Former Fox News host Tucker Carlson has drawn sharp criticism from prominent figures on the right after offering praise for Abdul El-Sayed, the Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate in Michigan, while harshly attacking his Republican opponent, former U.S. Representative Mike Rogers.
Tucker Carlson Sparks Backlash After Weighing In on Michigan Senate Race
During an episode of The Tucker Carlson Show, Carlson and guest Saagar Enjeti discussed the upcoming November election in Michigan. Speaking on the podcast, Carlson stated that he would not vote for Mike Rogers at gunpoint, describing the Republican nominee as a tool of Israel and intelligence agencies. Carlson added that there is no one who should be farther from a position of power than Rogers.
Enjeti characterized El-Sayed as a leftist who has adopted an America First campaign style, pointing to the Democrat’s criticism of foreign aid to Israel and his focus on domestic healthcare costs while standing in front of an American flag. Carlson agreed with the assessment, calling the campaign tactics literally Trumpian.
Both men expressed a belief that El-Sayed, a public health expert running to become the first Muslim elected to the U.S. Senate, could win the election in November.
Reactions From Conservatives and the Trump Administration
The commentary quickly circulated on social media, prompting strong pushback from high-profile conservatives and MAGA figures. Critics accused Carlson of effectively endorsing a Democratic candidate and criticized past positions held by Carlson and El-Sayed.
Among those responding was Vice President JD Vance, who addressed the clip during a White House press briefing when asked about Carlson’s criticisms of the administration. Vance stated that while he and Carlson are friends, he disagrees with his comments, calling El-Sayed a crazy person and stating a preference for having a non-crazy person like Rogers represent Michigan in the Senate.
Controversy Over Resurfaced 9/11 Audio
The Michigan Senate race also drew further attention after Carlson defended El-Sayed in his newsletter regarding resurfaced 2021 audio about the aftermath of the September 11 terrorist attacks. In the audio, El-Sayed stated that while 9/11 scarred the country, subsequent U.S. actions also scarred millions of other people and should be centered in the discussion.
Rogers called the remarks disqualifying and completely unfit for public office, telling The Mediaite outlet that an attitude minimizing the tragedy is unacceptable. Carlson defended the remarks, arguing that the U.S. military response in the Iraq and Afghanistan wars went far beyond the original attacks and that El-Sayed was correct in his assessment. Carlson reiterated his opposition to Rogers, telling readers to keep the Republican far away from Washington.
Primary Context and Campaign Dynamics
El-Sayed secured the Democratic nomination after prevailing in the primary over Representative Haley Stevens. According to AOL, El-Sayed won despite being outspent significantly, aided by millions of dollars in ad buys from the American Israel Public Affairs Committee.
Rogers, a former House Intelligence Committee chairman who previously lost a Senate race in 2024 to Democrat Elissa Slotkin, has maintained a strong pro-Israel platform. The race continues to draw intense national scrutiny as both parties prepare for the November showdown.