Political commentator Tucker Carlson has declared he is finished with the Republican Party, citing President Donald Trump's alignment with Israel as a betrayal of American interests. In a recent appearance on the "Can't Be Censored" podcast, Carlson stated, "I would not support the Republican Party, there's no chance. [I'm] not going to support the Democratic Party. I don't know what I'm going to do."
Carlson's Criticism of Trump's Israel Policy
Carlson, once a staunch Trump supporter and MAGA loyalist, has repeatedly condemned the administration's involvement in the U.S.-Israel joint military conflict with Iran. During the June 18 podcast episode, he questioned how any American voter "could support a political party that's not loyal to the United States" and "puts the interests of a foreign country above those of its own citizens." He alleged that Trump's 2024 presidential campaign was "funded largely by people with loyalty to Israel" and that the U.S. entered the war "because of pressure from the prime minister of Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu."
"Knowing that is knowing that the U.S. government betrayed the United States. Like there's no other way to read it," Carlson added, stating he can no longer defend the party because it's "immoral." He emphasized, "It's not possible to vote for people like that, and I'm not going to. I voted Republican my entire life, I worked at Fox News. … I've been a consistent defender for 35 years of the Republican Party, but there's no defending this because it's immoral." Concluding his remarks, Carlson said, "I'm out. And if I'm out, then I think a lot of other people are out."
Fractured Relationship with Trump
The once-solid relationship between Carlson and Trump has been fractured for months. In March, Trump publicly claimed Carlson had "lost his way" and was no longer part of the MAGA movement. Carlson has publicly rebuked Trump's ties to Israel and Netanyahu, accusing Trump of abandoning his "America First" philosophy by being "complicit" in Israel's "act of war" following military strikes on Iran. He escalated his criticism in an April interview with Newsmax, suggesting Trump is a "slave" to Israel and "hemmed in by other forces."
When asked on BBC's "Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg" if he thinks Trump is a "slave" to Netanyahu, Carlson responded, "I don't think it is as simple as 'he is under the control of Netanyahu,' but you could certainly summarize it that way and you wouldn't be totally inaccurate." He blamed Israel for U.S. involvement in the war, stating, "We know this because the single biggest mistake Trump – or any American president in my lifetime – has made was going to war with Iran in an effort to change its regime."
Trump's Pushback
Trump has pushed back against Carlson's claims, telling a reporter at the White House in March, "If anything, I might've forced Israel's hand." He has also referred to Carlson as a "low IQ person" and shared offensive memes about him amid their ongoing feud.
