Morning Joe hosts drop Trump charm offensive and have on-screen meltdown over his first acts in office

Morning Joe on Tuesday descended into bitter infighting over Donald Trump’s pardoning of the January 6 rioters.

Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski quickly turned on marketing expert Donny Deutsch for claiming non-MAGA Americans supported the dramatic move.

Deutsch also argued the president’s thumping election win in November meant he has ‘co-opted America’s heartbeat’.

Angry Brzezinski confronted him, leading the show to spiral into a heated argument, as the married hosts firmly asserted that Trump is continuously disregarding established norms.

The couple had repeatedly slammed the president on air since he first ran for office in 2016, branding him a danger to democracy.

However, critics, particularly liberals, criticized them for visiting Mar-a-Lago for a friendly encounter with Trump post-election, causing their reporting to become more lenient in the preceding weeks.

The truce seemed to dissolve on Tuesday following Trump’s induction and his implementation of several executive orders, notably the pardons issued on January 6th.

On the ‘Way Too Early’ segment host Ali Vitali brought up the pardons and Trump making good on his word, telling viewers: ‘Support him or not… this is how it is now.’

Scarborough quickly interjected to claim the election had been close –  ‘1.5 percent’, he said.

Deutsch jumped in, saying: ‘I just want to add one thing to that. We can say that to ourselves, [but Trump] has co-opted America’s heartbeat.’

The claim – made in reference to Trump’s executive order pardoning some 1,500 January 6 defendants – left Brzezinski visibly furious.

She said: ‘Well, if America’s heartbeat is to have hostage families standing behind him, that marketing visual is quite something.’

Her remark appeared to reference Trump’s standing with Israeli relatives of hostages held by Hamas in Gaza at a post-inauguration rally in Washington Monday.

Deutsch said ‘I’m not saying you might not like that. Listen to me…’ before she interrupted to say ‘I’m talking about [January 6]’.

Deutsch continued: ‘People will absorb it because he gives them what they want in other places.’

Shouting at this point, he added he wanted ‘Democrats to learn that you can even get away with things as ridiculous as that if you’re feeding people what they want to hear.’

‘Yeah,’ Brzezinski agreed, at this point accepting the former MSNBC anchor’s olive branch.

But her husband Scarborough did not seem so willing. Speaking of Trump’s promises to pardon those who participated in the rioting, he said: ‘Well, he actually told them.

‘Told them again. He told them what he was going to do.’ ‘He did,’ Brzezinski at this point noted in agreement.

Scarborough, condescendingly speaking from the perspective of conservatives, went on: ‘And he’s providing the bread and the circuses as they said in Roman days.

He said: ‘That entertains them. But underneath that, there are are things that he’s doing breaking one norm after another.’ Brzezinski added: ‘You can’t ignore.’

Deutsch hit back: ‘Nobody’s saying ignore it, I’m saying the opposite, actually.’ Scarborough added: ‘After promising that he was going to break every norm.’

In addition to pardoning January 6 pardons in front of TV cameras, Trump on Tuesday commuted the sentences of eight more.

Previously, he said ‘pardoning the January 6th insurrectionists’ was ‘chief on that list’ of priorities’ – a promise host Vitali pointed out was made ‘with the stroke of a pen’.

Last month the new bosses of the media firm that oversees MSNBC started making it clear they want more Republican voices on the left-wing network.

It came weeks after the CEO is said to have slashed Rachel Maddow’s pay by some $5million, after she agreed to stay with the network for another five years.

You May Also Like
Cubs opening day: Wrigleyville community preparing for Chicago Cubs home opener baseball game at Wrigley Field

“Wrigleyville Gears Up for Chicago Cubs’ Home Opener at Wrigley Field”

CHICAGO (WLS) — The Chicago Cubs finally have their home opener Friday…
Brittany Hill case: Michael Washington, Eric Adams guilty for killing Chicago mother as she held her baby in 2019

Two men found guilty of killing a Chicago mother while she was holding her baby in 2019: Brittany Hill case

CHICAGO (WLS) — Two men were found guilty of killing a mother…
ICE says it deported 174 criminal migrants from Texas, including a man with 39 illegal entries

ICE removes 174 criminal migrants from Texas, including a man with 39 illegal crossings

In Texas, a recent two-week crackdown on illegal immigration led to the…
'Elon Derangement Syndrome' Gets Taken Up a Notch As Leftists Launch Site Targeting Tesla Owners

“DNC Chairman’s Remarks Spark Concerns Over Potential Violence Towards Tesla”

Approaching the three-month mark since the formation of the Department of Government…
Man miraculously walks away after driving truck over cliff into Niagara Falls Gorge

Unbelievable: Driver survives driving truck over cliff into Niagara Falls Gorge

A man miraculously survived after he drove his truck over a cliff…
National Burrito Day 2025: How to score free food from Chipotle, QDOBA, Moe's, and more

How to get free food from Chipotle, QDOBA, Moe’s, and other restaurants on National Burrito Day 2025

Fans nationwide can celebrate National Burrito Day at one of several beloved…
Trump urged to review UN immunity, lax visa rules amid national security concerns

Request for Trump to reassess UN immunity and relaxed visa regulations due to national security worries

An agreement from 1947 that specifies the responsibilities of the United Nations…
Yankees legend Brett Gardner's son's cause of death finally confirmed and case closed after toxicology report

Toxicology Report Confirms Cause of Death for Brett Gardner’s Son

Costa Rican authorities have confirmed once and for all that Brett Gardner’s…
Chicago fire: Multiple injured, rescued in Edgewater high rise fire on Kenmore Avenue

Multiple people injured and rescued in fire at tall building on Kenmore Avenue in Edgewater, Chicago

CHICAGO (WLS) — Multiple people were rescued after a building fire on…
White Lotus star Carrie Coon claps back at Meghan McCain in ugly spat over her support of Trump

Carrie Coon from “White Lotus” responds to Meghan McCain in heated disagreement regarding her endorsement of Trump

The White Lotus star Carrie Coon has clapped back at Meghan McCain amid the…
Rubio arrives in Brussels for NATO talks amid unease over Trump’s agenda

Rubio Visits Brussels for NATO Discussions as Concerns Grow over Trump’s Plans

Secretary of State Marco Rubio and the U.S. ambassador to NATO, Matthew…
Motorcyclist dragged in road rage incident in Southern California caught on video

Video captures road rage incident in Southern California where a motorcyclist is dragged

In Riverside, California, a motorcyclist’s helmet camera captured a frightening incident of…