Former President Donald Trump announced Sunday that he intends to report "Meet the Press" host Kristen Welker to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) for alleged "purposeful inaccuracy" after she characterized his primary endorsement record as having "mixed results."
Trump made the announcement on the social media platform Truth Social, stating that Welker's remarks on NBC4 Washington were inaccurate. He cited recent wins by Darline Graham and Mike Mazzei as evidence of a 100% success rate in U.S. Senate endorsements and a 98% success rate for U.S. House endorsements, both recently and over the long term.
"How can anyone be allowed to say this, working for freely given Public Airwaves?" Trump posted. "Because of this purposeful inaccuracy, she will be reported to the FCC for rebuke or punishment. Unfortunately, she is not the only one."
NBC News defended Welker in a statement to Fox News Digital, affirming their support for their "Meet the Press" moderator. "Kristen is one of the best in the business and we stand by her," an NBC News spokesperson said.
The remark Welker made was during a live preview appearance on NBC4 Washington on Sunday, prior to the "Meet the Press" broadcast. She had stated that Trump had endorsed "a slate of candidates in the primaries" and "had some mixed results." Citing NBC reporting, Welker predicted Trump would "loom large" over the midterms and highlighted Senator Darline Graham's successful primary battle as a recent endorsement success.
According to a Fox News Trump Primary Endorsement Tracker, Trump-backed candidates had won all 24 Republican Senate primaries in which he endorsed and 214 of 218 House primaries. The tracker indicated a 100% Senate success rate and approximately a 98% House rate.
The two most recent victories Trump identified occurred Tuesday: Graham defeated Rep. Ralph Norman in South Carolina's Senate runoff, and former state Sen. Mike Mazzei defeated Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond for the Republican gubernatorial nomination. The tracker recorded 16 wins out of Trump's 21 gubernatorial picks.
Trump has previously accused news organizations of focusing on his endorsement losses to overshadow his broader record, which he described as historically strong. He argued that his endorsement success rate is "the strongest Endorsement in the History of Politics."
Trump concluded his Truth Social post by appealing directly to FCC Chairman Brendan Carr, urging him and the commission to take the matter "very seriously."
FCC Chairman Brendan Carr has previously cautioned broadcasters that news distortion could impact license renewals. However, the FCC licenses individual stations, not networks like NBC. Its policies require evidence that a report was deliberately intended to mislead viewers, distinguishing such intent from mere inaccuracy or a difference of opinion.