Trump seeks punishment for NBC journalist over critical coverage

A television journalist’s description of Donald Trump’s candidates as having a “mixed” primary record prompted the president to call for action by the US media regulator.

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mixed

Trump said on Truth Social that he would report NBC’s Kristen Welker to the Federal Communications Commission so the agency could reprimand or punish her. He said Welker had spread an “intentional inaccuracy” after she discussed the performance of Trump-backed candidates in primaries for November’s congressional elections.

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intentional inaccuracy

Trump argued that nearly all of the candidates he publicly supported had won their primaries. He also emphasized that Welker works for a broadcaster using public airwaves, and urged FCC Chairman Brendan Carr and agency officials to treat what he called a “threat to our country” seriously. Trump separately described US media as a “disgrace to our country.”

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threat to our country

Anna Gomez, the only Democratic member of the FCC’s governing body, said the commission does not have authority to punish individual journalists whose reporting displeases the government. “These threats to press freedom are dangerous,” Gomez wrote on X, adding that they undermine the foundations of democracy. The FCC under Carr has repeatedly pressured national broadcasters, including through threats involving broadcast licenses.

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These threats to press freedom are dangerous