Tucker Carlson has expressed concerns about potential federal investigations after engaging in conversations with individuals in Iran, alleging that his private messages have been scrutinized by U.S. intelligence.
In a video shared on X, the former Fox News host claimed the CIA is gearing up to submit a criminal referral to the Justice Department, accusing him of being an agent for a foreign power. Carlson strongly denied these assertions.
“The CIA is preparing some kind of criminal referral against me, a crime report to the Department of Justice on the basis of a supposed crime I committed,” he stated in the video.
These allegations are linked to his conversations with certain individuals in Iran prior to heightened tensions in the region.
He described the alleged offense as merely “talking to people in Iran before the war.”
“They read my texts,” he claimed.
WATCH:
When you discover the CIA has been reading your texts in order to frame you for a crime. pic.twitter.com/XgoluHw8EG
— Tucker Carlson (@TuckerCarlson) March 14, 2026
Carlson elaborated that investigators are examining whether his actions breached federal statutes concerning foreign influence.
“The crime under consideration would be the foreign agent act or something like that, acting as an agent of a foreign power,” he elaborated, seemingly referencing the Foreign Agents Registration Act.
Carlson maintains that the accusation lacks merit and does not anticipate any serious repercussions.
“I don’t expect this to go anywhere,” he added.
The commentator insisted he has never served any foreign government. He declared he is “not an agent of a foreign power” and stands firmly loyal to the United States, asserting he has “never taken money from anybody.”
Carlson hinted that this investigation may connect to his critical stance on U.S. policies toward Israel.
He claimed some CIA officials were displeased with his opinions on Israel and American foreign policy.
This discussion arises as Carlson and President Donald Trump have reportedly experienced rifts over foreign policy matters, particularly regarding the Israeli and Iranian conflicts.
Recently, Trump separated himself from Carlson, stating, “Tucker has lost his way. He’s not MAGA,” during an interview with ABC News.
Carlson has been vocal about what he perceives as excessive U.S. support for Israel amidst the ongoing conflict with Palestinian factions.
“Is it ‘America First’ to take money from a foreign lobby so you’ll send taxpayer dollars to that country? Even the question kind of answers itself, obviously it isn’t. That’s not an attack on Israel; it’s certainly not antisemitism, despite the efforts of many to claim that it is. It’s just an obvious statement,” he articulated during a Turning Point conference in December.
No concrete evidence has been provided indicating that the CIA or Justice Department has initiated a criminal investigation against Carlson, and independent verification of the claims remains unachievable.
Newsweek reached out to both the Justice Department and the CIA for their comments but did not receive a reply outside of standard business hours.
