Tucker Carlson Moscow Rumors Addressed on Russian State TV

Kremlin propagandist Margarita Simonyan has referred to reports that the former Fox News anchor Tucker Carlson was visiting Russia, saying: "God willing, it's true."

Media outlets in Russia and the West reported that the former host of Tucker Carlson Tonight had been spotted at various places around Moscow, including at the renowned Bolshoi Theatre in the center of the Russian capital, where he watched the ballet Spartacus.

The Kremlin-friendly Mash Telegram channel reported that he had flown to Moscow via Istanbul on February 1 amid speculation he might be trying to secure an interview with Vladimir Putin for his current series, which he posts directly to X.

Izvestia posted a video of what it said was an encounter between one of its journalists and Carlson in which the American host said he wanted to "to talk to people, look around." Asked if he would be interviewing Putin, Carlson replied: "We'll see."

Carlson has previously been accused of making comments that were supportive of Putin and since the start of his full-scale invasion of Ukraine, echoing Russian government propaganda.

Simonyan, the editor-in-chief of the RT channel, referred to Carlson on the Russia 1 channel in a clip shared by Russia watcher and journalist Julia Davis, while giving her view on the poor state of relations between Moscow and the West.

"I know that American media and Western media are closely monitoring your program," she told anchor Vladimir Solovyov, a Putin ally. "That's why I want to address them, to America—you America are doing all this."

"There are people in America who understand this," she said. "There aren't that many of them and it's getting even fewer. One of them is rumored to be in Moscow right now. God willing it's true and everything works out."

Simonyan then described how the clash between Russia and the West was similar to the one faced by Russia 800 years ago when the Mongol empire invaded and conquered much of Russia's forerunner, Kievan Rus, in the 13th century.

"Simonyan complained about my column...that monitors their every word, compared the West to the Tatar-Mongol Yoke and wished the best of luck to Tucker Carlson," wrote Davis next to the video.

Russian media outlets have been speculating for days about Carlson's visit. Andrei Kortunov, director general of the Russian International Affairs Council, told NEWS.ru Carlson's arrival in Russia suggested he had agreements at a high official level.

If he interviewed Putin, "his opponents will immediately claim that he is working for Putin," Kortunov said. "In a sense, Tucker has already crossed a red line and become persona non grata in America, which can certainly affect his career. It's a risky game for him."

Newsweek contacted the Tucker Carlson Network for comment.