By: Fern Sidman

In a dramatic escalation of a growing ideological feud, Senator Ted Cruz openly accused former Fox News anchor Tucker Carlson of being “bat crap crazy” over his increasingly isolationist foreign policy views—particularly in the context of the escalating Israel-Iran conflict. As reported on Wednesday by VIN News, the Texas Republican previewed the fiery exchange on his Verdict with Ted Cruz podcast, describing a two-hour confrontation with Carlson as a “rough and tumble fight” that exposed deep rifts in the conservative movement.

According to the information provided in the VIN News report, the episode—which was slated to air Wednesday at 1 p.m.—centers around Carlson’s rejection of traditional pro-Israel positions and his fervent opposition to U.S. involvement in the Middle East. Cruz, a staunch ally of both Israel and President Donald Trump, said he was taken aback by Carlson’s aggressive tone. “I knew he was coming in hot,” Cruz said. “I did not intend to get combative. But it started off with haymakers. And it only got rougher.”

While Cruz noted areas of agreement with Carlson on key domestic issues—such as opposition to COVID-19 lockdowns, vaccine mandates, and censorship—he made it clear that their alignment ends at the water’s edge. As the VIN News emphasized, Cruz painted a stark picture of a once-aligned media powerhouse veering into what he views as dangerous territory.

“Suddenly he’s a hardcore isolationist,” Cruz said, claiming that Carlson has adopted a worldview that not only challenges Republican foreign policy orthodoxy but also undermines U.S. national security. In particular, Cruz was incensed by Carlson’s contention that the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) wields undue influence over U.S. foreign policy and should be registered as a foreign agent.

“He blasts what he calls the ‘AIPAC lobby,’ claiming it dominates everything and should register as a foreign agent,” Cruz recounted. “It was just unhinged.” As VIN News reported, Carlson’s growing criticism of pro-Israel lobbying groups has drawn praise from some on the far left and libertarian right—but it has also sparked fierce condemnation from mainstream conservatives and the broader Jewish community.

The most contentious moment, according to the report at VIN News, came when Carlson dismissed Cruz’s concerns over Iranian assassination plots targeting President Trump. “I pointed out that Iran is actively trying to murder Donald J. Trump. And he said, ‘That’s not true,’” Cruz said. “But it is true—the DOJ has indicted Iranian hitmen.”

Indeed, as VIN News previously reported, the U.S. Department of Justice has issued formal charges against members of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), accusing them of plotting to kill Trump and former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in retaliation for the 2020 drone strike that eliminated IRGC Quds Force commander Qassem Soleimani.

Carlson, long known for his contrarian views, has publicly criticized the U.S. response to the Iran-Israel war and warned that American military involvement risks drawing the country into another catastrophic conflict. He has accused the Trump administration—and now Trump himself—of capitulating to foreign policy hawks and pro-Israel interests, a position Cruz described as deeply misguided.

“Tucker has gone off the rails,” Cruz declared, as cited by VIN News. “He’s now in this place where he sees America as a perpetual aggressor, and he’s willing to ignore real threats from regimes like Iran because he’s obsessed with blaming AIPAC and Trump.”

The confrontation marks a defining moment in the unraveling of what was once a unified populist-nationalist right-wing front. Carlson, who helped elevate Trumpism with nightly monologues excoriating the political establishment, now finds himself at odds with the very coalition he helped build. As the VIN News report pointed out, the interview with Cruz is likely to be seen as a proxy battle over the soul of the Republican movement—between those who believe in a robust, interventionist defense of U.S. allies such as Israel, and those advocating for a return to strict non-interventionism.

Cruz made no effort to hide his disdain for what he sees as Carlson’s descent into fringe rhetoric. “Look, we all value debate,” Cruz said. “But this wasn’t a debate. This was a meltdown. And it’s sad, because I know Tucker’s smart. But smart people can still be dead wrong.”

The VIN News report noted that the Cruz-Carlson clash reflects broader tensions within the GOP as it grapples with foreign policy in the age of renewed global conflict. With war raging in Eastern Europe, threats from Iran escalating, and Israel under constant missile fire, the question of how America should project power abroad is once again dividing conservatives.

As Wednesday’s full interview is aired, political observers are bracing for what VIN News predicts will be a watershed moment in right-wing discourse. Will Carlson’s anti-interventionist platform gain traction among MAGA voters, or will Cruz’s defense of traditional alliances and hawkish deterrence reassert itself as the dominant narrative?

One thing is certain, as was indicated in the VIN News report. This battle between two of the right’s most recognizable voices is far from over—and the stakes for the Republican Party, U.S. foreign policy, and the future of conservative media could not be higher.