The news, of course, sent shockwaves through the journalistic community. After all, Muir and Davis were widely regarded as two of the most respected faces in American journalism. But ABC’s decision was clear: Truth-telling has no place in the chaotic world of presidential debates.
Meanwhile, Trump’s camp could hardly contain its glee at the firing of the moderators. Donald Trump Jr. took to X (formerly Twitter) faster than his dad could say “rigged debate,” writing, “Finally! The hack moderators who ganged up on my father have been FIRED. Justice has been served!”
Megyn Kelly, now a conservative podcaster, also chimed in, calling the firing “long overdue” and accusing Muir and Davis of conducting the “worst anchor pile-on I’ve ever seen.” For the record, this is the same Megyn Kelly who famously clashed with Trump during the 2016 election. But hey, politics makes for strange bedfellows.
In light of Muir and Davis’s dismissal, industry insiders are already speculating about what the future of debate moderation will look like. One source close to the situation hinted at a new network policy: “Let Them Speak Their Truths.” Under this revolutionary new format, moderators will be instructed not to fact-check candidates at all, instead allowing the candidates’ “truths” to be heard without interference.
