When the Questions Get Hard | Trump Walks Off NBC Interview — June 8, 2026

Summary

Podcast Summary: The Kinzinger Report

Episode: When the Questions Get Hard | Trump Walks Off NBC Interview
Host: Adam Kinzinger
Date: June 8, 2026

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Overview

In this episode, Adam Kinzinger provides clear-eyed analysis of a tumultuous news day centered on President Trump’s walkout during a tough NBC interview. Kinzinger also covers escalating conflict between Israel and Iran, fresh election fraud allegations in California, the politicization of the Justice Department, and Trump’s reluctance to approve much-needed military support for Ukraine. Throughout, Kinzinger adopts his trademark frankness, calling out “anti-democratic” behaviors and emphasizing accountability.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. President Trump Walks Out of NBC Interview

• Setup: Trump sits for an interview with NBC’s Kristen Welker, which begins routinely but takes a turn when election fraud is brought up.
• Event: Welker asks Trump for evidence behind his election fraud claims; Trump reacts with hostility, calls major news networks “crooked,” ends the interview abruptly, and walks out.
• Analysis:
  • Kinzinger points out that being asked to back up claims is a basic role for the press and for a president to answer.
  • Trump’s reaction is framed as deflecting due to lack of evidence.
  • Welker is praised for maintaining composure under direct attack.
  • Kinzinger calls this episode an example of a broader pattern: Trump attacking reporters (particularly women), seeking to undermine legitimate inquiry.

Notable Quote:

“The only reason to get up and walk out is because you have no proof. And that’s what he did. He walked out.” – Adam Kinzinger (03:01)

Memorable Moment/Timestamp:

“And you’re crooked. And Meet the Press is crooked. And so is ABC And CBS and CNN. ... Let’s call it quits because I’ve had enough. Thank you, darling. Have a good day.” – Donald Trump (02:16)

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2. Israel-Iran Escalation Despite Trump’s Push for Restraint

• Overview:
  Overnight, Israel carried out strikes in Iran, despite Trump urging Israeli PM Netanyahu to stand down to preserve a peace deal narrative.
  • Timeline of Events:
    • Israeli strikes in Beirut provoke Iranian missile response
    • Israel retaliates against Iranian targets
    • Escalation involves Houthis in Yemen; brief pause established
  • Trump's Position:
    • Publicly claims “I call all the shots,” yet events on the ground contradict his authority as Israel proceeds regardless.
  • Implications:
    • Kinzinger points out Trump’s lack of tangible influence over key allies and the risk of U.S. becoming further entangled.

Notable Quote:

“The President keeps promising a deal is one day away. He just watched two countries ignore him to his face and risk pulling America deeper into this conflict.” – Adam Kinzinger (06:22)

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3. Fresh Election Fraud Allegations in LA Mayoral Race

• Event:
  Trump’s preferred candidate, Spencer Pratt, loses ground as LA mayoral ballots are counted.
  • As soon as the result shifts unfavorably, Trump alleges fraud and sends a federal prosecutor to “oversee” vote counting.
  • Kinzinger notes this as a recurrent tactic: only raising fraud claims when his side loses.
  • No official complaints or evidence have been found, repeating the pattern from previous elections.
• Broader Consequence:
  • Weaponizing the Justice Department to cast doubt on democratic outcomes and undermine trust.

Notable Quote:

“The investigations appeared the moment the guy starts losing... That’s not enforcing a law. That’s a president using his own Justice Department to fight an election result that he doesn’t like.” – Adam Kinzinger (07:41)

Memorable Moment/Timestamp:

“Let me tell you, it’s four days and they aren’t even close to coming up. You know why they’re doing that? Because they’re cheating on the election.” – Donald Trump (07:20)

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4. Politicization of the Justice Department under Acting AG Todd Blanche

• Situation:
  Todd Blanche, Trump’s former attorney now acting AG, openly discusses using DOJ power to protect Trump and allies from prosecution.
• Key Matthew:
  Blanche articulates a mission to “keep on exposing... and putting roadblocks in place so it never happens again,” referring to future attempts to hold Trump’s administration accountable.
• Implications:
  • Kinzinger warns this is a Justice Department prioritizing loyalty over rule of law.
  • The upcoming Senate confirmation for Blanche becomes a critical moment for American democracy.

