Conservative podcaster Tucker Carlson said on Friday that President Donald Trump should be removed from office immediately if he were contemplating using nuclear weapons first, arguing that even considering such an option would disqualify a president from holding the role.

Carlson made the comments during a conversation with Joe Kent, the former director of the US National Counterterrorism Center who resigned earlier this year over opposition to the war with Iran.

A Nuclear “Red Line” For Carlson

Carlson said that if a president were actively weighing the first use of nuclear weapons, that would be an unacceptable threshold requiring immediate removal. He framed the issue as a decisive boundary, warning that contemplating a nuclear first strike would risk catastrophic consequences.

He also said that the same standard should apply regardless of where such a position came from, questioning why there would not be an attempt to remove a president if that kind of thinking were being considered.

Trump has not publicly said he is considering using a nuclear weapon first.

Earlier Opposition To Impeachment

Carlson noted that he strongly opposed efforts to impeach Trump during his first term. Against that backdrop, he asked why the situation would be treated differently if a president were weighing a nuclear first strike.

The remarks came as Carlson continued to raise concerns about how the administration is approaching Iran and about nuclear strategy work being developed at the Pentagon.

Earlier this month, Under Secretary of Defense for policy Elbridge Colby told a conference that officials are seeking to provide the president and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth with “credible, rational nuclear options”.

Kent Warns Of Limited Conventional Options

Kent, who resigned in connection with the Iran policy dispute, said he was worried about where the administration could turn if conventional military options do not produce the outcome Trump wants in Iran. He said it would be misguided to assume that a wider escalation could not occur in the current situation, particularly as the administration looks for a way out.

Carlson’s comments also reflect the broader policy differences between him and Trump in recent months. The two have clashed over their competing views on foreign policy, with Carlson a vocal opponent of the Iran war.

Trump and Carlson have had a strained relationship within the MAGA orbit in part because Carlson’s approach to international issues has diverged from the administration’s.

Trump’s Response To Carlson

Trump last week criticised Carlson on Truth Social, calling him a “loser” after Carlson met with Rep. Thomas Massie, a Republican from Kentucky, and former Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, a Republican from Georgia.

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30 August 2026

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More nut job nonsense.

Trump is not using nuclear weapons.

You can’t trust anything the lunatics of the left predict.

They’re all nuts. Watch!

Carlson, a leftie? That's ridiculous! 😃

Took Carlson long enough to wake up.

How long before the rest of the MAGA morons and far right extremists follow suit?

Even a blind squirrel finds a few nuts

17 hours ago, candide said:

Carlson, a leftie? That's ridiculous! 😃

Seems to be going that way.

He's certainly mad enough.

31 minutes ago, JonnyF said:

Seems to be going that way.

He's certainly mad enough.

Carlson and Greene are exactly the same RW creeps as before!

The only difference is that they now think that it's better for their own career to be against Trump, and play for their own hands. 😀

Edited 7 hours ago7 hr by candide