ABC’s David Muir dominated the ratings going into the first week of May. However, he recently drew criticism from a number of journalists over his Tuesday interview with President Donald Trump.
Muir drew an average of 10.5 million viewers over the week of April 27, making “World News Tonight” the most-watched show on television. That number puts his audience at double to triple that of Fox News ratings giants such as Sean Hannity and Daily Caller co-founder Tucker Carlson. (RELATED: The Moment From Donald Trump’s Interview With ABC That Everyone Is Talking About)
.@ABC NEWS SPECIAL REPORT: Pres. Trump speaks to @DavidMuir about his administration’s coronavirus response, the challenges of reopening the country, and more.
Complete coverage tonight. https://t.co/ajPE6SRzxF pic.twitter.com/akQQmrdKJO
— World News Tonight (@ABCWorldNews) May 5, 2020
His interview with the president drew criticism from CNN’s Oliver Darcy, who said Muir had “failed to meet the moment.”
When he sat down to interview Trump, @DavidMuir had a big responsibility on his hands. But, he failed to meet the moment.
Muir didn’t challenge Trump in a meaningful way. He didn’t elicit any big news. And Muir allowed Trump to float misinfo to millions: https://t.co/ZMYWyhcapx
— Oliver Darcy (@oliverdarcy) May 6, 2020
CNN fact-checker Daniel Dale seemed to agree. He voiced concern that Muir had allowed Trump to speak without any “pushback.”
Trump again suggested in his ABC interview tonight that the “broken tests” developed this year for this new virus were left to him by the Obama administration. As so often, no pushback.
— Daniel Dale (@ddale8) May 6, 2020
The Intercept’s Mehdi Hasan called the entire interview “a missed opportunity” and “a disaster from a prominent anchor on a major news network.”
On a serious note, what a missed opportunity. What a disaster from a prominent anchor on a major news network. Trump comes out of his Fox echo chamber and…ABC fail us all.
Anyone who wants to understand how the ‘liberal’ media helps Trump… well… just watch Muir’s interview
— Mehdi Hasan (@mehdirhasan) May 6, 2020
They were not alone:
Trump should focus on 70,000 dead Americans, instead he rages about female reporters, He wishes they were more like 50’s housewives.
Muir’s softball interview made clear: The Misogynist in Chief can’t handle being challenged, so he deploys Taliban talking points regarding women.
— Rula Jebreal (@rulajebreal) May 6, 2020
With his interview of Trump, David Muir failed his test https://t.co/yFdwQuRJa5
— Media Matters (@mmfa) May 6, 2020
the last part of this is the real indictment. trump’s going to trump, but for david muir to just… sit there. that’s the “liberal media” for you. https://t.co/bd6K5UparY
— Oliver Willis (@owillis) May 6, 2020
After all these years with Trump, how is it that big time network TV interviewers cannot or will not immediately recognize and counter such a blatant Trump lie? What say you, @abcnews David Muir? https://t.co/fAzEVo2LFU
— Jeff Stein (@SpyTalker) May 6, 2020
David Muir should be ashamed of himself. That truly was the most softball, bullshit interview with @realDonaldTrump that I have ever seen. What’s next a free room at Mar-A-Lago, you fucking fraud?
— John Melendez (@stutteringjohnm) May 6, 2020
If Walter Cronkite, or Mike Wallace watched this bullshit interview with @realDonaldTrump they’d roll over in their graves. This is journalism? David Muir… Retire.
— John Melendez (@stutteringjohnm) May 6, 2020
Muir’s interview marked the president’s first non-Fox News television interview since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic.