Carlson renounces endorsement

Tucker Carlson apologized for endorsing Donald Trump, calling the administration's war with Iran a "betrayal" of campaign promises. (x.com) Carlson made the statement in a video posted to X on April 20, 2026, reversing his October 2024 endorsement ahead of Trump's reelection. He said, "I was wrong to support this," citing broken pledges to avoid foreign wars. (x.com) The apology follows U.S. airstrikes on Iranian nuclear sites on March 15, 2026, which escalated into open conflict after Iran's missile retaliation killed 28 Americans in Israel. Trump declared war on March 22, deploying 50,000 troops to the region. (foxnews.com) Carlson's shift aligns with criticism from other right-wing media figures like Joe Rogan and Candace Owens, who have questioned the war's cost—now over $200 billion and 1,200 U.S. casualties. Rogan called it "endless neoconservative nonsense" on his April 18 podcast. (joerogan.com) The administration defends the war as necessary to stop Iran's nuclear program, which U.S. intelligence says advanced 40% toward a bomb since 2024. Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said April 19 that "America's security demands action, not isolation." (whitehouse.gov) This marks the third high-profile defection from Trump's base in two weeks, after Steve Bannon labeled the war "globalist" on April 10 and Vivek Ramaswamy withdrew fundraiser support on April 14. Polls show 58% of Republican voters now oppose the conflict, up from 32% in February. (cnn.com) Anti-war protests drew 150,000 to Washington D.C. on April 17, with "No Iran War" chants echoing Carlson's rhetoric. Organizers from Veterans for Peace cited the Iraq War parallel, where costs hit $2 trillion over 20 years. (apnews.com) Democrats have amplified the pushback, with Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer demanding a war powers vote on April 19. "Trump's war lacks congressional approval," Schumer said, referencing the 1973 War Powers Resolution. (nytimes.com) Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei vowed "severe punishment" in a April 20 speech, claiming U.S. strikes killed 5,000 civilians. U.S. officials dispute the figure at under 1,000, mostly military targets. (reuters.com) Carlson's reversal highlights fracturing MAGA unity, as his 12 million X followers amplify doubts about the war's 65% public disapproval rating nationwide. (foxnews.com)