 Tucker Carlson is an enigma. In some respects, he’s a fairly orthodox conservative. Carlson scapegoats immigrants for problems inherent to the very Western civilization he deifies. He’s against raising the minimum wage, and uses “socialist” as a slur — an unthinking retort in lieu of actual argumentation. On these points, there’s little daylight between Carlson and the Mitch McConnells of the world. At other times, however, Carlson breaks considerably from the preapproved talking points. On Russia-Ukraine, for example, he is well to the left of any mainstream pundit. Carlson states flatly that “Russia is not our enemy,” and has even said that America “should probably take [its] side.” From the beginning, he “totally opposed” Western sanctions — rightly noting that they’re both wrongheaded and largely ineffectual. In sum, while most other media were mere imperialist mouthpieces, Carlson joined the Global South in siding unabashedly with counterhegemony. Even on Israel-Palestine, Carlson has shown a unique willingness to breach taboos. While every other television talking head is little more than a mouthpiece for Tel Aviv, Carlson at least asks questions. During an interview with Piers Morgan, he challenged Israel’s supposed moral sanctity in refreshingly frank terms. “If you’re intentionally killing civilians, you probably shouldn’t beat your chest and brag about it… that’s evil… And I know it’s really threatening to Ben Shapiro to say that, or whatever. But… how is it right to kill women and children?” Now, don’t expect Carlson to don a keffiyeh any time soon. His moral clarity on Israel’s genocidal targeting of civilians, however, showed courage. It made him unique among a mainstream pundit class who nary stray from unnervingly deceitful and ceaselessly ignoble Mossad narratives. For his honesty, liberal media has christened Carlson with the title of antisemite — an honor scarcely bestowed upon conservative elites. Compare his nonconformity with the congressional Left’s recent form. Bernie Sanders, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, and company have become USAID’s most vociferous defenders following the Trump administration’s attempts to defund it. From its inception, USAID has been nothing but the false humanitarian face of neocolonialist exploitation. In Cuba, the agency funded alternative messaging apps and even astroturfed an anti-government music scene to foment a color revolution. The goal was to finally overthrow Fidel Castro and revert Cuba to the dark days of its former capitalist dictatorship. By siding with USAID, elected progressives are undermining the very values they claim to hold dear. Similarly, following a caustic meeting between Donald Trump, JD Vance, and Volodymyr Zelenskyy, they sided with the Ukrainian leader. But Zelenskyy is an unelected autocrat who murders journalists and persecutes minorities — an odd bedfellow for the “defend democracy” crowd. Zelenskyy also commands a Ukrainian army which includes neo-Nazi brigades that he’s done nothing to eliminate. Yet the biggest names on the American Left embrace him. Carlson, meanwhile, backs the socialist Russian federation tirelessly fighting Western hegemony. He also regularly and pointedly critiques NATO, which styles itself a defensive organization. This is despite the fact that its crowning achievement — bombing Yugoslavia — was patently offensive. Moreover, Carlson is the only mainstream pundit who acknowledges dedollarization, an historic economic push led by Russia and China. He has enough analytical wit — and integrity — to recognize the burgeoning multipolar order. This may be related to Carlson’s longtime friendship with Max Blumenthal, Leninst writer and documentarian. According to Ben Norton, editor in chief of the Geopolitical Economy Report, Carlson and Blumenthal regularly have dinner together. Surely, they at least occasionally bounce political ideas off of one another. Yet Carlson, contrary to what Glenn Greenwald claims, has not joined the Left. Carlson’s periodic condemnations of empire do not negate his xenophobia, conservative Christianity, or love of private enterprise. But the fact remains that, on key issues of foreign policy, Carlson is far preferable to the neoconservative/neoliberal establishment. Carlson is able to stake those positions unencumbered by the irreverent right-wing movement he helps lead. Undoubtedly, there are some orthodoxies he must oblige. They include American chauvinism, traditional morality, and disdain for liberal symbology. But colonizing Eastern Europe, or spilling endless Palestinian blood, are not among them. Carlson is free to express more reasonable takes on those topics. Ocasio-Cortez and Sanders aren’t so lucky. While both make some decent noises on Palestine, they’re beholden to the Democratic line of fighting until the last Ukrainian. On this critical matter, Ocasio-Cortez and Sanders are closer to “Mama Bear” Nancy Pelosi than leftists in the Global South. In the current political moment, Democrats are simply more imperial than Republicans. Look no further than the halls of Congress. Republican senator Mike Lee is openly calling for America to withdraw from NATO — an anti-communist, neo-colonial, and outdated military alliance. Meanwhile, the Democratic line is to unthinkingly defend the transitional security system in virtually all instances. Considering Democrats to be part of the leftist coalition is therefore foolish. But that doesn’t mean the coalition can’t expand considerably. While Democratic leadership is a lost cause, ordinary Americans are awakening. Though often lacking political consciousness, many at least have a sense that the foreign policy status quo is untenable. And that is an entry point for communists to start organizing for a better tomorrow. So stay optimistic, and don’t fall into national nihilism. American ignorance cannot persist forever — especially as the spoils of empire disintegrate before our very eyes. The audience with whom Carlson’s best takes resonate provide hope in these dark hours. So keep trying to build their consciousness and actualize the revolutionary potential that has always existed within America’s working class. Our time is coming. Author Youhanna Haddad is a North American Marxist of the Arab diaspora. Through his writing he seeks to combat the Western liberal dogmas that uphold racial capitalism. You can contact him at [email protected]. Archives March 2025
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