The White House issued a strong condemnation of Fox News on Tuesday following remarks made by one of its top hosts, Greg Gutfeld, about the Holocaust.
The comments were deemed as a “horrid, dangerous, and extreme lie” that deeply insulted the memory of the millions who suffered under Adolf Hitler’s Nazi regime.
The controversy arose during a discussion on “The Five” about Florida’s new Black history standards, which mandate teaching about slaves’ skills and their personal benefits. Jessica Tarlov, a co-host known for her liberal views, questioned whether similar arguments would ever be made in relation to the Holocaust.
“I’m not Black, but I’m Jewish,” Tarlov said. “Would someone say about the Holocaust, for instance, that there were some benefits for Jews? That while they were hanging out in concentration camps, they learned a strong work ethic? That maybe you learned a new skill.”
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Gutfeld responded by mentioning Viktor Frankl’s bestselling book, “Man’s Search for Meaning,” in which the psychiatrist, who survived the Holocaust, described how people found meaning in unimaginable suffering.
“Frankl talks about how you had to survive in a concentration camp by having skills. You had to be useful,” Gutfeld argued. “Utility! Utility kept you alive!”
These comments drew swift criticism, with the Auschwitz Memorial stating, “Being skilled or useful did not spare [Jewish people] from the horrors of the gas chambers.”
The White House also weighed in, expressing outrage at Fox News for not condemning Gutfeld’s remarks. Andrew Bates, the deputy White House press secretary, called the host’s statements an “obscenity” that insulted the memory of those who suffered from both enslavement and the Holocaust.
Bates emphasized that there was nothing positive about either slavery or the Holocaust and stressed the importance of uniting the American people instead of dividing them with dangerous rhetoric. He advocated for truth, freedom of learning, and rejected book bans and lies.
As of now, Fox News has not responded to the criticism. The network has faced previous criticism for promoting extreme rhetoric and conspiracy theories, particularly during the Trump presidency.
Recently, Fox News introduced a revamped prime time lineup with pro-Trump hosts, featuring Gutfeld hosting the 10 p.m. ET hour.
The controversy surrounding Gutfeld’s remarks adds to the ongoing debate over responsible journalism and the potential impact of extreme statements on public discourse.
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