ABC News anchor David Muir saw a significant decline in ratings for World News Tonight following his role in moderating the presidential debate between Donald Trump and Kamala Harris. A report from the New York Post shows that Muir’s audience dropped by 12%, from 7.6 million viewers to 6.7 million, in the days following the debate.
The criticism stems from claims of bias in the debate, where Muir and co-moderator Linsey Davis appeared to side with Harris. While they fact-checked Trump multiple times, Harris was allowed to present unchecked statements, frustrating many conservative viewers. To make matters worse, some of the fact-checks used against Trump were later found to be inaccurate.
Trump expressed his disappointment with the moderators, labeling the debate “one-sided.” He stated that if fact-checking was a key component of the event, it should have been applied equally to both candidates. Trump’s remark that it was “one against three” reflected his view that the moderators were working in favor of Harris throughout the debate.
Despite the decline, Muir’s show still leads in the evening news ratings. However, the sharp drop has raised questions about media bias and the credibility of network moderators in highly politicized events. The controversy has left viewers debating whether the media is capable of maintaining impartiality during such high-stakes moments.
