Corporate Media’s Struggles with Trump
Corporate media has had a complicated relationship with President Donald Trump, often seeming to hurt themselves in the process.
From canceling hosts after anti-Trump comments to amplifying memes while misrepresenting economic issues, media outlets have continually attempted to undermine Trump. Yet, each effort seems to reveal bias, diminish their credibility, and unintentionally bolster Trump’s position.
1. MSNBC Alters Primetime Lineup Following Host’s Targeting of Trump
In February, MSNBC revamped its Primetime programming after facing backlash over a host’s frequent criticisms of Trump. Joy Reid’s show, “The Reidout,” which aired at 7 PM, was canceled and replaced by a new panel show featuring Symone Sanders-Townsend, Michael Steele, and Alicia Menendez.
This programming change coincided with other lineup shifts, including Alex Wagner’s show being replaced. Reid attracted criticism for her frequent attacks on conservatives and white Americans. In her emotional farewell, she asserted that her program offered “value” to MSNBC. Even post-firing, she continued to critique Trump. In her final broadcast, she stated, “fascism is already here.”
“Sorry,” Reid expressed. “What I was doing was worth it. And ultimately, I try not to cry on TV. This is like me, this is like me, this is like me on TV…”
2. Media Reacts to Trump’s “Daddy” Meme
The media had a field day with the “daddy” meme related to Trump, which gained traction after NATO Executive Director Mark Latte referred to Trump as “daddy” during a press conference. His comment about Trump needing to use strong language amid the Israeli-Iran conflict quickly went viral.
Late-night hosts like Seth Meyers and Stephen Colbert jumped on the opportunity, with Meyers sarcastically questioning the reference to Trump as “Dad.” Colbert joined in, using the moment to take jabs at Trump’s actions.
Rather than dismiss the nickname, the White House leaned into it, releasing a video titled “Daddy’s House,” featuring Trump footage set to Usher’s “Hey Daddy (Daddy’s Home).” This further fueled the meme’s popularity.
3. Media Blames Trump for Rising Egg Prices, But Prices Drop
Media outlets seemed to pin the blame on Trump for rising egg prices, but they soon plummeted. Egg prices, which had peaked at about $8 per dozen, fell dramatically after Trump took office. On his inauguration day, the average egg price was $6.41, dropping to $2.57 by the end of that weekend.
Despite initial complaints from the media about high egg costs, the situation changed rather quickly, causing them to backtrack. Reports indicated that prices fell significantly—indeed, reflecting a trend contrary to earlier claims.
Associated Press reported that Democrats had viewed the rising egg prices as a potential opportunity for political leverage, citing expected price increases in 2025.
By June 2025, egg prices had dropped notably from their peaks, countering the earlier claims from media outlets that tied Trump to escalating costs.
4. MSNBC Faces Major Ratings Decline Post-Trump Victory
MSNBC has struggled recently, suffering a 53% decline in ratings since Trump’s victory over former Vice President Kamala Harris. This downturn was worsened by major announcements from prominent hosts Joe Scarborough and Mika Brezinski.
Comcast has even indicated plans to separate MSNBC and CNBC, suggesting further devaluation of both channels. Despite efforts to revive programming following Reid’s departure in February 2025, viewership remains low.
Additionally, network evaluations show a 46% drop in viewership, indicating that recent programming changes have yet to yield significant improvements.
5. Premature Media Reports on Iran’s Attacks
Mainstream media released updates following recent U.S. airstrikes on Iranian nuclear facilities, suggesting that the attacks failed to eliminate essential components of Iran’s nuclear program. Experts cited that the bombing caused limited damage and might not impact Iran’s progress significantly.
Trump criticized CNN and MSNBC for their coverage, labeling them “gutless losers.” Meanwhile, various intelligence agencies, including the Defense Intelligence Agency and even Iranian sources, suggested that the strikes had a considerable impact on Iran’s nuclear ambitions.
Steve Witkov, a U.S. special mission officer in the Middle East, noted the difficulties Iran might face in revitalizing its nuclear program post-strike.
“I can’t think of it,” Witkov remarked, describing the complexities involved in resuming nuclear operations after such attacks.
