally in this country?
ACTING ATTORNEY GENERAL TODD BLANCHE:
Yes. There is no doubt that the Supreme Court got this decision right. It's the position of the Department of Justice, it's the position of this administration. We argued the case. And so yes, there is also no doubt that the existing system was not consistent with our Constitution. And that's what the Supreme Court found and there's going to be a lot of criticism I expect even in the coming moments on this show about that decision. But the reality is what people cannot say is that the provision that was struck down by the Supreme Court is consistent with our Constitution. And that's the Supreme Court's job is to interpret the Constitution.
KRISTEN WELKER:
But voters see this country differently. According to the latest Gallup poll, 83% of Black Americans and 61% of white Americans believe that racism is widespread. Does that challenge the idea that there is racial equality?
ACTING ATTORNEY GENERAL TODD BLANCHE:
The Supreme Court doesn't make decisions based upon a Gallup poll. The Supreme Court is not allowed to make decisions because there's some poll that says some percentage of Americans feel one way or another. They interpret the Constitution and keeping our elections fair, keeping our elections exactly what they're supposed to be, consistent with the Constitution, is what President Trump has been fighting for for ten years. And so this was a great win for the American people.
KRISTEN WELKER:
But the root of the Voting Rights Act was to make sure that people were treated equally, that they had equal rights when it came to voting and representation. Does it not weaken that ultimate goal?
ACTING ATTORNEY GENERAL TODD BLANCHE:
It – the fact that we're talking about this when Democrats in Congress, for example, refuse to support basic structures to guarantee free and fair elections is laughable. I mean, the fact that we are talking about this decision from the Supreme Court, which is just a constitutional decision, when what we should be talking about is that there's a lot of things that we can be doing, like voter ID. Like every time you walk into a restaurant or a club, you have to show your ID, how about you have to show your ID to vote? That's not – that’s not anything that's crazy. And that's what we should be talking about.
KRISTEN WELKER:
Certainly one of the votes on Capitol Hill right now. Quickly before I let you go, the position of attorney general remains open. You still have an "acting" in front of your title. Are you hoping to drop that "acting" title and become the attorney general?
ACTING ATTORNEY GENERAL TODD BLANCHE:
I am happy to do my job. No matter – President Trump can ask me to do whatever he chooses and I'll be happy to do my job. We, the Department of Justice, all of our employees are working hard every day to restore justice and we will continue to do that. I love my job no matter what it is.
KRISTEN WELKER:
All right. Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche –
ACTING ATTORNEY GENERAL TODD BLANCHE:
Thank you.
KRISTEN WELKER:
– thank you very much for being here to cover a range of topics this morning. We really appreciate it.
ACTING ATTORNEY GENERAL TODD BLANCHE:
Thank you.
KRISTEN WELKER:
When we come back, Democratic Senator Adam Schiff joins me next.
KRISTEN WELKER:
Welcome back. And joining me now is Democratic Senator Adam Schiff of California. Senator Schiff, welcome back to Meet the Press.
SEN. ADAM SCHIFF:
Thank you.
KRISTEN WELKER:
Thanks so much for being here. Let's start with the war, where I started with the acting attorney general, now past its 60-day mark. President Trump, as you know, sent a letter to Congress arguing he does not need congressional approval because the ceasefire paused the clock, effectively. Do you think the administration is following the law?
SEN. ADAM SCHIFF:
No, absolutely not. And it's important to recognize this war was unlawful and unconstitutional from the start. We didn't have to wait 60 days to reach that conclusion because under the Constitution, only Congress can initiate a war or authorize a war or declare war. The only exceptions are if the United States is attacked or there's an imminent threat of attack, then the president can take action in the near term. That's when the 60-day clock begins, if there's a legitimate reason to begin the war at the start. And there wasn't here. This is a war of choice which has now brought a terrible cost in 13 service members who lost their lives, scores of others injured, many seriously injured, highest gas prices now in years. It's pushed inflation up to a high in several years. And of course the opportunity cost is that we can't invest in hospitals, in healthcare, in things that would improve the quality of life for Americans. But this war was plagued from the start. It's also important in terms of the War Powers Act. That act as that Susan Collins quote illustrates – she's accurate about that – dictates that U.S. forces have to be removed after 60 days unless Congress has intervened to authorize action. We haven't. The Navy is still deployed. It is still blockading Iranian ports. It is still interdicting ships. There is no exception for the U.S. Navy to the War Powers Act, so what Mr. Blanche said is absolutely wrong. I think they understand that. And what's more, the president’s claim at the outset of your segment that no president has sought an authorization to use force is also simply wrong. George W. Bush of course did both in Afghanistan and with the Iraq War.
