Tucker Carlson: "I'm Leaving, and If I'm Gone..."

This public break highlights the growing divisions within the broad MAGA coalition assembled by President Donald Trump.

Trump's policy toward Iran, as well as his administration's handling of the economy, continues to divide Republicans sharply.

"I'm leaving," Carlson said during an episode of the Can't Be Censored podcast.

Although the episode aired on Thursday, it gained widespread attention online only on Monday.

"And if I left, I think a lot of other people are leaving as well," Carlson said.

"A Betrayal of Voters Because of Israel"

Carlson argued that the Republican Party could no longer count on his support, accusing its leadership of betraying its voter base in favor of Israel.

"I would not support the Republican Party. There is no way I would support the Republican Party anymore," Carlson said, adding that the party had "betrayed" voters by placing Israel's security interests above those of the United States.

"How could I, or any other American voter, support a political party that is not loyal to the United States? A party that puts the interests of a foreign country above the interests of its own citizens? It's simply not possible to vote for such people, and I won't," Carlson said.

Turning His Back on Both Parties

The commentator noted that he had spent 35 years as a staunch supporter and defender of the Republican Party but could no longer do so.

At the same time, Carlson said he had no intention of supporting the Democratic Party either, admitting that he is no longer certain whom he will support in future elections.

Accusations of Anti-Semitism and Criticism of War Policy

Carlson belongs to a faction of conservatives who believe that the United States entered the conflict with Iran largely because of pressure from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

According to Index.hr, this argument was partially echoed by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio shortly after the attacks began.

Critics, however, have long accused Carlson of promoting anti-Semitic views.

Who Is Tucker Carlson?

Carlson, 57, is one of the most influential and controversial right-wing media commentators in the United States.

He began his career in print journalism and radio but rose to global prominence through Fox News.

From 2016 to 2023, he hosted Tucker Carlson Tonight, which for years was the highest-rated program on cable news.

Through the show, he helped shape the agenda of the American right, openly supported Donald Trump's policies, and became one of the most prominent voices of the MAGA movement, promoting populist positions, hard-line anti-immigration rhetoric, and various conspiracy theories.

His tenure at Fox ended abruptly in April 2023 when the network dismissed him shortly after agreeing to pay $787.5 million to settle a defamation lawsuit related to false claims about the 2020 U.S. presidential election.

After leaving television, Carlson launched an independent media platform and a widely viewed podcast distributed through social media channels.

One of the most notable moments of that period was his trip to Moscow in early 2024, where he conducted a two-hour interview with Russian President Vladimir Putin. The interview drew widespread criticism and further reinforced perceptions of Carlson's pro-Russian stance and opposition to U.S. aid for Ukraine.

Although he was long regarded as Trump's most loyal media ally, Carlson increasingly began questioning the direction of the administration.

His latest move, publicly breaking with the Republican Party and distancing himself from the MAGA coalition, marks the culmination of that growing discontent, driven primarily by Trump's Iran policy and the administration's economic agenda.