Fox News host Tucker Carlson Tucker CarlsonJudge tosses Karen McDougal's defamation suit against Tucker Carlson OVERNIGHT ENERGY: House passes sweeping clean energy bill | Pebble Mine CEO resigns over secretly recorded comments about government officials | Corporations roll out climate goals amid growing pressure to deliver Former Florida attorney general calls Kyle Rittenhouse 'a little boy out there trying to protect his community' MORE used his show Wednesday to respond to criticism that his comments about Rep. Ilhan Omar Ilhan OmarOmar fires back at Trump over rally remarks: 'This is my country' Trump attacks Omar for criticizing US: 'How did you do where you came from?' Democrats scramble on COVID-19 relief amid division, Trump surprise MORE (D-Minn.) the previous night were racist.

Carlson faced backlash Wednesday after Omar and progressive groups called out his comments about the freshman representative's story of becoming an elected official after coming to the U.S. as a Somali refugee. He said her history is "proof" that American immigration has "become dangerous to this country."

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"They didn’t rebut our points, or even acknowledge them. They just tried to silence us. That’s how they operate. And of course they called us racist. On one level, that’s amusing, given how absurd the charge is," Carlson said Wednesday night, referring to renewed calls for advertisers to pull out of Fox News segments.

"Racist? No. We’re against racism, adamantly. Omar consistently puts her own race at the center of the conversation, but to us it’s irrelevant," Carlson continued.

Omar told reporters Wednesday morning she believes Carlson is a "racist fool." She later joined Bend the Arc, a progressive Jewish group, in calling out advertisers who enable a "nightly platform to white supremacist rhetoric."

Carlson defended himself Wednesday by comparing Omar with another refugee, Ayaan Hirsi Ali, who he said "loves and cares about the United States" and "believes our country is superior to the country she came from."

Ali is a writer who has said Islam fundamentally is incompatible with Western democratic values.

"Two Somali immigrants. One, among the most impressive people in America. The other, among the least. It’s not about race," Carlson said.

He also said the "left" taught Omar that "crying racism pays" and made a broader claim that Democrats as a whole are not patriotic.

"Now it’s routine to hear Democratic presidential candidates question the basic legitimacy of the United States. Even supposed moderates, like Joe Biden Joe BidenPelosi slams Trump executive order on pre-existing conditions: It 'isn't worth the paper it's signed on' Hillicon Valley: Subpoenas for Facebook, Google and Twitter on the cards | Wray rebuffs mail-in voting conspiracies | Reps. raise mass surveillance concerns Fox News poll: Biden ahead of Trump in Nevada, Pennsylvania and Ohio MORE, join in," he said. "That should worry you. No country can survive being ruled by people who hate it. We deserve better."

The Hill reached out to Omar's office for comment following Carlson's broadcast.

Omar did not tweet in response to Carlson's Wednesday night show as of 9:30 p.m. In a Wednesday night tweet she did thank Rep. Adam Smith David (Adam) Adam Smith40 groups call on House panel to investigate Pentagon's use of coronavirus funds When 'Buy American' and common sense collide Overnight Defense: Marine Corps brushes off criticism of Marines' appearance in GOP convention video | US troops injured in collision with Russian vehicle in Syria | Dems ask for probe of Vindman retaliation allegations MORE (D-Wash.) for defending her in light of Carlson's "racist, bigoted, and xenophobic" comments during Tuesday night's show.

Smith said Omar "fights each day to improve the lives of people throughout America."