“He smiled while stabbing me in the back” — Greg Gutfeld BRUTALLY TURNS on Jesse Watters with a savage response that left the Fox News set reeling and viewers wondering what triggered this public takedown between longtime allies

The tension between Greg Gutfeld and Jesse Watters just exploded into the open, and the fallout is impossible to ignore. During a recent segment, Gutfeld veered off-script and unleashed a biting, thinly veiled tirade aimed squarely at Watters—calling out what he described as “performative loyalty” and “ego-driven antics.” It was raw, unscripted, and unmistakably personal. Did something happen off-camera that pushed Gutfeld too far? And how will this clash impact Fox News’ prime-time dynamics going forward?

Catch every sharp word and discover what’s really driving this sudden rupture between two of Fox’s most-watched stars.

Greg Gutfeld takes swipe at Jesse Watters(Image: Getty Images)

The laughs were thin, the smiles strained, and the tension unmistakable. What began as a seemingly routine broadcast of Gutfeld! took a jarring turn when Greg Gutfeld—usually quick with a punchline—used his monologue to send a razor-sharp message to someone many considered an ally: Jesse Watters.

It wasn’t subtle. It wasn’t coded. And it definitely wasn’t scripted.

“Apparently today was the shortest day in the world’s history,” Gutfeld deadpanned to his audience. “If you want to make it longer, just watch Fox News at 8 p.m.” The crowd chuckled nervously, but the implication hung heavy in the air. Gutfeld’s dig was unmistakably aimed at Jesse Watters, who hosts the prime-time slot in question—Jesse Watters Primetime. The image on-screen—Watters, mid-sentence, mid-smirk—drove the knife in even deeper.

To the average viewer, it was just a jab. To those familiar with the Fox News inner circle, it was a declaration of war.

The Breaking Point

Sources inside the network say the once-playful rapport between Gutfeld and Watters has been unraveling for months. Behind the scenes at The Five, where the two have long shared the desk, producers have reportedly grown wary of “competitive tension” flaring between them—particularly as their individual profiles have risen in Fox’s high-stakes ratings game.

“They were never best friends,” one staffer revealed. “But there was mutual respect. Or at least, there used to be.”

What tipped the balance? Some point to a growing sense of rivalry over the spotlight. Others say it’s about deeper resentments that have festered quietly over time. But insiders believe the final straw was Watters’ rumored maneuvering behind closed doors while Gutfeld was on vacation—a move that some saw as opportunistic and, according to one source, “a straight-up backstab.”

A Vacation, A Betrayal?

In late June, Greg Gutfeld stepped away from Gutfeld! to take a rare vacation with his wife, Elena Moussa, and their newborn daughter, Mira. The couple—famously private—shared a handful of rare photos from a sun-drenched beach getaway. In one post, Greg joked that Elena “still has the baby weight,” a cheeky nod to the family’s laid-back approach to parenthood. Mira was swaddled in a makeshift baby carrier, her tiny feet poking out beneath a white cotton sheet. It looked peaceful. It felt serene.

But peace was not what awaited him at work.

While Gutfeld was away, guest hosts stepped in. Among them was Dana Perino, his co-host from The Five, who even jokingly rebranded the show as Perino! for the week—complete with new signage and backstage buzz. But it wasn’t Dana who raised eyebrows. It was Jesse Watters’ off-camera behavior that caused murmurs to turn into a full-on storm.

According to two Fox News producers, Watters used the downtime to “test the waters” on content ideas, subtly proposing segments and style changes for the 11 p.m. hour—Gutfeld’s hour. “He wasn’t outright campaigning,” one producer said, “but the implication was there. He saw a moment to push forward, and he took it.”

When word of this got back to Gutfeld, he was reportedly “furious but focused,” waiting for the perfect moment to respond. That moment came live on air.

Jesse Watters is a fellow host on Fox network

The Public Smackdown

Gutfeld’s monologue on Tuesday was a masterclass in controlled venom. The delivery was casual, the words were cutting, and the message was unmistakable. Without ever naming Jesse outright, he sliced into his colleague’s persona: the self-assured grin, the carefully curated charm, the “performative loyalty” he’s long projected to viewers.

“It wasn’t comedy,” said one audience member who attended the taping. “It was a warning shot.”

Fox News executives have not publicly commented on the incident, but internal chatter suggests they’re watching the fallout closely. Both men are crucial figures in the network’s prime-time lineup, and a visible rift between them threatens to splinter not just the chemistry of The Five, but the broader brand of Fox’s evening programming.

Allies No More?

The dynamic between Gutfeld and Watters was never one of deep camaraderie, but there was always a veneer of professional partnership. Together, they balanced politics and punchlines, offering viewers a mix of satire and substance. But those days may now be behind them.

“They both want to be the star,” one longtime network insider admitted. “They both want to be the future. But there’s only so much oxygen in the room.”

The aftermath of Gutfeld’s on-air strike has left Jesse Watters conspicuously silent. There’s been no public response, no offhand joke on his own show, and no damage control on social media. Sources close to Watters say he was “blindsided and livid” by Gutfeld’s comments—but is playing the long game, waiting for the right opportunity to respond.

Whether that response comes with humor or heat remains to be seen.

What’s Next?

The Fox News prime-time lineup has always thrived on tension, energy, and unpredictability—but this latest rift may be unlike anything the network has seen before. With Greg Gutfeld stepping more fully into fatherhood, and Jesse Watters expanding his influence at 8 p.m., both men appear poised to stake new ground.

The question is—at what cost?

For now, viewers are left to read between the lines, watching every nod, every word, every smirk for signs of the next move. Will the feud fade or escalate? Will producers be forced to choose sides?

Or, in true cable news fashion, will the real drama unfold not in the studio—but in the green rooms, where careers are made and alliances are broken?

As one veteran staffer put it bluntly: “If Greg just lit the match, Jesse might be holding the gasoline.”

The battle lines have been drawn. And whatever comes next, one thing is certain—Fox News will never be the same again.