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Trump calls on FCC to punish 'Meet the Press' moderator Kristen Welker
Los Angeles Times • • nation
Key Points:
- President Trump criticized NBC’s “Meet the Press” moderator Kristen Welker for her comments describing his endorsement record in primaries as having “mixed results,” and called on the FCC to punish her for what he called purposeful inaccuracies.
- Welker had noted Trump’s mixed success in endorsing candidates but highlighted recent wins like Senator Darline Graham’s primary victory; NBC News defended Welker, calling her “one of the best in the business.”
- FCC Chairman Brendan Carr has previously targeted media outlets Trump considers unfriendly, but FCC guidelines limit the agency’s authority to act on complaints about news accuracy or bias, protecting press freedom under the First Amendment.
- FCC Commissioner Anna Gomez condemned Trump’s threats against Welker as dangerous and a misunderstanding of the FCC’s role, emphasizing that the agency cannot punish journalists based on political disagreements.
- Trump’s sensitivity about his endorsement record was also evident when Bill Maher apologized on air for inaccurately stating that most of Trump’s endorsed candidates lost primaries, noting that only a small fraction have actually been defeated.
