Trump Storms Off Meet the Press After Heated Exchange with Welker
President Donald Trump abruptly ended an interview with NBC News’ “Meet the Press” on Sunday, walking off set after a tense exchange with host Kristen Welker over his claims about election fraud, California’s vote count, and his proposed “anti-weaponization” fund. The nearly hour-long interview, recorded Friday in a barn in Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin, culminated in Trump calling Welker and multiple news networks “crooked” before terminating the conversation.
Context and Background
The interview took place during Trump’s pre-midterms visit to the swing state of Wisconsin, where he participated in a farmers roundtable. Heavy rain on the barn’s metal roof caused multiple interruptions throughout the discussion, a factor both parties later acknowledged. The confrontation represents the latest escalation in Trump’s long-standing adversarial relationship with mainstream media, a dynamic that has defined much of his political career.
The Confrontation
The final exchange escalated when Welker pressed Trump on several contentious topics. According to Fox News, the trigger points included Trump’s proposed $1.8 billion “anti-weaponization” fund, his repeated claims that the 2020 election was “rigged,” and his accusations of cheating in California’s ongoing primary elections.
When Welker pressed Trump on whether he was backing away from the fund after acting Attorney General Todd Blanche confirmed the Justice Department had scrapped it, Trump defended the proposal, saying people had been “hurt so badly by radical left lunatics.” Welker countered that “there’s no evidence of what you’re saying,” prompting Trump to escalate.
“The election was rigged. It was a dirty election. And it’s happening again right now in California,” Trump said, according to the NBC News transcript.
Trump then broadened his criticism to the media at large: “All I have to do is look. They’re crooked just like you’re crooked, your press is crooked. And Meet the Press is crooked. And so is ABC and CBS and CNN.”
The Walkout
“You’re a one-sided crooked network. Sorry. Let’s call it quits because I’ve had enough. Thank you, darling. Have a good time,” Trump said before ending the interview. Welker pleaded with Trump to continue, noting she had traveled to Wisconsin for the interview, which is typically filmed in Washington, D.C.
“I 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,” Trump responded.
Aftermath
Welker revealed during the broadcast that she spoke with Trump on Saturday and that they “both acknowledged the complications during the interview posed by the rain.” Trump agreed to do a follow-up interview, though no date has been set. Speaking at the farmers roundtable later on Friday, Trump attributed his irritation to the weather, saying: “I just did an interview in the most beautiful barn I’ve ever seen… it was raining. And it was with NBC fake news. And because it was raining, I got a little bit angry at them.”
Analysis and Implications
The incident underscores the deepening rift between the Trump administration and mainstream media outlets. As TIME noted, Trump has a documented pattern of targeting female journalists, and this confrontation fits within that broader history.
The “anti-weaponization” fund itself remains a contentious issue. Established in May 2026 as part of a settlement in Trump’s $10 billion lawsuit against the IRS over the leak of his tax returns, the $1.776 billion fund was intended to compensate individuals who claimed they were targeted by the federal government. However, critics raised concerns that it could be used to pay Trump’s allies and supporters, and acting Attorney General Todd Blanche confirmed to lawmakers that the DOJ had scrapped the fund.
What’s Next
The question now is whether Trump will follow through on the agreed follow-up interview with Welker and how this incident will affect his relationship with NBC News and other media outlets. With the 2026 midterm elections approaching, the confrontation may energize both Trump’s base — who see it as standing up to biased media — and his critics, who view it as avoiding accountability. The fate of the “anti-weaponization” fund also remains uncertain, with Trump continuing to defend the idea despite its official cancellation.