Overview

• A 97-second clip of Tucker Carlson’s interview with Sen. Ted Cruz posted on X racked up more than 22 million views within hours.
• Carlson pressed Cruz on Iran’s population—about 90 million—and its ethnic composition, exposing the senator’s admitted gaps in basic country knowledge.
• Cruz briefly asserted “we are carrying out military strikes today” before clarifying the US role as merely “supporting” Israel’s bombing, contradicting White House denials.
• The confrontation has crystallized a broader divide within the MAGA movement between hawks pushing for regime change and isolationists warning against another Middle East war.
• President Trump has bolstered support for Israel with added military assets but remains noncommittal on direct US strikes, saying, “I may do it, I may not do it.”