US President Donald Trump abruptly ended a tense interview with NBC’s Kristen Welker on Meet the Press after a fiery exchange over his long-standing claims of 2020 election fraud and ongoing vote-counting controversies in California. The interview, conducted in Wisconsin, began with discussions on foreign policy and Trump’s proposed USD 1.8 billion anti-weaponisation initiative aimed at compensating individuals allegedly targeted by the previous administration.
What went wrong during NBC intervew?
However, the conversation quickly turned confrontational when Welker pressed Trump for evidence supporting his assertions that the 2020 election was rigged and that similar irregularities were occurring in California. “There’s tremendous evidence,” Trump insisted. “The election was rigged. It was a dirty election, and it’s happening again right now in California.”
Trump pointed to delayed ballot counting in several California races as proof of misconduct. Welker countered that California law permits ballots mailed on Election Day to arrive later and still be counted, a standard practice that often extends the tallying period. Trump rejected the explanation outright.
“You know why they’re doing that? Because they’re cheating on the election,” he said. When repeatedly asked for concrete proof, Trump replied, “All I have to do is look... and I listen to people.”The exchange grew increasingly heated. Trump lashed out at former President Joe Biden, the media, and Welker personally.
"You’re either crooked or you’re stupid": Trump
“You’re either crooked or you’re stupid,” he told the moderator after she defended her impartiality. He broadly accused major networks — NBC, ABC, CBS, and CNN — of being “one-sided crooked networks” and compared US election administration to that of a “third-world country.”
After several minutes of back-and-forth, Trump removed his microphone and stood up. “Let’s call it quits. Because I’ve had enough. Thank you, darling,” he said. Welker urged him to continue, noting she had traveled to Wisconsin for the sit-down.
Trump replied that he had already given sufficient time and urged the press to “straighten out” before leaving the room.The walkout underscores the persistent tension between the President and mainstream media outlets over election integrity, a theme that continues to dominate his public statements more than a year into his second term.
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