Monday, August 31, 2026

Trump slams Welker

eNewspaper | Crosswords | Horoscopes

On Politics

Mon Aug 31 2026

Jay Stahl | Senior Reporter

Happy Monday, readers. Welcome back to On Politics. Jay Stahl here , a senior politics reporter at USA TODAY. It's Aug. 31, and summer is coming to a slow close. Read on for the latest coverage on President Donald Trump's growing displeasure with NBC's Kristen Welker and other top political stories.

Donald Trump vs. 'Meet the Press' moderator

President Donald Trump said Sunday that he would report NBC's Kristen Welker, the star moderator of "Meet the Press," to the Federal Communications Commission over comments she made about his endorsement record.

"Kristen Welker, the Unpopular 'Hostess' of the once great Meet the Press, now considered Meet the Fake Press, just stated that Donald Trump has 'mixed results' on his Endorsements of Candidates," Trump wrote Aug. 30 on Truth Social. He added in his post that "because of this purposeful inaccuracy, she will be reported to the FCC for rebuke or punishment."

Kristen Welker listens during the second 2020 presidential campaign debate Donald Trump and Joe Biden in Nashville on Oct. 22, 2020.

Jim Bourg, Reuters

The FCC licenses individual broadcast stations, not national networks such as NBC and ABC and not individual journalists like Welker.

The FCC, led by Brendan Carr, lacks significant legal power to punish Welker, but Trump's comments follow his decision to abruptly walk out of a June interview on "MTP" with the journalist after she pushed back on his claims about California's election security. Trump has a strong endorsement record but has suffered some losses this cycle.

A politics rundown

•	Feds' chilly reception to Texas mom's ICE site
•	FCC, ABC legal fight could shift U.S. broadcasting
•	Will he get to make his whiskey? The Supreme Court

Daily photo gallery: Deadly Nepal flash flood rescue and recovery efforts

Will Democrats win Texas?

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton appeared on Fox News on Sunday, Aug. 30 and addressed his unexpectedly close race with state Rep. James Talarico.

"The Sunday Briefing" co-host Jacqui Heinrich questioned Paxton about polls showing he's behind his opponent as he also trails in congressional districts that President Donald Trump won in 2024.

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton walks in Washington on June 3, 2026.

Kylie Cooper, Reuters

Paxton said the polling results were false, arguing his internal polls showed a different result, but acknowledged that his battle with Talarico was "a close race."

The nonpartisan Cook Political Report rates the Texas Senate race a "toss-up," and Paxton is behind Talarico in several polls by single digits, according to the New York Times' polling data. Paxton leads by 1 point in a recent Emerson College poll.

AOC's egg-freezing honesty

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez publicly documented her fertility journey by freezing her eggs, which led to both praise and backlash.

Ocasio-Cortez was 29 when she became the youngest woman ever elected to the House in 2018. Now 36, the New York congresswoman has not ruled out a run for president in 2028, or a primary challenge to Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer.

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez speaks to reporters ahead of a vote on Capitol Hill in Washington on July 13, 2026.

Al Drago, Reuters

The democratic socialist called her choice to document her fertility path publicly a "political risk," and it comes amid cultural conversations about women serving in public office ahead of November and 2028.

Read more about the congresswoman's journey as she mulls runs for higher office.

Jay Stahl is a senior reporter at USA TODAY. Reach him by email at jstahl@usatoday.com.

Enjoying On Politics? Subscribe here and stay up to date on the happenings in Washington and politics across the states with our daily politics newsletter.