Former "Good Morning America" weekend anchor Janai Norman has publicly criticized ABC News and her former co-anchor Michael Strahan, alleging the network is "complicit in upholding white supremacy" through its coverage of the death of 18-year-old Nolan Wells.
Norman, 36, voiced her concerns on social media, referencing a July 11 ABC News interview where Strahan questioned the parents of Wells, who was Black and found dead following a Fourth of July trip in Mississippi. Wells' friends, who are white, stated they had to leave him behind when their boat began taking on water off Horn Island. Local authorities initially reported no signs of foul play.
Norman argued that Strahan's questions, which focused on why Wells might have voluntarily stayed behind, failed to consider the historical context of Mississippi, a state with a significant history of lynchings. "The question should have been, 'Do you believe that?'" Norman stated, asserting that Strahan should have pressed the parents to defend a decision that may not have been made by their son. She characterized Strahan's question as "not an objective question" and suggested it was "insensitivity" to ignore the racial history of the region.
Norman, whose contract with ABC News was not renewed when it expired in April after 15 years with the network, has been vocal about her departure and the network's journalistic practices. She previously described her exit as "heartbreaking" and has, in subsequent social media posts, accused ABC News of "gaslighting" the public and producing "problematic" coverage that engages in victim-blaming.
An ABC News spokesperson defended Strahan, calling him an "invaluable and highly respected member of the ABC News Family" with "complete confidence in his editorial judgment, integrity, and professionalism."
Norman began her career at ABC News as an intern in 2011 and rose through various reporting roles before co-launching the second hour of "GMA" on Saturdays in October 2019. She also occasionally anchored for ABC News Live on weekends. Norman has since announced the upcoming release of her memoir and spoken publicly about her mental health.