MSNBC "Morning Joe" co-host Mika Brzezinski defended her controversial meeting with President-elect Donald Trump at Mar-a-Lago, addressing mounting criticism from viewers and media figures during an appearance on The Daily Beast Podcast on Wednesday.
"I've been surprised at the backlash, and the way I look at it is, people are really scared," Brzezinski told podcast hosts Samantha Bee and Joanna Coles. "It's one of the reasons we went in there, is people are really scared about Donald Trump's comments about political adversaries, a lot of people are scared because of what has happened with abortion."
Addressing concerns about journalistic boundaries, Brzezinski revealed that the meeting was conducted on background, emphasizing her commitment to transparency within those constraints. She pushed back against a reporter's suggestion about requiring "guardrails" for such meetings, questioning the basis for such assumptions about the interaction.
The revelation of the meeting has reportedly impacted the show's viewership numbers, with ratings declining in the days following the announcement. Some reports suggest the co-hosts' decision to meet with Trump was influenced by concerns about potential retribution for their past criticisms, which included characterizing him as a fascist and authoritarian threat.
The summit has drawn sharp rebukes from across the political spectrum. Liberal critics have labeled it a betrayal of viewers, while conservative commentators suggest it undermines the hosts' previous strong rhetoric against Trump. Some media observers, however, have defended the meeting as a legitimate journalistic endeavor.
Brzezinski specifically addressed Trump's past personal attacks, including his controversial tweet about her appearance. "Do I really not go in there because he tweeted about me bleeding badly from the face lift at Mar-a-Lago, I don't know, eight, nine years ago? I mean, we haven't talked in seven years," she said, adding, "I don't regret anything I've said during the campaign, and I stand by it. But I'm also looking at how to do things differently."
The backlash has extended beyond social media, with fellow MSNBC staff members expressing displeasure over the meeting. Notable media figures, including The View co-host Sunny Hostin and The Daily Show host Jon Stewart, have publicly criticized the summit, with Hostin suggesting the hosts "kissed Trump's ring" at Mar-a-Lago.
Scarborough has defended the meeting against critics, pointing to what he describes as a "massive disconnect" between social media reactions and real-world feedback, claiming they have received substantial positive response as well. The program, which counts President Joe Biden among its regular viewers and maintains close ties with the co-hosts, continues to face calls for boycotts from prominent media figures.
