Brian Kilmeade Pushes Back: ‘Farcical’ to Claim Questioning Lt. Colonel Vindman is ‘Unpatriotic’

Fox & Friends host Brian Kilmeade pushed back on the uproar of political media criticism directed at Ukraine born and decorated U.S. military veteran Lt. Colonel Alexander Vindman in advance of his testimony before the House Intel Committee on Tuesday as part of an impeachment inquiry into President Donald Trump.

Lt. Col. Vindman is, thus far, the lone subject to testify before a committee that was actually on the phone call between Trump and Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelinsky in which an alleged quid pro quo between withheld military aid to Ukraine and a request to publicly investigate former Joe Biden and his son Hunter occurred. But since Vindman was born in Ukraine and escaped the Soviet Union, some have questioned where his allegiances may lie.

On Monday evening, Fox News prime time host Laura Ingraham suggested “dual loyalty” while guest, John Yoo went so far as to suggest “espionage.” CNN contributor Sean Duffy noted Vindman may have prioritized his “affinity for Ukraine” over the United States and Kilmeade himself said that Vindman was “simpatico with Ukraine.”

These comments drew bipartisan condemnation, perhaps most notably by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and Rep. Liz Cheney, both of whom refused to join a small conservative chorus questioning Vindman’s loyalty, though Cheney went much further in her condemnation.

“It’s a joke that people think if you have questions to the Lieutenant Colonel because he’s a great warfighter, that your somehow not patriotic or don’t like the military, which is the blowback that we’re getting from our show and others, I think that’s farcical,” Kilmeade said.

“There is no doubt about it, this lieutenant colonel was born in Ukraine. He came here. Reportedly the Ukrainian government reached out to him about Rudy Giuliani working as envoy for the president,” Kilmeade continued, adding “And to think that maybe he was going to come forward with an additional point of view and can’t be challenged because he served in the military, it doesn’t make any sense to me.”

Kilmeade’s point is somewhat undermined by overlooking the specific manner in which Vindman was criticized. If the Lt. Colonel were only questioned about the merits of the inquiry, then there would almost certainly be less blowback. But to suggest that his actions are part of an “espionage” campaign,  or that the decorated war hero has a greater affinity for Ukraine than the nation for which he is served is viewed by many as ridiculous, or worthy of ridicule.

For the record, Kilmeade’s comment of Vindman being “simpatico with Ukraine” does NOT merit ridicule but, is simply a fair description of the role that a foreign envoy would play.

Watch above via Fox News.