Tensions flared between Senator Ted Cruz and conservative commentator Tucker Carlson during a fiery exchange over U.S. military involvement in the Middle East. The interview, part of a nearly two-hour segment, underscores a growing divide within Donald Trump’s political coalition as debate intensifies over potential American support for Israeli action against Iran.
In a clip released ahead of the full interview of Tucker Carlson with Ted Cruz, Carlson challenged Cruz’s grasp of Iran, a nation the senator has frequently urged the U.S. to confront militarily.
“How many people live in Iran, by the way?” Carlson asked. “I don’t know the population at all,” Cruz admitted. “You don’t know the population you seek to topple?” Carlson replied.
Cruz pushed back, asking, “Why is it relevant if it’s 90 million, or 80 million, or 100 million?” But Carlson continued to drill down, shifting the discussion to Iran’s ethnic and religious composition. “They are Persians, and predominantly Shia,” Cruz responded. Carlson interrupted: “You don’t know anything about Iran!”
The Ted Cruz interview grew more intense when the senator remarked, “We are carrying out military strikes today,” before later clarifying that he meant U.S. support for Israeli operations—not direct American involvement. “You just said ‘we’ were,” Carlson retorted. “This is high stakes. You’re a senator.”
Carlson’s full conversation with Cruz is expected to shed further light on the ideological fractures within the GOP, especially as the party struggles to unify its stance on foreign intervention. Many viewers are awaiting the broadcast to better understand where different Trump-aligned figures stand on escalating tensions with Iran.
Full interview of Tucker Carlson with Ted Cruz below
(0:00) Why Does Cruz Want Regime Change in Iran?
(6:28) Is the US Currently Acting in Its Own Best Interest?
(7:49) Was Regime Change in Syria Beneficial to the US?
(12:31) Was the Iraq War a Mistake?
(18:55) Why Aren’t US Politicians Focused on Fixing America’s Problems?
(27:02) How Much Money Is the US Sending to Israel?
(29:17) Does Cruz Think It’s Okay That Foreign Governments Spy on America?
(31:47) How Much Money Has Cruz Taken From AIPAC?
(38:22) To What Extent Is the US Government Influenced by Foreign Governments?
(49:12) Is the Israel of the Bible the Same as the Current Israeli Government?
(55:09) How Does Funding Israel Benefit the US?
(1:11:54) What Happens Next in Iran?
(1:13:42) What Really Is an Isolationist?
(1:19:53) Are There Iranian Assassins Trying to Kill Trump?
(1:30:18) Cruz Knows Nothing About Iran and Wants to Destroy It Anyway
(1:32:55) Trump’s Response to Tucker’s Position on Iran
(1:34:51) Cruz Refuses to Apologize for Supporting the Disastrous Ukraine/Russia War
(1:46:55) Why Does Cruz Think Zelensky Is a Hero?
(1:47:44) Why Did Cruz Support the Blowing up of Nord Stream?
(1:50:12) Is Russia an Enemy of the US?
(1:56:29) Is America the Moral Authority?
Senator Ted Cruz demands regime change in Iran. He’s not interested in the details.
(0:00) Why Does Cruz Want Regime Change in Iran?
(6:28) Is the US Currently Acting in Its Own Best Interest?
(7:49) Was Regime Change in Syria Beneficial to the US?
(12:31) Was the Iraq War a… pic.twitter.com/iIdENogQ2T— Tucker Carlson (@TuckerCarlson) June 18, 2025
What an odious little man with a huge impression of his importance – just like his hero – and his knowledge is typical of an APEK puppet,. HIs explanation of the start of the Military Operation is like a fairy tale with no mention of 2014 coup and the Nazi Ukrainian armies attacks on Donbas. In fact his ignorance and refusal to answer questions speaks volumes for those who claim to be advising Trump.
Iran building a bomb? He knows something that no one else knows, including Intel services? And it’s ok for our Israeli cohorts to assassinate scientists, attack an embassy outpost, or for Trump to do the same to a prominent Iranian General? ” And when Tucker said “I know you really didn’t mean it when you called me those names”, he was referring to Cruz’s college debating team tactics. Full of crap, only designed to distract the other debater.
Iran building a bomb? He knows something that no one else knows, including Intel services? And it’s ok for our Israeli cohorts to assassinate scientists, attack an embassy outpost, or for Trump to do the same to a prominent Iranian General?