Tucker Carlson Slams 'Incompetent' Trump For War in Iran — After Prez Labeled Conservative Commentator a 'Low IQ Person'

Tucker Carlson called President Trump incompetent on Megyn Kelly's show Thursday, arguing the decision to go to war with Iran reveals a dangerous lack of judgment rather than calculated evil.

"I can imagine other leaders who are both malicious and competent," Carlson said. "Trump is incompetent." He contrasted the president with California Governor Gavin Newsom, whom he described as "far more malicious than Trump" and "far less transparent," insisting Trump's shortcomings at least prevent worse outcomes.

The former Fox News host, once a fierce Trump ally who campaigned for him and wrote speeches, now says he will be "tormented for a long time" over his role in Trump's return to power. Speaking to his brother Buckley on The Tucker Carlson Show last month, Carlson admitted, "You and I and everyone else who supported him... we're implicated in this for sure," and apologized for "misleading people."

Trump responded as expected. On April 17 he posted on Truth Social that Carlson is a "Low IQ person – Always easy to beat, and highly overrated," lumping in Megyn Kelly for good measure. In a separate call, Trump raged that Carlson had "lost his way," declared he is "not MAGA," and told ABC's Jonathan Karl that the commentator is "really not smart enough to understand" America First priorities.

Carlson urged Americans to "minimize the losses," "strengthen the country to the extent we can," and search for common ground instead of "ping-pong from one bad idea to another bad idea." Viewer reactions split along predictable lines: some called Trump "a murderer who facilitated a genocide," others accused Carlson of chasing power.

The public break between two men who once defined the populist right raises an uncomfortable question: if even Tucker Carlson now believes supporting Trump helped unleash an incompetent war, how many others inside the original coalition are quietly reaching the same conclusion?

Original reporting: RadarOnline.com.