Fox News Host Brian Kilmeade Apologizes After Shocking Comments Suggesting The Homeless Should Be Executed

Fox News host Brian Kilmeade issued a public apology following intense backlash over remarks he made on air about mentally ill homeless people. His comments were made during a "Fox & Friends" segment and have sparked widespread criticism from advocates, political figures, and media analysts.

The controversy began during a segment where Kilmeade and his co-hosts were discussing the August 22 murder of Iryna Zarutska, a Ukrainian refugee who was stabbed to death on a light rail train in Charlotte, North Carolina. The suspect, Decarlos Brown Jr., is a homeless man diagnosed with schizophrenia.

In that segment, co-host Lawrence Jones argued that many homeless mentally ill people decline public assistance or treatment programs and that those who refuse help should be jailed. Kilmeade interjected with the words: "Or involuntary lethal injection or something. Just kill 'em." Another co-host, Ainsley Earhardt, interjected, "Why did it have to get to this point? I will say this, we're not voting for the right people." The comments were shared widely online and met with swift criticism.

The segment on the North Carolina crime aired hours before the assassination of conservative commentator Charlie Kirk at Utah Valley University.

The comment spread quickly on social media, drawing widespread condemnation. Activists and homelessness advocates condemned the remarks as dehumanizing and dangerous. Christine Quinn, CEO of Win, a New York-based provider of shelter services, described the comments as "completely devoid of all humanity." She also invited Kilmeade to volunteer at one of her organization's shelters. California Governor Gavin Newsom condemned the remarks, quoting scripture to emphasize compassion for the poor and the needy.

On September 14, he used the "Fox & Friends Weekends" platform to issue an apology. He admitted that his words had been wrong and said they did not reflect his actual beliefs. "I recognize that not all mentally ill, homeless people act as the perpetrator did," Kilmeade said.

"They deserve our empathy and compassion, and my comment was extremely callous." He went on to stress that his anger at the Charlotte killing had clouded his judgment and that he regretted speaking in a way that suggested a blanket solution involving violence.

Fox News itself did not issue an official statement, instead allowing Kilmeade's on-air apology to serve as the network's response. The Washington Post noted that the apology appeared carefully crafted, likely in consultation with network executives, given the scale of the outrage. A contributor to MSNBC was fired for comments regarding Kirk's murder.

You can watch his full apology here.