Tucker Carlson is making it very clear that party loyalty will not dictate where he stands in Michigan’s heated Senate race.
The conservative media heavyweight has unloaded on Republican nominee Mike Rogers while repeatedly finding common ground with Democratic candidate Abdul El-Sayed, particularly when it comes to American foreign policy.
During a conversation with Breaking Points co-host Saagar Enjeti, Carlson left little ambiguity about Rogers.
“I wouldn’t vote for Mike Rogers at gunpoint,” Carlson said, later describing the former House Intelligence Committee chairman as a “tool of Israel and the intelligence agencies.”
The conversation took an even more unusual turn when Enjeti discussed El-Sayed’s campaign messaging, particularly his opposition to sending American money overseas while pushing domestic priorities. Carlson called that approach “literally Trumpian.”
The political collision grew sharper around the 25th anniversary of September 11.
Rogers called El-Sayed’s previous comments about America failing to “center” the millions impacted by the wars following 9/11 disqualifying for public office. Carlson went firmly in the other direction.
In his newsletter, Carlson defended El-Sayed’s argument and blasted the George W. Bush administration’s post-9/11 wars, writing that the U.S. “slaughtered enough civilians to account for dozens and dozens of 9/11s.”
Vice President JD Vance has drawn his own line. Vance publicly called El-Sayed “crazy” and has described him as “evil,” while maintaining his support for Rogers. Still, Vance made clear his political disagreement with Carlson would not end their friendship.
The fight is exposing a widening argument inside conservative politics over what “America First” actually means. Carlson’s rejection of Rogers places opposition to foreign intervention and traditional Washington foreign policy ahead of Republican Party allegiance, creating one of the more unexpected ideological crossovers of the 2026 midterm cycle.