ABC News' Senior National Correspondent

 

ABC News’ Senior National Correspondent Terry Moran was reportedly terminated following a suspension for his online comments regarding White House leadership. His now-deleted post labeled White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller and President Donald Trump as “world-class haters.” ABC suffered significant backlash from the White House over the incident, fueling a debate over free speech, media bias, and accountability in reporting.

The incident followed a $16 million defamation settlement in December 2024 between ABC News and Trump over comments made by anchor George Stephanopoulos. The timing suggests heightened sensitivity to political backlash. According to court documents, Trump alleged that Stephanopoulos falsely claimed on This Week in March 2024 that Trump was “found liable for rape” in the E. Jean Carroll case. The jury found him liable for sexual abuse and defamation.

Prior to his termination from ABC, Moran said, “Trump is a world-class hater. But his hatred only a means to an end, and that end is his own glorification. That’s his spiritual nourishment.”

An ABC News spokesperson confirmed that Moran’s suspension is pending evaluation. The spokesperson said, “ABC News stands for objectivity and impartiality in its news coverage and does not condone subjective personal attacks on others. The post does not reflect the views of ABC News and violated our standards.”

Moran particularly criticized Miller’s role in shaping Trump’s policies. He claimed Miller is “one of the people who conceptualizes the impulses of the Trumpist movement and translates them into policy.” He added, “It’s not brains. It’s bile.”

Miller later responded to Moran’s remarks, asserting that they expose issues within mainstream media. Miller noted that journalists often adopt radical views while pretending to be neutral. Miller said, “For decades, the privileged anchors and reporters narrating and gatekeeping our society have been radicals adopting a journalist’s pose.” He added, “Terry pulled off his mask.”

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt supported Miller’s perspective, urging viewers to reconsider ABC’s credibility.

Laura Mitchell covers U.S. politics & news for content partner Modern Newsstand LLC.