Tucker Carlson Claims CIA Read His Texts Over Iran Contacts

Political commentator Tucker Carlson claimed that people inside the Central Intelligence Agency have read his text messages and are preparing a criminal referral against him to the U.S. Department of Justice. Carlson made the allegation in a video posted on X and his website, saying the issue stems from communications he had with contacts in Iran before the current war.

“The CIA is preparing some kind of criminal referral against me, a crime report to the Department of Justice,” Carlson said in the video, adding that the alleged issue involves “talking to people in Iran before the war.”

Carlson said the potential legal theory could involve the Foreign Agents Registration Act, which requires individuals representing foreign governments or entities in political activity to register with the Justice Department. He rejected that accusation and said he has never worked on behalf of a foreign government. “The crime under consideration apparently would be the foreign agent act or something like that,” Carlson said. “I’m not an agent of a foreign power.”

In the video, Carlson also alleged that U.S. intelligence agencies had accessed his private communications. “They read my texts,” he said, claiming the information could be used to support surveillance warrants or investigations.

Carlson framed the situation as part of a broader pattern of government pressure during wartime. “Countries tend to become more authoritarian in wartime,” he said, arguing that tolerance for dissent often declines when conflicts escalate.

He also suggested the issue could be connected to criticism he has voiced about Israel. “There are some people who are mad at me for my views about Israel,” Carlson said.

Carlson said speaking with foreign sources is a routine part of journalism and defended his contacts abroad. “It’s my job to talk to everybody all the time and try and figure out what’s happening around the world,” he said.

His comments quickly triggered a public response from conservative activist Laura Loomer, who has been sharply critical of Carlson. Posting on X, Loomer claimed she had been pushing for authorities to investigate him. “If Tucker Qatarlson gets charged for violating FARA… I’m taking credit,” Loomer wrote, using a nickname she has previously used to accuse Carlson of sympathizing with foreign governments.

She added in another post: “Sounds like someone is trying to get ahead of a story. Lock him up!”

The dispute comes in the midst of a broader fight on the American right over Israel and the Iran war. Carlson has also recently criticized Israel’s role in the war with Iran, describing the conflict as “Israel’s war,” not America’s. In a separate video, Carlson went further, suggesting that the Chabad movement was promoting the traditional Jewish belief in the rebuilding of the biblical Third Temple as part of what he portrayed as a hidden religious agenda behind the conflict. Critics warned that the argument echoes longstanding conspiracy narratives accusing Jewish groups of secretly influencing governments or wars.

Carlson said he does not expect the situation to lead to criminal charges. “I don’t expect this to go anywhere,” he said. As of now, neither the CIA nor the Justice Department has publicly confirmed that any investigation involving Carlson exists.