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Ted Cruz Slams Tucker Carlson Over Doha Forum Appearance — Even His Own Ex-Aides Are Speaking

08:46 PM, 12/05/2025
Ted Cruz Slams Tucker Carlson Over Doha Forum Appearance — Even His Own Ex-Aides Are Speaking

Sen. Ted Cruz criticized Tucker Carlson for agreeing to speak at the Doha Forum in Qatar, calling him "Qatar First." Social media users responded by pointing out that several of Cruz’s former advisers—including Victoria Coates and Fred Fleitz—are also listed as speakers. The Doha lineup pairs Trump-aligned figures with prominent liberal and nonpartisan voices such as Hillary Clinton and Bill Gates, fueling discussion about political optics and consistency.

Ted Cruz Calls Out Tucker Carlson As Doha Forum Sparks Pushback

Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Tex.) criticized former Fox News host Tucker Carlson after it was announced that Carlson would speak at this weekend’s Doha Forum in Qatar. Cruz accused Carlson of putting "Qatar First," a swipe that drew swift attention on social media for appearing inconsistent given other speakers on the roster.

Former Cruz Advisers Among Speakers

Social media users noted that several of Cruz’s former national security advisers are also listed to speak at the forum. Victoria Coates, who advised Cruz from 2013 to 2016 and later served in the Trump administration in 2019, is scheduled to participate in a Friday panel on U.S. strategy in the Middle East. That session is organized in partnership with the Atlantic Council, an organization Cruz has previously engaged with.

Fred Fleitz, another former Cruz adviser who advised his 2016 National Security Coalition, is also on the Doha roster. Fleitz is currently vice chair of the America First Policy Institute and a contributor to Newsmax.

Mixed Roster Draws Attention

The Doha Forum’s lineup blends conservative and pro-Trump figures with prominent liberal and nonpartisan participants. Alongside Carlson, the program lists names such as Donald Trump Jr., Trump adviser Alex Bruesewitz, former acting U.S. Attorney General Matthew Whitaker, businessman Thomas Barrack, Breitbart Washington bureau chief Matthew Boyle, and donor Omeed Malik (who donated to Cruz in 2023). The event also features high-profile voices from across the political spectrum, including former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, philanthropist Bill Gates, and several CNN correspondents.

Why it matters: The juxtaposition of speakers from different political camps highlights Doha Forum’s role as a global convening space — and it has prompted critics to call out perceived hypocrisy when U.S. politicians denounce others for the same engagements they or their allies participate in.

This story was first reported on Mediaite and has generated a lively debate online about political consistency and the optics of speaking engagements at international forums.

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