Reporter calls out Tucker Carlson for ‘word for word’ Russian propaganda

‘It’s almost word for word what Vladimir Putin has said’

Fox News host Tucker Carlson has been accused of using his platform on the network to push pro-Russia talking points.

The allegation came from ABC News' chief Washington correspondent Jonathan Karl during an interview with MSNBC.

Karl said Carlson's talking points were indistinguishable from Kremlin propaganda.

“What is sort of inexplicable here is that what is being said is almost a plagiarism of Vladimir Putin,” Karl said. "It's almost word for word what Vladimir Putin ... has said in making the argument to justify what's happening in Ukraine."

Carlson's defence of Russia started before the invasion. At that time Carlson argued that Mr Putin never personally wronged him – and by proxy his enormous audience of Fox News viewers – so why should he oppose Mr Putin's actions. He said that Mr Putin had never called him a "racist."

He also tried to undermine any moral argument for defending Ukraine by claiming it was "not a democracy" and filled with oligarchs. Carlson failed to mention the number of oligarchs living in the US and Russia.

Carlson is taking a non-intervention stance, which has included blaming the war on the US. While there are many Americans who oppose direct military conflict with Russia they also recognise that the Russian invasion is unjustifiable.

The Independent has reached out to Fox News and Tucker Carlson for comment.