Latest news with #AIPAC
Time of India
11 hours ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Israel-Iran Conflict: How another Middle East War is ripping MAGA apart - will Trump coalition survive?
As war clouds gather over Tehran, the 'America First' coalition fractures—from Carlson's outrage to Cruz's crusade, with Vice President JD Vance echoing the commander-in-chief's every word. The MAGA Movement Promised No More Wars—Now It's on the Brink of One Donald Trump didn't just win the 2024 election—he crushed it with a promise to rebuild America without stumbling into another foreign disaster. 'No more stupid wars' became doctrine. His base connected with this pledge, proud that he hadn't launched any new wars. But now, deep into 2025, that legacy is under pressure. In June, Israel struck Iran's nuclear facilities—and Trump responded by warning Iran's leaders to surrender 'unconditionally,' advising Tehran's civilians to evacuate, and boasting that the U.S. had 'total control of the skies.' The MAGA movement—defined by its distrust of foreign entanglements—is experiencing an identity crisis. The coalition that brought Trump back to power is now split, torn between instincts that fueled his rise. The Anti-War Wing: Carlson, Bannon, Greene, Gaetz—and the MAGA Grassroots Tucker Carlson: MAGA's Foreign Policy Firewall Carlson has emerged as the vocal anti-war leader within MAGA circles. He warned that war with Iran could end Trump's presidency. During a dramatic on-camera exchange with Senator Ted Cruz, he challenged his hawkish views by questioning basic facts about Iran—its population, its sectarian landscape—and called out what he sees as dangerous ignorance dressed up as resolve. To Carlson, this is Iraq 2.0. And allowing MAGA to shift toward intervention is nothing short of a betrayal. Tucker and Ted Cruz Get Into Heated Debate on AIPAC and Foreign Influence Steve Bannon: The Loyal Dissenter Bannon warned that a war with Iran could destroy the MAGA coalition. Yet he tempered the warning with neutrality, noting that even dissenting voices would ultimately fall in line behind Trump. His message: the base doesn't want war, but Trump remains the centre of gravity. Marjorie Taylor Greene: Culture Warrior, Peace Advocate Greene has remained firm in her opposition to escalation. She's made it clear that another conflict in the Middle East would betray the MAGA movement's core promise: to put America first—at home, not in yet another desert war. Matt Gaetz: The Populist Sceptic Gaetz has voiced deep scepticism over renewed interventionism, warning that MAGA should not fall for recycled Bush-era framing. He's dismissed hawkish rhetoric and cautioned that any move toward war must have a clearly defined exit strategy and real American interests at stake. His message is clear: military might is not a substitute for strategic clarity. The War Caucus: Cruz, Rubio, Levin, Hannity—Old Doctrine, New Labels Ted Cruz: Confident, But Clueless? Cruz maintained a hawkish stance in public appearances, even as he fumbled through basic facts about Iran. He's called Iran a threat and said the U.S. must act if necessary. His slip—confusing Israeli actions with American ones—highlighted the extent to which some MAGA hawks are ready for conflict, regardless of the details. Marco Rubio: From Miami to Mossad Now serving as Secretary of State, Rubio has become the administration's leading voice for a hardline Iran policy. He insists that Iran must be denied not just weapons, but even enrichment capacity. His doctrine is simple: Iran cannot even come close to the nuclear threshold. Mark Levin and Sean Hannity: Reagan-era Revivalists Both Levin and Hannity have called for strong action. Levin has floated the idea of regime change. Hannity has embraced the logic of preemptive strikes. They represent the older, more muscular conservatism that sees war not as a failure—but as assertion of American strength. JD Vance: The Loyal Lieutenant, Not the Peacemaker Vice President JD Vance, once the populist realist, now speaks with tight discipline. He hasn't condemned the hawks. He hasn't echoed the doves. He simply follows the President's lead—repeating Trump's lines, offering no deviation, and avoiding ideological entanglement. Vance is not acting as a bridge between factions. He's acting as a megaphone for Trump. His silence is strategic. His discipline is total with the belief that if he holds on long enough, he's a shoo-in to the be Trump's successor. Trump's Game: Maximum Pressure, Minimum Commitment—So Far Trump has long weaponised ambiguity. He's sent American forces into visible alert, named Iranian leaders, threatened air superiority—and yet, he hasn't fired a shot. This is vintage Trump: threatening force without deploying it, posturing without committing. But the longer this game stretches, the more pressure mounts. Hawks want action. The base wants peace. And Trump, ever the tactician, wants both. MAGA's Iraq Flashback: The Ghost That Haunts Them Still The language is all too familiar. Talks of WMDs. Warning of rogue regimes. Accusations of appeasement. MAGA was born in