'This Week' Transcript 7-26-26: Sen. Chris Van Hollen and Rep. Mike Turner

A rush transcript of "This Week with George Stephanopoulos" airing on Sunday, July 26, 2026 on ABC News is below. This copy may not be in its final form, may be updated and may contain minor transcription errors. For previous show transcripts, visit the "This Week" transcript archive.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

MARTHA RADDATZ, ABC “THIS WEEK” CO-ANCHOR: As the war in Iran enters its sixth month, President Trump weighed a major escalation. But that may be off the table for now. This morning, we’re on the ground in Jordan. A special edition of “THIS WEEK” starts right now.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

RADDATZ: After weeks of renewed fighting and the deaths of American soldiers, President Trump hurling threats of a massive strike.

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: We’re locked and loaded and ready to go, but we’re talking to them.

RADDATZ: But this morning, reports that plan was deemed too risky.

And, new choke point. Attacks in the Red Sea blocked a critical waterway.

MATT RIVERS, ABC NEWS CORRESPONDENT: More than 10 percent of all global shipping goes through that Strait each year.

RADDATZ: All as the administration asked Congress for billions more to fight the war.

PETE HEGSETH, DEFENSE SECRETARY: We look at the cost of a nuclear Iran, and we want to prevent that for future generations. And that requires funding.

RADDATZ: This morning --

SEN. CHRIS VAN HOLLEN, (D) MARYLAND & FOREIGN RELATIONS COMMITTEE: But I think the American people deserve a definition of what it means to win.

RADDATZ: We speak to Senator Chris Van Hollen about what this mounting cost means for Americans.

And we ask Republican Congressman Mike Turner if he’ll fund the war.

The battle for Maine.

TROY JACKSON, (D) MAINE SENATE CANDIDATE: She’s a rubber stamp for Trump, voting 96 percent of the time with him.

SEN. SUSAN COLLINS, (R) MAINE: He’s a Bernie bro.

RADDATZ: After Graham Platner’s sudden exit, Maine Democrats have a new nominee.

And, solemn ceremony. We remember the service members who lost their lives in the most recent Iranian attacks.

CAROL ACEVEDO, MOTHER OF SGT. ANGEL RAMPERSAD: My daughter was a good -- a good soldier.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANNOUNCER: From ABC News, a special edition of "This Week." Reporting live from Jordan, Martha Raddatz.

RADDATZ: Good morning from Amman, Jordan.

We have been here since first getting word that three young American soldiers were killed in an Iranian drone and missile strike more than a week ago. A fourth soldier lost his life in Iraq. The three killed here and many more injured were attacked during the night. We don’t know the exact circumstances. We do know that prefabricated housing units, where our service members sleep, were targeted and destroyed in the Iranian strike.

President Trump was there when the remains of the fallen were brought back to the U.S. Their deaths bring the number of service members killed in this war to 18.

It’s easy to forget, looking at official military photos, that these service members were daughters and sons, fathers, mothers, husbands, wives, brothers and sisters.

And while the president offered kind words and comfort to the families, at the same time he appeared to downplay the death toll, on social media comparing the number to other wars. The president, who campaigned as the candidate who would get us out of wars, also defensive about the fact that this war, his war, is soon entering its sixth month, after he predicted it would be over in a matter of weeks.

Another chart he posted on social media comparing this war with the lengthy conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. Indeed, so far it has been far shorter.

But those lengthy wars began much like this one, with promises of a swift result, a cakewalk in the case of Iraq. We all remember that.

It is easy to be numb to all of this with the nightly exchange of missiles with Iran. But we shouldn’t be. This is one of the most consequential weeks of this conflict. Oil prices spiking once again. The Red Sea now compromised. And this morning, after threatening a new massive strike and then reportedly taking that off the table for now, the strategy to end this war is still unclear, even after those deadly attacks on Americans.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

RADDATZ (voice over): This was the moment of impact. Fiery explosions from deadly Iranian missiles and drones at the U.S. base here in Jordan. The attacks soon spreading to American bases across the region, prompting President Trump to consider a massive escalation.

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: We’re locked and loaded and ready to go.

RADDATZ (voice over): The Pentagon had rushed more war fighters and warplanes to the Middle East. F-16s and the stealthy F-35. But “The New York Times” reporting this morning, Trump fears a major escalation could widen the war and drain the already diminished

stockpiles of defensive weapons, like the Patriot missile battery.

So the question is, does the near daily exchange of fire simply drag on? Iran, vowing that for every Iranian citizen killed in U.S. attacks and American service member will be killed.

MARCO RUBIO, SECRETARY OF STATE: I saw Araghchi, their foreign minister, who -- the other day say, or something about their policy is an eye for an eye. The president’s policy is, a head for an eye. I mean, honestly, that’s what it’s going to be. I mean, they will pay a very heavy price.

RADDATZ (voice over): On Capitol Hill, Secretary Pete Hegseth on the defense as the human toll of this war, and the monetary cost, grow larger. The U.S. has already spent more than $37 billion and is now asking for a $67 billion supplemental.

SEN. GARY PETERS, (D) MICHIGAN: You’re asking the American people for a blank check because, once again, the Trump administration’s efforts have been an utter and complete failure to win this war to this point.

