Former US President Donald Trump walked out of a tense interview with NBC News's 'Meet the Press' anchor Kristin Welker, following a heated exchange over his unsubstantiated claims of rigged elections. The confrontation culminated with Trump declaring, "Let's call it quits because I've had enough. Thank you, darling," before removing his microphone and leaving the set.
The interview, which began with discussions on diverse topics including negotiations to end the war with Iran and a proposed $1.8 billion anti-weaponisation initiative, quickly became contentious. Trump stated his initiative was intended to compensate individuals he believed were unfairly targeted by the previous administration. As Welker challenged several of his assertions, Trump shifted his criticism towards the media, former President Joe Biden, and election officials.
Election Fraud Claims Lead to Confrontation
The primary point of contention arose when Welker repeatedly pressed Trump for evidence supporting his claims that US elections, including vote counting in California, had been rigged. Trump insisted, "There's tremendous evidence. There's nothing but evidence. The election was rigged. It was a dirty election, and it's happening again right now in California."
He specifically pointed to California's extended vote counting process, arguing that days after voting, the state was still far from declaring results. Welker countered by explaining that California's electoral laws permit ballots mailed by election day to arrive later and still be counted, a common practice that often extends the tabulation period. Trump rejected this explanation, asserting, "You know why they're doing that? Because they're cheating on the election."
Personal Attacks and Walkout
When asked for proof of his allegations, Trump responded, "All I have to do is look. All I have to do is look and I listen, and I listen to people and let's see what happens." As the discussion intensified, Trump broadened his attack, calling California officials "crooked" and adding, "Your press is crooked and Meet the Press is crooked." When Welker defended herself, saying, "To be fair, I'm not crooked," Trump interjected, "You're either crooked or you're stupid."
The interview continued for several more minutes, during which Trump accused major television networks of biased coverage and stated the United States was like a "third-world country" regarding election administration. He concluded the interview by removing his microphone and dropping it to the floor. When Welker noted she had traveled to Wisconsin for the interview, Trump replied that he had "sat in the rain" with her "for an hour," adding, "I've given you enough time. You ought to straighten out your press because a country can never be great with a dishonest press."
This incident follows another recent confrontation involving Trump and a journalist. Days prior, at a separate press event, he singled out CNN reporter Kaitlan Collins, criticizing CNN as "a very corrupt organisation" and telling Collins to "be quiet" during an exchange.