MSNBC contributor Jennifer Rubin has sparked controversy by urging viewers to boycott the network’s flagship morning talk show, Morning Joe.
Rubin’s call to action followed co-hosts Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski’s weekend visit with President-elect Donald Trump at his Mar-a-Lago estate.
The visit has drawn ire from critics, given the duo’s history of comparing Trump to Hitler, labeling him a fascist, and harshly criticizing his administration and presidential campaigns.
Rubin, known for her outspoken commentary, expressed her disapproval on Bluesky, writing: “Disgusting.” Later, she elaborated on her frustration, urging viewers to take action.
“The market works great. You can stop watching Morning Joe anytime,” she posted Monday. “If you betray your audience and lose their trust, you will lose viewers. I’ve seen this movie before,” Rubin added.
Despite facing a wave of backlash, Scarborough, a former Republican congressman, and Brzezinski appeared undeterred on their Tuesday broadcast.
Addressing criticism, Scarborough claimed the negative reactions on X (formerly Twitter) did not represent “the real world.” Brzezinski, meanwhile, encouraged viewers to approach the situation with patience, saying, “Take it day by day.”
Scarborough defended the meeting, asserting it was met with widespread approval outside social media. “First of all, thank you to everyone who was so kind last night,” he said, emphasizing a disconnect between online criticism and real-world reactions.
“Yesterday, I saw for the first time what a massive disconnect there was between social media and the real world because we were flooded with phone calls from people all day, literally around the world, all very positive, very supportive, [who said] ‘I understand what you did…’ etcetera.”
Many journalists and commentators were quick to denounce the co-hosts, accusing them of hypocrisy for their sudden willingness to engage with Trump after years of vitriolic criticism.
Former Fox News host and independent journalist Megyn Kelly didn’t hold back, tweeting, “Go f*ck yourselves, you dishonest jokes of faux journalists. What an absurd farce. Which one was insincere? He’s Hitler, or now you’re going to find a way of working with him? Which one was a lie?”
The co-hosts framed their meeting with Trump as an attempt to “restart communications” in a polarized political climate. Scarborough concluded the segment with a hopeful message: “All of us will do the best we can, and we’re all working towards a better America.”
However, critics remain unconvinced, viewing the Mar-a-Lago visit as a betrayal of the audience’s trust and an act of political opportunism.
Whether the controversy will impact Morning Joe’s ratings remains to be seen, but Rubin’s call for a boycott underscores the mounting tension among media personalities navigating Trump’s impending presidency.