Trump has never made peace with the American press. But his sit-down with NBC's Meet the Press on Sunday took that long-running war to a new extreme — ending with the president walking off set, ripping off his microphone, and stamping on it as he stormed away.
Trump sat down with NBC Meet the Press anchor Kristen Welker for an exclusive interview at a farm in Wisconsin on Saturday local time.
The interview took place on Saturday at a farm in Wisconsin, where Trump sat down with anchor Kristen Welker. What started as a structured conversation escalated rapidly into an extraordinarily heated argument over allegations of electoral fraud. Both sides were visibly flushed with anger by the time Trump finally snapped, walked out mid-interview, and crushed his microphone underfoot as he left.
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Trump sat down with NBC Meet the Press anchor Kristen Welker for an exclusive interview at a farm in Wisconsin on Saturday local time.
The 6 January 2021 riot and storming of the US Capitol.
Trump and anchor Kristen Welker became embroiled in a fierce argument over allegations of electoral fraud.
Trump raged at the media, branding it corrupt and declaring that Meet the Press itself was "corrupt."
Trump abruptly terminated the interview and stormed off set in a fit of fury.
The flashpoint was Welker's question about the $1.776 billion "Anti-Weaponization Fund." The fund was born from a major legal settlement Trump struck with the Department of Justice in May 2026. It originated when Trump withdrew a $10 billion lawsuit against the Internal Revenue Service over alleged tax information leaks, with the DOJ establishing this dedicated fund in its place. Its stated purpose: to compensate individuals or organizations who claim they were subjected to the "weaponization" of government institutions or unjust investigations during the Biden administration.
The fund ignited controversy in Washington almost immediately. Critics warned it could become a taxpayer-funded political slush fund. Democrats questioned whether Trump supporters, political allies, and even participants in the January 6, 2021 Capitol riot could eventually become beneficiaries. Notably, a significant number of Republicans also voiced opposition. Last month, a court struck the fund down.
The 6 January 2021 riot and storming of the US Capitol.
That court ruling led the acting Attorney General to declare the fund permanently discontinued. Trump told Welker he still hoped to see it move forward. "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," he said. "If they get it approved, that’s great; if they don’t get it approved, I’d be disappointed."
Trump also insinuated that those he called "rioters" at the Capitol were in fact escorted into the building by FBI agents. He claimed the Biden administration had put innocent people in prison — but offered no evidence to support either assertion.
Trump and anchor Kristen Welker became embroiled in a fierce argument over allegations of electoral fraud.
When Welker pressed him for proof, Trump replied: "There’s a lot of evidence. There’s tremendous evidence. There’s nothing but evidence." Welker shot back: "Well, it’s not been presented in a court of law."
Trump then pivoted to broader claims of electoral fraud. He alleged the 2020 presidential election was stolen and asserted that fraudulent practices are currently playing out in California. "The election was rigged. It was a dirty election. And it’s happening again right now in California," he said. He claimed Republican candidates' polling numbers are “dropping fast because it’s a rigged election” with the intent of eliminating Republican candidates.
California's electoral system adds important context here. Unlike most other US states, California employs a distinctive "Jungle Primary" — all candidates from all parties compete on the same ballot, and only the top two vote-getters advance to the general election.
Trump raged at the media, branding it corrupt and declaring that Meet the Press itself was "corrupt."
Welker pushed back directly: "That’s how they count the votes in California." She noted that local officials had publicly acknowledged the counting process was indeed "slow," then challenged Trump to produce evidence that California's elections were being "rigged." That's when the interview turned combustible. "They’re crooked just like you’re crooked, your press is crooked. And ‘Meet the Press’ is crooked." Then, with pointed finality Trump added: "You’re either crooked or you’re stupid."
Trump accused Welker of "playing right into their hands" and unloaded on the program's credibility in a single broadside. "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." He then fired off attacks against ABC, CBS, and CNN in one breath.
Trump abruptly terminated the interview and stormed off set in a fit of fury.
Welker pleaded with Trump to continue, noting that the NBC team had traveled all the way to Wisconsin for the interview. Trump refused, pressing his point: "I sat in the rain with you for an hour," Trump said. "On and off in the rain, and I've given you enough time. You ought to straighten out your press, because you know what? A country can never be great with a dishonest press." As he delivered those final words, he reached up to remove his microphone, stormed off in fury, and stamped on it as he walked away.
