US President Donald Trump abruptly ended an interview with NBC's Meet the Press after a series of exchanges with presenter Kristen Welker over his claims that recent elections were "rigged."
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The interview, which aired on Sunday, featured Trump repeating allegations that both California's ongoing primary elections and the 2020 US presidential election had been manipulated. When Welker repeatedly asked him to provide evidence for his assertions about the California vote count, Trump responded: "All I have to do is look, and I listen."
Welker replied that such observations did not constitute evidence. Trump then accused the media of being dishonest before terminating the interview, saying: "Sorry, let's call it quits because I've had enough."
Dispute Over Election Claims
The discussion turned contentious after the pair addressed the 6 January 2021 US Capitol riot and Trump's continued claims about the 2020 election. Trump then shifted the focus to California's primary elections, where vote counting was still underway in several races, including the contest for governor.
Pointing to the delay in finalising results, Trump alleged that election officials were "cheating on the election." When Welker asked whether he had evidence to support the accusation, he repeated that he relied on what he had seen and heard.
California's vote-counting process often takes several days because of the state's extensive use of mail-in ballots and procedures designed to ensure ballots are verified and counted accurately. Trump has long criticised mail-in voting.
As the exchange continued, Trump called the media "crooked" and directed personal criticism at Welker. She rejected the accusation and attempted to continue the interview.
Interview Cut Short
The conversation deteriorated further when Trump told Welker she was "either crooked or you're stupid." After additional back-and-forth, he declared the interview over.
"I've sat in the rain with you for an hour, on and off in the rain, and I've given you enough time," Trump said. He also criticised the press, arguing that the country could not be successful with what he described as a dishonest media.
Trump then signalled to members of his team, stood up and left the set, ending the interview.
Weather and Foreign Policy Discussions
The interview had been conducted at a farming event in Wisconsin and was affected by technical problems and rain striking the metal roof of the venue. NBC reported that Trump walked out around 50 minutes after the interview began on Friday.
Before the dispute over elections, much of the discussion focused on tensions involving Iran. Trump defended US actions aimed at preventing Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon and said any military involvement would not become "an endless war."
He also discussed a proposed $1.8 billion "anti-weaponisation" compensation fund, which has since been abandoned. The proposal had drawn criticism from Democrats and some Republicans, who argued it could have led to payments for people prosecuted in connection with the Capitol riot.
Following the broadcast, Welker said she had spoken with Trump on Saturday and that both acknowledged the difficulties caused by the weather. She added that the president had agreed to take part in another Meet the Press interview in the future.
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Adapted by ASEAN Now. Source 8 June 2026