MSNBC's Joe Scarborough heaps praise on Fox News' Shep Smith, calling him an 'American hero'

Joe Scarborough.
(Image credit: Rob Kim/Getty Images)

With President Trump's frequent refrain that the press is the "enemy of the people," media figures have found ways to band together and continue reporting on the current administration.

MSNBC's Joe Scarborough, for his part, has taken to Twitter to praise an unlikely ally — Fox News. Specifically, Scarborough voiced support for breaking news anchor Shep Smith, who frequently diverges from his conservative colleagues on the network.

Smith is an "American hero," wrote Scarborough in a Friday tweet. The Morning Joe host heaped praise on Smith for his Thursday monologue, in which he condemned Trump for his harsh words against the media. "The fourth estate," Smith said on his show, "is a cornerstone of our Republic." Smith ran through a laundry list of colleagues and competitors who he said deserved respect, name-checking CNN, MSNBC, and The Wall Street Journal, among others.

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"When the president attacks journalists, we question his motivation," said Smith. Those "who degrade and belittle the purveyors of truth, and work to diminish the free press, often find the facts displeasing, and endeavor to keep you from knowing them." For Scarborough, who has drawn ire from the president, Smith's monologue earned a hearty "hear, hear."

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Summer Meza, The Week US

Summer Meza has worked at The Week since 2018, serving as a staff writer, a news writer and currently the deputy editor. As a proud news generalist, she edits everything from political punditry and science news to personal finance advice and film reviews. Summer has previously written for Newsweek and the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, covering national politics, transportation and the cannabis industry.