President Donald Trump is once again taking aim at "Meet the Press" moderator Kristen Welker.
Trump, 80, posted in an Aug. 30 Truth Social post that Welker, 50, would be reported to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) due to comments she made about his political endorsement record.
"Kristen Welker, the Unpopular 'Hostess' of the once great Meet the Press, now considered Meet the Fake Press, just stated that Donald Trump has 'mixed results' on his Endorsements of Candidates, when the recent WINS of Darline Graham and Mike Mazzei, stand at 100% for the U.S. Senate, and 98% for the U.S. House," Trump shared. "Because of this purposeful inaccuracy, she will be reported to the FCC for rebuke or punishment. Unfortunately, she is not the only
one."
In a statement to USA TODAY, a spokesperson for NBC News said the company would support the award-winning journalist, sharing, "Kristen is one of the best in the business and we stand by her." Despite Trump's post, the FCC doesn't have much legal power to take action against Welker as an individual.
Trump and Welker have a contentious past. Here’s what to know about their friction and Welker.
President Trump walks out of ‘Meet the Press’ interview
In a June 7 episode of “Meet the Press,” Trump ended an interview after Welker challenged him about unsubstantiated claims of "cheating" in the California primary elections. After Welker noted that "Republicans are doing well in California" following the June 2 primary contests, Trump said "they're dropping fast because it's a rigged election," which led to a tense back-and-forth.
Trump then questioned if it's appropriate to count votes five days after Election Day, and Welker said California officials are urging a quick vote count but have pointed out that the process is slow.
Trump told Welker that "they're crooked just like you're crooked, your press is crooked and 'Meet the Press' is crooked." Welker denied the accusations, and Trump said her questions played into "their hands."
Welker urged Trump to continue the interview as he called her "either stupid or crooked." The president also criticized other news outlets, including ABC, CBS and CNN. Trump then looked to end the interview, appearing to remove his microphone to throw it.
Criticism prior to the 2020 presidential debate
Welker moderated the final presidential debate between Trump and Joe Biden on Oct. 22, 2020 at Belmont University in Nashville. This was the first time a Black woman moderated a presidential debate in nearly 30 years. (Journalist Carole Simpson moderated the face-off between George H.W. Bush, Bill Clinton and Ross Perot in 1992.)
Prior to, Trump slammed Welker as “terrible & unfair” in a message posted to Twitter, now called X, on Oct. 17, 2020.
“She’s always been terrible & unfair, just like most of the Fake News reporters, but I’ll still play the game,” Trump wrote. “The people know!”
Welker is a Harvard-educated journalist
Welker studied American history at Harvard and interned at "Today" in 1997. Before beginning her full-time NBC News tenure in 2010, Welker worked for local TV stations in Providence, Rhode Island; Redding, California; and later Philadelphia, her hometown.
In 2011, she became a White House reporter and reported on the 2016 presidential election. She was named "Weekend Today" co-anchor alongside Peter Alexander in January 2020, and began hosting “Meet the Press” in September 2023. She is the second woman and first journalist of color to moderate the program, according to the International Center for Journalists.
A desire to help inspired Welker to become a reporter
Welker was one of eight Black journalists Glamour sought out for a story, published in June 2020, to uncover what life is like for reporters amid a fight for racial equality and a global pandemic.
Welker's mother is Black, and her father is white, so "growing up as a biracial child, the idea of helping people of different races and backgrounds better communicate inspired me to become a journalist," she told the magazine.
"With protesters demanding change after George Floyd’s death, it is more important than ever that everyone has a voice and elected leaders from the White House to City Hall are held accountable for their words and actions, or lack thereof."
Contributing: Jay Stahl and BrieAnna J. Frank
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Who is Kristen Welker, the journalist Trump wants reported to the FCC?
