E-Paper
Nikki Haley cites Morning Joe hosts ulterior motive to go to Mar-a-Lago
Nikki Haley criticized MSNBC's Morning Joe hosts for meeting Donald Trump after years of denouncing him.
Nikki Haley, former GOP presidential hopeful, sharply criticized MSNBC’s Morning Joe hosts Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski after they revealed they had met with President-elect Donald Trump at his Mar-a-Lago estate.
The pair, who had spent years publicly denouncing Trump, stated they decided to meet with him to “restart communications” after a lengthy period of criticizing him. “Joe and I realized it’s time to do something different, and that starts with not only talking about Donald Trump but also talking with him,” Brzezinski explained.
Not convinced Haley responded on X (formerly Twitter), “Let’s be clear, Joe and Mika didn’t suddenly see the light, they saw their ratings. They realized they needed Trump for their survival.” Trump’s election win had drastically affected MSNBC's ratings, which reportedly dropped by 53 per cent in prime time following his victory.
Brzezinski slams Haley's suggestion that Biden's age could lead to…
In the past, Morning Joe had often celebrated Haley, particularly during her presidential campaign, but she was also frequently criticized by the hosts. Brzezinski had previously scolded Haley for not speaking out more forcefully against Trump during the campaign. “That says a lot, Nikki,” Brzezinski said, referencing Haley’s refusal to comment on a defamation and sexual assault case involving Trump.
Brzezinski also criticized Haley for suggesting that President Joe Biden’s age could result in his death during a second term, calling it “really untoward.”
Following this, many left-leaning commentators accused Scarborough and Brzezinski of “bending the knee” to Trump, with some even suggesting they were “kissing the ring.” Scarborough, defending the meeting, explained that he felt it was his duty to engage with Trump to “provide you insights and better equip all of us to understand these deeply unsettling times.”
ALSO READ| Nikki Haley breaks silence after Trump removes her from new cabinet
“Don’t be mistaken: We’re not here to defend or normalize Donald Trump,” he added.
Sunny Hostin, cohost of The View, also remarked, “I don’t think you need to sit down for ninety minutes at Mar-a-Lago and kiss his ring to be able to speak truth and be able to cover a story.”