KRISTEN WELKER:
Let me ask you because back in 2007, you called on then-President Obama – 2011, I should say, you called on then-President Obama to seek congressional authorization for military force in Libya after exceeding the 60-day mark. The Obama administration argued that because there was no sustained fighting, the War Powers Act did not apply then. If Congress didn't enforce the law then, why should Americans have confidence that it will be enforced now?
SEN. ADAM SCHIFF:
Well, I think that was a mistake then. I think it's an even bigger mistake now. The Obama administration at the time claimed that hostilities had never begun. So they didn't make the acknowledgment that President Trump has here that he began a war two months ago. They claim because of the limited nature of our engagement, the limited risk of escalation that hostilities as defined in the act never began. Now, I think that's wrong. And that's a mistake. And you're right, both parties have fallen down on the job in terms of asserting Congress's war power. But we've never had a full-fledged war like this that the president himself acknowledges is war. And what's more, as we talked about, the ceasefire of some of the bombing, does not toll – there is no tolling provision in the War Powers Act. So that's just plain wrong. But you're right. Both parties have been at fault here. But I don't think we've ever had such a clear violation of the act as we have right now.
KRISTEN WELKER:
Let me ask you about the impact here at home, obviously the center of it, those high gas prices. They rose to a four-year high this week. Democratic Senate nominee James Talarico has called to suspend the federal gas tax of 18 cents per gallon until prices start to fall. Is that something that you would support in the Senate, suspending the federal gas tax?
SEN. ADAM SCHIFF:
You know, I have argued in the past under circumstances much less egregious than this that we could suspend the gas tax. But we needed to pay for it with the windfall profits tax on the oil companies that are making money hand over fist. So I would support a proposal like that. That won't deplete us of revenue to fix our roads. But really the best remedy to bring down gas prices is to bring this illegal war to an end. And I don't think anything short of that is really going to make a demonstrable impact on price at the pump. The way prices are going up and the speed they're going up, it would very quickly eat up any savings from suspending the gas tax. But I'd be willing to entertain that if the oil companies who are making such big profits have to pay for it.
KRISTEN WELKER:
Well, let me follow up with you and ask about your state specifically. California has the highest tax on gasoline, ranging between 60 cents to 70 cents per gallon. Would you call on Governor Gavin Newsom to suspend the gas tax in your state?
SEN. ADAM SCHIFF:
Well, again, I'd be open to that as long as we placed that windfall profits tax on the oil companies. But look, in California, we have some of the dirtiest air in the country. We've made a lot of progress in trying to address it. Some of these revenues go to helping us do that as well as maintain and improve our roads, our bridges, and a lot of the deferred maintenance which is very much a need. So we have to continue to invest in infrastructure. Again, I think the way to try to reduce prices as well as make sure we have the resources to invest in our cities is by making sure oil companies are paying their fair share, not gouging people. And that's, in addition to ending this war, I think the kind of steps we need to take.
KRISTEN WELKER:
Let me ask you about former FBI Director James Comey indicted, of course, over that social media post which federal prosecutors say was a threat to harm President Trump. You just heard my conversation with Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche about this. You have called the case, quote, "a vindictive prosecution." But a grand jury did sign off on the case. Are you saying that you do not have faith in that grand jury?
