Fox News host Maria Bartiromo ceded ground to Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) in her battle with him over House Speaker Kevin McCarthy’s stance on government funding.

She made her concession to Gaetz on X Monday after the two clashed over the issue on her show “Sunday Morning Futures,” which wound up with Gaetz calling her a shill for McCarthy. Bartiromo also posted a video acknowledging Gaetz’s points on the matter.

“You made excellent points. My thinking is evolving. I need to own it. I’m ok w that. I’m glad you came on,” Bartiromo wrote on X.

She made a similar response to Rep. Dan Bishop (R-NC), who originally wrote on X, “This is the best interview I have ever seen. The ad hominem attacks against @RepMattGaetz will undoubtedly persist, but his every point was perfectly stated and utterly inarguable. Let’s see a rational rebuttal. Maria is usually one of the best, but she could only sputter.”

Excellent, level-headed response from Maria Bartiromo after yesterday’s tense exchange with Matt Gaetz. pic.twitter.com/6hyVr2RxwO

— Citizen Free Press (@CitizenFreePres) September 25, 2023

You made excellent points. My thinking is evolving. I need to own it. I’m ok w that. I’m glad you came on.

— Maria Bartiromo (@MariaBartiromo) September 25, 2023

Bartiromo responded, telling Bishop that he was “right” and adding that “@RepMattGaetz made a very good argument. And my thinking is evolving. I was happy to have him on.”

The congressman replied to Bartiromo’s concession, “Extraordinary. Stand up move, @MariaBartiromo. The process of toughening up the GOP to accomplish rather than pose and make excuses is only beginning. The pressure must be relentless because the country is in grave danger. The people know in their gut. So does Maria.”

Extraordinary.

Stand up move, @MariaBartiromo.

The process of toughening up the GOP to accomplish rather than pose and make excuses is only beginning. The pressure must be relentless because the country is in grave danger. The people know in their gut.

So does Maria. https://t.co/4iBd3KJyyu

— Rep. Dan Bishop (@RepDanBishop) September 25, 2023

The whole thing started on Bartiromo’s show Sunday when she got into it with Gaetz over four appropriations bills the House is set to push forward. He argued that “the only way to do this, Maria, is line by line. Kevin [McCarthy] wants it in one big, up-or-down vote; keep the government open, shut it down.”

“The bills are being worked on; you just heard [Ohio Republican Rep.] Jim Jordan say that they are effecting four bills this week, appropriations bills this week, to get through that would partially fund the government, the Defense bill as well,” Bartiromo noted. “You wanted the Defense bill to move forward, did you not?”

“Yes, that’s why I voted for it, and I voted for the rule to proceed on to it,” Gaetz told her. “And by the way, don’t give Kevin McCarthy credit for the fact that we’re moving on to these four appropriations bills. That was the deal that House conservatives foisted upon Kevin McCarthy when he couldn’t just move the big spending bills without moving the bills that cut spending.”

“Well, he’s doing the four bills next week,” Bartiromo pointed out.

“Because we’re making him do it!” Gaetz interjected.

Matt Gaetz in loud throwdown with ‘McCarthy shill’ Maria Bartiromo. This is how that went. https://t.co/cqbUmrRJ8r via @BIZPACReview

— BPR based (@DumpstrFireNews) September 25, 2023

The fight got even more heated and she tried to allude to McCarthy’s accomplishments.

“So to push now, to blow up all of the wins that you all have had now,” Bartiromo contended.

“Which wins? Please enumerate them,” Gaetz clapped back.

“Ok, well how about the fact that he has set up a weaponization committee to investigate the DOJ, whether they’re involved in a cover-up,” Bartiromo stated as Gaetz tried to cut her off.

“Hold on, hold on,” she told him. “How about the fact that he has set up the China select committee to keep China to account, and of course, he has launched this inquiry into impeachment, potentially for President Biden, is that not what you want?”

Gaetz responded, “None of those things are deliverable” and that “these committees have done nothing to reduce inflation, they’ve done nothing to actually constrain the Biden government.”

Now that Bartiromo has made peace with Gaetz, the congressman is thrilled over it.

“When confronted with our argument on government spending, most smart and open-minded people will convert. Welcome aboard, @MariaBartiromo. Thank you for having me on your program. Tough questions and direct answers will lead us to the truth faster than sophistry. The Plan: • Single Subject Spending Bills • No CR • Hold the line,” he wrote on X.

When confronted with our argument on government spending, most smart and open-minded people will convert.

Welcome aboard, @MariaBartiromo.

Thank you for having me on your program. Tough questions and direct answers will lead us to the truth faster than sophistry.

The Plan:

•… https://t.co/XC14a6gBc5 pic.twitter.com/RrkuDOQfBA

— Rep. Matt Gaetz (@RepMattGaetz) September 25, 2023

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