President Donald Trump has threatened to report NBC News Meet the Press moderator Kristen Welker to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), accusing her of making inappropriate remarks about his record of political support.
Taking to Truth Social on Sunday, Trump criticised Welker after she described his endorsement record as producing “mixed results.”
He further argued that his endorsed candidates have successfully accomplished better success rates, pointing to the latest victories in Senate and House races.
Trump said Welker would be reported to the FCC for what he called “purposeful inaccuracy,” while also accusing broader news organizations of targeting him with what he criticized as unfair coverage.
Moreover, he called on FCC Chairman Brendan Carr to take the matter seriously and separately criticized polling by news organizations.
The threat follows the FCC’s legal challenge from ABC, as the media organisation filed a lawsuit against the agency in early August, alleging that regulatory actions against its stations amount to retaliation for its news coverage and violate First Amendment protections.
This move raised concerns regarding the use of federal broadcast regulation against news agencies.
The FCC does have a news distortion policy, but its own guidance stated the agency;s authority remains constricted.
It stated that the agency is unable to censor the press on First Amendment rights
The FCC also says it does not investigate ordinary inaccuracies or disagreements over the truth of statements made during news programs.
Investigations remain focused on whether broadcasters deliberately attempted to mislead audiences.
NBC News has yet to officially comment on Trump’s threat as of the report’s publication. The statement comes amid intensifying tensions between the Trump administration and major news organizations, particularly over the boundaries between presidential criticism and government regulatory authority.