rebellion against this rhetoric. Trump won hearts by denouncing the Iraq War as a historic failure. Now, those ghosts are back. And the question is whether the movement has truly changed—or merely changed labels. The 2025 Test: Can MAGA Survive a Middle East War? Trump's current coalition—rooted in working-class values, suburban nationalism, and youth anti-establishment sentiment—says no to foreign adventures. Most polls show his base is wary of intervention. But a gamble remains: if Trump escalates, that coalition could fracture. The internal pressure is mounting. MAGA's future depends on whether it keeps its promise—or betrays the fierce anti-war impulse that helped redefine American politics in 2025. The Real War Is Inside MAGA This is more than a foreign policy debate—it's an ideological showdown. Anti-war bloc: Carlson, Bannon, Greene, Gaetz—warning against another Iraq, urging focus at home. War caucus: Cruz, Rubio, Levin, Hannity—championing confrontation and regime change. Intercepted by: JD Vance—standing in lockstep with Trump, no deviation. At the centre: Trump—wielding threats and uncertainties while testing the elasticity of a fractured coalition. A strike on Iran may win a skirmish—but MAGA's soul hangs in the balance. The real question now isn't just 'should we go to war?'—it's 'can MAGA survive it?'
Yahoo
a day ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
5 takeaways from Tucker Carlson's interview with Ted Cruz
Pundit Tucker Carlson published a nearly two-hour interview with Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) on Wednesday, during which the two conservative firebrands debated President Trump's foreign policy, the future of the Middle East and America's place in the world. The conversation was decidedly contentious, at times deteriorating into shouting and insults, punctuated by a short clip Carlson published Tuesday evening showing him quizzing Cruz on Iran's population, which for hours drove social media buzz around the full interview's release. Cruz went on the offensive Wednesday morning, blasting Carlson over his framing of their back-and-forth and urging listeners of his 'Verdict' podcast to listen to the full interview he granted the former Fox News host. Here are five takeaways from the interview. As he opened the interview, Carlson asked the Republican lawmaker why he has voiced support for regime change in Iran and potential U.S. military action to prevent the country from obtaining nuclear weapons. The pundit needled Cruz about the benefit of the U.S. sending money to Israel as it fights Iran and suggested lawmakers on Capitol Hill are being influenced by the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), which raises money for Cruz along with many other lawmakers on Capitol Hill. 'Everyone is obsessed with Israel,' Cruz exclaimed as Carlson drilled down on the money in politics phenomenon, to which Carlson replied, 'I'm not obsessed with Israel,' before saying, 'I've never taken money from Israel, have you?' Cruz conceded AIPAC 'raises a lot of money for me' and lamented the fact the lobbying group 'is not more effective' in Washington. The Texas senator said he came to Congress with the explicit intention of being a staunch defender of Israel and expressed no regret about his posture toward Iran or other Middle Eastern entities that seek to harm the U.S. ally. Carlson countered that AIPAC is effectively a 'foreign lobby' and suggested its influence could lead the U.S. into a costly war. Carlson insisted during his conversation with Cruz that he believes in 'self-defense' and would support military action against a foreign government if it was trying to harm Trump. After Carlson noted Cruz's stated belief that the Iranian government is trying to hurt Trump, Carlson asked him, 'Why don't you support military action right now against Iran?' Cruz told Carlson that 'nobody disputes' the Iranians wish to harm Trump, to which the former cable news host said, 'I'm disputing it.' 'Did we land on the moon?' Cruz shouted back. 'What other conspiracy theories do you not believe, was 9/11 an inside job?' Before moving on, Carlson said Cruz's 'logic train has a massive hole in it,' dismissing the senator's attacking him as a conspiracy theorist and saying he wasn't 'into the slurs, the antisemite stuff; I just don't like that. I'm telling you what I believe.' The conversation took sudden and a tense turn after Carlson peppered Cruz on Iran's population, which the senator dismissed, calling the line of questioning 'snide.' 'You engage in reckless rhetoric with no facts,' Cruz said, admonishing the former cable news host whom he earlier called a 'brave' voice on issues like the coronavirus pandemic and immigration. 'I'm not calling for the overthrow of a government, you are,' Carlson said as Cruz pointed at him. The Republican lawmaker later read a direct quote from Trump criticizing comments from Carlson and others questioning his strategy on the Middle East and advocating against U.S. involvement in Israel's war with Iran. 'I never attacked Donald Trump, I campaigned for Donald Trump,' Carlson shrugged, defending himself. 