President Donald Trump announced that he is reporting NBC News’s Kristen Welker to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) for 'rebuke and punishment' due to comments she made regarding his endorsement record. In a post on Truth Social, Trump expressed his discontent with Welker's statement that he had 'mixed results' in endorsing candidates in Republican primaries. He claimed his success rate is in the high 90s for the 2026 election cycle.
Trump criticized Welker, referring to her as the 'Unpopular Hostess' of 'Meet the Press,' which he described as 'Meet the Fake Press.' He cited the recent wins of Darline Graham and Mike Mazzei, stating that his endorsement success rates are 100% for the U.S. Senate and 98% for the U.S. House. Trump questioned how Welker could make such statements while working for public airwaves.
He stated, 'Because of this purposeful inaccuracy, she will be reported to the FCC for rebuke or punishment.' Trump further claimed that the media is attempting to undermine his endorsement success, asserting that his endorsement record is the strongest in political history. He highlighted the victories of Sen. Darline Graham (R-SC) and former Oklahoma state Sen. Mike Mazzei as examples of the effectiveness of his endorsements.
Trump concluded by expressing hope that FCC Chairman Brendan Carr and the commission would take his concerns seriously, labeling the press as a 'Disgrace to our Nation.' He noted that while his endorsement numbers are generally strong, there have been exceptions, such as the defeats of MyPillow founder Mike Lindell and Rep. Andy Ogles (R-TN).