Trump Abruptly Ends 'Meet the Press' Interview (Connecting the Dots: NBC, Meet the Press, Kristen Welker, Harvard University, The ONE Campaign, IRS & The Carnegie/Soros Network)

Trump Abruptly Ends 'Meet the Press' Interview (Connecting the Dots: NBC, Meet the Press, Kristen Welker, Harvard University, The ONE Campaign, IRS & The Carnegie/Soros Network)

By Newsmax Wires    |   Sunday, 07 June 2026 04:13 PM EDT

https://www.newsmax.com/politics/trump-meet-the-press-interview/2026/06/07/id/1258856/

President Donald Trump cut short an interview with NBC's "Meet the Press" that aired Sunday after a contentious exchange with host Kristen Welker over Jan. 6 defendants, election integrity, and a proposed compensation fund for individuals he says were targeted by politically motivated prosecutions.

"Let's call it quits because I've had enough," Trump said after several minutes of back-and-forth. "Thank you, darling. Have a good time."

The president then stood up and left the interview, which was taped Friday inside a barn in Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin, before he participated in a roundtable discussion with farmers.

The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment, while an NBC spokesperson declined comment.

Tensions escalated when Welker questioned Trump about a proposed $1.8 billion compensation fund for people he believes were unfairly prosecuted by the federal government.

The Justice Department previously agreed to establish the fund as part of a settlement related to Trump's lawsuit against the IRS, though implementation has faced legal challenges and opposition from some Republican senators.

Trump said he continues to support the effort.

"If it was up to me, I'd pay them the kind of money that they deserve," Trump said. "If they get it approved, that's great. If they don't get it approved, I'd be disappointed."

Welker also asked whether individuals convicted in connection with the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol protest — including those who pleaded guilty to assaulting police officers — could qualify for compensation.

Trump argued that many Jan. 6 defendants were treated unfairly and were pressured into plea agreements.

"The people were destroyed by dirty cops and by weaponization," Trump said. "Many of those people should be compensated."

The discussion later shifted to election integrity. Trump reiterated his claim that both the 2020 presidential election and California's recent primary election were improperly conducted. Welker challenged those assertions, saying there was no evidence that either election was rigged.

Trump pointed to lengthy ballot-counting periods as a reason for concern, particularly in California, where vote counting continued days after Election Day under state law allowing properly postmarked mail ballots to arrive up to a week later.

"All I have to do is look," Trump said.

"But that's not evidence," Welker responded.

The exchange grew increasingly heated, with Trump criticizing NBC and other media outlets before taking off his microphone and ending the interview.

Heavy rain could be heard striking the barn's metal roof throughout much of the roughly 50-minute interview. Speaking afterward at the farmers event, Trump joked that the weather may have contributed to his frustration.

"Because it was raining, I got a little bit angry at them," Trump said Friday. "I was not happy with them. But we had a good time."

Kristen Welker

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kristen_Welker.

Kristen Welker is a journalist working for the NBC News, the host of Meet the Press and received her BA from Harvard University.

Meet the Press is an NBC News program.

NBCUniversal is a subsidiary of NBC.

Jeff Zucker was the president & CEO for NBCUniversal, an executive producer for the NBC Nightly News and is a director at the Robin Hood Foundation.

Brian Williams is the anchor for the NBC Nightly News and a director at the Robin Hood Foundation.

Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for the Robin Hood Foundation.

George Soros was the chairman for the Foundation to Promote Open Society.

Emma Bloomberg was a senior planning officer for the Robin Hood Foundation, is Michael R. Bloomberg’s daughter and a director at the Bloomberg Family Foundation.

Michael R. Bloomberg was a donor for the Robin Hood Foundatio, is Emma Bloomberg’s father and the founder of the Bloomberg Family Foundation.

Bloomberg Family Foundation was a funder for the Aspen Institute (think tank).

Walter Isaacson was a director at the Bloomberg Family Foundation, the chairman & CEO for CNN and is the president & CEO for the Aspen Institute (think tank).

Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for the Aspen Institute (think tank).

George Soros was the chairman for the Foundation to Promote Open Society.

Carnegie Corporation of New York was a funder for the Aspen Institute (think tank) and a supporter for the American Society for Muslim Advancement.

Andrew Carnegie was the founder of the Carnegie Corporation of New York.

Ted Lieu was honored with the Carnegie Corporation of New York's Great Immigrants Award, has represented California's 36th congressional district in the United States House of Representatives since 2023 and is a member of the Congressional Progressive Caucus.

Astrid S. Tuminez was a program officer at the Carnegie Corporation of New York and is the 7th President of the Utah Valley University (Charlie Kirk Shooting).

Andrew Carnegie was the founder of the Carnegie Corporation of New York.

Carnegie Corporation of New York was a funder for the Aspen Institute (think tank) and a supporter for the American Society for Muslim Advancement.

