CBS News 'MAGA anchor' torched after complaining about hard job to steelworkers

CBS News anchor Tony Dokoupil, whose “MAGA-approved” takeover of “CBS Evening News” saw ratings for the storied show plummet, was brutally mocked Saturday after a clip of him complaining to steelworkers about how difficult his job was went viral on social media.

“The gift that keeps giving,” wrote journalist Ryan Grim in a social media post on X Saturday, a reference to Dokoupil’s rocky debut headlining CBS News’ flagship program.

Recorded at a steel factory in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Dokoupil closed out “CBS Evening News” while in front of several steelworkers, who he later offered to swap jobs with.

“I’m gonna talk to these steelworkers – you want to change jobs?” Dokoupil asked one of the workers. “This is not as easy as it looks!”

Considering the high-physical demands of being a steelworker, which was found in a recent study to be among the most stressful occupations, Dokoupil was promptly mocked over his remarks.

“In what world does a privileged news reader making seven figures complain about how ‘hard’ his job is?” wrote Jim Condelles, author and former broadcast journalist, in a social media post on X Saturday.

“CBS News’ new MAGA anchor Tony Dokoupil complains to steelworkers that he has a hard job,” wrote another, Mike Sington, former senior executive at NBC Universal, in a social media post on X Saturday to their more than 146,000 followers. “Dokoupil, who simply reads the news out loud, doesn’t know what a hard job is.”

Dokoupil has been hammered with criticism in recent weeks, particularly over his coverage of Secretary of State Marco Rubio after the U.S. attack and takeover of Venezuela, an operation spearheaded by Rubio. In a fawning manner, Dokoupil cheered Rubio as “the ultimate Florida man,” and said “Marco Rubio, we salute you,” lighthearted praise that journalist Oliver Darcy flagged as jarring given the circumstances.