Le Batard Minion Criticizes OutKick Over Trump Interview

Mike Ryan lashes out at OutKick for Josh Pate's interview with former President Trump, but faces scrutiny over softball political coverage.

Published on Feb. 26, 2026

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Over a week after OutKick's Josh Pate interviewed former President Donald Trump, Dan Le Batard's producer Mike Ryan is still criticizing the move, accusing Pate of "platforming" Trump. However, Ryan's own show has faced questions about its softball political coverage, including an interview with Kamala Harris' husband Doug Emhoff that failed to address allegations against him.

Why it matters

This story highlights the ongoing debate around the role of sports media in covering political figures, with some arguing that hosts have a moral obligation to challenge politicians, while others view interviews as neutral platforms. It also raises questions about potential hypocrisy in how different media outlets approach political coverage.

The details

Ryan criticized Pate's interview with Trump, saying sports hosts are "not equipped to hold him accountable." However, the Le Batard Show was the first to interview Emhoff after a viral story in which his ex-girlfriend accused him of "slapping" her, but the show never asked about or mentioned the report. Instead, they opened by asking Emhoff what "love" meant to him.

  • On February 26, 2026, OutKick published the article responding to Ryan's criticism of the Trump interview.

The players

Josh Pate

A prominent college football voice on the internet who interviewed former President Donald Trump.

Mike Ryan

A producer on the Dan Le Batard Show who criticized Pate's interview with Trump.

Dan Le Batard

The host of the Le Batard Show, which has faced scrutiny over its softball political coverage.

Doug Emhoff

The husband of Vice President Kamala Harris, who was interviewed by the Le Batard Show during her campaign despite allegations against him.

Bobby Burack

A writer for OutKick who responded to Ryan's criticism and raised questions about the Le Batard Show's political coverage.

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What they’re saying

“When you have shows like this, you are further normalizing something that is not normal … when you give Donald Trump a platform, he is going to seize the opportunity to espouse lies, election denial, and do whatever he can. And most of these shows are not equipped to hold him accountable.”

— Mike Ryan, Producer, The Dan Le Batard Show (The Dan Le Batard Show)

“How many of Trump's allegations did Clay cover on Air Force One? Given how much you care about Doug's ex-girlfriend, I assume that at least 28 different women that have come forward about the president surely keep you up at night.”

— Mike Ryan, Producer, The Dan Le Batard Show (X)

What’s next

The debate over the role of sports media in covering political figures is likely to continue, with both sides defending their positions. It remains to be seen if the Le Batard Show will address the criticism of its own political coverage.

The takeaway

This story highlights the complex and often contentious relationship between sports media and politics, with outlets struggling to balance journalistic integrity with audience engagement. It also raises questions about potential double standards and the need for greater transparency and accountability in how sports media approaches political coverage.