Fox News host and Daily Caller co-founder Tucker Carlson got into a heated exchange with Republican Florida Rep. Maria Elvira Salazar over Ukraine and immigration Wednesday.
Salazar said the U.S. should not take a no-fly zone “off the table” and give Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy all of the military weapons he has requested. Carlson pressed the representative on whether she is considering all of the risks involved.
“President Zelensky said yesterday that he is considering declaring that Ukraine would not join NATO in exchange for having Russian troops withdraw from his country,” Carlson said.
“Who am I to say what’s correct and what’s incorrect,” Salazar responded.
“Wait, hold on, please don’t dodge the question,” Carlson said. “Would that be an answer you’d be satisfied with?”
Salazar said the U.S. cannot decide what is the best decision for Ukraine, arguing that Carlson was creating a “hypothetical” scenario.
Carlson then asked if Ukraine backing out of joining the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) in order to secure peace would be better than allowing for a continuing armed conflict. (RELATED: Tucker Carlson Questions Whether Supporting Ukraine With Weapons Is ‘Counter-Productive’)
“That’s for the Ukrainians to decide,” Salazar said.
“What do you mean? You’re an American policymaker who’s imposing your views on Ukraine,” Carlson said.
“I’m not imposing any views,” Salazar responded. “If the Ukrainians want to go that route, they have the right to, and we’re no one to say anything about it, because they are the ones dying on the streets.”
Salazar then confronted Carlson on the issue of immigration, saying she supports amnesty for illegal immigrants and cited her proposed Dignity Act. The representative argued the current system provides amnesty to over 13 million that do not pay taxes, and wants to provide “dignity” and “redemption” to those residing in the U.S. for over 5 years and “contributing to our economy.”
“I’m not against those people,” Carlson continued. “I just can’t help [but] notice the contrast between your desire to send MiGs to Ukraine to preserve its borders, but not here. Should we send the U.S. military to the Mexican borders since you have admitted that tens of millions of people have come here illegally?”
“That is why I have created a whole plan so we can really seal the border,” Salazar replied. She said the legislation was created to secure the border and that the question of sending the U.S. military to the Mexican was “hypothetical.”
“No, it’s a very straightforward question,” Carlson said. “Just say it. You’re not for it and you’re for the Ukraine, but not here. … I just want our viewers to understand that you’re for defending a foreign country, but not our own.”
Carlson then pressed Salazar on the “frustration” Americans feel about lawmakers sending aid to secure Ukraine’s borders rather than the U.S.-Mexico border. She claimed Carlson was “misrepresenting” her proposed bill and said Republicans will “never win an election again” if the issue of immigration is not confronted.