MSNBC Nicole Wallace faces backlash and ratings slump after controversial comments
MSNBC Nicole Wallace faces backlash and ratings slump after controversial comments: MSNBC host Nicole Wallace recently found herself at the center of controversy after making widely criticized comments about a 13-year-old cancer survivor, and her show Deadline: The White House has seen a significant drop in viewership since the Democrats lost power, as Wallace faced heavy criticism during President Donald Trump’s State of the Union address.
Wallace’s show, Deadline: The White House, enjoyed strong viewership in early 2024, averaging 1.6 million viewers before Election Day. However, after Trump’s victory, the show’s viewership dropped 35%, to just over a million viewers for the rest of the year.
A similar decline was evident among the 25-to-54 age group, with viewers dropping from 144,000 before the election to just 93,000 after. This trend continued in 2025, with the show averaging just 1.1 million viewers, down 25% from the same period in 2024.
Meanwhile, Wallace’s 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. Fox News fared better than their show, drawing an average of 3.6 million viewers, more than three times the audience of Deadline: The White House. Even in key demographics, Wallace’s numbers were low, with his show averaging 108,000 viewers in 2025, behind cable shows like Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives on the Food Network and Tyler Perry’s Sistas on BET.
Despite his ratings decline, Wallace remains a prominent figure in political commentary, often making headlines for his divisive statements. His latest controversy came after he made comments about young cancer survivor DJ Daniel while covering Trump’s speech to Congress.
Young aspiring police officer Daniel was diagnosed with brain cancer six years ago and given just five months to live. Against all odds, he continued to fight his illness. Trump paid tribute to the young man in his speech, saying: “Tonight, DJ, we are going to give you the greatest honor of all. “I have asked our newly appointed Secret Service Director, Sean Curran, to grant you the official status of a United States Secret Service agent.”
However, Wallace sparked outrage when he commented on MSNBC’s coverage of the State of the Union address, linking Daniel to the events of January 6 and the suicides of Capitol Police officers.
“I let DJ enjoy himself and I hope he lives to be 95 and I hope he lives the life he wants to live. I want him to be a police officer. He knows what he wants to do and maybe when you get childhood cancer, that becomes clear to you,” Wallace first said.
MSNBC Nicole Wallace faces backlash and ratings slump after controversial comments
Then he took a more modest tone, saying, “I hope he has a long life as a law enforcement officer.” But I hope he never has to defend the United States Capitol from Donald Trump supporters, and if he does, I hope he’s not one of the six people who committed suicide, and I hope he’s not the one who has to testify against the people who lived to see Donald Trump pardon those people.
Wallace’s comments quickly sparked a firestorm of criticism, with condemnation from political figures, media outlets and social media users. President Trump also weighed in on the controversy, calling his comments “disgraceful.”
“To be honest, Nicole Wallace was never a fan of hers, and she’s not that talented, but I’ll tell you what she said about that young man is disgraceful. “I should resign,” Trump said in response to her comments.
White House Press Secretary Carolyn Leavitt also criticized Wallace at a news conference, calling for accountability.
Wallace’s comments did not go unnoticed, and several major media outlets echoed the response. Publications such as The New York Post, Newsweek, The Wrap, Daily Mail and The Baltimore Sun highlighted the controversy, drawing further attention to the MSNBC host’s divisive comments.
MSNBC Nicole Wallace faces backlash and ratings slump after controversial comments
On social media, users expressed outrage, with many demanding that Wallace apologize or resign from his post. Some critics accused her of politicizing her child recognition moment, while others argued that her comments were inappropriate and inappropriate.
Ratings plummet And as scrutiny mounts, Nicole Wallace’s future on MSNBC remains uncertain. With viewers tuning out and political tensions rising, it’s hard for Wallace to maintain her influence in the media landscape.
For now, the controversy surrounding her comments is another example of how quickly political rhetoric can be censored in the media. It remains to be seen whether she can recover from this setback or if it will be a career turning point.
