A rush transcript of "This Week with George Stephanopoulos" airing on Sunday, August 17, 2025 on ABC News is below. This copy may not be in its final form, may be updated and may contain minor transcription errors. For previous show transcripts, visit the "This Week" transcript archive.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio rejected the premise of this question from CBS "Face The Nation" host Margaret Brennan about Trump's meetings last week with Vladimir Putin and next week with Volodymyr Zelensky: Brennan asked: "You know,

President Donald Trump has taken aim at MSNBC host Nicolle Wallace in a bizarre social media rant. The drama started when 79-year-old Trump kicked off his Sunday morning with a cryptic post on Truth Social. “Bela,” he wrote, leaving his followers to debate the meaning of the word.

SECRETARY OF STATE MARCO RUBIO, FORMER BIDEN NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISER JAKE SULLIVAN & SEN. CHRIS VAN HOLLEN, SUNDAY ON “THIS WEEK” WITH CO-ANCHOR MARTHA RADDATZ

Former National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan disputes Secretary of State Marco Rubio's characterization that continuing negotiations with Russian President Putin are a step toward ending the war in Ukraine.

Two key figures, Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, appear to be the front-runners. Trump himself suggested that Vance is the "likely" candidate to succeed him, while also leaving open the possibility of a Vance-Rubio joint ticket.

Heading into the last week of campaigning before next Tuesday's primary vote, the signs are ominous in Rubio's home state. Trump has been consistently doubling up Marco Rubio in Florida polls.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio clashed with CBS 'Face the Nation' host Margaret Brennan over Trump's handling of the war in Ukraine.