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NBC Anchor Lets Trump’s False Claims Go Unchallenged in Recent Interview
In a wide-ranging interview with NBC Nightly News anchor Tom Llamas on Wednesday, President Donald Trump made numerous false claims that went largely unchallenged, raising questions about journalistic responsibility when interviewing high-profile political figures.
While Llamas did push back when Trump claimed he was “getting great polls on the economy”—noting that Trump’s polling was “not great”—this represented one of the few instances where the anchor directly challenged the president’s assertions.
Throughout much of the interview, Llamas responded to Trump’s false statements with simple acknowledgments like “right” or “yeah,” or sometimes didn’t acknowledge them at all. This pattern allowed misinformation on critical topics including inflation, immigration, election security, and foreign affairs to go uncorrected for viewers watching on television or through social media clips.
The interview highlighted the challenges journalists face when interviewing Trump, whose rapid-fire style of communication often includes multiple inaccurate claims in quick succession. Time constraints imposed by the White House further complicate comprehensive fact-checking during live conversations.
NBC did publish a separate fact-check article on its website addressing some of the false claims, but television viewers received little real-time corrective information.
One exchange about inflation demonstrated this dynamic clearly. When Trump falsely claimed that “very few” product prices have stubbornly refused to fall during his presidency, Llamas initially responded, “Yeah, very few. I get it”—language that could be interpreted as endorsing Trump’s inaccurate characterization.
In reality, Consumer Price Index data shows overall prices have increased during Trump’s current term. In December 2025, average consumer prices were 2.7% higher than in December 2024, with far more products becoming more expensive since January 2025 than cheaper.
Trump also made misleading claims about inheriting “the worst inflation in the history of our country,” despite taking office with a year-over-year inflation rate of just 3.0% in January 2025. The president falsely claimed current inflation was “1.2%” for the last three months, when official figures showed 2.7% in December 2025 and November 2025, with September 2025 at 3.0%.
On gasoline prices, Trump asserted, “You saw gasoline this last week at $1.99 a gallon,” when the national average was actually about $2.89 per gallon. According to GasBuddy data, only about 0.018% of U.S. gas stations—roughly 28 out of 150,000 tracked nationwide—offered gas below $2.00 during the period Trump referenced.
The interview also featured significant misrepresentations about economic investment, with Trump claiming “$18 trillion being invested into the country”—double even the White House’s own inflated figure of $9.6 trillion for “major investment announcements.”
On foreign policy matters, Trump repeated the debunked claim that each boat targeted in recent military strikes in the Caribbean and Pacific “saves 25,000 American lives”—a mathematically impossible figure given that total U.S. overdose deaths from all drugs in 2024 was approximately 82,000.
Trump also perpetuated false narratives about immigration, claiming the Biden administration “allowed in our country…25 million people” and that “jails have been emptied into our country from all over the world.” He specifically mentioned Venezuela and “the Congo in Africa” despite governments of both Congo countries denying these allegations and experts finding no evidence supporting such claims.
When discussing the 2020 election, Trump twice falsely claimed, “I won three times,” despite having won only in 2016 and 2024. Llamas did not correct this statement, instead continuing with questions about another topic.
Media experts note that while challenging every false claim in real-time presents practical difficulties, allowing major misstatements to go uncorrected can mislead viewers and erode public trust in factual information.
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14 Comments
This interview highlights the difficulty journalists face when fact-checking political figures who make rapid-fire false claims. Maintaining a balanced, probing approach while keeping the conversation moving is a real challenge.
You’re right, it’s a delicate balance. Journalists need to push back on inaccuracies without letting the interview devolve into a combative back-and-forth.
This interview highlights the challenges of fact-checking in real-time, especially when dealing with a subject who is known to make numerous false claims. Journalists must find a way to hold political figures accountable without derailing the conversation.
The ability to quickly identify and address false claims is a critical skill for journalists interviewing powerful figures like the president. This interview shows the importance of maintaining journalistic integrity, even in the face of evasive or misleading responses.
Absolutely. Journalists must be prepared to challenge inaccuracies head-on, while still allowing the conversation to flow. It’s a delicate balancing act, but one that is essential for informing the public.
It’s concerning to see how easily false claims can be amplified, even in a high-profile media interview. Journalists must be vigilant in separating truth from fiction, even when facing off against skilled communicators.
I agree. Maintaining objectivity and fact-based reporting is essential, especially when interviewing figures who are known to spread misinformation. The public deserves accurate, unbiased information.
This interview highlights the ongoing challenge of fact-checking high-profile political figures who are known to make false claims. Journalists must find ways to hold them accountable without derailing the conversation.
This interview serves as a reminder of the vital role journalists play in holding political leaders accountable and separating fact from fiction. The challenges they face in real-time fact-checking are significant, but critical for maintaining a well-informed electorate.
This interview is a prime example of the difficulties journalists face in holding public figures accountable. The rapid-fire nature of the president’s responses makes it challenging to fact-check in real-time.
The journalist’s role in this interview is crucial, as they must navigate the delicate balance of allowing the conversation to flow while also fact-checking and challenging the president’s false claims. It’s a tough job, but essential for informed public discourse.
You’re right, it’s a difficult task. Journalists must be prepared to quickly identify and address inaccuracies, even when faced with a subject who is skilled at deflecting and obfuscating the truth.
Interesting to see how Trump’s communication style allows misinformation to spread, even in an interview setting. The journalist’s role here is crucial in separating fact from fiction for viewers.
Absolutely. Journalists have a responsibility to call out falsehoods, even from high-profile figures, to maintain public trust and provide accurate information.