Conservative commentator Tucker Carlson on Saturday accused the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) of secretly accessing his private communications and attempting to construct a criminal case against him, according to a March 14 video posted to X.
Carlson said intelligence officials have been reading his text messages and communications and are now attempting to frame those contacts as evidence of a crime tied to conversations he had with people in Iran prior to the recent conflict involving the United States and Israel. He said officials appear to be exploring whether those communications could be portrayed as a violation of the Foreign Agents Registration Act, or FARA.
FARA is a U.S. federal law enacted in 1938 that requires individuals or organizations working in the United States on behalf of foreign governments, political parties, or foreign principals to disclose that relationship to the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ). The law was originally passed to expose covert propaganda and influence campaigns tied to Nazi Germany and other foreign governments operating inside the United States before World War II.
The communications at the center of the alleged inquiry involved individuals in Iran before the outbreak of the war. Carlson said those contacts were part of his effort to gather information and understand developments in the region before explaining them to his audience.
“It’s my job to talk to everybody all the time and try to figure out what’s happening around the world,” Carlson said. “That’s literally what I do for a living.”
Speaking with sources in other countries is routine for journalists and commentators covering international events, Carlson said, rejecting the idea that such conversations could transform a reporter or analyst into an unregistered foreign agent under FARA.
“I’m not an agent of a foreign power. Unlike a lot of people commenting on U.S. politics and global affairs, I have only one loyalty, and that’s the United States,” Carlson said. “I’m also an American. I can talk to anybody.”
While he does not expect a criminal case to succeed, Carlson said the episode raises broader concerns about how government power can be used during times of war.
Countries tend to become more authoritarian during wartime, Carlson said, as political tensions rise and tolerance for dissent declines. At those moments, governments often target critics and independent voices who question official narratives.
The United States frequently fights wars in the name of freedom, he said, while civil liberties at home often shrink during periods of conflict.
Carlson suggested that the alleged criminal referral could serve purposes beyond the courtroom, including securing investigative authority or creating a narrative that could later be leaked to the press.
In the video, Carlson said some individuals may be angered by his views about Israel and the war with Iran and could be using the accusation to discredit him publicly or intimidate him.
Carlson emphasized that he was not raising the issue to seek sympathy or financial support. Instead, he said the public should understand how government institutions operate behind the scenes and how those actions can shape political outcomes.
“I’m not making this video to complain about it or whine,” Carlson said. “I’m saying it because it’s true, and you should know what your own government is doing.”
Carlson has been sharply critical of the recent escalation involving Iran and has questioned the strategic rationale behind the conflict. His commentary on the issue has drawn millions of viewers through his independent broadcasts and online platforms since departing Fox News.
