MSNBC president Rashida Jones weighing network exit after Trump is sworn in: report

MSNBC president Rashida Jones is considering leaving the network after President-elect Donald Trump is sworn in for a second term in the White House as the left-leaning channel’s ratings plummet, according to a report.

Jones — who took over in 2021 and became the first black woman to lead a major national news network — is considering leaving the job early next year, according to a report by Oliver Darcy in his Status newsletter. .

The move will come only after Trump is sworn in to serve a second term as president on Jan. 20, Darcy reported, citing anonymous sources.

A decision has not yet been made and it is possible that nothing will come of it, Darcy wrote.

CNN’s Brian Stelter confirmed the report based on his sources.

A spokesman for Jones denied the report, according to the Status newsletter.

NBC declined to comment.

“It’s amazing how people want to spend more time with their families or look for new challenges when the ratings are down,” quipped one TV host – skeptical that Jones would leave the show on her own accord.

“Of course she’s making the decision,” the TV host added. “They’re all going off on their own, Norah O’Donnell, Chris Wallace.”

CNN anchor Chris Wallace was reportedly told his two poorly rated shows would be axed and his massive pay cut before announcing in November that he was leaving the network, according to Puck News .

And Norah O’Donnell announced in July that she was leaving her anchor chair at CBS — after her pay was cut and the network’s ratings have continued to decline over the past few years.

A network source, however, disputed speculation that Jones would be forced out.

“Anyone who believes Rashida’s potential decision to leave is influenced by anyone other than herself clearly underestimates the respect she has within 30 Rock,” a network source said.

MSNBC’s ratings have been in freefall since Trump took office in November.

Since Election Day, MSNBC averaged 497,000 viewers per day — a 47% drop, according to data from Nielsen. The network recorded just 49,000 viewers in the coveted advertising demographic of adults ages 25-54, according to Nielsen.

The network’s “Morning Joe” co-hosts Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski also faced backlash from loyal viewers after meeting Trump at Mar-a-Lago — after years of criticizing him.

It’s not the first time fed-up viewers have fled the left-leaning cable news network. MSNBC’s ratings fell after Trump won the White House in 2016, and again after President Joe Biden’s disastrous debate performance against Trump in June, though those declines were not as large.

A network source said linking the drop in ratings to Rashida’s possible departure overlooks her history as president.

Before the post-election ratings slump, Jones had presided over several years of ratings growth at the network. MSNBC’s election night coverage even beat CNN’s ratings this year for the first time ever. Fox News’ election night ratings came out on top for the second year in a row.

MSNBC has also hosted several successful live events under Jones’ leadership, such as the sold-out BAM Howard Gilman Opera House in Brooklyn, a full day of programming featuring the network’s star talent this fall.

In addition to Jones’ potential exit, the network faces an already uncertain future as NBC’s parent company weighs whether to sell its struggling businesses — including MSNBC.

Comcast revealed in October that it is considering spinning off MSNBC, CNBC, Bravo, E!, Syfy, USA Network and Oxygen True Crime into a “new, well-capitalized company owned by our shareholders,” president Mike Cavanagh said.