The president cut an NBC segment short after being pressed to provide evidence for his claims that ongoing electoral races in the state are “crooked”
For at least the third time in recent memory, President Donald Trump abruptly ended an interview after being confronted on his unfounded claims of election theft in 2020 and, this time around, in California this year. He called NBC News’ Kristen Welker “either crooked or … stupid” before unceremoniously ending the planned segment on “Meet the Press.”
During the interview taped Friday and released Sunday, Welker questioned Trump’s enduring support of his anti-weaponization fund, despite acting Attorney General and now-formal nominee Todd Blanche asserting it would not move forward at this time.
After Welker asked if anyone who attacked law enforcement on Jan. 6, 2021, should get paid from the proposed fund, Trump began a line of discussion on “dirty cops” and a “dirty election” in reference to his 2020 loss to former President Joe Biden, then saying “it’s happening again right now in California.”
The president echoed much of the rhetoric surrounding the ongoing primary elections in California and Los Angeles, including the marquee race for City Hall that just saw Trump favorite Spencer Pratt fall behind city councilmember Nithya Raman in a mail-in vote surge that flipped second place Sunday. Ballots postmarked by election day that arrive up to tomorrow will still be valid, giving the city and the state a sluggish counting process subject to fraud allegations.
As he had done on social media, Trump said “we’re like a third world country” in reference to California’s electoral process, saying Democrats were “cheating” in the state’s elections. Welker then pressed him for evidence to back his claims, to which he had a brief response.
“All I have to do is look,” Trump said.
After Welker attempted to change the subject and speak about Blanche, Trump continued to repeat that her and NBC, as well as ABC, CBS and CNN, were “crooked,” then walked away from the interview.
“Let’s call it quits because I’ve had enough. Thank you, darling. Have a good time,” Trump said.
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