Fox News host Tucker Carlson is being dragged online after offering a questionable Donald Trump’s defense by suggesting that paying hush money to prevent people from talking was a totally normal thing to do.
Trump faces a possible indictment over hush money payments he made to adult film star Stormy Daniels during the presidential campaign in 2016.
However, in Tucker Carlson’s world, this is how business and politics normally work.
“Settlements like this, whatever you think of them, are common, both among famous people, celebrities and in corporate America,” he said Tuesday on “Tucker Carlson Tonight,” arguing that a non-disclosure agreement is not a big deal.
“In this case, you can believe whatever side you want to believe, but paying people not to talk about things ― hush money ― is ordinary in modern America.”
According to the right-wing host, there was no wrongdoing, and the entire case boils down to the media and Trump’s critics believing that “everything he does is a crime.”
It comes as no surprise that Carlson sees such behavior as commonplace. Fox News has a long history of paying out settlements to make misconduct allegations against the network go away.
Carlson’s defense of Trump raised some eyebrows on social media.
Watch the video and some of the reactions below.
Tucker: In fact, settlements like this are common.. Paying people not to talk about things, hush money, is ordinary in modern America. pic.twitter.com/Nsx0rgYqAW
— Acyn (@Acyn) March 21, 2023
Only a dude who has paid hush money would say that 😂
— Zachary (@zachbretton) March 21, 2023
What Male Porn Stars has Tucker paid off ??? Interesting 🤔 LMAO 😂
— David ☮️🇺🇸🏳️🌈💙🌊 (@davidpsdem) March 21, 2023
Tucker seems to have lots of firsthand experience with this.
— Gailen David (@gailendavid) March 21, 2023
I wonder how many people he has paid off in his time
— Ari Drennen (@AriDrennen) March 21, 2023
Makes me question how many settlements Tucker has paid.
— D Villella ❄️ (@dvillella) March 21, 2023
Basically they admit trump crimes to turn them into political talking points to launder them in court of public opinion which degrades public office
— Luke Zaleski (@ZaleskiLuke) March 21, 2023
Foreshadowing skeletons in the closet?
— Patrick Gallagher (@PatrickGman) March 21, 2023
I’m pleading the fifth because crooked Hillary and but Obama and the deep state, your honor. You see. People are saying. We have the best crimes. The. Best. And I won. By a lot by the way. People don’t remember. But I won. And it was thing beauty. A win. Winner. Me. Not you. Win.
— Luke Zaleski (@ZaleskiLuke) March 21, 2023
Ok, so we’ve reached the “so what if it happened, it’s totally normal” stage of acceptance.
— BL (@nottodayfly) March 21, 2023
Yep you would know Tucker I’m sure you’ve paid off o few
— Ann BlackBird ☮️ (@AnnBlackBird1) March 21, 2023
Oh Tucker, tell us more. So you’re an authority on paying bush money? I mean to anyone? Really?
— Jackie Batterson (@batterso7) March 21, 2023
Am I the only one who thinks that Tucker's wife should go through their finances with a fine-toothed comb after hearing that?
— SCTadsen (@sctadsen) March 21, 2023
.@FoxNews has a lot of experience with cash payouts for silence.
— WaterBluSky 🇺🇸 🌻 🇺🇦 (@MsMariaT) March 21, 2023