'I love Trump.' The president criticized Carlson directly earlier this week, calling him 'kooky' over his comments on the Middle East and taking a dig at the former cable host, saying he should share his opinions on 'a television network and say it so that people listen.' The commentator told Cruz he spoke to Trump this week and insisted 'I think we should be very careful about entering into more foreign wars that don't help us when our country is dying.' After their debate about Trump's position on Iran, Carlson accused Cruz of 'presiding over' some of the country's biggest 'foreign policy disasters' in recent years, calling attention to the Republican's support for Ukraine in its war with Russia. 'You've been spending the last three years telling us that Vladimir Putin is evil and we're going to beat him with other people's children,' Carlson said, raising his voice. 'And you've never apologized for that.' A seemingly irritated Cruz sat up in his chair and shot back, 'The number of falsehoods you lay out in one sentence is rather astonishing.' 'The war against Russia was caused by Joe Biden's weakness,' Cruz continued. But Carlson was not satisfied. 'You supported the war,' he again asked him, insisting 'shouldn't you apologize?' 'You should apologize,' Cruz shouted at the pundit, before stopping himself and scoffing, 'I'm not going to engage in the demanding of apologies.' Carlson has for years criticized U.S. involvement in the war in Ukraine and stirred controversy with an interview he landed with Russian President Vladimir Putin after launching his media company. Carlson's conversation with Putin came during a reporting trip to Moscow, during which he praised the country's economy and infrastructure. After Carlson published his interview with the Republican lawmaker, Cruz sought to discredit the pundit's framing of their conversation and criticized the former Fox host on a subsequent episode of his 'Verdict' podcast. 'Did a long interview w/ Tucker. He released a snippet playing a 'gotcha' on the population of Iran. I declined to play that silly game,' Cruz wrote on social media late Tuesday. 'WATCH the full 2-hr interview, where Tucker ATTACKS Trump, attacks the 'AIPAC lobby,' & falsely claims Iran is NOT trying to assassinate Trump.' In a subsequent social media post, Cruz asked why Carlson 'refuses to acknowledge' what he called an 'indisputable truth' about the Middle East and U.S. foreign policy. 'Facts don't care about your feelings Tucker, and they certainly won't bend to your narrative,' the senator said. Cruz released a new episode of his 'Verdict' podcast after the short clip of their back and forth on the population of Iran was published but before the full interview was released on Carlson's account on the social platform X. 'On foreign policy, Tucker has gone bat-crap crazy. He's gone off the rails,' Cruz said, arguing the pundit is misreading what the American people want from Trump. 'I think the American people want a president who's going to say, 'We will protect ourselves against people who want to kill us,'' he said. 'That's exactly what Donald Trump is doing.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
The Independent
a day ago
- Politics
- The Independent
Tucker/Cruz interview's key moments: Antisemitism, Iran and the Bible
Tucker Carlson 's extended interview with Texas Senator Ted Cruz proved every bit as explosive as its preview clip had promised, with the two conservatives going head-to-head over the prospect of President Donald Trump leading the U.S. into war with Iran. The complete two-hour cut of The Tucker Carlson Show sitdown with Cruz appeared on Wednesday, a day after a brief excerpt circulated in advance, in which the host could be seen taking the senator to task for not knowing the population of Iran. That proved to be a mere appetizer, as the two men, perched in opposing chairs beneath an oil painting of Ronald Reagan, repeatedly came to blows. The interview appeared at a pivotal moment, with President Trump weighing joining in Israel 's Operation Rising Lion offensive against Tehran, having reportedly already approved attack plans. It also served to expose the deep divisions within the president's MAGA movement over the necessity of intervention, a split that has already seen Trump fall out with Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard and the likes of Carlson and Georgia Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene speaking out against the possibility of war. Here's a look at some of Tucker and Ted's key exchanges. Cruz and Carlson bicker over 'antisemitism' insult In one of their most tense interactions, Carlson accused Cruz of accepting campaign donations from the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), which the host argued was a lobby group seeking to influence the U.S. government on behalf of a foreign country. 'It's a very weird thing, the obsession with Israel,' Cruz responded. 