During his initial post-Fox News interview, Tucker Carlson expressed his affection for Donald Trump, despite previously expressing intense dislike for the former president.

Carlson’s departure from the network in April surprised those familiar with the media industry.

While his controversial comments on the January 6, 2021 Capitol attack and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine alienated many, the network has struggled to replicate the high ratings Carlson achieved with his brand of populism.

In a conversation with Russell Brand, Carlson asserted that Trump’s emergence over the next decade will be the most significant event in American politics in a century because he reshaped the Republican Party against the wishes of its leaders.

Furthermore, the anchor supported Trump’s stance on Ukraine, highlighting that Trump is the only influential figure within the Republican Party questioning the rationale behind supporting an ongoing war in Ukraine.

"What you have to accept is Tucker Carlson was out of step with the cadence of ordinary mainstream rhetoric. That's why I predict he'll find himself in an independent news space now, perhaps with more power than ever…"

NOW @TuckerCarlson is with me today for his WORLD FIRST… pic.twitter.com/BTWqk3d7bs

— Russell Brand (@rustyrockets) July 7, 2023

However, Carlson’s recent remarks contradict text messages he wrote during the discovery process of a lawsuit filed by Dominion Voting Systems. In those messages, he made derogatory comments about management and expressed concerns about Trump’s potential to destroy things.

Just two nights prior to the Capitol attack, Carlson expressed eagerness to minimize his coverage of Trump, stating that he was close to being able to ignore him on most nights.

Nevertheless, in his recent statements, Carlson expressed a desire for Trump, along with Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on the Democratic side, to succeed in their respective primaries. He emphasized the importance of allowing them to be heard since they both advocate for populist ideas.

Carlson acknowledged his past mistake of prematurely calling elections and stated that he feels more comfortable focusing on discussing ideas rather than predicting outcomes.