Fox News host ridiculed over New York City tirade: 'He’s historically illiterate'

Fox News host Jesse Watters was mocked for ranting and dropping unfounded claims about New York City during a live broadcast on Friday.The conservative host of "The Five" was responding to President Donald Trump's comments about New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani's rent freeze, which was approved by the New York City Board, and remarks about what the president called "commies." "I just found out — New York City — half of the city is on Medicaid," Watters said. "Twenty percent of the city is on food stamps, five percent of the city lives in the projects, 70 percent of the city is not white, 40 percent of the city wasn't even born in America. We're going down a dangerous road."Social media users reacted to the Fox News personality's comments."He’s historically illiterate: 40% of NYC, a higher percentage than now, was foreign born in 1910 (!) This is not new," Zeteo’s Mehdi Hasan wrote on X."Jesse needs a history lesson. Here are the percentages of NYC foreign born residents going back to 1850 (Source: US Census). This is nothing new and it's not dangerous. What really bothers him is the "not white" part," Geoff Brown, political commentator and retired school district administrator, wrote on X."Jesse Watters 100% full of s---," Navy veteran Louella Hopkins wrote on X."That's how New York has always been you racist little t--- waffle," political commentator Rodger Williams wrote on X.He’s historically illiterate: 40% of NYC, a higher percentage than now, was foreign born in 1910 (!)This is not new. https://t.co/5IOpgr2dYp— Mehdi Hasan (@mehdirhasan) June 26, 2026