MEET THE PRESS — Pictured: (l-r) Sen. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), Moderator Kristin Welker appear on “Meet the Press” in Washington D.C., Sunday, Jan. 5, 2025 — (Photo by: Shannon Finney/NBC via Getty Images)
Shannon Finney/NBC via Getty Images
President Donald Trump announced Sunday on Truth Social that he intends to file a complaint with the Federal Communications Commission against NBC News’ Kristen Welker, seeking “rebuke or punishment” after she suggested his political endorsements have yielded mixed results as his support among Republicans shows signs of weakening.
Here is his full statement:
“Kristen Welker, the Unpopular “Hostess” of the once great Meet the Press, now considered Meet the Fake Press, just stated that Donald Trump has “mixed results” on his Endorsements of Candidates, when the recent WINS of Darline Graham and Mike Mazzei, stand at 100% for the U.S. Senate, and 98% for the U.S. House, recently and over the longterm. How can anyone be allowed to say this, working for freely given Public Airwaves? Results are attached. Because of this purposeful inaccuracy, she will be reported to the FCC for rebuke or punishment. Unfortunately, she is not the only one.
The Radical Left News is going out of their way to harass, demean, and libel anything “TRUMP.” Their new weapon is to say that my 99% SUCCESS Rate on Endorsements, 100% on Senatorial Endorsements (Many of whom were not even given a shot of winning until I Endorsed!), is either a mixed result, or not very good.
In actuality, it is, without question, the strongest Endorsement in the History of Politics. If it were not, I would be the first to admit it. Darline Graham’s run for the Senate was the biggest story in all of Politics, because she wasn’t expected to win, and then, when I Endorsed her, and she easily won, the story of her Victory was hardly covered by anybody. Likewise, the future Governor of Oklahoma, who was behind in every Poll, I Endorsed him, he won, and the story was barely covered!
The Press is a Disgrace to our Nation, and I hope that Chairman Brendan Carr, and the fine people of his Commission, will take this Threat to our Country very seriously. Thank you for your attention to this very important matter of Fake Polls and Commentary! President DONALD J. TRUMP“
It’s important to note that the remarks that prompted this response were not made during Welker’s program Meet The Press. Rather, she offered these observations during an appearance on NBC’s Washington, D.C. affiliate WRC-TV on Sunday, where she stated about the President:
“He’s going to loom large over these midterms. There’s no doubt about that. He, of course, has endorsed a slate of candidates in the primaries. He’s had some mixed results, but most recently, his pick of Senator Darline Graham, of course, the sister of the late Senator Lindsey Graham, was successful in her primary battle, so now she takes on Dr. Annie Andrews in South Carolina.“
Welker is not the only political correspondent to highlight Donald Trump’s recent pattern of prominent endorsement disappointments. Hosts at the left-leaning cable news channel MSNOW have been addressing this issue throughout the week.
Those unsuccessful endorsements include Rep. Randy Feenstra, who lost the GOP primary for Iowa governor to Zach Lahn; Burt Jones, who lost the Republican primary for Georgia governor to Rick Jackson; Mike Lindell, who lost the GOP primary for Minnesota governor to Lisa Demuth, and Rep. Andy Ogles (R-TN), who lost his reelection bid to primary challenger Charlie Hatcher.
Despite President Trump’s call for FCC intervention, the commission clarifies on its website that the agency is legally prohibited from engaging in censorship or infringing upon First Amendment rights of the press:
The FCC does not investigate claims of collateral inaccuracy in news reports or differences of opinion over the truth or validity of aspects of a news program.
Notwithstanding these apparent legal limitations, President Trump continued his appeal for FCC involvement on Sunday:
THE FAKE POLLS USED BY OUR CROOKED MEDIA ARE OUT OF CONTROL, AND SOMETHING MUST BE DONE ABOUT IT. FCC TO THE RESCUE! President DJT