Notable Quote:

“A Justice Department whose mission is to make sure his old client and the people around him can never be held accountable, no matter what they did... This is the kind of thing that has an impact for generations.” – Adam Kinzinger (10:54)

Memorable Moment/Timestamp:

“We can keep on exposing it and putting roadblocks in place so it never happens again.” – Todd Blanche (10:31)

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5. Delayed Ukraine Drone Deal & U.S. Security Vulnerabilities

• Situation:
  Trump continues to stall on a U.S.-Ukraine drone cooperation deal, which is widely seen as crucial for military modernization.
  • Expert Consensus:
    • Multiple U.S. defense officials indicate the partnership is a “smart move”; Ukraine offers unmatched expertise.
  • Consequences:
    • Delay leaves U.S. service members vulnerable, as demonstrated by American casualties from Iranian drones.
    • Trump is described as dragging his feet due to a pattern of hostilities toward Ukraine and deference toward Vladimir Putin.

Notable Quote:

“Who does that delay help? ... The only winner is the one leader Trump won’t cross, and that is Vladimir Putin.” – Adam Kinzinger (13:40)

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Additional Memorable Quotes

• “If you’re a younger person who just started paying attention to politics in the last 10 years, since Donald Trump, let me just remind you, this is not normal, and it’s not okay.” – Adam Kinzinger (05:14)
• “The Attorney General’s job is to enforce the law for the whole country. We understood that until, like, five minutes ago.” – Adam Kinzinger (10:54)

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Important Segment Timestamps

• Trump Walks Out of NBC Interview: 02:16–03:01
• Analysis of Trump's Media Tactics: 03:00–05:00
• Israel-Iran Escalation: 05:30–06:55
• Los Angeles Election Fraud Claims: 07:14–08:30
• Justice Department as Political Shield: 10:31–10:54
• Ukraine Drone Deal Delays: 11:50–13:40

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Closing

Kinzinger wraps the episode with a call for vigilance and accountability, reminding listeners that the ongoing normalization of such tactics is harmful to democracy, and urging them to watch forthcoming Senate actions closely.

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For listeners new to The Kinzinger Report, this episode offers a clear, urgent, and candid breakdown of how political power can be used—or abused—in today’s America.

Listen to the podcast for full context and future updates at adamkinzinger.com or on your favorite platform.

Transcript

[Donald Trump]

Foreign.

[Adam Kinzinger]

I'm Adam Kinzinger, and you're listening to the Kinzinger Report, where I bring you top stories and analysis on current events and the growing threats to our democracy. After serving over a decade in Congress, I help you know what's true and what really matters so that we can all work to save this country that we love so much. Well, hey, everybody, it's Monday. Happy Monday. I hope you had a great weekend. Hey, the reflecting pool's blue, so whatever. Okay, so our top story today, President Trump sat down for an interview with NBC. And let's just say he lost his cool. After a tense back and forth, he abruptly ended the interview and walked off the set. Lots to talk about there. Psychology, too. So we'll also get into Israel strike in Iran overnight after Trump told Israel to stand down, a federal prosecutor was sent to watch Los Angeles count its ballots because the president's candidate is losing. Sorry, Charlie. Trump's dragging his feet on Ukraine in this drone deal that his own Pentagon says that we really desperately need. And his acting attorney general openly admits he's building roadblocks so this administration can never be held accountable. Well, at least he's saying it. So let's get right to it. We start with the interview that Trump couldn't make it through. The president sat down with Kristen Welker this weekend and the interview started out fairly normal. Welker walked him through the war with Iran. She asked about interest rates, about the economy. For the most part, it was a regular interview, not worth talking about with Trump. Mostly just doing the thing presidents are supposed to do, which is sit there and answer the questions. Pretty basic. But then the topic of election fraud came up and the energy just shifted. Welker asked the president for evidence to back up his claims, and of course, he didn't have any. So instead of saying that, he turned on her. Here's the clip.

[Donald Trump]

And you're crooked. And Meet the Press is crooked. And so is ABC And CBS and CNN, Mr. President, one sided, crooked network. So let's call it quits because I've had enough. Thank you, darling. Have a good day.

[Adam Kinzinger]

Mr. President, let's please.

[Donald Trump]

I traveled all the way to Wisconsin. I've traveled. I know. I sat in the rain for an hour, on and off in the rain. And I've given you enough time. You ought to straighten out your press because you know what, Mr. A country can never be great, travel with a dishonest.

