Fox News Guest Caught With Mao Painting in Background Claims He Is ‘Just Renting’ and ‘Didn’t Choose the Art’

Former Tennessee Democratic Congressman Harold Ford Jr. appeared on Fox News Wednesday to have a discussion focusing on the accusations of incitement of insurrection regarding President Trump.

A painting on the wall behind him, however, became a focal point as it was pointed out after that there was an Andy Warhol painting of Mao Zedong, the leader of a Chinese communist revolution and responsible for the death of tens of millions of people, hanging in the background over the mantle.

The interviewer of Ford Jr., Brett Baier, was the first to respond to a pair of tweets on the subject. In the first response, he said, “Harold @HaroldFordJr is renting a house in a vacation spot for a few weeks -he doesn’t control the walls. Strong background analysis, but Harold is not a Maoist- he was elected in Tennessee. Thanks for watching!”

Harold @HaroldFordJr is renting a house in a vacation spot for a few weeks -he doesn’t control the walls. Strong background analysis, but Harold is not a Maoist- he was elected in Tennessee. Thanks for watching! https://t.co/xAUwcSWbQb

— Bret Baier (@BretBaier) January 15, 2021

Baier later followed that up in a response to Tom Bevan with Real Clear Politics and said, “As noted in previous tweet Tom. — ‘Harold @HaroldFordJr is renting a home for a few weeks in a vacation spot – he doesn’t control the walls. Strong background analysis, but Harold is not a Maoist- he was elected in Tennessee. Thanks for watching.'”

As noted in previous tweet Tom. — “Harold @HaroldFordJr is renting a home for a few weeks in a vacation spot – he doesn’t control the walls. Strong background analysis, but Harold is not a Maoist- he was elected in Tennessee. Thanks for watching” https://t.co/7caESAnmwu

— Bret Baier (@BretBaier) January 15, 2021

Nearly 20 minutes after that tweet was posted, Ford Jr. himself responded and claimed, “As @BretBaier said, I’m just renting a place – didn’t choose the art – my house has Ali and MLK on the walls – no fan of Communist China or Mao – my public record and words on Fox and elsewhere about China prove that.”

As @BretBaier said, I’m just renting a place – didn’t choose the art – my house has Ali and MLK on the walls – no fan of Communist China or Mao – my public record and words on Fox and elsewhere about China prove that

— Harold Ford, Jr. (@HaroldFordJr) January 15, 2021

Respondents, however, were skeptical. “Latentem” responded to Ford Jr. and said, “Gee, if I were just renting a place that had a giant picture of Mao in the living room I might say ‘ugh’ and take my video calls in a different room but that’s just me.”

Gee, if I were just renting a place that had a giant picture of Mao in the living room I might say “ugh” and take my video calls in a different room but that’s just me

— Latentem (@Latentem) January 15, 2021

“Greg” responded that “Bro, I’ve said it once. I’ll say it again. If I was staying in a place with a photo of the Devil himself hanging on the wall. I would do everything possible not to be seen with it. You went out of your way to be photoed with the painting. Comrade.”

Bro, I’ve said it once. I’ll say it again. If I was staying in a place with a photo of the Devil himself hanging on the wall. I would do everything possible not to be seen with it. You went out of your way to be photoed with the painting. Comrade

— Greg (@GrgHys) January 15, 2021

Tony Katz wondered in his blog, “Warhol has so many portraits: Marilyn Monroe, Beethoven, Elvis, Elizabeth Taylor, just to name a few and he picks MAO to hang in his living room?”

It’ll be curious to see how the flap will affect Ford Jr.’s future appearances on Fox News, but clearly, they, as well as Baier are hoping to put it behind them in the news cycle.