Trump slams ‘Morning Joe’ host for homophobic remark about Pompeo

President Trump on Thursday attacked MSNBC’s Mika Brzezinski for making a homophobic comment this week in reference to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, alleging a media double standard for the “Morning Joe” host.

“If it was a Conservative that said what ‘crazed’ Mika Brzezinski stated on her show yesterday, using a certain horrible term, that person would be banned permanently from television,” he tweeted. “She will probably be given a pass, despite their terrible ratings.”

Trump also praised U.S. Ambassador to Germany Richard Grenell “having the courage” to criticize Brzezinski for her comments.

If it was a Conservative that said what “crazed” Mika Brzezinski stated on her show yesterday, using a certain horrible term, that person would be banned permanently from television….

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 13, 2018

….She will probably be given a pass, despite their terrible ratings. Congratulations to @RichardGrenell, our great Ambassador to Germany, for having the courage to take this horrible issue on!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 13, 2018

The morning show host had blasted Pompeo on air on Wednesday for remarks he made during a Fox News interview about the killing of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, questioning whether the top diplomat is acting as “a wannabe dictator’s butt-boy.”

Brzezinski’s comments drew condemnation on social media and she later apologized for the remark in a Twitter post, saying she used a “SUPER BAD choice of words.”

Totally agree with you -SUPER BAD choice of words .. I should have said “water boy”… like for football teams or something like that.. apologize to @SenatorDurbin too! SO SORRY! https://t.co/zIqsGdK3Tk

— Mika Brzezinski (@morningmika) December 12, 2018

Grenell, who is openly gay, then suggested that her apology was not enough. 

accepting apologies is important. We all fail. But I don’t see that you’ve actually apologized to gays? Your words demean, mock and therefore try to control whole groups by minimizing our humanity. @morningmika https://t.co/whNqjHYjfn

— Richard Grenell (@RichardGrenell) December 12, 2018

Brzezinski, along with her co-host and husband Joe Scarborough, have had a tumultuous relationship with Trump, becoming staunch critics of the president months after hosting the onetime business mogul for several interviews during the 2016 Republican presidential primary.

In a June 2017 tweet, Trump accused the “low I.Q. Crazy Mika” of showing up to his Mar-a-Lago club in late 2016 while “bleeding badly from a face-lift.”

The comments drew widespread backlash, but Trump never apologized.

Updated at 1 p.m.