[Adam Kinzinger]

We traveled all the way to Wisconsin for this interview. She asked President of the United States to back up Something he says in public all the time to millions of people. That's the most basic thing a reporter can do. And he treated it like it was an ambush. So I've sat through plenty of interviews where somebody asked me hard questions and certainly questions I didn't love. You know what you do? You answer it. You wanted the office, and the office comes with people asking you to prove what you say. Pretty basic. And honestly, if you believe the thing you're claiming, it's actually the easy part. You put your proof on the table. You let the reporter look silly, forever doubting you. The only reason to get up and walk out is because you have no proof. And that's what he did. He walked out. To her credit, though, Welker never lost it. She kept her cool while the most powerful man on the planet came apart three feet away from her. Just last week, he took an ordinary press question in the Oval Office and turned it into a personal attack on CNN's Kaitlan Collins. And Collins didn't take the bait either. She answered him, moved on, and got right back to the actual story. So that's the pattern we have with Trump now. He goes after reporters, especially the women, calls them names, ask why they aren't smiling at him, and they just take it and keep doing their jobs while he's the one that's losing his composure. So the reporter stayed calm. The president threw the fit, and we've all kind of decided that that's just normal now, but we can do better, and we have to demand better. This is not normal. If you're a younger person who just started paying attention to politics in the last 10 years, since Donald Trump, let me just remind you, this is not normal, and it's not okay. Meanwhile, Israel struck Iran overnight after Trump asked them to stand down. The war between Israel and Iran has started to come back to life yet again. It. It starts with Israeli strikes on Hezbollah targets in Beirut over the weekend, which killed at least two people. Iran answered by firing missiles at Israel, its first major attack on them since the April ceasefire. Then Israel hit back, striking air defenses in a petrochemical site inside Iran. Iran then struck a petrochemical plant in Haifa. The Houthis in Yemen also joined in before Israel retaliated. This is big. Trump called Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu and told him to resist, retaliating because the president has been saying a peace deal is close for months. According to a US Official, Netanyahu pushed back, kind of half, agreed to hold fire, and then ordered the strikes a few hours later. Anyway, over the weekend, Trump insisted that he is the one in charge, telling the Financial Times, quote, I call the shots. I call all the shots. Except he clearly doesn't, at least not anymore. He told Israel not to respond and they responded anyway. By this morning, the two sides have eased into a shaky pause, with Trump online demanding both sides stop shooting. But we've seen how little that these pauses actually hold. And at this point, neither side really seems to care much what he thinks, what he asks, what he says. The President keeps promising a deal is one day away. He just watched two countries ignore him to his face and risk pulling America deeper into this conflict. So stay tuned out. In California, Trump's candidate is losing ground as the votes are counted. And you can guess what he says is happening. I'll give you a hint. It's what he says is happening all the time when he doesn't get his way. As more of California's votes came in, the Trump backed candidate for LA mayor, who's a former reality TV star, Spencer Pratt, started slipping. Another Democratic candidate has now edged ahead of him for the second and final spot in November's runoff against Mayor Karen Bass. It's not official yet, they're still counting. But the clear path Pratt holds that he had on election night, it's turned into a really steep climb. And right on cue, the President has decided this can only mean one thing. Cheating.

[Donald Trump]

Look at, look at what's happening to that. It's doing well in California.

[Todd Blanche]

It's.

[Donald Trump]

No, they're not. They're, they're dropping fast because it's a rigged election. Let me tell you, it's four days and they aren't even close to coming up. You know why they're doing that? Because they're cheating on the election. There's.

[Adam Kinzinger]

What, do you have evidence to support?

[Donald Trump]

All I have to do is look. All I have to do is look and I listen and I listen to people and let's see what happens.

