In a fiery episode of his podcast The Weekly Show on June 12, 2025, Jon Stewart unleashed a blistering critique of ABC News, calling the network “a f–king joke” for its decision to fire veteran correspondent Terry Moran. The dismissal, which followed Moran’s controversial social media post criticizing President Donald Trump and his deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller, has ignited a firestorm of debate about media bias, corporate cowardice, and the state of American journalism. Stewart’s outburst, which has garnered millions of views online, not only condemned ABC’s actions but also hinted at a deeper, more troubling truth behind the scenes—a truth that has left Washington reeling and the public questioning the integrity of one of America’s leading news networks.
The controversy began on June 8, 2025, when Moran, a respected journalist with nearly 28 years at ABC, posted a now-deleted message on X calling Trump and Miller “world-class haters.” In the post, Moran described Miller as a figure whose “hatreds are his spiritual nourishment” and suggested Trump’s animosity was a means to self-glorification. The remarks, which violated ABC’s policies on objectivity, prompted swift backlash from the Trump administration. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt called the post “unhinged and unacceptable,” while Vice President JD Vance demanded accountability. Within hours, ABC suspended Moran, and by June 11, the network announced it would not renew his contract, citing a “clear violation” of its standards. The timing was particularly notable, as Moran’s contract was set to expire days later, suggesting the decision was both punitive and opportunistic.
Stewart, known for his sharp-witted commentary, didn’t hold back on his podcast, framing ABC’s decision as emblematic of broader issues in corporate media. “Of course not. So stupid. No, for God’s sake,” he said when asked if the network made the right call. He accused ABC of clinging to a “facade” of impartiality while bending to political pressures, pointing to their $15 million settlement with Trump in December 2024 over George Stephanopoulos’ inaccurate comments as evidence of their willingness to appease powerful figures. Stewart argued that Moran’s post, while provocative, was truthful, and he compared ABC’s actions to the daily vitriol aired on Fox News without consequence. “Literally every day on Fox News, they’re taking stuff out of context or saying utterly vicious things about Democratic politicians,” he said, highlighting what he sees as a double standard in media accountability.
The “shocking truth” Stewart alluded to centers on allegations of internal dysfunction at ABC. Sources within the network, speaking anonymously to outlets like Variety and The Daily Beast, claim the decision to fire Moran was driven by fear of further antagonizing the Trump administration, which had already pressured ABC following Moran’s April 2025 interview with Trump. During that Oval Office sit-down, Trump chided Moran for “not being very nice,” particularly over fact-checking claims about immigration. Insiders suggest ABC’s leadership, wary of legal and political repercussions, saw Moran’s post as a liability, especially after settling the Stephanopoulos lawsuit. This has led to accusations that ABC is prioritizing access to power over journalistic integrity, a charge Stewart amplified by calling the network’s actions “hypocrisy.”
The fallout has been swift and polarized. On X, conservative users like @JosephWulfsohn celebrated Moran’s exit, framing it as a necessary correction of liberal bias, while others, including @jonfavs, praised Moran for speaking truth to power. Moran himself has doubled down, stating on X on July 16, 2025, “I wrote it because it’s true,” in response to a post calling Miller a “sociopath.” He has since launched a Substack, promising to continue his reporting independently. Meanwhile, ABC’s newsroom is reportedly in disarray, with one producer telling HuffPost, “This feels like a severe blow to our editorial independence.”
The broader implications are stark. Stewart’s critique, echoed by media watchdogs, suggests that corporate media’s fear of backlash is eroding journalistic freedom. As Moran’s firing reverberates, it raises questions about whether networks like ABC can withstand political pressure without compromising their role as truth-tellers. With the 2025 election cycle looming, the incident underscores a growing tension between media, power, and public trust—a tension Stewart has vowed to keep exposing.
