Conservative commentator Tucker Carlson said on a podcast that “there’s no chance I would support the Republican Party” ahead of the November midterm elections, ending his decades-long defense of the party and signaling a major rupture within the MAGA movement over foreign policy.
Carlson made the statement on the show “Can’t Be Censored” late last week, clarifying that he would not be supporting the Democratic Party either. “I don’t know what I’m going to do,” he said, according to CNN.
The break comes after months of escalating criticism of President Donald Trump’s decision to go to war with Iran in February. Carlson, who supported Trump in 2024, apologized in April for backing the then-presidential candidate and for “misleading people,” saying it wasn’t intentional. He has since repeatedly attacked the war as being conducted at Israel’s behest and at the expense of American interests.
“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. 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.”
Tucker Carlson, on “Can’t Be Censored” podcast
Carlson emphasized his long record as a Republican defender. “I’ve been a consistent defender for 35 years of the Republican Party, I mean very consistent defender, but there’s no defending this,” he said. “So no, I’m out. And if I’m out, then I think a lot of other people are out.”
A Fracturing MAGA Coalition
Carlson is not alone. Former Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene also withdrew support for the Republican Party this month, backing Carlson’s break from the party and labeling current GOP leadership as an “America Last” party, according to Anadolu Agency. The two figures represent the most prominent public defections from the Republican Party among Trump allies, signaling deeper divisions within the MAGA movement.
The Iran war has become the flashpoint for these divisions. When Trump launched the conflict in February alongside Israel, it triggered angry backlash from some of his top MAGA supporters, according to ABC News. Carlson called the war “absolutely disgusting and evil” and later described Trump threatening Iran’s civilian infrastructure as “a war crime, a moral crime” that would lead to “mass suffering and death.”
The fracture extends beyond Carlson and Greene. According to Axios, the Iran deal has opened what it calls an “explosive second front in MAGA’s civil war,” waged by hawkish allies who view U.S. concessions as betrayals of America First principles. A CBS poll conducted June 17-19 found that only 36% of Americans approve of Trump’s handling of Iran, while 64% disapprove.
Carlson’s break underscores how thoroughly the Iran war has divided the coalition Trump built. For years, Carlson was one of the president’s most consistent media defenders, even after leaving Fox News in 2023. His public exit from the Republican Party signals that the MAGA movement—once presented as a unified force—is now splintering over core questions of foreign policy and party loyalty.
Sources
- CNN — Carlson’s podcast statement and quotes about the Republican Party and his criticism of the Iran war
- NBC News — Confirmation of Carlson’s statement and context about his prior support for Trump
- Anadolu Agency — Marjorie Taylor Greene’s withdrawal of support and backing of Carlson’s break
- ABC News — Trump administration’s Iran war decision and backlash from MAGA supporters
- Axios — Coverage of the MAGA fracture over Iran policy and the civil war within the coalition
- The Independent — Carlson’s accusations about Republican Party priorities regarding corporate donors and Israel
