Why Tucker Carlson Now Regrets His Years of Trump Support and Public Apology

Tucker Carlson has publicly apologized for his long-standing support of Donald Trump, acknowledging that he misled millions of viewers during his time on Fox News.

“It’s not enough to say ‘I changed my mind’ or ‘this is bad, I’m out,’” Carlson said on his podcast The Tucker Carlson Show on April 21, 2025. “I want to say I’m sorry for misleading people.”

Carlson admitted that he will “be tormented for a long time” for promoting Trump’s presidential campaign, despite later claiming his support “was not intentional.” His podcast episode featured his brother Buckley, whose show notes state he wrote speeches for Trump in 2015 and “can fully understand how painful the current betrayal is.”

Tucker Carlson: I’ll be tormented for a long time by the fact that I played a role in getting Donald Trump elected. We’re implicated in this. I misled people.

Carlson’s apology comes after years of amplifying Trump’s rhetoric on his Fox News show, which at its peak drew over 5 million nightly viewers in the lead-up to the 2020 election. During that period, he consistently spread unsubstantiated claims, including allegations of “meaningful voter fraud” in Georgia following the 2020 election.

Carlson also promoted racist and anti-immigrant narratives, such as endorsing the “great replacement” conspiracy theory—a debunked claim suggesting nonwhite immigrants are brought to the U.S. to replace white voters and weaken the GOP.

His breaking point, he said, was Trump’s recent actions, including an online tirade on Truth Social where he posted a series of religious-themed messages. Carlson condemned the posts as making “a mockery of Christianity.”

Carlson’s shift in stance intensified after Trump launched verbal attacks against Pope Leo XIV, who had criticized the U.S.’s role in the Iran War. On his April 15, 2025, show, Carlson publicly condemned Trump, asking, “Could this be the antichrist? Well, who knows? At least that’s my conclusion.”

Is Tucker Carlson’s Apology Genuine or a Calculated Move?

Carlson’s sudden remorse is part of a broader trend among conservative commentators who now claim they were misled by Trump. Figures like Marjorie Taylor Greene, Candace Owens, Alex Jones, and Megyn Kelly have also distanced themselves from Trump, citing his recent behavior as a turning point.

However, critics argue that these commentators are not driven by principle but by self-interest. With Trump’s MAGA base showing signs of fragmentation, these right-wing figures may be seizing an opportunity to rebrand and appeal to a shifting audience.

“These fake outrage artists are even using Trump’s playbook to do it,” the article notes. “Call it the latest iteration of the art of the deal.”