Meet the Moment: Amanda Gorman on book bans

As early voting gets underway ahead of the midterms, Garrett Haake goes behind the scenes of America’s elections to ask a fundamental question: Can voters trust the results? Pennsylvania Secretary of the Commonwealth Al Schmidt explains how officials are preparing for everything from cyberattacks and AI-generated misinformation to voter intimidation and potential federal interference. Then, NBC News senior reporter Jane C. Timm takes us inside Georgia’s election system, where Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger is turning to security measures, audits and a lot of data to combat distrust. Plus, why counting votes takes time, what makes voting by mail secure, and what election officials are most worried about this November. swap.fm/l/htsfd

26 million Americans are under flood alerts as Hurricane Isaias barrels towards the gulf coast. Senate candidates debate in Maine, Michigan and Georgia as President Trump and Vice President Vance hit the campaign trail. Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin says ICE operations will not pause after agents shoot a man during a New York City traffic stop.

President Trump weighs striking Iran again after the midterms. Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger (R) tells NBC News he has not spoken to President Trump since their 2021 call where Trump asked him to “find” more than 11,000 votes. NBC News' Sahil Kapur goes to the big board to break down whether polls can be trusted in 2026.

President Donald Trump hits the campaign trail in Texas as some Republican candidates seek to distance themselves from his policies. Middle East adviser to President Biden and President Trump, Brett McGurk, joins Meet the Press NOW to reflect on the 2023 Oct. 7 attacks that claimed more than 1,000 lives, sparked an international hostage crisis and triggered a humanitarian emergency. NBC News’ Richard Engel reports the latest after Russia launches strikes on Ukraine heading into a brutal winter.

Republicans are facing political headwinds with just four weeks until Election Day. President Trump looks to bolster his economic agenda by signing an executive order easing restrictions of “red-dye” diesel. Chair of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee Rep. Suzan DelBene (D-Wash.) joins Meet the Press NOW to discuss Democrats' growing target list as they look to win back the House.