James S. Crown is a trustee at the Aspen Institute (think tank), Lester Crown’s son and a member of the Commercial Club of Chicago. 

Lester Crown was a lifetime trustee at the Aspen Institute (think tank), is James S. Crown’s father and a member of the Commercial Club of Chicago.

R. Eden Martin is the president of the Commercial Club of Chicago and counsel at Sidley Austin LLP.

Michelle Obama was a lawyer at Sidley Austin LLP.

Barack Obama was an intern at Sidley Austin LLP.

R. Eden Martin is counsel at Sidley Austin LLP and the president of the Commercial Club of Chicago.

Newton N. Minow was a senior counsel at Sidley Austin LLP, a member of the Commercial Club of Chicago and an honorary trustee at the Carnegie Corporation of New York.

Andrew Carnegie was the founder of the Carnegie Corporation of New York.

Carnegie Corporation of New York was a funder for the Brookings Institution (think tank) and a supporter for the American Society for Muslim Advancement.

Cameron F. Kerry is a fellow at the Brookings Institution (think tank), John F. Kerry’s brother and a senior counsel at Sidley Austin LLP.

Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for the Brookings Institution (think tank).

George Soros was the chairman for the Foundation to Promote Open Society.

C. Douglas Dillon was the chairman for the Brookings Institution (think tank) and an overseer at Harvard University.

Henry Louis Gates Jr. is a professor at Harvard University and an honorary trustee at the Brookings Institution (think tank).

Paul E. Peterson was a director of governmental studies at the Brookings Institution (think tank) and is a professor at Harvard University.

Lawrence H. Summers was a trustee at the Brookings Institution (think tank) and is a professor; former president of Harvard University.

Ann M. Fudge is a trustee at the Brookings Institution (think tank) and was an overseer at Harvard University.

John C. Whitehead is an honorary trustee at the Brookings Institution (think tank) and was the chairman for Harvard University.

Harold H. Koh was a trustee at the Brookings Institution (think tank), the State Department legal adviser for the Barack Obama administration and an overseer for Harvard University.

Herbert M. Kaplan is an honorary trustee at the Brookings Institution (think tank) and a board of fellow’s member for Harvard Medical School.

Cass R. Sunstein is a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution (think tank) and a professor at Harvard Medical School.

Lynn Bendheim Thoman is a trustee at the Brookings Institution (think tank) and a board of fellow’s member for Harvard Medical School.

Howard E. Cox Jr. is a trustee at the Brookings Institution (think tank) and a board of fellow’s member for Harvard Medical School.

Kenneth M. Duberstein is a trustee at the Brookings Institution (think tank) and a senior advisory committee member for the Harvard University Institute of Politics.

Kristen Welker received her BA from Harvard University, is a journalist working for the NBC News and the host of Meet the Press.

Meet the Press is an NBC News program.

NBCUniversal is a subsidiary of NBC.

Jeff Zucker was the president & CEO for NBCUniversal, an executive producer for the NBC Nightly News and is a director at the Robin Hood Foundation.

Brian Williams is the anchor for the NBC Nightly News and a director at the Robin Hood Foundation.

Tom Brokaw was the anchor for the NBC Nightly News, the interim host for Meet the Press, a director at the Robin Hood Foundation and is an overseer at the International Rescue Committee.

Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for the Robin Hood Foundation and the International Rescue Committee.

George Soros was the chairman for the Foundation to Promote Open Society.

International Rescue Committee is a partner with the ONE Campaign.

Michelle Obama was an advocate for the ONE Campaign and a lawyer at Sidley Austin LLP.

Newton N. Minow was a senior counsel at Sidley Austin LLP, a member of the Commercial Club of Chicago and an honorary trustee at the Carnegie Corporation of New York.

Andrew Carnegie was the founder of the Carnegie Corporation of New York and the founder of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (think tank).

Carnegie Corporation of New York was a funder for the founder of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (think tank) and a supporter for the American Society for Muslim Advancement.

Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (think tank).

George Soros was the chairman for the Foundation to Promote Open Society, is a friend of Michael Douglas and the founder & chairman for the Open Society Foundations.

Open Society Foundations was a funder for the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (think tank).

Morton H. Halperin is a senior adviser for the Open Society Foundations, a director at the ONE Campaign and served with the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (think tank).

Michael R. Bloomberg is an advocate for the ONE Campaign.

Howard G. Buffett is a director at the ONE Campaign and Warren E. Buffett’s son.

Susan A. Buffett is a director at the ONE Campaign and Warren E. Buffett’s daughter.

Warren E. Buffett is Howard G. Buffett & Susan A. Buffett’s father and an adviser at the Nuclear Threat Initiative (think tank).

Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (think tank) was a funder for the Nuclear Threat Initiative (think tank).

