Tucker Carlson’s appearance at the White House on Friday didn’t take long to ripple across the political world.
Photos released by his own Tucker Carlson Network showed the former Fox News star relaxed and smiling inside the Oval Office, chatting comfortably with Donald Trump and even exchanging words with Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles was also present, adding to the sense that this wasn’t a casual hallway encounter but a sit-down of some significance.
Within hours, however, the images were being met with outrage — and not just from Trump’s usual critics.
ADL Draws a Red Line
The Anti-Defamation League reacted swiftly and sharply.
The nonprofit organization, which focuses on combating antisemitism, condemned Carlson’s visit outright, saying he should not be welcomed anywhere near the White House.
In a pointed post on X, the ADL accused Carlson of repeatedly amplifying antisemitic narratives over the years, framing the meeting as part of a troubling pattern rather than an isolated moment.
The rebuke landed amid growing anxiety over antisemitism inside the MAGA movement — a tension that has been simmering and occasionally boiling over for months.
Old Grievances, New Flashpoints
Carlson’s critics within conservative circles didn’t need much encouragement.
His past decision to host far-right provocateur Nick Fuentes remains a sore point, especially among pro-Israel conservatives.
Fox News personality Mark Levin has been one of Carlson’s loudest internal opponents, previously labeling him a “Nazi promoter” for giving Fuentes airtime.
The White House meeting only added fuel.
While Levin himself stayed quiet about the visit, others couldn’t resist stirring the pot.
Megyn Kelly Adds Fuel With a Wink
Podcaster and former Fox News host Megyn Kelly took a lighter — and more pointed — approach.
She joked online that Carlson’s White House access would probably “give Mark Levin an aneurysm,” a comment that underscored just how personal and fractured these disputes have become.
Kelly has acknowledged that her tensions with Levin go back to their Fox News days.
More recently, she’s criticized him for going after other MAGA-aligned figures at a time when the movement appears increasingly divided.
Foreign Policy Drives a Deeper Wedge
Beyond personalities, ideology is also driving the feud.
Levin has positioned himself as a leading voice pushing for tougher U.S. military action abroad, particularly against Iran.
That stance puts him squarely at odds with anti-interventionists like Carlson, who argue that endless foreign entanglements run counter to voter sentiment.
Levin has warned repeatedly that Iran must not be allowed to develop nuclear weapons or advanced missile capabilities, language that reflects a hawkish worldview Carlson openly rejects.
Personal Attacks Spill Into Public View
The conflict has grown increasingly personal. Levin has lashed out at Carlson over remarks about Steve Witkoff, Trump’s special envoy to the Middle East, at one point calling Carlson a “schmuck” and accusing him of twisting words in bad faith.
While insisting he supports free speech, Levin made it clear he has little patience left for his former ally.
Carlson, for his part, has shown no interest in backing down.
Kelly Stands by Carlson in Public
While some conservatives try to push Carlson out of the movement, Kelly has done the opposite.
She appeared alongside him at a live taping of her podcast in New York last November, introducing him enthusiastically and declaring that he had returned “bigger than ever.”
When an audience member questioned Carlson about hosting Nick Fuentes, he defended the decision by pointing to Fuentes’ influence among young men, rather than endorsing his views.
Kelly echoed that logic, noting Fuentes’ massive following on the video platform Rumble.
A Broader MAGA Crackdown From Shapiro
Not everyone was persuaded. At Turning Point USA’s AmericaFest conference in December, conservative commentator Ben Shapiro publicly called out Carlson for giving Fuentes a platform, using blistering language and urging accountability.
He didn’t stop there, lumping Kelly, Candace Owens, and Steve Bannon into a broader critique, accusing them of opportunism and bad faith.
Carlson, speaking later at the same event, fired back by mocking Shapiro as “pompous” and warning against ideological purity tests that resemble the tactics conservatives claim to oppose.
Trump Tries to Walk the Middle Line
Despite the escalating rhetoric, Trump himself has largely avoided taking sides.
In a recent interview with the New York Times, he said extremists like Fuentes don’t belong in the movement, stressing that “we don’t need them.”
He also pointed to his own family, noting that his daughter Ivanka converted to Judaism and that he is proud of his Jewish grandchildren.
Still, when pressed about Fuentes directly, Trump said he didn’t know him and downplayed their 2022 dinner at Mar-a-Lago.
Activists Keep the Pressure On
ADL CEO Jonathan Greenblatt has continued to criticize Trump’s past interactions with Fuentes, calling figures like Carlson and Candace Owens “disgusting” while praising Levin and Shapiro for pushing back against antisemitism.
Other watchdog groups have gone further.
StopAntisemitism named Carlson its Antisemite of the Year last year, following Owens receiving the same designation in 2024.
The movement’s internal disputes have also intersected with controversy surrounding the assassination of Charlie Kirk, with Owens accused of spreading conspiratorial claims about Israel — accusations Shapiro condemned publicly and forcefully.
A Movement at War With Itself
Carlson’s White House visit may have lasted only a short time, but its impact has been anything but small.
It has reopened old wounds, hardened rival camps, and underscored just how fragmented the MAGA coalition has become.
As questions swirl about who truly speaks for the movement — and who should be shown the door — the White House has yet to offer further details about Carlson’s meeting.
For now, the civil war continues, unresolved and very much in the open.
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