Auburn basketball head coach Bruce Pearl ripped MSNBC on Tuesday after the network refused to air former President Donald Trump's speech on Monday night after handily winning the Iowa Republican caucus.

MSNBC host Rachel Maddow said on-air about the decision to censor the speech, "The projected winner of the Iowa caucuses has just started giving his victory speech. We will keep an eye on that as it happens. We will let you know if there is any news made in that speech, if there's anything noteworthy, something substantive and important."

"The reason I'm saying this is of course there is a reason we and other news organizations have generally stopped giving an unfiltered live platform to remarks by former President Trump. It is not out of spite. It is not a decision we relish. It is a decision that we regularly revisit and honestly it is not an easy decision, but there is a cost to us as a news organization of knowingly broadcasting untrue things. That is a fundamental truth of our business and who we are and so his remarks tonight will not air here live. We will monitor them and let you know about any news that he makes," she added. 

Pearl said on X the decision was "beyond disturbing for our Democracy." 

"This is how State run media operates quietly in dictatorships, except here they are explaining and openly justifying it! Americans should be able to hear and decide for themselves. Do you want candidates' speech monitored and censored?" Pearl said.

The next Republican primary will be on January 23 in New Hampshire. 

To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email caleb.taylor@1819News.com.

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