President Donald Trump abruptly walked off the set of NBC News’ “Meet the Press” on Sunday, June 7, 2026, after a tense exchange with anchor Kristen Welker over his revived claims that California’s elections are being rigged. The interview unraveled as Welker pushed back on the president’s allegations, ultimately offering a six-word retort that sent the conversation off the rails.
The clash unfolded as Trump pointed to California’s still-unfinished ballot count from the state’s primaries as evidence of what he described as nefarious activity. Welker repeatedly challenged the president, arguing there was no evidence to support claims that California’s elections had been manipulated and that the state’s voting process is legitimate.
“That’s how they vote in California,” Welker said after Trump suggested the prolonged tabulation pointed to fraud — a brief, blunt line that appeared to push the president past his breaking point.
A Heated Exchange Boils Over
The tense moment came as Trump revisited his longstanding allegations about election integrity while discussing California’s primaries. As Welker pressed him, Trump grew visibly frustrated, accused the network of bias and cut the interview short, reportedly telling producers he had “had enough.”
“It’s happening again right now in California. This is happening right now in California, right now. It’s four days,” Trump said, referring to the ongoing vote-counting process before ending the sit-down.
Welker noted that Republican candidates in California appeared to be performing strongly on election night. But Trump countered that as additional ballots have been counted, several high-profile races have tightened — a trend he claimed was proof the results were being manipulated to favor Democrats benefiting from a late stream of mail-in ballots.
The Races Driving Trump’s Claims
One of the most closely watched races nationwide is California’s governor’s contest, which will determine the successor to term-limited Gov. Gavin Newsom. With approximately 6.7 million votes counted—representing about 71% of the projected statewide total—Democrat Xavier Becerra held a narrow lead at 27.0%. Republican Steve Hilton was close behind with 26.1%, while Democrat Tom Steyer ranked third, receiving 21.3% of the vote.
The Los Angeles mayoral contest also remains tight. Former reality television star Spencer Pratt holds 27.3% of the vote, while Democratic rival Nithya Raman has climbed to 26.2%, leaving the candidates separated by just 7,494 votes, according to reporting citing the Associated Press.
Both races were deemed too close to call on election night, and both have narrowed as election officials process more ballots — a dynamic Trump seized on during the interview to argue that something improper was occurring behind the scenes.
Why California Counts So Slowly
Election experts note that California typically takes longer than most states to complete ballot counting because of its voter-friendly election system. Residents can cast ballots by mail, vote in person at voting centers, use official drop boxes, or submit provisional ballots. While these options are designed to maximize participation, they also make the counting process more time-consuming.
Election officials may begin processing mail ballots before Election Day by verifying signatures and sorting envelopes, but they cannot tabulate votes until polling locations close. California also counts ballots that are postmarked by Election Day but arrive later, and voters have up to 14 days to correct certain signature or identification issues. These policies extend the time required to finalize election results.
By contrast, states such as Florida and Texas often report near-complete results on election night. They achieve this by processing large numbers of mail ballots in advance and applying stricter deadlines for ballot receipt. As a result, California’s vote totals often continue to change in the days after the election, particularly in close races where late-arriving ballots, which have historically tended to favor Democratic candidates, can influence the outcome.
A Familiar Battle Reignited
Trump’s accusations on “Meet the Press” echoed years of similar claims he has made about elections in Democratic-leaning states. Welker, who has interviewed Trump multiple times since he returned to the White House in January 2025, attempted to steer the conversation back to documented facts about California’s election laws, per coverage of the interview.
Instead, the exchange grew sharper. Trump pointed repeatedly to the four-day delay in California’s count, while Welker reminded him that the state’s mail-in and drop-box rules are written into law and have been used in election after election. The president’s decision to end the interview rather than continue the back-and-forth marked one of the most dramatic on-camera moments of his second term.
As of Sunday evening, neither the California gubernatorial race nor the Los Angeles mayoral contest had been called. Election officials are expected to continue processing ballots in the coming days, with final results unlikely until later in June.