The success of the Tucker-Putin interview was the result of Americans being “hungry for information about what Russia is thinking,” former US Marines Corps intelligence officer and author Scott Ritter told Sputnik’s The Critical Hour on Monday.
“They are worried about the consequences of condemning Russia out of hand and rushing to a war based upon words Russia is not allowed to say for us to consider,” he added.
Earlier, Ritter spoke about attempts to punish Tucker for giving the interview, including former Belgian prime minister and current member of the European Parliament who suggested Carlson could face sanctions for giving the interview.
“For what sin?” Ritter asked. “For the sin of letting a Russian president speak?”
The interview has over 198 million views on X, more than 15 million views on YouTube, plus an unknown amount across other platforms including Carlson’s website.
Ritter noted that Tucker’s interview is protected by free speech, which “does not automatically equate to wise speech,” he argued.
“But the thing about free speech is that the antidote to bad speech is better free speech,” Ritter explained. “Meaning, that if you have a problem with what somebody’s saying [...] come up with better ideas and put them out there.”
While Ritter called Tucker an “idiot” for not being better prepared for the interview, he said that the important thing is that Putin got to speak to the American people through their own lens.
“[Putin’s] words are resonating because [Americans are] going, ‘Wait a minute. I was told that this guy is the personification of evil. I was told he doesn't want a negotiated settlement. I was told that he deliberately invaded, that he wants to invade NATO,’” Ritter explained. “And [Putin is] saying that he is more than happy to sit down at the table and talk if anybody will talk, that the problem here isn't Putin, the problem is the United States [...] and the light bulb is going off around America.”
Earlier, despite his criticisms, Ritter said he hopes a future President will recognize the service he [Tucker Carlson] did for the world and “[bring] him to the White House and put the Presidential Medal of Freedom around his neck.”