US President Donald Trump stormed off from his interview for NBC's "Meet the Press" at the weekend, after he was fact-checked on his false claims about election fraud by reporter Kristen Welker. She also asked him about the Iran war, his controversial "anti-weaponisation" fund and the cost of living, though Trump made a serious of false and exaggerated responses. He also denied having made campaign "promises" about starting any wars, before walking out entirely.
According to NBC, Trump walked out roughly 50 minutes into the interview, following a series of exchanges in which Welker pressed him on allegations of election misconduct that he has repeatedly made without providing evidence.
Trump claimed California's gubernatorial election was "rigged" and revived allegations of widespread fraud in the 2020 presidential election. When Welker asked him to provide evidence supporting his claims about the California race, Trump accused the journalist of being "crooked" but did not offer any specific proof.
Trump has made similar allegations for years, but courts across the United States have repeatedly rejected legal challenges alleging widespread fraud in the 2020 election, and no evidence has emerged showing fraud on a scale that would have changed the outcome.
Welker also touched on Trump's controversial, now-dropped $1.8 billion "anti-weaponisation" fund. When asking whether those who pled guilty to assaulting police officers during the January 6, 2021 riots on the US Capitol would have been eligible for compensation, Trump was visible irritated by the question and refused to answer.
He also falsely declared that rioters were ushered into the Capitol by FBI agents, and that many defendants accepted plea agreements because they feared receiving longer prison sentences if convicted at trial. When Welker noted there was no evidence supporting the allegation about FBI agents directing rioters into the building, Trump again turned his criticism towards the reporter. There is no evidence that FBI agents led rioters into the Capitol, and many of the most violent assaults on law enforcement officers took place outside the building.
The interview also turned to the ongoing conflict involving Iran and questions about Trump's foreign policy record. Welker challenged the US president over his campaign pledges that the United States would avoid new wars during a second Trump administration.
Responding to the criticism, Trump said, "First of all, I didn't guarantee no war," before later adding: "I didn't promise anything."
However, this is simply untrue. Public statements made by Trump during the 2024 campaign show he repeatedly pledged that the United States would not become involved in new wars if he returned to office. In campaign speeches, social media posts and rally appearances, Trump often argued that his election would help prevent future conflicts and said there would be "no war" under his leadership.
Supporters and critics may differ on how those statements should be interpreted, particularly regarding Trump's references to avoiding "endless wars". However, if we take his own words during the NBC interview – that he "didn't promise anything" – this claim is outright false, as avoiding future wars was a frequent campaign pledge.