Andrew Carnegie was the founder of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (think tank) and the founder of the Carnegie Corporation of New York.

Carnegie Corporation of New York was a funder for the founder of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (think tank), the Nuclear Threat Initiative (think tank), the Brookings Institution (think tank) and a supporter for the American Society for Muslim Advancement.

Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for the Brookings Institution (think tank), the International Rescue Committee and the Robin Hood Foundation.

George Soros was the chairman for the Foundation to Promote Open Society.

International Rescue Committee is a partner with the ONE Campaign.

Tom Brokaw is an overseer at the International Rescue Committee, was the anchor for the NBC Nightly News, the interim host for Meet the Press and a director at the Robin Hood Foundation.

International Rescue Committee is a partner with the ONE Campaign.

Sheryl K. Sandberg is a director at the ONE Campaign and was a trustee at the Brookings Institution (think tank).

Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala was a visiting fellow at the Brookings Institution (think tank) and is a director at the ONE Campaign.

Helene D. Gayle is a trustee at the Brookings Institution (think tank) and a director at the ONE Campaign.

Lawrence H. Summers is a director at the ONE Campaign, was a trustee at the Brookings Institution (think tank) and the and a professor; former president for Harvard University.

C. Douglas Dillon was the chairman for the Brookings Institution (think tank) and

an overseer at Harvard University.

Henry Louis Gates Jr. is a professor at Harvard University and an honorary trustee at the Brookings Institution (think tank).

Paul E. Peterson was a director of governmental studies at the Brookings Institution (think tank) and is a professor at Harvard University.

Ann M. Fudge is a trustee at the Brookings Institution (think tank) and was an overseer at Harvard University.

John C. Whitehead is an honorary trustee at the Brookings Institution (think tank) and was the chairman for Harvard University.

Harold H. Koh was a trustee at the Brookings Institution (think tank), the State Department legal adviser for the Barack Obama administration and an overseer for Harvard University.

Herbert M. Kaplan is an honorary trustee at the Brookings Institution (think tank) and a board of fellow’s member for Harvard Medical School.

Cass R. Sunstein is a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution (think tank) and a professor at Harvard Medical School.

Lynn Bendheim Thoman is a trustee at the Brookings Institution (think tank) and a board of fellow’s member for Harvard Medical School.

Howard E. Cox Jr. is a trustee at the Brookings Institution (think tank) and a board of fellow’s member for Harvard Medical School.

Kenneth M. Duberstein is a trustee at the Brookings Institution (think tank) and a senior advisory committee member for the Harvard University Institute of Politics.

Kristen Welker received her BA from Harvard University, is a journalist working for the NBC News and the host of Meet the Press.

Meet the Press is an NBC News program.

NBCUniversal is a subsidiary of NBC.

Sundance Channel is a partner with NBCUniversal.

Robert Redford is a partner with the Sundance Channel, the founder & president of the Sundance Institute and a trustee at the Natural Resources Defense Council.

Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for the Sundance Institute, the Natural Resources Defense Council and the Brookings Institution (think tank).

George Soros was the chairman for the Foundation to Promote Open Society.

Judith Rodin was an honorary trustee at the Brookings Institution (think tank) and is a director at the Comcast Corporation.

Vernon E. Jordan Jr. is an honorary trustee at the Brookings Institution (think tank) and a senior counsel for Akin, Gump, Strauss, Hauer & Feld, LLP.

Savannah Guthrie was an attorney for Akin, Gump, Strauss, Hauer & Feld, LLP, the White House correspondent for the NBC News, is a co-host for Today and married to Michael Feldman.

NBC News is a subsidiary of NBC.

Kristen Welker is a journalist working for the NBC News, the host of Meet the Press and received her BA from Harvard University.

Meet the Press is an NBC News program.

Michael Feldman is married to Savannah Guthrie and was Albert A. Gore Jr’s deputy director of legislative affairs.

Albert A. Gore Jr.’s deputy director of legislative affairs was Michael Feldman, a donor for The Climate Project, is the chairman for the Climate Reality Project and a partner at Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers.

Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for the Climate Reality Project.

George Soros was the chairman for the Foundation to Promote Open Society.

Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers was a donor for The Climate Project.

The Climate Project is a merged organization with the Climate Reality Project.

Colin L. Powell was the strategic adviser for Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers and an overseer for the International Rescue Committee.

Tom Brokaw is an overseer for the International Rescue Committee, was an anchor for the NBC Nightly News and a director at the Robin Hood Foundation.

Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for the International Rescue Committee and the Robin Hood Foundation.

George Soros was the chairman for the Foundation to Promote Open Society.

Clifford S. Asness is a director at the International Rescue Committee, supported same-sex marriage in New York and was a leadership council member at the Robin Hood Foundation.

Jeff Zucker is a director emeritus for the Robin Hood Foundation and was the president & CEO for NBCUniversal.

