Tucker Carlson says US involvement in the Ukraine war is meant to 'cause regime change in Moscow' as 'payback for the 2016 election'
- Tucker Carlson said the US has been involved in Ukraine to cause "regime change" in Moscow.
- The Fox News host called Ukrainians "unfortunate pawns" in the conflict.
Fox News host Tucker Carlson suggested this week that the US government has been arming Ukraine to bring about "regime change in Moscow" as "payback for the 2016 election."
During his show on Monday night, Carlson claimed that the Biden administration wants to use the war in Ukraine to depose Russian President Vladimir Putin.
"We don't arm Ukraine so we can help the Ukrainians. They are merely unfortunate pawns in all of this," the Fox News host said. "We arm Ukraine so that we can punish Russia. Why? For stealing Hillary Clinton's coronation."
Carlson noted that if the US government wanted to save Ukraine, it would "push for a settlement now."
"You would have done it two months ago, but they're not doing that," he added. "They've rejected it out of hand."
Carlson also claimed that "the war in Ukraine is designed to cause regime change in Moscow."
"They want to topple the Russian government. That would be payback for the 2016 election. So, this is the logical, maybe the inevitable, end-stage of Russiagate," he said.
By "Russiagate," the Fox News host referred to a high-profile scandal concerning Russian interference in the 2016 election, and former President Donald Trump's victory that year.
In 2019, an investigation by special counsel Robert Mueller found that the Russian government had interfered in the 2016 election in a sweeping and systematic manner in an elaborate attempt to ruin presidential candidate Hillary Clinton's chances of winning.
"Democrats have convinced themselves that Russia stole the presidency, which rightfully belonged to Hillary Clinton, and they mean it when they say it," Carlson said. "And that's why they are taking us to war with Russia."
President Joe Biden is urging Congress to pass a $33 billion Ukraine aid package.
The US is presently helping to arm Ukraine, sending Stinger missiles and other forms of military aid. The US government also announced several aid packages for Ukraine on April 14 and April 21, along with Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen's pledge of $500 million to fund the country's administration.
In response to the aid packages, Carlson has suggested that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's finances be audited.
Carlson has also been known to echo pro-Putin talking points on his show. He was also named in a leaked Kremlin war memo as a prime subject to be featured on Russian state media.