The Political Insider

As tension between the U.S. and ran escalate, President Donald Trump has also always promised he would not get America involved in another debacle similar to the Iraq War. It was a key part of his “America First” agenda. The problem here is that Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and the president’s National Security Adviser John Bolton are huge hawks who wanted war with Iran long before Trump even thought about running for president.

That’s why it’s not surprising Trump is turning to one of the few conservatives who is dead set against starting a new war.

“In the upper echelons of the Trump administration, hawkish voices on Iran predominate—most notably Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and National Security Adviser John Bolton,” The Daily Beast reported Wednesday. “But as tensions between the U.S. and Iran have escalated over the last few weeks, there’s been another, far different voice in the president’s ear: that of Fox News host Tucker Carlson.”

“A source familiar with the conversations told The Daily Beast that, in recent weeks, the Fox News host has privately advised Trump against taking military action against Iran,” the report continued. “And a senior administration official said that during the president’s recent conversations with the Fox primetime host, Carlson has bashed the more ‘hawkish members’ of his administration.”

Carlson Slams Bolton

This is true. In May, Carlson said on his Fox news program, “More than anything in the world, national security adviser John Bolton would love to have a war with Iran. It will be like Christmas, Thanksgiving, his birthday [all] wrapped into one.”

“Mercifully, John Bolton does not control the military, President Trump does,” Carlson added. “The question is, just how influential is Bolton in the White House.”

And that is the question. Though an Iran irritated by U.S. sanctions might lash out in what Trump has called “very minor” ways, kicking off a new war with a country three times the size of Iraq will not go well for the U.S. in terms of lives and dollars spent.

Trump knows this. It’s why his rhetoric might be tough, but he’s also playing it smart. But from time to time, no doubt even the president needs to talk to other smart people who aren’t eager for war.

So he calls Tucker Carlson.