Any friendship between Geraldo Rivera and “Fox & Friends” co-host Brian Kilmeade is not off to a great start in 2020.
This morning, the two went nuclear on each other debating the United States’ deadly strike against Iranian’s General Qassem Soleimani.
Rivera, former host of talk show “Geraldo at Large,” expressed his stance that the strike was an act of unnecessary aggression on the part of the U.S.
“Now we have taken this huge military escalation. Now I fear the worst,” Rivera said in a clip of the argument, which you can watch below. “You’re gonna see the U.S. markets go crazy today, you’re gonna see the price of oil spiking today. This is a very, very big deal.”
Kilmeade disagreed. “I don’t know if you heard, but this isn’t about his resume of blood and death. It is about what was next. We stopped the next attack. That’s what I think you’re missing,” he said.
While Rivera expressed doubt that the U.S. could accurately predict Iran’s next moves, Kilmeade argued that the Secretary of State had “provided that material.”
Then Rivera shot back. “U.S. intelligence has been excellent since 2003,” he said with obvious sarcasm, “when we invaded Iraq, disrupted the entire region, for no real reason. Don’t for a minute start cheering this on… you and Lindsay Graham have never met a war you didn’t like.”
That got Kilmeade’s goat.
“That is not true, and don’t even say that!” he said. “What about the 700 Americans that are dead, should they not be happy?”
“What about the 10s of thousands of Iraqis that have died since 2003?” Rivera countered.
At one point, Kilmeade accused Rivera of “making excuses for Iran,” to which Rivera responded, “Damnit, I’m not making excuses Brian, that’s absolute baloney! … Your arrogance is exactly what’s wrong with the region.”
And so they went, leaving fellow “Fox & Friends” hosts Steve Doocy and Ainsley Earhardt to look on uncomfortably.
Later Friday morning, Rivera apologized to Kilmeade on his Fox News Radio show, “The Brian Kilmeade Show.”
“First, let me say that I love you, I admire you, I have tremendous respect for you. My wife, Erica, called and said I was mean in speaking with you on ‘Fox & Friends.’ And she said the first thing you do when you talk to Brian or you see him next is apologize. I apologize. You know I didn’t mean anything personally,” Rivera said. “You know I’m your biggest fan in this building and in this town. I think you really have a total grasp on issues that is profoundly securing, you know reaffirming, reassuring for us. I just disagree with you on this issue of killing Soleimani.”
Kilmeade accepted his apology.
“Geraldo, no problem. I know it’s never personal. We had an argument on the air. If you missed on ‘Fox & Friends’ this morning, which I don’t know why you would ever miss the show. Geraldo agrees with Tulsi Gabbard and says that the American forces should not have taken out Soleimani.”
Watch some of the fireworks from the argument below.
When I find myself wholeheartedly agreeing with Geraldo I know the balance of the universe is off pic.twitter.com/UGrgW42w4h
— Ben (@onnahill) January 3, 2020
All out brawl on Fox & Friends
Kilmeade: You're making excuses for Iran.Geraldo: Dammit, I'm not making excuses Brian that's absolute baloney! … Your arrogance is exactly what's wrong with the region. pic.twitter.com/ULtzgNOk4I
— Lis Power (@LisPower1) January 3, 2020