NBC has swiftly reversed course on hiring former Republican National Committee chair Ronna McDaniel as a paid contributor, dropping her from the role after facing intense backlash and criticism from the network’s on-air talent.
In an internal email obtained by NPR, NBC News chairman Cesar Conde informed staff that McDaniel’s recently announced position had been terminated, stating “it has become clear that this appointment undermines” the goal of maintaining a “cohesive and aligned” newsroom.
“I want to personally apologize to our team members who felt we let them down,” Conde wrote, taking “full responsibility” for approving the controversial hire initially.
The decision to bring on McDaniel, who had just stepped down from the RNC two weeks prior, was immediately met with skepticism and on-air condemnation from some of NBC’s biggest names.
Chief political analyst Chuck Todd blasted the move while appearing on Meet the Press Sunday, saying McDaniel has “credibility issues” and that NBC owed an apology to host Kristen Welker for having her interview McDaniel on the program before the hire was made public.
Rachel Maddow was also forceful in her criticism on her primetime show Monday night, telling viewers
“I find the decision to put her on the payroll inexplicable and I hope [NBC] will reconsider that decision.”
Ronna McDaniel, who has promoted claims that the 2020 election was “rigged” against Donald Trump, was reportedly set to earn $300,000 per year as an NBC contributor after serving as RNC chair since 2017.
However, she quickly shifted her stance when pressed by Welker over the weekend, stating “Biden won. He’s the legitimate president. Fair and square.”
Ultimately, the blowback from NBC’s own journalists appears to have been too much for the network to withstand regarding McDaniel’s credibility given her history of amplifying Trump’s lies about the 2020 election.
By swiftly cutting ties before Ronna McDaniel could even begin in the role, NBC has opted to avoid any further internal turmoil and preserve its newsroom’s journalistic integrity, even if at the cost of an embarrassing hire-and-fire reversal.
