12 hours Ago
The Clash Over Election Claims
The conversation took a sharp turn when Trump insisted that both the 2020 presidential election and California's ongoing primary elections were "rigged." When asked to back up his claim about California, Trump said, "All I have to do is look, and I listen." The host fired back that this was not actual evidence. Trump doubled down, calling the media "crooked" — and when she disagreed, he told her she was "either crooked or stupid."
California's vote count was still underway at the time, which is not unusual for the state. Its detailed counting process and heavy reliance on mail-in ballots often mean results take several days. Trump has long been critical of mail-in voting.
Iran, the Capitol Riot, and a Controversial Fund
Before things unravelled, the two had covered serious ground. Trump spoke at length about the situation with Iran, saying the US needed to prevent the country from acquiring nuclear weapons. "We're there for a few months, and the threat is largely over," he said, adding that it would not become "an endless war."
They also touched on a now-abandoned plan to set up a $1.8 billion fund to compensate people who claimed they were unfairly targeted by the government. The proposal had drawn criticism from both Democrats and Republicans, with concerns that it could benefit individuals prosecuted for their role in the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot. That riot came up too, with Trump again repeating his long-standing but unproven claim that the 2020 election was stolen.
The Walk-Off
As the interview wrapped up, Trump grew visibly frustrated. He told the host, "Thank you, darling, have a good time," then signalled to his team and walked off the set. Before leaving, he added, "A country can never be great with a dishonest press."
The host tried to continue, but Trump interrupted, saying he had already sat through rain and technical delays for over an hour. The interview had been held in a barn, where rain hitting the metal roof had caused repeated disruptions and delays.
Following the broadcast, both sides confirmed that Trump had agreed to sit down for a follow-up interview, with both acknowledging the difficult conditions during the original recording.