'You're not talking about Chinese, you're not talking about Japanese, you're not talking about the Brits, you're not talking about the French. The question is: 'What about the Jews? What about the Jews?'' Carlson was angered by the insinuation: 'Oh, so I'm an antisemite now?!' Cruz denied that he had been attempting to 'derail' his line of questioning by implying that Carlson was prejudiced. 'Of course you are, and rather than be honorable enough to say it right to my face, you are, in a sleazy feline way, implying it,' Carlson retorted. 'I don't see a lawmaker's job as defending the interest of a foreign government. Period. That does not make me an antisemite, and shame on you for suggesting otherwise!' Carlson challenges Cruz on Iran Their most viral exchange saw the host ask the senator: 'How many people live in Iran, by the way?' When Cruz admitted he did not know, Carlson became incredulous: 'You don't know the population you seek to topple?' When the senator referred the question back to Carlson, he answered smartly that 92 million people live there, prompting Cruz to dismiss the significance of the point, saying huffily that he does not 'sit around memorizing population tables' in his free time. Carlson, approaching hysteria, pressed Cruz on the ethnic mix of the Iranian population instead, which the senator initially attempted to answer before stopping short and again insisting the question was irrelevant. 'You're a senator who's calling for an overthrow of the government, and you don't know anything about the country!' Carlson squawked with glee. Later, Cruz almost blundered into declaring war by inadvertently admitting the Trump administration's complicity when he said: 'We're carrying out military strikes today.' At Carlson's prompting, he raced to clarify that it was Israel carrying out the strikes 'with our help.' 'Well, you're breaking news here, because the U.S. government last denied – National Security Council Spokesman Alex Pfeiffer denied, on behalf of Trump, that we were acting on Israel's behalf in any offensive capacity,' Carlson interrupted. 'This is high stakes, you're a senator, if you're saying the United States government is at war with Iran right now, people are listening!' Carlson derides Cruz's Bible justification The former Fox News anchor was clearly annoyed by the Texan's frequent attempts to invoke the Bible to justify his hawkish stance on Iran. 'Growing up in Sunday school, I was taught from the Bible that those who bless Israel will be blessed and those who curse Israel will be cursed. And from my perspective, I wanna be on the blessing side of things,' the senator said. Again challenged by Carlson, Cruz could not name which book of the Bible the passage he quoted derived from, and was informed the answer was Genesis. The host's scoffing resumed: 'So you're quoting a Bible phrase. You don't have context for it, and you don't know where in the Bible it is, but that's, like, your theology? I'm confused. What does that even mean?' Cruz reversed and tried again: 'Where does my support for Israel come from? Number one, because Biblically, we are commanded to support Israel, but number two…' Carlson again interrupted, demanding that the senator define what he meant by Israel, prompting Cruz to erupt: 'Define Israel?! Do you not know what Israel is? That would be the country you've asked like 49 questions about.'
Axios
2 days ago
- Politics
- Axios
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.
The Hill
2 days ago
- Politics
- The Hill
Five takeaways from Tucker Carlson's interview with Ted Cruz
Pundit Tucker Carlon published a nearly two-hour interview with Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) on Wednesday, during which the two conservative firebrands debated President Trump's foreign policy, the future of the Middle East and America's place in the world. The conversation was decidedly contentious, at times deteriorating into shouting and insults, punctuated by a short clip Carlson published on Tuesday evening showing him quizzing Cruz on Iran's population, which for hours drove social media buzz around the full interview's release. Cruz went on the offensive on Wednesday morning, blasting Carlson over his framing of their back and forth and urging listeners of his 'Verdict' podcast to listen to the full interview he granted the former Fox News host. Here are five takeaways from the interview. As he opened the interview, Carlson asked the Republican lawmaker why he has voiced support for regime change in Iran and potential U.S. military action to prevent the country from obtaining nuclear weapons. The pundit needled Cruz about the benefit of the U.S. sending money to Israel as it fights Iran and suggested lawmakers on Capitol Hill are being influenced by the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, which raises money for Cruz along with many other lawmakers on Capitol Hill. 