PETE HEGSETH, DEFENSE SECRETARY: I think your characterization of this incredible effort as a failure is reckless. And I think it’s irresponsible. And I think it smears the sacrifice of the troops that are out there making on behalf of the American people to ensure that Iran never gets a nuclear weapon. Shame on you and others who call this a quagmire and a failure.

PETERS: But I use the word failure to their leaders. You, sir, are the failure, not the men and women who are on that front line.

RADDATZ (voice over): But this war is increasingly unpopular with the American people. According to a recent “Washington Post”/Ipsos poll, only 29 percent approve of Trump’s handling of the war, while 69 percent disapprove. A war that the administration said would be over in a matter of weeks and boasting that the military and nuclear capabilities of Iran had been obliterated.

SEN. JON OSSOFF, (D) GEORGIA: In the second week of the conflict, you stated that Iran’s military had been, quote, “destroyed” and, quote, “made combat ineffective.” Was that an accurate statement, yes or no?

HEGSETH: Iran’s ability to challenge the United States of America at the level of which we’re capable of --

OSSOFF: That’s not what I asked you, Mr. Secretary. You said on day fourteen, Iran’s military had been, quote, “destroyed” and, quote, “made combat ineffective.” Yes or no, was that an accurate statement?

HEGSETH: What the American military has done to the Iranian military is a historic military defeat.

OSSOFF: Will you answer the question? Will you answer the question under oath?

HEGSETH: And they’re ineffective in that context.

OSSOFF: You said Iran’s military had been rendered, quote, “combat ineffective for years to come.” And you stated, we had, quote, “achieved every single objective.” Were those accurate statements?

HEGSETH: It certainly was, on behalf of the men and women in uniform, a historic military victory over Iran.

RADDATZ (voice over): But there is no question, Iran still maintains some capability. Air raid sirens blaring here in Amman this week. This war hitting home for Americans visiting the region.

Pediatrician Natasha Halasa comes to Jordan regularly from Nashville for work and to visit family.

DR. NATASHA HALASA, JORDANIAN-AMERICAN DOCTOR & PROFESSOR: This was the first week that I was here when I heard sirens. Actually, the first time it went off, I didn’t really even know that they were sirens meant for missiles.

RADDATZ: Here in Jordan, as well as the other Gulf countries, the attacks in the last week or so were shocking. It’s happened before, of course, but these were relentless and deadly. And for Jordan especially, it was not only shocking, it’s complicated.

RADDATZ (voice over): Jordan relies heavily on the U.S. for economic and military aid, as it does not generate the revenue from oil that other Gulf states do.

DR. AMER AL-SABAILEH, GEOPOLITICAL EXPERT: I think the American administration as well needs to engage the world when it comes to something like this. We cannot just start a war and then expect that things will change. Yes, you might have power, but, you know, power is not always the solution.

RADDATZ (voice over): But there is no sign that this war is headed for an end, and fears the death toll could rise.

LT. GEN. DANIEL KARBLER, U.S. ARMY (RET.): Iranian tactics, they’re constantly updating their tactics and procedures. They see what we are doing with our defensive capabilities, and they adjust.

RADDATZ: Lieutenant General Dan Karbler commanded the Army’s Space and Missile Defense until 2024.

KARBLER: And then combining those drone attacks with ballistic missile attacks, definitely challenges our defenses. Not just from a technology standpoint, but just from a capacity standpoint too.

RADDATZ (voice over): The total number of U.S. service members killed since the war began nearly five months ago is eighteen. But this week, on the Pentagon’s public database, the number was lowered from 18 to 14. The president acknowledging there were eighteen, but inexplicably referring to the toll coming from two wars.

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Four great American patriots killed. That’s 18 in two wars. And one is too many. But it’s 18.

RADDATZ (voice over): Why would he say two wars?

Republican Congressman Thomas Massie said on X, “Let me explain this absurd ruse: The Pentagon is pretending there have been two Iran wars separated by a brief cease-fire. The reality: By going more than 90 days without congressional authorization, @SecretaryofWar is breaking the law and must be held accountable.”

The Pentagon claims the disparity was simply a data glitch.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

RADDATZ:  And there was another major development in the war. This week, a new front in the war breaking open, shaking the global economy even further, with the Iranian-backed Houthis targeting another crucial waterway in the region.

Matt Rivers has the details from the Red Sea.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MATT RIVERS, ABC NEWS CORRESPONDENT (voice-over):  The Bab Al-Mandab Strait is an essential waterway for global shipping operations, but the narrow passage off the coast of Yemen at the southern tip of the Red Sea has become even more vital since the war in Iran began, serving as an alternative shipping route to the shuttered Strait of Hormuz, including for Saudi Arabian oil exports.

But the Baba Al-Mandab Strait dragged into the conflict this week as the Houthis, the Iranian-backed rebel group in Yemen, attacked several Saudi oil tankers in the Red Sea, strangling another vital waterway.

RIVERS:  More than 10 percent of all global shipping goes through that strait each year. And now, faced with new threats, ships like that one there here in the Red Sea might get stuck yet again as the global economy could take another hit.

RIVERS (voice-over):  These concerns and the re-entry of the Houthis into the conflict, leading the price of oil to shoot back up towards numbers not seen since the beginning of June.

