Trump Declares War on MSNBC, Suggests Network Should Be Shut Down

In yet another fiery statement on his social media platform, Truth Social, President Donald Trump has called for MSNBC to be shuttered, branding the network as a “danger to America.” This marks the latest escalation in his ongoing feud with left-leaning media outlets.

Trump’s rant came amidst reports of CNN facing significant layoffs due to declining ratings. In his post, Trump took the opportunity to single out MSNBC, writing, “MSDNC is even worse than CNN. They shouldn’t have a right to broadcast — Only in America!” The phrase “MSDNC” is a jab, merging MSNBC and the Democratic National Committee, a term Trump has used frequently to accuse the network of liberal bias.

]Trump’s history with MSNBC is long and contentious. Once a frequent guest on “Morning Joe” during his 2016 campaign, his relationship with co-hosts Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski soured dramatically. Scarborough and Brzezinski have criticized Trump for various actions, including his controversial pardons of over 1,500 individuals involved in the January 6 Capitol riots. Despite attempts at reconciliation, including a reported meeting in Florida post-election, tensions remain high.

“Joe and Mika used to call me all the time, begging for stories,” Trump said during a rally last month. “Now they’re just bitter.”

MSNBC has recently regained traction, climbing to the third most-watched cable network in early January. The return of Rachel Maddow to a nightly schedule during the first 100 days of Trump’s presidency is seen as a strategic move to bolster viewership. Maddow, a long-standing Trump critic, has called his presidency “a defining test of American democracy.”

When asked for comment, an MSNBC spokesperson declined but directed inquiries to Maddow’s recent broadcast, where she called Trump’s rhetoric “a distraction from his lack of governance.”

Trump’s MSNBC attack comes just months after filing a $10 billion lawsuit against CBS over a “60 Minutes” interview with Vice President Kamala Harris. Trump alleges the network edited Harris’s comments on Israel to “mislead the public” and has accused CBS of “election interference.”

“What they did was not journalism; it was fraud,” Trump claimed at a December rally.

CBS has defended the edits, citing time constraints, and released the unedited footage online. The network’s parent company, Paramount, is reportedly considering a settlement as it navigates a potential merger with Skydance Media. Insiders suggest the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), led by Trump appointee Brendan Carr, may complicate approval if the lawsuit isn’t resolved.

Trump’s suggestion that MSNBC “shouldn’t have the right to broadcast” raises questions about press freedoms. Critics argue such rhetoric undermines democratic principles, while supporters claim the media’s alleged bias warrants closer scrutiny.

“The mainstream media’s unchecked power is a threat,” said Senator Josh Hawley (R-MO) in a recent interview. “The president’s frustrations reflect the concerns of millions of Americans.”

As Trump’s administration ramps up scrutiny of media outlets, the battle lines are drawn. Whether his lawsuits and public criticism will lead to tangible consequences for networks like MSNBC remains uncertain. For now, the rhetoric ensures one thing: the spotlight remains squarely on Trump’s combative relationship with the press.

The question looms: will this war of words escalate into a broader conflict over media freedom in the United States?