After the interview aired, Welker disclosed that she had spoken with Trump again by phone. He agreed to a follow-up interview, though she provided no details on when or where it would take place.
Trump's relationship with the American press has long been defined by extreme tension. He routinely deploys derogatory terms when referring to journalists in public.
The reality is, Trump's attacks are no longer confined to the liberal mainstream media. He has recently widened the scope of his targets to include figures from the conservative media world. On April 9, Trump posted on his Truth Social platform, explicitly calling out prominent MAGA-aligned commentators who had criticized his stance on the Iran war — among them well-known podcast host Tucker Carlson, as well as Megyn Kelly, Candace Owens, and Alex Jones. He labeled these commentators "low-IQ," "nut-jobs," and "trouble-makers".
Deep Throat
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Richard Nixon resigned in disgrace back in 1974. The Watergate scandal made him the poster child for American political corruption. More than half a century later, the man who once insisted "I'm not a crook" has become an unlikely idol for a new generation of conservatives. Call it "Nixonmaxxing": internet slang for taking Nixon fandom to the extreme. He is going viral all over again, recast as a pioneer of "America First." The rebranding echoes President Donald Trump's own style, and some are now calling the long-dead Nixon Trump's "newest ally."
Nixon addresses the nation on Watergate, August 15, 1973.
Social media feeds are flooded with archival Nixon footage. Editors chop it into short clips and memes, set to music from popular American rappers, and the results spread fast. Young conservative influencers now wear merchandise printed with slogans like "Pretty Girls for Nixon" and "Nixon Now More Than Ever." Baseball caps, T-shirts and fanny packs bearing the word "Nixonmaxxing" have reportedly sold out within hours of hitting shelves.
"I'm not a crook" is trending again. Gen Z conservatives have made Nixon their idol.
From Disgraced President to Meme Icon
The Wall Street Journal reported on July 17 that young American conservatives are using TikTok and Instagram to recast Nixon as a pioneer who stood up to the establishment and the "deep state." Some American netizens have even joked online: "Is Nixon staging the greatest political comeback in history?"
Five men broke into the Democratic National Committee headquarters in 1972 to plant wiretaps, and got caught in the act. The investigation that followed traced the break-in back to Nixon's re-election campaign. Nixon then tried to cover it up and failed, triggering the scandal that bears the building's name to this day.
The Simpsons has mocked Nixon for decades.
Ultimately, Nixon resigned in 1974, the only US president in history to leave office mid-term. Several of his aides went to prison, and Congress passed a wave of reforms curbing presidential power. Nixon and Watergate have served as staple material for American political satire ever since.
Nixon has long been a punching bag on American television. The Simpsons mocked him repeatedly over the years. Futurama went further, portraying him as a disembodied head floating in a jar. The 1999 comedy Dick built its entire plot around Watergate, poking fun at Nixon throughout.
Futurama's take: Nixon, reduced to a head in a jar.
The anonymous administrator behind the Instagram account "Kawaii Richard Nixon" told the US online magazine Arc: Religion, Politics, Et Cetera that they don't fully support Nixon. But they believe Watergate overshadowed some genuine achievements of his presidency. "Watergate was of course wrong," the administrator said, "but compared to some of the things happening today, it's barely anything."
"Nixonmaxxing" caps sold out in hours.
Nixon's politics symbolize a bygone era, they added, one "completely different from today." He pushed through liberal policies such as establishing the Environmental Protection Agency and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, and advanced cancer research. The administrator estimated that most of the account's followers are high school and college-age Gen-Zs.
The Trend Takes Hold in US Politics
The "Nixon craze" hasn't stayed on social media. It has taken root inside American political circles. The Wall Street Journal reports that Trump has long admired Nixon. During his second term, Trump has repeatedly pushed back against the limits on presidential power that emerged after Watergate, a stance now echoed by senior Republican figures.
Trump wrote to Nixon in 1982, calling him "one of this country’s great men". The two kept up a correspondence for years afterward, bonding over shared grievances. Nixon wrote back in a 1990 letter: "Dear Donald — I know nothing about the intricacies of your business enterprises but the massive media attack on you puts me in your corner!"
Vance made the connection explicit in June. Speaking at an event at the Nixon Presidential Library in California, he said: "I think that his historical legacy is enjoying a bit of a renaissance, but I think deservedly so."
Vance, at the Nixon Library in June: Nixon's legacy is having "a renaissance."
