MSNBC suspends morning show after Trump assassination attempt

Broadcaster temporarily takes “Morning Joe” off the air to limit anti-Trump comments

MSNBC kept its flagship show on Monday Good morning, Joe According to CNN, the show was canceled to avoid “inappropriate” comments about Donald Trump on the progressive show after an assassination attempt on the presumed Republican candidate on Saturday.

“(The decision) was made to avoid a scenario in which one of the show’s more than two dozen guests could make an inappropriate comment on live television that could be used to attack the program and the network as a whole,” a person familiar with the internal deliberations told CNN.

The suspension of the station’s most influential political discussion panel caused a stir given the intensified news situation in the run-up to the Republican Party Convention. Good morning, Joereportedly one of President Joe Biden’s favorite shows, is hosted by prominent Trump critics Joe Scarborough, Mika Brzezinski and Willie Geist, all of whom earn millions of dollars annually for their hosting roles.

Scarborough said in September that it was “not an exaggeration” to compare Trump to Adolf Hitler “without any hesitation.”

“Do I think Donald Trump could be allowed to line people up against a wall and shoot them? No, he would certainly be happy to do that,” Scarborough continued. “I know him. And I’ve known him for a long time. And we can see that. He would be happy to do it, but he won’t be allowed to do it.”

According to a former NBCUniversal executive, Scarborough reportedly receives more than $20 million a year.

Good morning, Joe Panelist Mike Barnicle in March compared the need to stop Trump to defeating Hitler and saving Europe in World War II.

MSNBC said in a statement on Monday that “given the severity and complexity of this developing story, NBC News, NBC News NOW and MSNBC have been providing continuous breaking news coverage since Saturday evening,” referring to Saturday’s shooting at Trump’s campaign rally in Pennsylvania, which left the former president with a bloody ear, one rally attendee dead and two others injured.

The broadcaster denied CNN’s reporting and said the show would continue on Tuesday morning.

“I am stunned,” said veteran TV host Roland Martin on X. “(MSNBC) has canceled its most important morning show (Good morning, Joe) today, on the first day of the Republican National Convention. I’m sure (Scarborough), (Brzezinski) and their people are stunned by this decision.”