
On February 6, Tucker Carlson, the former host of Fox News, confirmed that he was in Russia with the intention of interviewing Russian President Vladimir Putin. This announcement came after rumors about Carlson’s presence in Moscow and a teaser he shared on social media platform X about the upcoming interview.
Despite the inherent risks of such an endeavor, Carlson emphasizes that the decision was thoughtfully considered over several months. His primary motive, he explained, is to delve into Putin’s perspective, especially since Putin has not granted any interviews since the onset of the Russia-Ukraine conflict in early 2022. Tucker stated, “Most Americans have no idea why Putin invaded Ukraine.”
Carlson went on to criticize the state of American journalism, noting the complete lack of comprehensive coverage of the war and its global implications. He pointed out the discrepancy in media coverage, with numerous interviews featuring Ukrainian leaders like President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, but said there was a significant lack of Russian viewpoints being presented.
Despite the global impact of the two-year war, Carlson believes that most Americans are unaware of how the war is affecting the country, let alone the implications that our country is now facing. Highlighting the importance of informed citizenship, Carlson argued that Americans deserve a complete understanding of the conflict, including Russia’s motivations and objectives, something he believes his interview with Putin could help achieve. Carlson said he knows the risk he is taking but believes he has a duty to inform people of what’s really happening.
This stance has led to criticism from some media figures, such as CNN’s Erin Burnett, who accused Carlson of aligning with pro-Putin sentiments within the MAGA GOP movement. Burnett even took her statement one step further, claiming that “Putin is trying to court the MAGA GOP in the United States.” As well as calling Carlson a “Putin-supporting celebrity.”
In his defense, Carlson claimed that his interview was motivated by patriotism and love for the United States rather than for Putin. He promised the interview would be freely accessible and mentioned Elon Musk’s assurance that the content would be available for free and would not be censored on X. Despite expecting censorship attempts from Western governments on other platforms, Carlson encouraged viewers to watch the interview with an open mind, emphasizing the value of learning as much as you can and making informed decisions as free citizens.
Carlson, who has a history with CNN, PBS, and MSNBC before his tenure at Fox News, has remained a prominent media figure. His show on X has drawn hundreds of millions of views and high-profile guests and garnered significant attention. His program has featured interviews with notable personalities like former President Donald Trump. Rumors have even floated about Carlson’s potential vice-presidential candidacy alongside Trump.
Previously, Carlson claimed that efforts to interview Putin were thwarted by the U.S. government, citing illegal surveillance and media leaks orchestrated by the Biden administration aimed at preventing his communication with Putin. Carlson also accused the Biden administration of attempting to block his interview last month. Despite these challenges, Carlson proceeded with his plans, emphasizing his right to journalistic inquiry without government interference.
The White House and the NSA have denied Carlson’s allegations of spying and censorship, with the NSA clarifying that Carlson was never a target of intelligence operations. “It’s a ridiculous premise and a ridiculous statement that was made about this administration, ” according to White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov remained non-committal about Carlson’s visit, underscoring the routine presence of foreign journalists in Russia but making no specific comments about Carlson’s planned interview with Putin. He added, “We have nothing to announce in terms of the president’s interviews to foreign media.”