Tucker Carlson has found himself on the receiving end of criticism from Republicans this week after offering slight praise for Abdul El-Sayed, the Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate in Michigan.
Speaking Wednesday with conservative journalist and podcaster Saagar Enjeti on “The Tucker Carlson Show,” Carlson had harsh words for Mike Rogers, the Republican running against El-Sayed this fall.
“I wouldn’t vote for Mike Rogers at gunpoint,” the former Fox News host said. “He’s basically a tool of Israel and the intel agencies. How would you run someone like that? It doesn’t even make sense.”
Enjeti went on to share a somewhat optimistic take on El-Sayed, who he described as a “full-blown leftist” who has nonetheless embraced an “America first” agenda comparable to President Donald Trump on the campaign trail.
“He says, ‘Israel is committing a genocide, but ultimately, I want to make sure that you don’t pay more for healthcare. I don’t want your tax dollars going abroad to fund this barbaric military,’” he said. “He stands in front of a giant American flag. It’s almost Trumpian.”
Watch Wednesday’s episode of “The Tucker Carlson Show” below. The discussion around Abdul El-Sayed begins at the 1:34:37 mark.
Carlson didn’t refute Enjeti’s assessment, agreeing that El-Sayed’s tactics were “literally Trumpian.”
Later in the chat, both men said they believe El-Sayed, a public health expert who is bidding to be the first Muslim elected to the U.S. Senate, will eke out a victory in November.
As for El-Sayed’s opponent, Carlson added, “There’s no one who should be farther from a position of power than Mike Rogers.”
Since Carlson’s interview with Enjeti aired, clips of their comments on El-Sayed have gone viral on social media. Many prominent MAGA Republicans expressed their dismay over what they described as Carlson’s “endorsement” of El-Sayed.
“After spending the last 2 years promoting Sharia Law and Islam, buying a home in Qatar and becoming a Hitler fan boy, Tucker Qatarlson has now essentially endorsed jihadist Abdul El Sayed for US Senate,” right-wing influencer Laura Loomer wrote on X, before deeming Carlson “a full blown apologist for Islam.”
“No surprise here — [Carlson] gushing over [El-Sayed], the guy who jumped the gun and accused Israel of genocide even before it responded to the atrocities of 10/7,” added David Friedman, who served as U.S. ambassador to Israel during Trump’s first term. “Tucker is fully anti-Trump, anti-Republican and anti-American.”
At a White House press briefing Thursday, Vice President JD Vance referenced the clip when asked about Carlson’s recent criticisms of the Trump administration as a whole.
“Everybody knows that Tucker Carlson and I are friends, and I think it’s very obvious that Tucker has said some things that I disagree with,” he said. “I think El-Sayed’s a crazy person, and I think whatever your views on Mike Rogers’ specific policy prescriptions, I’d like to have a non-crazy person like Mike Rogers representing Michigan in the U.S. Senate rather than a crazy person like El-Sayed.”
For years, Carlson was a staunch supporter of Trump and his Make America Great Again agenda. In June, however, he said there’s “no chance” he will continue to support the Republican Party after breaking with Trump over his ties to Israel and the unpopular Iran war.