Conservative commentator Ben Shapiro has criticized Senator JD Vance, calling the Ohio Republican "delusional" for his continued friendship with Tucker Carlson. Shapiro argued on his web show that Vance's close ties to the former Fox News host will pose a significant challenge to any future presidential aspirations.
Vance, during a press briefing last Thursday, defended his relationship with Carlson, stating he is not inclined to abandon friends over political disagreements. He reiterated this stance earlier in the week, calling Carlson a friend despite acknowledging they have differing views on various issues. Vance has stated he will not "play the game where I throw friends under the bus."
Shapiro, however, labeled Vance's approach as politically "inept." He predicted that the association with Carlson would inevitably surface and become a major talking point from now until the 2028 election, particularly if Vance harbors ambitions for higher office. "If JD Vance thinks that this is somehow going to not come up all the way from here until 2028, he's delusional," Shapiro said.
Shapiro raised concerns about Carlson's controversial remarks and associations since launching his independent web show in 2023. These include flirting with alternative World War II theories, consistent criticism of Israel, and hosting white supremacist Nick Fuentes. Shapiro suggested that some might view these associations not as mere political disagreements but as moral ones.
Shapiro emphasized that his concern is not about Vance and Carlson's personal friendship but about the political optics and Carlson's perceived value as a voice within the conservative movement. "I care if the VP thinks that Tucker Carlson is a valuable voice in the movement that I inhabit," Shapiro stated.
Carlson played a role in Vance's successful 2022 Senate campaign, endorsing him on-air and featuring him on his Fox News show starting in 2018. Vance, in turn, has defended Carlson, stating in December that the idea Carlson "has no place in the conservative movement" was "absurd."
Shapiro pointed to Vance's repeated defense of Carlson and questioned whether Vance would continue to view Carlson as a "vital voice." He suggested that these are the questions Vance will face leading up to the 2028 election, especially given Carlson's history of promoting what Shapiro termed "white nationalist talking points" and his interviews with "notorious antisemites and Nazi apologists."