Tucker Carlson apologizes for his years as a Trump loyalist: "I misled people"

Woodstock, New York - Far-right political commentator Tucker Carlson recently revealed that he is now having "buyer's remorse" for the years he spent selling the idea of President Donald Trump to the American people.

During a recent episode of his show, Tucker Carlson (r) apologized to Americans for misleading them into supporting Donald Trump l) for so many years.
During a recent episode of his show, Tucker Carlson (r) apologized to Americans for misleading them into supporting Donald Trump l) for so many years.  © Patrick T. Fallon / AFP

On Monday's episode of his podcast, Carlson interviewed his similarly MAGA-loyalist brother Buckley Carlson.

The two went on to discuss how they don't feel the same enthusiasm they once had for the president.

"You know, we'll be tormented by it for a long time," Carlson said. "I will be, and I want to say I'm sorry for misleading people. It was not intentional."

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Carlson went on to admit that he and his brother are "implicated in this for sure."

"It's not enough to say, 'Well, I changed my mind,' or like, 'Oh, this is bad. I'm out," Carlson continued. "It's like, in very small ways, but in real ways, you and me and millions of people like us for the reason this is happening right now."

Carlson's remarks come as he has joined a number of MAGA figures who have been openly opposing Trump's decision to abruptly go to war with Iran, as he argues the president is doing the bidding of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Trump has responded by publicly mocking Carlson on multiple occasions. In a social media post shared on Friday, Trump attached a clip from a CNN report that suggested the president was winning the feud in the public eye.

He went on to call Carlson "a Low IQ person – Always easy to beat, and highly overrated!!!"

Tucker Carlson's MAGA legacy

Tucker Carlson speaks during a campaign rally for Donald Trump at Madison Square Garden in New York on October 27, 2024.
Tucker Carlson speaks during a campaign rally for Donald Trump at Madison Square Garden in New York on October 27, 2024.  © ANGELA WEISS / AFP

Prior to Carlson going independent and running his own web show, he served as one of the most popular and successful hosts on Fox News, drawing in millions of viewers with his far-right rhetoric and extreme views.

His powerful influence was seen as instrumental in helping build and broaden Trump's MAGA base during the 2016 presidential race, and he enthusiastically supported him in subsequent races.

In 2023, Fox News settled a defamation lawsuit from Dominion Voting System for pushing Trump's false claims that the 2020 election was stolen from him, which cost the network $787.5 billion.

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The suit publicly revealed damning text messages between employees at Fox News that criticized Trump, including Carlson, who said in one exchange, "I hate him passionately... What he's good at is destroying things. He's the undisputed world champion of that. He could easily destroy us if we play it wrong."

Less than a week later, Carlson was fired.

Carlson's apology also comes days after his son – also named Buckley – left his job as a top aide for Vice President JD Vance, although it's unclear if his father's feud with the president influenced the decision.

Cover photo: Patrick T. Fallon / AFP

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