SEN. ADAM SCHIFF:
Look, as one judge notably said, "A skilled prosecutor can indict a ham sandwich." The prosecutor gets to show the grand jury what it wants to show the grand jury. You know, the grand jury doesn't get to see a lot of the exculpatory evidence, doesn't have independent legal experts to talk about how frivolous this case is. I'm sure none of that was done here. And look, the only facts that distinguishes this case from those people buying things on Amazon or posting things on Amazon is not any particular facts that are not visible to the public. It's the fact that James Comey is a political opponent of the president’s. It's the fact the president has called upon him for prosecution. It's the fact that Todd Blanche wants to keep this job. It's the fact that Pam Bondi didn't successfully bring a case against one of the president's enemies. All of that is deeply illegitimate. I was a prosecutor for almost six years. I never saw such a weak case. And I think, Kristen, in the future, in the Department of Justice, if anyone ever suggests bringing a case this weak, there'll be a new name for it. They'll be called "seashells" cases. You know, are you telling me we should be another seashells case. I think this case is likely to be thrown out even before it goes to a jury. It will absolutely be thrown out by the jury. But the fact that we're spending time on a seashells case and the top leadership of the Justice Department is so focused on it means they're not focused on violent crime cases. They're not focused on rape cases and child trafficking. They're focused now on James Comey and seashells. And it's the American public that suffers.
KRISTEN WELKER:
As you know, and as I just read, your name was on that list. Are you concerned, Senator, that you could be next?
SEN. ADAM SCHIFF:
I'm not concerned in the sense that if they bring a case against me, it'll suffer the same fate as this one is likely to suffer. But what I am concerned about is, you know, all that is lost in the Justice Department – a department that, you know, I loved and venerated my time there. We now have scores of seasoned prosecutors who are leaving by the hundreds, by the thousands who are asked to do unethical things and, you know, properly are saying no. We're seeing indictments as we saw in New York dismissed against a corrupt mayor, a mayor facing corruption cases or allegations because he's willing to help the president on an unrelated issue like immigration. I'm talking about the former mayor of New York here. These kind of abuses mean that the department isn't going after oil companies that are price gouging. It's not going after companies that are abusing consumers. It's not protecting us from monopolistic conduct in the market. It is instead focused on the president's agenda of retribution. And that's a terrible use of resources and a terrible precedent to set.
KRISTEN WELKER:
Let me turn to redistricting, of course, the Supreme Court. There are concerns that this latest ruling could limit the use of race in redistricting and could grant Republicans a handful of seats, concerns among some Democrats. Let me get your reaction. Because Democrats promised that some of these redistricting efforts were going to be temporary. But Leader Hakeem Jeffries said, quote, "We are in an era of maximum warfare everywhere all the time." Should Democrats break their promise not to redistrict and continue with these redistricting fights, Senator?
SEN. ADAM SCHIFF:
Well, first of all I think it's important to understand what's behind all of this. Why did President Trump begin the redistricting wars? Why is the Supreme Court, which is no longer a conservative court, it's merely a partisan court. A conservative court would have some respect for precedent. They don't. Why did they bring that voting rights case to begin with? And it's because their agenda is so deeply unpopular, they feel they're going to lose their majority unless they can gerrymander the districts, unless they can affirmatively use race to disenfranchise people. So this is why this whole redistricting war began. And yes, Democrats made the decision. We're going to fight this fight, if that's the task at hand. If we need to do it to make sure that voters actually have a choice in the policies of this country. Whether that will be temporary or permanent, I hope it is temporary. I hope that Congress will pass a bill that I've sponsored and co-sponsored for years which would outlaw the gerrymander nationwide. I hope the country gets so sick of this, of politicians writing their own maps and choosing their own voters instead of voters choosing their own elected officials that they insist on a national redistricting reform. But I suspect if the Republicans continue to do this, Democrats are going to find the necessity and feel the necessity of fighting fire with fire. But this is really a poor trend, an anti-Democratic trend for the country. And I hope that when Democrats take power in both houses and once again take power in the White House, that we will insist on a national redistricting reform and end these gerrymanders for good.
KRISTEN WELKER:
All right. Quickly, I want to ask you about the gubernatorial race in California, the primary just about a month away. You endorsed a former representative, Eric Swalwell, who withdrew. And you withdrew your support amid allegations of sexual misconduct. The primary again, right around the corner. Will you endorse a new candidate? And who is that?