NBCUniversal is a subsidiary of NBC.

Meet the Press is an NBC News program.

Kristen Welker is the host of Meet the Press, a journalist working for the NBC News and received her BA from Harvard University.

Lawrence H. Summers is a professor; former president of Harvard University and was a trustee at the Brookings Institution (think tank).

Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for the Brookings Institution (think tank).

George Soros was the chairman for the Foundation to Promote Open Society.

Carnegie Corporation of New York was a funder for the founder of the Brookings Institution (think tank) and a supporter for the American Society for Muslim Advancement.

Andrew Carnegie was the founder of the Carnegie Corporation of New York.

David M. Rubenstein is the co-chairman for the Brookings Institution (think tank) and a regent at the Smithsonian Institution.

Xavier Becerra is a regent for the Smithsonian Institution, a member of the National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform and was the U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary for the Joe Biden administration.

National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform is a paid for staff by the Economic Policy Institute.

Richard J. Durbin is a member of the National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform and Charles E. Schumer’s Washington housemate.

National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform is a paid for staff by the Economic Policy Institute.

Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for the Economic Policy Institute.

George Soros was the chairman for the Foundation to Promote Open Society and is the founder & chairman for the Open Society Foundations. 

Open Society Foundations was a funder for the Economic Policy Institute.

Charles E. Schumer is Richard J. Durbin’s Washington Housemate, signed the $1.9 Trillion Stimulus Bill and was the Senate Minority leader.

The $1.9 Trillion Stimulus Bill Congress Just Passed Includes $470 Million for America’s Arts and Culture Sector

The relief package also includes $1,400 checks for most Americans.

News.artnet.com

Sarah Cascone March 10, 2021

Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., celebrate signing the American Rescue Plan Act at a bill enrollment ceremony on the West Front of the Capitol after the House passed the $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief package on Wednesday, March 10, 2021. Photo by Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images.

https://news.artnet.com/art-world-archives/stimulus-package-includes-big-bucks-nea-1950807

December’s aid package also had $15 billion in funding for live music venues, independent movie theaters, and cultural institutions; and provided authorization for the Women’s History Museum and the National Museum of the American Latino, two new Smithsonian museums to be built on or near the National Mall in Washington, DC.

Nancy Pelosi signed the $1.9 Trillion Stimulus Bill, was the minority leader for the U.S. House of Representatives, and invited to George Soros’s 2013 wedding reception.

Charles E. Schumer signed the $1.9 Trillion Stimulus Bill, was the Senate Minority leader and is Richard J. Durbin’s Washington Housemate.

Richard J. Durbin is Charles E. Schumer’s Washington housemate, a U.S. Senate senator and a member of the National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform. 

National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform is a paid for staff by the Economic Policy Institute.

Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for the Economic Policy Institute.

George Soros was the chairman for the Foundation to Promote Open Society and is the founder & chairman for the Open Society Foundations. 

Open Society Foundations was a funder for the Economic Policy Institute.

National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform is a paid for staff by the Economic Policy Institute.

Xavier Becerra is a member of the National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform, a regent for the Smithsonian Institution and was the U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary for the Joe Biden administration.

Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for the Economic Policy Institute.

George Soros was the chairman for the Foundation to Promote Open Society and is the founder & chairman for the Open Society Foundations. 

Open Society Foundations was a funder for the Economic Policy Institute and the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank).

Carnegie Corporation of New York was a funder for the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank) and a supporter for the American Society for Muslim Advancement.

Ted Lieu was honored with the Carnegie Corporation of New York's Great Immigrants Award, has represented California's 36th congressional district in the United States House of Representatives since 2023 and is a member of the Congressional Progressive Caucus.

Astrid S. Tuminez was a program officer at the Carnegie Corporation of New York and is the 7th President of the Utah Valley University (Charlie Kirk Shooting).

Andrew Carnegie was the founder of the Carnegie Corporation of New York.

Carnegie Corporation of New York was a funder for the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank) and a supporter for the American Society for Muslim Advancement.

Philip A. Odeen is a director at the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank) and was the chairman for the AES Corporation.

Philip Lader is a director at the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank) and a director at the AES Corporation.

Charles O. Rossotti  is a director at the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank), the chairman for the AES Corporation and was the commissioner for the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).

John A. Koskinen is a director at the AES Corporation and was the commissioner for the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).

John Koskinen

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Koskinen

On December 23, 2013, Koskinen was sworn in as the 48th IRS Commissioner after being nominated by President Barack Obama.

