During an interview fearmongering about efforts to support asylum-seekers with Portland, Maine, resident Richard Ward, Fox & Friends First guest co-host Ashley Strohmier introduced Ward as a local “activist,” despite his history of pushing extreme white supremacist rhetoric both online and locally.

Notably, Fox seemingly found Ward on Twitter. On April 11, a day before the segment, the Twitter account for Fox & Friends First responded to one of Ward’s tweets, which had a video of a homeless encampment in Portland, Maine, and asked, “Why do we tolerate and endless invasion of asylum seekers?” 

In both the tweet and his interview with Strohmier, Ward attempted to frame Maine’s efforts to assist asylum-seekers by providing a “temporary emergency shelter” as an act that takes away resources from the state’s non-immigrant homeless population. Ward’s rhetoric mirrors Fox’s repeated use of vulnerable homeless populations to push anti-immigrant sentiment, such as attacking initiatives to provide aid to the migrants and criticizing proposals aimed at helping undocumented immigrants.

While Fox introduced Ward merely as an “activist,” he has a history of pushing far-right extremism. On Twitter, where Fox apparently first reached out to Ward, he has posted, replied to, and shared tweets containing white supremacist, anti-trans, anti-LGBTQ, and racist rhetoric, including baselessly calling LGBTQ people “terrorists” and “mentally ill.” He has shared and interacted with content from other accounts amplifying white supremacist rhetoric including Daniel Concannon, who has praised Ward’s racist stunts and also appeared on Fox. Ward also frequently shares posts about “Black on white” violent crime and pushes false racist narratives such as the anti-immigrant “great replacement” conspiracy theory. 

Ward has also seemingly expressed support for the recent neo-Nazi rally that occurred in his city, during which “the group was seen in multiple locations in downtown Portland chanting, making Nazi salute gestures, and holding a sign that read: ‘Defend White Communities.’” The rally resulted in violence against counter-protesters. (Oddly, Ward has also baselessly claimed that the neo-Nazi marchers in Portland and other far-right groups across the country are actually “federal agents.”) 

Offline, Ward has participated in local right-wing protests. During Black History Month in February, he gained local attention by holding a banner that read “IT’S OK TO BE WHITE” around Portland, including in front of City Hall. (The Anti-Defamation League considers the slogan a white supremacist hate symbol.) The incident also spurred online attacks against a Black city councilor who spoke out against the banners. 

Ward has been filmed handing out materials for right-wing conspiracy theory group the John Birch Society and far-right outlet Infowars, where he recently called in to discuss “anti-white hate” with host Alex Jones. He is also penpals with January 6 prisoners, who he strongly supports — including sharing content claiming the Capitol riot was an “inside job.”

In 2022, Ward ran for Portland School Board and later a city council position. After losing both races, he tweeted out a photo of a card that appears to be from Daily Wire host Candace Owens expressing encouragement.