Tucker Carlson away from the Republicans…a third party without competing with Trump | policy

American conservative journalist Tucker Carlson announced his intention to help establish a third political party, after his decision to leave the Republican Party following his disagreement with President Donald Trump over the war on Iran, stressing at the same time that he does not intend to engage in politics or compete with Trump for power.

The New York Times reported that Carlson, who was considered one of Trump’s most prominent media allies during the presidential elections, said in an interview with the Columbia Journalism Review that he “will devote his efforts to contributing to building a new party,” considering that the United States of America needs “an honest attempt to find out what benefits the country.”

Carlson’s statements come at a time when the American political arena is witnessing turmoil within the two major parties, as the Republican Party faces divisions due to Trump’s management of the war on Iran, while the Democratic Party is witnessing the rise of the progressive wing amid increasing disagreements regarding the position on Israel and its war on the Gaza Strip, according to the New York Times.

The need for a political alternative

Although the establishment of a third party in the United States has historically faced great challenges due to the nature of the electoral system and the dominance of the Republican and Democratic parties, Carlson believes that voters now lack a real political alternative, considering that the two parties do not present a fundamental difference on issues such as wars and financial policies.

He said that the current situation makes the country look like a “one-party state pretending to be a democracy,” adding that this reality “must change,” and that he will do everything in his power to achieve this, according to the New York Times.

Speaking about the directions on which the new party might be based, Carlson indicated that he supports stopping immigration completely, considering that immigration leads to high unemployment rates, a proposition that conflicts with the opinions of many economists who do not see a direct relationship between the two matters, as the newspaper explained.

Carlson said: “I am not a politician, I am not a competitor to Trump for power, and I have no authority at all,” explaining that his relationship with the president extends for many years, but he has not spoken to him since the outbreak of the war on Iran, and he added: “I am not interested in talking to him.”

No competition for power

On the other hand, Carlson stressed that his political project does not aim to compete with Trump or replace him, denying the speculation that has circulated in recent months about his possible candidacy for the presidency after his criticism of the president escalated.

He said, “I am not a politician, I am not a competitor to Trump for power, and I have no authority at all,” explaining that his relationship with the president extends for many years, but he has not spoken to him since the outbreak of the war on Iran, and he added: “I am not interested in talking to him.”

According to the New York Times, the rift between the two men came after Carlson considered that the United States’ entry into the war on Iran represented a departure from one of Trump’s most important electoral promises, which was to avoid involvement in foreign wars, which prompted him to announce his departure from the Republican Party after more than three decades, during which he said he remained its defender.

The newspaper believes that Carlson’s announcement of combining the call to establish a third party and the assertion that he will not compete with Trump reflects an attempt to separate his opposition to the president’s policies and his desire to reshape the conservative movement, without seeking personal leadership or engaging in a direct confrontation with the president, who was once his closest ally.