“Can’t wait to see the media meltdown”: Tucker Carlson allegedly spotted in Moscow sparks rumors of a potential interview with Vladimir Putin

Former Fox News host Tucker Carlson was reportedly spotted in Moscow, sparking speculation about the reason for his visit. Russian news outlet Mash reported that Carlson landed in Russia on Thursday, February 1, and shared a couple of pictures of Tucker at the airport and at the Bolshoi Theater.

Along with the arrival of Carlson in Moscow came speculation on whether he was there to interview Russian President Vladimir Putin. The former Fox host had previously mentioned that he wanted to interview the Russian leader.

Carlson's reported sightings in Moscow have prompted a very mixed bag of reactions online, with some saying that Carlson was a Russian mouthpiece, others hoping for a Putin interview, and yet others simply watching all the drama unfold. One X user noted:

Many eagerly awaited the repercussions of Carlson's Russia visit (Image via X/@TaraBull808)

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Netizens have mixed reactions to a speculated Tucker Carlson and Vladimir Putin interview

Russian news outlet Mash reported on their Telegram channel that Tucker Carlson had arrived in Moscow on Thursday. Along with the report, the outlet also shared images of Carlson talking to a small crowd of people at an airport and later enjoying himself at Moscow's Bolshoi Theatre watching the Spartacus ballet. Carlson's Moscow visit generated a lot of speculation online.

Many wondered if Carlson was in Moscow to interview Vladimir Putin. Carlson previously claimed that he tried to get an interview with Putin, but was allegedly blocked by the U.S. government. He told the Swiss publication Die Weltwoche in September 2023:

"Nobody defended me. I don’t think there was anybody in the news media who said, 'Wait a second. I may not like this guy, but he has a right to interview anyone he wants, and we have a right to hear what Putin says.'"

Russian state-owned news agency Tass reported that last year, Russian Press Secretary Dmitry Peskov said that there would come a time when Putin would answer an interview, but at that moment, the public was allegedly "seriously intoxicated by Russo-hating propaganda." When asked if such an interview would be given to Carlson, Peskov simply said that they'd have to "wait and see."

Social media erupted with speculations, theories, and accusations after Tucker Carlson was reportedly spotted in Moscow. Many were eager to get a Russian perspective on the Ukraine-Russia conflict and supported Carlson in his alleged endeavors. A lot of netizens desperately wanted to hear what Putin wanted to say.

Some labeled Carlson a Russian spy and claimed that this was proof that the right wing was always in the good graces of the Russians. While a section of users simply wanted to see the supposed media meltdown from Carlson's Moscow visit.

Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene also tweeted in support of Tucker Carlson. She criticized the "Democrats and their propagandists" for allegedly bashing the speculated interview and said:

"They feel entitled to the position of gatekeeper and believe they are the ones who tell you what to think and believe."

She added:

"They HATE when someone like Tucker goes “off script”. We have a free press in this country and its people like Tucker Carlson who we depend on to speak the truth!"

Carlson is reportedly a very popular figure in Russia. Right after Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022, the progressive magazine Mother Jones leaked a Kremlin memo urging outlets to highlight Carlson's broadcasts that criticized the role of NATO, the UN, and the United States in escalating the Ukraine conflict and provocative behavior towards Putin.