Tucker Carlson's identity crisis: Is he on a spiritual path toward Islam?

What in the world is going on with Tucker Carlson?  

The influential podcaster calls himself a Christian, but recently he’s spent an inordinate amount of time not only criticizing Bible-believing Christians (more on that in a moment) but also leaning into Islam and defending tenants of its faith. 

To be clear: Carlson has not converted to Islam. There’s no evidence of that. But what’s undeniable is the shift in tone, emphasis, and worldview. And it’s raising a legitimate question: where exactly is Tucker Carlson headed? 

Start with comments he made after U.S. President Donald Trump’s controversial Easter message about Iran, where he sarcastically ended his message, “Praise be to Allah.” Carlson’s first instinct was to come to Iran’s defense. “So obviously you’re mocking the religion of Iran...No president should mock Islam or any religion…” 

Then, after President Trump posted an AI image that appeared to depict himself as Jesus, Carlson went up on social media with a statement that lacked full context. “The people in charge don't want you to know this, but Muslims love Jesus. Islam reveres Him as a major prophet and messenger of the Lord, believes He performed miracles, and states that He will return to Earth to defeat the Antichrist.” 

“That's why Donald Trump's painting depicting himself as the Son of God offended the president of Iran. It was an attack on his religion as well as Christianity.” 

So, Carlson is using his platform to let everyone know that the president of Iran is offended. Well, isn’t that swell?

But even worse, Carlson left out key context when he cited a Muslim’s view of Jesus. He failed to mention that Christians are heavily persecuted in many parts of the Muslim world because of their faith in Jesus. 

Carlson hasn’t stopped there. He routinely offers praise for aspects of Islamic societies in comparison to the West. “If you actually look at how some Islamic societies function, there’s a level of coherence and social stability that the West has lost… We’re not as advanced as we think we are.” 

Honestly, the situation is turning into a full-blown identity crisis. Even people who know him well are sounding the alarm. U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee – who goes back decades with Carlson – didn’t hold back when asked about this by ALL ISRAEL NEWS. 

“I’ve known Tucker since the early 90's when he worked in Little Rock for the newspaper there.  I worked with him for 6 1/2 years in New York at Fox. The person I see now, I don’t recognize. I don’t hate or despise him as some might think. I genuinely feel for him and hope he finds peace within himself. His lashing out at Jews is deeply disturbing and even more, his lashing out at President Trump and the conservative movement. It’s hard to tell whose side he’s on. But as his rhetoric and rants have become darker and more delusional, his influence is fading and he has marginalized himself to the fringes of society. That actually makes me sad. He’s smarter than that and better than that, but has chosen to dive into an underground culture that lives off the grid of common sense.” 

Conservative filmmaker, author and commentator Dinesh D’Souza put it bluntly when contacted by ALL ISRAEL NEWS: “I think Tucker began with a deep-seated hostility toward Jews and Israel, and his pro-Islamic stance grew out of that.” 

It’s become so strange that the so-called “Bible-believing” Carlson has taken direct aim at Franklin Graham and Huckabee – two pillars of evangelical leadership – accusing them of distorting Christianity, particularly on issues related to Israel. Let’s also not forget the comments he’s made about how Evangelical Zionists have a “brain virus.”   

Trump’s former campaign spokeswoman, Liz Harrington, told ALL ISRAEL NEWS that it’s time for Tucker to do some bible study. “The word of God is so consistent,” she said. “Israel is where He put His name, where He is coming again, and His resting place forever (Psalms 132). If Tucker would read the Bible, he would see clearly – God has a special plan for Israel and God’s people that is still being fulfilled.” 

Meanwhile, on the flip side of this equation, Carlson’s videos are widely played on Iranian State TV as he lavishes praise on Islamic societies, and it should be noted that he recently purchased a home in Doha, Qatar. 

Jake Novak, former media director at the Israeli Consulate in New York and current WABC Radio Host, told ALL ISRAEL NEWS that he notices something about this new version of Carlson. 

“The reason why I think Carlson is starting to sound increasingly like a Muslim is that it’s very clear he’s being fed his content by Muslim sources,” Novak said. “Either from Qatar or maybe even directly from Iran or perhaps some kind of Muslim organization here in the United States that’s not connected to any particular country.” 

“As a longtime producer for television news, it becomes obvious sometimes when a television host starts finding a new influence and start to parrot their talking points.” 

We simply don’t know the full story as to why Tucker Carlson is sliding toward a more favorable view of Islam. Maybe time will tell. 

There’s no doubt that we’re seeing a deeper ideological shift from him and a growing disillusionment with Western institutions, including the Church. It’s leading him to explore alternative frameworks. He sure is attracted to Muslim societies. Makes you wonder what comes next.