Tucker Carlson admits he was wrong about Ukraine after weeks of supporting Russia

Tucker Carlson changed his tone on Tucker Carlson Tonight Thursday regarding Russia’s unprompted invasion of Ukraine. In the weeks leading up to the invasion, Carlson repeatedly supported Russia, and defended Russian President Vladimir Putin. Carslon had said that the United States should side with Russia, and even said he was rooting for them in the conflict. Carlson was apparently surprised by the Russian aggression that began over a week ago.

“This situation appears to become more chaotic by the day, possibly even spinning out of control and that, we must be honest, is shocking to us,” Carlson said. “We've been taken by surprise by the whole thing. We’re not the only ones who were, but we’re willing to admit it. The only thing more embarrassing than being wrong in your estimates is pretending that you weren’t.”

Carlson declined to admit he was wrong in the days since Russia began targeting Ukrainian civilians, and may have been prompted to do so because on Thursday Russian forces began to attack a Ukrainian nuclear power plant, the largest in Europe. But rather than take responsibility for his misguided praise of Putin and Russia, Carlson found a scapegoat: The Biden administration.

“If the future of Europe and the world hung in the balance, as now so obviously it does, of course, the Biden administration would not have sent Kamala Harris to fix it,” Carlson said, later adding, “That is absolutely not Kamala Harris’s job. That was our assumption. But, as noted, we were wrong.”

Video Transcript

TUCKER CARLSON: We've been taken by surprise by the whole thing. We're not the only ones who were, but we're willing to admit it. The only thing more embarrassing than being wrong in your estimates is pretending that you weren't.

- On "Tucker Carlson Tonight" Thursday, Carlson finally admitted that he was wrong about the Russian invasion of Ukraine. This comes after weeks of the popular Fox News opinion host supporting Russia and defending Russian President Vladimir Putin.

TUCKER CARLSON: Has Putin ever called me a racist? Has he threatened to get me fired for disagreeing with him?

I think we should finally take the side of Russia if we have to choose between Russia and Ukraine. That is my view.

- But--

TUCKER CARLSON: --Ukraine and Russia. And I'm serious.

- I'll tell you why.

TUCKER CARLSON: And why shouldn't I root for Russia, which I am?

- Carlson declined to admit he was wrong, despite days of the Russian military targeting Ukrainian civilians. He only made the admission after Russia began attacking a nuclear power plant, the largest in all of Europe. But Carlson had a scapegoat.

TUCKER CARLSON: Why didn't we see this coming, this total loss of control? Well, because we assumed that if things were dire, serious people would be involved in fixing them. But we looked up and we saw Kamala Harris involved, and that reassured us.

- Carlson went on to blame the Biden administration rather than taking responsibility for his misguided defense of Putin and Russia.

TUCKER CARLSON: If the future of Europe and the world hung in the balance, as now so obviously it does, of course the Biden administration would not have sent Kamala Harris to fix it.

That is absolutely not Kamala Harris' job. That was our assumption. But as noted, we were wrong.