The White House has hit back at Tucker Carlson after his prime-time interview on Israel’s Channel 13, where he accused President Donald Trump of weakness and blamed Benjamin Netanyahu for dragging the U.S. into a war with Iran. In a statement sent to Channel 1
The clash landed in prime time—then spilled straight into the White House.
After Tucker Carlson appeared on Israel’s Channel 13 for a prime-time interview. the White House sent a sharp response to the network. describing him as “a low-IQ person who spreads fake news for cheap publicity.” The rebuke echoed the kind of language President Donald Trump had already used to describe the podcaster.
The White House statement also focused on Trump’s Iran policy. saying: “Long before he was elected. President Trump has been consistent in his belief that Iran can never be allowed to possess a nuclear weapon. Israel has always been a great ally to the United States. especially through Operations Midnight Hammer and Epic Fury that obliterated Iran’s nuclear facilities and destroyed their defense industrial base. President Trump took bold. decisive action to protect the American people — something presidents have talked about for 47 years. but only this president has had the courage to address.”.
Carlson’s comments on Channel 13 formed the backdrop for the blast. In the interview, Carlson—appearing with journalist Udi Segal—said Netanyahu “pushed the U.S. president… into a war that hurts the United States.” He also alleged Trump “caved to the pressure” of Netanyahu and pro-Israel donors.
The exchange turned tense as Segal pressed Carlson on Iran, Gaza, and Israel’s military campaign. When Segal described Iran as a “terror regime. ” Carlson replied. “I don’t believe Donald Trump. ” then told Segal Israelis should “pause before using the phrase ‘terror regime’ since you live in a country that just murdered thousands of children in Gaza.”.
Segal then asked whether Carlson believed Israel was committing genocide. Carlson avoided the term but pointed to “ethnic cleansing,” adding to Segal that he seemed “more upset by how I describe the murder of children than you are at the murder of children.”
During the interview, estimates referenced during the discussion put the Gaza death toll—“including combatants”—at about 70,000 since Israel’s post-October 7 military operations began.
The White House’s new message did not come out of nowhere. Trump had already called Carlson “low IQ” in a phone call with the New York Post.
In Trump’s account, “Tucker’s a low-IQ person [who] has absolutely no idea what’s going on. He calls me all the time; I don’t respond to his calls. I don’t deal with him. I like dealing with smart people. not fools. .” Trump also told media he prefers “smart people. not fools. ” framing the relationship as a break with Carlson.
Trump also criticized right-wing opponents of the Iran war on social media, writing: “They’re stupid people, they know it, their families know it and everyone else knows it, too.”
A senior White House official separately dismissed Carlson’s comments, saying they had not watched his remarks and questioning why anyone would bother viewing his monologue.
Carlson’s own record shows how volatile the relationship has been. In an April 10 newsletter, he claimed Israel would go so far as to blackmail Trump to ensure the “bloodshed” in Iran continued.
In the months that followed, Carlson and other podcasters clashed with Trump over the war, with Carlson calling it an “absolutely evil and disgusting” violation of Trump’s pledge to avoid new foreign wars.
His criticism did not stay confined to live interviews. In April, Carlson expressed regret about supporting Trump on “The Tucker Carlson Show,” saying he would “be tormented by it for a long time” and apologizing for “misleading” people.
“I do think it’s like a moment to wrestle with our own consciences,” Carlson said, describing the role of his and others’ support for Trump.
The current standoff sits inside a larger disagreement over how the U.S. and Israel landed at the decision to strike Iran. The New York Times reported that Netanyahu and Israeli officials convinced Trump during a February 11 White House meeting that military action was necessary. It also said several U.S. cabinet officials—including Vice President J.D. Vance—described the reasoning for striking Iran as “farcical” and expressed skepticism about Israel’s regime-change strategy.
Carlson had been one of Trump’s most prominent media allies during the 2024 campaign, but began criticizing the administration’s foreign policy as early as June 2025. After a brief reconciliation, the feud escalated again following joint U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran in February.
Now, that escalating rupture has returned to the surface—this time with the White House using a direct, personal insult after a high-profile interview on Channel 13.
Tucker Carlson White House Donald Trump Benjamin Netanyahu Iran war Israel Channel 13 Udi Segal Gaza ethnic cleansing low IQ
Low IQ? wow. They really talk like that now.
I didn’t even know he was on some Israeli channel, but this whole “fake news for cheap publicity” thing sounds like projection. Like everyone’s doing the same exact thing, just different sides saying it. Also why are they going on about nukes like it’s 2010? lol
Wait so the White House is saying Operation Midnight Hammer and Epic Fury obliterated Iran’s nuclear facilities… but I thought that stuff was just rumors/tv show names? If those actually happened then sure, Trump was “decisive,” but I’m skeptical. And Tucker saying “pause” sounds like he’s trying to dodge the question, not answer it.
This is just name-calling. “Low-IQ” is such a toddler response. Meanwhile the interview part got weird when he said “I don’t believe Donald Trump” like… bro which one is it? And I keep seeing different clips where he blames Netanyahu for everything like he personally pushed the button. People acting like it’s all one guy’s fault, it’s never that simple.