The mainstream media is out to get Donald Trump. They’ll do this by any means necessary.
But MSNBC HQ is on fire after a Leftist host makes a shocking confession about Trump.
In a candid conversation on “The Grill Room” podcast, MSNBC host Jen Psaki peeled back the curtain on the network’s approach to covering President Trump, revealing that its liberal-leaning audience tunes in for commentary that is “typically not going to be positive.” The former Biden press secretary, now a rising star at MSNBC, offered a glimpse into the network’s ethos and her role in its evolving landscape.
Psaki, who joined MSNBC in May 2022 after serving in the White House, explained that the network’s viewers expect a specific perspective. “There’s obviously a rooted value in the kind of … that MSNBC viewers expect of like we’re going to talk about the opposition, and we’re going to talk about what the opposing party is up to, in terms of the Democrats, and we’re going to talk about future leaders and things,” she said to Dylan Byers.
“And we’re also going to talk about Trump, and it’s typically not going to be positive. I don’t think anybody watching expects it to be positive, right? There’s not like a North Star thing written on a card, and everybody does it slightly differently, but I think that’s fairly the vibe.”
While Psaki has occasionally welcomed Republican voices on her show, she emphasized that she’s never faced pressure from network leadership to court conservative viewers. “I have not experienced this like, ‘You have to move to the center, you have to have Republicans on, you have to be more moderate, you can’t say that thing,’” she said.
Instead, each program at MSNBC operates with its own distinct flavor, united by a shared sensibility. “What’s unique is that every show kind of has a bit of a North Star, but the vibe is, kind of, under the same umbrella,” she added.
Psaki’s remarks come amid a seismic shakeup at MSNBC, spearheaded by new president Rebecca Kutler, whom Psaki praised as a “big advocate” for her program. The network recently announced a reshuffling of its primetime lineup, with Psaki stepping into the 9 p.m. slot on Thursdays and Fridays, replacing Alex Wagner starting in two weeks.
Wagner will transition to a senior political analyst role. The overhaul also affects shows hosted by Ayman Mohyeldin, Jonathan Capehart, Katie Phang, and Jose Diaz-Balart, while anchor Joy Reid, known for her sharp critiques of Trump, has been let go.
In a bold move, “The Rachel Maddow Show” will scale back from four nights to airing only on Mondays.
Dylan Byers challenged Psaki on whether MSNBC risks being merely “a scream pillow for the left,” citing Rachel Maddow’s influence in shaping the network’s narrative at the peak of her career. Psaki was quick to defend Maddow’s singular impact.
“First of all, there is only one Rachel Maddow,” she said, noting Maddow’s focus on galvanizing viewers during Trump’s first 100 days in office.
“One of the things that she’s talked about internally, and probably publicly, too, we can’t project fear upon the audience. People are scared at home, you have to give them some sense of what else is also happening.”
Psaki’s own journey at MSNBC has been marked by high-profile moments. After President Biden’s faltering debate performance against Trump in June, Psaki publicly questioned her former boss’s mental sharpness, a critique that stirred headlines.
When Biden announced he would not seek re-election in 2024, Psaki broke the news to viewers during her broadcast, sharing her personal concern for the 82-year-old leader she once served.
Looking to the future, Psaki sees the Democratic Party at a crossroads. “What is clear is that things shouldn’t be done how they were done in the past,” she said, acknowledging the absence of a definitive party leader.
“I think that makes for an interesting conversation, much more information than when the party is in charge of everything.”
As MSNBC navigates its transformation, Psaki’s expanded role signals a new chapter for the network. But who knows if it will actually pay off for MSNBC.
If they continue to peddle their radical Leftist takes, it’s likely that their viewership will decline.
Stay tuned to The Federalist Wire.