President Donald Trump warning the Houthis and Iran after Wednesday night's attacks in a social media post saying, “If they do this again, the U.S. will hold Iran responsible.”

But on Saturday, the Houthis claiming they had struck two Saudi oil facilities, while threatening to escalate further.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

RADDATZ:  And Matt Rivers is just back from the Red Sea and joins me now here in Amman, Jordan.

And, Matt, all attention has been on the Strait of Hormuz. Now, with the Red Sea there, that could cause real chaos in shipping and in the economy.

RIVERS:  No question. I mean, we've been talking a lot about the Strait of Hormuz, and rightly so. But if you add in this potential disruption right there at the tip of the Red Sea, I think you're talking about a worst-case scenario for shipping in this part of the world.

If both of those straits remain closed for an extended period of time, it would send shockwaves through the global economy. And not just talking about shipping overall, but if you're talking specifically about oil prices, the experts that we're talking to, Martha, say that if both of those straits remain closed, you could be looking at oil prices roughly $150 per barrel or more. And obviously, that would be devastating for the U.S. economy.

RADDATZ:  Absolutely devastating and something all Americans are paying attention to.

Thanks, Matt.

RIVERS:  You got it.

RADDATZ:  And to talk about all these developments, I'm joined now by Senator Chris Van Hollen, a member of both the Foreign Relations and Appropriations Committee. Senator Van Hollen, one of the senators grilling Pete Hegseth this week.

Senator, thanks for joining us.

The president had considered massive strikes on Iran, even though they previously declared victory. Now “The New York Times” reporting he is backing off of that for now.

Do you see a clear strategy here?

SEN. CHRIS VAN HOLLEN, (D) MARYLAND & FOREIGN RELATIONS COMMITTEE:  Martha, I don’t see a clear strategy. And there’s never been a clear strategy. We should never have gotten into this senseless war, and we should end it now.

I'm glad that they’re not going to unload again with a big military strike. That would just drag it more deeply into this conflict. A conflict that we should be getting out of, not getting deeper into.

RADDATZ:  And, Senator, “The Times” reported that he’s holding off because advisors said munitions are depleting and they feared a wider war. What do you know about those munitions?

VAN HOLLEN:  Well, that’s exactly right. We have depleted our interceptors, which are the weapons we use to intercept incoming Iranian attacks. Which are, obviously, necessary to protect American troops.

And so, we are depleting these every day, despite the fact that we could face other potential conflicts around the world.

You know, as you said in the lead-in, Martha, Donald Trump said, we won this war. We won. Those were his words back in March.

And so the question is, now we’re in July, why are Americans still getting killed? Why is the Strait of Hormuz still closed? Why are oil and gas prices going back through the roof again?

RADDATZ:  Well, you have said, there’s no good way to get out of a bad war. So, how do you think you end this? You have the Iranians, who haven’t kept their word. What do you do?

VAN HOLLEN:  Well, when you’re digging a hole, you just stop digging. And my view is that’s what we should do. There was no clear objective from this -- for this war from the beginning. This was a war started by President Trump and Prime Minister Netanyahu.

Prime Minister Netanyahu convinced Donald Trump that it would be quick and that we would get regime change. And what we’ve gotten instead is an even more militant Iranian regime, and the Strait of Hormuz, of course, is still closed now when it was open the day before the war.

So, my view is just, end it right now. And I will not vote for one more penny for this senseless war.

RADDATZ: So, you just walk away from that war. What would the Iranians take away from that? What would happen to them and their ambitions at this point?

VAN HOLLEN: Well, Martha, I think the Strait of Hormuz would then reopen. I mean that would -- there’s no question that Iran would go back to the status quo ante (ph) before the war started. I believe that. And that would show just how senseless this war is.

But, again, Donald Trump declared victory back in March. And so, my view is, is end it.

We had Pete Hegseth before the Appropriations Committee. Clearly, no strategy. And when you have no strategy, it’s completely unfair to American troops to continue to put them in harm’s way.

RADDATZ: Do you think -- let’s say what the objective of -- is of Donald Trump to keep them from getting a nuclear weapon. Without going into the history of what we had before, do you think that right now, and for years to come, the Iranians will be unable to build a nuclear weapon?

VAN HOLLEN: I do, Martha. And I won’t go through that past history, but I'll go to recent history, which is when Pete Hegseth told the country, just last year, that we had, quote, “obliterated Iran’s ability to create nuclear weapons.” That’s a direct quote from the secretary of Defense. So, for them to continue to say that’s the reason they’re prolonging the war, again, just shows that they don’t know what they’re doing given their past statements.

RADDATZ: And let’s talk about this Saudi deal from this week. They announced this deal with the Saudis, that there could be nuclear development, civil nuclear development. And then President Trump, even after it was signed, said, wait a minute, the -- they have -- the Saudis first have to normalize relations with Israel.

So, what happened there and what do you think of that going forward?

VAN HOLLEN: Martha, it’s complete whiplash for the Saudis. I mean, it just shows you cannot rely on the United States. You certainly can’t count on the Trump administration. They had signed a deal.