[Adam Kinzinger]

Spoiler alert. He doesn't have a shred of evidence, but his candidate is losing. Sound familiar? So now he's sending a federal prosecutor to California to go find the fraud he's certain is there. His hand picked top prosecutor in Los Angeles announced on Friday that his office has, quote, multiple election fraud investigations underway. Meanwhile, the LA County District Attorney's office says it hasn't received a single complaint from the federal government about any actual misconduct. Not, not one. We've seen this over and over. Every time somebody actually goes up looking for this fraud, they come up with nothing. His own Attorney General Bill Barr looked into 2020 and said there was no fraud on a scale that would have changed the results. Republicans ran their own audit out in Arizona, spent months on it, and ended up confirming the result that they were trying to throw out. The proof never shows up because there's nothing to find. Nobody at the Justice Department was worried about California while the votes were being counted and Pratt was out front. The investigations appeared the moment the guy starts losing. And right as Pratt was slipping out of that second spot, Trump went online and posted this. No way this could have happened. Rigged election. So the candidate the president prefers is losing, and suddenly there's a federal prosecutor at the counting table. That's not enforcing a law. That's a president using his own Justice Department to fight an election result that he doesn't like. And once again, casting a shadow over the Democratic process. Now, listen, here's the thing, and I'm going to say this again and again, because it's true. Republicans tend to vote on Election Day. Election Day votes get counted in California, at least faster. Some states, they count the early votes faster. So a lot of Republicans vote on election Day, which means as the mail in ballots are coming in, they tend to skew Democratic, and hence the result you get. Now, that would be really easy to explain to a first grader, but for whatever reason, Donald Trump simply wants to have somebody to blame because it's never his fault. Never his fault, ever. And it isn't only the elections, because the acting Attorney General just admitted that his DOJ has a second job, shielding Trump from legal accountability. Todd Blanche defended Donald Trump in all four of his criminal cases. Now he's the acting Attorney General, and Trump is pushing the Senate to install him permanently. On Friday, Blanche was asked what he'd do if a future administration tried to prosecute Trump or his allies for their crimes.

[Todd Blanche]

Do I believe it's a possibility that the Democrats will go after President Trump, his family, anybody that knows him, anybody that work for him? I think they've proven that to be tr. And what can we do about it is we can just keep on exposing. When we learn about the weaponization that happened for many years, we can keep on exposing it and putting roadblocks in place so it never happens again.

[Adam Kinzinger]

The Attorney General's job is to enforce the law for the whole country. We understood that until, like, five minutes ago. Blanche is describing the opposite. A Justice Department whose mission is to make sure his old client and the people around him can never be held accountable, no matter what they did, no matter who Wins the election. None of this should surprise you. Last week, after two months of watching Blanche hunt Trump's enemies and sell the slush fund, the president rewarded him with the nomination to run the Justice Department for good. We said the real question was, what would Blanche do? What would he do to keep his job? Well, he answered that question before the Senate has even voted on him. So here's what to watch. Now, Blanche still needs the Senate to confirm him, and that means a vote is coming. Every Republican who cast a yes vote is voting to turn the Justice Department into a shield for Donald Trump. So watch that roll call vote closely, and remember who signs on. This is the kind of thing that has an impact for generations, not just today, and not just for Donald Trump. And finally, the president's dragging his feet on a Ukraine drone deal that his own Pentagon wants and experts say we absolutely need. For months, Ukraine has been asking the United States to sign a drone deal. Not a handout, a partnership. After four years of fighting Russia, Ukraine is the best in the world at drone warfare, and that is, by the way, what war is going to look like for the foreseeable future. And Ukraine's offered to let us test, train and learn how it builds them. Trump's own people, like U.S. army Secretary Dan Driscoll, agree it's a smart move. Meanwhile, Ukraine's Delta Common operating system, their modular open system architecture, command and control system, is absolutely incredible. It fully integrates every single drone, every sensor, and every shooting platform into just one single network. Ours does not, and still no deal. Defense experts from the left and right are baffled. Though former officials are no stranger to, quote, a certain amount of hostility towards Ukraine coming from the very top. Keep in mind, Trump has cut off most military aid to Ukraine, and he still compliments Vladimir Putin any chance he gets. The consequences of the stalled deal are are real. In March, six American troops were killed in Kuwait by a Iranian attack drone. Ukraine knows how to stop those drones, and we still haven't signed the paper. Who does that delay help? It doesn't help our troops. Doesn't help Ukraine. The only winner is the one leader Trump won't cross, and that is Vladimir Putin. Okay, that's the show for June 8th. Thanks so much for being with us again.

[Donald Trump]

Thanks.

[Adam Kinzinger]

If you're able to go find the Kinzinger Report on any major podcast platform, Spotify, Apple, et cetera, I would be extremely grateful if you subscribed and you gave it a five star and a follow. Tell you what, we'll catch you tomorrow. Same place. See ya.