The conservative commentator has been critical of those he calls “warmongers” pushing for U.S. involvement in the conflict.
Former U.S. President Donald Trump has criticized conservative talk show host Tucker Carlson, labeling him “kooky” after Carlson questioned U.S. support for Israel following its alleged strikes on Iranian nuclear sites.
Israel reportedly launched attacks on Iranian uranium enrichment and reactor facilities starting last Friday, claiming it was a preemptive measure to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons. Carlson, typically an ally of Trump, has condemned those supporting Israel’s military escalation and featured guests on his show who echoed these sentiments.
“Somebody please explain to kooky Tucker Carlson that, ‘IRAN CAN NOT HAVE A NUCLEAR WEAPON!'” Trump posted on his social media platform.
On Friday, Carlson criticized “those who casually encourage violence” and urged Trump not to support Israeli military action against Iran. He asserted that the primary division today is not between supporters of Israel and its adversaries, but “between warmongers and peacemakers.”
Carlson also discussed Israel’s role in U.S. foreign policy in a recent interview with Columbia University economist Jeffrey Sachs. Carlson noted that warnings about Iran being “weeks away” from developing nuclear weapons have been circulating for over two decades. Sachs, a frequent critic of the established, unelected U.S. bureaucracy often referred to as the “deep state,” claimed that Israel’s goal was regime change in Iran.
Sachs stated that Iran was the last of seven countries the George W. Bush administration intended to “take out” in five years, starting with Iraq. This list, according to retired U.S. Army General Wesley Clark, also included Syria, Lebanon, Libya, Somalia, and Sudan. Sachs said these nations have all been targets of either direct U.S. military intervention or covert operations, and all were perceived as enemies by Israel.
“America has been doing Israel’s bidding for 30 years. Because of the Israel lobby. Because of the concocted idea that this is US security,” Sachs said. He contended that “arrogance in Washington is the first point of reference” in foreign interventions, claiming that policymakers “don’t believe this is hard.”
In a separate interview Monday with former Trump strategist Steve Bannon, Carlson voiced concerns that hostilities in the Middle East could “blow up” the MAGA coalition that fueled Trump’s political resurgence in the 2024 election cycle.
Bannon cautioned that “the American people are 90% against forever wars,” and stated that Trump faces a significant battle against the deep state if he intends to advance his agenda.
“`