Trump takes aim at NBC anchor Kristen Welker, demands FCC action over her ‘mixed results’ rating of his support | Today’s news
US President Donald Trump on Sunday (August 30) launched another attack on the news media, targeting NBC’s Meet the Press anchor Kristen Welker and calling on the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to take action against what he called “fake polls” and inaccurate political commentary.
Trump said this in a series of posts on Truth Socialobjecting to Welker’s description of his endorsement record for Republican candidates as producing “mixed results.”
Trump threatens FCC complaint against Welker
Trump called Welker “the unpopular ‘hostess’ of the once-great Meet the Press,” which he renamed “Meet the Fake Press.”
He accused her of deliberately misrepresenting his political endorsement records.
“This purposeful inaccuracy will be reported to the FCC for reprimand or punishment,” Trump wrote.
Trump claimed that his recommendations had an overall success rate of 99%, including a 100% success rate for Senate approvals and a 98% success rate for House approvals.
He cited the victories of Republican candidates Darline Graham and Mike Mazzei as examples of his successful support.
“The strongest endorsement in the history of politics”
Trump has strongly defended his record of support for Republican candidates, arguing that his support played a decisive role in several unexpected victories.
“Their new weapon is to say my 99% SUCCESS on referrals, 100% on senatorial referrals… is either a mixed bag or not very good,” Trump wrote.
“In fact, it is without a doubt the strongest endorsement in the history of politics,” he added.
Trump also highlighted Darline Graham’s Senate win, saying she wasn’t expected to win before she got his endorsement.
“Darline Graham’s run for the Senate was the biggest story in all of politics because she was not expected to win, and then when I endorsed her, she won easily,” Trump said.
He also pointed to an Oklahoma gubernatorial candidate who he said was trailing in the polls before gaining his support and subsequently winning.
Trump calls for action against ‘fake polls’
In a separate Truth Social post Trump has stepped up his criticism of campaign organizations and the news media.
“THE FAKE POLLS USED BY OUR CURATED MEDIA ARE OUT OF CONTROL AND SOMETHING HAS TO BE DONE ABOUT IT. FCC TO THE RESCUE!” he wrote
Trump has repeatedly attacked polls that show poor approval ratings or unfavorable political prospects for his administration.
He also urged FCC Chairman Brendan Carr to take his complaints seriously.
“I hope Chairman Brendan Carr and the great people on his Commission take this threat to our country very seriously,” Trump wrote.
Trump slams ‘radical leftist news’
The president accused news organizations of deliberately targeting him and said the media was trying to undermine his political record.
“Unfortunately, she’s not the only one,” Trump wrote of Welker. “Radical leftist news seeks to harass, demean and insult anything ‘TRUMP’.”
He concluded his post by calling the press “a disgrace to our nation” and describing the issue as a matter of “fake polls and commentary”.
Read also | Trump will use Venezuelan oil to replenish US oil reserves; details of the deal unclear
NBC defends Welker
NBC defended Welker after Trump’s attack.
“Kristen is one of the best in the business and we stand by her,” an NBC spokesperson said in an emailed statement.
Trump’s criticism comes amid already strained relations with Welker. In June, he abruptly ended a conversation with her after a tense exchange in which he became irritated by questions about the war against Iran.
Trump-media offensive
The confrontation with Welker is part of a broader campaign by Trump and his administration against media organizations it accuses of unfair or hostile reporting.
Earlier in the week, Trump attacked New York Times reporter Maggie Haberman over a report that he would skip the annual 9/11 celebration in New York because he would not have a speaking role.
Trump has also sued major news organizations, including The Wall Street Journal and The New York Times, while his administration has pushed for restrictions on journalists and reduced federal funding for public media.
Several major news organizations and broadcasters have pushed back, including through lawsuits. The latest dispute focuses again on the limits of presidential influence over national broadcast regulators — and on constitutional protections around political journalism.
Read also | CNN slams White House for personal attacks on reporter over Trump aide question
