Will Tucker Carlson run for President? Podcaster speaks candidly about succeeding Trump with political analyst Ana Kasparian

American commentator and podcast host Tucker Carlson recently addressed growing speculation about his potential presidential run. During the July 25, 2025, episode of The Tucker Carlson Show, political analyst Ana Kasparian referenced a recent speech by Carlson and asked him:

"Can I ask you something real quick? So, I heard that speech and by the time I finished listening to it, I thought to myself, he’s going to run for president. That was a presidential speech."

In response to Kasparian’s question, Carlson clarified that even though his speech may have sounded like a “presidential speech,” he had no plans to run for president.

"That’s literally the last thing on my mind. Like I would never do that…. I mean, unless I was… told by a higher power or something, but no," he said.

The podcaster explained that he valued the happiness and balance he had built in his life, from being the eldest male in a large family to his love for his dogs. As a result, “political ambition of any kind” had never been part of his goals. He said he had “even less” interest now than ever before.

He also noted that, having observed the realities of the presidency up close, he couldn’t imagine willingly stepping into that role. He further added that the notion of being the most qualified person in a country of “350 million people” felt inherently flawed to him.

When Kasparian mentioned Senator Ted Cruz's remarks that he could be the most qualified to lead, Carlson responded:

"Well, exactly. And it’s just sad. And they’re compensating for something. Some of them, I guess… (but) I am not compensating for anything. So, I have no interest (in running for president)."

The speech in question was delivered by Carlson on July 11, 2025, in Tampa, Florida, at the Turning Point USA Student Action Summit. During his speech, he criticized the Trump administration and the broader conservative establishment from a right-wing perspective.

---

Tucker Carlson slams the Trump administration’s handling of Jeffrey Epstein files at Tampa summit

During his 45-minute speech at the Turning Point USA Student Action Summit, Carlson spent much of his time criticizing what he believed was the Trump administration’s failure to give clear answers about Epstein’s high-level connections and ongoing influence.

Tucker Carlson criticized Donald Trump’s handling of the Jeffrey Epstein case, pointing it out as one of the main issues causing rifts between the MAGA base and the president’s administration. Carlson’s comments came amid growing frustration from Trump’s right-wing allies over a broken campaign promise.

While running for office, Trump promised to release the so-called “Epstein files”—a collection of documents related to criminal investigations into Jeffrey Epstein, the convicted child s*x offender who died by hanging in 2019. However, since returning to the office, Trump has not followed through, causing backlash within the MAGA movement.

Earlier in July 2025, the US Justice Department also announced it would not release additional documents related to Epstein, citing potential harm to victims and stating there was no “client list.” That decision widened the divide among conservatives, with many criticizing the Trump administration's perceived hypocrisy.

Carlson analyzed the deeper frustration within the conservative grassroots, asserting that the lack of accountability in the Epstein case had increased distrust toward the political elite.

"You are trying to make me shut up because I am a ‘bigot,’ like the liberals did seven months ago, and that is why we voted them out… I’m not putting up with it. I voted against it and I will not tolerate it," Carlson declared during his speech (According to The Daily Beast).

Tucker Carlson also explained why he thinks the Epstein controversy continues to resonate with the MAGA base as a symbol of systemic injustice.

"It’s the frustration of normal people watching a certain class of people getting away with everything, every single time."

According to The Guardian, although Carlson didn’t directly attack Trump by name, he emphasized that he had previously supported him. He asserted that he "love[d] [Trump] personally" and had campaigned "with and for the president." Still, he said that the White House’s dismissive attitude toward Epstein mirrored the very elitism it once opposed.

"And I think that’s really at the heart of why the Epstein thing is so distressing… the fact that the U.S. government, the one that I voted for, refused to take my question seriously, and instead said: ‘Case closed; shut up, conspiracy theorist,’ was too much for me. And I don’t think the rest of us should be satisfied with that," Tucker Carlson added.

Carlson further argued that rejecting blind loyalty doesn’t make someone unpatriotic, but confirms their role in a democracy. According to him, it isn’t “hateful” to criticize the government. He also pointed out that Americans are “not slaves,” but free people entitled to ask tough questions.

---

Tucker Carlson hosted the nightly political talk show Tucker Carlson Tonight on Fox News from 2016 to 2023. Now, he continues to shape conservative discourse through The Tucker Carlson Show on YouTube.

Edited by Shreya Das