The right-wing US presenter Tucker Carlson interviews Vladimir Putin. Even before publication, false statements are criticized – even by the Kremlin.
Moscow – Despite heavy criticism on social media, right-wing US presenter Tucker Carlson interviewed Russian President Vladimir Putin. Even before the interview was published, there was contradiction to Carlson’s statements – even from within the Kremlin.
As Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has since confirmed, President Vladimir Putin granted US television presenter Tucker Carlson an interview on Tuesday (February 6) – the first by a US journalist since the start of the Ukraine war almost two years ago. Peskov said Putin agreed to the Carlson interview because the former Fox News host’s approach differed from the “one-sided” coverage of the Ukraine conflict by many Western news networks.
Russia criticizes US media as “extraordinarily one-sided” – Carlson does not adapt to the narrative
“When it comes to the countries of the collective West, the major network media, television channels and major newspapers cannot in any way boast of even attempting to be at least impartial in their reporting,” Peskov said on Wednesday (February 7). ) at a press conference. All of these media “take an extraordinarily one-sided position,” so there is “of course no desire to communicate with such media and it hardly makes sense.”
The Russian state media, which reported extensively on Carlson’s visit, was very impressed. Vladimir Solovyov, one of the country’s best-known TV presenters, said the interview would “break the blockade and the existing narrative” in Western media. Carlson is feared because he does not conform to this narrative.
Tucker Carlson wants to clarify – against the “ugliest government propaganda” under Joe Biden
When the plan was announced, the talk show host told a similar story: Most Americans are uninformed because no one tells them the truth and the media is corrupt, Tucker Carlson explained in a statement on the online platform X on Monday (February 5). (formerly: Twitter) distributed video. With the interview, which he will make available free of charge and in full length, he wants to ensure that all Americans can form their own opinion apart from the “ugliest government propaganda” under US President Joe Biden. He is not in Russia because he loves Vladimir Putin, but because he loves the USA.
Who is Tucker Carlson?
Tucker Carlson is an American television host, political commentator, author and journalist. He is known for right-wing and strongly conservative views and has worked in various media formats. For a long time he was the host of “Tucker Carlson Tonight,” a political talk show on the conservative news channel Fox News. In April, Fox News fired Carlson and the executive producer of his evening show without giving any further reason.
Carlson is considered a leading voice of “white grievance politics” – the negative reaction of some white people to the progress of other ethnic groups in terms of rights and economic opportunities as well as their growing cultural equality and political self-determination. He is known for bringing right-wing extremist ideas into mainstream discourse. He has spread conspiracy theories about a supposed “population exchange,” Covid-19, the attack on the US Capitol and alleged Ukrainian bioweapons. Carlson’s comments — including slurs he said on air between 2006 and 2011 (and which resurfaced in 2019) — have sometimes been described as racist and sexist and led to advertising boycotts of “Tucker Carlson Tonight.”
He further claimed that Western journalists had spoken to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky many times, but had not bothered to question Putin. “Not a single Western journalist has made an effort to interview the president of the other country involved in the conflict, Vladimir Putin,” Carlson claimed.
Tucker Carlson rails against the media – even Putin’s spokesman denies it
This claim was immediately rejected by X; numerous journalists called it a lie. On Wednesday, even Peskov contradicted himself and made it clear that the claim was incorrect: “We receive many requests for an interview with the president,” said Peskov. This also applies to Western TV channels and newspapers.
There is now a “community note” under Carlson’s X video, an opportunity for users to point out misleading or incorrect information. According to Carlson, the interview with Putin should be published at 6 p.m. US East Coast time – that is, on Friday night German time. (tpn)