MSNBC's 'Morning Joe' Hosts Battle to Defend Secret Trump Talks at Mar-a-Lago — With Fierce Backlash From Both Liberals AND Right-Wingers
Joe Scarborough and co-anchor Mika Brzezinsk met up with Donald Trump at his Mar-a-Lago estate.
Nov. 19 2024, Updated 4:21 p.m. ET
The stars of Morning Joe have defended their meeting with President-Elect Donald Trump after being slammed by both liberals and right-wingers.
RadarOnline.com can reveal the MSNBC show's hosts Joe Scarborough, 61, and Mika Brzezinsk, 57, received a backlash for visiting Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate, in a bid "restart communications" between them.
Brzezinsk and Scarborough received a backlash from liberals and right-wingers.
But the hosts dismissed the criticism saying it just proves there is a "massive disconnect" between "social media and the real world" after they were accused of chasing "ratings".
Scarborough said: "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, 'I understand what you did…'
"But once in a while I would get a text or call from someone going, 'Oh, man, I hope you're doing okay.' I would call them back... I'd go: 'Are you on Twitter?' And he goes, 'I am.' I'd go 'Well I'm not so we've had a good day.'
"All of us will do the best we can do and we're all working towards a better America."
Trump was eager to meet the pair despite their historic criticisms.
The View's Ana Navarro, 52, was one of the media figures who attacked the pair's weekend visit during an on-air tirade.
The political strategist tore into the married MSNBC anchors over their trip to see Trump, calling it "opportunistic" during her rant. She asked whether the two had "change(d) their stripes" because of "who's in power."
On the MAGA side, Megyn Kelly, 54, also went after Scarborough and Brzezinski, telling them to go "f--k themselves."
The Morning Joe hosts have been accused of chasing ratings.
She said: "Go f--k yourselves, you dishonest jokes of faux journalists," reminding her audience the Morning Joe hosts initially supported Trump's bid for president in 2016.
She added: "It is nauseating, it's so stomach-turning. They're so disgusting."
Kelly then claimed Scarborough stopped supporting Trump after he "found out he was not gonna be the vice presidential running mate."
The former Fox News and NBC News star said: "He had been rejected for that position and they turned, they turned on Trump because access to power is everything to that small, little man."
Trump had his own high-profile meeting with Joe Biden at White House.
Former Republican candidate for president Nikki Haley, 52, said: "Let's be clear, Joe and Mika didn't suddenly see the light, they saw their ratings. They realized they needed Trump for their survival."
Amid the backlash, Morning Joe staffers have insisted the Florida meeting was "f---ing worth it."
Trump, on his part, told Fox News he tiook the meeting because in order to "Make America Great Again, it is very important, if not vital, to have a free, fair and open media or press."
The business mogul, 78, and the Morning Joe stars have had a contentious relationship since the Republican entered politics — with Scarborough leaving the Republican party as a result.
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During the 2024 election, Morning Joe repeatedly denounced Trump as a racist, sexist, fascist, and told viewers he did not deserve to be president.
At one point, Scarborough said Trump was acting "full-on Hitler" and Brzezinski condemned him for echoing the "dangerous language of infamous fascist leaders."
Brzezinski said on Monday they decided to reach out to Trump for "the opportunity to speak with the President-elect, himself" because their viewers and "regular citizens" have expressed fear following Trump's election and his recent cabinet selections.
Scarborough continued, saying the three "talked about a lot of issues, including abortion, mass deportation, threats of political retribution against political opponents and media outlets."
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