Overview

• On June 8, Moran labeled President Trump and Stephen Miller each a “world-class hater” in a now-deleted X post, triggering his suspension and ABC’s decision not to renew his contract
• ABC News cited a clear violation of its objectivity and professionalism standards, a characterization Moran disputes by asserting an oral agreement for a three-year contract extension
• In interviews with The New York Times and The Bulwark on June 16, Moran rejected the notion of a “drunk tweet” and defended his language as an accurate journalistic observation
• White House officials including Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt and Vice President JD Vance condemned the post as unhinged and vile, intensifying pressure on ABC to act
• Positioning himself as an independent journalist, Moran embraced his new Substack platform free from network constraints and has rapidly grown his audience