Trump storms out of tense, rain-plagued NBC interview
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US President Donald Trump gesturing as he attends an event on June 5 at Custer Farms in Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin, US.
PHOTO: REUTERS
WASHINGTON – US President Donald Trump lasted through probing questions about his Iran war strategy and repeated weather disruptions during an interview with US broadcaster NBC before angrily storming out when confronted about his unfounded claims of election fraud.
“You’re a one-sided, crooked network. Sorry. Let’s call it quits because I’ve had enough. Thank you, darling. Have a good time,” Trump told Meet The Press host Kristen Welker before standing up and walking out of the interview that aired on June 7.
The interview, filmed on June 5, was conducted on a farm in Wisconsin, where Trump was addressing farmers. A tractor and hay bales served as the backdrop.
The interview was interrupted several times by weather and audio issues as torrential rain pounded the roof, making it difficult to continue the conversation.
“Is that wind or what?” Trump asked at one point, according to a transcript.
“Hear that sound?” he said later. “That sound of thunder, lightning, rain.”
Welker asked her technical crew if they should stop.
“No. People will understand – we’re on a farm,” Trump replied.
Several questions followed about Iran, nuclear weapons and his campaign pledges to keep the US out of foreign wars.
“First of all, I didn’t guarantee no war. Why would I have built the strongest military in the world?” he said, before accusing Welker of being “a big liberal, a big progressive”.
“No, I’m just a journalist,” she countered.
Trump went on to say: “I don’t like these endless wars. This is not an endless war. We’ve been doing this for three months.”
The tone escalated again as the discussion turned to his proposed taxpayer-funded programme to compensate people he believes were victims of partisan prosecution under former president Joe Biden.
“I don’t know what’s going to happen with the weaponisation fund,” he said.
“I love the idea because people like you, the fake dirty press, the crooked press, people like stupid Biden... they destroyed people. They sent people to jail who did nothing wrong,” he added.
“There is no evidence for what you’re saying,” Welker said.
Trump reiterated his false claims that the 2020 election was “rigged” and said last week’s primary in California was also rigged.
Welker held her ground, asking him to present evidence.
“You are either crooked or you’re stupid,” he finally shot back before leaving the camera’s view while Welker attempted to keep him engaged.
On June 7, she told viewers that she had spoken to Trump on June 6 about the weather disruptions and that he had agreed to sit for another interview. AFP
