Former MSNBC host Joy Reid shared her thoughts on Tuesday, suggesting that both coverage of President Donald Trump and the ongoing war in Gaza might have contributed to her unexpected departure from the network.
During an appearance on “The Breakfast Club,” Reid was questioned about the reasons behind her firing from MSNBC back in February. She maintained that the situation wasn’t influenced by ratings, even though the network had seen a significant decline in viewership after the 2024 election.
“We actually had a ratings meeting just two weeks prior to my firing, and we were discussing how the network was actually holding its own—losing less than the competition, in fact,” Reid said.
“So, the ratings were fine. We were doing well. Interestingly, the ratings haven’t improved since I left,” she continued.
Reid noted that reports suggesting she might be on the chopping block had circulated just before her dismissal. Initially, she dismissed these as rumors, but her producer thought they were being overly dramatic about the situation.
“We were left in the dark,” Reid explained. “No one reached out to me. They didn’t say, ‘You’ve done something wrong, you’re in trouble, or you’re on probation.’ The very next morning, it was just, ‘Can I talk to you at noon?’ and I was let go on the spot. There was no explanation—just that they wanted to make some changes. I found myself surrounded by rumors like everyone else.”
Reid then pointed out that there are “two topics” that reportedly made MSNBC management uneasy.
“One of them is Trump, given his tendency to sue everyone,” she said. “There’s this constant fear that comes with him—like, he could threaten your license or something. Everyone seems to be tiptoeing around him to avoid standing out too much.”
As for the second topic, she mentioned the situation in Gaza, asserting that discussing it in a humanizing way regarding Palestinians doesn’t align with typical cable news narratives.
MSNBC hasn’t responded to requests for comments from various media outlets.
Despite her ousting, Reid expressed her determination to remain outspoken about issues like Black Lives Matter, immigration policies, the 1619 Project, and Gaza. “I’m not going to apologize for being passionate about those topics,” she declared. “Because they matter deeply to me.”
