Veteran ABC News correspondent Terry Moran has lost his job after posting controversial comments about President Donald Trump and Homeland Security Advisor Stephen Miller on social media. The firing marks an abrupt end to Moran's nearly three-decade career with the network.
According to the Daily Mail, ABC News confirmed Moran's termination in a statement Tuesday, specifically citing his social media post as a "clear violation" of the network's policies. The now-deleted tweet described Trump as a "world class hater" and characterized Miller as a man "richly endowed with the capacity for hatred."
The incident occurred just weeks after Moran conducted an exclusive interview with President Trump in the Oval Office. The veteran journalist, who had served as ABC's senior national correspondent, previously co-anchored Nightline for eight years and worked as the network's Chief White House Correspondent from 1999 to 2005.
Moran's controversial post appeared shortly after midnight on Sunday, when he wrote that Miller is "a man who is richly endowed with the capacity for hatred" and claimed "you can see this just by looking at him because you can see that his hatreds are his spiritual nourishment."
The journalist continued his critique by calling Trump "a world-class hater," though he distinguished the president's motivation, suggesting Trump's "hatred [is] only a means to an end, and that end his own glorification." The tweet was quickly deleted, but not before screenshots were captured and shared widely online.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt reposted Moran's comments, drawing significant attention to them. Miller himself responded to the tweet, saying it revealed what he considers the true nature of mainstream media: "For decades, the privileged anchors and reporters narrating and gatekeeping our society have been radicals adopting a journalist's pose. Terry pulled off his mask."
ABC News initially suspended Moran on Monday "pending further evaluation" before announcing their decision not to renew his contract. The network emphasized its commitment to journalistic principles in its statement.
"We are at the end of our agreement with Terry Moran and based on his recent post – which was a clear violation of ABC News policies – we have made the decision to not renew," the statement read. "At ABC News, we hold all of our reporters to the highest standards of objectivity, fairness and professionalism, and we remain committed to delivering straightforward, trusted journalism."
The termination comes months after ABC paid a $15 million libel settlement to Trump in December following erroneous on-air comments made by George Stephanopoulos, another longtime ABC News personality. The network has been navigating coverage of Trump's presidency while attempting to maintain journalistic impartiality.
Several Trump administration figures quickly weighed in on Moran's tweet, with Vice President JD Vance calling the comments a "vile smear" and demanding an apology to Miller from ABC News.
Miller, a key architect of Trump's immigration policies, including the administration's mass deportation agenda, framed Moran's comments as revealing a broader issue with media bias. His response on social media characterized the incident as a "full public meltdown" that exposed what he views as longstanding prejudice among journalists.
The backlash from administration officials and subsequent social media criticism likely contributed to ABC's swift action. The network, which has faced scrutiny over its coverage of the Trump administration, appeared eager to address the violation of its journalistic standards.
Moran's firing concludes a distinguished 28-year career at ABC News that included numerous high-profile interviews and assignments. The 65-year-old journalist had established himself as one of the network's senior correspondents after joining ABC in 1997.
Throughout his tenure, Moran received several journalistic honors, including the White House Correspondents Association's Merriman Smith Award for excellence in presidential reporting on deadline and a George Foster Peabody Award. His career included nine one-on-one interviews with former President Barack Obama during his time as Nightline co-anchor.
Interestingly, when Trump sat down with Moran for their April interview, the president reportedly told Moran he had selected him because he "had never heard of him," despite Moran's extensive experience and long career in television news. That interview, which took place in the Oval Office, came just weeks before the social media post that ultimately ended Moran's ABC career.
