No, ABC News did not fire presidential debate moderators David Muir and Linsey Davis

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David Muir and Linsey Davis, 2-7-2020
ABC World News Tonight Anchor David Muir, left, addresses members of the audience while standing with ABC News Live Anchor Linsey Davis Feb. 7, 2020 in Manchester, N.H.

ABC News’ debate moderators David Muir and Linsey Davis took a page from fact-checkers’ books during the Sep. 10 presidential debate when they called out false claims former President Donald Trump made in real time. Some social media users claimed the move cost the moderators their jobs.

“ABC Fires Debate Moderators David Muir and Linsey Davis: “They Are a Disgrace to Their Profession,” a Sept. 12 Facebook post reads.

POF claim David Muir and Linsey Davis, 9-13-2024
Figure 1: POF claim David Muir and Linsey Davis, 9-13-2024

Screenshot from Facebook

This post was flagged as part of Meta’s efforts to combat false news and misinformation on its News Feed. (Read more about our partnership with Meta, which owns Facebook, Instagram and Threads.)

The Facebook post links to an article that said ABC News released a statement Sept. 11 that the network fired Muir and Davis for fact-checking Trump and asking Vice President Kamala Harris’ questions. The article also said X CEO Elon Musk and conservative talk show host Megyn Kelly commented online about the firing.

We searched Google and the Nexis news database and found no reports about ABC News firing Muir and Davis.

ABC News’ press site also contains no statements about a firing.

The article in the post was originally published Sep. 12 on a site describing itself as “your one-stop destination for satirical news and commentary about the United States of America.” But the Facebook post resharing the article did not include a satire label.

We contacted an ABC News spokesperson but received no response.

We rate the claim that ABC News fired debate moderators Muir and Davis Pants on Fire!

Truth-o-meter Ruling

Pants on Fire!

If your time is short

  • We found no credible news stories or ABC News statements saying that presidential debate moderators David Muir and Linsey Davis were fired.

  • The article making the claim originated on a satire news website.

Statement

ABC News fired presidential debate moderators David Muir and Linsey Davis.

Context

a Facebook post

Speaker/Target

Statement Date

September 12, 2024
Our Sources

Facebook post (archived), Sept. 12, 2024

News Edge, ABC Fires Debate Moderators David Muir and Linsey Davis: "They Are a Disgrace to Their Profession", Sept. 12, 2024

Truth Social post, Sept. 11, 2024

ABC News Press Site, accessed Sept. 13, 2024

Esspots, ABC Fires Debate Moderators David Muir and Linsey Davis: "They Are a Disgrace to Their Profession", Sep. 12, 2024

Esspots, About Us, accessed Sept. 13, 2024

Sky News, ‘Three on one pile-on’: Megyn Kelly slams moderation for landmark presidential debate between Trump and Harris, Sept. 12, 2024

YouTube, Megyn Kelly: ABC News debate was ‘utterly unfair’ to Trump, Sept. 12, 2024

X post, Sept. 11, 2024

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