MSNBC host Nicolle Wallace has remained silent amid mounting criticism over comments she made regarding DJ Daniel, a 13-year-old cancer survivor honored during President Donald Trump’s joint address to Congress.

Wallace faced intense backlash after she inexplicably linked the young boy to the events of January 6 and the suicides of Capitol Police officers.

During Wednesday’s edition of Deadline: White House, Wallace did not acknowledge the growing controversy surrounding her remarks.

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In fact, coverage of Trump’s address was notably limited during her two-hour program.

One of the most widely praised moments of Trump’s speech was when he recognized DJ Daniel, an aspiring police officer who was given just five months to live after being diagnosed with brain cancer six years ago.

“Tonight, DJ, we’re going to do you the biggest honor of them all,” Trump announced.

“I am asking our new Secret Service Director, Sean Curran, to officially make you an agent of the United States.”

13-year-old D.J. Daniel was diagnosed with brain cancer and given five months to live — and that was six years ago.

Since then, D.J. and his dad have been on a quest to make his dream come true — and tonight, President Trump made him an honorary member of the Secret Service. pic.twitter.com/9FuDCUIfos

— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) March 5, 2025

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The moment was met with a standing ovation from Republicans in the chamber, while many Democratic lawmakers remained seated.

Following Trump’s address, Wallace gave her reaction during MSNBC’s coverage, making comments that quickly sparked outrage.

“But I think this was a lesson in finding one thing that you let yourself feel,” Wallace said.

“And I let myself feel joy about DJ, and I hope he’s alive for another, you know, 95 years, and I hope he lives the life he wants to live. He wants to be a cop. He knows what he wants to do, and maybe when you have childhood cancer, that crystallizes for you.”

She continued: “I hope he has a long life as a law enforcement officer. But I hope he never has to defend the United States Capitol against Donald Trump’s supporters, and if he does, I hope he isn’t one of the six who loses his life to suicide, and I hope he isn’t one who has to testify against the people who carried out acts of seditious conspiracy and then lived to see Donald Trump pardon those people.”

JUST IN: MSNBC’s Nicolle Wallace politicizes young DJ’s moment at Trump’s speech, says she hopes he doesn’t k*ll himself because of something like Jan 6.

Holy sh*t

“I hope he has a long life as a law enforcement officer, but I hope he never has to defend the United States… pic.twitter.com/2wHSzECggL

— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) March 5, 2025

Wallace’s comments were widely condemned across social media and quickly drew a response from the White House.

“Last night, MSNBC’s Nicolle Wallace disgustingly looped in a 13-year-old boy with brain cancer into an attack on the president over Jan. 6,” White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said during Wednesday’s press briefing.

“It’s sad and frankly pathetic that Democrats and liberals in the legacy media continue to allow their hatred for the president to override their love for our country,” Leavitt added.

.@PressSec condemned MSNBC’s @NicolleDWallace from the podium for invoking a child with cancer to rant about J6

“Last night, MSNBC’s Nicolle Wallace disgustingly looped in a 13-year-old boy with brain cancer into an attack on the president for January 6th,” she said.… pic.twitter.com/jJVpGyZG9l

— Nicole Silverio (@NicoleMSilverio) March 5, 2025

Wallace was not the only MSNBC figure to criticize Trump for featuring Daniel in his speech.

Host Rachel Maddow also took aim at the president, accusing him of using the young boy for political spectacle.

“For the record, and this is disgusting, the president made a spectacle out of praising a young man who thus far survived pediatric cancer, as if the president had something to do with that,” Maddow said on Tuesday night.

“This was in the midst of him praising [the Department of Government Efficiency],” she continued. “The DOGE cuts, among other things, have cut off funding for ongoing research into pediatric cancer.”

Rachel Maddow says President Trump celebrating a young cancer survivor “disgusting”:

“For the record—and this is disgusting—the President made a spectacle out of praising a young man who thus far survived pediatric cancer, as if the President had something to do with that.”… pic.twitter.com/tpPbzhO6Mq

— Charlie Kirk (@charliekirk11) March 5, 2025

Despite the controversy, Wallace has yet to address the backlash directly, and MSNBC has not issued a statement regarding the remarks.

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