Fox News Hosts Clash Over Trump's Stance on Ukraine Diesel Deal

A sharp disagreement unfolded on Fox & Friends Weekend as veteran host Brian Kilmeade and co-host Rachel Campos-Duffy debated former President Donald Trump's comments on Ukraine and a deal to import Russian diesel to the U.S.

The exchange began Sunday when Kilmeade reacted to Trump's suggestion that Ukraine should replace President Volodymyr Zelensky with another leader. Campos-Duffy defended Trump's position, framing it as a response to Ukrainian actions that she argued were negatively impacting global diesel supplies and hurting Trump's political standing.

Kilmeade, however, interpreted Trump's remarks as frustration stemming from Zelensky's condemnation of the diesel deal. He suggested the deal signaled a potential betrayal and questioned its legality, noting it appeared to conflict with a bipartisan bill allowing for tariffs on Russian oil. "Do we tariff ourselves?" Kilmeade quipped.

Kilmeade escalated the argument by warning Campos-Duffy that Trump's alignment with Russia over Ukraine could place the U.S. on the "wrong side of history." He identified Russian President Vladimir Putin as the sole party responsible for the war and likened him to a "modern Hitler."

"Zelensky's frustrated because all this money will flow into Russia, who started this whole war, unprovoked. They are the bad guys," Kilmeade stated. Campos-Duffy pushed back, questioning if peace efforts had been ignored. Kilmeade interrupted, asserting that no practical peace effort involving Putin would be effective and reiterated Putin's sole responsibility.

Campos-Duffy attempted to interject, mentioning peace talks organized by Turkey and the United Nations and citing former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson's advice to Zelensky. Kilmeade dismissed Johnson's current relevance, asking, "is he in a retirement home?"

The debate grew more tense, with co-hosts Griff Jenkins and Charles Hurt visibly averting their eyes. Campos-Duffy continued to argue that the diesel deal was a direct consequence of Zelensky's strikes on Russian refineries. Kilmeade countered that the diesel shortage could be attributed to Iran and its actions in the Gulf States.

Campos-Duffy insisted that Zelensky was "arrogant" and the reason for the lack of peace. Kilmeade responded emphatically, calling the potential deal with Russia "the biggest mistake of his administration" and reiterating his comparison of Putin to Hitler. "He is the cause of all the problems in the region, and now is helping Iran kill our guys and blow up our bases," Kilmeade concluded.

The exchange, which was quickly clipped and circulated online, highlighted a significant division among the hosts regarding the U.S. approach to the Russia-Ukraine conflict and its implications for energy markets. The Ukrainian president has also argued that Middle Eastern conflicts were the primary driver of rising energy prices.