Trump’s Critique of Gayle King
Donald Trump has set his sights on a new target in the media: Gayle King, co-host of CBS Mornings. Following the recent departure of Stephen Colbert from his late-night talk show, Trump expressed confidence that other hosts, including Jimmy Kimmel and Jimmy Fallon, might soon follow suit. He dismissed their talent, stating, “NO TALENT,” and declared, “It’s really good to see them go, and I hope I played a major part in it!”
Job Security Under Fire
On Monday, Trump shared a New York Post article suggesting King could be ousted amid declining ratings for CBS Mornings and growing concerns over the show’s perceived “woke” coverage. He took to social media to assert, “Gayle King’s career is over. She should have stayed with her belief in TRUMP. She never had the courage to do so. No talent, no ratings, no strength!!!”
Background on CBS Settlement
Trump’s remarks come after CBS settled a lawsuit with him for $16 million regarding the editing of a 60 Minutes interview. This settlement facilitated the federal approval of an $8 billion merger between CBS and Skydance.
Concerns Over Programming
The New York Post article referenced an anonymous source who claimed the CBS Mornings viewership is not interested in “woke” content, spotlighting a recent segment featuring Bob the Drag Queen discussing Harriet Tubman. The source added, “It doesn’t like progressive and provocative bookings. The morning show audience wants optimism and cheer and joy, and what they were producing is at odds with audience expectations.”
Current Ratings Snapshot
As of last month, CBS Mornings attracted 1.8 million viewers, trailing behind Good Morning America, which had 2.625 million viewers, and Today, with 2.297 million viewers.
King and Trump’s History
Despite Trump’s claim that King had “belief” in him, their relationship has been marked by tension. During the 2020 election debates, King humorously questioned Trump’s assertion that he was “the least racist person in the room,” asking, “I wondered, who else was in the room?” She later alluded to Trump’s “dog whistling” to white supremacist groups like the Proud Boys.
In a CNN interview last March, King said she was offended by Trump’s comments regarding his mugshot, where he implied high approval within the Black community. She responded, “I thought it was insulting to people of color, to paint the Black community with one brush.”
King spoke at last year’s Democratic National Convention, emphasizing Kamala Harris’s unique qualifications for the presidency. Additionally, she criticized the lack of diversity at Trump’s inauguration, stating, “I do not see many people of color. Does anybody else besides me observe that?”
Seeking Comment
The Daily Beast has reached out to representatives of Gayle King for their perspective on this ongoing situation.
