Trump Blames Rain After Walking Out of NBC Interview With Kristen Welker
President Donald Trump blamed disruptive rain after abruptly ending a tense Meet the Press interview with NBC moderator Kristen Welker, according to Welker’s account of a follow-up call the next morning.
The interview, taped in a barn in Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin, aired June 7 and was scheduled to last an hour. Welker told Vanity Fair that the conversation lasted a little more than 35 minutes, with interruptions caused by heavy rain on the metal roof. Trump later told her, in Welker’s summary, that the rain was disruptive and that they would “do this again in Washington.”
The exchange turned confrontational as Welker pressed Trump on several subjects, including Iran, his claim that he had not guaranteed the United States would avoid new wars, a proposed “anti-weaponization” fund, Jan. 6-related questions and his repeated claims about the 2020 election.
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CBS/WTOP reported that Trump claimed California’s vote counting delays were evidence of cheating, but did not cite proof when Welker asked for evidence. When Welker noted that delay alone was not evidence, Trump escalated his criticism of NBC and other networks.
Trump ended the interview by saying he had “had enough,” then walked off camera. The episode fits a pattern: CBS/WTOP noted that Trump previously walked out of a 2020 60 Minutes interview and ended a 2022 NPR interview after questions about his election claims.
The clip drew significant online reaction. NBC and CNN clips generated thousands of interactions, Reddit users debated Welker’s handling, and Jon Stewart criticized Trump’s exit while also mocking Welker’s plea for him to continue after NBC had traveled to Wisconsin.
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