On Tuesday, controversial far-right pundit and former Fox News host, Tucker Carlson, confirmed his presence in Moscow for an interview with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Carlson announced his intention to broadcast the conversation, aiming to counter what he perceives as pro-Ukraine bias in western media's coverage of the ongoing conflict.
Speculation had been mounting regarding Carlson's trip to the Russian capital, where he was reportedly seen attending the Bolshoi ballet and dining in upscale restaurants. Critics accuse him of serving as a propaganda tool for Putin, a leader he has consistently defended. Russian media, however, has celebrated Carlson as a truth-telling celebrity.
In a social media post on X (formerly Twitter), Carlson positioned the upcoming interview as an opportunity for the American public to hear the "truth" about the Ukraine war amidst what he alleges are a series of unverified claims by western media outlets.
"Most Americans have no idea why Putin invaded Ukraine or what his goals are now," Carlson stated in a four-minute video recorded in Moscow, previewing the interview. He announced that the interview would be available on his own website, with Elon Musk, the owner of X, posting it "uncensored" at an unspecified time.
"You’ve never heard his voice. That’s wrong. Americans have a right to know all we can about a war they’re implicated in, and we have the right to tell them about it," he emphasized, claiming that western governments would likely attempt to censor the video due to their fear of uncontrolled information.
Carlson, who left Fox News after amplifying false claims about the 2020 election, insisted that Americans are "uninformed" about the war's effects and lack a true understanding of the situation in the region. Since his departure from Fox, Carlson has continued his broadcasts on X, often featuring conspiracy-laden content and discussions on various topics, including UFOs.
In his X post, Carlson criticized Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, implying that only he would provide accurate information about the war. He accused English-speaking media outlets of corruption and spreading falsehoods, particularly pointing to Zelenskiy's interviews in the U.S. as "fawning pep sessions" designed to promote a deeper U.S. involvement in the conflict, which Carlson labeled as government propaganda rather than journalism.