According to Deadline, Kristen Welker, NBC News Anchor, is the latest journalist to come under fire from President Donald Trump. Trump posted on Truth Social, suggesting she should face possible punishment from the FCC after she made comments about Trump-backed candidates in the upcoming midterm elections.
Welker said that Trump backed candidates would have “mixed results” and that the president would “loom large over these midterms”. Trump disagreed with Welker mainly on her statement about mixed results.
“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 long term. 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,” Trump wrote per Deadline.
Welker’s remarks aired on WRC-TV in Washington, D.C. Her full comments are below: “He’s going to loom large over these midterms. There’s no doubt about that. He, of course, has endorsed a slate of candidates in the primaries. He’s had some mixed results, but most recently, his pick of Senator Darline Graham, of course, the sister of the late Senator Lindsey Graham, was successful in her primary battle, so now she takes on Dr. Annie Andrews in South Carolina,” she said, according to Deadline.
NBC came to the Welkers’ aid in a comment: “Kristen is one of the best in the business, and we stand by her,” per Deadline.
Trump-endorsed candidate Darline Graham won his primary in South Carolina last week, but several others have recently lost. Mike Lindell lost the republican primary for Minnesota Governor to Lisa Demuth. Andy Ogles will not be reelected in Tennessee after losing to Charlie Hatcher. Randy Feenstra and Zach Lahn lost in the primaries for their gubernatorial bids in Iowa and Georgia, respectively.
The FCC, under Trump-appointed Chair Brendan Carr, is currently embroiled in legal battle with Disney-owned ABC. ABC filed a lawsuit alleging that the FCC violated its First Amendment rights. The FCC has filed early renewal licenses for eight ABC-owned stations.
The FCC released a statement in response to ABC’s lawsuit: “All broadcasters have a legal obligation to operate in the public interest—even Disney. The FCC has been examining claims that Disney engaged in illegal DEI discrimination for over a year.” A judge will hear arguments in October on the network’s request for a temporary restraining order to halt the FCC’s early license renewal order,” per Deadline.
Trump also commented via Truth Social, “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!” according to Deadline.