Joe Scarborough

Co-host of Morning Joe on MS NOW and a former Republican U.S. representative from Florida.

What we have documented

We have documented 5 statements by Joe Scarborough, in 5 cases. Each statement below gives the quotation, its original source and a link to the full case.

Statements by Joe Scarborough

Joe Scarborough

Role at the time: Co-host of MS NOW's Morning Joe

October 29, 2026Condemned

Statement summary

On Morning Joe, Scarborough responds to a clip of Moreno's remarks by telling him to read the first phrase of the First Amendment, which says Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion.

“Just read the first phrase of the First Amendment, the Constitution of the United States First Amendment, Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion.”

Watch the original videoMorning Joe segment on Moreno's remarks about El-Sayed (MS NOW video) · MS NOW

Why we used this label

Relative to Moreno's remark that El-Sayed should be nowhere near Washington, Scarborough answers it with the First Amendment's bar on an establishment of religion, an objection to tying Senate service to Christian belief.

Read statement Full case: Bernie Moreno says Abdul El-Sayed should be nowhere near Washington, invoking Jesus; CAIR and Interfaith Alliance cite the ban on religious tests

Joe Scarborough

Role at the time: Morning Joe cohost

October 26, 2026Defended or excused

Statement summary

Scarborough rejects the negative response to Obama's comparison and criticizes Trump and his allies as insulting Americans.

“Can you believe how stupid the reaction is and how stupid they think Americans are?”

Open sourceScarborough rejects the backlash to Obama's jokeTara Suter report; Monday Morning Joe remarks

Why we used this label

Scarborough expressly rejects the backlash to the joke.

Read statement Full case: Obama compares Trump's White House decor to a Cheesecake Factory; Trump and Bessent push back

Joe Scarborough

Role at the time: Co-host of MS NOW's Morning Joe

October 14, 2026Condemned

Response to this claim

People who say the kinds of things James Talarico has said about transgender children and drag tend to have unusual internet search histories, so Talarico's search history would be disturbing to see.

“That is disgusting. You're disgusting because he's going back to a time five years ago, maybe six years ago, whatever.”

Watch the original videoMS NOW: Morning Joe segment on Vance's remarks about Talarico · MS NOW01:32-02:30

Why we used this label

The reference point is Vance's remarks about Talarico's internet search history and sexuality. Scarborough calls the remark and Vance disgusting, so we labeled it Condemned. The closest competing label is Challenged the characterization, because he also questions Vance's use of old statements; it loses because his main point is moral criticism of the remark.

Read statement Full case: JD Vance questions James Talarico's internet search history; Jake Tapper says Vance twisted Talarico's words

Joe Scarborough

Role at the time: Host of Morning Joe on MS NOW, speaking on air

October 9, 2026Condemned

Statement summary

On Morning Joe on MS NOW, Joe Scarborough said that every other law enforcement agency in America would have gotten the man out of the car peacefully, and that DHS does not want to talk about why a federal agent fired into a car on a crowded residential street at school pickup time. He said the issue was not whether immigration law should be enforced but whether enforcement gives anyone a license to keep gambling with the lives of 5-year-old children.

“how every other law enforcement agency in America would have gone in and gotten that man peacefully out of the car ... they don't want to talk about why an amped-up federal agent sprayed bullets in the direction of a car on a crowded street in a residential area at school pickup time.”

Open sourceJoe Scarborough slams ICE after NYC shooting: 'Gambling with the lives' of children (MS NOW)Paragraph quoting Scarborough: DHS doesn't "talk about how every other law enforcement agency in America would have gone in and gotten that man peacefully out of the car."

Why we used this label

The reference point is whether the ICE officer was justified in shooting the man in the car. Scarborough says every other law enforcement agency would have gotten the man out of the car peacefully and that DHS avoids explaining why "an amped-up federal agent sprayed bullets" at a car on a crowded street, which rejects the shooting as unjustified, so we labeled it Condemned. The closest competing label is Challenged the characterization, because he also attacks DHS's framing; he gives his own verdict on the shooting, so it loses.

Read statement Full case: Was ICE justified in shooting a man in a car in Marble Hill?

Joe Scarborough

Role at the time: Morning Joe co-host and former Republican U.S. representative

September 9, 2026Condemned

Statement summary

Scarborough accused Netanyahu of receiving the warning and failing to act. He pressed for an official inquiry and insisted that discussing Netanyahu’s responsibility did not erase Hamas’s responsibility for the attack.

“He knew. He froze. He did nothing all day.”

Open sourceTranscript of Morning Joe’s September 9 discussion of the reported UAE warningSeptember 9, 7am episode; full UAE-warning discussion 20:48–34:13, Scarborough’s criticism at 22:28–24:40

Why we used this label

Scarborough directly criticizes Netanyahu’s alleged response to the warning and demands accountability. His simultaneous condemnation of Hamas is compatible with, rather than a qualification of, that criticism.

Read statement Full case: Was Netanyahu warned by the UAE about a major Hamas operation before October 7?

A participant is a subject of the case. A speaker has a statement documented in it. A commentator has an opinion or editorial documented in it.

Case