A Fox News panel clashed with former Obama administration official Marie Harf on Friday after she likened Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem’s visit to an El Salvadoran prison to “Nazi style ideology.”
Noem recorded a video at El Salvador’s Terrorism Confinement Center in front of a group of male prisoners behind bars on Wednesday. When Harf made the Nazi comparison on “Outnumbered,” fellow panelists responded with shock and condemnation.
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“I think that Democrats have a real opportunity here in part because the Trump administration is really overplaying their hand. You’re right that Democrats want to deport illegal immigrants and support that,” Harf said. “They don’t support people with legal visas getting disappeared off the streets or Kristi Noem standing in front of prisoners in very uncomfortable like Nazi style ideology. So I think Republicans are overplaying their hand here.”
Fox News host Larry Kudlow immediately reacted, repeatedly exclaiming, “Whoa” in response to Harf’s comment.
“Nazi style ideology? She was standing in front of a prison in El Salvador with hardened criminals behind her,” former White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany fired back.
Harf doubled down, arguing that the visual of Noem “with all those men shirtless behind her was one of the most offensive things” she had ever seen after a lifetime of researching this phenomenon.
Kudlow attempted to interrupt as Harf continued talking over him.
“Don’t go there, Marie,” he warned. He also began to accuse Democrats of “trying to slur” conservatives with Nazi comparisons, but Harf continued to talk over him.
“It’s not a slur, Larry. That imagery was one of the most offensive things I’ve ever seen,” she insisted.
McEnany questioned whether Harf was aware that Noem was in an El Salvadoran prison “in front of hardened criminals.”
Harf responded by asking why Noem needed to “stand in front of it.” McEnany said it sends “a message.”
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Fox News contributor Lisa Marie Boothe appeared to say that she found Harf’s comments “offensive.”
President Donald Trump’s administration sent planes carrying members of the Venezuelan prison gang Tren de Aragua (TdA) to El Salvador on March 15 after the president invoked the Alien Enemies Act of 1798 to accelerate their deportation the same day.
El Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele also confirmed in March that his country received 238 members of TdA and 23 MS-13 members.
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First published by the Daily Caller News Foundation.
