‘You do not know something about Iran’
WASHINGTON — Proper-wing media character Tucker Carlson clashed with Ted Cruz in an interview and posted a clip Tuesday evening the place the senator was unable to reply questions on Iran.
“How many individuals dwell in Iran, by the best way?” Carlson requested the Texas Republican.
“I do not know the inhabitants,” Cruz responded.
“In any respect?” Carlson requested, prompting Cruz to reiterate that he didn’t know. “You do not know the inhabitants of the nation you search to topple?”
Requested once more how Cruz didn’t know Iran’s inhabitants, the senator responded, “I do not sit round memorizing inhabitants tables.” (The CIA estimated in 2024 that the nation’s inhabitants degree sits at round 88 million.)
The clip instantly caught hearth on-line, with Carlson’s put up racking up over 22 million views and 1000’s of feedback, in line with X analytics.
The conflict underscores a broader break up throughout the MAGA motion over U.S. involvement within the battle between Iran and Israel. One faction of the motion, together with Carlson, has urged in opposition to U.S. intervention, portray the opposite aspect as “warmongers.” The extra hawkish faction, which incorporates Cruz, has forcefully supported the U.S. backing Israel’s efforts.
The battle comes as President Donald Trump weighs what he’ll do, with a senior administration official telling NBC Information Wednesday morning that “all choices stay on the desk.” Requested about potential U.S. strikes in opposition to Iran, Trump advised reporters Wednesday, “I could do it, I could not do it.”
Cruz stated in a Fox Information interview on Sunday that he believed “it is rather a lot within the curiosity of America to see regime change” in Iran.
Additionally included within the clip of Carlson’s interview, which airs in full on Wednesday, the previous Fox Information host argued that Cruz’s data about Iran’s inhabitants was “sort of related since you’re calling for the overthrow of the federal government.”
Moments later, Carlson requested Cruz for the ethnic mixture of Iran.
“They’re Persians and predominantly Shia,” Cruz stated, referring to a sect of Islam.
Carlson minimize in to ask for percentages, and Cruz retorted, “that is cute” as the 2 males talked over one another. (Persians make up Iran’s largest ethnic group, however the nation additionally Azeri, Kurd, Lur and different teams, in line with the CIA.)
“You do not know something about Iran,” Carlson stated, and the interview devolved right into a heated, overlapping alternate.
After the clip was revealed, Cruz accused Carlson on X of releasing “a snippet enjoying a ‘gotcha’ on the inhabitants of Iran.”
“I declined to play that foolish recreation,” he continued, encouraging folks to observe the complete interview when it airs.
Trump has weighed in on Carlson’s criticism of potential U.S. strikes on Iran, calling the previous Fox Information host “kooky.”
“Any person please clarify to kooky Tucker Carlson that,” IRAN CAN NOT HAVE A NUCLEAR WEAPON!” Trump stated in a put up to Fact Social on Tuesday earlier than the interview clip was posted to X.
Requested by a reporter on Monday for his response to Carlson calling Trump “complicit” within the battle with Iran, Trump stated, “I don’t know what Tucker Carlson is saying. Let him go get a tv community and say it so that folks hear.” Carlson left Fox Information in 2023.
Garrett Haake, Sarah Dean and Katherine Doyle contributed.