Trump defends Carlson’s interview with white nationalist Nick Fuentes

President Trump is defending conservative commentator Tucker Carlson's controversial interview

with far-right activist Nick Fuentes, a white nationalist who often expresses anti-Semitic views

We've had some great interviews with Tucker Carlson, but you can't tell him who to interview

I mean, if he wants to interview Nick Fuentes, I don't know much about him

but if he wants to do it, get the word out. Let him, you know, people have to decide. Ultimately, people have to decide

It marks the president's first public comments on an interview that has been heavily criticized

within his own party. Fuentes responded to Trump's comments by thanking him on social media

When Carlson hosted Fuentes on his podcast, both criticized U.S. support for Israel

with Fuentes using anti-Semitic tropes and calling himself a fan of former Soviet dictator

Joseph Stalin. Fuentes and rapper Kanye West, now known as Ye, had dinner with Trump at Mar-a-Lago

in 2022 drawing criticism from Republicans including former Vice President Mike Pence A reporter asked Trump about that dinner Sunday I didn know he was coming And he was with as you know somebody Kanye And Kanye asked if he could have dinner and he

brought Nick. I didn't know Nick at the time. And he did. He came along with a few other people

He brought a few people with him. Meeting people, talking to people like for somebody like Tucker

That's what they do. You know, people are controversial. Some are, some aren't

I'm not controversial, so I like it that way. Trump's comments follow turmoil at the Heritage Foundation

the conservative think tank behind Project 2025, after its president defended Carlson's sit-down with Fuentes

Heritage president Kevin Roberts has since walked back those remarks as some staffers argued he should resign

after describing those who criticized Carlson as a venomous coalition. Roberts later apologized for his, quote

terrible choice of words, end quote, while vowing to stay at the organization amid the fallout from his remarks

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