Tucker Carlson’s interview with Russian President Vladimir Putin last week was so soft that even Putin thought he was disappointed.
“To be honest, I thought he would behave aggressively and ask so-called pointed questions,” he told interviewer Pavel Zarubin, according to a Reuters translation. “I was not only ready for this, I wanted it because it gives me the opportunity to respond in kind.”
Carlson, who was fired from Fox News last year, released a two-hour interview with Putin last week in which he at times spoke little as the Russian leader gave long monologues. Once Karlsson understood the words, Putin frequently dismissed him and continued his lectures.
President Putin also noticed this.
“He tried to interrupt me several times, but surprisingly for a Western journalist, he remained patient and listened to my long conversations, especially those related to history.” said President Putin. Kremlin website.
It was a huge disappointment for the powerful leader.
“To be honest, I didn’t really enjoy that interview,” he said with a laugh, according to a translated clip posted online on X-Feed, which monitors Putin’s comments.
Carlson has admitted to lying on his show, but has frequently praised President Vladimir Putin and attacked U.S. support for Ukraine, which Russia invaded about two years ago.
When he was still on Fox News last year, Carlson frequently repeated his Russian talking points. Russian state television quoted him positively and even appeared to offer him the job.
After last week’s interview, Carlson continued his love for the Kremlin, praising Moscow as “so much nicer” than any other American city.
“It’s much cleaner and safer than any other city in the United States, and the architecture, food and service are all beautiful and beautiful,” he said.
Human Rights Watch reports that President Putin has engaged in an “all-out effort to eliminate public dissent in Russia” through laws that attack free speech, activism, independent journalism, and political dissent. He points out that it is in the middle of its run. The resulting crackdown has led to the imprisonment of opposition leaders and those who criticize Ukraine’s ongoing war.