MSNBC co-host Joe Scarborough expressed disappointment and confusion over his show's absence from the air during the coverage of the assassination attempt against former President Trump. The network replaced "Morning Joe" with special reporting, leaving the hosts and viewers baffled.
MSNBC co-host Joe Scarborough slammed his network on Tuesday for taking his show off the air on Monday following the assassination attempt against former President Trump.
"We were told, in no uncertain terms, on Sunday evening, that there was going to be one news feed across all NBC News channels yesterday," Scarborough said on the show's return. "That did not happen. We don’t know why that didn’t happen. Our team was not given a good answer as to why that didn’t happen, but it didn’t happen."
MSNBC's "Morning Joe" Criticizes Network for Sidelining Show After Assassination Attempt
According to Fox News Digital, the show's producers and hosts were informed that all MSNBC programming would be replaced by a single NBC News feed on Monday. However, "Today" aired a new episode, and most of MSNBC's regular programming proceeded as usual.
Scarborough and co-host Mika Brzezinski expressed their disappointment and surprise over the decision to sideline their show, particularly during a significant political moment.
MSNBC's "Morning Joe" Criticizes Network for Sidelining Show After Assassination Attempt
"We were very surprised," Scarborough said. "We were very disappointed. And if we had known that there wasn’t going to be the one news feed from NBC News across all NBC News channels, we obviously would have been in yesterday morning."
Brzezinski added, "This show began, and continues 17 years later on being the place where you can go to have the hard conversations in a civil way. So it seemed like, now more than ever, is a day, a time that we would like to be on."
MSNBC's "Morning Joe" Criticizes Network for Sidelining Show After Assassination Attempt
Scarborough suggested that he and Brzezinski might leave the show if such a decision were made again. "And the newsfeed will be us, or they can get somebody else to host the show," he said.
MSNBC did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The decision to sideline "Morning Joe" drew criticism, especially after reports surfaced that the network feared inappropriate comments from a guest in the wake of the shooting. MSNBC denied the report.
"Morning Joe" is known for its anti-Trump commentary and close ties with President Biden. The show's hosts criticized security failings that allowed the assassination attempt to occur.
The network's decision to replace the show with special reporting highlights the challenges of balancing breaking news coverage with established programming. However, the hosts' disappointment and confusion indicate that the situation was not handled smoothly, leaving viewers and analysts alike questioning MSNBC's motives.
As the network navigates the aftermath of the assassination attempt, it will face scrutiny over its editorial decisions and the impact they have on the coverage of major events.
