MSNBC’s Joe Scarborough Complains About ‘Treatment’ of Jon Karl After Trump Calls Him ‘Third-Rate Reporter’

Earlier tonight, President Trump was pressed by ABC’s Jon Karl on a report that claimed the nation’s hospitals are dealing with “severe” and “widespread” shortages of needed medical supplies.

President Trump asked when the IG for the HHS was appointed and Karl finally responded she was appointed to her current position this year. Trump then asked, “how long has she worked in government?” To which Karl replied, “she did serve in the previous administration.”

Trump then told Karl, before moving on to the next question, “You’re a third-rate reporter. What you just said is a disgrace — you will never make it.”

Trump to ABC's Jon Karl: “You're a third-rate reporter. What you just said is a disgrace — you will never make it." pic.twitter.com/nW5XYv6dvZ

— Breaking911 (@Breaking911) April 6, 2020

MSNBC’s Joe Scarborough responded to the interaction on Twitter by predictably taking Karl’s side. He said, “Donald Trump’s treatment of Jonathan Karl is predictably disgraceful. Why is anyone carrying this farce live?”

Donald Trump’s treatment of Jonathan Karl is predictably disgraceful. Why is anyone carrying this farce live?

— Joe Scarborough (@JoeNBC) April 6, 2020

Full Exchange:

The report was signed by Christi Grimm, the principal deputy inspector general for HHS. Grimm has served in the federal government for more than two decades and from 2014 to 2019, Ms. Grimm was the Chief of Staff and Deputy Inspector General for the Immediate Office, meaning she was indeed first appointed under the Obama administration.

The report is not a review of the Health and Human Service Department’s response to the Coronavirus outbreak and acknowledges the pandemic is “fast-moving.”

“Since our interviews, some hospital challenges may have worsened and others may have improved,” the report states.