Trump Claims Tucker Groveled to Him Over Escalating MAGA Iran Feud
The president called Tucker Carlson a ‘nice guy’ after blasting him as ‘kooky.’

Photo Illustration by Victoria Sunday/The Daily Beast/Getty Images
President Donald Trump attempted to downplay the growing MAGA civil war after Tucker Carlson’s interview with Senator Ted Cruz exposed the escalating rift between his supporters over Iran.
The president was speaking in the Oval Office when he was asked about the contention interview highlighting the MAGA world split on Wednesday.
Trump claimed Carlson, who has been critical of the administration’s handling of the conflict in the Middle East in recent days, called him to apologize.
“He called and apologized the other day because he thought he had said things that were a little bit too strong, and I appreciate that,” the president said.

President Donald Trump speaking in the Oval Office on June 18, 2025 said Tucker Carlson called him to apologize after being critical of the U.S. getting involved in the conflict between Iran and Israel.
Brendan Smialowski/AFP via Getty Images
Trump called the right-wing media personality a “nice guy” on Wednesday after he took a swipe at Carlson on Monday and slammed him “kooky” in a Truth Social post.
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The president argued that his supporters don’t want Iran to have a nuclear weapon and pushed back on criticism from allies who have warned against the U.S. getting involved in a conflict in the Middle East.
“I don’t think Tucker says it’s okay,” Trump said of Iran getting a nuclear weapon. “The problem is then they get themselves into a thing, they don’t want them to have nuclear, but then they say ‘well, we don’t want to fight.’”
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“You’re gonna have to make a choice because it’s possible that you’re gonna have to fight for them not to have nuclear,” he went on.
The president claimed he asked Carlson if he was okay with Iran possessing nuclear weapons and said the conservative political commentator “sort of didn’t like that.”
“I said ‘well, if it’s ok with you, then you and I do have a difference,’” the president said of their conversation. “But it’s really not okay with him. Therefore, you may have to fight and maybe it’ll end, and maybe it’ll end very quickly.”
While the president claimed Carlson called to grovel after pushing for the U.S. not to get involved in Iran, Carlson spent Wednesday raking Cruz over the coals on social media after releasing their explosive confrontation over Iran.
“Senator Ted Cruz demands regime change in Iran. He’s not interested in the details,” Carlson wrote on X.
As infighting over the war rocks MAGA world, Trump would not say on Wednesday whether the U.S. would strike Iran.
“I have ideas as to what to do, but I haven’t made a final [decision]. I like to make the final decision one second before it’s due because things change,” Trump said in the Oval Office.
The president also said Iran wants to meet and officials were even willing to come to the White House, which he signaled he was open to, but he repeated they should have made a deal.
While is MAGA allies clash on social media and the airwaves, Trump said Wednesday afternoon that he would be holding another meeting in the Situation Room or “War Room” shortly.
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