Tucker Carlson’s podcast surges up the charts amid MAGA rift over Israel-Iran conflict

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"Tucker Carlson's Podcast Sees Significant Rise in Popularity Amid MAGA Media Tensions Over Israel-Iran Conflict"

Tucker Carlson’s podcast surges up the charts amid MAGA rift over Israel-Iran conflict analysis cover image CNN 7.0
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Original Article Source: https://edition.cnn.com/2025/06/26/media/tucker-carlson-podcast-surges-maga-feud-ted-cruz-mark-levin
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Tucker Carlson's podcast has seen a remarkable surge in popularity, climbing to No. 5 on YouTube's weekly podcast rankings and No. 2 on Spotify's charts, driven by his confrontational interview with Senator Ted Cruz and ongoing tensions with other MAGA media figures over the Israel-Iran conflict. This surge marks a significant improvement from his previous rankings, where he stood at No. 18 when YouTube launched its charts last month. Carlson's program also achieved a notable presence on Apple’s Top Shows, landing at No. 14. His viewership has seen a dramatic increase, particularly evident in his YouTube statistics, where he averaged 1.06 million views per episode in June, with several episodes surpassing the million-view mark. The two-hour interview with Cruz alone attracted 3.5 million views, indicating a strong engagement from his audience during this contentious period in conservative media.

The rise in Carlson's viewership coincides with a significant rift in the MAGA media landscape, particularly regarding U.S. military involvement in the Israel-Iran situation. Carlson has positioned himself against more hawkish figures like Mark Levin, who advocate for a pro-war stance, while Carlson argues for a more isolationist approach. This ideological battle has led to public exchanges between Carlson and other prominent conservative commentators, enhancing his visibility and rallying support among his followers. The episode featuring Cruz has been particularly impactful, generating viral interest and contributing to Carlson's growing influence since his departure from Fox News earlier this year. Following his exit, which occurred shortly after Fox settled a substantial lawsuit, Carlson has adapted to a new independent media strategy, launching his own distribution channel to leverage his substantial social media following. His podcast's recent success reflects not only his ability to engage with pressing political issues but also the shifting dynamics within the conservative media ecosystem.

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Source URL: https://edition.cnn.com/2025/06/26/media/tucker-carlson-podcast-surges-maga-feud-ted-cruz-mark-levin

Tucker Carlson’s podcast surged up the YouTube and Spotify charts last week, buoyed by his confrontational interview with Senator Ted Cruz and his feud with fellow MAGA media stars over the Israel-Iran conflict.

According to the latest available data, “The Tucker Carlson Show” jumped to No. 5 onYouTube’s weekly podcast rankings— a significant leap from his No. 18 ranking upon YouTube’s chart launch last month, and No. 14 just a few weeks ago.

Carlson’s program also landed at No. 2 onSpotify’s podcast chartand No. 14 onApple’s Top Showsfor last week.

The podcast’s boost in viewership coincided with Carlson’s ongoing feud with fellow MAGA media personalities over US strikes in Iran. Hawkish conservatives like Fox host Mark Levin, with whom Carlson publicly exchanged heated words, want US-led regime change; Carlson wants the US to stay out of the conflict, militarily. Both sides claim to represent the true “America First” MAGA movement.

Amid that rift, Carlsonrepeatedly made headlinesas he attacked Levin, Sean Hannity, and the Fox News empire for their pro-war stance, and as clips fromhis combative interview with Senator Cruzwent viral, further boosting his viewership when the full two-hour conversation was released on various platforms. A single X clip teasing the Cruz interview garnered 39.9 million views on its own.

Carlson’s surge last week was most visible in his YouTube viewership tallies. Throughout June, Carlson has averaged 1.06 million views on his podcast episodes, with five of them surpassing the million-viewer mark. His interview with Cruz garnered 3.5 million views.

In contrast, Carlson averaged 651,000 views per episode last month, with his most-viewed episode receiving 1.9 million views — just one of only two episodes to break the seven-figure mark.

Carlson did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The Trump-aligned media veteran launched his independent internet show in 2023 shortly after he wasfired by Fox News, a week after the network settled a defamation lawsuit with Dominion Voting Systems for $787.5 million over Fox’s election lies.

Carlson initiallylaunched the show on Elon Musk’s X, looking to harness his millions of followers in the fallout of his prime time TV ouster. In late 2023, helaunched the Tucker Carlson Network, creating his own distribution channel to supplement his social media-first strategy.

Last week was not the first time Carlson’s podcast entered the upper echelon of Spotify’s charts. In July 2024,Carlson briefly dethronedthe perennial podcast king Joe Rogan, only to be toppled by Alex Cooper’s “Call Her Daddy.”

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Source: CNN