By Charles Switzer
7:00am PDT, Mar 9, 2025
Trump Demands MSNBC Hosts Resign Over Criticism of Cancer Survivor Honor
President
Donald Trump lashed out at MSNBC's
Nicolle Wallace and
Rachel Maddow on Thursday, March 6, calling for their resignations after they criticized his decision to make a 13-year-old cancer survivor an honorary Secret Service agent.
Speaking from the Oval Office, Trump dismissed the network as "MS-DNC" and claimed it had "lost all credibility." The president also targeted Maddow specifically, questioning her salary and viewership. "Nobody watches her anyway," he scoffed.
His outrage stemmed from comments the hosts made on-air after his joint address to Congress, where he honored
DJ Daniel, a teenage brain cancer survivor, by naming him an honorary Secret Service agent.
Here's how the "heated" back and forth went down.
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Wallace and Maddow Accuse Trump of Exploiting Cancer Survivor
During their broadcasts, Wallace and Maddow accused Trump of politicizing Daniel's cancer battle and using him as a spectacle. Maddow claimed the moment was staged to divert attention from Trump's Department of Government Efficiency
(DOGE) cuts, which she argued had reduced funding for pediatric cancer research.
"This was in the midst of him praising DOGE," she said. "The DOGE cuts, among other things, have cut off funding for ongoing research into pediatric cancer."
Wallace, meanwhile, framed the situation as a grim irony, noting that Daniel may have benefited from cancer research funding that Trump has slashed. She also drew a controversial parallel to the January 6 riots, suggesting she hoped Daniel would never have to "defend the United States Capitol against Donald Trump's supporters."
Conservative Commentators Lash Out at MSNBC Hosts
Wallace's comments, particularly her reference to January 6, sparked an intense backlash from conservative media figures. Turning Point USA founder
Charlie Kirk labeled her remarks "genuinely the most repulsive comment I've heard in a very long time from anyone on television."
Megyn Kelly's executive producer
Steve Krakauer called it the "most odious thing" he had ever heard on cable news, while right-wing commentator
Ian Miles Cheong described Wallace as "unhinged."
Former Georgia state representative
Vernon Jones took it further, calling Wallace a "liberal racist piece of s***" and urging MSNBC to fire her immediately.
Many on social media echoed these sentiments, with conservative influencers branding Wallace as "deranged" and "depraved."
MSNBC Stands By Hosts as White House Calls for Accountability
Despite the uproar, MSNBC has not indicated any plans to reprimand Wallace or Maddow. The network has stood by its hosts in past controversies, and this instance appears to be no different.
Meanwhile, White House officials doubled down on Trump's call for resignations. Press Secretary
Karoline Leavitt told reporters that Wallace and Maddow's comments were "beyond the pale" and that "anyone with a basic sense of decency would apologize for attacking a child who just survived cancer."
She observed, "President Trump is standing up for DJ Daniel and his family, while MSNBC is choosing to stand by its disgraceful hosts."
Trump Rides Momentum from Controversy, Targets Media Bias
Trump has long positioned himself as a warrior against the mainstream media, and this latest controversy plays directly into his narrative of fighting against "fake news."
His attack on MSNBC follows years of escalating rhetoric against the network, which he has frequently accused of spreading lies about his administration.
