Buckley Carlson, the son of conservative commentator Tucker Carlson, has stepped down from his role in Vice President JD Vance’s communications team to start his own political consulting firm, a move that comes as tensions between his father and President Donald Trump continue to intensify.

Carlson, who is in his twenties, had been serving as Vance’s deputy press secretary since the beginning of the second Trump administration. His departure is part of a broader wave of exits by former White House staffers transitioning into private-sector roles.

Although such career shifts are not unusual during a presidential administration, Carlson’s decision arrives amid a widening and increasingly public divide between Trump, 79, and Tucker Carlson, 56, who had previously been one of the president’s most vocal supporters.

Earlier this month, Trump sharply criticized Tucker Carlson in a public post, writing, “Flailing Fools like Tucker Carlson, who couldn’t even finish College, he was a broken man when he got fired from Fox, and he’s never been the same — Perhaps he should see a good psychiatrist!”

The president followed up with another jab on Truth Social on Friday, sharing a report citing CNN analyst Harry Enten and adding, “Tucker is a Low IQ person – Always easy to beat, and highly overrated.”

For his part, Tucker Carlson has spent months criticizing the current administration, though he has generally avoided mentioning Trump by name.

Instead, he has directed much of his criticism toward figures within Trump’s orbit, including Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, particularly in relation to the war in Iran. He had also privately urged Trump against pursuing military action.

Trump, meanwhile, has occasionally responded to Tucker’s remarks, at one point referring to him as “kooky” after Carlson criticized Operation Midnight Hammer strikes targeting Iran.

More recently, the president has aligned himself in ongoing disputes within conservative media circles, backing radio host Mark Levin in disagreements involving Tucker Carlson, Megyn Kelly, and Candace Owens.

Tucker Carlson, in an interview with the BBC earlier this month, said he was “horrified” by Trump’s warning that “a whole civilization will die tonight” if Iran failed to reach an agreement.

He also told Newsmax, “I’ve always liked Trump and still feel sorry for him, as I do for all slaves,” adding that Trump “can’t make his own decisions” and is “hemmed in by other forces.”

Reports of Buckley Carlson’s departure were first published by Politico, which noted that he had initially planned to leave Vance’s office last year but remained for several additional months to assist with the transition.

Before joining the Trump administration, Carlson previously worked in 2019 for then-Rep. Jim Banks of Indiana, serving as deputy chief of staff.

{Matzav.com}