US television host Rob Finnerty has apologised to the people of Nairobi after facing backlash over remarks comparing New York City to the Kenyan capital during a discussion about immigration on Newsmax.
In an apology posted on social media on Tuesday, October 13, 2026, Finnerty acknowledged the backlash over his comments, admitted that he had misspoken and apologised to anyone he had offended.
“I want to offer an apology to the people of Nairobi, Kenya. The passion you have [for] your city and homeland is amazing… We all make mistakes. I misspoke, and I am sorry to anyone I have offended,” he wrote.
The apology followed criticism from Kenyans who objected to Nairobi being used as a negative comparison in a discussion about immigration and conditions in American cities.
What Finnerty said about Nairobi
The controversy stemmed from a Newsmax segment in which Finnerty discussed immigration, street conditions and delivery workers in New York City.
During the broadcast, he argued that large-scale immigration from developing countries under former US President Joe Biden had changed the character of some American cities.
“They move to blue sanctuary cities, and the cities then start to look more like Nairobi than New York City,” Finnerty said.
He also claimed that the media did not adequately cover the changes he was describing and compared the situation in New York with developments in the United Kingdom and France.
The segment included interviews with people who identified themselves as being from countries including Guatemala, Bangladesh, Burkina Faso, Senegal, Mexico and Guinea.
None of the individuals shown in the supplied clip identified themselves as being from Kenya or Nairobi.
The remarks triggered criticism from Kenyan social media users, many of whom argued that Nairobi had been unfairly portrayed as a symbol of disorder in a debate about immigration.
Critics also questioned why the city was singled out when the people interviewed in the segment identified themselves as coming from other countries.
Finnerty had posted a shorter apology on October 12, saying: “Hey, I hear you loud and clear… I apologise, and I will try to do better!”
