Tucker Carlson has responded to criticism over his contentious interview with Nick Fuentes by redirecting attention to a Republican congressman accused of making inflammatory remarks about Palestinians. Carlson highlighted comments from Florida Representative Randy Fine, who reportedly expressed approval of bombing Palestinian children following a terrorist attack by Hamas in Jerusalem in November 2023. Fine’s post on X stated, “Guess the ceasefire is over and Hamas wants more Palestinian babes to die! #bombsaway.”

In a discussion with Megyn Kelly during her national tour in White Plains, New York, Carlson argued that Fine’s remarks were far more egregious than any statements made by Fuentes. Carlson, who has faced backlash for hosting Fuentes—known for his anti-Semitic rhetoric—on his podcast, used the opportunity to question the public’s focus on Fuentes while overlooking Fine’s controversial rhetoric.

“We have a member, a sitting member of Congress. I spoke to the Speaker of the House about this today,” Carlson explained to Kelly. “Randy Fine from Florida actually tweeted that Palestinians should all be killed. He even seemed to mock a photo of a deceased infant. And yet, this is a lawmaker involved in allocating military funds, and that’s deemed acceptable? It shouldn’t be,” Carlson continued. “Let’s be real—what Fine said is far more severe than anything Nick Fuentes has ever said.”

In February, Fine posted on X claiming that ‘Palestinian’ is just another word for demon’ and in May told his followers, ‘So much for ‘innocent Palestinian civilians’ #bombsaway.’ Fine responded to Carlson’s latest attacks by claiming the podcast host was bought and paid for by the Gulf nation of Qatar. ‘I had believed he was just paid off by the Qataris and other enemies of America to parrot this nonsense,’ the Representative wrote on X.

Pro-Israel influencers and politicians on social media have long claimed that Carlson receives money from Qatar to spread talking points critical of Israel. There is no evidence behind these allegations. ‘Now I wonder if the guy is just really, really, really dumb,’ Fine concluded. Following his interview with Fuentes, Carlson was condemned by GOP leaders, including Senator Ted Cruz and former Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell, for providing a ‘platform’ to the controversial political commentator.

Fuentes’s anti-Semitic statements have included comparing the Holocaust to baking cookies. Carlson told his critics to ‘buzz off’ when asked about the fallout from the Fuentes interview. ‘You’re not my editor, Buzz off. I mean, I don’t know. If you want to go yell at Nick Fuentes, I’ll give you his cell. Call him and go sit and yell at him and feel virtuous or whatever,’ Calrson told Kelly.

‘I care about what my wife thinks, my children think, and God thinks, and that’s it. I don’t need to prove that I’m a good person to you. You may think I’m a terrible person,’ Carlson added. ‘I want to understand what people think, and I’m committed to that. And if you don’t like it, don’t watch. That’s my view. But that doesn’t mean that I share the views.’