-MSNBC hosts Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski, known for being critical of President-elect Donald Trump, recently went to his Florida home, Mar-a-Lago, to meet with him. They said the purpose of the meeting was to improve communication for their viewers on their morning show, “Morning Joe.”
The meeting happened just two weeks after the election, and not everyone was happy about it. Some fans and critics of the show felt upset because Scarborough and Brzezinski had been so harsh toward Trump in the past. For example, in September, Scarborough compared Trump to Hitler. MSNBC even took the show off the air for a day after a serious incident involving Trump last summer.
On their Monday show, the hosts explained that they had reached out to Trump last Thursday and met him the next day. “It was the first time we’d seen him in seven years,” Brzezinski said. She described Trump as “cheerful and optimistic” even though they discussed issues where they disagreed.
“We agreed to restart communications,” Brzezinski said. She compared the meeting to how her father, a former national security adviser, would talk to world leaders he didn’t agree with. She felt it was their job as journalists to do the same.
When asked why they would meet Trump during such a tense time, Brzezinski said, “Why not us?”
Trump confirmed the meeting in an interview with Fox News, saying, “I appreciated that they wanted open communication. It’s a shame this didn’t happen earlier.”
Not everyone was supportive. On The View, co-host Sunny Hostin said journalists don’t need to visit Mar-a-Lago to do their job, calling it unnecessary. Another co-host, Alyssa Farah Griffin, said she appreciated the MSNBC hosts for recognizing how many people supported Trump.
Critics online also voiced strong opinions. Journalism expert Jeff Jarvis called the meeting “a disgusting display of obedience.” Conservative talk show host Buck Sexton said it showed “complete surrender” to Trump, and cable news veteran Greta Van Susteren called it “crawling.”
“Morning Joe,” like other MSNBC shows, has seen its ratings drop since the election. This often happens after elections when viewers supporting the losing side take a break, though many return later.
Scarborough addressed possible backlash, saying, “Don’t get me wrong. We are not here to defend or normalize Donald Trump. We’re here to report on him and share information with you.”
In his interview with Fox News, Trump said it’s important for him to stay open to the press but warned, “If we are not treated fairly, this will end.”