Tucker Carlson Roasted For Interviewing Russian President Vladimir Putin In Moscow: ‘I Feel Like I’m Betraying My Country’

Former Fox News host Tucker Carlson has found himself at the center of controversy again due to his recent visit to Moscow and an off-the-cuff conversation he had with a Russian journalist.

Carlson is in the city for his highly anticipated interview with Russian President Vladimir Putin. The interview, confirmed by the Kremlin and Russian state news agency TASS, will be the first with an American journalist since 2021 and is expected to be released once it is prepared.

In a brief clip filmed in a parking lot, Carlson stated, “I really do like [Moscow], I’m not just saying that. Why do I feel like I’m betraying my country when I’m saying that? I’m not, I love America.”

Carlson’s praise for Moscow has drawn criticism from journalists and media organizations.

Previously, Carlson had claimed that “not a single Western journalist has bothered to interview Vladimir Putin,” a false statement that sparked outrage among other media figures.

Dmitry Peskov, the press secretary for the Russian leader, stated that Carlson was mistaken and highlighted the efforts made by Western media outlets to cover the country. Peskov further noted that Carlson stands out in the eyes of the Kremlin because of his pro-Russian position, which is distinct from other figures in English-speaking media.

Journalists, such as CNN’s Christine Amanpour, have expressed that they have actively pursued interviews with Putin for years, and the suggestion that they have not made efforts to do so is untrue.

Former Belgian Prime Minister Guy Verhofstadt said that Carlson could face sanctions for his actions, and cited Putin’s status as a war criminal and the European Union’s practice of imposing sanctions on those who assist him.

Carlson’s history of amplifying Kremlin talking points on his former show on Fox News has drawn criticism in the past.

While interviews with Western outlets are relatively rare for Putin, they do occur on occasion. In the past, he has spoken with journalists such as Megyn Kelly when she was at NBC News, Chris Wallace during his Fox News tenure, and Keir Simmons of NBC. However, Putin has not had any interviews with Western media since the invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

Carlson’s desire to interview Putin has been well-known, as the conservative commentator has praised the Russian president as a strong leader. In July 2021, Carlson claimed that his communications were intercepted by the National Security Agency (NSA) when he attempted to arrange the interview. The NSA denied the allegation, but Carlson maintains that his emails were intercepted and their content disseminated to discredit him.

Carlson was fired by Fox News last April after the network uncovered racist texts he sent. He has since moved his show to the X platform.

Carlson has recently been floated as a vice presidential pick for former President Donald Trump.