SEN. ADAM SCHIFF:
You know, I haven't decided myself who I am going to support in the governor's race. The field is a different field, and it is changing every day. But I will say this. What would get me to be involved is if I felt that the concern, that the risk, that with this jungle primary system, which I think is a terrible system, if it produced two Republicans in the runoff and Democrats didn't even have a choice in November. If I felt that the odds of that had increased to the point where really we must act, then I would. Barring that, I first want to decide who I'm supporting myself. And I'm reluctant to get involved again.
KRISTEN WELKER:
All right. Well, when you make that decision, please come back. Let us know. Senator Adam Schiff, thank you so very much for being here.
SEN. ADAM SCHIFF:
Thank you.
KRISTEN WELKER:
When we come back, gas prices hit a four-year high. How will it impact the midterms? The panel is next.
KRISTEN WELKER:
Welcome back. The panel is here. Julia Ainsley, NBC News Senior Homeland Security Correspondent and author of the new book “Undue Process,” PBS News Hour Co-Anchor Amna Nawaz, former Democratic Congresswoman Val Demings, and Marc Short, former Trump Director of Legislative Affairs. Thanks to all of you. Welcome.
MARC SHORT:
Morning.
KRISTEN WELKER:
Let me start with you, Amna. Let's talk about what we heard from the acting attorney general about the war in Iran. I asked him point blank, "Is the U.S. at war?" He said no and argued that there is a ceasefire, therefore the clock's been halted on that 60-day deadline. What are you hearing?
AMNA NAWAZ:
Right.
KRISTEN WELKER:
We know President Trump was briefed about a range of potential options, including military options this week.
AMNA NAWAZ:
Well, we know President Trump has not taken military options off the table since the start of these actions. He never has. I doubt he ever will because he's a president who likes to keep his options open. I found it interesting, the legal argument he was making there, because we should also point out this is not the first president to argue about the unconstitutionality of The War Powers Act. I'm old enough to remember Obama and the signature drone strikes, George W. Bush and enhanced interrogation techniques. Nixon tried to veto the War Powers Resolution, right? But we had Harold Koh on the show last week, on NewsHour, who made the argument that this is not – this is a game clock, essentially. The ceasefire doesn't stop it. The War Powers Resolution is what it is. That clock ran out last week. This now comes down to a legal argument and it also comes down to whether or not Republicans in Congress choose to enforce it. We know privately they've had some concerns about that. You shared what Susan Collins has had to say publicly. But there have been six votes before lawmakers when they've had the chance to be able to exercise their authority and oversight and have chosen not to. So, whether or not there's a deal, whether there's military action, the legal argument is a separate issue.
KRISTEN WELKER:
Yeah, Marc, do you see anymore Republicans getting on board? And how much concern is there that while the war, the ceasefire's dragging out, gas prices continue to go up and the midterms are around the corner?
MARC SHORT:
Well, let's separate those. I really don't think you'll see too many more Republicans. Susan Collins is obviously in a competitive race.
KRISTEN WELKER:
Yeah.
MARC SHORT:
And so, I think for her, to show her independence, she wants to break with Trump on something. But, look, the War Powers Resolution was passed in 1973 at the height of the Vietnam War. It has not been tested by the Supreme Court. And I think that there's a lot of Democrats who want to call on it today. But, you know, President Obama was president, we had military troops in Libya starting in March of 2011. They went until October 2011. Democrats were not calling for contesting War Powers Resolution and what the executive power was there. So, this is a partisan game that gets played every time the executive branch uses military action. The reality is that this president has the chance to make historic changes in the Middle East. And if he's successful, the risk premium that we pay on energy prices will go down. But I think his challenge is that that has not been well-articulated to the American people. It's been explained that one time we're doing this to take – make sure they have no nuclear weapons, another time for regime change, another time to basically debase their military capability. And when Chris Wright comes on your show and says, "Gas prices may not get below $4 next year," he gets his hand slapped. And I think it would be helpful to explain to the American people, "Here's what would happen if there was actually freedom in the Middle East and what would happen if in no longer this regime for 47 years that's been murdering and killing innocent people was removed and what would happen to energy prices long term." That is an argument they should be making to the American people today.
KRISTEN WELKER:
Congresswoman, pick up on that and how should Democrats navigate that in the midterms, given the long-term argument that Marc and, quite frankly, President Trump, are making? This is about the long-term safety and security of the United States and the whole world, quite frankly, and gas prices, the president argues, will start to come down once the war ends.
