Fox News’ Jesse Watters, a co-host of The Five, is facing backlash on social media, after he made a comment about the way Ivanka Trump was speaking into a microphone, which was widely interpreted as sexual innuendo.
During the show on Tuesday night, Watters and his fellow hosts were discussing Ivanka’s recent trip to Germany, where she took part in the W20 Summit. Shortly after showing a clip of her on stage at the summit, Watters said he “really liked how she was speaking into that microphone.”
WATCH: Jesse Watters on Fox News re Ivanka Trump: "I really like how she was speaking into that microphone" pic.twitter.com/HoJHLpMtq1
— Yashar Ali 🐘 (@yashar) April 26, 2017
Watters’ remarks quickly drew attention on social media.
As @FoxNews allegedly deals with it's problem with sexual harassment in the work place.
— 🌻 Bibliobibuli. Hygge is my ikigai. 🌻 (@fowerli) April 26, 2017
How is he a thing? Is he 12? Does he acknowledge every time someone says "69", too?
— Paul Sporer (@sporer) April 26, 2017
What do you expect? He developed his "skill" at the throne of O'Reilly.
— Richie Whitt (@richiewhitt) April 26, 2017
The Fox News co-host, who is known for his on-the-street interviews and former segments on The O’Reilly Factor, has since responded to the outcry — insisting that he didn’t mean to imply any sexual connotation.
“During the break we were commenting on Ivanka’s voice and how it was low and steady and resonates like a smooth jazz radio DJ. This was in no way a joke about anything else,” Watters said in a statement to BuzzFeed News.
Here are some of the reactions to his statement on Twitter:
https://twitter.com/LesleyM06284277/status/857233662986903553
Women know exactly what you meant, @jessebwatters …backpedal all you want but we know.
— khay (@Greenbean88) April 26, 2017
Watters’ comment has further brought Fox News’ work culture into question.
The Five claimed the 9 p.m. slot on the network, after Tucker Carlson replaced former host Bill O’Reilly at 8 p.m.
Earlier this month, 21st Century Fox, Fox News Channel’s parent company, cut ties with Bill O’Reilly, the former host of the The O’Reilly Factor. The decision came after the host faced multiple allegations of sexual harassment, not unlike former chief Roger Ailes, who was ousted months before.