A heated debate on Fox News’ The Five over gun control and mental health crossed the line Thursday night when co-host Jessica Tarlov delivered a shocking jab at fellow panelist Joey Jones, a retired Marine and double amputee.
The exchange began as Jones criticized Democrats for what he called political scapegoating of AR-style rifles in the aftermath of mass shootings. He argued that the focus on banning specific firearms ignores both statistical reality and constitutional protections.
“Only four percent of guns used in homicides are rifles, and that’s a much bigger category than ARs,” Jones said. “So what you’re saying is you want me to ban five percent of the guns in this country that are used in four percent of the homicides.”
Jones also pointed to the Supreme Court’s 2022 Bruen decision, which has struck down several blue-state restrictions on firearms, to show how little ground Democrats have gained legally. He accused left-leaning politicians of stoking fear to raise money and win elections rather than offering practical solutions.
But tensions boiled over when Tarlov challenged him with a personal scenario. “If your kid was one of that four percent, I think you’d be singing a different tune,” she said.
Jones calmly replied, “Yeah, but my kid isn’t–” before Tarlov interjected sharply, “Oh, so lucky you!”
The wounded veteran then turned to the camera. “I’ll go to bed tonight and thank God on my knees that don’t exist anymore that my child is still alive,” he said, referencing the legs he lost to an IED explosion in Afghanistan.
It was Tarlov’s response that lit the fuse online. “Well, now you’ve played the leg card, and I can say no more,” she quipped, smacking the table for emphasis.
The remark immediately drew outrage across social media. One user on X called her “reprehensible,” writing, “Fox will never get rid of her.” Another, Wendy King, demanded her firing: “Tarlov should be fired. An apology and/or suspension will not suffice.”
The controversy highlights the combustible mix of personal tragedy, political divides, and live television. While Fox News has not yet issued a statement on Tarlov’s remarks, the backlash is growing, with critics calling her comments an insult not just to Jones but to all wounded veterans.
What was meant to be a policy debate ended with many viewers questioning whether Tarlov had crossed a line that even cable news theatrics should never breach.
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