Ronna McDaniel, the previous leader of the Republican National Committee (RNC), was removed by NBC News as a paid commentator due to strong objections from the network’s staff regarding her hiring.
Cesar Conde, the Chair of NBCU News Group, announced the decision to part ways with Daniels. The announcement was made in a memo obtained by The Hill on Tuesday, following Daniels’ debut appearance on the network last Sunday.
Conde wrote, “Success for any organization, especially a newsroom, requires unity and alignment. It has become evident in recent days that this appointment undermines that objective.”
Both McDaniel and the network had been criticized by some of the network’s prominent figures for her remarks and involvement in former President Trump’s attempts to overturn the outcome of the 2020 election.
Puck, an online news outlet, initially reported the network’s intention to sever ties with McDaniel, while Axios reported on Tuesday that she was considering legal action in case the network terminated her contract.
NBC News faced harsh criticism when it revealed its decision last week to hire McDaniel as a paid commentator to provide political analysis, a role that was set to pay her a reported six-figure salary annually.
By Sunday, the backlash against the decision had escalated, with former “Meet The Press” host Chuck Todd publicly criticizing the network for hiring McDaniel. He cited her “credibility issues” and accused her of “gaslighting” journalists during her tenure as head of the RNC.
The criticism continued into Monday, with several prominent hosts on NBC’s left-leaning sister network MSNBC using their shows to condemn the decision and accuse the network of providing a platform for election deniers, stating that they would not invite McDaniel to appear on their programs.
Rachel Maddow, one of the network’s most popular prime-time hosts, described McDaniel’s hiring as “inexplicable” on Monday evening and urged her network to sever ties with the Republican.
Maddow stated, “Take a moment to admit that perhaps it was not the right decision. It is a display of strength, not weakness, to acknowledge when you are mistaken. And right now, our country needs us to be strong.”
During a heated interview with moderator Kristen Welker that aired on Sunday, McDaniel acknowledged Trump’s loss in the 2020 election but maintained her belief that there were legitimate concerns with the 2020 vote.
A source at the network informed The Hill this week that there was unanimous support from the network’s leadership for McDaniel’s hiring.
Conde expressed in his memo on Tuesday, “I want to personally apologize to our team members who felt let down. While this was a collective recommendation by some members of our leadership team, I approved it and take full responsibility for it.”
It has become common for former national political operatives and press secretaries to secure lucrative and high-profile contributor contracts with major news networks after leaving government.
However, McDaniel’s hiring proved to be a step too far for a vocal group of the on-air talent at NBC.
Todd wrote on social media on Monday that the issue isn't about ideology, but about simple truth. He added that those who attempt to turn this into a left-versus-right matter are being purposely dishonest. The real concern is whether honest journalists should lend their credibility to someone who deliberately sought to damage theirs.
Conde explained in his memo that they initially hired McDaniel because they are strongly dedicated to presenting their audiences with a wide range of viewpoints and experiences, especially during these critical times.
He also stated that they are still committed to the idea of having diverse viewpoints on their programs, and they will therefore make extra efforts to find voices that represent different parts of the political spectrum.
This story was updated at 6:37 p.m.
