Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (Ky.) strongly criticized conservative commentator Tucker Carlson on Tuesday. McConnell accused Carlson of demonizing the idea of providing military aid to Ukraine. He pointed out that Carlson’s actions had led him to a position that aligned with Russian President Vladimir Putin. McConnell specifically referred to a fawning interview that Carlson conducted with Putin earlier this year, stating that this interview had given Putin a megaphone.
Mitch McConnell believes that the demonization of Ukraine started with Tucker Carlson. McConnell expressed his opinion that Carlson should have been interviewing Vladimir Putin instead of perpetuating false narratives about Ukraine. McConnell specifically referred to Carlson’s two-hour interview with Putin in February, which received significant backlash for not questioning Putin’s questionable statements and assertions.
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“He managed to persuade many ordinary Republicans that perhaps this was an error,” he remarked.
During the interview with Carlson, Putin took control of the conversation, leaving little room for questions as he passionately discussed Russian history, the dissolution of the Soviet Union, and the perceived risk of Soviet expansion.
During the interview, the Russian president expressed his dissatisfaction by stating that he did not receive complete satisfaction. He mentioned that the lack of tough questions was the reason behind his disappointment.
“Afterwards, Putin admitted that he had expected the interviewer to adopt an aggressive tone and ask provocative questions. He confessed that he had actually been prepared for such an encounter and had even hoped for it, as it would have given him the chance to respond in kind.”
Boris Johnson, the former British Prime Minister, dismissed the interview as “ludicrous” at that time.
In a video shared by the Daily Mail in February, Johnson emphasized that it is crucial not to be deceived by the false claims, particularly the idea that Putin is destined to triumph in Ukraine.
Earlier this year, Carlson stood by the interview.
During an appearance on Glenn Beck’s BlazeTV+ program in February, he made it clear that he has been accused of being pro-Putin, but he denied the accusation. He emphasized that he is entitled to his own opinions and preferences as an adult man and American citizen. He also added that even if he were pro-Putin, it would be within his rights to hold such a stance.
According to McConnell, Carlson’s criticism of U.S. involvement in the war has been influential among Republicans. McConnell acknowledged the significant impact that Carlson has had on shaping Republican views of the war, a stance that Carlson has maintained even before he left Fox.
Last year, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis (R) informed Carlson that the war was not considered a crucial national interest.
According to a statement provided to “Tucker Carlson Tonight” over a year ago, DeSantis expressed his belief that the United States should not become further involved in the territorial dispute between Ukraine and Russia, as it does not align with the country’s vital national interests.
DeSantis faced significant backlash for his statement and eventually retracted it.
Several senior Republicans have expressed their concerns about the presence of what they perceive as Russian “propaganda” within conservative media and among their party’s supporters.
“We have observed a direct influx of communications originating from Russia that spread anti-Ukraine sentiments and promote pro-Russia messages. Shockingly, some of these very messages have even been heard being uttered on the House floor,” revealed Mike Turner (R-Ohio), the Chair of the House Intelligence Committee, during an interview on CNN’s “State of the Union” recently.
Even prior to the invasion of Ukraine by Russia in February 2022, Carlson had labeled Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who was democratically elected, as a “dictator.” He questioned why the United States wasn’t aligning itself with Russia during the ongoing conflict.
