But Trump’s patience has limits, and he will eventually turn on Carlson, who it appears has turned on him, Rosenberg said on American Family Radio Tuesday.
While not personal friends, the two have been political allies.
Carlson was supportive of Trump’s agenda when Carlson worked as a Fox News host from 2016-2023, and Trump praised him after his firing from the network, calling him “terrific.” They reconnected in 2023, with Trump skipping a Fox debate to do an exclusive interview with Carlson, and Carlson later played a key role in advising Trump on selecting J.D. Vance as running mate.
But their relationship has fractured over foreign policy, particularly as it relates to Israel and Iran.
The most recent example is last week’s interview between Carlson and former Fox News colleague Mike Huckabee, now Trump’s ambassador to Israel.
The most explosive moment came when Carlson pressed Huckabee on Genesis 15, which promises Abraham’s descendants land stretching from the Nile to the Euphrates. When asked if Israel had a right to that territory — essentially most of the modern Middle East — Huckabee responded, “It would be fine if they took it all,” spreading his arms to emphasize the scope.
This statement sparked international condemnation, with Arab leaders accusing Huckabee of endorsing Israeli imperialism.
“Tucker has become an enemy. Tucker Carlson is attacking the president. He's attacking the president's policies. He's attacking the president's personnel, like Huckabee,” Rosenberg told show host Jenna Ellis.
They’re still bros
Yet Trump has not publicly condemned Carlson.
Carlson dominated the primetime slot averaging 3.3 million viewers over an eight-week window just before he was fired.
Now his reach is estimated at 14.3 million across various social media platforms. He’s listed among the Top 10 of U.S. news podcasts in the YouTube/Spotify rankings.
Carlson has accused Trump of abandoning “America First” by enabling Israeli strikes on Iran, calling him “complicit in the act of war.” Trump has retaliated, dubbing Carlson “kooky,” SelfRelianceCentral.com reports.
Despite these clashes, Carlson remains influential in Trump’s orbit, with recent White House lunches and ongoing access. Carlson visited the White House as recently as Monday according to AllIsraelNews.com.
“Something is going on inside of him, and he's decided to make himself an enemy of the president of the United States and all of his policies,” Rosenberg said.
It’s not just Carlson shouting against Trump. It’s the guests he interviews to join him in the shouting.
Recent guests have included Hosam Naoum, the Anglican Archbishop of Jerusalem, who has been described as a Hamas apologist; Nick Fuentes, a podcaster who has used his platform to promote the idea that “organized Newry” controls the U.S.; and Anthony Aguilar, former Gaza Humanitarian Foundation contractor, who claimed the IDF killed a 14-year-old boy—a claim later disproven when the boy was found alive.
“President Trump, to his credit, doesn't chuck friends overboard quickly. I mean, so he – so that's one thing.
“Secondly, it's clear that the president is not listening to Tucker on Iran policy. Tucker excoriated the president and said, absolutely, under no circumstances should you attack Iran last summer. This will cause 20,000 deaths of Americans. It will lead to a forever war. None of that was true, and the president didn't listen to Tucker, and Tucker was proven wrong,” Rosenberg said.
Trump also isn’t listening to Carlson’s pleas to end America’s relationship with Israel.
Tucker Carlson has criticized the Evangelical Christian base of Donald Trump by targeting their strong support for Israel, which he views as theologically misguided and politically harmful. He accuses evangelical leaders of abandoning core Christian teachings by providing "theological cover" for Israel’s military actions in Gaza, particularly the killing of civilians.
Limits to Trump’s patience
Carlson challenges Christian Zionism on theological grounds. He argues that many evangelicals misread the New Testament and are caught in a "great deception" that equates support for the Israeli government with faithfulness to Christianity, The Jerusalem Post reports.
“The good news is that President Trump does see Tucker as wrong and isn't listening to him,” Rosenberg said.
Eventually, Trump will break off contact with Carlson, Rosenberg predicts.
“I think we're going to watch the president turn against Tucker. Maybe it won't be verbal. Maybe it will be icing him out. But I think at some point he has to be verbal. He has to explain why is Tucker wrong.”
