NBC built up its Sunday show with a big get.
President Trump would sit down with Kristen Welker for a Meet the Press exclusive.
The network announced the interview on June 4. It was taped in Wisconsin and aired Sunday, June 7.
It did not go the way NBC planned.
The exchange turned sharp when Welker challenged President Trump over election fraud, including California vote-counting and the 2020 race.
President Trump called NBC a crooked, one-sided network and ended the interview on the spot.
The friction started over California.
Welker told President Trump that Republicans were doing well there. President Trump shot back that Republicans were dropping because the election was rigged.
When Welker asked whether he had evidence, he told her all he had to do was look.
From there it unraveled fast for the network.
The Factbase transcript captures the election-integrity exchange and the point where President Trump cut it off:
Kristen Welker: — that the 2020 election was rigged.
Donald Trump: Right now, it’s, look at what’s happening in California.
ADVERTISEMENTKristen Welker: The Republicans are doing well in California.
Donald Trump: In California, it’s, no they’re not. They’re dropping fast because it’s a rigged election. Let me tell you, it’s four days and they aren’t even close to coming up with the —
Kristen Welker: There’s — What? Do you have evidence to support that?
Donald Trump: It’s — all I have to do is look. All I have to do is look.
Kristen Welker: That’s how they count the votes in California.
Donald Trump: Do you know why they’re doing that? Because they’re cheating on the election.
Donald Trump: You’re a one-sided crooked network. Sorry.
Donald Trump: Let’s call it quits because I’ve had enough.
ADVERTISEMENTDonald Trump: Thank you, darling. Have a good time.
Kristen Welker: Mr. President, let’s — please, I traveled all the way to Wisconsin.
Welker tried to keep him in the chair.
President Trump was not moved. He thanked her and left.
The Post Millennial covered the walkout and posted the clip of the closing exchange.
The clip shows the familiar pattern.
The president raises election integrity, a legacy network anchor pushes back on his claims, and the segment becomes a press fight instead of an interview.
President Trump has watched that play out for years.
This time, he refused to keep feeding it.
NBC wanted an exclusive with the president of the United States. What it got was a reminder that he no longer has to sit and absorb whatever framing its anchors bring to the table.
What are your thoughts?
Legacy media still wants to control the terms of the conversation.
President Trump just showed he can end it when he decides the frame is already rigged.
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