Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

Tucker Carlson says Trump’s deal to build hotel in the Middle East ‘seems like corruption’

Carlson made the remarks during an episode of his podcast this week

Trump claims he 'would have won California and New York' if elections were 'honest'

Tucker Carlson, a former Fox News host with a history of praising President Donald Trump, is raising concerns over the commander-in-chief’s plans to build hotels and resorts in Oman, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia.

Earlier this month, NBC News reported the Trump Organization signed deals to build a Trump International Hotel and Tower in Dubai, a Trump Tower in Jeddah and a golf resort in Doha. The company also has a hotel under construction in Muscat.

The president spent four days in the Middle East earlier this month, touring Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates.

Carlson made the remarks during an episode of The Tucker Carlson Show this week after his guest, Shawn Ryan, a former Navy Seal said he was “losing hope” with the administration, adding it needed “a lot of work.”

Tucker Carlson and his guest Shawn Ryan speak about President Donald Trump's business deals in the middle east
Tucker Carlson and his guest Shawn Ryan speak about President Donald Trump's business deals in the middle east (The Tucker Carlson Show)

While approving of the president’s crack down on DEI initiatives and efforts to secure the southern border, Ryan took issue over the botched efforts to release the Epstein Files, before offering a scathing review of dealings in the Middle East.

“I see all these negotiations going on in the Middle East and then, I don’t know when these buildings were approved or when these deals got done, but then I also see like, oh, there’s a brand new hotel going up in Dubai or Abu Dhabi, and another one going up in Doha,” Ryan told Carlson. “I’m like, did these just get done also with the deals that just happened over there, or was this earlier? You would probably know.”

Carlson pondered whether Trump Organization’s deals in the Middle East amount to corruption.
Carlson pondered whether Trump Organization’s deals in the Middle East amount to corruption. (Getty)

Carlson responded: “No, I don’t know. I’ve not made one dollar in the Middle East. Not one.”

“You’re a lot more on the inside than I am,” said Ryan in response, to which Carlson protested: “No, no, no, I’m just a visitor and a traveler and watcher.”

Ryan continued: “That stuff kind of worries me.”

“Well it seems like corruption, yeah,” Carlson added.

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in