MSNBC's Mehdi Hasan, Matt Taibbi clash in tense interview
'Twitter Files' journalist Matt Taibbi and MSNBC host Mehdi Hasan clashed over Taibbi's reporting in a contentious interview.
MSNBC sparked outrage among progressive viewers last month when it announced it was canceling far-left favorite Mehdi Hasan's program but assured them he would remain with the network as an on-air analyst and fill-in host.
However, his current on-air presence has completely diminished since the Oct. 7 terrorist attacks against Israel, Fox News Digital has found.
Critics railed against the move by MSNBC to pull the plug on his Sunday network and streaming program "The Mehdi Hasan Show," which will officially end in early January, as part of an overhaul by the network to revamp its struggling weekend lineup. Many prominent figures including Reps. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., and Ro Khanna, D-Calif., called out the timing of the cancellation as Hasan has been an outspoken anti-Israel commentator on the network.
Despite MSNBC's assurance that Mehdi Hasan will remain an on-air analyst following the cancelation of his show, his appearances on other programs have cratered since Oct. 7. (David Livingston/Getty Images)
Notably, Hasan was among the MSNBC hosts who were temporarily benched following Oct. 7 as the war between Israel and Hamas began unfolding. The network denied claims it did so in objection to the hosts' commentary on the war. But even after Hasan returned to MSNBC's airwaves, it certainly was not a return to the pre-Oct. 7 status quo.
During the month of September, Hasan made at least seven appearances on other MSNBC programs outside "The Mehdi Hasan Show" including near-weekly appearances on "Morning Joe" and guest-hosting "All In with Chris Hayes," according to Grabien transcripts.
But in all of November and in the early days of December, he made zero appearances on other MSNBC programs besides his own.
Moreover, based on transcripts after Oct. 7, he has only appeared on two other MSNBC broadcasts, the last one being Oct. 19's installment of "All In with Chris Hayes."
MSNBC's Mehdi Hasan, who used to appear regularly on "Morning Joe," has not appeared on the program since Oct. 5, just two days before Hamas' attacks against Israel. (Screenshot/MSNBC)
Fox News Digital asked MSNBC why Hasan had not appeared on other MSNBC programs in nearly two months. Fox News Digital also asked when his contract ends with the network. MSNBC did not respond.
Known as one of the more pugnacious figures in cable news, Hasan joined MSNBC in 2020 after stints at Al Jazeera and the liberal site The Intercept.
Hasan has a history of making controversial comments. Years prior to launching a career in the media, he compared non-Muslims to "animals" and linked homosexuals to "pedophiles" and "sexual deviants." Hasan apologized for those comments, calling them "dumb, offensive, ranty stuff" and admitted that he said "extreme-sounding things" as a young man.
MSNBC has been under fire by progressives over its decision to cancel far-left darling Mehdi Hasan's weekend program. (Kim Kulish/Corbis via Getty Images)
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The liberal host repeatedly rushed to defend or downplay Rep. Omar's controversial anti-Israel and antisemitic rhetoric.
On Nov. 16, prior to Israel and Hamas agreeing to a temporary ceasefire in order to exchange Israeli hostages for Palestinian prisoners, he clashed with Israeli advisor Mark Regev, accusing the Jewish State of turning down such a deal. Hasan also accused the Israeli government of killing children and of spreading propaganda and false information during the tense exchange.
His own journalistic credibility was drawn into question earlier this year when he was accused of plagiarizing a piece arguing in favor of parents spanking their children.