ABC News anchor Linsey Davis became the target of a barrage of racist and sexist abuse on social media after fact-checking former President Donald Trump during Tuesday night’s presidential debate.
Davis, who co-moderated the debate with David Muir, corrected Trump when he falsely claimed that some states allow for the “execution” of babies after they are born.
“There is no state in this country where it is legal to kill a baby after it’s born,” Davis responded, clarifying the issue as part of her duty to ensure accurate information was conveyed during the debate.
This fact-checking moment, along with others throughout the evening, sparked outrage from Trump supporters, who took to social media platform X (formerly Twitter) to launch vile attacks against Davis.
While many conservatives accused Davis and Muir of being biased in favor of Vice President Kamala Harris, Davis, a woman of color, faced particularly egregious racist and sexist slurs.
Some users on X referred to her as a “DEI [diversity, equity and inclusion] moderator,” an acronym often weaponized in conservative circles to make racist attacks.
Other derogatory comments referred to Davis as a “nasty woman” and used racial slurs.
One user posted a photo of Davis, asking followers to raise their hands if they believed the moderators were biased against Trump, while another made a sexist remark, telling ABC News to “put a muzzle on your chick moderator.”
Despite the torrent of online abuse, Davis also received significant praise for her performance. Many viewers lauded her and Muir for actively fact-checking Trump in real time, preventing the spread of misinformation.
“The debate tonight was the best debate I have seen in years. @ABC well done,” one X user posted. Another praised Davis directly, writing, “Y’all better put some respect on ABC Linsey Davis’ name. lol.”
The attacks on Davis highlight a larger issue of how women, particularly women of color, are subjected to disproportionate harassment in public-facing roles, especially when they challenge powerful figures like Trump.
Her moderation of the debate and efforts to maintain accuracy were viewed by some as essential to preserving the integrity of the event, while others believed her fact-checking of Trump was an overreach.
Trump himself echoed claims of bias, stating on Truth Social that the debate felt like “three on one,” suggesting the moderators were ganging up on him.
This comes after CNN faced widespread criticism for not fact-checking Trump during a previous debate, with viewers praising ABC for taking a different approach.
Despite the abuse, Davis remains widely respected for her journalistic integrity and professionalism, with supporters rallying behind her in the face of unjust attacks.
