Tucker Carlson, the former Fox News host, said no American president should mock Islam. He argued that mocking any religion is not the president’s job. He also said the United States is not a theocracy.
Carlson made the remarks during an episode of his online show, “Tucker on X,” posted on April 6. He did not name a specific president or recent incident. Instead, he spoke broadly about the role of the country’s leader in matters of faith.
“That’s not your job,” Carlson said, referring to the presidency. He added that the U.S. government has no authority to ridicule religious beliefs. He described the U.S. as a secular republic, not a religious state.
Tucker Carlson says no president should mock Islam. That’s not your job. This is not a theocracy. pic.twitter.com/FCa72VfWNU
— Globe Eye News (@GlobeEyeNews) April 7, 2026
The comments drew attention on social media. Some users praised Carlson for defending religious respect. Others noted that Carlson has previously made critical statements about Islam on his shows. A review of his past broadcasts by Reuters shows Carlson has often questioned Islamic teachings and called for stricter immigration policies from Muslim-majority nations.
The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment. A spokesperson for the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) told the Associated Press that Carlson’s latest statement was surprising given his past rhetoric. The group said it agrees that presidents should avoid mocking any faith but called for consistent application of that standard.
Carlson’s shift in tone is unusual for the commentator, who built a large audience on Fox News before leaving the network in April 2023. Since then, he has continued to host interviews and monologues on X, the platform owned by Elon Musk. His episodes often focus on criticism of U.S. foreign policy, immigration, and what he calls elite hypocrisy.
In the same episode, Carlson argued that mocking Islam alienates potential allies in the Muslim world. He did not cite specific examples of past presidents mocking Islam. However, former president Donald Trump faced backlash in 2016 for suggesting that Muslims should be banned from entering the U.S. Trump also retweeted anti-Muslim videos from a far-right British activist in 2017. President Joe Biden has largely avoided direct mockery of Islam but has faced criticism from some Muslim groups over U.S. support for Israel’s military operations in Gaza.
Carlson did not address those examples directly. He instead focused on the principle that the presidency should remain neutral on religious matters. He said the First Amendment protects the right to criticize religion, but that right belongs to citizens, not to the commander-in-chief acting in an official capacity.
Legal experts interviewed by the AP said the president, like any citizen, has free speech protections under the First Amendment. But they added that presidential remarks carry unique weight because they represent U.S. policy and can affect international relations.
As of Tuesday, Carlson had not clarified whether his comments apply to other religions. He also did not say if he believes past presidents have crossed the line.