Carlson, once a close ally and informal adviser to Trump, has become one of his most vocal conservative critics on foreign policy. According to multiple reports, Carlson visited the White House three times and stayed in frequent contact with Trump but failed to change his direction on Middle East policy. The breaking point came on February 28, when U.S. and Israeli airstrikes on Iran killed Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, according to major media reports. Trump dismissed Carlson and other former MAGA allies as having a 'low IQ' for criticizing his handling of the Iran war.
In a press conference, Carlson said, 'I don't hate Trump. I hate this war and the direction that the U.S. government is taking. I feel betrayed.' He also stated, 'Why can't the U.S. government act on behalf of its own citizens? This is a generational problem that didn't start with Trump. If anything, Trump just proved the system was stronger than him.' Carlson added, 'Trump has proven his own point, unfortunately, which is that the people running your government are only about themselves. You can run an authoritarian system that way. You cannot run a liberal democracy that way.'
I don't hate Trump. I hate this war and the direction that the U.S. government is taking. I feel betrayed.
Carlson apologized for helping Trump get elected, saying Trump moved away from his 'America First' promise. He believes Trump has been influenced by neoconservatives and Israel, moving away from an anti-war position. Carlson also hosted Nick Fuentes, a known Holocaust denier, on his podcast in October. He accused some U.S. politicians who support Israel of being overly influenced by a 'brain virus', leading to accusations of antisemitism. In an interview with Newsmax, Carlson called Trump a 'slave' who 'can't make his own decisions.'
Why can't the U.S. government act on behalf of its own citizens? This is a generational problem that didn't start with Trump. If anything, Trump just proved the system was stronger than him.
Trump has proven his own point, unfortunately, which is that the people running your government are only about themselves. You can run an authoritarian system that way. You cannot run a liberal democracy that way.
I've always liked Trump and still feel sorry for him, as I do for all slaves