US President Donald Trump abruptly walked out of an interview with NBC after being repeatedly challenged on several claims by the show’s presenter, Kristen Welker. This incident unfolded during the broadcast of Sunday’s Meet The Press, where Trump insisted that both the ongoing primary elections in California and the 2020 presidential election were “rigged”. When Welker pressed him for evidence regarding California’s voting process, Trump countered with, “All I have to do is look, and I listen.” The tension escalated when Welker responded, “That’s not evidence,” prompting Trump to label the media as “crooked” before he decided to end the interview, declaring, “Sorry, let’s call it quits because I’ve had enough.”
Now, it’s no secret that Trump’s relationship with traditional media has always been rocky. He often accuses them of harboring biases against him. The interview, which took place in a barn while Trump was attending an event with farmers in Wisconsin, faced delays due to technical issues and rain pounding the metal roof overhead. NBC reported that he walked out 50 minutes after initially sitting down for the conversation on Friday.
Much of the dialogue revolved around Trump’s views on the conflict with Iran. He maintained that the US needed to intervene to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons, assuring that it wouldn’t lead to “an endless war.” He claimed, “We’re there for a few months and the threat is largely over.” About six minutes before he stormed off, the conversation shifted to the “anti-weaponisation” fund, a now-scrapped initiative aimed at creating a $1.8 billion fund to compensate individuals who claimed they were unfairly targeted or investigated by the government. This plan faced harsh criticism from both Democrats and some Republicans, who argued it might lead to payments for individuals prosecuted in connection with the Capitol riot on January 6, 2021.
As the discussion turned to that very riot, Trump was again challenged after he reiterated his unproven assertion that the 2020 election was rigged. He directed his attention to the California primary elections, where votes were still being tallied to determine which candidates would appear on the ballot in the upcoming November midterm elections. After four days without a declared winner, Trump exclaimed, “They’re cheating on the election.” When Welker asked if he had any evidence to back that up, he simply said, “All I have to do is look, and I listen,” to which she pointed out, “But that’s not evidence.”
The results from California are still pending, a situation not uncommon given the meticulous nature of the vote-counting process and the extensive use of mail-in ballots. Trump has long been critical of mail-in voting, stating, “They’re crooked,” and even went as far as to say, “just like you’re crooked,” directed at Welker. In an attempt to steer the conversation back, she replied, “To be fair, I’m not crooked. But let’s continue.” However, Trump escalated his rhetoric, suggesting, “you’re either crooked or you’re stupid,” before ultimately declaring, “Let’s call it quits because I’ve had enough. Thank you darling, have a good time.”
Welker tried to keep the interview alive, but Trump cut her off, saying, “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 added, “You ought to straighten out your press because you know what? A country can never be great with a dishonest press.” He gestured off-camera, indicating it was time to leave, and then stood up and walked off the set.
Following the broadcast, Welker mentioned, “I spoke with President Trump on Saturday and we both acknowledged the complications during the interview posed by the rain. He agreed to sit down with me for another Meet the Press interview.” The BBC has reached out to the White House for comments regarding this abrupt exit.
Kaynak: Orijinal Haber