**Morning Joe Hosts Meet Trump to Restart Dialogue, Spark Liberal Backlash**

Mika Brzezinski and Joe Scarborough, hosts of MSNBC's Morning Joe, recently disclosed their meeting with President-elect Donald Trump to discuss a "new approach" and restore communications, after their vocal opposition to his re-election campaign. During the Monday broadcast of their show, Scarborough shared details of their encounter at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida, revealing that they discussed contentious issues such as abortion, mass deportation, and the threats Trump made against political opponents and media outlets.

The meeting, which was their first in-person interaction with Trump in seven years, highlighted significant disagreements. Scarborough mentioned, "We didn't see eye-to-eye on a lot of issues, and we told him so." Nevertheless, Brzezinski emphasized the need to keep the dialogue open, stating that despite their previous criticisms, it was essential to engage in conversations to address the pressing issues of the time.

Contrary to Trump’s claims on Fox News that the hosts sought the meeting and congratulated him on his campaign, Brzezinski reiterated their deep concerns about Trump’s rhetoric and the Capitol attack after his 2020 election defeat. Despite these concerns, she acknowledged the importance of discussing matters that played a role in returning Trump to the White House.

The hosts' decision to meet with Trump drew immediate condemnation from some liberal commentators and viewers. MSNBC host Katie Phang tweeted, "Normalizing Trump is a bad idea. Period." Journalism professor Jeff Jarvis accused Brzezinski and Scarborough of betraying their colleagues and democracy. Former MSNBC host Keith Olbermann harshly criticized Scarborough, calling the network "Vichy MSNBC" in a reference to the French collaborationist regime during World War II.

Brzezinski clarified that this meeting was not about defending or normalizing Trump but about providing insights to help the audience understand the current political climate. Scarborough, a former Republican Congressman from Florida who left the party due to disagreements with Trump, echoed this sentiment, expressing hopes that leaders from both parties could find common ground.

The meeting with Trump was their second interaction since March 2020, following a personal phone call in July after Trump survived an assassination attempt in Butler, Pennsylvania. Their willingness to engage with Trump, despite the backlash, underscored a strategic shift in their approach to addressing the nation's challenges directly with the incoming administration.