Gowdy, Crenshaw slam Tucker and Bannon over Iran stance

Texas Rep. Dan Crenshaw’s (R) feud with Tucker Carlson found new fodder as he joined Fox News host Trey Gowdy to critique the so-called “pro-Putin wing” of the political right.

(Video Credit: Fox News)

As evidenced by South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham (R) goading Israel on to “finish the job” even as a ceasefire agreement was reached with Iran, there remained disparate factions in President Donald Trump’s orbit. So it was on Sunday that Gowdy, himself a former lawmaker from the Palmetto State, brought in Crenshaw after the strikes against Iran’s nuclear facilities to challenge “the motives” of Carlson and fellow podcaster Steve Bannon.

“Congressman, there are few people I know that know the cost of war better than you do. So you mentioned Ukraine,” said Gowdy after Crenshaw touched on the potential for Israel to continue pushing for “regime fall” in Iran. “There is a pro-Putin wing within the party. There were two notable people — one a podcaster, one a former television show host — who literally were begging President Trump to let Israel go it alone.”

“You made the military argument for why Israel needed our help, but is there not also a moral argument that strong nations should help those that are under attack?” asked the host.

In response, the congressman began, “There’s certainly always a moral argument, but those kinds of people don’t care about moral arguments, Trey. So the argument you could make to them, which I think is valid, is a self-defense one. You have to remind everyone, Israel is not the ‘great Satan.’ The ‘great Satan’ is the United States. The United States has always been the true target of Iran.”

Months earlier, Crenshaw, dubbed “Eyepatch McCain” by Carlson, furthered his feud with the former Fox News host whom he’d been caught on a hot mic saying, “If I ever meet him I’ll f*cking kill him.”

“Tucker has no actual substance, right?” the Texas lawmaker said to Piers Morgan after being labeled “a warmonger” and more. “He’s been attacking me since 2022, when he became obsessed with me. I live rent-free in that little mongrel’s head.”

Dan Crenshaw fuels his ugly feud with Tucker Carlson on Piers Morgan’s Show https://t.co/JRjkO0WnDv via @BIZPACReview

— BPR based (@DumpstrFireNews) March 13, 2025

The timing harkened back to the onset of Russia’s ongoing war with Ukraine, a matter that also put Carlson at odds with his then-Fox News peers.

Advancing his case to Gowdy, Crenshaw continued, “What those people get wrong and Tucker, like you mentioned … I questioned their motives also in what is causing these very strange opinions to be had. Put that aside for a second. What they don’t truly understand — they think we’re the ones in front of Israel, right? … It’s the other way around. Israel is the first speed bump between us and Iran. That’s always been the case.”

Since announcing the ceasefire, Trump cautioned against either party violating it and offered a stern message to Israel early Tuesday morning that read, “ISRAEL. DO NOT DROP THOSE BOMBS. IF YOU DO IT IS A MAJOR VIOLATION. BRING YOUR PILOTS HOME, NOW!”