Trump Walks Out of NBC Interview After Clash
US President Donald Trump has abruptly ended a televised interview with NBC after a tense exchange with presenter Kristen Welker over his repeated claims that the 2020 US presidential election and ongoing California primary elections were “rigged”.
The interview, which aired on Meet the Press, began with questioning over Trump’s proposal for a compensation fund for individuals he says were victims of government “weaponisation.” When pressed on whether he had evidence to support his claims, particularly regarding California’s vote counting process, Trump responded: “All I have to do is look, and I listen.”
Welker replied: “That’s not evidence,” prompting the President to accuse the media of bias and dishonesty. The exchange quickly escalated, with Trump saying: “Sorry, let’s call it quits because I’ve had enough,” before walking out of the interview.
Earlier in the interview, Trump reiterated his claim that the 2020 presidential election was rigged and extended the allegation to California’s current vote counting process.
When asked again for proof, he insisted irregularities were visible, saying: “They’re cheating on the election.” Welker challenged him directly: “Do you have evidence to support that?” to which Trump repeated: “All I have to do is look, and I listen.”
The presenter responded: “But that’s not evidence,” a statement which intensified the disagreement. Trump later described the press as dishonest, saying: “They’re crooked, just like you’re crooked,” before adding: “You’re either crooked or you’re stupid. You play right into their hands with this crap.”
Welker replied: “To be fair, I’m not crooked. But let’s continue,” attempting to proceed with the interview despite the tension.
The discussion also covered the January 6, 2021 Capitol riot. Welker questioned whether individuals convicted of assaulting police officers should receive compensation under Trump’s proposed “anti-weaponisation” fund. Trump said he would assess cases individually, arguing that many defendants had been treated unfairly. He stated: “The people were destroyed by dirty cops and by weaponisation. Many of those people should be compensated.”
The interview also touched on the conflict with Iran, with Trump arguing the United States needed to act to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon. He said: “We’re there for a few months and the threat is largely over,” adding that the situation did not represent an “endless war.”
The programme was recorded in a barn setting during a farm-related event in Wisconsin and was affected by heavy rain and technical difficulties. NBC reported that Trump walked out approximately 50 minutes after the interview began.
As tensions rose toward the end of the interview, Trump said: “I’ve sat in the rain with you for an hour, on and off in the rain, and I’ve given you enough time.” He then added: “You ought to straighten out your press, because you know what? A country can never be great with a dishonest press.”
He then gestured off-camera, saying: “Come on, let’s go,” before standing up and walking out of the interview.
After the broadcast, Welker said she had spoken with President Trump following the recording.
She said both acknowledged the difficulties caused by the weather and confirmed he had agreed to participate in a follow-up interview.
Source: BBC
Tags
#Trump #NBC #Politics #BreakingNews #USA
0 Comments