House Republicans' fear of Fox News 'horrified' former UK prime minister: report

Boris Johnson, the Conservative former prime minister of the United Kingdom, met recently with Republicans to shore up their support for Ukraine in its war against Russia.

However, reports Politico, Johnson was struck by how wary many Republicans were of getting on the wrong side of Fox News host Tucker Carlson, who once openly said he's rooting for Russia to win.

“I’ve been amazed and horrified by how many people are frightened of a guy called Tucker Carlson,” Johnson said in the wake of his meeting with Republicans.

This is not the first time that observers have remarked on Carlson's power over elected officials in the Republican Party.

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When Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) likened the January 6th Capitol rioters to terrorists, he quickly rushed to Carlson's show to deliver a groveling apology after the Fox News host accused him of slandering the violent pro-Trump mob that sent lawmakers fleeing for their lives.

"The way I phrased things yesterday, it was sloppy and it was, frankly, dumb," the Texas senator told the Fox News host at the time.

The debate over Ukraine has become more heated within the GOP in recent weeks, as both former President Donald Trump and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis have signaled opposition to funding Ukraine's efforts to remove Russian soldiers from its territory.