Russian President Vladimir Putin mocked former Fox News host Tucker Carlson’s failure to join the CIA after college during his controversial interview that aired Thursday night.
The problem arose when Putin blamed, without any reaction from Carlson, the CIA being responsible for the 2014 Revolution of Dignity in Ukraine.
The movement began after the country’s then-Russia-friendly government was peacefully overthrown by mass protests following the rejection of a cooperation deal with the European Union.
When Carlson asked who backed the overthrow, Putin replied: “With the backing of the CIA, of course, the organization he once wanted to join, as I understand it.” We should thank God they didn’t let you in. Although it is a serious organization, I understand it.
The Russian president then referred to his own history as an intelligence officer.
Putin brought up Carlson’s ill-fated attempt to join the CIA when he accused the agency of being involved in the 2014 overthrow of the Russia-friendly Ukrainian government.
Carlson did not respond to Putin’s mockery
TO New Yorker article 2017 details Carlson’s attempts to join the CIA after struggling to graduate from the prestigious Trinity College in Hartford, Connecticut.
The article said the agency “prefers not to hire charlatan and insubordinate young men.”
Meanwhile, a friend from college told him Business Insider In a similar article in 2022, Carlson’s rejection may have been because he was “too honest” in his application.
‘He mentioned that he had applied and was rejected because of his drug use. He was too honest in his request. “He probably should also say that I don’t know if he was telling the truth or not,” the friend said.
Most of the interview, published Thursday, focused on Ukraine, where the war is approaching two years.
Putin reiterated his claim that his invasion of Ukraine, which Kiev and its allies described as an act of unprovoked aggression, was necessary to protect Russian speakers in Ukraine and prevent the country from posing a threat to Russia by joining the NATO.
Putin noted Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s refusal to hold talks with the Kremlin.
He argued that it is up to Washington to stop supplying weapons to Ukraine and convince Kiev, which he called a “satellite” of the United States, to come to the negotiating table.
“We have never refused to negotiate,” Putin said. “They should tell the current Ukrainian leaders to stop and sit down at the negotiating table.”
Putin warned that the West will never succeed in inflicting “strategic defeat” on Russia in Ukraine and rejected accusations that Russia harbored plans to attack Poland or other NATO countries.
It was Putin’s first interview with a Western media figure since his large-scale invasion of Ukraine two years ago.
White House national security spokesman John Kirby attempted to downplay the impact of Carlson’s interview before its release: “Remember, you’re listening to Vladimir Putin. And you shouldn’t take anything he has at face value.” what to say.
Putin has largely limited his contact with international media since launching war in Ukraine in February 2022.
Russian authorities have cracked down on independent media, forcing some to close, blocking others and ordering several foreign journalists to leave the country.
Two journalists working for American news organizations: Gershkovich of The Wall Street Journal and Alsou Kurmasheva of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, are in prison.
The despot made the stunning accusations during the highly anticipated two-hour interview with former Fox News host Tucker Carlson.
Vladimir Putin scandalously claimed last night that he was ready to sign a deal to end the war with Ukraine 18 months ago, but Boris Johnson scuttled the deal.
Asked by Carlson whether Russia would release Gershkovich, Putin said Moscow is open to talks, but repeated that the journalist was accused of espionage, an accusation Gershkovich has denied.
“He was caught red-handed while secretly obtaining classified information,” Putin said of Gershkovich, adding that he does not rule out the journalist returning home.
“There is no taboo to resolve this issue,” Putin said. ‘We are willing to solve it, but there are certain conditions that are being discussed between the special services. “I think an agreement can be reached.”
He pointed to a man imprisoned in a “US allied country” for “liquidating a bandit” who killed Russian soldiers during fighting in the Caucasus: “He put our soldiers taken prisoner on a road and then drove a car over them.” of their heads.”
There was a patriot who killed him in one of the European capitals.
Putin did not mention names, but appeared to refer to Vadim Krasikov, a Russian serving a life sentence in Germany after being convicted of the brazen 2019 daylight murder of Zelimkhan ‘Tornike’ Khangoshvili, a 40-year-old Georgian citizen from Chechnya. . ethnicity.
The German judges who convicted Krasikov said he had acted on the orders of Russian federal authorities, who provided him with a false identity, a false passport and the resources to carry out the coup.
The Wall Street Journal reaffirmed in a statement that Gershkovich “is a journalist and journalism is not a crime,” adding that “any description to the contrary is total fiction.”
“We are encouraged to see Russia’s desire to reach an agreement that brings Evan home, and we hope this will lead to his quick release and return to his family and our newsroom,” he said.