In Friday’s interview on “Stay Free,” Tucker Carlson, the former Fox News host, expressed his feelings about former President Donald Trump. Carlson, who was notoriously ousted from the network under murky circumstances, sat down with British comedian and political commentator Russell Brand for a candid conversation that ranged from his thoughts on American politics to his views on Trump.
“Where am I on Trump now? Well, I love Trump,” declared Carlson, who went on to clarify that his interest lies more in ideas and people than in politics. Despite his past involvement in American political commentary, which he admitted was largely incorrect, Carlson insisted that he’s never been interested in the political sphere.
According to Carlson, looking back from the perspective of 2023, Trump’s rise will be considered the most consequential event in American politics in the past century. This assertion is due to Trump’s reorientation of the Republican Party, even against the wishes of its leaders.
While the Fox News veteran refrained from commenting on the ongoing primary between Trump and other key figures such as Ron DeSantis and Vivek Ramaswamy, he did emphasize his admiration for Trump’s foreign policy views.
Trump, he stated, is the only high-ranking member of the Republican Party to question America’s support for the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. Despite any other views on Trump’s potential nomination or presidency, Carlson professed gratitude for this stance.
“That war is reshaping the world. It’s reshaping the economy of the world. It’s reshaping populations,” Carlson stated, referencing his recent visit to Romania and observing the effect of the Ukrainian conflict on Europe. According to Carlson, Trump’s willingness to speak the truth on this significant issue is a position deserving of praise.
While concluding his thoughts on Trump, Carlson declared, “Saying something true out loud matters. And he is saying true things about Ukraine and God bless him. That’s how I feel.”
WATCH:
Tucker leaves no doubt:
"I love Trump." pic.twitter.com/Hkbi2zUZHr
— Citizen Free Press (@CitizenFreePres) July 7, 2023
.@TuckerCarlson: “I think that Bobby Kennedy and Trump will both have a very tough time getting the nomination.” pic.twitter.com/SWFK1x5EhA
— The Post Millennial (@TPostMillennial) July 7, 2023
Continuing his interview, Carlson further delved into the nature of populist politics in the United States, drawing parallels with historical events. He brought up the fact that the US has only had one populist president in its 250-year history – Teddy Roosevelt – and highlighted three other significant populist figures, Donald Trump, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., and Ross Perot.
Interestingly, Carlson noted that these figures shared a common trait – they all came from the very world they criticized. According to him, their upbringing and experiences in these environments lent more weight to their critiques and made their populism more impactful.
“They were all from the world they criticized. Teddy Roosevelt grew up rich, of course, in New York. Trump, Perot, Bobby – I mean, Bobby Kennedy’s family is one of the most famous families in the world in modern history, the Kennedys, and certainly the most famous family in democratic politics,” said Carlson. “So these are people who know how the system works because they’ve benefited from the system. And so their critique is much more meaningful and much more effective, I would say, because they can bear witness to what they have seen.”
While discussing the resistance to reform in Washington politics, Carlson described it as a “Ceausescu move” – a reference to the former Romanian dictator who failed to adapt to changing circumstances. He predicted that both Kennedy and Trump would face challenges securing their respective party nominations, but voiced his hopes for their messages to be heard.
The former Fox News host critiqued the power that large multinational companies wield over media narratives, noting that sectors such as pharmaceuticals, major advertisers on television, have little incentive to question their own products.
“Pharma, as you well know, and often say on your show, is the biggest advertiser on American television. Probably true in the UK as well. And so, you know, there’s no incentive whatsoever to question their products,” he said.
However, he noted an optimistic shift in the media landscape due to the rise of social media platforms like Twitter and Rumble, which, he said, offer “less filtered sources of information with fewer gatekeepers and a higher probability you’ll hear something true.”
Carlson finished by expressing hope that these new information channels might fulfill the internet’s promise, allowing the dissemination of information that those in power might not want the public to see. “It really is the promise of the Internet finally fulfilled. That’s my hope anyway,” Carlson concluded.
The interview marked one of Carlson’s first public appearances since his surprising exit from Fox News.