Resources: Past Research

Jeb Bush: Michael Bloomberg A ‘Good Man’ And A ’Patriot’ (Past Research on the Bloomberg Family Foundation)

Sunday, January 24, 2016

https://thesteadydrip.blogspot.com/2016/01/jeb-bush-michael-bloomberg-good-man-and.html

Trump Admin Threatens Harvard With Funding Cuts (Connecting the Dots: Harvard University, Columbia University, Obamacare & Soros Funding) (Past Research on Harvard University)

Friday, April 4, 2025

https://thesteadydrip.blogspot.com/2025/04/trump-admin-threatens-harvard-with.html

Report: 'Meet The Press' May Get Axed (Past Research on NBC & Meet The Press)

Wednesday, December 25, 2013

https://thesteadydrip.blogspot.com/2013/12/report-meet-press-may-get-axed.html

Democrat Xavier Becerra Advances in Calif. Gov Race (Connecting the Dots: Xavier Becerra, Gavin Newsom, Richard J. Durbin, Charles E. Schumer, The Smithsonian Institution, The $1.9 Trillion Stimulus Bill, Nancy Pelosi & The Carnegie/Soros Network) (Past Research on the Aspen Institute (think tank) & the Carnegie Corporation of New York)

Saturday, June 6, 2026

https://thesteadydrip.blogspot.com/2026/06/democrat-xavier-becerra-advances-in.html

Minneapolis-Area Hotels Shut Down Over Safety Issues (Connecting the Dots: Hilton, Crown Family, Commercial Club of Chicago, Aspen Institute, Minneapolis, Minnesota & Soros Funding, All Networking) (Past Research on Lester Crown & the Commercial Club of Chicago)

Monday, January 26, 2026

https://thesteadydrip.blogspot.com/2026/01/minneapolis-area-hotels-shut-down-over.html

Hours After John Kerry Demands Green Transition Accelerated – His Emissions Closet Swings Wide Open (Connecting the Dots: Cameron Kerry, John Kerry, Teresa Heinz Kerry, Soros, the Climate Reality Project, the Brookings Institution (think tank), the EPA and onto the FDA, Pfizer & Johnson & Johnson. It’s the Network That Never Ends. One Project (Climate Change) Just bleeds into the Next (Covid Project)) (Past Research on Cameron Kerry)

Thursday, July 21, 2022

https://thesteadydrip.blogspot.com/2022/07/hours-after-john-kerry-demands-green.html

Sen. Warren Presses Amazon on Algorithmic Pricing for Schools (Connecting the Dots: Senator Elizabeth Warren, Ganesh Sitaraman, The Center for American Progress, Amazon, HUD, The U.S. Federal Trade Commission, The Urban Institute, The U.S. Department of Education & The Carnegie/Soros Network) (Past Research on the Carnegie Corporation New York)

Thursday, March 12, 2026

https://thesteadydrip.blogspot.com/2026/03/sen-warren-presses-amazon-on.html

Dr. Morton Halperin – J Street Education Fund (Connecting the Dots: J Street, Morton Halperin, The Open Society Foundations, Newsmax’s Mark Halperin, Rhonda (Randi) Weingarten, The ONE Campaign, MSNBC, ACLU, The Carnegie & Soros Funding) (Past Research on the ONE Campaign)

Tuesday, June 17, 2025

https://thesteadydrip.blogspot.com/2025/06/dr-morton-halperin-j-street-education.html

Democrat Xavier Becerra Advances in Calif. Gov Race (Connecting the Dots: Xavier Becerra, Gavin Newsom, Richard J. Durbin, Charles E. Schumer, The Smithsonian Institution, The $1.9 Trillion Stimulus Bill, Nancy Pelosi & The Carnegie/Soros Network) (Past Research on Xavier Becerra & the Smithsonian Institution)

Saturday, June 6, 2026

https://thesteadydrip.blogspot.com/2026/06/democrat-xavier-becerra-advances-in.html

Eye-popping twist in hunt for 'missing' IRS emails (Past Research on the IRS)

Sunday, September 7, 2014

https://thesteadydrip.blogspot.com/2014/09/eye-popping-twist-in-hunt-for-missing.html

Democrat Xavier Becerra Advances in Calif. Gov Race (Connecting the Dots: Xavier Becerra, Gavin Newsom, Richard J. Durbin, Charles E. Schumer, The Smithsonian Institution, The $1.9 Trillion Stimulus Bill, Nancy Pelosi & The Carnegie/Soros Network)

Democrat Xavier Becerra Advances in Calif. Gov Race (Connecting the Dots: Xavier Becerra, Gavin Newsom, Richard J. Durbin, Charles E. Schumer, The Smithsonian Institution, The $1.9 Trillion Stimulus Bill, Nancy Pelosi & The Carnegie/Soros Network)

Newsmax.com

Saturday, 06 June 2026 10:28 AM EDT

https://www.newsmax.com/newsfront/california-governor-election-2026/2026/06/06/id/1258764/

Democrat Xavier Becerra advanced to the general election for California governor Friday after pitching himself as an experienced choice to lead the nation’s most populous state and succeed Democrat Gov. Gavin Newsom.

