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Emotions were already running high during Today‘s “Hoda-Bration” celebrating Hoda Kotb‘s last day on the show, but viewers at home were disappointed when the broadcast was suddenly interrupted with a breaking news report announcing the results of Donald Trump‘s sentencing.
The president-elect’s sentencing directly coincided with the highly anticipated NBC event. After being convicted in 2024 on 34 charges of business fraud in connection to a hush payment made to Stormy Daniels during his 2016 presidential campaign, Trump was sentenced to an unconditional discharge, meaning his conviction will still stand but he will not be imprisoned or fined, per CNN. The conviction makes Trump the first former United States president to be convicted of a felony.
But Today viewers at home could not care less about the decision. Many took to X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, to vent about the “unnecessary” decision to interrupt Kotb’s last day on the air.
“Trump’s sentencing interrupting hoda’s last show i’m going to scream,” one fan wrote. “This is a new low.”
“WE DO NOT GIVE A FUCK ABOUT THE LEGAL ANALYSIS I NEED TO SEE HODA BEFORE SHE IS GONE,” another enraged fan posted.
Luckily for the fans, the NBC special report wrapped up rather quickly. “They cut into Hoda and Jenna (Hoda’s last show) to give an update about Trump’s sentencing and I’ve never seen a special report where they read so fast. I wonder if NBC News was like ‘get back to Hoda ASAP!!!’” a viewer commented on X.
Several fans were outraged by the decision to interrupt Kotb’s special day, to say the least.
“@NBC couldn’t hold off another hour and allow @hodakotb have her moment uninterrupted? Nobody cares! I don’t watch Hoda but you can tell it’s big for those who do care. Felon? Yep. But still your president,” one fan wrote.
Despite the brief interruption, Kotb’s last day on the show went off without a hitch. She was surprised by several guests on The Today Show and Today With Hoda & Jenna, including Gayle King, Simone Biles and Kathie Lee Gifford.
But Hoda fans will one day get another glimpse of the daytime queen! She has already signed a deal with NBC to stay on as a correspondent and contributor during the Olympics. It also seems like she is set to return as a guest host on Today With Jenna & Friends down the line.
For now, however, Today fans can continue tuning into the fourth hour of the broadcast to watch Jenna Bush Hager helm the show starting next week.
Today With Jenna & Friends premieres Monday, Jan. 13, at 10 a.m. on NBC.