Vance then compared Nixon's 1972 election victory directly with Trump's. He argued that the coalition returning both men to the White House was broader and more durable than the one that elected Ronald Reagan. "you know Reagan could not have won his landslide in 2024," Vance said, pointing to America's changing demographics, "Richard Nixon maybe could have won his landslide in 2024."
To some in this new generation of conservatives, Nixon is no longer labelled as Watergate's villain. He has become an "America First" pioneer instead, a tough president loathed by the mainstream media, besieged by investigative agencies, and ultimately brought down, in their view, by the "deep state."
Years of Rebranding Behind the Scenes
None of this happened by accident. The Nixon Foundation has quietly run a years-long rebranding campaign, working to re-present the former president's "historic achievements." Those include the Apollo moon landing and the Sino-US rapprochement.
Jim Byron, chairman of the Nixon Foundation, said planning began back in 2018. The goal was to repackage the more than 46 million documents and 3,700 hours of recordings held at the Nixon Presidential Library into short-video content. Once the foundation started posting clips on Instagram and TikTok, "We really saw it explode," Byron said. Some clips have racked up millions of views on YouTube.
A 2024 short video posted by the foundation, with selected footage from the old TV series “Mad Men” that features the 1960 Kennedy-Nixon race, went viral on X. The clip opens with the character Don Draper's assessment of the two presidential candidates, waxing poetically about "the Abe Lincoln of California, a self-made man," before concluding: "Kennedy, I see a silver spoon. Nixon, I see myself."
The footage then cuts to photographs of Nixon set to music by an American rapper. In an accompanying recording, Nixon can be heard saying: "And believe me, when you’ve gone through the fires of having to work your way through school, of having to fight campaigns with no money, of having to do it on your own, you’ll come out a pretty strong man, and you’re not in awe of anybody."
Netizens have flooded the comments with praise. Many call Nixon "one of the most underrated presidents," while others say "we were probably too hard on Nixon."
Matthew Foldi, an editor at the conservative outlet Washington Examiner, said the Nixon Foundation once gave him a limited-edition baseball cap. It was printed with Nixon's iconic V-for-victory hand gesture.
A Mirror to America's Political Mood
Nixon's renewed popularity taps into something bigger. It reflects the hard-edged populism and nostalgia that have taken hold on the American right in recent years.
Conservative commentator Shashank Tripathi argues that Nixon represents "heterodox middle finger to the establishment". That is precisely what appeals to the young conservatives championing him. In their eyes, Nixon is no longer merely the "crook" of Watergate. He has become an early victim of the "deep state," a framing that resonates deeply with Trump supporters.
Former Fox News host Tucker Carlson claimed in 2024 that Watergate was actually a "deep-state coup" orchestrated by the CIA and FBI. Podcast host Joe Rogan later echoed similar claims on his own show, saying "the whole thing was set up by the government".
1982: Trump calls Nixon "one of this country’s great men." A friendship is born.
Republican political adviser Roger Stone revealed that Trump has repeatedly asked him why Nixon chose to resign rather than fight back. Stone believes that "Nixon was in fact brought down by the same deep-state institutions that tried to bring down Trump".
White House spokesman Kush Desai struck a similar note. He said former President Nixon exposed the betrayals of the deep state and the "fake news" media. Decades later, Desai added, President Trump continues fighting these entrenched interest groups on behalf of the American people.
The Wall Street Journal noted that those pushing to rehabilitate Nixon's reputation see it as more than restoring the standing of one president. It is also a challenge to the system of constraints on presidential power built up after Watergate.
Since the start of Trump's second term, the White House has taken a series of steps to weaken these constraints. These include expanding presidential control over fiscal spending, firing inspectors-general, and adjusting protections for career civil servants.
Conservative commentator Christopher Rufo has gone further still. Nixon's importance to the right, he says, lies in the fact that "America has been essentially stuck in the year 1968." The right, he argues, needs to launch a "counter-revolution."
Watergate holds fresh appeal today for a simple reason. Americans can now scarcely imagine a president choosing to resign with dignity, sparing the country a long, divisive impeachment battle on the principle of putting "America first" rather than himself first.
Today's "Nixonmaxxing" may have less to do with young Americans genuinely warming to Nixon himself. It works more as a mirror, reflecting present-day American society's fraught relationship with its own past, its institutions, its power structures and its political order.
