MSNBC Chief States McDaniel Will Not Become Contributor

Reports have surfaced that MSNBC’s president has denied any plans for former Republican National Committee chairwoman Ronna McDaniel to join the liberal cable network.

Rashida Jones, the president of MSNBC, is working to address backlash stemming from an internal memo sent out by political chief Carrie Budoff Brown on Friday, announcing McDaniel’s hiring at NBC News as an on-air contributor, as reported by the Wall Street Journal.

The memo stated that McDaniel would contribute to all NBC News platforms, leading to resistance from some on-air hosts and staff members, according to the Journal.

MSNBC is a part of the NBC News division.

Citing anonymous sources, the Journal reported that Jones assured staffers that there were no intentions to welcome McDaniel to the strongly liberal network, addressing concerns raised by some anchors and producers about McDaniel’s connections to former President Donald Trump and the RNC’s involvement in his attempts to challenge the 2020 election results.

Currently, MSNBC ranks as the second-largest cable news network, behind Fox News but ahead of CNN, noted the Journal.

McDaniel has become a controversial figure in GOP political circles, with many Trump allies and advisors expressing discontent over her role in the RNC’s facilitation of a neutral GOP primary, according to the Journal.

“It couldn’t be a more crucial moment to have a voice like Ronna’s on the team,” Brown wrote in the internal memo, as reported by the Journal.

“As we prepare for the longest general election season in recent memory, she will enhance our leading coverage by offering an insider’s viewpoint on national politics and the future of the Republican Party — a party she guided through some of the most turbulent and challenging periods in political history.”

McDaniel was scheduled to appear on NBC’s Sunday show “Meet the Press” and is anticipated to have a presence on the NBC News NOW streaming platform, according to the Journal.