Key facts
- President Trump has called for the FCC to punish NBC journalist Kristen Welker for describing his candidate endorsements as having "mixed results."
- Trump accused Welker of "purposeful inaccuracy" and threatened her with FCC "rebuke or punishment."
- Trump cited his endorsement success rate, claiming 100% for U.S. Senate and 98% for U.S. House candidates.
- The FCC's stated policy generally prevents intervention in complaints about news content due to First Amendment considerations.
- FCC Chairman Brendan Carr has previously used "news distortion" policies to threaten broadcasters.
- NBC News has stated they stand by Kristen Welker.
President Trump has called on the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to punish or rebuke NBC journalist Kristen Welker for stating that his candidate endorsements have yielded "mixed results."
In a Truth Social post, Trump claimed Welker's statement was a "purposeful inaccuracy," citing a near-perfect success rate for his endorsed candidates in U.S. Senate and House races. He wrote that Welker, host of "Meet the Press," "will be reported to the FCC for rebuke or punishment."
Trump also posted about "fake polls" and urged the FCC to intervene, and separately criticized New York Times journalist Maggie Haberman. He included an image purporting to show a high success rate for his endorsements and expressed hope that FCC Chairman Brendan Carr would take his concerns seriously.
The FCC's official stance, as stated on its website, is that it "cannot prevent the broadcast of any particular point of view" and "generally will not intervene" in complaints about "one-sided news reports" due to First Amendment protections. Even during Trump's first term, then-FCC Chairman Ajit Pai stated the commission lacked the authority to revoke broadcast licenses based on newscast content.
However, the article suggests that FCC Chairman Brendan Carr has been more receptive to such complaints, embracing a role as a "chief censor" and abandoning a previous stance against White House interference. Welker's comment, which Trump took issue with, noted "mixed results" but also highlighted a successful endorsement of Senator Darline Graham.
Media analysts and other journalists have indicated that Welker's assessment was accurate, with some pointing out that Trump did not mention specific primary losses for endorsed candidates. NBC News has publicly stated its support for Welker.
The article notes that Carr has previously used the FCC's "news distortion policy" and rules against broadcast hoaxes to threaten networks, including threatening to revoke ABC station licenses and ordering ABC to file early license renewals. Disney, ABC's owner, is suing Carr and the FCC, alleging a campaign of censorship.
Trump and Carr have also reportedly demanded more positive media coverage of certain events, with Carr accusing broadcasters of airing "hoaxes and news distortions."