Pundit Tucker Carlson printed an almost two-hour interview with Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) on Wednesday, throughout which the 2 conservative firebrands debated President Trump’s international coverage, the way forward for the Center East and America’s place on the planet.
The dialog was decidedly contentious, at occasions deteriorating into shouting and insults, punctuated by a brief clip Carlson printed Tuesday night displaying him quizzing Cruz on Iran’s inhabitants, which for hours drove social media buzz across the full interview’s launch.
Cruz went on the offensive Wednesday morning, blasting Carlson over his framing of their back-and-forth and urging listeners of his “Verdict” podcast to hearken to the total interview he granted the previous Fox Information host.
Listed here are 5 takeaways from the interview.
Carlson presses Cruz on AIPAC
As he opened the interview, Carlson requested the Republican lawmaker why he has voiced help for regime change in Iran and potential U.S. navy motion to forestall the nation from acquiring nuclear weapons.
The pundit needled Cruz about the advantage of the U.S. sending cash to Israel because it fights Iran and prompt lawmakers on Capitol Hill are being influenced by the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, which raises cash for Cruz together with many different lawmakers on Capitol Hill.
“Everyone is obsessed with Israel,” Cruz exclaimed as Carlson drilled down on the cash in politics phenomenon, to which Carlson replied, “I’m not obsessed with Israel,” earlier than saying “I’ve never taken money from Israel, have you?”
Cruz conceded AIPAC “raises a lot of money for me” and lamented the actual fact the lobbying group “is not more effective” in Washington.
The Texas senator mentioned he got here to Congress with the express intention of being a staunch defender of Israel and expressed no remorse about his posture towards Iran or different Center Jap entities that search to hurt the U.S. ally.
Carlson countered that AIPAC is successfully a “foreign lobby” and prompt its affect may lead the U.S. right into a pricey battle.
Carlson doesn’t imagine Iran desires to hurt Trump
Carlson insisted throughout his dialog with Cruz that he believes in “self-defense,” and would help navy motion in opposition to a international authorities if it was attempting to hurt the U.S. president.
After Carlson famous Cruz’s acknowledged perception that the Iranian authorities is attempting to harm Trump, he requested him “why don’t you support military action right now against Iran?”
Cruz advised Carlson that “nobody disputes” the Iranians want to hurt Trump, to which the previous cable information host mentioned, “I’m disputing it.”
“What other conspiracy theories do you believe, Tucker,” Cruz shouted again. “Did we land on the moon, was 9/11 an inside job?”
Earlier than transferring on, Carlson mentioned Cruz’s “logic train has a massive hole in it,” dismissing the senator’s attacking him as a conspiracy theorist and saying he “wasn’t into the slurs … antisemite, I just don’t like that … I’m telling you what I believe.”
Cruz knocks Carlson for breaking with Trump
The dialog took sudden and a tense flip after Carlson peppered Cruz on Iran’s inhabitants, which the senator dismissed, calling the road of questioning “snide.”
“You engage in reckless rhetoric with no facts,” Cruz mentioned, admonishing the previous cable information host whom he earlier referred to as a “brave” voice on points just like the coronavirus pandemic and immigration.
“I’m not calling for the overthrow of a government, you are,” Carlson mentioned as Cruz pointed at him.
The Republican lawmaker later learn a direct quote from President Trump criticizing feedback from Carlson and others questioning his technique on the Center East, and advocating in opposition to U.S. involvement in Israel’s battle with Iran.
“I never attacked Donald Trump, I campaigned for Donald Trump,” Carlson shrugged, defending himself. “I love Trump.”
The president criticized Carlson straight earlier this week, calling him “kooky” over his feedback on the Center East and taking a dig on the former cable host, saying he ought to share his opinions on “a television network and say it so that people listen.”
The commentator advised Cruz he spoke to Trump this week and insisted “I think we should be very careful about entering into more foreign wars that don’t help us when our country is dying.”
Carlson calls for Cruz apologize for defending Ukraine
After their debate about Trump’s place on Iran, Carlson accused Cruz of “presiding over” among the nation’s largest “foreign policy disasters” in recent times, calling consideration to the Republican’s help for Ukraine in its battle with Russia.
“You’ve been spending the last three years telling us that Vladimir Putin is evil and we’re going to beat him with other people’s children,” Carlson mentioned, elevating his voice. “And you’ve never apologized for that.”
A seemingly irritated Cruz sat up in his chair and shot again, “the number of falsehoods you lay out in one sentence is rather astonishing.”
“The war against Russia was caused by Joe Biden’s weakness,” Cruz continued.
However Carlson was not glad.
“You supported the war,” he once more requested him, insisting “shouldn’t you apologize.”
“You should apologize,” Cruz shouted on the pundit, earlier than stopping himself and scoffing, “I’m not going to engage in the demanding of apologies.”
Carlson has for years criticized U.S. involvement within the battle in Ukraine and stirred controversy with an interview he landed with Russian President Vladimir Putin after launching his personal media firm.
Carlson’s dialog with Putin got here throughout a reporting journey to Moscow, throughout which he praised the nation’s economic system and infrastructure.
Cruz seeks to discredit Carlson after interview
After Carlson printed his interview with the Republican lawmaker, Cruz sought to discredit the pundit’s framing of their dialog and criticized the previous Fox host on a subsequent episode of his “Verdict” podcast.
“Did a long interview w/ Tucker. He released a snippet playing a “gotcha” on the inhabitants of Iran. I declined to play that foolish recreation,” Cruz wrote on social media late Tuesday. “WATCH the full 2-hr interview, where Tucker ATTACKS Trump, attacks the “AIPAC lobby,” & falsely claims Iran is NOT attempting to assassinate Trump.”
In a subsequent social media publish, Cruz requested why Carlson “refuses to acknowledge” what he referred to as an “indisputable truth” in regards to the Center East and U.S. international coverage.
“Facts don’t care about your feelings Tucker, and they certainly won’t bend to your narrative,” the senator mentioned.
Cruz launched a brand new episode of his Verdict podcast after the quick clip of their backwards and forwards on the inhabitants of Iran was printed however earlier than the total interview was launched on Carlson’s X account.
“On foreign policy, Tucker has gone bat-crap crazy. He’s gone off the rails,” Cruz mentioned, arguing the pundit is misreading what the American individuals need from Trump.
“I think the American people want a president who’s going to say, “We will protect ourselves against people who want to kill us,” he mentioned. “That’s exactly what Donald Trump is doing.”
