Conservative commentator Tucker Carlson has called on the United States to “detach” from Israel following renewed Israeli strikes on Lebanon that have killed at least 203 people and wounded over 1,000. The attacks came after a fragile ceasefire agreement in the Iran war was placed in jeopardy, with Iran and Pakistan claiming Lebanon was included in the deal, while Israel and the White House denied this.
On the latest episode of The Tucker Carlson Show, the former Fox News host argued that the US should “treat them like we treat every other country – as an ally but with restrictions and reservations and redlines”. He called for a complete end to US military and economic aid to Israel, saying: “The US government should send not one more dollar to Israel and not one more piece of military materiel.”
Carlson referenced the 1967 USS Liberty incident, in which Israeli forces attacked an American surveillance ship, to argue that Israel “treated us as an enemy”. He added: “We don’t have to treat them as an enemy … but we should treat them like every other country.”
Carlson, who has broken with President Donald Trump’s administration over the conflict, has long been a critic of Israel and has faced accusations of antisemitism, which he denies. Since leaving Fox News in 2023, he has become increasingly vocal in his criticisms. Last year, he was criticised for suggesting at a memorial service that Charlie Kirk had been assassinated by Israel, for which there is no evidence.
Carlson has been labelled the “most dangerous antisemite in America” by Florida Republican Representative Randy Fine, and named “Antisemite of the Year” by the StopAntisemitism watchdog. He defended himself at a Turning Point USA convention, saying: “Antisemitism is immoral in my religion. It is immoral to hate people for how they were born.”
