GOP governor clashes with Tucker Carlson over veto of bill to block trans youth health care

Fox News host Tucker Carlson sparred with Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson (R) over the governor’s decision to veto a bill passed by the state legislature that would have blocked health care to transgender youth in the state. 

Carlson, before interviewing Hutchison, argued the bill would put a stop to services that in his view amount to “chemical castration” of children and facilitate “gender reassignment” procedures.

“If this had been a bill that simply prohibited chemical castration, I would have signed the bill,” Hutchinson said. “But Tucker, as you know, this bill was over-broad. It was extreme. It went far beyond what you just said.”

In vetoing the bill this week, Hutchison said it would be “creating new standards of legislative interference with physicians and parents as they deal with some of the most complex and sensitive matters dealing with young people,” and therefore he could not support it. 

Hutchison said “tough decisions” arise for families when it comes to obtaining health care for transgender children, but from a policy standpoint, he said he defers to “William Buckley and Ronald Reagan” and a Republican Party view of limited government.

It was with these principles in mind, Hutchinson said, that he voted the bill. 

“Tucker, you’re a conservative, you have a great background in that. Where are we getting back to the limited role of government that we don’t have to invoke ourselves in every societal position out there?” the governor asked. “Let’s limit the role of government. Let’s let parents and doctors make decisions.” 

Carlson pressed Hutchison again, rhetorically asking “Why don’t we let 18 year olds drink beer in Arkansas? Why don’t we allow them to get tattoos? Why don’t we allow 15 year olds to get married?”