FMR. REP. VAL DEMINGS:
Well, look, the safety and security of our nation should be our number one concern. But Democrats' message has to be rooted and grounded in reality. The reality is gas prices are high. Matter of fact, everything's going up. Groceries are high. Gas, I filled up my husband's Ford truck last week, I was doing him a favor, it was $146. I won't be doing that favor again any time soon. But fertilizer, farmers are feeling it. Democrats are hearing every day from their constituents, "Look, what are y'all doing to make my life better and lower prices?" So, I think that Democrats, while safety and security is the number-one concern, that's not what they are hearing about every day from people on the ground. People want to know, "When are my costs of living going down?" The president is the one who said that on day one he would lower price and not get in any forever wars. Just the opposite has happened.
KRISTEN WELKER:
Yeah, he's getting very low marks on his handling of the economy, higher marks on his handling on immigration and deportation. Julia, that takes me to your book. Let me just hold it up. “Undue Process: Inside, The Inside Story of Trump's Mass Deportation Program.” You explore the president's mass deportation program, you also explore his use of executive authority. Talk about why this book in this moment and what you think the implications are, as we look ahead to the midterms.
JULIA AINSLEY:
Yeah. You know, Kristen, I really think that this book will walk people through why an issue that started as Trump's biggest asset turned into his biggest political liability going – perhaps going into the midterms. I've covered immigration since 2014. You and I talk about it a lot. But 2025, I realized what I was covering was unlike anything I had seen before, and I started to document every change in policy, whether it's using the Alien Enemies Act to deport people without due process or a number of changes that they were making throughout. And what I found was a vast expansion of executive power. And what I tell people is no matter how you feel about immigration, whether you're for deporting every illegal immigrant who's living in the United States, anyone who crossed the border illegally, or you think everyone who crossed the border should have asylum, this is a vast expansion of executive power. In fact, one of the things that I reveal in the book was a program that they wanted to expand that would allow technology to scan social media of foreign students who are legally in the United States and find anything that they were posting that was just anti-Trump priorities and then to take that list and find underlying crimes that they could revoke their visas and deport them. This is coming from a president who also said, after sending people to CECOT Prison in El Salvador, "What if we did that for Americans." So, I think people – even if people are picking up this book and immigration isn't their top issue, it's not something that brings them to the polls, they're going to learn just how far things could have gone and all of the moments that led up to the flash-bangs that we saw throughout the summer really leading to Minneapolis.
KRISTEN WELKER:
Well, Julia, thank you for being here to talk about it. Undue Process. It's a great book. I've started reading it and, as you say, has big implications for the midterms. We're going to have much more on the midterms, so please stick around, guys. When we come back, an historic visit from King Charles. How the British monarchy has endured in our Meet The Press Minute next.
KRISTEN WELKER:
Welcome back. King Charles arrived in Washington this week for an historic state visit, meeting with President Trump and addressing a joint session of Congress in a speech filled with humor. He's only the second British monarch ever to address Congress after his mother, Queen Elizabeth, 35 years ago. And it marks the first official U.K. state visit to Washington since 2007 when Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip were hosted by President George W. Bush. Prince Philip joined Meet The Press back in 1969 at a time when monarchies across Europe were in decline following World War II.
[BEGIN TAPE]
LAWRENCE SPIVAK:
Why do you think the British monarchy is so strong, despite the fact that so many monarchies in Europe have died?
PRINCE PHILIP:
Well, I think – I think the British are more liberal in their outlets. Most of the monarchies in Europe are really described by their greatest and most ardent supporters. It is the most reactionary people who somehow rather tried to hold onto something without letting it develop and change. I think in the United Kingdom the monarchy I think for a long time has been much closer to the population as a whole and therefore has responded – been more in touch with and responded to different attitudes, whereas I think the monarchies of Europe were much more stylized and much more rigid in their concept, and this has eventually destroyed them.
[END TAPE]
KRISTEN WELKER:
When we come back, a Supreme Court ruling on voting rights upends the political map ahead of the midterms. The panel is back with us next.
