'Let's Call It Quits': Donald Trump Loses Temper, Walks out of Interview With NBC Anchor Kristen Welker (Watch Video)
During an NBC News interview in Wisconsin, Donald Trump abruptly walked out after a tense exchange with anchor Kristen Welker over his unverified 2020 election fraud claims. Trump called the press 'crooked', removed his microphone, and left the set, later attributing his sudden irritation to the heavy rain drumming on the barn roof.
US President Donald Trump abruptly ended a sit-down interview with NBC News anchor Kristen Welker after losing his temper, removing his microphone, and walking off the set after a tense back-and-forth over election integrity and the January 6 Capitol riot. The interview, taped inside a barn in Chippewa Falls ahead of a roundtable event with farmers, aired Sunday on Meet the Press. The nearly 50-minute conversation grew increasingly hostile when Welker repeatedly challenged the president to provide evidence for his claims of voter fraud.
The Tipping Point Over Election Claims
The confrontation reached a critical point when Trump alleged that both the 2020 presidential election and the ongoing ballot counting in California’s gubernatorial primary were compromised by fraud. Trump pointed to the multi-day timeline of California's ballot counting as proof of misconduct, stating, "Because they’re cheating on the election". Donald Trump Says Benjamin Netanyahu Will Have ‘No Choice’ but To ‘Accept a Deal’ With Iran.
Donald Trump Walks Out of Fiery Interview With NBC Anchor Kristen Welker
When Welker countered that extended counting timelines are standard under California mail-in voting laws and asked for explicit evidence of fraud, Trump responded, "All I have to do is look". As Welker continued to press the issue, noting that courts and election officials have repeatedly debunked allegations of systemic rigging, Trump redirected his criticism toward the interviewer and the media. "They’re crooked, just like you’re crooked, your press is crooked. And Meet the Press is crooked," Trump said. After Welker defended her professional integrity, Trump responded, "You’re either crooked or you’re stupid."
Dispute Over 'Anti-Weaponization' Fund
Prior to the walkout, the interview had already grown tense over questions surrounding Trump’s proposed USD 1.8 billion "anti-weaponisation" fund. The planned fund, designed to compensate individuals who claim they were victims of politicised prosecutions under the previous administration, has stalled following legal challenges and pushback from the Justice Department. Welker pressed the president on whether the 172 individuals who pleaded guilty to assaulting police officers during the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot would be eligible for taxpayer-funded compensation.
Trump declined to rule them out, claiming without evidence that the rioters had been "ushered into the building" by FBI informants and only accepted plea deals out of fear of lengthy sentences. Welker noted that a Justice Department inspector general report found no evidence that undercover informants directed or instigated the rioting. Donald Trump Calls Iranian Leaders ‘Nuts, Crazy’, Threatens To ‘Blow Up’ Iran if 100-Day Conflict Peace Talks Fail.
Donald Trump's Abrupt Exit from Interview
Following the exchange regarding the media and election fraud, Trump declared he would no longer participate in the discussion. "Your elections are crooked and you're crooked and Meet the Press is crooked, and so is ABC and CBS and CNN," Trump said. "Let's call it quits because I've had enough. Thank you, darling." Trump then unclipped his microphone and stood up to exit the set. On-camera audio captured Welker reminding the president that she had travelled to Wisconsin specifically for the sit-down. Trump defended his decision to leave, citing the weather conditions and the length of the recording.
"I’ve sat in the rain with you for an hour. On and off in the rain, and I’ve given you enough time," Trump said before walking out. Appearing at the agricultural roundtable immediately following the taping, Trump addressed his sudden departure to the attending audience, attributing his irritation to the persistent heavy rain drumming against the barn's metal roof. "Because it was raining, I got a little bit angry at them," Trump told the attendees. "I was not happy with them. But we had a good time," he added.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jun 08, 2026 12:45 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).