
During a “Breakfast with Friends” segment on Thursday morning, Fox News “reporter” Pete Hegseth went to a crowded diner in New Jersey to ask people about their reactions to the Democratic National Convention and other issues.
Twitter users slammed Hegseth for not wearing a mask or social-distancing during his report — and for not pushing back on one diner's claim that the “virus is over.”
Fox & Friends platformed a woman who insisted, falsely, that "the virus is over. We need to step away from the fear." (Hegseth didn't push back at all.) pic.twitter.com/Oc3NkzE53r
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) August 20, 2020
Speaking to woman he introduced as “a nurse who has been on the front lines,” Hegseth asked, “What's your take right now?”
“That the virus is over,” the woman responded, despite the fact that COVID-19 continues to kill an average of roughly 1,000 Americans each and every day.
“We need to step away from the fear, and we need to educate ourselves on how to get healthy, and I think that that's a big part of this presidential election right now,” the woman said.
“It's certainly a huge issue, no doubt,” Hegseth responded.
This is stunningly irresponsible pic.twitter.com/1Yb0vcudMq
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) August 20, 2020
Another woman, salon owner Barbara Jones, told Hegseth we need to “open things up and let people make their own decisions.”
“Well, Joe Biden says to wear a mask for three more months,” Hegseth responded flippantly. “You've got alternatives, I guess.”
Back in the studio, host Brian Kilmeade responded to Hegseth's report by saying, “Instead of giving people a chance to have indoor dining, they keep everybody outside, and they just slowly starve the restaurants of the ability to make a living. It's unbelievable.”
Host Steve Doocy then encouraged people to visit the restaurant, Bacon Beach Grille in Long Branch. “If you live in the neighborhood, go on over, and Pete might stand six feet away from you. Who knows,” he said.
More below.
Pete Hegseth has been walking around this restaurant patio maskless all morning, and for some reason, with these guests, he suddenly tries to do social distancing — with other people still all around him pic.twitter.com/T4pH5wS9mh
— Bobby Lewis (@revrrlewis) August 20, 2020
"who knows!" pic.twitter.com/espo6CugGc
— Bobby Lewis (@revrrlewis) August 20, 2020
Fox News is going to get people killed. They should be sued for every penny they've got. https://t.co/wz68yeNOTM
— John Aravosis 🇺🇸🇬🇷🏳️🌈 (@aravosis) August 20, 2020