Trump Backs Tucker Carlson Over Nick Fuentes Interview: Get The Word Out

Before boarding Air Force One to the White House from West Palm Beach, Florida, Sunday night, President Donald Trump defended popular journalist Tucker Carlson following his recent interview with right-wing commentator Nick Fuentes.

The interview between Carlson and Fuentes, sparked a significant backlash within the Republican Party, particularly from pro-Israel Jewish neconservative leaders and organizations like the Heritage Foundation, which initially defended Carlson before later denouncing Fuentes’ views.

One reporter asked Trump in West Palm Beach, in light of the Fuentes interview, “What role do you think Tucker Carlson should play in the Republican Party and the conservative movement?”

“Well, I found him to be good,” Trump said of Carlson. “I mean, he said good things about me over the years. He’s — I think he’s good. We’ve had some good interviews. I did an interview with him, we were at 300 million hits.”

Trump continued: "We’ve had some great interviews with Tucker Carlson, but you can’t tell him who to interview. I mean, if he wants to interview Nick Fuentes, I don’t know much about him, but if he wants to do it, get the word out. Let him. You know, people have to decide. Ultimately, people have to decide."

The president was then asked about having dinner with Fuentes at Mar-a-Lago in 2022 and “What role [Fuentes] should play in the conservative movement.”

Trump said he “didn’t know” Fuentes was coming and that he ended up being the guest of Ye.

“I didn’t know Nick at the time… he came along, with a few other people. [Kanye West] brought a few people with him. Uh, meeting people, talking to people, for somebody like Tucker, that’s what they do,” Trump said. “You know, people are controversial.”

He then quipped: “Some are, some aren’t. I’m not controversial. And I like it that way.”

The controversy comes amid broader tensions over Israel’s war in Gaza and accusations of antisemitism aimed at critics of Israeli influence on American politics, with Trump’s MAGA supporters expressing frustrations over his undue focus on Israel and Middle East affairs at the expense of domestic economic problems, and the deplatforming of critics of Israel.

Carlson has also faced criticism from Jewish neoconservatives, for his critical views of Israel and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and his growing criticism of U.S. support for Israel, which has led to accusations of anti-Semitism from pro-Israel figures like Mark Levin and Ben Shapiro.