Fox News host Brian Kilmeade turned on President Donald Trump on the air Sunday, Oct. 11, 2026, blasting the president’s agreement to import Russian diesel.
Kilmeade made the break on “Fox & Friends Weekend,” where he insisted Moscow alone is responsible for the war in Ukraine. He argued for a long stretch with co-host Rachel Campos-Duffy, who defended the arrangement.
Kilmeade said, “The president got ticked off because Zelenskyy came out and said, ‘Do not buy five hundred million tons of diesel,'” and added that it was understandable for the Ukrainian leader to be frustrated by money flowing to the country that launched the war unprovoked.
Kilmeade said, “They are the bad guys. And there’s no way Zelenskyy turned down any plausible deal,” arguing that Russian President Vladimir Putin would never take part in a practical peace effort capable of ending the fighting.
Kilmeade continued, “There’s one person who’s responsible: Vladimir Putin,” and said, “That is it. And he’s getting his ass kicked.”
Trump’s 300,000 Tons of Diesel
Trump laid out the terms in a Truth Social post on Friday, Oct. 9. Russia is to supply the United States with 300,000 tons of diesel immediately, then another 500,000 tons in November, then 1 million tons “immediately thereafter.”
Trump wrote, “Lower prices for Americans, especially our Great Farmers, Ranchers, and Truckers, is my Greatest Priority,” in the post. He announced the deal less than a month after he approved bipartisan measures to sanction Russia and countries that buy energy from it.
Trump temporarily eased U.S. sanctions on Russian diesel, drawing international backlash and accusations that his administration is helping bankroll Moscow’s war machine. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called the easing a “weak decision” and warned the arrangement only benefits Moscow.
Campos-Duffy pointed to Trump’s suggestion that maybe it is time for an election and a new leader in Ukraine. Trump made that comment after Zelenskyy criticized the fuel deal with Moscow.
Trump announced an immediate “ENERGY CEASEFIRE” between Russia and Ukraine on Oct. 11, claiming both countries agreed to halt attacks. Kyiv appeared surprised, and Moscow had not yet confirmed.
Kilmeade said the diesel supply dried up when Iran struck Gulf states’ oil facilities and refineries, and Russia suddenly became the new focus. He argued that no deal would be under discussion without the joint U.S. and Israeli war on Iran bringing the Gulf oil market to a standstill.
A Clash Over Drone Warfare
Campos-Duffy repeatedly defended the administration and said there is a reason Trump is buying fuel from Russia. She said Zelenskyy kept striking Russian refineries even though the president urged him to stop, and she said Ukraine depends on the United States and was told not to do it.
Kilmeade pushed back and asked whether the Ukrainian president can be blamed for targeting the war machine killing his people and bombing apartment buildings. He praised Ukraine’s use of drone technology against a far bigger and more powerful adversary, framing it as a response to being rocketed.
Campos-Duffy demanded during the exchange, “Are you for America or Ukraine?” Kilmeade praised Ukraine’s battlefield innovation and said, “The Ukrainians have modernized modern war before our very eyes.”
Campos-Duffy said, “We should not be practicing drone, you know, technology, and using these kids as Guinea pigs,” and Kilmeade shot back, “Tell Vladimir Putin!”
Campos-Duffy objected immediately and claimed 30,000 young men on each side are dying every month. She said she meant the soldiers when asked which kids she meant.
Campos-Duffy said Trump had made clear he wanted peace in Ukraine. She said peace is likely precisely because Trump is now working with Russia, and she blamed Zelenskyy’s arrogance for the shift.
Kilmeade closed the exchange and said, “It would be the biggest mistake of [Trump’s] administration to work with Russia. That is the modern Hitler of our generation,” describing Putin as the source of the region’s problems. He warned that Putin is now helping Iran in ways that could kill American troops and destroy U.S. bases.
Senators Call the Move Unlawful
Seven senators, including four Republicans, criticized Trump’s diesel move as unlawful as of Oct. 15. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney warned that the move is damaging peace-building initiatives across Europe.
Fox News host Bill Hemmer reported on “America’s Newsroom” that consumer prices rose 0.6 percent month-over-month, in line with estimates, and that year-over-year inflation stood at 3.7 percent. Hemmer said, “Analysts chalking it up to higher energy costs.” He delivered the report less than 19 days before the November midterms.
A Loyal Ally Breaks Ranks
Kilmeade is one of the network’s most reliably conservative voices and a loyal Trump ally, which made the flare-up striking. He has repeatedly split from Trump-aligned media on Eastern Europe.
Kilmeade placed blame for the war squarely on Moscow in earlier broadcasts and radio interviews. He said flatly there that Putin is the bad guy and that Ukraine cannot lose. He argued the fighting has been at full force since 2022.
The on-air dispute laid bare philosophical divides within Trump-aligned conservative circles. Viewers on social media questioned whether a political civil war is now playing out live among the network’s top hosts.
