Trump calls for NBC host to be punished after she makes one comment about his election record
Once again, President Donald Trump is demanding a member of the media is punished for a rather benign reason.
The 80-year-old has called for the Federal Communications Commission to take action against NBC News anchor Kristen Welker after the 'Meet the Press' host made a passing on-air commenting evaluating his recent endorsement history.
During a live preview segment for a local Washington affiliate on Sunday (August 30), the journalist was analyzing the upcoming midterms when she noted to viewers that the Republican is 'going to loom large over these midterms. There’s no doubt about that."
But it was her next observation that seemingly triggered the president's latest meltdown.
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Welker suggested he had experienced "mixed results" regarding his favored political candidates.
While folks like Senator Darline Graham secured primary victories, others like MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell lost their races.
Trump quickly took to Truth Social to slam the respected presenter, declaring she should be 'reported to the FCC for rebuke or punishment'.
His post read: "Kristen Welker, the Unpopular 'Hostess' of the once great Meet the Press, now considered Meet the Fake Press, just stated that Donald Trump has 'mixed results' on his Endorsements of Candidates, when the recent WINS of Darline Graham and Mike Mazzei, stand at 100% for the U.S. Senate, and 98% for the U.S. House, recently and over the longterm.
"How can anyone be allowed to say this, working for freely given Public Airwaves? Results are attached. Because of this purposeful inaccuracy, she will be reported to the FCC for rebuke or punishment. Unfortunately, she is not the only one.
"The Radical Left News is going out of their way to harass, demean, and libel anything TRUMP.' Their new weapon is to say that my 99% SUCCESS Rate on Endorsements, 100% on Senatorial Endorsements (Many of whom were not even given a shot of winning until I Endorsed!), is either a mixed result, or not very good. In actuality, it is, without question, the strongest Endorsement in the History of Politics. If it were not, I would be the first to admit it."
His rant continued: "Darline Graham’s run for the Senate was the biggest story in all of Politics, because she wasn’t expected to win, and then, when I Endorsed her, and she easily won, the story of her Victory was hardly covered by anybody. Likewise, the future Governor of Oklahoma, who was behind in every Poll, I Endorsed him, he won, and the story was barely covered!
"The Press is a Disgrace to our Nation, and I hope that Chairman Brendan Carr, and the fine people of his Commission, will take this Threat to our Country very seriously. Thank you for your attention to this very important matter of Fake Polls and Commentary! President DONALD J. TRUMP."
NBC News has since come out in support for Welker, noting: "Kristen is one of the best in the business and we stand by her."
Meanwhile, the FCC doesn't actually have the power to penalize individual journalists.
It isn't the first time Trump and Welker have clashed. Back in June she pressed him on his 'no new wars' pledge amid the Iran conflict, to which he abruptly pulled the plug on the interview.
"You’re a one-sided crooked network," he told her before getting up to leave. "Let’s call it quits because I’ve had enough. Thank you, darling. Have a good time."
Topics: Donald Trump, Politics
Joe Yates