Tucker Carlson is drawing backlash after suggesting Americans should consider stopping payments on their credit cards, a controversial take that comes as household debt reaches record levels.
The comment has sparked debate across the political spectrum.
“I think people should stop paying their credit cards. I know no one else agrees with me, and oh, ‘you have a moral obligation.’ Really, well, you have a moral obligation to not send credit card applications to kids in college,” Carlson said in a video discussion released on X.
Why It Matters
WASHINGTON, DC – JANUARY 9: Tucker Carlson, former FOX News host and current host of The Tucker Carlson Show
Carlson’s comments are noteworthy not just for what he said, but who said it. Carlson is widely viewed as a right-leaning media figure. Since calls to stop paying debts are more commonly associated with left-wing economic populism, Carlson has prompted debate about whether rising debt levels are becoming more of a bipartisan concern.
“It seems like he is challenging many of the traditional financial norms he once embraced and attempting to align more with the frustrations of the working class,” Kevin Thompson, the CEO of 9i Capital Group and the host of the 9innings podcast, told Newsweek. “But if Americans broadly stopped paying their credit card bills, the entire system would seize up almost immediately.”
What To Know
In the interview released on X, Carlson questioned the fairness of the current system and suggested Americans are being crushed by debt.
“That’s like just blaming the drug addict and never mentioning the dealer,” Carlson said. “Someone’s selling the fentanyl… Is it a sin to rip off your drug dealer? I guess. It’s not one I’m going to judge you for.”
Since credit card debt is unsustainably high and the financial system is stacked against consumers, Carlson suggested Americans should consider refusing to participate in the system altogether, an unorthodox statement for a conservative commentator to make.