President Donald Trump criticized former Fox News host Tucker Carlson and two Republican lawmakers in a late-night Truth Social post on Friday, calling them 'losers' and questioning Carlson’s intelligence.
Trump’s statements came days after Carlson hosted a meeting at his home with Representative Thomas Massie and former Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene, where discussions reportedly included the possibility of Carlson running for president in 2028.
In his post, Trump wrote: 'Tucker’s 'Views' have fallen through the floor, and will only get worse. Nobody cares about him any longer in that he has become totally irrelevant, and happens to be, surprisingly, a very Low-IQ individual.' He also suggested Carlson should take a cognitive test if he seeks office.
The meeting at Carlson’s home included Massie and Greene, as well as Joe Kent, a former counterterrorism official who resigned over U.S. policy in Iran. Kent later stated the group was exploring the formation of an anti-war political movement and encouraged Carlson to run for president.
Carlson has not announced a bid for office but has outlined a 10-point political manifesto focused on reducing foreign wars and limiting foreign influence in U.S. policy. He previously announced he would no longer support the Republican Party after decades of affiliation.
Reactions from those targeted
Greene responded on social media, stating: 'We never changed, Trump did,' and accused him of abandoning the 'America First' movement. She defended Carlson as a 'serious Presidential contender' and argued that young men who once supported Trump now view him as 'an old fraud.'
Massie has not publicly responded to Trump’s remarks but has previously criticized the president’s foreign policy decisions, including the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan and military actions in the Middle East.
Background on the dispute
The tensions between Trump and Carlson stem from disagreements over foreign policy, particularly Trump’s decision to engage in military actions against Iran. Carlson has been vocal in his opposition to U.S. involvement in foreign conflicts, while Trump has maintained a more interventionist stance in recent years.
Carlson’s break with Trump has been developing for months, culminating in his decision to leave the Republican Party and explore third-party options. The meeting at his home marked a further step toward organizing a potential political movement outside the GOP.
Trump’s latest attacks follow a pattern of criticism against former allies who have publicly disagreed with his policies or political strategies. The feud underscores growing divisions within the conservative movement ahead of the 2024 election and beyond.