White House Slams Tucker Carlson After Testy Israeli TV Interview: ‘Spreads Fake News for Cheap Publicity’
The White House slammed Tucker Carlson as a peddler of “fake news” after Carlson had a testy interview on Israeli TV where he claimed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu dragged the United States into the war with Iran.
Carlson appeared this week on Channel 13 with Udi Segal, where he accused President Donald Trump of “caving to the pressure” of Netanyahu and striking Iran.
“The Israeli prime minister pushed the US.. president, who turned out to be far weaker than I understood, into a war that hurts the United States,” he said.
The interview got tense at times when discussing the ongoing conflict in Iran as well as Israel’s strikes on Gaza in their campaign against Hamas.
“I don’t believe Donald Trump,” Carlson said about the war after Segal referred to Iran as a “terror regime.”
“And I also think, as an Israeli, you should pause before using the phrase ‘terror regime’ since you live in a country that just murdered thousands of children in Gaza,” he continued.
Segal pressed Carlson on whether he believes Israel is committing a “genocide.” Carlson used the term “ethnic cleansing” and told the reporter that “you’re more upset by how I describe the murder of children than you are at the murder of children.”
Estimates of the number people — including combatants — who have died in Gaza since Israel launched its post-October 7operation sit at approximately 70,000.
The White House offered a statement to Channel 13 in response to Carlson.
According to the Times of Israel, the statement took some inspiration from Trump himself by deeming Carlson a “low IQ person who spreads fake news for cheap publicity.”
The statement continues:
Long before he was elected, President Trump has been consistent in his belief that Iran can never be allowed to possess a nuclear weapon. Israel has always been a great ally to the United States, especially through Operations Midnight Hammer and Epic Fury that obliterated Iran’s nuclear facilities and destroyed their defense industrial base. President Trump took bold, decisive action to protect the American people — something presidents have talked about for 47 years, but only this President has had the courage to address.
Carlson was once a vocal supporter of the president, but he’s since turned into one of his most vocal critics on the right.
“You know, we’ll be tormented by it for a long time,” Carlson said last month about his regret in endorsing Trump. “You know, we’ll be tormented by it for a long time.”
Trump has also blasted Carlson on numerous occasions, throwing out the “low IQ” insult last month when asked about Carlson’s criticism of him and the ongoing Iran war.
“Tucker’s a low-IQ person that has absolutely no idea what’s going on. He calls me all the time; I don’t respond to his calls. I don’t deal with him,” the president said. “I like dealing with smart people, not fools.”
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