Terry Moran's tenure at ABC came to an abrupt end after the seasoned journalist posted a scathing critique of President Donald Trump on a social media platform. On Tuesday, June 10, a spokesperson for the network issued a statement obtained by PEOPLE, announcing, "Our agreement with Terry Moran has reached its conclusion. His recent post, which unequivocally breached ABC News' policies, prompted our decision not to renew his contract." The statement further underscored, "At ABC News, we uphold the utmost standards of objectivity, fairness, and professionalism among all our reporters, remaining steadfast in our commitment to delivering unbiased and trustworthy journalism."
Prior to his termination, the 65-year-old veteran reporter had already been suspended following a contentious social media post directed at Stephen Miller, the President's Advisor on Homeland Security and Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy, on June 8. In his early morning missive, Moran labeled Miller and the 78-year-old President as "world-class haters," words that have since been deleted from the tweet.
"Miller," Moran penned, "is a man whose soul is fertilized by hatred. He's a world-class hater. One glance at him reveals his hatred as his spiritual sustenance; he thrives on it." The journalist concluded, "Trump is likewise a world-class hater, but his hatred serves merely as a vehicle to an end—his own glorification. That is his spiritual sustenance."
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt swiftly condemned Moran's post on the same platform, stating, "This is deranged and unacceptable," adding, "We have reached out to ABC to inquire about their plan to hold Terry accountable."
In response, ABC News announced Moran's suspension pending further review, clarifying in a statement, "We stand for objectivity and impartiality in our news coverage and do not condone subjective personal attacks. The post does not mirror the views of ABC News and violates our standards."
Just a month prior, Moran and Trump had a face-to-face confrontation during an Oval Office interview for a special broadcast marking Trump's first 100 days in his second term as President. Moran, serving as ABC News' Senior National Correspondent, delved into a myriad of topics with the President, ranging from the economy to immigration and foreign policy. The interview grew tense, culminating in Trump informing Moran that he was chosen solely because the President had never heard of him before.
Their discussion also touched upon Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a man mistakenly deported to El Salvador in March. Trump insisted that an edited image purporting to show Abrego Garcia's alleged MS-13 tattoos was authentic. When Moran corrected the President and attempted to move on, Trump retorted, "Wait a minute. Hey, Terry. Terry. Terry. Don’t do that."
"That was Photoshopped?" Trump asked in disbelief. "Terry, you can’t do that. They’ve given you the break of a lifetime. You’re doing the interview." The President continued, "I picked you because, frankly, I had never heard of you, but that’s okay. But I picked you, Terry, and you’re not being very nice. He had 'MS-13' tattooed. Terry. Terry. Do you want me to show you the picture?"
