Fox News host Tucker Carlson
Tucker CarlsonFox News's Bret Baier posts vaccination selfie Facebook prevents sharing of New York Post Black Lives Matter story Carlson hits back at Fauci: 'Never for a minute doubted' vaccines work MORE bashed CNN and called it "more destructive" for the country than the QAnon conspiracy theory during a segment Tuesday night.
Carlson focused his segment on what he called "disinformation" online, going after CNN and other outlets for their coverage of police shootings and race relations.
"Who is lying to America in ways that are certain to make us hate each other? And certain to destroy our core institutions?" Carlson said on his show.
"It was cable news, it was politicians talking on TV, they're the ones spreading disinformation to Americans," he asserted, before playing clips of various Democratic politicians.
"There is disinformation out there and it does hurt people," he said, adding "a lot of Americans are completely and utterly misinformed" about police shootings.
Later the host called CNN "a disinformation network, more powerful than QAnon and far more destructive."
QAnon is an internet conspiracy that claims that a group of Democratic leaders and other public figures are part of a global sex trafficking ring. Several of the people who stormed the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6 told authorities they are followers of QAnon.
Media outlets have done extensive reporting on the subject over the last several years and some academics and pundits have called on public officials to declare the conspiracy a threat to national security.
While discussing perceptions about police shootings on his show Tuesday night, Carlson remarked about efforts to find out "where the public is getting all this false information, this disinformation."
"We spent all day trying to find the famous QAnon, which in the end we learned was not even a website. If it was, we could not find it," he said.
Carlson riffed about his staff checking Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene's (R-Ga.) Twitter feed because "we heard she traffics in disinformation" since "CNN told us," adding there was "nothing there."
"Next we called our many friends in the tight-knit intel community. Could Vladimir Putin
Vladimir Vladimirovich PutinThe Memo: Russia tensions rise with Navalny's life in balance How to defeat Vladimir Putin Russian fighter jet intercepts US, Norwegian patrol aircraft over Barents Sea: report MORE be putting this stuff out there? The Proud Boys? Alex Jones? Who is lying to America in ways that are certain to make us hate each other and certain to destroy our core institutions? Well, none of the above, actually. It wasn’t Marjorie Taylor Greene.”
Carlson's remarks about QAnon drew swift backlash on social media, with many critics interpreting his comments as his staff being unable to find information about the highly publicized conspiracy theory.
Tucker Carlson is a total fraud. It’s all an act. This is a guy who is, to my knowledge, the only person in tv history to have hosted shows on FOX News, CNN, and MSNBC! At each, he adopted a persona that fit the network. It’s all a grift, folks. https://t.co/SzHs6mfpB8
— US Rep Brendan Boyle (@RepBrendanBoyle) February 24, 2021
Before he resigned in disgrace, Tucker Carlson's top writer was an active member of popular Qanon message boards like 4chan and 8chan. Tucker should've just called him. https://t.co/enb4XM1C1Q
— Max Burns (@themaxburns) February 24, 2021
"Next step in the whitewash: 'who is this ‘Q’ of which you speak? There is no website!' Deny, plead ignorance, misdirect..." tweeted Rep. Adam Kinzinger
Adam Daniel KinzingerGOP struggles to rein in nativism The Hill's Morning Report - Presented by Facebook - All US adults can get vaccine; decision Friday on J&J vax Taylor Greene defends 'America First' effort, pushes back on critics MORE (Ill.), one of former President Trump
Donald TrumpHouse votes to condemn Chinese government over Hong Kong Former Vice President Walter Mondale dies at age 93 White House readies for Chauvin verdict MORE's fiercest critics in the Republican Party.
Kinzinger added, "is there any question why people are confused? Quit lying, accept reality and use your energy to make us a better country."
Next step in the whitewash: “who is this ‘Q’ of which you speak? There is no website!” Deny, plead ignorance, misdirect... is there any question why people are confused? Quit lying, accept reality and use your energy to make us a better country. #Country1st #restoreourgop https://t.co/mYT4OAhmY8
— Adam Kinzinger (@RepKinzinger) February 24, 2021
Last week, former White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany also came under fire after sending a tweet seen as a nod to the QAnon movement.
