Scarborough Visits Trump in Florida
Freedom Wire

Scarborough Visits Trump in Florida

MSNBC’s Morning Joe co-hosts Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski, known for their relentless criticism of Donald Trump, surprised viewers on Monday by revealing they had met privately with the president-elect at his Mar-a-Lago estate over the weekend. The sit-down, which Scarborough and Brzezinski described as “personal” and focused on “restarting communications,” has sparked fierce backlash from all sides, particularly among those who’ve seen them as staunch opponents of Trump’s brand of politics.

In an opening statement on Monday’s show, Brzezinski acknowledged the country’s deep divisions and highlighted that, for nearly 80 million Americans, Trump’s re-election represented a prioritization of issues that outweighed past controversies like election denialism and January 6th.

“Joe and I realize it’s time to do something different,” she stated. The meeting was intended to “restart communications” and gauge Trump’s current stance on key issues facing the country, she explained. Trump, they noted, was “cheerful and upbeat” and even expressed an interest in working with Democrats on divisive topics.

For a duo that once equated Trump’s rhetoric to that of “fascist” leaders and blasted him on-air for years, the shift in tone is hard to miss. In the interview published by Fox News Digital on Monday, Trump echoed the cordiality, calling the meeting “extremely cordial” and appreciating the couple’s praise of his “flawless” 2024 campaign. Scarborough added that Trump might govern differently this time since he can’t seek another term, a detail he picked up from a Trump insider.

However, not everyone is buying the narrative of civility and unity. The backlash on social media was swift, with critics accusing Scarborough and Brzezinski of “bending the knee” in what many see as a self-serving move. Republican strategist Scott Jennings went as far as comparing the sit-down to “Hitler getting a lot more meeting requests than I would’ve thought.”

Meanwhile, Byron York of the Washington Examiner called out the pair’s inconsistency, highlighting their past characterization of Trump as a “fascist” and their quick turnabout after his election victory. Others, including columnist Eli Lake, wondered aloud why Trump would even entertain meeting with Scarborough and Brzezinski after their years of criticism.

Some critics see the meeting as less about national unity and more about MSNBC’s need to salvage its tanking ratings. Following CNN’s significant viewership decline and rumors of a potential sale, MSNBC, whose ratings also have dropped sharply, appears to be struggling for relevance in a shifting media landscape. A post on X commented, “Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski didn’t go to Mar-a-Lago to achieve unity with Trump. They went because their network is down 50% viewership and is on the verge of being sold — so they went and kissed the ring.”

Trying to get ahead of the backlash, Scarborough was careful to clarify that the meeting was not an endorsement of Trump’s views. “We are here to report on him and to hopefully provide you insights that are going to better equip all of us in understanding these deeply unsettling times,” he said, suggesting that the meeting was simply to establish communication.

The sit-down marks a peculiar moment in the media’s shifting relationship with Trump. As he prepares to assume office for a second term, Trump himself projected a notably different tone, speaking to Fox News about a new openness to “second and third chances.” While he acknowledged he would draw a line at a “fourth chance,” the message was one of restraint compared to the more combative approach he has historically taken.

Written by [email protected] - November 18, 2024