Washington saw a two-front clash between the White House and major news organisations on Sunday, as President Donald Trump called for regulatory action against an NBC anchor and the Treasury Department denied G20 credentials to several reporters.
Trump said Kristen Welker, host of NBC’s Meet the Press, should face “rebuke or punishment” from the Federal Communications Commission. His remarks followed a live report in which Welker described the record of candidates Trump had endorsed as “mixed.”
The comment aired on Washington’s NBC affiliate before Sunday’s edition of the program, according to CNN media commentator Brian Stelter. Trump has repeatedly pressed the FCC to act against broadcasters he accuses of unfair or false coverage.
The FCC licenses individual broadcast stations but does not regulate network news content directly. Its authority over editorial decisions is limited, and past threats against outlets have drawn objections from press-freedom advocates.
Separately, the Treasury Department barred journalists from The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal and Bloomberg from attending G20 events. The denial of credentials affected reporters from three of the largest financial and general-news organisations in the United States.
The two actions came the same day, drawing attention to the administration’s approach toward outlets whose coverage it disputes. The White House has previously threatened legal and regulatory measures against several broadcasters and publishers.
Earlier this year, the administration warned CBS of possible legal action over the editing of a planned interview. Trump has also targeted other networks and print publications over specific reports.
The FCC has moved against news outlets it accuses of spreading “fake” news during Trump’s term. Critics say such measures test the boundary between federal oversight of the airwaves and constitutional protections for the press.
Neither NBC nor Welker issued an immediate public response to Trump’s call for FCC action. The Treasury Department did not detail the reasoning behind the credential denials for the three organisations.
The G20 sessions proceed with a reduced press contingent from the affected outlets. The dispute over Welker’s coverage remains unresolved, with no formal FCC complaint filed at the time of reporting.