Kilmeade pushes Burchett on McCarthy ousting, faith comments

Fox News host Brian Kilmeade and Rep. Tim Burchett (R-Tenn.) had a tense exchange during a recent interview after the anchor grilled the lawmaker’s decision to vote to remove former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.).

During an interview on Fox News’s “Fox and Friends,” Kilmeade pressed Burchett on whether he would have acted to remove McCarthy if Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) hadn’t done so.

“You’re happy following Matt Gaetz? Is that your leader?” Kilmeade asked. 

“I’m not following Matt Gaetz. I made my own decision,” Burchett replied. “I didn’t ask Matt for his approval.”

“But if Matt Gaetz didn’t challenge, you weren’t going to challenge?” Kilmeade asked. 

“I believe I would have,” Burchett said. 

Kilmeade then appeared to take aim at Burchett’s previous comments that McCarthy’s “condescending” remarks about his faith sealed the deal.

“Oh, come on. Please. You’re praying about it one minute, [and] the next minute you’re going to lead an insurgency?” Kilmeade said. 

“So you don’t think that praying about it is important? Is that what you’re saying? Because that’s what you’re saying to America,” Burchett added. 

When Kilmeade reiterated his previous remark, Burchett replied: “Listen, you’ve got a predetermined answer to everything. I prayed about it.” 

The tense exchange comes a day after the House voted for the first time ever to remove a Speaker of the House. 

The historic vote was first brought forth by Gaetz. Eight Republican lawmakers, including Gaetz and Burchett, joined their Democratic colleagues in a 216-210 vote to remove McCarthy from his position.