The Nicolle Wallace row began early Sunday when Donald Trump, now 79, posted a cryptic message on his social media platform Truth Social.
Trump’s Truth Social attack on Nicolle Wallace
At 08:00 EST (14:00 SAST), Trump wrote the word “Bela” without any explanation. His followers quickly filled the comment section with edited images mocking Wallace, one of MSNBC’s most recognisable anchors.
Hours later, Trump added fuel to the fire by directly attacking her.
“She is a loser, with bad ratings, who was already thrown off of The View. She will be fired soon! MSNBC IS DEAD!” he wrote.
As of publication, Wallace has not responded to the comments.
Who is Nicolle Wallace?
For readers unfamiliar with her, Nicolle Wallace (born 4 February 1972) is a well-known American journalist, political commentator, and author. She currently hosts Deadline: White House on MSNBC, a political news program that discusses daily developments in US and global politics.
Before becoming a TV personality, Wallace worked in politics.
She served as White House Communications Director during President George W Bush’s second term and played a key role in his 2004 re-election campaign.
She also worked as a senior advisor for Senator John McCain’s 2008 presidential campaign.
Beyond her television career, Wallace is also a novelist. She has written three political novels: Eighteen Acres, It’s Classified, and Madam President.
Trump, Putin, and the Ukraine war talks
Trump’s attack on Wallace comes at a time when he is deeply engaged in foreign policy efforts.
Days earlier, he met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in an attempt to secure a ceasefire in the Ukraine-Russia war. That meeting ended without a final agreement, leaving Trump with more diplomatic work ahead.
On Monday, Trump is scheduled to meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the White House at 13:00 pm EST (19:00 SAST). Zelenskyy will be joined by several European leaders, including German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, French President Emmanuel Macron, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.
According to the White House, Trump and Zelenskyy will first meet privately in the Oval Office with Vice President JD Vance before holding a joint session with European leaders at 14:15 EST (20:15 SAST).
While Trump continues to use his Truth Social platform to target critics like Nicolle Wallace, his most pressing challenge remains international diplomacy.
The high-level talks with Zelenskyy and European allies will test Trump’s ability to turn promises of peace into a concrete deal that both Kyiv and Moscow can accept.