Republicans Respond to Fox News Host's 'Rules for Men'
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources.
Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content.
In a recent montage on Fox News, GOP lawmakers responded to Jesse Watters' rules for men, with producer Johnny Belisario receiving a range of responses from several Republicans.
The Context
During a March episode of The Five, Watters said "I have rules for men," in response to comments made by Minnesota Governor Tim Walz about what he saw as MAGA voters' focus on his masculinity. While Watters did specify that his rules for men are "just funny," views on gender roles have long fed the cultural divide between Democrats and Republicans.
Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) speaks during a roundtable discussion on the "Take It Down Act" in the Mike Mansfield Room at the U.S. Capitol on March 03, 2025 in Washington, DC.
Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) speaks during a roundtable discussion on the "Take It Down Act" in the Mike Mansfield Room at the U.S. Capitol on March 03, 2025 in Washington, DC.What To Know
In March, Watters said that his rules for men included: don't eat soup in public, don't cross your legs, don't drink from a straw, don't wave both hands simultaneously and don't drink milkshakes.
During a montage of interviews on Jesse Watters Primetime, Johnny Belisario asked Republican members of the House and the Senate for their thoughts on Watters' rules.
Belisario asked Louisiana Representative John Kennedy about Watters' soup rule. "He says men shouldn't eat soup in public. What do you think of that?" In response, Kennedy said, "A man shouldn't eat kale at all."
Speaking to Tennessee Representative Tim Burchett, Belisario highlighted Watters rule about straws, to which Burchett responded that he does not drink out of straws.
Belisario also spoke to Texas Senator Ted Cruz, about another of Watters' rules, which purports that men "should not have male best friends." In response, Cruz said that Watters "needs a friend."
Missouri Senator Josh Hawley was asked by Belisario about Watters' rule that men should not cross their legs, to which Hawley responded, "Whatever Jesse says is good with me."
Watters had said that his rules are, "just funny" and "not that serious." The remarks courted some backlash on social media, with some people poking fun at the Fox News host, and a picture of him drinking from a straw resurfacing online.
Walz's remarks about masculinity came during an appearance on California Governor Gavin Newsom's podcast This is Gavin Newsom in March. The former Democratic vice presidential candidate said that MAGA voters were "scared" of his masculinity.
"They know I can fix a truck, they know I'm not bull***ing on this," "It just baffled me how much time they spent trying to attack me, that I was not masculine enough in their vision."
What People Are Saying
Senator Ted Cruz, speaking on Fox News: "Jesse need a friend."
Representative Tim Burchett, speaking on Fox News: "I don't drink out of a straw brother. That's what the women in my house do."
Representative John Kennedy, speaking on Fox News: "A man shouldn't eat kale at all. You know the best way to prepare kale? You mix a little olive oil in with the kale, that way it slides out of the pan very easily into the garbage."
Jesse Watters on The Five said: "I have rules for men. they're just funny. They're not that serious. You don't eat soup in public, you don't cross your legs. And you don't drink from a straw."
Walz told Newsom on the latter's podcast: "They know I can fix a truck, they know I'm not bull***ing on this...It just baffled me how much time they spent trying to attack me, that I was not masculine enough in their vision."
What's Next
Walz is considering running for a third term as Minnesota governor. The Minnesota gubernatorial election is scheduled to take place in November 2026.
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