- Donald Trump has announced his intention to report NBC journalist Kristen Welker to the US telecommunications regulator (FCC).
- The former president criticised the presenter for describing his record of political endorsements as “mixed”, claiming a success rate of 100% in the Senate and 98% in the House.
- This move adds to a series of legal and political tensions targeting major American broadcast networks that rely on FCC transmission licences.
A dispute over endorsement records
In a post on the social media platform Truth Social, Donald Trump stated that the host of NBC’s “Meet the Press”, Kristen Welker, would be the subject of an official report to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). The Republican politician is calling for the journalist to face a reprimand or sanction following comments regarding the effectiveness of his support during recent elections. Donald Trump disputes the description of “mixed” results attributed to his political endorsements, claiming to have recorded a near-total success rate in the latest polls. To support his argument, he highlighted the victories of Republican candidates such as Darline Graham and Mike Mazzei, claiming a success score of 100% for the US Senate and 98% for the House of Representatives. NBC did not immediately respond to these statements.
Increased pressure on television broadcasters
This initiative is part of a series of criticisms and actions launched against several major news media outlets. Critics of these attacks warn of the risk of government interference in the editorial freedom of broadcast channels. To broadcast their programmes over public airwaves, television networks must obtain a licence issued and renewed by the FCC. Although the revocation of such an authorisation remains an extremely rare procedure in the United States, observers point out that the threat of administrative reviews can exert a form of pressure on media companies. These tensions are already playing out in the legal arena, with ABC and its parent company Disney having launched legal proceedings against the FCC to counter an early review of their licences. Meanwhile, the regulatory body is conducting an investigation into the relationship between Comcast, the owner of NBC, and its local affiliate stations.
