Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) expressed her concern over the reported assassination attempt by a Ukrainian agent on Tucker Carlson, who was recently in Russia to interview Vladimir Putin.
What Happened: Greene took to social media to voice her apprehension about the alleged assassination plot. She responded to a post that claimed a Russian national had been detained for planning a terrorist attack to kill Carlson, allegedly on orders from Ukrainian special services.
“This is true and extremely terrifying. Journalism is a dangerous job but also one of the most important. We must always protect free speech and a free press. It's the only way to protect people from governments,” Greene said in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter.
The alleged plot was revealed in a video of the suspect’s interrogation, which was shared on social media and was first released by a Russian media outlet Uusi MV-Lehti.
The post also included photos of the Four Seasons Hotel’s parking garage and the explosive device seized by Russian counter-terrorist forces.
The suspect, Vasiliev Pyotr Alexeieovich, a 35-year-old Russian national, allegedly confessed to being recruited by Ukraine’s Main Directorate of Intelligence in November 2023. He claimed to have been trained in “special communications” and the handling of explosive devices.
Alexeieovich stated that he was given the mission to place an explosive device under a vehicle at the Four Seasons Hotel’s parking garage in Moscow, which was intended to transport Carlson during his visit to interview the Russian president.
He was offered $4,000 for the mission, but he was detained during the planning process. In a video released by a Russian media website, Alexeieovich confessed to the plot and expressed remorse for his actions.
Benzinga was unable to independently verify these reports. At the time of publication, responses from the Russian and Ukrainian embassies were awaited.
Why It Matters: Carlson's recent interview has drawn widespread criticism. His conversation with Putin, where he appeared to be sympathetic toward the Russian leader, was met with backlash. Critics criticized Carlson for playing into Putin’s hands, with former FBI agent Frank Figliuzzi suggesting that the Russian president chose Carlson for the interview because he knew Carlson would not challenge him.
Putin also expressed his dissatisfaction with the interview, stating that he had expected a more confrontational approach from Carlson. This dissatisfaction was echoed by Russian dissident Garry Kasparov, who challenged Carlson to a debate over his handling of the interview.
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This content was partially produced with the help of Benzinga Neuro and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
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