Trump criticizes NBC's Kristen Welker, calls for FCC action over endorsement comments

WASHINGTON — President Trump criticized "Meet the Press" anchor Kristen Welker on Sunday for her comments regarding his endorsement record, stating that she should face reprimand from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). Welker described Trump's endorsement record as having "mixed results" in GOP primary elections this cycle, which prompted Trump to respond on Truth Social, urging FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr to take the "Threat to our Country very seriously." Trump stated, "How can anyone be allowed to say this, working for freely given Public Airwaves? Results are attached. Because of this purposeful inaccuracy, she will be reported to the FCC for rebuke or punishment. Unfortunately, she is not the only one." NBC News, which operates local broadcast stations with FCC licenses, defended Welker, with a spokesperson stating, "Kristen is one of the best in the business, and we stand by her." Carr has previously indicated he may take action against broadcast networks he believes exhibit bias. Trump has made 313 endorsements with a reported 96% success rate according to Ballotpedia, although he has faced setbacks in certain races. He emphasized his 100% success rate in GOP Senate primaries and a 98% success rate in House GOP primaries, asserting that many candidates he endorsed were not initially considered likely to win. Trump also pointed to recent endorsements, including Sen. Darline Graham (R-SC) and Mike Mazzei in the Oklahoma GOP gubernatorial primary. He concluded his remarks by criticizing the media, stating, "The Radical Left News is going out of their way to harass, demean, and libel anything 'TRUMP.'" He urged Carr and the FCC to take the matter seriously, referring to it as a significant issue of "Fake Polls and Commentary."