KRISTEN WELKER:
Welcome back. The panel is still with us. Julia, let me start with you because this week Congress finally voted to end the longest partial government shutdown, DHS shutdown, but still not funding ICE and CBP. And you've been reporting it could take some time, actually, to get DHS back online.
JULIA AINSLEY:
Yeah. Especially in the way TSA workers are hired. Eleven hundred quit. It takes some time to onboard people and to convince them to come work for an agency that could lose funding again in September. That's why we saw Delta this week say they want to see a separate package to make sure that FAA workers and TSA workers keep getting funded during a shutdown. But, you know, as I explain in my book, this is a behemoth agency that started in 9/11 and now you have some very practical agencies that everyone needs like FEMA that have been tied to these controversial policies. So it could happen again. They're problems for Congress as well as for the American people, who could continue to see long lines at airports this summer.
KRISTEN WELKER:
Well I know you and we will all be watching it very closely. Amna, let me talk to you about another huge headline this week. I was talking about it with our guests, the Supreme Court decision on the Voting Rights Act. Louisiana has already postponed its primary elections as it looks to potentially redraw its maps. How do you see this playing out in the midterms but also 2028?
AMNA NAWAZ:
I mean, I think what we saw within the first 24-48 hours after the decision gives us some indication. We saw a number of states where there was litigation related to potentially racially gerrymandered maps that had already been decided that is now up for play again. Other cases where maps were being disputed, and this court decision now comes into play. We've seen calls in Georgia for Republican lawmakers to try to redraw their maps too and Alabama as well. We mentioned Louisiana, where we should point out voting was already under way in those primaries that have now been suspended. So look, in states where there were potentially racially gerrymandered maps, it's now much more difficult to challenge that. That is just the new lay of the land for these maps and for the legal landscape. What I've heard from experts, though, it's less about 2026 because a lot of those rules are already in place. Candidate filings are in place. It will be more about 2028.
KRISTEN WELKER:
Val, how do you see it? And are we now going to see a prolonged tit for tat over redistricting nationwide?
FMR. REP. VAL DEMINGS:
Well, I think we should definitely deal with redistricting nationwide. And let us not forget that the president started this redistricting war. And I believe because he did not want to be held accountable if Democrats took back the House. And so in Florida, as you well know, we have just gone – the governor just presented maps hopefully trying to give Republicans three or four additional seats. The fact that states, Louisiana, Texas, Florida, and others, are so willing to deny Black and brown voters, equal representation, and also so willing to continue to engage in voter suppression just shows me that the original architects of Jim Crow may be dead and gone, but their ghosts live on in a new generation. Florida has a problem, though. In 2010, 63% of the voters voted in favor of the law saying that you cannot draw districts to favor a political party. Yet the governor clearly indicated that the maps would help Republicans in the House and also the maps were color-coded to show just that. And so we have a problem. We've got to respect the law.
KRISTEN WELKER:
Marc, Congressman Demings is saying that the ghosts of Jim Crow live on in this. How do you see it?
MARC SHORT:
The congresswoman knows how much respect I have for her service, not just in Congress but also a police chief. But I think I agree with John Roberts. The best way to end discrimination is to stop discriminating based on race. The reality is that thankfully this is not the 1960s. It's not the Jim Crow era when it comes to race relations in America anymore. A federal court ordered Louisiana to draw a specific African American majority district. That's what the Supreme Court overturned. They did not gut the Voting Rights Act. They said, "You can’t do that." You have to have evidence of current discrimination, not something from 1960." I think that when it comes to redistricting, I've been on your show and said that I think this will be a wash at the end of the day. I don't think this has been helpful. But I do think there's a little bit of selective memory here. In 2022 right after Biden in the first midterms, Democrats voted to redraw New York until the courts threw it out. In Virginia the governor ran one of the most dishonest, disingenuous campaigns in modern history on redistricting.
KRISTEN WELKER:
All right, guys.
FMR. REP. VAL DEMINGS:
Black people are discriminated every day in the United States of America.
KRISTEN WELKER:
All right. We will continue this debate offline. Unfortunately, we're out of time. Thank you so much for a great discussion. That is all for today. Thank you for watching. We'll be back next week, because if it's Sunday, it's Meet the Press.
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