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Kristen Welker details tense Trump interview on election fraud claims

From FBC News · () English

Translated from English, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Context piece
  • NBC journalist Kristen Welker recounted her contentious interview with Donald Trump, where she pressed him on unsubstantiated 2020 election fraud claims.
  • Trump repeatedly asserted the election was rigged, accusing Welker and her network of lacking credibility before abruptly ending the interview.
  • Welker stated that journalists have a responsibility to challenge such allegations, especially given the lack of evidence and the election's certification as secure.

NBC journalist Kristen Welker has shared details about her recent "Meet the Press" interview with Donald Trump, describing a tense exchange where she confronted the former president about his persistent, unsubstantiated claims of fraud in the 2020 election.

Youโ€™ve never presented evidence that the 2020 election was rigged.

โ€” Kristen WelkerWelker directly challenged Donald Trump during their 'Meet the Press' interview regarding his claims about the 2020 election.

Welker told Vanity Fair that Trump, after storming out of the interview, later contacted her the following morning. He attributed the disruption to "the rain" and suggested they would reschedule. However, the core of their on-air disagreement centered on Trump's false assertions about the 2020 election, which he lost to Joe Biden in both the popular and electoral college votes.

During the interview, Welker directly challenged Trump, stating, "Youโ€™ve never presented evidence that the 2020 election was rigged." When pressed for proof, Trump responded vaguely, "All I have to do is look." Welker countered that this was not evidence, but Trump doubled down, accusing her, her network, and other major news organizations of being "crooked" and lacking credibility. He insisted he won the election "in a landslide" and received "94 percent bad press."

All I have to do is look.

โ€” Donald TrumpTrump's response when asked by Welker to provide evidence for his claims of a rigged 2020 election.

The interview concluded abruptly when Trump, frustrated with Welker's persistent questioning, removed his microphone and walked off camera, saying, "Letโ€™s call it quits because Iโ€™ve had enough. Thank you, darling. Have a good time."

But thatโ€™s not evidence.

โ€” Kristen WelkerWelker's rebuttal to Trump's assertion that he only needed to 'look' for evidence of election rigging.

Reflecting on the encounter, Welker emphasized the media's role in holding public figures accountable. "Thereโ€™s never been any evidence presented of that despite the 60-plus court cases that ultimately were dismissed," she said, referring to the election fraud claims. Welker added, "I think the media does have a responsibility to press him on these allegations of election fraud for which thereโ€™s never been any evidence presented, and in fact, the election was deemed to be the safest and most secure election by the election officials who were serving at that time."

You know that these elections are rigged. Your network knows that theyโ€™re rigged. Do you know that I won an election in a landslide and I got 94 percent bad press. You know why I got that? Because you have no credibility. Your elections are crooked, and youโ€™re crooked, and Meet the Press is crooked. And so is ABC and CBS and CNN. Youโ€™re a one-sided crooked network.

โ€” Donald TrumpTrump accused Welker and various news networks of bias and corruption during the interview.
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Originally published by FBC News in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.