Screenshot / YouTube NBC News, Cropped by Resist the Mainstream

Former Republican National Committee (RNC) Chair Ronna McDaniel expressed her disagreements with former President Donald Trump during an interview on NBC News' “Meet the Press” over the weekend just days after joining the network as an on-air contributor.

When pressed by moderator Kristen Welker about Trump's intention to free certain individuals charged and convicted for J6, McDaniel asserted, “I do not think people who committed violent acts on Jan. 6 should be free.”

McDaniel condemned the violence of that day as “unacceptable” and emphasized that such actions do not represent the nation.

McDaniel's stance on this issue raised questions about the timing of her remarks. When asked by Welker why she is voicing her opposition now rather than earlier, McDaniel's response appeared disingenuous to some observers.

“When you're the RNC chair, you – you kind of take one for the whole team, right? Now I get to be a little bit more myself, right? This is what I believe,” she said.

McDaniel also told Welker she believed Biden won the 2020 presidency “fair and square.” She added that Biden's “the legitimate president,” despite acknowledging “there were problems” with the general election.

McDaniel's statement marks a shift from her interview last year with Chris Wallace on CNN in which she refused to say the election was fair. “I don’t think he won it fair. I don’t,” McDaniel said of Biden at the time.

While conservatives have shared frustrations with McDaniel joining NBC as an analyst, Democrats, like “Meet the Press” moderator Chuck Todd have also voiced their concerns.

Todd, in a candid moment, suggested that the network owes viewers an apology for putting her in a potentially conflicted position. Todd questioned McDaniel's credibility as a paid contributor, highlighting the inherent challenges of discerning whether she speaks for herself or on behalf of those paying her.

NBC News has defended its hiring of McDaniel, citing her insider perspective on national politics and the Republican Party's future. Carrie Budoff Brown, head of NBC News' politics and elections reporting, emphasized McDaniel's experience navigating turbulent political landscapes, which could enrich the network's coverage during an anticipated lengthy election season.

In response to the backlash, NBC News President Rashida Jones clarified that McDaniel will not appear on MSNBC, a decision attributed to the intense criticism the network faced following McDaniel's hiring.

Despite attempts to justify McDaniel's role, her appointment continues to spark debate over journalistic integrity and impartiality.

Liberal pundits expressed outrage and demanded that NBC keep McDaniel off MSNBC, citing concerns over her past criticisms of the network's hosts and her denial of the 2020 election's honesty.

Former MSNBC anchor Keith Olbermann criticized NBC for compromising its integrity by hiring McDaniel, calling her “utterly dishonest” and accusing her of being a “fascist.”

Olbermann also highlighted McDaniel's past remarks about MSNBC hosts, labeling them as “primetime propagandists” who promoted the “Russia collusion hoax.”