David Brooks of The Atlantic and Jonathan Capehart of MSNBC joined Amna Nawaz to examine the week in politics, highlighting moments of Republican resistance to President Donald Trump and emerging controversies in a crucial Senate race.

Notice: Transcripts are machine and human generated and lightly edited for accuracy. They may contain errors.

Amna Nawaz noted that Republicans displayed an unusual willingness this week to break with President Trump. Lawmakers opposed a 1.8 billion dollar anti-weaponization fund, which the acting attorney general then indicated would not advance. Additional resistance emerged over funding for a White House ballroom removed from a spending package and a war powers resolution on Iran, which passed the House with support from four Republicans and Democrats.

Jonathan Capehart described these as isolated events but questioned whether more would follow, allowing what some call the YOLO caucus to assert itself. He pointed to senators such as Cassidy and Cornyn, defeated in primaries after Trump backed rivals, as examples of lawmakers gaining resolve to push back due to perceived wrongs and a desire for some measure of payback.

David Brooks likened the developments to a minor tremor rather than a major wave, noting only four Republicans joined the Iran measure. Still, he viewed the actions positively as lawmakers defending their institution on spending, war powers, and other matters. He argued that Congress was showing signs of acting as a co-equal branch after remaining largely passive during much of the Trump term.

Nawaz asked whether this signaled a broader shift as the session moved toward the general election and the lame-duck period. Brooks replied that courage often increases as presidential approval ratings decline. Capehart added that the primary calendar would soon reduce fears of Trump retaliation, allowing self-preservation instincts to strengthen further.

Attention then turned to Maine, where the Democratic Senate primary is approaching and fresh allegations have surfaced against candidate Graham Platner. A New York Times report cited women who dated him describing demeaning behavior and heavy drinking. One woman, Lyndsey Fifield, alleged physical violence including having her arm twisted and being shoved into a room. Platner denies violence and has spoken of personal struggles after military service, framing his story as one of transformation.

Capehart observed that some Senate Democrats would prefer Platner step aside, especially after earlier issues involving a Nazi tattoo and other personal matters. He noted that former Governor Janet Mills has kept her name on the ballot, leaving open the possibility of further developments. Capehart emphasized that Maine voters appear focused on defeating Republican incumbent Susan Collins rather than the candidate's past.

Brooks called the candidate a moral degenerate, citing the pattern of issues and arguing that voters should demand basic integrity in public officials. He linked the situation to a broader decline in shared moral standards across parties. Capehart agreed on the concerns but noted that voters in Maine currently prioritize winning the seat, even as they weigh the long-term costs of lowered expectations.