- US President Donald Trump cut short an NBC interview after being pressed for evidence behind his claims that elections were “rigged”
- The exchange with presenter Kristen Welker grew tense as Trump repeated unsubstantiated allegations about California’s primary vote and the 2020 presidential race
- The walkout, which came after 50 minutes, depicted his ongoing clashes with the media and his focus on election integrity claims
US President Donald Trump abruptly ended an interview with NBC’s Meet The Press after being repeatedly pressed for evidence to support his claims that elections in California and the 2020 presidential race were “rigged”.
The interview, conducted by presenter Kristen Welker, took place on Friday in a barn in Wisconsin during an event with farmers.
Source: Getty Images
Accroding to BBC, NBC reported that Trump walked out 50 minutes after sitting down, following several delays caused by technical issues and rain hitting the metal roof.
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When asked to provide proof of alleged irregularities in California’s primary elections, Trump replied: “All I have to do is look, and I listen.” Welker responded: “That’s not evidence.” The president then accused the media of being “crooked” before ending the interview, saying: “Sorry, let’s call it quits because I’ve had enough.”
Trump has long had a tense relationship with traditional media outlets, frequently accusing them of bias. His walkout highlights the ongoing friction between him and journalists who challenge his claims.
Focus on Iran conflict
Much of the interview centred on US policy towards Iran. Trump insisted that Washington must act to prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons, but rejected the idea of a prolonged military campaign.
“We’re there for a few months and the threat is largely over,” he said, stressing that it would not be “an endless war”.
Anti-weaponisation fund debate
Around six minutes before leaving, Trump and Welker discussed the now-abandoned “anti-weaponisation” fund. The $1.8bn (£1.3bn) proposal aimed to compensate individuals who claimed they were unfairly targeted by government investigations. Critics argued it could have led to payments for those prosecuted over the US Capitol riot on January 6, 2021.
California primary elections
Trump also turned his attention to California’s ongoing primary elections, where votes are still being counted to determine candidates for November’s midterm ballot. He claimed delays in announcing results were evidence of cheating: “They’re cheating on the election.” When asked again for proof, he repeated: “All I have to do is look, and I listen.”
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Welker countered: “But that’s not evidence.”
Source: Getty Images
Trump speaks on US ending war with Iran
Legit.ng earlier reported that US president Donald Trump has said America and Iran have held talks on the “complete and total resolution of hostilities” in Israel and the Middle East. As reported on Monday, March 23, by Al Jazeera, Trump said, as a result of the talks, he has postponed threatened strikes on Iranian power plants.
Trump wrote on Truth Social: “I AM PLEASED TO REPORT THAT THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AND THE COUNTRY OF IRAN, HAVE HAD, OVER THE LAST TWO DAYS, VERY GOOD AND PRODUCTIVE CONVERSATIONS REGARDING A COMPLETE AND TOTAL RESOLUTION OF OUR HOSTILITIES IN THE MIDDLE EAST.”
Source: Legit.ng