Kathmandu— United States President Donald Trump has threatened to report prominent NBC television journalist Kristen Welker to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) for “rebuke or punishment.” The threat stems from Welker’s characterization of Trump's endorsements as having mixed results in recent primaries. In a post on Truth Social, Trump accused Welker of purposeful inaccuracy and vowed to have her reported to the FCC.

Trump's Criticism

In his social media post, Trump took issue with Welker’s characterization of his endorsements as having mixed results. He also posted a chart showing that 98 percent of candidates he endorsed had won their elections, though the source of this data was not attributed. 'How can anyone be allowed to say this, working for freely given public airwaves?' Trump wrote.

FCC and Media Regulation

Trump has a history of using the FCC as a tool against news outlets he deems critical or biased. In June, ABC News’s owner Disney sued the FCC over an early license review of eight of its stations, claiming it was retaliation for reporting that angered Trump. The FCC had previously been called upon by Trump and his wife to fire Jimmy Kimmel after he made a joke about her.

Legal Battles

Trump has also filed several multibillion-dollar defamation lawsuits against news outlets, including $10 billion against the BBC and $15 billion against The New York Times. A judge dismissed his lawsuit against The Wall Street Journal last year. Additionally, Trump's administration has attempted to compel reporters to reveal confidential sources through court orders.

(With inputs from Al Jazeera)

Originally published on abcnews.com.np.