Buckley Carlson Leaves Vance Post for Consulting Firm

Buckley Carlson, son of conservative commentator Tucker Carlson, has departed his role as deputy press secretary to Vice President JD Vance to launch his own political consulting firm, according to officials familiar with the matter.

Carlson notified Vance's office of his plans as early as December, well before recent escalations in U.S. foreign policy. He remained in the position for several months to facilitate a smooth handover, one official said. Prior to joining the White House, Carlson had served as communications director for Representative Jim Banks of Indiana.

The timing of his exit coincides with a public rift between President Donald Trump and Tucker Carlson over the ongoing U.S. military campaign in Iran, known as Operation Epic Fury. The elder Carlson, a former Fox News host who supported Trump during the 2024 campaign, has emerged as a vocal critic of the operation. He described the joint U.S.-Israeli strikes that killed Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei as "completely disgusting and evil," attributing the conflict primarily to Israel's interests rather than U.S. security needs.

In the lead-up to the strikes, Tucker Carlson met with Trump at the White House on...