Fox News host Laura Ingraham faced swift backlash on X after making two controversial claims about a video featuring masked members of the white nationalist group Patriot Front. On Saturday, Ingraham responded to a year-old video reposted by an X user, calling it fake and suggesting the masked men were Antifa in costume.
Ingraham's Claims and the Video Context
The video, originally filmed in 2024, shows Patriot Front leader Thomas Rousseau making racist comments while surrounded by masked members. The X user who reposted it wrote: 'For anyone wondering how these larping losers think, last year I interviewed their leader Thomas Rousseau (after chirping them for their ‘face diapers’).' Ingraham responded: 'I call fake. Looks more like Antifa in costume. No one should be allowed to cover their faces.'
However, Ingraham's claim that the group was Antifa is easily disproven. In January 2025, The Associated Press published photos of Patriot Front members, including Rousseau, carrying the same flag near the Washington Monument. Hundreds of Patriot Front members also marched through Washington, D.C., on July Fourth, according to Reuters.
Critics Point Out Hypocrisy on Face Coverings
Ingraham's statement that 'no one should be allowed to cover their faces' drew particular ire. Critics reminded her that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents frequently cover their faces during raids and protests. Former Republican Congressman Adam Kinzinger tweeted: 'Fake. That’s the only defense you have to this? How about condemning it?'
Journalist Danny Krikorian wrote: 'I agree with Laura Ingraham. No one should be able to cover their faces. Let’s start with ICE,' alongside an image of masked ICE agents. Journalist John Harwood added: 'When you’re so embarrassed by your own team that you have to pretend it’s the other team.'
Social Media Reactions
Other users also piled on Ingraham. One user wrote: 'So now this is Antifa? This is your side, Laura. This is your people. Own it. These are the patriots that you guys represent.' Another commented: 'Racist groups are famously known for never covering their faces.' A third user said: 'You made them Laura. You should recognize the fruits of your labor. I hope your kids are so very proud of you.'
Footage of Patriot Front descending on D.C. on Saturday is well-documented on X, with Reuters publishing a haunting photo by Cheney Orr showing masked members crammed into a D.C. Metro train as a Black woman stares wide-eyed into the distance.
