NBC reporters have been flooded with angry texts from GOP sources after the abrupt firing of former RNC chairwoman Ronna McDaniel — threatening to undo the network’s efforts to woo Republican officials and viewers, according to a report.
McDaniel was dropped Tuesday following an open revolt by the network’s stars at NBC and MSNBC for hiring someone many of them viewed as supporting Donald Trump’s claims that the 2020 election was stolen.
“Political reporters here didn’t take part in the backlash, nor did they get to give input on the hire,” one NBC News journalist told Semafor.
“But they’ll be the ones who have to pick up the pieces with sources who are now dismayed with the organization.”
Two Republican aides confirmed to the outlet that they had texted their NBC News contacts to relay their anger over the humiliating turnaround.
Four other staffers at the Comcast-owned network were concerned that NBC alienated its left-leaning viewers while confirming Republican fears by dumping McDaniel rather than dealing with internal dissent.
Representatives for NBC did not immediately respond to The Post’s request for comment.
NBCU Universal chairman Cesar Conde took “full responsibility” for the ill-fated decision in announcing that the company was cutting ties with McDaniel.
“After listening to the legitimate concerns of many of you, I have decided that Ronna McDaniel will not be an NBC News contributor,” he said, insisting that the “decision was made because of our deep commitment to presenting our audiences with a widely diverse set of viewpoints and experiences, particularly during these consequential times.”
McDaniel has yet to publicly comment on the reversal, though Puck News reported that she’s reportedly looking to hire a lawyer.
MNSBC primetime host Rachel Maddow, the network’s highest-paid star, had bashed the hiring of McDaniel as “inexplicable,” while “Morning Joe” co-hosts Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski made it known that they were not planning on inviting McDaniel on the air in protest.
NBC political analyst Chuck Todd also railed against McDaniel’s hiring.
Ahead of her ill-fated employment offer with the network, McDaniel gave an interview to “Meet the Press” moderator Kristen Welker on Sunday in which she acknowledged that President Biden won the 2020 election “fair and square.”
The interview was taped weeks before it was announced that McDaniel would be joining NBC News.
Welker provided an on-air disclaimer on Sunday informing viewers that she had no knowledge of McDaniel’s hiring at the time she conducted the interview.
