Sen. Ted Cruz and conservative talk show host Tucker Carlson got into a heated exchange in a sit-down interview for Carlson’s program, sparring over Cruz’s support for military intervention in Iran despite his apparent lack of knowledge about the country as President Donald Trump appears poised to take direct military action on it.
Tensions between the U.S. and Iran skyrocketed in the past week, following Israel’s attack on the country’s top military leaders and nuclear facilities. On Tuesday, Trump appeared to signal increased U.S. involvement in Israel’s campaign, claiming on Truth Social that “we now have complete and total control of the skies over Iran.”
As the U.S. stands on the precipice of direct engagement in another major conflagration in the Middle East — which Trump, historically an isolationist, had long promised to avoid — a growing rift has emerged within the GOP over isolationists and interventionists, including between Carlson and Cruz (R-Texas), an outspoken Iran hawk.
In a preview clip of the conversation between the two, which Carlson posted on social media, the former Fox News host grilled Cruz on his knowledge of Iran, attacking the senator for not knowing “anything about the country.”
At first, Carlson launched a softball at Cruz, asking how many people live in Iran. Cruz didn’t know the answer.
“You don’t know the population of the country you seek to topple?” Carlson asked, later pressing, “How could you not know that?”
Cruz sloughed off the interrogation, replying: “I don’t sit around memorizing population tables.”
But the interaction began to get heated as Carlson got increasingly frustrated by Cruz’s apparent lack of knowledge.
“Well it’s kind of relevant because you’re calling for the overthrow of the government,” Carlson shot back, before suggesting that Cruz doesn’t “know anything about the country.”
“I didn’t say I don’t know anything about the country,” Cruz said.
“Okay, what’s the ethnic mix of Iran?” Carlson asked, prompting a pause from the senator.
“They are Persians and predominantly Shia,” Cruz offered, getting defensive as Carlson cut in to ask “What percent?”
“You don’t know anything about Iran!” Carlson said, as the two men began yelling over each other. “You’re a senator who is calling for the overthrow of the government and you don’t know anything about the country!”
Cruz lashed back out, throwing the same accusation back at Carlson and saying that the conservative host “claims they’re not trying to murder Donald Trump” and “can’t figure out if it was a good idea to kill Gen. Soleimani.”
Carlson sought to clarify his comments, which were apparently made in a yet-unaired clip, claiming: “I’m saying you don’t believe they’re trying to murder Trump because you’re not calling for military strikes against them in retaliation.”
In response, Cruz claimed that “we are carrying out military strikes today,” prompting Carlson to press him on whether Israel or the U.S. was leading the strikes.
Cruz clarified that the U.S. was “supporting” Israel’s strikes, not directly striking Iran.
“This is high stakes,” Carlson said. “You’re a senator — if you’re saying the United States government is at war with Iran right now, people are listening.”
As the less than two-minute clip went viral Tuesday night, Cruz went on the defensive on X, saying Carlson had released only a “snippet playing a ‘gotcha’ on the population of Iran.”
“I declined to play that silly game,” Cruz said, urging viewers to “WATCH the full 2-hr interview,” which is set to go live later Wednesday.
Ted Cruz vs. Tucker Carlson: Conservatives clash over Iran policy
Source: Viral Showbiz Pinay
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