Former Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Chief Craig Fugate cursed and stormed off during a live interview Thursday with MSNBC’s Katy Tur about how the federal government should be involved in the novel coronavirus response.
Fugate was joined by the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services’s former acting administrator Andy Slavitt, who served under former President Barack Obama. Slavitt said there should be more federal involvement, and Fugate suggested they need to “get out of the way” and get local governors funding.
“What your other guest is suggesting here is not helpful,” Slavitt said, causing Fugate’s outburst. “We need a great partnership between the federal and state government.”
“I don’t have time to listen to bullshit, people,” Fugate muttered as he ripped off his earpiece and stormed off. Tur tried to get him back onto the show, but he did not return.
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All three tweeted about the incident after the segment on “MSNBC Live with Katy Tur” aired, beginning with Fugate, who apologized for his outburst. (RELATED: Watch Katy Tur Try To Maintain Her Smile As Random Guy In Parking Lot Trashes Bernie Live On MSNBC)
“Dear @MSNBC, @KatyTurNBC At the point I’m not helping, time to step back. Never was good at the talking head thing anyway. This is too critical of a time to let emotions get in the way. My apologies to you and your audience,” Fugate tweeted.
Responses from all three. pic.twitter.com/DdXUfM04q1
— Emily Jashinsky (@emilyjashinsky) March 19, 2020
Slavitt then replied and apologized to Fugate “for contributing this.” He praised the former FEMA chief as “a terrific public servant” and urged him to “keep informing people as you do.”
Tur rounded out the Twitter make-up session, telling Fugate that there were “no apologies necessary.” She added in a separate tweet that the network hopes “to have him back.”