The left-leaning MSNBC talk show Morning Joe was pulled from the air Monday (July 15) morning after a 20-year-old man attempted to assassinate former U.S. President Donald Trump this weekend.
According to CNN, MSNBC opted to cancel that morning’s broadcast to avoid any “inappropriate” comments that may be made on the air, according to one source familiar with the decision.
Cesar Conde, the chairman of NBCUniversal News Group, and MSNBC president Rashida Jones reportedly made the decision with Morning Joe co-hosts Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski.
One person who was familiar with the decision claimed they feared a guest “might make an inappropriate comment on live television that could be used to assail the program and network as a whole,” per CNN. The network instead opted to continue airing breaking news coverage of the developing story.
“Given the gravity and complexity of this unfolding story, NBC News, NBC News NOW and MSNBC have remained in rolling breaking news coverage since Saturday evening,” a spokesperson for NBCUniversal News Group said in a statement. “As we continue to cover this story into the week, the networks will continue to cross simulcast, alternating between NBC News, NBC News NOW and ‘MSNBC Reports,’ so there is one news feed covering this developing situation.”
Scarborough and Brzezinski have been openly critical of Trump during the show and have stood in defense of President Joe Biden amid growing calls for him to step down from the race.
The network confirmed Morning Joe will resume airing tomorrow (July 16).
Scarborough spoke out against the attempt on Trump’s life in a social media post on Sunday.
“Political violence has scarred America’s landscape from JFK through January 6th. Republican and Democratic politicians alike have been victims and this violence has caused incalculable harm to America. Thank God President Trump is safe,” he wrote.
His statement continued, “Our family is praying this morning for President Trump, those injured yesterday, and for the loved ones of the American tragically killed. May God grant mercy on them and deliver us from the violent political rhetoric.”
He added, “We should also keep in our prayers Gabby Giffords, Steve Scalise, and Paul Pelosi — who all still suffer from the wounds inflicted upon them by political violence.”
There will likely be much to discuss during Tuesday’s Morning Joe broadcast in light of the show’s sudden cancellation, the assassination attempt and the fact that the Republican National Convention begins today.
Trump reportedly still plans to attend the RNC despite this weekend’s events. He is set to deliver a speech at the RNC on Thursday (July 18).