Tucker Carlson's Moscow Trip Delights Russian State Media

Tucker Carlson, the former Fox News host, has made headlines in Russia's state media during his visit to Moscow, leading to speculation that he might interview President Vladimir Putin. His activities in the city have been widely documented on social media, with images of him visiting various sites. Carlson has been known to be a staunch defender of Putin and his policies. While he was a top-rated cable TV host in the US, he abruptly left Fox News last year. During his time on the network, his shows often shaped the conservative agenda and influenced the Republican party. Now, at 54 years old, Carlson has launched a show on X, formerly Twitter. Carlson's visit to Moscow was first reported by the breaking news Telegram channel, Mash. It posted a photo of him boarding a flight from Istanbul and another of him reportedly watching the ballet Spartacus at the Bolshoi Theatre. The Evening Moscow newspaper featured a front-page photo of Carlson with the headline, "Carlson, who lives in America, but speaks the truth." Izvestia, a pro-Kremlin newspaper, shared videos showing what it claimed was Carlson's vehicle entering and leaving Moscow's presidential administration building with filming equipment. In a hotel interview, Carlson expressed his interest in exploring Russia and seeing how it is doing. When asked about the possibility of interviewing Putin, he replied, "Let's see." The Kremlin spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, declined to provide details about the interview when questioned by journalists, stating they would inform the public if such plans materialize. Despite Russia's invasion of Ukraine, Carlson has defended Putin on several occasions. He questioned the motives behind the criticism of Putin and argued that the Russian president had not personally targeted him or threatened him. However, he slightly changed his tone in a different show, acknowledging Putin's role in the conflict. Carlson has also referred to Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky as a "dictator" who is well-connected in Washington. His critical comments about US foreign policy on Fox News have made him a recognizable figure in Russia, with clips of his outbursts broadcast on state TV. Russian news channel Rossiya 24 even began airing extensive excerpts of his "Tucker on X" show, dubbed in Russian. While Carlson has not directly spoken to Russian TV channels, they are jubilant about his visit and the reaction it has provoked in the US. Pro-Putin politician Yevgeny Popov compared Carlson's visit to actress Jane Fonda's trip to Vietnam in 1972, which led to her being labeled as a traitor in the US. NTV, Russia's second most popular channel, promoted a post by Republican congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene on X, highlighting the backlash from Democrats and the media over the prospect of Carlson interviewing Putin.