Donald Trump ended his appearance on Meet the Press abruptly Friday, walking off after a heated exchange with anchor Kristen Welker over his repeated false assertions that elections were rigged.
The interview, conducted in Wisconsin and aired Sunday, unraveled as Trump made unfounded claims about the California gubernatorial race and the 2020 presidential election. When Welker pressed him for evidence, Trump shifted tactics, attacking her credibility and the network itself.
The clash began when Trump claimed the California governor's race was "rigged," citing slow ballot counting as proof of fraud. Welker noted that California's counting process is standard procedure, but Trump dismissed the explanation and continued asserting that Republican candidates were underperforming due to cheating.
When asked to provide documentation of his allegations, Trump responded by calling Welker "crooked." The attack escalated from there.
"They're crooked, just like you're crooked, your press is crooked. And Meet the Press is crooked," Trump said. He then told Welker: "You're either crooked or you're stupid. You play right into their hands with this crap."
Welker attempted to continue the interview, but Trump had reached his limit. He removed his microphone and declared: "Let's call it quits because I've had enough." As he left, he added: "Thank you, darling. Have a good time."
When Welker reminded him she had traveled to Wisconsin for the interview, Trump responded: "I've sat in the rain with you for an hour. On and off in the rain and I've given you enough time. You oughta straighten out your press."
Earlier in the conversation, Trump had also bristled when Welker asked whether those convicted of assaulting police officers during the January 6 Capitol riot should receive funding from his proposed "anti-weaponization" program.
Trump claimed without evidence that the rioters were actually invited into the Capitol by FBI agents and that they only pleaded guilty out of fear of lengthy prison sentences. "They were told they were going to jail for 15 years, because they were frightened," Trump said, refusing to directly answer whether taxpayers should fund their legal defense.
Author James Rodriguez: "Trump's quick exit shows he still can't handle basic follow-up questions about his core claims, and he's betting his base cares more about his toughness than his answers."
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