Longtime conservative commentator Tucker Carlson said he will no longer support the Republican Party, declaring on a podcast last week that “there’s no chance I would support the Republican Party” ahead of November’s midterm elections.
Speaking on the show “Can’t Be Censored,” Carlson dismissed the political affiliation he has defended as a pundit for decades, including as one of Fox News Channel’s most popular hosts before his 2023 departure. “Not gonna support the Democratic Party,” he quickly added. “I don’t know what I’m going to do.”
Carlson’s break from the GOP stems from President Donald Trump’s decision to go to war with Iran in February 2026. The former Fox News host has repeatedly criticized the conflict as being conducted at the behest of Israel and at the expense of American interests and citizens.
“They are making decisions on the basis of other criteria, what’s best for this company, what’s best for Israel, what’s best for our donors,” Carlson said on the podcast. “That’s not just, like, they are off in the wrong direction, like, that is unacceptable, that’s treasonous, it’s immoral, it can’t continue.”
Carlson emphasized the magnitude of his shift, noting that he had been “a consistent defender for 35 years of the Republican Party, I mean very consistent defender, but there’s no defending this.” He added: “So no, I’m out. And if I’m out, then I think a lot of other people are out.”
The commentator’s departure underscores growing fractures inside the broad MAGA coalition President Trump built, particularly over foreign policy. In April 2026, Carlson apologized for supporting Trump’s presidential bid, saying he had unintentionally “misled” voters into backing the then-candidate. The Iran war intensified his disillusionment with both Trump and the Republican Party more broadly.
Carlson’s break reflects a larger rift within Trump’s base over the Iran conflict. Multiple MAGA-aligned figures have opposed the war, citing its human and financial costs. The split has exposed ideological fractures within the movement that could test Trump’s coalition ahead of the 2026 midterms and beyond.
For years, Carlson served as one of the Republican Party’s most vocal defenders in media. His departure marks a dramatic reversal after decades of alignment with conservative politics. Though he has ruled out supporting the Democratic Party, Carlson has not indicated what his next political affiliation or strategy might be.
Sources
- CNN — Carlson’s full podcast statement, his 35-year defense of the GOP, his criticism of the party’s prioritization of Israel and donors, and his April 2026 apology for misleading Trump supporters
- AP News — Carlson’s statement on the “Can’t Be Censored” podcast and his rejection of both GOP and Democratic support
- Axios — The fractures within the MAGA coalition over Trump’s Iran war and broader analysis of the public split
- The Hill — Carlson’s poll-based reasoning for rejecting the Republican Party and his statement that he won’t support Democrats
