Sunday shows preview: Recovery ramps up for critical Baltimore port after bridge collapse

The recent collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore and the recovery of the city’s critical port will likely be the focus of this week’s Sunday news shows.

Gov. Wes Moore (D-Md.), who will make appearances on this week’s CNN’s “State of the Union” and “Fox News Sunday,” has held the attention of the media in the wake of the collapse of the bridge early Tuesday morning after a cargo ship lost power and collided with the structure,

Moore called for “full accountability” Wednesday after the incident caused eight construction workers, who were patching potholes on the bridge, to plunge into the river. Two were rescued, two bodies were found and the other four are presumed dead. The governor added that there is a need for “a full and thorough investigation.”

“What led up to this? What made the ship lose power? What made them lose the ability to be ability to steer the ship? Do we have the right infrastructure that’s in place to be able to protect the people of our state,” Moore said. “So I think there needs to be a full reckoning, a full accountability, and I think we need to go wherever the investigation takes us to make sure that the people of our jurisdictions are safe.”

Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, who has also been a vocal component of the response, will make an appearance on CBS’ “Face the Nation” Sunday. He made a trip to Baltimore Tuesday in the hours after the collapse and said Wednesday that there is not a timeline on when the Port of Baltimore will open again following the collapse.

“Too soon to venture an estimate,” Buttigeg said in a White House daily press briefing “The vast majority of the port is inside of that bridge, which means most of it cannot operate.”

He added that the opening of the port again “is a different matter from rebuilding the bridge.”

Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott (D) will also make an appearance on “Face the Nation” this Sunday. Scott, a Black man, recently accused his critics of racism after being labeled as the “DEI mayor,” a reference to diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI), by many after the bridge fell. 

“We know what they want to say, but they don’t have the courage to say the N-word, and the fact that I don’t believe in their untruthful and wrong ideology,” Scott told MSNBC’s Joy Reid Wednesday. “And I am very proud of my heritage and who I am and where I come from scares them, because me being at my position means that their way of thinking, their way of life of being comfortable while everyone else suffers is going to be at risk, and they should be afraid because that’s my purpose in life.”

Several programs will also feature religious guests in honor of the Easter holiday.

Below is the full list of guests scheduled to appear on this week’s Sunday talk shows:

NewsNation’s “The Hill Sunday with Chris Stirewalt” — Russell Moore, author, evangelical pastor and editor-in-chief of Christianity Today magazine.

ABC’s “This Week” —  Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), retired Gen. Frank McKenzie.

NBC’s “Meet the Press” — Rep. Jim Clyburn (D-S.C.), Rep. Don Bacon (R-Neb.).

CBS’ “Face the Nation” —  Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg (D); Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott (D), Rep. Mike Turner (R-Ohio), Cindy McCain (R), executive director of World Food Programme.

CNN’s “State of the Union” — Gov. Wes Moore (D-Md.); Sen. Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.); Rep. Mike Lawler (R-N.Y.).

“Fox News Sunday” — Moore; Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.), Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.)

Fox News’ “Sunday Morning Futures” — Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.); former national security adviser Robert O’Brien; Rep. Buddy Carter (R-Ga.); Breitbart News politics editor Emma-Jo Morris.