Trump Ends "Meet the Press" Interview Early After Dispute Over Election Fraud
Former President Donald Trump cut short an interview with NBC’s Kristen Welker on March 21, 2025, after a heated exchange over unsubstantiated claims of election fraud.
Interview Context and Topics Discussed
The interview, taped at a farm in Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin, was interrupted by rain and technical issues before concluding prematurely. It aired on Sunday, March 23.
The conversation covered multiple topics, including U.S. military action against Iran, Trump's 2018 withdrawal from the Iran nuclear deal, and a proposed government compensation fund. Welker’s team traveled to Wisconsin for the taping.
Iran Conflict and Foreign Policy
Trump rejected the suggestion that launching military operations against Iran contradicted his campaign statements about avoiding new wars. He stated: "I didn't guarantee no war. Why would I have built the strongest military in the world?"
He described the conflict, which began on February 28, as "not an endless war" and said operations had been ongoing for three months. Trump defended the strikes as necessary to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons, though he also claimed previous strikes had "obliterated" Iranian nuclear sites.
Regarding his 2018 decision to withdraw from the Iran nuclear deal without a replacement agreement, Trump stated: "It takes years to do these things."
Election Fraud Claims
During the discussion, Trump repeated assertions that the 2020 presidential election and recent California primary elections were "rigged." He cited the duration of vote counting in California as evidence of cheating.
Welker responded that the length of time for ballot processing does not constitute evidence of fraud, noting that California's vote counting involves processing mail ballots.
"All I have to do is look," Trump replied when asked for evidence. He said he relied on listening to people and alleged ongoing irregularities in California's vote counting without providing specific evidence.
According to reports, Trump-appointed U.S. Attorney for the Central District of California, Bill Essayli, announced that "multiple election fraud investigations" had been opened in the state. California Governor Gavin Newsom urged county election officials to expedite vote counting to address unsubstantiated conspiracy theories. California's election system has a history of slow vote counting due to laws permitting last-minute mail-in ballots.
Anti-Weaponization Fund
Trump defended a proposed $1.8 billion "Anti-Weaponization Fund" that had been part of a settlement in his lawsuit against the IRS over leaked tax returns. The fund was intended to compensate individuals Trump described as victims of political persecution.
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche stated that the administration had abandoned the plan after a federal judge paused it and both Democratic and some Republican lawmakers raised concerns about oversight and potential payments to individuals involved in the January 6, 2021, Capitol attack.
Trump called the fund "a great idea" and said he would be "disappointed" if it were not approved. When asked whether January 6 defendants convicted of assaulting police officers should receive compensation, Trump said: "I wouldn't be inclined to say so, but I have to see it," and made additional unsubstantiated claims about the riot. Welker noted that 170 people pleaded guilty to assaulting police officers during the January 6 attack.
Conclusion of the Interview
After a verbal exchange, Trump said to Welker: "You're a one-sided crooked network," removed his microphone, and said: "Let's call it quits because I've had enough. Thank you, darling. Have a good time." He then left the interview.
Welker responded: "To be fair, I'm not crooked. But let's continue." She later reported that Trump agreed to conduct another interview in the future following a phone conversation on Saturday.
This is not the first instance of Trump ending an interview early. He previously walked out of a "60 Minutes" interview in 2020 and an NPR interview in 2022.