Trump ends interview with NPR early following questions on election fraud


Former President Donald Trump spoke with NPR on Tuesday in a brief interview cut down from 15 minutes to just over nine, after the ex-president hurried off the phone when pressed on his continued allegations of widespread fraud in the 2020 election, NPR reports.
Speaking with Steve Inskeep, Trump also discussed the COVID-19 vaccine (he recommends the shot, but doesn't believe in mandates) and briefly touched on the 2022 midterms. But when the conversation turned to the 2020 vote, Trump "repeatedly attempted to assert misinformation about his election loss" before abruptly ending the interview, NPR writes.
As Inskeep pressed, Trump peddled "excuse after excuse," NPR reports — "it was 'too early' to claim fraud, his attorney was no good, things just seem suspicious." The tone of the interview reportedly changed.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
When Inskeep then asked if Republicans running in 2022 must back Trump's fraud claims should they want earn his endorsement, Trump replied, "What they have to do, they're going to do."
Fraud "shouldn't be allowed to happen," he went on. "And the only way it's not going to happen again is you have to solve the problem of the presidential rigged election of 2020."
Inskeep tried to continue, but, per the interview's transcript, couldn't get a full question out before Trump thanked him and hung up.
Read the full transcript and write-up at NPR.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Brigid Kennedy worked at The Week from 2021 to 2023 as a staff writer, junior editor and then story editor, with an interest in U.S. politics, the economy and the music industry.
-
October 15 editorial cartoons
Cartoons Wednesday's political cartoons include new DOJ lawyers, trick or treating with ICE, and shaky foundations for peace
-
The Paul Thomas Anderson films to watch next
The Week Recommends Best movies from the director of One Battle After Another
-
Who are the new-wave hackers bringing the world to a halt?
The Explainer ‘Groups’ and ‘states’ are beginning to form concerning partnerships with new ways to commit cybercrime
-
Venezuela: Does Trump want war?
Feature Donald Trump has accused Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro of leading a drug cartel and waging a narco-terrorism campaign against the United States
-
Two years on, a Gaza truce may be in sight
Feature Israel and Hamas consider the U.S.’ 20-point peace plan exchanging hostages for prisoners
-
News organizations reject Pentagon restrictions
Speed Read The proposed policy is Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s latest move to limit press access at the Pentagon
-
Trump declares end to Gaza war, ‘dawn’ of new Mideast
Speed Read Hamas freed the final 20 living Israeli hostages and Israel released thousands of Palestinian detainees
-
Has the Gaza deal saved Netanyahu?
Today's Big Question With elections looming, Israel’s longest serving PM will ‘try to carry out political alchemy, converting the deal into political gold’
-
Trump’s deportations are changing how we think about food
IN THE SPOTLIGHT The Department of Labor’s admission that immigration raids have affected America’s food supplies reopens a longstanding debate
-
Trump DOJ indicts New York AG Letitia James
Speed Read New York Attorney General Letitia James was indicted as Trump’s Justice Department pursues charges against his political opponents
-
Judge blocks Trump’s Guard deployment in Chicago
Speed Read The president is temporarily blocked from federalizing the Illinois National Guard or deploying any Guard units in the state