Tucker Carlson interviews Russia’s President Vladimir Putin.
Tucker Carlson’s interview with Vladimir Putin hasn’t been posted online, but there are concerns that he’s already aligning with the Russian leader’s agenda.
In a recently posted video, Tucker Carlson announced his upcoming interview with Vladimir Putin, the first by a Western media figure since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Carlson criticized the press, labeling English-speaking outlets as “corrupt” and accusing them of spreading propaganda.
Tucker Carlson criticized journalists for their soft interviews with Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky, calling them “fawning pep sessions.” Despite expressing interest in interviewing Zelensky, Carlson previously compared him to a rat.
At the same time, as our politicians and media outlets promote a foreign leader as if he’s a new consumer brand,” Carlson said, “not a single Western journalist has bothered to interview the president of the other country involved in this conflict: Vladimir Putin.
While Tucker Carlson’s statement is technically true, it’s misleading. Although no Western journalist has interviewed Putin since the war began, it’s because Putin has declined access. This sheds light on why Carlson, unlike others, was welcomed into the Kremlin palace.
Does Tucker really think we journalists haven’t been trying to interview President Putin every day since his full-scale invasion of Ukraine?” CNN’s Christiane Amanpour questioned. “It’s absurd — we’ll continue to ask for an interview, just as we have for years now.
When asked about Tucker Carlson’s interview, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated that Carlson’s stance is pro-American, contrasting with traditional Anglo-Saxon media. Meanwhile, Carlson implied US news organizations aren’t interested in the Russian story, as The Wall Street Journal’s Evan Gershkovich remains imprisoned for reporting on it.
Putin has declined interviews with the free press and clamped down on media over the past two years. This crackdown includes imprisoning journalists, imposing fines on Big Tech for spreading “fake” news about the Ukraine invasion, and enacting censorship laws. Susan Glasser, a New Yorker writer, criticized Tucker Carlson’s interview with Putin, pointing out the challenges faced by journalists in Russia. She highlighted that real journalism is considered a crime in Putin’s Russia.
Carlson claims to support fearless journalism and opposes cozying up to power. However, he has a history of giving passes to those who share his politics and has been seen with Donald Trump, despite privately expressing disdain for him.
In recent years, Tucker Carlson has conducted friendly interviews with authoritarian leaders such as Viktor Orbán and Javier Milei, amplifying their agenda. As he interviews Putin, it’s unlikely he’ll challenge the Russian leader. Instead, he may humanize Putin and spread his propaganda to the American public.
Carlson’s visit to Moscow is a victory for Putin, promoted by state media. Pictures depict Carlson enjoying various activities in the city. Steven Pifer of the Brookings Institution suggests Putin will use this visit to counter perceptions of political isolation for Russia.
Pifer expressed concern that Carlson, who is unlikely to ask tough questions, is providing Putin with a platform for his propaganda. Putin aims to widen divisions in the US, a goal that Carlson may inadvertently share.