Tucker Carlson spoke publicly for the first time about his controversial decision to interview commentator Nick Fuentes, who some have dubbed his “most controversial guest ever,” revealing the personal backstory and ideological motivations behind the sit-down that has divided conservative America.
The former Fox News host appeared Wednesday night at conservative media personality Megyn Kelly’s national tour event in White Plains, New York, where he addressed the firestorm surrounding the interview that has drawn five million views and sparked fierce debate over free speech within MAGA circles.
Carlson disclosed that he had been engaged in what he described as an “extremely personal and bitter war” with Fuentes, primarily conducted in private, after the 27-year-old commentator attacked Carlson’s father, who died in March.
The 56-year-old media figure said he was “really mad” and initially responded by attacking Fuentes in an interview last month. However, conversations with friends changed his perspective when they informed him that Fuentes was “actually the single most influential commentator among young men, period.”
Carlson told Kelly he had been unaware of Fuentes’ reach among younger audiences.
He explained that Fuentes operates without advertisers and has faced cancellation attempts since his college years, including efforts by Ben Shapiro to shut him down during his freshman year that ultimately backfired.
After consulting numerous sources, Carlson decided to conduct the interview to understand Fuentes’ appeal and influence. While he anticipated controversy, he said he did not expect the intensity of the backlash that followed.
Carlson expressed surprise at the reaction, noting he has interviewed figures ranging from Russian President Vladimir Putin to Liberian militia leaders who were cannibals during that country’s civil war.
None of those interviews generated comparable controversy, he said.
He explained his approach to interviews with controversial figures: “I’ll give you two hours. I’ve only watched your clips for like, a minute long, I want to hear like, why don’t you describe what you think?”
Carlson described his role as obtaining documentary evidence of people explaining their beliefs and motivations.
He stated he conducted the Putin interview on the same principle and would “probably do it with every other bad person in the world – because I’m interested, not because I agree with them, because I think it’s interesting.”
Beyond curiosity, Carlson said he wanted to directly challenge Fuentes on a specific point: that attacking groups based on their DNA rather than individuals is fundamentally wrong.
He outlined his belief that Western civilization’s uniqueness stems from a New Testament understanding of individual responsibility.
Carlson argued that Western civilization rejects collective punishment.
“It is the only truly unusual and great thing about the West, which is we do not punish the innocent, we only punish the guilty,” he said.
“If you commit a crime we don’t send your kids to jail, we don’t execute your cousins, we don’t commit genocide against your whole tribe. We punish you because you did it.”
He contended this principle is being undermined through DEI initiatives, affirmative action and identity politics, which he characterized as “rewarding some people because of how they were born and hurting others for the same reason.”
Carlson called this approach “anti-Western, evil.”
During the actual Fuentes interview, the commentator stated that “organized Jewry” was the country’s biggest challenge to unification.
The interview also generated controversy when Carlson criticized “Christian Zionists” including United States Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee and Ted Cruz (R-TX).
“I dislike them more than anybody…because it’s Christian heresy,” he said.
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