Former Fox News host Tucker Carlson slammed two Republican senators over their social media posts appearing to call for the United States to attack Iran in retaliation for a drone strike that killed three U.S. troops in Jordan.
U.S. President Joe Biden announced on Sunday that a drone strike had killed three U.S. military personnel and wounded 34 others who were stationed in northeastern Jordan near the Syrian border. The president blamed Iran-backed militant groups for the deadly blast. Officials said that the attack had been launched from Syria on Saturday night.
In response to news of the attack, Senator Lindsey Graham and Senator John Cornyn both posted on X, formerly Twitter, calling on the U.S. to act.
Graham, a South Carolina Republican, wrote on X: “Hit Iran now. Hit them hard.”
While sharing a CNN article on the news of the drone strike, Cornyn, a Texas Republican, posted on X: “Target Tehran.”
Carlson appeared to disagree with the idea of retaliating against Iran on X where he shared an image of the posts by Graham and Cornyn and referred to the senators as “f****** lunatics.”
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Newsweek reached out via email on Sunday night to representatives for Carlson and Graham for comment.
A spokesperson for Cornyn responded to Newsweek‘s request for comment by sending a “follow-up tweet from the senator.”
In the post, Cornyn responded to an X user who was questioning if he suggested that the U.S. “bomb Iran.” The Texas Republican responded, “No. IRGC and Quds Force terrorist facilitators.”
Carlson, who hosts Tucker on X, has previously criticized Republican lawmakers who pushed for the U.S. to go to war with Iran amid mounting conflict in the region.
The attack of U.S. troops in Jordan, a Middle Eastern ally of the U.S., comes as the Israel-Hamas war has caused tensions to escalate across the region in the months following Hamas’ surprise attack on Israel in October 2023.
On October 7, 2023, Hamas led the deadliest Palestinian militant attack on Israel in history, resulting in the Middle Eastern nation to launch its heaviest-ever airstrikes and ground offensive on Gaza, home to more than 2 million Palestinians. Israeli officials have said that roughly 1,200 people in Israel were killed and some 250 hostages were taken in Hamas’ attack, according to the Associated Press. As of Sunday, more than 26,000 Palestinians have been killed, officials from the health ministry in Gaza said.
Carlson has previously spoken out against the U.S. potentially heading into war with Iran.
Just a few weeks after Hamas’ surprise attack on Israel, Carlson lashed out at Republicans, saying that they weren’t doing enough to fight against the Biden administration, which he accused of “pushing” for the country to head into a war with Iran.
“We seem to be heading to war with Iran, certainly the Biden administration is pushing us in that direction,” Carlson said. “What’s new and interesting and ominous is that very few Republicans, the opposition party, are pushing back. Instead, those party leaders are encouraging it.”
The conflict in the Middle East has grown increasingly precarious for the U.S. and its forces stationed in the region. Biden’s administration has continued to support Israel throughout the war. In response, Iran-backed groups have targeted U.S. troops. Since mid-November, the Iran-aligned Houthi militants in Yemen have launched drones and missiles at vessels in the Red Sea. The U.S. has responded by carrying out a series of strikes against Houthi targets.
Uncommon Knowledge
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Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
David Turner is a globe-trotting journalist who brings a global perspective to our readers. With a commitment to shedding light on international events, he explores complex geopolitical issues, offering a nuanced view of the world’s most pressing challenges.
