Photo: Alamy
President Donald Trump cut short an interview with NBC’s “Meet the Press” that aired Sunday following a tense exchange with host Kristen Welker over Jan. 6 defendants, election integrity claims, and a proposed compensation fund tied to alleged government “weaponization.”
“Let’s call it quits because I’ve had enough,” President Trump said during the interview. “Thank you, darling. Have a good time.”
The president then removed his microphone and walked away from the interview, which was recorded on Friday in Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin, ahead of a roundtable event with farmers.
The confrontation arose when Welker questioned President Trump about a proposed $1.8 billion compensation fund intended for individuals he says were unfairly targeted by politically motivated federal prosecutions.
The Justice Department previously agreed to establish the fund as part of a settlement related to Trump’s lawsuit against the IRS, although the proposal has faced legal obstacles and criticism from some Republican lawmakers.
“If it was up to me, I’d pay them the kind of money that they deserve,” he said. “If they get it approved, that’s great. If they don’t get it approved, I’d be disappointed.”
Welker then pressed President Trump on whether people convicted in connection with the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riot, including individuals who assaulted police officers, could receive compensation.
President Trump argued many Jan. 6 defendants had been unfairly prosecuted and pressured into plea deals.
“The people were destroyed by dirty cops and by weaponization,” he said. “Many of those people should be compensated.”
The discussion later turned to claims that the 2020 presidential election and California’s recent primary election were improperly conducted. Welker challenged those assertions, claiming there was no evidence either election had been rigged.
President Trump pointed to lengthy ballot-counting periods as evidence of possible problems, particularly in California, where state law allows properly postmarked mail ballots to arrive up to seven days after Election Day.
The exchange became increasingly confrontational, with Trump criticizing NBC and other news organizations before ending the interview.
