US President Trump walks out of NBC interview following dispute over election claims
Donald Trump accused the media of being "crooked" and "stupid" before leaving the Wisconsin barn set, though he later agreed to a future interview with Kristen Welker.
US President Donald Trump abruptly terminated a scheduled interview with NBC News presenter Kristen Welker on the program Meet the Press, walking off the set after a dispute over election integrity claims. The incident occurred in a barn in Wisconsin, where the President was attending an event with farmers, and followed a delay caused by technical difficulties and rain.
The walkout was precipitated by Welker challenging Trump’s unsubstantiated claims that the 2020 presidential election and the ongoing California primary elections were rigged. When pressed for evidence regarding the California vote, where results had not been called after four days, Trump stated: "All I have to do is look, and I listen." Welker responded that this was not evidence, prompting the President to accuse her and the media of being "crooked" and "stupid".
Trump, who has a fraught relationship with traditional media outlets, accused the press of dishonesty before stating he had "had enough". He gestured to those behind the camera, saying "come on, let's go", before standing up and leaving the set. NBC reported that the President walked out 50 minutes after sitting down for the interview, which had been delayed by rain hitting the metal roof.
Prior to the dispute, much of the interview focused on the conflict with Iran, with Trump insisting the US needed to act to prevent Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon. He also discussed the "anti-weaponisation" fund, a now-dropped plan to create a $1.8 billion fund to compensate individuals who claim they were unfairly targeted by the government, a proposal that drew strong criticism from Democrats and some Republicans.
Following the broadcast, Welker confirmed she spoke with the President on Saturday. She noted that both parties acknowledged the complications during the interview posed by the rain and that Trump agreed to sit down with her for another Meet the Press interview. The BBC has approached the White House for comment.
