John Oliver calls Tucker Carlson a ‘vessel … for white supremacist talking points’

John Oliver late Sunday called Tucker Carlson “the most prominent vessel in America for white supremacist talking points,” saying any talk about the Fox News host running for the White House “should be seriously alarming.”

During a segment on “Last Week Tonight with John Oliver,” the comedian bemoaned Carlson’s popularity and influence, noting that Fox News has recently made moves to expand his presence through a documentary series and a podcast.

“And if that wasn’t enough, Tucker’s also been floated as a potential future presidential candidate, which should be seriously alarming. Because of all the things that Tucker is — a conspiracy theorist, a misogynist, islamophobe, a troll — one of the most dangerous is that he is the most prominent vessel in America for white supremacist talking points,” Oliver said.

Oliver noted that whenever Carlson is accused of echoing or sympathizing with white nationalism, he routinely questions what white nationalism is, appearing to imply that it does not exist.

“Whenever he tries to define [white nationalism] himself, it tends to be self-servingly narrow,” Oliver said. “But for the record, white supremacists themselves seem to be big fans of what Tucker’s been doing.”

Oliver noted that former white supremacist Derek Black, the son of the founder of the Neo-Nazi website Stormfront, said that his family members look to Carlson for tips on how to advance their cause.

Carlson in 2019 called white supremacy a “hoax,” comparing it to the investigation of Russia’s interference in the 2016 presidential election and saying it is being used to divide the country.

Later that year, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) blasted Carlson as a “white supremacist sympathizer” and his show as an “hourlong production of unmitigated racism” after a segment on her New York district.

“This is a hoax, just like the Russian hoax,” Carlson said during a segment on his program. “It’s a conspiracy theory used to divide the country and keep a hold on power.”

Carlson sparked widespread criticism last week after he chided President Biden for promoting two female generals. Carlson also called newly designed maternity flight suits a “mockery of the U.S. military.”

Lawmakers and military leaders shot back at Carlson’s remarks.

“Women lead our most lethal units with character,” tweeted Sgt. Maj. of the Army Michael Grinston, the service’s top enlisted leader. “They will dominate ANY future battlefield we’re called to fight on. @TuckerCarlson’s words are divisive, don’t reflect our values. We have THE MOST professional, educated, agile, and strongest [noncommissioned officer] Corps in the world.”

Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.) wrote on Twitter, “F*ck Tucker Carlson.”

“While he was practicing his two-step, America’s female warriors were hunting down Al Qaeda and proving the strength of America’s women. Happy belated International Women’s Day to everyone but Tucker, who even I can dance better than,” Duckworth, a former combat pilot in the Iraq War who lost both legs after her helicopter was downed, added.

The Hill has requested comment from Fox News on Oliver’s remarks.

–Updated at 12:01 p.m.