Becerra leaned on his more than 35 years in public office, including as state attorney general and U.S. health secretary, to argue that he was the most qualified candidate in a crowded field.

"The people of the great state of California, in the greatest nation on earth, have spoken — loudly and proudly," Becerra said in a statement.

"We are never backing down. November, here we come," he wrote.

It was not yet clear who Becerra would face in the general election.

His top rivals came down to Republican Steve Hilton, a former Fox News commentator backed by President Donald Trump, and Democrat Tom Steyer, a billionaire climate activist who poured $215 million of his own money into his campaign.

Born and raised in Sacramento by Mexican immigrant parents, Becerra has a wife and three daughters.

He has said his family’s immigrant background mirrored his "underdog" gubernatorial campaign, in which he initially failed to garner substantial support before surging in the final months.

After one of the top Democratic contenders, Rep. Eric Swalwell, was accused of sexual assault and dropped out of the race, Becerra benefited from an opening to coalesce Democratic support.

He quickly racked up key endorsements from labor groups and Latino legislative leaders.

Becerra has vowed to maintain the state’s mantle as a chief antagonist to President Donald Trump.

As attorney general, he filed more than 120 legal actions against the first Trump administration on everything from immigration to climate policy.

The president has also been in a spat with the state over its drawn-out vote count.

Trump made baseless claims about mass fraud Thursday, and on Friday, federal prosecutors said they opened investigations into allegations of election fraud.

Hilton called for California to limit mail-in ballots to those who request them, rather than sending them to all registered voters.

During the campaign, Becerra’s rivals scrutinized his leadership as health secretary during the COVID-19 pandemic and the unaccompanied migrant children crisis in 2021, when Becerra’s Department of Health and Human Services was responsible for shelters where they were housed.

Some of them were criticized as having inadequate living conditions, and there were also concerns about authorities failing to thoroughly vet sponsors with whom some children were placed.

If elected, Becerra said, he would declare states of emergency to address high energy costs and housing shortages and to freeze home insurance rates.

Though California is one of the nation’s most diverse states, Becerra would be the first Latino to hold the office since the late 1800s.

Newsom was barred by term limits from seeking a third term in office.

Connecting the Dots:

Xavier Becerra is a regent for the Smithsonian Institution, a member of the National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform and was the U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary for the Joe Biden administration.

Mike Pence is a regent for the Smithsonian Institution and was the vice president for the Donald Trump administration.

Joseph R. Biden Jr. is a regent at the Smithsonian Institution, was the president of the Joe Biden administration and the spent Thanksgiving with David Rubenstein.

David M. Rubenstein spent Thanksgiving with Joe Biden, a partner at Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP, is the president of the Economic Club of Washington, the co-chairman for the Brookings Institution (think tank) and a regent at the Smithsonian Institution.

Jane Sullivan Roberts was a partner at Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP and is married to John G. Roberts Jr.

John G. Roberts Jr. is married to Jane Sullivan Roberts, the chief justice for the U.S. Supreme Court, the chancellor for the Smithsonian Institution and an honorary member of the Robert Trent Jones Golf Club (Gainesville, VA).

Vernon E. Jordan Jr. is the president emeritus for the Robert Trent Jones Golf Club (Gainesville, VA), an honorary trustee at the Brookings Institution (think tank) a senior director at the NAACP Legal Defense & Educational Fund and was the president of the Economic Club of Washington.

Carnegie Corporation of New York was a funder for the Brookings Institution (think tank), the Smithsonian Institution and a supporter for the American Society for Muslim Advancement.

Andrew Carnegie was the founder of the Carnegie Corporation of New York.

Ted Lieu was honored with the Carnegie Corporation of New York's Great Immigrants Award, has represented California's 36th congressional district in the United States House of Representatives since 2023 and is a member of the Congressional Progressive Caucus.

Astrid S. Tuminez was a program officer at the Carnegie Corporation of New York and is the 7th President of the Utah Valley University (Charlie Kirk Shooting).

Carnegie Corporation of New York was a funder for the Brookings Institution (think tank), the Smithsonian Institution and a supporter for the American Society for Muslim Advancement.

Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for the Brookings Institution (think tank) and the NAACP Legal Defense & Educational Fund.

George Soros was the chairman for the Foundation to Promote Open Society Gavin Newsom attended his 2013 wedding reception and is Jonathan Soros father.

Jonathan Soros is George Soros’s son and a board of director at the NAACP Legal Defense & Educational Fund.

George Wallerstein is a senior director at the NAACP Legal Defense & Educational Fund and an advisory board member for the Center for Arms Control and Non-Proliferation.

Gavin Newsom is a director at the Center for Arms Control and Non-Proliferation, the California state government governor and was invited to George Soros’s 2013 wedding reception.

