President Donald Trump called for the resignation of MSNBC hosts Nicolle Wallace and Rachel Maddow on Thursday, March 6, 2025, criticizing them for comments made about a teenage cancer survivor and lambasting the network for its declining ratings.
Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office, Trump specifically targeted Wallace for remarks she made about DJ (Devarjaye) Daniel, a 13-year-old cancer survivor whom Trump honored with an honorary Secret Service badge during Tuesday’s joint session of Congress.
“Frankly, what Nicolle Wallace said — I’ve never been a fan of hers, and she’s not very talented — but I’ll tell you, what she said the other day about that young man is disgraceful. She should be forced to resign,” Trump said.
The controversy stems from comments Wallace made on her “Deadline: White House” show about the young cancer survivor. Wallace said she hopes Daniels “never has to defend the United States Capitol against Donald Trump’s supporters, and if he does, I hope he isn’t one of the six who loses his life to suicide.”
Trump extended his criticism to Rachel Maddow, asserting that “Rachel Maddow should be forced to resign. Nobody watches her anyway. I don’t know if — it’s not possible they pay her as much money as I hear — but certainly she’s lost all credibility.”
The president described MSNBC as “MS-DNC” and claimed the network is performing “worse than CNN” and has “lost such credibility.” Trump added that “very few people watch them anymore,” pointing to the network’s declining viewership.
“Both of them. But what they said the other day, they should be forced to resign, about that young person who is suffering,” Trump continued.
Wallace’s comments about Daniels sparked widespread backlash beyond the White House. Former co-host Meghan McCain called the remarks “a new low,” according to reporting from the Daily Mail. Wallace has reportedly seen a 35% drop in viewership for her show “Deadline: White House” over the past year, while Fox News programming in the same timeslot has tripled MSNBC’s numbers.
The White House also criticized the MSNBC hosts more broadly, accusing them of using a cancer survivor as a political weapon against the president. In addition to Wallace’s comments, Maddow reportedly described Trump’s honoring of Daniels as “disgusting.” She accused the president of turning the boy’s illness into a display, as though he himself played a role in the child’s recovery.
MSNBC has declined to comment on Trump’s demands for the hosts’ resignations.
The controversy comes amid significant restructuring at MSNBC. Former network president Rashida Jones stepped down in January after four years leading the cable news network. Rebecca Kutler, previously the senior vice president of content strategy, has been named interim president and has been implementing significant changes to programming.
Kutler’s changes include canceling several shows, including “The ReidOut” with Joy Reid and “Alex Wagner Tonight.” Other canceled programs include “The Katie Phang Show,” “Ayman with Ayman Mohyeldin,” and “José Díaz-Balart Reports.”
Rachel Maddow’s show is also undergoing changes, with the majority of employees who produce her prime-time show being laid off. Maddow will retain her executive producer and some senior producers, but the rest of her team has been given the option to claim severance or reapply for new roles. Maddow has criticized the network’s treatment of its staff, calling it “unnerving” to see two non-white hosts in prime time losing their shows.
These changes at MSNBC come as the network faces significant business challenges. Industry analysts estimate a 10.5% decline in subscribers between 2023 and 2025. To address this, Kutler plans to build an independent newsgathering apparatus, launch a separate MSNBC Washington bureau, and add new international and domestic correspondents.
The network has also seen significant viewer erosion following Trump’s return to the White House. Kutler is seeking to bring viewers back by making programming changes, including having Rachel Maddow return to hosting the 9 p.m. hour Monday through Friday, before transitioning back to hosting Mondays only.
