Jessica Tarlov’s Fox News Clash With Jesse Watters Turns Bitter After On-Air Insult Sparks Tension
Fox News’ Jesse Watters has been dubbed as a ‘moron’ for a Obama name blunder (Image: Fox News)
Fox News host Jessica Tarlov pushed back on Jesse Watters after he defended President Donald Trump’s repeated use of former President Barack Obama’s middle name, Hussein, saying it was “funny” and denying that it was meant to stir up old claims about Obama’s religion.
The exchange took place on Thursday, June 25, on The Five, after the panel discussed Obama’s recent podcast appearance, in which he addressed Donald Trump’s continued criticism. “I obviously have a room in his head. A suite in his head,” Obama previously said on the All the Smoke podcast about the 80-year-old’s fixation on him.
The on-air exchange follows Watters issuing a heated warning about ‘Communist’ NYC Democrats.
Watters said Trump’s habit of referring to Obama by his full name was not unusual.
“Trump talks a lot,” the 47-year-old conservative pundit began. “He says a lot of things. So yeah, he’s gonna mention Barack Hussein Obama. Part of that is just he likes to say ‘Hussein.’”
Fox News’ Jessica Tarlov hit out at Watters (Image: Fox News)
Tarlov interrupted, “Why does he like to say Hussein?” To which Watters replied, “‘Cause it’s funny that the president’s middle name was Hussein,” before asking, “You don’t think that’s hysterical?”
“No, I don’t,” the 42-year-old political commentator said. “I think it’s interesting in the context of saying that he’s a Muslim, which is why he says it, so that people still think he’s a Muslim.”
Watters then referenced a years-old interview clip that conservative commentators have long used against Obama. “Well, he did say he was Muslim,” Watters said, “and then he cleaned it up. Remember that NBC interview? He said, ‘My Muslim faith.’ I don’t know what he is. I don’t care what he is. He’s probably an atheist.”
Jesse Watters joked about Barack Obama’s middle name (Image: Getty)
“You know what he is!” Tarlov fired back. “He is, I know. He’s retired,” Watters responded.
The segment quickly drew online criticism, with viewers accusing Watters of reviving conspiracy-style attacks that followed Obama throughout his political career.
One critic called Watters “a top notch a–hole,” adding, “He needs to grow up and stop acting like a 5 year old. Actually 5 year olds would act better than him.”
Another user wrote, “No, Watters, you t–t, Obama never said he’s Muslim. And if he were, who cares?”
Others argued that repeatedly emphasizing “Hussein” was meant to trigger anti-Muslim sentiment among viewers. “It’s ‘hey, Americans, remember that you hate Muslims wink wink,’” one person wrote.
Obama, who is Christian, repeatedly addressed false claims about his religion during his first presidential campaign. At a 2008 rally, he said, “I’ve been to the same church — the same Christian church — for almost 20 years.”
