US political commentator Tucker Carlson came to Moscow on February 3, amid speculation that the goal of the visit is to interview Russian President Vladimir Putin, boosting the ex-Fox News host's popularity in the country. Sputnik explores why.
In one video of Tucker Carlson meeting one of his Russian fans in Moscow, a man’s voice can be heard praising the 54-year-old conservative commentator as the “best US journalist.”
The former Fox News anchor is then seen thanking the man and lauding Moscow as a beautiful city that he had planned to visit for a long time.
'We'll See': Tucker Carlson hints a potential Putin interview during conversation with Russian fan in Moscow
— Sputnik (@SputnikInt) February 5, 2024
The first video of @TuckerCarlson in Russia has appeared. A Russian fan stops the American journalist and asks him about what he’s doing in Moscow. Carlson answers he… pic.twitter.com/4Jx4KrW7oT
But why is Carlson so popular in Russia?
Some Career Flashbacks
Fox News surprisingly announced that the company and Carlson had agreed to part ways in April last year, despite the fact that he hosted the network's top-rated program at the time.
Numerous media reports suggested that Tucker was let go due to his coverage of some controversial topics - ranging from the January 6, 2021, US Capitol breach to the COVID-19 measures to White House support for Kiev in the Ukraine conflict. Others, however, insist that Carlson was fired for his criticism of Fox News' senior management.
In early May, the ex-Fox News host took to Twitter to announce a new show on this social networking giant’s venue. Tucker added that his new program will be "a new version of the show we’ve been doing for the last six and a half years." The Tucker on Twitter show was rebranded as Tucker on X shortly after the website changed its name.
Tucker's Stance on Russia, US, Ukraine
When it comes to Carlson’s ever-increasing popularity in Russia, it’s safe to say that many Russians perceive him as a window to America, which allows them to learn about US domestic issues from sources other than the liberal press. On top of that, Carlson doesn’t hesitate to give his own thoughts on Russia as such.
In the latest development caught on a video, Tucker said that Russia is "doing very well" when meeting one of his Russian fans at what looked like a Moscow hotel.
When a Fox News host, Tucker once hinted at his attitude toward Russia and its special military operation in Ukraine, making it plain that he is rooting for Moscow.
"Why do I care … what is going on in the conflict between Ukraine and Russia? And I’m serious. Why do I care? Why shouldn’t I root for Russia, which I am?" Carlson pointed out.
Separately, the conservative commentator warned in one of his programs about the possibility of a "hot war" between the US and Russia. He urged his viewers not to discount such a scenario “no matter how far-fetched it may seem."
"Yes, that is a lunatic idea. There is nothing we could possibly gain from a military confrontation with [Russian President] Vladimir Putin and there’s very much we could lose, including of course many thousands of American lives. But that doesn’t mean [US President] Joe Biden won’t do it," Carlson said.
He also once insisted that anti-Russian sanctions that Biden painted as a "moral victory" against Putin are damaging the US while the Russian president is "winning" the bilateral standoff.
"It tells you that the loser in this policy is not Vladimir Putin, he’s the winner. It’s the United States," the television presenter asserted.
On Ukraine, Carlson minced no words when calling Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky “sweaty and rat-like” and describing Ukraine as not “a democracy” but rather “a pure client state of the United States State Department.”
Public Popularity
Tucker remains the American journalist of choice for more than one million viewers who earlier signed up to the Russian-language YouTube channel CarlsonTV.
Many users in the comment section praised Tucker, describing him as a "straightforward person who tells the whole truth." They expressed their desire for more "brave and honest individuals like him" to be in the US, a country which rguethey a is "drowning in lies and attempting to dictate to others how they should live."
There are more than 46,000 subscribers to the CarlsonTV channel on Russia’s social media giant, VKontakte, where several users recently applauded Tucker’s decision to visit Moscow.
"Welcome to the country of a free people," "Thank you, comrade Tucker," "Wow, that's some news indeed, he has made up his mind!" some comments read.
Russian TV channels frequently include clips from Carlson's shows in their programs. This is because numerous political pundits in Russia believe that his partially pro-Russian stance, particularly regarding Ukraine and Biden, unwittingly or consciously evokes sympathy among Russian viewers. Chairman of the Union of Russian Journalists Vladimir Solovyov has meanwhile announced that Carlson will be welcomed into the organization.
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