President Trump used Truth Social to attack Bill Maher and Joe Scarborough, calling their ratings low and predicting Morning Joe would be "dead." Mediaite data show Morning Joe averaged 733,000 viewers in August, a 27% year‑over‑year increase. Scarborough responded on air with humor and urged the president not to watch. The exchange follows announcements about a proposed 24/7 "TrumpTV" and recent White House bans on some news outlets' reporters.
Trump Launches Morning Rant at Bill Maher and Joe Scarborough, Despite Morning Joe’s Ratings Gain
President Donald Trump issued an early-morning thrashing to Bill Maher and Joe Scarborough over their alleged low ratings (Getty)
President Donald Trump used Monday morning posts on Truth Social to attack television hosts Bill Maher and Joe Scarborough, criticizing their ratings and predicting that Morning Joe would soon be "dead." The comments came amid ongoing tensions with Iran and amid historically low approval ratings for the president.
What Trump Said
Trump singled out HBO's Bill Maher and MSNBC's Joe Scarborough. On Truth Social he wrote,
"Bill Maher's ratings are so low that it is hard to believe his show can continue. In many ways it's SAD because, in actuality, I like him. Republicans should stop using him as a sounding board, however. It makes them look sooo weak and foolish!"Maher hosts Real Time with Bill Maher.
Trump then turned to Scarborough:
"Joe Scarborough's show has been cut way back, and will soon be 'dead!' Too predictable and boring! REALLY BAD RATINGS, just like the rest of MSNOW (MSDNC!)."
Context And Ratings
Some Republican figures have used Maher's program as a platform after the host increasingly criticized elements of the political left and progressives. Trump’s criticism of Scarborough and Morning Joe appears at odds with recent audience data: Mediaite reports that Morning Joe averaged 733,000 viewers in August, a 27% year‑over‑year increase, making it the highest-rated morning cable show in the Washington, D.C. market that month.
On-Air Response
Scarborough addressed the president's post live on air during a segment featuring Monty Python legend Eric Idle. After the break, Scarborough joked that he "didn't think this war boring" while holding Idle's book, then pointed out the show's strong local ratings. MSNBC correspondent Jonathan Lemire quipped that he could see the "flickering light of MSDNC through his window," and Scarborough urged the president not to watch: "Please, Mr. President, don't watch our show. It's not good for you. It's not good for America."
Broader Media Feud
Trump's attacks come shortly after the White House announced plans for a 24/7 "TrumpTV" outlet focused on Trump-related content and a little more than a week after certain reporters from CNN, MSNBC and Politico were barred from the White House. The exchanges underscore the continuing, public feud between the president and several cable news figures.
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