President Trump on Sunday escalated his feud with NBC News, vowing to report "Meet the Press" host Kristen Welker to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) after she reportedly characterized his endorsement record as "mixed" during a pre-show segment.
In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump called Welker the "Unpopular 'Hostess'" of a show he derided as "Meet the Fake Press," and claimed she had falsely stated that his endorsements have produced "mixed results." He pointed to the recent primary victories of Sen. Darline Graham (R-S.C.) and Oklahoma gubernatorial nominee Mike Mazzei as evidence of a near-perfect record.
"How can anyone be allowed to say this, working for freely given Public Airwaves?" Trump wrote. "Because of this purposeful inaccuracy, she will be reported to the FCC for rebuke or punishment."
CNN's Brian Stelter reported on X that Welker made the remark during a live shot on WRC-TV, NBC's Washington affiliate, ahead of the network's Sunday public affairs programming.
Trump went on to urge FCC Chair Brendan Carr and fellow commissioners to take "this Threat to our Country very seriously," framing the media's coverage of his endorsement track record as an attack on his political influence.
The president's latest broadside comes as he has touted his endorsements as "stronger than ever," but his record this cycle has been uneven. While Graham and Mazzei secured wins, several Trump-backed candidates have suffered defeats, including Rep. Cory Mills (R-Fla.), who lost his primary to TV anchor Ryan Elijah, and Rep. Andy Ogles (R-Tenn.), who was ousted by former state Agriculture Commissioner Charlie Hatcher. Michigan's Amir Hassan also fell short in his House bid despite Trump's support.
Political commentator Bill O'Reilly recently suggested that a Trump endorsement "doesn't have the cachet that it did" in past cycles, citing the ongoing Iran war as a factor.
This is not the first clash between Trump and Welker. In June, he abruptly ended an in-person interview with her after she pressed him on his baseless claim that the California gubernatorial primary was "rigged." He also criticized her last year for questioning Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.) about the Signal chat leak of Pentagon attack plans.
The threat against Welker follows a lawsuit filed by Disney and ABC against the FCC, arguing that the Trump administration is using licensing reviews to censor journalists. Trump has previously suggested that NBC and ABC could face fines or lose their broadcast licenses over their coverage.
As GOP strategists worry about the president's midterm influence, Trump's attacks on the press are likely to intensify. His self-focused midterm push has already raised concerns among party insiders about its impact on key races.
