In the wake of a shocking assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump over the weekend, MSNBC and Comedy Central have made the decision to pull their flagship morning shows from the lineup on Monday.
According to reports, Trump was struck by a bullet in the right ear during an outdoor campaign rally in Pennsylvania on Saturday evening. The former president was rushed from the stage by Secret Service agents and treated at a nearby hospital for minor injuries. Tragically, one rally-goer was killed and two others were critically injured in the attack. The shooter, identified as 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks, was shot and killed by snipers positioned outside the event’s security perimeter.
Both Trump and current President Joe Biden called for “unity” following the assassination attempt, with Biden delivering a rare address from the Oval Office on Sunday night urging all sides to “lower the temperature” of the political discourse.
In response to the gravity of the situation, MSNBC has cancelled Monday’s edition of its popular morning show “Morning Joe”, hosted by Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski. The network cited concerns that guests could make insensitive comments in the aftermath of the shooting.
“Given the gravity and complexity of this unfolding story, NBC News, NBC News NOW and MSNBC have remained in rolling breaking news coverage since Saturday evening,” an NBCUniversal News Group spokesperson said. “As we continue to cover this story into the week, the networks will continue to cross simulcast, alternating between NBC News, NBC News NOW and ‘MSNBC Reports,’ so there is one news feed covering this developing situation.”
Comedy Central has also pulled Monday’s edition of “The Daily Show” hosted by Jon Stewart. The program had been expected to broadcast live from the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee this week, where Trump was set to formally accept the GOP nomination. However, the network cited “logistical issues and the evolving situation in Milwaukee” as the reason for rescheduling their convention coverage.
In a post on social media, “The Daily Show” account said the program would return on Tuesday from the New York studio.
The decision to suspend these high-profile political commentary shows underscores the gravity of the situation and the networks’ efforts to responsibly cover the aftermath of the shocking attack on the former president. As the nation grapples with this unsettling event, the hope is that cooler heads will prevail and the political temperature can be lowered in the days and weeks ahead.