PHOENIX, ARIZONA – Fox News host and Daily Caller co-founder Tucker Carlson said Saturday he’s “not endorsing anybody” for the 2024 presidential race at this time, adding that former President Donald Trump and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis are two “forces.”
“I’m not endorsing anybody. I have no idea what’s going to happen in the Republican primary,” Carlson said while answering an audience member’s question at Turning Point USA’s Americafest.
Tucker Carlson asked to choose between Trump and DeSantispic.twitter.com/g6tOCKhdSN
— Citizen Free Press (@CitizenFreePres) December 18, 2022
Trump officially announced his campaign Nov. 15, marking his third run at the presidency. DeSantis has not launched a presidential campaign, but polls put the two as the top contenders in the Republican primary. (RELATED: Trump Announces 2024 Presidential Run)
Carlson laughed about who he would support in the 2022 primary at first, saying, “who cares what I think,” before discussing a possible Trump vs. DeSantis matchup.
“I spend a lot of time in Florida, and I think Ron DeSantis has done an unbelievable job. I don’t know DeSantis that well, but let me put it this way, people move to Florida because he’s the governor,” he continued, noting that he’s never lived in a state where “people knew who the governor was.”
People say they “love” DeSantis, and “I’m so impressed by that,” Carlson said.
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On Trump, Carlson said he’s “so grateful” he ran for president in 2016, and that he asked “questions no one around him could answer,” about the southern border and commitment to NATO.
“I actually love Donald Trump, as a guy,” he added. “He’s one of the funniest people I’ve ever talked to in my life.”
“I think there are plenty of things to criticize about Trump, I mean, he’s a human being. But the idea that he’s like personally some monster, is like absurd. It’s just another lie. They always tell the opposite of the truth. Trump is totally charming and engaging and fun and interesting,” Carlson said.
“Trump expresses himself in this way that’s like completely original . . . But his insights into people, are like unbelievable. Now I don’t think he’s that great at hiring, just being honest,” he said, as the audience erupted.
“There’s so much I like about Trump, and fundamentally, I agree with him. On the big things. On immigration, foreign policy, I strongly agree with him,” Carlson said.
“Thank heaven I don’t have to think through how this is going to end. At this point it does seem like two forces are moving toward one another at high speed, and how could that go well?” he added. “It’s a cliffhanger.”
Carlson described the day Trump called and told him he was running in the 2016 presidential election. He said he was surprised he was that he was serious and that he didn’t predict it.
The results of the 2024 election are “two years out,” so “I am completely comfortable putting my total ignorance on full and florid display, and telling you ‘I have no freaking idea,'” Carlson concluded.