Tucker Carlson Interview with Putin Accused of Doing the Russian Leader’s Bidding
In a video recently posted online, Tucker Carlson, a former Fox News host, accused the Western media of being “corrupt” and “spreading propaganda of the worst kind,” while praising Russian President Vladimir Putin. Carlson’s comments come following his recent visit to Moscow and an interview with the Russian authoritarian leader, which has yet to be posted online. Although Carlson claims to support fearless journalism, critics and fellow journalists are calling out his supposed journalistic integrity.
Carlson’s allegations against the Anglo-Saxon media and dishonesty in the press have been met with skepticism. Specifically, Carlson accused journalists of engaging in “sycophantic pep sessions” when interviewing Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky, while omitting that no Western journalists have been granted access to interview Putin since the start of the war in Ukraine, certainly not for lack of trying.
Critics have called out Carlson for falsely claiming that journalists are not interested in interviewing Putin or reporting on Russia, while questioning his lack of confrontation and challenging questions for the Russian leader. Meanwhile, it has been highlighted that Putin has waged a war on the media by locking up journalists, pursuing censorship laws, and pushing for fines on big tech companies hosting “false” information.
Carlson’s interview with Putin is already seen as a major victory for Putin, who wants to use it to claim that Russia is not isolated politically, according to Steven Pifer, a former Foreign Service officer. The combination of Carlson’s controversial visit to Moscow and his flattering interviews with other autocrats around the world raises concerns over the potential for Carlson to humanize the ruthless Russian autocrat and serve as a mouthpiece for Putin’s propaganda to the American public.
Ultimately, it’s clear that Carlson’s actions have caused controversy and have raised serious questions about his true intentions and journalistic integrity. As his interview with Putin has yet to be released, the public is eagerly awaiting to see how it unfolds and whether it will offer any meaningful insight into Putin’s actions and intentions.
-Anna Chernova contributed to this analysis.