MSNBC’s Nicole Wallace and “Prosecuting Donald Trump” podcast Co-Host Mary McCord tried to blame President Donald Trump on Monday's Deadline: White House for a fire at the house of a South Carolina judge who once ruled against the president – but, authorities say there’s no reason to suspect arson.
Discussing a fire that burned down the home of South Carolina Circuit Court Judge Diane Goodstein on Saturday, MSNBC host Wallace and MSNBC legal analyst McCord, co-host of the “Prosecuting Donald Trump” podcast, accused Trump of instigating arson against the judge.
Wallace framed the tragedy as “the fire that destroyed the home of a South Carolina circuit court judge who faced criticism from Trump officials after a ruling she made against the Trump administration”:
“It comes amid a surge in hostility and threats against judges, as well as criticism directly from the Trump administration, including for Judge Goodstein after she temporarily blocked the Justice Department from accessing the files of millions of registered voters in South Carolina.”
Judge Goodstein’s ruling against the Trump administration was overturned by the South Carolina State Supreme Court.
“When you’re starting to attack judges because of their rulings, we’re in a very, very dangerous position in this country – and it makes judges fearful,” McCord said presumptuously, going on to blame President Trump’s criticism of Goodstein for inspiring an attack on the judge:
“He needs to know the power of his voice and how people respond to that.”
“[T]here is no evidence to indicate the fire was intentionally,” according to South Carolina Law Enforcement Division Chief Mark Keel. “SLED agents have preliminarily found there is no evidence to support a pre-fire explosion,” Chief Keel added in a statement.
MSNBC's Nicolle Wallace and Mary McCord tried to blame Trump for the fire at the house of the South Carolina judge.
— MAZE (@mazemoore) October 7, 2025
In a proper society these people would be taken off the air. pic.twitter.com/yK8X6vSttX
Wallace and McCord appear to have taken their cue from Democrat Rep. Daniel Goldman’s (D-NY) social media post Sunday blaming Trump for inciting “the extreme right” to commit arson:
"Trump, @StephenM and MAGA-world have been doxxing and threatening judges who rule against Trump, including Judge Goodstein. Today, someone committed arson on the Judge’s home, severely injuring her husband and son. Will Trump speak out against the extreme right that did this??"
"You are vile. Deeply warped and vile,” Stephen Miller, Trump’s Homeland Security advisor, shot back, responding to the post:
“While the Trump Administration has launched the first-ever government-wide effort to combat and prosecute illegal doxing, sinister threats and political violence you continue to push despicable lies, demented smears, malicious defamation and foment unrest. Despicable."
Despite the findings reported by South Carolina Law Enforcement, MSNBC continues to express hope that it will be able to blame the fire on Trump – even in its online “update”:
“UPDATE (Oct. 6, 2025, 6:18 p.m. ET): The South Carolina Law Enforcement Division said enforcement officials said Monday afternoon that there is no initial evidence to indicate the fire was intentionally set. The investigation remains ongoing.”
….
“Saturday’s fire comes one month after Judge Goodstein temporarily blocked the state from handing the Justice Department the personal data of millions of voters.”
