NBC News Cuts Ties With Ronna McDaniel After Network Firestorm

A string of top stars had denounced the hiring of Ms. McDaniel, the former chairwoman of the Republican National Committee, on their own airwaves.top news executive said on Tuesday that he had decided to cut ties with Ms. McDaniel, the former chairwoman of the Republican National Committee, who was hired last week as an on-air political commentator.was immediately criticized by reporters at the network and viewers on social media. Fans of MSNBC, NBC’s left-leaning cable arm, were particularly outraged, citing Ms. McDaniel’s leadership of the Republican Party under former President Donald J. Trump and her handling of his false claims that the 2020 election was rigged.

“After listening to the legitimate concerns of many of you, I have decided that Ronna McDaniel will not be an NBC News contributor,” Cesar Conde, the chairman of the NBCUniversal News Group, wrote in a staff memo on Tuesday.

“No organization, particularly a newsroom, can succeed unless it is cohesive and aligned,” Mr. Conde continued. “Over the last few days, it has become clear that this appointment undermines that goal.”Ms. McDaniel did not respond to requests for comment. She learned of her dismissal through media reports on Tuesday evening, before NBC told her directly, a person close to her said.