Tucker Carlson speaks on July 18, 2024 during the final day of the Republican National Convention at the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Photo: Jasper Colt-USA TODAY via Reuters Connect

Imagine if you came to work and told your boss that you were mauled by a demon in the middle of night. You’d probably be ordered to get a psych evaluation or fired.

But Tucker Carlson, with a serious face, said he was mauled by a demon in the middle of the night in 2024. When you have millions of dollars and charisma, you can get away with these things. What he can’t get away with is tricking people who are not stupid.

In 2023, Carlson verbally attacked Daily Wire co-founder and Orthodox Jew Ben Shapiro for extensive coverage of the Hamas Oct. 7 attacks in many episodes of his podcast on the Daily Wire. Tucker also accused Shapiro of not caring about America, while speaking to Saagar Enjeti. Of course, Carlson didn’t mention this when speaking to Megyn Kelly recently. He told her that Shapiro is not evil (why would he use the word evil at all?)

Carlson told Kelly he isn’t an expert on anything and wouldn’t claim expertise. But he then went after Shapiro, telling Kelly that Shapiro should stop lying and saying we’re going to defeat the Houthis, and that the whole point was to drag America into a war with Iran. Carlson said he knew a lot about that topic.

So Tucker’s not an expert, or is he? Confusing, isn’t it? Is Carlson aware that the Houthis say not only “Death to Israel” but also “Death to America?” Is he aware the attacks of the Houthis have caused economic damage for the whole world that ships products, including America? If Israel’s goal was war with Iran, why didn’t it respond extensively when Iran launched 200 missiles into Israel in October of 2024? Israel showed far greater restraint than any other country would.

Would America and the world have been safer had Israel not taken out Iraq’s nuclear facility in 1981?

Would America and the world have been safer if Israel had not taken out Syria’s nuclear facility? I once interviewed former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, who told me he could not take the risk of inaction in September of 2007.

Carlson insanely told Kelly that he knows Shapiro wants regime change in Iran and should lay out the points of how that could be achieved, ostensibly through some attacks. I’m sure Carlson knows one should not publicly outline specific strategy — and he also knows that Shapiro is not a government official or military or policy expert. And what is Carlson’s strategy for Iran? Apparently, he knows a lot about the topic.

So, to sum up Carlson’s zeitgeist:  I can insult you, but don’t insult me. I can demand you tell me your strategy when I have none of my own. I can say the most famous Jewish podcaster is trying to drag America into a war — the kind of argument that has resulted in the deaths of so many Jews throughout history.

Iran is a global threat to the entire world community — and if it gets nuclear weapons, it could set off a nuclear arms race in the region. This is the world’s problem, as President Trump has acknowledged repeatedly. Deterrence works — as can the threat of force. It’s not tough logic to follow, even for Carlson, who is not an expert, by his own words. His trick of blaming Israel will work against people who are uninformed, because Carlson has the gift of gab. But I hope it will not fool most Americans.

Carlson has been criticized for his coverage of Russia, and I won’t use that to attack him here. But Carlson could be very American and call for the release of hostage Edan Alexander of New Jersey at the very least. Alexander’s life is more important than a Russian bakery or the fact that their train stations are nicer than the ones in New York City.

The author is a writer based in New York.