Over the course of 2019, Tucker Carlson has made nationalist and xenophobic remarks, so much so that he’s frequently referred to as a white supremacist. And his latest rant last night is indicative of the views that Carlson has leaned into.
In a vitriolic tirade against Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.), who has become a pariah on the right, Carlson said Omar is “living proof that the way we practice immigration has become dangerous to this country.” He also said that we should stop allowing immigrants in from countries that “hate us.” He called her a living “fire alarm,” saying she was a warning that America needs to change its immigration system to only allow people willing to “assimilate.”
It was a not-so-subtle way of saying that allowing Muslim immigrants is dangerous.
Carlson also pushed the idea that Omar hates America—an Islamaphobic conspiracy and a narrative that ignores the fact she both immigrated here and also ran for Congress here.
An absolutely stunning racist attack on @IlhanMN from Tucker. I’m shocked
— Andrew Lawrence (@ndrew_lawrence) July 10, 2019
She is “living proof that the way we practice immigration has become dangerous to this country”
She “is a living fire alarm. A warning to the rest of us that we better change our immigration. Or else” pic.twitter.com/p2IQWsqP5Q
In response, Omar on Twitter said she somewhat relished Carlson’s furious words against her, and that it was fun watching a “racist fool” weep about her presence in the nation’s capital.
Not gonna lie, it’s kinda fun watching a racist fool like this weeping about my presence in Congress 🤣🤣
— Ilhan Omar (@IlhanMN) July 10, 2019
No lies will stamp out my love for this country or my resolve to make our union more perfect.
They will just have to get used to calling me Congresswoman! https://t.co/nRS13yWivK
In recent months, Carlson has bled advertisers as people have criticized his railing against immigrants of color on a national platform, but if yesterday’s latest effort is any indication, Carlson will keep on going.
Update 4:36pm CT, July 10: Omar also called for an advertiser boycott of Carlson’s show, saying companies shouldn’t underwrite hate speech.
Fox News is now giving a nightly platform to white supremacist rhetoric. It’s dangerous.
— Ilhan Omar (@IlhanMN) July 10, 2019
Advertisers should not be underwriting hate speech. https://t.co/iQdMJ0heXR
In a statement, Justin Wells, Carlson’s Senior Executive Producer, said members of Congress shouldn’t be calling for boycotts like the one Omar advocated for.
“Anyone who values democracy and free expression should be gravely concerned when members of Congress demand that their critics be silenced. Tucker will address this on tonight’s show.”
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