Tucker Carlson’s son Buckley is set for a high-profile role in the Trump administration, working as JD Vance’s deputy press secretary.
Buckley, the oldest of Carlson and wife Susan’s four children, has been a fixture on Capitol Hill since 2019.
He most recently served as the deputy chief of staff for Republican Congressman Jim Banks.
Carlson rose from a staff assistant in 2019 to communications director in 2021 prior to his deputy chief of staff role.
The younger Carlson’s position as a media contact for the Trump administration is not surprising, given his father’s prominence in conservative media and Tucker’s history of supporting the president.
At 28, Carlson is now aligned with Vance, who is viewed by many as a potential successor to Trump and a top choice for the GOP presidential candidate in 2028, with Trump being term-limited.
Vance has largely stayed with many known quantities, hiring people who worked for him in the Senate or on his campaigns to fill out staff.
Carlson is expected to serve under communication director Will Martin, who previously held the same position for Vance in the Senate, and press secretary Taylor Van Kirk, who has also been associated with Vance for a considerable period.
Tucker Carlson ‘s son Buckley is set for a high-profile role in the Trump administration, working as JD Vance ‘s deputy press secretary
Buckley, the oldest of Carlson and wife Susan’s four children, has been a fixture on Capitol Hill since 2019
According to The Daily Beast, Carlson registered as a Democrat in 2015 but has worked exclusively in conservative politics.
Buckley majored in government and political science at the University of Virginia, graduating in 2019.
Carlson revealed that his son was working in the US Capitol during the January 6 riot.
He was responding to criticism that his controversial series Patriot Purge was a whitewash or ‘revisionist history’ when he made the revelation on the Fourth Watch Podcast hosted by Steve Krakauer.
‘I hated what happened on January 6,’ Carlson said. He then added that ‘one of my kids was actually in the building when it happened. I was on the phone in real time.’
Carlson’s Patriot Purge series drew strong criticism, including from some within Fox News, for its depiction of attack as a peaceful protest, and the response as an overblown and politically motivated crackdown.
But in his remarks on the podcast published Thursday, Carlson said that he did not approve of the ‘disorder’ and ‘litter’ created by the riot but felt the damage done had been exaggerated.
‘I just don’t like when people break windows or litter. I’m about order and my house is clean, I really believe in that,’ he said.
Carlson now hitches his wagon to Vance, who many see as a potential successor to Trump and favorite to run for president as the GOP nominee with Trump term-limited in 2028
The younger Carlson’s role as a media liaison for the Trump administration may not be surprising, as his father remains one of the most influential people in conservative media, while Tucker has long been an ally to the president
‘So if people covering January 6th had been willing to just roughly tell the truth…but not use it as a partisan instrument to suspend civil liberties, I kinda would’ve just let it lie,’ he continued.
‘So they lie about what actually happened, they repeat the lie with maximum aggression, and over time, that lie solidifies into the common understanding of what happened.’
Buckley was likely named after Tucker’s younger brother, whom he was close to growing up.
After leaving Fox News in 2023, Tucker has taken his show to X and going straight to social media.
He still regularly attracts the highest-profile conservative thought leaders and even liberals like New York City Mayor Eric Adams.
