Tucker Carlson was still visiting the White House in January of this year, and now he is dishing out the US President’s politics. (Image from January 9, 2026)Image: keystone / alex brandon
The USA brought about the war in Ukraine and then left Europe alone, says the right-wing US journalist and former intimate of Donald Trump. The man is becoming more and more dangerous for the Republican establishment.
Mar 23, 2026, 4:24 a.mMar 23, 2026, 4:24 a.m
Simon Maurer / ch media
He’s everywhere again: Tucker Carlson, once the most popular figurehead of the conservative broadcaster Fox News, then dishonorably discharged and forced into self-employment, is suddenly shaking up US politics – with statements that hardly anyone else in the USA makes.
Carlson’s media offensive began with the journalist at the beginning of the US bombing of Iran vehemently opposed the action. He contradicted Trump and accused the president of finally breaking his “America First” campaign promise by starting a new war in the Middle East. He also accused Trump of allowing himself to be used by Israel for an attack.
As if that hadn’t already sparked enough controversy, Carlson also gave a detailed interview to The Economist. In it he, who was long considered one of the most important influencers of the Republicans and MAGA movement, stomps the entire foreign policy of the US President into the ground.
Suddenly Europe should be the most important partner again
It was “counterproductive” to the natural goals of the USA that they wanted to take Greenland away from the Europeans. The reason for this is “that there are people in the US government who really hate Europe. And I don’t really understand why.” Of course Merz, Macron and especially Starmer are “idiots”. But the USA is the product of Europe and Europe remains closest to the USA “at the most fundamental levels”.
But the USA created the circumstances that led to the Ukraine war. “Sorry about that.” Afterwards they withdrew and told the Europeans that this was now their problem. “We are thus forcing the Europeans into a situation in which they have no choice but to look for new alliances. “I suspect it will be with China,” Carlson added. Just to ask later:
“Why are we accelerating the death of those nations with which we have the most in common and who are ultimately part of our coalition?”
Carlson called for a reorientation of the American view of the world – and a new alliance with the Europeans. When asked by the somewhat perplexed Economist editor-in-chief whether “America First” meant integrating Europe more closely as a partner again, Republican Carlson replied: “Of course!”
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For US President Trump, these statements are poison. Because Carlson is no longer questioning Trump’s individual decisions, but rather the strategic core of Trump’s foreign policy. And he does so from a position that the president can hardly ignore. Carlson still produces one of the most successful political podcasts in the USA and raises the issues in the conservative camp with his own online show in front of an audience of millions. Until recently, he is said to have spoken regularly on the phone with Trump.
That makes the man dangerous for Republican party grandees. His increasing positioning as a conservative counterpoint to Trump gives him the opportunity to present himself as a potential successor to an unpopular president without losing MAGA supporters. As Carlson’s line gains influence, the conflict within the party will also shift away from questions of loyalty and toward differences of substance.
Trump, who has rarely had to justify his decisions within the party, is increasingly under pressure to justify himself. Carlson forces him to take a stand – and reveals that even in the Republican camp Central questions of foreign policy are controversial. It is becoming increasingly conceivable that the party establishment around Vance and Rubio will once again be hijacked by an outsider before the next presidential election: namely Tucker Carlson.