Trump Opens a New Front in His War on Journalism—Over Just Two Words
On Sunday, President Trump said that NBC News’ Meet the Press host Kristen Welker will be “reported” to the Federal Communications Commissions for “rebuke or punishment,” claiming she said that the candidates he endorsed had “mixed results” in this election cycle—despite the FCC having no such jurisdiction. “Kristen Welker, the Unpopular ‘Hostess’ of the once […]
President Trump accused NBC News' Meet the Press host Kristen Welker of giving "mixed results" to his endorsed candidates in the 2026 election cycle, despite the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) having no jurisdiction over such claims. Trump wrote on Truth Social that he hoped FCC Chairman Brendan Carr would take action against Welker for "rebuke or punishment."
However, Welker only cited previous NBC News reporting that six Trump-backed candidates lost House and gubernatorial primaries in August, with only 79 percent winning rate for gubernatorial candidates. Trump's threat is part of his ongoing attack on journalism, with the FCC unable to legally punish Welker individually as it regulates public broadcast licenses.
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