Joy Reid’s Controversial Remarks on Founding Fathers Resurface
On Sunday, former MSNBC host Joy Reid found herself back in the spotlight, this time for her intense criticism of the Founding Fathers, whom she accused of committing genocide against indigenous peoples.
Reid was let go from MSNBC earlier this year during a lineup overhaul, shortly after Comcast revealed plans to separate its various news and entertainment channels, including MSNBC, amidst a significant drop in ratings—over 50%—following Kamala Harris’s loss in the recent 2024 election. The network transformed its brand to MSNOW in November.
In her remarks, Reid suggested that the Founding Fathers exhibited a sense of “entitlement” and even seemed to align themselves with King George III during the American Revolution.
“This country was founded by murderers who massacred 90 percent of Native Americans,” she stated. “The leeches hated the native people who instructed them on how to survive; then they turned on them, taking their land. And while discussing rights, they felt entitled to own others, refusing to pay taxes, and ultimately waging war against the British.”
Reid is known for making controversial statements, often aimed at conservatives during her time at MSNBC. For instance, on November 5, 2024, she criticized “white women” for not supporting Harris. She noted, “If they don’t hit the numbers and essentially outscore Joe Biden in the suburbs, I think they have to be honest about why. Black voters supported Kamala Harris, but white women did not.”
Furthermore, during a Substack livestream, Reid unleashed a tirade against former President Donald Trump, labeling him “the physical embodiment of all of America’s sins.”
Reid also featured Democratic Congressman Ilhan Omar on her show, where Omar asserted that the Somali nationals involved in a fraud scheme, which cost Minnesota taxpayer programs over $1 billion, have not left the country.
Additionally, in January, Reid permitted former Georgia Democratic gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams to label Vice President J.D. Vance a “DEI graduate.” Despite her outspoken commentary, Reid’s prime-time ratings on the network have been low, averaging 922,000 viewers, compared to 973,000 for fellow MSNBC host Chris Hayes as of February 19, 2025.
