Trump's Fiery Social Media Attack Sparks Live TV Showdown

“Morning Joe” co-host Joe Scarborough responded Wednesday to President Donald Trump’s Truth Social post about him, saying on air, “I just state the facts, and maybe that makes you deranged,” a jab at Trump’s frequent accusation that those who disagree with him suffer from “Trump derangement syndrome” (TDS).

Trump’s post Wednesday morning described Scarborough’s MS NOW talk show as “ever shrinking, low rated show, one of the most inaccurate detailers of truthful facts on television.” He continued that the host has a “serious case” of TDS.

The president’s post came shortly after Scarborough spoke about new reporting from The New York Times about Jeffrey Epstein, highlighting reporting from journalists Maggie Haberman and Jonathan Swan’s forthcoming book, Regime Change: Inside the Imperial Presidency of Donald Trump.

What Did Trump Say About Scarborough?

In a Truth Social post early Wednesday morning Trump said Scarborough’s “serious case” of TDS “has made him a laughing stock among those who know what is going on in the ‘Wonderful World of Television.’”

The post continued, “His show is being cut because his ratings are TERRIBLE, and Mike and Willie, who wants to be his father but doesn’t have the talent, are falling further and further into the TDS Swamp! They all suffer from Low Ratings Disease!!!”

MS NOW trimmed an hour off the show amid programming changes that went into effect this month.

How Did Scarborough Reply?

After realizing the president posted about him while still on the show at around 7 a.m. ET, Scarborough said, “Donald, thank you for writing this,” he said before reading out the Truth Social post with some sarcastic remarks and reactions.

When reading the portion about TDS, Scarborough said “No, I don’t really have that.”

“I tell people that we actually talk on the phone, and sometimes I go talk to you in the White House, and we disagree on things, but nothing deranged here, sir. Unless you’re deranged, if there’s any derangement, it would have to be on your side of the relationship, because I’m not deranged, not about you. I just state the facts, and maybe that makes you deranged,” he added.

After reading the post, he said, “by the way, Hi Donald. As you know I’m praying for you and your health and that you’ll do what is right for this country.”

After discussing with the panel about what prompted the response and concluding it was mention of the Times reporting and reference to Epstein, Scarborough addressed Trump directly saying, “Well, thank you for chiming in, Mr. President. As always, we appreciate you watching the show, and as always, pray for your health, as I tell you, and pray for your well-being.”

The host went on, “And I am going to continue to double down praying for you, because on New Year’s Eve I said I would be praying for you, and hope that in the New Year you would remember what Jesus said, ‘Blessed are the peacemakers.’ 2026 hasn’t quite gone that way, has it?” His comments come soon after the U.S. blamed Iran for the downing of an Army Apache helicopter near the Strait of Hormuz and later responded with strikes.

He concluded, “I guess I got to double down with my prayers, my prayers haven’t been answered yet. I’m going to double, I’m going to pray without ceasing that he becomes a peacemaker.”

What Was The Referenced Epstein Reporting?

Haberman and Swan coauthored a magazine article Wednesday that previews some of the reporting in their book that is set to come out later this month. The authors open the article writing, “We discovered how the Epstein files consumed and often paralyzed the highest levels of the Trump administration, far more than the public knew.”

Epstein, a convicted sex offender, died in a Manhattan federal jail in 2019 while awaiting trial on federal sex trafficking charges. During the 2024 campaign and afterward, Trump and his allies pledged greater transparency surrounding government records related to Epstein. The pace and scope of those disclosures later became a source of controversy when he returned to office.

The administration's handling of the release of Epstein-related records exposed divisions within the Republican Party, drawing criticism from figures including then-Representatives Marjorie Taylor Greene, Thomas Massie and Nancy Mace, among others. Massie and Mace recently lost their primary bids after Trump backed their challengers and Greene resigned after a public fallout with Trump on the matter.

Earlier this year, the Justice Department released more than 3 million pages of documents under the Epstein Files Transparency Act, which Trump signed into law in November 2025. The records contain references to numerous public figures, leading many to testify before the House. On Wednesday, Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates testified.

In their new reporting, Haberman and Swan write “The government’s national-security bunker became an Epstein war room” where top officials were plotting how to mitigate the impact of the files. They also reported that Trump “wanted the whole thing buried,” adding, “Trump made clear to his aides that he had no interest in releasing anything related to Epstein. He snapped at anyone who raised the issue, and his staff mostly learned to avoid the subject in front of him.”