‘Disgusting Rhetoric’: Fired MSNBC Star Joy Reid Criticized for Claiming American ‘Regime’ Is Only ‘Marginally Better’ Than Iran’s

A fired MSNBC personality, Joy Reid, is facing criticism after she suggested America is only “marginally” better than Iran. During an interview with the “One54 Africa” podcast, Ms. Reid – who is now an independent media personality on YouTube and Substack – questioned “false” narratives about several moments in history, such as the October 7 massacre, in which she questioned Hamas’s level of responsibility for the 1,200 deaths. She expressed doubt that Hamas “suddenly just came over a wall with nothing and killed 1,200 people.” She also argued that the news media needed to provide more “context” for Hamas’s actions. Turning to “Operation Epic Fury,” the far-left commentator claimed that Iran hates America because “we took their freedom” by supporting the 1953 coup in Iran that restored Mohammed Reza Shah Pahlavi to power. The current 1979 Iranian revolution – when Islamic fundamentalists overthrew the Shah – was in part fueled by popular anger at corruption and immoral behavior at the court of the Shah, who had American backing.Ms. Reid then suggested that modern-day America and Iran are actually quite similar as they are ruled by similar “regimes.” .“Now, I’m not saying that that regime is not bad, but, by the way, our regime is not good,” she said. “Our regime has secret police. They have secret police. Our regime is oppressing women, taking away abortion rights, taking away women’s rights in like 26 states — some states where they’re trying to have the death penalty for having an abortion. They also oppress women.”She added, “We’re marginally better. And we’re doing it for Christianity, they’re doing it for Islam, right? So, it’s like we don’t get told those things because it would take away the kind of American exceptionalism narrative that makes it easy to take our people and send them off to die in a war that we have nothing to do with, that we don’t want.”Mr. Reid, who just a year after being ousted from MSNBC has a popular podcast with paying subscribers and a thriving YouTube channel, is clearly enjoying the freedom to give her true opinions without having to worry about corporate management at Comcast, which controlled MSNBC.Ms. Reid, who hosted an evening program on MSNBC (now MS NOW) was abruptly terminated in February 2025 in what NBCUniversal said was a programming reshuffle. It was reported at the time that Ms. Reid’s racist on camera remarks – which included criticizing white women who did not come out to vote for Kamala Harris – made her ultimately too radioactive, even for an outfit as far left as MSNBC. Ms. Reid’s comparison of the American and Iranian government on the One54 Africa podcast – which seeks to celebrate all 54 countries in Africa – was met with criticism from voices on the right. A conservative commentator at the Daily Wire, Isabel Brown, criticized Ms. Reid for comparing the end of Roe v. Wade to Iran’s morality police, which have a documented history of kidnapping and beating women – in at least one case, fatally – who are accused of not complying with hijab laws. “Forgive my Christian ignorance but when was the last time a woman was BEATEN TO DEATH BY THE MORALITY POLICE for a sliver of her hair showing in a Christian country?” Ms. Brown asked on X. Another commentator, Amala Ekpunobi, wrote, “Joy Reid says America is “marginally better” than Iran when it comes to women’s rights and oppression. She says this: with no hijab on, on a podcast she likely traveled by herself to, with a job she didn’t need a man’s permission to have, with equal legal protections to men. I would like to see her do the same in Iran.”Another user wrote, “This is disgusting rhetoric. We are so lucky to live in America. Does Joy Reid know that if Iranian women simply don’t wear a hijab they can face up to 15 years in prison, get 74 physical lashes, be fined 20x their salary, and be banned from traveling and working?”Ms. Reid was harshly criticized last month for a vulgar speech she gave at a left-wing alternative to President Trump’s State of the Union address, in which she told Trump supporters, “[expletive] y’all.”

‘Disgusting Rhetoric’: Fired MSNBC Star Joy Reid Criticized for Claiming American ‘Regime’ Is Only ‘Marginally Better’ Than Iran’s

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