MSNBC anchor Joe Scarborough has surprised viewers with his recent defense of President Donald Trump’s military strikes on Iran, marking a notable shift in the typically critical host’s commentary. The “Morning Joe” host argued on June 23 that any past president would have made similar decisions regarding the Iranian nuclear facilities.
Scarborough indicated that President Bush 41, President Bush 43, President Bill Clinton, and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton would have felt compelled to take the same strike action. He emphasized that Trump faced two difficult options with no easy choices available, citing Henry Kissinger’s observation that foreign policy decisions from the White House rarely present clear-cut good versus bad alternatives.
The defense came after Trump announced that the United States had successfully struck three key Iranian nuclear sites over the weekend – Fordow, Natanz and Isfahan – using bunker buster bombs and Tomahawk cruise missiles. Trump characterized the operation as a “spectacular military success” and noted that the strikes targeted facilities where Iran had reached 60 percent uranium enrichment levels.
Washington Post columnist David Ignatius, appearing on the show, supported Scarborough’s assessment by noting that Trump inherited battle plans from three previous presidents who had considered identical bombing operations but ultimately decided against them due to uncertainties. Ignatius suggested that when Trump concluded on the previous Friday that negotiated settlements would not resolve the nuclear threat, he essentially had no alternative but to pursue military action.
The strikes utilized 14 “bunker buster” bombs, including the massive 15-ton GBU-57 munitions, marking their first operational use in combat. Satellite imagery later revealed that portions of the mountain protecting the Fordow facility had been completely obliterated. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi condemned the attacks as extremely dangerous and criminal behavior that should alarm every United Nations member.
Scarborough’s supportive stance represents a significant departure from his typically adversarial relationship with Trump. The MSNBC host had previously criticized Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s responses regarding the Israel-Iran conflict on June 17, calling his explanations mere “bumper stickers” lacking substance. Scarborough expressed confusion over Hegseth’s reliance on slogans like “America First” and “peace through strength” without providing detailed policy explanations.
The unexpected support follows months of tension between Scarborough and the Trump administration. However, this development aligns with Scarborough and co-host Mika Brzezinski’s November 2024 decision to meet with Trump at Mar-a-Lago to “restart communications” after years of hostile exchanges. That meeting, their first face-to-face encounter in seven years, sparked significant backlash from progressive viewers who accused the hosts of normalizing Trump.
During their November meeting, Scarborough and Brzezinski discussed abortion, mass deportation, and threats of retribution against political opponents and media outlets with the president-elect. While they acknowledged disagreeing on many issues, both hosts expressed their intention to pursue dialogue rather than purely adversarial coverage. Brzezinski explained their rationale as trying “something different” that involved not only talking about Trump but also talking with him.
The relationship between “Morning Joe” and Trump has experienced dramatic fluctuations over nearly a decade. During Trump’s 2015-2016 campaign, Scarborough frequently welcomed Trump for televised conversations and even provided campaign advice, with Trump once thanking the hosts for being supporters. However, the relationship deteriorated significantly during Trump’s first presidency, leading to public feuds and hostile exchanges on social media.
Critics within the journalism community have expressed concern about Scarborough’s recent approach. Media critic Jeff Jarvis characterized the Mar-a-Lago meeting as a betrayal of colleagues, democracy, and viewers, describing it as a disgusting show of advance submission. Former MSNBC host Keith Olbermann went further, comparing the network to “Vichy MSNBC” in reference to the French collaborationist regime during World War II.
Despite the criticism, Scarborough has maintained that he and Brzezinski are not defending or normalizing Trump but rather attempting to provide insights for understanding current political developments. The host has emphasized that their approach represents an effort to find common ground during deeply divisive times while continuing to report critically on policies and actions they oppose.
MSNBC itself is undergoing significant organizational changes, with new leadership under interim president Rebecca Kutler following Rashida Jones’ departure. The network will also be spun off from Comcast into a new venture later this year, creating what Scarborough views as opportunities for more entrepreneurial programming approaches and streamlined management structures.