Jun 24, 2025 - Politics & Policy

Scoop: Senate GOP mocks Iran war predictions by Tucker Carlson

This is Tom Cotton — Sen. Tom Cotton. Photo: Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images

During a closed-door meeting Tuesday, Sen. Tom Cotton's (R-Ark.) colleagues laughed as he listed off predictions by Tucker Carlson about what would happen in a war to stop Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons.

Why it matters: Cotton urged senators to treat online conservative influencers like they treat MSNBC hosts — ignore them, two sources familiar told Axios.

Cotton presented polling showing GOP support for President Trump's actions on Iran during Tuesday's Senate Republican lunch.
Cotton did not specifically name Carlson, but he listed parts of a June 4 Carlson post on X about the potential ramifications of a war with Iran.
That list included $30 gas prices, runaway inflation and the possibility of another world war.

Zoom out: Cotton is a staunch national security hawk. He had been a leader in building up public congressional pressure for Trump and his administration to refuse any deal with Iran that did not include zero enrichment of uranium.

Some hawks view Trump's handling of Iran as a win against the growing more isolationist wing in the party — even if the non-interventionist view is stronger on other issues like Ukraine.

Add Axios on Google

Scoop: Senate GOP mocks Iran war predictions by Tucker Carlson

What to read next