Tucker Carlson devoted a significant portion of the latest episode of The Tucker Carlson Show to discussing U.S.-Israel relations, suggesting the president’s thinking has shifted after months of growing tensions surrounding the conflict involving Iran.
Carlson has increasingly broken with the Trump administration on foreign policy in recent months, particularly regarding military involvement in the Middle East. While the two remain aligned on many domestic issues, Carlson has repeatedly warned against what he views as unnecessary foreign entanglements and has urged an America First approach that keeps U.S. interests above all else.
On Wednesday evening, Carlson summarized his position in a post on X.
“It took a while, but Donald Trump has finally figured out that the biggest threat to his administration is Israel.”
During his monologue, Carlson argued that Israel successfully persuaded the United States to become involved in military action against Iran.
“Israel cajoled, convinced, threatened, however they did it, got the U.S. government to fight this war, a regime change war, in Iran on its behalf with it as a partner,” he said. “Israel and the United States partnered in this war. Different goals, but somehow a partnership.”
Carlson then expanded on his broader argument, contending that the relationship between the two countries is fundamentally unequal.
“But they’re not really partners. One country is many times the size of the other country, both in population, territory, and resources. They’re not even closely comparable. This is the elephant and the flea. And moreover, the little country is wholly, totally dependent on the big country for everything. For everything. For its economy. For its intelligence. And more than anything, for maintaining its territorial ambitions and providing for its defense. But the little country refuses to recognize that, both out of arrogance and because it’s in a state of total hysteria and can’t think straight. And so, that’s the rub, right there. The little country somehow has control over the future of the big country, but the big country is solely responsible for the little country being able to do anything at all. And only one side understands this, and that’s the big country.”
Carlson also highlighted recent remarks from Vice President JD Vance, who appeared to caution members of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government against publicly criticizing President Trump.
Vance said:
“Donald J. Trump is the only head of state in the entire world who is sympathetic to the nation of Israel at this moment in time. And he happens to be the head of state of the world’s superpower. If I was in the cabinet of the Israeli government, I might not be attacking the only powerful ally that I have anywhere left in the entire world.”
Carlson’s reaction was brief but pointed.
“Yeah, you think? It’s criticism, but it’s not an attack. It’s an acknowledgement of reality. And it’s a call to change behavior.”
Whether Carlson’s assessment reflects President Trump’s own thinking remains open to interpretation. The president has consistently voiced strong support for Israel throughout his political career while also emphasizing that his foreign policy decisions should ultimately serve American interests. Carlson, meanwhile, continues to make the case that an America First agenda requires constant scrutiny of overseas commitments—even when they involve longstanding allies.
While support for Israel remains strong among many Republicans, a growing segment of America First conservatives is increasingly asking difficult questions about the scope of U.S. involvement abroad and whether American foreign policy should be recalibrated to focus more narrowly on U.S. national interests. Carlson has become one of the most prominent voices in that discussion, and his latest comments are likely to fuel further debate among conservatives.