Ira Lechner is a director at the Center for Arms Control and Non-Proliferation (think tank) and was a director at the Truman Center for National Policy.

R. Hunter Biden is a director at the Truman Center for National Policy and Joseph R. Biden Jr’s son.

Kamala D. Harris is an advisory board member for the Truman Center for National Policy and was elected attorney general of California in 2010 and was the vice president of the Joseph R. Biden Jr administration.

Madeleine K. Albright was the president of the Truman Center for National Policy and a trustee at the Aspen Institute (think tank).

Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for the Aspen Institute (think tank).

the Brookings Institution (think tank)

George Soros was the chairman for the Foundation to Promote Open Society.

Carnegie Corporation of New York was a funder for the Aspen Institute (think tank), the Brookings Institution (think tank), the Smithsonian Institution and a supporter for the American Society for Muslim Advancement.

Andrew Carnegie was the founder of the Carnegie Corporation of New York.

David M. Rubenstein was a benefactor at the Aspen Institute (think tank), is the co-chairman for the Brookings Institution (think tank), the president of the Economic Club of Washington, a board member for the National Museum of American History, a board member for the National Museum of Natural History and a regent at the Smithsonian Institution.

The $1.9 Trillion Stimulus Bill Congress Just Passed Includes $470 Million for America’s Arts and Culture Sector

The relief package also includes $1,400 checks for most Americans.

News.artnet.com

Sarah Cascone March 10, 2021

Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., celebrate signing the American Rescue Plan Act at a bill enrollment ceremony on the West Front of the Capitol after the House passed the $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief package on Wednesday, March 10, 2021. Photo by Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images.

https://news.artnet.com/art-world-archives/stimulus-package-includes-big-bucks-nea-1950807

December’s aid package also had $15 billion in funding for live music venues, independent movie theaters, and cultural institutions; and provided authorization for the Women’s History Museum and the National Museum of the American Latino, two new Smithsonian museums to be built on or near the National Mall in Washington, DC.

Nancy Pelosi signed the $1.9 Trillion Stimulus Bill, was the minority leader for the U.S. House of Representatives, and invited to George Soros’s 2013 wedding reception.

Charles E. Schumer signed the $1.9 Trillion Stimulus Bill, was the Senate Minority leader and is Richard J. Durbin’s Washington Housemate.

Richard J. Durbin is Charles E. Schumer’s Washington housemate, a U.S. Senate senator and a member of the National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform. 

National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform is a paid for staff by the Economic Policy Institute.

Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for the Economic Policy Institute.

George Soros was the chairman for the Foundation to Promote Open Society and is the founder & chairman for the Open Society Foundations. 

Open Society Foundations was a funder for the Economic Policy Institute.

National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform is a paid for staff by the Economic Policy Institute.

Xavier Becerra is a member of the National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform, a regent for the Smithsonian Institution and was the U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary for the Joe Biden administration.

Mike Pence is a regent for the Smithsonian Institution and was the vice president for the Donald Trump administration.

Joseph R. Biden Jr. is a regent at the Smithsonian Institution, was the president of the Joe Biden administration and the spent Thanksgiving with David Rubenstein.

David M. Rubenstein spent Thanksgiving with Joe Biden, a partner at Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP, is the president of the Economic Club of Washington, the co-chairman for the Brookings Institution (think tank) and a regent at the Smithsonian Institution.

Jane Sullivan Roberts was a partner at Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP and is married to John G. Roberts Jr.

John G. Roberts Jr. is married to Jane Sullivan Roberts, the chief justice for the U.S. Supreme Court, the chancellor for the Smithsonian Institution and an honorary member of the Robert Trent Jones Golf Club (Gainesville, VA).

Vernon E. Jordan Jr. is the president emeritus for the Robert Trent Jones Golf Club (Gainesville, VA), an honorary trustee at the Brookings Institution (think tank) a senior director at the NAACP Legal Defense & Educational Fund and was the president of the Economic Club of Washington.

Carnegie Corporation of New York was a funder for the Brookings Institution (think tank), the Smithsonian Institution and a supporter for the American Society for Muslim Advancement.

Andrew Carnegie was the founder of the Carnegie Corporation of New York.

Ted Lieu was honored with the Carnegie Corporation of New York's Great Immigrants Award, has represented California's 36th congressional district in the United States House of Representatives since 2023 and is a member of the Congressional Progressive Caucus.

Astrid S. Tuminez was a program officer at the Carnegie Corporation of New York and is the 7th President of the Utah Valley University (Charlie Kirk Shooting).

Carnegie Corporation of New York was a funder for the Brookings Institution (think tank), the Smithsonian Institution and a supporter for the American Society for Muslim Advancement.

Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for the Brookings Institution (think tank) and the NAACP Legal Defense & Educational Fund.

