Former President Donald Trump, a leading contender for the GOP nomination in the next presidential race, has once again captured the public’s attention. His interview with former top-rated Fox News host Tucker Carlson, posted on the X platform, has sent shockwaves across the internet.
This interview garnered a staggering 250 million views in under 24 hours, setting new records and capturing global attention. This remarkable achievement stands in stark contrast to the first Republican primary debate for the 2024 campaign season, hosted by Fox News, which, according to viewership data, averaged 12.8 million viewers.
Trump, who notably opted out of a Republican primary debate hosted by Fox News earlier in the week, managed to captivate the global audience’s attention. The conversation, lasting a substantial 46 minutes, ignited discussions worldwide as Trump focused on a myriad of critical topics, ranging from his legal troubles to the enigmatic case of Jeffrey Epstein and his presidential campaign policies.
The magnetic pull of this interview was evident as Carlson’s post accumulated over 56,000 comments, more than 200,000 retweets, and an impressive 700,000 likes, swiftly securing its place as the most engaged and most viewed post on Elon Musk’s growing platform.
Despite Trump’s absence from the debate stage, he confidently pointed to his commanding lead in the polls, showcasing a nearly 38-point advantage over his closest rival, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, according to FiveThirtyEight’s polling aggregate.
Carlson, ever the incisive commentator, posed a series of probing questions to Trump during the interview. He ventured into the realm of conspiracy, inquiring whether the United States was on the brink of a civil war and whether Trump believed his adversaries were conspiring against him. The enigma surrounding Jeffrey Epstein’s death also surfaced, with Carlson questioning why Bill Barr, Trump’s former attorney general, would cover up the circumstances of Epstein’s demise.
“Why would Bill Barr be covering up the death of Jeffrey Epstein?” Carlson asked, referring to Trump’s attorney general during his first term.
“Bill Barr didn’t do an investigation on the election fraud either, okay? He said he did and he pretended he did, but he didn’t,” Trump retorted.
Carlson insisted that Epstein killed himself and wondered why the former attorney general, who turned against Trump, was lying about it.
Trump, in characteristic fashion, didn’t offer a direct answer. Instead, he steered the conversation toward his defense of the crowd gathered at the Ellipse near the White House on January 6th.
Trump reflected, “There’s tremendous passion and there’s tremendous love. You know, January 6th was a very interesting day because – they don’t report it properly. I believe it was the largest crowd I’ve ever spoken before, and you know, some of the crowds I’ve spoken before – I think that the biggest crowd I’ve ever spoken before was on January 6th.”
He went on to reference his own tweets from that tumultuous day, emphasizing that the vast majority of attendees were peaceful and patriotic. However, he acknowledged the potential for conflict, stating, “There’s a level of passion that I’ve never seen. There’s a level of hatred that I’ve never seen. That’s probably a bad combination.”
As the interview progressed, Trump didn’t mince words in describing his critics as “savages” and predicting that they would attempt to “steal” the election once more.
Carlson pressed further, asking Trump if he feared for his life. Trump seized the opportunity to launch a scathing verbal assault on his rivals, characterizing them as “sick” individuals who might harbor hatred for the country.
The conversation then spiraled into a tirade against various opponents, including former FBI Director James Comey, with Trump accusing them of being unpatriotic and “sick people.”
While the Fox News debate, moderated by Bret Baier, sought to address crucial issues concerning the Republican Party’s future, it was Trump’s interview that undeniably stole the spotlight. As Baier inquired whether the candidates would persist in endorsing Trump as the Republican Party candidate if he were to face legal convictions, a significant moment unfolded.
A remarkable six candidates made their allegiance unequivocally clear by raising their hands in support of Trump. Vivek Ramaswamy, Nikki Haley, Tim Scott, Doug Burgum, Ron DeSantis, and Mike Pence, all participants in the debate, stood in solidarity with the former President. Ramaswamy led the charge, quickly followed by a simultaneous show of support from Haley and Scott, then Burgum. The audience erupted into cheers as DeSantis and Mike Pence joined the ranks of Trump’s staunch supporters.
However, it’s noteworthy that not all candidates were aligned with this sentiment. Former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie and Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson refrained from raising their hands, showcasing a schism within the Republican Party regarding Trump’s continued influence.
The Daily Netizen 