MSNBC’s long-feared shakeup has officially landed—and while some hosts are left without a platform, others appear untouchable. But when Rachel Maddow stepped up to the mic and said what insiders had been whispering for weeks, everything changed.

Morning Joe Survives Despite Ratings Collapse

Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski’s Morning Joe has seen its audience shrink by over 40% since President Trump’s election victory. According to Nielsen, viewership dropped from 1.1 million before November 5, 2024, to just 651,000 viewers by early June 2025.

In the key 25–54 advertiser demographic, the show lost nearly half its audience—from 123,000 to 67,000. Despite the slump, MSNBC has doubled down on its support.

“Joe and Mika are categorically not going anywhere. Full stop,” said network spokesperson Richard Hudock.

The decision has sparked frustration and disbelief among some staffers, particularly when compared to what happened next.

Joy Reid, Katie Phang, Ayman Mohyeldin—and a Pattern of Erasure?

In stark contrast to Morning Joe, MSNBC announced a raft of cancellations affecting several of its most visible non-white hosts:

Joy Reid, anchor of The ReidOut, was removed from her coveted 7PM slot.
Katie Phang, who anchored a weekend legal affairs show from Miami, lost her time slot entirely.
Ayman Mohyeldin, long known for in-depth international reporting, also had his prime weekend show canceled.

The network is also closing its Miami operation—impacting shows like José Díaz-Balart Reports, although Díaz-Balart will remain with NBC News.

Former Press Secretary Jen Psaki will take over a nightly weekday show, while Alex Wagner will step down from her primetime spot but remain a contributor. The moves come as MSNBC attempts to consolidate broadcast operations to New York and Washington, D.C., under new President Rebecca Kutler.

Maddow Breaks the Silence—Live and Unfiltered

Rachel Maddow, often seen as MSNBC’s conscience and its highest-profile host, used her Monday night broadcast to address the shakeup head-on. And she didn’t hold back.

“I do not want to lose Joy as a colleague here at MSNBC,” Maddow said on air, her tone heavy with concern. “And personally, I think it is a bad mistake to let her walk out the door.”

But then came the line that reverberated far beyond the studio:

“It is also unnerving to see that on a network where we’ve got two—count them—two nonwhite hosts in primetime, both of them are losing their shows, as is Katie Phang on the weekend. That feels worse than bad, no matter who replaces them. That feels indefensible. And I do not defend it.”

Sources say MSNBC producers were caught off-guard. One executive staffer reportedly said, “You could hear a pin drop in the control room. But no one stopped her—because she was saying what many of us were thinking.”

The Internal Fallout: Staffers Speak Anonymously

Multiple MSNBC staffers, speaking to The Intercept and Vanity Fair under condition of anonymity, described the mood inside the network as “toxic,” “confusing,” and “ideologically inconsistent.”

One longtime producer said:

“We’ve always said we stand for progressive values, but these decisions don’t reflect that. Joy was one of the only voices willing to speak boldly on issues like Gaza, police brutality, or voter suppression without filtering through corporate fear.”

Another added:

“There’s a quiet pattern emerging. And a lot of us are paying attention.”

Tiffany Cross, Ana Navarro Join the Chorus

Former MSNBC host Tiffany Cross, whose own show was canceled in 2023, resurfaced to criticize the shakeup. On the Win With Black Women podcast, she said:

“Joy’s ratings were solid. Don’t believe the hype. The real problem was her courage—her willingness to speak truth to power, especially on race and foreign policy. That made people uncomfortable.”

Cross also took aim at Morning Joe:

“You know whose ratings are actually terrible and still protected? Joe and Mika. They went to Mar-a-Lago. They kissed the ring. And they’re still being elevated.”

The View’s Ana Navarro echoed similar concerns:

“I don’t understand how Joy Reid gets cut while Morning Joe stays. The numbers don’t add up—and neither does the message.”

MSNBC Attempts Damage Control

Trying to get ahead of the backlash, MSNBC shared internal ratings data with The New York Post, claiming Morning Joe had rebounded since January. According to the network:

Total viewership rose from 587,000 post-election to 684,000 after Trump’s inauguration.
In the 25–54 demo, it increased from 55,000 to 68,000.
It continues to beat CNN in total audience for the 120th consecutive month.

But critics weren’t convinced. “You’re still rewarding decline,” one insider noted. “And you’re punishing the wrong people.”

Rebecca Kutler’s Strategic Vision—or Political Culling?

MSNBC’s new president Rebecca Kutler is said to be orchestrating these moves with a long-term strategy: cut costs, consolidate resources, and rebrand for the streaming era. But that explanation is doing little to quiet concerns.

One theory making the rounds internally: Reid and others were removed not just because of ratings—but because of editorial independence.

According to sources, Reid clashed with producers and executives over her coverage of sensitive topics—including Gaza, police violence, and anti-Black racism in the Democratic Party.

“You can’t say you support Black voices when those voices disappear the moment they push boundaries,” one senior staffer noted. “That’s not diversity. That’s branding.”

Maddow’s Legacy on the Line

For Rachel Maddow, the moment was personal—and symbolic.

“This isn’t about friendship. This is about the soul of this network,” she said.

Her statement electrified social media:

#KeepJoyReid trended nationwide on X within minutes.
Petitions calling for Reid’s reinstatement gathered over 215,000 signatures within 48 hours.
Commentators from both progressive and centrist circles applauded Maddow’s “rare and necessary stand.”

What Happens Next?

Insiders say MSNBC leadership is watching closely. While no immediate reversals are expected, the internal pushback has made executives “more cautious” about announcing further cuts.

Joy Reid, meanwhile, has remained silent—but a cryptic Instagram story featuring a Maya Angelou quote went viral:

“When someone shows you who they are, believe them the first time.”

Whether that was aimed at MSNBC is unclear—but few doubt its significance.

Maddow, for her part, signed off with a final, pointed message:

“We are either a network that stands for what we say we do—or we’re not. The viewers can tell the difference. And so can we.”