'Everyone is obsessed with Israel,' Cruz exclaimed as Carlson drilled down on the money in politics phenomenon, to which Carlson replied, 'I'm not obsessed with Israel,' before saying 'I've never taken money from Israel, have you?' Cruz conceded AIPAC 'raises a lot of money for me' and lamented the fact the lobbying group 'is not more effective' in Washington. The Texas senator said he came to Congress with the explicit intention of being a staunch defender of Israel and expressed no regret about his posture toward Iran or other Middle Eastern entities that seek to harm the U.S. ally. Carlson countered that AIPAC is effectively a 'foreign lobby' and suggested its influence could lead the U.S. into a costly war. Carlson insisted during his conversation with Cruz that he believes in 'self-defense,' and would support military action against a foreign government if it was trying to harm the U.S. president. After Carlson noted Cruz's stated belief that the Iranian government is trying to hurt Trump, he asked him 'why don't you support military action right now against Iran?' Cruz told Carlson that 'nobody disputes' the Iranians wish to harm Trump, to which the former cable news host said, 'I'm disputing it.' 'What other conspiracy theories do you believe, Tucker,' Cruz shouted back. 'Did we land on the moon, was 9/11 an inside job?' Before moving on, Carlson said Cruz's 'logic train has a massive hole in it,' dismissing the senator's attacking him as a conspiracy theorist and saying he 'wasn't into the slurs … antisemite, I just don't like that … I'm telling you what I believe.' The conversation took sudden and a tense turn after Carlson peppered Cruz on Iran's population, which the senator dismissed, calling the line of questioning 'snide.' 'You engage in reckless rhetoric with no facts,' Cruz said, admonishing the former cable news host whom he earlier called a 'brave' voice on issues like the coronavirus pandemic and immigration. 'I'm not calling for the overthrow of a government, you are,' Carlson said as Cruz pointed at him. The Republican lawmaker later read a direct quote from President Trump criticizing comments from Carlson and others questioning his strategy on the Middle East, and advocating against U.S. involvement in Israel's war with Iran. 'I never attacked Donald Trump, I campaigned for Donald Trump,' Carlson shrugged, defending himself. 'I love Trump.' The president criticized Carlson directly earlier this week, calling him 'kooky' over his comments on the Middle East and taking a dig at the former cable host, saying he should share his opinions on 'a television network and say it so that people listen.' The commentator told Cruz he spoke to Trump this week and insisted 'I think we should be very careful about entering into more foreign wars that don't help us when our country is dying.' After their debate about Trump's position on Iran, Carlson accused Cruz of 'presiding over' some of the country's biggest 'foreign policy disasters' in recent years, calling attention to the Republican's support for Ukraine in its war with Russia. 'You've been spending the last three years telling us that Valdimir Putin is evil and we're gonna beat him with other people's children,' Carlson said, raising his voice. 'And you've never apologized for that.' A seemingly irritated Cruz sat up in his chair and shot back, 'the number of falsehoods you lay out in one sentence is rather astonishing.' 'The war against Russia was caused by Joe Biden's weakness,' Cruz continued. But Carlson was not satisfied. 'You supported the war,' he again asked him, insisting 'shouldn't you apologize.' 'You should apologize,' Cruz shouted at the pundit, before stopping himself and scoffing, 'I'm not going to engage in the demanding of apologies.' Carlson has for years criticized U.S. involvement in the war in Ukraine and stirred controversy with an interview he landed Russian President Vladimir Putin after launching his own media company. Carlson's conversation with Putin came during a reporting trip to Moscow, during which he praised the country's economy and infrastructure. After Carlson published his interview with the Republican lawmaker, Cruz sought to discredit the pundit's framing of their conversation and criticized the former Fox host on a subsequent episode of his 'Verdict' podcast. 'Did a long interview w/ Tucker. He released a snippet playing a 'gotcha' on the population of Iran. I declined to play that silly game,' Cruz wrote on social media late Tuesday. 'WATCH the full 2-hr interview, where Tucker ATTACKS Trump, attacks the 'AIPAC lobby,' & falsely claims Iran is NOT trying to assassinate Trump.' In a subsequent social media post, Cruz asked why Carlson 'refuses to acknowledge' what he called an 'indisputable truth' about the Middle East and U.S. foreign policy. 'Facts don't care about your feelings Tucker, and they certainly won't bend to your narrative,' the senator said. Cruz released a new episode of his Verdict podcast after the short clip of their back and forth on the population of Iran was published but before the full interview was released on Carlson's X account. 'On foreign policy, Tucker has gone bat-crap crazy. He's gone off the rails,' Cruz said, arguing the pundit is misreading what the American people want from Trump. 'I think the American people want a president who's going to say, 'We will protect ourselves against people who want to kill us,' he said. 'That's exactly what Donald Trump is doing.'