George Soros was the chairman for the Foundation to Promote Open Society Gavin Newsom attended his 2013 wedding reception and is Jonathan Soros father.

Jonathan Soros is George Soros’s son and a board of director at the NAACP Legal Defense & Educational Fund.

George Wallerstein is a senior director at the NAACP Legal Defense & Educational Fund and an advisory board member for the Center for Arms Control and Non-Proliferation.

Gavin Newsom is a director at the Center for Arms Control and Non-Proliferation, the California state government governor and was invited to George Soros’s 2013 wedding reception.

Ira Lechner is a director at the Center for Arms Control and Non-Proliferation (think tank) and was a director at the Truman Center for National Policy.

R. Hunter Biden is a director at the Truman Center for National Policy and Joseph R. Biden Jr’s son.

Kamala D. Harris is an advisory board member for the Truman Center for National Policy and was elected attorney general of California in 2010 and was the vice president of the Joseph R. Biden Jr administration.

Madeleine K. Albright was the president of the Truman Center for National Policy and a trustee at the Aspen Institute (think tank).

Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for the Aspen Institute (think tank) and the Brookings Institution (think tank)

George Soros was the chairman for the Foundation to Promote Open Society.

Carnegie Corporation of New York was a funder for the Aspen Institute (think tank),

the Brookings Institution (think tank), the Smithsonian Institution and a supporter for the American Society for Muslim Advancement.

Andrew Carnegie was the founder of the Carnegie Corporation of New York.

David M. Rubenstein was a benefactor at the Aspen Institute (think tank), is the co-chairman for the Brookings Institution (think tank), the president of the Economic Club of Washington, a board member for the National Museum of American History, a board member for the National Museum of Natural History and a regent at the Smithsonian Institution.

Resources: Past Research

CPAC Poll: Schiff, Newsom Biggest Threats to US, GOP (Connecting the Dots: Gavin Newsom, The Commercial Club of Chicago, Adam Schiff, Blue Dog Coalition, The Center for Arms Control and Non-Proliferation, The ATF & Soros Funding, All Networking) (Past Research on Gavin Newsom & the Center for Arms Control and Non-Proliferation)

Sunday, February 23, 2025

https://thesteadydrip.blogspot.com/2025/02/cpac-poll-schiff-newsom-biggest-threats.html

Common Cause (Connecting the Dots: Common Cause, Gerrymandering, Gavin Newsom, Center for Arms Control and Non-Proliferation, U.S. Supreme Court, Smartmatic (electronic voting system used in the United States) & Soros Funding, All Networking) (Past Research on Gavin Newsom & the Center for Arms Control and Non-Proliferation)

Saturday, November 29, 2025

https://thesteadydrip.blogspot.com/2025/11/common-cause-connecting-dots-common.html

Hilton, Becerra Lead in California Governor's Primary (Connecting the Dots: The Smithsonian Institution, Joe Biden, Mike Pence, Xavier Becerra, The Close Up Foundation, Tom Steyer, The Breakthrough Energy Coalition, The Center for American Progress, Mexico & The Carnegie/Soros Network) (Past Research on Xavier Becerra & the Smithsonian Institution)

Thursday, June 4, 2026

https://thesteadydrip.blogspot.com/2026/06/hilton-becerra-lead-in-california.html

Rep. Jordan to Letitia James: Comply or Face Subpoena (Connecting the Dots: Judge Juan Merchan, Letitia James, Alvin Bragg, Matthew Colangelo’s Wife Anne Kimberly Small, Jonathan Soros, Lisa Gilford, NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Laurence Fink, Jerome Powell & Soros Funding, All Networking) (Past Research on the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund)

Sunday, June 22, 2025

https://thesteadydrip.blogspot.com/2025/06/rep-jordan-to-letitia-james-comply-or.html

Madeleine Albright, 1st Female US Secretary of State, Dies at 84 (Connecting Her Dots In The Soros Network) (Past Research on Madeleine Albright, Kamala Harris & Hunter Biden)

Thursday, March 24, 2022

https://thesteadydrip.blogspot.com/2022/03/madeleine-albright-1st-female-us.html

Pelosi suffers brain freeze while defending NFL kneelers: ‘Kaep– Kaep– Kaepernick’ (Past Research on Nancy Pelosi)

Wednesday, September 27, 2017

https://thesteadydrip.blogspot.com/2017/09/pelosi-suffers-brain-freeze-while.html

Schumer Demands Trump Fire 'Stubborn,' 'Pigheaded' RFK Jr. (Connecting the Dots: Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, Richard Durbin, Josh Isay, Michael Bloomberg, Al Sharpton, The CDC & Soros Funding, All Networking) (Past Research on Chuck Schumer & Richard Durbin)

Saturday, August 30, 2025

https://thesteadydrip.blogspot.com/search?q=Chuck+Schumer