Being ESPN Means Never Having to Say Sorry

It’s almost possible to feel sorry for ESPN lately. Everything it does is cause for outrage. In February, when the network made a staffing change in its 6 p.m. weekday slot, it did not seem like a move that would lead to nationwide controversy and the President of the United States demanding an apology. But here we are. Last Friday, between proclamations on fighting ISIS and immigration policy, President Trump tweeted this:

Trump did not mention Jemele Hill, but the implication was clear. Hill, along with Michael Smith, is the co-host of the 6 p.m. edition of SportsCenter. In a series of tweets last week, she had called Trump “a white supremacist,” “ignorant,” and “unfit to be president.” This sparked a backlash, which prompted ESPN to issue a statement saying that her views did not represent the network’s and that she recognized that “her actions were inappropriate.” The next day, during a White House press conference, Trump spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders called Hill’s comments a “fireable offense.” Trump’s outburst came two days later.