Rachel Maddow & More MSNBC Anchors Read the First Amendment in Chilling New Promo

Alyssa Norwin March 21, 2025, 10:55 am

Comments

MSNBC is fighting for freedom of speech amid growing concerns that Donald Trump will limit the rights of the press during his second term as president. The network released a new promo on Friday, March 21, that features some of its most notable anchors reading the First Amendment out loud.

Rachel Maddow, Ari Melber, Jen Psaki, and Lawrence O’Donnell take turns reading straight from the constitution in the promo: “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion or prohibiting the exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech or of the press; or the right of the people, peaceably, to assemble; or to petition the government for a redress of grievances.”

The ad concludes with MSNBC’s usual slogan, “This is what we do. This is who we are.”

As MSNBC’s vice president of marketing Maritza Berta explained, “The First Amendment is a cornerstone of our democracy and serves as a constant inspiration for the work our journalists do at MSNBC.” She also said that the First Amendment allows the network to be “a trusted source for in-depth understanding and always provide the context necessary to fully grasp the news of the day. This is exactly what our anchors do every day — deliver news with unwavering rigor, accuracy, and truth.”

As the voiceover plays, there are images of the anchors who will make up MSNBC’s new weekday programming schedule flashing across the screen. This is the news network’s first ad released under Rebecca Kutler, who took over as president in February. With MSNBC suffering lower ratings following the 2024 election, Kutler has stepped in to revamp the network’s lineups.

MSNBC: Rachel Maddow’s Real Ratings Revealed Since Trump Win

During Trump’s first presidential term, CNN aired its own promo fighting the spread of misinformation. “This is an apple,” a narrator said, while a photo of an apple appeared onscreen. “Some people might try to tell you that it’s a banana. They might scream ‘Banana. Banana. Banana,’ over and over and over again. They might put ‘banana’ in all caps. You might even start to believe that this is a banana. But it’s not. This is an apple.”