The Shady Side Of ABC's David Muir We Can't Ignore

David Muir became one of America's most prominent journalists thanks to his hard work and work ethic. Muir even sacrificed his personal life in his commitment to journalism, devoting so much time to his career that he barely even had time to care for a pet — let alone a wife and children. He once had to rehome a schnauzer named Pryor after having him for just a week. "I often work seven days a week. I'm not looking for a pat on the back because I love what I do," he told Syracuse.com in 2014.

His dedication to his career can be seen as a virtue, but it has also caused issues. In his quest to reach the top, Muir embarked on a reported years-long feud with fellow ABC star George Stephanopoulos. The latter was once the de facto leader within the network, until the younger Muir challenged his status. He apparently won, too. "There's a reason that George Stephanopoulos does not play a role in the larger ABC News political coverage anymore. He was the lead man for a while and now it's David Muir," former CNN reporter Oliver Darcy told the Daily Mail.

Stephanopoulos even reportedly threatened to quit ABC over Muir's growing influence, but ultimately accepted his new place. "It's sort of like North Korea and South Korea, like there's a détente," Darcy said. However, the tension between the seasoned journalists isn't the only time Muir's shady side took center stage. In fact, ABC viewers got to witness some of it with their own eyes.

In January 2025, David Muir caused a stir with an on-air fashion fail that had viewers questioning his priorities. While covering the fires that ravaged through southern California, he used a clothespin on his flame-retardant jacket to improve its fit (seen above). Viewers had plenty to say about his apparent preoccupation with his appearance. "While most reporters are dressed down while on location reporting on the devastating fires, DAVID MUIR decides to clothespin his 'fireman' cosplay outfit to show how incredibly fabulous he looks in it. Was THIS really necessary?" one user argued on X.

Social media users weren't the only ones, though. ABC staffers were reportedly also "embarrassed and horrified" by Muir's faux pas. "His narcissism is quite large in the sense of this kind of thing. I like David, except for this part of him," one insider told Page Six. Muir went without the clothespin in follow-up coverage of the wildfires, suggesting the criticism got to him. But this wasn't the first time his journalistic values were probed.

Muir was also criticized for his role as moderator during the September 2024 debate between Donald Trump and Kamala Harris, with viewers accusing him of letting some of the Democratic candidate's claims go unchecked while fact-checking Trump multiple times. "If this is going to be an actual, real debate and not a propaganda exercise, if it's gonna be a real debate, you have to fact-check everybody," Joe Rogan said on "The Joe Rogan Experience."