Trump defends Carlson’s interview with white nationalist Nick Fuentes

Watch Trump defends Carlson’s interview with white nationalist Nick Fuentes - Straight Arrow News on Dailymotion

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00:00President Trump is defending conservative commentator Tucker Carlson's controversial interview

00:04with far-right activist Nick Fuentes, a white nationalist who often expresses anti-Semitic views.

00:12We've had some great interviews with Tucker Carlson, but you can't tell him who to interview.

00:17I mean, if he wants to interview Nick Fuentes, I don't know much about him,

00:21but if he wants to do it, get the word out. Let him, you know, people have to decide.

00:25Ultimately, people have to decide.

00:27It marks the president's first public comments on an interview that has been heavily criticized within his own party.

00:32Fuentes responded to Trump's comments by thanking him on social media.

00:36When Carlson hosted Fuentes on his podcast, both criticized U.S. support for Israel,

00:41with Fuentes using anti-Semitic tropes and calling himself a fan of former Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin.

00:47Fuentes and rapper Kanye West, now known as Ye, had dinner with Trump at Mar-a-Lago in 2022,

00:52drawing criticism from Republicans, including former Vice President Mike Pence.

00:58A reporter asked Trump about that dinner Sunday.

01:00I didn't know he was coming, and he was with, as you know, somebody, Kanye.

01:05And Kanye asked if he could have dinner, and he brought Nick.

01:08I didn't know Nick at the time.

01:10And he did.

01:12He came along with a few other people.

01:14He brought a few people with him.

01:18Meeting people, talking to people, like for somebody like Tucker, that's what they do.

01:23You know, people are controversial.

01:24Some are, some aren't.

01:26I'm not controversial, so I like it that way.

01:28Trump's comments follow turmoil at the Heritage Foundation,

01:31the conservative think tank behind Project 2025,

01:35after its president defended Carlson's sit-down with Fuentes.

01:38Heritage President Kevin Roberts has since walked back those remarks,

01:41as some staffers argued he should resign after describing those who criticized Carlson

01:46as a venomous coalition.

01:48Roberts later apologized for his, quote,

01:50terrible choice of words, end quote,

01:52while vowing to stay at the organization amid the fallout from his remarks.

01:55For more on this story, download the Straight Arrow News app or visit san.com.