NBC News is currently facing a wave of criticism following a heated exchange between correspondent Dasha Burns and Republican presidential candidate Ron DeSantis regarding abortion. The contentious interaction took place during an interview aired on Monday’s “Today” show.
In the interview segment, Burns posed a question to DeSantis about his stance on potentially vetoing a national bill prohibiting abortion. DeSantis indicated that he would veto such legislation and expressed concerns about certain factions on the left advocating for minimal legal protections even up to the point of birth, which he characterized as “infanticide.”
Burns interjected, stating, “I’m sorry, I’ve got to push back on you on that because that, that’s a misrepresentation of what’s happening.” She went on to point out statistics regarding abortions occurring at 21 weeks or later and suggested that Democrats were not pushing for unrestricted abortions up until the point of birth.
DeSantis reiterated his position, contending that Democrats indeed held the view that legal protections should extend up until the moment of birth. The exchange escalated, and Burns cut off DeSantis before the network shifted to another part of the interview.
In a subsequent portion of the interview aired on MSNBC, DeSantis mentioned California’s abortion law as an example. Burns challenged his assertion, prompting DeSantis to respond that California had implemented such policies. California had previously passed a constitutional amendment emphasizing individuals’ reproductive freedom, including the right to choose abortion.
Critics on social media strongly reacted to Burns’ statements. NewsBusters’ Curtis Houck pointed out recent laws in states like Maine, Colorado, and New York that lacked abortion week limits. Critics also highlighted instances where prominent Democrats rejected abortion limits when asked.
The DeSantis War room released a montage showing Democrats like Sens. John Fetterman and Bernie Sanders, Mayor Eric Adams, and Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham rejecting abortion limits.
Many critics took issue with Burns’ statements and the way the interview was conducted. Some accused her of presenting false information, while others criticized the network for allegedly cutting out DeSantis’ responses.
Dasha Burns had previously gained attention for her reporting on John Fetterman’s stroke and had faced backlash from liberal journalists and colleagues.
In a separate exchange, Burns questioned DeSantis about whether former President Trump lost the 2020 election, to which DeSantis responded affirmatively, stating, “Of course, he lost.”