Tom Cotton Claps Back Hard at Tucker Carlson Over JFK Files Accusation: ‘He Knows How to Reach Me’
LEFT: Tom Cotton (AP Photo/Alex Brandon) RIGHT: Tucker Carlson (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)
Senator Tom Cotton (R-AR) has clapped back at Tucker Carlson after the far-right commentator accused him of fighting the release of files about the assassination of President John F. Kennedy.
In a recent episode of his podcast featuring NewsNation anchor Chris Cuomo, Carlson professed to know that Cotton had torpedoed a potential Trump nominee to a top intelligence community because he believed that person would have released the JFK files.
“A member of the SSCI, the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, an intel committee, went to the people making the decision and said ‘You cannot hire this person because this person will be certain to push for the release of the JFK files,'” asserted Carlson. “You have a sitting member of the United States Senate whose main goal is to keep those files secret.”
Eventually, Cuomo asked Carlson. “Why don’t you expose that person?”
“Tom Cotton of Arkansas,” replied Carlson quickly.
Cuomo went on to press Carlson on why he hadn’t asked Cotton about his supposed mission to keep the files secret, causing Carlson to muse, “Well, I need to sit down with him and I’m not sure that he’ll do an interview with me.”
Cotton flatly rejected this account of events on X Tuesday morning and revealed that — contrary to Carlson’s insinuations — the two of them are in contact.
“This is false. I have no problem releasing the ‘JFK files.’ Had @tuckercarlson asked me, I would’ve told him,” declared Cotton. “He has texted me multiple times in recent weeks, so he knows how to reach me.”
In a follow-up, Cotton wrote:
I would’ve explained that I’ve never spoken to President Trump or his associates or administration officials about the files, never objected to the appointment of any person because of the files, and have complete faith that Tulsi Gabbard, John Ratcliffe, Pam Bondi, Kash Patel, and other officials will release the files as appropriate in accordance with President Trump’s directive.
Cotton appeared on Carlson’s Fox News show a number of times over the years, but the two men have diametrically opposed foreign policy outlooks, with Cotton representing the hawkish wing of the GOP and Carlson representing the isolationist faction.
