In a recent live discussion led by podcaster Tim Pool at Turning Point USA’s AmericaFest, Tucker Carlson, a former Fox News personality known for his support of Donald Trump, expressed his opposition to Trump’s potential choice of Nikki Haley as his running mate in the upcoming presidential election. When asked by the host if he would vote for Trump if he selected Haley as his vice president, Carlson stated that he would not support Trump’s bid for the presidency.
Carlson quickly responded: “I would not only not vote for that ticket, I would advocate against it as strongly as I could.”
“That’s just poison. I mean, here’s someone who’s actively opposed to the interests of the country I grew up in, who endorsed the BLM riots, and who is not left but is neoliberal in the darkest, most – speaking of nihilist – nihilistic way, and has no real popular support, is a creature of the oligarchs,” he continued. “So yeah, that would be– that would be reason to oppose the ticket.
Tucker says he would 'advocate against' Trump election if he picks Haley has his running mate. pic.twitter.com/u2EVgmHXb3
— USA Features Media (@UsaFeatures) December 19, 2023
Carlson’s response to the rumors of Trump considering him as his 2024 running mate was finally made last week. This comes in light of the recent report by Axios, stating that former First Lady Melania Trump was advocating for Carlson’s selection. Additionally, Trump himself expressed his openness to the idea during an appearance on the “Clay Travis and Buck Sexton” show.
“Here’s an interesting twist: Melania Trump is an advocate for picking Tucker Carlson, the booted Fox News star. She thinks Carlson would make a powerful onstage extension of her husband, a source close to Trump told us. The former first lady has made few campaign appearances this time around, but a Trump-Carlson ticket might encourage her to hit the trail,” Axios reported.
The outlet then added, “However, many people close to Trump have dismissed the idea of Tucker Carlson because they believe he would never choose someone who could surpass him. And Trump’s staff is convinced (correctly) that Carlson can’t be controlled. But the two men talk a lot.”
“I like Tucker a lot; I guess I would,” Trump told Travis and Sexton. “I think I’d say I would because he’s got great common sense. You know, when they say that you guys are conservative, or I’m conservative — it’s not that we’re conservative; we have common sense. We want to have safe borders. We want to have a wall because walls work.”
But Tucker wasn’t having it:
“Well, it’s just– it’s just so unimaginable,” Carlson told SiriusXM and former Fox News host Megyn Kelly on Monday. “I mean, I haven’t led a life that prepares a person for politics. As I said, I don’t think I have any like horrible skeletons or anything. It’s not that, it’s just that that’s not how my brain works. I’ve never done anything like that. I can’t imagine spending time with politicians.”
He continued: “I’m a total sucker for Trump. I think he’s – you know, personally, I get along with Trump really well. The closer I am physically to Trump, like if I’m with him in the room, I always love Trump and I think it’s impossible not to, and you know the experience. He’s just charming.”
“Yeah,” replied Kelly.
“And he’s funny as hell, and he’s brave in his way, I think. So I really appreciate that, and I agree fundamentally with his views,” Carlson continued. “You know, maybe fewer wars, maybe have a border, like those are not crazy things, and I support them, and I’m appalled and terrified by the use of the DOJ to rig an election, which is what’s happening now, so all those factors make me kind of psyched to vote for Trump.
“But serving in politics with anybody, I mean, that’s just– that’s a– it’s a lot for me to think about because I just don’t think I’m really suited for that. Would anyone want to see a guy like me run for office?” Carlson asked.
“Yes!” Kelly exclaimed before concluding, “You’re not gonna end your life without having been probably president, maybe vice president.”