Terry Moran, a veteran journalist, will not be returning to his position after being suspended for a social media post where he described United States President Donald Trump and his deputy chief of staff, Stephen Miller, as “world-class haters.”

The US broadcaster stated on Tuesday that Moran’s quickly-deleted post on X was “a clear violation of ABC News policies,” according to the Associated Press.

The network added that Moran’s contract was ending, and “based on his recent post… we have made the decision not to renew” it.

The post, made on Sunday night, primarily targeted Miller, whom Moran called “the brains behind trumpism.”

“Miller is a man who is richly endowed with the capacity for hatred. He’s a world-class hater,” Moran had posted on X.

Moran, who recently interviewed Trump in his role as Senior National correspondent, also described the US President as a “world-class hater,” but added that in Trump’s case, it was only a “means to an end” of “his own glorification.”

However, regarding Miller, Moran stated, “his hatreds are his spiritual nourishment. He eats his hate.”

The Trump administration swiftly condemned Moran’s post, with Vice President JD Vance calling it an “absolutely vile smear of Stephen Miller.”

Moran, 65, had been with the US broadcaster as 1997, serving as a longtime co-anchor of “Nightline” and covering the Supreme Court and national politics.

During an interview with Trump a month prior, the president told Moran, “You’re not being very nice” during a contentious exchange about deportations.

Trump aide Steven Cheung responded to Moran’s exit on Tuesday with a post on X, stating: “Talk s***, get hit.”

Miller has been focused on the Trump administration’s decision to deploy 4,000 National Guard soldiers and a Marine battalion to Los Angeles, amid anti-immigration enforcement protests in California’s capital city.

In a post on X on Tuesday, Miller said that California has become a “criminal sanctuary for millions of illegal alien invaders” and that “huge swaths of the city where I was born now resemble failed third world nations.”

Moran’s Contract and Network Challenges

“Miller is a man who is richly endowed with the capacity for hatred. He’s a world-class hater.”

The AP reported that Moran’s contract was set to expire on Friday, according to sources familiar with the matter.

Moran’s post also occured during a sensitive period for the US broadcaster, which agreed to pay $15m towards Trump’s presidential library in December to settle a defamation lawsuit over George Stephanopoulos’ inaccurate claim.

Moran’s departure comes as major television networks in the US face challenges in retaining audiences due to the increasing popularity of podcasters and subscription-based newsletters.

Some journalists have embraced this shift, including Mehdi Hasan, who launched his own media network in early 2024 after leaving MSNBC when it cancelled his show in late 2023.