President Donald Trump criticized NBC’s "Meet the Press" moderator Kristen Welker on Sunday, urging the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to take action against her for remarks regarding his endorsement record. Trump stated on Truth Social that Welker referred to his endorsements as having 'mixed results,' despite his endorsements of candidates Darline Graham and Mike Mazzei achieving high success rates in recent elections. He claimed that Welker's comments were inaccurate and suggested that she should face consequences from the FCC.
Welker made her comments while previewing the Sunday edition of "Meet the Press," noting Trump's influence over the upcoming midterm elections and referencing his endorsements. NBC News expressed support for Welker, calling her one of the best in the industry.
FCC Chairman Brendan Carr has previously indicated a willingness to scrutinize media outlets that Trump perceives as unfavorable. In April, he initiated a review of TV station licenses held by ABC, alleging violations of federal anti-discrimination laws related to the company’s diversity policies. ABC has since filed a lawsuit against the FCC to challenge this review.
The FCC's guidelines state that its authority to act on complaints about media accuracy or bias is limited, and it is prohibited from engaging in censorship or violating First Amendment rights. Anna Gomez, the only Democratic member of the FCC, criticized Trump's comments as dangerous and indicative of a misunderstanding of the FCC's role, emphasizing that the agency cannot punish journalists based on political preferences.
Trump's sensitivity to critiques of his endorsements was highlighted by a recent segment on Bill Maher's show, where Maher apologized for suggesting that few of Trump's endorsed candidates were winning. Maher acknowledged that out of 260 candidates endorsed by Trump, only nine had lost, but he also indicated that many of those candidates were favored to win.
It is noted that "Real Time" is a cable and streaming program, which falls outside the FCC's regulatory scope, as the agency oversees broadcast channels that utilize public airwaves.