There was a time when Tucker Carlson at 7pm (central time) on Fox News was a must-watch in my house. Now he’s apologizing for supporting Donald Trump, and I’m trying to figure out what on earth happened.

Tucker’s Torment

Tucker talking about his regret for ever supporting Donald Trump isn’t a casual walk-back. He says he misled people, not intentionally, and he now has to live with regret for ever supporting Donald Trump.

TUCKER CARLSON: “I’ll be tormented for a long time by the fact that I played a role in getting Donald Trump elected. And I want to say that I’m sorry for misleading people.”

This is a very humble and honest statement. Big respect to Tucker. pic.twitter.com/dyMgrsRAP8

— Stew Peters (@realstewpeters) April 21, 2026

When Tucker Carlson “left” Fox News, it didn’t come with much warning. Fox never gave a real explanation. They didn’t have to, but that silence says more than any explanation would.

After parting ways with Fox, Tucker did what a lot of others did before him. He built his own platform. Megyn Kelly did it. Don Lemon did it. Joy Reid did it. Different politics, same move, I see a pattern.

And the political podcasters are not the only ones breaking with Donald Trump. Marjorie Taylor Greene and Thomas Massie have their own beefs with the President, too.

At this point, I feel like a broken record by continually talking about this.

This Isn’t Just Disagreement

We can point to policy disagreements. Israel. Iran. But that doesn’t really explain the sudden hard turn that seemed to come out of nowhere with these new-old influencers like Tucker and Megyn.

So what changed? Did Donald change, or did they?

The thing I think about Tucker Carlson and have always thought about him is that if your mom abandons your family when you are an adolescent boy, that’s gonna mess with your head. For that reason, I think he pokes the bear. I think there is comfort for him in being disliked.

— Sasha Stone (@realsashastone) November 7, 2025

At this point, I have to ask, has the podcast and pundit world turned into one big game of contradiction? Say one thing, then say the opposite, and call it growth while the audience argues about it?

Obviously, these aren’t random voices on the internet. These are people who helped share opinions, stood on the stage with Donald, praised his name, and helped steer the conversation.

And now you want to say you regret everything?

Tucker Throws Out The Implication

Tucker Carlson says he feels sorry for Donald Trump, describing him as “hemmed in” and unable to make his own decisions. That’s a serious claim there, Tucker. It suggests Trump isn’t actually in control.

During an interview with his brother Buckley Carlson – a Republican Party operative who previously wrote speeches for Trump – Carlson expressed regret for having publicly supported the president, who has repeatedly attacked him in recent months.

“You wrote speeches for him, I campaigned for him. I mean, we’re implicated in this, for sure,” said Carlson to his brother on The Tucker Carlson Show. “It’s not enough to say, ‘Well I changed my mind,’ or like, ‘Oh this is bad, I’m out.’ It’s like in very small ways, but in real ways, you and me and millions of people like us are the reason this is happening right now.”

“Yes,” Buckley replied.

The former Fox News host continued, “So I do think it’s like a moment to wrestle with our own consciences. You know, we’ll be tormented by it for a long time. I will be, and I want to say I’m sorry for misleading people, and it was not intentional. That’s all I’ll say.”

Trump has repeatedly lashed out at Carlson in recent months in response to his former ally becoming increasingly critical of the Trump administration – most notably its handling of the Epstein files and the president’s war against Iran.

This month, the president called Carlson “a Low IQ person,” “stupid,” and “highly overrated” in several Truth Social rants attacking him, as well as other former allies, including Megyn Kelly, Alex Jones, and Candace Owens.

Responding to Trump’s attacks this month, Carlson remarked, “I’ve always liked Trump and still feel sorry for him, as I do for all slaves… He’s hemmed in by other forces. He can’t make his own decisions. It’s awful to watch.” – Mediaite

Tucker says Trump can’t make his own decisions. He says it like it’s a fact. Like he has insight the rest of us aren’t privy to. Of course, he doesn’t show his work. He just puts it out there and suddenly the conversation isn’t about what Trump did, it’s about whether he’s even in control.

But Tucker also thinks Donald J. Trump is the Antichrist.

I don’t know what finally pushed Tucker Carlson to regret supporting Donald Trump. Maybe it’s Israel. Maybe it’s Iran. Maybe it’s all the gold decor in the White House.

He’s allowed to change his convictions. That’s part of being an American. But when the shift is this big and ugly, people are going to ask questions. Maybe that’s Tucker’s whole point, to sow doubt. It seems to be the popular thing to do these days with these people who sit around and pontificate into a microphone.

People aren’t wrong to ask why the sudden shift. These voices matter because people listen. And when you spend years telling people one thing and then turn around and apologize for it, don’t act surprised when people start asking questions.

When the message shifts like this, it creates confusion. And confusion isn’t bad for business. It keeps the audience engaged, keeps the conversation going, and keeps the podcast microphone front and center. It takes the focus off of Donald Trump and keeps the focus on the podcaster. Cha-ching!

Feature Image: Gage Skidmore, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons/edited in Canva Pro