Fox's Tucker Carlson attacked Senator Duckworth as a "deeply silly" and "unimpressive person" and suggested that she hates America. Duckworth was awarded the Purple Heart after she lost her legs in 2004 when a rocket-propelled grenade hit the helicopter she was co-piloting during the Iraq War. Duckworth later retired from the Illinois Army National Guard and went on to serve as the assistant secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs. Tucker Carlson tried to join the Central Intelligence Agency, but his application was denied, after which he decided to pursue "journalism".