Ted Cruz and Tucker Carlson's blowup exposes MAGA's divide on war with Iran
Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Tex.) and conservative talk show host Tucker Carlson got into a contentious argument over America's role in the escalating war between Israel and Iran during an interview released Wednesday.
The big picture: While the Trump administration has denied U.S. involvement in Israel's offensive operations, the prospect of America joining Israel's attacks has driven a wedge between the isolationist and pro-Israel wings of the MAGA coalition.
The conversation soured when Cruz claimed "we are carrying out military strikes today."
Pressed by Carlson on whether it's the U.S. or Israel leading the strikes, Cruz said the U.S. was "supporting" Israel.
"This is high stakes," Carlson responded. "You're a senator. If you're saying the United States government is at war with Iran right now, people are listening.
Zoom in: There were a number of confrontations between the two during the two-hour long interview on Carlson's show. Here are a few:
Carlson grills Cruz on Iran
The exchange ignited when Carlson asked the senator 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, adding, "How could you not know that?"
Cruz shot back, "I don't sit around memorizing population tables."
Carlson appeared to be getting frustrated, saying, "Well it's kind of relevant because you're calling for the overthrow of the government."
The host then asked Cruz about the ethnic breakdown of Iran. After pausing, the senator said, "They are Persians and predominantly Shia."
Carlson interjected to ask, "What percent?"
The pair began yelling over one another, with Carlson saying, "You don't know anything about Iran," adding, "You're a senator who is calling for the overthrow of the government and you don't know anything about the country!"
State of play: After the interview aired, Cruz shared a meme of Carlson asking Luke Skywalker of Star Wars what the population of the Death Star is, apparently mocking the question he was asked about Iran's population count.
"Oh, I'm an anti-Semite now"
The pair sparred over the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), a pro-Israel lobbying group.
"Are AIPAC's goals shaped by the goals of the Israeli government?" Carlson asked. "If you say no, I think we both know that's not true."
Cruz responded, "Does Israel direct AIPAC? No, they're not lobbying on behalf of them. Do they care about them? Yes."
Carlson shot back, "What you're now describing, in a very defensive way, I will say, is foreign influence over our politics."
Cruz then quipped, "By the way, Tucker, it's a very weird thing, the obsession with Israel."
What he's saying: "Oh, I'm an anti-Semite now," Carlson said sarcastically. "You're trying to derail my questions by calling me an anti-Semite."
Cruz said, "I did not" before later adding, "If you're not an anti-Semite, give me another reason why the obsession is Israel."
The show host said, "I don't see a lawmaker's job as defending the interests of a foreign government," adding, "That's my position. That does not make me an anti-Semite, and shame on you for suggesting otherwise."
Carlson questions Iranian plot to assassinate Trump
Carlson also questioned an Iranian plot to assassinate President Trump.
Cruz said there were also Iranian hitmen hired to kill Mike Pompeo, who was secretary of State and CIA director in the first Trump administration; John Bolton, Trump's former national security adviser; and Brian Hook, who was Trump's Iran envoy.
Despite the threats, Trump ended federal security protections for Pompeo and Bolton.
Carlson repeatedly pressed Cruz for evidence of the threats on Trump's life.
"We know that it's true because we have been told that by the military and our intelligence community for the last two years," the senator said. Pressed further, he added that the U.S. has not apprehended an Iranian hitman trying to kill Trump but "we know that Iran is trying to do so."
Carlson on multiple occasions questioned why the senator is not calling for military action against Iran if they're trying to kill the president.
"I don't think they're very effective," Cruz said.
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