Key Facts From the Interview
View this post on Instagram
The interview was promoted by NBC as a Sunday-show exclusive with Trump and Welker. It took place in Wisconsin and aired during a politically sensitive period, as California continued counting ballots from its June 2 primary.
The tense final portion focused on Trump’s unsupported assertions about election fraud, questions about the Justice Department’s abandoned “Anti-Weaponization Fund,” and whether people connected to the January 6, 2021 Capitol attack could receive public money. Welker challenged Trump’s claims and said evidence had not been presented in court, while Trump insisted there was “tremendous evidence” and accused the press of dishonesty.
Trump also linked his broader election-fraud argument to California’s unfinished primary count. California election rules allow vote-by-mail ballots to be counted if they are postmarked by Election Day and received by June 9. Counties must complete final official results by July 2, and the Secretary of State is scheduled to certify results on July 10, according to the California Secretary of State.
Latest Verified Update
As of June 8, 2026, available public reporting has not shown evidence proving Trump’s claim that California’s primary count was rigged. The Associated Press reported that the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Los Angeles opened “multiple election fraud investigations” and sent a prosecutor to observe ballot processing, but the visit did not include a public finding of wrongdoing by election officials or voters.
AP also reported that Steve Hilton, Trump’s preferred Republican candidate in California’s governor race, said his campaign had monitored the count and had not seen anything illegal that would warrant legal action in court, based on AP reporting.
Background: Why the Election Claim Is Disputed
Trump has long claimed that the 2020 presidential election was stolen. Courts rejected major efforts to overturn the result, and election-security officials did not find evidence that voting systems changed the outcome. A 2021 joint assessment from the Justice Department and Department of Homeland Security said agencies found no evidence that foreign government-affiliated actors manipulated election results or compromised the integrity of the 2020 federal election, according to a Justice Department statement.
California’s count is slow by design. The state uses broad vote-by-mail access, signature verification and an official canvass period after Election Day. Delays can change margins as later batches of ballots are processed, but a changing count is not evidence of fraud on its own.
What Happens Next
The immediate next step is California’s official counting timeline, not any proven fraud finding. Vote-by-mail ballots can be received through June 9 if properly postmarked, counties must complete official results by July 2, and statewide certification is scheduled for July 10.
Politically, the NBC interview is likely to keep election administration at the center of the 2026 campaign cycle. Legally, any fraud allegation would need evidence that can survive scrutiny from election officials, investigators or courts. For now, the verified record shows a tense presidential interview, ongoing California ballot processing and no public proof that the contested races were rigged.
