MSNBC host Nicolle Wallace has found herself at the center of intense criticism this week following controversial comments she made about a 13-year-old cancer survivor, which have sparked widespread backlash. Wallace, who hosts Deadline: White House, has seen a significant dip in her viewership following the 2024 election, as her liberal audience appears to have largely tuned out in the wake of President Donald Trump’s victory.
During the address to a joint session of Congress, Trump recognized 13-year-old DJ Daniel, a cancer survivor who had defied the odds after being diagnosed with brain cancer at the age of 7. In a heartwarming moment, Trump asked the Secret Service Director to make DJ an honorary U.S. Secret Service agent, a gesture that earned the teenager a standing ovation.
However, Wallace’s remarks about the young cancer survivor took a dark turn. She initially expressed well-wishes for DJ but then made an unsettling connection to the January 6 Capitol attack and the suicides of Capitol Police officers in the aftermath.
“I hope he has a long life as a law enforcement officer,” Wallace said. “But I hope he never has to defend the United States Capitol against Donald Trump’s supporters, and if he does, I hope he isn’t one of the six who loses his life to suicide, and I hope he isn’t one who has to testify against the people who carried out acts of seditious conspiracy and then lived to see Donald Trump pardon those people.”
Her comments ignited a firestorm of criticism, with many accusing Wallace of politicizing the moment and attacking the young boy for no reason. Former President Trump himself condemned Wallace’s remarks, calling them “disgraceful” and suggesting that she should be forced to resign.
Wallace’s comments also drew ire from White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, who criticized Wallace for exploiting the tragedy of January 6 to attack Trump and his supporters. Social media users quickly labeled Wallace’s remarks as “inappropriate” and “disgusting,” with many questioning her judgment and professionalism.
From January through Election Day in 2024, Wallace’s program averaged 1.6 million total viewers. However, after Trump secured his win, Deadline: White House saw a dramatic 35% drop in viewership, settling at just over 1 million viewers for the remainder of 2024. The show also lost ground in the key advertising demographic of adults aged 25-54, with viewership in that category declining by 35%, from 144,000 viewers before Election Day to just 93,000 following Trump’s victory.
In 2025, Wallace’s ratings have continued to suffer, averaging just 1.1 million viewers, marking a 25% decline compared to the same period in 2024. During the 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. time slot, Fox News Channel programming has far outpaced Wallace’s show, drawing an average of 3.6 million viewers.
This controversy, coupled with a significant decline in viewership, paints a troubling picture for Wallace and Deadline: White House. While she remains a fixture on MSNBC, her latest remarks may have alienated some of her remaining audience and invited further scrutiny of her journalistic integrity.
READ NEXT: Father Of DJ Daniel Shuts Down Rachel Maddow
It doesn’t even pay to write anything anymore about the Left in America. They have proven themselves beyond a shadow of a doubt that they are virulent haters of America, Pres. Trump, of Jews and Christians, of Israel, of any minority group that doesn’t spout their monstrous agenda, haters of free speech, and advocates for NaziIslamists on American college campuses. They are in a word sickos. Thank G-d Americans have finally woken up to the truth!