Simon Ateba is Chief White House Correspondent for Today News Africa covering President Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, U.S. government, UN, IMF, World Bank and other financial and international institutions in Washington and New York.
In a powerful monologue on his show on Tuesday, Tucker Carlson, the ex-top-rated Fox News Prime Time host, shed light on the perilous state of American democracy. Carlson argued that the arrest and prosecution of former President Donald Trump were not merely political maneuvers but an ideological assault on anyone challenging Washington’s entrenched war agenda.
Carlson began by stating that the Biden administration’s arrest of Trump, his arraignment, and subsequent fingerprinting in a Miami courthouse on Tuesday marked the beginning of a process aimed at imprisoning him for life. While cable news outlets portrayed the event as unprecedented, Carlson contended it was a predictable outcome since Trump had clashed with the most powerful organization in human history: the United States federal government.
Contrary to popular belief, Carlson asserted that Trump’s opposition did not stem from his stance on immigration or trade but from his critique of Washington’s foreign policy. He argued that the decisions made by the political elite regarding invasions, occupations, and proxy wars held far greater weight than domestic policies and significantly shaped the world. These decisions, often accompanied by enormous financial burdens, had contributed to the wealth of the counties surrounding Washington, making them the wealthiest suburbs globally.
The former Fox News host highlighted the hypocritical nature of Washington’s politics. Regarding issues like the debt ceiling, partisan lines were drawn, and heated debates ensued. However, Carlson argued that Democrats and Republicans often unite unwaveringly when it comes to starting wars, defending them despite overwhelming evidence against their effectiveness. Only when the dust has settled do they offer lukewarm apologies, long after the damage was done.
According to Carlson, Trump’s fatal mistake was exposing Washington’s lies about the Iraq War during the Republican candidates’ debate in South Carolina. By boldly stating that there were no weapons of mass destruction and that politicians on both sides knew it, Trump incited the wrath of the establishment. This revelation implicated numerous figures across party lines, prompting them to view thwarting Trump’s presidency as their paramount mission.
The conservative commentator identified individuals, including Mike Pence, Nikki Haley, Mike Pompeo, Lindsey Graham, and others, who employed flattery and ingratiating behavior to gain influence within the Trump administration. Despite disagreeing with Trump’s views, they capitalized on his susceptibility to flattery and worked from within to subvert his agenda. Pompeo, in particular, promoted war and undermined Trump’s commitment to non-interventionist policies, despite vowing to support the President’s agenda during his tenure as CIA director and Secretary of State.
Carlson highlighted the hypocrisy of figures like Pompeo, who is using Trump’s alleged mishandling of classified documents as a pretext to condemn him. He pointed out that Washington is a city built on secrecy, where countless documents are classified, often for arbitrary reasons. Cheney’s actions during the Iraq War, for instance, never faced scrutiny, while Trump’s alleged transgressions were amplified and exploited for political gain.
The persecution of Trump, Carlson argued, is not just a political vendetta but an ideological battle to suppress dissenting voices. Washington is sending a message that anyone who challenged the war agenda or has unapproved views would be disqualified from wielding power in America.
The arrest and prosecution of a former president who remained popular among Republican voters should anger citizens, as it threatens the core principles of democracy and the right of citizens to support any candidate they chose, he said.
Regardless of one’s views on Trump, Carlson emphasized the importance of defending democratic principles and opposing the destruction of the electoral process. He warned that the future of America hangs in the balance, and the erosion of democratic norms should concern all citizens, irrespective of their political affiliations.