‘Shame on You’: Tucker Carlson Calls Ted Cruz ‘A Sleazy Feline’ To His Face

Tucker Carlson accused Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) of going “sleazy feline” on him during a two-hour interview that produced a series of contentious moments.

The last time Carlson interviewed Cruz was in 2022, when Carlson was still a Fox News host. In that exchange, Carlson at one point told the senator, “I just don’t believe you.”

The interview, which Carlson published on Wednesday, wasn’t much different. Of particular contention was U.S. involvement in Israel’s war on Iran. Last week, Israel bombed Iranian nuclear facilities and assassinated military brass and nuclear scientists in airstrikes and car bombings. President Donald Trump has signaled the U.S. could join Israel’s ongoing attacks on the country, which Israel – a nuclear power that does not publicly acknowledge its arsenal – claims is trying to build a nuclear weapon. Carlson has cautioned against U.S intervention in Iran, while Cruz very much supports it.

During the interview, Carlson pointed to the influence of the Israel lobby in Washington, D.C., particularly the American Israeli Public Affairs Committee, which lobbies for pro-Israel policies and donates to political candidates, including Cruz. The senator responded by accusing Carlson of claiming that Jews control the The former Fox host took exception, leading to this exchange:

CRUZ: It’s interesting you’re trying to derail my questions by calling me an anti-Semite, which you are.

CRUZ: I did not.

CARLSON: Of course you are. And rather than be honorable enough to say it right to my face, you are, in a sleazy feline way, implying it. “Oh, just asking questions about the Jews.” I’m not asking questions about the Jews. I have– this has nothing to do with Jews or Judaism. It has to do with the foreign government.

CRUZ: “Isn’t Israel controlling our foreign policy?” That’s not about the Jews?

CARLSON: You said–

CRUZ: And by the way, you’re the one that just called me, I think, “a sleazy feline.” So, let’s be clear.

CARLSON: It’s sleazy to imply that I’m an anti-Semite, which you just did.

CRUZ: No. I just said, why is–

[CROSSTALK]

CRUZ: If you’re not an anti-Semite, give me another reason why the obsession is Israel.

CARLSON: I am in no sense obsessed with Israel. We are on the brink of war with Iran. And so these are valid questions. You just–

CRUZ: But you’re not asking–

CARLSON: If I can finish, you asked me why I’m obsessed with Israel. Three minutes after telling me that when you first ran for Congress, you elucidated one of your main goals, which is to defend Israel. And I’m the one who’s obsessed with Israel. I don’t see a lawmaker’s job as defending the interests of a foreign government, period. Any government, including the ones that my ancestors come from. So that’s my position. That does not make me an anti-Semite, and shame on you for suggesting otherwise. And I mean that. And that’s low, and you know it’s low. So why don’t you answer my questions in a straightforward, rational way? You certainly have the IQ to do it.

CRUZ: “Shame on you” is cute, by the way, Tucker.

CARLSON: It is– it’s not cute, I’m offended. I’m obsessed with the Jews? You just told me that you ran–

CRUZ: You just called me a sleazy feline.

CARLSON: It is sleazy to imply that I’m an anti-Semite for asking questions about how my government is running.

CRUZ: Do you want to count how many questions you asked about, “What about the Jews? What about Israel? What about AIPAC?

CARLSON: I never asked about “the Jews.” I have– this has nothing to do with “the Jews,” whatever that means.

Elsewhere in the interview, Carlson quizzed Cruz about Iran. The senator admitted to not knowing how many people live in Iran, which led to Carlson asking how Cruz could not know that, considering he favors the overthrow of the country’s regime.

Watch above via Tucker Carlson/X.

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