Jessica Tarlov Says “I’m Out” After Fox Co-Hosts Discuss Black Republican Voters
Key Takeaways
- •Jessica Tarlov said “I’m out” after Greg Gutfeld made a remark comparing Black voters who support Republicans with those who support Democrats.
- •The segment began as a discussion about threats directed at Donald Trump and Democrats before moving into race and party affiliation.
- •Tarlov cited Cesar Sayoc, who pleaded guilty in 2019 to mailing bombs to politicians he viewed as Trump’s enemies.
- •Jesse Watters referred to Republican gains among Black voters in 2024, when Trump won 15 percent of the Black vote.
Fox News progressive commentator Jessica Tarlov said, “I’m out,” during Friday’s edition of The Five after co-host Greg Gutfeld said “ours are better than yours,” referring to Black voters who support Republicans.
Mediaite reported that the exchange developed during a discussion about threats directed at President Donald Trump compared with threats aimed at Democrats. Tarlov cited the case of Minnesota Democratic lawmaker Melissa Hortman, who was killed along with her husband last June.
“Trump didn’t say, ‘Go out there and get in their face,'” Gutfeld said.
Tarlov responded by pointing to pipe bomber Cesar Sayoc, saying he stated in court that he “was inspired by Donald Trump.” Sayoc pleaded guilty in 2019 to mailing 16 bombs to politicians he considered enemies of Trump.
The conversation then shifted from political threats to race and party support after Jesse Watters brought up a different pipe-bombing case tied to the Jan. 6 period.
“Which pipe bomber? The Black guy?” Watters asked, referring to Brian Cole Jr., who was charged with planting bombs outside Democratic National Committee and Republican National Committee headquarters the night before the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol. “Remember when we found out he was, like, some random Black guy?”
“Oh my God, ha ha ha, random Black guy!” Tarlov said, according to Mediaite. “You have no Black people, so I get it, on your side. Is that what you’re trying to say?”
“We have a few,” Watters said. “We’re working on it.”
“Work harder,” Tarlov replied.
“Ours are better than yours,” Gutfeld said.
“Not touching that,” Tarlov responded.
Watters then added, “We actually won more Blacks than we did last time,” referring to the 2024 election, in which Trump won 15 percent of Black voters. The figure underscored the political backdrop to the exchange: Republicans have pointed to incremental gains among Black voters, while Democrats have continued to rely on overwhelming support from Black voters nationally.
Tarlov replied: “You got, like, one percent more and you think it’s —”
“I’ll take it!” Watters said. “You keep losing whites! Rather have the whites, statistically.”
“I’m out!” Tarlov said.