Tucker Carlson is an American broadcaster and former Fox News host. John Kiriakou describes him as “a great friend” of years’ standing, having appeared on Carlson’s Fox show roughly a dozen times before the two ever recorded a podcast together, and having had dinner at Carlson’s house the night before one such taping.[1] Kiriakou says Carlson told him in 2025 that the two now agree on close to 100% of issues — a shift Kiriakou attributes to Carlson becoming more libertarian over time.[2]
Lobbying Trump for a pardon
Kiriakou says that after appearing on Carlson’s Fox show roughly a dozen times — Carlson, he says, “loves when I criticize the agency” — the two became friends, and Carlson personally went to Trump on Kiriakou’s behalf to lobby for a pardon, telling him Trump had agreed to do it.[3] On the last day of Trump’s first term, Kiriakou says Carlson called him to report that Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell had killed the pardon: Trump’s original plan had been to pardon Julian Assange, Edward Snowden, and Kiriakou together, but McConnell told Carlson that pardoning Assange and Snowden would cost Trump control of the Republican Senate caucus, who would then vote to convict him on his pending impeachment charges — so Trump dropped all three pardons.[3]
Presidential ambitions Carlson denies
Kiriakou relays that Glenn Greenwald believes Carlson could win the presidency, and that Kiriakou himself has told Carlson he would support a run. But per Kiriakou, Carlson privately dismisses the idea whenever it comes up, brushing it off and saying flatly that he is not interested.[4]
Life in Maine
Kiriakou describes visiting Carlson at his home in rural Maine, where Carlson lives without security despite Kiriakou’s suggestion that he needs it. On one visit, Carlson was a half hour late to record a podcast with Kiriakou because he had been fly fishing — an avid, accomplished angler — and had a stand-off with a 1,000-pound moose on his way back to the car.[5]
Kiriakou’s assessment
Kiriakou calls Carlson “utterly fearless” and possibly the most brilliant, best-informed person he has ever encountered, adding that what audiences see on camera is genuinely who Carlson is: a nice, devout, family-oriented person who loves the country.[6]