Martha MacCallum

Martha MacCallum

Role at the time: Fox News host speaking during The Story

Statement summary

MacCallum criticizes El-Sayed's answer as failing a basic distinction required of someone seeking Senate foreign-policy responsibilities.

“You have to be able to understand who is our enemy and who is our ally. That is an easy, easy question, okay?”

Martha MacCallum

Role at the time: Fox News anchor, hosting The Five

Statement summary

Opening The Five's discussion of the Axios Show interview, MacCallum said President Trump was “exactly right” that Piker had become an unwanted distraction, then took up Piker's answer on Iran and set his qualifier — that Iran has a right to defend itself regardless of its domestic policies — against an itemised list of the Iranian government's conduct.

“When he talked about Iran, he said they have a right to defend themselves regardless of their domestic policies, which I would point out include slaughtering tens of thousands of their own people in the streets, squalor, no economy to speak of, killing gay people, zero rights for women in Iran, and chanting death to Israel with the intention of annihilation and elimination of Israel and the United States. But he says regardless of their domestic policies, they should have a weapon.”