Who is Tucker Carlson and what does he tell us about the future of MAGA?
Americast
BBC
4.3 • 3.1K Ratings
🗓️ 20 February 2026
⏱️ 38 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
Who are the people shaping MAGA ideology in the US? Tucker Carlson’s story tells a larger one about just how much conservative media has changed in the United States, and the direction of conservatism itself.
Jason Zengerle, New Yorker staff writer and author of ‘Hated by All the Right People’, joins us to map Tucker Carlson’s trajectory from centre-right talk show host to one of the most prominent figures in the MAGA movement, with the ear of the president and a knack for gauging the mood of the base.
Anthony and Justin discuss Carlson and the future of the conservative movement, as well as the other prominent figures spearheading it. Where is the Make America Great Again movement going - and who will lead it after Trump?
HOSTS: • Justin Webb, Radio 4 presenter • Anthony Zurcher, North America Correspondent
GUEST: Jason Zengerle, Staff Writer at the New Yorker and Author, ‘Hated By All The Right People’
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This episode was made by Rufus Gray, Grace Reeve and Kris Jalowiecki. The technical producer was Mike Regaard. The series producer is Purvee Pattni. The senior news editor is Sam Bonham.
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | BBC Sounds, music radio podcasts. |
| 0:07.0 | On Newscast, we are not in the business of telling you how to think. |
| 0:11.5 | We get the brightest minds from across the BBC to chat through the biggest stories. |
| 0:16.1 | You should leave feeling smarter about all the bonkers things in the news. |
| 0:19.7 | Listen to newscast every day on BBC Sounds. |
| 0:23.2 | You'd think the American right would be feeling pretty good. |
| 0:25.5 | They've got the presidency. |
| 0:26.6 | They've got the Senate, the Republicans controlling both. |
| 0:29.6 | They've kind of got the House of Representatives just about a very small majority. |
| 0:34.0 | They've got the Supreme Court in many respects as well. |
| 0:36.7 | But they're worried. |
| 0:37.5 | They're worried about the future. And and specifically they're worried about where their future |
| 0:41.7 | support comes from. Is it going to be at all mainstream or is it going to be extreme? |
| 0:47.5 | We're going to focus today on one particular man, Tucker Carlson, whose story tells a larger one |
| 0:53.3 | about just how much conservative media has changed |
| 0:56.5 | the United States and the direction of conservatism itself. Welcome to AmeriCast. |
| 1:05.2 | AmeriCast from BBC News. You hear that sound? Oh, I think when I hear that sound, it reminds me of money. |
| 1:13.3 | Nicholas Maduro, he heft around, and he found out. |
| 1:16.6 | This is a big cover-up, and this administration is engaged in it. |
| 1:20.0 | This guy has trumped arrangement syndrome. |
| 1:21.8 | I have four words for you. |
| 1:25.5 | Turn the volume up. |
... |
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