Host Will Cain repeatedly introduced Rep. Maxwell Frost as a "Democrat congressman," prompting a correction before the interview shifted to a heated debate about the shooting of Renee Nicole Good by ICE agent Jonathan Ross. Frost criticized officials for quickly labeling Good a “domestic terrorist,” while Cain challenged Frost’s use of the word “murder” prior to legal findings. The exchange also spotlighted the partisan history of the phrase "Democrat Party."
Rep. Maxwell Frost Corrects Will Cain — Tense Fox News Interview Shifts to ICE Shooting and Due Process
The Fox News interview got testy as soon as Will Cain introduced Florida Rep. Maxwell Frost. / Fox News
A routine Fox News interview turned sharp when host Will Cain repeatedly introduced Florida Rep. Maxwell Frost using the phrase "Democrat congressman," prompting a quick correction from the freshman lawmaker before the conversation moved into a heated debate over a recent immigration-related shooting.
On-Air Exchange
After a segment about the fatal shooting of a Minneapolis woman, Cain welcomed Frost to the broadcast, saying, “Joining now to debate all of this is Democrat Florida congressman Maxwell Frost.” Frost immediately corrected him.
“Of course, thank you so much. And it’s Democratic congressman, Will, but it’s good to be with you.”
Cain attempted to defend the phrasing but repeated the construction shortly afterward. Frost then set aside the language correction to focus on the substantive issue at hand.
From Word Choice to a Serious Policy Dispute
The conversation quickly moved beyond the verbal slip. For more than eight minutes the two spoke over each other while debating the circumstances surrounding ICE agent Jonathan Ross’s point-blank shooting of 37-year-old Renee Nicole Good, a Minneapolis mother of three.
Frost accused administration officials of hastily labeling Good a “domestic terrorist” before investigations concluded. Cain pushed back, challenging Frost’s use of the word “murder” when the agent has not been tried or convicted in court.
“Yes, that officer is entitled to due process. Yes, there should be a process. But two things: number one, Renee Nicole Good was not given due process. That ICE agent was the jury and executioner in that moment for that woman,” Frost said. “But number two... within minutes, do you know who the first person to come out and label someone in this was? It was this administration.”
Why The Phrase "Democrat Party" Matters
Beyond a grammar note—using the noun “Democrat” as an adjective—the phrase “Democrat Party” has a history as a partisan epithet. Political observers and columnists have traced its use back decades and noted its prevalence on right-leaning talk radio and websites.
Columnist William Safire linked the expression to a 1940 criticism by Republican Harold Stassen. Later commentators, including New Yorker writer Hendrik Hertzberg in 2006, highlighted how the term appears in conservative media. In 2007, President George W. Bush publicly apologized after using the phrase.
What This Means
The exchange is a reminder of how small language choices can inflame partisan tensions and how broadcast interviews can rapidly move from a quibble about phrasing to substantive disputes over policy, accountability, and due process in a high-profile, emotionally charged case.
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