MSNBC’s Mika Brzezinski is apologizing after she used a homophobic remark to describe Secretary of State Mike Pompeo Wednesday morning on “Morning Joe.”
Brzezinski was speaking about Pompeo’s interview on cable news rival “Fox & Friends,” where the secretary of State reiterated that while the killing of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi was a “tragic incident” that America doesn’t approve of, the Saudis are still “an important ally” of the United States.
“I understand that Donald Trump doesn’t care … But why doesn’t Mike Pompeo care right now?” Brzezinski asked during an interview with Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.). “Are the pathetic deflections that we just heard when he appeared on ‘Fox & Friends,’ is that a patriot speaking, or a wannabe dictator’s butt-boy? I’m dead serious. I’m asking, are these the words of a patriot?”
{mosads}Brzezinski’s audio appeared to be cut right after the comment in an apparent attempt to bleep it.
She later apologized on Twitter after her comment went viral on social media, calling it a “super bad” choice of words.
“Totally agree with you -SUPER BAD choice of words,” she wrote. “I should have said ‘water boy’… like for football teams or something like that.. apologize to @SenatorDurbin too! SO SORRY!”
The blowback against Brzezisnki on social media was substantial.
Brzezinski, along with co-host and husband Joe Scarborough, have been among the network’s staunchest critics of President Trump and his administration after enjoying a friendly relationship and conducting multiple interviews with the then-candidate throughout the 2015-2016 GOP primaries. Trump and the “Morning Joe” hosts had a major falling out after the real estate mogul clinched the Republican nomination in May 2016.