ABC News has ended its relationship with longtime reporter Terry Moran after a post on social media drew internal backlash. In a statement, the network said Moran’s remarks, which sharply criticized President Donald Trump and White House Chief of Staff Stephen Miller, violated company standards.
ABC News releases statement on Moran’s departure
In a media statement, ABC News confirmed Moran’s departure.
“We are at the end of our agreement with Terry Moran, and based on his recent post — which was a clear violation of ABC News policies — we have made the decision not to renew. At ABC News, we hold all of our reporters to the highest standards of objectivity, fairness, and professionalism, and we remain committed to delivering straightforward, trusted journalism.”
Moran garnered recent recognition for exclusive Trump interview
Moran garnered national attention in April after conducting a one-on-one interview with Trump. During the interview, Trump said he interviewed with Moran because he had not heard of him before.
“Terry, they’re giving you the big break of a lifetime,” Trump said. “You’re doing the interview because frankly, I never heard of you, but that’s okay.”
Deleted X post described Trump, Miller as ‘world-class haters’
The controversy that led to Moran’s firing stemmed from a now-deleted post on X. Moran wrote that Miller is “richly endowed with the capacity for hatred,” calling both Miller and Trump “world-class haters.” The post further claimed Trump’s hatred served as his “spiritual nourishment.”
The post was later removed, but ABC News said the language did not meet its editorial standards.
Interview marked by tense exchanges
Moran’s interview with Trump featured several confrontational moments, including one exchange over Department of Justice investigations.
“There’s been no investigation from the Justice Department,” Moran said.
“How do you know that?” Trump pushed back.
“I’m asking you, sir,” Moran said.
“You’re not asking me, you made a statement,” Trump said.
Trump accused ABC of bias during interview
Trump also used the interview as an opportunity to criticize the network’s coverage of Former President Joe Biden.
“We had a president that was grossly incompetent,” Trump said. “You knew it, I knew it, everyone knew it, but you didn’t want to write it because you’re fake news. And by the way, ABC is one of the worst — I have to be honest with you.”
Trump’s tensions with the media remain
Trump has consistently scrutinized legacy news outlets, branding the media as “fake news” in his first term. That posture has become a defining feature of his public persona — and part of his broader appeal to his supporters.
Media watchdog organizations have noted that most major U.S. outlets display some degree of political bias. ABC News has been rated as leaning left. Straight Arrow News is rated as a center-aligned outlet.
The ongoing friction between Trump and the media, including a recent court ruling allowing Trump to revoke Associated Press access to White House press events, was the focus of this week’s episode of Bias Breakdown. The podcast examines the same story through the lens of both left- and right-leaning media coverage, highlighting how political slant can shape public perception.
