Morning Joe hosts Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski are getting fresh backlash over their controversial meeting with President-elect Donald Trump in November, this time directly from one of their own regular guests.
On Friday’s (January 10) episode of the MSNBC news program, former chairman of the Republic National Committee, Michael Steele, challenged the hosts on their argument that people should “be civil” to Trump as he prepares to return to the White House later this month.
Steele, who serves as a co-host on MSNBC’s The Weekend, tried to make his point only to be talked over by Scarborough, who clearly took issue with what his co-worker had to say.
“Joe, you had your moment; let me just finish my point,” Steele said. “I’m telling you something you seem to forget, so let me make my point. You may not like it, but I’m going to make it.”
Steele continued, “The reality of it is, I take your civility argument, you like to say 78 million people voted for Donald Trump, well 82 million people voted for Joe Biden, and he didn’t get that civility that you’re talking about from Donald Trump in those four years.”
Joe Scarborough: Tell us something we don’t know.Michael Steele: I’m telling you something that you seem to forget.#michaelSteele #morningJoe #JoeScarborough pic.twitter.com/HUy0etc0Cy— PoliticalSis (@PoliticalSis82) January 10, 2025
“So now the expectation is, because he has won again and he’s got 78 million people, we all have to be civil to Donald Trump, well okay, I’m prepared to be civil,” he added before Scarborough interrupted.
“Nobody said that,” Scarborough retorted, growing increasingly flustered as his wife and co-host, Brzezinski, urged him to let Steele speak.
“You did!” Steele fired back.
Scarborough continued talking over Steele, emphasizing, “I didn’t say everybody has to stay civil.”
In November, Scarborough and Brzezinski faced backlash after they revealed they traveled to Mar-a-Lago to meet with Trump following his 2024 presidential victory. Defending their decision, Brzezinski stated, “Joe and I realized it’s time to do something different and that starts with not only talking about Donald Trump but also talking with him.”
On Friday’s Morning Joe, Steele added, “The reality is, no, you are using the term civil. I’m using your term, you put civility on the table… My main point is, everybody is looking at this from a one-way perspective; how we need to approach Donald Trump. How is he approaching us?”
“The man wants to lock up citizens, the man wants to turn the government against them, how are we supposed to respond to that? Are we supposed to be civil?” Steele stated.
“Do you think we don’t know that?” Scarborough replied. “Why do you feel the need to create false choices? You are twisting my words! You took me saying it’s not the end of the world that Barack Obama smiled and talked to Donald Trump, and you’re turning that into, ‘We have no idea.’”
“Then let me untwist them,” Steele countered. “Civility is a two-way street like I said at the beginning, and you attacked that.”
Steele was unable to finish his point as Scarborough once again interrupted to deny and deflect.
Viewers jumped onto social media to react to the heated debate, with one X user writing, “Good for Michael Steele…peep how condescending Scarborough got.”
“You could clearly see Steele got under Joe’s skin , because Joe’s face got red as hell, he needs to check his blood pressure meds,” said another.
Related‘Morning Joe’ Slammed by Chris Cuomo Who Defends His Own Chat With Trump
“Michael Steele for speaking truth! Joe & Mika? You’re pathetic. You should be ashamed,” added another.
Another wrote, “Thanks Michael Steele. Joe Scarborough is a petulant child. Remember Joe and Mika have already been down to kiss the ring of Trump @ MaraLago.”
“Michael Steele says what we are all thinking and he doesn’t try to wrap it in a pretty package either,” one fan added.
“Michael Steele and Joe Scarborough goin at it this morning on Morning Joe. Damn good conversation. I’m with Michael Steele on this one,” said another.
You can watch the heated argument in the video above.
Morning Joe, Weekdays, 6a/5c, MSNBC
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