White Dudes for Harris says it ‘broke’ Fox News after awkward segment where Jesse Watters tries to force co-host to wear merch

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White Dudes for Harris has said it “broke” Fox News after host Jesse Watters attempted to force a reluctant former Democratic congressman to sport the fundraising group’s merchandise live on air.

On Thursday’s episode of The Five, Watters pulled out a red, white and blue baseball cap emblazoned with the organization’s logo.

Hosts slammed the hat as a “Maga merch rip-off” of Donald Trump’s red Make America Great Again cap, which he launched during his 2016 presidential campaign – and which is still widely worn by his supporters amid his 2024 election run.

In an awkward moment, Watters proceeded to try and make Harold Ford Jr, Tennessee representative-turned-Fox News political commentator and Harris supporter, try on the cap.

Ford awkwardly refused to put it on.

“I got White Dudes for Harris right here and I’m not going to put it on for one reason: I don’t want to mess up my hair,” Watters said.

“But two: I’m not for Harris so I’m going to give it to you [Ford]. A white dude for Harris. You are white, right? You’re white.”

In a desperate attempt to deflect Watters’ advances, the former Tennessee representative said that he’d give it to his father-in-law.

Watters then went in with the killer blow: “You won’t wear it. So you’re not a Harris supporter.”

“I am,” Ford sheepishly replied.

Dana Perino, a former White House press secretary under George Bush-turned-news anchor, interjected: “I just wondered if Jesse would wear the hat if it said ‘Black Dudes for Harris’?”

“Yes,” Watters replied. “Well no… not for Harris.”

Reacting to the cringeworthy moment, the White Dudes for Harris X account shared the clip and wrote: “Guys, I think we broke them.”

Proceeds from the hat, which retails at $42.05 including shipping, go to the Kamala Harris for President campaign.

Watters previously targeted White Dudes for Harris after it brought in a $4m haul on July 30 for the Harris campaign, branding the group as men with “mommy issues” begging for the approval of women.

The donor group first hit headlines with the online fundraiser last month which drew in more than 200,000 white men including politicians such as North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper and celebrities such as actor Jeff Bridges.

But now, the group is embroiled in a feud with X owner Elon Musk after organizers learned that its X account, @dudes4harris, was suspended on the night of the online fundraiser. The group blamed the tech mogul himself for the deactivation of the account.

“Got @elonmusk scared,” one of the online fundraiser’s organisers Ross Morales Rocketto wrote on his personal X. After just a few hours, the account was reinstated.

Musk, who has previously described himself as a “free speech absolutist” and publicly endorsed Donald Trump last month, has not responded to the allegations. 

X, which rarely replies to media requests, refused to respond to The Independent’s probe of why the group’s account was suspended.

On Tuesday, White Dudes for Harris posted a screenshot that said X found the account to contain “spam” or to be engaging in “platform manipulation.”

The account continued posting on X and no second ban was enforced.