Overview
- Tucker Carlson told the Columbia Journalism Review on Friday that he will help build a new national political party and that he does not plan to be its candidate.
- Carlson said both major parties have become indistinguishable and blamed recent U.S. policy on Israel and the Iran war for pushing him away from the GOP.
- Other former MAGA figures have floated similar ideas, with Marjorie Taylor Greene saying she is in talks about a new party and Elon Musk saying he formed an 'America Party' earlier this year.
- Analysts and participants warn that launching a viable third party faces long practical hurdles, including state-by-state ballot access rules, large signature and filing requirements, steep fundraising needs, and years of organizing.
- Even if the effort remains exploratory, experts say public defections could change voter turnout and split the right-wing vote in the 2026 midterms, making Republican campaigns harder to coordinate.