Political commentator Tucker Carlson declared victory for the "normal people" of the MAGA movement, criticizing prominent conservative figures who have advocated for regime change in Iran.

Speaking on the After Party podcast hosted by journalist Emily Jashinsky, Carlson praised President Donald Trump for averting a broader war in the escalating Israel-Iran crisis. He also condemned hawks in the Make America Great Again movement—including Fox News host Mark Levin and Senator Ted Cruz of Texas—who have been vocal advocates for military action against Iran.

On Monday, Trump said he had brokered a ceasefire between Israel and Iran, ending a 12-day conflict.

Why It Matters

Levin and Cruz are prominent Trump allies, and their hawkish calls for regime change in Iran have deepened a growing rift within the MAGA movement over how to respond to the Israel-Iran conflict. Carlson and many other MAGA figures have remained skeptical of deeper U.S. involvement abroad.

Tucker Carlson during his Live Tour at the Desert Diamond Arena in Phoenix on October 31, 2024. Tucker Carlson during his Live Tour at the Desert Diamond Arena in Phoenix on October 31, 2024. Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images What To Know

Levin has consistently argued against pursuing diplomacy with Iran, positioning himself as a leading advocate for military action within Trump's inner circle. Following Israel's "preemptive strikes" on Iranian nuclear facilities on June 13, Levin appeared on Fox News' Hannity, where he openly floated the idea of regime change in Tehran.

"Mark Levin should not have access to power," Carlson told Jashinsky in an episode of After Party that aired Monday night, addressing Levin's position. "He almost pushed the president of the United States into a path that would have destroyed the presidency and the United States and a lot of other countries, too."

On the podcast, Carlson addressed figures such as Levin, Cruz and GOP activist Laura Loomer, who wrote on X, formerly Twitter, earlier this month, "What's wrong with regime change in Iran if it's the will of their own people?"

Carlson labeled them "nihilists" and "buffoons," saying their priorities were "absolutely willing to destroy the United States … for an objective that had nothing to do with the United States."

Carlson praised Trump for brokering a ceasefire between Israel and Iran, saying the president "thwarted" advocates of escalation in the Middle East.

"Kudos, gratitude and more to Donald Trump for stopping that," he said. "But it's not because he was following the advice of Mark Levin or Ted Cruz."

"The normal people won," Carlson told Jashinsky, adding: "I live here, my four kids live here, hope to have grandchildren here. The country's got a ton of problems. I think the government should focus on those problems first and foremost—not other people's problems."

He also said: "There's nothing conservative about rolling the dice on your country starting a voluntary war. It's like freaking insane."

Senators Lindsey Graham of South Carolina and Thom Tillis of North Carolina have also called for a regime change in Iran.

Trump wrote on his social media platform Truth Social on Tuesday that a ceasefire between Israel and Iran was in place: "THE CEASEFIRE IS NOW IN EFFECT. PLEASE DO NOT VIOLATE IT!"

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed that Israel had accepted Trump's ceasefire proposal.

The president's ceasefire announcement followed almost two weeks of escalating hostilities between Israel and Iran, which raised fears of a wider war. Over the weekend, Trump intervened in the conflict and struck Iran's nuclear infrastructure with 30,000-pound "bunker buster" bombs.

However, according to The Times of Israel, Iran fired two ballistic missiles on Tuesday after the ceasefire was supposed to be in effect.

Israel's defense minister ordered his military to "respond forcefully to Iran's violation of the ceasefire."

Trump told reporters later on Tuesday that both Israel and Iran had violated terms of the ceasefire.

"They violated it, but Israel violated it, too," Trump said at the White House before leaving for a NATO summit at The Hague, the Associated Press reported. "I'm not happy with Israel."

What People Are Saying

Republican Senator Ted Cruz of Texas, in an episode of his Verdict With Ted Cruz podcast released on June 16, called for the U.S. to seek a regime change in Iran: "Let me be clear, I'm not advocating that we send in a bunch of American soldiers to make that happen. I am advocating that we use maximum pressure and economic sanctions to pressure the regime in a way that might encourage this regime to fall."

GOP activist Laura Looper wrote on X on June 15: "What's wrong with regime change in Iran if it's the will of their own people? How is it regime change if it's the Iranian people showing support for Israel assassinating Iranian death cult leaders who have destroyed life in Iran for millions of people who are desperate to be free and return to the sprawling life they used to have in Iran?"

Fox News host Mark Levin told fellow network host Sean Hannity this month: "The Iranians are about to get their asses kicked, and it's been coming since Jimmy Carter."

He continued: "They think this is Joe Biden's administration, that they would get away with getting nuclear weapons, and then the world would sit there, wouldn't know what to do about it. … [Israel] is not going to sit there and take it."

What Happens Next

Doubts remain over whether the ceasefire Trump has announced between Israel and Iran will hold.