In 2023, Tucker Carlson unloaded on Texas Governor Greg Abbott (R) during a speech for the Brighter Michigan PAC. Carlson called Governor Abbott a "liar" and "betrayer" for not securing Texas' border, and Texas Republicans are starting to agree.
In his comments, Carlson likened Governor Abbott to Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer (D), accusing the Texas governor of not addressing his constituents' concerns such as securing the state's border.
“How many Texans do you think are all on board with letting 7 million people cross into their state illegally?” Carlson asked the audience. “What percentage? Zero.”
Carlson questioned why Governor Abbott, as commander-in-chief of the Texas National Guard, has not used his power to curb illegal crossings. He criticized the Texas governor for what he described as inaction, recounting a private conversation in which he personally urged Abbott to deploy the National Guard.
“He’s got a National Guard. He’s the commander-in-chief of the National Guard. You think they couldn’t stop that in a week?" Carlson questioned. "Of course. Just assemble along the border. [Governor Abbott] refuses to do that. He won’t do it. And it’s not like no one’s suggested it. I’ve suggested it to him three times, including in private at a cocktail party in Dallas last year.” However, Carlson mentioned that the governor pushed back against the idea, citing that securing the border is "more complicated."
Responding to the 2023 video, Joseph L. Trahan, a former candidate for Texas' Senate District 15, agreed with Carlson's assessment, writing on social media that Governor Abbott "has had 10 years to stop the border invasion and all he has done in 10 years is make tax payer funded propaganda commercials."
Tucker Carlson points out the obvious ugly gawd awful truth that Texans are waking up to, which is this:@GregAbbott_TX has had 10 years to stop the border invasion and all he has done in 10 years is make tax payer funded propaganda commercials.
MORE than 7 million illegal… https://t.co/WqFTYojKjP
— Joseph L Trahan for Senate District 15 (@JosephLTrahan) January 29, 2025
According to Trahan, there are now 7 million illegal immigrants in the Lone Star state that are being funded by the taxpayers, but "no matter how many fake TV propaganda commercials Abbott makes, no fool will believe it any more with 10 years of invasion under his belt."
Trahan dubbed Governor Abbott the Sinaloa Cartel's "LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD WINNER" for his alleged involvement in helping the cartel "smuggle a quarter MILLION illegals deep inside the USA."
In Carlson's 2023 speech, he accused the Texas governor of being reluctant to seal the border because of political pressure from his donors.
“It’s not more complicated than that. It’s more dishonest than that. You’re lying to me. You don’t want to do it because your donors don’t want you to do it. It’s that simple, Greg Abbott. 'Liar,' and worse than liar, 'betrayer of your own people,'” Carlson said.
Governor Abbott has positioned himself as one of the fiercest governors combatting illegal immigration, going as far as to defy the Biden Administration by taking over Eagle Pass and launching an effort to build a border wall. However, critics like Carlson argue that these efforts fall short of what is required to fully secure the border.