Trump calls for NBC’s Kristen Welker to face ‘rebuke or punishment’ from FCC

Former President Donald Trump publicly called for the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to "rebuke or punish" NBC's Kristen Welker on Sunday, August 30, 2026. Trump's demand stemmed from comments Welker made during a pre-"Meet the Press" segment on a local Washington, D.C. affiliate, where she described the results of his political endorsements as "mixed."

Through posts on Truth Social, Trump criticized Welker, referring to her as the "Unpopular 'Hostess' of ... Meet the Fake Press" and accusing her of "purposeful inaccuracy." He insisted that his endorsed candidates had a nearly perfect success rate in recent primaries and urged FCC Chair Brendan Carr to take his concerns "very seriously."

While the FCC generally has limited authority over news content due to First Amendment protections, NBC News issued a statement supporting Welker, saying, "Kristen is one of the best in the business and we stand by her." This incident marks a continuation of Trump's history of criticizing media coverage and advocating for regulatory action against news organizations.