During the Russia-friendly presidency of Donald Trump, Carlson emerged as a favourite voice on Kremlin-run television, which regularly rebroadcast his comments dismissing allegations that Moscow had intervened in the US presidential election.
More recently, Carlson has echoed some Kremlin talking points on president Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine, which he has described as “a regime-change war” led by the US against Russia.
He has also given credence to evidence-free Russian justifications for the invasion, such as claims that the US set up biological weapons research labs in Ukraine. Carlson has also accused the White House of involvement in blowing up the Nord Stream gas pipeline last year.
Those statements have found a welcome audience on Russian television, which has enthusiastically replayed them on its news programmes and the bellicose political talk shows that fill the country’s airwaves.
It’s real enough.
Oh I know, that’s why nothing would be surprising here. Not even finding out he would be paid for it.