"Morning Joe" co-hosts Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski are facing criticism following a meeting with former President Donald Trump at Mar-a-Lago. The MSNBC program has experienced a significant drop in viewership since the election, down 35% among total viewers and 37% in the 25-54 demographic. The decline further accelerated after news of the Trump meeting broke, with viewership dropping an additional 17% overall and over a third in the key demo.
The meeting, the first between the co-hosts and Trump in seven years, sparked outrage among liberal viewers, many of whom pledged to boycott the show. Scarborough and Brzezinski defended their decision, emphasizing the importance of open communication even with those holding differing political views. They discussed various contentious topics with Trump, including abortion, immigration policies, and treatment of political rivals and media outlets. The goal, they stated, was to re-establish a dialogue.
The co-hosts pushed back against accusations of fear and hypocrisy, highlighting the common practice among journalists of engaging with political figures, often off the record. They argued that their transparency in disclosing the meeting distinguished them from other media outlets that engage in similar practices but keep them private. Scarborough pointed to outlets like The New York Times, The Washington Post, and The Wall Street Journal, asserting that they too seek background conversations with political leaders, including Trump. Brzezinski echoed this sentiment, suggesting that any journalist would pursue such an opportunity. Scarborough maintained that their critics within the media were being disingenuous in feigning shock, given the prevalence of such interactions.
The hosts reiterated that they did not shy away from expressing their disagreements with Trump during the meeting, and they dismissed the backlash as overblown and fueled by misinformation. They stressed their long-standing history of not being intimidated by powerful figures.
