They are having meltdowns.
Media outlets that spent much of 2024 warning about former President Trump as a potential threat to democracy were visibly unsettled when election night results began pointing toward his victory.
Fox News projected Trump as the 47th President of the United States, despite years of scrutiny and criticism from mainstream media sources. With this outcome becoming apparent, MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow speculated that Trump might attempt a national abortion ban through executive order, while her colleague Alex Wagner acknowledged the growing influence and momentum of the MAGA movement.
CBS’s Gayle King expressed concern over Trump’s unrestrained authority, noting, “It seems like he’ll hold power without any real safeguards.” MSNBC’s Joy Reid suggested that Trump’s presidency could empower figures like Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu, who Reid claimed is supported by a far-right coalition pushing for aggressive actions in Gaza.
As the evening progressed, nervous discussions began on-air around 10 p.m. ET after Iowa was called for Trump, challenging recent polling that had shown Vice President Kamala Harris in the lead. NBC’s Lester Holt remarked, “This is beginning to sound like a postmortem,” while MSNBC’s Nicolle Wallace questioned what information was influencing young men’s perception that the economy might improve under Trump.
BuzzFeed even circulated a humorous map captioned, “We ran 80,000 simulations. Trump lost in every single one.”
In response to Pennsylvania trending towards Trump, NBC panelists critiqued Harris’s campaign strategy, arguing she might have been more successful had she chosen popular Governor Josh Shapiro as her running mate. Approaching midnight, MSNBC’s Jen Psaki hinted that the campaign may soon question whether Biden would have been a stronger candidate.
CNN’s John King highlighted Trump’s strong showing in Wisconsin’s Waukesha County, mentioning the Harris campaign had hoped women voters might quietly support her, and MSNBC’s Reid blamed White women for Harris’s North Carolina loss, contrasting their vote with strong support from Black voters.
Far-left commentator Elie Mystal asserted, “Black people did their job. Trump’s gains with Latinos were real. Trump is their guy.” Blogger Aaron Rupar added that Trump’s popularity indicated many Americans embraced his controversial policies.
Shortly before 1 a.m. ET, CNN’s Jake Tapper commented that Trump’s campaign appeared to be in a stronger position than Harris’s, particularly as Georgia turned red. Dana Bash emphasized that without Pennsylvania, Harris’s path to victory looked grim. CNN aired a statement from Harris’s co-chair, Cedric Richmond, announcing that she would not address supporters that night, reminiscent of Hillary Clinton’s 2016 concession delay.
On CNN, Van Jones shared his concern for marginalized communities, including Black women and parents of transgender children, reflecting on their disappointment and the struggles they might face under a second Trump term.
