fact-checking Trump’s – In an interview that aired Sunday, President Donald Trump told “Meet the Press” moderator Kristen Welker a series of claims about the war with Iran, gas prices, and a proposed “anti-weaponization” fund. Fact-checking from NBC News reporters follows up with spe
President Donald Trump sat down with “Meet the Press” moderator Kristen Welker on Friday to talk about the war with Iran. the price of gas. and the Justice Department’s proposed “anti-weaponization” fund. The interview aired Sunday—and over the course of his answers. Trump made remarks that NBC News reporters say were false. misleading. or exaggerated.
In the war with Iran, Trump defended two decisions he says helped prevent Iran from getting a nuclear weapon: terminating the Iran nuclear deal that President Barack Obama negotiated during his first term, and then initially striking Iran in June 2025 during his second term.
“You were very close to having a nuclear weapon,” Trump said. “I terminated the deal. Then I sent the B-2 bombers in about nine, 10 months ago. And they obliterated, totally obliterated, the site. And I saved it.” He added that the choice was letting Iran get a nuclear weapon or striking first: “We had a choice. We could let them have a nuclear weapon, or we could go along and have some beautiful days. But they would have, you know, it’s a judgment. They would’ve used a nuclear weapon.”.
He reiterated that claim later in the interview: “If I didn’t go in there with the B-2 bombers, they would right now have a nuclear weapon, and it could be that half of the world would be eradicated already.”
NBC News reporters point to statements from then-Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard in March 2025. months before the initial U.S. strikes. At the time, Gabbard told lawmakers that U.S. spy agencies had assessed Iran had not decided whether to build nuclear weapons. but that the country had stockpiles of enriched uranium beyond what is required for civilian purposes. NBC News also reported in June 2025 that the U.S. assessment of Iran’s nuclear program had not changed since March.
Trump’s portrayal of the strikes is also disputed. While he said the U.S. “totally obliterated” an Iranian nuclear site. NBC News reported in July 2025 that one nuclear enrichment site was mostly destroyed. but two others were not as badly damaged. The current situation. according to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). is that Iran likely retains nearly 1. 000 pounds of uranium enriched to 60%. a short step from weapons grade. Even if Iran had enough uranium to reach weapons grade. experts and former officials cited by NBC News say it would still need months—or possibly more than a year—to build a nuclear warhead that could fit on the tip of a missile.
Trump also said he would have negotiated a better deal back in his first term. Welker asked him whether he wished he had negotiated during that time; Trump responded that it was better to negotiate later, saying “Israel wouldn’t have been ready” during his first stint in the Oval Office.
As the interview continued. Trump claimed that major arms of the Iranian military were “gone” because of the current war. saying: “Their navy is gone. Their air force is gone. Their anti-aircraft is gone.” He later added: “In three months, I’ve demolished the navy, the air force, anti-aircraft. They have no radar. They have nothing.”.
NBC News reporters say that is exaggerated. They report that half of Iran’s unconventional navy remains intact after weeks of bombing. Those forces include small “fast boats” typically used by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. or IRGC. Tehran’s hard-line military force. NBC News says these units are central to Iran’s ability to influence international shipping through the Strait of Hormuz and are harder for the U.S. to identify and target.
At the same time, the Pentagon has said the U.S. military has destroyed about 90% of Iran’s conventional navy and more than 95% of Iran’s naval mines. Defense officials have also said more than 80% of Iran’s “missile facilities” are gone—locations where Iran constructs missiles and other weaponry could be targeted if operations resume.
Trump was also pressed on his campaign pledge not to start new wars. Welker asked him about promises he made as a candidate, and Trump replied: “I didn’t guarantee no war. Why would I have built the strongest military in the world?” He continued: “I built our military.”
NBC News reporters then point out that Trump had repeatedly promised as a candidate that he would not start new wars if elected. In Pennsylvania in 2024. Trump said: “I will not send you to fight and die in stupid foreign wars that never end. I will not send our sons and daughters to go fight for a war in a country that you’ve never heard of. We’re not going to do it. We’re going to bring our troops home, and we’re going to focus on America First.”.
In his November 2024 victory speech, Trump said: “I’m not going to start a war. I’m going to stop wars.”
Gas prices became another flashpoint. Trump told Welker that higher gas costs would fall once a deal is reached, saying: “If we sign an agreement, it’ll go down now. Otherwise, they’ll go down after we’re finished.”
Oil executives told NBC News that restoring oil production in the Middle East and bringing down gas prices would still take time—even if the Strait of Hormuz reopened immediately. Exxon Senior Vice President Neil Chapman said at a Bernstein Research conference late last month that it will take time to rebalance global markets once the strait reopens due to dwindling inventories. He said: “You can estimate four to six weeks before we get into a normal supply chain. ” adding that the timeline would depend on whether the strait opens and “how quickly do you rebuild those inventories?”.
