Tucker Carlson Apologizes for Supporting Trump: ‘A Moment to Wrestle With Our Consciences’

Former Fox News host Tucker Carlson has expressed regret over his support for Donald Trump, stating he will be “tormented by it for a long time” and apologizing for misleading people about the former president.

In a video released on Monday, April 21, 2026, Carlson said on “The Tucker Carlson Show” that he and others who supported Trump are “implicated in this for sure,” referring to the ongoing consequences of Trump’s presidency, particularly the U.S. Involvement in the war in Iran.

Carlson described the moment as one to “wrestle with our own consciences,” emphasizing that simply changing his mind or walking away was insufficient given the real-world impact of their past actions.

He stated, “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. It was not intentional,” adding that his support for Trump was not done with the intent to deceive.

Carlson’s remarks came during a conversation with his brother, Buckley Carlson, who served as a speechwriter for Trump in 2015. Buckley Carlson was present during the recording of the episode, which aired on April 20, 2026.

The former Fox News host acknowledged his role in helping secure Trump’s political rise, noting that he had campaigned for the president and appeared at a campaign event just five days before the 2024 election.

Despite once calling Trump “the single most repulsive person on the planet” in 1999, Carlson later became one of his most prominent media supporters, helping to legitimize his candidacy in 2016 and again in 2024.

Carlson’s break with Trump has intensified over the administration’s handling of the war in Iran, which he has described as “absolutely disgusting and evil” and criticized Trump’s rhetoric on the conflict as “vile on every level.”

The White House responded to Carlson’s comments by referencing an April 9, 2026, post on Truth Social in which Trump accused Carlson and other former allies — including Megyn Kelly, Candace Owens, and Alex Jones — of having “low IQs” and being “stupid people.”

Carlson’s apology reflects a growing division among conservative figures who once backed Trump but have since distanced themselves due to policy disagreements, particularly regarding foreign interventions and the direction of the Republican Party.