From my perspective, the big questions about the deal were the safeguards to prevent nuclear proliferation. I've always supported what we call the gold standard, to make sure that Saudi Arabia or any other country we do a deal with cannot use that deal to obtain nuclear weapons. But the Trump administration, after getting the Saudis to sign it, turned around and said, well, we’re not going to follow through unless you normalize relations with Israel, unless you join the Abraham Accords.

And as you well know, the Saudis have been very clear that they will normalize relations with Israel when we’re on a clear and un -- you know, clear path toward developing a Palestinian state, living side by side, security for both Palestinians and Israelis. That has been the Saudi position. And so, what the Trump administration did was a bait and switch scheme.

RADDATZ: OK, thanks for joining us this morning. We always appreciate your time, Senator.

VAN HOLLEN: Thank you, Martha.

RADDATZ: So, now, let's bring in Republican Congressman Mike Turner, a top member of the House Armed Services Committee.

Good to see you this morning, Congressman.

(CROSSTALK)

RADDATZ: The president has reportedly backed off a major escalation. Do you think that's a good idea?

REP. MIKE TURNER, (R) OHIO & ARMED SERVICES COMMITTEE: Well, Martha, I -- you know, I don't really consider “The New York Times” an excellent source on national security policy at the White House, but I think what's very important here is that the White House is approaching this in a very methodical, you know, view.

The -- you know, in this instance, you know, Iran is certainly not dependable. They do -- you know, they are the adversary here, and they do have a vote in how this progresses. They're certainly not dependable as they go -- as these negotiations have progressed, as there's been an attempt to open the Straits of Hormuz.

But overarching, the most important aspect here has been the goal of this conflict, and that is certainly one of the things that was subscribed (ph) in the declaration in the NATO Summit, that was a win in this administration, and that where all of the NATO allies agreed with the administration, and that is that Iran cannot be permitted to have a nuclear weapon. And that has been the overarching theme here, and that has been certainly the core of this conflict.

RADDATZ: But, Congressman, the president, Pete Hegseth, had said they were obliterated, decimated. So why are we still after it?

TURNER: Well, what -- actually they said it, and I'm certainly not going to defend the administration's statements throughout this. You'll have to talk to the administration about them. But actually what they had said was that the actions that they had taken at their nuclear enrichment sites had been obliterated, certainly not their aspirations for nuclear weapons or the nuclear weapons program.

But what's really important, and I greatly appreciate, Martha, that you pushed Senator Van Hollen on this, because you had asked him, so if you had -- you know, if you'd not done this at all, if you just abandoned this effort, as he suggested, you know, so you could get the Straits of Hormuz open, then what would you go back to? And he said, "Well, you'd go back to the status quo," which was basically, you know, prior, which is where the International Atomic Energy Agency said that they were weeks away of having enough nuclear material to have a nuclear weapon. And that's a foolish trade.

No one -- the foolish trade is to say, "Well, we'll have the straits open, and we'll have lower gas prices, but we'll have a nuclear Iran." That is not where the world wants to be. The NATO summit validated certainly what the White House has been saying. This is certainly an important, you know, stake in the ground. And it certainly is an inevitable conflict. That's where the Obama administration left this by saying, well, we're just going to watch Iran until they get close.

RADDATZ: Congressman --

TURNER: And then we have found ourselves here where action had to be taken.

RADDATZ: Congressman, we have lost 18 Americans since this began.

TURNER: Devastating. Absolutely devastating.

RADDATZ: Americans are not fond of this war.

TURNER: No one is fond of any war.

RADDATZ: It is devastating. Americans -- Americans disapprove of the way President Trump is handling this by large majorities. Only 29 percent approve of the way he's handling this. What do you say to your constituents? And when you say the world really cares about this, when we are losing Americans, lost four here in the last week or so, what do you say to them about why this is so important to continue when it -- there's no clear strategy?

TURNER: Well, Martha, these are really -- really two different questions here. I mean, when you opened this, you asked me the question of, you know, why is this conflict undertaken? That really is the issue, as the White House articulated and the NATO summit confirmed, and that is Iran cannot be permitted to have a nuclear weapon. And that's incredibly important, not only for the United States, for allies, for the region, and for the world.

And certainly, Iran articulated that, you know, their intention to seek a nuclear weapon, and they certainly were, as they had these underground facilities continuing their nuclear enrichment, headed toward that path. Then there's certainly an issue where there's bipartisan frustration on Capitol Hill. You're seeing it, you know, Republicans, Democrats that are showing their frustration with how this war is being -- this conflict is being prosecuted, the statements that are being made by the White House, at the Pentagon.

And certainly, I don't think anybody is going to defend those particular statements or those particular decisions. But you have to also see this in the context that Iran has a vote here. They're the adversary. They're not a party in which you can depend on their word. They cannot be negotiated with and then be relied upon. And in that, it's very difficult. You don't have an adversary where there's a -- where you have a memorandum of understanding that they're going to live up to their word.

So, is this, as you have an attempt to open the straits, as you have to understand that they're the largest sponsor of terrorism, and this is becoming -- you know, brought to an end, that certainly is a difficult process.

