Trump calls for NBC's Kristen Welker to face FCC punishment over election remarks

US President Donald Trump publicly attacked NBC's Kristen Welker on Sunday, saying he wants the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to consider "rebuke or punishment" against the "Meet the Press" host over her remarks about his record endorsing political candidates.

In a post on Truth Social, Trump described Welker as the unpopular host of what he called "Meet the Fake Press," objecting to her statement that he has had "mixed results" with his endorsements. He pointed to the recent Senate and House wins tied to his backing of Senator Darline Graham and Mike Mazzei, claiming a 100% success rate in Senate races and 98% in House races. He questioned how such a comment could be aired on "freely given Public Airwaves."

The remarks that triggered Trump's response were made by Welker to a local NBC affiliate, where she said the president would "loom large" over the upcoming midterm elections. She noted that while his slate of endorsed primary candidates had seen mixed outcomes overall, his most recent pick, Senator Darline Graham, had won.

An NBC spokesperson, speaking anonymously to AFP, said the network continues to stand behind Welker, describing her as "one of the best in the business."

Unclear FCC authority

Throughout his time in office, Trump has repeatedly criticised US media outlets as "fake news" and pursued lawsuits against several of them. Since his return to the White House, the FCC has also increased pressure on media companies, drawing criticism from press organisations. Under its own rules, the FCC "cannot prevent the broadcast of any particular point of view," leaving unclear what, if any, action it could take against Welker.

Democratic FCC Commissioner Anna Gomez wrote on X that the agency "has no authority to punish journalists this administration doesn't like," calling such threats to press freedom dangerous and a threat to the foundations of democracy. Trump, however, said he hoped FCC Chairman Brendan Carr and commission staff would take the matter seriously.