Platner Pressured To Drop Out, NATO Summit In Turkey, US Out Of World Cup
Up First from NPR
NPR
4.6 • 59K Ratings
🗓️ 7 July 2026
⏱️ 14 minutes
🔗️ Recording | Apple Podcasts | RSS
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Summary
NATO leaders are gathering in Turkey with President Trump among them, as he presses allies to spend more on their own defense while they look for reassurance that the U.S. still stands behind the alliance.
And the U.S. men’s team’s World Cup run is over after a 4-1 loss to Belgium in the round of 16, capping Team USA's tournament full of promise and political controversy.
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Today’s episode of Up First was edited by Tina Kraja, Jason Breslow, Russell Lewis, Alice Woelfle, and Mohamed ElBardicy
It was produced by Ziad Buchh and Nia Dumas
Our director is Christopher Thomas.
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And our Supervising Senior Producer is Vince Pearson.
(0:00) Introduction
(01:51) Platner Pressured To Drop Out
(05:54) NATO Summit In Turkey
(09:34) US Out Of World Cup
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | Graham Platner faces calls to drop out of the Senate race in Maine. |
| 0:05.8 | A woman he dated says the Democratic candidate raped her in 2021. |
| 0:10.0 | Platner denies it but says he is considering his best path forward. |
| 0:13.9 | What are his options? |
| 0:14.5 | I'm Stevenske with A. Martinez, and this is up first from NPR News. |
| 0:20.9 | President Trump is in Turkey today, meeting with NATO allies he has spent years berating. |
| 0:26.2 | He wants them spending more on their own defense. |
| 0:28.4 | As Russia's attacks on Ukraine intensify, Europe wants to know if America still has their back. |
| 0:33.9 | And the U.S. is out of the World Cup after a blowout loss to Belgium in the |
| 0:37.5 | round of 16 at Cap Team USA's tournament full of promise and political controversies. Stay with us. |
| 0:43.3 | We've got news you need to start your day. |
| 0:51.5 | Graham Platner is under pressure this morning to end his bid for the U.S. Senate. |
| 0:55.8 | Yeah, the Democratic Party has been depending on Plattner to win a race considered vital to their hopes in the midterm elections. |
| 1:01.4 | And on Monday, Politico-published allegations by a woman he dated. |
| 1:06.3 | She also gave an interview to CNN and accused Plattner of raping her. |
| 1:10.2 | Platner denies this allegation, |
| 1:12.1 | but posted a video saying he is assessing his next steps. Regardless of the inaccuracy of the |
| 1:17.6 | reporting, but mindful of the political reality, it will inflict. We are taking the time to reflect on |
| 1:22.9 | the best path forward. MPR political reporter Elena Moore has been tracking the latest |
| 1:27.3 | developments and a warning |
| 1:28.5 | to our listeners. This story contains descriptions of sexual assault. Elena, tell us about these |
| 1:33.8 | serious allegations. Politico's story details an account made by a former girlfriend of Plattner, |
... |
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