Tucker Carlson Urges Trump to Pursue Peace with Iran, Warns of ‘End of American Empire’
Conservative political commentator Tucker Carlson has issued a stark warning to former U.S. President Donald Trump, urging him to stay the course on diplomacy and avoid entangling the United States in another conflict in the Middle East.
Speaking on Steve Bannon’s War Room podcast, Carlson expressed grave concern over the rising tensions between Israel and Iran, warning that further U.S. involvement could not only weaken the country but also bring an abrupt end to Trump’s political future.
“I’m really afraid we’re watching the beginning of the end of the American empire,” Carlson said. “Other nations would like nothing more than to see the U.S. run aground on the shoals of Iran, and this situation presents the perfect opportunity for that to happen. If America gets pulled into another war in the Middle East, it could effectively end Trump’s presidency.”
Tensions in the region have escalated in recent days, with Israeli forces launching strikes on Iran. Trump, however, has made it clear that the United States has played no part in the military action between the two nations. Despite this, Carlson suggested that the risk of American involvement remains high and that it is incumbent upon Trump to resist pressure from what he termed “warmongers.”
“The divide isn’t between supporters of Israel or Iran,” Carlson noted in a recent post on X. “It’s between warmongers and peacemakers. And those calling for air strikes and direct U.S. engagement are clearly on the side of war.”
When pressed by Bannon about what he would personally say to Trump, Carlson was unequivocal. “I’d tell him he’s the only one who can bring peace. He has the political capital, the influence, and the instinct. Even if it takes a long time, he has to see it through.”
Carlson drew a sharp historical parallel with the presidency of George W. Bush, arguing that the Iraq War became the defining legacy of his administration—overshadowing all other domestic ambitions. “Bush had a whole agenda that was obliterated by the war,” Carlson said. “That war became the sum total of his presidency. That’s the lesson.”
Trump himself signaled on Monday that Iran may be open to negotiations, saying the regime wants to de-escalate. Still, he criticised Iran for not responding within the 60-day timeframe he previously proposed, warning its leaders that they should reach out “before it’s too late.”
Carlson’s comments are the latest in a growing chorus of voices urging restraint as the Middle East edges closer to open confrontation. For Carlson, the stakes are not just geopolitical—they are existential, both for America’s global position and for Trump’s political legacy.
