Lawrence O’Donnell’s MSNBC Exit Rumors Explode: Behind the Scenes of His Bold Move to Shop New Shows to Rival Networks Amid Contract Countdown

A media shake-up could be on the horizon as reports swirl that MSNBC’s longtime anchor Lawrence O’Donnell is actively pitching new show concepts to competing networks. With his current contract reportedly nearing its end, O’Donnell is said to be exploring fresh opportunities beyond MSNBC—raising questions about whether The Last Word will soon lose its signature voice. Sources close to the situation say O’Donnell has quietly held meetings, signaling a potential departure that could send shockwaves through the cable news world.

Want to know which networks he’s eyeing and what kind of shows he’s pitching? Get all the insider details here.

MSNBC host Lawrence O’Donnell has been pitching himself to rival networks for a new TV gig.

A source exclusively told The U.S. Sun that the beloved veteran newsman, 73, has been looking for other opportunities as he comes to the end of his contract with the cable network, which is set to spin off from NBC.

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Lawrence O’Donnell has been checking out his other options as his contract with MSNBC is up for renewal an insider revealed to The U.S. SunCredit: Getty

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An insider claimed that Lawrence has spent some time in LA during his recent extended break from MSNBCCredit: Getty
“Lawrence and his agent have been poking around to see what other options are out there, but there isn’t a lot for the money,” the source claimed.

Meanwhile, the anchor has apparently also been trying to tip his toes into scripted TV. again, after he was a writer and producer for The West Wing from 1999 to 2006.

“He was in Los Angeles during his break from MSNBC recently where he still has a home.

“He was out there talking about writing for a new TV series.”

The U.S. Sun has reached out to reps for Lawrence for comment.

Earlier this year, it was announced that Comcast, NBC’s parent company, is splitting several assets into an independent, publicly traded TV business under SpinCo.

There have been several shakeups at the cable network, including a massive culling of top talent in recent months, including the loss of favorites like Joy Reid and Alex Wagner.

Just this week, it was announced that the beloved Big Board polls go-to guy, Steve Kornacki, is being taken over to NBC, after catching fame on big election nights.

THE RACHEL MADDOW DEAL

As The U.S. Sun previously reported, Lawrence was at an impasse with network execs as he began his negotiations over his upcoming contact.

An insider said: “Lawrence has been trying to renegotiate his contract, and what he wants is what internally everyone’s calling ‘The Rachel Maddow Deal.’”

“That’s working about one day a week and recording a podcast, which will never happen again.”

The insider alleged that Rachel’s exceptionally lucrative contract- which only requires her to appear on air once a week, typically on Monday nights- would never be offered in today’s media landscape.

The insider noted that with Rachel’s full-time coverage of President Donald Trump’s first 100 days coming to an end, Lawrence is concerned about a ratings dip when he loses his allstar lead in.

“The overall ratings have been down and once President Trump’s first 100 days in office are over, Rachel’s going back to one day a week.

“She’s Lawrence’s lead-in, so without Rachel, his numbers are going to go down as well.”

Lawrence took an extended break from his 10pm seat on his show, The Last Word, from March 13 until this past Tuesday, April 1.

Before the break, he quipped that he himself had not signed up for the ride that would be full time coverage of Trump’s first 100 days in office.

He then said he suffered an infection, and extended his time off.

The U.S. Sun previously reported that Rachel returned to full-time anchoring during Trump’s first 100 days in office, partly due to morning show hosts Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski traveling to Mar-a-Lago in November 2024 to mend their relationship with Trump.

“This is a major decision, and Rachel is seen as the person that has the biggest personality,” someone who has worked at MSNBC for ten years exclusively told The U.S. Sun at the time.

“She didn’t bend her knee when Trump started to threaten journalists, unlike some other people in this network,” they said.

After the cuts of beloved anchors were announced in February, an insider told The U.S. Sun that while staff were angry and frustrated, “nothing can change the decision.”

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During a handoff just before Lawrence took an extended break he told Rachel Maddow he didn’t pledge to cover Trump’s first 100 days straightCredit: MSNBC

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The network has seen a massive upheaval of its talent with a slew of famous faces being axed last monthCredit: AP

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An insider said that Lawrence was hoping for a contract with MSNBC that is similar to Rachel Maddow’s cushy dealCredit: Getty