Trump tells FCC to punish journalist for calling his election results "mixed"

In August 2026, then-President Trump publicly called for the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to "rebuke or punish" NBC journalist Kristen Welker. This directive followed Welker's on-air statement that Trump had experienced "mixed results" with his candidate endorsements in the recent election cycle. Trump, in posts on Truth Social, argued that Welker's characterization was a "purposeful inaccuracy" and questioned how such a statement could be made by someone working for a network utilizing "freely given Public Airwaves." The demand raised significant First Amendment concerns among press-freedom advocates and legal experts, who noted that the FCC primarily regulates broadcast licenses and lacks the authority to penalize journalists for news commentary.