Moran's comments were a "direct violation" of company guidelines, ABC News said on Tuesday. He was under contract, which was due to expire by Friday, and his contract will not be renewed. The 65-year-old journalist has been with ABC since 1997, and he was known for his coverage of national politics and the US Supreme Court, as well as co-anchoring "Nightline."
Comments Aimed at Miller and Trump
In the now-deleted post on X, Moran put forth some extremely strong words for Stephen Miller, whom he dubbed "the brains behind Trumpism" and asserted eats his hate. Trump's hatred was an act of self-aggrandizement, he said, but Miller's was a fundamental part of his character.
The post was quickly denounced by the Trump administration. Vice President JD Vance said it was a "vile smear" of Miller. Trump aide Steven Cheung also responded by tweeting, "Talk s*, get hit."
Political and Media Context
Moran's exit continues a hectic stretch for ABC News, which recently settled a defamation suit by agreeing to pay $15 million to Trump's presidential library fund. The post is also part of a larger trend occurring in the media ecosystem at large, even as traditional networks face increasing competition from podcasts and subscription media. Reporters such as Mehdi Hasan already have made the jump to independent media after their roles shifted at major outlets.
For the nonce, Stephen Miller is still comprehensively involved in pursuing the Trump administration's immigration policies. He recently defended the decision to deploy thousands of troops to Los Angeles in response to protests by saying that parts of California were a "criminal sanctuary."