RADDATZ: Congressman, you praised that memorandum of understanding as a major turning point in the war, as you just mentioned. That fell apart. You can't trust the Iranians. So I think the question, and I talk about strategy, is what now? I mean, the president has put out possible massive airstrikes. He wants diplomacy. But how do you deal with the Iranians when that deal that you thought was great fell apart?

TURNER: You know, and that's interesting, Martha, that so in that memorandum of understanding, Iran made statements that said that they would never make. Now then they didn't live up to those statements, but they said they would not pursue a nuclear weapon. They said the straits would be open and they made those statements having said that they would not do so. So they had been brought to the negotiation table, they made the statements they said they would not, and then they did not live up to them.

And so, now, we're in the situation where the administration hasn't -- doesn't have a whole lot of options and is using force and is using also the attempt for negotiation. Now, we have to go to the point where, you know, Iran -- their whole ability to be able to, you know, attack their neighbors, to be a sponsor of terrorism is because they are in the world of commerce, the world of energy.

The -- our allies and those in which they sell energy to are going to have to step up to the plate here. America, the United States cannot do this alone. There is economic pressure that can be placed on Iran.

RADDATZ:  Congressman --

TURNER:  And that's going to have to be brought to bear also.

RADDATZ:  As you said, not a whole lot of options. We appreciate your time, as always.

TURNER:  Thank you, Martha.

RADDATZ:  Coming up, Democrats have their candidate to replace Graham Platner, the all-important Maine Senate race. Next, we hear from the lumberjack Democrats hope can beat Susan Collins.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TROY JACKSON, (D) MAINE SENATE CANDIDATE:  For nearly 30 years, Collins has told Maine that she is concerned. Maine does not need another six years of concern. We need someone with courage. We need a fighter. And we need a senator who remembers exactly who sent them to Washington, which is you.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

RADDATZ:  That was Troy Jackson speaking in Maine on Saturday after an impromptu state party convention selected him as their new Democratic nominee for Senate after the sudden departure of Graham Platner. Today marks 100 days until the midterms, and with control of the Senate at stake, can Jackson win over Platner supporters and flip the key seat currently held by longtime incumbent Senator Susan Collins?

ABC's Jay O'Brien has the story.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JAY O’BRIEN, ABC NEWS CORRESPONDENT (voice-over):  In the nation's most closely watched Senate race, Democrats in Maine rallying around their new candidate.

(CHANTING)

O’BRIEN (voice-over):  Tapping Troy Jackson to replace scandal-plagued Graham Platner, who dropped out earlier this month after an ex-girlfriend accused him of sexual assault, which he denies.

JACKSON:  I humbly ask for your vote. Thank you and God bless.

O’BRIEN (voice-over):  A logger and the former state Senate president, Jackson, launched a failed campaign for governor this year. Now he's hoping to pick up Platner's progressive working-class mantle, challenging the state's longtime Republican senator, Susan Collins, in a contest that could decide control of the Senate.

Jackson speaking with ABC moments after he officially became the nominee.

JACKSON:  Everyday people are fed up with the government that we have right now, and it's time for everyone, Republicans and Democrats, to start thinking about everyday working-class people. If we're going to, you know, talk about the difference between my campaign and Senator Collins, she's a rubber stamp for Trump, voting 96 percent of the time with him.

O’BRIEN (voice-over):  But Collins is one of just a handful of Senate GOP moderates who has repeatedly clashed with President Trump on key issues, including voting against his signature One Big, Beautiful Bill Act.

Democrats consider Collins especially vulnerable this fall. She's the only Republican defending a Senate seat in a state Trump lost in 2024.

The nearly three-decade veteran of Congress undeterred by her new rival.

SEN. SUSAN COLLINS, (R) MAINE:  He was Senator Sanders' -- lead for Senator Sanders' presidential campaign in Maine. He's a Bernie bro.

O'BRIEN (voice-over):  Jackson rising from what started as a wide field of hopefuls, but many quickly stepped aside before a planned party convention this Saturday bringing in delegates from across the state and turning into a Jackson coronation.

All of it run by 31-year-old Executive Director, Devon Murphy-Anderson, whose team spent the last two weeks fashioning a candidate selection process they say was designed to let Platner's fervent base of supporters feel heard, even after Platner himself told voters that large forces were the cause of his campaign's flame-out, not the allegations against him.

GRAHAM PLATNER, (D) FORMER MAINE SENATE CANDIDATE:  Those in power, who have the ability to do so, are using these allegations as an excuse to take away all of the things that we need to run a campaign.

DEVON MURPHY-ANDERSON, MAINE DEMOCRATIC PARTY EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR:  This is not an institution. You're here in our office. There's no cigar smoke to be seen, right?

O'BRIEN:  It's not a smoke-filled room.

MURPHY-ANDERSON:  It is not. It is a bunch of young people.

O'BRIEN:  But he would kind of create that impression.

MURPHY-ANDERSON:  I don't know what his end goal was and I'm not concerned with that.

O'BRIEN (voice-over):  Questions still swirling around state Democrats and whether they can convince the thousands of one-time Platner diehards like Mark Read to get behind their new candidate in numbers large enough to unseat Collins.

We first met Mark shortly after Platner withdrew.

O'BRIEN:  Are you concerned that this has set back your ability to beat Susan Collins?

