ABC News is in full damage-control mode tonight after a shocking off-air comment by World News Tonight anchor David Muir was captured on a hot mic was publicly called out by Texas A&M head coach Mike Elko.
The incident allegedly occurred Wednesday evening when Elko appeared remotely from College Station for a live hit on the Aggies’ upcoming rivalry game against Texas. According to multiple sources inside the control room, as the segment ended and the broadcast, Muir was caught on an open studio microphone muttering, “Another overrated SEC coach who thinks he’s Nick Saban.” The remark was not broadcast to viewers, but the feed was still live to the guest and the production truck.
Within minutes, Elko took to social media with a 14-second clip of the audio he says he recorded himself, writing: “Classy, ABC. Real classy. See you Saturday, Coach Sark.” The post exploded, racking up 4.2 million views in under three hours and instantly trending nationwide under the hashtag #HotMicMuir.
ABC executives immediately pulled Muir from Thursday’s broadcast, and Friday’s broadcasts, placing him on indefinite paid administrative leave pending an internal investigation. A network spokesperson released a brief statement: “We are aware of the alleged incident and take matters of journalistic integrity extremely seriously. Appropriate action is being taken.”
The fallout has been swift and brutal. Conservative commentators praised Elko for “exposing liberal media bias,” while some journalism watchdogs criticized the coach for weaponizing a private moment. Inside ABC, staffers report a tense atmosphere, with one senior producer telling reporters off the record: “Everyone’s triple-checking their mics now. This one’s going to sting for a long time.”
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