Meet the Press
Pre. Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Sen. Rand Paul, Sen. Tim Kaine
Season 2025, Episode 41 · Aired 2025-10-19

Synopsis
In an exclusive interview with Meet the Press, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says that after President Trump's breakthrough deal in the Middle East, he should take a similar approach with Russian President Vladimir Putin — but with even greater pressure to end the war in Ukraine. In an exclusive interview with Meet the Press, Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) – the lone GOP holdout on the government funding bills – says he would support standalone legislation to pay federal employees and troops missing paychecks but won't vote to reopen the government without addressing U.S. spending levels. In an exclusive interview with Meet the Press, Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.) defends the Democrats' decision to oppose GOP spending bills and criticizes Senate Republican Leader John Thune's offer to hold a vote on extending Obama subsidies – but only if Democrats first vote to reopen the government. Sara Fagen, Carol Lee, Susan Page and Neera Tanden join the roundtable.
In the series
This episode is part of Meet the Press (1947–present) on NBC.
The longest-running show in television history — Sunday panel combat as civic ritual.
Key cast
- Lawrence E. Spivak as Panelist / moderator
- Martha Rountree as Creator / moderator
- Ned Brooks as Moderator
Also in season 2025
- S2025E01 Jan 5 — Sen. Chuck Schumer; Sen. John Thune; Sen. Adam Schiff
- S2025E02 Jan 12 — Sen. Alex Padilla; Sen. James Lankford; Amanda Gorman
- S2025E03 Jan 19 - Rep. Mike Johnson, Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, Martin Luther King III
- S2025E04 Jan 26 - Sen. Lindsey Graham, Sen. Adam Schiff
- S2025E05 Feb 2 - Sec. Kristi Noem, Sen. Eric Schmitt, Sen. Mark Kelly
- S2025E06 Feb. 9 – NSA Mike Waltz, Sen. Andy Kim and Amanda Gorman