12 April 2023 , 20:08
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Fox News TV anchor Tucker Carlson has been slammed for a "humiliating" interview with Donald Trump just months after private WhatsApp texts were leaked revealing he "passionately hates" the former President.
Carlson sat down with Trump at his Florida Mar-a-Lago estate in the first interview since he was arraigned for charges over paying hush money to former porn star Stormy Daniels.
The hour-long interview was interlaced with Carlson enthusiastically praising Trump, at one point describing what he had to say as "moderate, sensible and wise".
The interview, which critics have slammed as propaganda, comes just a month after Carlson's private messages revealed what he really thinks about the former President.
The messages, sent in January 2021 to a colleague, came out as part of the defamation lawsuit by Dominion Voting Systems against Fox News.
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Tucker Carlson interviewed Trump at the latter's Mar-a-Lago's estate (Fox News)In them the Fox star described Trump as "a demonic force, a destroyer."
Another message read: "I hate him passionately."
But after this latest interview Carlson told viewers about Trump: "His understanding of world affairs is so much more nuanced and sophisticated and pro-American than the moronic neocons currently in charge. It was remarkable."
Trump mentioned the historic trip to North Korea, where he had met Kim Jong-un. Carlson was also there to report on the meeting.
It was the first interview with Trump since his arraignment (Fox News)In the interview Trump gets Carlson to say "Sorry" about his behaviour on the trip. Trump then says: "It had to be one of the most incredible experiences for you", to which Carlson replies "For sure".
The difference between what Carlson says publicly on his show and what he says in private has been slammed by critics.
“This interview is just an hour-long exercise in complete humiliation for Tucker,” tweeted Kat Abu.
Atlantic journalist Tom Nichols said: "Now, aside from the usual Trump nuttery, tonight's interview was a reminder that Tucker Carlson is a clumsy and awkward propagandist."
Carlson was one of the few journalists who travelled with Trump to North Korea (Fox News)Washington Post columnist Philip Bump slammed Carlson's interview technique, writing: "Tucker Carlson let Trump ramble for up to five minutes at a time, pushing back not at all."
During the interview Trump said the US' biggest problem was not foreign powers but from 'within'.
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He said: “Who's the biggest problem? Is it China? Could it be Russia? Could it be North Korea? No. The biggest problem is from within. It's these sick, radical people from within."
In another moment Trump claimed employees at the Manhattan courthouse “were crying” as he was arraigned last week.
The interview was interlaced with Carlson praising Trump (Fox News)Trump is facing a storm of court cases at the moment, including the much publicised Stormy Daniels case.
He has been charged over hush money payments made during the 2016 presidential campaign to bury claims of affairs which Trump denied ever happening.
Trump has admitted reimbursing his lawyer for paying off Daniels.
Carlson's private messaged emerged as part of Dominion Voting Systems court case against Fox News. The voting firm has accused the network of promoting false claims of vote rigging in the 2020 election that saw Donald Trump lose to Joe Biden.
In a text sent on January 4 just two days before Trump supporters stormed the Capitol building, Mr Carlson wrote: "We are very, very close to being able to ignore Trump most nights. I truly can't wait."
But in private he wrote: "That's the last four years. We're all pretending we've got a lot to show for it, because admitting what a disaster it's been is too tough to digest. But come on. There isn't really an upside to Trump."
Dominion argues that executives and hosts at Fox News knew the conspiracy claims were false but still aired them.