President Trump asserted this week that he is Iran's “No. 1” target, a claim he made aboard Air Force One while dismissing questions about whether security risks prompted a last-minute switch of presidential aircraft. The comments came as U.S.-Iran tensions simmer following alleged violations of a recent ceasefire.
During his return from the NATO summit in Turkey, Trump told reporters the older Air Force One was swapped to allow the newer plane to travel to a U.K. air base for troop viewing. Several journalists expressed skepticism, but the president brushed aside safety concerns, reinforcing his narrative of personal threat from Tehran.
The renewed friction between Washington and Tehran will be a central topic on this weekend's Sunday shows. Former CENTCOM commander Gen. Frank McKenzie is set to appear on CBS's “Face the Nation,” while Sen. Jim Banks (R-Ind.), a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, will join Fox News’s “Fox News Sunday.” U.S. Ambassador to NATO Matthew Whitaker will also discuss the summit on both “Fox News Sunday” and CNN’s “State of the Union.”
On the domestic front, the collapse of Graham Platner's Maine Senate campaign has thrown the midterm race into chaos. The Democratic nominee exited the race Friday after a sexual assault allegation prompted key allies to withdraw endorsements. Platner denies wrongdoing and claims the allegation was a political hit to force him off the ballot. The state party has until July 27 to appoint a replacement to challenge incumbent GOP Sen. Susan Collins. For a deeper look at how the campaign unraveled, see our detailed breakdown of Platner's exit. Meanwhile, several Maine Democrats have already stepped forward to fill the vacancy.
Democrats are also fuming over Trump's Thursday firing of the remaining Democratic members of the independent Election Assistance Commission, a panel that helps voters participate and officials run elections. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) called the move a “power grab” and vowed to fight it “at every turn.” The controversy adds to the party's anxiety about midterm prospects, especially after the Maine chaos and a progressive surge in Michigan have dimmed hopes for a Senate majority.
Another flashpoint: the fatal shooting of Lorenzo Salgado Araujo, a Mexican immigrant and Houston homebuilder for over 35 years, by an ICE officer. DHS says the officer acted in self-defense, but Rep. Sylvia Garcia (D-Texas) contends Salgado Araujo was not the intended target of the investigation. Sen. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) called the victim a “loving father and husband” and said the incident underscores the need for “real reforms of DHS and an end to this administration’s cruel and dangerous immigration agenda.” Schiff will appear on NBC’s “Meet the Press” on Sunday.
The Sunday show lineup is packed: NewsNation’s “The Hill Sunday” features Sen. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.). CBS’s “Face the Nation” includes Israeli Ambassador Michael Leiter, former White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel, Rep. Mike Turner (R-Ohio), Gen. Frank McKenzie, and border czar Tom Homan. CNN’s “State of the Union” hosts Reps. Jake Auchincloss (D-Mass.) and Jim Himes (D-Conn.), plus Ambassador Whitaker. Fox News’s “Fox News Sunday” features Sen. Jim Banks, Ambassador Whitaker, and Cuban U.N. Ambassador Ernesto Soberón Guzmán. NBC’s “Meet the Press” includes Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.), Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), and Sen. Adam Schiff. ABC’s “This Week” will have Rep. Michael McCaul (R-Texas), Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.), and U.N. Ambassador Mike Waltz.
