Fox News commentator Jessica Tarlov has recently been in hot water over a reportedly false claim she made during a discussion with co-host Jeanine Pirro on “The Five.” While the panel was discussing the Biden-Harris administration’s response to Hurricane Helene’s destruction on the East Coast, Tarlov claimed that the government was first to set up Starlink satellites to improve communication.
However, Tarlov was quickly fact-checked on social media over the claims where many users provided evidence that her assertion was incorrect. In the segment, Pirro said, “Elon Musk to set up Starlink so that they could get some cell coverage on their phone to be able to apply for the 750 I mean, if it weren’t for all of these private entities knowing the government just wasn’t there in the beginning, and they’re playing catch up now.”
Tarlov then said, “Well, let’s be clear, the government was the one that got the first 40 Starlink satellites to get to North Carolina when Helene struck. That was the US government.” She continued, “The government was on top of that. Now to say that what Joe Biden was doing was nakedly political removes the context of this, which is that the president United States of America is worried that people are listening to folks like Donald Trump, like Lara Trump.”
The liberal Fox News host, known for her anti-Trump and left-wing takes, further stated, “She was the one who said the 750 she was on with Dana Bash, trying to have, I guess, a nice conversation, or get some hits in, put up that lie. You know, they’re only getting $750 and Dana Bash had to say that’s absolutely untrue. That is a lie.”
Users on social media criticized the co-hosts comments, with one person stating, “Tarlov told a big lie! Get her off the air.” Conservative critics of Tarlov rallied around a substantial fact-check from commentator Nick Sortor, who offered his firsthand account with rescue efforts in North Carolina as proof that Tarlov was wrong.
Sortor posted on X, “Hey @JessicaTarlov: why are you LYING on Fox News right now saying the Biden Harris regime were the firsts to deploy Starlinks in Western NC? @ChrisHallWx and I were reconnecting first responders and victims using our personal Starlinks DAYS before the Feds even THOUGHT about doing so. If it weren’t for private individuals, your beloved regime would’ve abandoned these folks. Shame on you.”
Sortor cited an earlier post from September which read, “ALERT: Asheville, NC is a TOTAL blackout zone, so we’ve set up TWO Starlink Stations for Public Use Even NC State Police aren’t able to connect to cellular networks, so they’re using our Starlinks now.” He included several pictures of satellites being set up for use.
Watch Tarlov’s comments below:
Others disagreed with Tarlov’s version of events in North Carolina. “It was Elon who sent the first Starlink Satellites…not Biden! Then after Trump visited the area he personally called Elon and asked him to send more. Biden did nothing the first six days and Harris finally went after Trump went, to save face,” another person said.
Note: The featured image is a screenshot from the embedded video.
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