Anti-Trump conservatives, including Tucker Carlson, Marjorie Taylor Greene, and Thomas Massie, met to strategize on forming a third-party movement. Joe Kent, who attended the meeting, stated the consensus was that the current political system is failing and a new approach is needed.
The meeting signals a potential fracturing within a segment of the conservative movement, raising questions about the future of the Republican Party and the viability of third-party challenges in U.S. presidential elections.
Conservative figures Tucker Carlson, Marjorie Taylor Greene, and Thomas Massie convened to strategize about potentially launching a third-party movement, according to Joe Kent, a former Trump national security official who attended the meeting. Kent stated that the group's consensus was that the current political system is not functioning and that a new approach is necessary to 'save our country.'
Kent acknowledged that running as a third-party candidate presents significant challenges but is not impossible. He noted that while Carlson, Greene, and Massie had previously backed Donald Trump, they had diverged from him during his administration, particularly concerning military operations in the Middle East and the handling of documents related to Jeffrey Epstein.
During the meeting, attendees urged Carlson to lead the nascent movement by running for president in 2028, but he reportedly declined. The difficulties facing independent and third-party presidential candidates, such as navigating state-specific ballot access requirements and competing financially with major parties, were also discussed.