Tucker Carlson released a short video monologue on his network Saturday evening, accusing the Central Intelligence Agency of reading his text messages with individuals in Iran prior to the ongoing Middle East war.

In the six-minute video titled "We Discovered the CIA Is Reading Our Texts to Frame Us for a Crime," Carlson stated he learned the CIA is preparing a criminal referral to the Department of Justice against him. "So the other day, I found out that the CIA is preparing some kind of criminal referral against me," he said. "What’s that crime? Well, talking to people in Iran before the war. They read my texts."

Carlson suggested the potential charge involves the Foreign Agents Registration Act, which requires individuals acting on behalf of foreign governments or entities to register with the DOJ. He denied any violation, emphasizing his role as a journalist. "It’s my job to talk to everybody all the time and try to figure out what’s happening around the world," he said. "I’m also an American. I can talk to anybody."

The claims come amid heightened U.S. involvement in the conflict with Iran, where American and Israeli forces have conducted strikes against Iranian targets. Carlson has repeatedly criticized the war, questioning its necessity and suggesting it serves foreign interests over American ones. President Trump recently disavowed Carlson, stating he "has lost his way" and is "not MAGA."

Carlson linked the alleged surveillance to backlash over his views on Israel, noting countries become more authoritarian during wartime. He provided no evidence of the CIA's actions or the referral but predicted it would not lead to charges.

Neither the CIA nor the DOJ has commented on the allegations as of Sunday morning. The CIA generally focuses on foreign intelligence and does not conduct domestic criminal probes, which fall to the FBI.

The episode echoes Carlson's 2021 accusations that the National Security Agency spied on him while at Fox News, intercepting Signal messages as he arranged a potential interview with Russian President Vladimir Putin. The NSA denied unlawfully targeting him at the time.

Reactions have been swift from conservatives. Right-wing activist Laura Loomer, a Trump supporter locked in a feud with Carlson, celebrated the development on X, claiming she reported him to the DOJ for possible FARA violations tied to ties with Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Russia, and Iran. "If Tucker Qatarlson gets charged for violating FARA... I’m taking credit," she wrote.

Carlson's Tucker Carlson Network posted the video, which has garnered hundreds of thousands of views on YouTube. He framed the disclosure as a warning about government overreach rather than a personal plea.