Former Fox News star Tucker Carlson came out against the Trump administration’s ongoing support for Israel after it launched a series of missile attacks against Iran on Friday that targeted Iranian nuclear facilities. Carlson wrote in his newsletter that the U.S. should “drop Israel.”
Ari Fleischer, former White House Press Secretary during the George W. Bush administration and a prominent advocate for the American invasion of Iraq in 2003, criticized Carlson on X.
Fleischer wrote: “I’ve known Tucker for 25 years, when he co-hosted an MSNBC show with Paul Begala. Tucker doesn’t have a consistent thought in his head, except self-promotion. He’s a phony. Watch him here advocate to destroy Iran. Now he says that’s a warmonger. He’s a modern carnival barker.”
I’ve known Tucker for 25 years, when he co-hosted an MSNBC show with Paul Begala.
Tucker doesn’t have a consistent thought in his head, except self-promotion. He’s a phony.
Watch him here advocate to destroy Iran. Now he says that’s a warmonger.
He’s a modern carnival barker. https://t.co/pm16yDV1W4
— Ari Fleischer (@AriFleischer) June 15, 2025
Former U.S. Congressman Matt Gaetz (R-FL), a MAGA supporter who last year withdrew from consideration to become President Trump’s Attorney General, in part due to the release of a congressional ethics report concerning his conduct, responded to Fleischer with snark.
“Thank goodness America still has Bush Administration officials around,” Gaetz wrote, “to tell us how Middle East Regime Change Wars turn out.”
The question of how — and how much — the U.S. should support Israel, a longtime ally, is creating divisions among Republicans otherwise aligned in lockstep behind President Trump’s MAGA agenda.
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) wants to avoid U.S. involvement at all costs, writing: “I don’t want to see Israel bombed or Iran bombed or Gaza bombed. I don’t want to see Ukraine bombed or Russia bombed. And we do NOT want to be involved or required to pay for ANY OF IT!!!”
On the other end of the spectrum is Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC), shown below calling for unmitigated support and assistance in Israel’s quest to eliminate Iran’s nuclear capabilities.
Graham: Be all in President Trump.. If we need to provide bombs, provide bombs. If we need to fly planes with Israel, do joint operations pic.twitter.com/345VGtbOlT
— Acyn (@Acyn) June 17, 2025
Trump himself sent word that a “cease fire” is not what he is looking to enable, slamming French President Emmanuel Macron for even suggesting it, and warning the residents of Tehran, a city of a million people, to evacuate.
The President also disparaged Carlson’s take on U.S. support of Israel, as shown below:
Trump: I don’t know what Tucker Carlson is saying. Let him go get a television network and say it so that people listen. pic.twitter.com/Ys8Bpe1WWv
— Acyn (@Acyn) June 16, 2025