Tucker Carlson deepens rifts on the American right with fresh attacks on allies, institutions and Trumpworld

Tucker Carlson deepens rifts on the American right with fresh attacks on allies, institutions and Trumpworld

Tucker Carlson has never been shy of controversy, but his latest broadside — delivered on comedian Theo Von’s widely followed podcast — landed at a moment when fault lines on the American right are already exposed.

Without naming President Donald Trump directly, Carlson trained his fire on influential conservative figures, questioned federal institutions and suggested the country was being run by people he described as mediocre and intellectually barren.

The remarks were the latest sign that Carlson, once a central media ally of Trump, is now operating in a more adversarial and unpredictable space within Republican politics, the New York Times reported.

On Von’s show, Carlson lashed out at Bari Weiss, recently appointed to lead CBS News, and billionaire investor Bill Ackman, a prominent Trump supporter. He mocked their intelligence and legitimacy, framing their rise as evidence of a “rigged” elite rather than merit. The attacks continued a pattern: Carlson has increasingly targeted figures who, while broadly aligned with conservative causes, differ from him on foreign policy, institutions or the limits of populism.

Ackman responded publicly, accusing Carlson of personal defamation, while Weiss declined to engage. The exchanges reflected how internal disputes on the right are now playing out in public, with little effort to maintain coalition discipline.

Carlson’s comments also touched a raw nerve within conservative media circles: the investigation into the murder of Charlie Kirk, the Turning Point USA founder. While stressing that he was not making formal accusations, Carlson said he did not “understand the official story” and expressed deep scepticism about the FBI, echoing conspiracy theories circulating in right-wing online spaces.

Those claims prompted a public plea from Kirk’s widow, Erika Kirk, who asked commentators to stop speculating and politicising her husband’s death. Carlson later clarified online that he was not alleging FBI involvement in the killing, but he doubled down on his broader assertion that federal law enforcement should not be trusted.

Further criticism has followed Carlson’s recent interviews and activities in Qatar, including plans to buy property there. While Qatar is a US ally, it has been accused by Israel of backing Hamas, making Carlson’s engagement with its leadership a flashpoint for MAGA figures who view it as disloyal or naive.

Right-wing activists and lawmakers seized on the issue, turning it into a shorthand attack on Carlson’s foreign-policy instincts. Carlson, for his part, has framed such criticism as bad-faith smears meant to silence dissenting views on American power and alliances.

Carlson has tried to walk a careful line on Trump, praising him personally while criticising aspects of his presidency, particularly on Israel and the broader direction of Republican governance. He has also singled out figures like Marjorie Taylor Greene and Thomas Massie as rare examples of honesty in Congress, reinforcing his posture as an outsider even within a party he helped shape.

The White House declined to comment on Carlson’s remarks.

Supporters see Carlson as one of the few voices willing to challenge conservative orthodoxies and powerful interests. Critics argue he is amplifying conspiracies and personal feuds to remain politically relevant after his exit from Fox News.

What is clear is that Carlson now sits at the centre of a widening struggle over what the American right represents: institutional loyalty versus scepticism, coalition politics versus purity, and whether populism can survive without turning inward. On that question, his latest performance suggests the fractures are not closing any time soon.