Donald Trump ripped off his lapel microphone and stormed out of a televised interview, telling the presenter “thank you, darling, have a good time” after she pressed him on his baseless claims of election fraud.
The US president was sitting down with NBC’s Kristen Welker for a wide-ranging interview on Meet the Press, billed to cover the economy, interest rates and tensions with Iran. But the conversation quickly unravelled as Trump repeated his long-running lie that the 2020 election was stolen and alleged cheating in ongoing California primaries.
“Trump storms out of NBC interview calling reporter 'crooked or stupid' after being pressed on election fraud claims.”
When Welker asked for evidence, Trump failed to provide any, saying: “All I have to do is look … and I listen to people and let’s see what happens.”
The exchange became heated, with Trump accusing the media of being dishonest. “They’re crooked, just like you’re crooked, your press is crooked and Meet the Press is crooked,” he said.
As Welker tried to steer back to her questions, Trump cut the interview short. “Let’s call it quits because I’ve had enough, thank you, darling, have a good time,” he said before crushing the microphone under his foot and walking off set.
The dramatic exit came after a violent rainstorm pelted the barn roof in Wisconsin, causing technical difficulties and long delays that added to Trump’s frustration. Welker asked him to stay, saying she had travelled “all the way” for the sit-down, but Trump retorted: “I’ve sat in the rain with you for an hour! I’ve given you enough time.”
During the interview, Trump also claimed that major arms of the Iranian military had been destroyed. “Their navy is gone. Their air force is gone. Their anti-aircraft is gone,” he said. But NBC analysis shows around half of Iran’s unconventional navy – small fast boats – remains intact after weeks of bombing.
Welker pressed Trump on his campaign pledge not to start new wars, to which he replied: “I didn’t guarantee no war. Why would I have built the strongest military in the world?” Yet while campaigning in Pennsylvania in 2024 he promised: “I will not send you to fight and die in stupid foreign wars that never end,” and in his victory speech said: “I’m not going to start a war. I’m going to stop wars.”
The president was also questioned about a $1.776bn fund created as part of a settlement with the Internal Revenue Service, intended to compensate people claiming they were victims of politically motivated prosecutions, including some January 6 rioters. Though acting attorney general Todd Blanche said the fund had been permanently halted, Trump insisted: “If it was up to me, I’d pay them the kind of money that they deserve … People have been destroyed. Lives have been destroyed. Many suicides, think of it.”
CNN anchor Jake Tapper called the outburst “wild, unhinged stuff” from a president who could not handle being politely challenged.
Trump’s dramatic exit comes as his approval rating slumps. According to The Economist’s tracker of YouGov polling, just 35% of Americans approve of his performance, while 60% disapprove – a net rating of -25 points, the worst recorded by the tracker since it began in 2009.