Trump urges FCC to reprimand NBC's Meet the Press host over endorsement comments
President Donald Trump called for the Federal Communications Commission to rebuke NBC journalist Kristen Welker after she described his endorsement record as mixed, citing his recent social-media post.
Donald Trump posted on social media Sunday urging the Federal Communications Commission to issue a rebuke or punishment to NBC’s Meet the Press host Kristen Welker. The request followed a live segment in which Welker said Trump’s slate of primary endorsements had produced “mixed results,” while noting a recent victory by an endorsed interim senator.
"He, of course, has endorsed a slate of candidates in the primaries. He’s had some mixed results," Welker said during the broadcast.
Trump’s message labeled Welker the “Unpopular ‘Hostess’ of … Meet the Fake Press,” accused her of “purposeful inaccuracy,” and asked FCC chair Brendan Carr and other commissioners to treat the matter as a “threat to our country.”
NBC responded that Welker is “one of the best in the business, and we stand by her.” The network’s statement did not indicate any intention to involve the FCC.
The former president has highlighted his endorsement record, noting that more than 300 candidates he backed have won, including 214 of 218 House primary races and all 24 Republican Senate primaries in the recent cycle. Critics have questioned the weight of his endorsements, and the issue resurfaced after a recent NBC analysis suggested his record had weakened toward the end of the primary season.
Legal experts note that the FCC’s authority does not extend to punishing journalists for commentary, and past actions by the commission have been scrutinized for political pressure. Nonetheless, Trump’s appeal reflects ongoing tensions between the administration and major broadcast networks.