President Donald Trump cut short an interview with NBC’s Meet the Press after a tense exchange with journalist Kristen Welker during a campaign stop in Wisconsin.
The interview, which reportedly lasted close to an hour, became increasingly confrontational as Welker challenged several of Trump’s claims surrounding election integrity and mail-in voting.
At one point, the discussion escalated enough that Trump stood up and ended the interview entirely.
Interview Became Heated Over Election Claims
The conversation took place inside a barn during a farmers’ event in Wisconsin, with poor weather conditions reportedly causing repeated interruptions throughout the recording.
According to NBC, Welker pressed Trump on his continued claims that the 2020 presidential election and recent California primary races were “rigged.”
When asked to provide evidence supporting those allegations, Trump responded by saying he could simply “look” and “listen” to know something was wrong.
Welker pushed back by telling the president that personal belief was “not evidence,” leading to one of the interview’s most tense moments.
Trump Calls Network “Crooked”
Frustrated by the questioning, Trump accused NBC of unfair coverage and labeled the network “one-sided” and “crooked.”
Shortly afterward, he abruptly ended the interview, saying: “Sorry, let’s call it quits because I’ve had enough.”
He then thanked Welker before walking away from the set.
NBC later reported that Welker attempted to continue the discussion and reminded Trump she had traveled to Wisconsin specifically for the interview, but the president declined to continue.
Trump Criticized The Media During Exchange
Before leaving, Trump also criticized the American press more broadly, arguing that “a country can never be great with a dishonest press.”
Earlier in the conversation, he had also described mail-in voting as “crooked” before directing similar criticism toward Welker herself.
The journalist responded calmly during the exchange, saying: “To be fair, I’m not crooked. But let’s continue.”
NBC Says Another Interview May Happen
Following the broadcast, Welker revealed that she and Trump later acknowledged the difficult weather conditions that affected the interview setup.
She also claimed Trump agreed to participate in another Meet the Press interview at a later date, although no official schedule has been announced.
The tense exchange quickly spread online, with clips of the confrontation generating strong reactions from both Trump supporters and critics.
The incident adds to Trump’s long and often combative relationship with major US media outlets, which has remained a defining feature of his political career for years.
