Jessica Tarlov, co-host of ABC’s The View, clashed with Fox News personality Greg Gutfeld this week over the role of political violence in the United States.
The exchange came in the wake of Wednesday’s shooting at a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention center in Texas, which authorities say left multiple people injured and prompted a federal investigation.
Tarlov emphasized that “right-wing extremism” poses a growing threat in the country, drawing a sharp response from Gutfeld, who highlighted incidents of violence attributed to individuals with left-wing affiliations.
“You have to understand, since Kirk’s death, there is no both sides,” Gutfeld said, referring to Charlie Kirk’s suspected killer.
He also cited last year’s shooting of a healthcare CEO and other violent incidents as evidence of the broader threat landscape.
Tarlov questioned why a Department of Justice study on right-wing extremism had been removed from public access.
“Why did the DOJ take down the study that showed how much right-wing extremism there is?” she asked.
Gutfeld responded by challenging the legitimacy of the study. “What study was that, which one? The one in The Economist that was sponsored by a group run by a guy in Antifa? That study?”
He added, “Jessica, I did the deep dive on that study. That study was authored by a project that was run by a guy who says he was in Antifa,” suggesting that the study’s background raised questions about its impartiality.
The Fox host also addressed how ideological labeling can influence public perception.
“It’s real simple, you label someone a fascist, or a racist, or a Nazi, it makes you free to attack them, and that has been the ideology from the start,” he said.
Tarlov’s frustration became evident as she attempted to interject multiple times. At one point, she quipped, “I’m enjoying this,” signaling a tense exchange.
Gutfeld responded, “You won’t be for long. The left calls Trump a hate monger.”
“They’ve called me a hate monger because I ridicule the left, I ridicule protesters, I ridicule academia, Hollywood, the news media. I make fun of The View everyday. I make fun of the UN.”
He drew a distinction between criticism and incitement. “Guess what? No one acts on the things that I say because my side doesn’t do that. We say people are stupid. We say people are wrong. But we don’t say they’re evil. That is your game.”
Gutfeld also discussed how mental illness and external influence can intersect in violent acts.
He said, “And then you come, and you say, ‘OK man, this is a mentally ill loner.’ Well, who do you think does this stuff? It’s not Ben Affleck. It’s not Tom Brady. It’s not even Carrot Top. People who do this stuff are always that way. The question is who points them in that direction?”
He referenced specific targets of politically motivated violence, asking, “Why pick ICE? Why pick Kirk? Why target TV stations, put bombs under Fox trucks? Why vandalize memorials? Why kill kids in Catholic schools?”
“Two things can be true: A person can be mentally ill, and you can guide him to that place in his life. That is how brainwashing works,” Gutfeld added.
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