David Muir, ABC’s lead anchor for World News Tonight, has seen a notable drop in his viewership following last week’s presidential debate between Donald Trump and Kamala Harris. According to the New York Post, Muir’s news broadcast suffered a 12% dip in ratings, falling from an average of 7.6 million viewers to 6.7 million in the days after the debate.
Critics have pointed to Muir and co-moderator Linsey Davis for showing favoritism toward Harris during the debate. They allowed her to push false claims while frequently interrupting and fact-checking Trump. This perceived imbalance upset many conservative viewers, especially after it was revealed that some of the fact-checks targeting Trump were inaccurate.
Trump himself was vocal about the situation, accusing the moderators of unfair treatment and calling the debate “one-sided.” He argued that both candidates should have been subjected to the same level of scrutiny and fact-checking. “It was one against three,” Trump remarked, referencing Muir, Davis, and Harris.
While Muir retains the top spot in the evening news ratings, the 12% drop signals a potential shift in audience trust, particularly among conservative viewers. The fallout from the debate has sparked ongoing discussions about media bias and fairness in political reporting, with many questioning the objectivity of mainstream news networks.
