By Wonderwall.com Editors
1:00pm PST, Feb 14, 2024
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Former Fox News host Tucker Carlson and Russia's President Vladimir Putin sat down together at the Kremlin in Moscow for a wildly controversial interview that took place on Feb. 6, 2024, and was released on Carlson's personal website and through his X social media account on Feb. 8.
But it was hardly a hard-hitting Q&A: Carlson was widely criticized for failing to press the Russian leader as they discussed topics from the country's invasion of Ukraine — even as Putin repeated false claims that his country didn't attack Ukraine — to the deaths of hundreds of thousands of people to the imprisonment of opposition leader Alexei Navalny and Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, who's been jailed in Russian on espionage charges since last year. They also spoke about U.S. presidents including Joe Biden, the CIA, tech entrepreneur Elon Musk and more.
The interview marked the first time the Russian leader has sat down with a Western journalist since launching a war on Ukraine in 2022.
Keep reading to see how bold-faced names have been reacting…
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According to Carlson in a video he posted on X addressing why he did the interview, "Americans have a right to know all they can about a war they are implicated in." He claimed that "most Americans are not informed" but that "they should know because they are paying for it in ways they might not yet fully perceive." Carlson also branded U.S. media interviews with Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky "fawning pep sessions," alleging, "That is not journalism, that is government propaganda."
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"Well, it shows me what I think we've all known: He's what's called a 'useful idiot,'" Hillary Clinton told Alex Wagner on MSNBC shortly before Tucker Carlson's Vladimir Putin interview debuted in America. "I mean, if you actually read translations of what's being said on Russian media, they make fun of him. I mean, he's like a puppy dog. After having been fired from so many outlets in the United States, I would not be surprised if he emerges with a contract with a Russian outlet."
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"Having this bitter hag hate you is like a seal of approval. Tucker Carlson is scaring all the right vermin." –James Woods reacted on X to Hillary Clinton's comments about Tucker Carlson interviewing Vladimir Putin
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"Watching @TuckerCarlson unalive-stare-down-low-blood-sugar-plus-possible-constipation across from Putin for 22 min straight as Putin shares a rambling Russian retelling of Aesop's Fables feels like I'm watching all of Clint Eastwood's close ups from every movie he's ever filmed. This is mesmerizing. Tucker you might need botox on your glabellar lines after this." –Dane Cook, on X
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"The Tucker interview with Putin is terrifying because I'm trying to imagine Joe Biden outwitting Putin on any single topic and honestly I can't. Not one! Biden can't remember when his son died or when he was VP and Putin is reciting ninth century history off the cuff!!!" –Donald Trump Jr., on X
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"Tucker Carlson still doesn't have a job. He's in Moscow," Jimmy Kimmel said on his late night show before the sit-down debuted. "House-hunting, I hope."
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"I've no problem with Tucker doing the interview. I'd do one with Putin myself if he hadn't banned me from entering Russia…" –Piers Morgan, on X
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"Tucker was looking at Putin like when your dog looks at you while you're having sex." –Bill Maher, on X
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"Tucker Carlson interviews Putin and I unpicked the very PREDICTABLE response from the legacy media. You might wonder, what reason could they possibly have for NOT wanting you to hear THAT conversation?" Russell Brand wrote on X before the interview aired, further writing, "So, we agree right? It's OK that Tucker Carlson conducts this interview with Putin and it's OK that we decide for ourselves whether we agree with its contents."
He also posted this poll:
"Who's the REAL traitor? A Joe Biden for continuing to fund the Ukraine war B Tucker Carlson for potentially interviewing Putin in Russia:
A 87.9%
B 12.1%"
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"I see that Russia's anti-war election candidate has been barred by Putin. Well, at least he wasn't poisoned. I hope Tucker Carlson congratulates Putin on this" –John Cleese, on X
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"Former Fox news host Tucker Carlson tonight released his interview with Russian President Vladimir Putin where he asked him all the tough questions, like, 'Do you like me?' and 'OK, but do you think you could like me?'" –Seth Meyers joked on his late night show
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"Putin droned on for two hours and seven minutes while Tucker sat there like an eager puppy occasionally but rarely he got in a question… But more telling than what Tucker asked is what he didn't ask. Nothing about why Putin invaded a sovereign country. Nothing about targeting civilians. Nothing about Russian war crimes. A reporter can ask Putin a tough question — if he wants a real interview. … But apparently that's not why Tucker went to Moscow. During the Cold War, gullible Westerners who spread Soviet propaganda were dismissed as useful idiots. But calling Tucker that is unfair — to useful idiots. No, he's made a cynical decision to chase MAGA's affection for dictators and what better way to cash in than Putin's Kremlin." —Chris Wallace
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"Over 150,000,000 views since yesterday? Tucker is bigger than all the news outlets combined times 50. WOW! MSM has been rendered obsolete." —John Rich on X
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"When Tucker Carlson went to the Kremlin, he had a function well known to history: He was to be the stooge of the tyrant, the dictaphone to the dictator and a traitor to journalism.
In his fawning, guffawing, slack-jawed happiness at having a 'scoop,' he betrayed his viewers and listeners around the world.
He didn't ask tough questions.
He didn't ask Putin why even now he is using the most brutal means of modern warfare to maim and murder innocent Ukrainian civilians.
He didn't take him to task for the torture, the rapes, the blowing up of kindergartens — all of it wholly unnecessary and unprovoked.
Not once did he even try to dam the flow of lies from Putin." –former U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson, beginning a lengthy opinion piece about the Tucker Carlson-Vladimir Putin interview for DailyMail.com
