Reality TV personality Jennifer Welch ignited controversy with her comments on CNN, suggesting that “white people test the racist waters.” The 52-year-old appeared on “Newsnight” with Abby Phillip on Thursday as part of a panel discussion about Vice President JD Vance’s reaction to a scandalous group chat linked to the Young Republican National Federation.

The group chat, as uncovered by a Politico investigation, contained numerous racist and sexist messages, including disturbing praises for Adolf Hitler and a shocking description of rape as “epic.” Despite the inflammatory content, Vance addressed the situation on Wednesday by downplaying the severity of the messages, attributing them to youthful indiscretion and saying, “kids do stupid things” and “tell edgy, offensive jokes.”

Vance further advised that he would caution his children about their online posts, warning them to always assume that “some scumbag is going to leak it in an effort to try to cause you harm or cause your family harm.” Responding to Vance’s remarks, Welch criticized his stance during her CNN appearance, expressing that her upbringing in a conservative state exposed her to what she perceives as the normalization of racist rhetoric.

‘This is beyond locker room talk. I’m a white woman that has lived in a red state my entire life, and I can tell you when I’m around white people, they test the racist water,’ the interior designer and former Sweet Home Oklahoma host said. Her comments were massively criticized online, including by Senator Ted Cruz who dismissed her as someone who ‘spends her time with Democrats .’

‘They test it on people like you all, all the time,’ Welch (left) said of racist white people as she addressed the diverse panel around her. ‘They try to say off-color things. I put my hand up. It absolutely happens and you’re fortunate that maybe you haven’t experienced it -‘ ‘I’m from a different generation,’ Kmele Foster interjected.

Ashley Allison replied: ‘Can I just say, literally this August a white person said the n word – in front of me.’ ‘The vice president of the United States. This is a horrible,’ Welch said. ‘These were not kids. These were grown men,’ Allison added. ‘If they committed a crime, they would be prosecuted as adult.’

Welch added that some of the alleged racist comments were made by women. She also slammed Vance, whom she pointed out ‘has mixed race children,’ for not calling out ‘this horrible racism.’ Welch’s remarks were heavily criticized by social media users, some of whom branded her a ‘liar’ while others argued the comments actually ‘revealed she is a racist.’

‘Jennifer definitely exposed herself for being a racist last night,’ one X user wrote. ‘So all the white people she hangs out with are racist? I’m not surprised,’ said another, while one added: ‘I think she’s referring to the voices in her head.’ ‘Just because you hang with racists does not actually mean we are racists,’ another added. Others blasted CNN for even allowing Welch’s commentary to air.

‘To allow this type of racism to go out over the public airways is appalling. Revoke CNN’s license,’ one tweeted. ‘Can we, the white people in red states, sue CNN for discrimination?’ one furious social media user wrote. ‘Bet she’ll end up as a new The View host. She’ll fit right in,’ echoed another.

Some users rushed to Welch’s defense, saying they too have experienced the narrative she described. ‘I can co-sign what she is saying. I look like a friendly to the racists. They accidentally say things in front of me all the time,’ one X user wrote. ‘You Trump white nationalists can try and say racism doesn’t exist, but some of us white people know the truth.’ Another added: ‘Growing up in Alabama, I can attest to what she’s saying.’