NPR News: 07-07-2026 12PM EDT

Lakshmi Singh· Host0:01

Live from NPR News, I'm Lakshmi Singh. More Democratic Party leaders are distancing themselves from the nominee in Maine, who they'd hope would help them unseat Republican incumbent Susan Collins in the midterm elections and possibly win back control of the US Senate. Graham Platner is under pressure to drop out after a sexual assault allegation recently surfaced. Multiple controversies have plagued the progressive oysterman's campaign in Maine. NPR's Sam Greenglass has the latest.

Sam Greenglass0:31

In a statement, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee chair, call the allegations incredibly disturbing and say the DSCC will not invest in the Maine Senate race if Platner remains on the ballot. That's after Politico reported the account of a woman who dated Platner. She alleges he entered her home uninvited and intoxicated and forced her to have sex despite her saying no. NPR has not independently verified the allegation. Platner denies it categorically. If Platner exits the race by July 13th, Maine's Democratic Party could select a replacement to face Republican Senator Susan Collins in a race that could determine control of the Senate. Sam Greenglass, NPR News, Washington.

Lakshmi Singh· Host1:18

President Trump and other NATO leaders are in the Turkish capital for a high-stakes annual summit. The last time Turkey hosted a NATO summit was 2004. NPR's Hadiel Al-Shalchi