Fox News host Brian Kilmeade is walking back remarks that sparked major backlash after a controversial exchange on Fox & Friends went viral. During a segment last Wednesday, Kilmeade was heard suggesting that homeless people struggling with mental illness should face “involuntary lethal injections.”
The clip quickly spread across socials, with captions accusing the host of “endorsing euthanizing homeless people.” By Sunday afternoon, it had racked up more than 20 million views on X, igniting widespread condemnation.
The conversation originally centered on the tragic killing of Iryna Zarutska in Charlotte, North Carolina. Authorities say the suspect, who has a history of mental illness, had been living in a homeless shelter at the time. In discussing the case, Kilmeade made his offhand comment, which was met with immediate criticism from viewers, activists, and mental health advocates.
By the weekend, Kilmeade issued an apology, acknowledging that his words were “inappropriate and offensive.” He added that he did not intend to demean people living with homelessness or mental illness, but many critics argue the comment revealed deeper insensitivity toward vulnerable communities.
The incident has reignited debates around the media’s responsibility when discussing mental health and homelessness, especially at a time when those issues remain at the center of national conversations.