Most Talked-About Controversies Linked to Rachel Maddow

Public opinion and media debates around Rachel Maddow—discover key moments of controversy.

Rachel Maddow is a prominent American television news host and liberal political commentator. She is best known for hosting 'The Rachel Maddow Show' on MSNBC, a weekly program where she offers her perspective on current events. Maddow also serves as MSNBC's special event co-anchor. Previously, she hosted a syndicated talk radio program of the same name on Air America Radio from 2005 to 2010, establishing her as a significant voice in left-leaning media.

Sections (4)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements Controversies & Scandals

2002: CIA Report on Iraq War

In 2002, Rachel Maddow discussed the CIA pulling together a report on the Iraq war and delivering it seven days before the congressional vote.

2003: Maddow Opposes Invasion of Iraq

In 2003, Rachel Maddow opposed the invasion of Iraq.

2003: US Military Headed to the Gulf

In 2003, Rachel Maddow speaks about the U.S. military headed to the Gulf, Congress being on board, as are British Prime Minister Tony Blair and most of the mainstream media, setting the stage for war.

February 2013: Maddow's Opposition to Iraq War

In February 2013, Rachel Maddow reiterated her opposition to the 2003 invasion of Iraq, referencing the campaign directed at the highest levels of government to get Americans to agree to a war based on something that did not happen the way they said it happened.

2016: Maddow Suggests Trump-Russia Collusion Continued Past 2016 Election

In 2016, Rachel Maddow suggested that the alleged Trump-Russia collusion had continued beyond the 2016 presidential election, and stated that if the Trump presidency is knowingly the product of a foreign-intelligence operation, that is a full-stop national crisis.

March 2017: Maddow Blames Russia for WikiLeaks' Vault 7 Disclosure

In March 2017, Rachel Maddow blamed Russia for WikiLeaks' Vault 7 disclosure of the CIA's hacking tools, suggesting Putin most hates and wants to beat the CIA, and that the dump of classified CIA material could be a devastating blow to the CIA's cyber war and spying capabilities.

October 2018: Maddow Argues Trump's Saudi Ties Raised Troubling Questions

Following the October 2018 murder of Saudi Arabian dissident journalist Jamal Khashoggi, Rachel Maddow argued that Donald Trump's business ties to Saudi Arabia were raising some troubling questions.

December 2018: Maddow Criticizes Trump's Decision to Withdraw Troops from Syria

In December 2018, Rachel Maddow criticized President Trump's decision to withdraw U.S. troops from Syria.

September 10, 2019: OAN Sues Maddow for Defamation

On September 10, 2019, the One America News Network (OAN) filed suit against Rachel Maddow for $10 million after Maddow described the network as "paid Russian propaganda" on her program on July 22.

July 2020: Maddow's Unemployment Prediction Deemed 'Spectacularly Incorrect'

In July 2020, Rachel Maddow predicted that unemployment figures covering the previous month would be "absolutely terrible"; after the figures were released, showing the largest growth in employment in a single month in U.S. history, Politico named Maddow's prediction one of "the most audacious, confident and spectacularly incorrect prognostications about the year".

May 2021: Maddow Named as Example of Reporter Manipulation

In May 2021, former New York Times reporter Barry Meier published Spooked: The Trump Dossier, Black Cube, and the Rise of Private Spies, which cited the Steele dossier as a case study in how reporters can be manipulated by private intelligence sources. Meier named Rachel Maddow as one example.