Portrait of Tucker Carlson
Entertainer · person
Wikipedia (opens in new tab)

Tucker Carlson on Ron DeSantis

Sharp Critic (strong)

TL;DR

Tucker Carlson has turned into a vocal critic of Ron DeSantis, citing specific concerns over foreign policy and the governor's political operation.

Key Points

  • He once held the governor in high regard and interviewed him many times on his Fox News show.

  • Carlson questioned the governor's foreign policy stance on Ukraine, suggesting it was influenced by major donors.

  • He described the political operation supporting the governor as the "nastiest and stupidest" he had observed as of December 2023.

Summary

Tucker Carlson's stance toward Ron DeSantis dramatically soured from past support to sharp criticism, particularly during the 2024 presidential primary cycle. Initially, the commentator had interviewed the governor many times and expressed admiration for his leadership, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, Carlson became disillusioned, specifically calling out DeSantis for shifting positions on the Ukraine War, suggesting he was controlled by donors like Ken Griffin to adopt a more interventionist stance than he originally favored. Furthermore, Carlson heavily criticized DeSantis for signing legislation concerning hate speech in Israel, viewing it as an unconstitutional and immoral act carried out during an overseas trip.

The nature of the criticism also extended to DeSantis's political apparatus, which Carlson described in starkly negative terms as the "nastiest and stupidest" political operation he had witnessed. This marked a significant break from their previous positive relationship, where DeSantis was a featured guest on Carlson's prime-time program. The evolution of their public dynamic culminated in a heated exchange in July 2023 at the Family Leadership Summit, demonstrating a complete reversal from a friendly interview setting to a confrontational one over policy and character.

Key Quotes

Had I been president in 2020, Anthony Fauci would have been fired.

Frequently Asked Questions

Tucker Carlson has become a vocal critic of Ron DeSantis, especially regarding his shift on foreign policy issues like the Ukraine War. He has also publicly condemned the governor's political operation as deeply flawed.

Yes, the two figures shared a period of positive engagement; Ron DeSantis was frequently a featured guest on Carlson's prime-time show. This relationship reportedly soured over substantive policy disagreements.

The primary issues cited by Carlson include DeSantis's evolving stance on the war in Ukraine and his signing of legislation concerning hate speech while visiting Israel. He also strongly criticized the governor's campaign tactics.