NBC News has decided to drop former Republican National Committee chair Ronna McDaniel from her role as a paid contributor, just days after her hiring was announced. This decision came after objections from NBC and MSNBC journalists, including Joe Scarborough, Jen Psaki, Nicolle Wallace, and Rachel Maddow. NBCUniversal Group chairman Cesar Conde sent an email to staff on Tuesday announcing the decision, stating that he took full responsibility for it and apologizing to those who felt let down by the initial hiring of McDaniel.
McDaniel’s hiring was announced on Friday, following her stepping down as head of the RNC. However, network hosts and personalities expressed their concerns on-air about the decision to hire McDaniel, urging the network to reconsider. Wallace specifically mentioned that McDaniel’s hiring sent a message to 2020 election deniers that they could express their views as employees of NBC News. Maddow also criticized the decision, stating that it was inexplicable and expressing hope that NBC News would reverse their choice.
During her time as RNC leader, McDaniel defended former President Donald Trump’s efforts to challenge the results of the 2020 election. She also defended a call in November 2020 where she and Trump reportedly urged GOP canvassers in Michigan to not certify the state’s election results. McDaniel’s tenure as RNC chair began in 2017, the year Trump took office. She eventually stepped down to make way for Trump’s hand-picked team to take over the RNC, including Michael Whatley as national chairman and Lara Trump as co-chair. McDaniel’s favor among Trump allies decreased as she was blamed for GOP losses in recent elections, leading to layoffs at the RNC.
The new leadership at the RNC, selected by Trump, aimed to streamline the organization and eliminate redundancies between the campaign and the RNC. This restructuring led to over 60 staffers being laid off, as the RNC tried to adjust to the changing political landscape. McDaniel’s views on the 2020 election results and her defense of Trump’s actions during that time likely played a role in the objections raised by NBC and MSNBC journalists, ultimately leading to her being dropped as a contributor. The decision to remove McDaniel highlights the importance of journalistic integrity and the need for news organizations to carefully consider the implications of hiring controversial figures.