Sultan Al Jaber, chief executive of the United Arab Emirates state oil group ADNOC, also said: “Even if this conflict ends tomorrow, it will take at least four months to get back to 80% of pre-conflict flows and full flows will not return before the first or even second quarter of 2027.”
The interview also turned to the Jan. 6 aftermath and a Justice Department proposal connected to what Trump called “anti-weaponization.” Trump defended the department’s proposed $1.8 billion fund. saying that allies who “have been hurt so badly by radical left lunatics” deserve payment. NBC News reporters note that while the Justice Department told a court the fund is “not going forward. ” the Trump administration could still give payouts to Trump allies in the future even without the fund.
Asked by Welker whether anyone who attacked police officers on Jan. 6 should receive funds, Trump said he “wouldn’t be inclined to say so, but I have to see it.”
When Welker brought up the roughly 170 Jan. 6 rioters who pleaded guilty to assaulting police officers, Trump said: “They pled guilty because they were frightened. They went down. They were ushered into a building. Many of them were arrested without even going into the building.”
NBC News reporters say that needs context because some of the most violent rioters from that day never entered the building. The Biden Justice Department’s sprawling Jan. 6 probe. NBC News reported. mostly focused on individuals who either entered the Capitol itself or engaged in aggravating conduct outside the Capitol. such as assaulting police officers.
The reporting also describes how one of the longest sentences was given to David Dempsey. ordered to serve 20 years in prison. NBC News says prosecutors said Dempsey swung makeshift weapons and hurled objects at officers. sprayed them with chemicals. and stomped five times on an officer’s head—acts committed outside the Capitol building itself.
Trump also claimed that the FBI brought people into the Capitol on Jan. 6. saying: “They had FBI agents ushering them into the building.” Welker noted during the interview that there is no evidence that any FBI special agents ushered anyone into the building. and no on-duty FBI special agents were on the grounds until after the riot broke out and some responded to assist with crowd control.
NBC News reporters add that there were four FBI confidential human sources. or informants. who entered the Capitol building. but they weren’t directed to do so by the bureau. according to a report from the Justice Department’s inspector general. The report also found that the FBI tasked three informants to report on domestic terrorism suspects who were possibly attending events in Washington. D.C. on Jan. 6. The FBI did not provide tasks for the other 23 informants in Washington that day.
The interview finally moved to California elections. Trump. who has long made false claims of voter fraud. said the recent primary elections in California were “rigged.” He said: “The election was rigged. It was a dirty election. And it’s happening again right now in California.” He added: “It’s four days and they aren’t even close to coming up with the — do you know why they’re doing that?. Because they’re cheating on the election.”.
Pressed for evidence, Trump said: “All I have to do is look. And I listen. I listen to people.”
NBC News reporters say there is no evidence of election fraud in California or problems with the state’s ballot counting. They point to Trump’s focus on the long vote count in California. which they say results from state election rules and reliance on mail-in voting—long targeted by ridicule from the president.
More than 80% of California’s voters cast a ballot by mail in recent elections. Ballots postmarked by election day can be accepted up to a week afterward. when they must be validated. processed. and tallied. NBC News reports that states that vote largely in person often report results more quickly because results can be processed at polling places with the voter present.
Trump noted that Republicans’ margins in some races are “dropping fast” as the vote is counted. but NBC News reporters say that is not due to fraud. They say Democratic voters have been more likely to embrace mail-in voting in the post-Covid era. so as those ballots are counted. Democratic candidates’ numbers tend to improve.
In an interview that spanned war, everyday prices, and political aftermath, Trump’s claims landed in a spotlight—where, for each major assertion, NBC News reporters laid out what they say the record does and doesn’t support.
Trump Meet the Press Kristen Welker Iran nuclear deal Tulsi Gabbard gas prices Strait of Hormuz anti-weaponization fund Jan. 6 FBI informants California election fraud
Fact checkers always jump on Trump lol
So he says he stopped Iran from getting nukes but they’re still talking about it? Sounds like everybody just says stuff and no one knows. Gas prices too like ok cool.
Wait I thought the Iran nuclear deal was from Obama and Trump ended it, but now they’re saying it prevented nukes… so which is it? And the B-2 bombers were “nine, 10 months ago” like that’s supposed to prove a thing. NBC fact checking is just their opinion.
They keep talking about an “anti-weaponization” fund like it’s gonna fix everything. Also gas prices, like why does that even connect to Iran? I swear every administration blames the last one and then still makes it worse. The article cuts off but it’s already giving me the vibe it’s all exaggerated like always.