Married MSNBC anchors Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski argued Thursday over the use of a swear word to describe former President Donald Trump.
Scarborough and Brzezinski reported on Trump’s former Chief of Staff John Kelly reportedly telling the Washington Post the former president is “scared shitless” about the 37-count indictment brought against him over his possession of classified documents. Brzezinski demanded her husband refrain from directly quoting Kelly’s swear word on-air.
“We don’t like to swear on this show, but I’ll put it in quotes,” Scarborough began.
“No, Joe, no, no, no,” Brzezinski said.
“If Aristotle says it, okay, Kelly said it,” Scarborough pushed back.
“Aristotle does not say it,” Brzezinski argued. (RELATED: Juan Williams, Martha MacCallum Get Into Near-Shouting Match Over Trump Indictment, Hunter Biden)
“Do you want me to quote it again?” he asked.
“No, I really—” she began.
“Now you’re just—” he began.
“For me, please don’t,” she said.
Scarborough then defied her wishes and quoted Kelly directly. Brzezinski appeared displeased with her husband’s use the direct word.
“I will not have that,” she said.
“I’m a journalist,” he said.
“No, you’re not,” she pushed back.
“I have to report what’s in the news,” he said.
Trump faces 31 charges of violating the Espionage Act, specifically the willful retention of national security information. He is also charged with one count of “conspiracy to obstruct justice;” one count of “withholding a document or record;” one count of corruptly concealing a document or record;” one count of “concealing a document in a deferral investigation;” one count of a “scheme to conceal;” and one count of “false statements and representations.”