MARK READ, GRAHAM PLATNER SUPPORTER:  Of course. We've brought a lot of new people into politics that hadn't been involved before and got a lot of people energizing, so people who had really given up on politics got involved.

O'BRIEN:  Are you worried some of those people would sit it out come November?

READ:  Hope not.

O'BRIEN (voice-over):  Jackson outlining his plan to reset the race.

TROY JACKSON, (D) MAINE SENATE CANDIDATE:  I know there's some out there right now, you know, and they're frustrated. And what I'm trying to do is make sure that they realize that this is about those issues that we all care about and that this campaign is not about me. It's not about Graham. It's way bigger.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

RADDATZ:  It is a very big race. That's for sure. Our thanks to Jay O'Brien.

Here to give us the latest state of play in the Senate is our Washington Bureau Chief, Rick Klein. And Rick, Maine was one of the last big question marks as we head toward November's midterms and it cannot be overstated really just how important the state is for Democrats.

RICK KLEIN, ABC NEWS WASHINGTON BUREAU CHIEF:  Yeah, Martha. Maine is as close to a must win as there is this year for Democrats. They need to flip four seats to take control of the Senate and even as the map has expanded, there's still less than ten seats that most strategists think could be in play. Three of them are already held by Democrats. So really they can't afford to lose those.

In Maine, that's where Kamala Harris beat President Trump by seven points just two years ago. So Democrats just wanted to be on offense, but the collapse of Graham Platner's campaign, then that scramble to replace him, it's put them in a fundraising and a messaging hole as they look to defeat Senator Susan Collins.

They're hoping Troy Jackson brings some stability to the campaign. But even winning there won't be close to enough. Realistically Democrats need to win Maine and North Carolina, then they'd need upsets in a few deep red states, Ohio, Iowa, even maybe Texas or Alaska. But none of that would likely matter in all likelihood if the Democrats don't hold their ground elsewhere.

RADDATZ:  Exactly. But also, Rick, so much of what we've seen in these primaries throughout the year are these internal party battles, both in the Republican and Democratic parties.

KLEIN:  Yeah, no question. There's a theme that's coursing through both parties among voters, Martha, frustration, even anger. On the Republican side, Trump-backed candidates have ousted incumbent House members and Senators in primaries. There's another battle playing out in South Carolina right now where the late Senator Lindsey Graham's sister replaced him in the Senate. But at least eight other Republicans are crowding into a primary just two weeks away.

Democrats for the most part this year, they've embraced some of the most progressive candidates on the ballot with divisions over support for Israel playing out from New York to Colorado, just this past week in Arizona, and that brings us to that all-important Senate race in Michigan, one of the last major primaries to be held, coming up just a week from Tuesday.

Progressive candidate Abdul El-Sayed has endorsements from the heavy hitters of progressive politics, AOC, Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren, Ro Khanna. And he's up against Congresswoman Haley Stevens, who just landed the endorsement of the state's Governor Gretchen Whitmer, plus the Senator that she is running to replace in Gary Peters.

And this campaign, Martha, it could be critical not just for November, but well beyond as both parties struggle with their identities going into 2028. Martha?

RADDATZ:  So much to watch for, Rick. Thanks for all of your insights. Our Roundtable on the fallout from the Iran War, that Saudi nuclear deal, and the very latest on the midterms. We'll be right back.

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GOV. MIKIE SHERRILL, (D) NEW JERSEY: Let me be clear, this entire situation is unacceptable. It’s unacceptable that the vendor released software with such a glaring error.

And it’s unacceptable that no one in the previous administration brought this to light, demanded accountability, or took action when it happened years ago.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

RADDATZ: New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherrill furious over just being told about a serious issue involving non-citizens being registered to vote in her state. The roundtable weighs in from Washington when we come back.

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RADDATZ:  I'm joined now by the roundtable in Washington -- our chief White House correspondent Mary Bruce, former DNC Chair Donna Brazil, and former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie.

Good morning to all of you.

And, Mary, let's start with you. You pressed President Trump this week on what the plan was, what the strategy is on how to end this war. We now know that he threatened a massive strike, “New York Times” reporting that backing off.

So what is the strategy?

MARY BRUCE, ABC NEWS CHIEF WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT:  Yeah, it's a good question because Martha, right now, there really doesn't seem to be a clear strategy. As you mentioned, there's that “New York Times” report that he's backing off plans for a massive strike.

This morning, I asked about that. The White House tells me that the president continues to retain all options. They stress he's always preferred a diplomatic solution, but of course, so far, talks have gone nowhere. And yet the White House this morning is still threatening a possible escalation, telling me that if Iran doesn't come back and negotiate a deal that they will -- they know what will happen.

Look, as you keep saying, Martha, I mean, we are months into a war that was supposed to last weeks. There is no clear off-ramp. The attacks are dragging on, and when I pressed the president, given the fact that Iran doesn't seem to be giving in, is the strategy just to keep attacking until they somehow get Iran to back down?

Well, the president didn't really like that. He pushed back pretty strongly against me and insisted that Iran desperately wants to talk. But again, there are no signs of that.

And so, without an off-ramp, I think, you know, the status quo seems likely to continue. These strikes will continue, and they are now widening. And, of course, as oil prices spike, it just presents a huge political problem for the president and Republicans, especially as we barrel towards the midterms, Martha.

RADDATZ:  Chris, you know Donald Trump very well. He likes to win. Even though he said they won this war, there are no signs right now that he is winning.

CHRIS CHRISTIE, (R) FORMER NEW JERSEY GOVERNOR & ABC NEWS CONTRIBUTOR:  Martha, look, there are no signs he's winning in Iran. And the Iranians have learned as Many of us in this country have learned that the bluster is the bluster How many times does he threaten to bomb them into civil -- out of civilization, bomb every power plant, bomb every bridge, and then he inevitably backs off?

He thinks that this is a real estate deal, that if he blusters about someone else is looking at this property, and you have to offer right now, that somehow they're going to do it. That doesn't work in international diplomacy. It certainly doesn't work with the Iranians.

And I'll say this, Martha, the problem for the president and for my party right now is that the show is over. He can no longer distract from bad decisions with his charisma and his speaking. And the best example of that is the two speeches in the last week, the speech on election integrity and the speech on Friday night at the Correspondents' Dinner.

No one is paying attention anymore. They are bored with the act. At times on Friday night, it seemed like he was even bored with the act.

And the Iranians notice all of this, Martha, and they're not going to take him seriously. And that has got to be incredibly frustrating to a president who all he cares about is that people take him seriously.

RADDATZ:  And I want to go to you, Donna, on this. I have a feeling you agree with some of that, but I want to talk about the budget request on Capitol Hill, $67 billion. The Democrats pushed back and pushed back hard, but you heard what Pete Hegseth said, look, this just shows you don't support the troops.

That is some -- the troops, rather. That's something they're going to hear again and again.

DONNA BRAZILE, FORMER DNC CHAIR & ABC NEWS CONTRIBUTOR:  Well, Martha, as you all know, the Democrats do support our service members, both who have been wounded, and, of course, the 18 service members have been killed. We also need to hear from the Department of Veteran Affairs so that we can support those troops once they're back home.

The bottom line is, without a strategy, without an off-ramp, and with the negotiators probably somewhere between Mar-a-Lago and Switzerland, we need to understand what is the next step. We haven't heard of any escalation over the last 48 hours. Somehow or another, the strikes have stopped.

But will the team get back together to put together the memorandum of understanding so that there can be a real ceasefire and negotiations can continue to end this war?

RADDATZ:  Mary, I want to talk about that Saudi deal. You heard me talking about that earlier. But how did that happen, that that was signed and then, oh, wait a minute, it's not actually as we told you it was?

BRUCE:  Yeah. It's pretty astounding. I mean, Energy Secretary, Chris Wright and his Saudi counterpart signed this deal, this civilian nuclear agreement. And then, of course, just 24 hours later, after the president announced this, he puts in place this new condition that really puts the entire deal at jeopardy, now insisting that Saudi Arabia has to join the Abraham Accords, of course, that would require them to normalize relations with Israel, something that they've said won't happen unless Israel agrees to a Palestinian state.

So it is highly unlikely to see how this is going to go forward. Certainly, the president can put the brakes on it now as he goes back and forth with the Saudis about this condition. But the White House, after the deal was announced and signed, made it very clear that unless they join the Abraham Accords, there will be no deal, Martha.

RADDATZ:  Chris, I want to turn back to the midterms. A lot can happen in 100 days, but this escalation has meant a hit on the economy again. The White House, Republicans truly have to be worried about what happens. That is all the people care about. They don't like the way this war is being handled, and they don't like what's happening to the economy. So what do Republicans do?

CHRISTIE:  Well, Martha, look, Republicans, my party, has got to be scared, and especially some very good members of Congress who otherwise might deserve re-election are weighed down by the following.

Look at the numbers in the Fox News poll last week. The president's job approval is at 38.61 percent. But worse, he's 34 points underwater on the economy, 32 points underwater on Iran. And the bigger problem in these swing districts for the House and these swing states in the Senate is what's going on with Independents.

The president's job approval is 41 points underwater with Independents, and he's 66 points underwater on inflation with Independents. Those are deadly numbers.

And so, you know, for Republicans, they're going to have to start making a decision. Do they try to distance themselves from this president? And this is going to be the first time he's going to have to confront that potentially. Either they're going to go down with him as he's going down. And these are Fox News poll numbers.

So you know, we got some real problems as a party, and it's going to affect those with Republican governors this past week. And there's a lot of Republican gubernatorial races that we are very, very worried about in states that we have always won. And that's a real problem.

RADDATZ:  And Donna, let's talk about the Senate, particularly Maine. We've also got Michigan. Graham Platner replaced, he was a prominent -- Troy Jackson was a prominent Platner supporter, but he also came in third place in Maine's gubernatorial primary. So how confident are you that Troy Jackson could beat Susan Collins?

BRAZILE:  I'm very confident. Look, he's a logger. He's somebody who has been around the state of Maine for a long time. I believe he can put together the electoral coalition that will win in the state of Maine. He knows that state very well. He knows how to connect with working people.

And I think Mr. Jackson is going to prove to be a very competitive candidate. I know he has 100 days, but the people of Maine are very motivated, and you saw that in the convention.

