NBC News Responds To Trump's FCC Threat Against Anchor Kristen Welker

Over the weekend, President Donald Trump threatened to have NBC News anchor and Meet the Press host Kristen Welker punished by the government for a comment she made in an interview about the president’s uneven record with his endorsements in contested primaries this year.

Trump went on to state that Welker “will be reported to the FCC for rebuke or punishment,” and called on FCC Chairman Brendan Carr to take this “threat to our country very seriously.”

Soon after, NBC News made clear that it is standing by its employee.

Stay up-to-date with the latest news!
Subscribe and start recieving our daily emails.

By subscribing, you agree to receive emails from Political Tribune and that you've read and agree to our privacy policy and terms of service. You further agree that the use of reCAPTCHA is subject to the Google Privacy and Terms of Use.

“Kristen is one of the best in the business, and we stand by her,” an NBC News spokesperson said in a statement to USA Today.

New statement from @NBCNewsPR: “Kristen is one of the best in the business and we stand by her.” https://t.co/En8b9kWZhc

— Brian Stelter (@brianstelter) August 30, 2026

USA Today made it clear that the FCC would almost certainly lack the authority to sanction or punish Welker. While the regulator has issued fines in the past for, say, accidentally cursing on an awards show that was broadcast on over-the-air TV, it has never been within the regulator’s purview to punish people for making statements of fact or opinion on television.

“Broadcasters – not the FCC or any other government agency – are responsible for selecting the material they air,” the FCC website says, as cited by USA Today. “The First Amendment and the Communications Act expressly prohibit the long term Commission from censoring broadcast matter.” This was further pointed out by the frequently pro-Trump law professor and legal commentator Jonathan Turley:

While nothing protects Kristen Welker (or any journalist) from “rebuke,” she cannot be “punished” by the FCC for calling President Trump’s endorsement record “mixed.” https://t.co/yaNfm0eugY A punitive agency action would clearly run afoul of the First Amendment.

— Jonathan Turley (@JonathanTurley) August 31, 2026

Anna Gomez, a Democrat on the commission, agreed:

As I’ve said many times, the FCC has no authority to punish journalists this administration doesn’t like.

These threats to press freedom are dangerous. They undermine the foundation of our democracy, and they have no place in it. https://t.co/MFWeaybHMQ

— Anna M. Gomez (@AGomezFCC) August 30, 2026

Furthermore, Welker’s statement that Trump would “loom large” over the midterm elections, but that he had had some “mixed results” in his endorsements, was true. While most Trump-backed candidates have won their primaries this year, he has suffered a handful of high-profile defeats.

Photo courtesy of an X screenshot.