Former Fox News host Tucker Carlson faced immediate criticism after saying in a recent clipped segment of The Tucker Carlson Show that Hamas “seems more like a political organization.” The remark, made during a conversation with Shahed Ghoreishi and circulated online, prompted sharp rebukes from social media users and some Republican figures.
The exchange was posted in a clip by Mediate; the full context of the conversation is unclear because the segment appears to have been edited from the show’s YouTube upload. The Daily Mail reported it reached out to the program for clarification. Texas Sen. Ted Cruz responded on X, saying, “What the hell is happening to Tucker? He’s turning into Ilhan Omar,” a reference to the progressive congresswoman who has been critical of Israel and has been portrayed by some critics as sympathetic to Palestinian causes.
The comments revived debate over Carlson’s stance on the Israel-Palestine conflict and produced comparisons by some users to members of the so-called "Squad," a group of liberal House members. Other social media commentators described Carlson’s remarks as errant or inflammatory.
Hamas is designated a terrorist organization by the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, the European Union, Israel and several other countries. The group carried out a cross-border attack on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, that Israeli authorities and multiple independent counts say killed about 1,200 people and resulted in hundreds of hostages being taken; Israeli officials say dozens of hostages remain in Gaza.
Carlson has previously broken with some conservative colleagues over the Israel-Gaza conflict. In June, he criticized Rep. Randy Fine after Fine suggested in a Fox News interview that Gaza should be “nuked” to secure unconditional surrender. Carlson called Fine’s comments “evil” on his podcast with journalist Glenn Greenwald and said they prompted him to question whether he could remain aligned with the Republican Party.
Fine, a Trump-backed candidate, won a primary with heavy support cited from the former president; Trump had tweeted his endorsement during the contest. Carlson said at the time he was so taken aback by Fine’s remarks that he initially believed the comments could not have come from a real member of Congress and texted a congressional contact to confirm Fine’s status.
The latest remarks add to a pattern of commentary by Carlson that has occasionally put him at odds with mainstream conservative figures and with U.S. policy designations concerning militant groups. The clip’s removal from the show’s YouTube upload left questions about the remarks’ full context, and the program has not publicly released an unedited version as of this publication.
Reactions on social media ranged from scorn to concern, and some commentators compared Carlson’s statement to the positions of politicians who have criticized Israel’s conduct. The debate reflects continuing divisions within U.S. political discourse over how to characterize Hamas and how to respond to the ongoing humanitarian and security crisis in Gaza and Israel.