Fox News contributor Raymond Arroyo said Monday that Rep. Nancy Mace’s newly revealed tattoos are “a cry for help” and a “bad message” to young women.
But Fox News host Laura Ingraham did not appear to be totally cool with Arroyo’s hot take. She defended the lame-duck GOP congresswoman from South Carolina throughout Arroyo’s takedown, then shooed off her frequent guest as time wound down.
Mace caused a stir by showing off her somewhat recently acquired tattoos on her arms in the introduction to her new podcast, “Get Maced.” The lead-in includes clips of Mace in a tank top and bikini, revealing some of the ink she has had done since late 2023.
“Nancy Mace has some new ink, and I don’t mean that she wrote a book,” he began. “The South Carolina congressman debuted a series of tattoos while launching her YouTube show called ‘Get Maced.’
“She looks like she’s getting maced right there,” he said with a photo of Mace and some of her body art.
Arroyo noted a Politico interview in which Mace explained that she got the body art for “the pain that she needed to feel” and to “reclaim” her body.
“She apparently has PTSD over whatever she’s been going through,” he added, somewhat dismissively.
Ingraham cut in, “Well, she said she had been raped, and it’s horrible.” (Mace has said she was raped as a 16-year-old and last year claimed she was physically abused by an ex-fiance who also allegedly filmed sex acts with her without her consent.)
“Well, she does have the Virgin Mary on her arm there,” Arroyo chimed in. “I wish she would pray to the Virgin rather than placing a tattoo of her on her bicep.”
“Well, she’s been through a lot, I think,” Ingraham replied. “She’s been through a lot. She’s working through it.”
Arroyo later attempted to speak but was cut off by Ingraham.
“No, Raymond. I don’t like tattoos. I’m not a tattoo person, but I don’t wanna — it’s their personal choice.”
After a brief detour about his children, he resumed his analysis of Mace.
“My heart goes out to her for whatever happened, and it sounds like there were some traumatic things,” Arroyo said. “It’s wonderful. But tats are not therapy. Or tats, not therapy … self-expression in this way — I worry. When you need help — this is a cry for help. Go get that help.”
“God bless,” Ingraham interjected.
“But this is a bad message to young women or anybody,” he continued.
“All right, Raymond, we gotta go,” she answered.
Mace also chimed in Monday on the buzz created by her tattoos.
“Thoughts and prayers to all those affected by my sleeves,” she wrote on X.
“Made the mistake of opening my social media this afternoon. Some of y’all are OUT OF CONTROL. My biceps should NOT be a news story. We have more important things to worry about.”