Fox & Friends goes after Pete Buttigieg for his criticism of the network

Pete Buttigeig.
(Image credit: Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

The hosts of Fox & Friends aren't happy with South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg's criticism of their network.

Buttigieg during a town hall event on Sunday night had called out Fox hosts, blasting "what goes on with some of the opinion hosts on this network" while criticizing some specific comments from Laura Ingraham and Tucker Carlson. "There is a reason why anyone has to swallow hard and think twice about participating in this media ecosystem," he said. He also said that a lot of people tune into Fox in good faith, even if "some of those hosts are not there in good faith."

In response, Fox & Friends' Brian Kilmeade scolded Buttigieg on Monday, telling him, "Don't hop on our channel and continue to put down the other hosts on the channel, or the channel. If you feel that negative about it, don't come."

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Kilmeade went on to say that Buttigieg taking "shots" at the network's prime time lineup without going on the prime time shows "shows, to me, absolutely no courage."

Buttigieg had decided to participate in a town hall with Fox News after the Democratic National Committee had previously chosen not to partner with the network for 2020 debates, and after other Democratic candidates for president had turned Fox down for a similar event. Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) recently did so while labeling Fox a "hate-for-profit racket." At his town hall, Buttigieg noted, "A lot of folks in my party were critical of me of even doing this with Fox News," to which moderator Chris Wallace joked, "I've heard that." Brendan Morrow

Brendan Morrow

Brendan worked as a culture writer at The Week from 2018 to 2023, covering the entertainment industry, including film reviews, television recaps, awards season, the box office, major movie franchises and Hollywood gossip. He has written about film and television for outlets including Bloody Disgusting, Showbiz Cheat Sheet, Heavy and The Celebrity Cafe.