Tucker Carlson announced plans on Tuesday to interview Vladimir Putin in Moscow.
In a video posted to X (formerly Twitter), the former Fox News anchor explained why he railed against the Russian president in the four-and-a-half minute clip. He also accused Western media of promoting pro-Ukrainian “propaganda” and deliberately excluding Putin from coverage.
Carlson has been harshly critical of U.S. funding of Ukraine’s war against Russia, a war that flared up again in early 2021 after years of conflict over territory in the region, and has been widely criticized by U.S. news outlets. said that the reporting was one-sided.
Carlson claimed that “not a single” Western journalist had bothered to talk to Putin, adding, “Americans have a right to know everything they can about the war they are involved in.” Stated.
He went on to call the interview a free speech issue, saying, “We’re not here because we love Vladimir Putin. We’re not here because we love America. Because we want America to remain prosperous and free.”
Carlson called on the public to watch and learn “as much as they can” after claiming Western governments would move to censor the interview.
“And like a free citizen, not a slave, you can decide for yourself,” he concluded.
Carlson said the “unedited” interview will be published for free on his website and on X.
The right-wing figure has made a habit of entertaining authoritarian leaders since leaving Fox News last spring.
Since then, he has interviewed Prime Minister Viktor Orbán of Hungary, President Javier Milei of Argentina, and of course former President Donald Trump.
While the Kremlin appears to welcome Karlsson, other foreign journalists are not treated with the same courtesy.
American journalists Evan Gershkovitch and Ars Kurmasheva are currently being held in Russia.