Trump abruptly ends NBC interview after clash over ‘rigged election’ claim
Trump Abruptly Ends NBC Interview After Clash Over 'Rigged Election' Claim
Interview Cut Short Amid Dispute on Electoral Integrity
Trump abruptly ends NBC interview after - Donald Trump, the US president, abruptly left an NBC interview after a heated exchange over his assertion that the election was "rigged." The session, part of Sunday's Meet The Press, faced delays due to technical hiccups and rain disrupting the metal roof of the barn where he appeared with farmers in Wisconsin. NBC noted he exited 50 minutes after beginning the discussion on Friday.
During the interview, Trump repeatedly claimed both the California primary elections and the 2020 presidential election were "rigged." When questioned about evidence for California's results, he responded:
"All I have to do is look, and I listen."
Welker countered, "that's not evidence," prompting Trump to accuse the media of being "crooked." He then ended the interview with:
"Sorry, let's call it quits because I've had enough."
Trump has long maintained a contentious relationship with traditional media outlets, frequently criticizing them for bias. The interview's setting—amid a barn event in Wisconsin—highlighted his tendency to intertwine political discourse with personal grievances. Earlier, the pair had discussed Iran, with Trump insisting the US needed to act to prevent it from acquiring a nuclear weapon, stating:
"We're there for a few months and the threat is largely over."
As the session neared its end, they turned to the "anti-weaponisation" fund, a proposal Trump had previously dropped. The plan aimed to allocate $1.8bn to compensate individuals falsely targeted by government investigations. Critics, including Democrats and some Republicans, argued it could reward those involved in the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot. Trump claimed the election results in California were not finalized after four days, saying:
"They're cheating on the election."
Welker asked for proof, and Trump reiterated his stance:
"All I have to do is look, and I listen."
She replied, "But that's not evidence," which led him to accuse her of dishonesty, stating:
"You're either crooked or you're stupid."
After a brief back-and-forth, he declared:
"Let's call it quits because I've had enough. Thank you darling, have a good time."
Welker attempted to resume the conversation, but Trump interrupted, asserting:
"I've sat in the rain with you for an hour, on and off in the rain, and I've given you enough time. You ought to straighten out your press, because you know what? A country can never be great with a dishonest press."
He then gestured to the camera crew, signaling his departure.
Following the broadcast, Welker mentioned the rain had complicated the interview, noting:
"He agreed to sit down for another Meet the Press interview."
The BBC has sought comments from the White House regarding the event.