MAGA in Turmoil Over Tucker Carlson's Possible 2028 Presidential Run

A new coalition of high-profile MAGA figures has launched a movement aimed at fielding a third-party candidate in the 2028 presidential election, with former Fox News host Tucker Carlson at the top of their list.

On Saturday, former US Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene posted a photo on X taken at Carlson's cabin in Maine, showing Greene, Carlson, former Representative Thomas Massie, and Joe Kent, the former head of the US National Counterterrorism Center. In her caption, Greene wrote that they supported Donald Trump because he promised no more foreign wars, but "he's betrayed us all." She declared, "Our commitment is America First for all Americans, right, left, and center. The movement has begun."

On Tuesday, Carlson shared Greene's post on his X account, writing: "MAGA was betrayed. We all were. It's time for a new path forward." He promised to share more about the group's plans on his show Wednesday evening.

That same evening, Kent appeared on The Young Turks and revealed that the group has been trying to persuade Carlson to run in 2028. "I'd say all of us at one point in time told Tucker he needs to run, and Tucker's been pretty public that he's not going to run," Kent said. "So, we all made our pitch to Tucker as to why he should run and hopefully he wakes up one day and Tucker says he's going to run." In late June, Carlson reiterated that he did not plan to run for office.

Kent also said the group is exploring the possibility of getting a third-party candidate on the ballot in all 50 states, citing Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy's struggles ahead of the 2024 election.

Carlson, Massie, Greene, and Kent are among the highest-profile MAGA figures who have split from Trump over the past year, citing his failure to uphold campaign promises like releasing the Epstein files and ending foreign wars. The schism has roiled the Republican Party ahead of November's midterms, and the decision to run a third-party candidate is likely to deepen that divide.

While some MAGA figures welcomed the news—such as livestreamer Sneako, who commented "Great group"—many others were angry. Laura Loomer, a staunch Trump supporter, called Carlson a "lunatic" and accused him of wanting to hijack the GOP in 2026 and 2028. The influential MAGA account Captive Dreamer predicted the effort would be "shorter lived than Musk's 'America Party." Phillip Buchanan, known as Catturd, wrote: "All of you combined have zero pull anymore. ... Table full of laughingstocks." Election denier David Clements described them as "a set of vultures circling the 2028 election."

The White House responded dismissively. Spokesperson Davis Ingle said Trump created the greatest political movement in history and remains the unequivocal leader of the Republican Party. He added that the photo represents "an embarrassing collection of mostly whiny turncoats who dramatically overestimate their influence and relevance."

Kent also shared that the movement, which could eventually become a new party, aims to find a candidate for the 2028 election and build "a broad coalition" focused on an America First agenda. "We're done with the foreign wars," Kent said. "We're done with the foreign lobbying. We're gonna work together to do what's right for the American people."

White nationalist Nick Fuentes, who sparked anger within MAGA when Carlson interviewed him last year, dismissed the group's efforts. He wrote on Telegram that they are trying to create an America First movement without him, but it will lack a strong message on religion, race, or immigration. Trump has yet to react to the possibility of Carlson running.