Fox Business Network host Maria Bartiromo interrupted a Republican congressman live on air after he said being transgender was a "mental illness."
Representative Tim Burchett of Tennessee appeared on Mornings with Maria Bartiromo on Monday, where he was asked about the backlash against Joe Biden's celebration of the Transgender Day of Visibility on Easter Sunday.
Republicans reacted with fury when Biden released a statement proclaiming March 31, 2024, as the latest Transgender Day of Visibility. The holiday, which has been celebrated for 15 years and always takes place on March 31, coincided this year with Easter Sunday for the first time since 2013.
"On Transgender Day of Visibility, we celebrate the joy, strength, and absolute courage of some of the bravest people I know," Biden said in a Sunday post on X, formerly Twitter. "Today, we show millions of transgender and nonbinary Americans that we see them, they belong, and they should be treated with dignity and respect."
When asked about the comments, Burchett said the statement "was a complete smack in the face."
Discussing the issue further, he then said: "See military recruitment down because of this, this movement. They're pushing through the budget, continuation of surgeries on transgenders.
"You know, this thing is, it's, it's a mental illness. We just gotta address it. It's it's not a, it's not a normal type lifestyle, and, I can't be more against what the president did.
"And I think it shows, too; he is just trying to secure his base. You know, here and he's losing everything but his base, and his far-left base, you know, agrees with this type of behavior."
Bartiromo could be heard repeating "mental illness" in the background before cutting Burchett off.
"And I don't know what you're saying in terms of mental illness. I have no idea what you're talking about in that regard," Bartiromo said.
She added: "But I will say this. Christians want their Easter Sunday, and Easter Sunday happens to be on March 31st this year. So to declare a transgender visibility day on the day of Easter holiday, the resurrection. When, you know, Christians and Catholics everywhere believe this is a high holy day. That is outrageous."
In a statement to Newsweek, Burchett said: "The American Psychiatric Association has recognized gender dysphoria or gender identity disorder as a mental illness for a long time. However, it doesn't take a psychiatry degree to know when a person believes something that isn't true -- like when a man believes he's a woman -- it means there's something wrong.
"A lot of these folks aren't getting the help they need, and if we don't address the issue for what it is, then nothing is going to get better."
Newsweek reached Fox News Media for comment via email outside of normal working hours.
Biden came under fire from prominent Republicans and celebrities over the weekend.
"I am absolutely disgusted that Joe Biden has declared the most Holy of Holy days - a self proclaimed devout Catholic - as Transgender Day of Visibility. The only thing you should be declaring on this day is 'HE is Risen'," Caitlyn Jenner posted on X, formerly Twitter.
House Speaker Mike Johnson posted: "The Biden White House has betrayed the central tenet of Easter — which is the resurrection of Jesus Christ."
Speaking to reporters on Monday, Biden called the speaker "thoroughly uninformed."
In a statement provided to Newsweek, the White House noted that the president did not select the date and pointed to conservative voices that have commemorated it in the past.
"President Biden is right. He did nothing in conflict with the 'tenets' of Easter, which he celebrated yesterday," spokesman Andrew J. Bates said. "Nor did he choose the date of March 31 for Transgender Day of Visibility, which has been set since 2009—including in 2020 and 2021 when FOX itself commemorated Transgender Day of Visibility."
Correction 04/02/24 9:42 a.m. ET: Maria Bartiromo's show is on Fox Business Network, not Fox Business News.
Update 04/02/24 10:34 a.m. ET: This article was updated to include comment from Tim Burchett.
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