Conservative media icon and podcast host Tucker Carlson recently became the top podcaster in the nation. On Thursday, “The Tucker Carlson Show” jumped to the number-one position on the Spotify charts, overtaking “The Joe Rogan Experience.” Tucker’s departure from his role as a long-time host at Fox News last year clearly has not hindered his influence as a conservative commentator.
“The Tucker Carlson Show” earning the highly coveted chart-topping rank is especially monumental, considering that Joe Rogan is often considered a pioneer of the modern podcasting format. Rogan launched his show in 2009, and by 2015, it had unquestionably become one of the most popular podcasts in the world. However, Carlson has topped the podcast king as American society evidently craves insightful conservative commentary amid the current political landscape.
When Carlson and Fox News ended their relationship in 2023, many speculated as to Tucker’s next move. The former cable television host took a different route and utilized decentralized forms of media, quickly racking up hundreds of millions of views across different social media platforms. Now, Carlson hosts interesting guests and discusses various pertinent topics that would likely be impermissible on TV.
Tucker also made headlines recently when he appeared at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where he spoke about the horrific assassination attempt of former President Donald Trump during a rally earlier this month. Carlson emphasized that the near-fatal attempt on Trump’s life completely changed the energy surrounding the election.
“So I watched a video of what happened in Butler, Pennsylvania about 1550 times. I think I was one of about 8 billion people around the world who watched it. And the more I watched it the more it became clear that everything was different. After that moment everything, this convention is different,” he said. “The nation is different, the world is different, Donald Trump is different.”
Carlson also addressed the powerful pose Trump gave once he defiantly stood up after being shot in the ear, suggesting the only explanation for his survival could be divine intervention from God. “When he stood up after being shot in the face, bloodied, and put his hand up. I thought at that moment that was a transformation this was no longer a man. Well, I think that I think it was divine intervention but the effect that it had on Donald Trump, he was no longer just a political party’s nominee, or a former president, or a future president. This was the leader of a nation. And I think there’s a difference.”
Tucker also praised Trump for the character he demonstrated after the gunfire from 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks nearly killed him. The former president would have had every opportunity to match the shooting with equally as inciteful rhetoric. However, he refrained from that, instead continuing to inspire the nation with what he would do if reelected.
“His courage gave them heart. A leader’s courage gives courage to his people period. And the second thing I noticed which I don’t think anyone has remarked upon in public but I’m just going to since I’m on the script like, why not? Is that he turned down the most obvious opportunity in politics to inflame the nation after being shot,” Carlson added.
Watch his speech below:
