Tucker Carlson Insists The ‘Israel Lobby’ Controls U.S. Policy: The ‘Most Vicious People’

Tucker Carlson and guest John Mearsheimer insisted that the “Israel Lobby” controls U.S. policy, with Carlson calling them the “most vicious people [he’s] ever dealt with” in Wednesday’s episode of The Tucker Carlson Show.

Mearsheimer, author of the 2007 book The Israel Lobby and U.S. Foreign Policy, said that “the [Israel] lobby is going to have to work even harder” as “there is no sign the Israelis are going to get more reasonable,” amidst ongoing starvation and reports of ethnic cleansing in Gaza.

“The lobby is engaging in smashmouth politics,” said Mearsheimer, referring to groups like AIPAC, the Anti-Defamation League, and Christians United for Israel.

“They’re the most vicious people I’ve ever dealt with,” replied Carlson. “It sounds like our entire foreign policy, at least in the Western Hemisphere, is based on this one country.”

Here’s a transcript of part of their conversation:

JOHN MEARSHEIMER: When a great power like the United States has conflicting interests with another country, it almost always — except in the case of Israel —acts in terms of its own interests. America first. But when it comes to Israel, it’s Israel first. If you go to the Middle East and look at our policy there, there’s just abundant evidence to support that.

TUCKER CARLSON: There are so many questions, but the question is, ‘Why?’ ‘What is that?’ I think it’s really causing serious problems in the current ruling coalition because the contradiction is too obvious. It’s not America first. And people can see that because it’s so evident. But what are the causes of it? Why would, for the first time, as you said, in recorded history, would a nation spend $1 trillion a year, in effect, to serve the interests of another country? Why?

JOHN MEARSHEIMER: I believe there’s one simple answer. The Israel lobby. I think the lobby is an incredibly powerful interest group, and I’m choosing my words carefully. It has awesome power. It is basically in a position where it can profoundly influence U.S. foreign policy in the Middle East, and indeed, it affects foreign policy outside of the Middle East. But when it comes to the Middle East, and again, the Palestinian issue in particular, it has awesome power. And there’s no president who is willing to buck the lobby.

Watch above, via The Tucker Carlson Show on YouTube.