Conservative pundit Tucker Carlson’s media company says a Russian state television agency that is airing portions of his show is doing so without legal permission.
Newsweek initially reported on Tuesday that Carlson was launching his show on Russian state TV. It later updated its story to reflect pushback from Carlson’s team, which denied any involvement in the program, in which segments of his show are dubbed into Russian.
Russian state newspaper Rossiyskaya Gazeta initially reported on Russia 24, a state-run media organization, broadcasting Carlson’s program.
“Any use of our content by that channel is without legal permission,” a representative for Carlson told The Hill Tuesday evening.
Carlson, in a separate text message to Mediate, blasted the initial Newsweek report, writing “this is completely absurd. Reporters are so dishonest and stupid. I’ve never even heard of this channel.”
Carlson was fired by Fox News last year and has since launched a new media company and interview show on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter.
The former cable news pundit has sparked backlash in recent months from politicians and media watchdogs over his often flattering rhetoric on Russia.
Carlson recently published an extensive interview with Russian president Vladimir Putin, and offered his audience a tour of Russian grocery stores during which he praised the country’s economy and infrastructure.