In terms of Michigan, their primary is coming up next week, I mean, on August 4th. That is also a very competitive state. You have a mainstream Democrat running against an insurgent or, what we like to call, a very energetic candidate from the left. That's going to also be a state that we need to win.

But Democrats also have another path. We've got Alaska that's still in play, Iowa that's still in play. And if we keep Georgia and we can improve in North Carolina, Democrats are still competitive in the United States Senate as well as the House.

Look, Democrats have a great deal of momentum right now. We've won 90 percent of the races since Trump's been in office. I'm confident that we can take back the Congress.

CHRISTIE:  Martha, let me just say, and remind my friend, Donna, that the road is littered with the people who are going to beat Susan Collins. And so, I would feel very nervous about Maine with 100 days and an unproven statewide candidate against one of the most able political actors this town has seen over the last 30 years.

RADDATZ:  And Mary, I want to go to you about Mikie Sherrill, Chris' state's governor. She announced that about 6,600 non-citizens were mistakenly registered to vote because of a technical error a few years ago. They didn't try to pretend they were citizens, but she said less than 400 actually voted, and there's no evidence of them swaying elections.

But this becomes a PR nightmare and a really strong narrative going forward about election security.

BRUCE: Yes. And the president, no surprise, was very quick to pounce on this, saying that it just underscores his desire to pass the SAVE America Act, that voting legislation that he's been pushing that would require voter I.D. and proof of citizenship. And Governor Sherrill, you know, tried to come out and be as transparent as she could about this. She said when they find problems, they fix them.

But, you know, she said it was this computer error that went over 6,000 people went to sign up to get a driver's license that they were erroneously also signed up and registered to vote. Now, she said and stressed that while about 400 of them did go on to actually vote, that there's no evidence that any of those votes were able to sway elections, but certainly the president believes that this adds fuel to his fire as he's been amping up those unproven claims of widespread voter fraud.

CHRISTIE: Martha, let me give you one thing. The governor has appointed my former attorney general, very independent, Jeff Chiesa, to do a bipartisan investigation. Look for that because he will not hide anything from the public. You can count on it.

BRAZILE: Good.

RADDATZ: OK. Thanks to all of you. Appreciate your time.

Up next, we remember the service members who made the ultimate sacrifice in this war. We'll be right back.

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RADDATZ: President Trump at the dignified transfer of the four fallen soldiers killed in Iraq and Jordan this week, leaving the families with the realities of sacrifice and hopefully leaving all of us with gratitude for their willingness to serve.

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RADDATZ (voice-over): There were two young women, a father and a beloved son, engaged to be married. The three Americans killed here in Jordan, all under 30, now posthumously promoted. Staff Sergeant Angel Rampersad, 28, of Ozone Park, New York. Captain Tyler Finn, 25, of Ewa Beach, Hawaii, and the youngest at just 19 years old Private 1st Class Isabella Gonzalez of Carrollton, Texas.

Staff Sergeant Michael Swinton was from Fayetteville, North Carolina. He was killed at a U.S. base in Iraq when an Iranian drone exploded in a controlled detonation.

He was 30. Their remains arriving on U.S. soil on the same aircraft, casualties of the same conflict. The families of these men and women grieving, heartbroken, yet filled with pride.

CAROL ACEVEDO, MOTHER OF STAFF SGT. ANGEL RAMPERSAD:  My daughter was a good soldier. She fought for this country and she died for this country. And I am a mother who is highly proud of her.

RADDATZ (voice-over):  Carol Acevedo's daughter, Angel Sarah Rampersad, was born in Trinidad. Her mother brought her to the U.S. when she was just a baby. Her mom insisted she go to college before signing up for the military. A few days after her 21st birthday, she enlisted in the army. There, she met the woman who would become her wife.

Isabella Gonzales, the 19-year-old, joined just after graduating from high school. In her native Texas, pain rippling through the community.

JOHN NORSWORTHY, AMERICAN LEGION POST 597 COMMANDER:  I've been interviewed today several times. And they always ask me, why does it mean so much? It just does. Everybody that served knew that could have been him. They would have been right there next to her.

RADDATZ (voice-over):  Staff Sgt. Michael Swinton was the father of a six-year-old boy and a four-year-old girl. His wife, Mia, who he met in the army, told us he was an amazing husband and father.

Captain Tyler Feehan was an officer who served in the ROTC at Southern Utah University with plans for law school after his army service, and plans to marry his fiance when he returned home. His fiance, Claire, writing that Tyler poured his heart into serving those under his leadership.

Every day, he would come home and tell me stories about his soldiers. He believed that leadership began with kindness, humility, and genuinely caring about people. The parents of the avid hiker writing online, "Tyler, we are proud of you beyond words. Devastated, yes, but prouder still."

You can see Feehan here when he was commissioned as an officer in the army, saluting his grandfather. His family tells us this image is especially powerful now. Tyler's grandfather died on Thursday, five days after his grandson was killed. The Feehan family telling us the two of them are now together again.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

RADDATZ (on camera):  We grieve with those families and send respect and prayers. We'll be right back.

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RADDATZ:  That's all for us today from Amman, Jordan. Thanks for sharing part of your Sunday with us. Check out "World News Tonight" and have a great day.

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