Tucker Carlson stuns with call to remove Trump 'immediately'

Conservative podcaster Tucker Carlson says US President Donald Trump should be removed from office if he ever considers a nuclear first strike.

He said even entertaining the possibility should disqualify a president from serving.

"The second any president actively considers the first use of nuclear weapons, that person should be removed from office immediately," Carlson said on Friday, calling it "the red line".

Carlson made the comments on his podcast alongside Joe Kent, the former director of the National Counterterrorism Center, who resigned earlier this year over the war with Iran.

Carlson said he had opposed both attempts to impeach Trump during his first term, but questioned why the same standard wouldn't apply here.

"Why isn't there an attempt to remove him from office, like, immediately?" he said, adding that anyone tolerating such talk from Trump's staff would be "by definition unfit."

Trump has not publicly said he is considering a nuclear first strike.

Carlson's comments follow growing concern over the administration's approach to Iran and a nuclear strategy reportedly being developed at the Pentagon.

Defense undersecretary Elbridge Colby said this month officials are working to give Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth "credible, rational nuclear options", according to NBC News.