MSNBC Nicole Wallace faces backlash and ratings slump after controversial comments
MSNBC Nicole Wallace faces backlash and ratings slump after controversial comments
MSNBC Nicole Wallace faces backlash and ratings slump after controversial comments: MSNBC host Nicole Wallace recently found herself at the center of controversy after making widely criticized comments about a 13-year-old cancer survivor, and her show Deadline: The White House has seen a significant drop in viewership since the Democrats lost power, as Wallace faced heavy criticism during President Donald Trump’s State of the Union address.
Wallace’s show, Deadline: The White House, enjoyed strong viewership in early 2024, averaging 1.6 million viewers before Election Day. However, after Trump’s victory, the show’s viewership dropped 35%, to just over a million viewers for the rest of the year.
A similar decline was evident among the 25-to-54 age group, with viewers dropping from 144,000 before the election to just 93,000 after. This trend continued in 2025, with the show averaging just 1.1 million viewers, down 25% from the same period in 2024.
Meanwhile, Wallace’s 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. Fox News fared better than their show, drawing an average of 3.6 million viewers, more than three times the audience of Deadline: The White House. Even in key demographics, Wallace’s numbers were low, with his show averaging 108,000 viewers in 2025, behind cable shows like Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives on the Food Network and Tyler Perry’s Sistas on BET.
Despite his ratings decline, Wallace remains a prominent figure in political commentary, often making headlines for his divisive statements. His latest controversy came after he made comments about young cancer survivor DJ Daniel while covering Trump’s speech to Congress.
Young aspiring police officer Daniel was diagnosed with brain cancer six years ago and given just five months to live. Against all odds, he continued to fight his illness. Trump paid tribute to the young man in his speech, saying: “Tonight, DJ, we are going to give you the greatest honor of all. “I have asked our newly appointed Secret Service Director, Sean Curran, to grant you the official status of a United States Secret Service agent.”
However, Wallace sparked outrage when he commented on MSNBC’s coverage of the State of the Union address, linking Daniel to the events of January 6 and the suicides of Capitol Police officers.
“I let DJ enjoy himself and I hope he lives to be 95 and I hope he lives the life he wants to live. I want him to be a police officer. He knows what he wants to do and maybe when you get childhood cancer, that becomes clear to you,” Wallace first said.
MSNBC Nicole Wallace faces backlash and ratings slump after controversial comments
Then he took a more modest tone, saying, “I hope he has a long life as a law enforcement officer.” But I hope he never has to defend the United States Capitol from Donald Trump supporters, and if he does, I hope he’s not one of the six people who committed suicide, and I hope he’s not the one who has to testify against the people who lived to see Donald Trump pardon those people.
Wallace’s comments quickly sparked a firestorm of criticism, with condemnation from political figures, media outlets and social media users. President Trump also weighed in on the controversy, calling his comments “disgraceful.”
“To be honest, Nicole Wallace was never a fan of hers, and she’s not that talented, but I’ll tell you what she said about that young man is disgraceful. “I should resign,” Trump said in response to her comments.
White House Press Secretary Carolyn Leavitt also criticized Wallace at a news conference, calling for accountability.
Wallace’s comments did not go unnoticed, and several major media outlets echoed the response. Publications such as The New York Post, Newsweek, The Wrap, Daily Mail and The Baltimore Sun highlighted the controversy, drawing further attention to the MSNBC host’s divisive comments.
MSNBC Nicole Wallace faces backlash and ratings slump after controversial comments
On social media, users expressed outrage, with many demanding that Wallace apologize or resign from his post. Some critics accused her of politicizing her child recognition moment, while others argued that her comments were inappropriate and inappropriate.
Ratings plummet And as scrutiny mounts, Nicole Wallace’s future on MSNBC remains uncertain. With viewers tuning out and political tensions rising, it’s hard for Wallace to maintain her influence in the media landscape.
For now, the controversy surrounding her comments is another example of how quickly political rhetoric can be censored in the media. It remains to be seen whether she can recover from this setback or if it will be a career turning point.