Tucker Carlson believes Russian President Vladimir Putin has been the “most effective leader” of his lifetime.
The former Fox News anchor-turned-podcast host told Michael Knowles on “The Tucker Carlson Show” Wednesday that he cannot compute how people think the Russian president is more “evil” than former President Joe Biden.
“Why is he more evil than Biden? I can’t even conceptualize that,” he said. “If you think Joe Biden was a better leader or a better man than Vladimir Putin, I don’t even know what to say to you because that’s insane.”
He doubled down, adding that Putin’s constituents are “happier” and at least they like him, which made his guest audibly chuckle.
“By no measure did Joe Biden’s country the people he solemnly swore to help and defend did they thrive? No, they withered,” he said. “Putin, who’s been there for 25 years, his country’s improved. The people are happier. They like him actually.”
“The war’s been a little tough on Putin,” Michael Knowles replied. “I’d be curious about public opinion today this far into the war.”
“Actually it’s measured a lot,” Carlson said. “Look it up.”
Following Russia’s invasion into Ukraine, Putin has been accused of war crimes for the unlawful deportation and transfer of children. The German Chancellor Friedrich Merz called Putin “perhaps the most serious war criminal of our time” for his ongoing attacks on Ukraine in an interview Tuesday.
Carlson interviewed Putin in 2024 on the Tucker Carlson Network and Twitter. He was the first Western journalist to be granted the interview after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Carlson has promoted pro-Russian conspiracy theories and disinformation before and since the interview.
“I’m not moving to Russia, but Putin has been the most effective leader in my lifetime,” Carlson added.
Knowles did not blatantly disagree with the comment but clarified that he remains on the side of the United States whether Biden or anyone else is in charge of the country. Both Knowles and Carlson agreed that their values of patriotism outweigh their disdain for the person, specifically Democrat, that is running the country.
Watch the exchange here:
