Fox News host criticized for suggestive comment about Ivanka Trump
Jesse Watters of Fox News took to Twitter on Wednesday to defend himself over a seemingly suggestive comment he made about Ivanka Trump.
On Tuesday, the co-host of The Five discussed Trump’s presence at the W20 Summit for women’s empowerment in Berlin, during which the president’s daughter was booed for her comments claiming Donald Trump “has been a tremendous champion of supporting families and enabling them to thrive.”
Watters first began by bashing the left for disrespecting Trump and Europeans for turning the panel into “a soccer match.” He added, “I don’t know why also saying that my father respects families’ is controversial and he’s probably hired a ton of fathers and mothers and children. So I don’t really know what’s going on here, but I really liked how she was speaking into that microphone.”
Many took that last remark as a sexual innuendo, prompting a storm on social media.
“On air I was referring to Ivanka’s voice and how it resonates like a smooth jazz radio DJ,” Watters responded Wednesday morning. “This was in no way a joke about anything else.”
On air I was referring to Ivanka39;s voice and how it resonates like a smooth jazz radio DJ. This was in no way a joke about anything else.
- Jesse Watters (@jessebwatters) April 26, 2017
Watch the clip above and see some of the social media reactions to Watters’ initial comment below:
When a company sends the clear signal that women are basically sub-human, vile behavior thrives even after top offenders are fired.
- Jake Tapper (@jaketapper) April 26, 2017
Jesse Watters is like the guy who would play David Schwimmer39;s evil brother in a straight-to-streaming movie comedy
- James Poniewozik (@poniewozik) April 25, 2017
WATCH: Jesse Watters on Fox News re Ivanka Trump: "I really like how she was speaking into that microphone" pic.twitter.com/HoJHLpMtq1
- Yashar (@yashar) April 26, 2017
So it39;s fair to assume that every time Jesse Watters, a REPORTER, has pointed a mic at a woman, he39;s imagined her sucking a cock. https://t.co/AHZKscR2iO
- OhNoSheTwitnt (@OhNoSheTwitnt) April 26, 2017
Congratulations, Jesse Watters, you39;re a disgusting pig as well as being a racist moron. https://t.co/lZbydxIV7l
- John Podhoretz (@jpodhoretz) April 26, 2017
This is unbelievable, and yet not at all surprising https://t.co/ta817SpUMu
- Farhad Manjoo (@fmanjoo) April 26, 2017
Fox News: Respect Ivanka.
ALSO Fox News: Here39;s a dick joke about Ivanka. https://t.co/Ti0dyMy2Ap- Mikel Jollett (@Mikel_Jollett) April 26, 2017
@yashar Did you notice the little hand gesture? When he said it? Its kind of subtle but it39;s there
- Dannie (@dannievintage_) April 26, 2017
This isn’t the first time Watters had to issue an apology or clarification for one of his Fox segments. Last year, the “Watters World” personality was blasted by groups and politicians, including New York mayor Bill de Blasio, who claimed a man-on-the-street video package set in Chinatown was “thoughtless” and “rife with racist stereotypes.”
Watters recently joined the panel for The Five in Fox News’ 9 p.m. time slot after the network officially announced Bill O’Reilly would not be returning.
