Fox News' Geraldo Rivera and Brian Kilmeade Go Ballistic on Air Over 'Cheering On' of Iranian Commander’s Assassination

Not everyone on Fox News Friday morning was cheering on the U.S. airstrike that killed Iranian's [...]

By Libby Birk

Not everyone on Fox News Friday morning was cheering on the U.S. airstrike that killed Iranian's top military commander, Qassem Soleimani. When Fox News correspondent-at-large Geraldo Rivera argued that the assassination was bad for the U.S. in the long run, Fox & Friends co-anchors Steve Doocy, Ainsley Earhardt and Brian Kilmeade were shocked.

While Rivera did admit to the assassination being a "tactical" victory for the U.S., he also said he does not "believe it was a smart move." He warned that while President Donald Trump may have taken out the "queen bee" with the drone strike, he's now made the hive very angry.

"We have been fighting bees," Rivera said. "The bees have been swarming all over us ... They attacked our bases, they took out the contractor, they took out a bunch of other people, they killed a lot of people over the years. What we have done is killed the queen bee. The hive is now busted open. I fear the worst. I think that what we have done is unleash the bees, to keep that metaphor going."

But the co-hosts did not agree with the metaphor; Kilmeade argued that Secretary of State Mike Pompeo's claim that the strike was ordered to disrupt an "imminent attack" orchestrated by Soleimani was reason enough for it.

But Rivera responded sarcastically, "Yeah, the U.S. intelligence has been excellent since 2003 when we invaded Iraq, disputed the entire region for no real reason." He told Kilmeade, "Don't for a minute start cheering this on. You, like Lindsey Graham, have never met a war you didn't like."

"That is not true," Kilmeade snapped back. "Do not even say that." He added that he certainly will "cheer on" the attack and assassination.

Suffice it to say the argument was not resolved on the air. Kilmeade accused Rivera of "making excuses for Iran," which led to Rivera slamming his desk and shouting "Damn it! I'm not making excuses for them! That's absolute baloney!"

"Your arrogance is exactly what's wrong with the region," Rivera shouted at Kilmeade. "You're not a frontline fighter that has to go back into Iraq again. You want Americans back in Iraq. I was there when they were getting killed, five, six, seven a day ... This is a fraught decision that will have implications far beyond the celebratory moment of taking out the terrorist."

Although the argument itself was not resolved, Rivera did attempt to patch things up, saying toward the end of the segment, "I love you, you know I do, even Brian, sometimes I hold my nose but I love the guy. He's so ... brilliant."

Photo credit: Roy Rochlin / Contributor / Getty

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