Terry Moran as a national reporter for ABC News. Moran joined ABC News in 1997. Most recently, he drew fire for a provocative social media post in which he slammed Stephen Miller – Donald Trump’s former senior adviser. Moran described Miller as “richly endowed with the capacity for hatred,” a statement that has drawn significant attention and ultimately led to his suspension pending an internal investigation.
The situation developed as a result of Moran’s inflammatory post on social media, one that he deleted after the fact. His comments came as a response to the growing discontent, division, and polarization in American politics, especially when it comes to people like Miller. Moran stated, “I typed it out and I looked at it and I thought ‘that’s true’.” He emphasized that his comments were genuinely reflective of his feelings, saying, “It was something that was in my heart and mind.”
Moran’s normal family evening — tucking his kids into bed. He was just moved to go public with his frustrations. He remarked that he deliberately used strong language to convey the seriousness of his concerns, saying, “I would say I used very strong language deliberately.”
After the backlash, ABC News has placed Moran on administrative leave as they investigate the incident. In the intervening period, he has made the full leap to the Substack publishing platform as an independent journalist. This new move gives him the license to keep doing what he was doing, but without the sandbox of corporate media.
In an interview with former Republican operative turned journalist Tim Miller, Moran announced his intentions. He hopes to conduct interviews with members of the Haitian community in Springfield, Ohio. He noted that most Haitian immigrants in Springfield have legal status thanks to temporary protected status. The town has since learned to rely on their priceless contributions.
Moran’s comments that welcomed Stephen Miller to the Trump administration drew condemnation from all sides, including Stephen Miller. He commented on the incident by stating, “The most important fact about Terry’s full meltdown is what it shows about the corporate press in America.” Miller continued by asserting that “for decades, the privileged anchors and reporters narrating and gatekeeping our society have been radicals adopting a journalist’s pose.”
As the investigation continues, Moran has openly identified himself as “a proud centrist” who opposes the “viciousness and the intolerance that you feel when we argue politics.” His remarks capture the spirit of a more general worry over the toxic, division-serving, rage-fueling atmosphere of political dialogue in present-day America.
Moran’s suspension also highlights the dangers media workers face under the current political climate. They need to balance deeply-held, personal beliefs with their public expressions in an increasingly polarized and charged atmosphere. This unfortunate state of affairs calls into question the limits of free speech for working journalists. Perhaps more importantly, it points to the effects of social media on their profession.