Welcome to the online version From a political deskThis is an evening newsletter that brings you the latest reports and analysis from the NBC News Politics team, from the White House, Capitol Hill and the campaign.
In today's version, Allan Smith has received some new polls, which shows why some Republicans are starting to bother with the political influence of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Additionally, Andrea Mitchell examines how Donald Trump reshapes foreign policy as he begins his trip abroad.
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- Adam Wollner
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During the 2024 campaign, Donald Trump said he would allow Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to "crazy" of health, food and medicine.
But now, in the three months of Kennedy's health and public service secretary, some Republicans hope Trump will suppress him and his agenda to "make America healthy again." They fear that Kennedy’s efforts may hurt them in the midterm elections by raising costs for farmers and consumers, as voters say prices remain their top priority.
Here's how a Republican strategist works in the 2026 game: "It's time to start giving RFK some handcuffs."
You broke up: Conservatives are excited about Trump's relaxed regulation and tax cut agenda with new rights favoring protectionism, adding taxes to wealth in prescription drugs and price restrictions, Trump announced on Monday by executive order.
Kennedy's mission is at the forefront of this division. The cabinet secretary declared “sugar is poison” and has launched a war against the food industry, phased out synthetic food dyes and artificial food additives and prevented food stamps from being used in soda and candy. As part of the "Maha Committee" investigating chronic diseases, he promises to investigate any links to processed foods or pesticides. Kennedy has conducted a national tour to promote national legislation, and he believes it is crucial to have the food company negotiate with him.
Attention to Capitol Hill: Some Republican lawmakers expressed concern about Kennedy's efforts at the House hearing on Wednesday. R-Tenn. Rep. Chuck Fleischmann opposed the ban on synthetic dyes, saying they were "deemed safe for years", and Kennedy responded to "good science" that linked them to nerve damage and cancer. During the same hearing, former dentist R-Idaho Rep. Mike Simpson questioned Kennedy's anti-fluoride push.
New polls: An internal poll conducted by the Tyson Group last month was conducted by a data company consistent with the Republican Party, and a public study of 813 by the Plymouth United Alliance, which may be the main Republican voters may find that nearly 60% may support candidates for governors or state lawmakers, knowing that it may be clouding food and making food more expensive if they “compared to RFK Jr.”
However, the investigation also showed some of the advantages of Kennedy and Maha in terms of Republicans. It is worth noting that more than 40% of possible Republican major voters say standing with RFK Jr., even at the expense of Trump, will make them more likely to vote for the candidate. An economist/YouGov poll last month found that 42% of adults in the U.S. were good for Kennedy — aligned with Trump, higher than Vice President JD Vance and Cabinet Secretary Scott Bessent, Howard Lutnick and Kristi Noem.
Read more from Allen →
More information about RFK Jr: Kennedy avoided a question about vaccines during a House committee appearance and whether he would choose to vaccinate his children to prevent multiple diseases, saying, “I don’t think people should be taking medical advice from me.” Read the full story of Berkeley Lovelace Jr. and Megan Lebowitz.
President Donald Trump's trip to the Persian Gulf this week proved to be more than anyone could think in reshaping the region's foreign policy.
When Trump made Saudi Arabia the first stop on his first official foreign trip in his second term, he also thought he would visit Israel, as he did during his first term. But Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu opposes Trump's willingness to negotiate directly with Iran - and Israel's determination to oppose a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip - intersects with the president's growing vision for the region.
The visit also promised hundreds of billions of dollars in business investments by Saudis in the United States, a trip amid the ongoing real estate, cryptocurrency and golf business ventures that the Trump family has made.
Even more surprising this week, Trump lifted sanctions on Syria and met with Ahmed Al-Sharaa, the new leader of the post-Bashar al-Sharaa. The Biden administration has been cautiously waiting until European diplomats flock to Damascus, and then sent an intermediate diplomat to meet with Al-Sharaa, the former leader of the Islamic State and Islamic State.
But Trump was urging by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Saudi ruler Mohammed bin Salman to strengthen the fledgling Syrian regime, whose country was repeatedly attacked by Israeli and domestic factions. As Trump said, “Oh, what am I doing for the crown prince.”
His luxury arrived in Riyadh - accompanied by drivers carrying American flags in Arabia horses - was quite a bit with then-President Joe Biden at the 2022 silent reception. Kassogi. By contrast, when the CIA concluded that Kassogi's death was likely ordered by the Crown Prince, Trump repeatedly questioned this intelligence and suggested that we would never really know the truth.
This week, Trump showed both a tendency to welcome the royal family and a ability to have both a foreign policy and a high-level and personalized foreign policy.
Related readings:Katherine Doyle's Trump franchise is expanding in the Middle East - so is moral concern
At the moment, it's all political desks. Today's newsletter was compiled by Adam Wollner and Bridget Bowman.
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