Tucker Carlson spins new conspiracy on Trump’s arrest as his new Twitter rant defies Fox threat

Tucker Carlson pushed a new conspiracy theory that Donald Trump is being prosecuted for calling out Washington DC insiders over Iraq and weapons of mass destruction in his latest Twitter show.

The former Fox News host defied his former employer’s threats after they sent him a “cease-and-desist” letter stating that his new show is a violation of his contract with the right-wing network.

Carlson told his audience that the former president was now in legal trouble because of his position on Iraq during the 2016 Republican primary debates, in which he said the US had “destabilised” the Middle East with its invasion of Iraq.

“Seven-and-a-half years later we can point to the precise moment when permanent Washington decided to send Donald Trump to prison,” said Carlson on Tuesday evening as he played footage of the debate in Greenville, South Carolina.

In the footage, Mr Trump excoriates Washington DC insiders, saying, “We should have never been in Iraq...they said there were weapons of mass destruction and there were none, they lied, they knew there were none.”

Carlson insisted that by calling them “liars”, Mr Trump had “sealed his fate.”

“That was the one thing you were not allowed to say as it implicated too many people on both sides, which on this topic is really just one side,” he said.

“Hillary Clinton was guilty, but so was Paul Ryan, all of them were guilty, they all knew and they all lied, and to a person, they hated Donald Trump for exposing them.”

Carlson said that from the start of his administration, Mr Trump was targeted by “filthy and decadent” politicians, and name-checked Mike Pence, Nikki Haley, Mike Pompeo and Lindsey Graham.

He then accused them of “piling on with maximum force” in the wake of Mr Trump being charged over his alleged mishandling of classified documents after he left the White House.

Carlson then accused Mr Pompeo of not supporting Mr Trump’s agenda and “undermined at every turn” the former president’s policies and ideas, before accusing him of “toadying up” to his boss.

“Now the same person is telling Fox News he fears for the safety of our military ... because Donald Trump took some classified documents home and didn’t immediately return them to the National Archives. What a lie that is,” he said.

Carlson then said that the prosecution of Mr Trump was not “just political it is ideological.”

“Nobody with Trump’s views is allowed to have power in this country. Criticise our wars and you are disqualified, if you keep it up we will send you to prison,” he said.

“That’s the message that Washington DC is sending, not just the Democratic party but the message both parties are sending.”

Carlson then asked his audience to drive 500 miles in any direction to check out the country’s condition and told the audience that the only places doing well in the US were the suburbs of DC.

He then said that Washington insiders were determined to end Mr Trump’s campaign for another term in the White Office before voters got to have their say.

“Trump is a flawed man but his sins are minor compared to those of his persecutors. In this life we do not get to choose our martyrs we can only choose our principles and America’s are at stake.”