Former President Donald Trump unleashes fierce criticism against MSNBC host Joy Reid following the sudden announcement of her show's cancellation.
According to Daily Mail, Trump took to Truth Social to demand MSNBC pay restitution for what he called "damaging the nation" while branding Reid as "mentally obnoxious" after news broke that her show would end this week.
The network's decision comes during a challenging period marked by declining ratings, with MSNBC recording its lowest-rated January in history for the crucial 25-54 demographic.
The announcement created immediate upheaval among staff members, who learned about their show's fate through media leaks rather than official channels.
Newly-appointed MSNBC President Rebecca Kutler called an emergency virtual meeting with Reid's angered production team after the news leaked. During the tense gathering, staff members expressed their frustration at learning about the cancellation through press reports.
Kutler confirmed the entire staff would be laid off but encouraged them to apply for other positions within the network.
The network executive insisted Trump's criticism played no role in the decision to end The ReidOut. She expressed disappointment about how the news reached employees, acknowledging their legitimate concerns about the handling of the situation. The staff will receive severance through April while over 100 new positions become available across the network.
Trump used the opportunity to criticize other MSNBC personalities, particularly targeting Rachel Maddow. He claimed she "rarely shows up because she knows there's nobody watching." His statement on Truth Social described MSNBC as "nothing more than an illegal arm of the Democrat Party."
NBCUniversal faces additional pressure beyond ratings concerns, agreeing to settle a $30 million defamation lawsuit filed by Dr. Mahendra Amin. The case stemmed from false allegations about performing unauthorized procedures at an ICE facility, which were reported by several network hosts, including Rachel Maddow.
Reid had previously drawn criticism for promoting conspiracy theories about Trump's assassination attempt and making controversial statements about the current administration's transition to power. Her final episode of The ReidOut will air this week as part of broader programming changes aimed at revitalizing the network's primetime lineup.
In response to the situation, Trump wrote on Truth Social:
The owner of ratings challenged NBC and MSDNC has finally gotten the nerve up to fire one of the least talented people in television, the mentally obnoxious racist, Joy Reid. Based on her ratings, which were virtually non-existent, she should have been "canned" long ago, along with everyone else who works there.
The cancellation of The ReidOut represents a major programming shift for MSNBC as it grapples with declining viewership and internal restructuring. Joy Reid's departure comes amid network-wide changes and continuing criticism from Trump, who has maintained his adversarial stance toward mainstream media outlets.
The network plans to implement additional programming changes while dealing with various challenges, including legal settlements and rating concerns. Staff members affected by the cancellation now face uncertain futures as MSNBC works to revitalize its lineup and maintain relevance in a changing media landscape.
