Trump Uses Lauer Exit to Suggest Need for Comcast-NBCU Exec Firings

President Donald Trump has leapt on the news of Today Show co-host Matt Lauer's dismissal by NBC as further "evidence" of the "fake news" brand he has applied to news outlets the president dislikes.

Trump recently renewed his attacks on the press with a vengeance, and doubled down yet again Wednesday (Nov. 29). In a pair of tweets following the news that NBC had fired Lauer following allegations of sexual misconduct, the president asked when top Comcast-NBCU executives would also be fired for putting out "fake news," mentioning specific names.

Wow, Matt Lauer was just fired from NBC for “inappropriate sexual behavior in the workplace.” But when will the top executives at NBC & Comcast be fired for putting out so much Fake News. Check out Andy Lack’s past!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 29, 2017


Trump followed that tweet up with a second one aimed at a favorite target, MSNBC.

So now that Matt Lauer is gone when will the Fake News practitioners at NBC be terminating the contract of Phil Griffin? And will they terminate low ratings Joe Scarborough based on the “unsolved mystery” that took place in Florida years ago? Investigate!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 29, 2017


Lauer is just the latest in a string of high-profile figures to face allegations of sexual harassment, misconduct and/or assault.

John Eggerton

Contributing editor John Eggerton has been an editor and/or writer on media regulation, legislation and policy for over four decades, including covering the FCC, FTC, Congress, the major media trade associations, and the federal courts. In addition to Multichannel News and Broadcasting + Cable, his work has appeared in Radio World, TV Technology, TV Fax, This Week in Consumer Electronics, Variety and the Encyclopedia Britannica.