5 Shocking Revelations From Terry Moran's Final, Tense Interviews With Donald Trump That Led To His ABC Exit

The relationship between veteran journalist Terry Moran and former (or current, depending on the exact date of the second presidency) President Donald J. Trump reached a dramatic and definitive breaking point in late 2024 and early 2025, culminating in Moran's abrupt departure from ABC News. This high-stakes clash between one of America's most respected correspondents and the 47th President of the United States was not a slow burn, but a sudden conflagration, ignited by a tense Oval Office interview and a subsequent, scathing social media post that violated network policy.

As of late December 2025, the story of Terry Moran's exit remains a potent example of the fraught dynamic between the political establishment and the media, especially concerning Donald Trump and his administration. Moran, a fixture at ABC News for 27 years, found himself at the center of a media firestorm after his candid commentary about the President and his senior staff went viral, marking a shocking end to a career that spanned decades of major global and national reporting.

Terry Moran: Complete Journalist Biography and Professional Profile

Terry Moran, born Terence Patrick Moran, is an American independent journalist and a highly decorated veteran of broadcast news. His career is characterized by extensive domestic and international reporting, often covering the most challenging and consequential stories of the era.

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• Birth Name: Terence Patrick Moran
• Date of Birth: December 9, 1959
• Birthplace: Chicago, Illinois, USA
• Education: Lawrence University (English major)
• Early Career: After graduating from Lawrence, Moran moved to Washington, D.C., and spent a decade writing for various news magazines, including The New Republic.
• ABC News Tenure: Moran joined ABC News in 1997.
• Key Roles at ABC News:
  • Chief White House Correspondent
  • Co-Anchor of Nightline
  • Chief Foreign Correspondent (2013 to 2018, based in London)
  • Senior National Correspondent
  • Anchor for ABC News Live
• Notable Reporting: Moran has covered the Supreme Court, the September 11 attacks, the Iraq War, major political campaigns, and reported from dozens of countries during his time as Chief Foreign Correspondent.
• Current Status (as of late 2025): Independent journalist, focusing on a new subscription-based content platform after his departure from ABC News.

The Tense Oval Office Interview: Doctored Photos and Deportation Demands

The final chapter of Moran's long career at ABC News was inextricably linked to his exclusive and highly scrutinized interview with President Donald J. Trump. This interview, which was conducted in the Oval Office and aired as a primetime special titled "President Trump: The First 100 Days of His Second Presidency," became a flashpoint for controversy.

During the session, the atmosphere was reportedly tense, a hallmark of many of Trump's interviews with journalists he perceived as critical. Key moments from the interview that drew significant media attention included:

1. The Doctored Photo Pressure

In a surreal moment, President Trump reportedly pressured Moran to accept a doctored photograph as authentic. Moran, a seasoned court and investigative reporter, was forced to navigate the President's insistence on the veracity of the manipulated image, maintaining journalistic integrity while on camera. This confrontation underscored the administration's contentious relationship with factual reporting.

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2. Questioning on Deportations and Tariffs

Moran’s line of questioning focused on high-stakes policy issues, including the administration's plans for mass deportations and the imposition of new tariffs. His persistent inquiries on these sensitive topics, which were central to the President's second-term agenda, contributed to the palpable tension in the room.

The interview, while a major news scoop for ABC, set the stage for the dramatic events that followed, suggesting a deep professional and ideological rift between the journalist and the President.

The 'World-Class Hater' Post and the Shocking Exit from ABC News

Just weeks after the high-profile Oval Office interview, Terry Moran's long tenure at ABC News came to an abrupt end. The catalyst was a social media post he made on X (formerly Twitter) that directly criticized President Trump and a key member of his administration, Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller.

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The Vile and Hateful Commentary

In his post, which was later removed, Moran did not hold back. He called Stephen Miller "vile" and then escalated his criticism to include the President himself. Moran described both Trump and Miller as "world class" haters, further claiming that Trump's hatred was "only a means to an end, and that end [is] his own glorification."

Violation of Network Standards

The post, made shortly after midnight on a Sunday, was deemed a clear violation of ABC News's social media policy, which requires correspondents to maintain impartiality and avoid expressing personal political opinions in a public forum. The network initially suspended Moran. Two days later, ABC News announced that they were at the "end of our agreement with Terry Moran" and that his recent post was the basis for the decision, effectively dropping the veteran correspondent.

The firing sent shockwaves through the media industry. For many, it highlighted the extreme pressure journalists face when covering a highly polarized political figure like Donald Trump, where even a single, candid expression of opinion can end a decades-long career.

What's Next for the Veteran Journalist? Embracing Independent Media

Following his separation from ABC News, Terry Moran did not retreat from the public sphere. Instead, he quickly announced his next professional move, choosing a path of independent journalism that allows for more freedom of expression and direct audience engagement.

The Subscription-Based Content Platform

Moran revealed that he is taking up a "professional residence" on a subscription-based content platform. This pivot from mainstream broadcast news to an independent, direct-to-consumer model is a growing trend among high-profile journalists seeking to bypass traditional media constraints. This new venture allows Moran to continue his deep-dive reporting and analysis, likely with a more candid and less constrained voice, about the political landscape, including the ongoing impact of the Trump presidency.

A New Voice in Independent Journalism

The move signifies Moran’s belief that "storytelling is alive and well," even outside the major networks. His new platform is expected to feature the kind of insightful, in-depth analysis that characterized his best work at ABC, but with the added authority of a journalist no longer bound by corporate policies against personal commentary. This new chapter promises to offer fresh perspectives on the current administration and the broader state of American democracy.