​Fox News’ Kayleigh McEnany argued that the United States men’s national soccer team’s patriotism outweighed its World Cup flop, a hot take that Brian Kilmeade promptly challenged on air. During Tuesday’s Fox & Friends broadcast, the former White House press secretary acknowledged the disappointment Americans felt after the U.S. suffered a 4-1 defeat to Belgium in the Round of 16. “We’re competitors in the United States; we want to win, we want to win the whole thing, we want to win the World Cup,” she said. But she quickly added, “That being said, this team—you compare it to Megan Rapinoe and women’s soccer. I am so proud of them, their patriotism, the way they stand for the anthem, the way they pray after every game. They have set such a positive example around the world. And to me, look, people can crucify me on Twitter, that means more to me than winning. I’m very proud of this team despite the loss.”
McEnany’s remarks came amid ongoing discussions about the performance of the U.S. men’s team, which many felt had fallen short on the world stage. Kilmeade, however, immediately pushed back against her assessment, saying, “Err, they didn’t show up. They were absolutely awful. They did not show up.” McEnany responded with a light touch, “OK, Brian. Thanks. OK,” and laughed as Kilmeade insisted on his critique. He proceeded to enumerate what he viewed as the players’ failures in the critical game, while McEnany countered by praising the team’s patriotism and faith, saying, “But they pray and they love the flag, and therefore I love them.”
Kilmeade remained skeptical, telling her, “There’s teams praying all over the country.” The exchange highlighted the tension between evaluating a team’s on-field performance and celebrating the players’ symbolic acts and national pride. The segment became a focal point for broader debates about how to weigh sports results against the athletes’ public personas and values.