MSNBC host Mehdi Hasan said Sunday he is leaving the network, effective immediately, after his Sunday night show was canceled late last year.
“It’s been an absolute blast doing this live show on MSNBC,” Hasan told viewers during his closing remarks on his final program Sunday. “It’s been a privilege, it’s been a pleasure. But, as we begin 2024 with an election coming, a war still ongoing and too many Trump trials honestly to even keep track of … I’ve decided it’s time for me to look for a new challenge.”
Hasan, a former journalist for Al Jazeera English and the Intercept, launched his eponymous show on Peacock in 2020 before MSNBC began showing it in 2021. He quickly drew fans who praised the host for his direct lines of questioning and his takedowns of the Republican Party.
He was one of three Muslim hosts at the network alongside colleagues Ayman Mohyeldin and Ali Velshi, and one of just a few on network TV.
MSNBC canceled Hasan’s show in November as part of what it described as a weekend lineup change. But the move prompted backlash from those who championed Hasan’s coverage of the Israel-Hamas war and his fierce critiques of the Israeli government’s actions in Gaza.
“It is bad optics for MSNBC to cancel @mehdirhasan’s show right at a time when he is vocal for human rights in Gaza with the war ongoing,” Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.), wrote on X at the time. “As a strong supporter of free speech, MSNBC owes the public an explanation for this decision. Why would they choose to do this now?”
Hasan’s coverage often went viral on social media as he took aim at former President Donald Trump and supported the Palestinian people. Recently, Hasan questioned Mark Regev, a senior adviser to Israel’s prime minister, on the thousands of children killed in Gaza since Hamas’ attack on Israel Oct. 7.
The Washington Post reported in November that the decision to cancel his program was not related to his coverage of the Israel-Gaza conflict.
MSNBC initially said Hasan was meant to stay on as a political analyst and fill-in anchor. But he said Sunday the new year merited a change in his professional aspirations.
“I am so proud, so so proud, of what we’ve achieved on this show, on this network,” Hasan added. “But as I say, new year, new plans.”