Fox News contributor Raymond Arroyo took aim at Rep. Nancy Mace’s tattoos Monday, calling the South Carolina Republican’s ink a “cry for help” and warning that it sends a “bad message” to women.
Arroyo offered his assessment during Monday’s edition of “The Ingraham Angle,” appearing alongside host Laura Ingraham as the pair discussed Mace’s tattoos after they attracted attention online.
“Nancy Mace has some new ink, and I don’t mean that she wrote a book,” Arroyo said.
“The South Carolina congresswoman debuted a series of tattoos while launching her YouTube show called ‘Get Maced.’ She looks like she’s getting maced right there,” he added while laughing.
Arroyo then pointed to a February Politico interview in which Mace discussed why she gets tattoos, saying it was because of “the pain that I need to feel.”
“She apparently has PTSD over whatever she’s been going through,” Arroyo said.
Ingraham quickly noted that Mace has spoken publicly about being raped.
“She said she had been raped. It’s horrible,” Ingraham said.
The discussion continued when Arroyo drew attention to a tattoo of the Virgin Mary on Mace’s arm.
“I wish she would pray to the Virgin rather than placing a tattoo of her on her bicep,” he said.
Ingraham, however, pushed back against Arroyo’s criticism, pointing to the difficulties Mace has described experiencing.
“Well, she’s been through a lot,” Ingraham responded. “She’s working through it.”
When Arroyo attempted to jump back into the discussion, Ingraham made clear that while she personally does not like tattoos, she viewed the decision as a matter of personal choice.
“No, Raymond. I don’t like tattoos. I’m not a tattoo person, but I don’t wanna — it’s their personal choice,” she said.
Arroyo acknowledged that he sympathized with Mace over what she has said she experienced but continued to argue that tattoos should not be viewed as a substitute for getting help.
“My heart goes out to her for whatever happened, and it sounds like there were some traumatic things,” Arroyo said. “But tats are not therapy.”
Arroyo went on to argue that such “self-expression” concerned him and could send the wrong signal to others.
“When you need help — this is a cry for help. Go get that help, but this is a bad message to young women or anybody,” he said.
Ingraham then cut the segment short, telling Arroyo, “God bless. Raymond, we’ve gotta go.”
Mace herself responded to the growing attention surrounding her tattoos Monday, taking to X to dismiss the controversy.
“Thoughts and prayers to all those affected by my sleeves,” Mace wrote.
“Made the mistake of opening my social media this afternoon. Some of y’all are OUT OF CONTROL,” she continued.
The South Carolina congresswoman concluded that there were far more pressing matters deserving attention.
“My biceps should NOT be a news story,” Mace wrote. “We have more important things to worry about.”
