Carlson, once a close ally and informal adviser to Trump, has become one of his most vocal conservative critics, particularly on foreign policy. He said he feels betrayed by the administration's military actions in the Middle East, which he considers a departure from Trump's anti-war stance. Carlson told reporters, "I don't hate Trump. I hate this war and the direction that the U.S. government is taking. I feel betrayed."
Carlson has apologized for helping Trump get elected, claiming Trump moved away from his 'America First' promise and has been influenced by neoconservatives and Israel. He also hosted Nick Fuentes, a known Holocaust denier, on his podcast in October and accused some pro-Israel U.S. politicians of being influenced by a 'brain virus,' drawing accusations of antisemitism.
Trump dismissed Carlson and other former MAGA allies as having a 'low IQ' for criticizing his handling of the Iran war. Carlson, in a Newsmax interview, called Trump a 'slave' who 'can't make his own decisions.' The exact timeline of Carlson's relationship with Trump and the specific military actions he refers to remain unclear.