Fox News’ Brian Kilmeade went head-to-head with co-host Rachel Campos-Duffy on Sunday’s “Fox & Friends Weekend” after she defended President Donald Trump’s call to replace Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
Campos-Duffy kicked off the exchange by pointing to the president’s comments from the day before.
“I know you’re a big fan of Zelensky, but yesterday the president said, maybe it’s time for an election, a new leader in Ukraine,” Campos-Duffy said. “Because [Zelensky] keeps blowing up the refineries after the president said ‘Please don’t do that especially before the midterm,’ and it’s hurting President Trump and the administration, who has been very generous towards him and his war efforts.”
Kilmeade fired back, arguing the president’s frustration stemmed from Zelensky’s objection to a diesel purchase.
“The president got ticked off because Zelensky came out and said ‘Do not buy 500 million tons of diesel,’ which is in violation, I thought, of the deal they just signed, of Lindsey Graham’s bill, that if you buy any energy from Russia, you’re gonna get sanctioned and tariffed. Are we gonna tariff ourselves?” Kilmeade said.
He went on to defend the Ukrainian leader.
“So, I have no idea. Zelensky’s frustrated because now all this money’s gonna flow into Russia, who started this whole war unprovoked. They are the bad guys. And there’s no way Zelensky turned down any plausible deal. In fact, since that time, when they told him he was gonna lose the Donbas, he has gained back portions of the Donbas,” Kilmeade said.
Kilmeade laid the blame squarely on the Russian leader.
“There’s one person who’s responsible. Vladimir Putin — that is it. And he’s getting his a** kicked,” he said.
Campos-Duffy countered that there was a reason the president was buying diesel from Russia, arguing it was because Zelensky “keeps blowing it up.”
“Well, we need diesel,” Kilmeade replied, before adding, “Can you blame him? That’s the war machine that’s killing his people, that bombs apartment buildings.”
“But he’s a dependent on us, and the president said, ‘Don’t do it,’” Campos-Duffy responded.
The debate heated up further when Kilmeade credited Ukraine with modernizing warfare through drone technology.
“I’m not so sure that’s a positive, Brian,” Campos-Duffy said. “I mean, there are 30,000 young men on each side that are dying every single month.”
“Vladimir Putin,” Kilmeade said bluntly.
“We should not be practicing drone, you know, technology, and using these kids as Guinea pigs,” Campos-Duffy said.
“What kids?” Kilmeade asked.
“The soldiers! These are young men,” she answered.
An exasperated Kilmeade pushed back.
“Rachel, this is in response to attacks,” he said. “They’re getting rocketed so they found a way to out-drone.”
Campos-Duffy then pointed to the president’s goal of ending the war.
“The president said he wanted peace in Ukraine. He said he’s gonna do it,” she declared.
“Tell Vladimir Putin!” Kilmeade exclaimed.
Campos-Duffy argued that Zelensky’s actions could ultimately bring about peace.
“Well, because of what Zelensky is doing we’re probably going to get peace there because President Trump is now working with Russia because Zelenskyy is so arrogant!” she said.
Kilmeade had the final word, issuing a stark warning.
“It would be the biggest mistake of his administration to work with Russia. That is the modern Hitler of our generation,” Kilmeade said.
