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Home » Transcript: Chris Cuomo on The Tucker Carlson Show

Transcript: Chris Cuomo on The Tucker Carlson Show

Read the full transcript of a conversation between Tucker Carlson and Chris Cuomo on The Tucker Carlson Show, titled “Tucker and Chris Cuomo Debate JFK/Epstein Files, DOGE, Joe Rogan, NATO, Transgenderism, and DEI”, premiered March 10, 2025.

TRANSCRIPT:

Reflections on Life After CNN

[TUCKER CARLSON:] So, last time we talked was a year ago —

[CHRIS CUOMO:] And you somehow look younger.

[TUCKER CARLSON:] Oh, I feel I look worn out and fatter. I’ve been on the road for too long. The first day of Lent, I’m getting right now.

[TUCKER CARLSON:] But anyway, it’s been a year since we talked about this. And last time we talked, I think you were still like, and I probably was too, off balance from being vomited out of television world into this, the great beyond. But I was thinking like this morning, I was thinking, I bet he’s really grateful he’s not at CNN now.

[CHRIS CUOMO:] So it gives me no particular joy to say this, but you were right. Well, don’t get used to it. It’s the last time you’ll hear it in this conversation.

You said, “Give it time. Embrace doing what you’re doing and don’t look for the acceptance of where you were.” And that was really good advice.

Finding a New Home at NewsNation

[CHRIS CUOMO:] It’s not easy to do, but NewsNation has been what I would call a blessing in my life. I didn’t know it at the time. And like, so my brother’s running for mayor, my bosses, and of course, they had the benefit of going to school on what happened with me at CNN.

[TUCKER CARLSON:] Yeah.

[CHRIS CUOMO:] But the embrace, the willingness and acceptance of, “Wow, this is great for your family. This is great for your brother. We’re excited for you guys.” I thought it was like a test, you know, that if I seemed okay about that, they’d be like, “Aha, we knew it.”

The difference, the change of one conversation of them saying, “Well, we’re with you. We support you.” And I said, “Well, I’m going to just tell the audience, though, I’m not going to cover the race, obviously, because I’d have a conflict.” And they were like, “Yeah, duh, they know that. If you feel like you have to say it, say it.” And I realized, wow, they really believe in what I’m doing here and supporting me. I love that.

[TUCKER CARLSON:] And so there’s just a really profound gratitude. There’s not this weird hypocrisy where they encourage you to have your brother on because he’s famous in the news. That’s what CNN did to you. From my perspective, watching, they encourage you. “Hey, Chris, call your brother, have him on.” And then like a year later, like, “Oh, wait, you were talking to your brother. You’re fired.”

[CHRIS CUOMO:] Yeah, it’s too fake. Look, as we both know, in every business and especially in ours, you do what you have to do to protect yourself. And if it’s me or you and I put myself in a position where I was vulnerable, then it’s going to be me. And that’s what happened. And I accept it.

I don’t blame CNN. This was really about two people making decisions about my life, not the organization. I miss the people. I wish the place well. That is all true. But I have a connection with NewsNation and these guys where I am anxious to bleed for them.

I am excited about putting it all on the line every day, anywhere in the world, because of my upbringing and my disposition. When I know you’re there for me when you don’t need to be, it’s not necessarily, you know, there are a lot of big names that you could grab in the media right now. For NewsNation to give me the chance and to let me do it and to support me and to support me when Andrew decides that he’s got to be in public service, can’t put a price on it, could never be grateful enough.

So from a year ago until today, I now know that. And there is something comforting about that. It’s an ugly business. It’s an ugly time. The ugliest. All the wrong things are being rewarded, but I’m in the right place for me.

The Toxic Media Culture

[TUCKER CARLSON:] It’s funny, I don’t want to spend two hours beating up on the media because everyone hates them already, but it’s been almost two years for me since I haven’t worked in the media. And it’s weird how when you do work there for your whole life, you just accept that, like, yeah, everyone lies all the time and it’s totally treacherous and people who claim to be your friends actually hate you and every dispute is settled with a lawyer. It’s like, oh, it’s so disgusting. But you just accept that’s like the way things work. But that’s not how things work outside the media. Nowhere else in your life.

[CHRIS CUOMO:] You know, it’s part of politics and media, right? They’re certainly related, if not married. And I think that the biggest frustration, look, you and I both know there are lots of great men and women who do the job for the right reasons. But as a culture, it’s okay in the media for me to destroy you by a standard that I would never want imposed on me.

And there is something that is really dangerous about that.

[TUCKER CARLSON:] I agree. When, well, I don’t want you to know about my life, but you, we’re going after.

[CHRIS CUOMO:] A hundred percent. And that dichotomy, let’s call it, that paradox is really…

[TUCKER CARLSON:] Well, it’s hypocrisy.

[CHRIS CUOMO:] Yes. And it’s really dangerous. And look, unfortunately, it works so well. You know, if I were to cover you in any situation and put a positive spin on it, that’s a “puff piece.” It’s weak. “Cuomo has been red pilled. He got bought out by that preppy smiley chucklehead.” And if I then say, “Well, I sat with Tucker and as I knew it, devil spawn,” that was a “hard hitting piece.” You know, “He really came out of children.”

The commodity is negativity.